Fangtastic Books

Giveaway Into the Darkness by V.C. Andrews

2012-02-01T07:10:00.001-05:00

Into the Darkness by V.C. Andrews

Bestselling author V.C. Andrews portrays her most romantic couple since Troy and Heaven in the Casteel series…in this twisting tale of desire and obsession, reality and dreams.

As lovely as one of the precious gems at her parents’ jewelry store, Amber Taylor is shy and introspective—qualities misread by others as being stuck-up and superior. Facing a long, lonely summer working at the family shop, Amber’s world lights up when the Matthews family suddenly moves into the house next door, a property that has stood neglected for the longest time. And when she meets Brayden Matthews, an only child just like her, Amber soon becomes infatuated with this handsome, quirky young man who seems to know her innermost feelings almost before she does, who takes her places she never knew existed in her small town. Their connection is electrifying, unlike anything Amber’s felt before. But as quickly as he appears, Brayden vanishes into the darkness. And finding out the truth about him will push Amber Taylor to the edge of madness….

An atmospheric journey of passion and suspense that builds to a jolting, unforgettable finale, Into the Darkness showcases V.C. Andrews at her best.

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Interview with TK Rayford Author of Abstrus

2012-02-01T04:50:00.001-05:00

What is it about the paranormal, in particular aliens, that fascinates you so much?

Space and the idea of people living somewhere out there can easily consume anyone who gives it deep thought. We only know of a tiny fraction of what's out there. In my opinion, it would be silly to think that it's impossible for anything or anyone else to be living somewhere other than Earth. I guess it's just the unknown in general that fascinates me and the possibilities within.

What inspired you to write this book?

Abstrus wasn't really something I came up with on my own. It kinda found me in the form of a dream, and for the longest time it only lived as blue sharpie written on the back of sheet of paper that I had beside my bed. The funny thing is, at the time, I was in the middle of writing a completely different book. But when I dreamt of Abstrusand Lexi, the protagonist, I couldn't rest until I told her story.

Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?

Lexi was the most difficult for me to write, which is strange because the story is about her. But, in the beginning, she was so reserved and timid that I had a challenging time getting to know her so that my readers could come to know her too.

Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?

I almost feel bad for admitting this, like a parent choosing a favorite child, but I adore Gem. She is tough, mysterious, and somewhat unpredictable and I really have fun when she's a part of a scene.

What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?

There are alien colonies on Earth that are hidden away from alien hunters. There is a pretty intense scene between the two Abstrian girls, Lexi and Gem and the Sionian girl, Liza. I can't say too much more without giving it away, but I will say that it was one of my favorite scenes to write.

Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?

In the Planet Abstrus Series, Earth is just as it is in real life, or at least it seems that way. The naïve humans go about life as usual in the series as we do with no knowledge of the existence of other life forms and the governing systems in place for those other worlds that endanger them all.

Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?

Not often, but there are those rare occasions when the words just won't come. I deal with it like a normal person; I flip over tables, break things, and there's a lot of yelling. But seriously, if I take a break from writing and do something else for a while, I usually can come back to it with a renewed outlook on things and write with no problems.

When did you consider yourself a writer?

I didn't regularly refer to myself as a writer until after Abstrus had been published for a while and Sion was close to being finished. Some days I still forget that I'm allowed to call myself that.

Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?

I'm a pretty crafty girl, or at least I'd like to think I am. I love to do pretty much any craft I come in contact with. A ton of my free time is spent in Hobby Lobby.

What was the last amazing book you read?

Half-Blood Jennifer L. Armentrout was wonderful. I'm impatiently awaiting Pure, the next book. The Hunger Games series has also become an obsession of mine.

Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?

My favorite place to read is… well, everywhere. I rarely am able to read at home, because I'm usually writing there, so whenever I'm out and I'm sitting still for more than 5 minutes, I'm probably reading.

What can readers expect next from you?

I'm planning four books total in the Planet Abstrus series. I'm currently working on book #3 which is called Galaos. I hope to have the entire series completed this year.

Where can readers find you on the web?

They can find me at:

tkrayford.com, facebook.com/tkrayford, twitter.com/tkrayford, goodreads.com/author/show/5222212.TK_Rayford

Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?

Absolutely! Here is an excerpt from Abstrus:

I could barely make out their shapes in the dark and without the weak glint of a light hanging on the side of one of the buildings; I probably would have walked right by them without ever noticing that they had stopped. I could make out two of them kneeling in front of something, their heads hung low in concentration, while the other, which I could tell was Ferdinand because of his big frame, stood behind them as if he was protecting them. But what would he be protecting them from—me? I felt a shiver slither its way from the nape of my neck and rest in the bottom of my spine. I was convinced that the hairs on the back of my neck would have been standing on end were they not slicked to my skin by the rain. Nervously, I shifted my weight from one foot to the other while I tried to gather my wits. I stood and watched Farah and Liza kneeling and Ferdinand standing over them like a mother hawk protecting her young for what seemed like forever. There was no real reason for me to be frightened except for maybe the lack of light in the alley way between the buildings, but I couldn’t shake the quiet terror that was building in my throat and threatened to explode in a scream. It would have been an irrational scream. Wouldn’t it?

I fought back the panic and the urge to turn and get out of the alley as fast as I could. I squeezed the fabric of my jacket between my fists and worked up the courage to find my voice. It wasn’t enough courage to take a step forward though.

“Guys,” I almost whispered.

Liza lifted her head, which was the only indication they gave that they had even heard me speak. It seemed as if they had completely forgotten that I was following them from the theater. They were frozen in place like statues and I felt the unease creeping back. I began to pick my foot up to step back—but then Ferdinand was there. I had not seen him move but there he was, standing directly in front of me. And in the same way, his hand materialized on my shoulder, preventing me from moving backward at all.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Farah and Liza to even look at Ferdinand. He probably would think that I hadn’t noticed his ability to materialize at my side without taking a step. Liza glanced over at Farah, who gave a short nod of her head that I would have missed had I not been completely engrossed by the pair. She rose to her feet, as if Farah had just given her permission to do so, and much in the same way that Ferdinand did, appeared at my side. She didn’t do it as effortlessly as he had and that was only apparent in the fact that a tendril of her strawberry blonde hair fluttered in the breeze that her movement had created. Unlike Ferdinand she didn’t touch me, didn’t attempt to make eye contact or even assist him in restraining me… not that he wasn’t doing a good job of it himself. His grasp on my shoulder wasn’t hard or tight. He didn’t seem to be holding me in place with any sort of super-human strength at all. It was more as if his hand was a huge magnet and not just to my shoulder. But the very fiber of my being had all of a sudden become the magnet with the opposite pole. He held me in place not by forcing me to stand there but by making my will bend to his. I stood there because I all of a sudden wanted to. Taking that step backward had become the furthest thing from my mind.

But there was something else there too. It seemed that somewhere in me there was a strange curiosity quickly arising and that hadn’t come from Ferdinand. That was mine alone. I wanted to know what was happening around me more than I wanted to be able to break free of Ferdinand’s hold and flee the way I had come. Even more so, I wanted to know what would happen next, and I couldn’t even logically explain why.

Liza stood in front of me, eyes closed. Strange sounds began to emanate from her. It sounded like humming from a bird, but as if the bird was speaking in a foreign language. Her mouth never moved at all. It became clear that I was hearing a conversation in a strange language when the same humming, but a deeper baritone version, began to bubble up from Ferdinand. It lasted only a few seconds before silence once again fell in the little alley way. We stood in this way, Ferdinand with his hand on my shoulder and Liza eyes closed in front of me, for what seemed to be hours rather than minutes. Ferdinand’s hold on me didn’t lessen with the passing time. I was stuck in that spot as if my feet had been cemented to the wet pavement. The rain had all but stopped by now but I was beginning to experience a feeling that chilled me and not just because my jacket and jeans had finally soaked completely through. Ferdinand’s control over my want to flee and my budding curiosity had no effect on the fear that was simmering in my throat and chest and threatening to strangle me. I could feel my body struggle between my instinct to flee and the complete mesmerizing effect that he and the situation had over me.

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Abstrus
By TK Rayford

When 17 year old Lexi Lee's mother disappeared six months ago, her world was turned upside down. Just when she is coming to terms with her new, motherless life, she meets Farah, Ferdinand, and Liza, a strange group of teenagers. She quickly finds out that they are not at all what they seem.

Lexi finds that although she is human, that is only one part of what she is and people are after her for it. She has to figure out who she can trust... and fast. She learns that her mother has known the truth all along, but disappeared before she could explain things to her. She believes that she has no hope of survival if she doesn't find her mother, and trusting the wrong person to help her could prove fatal.

Book trailer: hhttp://youtu.be/l9gz0lNKV1A

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About the Author:

TK Rayford was born in Chicago, IL with her four siblings. She later moved to Memphis, TN. She fell in love with writing in the second grade and has been writing ever since. Her teachers would always say that she would become a great writer, but she would insist that she would be a neurosurgeon. She proved herself wrong and her teachers right when she decided to pursue her passion, which has always been writing.

Blog: http://www.tkrayford.blogspot.com

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

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tkrayford

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5222212.TK_Rayford

Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/TK-Rayford/e/B005M5QZNY/

Winner Wednesday

2012-02-01T00:02:00.000-05:00

PR Mason's winner is

Kristen Heyl

Mayra Calvinia's winner is

Tore

The Curse of Gremdom winner is

Tanya1224

The Apocalypse Gene winner is

Debby

Pride's Run Guest Blog and Giveaway

2012-01-31T01:00:00.001-05:00

Hanging out with the guys.

Cat Kalen

When I was younger my father once told me that guys and girls couldn’t be friends, because eventually deeper feelings would develop—either the guy would fall for the girl or vice versa. I didn’t believe him, of course. After all, I was a teen and knew my parents had no idea what they were talking about. But in my later teen years, I did notice that when guys and girls started hanging out for any length of time relationships eventually did evolve.

Thinking back to my high school years, I had a lot of great girlfriends that I hung out with on a regular basis, but I really, really loved hanging out with the guys, too. They were so much fun to be with and they didn’t talk about each other behind their backs the way girls sometimes do. No one worried about hair or makeup or clothes and we all just had good old fashioned fun, whether we were tossing a ball around on the basketball court, hanging out at the lake, or playing video games at the mall. (My favourite was the pin ball machine. I’d toss a quarter in and play for hours!)

I loved those guys, and all was great until one decided the he liked me and wanted to be more than just friends. But the real problems began when his best friend decided he liked me, too. The dynamics of our relationship quickly changed, and I soon found myself in a sticky situation because I simply wanted to remain friends with both. And the last thing I wanted to do was come between two friends. I eventually pulled away, but I have to say I sure do miss those guys.

In Pride’s Run, seventeen year old Pride finds herself in a similar situation, except the two alpha males who want her and are fighting to claim her as their mate hate each other. Pride cares deeply for these two boys, and knows she can only have one mate, which begs the question, can she have a relationships with one without alienating the other. Can these two feuding wolves ever become friends, or at least come to an understanding?

I just finished writing Pride Unleashed, (Late February 2012 release) the second story in this series and by the end of the book Pride must make a decision. Who will she pick? What will happen when she chooses?

In the third book that I’m working on now, Pride’s Pursuit, (coming winter 2012) these three wolves are in for some rough times, because they must learn to work together to save a world. What I want to know is will Pride’s choice in her mate put an end to the war on wolves or will it endanger the very existence of her kind?

So tell me have you ever found yourself coming between two friends? If so how did you handle it?

Pride’s Run
By Cat Kalen
Genre: Paranormal YA

Blurb:

Seventeen year old Pride is a tracker—a werewolf with a hunger for blood. Taught to trick and to lure, she is the perfect killing machine.

Kept leashed in the cellar by a master who is as ruthless as he is powerful, Pride dreams of freedom, of living a normal life, but escape from the compound is near impossible and disobedience comes with a price.

When she learns her master intends to breed her she knows she has to run.

But Pride soon learns that if she is to survive in the wild, she must trust in the boy who promises her freedom, the same boy she was sent to hunt.

With life and death hanging in the balance the two find themselves on the run from the Paranormal Task Force—officers who shoot first and ask questions later—as well as her master’s handlers.

Can Pride flee the man who has held her captive since birth and find sanctuary in the arms of a boy who has captured her heart? Or will her master find her first?

Buy Links

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Prides-Run-ebook/dp/B0062O0B3E/

Author Bio:
Cat Kalen is a multi published author in the romance genre under two pen names, Cat is a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend. She loves dogs, sunny weather, anything chocolate (she never says no to a brownie) pizza and watermelon. She has two teenagers who keep her busy with their never ending activities, and a husband who is convinced he can turn her into a mixed martial arts fan. Cat can never find balance in her life, is always trying to find time to go to the gym, can never keep up with emails, Facebook or Twitter and tries to write page-turning books that her readers will love.
A maritime native and former financial officer, Cat has lived all over Canada but has finally settled down in her childhood hometown with her family.

Links
www.catkalen.com

www.yabeyond.com

Twitter: @catkalen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100002600082432

Cat is offering a giveaway of an ebook copy of Pride’s Run

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Leave a comment on this post

We are also doing a tour wide giveaway of 2 print copies of Pride’s Run- 2 winners will be chosen

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Guest Blog with J.E. Hopkins

2012-01-30T03:05:00.001-05:00

Thanks so much for having me guest blog on your site.

One of the themes I love to explore in my novels is the struggle characters face overcoming past mistakes and moving forward. In my latest book in the Misfits of the Lore Series, We Shall Rise, the hero, Kaden’s entire life has been defined by the ills of the past that continue to haunt him in the present. Because of his inability to move on and move forward he continues the pattern of making mistake after mistake hurting those he loves most. As an immortal vampire, he has nearly 174 years of wreaking havoc on himself and too many others.
Kaden’s biggest problem is that he allows the past to paralyze him the present. He hasn’t dealt with the demons that continue to haunt him. He can’t outrun those forces, but he evades them day after day.

Unfortunately, as in the real world, there’s no escape. At some point, you have to face your fears. You can’t run forever.

That’s what I love about the heroine Reysa, Kaden’s mate. She sees beyond his brash exterior and forgives him even when he cannot forgive himself. At the same time, she refuses to be his doormat. She will not allow him to take out his anger on her as he has so often done to others. Reysa forces him to deal with the harsh realities that he wants to escape. She uses her strength to lift him when he’s at his weakest. There are certainly many times throughout We Shall Rise where Reysa is justifiably tempted to strangle Kaden, but she is patient with him and loves him despite him. That’s what makes their bond so special.

In the end, Kaden will continue to battle this issue as will many other characters in my series. I think it’s a theme that is not unique to this story. It’s an issue that many of us struggle with on a daily basis. For me, I always try to keep in mind that the past is who you were, the present is who you are and future is who you want to be. None of those people have to be the same. We can always redefine ourselves.

Thanks again for allowing me to guest blog. I hope you enjoy We Shall Rise.

We Shall Rise
By J.E. Hopkins

Book Blurb:

War surrounds him, yet for vampire Kaden Gaspard, there is no greater battle than the one his mind has waged against his heart. He knows he should stay away from her. Reysa. The half-breed vampire warrior who had risked her life to prove his innocence for the seven murders for which he was accused, but had not committed. This stubbornly loyal woman who dedicated her life to her family of misfits - immortals shunned and abandoned by their clans for their impurity of blood and genetic mutations. This courageous and valiant African warrior who Kaden fears could never love the monster that he is destined to be.

As Kaden and Reysa struggle to accept the undeniable bond between them, they must come together to stop the emerging terror that threatens to destroy all immortals. The lesser immortals – witches, sages, shifters, demons, hybrids, charmers and foreseers – have declared war against the pureblood vampires and lycans who have used their purity of blood and greater strength to enslave the weaker races. No immortal is safe. This is a fight for freedom and a fight against genocide. There can be no true victor as death looms for them all.

Amazon Kindle Amazon Paperback Smashwords BN

Author Bio:

J.E. Hopkins is a practicing attorney in New York and an avid fiction writer. Hopkins holds a Juris Doctor from St. John's University and a Bachelor of Arts from New York
University.

J.E. Hopkins published her first novel, The Broken, in 2007. She subsequently published her first paranormal romance of the Misfits of the Lore Series, Lover's Betrayal, in 2011.

For more information about this author and upcoming works, please visit www.jehopkinsauthor.com

Interview with PR Mason

2012-01-29T04:33:00.000-05:00

Let's get to know Pat better...

Did you always want to be a writer?

Yes. One of my earliest memories is of regaling a group of my childhood friends with a story I’d created. I believe it featured an excessive number of dragons. My love of story telling continued through my teens. However, my teenage writings were much too angsty and featured characters who whined a lot. I finished my first novel about five years ago, A GIRL, A GUY and a GHOST. That book does not feature any dragons, but does have a somewhat whiny, discrimination-obsessed, vampire.

How has living in Savannah influenced your writing?

For one thing, Savannah is beautiful and has an enormous amount of character. As the 13th colony, it was established in 1733 and therefore has a historic downtown that is architecturally rich and a delight to the conscious senses. But Savannah has strangely wonderful layers underneath the surface that appeal to my love of the unusual. This town is home to a plethora of quirky characters, odd places and weird historic happenings that provide fodder for fictionalization. Even after eleven years here, every day in Savannah feeds my artistic core.

Savannah, for instance, was voted the most haunted city in America by a parapsychology group. Ghosts, as evidenced by orbs, EVPs (electronic voice phenomenon), moving objects and full apparitions, are as plentiful as the Spanish moss here. My sister and I once owned an antique shop built over one of the old burial grounds. We regularly allowed paranormal investigations with fascinating results such as an EVP of a panting ghost dog and a child's voice saying, "he likes you".

But there is more to Savannah than just the hauntings. For example, we have a "magic" square in the historic downtown that reportedly grants wishes to those who visit it and use the correct wish-making technique. Vortexes are also plentiful here, allegedly. One of my friends swears he observed a figure pop up out of the ground in the middle of a square. And since my friend isn't mentally ill, I have to give his personal experience some credence. Another historic oddity is the reported hidden Masonic treasure, which continues to interest hunters. This is just to name a few of the oddities I love around here.

What gave you the idea for Entanglements?

Like many people no doubt, my life has been touched by a moment in time I would give anything to change. For me an ordinary day could have continued in its infinite ordinariness if not for the convergence of some relatively innocuous happenings that conspired to create a tragedy. As a result I've been fascinated by the idea of multiple universes and alternate history. What might have been if but one thread in the tapestry of time had been different? A yellow thread rather than a blue one. A coffee break not taken. A stop sign repaired rather than fallen. So many little things that could have changed what happened.

So when I read about the quantum physics theory of entanglements, I was fascinated. Scientists had discovered that a particle could be tweaked miles away from another and still cause the second particle to react even though there was no discernable connection between them. The scientists theorized that the two were "entangled" in an alternate dimension or universe of which they believed there are at least seven. Interestingly also, in the world of quantum physics, effect does not always follow cause. Sometimes they are reversed. I began to wonder what would happen if people or beings were entangled in alternate universes? What if a tragic fate could be avoided after it had already happened. And from those ideas, ENTANGLEMENTS was born.

How long did it take to write Entanglements?

The first 30 pages were written and re-written about five times. From idea to completion was probably about twelve months. But once I had drafted a first chapter that I knew set the story properly in motion, it took about four months to write.

What was the strangest thing you learned about your hero/heroine from writing their story?

The heroine of Entanglements, Kizzy, started out with brown hair but she didn’t fully form into a real person for me until I decided she had extremely curly red hair, which she straightened when trying to conform to societal expectations. Her personality soon followed and became as fiery as her hair.

What’s next? A sequel or a stand-alone novel?

I have just released a novella entitled FATED HEARTS, which explores the question of predestination. Here's the blurb:

EVE has always played by the rules, afraid to take chances. HOLDEN wants to change that. She's certain they've never met before...or have they? Holden seems so familiar, but who is he? What is he? Yesterday her biggest challenge was trying not to bomb on her SATs. Today, paranormal forces have transformed an ordinary high school dance into a test of fate vs. free will and loving Holden could be Eve's end.

A sequel to Entanglements is also in the works. RESISTANCE takes up the story of a fighter in the human resistance who, along with her alchemist/vampire hero, must defeat an army of soul sucking golems. I expect to release the sequel in March of 2012.

What is your writing day like?

My daily writing routine usually begins in a local coffee shop. If I can get out of the house and away from the temptation to sit and read (or do household chores...although that's more like a nagging impulse rather than a temptation), I find it much easier to concentrate on the story I'm writing. Plus, I have to contend with a couple of demanding feline taskmasters at home. One in particular loves to sit on the computer keyboard and demand treats. So getting out of the house to write is critical.

What are your favorite books on the craft of writing?

The book "The Fire in Fiction" by Donald Maass is amazing. And I love Michael Hague's books. But I think the most helpful book I've ever read on fiction writing is "Save the Cat" by Blake Snyder. Although it's about screenwriting, the principles are just as applicable to novel writing.

Thank you, Demi for having me as a guest on your wonderful blog. I appreciate the opportunity to connect with your readers and let them know a bit about me and about my work.

Entanglements
By P.R. Mason

Blurb:

Teen KIZZY TAYLOR is just hoping for an evening of fun when she joins her friends in a spelunking expedition through an under-city tunnel. But fun turns bizarre when Kizzy accidentally opens a vortex and her stepsister is swept through to an evil alternate dimension. The only way to rescue her stepsister is to reopen the vortex and go in after her. But is her new boyfriend, ROM CALIXO, going to help Kizzy or try to stop her? And if she can get past Rom, will she be able to get back home?

Amazon Paperback

Amazon Kindle

Smashwords

About the Author:

P.R. Mason writes steamy contemporary and paranormal romance under the name Patricia Mason and young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy as P.R. Mason. She escaped from the snowy Midwest winters of her youth by moving in 2001 to the strange and wonderful city of Savannah, Georgia to pursue her dream of being a novelist. Pat's background is eclectic. She was an Assistant District Attorney and for a number of years was the owner of an antique shop which was home to a number of ghosts. Her home is ruled by two black cats, one of whom was rescued from the most haunted cemetery in the southeast.

Please visit www.prmason.net

You can also follow the author @prmason on Twitter.

Love at Absolute Zero Valentine Giveaway

2012-01-28T15:49:00.000-05:00

The tour kicks off next week but you can enter to win a signed copy of Love at Absolute Zero that you could have in your hands by Valentine's Day

Fill out the form here or below to enter
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Love at Absolute Zero

By Christopher Meeks

Publisher: White Whisker Books
Date: September 17, 2011
Genre: Literary Fiction with a Romantic Twist from a male POV
Format: Paper & Kindle, 311 Pages

Love At Absolute Zero is the story of Gunnar Gunderson, a 32-year-old physicist at the University of Wisconsin. The moment he's given tenure at the university, he can only think of one thing: finding a wife. This causes his research to falter. With his two partners, Gunnar is in a race against MIT to create new forms of matter called Bose-Einstein condensates, which exist only near absolute zero. To meet his soul mate within three days--that's what he wants and all time he can carve out--he and his team are using the scientific method, to riotous results.

Available at: Amazon Kindle Amazon Paperback Smashwords BN Nook

About the Author:

Christopher Meeks writes short fiction and novels. His book of short stories, The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea earned great reviews including the Los Angeles Times ("poignant and wise") and a blurb inEntertainment Weekly that said, "A collection so stunning that I could not help but move onto the next story." His second collection of short stories, Months and Seasons was published in 2009, and his first novel,The Brightest Moon of the Century appeared in 2009. He has published short fiction in a number of literary journals, including Rosebud, The Clackamas Literary Review, The Southern California Anthology, The Santa Barbara Review, Midday Moon, and Writers' Forum. He now focuses mainly on writing novels..

He teaches English and children's literature at Santa Monica College, children's literature at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, and fiction writing at UCLA Extension.

Web site: http://www.chrismeeks.com
Blog: http://www.redroom.com/author/christopher-meeks
Publisher site: http://WhiteWhiskerBooks.com

Bandit Creek Books Spotlight on Siren's Song by DL Snow

2012-01-28T01:59:00.000-05:00

Today's spotlight on Bandit Creek Books is Siren's Song by D.L Snow

Siren’s Song

By D.L. Snow

A Bandit Creek Time Travel Romance

Get it at Amazon

Blurb

After giving up fame, Joss Jones just wants a normal life. Maybe she’ll find it in Bandit Creek. Or…maybe not. From the moment she moves into the old mansion she inherited, she’s stalked by a ghost who torments her before dragging her back in time to Bandit Creek, 1899.

Has she gone crazy or is this old mining town, full of saloons, gambling, whoring and fortune seekers her new reality?

It feels real enough as does the ghost who brought her here. His name is Morgan Hawes and he is very much alive. Is Morgan the key to Joss finding her way home or is Joss stuck for the rest of her life as the Siren of Bandit Creek?

About the Author:

DL Snow spent her youth living by trial and error. From touring with an international performing group, backpacking through northern Africa to living bohemian style in Berlin, she pursued adventure and passion from one place to the next, never really knowing where she’d end up.

She’s been a wildlife technician, a rock climbing instructor, a tailor’s assistant (measuring men’s inseams – someone’s gotta do it!) and a high school social studies teacher.

It wasn’t until she met the love of her life, the son of a Nakoda chief, and started a family, that DL found her true calling – writing. Now, she writes about passion and adventure and is happy to say her characters never know where they are going to end up. Find out more at www.dlsnow.ca

SIREN’S SONG by D.L. Snow

Chapter One

The first time I saw him was at my grandmother’s funeral. He was at the internment, standing just beyond the periphery of the mourners, looking out of place and familiar all at the same time. I didn’t realize what he was probably because my eyes were blurred with tears. I hadn’t seen my grandmother since I was seven years old – there was some feud between her and my mother that I’d never understood – yet I wept, not because we were close but because we weren’t close and she was the last living relation I had.

It was strange that I’d noticed him at all because there were so many people at the funeral, none of whom I knew. Some of them were probably long time friends of the family, but by the way people whispered and stared at me, I was willing to bet many of them were there simply to see me, Joss Jones.

The next time I saw him was later that night.

My grandmother had left me everything; her house, an old 1983 Firebird, and whatever money remained after her hospital bills were paid. Five years ago I would have scoffed at such a measly inheritance; a run down old house and car in Bandit Creek, Montana. But I wasn’t scoffing now. In the last five years I’d given away almost everything I had so now the house and car seemed like a small undeserved fortune.

After the funeral, the lawyer dropped me off in front of the house, The Old Hawes Place, he’d called it. I don’t know why he called it that, my grandmother’s last name was Jones, like mine.

It didn’t feel right to sleep in her room and, after accidentally opening the door to my mother’s old room, I quickly shut it, planning to never step foot inside again. So that night I slept in the guest room.

Sometime between one and two in the morning I woke up. I sat straight up in bed and rubbed my eyes, trying to remember where I was. That’s when I saw him standing in the corner of the room, watching me sleep.

I screamed.

He just kept standing there. I flew out of bed, ran down the stairs, grabbed the keys to the old Firebird – which started on the third try – and booked it out of there. I drove through the night, following I-90 towards Missoula where I nearly ran out of gas. He was at the gas station, waiting for me beside the pump.

I don’t know how long I sat there but – holy shit – did I jump when someone knocked on my window. It wasn’t the ghost, it was someone else, a man with tattooed forearms and spiky orange hair.

I rolled down the window.

“Are you going to sit there all night or are you planning on buying gas?”

I blinked at him.

“You okay, Lady?”

“Can I use your phone?” I asked. “I need to call someone and I don’t have my mobile.”

“Yeah, sure. C’mon inside.”

I stood at the counter of the station while he passed me a phone. Habit dictated the one person I could turn to at a moment like this. My old agent, Amber Kincaid.

“Hello?” She picked up on the third ring. I knew she would answer because she had too many neurotic clients who needed her at all hours of the day and night not to answer.

“Amber? It’s me, Joss.”

“Joss? What the hell? What time is it?” I heard her fumbling on the other end. “It’s four in the goddamned a.m. Joss? What the fuck?”

“I need your help-”

“Hey!” the attendant interrupted. “I know you. You’re that singer. That teen idol chick who was in that accident, aren’t you?”

I turned my back on the guy and covered the mouth piece as I listened to Amber rant, “You need my help? I don’t hear from you in years and suddenly you need me?”

I cringed. “Yeah, I know. I should have called before, but I got busy with school and-”

“School?”

“Yeah.” I squeezed my temples. “You know, college? That thing normal people do.”

“Joss-”

I sighed. “Look, I just needed some time to sort out my shit, you know?”

She was so quiet I thought maybe she’d hung up. Finally she said, “What do you want?” She sounded tired and cranky, nothing like the woman who, at one time, would have dropped everything to accommodate my needs.

I cleared my throat and tried my best to explain how I’d run out of gas after leaving my house without my purse or mobile phone. My story sounded crazy to my own ears, I could only imagine how I must have sounded to Amber.

With a heavy sigh, she asked to speak to the attendant and managed to convince him to put the gas charge on her credit card.

“She wants to talk to you,” he said as he passed me the phone before heading out to fill up my tank.

I pressed the phone against my ear while hunching over the counter. “Yeah?”

“What the hell is going on, Joss?”

Pinching the bridge of my nose did not stop the tears from squeezing past. It felt like I had a nest of spiders camped on top of my head, each one taking a turn sliding down my spine and then scrambling back up again. I was pretty sure that meant the apparition was standing right behind me but I was too afraid to turn around and look. “Amber,” I whispered. “I’m losing it, big time.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I’m seeing shit, is what I mean.” I slowly glanced behind me. He was standing right there, shaking his head as if to disagree with me.

I made some weird whimpering sound and Amber said, “Okay, just calm down. I’m going to give you a number for someone in Seattle. Can you get to Seattle?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Her name is Dr. Phyllis Smith. She’s a friend. She’s good and she’s discreet.”

“Is she a shrink?”

“No. She’s a medical doctor who specializes in addiction.”

“Addiction? Jesus, Amber, I don’t need rehab, I need…” Hell, what did I need? A shrink? A priest? An exorcist? What?

“Joss, take the number, okay? Then you call me when you have your shit together and we’ll work something out. I’m thinking we can set you up for a comeback – maybe a new album. Joss Jones, Older and Wiser.”

The bell over the door rang and the attendant returned.

“Okay, I gotta go,” I mumbled into the receiver.

“Wait, let me give you that number.”

I hung up before she finished and then peeked fearfully over my shoulder but the ghost was gone.

He appeared three days later while I was on the phone with a real estate agent. He didn’t speak but he did do that sad little head shake he’d done in the gas station, then he vanished. By the time I realized I was still on the phone, the line was dead.

Two days later, I found him in the kitchen reading the newspaper. I let out a yelp and he looked up before fading away. Once I got my erratic heart beat under control, curiosity got the better of me and I gingerly sat in the chair where he’d just been sitting. The paper was open to the career section and right at the top was a position for a music teacher at James Ellis School in Bandit Creek.

The ghost didn’t make another appearance until three weeks later when I woke up to find him standing at the end of my bed. This time I didn’t scream because it seemed like screaming made no difference.

I scrambled out of bed, threw on a sweatshirt and ran downstairs. It was five a.m., two hours earlier than I normally got up, but there was no point going back to sleep. It would be impossible with an apparition watching me. Besides, I’d been having the strangest dream about swimming deep underwater…like a mermaid, and I was chasing a song, like it was a school of fish. It probably harkened back to my childhood when, according to my mother, I’d watched The Little Mermaid ad nauseum.

Though the details of the dream were sketchy, I’d woken up with the song running on ‘repeat’ through my brain; Meet me in the Promised Land, where all our dreams come true, meet me in the Promised Land, I’ll go first and wait for you… It’d been so long since I written a song that, ghost or no ghost, sane or insane, I had to get it down before I lost it.

I sat at my grandmother’s piano amid the rest of the furniture which still had dustcovers draped over them. I guess I hadn’t taken the covers off because I still felt like the house didn’t belong to me, but now, in the dim light, the whole room appeared as if it was some crazy set for a horror movie.

I turned on all the lights and had the cloths stripped within minutes, leaving a pile of dusty linens in the middle of the room. Although the room looked more lived-in, the furniture was old and still had a creepy vibe. Maybe it had something to do with the apparition who sat down in one of the old chairs.

I don’t know if it was the hour, the lure of the song or the fact that I was starting to get used to having a ghost as a companion, but somehow I managed to ignore his presence as I played the tune that had materialized in my sleep. Within seconds a familiar transformation came over me and I suddenly felt like I was doing something deliciously naughty. For me, writing music was an aphrodisiac and I played until I’d completely forgotten about the eerie old furniture and the presence of a ghost in the house. I was so engrossed in working out the wonderfully haunting melody, it took a grumbling stomach for me to realize it was fully light outside.

I checked my watch. Seven o’clock. Dammit! I had to be at the school in an hour and I still had to shower, eat and dress.

Forty-five minutes later I was tearing out the door, grabbing an apple to eat on the way. I was too rushed to be nervous about my first day on the job. Even though it was on the other side of town, it only took me ten minutes to drive to the James Ellis School. When I arrived I was greeted by a grinning Paul Pettigrew, the Principal. “Joss Jones! I can’t tell you what a pleasure it is to have you join our team.”

With a receding hairline and the physique of an ex-football player, tall, broad, with a little extra around the middle, Mr. Pettigrew looked like he was in his mid-forties.

“Mr. Pettigrew,” I smiled, turning on the old Joss Jones charm, “the pleasure is mine.”

He led me back into the office, past two secretaries who stopped what they were doing to watch me pass. Once I was seated in his office, he perched himself on his desk and continued to grin like a lunatic. “I have to confess, when I heard you were looking for work, I was floored. The Joss Jones, teaching music at James Ellis School – it’s a little surreal.”

I smiled in response because, honestly, there was no other response to give.

Suddenly, Mr. Pettigrew frowned as he stared over my shoulder. I glanced behind me to see my ghost standing there.

“Er, Ms. Jones…” he paused, looking uncomfortable.

Was it possible he saw the apparition standing behind me? Was it possible I wasn’t crazy?

He pulled something out from the inner pocket of his suit jacket and unfolded it. “I wonder if you’d sign this. It’s for my daughter.” He handed me a photo of a girl with long, silver blond hair wearing a silver, sequined dress, singing onstage. It was a promotional picture of me from my Just Be Tour seven years ago.

“My daughter was such a fan.” He cleared his throat and chanted hoarsely, “Just be you, I’ll be me, be yourself, it’ll set you free…” He chuckled. “She used to play that song over and over again.”

I kept my smile plastered to my face. “What’s her name?”

“Kaylee.” He spelled her name and then added, “She started college this year.” He shook his head. “They sure grow up fast.”

It’d been years since I’d performed, yet wherever I went it was the same thing. In fact, the only way I’d managed to attend college was by keeping to myself and encouraging my reputation as stuck up and aloof. I’d hoped things would be different here in Bandit Creek. What was the point of living a normal life if you weren’t treated normally?

Mr. Pettigrew stood. “Here’s your schedule, why don’t I give you a tour of the school, let you get settled in. Tomorrow you can start classes.”

For the rest of the morning Mr. Pettigrew, or Paul as he insisted I call him, showed me around the school, starting with the music room, the gymnasium, the lunch and staff room. We finished the tour back at the office in front of the trophy case. He pointed to a picture of a football team from the 1980s. “Can you believe that was me? I was a freshman the year we won our state division.” He glanced at me and added, “Your mother was a senior that year. She was on the cheerleading squad.” He pointed to another picture and sure enough, there was my mom, with pompoms raised high and a huge smile lighting up her face.

A fist tightened around my throat.

“I was shocked by her tragic passing.”

I couldn’t look at him. Instead I simply nodded.

“I understand you haven’t performed since…”

Suddenly the hair on the crown of my head stood on end.

My vision clouded and I felt like I’d been sucked into a tunnel where Paul’s voice echoed from far, far away.

“Are you okay?

I blinked.

“Joss?”

I pointed to the picture of a too familiar face standing tall and proud in a basketball team photo. “Wh-who is that?”

“Who? Him? That’s Kyle Copeland. One of Bandit Creek’s biggest mysteries.”

“What do you mean?” I asked quietly, never taking my eyes from the image of the smiling boy in the picture.

“He disappeared, I don’t know, nine or ten years ago. It was his senior year.”

“What happened to him?”

“I don’t know. Some think he ran away to Seattle. His parents think he was abducted, or worse. Either way, no one’s seen him since.”

My eyes wandered to where my apparition stood beside Paul. I quickly turned back to the photo, then slowly back to the ghost.

I gulped.

Paul was wrong. Someone had seen Kyle Copeland.

Me.

I was looking right at him.

Name That Character Contest with Boone Brux

2012-01-27T03:18:00.002-05:00

Kiss of the Betrayer is book two in Boone's Bringer and the Bane series.

This story revolves around Luc and Jade, two secondary characters from book one, Shield of Fire Their relationship is tumultuous at best and they get in a lot of trouble when they decide to keep secrets from the rest of the Bringers.

Contest Details:

You can be part of Boone's next book, Kiss of the Betrayer, by entering the Name the Character Contest.

Rules: Read the character description and come up with a clever name. You can submit just a first name, just a last name, or both.

How to Enter: You may enter five ways.

Email your name choice to boonebrux@gmail.com. Put Name Contest in the subject line.
Tweet Boone at www.twitter.com/boonebrux
Go to Boone's Facebook Author Page at www.facebook.com/BooneBrux/Author
At the left side of the page, click on the Contact Boone button and put your answer in the Message section.
On Boone's website, www.boonebrux.com you can enter by sending her a message from Contact Boone page.
Last, but not least, you may enter from her blog,www.boonebrux.blogspot.com
Just click on Contact Me at the upper right corner of the sidebar and send Boone your entry.

How will the name be chosen?

Every entry will be considered and chosen through a process of elimination by Boone and other Entangled Publishing editors.
In case of a tie, the winner will be randomly drawn.

What will I win?

The character in Kiss of the Betrayer will be given your contest entry name and you will receive a glowing acknowledgment in the book, praising your brilliance and creativity.
Your contribution will be heralded throughout the land on several blogs, including Boone's personal blog, website, Facebook and the Entangled Publishing blog.
You will receive a signed copy of Shield of Fire and Kiss of the Betrayer when released.
$50 gift card to Amazon

So let your creativity flow and name this character.

Female, approximately 29 years of age
Sturdy and curvaceous, medium height, long brown hair and hazel eyes
Profession: Prostitute, works the docks.
Private Life: Poor, Single mother with three children, 12, 4, and five months.
Redeeming Qualities: Strong, resourceful, has a good heart, would rather sell her body than accept charity, a good mother, fearless, smart, streetwise, rolls with the punches.
Less Redeeming Qualities: Stubborn, too curious for her own good, has associations with a lot of unsavory people.
Significance in the book: This character is slated to become a major secondary character, appearing throughout the rest of the series.

Okay people, name that character. We can’t wait to see the entries start rolling in.

Boone has lived in the beautiful state of Alaska for nearly two decades. She spent many of those years in the bush, where the internet and flush toilets were a luxury. Boone’s motto? “Have laptop, will travel.” It’s not uncommon to see her pounding away at her computer during camping trips, fishing expeditions, or in their family plane as they fly over the open tundra.

www.boonebrux.com
www.twitter.com/boonebrux
www.facebook.com/#!/BooneBruxAuthor
www.boonebrux.blogspot.com

Giveaway: 50 Custom Printed Brochures from Uprinting

2012-01-26T07:37:00.026-05:00

Here's a great giveaway from Uprinting. 50 folded brochures- perfect for small businesses or authors who would like to create a brochure that features a couple of their books.

This would be great for authors with a series that has a couple books out- a page for each book.

Include book covers, descriptions, etc- then an author bio on another page.

I am going to create custom brochures for Bewitching Book Tours.

What would you use the brochures for?

Answer below to enter the giveaway.

Giveaway Info:

50 Custom Brochure Prints for One (1) Winner

8.5" x 11"

100lb Paper Gloss

With Folding

(Half Fold, Trifold/Letterfold, Z-Fold, Roll Fold, Accordion Fold)

Front and Back Printing

2 Business Days Turnaround

*Free shipping

Restrictions:

Limited to *US residents 18 years old and above only

This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above.

No prize substitutions allowed.

Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period.

Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer
“You should assume that the owner of this blog will receive free print product in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions.”

Guest Blog and Banshee Charmer Giveaway with Tiffany Allee

2012-01-25T00:01:00.003-05:00

The Importance of Secondary Characters

When I first started writing, my entire focus was on my main characters. Secondary characters only showed up when they were needed to give information to the main character or to cause a ruckus. When I figured out my character's backgrounds and motivations, I focused solely on the main ones.

Silly me.

The best secondary characters out there do more than act as stooges for the main characters. Would we enjoy Kim Harrison's The Hollows series as much without Jenks? Would The Princess Bride be as compelling if we didn't have Inigo Montoya and his hunt for the six-fingered man who killed his father? Would Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels series be as compelling without Andrea?

I don't think so.

Strong secondary characters fill out the author's world. They make it more real and they give readers all the more reason to care.

The world of Banshee Charmer is full of all kinds of different creatures. Banshees, succubi, vampires, witches, and others occupy it. And while the focus of this story is on a half-banshee named Mac, I do hope that the secondary characters I've created evoke some interest as well.

What secondary characters have captured your heart over the years?

Title: Banshee Charmer (From the Files of the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, #1)
Author: Tiffany Allee
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 159 pages
Release Date: January 2012
ISBN: 978-1-937044-99-2

From the Files of the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency - Book One

When she’s sent to a crime scene and finds her second dead woman in as many weeks, half-banshee detective Kiera “Mac” McLoughlin is convinced a serial killer is on the loose.

Incubi are extinct, her boss insists. But what else can kill a woman in the throes of pleasure? When her partner is murdered after using witchcraft to locate the killer and Mac is thrown off the case, her frustration turns to desperation.

Certain the killer is an incubus, Mac works behind her department’s back to chase down slim, sometimes perilous leads. While the killer eludes her, she does discover handsome Aidan Byrne, an investigative counterpart from the enigmatic Otherworlder Enforcement Agency. Mac typically runs her investigations fast and hard, but with Aidan at her side, she’s running this one “hot” as well.

But Aidan knows more than he’s letting on—something that could shatter their blazing romance and add Mac to the killer’s growing body count…

Available at Barnes & Noble for $2.99:

Available at Amazon after January 24th, 2012About the Author:

Tiffany Allee currently lives in Phoenix, AZ, by way of Chicago and Denver, and is happily married to a secret romantic. She spends her days
working in Corporate America while daydreaming about sexy heroes, ass-kicking heroines, and interesting ways to kill people (for her books,
of course).

Her nights are reserved for writing and bothering her husband and cats (according to them). Her passions include reading, chocolate, travel, wine, and family.

Tiffany's Website: http://tiffanyallee.com/
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/authortiffanyallee
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TiffanyAllee

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now on Tour Her Man Flint by Jerri Drennen

2012-01-24T03:37:00.000-05:00

Hello! I'm Jerri Drennen and I'm a romantic suspense author. I know a lot of writers say they've been penning words to paper all their lives or knew they always wanted to. I can't say that. I didn't even have the thought until my younger daughter was 3. I had 4 children at that time and needed an escape--maybe I should say outlet. Writing gave me that. It helped me cope with the daily struggles of raising children. My first attempt at authoring a book is hidden somewhere, awful, a kind word for the epic 400 page romance. Anyway, when I was working on my third book, I found a critique group that helped teach me the craft of writing and the rest is history. I've written 20-plus stories, some unfinished but everyone having taught me something along the way. I think my husband thought in the beginning this was a passing fancy for me, but over a decade later he knows this is who I am--a romance writer, and he is my biggest supporter! My kids on the other hand tell everyone I write porn.

Jan 24 Tour Launch

Fang-tastic Books

www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com

Jan 24 Promo

The Wytch's Mirror

http://thewytchsmirror.blogspot.com/

Jan 25 Promo

http://jademystique.blogspot.com

Jan 28 Spotlight

Read 2 Review

www.read2review.com

January 29 Guest Post

Lisa’s World of Books

www.lisasworldofbooks.net

Jan 31 Guest Post

Getting Naughty Between the Stacks

http://gnbstacks.blogspot.com

Feb 1 Guest Blog and review

Cocktails and Books

http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com

Feb 2 Interview

My Need to Read

http://www.myneedtoread.com

Feb 3 Guest Blog and review

Lissette E. Manning

http://www.simplistik.org/lissetteemanning

Feb 5 Guest Blog

Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess

http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com/

Feb 10 Guest Blog

http://www.kaydeeroyal.blogspot.com

Feb 13 Guest Blog

Fictional Candy

Feb 15 Interview and review

Picked by Poison

http://pickedbypoison.blogspot.com

Feb 16 Review

Reviews By Molly/

reviewsbymolly.com

Feb 17 Interview

http://bookbagsandcatnaps.com/

Feb 20 review and promo

A Chick Who Reads

http://achickwhoreads.blogspot.com

Her Man Flint
By Jerri Drennen

Blurb

If James Bond and Cleopatra Jones had a daughter, Adriana Kent would kick her ass.

Everything Adriana knows about being a top-notch, undercover agent she's learned from her partner, Flint Morgan, in and out of the sheets. That is, until he's caught between those same bed linens with another woman. Heartbroken, Adriana refuses to forgive him. But when 'the other woman' is found dead in Flint's apartment, she steps up to prove his innocence--he might be a womanizer, but he's no killer.

As Adriana closes in on a suspect, she's kidnapped and sent overseas to a sadistic prince who collects women like priceless pieces of art. Now this tough as nails agent finds herself playing the helpless courtesan to a man hell-bent on breaking her spirit. Flint arrives in the nick of time, dressed as a harem girl, fighting off randy guards and surly camels to rescue Adriana so they can fly back to the states to find a way to exonerate him for murder.

Amazon Barnes & Noble

Author Bio:

Jerri Drennen was raised on a farm in a tiny town in Minnesota where the winters were long and being stuck inside awarded her the opportunity to read and tell stories. Years later, after moving away from family, marrying her husband of twenty-five years and having their four children, she started writing when her youngest was three. Eleven years and many manuscripts later, she has one contemporary romance and three romantic suspense novellas with Samhain Publishing, a category romantic suspense at The Wild Rose Press and two action-adventure romances at Liquid Silver Books. Now, she's trying her hand at self-publishing

Lost by Vivi Anna Bandit Creek Books Spotlight

2012-01-24T00:01:00.003-05:00

Today we have a special spotlight on Bandit Creek Books.

Right now they have a special promotion going on- and you have the chance to win a Kindle Fire or $200 worth of Amazon Gift Cards.

Learn more about 30 days of Secrets

To celebrate the release of Roxy Boroughs’ debut Bandit Creek book, A STRANGER’S KISS, come unlock the mysteries of Bandit Creek

30 days of secrets: Every day a different author will be on the Bandit Creek blog spilling secrets about themselves or about their books. Every day is a chance to win free books, and have your name tossed in for a draw of a choice of a Kindle Fire or $200 Amazon GC.

January 15 – Roxy Boroughs
January 16 – Stephanie Draven
January 17 – KC Klein
January 18 – Lecia Cornwall
January 19 – Vivi Anna
January 20 – Jason McIntyre
January 21 – Christy Hayes
January 22 – DL Snow
January 23 – Ally Blue
January 24 – Myla Jackson
January 25 – Jade Buchanan
January 26 – JL Langley
January 27 – Kymber Morgan
January 28 – Steena Holmes
January 29 – Mary Marvella
January 30 – Stephanie Giancola
January 31 – Amy Jo Fleming
February 1 – Linda Andrews
February 2 – Jamie Lee Scott
February 3 – Lawna Mackie
February 4 – Michael J. Lee
February 5 – Michele Hauf
February 6 – CJ Carmichael
February 7 – Roxy Boroughs
February 8 – Cynthia Cooke
February 9 – Alyssa Linn Palmer
February 10 – Caridad Pineiro
February 11 – Elle James
February 12 – Shanna Gekko
February 13 – Roni Loren
February 14 – Kymber Morgan
February 15 – Roxy Boroughs

To stay up to date on Bandit Creek releases subscribe to their fun newsletter The Bandit Creek Gazette.

Every week I'll be hosting a spotlight on a different Bandit Creek Book.

This week's spotlighted Bandit Creek Book is Lost by Vivi Anna.

Amazon Prime Members can currently get the book for free for their Kindle.

Lost

By Vivi Anna

BLURB

Kirsten Morgan can hear the dead. And now they are calling to her, to come home to Bandit Creek. A girl has gone missing, and the law don’t have any leads. But the last thing Sheriff Samuel Morgan wants to see is his famous psychic daughter in his office telling him how to do his job.

At odds for years, Kirsten doesn’t know how to talk to her father but she knows she has to push him to a place he doesn’t want to go. Because the dead are talking, and she has to answer, or lose her mind forever.

*This is a novella

Amazon

Lost (Mystery) – By Vivi Anna

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vivi Anna is a mult-published author with over thirteen books in print and ebook. She writes about kick-ass women and the men they kill for. To learn more, go towww.vivianna.net

Excerpt Chapter One

The water rippled, sending whispers to her on its waves. She bent low toward the glistening liquid, listening, straining hard to hear the words the water wanted her to know. There was a truth there, she was certain of it.

On hands and knees, she settled her face just above the lake waters. Maybe if she submersed herself, her face at least, she could hear the whispers clearer. She had to know what the water was trying to tell her. Lives, she was certain, depended on it.

Slowly, she pushed her face into the water, her eyes open, alert, ready for anything. Because she knew there was something in the lake. There always had been.

She waited, her lungs bursting for air. The urge to open her mouth to take in oxygen ripped at her brain.

Finally, another set of ripples came from some movement in the water. As they undulated over her flesh, into her ears, she made out three words.

I.Am.Lost.

Kirsten Morgan jolted straight up from her sleep. Sweat shellacked her tank top to her back.

It also dotted her forehead and upper lip. It was always that way after one of her dreams.

Sunlight streamed through the bedroom window. It was early yet. Too early on a normal day to be awake.

She swung her legs over her bed, and sat up, setting her head in her hands. The smell of copper still lingered in her nose. It wasn’t the scent of blood but something else.

Her head throbbed something fierce, as if something inside was getting ready to burst open. That probably wasn’t too far from the reality of her situation.

She rubbed her face with her hands, and held her head up, blinking to get her bearings. She’d drunk a lot of martinis last night. But she wasn’t normally one for hangovers. No, her unease and queasiness came from elsewhere.

Movement behind her on the bed made her flinch. She glanced over her shoulder to see Josh, her man for the month, rolling over to look at her. He traced a finger over her bare back.

“It’s barely six. Why are you up?”

“I got to go.”

She stood, punctuating her statement, and crossed the room to gather clothes from the dresser. Her clothes from the night before were strewn every which way. A morning chill raised the goose flesh on her arms and legs. She glanced down, realizing she was completely naked. She reached for the silk robe draped over her dressing chair and slid it on.

“Where are you going? I didn’t think you had an upcoming appearance. You said you were free for the next few days.”

“Yeah, well, that’s changed.”

Kirsten pulled open drawers and yanked out some underwear, T-shirts, jeans and various other garments. She tossed them onto the bed, then moved to her closet. She slid open the door and grabbed the suitcase buried in the corner. She put that on the bed as well.

Frowning, Josh sat up. “What’s the suitcase for?”

“I told you I had to go.”

“I thought you meant for the day. Not for a holiday.”

She unzipped the suitcase and piled her clothes inside. As well as shoes and boots, and a couple of jackets. “This is not a holiday.” She packed hurriedly, the urgency to leave making her jumpy.

“Jesus, Kirsten, what the hell is going on?”

“Look, Josh, you’re great and it’s been fun, but I’m leaving town for a while. Maybe we can hook up when I get back.”

“When will that be?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. A week maybe. Two at the most.”

He grabbed her hands before she could shove more clothes into the bag. “Hold up. What the hell is going on? Did I do something wrong?”

“This isn’t about you, okay? I have to go somewhere. It’s important.”

He let her go and sat back. “Is it your work?”

Sighing, Kirsten nodded. “Yeah.” It was always her work that drove her from her bed, drove her from other people, from places that she’d temporarily called home. It was her work that sent her traveling around the world, involving herself in other people’s tragic lives.

Her head was still killing her and she rubbed at her right temple. If she was going to make it there in one piece, she’d need to take some painkillers before she got on a plane. The air pressure would be too much on an already pressurized brain.

“Where are you going? Can you tell me that much?”

She zipped up her suitcase, and set it on the floor. Sweat was trickling down her back. She wasn’t sure she was even ready to go. But, she knew without a doubt where the dream was telling her to go. She knew that water, she knew that coppery odor.

“Bandit Creek, Montana. I’m going home.”

Interview with a Princely Vampire And Entanglements Giveaway with PR Mason

2012-01-23T04:42:00.000-05:00

INTERVIEW WITH A PRINCELY VAMPIRE.

The audience is led into a darkened room illuminated only by the flickering light of three small candles in holders on a corner table. There are no other furnishings aside from a wooden easel at the room's center. Mounted on the easel is a large, ornately framed mirror. On closer inspection it's clear the room has been painted black and the windows have been obscured by heavy drapes.

Moderator: Hello everyone. We are in store for a rate treat. An interview between KIZZY TAYLOR, fifteen-year-old heroine of the Urban Fantasy novel, ENTANGLEMENTS (by P.R. Mason) and His Royal Highness, the Prince Leopold, monarch of the British Empire of Dorcha.

First of all, Kizzy, can you tell the audience a little about yourself?

Kizzy: I didn't realize this would be about me. I don't want to talk about myself. I'm just here to gather intel from my enemy, Prince Leopold.

Moderator: Just a little background for the audience? Please?

Kizzy: Well......I'm not really fifteen. I'll be sixteen in a few days. I enjoy urban spelunking, which is exploring abandoned buildings and tunnels, with my friends. There's not much else to tell. I'm pretty average except for the fact that my father tried to kill me and I just discovered my blood can open a vortex leading to an evil alternate dimension.

Moderator: How about telling the audience where we are?

Kizzy: This room is a psychomanteum.

Moderator: Psycho—what?

Kizzy: It's a visioning tool. The basis for the psychomanteum dates back thousands of years. Staring into reflective objects such as pools of water or mirrors has been considered a conduit to communicating with spirits or other dimensions since the ancient Greeks.

Moderator: How does it work?

Kizzy: The room is set up so that I can reach a meditative state. Once, I get into the right frame of mind, the prince should appear in the mirror. At first when I started using this thing it was hard to get into the right headspace. But it's been easy lately.

Moderator: Why do we have to use a mirror to talk to the prince?

Kizzy: Duh. Since Prince Leopold is the ruler of an empire in an alternate universe, it's the only way to talk to him. I'm certainly not about to open the portal between our worlds and allow him to come here to be interviewed in person.

Moderator: Who is Prince Leopold?

Kizzy: He's the son of Queen Victoria. He was born with hemophilia, a blood disorder that prevents clotting. In our dimension he died in 1884 as a result of internal bleeding from a trip and fall.

Audience: Awwwww.

Kizzy: Don't feel sorry for the prince. In his alternate world, Queen Victoria employed a warlock to try to save his life. But the cure went wrong and he was turned into a vampire. He became monarch of the Empire of the Dark after killing off his entire family, including his mother. Since then he's been busy creating a vampire aristocracy and gathering all sorts of paranormal creatures into his sphere. Only trouble is, humans are becoming scarce in his world so he'd like to get control of me so I can open up other dimensions for conquering.

Leopold (Laughing as he appears in the mirror): Kizzy, you make me sound so evil.

Kizzy: Hello Highness. I didn't realize you'd already arrived. I'm just telling them a few facts.

Leopold: You'll have these nice people thinking that I'm some kind of villain. While it's true I will do anything and everything to do my duty to my subjects, that clearly makes me the hero, not the villain.

Kizzy: Whatever floats your coffin.

Leopold: I do not understand this idiom.

Kizzy: Never mind. So, what new schemes are you plotting against the human race these days?

Leopold: You do not expect me to reveal my plans so easily do you?

Kizzy: It was worth a try.

Leopold (shaking his head sadly): Am I really so different from you? You want to save your friends and family. I merely want to save my people.

Kizzy: You used my friends as your personal sippy cups. Should I thank you for that?

Leopold: My subjects — vampire, ghoul and the like— require humans as food. Am I to disregard my duty and allow them to starve? To perish in the most horrible of deaths? No I must provide for them. In this world, all free-range humans have been or soon will be rounded up and placed in the feedlot system. But we need an influx of new food sources and the only choice is to go outside this world.

Kizzy: So you admit you're killing people.

Leopold: All human feedlots in my empire are run to the strictest of industry standards for production. Food stock is treated in the most humane way possible.

Kizzy: Yeah. You suck 'em dry and use their bones for toothpicks. Real humane.

Leopold: Would it be better to allow them to be hunted down in the wild? No. It is better this way. Our system ensures that the humans do not feel pain or fear. They are virtually unconscious. In a trance.

Kizzy: Like zombies.

Leopold: No. Zombies are brain-eating fiends. They are rotting flesh. I would not suck on them if—

Kizzy: I get it. There's a difference.

Leopold: Let us not argue, dear Kizzy. We will agree to disagree. But let me say how happy I am to be here today to communicate directly to my fans in your world.

Kizzy: Fans? What fans?

Leopold: Come now, Kizzy. I am a ruler of great power and wealth. If I may be immodest for a moment, I also possess good looks and charisma. I embody a very attractive combination. Of course I have fans in your world.

Kizzy: No, I don't agree.

Leopold: Besides, you Americans love British royalty. I have heard, for example, about your admiration for one of the descendents I would have had but for my transformation. The wedding of Prince William to a girl named Kate was quite a popular event in your world by all accounts.

Kizzy: Yes, but that's different. They are a beautiful young human couple in love and living a romantic fairy tale. You're a...a ...

Leopold: Blood sucking monster?

Kizzy: If the fangs fit.

Leopold: Is that sarcasm?

Kizzy: Oh no. Not a drop.

Leopold: Just because I used a couple of your friends for —what did you call it? — a sippy cup, does not require a fit of ill manners on your part.

Kizzy: Why don't we try a few questions about your likes and dislikes for the throng of "fans" you imagine you have out there? I'll throw a few choices out and you go with your first answer.

Leopold: Ah yes. This is bit like word association. My psychoanalyst has utilized this technique on me to explore my Oedipal issues.

Kizzy: Your psychoanalyst?

Leopold: Yes. Sigmund Freud.

Kizzy: Is Freud a vampire in your dimension?

Leopold: Of course. You may find it hard to believe, but I was quite traumatized by my childhood. I am not ashamed of requiring therapy. Dr. Freud was one of the first humans I turned after my transformation was complete.

Kizzy: My question was legitimate. He could be a ghoul. Those creatures are created by you vampires, right?

Leopold: Yes, but you don't think I'd divulge the innermost workings of my psyche to a mere ghoul do you?

Kizzy: Well he could be a werewolf or—

Leopold (snapping fingers): Me talk to a dog? Please. Now you are just being ridiculous. On to your questions.

Kizzy: Okay. First of all, messy or neat?

Leopold: Neat.

Kizzy: Mozart of Beethoven?

Leopold: Mozart.

Kizzy (mumbling): Figures...he was crazy.

Leopold: What did you say?

Kizzy: Nothing. Chocolate or Vanilla? Oops sorry. You don't eat do you?

Leopold: In fact, I find chocolate quite delicious when added to some pickled brain. It's the perfect combination of savory and sweet that—

Kizzy: Moving on. Dog or cat?

Leopold: They're both tasty.

Kizzy (shaking head): Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Leopold: I have no idea who theses "teams" are. Do they play rugby or football?

Kizzy: Never mind. It's a stupid question. All these are stupid questions. Let's wrap this up.

Leopold: All right, but before I go I'd like to say, thank you, Roxanne for having us on the Fang-tastic Books blog —great name by the way. I hope you didn't consider the animosity of my exchanges with Kizzy discourteous to you or your readers. I really would like to visit you all in person one day.

Kizzy: I bet you would. Interview over. I'm shutting this down.

Leopold: You may run away now, Kizzy Taylor, but be assured you will not be able to run forever. I will find some way to open the portal between our worlds again very soon.

Kizzy (She steps away from the mirror and the prince's image fades to fog): Not if I have anything to do with it.

Amazon Paperback

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About the Author:

Please visit www.prmason.net

You can also follow the author @prmason on Twitter.

Giveaway Time!

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Entanglements and Fated Hearts?

One lucky reader will win both

Just leave a comment on this post

Guest Blog with Tracey Cooper-Posey

2012-01-19T00:23:00.002-05:00

Don’t Like Apple? Switch to DOS and Become a Vampire

I’ve written a good many vampire novels now. The fanged ones have featured in over half-a-dozen of my invented universes. I always like to explain in my fictional universes not just where vampires came from and how they came into being (or at least hint at it in the shorter works), but I also like to explain (or outline) why vampires are vampires: how their physiologies work, and why they are the way they are.

Of course, I have to figure that out for myself, too, and often, coming up with answers for each new book or series, means I end up supplying myself with some really good source material for conflict, problems or interesting scenes and character building.

It would be fair to say that I’ve spent a fair amount of time ruminating about how a vampire might form and how his or her physiology might work under all sort of interesting situations. If you’d like to see an extended version of my warped mind at work, flip over to “Vampires and Body Fluids. I Was Just Wondering [http://tracycooperposey.com/articles/articles-for-readers/vampires-and-body-fluids-i-was-just-wondering/].” -- but make sure you come back here to read the rest of the good stuff!

For me, it’s not good enough to simply say vampires exist because they’re magic and therefore they just are. I mean, you can certainly say that. Magic excuses and creates a whole lot of things in the paranormal world.

But ultimately, it’s just not all that satisfying. It’s like having a get out of jail free card: The game doesn’t feel exciting enough if you know you can escape scott free by producing the card if you get caught. The stakes are not high enough. The game isn’t real enough.

Television and movies learned and understand this lesson about fiction and reader satisfaction extremely well. There are always limits to power and consequences when it is used, especially when it isn’t used wisely. I spent an entire other post on this blog tour, talking about the consequences of paranormal powers, so I won’t get into that side issue here.

But I will point out that True Blood is a very good example of a vampire world that demonstrates the writers have thought about the constructs and limitations of their vampires’ physiologies, and built those limitations into the story and character conflicts. There’s one particularly powerful scene that MM and MMF romance lovers should remember well: Sam’s dream in the first episode of Season 3, when Bill comes to visit. I won’t lay down spoilers here, but if you’re curious and don’t mind spoilers, you can click through and check out pictures and all the spoilers you want here [http://tracycooperposey.com/pulse-pause-moment-bill-and-sam-in-true-blood/] (but come back!).

I construct histories and physiologies for my vampires, along with powers and talents. In Blood Knot, for example, because Winter is able to reach inside people’s physiologies by touch, she is able to analyse vampires and she figures out they are running what amounts to a different operating system, while their human operating system is in hibernation. Sort of like Apple and DOS (what we know as Windows, these days)...or should that be BOS (Blood Operating System?). She is able to switch on one or the other temporarily (and at cost),

In the Beloved Bloody Time series, I went in a different direction altogether. The series is set in the 23^rd century, and for the first time in one of my vampire worlds, vampires are “out” and known to humans. I thought it would make sense to have figured out by then that vampires are what they are because of a symbiot creature that resides in their blood, feeding on it. They need blood to feed the symbiot, who in turn maintains and restores their physiologies in exactly the same state the symbiot found it in when it took up residence, once it repaired any ill-health.

This was a bit of a twist on my usual take on vampires for me, because it takes away any “magic” or paranormal slant. It’s a scientific explanation. Oh, there’s still a ton of paranormal stuff going on in the series, including century’s worth of time-travelling. There’s also a lot of romance and sexy stuff jammed in there, too. ;) But the vampires have spent a couple of centuries justifying their existence to humans, so they’ve scrambled to learn more about themselves, and their knowledge spills out across the pages of the book as they constantly struggle to maintain a legitimate place in the world against a whole swathe of people who would rather vampires had never really existed in the first place, as the excerpt below will show you.

___________________________

Bannockburn Binding

by Tracy Cooper-Posey

Time is theirs to keep. But it comes with a price.

MMF Urban Fantasy Futuristic Time Travel Romance Serial

In the early 23rd Century, vampires learned how to travel back in time, and created a time-tsunami that threatened life as we know it, until they corrected their mistake. They created the Chronometric Conservation Agency, which is tasked with preserving history and therefore protecting humanity’s future. The Touring arm of the Agency offers trips back into the real past, with vampire guides, called travellers.

When Natalia (Tally) Marta, vampire and traveller, takes her client to visit the siege of Stirling Castle in 1314, she is caught and held hostage for ransom by Robert MacKenzie, a Bruce clansman. Rob finds himself drawn to the wilful, stubborn and very different English lady he has captured and the relationship becomes an intimate, highly-charged sexual pairing. Swiftly, Tally and Rob realize their bond is more than sexual, that the emotions stirring their hearts are true.

Christian Lee Hamilton, vampire, one of the last true southern gentlemen, and Tally’s ex-lover, knows the 1314 time marker enough to jump back and help Tally return home. His arrival at Bannockburn adds complications, for Christian finds himself drawn to Rob MacKenzie as much as Tally is. But neither of them can stay in the past forever. To do so means certain death.

___

An Excerpt From: BANNOCKBURN BINDING
Copyright © TRACY COOPER-POSEY, 2012
All Rights Reserved.

Ursella Shun hated vampires with a carefully hidden distaste and all-encompassing prejudice that humans in bygone centuries had once held for different races and religions. Ursella Shun was the twenty-third century’s bigot.

Which was why someone with a sense of ironic humor had appointed her the head of the Historical Defense Bureau, which had oversight jurisdiction of the Chronometric Conservation Agency. It was Ursella’s monthly inspection tour of the Agency, and as usual she was making her tour in person.

Nayara sent Lee Hamilton to meet Shun at Halfway Station and escort her the rest of the way to the Agency. Who better to smooth Shun’s feathers and put her in a good mood than a genuine Southern gentleman who had been raised within a system of intricate bigotry and racial differentiation?

The fact that he could draw a sword, take Shun’s head off and sheath it again before she had time to open her mouth and scream probably wouldn’t even occur to Shun. Christian Lee Beauregard Jackson Hamilton knew how to pour on the charm when he needed to.

So Nayara hovered in the receiving lounge, watching the shuttle nudge its way up against the docking clamps with infinite care, and laughed at her own nervousness. The station went through this craziness every month, thanks to Shun insisting on visiting in person. They should be used to it by now. But every month they turned themselves inside out trying to placate the diminutive Shun.

The bay doors flickered over to green. After a moment or two, the doors opened. Then Tinker, the human pilot, emerged. He gave Nayara the thumbs up, and headed down the passage toward the kitchen and the tiny office he used as his quarters when he arrived at the station. He would grab a quick meal and wait to return Shun to Halfway Station.

Then Ursella Shun and Christian emerged. Christian was bending over the tiny woman, listening respectfully as she spoke. He wore all black as he always did, which made his blonde hair seem even lighter. He glanced up, a single flicker of his green eyes, spotting Nayara. He lifted his hand, silently guiding Shun over toward Nayara as Shun continued to speak.

“Director Shun,” Christian said, breaking into Shun’s monologue. “See, Ms. Ybarra is waiting for you.”

Shun frowned, looking up at Nayara. “Nayara,” she acknowledged, brushing at the long skirt of her pristine white business dress.

“I trust your journey was comfortable, Director Shun?” Nayara asked. “Christian did procure you the best seat on the beanstalk, I trust?”

Shun’s lips thinned. “You know perfectly well I get vertigo in freefall.”

Nayara painted a smile on her face. “Of course, you are always more than welcome to take advantage of the shortest route here.”

Shun didn’t quite shudder. The quickest route to the agency involved direct contact with vampires. Flesh on flesh. Ursella would rather suffer through freefall and twelve hours of travel than have a vampire put their arms around her. But she would never say that aloud. Instead her face grew taut and her eyes neutral. “Of course,” she said stiffly. “Is Mr. Desmond in his office?”

“Ryan is waiting for you, yes.”

“Would you like me to show you the way, Ursella?” Christian asked.

“Thank you, no,” Ursella said shortly. “I know my way from here. Thank you for your company, Mr. Hamilton.” She nodded at him, and moved stiffly down the corridor toward the administration section of the station.

Christian blew out a long breath once she was out of hearing range.

Nayara rested a hand on his arm. “Thank you, Christian. What else can I say? I know what she is like, but with you, Ursella does arrive here in a more amenable mood.”

“Oh, I don’t mind soothing her for you, ma’am,” Christian replied, in his soft southern drawl. “Except I know that she’ll be in Ryan’s office for twenty seconds and he’ll have her all riled up once more. That Irish temper of his....” He shook his head.

“It’s not just Ryan,” Nayara pointed out. “Ursella isn’t always a diplomat, either.”

Christian gave her one of his slow, knowing smiles. “Ryan is the diplomat, Nayara. Why are you the one pouring all the oil on the waters, hmmm?”

She couldn’t help smiling. “Want me to pull rank and tell you where to put your nosy question?”

“If you want me to escort the wonderful Ms. Shun back to Halfway, I wouldn’t if I were you.” But he wore a smile, too.

“Damn it, Christian, you have no respect for your elders,” Nayara replied.

Christian touched his hand to an invisible hat brim. “I find it hard to remember to treat you as anything but a lady when you’re so beautiful and sexy, Nayara.” He turned, heading for the living quarters. “’tis little wonder Ryan’s temper is so unstable,” he said over his shoulder. “You really should consider putting him out of his misery, you know.”

Nayara eased the lurch of her heart Christian’s parting words had caused, and waited for her breathing to steady before she turned in the other direction and headed for Administration. Christian was irreverent, that was all. It didn’t mean he was accurate. He had simply been deflecting her gentle admonition back. Yes, that was it. He had been on the defensive.

Her mind and heart settled, Nayara tapped back into her messages and tasks as she walked, picking up the myriad strings of her busy day, deliberately dismissing Christian’s barb from her memory altogether.

After all, Christian was no judge. He had his own affaire de coeur troubles.

___

Erotic MMF romance, time travel, urban fantasy story line, on-going serial storylines.
This is the first book in the BELOVED BLOODY TIME series.
Futuristic settings: Australia, near-planetary space. Historical settings: Medieval Scotland, France.
Vampires and other fantasy species.
Available at Amazon: Kindle format. Print format.
Available at All Romance eBooks: Adobe Acrobat, Palm DOC/iSolo, Microsoft Reader, Mobipocket (.prc and Mobi), Rocket, ePub
Pages: 162 in PDF, including front matter. (Short novel-length story)
$2.99 in all electronic formats, and at all retailers.
$8.97 in print.

__________

Tracy Cooper-Posey is a national award winning author, with more than 35 romance titles published since 1999. She writes mainly romantic suspense and paranormal romance, with brief forays into other romantic genres here and there. She has been nominated for three CAPA's for best paranormal romance, one CAPA for best historical romance, and the CAPA for Favourite Author, and has won the Emma Darcy Award.

…an author I’ll pick up simply because her name is on the cover.
Kristi Ahlers, Amazon.com

…reminded me of why I fell in love with reading in the first place.
M.M. Gwynn, eBookConnections

…touches the heart and makes you feel everything.
Cherokee, Coffee Time Romance

…writes books which deserve a place on keeper shelves everywhere!
Julie Bonello, ECataRomance Reviews

Connect directly with Tracy at her site...Facebook...Twitter...Google+...Amazon...All Romance eBooks... MMF Romance Novels (Tracy’s Facebook Group).

And check out some of the 100+ articles on her site, too!

Why do we like Sexy Heroes? Guest Blog with Carrie Ann Ryan

2012-01-18T04:00:00.000-05:00

Why do we like Sexy Heroes?

Why do we? I mean, not all men are sexy in real life. Let’s be honest. But in our books all of them are sexy. Few in our books may not look it, but their inner selves make them sexy anyway. Why do we like them?
Oh yea, because its fantasy. It’s make believe. We need it to be different from our real life. I love reading about sexy heroes. The way they prowl or swagger. The way they hold the heroine close or grin at something funny.

I love cracking open a book and finding a new way for the man to be sexy. The way the hair falls in front of his eyes or brushes his shoulder. The way his eyes darken with arousal or the way his fingers gently brush her skin.

Oh – and don’t forget his body. Because honestly *sigh* who can? 

A sexy hero makes a reader want to read more.

But remember – a sexy boring hero doesn’t make you want to read anything. Their brain and mannerisms resulting in actions that make you guess and love him all the more.

That’s why we love sexy heroes. They make you want more and get you reading.

Melanie is a twenty-five year old chemist who has spent all of her adult life slaving at school. With her PhD in hand, she's to start her dream job, but before she does, her friend persuades her to relax and try to live again. A blind date set up through her friends seems like the perfect solution. Melanie can take one night away from the lab and let her inner vixen out on a fixed blind date - a chance to get crazy with a perfect stranger. The gorgeous hunk she's to meet exceeds her wildest dreams – be he is more than what he appears and Melanie's analytical mind goes into overdrive.

Kade, a slightly older werewolf (at over one hundred years), needs a night way from the Pack. Too many responsibilities and one near miss with a potential mate made Kade hide in his work, the only peace he can find. His brother convinces him to meet the sexy woman for a one night of fun. What could it hurt? But when he finds this woman could be his mate, can he convince her to leave her orderly, sane world and be with him and his wolf-half, for life?

About the Author:

Carrie Ann Ryan is a paranormal and contemporary romance author. Her first book, An Alpha's Path, is the first book in her Redwood Pack series. She's also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She love meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Carrie Ann loves hearing from readers. You can find her at:

Website and Blog / Facebook Author Page / Facebook Friend

Twitter: @CarrieAnnRyan

Guest Blog by Natalie-Nicole Bates

2012-01-17T04:21:00.000-05:00

Reading, Reviewing, and Writing

By Natalie-Nicole Bates

For several years before I even formulated an idea for my first book, I was reviewing books. Being a voracious reader since I was a child, reviewing seemed like the natural choice for me.

When I was still in school, my teacher assigned us students to choose three books each semester and write a few paragraphs about them. This was my first taste of book reviewing! While I was reading and reviewing Harold Robbins and Sidney Sheldon, my teacher came to me and said, You really should be reading the classics.

To me, Sheldon and Robbins were the Masters.

Book reviewing is an art that requires a special skill set. Book reviewing sites are professionally run, and most require interested applicants to audition. Book reviewers know how a book is put together, they understand the elements of plot, setting, scene, and point of view. They look for flow, for consistency, and most of all, they know how to remain neutral.

So if a book reviewer understands the mechanics of how a good book is put together, can they become writers themselves? Maybe.

About a year ago, I decided to make the leap into writing. First and foremost, I stopped reviewing contemporary and paranormal romance (the genres I was interested in). I did this by my own choice. I now review mostly mystery and inspirational romance.

I already had my idea for a contemporary romance, and I signed up for an intensive six month course in the art of novel writing. This past summer, I sold my first novel, Change of Address, which is now available at Secret Cravings Publishing. Within a few weeks of my sale, I was offered a contract for my short paranormal, Antique Charming, which is now available at Books To Go Now. Back To You followed, which is upcoming January 30, from Bradley Publishing.

I have made successful leaps from avid reader, to reviewer, to finally, writer. But everyone’s journey is individual. Not all reviewers will become writers, not all writers review. When people ask me, how did you know you wanted to review? How did you know you wanted to write? I tell them my truth. For me, it was a burn inside of me that would not let up until I started reviewing, until I started writing. Each reader, reviewer, and writer must follow her own path to personal satisfaction.

Change of Address
Natalie-Nicole Bates
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 18 2012
Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing
www.natalienicolebates.com

BLURB:

Saved from a traumatic past and successful in her present as a home care nurse, Josselyn Adler’s dream of home ownership in the idyllic town of Unity are dashed to pieces when Dr Ben Parnell, a cancer specialist, shows up on her doorstep claiming to be the rightful owner of the house—and Ben has a will to prove it! To Josselyn, the house represents a new start in her life. With a stable home, hopefully a much wanted family wouldn’t be far behind.

After a near career-ending allegation is made, Ben has returned home to lick his wounds. But now he must prove Josselyn’s claim to be a fake, that she used her position as a live-in nurse to his sick father to ingratiate herself into his good graces. But as he gets to know her, he can tell by her shy, often standoffish behavior, that Josselyn is a woman who has been deeply hurt in her past. Although he is attracted to the dark haired beauty that has invaded his life, he is still suspicious of her true motives and her past involvement with his father.

Warnings: The story is sensual, but has NO graphic sex or violence, and only mild coarse language and adult themes

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/ceaf03ElSqc

www.youtube.com/NatalieNicoleBates

About the Author:

Natalie Nicole-Bates is a book reviewer and author.

Her short paranormal romance, Antique Charming, was published by Books To Go Now Publishing in October 2011 and her contemporary romance, Change of Address, is scheduled to be published by Secret Cravings in January 2012.

Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia.
She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19th century post-mortem photos.

Visit Natalie online at http://natalienicolebates.blogspot.com/

Let Us Prey Now on Tour

2012-01-16T05:29:00.001-05:00

For the next month, I’m a tourist! A Blog Tourist, that is.

I love to travel, but for this tour, I’ll be staying home, and at the same time, I’ll be in computers all over the world. Maybe world is an exaggeration, but I’m okay with it. I’m thrilled to be sharing a bit about me and my first novel, Let Us Prey, on this blog tour. So welcome to my Jan/Feb 2012 Bewitching Book Tour. Before I get started, I need to thank Roxanne for everything she’s done.

Let Us Prey is the first book in the Gotcha Detective Agency series. Mimi Capurro, the owner of Gotcha, gets caught up in a murder when all she was supposed to be doing was protecting a New York Times bestselling author on her book tour. You know how crazy those fans of vampire series authors can be. Throw in her old flame from college, Nick Christianson, who happens to be the homicide detective and you have a bit of sexual tension to break up the stress of the investigation.

Due out in February, Death of a Sales Rep, when Mimi and Nick once again connect over a dead body, but this one is in San Francisco.

About me:

Born and raised in Salinas, CA (where the Gotcha series is set), I moved to Iowa about 16 years ago. I started writing because I needed to escape the real world, and just reading about other worlds wasn’t enough anymore.
I’ve written a non-fiction book called Hiking Iowa for Falcon Publishing, and I was a contributing writer for Crafts Business Magazine for two years before turning to fiction. Along with writing novels, I’ve written 3 feature screenplays, and I’m also writing for television. I have a great writing partner with whom I’m writing a TV drama.

Jan 16 Tour Party

Fang-tastic Books

www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com

Jan 19 Promo and Interview

JeanzBookReadNReview

http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.com/

Jan 21 Guest Blog

From Meredith Allard

www.meredithallard.com

Jan 25 Promo

For The Love of Reading

http://niinas-reading-and-reviewing.blogspot.com/

Feb 1 guest post and review

Mama Knows Books

http://mamaknowsbooks.blogspot.com

Feb 2 Promo and review

Fictional Candy

http://fictionalcandy.blogspot.com

Feb 4 promo and review

Lissette E. Manning

http://www.simplistik.org/lissetteemanning

Feb 5 interview (review later)

Beverly @ The Wormhole

http://wormyhole.blogspot.com

Feb 6 Guest Blog

I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!

www.sithereandread.com

Feb 7 Interview

Theresa Stillwagon blog

http://tstillwagon.wordpress.com/

Feb 8 Guest Blog

http://www.kaydeeroyal.blogspot.com

Feb 9 Interview

Sarah

www.workadayreads.com

Feb 10 Guest Blog (review)

Cocktails and Books

http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com

Feb 10 Promo

**All the days of (Book Blog)**~

February 11 Interview

Lisa’s World of Books

www.lisasworldofbooks.net

Feb 11 Promo and review

http://booklovershideaway.blogspot.com/?zx=1cfb93fcbb41e840

Feb 13 Promo

Reader Girls/

http://www.readergirlsblog.com

Feb 13 Guest Blog and review

Sapphyria's Book Reviews

saphsbookblog.blogspot.com

Let Us Prey
Book 1, Gotcha Detective Agency Mysteries
By Jamie Lee Scott

Mimi Capurro has been hired to protect New York Times bestselling author, Lauren Silke, who was recently assaulted in the bathroom at a paranormal conference. Though Mimi is hired to act as bodyguard for Lauren’s upcoming book tour, plans change when Lauren's assistant is murdered and the slaying is a replica of a scene from Lauren’s newest novel. A novel that hit bookstores the same day as the killing.

Now instead of playing bodyguard, Mimi is cracking computer code, and chasing down vampires. These vampires come alive on the streets of Santa Cruz, as part of a live-role-playing game. Mimi must find the connection between the vampires and the author to track down the killer. This would be much easier if Detective Nick Christianson wanted her investigating the case.
Nick, Mimi’s old college fling, is the lead homicide investigator.

Though he wants her off the case, he also wants to pump her for information. Nick may have used her in the past, but this time she’ll use him to try to catch the murderer first.

Amazon Paperback Amazon Kindle

http://www.jamieleescott.com/

https://twitter.com/#!/jamie_ld

http://www.facebook.com/jamielee.scott2

Chivalry Never Dies Tour for Immortal Hope by Claire Ashgrove

2012-01-15T02:45:00.001-05:00

Hopeful Holidays

Well, we’ve hit the downtime briefly. Christmas is over; New Years has come and gone. We’ve relaxed with family, toasted with champagne and eaten until we could roll down the hall. The last year has been quite eventful for me. I released a few stories that were extremely special to me (A Broken Christmas), I launched a paranormal short-story series, and I sold some projects that were very important to me.

I spent some wonderful time with my children, and relearned the magic of Santa, as I do each year. It’s such a special feeling to see their faces alight with joy when they come bounding into my room – “Mommy! Wake UP! Santa’s been here!”

And I find myself wishing, just for a little while, that I could wake up, just once, so glad to see morning. I sincerely despise waking. Though their exuberance makes it worth it one day a year. (Laugh)

Now, January is here, and while the world has officially put New Years back on the shelf until December 31, 2012, I’m just celebrating my turning of the year. This coming year is one of hope for me—hope that I’ll please my readers, hope that my new projects will be strong, hope that what I’ve worked on the hardest will be as rewarding to romance enthusiasts as it was for me to craft.

I spent a lot of time working on IMMORTAL HOPE. A lot more time waiting for it to move from contracted to released. It seems like eons have passed since I penned those words, and yet, I’m still as in love with the series as I was when I typed the first sentence.

And it too, as the name implies, is based on hope.

Unlike my brimming hope, however, Merrick du Loire has lost his. Too many years of fighting the dark minions of Azazel’s realm have eradicated his ability to believe the Templar will know anything but damnation. He too has been waiting. Waiting so long on the promise of salvation that he’s forgotten the prophecy of salvation. I can relate to that. At one point it felt like his story would never make it to the shelves. But it’s here now, and with its coming, I’m once again inspired.

That inspiration has fed way-too-many resolutions! But I think we all get gung-ho at the turning of a year. For a little while we’re on top of the world, believing we can do anything. Case in point – I have this crazy notion I will finish all the novels lined up in my “Idea” folder. In another month or so, after that darn Valentine’s hype, and after I age another year, reality will kick in. I’ll go back to my GANTT chart and start adjusting dates. Just like that promise to cut back on coffee is apt to turn into a promise to consume twice as much.

Only, unlike Merrick, when my hope begins to falter, it won’t be because I’ve been eternally cursed, or that my soul is dying, or that I’ve fallen in love with a woman who can save a Templar Knight…and doesn’t belong to me.

What about all of you? What New Years promises did you make, and which ones are most apt to change along the way?

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com
TWITTER: @ClaireAshgrove.com

Claire will be giving away a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a second $25.00 Amazon.com gift certificate to a second randomly drawn commenter at the end of the tour.

Be sure to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning!

Click the Blog Tour badge for a complete list of blog stops.

Author Bio

Claire Ashgrove has been writing since her early teens and maintained the hobby for twenty years before deciding to leap into the professional world. Her first contemporary novel, Seduction's Stakes, sold to The Wild Rose Press in 2008, where she continues to write steamy, sexy stories for the Champagne and Black Rose lines. Adding to these critically acclaimed contemporaries, Claire’s paranormal romance series, The Curse of the Templars, debuts with Tor in January 2012. For those who prefer the more erotic side of romance, she also writes for Berkley Heat under the pen name Tori St. Claire.

Claire lives on a small farm in Missouri with her two toddler sons, fifteen horses, four cats, and five dogs. In her “free” time, she enjoys cooking, winning at rummy, studying ancient civilizations, and spending quiet moments with her family, including the critters. She credits her success to her family's constant support and endless patience.

To learn more about Claire, visit her at:

www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com
Twitter: @ClaireAshgrove

Blurb:

CENTURIES AGO,Templar knights defied the archangels and unearthed the copper scroll, revealing the gates to hell. Cursed for their forbidden act, they forever roam the earth protecting mankind from evil. But darkness stalks them, and battles they fight bring them ever-closer to eternal damnation.

One promise remains to give them salvation – the return of the seraphs.Embittered by his purpose, Merrick du Loire must honor an ancient pact and bring peace to his cousin’s soul. When he stumbles upon history professor Anne MacPherson, he discovers she possesses a sacred artifact that marks her as a seraph. Duty demands he set aside his personal quest and locate the knight she’s fated to heal.

As he struggles with conflicting oaths, Anne arouses buried hope and sparks forbidden desire that challenges everything he’s sworn to uphold. Anne has six weeks to complete her thesis on the Knights Templar. When Merrick takes her to the Templar stronghold, he presents her with all she needs—and awakens a soul-deep ache, he alone can soothe. Yet loving Merrick comes with a price. If she admits she's destined for him, her gift of foresight predicts his death.

Excerpt:

“Merrick, wait,” she called softly.

“Nay,” he answered on a hard swallow. “Nay, Anne. If I stay another moment, I will have you in that bed.” He shoved a hand through his hair and reached for the doorknob.

“But that’s where I want you,” she whispered.

He nodded once, a sharp dip of his chin. Pulling the door open, he answered, “I know.” Another protest, and he would turn right back to her waiting arms, cart her off to that oversized bed. When he finished with her, he would hate himself.

He entered the hall and shut the door.

Determination narrowed his gaze as he descended the stairs. He trained his thoughts to his cousin, focused on the oath he swore to Fulk. The very moment Anne discovered her intended, he vowed to leave. No sacred nail, no protected relic, no other oath would he honor until he fulfilled the promise to his kin. In so doing, he would free himself from this torment and lift his blade in Azazel’s name. It was a price he no longer feared to pay.

Character Interview and Giveaway The Curse of Gremdon

2012-01-13T03:30:00.000-05:00

Tardon opens the massive wood door and summons me inside. “Sit”

I pause and scan from his calves to his broad shoulders. I know I wrote the man, but geesh, he’s even more intimidating than I thought he’d be in person. His arms are as big as both of my thighs put together, and I was a dancer. I force a warm smile, but he only returns a grunt and a nod before motioning me to sit at a table inside his family chamber.

Kendar, Tardon’s servant, enters with a tray filled with some fruit and cheese.

I sit and retrieve my pencil and paper from my backpack. Tardon eyes my writing utensil, but I don’t give him a chance to investigate. Good thing I didn’t try to bring my lap top that would have really freaked him out.
“We must begin. I am uncertain how you traveled here, but it will be too dangerous to leave once night falls upon the castle walls.” Tardon takes a swig from his cup.

With a broad smile, Kendar hands a wooden cup to me and backs away. I sip the pale purple beverage and nearly choke, but I manage to clear my throat and continue despite the bitter residue remaining on my tongue.

“Tell us a little about your childhood. Did you always live locked in a castle?”

“No, my family worked the land. We lived free beyond the walls.”

Short and clipped. Yep, he’s a man of few words but lots of action. “When did you move into the castle? Tell us a little about that night.”

Tardon gripped the cup in his right hand and snarled. “Elder’s sent Enforcers to move us into the castle. Stated the curse was taking over the land. They warned the amulets would no longer protect us and that we needed to abandon our homes. My father refused at first, but the Enforcer grabbed me and informed my father that the Elder’s decreed that any family refusing to leave would sacrifice their eldest son to the evil creatures that approached.”

Kendar shuffled forward and poured more drink into Tardon’s cup before retreating back to the shadows.

“That’s harsh. Okay, so you move into the castle. How was that?”

Tardon shrugged. “The Elders were kind and protected us from the Curse. My parents were given a family chamber where my grandfather, my parents, and I lived.”

“How did you go from young boy in the castle to Elite Warrior?” I bite into a piece of fruit in an attempt to extinguish the lingering flavor from the beverage.

“When my parents were Cursed, I was left to live with my Grandfather who took to his bed. At that point, providing food, shelter and care for my grandfather became my burden. That is when I began training as a warrior.”

“Who is the best warrior in the Castle?”

Tardon sits straight and pulls his shoulders back. “I am the top ranking Elite Warrior in the castle.

Yeah, I should’ve known he’d say that. Dumb question. “Okay, who is the next best warrior?”

“There are several warriors that train hard and will have a chance at Elite Warrior status in only a few moons.”

“Have you ever lost a fight?”

Tardon stiffens and juts out his chin. “Only once, but I was…distracted.”

Kendar snickers but Tardon snarls at him, sending him to cut some bread at the end of the table.

“I’m sure he was a formidable opponent. I mean, you are one huge man.” I struggle to keep eye contact, but can’t help but steal a glimpse of his bulging biceps.

“The warrior was Arianna. As I said, she distracted me. It will not happen again.”

I stifle a chuckle myself. “Is Arianna an Elite Warrior?”

“No. She has been promised the opportunity to test, but I do not believe that the Elders will allow a woman to earn the title of Elite Warrior.”

“Will you have to fight her if they do?”

Tardon’s eyes grow distant and he scrubs his chin. “No, most Elite Warrior matches are between two warriors that wish to earn their status. If I did have to fight her, she would not stand a chance.” His voice dropped to even a deeper octave, lacing his words with sadness.

“I see.”

Kendar winks at me and smiles.

The door swings open and a grizzly of a man dressed in black shrouds the torchlight from the hall. There is more to that story, but I’m out of time. The narrowed gaze from the freak of nature Enforcer will not allow another minute.

Since our interview is being cut short, how about a sneak peak at what happens in The Curse of Gremdon.

Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1Fg8B_du8U

Magic. Lust. Love. Sacrifice. Intensely gripping from the opening scene, this riveting tale of destiny and desire will have the reader hungering for more, page after page, all the way through the ending. ~ Night Owl Reviews (Top Pick)

Excerpt:

Arianna inhaled the damp night air and glanced over the castle tower wall to the center courts. All the inhabitants lay asleep in their chambers below, leaving only her opponent and the Elder to stand as witness to her honor or demise.

She slid her palm down her leather skirt to wipe the sweat away and stepped forward, gripping her sword tightly. The Elder’s head, shrouded in a black hood, nodded in consent to begin. Instinct propelled Arianna to attack.

Blades clanked. Tremors reverberated through Arianna’s shaking biceps. She whipped around to counter-attack. Loose strands from her braid distorted her vision of Tardon, her opponent. She swung high while he ducked.

“Certainly, you can do better.” He enunciated each word through a playful snarl.

With shoulders the size of an ox, Tardon towered over her by a foot, but she held her ground. His copper eyes bore into her soul and his contemptuous grin ignited a flame at her core. Only her burning desire to win Elite Warrior status drove her forward and allowed her to stay focused on what was important—winning.

In one fluid motion, she swept around with her leg extended and knocked him off balance. His shoulder smacked against stone and he rolled onto the ground. Before she struck again, he arched his back and flipped onto his feet, sword at the ready.

“You would do well to pay attention to your own defense or risk the slice of my blade.” Arianna squeezed her weapon so hard her knuckles ached.

Swatting his thick brown hair away from his cheekbones, he wielded the blade in his right hand and rotated it in small circles.

From high atop the Elder’s tower, she watched the thick mist roll in over the castle walls below. Swirls of gray lingered like fingers ready to grab a leg and pull her into the darkness of the outer land. A shiver shot up her spine. Too many souls have been lost to the Curse of Gremdon. Her heart ached at the memory of the last time she held her sister. She swallowed, forcing down the incessant feeling of doom.

A sharp pain swept from her side and radiated through her abdomen, taking with it the last ounce of air in her lungs. Gasping, she clutched her side and Tardon withdrew the dark hilt of his sword from her ribs.

“Distraction means death.” He pulled back then bounded toward her.

With a well-timed pivot, she diverted another blow. Leaning back on her left leg, bringing her right knee up, she thrust her foot into his gut. He stumbled back, but swiftly regained his footing.

Both stood in a ready stance.

Both gasped for air.

Neither was willing to admit defeat.

A rush of wind filled with sweat finally penetrated the barrier in her lungs.

Dull pain settled low in her stomach, but she lunged forward, blade aimed straight at Tardon’s abdomen to claim her victory.

But he parried.

A fist smashed against her cheek. Her back slammed against the stone wall. Dust and dirt plumed around her face, taunting her to sneeze. She blinked back tears.

The familiar metallic taste of blood invaded her mouth. She swiped her leather gauntlet across her lips, wiping the blood away, never removing her eyes from Tardon.

She pushed up onto shaking legs. The Elder standing on the edge of the cobblestone circle raised his arm. His gnarled hand extended from the black cloak, ashen skin matching the surrounding mist.

The breath caught in her throat while she waited for his life or death signal. A flick of a pasty white finger summoned her to continue. Icy pain raced through her body as though she’d jumped from a great height on a cold day. The Elders only demanded death once in a thousand moons. Certainly, today would not call for true bloodshed.

But things had changed recently, and no one knew what to expect.

Tardon’s pupils widened, leaving only a thin circle of copper.

She shifted and covered her bubbling despair; her emotions threatened to ruin everything. Arianna adjusted her stance in hopes no one would see her desire to run from the fight to avoid killing him, an unforgiveable sin for a warrior.

You can’t run. Too much is at stake.

She fought the facial muscles betraying her cover and coaxed her face into a blank stare. Tardon shuffled around and she followed, keeping her attention on his best assets and greatest weakness: his muscles. They twitched before he moved.

Arianna circled him, until the Elder crossed his arms with impatience. A match to claim Elite Warrior status required more than a few bruises and flesh wounds. No more time would be allowed. Tardon’s bicep twitched.

Arianna pulled a dagger from her belt, maneuvered under his blow, and slashed his upper chest. Blood flowed down his leather vest. She swept his legs out from under him. He fell to his knees and she jumped on his back, knife at his throat, sword aimed at his gut.

His Amulet of Protection glowed orange.

Her stomach twisted in knots at the thought of harming him, but she had no choice. If the Elders demanded such an offering, she’d have to slice deep and end his life. They remained motionless awaiting the life or death decision. The masculine scent of leather and earthy spices wrapped around her, testing her resolve.

The blade shook in her hands, and she steadied it against his skin. The hooded Elder lowered his arms and turned away from the fight. Loud clicks echoed from the doorway then faded with each step as the dark figure descended the Elders’ tower.

Relief flooded her. After seasons of sacrifice and training, she would receive the Elite Warrior Mark.

Arianna released Tardon and the breath she’d been holding. She stumbled down the stairs to the main passageway and collapsed in a nearby alcove. The knife clinked against the gray stone.

Tardon sauntered from the tower. He sheathed his sword and marched down the walkway but stopped briefly. Sweat rolled down his hard, striated triceps.

Warmth curled through her belly, but no, she could not care for him. One day I might have to kill him.

Jan 9 Interview

Kay Dee Royal

http://www.kaydeeroyal.blogspot.com

Jan 10 Guest Blog

Flutey Words

http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com

Jan 10 review

http://www.breakingbookshelves.blogspot.com

January 11 guest Post

Lisa’s World of Books

www.lisasworldofbooks.net

Jan 12 Guest Blog/Promo

http://jademystique.blogspot.com

Jan 13 review

www.jaclynsmusings.com

Jan 13 Guest Blog

www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com

Jan 14 Promo

GraveTells.com

Jan 17 Interview

http://www.MarshaAMoore.blogspot.com

Jan 17 Spotlight

DEEP IN THE HEART ROMANCE

http://www.deepintheheartromance.com/

Jan 18 Promo

Bookin' It Reviews

http://www.bookinitreviews.com/

January 19 Promo

Sit Here and Read

www.sithereandread.com

Jan 20 Promo and review

Keeping Up With The Rheinlander's

http://mnmrheinlander.com

Jan 21 review and promo

That Bookish Girl

http://thatbookishgirl.blogspot.com/

Jan 22 Private I Interview

http://intensewhisper.blogspot.com/

Jan 23 review and promo

Brewster's Bookshelf,

http://blog.aliciawrightbrewster.com

Jan 27 Promo and review

Aislynn @ Stitch Read Cook

www.stitchreadcook.com

Feb 1 interview

Sarah Ballance

sarahballance.wordpress.com

Feb 1 review and promo

http://abookaliciousstory.blogspot.com

Feb 2 Promo and interview (review)

Book Lovers Paradise

http://bookloversparadise.blogspot.com

Feb 5 review

For The Love of Reading

http://niinas-reading-and-reviewing.blogspot.com/

Feb 6 review and promo

ReaderGirls

www.readergirlsblog.com

Feb 7 Guest Blog and review

Read 2 Review

www.read2review.com

Feb 13 11pm EST

Live Radio

Other Worlds of Romance

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/other_worlds_of_romance

The Curse of Gremdon
By Ciara Knight

Blurb:

In a world where marriage is forbidden, sex is only granted to male warriors, and the outer realm is full of murderous creatures, Arianna fights to protect the life of her only living relative, her brother.

Tardon, an elite warrior, is granted anything he desires by the Elders, but finds little joy in the voluptuous women presented to him. Born for the bloodlust found only in battle, complicated emotions emerge when he discovers his equal in the alluring warrior, Arianna.

Charged by the Elders with saving the castle from attack, Tardon and Arianna risk the curse when they traverse the vast outer realm to retrieve serum from the Tree of Life. If successful, the Elders have promised Tardon the right to marry and Arianna the cure for her brother's death fever. Will their love carry them through or will the discovery of a great deception be their ultimate demise?

About The Author:

Ciara Knight always had a passion for storytelling. At an early age, she wrote several short stories and poems, and in college she started work on her first novel. It wasn’t until late 2008 that she returned to her true passion of writing. Over the past few years she has penned five novels and joined several professional writing organizations to better her craft.
When not writing, she enjoys reading all types of fiction. Some great literary influences in her life include Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Francine Rivers and J K Rowling.

Ciara is happily married and enjoys family time. She has learned to embrace chaos, which is a requirement when raising three boys, and utilizes the insanity to create stories not of this world including, Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, and Young Adult Dystopian.

Her first love, besides her family, reading, and writing, is travel. She’s backpacked through Europe, visited orphanages in China, and landed in a helicopter on a glacier in Alaska.

Website: www.ciaraknight.com

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/Ciaraknightwrites

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/ciaratknight

Would you like to win an ecopy of The Curse of Gremdon?

Leave a comment on this post with your email

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Dark Lullaby One Day Blitz Excerpt and Giveaway

2012-01-12T05:02:00.003-05:00

Dark Lullaby Excerpt 1

After Gabriel paid the bill, they walked outside.

The night had a shimmering, liquid quality to it. A warm summer breeze caressed his face and tousled his hair. He lifted his eyes to the sky. Perfectly clear, the sky looked like a black velvet curtain embedded with Swarovski crystals.

“I don’t have a car,” Kamilah said.

“Mine is that way.” He pointed to the end of the street.

The breeze played with the soft layers of her short hair. He had a hard time tearing his eyes from her face. Her hazel eyes were so luminous they seemed to possess a life of their own.

She held his hand, entwining her fingers with his. Once again, he was startled by the temperature of her skin. So hot.

They reached his red Porsche and he opened the door for her.

On the way to his apartment, Kamilah asked him many questions about his profession, about his work at the Institute. He found himself talking a lot about himself, not because he enjoyed it but because she seemed insatiable. He loved his profession, he told her. Yet, his present job was routine and he wished for something more challenging. He wanted research. This was his passion, but he needed a doctorate degree. His plan was to work one more year at the Institute, then give himself full time to graduate school. It meant living off scholarships and student loans. In other words: no more expensive Spanish paellas or bottles of Belgian beer. He would be the romantic poor scientist.

“Where are you from, originally?” she asked.

“I was born in Puerto Rico, though my parents’ family came originally from the south of Spain. I lived in San Juan until my last year of high school. Then I won a scholarship from the University of Arizona, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree. Later I moved here to do my Master’s at Johns Hopkins, and I have been here ever since.”

“Do you visit Puerto Rico often?”

“Not really.” He paused. “Actually, I haven’t been there since I left the year of my high school graduation.”

“When did you decide you wanted to become an astrophysicist?”

“I made the decision when I was in my last year of high school, but I’ve always been in love with the stars, ever since I was a little boy.”

How could he explain to her what looking at the stars had meant to him, when, as a terrified and miserable little boy, he had wished for the vast darkness of the sky to swallow him? At the age of seven, gazing at the constellations from the quiet darkness of his room, he had experienced a grand realization. Even lost in the endless void of space, he would be safer there than at home. How to explain to anybody that the sky and stars had been more than a simple escape? They had been his salvation. Only his sister understood.

All this rushed through his mind in a second. Kamilah sat very still. But he could feel her gaze gnawing at him. Electricity permeated the air. He resisted looking at her, his eyes on the road.

“What about your family?” she asked.

But at that moment, he made a sharp turn into the curving driveway of his apartment complex.

“Here we are,” he said, giving her a smile. Good timing. He hardly ever talked about his family with friends, much less with strangers. To distract her, Gabriel started giving her general information about the complex, its good location and facilities.

Did she really want to look at his telescope? This is what he really wanted to think about as they stepped into the elevator and he pressed for the fifth floor. One minute later, they were inside his apartment.

Luckily, he had cleaned up two days ago, so the place wasn’t a complete disaster. But it was muggy. He turned on the air conditioning.

“I love your apartment,” she said, looking round her. “It’s very warm—the feel of it, I mean.”

Books, books, books. Floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with books covered one large wall. More shelves on the opposite wall displayed a medium-sized TV and stereo system. The coffee table consisted of a large rectangular slab of glass supported by four pillars of books instead of legs. The burgundy sofa looked worn and battered, but the leather was still beautiful. His apartment consisted of a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom. Propped against the shelves were several canvases, some unfinished.

“You paint?” she asked him.

“When I find the time. Helps combat the stress. But I haven’t done it in months.” He gestured to the sofa. “Sit down. Do you want something to drink? Are you hungry?”

She shook her head.

“Do you like bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon?”

“What?”

“Delicious. My favorite meal. I’m always hungry for them.”

She smiled. “Bagels and salmon?”

“Sure. You’ll love it.”

Gabriel went into the kitchen to prepare the food. A few minutes later he came back carrying a food tray, two crystal goblets and a bottle of red Spanish wine. He placed them on the glass coffee table.

She readily accepted the wine, murmuring thanks without taking her eyes off him. In spite of her insistent stare, she didn’t seem like the aggressive type. On the contrary. She radiated vulnerability, like a lost child in need of protection. The intense glow in her eyes startled him. He could clearly distinguish the little yellow and green specks round the irises.

Gabriel sank into the sofa next to her. “You don’t look Turkish,” he told her, leaning forward to offer her a bagel.

“I’m from the north-eastern coast of Turkey, almost at the border with what used to be the Soviet Union, on the Black Sea. You can find many blond people over there. Many green and hazel eyes…Mmm…This is good. I’ve never eaten this before.”

He looked pleased. “I used to have them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

“How impetuous. Do you love like that, too—all the way?”

His face felt flushed. “Kamilah,” he scolded gently. “You’re embarrassing me.” He lifted his goblet of wine in toast. “To the purity and nobility of the soul.”

“To those special souls out there.”

They clinked glasses and drank. The wine caressed his throat, felt far too pleasant. With all the drinking he’d had at the tavern, he was more than light-headed by now. He felt hypnotized by the luster of her golden-brown hair, by perfectly unblemished skin.

“So…Where’s your telescope?”

“In my bedroom.”

Her eyes abruptly shifted to an ornate silver framed photograph on the side table.

“My sister,” he said.

Her eyes darkened as she gazed at it with deep concentration. “She’s beautiful,” she whispered.

Gabriel reached for the picture and showed it to her. “She’s my only sister.”

“What’s her name?”

“Elena. She lives in Belgium.”

“Belgium…” For a moment there was a dream-like quality to her as she studied his sister’s face. “You must miss her a lot, having her so far away. Do you go and visit her sometimes?”

He nodded. “Of course. As a matter of fact, I’m planning on going there soon. She’s going to have a baby.” He stiffened as the image of the empty pram flashed through his mind.

There was a silence.

Kamilah seemed to be examining his face. Gently she took the picture from him. It was a close-up of Elena’s face. Corn silk blond hair, bob-styled, enclosed a pair of mellow brown eyes, a small nose, and a gentle half smile. Her eyes were smiling more than her lips.

“Does she have other children?”

“No, this will be the first. She had a baby girl three years ago, but she died a couple of hours after delivery.”

“How awful…” Kamilah murmured, as if the fact hurt her deeply. “Why is she living in Belgium?”

“Her husband is working at NATO. They’ll be there for one more year, then they’ll go back to Boston.”

“What about your parents?”

Gabriel took the picture from Kamilah and placed it back on the side table. Tilting back his head, he downed the rest of his wine. “My parents are dead,” he said.

“Oh. I’m sorry. Maybe we should change the conversation.”

“No, it’s okay. I just…I don’t like talking…”

“You don’t like talking about them with a stranger.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said gently. But she was right. Some things were better forgotten or ignored. In this case, he couldn’t forget. He could only try to pretend that his childhood had never taken place; a sort of willful amnesia, a defense mechanism.

He ate the rest of his bagel and poured himself more wine. Kamilah was silently eating her bagel. Without asking, he refilled her goblet. “Well, do you want to see the telescope?” he said, rising to his feet. “Wait here a second.”

Gabriel walked into the dark bedroom to get the Meade telescope—a portable, computer-controlled Schmidt-Cassegrain, one of his little investments. It stood on its tripod by the window, the lens directed toward the heavens. He hesitated. Should he bring it into the living room or simply tell Kamilah to come here?

He felt a strong presence behind him and swung around.

Kamilah stood in the doorframe.

For an eerie second his surroundings seemed to shift. The dark bedroom, the soft light coming from the living room, Kamilah’s dark silhouette at the threshold—all seemed to acquire a surreal quality. Her face was in shadow, a black mask. He was perspiring from the beer, the raki, the wine. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten like this. He didn’t want to deal with any damned telescope. Instead, he wanted to crush Kamilah against his chest and squeeze all oxygen out of her lungs.

He took in all the curves of her shape. The full round breasts, the snug waist, the feminine voluptuousness of her hips, her perfectly shaped legs, her…

He stood, paralyzed with shock.

Panicked, he fumbled for the night lamp next to him and switched it on.

A dim yellow light flooded the room.

He stared down at her feet, but everything looked normal now.

“What’s wrong?” Kamilah asked, alarmed.

He blinked, swallowing hard, his eyes moving down to her feet, up to her face, down to her feet again.

“What is it, Gabriel?”

His heart had given a skip nearly big enough to kill him. Relieved, he burst out laughing. He sat down at the edge of the bed and laughed some more.

“Jesus,” he muttered. “I’m fine. It’s nothing. I just thought I saw—nothing.” The semi darkness, the alcohol in his brain had played a trick on his vision.

Kamilah studied her own feet, her brows furrowed.

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Kamilah. There it is, the famous telescope,” he said, making a dramatic gesture with his hand.

The distress on her face faded and a reassured smile curved her lips.

She went across the room and stood next to it. Then she touched it and, looking at him and smiling, trailed the length of it with her fingers. If she was in any way aware of the suggestiveness of her deed, he couldn’t tell. Her face was the embodiment of virtuousness. But he would never look at a telescope the same way again.

The window was closed and the curtains drawn.

She leaned over and peered into the eyepiece.

“Darkness,” she whispered.

“That’s the universe, Kamilah. Ninety percent darkness, empty voids. With only billions of tiny clusters of galaxies containing billions of tiny stars. Of course, it might help to uncap the lens,” he mocked gently, getting up from the bed and lifting the cover.

She giggled. “Oh. Sorry.”

“And to turn off the lights.” As he leaned over to switch off the night lamp, he shot a sideways glance to her feet. Enclosed in beige sandals, the toenails shiny with pink polish, feminine and pretty.

“Show me Jupiter!” she demanded with childlike enthusiasm.

“You can’t see Jupiter now. It practically rises and sets with the sun. It’s stunning during the winter months, though.”

“Oh…” She seemed disappointed.

“Kamilah?”

Something about his voice must have sounded different, because she suddenly turned to him with a serious expression. Their bodies were very close.

“How did you overhear our conversation amid all that noise? In the tavern, I mean.”

For a moment she was silent. “I have telepathic powers,” she finally said.

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.” She smiled, enchanting him again, displaying her sharp, perfect little teeth. “Show me the rings of Saturn,” she insisted.

In such proximity he could feel her breath, sweet, clean.

“I’m afraid Saturn is also a winter planet. But don’t look so sad. There’s much more to see at this time of the year. Mars is quite impressive. The Andromeda Galaxy, the Northern Cross, Vega, as well as several star clusters.” He cleared his throat, which had abruptly turned parched. “I’ll show you many things, but not from here. The window and balcony are looking to the north. Eastern and southern skies are the best. We’ll go to the roof. There we’ll have the whole scope. It’s quite spectacular.”

“Now?”

He glanced at the digital clock on the night table. “It’s almost two thirty. I guess it is a bit late for exploring the universe?” His voice sounded alien, husky.

She remained motionless, her eyes never leaving his.

“Tomorrow night,” he said. “I promise you. On the roof.”

“The glint in your eye…it’s perverse…for such a pure and noble soul.” She leaned her head on his chest.

“You will corrupt me,” Gabriel whispered next to her ear, while his hands firmly pulled her to him.

She gave a soft gasp, her arms instantly around his neck. “Yes, Gabriel…” she said breathlessly. “But for now you’re still the angel.”

He lost himself in her.

Then, for a split second, what he had seen previously struck him like an explosion: the sight of her legs without feet. Oh, her feet had been there all right, attached to her ankles, but they were facing the opposite way.

Her feet had been backwards.

Dark Lullaby

By Mayra Calvani

Blurb:

At a trendy Turkish tavern one Friday night, astrophysicist Gabriel Diaz meets a mysterious young woman. Captivated by her beauty as well as her views on good and evil, he spends the next several days with her. Soon, however, he begins to notice a strangeness in her–her skin’s abnormally high temperature, her obsession with milk products, her child-like and bizarre behavior as she seems to take pleasure in toying with his conscience.

The young woman, Kamilah, invites him to Rize, Turkey, where she claims her family owns a cottage in the woods. In spite of his heavy workload and the disturbing visions and nightmares about his sister’s baby that is due to be born soon, Gabriel agrees to go with her.

But nothing, not even the stunning splendor of the Black Sea, can disguise the horror of her nature. In a place where death dwells and illusion and reality seem as one, Gabriel must now come to terms with his own demons in order to save his sister’s unborn child, and ultimately, his own soul…

*Dream Realm Awards Finalist!

What readers are saying…

“Mayra Calvani is a masterful storyteller… Dark Lullaby is complex and compelling…” –Habitual Reader

“Dark Lullaby is an atmospheric paranormal horror that grips you from page one and refuses to let go until you’ve raced, breathless, to the end.” –ePinions

“Dark Lullaby is a page-turner. A horror story from the top shelf! You’ll love it.” –5 stars from Euro-Reviews

“This is a terrific horror…” –Harriet Klausner

“Dark Lullaby will capture you with its rich descriptions, its exotic location, and the need to uncover the dark secrets hidden within its pages.” –Cheryl Malandrinos, The Book Connection

Author bio:

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. A reviewer for over a decade, she now offers online reviewing workshops. When she’s not writing, reading, editing or reviewing, she enjoys walking her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Visit her website at www.MayraCalvani.com. Join her mailing list and receive the first two lessons of her book reviewing workshop, as well as her free ebook, Reviewers Talk About Their Craft.

Twitter URL: http://twitter.com/mcalvani

Facebook Fan Page URL: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mayra-Calvanis-Fan-Page/162383023775888

Would you like to win one of Mayra's books?

She's giving away an ebook copy of the story collection, The Cat Cellar.

See it here

http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Cellar-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B005TGKEOW

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