Excerpt and Giveaway: FOLLOW (Social Media #1) by J.A. Huss

Published: August 27th, 2014

Description: 18++

#Women.

I f... them. I use them. I pay them off. I find another. My demands are never denied. My contracts are always signed. They submit to me. Willingly. Completely. Temporarily. This is how it’s always been.

Until I saw that filthy tweet.

@VaughnAsher [...]. #ThingsIThinkAboutToGetOff

“FilthyBlueBird” thinks she can tease me with hashtags and then hide behind a Twitter handle? She thinks I wouldn’t be more than happy to #RockHerFilthyWorld? She’s wrong.

Her online fantasy is about to collide with her public reality, and it’s about to happen… now.

EXCERPT

My name is Grace Kinsella and I’m a filthy tweeter.

I can turn a hundred and forty characters into living sex. I can string words together in a way that will make you wet your panties with lust. I can make a man blush before he even gets to the hashtag. I am famous for pithy filth.

In fact, my girlfriends and I have an online Facebook group called the Filthy Blue Birds. And we’re not the only ones. The world of pithy filth is booming, friends. There are endless groups like ours. There are legions of shy girls who come alive when faced with the hundred-and-forty-character challenge. And there is a very special place online where we meet, challenging each other to achieve a new level of smexy typing.

I call that Twitter list Dirty Heaven. I made it up, like literally I’m the freaking founder. So Dirty Heaven is my kingdom and I’m the queen.

I’ll stop here to take a bow.

Besides being a list, Dirty Heaven is an online competition that happens on Twitter every Saturday night across the world—yes, we have filthy tweeters from all walks of life. At 8 PM Eastern the FT’s come alive and each league puts up their best and brightest. You get one tweet, one hashtag, and one chance to shine.

I don’t win anymore, it’s simply not fair. I’m now the judge. But back when we were first putting this together my tweets took me to Dirty Heaven time after time after time. That’s back when we used to have the competitions nightly and the group was small. Just fifteen or twenty of my closest online stranger friends. Each competition we had an online muse and we took turns choosing who would benefit from our blush-inducing prose. Sometimes the girls picked models or rock stars.

I only ever had one muse and his name is Vaughn Asher.

Yes, the Vaughn Asher. A Hollywood legend. He started out in the boy band 2 Far Out, then when his angelic voice changed as he hit puberty he graduated into Disney sitcoms. Most child actors would fade after that, never able to make the transition. But Vaughn Asher doubled down on the workouts—gaining the title of Most Envied Body in Hollywood six years in a row from Buzz Hollywood Magazine—and the preteen wannabe turned into an action-hero heartthrob overnight.

Just thinking his name makes me sigh. He’s so freaking gorgeous. That messy dark hair that makes him look like he just rolled out of bed. Those tight abs that just make you want to drag your tongue all over them to see if they taste as good as they look. And that package, boy. He’s never done any nudes so I have to use my imagination, but my imagination is vivid. I have a very clear picture.

Besides, you know what they say about a man’s thumbs, right? Well, Vaughn Asher has incredible thumbs. And large feet. They say that too.

Yes, doing filthy things to his six-foot-two frame has been my idea of Dirty Heaven for almost three years now. I’d like to say I’ve said everything imaginable about him, but that’s not true. I never run out of ideas. It’s like my brain only exists to compose a one-hundred-and-forty-character sentence that will turn him red.

That’s my fantasy. That’s my fairy tale. Vaughn Asher doing things to me that can only be said in a hashtag.

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About the author:

J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label). 

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

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#ready for #book#2?

Round Six (Dom Wars #6) by Lucian Bane, Aden Lowe

Description: 18++

When Gladiator Inc, an adult toy company expands their market to familiarize the ‘vanilla’ world with the elements of BDSM, the result is a pay-per-view reality show with video feeds streamed live to subscribers. The show, Dom Wars, is a competition to determine the Top Dom that will become the spokesperson for the company. 

The contestants all wear cameras to film every moment and angle of the competition, while they complete various challenges to determine who has ultimately Dominated various elements of themselves.

The hero and heroine of the series, Lucian Bane and Tara Reese, have barely made it into the Sixth and Final Round of Dom Wars. This week-long Survival Round will determine the Top Dom, once and for all.

The contestants are taken to an uninhabited island, where they will have to cross formidable jungle terrain. First Dom to reach the boat anchored on the other side of the island wins the million dollars and the title. 

Seems simple. Except Lucian’s old adversary, the Sadist Jase Duff from Round One, has been tasked with making sure none of the five teams make it to the boat.

If he is successful, he wins the prize, only it's not money that Jase Duff cares about, its revenge on Lucian and Tara. And his sadistic need to inflict pain makes it game on.

DOM WARS Series

I'm an Ineffable Dom. That just means, do yourself a favor and please don't try to describe me or fit me into your categories. Complicated Dom, Intricate Dom, and Confounding Dom work too.

I love very much the soft side of a woman. Not just her body, but everything on the inside-- her passion, her intelligence, her convictions, her delicate tenderness. But the one fetish that might be a part of what makes me an Ineffable Dom is that I love her strengths. I love a woman that isn't afraid to look me in the eyes and say 'make me'. But I need it to be real, not staged, not pretended. She has to be a fighter at her core the way I'm a Dom at my core. I want an equal that is willing to come hard against me in every sense of the word, exhaust me. I want her so deep inside me that we're lost in each other. I want her to never doubt that I will always use my power to adore her, protect her, liberate her. I don't want a woman I can break, or overpower, or exercise my dominance over, I want a woman I can come undone with. I want a woman I can jump off the cliff with into that abyss of holy hell, this is beyond me, beyond my control. The greatest fear of most people is losing themselves or unravelling their roots. My greatest fear is not finding a woman I can take that plunge with. Yes, it's a huge risk. That's the yin and the yang of it. And while the risk titillates my Dom, it's the ineffable fruit of that risk that moves him. He knows he has to have it. He knows he's supposed to have. And he's prepared to dominate for it.

I think there are many men like myself, and I hope my writing will be a map for them. A map for women as well, to let them know Doms like this exist. I'd like to call them out of the woodwork. Help men join with their natural inner Doms in a way that I think is one of the most fulfilling experiences there are. I want to challenge them all to go for the complete power exchange with a woman, but don't be a coward and not give the same that they demand or expect. And consider that when you give one hundred percent of yourself to a person, there is no more of you to give away. You now belong to them the way they belong to you.

Inner Doms are dogs that need a master to train them. I once bowed to my Dom's reckless and tireless desires, but when I gained control, he bowed to my will. The transformation made me into what I am today. What many would call an Ineffable Dom. But its equal term in the Vanilla world, in my opinion, is a real man.

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Authors:

Lucian Bane

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Aden Lowe

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Happy Release Day! Excerpt and Giveaway: Sovereign Plague by Rachel A. Olson

Description:

In the year 3127, the human race faces possible extinction when a viral outbreak spreads like wildfire during a never ending cold spell. Former militia member Barrick Hardison has been forced to use his training for survival before, and finds himself doing it again…but this time for a woman he hardly even knows.

Lyza Guerrera has spent her entire life trying to hide in the shadows. It didn’t do her any good. An orphan from the former Puerto Rico region, Lyza’s foreign looks simply attract danger, including Barrick. Fortunately for her, Barrick doesn’t seem to have any interest in her, or anyone else for that matter. 

After meeting under extreme circumstances, Barrick begrudgingly allows Lyza to tag along with him. Threatening his former employer and witnessing a near upheaval of his old militia camp has given Barrick the realization that circumstances are not only worse than he thought, but he and Lyza are stuck in the middle of it all. 

When it seems like their situation can’t possibly get worse, the strength of the Defects – the greatest threat of all – seems to be growing with numbers, and Barrick’s sanity begins to waver amidst it all. Will he get Lyza and her precious cargo to safety or will his uncontrollable feelings and impending psychosis prevent him from reaching their much needed destination?

EXCERPT

Barrick kneeled down next to Lyza, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward him. “Get on my shoulders.”

“What?” Lyza almost laughed in disbelief. “I’m a grown woman. A pregnant grown woman. You don’t honestly think you’re going to give me a ride on your shoulders, do you?” Barrick yanked on her hand again before forcing her leg to swing up and over his shoulder.

“Either you get on or you run. Based on the lack of color in your face and the shit you just barfed all over the floor, I think it’s safe to say you’re in no condition to run right now. So, get on.” Barrick was in no mood for games, and Lyza obviously heard it in his voice. He was sure she knew exactly why the sirens had gone off, but it apparently mattered to her what it would look like to be flying around the militia camp, perched atop Barrick’s shoulders like a toddler. Barrick smirked to himself. He was more enjoying the thought of which body part would be closest to his head while she played toddler. 

“I’m a seriously dirty minded fuck,” he mumbled to himself.

“What was that?” Lyza asked, clinging as best she could to Barrick as he rose effortlessly to his feet.

“Nothing, doll,” he responded with a clearing of his throat. “Hold on tight.”

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About the author:

Somewhere amidst her forty-hour job and playtime with her son, Rachel finds time to walk the streets of worlds only existing on manmade paper. She resides in small college town Northwestern Nebraska with her son, just a few blocks away from her parents.

She enjoys socializing with adults, sipping sweetened iced tea, and head banging to music that doesn't carry a beat worth the effort of rock star hair slinging.

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Excerpt: Cade (Le Beau Brothers #1) by V.A. Dold

Description: 18+

Anna James is single again, finally. In her opinion, men are self-centered and will never love her for who she is, a beautiful, plus sized woman. All except the fantasy man that she’s been meeting in her dreams for five years. 

She just never expected her fantasy to be a real live alpha shifter... 

Cade Le Beau isn't what he seems. He’s a billionaire wolf. A Shifter. He laments his missed chance six months ago to meet his fantasy woman in the flesh. Just as his second chance presents itself, his fantasy woman, his mate, is threatened by the local mob boss and her ex-husband. Now, he has forty eight hours to deal with this threat once and for all or chance losing her again. 

Is it Anna who’s in danger, or the humans who unwittingly threaten her? 

The heat is on the moment they lay eyes on each other. Neither, age, children, horrid ex-husbands, nor mob bosses will stop this love affair.

NOTE: Complete novel. No cliffhanger. Dual POV. Rated 18+ for language and strong sexual content. This is an adult paranormal romance with erotic content. The series centers on wolf shifters but also includes vampires, voodoo priestess, a Marine, and magic. These are stand alone books that create a series. They do not need to be read in order.

Four years of honorably serving his country has left Simon, Cade’s younger brother, damaged and trapped in wolf form. Little did he know the only person with the ability to heal him completely would be found at home. Literally. Now that he’s found her, he is desperate to claim her.

Rose is a beautiful, voluptuous woman with limited experience with men. Although she's confident, she still has reservations. Never having a family of her own, her fear of abandonment has her fleeing romantic relationships, and doubting herself.

Travis is insane. A deadly loose cannon that a secret organization hired to destroy the Le Beau family by denying them their mates. Permanently.

Simon’s dream will be lost forever unless he is able to maintain human form.

Rose needs unconditional love and a mate to create the family she’s always wanted.

Travis’s all-consuming drive is to take Rose for himself.

Will Simon ever be whole again, able to claim his mate, giving Rose the love and family she so desperately craves? Or will Travis destroy them both?

EXCERPT

TOUR SCHEDULE

Prologue- The Plan

“Emma, we need to take matters into our own hands or they’ll never find their mates.” Isaac Le Beau set his snifter down before he crushed the glass in frustration. “We have seven virile, grown sons, who after two hundred years haven’t found their mates. If we don’t step in and give a hand to the wolf-goddess Luperca, our sons may spend their lives alone, without children to raise and without their other half to love. Dang it, I want some grandchildren, while I’m still young enough to enjoy them.” 

He slowly raised his head and gazed at the love of his life, Emma. She was a unique blend of Romanian gypsy heritage and a very powerful voodoo priestess. Even after two centuries her exotic sparkling dark eyes and compact killer soft curves left him breathless. Some would classify her as a big, beautiful woman. He called her ‘sex on a stick‘. He swore she controlled every beat of his heart. 

The warmth and agreement in those mesmerizing eyes silently prompted him to continue.

“Would you do your high-priestess voodoo thing and ask the spirits to identify their mates? With some influence we could bring them together, so they can recognize them on their own. I don’t want to force a meeting. Simply provide the opportunity. How about it, will you give it a try?” Isaac asked.

He knew Emma wouldn’t deny him. “Of course, I’ll perform the ritual, but I can’t give you any guarantees. All I can do is try. If we are truly blessed, Luperca will appear to me and give this endeavor her approval. I want our sons happy and I’d love to have a dozen grandchildren running around the house, too.”

Isaac opened his arms wide, inviting Emma to slide onto his lap. He buried his face into her hair breathing in her unique scent. The familiar fragrance calmed him like nothing else. He was confident everything would change for his sons very soon. He could hardly wait for each of them to meet their one true mate. No wolf should go fourteen hundred years alone. 

Two weeks later, they enjoyed the cool breeze that came off the river, flowing through the open windows. A secret little smile lit up Emma’s entire face and her fingers tapped a tune on her cut crystal wine glass. He knew that expression well. 

“Out with it, Emma,” Isaac said with a grin of his own. “What is it you’re dying to tell me?” He waited patiently for her to tell him her grand news. 

Emma actually bounced in her seat. “I received answers from the goddess.” She clapped her hands excitedly. “Cade's mate is in New Orleans right now. Her name is Anna James. The goddess said she has had many unhappy years, but is now open to finding her one true love. Isn’t that fantastic? Two days from now she is destined to be in Jackson Square and then stop to eat lunch at Crescent City Brewhouse. She’ll be in the bar around eleven-thirty. As for the rest of the boys, the goddess said we must have patience. She’ll grant me visions in my dreams or come to me for each of them when the time is right.” 

A surge of excited energy rushed through him as a hundred butterflies took up residence in his stomach. This must be what it felt like to win the lottery he thought. “We’ll have to move fast. We need to think of a way to get Cade there at the right time.” 

“Maybe we can come up with a way to use Jackson square? Cade sits there so often it might be an option?” Emma offered.

“Maybe.” 

He rubbed his chin, forehead crinkled in deep thought. “First we need to get him out of his home office and into the French Quarter. The bank called yesterday about a restaurant up for sale. I’ll have them schedule a meeting with Cade to review our investments and recommend this new opportunity.” He tapped his chin as the plan took shape, mumbling as he worked it out. He stood and paced across the room, prowled like the animal he was. He couldn’t think properly sitting down.

As he strode back and forth, he noted she had settled into an easy chair to watch him. 

“That’ll get him to the city,” he thought aloud as he continued to tap his finger on his chin. “You’re right about his constant people watching, I’m sure he’ll take a walk and perhaps sit a while. A possibility.” Isaac cupped his jaw in his hand and rubbed the coarse stubble.

A satisfied smile tugged at his lips. “I’ve got it! I’ll ask him to meet me for lunch at Crescent City at eleven-thirty. Richie tends the bar, he’ll know the mating signs. When Cade arrives, goddess willing, he will sense his mate. I’ll have Richie tell him I won’t be able to make it. If I’m not there for lunch he will be free to spend time with her.” 

Smile broadening, he folded his arms across his chest and nodded. They had a solid plan. In less than a week he could have his first daughter-in-law. Isaac settled into his leather captain’s chair. “I’ll arrange everything with Richie." He felt two hundred years younger, like the bold robust young man who had swept his mate off her feet. By the wistful expression Emma wore, he must look it, too.

As he sipped his rich, sweet cognac, he imagined a baby in Emma’s lap, sleeping peacefully while a toddler played with blocks on the floor. His sigh brought her attention to him with a raised brow. She would laugh if she knew what he was dreaming. 

A smile continued to pull at his lips. He couldn’t help it. He was very pleased with his little romance ambush, positive it would be successful. Cade was in for a wonderful surprise in two days’ time.

“Now that we have the plan, what do you think she will be like? Did the goddess give you any hints?”

She laughed. “No, you silly man, the goddess doesn’t have time for things like that.”

“You know he has always favored curvy women. I sure hope she isn’t skinny, he might not even look at her if she is.” A little shiver ran through him. “Remember the gal he dated who looked a lot like you? She was a plus sized beauty. Cade never said anything, but Marcus drove him crazy with that ‘Oedipus’ nickname.” He laughed as he recalled the antics of the boys.

“You’re right, he does like a woman with meat on her bones. All the boys do.”

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About the author:

V.A. Dold is the bestselling author of the Le Beau Brothers series, New Orleans wolf shifter novels. A graduate of Saint Cloud University, she majored in marketing. Prior to becoming a full time writer, she was a publicist to the authors, owning Innovative Online Book Tours and ARC Author & Reader Con's (ARC NOLA) (ARC Phoenix). Still is. The companies mesh so well together, much like PB&J.

Her idea of absolute heaven is a day in the French Quarter filled with nothing but her computer, her coffee mug and the Brothers, of course.

A Minnesota native with her heart lost to Louisiana, she has a penchant for titillating tales featuring sexy men and strong women. When she's not writing, she's probably taking in a movie, reading or traveling.

Her earliest reading memories are from grade school. She had a major fixation with horses, and the Black Stallion was a favorite. Then junior high came along and teenage hormones kicked in. It became all about the Harlequin Romances. She has been hooked on romances ever since.

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Excerpt and Giveaway: Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush by Victoria Pinder

Published: June 2014

Description:

Penny moves back to Miami to start her a job with a list of things to accomplish.

1. Find a place to live.

2. Avoid her gold-digging mother.

3. Reconnect with old high school friends: her best friend Sandra, the dramatic Eva, the dark Michael, her half-brother Wyatt, and her former crush Jay.

Jay may have kept her firmly in the “friend zone”, but that didn’t stop her from wanting more. Her five friends have stood by her through some difficult times and she’ll need their help now to accomplish her first two goals.

As soon as Jay sees Penny, he puts his plan into motion. His investors need to see him with a stable woman, one who isn’t all flash and no brains; Penny fits the bill perfectly. There’s just one hitch—he wants more.

Their pretend date sets off a whirlwind of plots. From mothers who want to control their children’s lives to the loss of her exciting new job, Penny’s world turns upside down. She knows she can overcome all obstacles except one—she’s falling for Jay all over again.

EXCERPT

Chapter One

Jay Marshall pressed his lips together as he held the phone. His hands curled into a ball then straightened. He stared out his bay windows overlooking the ocean. Another beautiful day on the beaches of South Florida, not that he cared. Sunshine never filled him with joy. The humidity outside suffocated the spirit, but somehow, with this deal, he'd break free.

"Yes, you'll see I mean business, Mr. Danvers. My business plans are long term."

Danvers sucked in his breath, as if he were doubting the sincerity of Jay's words, then told Jay. "And I'll meet your girlfriend. It's always telling with people from Miami. Flashy women and cars do not make good investments on my end."

Jay gritted his teeth and tugged at his free ear, but kept the phone on the other. Miami advertised plastic women on the highway as a special brand. Flashy came with the area code. Instead he nodded his head and told the potential investor, "I understand. See you next week."

He hung up the phone and stared out the window. The brightness showed his reflection and his grim frown. Jay needed to win. His eyes squished together. He¹d pay the price for success. He had no other choice.

Jay's mind raced to his technical girlfriend. Eva was the epitome of flashy, beautiful, and fake. She'd been a friend since high school, and two months ago, they¹d ended up dating. On paper the award winning dramatic actress, his money, and their history should be a match. Yet he couldn't imagine his entire life videotaped.

If he walked away from her, there would be no regrets. His investors hoped he had a nice, sweet woman on the side. His cousin and her friend, Penelope, flashed in his head before he dropped the thought.

He pushed his hand on the glass window before he stepped back into the shadows of his office.

Darkness didn¹t suit him either. Nothing stirred inside him anymore, though he craved something. Anything other than boredom from the sticky heat of his life.

He shook his head and poked his head out of his office. His secretary sat there typing. "Call Eva. Set up an appointment for us to talk today."

With the click of the door knob he rolled up his sleeves. He needed the deal to put his goals in line with his investment portfolio.

His eyes narrowed in on the first words, long term growth.

Long term read to his eyes like a rescue rope. He blinked. Life should be lived with long term goals to reach. Freedom meant change.

Today, he'd break up with Eva. In his heart, he'd always hoped for a woman that tugged at his heart strings. But hopes didn't earn freedom. He'd prove to himself, and the others, John Jay Marshall came out of the game of life on top.

Amazon ** Barnes&Noble ** Jupiter Garden Press

About the author:

Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston before moving to the Miami sun. After realizing she needed change, she became a high school teacher. Teaching is rewarding, but writing is a passion.

She always wrote stories to entertain herself or calm down. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, but when she sat down to see what skill she had that matched what she enjoyed doing, writing became so obvious.

The Zoastra Affair, Chaperoning Paris, Borrowing the Doctor, and Electing Love will be published from Soul mate Publishing. Mything the Throne will be published with Double Dragon Ebooks. Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush will be published with Jupiter Press.

Now she is represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency.

Also she’s the Vice President of Programs for the Florida Romance Writers. She’s gone to multiple conferences and intends to continue. Her website is www.victoriapinder.com.

Member of Florida Romance Writers, Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter of RWA, Celtic Hearts and Savvy Authors.

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Cover Reveal and Excerpt: All Who Are Lost (Ashmore's Folly Trilogy #1) by Lindsey Forrest

Cover Design: Robin Ludwig of Robin Ludwig Design, Inc

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Description:

One man.

Too many betrayals.

Three women.

One last chance.

On a cold winter day, a woman calls a number halfway across the world.

A man answers.

After fourteen years, Laura St. Bride hears the voice she has never forgotten, the voice she will remember with her last breath…

What do you do when the love of your life is the last person you should love?

A great family estate in Virginia.

Three sisters growing up in the shadow of their father’s obsessive drive to recapture his lost muse, the woman he threw into the cold Irish sea.

The scion of an old family, falling in love with the wrong sister, blind to the ice at her core.

A woman haunted by a moment of blood and violence, when she reached out and took a man who didn’t belong to her.

A man living a life of regret and sacrifice, given a second chance to claim the woman he should have loved all along.

EXCERPT

I know you’re out there somewhere....

She stared out across a crowded London square, unknowing, unseeing, the serenity of her face captured in the flat surface of the theatrical poster. The light noon rain ran down in small diagonal rivers across her, crinkling the smooth plain of her forehead and the gentle cut of her jaw. She wept, large, abandoned tears that warred with the lovely turn of her mouth.

The Great Cat, they called her.

Many of those who had come to Leicester Square, hunting for half-price theater tickets, gravitated to her, beckoned by her eyes, lured on by the legend of mist and mystery that surrounded her. A few balked at the price of “An Intimate Evening with Cat Courtney.” Others realized to their sorrow that they had conflicting tickets, meals planned with in-laws, flights to catch. Three nights only, announced the poster, and this, unfortunately, was the last night.

She smiled out at them all, oblivious to their concerns, uncaring of the rain wetting her face.

The American tourist who came walking into the square, his daughter by his side, did not notice her at first. The rain had stopped for a few minutes, and other matters engaged him: folding up a handy umbrella, glancing at his watch, reading a guide book over his daughter’s shoulder. For one minute longer, he remained merely a tourist on a much-needed vacation. For one minute longer, the Great Cat never crossed his mind.

But the Great Cat could wait, and for this man she would wait forever.

She had left him a decade before, both of them reeling from the blood of their folly, in a deserted cottage on a desolate shore on the other side of the world. Had she eyes to see, she would know him instantly.

Eventually, respite ended. Eventually, Richard Ashmore lifted his head, his eyes scanning across the theatrical posters, in search of an evening’s entertainment suitable for a young girl. The titles made little impression – Les Miserables, The Graduate, Noises Off – until he saw her and everything around her blurred into oblivion.

He knew her too, instantly.

Laura.

His worst mistake.

******

“Dad?” Julie touched her hand to his. “Do you think we can get tickets?”

“We can try.” Richard closed his fingers around hers, a talisman to ward memory off. “Don’t get your hopes up, Julie. Her concerts usually sell out.”

“Let’s ask over there,” suggested his daughter, pointing across the square to the ticket kiosk. “Maybe someone bought tickets and can’t go. Maybe someone dropped their tickets, and someone turned them in. Maybe —”

“Maybe, maybe, maybe,” he teased, but already he was allowing her to drag him across the stones towards the waiting queue.

They took their places in line. Julie was glowing with excitement, the happiest Richard had seen her since the morning before her grandparents had died. He was less optimistic. Others ahead of them had requested tickets, and the possibility of stray tickets lessened as they moved up the line. He sought to cushion her against disappointment by letting her plan the afternoon. They were only a couple of blocks from the National Gallery, or would she prefer to hop the tube for Harrods?

“Harrods,” said Julie immediately. “And tea, Dad.” She leaned in against him to look at his guidebook. “I have my birthday money from Lucy. I want to get something to wear to the concert.”

“Keep your money, kitten.” He wished that they had never seen the poster. Selfish, yes, but if meeting her eyes in a poster disturbed him, how would he feel to see her again, even in the black anonymity of an audience? Better not to know, better to go back to an occasional evening of listening to her songs in the dark and trying to make some sense of what had happened.

And Julie had endured enough recently.

They were second in line now, behind a couple attempting to get tickets to the latest Andrew Lloyd Webber. Good luck, thought Richard, who had tried for three months. They bought him a few minutes of reprieve while they settled for a sex comedy instead.

“Two for Cat Courtney,” he said, and if the gods had been with him, just this once, he would have been told in that inimitable British way, Sorry, sir, but that show has just sold out....

“Yes, a few tickets have been turned in,” and his fate was sealed. He and Julie looked at the seating chart. She sparkled as she so seldom did, and as he paid for the tickets he thought that he would bear any pain, any guilt, to see that look on her face.

“Those are good seats,” said the man behind him, another American from the sound of him. “I’ve seen her before, and she’s worth twice the price.”

Julie forgot her usual shyness with strangers. “I can’t wait! I’ve wanted to see her for so long —”

A woman with a Southern accent said kindly, “You know, darlin’, you’re just the picture of her.”

“Thank you,” said Julie. “I’m glad I am. She’s my aunt.”

And Richard Ashmore looked at the tickets and realized, with a shock, that it was June 9, and he had been married for seventeen years.

Pre-order ** Amazon

About the author:

Lindsey Forrest, a lead writer/editor for an international information company, writes about income tax but prefers to dream of heroes and heroines and grand romance. With the publication of her trilogy, she checks off the top entry on her bucket list. She lives in north Texas with her family and cat and has a five-year plan for becoming a full-time novelist and editor of indie fiction. When she isn’t working or writing, she amuses herself with reading, needlepointing, tramping around historical sites and houses, and outbidding everyone who gets in her way on Ebay.

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Cover Reveal organized by Written Elegance

Cover Reveal: Love Unbroken by SM Nicholas

Cover by: Kande’s Pixels 

Release Date: August 30, 2014 

Description:

Susan Nelson is hard of hearing, through an accident at school she becomes permanently deaf. She now has to figure out how to survive in an all hearing life style. Her parents Chase and Beth, along with her two best friends Ashley and Kelly are all hearing. Now with their help she has to change her way of communicating and her way of living to survive in their world. 

If that’s not hard enough, she meets a gorgeous boy named Ken, who doesn’t seem to leave no matter how many times she pushes him away. Oh and better yet, Ken is also hearing. Now Susan has to deal with her crush on Ken while trying to figure out everything else in the world. 

Everything around her seems to be breaking, like glass. Can her friends, parents, and even cute boy Ken show her that their love is the one thing that will always and forever be Unbroken? 

About the author:

I had a wonderful childhood and started writing when I was nine years old. When I was thirteen years old I signed up for a home school writing class. That’s where it all began.

When I first announced that I wanted to be a writer I was laughed at but I didn’t let that stop me. I just kept writing and writing. It didn’t take me long after that to realize that my passion for writing was a gift. 

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Cover Reveal organized by Sparkle Book Tours

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: The Artisans by Julie Reece

Publication Date: May 2015

Description:

They say death can be beautiful. But after the death of her mother, seventeen-year-old RAVEN WEATHERSBY gives up her dream of becoming a fashion designer, barely surviving life in the South Carolina lowlands.

To make ends meet, Raven works after school as a seamstress creating stunning works of fashion that often rival the great names of the day.

Instead of making things easier on the high school senior, her stepdad's drinking leads to a run in with the highly reclusive heir to the Maddox family fortune, Gideon Maddox.

But Raven's stepdad's drying out and in no condition to attend the meeting with Maddox. So Raven volunteers to take his place and offers to repay the debt in order to keep the only father she's ever known out of jail, or worse.

Gideon Maddox agrees, outlining an outrageous demand: Raven must live in his home for a year while she designs for Maddox Industries' clothing line, signing over her creative rights.

Her handsome young captor is arrogant and infuriating to the nth degree, and Raven can't imagine working for him, let alone sharing the same space for more than five minutes.

But nothing is ever as it seems. Is Gideon Maddox the monster the world believes him to be? And can he stand to let the young seamstress see him as he really is?

The Artisans is a delectably rich, layered and dark YA Southern Gothic inspired by Jeanne Marie Leprince de Beaumont's classic Beauty and the Beast.

"The Artisans has all the elements I love - spooky intrigue, strong friendships, and a romantic tension to be savored." ~ Wendy Higgins, New York Times bestselling author of the Sweet Evil trilogy.

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About the author:

Born in Ohio, I lived next to my grandfather’s horse farm until the fourth grade. Summers were about riding, fishing and make-believe, while winter brought sledding and ice-skating on frozen ponds. Most of life was magical, but not all.

I struggled with multiple learning disabilities, did not excel in school. I spent much of my time looking out windows and daydreaming. In the fourth grade (with the help of one very nice teacher) I fought dyslexia for my right to read, like a prince fights a dragon in order to free the princess locked in a tower, and I won.

Afterwards, I read like a fiend. I invented stories where I could be the princess… or a gifted heroine from another world who kicked bad guy butt to win the heart of a charismatic hero. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that? Later, I moved to Florida where I continued to fantasize about superpowers and monsters, fabricating stories (my mother called it lying) and sharing them with my friends.

Then I thought I’d write one down…

Hooked, I’ve been writing ever since. I write historical, contemporary, urban fantasy, adventure, and young adult romances. I love strong heroines, sweeping tales of mystery and epic adventure… which must include a really hot guy. My writing is proof you can work hard to overcome any obstacle. Don’t give up. I say, if you write, write on!

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Cover Reveal: Walled (The Line #2) by Anne Tibbets

Description:

Freedom means brutal choices.

Rebel lovers Naya and Ric have survived one year in hiding, raising Naya’s twins from infants to toddlers in the shadow of the brutal Auberge dictatorship. They’re alive, and they’re together, but the city is crumbling around them and the haunting memory of Naya’s dark days on The Line have never fully left them. Living in isolation won’t be an option forever.

When a mysterious revolutionary seeks their help to infiltrate Auberge’s electronic heart and shut it down, it’s an opportunity—it’s risky, yes, but if it works they’ll get out of the city and taste freedom for the first time. Naya needs this. They need this.

Beyond the broken walls of Auberge, Naya and Ric find the paradise they’ve always longed for. But with anarchy reigning and Naya’s children lost amidst the chaos, they’ll need to forfeit their post-apocalyptic Eden…or commit an unspeakable act.

Twenty-two -year-old Naya has spent nearly half her life as a sex slave in a government institution called The Line. When she’s kicked out after getting pregnant with twins, she’s got no way to earn a living and a horrifying choice to make: find someone to replace her, or have her babies taken in her stead.

A doctor with a history of aiding ex-Line girls, Ric Bennett, wants to help. He runs a team of rebels that can delete Naya’s records and free her forever. But when The Line sniffs out his plan, things get bloody, fast. Naya means more to them than just a chance at fresh faces—her twins are part of the government’s larger plan.

As they hide from government search parties, Ric comes to admire Naya’s quiet strength. And Naya realizes Ric might be a man she can trust. If they make it off the grid, they could build a new life. But first they’ll have to survive the long, vicious reach of The Line.

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About the author:

Anne Tibbets is an SCBWI award-winning and Smashwords.com Best Selling author. After writing for Children’s television, Anne found her way to young/new adult fiction by following what she loves: books, strong female characters, twisted family dynamics, magic, sword fights, quick moving plots, and ferocious and cuddly animals.

Along with CARRIER, Anne is also the author of the young adult fantasy novella, THE BEAST CALL and the young adult contemporary, SHUT UP.

Anne divides her time between writing, her family, and three furry creatures that she secretly believes are plotting her assassination.

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Cover Reveal organized by Xpresso Book Tours

Happy Release Day! The Best of Jonathan’s Corner by CJS Hayward

Description:

The Best of Jonathan’s Corner, newly expanded after getting five star reviews , is a collection of varied works of Eastern Orthodox mystical theology. It spans many topics and many different genres of writing, but it keeps coming back to the biggest questions of all. It is inexhaustible: the works are independent, and you can read a few, many, or all of them to suit your taste. Fans of C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton will love it.

The Best of Jonathan's Corner is a head taller than the others. It contains all of the best works of theology from Jonathan's Corner, and there's a lot to dig through—but only if you want. If not, feel free to enjoy and read as little or as much as you like.

This book is the author's favorite title out of all the books sold from this site (n.a. author's site).

Jonathan Hayward is a remarkably deep thinker with a pronounced skill for allegory. In the tradition of C.S. Lewis, he finds ways to make extremely subtle, complex material comprehensible, and even comfortably recognizable. While the title and foreword suggest that this is for Orthodox Christians, I think any believer who thinks about the "big ideas" of Christianity will find this a treasure of valuable insight. It's a great introduction to the spirit, thoughts, and work of this multifaceted young writer.- Amazon

EXCERPT

From "The Angelic Letters”

My dearly beloved son Eukairos;

I am writing to you concerning the inestimable responsibility and priceless charge who has been entrusted to you. You have been appointed guardian angel to one Mark.

Who is Mark, whose patron is St. Mark of Ephesus? A man. What then is man? Microcosm and mediator, the midpoint of Creation, and the fulcrum for its sanctification. Created in the image of God; created to be prophet, priest, and king. It is toxic for man to know too much of his beauty at once, but it is also toxic for man to know too much of his sin at once. For he is mired in sin and passion, and in prayer and deed offer what help you can for the snares all about him. Keep a watchful eye out for his physical situation, urge great persistence in the liturgical and the sacramental life of the Church that he gives such godly participation, and watch for his ascesis with every eye you have. Rightly,when we understand what injures a man, nothing can injure the man who does not injure himself: but it is treacherously easy for a man to injure himself. Do watch over him and offer what help you can.

With Eternal Light and Love,
Your Fellow-Servant and Angel

---

My dear son Eukairos;

I would see it fitting to offer a word about medicating experience and medicating existence.

When one of the race of men medicates experience by means of wine, that is called drunkenness. When by means of the pleasures of the palate, that is called gluttony. When by means of other pleasures, it is called lust. When by means of possessions and getting things, it is called avarice. Escapism is an ancient vice and a root of all manner of evils: ancient Christians were warned strongly against attempting to escape this world by medicating experience.

Not that pleasure is the only way; medicating experience by mental gymnastics is called metaphysics in the occult sense, and medicating experience by means of technology is a serious danger.

Not all technologies, and perhaps not any technology, is automatically a problem to use. But when technologies become a drone they are a problem. Turning on a radio for traffic and weather news, and then turning it off, is not a drone. Listening to the radio at a particular time to devote your attention to a concert is not a drone. Turning on a radio in the background while you work is a drone; even Zen and the Art of the Motorcycle Maintenance discusses what is wrong with mechanics having the radio on in the background. And texting to get specific information or coordinate with someone is not a drone, but a stream of text messages that is always on is a drone. Technology has its uses, but when technology is a drone, noise in the background that prevents silence from getting too uncomfortable, then it is a spiritual problem, a tool to medicate experience. And there are some technologies, like video games, that exist to medicate experience.

(Of course, technologies are not the only drone; when Mark buckles down to prayer he discovers that his mind is a drone with a stream of thoughts that are a life's work to quiet.)

More could be said about technologies, but my point here is to point out one of the dangers Mark faces. Not the only one, by any means, but he has at his disposal some very powerful tools for doing things that are detrimental. It's not just a steady stream of X-rated spam that puts temptation at his fingertips. He has all the old ways to medicate experience, and quite a few powerful technologies that can help him medicate his experience as well. And for that he needs prayer.

But what is to be done? The ways of medicating experience may be in some measure than many saints have contended with; the answer is the same. Don't find another way to medicate experience, or escape the conditions God has placed you in, trying to escape to Paradise. Don't ask for an easier load, but tougher muscles. Instead of escaping the silence, engage it. Prayerfully engage it. If your dear Mark does this, after repenting and despairing of finding a way to escape and create Paradise, he will find that escape is not needed, and Paradise, like the absent-minded Professor's lost spectacles, were not in any of the strange places he looked but on his nose the whole time.

A man does not usually wean himself of drones in one fell swoop, but pray and draw your precious charge to cut back, to let go of another way of medicating experience even if it is very small, and to seek not a lighter load but a stronger back. If he weans himself of noise that medicates uncomfortable silence, he might find that silence is not what he fears.

Watch after Mark, and hold him in prayer.

Your Dearly Loving Elder,
Your Fellow-Servant,
But a Wind and a Flame of Fire

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About the author:

Christos Jonathan Seth Hayward wears many hats as a person: author, philosopher, theologian, artist, poet, wayfarer, philologist, inventor, web guru, teacher.

Some have asked, "If a much lesser C.S. Lewis were Orthodox, what would he be like?" And the answer may well be, "C.J.S. Hayward."

Called "Jack of all trades and master of many" by one boss, he also wears many hats professionally: open source / IT generalist, front end developer, JavaScript programmer, back end web developer, Pythonista, PHP and Perl user, Django developer, end to end web developer, Unix/Linux/Mac wizard, LAMP guru, SQL generalist, Unix shell (both using existing shells and implementing a new shell), system administrator, researcher, technical writer, usability advocate, UI developer, UX/IA enthusiast, and more.

Hayward has lived in the U.S., Malaysia, England, and France, and holds master's degrees bridging math and computers (UIUC), and philosophy and theology (Cambridge).

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Giveaway: Rugged Riders series by Ambrielle Kirk

Description:

Tanya gets in way over her head when she decides that the cure to her lovesickness includes playing the field to her advantage. She vows to enjoy one reckless night with a man to help rid her mind of the ex who trashed her heart. There is one who fits the bill...

Marcus is the complete opposite of Tanya's ex. As a member of Rugged Riders, a notorious biker club, he and his brothers are known for their street-savvy swagger and their wicked ways with women. When they first meet up, Tanya and Marcus attain a mutual understanding, and she knows just what to expect from him--a thrill ride when she needs it and nothing more. When Tanya finds out that Marcus has more in common with her ex than she thought, she sets up even more barriers to guard her heart.

Not only is Marcus a beast in bed and a thrill seeker behind his bike, he dominates in the boardroom as CEO of multi-million dollar company, Svelte Technologies. He's no stranger when it comes to the game of pursuing what he wants. And Marcus wants Tanya for real and in his life exclusively.

Tanya will need more than just a helmet when she's driven by desire.

Zaira Wright loves getting her way, but that doesn't mean she won't work for it. She's only a few assignments shy of making partner at her firm--and she intends to do just that. All her plans are in order until her father does the unthinkable and hires Trent Stone as the new CFO of Svelte Technologies. Zaira is forced to work with him, but her temper isn't the only thing growing hot when she can't agree with him. Every time they're in the same room together, she melts under his heated stare.

Trent scores a lucrative position at his most trusted mentor's company. He's been vying for the chance to prove himself loyal not only through their brotherhood and connection to Rugged Riders, but also in the boardroom. There is one woman he craves more than a leadership role and her name is Zaira. The only problem is…she doesn't want to settle down, but her hot temper sets his libido on fire.

Zaira’s world gets complicated when she’s taken by temptation. She’ll need more than book smarts to successfully escape a rogue.

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About the author:

Multi-published author Ambrielle Kirk writes diverse, edgy and seductive romance: multicultural erotic, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. A bestselling author in several sub-genres at ARe and Amazon, she’s a 2012 Swirl Award Winner and 2014 RONE’ Awards Nominee in the paranormal romance. She's a PAN member of RWA, FF&P special interest chapter of RWA, and co-founder and treasurer of Cultural, Interracial, and Multicultural special interest chapter of RWA.

She loves weaving tales where undying love is the main element. When she's not writing, she's plotting. When she's not writing or plotting, she's reading. She's a thirty-something year old wife, mother, book hoarder, 90s music fan, earl grey tea drinker, dark roast coffee fiend, platform and stiletto shoe collector, Keurig lover, and martial arts/action movie fanatic.

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Quotes, Excerpt and Giveaway: Stolen Moon (The Light Chronicles #2) by Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Published: August 19th, 2014

Description:

Katarina ~ a Royal Knight bound by honor and duty who steals a powerful relic from a sorcerer in a desperate attempt to save her kingdom from the clutches of a madman. 

Ethan ~ a mercenary leader trapped between his growing attraction to Katarina and his responsibility to protect his friends from the evil pursuing her. 

Zebulon ~ a malicious sorcerer waging war as though it's a game, caring nothing for the lives he destroys in his quest for power. 

Drawn together by a moonstone medallion—an indestructible relic with immense magical power. 

Katarina steals the medallion from Zebulon and flees in the dead of night. Together with Ethan and his mercenaries, she struggles to stay one step ahead of the sorcerer and his minions in a race against time to save her homeland. Fierce battles, ravenous monsters, and bloodthirsty brigands—those are no surprise. But Katarina never dreamed her greatest obstacle could be falling in love.

Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power.
All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire - adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?

QUOTES and EXCERPT

Author's Favorite Quotes

"It's time to concede, fair Katarina," Zebulon remarks in a bored tone. "Though I don't particularly mind breaking your spirit or your mind, your body I need intact." ~Zebulon 

Honorable knights do not threaten and kill innocents—we protect them. ~Katarina 

"I owe him everything then for saving you so that we could meet." ~Ethan 

"You look like the Ethan I met in Verdane with that smirk plastered on your face," I say with a loud sigh. "That Ethan was very annoying." ~Katarina 

"You think to scare me with a fluffy white dog?" ~Lilith 

“Is your life so precious that it's better to live through deceit than die through valor? Are we nothing but pawns to be used as you see fit?” ~Caleb 

"You have no idea how badly I want to just whisk you up into my arms and run away," he whispers before pulling away. "Sometimes I really despise duty." ~Ethan 

"That's not really true," Bronwyn scoffs. "I can think of several ways, one of which includes a full-scale assault." She tosses her long black hair, and then stares out the window at the darkening evening, the twilight giving her pale skin an ethereal glow. "Or we could just feed whoever it is to Loki." ~Bronwyn 

EXCERPT From Chapter One ~ Pirates 

The pirates seem endless as they swarm over the schooner, taking out the less experienced merchant sailors with ease. Any that challenge me fall to my blade within moments. They may have vast numbers, but their sword skills are lacking. Most try to avoid fighting me. Either they don't see me as a threat or they don't wish to harm what they view as a valuable captive. 

Several pirates disregard me and storm past to surround Captain Harris, who is fighting at my side. The fool tries to lead the group away in what appears to be a last-ditch effort to protect me. 

My heart wrenches when he's hit on the back of his head with a saber. He collapses to the deck unmoving. I race to his side, cutting down the three pirates surrounding him. Ignoring the battle raging all around me, I fall to my knees beside him. He stares up at me, sorrow marring his handsome features. I brush the hair from his forehead with my fingertips, watching the blood gush from the wound on his head. It's a fatal injury. He'll bleed out within moments. 

"I'm so sorry, Katarina," he murmurs as I gaze into his stricken brown eyes. "I wish… I…" 

"Shh, don't speak," I say, grasping his hand while his body shakes. 

"S-stay strong," Harris whispers. "Don’t let… him catch you… save Tellain." 

Harris knew? I gaze at him in silent question and he nods. He knew I was on the run from Zebulon the whole time. This man I thought a scoundrel could have made a fortune turning me in, and now he’s dying in an attempt to protect me instead. 

"How?" I ask around the lump in my throat. 

"W-wanted pos… ter." 

Coughs wrack his body. With a grunt of pain, he raises his hand and brushes a light caress across my cheek with his fingers, leaving a warm smear of blood behind. His eyes glaze over in death, and I close them with my fingertips, saying a quick prayer to War God Ramil. 

I rise and return to the battle raging around me, shaking with an overwhelming combination of fright and fury. Captain Harris was the only skilled swordsman on this ship, with him gone… I steel my back along with my resolve. I’m the only thing standing between the pirates and my family now—they need me, the people of Tellain need me. This is no time for sorrow, regret, or dread. 

When I bury my fear, rage-fueled adrenaline consumes me. Several stunned brigands fall under the wild, almost berserk swings of my sword. Intense anger gives me strength. I cut a swath through the pirates, leaving injured and dead men lying in my wake. 

My sword pierces through the stomach of a small pirate standing near the cabin door. His muddy brown eyes meet mine, shock etched across his young face. My heart sinks. He's a boy, not more than twelve years old. We stare at each other, my sword still lodged in his torso. I watch the light in his eyes dim until they glaze over and roll backward. The young pirate writhes a bit on my sword before sliding off and collapsing to the ground, a tangle of lifeless limbs. I somehow manage to continue on, though my fury has faded to grief. The only thing that keeps me swinging my sword is years of intense training, duty so deeply ingrained it's become a part of me. 

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About the author

Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a bestselling YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance. She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs, four cats, and lots of dragons. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!) She currently lives in San Antonio, TX but has been somewhat a rolling stone in life, having resided in several different cities and states.

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