Archive for the ‘Excerpt’ Category

A Song for Julia ~ Giveaway

Posted: February 5, 2013 in Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways, New Adult
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I had to join this tour organized by AToMR

The cover art for A Song for Julia is fantastic and the excerpt hooked me good!

Cover600x900 song for julia

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Title: A Song for Julia

Author: Charles Sheehan-Miles

Release date: December 15, 2012

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Buy Links:

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Barnes & Noble

Apple

Book Description

Everyone should have something to rebel against.

Crank Wilson left his South Boston home at sixteen to start a punk band and burn out his rage at the world. Six years later, he’s still at odds with his father, a Boston cop, and doesn’t ever speak to his mother. The only relationship that really matters is with his younger brother, but watching out for Sean can be a full-time job.

The one thing Crank wants in life is to be left the hell alone to write his music and drive his band to success.

Julia Thompson left a secret behind in Beijing that exploded into scandal in Washington, DC, threatening her father’s career and dominating her family’s life. Now, in her senior year at Harvard, she’s haunted by a voice from her past and refuses to ever lose control of her emotions again, especially when it comes to a guy.

When Julia and Crank meet at an anti-war protest in Washington in the fall of 2002, the connection between them is so powerful it threatens to tear everything apart.

Excerpt

It was funny, I thought, as we paid the bill and left the restaurant. Crank was … different. Easy to be around, and he made me laugh. But I was never going to see him after tonight, and that made me kind of sad. For a brief second, I thought of seeing him when we got back to Boston, but seriously? Bad idea. My life didn’t have room for someone like Crank. And from what he’d said, his didn’t have room either. This was all a little off-key, out of place, almost as if it was someone else out to dinner with him, and I was playing a role. I almost never go out with guys. And I never let my emotions get ahead of my brain.

But tonight, as we tried to wave down a cab to head toward Georgetown, I was feeling a little out of control. The way his shirt gathered around his arms, the easy strength in them, the easy grin … I was attracted to him in a way I hadn’t been with anyone in a long time.

I’ve never liked feeling out of control. Not like that. I’d gone there once, head over heels in love, and it did so much damage to my life I didn’t think I’d ever recover. No way I’d ever go there again. Whatever else happened, I was in control of my life. No one else. Certainly not some formless emotion and lust that can take away who you even are. I was fourteen when it happened, almost eight years ago, and the consequences and damage were beyond anything I could have conceived. What I learned was this: letting myself be at the mercy of hormones and brain chemicals and emotions can be deadly.

A cab pulled up, and we got in. I thought of tossing away caution and telling him I wanted to go home with him. One night wouldn’t be so dangerous. One night could be okay. One night could be free and fun and not go anywhere.

The cab driver took a hard right turn, accelerating to get through the light before it changed, and in the process I was pushed across the back seat toward Crank. He put his arm around me, an automatic reaction I’m sure, but I stayed there.

“You all right?” he asked.

“Fine!” I said. “Where are we going, anyway?”

“No idea. Aren’t there a bunch of clubs in Georgetown?”

“I think so. I didn’t get out much when I lived in the area.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Why not? Don’t take offense, but you seem like you were probably one of the popular girls.”

“You couldn’t be more wrong. What makes you think that?” I asked, giving him a challenging stare.

“First impressions, I guess. You still look very professional in that outfit, kind of preppy. Sexy as hell.”

I’m not a blushy sort of girl, but that made me blush. “It’s not exactly club attire, is it? But I don’t want to take the time to go back and change.”

“No worries, Julia. It’s just us, anyway.”

I swallowed and then leaned against him. What had gotten into me?

Lust. That was the only explanation. I could feel the hard muscle of his shoulders and thighs pressing against me, and my body was responding to that—no matter what my mind said.

The cab came to a halt, and the driver muttered something. I leaned forward. Nothing but red tail lights ahead of us for blocks.

“What’s going on?” Crank asked.

“Construction,” the driver said. “Bad. You want me to let you out here?” He looked anxious to dump us out of the cab as soon as possible, to avoid being stuck in the westbound traffic.

I took a breath. My chest was tight, my whole body tense. I rubbed my hands on my skirt, closed my eyes and thought, Screw it. I can do this. It’s just one night, anyway.

“Do you want to…” he asked, just as I started to say, “Let’s …”

We both stopped, and he laughed.

“You go first,” he said.

I bit my lip, and I could feel my cheeks heating up again. “I was going to say …” and my voice trailed off.

“You were going to say?”

He grinned. It was a crooked grin, the left side of his mouth slightly higher than the right, and it made me want to melt into my seat and pull him right after me.

I took a breath and closed my eyes. “I was going to say, where are you staying?”

I kept my eyes closed another fifteen seconds or more. And, let me tell you, fifteen seconds is a long, long time. Finally I opened them, and he was looking at me with an expression I couldn’t interpret. For someone who was always joking, always making snide remarks, he looked serious. Too serious. More serious than I was comfortable with. I didn’t need serious in my life.

I saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed, then he said, “I’m at some dump in Arlington. Sharing a room with Mark.”

“Oh,” I said, my voice unnaturally tense.

“What about you?” he asked. He spoke very slowly, carefully.

“Um … my parents have a condo in Bethesda. I was planning on heading back there tonight.”

“I don’t want to say goodbye,” he said.

I couldn’t get control of my breathing. I felt lightheaded. Out of control. “Come back to my place.”

He titled his head, leaned close and whispered, “Are you sure?”

I found myself chewing on my lower lip again. “Yes.”

I dropped my eyes and leaned forward, putting my hand on the back of the taxi driver’s seat. “Can you take us to Bethesda instead? Wisconsin Avenue and Montgomery.”

Suddenly it was quiet in the cab. Tense, awkward. I couldn’t believe I’d done this. I did not do one-night stands. But here I was, half-hyperventilating, with this guy I’d only known for eight hours sitting beside me in the cab. And I guess if it was just for now that was fine, but what if he wanted to see me again? What if he wanted to date? What if?

I didn’t think I could handle that.

This was so stupid. Things were so much easier with Willard, before I broke up with him. I was always in control. There was no passion there, true. There wasn’t anything there. But it was comfortable. Easy. I wasn’t afraid.

Crank, though: he made me afraid.

The cab cleared the traffic and turned up at Massachusetts Avenue, and we were speeding out of downtown DC.

“You’re awfully quiet now,” Crank said.

I looked at him, and his eyes were boring into mine, intense, probing.

“Having second thoughts?” he asked. “It’s okay.”

I leaned a little closer. “No. Just … it’s just tonight. We don’t see each other again. We don’t call each other in Boston. We don’t … anything. Okay? We enjoy each other’s company tonight, and then we’re done.”

He stared at me, surprised. And … his face looked disappointed. He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing once in his throat. “I don’t know why, but that’s … not what I expected.”

“Don’t get expectations. Not with me.”

He shook his head. “Usually I’m the one who says things like that.”

The cab came to a halt, and he paid it, and we were out on the street. A cool wind blew through the streets of downtown Bethesda, and traffic rolled by us. I took his hand and walked to the entrance of the high-rise, swiped my access card to unlock the front door, and we walked into the lobby.

The night concierge was sitting at the counter, watching a small television. She looked up briefly, gave us a casual wave and went back to her show. Good. If it had been the day concierge, my appearance with Crank would have been reported back to my parents by morning.

We waited in silence for the elevator. The bell when it arrived on the ground floor was loud.

“Nice place,” he said. “Fancy.”

“My parents bought it a few years back when we were living in the area.” I didn’t want to talk about the year I’d lived with my parents here. I didn’t want to think about it. If there’d been any other place I could have taken him, I would have. I didn’t like having this crazy, free moment mixed with my past.

We stepped into the elevator. It rose, quickly, to the top floor. He followed me down the hall, and we stopped at the door while I fumbled for keys. I was shaking with anxiety, nervousness. The weight of this place made me want to scream. But not enough to push him away.

I unlocked the door and opened it, then started to step in. My heart was thumping in my chest, and my throat was tight. Not just because of him. Because of this place. I had no good memories here. Even with the lights still out, looking inside this condo, which I’d stepped foot in only a few times since the day I graduated high school, shook me to the core and made my skin crawl.

I shuddered and then turned back toward him when he didn’t come inside. He gave me a speculative, questioning look. As if he were curious about me, about who I was.

But that wasn’t any of his business.

“What?” I asked.

“You don’t want to see me again,” he said.

I did. But I shook my head no.

“You don’t sleep with guys unless you’re serious with them,” he said.

“I don’t have room for serious in my life.”

He stepped close and brushed my lips with his, then spoke in a low tone. “I want you to be serious about me,” he said. “I can get a girl to sleep with me any time. But there’s something different about you.”

I stared into his eyes. He meant what he was saying. We’d only known each other for a few hours, but I felt a connection too, even if it was only lust. I wanted him. Right now. I felt my breath speed up as I started to speak, “I …”

“Julia,” he interrupted. “I’d love to get to know you better,” he said. “But I’m not going to sleep with you. Good night.”

Then, unbelievably, he leaned forward and kissed me again. Slow. Our tongues just made contact. Wet and warm. Hungry. I wanted to whimper, pull him inside, but he turned and slowly walked back down the hall until he was out of sight.

I just stood there and watched him go, and part of me, a huge part of me, wanted to run after him. But I still remembered.

I remembered what it was like to have a hot, sexy, charismatic guy want me. I remembered what it was like to lose control, to feel that rush of emotion. To be overwhelmed.

I remembered what it was like to have my heart torn out, to have my dreams smashed, to be bleeding and lost in the back streets of Beijing. To have scandal nearly tear my family apart.

No matter how much I might have wanted this guy: I couldn’t go back there. Not now. Not ever. If it wasn’t going to happen for just tonight, it wasn’t going to happen at all.

So, I walked in the condo and closed and locked the door. I didn’t turn on the lights. I didn’t want to see the inside of this place. Instead, I made my way to the couch and lay down, alone.

I didn’t cry. Not here. Never again.

Giveaway

I have one copy of A Song for Julia to give away (mobi or epub).

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question, “Is it easier to break up with someone or to have them break up with you?”

Giveaway ends Feb. 15th.

Thank you and Good Luck!

About the Author

author_photo song for julia

Charles Sheehan-Miles has been a soldier, computer programmer, short-order cook and non-profit executive. He is the author of several books, including the indie bestsellers Just Remember to Breathe and Republic: A Novel of America’s Future.

Author social media links:

https://www.facebook.com/CharlesSheehanMiles

Fan group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/384693288275181/

https://twitter.com/CSheehanMiles

Website: http://www.sheehanmiles.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/415636.Charles_Sheehan_Miles

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Teaser Tuesday #7 RAPTURE

Posted: January 15, 2013 in Action/Adventure, angels, apocalypse, Dark Fantasy, Excerpt, horror, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, Series, suspense, Teaser Tuesdays
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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My teaser for today is from Rapture by Phillip W. Simpson

Rapture (Rapture Trilogy, #1)

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I watched when Noah loaded up the Ark.I watched what became of those who were left behind. The misery, the anger, the terror. Some things don’t change. Take these times for instance. Humans knew He would return at some point – in fact, some of you even tried to predict his return – and yet most did nothing about it. Carried on living their lives, murdering, stealing, cheating. Fighting wars, killing innocents. He tried to warn you. Think about the amount of natural disasters that have occurred in the last few years. Earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, flooding, plague and pestilence. Animals mysteriously dying in their thousands. No-one paid any attention, and now look what’s happened to them. Chapter 5, pg.59

 Feathery wings arched above her shoulders, their pale luminescence immune to the moon’s light. Chapter 3, pg.31

This is the first book in the series and  I’ll tell you right now, I’m going to read them all!

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More of Bella Andre and The Sullivans

Posted: January 12, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways, Series
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Novel Publicity has put together this wonderful tour featuring the amazing Bella Andre. Get to know The Sullivans and enter to win some awesome prizes!

From This Moment On (The Sullivans, #2)

Enjoy the following excerpt for FROM THIS MOMENT ON…

Marcus Sullivan was known for his patience. After helping to raise his seven siblings, he’d learned to wait out tantrums, fistfights, even tears.

But tonight, he was all out of patience.

He’d come to the club tonight to find a woman, to proposition her, to claim her for one no-holds-barred night, but he’d been watching the dancers for long enough to know that he wasn’t going to take a single one of them to bed. None of the women who’d walked in through the thick red curtain in the past thirty minutes had been contenders, either.

Until, suddenly, the curtain parted…and she walked in.

Marcus felt like a fist had slammed straight into his gut.

The woman was young, mid-twenties probably, and so beautiful it almost hurt to look at her. Her black leather dress left nothing to his imagination, fitting her like a second skin with wide cut-outs that ran down the side of her insane curves.

She was the one.

As she stood in the doorway and slowly scanned the crowd, every eye in the room was on her. She was magnetic, had that special something that made it impossible to pull your eyes away from her.

And then her eyes met his, illuminated by a beam of light in the dark room, and although Marcus hadn’t drunk nearly enough at Chase’s engagement party to be unsteady on his feet, one look at those clear blue eyes had him fighting for balance.

What was wrong with him?

He needed to remember, at all times, what tonight was about. Pleasure. Not emotion. Not a relationship. It was okay for certain parts of his body below the waist to react like a match had been lit from nothing more than looking at the woman. Everything else was off-limits. He wasn’t looking for a woman to respect.

And he definitely wasn’t going to fall in love.

The dangerous curves began to shift beneath the thin layer of leather as she moved straight toward him, never once breaking stride, even in impossibly high heels. Marcus couldn’t miss the challenge in her gaze, a look that asked if he was man enough to handle her.

He’d always liked his women tall and slim, not barely coming up to his chest like this one. A voice in his head told him she was way too young for him, young enough that if this were any other night, he’d walk away from her now.

But he wasn’t planning on walking away from whatever this woman offered. Not until first light.

And definitely not until he’d had his fill of those curves.

 

…Excerpt from FROM THIS MOMENT ON by Bella Andre ©2012.

Can't Help Falling In Love (The Sullivans, #3)

Enjoy the following excerpt for CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE…

Gabe Sullivan’s captain, Todd, stepped into the room.

“How’re you feeling, Gabe?”

“Good, Captain.”

He moved to sit up straighter on the bed and Todd shook his head. “You’re fine just like that. I know your skull must hurt like hell.” He nodded back to the doorway. “Are you ready to see Ms. Harris and her daughter, Summer?”

No, he thought, he’d be better off never seeing those eyes again.

He’d thought about Megan and her daughter one too many times for comfort. Not just because he was reviewing the rescue, trying to look for what he could have done differently, to have gotten them out faster and more safely—but because he hadn’t been able to forget her strength, how hard she’d fought to stay conscious, and what a fighter she’d been every single second of the harrowing journey from her burning apartment.

Still, he understood that fire victims often felt compelled to say thank you to the men who had saved them. Especially in a case like this, where they’d just barely held death at bay.

“Sure.” He began to nod, but a sharp shooting pain stopped him halfway into the movement.

Catching his grimace, Todd said, “I’ll ask Megan and her daughter to come back later.”

Her name fit her, Gabe had found himself thinking one too many times. Megan was pretty and strong all at the same time. It would be better to think of her as Ms. Harris. Although, he had to wonder, was there a husband? And if so, where had he been during the fire and why wasn’t he here with them now?

“No,” he said, “it’ll be better if I see them now.”

She’d say thank you, he’d tell her he was happy to see her and her daughter doing so well, and that would be that. No more being haunted by her eyes, by the surprising strength she’d shown him as she’d crawled on the floor of her apartment and down the stairs.

A couple of minutes later, Todd walked back in with the mother and daughter. Ignoring the pain in his head, Gabe sat up higher and forced a smile on his face.

And then, his eyes locked with Megan’s and his smile froze in place.

My God, he found himself thinking before he could shove the thought away, she’s beautiful.

The last time he’d seen her face it had been through a thick haze of dark smoke and the knowledge that one wrong move meant their lives were over. Her eyes were just as big and pretty, her limbs looked as lean and strong as they had when he’d been helping to move her along the floor, but now he could see the softness in her, the sweet curves of her breasts and hips in her T-shirt and jeans. He couldn’t stop staring at the startling green of her eyes, the silky dark hair falling across her shoulders, and the way her pretty young daughter was a carbon copy of her, the only difference their hair color, one dark, one light.

She seemed just as stunned as he and for a long moment, the two of them just stared at each other in silence until her daughter ran over to him and threw her arms around him.

..Excerpt from CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE by Bella Andre ©2012.

fall in love

The Sullivans are on tour with Novel Publicity. Follow along for your chance to win amazing prizes. We’ve got special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards. WOW!

You’ll also get introduced to this amazing contemporary romance series via excerpts as well as interviews with and guest posts from New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Bella Andre. You’ll definitely want to learn more about the family that has captured the world’s heart.

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment–easy to enter; easy to win!

To Win the Prizes:

  1. Purchase any of the Sullivan ebooks by Bella Andre for just $4.99 (optional)
  2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity (go here)
  3. Visit today’s featured social media event (that’s where the HUGE prizes are)

About The Sullivans: In this sexy, emotional and funny contemporary romance series, each member of the Sullivan family will eventually find true love…usually where he or she least expects it.

Get the eBooks via Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, the iBookStore, or the Kobo Store.

Audiobooks are also available for the first five in the series (with more coming soon). Plus, keep an eye out for paperback editions coming from Harlequin Romance starting Summer 2013.

All Sullivan Covers

Bella Andre_1About the Author: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Bella Andre has always been a writer. Songs came first, and then non-fiction books, but as soon as she started writing her first romance novel, she knew she’d found her perfect career. Known for “sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance” (Publishers Weekly) about sizzling alpha heroes and the strong women they’ll love forever, nearly all of her novels have appeared on Top 10 lists at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple and Kobo.

Her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine “Red Hot Reads” twice and have been translated into nine languages. Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post has called her “One of the top digital writers in America” and she has been featured by NPR, USA Today, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. She has given the keynote speech at Book Expo America on her self-publishing success and has sold more than one million books.

If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100 year old log cabin in the Adirondacks.

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Come Fall in Love with The Sullivans and Win Big!!

Posted: January 7, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Excerpt, giveaways, Romance, Series
Tags: , , , ,
6

Sullivan Tour Badge
fall in love

The Sullivans are on tour with Novel Publicity. Follow along for your chance to win amazing prizes. We’ve got special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards. WOW!

You’ll also get introduced to this amazing contemporary romance series via excerpts as well as interviews with and guest posts from New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Bella Andre. You’ll definitely want to learn more about the family that has captured the world’s heart.

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment–easy to enter; easy to win!

To Win the Prizes:

  1. Purchase any of the Sullivan ebooks by Bella Andre for just $4.99 (optional)
  2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity (go here)
  3. Visit today’s featured social media event (that’s where the HUGE prizes are)

About The Sullivans: In this sexy, emotional and funny contemporary romance series, each member of the Sullivan family will eventually find true love…usually where he or she least expects it.

Get the eBooks via Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, the iBookStore, or the Kobo Store.

Audiobooks are also available for the first five in the series (with more coming soon). Plus, keep an eye out for paperback editions coming from Harlequin Romance starting Summer 2013.

All Sullivan Covers

Bella Andre_1About the Author: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Bella Andre has always been a writer. Songs came first, and then non-fiction books, but as soon as she started writing her first romance novel, she knew she’d found her perfect career. Known for “sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance” (Publishers Weekly) about sizzling alpha heroes and the strong women they’ll love forever, nearly all of her novels have appeared on Top 10 lists at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple and Kobo.

Her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine “Red Hot Reads” twice and have been translated into nine languages. Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post has called her “One of the top digital writers in America” and she has been featured by NPR, USA Today, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. She has given the keynote speech at Book Expo America on her self-publishing success and has sold more than one million books.

If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100 year old log cabin in the Adirondacks.

And now let’s get to know about The Sullivans

The Look of Love (The Sullivans, #1)

Enjoy the following excerpt for THE LOOK OF LOVE…

Chase almost missed the flickering light off on the right side of the two-lane country road. In the past thirty minutes, he hadn’t passed a single car, because on a night like this, most sane Californians—who didn’t know the first thing about driving safely in inclement weather—stayed home.

Knowing better than to slam on the brakes—he wouldn’t be able to help whomever was stranded on the side of the road if he ended up stuck in the muddy ditch right next to them—Chase slowed down enough to see that there was definitely a vehicle stuck in the ditch.

He turned his brights on to see better in the pouring rain and realized there was a person walking along the edge of the road about a hundred yards up ahead. Obviously hearing his car approach, she turned to face him and he could see her long wet hair whipping around her shoulders in his headlights.

Wondering why she wasn’t just sitting in her car, dry and warm, calling Triple A and waiting for them to come save her, he pulled over to the edge of his lane and got out to try and help her. She was shivering as she watched him approach.

“Are you hurt?”

She covered her cheek with one hand, but shook her head. “No.”

He had to move closer to hear her over the sound of the water hitting the pavement in what were rapidly becoming hailstones. Even though he’d turned his headlights off, as his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, he was able to get a better look at her face.

Something inside of Chase’s chest clenched tight.

Despite the long, dark hair plastered to her head and chest, regardless of the fact that looking like a drowned rat wasn’t too far off the descriptive mark, her beauty stunned him.

In an instant, his photographer’s eye cataloged her features. Her mouth was a little too big, her eyes a little too wide-set on her face. She wasn’t even close to model thin, but given the way her T-shirt and jeans stuck to her skin, he could see that she wore her lush curves well. In the dark he couldn’t judge the exact color of her hair, but it looked like silk, perfectly smooth and straight where it lay over her breasts.

It wasn’t until Chase heard her say, “My car is definitely hurt, though,” that he realized he had completely lost the thread of what he’d come out here to do.

Knowing he’d been drinking her in like he was dying of thirst, he worked to recover his balance. He could already see he’d been right about her car. It didn’t take a mechanic like his brother, Zach, who owned an auto shop—more like forty, but Chase had stopped counting years ago—to see that her shitty hatchback was borderline totaled. Even if the front bumper wasn’t half smashed to pieces by the white farm fence she’d slid into, her bald tires weren’t going to get any traction on the mud. Not tonight, anyway.

If her car had been in a less precarious situation, he probably would have sent her to hang out  in her car while he took care of getting it unstuck. But one of her back tires was hanging precariously over the edge of the ditch.

He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Get in my car. We can wait there for a tow truck.” He was vaguely aware of his words coming out like an order, but the hail was starting to sting, damn it. Both of them needed to get out of the rain before they froze.

But the woman didn’t move. Instead, she gave him a look that said he was a complete and utter nut-job.

“I’m not getting into your car.”

Realizing just how frightening it must be for a lone woman to end up stuck and alone in the middle of a dark road, Chase took a step back from her. He had to speak loudly enough for her to hear him over the hail.

“I’m not going to attack you. I swear I won’t do anything to hurt you.”

She all but flinched at the word attack and Chase’s radar started buzzing. He’d never been a magnet for troubled women, wasn’t the kind of guy who thrived on fixing wounded birds. But living with two sisters for so many years meant he could always tell when something was up.

And something was definitely up with this woman, beyond the fact that her car was half-stuck in a muddy ditch.

Wanting to make her feel safe, he held his hands up. “I swear on my father’s grave, I’m not going to hurt you. It’s okay to get into my car.” When she didn’t immediately say no again, he pressed his advantage with, “I just want to help you.” And he did. More than it made sense to want to help a stranger. “Please,” he said. “Let me help you.”

She stared at him for a long moment, hail hammering between them, around them, onto them. Chase found himself holding his breath, waiting for her decision. It shouldn’t matter to him what she decided.

But, for some strange reason, it did.

…Excerpt from THE LOOK OF LOVE by Bella Andre ©2012.

The Sullivans have come to stay for a while on fuonlyknew! For the next two weeks I’ll be bringing you more excerpts from The Sullivans Series along with guest posts and interviews.There’ll be lots of yummy romance and awesome characters!

*Don’t forget to enter for some fabulous prizes!

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Dark Waltz Tour #Giveaway

Posted: January 3, 2013 in Adult Fiction, Aliens, apocalypse, Blog Tour, Creatures, Dark Fantasy, Excerpt, fiction, giveaways, Series
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Welcome to my stop on the Dark Waltz Tour by A.M. Hargrove. I have lots of goodies for you. There’s a book excerpt, a description, my review, and a fantastic giveaway.

If you think the banner is pretty, check out the full cover  of Dark Waltz.

A Praestani Novel

Dark Waltz, a Praestani Novel (#1)

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Category: ADULT Romance…NOT appropriate for young readers. (Caution:  Major STEAM ahead)

Dark Waltz–A sizzling legend of loss, lust and love.
It’s the year 2030 and the human population has been annihilated by a virulent form of small pox.  Liasare Davidson is desperately searching for her brother, who has been missing for three months.  It’s been eighteen years since she was evacuated from Earth and she is horrified to see it’s become a cesspool of unimaginable things.
In her quest to find her brother, she meets Jurek, a powerful and enigmatic being that frightens her, yet she is unable to resist.  When things begin to unfold between them, they both discover a paralyzing truth that puts Liasare at grave risk.  She must make a choice to join Jurek and find her brother or fulfill a role she believes she is ill-equipped to undertake.
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Here is an excerpt to give a taste of what’s inside.
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Liasare checked out two more bars before she decided that the next would be her last for the night.  She plopped down on the first available seat with an oomph and ordered yet another beer.

What an interesting night.  Met a blonde girl who obviously knew Tommy, got bitten by a Xanthian, stabbed and killed a Xanthian, almost got myself killed by a Xanthian, was rescued by some awesomeness that then spoke into my mind, snagged an annihilator, got asked out on a date…what next?

The hairs on the back of her neck promptly stood at attention, followed by the rest of her body hair.  The room seemed to take on an intense heated electrical charge.  She wondered if it was just her, or did everyone else feel it?  Her eyes gazed around the room, trying to locate the source of her discomfort.  No one else appeared to be affected by this strange phenomenon.  She gave her head a firm shake and turned her focus back to her beer.  While beer had never been one of her favorite beverages, the iciness of it as it slid down her throat seemed to ease the discomfort caused by the strange sensations she was experiencing.  The bottle was quickly emptied as she sought to put out the fire that had erupted within her.

The bartender raised his brows and she nodded, indicating her desire for another.  Seconds later, another bottle was in her hands and its liquid contents were making their way down her parched throat.

Liasare began inspecting the patrons of the nightclub, hunting for whatever could possibly be making her feel so uncomfortable.  As her eyes scanned the room, they came to rest on a man who was intently staring at her.   He stood still as a marble statue, not so much as blinking an eye.  Dressed in snug black leather pants that sat low on his hips, his chest was bare, with the exception of an unbuttoned black leather vest.  He wore no shirt, nor did he need one; his sculpted muscles seemed to defy the presence of something so offensive.  His arms bore a myriad of black tattoos, which were perfectly symmetrical in their swirling yet angular beauty.  They looked perfectly delicious against his smooth tawny skin and Liasare had an irrepressible urge to touch and inspect them.  His face wasn’t beautiful in the classical sense, though from her vantage point, she could see he was compellingly attractive, so much so that she found herself craning her neck to get a better look at him.

What the hell am I thinking?  He could be a serial killer or something.

Jerking her gaze away from him, she forced herself to focus on drinking the rest of her beer.

As Liasare sat there, she couldn’t stop thinking about the strange man.  Turning her bar stool to get another look at him, she was disappointed to see he had left his place against the wall.  Her instincts and body told her he was still there.  It was in the air…hot, electrifying.  It wasn’t painful, yet it wasn’t comfortable either as she found herself squirming on her perch at the bar.  She took another long pull off her beer.

“Looking for me?” his warm breath cascaded over her ear and down her neck, sending currents of heat throughout every molecule, centering on that very spot at the pinnacle of her thighs she didn’t want to think about.  She choked on her beer and spit it out on the bar as she felt his lips leave of trail of molten kisses down the side of her neck.

The bartender, noticing her distress, immediately came to her aid with a towel.  He mopped up the mess and handed her a bunch of napkins.

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah, thanks,” she squeaked.

Her face was most likely the color of a tomato; it felt like it had gone up in flames when that husky voice whispered in her ear.  She knew he was gone for her nerve endings told her so.  She swiped her hand across her sweaty brow.  In her twenty-seven years of life, never had a man affected her like this.  It would be her luck, she thought, that something like this would happen on a night like tonight.

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Jurek Herdekian leaned against the wall and eyed the chestnut haired human as she drank her beer.  His mere presence affected her, which surprised him since he was always careful to mute his powers.  The human’s extreme sensitivity to him was an aberration.  He was also disturbed by the fact that he had felt her distress when she had been surrounded by the Xanthians earlier in the night.  He had no doubt that they had planned to kill her.  That she had managed to kill one of them, impressed him beyond measure.  He must find out who she worked for and what she was after.

As she drank, she turned to examine the crowd.  When her gaze landed on him, it wasn’t a quick look, but a thorough inspection.  She liked what she saw and wanted to get a closer look.  Had Jurek been in a different setting, he might have thrown his head back and laughed at her audacity.  He opted for the next best thing.

Jurek moved stealthily through the crowd until he was directly behind her, whispered something, kissed her, and then left.  He would keep her in his sights now that he knew her scent as well as her thoughts.

He waited outside the bar and watched as the sky lightened with the morning sun.  The chestnut haired human left the bar and headed south toward the old Dillsworth area. Jurek followed her at a safe distance.  When he found out where she was going, he would assign a man to her.  She was fairly smart, this one.  She took all kinds of turns and cut through yards, to lose anyone following her.   She kept a constant check behind her; of course it would have been impossible to notice him, for he was traveling in his energy form which was undetectable to the human eye, or any eye for that matter.

She arrived at a garage and made her way inside.  He followed her and saw where she was staying.  Satisfied that she would be safe for the near future, he departed and headed back to Lare-Stell Base.

Now for my review!

What do I know? I know I’m lovin this series! It’s a waltz that takes you spinning through space before taking that final dip.

As I’ve already given you a description and an awesome excerpt, my review is going to be an emtotional one, more about how the story made me feel and how I connected with the characters. So, I’ll get started:)

The first thing that captured my attention was this story is about returning to Earth from another planet, not about venturing into space. The Earth of today is overrun with hostile, nasty beings and humans tread carefully when they venture out. We are no longer at the top of the food chain. In fact, we are now on the menu.

What really grabbed me with Dark Waltz was the characters. I love character driven novels and the stars of this novel are exceptional.

Lisare left Earth when she was a young teen and didn’t return for eighteen years. It’s so much worse now. She thinks she’s prepared for what awaits her as she searches for her missing brother, but she is very wrong. She’s going to need help, whether she likes it or not.

What I enjoyed about Lisare is her toughness along with her vulnerability. She’s taken huge risks just in coming to Earth. She’s run into some situations that left her trembling and doubting her resolve. And she now has a mysterious stranger, a magical being, whose magnetisium is becoming harder and harder to deny.

There’s a mental connection, but that’s now what has her worried. She fears her bodies yearning for Jurek, it’s demanding ache for his touch. An accident a long time ago left her physically and mentally scarred and she has no idea how to protect herself from these feelings.

This is what Jurek is up against as he becomes more and more drawn to Lisare. He’s never wanted anyone like he wants her, but she’ll have to be handled carefully, if she ever lets him handle her at all.

I enjoyed Jurek’s inner turmoil and frustration. He’s a powerful, demanding being and he’s not used to being snubbed and challenged, especially by a woman. He has his hands full with Lisare, trying to keep her safe and struggling to get past her tough exterior.

Jurek was a favorite character of mine in Determinant. It’s great to read his story here.

Jurek also felt the mental connection to Lisare, but his bodies lust for her comes as a surprise. He has no lack of female partners, but this girl has him feeling things he’s never experienced before. He knows it will be much more than a roll in the hay with her and that’s not all he has to consider.

Dark Waltz is exceptionally written, flowing smoothly and keeping you engaged from first page to last. I found myself wanting to race to the finish and forced myself to slow down. I didn’t want to miss a single thing.

The fight scenes are exciting, the creatures are hideous, the mysteries and secrets keep you guessing, and the sexual tension builds and builds. What a read.

Dark Waltz is a fantastic first chapter in The Praestani Novels. This adult series takes place several years after The YA Guardians of Vesturon Series. You don’t have to have read them, but I would recommend it. Guardians is where it all began. It makes me very happy to know it doesn’t end here.

       

And now for the giveaway.

First Prize winner (US/Canada Only) gets:

$15.00 gift card, Paperback of Dark Waltz, e-books of The Guardian’s of Vesturon Series, e-book of Edge of Disaster, Hale Maree by Misty Provencher & Mercy by Misty Provencher

Two Second Prize Winners (open worldwide) gets:

E-book of Dark Waltz, e-books of The Guardians’s of Vesturon Series, and an e-book of Edge of Disaster.

For a chance at these amazing prizes just click on the rafflecopter link.

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Go here for the complete tour schedule. You don’t want to miss anything.

About the author and her books.
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A.M. Hargrove

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life.  So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase.  Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodgeball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head.  Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window.   She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone and hit #4 on her speed dial.

“Hello.”
“Boss, is that you?”
“Why yes, A. M., who else would be answering my phone?”
“Er… right.  Well, I’m calling to let you know you can pick up my luxury Ford Focus at Starbucks near the interstate.”
“Why ever would I want to do that?”
“Because I quit you idiot!”

A.M. hit the end button and speed dialed her husband.

“Hi hubs, can you pick me up at Starbucks?”
“Sure… Having some car trouble?”
“Not at all.  I don’t have a car to have trouble with because I just quit my job.”
“WHAT?!”
“It’s time for a new career and I am going to be a very famous novelist.”

So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as a young adult paranormal romance author of self-published ebooks.  Her series, The Guardians of Vesturon, centers around a family of six siblings and is a mix of humor, mystery, suspense and of course, love.
If you’re wondering, it didn’t happen EXACTLY that way, but….

Author links:

   Blog        http://www.amhargrove.blogspot.com/
   Twitter      http://www.twitter.com/amhargrove1

Goodreads   http://www.goodreads.com/amhargrove1

Click on images to purchase the books

 The Guardians of Vesturon Series

The Praestani Novels

More books by A. M. Hargrove

Other places to purchase.

   Amazon  http://amzn.to/QsoCQi
   B&N        http://bit.ly/RKpOv6
   Kobo       http://bit.ly/Qe9yG4

The Crimson Hunt Giveaway

Posted: January 2, 2013 in Blog Tour, Book Promos, Excerpt, giveaways, New Adult, otherworldly, Romance, Science Fiction
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Thanks to AToMR for letting me be a part of this amazing tour.

The Crimson Hunt Cover V Smith JPEG HI RES.jpg.0x675.egrvsvxhlfupu8fr03ak313rvqme7b9

Title: The Crimson Hunt (Book One: Eldaen Light Chronicles)

Author: Victoria H. Smith

Release date: November 7, 2012

Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | Print

Book Description:

College junior Ariel Richmond is working on year three of Project Normalcy.

Her house reeks of keggers past and her bestie is just a slight bit vulgar. But the thing is—they both aid in making life refreshingly uneventful.

So much for hard-earned mediocrity when Luca Grinaldi appears on the scene.

Luca’s sudden presence on campus is hard to ignore. Those bright eyes act like a beacon to unsuspecting females, and with features like his, he’s got to be moonlighting for GQ. Luca hopelessly captivates Ariel with his confidence and charisma, but the mysteries surrounding him make him nearly untouchable. And just when Ariel grows close enough to unlock his secrets, a tragic event sends her life in a downward spiral.

That steady life is no longer an option and allies quickly become scarce. The mysterious Luca seems to be the only one willing to help her—but with that trust comes the burden of his secrets. He has a dark mission of otherworldly proportions, and is willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes to see it completed.

Gone are the days of simply maintaining normalcy, and if Ariel isn’t cautious with her trust, so soon may be her future.

The Crimson Hunt is a New Adult Science Fiction Romance.

Excerpt

I continued my rigorous review of the material. But as the night went on, I didn’t gain much ground. There were about fifteen chapters in the first half of the semester’s lectures. I was only up to chapter eight. There’d never be enough time for me to get them down pat before the midterm tomorrow. I wanted to cry at the thought. Laying my head in my textbook, I hoped the words would materialize into my brain.

“I think the book works better if you are actually reading it.” A gentle laugh accompanied the words.

I jolted, startled by Luca’s sudden appearance. I quickly raised my head, hoping to God there weren’t any page marks indented into my face. I rubbed my eyes, and Luca’s beautiful face appeared before me. “Don’t be so mean. I’m stressing out here. The midterm is tomorrow.” I said this though I didn’t really mind that he poked fun at me. It was really cute to see him joke.

I couldn’t help but notice how hot he looked tonight with his strong build lining his t-shirt. He should never cover his beauty with clothes and such things. He also wore a heather-gray carpenter jacket. I hoped my cardigan was enough for the weather when I left tonight.

“I was not trying to be cruel. I was just stating a fact.” He laughed again and sat on the edge of the table.

I smiled, his laugher bringing my anxiety down a bit.

“What are you caught up on? May I be of any use?”

There were a lot of things he could help me with at this point, but none of them had to do with Zoology.

About the Author

Victoria H. Smith

Victoria H. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She puts it to good use writing romance all day. She resides in the Midwest with her Macbook on her lap and a cornfield to her right. She often draws inspiration for her stories from her own life experiences, and the twenty-something characters she writes give her an earful about it.

In her free time, she enjoys extreme couponing, blogging, reading, and sending off a few tweets on Twitter when she can. She writes new adult fiction romance in the sub-genres of science fiction, urban fantasy, and contemporary, but really, anywhere her pen takes her she goes.

Author social media links: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

 (1) eBook copy of The Crimson Hunt (Book One: Eldaen Light Chronicles).

Open International.

eBooks will be in mobi, epub, and pdf formats gifted from Smashwords.

All winners will be sent to the author at one time after the Jan. 25th date.

  • If a winner does not have an e-reader they can download the Kindle app for free to their computers on Amazon.

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question, “What did you think of the excerpt?”

Contest ends Jan. 16th.

Thank you and Good Luck!

Giveaway and Cover Reveal: Dracian Legacy

Posted: December 18, 2012 in Blog Tour, Cover Reveal, Debut Novel, Excerpt, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, Series, YA Fantasy
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Priya- Dracian Banner-1

I’m excited to be a part of the cover reveal for Priya Kanaparti’s upcoming new release, Dracian Legacy, Book #1. It looks like we have a new series to start and characters to fall in love with.

Is this not stunning?!

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 Book Title: The Dracian Legacy – Book 1 (Dracian Legacy Trilogy)

Author: Priya Kanaparti

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy Romance

The designer for the cover art is the amazing Regina Wamba at maeidesign.com

Release Date: February 14th, 2013

 

ADD TO GOODREADS

 

Book blurb

Ren and Axel are caught between two powerful magical races: one destined to end the bloodshed, the other out for vengeance.

Seventeen-year-old Ren Pernell is prophesied to end the war between the Dracians and the Telalians. So when a Dracian, Axel Knight, is sent to find and bring back the prophesied one before she turns eighteen and Telalians discover of her existence, unexpected sparks start to fly between the two. Once Ren finds the truth behind Axel’s arrival, she wants everything to do with him and nothing to do with his mission.

Things prove to be difficult as Ren’s life is constantly threatened by forces that are beyond her control, including the leader of the Telalians. With the clock ticking and Ren’s life in jeopardy, it is no longer just a mission for Axel. It becomes a personal endeavor to save the only one he’s ever loved. In a heart racing ending, they must find a way to evade the preordained war that won’t also end Ren’s life.

Priya is having an awesome giveaway to celebrate her cover reveal and upcoming release of Dracian Legacy.

The giveaway starts 12/18/2012 and ends 1/4/2013. With the exception of swag, all the e-books are open for international entries.

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This giveaway will have 5 winners:

2 Winners will receive an E-Book ARC of Dracian Legacy

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1 Winner will receive 2 E-Books of choice to Sheely Crane’s Significance Series

Significance (Significance, #1)  Accordance (Significance, #2)  Defiance (Significance, #3)

1 Winner will receive 2 E=Books of choice from Jennifer Armentrout’s Covenant Series

Half-Blood (Covenant, #1)  Pure (Covenant, #2)  Deity (Covenant, #3)

1 Winner will receive swag from Shelly Crane

Click on the rafflecopter link to enter for a chance at some awesome books and swag!

A rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour dracian

About the author

_MG_3750-1 author dracian

Priya Kanaparti was born in India, grew up in Detroit, and is now living in Boise, ID. She attended Wayne State University for her undergrad degree in Bachelor of Science in Biology, and University of Phoenix for her Masters in Business Administration. Priya works as a project manager in software field during the day and lives in the world of her characters during the nights and weekends. She had found the love for reading and writing early this year, when she stayed home with her year old and needed something to occupy those ‘downtime’ hours.

She loves playing tennis on a good summer day and chess during the cold winters, but reading and writing has become a year round hobby.

She lives in Boise with her husband, son and a Yorkie. Dracian Legacy is her debut novel.

Contact information:

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Facebook

Goodreads Author Page

Goodreads Dracian Legacy

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The Awakening…. Giveaway & Blog Tour

Posted: December 12, 2012 in Blog Tour, Cover Reveal, Dark Fantasy, Excerpt, fiction, giveaways, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, Short stories and collections, suspense, Vampires, Witches
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Welcome to my stop on Emma Meade’s December Blog Tour. Today I’ll be revealing her beautiful cover, giving you a teaser excerpt, telling you my thoughts about The Awakening & Other Stories, and I’m hosting a giveaway!

The Awakening & Other Stories

by Emma Meade

Put on the kettle, close the curtains and curl up by the fire. Dive into 8 short tales, each with a slice of the paranormal.

Ghost Story

While walking her grandmother home, Jessica and her friend Michelle can’t help but notice the house. It’s supposed to be haunted. Stories are that you can see a shadow of a man in the bedroom window. The discussion turns to who he might be and why he lingers there.

On their way back, the two best friends decide to check out the old house and see if the stories are true. Jessica will learn something tonight. She ‘ll learn that ghosts are real and that maybe she was meant to enter the house on Rambles Lane.

I got a surprise with this  story. I didn’t have any idea where it was going and I love that! It’s not often that I don’t see what’s coming.

The Awakening

She remembers being ill. She remembers the mysterious dark man coming to see her. She remembers the blood.

She sleeps and when she sleeps she dreams. Now she wants to wake up. Why can’t she wake up. Wait, did she hear something? Is she waking up?

I really liked this one. The ending is one of those, Oh No! ones.

End of the Line

It’s midnight and Cassie stands on the train tracks waiting for death.  Here it comes. She will not jump out of the way, she won’t. Then she jumps.

Now she’ll have to come back tomorrow night and finish what she started, even if she has to use liquid courage to do so.

If she does meet death, will it be the end of the line?

I feel sorry for Cassie. She’s so sad, so lost. Failing the first time, I wonder if she really wants to die, or if she just needs a reason to go on living? This one stuck with me for some time.

Milsa Loris

The kingdom of Milsa Loris has just one night each year to come alive. The once majestic but now long abandoned home will host old friends tonight. They gather to pay their respects to an era that’s past.

The king’s witch, Noraleen, is brewing up something special for them. She just has to do this one thing and then she can finally rest.

Witchy good. I wouldn’t want to be invited to the party.

The Knocking

Alison tries to be patient with her grandfather. He’s old, losing his memory, and really tests her mettle. Tonight is no different from any other night.

Then there’s a knocking at the door. She opens it. No one’s there. Not long after, there’s more knocking. Again, there’s no one there.  The knocking is much more violent the third time, but again, no one is there.

What’s come knocking?

That’s what I asked myself. What’s at the door?

The Boy on the Beach

When Kate was a little girl her grandmother read the tea leaves for her but wouldn’t tell her what she saw. As the years passed and Kate grew into her teens, her grandmother still wouldn’t tell her. Then she passed away and Kate thought she’d never know what the tea leaves said.

When she finally finds out what they said, she’s just confused. Her grandmothers warning from the grave gives her the shivers.

B-E  C-A-R-E-F-U-L  D-A-R-K  B-O-Y  W-A-N-T-S  Y-O-U

“He will have the strangest green eyes you’ve ever seen… He will use trickery if needs be.”

This is one of my favorites. Kate tried to heed her grandmother’s warning.

Snowglobes

Two young lovers arrive at Calvin’s Cabins for the Christmas holidays. They’re here to try to mend their failing relationship.

Will they be able to get back what they once had?

Maybe Calvin could help them.

This is another favorite for me. It’s magical.

The Old Vampire

Hailey’s dreams aren’t about a knight in shining armor riding up on his white steed to rescue her. Her knight is a vampire, or maybe a demon or ghost. Any of these would do.

She’s longed for the supernatural world her whole life. Is she really destined to a hum-drum existence or is there something more for her.

She dreams and she waits. And she waits. And waits. Will she ever meet her knight?

This is a good old horror story. Horror just the way I like it.

Emma sprinkled some razzle dazzle on these pages and zinged me but good. I love short stories and in her book, you get a smorgasbord of paranormal and horror.  I didn’t meet a story I didn’t like.

Five snowglobes for The Awakening & Other Stories

       

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Excerpt from “End of the Line”

In the distance, the familiar, white light appeared, cutting through the dark of midnight. She’d watched it come before, but always from the sidelines, imagining what it would be like to face such a beast.

Cassie drew in a shaky breath and steeled herself. Legs splayed, arms by her sides, fists tightly clenched, she waited on the tracks as the train approached. Her legs shook, and strands of hair licked her cheeks in the gentle night’s breeze.

She swallowed the fear threatening to override her. Hang in there, she told herself. Another sixty seconds, and it will all be over. No more drowning, murky thoughts, heavy dreams or stilted breathing. She lifted her head and stared straight ahead, willing her body to freeze.

Closer now, but not coming fast enough. She was scared. As much as she desired to have it all over with, the fear gained ground. Could the driver see her yet? No, still too far away. Why had time slowed down? An ache began in her ankles, spreading up her legs and winding its way around her thighs and into her clenched hands.

The feel of her fingernails scraping the soft flesh of her palms roused her, just as she became aware of the vibrations on the tracks.

Cassie stumbled into the grass growing beside the tracks and ran, tears running down her cheeks. She stopped as she reached the first line of trees and leaned over, resting her hands on her thighs, trying to get her breath back.

Damn it! She wanted to die. Why couldn’t she have stuck it out?

The train thundered by, unaware of the woman hunched over in the darkness, sobbing. She raised her head to watch the carriages pass, slithering alongside Wilkins Woods like a dark snake. In thirty seconds, the night was once again silent.

She’d try tomorrow night. Maybe pick up a bottle of Jack Daniel’s after work. Might help with the nerves.

Slowly, her breathing returned to normal, and she wiped the tears away. Cassie followed the edge of the woods the mile back to her squalid flat. She let herself in and headed straight to bed. One more day. She could make it that far.

Giveaway

I have one e-book copy to give away.

To enter, leave your email address and answer this question, “Are you making a New Years resolution?”

Giveaway ends Dec. 23rd.

About Emma Meade and where to find her

Author of Nights Sighs and Under the Desert Moon.

Emma Meade writes paranormal fiction. She lives in rainy Ireland and loves all things supernatural. Stephen King’s The Stand is one of her most loved books. Books, DVDS & TV show boxsets take up lots of space in her home and she collects all the Point Horror books she can get her hands on. She is not ashamed to admit that Dirty Dancing and Twilight make her top ten movie list but wishes to point out that The Last of the Mohicans, Reality Bites, Dead Poets Society, Stand by Me and The Goonies are in there too.

Writing supernatural stories & watching marathon re-runs of Buffy are some of her favourite ways of escaping reality.

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You can purchase The Awakening & Other Stories for $1.99 at these links:
Amazon

Smashwords

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Giveaway / Nobody Has To Know by Frank Nappi

Posted: November 16, 2012 in Contests, Excerpt, fiction, giveaways, reviews, suspense, thriller, Trailer
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I have a fantastic giveaway for you! You can find the details after my review.

Nobody Has To Know

by Frank Nappi

Nobody Has to Know

ADD to Goodreads

Here is my review if you missed it before.

Cam is twenty-five years old, teaching at Hillcrest Highschool, and in a long-term relationship with his college sweetheart. A relationship where he can’t seem to commit himself to the final step.

He should have listened to his mentor’s words – “Remember, you can be friendly with these kids, but you are not their friend….. Especially the girls. That’s just trouble waiting to happen.”

Well, trouble finds Cam or does he find it? A beautiful, vulnerable young girl tests the boundaries between student and teacher, and Cam fails miserably.

One night in a seedy little motel room sends him straight to hell.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdMjNDJ5hT4]

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If Cam had listened to his mentor’s warnings, if he’d stayed true to his college love, if he’d just quit justifying the act to himself, he wouldn’t be looking out of the deep, dark abyss he’s now in.

There is one name  for men like Cam – Loser.

He lies to the girl, he lies to his lover, he lies to everyone, including himself. And his lies take him deeper and deeper into a frightening, out-of-control madness.

Frank Nappi knows how to write a thrilling suspense story. The subject is delicate, and there are some gritty scenes, which I feel were necessary to evoke the called for responses.

My responses were disgust, outrage, anxiety, sadness, and exhilaration!

Congratulations go to Frank for leaving me exhausted and triumphant.

You don’t have to like the main character, Cam. I don’t expect you will. I sure didn’t. But I did squirm as his lies caught up with him.

The author leads you to believe the worse is over, but don’t relax. It is really just beginning and the suspense is relentless. My jaw ached from clenching my teeth in anguish. I was so invested in this story, I felt physical pain.

What took this from a 4 to a 5 rating was the explosive ending. I couldn’t imagine a better one!

You can go here to read the first two chapters.

And now for the giveaway. Frank has offered 2 e-book copies of Nobody Has To Know. Thanks so much Frank.

It’s easy to enter. Just leave your email address and answer this holiday question, “What is your favorite Christmas movie?”

Giveaway ends November 29th.

Not required, but you’d make me smile if you followed my blog:)

You can find Franks contacts below.

About Frank Nappi and where to find him

Frank Nappi

Frank Nappi has taught high school English and Creative Writing for over twenty years. His debut novel, Echoes From The Infantry, received national attention, including MWSA’s silver medal for outstanding fiction for 2006. His follow-up novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler, garnered rave reviews as well, including a screenplay adaptation of the touching story which aired nationwide in the fall of 2011 (A Mile in His Shoes starring Dean Cain and Luke Schroder). Frank continues to produce quality work, including The Legend of Mickey Tussler: Sophomore Campaign, the intriguing sequel to the much heralded original story, and is presently at work on a third installment of the unique series. Frank lives on Long Island with his wife Julia and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony.

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Click here to purchase Frank Nappi’s novels.

  Echoes from the Infantry: A Novel

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Chosen – Amish Bloodsucker Trilogy #1/ Giveaway and Review

Posted: November 6, 2012 in Action/Adventure, comedy, Excerpt, fiction, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Romance, Series, Vampires
Tags: , , , , , ,
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GREAT NEWS! Barbara has added a paperback to the giveaway so now there are two chances to win. Everyone already entered will be eligible for this too.

Chosen

The Amish Bloodsucker Trilogy #1

by Barbara Ellen Brink

Chosen (Amish Bloodsucker trilogy, #1)

I  love the cover art for this book.  I just knew it was going to be a fun read, and it was! I mean,  Amish blood sucking vampires, now you know that’s going to be fun!

Jael is The Chosen One. She is descended from a long line of slayers. It’s her duty to save the Loon Lake Amish Community, which has been infiltrated by Bishop and his pack of vampires. He wants her dead before her 16th birthday, when she’ll come into her full slayer abilities.

Her parents, Miriam and Jesse, were forced to leave Minnesota when Miriam discovered she was pregnant. They knew she was carrying the next Chosen One and have been running ever since. Always moving, staying isolated, never in one place too long.

Jael never understood why they lived so far away from everyone, why she was never allowed to have friends over.

Jesse, Jael’s father, has trained her in martial arts and slaying with stakes for as long as she can remember. It’s only recently that she even knew she was Amish and The Chosen.

With the help of her uncle Seth, Jael goes on her first hunt.

“Well don’t just sit there….. We have vamps to stake.”

A slow smile turned up his lips and he climbed out too.

Her dad had fashioned her a leather tool belt with enough loops to hold six stakes, two on each side and two in the back. She slipped it on around her waist and filled every loop with a pointy, curved stake. Inside the top of each of her boots she slipped a four-inch blade. She picked up the crossbow. It this isn’t enough firepower……

Could you picture her doing this in a long dress, apron and prayer cap. That would be a hindrance for sure! Luckily her parents don’t make her wear traditional Amish garb.

A quirky thing about The Chosen. They are all born with six toes on one foot. Jael’s parents had hers removed as an infant to disguise who she was. When the vamps are near, her phantom toe gives her a painful warning. This comes in useful.

Brianna is Jael’s best friend and couldn’t be more different.

If lives were fairy tales, Brianna would reign supreme as a Walt Disney princess, while Jael would live in the darker Grimm Brother’s version  where survival meant slaying dragons on a daily basis.

There are rumors going around at school that Jael lives in a commune and is a sister wife. Brianna has seen her bruises and believes she is being abused. A time will come when Jael will have to tell her the truth. But not yet.

Shadow is the “bad boy” personified. The one all mothers warn their daughters about, with a piercing gaze, lanky good looks and  a mouth full of sarcasm. He has an unusual effect on Jael. Not a romantic one, instead his proximity makes her nauseous. It appears there is more to Shadow than meets the eye.

Then there’s Bruno, a huge wolf hound and loyal companion of Jael’s. They seem to have a special connection.  She can get him to do some really fun tricks. He’s also a great deterrent considering he’s the size of a small horse.

Jael’s 16th birthday is coming soon and the vampires are searching high and low for her. Thet need her dead before she comes into her full slayer abilities, while Jael has no clue what the powers will be. She is going to need all the help she can get if she’s going to be ready to go after Bishop and his bloodsuckers.

I really like Jael. Barbara was able to make her a typical teen, with everyday worries and baggage, and also with a secret life as a vampire slayer, and made it believeable and really fun.

The bloodsuckers are nasty, Jael is double tough, her family is fiercely devoted and her friends are loyal.

There are some tender moments in this story and a whole lot of humor. You’d expect that with the title Amish Bloodsuckers! It’s all in good fun, but there is some serious slaying too! Jael didn’t go through all of that training for nothing. I felt some Buffy and Little Red Riding Hood in this story.

Chosen is well written, fast-paced and easy to follow. I like how Barbara was able to keep it simple with so much going on. It could have been complicated, but she feeds you the story in bites that are easy to chew. I’m hungry for more.

        A whole lot of fun!

I’ve just finished reading Shunned – Book Two and will be telling you about it soon. And more news! Book Three is coming very soon.

Excerpt from CHOSEN:

“Jael?” Brianna was watching her with a puzzled expression on her face. “Are you all right? You seem sort of out-of-it.” She closed her locker, her history book in the crook of her arm.

“Yeah, just tired. Up late last night,” Jael said, dropping her book bag in the bottom of her locker and sliding out the book she needed for first class – Trigonometry. Ick. She’d rather smell a rotting corpse on a warm night than solve math problems.

“Okay…well… I’ll see you later, right?” She backed up a couple of steps, holding her gaze as though Jael would disappear again as soon as she let her out of her sight.

“Sure.”

Brianna smiled, then turned and hurried down the hall toward Mr. Stanton’s history class. Jael watched her go, feeling as though she was losing the only real friend she’d ever had, and there was nothing she could do about it. She saw Marti stop Brianna outside the history classroom to say something and then they both laughed and went into class together.

Jael slammed her locker shut and twisted the combination lock. She couldn’t go on this way much longer. Kicking vampire butts at night and pretending to be an average girl during the day was just taking too much out of her. She wasn’t cut out to live a double life. She wanted to be normal. If only she could be like Brianna, have parents that were nerdy scientists, a baby brother who was already taking college classes cause he tested out of third grade and was considered a genius. Okay, maybe Brianna’s family wasn’t that “normal” but still.

“Hey, Jael,” a male voice whispered close to her ear.

She twisted around and was a tenth of a second from crushing the guy’s windpipe with the heel of her hand when she realized it was just Lyle standing there. She dropped her arms and blew out a confused breath.

“You scared me,” she lied, a flimsy excuse for cover.

“Sorry.” He backed up a step, as though sensing his near demise. “Just wanted to see if you were coming to the exhibition game against the Redville Scorpions tonight. Some of us are going out afterwards for burgers. Thought you might like to come along. Hang out. Have some fun.” He narrowed his eyes. “You live way out in the desert somewhere, don’t you? Like in a commune or something?”

“What?”

“It’s cool. I don’t mind.” He smiled, and stepped closer, leaning in against the lockers with one hand. A wave of minty fresh breath wafted over her. He was always sucking on those Altoids. Curiously strong indeed.

“Good to know,” she said, basking in the warmth of his gaze. The blonde basketball star could believe she lived in a cave in Afghanistan if he wanted to, as long as he looked at her like that.

“So…?” He leaned closer, pinning her against the lockers with the heat of his eyes and another wave of peppermint.

She smiled back. “I was thinking about coming to the game.”

“Cool. I’ll see you tonight then,” he said, and pushed off from the locker. He winked and walked away to join a group of guys waiting at the end of the hall.

Her arms and legs felt paralyzed as though she’d been shot with a tranquilizer dart. At least how she imagined it would feel to be shot with a tranquilizer dart. She forced herself to move, to look away from the group of guys and walk in the opposite direction. She couldn’t let Lyle know that he set her heart racing just by speaking to her and that her skin tingled with electricity at his proximity. He would think she was some crazy, stalker girl – someone to avoid, not date.

The bell rang as she slowly moved toward the trigonometry room. Her legs refused to hurry, regardless of being tardy. She paused outside the door, listening to the sound of voices and laughter and scraping chairs as kids settled down for class. Mr. Winchester’s gruffy baritone rang out calling for attention.

Jael suddenly realized the predicament she’d shoved herself into. Since when had she ever thought about going to a game, much less believe her parents would allow her to be out of their sight that long? She blew out a frustrated breath. Since a hot guy asked her out on a date–that’s when. She had to get into town for the game tonight. It was her only chance to be normal. If it were up to her parents and Uncle Seth, the only socializing she’d ever do would be with undead creatures in the dark of night.

This was a once in a lifetime. She never thought Lyle would give her the time of day much less invite her out for burgers. Okay, maybe it wasn’t a real date; just a group thing. But it was a start.

Barabara has given me one e-book of Chosen to giveaway!

Bonus! Barbara is also giving away a paperback copy! For those who have already enterewd, you’re eligible to win this also!

It’s east to enter. Just leave your email address and answer this question: “What would you use to kill an Amish vampire?”

Giveaway ends November 20th.

Book Description

Chosen (Book One)

The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy

With tongue firmly in cheek and genuine Amish-made stakes at hand, The Amish Bloodsucker Trilogy sets off like a bat in the belfry. Jael the vampire slayer is ready to kick some serious bloodsucker butt. Seriously.

Move over Buffy – there’s a new slayer in town! Raised in the desert of Nevada, and destined for the Minnesota Loon Lake Amish Community, Jael Shetler is the Chosen One.

Trained by her uncle and father in twenty-one different forms of hand-to-hand combat – she also throws a knife with the speed of a bullet, and is accurate to within two centimeters of a cold, dead heart with her crossbow – she is a bloodsucker’s worst nightmare.

Her parents, forced to leave their plain and simple upbringing to escape the clutches of the new Bishop – an ancient and powerful vampire with plans to use the Amish Community as his own personal Jamba Juice – raise and train their daughter to continue the fight begun thousands of years earlier by another Jael, and to fulfill the prophecy in the Book of the Shunned.

Soon Jael is turning sweet sixteen and then … all hell will break loose.

Barbara Ellen Brink is a multi-published author of mystery and suspense. She lives with her husband and their two mutts in the great state of Minnesota where mosquitoes are the only bloodsuckers she’s actually ever seen. This is Barbara’s first foray into the world of Amish and Vampires – both of which scare her – but it isn’t the last. The 2nd book in The Amish Bloodsuckers Trilogy – SHUNNED – is now available. The 3rd book – RECKONING – will be available for Thanksgiving!

CHOSEN is available now in kindle and paperback until Dec 31st and then will be available in all ebook formats as well.

Purchase CHOSEN here:

Createspace paperback https://www.createspace.com/4032836

Amazon kindle/paperback http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009JYT3B0

Purchase SHUNNED here:

Createspace paperback https://www.createspace.com/4041332

Amazon kindle/paperback http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009VQIXF8

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shunned-barbara-ellen-brink/1113600422?ean=2940015877427

Author Website/blog: http://www.barbaraellenbrink.com

Amish Bloodsuckers website: http://www.amishvampireslayer.moonfruit.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BarbaraEllenBrink

Twitter: BarbaraEBrink

You can purchase these books by clicking on the images below.

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