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Dragon Maid

Dragon Lore: Book Two

Ann Gimpel

26630321

Dream Shadow Press

64K words

Release Date: 10/5/15

Genre: Paranormal romance

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Tumble off reality’s edge into myth, magic, and Scottish dragon shifters

 

Book Description:

When pressed, Jonathan Shea admits magic runs through his blood, but he’s always been ambivalent about it—until a dragon and her mage show up in the Scottish Highlands, and then all bets are off. Jonathan’s charmed and captivated by the dragon—a creature fresh out of myth and legend—but the woman bonded to it is so enticing, he tosses caution aside and catapults into the magical power he’s avoided for so long.

Britta and her dragon prepare for a battle to save Earth. Freshly transplanted from a much earlier time, she feels awkward, out of place. The first person she lays eyes on is Jonathan. There’s something about him. She can’t quite pinpoint it, but he has way more magic than he lets on. Magic aside, it runs deeper than that. For the first time ever, she questions the wisdom of remaining a maid. If she doesn’t make up her mind damned fast, though, her choices will fritter away. Beset from every side, she’s never needed her magical ability more.

Surrounded by dragon shifters, Celtic gods, Selkies, time travel, and a heaping portion of magic, Jonathan comes into his own fast. Fell creatures target him, Britta, and her dragon. In the midst of chaos, he and Britta find scorching passion and love so heartbreakingly tender, it will change their lives forever.

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Excerpt:

…Jonathan tried not to stare, but it was a losing battle. The woman—no, the dragon shifter—was the most perfect, the most alluring, creature he’d ever laid eyes on. Tall, with high, rounded breasts, a slender waist, and curvy hips, she looked like a goddess. Who knew? Maybe she was. The Celts had many deities. He fumbled with his rucksack and pulled out a turkey sandwich on rye bread, which he handed to her.

She yanked the wrappings aside, dropping them onto the floor while she stuffed food into her mouth, chewing and swallowing quickly. “Ye said there were two of these meat and bread things.” Britta surveyed him, her golden eyes alight with interest.

“Yes, I did. If I give you both, I’ll be hungry.”

She shrugged. “Not my problem. Also, I requested mead.”

Jonathan’s lips twitched. He corralled the smile that wanted out. Britta was an imperious bitch, yet there was something so undeniably appealing about her straightforward nature, it was impossible to feel offended. “No mead. At least I don’t have any. We could ask the other witches, or if we found you some clothes, we could go into the city and buy a proper meal, and as much to drink as you wanted.”

She cocked her head to one side and popped the last bite of sandwich into her mouth. “I can go as I am. Shall we walk or use magic, witch?”

“Um, no, you can’t go as you are. You’d be arrested.”

She tilted her chin up. “Why? I can see where I might freeze to death, but who would give a jolly fuck whether I’m dressed or not?”

Before he could craft an explanation, Kheladin stalked over, trailed by three female witches stroking the scales on his lower body. “Lachlan kept a clothes chest against the far wall.” He pointed with a talon. “I’m certain some of his shirts and tights would work, though there’s little to be done by way of shoes.”

Britta’s gaze landed on a particularly large heap of gold jewelry and coins. “I could borrow a bit of money from your hoard, just a coin or two, and—”

Kheladin’s eyes whirled faster, glittering dangerously. “I doona think so. Unless your First Born bondmate orders me.”

“No need to disturb Tarika.” Britta turned a brilliant smile on Jonathan and tapped his chest with her index finger. “He can buy me what I need.” Magic shimmered around her. “Come close, witch. We’re leaving.”

Kheladin stumped to Britta’s side. The counter spell he summoned to dampen her power sparkled, and multi-hued strands wrapped around her. Her lips curled in fury, and she raised her hands to call magic of her own.

“Not so fast,” Kheladin snapped. “First, ye’ve forgotten ye need clothes. Second, Tarika was in an all-fired hurry to find me. Such a big hurry, ye went without food or rest. Why?”

Britta shook her head so hard, her hair danced about her body. She swept the heels of her hands down her cheeks, distorting her perfect features. “Och aye, whatever is wrong with me? Nay, I know the answer. The Morrigan is furious because Lachlan triumphed over the black and red wyverns, and their dragon shifter mages.”

“Good the old Battle Crow even noticed,” Kheladin growled and breathed a fiery gout of flames.

“She did more than notice. She cast a spell to disrupt our memories out of sheer meanness. If ye wouldna have reminded me… Hell, ’tis surprised I am we got here at all. The Celtic gods, Gwydion and Arawn, sent us to warn you and Lachlan. They told us their magic would trump the Morrigan’s, but not forever.” One corner of her mouth turned down. “’Twould appear I just ran up against forever. Or mayhap their magic got subverted by your wards.”

“What impact has the Morrigan’s mischief had on the rest of our kind?”

“Those in Fire Mountain are safe so long as they remain there. The memory-altering spell only snares them when they set foot on Earth.”

“We just saw Gwydion, Arawn, and Ceridwen, and they dinna tell us aught of any such casting. Did they try to neutralize it?”

She cast a look Kheladin’s way that said he should ask something worth her time answering.

Jonathan watched the exchange, chest tight with excitement, feeling he’d fallen into one of the old tales where heroes and heroines walked among humans.

“Let me try again.” Kheladin sounded exasperated. “Did the Morrigan wake the black wyvern’s mage, Rhukon?”

“’Twas the first thing she did.”

“So all our effort was for naught.” The dragon clanked his jaws together. “I must alert Lachlan. Where’d the Celts find you? And how long ago?”

Britta rolled her eyes. “Not in Fire Mountain, though I admit Tarika and I retreated there after Rhukon, Connor, and their dragons teamed with the Morrigan, and things werena looking good. Nay, the Celts plucked us out of the sixteen

hundreds. They told us enough about what the future holds to alarm us and sent us on our way.”

“Aye, and how long ago was that,” Kheladin prodded.”

“Mayhap a week. Tarika had things to attend to afore we could come. Why is that important?”

“Because Lachlan and I just sought them out, and they reminded us they doona censure their own, meaning they have no plans to clip the Battle Crow’s wings.”

“I believe I understand.” Tarika forced her voice through Britta’s vocal chords. “They rousted us out to excuse themselves from action. Craven bastards, the lot of them.” Fire rolled from Britta’s mouth.

“For the love of the goddess,” she sputtered from around flames. “Stop that.”

Kheladin inclined his head. “Though the circumstances leave much to be desired, thank you for coming.”

A warm smile lit Britta’s face. It softened her features and made her look barely more than a girl. Jonathan’s cock stiffened where it pressed against his jeans. Breath caught in his throat, and he fought against touching her, running his hands down her golden skin. He drew magic around himself to mask his lust, make it unobtrusive, but she noticed anyway.

Britta turned an appraising glance his way. “Aye, ye’d do well to hide your rut from me.”

Embarrassed at being caught out but curious too, he asked, “Why?”

She tossed her head at Kheladin. “Tell him, dragon. Mayhap he’ll believe it if he hears it from another, ahem, male.” Her last word dripped sarcasm…

~~~~~

Dragon’s Dare

Dragon Lore: Book Three

Ann Gimpel

27155750

Dream Shadow Press

85K words

Release Date: 10/19/15

Genre: Paranormal romance

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Tumble off reality’s edge into myth, magic, and Scottish dragon shifters

Book Description:

Bloated on chaos, the Morrigan leaves the Scottish Highlands to gather power. A trip through Hell yields quite the assortment of allies tagging along behind her. Fell creatures straight out of myth and nightmare that haven’t darkened Earth’s boundaries for centuries heed her call.

Heartily sick of the Morrigan’s maneuvering, the dragons are close to shutting their world off from everywhere, Earth included. If they do, every dragon shifter bond will be broken. Horrified, Lachlan and Britta launch a desperate campaign to hang onto their dragons.

Magic may bite back, but if the dragons take their magic ball and go home, Earth will fade, along with all other worlds. That suits the Morrigan fine. War and anarchy are her favorite companions, and she collects misery like children gather beloved toys.

Arianrhod’s fellow Celts found out about her fall from grace and her half-Druid son, Jonathan. With nothing further to hide, she goes back in time hunting Angus, Jonathan’s father. Forty years apart was a steep price to pay. The world needs Angus’s magic. And Jonathan needs all the help he can get. Late to accept the power thrumming through him, he holds a key role in keeping the world from spinning off its axis. Reluctant at first, Jonathan finally gets it.

Absolute focus.

Absolute commitment.

Anything less and everyone he loves will pay an unthinkable price.

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Excerpt:

…Jonathan Shea cradled Britta in his arms. She was asleep, the rhythm and cadence of her breathing revealed her exhaustion. He still couldn’t believe he’d found a mate, and a woman linked to a dragon at that. Britta KilKerran was actually the Countess of Cumbria, or she had been a few hundred years back. He wasn’t certain such a title still existed.

It didn’t matter. He’d offer up his life to protect the woman slumbering against his chest. He loved her dragon too, but Tarika scarcely needed his protection. When he thought of the scarlet-scaled dragon, one of the First Born, the place on his neck where she’d marked him with a mating bite tingled. It was her contribution to his bond with Britta.

She stirred in his arms. He stroked strands of long, red-gold hair away from her face and spun a small spell to keep her asleep. They’d just come from a major battle to free Tarika and Kheladin, another dragon, from the Morrigan’s clutches. Both of them needed rest, but his heart and mind were too full to let go quite yet.

After years of never believing the rumor about his mother being a Celtic deity, he’d finally met her. He brought it on himself by calling for her when they desperately needed help, but he never believed she’d actually show up. Regardless, he couldn’t deny her existence anymore—no matter how much he might want to. Arianrhod had abandoned him when he was so young he had no memories of her, and when he cut to the bone of things, he resented the crap out of her neglect.

Jonathan shut his eyes for a moment and summoned an image of his father. Tall and rangy with shaggy, rich brown hair and amber eyes, Angus had been a dreamer. He did his best for Jonathan, but often as not, he’d been caught up in some trance state or another. Though Angus hadn’t said so, Jonathan understood his father was relieved when he grew old enough to be on his own. Once Jonathan left Ireland, Angus vanished. Their modest cabin near Inishowen remained, but Jonathan knew better than to waste time hunting for a man who didn’t wish to be found.

Had Arianrhod seen Angus all these years he’d been missing? Jonathan could ask her, but she might just stare him down with those inscrutable eyes—one gold, the other silver—and not bother to answer.

He tightened his hold on Britta, and she nestled closer. She was more comfortable about Arianrhod being his mother than he was, but then she was far more comfortable with magic in general. He blew out a breath, recognizing his life would never be the same.

Not that he wanted it to be, but he would’ve preferred finding the love of his life without having to deal with a long-lost parent. Particularly one who stirred up a welter of prickly feelings. Now if Angus were to show back up, it would be a different story…

Britta wriggled against him, and her golden eyes flickered open. She regarded him sleepily through thick red lashes. “Ye canna rest, my love?”

Jonathan shrugged and offered a sheepish smile. “Lots to think about.”

She cupped the side of his face in one hand. “Do ye wish to talk about anything?”

He shrugged again, feeling uncomfortable. What was there to say, really? He was a little old to be struggling with parent issues. Besides he’d long since come to terms with his father’s magic being too pervasive for him to spend much time around normal humans. Jonathan dealt with some level of that as well, but his job as a software engineer who designed games let him keep to himself.

Britta brushed her hand across his lips. “Whenever ye wish, I’ll be here. Tarika too. She’s verra old and much wiser than either of us. If ye canna get the information elsewhere, mayhap we can figure out what sort of hold the Celtic gods had on your da.”

“Thank you. I’ll keep it in mind.” Jonathan reached around her and snagged a bottle of Irish whiskey off the nightstand. “Would you like some? I can get us glasses.”

“Och, and I can drink from the bottle. No need to get fancy.”

She smiled, and it transformed her into something so striking he couldn’t look away. A high forehead gave way to sculpted cheekbones and a defined chin. One of his old T-shirts covered her from chest to knees, but the outline of her breasts was clearly visible through the well-aged beige fabric.

His cock stirred, and he rolled his eyes. “We made love twice after we got here. I don’t understand why I can’t get enough of you.”

“Are ye complaining?” She quirked an arched red brow.

He shook his head and drew both of them to a half sitting position against the carved oak headboard. He uncorked the bottle and handed it to her. She drank deep before handing it back.

Britta narrowed her eyes and watched him drink. “We’re far from home free,” she blurted without preamble.

“Which problem are you referring to?” He placed the bottle on a side table not bothering to cork it. He wasn’t done yet, and likely neither was Britta.

She moved away and sat cross-legged facing him, her lovely face creased with concern. “We may have permanently removed Connor and Rhukon and their dragons from the action, but there have to be other corrupt dragon shifters. We must seek them out and destroy them too.”

Jonathan shook his head. “It won’t matter unless we get to the heart of things.”

“Aye, ye’re correct. We must find a way to corral the Morrigan, or she’ll just entice more mages and dragons with promises of limitless power.” Britta caught her lower lip between her teeth. “Tarika plans to warn the dragons. She believes the dark mages want to drain their dragon bondmates’ power.”

Jonathan straightened and recaptured the whiskey bottle, taking another swallow. “I thought mages became dragon shifters because they loved dragons and wished to share their lives with them.”

“Aye and that would be true—for most of us. Power lures dark mages, though. Far more power than can be had through the normal dragon shifter bond.”

“How do you know?”

“I saw it in Connor and Rhukon’s minds afore we thrashed them.”

“You didn’t say anything.” He handed her the bottle. Maybe they should eat something, if they were going to drink much more.

“I would have. Eventually. Tarika and I needed to determine just what it meant. And if ’tis really true, or just conjecture on our part.”

He kissed her forehead before swinging his legs over the side of the bed. “I’m going to cut up a bit of cheese for us and get some crackers.” He pulled on a pair of black sweat pants, securing the waist string to keep them from falling down, and got to his feet.

“Excellent.” She grinned. “Plotting revenge is hungry business, but ye dinna have to cover that amazing cock.”

He bit back a laugh, enjoying the compliment, and made his way to the kitchen. His apartment was small enough to keep talking. “Did you discuss this with Lachlan?” he asked as he chopped cheese off a block and opened a box of biscuits.

“Nay, but Tarika and Kheladin figured out what was going on while they were held prisoner.”

Jonathan returned to the bedroom and plopped the snacks on the bed next to Britta. “How does this bondmate thing work? Would Lachlan be privy to the dark mage problem, if it’s in his dragon’s mind?”…

~~~~~

About Author Ann Gimpel:

Ann Gimpel

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

Find Ann At:

www.anngimpel.com

http://anngimpel.blogspot.com

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

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

@AnnGimpel (for Twitter)

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Until the next time….

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

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To see all of my giveaways click on the Christmas Flamingos below!

Mia Darien is giving away free stuff!
 
The Prizes
 
One (1) Adelheid Prize Pack
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One (1) Bellator Prize Pack
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One (1) International/Digital Prize Pack
Restrictions
All of the physical prize packs are restricted to US/Canada mailing addresses, but there is an international prize pack with a bunch of ebooks and a gift card to Amazon. Every physical prize pack will have a physical copy of the book, signed bookmark, and a collection of book-related items.
The Giveaway
About Mia
Born a Connecticut Yankee in nobody’s court, Mia Darien grew up to brave snow and talk fast. She started reading when she was three and never looked back, soon frequently falling asleep with a book under her cheek. (Something she still does, though these days it’s her Nook as often as a paperback.)
At eleven, she discovered Night Mare by Piers Anthony and entered the world of grown-up fantasy fiction and it was all over from there. She started writing at fourteen, then met vampires as a teenager and the concept for what would become Adelheid was soon born. Epic fantasy remains her first love, but she enjoys writing whatever stories come to mind in any genre.
Now she loves both writing and helping her indie community with her freelancing. A geek till the end, she enjoys role-play by email games and World of Warcraft when she has the time. Married to her very own Named Man of the North, she lives with him, their mini-tank (also known as their son) and pets, who usually act more childish than the child.
She is the author of the urban fantasy series Adelheid, and several anthologies for charity. You can find her at her website, or the following social media.
  
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Until the next time….

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the Christmas Flamingos below!

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I’m thrilled to showcase another book by Kristine Mason

If you’re looking for an intense, suspenseful, romance, you need to read this series.

Kristine takes it to next level and then some!

Enjoy the glimpse inside the book.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

PerfectlyToxic cover

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Genre: Romantic Suspense

Synopsis

What do you get when you mix a mad scientist, a psychopath, an ice cream lady and a repo man? Something perfectly toxic…

Melanie Scarlet is a knife-wielding badass who knows how to dispose of a body, and make evidence disappear. But Mel, a.k.a., the Ice Cream Lady, draws the line at one thing: she refuses to live with her husband, Cash Maddox, unless he quits the repo business that nearly got him killed—no matter how much she loves him.

To thaw Mel’s heart and convince her to leave the Everglades and move back home to Tallahassee, Cash is finally ready to retire from his adrenaline-fueled job…until homeless men begin vanishing. As Mel investigates the disappearances, Cash’s temper goes into overdrive when he realizes his wife has been keeping a dangerous secret from him. She’s been doing more than scooping ice cream—she’s a cleaner for the underground criminal investigation agency, Above the Law.

Mel isn’t the only one with a secret. A scientist has created a drug that will cure psychopaths by deadening the urge to dominate, hurt and murder. To prove his chemical combination works, he uses the homeless as test subjects. He breaks and scrambles their minds, turns them into killers, then tries to fix them. But what if the scientist creates a killer he can’t fix? A true psychopath he can’t control? As Cash joins Mel and the ATL crew, they learn firsthand, the results could be…toxic.

~~~~

Excerpt

When Melanie reached the front door, she touched the faded, sun-bleached wreath she’d made over two years ago. Nostalgia settled over her heart. Although Cash had still been recovering from his injuries, those days had been happy ones. He hadn’t been able to repo.

Betrayal and frustration gave nostalgia the boot. Dang it. They could have been good together. She knocked on the door. Instead, they were living separate lives because she wasn’t enough. Not enough excitement, not enough of a challenge. His accident had taught her that she didn’t need those things anymore. Then again, she had signed on to ATL and did still chop the occasional car or boat. Oh, God. There was also those bodies she’d disposed of in her daddy’s swamp.

The door opened and Cash’s large body filled the threshold. His t-shirt clung to his arms and chest, revealing the muscles she loved to hang onto when she rode him. Her heart beat hard as she shifted her gaze from his chest to his mouth. How she’d love to shove him against the door and kiss that arrogant, overconfident smile off his lips.

“How are ya’, babe?” Cash asked, his tone rough, sexy.

She met his gaze. His dark-brown eyes held hunger, lust and smugness. During their two-year separation, they’d found excuses to see each other. Then they’d have a long weekend of hot sex. Cash was in for a rude awakening. Just because he knew how to make her moan didn’t mean he’d be getting any action during this visit.

He took a step forward and crowded her space. She inhaled his cologne as he slid a finger along her jawline until he reached her chin. “I’ve missed you.” He leaned forward, brought their mouths so close together his warm breath brushed her lips.

God, how she ached for him. If only he loved her enough. The reminder stung and bolstered the promise she’d made to herself: no sex, discuss making their separation permanent.

“Don’t touch me,” she murmured. “I have my period.”

~~~~

Author Kristine Mason

PerfectlyToxic author

Kristine Mason is the bestselling author of the popular romantic suspense trilogies, C.O.R.E. Shadow and Ultimate C.O.R.E. She is currently working on her next trilogy, C.O.R.E. Above the Law, along with a series of Psychic C.O.R.E. novellas.

Although Kristine has published a few contemporary romance novels, she focuses most of her energy on her romantic suspense stories, which she loves for their blend of dark mystery/suspense and sexy romance. She is fascinated with what makes people afraid, and is famous for her depraved villains whose crimes present massive obstacles for her heroes and heroines to overcome.

Kristine has a degree in journalism from Ohio State University and lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, four kids, and two dogs. If she’s not writing, she’s chauffeuring kids, gardening, or collecting gnomes. Oh, and she makes a mean chocolate chip cookie!

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Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.

The more you comment, the more chances to win!

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

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 Welcome to the Blog Tour for Nightscape: Cynopolis

Check out the spectacular cover art.

Intrigued?

Come and and see what it’s all about.

Nightscape: Cynopolis

by David W. Edwards

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Synopsis

Detroit’s eastside has seen its share of horrors. Once-proud factories gutted for scrap. Whole neighborhoods burned out and boarded up. Nature drained of color. But nothing like this: a
thought-virus that turns the city’s dogs feral and its underclass into jackal-headed beasts.
 
The city erupts in chaos and nightmare violence. Communication in or out is impossible. The skies fill with lethal drone copters and airships bristling with heavy-duty cannon. Abandoned to their separate fates among hordes of monsters, the few surviving humans must find a way to elude the military blockade preventing their escape or to defeat the virus at its source—before government forces sacrifice them all.
 
Breakneck action, rogue science and deft portraiture combine for a grand and gripping tale of urban terror.
 
PURCHASE
.
Author Dawid W. Edwards
 

 

Website /  Facebook  /  Twitter
 Goodreads  /
YouTube

David W. Edwards is the writer, director and
producer of the feature film Nightscape and author of the novels Nightscape:
The Dreams of Devils and Nightscape: Cynopolis. He attended the University of
Southern California’s prestigious screenwriting program and earned bachelor’s
and master’s degrees in English Literature while working for a variety of
Hollywood production companies. He’s the founder and former CEO of a successful
high-tech market research firm, and a former two-term state representative. He
currently lives in Hillsboro, Oregon with his family.
 
Follow the entire NIGHTSCAPE TOUR HERE

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Until I see you next time…..

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

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!

~~~

My Teaser for this week is from

 Maplecroft

The Borden Dispatches #1

by Cherie Priest

20821288

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My Teaser from page 53 in the Paperback.

First I would pound a million nails into the house, and do it gladly. First, I would let the whole town think I’m a madwoman and a murderer, let it scorn and reject me, let its children compose hateful rhymes to be sung whilst jumping rope, let the entire Atlantic bubble and boil and storm against our shores – throwing up with the tides a thousand such inhuman, unholy creatures as the one I killed that night.

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks; and when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one….

The people of Fall River, Massachusetts, fear me. Perhaps rightfully so. I remain a suspect in the brutal deaths of my father and his second wife despite the verdict of innocence at my trial. With our inheritance, my sister, Emma, and I have taken up residence in Maplecroft, a mansion near the sea and far from gossip and scrutiny.

But it is not far enough from the affliction that possessed my parents. Their characters, their very souls, were consumed from within by something that left malevolent entities in their place. It originates from the ocean’s depths, plaguing the populace with tides of nightmares and madness.

This evil cannot hide from me. No matter what guise it assumes, I will be waiting for it. With an axe.

~~~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

TeaserTuesdays2014e

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!

~~~

My Teaser for this week is from

Flask Of The Drunken Master

A Shinobi Mystery

by Susan Spann

23014587

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My Teaser from page 89 in the Hardcover.

“You were asleep when the murder happened,” Hiro said.

“I’m a dangerous man,” Suke replied. “Lehtal, even in slumber.”

“Maybe so,” Hiro said with a sigh, “but the evidence says you’re not the killer.”

Suke’s arms fell down to his sides. “You’re sure it wasn’t me?”

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

Master ninja Hiro Hattori and his companion Father Mateo are once again pulled into a murder investigation when a rival artisan turns up dead outside of their friend Ginjiro’s sake brewery. They must find the killer before the magistrate executes Ginjiro, seizes the brewery, and renders his family destitute. All the evidence implicates the brewer, yet with Kyoto on alert in the wake of the shogun’s recent death, Ginjiro’s is not the only life at risk.

As tensions rise, Hiro investigates a missing merchant, a vicious debt collector, a moneylender and the victim’s spendthrift son. But when a drunken Buddhist monk insists on helping Hiro and Father Mateo solve the crime, the monk’s bumbling threatens to foil the investigation altogether. With time running out, Hiro once again gambles on a clandestine mission to find the truth. Except that this time, Hiro isn’t the only one with a secret mission to fulfill.

Flask of the Drunken Master is the latest entry in Susan Spann’s thrilling 16th century Japanese mystery series, sure to gain new fans and please old alike.

~~~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif

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Lots to share today!

Looking for a thrilling romantic suspense? Check out The Devil’s Hook.

Enjoy my interview with the author.

Catch a glimpse inside the book.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

TheDevilsHook book cover

Genre: Cozy Mystery

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Synopsis

Jairus Twombly’s familial intuition is faltering and his new personal assistant seems to be trying to replace his wife, Amy.

On the Twombly College campus, someone is breaking into the dorm rooms of female students leaving things instead of taking things: red colored objects including a red golf ball, a red ribbon and a tiny red stuffed dog.

When a recipient of some of the red objects goes missing and is returned after being told, “You’re not her”, and the personal assistant turns up dead with Amy Twombly’s elegant Bloodwood crochet hook in her eye, things heat up for Emory Crawford and her chemist and forensic scientist husband, Dr. Jebbin Crawford.

Emory, along with the Twombly’s Nancy Drew-like daughter, Madison, once more turns to her amateur detective skills and intuition to solve the mysteries.

Enjoy this fun excerpt

“Get it out! Get it out! Get it out!”

Amy was screaming the words over and over, hands held to either side of her face like Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream.”

There was a body on the floor at the far end of the table on my side. I heard doors sliding. I swung my head to look at the doors into the main hall.

“What on earth is . . .”

“Iga,” I yelled to be heard above Amy’s hysterics. “Get Amy and Madison out of here, now!”

I heard her rounding up the two Twomblys and taking them somewhere else. My attention was on the body on the floor.

A couple of steps closer and I could see what Amy was screaming about. There lay the display pedestal surrounded by mangled flowers and a porcelain vase in shards, some of which were resting in the blood on the floor as it bled into the water the flowers had been in. Despite knowing there had been an argument in here a short while before, despite the overturned furniture and broken vase that could have been knocked over for a very different reason than the one Amy gave us, even though Amy’s bloodwood crochet hook was protruding from Resie’s left eye, I knew with every shiver running through my soul that Amy hadn’t done this. And, since Resie wasn’t writhing in agony, I also knew she was dead.

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My interview with Author Pearl R. Meaker

  • What genre would you describe The Devil’s Hook as and who is your target audience?

The Devil’s Hook is a cozy mystery, like Agatha Christie’s mysteries. So if you like Christie, Carolyn Hart, Miranda James and other authors like them, you will like The Devil’s Hook.

Everyone who likes cozy mysteries. Hahaha! More specifically, women, usually 30 yrs. old to 60 or so – although I’ve been reading cozies since I was nine years old and still do and I’m 61. People who do some crafts would like The Devil’s Hook as well.

  • Will this be a series or is it a stand alone?

Actually, The Devil’s Hook is the second book in the Emory Crawford Mysteries Series. The first book, The Devil’s Music, was released spring of 2015 and the third book is slated for release fall of 2016.

  • Who would be your choice of actors if your book were made into a movie?

Emory Crawford = Tiffany Thiessen

8559520 Actresses Miranda Cosgrove, Tiffani Thiessen and Dolly Parton visit the "Today" show on January 12, 2012 in New York City, NY. FameFlynet, Inc. - Santa Monica, CA, USA - +1 (818) 307-4813

Dr. Jebbin Crawford = A mix between Jake Johnson & David Krumholtz (Jake’s height and David’s face 😉 )

DH_Jebbin1  DH_Jebbin2

AnnaMay Langstock = Emma Thompson

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Dr. Nibodh Chatterjee (Chatty) = Kunal Nayyar

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Aine McAllister = Siobhan Fallon Hogan

DH_Aine McAllister

  • Did you always want to be a writer?

No. I initially wanted to be an artist/art teacher. When that didn’t work I took a year-long dental assisting course and became a dental assistant. When that didn’t work out I became a “whatever job I could get.” When that didn’t work out I got married and became a wife/mom/homemaker.

That worked out.

I didn’t start writing until I was 49 years old in 2003.

That worked out too.

  • Are you working on anything new?

Yes!  Thank you for asking.

Due for release in the fall of 2016, the third Emory Crawford Mystery has the working title The Devil’s Flood.

The past and present of the town of Twombly and surrounding Golden County meet in two flood years bound together by mystery and murder. Add to that – moonshine. The old illegal liquor business is alive and well in the area, and it’s getting into the hands of underage citizens. Will Emory and Madison, with help from Jebbin, AnnaMay and others, be able to deal with the dirt and mire and solve the cases?

Five fun shorts:

  • Your favorite holiday?

Christmas

  • As a youngster, were you a Barbie girl or a tomboy?

I was a both. I happily played with my Barbies in the winter and on rainy days. When I was outside I wanted to climb trees with my pastor’s son (they had a great climbing tree in their back yard) or catch grasshoppers in empty lots with a girl friend of mine, and then we would trade them to little boys who were on their way to trade in pop/soda bottles at the candy store. Then we’d go to the candy store.

  • Ever been on a blind date?

Honestly, I don’t remember if I ever did or not. If I did, it must not have been all that bad or all that great, or you’d think I’d remember it.

  • Going on vacation: campfire or hotel?

Both. I’d like a nice comfy cozy travel trailer with a campfire a few yards away from it.

  • Name a phobia.

Hmm . . .

You mean one I have? Mild arachnophobia.

Just name any old phobia? How about Mythophobia- Fear of myths or stories. – Good thing I don’t have that one!

Or name, as in give a name to, a phobia?

Footinmouthaphobia – I have this one since I have a tendency to do this.

LOL! Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Pearl!

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About Pearl R. Meaker

TheDevilsHook author pic

Pearl R. Meaker is an upper-middle-aged, short, pudgy homemaker, mother, and grandmother who in 2002 became a writer. Initially writing fanfiction she soon tried original fiction at the encouragement of her regular readers. She has been a life-long lover of mystery stories and

automatically went to that genre for her first book, The Devil’s Music. She and her husband of nearly 40 years live in central Illinois. They both love bluegrass music, playing fiddle and banjo and singing. Pearl also does many crafts – when she’s not reading or writing – knitting, crochet, origami, needlepoint, and cross-stitch among them. She also enjoys birding and photography and is a former fencer.

Visit Pearl here:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

Buy The Devil’s Hook:

Amazon / B&N / Chapters-Indigo

Buy The Devil’s Music:

Amazon / B&N / Chapters-Indigo / Books-a-Million

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The more you comment, the more chances to win!

Goddess Fish Promotions

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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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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.

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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 this week is from

Space Cowboys & Indians

Cosmic Cowboys Series: Episode One

by Lisa Medley

26268702

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My Teaser from page 29 in the Paperback.

There was no way they were alone in the universe that stretched out before them. Impossible.

“To boldy go – ” Cole began, only to be cut off by Tessa.

“Stop right there. Twenty dollars in the kitty for any Star Trek reference.”

“That’s not shiny – ” Cole retorted.

“One hundred dollars for Firefly,” Tessa replied.

“She sucks the fun out of everything,” Cole said to Noah.

“She has her moments,” Noah smiled.

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

How can the chance of a lifetime go so horribly wrong? Mining Engineer Cole Hudson signed up for NASA astronaut training, but after washing out short of getting his gold wings, he retreats to Alaska where he stakes out a gold claim. When billionaire entrepreneur Duncan Janson offers him an opportunity to join a mining team on an asteroid, Cole jumps at the chance. But nothing is as it seems. Former NASA reject and rival classmate, Tessa Hernandez, is also a member of the team, and from the beginning of the mission test flight, things go wrong. They soon discover they’re not the only ones on the asteroid. As they try to escape, they are pulled through a wormhole and back to the early 1800s New Mexico desert where aliens and Apaches may be the least of their problems.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Taylor Dean has her paranormal romance, Lancaster House, free on Amazon now through October 11th!

You don’t want to miss this one!

Click on the cover to get your copy!

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I’m reposting my review for ya!

My Review

To find out why Joy tried to kill herself, why she is under the care of Dr. Channing at Serenity HIlls, and why she is suspected of killing two men, we have to go back to the beginning.

When Joy first laid eyes on Lancaster House, she knew she had to have it.

She couldn’t wait to get started on the restoration. Couldn’t wait to bring the old house back to its former glory.

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The work was slow but rewarding. She was doing one room at a time. She would go to bed exhausted and rise to start again the next morning.

After five hours of scraping and sanding the bannister, she took a lunch break. When she returned to finish up, she couldn’t believe her eyes. It was finished!

She told herself maybe she was confused, being so tired and all.

But the next night it happened again. She didn’t get the wall papering done.

In the morning, when she came downstairs, it was finished.

Now she panicked, racing through the house, but no one was there.

Not one to be scared, she knows she can figure this out.

Stop standing here like a ninny and figure this out. There has to be a logical explanation.

But there isn’t. And she is beginning to think the former owner, Andre Lancaster, is still living in the house. Either that or she is going crazy.

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Mini Excerpt for ya.

“You can see me?” he asked again, his tone urgent.

“Yes,” she whispered, unable to find her voice.

For several seconds he simply stared at her, his eyes smoldering. She trembled under his gaze, her bottom lip quivering. One hand reached up, his motions slow, and cupped her cheek. He let out his breath and closed his eyes as if the feel of her did something to him.

“I won’t hurt you Zoe.”

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But how can that be? He’s been dead for many, many years.

A really fun part of this story is the language. The slang from the 1920’s is quirky and I enjoyed reading how Joy figured out what Andre meant by some of the sayings.

Stuff like giggle water is alcohol. Makes sense. And Bank’s closed which means no kissing.

After you finish reading Lancaster House you tell me what you think. Is Joy crazy?

Did she just make up Andre and their passionate affair to keep from being alone?

 Is Dr. Channing right in that ghosts don’t exist?

So many questions and an ending that will let you decide, or not.

I adored Joy and Andre and want a Lancaster House of my own.

5 Stars for this haunting love story.

Synopsis

A Paranormal Romance

Zoe Grayson needs a change. So, she moves to another state, purchases an old, dilapidated 1920s Victorian Mansion, and sets out to restore it to its former glory. As she begins the restoration, she finds herself falling in love with the old house . . . not to mention its illustrious builder, Mr. Lancaster. Zoe becomes obsessed with the house as she discovers its secrets; hidden rooms, secret passageways . . . and a mysterious man who seems to think the house is his. Who is he? More importantly, how does he live in her home unseen and unheard?

The unexpected answers leave her reeling—and questioning everything she’s ever known. To her dismay, Zoe’s actions land her in the local psychiatric hospital, scheming for ways to return to Lancaster House . . . and the love of her life.

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When you’re over grabbing your free copy, you might want to grab the other book in this series, The Middle Aisle.

The eBook is only $2.99 ! Click on the cover to get yours.

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Sharing my review of this one too!

My Review

Hmm, how do I tell you about this book without spoiling it. It’s hard to review the next book in a series.

In Lancaster House, you are left wondering if Andre is real or a ghost. Is Joy crazy as a loon, desperate for any kind of love, or is her house haunted?

In The Middle Aisle, you will still be wondering. You may think at some point, “Oh, now I see.” But then, as you read further, you are in doubt again.

Taylor Dean has written a series like none other. You are kept “in the dark,” figuratively, throughout both books.

I don’t recall ever being so unsure of my own conclusions in a book.

The love between Joy and Andre is very real and so endearing. But is Andre real? If he isn’t, then is their love real?

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Mini Excerpt

“You’re imagination intrigues and fascinates me, Zoe,” Wade commented, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat and ran his hands over his face. “Why don’t we take a break?” he suggested and quickly exited the room, stumbling on his own feet as he left.

It wasn’t possible, it just wasn’t possible, he thought, as his mind wandered to that moment…. Turns out it was possible, it just wasn’t real…

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And if Andre is real, then that makes the alluring, malevolent Adelle real as well.

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Aah! I can’t say I ever really figured it out. But, I don’t have to. I feel it is up to each reader to decide for themselves. And whether you figure it out or not doesn’t matter. It is still a love story for all time. One that goes beyond the physical, to the otherworldly.

5 Stars for keeping me wondering.

Synopsis

Zoe Grayson is back in Lancaster House, ordered to bed rest for the duration of her unexpected pregnancy. Doctor Wade Channing, her overzealous psychiatrist, is living in Lancaster House, taking care of her, waiting on her, and tending to her every need. It seems to be the perfect arrangement.

There’s just one catch.

She has to tell him her story—everything that has happened in her life since the moment she escaped from Serenity Hills. It’s been quite an adventure to include renovating another home and a walk down the middle aisle.

But, that’s all over now. Nothing is real. It never was.

How did she end up in this miserable situation?

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Author Taylor Dean

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense–you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.

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Until the next time…..

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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