Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Melted & Shattered (L & J #2) by Emily Eck

Publication Date: April 21st, 2014

Cover Designer: Melody Simmons

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Description:

Elle was never broken.

She wasn't shattered.

And she sure as hell never needed to be saved.

That is, until she found out what the aftermath of love was capable of causing.

Doing her best to stay afloat amidst the sh!t storm that has become her life, Elle is hanging on by a thread. Between worrying about Fernie’s precarious future, an incident with a Shemar Moore look-alike gone terribly wrong, and an inability to let go of her feelings for J, Elle just can’t seem to get her head straight.

Deciding a change of atmosphere is what she needs, Elle heads to Mexico to study abroad for a semester.

She has no idea that she is walking into an even worse storm.

One that involves a pissed off MC President, a ruthless drug cartel, and a man willing to die to have her light.

Elle isn't looking for love. Hardened by years on the streets, she's learned to take care of herself by covering her heart with ice and keeping men at arm's length. She's not weak and she doesn't need to be saved. But she wouldn't mind getting laid a little more often.

J's covered his heart with steel. He owe's his life to an MC that is not what it seems. Since he knows his priority must be to the club's demands, no matter how illegal, he decided a long time ago that love didn't fit anywhere in his life.

A not so chance, but definitely hot encounter on a crowded dance floor should be enough for J, but he can't seem to stay away from Elle. As she begins to melt his steel, and he manages to chip away her ice, his forced loyalty to the MC threatens to tear them apart. When the risk becomes greater than J expected, will love be enough to keep Elle from freezing her heart to him?

I know I'm a monster, but Elle made me feel like a man. If she knew what I did, about my life with MM, she'd never love me. So I lied. Well, I starfished, and in the end, it brought my world crashing down around me.

I can't go back to being a monster, because that would mean existing without Elle. So I've made a plan. A plan that could kill me. It doesn't matter though, because I'd rather be dead than live a life without Elle in it. 

If I survive, will Elle forgive me? If I tell her everything, will she see past the monster? Will she see the man?

EXCERPT 

“I came here, baby, to tell you I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.” He inhaled sharply, but said in an even voice. “And I can’t lose you before the greatest fight I will ever wage.”

Redemption. Could I absolve him? I lay in a hospital bed for two weeks. All of it at his hands. I’d been marred, though the scar on my skin was not the worst damage. It was a reminder of the scar I’d carried inside. Could he erase that scar? Could he heal a wound one could not see?

There was silence, deafening silence. I tried to keep it together. I used every ounce of energy I had to keep the fire at a low flame, but it blazed through me. He would’ve shot my kid, and I couldn’t let that happen. These kids, they’d become my lifeline. My light.

“Without those kids, I’m just as dark as you.” I said emotionlessly, empty. These last few weeks of pretending during the day, only to come home and sob until sleep graced me was maddening. “I’ve got nothing left to give you, J. Nothing.”

I hung my head, losing the fight with the tears that had been threatening to erupt since J arrived. “I can’t be your light, when I have none.”

We lay on the floor, two damaged bodies searching for the light. J pulled my head into his hands, bringing us face to face. I could feel his breath against my lips. “You were a comet that bust into my life out of no where” he whispered. “I begged for you. On my knees in the dirt, I groveled to the sky to bring me light. And there you were, at Eight Oh Eight, staring up at me, even though I knew you couldn’t see through the window. I saw you, though. Elle, I saw you long before you saw me.”

“How could I love a killer?”

“How much pain was worth loving this man?

“Please, baby. Please. I need you. I love you. I can’t go into this without knowing you’ll be here when I return.”

“I’m not sure what to say. I want to tell you I’ll wait. That I’ll be here, waiting like a good girl for you. I want to because I love you. Fuck, I love you.” I turned, finally ready to look him in the eye. “I don’t know where I’ll be. I can’t tell you that. But I can tell you that I love the fuck out of you, and no matter how much I try to stop,” I paused. Fuck this mother fucker. Fuck! God, why was he doing this to me? Angry tears, sad tears, hopeless tears, tears filled with longing fell from my eyes. J caught then with his thumb, but there were too many. They ran over his fingers like a waterfall.

“Fuck, J. I don’t want you to die.”

He pulled me to him, and I inhaled his scent. I’d never be able to smell Acqua di mother fucking Gio again and not think of him. Today it was mixed with the smell of exhaust, like he’d been riding around all night. For what felt like the gazillionth time, I crumbled into his arms. How did two times come to be a number exponentially higher?

“I don’t want to die, baby. I want to fall asleep next to you. I want to wake up next to you. I’m fighting this war for you. To be with you.”

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About the author:

Emily is a Midwestern Gal, but could be anywhere as you read this. She gypsy's the country, as well as south of the border. Adventure feeds her soul, and offers great writing material.

She loves kids and working with kids, but can only handle caring for four-legged furry friends. A crazy dog and laid back cat have trained her to be their partner in life.

Vices include Swedish Fish, ignoring chores in favor of reading, and caring too much for people in her life. She chose to write this bio in third person as she is an Aries, and found writing in first person ended up with her writing an excessively long life story.

Aries like to talk about themselves. It is something Emily is working on being more mindful of.

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Cover Reveal: Aqua by M.A. George

Publication Date: April 16th, 2014

Description:

Meet Layla McKelland:

Novelist (unpublished, but cut her some slack…seventeen is a bit early to despair),

Slightly neurotic introvert (Alright, let’s be honest…there’s no “slightly” about it),

International Woman of Mystery, and…

Okay, just scratch the bio.

The only real “mystery” in Layla’s life is why her father has never been on the scene. Or why her mother drags Layla to a new coastal home every year.

Nothing about the latest hometown seems too newsworthy…until a routine day at the beach leaves Layla questioning whether she’s read one too many paranormal fantasy novels. The plot thickens when a random guy claims to know things about her father—a bizarre claim he backs up with an equally impossible stunt. And Layla soon finds herself on the wrong side of a mysterious attempted drowning…on her own kitchen floor.

When all is done, Layla will attest that fact is far stranger than fiction. And nothing in real life is ever as transparent as it seems…Not even water.

Especially not water.

About the author:

M. A. George is part proud mother of two adorable children, part super top secret agent…Oops, probably just lost that job.

Writing is what keeps her up into the wee hours of the night. Fortunately, she has a lot of energy (Read: caffeine is her friend). She has a bit of an obsession with music (It does a fantastic job of tuning out rambunctious children while she attempts to focus).

She sincerely hopes people out there enjoy reading her work as much as she enjoys writing it. And if anyone hears of work for a super top secret agent, she’s now available (Discretion guaranteed…).

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Cover Reveal organized by Girls Heart Books Tours

Concurs P3 - Captiv in Labirint si Incercarile focului de James Dashner

Descriere editura:

Când Thomas se trezește într-un loc necunoscut, nu-și amintește decât cum îl cheamă. Mintea îi este ca o foaie albă. În jurul lui se află mai mulți băieți, care îi urează bun-venit în Poiană – un loc înconjurat de ziduri de piatră. La fel ca Thomas, Poienarii nu au nici o idee despre felul în care au ajuns acolo și nici din ce motiv. Tot ceea ce știu este că, în fiecare dimineață, porțile de piatră către labirintul care îi înconjoară se deschid și că în fiecare seară se închid la loc. Și, la fiecare treizeci de zile, un nou băiat apare acolo, adus cu un lift. Așadar, Thomas era așteptat. Cu totul neașteptat, a doua zi este trimisă acolo și o fată – prima fată din grup. Și mai surprinzător decât sosirea ei este mesajul pe care îl aduce. Thomas ar putea fi mai important decât ar fi crezut vreodată. Numai de-ar putea să scoată la iveală secretele întunecate îngropate înăuntrul minții sale. Fanii seriei Jocurile foamei sau ai romanului Împăratul muştelor vor fi încântaţi să descopere o nouă aventură. Palpitant! Nu pierde continuarea! În curând, volumul al doilea al seriei, Încercările focului!

Thomas a crezut că rezolvarea Labirintului reprezintă sfârșitul cumplitei lui aventuri. A crezut că s-a terminat cu variabilele, cu alergatul. A crezut că toți Poienarii își vor relua viețile, dar nu și-a închipuit la ce fel de existență se vor întoarce. 

În Labirint, viața era ușoară. Aveau mâncare, aveau un adăpost și siguranță... înainte ca Teresa să declanșeze sfârșitul. Dar, în lumea de dincolo de Labirint, sfârșitul începuse cu mult timp în urmă. În locul libertății sperate, Poienarii se află acum în fața unei noi încercări: ei trebuie să străbată un deșert torid, pândiți de amenințarea unor furtuni cataclismice și, mai ales, a unor ființe omenești devastate de o boală misterioasă, Arșița, care îi transformă treptat într-un soi de monștri insensibili,

sălbăticiți. Va ține oare Thomas secretul libertății ascuns undeva în adâncul minții sale? Sau va rămâne pentru totdeauna în stăpânirea Răului?!

Fanii romanului Captiv în Labirint vor fi încântați să descopere o nouă aventură. Palpitant!

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Guest Post and Giveaway: Linked by Judy Serrano

Description:

Daphne Foster is a substitute teacher stuck in an English class, waiting for that dreaded parent-teacher conference. With much preparation and anxiety, she encounters the unforgettable Charlie Cross. His charm and good looks, win her over but rumors of his involvement with organized crime make his continued disappearances disturbing.

In walks Heathcliff Vanderpool, creating a love triangle of unusual sorts. Unknown to Daphne, Heathcliff and Charlie are old friends: Older than she could have imagined. With Charlie away on business, Daphne and Heathcliff discover a passion between them lying beneath the surface. As their souls link, pulling away from Charlie becomes next to impossible. Will his involvement in organized crime consume them both before she’s able to get free? When you become “linked,” the choice may not be your own.

GUEST POST

How to write a steamy sex scene 

When I first started writing, I wondered how much I could actually get away with as far as sex scenes go. I read all kinds of books where the sex scenes were “dirty” or a little out of my comfort zone. So, I decided to change it up a bit. I think that dirty language is simply a lack of creativity. Sex can be exciting without being dirty. Christian couples must have sex. If they bring up children, their secret is out. So, how do I create sex scenes without crossing the line? 

First of all, sexy love scenes are enjoyable as long as people become engaged. So far, I have written all my novels in the first person. I do this so that people will feel what my main character is feeling and identify with him or her. Once they feel engaged, they get aroused. No explicit craziness is necessary, just good old-fashioned lovemaking. Maybe there is kissing, caressing, and even a little delayed release. It is all about pleasure. If the reader feels the intimacy and the anticipation, the reader will be experiencing all the excitement that the protagonist is feeling. There is nothing wrong with that. These kinds of experiences usually bring the reader closer to their significant other, which is my intention. 

So, a little sex in the morning, afternoon, or evening is totally acceptable. Sex scenes that are identifiable, moving, and maybe create a little fantasy, can only spark a relationship that needs a little facelift. So dig your fingers into his hair, or wrap your lips around his… fingertips. Live to love, love to live, no matter how you do it, make sure you read about it first. Get yourself a little love in the afternoon.

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About the author:

Judy Serrano graduated from Texas A&M University, Commerce with a BA in English. She is a substitute teacher at her children’s school district and teaches developmental writing at a local college. She is also a freelance writer for certain on-line periodicals and does editing for indie authors. She is the author of The Easter’s Lilly Series, The Linked Series, and The Ivy Vines, Visions Series.

Although she is originally from New York, she currently resides in Texas with her husband, four children, (all boys) and five dogs. She is also a singer/songwriter in her spare time.


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Guest Post and Giveaway: The Golden Apple by Michelle Diener

Published: March 24th, 2014

Description:

Kayla's world has been turned upside-down...

Her father has made her the prize in a deadly, impossible tournament, and Kayla has retaliated in the only way she knows how; by choosing her champion beforehand. But taking control of the outcome changes the game completely, and when the real reason behind the strange test becomes apparent, Kayla realizes not just her life, but her entire kingdom is at stake.

Rane's honor is torn in two...

In order to save his brother, Rane will do whatever he has to--including deceive and betray a princess. He knew nothing about this tournament would be easy, but when it turns into a deeper, far more sinister game, Rane is forced to see it through to the end, or leave his brother at the mercy of their enemy.

Now their fates are entwined, and they must venture into the deep, dark forest together...

Kayla and Rane are bound to one another by an enchantment and Kayla's actions. But the sorcerer forcing them to do his will may have miscalculated, because no-one comes out of the Great Forest unchanged. No-one.

GUEST POST

The inspiration for The Golden Apple

The Golden Apple is loosely based on the Norwegian fairy tale The Princess on the Glass Hill. The original tale is more about the hero than the heroine, and it is a very straightforward quest story, with the hero becoming more and more accomplished, until at last he succeeds against the odds. But there were a few things in this fairy tale that stood out for me and made me take notice. The first is the very unusual situation of the king holding a contest for his daughter’s hand by putting her on top of a glass hill with a golden apple in her lap. Knights from all over are invited to race a horse up the smooth glass sides of the mountain and the one who can pluck the golden apple from the princess's lap wins her hand and is heir to the kingdom. As usual in fairy tales, there is no explanation as to how the king came by a glass mountain, but I wondered where he got it, and that sparked the starting point of the story. It is really the inciting incident that starts the story off, rather than the focus of the story, as it was in the fairy tale.

Secondly, the crux of the tale, for me, is that the hero cannot win the princess's hand without help from the princess herself. That part of the original tale is one or two lines long, but for me, it's fascinating. The feminine power determining and choosing which masculine power will prevail. This really made me interested, because the princess doesn't just sit there and take whoever it is manages to accomplish the (impossible) task set by her father, but actively chooses who it is she wants to win and helps them. I wanted to write a story about the consequences of her taking that power and using it and The Golden Apple was the result -- far, far more heroine-centric than the original, and I really had fun with it.

- Michelle Diener

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About the author:

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction. Her Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series, set in the court of Henry VIII, includes In a Treacherous Court, Keeper of the King's Secrets and In Defense of the Queen.

Michelle's other historical novels include Daughter of the Sky, The Emperor's Conspiracy and Banquet of Lies (loosely connected to The Emperor's Conspiracy).

Michelle's first fantasy novel, Mistress of the Wind, is set for a December 23, 2013, release.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

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New Release: Summoned (Summoned #1) by Rainy Kaye

Published: March 28th, 2014

Description:

Twenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally. Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker.

Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well. When he meets Syd—assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can't tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn't the type to tolerate secrets.

Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl's ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him.

Summoned is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.

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About the author:

Rainy Kaye is an aspiring overlord. In the mean time, she blogs at RainyoftheDark.com and writes paranormal novels from her lair somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona. When not plotting world domination, she enjoys getting lost around the globe, studying music so she can sing along with symphonic metal bands, and becoming distracted by Twitter. She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.

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Giveaway: Rising Assets (Maverick Montana #3) by Rebecca Zanetti

Publication Date: March 31st, 2014

Description:

Friends with benefits was never the plan…

Melanie Jacobs is in trouble. With three jobs—including running her ranch—and dwindling funds, she’s exhausted. Not to mention desperately trying to hide a secret. Unfortunately, her best friend Colton Freeze knows all too well that’s something is going on, and he won’t give up until he knows exactly what he needs to fix.

Then Colton learns the truth—that Melanie’s future happiness rests in the fickle hands of fate, and her chances for having a family are shrinking with every passing day. Her only comfort is Colton, but when a heated argument between them turns into an even hotter kiss, the boundaries of their friendship are erased, leaving only a scorching-hot hunger formore.

Every kiss—every touch—is a stolen pleasure. But will their new friends-with-sexy-benefits arrangement bring them closer together, or destroy everything they once shared?

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About the author:

USA Today Bestselling Author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner - only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She writes dark paranormals, romantic suspense, and sexy contemporary romances.

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day--or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.

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Cover Reveal: Entice (Eagle Elite #3) by Rachel Van Dyken

Release Day : May 13th, 2014

Description:

From #1 New York Times Bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken comes the third book in the bestselling Eagle Elite Series...

“As burns this saint, so burns my soul. I enter alive, and I will have to get out dead.”

Chase Winter let the love of his life slip through his fingers and into the hands of his best friend and mafia boss of the Abandanato family. Now that he's been given a second chance to right a wrong--he refuses to let his own selfishness stand in the way. The only problem? He's not fully in possession of his heart, so when Mil De Lange, the girl who's innocence he stole, and heir to the worst of the worst mafia families in the US, asks him for a favor. He actually says yes, not realizing that that one yes has the power to destroy them all. 

Mil's been in love with Chase as long as she can remember, but as the years went by, the love turned to hate, and now that he's agreed to help her, she's wondering if she made a fatal error. Because Chase isn't a teenager anymore. He's a hot blooded male, bent on owning every part of her body and soul, and willing to kill anyone in his path who dares stand in the way.

It's time for secrets to finally be revealed...but make no mistake, it's going to take a lot of bloodshed for those truths to be discovered.

You've never read a New Adult Mafia story like this before...loyalties will be tested, lovers reunited, and friendships obliterated. Welcome to the Family. Blood in--No out.

EXCERPT 

Nixon

I checked the time on my cell and leaned against the wall. The desert heat was not in any way helping my already-tense mood and irritated disposition. A guy walked by, flicking his cigarette into the dirt. Note to self: you know you're tense as hell when you’re halfway tempted to grab said cigarette and suck the nicotine dry from the remains.

And I didn’t even smoke.

Shhhit.

My head hurt, my muscles were sore, and Trace was pissed. I closed my eyes and leaned back against the building.

“Hey there.” A flirty voice interrupted my self-inflicted torture session. I opened one eye, then two. A blond-haired girl in six-inch heels and something I can only assume at one point use to be a shirt, hanging over her shoulder, walked into my personal space. Her shirt-dress thing barely met her thighs.

“Yes?” I kept my sunglasses on. If I took them off and glared, she’d probably run screaming down the street, and I wasn’t into scaring females… at least not in that way. I knew I looked downright pissed as hell.

“Just thought you looked lonely.” She lifted her shoulder and offered a teasing smile. Did that really work on other guys?

“You thought wrong,” I said simply. “I’m holding the wall up — like Samson.”

“Samson?” She looked around as if waiting for another man to appear.

“From the Bible,” I clarified.

“The what?”

“Gotta love Vegas,” I muttered under my breath. “Look, I don’t want any.”

“Any what?” She ran a manicured nail down my chest, biting down on her lip at the same time. I could only imagine her point was to get me to stare at her lips, but all I felt was irritation. Damn Chase and Mil. I just wanted to go to bed, but I needed to talk with him before tomorrow.

“Sex.” My voice clipped. “I. Don’t. Want. Any.”

“But—” She twirled a piece of blond- hair in her fingers.

“I’m gay.”

“Right.” She snorted.

“I’m into men.”

“Oh really?” She closed the distance between us. Just as I was ready to seriously put my hands on her and push, I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder.

“Hey there, hot stuff.” Tex said in a low voice as his hand grabbed my ass, cupping it with a little too much enthusiasm. “You ready?”

I ground my teeth together and forced a smile. “Yup.”

“Oh…” The girl stepped back. “Um, sorry, you guys, uh, enjoy your night.” She pushed past Tex so fast I was afraid she was going to teeter off her heels and get hit by a taxi.

“Tex.” I seethed.

“Hmm?” He took off his sunglasses and tilted his head as the girl hurried away.

“You can take your hand off my ass now.”

“Why? Afraid you like it too much?”

I pushed against him.

“Just embrace your feelings!” He shouted, earning the attention of a family walking by with their two little kids.

I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and threw him few feet away from me, trying my damnedest not to smile.

“Admit it. You keep me around for comic relief.” Tex nodded with a smirk.

“I admit nothing.” I lost the war against smiling and started laughing. “But I do keep your ass away from Campisi, so remember that next time you start yelling about me being your lover.”

“True.” Tex grinned. “Oh, and P.S., don’t knock it till you try it.”

“P.S.,” I repeated in the same voice. “Still pissed at you for screwing over my sister.”

“Yeah well.” Tex sobered. “It’s for the best.”

“Breaking her heart and bringing in whores is what’s best for her?”

Tex lifted his hands into the air. “Look, I didn’t say my methods were sound or that they were intelligent, just let us deal with it, okay? We’re big kids.”

“Kids.” I snorted. “That about sums it up.”

A town car pulled up next to the curb. Chase got out and then held out his hand to Mil. My eyes narrowed; she looked different. Happier.

Her mom had just died, and she'd survived a bombing.

And she was smiling like the Taliban had just declared world peace.

Chase gripped her so tight that I saw the white of his knuckles.

I tilted my head, still watching them when Tex said. “Dude, you get laid?”

“Tex,” I snapped. “Go get something for their luggage.”

“But—”

“Go.”

Tex flipped me off, but ended up jogging over to the main entrance while I inspected both Mil and Chase. “I’m not saying this to be an ass—”

“Here we go.” Mil crossed her arms.

Chase waited.

I licked my lips and tried to appear indifferent. “But if you guys start screwing each other now, I may have to shoot one or both of you. It’s not the time to play house, got it?”

“Play house,” Chase repeated in a deadpan voice as he dipped his free hand into his back pocket, most likely clenching a pair of brass knuckles.

“I know it’s your honeymoon,” I continued. “But this little scenario you’ve got going on with the whole hot and cold is going to have to wait until everyone’s safe. So Chase, keep it in your pants for once in your life, and Mil, stop trying to seduce the poor kid, alright? It’s like dangling a damn fry in front of a seagull.”

“Who’s a fry?” Tex asked, pulling the luggage cart with him.

“Mil.”

“Are we eating dinner or something? Because I have to admit,” Tex leaned against the cart, “I’m freaking starving.” He eyed Chase and Mil. “Then again, I’m sure you both are too. All those extracurricular really take it out of ya.”

Chase took off his sunglasses, his face twisting in irritation and annoyance, no smile. Nothing. He was pissed.

“Chase,” I said slowly. “You know I’m right. You’re the best I have. I need your focus to be on The Family. Your family. Then you can screw all you want, okay?”

Mil looked like she wanted to punch me in the face. Chase took a step forward, but she stopped him.

“Good talk.” I exhaled. “Chase, I’ll see you down in the bar in a half-hour, okay? We have business to discuss. Mil, you can go find the girls. They’re having dinner out by the pool.”

Nobody moved.

After a few seconds of tense silence where I was pretty sure Chase was trying to convince himself not to strangle me to death, Tex cleared his throat and pointed to the luggage. “You guys need help, then?”

“Yeah,” Chase croaked. “Thanks.”

We loaded them up and sent them on their way.

“Tell me,” Tex asked once we were walking back toward the bar. “Is your only goal to see how far you can push Chase before he kills you in your sleep?”

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About the author:

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at:

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Guest Post and Giveaway: The Man Who Became Frankenstein's Monster by Robert Daicy

Description:

New York, 1926 - Anyone can make a good life for themselves if they are just willing to work hard for it. William Barker is such a man. He has a good job, a nice house, a son named James, and a marriage he is trying desperately to hold together. A tragic accident takes this life away and William finds himself alone in his house with terrible mental and physical scars that are a constant reminder of what happened. With no one willing to employ a man with such visible and disturbing scars, William is lost and has no answers for how to live his life. That is when he meets the man who will change that life forever, Roland Skelton, the owner of Skelton's Spectacular Traveling Carnival. Where others saw a man to be shunned, Roland sees a man he may be able to help. Roland convinces William to join the Carnival as the headliner of the ten-in-one. With the name Frankenstein's Monster, William is a hit with the paying audience and finds that being onstage is a release from his pain and guilt. In time, William realizes that those he works with understand him better than he could have hoped. While working at the carnival, William finds a new happiness, an enemy, purpose, and even love. The Man Who Became Frankenstein's Monster is a moving novel about a man who rises above adversity set against the backdrop of the golden age of the carnival.

GUEST POST

My Writing Process 

A book takes a long time from idea to a finished product and everyone goes about it in their own way and at their own pace. Some can crank out a book in a month, while others take years between offerings. I have heard about people who have planned every detail of their book before they ever set a sentence down, while others just look at a blank page and the story seems to form in front of them. There is no right way to write a book, but here, I’ll detail my way, from start to finish. 

First is the idea. I get my ideas from all sorts of places. The Man Became Frankenstein’s Monster came to me when I was sixteen, while The Mourning of Mary Turner was inspired by a real artist I had read about. Once I get the idea, I let it stay in my head and try let it grow on its own. Usually this mean not writing about it for well over a year for me. During this time, I tend to think of scenes, a title, and the ending, but sometimes, it’s just some different scenes. I know when the idea is ready to go to paper when I can’t get it out of my head and feel I have a good grasp of where I want to go. 

I strive to write ten pages per day when writing, but this can vary. I do work, so sometimes, I can only get five, while others I can get twelve or fifteen. The important thing for me is to make some progress each day and after a month and a half or so, I typically have a rough draft. There’s a couple of people who read my work as it’s being written and that allows me to get a good idea about what’s working and what isn’t and I make notes about their comments for when I go back and edit. 

It is important for me to get away from the story for a while once I’m finished. I need at least a month to separate myself from it, but often take three or more before I go back and edit it with a fresh pair of eyes. During this downtime, I work with a cover artist, as that can take a few weeks to a month by itself. The first edit is the toughest, as I’m making content changes along with looking for grammatical errors. Two more bouts of editing are done before I send the work to my editor. 

Getting the book back from the editor is when I really know I’m almost done. I go through the suggested changes and then all I have to do is format the book and it’s ready to go out on the Kindle and to be published, but then there is the matter of promoting the book. I have found that this way of doing things works best for me and I can write a couple of books a year doing this. One thing I do know for a fact is that there is nothing like holding a copy of your own book in your hands, knowing just how hard it was to make.

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About the author:

I have been writing off and on since I was eight and it has been something I have always loved to do and wanted to do for a living. I tend to write the stories I want to hear and sometimes those stories have a darkness to them on some level whether they are more suspenseful stories or drama. I like to jump around the genres because I do not want to get bored writing the same thing and because I have eclectic taste. I was born and raised in Maine and have lived there most my life and am currently residing in a Victorian house in Fairfield, Maine.

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Mythical Books' Giveaway

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Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway: Besieged (She Who Dares #1) by L.P. Lovell

Published: February 14th, 2014

Description:

What would you do if you were granted millions of pounds and a face that melts the underwear off of any woman? Meet Theodore Ellis, the business man who parties like a rock star, and has more women than he has room on his bedpost to put the notches. 

Meet Lilly Parker. With a difficult past; Lilly is cold, closed off and emotionally unavailable in every way. Don't go thinking she's the sweet and innocent victim though, she plays the game better than most men, and is the original use and abuse woman. 

She's built her walls ten feet high and topped with razor wire, but Theo is relentless in the face of a challenge and Lilly finds herself besieged by him. Can he get in her pants? Or will the unsuspecting man whore go a step further and finally tear down her walls? Unlikely. 

This is no hearts and flowers love story, it is a battle of wills as a woman who trusts no-one denies a man who has never been denied. 

Cue fireworks as female sass meets alpha male tenacity. 

Besieged will make you laugh, fantasize and perhaps even shed a tear.

GUEST POST

Well, I’m no expert as I’ve only written one book, but I know what I hate as a reader, and believe me I’ve read a lot of erotic novels. I’m not a pervert I promise! 

My main hate in any book is a weak female character, and it’s a mistake some authors make. I think erotic readers like their strong men, but that doesn’t mean you need to have weak women. 

A mistake I have seen erotic authors make is falling into cliche terms when writing sex scenes. You would assume a sex scene is easy to write, but finding the right language for a sex scene is incredibly difficult. Too blunt and it’s crass, too cryptic and it’s cliche and brings the reader out of the scene. Terms like ‘my sex’ annoy me, I mean really!? It’s a vagina, just crack on with it. 

I think another mistake is unrealistic sex scenes and overly kinky scenes. A woman coming three times, fine, it can be done easily enough. A man coming three times, never. 

When it comes to the kink factor...for me, if an author can grip me with a simple sex scene, have me feeling the passion and the need, I’d much sooner read this than some extreme kinked up scene. 

These are just personal opinions. I have lots of them!

EXCERPT

This guy thinks he's god’s gift to women. Oh, I am going to enjoy rejecting him. I step closer to him until my lips are only a few inches from his. I lean up to whisper in his ear. "You just sealed your own failure. I hate arrogance, and I hate assumption even more. You assume I'll sleep with you. My eyes flick confidently down his body. "Never. Going. To happen."

TOUR SCHEDULE

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About the author:

I'm a 24 year old Indie Author from England. I'm a real country bumpkin and I love to read. I can easily finish a book in an afternoon!

My love of literature lead me to write my first book Besieged. I have quite a cutting sense of humour, and HATE soppy love stories. I like sass and fire in my characters. 

This is what Besieged is, sass and cutting humour.

I hope you'll read it so I can be the next E.L James and just write kinky books all day. Ha.I love being an author and it makes my day when someone sends me a message telling me they enjoyed my book. If even just one person enjoyed it then it was worth writing it.

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Giveaway: The Elemental Detective (Riga Hayworth #5) by Kirsten Weiss

Description:

Mermaids, menehunes, and murder.

Riga Hayworth just wants to relax with her new husband on their Hawaiian honeymoon. But a body on a Kauai beach pulls them into a murder investigation, sending the supernatural world into an uproar. 

When Riga detects traces of magic at a murder scene, she knows she can’t ignore the call. There’s necromancy afoot, and she must prepare for the battle to come. But can Riga fight the forces of nature? Or will they destroy her and everyone she loves?

Book five in the Riga Hayworth series of paranormal mystery novels, The Elemental Detective is a fun, fast-paced urban fantasy blending romance with the supernatural, and exploring the magic of Hawaii.

BOOK#1

When Riga Hayworth finds her new client, Helen Baro, dead, she smells a set up of metaphysical proportions. Now, to find a killer, Riga must travel from San Francisco to the underworld – and make it back alive…

Helen believes her husband is trying to kill her. One problem: Helen’s husband died in a car crash last year. Riga isn’t sure what to think. Is Helen mad? Is someone else trying to harm the woman? Or is this really a case of attempted murder from beyond the grave? But then Helen is found dead, leaving a strange haiku and tarot for a clue, and Riga is hurled into an investigation that threatens the detective and those she loves. 

A noir paranormal mystery based in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Metaphysical Detective explores the power of the archetypes through the double lens of tarot and Greek mythology.

BOOK #2

Where Alchemy, Demons, and Good Wine Collide... with a Lake Monster Named Tessie. A psychic has been murdered in an occult ceremony and the police pay a visit to Riga Hayworth, metaphysical detective. But this time, she’s not a consultant on the case. She’s a suspect.

There’s a storm on the horizon.

Riga’s lost her magic and has come to Lake Tahoe to recover and spend quality time with her new love. But life for Riga is never that simple. A psychic’s been murdered, and the police believe Riga has a connection to the crime.

They’re right.

And if that’s not enough, Riga is drafted as the host of a reality TV show about the local lake monster, and her niece is rejecting her metaphysical abilities. Juggling demons, daimons, and angry tarot card readers, Riga must catch a killer before she becomes the next target.

The Alchemical Detective is an urban fantasy exploring the world of alchemy and the imagination.

BOOK #3

When Riga Hayworth’s lover is arrested, she’s determined to unearth the truth, no matter the cost. But life – and death – get in the way.

All Riga wants is to clear the name of her almost-fiancée, Donovan Mosse. But a death faerie has other plans for her, and Riga is forced to protect a shaman with a house full of murderous relatives. The only way to stop this killer is to figure out who he, or she, is before the next strike. As the two cases become entangled, Riga must choose between facts and faith, and decide just how far she’s willing to go for love.

The Shamanic Detective is a paranormal mystery set in Lake Tahoe, and explores shamanism, the shadow, and the world of the fae.

BOOK#4

When Riga Hayworth finds a dead body in her bedroom a week before her wedding, it’s par for the course. When the corpse drives off with her fiancée… That’s a problem.

Riga knows dead. More intimately than she’d like. So when a murdered photographer gets up and walks away, she’s believes there’s necromancy afoot. And when she discovers that several of her wedding guests are under the influence of dark magic, she’s certain. But how can she catch a killer and stop a necromancer when even her nearest and dearest are lying to her?

Murder. The undead. Irritating relatives. The Infernal Detective is a fast-paced, paranormal mystery, where nothing is quite as it seems, and magic lies just beyond the veil.

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About the author:

Kirsten Weiss is the author of the Riga Hayworth paranormal mystery series: The Metaphysical Detective, The Alchemical Detective, The Shamanic Detective, The Infernal Detective, and The Elemental Detective. 

Kirsten worked overseas for nearly fourteen years, in the fringes of the former USSR and deep in the Afghan war zone. Her experiences abroad not only gave her glimpses into the darker side of human nature, but also sparked an interest in the effects of mysticism and mythology, and how both are woven into our daily lives.

Now based in San Mateo, CA, she writes paranormal mysteries, blending her experiences and imagination to create a vivid world of magic and mayhem.

Kirsten has never met a dessert she didn’t like, and her guilty pleasures are watching Ghost Whisperer reruns and drinking good wine. 

You can connect with Kirsten through the social media sites below, and if the mood strikes you, send her an e-mail at kirsten_weiss2001@yahoo.com

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