Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts

March 11, 2016

Excerpt & Giveaway! The Necromancer's Dance, The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #1 by S.J. Himes


In a world where magic is real and evil walks amongst humanity, a young sorcerer is beset upon by enemies, both old and new. Angelus Salvatore is the only necromancer in all of Boston, and his name is whispered warily by the undead and fellow sorcerers alike. He and his brother Isaac are the lone survivors of an attack by an army of the undead, in which Angel used a spell so powerful it forever marked his place in history. Now, years later, Angel struggles to balance his career as a teacher of the higher magical arts, his role as big brother, and a tenuous relationship with an Elder vampire from the local clan. When his brother's boyfriend is used as a pawn in a mysterious plot to draw Angel out, Angel is once again drawn back into the old hostilities that fueled the Blood Wars and led to his family's death.

Leaning on others for help is something Angel cannot do, and while he searches for clues into who may be targeting him and his brother, Angel finds his heart steadily growing occupied with Simeon, Elder and vampire. Dealing with death magic and vampires on a daily basis may leave Angel jaded when it comes to life and staying that way, but the more time he spends fending off the ancient vampire's attention and affections, the more he realizes he wants to give in. 

Can Angel find out who wants him dead, and keep his heart safe in the process? How can he fall for a vampire, when his whole family was torn apart by an army of the undead? 

Death stalks the streets of Boston's historic Beacon Hill....and there is no one more suited to battle against death than a necromancer.




He must have passed out, too damn tired from a long day at work, interrupted sleep, and a semi-major working that consumed a huge portion of his reserves. It took power to use power, and even though Angel fueled the spell with ambient magic, he still had to control and shape the working. It was a bitch, doing magic cold like that, and he would have been better off if he hadn’t gone into it stressed out and tired. Not to mention he couldn’t remember the last time he ate anything more substantial than tea and a muffin. Isaac moving out meant Angel forgot to eat more often than not.

Angel woke wrapped up in his favorite blanket, his bed warm and welcoming. Something was tickling his face, and he worked a hand free from under the blanket to swipe at his cheek. Feeling cool skin and soft lips, Angel opened his eyes.

He was in Simeon’s arms, laying half on his clothed chest, their faces so close together the vampire’s deep green eyes were all he could see. 

Angel’s hand was caught up in Simeon’s, their fingers intertwining. Angel’s eyes drifted shut as Simeon closed the tiny distance between them, his soft and cool lips ghosting over Angel’s. He pulled in a deep breath of Simeon-flavored air, the vampire’s scent filling his mouth and nose.

The scent of fresh blood was in there too—Simeon must have fed before taking Angel home, the potent tang of hot metal impossible to miss. The sensation of Simeon’s lips barely touching Angel’s did unrepeatable things to his nervous system, setting him on fire with a cool flame.

His body jerked, just a little, freezing and alternately relaxing as Simeon’s lips settled over his in a full kiss, with a hint of tongue and the nip of sharp teeth.


I'm a thirty something woman with way too big an imagination, but that comes in handy when I'm writing. I have been writing since I was a child, when I took a four-page assignment on what I was going to do on summer vacation and turned it into a 100 page fantasy epic all written by hand...in crayons. No joke.

I work a day job, but I can't share for who, since the Old Man isn't as liberated as the people who read my books. I'm married, I have furbabies, and I live with loved ones. I adore a certain show about a British consulting detective and his grumpy army doctor, and that spawned an addiction to Johnlock fanfiction, which then evolved into me writing it. Gawd, that's embarrassing. Put this down in the TMI section of my Bio, okay? I enjoy martial arts, movies where things blow up, and I wish I lived in a Marvel movie. 

I live in the beautiful and lonely Berkshire County in Massachusetts, and I see way more wildlife than I care to on a daily basis (bears!). My perfect day is reading surrounded by friends and family who don't think it's odd I want to hang out but not talk, and my favorite scent of all time is a cool fall evening with leaves burning.... less a scent, and more of an experience.



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Excerpt & Giveaway! Twisted Fables Anthology


This collection of revamped fairytales is certain to entice and excite your senses. From Cinderella to Red Riding Hood, Twisted Fables takes you on a journey through the many fairytale worlds with a sensual twist.

These twelve stories are penned by both seasoned scribes and new authors; the anthology provides readers with the perfect opportunity to explore offerings from their favorite storytellers as well as find a new favorite or two. 

Containing M/M and F/F stories from authors Angora Shade, Samantha Kate, Angelique Voisen, Jamie Lowe, Shira Glassman, Lynn Townsend, Asta Idonea, Kay C Sulli, T Strange, Sheri Velarde, and Nicole Wilkinson, Twisted Fables is sure to have something for the fantasy lover.





From The Dragon’s Gift by Angora Shade -- A single clawed digit pushes into my mouth, spreading my lips apart and caressing over the flat of my tongue. I create an O shape around it and curl the edges of my tongue around her finger. The tip of my tongue slides smoothly over her pointed tip as she withdraws, and I enjoy the light smacking sound our actions make from my suction once she’s left my mouth. My mind wanders as I imagine gliding in and out of multiple places… Extra long fingers reaching extra, extra deep… If this is really happening, I tell myself I cannot let her down.

I reach with both my hands to grasp the hand still floating in front of my face. I kiss each knuckle in turn, and then lick the space between her thumb and pointer finger with the tip of my tongue. The texture of the costume is rough in the opposite direction of the layered fabric, and smooth as glass down the other way. I taste something I imagine to be the remnants of stage makeup she might’ve helped a fellow actor draw on, but it’s the warmth radiating from underneath that lures me further; I want to feel it all over my body. Grasping her hand tightly, I place it over my face, guide it down over my features to my neck, and push into the dip of my shirt collar. I feel the trail linger like a mild burn long after her hand cascades onto my shirt fabric and pauses above my rapidly beating heart.

My eyes closed sometime during the action, but I open them to confess what I’ve always wanted to say: “I want you.”

Maxine doesn’t speak a word, but her head tilts from side to side again. I wish she’d say something—anything—to assure me of her intentions. A few touches, some light kisses—they mean less to me without the emotional connection inflicted by words. I’d like to hear her tell me she’s always secretly desired me, been curious. A confession of mutual love would send me over the moon….


Nicole Wilkinson has been an active writer for the better part of ten years. Raised by parents who embraced the arts no matter the style, she has always been fascinated by imaginary worlds and the characters who inhabit them.

Born on the West Coast but raised on the East Coast, she often comments that the two distant shores might as well be foreign worlds for all the similarities between them. She currently lives in North Carolina, but has also spent time in Oregon, Washington State, South Carolina, and Virginia. She has become a pro-mover by now and has learned to love a life in constant transit. 

She loves to write. Or as she is prone to say, "I write for the same reason I breathe - Because if I didn't, I would die," which is a famous quote attributed to the great Isaac Asimov. 


~~~
Samantha Kate works as a paralibrarian (that’s library support staff) for her day job. In her free time, she tries to pursue more creative projects than is humanly possible. “Bottom of the River” is her first published work; her first novel, Cinnamon and Cigarettes, will be released by Torquere Press in 2016.


~~~
After enduring several evil stepmothers, T. Strange was finally swept off her feet by a dashing Prince(ss) Charming. Or, in actuality, attempted to sweep the larger Prince(ss) of her feet. They lived happily ever after in the charming, far-away land of Canada with their animal friends. One cat helps with the chores.


~~~
Asta Idonea is the MM pen name of Nicki J. Markus. She was born in England in 1982, but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia with her husband. She has loved both reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist, having studied several foreign languages.
Nicki works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and in her spare time she enjoys: music, theatre, cinema, photography, sketching, and cross stitch. She also loves history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel.


~~~
Jamie Lowe is a mixed contemporary and fantasy author who has released a novel as well as a number of short stories through Torquere Books and Dreamspinner Press in the past. After completing a Creative Writing MFA, Jamie is back to writing on a part time basis when not working, traveling, or studying in her passion areas of Greek and Roman history.


~~~
A bisexual, twenty-something, type-2 diabetic MM erotic romance writer, Angelique Voisen also likes experimenting with different sub-genres. Her stories may include dominant alpha males, cuffs, fangs, space battles, kinky magic systems and happily-ever-afters.


~~~
Sheri Velarde lives in New Mexico with her husband and their two dogs.
Being an avid reader since an early age, she has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. She has been writing all her life, but only recently started to actually try to pursue her dream of writing for a living. She specializes in all things paranormal and that go bump in the night. Her heart truly lies in exploring unknown worlds or adding the supernatural to our world. If it goes bump in the night or has magical connotations, Sheri writes about it.
She is constantly putting out new material with various publishers, so it is best to keep up with her on her website www.sherivelarde.weebly.com. 


~~~
Angora Shade is a multi-published American author living in what she lovingly refers to as "Sheep Shit Nowhere" Europe. In an attempt to add some spice to her small town life, Ms Shade began writing explicit erotica as a form of entertainment. Exploring the boundaries of acceptable sexual literature, she often seeks to create stories that not only entertain others, but also expose and push against the negative stigma surrounding sex in modern day society. She believes that sex, in literature, art, personal thought, and physical nature, should be celebrated and expressed freely and as easily as any God given freedom. Her favorite themes in writing include revenge, self-discovery, alternative materials for love play/bdsm, as well as anything that produces a good tingle, sizzle, or laugh. When not writing, Ms Shade enjoys red wine, travel, dancing, classic cartoons, baking, and creating fine art.

Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/angorashadeauthor

~~~
Lynn Townsend is a geek, a dreamer and an inveterate punster. When not reading, writing, or editing, she can usually be found drinking coffee or killing video game villains. Lynn's interests include geek comedy music, romance novels, octopuses, and movies with more FX than plot.



~~~
Kay C. Sulli is a queer asexual writer of historical, supernatural, and contemporary fiction. She can often be found scribbling in the wilds of the American West. Her imagination is filled with cowboys, patriots, nature guides, werecritters and more demanding their stories to be written. When Kay is not writing she can be found reading everything she can get her hands on, hiking, and practicing outdoor photography.

Website/Blog - http://www.kaycsulli.com

~~~
Shira Glassman is a bi Jewish violinist from Florida. Not for use in microwave.



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March 4, 2016

Excerpt & Giveaway! Marking Kane, Werewolves of Manhattan #4 by A.C. Katt


Gabriel Martin has hope. Three of the Alphas on the council have found mates in the past year and a half. Returning to New York from Atlanta, he comes across a human who has been raped in an alleyway. The human is his mate, Kane Brady.

Kane has been teaching at the local high school and refuses to rubber stamp the education of their star basketball players—almost paying the price with his life. He’s unusual as he’s a Human Omega but he can’t be intimate with Gabriel because of his horrific experience. 

It’s up to the Alphas and their Mates to help Kane recover and accept all that it is to be with Gabriel.





First Week in December Friday

The faculty room at New York City’s McClellan High School reeked of industrial strength cleaner, sweat socks, and chalk. The walls were made of dirty beige concrete blocks and the linoleum was beginning to crack. Today it was empty save for Coach Tom Hughes and Kane Brady, the junior year English teacher, who were involved in a heated exchange.

“Neither Johnny Sanders nor Deon Jackson did the work. They didn’t turn in one homework assignment all semester, they refused to take all of their tests and didn’t even bother to do their term papers. I have to fail them.” 

“Do you realize that Johnny is the power forward and Deon is the point guard for McClellan High School’s basketball team? This year’s team has a shot at the state championship.”

“Tom, they’re not here to learn to play basketball, they can do that on the street or at the Y. They’re here for an education and they won’t get one if we continue to pass students along without them doing the work required to get a passing grade.”

“Are you telling me physical education isn’t important?” Coach loomed over Kane, who was only five-foot-six.

“Physical Education is as important as English is to their development. If they failed to show up for your class, sat on the sidelines for every exercise and disrupted the class on a regular basis what would you do? I know you’ve failed students.” Kane’s eyes blazed.

“I didn’t fail our two, star basketball players,” the Coach huffed.

“Talk to them about what happened. I didn’t want to be unreasonable so when I realized they were on the team and failing my class, I told the boys in November what they had to do to pass. I also told their parents. They didn’t do it. They didn’t turn in one missed homework assignment or the term paper I assigned in September.”

“They don’t have time for all that shit, they have to practice. The other teachers go along. This is your first year here. You fail Deon and Johnny and you’re out on your ear.” Coach drank the sludge they called coffee and stared at Kane pointedly.

“And I’m out on my ear if these kids don’t pass the standardized tests at the end of the school year.”

“There are ways of getting around that.” Coach Hughes was trying to physically intimidate him, and Kane wasn’t buying it.

“So which do you suggest, do I sacrifice their education so they graduate without being able to read passed a sixth-grade level? Or do you suggest I fail them and give them the incentive to pass next semester so they can play ball?”

“These boys can get scholarships for college if they play,” the coach said belligerently.

“And if they don’t do the work here, their professors will fail them because they can’t keep up and they won’t be able to play or pay for the education they were promised.” Kane was practically begging the coach to put the kids and their futures first.

“They have difficult lives at home.” The coach got sanctimonious.

“No, they don’t. They have both of their parents and both sets of parents work. Deon’s father is a policeman and Johnny’s mother is a nurse. I’ve spoken to them and they agree with my decision. Their boys have gotten out of hand. They are aware that their sons have not done any school work for the past two years, with the school turning a blind eye. As I said, I have their full support. The parents would rather have their sons educated than have them only know how to play basketball.”

“They don’t have the mental capacity to do the work.”

“I’d like to see you tell that to their parents. If they were incapable of doing the assignments, I’d suggest putting them in a remedial class, but they can do the work, they just refuse to do it.” Kane glared at the coach.

“One way or another, you’ll pay for this. Those kids were my ticket to coaching college ball and I’m not going to lose out because of you”,” Tom shouted. Kane shrunk back. The coach was six foot six and about two-hundred fifty pounds to his one-forty soaking wet.

“Get them another student to tutor them. If they catch up, I’ll change their grade,” Kane offered.

“Fuck you, Brady. Either you pass both Deon and Johnny, or you’ll pay the consequences. This is what happens when you let fags teach school.”

“I could have you fired for that remark.” 

The coach pushed him up against a wall, shook him and said, “Buddy, you’re not going to be around long enough to complain.” He let Kane go and Kane slipped to the floor.

Tom Hughes tore out of the faculty room and down the corridor.

Kane had stood his ground but was shaking in his boots. He wished he had someone to talk to about this, but this was his first year teaching and since he came in August from Indiana, he hadn’t had time to make friends. The coach had been at the school for five years. What is my word worth against his?

***
The coach approached Johnny and Deon in the locker room. “He won’t budge. If you get your papers in, he’ll pass you, if you don’t you fail. You should have made a token effort.”

“Why should we have to be in class with a fag? Why would I want to do work for a fag? He needs schooling of a different kind. By the time Deon and I are through with him, there’ll be a new teacher in English three who gets how to play the game.” Johnny’s smile boded no good for Kane Brady.

“Yeah, let’s see how much he really likes to take it up the ass.” Deon poked his friend in the ribs. “We’ll make it a team effort.” Deon laughed out loud. 

“Yeah sort of like a class project,” Johnny smirked.

“I didn’t hear you say that. Remember, if you get caught, it will go worse for you than if you fail,” Coach told them. “You’re courting jail time and then no college or pro team will have you.”

“You’re just as guilty as we are for encouraging us not to participate in that fag’s class and you’ve threatened other teachers before this.” Deon spat. “This one is the first one to face you down. The fag has balls, who knew?”

“If he fails us, you don’t get to coach college ball. If we get caught, you don’t get to coach college ball. It would be in your interest to let us know where he lives so we can take care of business, and to provide us with an alibi if we need one.” Johnny stood waiting for the requested information.

“He sometimes stays late to review papers and make up his lesson plans. You can follow him home. If you get caught, you’re on your own.” 

“No, we’re not. You’re right there with us. We told you what we’re going to do, if you don’t report us, you’re as guilty as we are. But, we all know you won’t make any waves because you want that college coaching position.”

“All right, go, do your worst. If you get caught, I know nothing.”

“Right…” said Deon as he elbowed Johnny in the ribs and smirked.

***
Kane hadn’t realized it was after nine. He was grading papers. It was easier to do that at school. Here he could spread out unlike in his efficiency apartment. However, his apartment was only two blocks from work on the edge of New York’s trendy SOHO and convenient to shopping. It also had huge windows which let in more light than the usual city apartment. His was a neighborhood in flux. He lived in an old tenement and there was a pricey new high-rise down the block at Ten Sullivan. It was the tallest building in SOHO.

Kane sighed, gathered up his papers, put them in his satchel and closed up his classroom.

“Good night, Ernie,” he called to the janitor as he left the building.

“Good night Mr. Brady. You be careful. There’s a lot of snow and ice outside and they’re predicting another storm. Schools will probably be closed tomorrow.

“I’ll be careful. Thanks.”

***
Kane shivered in the cold. The walk home seemed more difficult tonight, feet dragging through the snow piles with the wind gusts almost picking him up off the ground. He kept on looking over his shoulder. Kane was sure someone was following him. Every time he glanced backward he saw shadows in doorways.He looked around again and watched five boys in ski masks come out of an alley. They were walking quickly toward him, with seeming purpose. As they got closer, he realized that they were following him. He began to walk faster. They also picked up speed. Kane started to run.



AC Katt was born in New York City’s Greenwich Village. She remembers sitting at the fountain in Washington Square Park listening to folk music while they passed the hat. At nine, her parents dragged her to New Jersey where she grew up, married and raised four children and became a voracious reader of romantic fiction. At one time she owned over two thousand novels, until she and her husband took themselves and the cat to New Mexico for their health and its great beauty.

Now, most of AC’s books are electronic (although she still keeps six bookcases of hardcovers), so she never has to give away another book. AC is a late bloomer, however, she claims to have found her niche writing LGBT romance. 

She hangs out at ACKatt.com and ackattsjournal.com; where she keeps her blog. To get snippets of new releases and Works in Progress subscribe to AC Katt’s Kattery by sending an e-mail to mlhansel@gmail.com.



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March 2, 2016

Book Promo! Twisted by Elizabeth Montgomery


Who could’ve known one pair of shoes could cause so much trouble.

Dee’s lost the sparkly red heels, and when she befriends a witch to help her find a way home, she finds herself down the rabbit hole. With the veil between Wonderland and Oz torn wide open, things go awry.

The flying monkeys are loose in the Kingdom, Hatter is lost on the sun-colored brick road, and betwixt a battle of the worlds, the Red Queen seeks power, but all Dee wants is to go home.



“Elizabeth Montgomery takes two favorite tales and puts a new spin on them, creating new worlds and characters and leaves you wondering what is next?” - United Indie Book Blog

“With a unique plot and interesting characters, readers of all ages will enjoy it.” - Author L.L. Hunter




Elizabeth Montgomery was born in Williamsburg, Va and raised in Yorktown, Va. Growing up in and around the historic triangle spurred her love for the unusual and paranormal. She is a mom to four amazing kids, a wife to an extraordinary husband and a full-time pediatric nurse. When not writing, working or helping with homework you can find Elizabeth with her nose stuck in a book or hovering around her Keurig waiting for that next cup.
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February 29, 2016

Book Promo! Viktor: Heart of Her King, Kings of the Blood #1 by Julia Mills


Three millennium brought the Supreme Commander to this place at this time to meet the one woman who can save not only his soul but his very existence. 

Too many days pondering her life. Too many nights dreaming of the nameless, faceless man who makes her feel things she never thought possible. 

One has a chance for revenge, the other a chance for redemption. Together they must make a choice. Together they hold the key. 

Together only they can save the heart of her king. 

This book contains explicit sexual material and violence. It is only suited for mature readers 18 years of age and older.






Mom of two rockin' girls, Reader of everything, Author of The Dragon Guards series and many more surprises to come!


I am a sarcastic,sometimes foul-mouthed, not afraid to drink a beer, always southern woman with 2 of the most amazing teenage daughters,

a menagerie of animals and a voracious appetite for reading who recently decided to write the storied running through her brain. I read my first book, Dr Suess' Cat in The Hat by myself at 4 and was hooked.

I believe a good book along with shoes, makeup and purses will never let a girl down and that all heroes of all the books

I have ever read or will ever write pale in comparison to my daddy! I am a sucker for a happy ending and love some hot sweaty sex with a healthy dose of romance.

I am still working on my story but believe it will contain all of the above with as much SPICE as I can work into it. CHEERS!


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February 24, 2016

Character Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway! Wolf, Becoming by Rory Ni Coileain


Volyk learns very young that he has to hide what he is—oboroten’, shape-shifter—after his father is killed and skinned by a hunter, and the pack that takes in his pregnant mother is hostile to his kind. When Volyk is ordered to fight the pack’s beta to prove his fitness, but instead obeys his hormones and tries to mount him, he’s declared an abomination and forced to flee.

Ilya, too, hides a secret. Being young and gay in modern Russia is dangerous, and he knows it. But the truth eventually gets out, and his brothers lure him into the forest to kill him. They’re stopped by Volyk, who hides the mortally wounded Ilya in his den. The only way to heal the human is to turn him into an oboroten’. 

Unfortunately, Ilya’s gentle nature is ill suited to the life of a wolf. But when Volyk’s old pack returns, seeking to take away Volyk’s magickal den, Ilya will have to embrace – truly become – the wolf Volyk made him, to save both his mate’s life and his own.




~ Ilya ~

What’s your job like? 

Before I met Volyk, I guess you could say I was a perpetual student. Trying to put off the day when I’d be expected to find a place in my father’s business empire.

Would you rather be respected or feared? Why? 

I’d settle for just being left alone… but I don’t think I have it in me to be fearsome. Surely there are ways to earn respect, other than making people afraid of you. Though I’ll admit, as I was growing up, fear was the most common shortcut to respect.

What’s your favorite book? 

Wolfhound of the Grey Hound Clan, by Maria Semenova. There’s something about the blond boy who rises above adversity to become a mighty warrior… although I suppose being a wolfhound now would be a little, well, problematic!

If you could go anywhere, all expenses paid, where would you go? 

You’ll laugh… but I’ve always wanted to see Niagara Falls. Maybe go on the boat that goes behind the falls. Something about all that power…

Tell us a bit about yourself. 

If you’ve read any Russian folk tales, you know that the third son of the king or the rich merchant is a pretty dull fellow. *laughing* I’ve always been much quieter than my brothers, certainly quieter than my father! A dreamer, a loner… I enjoyed literature in school, but also maths, I was good at physics and chemistry. Though I think I liked chemistry mostly for my lab partner, Kirill…


And the angel said unto them, be not afraid…

Ilya was not afraid. Enraptured, yes. Entranced. But not afraid. He had been ready for death when he closed his eyes in the wolf’s embrace. Instead, he was whole, and awake, and in the arms of a man more handsome than any angel. Volyk’s long thick hair was the brown and gray of the wolf’s pelt, his cheekbones angular, his lips full. And his eyes were the same beautiful fiery amber as the wolf’s.

Maybe he had only dreamed the wolf. Or maybe he was still dreaming. Surely he had done nothing in his life to earn the gift this moment would be if it were real.



Rory Ni Coileain majored in creative writing, back when Respectable Colleges didn’t offer such a major. She had to design it herself, at a university which boasted one professor willing to teach creative writing: a British surrealist who went nuts over students writing dancing bananas in the snow, but did not take well to high fantasy. Graduating Phi Beta Kappa at the age of nineteen, she sent off her first short story to an anthology that was being assembled by an author she idolized, and received one of those rejection letters that puts therapists’ kids through college. For the next thirty years or so she found other things to do, such as going to law school, ballet dancing (at more or less the same time), volunteering as a lawyer with Gay Men’s Health Crisis, and nightclub singing, until her stories started whispering to her. Currently, she’s a lawyer and a legal editor; the proud mother of a budding filmmaker; and is busily wedding her love of myth and legend to her passion for m/m romance. She is a three-time Rainbow Award finalist.



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