Archive for the ‘Short stories and collections’ Category

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In the mood for a ghost story? Great, I have just the one for you.

Check out my review of Ghost.

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Genre: Paranormal Romance

MY REVIEW

Jess slowly comes to. As her thoughts clear the pain sets in. Her head is killing her and she’s been bleeding.

What happened? What is she doing on the floor at the bottom of the stairs. Why can’t she remember?

Pulling herself together she heads to the bathroom to clean herself up. A glimpse in the mirror reveals something behind her. What was it? It was there then not there.

Jess begins to see it more frequently. She just needs the apparition to coalesce, to become clearer. She’s sure she knows who it is. But she can’t remember.

Could the fall have knocked her senseless?. Is the apparition real? One question looms largest, should she be scared?

I was engrossed, reading away, and suddenly there was no more to read. I had to chuckle. I forgot this was a short story. I was having such fun I wanted it to be longer.

As I read the ending I had to reread it. I liked it that much.

This is a mysterious, scary, ghost story and a good introduction to the authors writing. I’ll be reading more of Dani-Lyn’s books.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

After a head injury, Jess begins to see things she can’t explain. She starts to wonder if she’s hallucinating, losing her mind completely…or if something far worse might be happening.

~Excerpt~

A scream erupted from her throat, dragging her forcefully from the nightmare that held her captive. Heart pounding, chest heaving, she rolled over and reached to pull the pillow over her head. The lingering fear from the nightmare morphed into sheer terror when she realized she was no longer lying in her warm, cozy bed, but on a cold, hard surface. She froze, too afraid to move, and opened her eyes just enough to study her surroundings.

“What the..?” Although she laid in total darkness, Jess knew exactly where she was. The bumps and crevices of the rough terra cotta tile, combined with the lingering scent of potpourri, were unmistakable. How had she gotten here? Why were there no lights? Pain slammed through her head when she tried to sit up. Nausea threatened to overwhelm her, and she forced the bile back down. She lowered herself to the floor, gently resting her cheek against the cool tile. Maybe she could just lay here for the rest of the night.

Reality intruded, and she knew she had to stand. She moved slowly, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her forehead against them. Taking slow breaths and tentatively rubbing at the tender spot on her temple, she was surprised when her hand came away sticky. “Ugh…what’s on my hand?”

She struggled to her feet and slapped her hands against the wall to stop the room from spinning. Once the world came into focus, she padded to the kitchen, hoping to rid herself of the coppery taste that was threatening to choke her.

Pain exploded behind her eyes and took her breath away when she turned on the light. She grabbed a clean towel from the drawer, filled it with ice, and pressed it against her throbbing head. Elbows on the kitchen counter, she leaned into the cold of her impromptu ice pack. Numbness prickled her skin.

How had she ended up on the floor? How long had she lain there? Had she fallen? Passed out? The throbbing pain made thinking difficult. Aspirin. Aspirin would help. She reached for the bottle in the cabinet and then filled a glass with cool water. When she raised her head to drink, she caught sight of her reflection in the window above the sink.

With darkness pressing heavily against the glass, she was able to see herself quite clearly. The disheveled woman who met her gaze startled her. Her short, dark hair stuck out in all directions but, when she tried to run her fingers through the rat’s nest in an effort to tame it, she met resistance. The sticky mess had already started to dry, leaving her hair full of knots. She’d bled worse than she’d thought. The pink t-shirt she’d worn to bed was also blood splattered.

“What happened to me? Was I sleepwalking?” She sipped her water, but dumped the remainder down the sink when her stomach rebelled. Her heart pounded in her chest, keeping time with the throbbing in her temples. There has to be a logical explanation for this. Did I get up to go to the bathroom and trip? That didn’t make sense, even to her own confused mind. When her gaze returned to the window, she couldn’t fight the fear that clutched at her throat.

“Oh, my…” she told the woman who stared back from the window, but left the sentence unfinished when she caught movement from behind her in the reflection. Instinctively ducking to the side, Jess turned to find the room empty. Her heart thundered in her already constricted chest, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Tremors shook her body as she struggled desperately to fight off the impending panic attack. The hammering of her heart made it hard for her to hear anything else, but she strained her ears to listen.

The kitchen doorway led to the small living room directly across from the window. Had someone been moving through the room? Was that how she’d ended up crumpled on the floor at the bottom of the stairs? Had she been pushed?

Buy Links: Amazon   Crimson Frost Books

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~About the Author~

Dani-Lyn is a native New Yorker. She was born in Rome, New York, then moved to Rosedale, and finally to Long Island. She still lives on eastern Long Island with her husband and three children, ages twenty two, fifteen and three.

Author Links: Site   Facebook    Twitter

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

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Happy Book Birthday to Portals!

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You might remember Portals from  the cover reveal I posted. If not, here’s another chance to learn all about it.
I do love story collections and there’s a bunch of new authors for me in this anthology. And there’s one story I’ve been waiting for by a friend.
I’m sure to have a great reading experience and will be telling you all about Portals later this month when I post my review.
Until then, enjoy the Portals Birthday Blitz and remember to enter the giveaway!
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Portals
Genre: Fantasy Anthology (mixed sub genres)

 

Release Date: June 5, 2014

 

Keywords: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Short Stories, Picture Prompt
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Description: 
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No matter what world you call home, or what your station in life, there are just some paths that weren’t meant to be tread.

 

Ordinary World by Laurie Treacy
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Imagine a new neighbor moves next door, a creepy guy who gives fifteen year-old Amy Silva the willies? Amy wonders what the stone archway in the backyard is for. Her life becomes even more stressful when her family reveals they’re witches. 
Could Amy’s new neighbor have anything to do with a local girl’s disappearance or be a threat to her magical loved ones?
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Maronda’s Quest by Christy Thomas
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The Grand Wizard has decreed Maronda enter the Portal of Life to embark upon a quest of great importance, but despite her Ma’s claims it is a blessing, premonitions of danger persist.
Lenox works to prove his worth to wed her, his true love, but it appears a wizard plots to remove him from Maronda’s life forever. To secure their future together, Lenox decides to accompany her on the quest, even if forbidden. He must ultimately choose between using his dragon fighting skills which could lead to his death, or give Maronda her greatest desire.
In the end, it’s Maronda who must learn to live with the consequences of his decision.
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Mexmur, the Huntress by Anna Simpson
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Long ago a dragonkeeper betrayed his charges. To bring back magic, to set things right, Mexmur is sent through the portal.
Can she succeed armed with only a poem, talon and blade.
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Entrance of Lost Souls by Echo Shea 
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A guardian to the entrances between worlds, Gladys has been called to bring a little girl back from Fairyland. Passing through the Entrance of Lost Souls is no fun, neither is hunting down a deranged banshee, but what is a guardian to do?
And, is the banshee really kidnapping the girl…or saving her from something else?
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Where Once were Hearts by Havva Murat
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After losing both his parents, his entire fortune and his childhood sweetheart, Master Bartholomew Battlesby sets out into the wilds of Northern England to make the acquaintance of his only surviving relation, the landed recluse, Mr. Horatio Grimsby who has an eerie penchant for both tinkering and clockwork. But, on finding his relation dead, with a gaping hole in his chest, and the beautiful, but scornful, Miss Evangeline Witherop ruling in his place, Bartholomew learns there is more than one way to lose your heart.
Can Bartholomew reignite the spirit of love and mercy within Miss Witherop, or will he suffer the same fate as his poor, heartless cousin?
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The Lunatic Queen by Michael Siciliano
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The land of Mershinka has been thrown into perpetual night. Their King is dead and a moon witch, known as The Night Queen, rules from the royal palace in Grosnov. An endless fog shrouds the land, killing crops and starving the populace. Cold-eyed enforcers put down rebellions while volksa, twisted wolf-creatures, roam the mists looking for prey. Many have given up hope and wait for the inevitable end. All seems lost.
Two teenagers, Pavel and Tamara, devise a plan to kill Vazya the Night Queen when the moons Kainsk and Seresnya are down, end the stifling enchantment, and bring the sun back to their dying land. But, they need a watch to tell time, a compass to guide them through the mists, weapons to fight off Vazya’s minions, and all the courage they can muster.
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Purchase Links:

Print
Digital

Amazon
Amazon (UK)
Barnes and Noble (Coming Soon)
Kobo (Coming Soon)
Smashwords

Bookstrand

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Click on the banner below to follow the tour.


Tour Schedule
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Book Blitz and Tour-wide Giveaway
Paperback copy of Portals and a $10 Amazon gift card.
Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.
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Raffle button
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Ends 7/03/2014

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Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code.  No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing’s marketing department.

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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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Welcome to my stop on the Super Book Blast for Uncharted Storms organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Jackie Anton is a new author to me and I’m excited to read her stories. I love short stories and collections. You get many different samples of the authors writing and lots of plots and characters. What’s not to love, eh?

I’m going to have to do the easy 1 click and get me a copy. These sound amazing!

Check out Uncharted Storms.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

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Uncharted Storms
by Jackie Anton
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Description
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Weather is our constant companion, and when it behaves like a benevolent parent we pay little attention to it. Angry or out of control it becomes terrifying and can change the landscape as well as lives. So I asked my characters to take a ride on the wild side of weather. “Uncharted Storms” takes readers on a journey from a gentle summer rain to raging storms in the cosmos.

What if you were caught up in Uncharted Storms?

What if? Erica’s world didn’t come to an end in 2012 while she was in middle school? She manages to make it through college before an apocalyptic event changes her life forever. The science fiction story Terra Beyond 2012 shares Erica’s voyage.

What if? You and your best friend were traveling down the highway on the way home from an extended trip when you are caught in a blinding thunderstorm, and then are hit by lightning? To make matters worse you are injured, and wake in a strange world. Find out what happens to Chris in the tale Riding Lightning.

What if? You were on your way to meet a friend for dinner and caught in a flash flood? That is exactly what happens to Alexandra in the story Flashflood Texas Style.

What if? A boy you haven’t seen in two decades winds up sitting on your front porch? Find out what Casey comes up with on A Rainy Night.

What if? You were caught out in a winter storm on icy, drifted, walks and streets when a skidding car comes directly at you? Find out what happened to eighteen-year-old Annie when she is hit from behind in the short story A Tumble in the Snow.

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About the Author:

Jackie Anton is the mother of two grown children, and grandmother of two. She and her husband, of forty-three years, continue to ride daily. They live on a mini-farm in rural Ohio, and share their little slice of horse heaven with two Quarter Horses, a Haflinger, a rescued dog, and a calico barn cat.

Jackie is an accomplished equestrian, with a life time of experience: as trainer, exhibitor, 4-H and youth club coach, as well as a horse show judge; the author brings many years of experience working with horses and young riders to her award winning Backyard Horse Tales Series.

Uncharted Storms: Short stories are aimed at the Young Adult and older reader. Look for more short tales in the future.

Backyard Horse Tales: Sox 2nd Edition Brings to light the mutual love between a handicapped colt and a lonely child with a learning disability. Find out how this pair team up to triumph over life’s roadblocks, and why their story won the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award of Excellence for Family Friendly Media. (Reading level age 8 thru Adult)

BYHT 2 “Frosty and the Nightstalker” was one of four finalists in the E-Book Fiction category for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, then the paperback went on to earn the Mom’s Choice Award for Juvenile Historical Fiction.

Jackie is hard at work on BYHT 3 Don’t Call Me Love. You can catch a peek at her beautiful cover on the Backyard Horse Tales Face Book Fan Page: : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Backyard-Horse-Tales/190283981002767

Author Website: http://talesbyjackie.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jackie.anton2

FB Adult Novel Fan Page:  http://www.facebook.com/authorjmanton?ref=hl

Email: talesbyjackie@gmail.com

Online Autographed Book Covers: http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/backyardhorse

Blog: Writing for readers in a .com world http://jackieanton.com/

Buy Uncharted Storms: Short Stories of Hearts at Risk at Smashwords, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble. Autographed Paperback Copies are available at Jackie’s Author’s Den. U.S. Readers click on the cover of your choice and follow the Signed Book link to order.

J. M. Anton (adult novels) can be purchased at Amazon.

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Jackie will be awarding a paperback edition of “Wind River Refuge” penned as J.M. Anton (US only) or a digital edition of “Fateful Waters” (INT) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

So show some comment love!

Click on the button below for more fun stops on the blast. And don’t forget to comment. The more you comment, the more chances to win!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

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

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There is a boutique hiding out between the
fractured, narrow storefronts lining New Gotham’s foggy docks. The shingles are
ribbed and black. Washed, peeling paint and displays offering views into wicked
leather and lace studded glam. The mannequins are ghoulish beauties stitched
together from whatever was left from the last fool to cross one of the sinister
witches.

 

Welcome
to Sinister Stitches

“…apparel
for a wicked fairy tale.”

 

 A spicy trinity of black magic sisters
breathe star-dusted dreams to life with their gothic apparel boutique. They are
schooled in the old ways of “fabric-bending” by the Needlewitches of old. With
this knowledge, they’ve created an entire line of clothing that all share the
same basic design element: one-size fits all. Each garment will magically
tailor itself to its wearer once worn. Last time the Witches-Who-Stitch, hosted
a literary catwalk, heroines were called from all walks of life and genres to
challenge their seamstress skills. This time, their men have joined the
fun—apparently, they’ve been sent to the boutique. (Whether they like it, or
not.)

 

The witches were NOT expecting men. Their
expertise is usually limited to DEMANDING their husbands NOT wear that in public, and, of course, the
fashioning of fantastic clothing for all of literature’s heroines. (New
Gotham’s men usually get their goods from Rumpel’s Twisted Threads, BUT that’s
beyond the point, the girls put a quill to their interview, changed some bits,
and rose to the occasion.)

 

To enjoy the hilarity, please check out some
of the questionnaire Marie Hall’s
Luc
from
the Night series

was
threatened asked to fill out after he swaggered into Sinister Stitches.
Naked.  

 

THE
WITCHES WHO STITCH QUESTIONNAIRE

 

 
Please provide the witches with your name:  Luc

 

Please provide the witches with the following:

 

Hair Color: Blond

Hair Length: [ ] Short and Sharp, [X] Shaggy and Sexy, [ ] Lush and Long

Eye Color:  Glittering, deep purple

Skin Tone: [ ] Ghoulish,
[X] Snow White, [ ] Cina-baby, [ ] Mochalicious, [ ] Dark Chocolate, [ ] Other:__________

 

Please provide the witches with your measurements and body-type.

 

a.) Height: 6 ft

 

b.) Body Type: [ ] Skeletal, [ ] Lean and Tender, [X] Lean and Tough, [ ] Ripe
and Edible

 

Do you have any extra extremities? Place an “X” to all that apply.

 

[ ] Horns or [ ] Halo
[ ] 20 ft. of Hair or More
[ ] Gills and Fins or [ ] Hooves
[ ] Wings (Span:   )
[ ] Tail (How many:  )

 

How many heads do you  have?

 

Really?

 

Do you have arms and legs? If so, how many?

 

I have an idea, how about I take off my clothes and show you, oh luscious witch.

 

How dead are you?   [X] Living, [ ] Undead, [ ] Astral Form

 

What are you? (Species/Breed)

 

Nephilim. I’m a Lust demon. Which means I’m sexy as sin. Wanna take a ride?

 

What is the occasion? (Ideas include: Wedding, Funeral, Sabbath, etc. Oh, and
seduction is a valid occasion. The more details, the better.)

 

Who the hell cares, I’m only here for the after party

 

What’s the occasion setting? (Beach, haunted castle, grand ball, etc.)

 

You in my bed, spread out before me wearing nothing but a smile…

 

Will you be fighting for your life at some point in the evening? 

 

Only if you say no *lecherous grin*

 

Will you be set on fire? Better yet, will you be setting other people on fire?

 

Only if they interrupt me, then all hell will break loose.

 

Will you be grave-robbing? (Dirt is a dressmaker’s tedium.)

 

Darling, these hands will only get dirty in bed.

 

What are you wearing right now? Who picked that outfit out? (Basically, who let you leave the crypt in those?)

 

Nothing. At. All.

 

Do you hope to be naked at some point in the evening? (All right, dirty birds. Such questions are actually intended toward the weres and shifters in regards to their
transformations.)

 

I don’t hope—I know I will be.

 

Describe your last brush with Death in two sentences. (Helps us plan for the unexpected.)

 

I laid her down, crawled between her legs, and made her weep with two flicks of my tongue…

 

Do you need a secret compartment for gigantic swords and guns, condoms…eyeliner, maybe?

 

*snorts* That’s funny

 

What are your three favorite colors?

 

Buff. Nude. Flesh.

 

What two colors ninja your brain, sweetie?

 

Whatever you need them to be.

 

Please pick a style that you feel embodies you the best. If none apply, feel free to surprise us by providing your own brilliant description in the “other” slot.

 

[ ] Dark AngelThis is for the spoonfuls of charming. The good-natured and naughty boys next door types. Thoughtful and sensual. Loyal and intelligent. More often than not, his head is in the clouds, but that smile holds hope for all of us. Our wizards.

 

[ ] Beast King: This is for the warlords and alphas. The type of men who walk into a room and their presence hushes out the sun. They live in their bodies, but their minds are searching for the next challenge. Hands for fighting and these boots for ass-kickings. Our protectors.

 

[X] Smooth Criminal: This is for the bad boys. You know, the types—mother’s worse nightmares. The kind of man that makes your skin itch every time he devours you with that hundred yard stare. Chances are his senses of humor is as wicked as his tongue. To hold him, isn’t to catch him. Our scheming rogues.

 

[ ] Black Knight: This for the mysteries. The ones no one can quite make heads or tails out off. He’s a mixture, a melting pot of strong, sinister, and sweet. He might be Dark Angel one day, and a Smooth Criminal other days. Our brothers.

 

[ ] Other: _____________________

 

Who is your favorite fairy tale villain?

 

I eat those bastards for breakfast. I’m the real big bad wolf.

 

If you could be any comic book hero, who would it be?

 

Whatever you want me to be.

 

Now, tell us who you love the most.

 

Not who. What. Sex. All the time. Every day. My cock in your warm flesh, your skin on mine, mine on yours. Bareback. Doggie. Missionary. I really don’t care, I’ll make you come anyway you ask me to.

 

Anything else you’d like to add…

 

There is only one person in all the world I ever gave two shits about. Her name’s Pandora and I stabbed her through the heart. I might be a lover, but don’t ever think you can tame me.
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After
many barrels of chocolate, a dash of magic, and furious sewing…

 

Sinister
Stitches’ Medieval Mistress
Astrid
Dweyer presents Luc’s
Completed
Threads
“Tailored
Temptation”

 

 

 

There is a vampire stalking you from the shadows of Sinister Stitches’ tearoom. Her
eyes are slanted, jaded amethyst glowing in the darkness. You can’t see her
face, but every cutting sweep of her long lashes is felt against your cheek. Seated
with miles of oil-black coils wound at her feet, she clad in a black satin
pencil-skirt dress. Black stiletto catching the light and gleaming like a
silver stake. She uses the tip of her twisted bone wand to pull purple
tea-shades down her slender nose:

Oh,
baby…you must be lost. Have to be. First of all, Twisted Threads is that way. That’s where they make threads
for wicked ones of the male gender. Second, welcome to Sinister Stitches. Bow
down and worship, sinner, I’m Astrid the Medieval Mistress running shit on this
catwalk. And I’m about the only one who could be trusted to fashion your
treads. Gillian wouldn’t have lasted a second; wench would be naked as we
speak. And Brenda would’ve ridden that ass like a naughty pony. I’m Astrid the
Tempest. And I’m not interested.
Ah,
ah, ah—shut up and stop smiling at me, hot mess. I cannot be seduced, I cannot
be held in thrall, and I cannot be charmed. You risk that hard shit between
your thighs at your own peril, understood? And lastly, the only reason I’m
fashioning you threads is because this is my mother’s store and she doesn’t
believe in turning down good business. So, I’m going to get up from this chair
now, and you’re gonna keep your goddamn hands to yourself. Demon or no, I will
have that candy ass in a sling. Ah, ah, ah—what did I say? Shut up, I’ve killed
fools for less. That’s right, I axed the real
big bad wolf. And then, I made a fucking dress out of his skin. So don’t push
me, ingrate.
Now, I didn’t bother with a shirt. Obviously, you won’t need it. Seems like no matter
what you’re doing, you’re going to end up naked, but what the hell? Come here
and put on this jacket and these pants for giggles. The fabric is a New Gothel
wool and black butterfly cashmere blend. It will have the durability afforded
to wool, but cashmere drapes better and has that otherworldly “dressed to kill”
shimmer. Won’t hold creases very well, but that’s not an issue, considering it
probably won’t stay on long.
We went British for the cut. Expect mild shoulder padding, notched lapels, and a tailored fit. It will show off all that supposed sexy in the right light. However, we
did do away with buttons. All of them. The onyx buttons on your jacket’s cuff
were fashioned from golem eyes, and they’re purely decorative. Otherwise, you
will not find a single button on your outfit. Frankly, I’m not going to be
blamed every time you pop your cork and take out an eye.
Everything is regular, run of the mill Velcro. Indeed, I sure did make you some tear-away threads. Now
Astrid stalks to the front door and throws it open. Beyond the threshold, the city is
growling to life in the rising twilight:
You in my store, pack up all nine inches of that impressive
cock and go search the stars for a clue.
Stop it! Stop kissing me—okay, okay, just one on the cheek. Your are kinda cute. Now, get out.

 

IMPORTANT BULLETINS from THE PIXIES:

For more information about Marie Hall and Luc’s adventures in the Night series please check out her author website

Care to check out the last round of Sinister Stitches interviews? Check out Sophie Avett and Jennifer Blackstream’s
paranormal den, the Brimstone Pub. All SS interviews are retired there after their tour until the release of the SS e-book.
Fancy a tour of New Gotham? Check out New Gotham’s Survival Guide! It might save your ife!
For more nformation about Sophie Avett’s New Gotham Fairy Tales, the Sinister Stitches
series, and recent releases, please check out her website.

Image Credit(s): MaxFrost

Image Editing Credit(s): Elaina, For the Muse Design

 

Cry Wolf
A New Gotham Fairy Tale
Sophie Avett
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance (MM/New Adult)
Publisher: Skeleton Key Publishing
Date of Publication:  May 1, 2014
Number of pages: est. 22 pages
Word Count:  est. 10, 000
Cover Artist: Elaina, For the Muse Design
Amazon   B&N   ARe    Kobo    Smashwords
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Book Description:
There’s a wild animal on the loose in the black forests surrounding New Gotham…
Not that anyone cares.
Well, Peter doesn’t care.
Peter Ume is more interested in finding a way to alleviate the skull-numbing boredom of a city wide shut down. So far his ideas for excitement hover between stealing an unwary idiot’s underwear (soul works, too), setting someone’s eyebrows on fire, or stabbing the next person he meets in the eye with a hot French fry.
It turns out, he’ll be able to save assault and theft for a rainy day. As luck would have it, this naughty kitsune is about to meet the big bad wolf.
And man, is the wolf in for a surprise…
Warning: This story can be read as a standalone, but you will want to smack Sophie for it. (Or so the ravens have said.) So, do keep in mind that there is a part two. (And it will be a freebie. Sophie’s Pixies will carrier pigeon everyone more information soon.)
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About the Author:
Sophie Avett is kind of a nerd. Like not even one of the cute, hip ones everyone brags about nowadays. More like the socially awkward hippie who eats way too much bread and dreams about being a dragon from behind towers of mythology books. Um…yeah. Picture old, tattered paperbacks and comic books–mostly Batman and Wonder Woman–dwarfing a tiny desk, with just barely enough room for the troll who writes there and the 70 pound hell-hound that insists on laying it’s wet nose on top of her bare foot.
Granted not the most exciting existence, but she tries to make up for it by writing romances populated with her own peculiar ilk of paranormal beasties.  Trolls, wyverns, the obscure Nordic brownie–she likes to keep things interesting. And bloody. (And mostly naked–but, we’ll keep that bit between us.)
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Tour giveaway:

1 Gray Shell Pearl Shamballa Style Bracelet from Bits and Pieces which is featured in the book and prize pack

Cry Wolf Bracelet

– The entire prize pack will include: the bracelet, some trinkets and wonderfully sarcastic little note from Mrs. Pott’s.

10 ecopies of ‘Twas the Darkest Night

Click on the Rafflecopter below to enter.

Raffle button

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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 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

Cruelty

Episode Four

by Edward Lorn

21421106

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Genre: Horror

My Teaser from 15% into the book

Inside, He slept. Here, on the outskirts of Kerrville’s hill country, Momma fumed. Eyes closed tho the horrors yet to be seen, she shook with rage. Angry or not, she knew the End, like a jilted lover, had come for her. She would not go without a fight.

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Book Description:

CRUELTY is a serial novel in ten parts.

Episode Four.

Tom Morgan is out of surgery, but far from out of the woods.

With Kirk for bait, Twon and Ollie go fishing.

State Investigator Markum seeks out clues concerning the murder of John Landover.

Merlo the Cowardly Dog and Sheriff Randy Miser meet for the first time in a desperate struggle to save each other’s lives.

Momma’s not happy.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Welcome to my Monday Minis.

This is where I review short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Just One Day

by Jacob Prytherch

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My Review

This story reminds me of the movie Ground Hog Day.

A man relives the same day over and over. Except this goes on for years!

Trapped on a space station overrun with flesh eaters, the engineer begins each day the same as the one before. He navigates obstacles and zombies, trying to keep more people alive each time.

While he knows he’s repeating the same day all over again, the other survivors don’t and it doesn’t seem to help when he explains it to them. Each morning he begins again.

“His calm demeanor was the resignation of the damned.”

Each time he anticipates what he learned the previous time, making it a bit further towards safety and keeping more people alive.

“It was just one day, one more, then it would be over. How many times has he said that?”

But the engineer begins to doubt whether he can do what he wants. Whether he can get most of the people to the escape pod and safety. He’ll just have to keep going through it until he reaches an end, if there is one.

For a short story this has a lot going on. Black holes, time travel, and space zombies!

The beginning is a calm introduction to the engineer and what’s going on. Then it quickly becomes a nail biting adventure with people screaming and fleshies gnawing on the poor saps that don’t survive that day.

It’s hard to find a zombie story with a unique spin on it. Kudos to the author for doing just that, plus giving me an ending that had me reading it twice. I wanted to be sure I got it right.

3  Stars

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Synopsis

The engineer awoke to the sound of the failing air conditioning, knowing four things above all else. He knew who would be beating a monotonous rhythm on the door, he knew that he had to kill them, he knew that they would already be dead and rotting, and he was painfully aware that they would not be alone…

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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 The Cold Pools

by Chris Ward

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Teaser #1 from

Karen reached over and touched my arm, and when I looked towards her, her smile calmed me. My own cold pool, I thought. My very own.

Teaser #2 from

…here was the only recognized place in the whole world where the air was cool, and as we finally emerged at the top of the bluff, we saw the reason why.

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Synopsis

Meet me at the end of the world …

As civilization comes to an end, Lewis and Karen take their last vacation to the only cold place left on Earth, the remote resort town of Cold Pools. There, they will say goodbye …

The Cold Pools – a short story of 3,000 words, is taken from the author’s collection Ms Ito’s Bird & Other Stories.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Welcome to my Monday Minis.

This is where I review short stories and flash fiction.

For today I’ll be telling you about Devil Inside

by William Cook

My Review

This is a very short story that will thrill you and chill you.

You’ll think you know what’s going on, then doubt yourself, then think you know again.

A teenage boy endures the abuse heaped on him by his drunken father while his equally befogged mother remains indifferent.

The monster under his bed emerges, terrifying the boy and empowering him at the same time.

 Is it after him? What does it want?

While I kind of knew what was coming at the end, I had a gruesome, scary time getting there. As a short read, I enjoyed the sampling of this authors writing and will be interested to read further stories.

The four poems included with this story are moody and brooding. I don’t profess to have a deep understanding of poetry, but I enjoyed them. And the glimpse inside the author’s novel, Blood Related, is promising.

3 Stars

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Synopsis

Devil Inside is a short horror story that will leave you wanting more. Graphic and descriptive, the tale winds itself around a young boy who discovers that when you make a wish, you better make sure you really want it.
Horror, Violence, Supernatural, M15+
Short Story + 4 x Poems + Excerpt from Blood Related (novel).

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Freakin Fridays

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

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

Tune in every Friday. Get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

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Shiver me timbers, have I got a creepy one for you.

For today I’ll be telling you about The Whaler

by Steve Roach

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My Review

Set in the 1800’s, a time when whalers spend as much as two years on board wooden ships, harvesting the blubber and oil from their kills.

A young man seeking passage home enters a bar. While asking the barkeep about available berths, an old salt with one eye tells him he knows of a ship. It just so happens his son is a captain and will be setting out in a few days. While they wait for him to arrive, they get to know each other.

The young man is curious about how the old man lost his eye and he obliges. Thus begins the tale of Captain Grice, the cruelest, most vicious whaler known on the seas.

“The only time I ever saw him crack a smile was when he was knee-deep in whale blood.”

When the crew spots an old whale, probably already dying, they harpoon it. Then Grice does what he loves best. He jumps upon the dying whale and hacks and slashes at it with his ax until he can swing it no more.

This is no ordinary whale though. It harbors something deadly. Welcome to the belly of the beast.

The author did his research. I can’t imagine how awful it was. The stench of death, the hardship, the endless sea, no horizon in sight.

And he gives you a real villain in Captain Grice. The man was evil. He wasn’t like Ahab, obsessed with a single whale. He hated all of them and reveled in their suffering.

 As the old man told the rest of this tale, I could picture the scene. The lights would dim, background noise would fade away, and his raspy voice would chill you to the bone.

Classic horror is what this is.

4 Stars

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Click on these link for more about Steve Roach and his books.

Amazon ~ Goodreads

I’m typing this BIG so you won’t miss a thing! Dark Whiskey by Emma Meade is free! Read on to see what I thought of this wicked fun, short vamp story and how you can get it for yourself!

Darkwhiskey

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Blurb

Jesse senses something off about the nightclub. She wants to leave, but  her best friend, Tasha, is determined to have a night to remember.  There’s no way Tasha’s turning down an invite to the VIP section. Against Jesse’s better judgement, she follows Tasha up the ivory staircase to  the mysterious room above. The whiskey and champagne are flowing, and  pretty soon the blood will be too. (A Short Story, approx 7,100 words)

*****

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Want a free copy?

Just click HERE or on the book cover to get yours. It’ll zip you right over to Amazon. Then one more click and you’re done!

Also:

Anyone anywhere in the world can download if from Smashwords as a pdf, mobi or epub.

Try Amazon.com if you’re in the US.

Barnes & Noble

Sony

iTunes

And hopefully down the line Dark Whiskey will be listed as Free on international Amazon sites.

My Review

Jesse’s best friend Tasha has just been dumped and her motto is, to get over it, get under someone else.

That’s just what she plans on doing when she drags Jesse into the nightclub.

It’s a bit out-of-the-way, but better to do the nasty where no one finds out.

Jesse immediately senses something isn’t right. Goosebumps stand up on her body. She wants to high-tail it out of there, but Tasha is having none of it and merrily trips up the stairs to the VIP room.

It’s going to be a night to remember, or not.

My Thoughts

I’ve had a friend like Tasha. Very emotional and sometimes a bit selfish, but usually pretty loyal. I expect that’s why Jesse stayed and watched out for her.

Being the more level-headed of the two, Jesse stays sober. Maybe that’s why she recognizes that somethings off.

I almost liked Eli. Almost. He’s a tall drink of water on a hot night, charming and darkly dangerous. But, nope. He says and does some things that turns me off. Gives off a bad vibe. Pretty much how Jesse feels too.

The best thing about Emma’s writing is I felt the bad vibes, the warning hairs standing up on the back of my neck.

I’ve been in a situation where that happened and luckily I was able to leave. Who knows what might have happened.

Dark Whiskey is like its name. Subtly alluring, with hints of sexual tension, and icy dread.

I would love for Emma to write more about Jesse, especially now that I know what she’s going to be like.

She may be figuring it out and they may think it’s going to be easy, but they messed with the wrong chick!

5 Stars

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I’ve read all of Emma’s stories except her newest release, Beneath Manhattan Skies, and I’m reading it now.

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Reviewing soon!

Click on the titles below to read more of my reviews of Emma’s books.

End of the Line

End of the Line

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Under the Desert Moon

Under the Desert Moon

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Night Sighs

Night Sighs

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The Awakening & Other Stories

Awakening and Other Stories

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The Dead Beats

The Old Vampire (Short Story)

Dead Beats and The Old Vampire

About the Author
Emma Meade
Emma Meade lives in rainy Ireland. She loves reading and writing supernatural fiction.
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Links to purchase Dark Whiskey
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Emma’s Ramblings on Supernatural Ficion blog:http://emmameade.com/