May 5, 2015

Book Promo: The Long Dark Night, The Seven Sisters #1 by Cahira O'Donnell


A woman shrouded in mystery.

One of the prophesized Seven Sisters of the Pleiades, her touch could heal or kill, but once touched, a man was forever obsessed. Talia Martin had lived a life of isolated loneliness by necessity. She was the government’s secret weapon, brought out, dusted off and, once again, put into service to save captured Navy Seals.

A man betrayed by love

Secret Service Special Agent Nickolas Pane didn’t know when he had been more devastated. Even the infidelity of his ex hadn’t shaken him like discovering his kid brother was MIA, captured by the Taliban in Iraq. Then – a mysterious proposal – an opportunity to rescue his brother and the other Seals on the special ops team. He would die to have her and kill to keep her.

She could find his brother, but had to touch Nickolas to do so. Undercover as man and wife, they traveled across the world, insatiable passion flaring between them. While Talia knew this was a mission from which she would not return, her death would free the man she had come to love. Nickolas, determined to bring her back or die trying, desired her more than life itself. He would never release her, or live without her.


“What am I to you, Talia?” he asked, straightening up and moving closer to her. He crowded her between the big master where her suitcase lay open and his big masterful body where his heart lay open and bleeding.
“That’s not the point,” she evaded.
“Oh, but it’s exactly the point. Yes, I know your track record, as you call it, and I also know I was your first lover. Where does that leave you?”
She dropped her gaze to the suitcase and continued folding the T-shirt. It was incredibly soft, clearly high quality. She could tell he’d put a lot of thought into all he'd purchased for her. Fighting tears, she simply shook her head, not wanting to let him see her heart was breaking.
“Look at me, Talia,” Nickolas demanded.
She shook her head, not looking up. She wouldn’t even meet his eyes. It broke him. He swept the suitcase from the bed with one powerful arm. It sailed across the room and crashed against the opposite wall, causing her to flinch.
“I won’t let you walk away from me, not now, not ever. Do you hear me?”
“And I won’t spend the rest of my life being your debilitating addiction. You deserve better than that.”
“You’re not my damned addiction,” he countered.
“Nickolas, think. All the signs are there, you’re jealous, possessive and controlling. You protect me like a dragon hording its treasure. Those are signs of addiction.”
“I’ll tell you what you are to me, woman, you’re my god damned wife, legal and binding,” he shouted, grabbing her by both wrists and pulling her to him.
“Wife?” She couldn’t have heard him right.
“Wife. We were declared common law.”
“Why?”
“So I could gain custody of you and keep you from spending the rest of your life vegging away in some damned institution. So I could take care of you, so I could bring you home where you, by fucking god, belong,” he raged.
“Why would you tie yourself to me like that? Dr. Wilkinson must have told you I probably wouldn’t ever recover. Did you feel like you owed me because of Daniel?”
“I can never repay you for what you did for Daniel.”
“We can get this fixed, we can get an annulment,” she pleaded.
“I tied you to me because that’s exactly where I want you. There will be no damned annulment!” he roared, lifting and all but throwing her on the bed. Covering her with his massive frame, he held both her hands over her head in one powerful fist, wrapped the other in her braid at the back of her neck to control her, and ravaged her mouth.
She whimpered and squirmed underneath him, driving him into a frenzy of lust. He would have her. He, by god, would make her his, the only way he knew how.
Releasing her braid, he ripped her gown from her body, spilling out her gorgeous breasts. Damn, he’d missed them. The sight of their perfection stole his breath. Cupping one pink tipped globe, he lowered his mouth to the other, suckling as if his life depended on it while she continued to struggle.
“Please,” she begged. If he kept this up, she would never be able to leave him.





Having been brought up overseas and living with local families in many cultures, Cahira O’Donnell has a rich history to draw upon. Throughout her life and her travels she has been a dedicated student of shamanism and an explorer of the esoteric realms. Being psychic herself, Cahira’s real-life experiences with the supernatural infuses her paranormal romance writing with profound accuracy.
Armed with her history, combined with a degree in Psychology and a deep understanding of human nature, Cahira creates stories that are engaging, dynamic, realistic and boldly erotic.
Cahira now lives in the beautiful mountains of Colorado where she enjoys a quiet home, beautiful scenery and immersing herself in the art of storytelling.
To learn more about Cahira and her novels visit: www.cahiraodonnell.com




Release Day Blitz & Giveaway! Holding You Love Wanted in Texas #3 by Kelly Ellliott


Lauren Reynolds wanted only two things in life—to run her father’s horse breeding business and Colt Matthews. Fearing Colt would take her position within the family business, she tried to push him far away from her heart.

When life could no longer keep Lauren and Colt apart, their two worlds became one. Every second of every moment, they spent together. Their love bloomed into something neither of them imagined—a bond so strong Lauren and Colt believed nothing would ever stand in their way.

However, life threw a cruel twist into Colt and Lauren’s planned happily ever after. Will fate let them live out the life they dreamed of, or will one of them be left alone, lost and angry?

“I’ll spend forever holding you … even if it’s only in my memory.”




Kelly Elliott is married to a wonderful Texas cowboy who has a knack for making her laugh almost daily and supports her crazy ideas and dreams for some unknown reason...he claims it's because he loves her!

She’s also a mom to an amazing daughter who is constantly asking for something to eat while her fingers move like mad on her cell phone sending out what is sure to be another very important text message
In her spare time she loves to sit in her small corner overlooking the Texas hill country and write.
One of her favorite things to do is go for hikes around her property with Gus....her chocolate lab and the other man in her life, and Rose, her golden retriever. When Kelly is not outside helping the hubby haul brush, move rocks or whatever fun chore he has in store for her that day, you’ll find her inside reading, writing or watching HGTV.




Release Day Blitz: Excerpt & Giveaway! The Best I Never Had, DeVine Winery #1 by Loni Flowers



New job, new town, new people— new life.

That’s what Olivia Langston needed. At twenty eight, she was given a rare opportunity at an internship in the rolling valleys of Crystal Falls in California wine country, far away from her small town roots in North Carolina. It was an unexpected journey she desperately needed after her ex-husband crushed her.

At DeVine Winery, she expected a fresh start in a new environment to help let go of her past. Instead, she found Daniel Black and a hell of a lot of sexual tension she wasn’t prepared for. He was gorgeous, modestly wealthy, irresistible, and just happened to be part owner of DeVine, one of the largest vineyards in the country.

If only she knew that before she kissed him her first night in town.


We stood at the base of a Ferris wheel, third in line as we waited for our turn. I was about to have heart attack. At least I’ll look good when I die. A couple got off the wheel as another got on, putting us second in line. My heart raced remembering the last time I rode one while in college. I had a panic attack once the wheel had finally made it to the top. 

“Why did we get all dressed up to come to a carnival? Are you sure we have to do this?” I questioned in panic. 

“This is just a pit stop. I want you to see the view from the top.” He kissed the skin at the bend in my neck, sending the two teenage girls behind us in to a swooning fit. 

“I can see the view from here just fine.” I huffed. 

He chuckled as the couple in front of us boarded the next bucket on the wheel. “Trust me, Olivia. You’ll be fine,” he assured me. 

I did trust him, but it didn’t stop my hands from shaking. And I felt dumb getting so worked up over a children’s ride. The next bucket came down, the ride operator lifted the metal bar across the riders’ laps, and they hopped out, exiting to the left. The operator motioned us forward, but I could hardly move. Daniel put his arm around my back, encouraging me forward. Once I was seated, he slipped my shoes from my feet and placed them next to me on the seat before whispering something to the ride operator. After he took his seat, the operator lowered the lap bar and walked towards the control panel. My anxiety kicked into gear. The bucket jolted forward and I gripped the bar, squeezing it as if my life depended on it. I gasped and squeezed my eyes shut. 

“I don’t even know why there’s a bar here. Anyone could slip out underneath it. This can’t be safe at all.” 

“Olivia, open your eyes.”

I shook my head lightly, scared that any movement would make us fall out and drop to our death. “Just tell me when it’s over,” I whispered.

His palm brushed over my bare shoulders in an attempt to soothe me when the bottom of our bucket shifted forward, causing the back to tip backwards. “Oh my God, stop moving. We’re going to fall. Please don’t move anymore.” I was on the verge of tears and frozen like stone. His palm pressed against my cheek and pulled my face in his direction. 

“Open your eyes, baby. Just focus on me.”

I did as he asked, cracking my lids open and searching for the blue of his eyes. “I’m sorry. I want to enjoy this, I really do. But…”

“Have you always been afraid of heights?”

“Yes. It’s one of the reasons I drove to California.”

“I see.” He gazed out at our surroundings. “We are about to go around again until the operators get everyone off except us. He’s going to let us stay at the top for a while unless you want to get off now.”

“He’s going to let you do that?”

“Money talks just about anywhere. Can you handle thirty more minutes with me up there?”

“I’ll do my best. Talk to me. Keep me occupied. Just don’t move too much. Please.” I squeezed my eyes tight and leaned into his shoulder as we made another full rotation. It wasn’t so bad if we were steadily moving, but the stopping and starting and the swaying of the bucket was ripping my nerves apart. Despite the romantic situation Daniel had created, I was too scared to accept the moment for what it was. 

“We’ve stopped, and we’ll be here for a while. Can you open your eyes now?”

I cracked them open, lifting my head slightly to peek out in front of me. There was nothing except the ocean and the great open sky coated in an array of bright oranges and pinks as the sun prepared to slip into the ocean for the night. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves and relax my tense body. 

“It really is beautiful up here.” I marveled at the scenery. I peered in the opposite direction and could see the entire amusement park and the wooden boardwalk that stretched along the beach. 

“Normally, I would agree.” Daniel slipped his fingers up the side of my neck, encouraging me to face him. “But I swear, nothing is more beautiful than you.”

“You’ll have to forgive me if I disagree.”

“You can disagree all you like; it won’t sway my opinion.”



Residing in Eastern North Carolina with her husband, 2 girls, and couch-potato dogs, Loni works a full-time professional job during the day and writes in her free time. She never thought it was possible to have a satisfying writing career, but with the love and support of her family, she's made it part of her life.
Loni searches for the tiniest speck of romance in any story and is a firm believer in the happily-ever-after’s. She thrives off the sexual tension, and gets a kick out of taking her characters on a roller-coaster ride of drama-filled emotions. A romance that can soothe the soul is her number one priority.



Release Day Blitz: Excerpt & Giveaway! Under The Spotlight, The Jamieson Collection #3 de Angie Stanton



After an embarrassing stint on a reality-TV music competition years ago, Riley vowed never to sing again. Now she's behind thescenes, working at the prestigious Sound Sync recording studio, and life is looking up. But then Garrett Jamieson, the oldest brother in the famous Jamieson brothers band, crashes into her world.

Garrett has hit rock bottom, and he is desperate to reinvent himself. After calling in a few favors, he ends up working at Sound Sync to learn the ropes of record producing from the industry's best. And he can't believe his luck when he discovers that Riley has been keeping a secret—she is an amazing singer. By producing her album, he's sure to top the record charts again. But Garrett is forced to use every trick in his arsenal to persuade the sassy girl to record.

Riley refuses to sing—or even entertain the thought of it—and sparks fly as Garrett finally meets his match. But in the heat of themoment, one stolen kiss changes everything. Will Riley be the first person to finally rein Garrett in, or will Garrett succeed in getting Riley back under the spotlight?


As she lifted the T-shirt to pull it over her head, the curtain opened and Garrett slipped in.

Riley yanked the shirt back down and spun around to face him. “Get out!”

“What is your problem?”

“You are!” she snapped. “Do you mind?” The dressing room was tight quarters for the two of them and the heap of discarded clothes at her feet. Her heart raced.

“You didn’t seem to mind me too much last night.” His gray eyes gleamed.

Her mouth went dry. He had a point. She needed a snappy retort, but no words came.

“Is that what’s bothering you?” He leaned close.

“Of course not,” she lied.

“Good.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

Riley couldn’t decide whether to push him away or pull him closer. She’d worried he wouldn’t kiss her again after last night, but he infuriated her, too. Still, she couldn’t help losing herself in the touch of his lips and comfort of his arms.

He slowly released her. “Still mad?”

“Maybe.” She dipped her head and blushed, her knees weak, as a thousand butterflies fluttered in her stomach.

Garrett pushed a lock of hair over her shoulder.

“Why did you kiss me?” she asked.

“It seemed like a good idea.” He gave her a half smile that was knowing, wicked, and not the least bit sweet.

“So whenever you don’t like what I have to say, you’re going to kiss me to make me shut up?” She hoped so, but logic said he was using her.

“I like your thinking.”

“I’m serious. You don’t even like me. You said so yourself.”

“Well, you’re growing on me.” He shrugged with a lazy smile. “For some reason, the more time I spend with you, the more I can’t help myself.”

Riley wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.



Angie Stanton never planned on writing books—she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in rural America with her brothers’ 4-H pigs as pets, she found that dance didn’t quite work out. Instead, she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head, she began to write them down, and the rest is history. When not writing, she loves watching natural disaster movies, going to Broadway musicals, and dipping French fries in chocolate shakes.




May 4, 2015

Book Blast: Excerpt & Giveaway! Bits Of Magic by Angela Benedetti

Buy your copy HERE


There's magic in the world, and its hiding in plain sight. Your friends, your neighbors, the guy who runs your favorite restaurant -- any of them could be more than they seem. A man trick-or-treating with his son finds the courage to go after what he wants when he confiscates and eats some unwrapped candy. A park ranger who's afraid of outing himself in public is reminded that his lover will -- and can -- protect him, no matter what. An apprentice mage learns that his master never forgets when he has a lesson to finish, and will always come for him when he gets himself lost in magic. And a boy from a mage-gifted family learns that life isn't over just because the gift has passed him by. Return to the world of Hidden Magic.


Sebastiano Fiorentelli studied the calendar -- a freebie from the Humane Society with photos of puppies and kittens on it -- on the wall of his cluttered basement laboratory and observed that it was the thirtieth day of October. Since emigrating to the United States and discovering the Halloween custom of sending children around to beg for treats, he'd made a habit of including something extra in the candy he made for the occasion each year. By the Nineteen-seventies, when hysteria over poison and razor blades swept the population, Mr. Fiorentelli had been living in his San Jose neighborhood long enough that no one fussed about letting their children eat his wax-paper-wrapped candies.

He paced back and forth in front of open cabinets and crowded shelves, pondering what to make this year, until finally he stopped and nodded.

"Courage," he said. "This year, I think I'll make courage..."




Angela Benedetti lives in Seattle with her husband, five computers, and thousands of books. She started writing as a teenager, and discovered soon after that romances with two hot guys are twice as good as romances with only one. When she's not at the computer, she enjoys cooking and baking, going to science fiction conventions, and cruising with her husband. She's one of the few people in the universe who loses weight on cruises. (Must be all those walking-around shore tours and the lack of free internet access.) Her favorite mainstream fiction genres are science fiction and fantasy, both of which tend to seep into her own writing; the Hidden Magic series is a fun blend of romance and fantasy.




Release Day Blitz: Excerpt & Giveaway! Fury, The Seven Deadly #3 by Amelie Fisher

Fury

Revenge is an euphoric thing. Trust me on this. Nothing compares to the release you get when you ruin someone’s life. When they’ve stolen important things. Things that didn’t belong to them. Things I revel in making them pay for. What? Have I offended you? I’m not here to appeal to your delicate senses. I have no intention of placating your wishes or living within your personal belief system nor do I care if you hate me. And you will hate me. Because I’m a brutal, savage, cold-blooded murderer and I’m here for my revenge. I’m Ethan Moonsong...And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most sacrificing man to the most feared and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

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The truck door slammed closed behind me as I reached for my hidden bottle, unscrewed the lid, and took a swig. It burned on its way down, alleviating that sick feeling in my stomach, albeit temporarily.

Slowly, ever so slowly, I walked toward the bakery. I kept as close to the storefronts as possible. When I reached Ceres, I stopped and leaned against the brick beside the window, knowing they couldn’t see me. Carefully, I peered into the window and saw them. Their backs faced me as they ordered at the counter.

“My God,” I breathed.

There she was. It was the first time I’d seen either of them since the day in the forest when she chose him over me. It felt so surreal to me. Her hair had grown out a little and she’d gained weight, probably since the transplant went so well. I looked at Spencer. I bet the bastard was her hero. I couldn't help but think I could have just as easily been him. I could have been standing next to her in line at Ceres, waiting for our sweet potato sticky buns, laughing and feeling happy because I was with her.

I thought about what Finley told me earlier that morning. I thought she was wrong. Cricket would have been just as happy with me as she was with Spencer.

I studied them together. She bounced on her heels, talking animatedly, her hair swishing around her shoulders. She used her hands a lot when she spoke. I wondered what she was talking about. I wondered if she thought about me at all, if she gave a shit that she broke my heart, shattered it into a million pieces. She smiled at Spencer and they started laughing. Apparently not.

God, I hated him. I mean really hated the guy. I looked back at my truck and remembered that I kept my hunting knives in the glove compartment in case my mom’s brother Akule, the only one willing to talk to me on her side of the family, wanted to go hunting. He gave them to me for my eleventh birthday. They were beautiful. Two Spartan short swords with leather handles, and I knew what I was doing with them.

Akule is Echo River Indian, as was my mother. She left the tribe when she converted to Catholicism right out of high school, and they didn’t approve but Akule was young when she did and he was close to my mom, so he didn’t care. He would sneak into town and they would watch movies together at her apartment.

He taught me how to hunt with my hands in Echo River style from a young age but when my mom died, he made it a weekly trip to the mountains. We would spend entire weekends up there up until I turned nineteen and Cricket got really sick.

I looked back at Cricket. She brought her hand up to Spencer’s back. He followed suit and tucked his hand into her back pocket, incensing me. Immediately, I walked to my truck and opened the passenger side door. The knives sat in their sheaths in the glove box. I hadn’t touched them in months, and my hands itched to hold them again.

I reached for them but paused a few inches from the handles. My hands shook and my heart pounded.

“What are you doing?” I asked myself.

I shut the glove box and sat on the bench of my truck, my booted foot resting on the concrete below. I ran my hands through my hair and rested against the back of the seat, shocked I’d been even contemplating what I’d been pondering.

“What were you going to do?” I asked myself. “Murder him?”



Vain

Greed





  Author Photo2

Fisher Amelie resides in the South with her kick ace husband slash soul mate. She earned her first ‘mama’ patch in 2009. She also lives with her Weim, Jonah, and her Beta, Whale. All these living creatures keep the belly of her life full, sometimes to the point of gluttony, but she doesn’t mind all that much because life isn’t worth living if it isn’t entertaining, right? Fisher is the author of The Seven Deadly Series, The Sleepless Series, and The Leaving Series, and was a semi-finalist in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award.


Fury Teaser 2



Book Blast: Excerpt & Giveaway! Bus Stories by Sean Michael

Buy your copy HERE

Jonathon and Benny get on the bus separately, but are clearly together as Benny wears a tattoo on his neck that is the exact match for Jonathon’s scarring. What follows are six short stories that each explore a different tale of why they got on the bus and where they go from there.



Okay, so I was on the bus, right?

And this guy stomps on, so pissed off that you can smell the anger, you know? Body-building kid, blond and buzz-cut, fucking melt in your chair blue eyes. He's got the whole package, you know? Worn khakis, plaid button-down with the sleeves cut off, combat boots. Neat enough to suggest that he chooses to dress this way instead of has to, but not a poser. Sweaty, nostrils flaring, sheer fucking primal man.

He stomps on, walks down and sits, staring out the window. He's got some odd scarring on his cheeks, but his neck is badly carved up -- interesting and rough edged -- this doesn't have the intent of razor work or even that fabulous somehow snake-like violence that knife wounds leave. This is a mark of an accident.

At any rate, the bus toodles on and heads toward the next stop. There's this skinny guy, holding a skateboard, running in the sun like the hounds of hell are after his ass.

He makes the bus, steps up -- boarder all way: orange and purple spiky hair, eyebrow and lip pierced, tats, t-shirt, baggy jeans, canvas tennies -- bright red and panting. He's searching through his pockets -- no change. The bus driver (a big old black man who maybe has smiled three times in his entire life and all three of those were during blowjobs) barks at him to get off and the kid just sort of blinks and a couple of tears start and he turns to get off the bus.

The big guy sighs, stands up, pays the kid's fare without a word and takes the kid's transfer. He walks back and sit in a 3 seat row and the kid sits beside him -- not one word. The big guy looks out the window, the boarder sniffling.

Then the kid (although they were about the same age) turns his head. The kid has a tat on his neck the same size/shape as the big guy's scar.

Pretty fucking cool, huh?

And so the Bus Stories were born. Six different tales that all begin in the same place.


Often referred to as "Space Cowboy" and "Gangsta of Love" while still striving for the moniker of "Maurice," Sean Michael spends his days surfing, smutting, organizing his immense gourd collection and fantasizing about one day retiring on a small secluded island peopled entirely by horseshoe crabs. While collecting vast amounts of vintage gay pulp novels and mood rings, Sean whiles away the hours between dropping the f-bomb and pursuing the kama sutra by channeling the long lost spirit of John Wayne and singing along with the soundtrack to "Chicago."
A long-time writer of complicated haiku, currently Sean is attempting to learn the advanced arts of plate spinning and soap carving sex toys.
Barring any of that? He'll stick with writing his stories, thanks, and rubbing pretty bodies together to see if they spark.