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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Halloween Blog Hop

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JessOctober 17, 2013 at 2:15 PM
I am getting ready to set the rafflecopter up. Sorry for the delay.
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(The Rock n Roll Paraphantasy)

AmBear Shellea

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“It’s strange how fast life changes. Just when you think you have it all figured out, a council man hands you six werewolves to take care of.”

Willow and her pack had barely settled into their new town when the council shows up again. Only this time it’s to ask for their help - to save Gage. How can Willow refuse?

Suddenly, Willow is thrust into a world of childhood nightmares. The Ancient City. But it isn’t at all what she thought it would be. In fact, Willow soon realizes that not many things are what she thought they would be and she has to figure out for herself which things are worth fighting for.

Buy the book at Amazon.

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Title:

Renegade

Author:

Cambria Hebert

Series:

Heven and Hell Series

Genre:

YA / Paranormal

Publisher:

Self Published

Release Date:

May 3 2013

Synopsis:

I’ve been beautiful. I’ve been ugly. I’ve died. I’ve been brought back. I’ve had abilities awakened within me. My strength has been tested. My beliefs have been tested.

Yet I stand.

What’s next when you’ve pretty much experienced it all?

The end.

Sam and I are picking up the pieces. We’re trying to come to terms with all we’ve lost. And as much as I would like to hide my head, ignore the reality I live every day, there is no forgetting.

Riley is in hell—I’m still not sure of his agenda. My mother’s past haunts me. And Kimber… Kimber is being herself. Cole sneaks glances at Gemma and she returns them when she thinks I don’t see.

But I do.

When Beelzebub escapes he brings his war to places I never thought he would. Earth. Maine. Home. Now everyone and everything is at risk. This has become bigger than my circle of friends. This has become bigger than me. I have to finish this. I have to find a way to stop him, to finish this war.

The conclusion to the Heven and Hell series.

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The Heven and Hell series Reading Order

Before (A Heven and Hell Prequel) .5

Masquerade 1

Between (A Heven and Hell Companion) 1.5

Charade 2

Bewitched (A Heven and Hell Companion) 2.5

Tirade 3

Beneath (A Heven and Hell Companion) 3.5

Renegade 4

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Masquerade:

Charade:

Tirade:

Renegade:

Cambria Hebert is the author of the young adult paranormal Heven and Hell series and the Death Escorts series. She loves a caramel latte, hates math and is afraid of chickens (yes, chickens). She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and children (both human and furry) where she is plotting her next book. You can find out more about Cambria and her work by visiting http://www.cambriahebert.com

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Title:

Flash

Author:

Barbara Morenroth

Genre:

Young Adult

BOOK SYNOPSIS:

She’s been pretending to be 18 for so long, it feels like the truth. When the only way for 15 year old photographer, Kip Chanin, to earn a living is as paparazzi, she can’t say no. Kip’s first photo is of Alex Milne, the handsome and volatile young actor. That one photo changes both their lives. Kip finds herself challenged to be a better photographer, a better daughter and to be a better friend. For someone used to getting by on her own, this could be Kip’s biggest lesson. The second biggest--You do what you have to in Hollywood to survive

Book Link:

Amazon

AUTHOR BIO:

Barbara was born in New York City and but now lives somewhere else. Starting her career by writing tweens and YA books, she wound up in television writing soap operas for some years. Barbara then wrote a couple cookbooks and a nonfiction book on knitting. She returned to fiction and wrote romantic comedies. When digital publishing became a possibility, Barbara leaped at the opportunity and has never looked back. In addition to the 15 traditionally published books she wrote, in digital format Barbara has something to appeal to almost every reader from Mature YAs like the Bad Apple series and the Flash series, to contemporary romances like Love in the Air published by Amazon/Montlake, and Unspeakably Desirable, Nothing Serious and Almost Breathing.

Author Barbara Morgenroth

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My Review

A teenage girl, Kip, having to grow up beyond her years. Taking care of her mom and trying to make money the only way she knows how. With her camera. Her mom making the decision to move them. Kips mom wants to pursue becoming an actress. Moms off doing her thing leaving Kip on her own. Kip and her mom needed money, so Kip goes to look for pictures she can take to sell to newspapers and magazines. Sneeking in to a hotel to get a great photo she knows will sell. Getting caught she was escorted to the police station. It was the break she needed, to change her life around. Meeting some great people. Forced to live with them till court. She was offered to stay. She loved how things were going so she said "Yes". She took a photo of a man, Alex, which happens to be a family member she's staying with. Her path of photographer is doing great. Kip to a like to Alex. Alex is an actor, so he travels and stays gone for months. Alex's older brother, Gabe, just out of rehab, ask Kip to take his picture. The photo she captures of him causes some dislikes her way. Kip knows she did what Gabe wanted. To capture his pain and loneliness he felt. Kips mom was happy. She was happy. Alex was very angry. This book was a simple and fun read. I do recommend this book. And I will be reading book 2.

A Deluxe Blog Tour for author L.P. Dover

April 15, 2013- May 15, 2013

photo 8719a8d4-bf86-44ee-a928-83fa443eb873_zps72af0dd1.jpg

Love's Second Chance

By: L.P. Dover

Book Synopsis:

Korinne Anders had it all. She had the perfect job, the perfect house, and the perfect husband. When tragedy strikes, her world takes a devastating turn. Six months after losing her husband to a car accident, Korinne vows it to herself never to love again. If she doesn’t allow another man in her heart, then there’s no reason for her to feel the pain of loss. This plan seems to work, but is put to the test when Korinne’s best friend can’t stand to see her suffering any longer. Korinne’s long-time friend, Jenna Perry, has an idea and it involves helping her friend find the spark of life in her soul no matter what it takes. Korinne didn’t know that Jenna’s plan meant bringing back a past love, a second chance with the man that Korinne had to leave in college, but always kept a place for in her heart. When Galen Matthews learns of Korinne’s loss and that she’s finally moved back home, he wants nothing more than to be there for her. The love he felt for Korinne years ago has never left him, and now he’s given a second chance to not only mend her heart of her loss, but to also continue the love they shared in the past. Will his love and determination make her strong enough to give fate a second chance, or will her fear of losing another love make her run away? What will Korinne do when she’s faced with a love so powerful that no matter what she does there’s nowhere to run from it?

Author Bio:

“I am an avid reader that loves my collection of books. Writing has always been a passion of mine and now I am glad that I get to share my passion with the world. I live in North Carolina and I absolutely love being a southern girl. I spent several years in college starting out with a major in Psychology and then switching to dental. I worked in the dental field for eight years and then decided to stay home with my two beautiful girls. I spent the beginning of my reading years reading suspense thrillers, but now I can't get away from the paranormal/fantasy books. I knew ever since then that if I wrote anything it would be in a paranormal aspect. Now that I have started on my passion and began writing, you will not see me go anywhere without a notebook and pen.”

Author Stalker Links:

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Tour Giveaway:

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Title:

When Silver Moons Rise (The Lost Immortals 2)

Author:

KaSonndra Leigh

ebook release:

January 20, 2013

Paperback Release:

April 21, 2013

Genre:

Young Adult

Blitz Host:

Book Description:

Facing an unstable future, Chela Prizeon leaves Castle Hayne and crosses over to enemy territory in pursuit of Faris--the boy of royal blood who is cursed by a bitter rival. But soon Chela learns that he has been taken deep into the treacherous frozen prisons--a majestic, but deadly place where people enter and are never seen again. To find the boy she loves, Chela must join forces with one of her greatest enemies. And even though she pulls strength from the good in her powers, she finds herself drawn to the dark side's temptation as well.

Narrated from both Chela's and Faris's point of view, this enchanting sequel to When Copper Suns Fall will take them on a voyage into unknown lands, where the dark, twisted, and revengeful wait to make this their most dangerous journey ever.

Please Note:

This book contains mature content including profanity, drug/alcohol use, and sexual situations/language.

Author Bio:

I live in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. I write about people doing fantastical things in magical worlds. Sometimes they fall for each other and make sacrifices for their friends. Oh, and sometimes they love music and nature too. I live with my two sons,a guinea pig, a cat, and two dogs. Now that I have completed my MFA in creative writing, I find that I have a little extra time to play CLUE more often. I live in an L-shaped house dedicated to my grandmother. It has a secret library complete with fairies, venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass.

The Lost Immortals: When Copper Suns Fall is my debut novel.

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Buy Links for The Lost Immortals:

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Title:

Ashes & Ice

Author:

Rochelle Maya Callen

Release Day:

February 4th, 2013

Genre:

Young Adult

Blitz Host:

Synopsis:

She is desperate to remember. He is aching to forget. Together, they are not broken. But together, one may not survive. Jade wakes up with no memory of her past and blood on her hands. Plagued by wicked thoughts, she searches for answers. Instead, she finds a boy who doesn't offer her answers, but hope. But sometimes, when nightmares turn into reality and death follows you everywhere, hope is not enough. LUST. LOVE. LOSS. Sometimes, all that is left are Ashes and Ice

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Author Bio:

Rochelle grew up dreaming up stories. When she entered high school, she tucked away her creative side and jumped head-first into academics, work, and service projects. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Political Science and Communication when she was twenty years old. After years away from her writing, Rochelle picked up a pen and started fleshing out a character sketch that she outlined when she was twelve. That sketch was the start of the Ashes and Ice story. Rochelle lives in the DC metro area with her husband and daughter. By day she works as a behavioral therapist. By night, she is a dreamer and is busy tapping out new stories on her keyboard.

Twitter:

rockyiswriting

Links:

Web / Blog
Goodreads
Facebook
Amazon

Buy Links:

Amazon
B&N

Excerpt # 1

Jade

The girl’s glassy, dead eyes stare into me, through me, pierce me with a fierce urgency, with a wicked accusation. The blood is still on my hands. Red hair, blue eyes, a constellation of freckles on pale skin. She was fragile and innocent, a lovely thing. That is what I think until I see the gashes on her wrists and throat. With her blood spilling out, she looks delicious. She’s mine. Possessiveness shocks me, stabs into me. I run, tearing away from a craving I don't understand. Breathless, I grit my teeth and run harder, faster. My feet pound against the earth, away from the lifeless body and toward the lights of the city lingering on the horizon. Rot and death linger in my nostrils. Unscarred skin stretches taut over my freezing bones. Echoes of an empty memory reverberate in my mind, taunting me. The ice chases me, clutches me, and bites at my heels, sending shivers up my spine. The ice wants me back, but I run forward, toward the lights, toward the heat, toward a world that burns me, because I have no other choice. The lights are so close. Heat scalds my skin. Images race through my mind, paralyzing me. I skid to a stop, my boots digging into the mud. The vision’s blurred edges materialize into solid shapes. I gasp. A new horror rakes my insides. Desperation propels me forward; the pictures nagging at my seams threaten to tear me apart. Scorching fire licks over my skin. In my vision, I contort like a vile, ugly creature, eyes as black as decay. My frame hunches over the small, dead girl, like a demon looming over a defenseless child. Her blood drips from my mouth. I lick my lips and taste only salty sweat. I run, desperate to trample the vision under my feet, to crush it deep into the ground. I refuse to believe the image, refuse to acknowledge the monster within me demanding to be unleashed—and the possibility it has already been unbound. An unrelenting tide of fear washes over me. Past the denial, the fear, and the hope, I think I can still taste her. The cold stillness inside me cracks open just as the lights of the city slam into me.

Excerpt # 2

Connor

Tears burn. I never realized it before, but they do. Tears reach down my throat and settle in my gut until the pain cripples me. I clutch my stomach as I look into the casket. His face doesn’t even look the same. Bloated like a Mardi Gras float, discolored like a mannequin. This isn’t my father. But it is. If I have learned anything in my short life, it is this: funerals are bullshit. People dress in carefully pressed black suits. Parents give me “meaningful” nods as if that could ease the grief. It doesn’t. Then there are the kids from school, the ones dragged along by their parents. People drag their kids along as if filling the church was a necessary thing. As if the more pews filled somehow expedite the dead’s trip to heaven. I doubt it does. Maybe some of the girls went shopping to buy just the right outfit so their cleavage to respectability ratio was just right, or their ass to waist ratio was cinched properly. People sit in the pews dressed in their finest let’s-go-pay-our-respects-to-the-dead-guy-we-never-knew wear, smacking the gum in their mouths, cupping cellphones so they can LOL any comment buzzing in, and drumming their fingers because the pastor is going on too long. All they want to do is go home, sneak in a make-out session with their girlfriends, eat their dinners, and maybe catch a 7 o’clock movie. I hate these kids. The ones who stare at me, roll their eyes, and yawn. The ones who trip me at school and slam me into lockers. The ones who sit in a pew, contributing to the headcount, while I sit up here in front, holding back the tears fighting to make their appearance. I swallow them down. I won’t cry. Not here. Not with these people. Dad’s funeral should be an empty church with mom, his three brothers, and me. It should be the five of us having a messy, sloppy, sobbing affair where we cling to each other because we are all we have left. The marble floors should be slick with our tears. It isn’t. We sit here, straight backed, completely composed as if death is just a passing expiration date and our small, insignificant world has not been split open and left gaping. *** I’m in my room, staring at the ceiling. The funeral service was hours ago. The house feels empty and cold. I hear a stifled whimper from down the hall. Mom. Probably crying into a pillow so the house can’t hear, but it can. It seems unfair she can’t wail aloud, so loud the house’s hundred-year-old studs tremble. She doesn’t. I don’t either. We cry in our own rooms, remembering a man who will never be here again. The house creaks. Maybe it feels the weight of our grief, maybe the floorboards are buckling because the burden is too heavy. I ache, desperate to forget the long battle with cancer, the blood sputtering out of his mouth with his last words—what where they? I can’t remember because the fear in his eyes overshadowed anything he said. Now the loss. I don’t want to feel this loss. Some divine entity has taken dull scissors and cut out a piece of my life and now I have jagged scars to remind me I lost too much. Too much. I want to forget, because it hurts to remember. I bury my head in the pillow, hoping to suffocate the memories, to choke out the pain.

Excerpt # 3

“Have you ever been in love?” I spill my popcorn on my lap. “I, uh, what?” I say, swiping off the kernels. The question catches me off guard. “You know, in love.” “No. No, I haven’t.” I shift on the couch, needing more space between us. “What about you?” “Nah.” She flicks her hand toward me as if she is brushing away nonsense, but the hard look in her eyes says something different. “Why?” She points to the TV screen and the couple making out there. “Figured if you had been, then you could explain that to me.” The guy sweeps the girl up and carries her into bed before they… you know. “Uh, sex?” She bursts out laughing. “That too. But I was talking about what it feels like to be, you know, in love. Totally, without question. Like, does that,” she points to the screen again, “exist?” “Yeah, I think it exists.” I think of mom and dad—the way they kissed every morning, hugged a few moments longer than anyone else, laughed so hard they cried, and cuddled, shutting out the world, looking more content than these fakers on the screen. “It exists. And in real life, it’s better than that crap.” I say, suddenly uncomfortable by the moaning coming from the TV. “I thought you said you’ve never been in love?” “I haven’t. But I’ve seen it. And I haven’t ever seen anything come close to that in the movies.” She opens her mouth as if about to ask a question, but then closes it and smiles, accepting my answer. “Well, it’s good that there may be something in life to look forward to.” She drops a kernel of popcorn in her mouth. “May be?” “Well nothing is guaranteed. Who knows, I may die an old spinster.” She’s smiling, but her eyes aren’t. I think about the movie store guy’s possessive eyes, Jesse’s chair fiasco, and Dominic’s leering, my heart. “I doubt that.”

Excerpt # 4

He smiles a bit wider and hands out the pin. As, I reach to pluck it from his palm, he snatches my wrist with one hand, my bicep with the other and crushes me against his chest. His grip is tight—too tight, it hurts—and the bend of him hovers over me, leaning in. I try to shake him off, but he doesn’t let go. I squirm as I feel his thumb trace circles on the inside of my wrist. The touch sends a skitter of sensation over me. Something tinges the air; a sweet, cool feeling brushes over my skin, making my knees want to buckle. He smells like mint, his breath tickles my face. I pull back, hating the sensations that please my skin and curdle my insides. Bile surges in my throat. I tear myself away from him, glaring. “What?” He says coolly as if he hadn’t just bruised my arms with his clutching fingertips. “That. Hurt.” I say. I don’t say he smells sweet or his breath is refreshing on my skin or his touch sends chills up my spine, delicious chills. I step away. His smile is unnerving. “Don’t worry, Jade.” He winks at me. Damn that wink of his. “One day, you’ll like it.”

The Bloody Sinful Original Legacy Tour

Dates: April 15 - April 30

Author Information:

J. L. McCoy resides in the beautifully weird city of Austin, Texas with her opinionated Pekiweenie Isabel and handsome husband Kenny. She has always been a passionate reader and enjoys watching movies, traveling, listening to heavy metal/classic rock/80s music, getting mani/pedis with her girls, and singing karaoke. She loves body art and is hopelessly addicted to Sonic’s ice and Route 44 un-sweet raspberry iced tea.

If you’d like more information about her or her upcoming books, please visit her at the following links:

Author Links:

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( I sell signed copies of my books in my store! )

THE BOOKS:

Blood of the Son, Sins of the Father, The Original Sin, and Legacy of Blood ++++ Skye Morrison Vampire Series ++++ Book # 1 - 4

Author J.L. McCoy

GENRE: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance

Amazon Kindle links:

Blood of the Son USA
Sins of the Father USA
The Original Sin USA
Legacy of Blood USA

Barnes and Noble Nook links:

Sins of the Father
Blood of the Son

Smashwords link:

Sins of the Father
Blood of the Son

BOOK ONE: Blood of the Son

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Synopsis:

: After a shocking admission by Archer Rhys, Skye Morrison and the rest of The Mausoleum's vampire crew have to deal with the aftermath of Houston business owner and fellow vampire Greyson Mead's murder. A gruesome discovery in Skye's driveway forces her out of her house and temporarily into Archer's lakeside mansion with her co-workers Trey, Hunter, Quinn, Seamus, Lochlan, Jameson, and of course the ever jealous Aoife. Skye must now live under the same roof with the two men she wants most and things are bound to get complicated. With a psychotic murderer on the loose hell bent on killing vampires and the appointed army of The Faithful having no luck in finding them, will Skye's new boss and co-workers live to see next week? Will Skye make it out of Archer's mansion alive? *Be advised: This book contains adult situations, steamy sex scenes, and cursing.*

Excerpt:

“With all those late hours, doesn’t Mrs. Rhys miss you?” I asked. He raised an eyebrow. “No,” he said with a slight smirk. “There is no Mrs. Rhys.” “Oh, sorry” I replied, a little embarrassed. “I just figured a guy like you would have been snatched up long ago by some gorgeous girl.” He smiled and chuckled a little. “You’d think so, huh? I haven’t had much luck in that department...at least long term.” “Sorry if I seemed nosy,” I said, looking down at my clasped hands. I felt like I had pried. “Not at all, Skye. These are things you’ll need to know if you work for me,” he said soothingly. “Let me ask you a few general questions. Would that be alright?” “Yes, please. Fire away,” I said, eager to change the subject. “What do you like to do for fun?” he asked. I looked up at him and wondered if I should give him the safe answer or the true answer. I decided to throw caution to the wind and let him see the real me. “Well, um, I enjoy painting. Abstract mostly...on big canvases. There’s almost nothing better than channeling your love, fear, pain, bad day, good day down into something and seeing the beauty of those emotions emerge. It helps me realize that no matter how bad my day was, or how hurt I felt...there’s always beauty in everything; that every emotion I feel is important and helps make me who I am. I love it. It’s freedom incarnate.” I smiled and remembered the last painting I did. It was after Jesse and I broke up. I put all the anger, tears, frustration, and ugliness down on the canvas. It turned into one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve ever done. “I love to read,” I said, clearing my throat and continuing. “I’ve always preferred that over watching television. There’s not much imagination to television in my opinion. Also, dancing has always been in my blood. I love dancing whether it’s out at a dance hall or around my house. If hear music, my body just kind of responds to it. I like to catch Karaoke Night at the Blue Lagoon Lounge whenever I can. Their Cult Movie Show Tunes night is to die for. Don’t laugh. I know it’s cheesy, but I love it. And, I have to say, one of my absolute favorite things to do is go to my weekly Krav Maga class that I take with my best friend, Nikki,” I said, hoping that that wasn’t too long winded of an answer. “Impressive, Miss Morrison,” he said with a cock of his head and appraising eyes. “I like a strong woman.” I blushed and looked down at my hands. Small butterflies fluttered around in my stomach and I adjusted my body uncomfortably in the seat. I was embarrassed but a little excited at the look in his eye as he watched me talking. What is that...the way he’s looking at me? He likes a strong woman...what does that mean? Is he coming on to me? I laughed inwardly at the absurdity of my thoughts. Yeah right, Skye. He’s WAY out of your league, girlfriend. But, nice try. I looked up, into his eyes, and gave him a small smile and a shrug. “Me too. I grew up on Red Sonja comics. I wanted to be just like her when I was a kid.” His eyes sparkled with his laughter and the butterflies in my stomach picked up again. Dammit, stop that! I silently told myself. Out of your league! And, he just might be your boss someday. Chill, hormones... “What kinds of books do you like to read?” he asked. I was surprised by the question. I guess when he said general, he really meant general. “I mainly read paranormal fiction, though I do enjoy the occasional historical drama or biography.” “I’ve read up on preternatural things myself,” he said with a knowing smile. “What are your favorite subjects?” “Well, I suppose it would be vampires, werewolves, fae, and similar mythological creatures,” I said, hoping that’s what he meant. He laughed and nodded his head. “I’m glad you enjoy those. I do, too,” he said. I started wondering how these questions pertained to the job I was interviewing for. But, I shouldn’t complain, I guess. These questions were very easy to answer and it seemed like he was genuinely interested in hearing my answers. “Do you have any first-aid knowledge?” he inquired next. “Hm...well, yes. I took a first-aid course in summer camp when I was 15. I still remember the basics,” I said, a little confused as to where this was going. “Good,” he said, and then looked thoughtful. “Would you know how to...let’s say for example...dress wounds and control bleeding?” What the hell kind of interview question was that?! I thought to myself. I’d expect that if I was applying at a hospital or something, but... “Yes,” I said slowly, confused as to why I would ever need to know something like that working in a nightclub. “Excellent,” he said smiling. “You never know when something like that will come in handy.”

BOOK TWO: Sins of the Father

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Synopsis:

After a shocking admission by Archer Rhys, Skye Morrison and the rest of The Mausoleum's vampire crew have to deal with the aftermath of Houston business owner and fellow vampire Greyson Mead's murder. A gruesome discovery in Skye's driveway forces her out of her North Central Austin, Texas townhome and temporarily into Archer's lakeside mansion with her co-workers Trey, Hunter, Quinn, Seamus, Lochlan, Jameson, and of course the ever jealous Aoife. Skye must now live under the same roof with the two men she wants most and things are bound to get complicated. With a psychotic murder on the loose hell bent on killing vampires and the appointed army of The Faithful having no luck in finding them, will Skye's new boss and co-workers live to see next week? Will Skye make it out of Archer's mansion alive?

Excerpt:

“Did you need something?” I asked. Archer leaned forward in his chair and took off his expensive charcoal gray sports coat. “I wanted to see how you were handling all of this,”he said, throwing the coat onto the couch and moving to take off his cufflinks. I watched him struggle for a second before I intervened. “Here, let me help you.” I said as I got up from the chair and walked around his desk. He smiled tiredly, sighed, and thanked me. I hopped up onto the desk, sat in the same place Aoife had only moments ago occupied and pulled his hand onto my lap. I slowly took off his left cufflink and sat it down on the dark desk beside me. I looked into his ice blue eyes as I rolled the shirtsleeve up his muscular forearm. “Honestly, Archer, I don’t know how I am handling this.” He stared intensely into my eyes and searched them for clues. “Are you scared?” I nodded my head and gave him his arm back. I picked up his right one and began the same process again. “You know I’ll never let anything happen to you, don’t you?” I watched my hands work as I thought about that for a few seconds. “I know,” I said finally, looking back up into his beautiful eyes. Neither of us said anything for a long moment. “I’m worried about you...about all of you,” I admitted reluctantly, my fingers finishing their work. Archer took one of my hands in his and leaned closer. “We’re going to be just fine,” he said, tucking a stray hair behind my left ear and then lifting my chin. “We’re a lot stronger than we look, Skye.” I had a sudden flash of Greyson’s mutilated body and I swallowed hard, shaking my head. My eyes glistened with unshed tears. “But Greyson...,” Archer shushed me with a gentle finger to my full lips. “Don’t,” he whispered, looking deeply into my eyes. “Don’t think about that.” He cupped my cheek and tenderly ran his thumb over my mouth, tracing my bottom lip. “I’m sorry for how I acted earlier tonight,” he apologized gently, his eyes remorseful. “I know,” I whispered. I tilted my head into his cool hand and closed my eyes. His touch was so comforting, his strong arms safe. I felt my body slowly start to relax for the first time tonight. “I want you to stay with me tonight, Skye.” My eyes flew open in alarm and I sat up straight. “Us,” Archer amended quickly. “I meant I want you to stay with us...at my house.”

BOOK THREE: The Original Sin

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Synopsis:

"Skye Morrison's life lately has been anything but ordinary. Attempting to pull together the pieces of her life that have been ripped to shreds after being kidnapped and tortured by Amun- who happens to be the father of all vampires-her dreams are haunted by memories of those recent fateful and horrific events. Skye struggles with her split feelings and the raw sexual tension with her lover, Jameson Doyle and boss Archer Rhys-the continuous object of her sexual fantasies. Residing at Archer's lakeside mansion with the rest of the vampire clan, Skye attempts to maintain a normal routine. With the vampire army, The Faithful, attempting unsuccessfully to capture Amun, her nightmares take her down a twisted spiral of entrapment and terror, taking its toll on her daily life. Haunted and hunted by the psychotic and mind-twisting Amun, Skye goes through dark and violent changes, revealing a side of herself she didn't know existed and ultimately leading to a shocking conclusion. With a climax that will leave you breathless and wanting more, don't miss the third chapter in the life of Skye Morrison.

Excerpt:

“Stop,” I whispered as the tears finally began to spill down my face. “I can’t bear to hear anymore.” My heart constricted with the pain his words brought. “How can you do this to me? How can you when you know I’m with Jameson.” I roughly wiped the tears from my cheeks, stood up, and stormed over to him. “What am I supposed to do with this, Archer? Huh? Leave your brother and jump into your bed? What about him? What about his feelings? How can you do this to me? Why couldn’t you have just left it alone? Why did you have to tell me?” “You deserve to know how I feel,” he growled. “You were mine before you were his.” “No,” I shook my head sadly. “I wasn’t.” “Why couldn’t you have just talked to me, Skye?” Archer asked, his voice full of pain. “Why didn’t you give me an opportunity to explain the kiss you saw between Aoife and me before you ran into my brother’s arms?” “I thought I knew what I saw,” I whispered, losing my fight. “You knew nothing,” he whispered, matching my tone, as he closed the gap between us and pulled me into his arms. He bent down and nuzzled my hair, taking a deep breath in. I wrapped my arms around him and clung to him tightly. I buried my face in his chest and succumbed to my waterworks. “I knew nothing,” I finally admitted tearfully. He held me for a long time, neither of us saying anything. I think we were both just content to be in each other’s arms. We had been denying ourselves for the longest time. Holding him felt like coming home; like a cool drink of water after a long week in the desert. “I’m so sorry, Archer,” I sniffed. “I’m sorry I hurt you.” “I’m sorry, too,” he mumbled into my hair as he placed light kisses about the top of my head. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. The girl I love is sleeping with my brother.”

BOOK FOUR: Legacy of Blood

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Synopsis:

"Skye Morrison begged for death. Fortunately, someone didn't listen. Skye awakens to discover she has been irrevocably changed and the unprecedented circumstances of her rebirth have now created a new threat to her very existence. Sired by both the monster Amun and the vampire Archer Rhys, Skye must prove to the army of An Dilis (The Faithful) whose essence is most dominant within her and that she is not a danger to them or society. The Faithful soon discover that she is unlike any vampire ever created before as she struggles to adjust to her new life and the changes that come with it. Her recent brush with death has made Skye realize that life is precious and she wastes no time telling the one she loves how she feels about him. But, Amun finds out that someone interfered with Skye's transformation and the intrusion makes him livid. He gives Skye 7 days to come to him or he threatens to begin killing the ones she loves most. Will Skye be able to survive long enough to enjoy her new life now that Amun is hunting her and everyone she loves?

Excerpt:

As soon as my head hit my pillow, and I fully relaxed, my eyes began to grow heavy. All of the excitement I had been through today had taken its toll on me mentally. I desperately needed to sleep and recharge. Before I knew it, I was out cold. Images flashed behind my eyes, interrupting hours of deep, sound sleep as I softly heard someone whispering my name. Something was pulling at my psyche, demanding entrance, and I finally gave in to the request. Amun was standing by large body of water with his back to me. As soon as I took a step toward him, he whirled around looking surprised but relieved. “What took you so long?” he demanded, his black eyes taking on anger. “I’ve been reaching out to you all day. I could feel you but I didn’t have access to you…I couldn’t access your mind. Something is interfering. HOW are you keeping me out?” “Ha!” I laughed and sneered at the small victory. “You mean to tell me you can’t just come into my dreams whenever you want to?” He flashed to me and grabbed me by my throat. “You drank their blood?!” he raged in my face as he glared back and forth between my now colorless eyes. “But you are mine!” “I am no one’s!” I yelled back as I ripped his hand from my neck and pushed him away from me; the action utterly shocking Amun. “No one owns me! No one will EVER own me!” “A piece of my very soul is inside of you,” he growled, quickly recovering. “You are mine and you will do as I say. You will come to me this night! I DEMAND IT!” I put my hands on my hips and smirked at him. “Demand away, Amun. I don’t know what you’re expecting, but I’m not going to just come crawling to whatever hole you’re off hiding in. You have no control over me. Get used to it!” “Oh, I have plenty of control over you,” he sneered evilly as he took another step toward me. “All those disgusting feelings of love and desire you felt for that Day Walker…Archer? I put them there. I made you dream of him, want him, make love to him… I made you want to stay with him when you were so set on leaving. I couldn’t very well allow you to leave and ruin all my plans! But in the end, you betrayed me, Damu. There will be a heavy price to pay for that. You were supposed to stay, complete your change and then kill him and all his children. Instead you drink his blood and pollute yourself?! You could have been something great, something

Title:

Into the Light

Author:

HK Savage (Book 2, The Admiral's Elite)

Genre:

Adult

Publisher:

Staccato Publishing

Blitz Host:

Synopsis:

A vicious serial killer is on the loose in Wisconsin and it's up to the Admiral's Elite to stop him. Admiral Black's second in command, Captain Michael Rossi, has been tasked with finding out who or what the killer is and put an end to his reign of bloodshed while avoiding some pitfalls of his own. Like hiding the fact that he's falling in love with Becca from the admiral who would be sure to use it against them. Ghosts from Gabrielle's past threaten her place with her unit and Ryan's bed. Local police are puzzled and the town is terrified. The Admiral's Elite must find a killer, stop him without anyone finding out their true identities, and not be torn apart in the process.

Author Bio:

HK Savage has been a voracious reader of anything she could get her hands on going back to the second grade when she would set her alarm two hours early to read before school. Her passion for the written word has continued and flowed into writing going back nearly as far. Her books have fans in twenty countries on six continents with hopes of attracting attention on Antarctica if for no other reason than to check a box. Currently, HK is a mother, wife and black belt in Karate as well as an avid dressage rider. Her three dogs: a Doberman she uses for therapy dog work and two ancient Doxies keep her busy when she is not writing or working or whatever else. In addition to editing for the past ten years in advertising, HK has been an editor for several newsletters over the years; her favorite being for Heifer International where her ideas were put into effect and complimented by those on high. Currently her skills are being focused on clients in the writing world. Paranormal is her favorite genre and science fiction because both address the possibilities we have not yet realized and the darker things we have. Her favorite premise: “what if?”

Links:

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Buy Links:

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Barnes&Noble:

Excerpts:

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#1

“Tell me, Captain, did you get what you needed?” “I thought we were past that whole ‘captain’ thing.” He captured a drop of sweat on the back of her shoulder and brought it to his mouth. A slow lick and it was gone. “Fine then, Michael.” She shuddered, feeling a stir in her stomach and lower despite her exhaustion from their activities. Her voice was lower, husky. “Answer my question. Did you get what you came for?” He chuckled. The vibration where their bodies touched sent another shiver down her spine. “I wouldn’t say I didn’t enjoy all that.” His hand, back to tracing her curves, glided over the tiny silver scars that crisscrossed her body. Most humans would never see them they were so light. Michael’s wandering hand dipped below the sheet he’d pulled over her cooling body. “But that’s not actually why I came to see you.”

# 2

Becca’s eyes searched the dimly lit space to find Black easing out of his office, a nearly invisible opening in the wall on the far side of the room, and gliding forward to stand at the head of the long rectangular black table in the center of the room. An overhead set of lights washed his alabaster skin clean of details until she got close. A thick bunch of tan folders were set neatly on top of the black surface. “Admiral Black, Sir.” Becca refrained from saluting when she reached the far end of the table; she learned in the beginning they didn’t do that here. Obsidian eyes showing no whites, only an expanse of flat black set into white skin and topped with equally under-pigmented short hair, regarded her without expression. By some trick of the light, the immortal, soulless creature appeared strained. Could it be? She shook off the thought as impossible. “Please, take your seat, Rebecca.” His towering six-foot-four frame stationed at the head of the table was even more daunting when she sidled up the table to take her usual seat on his right. She tried not to be obvious as she scanned the room for Michael. “I have asked Michael to give us a few minutes alone, if you don’t mind. We have not had the opportunity to speak without his company for some time.” Tapping a long white finger on his pointed chin, he appeared to think for a minute. “Not since you returned from the hospital, I believe.” Those flat black eyes turned toward her and his thin lips tightened into what might have been a smile. On him it was more of a grimace. Then, gracefully, he folded and took his seat. That simple act had her heart racing. Becca had never seen the man sit before, much less smile. It freaked her out even more than his hovering aloofness. Keeping herself from making direct eye contact for long enough for him to manipulate her mind, she glanced to his nose and back every few seconds. “Calm yourself, Rebecca. I assure you, you have nothing to fear from me.” The corner of his mouth twitched again. Another smile. “We have not had an opportunity to discuss how you are finding things here with us. You have had ample time to settle in and see how things are done here, I trust.” If the admiral wasn’t the admiral, Becca might have been tempted to laugh. It wasn’t like she’d had a choice in her place here. Once Black decided he wanted someone that was it. It didn’t matter whether she liked it there or not. One thing was for sure, if she had to be around the chilling admiral as often as she had her previous commanding officers, she would have had a breakdown or at least developed a nervous tic or ten by now. Fortunately, she had Michael acting as a buffer between them. While that would have bothered her in her old unit in the Navy, it didn’t so much now. The less time she spent with Black the better, and Michael was her immediate supervisor. That was another can of worms entirely and not one she could open while she was with Black. One stress case was enough, thank you. “Things are fine, Sir. Everyone is teaching me about the sorts of creatures I’m encountering and we train every day we aren’t on a mission.” Black blinked. With his coloring and lack of visible corneas it lent him an uncanny resemblance to a snake. “Yes, Michael has kept me apprised of your progress. He reports that you are a quick learner. What has it been, five missions in two months? All presenting different obstacles, none quite so challenging as the one that nearly cost us your gift.” His white fuzz covered head wagged, more disturbed by his unit’s possible loss than the pain of the human who wielded said gift. Trust Black to leech any hint of sentimentality out of something. “However, I did not ask what you were doing. I asked how you are doing.” “Uh…” Becca’s heart and mind went into overdrive. Immediately, she tried to calm herself. The fact that her eyesight wasn’t dancing lent her a tiny modicum of solace. If she were in danger from the admiral, her preternatural sight would have let her know. Only recently she’d discovered she could somewhat control how debilitating the effects were and since mastering that control, she hadn’t lost her vision for more than a few seconds at a time. That didn’t stop her stomach from clenching nervously now. She feared she knew where this was leading. They hadn’t spoken about the new twist on her ability since she’d jumped into Michael right in front of the their scary boss. If her damned vision hadn’t been so blurred at the time with her lover and old partner about ready to face off, she would never have done it. Now she realized what a mistake it had been. “It’s good, Sir. Everyone is very helpful and I find the work challenging as well as rewarding.” The black eyes narrowed slightly. “Thank you for the sanitized version, Rebecca. However, I know that you are an intelligent woman. You know very well what I am asking you. Have you learned more about this jumping ability of yours?”

# 3

Becca held her finger under her nose and stifled the urge to retch. The stench of opened stomach and bowel was overpowering and her eyes watered. “Breathe through your sleeve,” Michael, one of the few who could understand what her powerful nose was picking up, whispered as he stepped away from her to explore the scene. If this was hard for her, it had to be terrible for the other members of her unit. Their sense of smell was even stronger than hers. Brown canvas-jacketed sheriffs and blue parka-clad local police were working to process the scene. Darkening skies, heavy with snow-filled clouds, urged them to be quick. One young officer leaned against a tree trunk on the perimeter heaving out his breakfast, a camera hung by its strap from the hand not propping him up. Unashamed to have anyone else think she was near vomiting herself, Becca pulled her hand inside her wool sleeve and held the end to her nose and mouth, trunk-like. Several gulps of warm air allowed her head to clear. Blinking away the reactionary dampness that had formed in her eyes when she was gagging, Becca pretended to be searching the ground for tracks and other clues while she watched the scene out of the corner of her eye. Her skin itched from the tension coming off the blue and brown coats littering the scene. Ryan took long strides past her, heading straight for the bodies. Circling first the human, then the dog, he came in close. Odd considering the attention everyone was paying to the human. Sensing her gaze, he looked up and winked. That was the moment Gabrielle happened to stop beside her. “They’re all stomping around the human, the dog is relatively untainted.” She informed her flatly. “Better scents there.” Although she knew what the woman meant, Becca would have strongly disagreed with the quality of the sniffs surrounding the dog’s various parts. “Is everything okay Gabrielle?” Becca kept her eyes forward, watching Salvo talking to a few of his brethren gathered across the bodies from them. Sensing her eyes on him, Salvo turned and his expression softened. Several glanced up and followed his gaze to land on Becca. One elbowed Salvo in the ribs and he grunted something below her audible range. Redirecting, she went back to watching Ryan. Salvo shifted to see what had caught her eye. Following once again, the rest of their eyes turned to take in Ryan hunkered over the dog. Becca watched a sheriff pale and turned, catching Ryan putting a finger in dark snow and pulling it out to smell it. She fought a smile, knowing if they hadn’t been watching, he might have licked it. The sheriff put a hand over his mouth and his eyes went wide. Becca didn’t have to look back to know that he had just put that finger in his mouth. “We’ve put in a lot of miles since we got here.” Gabrielle sighed. “It’s tiring running all over the countryside following a smell that’s everywhere.” She nodded her head back toward where Ryan was standing and sniffing at the branches. “He’s distracted, because of me.” Becca was seriously trying hard not to laugh at the one sheriff who was supposed to be lamenting the new guys with Salvo and company while he was completely distracted by Ryan’s unconventional scene exploration. She couldn’t help sniggering imagining what the young man would do if he saw Ryan do the half-wolf thing where only his head changed. He’d probably shit. Hearing Gabrielle’s measured air intake beside her, Becca worried she’d mistaken the laughter as being directed at her. “Oh Gabrielle, I’m sorry. I was just…” “Forget it,” she said absently. Catching the odd tone in her voice, Becca’s head whipped around to check on the woman beside her. Only Becca could see that she’d already lost her, her eyes were focused on something in the distance, something out past where the trees started. Quick, so she didn’t miss it, Becca turned and followed her gaze. There was nothing. “I’ll catch you later.” Gabrielle started walking, her eyes never wavering from some fixed point only she could see. Becca was used to the woman being distant. This was checked out. “Um, okay.” She watched her go, making note of the direction before taking off to find Michael. He was crouched beside the chest cavity of the human’s body. The forensics team was packing up and the other cops were comparing notes off to the side so he was alone. Becca hurried over and leaned in, speaking quietly in his ear. Startled, his eyes shot up, searching a moment before landing on the woman in question currently maneuvering her way past the cars and heading into the trees. “I’m worried about her and I think Ryan could use a break from the stress.” She glanced down and pointedly ignored the worried look he gave her, nodding instead toward the group of uniforms hovering uncomfortably a short distance away. “I’m going to follow, but I don’t want them out there just in case I run across anything. Distract them for a minute?” Watching her, knowing he couldn’t make a scene without drawing unwanted attention, Michael gave her a deliberate nod. “Careful. This thing is close, can you smell it?” Lowering her sleeve, she took a deep sniff of the human. Too deep. The iron and bile scents of blood and guts filled her nose. There was a hint of something else she caught on the back of her tongue and, cautiously, she took several smaller sniffs. Underneath the overpowering immediate whiffs lay the faint sweet smell of decay. “I smell it. Is that the thing?” She didn’t use its name even though no one was near enough to have heard. He gave a tiny head tip in Gabrielle’s direction. “You smell that out there, get the hell out. No questions. Don’t try to handle this thing on your own.” The severity of his expression allowed for no arguments. “Do you have your gun?” “Loaded with the good stuff.” She patted the holster under her arm where she carried her 9mm loaded with pure silver, guaranteed to kill any supernatural creature they might encounter. “Buy me some time?” “Alright. I’ll follow as soon as I can run these guys out.” He straightened up and marched over to Salvo’s group, putting on his darkest glare. Becca was glad it wasn’t aimed at her and felt a twinge of guilt for sending him over, tempering it with the knowledge of what might happen if one followed her into a windigo’s den or worse. “Who the hell’s in charge of this scene?” he shouted. “This damned place is a zoo. There are footprints and puke everywhere. Is there any evidence that hasn’t been contaminated?” Smiling at his ability to play the role of massive jackass all too well, Becca walked past staring straight ahead. When she’d met Michael she thought he was hot, but an ass. She was more than happy to have discovered how wrong she was. Handy the local officers didn’t know that. She moved like she was going to the car and, after checking that no one was watching her, zipped back up to the trees and cut in where she’d lost sight of Gabrielle.

# 4

The smell of decay hit him full in the nose and Michael skidded to a halt, putting a hand out unnecessarily to signal Ryan to do the same. He’d caught the same scent. Both fell into a crouch and Michael squinted into the white mess, scanning for signs of movement. “Holy fuck,” Ryan breathed from beside him. “Found it.” Michael followed the track of his unit member’s gaze to behold the skeleton hovering on the rock, a living creature straight out of a nightmare. The wind had picked up with the storm and whipped the dark tattered clothing about the bony gray creature’s filthy head. He registered that the lump in front of it was alive and not a part of the rock. She was curled into a ball and a howling sob rolled out just as the creature lowered itself to touch her. Ryan’s snarl cut through the wind and the creature’s face came up. It was cut short as he beheld the thing exactly as horrible as Michael had described it. The gray flesh hung loosely over hollow cheeks and empty black eyes. Sagging lips did nothing to hide the fangs that were as long as a man’s ring finger and nearly reached the bottom of its chin. Seeing the stronger being that was Gabrielle incapacitated had Michael in a frenzy. Casting his eyes wildly about, he searched the area for Becca. There was no sign on the rocks or in the woods. And to further inflame his frustration, the wind gusted again, filling his nose with aged death and taking with it any chance of finding Becca that way. A second growl erupted from his shoulder mate and Michael quit any semblance of secrecy. “Becca!” he yelled. No answer. Narrowing his eyes, he rose and rushed forward. There was no making this thing speak; it was unable due to the level of physical deterioration. Death was its only future. Michael and Ryan matched strides to be the deliverers of its sentence. Two legs turned to four as Ryan changed on the fly, clothing bursting into pieces to litter the forest floor. Together they broke from the trees and hopped from rock to rock, splitting to flank the thing. Michael sunk lower, gathering himself to leap, knowing Ryan would be doing the same. The vampire snarled as he took the head and the wolf’s teeth snapped on bone where he clamped onto the femur. The thing’s body went down, legless and headless but not destroyed. Michael had educated Ryan on the destruction of this specific creature during their pursuit. The body was torn limb from limb into tiny pieces without a word being spoken between them. No blood in the body, it was set into a dry pile of crumbling bones that Michael easily set ablaze using its clothing as tinder, burning the parts so that no amount of magic could ever reassemble it. That done the men split, their goals no longer common. Ryan’s soft reassurances echoed in his ears as Michael began circling the perimeter, scanning the fresh white blanket covering the ground and blinding shower of large wet flakes obscuring even his vision. “Becca,” he called again, stopping to listen for a response possibly too weak to hear over the sound of his boots crunching in the snow. He was circling back around the rock, peering into the woods when the wind dropped for a few seconds and he caught a whiff of blood. Fresh blood. Head shooting up, eyes searching, he caught one more sniff before the wind picked up again. It was enough. It was Becca’s blood and it called to him. Long strides carried him to where she lay on the other side of a cluster of trees and heavy brush that blocked her from him until he was almost on top of her. The blood had stopped, but he saw with a stomach dropping realization that it had come from her head. She’d hit it on the rock sticking out of the ground not a foot away. White flakes were working to cover the dark stain his eyes didn’t need to tell him was there. His nose gave him all of the information he needed. She was hurt, thankfully not severely thou

Title:

Remember The Stars

Author:

Natalie-Nicole Bates

Genre:

Paranormal Romance

Blitz Host:

Book Description:

For Leah Rhodes life as she knows it has just changed forever. Waking in a gutter in the dark surroundings of her distant past, a familiar man stands out in her confusion. But Remy Moreland has been dead for years. It soon becomes apparent to Leah that both she and Remy are trapped in a hell of their own making. Can one night together not only lead to the way out, but to love as well?

Author Bio:

Natalie-Nicole Bates is a book reviewer and author.

Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography and antique poison bottles. 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.

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Excerpts:

Barefoot, she crossed the dark street and began making her way in the direction of the police station. If she remembered correctly, it was three blocks away. A chill rose on her skin as she tried to remain focused. She concentrated on taking one agonizing footstep in front of the other. When she crossed over the first street, she stopped to rest beneath a street light. Leaning up against the side of a brick house, she took notice of how eerily quiet her surroundings were. The only sound was her own breathing. There simply was nothing, and no one. Was she truly alone? She wondered. She shook off the intrusive thought. Of course she wasn’t alone. Remy Moreland was real. Well, the late Remy Moreland was sort of real. Maybe surreal was a better word. He had spun some tale of purgatory, of languishing between life and death. Then a thought struck her like a blow from above. What if he was telling the truth?

“Remy,” she said his name. Where did she know that name from? It wasn’t common. Think, Leah, think. Then it hit her—hard. She remembered exactly who Remy Moreland was. He was in the newspaper years earlier. Her mother had shown her a copy. Remy Moreland was involved in a fatal street race. His Porsche had been split in two, killing him and a young woman in another car. Remy Moreland was dead. But if he was dead, what was he doing here, alive, and with her? Sweat broke out on the back of her neck and her vision clouded. This was someone’s idea of an evil, evil joke. She had to get out. She had to find her way home. Standing, she grabbed the edge of the deck for support. “I have to get out of here,” she mumbled and stumbled her way around the desk. He grabbed her around the waist. “You can’t go back out there. It’s dangerous.” She sunk her open palms against his chest and struggled to get out of his grip. “Get off of me, you malevolent freak! You’re dead! You’ve been dead for years!” she blurted. Immediately, he let go and jumped back from her as if he had been stung. “What are you talking about? He demanded. She backed away, ready to make a run for the front door. But the confused mix of anger and disbelief in his contorted expression stopped her. How could he not know he was dead? “It was years ago, Remy. You had an accident. It was in the newspaper.” He tilted his head, his blue eyes huge. “Do I look dead to you?” Well, he was pale, his blue eyes ethereal. She hesitated, and then spoke. “Now that you mention it…” “You bitch!” he snapped. The force of his voice caused her to flinch and she raised her fingers to her throbbing temples. All she wanted at that moment was to get out of this man’s sight and find her way home. “I’m not dead,” he stated ominously. “Okay, you’re not dead,” she conceded as she rubbed circles on her temples. He took a step closer. “As a matter of fact, right now I am languishing across town in a nursing home. I eat through a tube in my belly and piss into a catheter bag. I remain nothing but an emaciated, contorted version of the man I once was.” She closed her eyes. This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening. None of this was real. When she opened her eyes, he was in front of her, a macabre grin creasing his handsome features. He lifted a brow. “So, what did you do?” “Do? What are you talking about?” “To get here. You know my situation, so what’s yours?” He wasn’t making any sense. She turned away from him, left the office and began to walk the long hallway to the front door, but he followed her closely. “Let me guess,” he provoked. “You look like a murder-suicide kind of girl. You’re not wearing a wedding ring, so I’m assuming you shot your boyfriend in the head and then offed yourself in some spectacular way—like jumping off a balcony and splattering on the ground. How could you have known you would wind up here?” he chuckled unpleasantly. She stopped cold. How could he say such a horrible thing? She turned back to him only to find him mere inches from her. “You’re horrible. You don’t even know me, but you’ve resorted to participating in some sort of evil joke on me. I just want to go home…or wake up.” “Your life as you know it is over, Leah.” “What are saying, Remy? That I’m dead?” “You’re not dead…not quite. This is limbo…purgatory…the first circle of Hell. The most wretched place on earth where you are sent to atone for your sins.”

Chapter One

I’m buried six feet under, and no one hears my screams. The rope chafes as I loop it around my neck. I pull down on it, making sure the knot is secure. It seems sturdy enough. My legs shake. My heart beats heavy in my throat. Sweat pours down my back. Death and I glare at each other through my tears. I take one last look at the crystal chandelier, the foyer outlined with mirrors, and the flawless decorations. No photographs adorn the walls. No happy memories here. I’m ready to go. On the count of three. I inhale, preparing myself for the finality of it all. Dropping my hands, a glimmer catches my eye. It’s my ring, the last precious gift my father gave me. I twist it around to read the inscription. Picturing his face forces me to reconsider my choice. He’d be heartbroken if he could see me now. A door slams in the hallway, almost causing me to lose my balance. My thoughts already muddled, I stand, waiting with the rope around my neck. Voices I don’t recognize creep through the walls. Curiosity overshadows my current thoughts. It’s late at night, and this is a secure building in High Society. No one disturbs the peace here—ever. I tug on the noose and pull it back over my head. Peering through the eyehole in our doorway, I see a large group of armed guards banging on my neighbors’ door. A heated conversation ensues, and my neighbors point toward my family’s home. It hits me. I’ve been accused and they’re here to arrest me. My father would want me to run, and in that split second, I decide to listen to his voice within me. Flinging myself forward in fear, I scramble up the marble staircase and into my brother’s old bedroom. The door is partially covered, but it exists. Pushing his dresser aside, my fingers claw at the opening. Breathing hard, I lodge myself against it. Nothing. I step back and kick it with all my strength. The wood splinters open, and my foot gets caught. I wrench it backward, scraping my calf, but adrenaline pushes me forward. The voices at the front door shout my name. On hands and knees, I squeeze through the jagged opening. My brother left through this passage, and now it’s my escape too. Cobwebs entangle my face, hands, and hair. At the end, I feel for the knob, twisting it clockwise. It swings open, creaking from disuse. I sprint into the hallway and smash through the large fire escape doors at the end. A burst of cool air strikes me in the face as I jump down the ladder. Reaching the fifth floor, I knock on a friend’s window. The lights flicker on, and I see the curtains move, but no one answers. I bang on the window harder. “Let me in! Please!” I say, but the lights darken. They know I’ve been accused and refuse to help me. Fear and adrenaline rush through my veins as I keep running, knocking on more windows along the way. No one has mercy. They all know what happens to sinners. Another flight of stairs passes in a blur when I hear the guards’ heavy footfalls from above. I can’t hide, but I don’t want to go without trying. Help me, Daddy. I need your strength now. My previous desolation evolves into a will to survive. I have to keep running, but I tremble and gasp for air. I steel my nerves and force my body to keep moving. In a matter of minutes, my legs cramp and my chest burns. I plunge to the ground, scraping my knee and elbow. A moan escapes from my chest. Gotta keep going. “Stop!” Their voices bounce off the buildings. “Lexi Hamilton, surrender yourself,” they command. They’re gaining on me. I resist the urge to glance back, running into what I assume is an alley. I’m far from our high-rise in High Society as I plunge into a poorer section of the city where the streets all look the same and the darkness prevents me from recognizing anything. I’m lost. My first instinct is to leap into a dumpster, but I retain enough sense to stay still. I crouch and peek around it, watching them dash by. The abhorrent smell soon leaves me vomiting until nothing remains in my stomach. Desperation overtakes me, as I know my retching was anything but silent. My last few seconds tick away before they find me. Everyone knows about their special means of tracking sinners. I push myself to my feet and look left, right, and left again. Their batons click against their black, leather belts, and their boots stomp the cement on both sides of me. I shrink into myself. Their heavy steps mock my fear, growing closer and closer until I know I’m trapped. Never did I imagine they’d come for me. Never did I imagine all those nights I heard them dragging someone else away that I’d join them. “You’re a sinner,” they say. “Time to leave our society.” I stand defiant. I refuse to bend or break before them even as I shiver with fear. “There’s no reason to make this difficult. The more you cooperate, the smoother this will be for everyone,” a guard says. I cringe into the blackness along the wall. I’m innocent, but they won’t believe me or care. The next instant, my face slams into the pavement as one guard plants a knee in my back and another handcuffs me. A warm liquid trails into my mouth. Blood. Their fingers grip my arms like steel traps as they peel me off the cement. The tops of my shoes scrape along the ground as I’m dragged behind them until they discard me into the back of a black vehicle. The doors slam in unison with one guard stationed on each side of me, my shoulders digging into their arms. The handcuffs dig into my wrists, so I clasp them together hard behind me and press my back into the seat, unwilling to admit how much it hurts. My dignity is all I have left. Swallowing hard, I stare ahead to avoid their eyes. Did they need so many guards to capture me? I’m not carrying any weapons, nor do I own any. I don’t even know self-defense. High Society frowns on activities like that. The driver jerks the vehicle around and I try to keep my bearings, but it’s dark and the scenery changes too fast. Hours pass and the air grows warmer, more humid, the farther we drive. The landscape mutates from city to rolling hills. They don’t bother blindfolding me because they escort all the sinners to the same place—the Hole. Twenty-foot cement walls encase the chaos within. There’s no way out and no way in unless they transport you. They say the Hole is a prison with no rules. We learned about it last year in twelfth grade. To the outside, I’m filth now. I’ll never be allowed to return to the life I knew. No one ever does. “All sinners go through a transformation,” one of the guards says to me. His smirk infuriates me. “I’m sure you’ve heard all kinds of stories.” I don’t respond. I don’t want to think about the things I’ve been told. “You won’t last too long, though. Young girls like you get eaten alive.” He pulls a strand of my hair up to his face. Get your hands off me, you pig. I want to lash out, but resist. The punishment for disobeying authority is severe, and I’m not positioned to defy him. They’re the Guards of the Commander. They’re chosen from a young age and trained in combat. They keep the order of society by using violent methods of intimidation. No one befriends a guard. Relationships with them are forbidden inside the Hole. Few have seen the commander. His identity stays under lock and key. His own paranoia and desire to stay pure drove him to live this way. He controls our depraved society and believes sinners make the human race unforgivable. His power is a crushing fist, rendering all beneath him helpless. So much so, even family members turn on each other when an accusation surfaces. Just an accusation. No trial, no evidence, nothing but an accusation. I lose myself in thoughts of my father. “Never show fear, Lexi,” my father said to me before he was taken. “They’ll use it against you.” His compassionate eyes filled with warning as he commanded me to be strong. That was many years ago, but I remember it clearly. My father. My rock. The one person in my life who provided unconditional love. The vehicle stops, and I’m jerked back to reality. “Get out,” the guard orders while pulling me to my feet. The doors slide open and the two guards lift me up and out into the night. A windowless cement building looms in front of us, looking barren in the darkness. The coolness of the air sends a shiver up my spine. This is really happening. I’ve been labeled a sinner. My lip starts to quiver, but I bite it before anyone sees. They shove me in line and I realize I’m not alone. Women and men stand with faces frozen white in fear. A guard grabs my finger, pricks it, and dabs my blood on a tiny microchip. I follow the man in front of me into the next room where we’re lined up facing the wall. Glancing right, I see one of the men crying. “Spread your legs,” one of the guards says. They remove my outer layers and their hands roam up and down my body. What do they think I could possibly be hiding? I press my head into the wall, trying to block out what they’re doing to me. “MOVE!” a guard commands. So I shuffle across the room, trying to cover up.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five of us sit in the holding room. One by one, they pull people into the next room, forcing the rest of us to wonder what torture we’ll endure. An agonizing amount of time passes. I lean my head back and try to imagine a place far away. The door opens. “Lexi Hamilton.” A guard escorts me out of the room, and I don’t have time to look back. As soon as the door closes, they pick me up and place me on a table. It’s cold and my skin sticks to it slightly, like wet fingers on an ice cube. Then, they exit in procession, and I lie on the table with a doctor standing over me. His hands are busy as he speaks. “Don’t move. This will only take a few minutes. It’s time for you to be branded.” A wet cloth that smells like rubbing alcohol is used to clean my skin. Then he places a metal collar around my neck. Click. Click. Click. The collar locks into place, and I struggle to breathe. The doctor loosens it some as I focus on the painted black words above me.

The Seven Deadly Sins:

Lust - Blue

Gluttony - Orange

Greed - Yellow

Sloth - Light Blue

Wrath - Red

Envy - Green

Pride - Purple

“Memorize it. Might keep you alive longer if you know who to stay away from.” He opens my mouth, placing a bit inside. “Bite this.” Within seconds, the collar heats from hot to scorching. The smell of flesh sizzling makes my head spin. I bite down so hard a tooth cracks. “GRRRRRRRRR,” escapes from deep within my chest. Just when I’m about to pass out, the temperature drops, and the doctor loosens the collar. He removes it and sits me up. Excruciating pain rips through me and I’m on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown. Focus. Don’t pass out. Stainless steel counters and boring white walls press in on me. A guard laughs at me from an observation room above and yells, “Blue. It’s a great color for a pretty young thing like yourself.” His eyes dance with suggestion. The others meander around like it’s business as usual. I finally find my voice and turn to the doctor. “Are you going to give me clothes?” A burning pain spreads like fire from my neck to my jaw, making me wince. He points to a set of folded grey scrubs on a chair. I cover myself as much as I can and scurry sideways. Grabbing my new clothes, I pull the shirt over my head and try to avoid the raw meat around my throat. I quickly knot the cord of my pants around my waist and slide my feet into the hospital-issue slippers as the doctor observes. He hands me a bag labeled with my name. “Nothing is allowed through the door but what we’ve given you,” he says. I hide my right hand behind me, hoping no one notices. A guard scans my body and opens his hand. “Give it to me,” he says. “Don’t make me rip off your finger.” He crouches down and I turn to stone. I don’t know what to do, so I beg. “My father gave this to me. Please, let me keep it.” I smash my eyes shut and think of the moment my father handed the golden ring to me. “It was my mother’s ring,” he’d said. “She’s the strongest woman I ever knew.” With tears in his eyes, he reached for my hand. “Lexi, you’re exactly like her. She’d want you to wear this. No matter how this world changes, you can survive.” I turned the gold band over in my palm and read the engraving. You can overcome anything… short of death. “You’re going to take the one thing that matters the most to me?” I say, glaring into the guard’s emotionless eyes. “Isn’t it enough taking my life, dignity, and respect?” A hard blow falls upon my back. As I fall, my hands shoot out to stop me from smashing into the wall in front of me. The guard bends down and grabs my chin with his meaty fist. “Look at me,” he commands. I look up and he smiles with arrogance. “What the hell?” He staggers a step backward. “What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with your eyes?” “Nothing,” I respond, confused. “What color are they?” “Turquoise.” I glower at him. “Interesting,” he says, regaining his composure. “Now those’ll get you in trouble.” Reality slaps me across the face. I have my father’s eyes. They can't take them from me. I twist the ring off my finger and drop it in his hand. “Take the damn ring,” I say. I walk to the door. He swipes a card and the massive door slides open to the outside. “You have to wear your hair back at all times, so everyone knows what you are.” He hands me a tie, so I pull my frizzy hair away from my face and secure it into a ponytail. My neck burns and itches as my hand traces the scabs that have already begun to form. Squinting ahead into the darkness, I almost run into a guard standing on the sidewalk. “Watch where you’re going,” he says, shoving me backward. His stiff figure stands tall and I cringe at the sharpness of his voice. “Cole, this is your new assignment, Lexi Hamilton. See to it she feels welcome in her new home.” The guard departs with a salute. “Let’s move,” Cole says. I take two steps and collapse, my knees giving out. The unforgiving pavement reopens the scrapes from earlier and I struggle to stand. A powerful arm snatches me up, and I see his face for the first time.

Title:

Taking Angels

Author:

CS Yelle

Publisher:

Staccato Publishing

Genre:

YA Fantasy

Blitz Host:

Book Description:

Britt Anderson went along with everything the doctors said for nearly four years, but she was still dying at eighteen. The cancer had won leaving her without a future, without any options, and without control. No control, except for how she would leave this world. As Britt tries to end her life by going into the frigid waters she realizes her mistake. She struggles to get back to shore, to cry out for help, but her atrophied muscles are useless and the frigid water steals the breath from her chemo-scarred lungs. Despite her father’s attempts to reach her, she flies over the waterfall. When Allister Parks finds Britt’s fragile body on the riverbank something calls out to him. Ignoring the warnings of his sister, Allister brings Britt back from the edge of death. The only problem is that an Eternal like Allister isn’t allowed to touch those who have already passed from this world. It is forbidden; an infraction punishable by death. As Britt relishes her new cancer-free life and senior year of high school, her very existence threatens Allister’s place in this world. Allister struggles to keep Britt a secret from the Eternal Council and out of the hands of the only Eternal who already knows the truth: the one who stole her guardian angel.

Author Bio:

C.S. Yelle was born and raised in Grand Rapids, MN, the “almost” middle child of six. He attended Grand Rapids Senior High School where he enjoyed music and sports. He received his BS in Chemistry from Mayville State University, Mayville, ND in 1987. He taught 7-12 Science and coached for six years in several North Dakota schools and currently works as an Executive Account Manager in the Water Treatment Industry where he has been for over eighteen years. He is the father of four and grandfather of one. He writes novels, screenplays, and an occasional short story. He has been writing seriously for over 15 years and plans to continue until his fingers are unable, maybe longer. He currently resides in a Minneapolis, MN suburb with his wife Jennifer.

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Excerpt:

Eighteen and dying. My reality sucked the big one and I’d had enough. The movement of the canoe hypnotized me while I lay in the bottom of the aluminum craft, the waves creating a hollow pinging sound as we cut across the lake. I kept my eyes closed against the bright sun baking my face, the light breeze keeping me from feeling the burn. Spending most of my time in hospitals under the dull fluorescent lighting with its incessant hum had left my skin pale and white. I’d rather be out here instead of taking chemo or radiation, anyone would. This felt like heaven; a place I’d spent far too much time thinking about lately. “Britt, you’re getting sunburned,” Mom scolded as she paused in her paddling to stare back at me. “Put your chin down so your hat can block the sun.” “Let her be, Mary,” Dad sighed. “She’s going to get burnt. It isn’t good for her skin, Jim.” “What will it do besides make her uncomfortable?” Dad argued. He paused now and again to drag the paddle in the water, steering us towards his goal across the lake. I didn’t remember which lake we were on; only that it was part of the pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota. I pulled the large-brimmed hat down over my eyes and went back to listening to the rhythmic waves. I moved my bony butt on the metal support of the canoe, trying to get comfortable. Without any padding, it wasn’t 5happening. Still, it beat the hospital beds and the sterile linens. Shifting again and looking to where we headed: tall pines reaching for the blue sky, little white clouds floating overhead; I remembered the place. It was a nice campsite with good fishing and a waterfall leading into the next lake. The mosquitoes were murder on that trip six years ago. I hoped they didn’t like the taste of my blood as much this time. Maybe the chemo could stop something. stiff?” “Not much further, Britt,” Dad said. “Getting “Yeah.” I nodded, shifting a little more. My parents kept paddling, steady and strong. I closed my eyes again, recalling how Mom and I used to take turns paddling up front. Now I couldn’t lift a paddle, much less use one. Soon sand and rock crunched against the bottom of the canoe bringing us to a sudden stop, jolting me hard against the metal frame. “Land ho,” I cried as loud as my chemo ruined lungs allowed. I breathed like a severe asthmatic or someone who’d smoked all her life.

-The Orb of Truth Prologue: The Tree

Its leaves were like clear glass, and when the sun broke the horizon to announce the new day, a kaleidoscope of colors danced, dazzling the people who had gathered. It stood twenty feet tall, a glorious beacon of light, attracting all in the vicinity. Silver and purple woven wood harmonized to form the base, stretching up and then gracefully out. Hundreds of branches waved gently in the breeze, causing the crystal petals to chime, creating a beautiful chorus, like angels singing, harkening those with ears to hear. On this day, the Tree was found on a grassy hill overlooking a small village. Residents of Brook Haven slowly emerged from their dwellings and began to assemble. The crowd of men, women, and children swelled until the entire community formed a half circle around the base of the knoll. None would approach the Tree any closer. A man—carrying his sick child, pale as snow—broke through, streaks of tears running down his cheeks. “Please help me,” he whispered as he laid his boy on the grassy slope. One of the thousands of crystal petals snapped free from the strong branch and descended like a feather. As it fell, it slowly disintegrated, leaving a trail of shimmering dust which lingered, suspended in the air until the prismatic pattern faded. Each brief flash of reflected light was like a strum on a lyre. Everyone was entranced by the hypnotic action, including the father. They refocused on the debilitated child when they heard the boy speak, “Papa?” “My boy!” he said as he lunged for him in a tight embrace, kneeling on the ground beside him. He peered up to the Tree, “Thank you, for my son.” Witnessing the boldness of the desperate man gave another the courage to step forward. “Pardon, um, Great Tree, I, well, I could use some advice.” He lowered his head and grew altogether quiet for a moment, not noticing another petal falling. Then his posture and demeanor slowly changed. He turned and faced the hushed crowd of onlookers, but looked lighter and freer. Whatever burden had been bothering him had clearly lifted as he trotted off back to their town; another petal descended. More people brought requests before it, and throughout the day a leaf would fall for each granted miracle. Finally, the brilliant, golden light of the setting sun illuminated the relic with a blinding halo. The people shielded their eyes from the intensity, and within seconds the aura dissipated, and the Tree, along with it, had vanished. ***** Sheets of blustery snow swirled around the shallow cave entrance and the howling wind echoed within. A mound of white fur huddled in the back recesses for warmth. Hot breath escaped in uneven heaves from the several gathered creatures. The cold air whipped at their backs. Their faces were hidden from the elements. An intense light blared to life outside, followed by soothing warmth. The snow flurry settled and the wind calmed. A head popped up from the tangled fur, surprised by the phenomena. The large, rounded white pupils of the Yeshi reflected the sparkling petals of the Tree of legend. One of the beings approached, crunching snow underfoot, tenderly holding one mangled, fur-patched arm. A not uncommon injury, the result of a recent battle within the inhospitable mountain range they resided in. He extended his bloody appendage, and watched a single petal fall as the damaged limb was restored to health. The creature turned and called out to the apprehensive clan in its language of Yeshi, “We host the Tree of Lore! Come while you can! Bring your requests and offer them without fear! Hurry before it departs!” The lumbering, beast-like creature turned and fell to his knees before the amazing spectacle, bowing repeatedly. After years of suffering turmoil in these harsh mountains, never daring to hope the Tree would come so far to aid them, it had arrived. From this day forward, his clan would never be the same.

The Orb of Truth Blog Tour

April 1 - May 1, 2013

Voted #1 Best Indie Fantasy Book!

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Voted #1 Best Christian Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book!

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Voted #1 BEST fantasy book under the radar!

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The Orb of Truth

“It’s a cross between Lord of the Rings and the Wizard of OZ where you will be swept away into a magical land of Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings.” —Brae Wyckoff

The Dragon God

Coming 2013

The Orb of Truth Book Synopsis:

In the hundreds of years since the Holy City disappeared, darkness has fallen over the land. Human kingdoms have seized control of the realm, scattering the other races into hiding. Bridazak, a skilled thief, and his friends, a Dwarf and a fellow Ordakian, have dared to remain within the human communities and live relatively quiet lives, until they discover a mysterious, magical artifact. The three friends are thrust into an adventure that will challenge their faith, their purpose, and their destiny as they chase a forgotten and lost prophecy across the realm of Ruauck-El, where they hope to discover the origins of the strange item and their place in its history. An ancient, unknown enemy threatens the completion of their journey at every turn. Bridazak is about to face the biggest adventure of his life, one that may change the known realm, and answer the questions he has carried all his life. Will they unlock the truth?

Author Brae Wyckoff

About the Author:

Brae Wyckoff was born and raised in San Diego, CA and is working toward a Psychology degree. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Jill, for 19 years, and they have three children; Tommy, Michelle, and Brittany. He has a beautiful grandson named Avery. Brae has been an avid gamer since 1985. His passion for mysterious realms and the supernatural inspired him to write The Orb of Truth, the first in a series of fantasy action adventures. Brae describes The Orb of Truth as a cross between the Lord of the Rings and the Wizard of OZ where you will be swept away into a magical land of Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings.

Book Name: Octavian’s Undoing

Series Title: Sons of Judgment Series

Synopsis:

Octavian Maximus has already given up his life once for a love that left him empty. He isn’t about to give up his afterlife for a green-eyed, red-haired spitfire with no sense of self-preservation and a smile that could melt even his icy heart, especially since he’s so close to being given a second chance at living again. For a Son of Judgment, being offered life is the reason they were so willing to murder without remorse. Octavian is one of the best. He’s never failed to take out a Mark, until the night one got away and he let it, unsuspecting of the consequences of his mistake. When the Mark tracks him, hell bent on revenge, Octavian is ready for it. What he isn’t prepared for is Ryleigh jumping in to protect him or her death because of it. Ryleigh Masters has her own problems. Her father was laid off… again, bills are piling up and the rent is due. When she’s given the waitressing job at Final Judgment, it’s a dream come true, until she meets the owner’s son. Octavian makes it no secret that he wants her gone, but Ryleigh has already signed the contract and she needs this job. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to keep it, even put up with the unreturned feelings Octavian provokes in her. The night he’s attacked, the last thing she expected to happen was to die and wake up with Octavian’s knife at her throat and her life irrevocably changed.

Octavian's Undoing by Airicka Phoenix

Release Date: May 2013

Genre:

New Adult, Paranormal Romance

Warnings:

Sexual content, Language

Formats:

eBook & Paperback

Author: Airicka Phoenix

Publisher: Airicka Phoenix

Airicka Phoenix is the author of the Best-Selling Touch Saga and Games of Fire, with short stories in Whispered Beginnings: A Clever Fiction Anthology and Midnight Surrender Anthology. When she's not hammering away at the keyboard, she can be found banishing pirates or crawling through the attic looking for lost treasure with her kids. She loves baking, gardening and reading. She also likes to travel and take pictures of everything she comes across. When asked, Airicka describes herself as a sarcastic basket case that has an unhealthy addiction to chocolate, old movies and really bad jokes. She loves to laugh, make friends and write. If she could have one wish granted, it would be to spend one day as a fly-on-the-wall inside Stephen King's mind. If she could have two wishes granted, she would ask for a castle dedicated entirely to her overwhelming collection of books.

Other Novels:

Games of Fire
Touching Eternity
Touching Smoke

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Heavy Metal Heartbeat

Author: AmBear Shellea

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Audience: Adult

Release Date:

May 1, 2013

Purchase sites: Amazon (Kindle) KOBO and B&N (Online Only)

Rock and Roll Paraphantasy series Cover Reveal

Release date: May 2013

Synopsis

Heavy Metal Heartbeat is one wild ride. Its twists, turns and mind games will leave you breathless and borderline crazy. This rockin' adventure begins with Ozzie, who has awakened from a harsh brush with death. Just as he thought he overcame all the dangers of his supernatural survival, danger strikes with a vengeance. The news of the kidnapping of a loved one ignites his rage, unlocking a family secret and changing who he is forever. Now he's in a rush to play hero and savior. There's only problem; What happens if the savior becomes a villain? Ozzie's friends, with the help of his father, put him to the test to see if he can indeed be the hero that saves the day or the hindrance that gets them all killed. While visiting the in-between he is given the knowledge to overcome his situation. All he must do is embrace who he is. Who is that, exactly? Turns out when you take a human man with an ancient bloodline, add in slash marks from a Wolf, a bite from a Vampire, the pure love from the woman he loves and piss him off, you get a man no one expected! Bad Ass Hunter or Uncontrollable Vigilante? The answer lies in the heart!

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The Pedalstem Lillie Series
The Rock n Roll Paraphantasy Series
Ambear Shellea

Renegade by Cambria Hebert

The conclusion to the Heven and Hell series.

Renegade Blurb

I’ve been beautiful. I’ve been ugly. I’ve died. I’ve been brought back. I’ve had abilities awakened within me. My strength has been tested. My beliefs have been tested. Yet I stand. What’s next when you’ve pretty much experienced it all? The end. Sam and I are picking up the pieces. We’re trying to come to terms with all we’ve lost. And as much as I would like to hide my head, ignore the reality I live every day, there is no forgetting. Riley is in hell—I’m still not sure of his agenda. My mother’s past haunts me. And Kimber… Kimber is being herself. Cole sneaks glances at Gemma and she returns them when she thinks I don’t see. But I do. When Beelzebub escapes he brings his war to places I never thought he would. Earth. Maine. Home. Now everyone and everything is at risk. This has become bigger than my circle of friends. This has become bigger than me. I have to finish this. I have to find a way to stop him, to finish this war. I just pray we will all be left standing in the end.

Author of Heven and Hell series

Cambria Hebert is the author of the young adult paranormal Heven and Hell series and the Death Escorts series. She loves a caramel latte, hates math and is afraid of chickens (yes, chickens). She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and children (both human and furry) where she is plotting her next book.

You can find out more about Cambria and her work by visiting

Cambria Hebert

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Flash

Author: Barbara Morgenroth Genre: Young Adult

BOOK SYNOPSIS:

She’s been pretending to be 18 for so long, it feels like the truth. When the only way for 15 year old photographer, Kip Chanin, to earn a living is as paparazzi, she can’t say no. Kip’s first photo is of Alex Milne, the handsome and volatile young actor. That one photo changes both their lives. Kip finds herself challenged to be a better photographer, a better daughter and to be a better friend. For someone used to getting by on her own, this could be Kip’s biggest lesson. The second biggest--You do what you have to in Hollywood to survive

Flash

Book Link

AUTHOR BIO:

Barbara was born in New York City and but now lives somewhere else. Starting her career by writing tweens and YA books, she wound up in television writing soap operas for some years. Barbara then wrote a couple cookbooks and a nonfiction book on knitting. She returned to fiction and wrote romantic comedies. When digital publishing became a possibility, Barbara leaped at the opportunity and has never looked back. In addition to the 15 traditionally published books she wrote, in digital format Barbara has something to appeal to almost every reader from Mature YAs like the Bad Apple series and the Flash series, to contemporary romances like Love in the Air published by Amazon/Montlake, and Unspeakably Desirable, Nothing Serious and Almost Breathing.

Barbara Morgenroth

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COVER REVEAL

Entangled

ENTANGLED – A NOVEL BY ANNIE BREWER

Maddy Walker has lived a difficult life in a small town in Colorado. After losing her mother in a horrific car accident as a child, her father becomes nonexistent due to the aftermath. She has to pick up the pieces of her crumbled life and move on. For all intents and purposes she’s an orphan. But thanks to her best friend Andi and her family, she’s not completely alone; spending most of her childhood and adolescence with them. After turning 18, she and Andi move in together and she makes a decision to move forward with her life, working and putting her past behind her. Only, another tragedy hits her world and she must relive everything she has tried to forget. Noah Parker is ready to move away from the busy New York City life…and his dark past where he is harboring a lot of guilt and pain. He just wants a fresh start and being the destructive bad boy in town is not a way to do that. He doesn't ever date girls; it’s all about sex for him. He figures if he could block his pain and bury it, it will go away. Little does he know, it never just goes away. Moving to a small town close to his aunt, he’s hoping for a good change. What he doesn't expect, is to meet Maddy. She turns his world upside down. He finds himself wanting to get to know her, not on a sexual level but a deep, emotional one. It seems they have more in common than they ever imagined. And they are both having a hard time denying their attraction to one another. But the more time they spend together, the more they learn about themselves and that in order to move on, you have to learn to let go. Can Noah and Maddy make their growing relationship work together in the midst of more heartbreak and tragedy? Or are their lives already too complicated as it is? In both Maddy and Noah’s POV, this is their story of loss, grief, pain and learning to overcome it all to gain happiness. Recommended for mature audience 17+ due to language and sexual content.

Author

Annie Brewer

About the Author

Annie Brewer(29) leads several lives. At home she's a caring mother of two with a heart of gold. Online, she's a best friend to several and puts a smile on her many fans every time she utters a word. In her own world, she's a dreamer. But the biggest part of her is made of books, books, and more books. It's not a surprise she's turned out to be such a talented young author. Some of her many hobbies include reading, drooling over Ian Somerhalder, Channing Tatum,and Christian Grey (etc.), reading, reviewing, reading, watching Vampire Diaries, reading, and last but not least WRITING like a maniac. She currently resides in Texas, where she dies of heat-strokes every few seconds, with her many books and book-boyfriends, and her two adorable little girls.

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About the Author

Annie Brewer(29) leads several lives. At home she's a caring mother of two with a heart of gold. Online, she's a best friend to several and puts a smile on her many fans every time she utters a word. In her own world, she's a dreamer. But the biggest part of her is made of books, books, and more books. It's not a surprise she's turned out to be such a talented young author. Some of her many hobbies include reading, drooling over Ian Somerhalder, Channing Tatum,and Christian Grey (etc.), reading, reviewing, reading, watching Vampire Diaries, reading, and last but not least WRITING like a maniac. She currently resides in Texas, where she dies of heat-strokes every few seconds, with her many books and book-boyfriends, and her two adorable little girls.

Connect with Annie online here…

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Questions for Ambear Shellea "Rock and Roll Promise" book. RRP Read Along Blog Hop

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. what gave you the idea to have a Rock and Roll theme to your book?

Well, I am a huge fan of Rock, the harder and faster, the better. I love to listen to music when I'm writing so I think it just kinda fused together.

2. Out of all the songs you could of chosen, Why did you choose the songs you did?

I chose the song I did, for two reasons, I love that song of course and to me, it fit the situation.

3. The characters in the book are so unique,

-

Where did you get the idea for your vampires to feed on things other than blood?

I worked very hard to keep my characters unique, that is why they are so different. As to how did I come up with it, I tried to think of things I have never heard of or read about before.

4. When and how did/does Ozzie find out about Anna not being human?

That will be explained in the 3rd book, but as for now it is just in backstory.

5. Does Ozzie know that Jaxson is Jack and what he is?

This one I cannot answer cuz it will give away part of Heavy Metal Heartbeat, which comes out in May of this year.

Questions from AmBear Shellea

1. Paige had quite a secret, what did you think about it?

------> I thought it was a great idea, especially when Anna was turned. Anna had someone to relate to.

2. Who wouldn't want that "Gun wielding hottie" protecting them?

------> I don't know anyone who would refuse his protection, not me.

3. Steaming up the bathroom, what heat level would you give that?

------> Omg...I loved the steamy bathroom scene, I would give it a 9 heat level, 10 if the scene was longer.

4. If you could be a hunter or a were-anything, what would it be and why?

------> Um, A were-sheep, I can live amoung the sheep and be strong enough to protect them.

5. Intro to Sebastian...What do you think of him?

------> He is sly but sexy and hot. He can use that G-spot talent on me.

6. Jack, antagonist or savior?

------> A total savior, sweet and also sexy and hot.

7. How would you handle waking up to the situation Anna did?

------> I would have mixed feelings, I don't know if I would have been as forgiving.

8. Say you were bitten by a vampire and you could choose what you could feed on, what would it be?

------> I would say nature, I love being outdoors, sounds of birds and flowers swaying in the breeze, soaking up the sun.

9. What did you think of the music selection in these chapters? Is there a song you would have added?

------> Rock and Roll music was back in the 80's, so I don't remember alot of music from that time. The music AmBear picked for here book fit well.

If you can cast the characters in a movie, who would you choose to play each of them?

---------------> Sebastian - John Stamos / Anna - Julia Roberts / Paige - Uma Thurman / Ozzie - James Lafferty / Jack - Luke Bryan / Jaxson - Johnny Depp

Ozzie T-Shirt Giveaway

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COVER REVEAL by Author Ruthi Kight

Cover Artist: Regina Wamba, Mae I Design and Photography

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRuthiKight

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17410195-knotted-roots

Genre: YA Romance -------------------------------- Release Date: March 29th, 2013

Blurb: Partying with friends and scoring a flawless tan is about all Roxie has on her list of things to make her Hampton's summer perfect. Her parents, however, have other plans and Grandma Betty's farm is just one of them. Just as her life is in shambles and the quaint town is suffocating her, she meets Chase. Somewhere in the mix of bummer summer and small town doldrums, he becomes the boy she can't seem to avoid falling for. Just adding him to the picture, her stay starts to get better, even if she knows it has to end with the summer holidays. That is until Betty drops a life-shattering bomb. Roxie must make a choice that will change her life forever. What happens when a spoiled brat from New York learns the true meaning of love, loss, and forgiveness? Can Chase and Roxie find a way to be together or is this just another summer romance?

Rock and Roll Promises by Author AmBear Shellea

ONLY .99 cents for a Limited Time

Interview with Sebastian a character in "Rock and Roll Promises"

We have quite the surprise today. AmBear has sent over the ‘intoxicatingly hott’ Sebastian for us to torture with questions. She assures me he will be quite good whilst he’s here. As he makes himself comfy, let’s get started.

1. According to AmBear’s descriptions of the major players in this story, you are pictured as ‘The tall, pale, and handsome dreamboat that dances his way into her arms and steals the only life she knows.’ Would you agree?

Smiling a wicked coy smile, “I am tall and handsome…we did dance, but as for stealing her life way…Well, that is a matter of opinion.”

2. Where is home for Sebastian?

“I am from Old English country.’

3. You mentioned in Rock n Roll Promises that you seen Anna before you actually met her, and that you were smitten. What made you approach her, even though you promised you wouldn’t?

Running his hands through his hair, he thought about it. “oh, Anna. My finest…” Clears throat.”…She was very…sexy. You see back in the 1970’s Go-Go boots and ‘barely cover your ass’ short dresses were very trendy and well, I supported that trend. She was fashioning just that outfit. I intended only to befriend her…but you know what events followed.”

4. How long have you and Jack been friends?

“A very long time. I rescued him from…well, I think I explain this in the story. Besides, it’s not really my tale to tell.”

5. Sebastian, you say that you feed of sex and lust, could you explain that please?”

“You see, it is more than just lust and sex. I can have sex without lust and my hunger will remain and I can lust after a woman, and I feel as if I am standing on the outside of a diner looking in, starving to death. I must have them both, the more lust and better the sex, the fuller I become. Think of it in terms of human meals, like a salad vs. a steak dinner. Yes the salad will fill your hunger for a while, but a steak dinner with all the fixin’s will leave you so full your stomach hurts, your pants about to burst and a need for a nice nap. That is what it is like for me.”

6. Fang Frens, how does it work with them? It is stated that they are people who know about vampire and are willing donors—

“Willing Donors…You make it sound like we line them up buffet style and travel down each one.” The ocean blue that are his eyes darken and swim with anger. ”They are treated with respect. I know that Anna remarks to them as ‘play things” and they are, but not in the dark light you put them. It is the equivalent of what you humans call “friends with benefits” and yes in my case, sometimes it’s more.” The ocean behind his eyes began to glow and swirl. “It’s sensual, sexy and blistering hot… I think you get the picture.”

My Author Valentine's Date

Hi Carmilla, Thank you for joining me today, I am so happy to see you here.

-- Where did your inspiration come from for "The Starblood Trilogy"? Starblood evolved into a trilogy. It was supposed to be a stand alone novel, but I couldn't get the characters out of my head. Starblood started as a mini project to write the nastiest scene I could imagine. This scene became chapter 2. I wrote the novel because I wanted to spend more time imagining Lilith. The other characters in the novel may grow to be more important than the demon, but she was my starting point and inspiration.

Starblood evolved into a trilogy. It was supposed to be a stand alone novel, but I couldn't get the characters out of my head. Starblood started as a mini project to write the nastiest scene I could imagine. This scene became chapter 2. I wrote the novel because I wanted to spend more time imagining Lilith. The other characters in the novel may grow to be more important than the demon, but she was my starting point and inspiration.

-- Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what kind?

Yes. In fact I posted playlists for Starblood and Psychonaut on my author page a while back. I tend to use music to get my head in the right place for a particular scene. Sometimes it can be sad and slow, othertimes fiery, explosive and violent. Most of the songs I use tend to be Goth or EBM to be honest.

-- What kind of things would we find on your browsing history right now?

My browsing history? Shudders at the thought. One thing about being a writer is you can end up with a very incriminating browsing history. Today I've been mostly looking up things to do with my day job, AMD and other things to do with visual impairments. Usually you'll find links to ritual magic and hebrew lore, lol.

-- Do you have any guilty pleasures?

I made a pact with myself a couple of years ago that I was going to rid myself of guilt. While I haven't been 100% successful in doing that it does mean I often indulge in my pleasures guilt free. So I guess the question is moot. A writer friend of mine and I were discussing our thoughts on pleasure and we decided we would start a movement of neo-decadents. It has a ring to it, don't you think?

-- What do you do to relax after finishing a book?

After finishing the first draft of a book I put it to one side for a month before reading it through and starting work on the copious number of edits it will receive before it is really, truly finished. I'm very OCD about the whole process, which actually means that it's very hard for me to let go of a book and say that it is finished. Often the manuscript must be prised from my bleeding knuckles. When it's gone I first get very drunk and promise never to read it again, then I relax with a fine novel someone else has written for a few days until I'm itching to start something new.

-- Who are your absolute favourite authors and what would you do if they read & loved your book?

Well that has happened once already. I've always been a fan of Graham Masterton's horror. I couldn't get enough of it in my early twenties. We'd become friends on FB and I asked him to read Psychonaut. He told me I was very talented and wrote a few words for the back cover. My head was in the clouds for days after that. I haven't approached any of my other favourites yet, some of them are dead of course, but others... watch this space.

-- All time favorite movie?

My all time favourite movie... I really struggle to answer questions like this because my favourite tends to vary with my mood. Today I'll go for City of the Lost Children by Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

Starblood (The Starblood Trilogy)

Author Carmilla Volez

Psychonaut (The Starblood Trilogy)

Author Carmilla Voiez

Venessa Kimball's Release Party Giveaway for Surfacing the Rim

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ASHES & ICE Release Day

February 4th, 2013 Genre: Young Adult

Synopsis:

She is desperate to remember. He is aching to forget. Together, they are not broken. But together, one may not survive. Jade wakes up with no memory of her past and blood on her hands. Plagued by wicked thoughts, she searches for answers. Instead, she finds a boy who doesn't offer her answers, but hope. But sometimes, when nightmares turn into reality and death follows you everywhere, hope is not enough. LUST. LOVE. LOSS. Sometimes, all that is left are Ashes and Ice

Author Bio:

Rochelle grew up dreaming up stories. When she entered high school, she tucked away her creative side and jumped head-first into academics, work, and service projects. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Political Science and Communication when she was twenty years old. After years away from her writing, Rochelle picked up a pen and started fleshing out a character sketch that she outlined when she was twelve. That sketch was the start of the Ashes and Ice story. Rochelle lives in the DC metro area with her husband and daughter. By day she works as a behavioral therapist. By night, she is a dreamer and is busy tapping out new stories on her keyboard.

Title: Ashes & Ice Author: Rochelle Maya Callen Release Day: February 4th, 2013 Genre: YA

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Author Rochelle Maya Callen

Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours

I am extremely excited to show you the phenomenal cover image for Rita Webb's upcoming novella. Let's take a looksie and be sure to tell me what you think in the comments.

Valentine's Day.

And my 21st birthday.

Whoop-de-doo.

Just another college day full of classes and more homework than is humanly possible.

…until Jason, my best-friend-since-kindergarten, shows up to take me out for the day.

Like old times: the two of us on a wacky adventure, playing hooky from real life. With his lopsided grin and tickets to a circus full of misfits and monsters, he introduces me to a whole new world-one full of magic and mystery-and turns my reality upside down.

Except nothing goes as planned, and we end up running through the city to find a missing siren before someone brews a love potion with her blood.

Sirens and love potions, witches and elves, and Valentine kisses. Nothing will be the same for me again.

Find PLAYING HOOKY on the following websites:

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Blog * Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook

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