Ross: Unpredictable (Adults Only) by Patricia Green - FREE

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I invite you to meet Ross Adler—the ultimate bad boy. Ross's story is a harsh one, because Ross is harsh man. His biggest fear is to be vulnerable emotionally, and he does everything he can to avoid such entanglements. He is only half successful, however, and you'll find that he is far more vulnerable than he would ever admit.

Excerpt:

Ross didn't like being led around by anyone or anything. He'd had enough of that when he was in the Marines. There was always some snot-nosed captain who had some unrealistic expectation for his special ops unit. By the time Ross made twenty-five years in SOP and had reached the highest rank he thought he could achieve in the non-commissioned corps, he'd had enough. His recon and infiltration skills had been very useful when he chose to take mercenary work all over the Middle East after leaving the service, so he couldn't knock those long and colorful years in the military.

But, at the same time, he had nightmares still, even after five years out of the military. He'd done some things as a Marine that would make the average person run screaming from the room. They were necessary things and he'd loved it at the time. It was exciting, dangerous and, for some of his fellow unit soldiers, lethal. The nightmares, though, he could happily do without.

Before waking, he often dreamed about the hostages they'd covertly released. Sometimes those people were in very bad shape. They were broken and embarrassingly grateful for being released from hell.

Peete and Repeat by Karen Musser Nortman - FREEBIE!

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An IndieBRAG Medallion Honoree. A biking and camping trip to southeastern Minnesota turns into double trouble for Frannie Shoemaker and her friends as she deals with a canoeing mishap and a couple of bodies. Strange happenings in the campground, the nearby nature learning center, and an old power plant complicate the suspect pool and Frannie tries to stay out of it--really--but what can she do? After all, she is only curious, but sometimes it isn't just cats who have trouble with that!

Excerpt:

She fingered the glass stone on the chain at her neck and heard someone on the stairs. Footsteps crossed the floor of the other room.

She unzipped her backpack and set it on the floor just inside the door and walked through, expecting to see Richard. Instead, Valerie rounded the corner of the old machinery. They both registered the same shocked expression. Time seemed to stop as each woman realized the implications of the other one's presence.

Virginia said, "Valerie! But—“

Valerie's eyes were drawn to her sister's hand clasping the pendant and all the heartbreak of the last four years exploded as she lashed out. "My necklace! I thought you hadn't seen it! And I thought you were sick!" With each word that she hissed, she moved closer into Virginia's face. Virginia started to back up.

"No—“

"No what?" Valerie's voice got even higher and more menacing. "You pretended you were me and broke it off with Richard once and now you're trying to do it again. I had to marry Ron so that you could marry Dan." She exploded and screamed, "You cannot stand for me to have a life of my own!"

Valerie's shrill voice covered up the scuffing sound of more footsteps coming from the opposite corner of the room.

Prime Desire (Prime Series Book 1) by Andie Devaux - $0.99 Goodie!

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Evie hasn’t been back to the Colorado Rockies in years. Not since she almost lost her life in a terrible snowstorm, only to be saved by a sexy, mysterious stranger. A man who not only saved her life, but who also gave her a night of pleasure she’s never been able to forget.

But in the midst of passion, Nicolas revealed a frightening new world.

Fearing her rescuer’s lack of control over his weretiger nature, Evie ran. But when her dream of becoming a wildlife photographer brings her back into Nicolas’s territory, she finds the man almost impossible to resist.

Nicolas screwed up the night he met Evie. And ever since the plucky human slipped out of his bed without a word, he has been unable to forget her. But he wasn’t ready to follow her then—he was still gaining control of his tiger. Serendipity might have brought them together once, but Nicolas refuses to leave their future to chance.

He will claim Evie as his mate, or lose her forever.

Prime Desire is a complete story and can be read as a stand alone.

April 2015 Author Q&A with V.R. Marks

Q: The Witness was written in the same time frame as The Thief. How did you keep all the facts straight?

A: The hardest part of melding the plot lines between The Thief and The Witness was working forward and back from one particular email Rick sends to report on the fire at Nicole's apartment.

For some reason that detail posed a real challenge for me. I went over it time and again, making sure it coordinated and that it made sense when Rick sent it, where he and Nicole were at the time, and with what device he had available.

Continuity details are just one reason I'm grateful for my beta readers and editors. As I’ve learned more with each new book, I can’t help but think I should’ve been smart enough to avoid overlapping stories with my first two books.

Then again, I can say with confidence that ignorance was definitely bliss and just writing the stories as they wanted to be told was a super experience.

You can find a full list of my books, collections, and short stories at my Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/V.R.-Marks/e/B009KLZKEG

Ice Palace, Crystal Dreams by Chyna Dixon-Kennedy

$3.99

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Dr. Crystal Knight-Davenport unites with three high school girlfriends on a long-awaited vacation at the Ice Palace Hotel & Casino, a new luxury resort in sunny Puerto Rico. While there, a young basketball player with NBA dreams, mysteriously turns up dead in his hotel suite. Was it a heart attack, or was the murder committed by a member of a sadistic underground cult secretly engaging in ritualistic sacrifices?

Haunted by a traumatic childhood tragedy, Crystal is plagued with frightening recurring nightmares. In her relentless quest for revenge, she uncovers a tangled web of lies and deception. Enter Chief Inspector Don Dellevega, a veteran detective who falls in love with the sexy psychotherapist. He desperately needs to solve this case, but must ultimately choose between following his heart and saving his troubled career. Even a raging hurricane won’t keep him from deciphering the puzzling clues.

The killer is a ticking time bomb, ready to select the next target! Against all odds, Dellevega must embark on an exciting adventure in this action-packed, heart-pounding romantic thriller. A captivating masterpiece of human cunning and betrayal, Ice Palace, Crystal Dreams features inspirational verse that will make you a true believer in the power of Redemption!

Fierce Salon Season One: A New Adult Smexy Serial by Aspen Drake

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Also Available on Audio

This is a serialized novel. Each episode is a cliffhanger. For mature readers.

Audiobook also available.

The Season One Box Set includes episodes 1-5.

Fierce Salon is owned by sexy ex-model Nate Edwards. He's a player in every sense of the word but keeps his antics out of the salon. But when Amy takes over his empty chair, all of his carefully constructed walls begin to crumble.

Betrothed by Lola White

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This is book one in the Magic Matched series, see the full series listing here

In witching society, magic and politics are the only things that matter, and marriages are arranged for advantage rather than love.

Humiliated by a string of broken betrothals, Ileana Lovasz only wants freedom from her manipulative grandfather. So when she’s forced into meeting her next suitor, she decides to give the budding relationship all she’s got.

Eliasz Levy simply wants an alliance with Ileana’s brother Silviu, a man rising through the witching ranks. That is, until the Lovasz woman arrives at his home and stirs up emotions Eliasz never thought to feel.

Silviu has bigger things on his mind than his sister’s marriage. Georgeanne Davenold, Silviu’s betrothed and the key to his rise in power, is back in his life after a ten-year separation that left her distrustful of his intentions. Their union is a novelty, spanning the divide between matriarchal and patriarchal Families. Their union is also alarming, combining the influence and magic of two witches only heard of in myth and legend.

Ileana, Eliasz, Silviu and Georgie must build an alliance that will help them all get what they want, but with too many lies and too many enemies, the game they’re playing turns treacherous. When the two women come under attack, neither Silviu nor Eliasz knows which is the target. They only know that they will protect the women their hearts have claimed as their own, even though that means defying the traditions of witching society, risking every goal they hold dear and confronting the dangerous members of their own families.

Reader Advisory: This book is best read in sequence as part of a series.

Magic Matched Synopsis

The Magic Matched series tells the story of Silviu Lovasz and Georgeanne Davenold, two witches with a power only told of in myth. In witching society, there is a strict hierarchy, Family covens are ruled by Mothers or Fathers who hold the bulk of their bloodline’s power and archaic rules are enforced, disregarding modern sentiments. Magic and politics are the only things that matter, and marriages are arranged for advantage rather than love.

Silviu and Georgeanne have been betrothed since the moment of Georgie’s birth. When Silviu’s father learned a baby was to be born under the Bane moon, he reached across the Schism dividing the covens into matriarchal and patriarchal houses to the Davenold Mother, with a bold scheme to place their children at the top of the witching hierarchy. With Silviu wielding the enhanced talents of a Reap witch, he is the perfect match to Georgie, an abomination without magic who should have been killed at birth because of her defects. The only way to protect themselves against those who fear them enough to kill them, is take a position of leadership.

But they can’t reach the top alone. Reuniting after a ten-year separation that left Silviu aching with loneliness and Georgie distrustful of everyone who claims to love her, they begin building strong alliances. Silviu’s siblings, Costel and Ileana, and Georgie’s cousins, Adam and Christiana, are instrumental to their plans. But not all family members are worthy of their trust and the closer they get to their goals, the more dangerous some witches prove to be.

Silviu and Georgeanne must learn to open their hearts to each other in order to unlock their full magical potential. But with all that stands in their way – archaic traditions, murder plots, and a betrayal that threatens all they can be – they will need the group of allies they have built to help them navigate the dangerous world of witches, and the dark magic stalking them every step of the way.

Apps You Can Use to Inspire Children to Read

by Deborah Dera

I have to be honest. I love to read but it seems like a lot of kids today don’t. A little piece of me dies every single time a child says, “I don’t like reading” or “I hate it when they make us read.” As someone who was raised by at least one reader, and who chose books over other activities, children not wanting to read is a hard concept to swallow. Thankfully, I’m finding there are a lot of great apps out there that appeal to a child’s desire for technology while encouraging a love of the written word.

Reading Rainbow

The Reading Rainbow app is hosted by none other than LeVar Burton, and I’m a huge fan considering I spent so much time watching the show as a kid. The app allows the story to be read to your child or lets the child read himself, making this a great choice for children of different reading levels. Reading Rainbow is geared towards children ages 6-8 and is currently available for the iPad.

SUPER WHY!

SUPERWHY was based on the PBS show and is designed with the earliest of readers in mind. Your child can play with one of the main characters, identifying letters, sounds, rhyming words, and more. It focuses on phonics, phenomes, and skills critical to reading and development. This app is perfect for preschool aged children from 3-6 and is available both in the Apple store and on Amazon.

BookBoard

BookBoard ranges from $4.99 to $8.99 per month depending on the plan you choose, but includes a parent portal and up to 4 child accounts. The membership gives children access to unlimited books and includes more than 500 books your child can “unlock” through continued reading progress. The app is great for kids up to age 12, including everything from picture books to chapter books. Combine your unique reading goals with some games and a bit of healthy competition and your child will be motivated to grab the tablet each night (Psssst – there’s a free trial available).

Please don’t let the love of reading die at the hands of video games and television shows. Help your child cultivate an early love of reading with a balanced schedule of screen-time, games, and reading and the future (and his imagination) will truly blossom!

Interview With Author Ruth A. Casie

Thank you so much for inviting me onto your blog.

Ruth, how long have you been writing romance? Would you say it has always been your calling?

I’ve been writing romance since 2010. I was an avid reader and hadn’t planned to write a book. A friend was writing a romance and I asked to help her. One thing led to another and we decided we would each write a story and create a series. She was busy with college hunting with her daughter and training for the NY marathon so writing went on the back burner for her. I embraced it and continued. The book was published in 2011.

Has writing always been my calling? Not writing but storytelling. When I told my older sister that I had written and published a book she said she wasn’t surprised. I always had a story. She’s fifteen years older than me. One time I got her to wear a cowboy hat and boots while I played Dale Evans (I know, I’m really dating myself here) and charged around on my tricycle.

Your Druid Knight series seems like something any historical romance and paranormal romance lover will enjoy. Can you tell us about it?

There are several underlying themes in the stories: trust, family and acceptance. The first two stories are about Rebeka and Arik. 

 

In Knight or Runes: Rebeka Tyler never thought herself a warrior, renown authority on medieval and renaissance studies, yes, a martial arts amateur, absolutely, a warrior, definitely not. Tossed into the 17th century, she's plunged into the midst of a struggle between two druid masters. While she tries to decode the ancient runes and unearth a family secret in order to return she physically fights for her life against the dark druid, Bran, and struggles emotionally with the druid knight, Lord Arik, and the truth about their past. Neither Rebeka nor Arik can succeed by themselves they must partner in order to win. But it will cost her dearly, her heart.

In Knight of Rapture Rebeka is tricked to return to the 21^st century: For months Lord Arik has been trying to find the precise spell to rescue his wife, Rebeka, but the druid knight will soon discover that reaching her four hundred years in the future is the easiest part of his quest. 

 

Bran, the dark druid, follows Arik across the centuries, tireless in his quest for revenge. He’ll force Arik to make a choice, return to save his beloved family and home or stay in the 21^st century and save Rebeka. He can’t save them both.

Rebeka Tyler has no recollection of where she’s been the past five months. On top of that, ownership of her home, Fayne Manor, is called into question. When accidents begin to happen it looks more and more like she is the target. Further complicating things is the strange man who conveniently appears wherever trouble brews—watching her, perhaps even….protecting her? Or is he a deliberate attempt to distract her? Rebeka can only be sure of one thing—her family name and manor have survived for over eleven centuries. She won’t let them fall… in any century.

As an added treat, I wrote, The Druid Knights Tale – a Short Story. Here you’ll find out about Rebeka and Arik’s parents as well as some insight into Arik and Bran going off to druid school.

Do you have a day job outside of writing romance? If so, can you tell us about it?

I worked for almost thirty years at JPMorgan in a variety of areas for their global treasury products (checks and money transfers): product management, project management, marketing and communication. I retired two years ago. I was looking forward to writing full time and I haven’t been disappointed.

I spend the day writing, editing, researching, and/or promoting my books.

You’ve just won a free all-expenses paid trip to anywhere in the world; where would you go and why?

I’ve been very fortunate. I travelled around the world for the bank and have been in many wonderful places. My dream is to follow my family roots back to ‘the old country,’ Russia and find out more about both my mother’s and father’s families.

In your Druid Knight books, time travel plays an important part in the plot. If you could time travel to any-when or anywhere, when/where would you go? Why?

I’m in love with medieval England and Scotland. I’ve researched and read about the period and the places. My stories are set in Avebury and the England-Scotland border. Today’s courting rituals are rooted in medieval chivalry. This is the era where romance saw its rise in literature and the stage.

Do you have any advice for romance authors just starting out in the industry?

I think the best advice I can give any author is the best way to promote your book is to write the next one.

Extreme Zip Lining: The Most Electrifying Escape Story Of The Cold War Era by Daniel Zdenek Pohl

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In July 1986 a twenty-year-old Zdenek (Daniel) Pohl and his friend, thirty-five-year-old Marcus, came up with, and executed what many believe to be the most creative and daring escape in the world. They did the unthinkable. You surely can call this one: “Extreme Zip Lining!”

During high wind, and severe rainstorm, they zip lined on 380 000V power line out of a nuclear power plant from Czech Republic, formally known as (Communist) Czechoslovakia, over the Iron Curtain, into Austria.

While back home in Czech, perplexed authorities demonized them, in Western block countries their story exploded upon a public like an atomic bomb and became instant media sensation. At least in Europe, tension in Middle East, the biggest drug bust, terrorists or gun runners didn’t get better coverage than this story. They were called: “The Young James Bonds of Eastern Europe.” In oppressed countries; as well as in the free world, they gained legions of fans, constantly wanting to hear more riveting details of this amazing accomplishment.

As a result, their exotic “unauthorized exit” kept stealing the headlines of major magazines and newspapers even many months after. Some of the U.S. media such as L.A. Times, Boston Globe and Chicago Tribune noticed this truly unique triumph of a human spirit as well.

Today, Daniel's self-made zip lining pulley can be seen in Checkpoint Charlie Museum in Berlin/Germany and the detailed account of this one of a kind story is finally available to the readers on Amazon.

For photo gallery visit: http://www.extremezipliner.com/

Witch Sense: Part 1 by Alexis Kade - $0.99 Goodie

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All witch Lara O'Connell wanted to do was dump her neglectful boyfriend and get on with her life. But thanks to a show of power he thought would charm her, her ex is stuck in wolf form. And until she turns him back, she’s stuck with him shedding all over her stuff.

The local Alpha werewolf, Stephen, will help her turn her ex back into a human—for a price. He needs Lara’s sensitivity to magic to figure out who is killing his people.

But with the FBI looking into Phillip’s disappearance, an Alpha trying to make kissy face with her, and a killer who can’t be too happy to have her on his trail, Lara’s problems are just getting started.

Witch Sense: Part One is the first part of the witch sense serial. Please note that parts may contain foul mouthed witches, sexy werewolves, and cliffhangers. All parts will be available through Kindle Unlimited. Happy reading!

eBook Deals for April 24th

Operation: Genocide by Yvonne Walus
$0.99

An inhuman agenda…

In 1982, Annette Pretorius lives a life of privilege afforded to those of European descent in South Africa, but when her husband is murdered, she discovers a shattering secret: he’d been commissioned by the whites-only South African government to develop a lethal virus aimed at controlling the growth of the black population--already oppressed under the cruel system of apartheid.

A clandestine organization…

The murder came with a warning to Annette from a secretive organization: keep our secrets or you too will die. Captain Trevor Watson, Annette’s former boyfriend, is appointed to lead the investigation. Watson’s loyalty is tested as the evidence stacks against his high school sweetheart.

And the killing isn’t over yet…

When the investigation points in a terrifying direction, Annette and Watson face a wrenching choice: protect those they love or sacrifice all to save innocents from racial extermination.

The Ex Who Wouldn't Die by Sally Berneathy
$0.99


USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

When Amanda's lying, cheating, scam-artist husband, Charley, saves her life in a near-fatal motorcycle accident, she can almost forgive him for dragging his feet on their divorce. Then she discovers he'd been dead for several hours at the time she thought he rescued her. And not just dead…murdered.

On the good side, at least they are no longer married.

But she's the primary suspect in Charley's murder and, as if that isn't bad enough, Charley's ghost shows up in her apartment. He was rejected, kicked back, not allowed to go into the light. The situation was bad enough when he was alive and trying to charm his way back into her life, but now he claims to be unable to go more than a few yards away from her. She can't even be certain he isn't peeking when she undresses for bed.

Even death did not them part.

As Amanda puts her life in danger in an effort to bring Charley's murderer to justice and send him into the light or the dark or anywhere away from her, she learns her knowledge of Charley's misdeeds is only the tip of a toxic iceberg. Charley blackmailed his murderer, blackmailed Amanda's father, lied about his family being dead when he is actually related to half the town of Silver Creek, Texas, and, with his treachery, has stirred up secrets that will change Amanda's life.

Blood Hungry by Marie Treanor
$2.99

A love doomed by time

Tough young ex-soldier, John Ramsay is in Amsterdam with his posse of vampire hunters, investigating the bizarre nightly battles between local vampires and skinheads, when he finds himself transported from his hotel bed to a strange, sleazy nightclub. There, he encounters a dangerous, beautiful young woman who stakes and seduces with equal style. Although he knows nothing about her, she appears to know everything about him.

Eva's Amsterdam assignation has gone horribly wrong. The vampire lover who once drank her blood, is dead. Grieving, frustrated, full of hunger she can never assuage, she's looking for trouble when she finds John Ramsay, the reason she can never truly fall in love with anyone else. Now, at last, she wins his attention and his love - a happiness she's doomed to lose, for tangled with John's mystery of a spontaneous world-wide epidemic of skinhead fights, are events twenty years in the future that will threaten the fragile peace between vampires and humans.

John and Eva work together to prevent a disaster spanning two decades. But destiny seems determined to keep them tragically apart... 

Caught up in You by Kim Boykin
$2.99

After attending her baby sister’s destination wedding, Shelby Worthington decides she’s ready to do some husband hunting of her own. The only problem? She’s still insanely attracted to Declan Enright, her high school and college crush. He’s now a wildly successful painter who’s temporarily back in Magnolia Bay, but Declan should be Shelby’s last choice for possible husband material. He didn’t earn the reputation of runaway groom for nothing…

Declan has worked hard to make his mark on the New York art scene and has succeeded at everything he’s ever done…except love. But Declan has come back to the Bay to change that and care for his dying father, even if he’s still never forgiven Declan for leaving the family business. Shelby is determined to steer clear, but while her lips keep saying no, her heart is pounding out yes each time she and Declan are together. While she can’t deny her attraction, Shelby’s convinced that Declan’s track record means he will break her heart. Or has Declan changed for good, and made love worth the risk?

Blood Prophecy (Blood Hunters series Book 4) by Marie Treanor

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From a shameful past, rises a vital destiny...

"The junkie whore shall save the trinity in the first hour." So spoke the insane Luk, last of the Ancient undead prophets. The enigmatic vampire Dmitriu believes he knows the junkie whore in question, destined to save the daughter of his creator Saloman.

But the Edinburgh prostitute Janine, who once showed Dmitriu kindness, has not only got clean; she's become a vampire hunter, determined never to be helpless in anyone’s power again; and Dmitriu's pretty high on her kill list. Instead of renewing his beguiling sexual relationship with her, he has to kidnap her to force her cooperation. Bombarded with sensual memory and the lust Dmitriu still inspires in her, Janine also has to fight her way through renegade hunters, Dmitriu's rebellious creation, Antonia, the bizarre Militant Church for the Defence of the Holy Trinity and the first anti-vampire protests. It’s too much; the prophecy could be broken.

Unless Janine's destiny is Dmitriu.

The Time Travel Trailer by Karen Musser Nortman Excerpt

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A 1937 vintage camper trailer half hidden in weeds catches Lynne McBriar’s eye when she is visiting an elderly friend Ben. Ben eagerly sells it to her and she just as eagerly embarks on a restoration. But after each remodel, sleeping in the trailer lands Lynne and her daughter Dinah in a previous decade—exciting, yet frightening. Glimpses of their home town and ancestors fifty or sixty years earlier is exciting and also offers some clues to the mystery of Ben’s lost love. But when Dinah makes a trip on her own, separating herself from her mother by decades, Lynne has never known such fear. It is a trip that may upset the future if Lynne and her estranged husband can't team up to bring their daughter back.

Excerpt:

We returned to the porch, phones arranged on the table. Kurt put his head in his hands and then looked at me. "But where else would she possibly go? I mean, if she went on her own? I know she's been rebellious and thinks we're stupid about most things, but I don't think she has the confidence to strike out completely on her own, do you?"
I had to admit that I couldn't see that either. "I guess you never know."
Kurt stared out at the back yard. "Maybe she's hiding in your old trailer," he said, a hopeless little smile on his face.
I almost choked on my swallow of iced tea. "Kurt! You don't think…" He could see the alarm on my face.
He was still smiling. "Wouldn't that be just the ticket? If she's been hiding out there the whole time?"
"You don't understand! Oh, no—I never thought after the last trip —that would be awful…"
"What are you talking about?" He had stood up, about to go out to the trailer.
I caught myself. “Let’s check the trailer first.”

His Vampire Past: A Romance In Central City, Novella Four by Jordan K. Rose

$2.99

 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Q2OkX6

Nook: http://bit.ly/1Orss4a

Google: http://bit.ly/1yFATr0

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1cSqIW2

 

The hunt is on.

Panthera Laboratories wants a vampire for their experiments. But not just any vampire. They want The Vampire Guard’s leader. The best way to lure him to them is to find his weakness. Who does Serge love?

In all his 800 years Serge has not allowed himself to feel the deep and honest love of a woman. Not until he meets the lovely gas station attendant at one of Central City’s convenience marts. Something about the woman draws him back night after night. It’s not just the sweet taste of her blood that intoxicates him. She is the light in his dark world. He finds himself talking to her for hours at a time, unburdening himself of his deepest, darkest sins.

Harriet Winslow has heard the tales of vampires. Rumors. Myths. Nothing more. At least that’s what she thought until the sexy stranger arrives. At first she’s unable to remember the details of his nightly visits. But in only a few nights time she can no longer forget the sound of his voice. The scent of his body. The details of his terrifying past, or the feel of his lips on her skin. She’ll never be able to forget him. She never wants to lose him.

When Serge realizes his selfish need for acceptance has put Harriet in danger, he’s forced to move her from Central City, to send her as far away from him as possible to keep her safe. But can he live without her near him? Will she forgive him for destroying her life?  

Excerpt:

Serge cradled his head in both hands, pressing his thumbs into his temples as hard as he could in hopes of relieving the monumental headache jackhammering his brain.

 

He needed to think. Why couldn’t he keep Harriet subdued? He was the leader of one of the deadliest organizations to ever exist. He’d lived centuries, honed his prowess to the point of being able to unconsciously use it. 

 

Why had he suddenly lost his power to influence this woman? And did it now apply to everyone? 

 

Sleep. He thought the word as though he was ordering a member of The Guard into battle. 

 

“No.” Harriet yawned loudly. “I’m not tired,” she called from the other room. “And stop telling me what to do. It’s rude.” 

 

Sleep, my sweet. He tried a more seductive approach, one that generally worked on everyone. 

 

She whimpered in the sexiest way. “Oh.” She gasped. “Say it again.”

Sleep, my sweet. His voice lulled and he held the tone she loved, the one he’d used on her several times before. The deep rhythmic tenor had landed her helplessly in his arms. It also made him struggle to keep from claiming every last inch of her for himself. 

 

“I’m still not tired, but I love it when you talk to me that way.” She leaned on the doorframe, one leg bent at the knee. “That is the hottest thing I’ve ever heard.” She sighed. “Say something else.”

 

Serge jumped. “What are you doing?” His voice rose a couple octaves and he hated hearing it. “How could you…” He stopped speaking and stared at her.

She was a sight to behold. Tousled red hair hung around her shoulders. Golden flecks shimmered in her hazel eyes above rosy cheeks. A sly smile graced her lips. 

 

In a silent war Serge fought with his body to keep from responding. The tips of his fangs broke through his gums, and he clamped his mouth shut. His cock hardened, pointing itself sideways in his jeans, and he tightened every muscle in his body trying to keep it from announcing its awakening. 

 

The top two buttons of her wrinkled shirt were open, giving him a peek of a pale blue satin bra. The shirt was untucked from her pants, and he couldn’t help but think of ripping it open to kiss her shoulders and chest right down to her belly.

 

“Are you all right? You look angry.” She bounced closer, and Serge’s attention centered on the movement of her breasts. He forced his gaze to the floor, hoping his mind would forget the way her creamy flesh beckoned.

April 2015 Setting the Stage - Guest Post by Regan Black

Deciding where to set a story can be as much fun as creating character profiles. No two authors, in depicting the same setting, will emphasize the same features. It’s one of the beautiful truths of storytelling for readers and authors alike.

Runaway Secret is a romantic suspense novella set in Taylor Point, a fictional town I planted at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in South Carolina. The area is one of my favorite places in the state with waterfalls big and small, sweeping views, and stunning foliage from azaleas and redbuds to rhododendrons and tall sweetgum trees.

When I first moved to South Carolina in the late 80’s I used to take long drives and marvelous hikes through the area to relax and recharge. Years later, after my husband’s job brought us back to the South Carolina Lowcountry, our kids went to summer camp up in the area.

It’s a day trip now for us now, but I still love driving through the winding roads and the gorgeous views of soft peaks and thick clouds nestled into the valleys. For me, visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains is like reconnecting with an old friend. Time might have passed, but it’s the most natural thing in the world to pick up right where we left off.

Check out my full list of books ranging from fantasy to non-fiction (and spanning a variety of settings) at www.ReganBlack.com or my Amazon author page.

Live the adventure!

Regan

Death by Chocolate by Sally Berneathy Audio Book

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Read by Sarianna Gregg
Unabridged - 7 hours and 15 minutes in length 

Lindsay Powell's only secret is the recipe for her chocolate chip cookies, but she is surrounded by neighbors with deadly secrets. Suddenly Lindsay finds herself battling poisoned chocolate, a dead man who doesn't seem very dead, and a psycho stalker. Her best friend and co-worker, Paula, dyes her blond hair brown, hides from everybody, and insists on always having an emergency exit from any room. Secrets from Paula's past have come back to put lives in jeopardy. Determined to help Paula and to save her own life, Lindsay enlists the reluctant aid of another neighbor, Fred, an OCD computer nerd. In spite of his mundane existence, Fred possesses tidbits of knowledge about such things as hidden microphones, guns, and the inside of maximum security prisons. Lindsay needs more than a chocolate fix to survive all this chaos.

Atlantis Explained: Noah's Flood and why Europeans are White by Dennis Brooks

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This book is a compilation of writings, which tell about the Atlantis civilization and the flood that destroyed it. Also, the conclusion leads to an explanation about why Europeans are white.

It seems that the destruction of Atlantis was the result of a natural disaster that dug a series of craters across North America; the craters are now called Carolina Bays. These craters might be the key to solving the mystery of what destroyed Atlantis and caused the Great Flood. Evidence of the cataclysm is permanently etched into the landscape giving us a signature of the event. This particular destructive act of nature seems to have been caused by a shower of comet fragments. The comet probably broke up in space and the larger fragments followed each other to earth.

The fragments broke up again as they entered Earth’s atmosphere and hit the ground as bullets of ice, water, and debris. They created elliptical depressions when they slammed into the earth. These craters are concentrated along the Atlantic seaboard within the coastal states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, and even as far away as Nebraska. In Maryland, they are called Maryland Basins. Fragments also landed in Mexico, the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Atlantic Ocean.

Looking at the impact sites, it is easy to imagine the amount of damage the incoming fragments could cause. Scientific research has also found that there are icy comets in outer space, further supporting the theory that comets brought water to earth.

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Switching Stations Switching Stories by Christy Santo
$0.99

Centuries ago peasants thought blood-sucking fiends lurked in the shadows. They were right.

Jay rejecting the laws of vampire society has experimented on children striving to create the "perfect vampire." Driven by guilt and facing death if he fails, Captain Ian Porter, his creator, must hunt Jay down before humanity rediscovers that vampires walk among them.

Theresa, one of Jay's victims, is caught between living and vampire. Rena, another victim of Jay's, is struggling to stay alive. And Anna Beth is working out just what happened to her friend and Rena.

How will Jay be stopped? And at what cost?

Alice in Deadland Trilogy by Mainak Dhar
$2.99 or FREE for Prime Members

Alice in Deadland was released in November 2011 and quickly became an Amazon.com bestseller, selling more than 50,000 copies in its first three months. It was followed by its sequel, ‘Through The Looking Glass’ and ‘Off With Their Heads’, the prequel to Alice in Deadland. Now, get all three novels in the Alice in Deadland Trilogy in one single omnibus edition and immerse yourself in this bestselling adventure.

Alice in Deadland

Civilization as we know it ended more than fifteen years ago, leaving as it's legacy barren wastelands called the Deadland and a new terror for the humans who survived- hordes of undead Biters.

Fifteen year-old Alice has spent her entire life in the Deadland, her education consisting of how best to use guns and knives in the ongoing war for survival against the Biters. One day, Alice spots a Biter disappearing into a hole in the ground and follows it, in search of fabled underground Biter bases.

What Alice discovers there propels her into an action-packed adventure that changes her life and that of all humans in the Deadland forever. An adventure where she learns the terrible conspiracy behind the ruin of humanity, the truth behind the origin of the Biters, and the prophecy the mysterious Biter Queen believes Alice is destined to fulfill.

A prophecy based on the charred remains of the last book in the Deadland- a book called Alice in Wonderland.

Through The Looking Glass: Alice in Deadland Book II

More than two years have passed since Alice followed a Biter with bunny ears down a hole, triggering events that forever changed her life and that of everyone in the Deadland. The Red Guards have been fought to a standstill; Alice has restored some measure of peace between humans and Biters; and under Alice, humans have laid the foundations of the first large, organized community since The Rising- a city called Wonderland.

That peace is shattered in a series of vicious Biter attacks and Alice finds herself shunned by the very people she helped liberate. Now she must re-enter the Deadland to unravel this new conspiracy that threatens Wonderland. Doing so will mean coming face to face with her most deadly adversary ever- the Red Queen.

Off With Their Heads: The Prequel to Alice in Deadland

A few months before Alice was born and fifteen years before the dramatic events depicted in Alice in Deadland, there was The Rising. A few days that destroyed human civilization as we know it, reducing much of the world to a radioactive wasteland teeming with hordes of undead Biters and controlled by a shadowy Central Committee.

Off With Their Heads brings to life the final harrowing days of The Rising through four shorts, each depicting events through the eyes of one pivotal character in the Alice in Deadland series. See how Dr. Protima became the Queen of the Biters; feel the pain of a young man’s sacrifice as he becomes the bunny-eared Biter whom Alice later follows down a hole; follow the rise of Chen from a conflicted young Chinese Army officer to a General in the Red Guards; and finally share in the dramatic escape of Alice’s parents from a city overrun by Biters.

Stained by Jessica McBrayer
$3.99

Thorn works after dark. That’s when she combines her gifts as a tattoo artist and her powers as a natural born witch to weave magick into her ink. Her tattoo parlor, Stained, on Berkeley’s quirky Telegraph Avenue draws clients from all walks of life. Her work is in high demand from the supernatural community and the undead.

With her raven familiar, Thorn’s been on the run all her adult life. She won’t talk about why. Only she knows of the horrors in her past. She only wants to practice her art of tattooing in peace. But when a murderer targets her clients, Sé, a tall, dark and Irish detective is assigned to investigate. They must trust each other to survive the cat and mouse game that ensues.

Countdown to Stars to Lead Me Home By Peggy Webb

Only six weeks left to preorder Stars to Lead Me Home and save 40%. The book goes live June 4 and will be available for all e-readers. There will also be a print version, but I don’t have that pub date yet.

Early readers are raving about this book and telling me how much they love the three best friends, Maggie, Jean and Lillian. They describe how the story made them laugh and cry…and they are already asking for a sequel. I can’t make any promises on that. I can only promise that if you love this book half as much as I do, you’ll want to run out and tell all your friends. Here are the links to Amazon, B&N and Smashwords:

Amazon

Smashwords

B&N

         Reviewers want to know if I drew on my own female friendships to create these characters. The answer is yes. Jean and Lillian and Maggie are based very loosely on my cousin, Martha Jo Patterson, and my friend, Alice Virginia (AV) Daniel, who sits besides me in the first soprano section of the church choir. Both are flaming redheads with sassy personalities to match. AV’s red hair is natural; but like Jean, Martha Jo changes her hair color as often as she changes air freshener in her car. She’ll tell you that, herself. She’s certainly no shrinking violet, which makes her a rich source for my writing as well as a good friend.

           There’s a hilarious scene when the three friends are exercising and Jean is holding forth on her battle to fight the signs of aging. Here’s a little inside info: When Jean reveals her beauty secret, it’s exactly what my cousin Martha Jo told me years ago. By the way, she says it’s dangerous to be around me; she never knows if she’s going to end up in a book.

           When I write, I always love to have fun with my characters. But this book has a serious side, too. Maggie is dealing with the aftermath of a long-time marriage that went so wrong, and Lillian is dealing with a major health issue. Still, if you’ve read my books, you know they are always hopeful. No downers here! 

 

As always, thank you so much for reading my books and being loyal fans for nearly thirty years! Do visit my website to learn more about Stars to Lead Me Home – www.peggywebb.com. I hope you will also follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

Spotlight on Author Kim Boykin

Spotlight on Author Kim Boykin Kim Boykin was raised in her South Carolina home with two girly sisters and great parents. She had a happy, boring childhood, which sucks if you’re a writer because you have to create your own crazy. PLUS after you’re published and you’re being interviewed, it’s very appealing when the author actually lived in Crazy Town or somewhere in the general vicinity. Almost everything she learned about writing, she learned from her grandpa, an oral storyteller, who was a master teacher of pacing and sensory detail. He held court under an old mimosa tree on the family farm, and people used to come from all around to hear him tell stories about growing up in rural Georgia and share his unique take on the world. As a stay-at-home mom, Kim started writing, grabbing snip-its of time in the car rider line or on the bleachers at swim practice. After her kids left the nest, she started submitting her work, sold her first novel at 53, and has been writing like crazy ever since. Thanks to the lessons she learned under that mimosa tree, her books are well reviewed and, according to RT Book Reviews, feel like they’re being told across a kitchen table. She is the author of The Wisdom of Hair from Berkley, Steal Me, Cowboy and Sweet Home Carolina from Tule, and Palmetto Moon, also from Berkley 8/5/14. While her heart is always in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, she lives in Charlotte and has a heart for hairstylist, librarians, and book junkies like herself. Interview When did you begin writing?  My grandfather was a wonderful oral storyteller telling tales about growing up in rural Georgia or about working on his farm. He kept everyone including me enthralled and laughing for hours. It wasn't until I tried to write stories that I realized just how much I learned from him--cadence, pacing, characterization. He was a true master at his craft. It all came together when I wrote a REALLY bad romance 28 years ago. I kept writing and until I had something that was marketable. My first novel, The Wisdom of Hair, was published in 2013 and I haven’t stopped since. What genres do you write? Contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Who do you imagine you're telling a story to as you write? I turn off my imagination and listen to my character’s voices in my head. My characters always come on their own terms, complete with a name, a location, a time period. I hear their voice in my head and start writing. I've learned to stick to what they tell me. When I try to massage things the way I think they should be, I screw it up. I'm kind of like a glorified stenographer. The best way for a writer to understand this is to listen to an audio book. That's as close as a reader can get to knowing what the voices in my head (they're good voices :-) sound like. What's your latest book about? My new book is part of the Magnolia Bay series I write with my writing bestie, Erika Marks. The working title is CAUGHT UP IN YOU. It’s the story of Tanner, one of the very yummy Mauldin brothers. He’s a huge flirt who thinks he’s got womankind all figured out until he meets his match in Halley Sullivan. Which authors inspire you? For romance, I like to laugh, so I’ll stop what I’m doing and read authors like Jill Shalvis and Kristan Higgins the moment their books hit my eReader. For women’s fiction, I adore Karen White, Wendy Wax, and Jane Porter. Jane’s a twofer because she writes women’s fiction and romance too. What's your favorite book? It’s A GOOD HARD LOOK by Ann Napolitano. It’s incredibly well written and heartbreakingly beautiful. Why did you choose to publish with Tule? Jane Porter started the Tule Publishing Group to change the industry for authors. She changed my life giving me a platform to reach voracious romance readers and many of those have also read my women’s fiction novels, The Wisdom of Hair and Palmetto Moon. What one piece of advice would you offer aspiring authors? Stay at it. Connect with readers how ever you can. Give books away to those voracious readers and let them fall in love with your writing. And keep writing your next best book because, those readers? They wanted it yesterday. Kim's Latest Novel Caught Up in You Coming April 21, 2015 Available for Pre-order Amazon After attending her baby sister’s destination wedding, Shelby Worthington decides she’s ready to do some husband hunting of her own. The only problem? She’s still insanely attracted to Declan Enright, her high school and college crush. He’s now a wildly successful painter who’s temporarily back in Magnolia Bay, but Declan should be Shelby’s last choice for possible husband material. He didn’t earn the reputation of runaway groom for nothing… Declan has worked hard to make his mark on the New York art scene and has succeeded at everything he’s ever done…except love. But Declan has come back to the Bay to change that and care for his dying father, even if he’s still never forgiven Declan for leaving the family business. Shelby is determined to steer clear, but while her lips keep saying no, her heart is pounding out yes each time she and Declan are together. While she can’t deny her attraction, Shelby’s convinced that Declan’s track record means he will break her heart. Or has Declan changed for good, and made love worth the risk? Where to Find Kim Online