S. E. Burr’s title, TIME TRAVELING HOOKERS, sounded way too funny to me and I just had to share it. đł
SYNOPSIS
Three modern day roommates and recent college grads take a time machine back to the Wild West. The time machine breaks, stranding them in the past where they are forced to join a brothel to survive.
With the help of future technology, they’re able to trick their customers into thinking they’re getting what they pay for, without actually having to do the deed.
But the scam involves getting much more up close and personal with smelly, 19th century hicks than germaphobe and prude, Anastasia, is comfortable with.
One customer seems sweeter, more attractive, and better groomed than the rest. Could she actually fall for a cowboy from the dirty, disgusting past?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
âIâm not going to have sex with him,â said Anastasia.
âWith who?â said Beth.
âWith him,â Anastasia repeated.
âWho him?â asked Mare.
âHim, John,â Anastasia said.
âJohn?â Mare bit her lip, confused.
Beth sighed. âWhoâs John, Anastasia?â
âJohn is what the men who have sex with prostitutes are called.â
âWhat? All of them?â Mare asked.
Anastasia nodded.
âNo,â Beth said. âThey are not all named John. Not only men named John have sex with whores.â
âLanguage!â said Anastasia.
Beth groaned. âThatâs quite enough, Anastasia. If weâre going to do this youâll have to get far less prudish about many things. Language is the least of them.â
âIâm not going to do this,â Anastasia said. âI already told you. Iâm not going to have sex with him.â
âWho?â Mare asked again.
âAnyone!â Anastasia said.
âYouâre not going to have sex with anyone?â asked Beth. Her voice sounded mocking. âEver?â
âMaybe,â said Anastasia, âMaybe not, but Iâm certainly not going to have sex with anyone in this century. Do you have any idea how filthy they are?â
Beth laughed. âNo filthier than you are,â she said.
Mare grimaced. âShe has a point, Anastasia.â
âI know,â said Anastasia, looking down at herself. She had a strong desire to pinch her nose. She was dirty, absolutely covered in dust. To see it, to feel it on her skin, made her cringe. She hated, HATED, being dirty, but here she was dressed in a ridiculous gold-rush era dress that somehow collected every speck of soil, decay, and body odor around and on her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links
S.E. Burr wrote Time Traveling Hookers over the course of a weekend at a Tom Bird writing retreat in Santa Fe, NM. It is based on a dream she had a few weeks prior to the retreat, but she did no advanced planning of the plot. She was very surprised to discover that the story was a romance, as she did not often read romances, let alone write them. She quite enjoyed the experience and intends to write more romances in the future, but cautions that what she intends to write and what she actually writes can be two very different things.
She is the author of the young adult novel, Goblin Fruit, inspired by the poem âGoblin Marketâ by Christina Rossetti. The sequel, Goblin Girl, is coming soon. It was inspired by her desire to find out more of the story.
A nearly lifelong resident of rural New Mexico, S.E. Burr loves the desert, her family, and her cat.
Twitter: @serinburr
BUY Links
The buy links will not be available until the day before the tour.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
The author is awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter.
I am a tree lover and this is a gorgeous tree. Add in some powers to the storyline and I am intrigued by The Kaleidoscope by BK Nault.
Add To Goodreads
THE KALEIDOSCOPE by B.K. Nault
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB
Harold Donaldson unwillingly becomes the custodian of a beautiful, handcrafted kaleidoscope that changes the viewerâs future and becomes the focus of evil operatives intent on capturing the kaleidoscope for nefarious purposes. Brilliant but socially inept, Harold has distanced himself from any connection to his dysfunctional childhood. Abandoned by a father accused of his motherâs death, Harold trusts no one until the âscope forces him to accept a circle of friends he must rely on. To protect all their lives from imminent danger, Harold must discover the source of the âscopeâs mysterious powers. Just as he is on the verge of learning how it works and why his past connects to his future, he must face disturbing truths heâs run from all his life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
Ruddy complexions were like skywriting, a girl in high school had told him once. The message may appear slowly, but everyone can see it for miles around and remember it for days. âI have to get back to work.â He gathered up his trash and headed for the can. When he turned around, Pepper was standing close, nose to his chin. âTell Glenda hello.â Before he could go, she grabbed his arm.
âHarry, I really mean it. I am glad I saw…what I saw. Where did you get it again? Could I get one like it, or is that a one-of-a-kind thing?â
He told her about the encounter in the park with the homeless man. âItâs a mystery why he picked me.â He pictured the day of the handoff, the police hurrying the old guy away before he could explain himself. The police responding to his own complaint about the vagrants camping out. She was the first person he shared this with.
âYou have been given much responsibility in many areas.â With that, she stood on tiptoe and pecked him on the cheek. âYou have been given a gift. Thank you for sharing your magical looking-piece with me.â
âUm. Youâre welcome. And thanks.â He demurred, dropping his hand from her grip. âBut I donât believe in magic.â
âA man of science and numbers, I get it.â She tipped her head sideways, considering him. âThe mysteries of the universe reveal more than we see with our eyes or hear with our ears. If we slow down and really absorb what itâs trying to teach us, we might be surprised and delighted.â She poked a slender finger at his chest. âI choose to keep my mind open to the possibilities. What about you, Harry?â
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Bev’s a graduate of Texas A&M University and is multi-published in both fiction and nonfiction. She’s the co-author of the best selling and award winning, “Lessons from the Mountain, What I Learned from Erin Walton,” with the actress Mary McDonough. A former business writer, sheâs dabbled in many things from working as a theatre set dresser and props mistress to riding horses at pre-Olympic levels, judging for the Miss America/California pageants, and escorting her kids to work in Hollywood as professional extras. Married to her high school sweetheart, they’ve lived in two countries and 6 states, but promise they’re not running from the law. A member of the RWA and ACFW, she also blogs, tweets and Pinterests when sheâs not dreaming up new stories or planning a ’round the continent RV trip when said husband retires.
Published by Xchyler Publishing on April 25th, 2015
Defeated but not vanquished, the foes of light have retreated. But victory came at a terrible cost to Elora Walker, with her friends lost and scattered. Eleven months later and just seventeen, she commands her own Vanguard quad but struggles with a past that wonât release her and a future she hesitates to embrace.
The barriers between worlds continues to weaken, Dark Seekers are emboldened, and David still plans to engulf humanity in eternal night. Elora means to end the threat once and for all but dreads the personal consequences. Will saving the world demand the ultimate sacrifice? And who must pay it?
I thought that, with this being book three, it might be a good idea to introduce you a little to Eloraâs new world and the new cast of characters in her life. The main events of Fated take place almost a year after the conclusion of Reflected, and a lot has changed for Elora. Now an active Vanguard, she is finally living an âordinaryâ lifeâyou know, aside from the mind-reading and exceptional speed, strength and senses! Enjoy!
My back slammed into the red brick wall, and a hot breath rushed out of me. Gasping, my eyes flickered shut for a second before I felt myself rise again. Cold, hard hands gripped my neck and lifted me until my face was level with a pair of menacing, soulless black eyes. I didnât wriggle or squirm, not that I didnât want to, but the hold the vampire had on my neck was choking the life out of me. Pushing out with my mind, I tried to find my back-up. Where on the Spirits was the rest of my quad?
My quad, however, seemed oddly absent, and I felt my heart beat grow a little more franticâand probably more delicious-sounding considering my current company. Desperate now, I swung my legs up hard and punched my feet into the centre of the vampireâs chest. A dead thud reverberated through me. He snarled derisively while I pushed against him, trying to force him to release his grip on my throat. One shove, another. The third time, I summoned all of the Vanguard strength I had in me.
I caught the smug creature off-guardâmy short stature often led my enemies into a false sense of security. His grasp loosened for a fraction of a second and I twisted away, both of us falling in a tangled heap on the floor while I gasped for breath. I scrambled away, the dirt from the alley pushing up under my fingernails as I skittered backwards. The vampire moved fast, and I was unable to put any real distance between us before his shadow loomed above me.
I cast my eyes towards the shadow, trying to anticipate the creatureâs next move. It was not the vampire but my quadmate and commander, Marcus. He held his finger to his lips and I listened inside instead.
âThe rest of the quad are behind you, Elora,â came Marcusâ calm, calculating voice. âWe need to draw him that way if weâre going to take him alive.â This steady-in-the-face-of-danger attitude was something I had come to expect of Marcus during the last few months, and so I nodded, the panic fading as quickly as it had come.
Marcus slipped back behind a portion of the wall and continued his commands, relying on me to pass them around the quad. This was what I did, after allâhuman telephone. A sudden lump rose into my throat as the phrase fluttered through my brain, my assigned Vanguard Superior had coined it and he had died a little over six months ago whilst trying to protect me. He was an honourable man. I had trusted him and he had believed in me. It still hurt that he was gone. I had little time to think about it, though; the vampire had hold of my ankle and was slowly lifting me up. The tendons in my ankle popped, straining against my weight. My short, auburn hair slipped from its ponytail as I was lifted completely off the ground.
âThey sent a little girl for me?â laughed a dry voice. We had reached the obligatory âjust before you dieâ gloating, and I steeled myself for the usual barrage of taunts and mockery. âDid they really think you would be able to take me down?â the vampire continued. I squirmed a little, making it look good. I knew the others were about to make their move and I was waiting as patiently as I could. âLittle girl, I am Ramos. I have been alive probably ten times your lifespan! How dare you think you can kill me?â It was clear that Ramos needed this to be a two-way affair, so I joined inâif only to shut him up.
âMaybe I just look good for my age?â I coughed. It turned out it was difficult to speak when suspended upside down.
Marcus whispered to me that it was probably best not to antagonise the monster any more, but it was a little late for that.
âGood for your . . . ha!â Ramos mocked. âThe lack of marks on your uniform show me just how little you are, girl.â The silver flecks on my sleeve were on the sparse sideâbut I was still new, really, so twelve was pretty good. With a sudden surge, the vampire wrenched me up and around, spinning me so that he once again gripped my neck rather than my ankle. Then he whispered darkly, âI think I will drink you slowly, painfully. Punishment for your arrogance.â
âNow would be a great time to perform your daring rescue!â I urged my quadmates silently. I saw them about the same time as Ramos heard them. They slipped in from three sides and completely surrounded him, like moths to a flame. His grip tightened on my neck for a moment and then he lowered me. Turning slowly, he looked to each of my team in turn. He was no doubt realising that I was the very junior of juniors when it came to Vanguards, and that my quad most definitely were not.
Marcus had his arms folded loosely across his chest. His forearms glistened in the faint orange glow from the distant streetlights. He had many more kills and captures to his name and he was not alone. Simon had an equally glittering past. Finally, Maria, who had been here only six months longer than I, certainly had her fair share.
âWell, well! I see this has become more of a banquet than a snack!â Ramos ran his tongue slowly over his teeth as if to prove his point. All at once, I lashed out with my foot, striking him in the back of the head and nudging him forward. Simon and Maria each grabbed an arm, and Marcus pushed his iron stake firmly through Ramosâ heart. He gasped a chalky breath before disintegrating gently into a fine grey powder. He really never saw it coming, how would he when the signal was invisible?
____________________
Other books in the series Foretold (Vanguard Legacy #1) Reflected (Vanguard Legacy #2)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joanne Kershaw lives in Wakefield, England, with her husband, four young children, and an uppity cat named Dipstick. As a teacher of five- to eleven-year-olds, she spends her days playing at being a grownup, then goes home to delve into Young Adult dark romance and being sixteen again. Joanne lives and breathes books, whether reading, writing, or marking them. She wrote her first novel in six weeks. Encouraged to submit her work by a friend and fellow YA novel addict, Joanne now finds herself a signed author at Xchyler Publishing.
Genre: Action/Adventure, Suspense, Romantic Elements
Release Date: December 18, 2014
Repossessed is the Winner of the 2013 Daphne du Maurier Mainstream Mystery/Suspense Award and the 2013 Maggie Award for Novel with Strong Romantic Elements written by Sandy Parks.
A reclusive boss.
An unemployed pilot.
One devil in default.
When Brazilian gem dealer Maximilian Furst stops making payments on his fifty million dollar business jet, âHawkerâ Dunlop, reclusive owner of a high-end recovery company, sends a resourceful team to Rio to repossess the aircraft.
Dunlopâs newest hire, ex-military pilot Amelia âJetâ Walczynski, has the perfect skills for infiltrating Furstâs inner circle and flying away the targeted plane. The assignment appears straightforward until Jet discovers Furst is a sociopath and knows she is after his aircraft. Her promised support team, a Greek lawyer avenging his brotherâs death, a con man who sidelines as their scout, and a mechanic who paints her nails to match the country of operation, appear a hindrance rather than help. Jet finds it hard to play nice with her teammates when their private agendas put her life at risk. Yet, the closer she gets to Furst and the plane, the more she and her team will have to rely on each other to complete the repossession.
Santos Dumont Airport
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Gnawing apprehension spread through Jet as Maximilian Furst climbed up from the dark night onto his business plane and cast her a triumphant look. Behind him the door closed and the steward flipped the locking handle, securing the aircraft and effectively cutting off rescue if her true purpose were to be discovered.
The cushy leather seat beneath her offered little comfort. Minutes before coming onboard, sheâd learned Furst had left a disloyal employee floating face down in a local lake. She drew a calming breath through a fake smile. Had she overestimated her ability to manipulate a powerful manâone who was proving far more dangerous and unpredictable than her boss portrayed?
Looking back, getting onto the Gulfstream 550 had been easyâmaybe a bit too easy. Whatever the case, she had to keep a step ahead of Furst if she hoped to find the aircraftâs landing site.
He leaned over her leather chair, using his rock-solid body as unspoken intimidation. Without a word, he picked up the ends to her seat belt and buckled her in. Her heartbeat didn’t slow until the plane had taken off from the domestic airport and risen out of the haze into a clear night.
Jet controlled her fear by focusing on the sleek cabin. She related more to machines, particularly those with wings, than men.
âYou have an impressive aircraft,â she said, with the proper amount of awe to feed Furstâs overblown ego. She could recite checklists and emergency boldface items for the fifty-million-dollar beauty that surrounded her, but she had to be careful not to reveal her flying expertise. âWill I be as impressed with your home?â Or wherever the plane might land and âmagicallyâ disappear.
Maximilian shifted in his seat to face her and tented his long, dark fingers. âAfter the excess of my party, you will like the peaceful place we are going.â
âPeaceful? I see you more as the type who never rests.â She pointed at a well-developed bicep on his arm, making sure not to touch or even hint at coming close enough to doing so. âThose donât come from lounging around.â
âSenhorita, you flatter me. What is a strong body without a fit mind? My sanctuary awaits. It cleanses the body and soul of troubles.â
âI find it hard to believe you have many troubles.â
âA man without them has never been tested. Take this plane, for instance. The company and I have a financial disagreement to resolve. My legal sources have informed me impatient Americans have arrived to take it back. They are supposedly in Rio at this very moment.â
Perceptive sources. She held back the gulp striving to launch down her throat.
Maximilian, his spicy cologne still potent after the long night, leaned forward and encouraged her to do the same. She worked out of her seat belt and rather reluctantly moved closer.
With her head near, he softly added, âYou, Senhorita de verĂŁo, are an American. I believe you have come to steal my plane.â
Sandy loves building worlds with memorable characters caught up in ever changing circumstances. She writes in several genres including action adventure thrillers with touches of mystery and romance, science fiction, romantic suspense, and historical romance, some under the name Sandy Moffett. She has won several national writing awards including the Daphne du Maurier Mainstream Award for Mystery & Suspense, Maggie Award for Novel with Strong Romantic Elements, and The Lories for Best New Author Paranormal. Before the days of writing, Sandy was trained as a hydrogeologic scientist, taught at a university, and worked for a civil engineering firm and on an Air Force flight test computer project. Her adventurous background comes from being a private pilot, traveling the world, hiking, scuba diving, and taking over fifteen years of Kenpo karate.
From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
These Mermen Don’t Have Tails, They’re Deadly as Hell, and They’ve Got Something He Wants…
INFAMOUS BACHELOR and SELF-MADE BILLIONAIRE ROEN DORAN IS A BASTARD. Yes, he knows it. And no, he doesn’t care. He’s got money and power, and he depends on no one. But when his estranged father dies, willing him a secret island, Roen will come face to face with an even bigger secret: its occupants. And these savage, sea-obsessed warriors are quick to make their position clear: Leave now or die.
There’s only one problem. Nobody tells Roen what to do. Ever. Oh, and one other thing. He’s just met the island’s other new “guest” and something about her brings out his possessive side.
SOLE SHIPWRECK SURVIVOR LIV STRATTON had been adrift at sea for ten grueling days when salvation miraculously appeared: an uncharted island. Only, the deceivingly beautiful men who live there aren’t interested in saving her. No, not at all. Because they somehow believe she is their property, a gift from the ocean to do with as they please. This is not good.
Her only hope? Billionaire Roen Doran, of all people. A man who’s said to care for nothing and no one. But if he’s so heartless, then why is he about to risk everything to help her?
~ ~ ~
NOTE FROM MIMI ABOUT MERMEN: Anyone who has read the Accidental Series or King knows I love to flip things on their heads. Mermen is no exception. THIS IS NOT A FLUFFY STORY ABOUT men with fins and tails who sweep ladies off their feet and make them long to be mermaids. Uh-uh. This is NOT that kind of story. Nobody in their right mind would want to hang out with these very beautiful yet dangerous men (who don’t actually have tails, fins, or gills, by the way) NOR would anyone want to be their mates. Well, at least, not me! Run. Away!!
Hope you enjoy the ride. – MIMI
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
Bump. Bump.
âWhat the fuck was that?â Twenty-nine-year-old Liv Stratton sat up in her sagging life raft, trying to stay conscious.
Bump.
There it is again. Livâs eyes skimmed the perimeter but saw nothing. Well, except the warm March sun glaring off an endless stretch of eerily calm North Pacific. Water, water everywhere, but not a drop toâ
From the corner of her eye, she caught a splash about a hundred yards out. It appeared to beâŚ
Wait. She leaned forward. Is thatâŚis that? No. You did not just see a naked man swimming. The dehydration was playing tricks on her, making her believe sheâd just seen a tanned, muscular form floating on his back, everything on display.
Youâre hallucinating again. Liv sighed and flopped back onto the raft, shoving her sticky dark hair over her eyes to block the sun from her face. Iâm so thirsty. Iâm so thirsty. Oh GodâŚ
It had been ten days since the fishing boat capsized in a storm, taking with it the crew of eight to the bottom of the ocean. Now she wished sheâd gone with them instead of having been ordered into the life raft. âWhat about your crew? What about you?â sheâd screamed over the roar of wind and relentless waves pounding the side of the vessel. Captain Harris, a man in his late seventies with a weather-beaten face, flashed his crooked teeth. âWe are men of the sea, my dear. Here we live, and here we will die.â
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Remy Pamfiloff
New York Times and USA Today bestselling Romance author, host of the radio talk show, Man Candy, on Radioslot.com.
When San Francisco native Mimi Jean went on an adventure as an exchange student to Mexico City, she never imagined the journey would lead to writing Romance. But one MBA, one sexy husband, and two rowdy kids later, Mimi would trade in corporate life for vampires, deities, and snarky humor.
She continues to hope that her books will inspire a leather pants comeback (for men) and that she might make you laugh when you need it most.
She also enjoys interacting with her fans (especially if they’re batshit crazy). You can always find her chatting away on Facebook, Twitter, or saying many naughty words on her show MAN CANDY on Radioslot.com !
Find out more about Mimi and upcoming books at www.mimijean.net.
Hello and welcome to this weekâs Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!
Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and weâll share what readers have to say about these titles!
You just might find your next read!
This week, #T4T presents to you:
The Reaper’s Rite series by Dorothy Dreyer!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
Sixteen-year-old Zadieâs first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it.
When Zadie accidentally messes with the Reaperâs Rite that should have claimed her sister Mara, things go horribly wrong. Mara isnât the same anymoreâZadie isnât even sure sheâs completely human, and to top it off, a Reaper is determined to collect Maraâs soul no matter what. Now Zadie must figure out how to defeat her sisterâs Reaper, or let Mara die ⌠this time for good.
WHAT READERâS ARE SAYING:
âI felt that the author did a great job with her character developement. She was very vivid in her details and I felt like they were people I would meet on the street.â â Michelle, Goodreads Reviewer
âMy Sisterâs Reaper was a great paranormal, YA novel. Dreyer did an awesome job at creating Zadieâs linage and having it make complete sense.â â Tyler, Jolley Chronicles
âOkay, reapers, zombies, and death? Yeah, I was definitely reading this one.â â Kelly Hashway,Author
Months have passed since Zadie faced her sisterâs Reaper, during which time she’s been under her mentor’s magical protection. But now that she’s turning 17, that protection is about to run out. When dark forces lure Zadie to wander at night, she’s manipulated into committing unspeakable acts. With her friends and family at risk, Zadie must try to use her powers to break free from the Reaper’s grasp, or surrender to the Reaper’s Rite, which can only lead to death.
WHAT READERâS ARE SAYING:
âThe series is magnificent and should be on the best sellers list!!â â Holly, Author
âDorothy Dreyer continues the fast-paced, heart pounding journey she started in My Sister’s Reaper, delivering a YA paranormal romance filled with believable characters battling unbelievable odds.â â Katie, Author
âMs. Dreyer has upped the ante in terms of characterization, suspense, some down-right spooky scenes, and a playful sense of humor, particularly in the dialogue between her teen protagonists.â â Stuart, Author
Dorothy Dreyer has always believed in magic. Born in Angeles City, Philippines, to a Filipino mother and American Father, Dorothy grew up a military brat, living in Massachusetts, South Dakota, Guam, New Jersey, and New York. She now lives in Frankfurt, Germany, with her husband, two teens, and two Siberian huskies. Dorothy not only writes books with some element of magic in them, but has a fondness for reading those kinds of books as well. She also enjoys movies, chocolate, take-out, and spending time with family and friends. Sheâs known to make a pretty sweet cupcake when she has the time. She also tends to sing sometimes, so keep her away from your Karaoke bars.
fundinmental would like to welcome Ruthanne and The Christmas Dragon and Strings.
I am a dragon lover, so this was a must have for me.
What is your favorite shifter?
MY REVIEW
The box jumped. Between the cover and the first sentence, I knew this is a story I wanted to read. The writing was humorous from the opening line and I started laughing when I read about the rusty wand. Magic and a snow white dragon, what’s not to love?
This is a short story that left me wanting to know more.
Katie had left her family because she wanted a normal life, without magic. She is Merlin’s niece. She wondered who could have left the dragon on her doorstep – she can’t keep it and doesn’t want it. It’s cute, but she was getting rid of it. She can bring it by my house, at least that was my first thought, until I found out it had been stolen and whoever had it would be in serious trouble.
A wonderfully cute, light read that goes on to tell us how and why she has the snow white dragon, whose name is Starling. What other color would a Christmas dragon be?
Grey, a Fey, was unwilling to help her, but we will learn more about him in Strings.
A wizard, a Lin, an Unseelie, a baby dragon, vampires, elves, magic…I can hardly wait to learn more.
 4 Stars
BLURB
*The Christmas Dragon*
All Katie Lin wants is to get away from her family: from the magic, from the mayhem, and from the never-ending war.
Unfortunately, someone has other ideas, and sends her a box. A box that jumps.
The tiny fire hazard inside may just force her back to Wales – and right into the path of a dragon war, the Crow King, and at least one reluctant elf prince. Sometimes, running away just doesn’t work as planned.
EXCERPT
*I chose this excerpt because of the first sentence. A smile jumped onto my face.*
The Christmas Dragon
The box jumped.
Boxes are not supposed to jump. Itâs a law somewhere, I think. Maybe Guyana. Apparently not in New Hampshire, because the box kept jumping.
I sat in my idling car, puffs of exhaust rising in my rear-view mirror, and stared at the uncoordinated box-dance. It was wrapped in the loveliest paper, too, which was a shame, because bouncing on my boot-scraper had roughened all the corners and torn one edge. The bow was big and purple and covered in small green somethings. I wasnât close enough to make them out.
I didnât want to be close enough to make them out.
If I didnât do something soon, the neighbors would notice. The box probably hadnât been jumping all morning, or thereâd be a crowd. Or maybe it was already on YouTube. I didnât know.
So much for a safe, boring life among the Ever-Dying. New Hampshire, you have failed me.
I turned off the car. Time to go see what invaded my (mostly) magic-free space.
MY REVIEW
This is Grey’s story.
The Seelie feel they are the ones meant to rule everyone, including the humans.
Music is his magic. He is a prince, but left home to weave a magical spell of music around the humans and share the love.
Now he is called on to save them from the Slivers. He is determined to save the humans, no matter the consequences. But, who can he trust? He lives in a magical world where your enemy could be your friend and savior.
Among the Mythos, science fantasy and twenty thousand years of Earth’s history, Grey is an unwilling hero, but a hero just the same.
My only complaint is the story goes on and for how long, I do not know.
 3 Stars
BLURB
*Strings*
Need help? You probably shouldn’t ask Grey.
A runaway Unseelie prince, Grey feeds on love – a commodity he conjures via music and magic in late-night Manhattan. It’s a sweet gig, if lonely, and Grey is almost sure the dire warnings he was given about New York in December won’t come true.
Then a monster from his childhood attacks in the middle of the night, and everything changes.
He survived, but he’s marked, and more monsters are coming for him and everyone who survived. Grey has no plans to be a hero but fate doesn’t care what he wants. Sometimes, no matter what you do, you aren’t the one pulling the strings.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Indie author Ruthanne Reid writes about elves, aliens, vampires, and space-travel with equal abandon. She is the author of the series Among the Mythos, and believes good stories should be shared. Subscribe to her free email newsletter for free books and more at http://amongthemythos.com. You can connect with her on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ruthannereid), Facebook (http://facebook.com/mythos), or Tumblr (http://ruthannereid.tumblr.com), where she looks at too many kittens and Avengers blogs.
Ruthanneâs love of magic, urban environments, and deep space birthed a strange world with undercurrents of faith, magic, villainy, and heroism (along with swords and lasers, on occasion). Among the Mythos showcases aliens with all-too-human feelings, entire societies on the decline due to greed and fear, protagonists who might actually be the bad guys (or vice-versa), and endings every bit as messy as the world that creates them.
Ruthanne knows from experience that endings are messy. No matter how exotic the setting, how many limbs the characters have or what (if any) genders, the problems and questions addressed by a good story are very real, and thatâs why they have power. If she has a theme, it is this: keep fighting, and keep pushing toward hope, because the struggle is worth the finish-line.
Welcome to my stop for The Calm After the Storm by Mya O’Malley.
Living on the Gulf Coast, I am familiar with hurricanes. When I read hurricane, I wanted to check this out and share it with others who may be interested. A little romance in the aftermath is not a bad thing. đ
The storm of the century raged through the northeast, causing destruction and despair, millions were left without power and hope. Weeks later, countless people were still devastated by the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, Emma Riley among them.
Determined she didnât need the help of a man, Emma was convinced that she could brave the aftermath of the storm on her own. That is, until Jake came into her life.
After having suffered heartbreak and embarrassment, Jake Mack, a utility foreman, volunteered to travel north from small town, Georgia to assist with the aftermath of the storm. Jake was decidedly done with women. But he didnât count on meeting Emma or falling in love so quickly. Can he trust this woman or will his past get in the way and ruin the relationship with the one woman he truly loves?
Jake and his crew had now been in the suburbs of New York for a few days. His first thought upon entering this area was his surprise at the devastation. Sure, he had heard about the destruction on the news and had seen footage of the aftermath of Sandy, but it still hadnât prepared him for the actual sight of Sandyâs rage. Telephone poles were down, trees were snapped in two, and houses were completed destroyed by the storm. Seeing all the destruction only strengthened Jakeâs resolve that it had been the right thing to come. He felt proud to be able to help out and be a part of the solution to the horrible aftermath of this disaster.
As the day was wrapping up. Jake and Chris met up with some of their crew in the next town to finish one more area before calling it quits. The chill in the air was something that Jake had prepared for, but was not accustomed to. Clutching the new flannel he had purchased right before his trip, he put it on over his thermal shirt. Thankful for his thermos filled with hot coffee, Jake grabbed it but quickly tossed it aside.
âCome on, Chris! I asked you to stop drinking my coffee. Now thereâs none left,â he said as he shook his head, irritated at his friend.
Chris looked up at his boss sheepishly. âSorry, man. I didnât sleep well last night. I needed some caffeine.â
âWell, that makes two of us.â
They rode until they approached the utility pole that needed attention. Jake and Chris were among the first to arrive and got busy setting up for the job. Within minutes, the rest of the assigned crew trickled in. The workers were now familiar with the details and routine of this job, so for the most part they worked in silence, focused on getting this last job done so that they could grab some dinner and hit the sheets. It was cold and dark, the night chill settling in upon them. Jake supervised and helped his crew perform their individual duties as quickly as possible. As they were just about wrapping things up, Jake headed over to Steve, one of the older guys directing traffic. He looked frail and tired.
âHey, Steve. I got this. Why donât you call it a night, huh? Weâll meet you at the hotel for some dinner.â
âNah, Jake, weâre almost done here. Iâm good,â Steve said as he looked up at Jake with glaring dark circles under his eyes.
âSteve, go. Iâm serious. Get in a hot shower and weâll meet up for dinner. Bossâ orders. Now go and take Andy with you,â Jake gestured toward another man on the crew who looked like he was ready for bed.
Shrugging his shoulders, Steve made his way to one of the smaller utility trucks, calling for his co-worker to join him. Jake took over the responsibility of directing traffic, slowing people down and stopping cars when necessary. Yawning, he waved a small SUV along, noticing that the approaching driver was slowing down, much more than necessary. Jake squinted his eyes to get a better look. The car came to a stop when Jake stepped up to it and its window rolled down. Looking back at Jake was a woman who appeared pretty, even in the diminished light. Wait, scratch thatâshe was stunning, with long, wavy hair and piercing eyes. His heart faltered just a bit.
âHi. I wanted to thank you guys for all of the hard work that youâve been doing. We really appreciate you guys coming up here. I think I speak for everyone,â she said as she smiled widely. Her smile hitched his breath ever so slightly. Jake smiled back. This was certainly a change. Since he had been in this area, some people waved, some people smiled, others remained with their eyes straight ahead, but nobody had yet offered any thanks verbally. So different from the Southern hospitality way of life where he grew up, Jake mused.
Here it was different, the pace of life was much faster. People always seemed to be in a rush, and they minded their own business for the most part. Sure, being so close to the big city must be nice and the landscape was quite beautiful at times, but he didnât think this lifestyle was something he could ever get used to. It seemed too stressful, too impersonal. He would be glad to be back home when his job was finished.
The woman leaned over and offered Jake a box of donuts, disposable coffee cups, and a box of hot coffee. Jake was impressed.
âThank you, that was very thoughtful!â Jake gushed, thrilled at the idea of hot coffee. He thought he felt warmth spread across his cheeks despite the chill in the air.
The woman stared back and smiled at Jake for a minute and then set her eyes on the road ahead. She waved as she pulled away.
âWait!â Jake called out. âWait, what was your name?â But the words were lost. The mysterious woman with the coffee and donuts was long gone.
âGuys!â he called out as his crew worked on cleaning up for the night. âGuys! Our guardian angel just appeared, and she brought coffee!â
The coffee and donuts were gladly received, but the idea that someone would go out of their way to show a random act of kindness truly touched Jake. He felt the warm liquid slide down his throat and knew that he would always remember the womanâs thoughtfulness. Who was he kidding? That womanâs beautiful face was what he would most remember. He just wished that he had gotten her name.
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mya OâMalley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters. The family also consists of two boxers, named Destiny and Dolce, and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.
Myaâs passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. She spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel and has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico, and Costa Rica. She is currently working on her sixth novel.
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
I am a huge fan of Sandra Browns, so I am very happy to be able to share her new novel, Breath of Scandal. Shall we see what she has in store for us today?
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the end of the post.
Breath of Scandal by Sandra Brown
Published by:Â Grand Central
Publication date: February 26th 2013
Genres: Adult, Suspense, Thriller
SYNOPSIS
On a rainy Southern night, Jade Sperry endured a young womanâs worst nightmare at the hands of three local hell-raisers. Robbed of her youthful ideals and at the center of scandal and tragedy, Jade ran as far and as fast as she could. But she never forgot the sleepy âcompany townâ where every man, woman, and child was dependent on one wealthy family. And she never forgot their spoiled son, who with his two friends changed her life forever. Someday, somehow, sheâd return . . . exacting a just revenge, freeing herself from her enemiesâ grasp, and, perhaps, fulfilling a lost promise of love.
“Why do you flinch every time a man comes near you?”
“I don’t flinch.”
“The hell you don’t,” he said softly. “You nearly fainted a few seconds ago when your breasts came up against me. And the expression on your face when you discovered I’m hard defied description.
“I didn’t notice.”
“You’re lying. Is Hutch Jolly the man who made you frigid?”
“I’m not frigid.”
“No? Could have fooled me.”
“Maybe I just don’t find you attractive.”
He linked his fingers at the back of her neck beneath her hair where her skin was dewy from the heat. ”That’s another lie, Jade.” Ducking his head, be whisked his mustache across her lips. “You said yourself you liked my kiss.”
“I don’t.”
“Liar.”
He touched the comer of her lips with his tongue. It was thrilling, terrifying. His teasing caress made her hot and dizzy. She curled her hands into the front of his shirt, feeling the solid muscles beneath the cloth. His size and strength overwhelmed her; he could hurt her. He felt and smelled masculine. His maleness both seduced and repelled fought its appeal and her terror of it.
“Don’t do this, Dillon,” she begged against his seeking lips. “I can’t replace her. No woman can.”
His head snapped back. “What did you say?”
“I won’t be one of those women you ‘nail’ in grief for your wife.”
“Is that what you think you are, just another soft, wet route to forgetfulness?”                               ¡
“It’s possible, isn’t it?”
He muttered an expletive. “Listen, if that’s all I wanted, I could have a naked woman in my bed by nightfall.
“But would she also have a teenage son?”
“Oh, I get it,” he said tightly. “Graham is supposed to be a replacement for the son I lost.”
“You’ve certainly made overtures to get close to him.”
His fury was as palpable as the heat. It shimmied through his body and into hers. He gave her a crude once-over, stopping at her breasts and at the tops of her thighs, before lifting his gaze back to her face. “You don’t give yourself enough credit, Jade. Whether or not you had Graham, I’d still want to fuck you.”
He turned and strode toward his parked pickup. Jade, now angry in her own right, charged after him. She caught up as he was climbing into the driver’s seat. “If you persist in saying things like that to me, I’ll have no choice except dismiss you.”
“Go ahead,” he said with a belligerent jerk of his chin.
He was probably only calling her bluff to scare her, but worked. The thought of his walking off the project now was sobering. Where would she find a contractor as good? What excuse would she give George Stein, who had nothing but glowing things to say about Dillon?
She tried another tack. “I’m still convinced that you’re best man for this job, Dillon.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t you see that it wouldn’t be smart for us to become lovers even if . . . if I could.”
“I never claimed it was smart.”
“It would permanently alter our good working relationship. Neither of us wants that, do we?”
“No.”
“TexTile is too important to both of us. We can’t let personal conflicts interfere with our work.”
“If you say so.”
“Then, you see my point?”
“I see your point.”
“And I have your word that you won’t pursue this any further?”
“No way.”
Until then, he had avoided looking directly at her. When he fixed his eyes on her, she felt their impact like a soft blow to the abdomen. Then he slid on his opaque sunglasses, and she couldn’t see his eyes at all.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including DEADLINE(2013), LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011), TOUGH CUSTOMER (2010), SMASH CUT (2009), SMOKE SCREEN (2008), PLAY DIRTY (2007), RICOCHET (2006), CHILL FACTOR (2005), WHITE HOT (2004), & HELLO, DARKNESS (2003).Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.
A lifelong Texan, Sandra Brown was born in Waco, grew up in Fort Worth and attended Texas Christian University, majoring in English. Before embarking on her writing career, she worked as a model at the Dallas Apparel Mart, and in television, including weathercasting for WFAA-TV in Dallas, and feature reporting on the nationally syndicated program âPM Magazine.â
In 2009 Brown detoured from her thrillers to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
Brown recently was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writerâs Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of Americaâs Lifetime Achievement Award.
As soon as I saw the cover, I knew I had to share this.
I LOVE UNICORNS!
Fallenwood Cover Love!
Leslie D. Soule
So the brilliant artist who created the Fallenwood cover, with the black unicorn Shadowmere on it, which I love, is artist Stephanie Flint. Sheâs the same artist who designed the cover for Forgetting Fallenwood, which is book 2 in the series. For the cover on book 2, we see Ash, who has returned to the real world and is trying to live a normal life. Sheâs got a state job and sheâs all dressed up. Sheâs holding her mocha and keeping her head up and trying to walk a very different path than the one she was on in Fallenwood. This makes the contrast so stark when she eventually gives up this life to return to Fallenwood in order to figure out whatâs happened there and how she lost her memories.
As for the covers, all I did was make a suggestion content-wise and Stephanie did the rest â coming up with these absolutely beautiful covers and I donât even know how she did it, but I give her major kudos for it. Sheâs managed to take subject matter that could essentially be very bland and straightforward, like the image of Ash standing there with the coffee cup in her hand, and give it a magical, ethereal quality. Same with the image on the cover of Fallenwood, where the unicorn has a turned-away stance that adds to the feeling of magic to be felt there.
So there it is! Iâm so fortunate to have had the opportunity to have such a great cover artist do these covers for Fallenwood. Iâm honored, really. What a great experience.
I love learning about the covers for books and am so happy you were here today, Leslie, to tell us about yours. Thanks so much for sharing and I wish you many downloads! đ
Isn’t this cover a beaut?
Fallenwood
by Leslie D. Soule
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB
Fallenwood â where your dreams and nightmares are only a portal awayâŚ
Fallenwoodâa land where magic is the life force, dragons are sages, and wizards good and evil battle for supremacy. When 23-year-old Ash is thrust into the middle of Fallenwoodâs power struggles, she is also forced to face her own inner battles. Life on Earth was hard enough on Ash, who is locked in grief for her stepfather. Now, the fate of Fallenwood rests on her shoulders. She must destroy the Great Crystalâthe catalyst for all the landâs magic. As the kingdoms prepare for war, Ash must look inside to find the power to save the world, and herself.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
âNow then, Iâll explain the meaning of the unicorn and the crown.â Ash continued munching on wontons as she listened.
âIn Fallenwood, there is a black unicornâthe only one of its kind. It was the horse of the Great King Palomides Hyperion back in the Golden Age of Fallenwood. It grazes in a field called The Field of Death that stands between two rivers. It is so named because if anyone tries to capture the black unicorn, it will run them through with its horn, whether the person uses magic or not. But whatâs important is that the unicorn has become a symbol of freedom and power.
âPeople fight for symbols. They go to war for them. They die for them, and devote their lives to the search for them and any number of things. The black unicorn was bred of a black warhorse stallion and a unicorn mare, and it has a name that I will not repeat here. If any of the six kingdoms of Fallenwood were to get their hands on the black unicorn, it would give that kingdom legitimacy over all others.
âSo even today, there are people who stand at the edges of the rivers and watch the unfortunate individuals who have been sent by their respective kingdoms to embark on what is essentially a suicide mission. People have tried nets, magic barriers, teaming up on the unicorn, all to no avail. Every person who has tried to catch the black unicorn has been gored to death. The black unicorn symbolizes a power that will not be dominated.
âWe are all caught up in the struggle between the unicorn and the crown. Youâll learn all you need to know about the philosophy of the crown when we arrive at Castle Evendown.â
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
My name is Leslie Soule (pronounced “soul” like that part of you that is innate). I am an author who loves to try new genres and Sacramento, California is my hometown. I have an M.A. in English from National University and am a member of the English Chapter of the Sac State Almuni Association, and the Sacramento branch of the California Writers Club (as of June 2014).