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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Excerpt and Giveaway Player by Laura DeLuca



Description:

Joshua Handover had it all. He was handsome, rich, athletic, and had always been popular with the ladies. Yet, until he gets paired up with his beautiful but shy lab partner, Rosa, he never allowed himself to fall in love. As the chemistry between them grows, Josh realizes that his player days have come to end. But it seems his change of heart has come too late. Not only is Rosa leery of his bad boy reputation, he has four vindictive ex-girlfriends who are on a rampage. At first he doesn’t take their threats seriously, but then his tires are slashed, someone tries to poison him, and one of the girls turns up dead. Josh doesn’t know who to trust, but one thing is certain. It definitely isn’t worth the price he’s paying to be a player.




EXCERPT






      “Josh decided to play around
Now one of his girls is under the ground.
Another has a big bump on her head.
And by the end of the dance, the queen will be dead.”


Josh was trying to be enthusiastic, despite the fact that his stomach and his head were killing him. In fact, he was so busy offering Rosa his congratulations on her expert pinball skills that he didn’t see that an angry girl with wild strawberry curls had just stormed into the arcade. Her hazel eyes were flashing underneath layers of thick black eye makeup. Josh didn’t notice her long, leather-clad legs carrying her across the crowded game room. He didn’t even notice when she was standing directly behind him with her pierced lips set in a tight frown. Josh didn’t realize she was there at all, until she roughly tapped him on the shoulder. When he finally turned around, he found himself face to face with a furious gothic beauty.
“Jazz!” Josh exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
With a cry of pure animal rage, Jasmine lifted a hand covered in silver rings and slapped Josh hard across the face. Black fingernails as sharp as talons scraped his skin, leaving behind a small trail of blood. He wasn’t ready for the surprise attack, and his neck snapped back painfully, sending fresh waves of agony through his already pounding head.
 “Pig!” Jasmine screamed so loudly that several arcade patrons glanced over their shoulders to see what was happening. “Surprised to see me? Not as I surprised as I was when I ran into my old friend Elena a few days ago. We hadn’t seen each other for a few months, and we got to talking about school, and life, and boyfriends. You can’t imagine how surprised I was to find out that we both had the very same boyfriend!”
 “Jazz, I. . . .” Josh was so surprised that he could barely stutter a reply. At the same time, his aching stomach was making it difficult for him to care. More than anything, he really just wished she would go away, taking the gawking spectators with her.
“But I still had an even bigger surprise in store for me!” Jasmine went on, crossing her arms over her black tank top. “Last night, Elena called and told me that we weren’t your only two victims. You had two more, four girls in all! Is this one of them?” she asked, gesturing to Rosa whose mouth was hanging open. “Or is she a fifth?”
“Jazz, listen to me,” Josh started to protest. “I never. . . .”
“Don’t tell me you never said we were exclusive, like you tried to pull with Elena!” Jasmine interrupted. “That’s a load of crap and you know it. Don’t think I’m going to let you dump me either. This time I’m the dumper and you’re the dumpee. It’s over between us, Josh. And if I have my way, you won’t be getting laid again until your college years. When I’m through with you, no girl in this county will come within a hundred yards of you.” She turned to Rosa, her face still flushed with fury. “Let me give you a little free advice, hon. Ditch this jerk before he ditches you. He’s a dog, plain and simple.”
With that, Jasmine turned on her heel and stormed away, her head raised high in victory. Josh watched her go with a mixture of shock and horror. It had all happened so fast, he thought maybe he had imagined the whole thing. But his cheek was still stinging where Jasmine had scratched him, and if that wasn’t proof enough that the encounter had been real, the look on Rosa’s face certainly was. Gone were the sweet smile and the slight flirtatious blush to her cheeks, replaced by a trembling lower lip and watery brown eyes. Her fingers were still gripping the sides of the pinball machine though the balls had long since vanished.
Rosa,” Josh said desperately. “Please let me explain.”
“I can’t believe what an idiot I’ve been!” Rosa said in a harsh whisper. The arcade patrons had finally turned away, and she obviously had no interest in capturing their attention a second time. “I can’t believe I ever trusted you! To think, for a little while there, I actually fooled myself into believing you cared about me. I’m so stupid.”
Josh hated himself when he saw one tear sneak free. He wanted to reach out to comfort her, but he was starting to feel dangerously shaky.  He knew that if he let go of the video game that was supporting his weight, he would probably hit the ground. The room started to spin, and it seemed a lot smaller and stuffier. It was getting harder to breath, and his stomach was hurting so badly, he could barely stand up straight.  He knew something was really wrong with him, but he didn’t care. He only wanted to convince the girl he was in love with that he wasn’t a player. Not anymore. He had changed. She had changed him.
“Rosa, I . . . I do care about you,” Josh managed to stutter, even though it felt like his throat was closing up.
“Oh yeah, I just bet you do!” she replied sarcastically. “Just as much as you cared about all those other girls you were messing around with? You need one of everything, huh? The cheerleader. The goth. And now the nerd?”
Josh couldn’t even speak to defend himself. The pain was making it hard for him to think clearly, and Rosa wasn’t waiting anyway. She shook her head in disgust and moved to take the same path out of the game room that Jasmine had taken. Josh forced his arm to move.  He tried to grab hold of her hand, but she tore away so violently that he nearly stumbled backward into the wall.
“Don’t touch me!” She spat.
He was so dizzy that he was seeing two of her at once, but somehow Josh managed to form a coherent sentence. “Rosa, please! Give me a chance to . . . to explain.”
“I only promised you one chance,” Rosa told him. “And you blew it!”
She headed toward the exit again, and this time Josh didn’t have the strength to stop her. In fact, he didn’t even have the strength to stand anymore. His legs started to wobble underneath him just as the pain in his stomach reached an unbearable crescendo. Even as his knees hit the dingy carpet of the game room, he clutched desperately at his stomach. His throat was so constricted he couldn’t even cry out for help. After only a few seconds, he vaguely noticed that concerned people were starting to surround him. The faces were swimming and blurring into one as waves of dizziness washed over him.
“Are you all right, kid?”
“Someone call 911.”
Josh heard the anxious voices around him, but he couldn’t answer. He could barely breathe. He wheezed as he tried to force air into his rebellious lungs.
“Josh? What’s wrong? Josh, answer me!”
Josh immediately recognized Rosa’s voice. He was grateful when he felt her arms wrap around him. She cradled his head against her chest, and he felt her delicate hands smooth his hair out of his eyes. He wanted to say something. He wanted to thank her for coming back, even if it was only out of pity. But speech was impossible, and consciousness was slipping away as the pain became more and more unbearable. Even through the agony, Josh noticed that there was another familiar face watching him from the crowd of curious onlookers. She was impossible to miss, draped in black and covered in silver. The last thing Josh saw before he finally lost his battle with awareness were Jasmine’s black lips curled into a wicked, satisfied smile.








About the author:
Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the sole author of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years. Her current works include Destiny, Destiny Unveiled, Phantom, Morrigan, Player, and Demon.


Author's US  Giveaway

Happy Release Day Wrecked by H.P. Landry

Description:

Mylie Mier's life is overshadowed by tragedy and heartbreak. 
She refuses to settle for Mr. Right Now and is holding out for her happily ever after. Then she meets Damien James.

Arriving in Pointe Hope was the pinnacle of Damien James' success.
He finally had everything he worked so hard for and life is going as planned--until he catches a predator attempting to defile a helpless victim. Mylie enters his life with the all the subtleness of a freight train.

Their connection is instantaneous but Damien is jaded and refuses to acknowledge his attraction. Though mesmerized, Mylie quickly realizes that her savior is a pretentious jerk. They fight their obvious connection, and Damien inadvertently pushes Mylie right into the arms of a sociopath.

Will Mylie live to see her happily ever after or will Damien's callousness force her to be destined to a life that is wrecked?

About the author:


H.P. Landry is the author of the Pointe Hope Series: the gripping New Adult Romance series that allows you to experience tragedy and heartbreak as it follows the small town and their troubling lives in finding love.


H.P. Landry on her off time is the Family Director of her own version of a chaotic Brady-like family with her two children, and her partner’s two children. She began writing at a very young age that turned into obsession as an adult. The creative writer has been inspired by family and friends to write her compelling stories.


Event organized by Girls Heart Book Tours

Happy Release Day The Garden of Eden (The Garden of Eden #1) by L.L. Hunter

Description:

Eden Daylesford is a sixteen- year old Nephilim girl stuck smack bang in the middle of a war between angels and demons. And the bad thing is, she shares both of their blood.
When her mother takes her to the Michaelite Sanctuary in London to try and get rid of the deadly trait that has started to appear - one that hasn’t been seen in a long time. It could stop Eden from forming any sort of relationship with anyone, including the tempting Asher. Eden has no idea just how powerful she is.
Will she learn to embrace her new ability and accept her new role, or go back to her old life of an ordinary human teenager?

Will she be tempted?

The enticing first book in the spin off novella series to The Legend of the Archangel. Set after events in The Chronicles of Fire and Ice.


EXCERPT


  

I ran so fast I felt one with the wind. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.  Sooner or later my mother would track me down but until then I’ll enjoy myself. As I entered the arcade I heard my name.
“Yo, Eden.”
“Eden! You escaped.”
I smiled as I saw my friends approach. “Yeah I escaped the clutches of the evil demon.”
“You shouldn’t joke about that stuff, it could be real,” said Zoe innocently. Zoe was my best friend and still an innocent. Her boyfriend Mike thought he understood all. Even though they were Nephilim too, I couldn’t let them learn who my father was.
“It is real, Zo. If there are angels, there are demons. You can’t have one without the other.”
“Who says?” I defended as I retrieve the air hockey puck out of the slot and place it on the table. It begins sliding around in a small circle, waiting for me to hit it.
“Says I.” Mike took the position opposite me and waited. I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. Zoe always says I do this thing with my eyes that could make every boy swoon, but I don’t believe it. How could one person’s eyes make someone swoon? As I wacked the air hockey puck, Mike seemed distracted by something, so the puck sailed straight down into my goal at his end. The electronic voice announced the score to be one nil and that seemed to break his reverie.
“Mike, what happened? You were totally out of it.” Zoe placed a hand on his bicep.
“No, I wasn’t.”
“Yes, you were. You totally let Eden win.”
“It was just a lucky shot,” I said in defence. I couldn’t let them think that somehow I had something to do with Mike’s off-with-the-faeries moment. Did I? It couldn’t be possible. I didn’t just cause Mike to space out and act as if he and I were the only ones left on earth? Did I?
“That never happens, baby.”
“Okay, maybe this turn will be better.” Mike retrieved the puck out of the slot on his side and placed it on the table, ready to hit. I stood ready, but this time I was the distracted one. I couldn’t get the feeling out of my head that I had revealed one of my powers to him. My mother said to never do that. But was it even one of my traits? The air hockey puck sailed straight under me and landed in his goal. One- all.
“Oh yeah!” Mike hooted, but I didn’t feel like partying anymore. I walked away from the table.
“Oh, what’s the matter, Eden, afraid of being beat?”
“No, I just don’t feel like playing anymore.”
“Oh, come on! We were right in the middle of a game!”
I walked away ignoring their pleas as the allure of the hoop game called me over. I had just pushed a token in the slot and picked up a ball, when I heard my name. But it wasn’t from Mike or Zoe.
“So this is where you spend your runaway hours?” I glanced over my shoulder and saw the creep standing behind me.
“Who are you and what do you want?”
“Don’t you see the family resemblance?” he smirked.
I turned to take a good look at him, intrigued. The guy had to be about my mother’s age, maybe a little older and had the same grey- blue eyes my mother has.
“Uncle Adam?”
“In the flesh. Now lets get out of here.”
I chuckled as I turned back around and threw a ball at the highest scoring hoop. It went in. “I am not going anywhere with you.”
Adam clapped. “Good shot. But its not surprising, seeing whose blood you carry in your veins.”
“Do you mean yours and Mum’s, or…”
“Lakyn’s?” He finished for her. “Either way, you have so many abilities you are not even aware of, Eden. And some of them are quite dangerous.”
“How do you know this?”
“I was there from the moment you were born. Trust me, I know.”
I tossed another ball in, this time in a lower scoring hoop and it went in as well. “I’m still not going with you.” As I picked up a third ball and pushed it towards the hoops, it froze mid- air. I gasped and looked back at my uncle. He shrugged.
“Game over.”
As he walked away, the ball remained frozen.
“Wait, how did you do that?” I asked, glancing back and forth from the ball to him.
“If you come with me, I’ll tell you.”
“My mother sent you, didn’t she?”
“She might have.”
“So what you just did, can I do that?”
“Everyone’s traits are different, but probably. If you come with me, you can find out more.”
“I can’t just leave my friends.”
“Yes, you can. You can always make new friends.”
I stopped walking and looked at my friends playing the Daytona. Mike was showing Zoe how to drive, which was really cute. And then I looked at my uncle, waiting patiently outside the mouth of the arcade by a black town car. If I stayed, I would never know what my traits would be, I would never learn how to use them. But I would be a normal teenager, going to school and hanging out at the arcade with her friends. If I went with my uncle, I would no longer be normal. I wanted both lives. But the idea of having amazing powers intrigued me most. In the end I chose door two. Looking back I regretted leaving my friends. But I knew they would never understand. I knew deep down that I was made for a higher purpose.




Goodreads   
About the authors:
L.L. Hunter is an Australian author who began writing when she was fifteen or sixteen, originally song lyrics, but then moved onto fanfiction when she was nineteen, having published over 20 stories online- One of which was nominated for an award. She has also written, directed and starred in two original plays entitled, “No Frills Airlines: Flight 123,” and the sequel, “No frills Airlines: Come Fly with Us.” The latter of which was a musical. 

She has studied everything from veterinary nursing, forensic science and dramatic arts but has always known her true calling to be writing.
Her hobbies include writing her books, reading, singing, acting, directing, watching movies, 50’s fashion and playing with her animals. When she is not writing she can be found reading somewhere comfortable with one or both of her ‘furbabies’.


Concurs la sfarsit de saptamana Comoara Marelui Han de Clive Cussler

Descriere editura:

Şi de data aceasta, acţiunea se petrece într-un cadru mai mult decât exotic. De la lacurile îngheţate din Siberia până la nisipurile fierbinţi ale deşertului Gobi, Dirk Pitt şi Al Giordino au parte de aventuri şi pericole pe măsură ce adună dovezi despre o misterioasă comoară din Shangdo, Mongolia. O lectură care te ţine cu sufletul la gură, o nouă dovadă că, atunci când vine vorba de romane de aventuri, nimeni nu îl întrece pe Clive Cussler.

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Cover Reveal Darkness Watching (Darkworld, #1) by Emma L. Adams

Release date: September 30th, 2013

Description:

Eighteen-year-old Ashlyn is one interview away from her future when she first sees the demons. She thinks she's losing her mind, but the truth is far more frightening: she can see into the Darkworld, the home of spirits– and the darkness is staring back.

Desperate to escape the demons, Ash accepts a place at a university in the small town of Blackstone, in the middle of nowhere - little knowing that it isn't coincidence that led her there but the pull of the Venantium, the sorcerers who maintain the barrier keeping demons from crossing from the Darkworld into our own world.

All-night parties, new friendships and a life without rules or limits are all part of the package of student life - but demons still stalk Ash, and their interest in her has attracted the attention of every sorcerer in the area. Ash is soon caught between her new life and a group of other students with a connection to the Darkworld, who could offer the answers she's looking for. The demons want something from her, and someone is determined to kill her before she can find out what it is. 

In a world where darkness lurks beneath the surface, not everyone is what they appear to be...

About the author:
Emma spent her childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing fantasy and paranormal for young adults. She was born in Birmingham, UK, which she fled at the first opportunity to study English Literature at Lancaster University. In her three years at Lancaster, she hiked up mountains, skydived in Australia, and endured a traumatic episode involving a swarm of bees in the Costa Rican jungle. She also wrote various novels and short stories. These included her first publication, a rather bleak dystopian piece, and a disturbing story about a homicidal duck (which she hopes will never see the light of day).

Now a reluctant graduate, she can usually be found in front of her writing desk, creating weird and wonderful alternative worlds. Her debut novel The Puppet Spell, published in 2013 by Rowanvale Books, is a fantasy tale for young adults and the young at heart, inspired by her lifelong love of the fantastical, mythology, and video games. Emma also writes supernatural fantasy novels for older teens and adults. Her next book,Darkness Watching, is the first in the upper-YA/New Adult Darkworld series, and will be published in September 2013 by Curiosity Quills Press.


Cover reveal organized by Xpresso Book Tours

Cover Reveal Illicit Affairs by N.J. Cole, Jo Matthews, Bec Rose

Publication date: September 13th, 2013

Description:
18+
Illicit Affairs is a compilation of three erotic tales with women giving into their darkest desires and pursuing the forbidden. 

Unexpected Journey - Jo Matthews

Sarah thought she met her soulmate in Mitch Chandler. High school sweethearts, they married right after graduation. Eight years later, he is a stranger to her and their marriage is on the rocks. In a halfhearted attempt to placate her, Mitch suggests a trip to Hawaii, but schedules a business meeting to write off the expense.
Aaron Johnson, Mitch’s friend and business partner, agrees to help with the presentation and plans are made for all three to go. What happens when Mitch backs out at the last minute to spend a romantic weekend with his secretary, forcing Aaron’s hand so that he has to accompany Sarah alone?
Will an innocent friendship turn into something more as Aaron’s attraction for Sarah grows? How will Sarah manage when she realizes that Aaron is awakening feelings in her that she’s never felt before? The sexual tension burns hot as these two embark on an unexpected journey that neither are prepared for.

Hot Summer Nights - Bec Rose

Annie Murphy had the picture perfect life. A beautiful home, two wonderful children, and a husband who adored her. It was every woman’s dream until her husband of over twenty years came out of the closet, leaving her a forty-five year old divorcee struggling to regain her confidence. Needing a distraction, she agrees to allow her son’s friend, Jamie, to spend the summer at her house while working as an intern. When Jamie, the cute female intern she’d been expecting turns out to be Jaime, the hot male intern with abs to drool over, it kicks Annie’s fantasies into overdrive. When she realizes that her desires are not one sided, it’s more than the temperature that causes some hot summer nights.

Second Chances - NJ Cole

Calla Moretti married her college sweetheart, Bill. Married life was great at first, but as his career had her dropping out of college and moving away from her family and friends, Calla struggled with her role as a wife and homemaker. Stress due to infertility and Bill’s affairs, had the marriage on the brink of failure. When she drives home in the middle of a thunderstorm and spots first a broken down motorcycle, then the sexy rider, she decides to take a chance and offer him assistance. Realizing fate brought her together with a man who could give her the one thing her husband couldn’t—a baby—Calla decides to take a chance. One romantic night, one big lie, will it save her marriage or fill her heart with more emptiness? Will this be the answer to her prayers? In life, are there truly second chances?

EXCERPT



Unexpected Journey - Jo Matthews
  
The flight to San Diego was quick, though the one to Hawaii was considerably longer. Somewhere over the Pacific, Sarah fell asleep; the day had obviously taken a toll on her emotions and exhausted her. I wasn’t really tired myself, so I grabbed a magazine from the caddy in front of me and started flipping through it. Not ten minutes later, she shifted in her sleep and leaned over, her head resting on my shoulder.
I froze in place, unsure of what to do. Part of me was screaming to wake her up or at least move her, while the other part of me—the part that tended to take over in any man when there was a sexy goddess nearby—wanted me to savor the moment. I must have warred with myself for three minutes straight until I decided it didn’t matter. There was no harm in letting Sarah sleep on my shoulder on a plane to Hawaii. No harm at all, considering her husband was the one who put us on the flight together.

Unable to resist any longer, I turned my head into her hair and breathed in her intoxicating scent. She smelled like wildflowers and sunshine, and I couldn’t help but inhale more deeply as I closed my eyes.
Hot Summer Nights - Bec Rose

It seemed like forever before he finally made his way back downstairs, and I heard him rummaging through the fridge for something before he walked into the den carrying some homemade chocolate mousse. I moved to the main sofa, sitting down next to him so we were both within reach of the dessert.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I made this before dinner. I have a bit of a sweet tooth.” He grinned at me as he took a bite. I smiled back and dipped my spoon in, groaning at the amazing taste that exploded in my mouth when I took my first bite.

“Oh, god, Jaime, you’re going to make me fat if you cook like this all the time,” I laughed. When I heard no reply, I looked next to me, seeing Jaime staring at my lips with—if I wasn’t completely misinterpreting it—a look of lust in his eyes.

“Oh, um, I’m sorry?” He seemed confused.

“I just said that you’re going to make me fat if you keep cooking like this.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, Annie. You have an amazing figure if you don’t mind me saying.” I was surprised by his comment. It had been a long time since anyone had complimented me like that.

“Oh, well, um…thank you, Jaime,” I replied, embarrassed.

We finished off the dessert, both of us silently deciding to stay on the couch next to each other by settling back as Jaime changed the channel to watch an old movie. It was nice to sit with someone and not feel the need to fill the air with unnecessary conversation. Jaime was easy to just be with, and I was once again glad it had turned out to be a male houseguest instead of a female.

Second Chances - NJ Cole

Staring into my eyes, he lowered his head. I could have moved, spoken, coughed…anything, but instead I lifted my chin and allowed him to kiss me.
At first it was chaste, it really was, but when I didn’t pull away, he didn’t either. I felt his tongue poke from between his velvet lips and lick over my lower one. I gasped, and he used that opportunity to find his way into my mouth. As my body began to shake, I groaned. I had to stop this. If I didn’t, I’d end up having sex with him—a total stranger. I knew that because I was ovulating, if I did sleep with him, there was a good chance that I’d become pregnant.
I’d become pregnant.
I had stiffened up at my epiphany, causing him to pull back. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
My mind was racing with the possibility of becoming pregnant tonight. I could go home to Bill in the morning and he and I could have sex. He’d think the baby was his, and maybe it would be, I reasoned with myself. He’d never know and our marriage would be fixed.




About the authors:

Jo Matthews is an Arizona native, where she lives with her husband and son. A stay-at-home mom since 2007, she only recently discovered her love and passion for the written word. When she’s not writing, she’s usually knee deep in editing—an aspect she thoroughly enjoys. 

As an editor she has propelled quite a few authors into the published world, and with her skills, has landed several stories on Amazon’s Top Sellers lists. 


Bec Rose is a budding author and mother of two. When she isn’t reading or writing, she enjoys spending time with her son and daughter. Residing in Australia, she possesses a subtle charm that carries through into her writing. In her debut novella, Bec Rose not only tugs on our heartstrings but leaves us panting for more.

NJ Cole is a mid-western girl with a kinky side. She works by day and writes by night, all while being a mother to her wonderful boys and serving her Sir. Unlike many of today’s authors, she chooses to write in first person, allowing the readers to experience life through the eyes of the unique characters that live in her head. Her love of those characters and respect for their stories come through loud and clear in her writing. Reaching Amazon’s top 100 list in Erotica with Midnight Caller and Landslide, NJ Cole promises to entertain and excite the reader with her newest tales of love, romance, and as always, hot, steamy sex.

Authors' Giveaway
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Cover Reveal was organized by Malfunction Erotica

Friday, August 30, 2013

After Alex Died by Dakota Madison

Published July 19th, 2013

Description:

“Don’t be someone who defines her life by someone else’s death.”

Dee Dee DeMarco’s brother, Alex, was funny, free-spirited and creative. He was also gay. Tormented by bullies, Alex killed himself on his 15th birthday.

Two years later, and now in college, Dee Dee believes getting a summer job working with a college-prep program for disadvantaged high school students is a stroke of luck, until she discovers that the guy assigned to co-lead her group is Cameron Connelly, a star basketball player and one of the bullies who tormented her brother to death. How can Dee Dee possibly spend the entire summer working so closely with one of the boys she blames for her brother’s death?

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I think this is a little story with a lot of heart. I hope you think so, too!


About the author:


Dakota Madison has been writing since she learned to read and fell in love with books. When she's not at her computer creating spicy new romances, Dakota is traveling to exotic locales or spending time with her husband and their bloodhounds.


Author's Giveaway
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Excerpt and Giveaway Becoming Bad (The Becoming #2) by Jess Raven, Paula Black

Published July 1st, 2013

Description:

How do you fight the monster when it is inside of you?

The black lake beneath Dublin’s medieval city holds a secret. Imprisoned there for millennia, an ancient race of demi-gods have found a way to the surface and are preying on humans to feed their sexual appetites. Hunted to near-extinction, these half-men, half-beasts have been without a single female to breed a new generation. Until now.

All her life, Ashling DeMorgan feared her dreams. She kept her head buried in ancient mythology, because the real world seemed so much scarier. On returning to Dublin to settle her invalid grandmother’s affairs, Ash discovered a city plagued by the same wolf-like creatures that killed her mother. Their bite is like sexual heroin and Ash has been bitten. Now she is trapped in a waking nightmare, with the monster who ordered the death of the only man she’s ever loved. Made to doubt if she ever really knew the assassin-turned-guardian who stole her heart and gave his life for hers, Ash finds herself betrayed by her own changing body.

In a dangerous world of suspicion and divided loyalties, Ash must come to terms with what she is becoming. Worse still, her infuriatingly arrogant captor may just prove to be her most unlikely ally in what will become a life and death race for survival.

MacTire, king of a once formidable race, has lived his life in the shadow of a half-brother who took everything from him. Connal Savage seduced his mate and engineered a genocide that all but exterminated their species. Finally, he has a chance at retribution. Connal’s woman is his for the taking. But are the bonds of brotherhood so easily severed and are the ghosts of the past ever truly dead and buried, or will they come back to haunt him?

EXCERPT

He was too late … God, there was nothing left of her.

Scenting his aggression, the pack paused in their gorging and, as one, cranked their blood-dripping muzzles in Connal’s direction. In the chill of the moonlight, steam rose up from their thick pelts and from what was left of the gored prey at their feet. Aoife’s body was unrecognisable, except for the matted clumps of blonde hair.

A huge beast at the left flank of the pack growled, commanding Connal’s attention. From its jaws hung a rag-doll form, dark curls ruffled by the wind, giving an illusion of life where clearly there was none.

Connal’s gorge rose, hackles bristling as a wall of red slammed down on his vision. His bones began to snap and twist. Hatred was a powerful anaesthetic, rage an adrenaline shot to the heart of his fury. The wolf in him took full possession, blacking out all memory of the carnage that left a bloodied trail of slashed carcasses littering the sands of the arena. No quarter given, one by one, often two and three at a time, Connal hacked them down in a hot slaughter of fangs and claws, until panting and shivering with the overdose of bloodlust coursing through his veins, he slumped, human once more, cradling the cold body of his baby son, grief jagged in his chest.

That was how the Morrígan found him, broken on the ground, keening the loss of a child and a lover and a stolen future.

He didn’t think to question how she got inside the arena. He was aware of black wingspans cutting shadows across the full moon, circling, drawn by the fresh scent of carrion on the sands. Between one sweep of darkness and the next, she stood over him, a vision of alabaster skin and blood-red lips. Midnight hair grazed her lower back, its wild waves contained by a silver headband that met in the centre of her forehead in a pair of raven heads.

‘What evil could do such a thing, to an innocent babe in arms?’ she asked, kneeling to brush slender fingers to his dead son’s skin.

Connal lifted tortured eyes to the face of this woman who spoke, not in the guttural Norse tongue of the Fomorians, but in the old Gaelic lilt of the village where he was raised. She touched the stubble of his blood-spattered jaw. ‘What have they done to you?’

‘Who are you?’ Connal rasped.

‘I am Death. I am Vengeance. I am War.’ Her voice deepened and the earth trembled as the woman rose up, arms spread like dark wings, suspended in the moonlight. A preternatural aura pulsed blue around her silhouette and her hair writhed like a nest of eels. ‘I am Morrígan,’ she said, ‘I have what you seek, if you will bargain for it.’

Book one of The Becoming series. A new voice in paranormal fantasy and romance.
‘You got me back. You always said you would.’

Ash DeMorgan, graduate, orphan, ice maiden, has long since consigned the fairytale nightmares of a troubled childhood to the realm of fantastical childish imagination.

Now, lured back to Dublin, the scene of her tragic past, Ash encounters a city pulsing under the dangerous sexual influence of a new street drug the locals call Rave. Nothing is as it seems. Ash is about to discover that her nightmares are real, ancient Irish myths are larger than life and roaming the streets of the medieval city, and she has become the prey in their erotic hunt. A step back into her past is about to become a high adrenaline race for survival.

Connal Savage, outcast, assassin, and living, breathing hunk of ancient mythology, has lived a thousand years servicing a debt of revenge. Dead inside. Until he encounters his boss’s granddaughter, an infuriating woman who threatens to lead him to hell with all his good intentions, who manages to chip away at the hard encrusted defences of a lifetime spent at war and burrow herself deep into a part of him that hasn’t breathed for centuries. He is about to discover that when it comes down to the wire, when you’re bargaining with the Grim Reaper for the life of the one you love, you will do anything... 

About the author:
The writing duo of Jess and Paula met online through their mutual love of paranormal and urban fantasy romance. They sparked creatively and have been writing together for the past three years. Paula lives in Dublin, Ireland with her family. She set aside a career in medicine to raise her three children. Jess lives in Manchester, England with her mother and dog, Simi. When she isn’t writing up worlds with Paula, she’s a wedding planner for a large retail store.

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Excerpt and Giveaway Second Chances: Complete by Jo Briggs


Published: June 2013

Description:

Layla Keyes is back in England. Much has changed in the five years since she moved to New York to pursue a modeling career - On the outside she appears independent, self-assured and enjoying running her own successful fashion label.

On the inside she is determined to take back what she lost five years ago when misunderstandings allowed a jealous third party to manipulate and interfere in destroying her relationship with Evan Carter.

Evan Carter has spent all that time pretending to not be affected by the loss of Layla from his life.

A twist of fate brings the two back together as they are forced to share a few days alone.

Can their love be rekindled despite the secrets they still have to confess to each other?

EXCERPT

Once satisfied that all her belongings were safely in the boot of her car, Layla slammed the heavy, oak front door closed behind her, fully aware that she was also closing the lid on her relationship with Evan Carter.

She gulped down the rising sensation of guilt she felt at taking the coward’s way out by leaving when the man was still on a business trip. While sharing Evan’s sense of emptiness, Layla was unable to express it in words, but she did know that she could no longer deal with the look of pain on his face when he tried to talk about what happened. Whenever she attempted it, her throat seized up and no sound came out, only an endless stream of tears, which seemed to frustrate him even more.

Layla had not been especially close to her parents, but the abruptness of their death, followed by the traumatic horse-riding accident that resulted in the loss of her baby, had placed an irreparable strain on her two-year relationship with Evan.

Settling into the 4x4, she plugged her phone into the hands-free system and set off for Surrey, where her BFF, Keely lived. She was the only person who knew of Layla’s plan to leave Yorkshire and head to New York. Activating the voice-dial on her phone, which connected to her friend’s home number, she heard a familiar voice come over the speaker. “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me,” said Layla, unable to conceal her subdued mood. It was becoming more than a regular occurrence and she was fed up of feeling that way. She just hoped a change of scenery would lift her out of her despair.

“Are you on your way?” Keely asked, her voice sounding tight and restrained.
“Yes,” said Layla, suspecting her friend of holding back on what she truly wanted to say.
“Are you really sure you want to do this?”

Layla sighed. Keely had been trying to persuade her to stay and work through her problems with Evan ever since she’d revealed her plans to leave. Layla recognised it was going to be hard, but she could see no other solution. The stabbing pain from the healing wound, caused by the accident, and the ache of her breaking heart had merged into one.


About the author:

As well as writing, Jo also enjoys reading; her favourite classics include Pride & Prejudice, Persuasion and Jane Eyre having studied English Literature before moving onto Art and Graphic Design. Current genre of choice on her iPad are dark, angsty steamy romances. Particular favourites at the moment are by S.C Stephens, Abbi Glines, R K Lilley, Sylvia Day and Jodi Ellen Malpas. Jo is also a regular visitor to eBook readers anonymous to keep her addiction under control.


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Excerpt and Giveaway Colour Wielders (Colour Wielders #1) by Dawna Raver

Description:

Behind the Faerying Mysts, hidden from Mortal eyes, is a land where gods and creatures of myth and legend dwell. And in the Mortal Realm, their Princess is hidden away. Quinn Sinclair lives an ordinary life with her less-than-loving mother in Conifer, Colorado, clueless of her true nature. On the night of her birthday, a staggering betrayal sends her life spinning out-of-control. As she struggles to pick up the pieces, a vision of a man with haunting tourmaline-blue eyes begs her for help, and she is transported into a Magykal battle-forever changing her life. Arik Morgaine-Demigod bad boy and outcast of the Magykal Realm-tried to avoid contact with Princess Quinn for eighteen years, not wanting to make good on an old threat. But the fates have other plans. Arik can no longer deny his growing desire for Quinn, or the need to protect her from those wanting to control her burgeoning powers. Can the two of them come together and save the Magykal Realm from being destroyed by the Darkest of Magyks? New Adult. Recommended for 18 and above. Mature themes, sexual situations, and profanity.
EXCERPT

Chapter One - Virgin Territory

Gentle fingertips grazed the edge of her jaw, trailing down her neck to her collarbone. His citrine gaze stared deeply into her eyes, and her body heated at his tender touch.
“You’re okay, yeah?” Thaene asked, his voice hoarse from their lovemaking.
Am I okay? She hardly knew. Though she had nothing to compare it to, this feeling was more than giving her virginity to him. Quinn felt like something bigger inside had stirred to life, wanting to escape.
“You know I love you. I’m sorry if it hurt.” He kissed her again, his lips caressing hers, as if he could take the ache away.
“Say something, Quinn. Please.”
“I love you, Thaene.” She pressed herself into him, passionately returning his affection. As their kiss continued, Quinn wondered if he wanted more. She also wondered if she had more to give.
“I want us together, always. Do you want that, Quinn?” Thaene’s eyes danced with a mixture of emotions—love, passion, possessiveness, and something else she couldn’t name.
“We can have forever. You want that, don’t you?” Thaene asked.
“Yes,” Quinn answered breathlessly, before realizing what she’d agreed to. She smiled, finding his need for her exciting.
“Forever is a long time. But I could do it with you.”
Thaene smiled back. Happiness lit his face. He looked like he’d just won a major prize—he looked triumphant.
“Being with you on your twenty-second birthday was very special to me. You’ve given me such a precious gift.”
“I love you. I can’t imagine my first time with anyone else.”
Besides, my gift of Sight showed you to me, over and over. How could I not give myself to you?
Her gift had shown her something else as well. Since she didn’t understand it, Quinn ignored it. She’d followed her heart where Thaene was concerned. Not even her mother’s dislike—or in spite of it— changed her mind. Following your heart always led you down the right path.
Thaene lightly brushed her hair from her face, then he rested his forehead on hers.
“There’s something else I’d like you to give me. Will you do that? Give me what I desire the most?”
The longing in his voice made Quinn squirm underneath him. Right now, she’d give him anything.
“It’s the most precious gift of all. One I’ll cherish forever.”
Oh my God. He wants to marry me.
“Yes,” Quinn said, drawing in a breath. “I’ll give you anything.”
“Good.” Thaene nuzzled her neck. “I want you to show me your Magyk.”
“What?” Quinn blinked at him, wondering if she’d heard him right.
“If you want us to have forever, you must show me your Magyk.”

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Want a Review copy? Colour Wielders is live at Story Cartel, available for download for review. Also each review is entered for a chance at 3 $10 Amazon Gift Certificates. :)
About the author

Dawna Raver is an author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Colour Wielders, Book One, is her debut novel. When she's not spending time in her fantasy world, Dawna loves football, reading, and pretending she's a top chef in the kitchen. Oh, and fawning over her dogs and husband, sometimes in that order.
Contact me at:


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John Smith - Last Known Survivor of the Microsoft Wars


Description:

What if the Mayans got the start of the end correct because they had survived it once before? What if our written history was just as accurate as the old tale about three blind men describing an elephant? What if classic science fiction writing and television shows each got a piece of it correct, would you know which ones? If your eyes can only see a tiny portion of a collage do you know it is a collage?

Fans of Babylon 5, Star Trek TNG, Battle Star Galactica (the new one) and classic science fiction writing will enjoy the bountiful Easter Egg hunt contained within. When you were a child you learned to connect paper clips or thread beads together to make a necklace. Sit back and watch the beads you’ve had all your life form the picture you could not see. Consider for one second the possibility of the story, then hang onto your mind with both hands while you take the ride.



Author Bio:

Roland Hughes is the president of Logikal Solutions, a business applications consulting firm specializing in VMS platforms. Hughes serves as a lead consultant with over two decades of experience using computers and operating systems originally created by Digital Equipment Corporation (now owned by Hewlett-Packard).


With a degree in Computer Information Systems, the author's experience is focused on OpenVMS systems across a variety of diverse industries including heavy equipment manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, stock exchanges, tax accounting, and hardware value-added resellers, to name a few. Working throughout these industries has strengthened the author's unique skill set and given him a broad perspective on the role and value of OpenVMS in industry.

Mr. Hughes' technical skill sets include the following tools that enable him to master and improve OpenVMS applications: DEC/VAXC, DEC/VAX C++, DEC BASIC, DCL, ACMS, MQ Series, DEC COBOL, RDB, POWERHOUSE, SQL, CMS/MMS, Oracle 8i, FORTRAN, FMS, and Java, among others. Being fluent in so many technical languages enables Hughes to share his knowledge more easily with other programmers.


Event organized by Reading Addiction Blog Tours