Teasers, Exclusive Characters Interview & Giveaway! Illuminate the Shadows, Shatterproof Bond #1 by Isobel Starling

The thrilling, funny sequel to 'As You Wish'. 

A Scotsman and an Englishman fall in love… 

After the most amazing week of Declan Ramsay's life, at Dunloch Castle on the banks of Loch Ness, in Scotland. The charming, mysterious Samuel Aiken has turned Declan's life upside down. Declan has experienced a remarkable change. He has come to terms with the fact he is bisexual, and he has fallen head-over-heels in love with his boss’s son Sam. 

However, falling for his boss’s son was never going to be an easy path to happiness, mainly because the boss in question is multi-millionaire property tycoon and former MI5 operative, Sir James Aiken. 

Sir James is repulsed by his son’s homosexuality, and so discovering that his employee Declan Ramsay- the man he installed to run his luxury property rental empire- is in a relationship with Sam, does not go down well. 

The lovers cannot hide from the looming presence of Sir James Aiken for long! Soon enough James makes his move, and Declan finds out what he will have to endure to stay with Sam, and what he will have to give to feel worthy of Sam's love. 

**The story continues in "Return to Zero" (Shatterproof Bond #2)** This second book will be released on 6th June 2016

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Mikky: Today I'm very lucky to be interviewing San Aiken and Declan Ramsay, main characters of As You Wish and Illuminate the Shadows, both by Isobel Starling.

Guys, welcome and thank you for agreeing to this interview smile emoticon We're so excited to host you on our blog today.

Dec: Hullo Mikky, great te be here. 

Sam: Hi Darling,

Mikky: God, I don't even know where to begin. It's my first character interview and I'm a little bit nervous. Bear with me, please. For those who don't know you yet, tell us a little bit about yourselves.

D: Sam, if you dinnae mind, shall we introduce each other?

S: Fine, lead on MacDuff!

D: Sam Aiken is the most amazing man i've ever known. He may only be 23, but he's lived a thousand lives in that time. He got a degree in Linguistics from Oxford at 16, and has been working all over the world as an interpreter. He speaks eleven languages, and has many special skills that I'm having fun discoverin'. Sam's very English, and most definitely an 'old school' charmer. It never ceases te fascinate how people are drawn te him, an' open up, telling him their deepest secrets. It took him only a day te wear me down, and i consider meself a tough nut te crack! Apart from his blond, boyish looks an' ball-achingly hot body, Sam's a joker. Life with him is full of intrigue, sex and laughter. Oh, did i say, I love the man, cos I do!

Mikky: MacDuff! lol Oh, Sam ..

S: Declan Ramsay was the archetypal grumpy Scotsman when i first met him. But i knew at once, t beneath that scowl there was one hell of a handsome man. The fact that his deference were so tight was quite a challenge, and I had such fun breaking him down and taking his cherry. But what i didn't count on was falling so hard for him. Declan works for my father, Sir James Aiken. My father is homophobic, and so our relationship was always going to be tricky. Declan is strong, confident,masterful and very much in control when he's at work, showing London mansions to the rich and famous, but underneath his masculine demeanor lies the truest of Scotsmen. Declan has such a big heart, and he never does anything by halves. Once Declan has made a decision he sticks to it, no matter what. Having his love changed my life and now I couldn't imagine being without him.

Mikky: You two are so sweet!

D: I know I sound like a jessie, but when ye meet the one, it doesnae matter who knows.

Mikky: I totally agree. You should never have to hide who you are and who you love. Declan, first question for you. We can say that a new life has begun for you since you've met Sam. Or should we say since he, literally, ran into you? lol If you could change something, to start from that moment at the airport again, what would you change? Aside from the obvious. You know what I'm talking about.

Sam, same question for you.

S: Hey. He ran into me and nearly floored me with his bloomin' suitcase!!

D: Ye shoulda been lookin' where ye were goin' 

S: Err, so should you. I mean, who could miss a blond hottie like me!

D: Ye were dressed like a hairy hippy

 S: I was not! I was rugged and macho..

D: Aye, *snickers* Course ye were darlin' ! Sorry Mikky, that was very rude. Actually, I wouldnae change a thing. On the plane Sam was just an irritation that i couldnae wait te get rid of. Yes, I had no idea who he was at that point, and i was in such a foul humor that he coulda had the sun shining outa his arse and i wouldnae have noticed... well, me'be. But I think if things were different and Sam tried it on earlier, I may have reacted badly. It took me a while to realize what i was feelin', y'know I shudder te think about what a mistake that woulda been te reject him! Thank God fer "The Princess Bride" Movie!

S: Hmmm... If i could change anything, it would be my father!

Mikky:LOL! Let's just say you were both distracted and leave it at that. 

Sam, I had a feeling you would say that.

S: Declan is just about perfect for me, and the way we got together was completely hot. I would change nothing about the way we met. Actually, thinking about it. I would ensure that Declan wore his kilt all the time. Yes, I think i could live with that!

Mikky: Perv!

S: Is that a problem?

Mikky: No. Not at all grin emoticon I should book a trip to Scotland as soon as possible. It's been on my bucket list for years.

D: Oh aye, let us know when yer comin' we'll take ye out to the hills... me'be fer a wee dram!

Mikky: I would love that! Now that we know how everything started, tell us how does it feel to be, in a way, forced to take the next step in your relationship when neither of you was really ready for that? How has moving together impacted you both as a couple?

D: Well, hearin' Sam had moved in was unexpected, and really, I had no choice in the matter. I've never had a live in lover before and used te enjoy my alone time, but the apartment is big and seriously, when it comes down to it, I now have my lover and best friend te sample mah cookin', and blow jobs on tap. What's not te love?

S: I think living together has bought us closer. We fell in love and then were parted for months, so we never even had a first date. Living together gave us the opportunity to get to know each other fast. I love having someone to come home to. I love having someone to kiss goodnight... and the wall to wall sex... let’s just say I have no complaints!

Mikky: These are the benefits. Let's hear the annoying parts about living together. What habits does your partner has that makes you want to hit him upside the head? Tell us something that we don't already know, something that it's not in the book.

S: Oh Declan's a bit of a closet gourmet, so he'll stick just about anything in his mouth! He loves smelly cheeses. He has some 'Stinking Bishop' cheese in the fridge last week, i was nearly sick when i smelled it. I told him to eat it all, to get rid of it, but I swear his spunk tasted weird afterwards.

Mikky: LOL! You're killing me!

D: Sam doesnae know, but, he talks in his sleep. 

S: No I don't. 

D: Aye, ye do. It's kinda entertaining actually. Sometimes ye wake me up wi' all yer crazy talk and I ask ye questions.

S: What? Have you been implanting words in my brain? I bet one day you'll say a random word and I'll start dancing the Charleston. 

D: Me'be, me'be not. You'll just have te wait and see! *snickers*

Mikky: Go, D! You should be afraid, Sam. Very afraid. Lol

Speaking about dates, How does your ideal date night look like? We all know about Valentine's so, give something else.*snickers*

D: We take turn's when it comes te dates. Sam loves te go dancin'... I'm no dancer, but I love te watch him move. I love te see that hungry look in other men's eyes, and know he's comin' home wi' me! Personally, I've done the whole online dating thing and I hated it. There is no ideal date. Sam knows I'm happiest if we're at a nice restaurant, wi' good food an' good company... then go home te bed! 

S: Yes, I love to shake my booty, but when we go dancing, my sister Annabelle and her girls usually tag along, they feel like they need a token gay to get access to gay clubs, and who am I to refuse. Declan really doesn't mind. He knows that he's in for some fun once we get home! For intimate dates, I prefer it when we stay at home and Declan cooks for me. He does the main course, I do dessert! 

D: Generally, ye ARE dessert!

Mikky: We don't know much about your hobbies. What do you like to do in your spare time?

D: Aye, ye do! Ye know i like collecting rocks, reading, movies, cookin', fuckin'. We go te the gym at The Connaught Hotel and jog around Hyde Park when we have time.

S: Oh and don't forget the clothes shopping!

D: Och aye, we like te browse fer designer suits,but i'll usually no' buy until the sales.

S: Even though we can afford them now!

D: Are ye mad? Some of the prices are ridiculous! I wouldnae pay those kinda prices!

S: My hobbies... their rather sad and solitary actually. I love to read, I do yoga, we watch movies and sometimes go to gigs, but to be honest, when i'm not working I really just want to be in bed with my man... he is my favourite hobby. 

Mikky: Where do you guys see yourselves in, say.. 10 years?

D: Together. I dinnae care where in the world we are, just as long as were together.

S: I couldn't agree more. My only other hope is that by that time,my father will have found a new hobby.

D: Aye, chasing parked cars me'be! *They both snicker* 

S: Thanks for the interview.

D: Aye, Thanks Mikky, that was a good laugh.

Mikky: Thank you so much for the chat and for taking the time to answer my questions! Al the very best to both of you xx

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~~Mikky's Note: Every beautiful image in this blog post belongs to the author. They have been painted by her. Yes, she is a great artist, isn't she?~~

Inspiration strikes at the strangest of times. 

Born in Germany, Isobel Starling spent most of her twenty-year professional career making art. She relocated to the UK and,faced with the dreaded artist’s creative block, Isobel started to write and found she loved it more than making art. 

Isobel’s first novel “Schonling” was a best seller in the GLBT-Bisexual genre on the ‘All Romance ebooks’ site. 

She has just completed her sixth book, and signed French translation rights for novella “As You Wish”. 

She adores the M/M genre and enjoys writing about wounded souls and the complexities of personal relationships. 

Despite not having found proof yet, Isobel believes in love at first sight and endeavours to give her men a thrilling journey and a satisfying ending!

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Teasers, Excerpt & Giveaway! Deadly Testimony, Safeguard #1 by Piper J. Drake

The stakes have never been higher as an elite team member must outwit a dangerous killer and save the man she's sworn to protect. The second installment of the exhilarating Safeguard series from Piper J. Drake.

Kyle Yeun didn't start out bad and he doesn't intend to end his life while on the wrong side of the law, either. His testimony to his former employer's environmental misdeeds has earned him a protection detail compliments of the US government. But due to a dark international conspiracy Kyle was unaware of, his former employers have made ending his life a top priority. Realizing he needs more protection than the US Marshals can provide, he turns to Safeguard after seeing the beautiful, deadly Lizzy Scott in action.

One look at Kyle, and sniper Lizzy Scott knows this isn't going to be an easy protection job. He's arrogant, irritating and almost irresistible. Instead of being put off by her hardened attitude, Kyle seems to thrive off the challenge. And she's slowly giving in to his charms.

After narrowly escaping the latest assassination attempt, Lizzy starts taking dangerous risks to keep him safe. But the last thing Kyle wants is another life ruined because of his actions. He found his redemption in Lizzy's arms and he'll risk everything to make sure they both make it out alive. As will she, even if it means walking away from him to keep him safe.

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Isabelle sighed. No wingman or cavalry coming to his aid. He needed help but it wasn’t forthcoming. This was not going to resolve in the next thirty seconds and that was all she was willing to wait. Besides, she couldn’t leave a person alone to face odds like these. She’d been on her own in these situations plenty of times and it’d never been fun.

“Gentlemen, get out of my way.”

Humor and interest sparked in the Asian man’s eyes. He understood English, apparently. Seattle being a major city for travelers, it was always good to note rather than assume a listener could understand the conversation. Especially if she might have to advise him to take action.

The hulking goon who’d originally spoken to her turned then. “What did you say?”

Maybe the English language, or conversation in general, wasn’t goon number one’s strong point.

“Get. Out. Of. My. Way.” She put some steel into her voice this time. No need to increase volume when intensity works better.

Beady eyes narrowed at her as goon number one flexed his thick fingers into a meaty fist and released them. Threat clear.

Ah, well. Intonation could work on people with more neurons firing inside their heads. She might not have a whole lot of stature going on at five foot four, but her new friend should’ve at least spared a moment to ponder that maybe a woman in a black suit with white dress shirt and an earbud hanging over her collar from a wire might mean something.

He was a thug dressed in a monkey suit.

She was a much higher pay grade.

Piper J. Drake (or “PJ”) began her writing career as “PJ Schnyder” writing sci-fi & paranormal romance and steampunk. She has recently received the FF&P PRISM award for her work as well as the NJRW Golden Leaf award and Parsec award. 

Now, PJ is exploring the complexity of romantic suspense, incorporating her interests in mixed martial arts and the military into her writing.

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Excerpt & Giveaway! Send Lawyers, Guns, and Roses, Heart and Heaven #2 by Heloise West

When Hunter and Alex are given the vacation of a lifetime, it’s a chance for them to pay attention to romance and get out of the path of danger. The tiny Caribbean island of Saba is gorgeous, the first to have marriage equality, and the Sabans are the nicest people on earth.

There’s lots of rum poolside for relaxing and a room with a mirror on the ceiling for passion. Hot karaoke nights, cold beer, and new friends. 

But their new friends Orfeo and Max, and Max’s sister Talisha, share a troubling secret. Alex and Hunter want to help. As a hurricane bears down on them, a dead body surfaces, and a purple backpack loaded with stolen jewels leads a pair of dangerous men to the island.

Alex would rather poke his own eyes out with a pointy stick than call on his old enemy Nick Truman for help; he’d also do anything to keep Hunter out of danger. But even his nemesis can’t reach them now. 

Once again, they only have each other to depend on as their paradise is about to become hell on earth.

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“Ready? Take the beach bag. I’ll grab the chairs,” Alex said. “Did you get enough to eat?”

“Yeah. What’s the time?” Hunter slung the bag over his shoulder.

Alex shrugged. “Who cares? Have a cocktail. You know, to hydrate and pace yourself for a long day in the sun.”

“Let’s set up camp. Maybe a nap first.”

Their bare feet slapped against the sun-bleached boards of the footbridge, some of the flowering rainforest clinging to its edges for the hundred or so feet from the breakfast patio to the pool. The beach chairs were striped canvas and wood, chaise-style. Alex had grabbed a matching umbrella for when the sun was directly overhead. He left it closed, as they had a few hours yet before noon, by the arc of the sun in the unbelievably blue sky. The poolside held a half dozen chaise lounges and couples of various ages. They returned languorous, sun-soaked greetings in English, Dutch, and French as Alex led them to a spot he deemed worthy for their day in the sun. When the chairs were side by side, the canvas beach bag between them, Hunter sighed with pleasure, though he was soaked with sweat. He pulled off his T-shirt. “Do you want to swim first?”

“I’m dying to.” With a wicked grin, Alex slid his shorts down, the T-shirt hem falling to below his hips.

“Tell me you didn’t get a thing-thong!” God, they’d laughed together at the online models wearing bathing suits with pockets for their cocks.

Alex laughed. “No, a Speedo. For you.” He shrugged out of his T-shirt with an elegant, mouth-watering play of muscles and skin, and some of the lounging women whistled and clapped for the navy-and-white-striped Speedo he revealed. Hunter mock-growled and reached out to grab Alex, but he dashed away and ran along the side of the pool, blond hair streaming, long, muscular legs eating up the distance to the deep end. He dived like a happy dolphin into the water. Hunter ran after him and followed with a hurried, sloppy dive, shocked at the sensation of water as warm as bathwater. He wanted to melt into it. When he came up for air, hands beneath the water gripped his calves, and he grabbed a breath before Alex yanked him under. They wrestled briefly, then surfaced.

“Fantastic!” Alex shook his head briskly to whip the water from his hair.

Hunter shoved him, threw himself on top of him, and they went under again.

When they surfaced, Alex said, “We can rent a sailboat. Or a rowboat and paddle around in the bay. Or fish if you want. Do you think your leg will hold up to snorkeling?”

“Snorkeling, maybe even scuba.” He’d swim to the moon to keep Alex happy.

“I was born underwater,” Alex said, surprising him. “I even had those infant swim lessons.”

“You’re a natural,” Hunter replied. “Aqua Boy.”

Alex shoved him again; Hunter let himself fall backward into the water with a huge splash.

They swam for a while, joined by the other sunbathers when the heat got too intense. Hunter pulled himself from the pool and sat on the edge, watching Alex do laps. He shaded his eyes against the fierce touch of the sun. It pressed against his skin despite the water-resistant sunblock, and he splashed water up and down his arms, chest, and neck to cool off. Maybe he should have gone tanning like Alex had, because it hurt to touch his skin already. The water reflected and intensified the sun. He wasn’t that kind of redhead, but the tropical sun made him feel like one. Tanning had seemed kind of frou-frou…not for him…but he didn’t want to look like a strip of bacon at the end of the day either. Sucked it up and endured the tanning bed.

Alex swam over and pulled his gorgeous body out of the pool to sit on the edge beside Hunter. “I’m ready for some reading and napping. Lunch buffet is open until four… What are you laughing at?”

“We must be on vacation if we’re planning the day around the next meal.”

Alex smiled. “It’s about ten now. We can eat something light at eleven when they open.” He leaned in close. “If we go up to the room by noon, we’ll have time to screw our brains out until about two and have lunch again.”

Hunter nodded. It was all he could do.

“So it’s not meal times we’re planning for, right?” The sparkle in Alex’s eyes wasn’t about ham sandwiches and fruit salad. “Did you see the awesome mirror on the ceiling?”

Heloise West, when not hunched over the keyboard plotting love and mayhem, dreams about moving to a villa in Tuscany. She loves history, mysteries, and romance of all flavors. She travels and gardens with her partner of 10 years, and their home overflows with books, cats, art, and red wine.

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Teasers, Excerpt & Giveaway! What Love Is by Emma South

In this epic romance collection that spans eighteen years, the lives of six people will be changed forever.

Ask a million people what love is, and you’ll get a million different answers. None of them are wrong.

What makes a Marine take a bullet for a Hollywood starlet?

What makes a singer with a deep-seated hatred for the wealthy find herself smiling for the first time with a billionaire?

What makes a small-town princess defy death to be reunited with her small-town prince?

The answer is love.

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I sighed, feeling deflated, and looked up the sidewalk a little bit as the dry heat beat down on us. Standing in front of a restaurant, just outside the ropes that cordoned off an outdoor seating area, was somebody that looked like trouble if ever I’d seen it.

Head and shoulders over most of the people around him, I could already see the tattoos, the huge arms, and the scruffy clothing. If he was in one of my movies, he’d be a henchman for sure.

“Look out for that one,” I said quietly to Orson, who nodded and moved in front and to my left so he would be between myself and the big guy when we walked past.

As we closed the distance I could see that he had plenty of scars too, all kinds of cuts on his arms as if somebody had tried to scribble out his tattoos with a knife. Violence, all kinds of bad things, probably followed this man wherever he went.

He looked up from some pamphlet in his hand, first straight across the sidewalk, and then at me. Right at me. Despite my misgivings, my heart fluttered. He had far too much presence for a mere henchman.

Under the stubble, the tattoos, and the scars, or maybe even because of them, was a hell of a handsome man. Every girl needs a bad boy in her past, I thought, and he could be my bad boy any day.

I dropped my gaze to the ground and fought back a goofy smile. Now I really was being silly.

Now a USA Today Best Selling Author!

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I'm in my thirties and living in New Zealand. About 3 years ago I lost somebody very close to me. I was lucky in a way, I was given enough time to make a promise. My promise was that I would never forget our young and innocent love, and it's a promise I intend to keep.

My writing is a way to help me keep that promise. I've always enjoyed writing but was forced into being 'prudent' and giving myself over to soul-crushing office work for the sake of a steady salary. Recent events forced me to re-evaluate my priorities and I decided to take a chance. I like to put little pieces of 'us' into my writing, from funny conversations we had, to apocalyptic arguments, to that special feeling you get when you hop into bed fully aware that your feet are freezing but your partner doesn't kick you away.

Even though these things are set in fictional worlds and attached to fictional characters, in a way it feels like I'm doing something that will make our love live forever. If somebody reads one of my stories and likes a joke or sheds a tear, then our love has lived on, and I thank any readers I might have for that.

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Teasers, Excerpt & Giveaway! Never Let You Go, Never Tear Us Apart #2 by Monica Murphy

The second novel in this darkly sexy contemporary series from bestselling author Monica Murphy wraps up an emotionally powerful two-part tale of forbidden love.

The truth hurts, they say—and my pain cuts deep. While I was falling for Ethan, he was deceiving me the entire time. He held a huge secret, protected by his lies. When I discovered what he was hiding, the truth shook my world, threatening to ruin us forever. Ruin me. But I soon realized that what we share can’t be destroyed.

The connection between us is too strong. It always has been. I can’t deny him any longer. And I can’t deny my truth: I’m in love with Ethan.

I don’t want to let him go.

While we’re trying our best to make this relationship work, other forces are fighting against us. My family, who wants to keep me safe. The media obsessed with my tragic past. The public that feeds off of it. Even Ethan’s father—the man who nearly destroyed me all those years ago. He’s doing his best to finish the job.

Despite my love for Ethan, the doubts creep in, clouding my mind. Is he worth the pain? Will our love survive, or will we have no choice but to end it—end us—once and for all?

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“Maybe I care,” she retorts. “Think about what this will do to us.”

“What could it do? Force us to admit that yes, we’re in a relationship now? What’s wrong with that?”

“This so-called relationship only happened because you sought me out and then lied to me!” Her voice is shrill, her eyes wild, and she visibly shakes. She’s angry.

At me.

“I never meant—” I clamp my lips shut when I see her hostile expression. She looks ready to pounce. Christ, maybe she’s right. Maybe we shouldn’t have met today. Our hurt feelings are still too close to the surface, too raw and painful.

“Do you really think meeting me today was a mistake?” I need to know her answer, though I might not like it.

Katie watches me, pressing her lips together. I wait for her response, air lodged in my throat, my heart tripping over itself in my chest. I feel like it’s all come down to this. “This won’t work,” she whispers.

“What won’t?”

“Us. The two of us . . . together. We need to accept it.” Her face almost crumples but she somehow keeps it together, all while she slaughters my heart with her words. “We shouldn’t be seen together in public. If anyone recognizes us, it will become this—thing, and soon the media will be talking. About us and our sick relationship. And I don’t want that. I don’t think you do either.”

My spine stiffens involuntarily and I slowly back away from her, holding my hands up in front of me in pure defensive mode. As if my position can ward o the blow only her words can deliver.

I thought my father knew how to pack a punch, saying just the right thing to make me internally bleed. A few choice words from Katie Watts and I feel like I’m near death.

“You want me gone? I’m gone,” I tell her, but I don’t budge. I’m hoping she’ll stop me. Despite the pain she’s causing, I don’t want to walk away from her. Even though it feels like my heart is about to crack into a million tiny pieces. I swear she already broke my heart when she first found out who I really was and ran, exiting my life like she was never in it.

Now she doesn’t want to be seen with me in public. Doesn’t want Lisa to know. The rational side of my brain understands why she might feel that way. But the irrational side, the emotional side, is screaming in agony over her rejection, demanding that I hurt her back.

My vengeful side makes me think of my father.

I rub a hand across my chest to ease the radiating ache, but it doesn’t help. The way Katie watches me isn’t helping either.

“It’s for the best,” she whispers. “The minute she spots us, she’ll tell . . . everyone. And then we’re in trouble. They’ll twist our relationship into this weird, sick thing, and I can’t. I can’t bear it, Ethan. I’ve already suffered through too much and so have you. This—we’re not worth it.”

My mouth drops open. We’re not worth it? She’s the only person in my life who’s worth anything.

“I’m—I’m sorry.” The choked words leave her and I can’t say anything in return.

She turns and leaves, her steps hurried, her at black shoes slapping against the pavement as she scurries away. I watch her go, don’t stop her, don’t say her name. I don’t do a damn thing, as if I’m paralyzed, and I wonder for one crazy moment if I might be.

But I’m not. I’m just struck numb by her words, by her worry. She’s right. I know she’s right. The media will turn our relationship into a train wreck, and with good reason.

We are a train wreck. We shouldn’t have happened, but we did. No one else knows what it’s like to be me. No one under-stands what we went through together except her and me. But she has walked away from me yet again. Practically ran, and I did nothing about it.

Breathing deep, I tell myself to stay strong. Either this will work or it won’t—but I want it to. I’m desperate to keep that connection between us.

Yet I need to understand and respect her feelings. Forgive her for walking away from me so easily. It’s damn hard. That tiny, vulnerable part buried deep within me, that little boy who never felt wanted, the one who spent his entire life moving through it essentially alone . . .

He is devastated.

New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She’s a workaholic who loves her job. When she’s not busy writing, she also loves to read and travel with her family. She writes new adult and contemporary romance and is published with Bantam and Avon. She also writes romance as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

Representation: All questions regarding subsidiary rights for any of her books and inquiries regarding foreign translation should be directed to her agent Kimberly Whalen.

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Author Interview, Excerpt & Giveaway! Of Brine and Blood, Brine Series #1 by B. Longino Smith

In 1700 century England, a women’s purpose is only served in a home. But Kitrina Harvey has no home and the only place she feels will keep the memory of her father alive, is at sea. However, when she inexplicably finds herself on the ship of the infamous female pirate captain, Charlotte de Berry, she may have counted her good fortune too soon.

While Kit may have found a family among the motley crew of outlaws, and perhaps even a special interest in a particular pirate named Gage, is she ready to be a pirate herself?

Kit must ask herself what she is willing to do to please the pirate captain, made even more complicated when she finds out that her life is much more entangled in Charlotte’s than she originally believed.

Can she kill even when she discovers that she and Charlotte share a common enemy?

Set atop the planks of the great Athena, Of Brine & Blood is a fictionalized retailing of one of history’s infamous female pirates, through the eyes of a girl coming of age among the contrasting themes of love, revenge and power. Liberally sensationalized, Of Blood and Brine, follows the twisting trail of Kitrina Harvey’s life, as she recounts Captain Charlotte de Berry’s own story of love, loss and murder.

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What inspired you to write your current book?

I don’t know if I can pinpoint a singular source of inspiration. But I can tell you what puts me in the mood to write. 

I live a couple of miles from the beach, and the water has always makes me feel creative. Not the ‘happy family vaca day at the beach’ water so much, but the ‘moody’ water right before a storm, or even just the way the water looks on cloudy day. 

It’s probably no surprise that my current series is nautical ☺

I akin the feeling of a moody sea, to the feeling of reading a good book on a raining day. The ambiance casts everything in a light of more mysterious intrigue, don’t you think? And, thus gets my imagination going.

What authors inspire you? 

Ok, I am just going to say it. 

I am not particularly inspired by the classic literary greats (Bronte, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and what have you).

*Peeks anxiously around to see if I have offended the hoard of fellow book-lovers*

But, before you cry foul, I HAVE read most of these classics and very much appreciate them. In fact, I was on my high school’s literary criticism team (and went to state). 

However, as I reader and writer I just connect more deeply ‘modern’ voices. 

Stephanie Meyers wrote Bella Swan in a voice that could very well be the voice in my own head, should I ever find myself irrevocably in love with a gorgeous vampire. Bella’s feelings felt real to me, and I aspire to give readers the same connection with the characters in my story. 

And while there is not enough time in the day for me to adequately discuss all of the authors I deeply respect, I do want to note some that inspired my current series. I love the strong female characters Suzanne Collins gave us in Hunger Games, and am in awe of the impeccable way J.K. Rowling weaves the Harry Potter series together. They are brilliant!

What genre do you write? 

This is always a hard question for me to answer with just a simple one-liner. When someone asks me, I will *subtlety* try to plant myself between them and the exit, so they must endure the length of my explanation. 

The short answer, I think, is: Historical Fiction

But! Wait! There’s more.

My current series, the Brine Series, is historical fiction written to appeal to the modern reader. There is plenty of action, mystery and an overlaying romance (my favorite part of the story), as well. 

So, Of Brine & Blood is a modernly written adventure story wrapped in mystery with a gooey romance center, set in the 17th century, for young adult readers. Can anyone tell me where that bookshelf is in Barnes and Noble? 

So, your debut novel has been released. Do you have any more stories in the works?

Yes! In fact, the second installment of the Brine Series: Of Bitter and Brine, is complete and is running the gauntlet through my team of editors as we speak. 

I am actively writing the third installment (Brine: The Beginning) and have a detailed outline of the forth waiting in the wings.

And while I love Of Brine and Blood, I just want to say, that the series grows in excitement with each subsequent book.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

‘Publish the dang book, already!’

Man. My younger self is so hard to reason with sometimes. 

To be fair to her though, when I began writing Of Brine and Blood (6 years ago!) I didn’t have many aspirations – other than satisfying daydreams – of publishing the story. I simply wanted to write down the scenes in my head, into a story that I wanted to read. I wanted each aspect to precisely quench what I crave in a story.

But I stalled in publishing because, what if others didn’t like the characters that I love?

So I guess the true moral of the story is, if you have passion for something, don’t let your reservations stand in your way. If you are passionate about what you do, others will feel that passion in your work. 

How did you decide on names for your main characters?

I began writing Of Brine & Blood shortly before I became pregnant with my daughter. In the beginning I didn’t have names for my characters that I loved. The names, at that time, were placeholders. 

After I got pregnant, I meticulously researched, listed, cross-referenced and polled names for my child. I finally decided on the perfect names: Kit (girl) and Gage (boy).

My husband liked exactly neither of these names. 

So! I brought the names to life in my story, with a few amendments.

Because neither of the names were exactly ‘old-timey’ enough for my historical fiction, Kit became short for Kitrina and Gage is actually the last name of our leading man – William Gage. But because there were approximately 155,846,325,845,236 Williams back then, everyone simply calls him Gage. 

Ironically, these names are spoken almost as often in our household, as our daughter’s name. So I still feel like I won on the whole name thing.

*Disclosure* I equally love the name we eventually decided on for our daughter ☺ 

Who does your main character look like in your head? Who would ideally play him/her in a movie adaptation? 

I am resistant to sharing what Kit looks like to me. But I have good reason for being so stingy with my imagery when it comes to Kit. The other characters in the book have detailed descriptions of their appearance. 

But, I could never get Kit’s appearance to come out just right or to translate well onto paper. That’s because I didn’t want to unintentionally pigeonhole her into a stereotype based on how she looks. So I made the conscious decision to write her fairly description-less. I want the readers to picture what she looks like to them. I want Kit to look like you, if that’s how you prefer to read your stories. 

So, if the story ever gets adapted into film (which would be AWESOME), it would be interesting to see who gets cast to play her. ☺

Except, now that I think about it, I hope that my artistic decision doesn’t accidently anger fans of the story, because the actor playing Kit doesn’t ‘look right’ in the movie. Hummm…..

What were your goals or intentions of writing this book? How well to do you think you achieved them? 

My goals of writing Of Brine & Blood were fairly simple.

I want to entertain. I wanted to write a story that sweeps the reader away to another place and time, and make them feel what the characters are feeling. And then, I want the story to linger in their minds after they finish, wondering what Kit and Gage are up to right now. At this moment. 

That is what all the best stories do for me. The characters are no longer fiction, but people I care about.

Every reader knows the value of a story that just grips them. I want my story to be like that to others. 

Of Brine and Blood does this for me. But I want to hear what you think! Let me know if I achieved my goal! ;)

What did you find most useful in learning to write? What was least useful or most destructive? 

I have always been a writer. I know; the cliché of all novelists. But it’s true! 

My love of writing, on the other hand, has peaked and waned and then peaked again, over the course of my life. 

My undergraduate degree is in Journalism. Which I promptly discovered was not the type of writing I enjoy only after graduating and working as a tech writer for less than a year. I then went on to receive a graduate degree in Sociology (which I love). But as with tech writing, writing academic articles is not how I enjoy the craft either. 

In the end, I wouldn’t change any of my experiences, though. My experiences have been invaluable in teaching me the mechanics of writing. 

And, I am learning how to break any destructive aspects of being too ‘technical’ when I sit down to write fiction. I love being able to let my imagination flow! *Note to any of my current or former colleagues: I promise that I did not let my imagination color any of my academic research findings*

Just for fun, what’s something unique about you? 

I don’t know if this is something unique about me as a person (or maybe it speaks volumes about my organization skills. I don’t know), but the sequence of events probably hasn’t happened to too many people. 

I have had two weddings, both to the same person, and in less than a year. 

Lemme esplain:

My first wedding, which we refer to as ‘the expensive one,’ was a wedding proper with long guest lists, flashy venues, a white dress and cake. 

After the ceremony we signed the marriage certificate and were told to mail it in to the state. Of course! No problem. Except the next day, my husband and I left for our honeymoon. Several weeks after we returned, Steven (the husband) looked at me and asked if I ever mailed in the marriage certificate. Um, no? Doesn’t that fall under ‘the husband responsibilities’? We tore the house APART, but still couldn’t find it. 

No problem, we can just request a new one. Right? Nope. Apparently marriage certificates are time sensitive when being filed. 

So, off to Vegas we went. With a group of friends as witnesses (they did NOT buy us a second wedding gift), a musician whom we found at a restaurant and wanted to accompany us after hearing our story (he played ‘Suspicious Minds’ as I walked down the aisle), and a new marriage certificate (chained to my body), we got married for the second time. 

I should probably end the story here, but I feel it pertinent to include that while we did successfully file the second marriage certificate, that does not mean that we didn’t lose that one too, at one point. 

Thankfully, I was blissfully unaware of the second MIA marriage license snafu, until after it was found by husband and friend retracing every single step we took that day. 

*Fun Fact!*

Several years later, we did find the original marriage certificate tucked safely away in one of our suitcases. It was in an obscure pocket inside of another pocket. You know, for safe keeping.

“Are you proposing irony, Kitrina?” he asked after a time. “Because I shall tell you now that life is nothing but cruelly ironic.” 

I didn’t know how to respond to him and let his words hang in the air between us.

“The act of piracy has left us both orphaned, yes?” he asked. “And yet, pirates we became.” Gage did not display a tone of shame, nor defeat. He simply stated his words as fact; as if, due to our circumstances, it was the only logical end. 

“What?” I shook my head at his misinterpretation of my words. “No, my father’s ship was not taken by pirates. ‘Twas a storm that took my father, but I doubt my grief would be anymore if it were raided.”

“Kit, can you do this?” Gage asked suddenly, “Can you turn pirate just because of the ship you are upon?”

“I …” I stumbled to respond. 

“Because you don’t have to,” he said, returning to his previous relaxed state. “You don’t have to follow Charlie’s desires; you do know that, don’t you?”

I suppose I knew that if I wished to leave the Athena at any time Charlotte would allow me to do so. However, now that I was faced directly with the decision, I had to admit that I had not even toyed with the idea of disbanding. The Athena was my home now. 

I chewed on Gage’s words for the remainder of our watch, and he let me. We sat in silence, our backs both supported by the mast. At the bells, Gage pulled me to a standing position before throwing his leg over the nest to start his descent. I was aware that it was he who avoided my gaze for once.

“I can,” I told him before his head lowered out of sight. He paused at my simple statement but did not raise his eyes to look at me, then silently continued down to the decking.

Gage gave no indication of what he thought of my response though I knew he knew exactly what I was referring to and the significance of my choice. 

And it was true. I knew I could, and would, be a pirate. Though I doubt Gage had any idea how big of a factor he played in my resolve.

Brittany lives with her husband and daughter just two miles away from the beach on Mississippi's Gulf Coast. The backdrop serves as a constant reminder, and motivator, in her nautical historical fiction projects.

Her current series in progress, the Brine Series, has been a story that she has 'picked at' for over five years. In the beginning, Brittany only had the undeniable compulsion to bring the vivid characters in her mind, to life, by recording their story on paper. However, only more recently have her characters become increasingly disgruntled by not having their story shared with others. Brittany's husband sided with her characters. 

In the winter of 2015, after the first installment of the Brine Series, Of Brine and Blood, was complete; the second book, Of Bitter andBrine, was written and being revised; and the third installment, Brine: The Beginning, was outlined, Brittany's husband had had enough of talking about characters that were only real in the Smith household. As a Christmas present, Steven sent Of Brine and Blood off to a (fabulous) editor, unbeknownst to Brittany until Christmas morning. 

With the overwhelming encouragement from Victoria (fabulous editor extraordinare), and the unwavering support from her husband, Brittany began her publishing journey. She is indescribably excited to be sharing her characters and their adventure with others. 

Brittany also feels as though this brief bio does not adequately include the recognition of her daughter, mother, father, sister and all others who have been invaluable sources of motivation, inspiration, and support.

To get updates on new releases in the Brine Series please visit: www.blsbooks.com

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