November 19, 2017

Life gets in the way...

Hi, guys! It's been a while. I've tried to keep the blog going but we all know what they say about best laid plans..

I just realized that almost one year has passed since my last post. So many things have happened. So many things have changed, but I'm finally getting back on track. One step at a time.

I won't sign up for blog tours anymore. I don't have the time for it nor am I in the right frame of mind to promote and review books on a schedule. My entire focus is on getting better and taking care of myself and my son. 

I'll try to be more active and talk about the books I've read and loved. I found quite a few I'm dying to tell you about. 

There are quite a few gems out there that many people don't know about and I've discovered a few "new to me" authors. I'll tell you all about them and their books soon. I hope.

When I started this blog I was so excited about finally being able to promote my favorite authors and books. Somewhere along the way, I've lost that enthusiasm. I never lost my love for books though, but sitting down to write a review seemed such an effort and I let myself believe that no one will care anyway. Depression is like that. 

I am better now. I still have good and bad days but there's more light surrounding me, more hope. 

I want to write again, for myself, because I always had stories to tell even when no one wanted to listen. 

I don't know if I'll ever publish anything but writing makes me feel good and it's time to take back that part of myself. Like I said, one step at a time and this is a good beginning. 

Sorry for the whine. I'll try not to bore you with my issues in the future. LOL

Thank you for your patience and thank you to those who haven't given up on me even if I have been a horrible friend. Love you all!

Mikky 💗

Happy Reading!

February 10, 2017

~~MM Romance Valentine's Giveaway~~


The M/M Romance Valentine’s Giveaway event has been organized by author Isobel Starling as a way of giving readers a little bit of free Valentine’s love in these days of uncertainty and turmoil and to find new readers for a group of super authors. 

On the event page readers can download 34 new stories -- Shorts, novelettes, and excerpts from established M/M authors and several new authors. We have a wonderfully diverse range of subgenres on offer – Contemporary, BDSM, Erotica, Fantasy, Historical, Comedy, and Paranormal.

The giveaway page will be live on 10th February until the 15th of February, so if your want to get a head start on your Goodreads reading challenge, or just want some quick fun reads, why not download a few short stories and give a little love back by leaving reviews for the authors. 



January 3, 2017

Review: The Next Competitor by Keira Andrews



If he risks his heart, can he keep his head in the game? 

To win gold, figure skater Alex Grady must train harder than the competition morning, noon, and night. He’s obsessed with mastering another quadruple jump, and due to the lack of filter between his mouth and brain, doesn’t have a lot of friends. As for a boyfriend, forget it. So what if he’s still a virgin at twenty? The Olympics are only every four years—everything else can wait. Relationships are messy and complicated anyway, and he has zero room in his life for romance. 

So it’s ridiculous when Alex finds himself checking out his boring new training mate Matt Savelli. Calm, collected “Captain Cardboard” is a nice guy, but even if Alex had time to date, Matt’s so not his type. Yet beneath Matt’s wholesome surface, there’s a dirty, sexy man who awakens a desire Alex has never experienced and can’t deny… 

Note: This gay romance from Keira Andrews features opposites attracting, new adult angst, sexual discovery, and of course a happy ending. 

This new version has been extensively rewritten, updated, and expanded into a new adult romance with explicit on-page sex.


The Next Competitor was a captivating story from beginning to end. Figure skating is such an elegant sport and it was interesting to see the dynamics behind every competition, the gruesome training that every skater has to endure just to stay in shape, not to mention the hours upon hours of training to make sure they learn to perfection every second of the programs. 

We only see the end result, the beauty of the dance executed on the rink but there’s so much more than that going on behind the competition.

Alex and Matt are trying to find their way amid confusion, the intricacies and politics of the sports world and the grueling training sessions before each competition. Both of them are plagued by insecurities and having to hide all the time doesn't help assuage their fears.

Matt is the calm while Alex is the storm and, like every storm, there will be thunder and lightning. They clash a lot, mostly due to Alex's temper, yet they always find their way to each other when one of them needs comfort.

But wanting something and actually doing it are two different things. And we can't always have what we want.

Apart from wanting to repeatedly hit Alex upside the head, this novel was really good. I definitely recommend it.

He was just one of those characters who, somehow, managed to get on my nerves from the beginning and, everything he did after that, just served to assert my first impression.

Don’t get me wrong, he’s not a bad guy. I kind of understood the why’s later on. But I still wanted to knock some sense into him. The guy’s mood swings gave me a whiplash.

Keira’s books are always worth it. One of the things I’ve always appreciated about her is how much care she puts into every detail of each story and how seriously she takes her research. That’s always a good thing as far as I’m concerned. 

I think this was the first book I’ve read where the characters are ice skaters and it wasn’t hokey. I want more.

Thank you, Ms. Andrews, for another heartwarming story.



If you enjoy reading steamy romances between two men who can’t live without each other, you’ve come to the right place.

After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes contemporary, historical, fantasy, and paranormal fiction and — although she loves delicious angst along the way — Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said:

“The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.”



January 1, 2017

~ Happy New Year! ~


Happy New Year, everyone! 2017 is finally here and I sincerely hope it will be better than 2016. Have you made any resolutions? If so, share them with us. 

This year, I'm taking it day by day. 2016 has been painful and it has taken so much from me. Every single plan I made has been ruined so, it's time to make some changes.

I want to focus more on my writing and try to publish at least a novel. God knows I kept postponing it long enough. After seeing the ARe disaster unfold can't say I'm very motivated but it's one of my dreams so, I'll give it a try. That's the only long term plan I have. 

I will also try to write more reviews. The other day, I was looking through my "Read" list on Goodreads and I realized that there are so many wonderful books I've read and failed to review. I'll try to rectify that mistake, which means that I'll have to re-read some of them just to make sure I remember all the facts. Not a bad deal since I'm not exactly the person who keeps up with every new release or reviews only on release day. There are a ton of novels out there that deserve attention and that readers seems to have forgotten about. 

This being said, I wish you all peace, love, serenity, good health and may 2017 be exactly what you imagined it to be. 

Happy Reading!

December 8, 2016

Review & Giveaway! Saving Jason by K.C. Wells


When David Merrow is given the task of finding a suitable soup kitchen so his company can improve their PR, he realizes he needs help. He turns to Jason Garton, the owner of the coffee house that David visits every morning. Funny how it took David so long to notice all the food and beverages Jason gives away to the homeless. Because until then, Jason had been almost invisible. 

But the more David learns about him, the more intrigued he becomes. There’s something about the selfless, lonely older man that pulls David in, and what began as work becomes so much more.



KC Wells has a way of writing that makes you feel like you’re a part of the story. It feels like you’re living everything right along with the characters, all the happiness, the tears, the success and the disappointments. It’s all there from beginning to end and it’s an incredible experience. For this, and many other reasons, I keep picking up every novel she puts out there. 

Saving Jason is a story about self-discovery and acceptance, about learning how to make peace with the past in order to embrace the future. 

Jason is going through the paces and doing his part in giving back and paying it forward, but he is not actually living. 

Every day is the same and the guilt he’s carrying around is keeping him from trying to find what he’s always longed for. 

David had never thought that a job will end up changing his life so unexpectedly. He’s never paid much attention when it comes to what is around him and meeting Jason is an eye opener. 

Working together day by day brings this two men together, and Jason will learn that it’s okay to let go, to look forward to the future and allow someone in his life in his heart.

Sometimes, it just takes one moment to change a life. Stop and look around you. You’d be surprised at what you might discover.

If you’re looking for a short, soulful holiday story, Saving Jason is the perfect choice. I highly recommend it.



Born and raised in the north-west of England, K.C. WELLS always loved writing. Words were important. Full stop. However, when childhood gave way to adulthood, the writing ceased, as life got in the way. K.C. discovered erotic fiction in 2009, when the purchase of a ménage storyline led to the startling discovery that reading about men in love was damn hot. In 2012, arriving at a really low point in life led to the desperate need to do something creative. An even bigger discovery waited in the wings—writing about men in love was even hotter…. 

K.C. now writes full-time and is loving every minute of her new career. The laptop still has no idea of what hit it… it only knows that it wants a rest, please. And it now has to get used to the idea that where K.C goes, it goes. 

And as for those men in love that she writes about? The list of stories just waiting to be written is getting longer… and longer…. 

K.C. loves to hear from readers. 
E-mail: k.c.wells@btinternet.com 
Twitter: @K_C_Wells 


November 1, 2016

Release Day Review! Detective Fox & The Christmas Caper by Isobel Starling


Every good Dick needs a sidekick…

Actor Tom Lewis’s world came crashing down when a honey trap and tabloid expose outed him and put pay to his flourishing career. The housewives favorite was most well-known for his role as ‘Detective Fox’ in the quaint British series 'Malmesbury Murders'. But after the media speculation about his sexuality, the show is in hiatus and Tom hasn’t worked six months.

Now things are getting serious, money running out and Tom needs a job desperately. So when his agent offers him a seasonal acting job, he reluctantly agrees… and takes on the role of Santa for a top London department store.

This decision changes Tom’s luck. When Tom overhears two unidentified store workers discussing a "job to get a little Christmas bonus”. He realizes the 'job' is of the illegal sort. Now, Tom could call the police, but then again, wouldn’t it be great for his flagging career if Detective Fox saved the day?

So Fox is on the case, and as every good Dick needs a sidekick, Tom decides a sexy young elf named Eli Mason will fit the role, in more ways than one.”

Amazon B&N iTunes Smashwords ARe Goodreads



Oh, God! Where do I start? This novella was all kinds of fun. 

Beggars can’t be choosers and Tom has realized this after he was outed as gay and is facing unemployment. 

He’s an actor and he loves it but, he has reached the point where he can’t allow his pride to win and refuse a well paid job just because it might make him look silly.

If this means playing Santa Claus for one of London’s top stores, so be it. He’s still not ready to give up being Detective Fox though and, when the opportunity presents itself for him to get into character on more time, he grabs it with both hands. 

There’s a bonus, too. The detective’s sidekick is one hot elf who knows how to handle whatever is thrown his way and more. Things are about to get messy.

Add Isobel Starling and mix with humor, mystery, action, suspense and sprinkle of drama, and you’ll have an explosive story which will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions from beginning to end, and leave you breathless and asking for more. 

Follow Eli and Tom’s story as they try to save the day, and navigate what is the beginning of a tentative relationship, all while playing Santa and his elf for hordes of over excited children and exhausted parents the week before Christmas. 

I cannot wait to read the next book because this has got to be a series. Right, Ms. Starling? You cannot spring two smart, sexy and fun as hell men on me and leave it at a novella. It’s not fair. 

Thank you for another awesome and entertaining read. You rock, as always!





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 “Fall Together” was a bestseller in the GLBT-Bisexual genre on the ‘All Romance e-books’ site. Her second novel “As You Wish”(Shatterproof Bond #1) is an Amazon bestseller, and its sequel “Illuminate the Shadows”(Shatterproof Bond #2) was awarded a bestseller star on All Romance too. She has just completed her eighth book and signed French and German, translation and publishing rights deals for the whole Shatterproof Bond series. 

****
Please sign up to my newsletter at https://isobelstarling.wix.com/books



October 24, 2016

A Writer's Journey.


A lost soul in a sea of words. A defeated creature who’s wings have repeatedly been thorn before I even tried to learn how to fly.

There was a time when words came to me so easily. I just had to find the time to write them down. Everything was an inspiration – a child’s smile, a flower blooming, a drop or rain, a ray of sunshine…

I had yet to learn what pain and heartache really meant.

I had yet to learn how easily trust can be broken.

I had yet to learn how to live when you feel that there’s no reason for it anymore.

And just like that, one day, the words were gone. I couldn’t hear anymore, there was nothing left to see.

Something was gone and I couldn’t find a way to bring it back. I was lost.

Sadness was all I had left.

He took everything the day he left and I had nothing but solitude and a broken, shattered heart.

But then I remembered. There was something else I loved.

Books!

I loved reading. I loved losing myself in someone else’s life even if it was for a few minutes.

And that’s what I did.

I lost myself in countless books. Countless stories. Countless lives.

Time went by and, slowly, the words started to return.

They weren’t bright and happy and full of hope anymore. They were sad, they spoke of heartbreak and loneliness and lessons leaned.

They spoke of a once naive girl who thought she could have it all but lost more than she could afford.

And I’ve read…

Now, I have my own stories to tell. The characters are not perfect and their lives are not all sunshine and roses but they fight for what they love and they still believe in Happily Ever After even if it doesn’t always happen to them.

This is me. The girl who writes.

Welcome to A Writer’s Journey.

October 20, 2016

A New Beginning ...

Hi everyone,

Long time, no see. 

Life kind of got in the way lately. But I am back now and some changes are on the way.

When I first started the blog all I wanted to do was promote the authors and the books I loved. I have done that at the best of my possibilities. At least I hope so, and I’m sorry if I disappointed anyone.

A lot has happened in the last two years. I’ve lost people I loved, I grieved, and the ugly monster that is depression has reared its ugly head once again. It wasn’t easy and it’ll never be but I’ve managed to defeated it time and time again. I’ll find my way out this time, too. But my fight with depression is a story for another day. 

Mikky’s World Of Books has met its purpose and it’s time to say goodbye. Now it’s the time for a fresh start.

For years, I’ve written stories that I kept to myself. Writing has always been my passion, my refuge and, at the same time, my coping mechanism through my darkest days. No matter what, I have always found a way to put my thoughts on paper. 

Some of those thoughts and stories are private and no one will ever read them but, the rest, I think are worth sharing.

Since one of my biggest dreams has been to publish a book one day, Mikky’s World Of Books blog will become Once Upon A Dream as of today.

I don’t know what will happen in the future. I’ve learned that making long term plans is worthless so, I’m going to take it one day at a time.

I’ll still do occasional blog tours, as the mood strikes, and I’ll keep posting reviews because I’m not giving up reading. That will never happen. In the meanwhile, I’ll share snippets of what I’m writing, stories from my day to day life and whatever I think is worth sharing with you. 

We’ll see how that works out.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you to those who have supported and encouraged me from day one. Some of you are great friends and you’ll never know how much a simple “Hello” has meant to me at times. I’ll never be able to repay you.

I hope you’ll keep supporting me in this new journey as well. Here's to good friends and new beginnings! 


With love and gratitude,

Mihaela.

June 14, 2016

Coming Soon! Excerpt & Giveaway: Heavy Hitters, Caribbean Tales #1 by Taylor V. Donovan


*Standalone Gay Romance Saga

His toughest opponent is himself.

World Boxing Champion Santino Malavé González has been fighting since he was a kid. Poverty, domestic violence, and emotional abuse were early contenders. Guilt and self-loathing were beaten into him at an impressionable age, and now machismo, an integral part of the Latino culture, rules his life. In the ring he’s undefeated. Outside the ropes life constantly hits him below the belt. It takes a sucker punch from his best friend to finally knock the denial out of him and force him to face his true nature like a real man.

A natural born entertainer, Luca Jenaro Betancur Ferrer has grown up serving God, performing, pursuing a career in music, and celebrating life among his tight-knit Catholic family under the scorching Puerto Rican sun. Singing the wrong note on stage is not a mistake the multi-platinum award-winning singer would ever allow. Falling in love with a man is not a transgression his devout family may ever accept. The ties that bind him are strong, but the pull toward his childhood best friend may just be enough to tear it all to shreds.


Anger, mistakes, bigotry, and the need to conform put up a good fight throughout their life journeys. Their religious and chauvinistic society constantly challenges their pursuit of happiness, and only time will tell if their relationship will survive the battles, or if they’ll lose each other by technical knockout.

Releasing June 24, 2016 



“Take this.” Julito handed him the other bag. “It’s your boxing gear.”

“Why’s this here and not in the shed?”

“I’ve been bagging it up every night before going to bed and putting it back in the shed before leaving for work for the last couple of weeks. I told you to put on your shoes.”

Santi obeyed immediately. “Why’d do you do that?”

“I’m ready,” Omayra said from the door, sounding scared, sad, and excited in equal parts.

“We can’t leave without Ma,” Santi repeated. “He’s hitting her because—” He felt like he was choking on his own words. His father didn’t love him. His mom was sending him away because he’d told her he liked boys. She’d failed to stand up for him… hadn’t even tried to reassure him that she’d always want him regardless of who he was. It sucked. “Mami and Papi are disappointed in me,” he forced himself to say. “All this is happening because they think I’m gay.” 

“He’s hitting Ma because he’s an abusive prick,” Omayra countered.

“I’ve got to show him I’m not gay,” Santi whispered. “This is my fault. I’ve got to do everything I can to make things right for Mami.”

“And you’ll start working on it as soon as we’re out.” Julito grabbed his keys and wallet from the milk crate that served as a bedside table and took a few towels from his bed. He looked around the room one more time before pushing Santi toward the door. “We’ve got to go.”

Only muffled noises could be heard in their parents’ bedroom when they ran out of the shack they’d called home for the past two years. That was a good sign. Papi had either passed out, or he’d calmed down.

They were soaking wet by the time they ran across the yard, got inside Julito’s old El Camino and locked the doors.

Julito pushed their bags behind the seat and started the truck. Omayra grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself, then used the other two to cover Santi and Julito before settling between them on the truck’s bench seat. Santi stared at the small, dilapidated ranch through the windshield, the rain, and the darkness of night. None of them said a word as they sped away from the house.

“Where are we going?” Omayra whispered several minutes later, taking Santi’s hand.

“’Uela Esperanza’s,” Julito said quietly as he navigated the dark curvy road down the mountain.

Omayra sniffled and wiped her face. “How will we know if Ma’s okay?”

“I have Sister Dominga’s telephone number,” Julito said. “Ma’ll go to the convent after mass on Sunday and wait for our call.” 

Santi rested his head on the back of the seat and closed his eyes.

He thought about the conversation between himself and his mom. About the stupid Health class that had started this mess. About the moment his dad walked into the bedroom and about the conspiring looks he’d seen pass between Julito and their mom.

“Where’s Héctor?” he asked without opening his eyes.

“He’s living with Titi Migdalia in New York,” Julito said.

Omayra gasped. “But I thought he was still in juvie.”

“They reduced his sentence for good behavior. Papi had said he didn’t want Héctor in his house, and Ma didn’t want him to go back to that hell anyway, so she asked if I could help her buy a plane ticket for him, and I said yes.”

“How long has he been out?” Omayra asked. “Does Pa know?” 

“Six months or so, and no, that bastard doesn’t know,” Julito said with a smile. Santi’s eyes were closed, but he could hear the smile in his brother’s voice. “He’s working in Tío Tato’s bodega and going to school at night. He’s doing fine.”

“I’m so happy to hear that,” Omayra said with a laugh. “That’s a great opportunity for him. I hope he turns things around for himself.”

“When did you plan this?” Santi asked is a shaky voice. “When did Ma decide to get us out of the house?”

“Right after ’Uela Esperanza and Tío Miguel came to visit the last time. She talked to them. Made sure we’d have a safe place to live and a gym where you could start training again. She was hoping it wouldn’t be necessary, but she had to be ready in case—” Julito cleared his throat. “In case you turned out to be gay,” he finished in a careful tone. “She knew Pa would never leave you alone, so we came up with a plan.”

“Taunt Papi and let him think it was his idea to disown us and throw us out of the house?” Omayra snorted. “He’s an idiot, and Ma finally did something right. I wish she’d come with us, though.”

“We’ll figure a way to get her out,” Julito assured her. “Life will be different now. She found a way to give us a chance, guys. Let’s make it count.”

“I never said I am gay,” Santi pointed out. He opened his eyes and looked at his brother and sister, desperate to convince them that he wasn’t a pervert. “I’m not in love with another boy, and it isn’t my fault Papi’s hitting Ma.” He lowered his eyes and stared at the beaded bracelets he’d been squeezing in his hand the entire time. “This mess isn’t my fault…it can’t be my fault… It isn’t! I’m not gay.”

Julito clasped Santi’s shoulder and said, “I know, buddy. I know you wouldn’t let me down that way.” He patted him on the back a couple of times before focusing his attention on the road.

Omayra glared at Julito, and then kissed Santi on the cheek. “I’ll always love you, no matter what you do or who you are,” she whispered as she gave him an understanding smile. “Don’t forget that.”

Santi leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes.

He never let go of the bracelets or Omayra’s hand.



Taylor V. Donovan is a compulsive reader and author of gay romance and suspense. She is optimistically cynical about humanity and a lover of history, museums, and all things 80s. She shamelessly indulges in mind-numbing reality television, is crazy about fashion, and passionate about civil rights and equality for all.

When she’s not writing or making a living in the busiest city in the world, Taylor can be found raising her two daughters and their terribly misbehaved furry baby in their home.



May 24, 2016

In The Spotlight! Banished Threads, Threads #3 by Kaylin McFarren


A valuable art collection disappears turning a treasure-hunting duo into crime-stopping sleuths committed to vindicating family members in Kaylin McFarren's action-packed suspense novel, Banished Threads.

While vacationing at the stately Cumberforge Manor in Bellwood, England, Rachel Lyons and Chase Cohen attend an elegant dinner party hosted by her uncle, Paul Lyons, and his aristocratic wife, Sara. Before the evening ends, a priceless collection of Morris Graves's paintings are stolen from her uncle's popular gallery, throwing all suspicion onto his wife's missing granddaughter. Determined to clear Sloan Rafferty's name and, in the process, win Paul's favor, Chase scours the countryside looking for answers. In his absence, the police accuse Rachel's uncle of an unsolved murder and secrets surrounding her grandmother's death and the deaths of Sara's former husbands turn his wife into the most likely suspect.

With the true villains hell-bent on destroying Paul Lyons and his family, solving both crimes while ensuring her uncle's freedom not only endangers Rachel's life but that of her unborn child. Will Chase save them before the kidnappers enact their revenge or will the ultimate price be paid, as predicted by a vagabond fortuneteller? 

First place - 2016 Hudson Valley RWA Hook, Line & Sinker Contest




A lone figure stood in the estuary lookout nestled in the trees above the North Sea on the Holderness Coast, waiting with restless anticipation as Gwen Gallagher approached the cliff's edge. A quick adjustment to the night-vision binoculars allowed the watcher a closer view of the twenty-eight-year-old secretary as she savored the last autumn sunset she would ever see. The crisp, cool air picked up speed, leaving her long black hair sailing like a ghostly pirate's flag behind her. It lifted the hem of her black skirt slightly, exposing her white shapely legs and black suede booties to the wintry elements. Her pale blue eyes swept across the landscape, appraising the beauty surrounding them. She raised her chin toward the darkening sky and smiled, obviously believing the note she had received, inviting her here, had come from her married lover.

As Gwen moved even closer to the edge, the watcher inhaled a deep breath. All that remained between this ludicrous woman and the vividly blue ocean was two meters of solid rock. From the lookout vantage point, there was barely enough light to confirm that she was staring down at the tossing sands and churning water, mesmerizing in the early evening breeze. All it would take was one push, and she would feel the rush of wind through her hair and see the crystal-blue sea one last time as she slammed headlong into the jagged rocks below.

The watcher's heart was fluttering erratically now as Gwen stood balancing on the brink of extinction. The sky darkened, and gray waves slammed into the rocks, blasting sea spray high into the air. By all appearances, she had become preoccupied by the black storm clouds collecting overhead and the hard-hitting raindrops striking her cheeks. The wind was whipping now and had started to voice its howling rage. Meanwhile, the watcher climbed down from the lookout and stepped hurriedly across the uneven ground, arriving only six yards away from the scene where Gwen now remained frozen in place. The soles of her shoes held her stoically to the uneven mafic rock as the rising wind whipped and swayed her body like a frail willow. For a brief moment, the watcher was uncertain of what to do next. Then Gwen turned around suddenly and stared back in a trancelike state. Another step forward resulted in waking her.

"What are you doing here?" she called out. "What do you want?"

The watcher remained silent and took another step forward before pulling out an engraved, freshly sharpened steak knife. A look of fear crossed Gwen's rain-streaked face, making it impossible not to smile.

"Go away! Leave me alone!" she screeched. She took a final step back to distance herself, just as a massive wave hit. The spray washed over her and sent her plummeting fifteen meters down. The watcher dropped on all fours to maintain a protected position on the slippery, stony ground. Minutes later, the surge passed, and it was now safe to stand. A quick assessment confirmed the dangling binoculars were safe and in excellent working order, but the engraved knife had been washed away. After stepping down to a new viewpoint, it was easy to ascertain that Gwen had been injured from the fall and was now trapped in the jagged rocks below. She looked up at the watcher and called out for help, screaming at the top of her lungs.

Bloody idiot. If someone should hear her, they could interfere, and that would ruin everything.

Five minutes passed as poor Gwen continued to scream. Then, as good fortune would have it, the wind rose again. With the crush of another wave, she was pulled under and swept out to sea.

The watcher smiled and was about to leave when a tiny fraction of light picked up something on the ground. Careful inspection confirmed it was a gold hoop earring, plucked from its owner—a marvelous souvenir to add to the prized, growing collection. After the watcher slipped it into a pocket in the yellow hooded slicker and removed the binoculars, a pleasant thought came to mind. Since it had become a moral right and obligation to dispose of the unworthy and undeserving in the Cumberforge Manor, it wouldn't be long before Gwen's lover would be joining her and the rest of the moneygrubbing fools who had been personally escorted to the bowels of hell.





Kaylin McFarren is a California native who has enjoyed traveling around the world. She previously worked as director for a fine art gallery, where she helped foster the careers of various artists before feeling the urge to satisfy her own creative impulses.
Since launching her writing career, McFarren has earned more than a dozen literary awards in addition to a finalist spot in the 2008 RWA Golden Heart Contest. A member of RWA, Rose City Romance Writers, and Willamette Writers, she also lends her participation and support to various charitable and educational organizations in the Pacific Northwest.
McFarren currently lives with her husband in Oregon and visits her second home in California once a month. They have three grown daughters and two grandchildren, and look forward to having more.
Her latest book is the romantic suspense, Banished Threads.