Posts Tagged ‘giveaway’

A Romance Anthology ~ Secrets Of Moonlight Cove ~ Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted: December 27, 2016 in Contemporary Romance, giveaways
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12

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Secrets Of Moonlight Cover

A Romance Anthology

by Multiple Authors

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Genre: Sweet Contemporary Romance

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Synopsis

Mr. Valentine Comes to Town by A.G. Reid:  A mysterious vacationer—and supernatural entity—Mr. Valentine is matchmaking despite strict instructions from the goddess Venus to leave the people of Moonlight Cove alone.

 

Maggie’s Mystery Man by Barb DeLong: Who is the reclusive visitor that has rented the entire Bed and Breakfast in the historic Moonlight Cove Lighthouse, and who only appears in public in a bad disguise complete with a ridiculous fake wig? Maggie might find the big story that will save her small town paper. Or she might find much more.

 

Once Upon a Love Letter by Jill Jaynes:  Chloe Reiser sees dead people, and now that she’s back in Moonlight Cove to make a fresh start, she’s done keeping it a secret. But how is she going to tell her more-skeptical-than-ever high school crush that his dead father has an important message for him?

 

Surprise Deliveries by Shauna Roberts:  Serious, sensible Mr. Hamasaki left for a trip and never came back. His daughter and an artist must team up to find him.

 

Second Time Around by Janna Roznos:  A woman with her business on the brink may find more than she bargained for in the old Victorian house left to her by her dead sister.

 

Lily’s Pad by Kathleen Rowland:  Lily Holmes knows enough tricks to attract celebrities to her beachside bistro, Lily’s Pad. She knows the rules but breaks one when she falls in love with her valued client, reality T.V. star Scarlett Royale’s man, Creed Taylor.

Enjoy this excerpt from Mr. Valentine Comes to Town by A.G. Reid

The problem with being immortal is that you can’t vacation in the same place very often. Usually, a couple of weeks every decade was all Valentine allowed himself. More than that, and people started asking too many questions. Moonlight Cove. His research told him this location was ideal for his needs. A coastal city with a Mediterranean climate, extended dry summers and short wet winters. The structures, though old, were well maintained. Best of all, Moonlight Cove has a transient tourist population.

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Author Bios and Links:

 

Jill Jaynes began her love affair with romance when she was a teenager growing up in Southern California, spending many a late-night under the covers with a flashlight and good romance novel.  Today she writes stories with happy endings her own way–with a dash of magic that means anything can happen. When she’s not writing, you can find her wine-tasting or hiking with her awesome husband, plotting her next story with her writer-daughter or working at her day job in her spare time.

Facebook / Goodreads / Website

 

Shauna Roberts writes historical fiction, science fiction, romance, and fantasy and is a graduate of the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop. Her publications include more than a thousand nonfiction articles, three nonfiction books, several short stories, two novelettes, and three novels (Like Mayflies in a Stream, historical fiction, 2009; Claimed by the Enemy, historical fiction with romantic elements, 2014; and Ice Magic, Fire Magic, fantasy with romantic elements, 2015).

Website / Facebook / Goodreads

 

A.G. Reid developed a love for romance novels while serving in the military. It helped keep him grounded. He now writes romantic stories with a paranormal twist. Enjoy his short story Mr. Valentine Comes to Town in the romance anthology, Secrets Of Moonlight Cove.

Facebook

 

Barb DeLong loves all things romance, animals and light-hearted, so she combines the three into her contemporary and paranormal stories. She has published a short story in Romancing the Pages anthology, Secrets of Moonlight Cove anthology, and is currently working on another short story plus a three-book paranormal romance series.

Goodreads

 

Janna Roznos writes about the middle-ages: middle-aged women that is! Second chances, life changes and starting over are themes she continues to explore in her writing. Her short story, Second Time Around for Secrets of Moonlight Cove is her first published work.

Facebook / Website / Goodreads

 

Kathleen Rowland is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced, high-stakes suspense with a sizzling love story sure to melt their hearts.  Some are sweet: Lily’s Pad within the Secrets of Moonlight Cove anthology, but a sizzling hot example is Deadly Alliance from Tirgearr Publishing.

Facebook / Website

 

Buy Links: Amazon / Amazon UK

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A Mature Paranormal Romance Series ~ Spellbound Hearts Book Tour and Giveaway

Posted: December 20, 2016 in Adult Fiction, Erotic, giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance
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Taken By The Huntsman 
Spellbound Hearts Book 1
by Mistral Dawn 
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Adult Fantasy

Discarded and ignored by those around her for most of her life, Cassie is a lonely human woman struggling to find her place in the world and meaning in her life. Cadeyrn is the Erlking, the leader of the Wild Hunt, a hundreds of thousands of years old Fae who has always known his purpose. He has spent his entire long existence tracking the criminals of Fairie and punishing them for their crimes. 

While hunting for the murderer of a child who has escaped to Earth Cadeyrn comes across Cassie and realizes that she is the one that the great mother goddess has designated as his soul mate. He kidnaps her and takes her to his fortress in Fairie to protect her from his many enemies. He knows she will be angry and that he’ll have to work to earn her trust, but he finds his task to be even more challenging than he had thought it would be due to Cassie’s difficulty in opening her heart. 

Will Cadeyrn be able to convince Cassie that the bond between them is real and earn her love?

 

 

Bound By The Summer Prince 
Spellbound Hearts Book 2

The Summer Court is in an uproar. The king has just been executed for unpardonable crimes, and the queen is prostrate with grief over his loss. This leaves the Summer kingdom bereft of true leadership; a problem which is compounded by the fact that the laws of Fairie require balance to be maintained by having a male and a female ruler for both Season Courts at all times. Uaine, the Summer prince, is the only one who can put things right, but he is without a mate. Knowing that he must take a bride quickly, for the sake of his people, even though he is struggling with his own feelings of pain and anger over his father’s treachery, he goes for a walk in a forest near the palace to try to clear his head and determine how best to choose a female to rule beside him. 

While walking Uaine discovers a human female running loose in Fairie, which is against the most basic tenets of Fae law. Furious at one more problem he must deal with, he takes her prisoner and locks her in the dungeon; only to discover later that she is his soul-mate. The magical bond between them means they are meant to be together forever, but humans can’t feel the magic of Fairie. Will Uaine be able to win her heart and convince her that she can trust him to keep her safe from all the dangers of Fairie…including himself?

Roni is a human con woman and petty thief. Having run afoul of the local crime syndicate in the city where she is staying, she finds herself running for her life. Trouble is no stranger to her, but when she falls through a hole in a wall and finds herself in a world with carnivorous trees and rocks that eat people she realizes she may have found more of it than she can deal with. Rescued/arrested by the prince of the Summer Court, it doesn’t take long for her to formulate a plan to use him to get herself home. Unfortunately for her, she soon finds that her heart, which she had thought long ago turned to stone, has begun to feel the love she has been playing at. Will she be able to overcome a lifetime of caution and allow herself to follow her heart? Can a criminal love a cop?

 

Please be aware that this book contains explicit sexual scenes, depictions of BDSM, and anal play. If these things disturb you, then this may not be the book for you.

 

 

Intrigue In The Summer Court 
Spellbound Hearts #2.5 

Jillian knows something bad is going to happen! She has been a loyal adviser to the throne and friend of the queen, Briallen, for thousands of years, and now Roni and Uaine’s wedding and coronation are to take place in just a couple days. The Summer Court will have a new king and queen, who, it is hoped, can repair the damage and heal the schism the late king created. 

But Jillian can’t shake the feeling that trouble is brewing. Many of the Summer nobles aren’t happy about the changes that are taking place in the Summer Court, and many of the other Fae just aren’t too sure about having a human on the throne…even if she has been blessed by the goddess. When Angelica, the leader of the Pixies, comes to her with news of a plot to murder the prince and princess, Jillian’s suspicions are confirmed. Will the two of them be able to unravel this conspiracy in time to save the royal couple? Or will prejudice prevail, and the hope for peace in Fairie be lost forever?

*This is a novella and is number 2.5 in the series. 

 

**This story contains adult material, BDSM play, and explicit sexual scenes. If that is not your thing, this may not be the story for you. 🙂

 

 

Captivated By The Winter King 
Spellbound Hearts Book 3

 

Kate is a woman on the run. After years of being physically and emotionally abused by her fiance, she’s finally had enough. But leaving might be even more dangerous than staying, so she needs to get as far away as she can as fast as possible. A late night, desperate drive through the pouring rain ends suddenly when a cat appears in the middle of the road. While trying to avoid the half-drowned creature, Kate loses control of her car and crashes through a portal to Fairie.

Ankou is a fallen God of Death and the king of the Winter Court of Fairie, and he’s facing pressure from every direction. The magic of the Court is out of balance due to the centuries-long lack of a queen. He is harried constantly by the Court nobles who want him to either step down or take a mate. All the duties of a ruling pair rest squarely on his shoulders. And added to all this is a soul-crushing loneliness. His existence stretches back hundreds of millennia, and in all that time he has never found the one person who could warm his lonely heart. He is exhausted and discouraged, and the last thing he needs is to go tearing off into the night on a fool’s errand. But one of his lingering god powers is the ability to sense the right course of action to follow, and his instincts are screaming at him to go to a particular place in the forest of the Winter kingdom and wait. Imagine his surprise when he finds the one he has been waiting for his whole life!

Using a careful blend of patience, seduction, and domination, the Winter king tries to win his soulmate’s love. Feeling safe and valued for the first time in her memory, Kate explores her new freedom by agreeing to try the BDSM games her lover suggests. As she experiments with both domination and submission, she learns just how liberating surrender can be. Will Ankou be able to convince Kate that she can trust him with her feelings as well as her body? Will Kate find a way to overcome the trauma of her past and open up her heart to accept the love that is offered to her? Can these two broken people find a way to fit all their disparate pieces together into a stronger, united whole? You’ll have to read to find out!

 

**Trigger Warning: please note that this story contains depictions of domestic violence and other forms of familial abuse. If these types of situations cause you distress, this may not be the story for you.

**Please note that this story contains scenes of violence and explicit sexual scenes including BDSM. If this type of material offends you, this is probably not the story for you.

 

Mistral Dawn is a thirty-something gal who has lived on both coasts of the US, but somehow never in the middle. She currently resides in the Southeast US with her kitty cats (please spay or neuter! :-)). She has written three full-length novels in the Spellbound Hearts series, Taken By The Huntsman, Bound By The Summer Prince, and Captivated By the Winter King.

 

 

 

 

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The Heartbeat Thief ~ Fangs For The Holidays Giveaway

Posted: December 19, 2016 in Fantasy, giveaways, Holidays
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No matter which holiday you observe at year’s end, they all share something in common: traditions. 

I grew up in the four seasons of northeast Pennsylvania, where Decembers were snowy and cheer-filled. We wore skiddoos and went sleigh-riding and came in the door pink-nose and snow-crusted. 

On Thanksgiving night, the borough would light the holiday street decorations for the first time. We’d sit at the front windows, cheeks against the glass, straining to see down the block to the main street, waiting for the moment the bells and candy canes would light up. 

Those lights meant one thing:  Christmas was almost here!

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Some of my fondest memories are from our family Christmases, which were brimming full of special traditions. 


Many of them came from my Polish grandparents, involving the crèche and the special Christmas Eve dinner. I think that I will forever see Christmas through the lens of my dad’s old 8mm camera, sounds of laughter and singing replaced by the whir of the projection reels and the occasional comment about our early-seventies fashion sense. 


Holidays have always held sentimental value, a sense of community and family and simple togetherness—not just for my Pennsylvania family in the plaid-stricken seventies, but for so many people and places, across the span of centuries.

In my voracious research of the Victorian era (while writing my historical fantasy THE HEARTBEAT THIEF), I encountered an entirely new world of Yuletide traditions. 

Some are still widely celebrated (thanks to Doctor Who Christmas specials, my kids adopted a love for crackers) while some have largely fallen out of practice (such as a parlour game called Snapdragon, which seems like a good way to get a burned finger! Talk about dangerous drinking games…) 

One Victorian tradition that has always appealed to me is Wassail. A verb, to wassail means to go singing door to door, after which one is invited to drink punch from the family’s Wassail bowl. 

A noun, wassail is the punch itself—and every family had their own recipe (kind of like Boilo recipes here in northeast PA). The punch was served in a wassailing bowl. A greeting, “wassail” was a wish for good health to those we cherish. 

Everyone would drink the hot spiced cider together, fostering a lovely sense of community and togetherness, which is the truest spirit of the holidays.

Since immersing myself in the culture and traditions of THE HEARTBEAT THIEF, I wanted to find a recipe for my own family and promptly found about six million different versions (thanks, Google).

They all seem to have a few elements in common, though: apples, spices, and warmth. Some contain ale or wine while others are more kid-friendly; some involve baking whole apples and placing them in the punch bowl; some even contain a whipped egg mixture (like this one from Alton Brown. Considering he is the Einstein of food, I would NEVER refute his wisdom.) 


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I like this one the best, though—the tanginess of orange juice and the lemony zing of fresh ginger make my mouth water just thinking of it. 


Plus, the convenience of a slow cooker is a must with my crazy schedule…not to mention that it’s like potpourri you can drink while warming your hands! All wonderful things, especially when the weather turns chilly and grown-ups are stuck in the house, too old to go sleigh-riding or playing outside in the snow. 


Recipe from A Spicy Perspective



 Ingredients: 

• 1 gallon Musselman’s Apple Cider

• 4 cups orange juice 

• 4 hibiscus tea bags 

• 10 cinnamon sticks 

• 1 tsp. whole cloves 

• 1 Tb. juniper berries 

• 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into slices 

• 1 apple, sliced into rounds 

• 1 orange, sliced into rounds 

 Directions: 

1. Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cover. 

2. Turn the slow cooker on high heat and cook for 3-4 hours, until the color has darkened and the fruit is soft. 

Remove the tea bags and serve hot. 

Maybe when my kids are older, I’ll adjust the recipe to a more adult version. For now, I’d like to make something the whole family can enjoy. It’s tradition, after all, and where’s the fun in a tradition that excludes some of us?

Happy holidays, everyone. Be sure to raise a glass to your loved ones!

Wassail…Drink Hale!


My Victorian fantasy THE HEARTBEAT THIEF follows the journey of the Forever Girl, Senza Fyne. Terrified of death, of growing old, of being forced into an arranged marriage, she makes a deal with the mysterious Mr. Knell and learns the secret of eternal youth and beauty…
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I can picture Senza at a Christmas ball, in high London society, her hair upswept in a pile of curls the color of winter fire, her forever 18-year old figure trimmed out in a luscious gown of emerald silk and taffeta.

 
She’d be the girl with whom every gentleman must dance, the one with whom everyone sought introduction. If you were lucky enough to speak with her, she might treat you a glimpse of her wit and wisdom, far beyond her years…to the sound of her charming laugh…and perhaps she’d touch your hand in a personal gesture.
 
 One touch, and your heart might skip a beat. An entire dance and you just may be left reeling, your senses spinning. Senza Fyne tends to have that effect on a person… 
 
Soon it would be time to gather around the wassail bowl, the spicy sweet scents of apple warming the air, reminding us all of the bounty of harvest and fortune, the cheer of friends gathered for Yuletide. 
 
You might be tempted to raise a glass to her in particular…but your wish for good health would be better spent on someone else. Senza Fyne had no need for wishes, not when her immortal youth, beauty, and perfection were secured by the strongest of magicks. 
 
 But you wouldn’t know that because it’s a secret she’d never tell. If she did, the heartbeat thief would be caught.

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Seek out THE HEARTBEAT THIEF

Haunted by a crushing fear of death, a young Victorian woman discovers the secret of eternal youth—she must surrender her life to attain it, and steal heartbeats to keep it.

In 1860 Surrey, a young woman has only one occupation: to marry. Senza Fyne is beautiful, intelligent, and lacks neither wealth nor connections. Finding a husband shouldn’t be difficult, not when she has her entire life before her. But it’s not life that preoccupies her thoughts. It’s death—and that shadowy spectre haunts her every step.
 
So does Mr. Knell. Heart-thumpingly attractive, obviously eligible—he’d be her perfect match if only he wasn’t so macabre. All his talk about death, all that teasing about knowing how to avoid it…
 
When her mother arranges a courtship with another man, Senza is desperate for escape from a dull prescripted destiny. Impulsively, she takes Knell up on his offer. He casts a spell that frees her from the cruelty of time and the threat of death—but at a steep price. In order to maintain eternal youth, she must feed on the heartbeats of others.
 
It’s a little bit Jane Austen, a little bit Edgar Allan Poe, and a whole lot of stealing heartbeats in order to stay young and beautiful forever. From the posh London season to the back alleys of Whitechapel, across the Channel, across the Pond, across the seas of Time…
 
How far will Senza Fyne go to avoid Death?

 


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About
the Author:
 
AJ (Ash) Krafton writes because
if she doesn’t, her kids will…and NOBODY wants that. A speculative fiction girl
through and through, Ash writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels as
well as poetry and short fiction. Her work has won a bunch of awards and was
even nominated for a Pushcart Prize. When she’s not writing, she’s practicing
Tai Chi, listening to loud rock and metal, or crushing on supervillains.
 
Most recently, she’s re-released
her urban fantasy trilogy THE BOOKS OF THE DEMIMONDE because she never really
left the world of Sophie and her Demivamps.
 
Find out more when you visit www.ashkrafton.com
 
Blog: http://ash-krafton.blogspot.com/
 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ashkrafton
 
Facebook: http://facebook.com/ashkraftonauthor
 
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/Ash_Krafton
 
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/demimondeash
 
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ash_krafton
 
Website: http://www.ashkrafton.com/
 
Newsletter: http://www.subscribepage.com/b1w9p1
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Catwalk, Dream by S.Q. Orpin ~ An Adult Contemporary Romance Blitz & Giveaway

Posted: December 19, 2016 in Adult Fiction, audible, Contemporary Romance, giveaways
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Catwalk, Dream
S.Q. Orpin
(Catwalk, #1)
Publication date: January 7th 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

In a world of glitz, glamour, and excess, sizzling hot Casi Roberts is the reigning queen. Swimsuit model by day and club girl by night, 29 year old Casi thrives in the LA culture, on the arm of her celebrity boyfriend, Alix Grey. Documenting her charmed life on social media, Casi has mastered the art of hiding her insecurities in a world obsessed with youth and beauty.

Ruggedly handsome, blue-eyed, Kyle Jensen has built an enviable life in Blackberry Falls, WA. When Casi walks into his life, Kyle’s carefully crafted lifestyle begins to unravel, igniting a passion in him that is electrifying. Captivated by her beauty and seduced by her provocative nature, Kyle is left reeling from their chance encounter.

As Casi’s life implodes after a tragic accident, she finds solace in a passionate relationship with Kyle, but the temptation of the glamorous lifestyle she has been living and the pressures of her career, threaten to shatter that dream.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Kyle was kneeling beside the redwood bar, which had been recently added to enhance the terrace for the residents. He had his iPod earphones in, and she could hear the faint throng of heavy metal music. He didn’t hear her approach, and she took a minute to admire him as he leaned forward to secure a hinge. A smile crossed her lips as she strode to the bar and placed the wine bottle down. Having been caught unaware, he sat back on his heels, kneeling before her, slowly removing the earphones. He looked at her with distrust, his sea-blue eyes lingering over her bare legs in the short dress. He looked as if her actions confused him, and he was unsure what to make of the situation.

“Peace offering,” she said, glad her words and tone, for once, were not that of a stunted third-grader.

She gave him a bright smile, but he narrowed his eyes and said, “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m not interested in your scam.”

Ouch, well that was well deserved. “I’m not sure what came over me the other day, and I apologize for what happened afterward. If you got to know me, you’d see I’m a much better person than that.” She extended her hand and said confidently, “I’m Casi Roberts. I’m twenty-nine, and I’ve been a model since I was seventeen. I live in one of the third-floor apartments with my boyfriend, Alix Grey, a well-known artist. I should be at his reception, but I felt like I should formally introduce myself.”

A smile reached his eyes, as he looked her over. He rose slowly and took her extended hand, leaning against the bar. “Hello, Casi Roberts. I’m Kyle Jensen, from Blackberry Falls, Washington. I’m thirty-three, and obviously, a custom woodworker. Do you come here often?” He gave a slight laugh at his pickup line.

“Only when I need to apologize for my bad behavior, so pretty much every Tuesday,” she joked back, shaking his hand, aroused by its strength and roughness.

He reached past her for the bottle of wine, and she could feel the electricity between them all the way to her toes. “Nice choice. Do you have a wine opener?” he asked.

“Damn it! I’ll be right back,” she said, as she ran down the stairs to her apartment.

Kyle shook his head and took out his phone, quickly sending a text to his brother. “The gorgeous woman who kissed me the other day, just came up to the roof where I’m working and brought a bottle of wine?”

Jake texted back, “She probably put a date-rape drug in it. Get out of there!”

Grabbing the wine opener, Casi glanced at her reflection in the mirror over the bar. “What the hell are you doing?” she asked the fresh-faced girl, staring back at her. She didn’t know what was about to happen, but for once she felt like living in the moment.

She hopped back up the stairs and handed him the wine opener. He kept his eyes on her, as he opened the bottle and filled the glasses. He took a sip of wine and said, “I’m not sure what you’re aiming for, but it’s not the first time I’ve heard mention of a boyfriend. You’re a beautiful woman, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to grab you and throw you down on the chaise and get to know you intimately. I have two weeks left on this job, and then I’m headed home. I don’t need the distraction of a spoiled model.”

Wow! This guy cuts to the chase. Casi set down her wine glass and stepped toward him. “Two weeks?” She cocked her head as she ran her hand over his chest, and looked into his deep, blue eyes, and smiled seductively.

Kyle put a firm hand on her hip, and moved her back. “Little girl, you need to take your games elsewhere.”

She again stepped forward. “I’m not a little girl, and I’m not playing games.” She brought his head to meet her, kissing him gently. She could taste the wine on his lips as she parted his mouth with her tongue. He hesitated and searched her eyes, trying to figure out what she wanted. He returned her kiss and pulled her closer. He trailed down her neck, as he caressed her back. He kissed her more passionately, growing in intensity, as he brought his hands under her dress and over the lacy panties she had carefully chosen.

She ran her hands over his t-shirt, feeling the definition of his chest muscles and toned abs, slipping her hands under his shirt to feel the heat of his skin. Casi liked to express herself sexually, an intimacy between lovers, but there was something different about Kyle. This feeling was foreign to her, the loss of control and willingness to let her body take over. She moaned as he slid his hands further up her dress toward her breasts, and she began to unbutton his jeans. He placed his hand on top of hers, stopping her from going farther. What the hell? Why was he stopping? Was he playing a game now?

Kyle stepped back and refilled their wine glasses. She wasn’t sure how to react to his apparent rejection. He turned back to face her and handed her the glass. The silence was suffocating. “Is this what you want? A quickie on the rooftop? Then you go back to your boyfriend, and I pretend like nothing happened for the next two weeks, and return to my life in Washington?”

Casi realized she hadn’t thought it through; this wasn’t a movie, magically ending with happily ever after. It was real life, messy and awkward. “That’s not what I want,” she surprised herself with the statement. “I honestly came to apologize for what had happened, but somehow ended up in the same place. Although I’m sure the sex would be mind-blowing for fifteen minutes, you’re right, we both have lives to return to.”

“Fifteen minutes? You’re seriously underestimating me.”

She loved the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed. She kissed him on the cheek and said, “Goodbye, Kyle, I have an installation to attend. I’ll be seeing you around.”

She straightened her back, and walked down the stairs to her apartment, feeling his eyes following her. As she closed the door, she realized she had been holding her breath. She walked into the bedroom and pulled the cotton dress off, exchanging it for the black jersey, halter dress. Black liner, red lips, chignon, and she was out the door in ten minutes.

 

Author Suzy Orpin

Canadian-born author, Suzy Orpin, has always had a vivid imagination and keen desire to write. Suzy views the world through her own narrative, weaving in the fascinating challenges, triumphs, and lifestyles of the people she meets. As a professional culinary instructor in Berkeley, California, Suzy is also intrigued by the diverse culture around her. Having travelled extensively through the Pacific Northwest, Suzy is drawn to the rich history and landscape of the area.

The Catwalk Series was motivated by an accident which redefined the life of her model-niece, Sterling. Wanting to give a voice to additional characters, Suzy expanded the original book, Dream, into a six-part series. Dream focuses on the struggle to overcome challenges and build a new life. Hope picks up where Dream ends, continuing to tell the love story of Casi and Kyle and the challenges they face. Casi and Kyle are the main characters in Trust, as well, but other key characters become an intricate part of the story.

All of the books are written in an omniscient viewpoint to give the effect of watching a movie, and allowing the reader into the thoughts of the characters. The story delves into deep, and sometimes, dark subject matter, weaving in back story and intrigue. The complexity of the characters was crucial to the plot, spanning almost five years, and told throughout the six books.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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The Elf by Max Dune ~ Book Trailer and Giveaway

Posted: December 17, 2016 in giveaways, Trailer, YA Fantasy
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The Elf
Max Dune
Publication date: October 18th 2016
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult

This Christmas…it’s war. Grab your weapon and join the fight in this modern Santa Claus retelling with a dark twist. Fans of Guardians of the Galaxy and Avatar will be riveted by The Elf‘s action, humor and romance!

Elves are dying in the North Pole, and none of their scientists can find a cure. They believe it’s a virus, unleashed by a powerful enemy. All signs point to Jack Frost, who’s been biding his time from afar. Watching. Waiting. Plotting. One brave elf, to save his kind, will venture out to meet evil in the eye. But he uncovers a mystery more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. Now Lucian must join a group of warriors and fight. Fuego; a flame-wielding pyro. Tiktok; a brilliant bomb expert, Yuriko; a deadly ninja assassin. And Bullets; a hot-headed gun aficionado. These unlikely heroes must learn to work together and defeat the rising evil. Or Christmas will soon be lost…forever.

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BOOK TRAILER

—

Enjoy the excerpt.

“Where are you going?” I taunt. “There’s nowhere to hide.”

Jack Frost doesn’t answer. Under the canopy of winter-crystallized trees, he crawls across the snow. His tall, muscular body leaves a trail of berry-red blood behind him. He looks desperate to put distance between us.

I begin to whistle softly and draw closer to admire my handiwork. Broken nose. Swollen eye. An arrow buried deep in his leg. Ah, such a beautiful sight to behold. I turn to Blitzen, my most loyal of companions, and smile. “Thank you, friend. Without you, I wouldn’t have made it.”

Blitzen gives an affirmative snort, staying close to our sleigh and supplies. His strong legs and zesty spirit had kept me alive for the last two weeks. The Artic is a cold house for the unwary. Nothing in it ever stirs. Nothing moves. Nothing sings. Yet he had guided me through it, his hooves detonating like muffled grenades as they crunched the powdery snow. We’d traveled over timeworn mountains, through tomblike valleys and flash-frozen rivers. I plan on rewarding Blitzen with his favorite food once we’re back in Santa’s Village. It’ll be agaric mushrooms for life. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

First things first though: I cock my crossbow.

Clink.

Upon hearing that sound, Frost forces his knees and elbows to move faster. He fights for his life like a desperate wild animal at death’s door. The expression of terror on his face is absolutely priceless. I wonder if he’ll start begging soon. Even if he does, it won’t do him any good. I won’t hesitate to pull the trigger and send one final bolt into his black heart.

For my friends…for my parents…

“Mmm,” I utter, savoring the moment. “This is even better than I imagined.” As I loom over him, a sudden wave of fury grips me. I violently plant my boot in his shoulder, prompting a muffled groan from him. Through gritted teeth I hiss, “And I’ve imagined this a lot.”

I remove my foot. Frost rolls over onto his back and gazes up at me in defeat. “Don’t do this, Lucian. Please.”

Ah, finally.

“Do you think begging is going to help? It didn’t help my parents or the other elves. They died just the same, all shaking, bleeding, and crying…and all because of you.” I point the loaded crossbow at his chest. “Now it’s your turn to die.”

“Wait!” He lifts up a trembling hand. “I can grant you great powers, unimaginable abilities, even immortality! Y-you could be the most powerful elf who’s ever lived!”

“Power?” I scoff. “I don’t want power. This is all I want.”

“Revenge won’t bring your parents back.”

I consider his words for a moment and do see the truth in them, but the rage inside pushes me on. “No, but it’s going to feel pretty good.” My finger slides the safety off.

Frost’s eyes widen.

Bzzz-bzzz-bzzz…

Suddenly a deep, loud sound echoes all about us, seemingly coming from every direction. They disturb the serene beauty of this frozen, crystal paradise where Frost is meant to meet his doom. Puzzled, I lower my crossbow and search for the source. My eyes scan through the tall, gray trees, their skeletal wooden arms knocking against one another in the slight breeze, but I catch nothing in my gaze except the clear, blue skies beyond. What the heck’s going on? Confused, I dart my eyes in every direction. And why is that annoying buzzing getting louder?

Beep! Beep! Beep!

A sense of déjà vu hits me.

Wait! That sound… Isn’t that…?

The beeping continues to assault my ears for several more moments, muddling my senses.

“No!” I wail when I finally remember. “No! Not yet!”

My desperate cries prove futile, though, as my crossbow melts in my hands. Its liquefied remnants splash at my feet. It doesn’t take long for the surrounding trees to follow suit, forming charcoal-gray puddles on the ground. Blitzen, too, begins to disintegrate where he stands. His fur, flesh, and bones dissolves into a paste and seep into the ground

“No!” Without wasting time, I jump on Frost, wrap my hands around his cold neck, and begin to viciously choke him. “I’ll kill you with my bare hands!”

Rather than panicking or pleading for mercy, he only laughs in my face, knowing full well it’s too late. His flesh quickly melts like hot wax until my fingers are kneading the remaining mess.

I punch the ground with my fists again and again, even as they start melting away. “Come on! I just needed another minute!”

As I beg for more time, I feel my bones softening, becoming more pliable, like iron morphing into licorice. Soon I am unable to hold my weight, and I topple over, falling to the icy ground.

 

Author Max Dune

Max Dune is a Southern writer who spent most his childhood watching TV, devouring comic books and weaving magical worlds in his head. In his mid-twenties, he decided to follow his true passion. He has since created a number of short stories, novels, screenplays and TV pilots. To be alerted to future books and giveaways, please sign up for his newsletter at http://eepurl.com/b5Is91

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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The Crossroads Saga by Mary Ting ~ Boxed Set Sale and Giveaway

Posted: December 15, 2016 in giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, YA
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crossroads
Crossroads
When Claudia, a seventeen-year-old girl, mysteriously wanders through her dreams, she encounters an ethereal place where nephilims reside. There, she unexpectedly meets Michael and the group of half-human angels at the Crossroads—their home and a place she never imagined existed. However, Claudia has unknowingly changed the course of her life when fallen and demons come after her, all suspecting that she is special. It is up to Michael and the other nephilim to protect her. Claudia’s once simple dreams become nightmares, when more secrets are revealed about who she really is and the true identities of the people she loves most. Will Michael and the nephilims be able to protect Claudia or will she fall prey to the fallen?

Between
As the Alkins head back to Crossroads, Claudia leads her normal life, but not for long. Having a special soul, she attracts danger. The Twelve, known as Divine Elders on Earth, are very much involved when they find out evil is lurking in the shadows and Claudia is no longer safe. As more secrets are revealed, Claudia learns about the Venators—demon hunters—on Earth.
When two opposing angelic forces come together to protect Claudia, trust becomes a big issue. Will love be enough to keep Claudia and Michael together? Who will make the ultimate sacrifice? Who will betray them all?

Beyond
Torn between the past she can’t remember and a future she isn’t ready for, Claudia feels at a loss. With unanswered questions, she is certain there is more to her past than just being a Venator. Finding the missing pieces in her life won’t be easy because duty calls. When mysterious dark shadows get released, an apocalypse sets in motion.

The Venators and the Alkins must work together once again. Knowing Claudia would be the key to destroying the demons that were released, a familiar stranger appears to protect her. Who is the angel assisting her and can he unravel the mysteries of the past in order to help save the world.

Eternity
Having happily ever after is never easy when evil lurks nearby. Now that Claudia has her memories back and her life seems to have settled down, the Fallen have come out of hiding. The Fallen coming out of hiding is not a concern, there are those who want to be left alone. However, one particular one, Dantanian, is hungry for revenge. Being one of God’s first fallen angels, he is the evilest of his kind. He will do anything to get his way and he will stop at nothing to get Michael on his side. Dantanian will torture, kill for pleasure, and concoct evil schemes to get Michael’s attention; and once in his hands, he will try to destroy all the happiness Michael fought so hard to gain. The Venators and the Alkins must work together once again to save their friends. As death draws near to those captured by Dantanian, will the gang reach them in time? Or will Michael return to the dark angel he once was and destroy everyone he loves?

99 centsTODAY ONLY – Get the entire Boxed Set for just 99 cents!!

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Mary TingAuthor Mary Ting
International Bestselling, Award-Winning, Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.

 

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Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 12/31/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Nuttycracker Sweet ~ A Christmas Kisses Giveaway

Posted: December 14, 2016 in giveaways, Holidays, Romance
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Nuttycracker Sweet

by Megan O’Russell

Genre: Sweet Romance

Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing

Date of Publication: 12/08/2015

ISBN: 978-0-9904757-8-1 / ASIN: B018DDKLR2

Number of pages: 64 / Word Count: 17,000

Cover Artist: Jess Small

Synopsis

Pointe shoes, tutus, and a snowy road trip with the man she hates. What could possibly go wrong?

The plan was simple. Get to Portland, dance The Nutcracker, and don’t murder your dance partner. And most definitely, do not, under any circumstances, fall in love with him.

A snowy road trip strands Elle Grant in a tiny cabin better suited for serial killings than rehearsals for two professional ballet dancers. With no one but the incredibly talented, excruciatingly handsome, and notoriously terrible Zachary Benson and a few taxidermy woodland creatures for company, Elle’s Christmas plans are officially ruined. Can she and Zach learn to like each other enough to dance together? And can Elle get home without losing her heart to the Christmas Cavalier?

Amazon    BN    Kobo    iTunes

~~~~~

I’ve been an elf, a tap dancing
reindeer, a teddy bear, a showgirl, the Virgin Mary, and Mrs. Cratchit. All for
the joy of Christmas onstage.

I’ve spent my entire life
onstage. Not like every moment of every day, but it’s how I spent all my free
time as a child and how I’ve made my living as an adult. The stage is my home,
the lights are my sunshine, and the cast is my family, even if only for the run
of the show.

Life under the stage lights is
glamorous but hard. And it gets hardest around the holidays.

Just like retail workers and
plenty of other professions, the holiday season is crunch time for performers.
I’ve performed on Thanksgiving for I don’t remember how many years, and on
Christmas Day for five out of the past nine years, and always far away from
home. Don’t get me wrong. I love it. I spend my Christmas Day performing for
either people who have nowhere else to go or who have theatre for Christmas
ingrained in their holiday traditions. (Thanks for keeping me employed,
theatregoers!)

But when you go to the Nutcracker
and see a performer from New York City that is there to lead the local ballet
company, that means that performer packed up her life, braved the elements, and
is trusting in the world that the show will turn out well. That her dance
partner won’t be a terrible human, and that when it’s all over the paycheck
will clear. It’s a life of tiny Christmas trees in hotel rooms, hoping you get
to see your family before New Year’s, and finding someone nearby to make your
Christmas merry and bright. No one wants to be alone for the holidays, even
those of us who live our lives with dance shoes and glitter.

And that is where the holiday
showmance comes into the picture.

In case you’ve never heard the
term “showmance,” it’s a romance that happens during the run of a show. You’re
away from home, living and working with the same people, in a profession where
you are meant to touch your co-workers, and emotions are bared under the
spotlights. It happens all the time. Two people come into a show, play love
interests, get close in cast housing, and fall madly in love.

Sometimes they end up married.
Sometime there’s drinking and sobbing when they break up on closing night.
Sometimes the rest of the cast takes bets to see which way a showmance will go.

But add in the romance of the
holidays—fireplaces, snow, and warm fuzzy feelings—toss in a dash of the normal
human desire to be with those you care for the most for Christmas, and you just
might have the makings of a Christmas romance. Or devastating heartbreak.

From tap dancing soldiers to
beautiful Christmas ballerinas, whomever you watch on stage this Christmas just
remember they are far from home for the holidays so they can bring joy to their
audiences. But don’t worry. It is, in fact, a glamourous life, and while the
stage lights bring warmth and beauty to the show, they can also bring a little
holiday romance along with them.

~~~~~

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About Author Megan O’Russell

Megan O’Russell is the author of the young adult fantasy series The Tethering, and Nuttycracker Sweet, a Christmas novella. Megan’s short stories can also be found in several anthologies, including Athena’s Daughters 2, featuring women in speculative fiction. Megan is a professional performer who has spent time on stages across the country and is the lyrist for Second Chances: The Thrift Shop Musical, which received it’s world premier in 2015. When not on stage or behind a computer, Megan can usually be found playing her ukulele or climbing a mountain with her fantastic husband.

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Catch A Fallen Star ~ Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted: December 14, 2016 in Adult Fiction, Contemporary Romance, giveaways
Tags: , , ,
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On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

Catch a Fallen StarCatch a Fallen Star
(Grace Note Records #2)
by Amy Vastine
Adult Contemporary Romance
Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 384 pages

December 1st 2016 by Harlequin Heartwarming

He’s got to save his career—and himself

Hitting rock bottom has landed country star Boone Williams in the middle of his worst nightmare: a recording studio on a horse therapy farm hours away from Nashville. He has no interest in dealing with his problems or writing a new album. And he’s definitely not interested in the gorgeous, feisty mom of one of Helping Hooves’s young clients. She doesn’t even know who he is! But his record label is one tabloid story from cutting him loose, and Boone can’t seem to turn around without bumping into Ruby and her daughter, Violet. Clearly, Boone’s not going to get what he wants. Could Ruby be just what he needs?

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin

Enjoy This Glimpse Inside

As she climbed the porch steps, the sound of someone screaming bloody murder made her pause. Someone was not happy and was letting the heavens know about it. Fearing someone was hurt, she followed the porch around to see what was wrong.

Boone stood in the yard and was doing his best impression of a woman in the throes of childbirth. He puffed his chest out and let his head fall back as he roared at the sky. He took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders. When he opened his eyes, his gaze fell squarely on Ruby.

Feeling as if she had been caught snooping instead of doing a welfare check, she took a step back and tripped over a rocking chair that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Ruby fell on her behind and felt a sharp pain in her wrist as she attempted to break her fall.

Those stormy blue eyes that had blown her over were now glaring at her through the slats of the porch railing. He somehow managed to look angrier than he had a moment ago.

“Unbelievable,” he growled.

Other Books in the Series

The Girl He Used to LoveThe Girl He Used to Love
(Grace Note Records #1)
by Amy Vastine
Adult Contemporary Romance
Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 368 pages
July 1st 2016 by Harlequin Heartwarming

The past will always be between them

He swore he’d never return home. Then a flat tire lands Dean Presley back in Grass Lake, Tennessee, and he’s forced to confront the woman he left behind. Faith Stratton was once the love of his life. Now her gifted brother could be the rising Nashville star Dean needs for his struggling music label. But it means taking Sawyer away from the horse therapy farm that Faith’s so proud of. That won’t be easy, especially since those old feelings that started all the trouble… Well, let’s just say he can’t go back there, because he doesn’t want to relive the memories of the terrible accident that drove them apart.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin

Amy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. An eternal optimist, she studied social work, hoping to teach others how to find their silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read. Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband, three fun-loving children, and their sweet but mischievous puppy dog.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Pinterest

Tour Schedule

December 12th: Launch
December 13th:
Harlie’s Books
Books, Dreams, Life
I Am A Reader
Nicole’s Book Musings
December 14th:
fuonlyknew
Zerina Blossom’s Books
Becky on Books
Book Lover in Florida
December 15th:
Reading Is My SuperPower
Christy’s Cozy Corners
Falling Leaves
The Silver Dagger Scriptorium
December 16th:
Thoughts of a Blonde
Rockin’ Book Reviews
Katie’s Clean Book Collection
Getting Your Read On
December 18th:
underneath the covers
Heidi Reads…
i blog 4 books
December 19th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

– 1 winner will win a grand prize of The Girl He Used to Love, A Heartwarming Holiday anthology, winner’s choice of CD or MP3 of Tim McGraw’s album Damn Country Music, and a guitar Christmas ornament (US only)
– 5 winners will win an ebook of A Heartwarming Holiday anthology and a 20% off coupon for a Heartwarming novel of their choice from Harlequin.com (open internationally)
– 5 winners will win The Girl He Used to Love (paperbacks US, ebook international)
– Ends December 23rd

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Blood Ice & Oak Moon ~ A Coon Hollow Coven Giveaway

Posted: December 13, 2016 in giveaways, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance
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Tea Leaf Tales: Which Yule Tree Will Pick Me?
Fantasy Flash Fiction by Marsha A. Moore
.
 .
I suck in a gulp of thick, pine-scented air,
faced with the difficult question—which one. I tick through the usual
criteria—fullness, tightly attached needles, correct height. Beyond that the
trouble begins for me when I consider needle length, color, tightness of
branches. 
Needles crunch under the soles of my shoes as I
slowly pass down the row, hoping one tree chooses me. Those I don’t give a full
inspection slyly begin to stretch their postures more erect before I turn
completely away. If I pause to admire one, branches brush past the backs of my
legs until I turn around and give that tree a careful look.
Ahead in the center of the display, I hear
voices in foreign languages—hurried bits of anxious dialog that quiet as I grow
near. 
One small blue spruce tries his best to stretch
taller but cannot reach up to his neighbors, so I lean in and whisper, “If you
talk to me, I’ll take you home.” 
I wait, determined, and the nearby treetops bend
over the tiny spruce until finally a gentle tinkling begins deep inside at its
trunk, radiating to the tips of the boughs at my side. I caress the singing
branch, then wave an arm to the shop owner.

Tea Leaf Tales is a series of original ten-sentence short stories by
Marsha A. Moore, relating to photos/scenes that resonate with her. Read more
Tea Leaf Tales archived in Marsha’s
Mercantile of Tea Leaf Tales.



Blood Ice and Oak Moon
Coon Hollow Coven Tales 
Book Three
Marsha A Moore
.
.
Print Length: 211 pages
Publication Date: October 3, 2016
ASIN: B01LWS4V2G
Genre: PNR
.
Synopsis
.
Esme Underhill is about to discover a darkness hidden inside her that could destroy her chance for independence and possibly kill her.
Esme’s mother took her young daughter away from Southern Indiana’s Coon Hollow Coven to prevent her from learning about the unusual witchcraft she had inherited. When Esme is twenty-seven, her beloved Grammy Flora passes away and leaves her property in the Hollow to her granddaughter. With this opportunity to remake her life and gain independence, Esme attempts to emulate Grammy Flora as a wildwood mystic who relies on the hedge world of faeries to locate healing herbs. But fae are shrewd traders. When they open their world to her, she must meet the unknown malevolence of her birthright.
Thayne, the handsome king of the fae Winter Court, faces his own struggle to establish autonomy as a new regent. He is swept into the tempest of Esme’s unfolding powers, a dangerous threat to his court. His sworn duty is to protect his people, despite Esme’s beauty and allure, which tear at his resolve.
Both Esme’s and Thayne’s dreams of personal freedom are lost…unless they can trust each other and overcome surmounting dangers.
.
Amazon
Excerpt from Chapter One: Winter Began
Dear Miss Rebecca Esmeralda Underhill,
Please accept our deepest sympathies
concerning the loss of your grandmother, Flora Esmeralda Freestone. She was
much loved and well-respected in our community.
As per her documented wishes, the
ownership of her property on 10510 East Lost Branch Run passes to you. This
transfer has been filed in our office. At the request of High Priest Logan
Dennehy, all council members have voted to reinstate you as a member of Coon
Hollow Coven after your absence of twenty years.
However, despite Coon Hollow
Coven being your birthplace, a majority indicated the lapsed time was
sufficient cause to withhold transfer of Ms. Freestone’s ceremonial standing to
you, which customarily would accompany a property transference to blood kin of
adult age. For explanation of how you may attain ceremonial approval in your
name, please visit the council office at 50013 Owls Tail Creek Road.
Enclosed, please find pamphlets
describing the expected dress and personal property code of our coven, which
adheres to the time period in which the coven was founded in 1935. This is to
best protect our witchcraft traditions.
Sincerely,
Nathan Wells
Coon Hollow Coven Council,
secretary
Esme’s gaze
fixed on the words that acknowledged her as the property owner. She’d never
lived alone. First her mom, then a roommate and finally Doug. Esme’s shoulders
straightened and chest lifted with strength and independence at the thought of
owning her own place. But, why wasn’t she approved for ceremonial status? Her
hands gripped the edge of the table, knuckles whitening, and her heart raced.
It’s not fair. I won’t be accepted as a healer. Only children not yet graduated
from the coven’s secondary school were kept from participating fully in
ceremonies. Esme loved learning the ways of a hedge witch and helped Gram every
summer from grade school through college. Fascinated with tending Gram’s
plants, Esme even studied botany in college.
The research
company she worked for had already accepted her request to work offsite and
study mystic plants…at the stipulation she be reduced to part-time. She needed
work here as a healer to supplement her income. She’d assumed incorrectly that
her experience with Gram and college studies would’ve qualified her as an
accepted healer. Her standing in the coven would be important to patrons, all
except Gram’s closest friends who knew Esme well. An attempt at independence
seemed bound to fail before she started.
Her gaze drifted
to the name used in the letter’s greeting. She hadn’t seen her full name in
print for decades. It didn’t even appear on her birth certificate, which
labeled her as Rebecca E. Underhill, one of the many things her mother insisted
upon. Mother wanted nothing to do with the coven or witchcraft and said,
“Esmeralda sounds too much like a witch. No need to encourage the darkness
out.” Grudgingly, she accepted her own mother’s middle name for her child to
uphold custom. Esme never understood Mother’s view since Gram was
well-respected for her kind and gentle strength by all who knew her.
To Esme’s
Indianapolis friends, she was Becky. Only her mother addressed her as Rebecca.
But inside, she was Esme. Gram had always called her that, or Esmeray in
carefree moments. Her middle name suited the mystic inside Esme, something Gram
must have known. If only Esme could use Gram’s last name Freestone. Underhill
felt like a lead weight.
Esme set the
letter aside and paced the length of the rag runner through the small kitchen.
Frustration wound her along a circular track through the sitting room, to her
closet-sized guest room, and back. The space was too small to work answers out
of her tangled mind. On the second pass, she sank onto the goose down comforter
of Gram’s iron bed. Billowing fluff sheltered her from the problems. Gram’s
linens, scented with homegrown lavender and rose sleep liniment, comforted Esme
and tugged on her eyelids.
She forced her
eyes open and pushed herself up and off the bed. Hiding wasn’t the way to begin
this fresh start in life. She’d done enough kowtowing to stronger wills,
letting Doug and her mother run over her. At the back door, she paused long
enough to grab a rain parka and pulled it on as she strode outside.
Gram’s cat,
Dove, zipped alongside with a sharp meow, slipping out before the door closed.
Esme smiled, grateful the tomcat kept Gram company during her illness. She’ doted
on the smoky blue stray that happened into her garden one early fall afternoon
and never left. Gram swore he was an omen and chose his name ‘cause of his
white-winged breast patch. She used to say, “One day soon my spirit will fly on
those outspread wings, and together Dove and me we’ll roam the wooded hills.”
Gram loved those hills. Thinking about the hills drew Esme to gather Dove and
head outside.
Ice still
peppered down, adding more layers to the spiky crystalline grass blades. A
breeze blew at Esme’s back. She allowed the wind to guide her toward the woods
behind the cabin. At the trailhead, ice coating the bittersweet vine berries
glistened the same shade of blue she’d rubbed from Dove’s coat. Alert to the
strange color, she followed a line of branches dangling sky blue icicles, each
one more fanciful and richer in hue than the last. A beautiful play of light,
ranging from cerulean to ultramarine. Even worth the chill at her ankles, which
were bare in her cropped jeans.
Whenever Esme
paused to marvel at the colored icicles, Dove pawed them and then dodged when
they dropped.
Minutes later
and deeper in the forest, the ice pelted heavier, and Esme reached for the hood
of her raincoat. Strands of hair fell forward, woven with frozen ultramarine
threads. The same purplish tint coated twigs along the path. Light from the sky
reached this far into the woods since all but the oak trees had lost their
leaves. The unusual color couldn’t be caused by light refraction. She’d never
seen any rain, sleet, or snow like this, not even in the Hollow. Grammy had
taught her a little about omens. Was this a sign?
Esme scurried
along the trail, sliding at times and spotting richer and deeper shades of
purple and red-violets. At the far side of the woodlot, iris-hued spider webs
clung to berry brambles. She gasped at the beauty. Tempted to touch, she
extended a hand but at the last instant resisted.
A deep groan
echoed from the adjoining property ahead.
She snatched her
hand back and scanned for some god of nature angry at her ruinous attempt.
Grappling for Dove, Esme crouched behind a thicket.
The cat gave a
single hiss, then clung to her leg.
In the distance,
a big middle-aged man, both tall and wide, staggered behind a shed, dragging a
long, clumsy load wrapped and tied into a blanket. His balding head snapped in
her direction, eyes wide and face blanched gray-white. “Who’s there?” His
booming voice sliced the delicate webs from their branches. Crimson freezing
rain assaulted both trail and yard.
Esme froze,
afraid to move and attract his attention. Her heart, drumming against her ribs,
threatened to give her away. She wanted to run home. But if the colored ice
omen was meant for her, she needed to stay and learn its meaning. Could the man
see the omen?
Thankfully, her
cover must’ve fooled Baldy. He resumed lugging the limp bundle, and didn’t seem
affected by the magical ice.
From between the
tangle of branches, Esme studied him.
His wet, black
shirt clung to his round belly. Blood-red ice coated his load, tracing the
outline of a human body. Smaller than his, probably a female. Was she dead? Of
natural causes? Or had he murdered her? The thought wrapped around Esme’s
breath and trapped it deep in her lungs. Her legs twitched. Gaze riveted on
Baldy, she positioned to bolt from potential danger.
He rolled the
body into a depression Esme couldn’t see.
She leaned to
one side, bracing herself with a hand on the ground.
Over what looked
like a freshly dug grave, Baldy grunted as he shoveled and kicked dirt and
large rocks. Clumps of red clung to long strands of his comb-over, now hanging
along one ear. Was it ice or real blood?
Dove huddled
closer, and Gram’s voice from years ago spoke in Esme’s mind. “Blood ice is
stained with revenge.”
Crimson liquid
dripped from the man’s eyes and fell from grimacing jowls. The face of a demon
 © Copyright 2016 Marsha A. Moore. All rights reserved.
 
About the Author:
Marsha A. Moore loves to write fantasy and paranormal romance. Much of her life feeds the creative flow she uses to weave highly imaginative tales. 
The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing, as well as other pursuits of watercolor painting and drawing. She’s been a yoga enthusiast for over a decade and is a registered yoga teacher. Her practice helps weave the mystical into her writing. After a move from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, she’s happily transformed into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors where she’s always on the lookout for portals to other worlds. Marsha is crazy about cycling. She lives with her husband on a large saltwater lagoon, where taking her kayak out is a real treat. She never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at stories with toes wiggling in the sand. Every day at the beach is magical! 
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A Crazy Reunion ~ A Crazy,Texas Novel ~ Blast and Giveaway

Posted: December 12, 2016 in Contemporary Romance, giveaways
Tags: , , ,
23

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A Crazy Reunion

Crazy, Texas Series #2

by Cate Baylor

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000026_00019]

Genre: Contemporary Romance

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Synopsis

Raney Hoffman eloped with her high school sweetheart believing they’d found their happy ever after, but her world crashed down around her when he left after less than two years of marriage. Nearly twenty years later he’s back in town. Her broken heart tells her she should still hate the jerk. But her traitorous body surges into sexual overdrive at the sight of him.

Rob Coleman was devoted to Raney the moment they met in high school. After they married, his twin brother died unexpectedly and Rob’s grief thrust him into an identity crisis he couldn’t recover from. The decisions he made in that haze of grief have haunted him for nearly twenty years. Now he’s back and completely befuddled by the strength of his response to seeing Raney again.

They rebuilt their lives without the other but their unexpected reunion makes it clear their history is far from resolved.

Amazon

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Excerpt

Rob sagged to his knees, overcome with repressed grief and memories. Interred here, stolen away from him much too early, was his twin brother. His other, better half. This was the first time he’d been here since that cold, rainy November day they buried J.W.

He was numb, unable to recall a single specific memory or identify a particular emotion. He just felt empty. Bereft. Alone.

He didn’t know how long he sat there gazing at J.W.’s headstone, but a bone-deep ache began to overtake the numbness. He reached out, tracing the letters of his brother’s name, following the lines that led inexorably to the dates of his birth and death. As his hand wandered lower against the marble, he noticed a vase embedded in front of the marker. Fresh flowers spilled out of the unremarkable green container.

He leaned back on his heels, stunned out of the haze of his grief. The vibrant, cheerful white daisies and red carnations seemed out of place when he felt so overwhelmingly sad. Grudgingly, he considered their simplicity perfectly suited J.W.’s personality. Assuming his grandfather was responsible for them, he wondered how Pops had managed to make the trip out here given his recent fall. He’d have to remember to thank him. He supposed he should take over that particular duty, too, now that he was back.

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Author Cate Baylor

acrazyreunion-author

One liner:

Cate Baylor is a romance writer, technical communicator, blogger, craft addict, tea drinker, and geek.

Full bio:

Cate Baylor has been a technical communicator for over fifteen years. When she’s not writing, she suffers from hobby addiction, which includes (but is not limited to!) reading, card making, crochet, knitting, scrapbooking, cross stitching, and home DIY. She lives in Houston with her geeky husband, neurotic cats, and precocious Yellow Lab named Tex. She comes from a long line of German-Texan farmers who are likely rolling over in their graves knowing she’d much rather stay blissfully air-conditioned than suffer the Texas heat.

Connect with Cate

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Library Thing

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Cate will be awarding a (For US residents only) silver necklace that says “this isn’t my first rodeo” via rafflecopter during the tour. For a non-US winner, Cate will offer a $15 Amazon or B&N gift card.

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

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!

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 lucky Flamingos below!

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