Free Book Blitz ~ T. A. Grey

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chains of rostBook Description:

Three Fates. Three Sisters.
When a will from her dead father decrees Chloe into the protection of the renowned vampire commander, Tyrian en Kulev, she does what any woman would do—and casts a spell. Things get worse for Chloe when the spell she and her sisters perform summons an ancient demon from deep within the earth. Now she’s being hunted by a demon set on killing her and must live at the aptly named Castle Death with the king of cold, Tyrian. Surprisingly, Chloe finds that she doesn’t mind her new Protector so much. His cold, impassionate nature needs a firm push to show his true colors, and Chloe thinks she’s just the one to do it.
Tyrian en Kulev always pays his debts. When Francis Bellum dies and orders Tyrian to act as his eldest daughter’s Protector, Tyrian resigns himself to the position. What should have been a simple deal–keep her in the castle, protect her–has turned difficult. Chloe comes to him with a demon trying to kill her and a sexy attitude that keeps invading his thoughts everywhere he goes. The little succubus easily grabs hold of the heart he’d kept locked away for so long and makes him feel once again. But can they defeat the demon that haunts her and can Tyrian overcome his past and move on to a new future with Chloe?

Short Excerpt:

“This situation is one that neither of us seems to want.” For some reason, the fact that he didn’t want her miffed her. Just a little.

“Then let me go.” He didn’t shake his head, but she sensed the refusal in him.
“Impossible. I am sealed by a debt of honor to your father. I will uphold it, no matter how complicated this matter is. The rules I mentioned before still stand and will never change.” 

He had a mouth that if wasn’t pulled into that tight line might be kissable, even lickable. Dang, Chloe. What’s wrong with you? Checking out the captor? She was crazy.

“Honestly, who upholds any of that old school stuff anyway? No one. My Papa didn’t even pay into the whole patriarchal thing. Seriously, we were raised to be independent and taught not to rely on a man. That fact that he’s…he’s given me to you is ridiculous and completely wrong for him. Just let me go and we’ll call it even. Your debt paid.”

“I can’t do that, Ms. Bellum. I will not dishonor your father and the vow I made to repay my debt to him. You will stay here, under my protection.”

She scoffed. “And where is here?” His voice was like cold ice running over her. It pebbled her nipples and brought goose bumps over her skin but not in a pleasurable way.

“You are at my castle in Norway. We are near the Jorgmund, the biggest hole in the rift, where we get the most lapses. Many of the Atal Warriors are stationed below the castle.” 

Chloe squeezed her eyes shut. Think! Okay, what would her sisters do? Willow was probably already near China. No one could ever stop her, and Lily would probably try to perform some voodoo to get free. 

She took a deep breath, which did the opposite of calming her, because she accidentally drew in his scent. She gasped and felt a flash of pleasure surge through her. He smelled as a man should, like something she could lick and bite and sink her teeth into over and again.

Oh God, what am I doing thinking thoughts like that! She was losing her mind. First, her Papa died leaving her to this nonsense, and now she was stuck with the most notorious man in the world. She would escape. She could do that. He didn’t seem intent upon hurting her and she might even be able to use the fact that he was indebted to her Papa to gain some leverage, if necessary. 

Escape. Her mind whirled with possibilities. Like how the heck did she get out of Norway and to an airport? She didn’t even have any money on her.

“We need to discuss what will occur at the next new moon.” The thought she’d been having came to an abrupt stop in her head. Her eyes slammed open and her back dug into the door to try to get away from him.

“You can’t…we can’t,” she said, shaking her head to clear it. “No way,” she said finally. The commander turned around and marched away. She took a deep breath; it was as if he sucked up all the air in the room with his presence. Now she could breathe, but it didn’t smell as delicious as it did when he was near. 

She tightened her grip on the towel to keep it from sliding down and embarrassing the hell out of her while she slowly, quietly slipped her free hand behind her. Her heart was beating so hard and fast, she prayed he couldn’t hear it. Could vampires hear such things? She reached, searching for the door handle.

“Something must be done. I am sure you are aware of the changes that you will go through at the new moon.”

Chloe glared at him. He knew just the right things to say to piss her off. “I am a succubus; of course I know. Better than you, I’m sure,” she said without hiding the sarcasm in her voice. “And I am not doing that with you,” she added for good measure.

He brought those eyes back to her, seemingly assessing everything about her. From the red nail polish on her toes to the not-perfectly-thin figure she sported. She clutched the towel tighter around her and did what she knew Willow would do. She glared at him with a look that clearly said fuck you.

“That is more than acceptable to me. I am sure you can find any number of willing males around the castle for your time of need. I’d recommend one of my closest guards because I sincerely trust them. If they do not meet your standards, perhaps one of the other Atal Warriors that reside below the castle. Please feel free to ask any of them. I shall not announce it to them in order to spare your privacy.”

Chloe thought his proclamation might be sweet if he didn’t say it with a tone that bordered on arctic. Though she couldn’t help but think that he was acting as her pimp with the suggestion. Bastard. Handsome bastard with a nasty scar that kept drawing her gaze. What was the story behind it? Every scar had a story, no matter how simple. Never mind, it didn’t matter. She was getting the hell out of here.

TA GreyAbout the Author:

I love to write the kind of stories that will keep you up late at night and make your heart pound. It’s my goal to make each new book better, more exciting, and more action-packed to keep thrilling you. I’m always trying to push the boundaries with my imagination, and yours, to create something new and different.
Open up one of my novels and you will find hot, erotic stories that will make you laugh out loud, cry, and fly through the pages. I write addictive love stories and I hope you like them.
Visit my website to learn more about my books at www.tagrey.com

Website: http://tagrey.com/index.html

Blog: http://tagrey.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorTaGrey

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/T-A-Grey/122074687903394

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5049079.T_A_Grey


Book Blitz ~ Arthur J. Gonzalez

The Photo Traveler Banner 450 x 169

clip_image002The Photo Traveler
The Photo Traveler Series

Book One

Arthur J. Gonzalez

Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction

Publisher: Fahrenheit Publishing

Date of Publication: Feb 20, 2013

ISBN: 978-0988891630

ASIN: B00BI4KEQC

Number of pages: 420 pages

Word Count: 87K

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Book Description:

Seventeen-year-old Gavin Hillstone is resigned to being miserable for the rest of his life. Left alone in the world after his parents died in a fire when he was four, he was placed in foster care, which for him meant ending up in an abusive home with an alcoholic adoptive father. Gavin’s only escape is in taking and creating images. His camera is his refuge from the unending torture and isolation of daily life in his “family.” Until he learns by accident that he isn’t alone in the world after all. His father’s parents are still alive and living in Washington DC.

When he takes the plunge and travels 3,000 miles to find his grandparents, he learns that they—and he—are part of something much bigger, and more dangerous, than he could ever have imagined. Something that has always put his family at risk and that will now threaten his own life, while forever changing it. He learns that he is one of the last descendants of a small group of Photo Travelers—people who can travel through time and space through images.

But his initial excitement turns to fear, when he soon discovers that he and his grandparents are being pursued by the fierce remnants of a radical European Photo Traveler cult, the Peace Hunters. What Gavin has, they want! His adventure will take him to past eras, like The Great Depression and the Salem Witch Trials.

Gavin will have to discover who he really is and must make choices that spell the difference between life and death for himself, for the relatives he now knows and loves, and for the girl he will come to love. For Gavin, life will never be the same.

PROLOGUE

What do you do when a sudden gust of wind forces your boat totally off course and into the unknown? When from one moment to the next, the life that you thought you’d always be living morphs into one you’d never imagined?

Ever since I could remember, I believed there had to be something more to life than the one I’d been thrown into as a child. Even though I sometimes told myself I had to be crazy because just the idea seemed so hard to imagine—given how things had gone so far, anyway.

I would ask myself if it was wrong for me to feel this way. If I was being naïve to think there was something greater out there. Something that really belonged to me. But what do you if you feel an unknown force pulsating through your blood, constantly reminding you of it? Are you just supposed to ignore it?

I suppose that most of the time that’s what they teach us to do. You know, “Forget it. Take the easy way out.” Sure. Never the right one.

That’s what they kept telling me. “You’re kidding yourself if you think you can have a better life.¬ Learn to live with what you’ve got.” Things like that.

Maybe that’s why I started taking photos as soon as I got my hands on my first camera. It was a way I could distance myself from the life I was being forced to live. It let me create images of the world around me, finding life in the most ordinary moments…like when the sun makes a lonely tree sweat and it in turn gives water to a struggling, thirsty grasshopper below. Those things were real. Not the crappy life I’d always been trapped in.

And then, just a few weeks ago, my life took a turn for the unexpected. And now all I have to say to you is—believe in your gut instinct. Intuition is what kept me alive. It’s what made me believe. At the end of the day, it was all I really had that was mine. And you can find what’s really yours, too.

CHAPTER ONE:

The walk home is brutal. I was hoping that the sun would have begun its descent by now, but it’s still as blazing hot as ever. I remember them saying on the news that this was going to be one of the hottest summers ever. Though I feel like they’ve been saying that for the past five years. Global warming or something.

I know that nothing good is going to be waiting for me when I get to the house. For sure, Mel’s already gotten back and is showing Jet what I did to the car and batting her lashes and blaming it all on me. Equipped with her fake tears, she’s probably made up a lie about how I “blew up” on her and refused to go back with her even though she “begged” me to get in. It wouldn’t be the first time her lies have gotten me into trouble. And no doubt he’s now in a violent rage and shouting about how I’m going to “get my ass kicked” and how “useless” I am.

I trudge along trying to prepare myself for the tempest that’s going to hit me when I finally get back. I don’t even need to close my eyes to envision the fury in his bloodshot eyes and smell his liquor breath and see his large, flaring nostrils.

If only Leyla were still alive. God, I miss her. Because of her, Jet actually used to be a decent father. He always had a short fuse, but he wasn’t the angry, pathetic drunk he turned into after she died and he got serious about drinking. Looking at him today, with his beer belly lapping over his belt and the patches of thinning hair on his scalp, I find it hard to remember that he actually used to be a handsome, well-groomed guy. And not a bad foster father, either. I remember him getting home early from the construction site with a smile and he’d sometimes even have a toy for me. Things really do change, I guess.

I was four when my real parents died in a house fire while I was at daycare. I ended up in foster care because I had no other relatives to claim me.

I’ve never quite known how Leyla and Jet took me on, but after a year of fostering they legally adopted me. And until I was about eight, I was a generally happy kid even though Mel and I never really got along. I think she always felt threatened by me, and my guess is that she was jealous because Leyla and Jet had brought this random kid into her home and she had to share their attention with me.

I guess it would’ve bothered me, too, if I’d been in her place. But it’s not like it was my fault. I wasn’t intentionally trying to steal them from her or something. I would never do that.

That day, Leyla took me and Mel to the convenience store two blocks from our place. I was whining nonstop because I wanted sour bear gummies, and I wasn’t going to let up until I had them. But while I was happily grabbing my bag of candy, two masked men with guns barged in and ordered the clerk to hand over all the cash in the register.

I had no idea what was happening, but I was so scared that I started crying. One of the guys pointed his gun at me and shouted, “Shut up, kid!” That made me cry even louder and harder.

“I said shut up!” he repeated, and took a step toward me.

“Leave him alone!” Leyla shouted. She grabbed me and put me behind her, shielding me with her body. Mel was crouched in a corner near the Slurpee cooler with tears running down her cheeks.

“Hey!” the guy said. “Whaddya got in that purse?” He made a grab for it. She backed away from him, but he grabbed her and threw her to the filthy, sawdust-covered floor. His buddy ran over, held her down, grabbed her purse, and tore it open.

“You can’t take our money!” I yelled. I ran over and kicked him in the shin to try to get him away from her. He swung the gun around at me and Leyla sprang up from the floor and lunged in front of me as the gun went off.

It hit her in the neck, and seconds later she was gone.

Before I could even process what had happened, the gunmen ran out of the store. I’ll never forget leaning over Leyla’s body and staring at the pool of blood spreading over the floor. Her jungle-green eyes—Mel’s exact eye color—were wide open, but I somehow knew that she couldn’t see me even though her tears never seemed to stop.

“MOM!” I screamed. “Mom! Mom! Mom, I’m sorry!”

I kept calling her name over and over and over even though I knew she would never answer me again. Finally I knelt down in all the blood and laid my head on her stomach until Mariela, the Mexican clerk who’d been working at the store ever since I could remember, hurried over and peeled me away from Leyla’s body.

“Dios Mio! Mijito!” she sobbed, “Ven conmigo.” And as I started to hear the police sirens in the distance but getting louder every second, she led me into the stockroom so I wouldn’t see any more. Then she went back out to Mel, who was still huddled on the floor rocking back and forth in shock. She didn’t talk for almost a month. I’ve never eaten sour bears again.

Even worse, the next day Jet told us that Leyla was pregnant and that they’d been planning to surprise us with the news that night at dinner. So I’d been the cause of two deaths. A double loss. Go me.

Jet never stopped holding it against me. And Mel’s jealousy turned into outright hatred.

I’m not sure either of them hated me more than I hated myself.

Jet turned to alcohol. He spent his days binge-drinking on the couch that he and Leyla had chosen together. He stopped taking construction jobs and finally took a temporary leave of absence that somehow turned into a permanent one. Two years later he married Dina, who not only puts up with his brutal attacks and constant verbal assaults, but for some unknown reason actually defends him.

She’s as pathetic as he is, and that bothers me because she’s actually a sweet woman. It’s like she’s under some kind of spell. What kind of woman puts up with a man who bruises her constantly and hurls hateful remarks? Last night he called her a “filthy pig”. And he’s always calling her a “fat ass”, which I don’t understand because she’s not even pudgy in the least! And trust me—I know chunky. I was a size Hefty for most of my childhood.

In all honesty, I think she feels she has no choice. She doesn’t have enough education to get a good-paying job, so Jet supports her—although I’ve always wondered how, since he hasn’t really worked for years now. I figure that Leyla had some sort of insurance policy.

On top of everything else, Dina was Leyla’s best friend. Maybe she feels guilty about marrying Leyla’s husband and inheriting her family. I don’t know. From my understanding, Jet and Dina became each other’s “support” after Leyla died, and eventually the feelings “just happened”.

I call BS on the whole thing. I think they just found it convenient and used all the other stuff as excuses.

In any case, all three of them hold me accountable. It’s been almost ten years and they’re still holding it against me. They never let it rest. Not a week goes by that Jet doesn’t snarl at me. Usually while he’s beating me. “Adopting you was my biggest mistake! If it wasn’t for you, she’d still be alive!” The hate in his words when he says it…I know he means it every time.

The worst part is, I accept everything he says because I’m still pretty much blaming myself too. I know that if they hadn’t taken me in, Leyla probably would still be alive. And so would their second kid, the little brother or sister who never got a chance to be born.

That hurts to think about, because Leyla was a great mom. If more people had a mom like her, there’d probably be less crazies in the world. She read to me every morning. Sang to me every night. I can still hear her humming lullabies to me whenever I had nightmares about the fire. I remember drifting off to sleep with my fingers wrapped around a strand of her curly blonde hair. I loved her curls.

“Mom, they’re just like Slinkies!” I used to tell her. I would tug at them to straighten them out and then let them go to spring back into curls. Slinkies were my favorite childhood toy. Now I can’t stand the sight of them. Especially the neon-green ones, because they remind me of the one she brought me one day as a joke.

At night when I have trouble sleeping I can still hear her sweet voice reaching out to me and crooning, “Let the night take all your fear… Let my voice be all you hear…”

clip_image004About the Author:

THE PHOTO TRAVELER is young adult author Arthur J. Gonzalez’s first novel. Arthur was born and raised in Miami surrounded by his loud Cuban family. He graduated from the University of Florida, where he acquired his coffee obsession and his chocolate hoarding antics. He’s the proud father of one baby girl, Sookie–his miniature schnoodle dog. Arthur is a self-professed goofball who spends 98% of his life laughing. He’s now working on his second novel.

www.thephototravelerbook.com

www.facebook.com/thephototraveler

www.twitter.com/arthurjgonzalez

www.arthurjgonzalez.com

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17254840-the-photo-traveler


Guest Author ~ Shanae Branham

DIsemblance Banner 450 x 169 July - August

clip_image002DiSemblance
Shanae Branham

Genre: Techno-thriller (

Subgenres: Sci-fi, suspense, mystery, paranormal

ISBN: ISBN-10: 1477527761

ISBN-13: 978-1477527764

Number of pages: 272 pages

Word Count: 55, 894

Book Description:

Jason Tanner lives between two worlds. Problem is, only one is real.

As a computer prodigy, Jason has spent his life with limited social contact due to his father’s secretive work on a hologram machine that can create digital immortality. When his father is murdered and framed as the Comfort Killer, Jason is targeted as the killer’s new fall guy. Having spent much of his youth living in the virtual world his father created, he must now go on the run if he is going to save himself, his brother, and the beautiful girl next door.

An exciting, action-packed ride to a future happening today, Shanae Branham’s modern techno thriller is the perfect exhilarating adrenaline rush for a technosavvy generation. Expertly weaving cutting-edge technology with almost unbearable suspense, she crafts a wild, white-knuckled thriller that pushes the boundaries of science. Full of intensity and extraordinary vision, DiSemblance attacks the senses as it challenges the mind and imagination.

“Branham does a brilliant job creating suspense….She ramps up the tension by keeping readers guessing over the identities of Jason’s foes and about how Jason’s situation ties in with the hunt for the killer.”

“Jason’s love for his father and his motivation to find out what happened to him are particularly refreshing.”

“The characters of Jason and Isaac are … cool enough to rise to the occasion … making readers feel like they are rooting for real young men.”~ Jill Allen, Clarion Review (4 Stars)

Amazon

Short Excerpt

The lines between reality and virtual reality are about to blur—and the result is murder.

Lloyd Tanner is a former MIT computer physics genius turned private sector visionary: he has created a hologram machine that can create digital immortality. This revolutionary technology is both a blessing and a curse. There are many who would steal the technology, and Lloyd’s family has had to live secluded from the world. But no matter how careful you are, there is no such thing as a well-kept secret, and there are those who will stop at nothing to get their hands on Lloyd’s.

Detective Bruce Durante has been handed the case of the Comfort Killer, a serial killer so named because he abducts terminally ill patients and returns their corpses to their families in refrigerated coffins. Picking up the trail, Durante finds it leading straight to the home of Lloyd Tanner.

When Jason Tanner’s father is murdered and framed as the Comfort Killer, Jason destroys all of the evidence in an attempt to save his father’s name. Trouble is, now Jason is in the crosshairs to become the fall guy. Having spent much of his youth living in the virtual world his father created, he must now go on the run for real if he is going to save himself, his brother, and the beautiful girl next door. But the secrets of his father’s invention run deep and Jason, his brother Isaac, Boston, the Comfort Killer, and Detective Durante hurtle towards one another on a deadly collision course that leaves everyone’s life hanging in the balance.

clip_image006About the Author:

I am a professional writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and a minor in grammar. I have also attended several years of classes and workshops in screenplay writing at the Los Angeles Screenplay writer’s Expo.
I love suspense thrillers and am a master at plot and character development. I enjoy stories with happy endings. I promise all my readers that when they put one of my books down or walk away from one of my movies, they will be enthused with excitement and joy. This does not mean there will not be some sad parts, because you have to feel the bitter in order to understand the sweet.
I was born and raised in a small town in Idaho. I am the second out of six children. When I was in my early 20’s my mother was killed by a drunk driver. This one incident drastically changed my life. I have always had a passion for reading and writing fiction. Owing to a life long struggle with Dyslexia, early teachers discouraged me from pursuing a career in writing.
As I have spent over twenty years wrestling with my language disabilities-turning them into professional writing skills, God has honed my insatiable passion into an incredible vision.
My Christian upbringing has instilled within me the belief that “…with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37). This has sustained me through the hard times. Because of my language disability, I have had to learn the structure of the English language like other people learn math – building block upon building block.
I am grateful for this experience because it developed in me a skill and love for diagramming sentences, which unfortunately is becoming a lost art.
I want my life to be a living testament that with God’s help anyone can achieve their worthwhile dreams. What God requires is the humility to change, a childlike teach-ability to learn, and the patience and persistence to practice and work until their weaknesses are transformed into strengths.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15831883-disemblance

http://disemblance.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/DiSemblance/193847093968586

https://twitter.com/Disemblance


Guest Author ~ Sedona Venez

Infinity Button 300 x 225 (2)

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Infinity discovers a dark secret from her past that rocks everything she knows to be true.

A troubled 22-year-old superstar singer, Infinity has a bad reputation for drugs and hard partying. Now, she is on the road to a comeback with her controversial tour. But everything about doing the concert feels wrong from missing employees, to anonymous threats about ruining her career. She is dealing with a powerful corporation that is determined to kill her and everyone she loves.  She is also battling for control of her life and career from a relationship that crossed the fine line between love and obsession. Infinity knows too much, even though she doesn’t realize it.  Secrets have been kept and these secrets are powerful enough to destroy her and everyone she loves.
Now she must put her safety and trust in the hands of sexy, tattooed and delicious Torch Channing and Boulder Vigari, hired to keep her from getting killed. Boulder wants to make her his. He won’t stop until he claims her. Torch struggles with his primal need to possess her and his hatred of everything she represents.

Infinity is determined to protect her heart while dealing with the pressure of pulling off another successful tour without spiraling into another mental meltdown.

Excerpt:

He stepped closer, brushing my jet-black hair away from my cheek, his finger wrapping around a curl before trailing down my neck. “Do you really think I give a shit about her? Or any human, for that matter? I’m here for you. You’re mine and nothing you can do or say will change that now.”

He stroked my cheek. “You’ve been reckless, Infinity. Did you really think you could thumb your nose at the Collective and live? You disregarded all of my warnings. You are naive and reckless. I did all that I could to prevent this exact moment.”

I tilted my head, looking at him through my eyelashes, whispering, “What moment?”

He pulled me against his chest, digging his hand into my shoulder painfully. “This fucking moment, Infinity. The moment of me standing here before you, not as your consort, but as the man sent here to kill you.” He sighed. “You pushed them too far, and the decision has been made to destroy you for the betterment of the Vampire Collective.”

“No, I… You can’t.” I rasped and swallowed. “She said you wouldn’t.”

His hands gripped my body as he leaned his forehead against mine. “I don’t know who she is, but she can’t save your ass right now. Only I can. You’re mine. Come with me and all will be forgiven. As my consort you will be untouchable, but on your own you are dead.”

My lust started to slowly cool and logic finally started to kick in. Fuck, what was I doing? I was standing in a bathroom, panting over a vampire who may or may not be some crazy ass stalker assassin for a corporation of vampires. This was some crazy shit.

“No!” He held me tight as I tried to back away. “I won’t. I will never choose to be with a monster like you. You might as well kill me now.”

“You’re already with a monster.” He leaned down, scrapping his incisors against my throat. “You just haven’t accepted it.”

Burning coursed down my neck. The panic set in, causing me to kick with futility against his brute strength. I was going to die. The strange woman lied.

“Please, Alik. Don’t do this.” Anger and fear fought within me. Fear was winning by a landslide.

 

About the Author:

Author_Photo  Sedona_Venez

Sedona Venez writes paranormal romance, urban fantasy romance, and science fiction romance. She lives in the North East in the city that never sleeps.

Sedona can be found online in all the usual haunts:

Her Blog

Facebook

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Goodreads


Release Day Blitz ~ Nadia Scrieva

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When Brynne left Alaska, she promised herself she would never go back.
The day after graduation, she got in her beat-up Honda Civic and drove down the west coast to pursue her dream of becoming a Hollywood makeup artist. Growing up in a rural fishing village with dirty, rundown buildings, and dirty, rundown men, she longed for the glitz and glamour of the silver screen. She had no qualms about leaving behind her dysfunctional family and her nowhere-job at her mother’s fishing tackle shop. She didn’t even think twice about leaving behind the cute boy who came in to buy gear almost every day, shamelessly flirting with her and always leaving a generous tip. Well, maybe she thought about it twice; but she knew that a relationship with Callder Murphy would only be bound to lead her deeper into nowhere. She was sick and tired of being nowhere—and no one.
Brynne set out, determined to prove to the world that she was much more than just a fisherman’s daughter. Unfortunately, her luck and tip money ran out in Seattle when her car broke down. Exhausted from the stress of travel, she decided to take a waitressing job in the city for the time being. “For the time being” ended up being far longer than she would have liked. That was four years ago. Now, a call from home has alerted Brynne to some bad news. She needs to get back to Soldotna promptly, but she has been living paycheck to paycheck and can’t even afford a plane ticket home. Enter a ghost from her past as her knight in shining armor. Unexpectedly showing up outside her restaurant in a red Ferrari, Callder is determined to take her home with him, and keep her there for good.
Perpetually drunken playboy, Callder Murphy, is currently loaded. Of course, that’s only because he stole his big brother’s credit card. He was off in Vegas, doing what he does best (absolutely nothing) when he received the call from home. A name he hasn’t heard in years pulls him out of his mindless haze of stumbling from one wild party to the next: Brynne Ambrose needs his help. Pleasant memories of the rude, tomboyish, and completely adorable girl-next-door come rushing back to him with a vengeance. He drops all of his shenanigans and cleans up his act instantaneously. He uses his brother’s credit card to buy an impressive car, and sets out to win over the girl of his dreams. He knows he’s no good for her, but he can’t stay away.

Callder has been waiting his whole life for the opportunity to be her man, and he’s not going to let her slip away again.

 

Alaskan Nights Button 300 x 225

clip_image004About the Author:

Nadia Scrieva lives in Toronto, Canada with no husband, no kids, and no pets. She does own a very attractive houseplant which she occasionally remembers to water between her all-consuming writing marathons.

www.NadiaScrieva.com

www.facebook.com/NadiaFans

www.nadiascrieva.blogspot.com

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

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5449630


Book Blitz ~ Stacey Kennedy

somelikeitwicked_msr

Bryanna is far from the perfect witch. Shunned by her coven and her boyfriend for her unruly magic, she seeks a new life for herself in a new town—Charmstone.

When Bryanna arrives in Charmstone, Zeke, a demon gone good, is burning with fire over her. Not only has she set his world ablaze, but he’s found one soul he can save. He’s determined to free her from the insecurities that have damaged her soul.

Together they experience lava-hot passion as they weave their way through a tornado of emotions. But when Bryanna’s ex returns for her, Zeke will need to take a stand and hope that their lust leads to a forever love.

Publisher’s Note: This story was previously published elsewhere under the title Whatnots & Doodads in 2011, and has been revised and expanded for Ellora’s Cave.

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Excerpt Some Like It Wicked

Copyright © STACEY KENNEDY, 2013

All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.

A thump, followed by a ga-jug, echoed within the Volkswagen Rabbit, then the car rolled to a halt on the side of the gravel road.

“Oh Blessed Be, this cannot be happening.” Bryanna turned the ignition key and it clicked. She tried again, but she didn’t hear a spark of the engine igniting or a purr from the muffler, she only heard silence.

Dropping her head against her hands resting on the steering wheel, she shrieked in frustration and her throat tightened. But when tears filled her eyes, she straightened up. “No, you will not cry.” Cursing the now-dead piece of junk, she opened the car door, grabbed her handbag from the passenger seat and kicked the car’s silver door shut behind her.

Before the dash-unit GPS crapped out on her, it had indicated she had arrived in the West Feliciana Parish of Louisiana. Now she stood atop a narrow ridge overlooking a river below with blue sky and white clouds above.

The beautiful sight didn’t match her wretched mood. She should enjoy the rich, earthy scents around her, feel rejuvenated to have left the busy city of Shreveport behind and bask in the gloriousness of the nature around her. That was, if she was a good Earth Witch, which sadly, she wasn’t. In fact, her magical abilities were embarrassing at best. But those kinds of chastising thoughts weren’t important anymore. Nothing mattered. Least of all what she could or couldn’t do with her magic.

She strode forward and her long black satin skirt dragged along the ground, making her grumble. The gravel road was slightly damp and the big clouds meant a storm had recently blown through, which only added to the strong scents around her. Rich moss thrived on the forest floors to her right. Birds chirped in welcome, but she didn’t know to where.

Not as if that mattered either. The only thing that did concern her was never turning back and always moving forward. Her life needed to change, which included getting her ex-boyfriend, Layton Brimley, completely out of it.

A man built of romantic dreams—beautiful on the outside, blue-eyed, blond-haired and sexy as sin. But the pretty packaging was deceptive; his soul was tainted with darkness. He was the reason she’d been on the road for four hours now and why she’d never go back to the Shreveport coven.

Above her, a bird squawked and Bryanna raised her hand to protect her eyes, watching the hawk soaring on a thermal. She sighed. If only she was that hawk and Layton was a little mouse she could rip to pieces. It’d be the sweetest revenge.

She focused back on the road and increased her speed. On her third step, her boot caught a stone, causing her to stumble forward. With a yelp, she nosedived toward a puddle and scraped her hands against the rough stones. The dirty water soaked her clothing, plastering her skirt to her skin.

“Oh for the love of magic.” She pushed herself up, wiped her injured hands on her wet skirt and took a cautious step forward, but wobbled. When she glanced down, she noticed the heel of her boot had broken off.

Drat!

Things that had been bad so far were only getting worse with each passing hour. She’d need four sets of hands to count all the mishaps she’d encountered along the way. Limping forward, she continued on, determined to get to…well, she hadn’t figured that out yet.

As the hawk above her squawked again, she also heard a car approaching from behind and drawing closer with each limp she took. Refusing to look back at the car in fear of embarrassing herself further, she stared at the gravel road when a thump caught her attention. The car’s tire had clearly hit another hole in the road, since when she turned, a splash came barreling toward her.

If she were a normal Earth Witch, she could conjure magic to stop the dirty water from hitting her. Sadly, she was anything but normal. Instead, she braced herself, shut her eyes and waited for the deluge.

Only a second later, the frigid water hit her dead center, as expected.

When she opened her eyes, she discovered her violet-streaked long black hair dripping around her. Looking down at her black corset, she found it completely soaked and dirt particles marred her flesh. “That’s it!” she shrieked to the sky above. “I’ve had enough!”

“You can either get in or stay wet. Your choice.”

At the low, velvety voice, Bryanna jerked her head toward the car, looking at back door of the black Dodge Challenger, which was open. Get in the car with a stranger? Or stay in these soaked clothes, with a broken heel on my boot?

The right decision was glaringly obvious.

With her continuing limp, Bryanna approached the car, then settled into the backseat. “Thank you for stopping.” As she leaned against the back of the seat, she noticed she was dripping dirty water along the expensive black leather. “Perhaps this was a bad idea. I’m ruining your seat.”

“It’s only a car,” the driver stated.

Glancing up from her soaked clothes, Bryanna examined her savior. He stared out the front windshield, but then looked at her in the rearview mirror, and she sucked in a harsh breath. It wasn’t his appearance that worried her. His short dark-brown hair, the broad set of his shoulders and even his nicely defined arms filling his pale-blue T-shirt looked incredibly nice. But it was what lay in the depths of his coal-black eyes that terrified her.

A demon.

“The name is Zeke.” He flashed a grin that, if she hadn’t been frightened, might have been sexy. At her silence, he chuckled, put the car in gear and then drove down the road. “Surprised to see a demon?”

She gulped, stunned speechless.

Demons were underworld creatures, stealers of souls and spawns of Satan. What kind of trouble had she landed herself in?

“Stop the car!” she shouted, blindly grasping for the door handle that seemed to have disappeared. She might have looked down to assist in her much needed escape, but that meant she would have to take her eyes off the demon, which she wouldn’t dare do. “Let me out. Don’t eat my soul.”

Zeke barked a shout of laughter. “I might be a demon by right, but I have chosen a different life for myself. I won’t eat you.” His chuckling faded. “And I’ll even send a tow to get your car later. What’s your name?”

His reply knocked her off her axis and made her pause. Was what he suggested even possible? Could a demon deny his heritage? “Bryanna.” She managed to look away from him and noticed they approached a town. “Where are you taking me?”

“Charmstone.”

Once he passed through the metal gates at the entrance, Bryanna spotted an old wooden sign that hung on a wrought iron stand. Charmstone was carved into the wood with Established in 1839 written below.

As the car traveled down the curvy paved road, shops of all kinds appeared. First, Duncan’s Dungeons, then Scaredy Cat Café and even Little Shop of Potions. The town had a historical feel, with aged stores that only built more character. It didn’t look decrepit, but had an incredible charm. One of those places so memorable that if she left, she’d definitely return.

After Zeke rounded a corner, he brought the car to a stop. Dragging her gaze from the eclectic shops and the few shifters who walked along the street, she exited the car and stared down the street to her right. She then looked to her left, totally mesmerized.

The shops were all huddled together with no sense of organization. They were nothing like she’d seen in Shreveport. It even smelled different here, almost like gingersnap cookies. Every shop appeared to be a little house and each had a different style that somehow made each one special.

“What a charming little town.” She glanced over her shoulder at Zeke and her mouth instantly went dry.

At some point, he had joined her and he was dark, dangerous, but gorgeous. He towered over her, staring down at her in a way that should have sent her running. Instead, she found herself captivated. Her breath caught in her throat as he gave a smile that was as devilish as his evil roots.

He regarded her a moment, giving her a once-over before curiosity filled his dark eyes. “If you’re a witch, why haven’t you,” he waved his hand over her, “changed your clothing?”

At the reminder of her magical flaws, her cheeks warmed. The spell he suggested was, in fact, the simplest of magic. She considered lying to save herself from the embarrassment, but why bother? A demon had no right to judge her. “Because I’m a terrible witch.”

One sleek eyebrow lifted. “How so?”

A breeze filled the air, causing leaves to flutter down from the tree above, making her slightly chilled in her wet clothes. “My powers are on the fritz. I can command the earth element, but when I do, something horrible happens.”

His eyes twinkled. “Show me.”

“That’s not a good idea.” She scanned the area and while only a couple of warlocks stood by the café and a few werewolves across the street, this seemed dangerous. Turning back to Zeke, she admitted, “It’s best I don’t use my magic.”

He closed the distance between them, studying her from head to toe. “But you are a witch.”

To call her a witch was akin to calling a black cat white. “Yeah, that’s the problem. I’m only a half-witch.”

He snorted, folding his arms over a thick chest. “There’s no such thing as a half-witch.”

“Wanna bet?” she countered.

The side of his mouth curved. “Go on.” He leaned against the wrought iron lamppost and waved her on, which flexed the muscles in his biceps. “I’m not worried. Show me.”

She cleared her throat, a little stuck on the sight of his flexing muscles, before she gave herself hell for looking at a demon that way. Focusing off him, as well as realizing he wouldn’t relent until he saw her flaws for himself, she focused inward. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

He winked. “Little witch, you couldn’t hurt me if you tried.” Pointing toward himself, he tilted his head. “Demon, remember?”

There was that.

Besides, even if she had perfect magic, she still couldn’t injure him; exactly why witches feared demons. Although this demon wasn’t typical, was he? With that thought on her mind, and not wanting to prolong the moment, she shut her eyes. Years had passed since she called to her element and she wasn’t confident earth would respond.

Perhaps some of her agreement had been because it almost felt like the final act of defiance. Her magic had been wonky since birth and her ex, Layton, had been right—her spells only caused trouble. Now she was free of him and could conjure magic whenever she wanted. That was, when alone and not for anyone to witness her mishaps.

Warmth began to fill her veins, instantly reminding her of how intimately her magic touched her, bringing forth a world of guilt. Abandoning her element had been the hardest thing she’d ever done. But what else was she to do?

As a heat wave rushed over her body and settled into her chest, happiness spread through her equally as powerful. The earth element appeared as elated as she was to reconnect. When the breeze picked up and turned into a stronger wind, fluttering her hair, she concentrated on her clothes. She pictured each article of clothing in her mind and switched that piece of clothing with something new.

With a skirt and corset strong in her mind, the blast of heat in her veins burned wicked hot until it vanished and the wind returned to a gentle breeze.

Only a second passed before Zeke burst out laughing.

She snapped open her eyes, caught sight of him staring at the ground and then she followed his gaze. The moment she spotted the tiny round glass jar, she groaned. “See.”

“I do see.” He picked up the container, pulled out the cork and lowered his nose to the glass. “It smells like vanilla with a hint of almonds.” After he closed the jar again, he smiled at her. “Is it skin cream?”

“Sure is.” She lifted her chin, forcing herself to remember he was a demon and had no business judging her. “As I told you, my magic never comes out right and always gives me these thingamajigs.”

“Thingamajigs?”

She gave a firm nod. “Yup, all kinds of weird whatnots.”

“Well, Bryanna.” He offered her the container with gentleness in his gaze that made no sense coming from a demon. “Must be incredible skin cream since your skin is beautiful.”

With burning cheeks, she accepted the jar, unsure if she should thank him or ignore him. She chose the latter, considering he was a demon, after all. Sure, a sexy demon with a wickedly charming smile, but nonetheless, a demon.

She deposited the cream in the garbage bin beside the lamppost and when the glass container clanged against the bottom of the metal garbage bin, she finally looked at Zeke. He stared at her intently and she became trapped in those same confusing eyes; so dangerous, yet tender.

When he chuckled, her attention drifted down to his curved lips, making her wonder what it’d be like to kiss a demon. Would he be gentle? Or would he be a devil between the sheets?

The second she realized it hadn’t been a passing thought, but intense curiosity, she gave her head a hard shake for even going there.

What was wrong with her?

“There’s a store close by that should suit you.” Zeke’s voice had deepened, his eyes glinting dangerously. “I’ll buy you whatever you need to replace your clothing.”

She bit back a curse, seeing he wasn’t blind to her regard of him. Her most private thoughts always showed on her face. She had to work on not being such an open book. “I don’t need your money. That’s one thing I do have.”

In fact, money was the only thing she had, not that she’d tell a demon that. What she didn’t have—what she longed for—was everything that truly mattered: love, acceptance and perfect magic.

She had lived without the important stuff for twenty-five years and she couldn’t do it any longer. Those desires made her leave everything she knew behind in Shreveport in search of a new life.

And now here she was, in Charmstone with a demon.

 

About the Author:

clip_image002

Stacey Kennedy writes romance that sometimes gets very naughty. She’s an urban fantasy lover at heart, but she also enjoys losing herself in dark and sensual worlds. She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her husband who gave her a happily ever after. Together, they have two small children who can always make her smile, and who will never be allowed to read mommy’s books. If she’s not plugging away at a new story, you’ll find her camping, curling up with the latest flick, or obsessing over Sons of Anarchy and Games of Thrones.

Website – http://www.staceykennedy.com/

Blog – http://www.staceykennedy.com/blog

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/AuthorStaceyKennedy

Facebook Fan Page – www.facebook.com/StaceyKennedyFanPage

Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/Stacey_Kennedy

Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3473046.Stacey_Kennedy

Amazon Author Page –

http://www.amazon.com/Stacey-Kennedy/e/B004G9KR9A/


Cover Reveal ~ Nadia Scrieva

AlaskanNights

Alaskan Nights

Nadia Scrieva

Release date March 25

When Brynne left Alaska, she promised herself she would never go back.
The day after graduation, she got in her beat-up Honda Civic and drove down the west coast to pursue her dream of becoming a Hollywood makeup artist. Growing up in a rural fishing village with dirty, rundown buildings, and dirty, rundown men, she longed for the glitz and glamour of the silver screen. She had no qualms about leaving behind her dysfunctional family and her nowhere-job at her mother’s fishing tackle shop. She didn’t even think twice about leaving behind the cute boy who came in to buy gear almost every day, shamelessly flirting with her and always leaving a generous tip. Well, maybe she thought about it twice; but she knew that a relationship with Callder Murphy would only be bound to lead her deeper into nowhere. She was sick and tired of being nowhere—and no one.
Brynne set out, determined to prove to the world that she was much more than just a fisherman’s daughter. Unfortunately, her luck and tip money ran out in Seattle when her car broke down. Exhausted from the stress of travel, she decided to take a waitressing job in the city for the time being. “For the time being” ended up being far longer than she would have liked. That was four years ago. Now, a call from home has alerted Brynne to some bad news. She needs to get back to Soldotna promptly, but she has been living paycheck to paycheck and can’t even afford a plane ticket home. Enter a ghost from her past as her knight in shining armor. Unexpectedly showing up outside her restaurant in a red Ferrari, Callder is determined to take her home with him, and keep her there for good.
Perpetually drunken playboy, Callder Murphy, is currently loaded. Of course, that’s only because he stole his big brother’s credit card. He was off in Vegas, doing what he does best (absolutely nothing) when he received the call from home. A name he hasn’t heard in years pulls him out of his mindless haze of stumbling from one wild party to the next: Brynne Ambrose needs his help. Pleasant memories of the rude, tomboyish, and completely adorable girl-next-door come rushing back to him with a vengeance. He drops all of his shenanigans and cleans up his act instantaneously. He uses his brother’s credit card to buy an impressive car, and sets out to win over the girl of his dreams. He knows he’s no good for her, but he can’t stay away.

Callder has been waiting his whole life for the opportunity to be her man, and he’s not going to let her slip away again.

clip_image004About the Author:

Nadia Scrieva lives in Toronto, Canada with no husband, no kids, and no pets. She does own a very attractive houseplant which she occasionally remembers to water between her all-consuming writing marathons.

www.NadiaScrieva.com

www.facebook.com/NadiaFans

www.nadiascrieva.blogspot.com

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

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5449630


Release Day Blitz ~ Christy Gissendaner

A Touch of Sin Button 300 x 225

clip_image002A Touch of Sin
Out of Bounds Book One

Christy Gissendaner

Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books

Number of pages: 83

Word Count: 39,820

Purchase Links: www.lsbooks.com, www.amazon.com

Book Description:

Julie Hendricks is a thirty-year-old workaholic who goes to her friend’s bar to meet him for a drink. It’s her first night out in years, and she envisions a normal evening. Instead, she meets Sin, a sexy karaoke DJ who’s not what he seems, and her idea of normal goes completely out the window.

Sin is actually Taliesin, the Welsh god of music and wisdom. For fun, he helps his old college football buddy at the local bar, Out of Bounds. His buddy’s prim friend captures his attention, and he soon reveals more of himself than he usually does.

Julie’s attraction to Sin is immediate, even though she doubts she could ever please a god. When her friend’s business is threatened, Julie must help hunt down the enemy while resisting falling in love with the dangerously intriguing Sin.

Short Excerpt

This was going to be fun.

The crowd must’ve realized what he was about to do because it suddenly grew quiet, and all eyes turned toward him. Sin removed his earphones and reached for the microphones. “I’ve had a request.”

A cacophony of whistles and shouts filled the air.

“About time!” one of the sorority girls shouted and was echoed by the giggles of her friends.

Sin held up his hand for silence. “I’m going to need a volunteer.”

At least fifty female hands shot into the air. Sin ignored them all for the one hand that didn’t go up. As he had expected, Julie shrank against the back of the couch when his eyes met hers.

Jumping off the dais, he weaved his way through the crowd toward the back of the room. “Come here, Julie.”

Julie’s eyes widened, and she frantically shook her head.

Sin laughed into the microphone. “Don’t panic, Jules. I’m not going to make you sing. Now get on up here.”

She continued to shake her head. “No, Sin.”

Sin decided the audience was going to have to help him. He swept his arm out to gesture toward Julie and spoke into the microphone. “Everyone welcome Jules. She’s a good friend of Hal’s, and this is her first visit.”

If looks could kill and he was mortal, Sin would be a goner from the look Julie gave him. He reached out and plucked her from her seat before she could stop him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and propelled her forward. “Don’t worry. All you have to do is stand there.”

Julie elbowed him in the ribs and spoke through clenched teeth. “I don’t like being the center of attention, Sin.”

He twirled her in a small circle so that she faced the crowd. “Lucky for you,” he paused to throw his arm out in a dramatic fashion to gesture toward Hal. “I do.”

The music started, and he could tell the moment Julie recognized the song. Her eyes grew wide with disbelief, and her face paled.

“You are going to pay for this,” she hissed in warning.

“Relax, Jules. It’ll be fun.”

Sin plopped the top hat Hal handed him on Julie’s head, and the crowd went wild. The noise was deafening. For a moment, he thought she was going to bolt. Instead Julie crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “No funny business.”

Sin winked at her and turned back toward the audience as he sang “You Can Leave Your Hat On.” For each item of clothing he mentioned, he teasingly acted as if he was removing it from Jules.

In previous acts, his helper would sometimes become overzealous and actually strip. Thankfully Jules didn’t show a similar inclination. She merely alternated between glaring at the ceiling and at him.

Sin circled her and reached for the buttons of her jacket. Julie tensed as he undid the top two buttons. His fingers brushed the lacy edge of her camisole and desire shot through him. He wanted to have her.

But first he had to get through the next couple of hours. “Don’t look so frightened, Jules. I’m not going any farther.”

“You’d better not unless you want two black eyes,” she warned out of the side of her mouth.

The crowd hooted and yelled for more. Sin nuzzled the side of her neck, enjoying the feel of her skin against his lips. “The crowd is wild for you, Jules.”

“It is not me they want to see, Sin.”

“Maybe not the female half, but the men in the room can’t take their eyes off of you.”

It was true. Sin sensed the envious looks he was being given. He did not feel threatened by their interest. Julie would be his even though she didn’t know it yet.

Sin undid the third button of her jacket, and then a fourth when she didn’t argue. The lapels of her jacket parted and exposed her thin camisole. Even the women hooted with delight as he ran his hands down the sides of her waist.

No one was more surprised than he was when Jules turned and yanked the mic from his hands.

She turned toward the crowd and lifted the microphone to her mouth. “Ya’ll want to see more?”

The crowd went crazy. She turned back to him with a wicked smile. Reaching up with one hand, she removed the hat.

She plopped the hat on his head at a crooked angle and lifted an eyebrow in challenge. “Turnabout is fair play.”

clip_image004About the Author:

Christy Gissendaner is a romantic comedy author and believes that laughter and love should go hand in hand.

Christy lives in Alabama with her husband and three sons. She’s always hard at work on her next novel, but in her spare time she loves blackjack, karaoke, and anything resembling a vacation!

To find out more, please visit http://christygissendaner.webs.com

http://www.twitter.com/christygis

http://www.facebook.com/christygis

http://www.goodreads.com/christygissendaner