Happy Release Day! Excerpt and Giveaway: Highballs in the Hamptons (Girlfiriends of Gotham #2) by Delancey Stewart

Description:

Natalie Pepper thinks she can just be friends with CJ, the man of her dreams. But after seeing him every day at work – and after he lays it all on the line – it becomes pretty clear that something’s gotta give. She’d admit to herself, and to him, that all she really wants is him…if she wasn’t so afraid of losing the best job she’s ever had (and the life it has made possible).

At least she’s got her friends to distract her. Lulu Rossi is an unorthodox and unpredictable spitfire of a girl who has a habit of saying whatever’s on her mind. And while that attribute entertains friends and intrigues her new boyfriend, Andrew, it might be the one thing that stops their relationship from moving forward. Lulu has unintentionally entered the world of Upper East Side royalty, as her ER doctor boyfriend turns out to be the pedigreed heir to an old money fortune – one that is watched over by his manipulative and exceedingly judgmental mother, Elizabeth “Tippy” Barton.

Natalie’s insane supervisor worsens the situation at work when her own man troubles result in a new “no fraternization” policy, and CJ finally gives up and begins to look for other opportunities. Natalie is forced to decide what is important to her for once and for all. Will it be CJ or her job?

Lulu must prove her worth to Andrew’s family – or make him see that the only person whose opinion really matters is his.

Candace Kanie wins at every game she plays. From the boardroom to the bar, she’s confident, clever, perhaps just a tad overbearing. It’s not easy for a girl like Candace to admit that love may be the one game she can’t win…at least not until she’s willing to change her strategy. In Men and Martinis, Candace Kanie will learn that sometimes to be at the top of your game, you have to hit rock bottom.

Men and Martinis is the first release in Delancey Stewart’s series “Girlfriends of Gotham” – a voyeuristic voyage through the lives of a group of twenty-something girls who dance, date, and drink their way through Manhattan during the days of the dot com boom. During an era when the up-and-comers in New York were partying like Studio 54 had never died, this group of friends discovers that the city is theirs for the taking; and they find their often-hilarious way through the forces that work to redefine the way they know themselves and each other.

EXCERPT

NATALIE – 

“You ready?” he asked.

“For lunch?” I winked. 

“For whatever,” he said, an earnest smile on his face. CJ and I had a complicated relationship. There was a mutually acknowledged attraction between us, and I’d shared the two very best kisses of my life with him. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t part of my plan to get involved with someone at work—for a whole slew of reasons. So despite our incredible chemistry, we were doing our best to enjoy a friendship instead. But CJ made no secret of his desire for more. 

“Let’s start with lunch. I need to get out of here,” I said, grabbing my bag and coat. 

“I’ll take whatever I can get.” CJ didn’t move as I approached the door of my office, and I had to squeeze between him and the doorframe. The proximity allowed me to get close enough to smell the minty leathery scent that surrounded him. My nerves always started firing when I got that close to him, and I pushed past him quickly, blushing. He stood still just a beat longer as I waited for him to get going, and I was fairly certain that he had leaned in to smell my hair before finally stepping from the doorway. 

We wandered to a Korean barbecue that was on the second floor of a nearby building. I would never have ventured in on my own—the signs were in Korean and the place was clearly a favorite with those who knew what constituted good Korean. Luckily, CJ had done this before. 

We were seated in a private booth next to the window overlooking the street below. A small grill was built into the table in front of us, and CJ grinned at me as I looked around with great interest. 

“I’m glad you’re not a vegetarian,” he said. 

“Nope. Totally carnivorous.” I smiled, part of me embarrassed. When I was with CJ, it seemed like even my most innocuous statements took on an unintended sexual tone. “Why, will this be a meat-heavy meal?” There it was again. I flushed.

CJ was grinning at me again, the full lips pulled wide to reveal the adorable dimples on either side of his jaw. He shook his head slightly, the dark eyes shining. Evidently, I wasn’t the only one getting the innuendos that seemed to keep falling out of my mouth. “Yeah. Fairly meat heavy.” 

Our lunch arrived, and it turned out that we would be cooking it ourselves. The grill in the middle was lit for us and each of us had a long fork that we used to put strips of raw meat onto the grill and pull them off. We also had kimchi to compliment the meat. It was a unique experience, and I found CJ smiling at me at several points as I tended to my barbecuing.

“What?” I asked him at one point toward the end of the meal. “Am I that much a novice? Are you laughing at me?”

“No,” he said, his face finally serious. “I just … Natalie. This is hard for me. I want more.” 

LULU - 

“Lu,” Maggie said, “what on Earth happened?”

The large, ugly air cast did not fit into any of my heels, so I was wearing my running shoes again, the right one unlaced and bulging. 

“I got hurt.” I sat next to Candace and gave her a hard look. She often seemed smug when things did not go my way, and I didn’t feel like putting up with it today. “Did you order my mimosa yet?”

“It’s only eleven forty-five,” Natalie said. “They brought us orange juice. You have fifteen minutes to regale us with the tale of the injury.” 

I felt disappointed. My injured ankle meant that I had spent the weekend in my apartment and not out running around, as I would have liked. I hadn’t answered the phone, mostly because I was feeling down and didn’t like people to know me that way. I watched television and felt sorry for myself. Today was my introduction to the world again, and I wanted champagne. I waved at a passing waiter. The rule that restaurants couldn’t serve alcohol before noon on Sunday seemed prehistoric to me.

“It is only ten minutes until noon,” I said. “I’ve injured my foot. The doctor suggested that mimosas would help.” I gave him my best sad eyes. 

“Did he now?” The waiter was young, cute. He smiled at me and then gazed around at the other girls. Candace was grinning, her short bob shining as always, and Natalie and Maggie were also putting on their best friendly flirting faces. “I’ll see what I can do.” He walked away.

“I fell down,” I told the table. 

“That’s not very entertaining,” Candace said. “Even Natalie’s waxing incident was more interesting than that.”

“We agreed never to speak of that again,” Natalie said in a hushed voice.

“No,” Candace said. “You agreed.” 

“How did you fall?” Maggie asked, her dark eyes shining. “What were you doing?”

“I went for a run,” I said. 

Candace laughed. 

“That is funny because … ?”

“Sorry, I can’t picture you doing anything athletic.” Candace often said “sorry,” but rarely looked sorry. 

“Well, I was. I run most days while you are at work. I just don’t feel like I need to tell everyone about it.” 

Candace’s eyes narrowed for a minute. She had a habit of telling us about her accomplishments, so I guessed that she would know this was aimed at her. 

“Okay, so you were running, and what happened?” Natalie smiled as the waiter returned with mimosas for the table.

“Thank you,” I said to him, raising my glass in a toast. “Now I can properly tell the story.” I took a long sip and then smiled at the girls. “I met a nice man. A doctor.” 

“You hurt yourself on purpose to get his attention?” Maggie said.

“No. Don’t be silly. He ran into me. It was just a coincidence. But he knocked me down, and I twisted my ankle when I fell. And he took me to the hospital where he works, and then called me later that night to make a date.”

“So you’re dating a doctor!” Natalie declared. 

“Yes, I’m dating a doctor. Dr. Andrew Barton.” I had been looking forward to telling them about him but I was embarrassed about the accident. “We are going out next weekend.” 

“Wow,” Maggie said, smiling. 

Candace raised an eyebrow and appeared to be thinking about something. 

I ignored her and put his card on the table for them to inspect. “He gave me his card. Plus, he treated me at the hospital, so I know he is who he says he is.” 

“Andrew Barton,” Candace said. She said his name slowly, as if she were thinking about it. “May I see the card?” She held her hand across to Natalie, who handed the card to her. “Andrew Elliott Bancroft Barton.” Her green eyes narrowed again. “Why does that name sound familiar?”

I reached for the card. “I have no idea.”

“Dating a doctor is a whole new ball game,” Candace said, her voice like a warning. “And one with four names sounds fairly pretentious.” 

“He was not pretentious at all.” I felt defensive suddenly and didn’t want to discuss the doctor any more. I pulled my menu in front of my face, trying to discourage Candace from pursuing this conversation.

“It’s not like he’s French, after all,” Natalie said. 

I lowered my menu to smile at her. She was trying to lighten the conversation, since Candace had recently fallen in love with a Frenchman named Gregoire. Of course, he wasn’t pretentious at all. 

“Gregoire isn’t pretentious!” Candace’s voice rose. 

“I’m kidding,” Natalie said, her voice soothing. 

“Let poor Lu enjoy a first date at least,” Maggie said. 

“Yes please,” I sniffed, folding my menu. 

The conversation moved to other topics, and I nursed my mimosa and my foot, trying not to spend too much time thinking about the way Andrew Barton’s eyes sparkled when he smiled at me, and trying even harder not to think about Candace’s warning. Why would dating a doctor be any different than dating any other kind of man? I didn’t know, and I was sure Candace was wrong.

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About the author:

I'm not big on labels, but there are a few that fit me (not necessarily in this order. Or maybe in this order):

- wine drinker (and wine geek)

- mother of small boys

- military spouse

- writer

- chocolate eater

I've written the Wine Country Romance Series, which ties my love of wine to my love of falling in love... and the Girlfriends of Gotham series, which begins publishing with Swoon Romance in December 2013.

I also love short stories, and my themed collection (all set in the same NYC brownstone across the span of a century) published in 2012.

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Happy Release Day! Excerpt and Giveaway: Scratch by Rhonda Helms

Description:

The most painful scars are the ones you never see.

In her DJ booth at a Cleveland dance club, Casey feels a sense of connection that’s the closest she ever gets to normal. On her college campus, she’s reserved, practical–all too aware of the disaster that can result when you trust the wrong person. But inexplicably, Daniel refuses to pay attention to the walls she’s put up. Like Casey, he’s a senior. In every other way, he’s her opposite.

Sexy, open, effortlessly charming, Daniel is willing to take chances and show his feelings. For some reason Casey can’t fathom, he’s intent on drawing her out of her bubble and back into a world that’s messy and unpredictable. He doesn’t know about the deep scars that pucker her stomach–or the deeper secret behind them. Since the violent night when everything changed, Casey has never let anyone get close enough to hurt her again. Now, she might be tempted to try.

Where did you get the idea for SCRATCH?

Part of it came from a real-life incident I’d heard that had stuck with me for many years. I always wondered what had happened to the girl who’d gone through such a traumatic event. How did she cope? How did she move on to love and trust again? This book was my exploration of how a woman who’d gone through hell could move forward and find real happiness. 

Which scene in SCRATCH was the hardest for you to write?

Oh, it had to be the scene where Casey confesses to Daniel about her past. Finally opens up and divulges the painful truth. I sobbed as I wrote it—her pain was so vivid to me that I couldn’t shake it off for a while afterward. That was actually one of the hardest scenes I’ve ever written in my whole publishing career.

EXCERPT

He looked down at my mouth again, then back in my eyes, and his eyelids grew hooded. He leaned a fraction closer. “I have a confession.”

My pulse kicked up just a notch. “Why?”


“Why . . . what?”


I swallowed, fought every instinct to stare at his mouth. His full lips, now only six inches from mine. My body began to respond to his nearness, and I dragged in a ragged breath of his cologne. He smelled fresh, like a soft breeze on a spring day at the lake. I wanted to inch closer. No, stop it, I ordered myself. This was dangerous, to let myself even be this close to him.

“Um, why are you confessing something to me?” I finally asked him.

“You ask me the most unusual questions.” He gave a ghost of a smile. “Honestly, I don’t know. But I feel like I want to talk to you all night. Which is why I wanted to confess that I haven’t been able to get you off my mind.”

I swallowed, let his words sink in, then swallowed again. His honesty was disarming me, chipping piece by piece at the careful shield I had around myself.

“Casey,” he said on a soft breath. “You intrigue me.”

He opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could get out another word, I pushed my head forward, past the last few inches separating us, and pressed my lips to his. Daniel froze in surprise for just a moment, then slipped a hand to my forearm, stroking down until his fingers met mine.

With his other hand he cupped the back of my head and teased my mouth open with his tongue, tilting so he could deepen the kiss. He tasted like chocolate and Coke and something purely male, a combination that intoxicated me more than the beer.

My heart thrummed in a wild, erratic beat as he drank from my mouth. I opened wider, our tongues slipping and sliding, my breaths falling into his mouth in little pants. I moved closer, breasts brushing his lean and firm chest. His hand tangled deeper in my hair, and his body heat flooded through my thin shirt into my torso.

I was dizzy, drunk on him, aching with a surge of something intangible coursing through my veins. My core tightened; my belly fluttered.

He pulled back for a moment with a small gasp of air, eyes nearly black as he peered down at me. Then he gave me a crooked smile and kissed me again. Took my mouth in a sensual move that fluttered my lower belly.

I cupped his shoulders with both hands. His muscles bunched and flexed beneath my fingers. Heat poured off him, thickened the air around us.

His fingers stroked my scalp as he tasted me. The thumb on his right hand brushed against my thigh then moved up my leg, to the crease between my thigh and torso. The sensation of him so close to my stomach gave me a brief pause.

When his hand moved aside the bottom of my shirt and the very tip of his fingers brushed my bare stomach, I jerked away, pulling back to the other side of the car. It was like a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head. I tugged my shirt down as low as it could go, heart jackhammering against my rib cage.

God, please tell me he didn’t feel it, I prayed. I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t ready.

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About the author:

Rhonda Helms started writing several years ago and loves writing teen and New Adult romance. She has a Master's degree in English and a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing. She also freelance edits manuscripts.

When she isn't writing, she likes to do amateur photography, dig her toes into the sand, read for hours at a time, and eat scads of cheese. WAY too much cheese.

Rhonda lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, two kids, a dog and a really loud cat. Visit her for more information about her and her releases:

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Happy Release Day! Excerpt and Giveaway: Two Breaths Too Late by Rochelle Maya Callen

Description:

After years of secrets and bruises, Ellie Walker takes her own life only weeks before her high school graduation. She expected to be free, but instead is forced to face the brokenness she has left behind. 

This story isn't about happily-ever-afters.

It is about the millions of terrible and beautiful moments that make up a life and the hope that lives in even the darkest of places.

EXCERPT:

Death,

I let you take me. I handed you a rope, a chair, and a hollow shell of a girl forgetting that I didn't have to be hollow at all.

I press my forehead against the glass. The feeling rakes through me. There is no relief or freedom here, in this in-between, in this limbo. This is not the sanctuary I wanted.

Hope can't be a hollow wish or dream. It needs to be filled, levied, brimming over with intention and action and belief and reaching, reaching, reaching, stretching until your muscles ache because you want it that damn much, and you won't stop reaching until you hold it.

Until it is yours.

I let go too soon.

A Message from the author:

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About the author:

ROCHELLE MAYA CALLEN is a bestselling YA author. Her first novel became a #1 Hot New Release on Amazon in 2013 within 24 hours of its debut. 

She has pet llamas in Ecuador, built homes in Mexico, played with orphans in Argentina and has spoken the words of Mother Teresa in front of 27,000 people at Reliant Stadium.

She has been a speaker to young people since she was a teenager and has been a behavioral coach for 10 years. 

She lives with her husband and young daughter near Washington, D.C. 

Her personal experiences of loss and strength inspired her novel, TWO BREATHS TOO LATE and the #HoldOn2Hope suicide prevention project.

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Happy Release Day! Excerpt and Giveaway Fate's Love (Fate's Love #1) by L.A. Cotton

Description:

When you meet that one person in the world meant for you... you should hold onto them.

Olivia Bannon walked away.

Twice.

When 17-year-old Livy meets Ethan, she can’t deny their inexplicable connection. Lost in his dark, intense eyes and smile-to-die-for, Livy never thought she would feel like this. It almost makes her want to break her childhood vow, but Livy knows happily ever after is just an illusion, and despite her heart wanting Ethan, her head is telling her to stick with the plan. The one that doesn’t include falling in love. Period.

Eight years later, Livy finds herself back in her hometown. After the way she left things, the last time they were together, Livy is anxious about seeing Ethan again. It shouldn’t come as shock to discover he has finally moved on—but it hurts. A lot. Accepting that she will never get the chance to put things right isn’t easy, but it’s not until life comes crashing down around her that Livy realizes what she could’ve had. Left broken, alone, and depressed, only one person can pull her out—the guy she thought she'd pushed away one too many times.

Livy has finally realized that you can’t fight fate… Some things are just meant to be. Is this finally her time to get it right, or has Livy missed her last chance with Ethan?

EXCERPT

“Liv, what’s going on? Is she okay? Keefer told me what went down.”

I moved away from the door and met Ethan halfway. “No, she isn’t okay.” It came out bitter.

“Can I do anything? I could come-”

I shook my head. “We’re fine, thanks.” Without realizing I stepped back and Ethan’s face paled.

“And us?”

My eyes dropped to the floor.

“Liv, look at me. What. About. Us?”

I forced myself to look at him. My head and heart were at war. My heart wanted him to wrap me in his arms and tell me everything was going to be okay. That Amber would heal. That Sharn would meet her Prince Charming. That we really did have something. But my head knew better. My head would always know better.

“There is no us. I’m sorry, Ethan. Goodbye.” I turned from him and fled back to the limo.

“You’re running from me, Liv. Don’t use this as an excuse to run,” he called out.

Once in the safety of the limo, I slammed the door behind me, ignoring Sharn’s questioning glare.

“How is she?”

“A mess. This will leave scars.” Sharn answered.

I leaned my head onto the backrest and pressed a finger to my lips, trying to remember what kissing Ethan felt like. Was it even real? It didn’t feel real. Not now. It felt like a dream—the really good kind, until you wake up and realize it was just that.

A dream.

Because in the harsh light of day, life wasn’t like that. It was hard—full of hurt and people who let you down.

No, life wasn't like a dream at all.

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About the author:

L. A. Cotton has a busy mind in need of constant stimulation. A youth worker from the Midlands, UK, if L. A isn’t immersed in a book, she’s figuring out what course to study next. With an imagination that refuses to stay quiet, early this year, L. A finally decided to put finger to keyboard and start typing. Her first novel, Fate’s Love is due for release September 30th.

When she’s not busy reading, writing, and plotting future books, L. A. is mum to two gorgeous children, and their hyper terrier, Rocky.

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Guest Post and Giveaway: Citadel of Fire (The Ronin Saga #2) by Matthew Wolf

Description:

Seventeen-year old Gray is descended from a legendary hero known as a Ronin, and haunted by his forgotten past. He returns home to a wizards’ keep, unaware he is now labeled a murderous traitor for killing his best friend. 

Returning could be a death sentence, but the journey alone is perilous. Along the way, Gray discovers he has a grandfather. Now he must reach the city before his only living family dies beneath a madman’s torture. Getting there will be a challenge, however, as an enthrallingly unpredictable woman, a dangerous desert, and a horde of thieves stand in his way. Wielding the banished power of wind, Gray rallies against the poisonous evil that seeks to convert the world to their mantra, “strength is life, weakness death.” 

Yet with an affable scoundrel and a clever bookworm at his side, Gray discovers the world’s greatest secret… He is not the only one with hero’s blood, and the legend of the Ronin walk the world once again.

GUEST POST

The Ronin – Japanese Culture and How I Was Influenced by Anime 

The world of the saga takes place in a medieval milieu, however, the story of the Ronin is very much the story of nine Samurai—prideful warriors who value sacrifice, duty, and servitude above all else, for the word Samurai literally means “to serve.” Of course, warriors across all ages and all cultures have systems that emphasis the need for honor and servitude, and truthfully, on the surface, the Ronin don’t even look very Japanese. Though they all wear garb similar to traditional Samurai—kimono-esk bottoms, but less layers, and a long thin, sleeveless coat—their resemblance ends there. Their swords are a mix of claymores look-alikes, katanas, broadswords, sabers and more. They hail from all parts of Farhaven, have different skin colors, but at their heart they are “wandering Samurai” which is where the term Ronin comes from. Their ‘lost’ or ‘wandering’ nature is the essence of a Ronin. They are too powerful, too different, lost in a time that needs them but does not entirely know how to accept them or how they fit into the fabric of everyday mortals—yet they are bound to serve humanity, to ensure peace and equality while never truly having an equal of their own. 

As far as the research I did, I took six years of Japanese in college, but also several years of Old English. I was also influenced by the film the Seven Samurai. It was also adapted to a western version that we know as The Magnificent Seven. However, Le Morte de Arthur influenced me as well—Lancelot, King Arthur, Guinwevere, Merlin, and more. The Ronin end up being a blend of these two stories and cultures, yet with a unique added flair: that of anime. The hierarchy of power between the Ronin and the rest of the world, and even between each Ronin, is very anime-esk. Who is the most powerful? How do they gain more power? We can see their training directly reflects their strengths. They unlock new abilities every time they train, and while there are huge flaws in their powers like a diamond ready to crack, their limits seem inexhaustible. 

The Ronin are a blend of old and new, like a teabag that’s half ancient green tea leaves and a zest of fresh anime-lemon. To unveil who the truly Ronin are, however, is to uncover the world’s greatest secret.

TOUR SCHEDULE

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About the author:

Matthew Wolf is the author of The Ronin Saga. Or maybe he's a Ronin. Either way, he's involved somehow. Aside from epic fantasy, he enjoys woodcrafting, outdoors, a bit of a health nut (Kale is good!), and trains in kung fu. 

His childhood of traveling the world and studying Old English and Japanese influenced the schemes of the Saga, and the world of Farhaven. He is a graduate from UCSB with a Literature degree and a specialization in Medieval Literature and Japanese. His novels include THE KNIFE’S EDGE, and CITADEL OF FIRE, of the bestselling YA Epic Fantasy series, The Ronin Saga.

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Interview and Giveaway: Fading Light (Shadow Born #2) by Angela Dennis

Recommended Age: 18+

Description:

Everyone has a breaking point.

Her hundred-year penance lifted, Shadow Bearer Brenna Baudouin returns to the Earthly plane with her partner, Gray Warlow, to keep the peace between humans and supernatural creatures—and to prevent another apocalyptic war from happening.

The attraction between them is nearing a critical point, but their checkered history has left Brenna unable to trust either her heart or her instincts.

It’s chaotic business as usual until humans begin turning to statues of dust. There is no explanation, no sign of magical foul play or a biological toxin. The humans are convinced it’s the work of a deviant supernatural faction, twisting the knife in the already tense relationship between their species. Brenna and Gray agree—the deaths have a former comrade-turned-rogue stamped all over them.

In a race against time, they enlist the help of both friend and foe to save the human race and stop the impending civil war. Along the way, they are forced to come to terms with their past and decide, once and for all, whether they will come together or fall apart.

Warning: Contains a heroine who knows her weapons but not her own heart, an outbreak of supernatural proportions, copious bloodletting, and a race to save an endangered species—humans. All tied up in a tight bow of sexual tension.

MB's INTERVIEW

Thank you, Mrs.Dennis

The Goodreads shelves are mixed: from mystery, dystopia to urban fantasy. Can you, please, tell us to what genre(s) the Shadow Born series belongs? 

Great question. I noticed the same thing myself. And, honestly, I would say the series fits in “all of the above.” It is definitely an Urban Fantasy, but the urban setting is post-apocalyptic Denver, so it’s has some dystopian aspects as well. There is an overarching conflict that spreads over the entire series, but each books has its own separate “who done it” plot, so there is a lot of mystery tangled in. And don’t forget the romance. The relationship between Brenna and Gray plays a huge role in all of the books. 

Lately urban fantasy genre tends to be taken over by the eroticism. What makes a good urban fantasy story and what its mandatory characteristic should be? 

One of the things I love about urban fantasy books is that they generally have strong characters, fast pacing, and lots of conflict. To me a good urban fantasy sucks you into this dark, gritty, alternate reality from the very beginning and doesn’t let you go until the end. It should be a roller-coaster ride from start to finish. 

As a woman writer, what are your objectives regarding the battle scenes? 

To make sure that my female characters are every bit as tough as the men, and, sometimes, tougher. 

It’s obvious that Brenna is a kick ass heroine. But is she just that? What makes a great fantasy heroine? 

Brenna is a tortured soul. She’s been through a lot in her life, and there’s nothing she wants more than peace. Unfortunately, peace continues to allude her, and she finds herself forced to constantly fight to keep both herself, and those she loves safe. 

I think a great fantasy heroine is multi-faceted. She has to be able to kick some ass, but she also has to be vulnerable. If she doesn’t have both, it’s very hard to connect with her as a reader. 

It seems that the books of the Shadow Born series have clear endings. What do you think about cliffhangers (when, how, why should they be used)? 

Wow. That’s a really tough question. As a reader, I hate cliffhangers (mainly because I don’t want to wait for the next book to find out what happens). However, as a writer, I think they work, particularly when writing a series. But I think if you write a cliffhanger, you have to make sure you give the reader some type of payout at the end of the book, make sure they leave the last page with a feeling of satisfaction and anticipation, not frustration. 

EXCERPT

TOUR SCHEDULE

Darkness embraced Brenna like a thick wool blanket. It wrapped around her, blocking the dim lamplight as she walked toward the seedy bar. Glass residue from the riots crunched beneath her leather boots. Mixed with snow, the bits of broken beer bottles and smashed windows glittered like an army of broken icicles. She breathed deeply, inhaling the cool night air. It smelled of sour beer and clove cigarettes and left a bitter taste on her tongue.

Shadows embraced the sides of the stone structure that housed the Dirty Ruby, one of the few multi-species bars in Denver proper. They stalked across the snow and mixed with the night to merge into a black mass. From its midst stepped a man. Well over six feet, he moved with grace in contrast to his size. The moonlight played across his face, highlighting his chiseled features.

Brenna’s pulse quickened and she took an involuntary step forward. Self-conscious, she ran a hand through her copper curls, freeing them from the careless bun. The thick strands streamed down her back like fire as she moved, her breath coming in quick harsh bursts. She slipped off her black leather duster and draped it across her arm. Without it the tight black corset left her taut belly and back exposed, but she didn’t feel the cold. She never did around Gray.

“Four demons. Thirty humans. Keep the casualties to a minimum.” Brenna brushed past him, tossing him her coat. “I’ll bring them out. You send them back to hell.”

“Hell?” Gray grinned. His teeth gleamed in the moonlight. “You speak human now?”

She shrugged. “When in Rome.”

Her back to him, she turned toward the freshly white-washed door. But before she could move, he had her shoulder in a vise grip. His fingers twined in the hair at the base of her skull. His breath hot against her cheek. “I know your other partners let you boss them around.” He turned her to face him. “I’m not them.”

He stepped forward, forcing her back. They moved in an awkward dance until her ass hit the stone wall. Trapped, she stared at him, wary. A shadow fell across his face hiding all but his piercing violet eyes.

“We enter together. Once they’re dead, we leave.” He stepped back, loosening his hold.

“The humans—”

“Won’t remember a thing.” He crushed his lips to hers even as he slid the duster across her shoulders. “And I’m not your coat rack.” Releasing her, he stepped back.

Brenna rubbed the back of her hand against her bruised lips. Gray would be the death of her.

If she didn’t kill him first.

She leaned against the wall to regain her bearings as he stepped into the light. He moved like a jungle cat. Ropes of strong muscles slid beneath his bronzed skin as his wild untapped power stirred beneath the surface. Akin to a force of nature, he would never go unnoticed. Even incognito, only a fool wouldn’t recognize Gray was dangerous. He was a beautiful, powerful thing to behold. And he was hers.

If she wanted him.

His black hair shimmered in the pale lamplight. It was tied with the usual brown leather strap, but a few pieces had slipped free. They curled around his face, softening his features. The sight of him stirred memories of what they had been to each other. Memories she had struggled for a nearly a hundred years to repress. But she still wanted him with a fervor that was both frightening and exhilarating.

A sigh slipped from her lips as she pushed off the wall to follow him into the bar. Wooden planks creaked beneath their feet as they stepped inside. The room was crammed wall-to-wall with sweaty bodies. Humans surged on the dance floor, moving in chaotic abandon. Brenna stripped off her duster. The heat from the wood stoves was overpowering. Sweat beaded on her forehead. It dribbled down her face, sliding across her bare skin to pool between her breasts.

She threw the duster on the seat of a red plastic booth then slid in beside it. Her leather pants moved across the slick fabric like silk as she took a quick inventory of the room. Humans clanked beer bottles together, their shouts drowning out the death metal band screeching in the far corner. She closed her eyes to focus and searched for her prey. It took several minutes, but she found what she was looking for. The stench of rotten flesh and brimstone. It was subtle, but unmistakable. The demon was here, but he wasn’t alone.

Her seat shifted as Gray slid into the booth beside her. “This is new. They don’t usually hunt together.” He tossed a muscular arm across her shoulders.
Brenna leaned into his body. Her head against his chest, she breathed him in. He smelled of sage and wood smoke. “I doubt they’re aware of each other. Demons are territorial. They don’t play nice, and they’re not that bright.”

Gray shrugged. “There’s a first time for everything.”

“True.”

He brushed a stray curl from her face. Unable to resist, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the simple touch.

“You take the males. I’ve got the females.” His breath was hot against her skin.
Her body tightened. She pulled back, a false smile playing on her lips. Beneath it she cursed her inability to keep him at a distance, even on a job. With a quick nod, she tossed back the shot of whiskey he shoved across the table. She leaned into him, her hands pressed against his chest. “We’ll meet at the van.”

“Agreed.” Gray kissed her lips. “Sam knows the drill.”

She could still taste him as he walked away, and that treacherous part inside her yearned for more. The best way to blend in was to act like a couple, but they needed another option. She was already sexually frustrated, and the night had barely begun. But there was nothing more cathartic than a good hunt.

Brenna glanced at the demon. It lounged on a barstool, deep inside a human man around thirty. With a bored look, he watched as a young woman, her shirt in tatters on the dirty floor, straddled him. Her skirt hiked to her crotch, her body trembled as he drained her life force. A second woman stood behind him. Clad in tiny purple panties and a lace bra, she swayed to the music. Glassy eyed, breasts heaving, she waited her turn. It was disgusting.

It had been a human war that had ripped through the Veil between the planes of reality, and the humans had paid the price. Supernatural creatures, the humans now called deviants, had poured onto the Earthly plane, only to be trapped once the Veil had healed. The humans had managed to survive the onslaught by allying themselves with sympathetic deviants, but they had gotten too comfortable. And the demons were taking full advantage.

Brenna slammed the shot glass on the table. Time to play human.

It wasn’t hard to attract the demon’s attention. As she strutted to the bar, her hips swaying, she let loose a strand of magic. Unseen it moved across the room to twine around him. She leaned against the bar, put on her best ditsy smile, thrust out her breasts, and waited. The demon dropped his lap candy and started toward her.

Brenna leaned toward the bartender and blew him a kiss. Another shot slid across the splintered wooden counter and into her outstretched hand. With a tilt of her head, her breasts nearly spilling from the too-tight corset, she drained the glass. By the time she lowered the drink, the demon was in front of her.

“Where’s your boyfriend?” Magic surged around them. Disease ridden, it left a slimy residue in its wake.

She widened her eyes in false fascination, pretending his compulsion spell had worked. “He doesn’t mind.” She glanced at the women he had abandoned. “What about them? Do they share?”

His green eyes glowed with anticipation. “It’s a requirement,” he said as he moved closer. His rancid breath tickled her face, and she somehow managed not to gag. He slammed his hand on the bar and ordered more shots.

With a giggle, she tossed back three. Her body chemistry wouldn’t allow her to get drunk. She imbibed solely for the taste and reassuring burn of the whiskey. As the sting faded, she moved from the bar and grabbed the demon by his thin white t-shirt. “What’s your name?” she murmured, trailing a finger down his chest.

“Sean.”

Brenna almost laughed. It was so normal. His kind generally chose dramatic over common. “Well, Sean, let’s party.”

She pulled him into the crowd of people, her attention focused on the other demon. As the crowd parted, she found him.

This one was old. It’d been here a while. The man he wore showed extreme signs of use. Once handsome, he was now a frail husk. A ball cap had been shoved over his head. The bill was pulled down to hide his gaunt face.

Now in plain view of the older demon, Brenna leaned into the younger. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Let’s dance,” she murmured. It was difficult to drown out the blaring music, but she used her imagination to replace it with something that had a beat. Her body swayed and gyrated to a rhythm only she could hear. As she settled into the movement, she released her own compulsion spell. It encircled the demons, rousing their hunger.

It wasn’t long before the older demon joined them on the dance floor. Brenna grinned, letting amusement show in her eyes. “Come to join us?”

His lips pursed in a smirk. “I don’t share.” A growl spilled from his mouth as he stared down the demon at her back.

She stepped from between them. These two were bottom feeders. She could take them both without much effort. But, if they wanted to save her the trouble, so be it.
The elder demon prowled the space around them. “Outside.” He flicked his head toward the entrance. “Don’t want to scare the pretty humans.” Scales rippled beneath his yellowing skin. His eyes flickered blue, then black.

Sean bared his teeth and lunged at the other man’s throat. Brenna was pooling her magic, debating whether to intervene, when a high-pitched scream tore through the room.

The dance floor erupted in chaos. Brenna and the demons stood on the sidelines like spectators in a macabre play. Men and women clung together. They skirted the boundaries of the room, their horrified gazes fixed on the spectacle in the center.

Three women stood on the dance floor. Arms stretched above their heads, hips thrusting to one side, they had been dancing when it happened. Nearly unrecognizable, their skin had fallen away or been transformed, Brenna wasn’t sure which. The once-human women were now statues of what looked like ash. They smiled at the crowd, their features drawn in kohl as if by a skilled artist. Soon their bodies would crumble. Even now, tiny gray particles rolled down their faces.

Stunned, she searched the room for Gray. He was standing at the far corner, a demon on each arm. The three of them were embroiled in a heated conversation, but their words were indecipherable over the roar of the crowd. After a few moments, Gray released them and they fled through the open door.

Brenna glanced at the creatures at her side. She couldn’t exorcise them in a crowded bar, and she couldn’t leave. A curse slipped from her lips. She had to let them go. But she had their scent now. They wouldn’t get far.
“Go,” she ordered. Their eyes widened as she dropped her glamour. “You owe me.”
Sean hissed, his skin rippling. “Your kind don’t belong here.”

“Neither does yours.”

They were at an impasse. Brenna sighed. She didn’t have time for this. “Go or I’ll escort you. Your choice.”

They only hesitated for a moment.

As she turned to find Gray, the door of the unisex bathroom squeaked open. It was a few feet behind Brenna, so she had an unimpeded view of the small blond woman who stepped into the room. So drunk she could barely stand, she stumbled toward the women, oblivious to the startled crowd. Confusion colored her features.
She took a long swig of her beer. “I was only gone a sec.” She lost her balance and toppled forward, reaching for one of the women to keep from falling. A scream tore through the room as she fell, her friends disintegrating, one after another, beneath her touch. Her beer bottle hit the ground beside her, shattering on the hard wooden floor. It was the final straw for the previously contained crowd. They lunged for the exit, emptying the bar.

Brenna stood alone on the edge of the dance floor. Her skin burned from the ash like residue coating her face and bare upper body. The dust smelled like a mixture of vinegar and smoke. She pulled a black handkerchief from the pocket of her pants to wipe it away, but it clung like oil. Every human in the bar had been coated in the women’s remains. Nothing solid was left of the dancers, not even a dry husk.

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About the author:

Angela Dennis lives outside Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, son and a sheltie with a hero complex. When she is not at her computer crafting stories, she can be found feeding her coffee addiction, playing peek-a-boo, or teaching her son about the great adventures found only in books.

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Happy Release Day! Excerpt and Giveaway: The Vampire's Partner (Central City Romance #2) by Jordan K. Rose

Description:

With Panthera Laboratories running again The Vampire Guard has no choice but to return to Central City. Pretending to be lovers Hunter and Alice are sent in to do reconnaissance. But pretending to be something they both wish was real proves harder than they expect.

All logical thought tells Alice there’s no reason to mix business with pleasure unless you’re looking for a problem. Like every other girl who notices Hunter, she fantasizes about him. But becoming a member of his haram is not one of her life goals, neither is being forced to return to a life on the street. If there’s one sure-fire way of jeopardizing her career with The Guard and losing everything she’s worked so hard to attain, it’s by sleeping with her partner. The only problem is she can’t get her heart to believe logic or reason. 

What is happening to Hunter? Is he losing his touch—his vampire touch? In all his years Hunter has never encountered anyone who could resist his vampire influence. Not until Alice. She’s also the only human to ever best him in a sparring match, but that was beginners luck and had nothing to do with the fact that he couldn’t stop thinking of how he wished she would see him as more than just a partner at work. No woman has ever awakened these feelings and no woman has ever denied him. He’ll do anything to persuade her to be his partner for life, love and eternity.

EXCERPT

“People need to learn to be responsible for themselves and not expect someone else to take care of them.”

 “Did you hear what you just said to me?” Alice’s tone was less than approving. “As I’ve demonstrated several times, I don’t expect anyone to take care of me.” She leaned forward and stared straight into Hunter’s eyes. “Least of all some vampire.”

Deep within Hunter something rumbled. Just the thought of anyone doing anything, good, bad or indifferent, to Alice stoked the fires that fueled his rage. He had no claim to her other than their partnership, but he’d never been a man who liked to share.

He focused on her eyes, raising the intensity of his influence and directing it at her with all his strength. He centered every ounce of his power into mesmerizing her. Relax. Listen to the beating of our hearts. Feel them move as one. He sent the commands to her in the same way he’d done to thousands of women before.

Her eyes softened. She blinked a slow, dreamy blink. Her lips parted. Her shoulders relaxed.

He knew she couldn’t possibly be immune to vampire powers. It just made no sense. He’d never met a woman he couldn’t handle.

He leaned forward and whispered, “That’s right.”

She swayed a bit in her seat.

“Careful,” he whispered and stroked his hand over hers. “Enjoy the peacefulness.”

“I will, if you cut the crap.” Her right eyebrow shot upward and her eyes opened wide. “You’re never going to quit trying are you?” She leaned forward so they were only inches apart. “We’re equals, which means you don’t get to treat me like I just arrived in high school.”

“Equals?” Hunter smiled. “Well, all right.”

He hadn’t thought of her as his equal. He hadn’t thought of her as not his equal. In spite of being the senior partner when Hunter thought about Alice he thought many things, but how they measured up to each other occupationally was not one of them.

“Equals. I’m just as good as you.” She snickered.

He nodded, certain she was just as good as he was at many things. God knew she had better endurance than any other human and she was smart, well, she may have been smarter than him, not that he planned to admit that out loud.

“I can still kick your ass.” Of this, he was certain. She was a girl, a human girl. He might not have been half as confident if she was a vampire. 

“Doubt it.” Alice pressed her sweet lips to Hunter’s. “Lover.” She nipped him, pulling his bottom lip between her teeth and sucking.

Hunter groaned. [...] he gripped the table in an effort to keep from doing anything more. He couldn’t care less about finding out who was recruiting for Panthera or anything about their newest weapon. All he wanted was to rip Alice’s clothes off and take her where they sat.

Shit! He’d lost complete focus.

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About the author:

Jordan loves vampires. But if you know anything about Jordan, you already knew that detail. What you didn’t know was it wasn’t long ago that she began writing about them.

A few years back Jordan received a copy of Twilight from her husband as part of her anniversary gift. By the end of that week she’d read the entire series and moved onto Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. Eight weeks and eighteen vampire books later the idea for her first book, Perpetual Light came to her followed very quickly by Eva Prim.

In April of 2014 Prim & Proper, the second Eva Prim Novel released. Also available are The Demon Mistress, the first Eva Prim Novel along with four short stories. For continual updates on Eva please join the Snack Of The Week Club at www.evaprim.com.

In August of 2014 Jordan released the first novella in the Romance In Central City Series, Her Vampire’s Promise. Novella two, The Vampire’s Partner follows in September and A Vampire’s Passion is the October Release. Novella four, His Vampire Past is set for a November release.

Jordan is a member of the national Romance Writers of America organization and several chapters.

When she’s not writing about one vampire or another Jordan enjoys spending time with her husband, Ken and their lovable Labrador, Dino on the beautiful beaches of New England.

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Excerpt and Giveaway: Unplugged (Blue Phoenix #3) by Lisa Swallow

Description:

A rock star, the girl from his past and a Disney princess.

Find out what happens when Liam Oliver is unplugged from Blue Phoenix.

"A rock star doesn't return to his humble beginnings and whisk away the girl he kissed once. Especially if she has a four year old and her relationship status is 'it's complicated'." 

Blue Phoenix bass player, Liam Oliver discovers pictures of his fiancée with another man and his world crashes around him. He packs up his humiliation and hurt and flies back to his Welsh family home for Christmas.

Cerys Edwards once had pictures of Liam Oliver covering her bedroom wall. Her best friend's big brother never gave her the time of day when they were growing up. When she was fifteen, he left town leaving Cerys with her fantasies. Now he's back. The problem is, she has a daughter and a broken relationship of her own. Do they have a second chance?

In the world of his Christmas past, Cerys and Liam reconnect. Are they two hurt people looking for comfort in a time of heartbreak or does Cerys have a place in Liam's future too?

Months later and unplugged from his Blue Phoenix lifestyle, Liam reconnects with Cerys. He discovers Cerys's world is full of complications he never expected - including Ella's father who isn't happy about being replaced by a rock star.

Unplugged is more than a rock star romance. This is a story of second chances, family and unexpected bonds made that can't be broken.

This is book three of the Blue Phoenix rock star series but can be read as a standalone - Liam and Cerys are minor characters in the first two books.

No cliffhanger.

EXCERPT

Our faces touch, his rough cheek against my forehead, and I know if I move my head a few centimetres, our mouths will meet and our worlds will shift.

"Is kissing you still wrong?" I ask.

"Your lips are meant to be on mine." He moves his face. The static charge of our mouths so close and the snow drifting onto our bodies drag us into a surreal world. The shift happens. I slide my cheek along his, the stubble scratching my skin as my lips meet the edge of his.

The world is covered in white, hidden from reality; a reality that I hate currently. I can escape for an evening, maybe a few days, and allow his blizzard to overwhelm me. If life is the same struggle when everything melts away again, a few moments lost in a fantasy after months of feeling worthless are what I need and worth the consequences.

Liam digs his hand into my hair and crashes his mouth against mine. I gasp in surprise at the force as he delves his tongue into my mouth, sliding against mine. When Liam kissed me in the bedroom the other day, there was a tension in him where he held back part of himself. Was this because Liam knew I did too? This time the world falls away completely as we kiss frantically, noses bumping as he pulls me into the snowstorm that is Liam Oliver.

Liam moves to kiss my cheeks, a delicious scrape against my skin as his hot lips burn into my cool neck. He slides a hand around my waist, beneath my coat and holds me against him. Convinced my legs are going to give way and cursing the lack of walls for Liam to press me against, I grip his sleeve.

Liam nudges his nose back across my face, hot breath mingling with mine and misting in the air. “Definitely feels right,” he whispers.

Then Liam kisses me so gently that he takes my soul and pulls it apart. My head spins as the intensity of the slow kiss fills me with a craving for this man that will never be satiated. This is more than feeling right, this is our hearts open and raw finding their way together.

Which means when they’re torn apart again the pain will kill me.

The heat we create counteracts the falling temperature around us but the cold of reality isn't far. I pull my face away; I need to pull myself out of this.

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About the author:

Lisa is an author of new adult romance and writes both paranormal and contemporary, often with a side of snark. In between running a business, looking after her family and writing, Lisa sometimes finds spare time to do other things. This often involves swapping her book worlds for gaming worlds. Lisa is originally from the UK but moved to Australia in 2001 and now lives in Perth in Western Australia with her husband, three children and dog.

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