Author Guest Post : Love, Exes and Ohs by Violet Duke

LOVE, EXES, AND OHS
He may very well be the perfect ex...
Isaac McKnight has had enough loss in his life to know never to take anything for granted. So when the perfectly-imperfect-woman-for-him puts an end to their relationship out of the blue, it's Isaac that makes sure they remain friends. Now a year later, whether it's at his gym or her brewpub, or the dog park they visit every weekend--though neither of them own a dog--he and Xoey are steadily getting sucked deeper into buddy-zone galaxy, with its dangerous proximity to watch-me-settle-down-with-someone-else abyss. It's a reality he's resigned himself to. That is...until one drunken confession changes everything.
But she's looking for the perfect oh...
For Xoey Montenegro, history has taught her that sometimes, it's Prince Charming who vanishes without a trace. And fairytale love? Highly overrated. Heck, give her a real and perfect 'oh' over that fantasy any day. So as far as rock-solid tequila-fueled plans for her love life go, coming up with a match-finding formula based on the qualities of the men responsible for her three most epic ohs seems brilliant. Except for the fact that one-third of her genius little man-quation is all about her friend Isaac. Actually, more than a third if Xoey were being honest with herself--which she's not. Because full honesty would require thinking not just about how perfect Isaac really is, but also about how perfect the fourth epic oh she's kept buried deep in her past once was.
An easy enough thing to keep ignoring...until her past isn't past tense anymore.

99¢ Amazon = http://amzn.to/1GHml7z
99¢ B&N = http://bit.ly/ExesOhs_BN
99¢ iBooks = http://bit.ly/ExesOhs_iTunes
99¢ Google = http://bit.ly/ExesOhs_GooglePlay
99¢ Kobo = http://bit.ly/ExesOhs_Kobo




GUEST POST:

1. Who do you most relate to out of all your Cactus Creek heroines?

Honestly, there’s a little bit of me in each of them. I’m a damaged but hopeless romantic like Dani (Chocolate & Beer); I’m a helicopter mom who enjoys being a ball-busting business woman like Quinn (Diamonds & Spades); and I’ve had my fair share of tragedies while still believing in hope and happiness like Lia (Tussles & Takedowns). I think I’m the most like Lia on the inside (not just because of her ties to MMA) but because of how she views life. But if you ask my friends, hands down, they’d say I’m the most like Xoey (Exes & Ohs). She has predominantly guy friends, she becomes a hilarious 'genius' when she’s drunk, and she believes wholeheartedly that we should all be “unafraid to jump into love ass first.” *grin*

ABOUT VIOLET DUKE:

NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY bestselling author Violet Duke is a former professor of English Education who is ecstatic to now be on the other side of the page writing wickedly fun contemporary romance novels. Her NYT and USA Today bestselling books have been Top 10 bestsellers across the major eretailers both in the US and internationally. When she's not writing or feeding her book-a-day reading addiction, Violet enjoys tackling reno projects with her power tools, trying pretty much anything without reading the directions first, and cooking 'special edition' dishes that laugh in the face of recipes. A born and raised island girl, she spends her days getting into creatively fun trouble in Hawai'i alongside her two cute kids (daughter Violet & son Duke) and similarly adorable husband.

Find the latest on her books and fan giveaways at www.facebook.com/VioletDukeBooks


Thanks so much for having me on your blog!! I always LOVE chatting with bloggers and fans over on my Facebook page so stop by one of these days! I make it a point to have my FB page be creatively fun and utterly random most days. So far, I've been highly successful. :)
xoxo
V

Author Guest Post/#Giveaway : ITGIRL4LIFE by Tamara Branch

Why I wrote ITGIRL4LIFE
by Tamara Branch

To the Girls of the World,

I wrote ITGIRL4LIFE because I want you to create the best life you can for yourself. I want you to go for your dreams and give it all you've got. I want you to be bold, speak up, speak out and be fearless. I want you to be HAPPY. I want you to know how strong you are and that you can get through anything. I want you to pick yourself up when you fall down. I want you to be YOU to the highest power, authentic and real. I want you to SHINE. I want you to believe in yourself, step up responsibility, honor your life, have faith and push through. I want you to stand in your GREATNESS as a young woman.

When I first got the idea to write this book, I thought of my own insecurities when I was a teen and what helped me to overcome them. I thought about what I learned from my mistakes, life lessons, experiences, personal study and my life's exploration. I thought about the 'not smart enough, pretty enough, tall enough, thin enough' epidemic in our society, the media's influence on how girl's feel about themselves, other people's opinions and judgements and the pressure on girls and women to look, act and be a certain way.

I wanted to contribute something to the self-esteem conversation. I'm a student of personal development. I study the thought leaders in this area. I read books that uplift. I surround myself with people that are about IT. I am committed to improving, expanding my thinking, being of service and keeping myself inspired. EVERYBODY has doubts, fears, challenges, tough times. I certainly do. Life can be hard. It's not easy to show up for yourself and stay positive ALL the time. I wrote ITGIRL4LIFE to help.
To build a house you have to begin with a strong foundation. You have to lay the ground work before you start adding on and designing the rest. Same thing with you and me. Having a foundation of powerful ideas and principles helps to create an INNER support, giving you the tools to cope with the ups and downs of everyday life. The stronger and more solid your foundation is, the better because your foundation is what keeps you standing. Tapping into your power as an individual is the key to making it.

There is a reality that hits you as you get older and that is that your life is up to YOU. What you believe about yourself is EVERYTHING. When you believe that you are a person of value, extraordinary, beautiful, capable, smart, talented and important, you walk into the room differently, you ACT differently and you make decisions from a secure and confident place. This book was written for you, the girls of the world. I want you to always remember the simple, yet profound things that will help you create the best life you can for yourself.



About the Author

"I believe in the power, beauty, strength and amazing potential of girls. I believe girls deserve to feel extraordinary. I believe that when girls shine their light, they are unstoppable!"
- ITGIRL4LIFE by Tamara Branch


Tamara Branch is from New York, born and raised in the Bronx. She is thrilled to share her first book release, ITGIRL4LIFE, kicking off the ITGIRL4LIFE self-esteem movement to empower girls to stand up, stand out and shine bright in the world.

Tamara has worked as a professional model and actor for almost two decades. She strutted down the runway for designers Calvin Klein, Donna Karen and Christian Dior, acted in a few independent films, co-hosted PBS New York’s education series, “What’s up in Technology” and appeared T.V. commercials and print ads for Levi’s, Old Navy, Hershey’s, Colgate, Kellogg’s Special K, Revlon, Hanes, Nike and many others. A Penn State alumnus and lifelong student of personal development, Tamara is deeply passionate about uplifting the human spirit.

After graduating from Institute for Integrative Nutrition, studying under Deepak Chopra, Dr. Andrew Weil and some of the top health and wellness experts in the world, she was inspired to raise the bar on her own ‘self care’ and support others in living more vibrantly. She is an abstract artist and teaches a dynamic dance class, where she gets to fuse her varied background, having trained in everything from jazz, ballet and modern to Afro-Caribbean and Salsa.

Tamara was recently asked to become a Female Visionary Author guest blogger for The Brave Heart Women Global Community. She's a SAG/AFTRA member since 1998, a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and is represented by Abrams Artists Agency.

Giveaway

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Author Guest Post : K-9 Cop: Case #1 The Dreck Report! By Erna Mueller

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About the Book:

No one thought as highly of Lieutenant Spencer Watley as he did himself. This selfish cop met 14 year-old Justin Andrews during an important stakeout. Determined to nab a group of cyber killers, he wasn’t going to let anything get in his way, especially a smart mouthed teenager like Justin.

After Spencer bids him good riddance, he is killed by the hackers and stands before the gates of heaven. But - what’s this? After a life of putting dangerous criminals behind bars, he’s locked out?

He yells at the angel blocking his entrance, only to find out he needs to go through the J.R.P. program before he can enter. That’s the Jerk Redemption program, otherwise known as sensitivity training boot camp, which to his horror consists of non-stop Oprah and Dr. Phil reruns. Or he can go back to earth and help Justin’s dysfunctional family. Spencer opts for the lesser of two evils, to help Justin.

But the Angel pulls a fast one on Spencer. He can only go back to earth in the body of his K9-Partner. Spencer refuses, but like it or not, Spencer becomes a dog. He falls back to earth and is slowly morphed into a dog that closely resembles a mop.

And if being a dog wasn’t bad enough, Spencer also swallowed an important microchip his killers need to hack into PC’s and steal millions. Now the criminals are hot on his trail for the only existing microchip that’s logged in his belly.

Justin and Spencer butt heads constantly; both are stubborn and willful, neither one wanting to give an inch. Spencer needs to find out what the killers are up to, so he swallows his pride and forms a bond with the boy. Spencer relays to Justin his past and together with the help of Justin’s girlfriend, Shahla; they discover the hacker’s plans. Spencer has broken down Justin’s reserve and he finally learns the meaning of unselfish love.

But it’s too late, the hackers have captured them.

Can Spencer maul the shins (and other choice areas) of his kidnappers and stop them from their evil plan?

Can a selfish man find a heart?

You bet. He just has to become a dog first.

For More Information
• K-9 Cop is available at Amazon.
• Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
• Watch the book trailer at Youtube!
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.


10 Things You Might Not Know About K-9 Cop by Erna Mueller


1.) It’s about a surly cop who lands before the gates of heaven but can’t get in, and about Justin, a 14 year-old teenager who’s trying to find himself. The cop’s only chance to enter heaven is to go back to earth in the body of his K-9 partner and help Justin and his dysfunctional family.

2.) My book K-9 Cop is adapted from my screenplay “A New Leash on Life”; it received many screenwriting awards, for instance 1st place at the Huston International Film Festival and the Hollywood Screen Writing Institute among others.

3.) As a first time writer it was difficult to find a production company that would back my screenplay. An agent suggested I adapt my screenplay into a book to gain recognition. I am very happy I took the advice since I found the novel writing process more rewarding.

4.) After adapting my screenplay into a novel titled “K-9 Cop” it won 1st place in The Good Read Competition at awomenswrite.com.

5.) Once the novel was completed I sent out numerous query letters to agents and publishing houses and no one wanted to read a chapter of a first time novelist. I can start a bonfire with the rejection letters I’ve received. And get ready to hear from Literary Agencies that their roster is full and can’t accept any new authors, but the majority of publishers do not accept any unsolicited manuscripts. For me, self-publishing was the only way out of this maze.

6.) This is a young adult book for tweens and teenagers. But keep in mind K-9 Cop is definitely not adult repellent. Readers of all ages seem to enjoy my book.

7.) I wrote this book because I love the creativity, unearthing a new world with your imagination. Breathing life into your characters and giving words a heartbeat. It’s very cathartic.

8.) I love animals and their relationship to humans. I also love the story of redemption and second chances, which is what K-9 Cop is all about. Dogs are amazing in their drive to please their masters. They overcome obstacles like a Navy Seal and do the job for the joy of it.

9.) I thought a Young Adult book would be a great idea to write for a first time novelist. I always loved family orientated books and movies and was searching for a story that depicts the human condition with all its splendor and frailties. What better way than through a surly cop who has to go back to earth in the body of his K-9 partner

10.) I am writing a sequel to K-9 Cop.


About the Author

I was born in Austria and my family immigrated to the U.S. I loved living here as a child and considered the U.S. my home. My family returned to Austria and of course I had to tag along. I missed the friendly faces and the cultivation of the free spirit which America symbolizes. In Austria I completed my education but always wanted to return, so here I am.
I traveled the world and lived in many exciting cities such as Paris, Munich and London. I currently work as an accountant for a large pizza company in Seattle by day and passionately pursue a career as a writer in my spare time.
My new book, K-9 Cop, is adapted from my multi-national award winning screenplay. The book has won several awards including first place in the 2009 National Good Read Competition sponsored by awomenswrite.com.
Please visit my web site at http://www.k9cop-woofwoof.com for more reviews and other info.
For More Information
• Visit Erna Mueller’s website.
• Connect with Erna on Facebook and Twitter.



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Author Guest Post : After the Silence – Bree by Jacqueline Paige

Author Post

I’ve been told that any time I have animals in one of my stories they are more human than most humans. I’m not sure if that’s true, but having an animal as a secondary character just feels right and rounds out the story for me.
I find animals more expressive than people in the real world. They don’t try to hide their feelings or expressions to spare our tender human hearts.
I didn’t plan on Bree having a horse (Tremor) in her story, so I was as surprised as she was when Kismet appeared in the story.
After the Silence without Tremor or Kismet would have been a very monotone story at time I think.
Then again I’m an animal lover and the author so I may be a little bias.

Thank you for having me here today! 


After the Silence – Bree
Part 1
Jacqueline Paige

Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy / Survivalist

Tagline: One woman’s journey through the chaotic new world.

Those left standing make the paths for the future generations.

Book Description:

When the Mother Nature decides she’s had enough and begins to fight back, survival takes on a whole new meaning. If the earth is the enemy – there are no rules and all you can do is try to survive the odds.

Those the planet allowed to live still have to survive the trials of the virus. If you manage to come out of it alive you are left with some form of mutation that could give you an ability that could be harmless or lethal.

Bree Taylor is the last survivor of her family. With no other choice she sets off on her own to escape the clutches of the new government’s army—that does not place safety and security in their code of behavior only the highest bidder get their protection and loyalty.

Living in a world of unstable climate changes becomes a journey she won’t soon forget. She has to be prepared for anything at all times out in the new country and has to be wary of every person she meets. All while staying out of the path of the new army.

This is a 4 part serial story releasing from June - September.

Release Date for part 1 is June 18, part 2 releases July 18th

The entire volume will be released in January 2015 as one book.
http://www.firstrealmpublishing.com/


Excerpt:

The snapping and crunching of branches told me something was moving through the trees. Turning the flash light off, I hunched down to be as small and invisible as possible. I listened in the darkness for anything that would let me know where the noise had come from and what had made it. Voices were carried to me in the dark, a man and a woman. I moved slowly back towards my things and sat with my back against the tree straining to see in the dark.
Time stopped as I waited to see if the voices kept moving or came closer. I wasn’t sure what I’d do if they did come closer. I touched the handle of the knife inside my coat, hoping this wasn’t when I find out if I could use it. Leaves rustled from behind me. I held my breath and pushed back against the tree, waiting. When I heard a low growl coming from around the tree I think even my heart even paused.
I had strangers coming closer on one side of me and an animal voicing a warning behind me. Tremor shook his head and pranced a few times and the growling got louder. I sat there trying to gauge what was the most important and decided there was no way I was going to let something happen to my horse. Sliding up the tree as quietly as I could, while focusing on the voices, I tried to recall every skill instilled in me, drawing more blanks than anything useful.
Pulling the knife from the pocket, I prayed it was sharp enough to cut the rope I’d tied Tremor to. I guessed I had about fifteen seconds to cut it and get to the horse before whatever was growling took a bite off one of my legs or other body parts. Chewing my lip, I hoped I could still get on his back without the saddle. The plan was to ride like hell and come back later for my stuff—if we could find it again.

About the Author:

Jacqueline Paige lives in Ontario in a small town that’s part of the popular Georgian Triangle area. No one has ever heard of Stayner, so she usually tells people she lives “near Collingwood” and no, she doesn’t ski at Blue Mountain or at all, in fact she’s not even fond of snow.

She began her writing career in 2006 and since her first published works in 2009 she hasn’t stopped. Jacqueline describes her writing as “all things paranormal”, which she has proven is her niche with stories of witches, ghosts, physics and shifters now on the shelves.

When Jacqueline isn’t working at her ‘reality job’ or lost in her writing she spends time with her five children, most of whom are finally able to look after her instead of the other way around. Together they do random road trips, that usually end up with them lost, shopping trips where they push every button in the toy aisle, hiking when there’s enough time to escape and bizarre things like creating new daring recipes in the kitchen. She’s a grandmother to four (so far) and looks forward to corrupting many more in the years to come.

Jacqueline loves to hear from her readers, you can find her at www.jacqpaige.webs.com , www.jacqpaige.blogspot.ca or http://magicseasonsbooks.blogspot.ca

Author Guest Post/Giveaway : Healing Her Heart by Audra North

May is always such a weird month for me because, on the one hand, it’s my birth month, yay! Cake and presents! So that’s…you know. That’s nice. But then the whole excitement of my birthday dies down and I realize the next week or the next day or the next second after the candles get blown out that Holy crap I am one year older oh my god what have I done with my life?

There’s a lot of crying and eating what I like to call “self-pity cake.”

This birthday, though, was my first birthday as a published author! Yay! And on top of that exciting honor, I had a release to look forward to at the end of the month. Healing Her Heart, the third novella in the Stanton Family series from Entangled Publishing, released on Tuesday and I’m all aflutter.

I originally wrote Healing Her Heart because I had a story in mind for Greg Stanton, the hero. But as I was writing it, I realized that it was actually Carrie’s story more than Greg’s—Carrie is the heroine in Healing Her Heart. That’s why the title ended up focused on her. Because even though Greg is going through a crisis at the beginning of the book, it ends up being Carrie who gets healed.

It was really a fun book to write because Greg and Carrie are both such complete idiots when it comes to love. I don’t even know where to begin with how clueless these two are together. But with a little luck and a lot of great advice from the residents of the assisted living home where Carrie works, they end up learning how to fall in love. And Lily Stanton from One Night in Santiago has a cameo in this one!

I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Now I’m off to eat some celebration cake! Which, really, is the same cake as self-pity cake, just with a different name…and yet, somehow, celebration cake tastes so much better.



Book Title: Healing Her Heart
Author: Audra North
Release Date: 5/27/14
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author Website: Audranorth.com
Author Blog: Audranorth.com/blog
Author Twitter: Twitter.com/AudraNorth
Author Facebook: Facebook.com/AudraNorthAuthor
Author Goodreads: Goodreads.com/AudraNorth
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/NYOD1

Author Bio: Audra North fell in love with romance at age thirteen and spent the next twenty years reading as many romance novels as she could. Even now, after having read over one thousand of them, Audra still can't resist the lure of a happily ever after, and her collection continues to grow. She lives near Boston with her husband, three young children, and a lot of books. Visit her website at audranorth.com or find her (way too frequently) on Twitter @AudraNorth.

Book Synopsis:
Informing the next of kin of a patient’s death is hardly cardiac surgeon Greg Stanton’s favorite activity. Tired of spreading bad news, he decides to take a week off and enjoy a few extra curricular activities—one in particular that hopefully involves a certain blonde director.
Emily’s experience as the Director of New Beginnings, an Assisted Living Residence, has taught her that the wisdom of the elderly is often more healing than any drug. So when Greg drops by her office to tell her one of her residents passed away and mentions he’s taking some time off, Emily suggests that he spend the time volunteering at her facility.
Greg is in need of a way to de-stress. After being burned by her ex-fiance, Emily needs a little fun. What’s a little sex between friends? But when their casual arrangement is complicated by real feelings, one of them will have to step up to save what could be something special before they both tear it apart.

Tagline: A week together could be just the cure she needs...
Amazon Buy Link: http://bit.ly/HealingHerHeartAM
Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://bit.ly/HealingHerHeartBN
Entangled Page: http://bit.ly/HealingHerHeartEP
Tour Run Dates: 5/27-6/6


Giveaway Info: $25 GC & $10 GC



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Author Guest Post : Past Medical History:Recollections of a Medical Miscreant by Don Stewart

Feedback on Past Medical History

I have to say I’ve been surprised by how well Past Medical History has been received since its release last October. Not that it has sold a million copies (it hasn’t, yet), but for the several hundreds of books we have sold, the feedback we’ve been getting has been both encouraging and consistent.

Prior to publishing the book, I really did not consider myself a writer. No false bravado here. I like to write, and I enjoy the process of massaging ideas onto a page - but that doesn’t mean that I know what I’m doing. (I like to cook, too, but I suffer no illusions of being a chef.)

I am an artist, however the art business has taught me not to expect too much of any single project. Drawings that I think are clever, well executed and meaningful may take years to be recognized, while ideas tossed onto paper on little more than a whim can hit the market as instant best sellers. So we hoped for the best with Past Medical History, not really knowing what ‘good’, ‘better’, or ‘best’ could mean, but happy with the fact that a new creative experiment had been completed and launched successfully.

Given the nature of this book – stories about a medical student who decided not to practice medicine – I expected different responses from my medical and non-medical readers. Those expectations were not disappointed.

Non-medical folks, the ones who have been kind enough to offer their thoughts, anyway, have been extremely positive in their assessment of the stories, and more than complimentary regarding the quality of the writing overall. “I read it in one sitting” is becoming a mantra of sorts, followed by assurances that they found the book to be entertaining, engaging, informative and funny – always welcome news to a professional humorist. These descriptors have been especially encouraging, since my portrayal of medical school and residency in these stories is anything but flattering, so much so that a part of me was concerned that the entertainment and educational potential of the book might be overlooked, and the stories dismissed as a rant.

Based on what we’re hearing, my concerns were largely misplaced.

What negative feedback we have received about the book has also been intriguingly consistent, apparently having struck a common nerve among a small number of physicians who have enjoyed long and successful careers in the profession. And while it may be entirely coincidence, each of these doctors mentioned in the course of their critique that they too had come upon a crossroads at some point in their training, and rather than leave medicine to follow their true desires, decided to remain in the industry in order to serve the higher good.

While I admire their dedication, and certainly their service, I cannot help but wonder if they might have done even more good to society if they had been true to their hearts, rather than commit themselves to a system that disagreed with their better natures.

In bright contrast, some of the book’s highest compliments and encouragements have come from medical professionals who love their jobs and their callings as much as I do mine, and seem to relish the fact that I left when I did to chase after my artistic inclinations.

The other comment that we hear again and again from our white-coated readers is this:

“Past Medical History should be required reading for all pre-med and medical students.”

I don't have to attribute the quote to any one commenter, because we have heard it so frequently, word for word, from pre-meds just entering the application process, from parents of medical students in the heat of their studies, and even residents who are living the stories in real time, relaying their experiences to us directly from the front lines of modern medical training. From their reports, it seems that little has changed in the trenches of academic hospitals, since the days when I carried a pager.

Fortunately, recruits entering the fray today can get a friendly heads up into the challenging world that is waiting for them.

About the Book:

Past Medical History is a compilation of short stories chronicling the life of Dr. Don Stewart, who grew up with the singular goal of becoming a physician, then quit the day he earned his medical license to make a life and a living as an artist. It’s The Devil Wears Prada meets The House of God, with a character who sees his own career circling the drain, pronounces it DOA, and turfs himself to an art studio for treatment. It’s Patch Adams, with an attitude; The Things They Carried, dressed up in scrubs and a white lab coat.

This series of stories draws a clear picture of a doctor who recognized the pitfalls of his chosen profession, discharged himself from the hospital, then took his life in a more creative, and far healthier direction.


About the Author:

Don Stewart has a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Art, with honors, from Birmingham-Southern College, and an MD from the University of Alabama School of Medicine. He also served a year-long surgical internship at the Mayo Clinic, where he published some of his first composite drawings, and won awards for poetry and short fiction.

Dr. Stewart’s short stories have since been published in Pulse--voices from the heart of medicine, The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, The Placebo Journal, and The Journal of Irreproducible Results, where he is listed as honorary Art Editor. For four years he served as Contributing Editor to Informal Rounds, the newsletter of the University of Alabama Medical Alumni Association.

For the past quarter century he has made his living as a self-styled Visual Humorist, hammering words and pictures together at the DS Art Studio Gallery in Birmingham: www.DSArt.com. You can also find him at www.PastMedicalHistoryBook.com.

His latest book is the autobiography, Past Medical History.
Connect & Socialize with DonTWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS


BOOK TRAILER:

Author Guest Post : The Billionaire Banker by Georgia Le Carre

POV BLAKE LAW BARRINGTON

What Blake thought and experienced when he saw Lana being mauled by the despicable Rupert Lothian?


I should have known then.

Who was I kidding? Just sex? With her? That would never be enough.

This girl was the siren, the temptress that my father had warned me about. The one that had been specially chosen to bring me to my knees. But at that moment I was the proverbial moth flying helplessly towards the flame. I guess, I just wanted her light, more than I wanted anything else...

The brute had her pinned against a wall, his big body completely hiding her from my view. Must have only been minutes, but it was like a lifetime watching that broad back and thick neck. I had to fight the instinct to go over. Break them up. But I am a strategist, a man who knows when to pounce, how to exploit an opportunity. Not yet. Soon. Lose a battle to win the war.

A woman came and wrapped herself around me. She laid her perfectly manicured red fingernails on the lapels of my jacket and smiled slyly. I glanced down at her and shuddered. I hate it when women I don’t fancy throw themselves at me. At that precise moment Lothian moved his thick body away and I saw Lana. Flattened against the wall, her face white, mascara streaking down her face, and her lips already beginning to swell.

Our eyes met.

Fuck me, I looked into her shocked, defenceless eyes, and I did not feel lust! I did not want to take and use and discard as I had done with all the others. The only thing I registered in my body was the unfamiliar need to protect. Not myself but her. That same sensation I had experience once a long time ago as a young boy, when I had come across an injured baby bird. It had fallen out of its nest. I had scooped it in my cupped hands and warmed it inside my jacket. After it died that evening I never again experienced that sensation. Until now.

Stunned by my own reaction I watched as she ran out of the room on those ridiculously high shoes of hers. And the dirty looks she got. You should have seen them. You’d have thought she stank. I despised my kind then.

In the corridor I saw her lurch unsteadily towards the powder room.

After a few minutes I made my excuses and went to wait for her in the corridor. What the fuck was I doing? But the rational, thinking Blake had gone numb. And another part, a secret part of me that I never let out, that I refused to even acknowledge, had come out and taken over. I crossed my arms and lounged against the wall.

When she came out, I almost did not recognise her. Underneath the layer of badly applied make-up she had the face of a schoolgirl. Hell, she better not be under-aged. That would be all my plans down the toilet. I straightened and waited for her to come up to me. She was no longer crying. Her head was held high and those indescribably turquoise eyes were proud and flashing, and she would have walked right past me too, if I had not raised a detaining finger.

Title: The Billionaire Banker
Genre: Romance/Erotica
Author: Georgia Le Carre
Publisher: Georgia Le Carre
Format: eBook

When Lana Bloom learns the devastating news that her mother is dying, she is faced with a terrible dilemma. The one thing that can save her is the one thing she does not have. For young and innocent Lana, the unthinkable becomes her only choice.

But when she walks through the door of that exclusive restaurant she has no idea of the seismic shift her life is about to take, for the highest bidder will not be the rich man she has accompanied. Fate drops her at the feet of the deeply mysterious and dazzlingly gorgeous American banker, Blake Law Barrington. Throbbing with raw masculinity and arrogance, this is a man who owns all that he pursues.

And now he wants her.



ABOUT GEORGIA LECARRE

Georgia Le Carre lives in England, in an old 19th century romantic cottage surrounded by a magical garden filled with fruit and walnut trees. When she is not feeding words into her laptop, she is either curled up in bed with a box of chocolates and a good read, or lost in a long walk in the woods. Especially on moonlit nights. And often with the man of her dreams.
Her latest book is the romance/erotica, The Billionaire Banker.


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Author Guest Post : Devil’s Play by Kenya Carlton

The second installment of my Sweet as Sin series picks up five years later between Captain Drake Devilin and his magical wife, Sienna Caldwell. No one imagined that the black witch and genetically altered beast would still be together, least of all Drake and Sienna.
Devil’s Play is an interlude between the first book, Sweet as Sin, where the two characters meet and fall into instalust. I wouldn’t say they exactly loved each other, but they wanted to screw in the worst way possible and so they did. In the kitchen, library, you name it they did it. The physically chemistry carried over to the second book, where the two protagonists were still basking in the shade of their newlywed bliss. However, something wicked tries to encroach upon the couples tropical retreat on Parrott Island.
Lured from the island, Sienna is ordered to play three games to save her husband from death and their marriage from destruction. For the beauty to win, Drake must say her name in at least one of these magical games or recognize her to ensure the sanctity of their union. The man who puts them through these tests has already judged their relationship and deemed it worthless. Different worlds and scenarios are created by this sorcerer to show the couple that their love for one another was unreal and their lust wouldn’t last.
Devil’s Play is a short read that fits neatly between the first book and the last installment of this series. The thought that Drake and Sienna would have to continually defend their love for one another never occurred to the couple. The daunting task almost seems like a bigger job than their actual marriage. If they can make it through the magical adventure that the sorcerer puts them through, then their marriage may be considered solid … or so it may seem. The test of these games is to give the couple a clear look at what they would face if they didn’t have money or power. Each scenario is rigged for the couple to fail.
To be honest, much like the sorcerer, I didn’t think this relationship could last once they were off of that pretty island. I wanted to see what would happen if the layers got pulled back. The reality of what Drake and Sienna appeared to be completely raw, needed to be shown. Sure these two wanted to bone each other any and everywhere, but are they strong enough to fight for one another. And the bigger question is once they’re done fighting this battle, then what comes next? Check out Sinfully Ever After, the last installment in the series, to find out.



Devil’s Play
Sweet as Sin Series Book Two
Kenya Carlton

Genre: Paranormal Multicultural Erotic

Publisher: Parker Publishing
Date of Publication: May 25, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-60043-130-2

Number of pages: 169

Book Description:

Snuggled within the warm embrace of marital bliss, biologically altered army Captain Drake Devilin and his supernatural bride Sienna face their biggest challenge to date. Called back for duty in World War II, Drake must leave his amazing life behind and join his troop to fight the Nazis. Although he’s certain his new mission is merely a rouse to obtain his most precious commodity, his wife, Drake leaves, but not before giving Sienna a magical necklace in the hope it will protect her against unknown enemies.

Lured from her prosperous island by a sorcerer who is convinced she was always meant to be his bride. Sienna is challenged to play three magical games to ensure her husband’s safe return. In each game, a limited time is given to Sienna to immerse herself into a new world, situation, and persona; find Drake; and have him acknowledge her by name. And she can’t use her powers to make it happen.

Everything dear to Sienna’s heart is put in jeopardy. Willing to fight for the love of her life and her happiness, Sienna takes on the sorcerer in his own game of cat and mouse.




About the Author:

Native of Chicago Illinois, Kenya worked in the Network operation Center for PBS and TLN television stations. Executive producer of her own production company Black R.O.K Productions Kenya produced a pilot for travel series Destination Everywhere, Independent short film Dawn shown at the Chicago Latino film Festival, and wrote and directed the documentary Our Africa. Writing titles available; Jaded, Sweet as Sin, Brazil re-issue, Devil’s Play, and Remember This.

Kcbookcafe.com

Twitter @kcbookcafe

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Author Guest Post : Talking Dirty with the Boss by Jackie Ashenden

Six Things I'm Jealous of about a Winter Christmas.


Hi and thanks for having me on the blog. I'm still on Christmas vacation here in New Zealand and since Christmas is in summer for us, I thought I'd do a post about a few things I'm jealous of about a winter Christmas. I've only ever had two winter Christmases in my life and they were pretty special (I didn't get snow though, which was a disappointment to me).


1. No snow. Which means no snow angels, no tobogganing, no skating, no skiing.
2. It's too hot for a cosy fire, which means you don't get to curl up in front of it while you open your Christmas presents.
3. Mulled wine is nice but I suspect it would be even nicer if it was cold outside and not blazingly hot.
4. While we do have a traditional Christmas dinner - ie ham or turkey – it's still summer and hot, and being full is much more pleasant in winter. It's also not fun when you have to put on your swimming costume the day after all the Christmas cheer…
5. Because it doesn't get that cold in Auckland – even in winter – we don't often have fires in our houses. Which means no chimneys. And no mantelpieces to put your Christmas stocking on. And having Santa come in through the door or the window really isn't as exciting.
6. When it's cold and snowy you have more excuses to stay inside, curled up in front of the fire, reading your Christmas books. Unlike here, when it's sunny outside and everyone wants you to go do something and you don't have any excuses not to.

What about you? What was your most enjoyable Christmas? And did you ever have Christmas in the summer?

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About the Author:

Jackie has been writing fiction since she was eleven years old. Mild mannered fantasy/SF/pseudo-literary writer by day, obsessive romance writer by night, she used to balance her writing with the more serious job of librarianship until a chance meeting with another romance writer prompted her to throw off the shackles of her day job and devote herself to the true love of her heart – writing romance. She particularly likes to write dark, emotional stories with alpha heroes who’ve just got the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines.

She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she’s not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.

Jackie’s Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Author Guest Post : Time for Love by Emma Kaye

Hi! Thanks for having me here today. I love the name of your blog. It started me thinking and helped me figure out what to write. 

Magical is the word I fixated upon. An appropriate word for this time of year, right? I feel it when I look at my tree or drive down the street. Not to mention when I talk to my kids. It’s such a wonderful time of year for the little ones.

The magic’s been hitting home a bit more than usual this year. I got an early Christmas present when Time for Love came out earlier than I expected. Plus, my critique partners and I published a Christmas anthology called Timeless Keepsakes: A Collection of Christmas Stories. That project was a joy to work on and I’m so very proud of both my books. In a relatively short time, I went from an unpublished writer to a published author with two books available. Now the reviews are beginning to come in and so far they’ve been positive. A wonderful present for me!

There are still lots of presents to buy, but the holiday magic came early to my home as well. Time always seems to get away from us (like magic!) and before we know it, Christmas is days away and we still don’t have the tree up. So each year we promise ourselves we’ll do it right after Thanksgiving next year.

This year we actually managed it. Yay!

We get to breathe in the smell of pine and sip delicious eggnog as we enjoy the lights a little longer this year. Of course, we also have to figure out a lot more places to hide Quiet Wyatt, our Elf-on-the-Shelf. I turned that duty over to my husband tonight since I’ve already had to hide him twice today. I sneaked down the stairs to move him early this morning when I realized I’d forgotten last night and then had to do it again after the elf got into a bit of trouble with our dog.

Maybe the dog just wanted to share Wyatt with us when he jumped on the couch, plucked the doll off a shelf and brought him into the dining room? We worried Wyatt’s magic might be destroyed since we’re not supposed to touch him, but never fear. I left Wyatt alone for a few hours today so he’d have time to recover. And, surprise! He moved to a safer location on top of the curtains in my bedroom. Whew.

The magic is still alive and well.

What about you? Are you enjoying the magic this holiday season?



Time for Love
Emma Kaye

Genre: Time travel romance

Publisher:The Wild Rose Press

Date of Publication: December 2013

ISBN 978-1-62830-072-7
ISBN 978-1-62830-073-4

Number of pages: 354
Word Count: 92,194

Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor

Amazon Wild Rose Publishing

Book Description:

Alexandra Turner will do anything to save her twin sister. Even when she’s transported back in time to Regency England. Rescuing her sister and finding her way back to her own time will take all her concentration. Falling in love is not an option.

With the death of his brother, Nicholas Somerville became the ninth Marquess of Oakleigh and must return to England to take his place in society. Part of his responsibility will be to find a wife. It never occurs to him he might actually discover a woman he could love--until he meets Alex on his voyage home.

Can Alex and Nicholas find a way to bridge the gap of time and circumstance? Can they overcome their fears to realize that true love transcends time? Or will a dark secret from Alex's past rear up to separate them forever?


Excerpt

Her gaze drifted to his mouth as he spoke, fascinated by the way the scar pulled slightly at the corner. She felt a strong urge to kiss that corner, to run her tongue along the seam and dip between his lips, along his teeth.
He turned away, and she blinked herself back to reality. She couldn’t believe the thoughts that kept popping into her head when she looked at him.
And she was going to be stuck on a ship with him for almost a month.
Dressed like a boy.
Wonderful.
He set off, and she rushed after him, thankful he couldn’t see the blush heating her cheeks. It was going to be a long month.
She caught up, practically jogging to keep pace with his long strides.
He looked her briefly up and down in an assessing manner that strained Alex’s nerves. “You don’t look like much of a sailor, and you’re too young to have any skill as a carpenter.”
She was surprised he hadn’t already uncovered her disguise. Her instincts warned her he wouldn’t be easy to fool, and she would be smart to keep her distance, even if distance was the last thing she wanted right now. Of course, it wouldn’t be a problem if he decided she wasn’t qualified to work on his ship.
“You’re wondering what possessed him to hire me. Perhaps he took pity on me, or maybe I’m better qualified than I look,” she replied haughtily, and immediately wished she could take the last part back. Now he might think she had some sailing skill.
He snorted, and she got the feeling amusement had replaced his annoyance, though his expression hadn’t changed.
“My guess would be pity. He sometimes has more heart than sense.” He sighed. “Despite some of his more—emotional—decisions, he’s a good first mate and has served me well. We’ll have to see how you fare.” He gave her a slightly puzzled look. “There’s something about you though. I can’t quite put my finger on it.”
Alex breathed a sigh of relief when they arrived at the tavern where she’d met the Adonis the night before. This time of the morning everything was quiet, and they had to wait a few moments before anyone came to see what they wanted.
A sour-faced woman entered the room, muttering about the hour and cursing under her breath. But after a quick glance at Nicholas’s face, she quieted and listened to his request. She told them which room the first mate was in then quickly disappeared through the door by which she had entered.
“Follow me.” Nicholas climbed the stairs and knocked loudly on the appropriate door. He didn’t wait for an answer before pushing it open.
The Adonis slept soundly in the middle of the large bed that dominated the room. A blanket draped around his hips didn’t disguise the fact he was naked.
Alex had a difficult time deciding where to look. On his left, the pretty waitress from the night before was hastily pulling the covers up to her chin, while another woman on his right merely reached over to try to waken her bed partner, as though the appearance of two people at the door was hardly cause to cover up.
“I can see why he didn’t show,” Alex muttered under her breath. She hadn’t meant to be heard, but apparently Nicholas had good hearing and laughed.
“Quite understandable,” he said, still chuckling.
Meanwhile, the first mate opened his eyes and looked up at the captain. “Bloody hell. Am I late?”




About the Author:

Emma Kaye is married to her high school sweetheart and has two beautiful kids that she spends an insane amount of time driving around central New Jersey. Before ballet classes and soccer entered her life, she decided to try writing one of those romances she loved to read and discovered a new passion. She has been writing ever since. Add in a playful puppy and an extremely patient cat and she's living her own happily ever after while making her characters work hard to reach theirs

www.emma-kaye.com

www.Facebook.com/emmakayewrites

www.Twitter.com/emmakayewrites

www.Goodreads.com/emma-kaye

Author Guest Post (Bewitching Book Tours): The Accidental Witch by Jessica Penot

My book, The Accidental Witch, is set in one of my favorite haunted houses, The Moody Brick. Ghost stories gather there like dust gathers in corners. I love this ghost story but all ghost stories hold unending fascination for me and the ones that contain the most mystery are the haunted house stories. I know I'm not alone in this because there seem to be unending movies and books written about Haunted Houses. The list is long and prestigious. The terror held by house hauntings is unique. You are bound to the haunted location by financial obligation, family, and sentiment. It is your home that holds the shadows and that can't be easily escaped. The ghosts or dark spirits can catch you in bed, with your children, and in the shower. There is a unique vulnerability to being in a haunted house. So here is my list of the most compelling house haunting stories I've heard.
5. The House on Larabee Street:
This haunting story has always been one of my favorites because it does not have a history. The haunting on Larrabbee Street has often been compared to the Amityville case, however, the house on Larrabee Street didn't have the history the Amityville house had. It is a haunting that is unexplainable. The spirit that haunted Allen and Deborah Tallman came from nowhere.
The Tallman's found their dream home on Larabee street and the house slowly turned evil. At first, the family began to get sick and sickness became nightmares and ghosts and monsters that crawled in and out of the woodwork tormenting the family and their children until they finally flee there home. For a more detailed write up on this fascinating haunting you can go to:
http://ghoststoriesandhauntedplaces.blogspot.com/2010/01/haunting-on-larrabee-street.html
4. The Demon in the Shadows:
This is a haunting I learned about during an interview for Haunted North Alabama. A young woman came forward and told me she wanted to talk to me and the story she told me was chilling. This young woman bought a lovely home with her husband and the house immediately showed signs of haunting. Doors opened and closed on their own. Light bulbs exploded. Phantom mists tormented the woman and her family. Finally, the woman would wake in the morning to find deep gashes in her back where the hostile entity had clawed her. She and her family had to flee their home. The complete write up for this haunting can be found in Haunted North Alabama.
3. A Haunting in Conneticut:
This is one of the most famous hauntings. It was made into a movie, that was not true to the facts of the actual haunting, but was still an interesting movie. The real haunting in this case began with a house that had been a funeral home. The eldest son of the family that moved into this home was driven slowly mad by a hostile entity that lived in the house and when he went to an institution the entity turned to the rest of the family. Psychics involved in this case say an old evil lived in this house that preyed on the living. An exorcism was performed of the house and the case resolved, but the family still moved . You can read more about this case at:
http://www.thecabinet.com/darkdestinations/location.php?sub_id=dark_destinations&location_id=the_haunting_in_connecticut_house
2. The LaLaurie Mansion:
This infamous haunted house was home to the famous Madam LaLaurie. Madam LaLaurie was a sadist and the things she did to her slaves in this New Orleans Mansion are beyond horrific. She sewed slaves together and removed their appendages and reattached them to other places. After a fire, the community discovered Madam LaLaurie's sadism and she fled, leaving behind her a trail of ghost stories and a house that is so haunted it screams with ghosts. You can learn more about this ghoulish haunting at:
http://ghoststoriesandhauntedplaces.blogspot.com/2009/12/this-is-famous-ghost-story-and-any.html
1. Hull House:
This is another haunting that was so famous it inspired a movie. Hull House is tucked away neatly on a campus in Chicago. It was founded by Jane Addams as a refuge for displaced young woman. Jane Addams was a remarkable woman and the work she did for those in need is admirable on every level. That is why she hated that Hull House became most known as the house where Satan's baby was born. According to legend, one of the young women living in this house gave birth to a demon spawn in this house. Ever since then tails of ghosts and paranormal activity surrounding this location have proliferated. Hull House is a popular stop on the Chicago Ghost tours and is one of the few places I've photographed in which I got something that looked like a ghost on film. The story behind Hull House was the inspiration for Rosemary's Baby. Learn more about this one at:
http://ghoststoriesandhauntedplaces.blogspot.com/2009/12/this-is-famous-ghost-story-and-any.html
I know there are many other house hauntings that aren't on my list. The Winchester House, Lemp Mansion, Whaley House, and The Myrtles Plantation all have wonderful haunted histories, but these five are my favorite and the they have stories that give me a chill every time.


The Accidental Witch
The Darkest Arts Series
Book 1
Jessica Penot

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Lachesis Publishing

ASIN: B00GG83WLE

Number of pages: 276
Word Count: 85,000

All Romance eBook Bookstrand Kindle UK

Kindle US Lachesis Publishing Inc OmniLit

Book Description:

Phaedra Michaels is a small town psychologist who is beginning to lose hope. Two of her patients at the local hospital in Dismal, Alabama have just killed themselves, she’s still reeling from her divorce and what turned out to be a disastrous marriage, and her father has died, leaving her without any notion of who her real mother is.

Just as Phaedra decides to commit herself to a serious drinking problem and an eating disorder, or two, a mysterious spell book arrives in the mail. Feeling desperate, Phaedra uses it to cast spells to save her fading patients. Suddenly, good things start happening. Phaedra’s patients begin to get better and she even starts dating the sexy doctor from the hospital.

Phaedra is so happy she doesn't notice the small things that start to go wrong in Dismal, or the dark creatures slithering out of the shadows near her house. When Phaedra finally realizes her spells have attracted every card-carrying demon from hell, she has no choice but to accept help from a slightly nerdy, 500 year-old warlock with a penchant for wearing super hero T-shirts and a knack for getting under Phaedra’s skin. Now, if only she could get the hang of this witch thing, she might be able to save her town.

Excerpt

It is amazing how the most world-changing days can seem entirely mundane to begin with. Friday the 13th seemed no different than any other day to me. I woke up late, as always, and rushed to get dressed and make it to the car with my usual box of animal crackers and diet cola. I pulled my shoes on as I backed out of the driveway and ate while I drove to work.

I was late to work, but just early enough to not be noticed as late. The small hospital where I worked was a blip in a vast nowhere and the small psychiatric floor I worked on was a blip in a blip. I was a blip within a blip within a blip, making me practically nothing. I could’ve died in my sleep and the world would barely belch. I liked to think that I was good at what I did. I liked to think that even though I was a nothing, I made a difference in the patients’ lives. I was one of those deluded people that believed in saving the world one person at a time. I guess I still am. Certainly, I was one of the few people that actually cared about the patients. The management didn’t care that I cared. Management was too busy trying to balance the books and keep the floor profitable to care what the staff did with the patients. I could take all the patients outside and have them moo like cows and management wouldn’t care as long as I billed it as a recreational therapy group and got the proper reimbursement.

About the Author:

Jessica Penot is a therapist who lives in Alabama with her 2 corgis, cat, sons, husband and other strange creatures. She is the author of Haunted North Alabama, Haunted Chattanooga, and Circe.

www.jessicapenot.net

www.ghoststoriesandhauntedplaces.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/jessica.penot


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Author Guest Post : Wifey by Fey Ugokwe

Wading in the (Salt)Water with Wifey

by Fey Ugokwe

My little rum cake of contempo fiction,Wifey, a novella by the very bones of its facial structure, but novelesque in sheer textile length, was originally slated to be a short story--one that I had planned to sprinkle in as part of a fistful's collection of my just-inked, soul-parsing, socially-conscious shorts. But as my mind, fingers flew, the characters reached out, around, and grasping, ran off with me--their humanity and 21st-century pathos pushing me just past dear, sweet Convention and its nattily-clad entourage of stylistic limitations. And so the rest is, well, herstory--my shy but inchingly steely, easy-blushing and beautiful, Caribbean-blooded, Miami-born, virgin of a main character's herstory, and I suppose, as her willing, weary potter, mine too. Now, the nickname "wifey" I first frequently heard bandied lovingly about, seemingly several light-years ago, by a much younger, male cousin of mine--himself a graduated frat brother, and his wife the same a soror, just like the two main characters in my book--when either sugar- or sly-speaking to his equally effortless, twentysomething spouse. Hearing him cool-hurl the word up into the air like a crisp, fab firework--and being a woman who was specializing at that time in the highlighting and addressing of sociopolitical issues and disparities--it made me hmmm about some other households in the nation, wherein conversely, in those very same moments, the term "wifey" was instead perhaps being wielded, to demean, control, decidedly down-spirit. Since then, the moniker "wifey" has become a much more widely-used, pop culture reference to one's wife; seriously fab, gift-of-a-girlfriend; or a superlative, should-be-spousey stranger or acquaintance--thus triggering my memory in the now about that 'what if' I'd imagined, way back when. Complete that roux by folding in the beginnings of the recent domestic and world events of socioeconomic crisis; and stir in throughout a bold, galloping blend of the ever-fragrant, uniting-and-dividing grains, proteins, and spices that are food, race, money, sex, religion, chemical and fermented influence, and all things multicultural; and there you have steaming ready, beckoning, before you--in heaping paperback and digital form--the unique dish of a hopefully, filling, fiction read that is Wifey. I do hope it plays nicely about the eager-aching-curious mouth in your mind, and that the complex flavors of its queries and commentaries linger well on the tongue of your sociopolitical thoughts--long after you've digested its last startling, giggling, haunting, zinging, smacking textual bite.


Book Description:

When life as a curiously paired, young married couple in California--in the midst of a growing state and national economic crisis--becomes literally unworkable, Rodney, an earnestly toiling, playboy of a husband, unilaterally determines that he and P.V., his ambitious but naive, exotic wife, should relocate to Texas. So P.V., a struggling sophomore realtor and avid foodie, and Rodney, a newly unemployed marketer and sports addict, sell virtually everything they own and embark upon a downsized existence in the heart of North Texas--Dallas. But an eerie and horrifying morning dream that P.V. previously experienced becomes a dark and ever-unfurling, pain-filled prophesy that ultimately threatens the very foundations of their humanity. Sex, depravity, despair, and an uneven pavement of good intentions lead to a black, one-way road with a shocking and hair-raising end.

About the Author:

Fey Ugokwe was born in Washington, D.C., to immigrant parents--one from British Guiana, South America, and the other from Nigeria, West Africa. She was subsequently raised in Pennsylvania, and attended both college and law school in Massachusetts. Fey is an attorney, and the founder of a socially-conscious media activity. At the age of three, she was taught to read and write by her maternal grandmother, a British-trained schoolteacher, and has been writing fiction and poetry since a child. She received her formal training in novel writing, genre fiction writing, contemporary fiction writing, and political fiction writing in Massachusetts, where her professors included renowned authors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her interests are, namely, in genre, contemporary, and political fiction, and she has a strong interest in uniquely combining the essences of the three, in order to highlight the underpinnings of the human experience.

Visit her website at http://www.pinkpurseinternational.net

Author Guest Post : The Wanderers by Paul Stutzman

About the Book:

An Amish Love Story About Hope and Finding Home

Everything in God’s nature, Johnny observed, did what it was created to do. Everything, that is, except the human race. Johnny was born into an Amish family, into a long line of farmers and good businessmen. He is expected to follow the traditions of family and church as he grows to adulthood. But even as a boy, he questions whether he can be satisfied with this lifestyle. He wants “more” — more education, more travel, more opportunity.
His restlessness leads him down a dangerous road where too much partying and drinking result in heartbreaking consequences. He’s adrift, and no one seems to be able to help him find his direction.

Then he meets spunky Annie, who seems pure and lovely and devoted to her God. Her past, though, holds sin and heartbreak. She was a worm, she explains, but God has transformed her into a butterfly. Johnny falls hopelessly in love; and eventually he, too, finds the power of God to transform lives.
Settling down on the family farm, he forgets about the questions and the restlessness, thinking that he is happy and at home, at last.
But in a few short hours, tragedy changes his life forever, and he is again wondering… and wandering on a very long journey.

Entwined with Johnny and Annie’s story is the allegory of two Monarch butterflies, worms who have been transformed into amazing creatures specially chosen to carry out the miracle of the fourth generation. They, too, must undertake a long journey before they finally find home.

Purchase your copy at AMAZON.



About the Author:

Paul Stutzman was born in Holmes County, Ohio in an Amish family. His family left the Amish lifestyle soon after Paul was born. They joined a strict Conservative Mennonite Church where Paul was raised to fear God and obey all the rules the church demanded. Paul continued to live among and mingle with his Amish friends and relatives his entire life. Paul married a Mennonite girl and remained in the Amish community working and raising a family. After Paul lost his wife to cancer, he sensed a tug on his heart- the call to a challenge, the call to pursue a dream. With a mixture of dread and determination, Paul left his job, traveled to Georgia, and took his first steps on the 2,176 mile Appalachian Trail. What he learned during the next four and a half months changed his life-and can change yours too. After completing his trek Stutzman wrote Hiking Through—a book about this life changing journey.

In the summer of 2010 Stutzman again heeded the call for adventure and pedaled his bicycle 5,000 miles across America. He began his ride at the Northwest corner of Washington State and pedaled to Key West, Florida. On his journey across America he encounters people in all circumstances, from homelessness to rich abundance. The people he meets touch his life profoundly. Stutzman writes about these encounters in his book Biking Across America.

Recently Stutzman released his first novel entitled The Wanderers. The Wanderers is a story about Johnny, a young Amish boy growing up in a culture he is not sure he wants to embrace. A young Amish girl named Annie wins his heart and life is great for a time. Entwined with Johnny and Annie’s story is the allegory of two Monarch butterflies, worms who have been transformed into amazing creatures specially chosen to carry out the miracle of the fourth generation. They, too, must undertake a long journey before they finally find home.

In addition to writing, he speaks to groups about his hiking and biking experiences and the lessons learned during these adventures. Stutzman resides in Berlin, Ohio and can be contacted through his website at www.hikingthrough.com or www.paulstutzman.com.

Stutzman resides in Berlin, Ohio and can be contacted through his website at www.hikingthrough.com or www.paulstutzman.com

Author Guest Post/Giveaway : Make Freelancing REALLY Pay: Communication and Negotiation Strategies That Take You to the Top by Daisy McCarty

What Is Freelance Freedom Like?

One of the most interesting things about creating my book, Make Freelancing REALLY Pay, has been taking a look at my journey over the past five years. When I started out, I didn’t know what this career would entail on a day-to-day basis or over the long term. That’s not surprising. Freelance writing is a “job” that most people find difficult to comprehend on a practical level—because it isn’t like any traditional job they’ve ever had. If I tell someone what I do for a living, they pepper me with a dozen questions, trying to figure out what my life is like. Here are three of the many “freelance freedoms” that make this career so enjoyable.

#1 Freedom to Be Choosy

I freely admit that I’m picky about my projects and about my clients. These days, I’m able to choose projects that interest me rather than just accepting whatever’s available. That’s a freedom that comes with time and experience. But the option to say “No” to bad business relationships is one that every freelancer can claim from the start.

As a freelancer, I don’t have to work with an awful boss, an annoying coworker, or an unpleasant customer. I can and do expect to be treated as I treat others. For me, the worst case scenario of losing a job would only mean forgoing a single project with a particular client. There are plenty more.

#2 Freedom from Income Limitations

Have you ever looked at your current salary and done that depressing calculation that tells you how much money you can expect to make 10 years from now assuming an x percent increase per year? Did you find it completely demotivating? As a freelancer, I don’t have to accept any assumptions about how much money I can make.

I’ve more than quadrupled my minimum rates in five years and I still haven’t hit any kind of ceiling on my earning potential. That’s not because I’m an enormously gifted or famous writer. It’s because I realized I am free to raise my rates as I please. There are no rules about how much I can charge—the only limits are related to how well I can communicate the value of my services.

#3 Freedom to Say “Enough”

In corporate America, you’re either climbing the ladder or serving as a stepping stone for someone else to clamber over you in the race to the top. The cycle of working more and more hours or paying for more and more education to try to reach a higher career level is difficult to stop. There’s no time to slow down and wonder if it’s all worth it in the end.

Contrary to popular beliefs, working as a freelancer can make work/life balance easier to achieve—not harder. I don’t have to worry about losing career momentum if I scale back my workload. Right now, I work 20-25 hours per week (and still make twice as much as I did at my last 9-5 job). I could make more money by working longer hours, but I get to decide how much is enough.

Learn More about the Freelance Lifestyle

The preface to my book, Make Freelancing REALLY Pay, provides more detail about what freelance success means to me. The rest of the book takes readers step by step through practical strategies for reaching a similar point in their businesses. My hope is that this resource will motivate and inspire other freelancers to dream big, make it happen, and refuse to settle for less in their own careers.



Title: Make Freelancing REALLY Pay: Communication and Negotiation Strategies That Take You to the Top

Genre: Nonfiction/Business/Entrepreneurship
Author: Daisy McCarty
Publisher: Daisy McCarty
Pages: 114
Language: English
Purchase at AMAZON

“Make Freelancing REALLY Pay” helps new and struggling freelancers dramatically improve their business with expert communication and negotiation strategies. This book is a collection of real-life guidelines, tips, and tactics for overcoming common challenges. Readers learn how to select the best clients, expand their business, raise their rates, stabilize their income, and much more.


ABOUT DAISY MCCARTY

Daisy McCartyDaisy McCarty is a self-educated writer and co-founder of Freelance Text, a professional services firm that specializes in web content creation. Since transitioning out of a seven year career in Corporate Procurement in 2008, Daisy has been using her negotiating skills to navigate to the higher levels of the online writing industry. Today, she mentors informally at Professional Freelancers Network, and offers formal one-on-one consulting services to freelancers who are ready to increase their income.

Her latest book is Make Freelancing REALLY Pay: Communication and Negotiation Strategies That Take You to the Top.

You can read Daisy’s blog and get more great freelancing advice at http://makefreelancingpay.com.

Connect & Socialize with Daisy!

TWITTER * FACEBOOK

Author Guest Post : Blood Will Tell and Blood Is Thicker by Meredith Mansfield

Hi. Thanks for hosting me today. I thought I'd give you a couple of character profiles.

Valeriah:

Valeriah is a half-werewolf, not really at home either among humans or her mother's kind. She can't take wolf form, but she's still driven by the manic energy brought on by the full moon. To deal with this, she runs and practices her fighting skills. This has made her a formidable opponent.

As a very young child she witnessed the murders of her parents and older brothers. The trauma of that has kept her from forming a lasting relationship with anyone but the remnants of her family--her grandfather and her cousin, Cristel.

She is definitely not looking for love. What motivates her is to find the clues to track down the murderers. The only thing she knows for sure is that an illicit portal was used to commit the crimes. Valeriah works as a bodyguard for the elite of Chimeria partly in order to find out who can make portals. The only thing she'll allow to stand in the way of this goal is the safety of her family.

Rolf:

Rolf is the privileged son of the Matriarch of the Gold Dragons (arguably the rightful ruler of all Chimeria). He does have a job--two in fact. As the son of the Matriarch, he's the Protector. But that meaningless title has become mostly ceremonial because there's just nothing to protect against.

Nevertheless, being raised to fill this position has only served to enhance his inborn draconic protective instincts. Left to himself, Rolf would wrap those he cares about up in cotton and keep them perfectly safe. Of course, those loved ones--usually females--always eventually fight their way out of the cotton batting and run far, far away. Especially since Rolf is also attracted to strong, competent females in the first place. Fortunately for him, he's never been really interested in a long-term relationship anyway.

His other job is to travel through Chimeria--in disguise as a human--and retrieve the most dangerous of the magical talismans originally made by the dragons, like the two that can create portals. Unfortunately, he has an entirely deserved reputation for being too easily distracted by an attractive female. Naturally, he finds Valeriah irresistible.


When these two team up to solve a mystery and save Cristel, you just know there are going to be fireworks.


Blood Will Tell
Book One
Meredith Mansfield

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

ISBN: 978-1484141137
ISBN: 9781476442884
ASIN: B007WGBNII

Number of pages: 249 pages

Word Count: 96,000 words

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Book Description:

Being a half-blood is inconvenient on a good day, especially when the half you got from your mother is werewolf. Valeriah can’t take wolf form, but the full moon still fills her with manic energy. Running helps; a tired werewolf is a good werewolf.

Living perennially caught between two worlds--human and werewolf, magic and non-magic--doesn't leave much room for love. That suits Valeriah just fine. She's never had any luck with that anyway.
Until her cousin’s life is threatened, that is, and out of necessity she accepts the help of a mysterious young man to protect Cristel. Rolf is everything that makes Valeriah's pulse speed up in spite of herself. Now, with Cristel's life in the balance, is the worst possible time for that kind of complication.

But Rolf's secrets could destroy her trust and that might cost her life.





Blood Is Thicker
Book Two
Meredith Mansfield

ISBN: 978-1492105138
ISBN: 9781301244065
ASIN: B00EDCTFIY

Number of Pages: 212 pages
Number of Words: 78,000 words

In the sequel to BLOOD WILL TELL, the newlyweds, Rolf and Valeriah, face a new crisis.

Born half-werewolf, Valeriah's life has never been simple. Her recent marriage to a dragon has led to a transformation--Valeriah is now a dragon, too. But, taking the form and knowing how to actually be a dragon is not the same thing. Her life has even more complications than ever. So many, in fact, that she doesn't recognize the signs of her own pregnancy until Rolf rushes her to the Hatching Grounds to lay their eggs.

But then things only get worse, because something's wrong on the Hatching Grounds. The underground source of heat that sustains the eggs is slowly dying. Valeriah and Rolf have to scramble to discover what's gone wrong and find a way to fix it before their eggs die.

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Chimeria Two Book Bundle

Contains both
Blood Will Tell
and Blood Is Thicker

ASIN: B00FR0AXOG

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Excerpt- From Blood Is Thicker, Chapter 1, Scene 2:

Valeriah huffed irritably as she beat her giant leathery wings to gain altitude for the next pass. This flight school boot camp was not what she'd had in mind when Rolf suggested the isolated villa for the remainder of their honeymoon.
The full moon and the manic energy it brought out in her never did improve her mood and having indigestion to go with it wasn't helping any. Used to be, she'd run for miles to calm that madness. Or engage in practice fights. Now she'd do well to run anywhere without tripping over her own feet or tail and fighting was out of the question. She used to be able to take care of herself, not have to depend on Rolf to catch her food and take care of her. No doubt he was enjoying it, but she didn't like the feeling at all.
Of course, Rolf was always ready to help her work off the full-moon energy in other ways. In human form, that would have been fine with her. While she'd never say this to Rolf, on the whole, she found the mating of dragons unsatisfactory--not unpleasant, but far from breathtaking. He'd been a much more versatile and exciting lover as a human. Hanging upside down, wings folded, clutched in Rolf's talons, while he slowly circled the lake just didn't have as many thrills. It was like trading the most spine-tingling rollercoaster at Magic Mountain for the merry-go-round. You were still moving but it just wasn't the same. Thank the Goddess that he was more than twice her size as a dragon and strong enough to carry her. Otherwise, they wouldn't have even that. It was going to take her a while to master flying upside down.
She reached her intended altitude in a bad mood. Rolf had been drilling her in aerobatic maneuvers for hours and she was sick of it. Well, let's see what he thought about this. She folded her wings back for the dive, pulling out only at the last second into a perfect barrel roll.
Rolf's trumpeting crow of delight echoed back from the surrounding mountains. "You're ready!"
"Ready for what?" she asked as she landed in front of him.
"For me to show you how it's really done. Fly with me."
As soon as they lifted off, Rolf darted in and grabbed her talons in his own. Well, that wasn't what she'd thought he'd meant when he was so excited about her aerobatics, but all right.
Rolf gestured skyward with his chin. "We need to go higher."
Maybe this was going to be a little different after all. Any change would be a good thing. They climbed, talons still joined and wings beating in unison. Up and up until even dragon lungs could barely suck enough oxygen from the thin air. Then they hovered for a moment.
Rolf shifted his grip on her talons to draw her closer, so close she had to curtail her wing beats. His much wider wings continued to beat, nearly encompassing her completely at each stroke. He pulled her closer until their bodies met. She could feel the heat of him against the delicate scales of her belly and then, with one sharp movement, the heat was inside her, too.
Valeriah pressed against him, wrapping her neck and tail around his to bring him closer. In spite of the minor inconveniences, she really did love Rolf. Moments like this helped to remind her how much. She started to let her weight fall backwards, but Rolf pulled her back up.
"Not this time. Fold your wings and dive," Rolf said.
She did. They plummeted, necks and tails entwined, wings clasped. Yes! This was what she had been missing. The rush of freefall sent a tingling sensation surging down the length of her body. She shivered and that sent another wave exploding outward from her center and then back again until she felt she would break apart if he were to let go of her.
They pulled out only at the last second, rolling together, which sent altogether new and delectable sensations through her body.
"Up again?" Rolf asked.
"Up! Yess!" Valeriah answered.
They climbed and plunged again, still joined. When they pulled out, Valeriah screamed, "Up!"
Rolf obliged. This time, when they dove, they were above the deep lake behind the villa and they did not pull out. They plunged into the waves, continuing the dive until their lungs were near to bursting. Only then did they finally separate, each driving for the surface and air. They paddled over to the beach and lay, wing-tip to wing-tip, utterly spent, wings extended so the afternoon sun could warm them as they sucked air into their starved lungs.
"Goddess! I've never gone for three falls before," Rolf said, gasping.
Valeriah raised her head. Her grin exposed rows of serrated, razor-sharp teeth. "I'll try for four, if you want."
The rumble of his laughter made wave-like ripples in the sand of the beach. "Mercy! I fear that would burst even my heart." He stretched his wing so that he could caress the edge of hers. "Do you forgive me, now? For driving you so hard to learn to fly?"
Her laugh sounded more like a purr. "Oh, I think sso. Yess. Definitely." Just now she was very glad she'd slowed down enough to let him catch her last spring.


About the Author:
Professionally, I've been a financial analyst and a visual basic programmer. I also have a paralegal certificate, although I've never worked in that field. It's anybody's guess what I'll be when I grow up.

Imagining stories and writing have always been an important part of my life. It's one I've finally gotten to spend a significant amount of time on while I care for my mother who has Alzheimer's disease.


www.MeredithMansfield.WordPress.com

Twitter: @MansfieldMJ

https://plus.google.com/stream#108158390596093486563/posts

https://www.facebook.com/meredith.mansfield.3#!/pages/Meredith-Mansfield-Writer/198287643536426

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5817351.Meredith_Mansfield