Banished Love by Ramona Flightner - Book Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ramona will be awarding a $50 Amazon or BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via the Rafflecopter at the end of this post. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Free-Spirited…

Clarissa Sullivan dreams for more from life than sipping tepid tea in stifling parlors in Victorian Boston. She defies her family’s wishes, continuing to teach poor immigrant children in Boston’s West End, finding a much-needed purpose to her life.

Radical…

As a suffragette, Clarissa is considered a firebrand radical no man would desire. For why should women want the vote when men have sheltered women from the distasteful aspects of politics and law?

Determined…

When love blossoms between Clarissa and Gabriel McLeod, a struggling cabinetmaker, her family objects. Clarissa’s love and determination will be tested as she faces class prejudices, manipulative family members and social convention in order to live the life she desires with the man she loves.

Will she succeed? Or will she yield to expectations?

BANISHED LOVE follows Clarissa Sullivan on her journey of self-discovery as she learns what she cannot live without.

Enjoy an excerpt:

“If you don’t mind me saying so, Mr. McLeod, you seem quite domesticated,” Savannah said in a haughty tone.

Gabriel laughed. “Like a favorite pet, Miss Russell?” He glanced toward her with humor. “I always think domestication ruins the better part of the beast.”

“But you wouldn’t want a wild dog in your house,” Savannah protested. “And horses must be tamed.”

Gabriel nodded. “I would hate to think you compared me to a horse or a dog, miss. I hope I have better manners than that?” he asked, raising his eyebrows mockingly toward Savannah. “Though, I agree, horses are most useful for our purpose when tamed, but I wonder if they truly enjoy working for us?” He looked toward me, although he did not push me into the conversation.

He let out a long theatrical sigh. “Domesticated cats, dogs. Domesticated women. Wonderful creatures. Wouldn’t you agree, Miss Sullivan?” He looked toward me wickedly. I had bolted so hard in the rocker at his words I had nearly flown onto the floor. I watched him with wide eyes, wondering why he pushed Savannah so.

Savannah replied, “Now you are offensive, sir.” She vibrated with anger.

“Isn’t that what all young women long to be?” Gabriel asked Savannah, setting down the filled mugs with a clunk. “Domesticated. Demure. Tamed to the needs and ways of their husbands?”

“You know perfectly well you are describing the ideal wife,” Savannah spat out.

“Am I?” he asked, sounding unconvinced. “What do you think, Miss Sullivan?” he turned to me. “Is that what you long to be, a domesticated woman?”

“No!” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

“Rissa!” Savannah scolded me, eyes flashing. She had begun to breathe heavily, and I feared she would faint with her tightly laced corset.

I blushed but met Gabriel’s eyes. “No,” I said. “I have no desire to match that description. Slightly less clumsy, perhaps,” I muttered.

“Yes, I agree,” Gabriel said, causing me to worry he agreed with my assessment about my clumsiness. “Domestication is akin to docility which is an unattractive trait in a woman.” He smiled knowingly at me, and I felt a flash of pleasure.

“Do you speak in earnestness, sir, or are you in jest?” Savannah demanded. When Gabriel merely turned to look at her, she continued. “Men want docile, demure women,” she expounded, as though teaching a rudimentary fact to Gabriel.

“Well, pardon me, ma’am, for not learning my lessons well,” he replied, nodding his head deferentially.

I watched Savannah’s face become flushed red with anger and was worried she would erupt. She generally kept her temper under control, but, when it blew, it was a frightening thing to behold.

“I’d actually like to meet a young woman who can think for herself and doesn’t want only what her father or husband wants.” His quiet statement made my pulse quicken.

Savannah scoffed, “That path leads only to misery.”

“Or tremendous contentment,” Gabriel countered.

Savannah stood, knocking into the table with such force she caused tea to spill out of the mugs. “I will not sit here any longer and listen to your insolent beliefs,” she declared. “Rissa?” She turned toward me expectantly, then headed toward the door.

I looked at Gabriel with remorse, wanting to have spent longer time in his company. “I enjoyed our conversation. Maybe we could continue it one day at the school?” I watched him, hopeful he would agree.

He smiled, releasing a sigh of relief. “I would enjoy that very much, Miss Clarissa.”

I had forgotten how his voice could feel like a caress. I closed my eyes for a moment, having missed hearing his gentle baritone. No matter how much I had enjoyed his letters, I had missed him.

Ramona Flightner is a native of Missoula, Montana. After graduating from Tufts University with a B.A. in Spanish, she earned a Masters degree in Spanish Literature from the University of Montana. Her Master’s thesis, Chilean Testimonial Literature: the collective suffering of a people, highlighted her continued interest in the stories of those who were at risk of being forgotten or silenced.

She studied nursing at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a Master’s in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has worked for ten years as a family nurse practitioner providing care to the poor and under insured at two community health centers, first in Wilmington, Delaware and now in Boston, Massachusetts.

An avid reader, she began writing three years ago. She enjoys the demands of research and relishes the small discoveries that give historical detail to her books.

Ramona is an avid flyfisher and hiker who enjoys nothing better than spending a day on a remote Montana river, far from a city. She enjoys research, travel, storytelling, learning about new cultures and discovering new ways of looking at the world. Though she resides in Boston, Massachusetts, Ramona remains a Montanan at heart.

Her dreams are to see the plains of East Africa, marvel at the wonder of Petra in Jordan, soak in the seas of the South Pacific, and to continue to spend as much time as possible with her family.

Banished Love is her first novel and is the first in the forthcoming Banished Saga.

AUTHOR WEB PAGE: http://www.ramonaflightner.com

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/ramonaflightner

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/authorramonaflightner

PINTEREST: http://www.pinterest.com/ramonaauthor

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Children of Lubrochius by Matthew D. Ryan - Cover reveal and giveaway!

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Matthew will award a metal miniature of a demon from the Reaper Fantasy Miniatures to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY). Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

We're here today to reveal the cover of the author's latest book, The Children of Lubrochius -- and it's a gorgeous cover! What do YOU think?

The vampire, Lucian val Drasmyr, has been defeated, but not destroyed: Now he serves another evil: Korina Bolaris, a young and gifted sorceress bent on subverting the power structure of Drisdak. Only Coragan of Esperia can hope to stop them. But is even he prepared to face the dark cult who claims her as their own: the Children of Lubrochius?

Intrigued? Enjoy an excerpt:

“I am a Child of Lubrochius,” Korina said. “I came here to hire you and offer you an opportunity few ever have. Are you interested?”

“I see little profit in it,” said the first man, “save vague promises of uncertain future rewards.”

Korina paused. Clearly, she was not explaining the up-side of her offer well enough. She needed something to lure the men in; something the Shadowhand could not provide, but the Children could. “Have you ever robbed from a wizard?” she asked, changing the topic as the obvious lure occurred to her. She reached into another small pouch on her side and pulled out four Kaldtarri rings, her fingers gently caressing one, feeling the band of iron and the grotesque gargoyle-like head. Sidipius had come through and provided her with ten Kaldtarri Primes and two Kaldtarri Secunduses, an ample beginning supply: enough to begin a formidable hellring. All she needed were the recruits. Men such as these.

The men stared across the empty space at her, at first saying nothing in reply. Finally, one of them broke the silence. “No, we have not,” he said.

“Why?” she asked, though she knew the answer.

“They have magic. They can snoop you out no matter how good you are.”

“How about a baron or a count?”

“Do you know how many thieves have gone to the gallows for trying?” the thief said. “The nobility just hire wizards. It’s a lost cause.”

She smiled, and one by one dropped three of the rings on the table in front of them. “Is it now?” she said.

Matthew D. Ryan is a published author living in upstate New York on the shores of Lake Champlain. Mr. Ryan has a background in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He has a black belt in the martial arts and studies yoga. He has been deeply involved in the fantasy genre for most of his life as a reader, writer, and game designer. He is the operator of the web-site matthewdryan.com which features his blog, “A Toast to Dragons,”a blog dedicated to fantasy literature, and, to a lesser extent, sci-fi. Mr. Ryan says he receives his inspiration from his many years as an avid role-player and fantasy book reader. He has spent many long hours devising adventures and story-lines for games, so it was a natural shift moving into fantasy writing.

Mr. Ryan is the author of the exciting dark fantasy novel, Drasmyr,, its sequel, The Children of Lubrochius, and a growing number of short stories. His first novel, Drasmyr, has consistently earned reviews in the four and five star range and serves as the prequel to his upcoming series: From the Ashes of Ruin. In addition to Drasmyr and The Children of Lubrochius, Mr. Ryan has published several short stories on-line, including: “Haladryn and the Minotaur,” “The River’s Eye,” and “Escape.”

Links to the Author on the Internet

Author’s website: http://matthewdryan.com

Author’s Smashwords Page: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/matthewdryan

Author’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000038781652

Author’s Amazon Author Central Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/matthewdryan

Author’s Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/579148.Matthew_D_Ryan

Tom's Wife by Alana Cash - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Alana will be awarding the winner's choice of a Screenprinted Camisole - "What Happens in the Bedroom Stays in the Bedroom" or a Brass Nuts T-Shirt - screenprinted "Brass" with 2 brass hex-nuts sewn to collar, to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. (US ONLY)

We'll turn the blog over to Alana now...

I have only been in love a couple of times in my life and one of those times was with a drummer in a Latin band. He played with different groups and I got to know all kinds of Latin music – salsa, meringue, cumbia, bosa nova and more. I went to the different venues where he played and made a few friends. From the friends I learned to cook different types of food and learned the different types of dances. I got invited to visit a family in Puerto Rico where I studied Spanish for a week. Returning from my vacation, I decided I wanted to learn play percussion. So I took lessons in bongos and castanets. A few times – very few – I was invited to play with the professional musicians in front of an audience. It was quite unusual to see a female bongo player and the musicians got tips for that and got invited back, but I didn’t think I was good enough, so eventually I stopped accepting the invitations. And the relationship with the drummer didn’t work out very well, but it was a great time in my life. A really great time.

I gave the bongos away, but I kept the castanets and I used to play them sometimes at home listening to the Gypsy Kings. One evening I was playing with the windows open and a man came to my door explaining that his wife was a flamenco dancer in Spain and he asked if I happened to be a flamenco dancer as well. That was pretty flattering since I wasn’t sure I played well at all, but apparently I played well enough to attract strangers off the street. I did play castanets once with a band on my birthday – and once under the table at a restaurant in Serbia. I was in Novi Sad doing some research for a project and the family I was staying with invited me to dinner at the restaurant (steak dinner for five people with wine was a total of $22). A gypsy band was playing and singing. They had five-string guitars and sang in seven different languages. I had the castanets under the table and played along with them. No one complained, but I did stop after a couple of songs.

Honestly, I would have preferred to have music as my art form over writing and when I was a child I begged for a guitar, but didn’t ever get that for Christmas. I took piano lessons for a few weeks, but the teacher moved away, and anyway I didn’t enjoy playing piano.

It’s the Great Depression and 19-year-old Annie Huckaby is almost resigned to marriage with Tom. He works at a coal mine during the week, leaving Annie to take care of the house and their infant son. Tom’s Native American friend Jim takes care of the farm. Her best friend, Twila, visits every day and helps Annie make a little money selling eggs to the café on the highway. And there’s church on Sunday. Annie’s not always alone, but most times she feels like it…until one afternoon a peddler named Jake Stern steps onto the porch, tips his hat, and starts a world of trouble.

Now enjoy an excerpt:

The first time Annie ever saw Jake Stern, she was sitting with Twila on the porch after dinner. They’d been watching the men working on the new barn and they heard Butch growling and turned around and saw him. It was peculiar to see a fellow in a white shirt on a weekday, and she had to look away behind him, at the big oak tree.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Alana Cash is an award-winning author and filmmaker who used to spend summers on her grandparents farm at the foot of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas. When she was ten, a red-headed stranger rode up on horseback asking her grandfather if there were horses needing to be broken. The cowboy wore spurs and a cowboy hat and was pretty exciting. Decades later, Alana wondered if any of the women living in that farming community got a crush on that wandering cowboy, and intending to write a short story about that romantic day, Alana ended up writing the novel TOM’S WIFE.

Website: www.alanacash.com

Blog: howyoulovetexas.blogspot.com

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/toms-wife-alana-cash/1100486164?ean=9781449996321

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Alana-Cash/e/B0058DLGXO

Review: Once and Forever anthology

Once and Forever - An anthology

By Mary Blayney, Elaine Fox, Emelle Gamble, Lavinia Kent and introducing Evie Owens From five compelling authors, five original novellas which will make you laugh and cry, and believe in a love that once found will last forever. Meet a duke, a psychic, a bodyguard and a professor…and one "guardian fairy" in absorbing stories ranging from regency and contemporary romance to paranormal and women's fiction.

Playing for Keeps by Mary Blayney

Actress Kendall Marshall is determined to get an autograph for her sick sister from famous TV personality Mike O’Hara, the Oprah Winfrey of sports. In the process she meets his brother, security consultant Steve Marshall, lands a job on O’Hara’s show and gets in the way of a man set on causing big trouble. As the stalkers attacks escalate, Steve and Kendall are thrown together and find it impossible to ignore the chemistry between them.

The Princess & the Pinot by Elaine Fox

When a beautiful woman shows up at the Vineyard Inn, wine manager Kim is certain she’s been sent by fate for the inn’s owner, Cooper. Self-effacing to a fault, Kim knows she can’t hold a candle to Principessa Bella, who also seems to know even more about wine than Kim herself, but her heart has belonged to Cooper since they shared one kiss as teenagers.

While Prin sweeps easily into the job of sommelier at the renowned inn, Kim is afraid Prin will sweep just as surely into Cooper’s arms if she doesn’t do something about it. Can she tell Cooper how she feels without losing even his friendship?

Kim is willing to try except for one problem: she’s almost certainly losing her mind. Or is that belching, swearing, smoking, farting fairy – who claims to be trying to help her – real?

Duets by Emelle Gamble

Duets offers alternating looks into the lives of two women who would seem to have little or nothing in common.

Screen star Molly Harper is on the verge of marrying a man who has swept her off her feet, thought perhaps hasn’t swept all her feelings for her first love away. Anne Sullivan, happily married for twenty-five years, is fighting to hold onto the man she loves, and hold off a confrontation that could shatter her family’s image of what they are.

Duets confronts a past secret that ties these two women’s lives together, just as chance events turn Molly and Anne’s worlds upside down.

Never and Forever by Lavinia Kent

Never and Forever is the beginning of the love story of two people who shouldn’t belong together. Molly, Miss Wilkes, runs an employment agency helping women of quality find positions perfected suited to their characters. Although her father held the title of Earl for just over a week before his death, Molly has never wanted to be a lady. She knows her place in this world – and it is not at the center of society.

The Duke of Radford also knows his place in this world – and it’s above everybody else’s. He cannot imagine a world without all the privilege and power that comes from being Radford. He’s had foreign princesses and heiresses dangled before him for years. Why would he ever have interest in a simple woman who doesn’t even understand that she should want to be a duchess?

Can these two overcome the obstacles of their own beliefs and realize that love can make all things possible?

Never and forever are both a very long time. Where will their love fit?

The Psychic Detective by Evie Owens

Psychic Martin Sterling doesn't trust cops--and the feeling is mutual. Detective Erin Healy needs more than a ghost story to save her job and reputation. Her partner is dead, a million dollars in drugs and money is missing, and all the evidence points to her.

Can a sexy psychic and a by the book cop, trapped between the living and the dead, unearth the truth? Or will a cold-blooded killer get away with it all...

My review:  Overall I had considerable mixed feelings about this anthology.  Some stories I loved, some I wasn't as enamoured with, but overall it was certainly a worthwhile read and a great way to find out about some new authors (whose books I'll be buying for sure!).

I enjoyed Playing For Keeps quite a lot.  I loved the author's voice and style, and the characters were fun and interesting. I do wish the story had been long enough to really get to know both sets of siblings better ... we only get a taste of the two who aren't the primary H/H, but it looks as if they may have their own story and I'm going to hunt that sucker down.  The story itself was cute, if a bit predictable and the heroine, Kendall, was a hoot. She certainly kept Steve on his toes.  This rates as one of the my favorite selections of the book.

I had a love/hate relationship with The Princess & the Pinot.  I loved the hero and heroine and most of the storyline, but I did not love the fairy.  I think the author was touching on the Princess and the Pea with Prin as well, and I honestly wish the time spent with the fairy had been spent on more character development.  I could see so much potential, and I think the conflict and premise of the story would have stood on its own without the addition of that element and would have given her more space to create a stronger story.  I wonder, too, if Prin is going to have her own story someday.

Duets was an anomaly in this anthology.  The other stories were clearly romances, but Duets was not.  It is womens fiction pure and simple, so was a bit of a disappointment to this romance reader.  That said, however, the author is clearly talented.  Her writing is well done, concise and interesting and her characters well developed.  If she wrote in a genre I enjoyed more, I'd be a steadfast fan. If you're a fan of womens fiction, you could do worse than reading Emelle Gamble.

Never and Forever was both annoying and frustrating, but also did its job well -- I'm sold on Lavinia Kent.  She made her characters so real, and the story incredibly interesting. What was annoying? That it was more a "moment in time" story with no real ending, than an actual complete story. When I came to the end, I sat in shock when I realized there was no more to the story and had to restrain myself from tossing my ereader at the wall.  I was so angry!  I wanted a resolution, I wanted satisfaction ... I wanted more. Kudos to the author for making this a story and characters I cared about so much.  This couple had BETTER show up again and finish their story, or I will find the author and shake her.

My favorite story of the anthology was The Psychic Detective.  Complete (and after Never and Forever, this was a HUGE plus), fun and unique, it made me want to start over and read it again as soon as I was done.  It had adorable, interesting characters that mattered to me and a plot that was intriguing and fun.  I've never read this author before, but I'm definitely adding her to the list of ones to watch.  If she can entertain me this much again, she'll have a hardcore fan.

Again, overall this was a neat set of stories in a plethora of genres which allowed me to get a taste of authors I'd never read before.  None were wall-bangers and I'd say that I enjoyed the writing style and voice of every author in the collection.  If you're looking for a sampler, and to add some new authors to your list of ones to buy, I'd recommend this as a good place to start.

3.5 Flowers -  It was a good book. I liked it!

Van Locken’s Witch by Debbie Peterson - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Debbie will be awarding an exclusively made representation of Lissa's necklace created by Shandra Kay to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY). Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Kapitein Rand Van Locken has no idea what awaits him as he boards the Spanish galleon on behalf of the Dutch West India Company, or that the beautiful woman imprisoned within will change his life in ways he never imagined or even desired. Until now...

Lissa Capoen, didn't plan for the Spaniards to capture her while attempting to rescue her sister. She didn't foresee the handsome sea captain coming swiftly to her aid and offering his assistance. Nor did she expect him to steal her heart and claim it as his own.

Yet, as destiny brings them ever closer together, Armando Manera is determined to recapture the witch and present her to the Spanish King. No matter what it takes...

Enjoy this excerpt:

“Corners of truth? What are you trying to tell me, Lissa? Please, for the love of heaven, just come out and say whatever it is you need to say.”

She fastened her gaze to his. “That all the witte wieven legends you’ve just mentioned have a foundation based in fact. The stories began centuries ago in Gelderland, the place from whence I hail as we've already discussed. A group of women, all related by blood, settled there during the elder days. Rather than hags or sorceresses, these women and all their female descendants were renowned herbalists and healers. People would travel great distances in order to obtain a cure for their maladies, and those that believe in this gift still do to this day. To my knowledge, the wieven never turned away a soul that had a genuine need.

“Most of these women have what you might deem, magical ability, and some more so than others. For although each woman learns to use the elements of the earth, as well as the energy that surround these elements to accomplish her purposes, individual skill varies. In addition, they are in fact, gifted with the ability to see into the future. Again, some to a greater degree than others.”

“Oh, come on, Lissa,” said Rand. “Surely, you don’t believe that

“Yes, actually, I do.” She paused for a moment and then took in a breath. “I believe it, Rand, because I am one.”

He drew his brows together. “You are one what?”

“A descendant of the witte wieven, who has inherited all of the abilities of her ancestors.”

For a moment he said nothing. He simply stared at her. Then, after what seemed an inordinate amount of time he said, "You can't be serious."

"Dead serious."

About the Author: Debbie has always had a soft spot for fairy tales, the joy of falling in love, and happily ever after endings. Stories of love and make believe filled her head for as long as she can remember. However, it was her beloved husband who encouraged, cajoled and inspired her to take up a pen and write some of them down. Her journey to published author could fill quite a few pages. However, in June of 2010, she submitted her debut novel “Spirit of the Rebellion” to her wonderful, patient, editor at The Wild Rose Press and the rest is history. She now has four published novels to her credit, with a fifth due out in 2014.

When she is not busy conjuring her latest novel, Debbie spends time with the members of her very large family, within the lovely, arid deserts of southern Nevada. She also pursues her interests in family history, mythology, and all things ancient and historic.

Website: http://dk-peterson.com/
Blog: http://debbie-peterson.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebbiePeterson1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Debbie-Peterson-Author/214882805206529?ref=tn_tnmn
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/debpeterson1/

Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Shannon's Law by Emma Calin - Book Launch and Giveaway

Launch Day

Welcome to the launch day of Shannon's Law by Emma Calin, organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Emma will be awarding a Shannon's Law Launch Day Swag Bag to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour and a $30 Amazon voucher will be awarded to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Also, a print copy of Shannon's Law will be awarded to three (3) randomly drawn commenters and a digital copy of Shannon's Law will be awarded to five (5) randomly drawn commenter during the tour. ALL ENTRANTS get emailed a digital cookery book of recipes (including photos!) for meals/food eaten in Shannon's Law. The book is called 'Cops Cuisine'. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Wild child inner city cop Shannon Aguerri walks a dangerous line between her methods and justice. When the bosses lose their nerve, after yet another maverick mission, she is transferred to green pastures to play out the role of a routine village cop. When she encounters signs of people and drug trafficking she homes in on serious millionaire criminals. As a loner she has attracted men but nothing has stuck. When she meets Spencer, the hunky and widowed Earl of Bloxington, there is an immediate rapport between them. Their social differences mean nothing to their passion and need. Already in the mix is an upper class female rival – who has long plotted her way into the Earl's bed. The jealousy is an evil shade of green and the anger is a violent scarlet. Often inhibited by a sense of duty and honour, Spencer is slow to reveal his feelings. When Shannon confronts him with the need to choose between her word and that of her rival, he does not immediately support her. All the same, when they are forced together to carry out a desperate rescue mission their love is stronger than everything ranged against them.

Authors note: This book is quite 'strongly flavoured' and features uninhibited, but straightforward steamy sexual scenes between consenting adults and true-to-life street language that would occur in high-stress situations.

About the Author:

Novelist, philosopher, blogger, poet, would be master chef. A woman pedaling between Peckham and Pigalle, in search of passion and enduring romance.

Emma Calin writes romance novels and gritty short stories about love and survival in the 21st century. She has published a number digital and paperback books which are available from Amazon worldwide.

She blogs about her dual life in St-Savinien sur Charente in South West France and Romsey, a market town in England. She feels extremely lucky to be able to experience the world and life through these two, very different, lenses. She spends any time she can, when not writng, on her tandem exploring the countryside.

Emma also records and produces audio books and plays the trombone (although not at the same time).

Find Emma Calin online:

Mailing list for latest launch news
Blog: http://www.emmacalin.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.emmacalin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emma.calin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmmaCalin
Amazon UK page: http://astore.amazon.co.uk/realifaccto02-21
Amazon USA page: http://astore.amazon.com/realifaccto09-20
About.me: http://about.me/emmacalin
Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fathoms of Forgiveness by Nadia Scrieva - Book Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nadia will be awarding the box set of Sacred Breath Series or the box set of Thirty Minutes to Heartbreak (winner's choice)to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Meet the brave and fearless Visola; a woman unlike any you've ever encountered. Her wit and humor take her through the darkest of dangers with a smile always on her face--and her smile only grows larger as the odds become more impossible. With no concern for her own safety, Visola dives headfirst into the throes of battle to protect the people and country she loves, even if it means facing her worst enemy--the one man who can get inside her head and break her down like no other: her own husband...

Enjoy an excerpt:

Visola was curled up in her corner of the tiny space. She stared at Vachlan’s back as she played with a small knife. Her leg was probably well enough to walk on for a few miles, but she did not think he deserved to know this. No, he would have to keep on carrying her until they reached a city.

“Are you thinking about killing me?” Vachlan asked gruffly. He yawned and stretched, having just awoken.

“Yep,” Visola said in a chipper tone as she toyed with spinning the dagger between them. Occasionally it would point west at him, and occasionally it would point east toward her. Occasionally it would point north or south at neither of them. Continuously, when it stopped, she would consider what it meant with respect to fate, and whether fate was guiding her to take action, or to just continue being useless. A voice teased her internally. You have never gone beneath the truth. You cannot navigate the endless fathoms of forgiveness. She was reminded of the fact that she had felt somewhat comfortable and safe when Vachlan had been her clear-cut, straightforward enemy, and now that he was showing her tenderness she was becoming increasingly confused.

“So why don’t you just do it?” he asked.

“Need you to carry me around. Can’t move on my own—leg smashed.”

“Then once I get you home?”

“Sticking you in an oven and cooking you up with some salt and pepper. Having a scrumptious feast—eating your testicles first.”

“You can’t cook, Viso.”

“That’s true,” she said. She sighed, reaching up and began to trace patterns in the fabric of the tent. “To be perfectly honest, what I’m actually considering is divorce.”

He sat up abruptly, his head hitting the small tent and making it shake. “That’s impossible. There’s no such thing for sea-dwellers.”

Nadia Scrieva lives in Toronto, Canada with no husband, no kids, and no pets. She does own a very attractive houseplant which she occasionally remembers to water between her all-consuming writing marathons.

Contact Information
Website: www.NadiaScrieva.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NadiaFans
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NadiaScrieva
Blog: http://nadiascrieva.blogspot.ca/

Fathoms of Forgiveness

Purchase Links
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007KWTTXK/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fathoms-of-forgiveness-nadia-scrieva/1109848141?ean=2940044959552&itm=1
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/fathoms-of-forgiveness/id562783450?mt=11
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/235351
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Nadia_Scrieva_Fathoms_of_Forgiveness?id=TgdSAgAAQBAJ

Sky's End by Lesley Young - Guest Post and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions for her science fiction romance, Sky's End.

Lesley will be awarding print copies of “Sky’s End” to ten randomly drawn winners, and a grand prize of one $50 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner during the tour via the rafflecopter at the end of this post. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

She's sharing some info on aliens!

Three things you should know about alien heroes

Confession: I was not a huge sci-fi romance reader when I sat down to write my first fiction novel Sky’s End: Book One in the Cassiel Winters Series. I wrote it because I wanted to experience the journey of a young woman to kick-ass heroine. Then I created Prime Or’ic, a Thell’eon warrior who will stop at nothing to save the universe, gladly risking his heart, since he doesn’t think he has one. And I quickly realized how special alien heroes could be. Needless to say, I am now constantly gobbling up sci-fi romance. I can’t get enough. So if ye doubt, here are a few reasons to give it a try.

*Alien heroes present a truly new male archetype. With a hero from another planet, everything is (or should be) nonhuman. The hero’s appearance, his behaviors, his values, his approach to seduction, what turns him on, how he responds to human behaviors. . .the possibilities are endless and thus, at least to me, endlessly entertaining.

*Alien heroes could be real. No really. I mean, if other life forms exist, why not? They are certainly more likely than vampires, werewolves, lycan and fae. Just sayin’. Plus, I, for one, put a lot of effort into developing alien species, cultures and worlds that were likely, you know, based on scientific fictionalization of course.

*Alien heroes offer up a fresh take on love (re: screw the happy ending as we know it). When every human or earthly convention is turned on its head (as is the case with an alien hero), no way will a relationship grow, no way will an understanding, a compassion and passion for each other develop in a traditional way. Alien love begs the question of the author, what is human love and would other species love differently? Could they even love each other for real?

If you’ve never tried a novel set in space, Sky’s End is the one to ease you in. Its fast-paced plot, balanced world-building and wonderful engaging heroine on her way to kiss-ass-dom will grip you! Plus, the alien hero is hawt!

A secret she must never share. A secret that two warring species are determined to control. A universe’s future at stake.

Twenty-year-old Cassiel Winters joins Earth’s new space academy in hopes of finding her brother, one of Command’s top pilots and her only family, who’s been reported MIA. But she quickly realizes she may not be cut out for life in space, where female cadets are outnumbered, competition’s fierce, and she’s already failed her hand-to-hand combat test once.

When Cassiel’s manipulated into a perilous mission, she encounters a warrior species bred to protect the universe from an even greater threat. And she learns that her secret visions are at the heart of it all. Now Cassiel must fight to control her own destiny and race to save her brother—even if it means pretending to be the pawn of Prime Or’ic, the cold-as-steel Thell’eon leader. Even if it means risking her life, facing hard truths, and making the ultimate sacrifice.

Now enjoy an excerpt:

The sea of black and silver guns and uniforms open up to let through a Thell’eon wearing a long dark gray cloak made of what looks like microscopic chain-mail over a thin gray shirt that contours another chiseled chest and stomach. Honestly, they’re commonplace here.

But . . . our eyes meet, and I swear I have never seen a more handsome or fierce or handsomely fierce man in my life. I forget to conceal my facial expression. He’s the definition of man and . . . and . . . sex. Literally, that is his appeal. Its pull is soft and warm and persuasive. I find myself admiring his intelligent eyes, so dark they seem black. Tattoos or markings, or whatever those things are, accent his strong brow, contour his cheekbones, and one on his chin creates a goatee effect. I can tell by his facial stubble that he would have dark brown hair. I notice he’s breathing a little heavy, like he had run to catch up with the others. Given how fit he is, he must have come some distance.

He eyes me carefully, first with disbelief and then disgust. He claps his hands together suddenly, and laughs, meanly, causing me to jump a little. The spell is only partly broken.

“So this is what ESE sends?” His voice is deep and melodic. “A female . . . child,” he adds, eyeing my face.

Journalist Lesley Young never thought she would delve into the world of writing fiction, but when she sat down for the first time to put pen to paper, ideas for what would become her first novel just poured out naturally. Young’s first book, “Sky’s End,” is a multi-genre tale that showcases her unique style of weaving romance, action and wit into one page-burning story.

Young was born in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. She holds an arts degree from the University of Alberta and a journalism degree from the University of Victoria.

Young now lives in Loretto, Ontario where she works as a journalist, freelance writer and editor for health, décor and business magazines. Since 2008, Young has written more than 300 articles for print and online media including Profit, Toronto Life, MSN Green, and Elle Canada among others. She is a regular contributor to Reader’s Digest, Best Health, Canadian Living and House and Home Magazine.

Young has won three gold honors for feature stories from the National Business Magazine Awards and another top media award from the Canadian Dermatology Association.

Soul Mate Publishing released “Sky’s End” on July 15 in paperback and e-book and since its launch, it has remained an Amazon Best Seller. The novel is Young’s first installment in a series about Cassiel Winters, a futuristic heroine, and her outer space escapades.

LesleyYoungBooks.com

Facebook.com/CassielWintersSeries

Twitter: @LesleyYoungBks

Amazon Buy Link
http://www.amazon.com/Skys-Cassiel-Winters-Lesley-Young-ebook/dp/B00DXV8G9K/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1385512973&sr=8-1&keywords=%22sky%27s+end%22

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Unconventional Fling by Allyson Lindt - interview and giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Allyson will be awarding a $10 Amazon gift card and ecopies of her books Conflict of Interest and Toeing the Line to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Now, enjoy hearing from Allyson as she stops in to be grilled, uh answer some questions for us. Welcome, Allyson.

Thanks so much for having me here today!

Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

I’ve always preferred to writing in a contemporary (or near future) environment, even when I dabbled in fantasy. There are so many fascinating aspects of today’s world to touch on, that I like to dig under the edges and pry out the details. And since I’m a technology and gaming geek, I like to read and write about people who live and play in my world.

As far as romance is concerned, that wasn’t as clear to me. I used to write lots of stories with ambiguous endings, where people may or may not move on with their lives. But then I discovered the happily ever after/happily for now. There’s something warming, not just about seeing characters end up together, but watching them grow enough to be happy in those relationships.

What research (or world-building – for fantasy/paranormal/Sci-fi) is required?

Because most of my stories at least touch a little on technology, and the corporations who create it, I always have to be on top of my game. Knowing what publications talk about new tech, knowing where the trade shows are, all that stuff is important. And then getting to explore the places these things happen. Even if it’s just virtually, visiting new cities and seeing new technological developments is always fun.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

The character arc is so important to me (as I mentioned above, I think even fictional people need to learn and grow), so I learn something every one of my heroes and heroines. Unconventional Fling was a unique on that front, though. My heroine, Jade, lives the life I always thought I wanted when I was younger. Traveling most of the time for work, seeing the world, and not being tied down.

And she realizes it’s a lonely existence. She never stops loving seeing so many new places, but she reaches a point where she wants someone to share it with who can both understand her wanderlust, and at the same time give her an anchor point when she’s tired. Experiencing that through her eyes was very enlightening.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

Erm… I’m not big on superstition, but I do have one habit/quirk. I get bored writing in the same location over and over. I do my best creating in the morning, before my brain is cluttered with the world around me. So I’m currently on a mission to visit every non fast food breakfast spot in the valley, one at a time on weekends, to write. I take a pen and a notebook, and I drink coffee while I plot.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

Both. It’s a 60/40 thing. I can’t start writing a story unless I have a very loose outline. A list of chapters, pivotal plot moments, and a loose idea of the beginning, middle, and end. However, I have yet to have a story turn out the way I plotted it. As I begin to write, and the characters and situations demand things that are different from my vision, I change, I adapt, and in the end my outline becomes more of a suggestion than a road map.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

One of our cats. We’ve got four. This one is a long haired gray tabby who’s curled up on an empty office chair. He’s seven years old, and still a kitten at heart, and I know if I were to pick him up right now, he’d stretch, he’d shove his face in mine, and then he’d curl up in my arms and go back to sleep.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I always have *something* in the works ;) On February 10, my Valentine’s Day novella, Operation: Cupid was released. She wants the love of her life back, he’s going to teach her how to move on. When the past and the present collide, neither is prepared for the results.

I also have a new category romance series currently in the works. I can’t share many details at this point, but my geeky heroes still have the alpha expansion pack, my heroines still hold their own in a boardroom, and in the end, the cubicle dwellers find their happily ever afters.

Do you have a question for our readers?

I absolutely do, I always love to get to know readers better. So tell me, readers, what books are you reading right now, and would you recommend them?

Jade is in Nashville on her third week of a month-long business trip. She doesn't mind seeing a new city every week, but she's dragging after so many without a break. When a sexy stranger wants to share her breakfast table, she welcomes the change in scenery. The easy banter and teasing that dances behind the eyes of the handsome voice actor have her wondering if just this once, a one-night stand might be worth her time.

Brandon is tired of the playboy image that comes with his cult-celebrity status. When he meets a business woman with a travel schedule as hectic as his, she lights a spark deep inside. The problem is, he's hoping for something long-term, and she's hesitant to start anything that will become long-distance. With less than three days before they go their separate ways, Brandon has to show Jade there's more to them than just an unconventional fling.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Jade tried to keep her gait casual when Brandon fell into step beside her on the short path back to the elevator. He was close enough that his arm occasionally brushed hers, and the soft scent of soap and cinnamon teased her. The group waiting for the next available car grew, and he pressed closer, arm resting against her back, to make more room for the people around them.

“So.” His voice was low enough she was certain only she could hear it; his warm breath brushing her ear. “You don’t mind being the one on the other side of the glass?”

The tentative rein she had on her imagination snapped, images and possibilities danced through her thoughts. She kept her response soft. “If the situation is right.”

The doors slid open, and people spilled into the waiting car. He maneuvered himself behind her, his chest close enough to her back to brush her shirt, but not quite touching her. His question was hot against her skin as the car rose. “For instance, someone directly behind you, where the only thing anyone on the outside sees is a glimpse? A hint?”

She didn’t know what was more enticing, the fantasies he was evoking or how close he stood. The elevator slid to a stop. He rested a hand on her hip. “My floor. Enjoy work.”

He stepped around her and was gone, the doors closing behind him.

About the Author:

Allyson Lindt is a full-time geek and a fuller-time contemporary romance author. She was lucky enough to marry her muse and soul mate. When they’re not spending way too much time gaming, they’re building new worlds together. She loves a sexy happily-ever-after and helping deserving cubicle dwellers find their futures together.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page

Buy the book at Liquid Silver Books, Amazon US, Amazon UK, or ARe.

The Illustrious Client by Sandra de Helen - Review and Giveaway

(Mystery)

This review is in conjunction with a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sandra will be awarding a $25 Powell's gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Book Two of the Shirley Combs and Dr. Mary Watson series, THE ILLUSTRIOUS CLIENT, shows us the private investigator and her sidekick sharing an office, and introduces their receptionist, Lix. They are hired to influence a young international pop star, Oceane Charles, to pry her away from her older, richer, player of a girlfriend. The cast is made up of people with various ethnicities and backgrounds, and of course the job soon includes solving a murder mystery. Along the way, Mary discovers her latent lesbianism. Set in Portland, Oregon on a superyacht, in a hospital VIP room, at Rose Festival, and other fun places.

My review:

Ms. de Helen gives us an interesting twist on the Sherlockian canon. Instead of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson solving crimes, we have Shirley Combs and Dr. Mary Watson. Instead of Victorian England, we have the present. However, one thing we do have in common with the Holmes' legacy is a good mystery.

This is the second book of the series--The Illustrious Client is loosely based on Doyle's The Adventure of the Illustious Client, with the addition of the modern setting and a look into Mary Watson's personal life and her discovery of latent lesbian tendencies.

The mystery itself, though, as in the Holmes' books, is the most important part of the book. Sandra does a good job at supplying enough suspects to make the mystery worthwhile. It's an easy book to read and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

Four Flowers.

Enjoy an excerpt:

After breakfast, I left my new Smart Car parked on the street, and we took Shirley’s Mercedes up Terwilliger the back way to OHSU. Typical June morning, overcast and cool, a bit misty, especially up there in the hills. People were arriving for work as we pulled into the visitors’ garage and began circling, looking for a parking space. These were the people who ran the offices, managed the clinics, worked in the pharmacy. Nurses and doctors were on different shifts, ten or twelve hours, starting at ungodly hours that gave them un-rush hours and more stress hormones shooting through their veins.

Because I visited Zaro the day before, we knew exactly where to go to find Oceane. When we arrived at the VIP room, there were no carts standing in the halls, no noise from other patients, nothing like a usual hospital experience—so long as we remained outside her door. Shirley rapped sharply. Within a couple of seconds, Oceane, opened the door just a sliver and whispered “she’s sleeping.”

“We’re here to see you, Ms. Charles.”

About the Author:

Sandra de Helen’s books as well as short stories are available at bookstores, libraries, and online. Her poetry and plays are published in several journals. Samples of her works are on her website SandradeHelen.com. Even though she says she isn't a "joiner," de Helen is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Oregon Writers Colony, the Golden Crown Literary Society, and International Centre for Women Playwrights. Like her at FaceBook.com/drmarywatson, follow her on Twitter @dehelen, and read her blog at RedCrested.com. She lives with her cat Stanton in Portland, Oregon where they both type.

Buy the book at Amazon.

A Burning Truth by Joyce Proell - Spotlight and Amazon GC giveaway!

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Joyce will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

There’s no shortage of deadly deeds in 1881 Chicago as school administrator Cady Delafield and entrepreneur Doyle Flanagan plan their wedding. When one of Doyle’s workers is brutally killed he must use his considerable power to stop a mysterious enemy bent on destroying his reputation and business empire. But as Cady and Doyle struggle to keep their marriage on track, the murder victims might not be the only casualties.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Doyle sat in the carriage, his brain frozen and his limbs unable to move. He watched Cady run up the steps and disappear into Ophelia’s impenetrable stone manor. When the front door boomed shut with the noise of a cannon blast, he jumped. He lurched forward and exploded out of the vehicle. She wasn’t getting rid of him so easily. In fact, she wasn’t getting rid of him at all. He had a voice in the matter. He intended to be heard.

Just as soon as he thought it, his steps faltered and he ground to a stop.

“Damn!”

Now was not the time to try to reason with her, not when she was in a cold fury. He pumped a fist against a thigh and stared at the mansion’s rock façade, aware her current state of mind was as solid and unshakable. Even if he managed to get beyond the front door, she wouldn’t listen. Not now.

His head fell back. A piercing ache tore through him, as if his heart and soul had been shredded and tossed aside. Gunmetal storm clouds reeled over the sky, bleak and threatening. The bite in the air made his cheeks sting. Inside he was hollowed and gutted. His fingers curled and uncurled. Muscles coiled, he pivoted with a fierce twist, snapped an order to Phelps then threw himself back into the carriage. His next move must be deployed with utmost care. The carriage jolted forward and thrust him back against the seat cushion. She needed time to cool. Then he’d be back, and she’d listen to what he had to say.

About the Author:Joyce grew up in Minnesota and attended college and grad school in Chicago. After working in mental health, she retired at a young age to write full-time. Her first book, Eliza, was published in 2012. A Burning Truth is the second in the Cady Delafield series. When she isn’t writing mysteries or historical romances, she loves to travel, walk, read, and do crossword puzzles. She and her husband make their home in rural Minnesota in her very own little house on the prairie.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Champagne Books
Buy the book at Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, or Barnes and Noble.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Temptation of Laura by Rachel Brimble - Interview and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rachel will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift certificate to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome back to It's Raining Books, Rachel. Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

As well as Victorian romance, I also write contemporary romance and romantic suspense. I love alternating the sub-genres because it keeps (I hope) my writing fresh and interesting. My books run to around 85-90,000 words and when I finish a project set in today’s world, there’s nothing more exciting to me than re-entering England in the late 19th century. I have so much fun telling stories from two very different environments and social practices…yet the emotions of the characters always remain the same. Love, loss, jealousy, revenge and joy are universal and timeless.

What research is required?

I am lucky enough to live just a short, thirty-minute drive from the famous city of Bath, England so chose to set my historical romances there because I can come and go so easily. Bath is rich in history from the Roman times, through to Regency and Victorian eras. The buildings have hardly changed over the years and the museums are fantastic. It’s a pleasure to visit Bath under the banner of research – I often use real buildings, churches and settings but the plots and themes need very little research because they are so emotion based.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Laura (my heroine) – tenacity makes anything possible.
Adam (my heroine) – true happiness is more often than not found in the place you were least expecting or where you were seeking to find it.
Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

No – does that make me boring? Lol! I write the entire time my kids are at school and once they are home, I write as often as physically possible. I use a Mac laptop and tend to write sitting on the sofa with my snoring black Lab beside me. I need absolute silence to create but often edit and complete promo work while household chaos erupts around me. Are you a plotter or pantser?

A mix of the two – I start each book with an idea or premise and then write a two-three page synopsis and character sketches for my hero and heroine (and villain, if I have one). After that, I start writing. I complete the first draft from start to finish without looking back. It’s in the following drafts that the real work begins…

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

Right now, my husband. I am completing this interview while he’s watching Gandhi on TV. It’s the weekend so the whole family is home…and avoiding the downpour outside! Such is the UK…

Anything new coming up from you? What?

My next book is actually due out next week – “What Belongs To Her” is my third book with Harlequin Superromance and the third book in my Templeton Cove series. It is a contemporary romance featuring a brand new hero and heroine…with lots of cameo appearances from existing characters from the first two books.

Here’s the blurb and buy links:

She's ready to take back what's hers.

Since the moment a local crime boss claimed ownership of her family's fairground, Sasha Todd has dreamed of righting the wrong. Now it's time to act, and backing down from the man's estranged son is definitely not an option. After all, giving up her legacy to hot-blooded John Jordon means losing the chance to finally heal the wounds in her past. Stopping John in his tracks—and resisting the sizzle between them—is Sasha's best defense. But there's more to him than she thought, which changes everything. With what matters most at stake, she'll have to risk a brand-new future with John, or walk away from the man whose heart belongs to her.

Buy Links:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

 

Do you have a question for our readers?

Do you like series books set in the same town or with returning characters? If yes, which series is your favorite?  

About the Author:

Rachel lives with her husband and two young daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. In 2012, she sold two books to Harlequin Superromance and a further three in 2013. She also writes Victorian romance for Kensington--her debut was released in April 2013 and she has since signed for three more.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family and beloved black Lab, Max. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.

She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!

Website: http://rachelbrimble.com
Blog: http://rachelbrimble.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelBrimble
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-Brimble/181873201887441?fref=ts

Laura Robinson has always been dazzled by the glamour of the stage. But perhaps acting and selling one’s favors are not so different—for Laura must feign pleasure with the men she beds to survive. Now, with her only friend at death’s door and a ruthless pimp at her heels, escaping her occupation seems impossible. Hoping to attract a gentleman, she attends the theater. Yet the man Laura captivates is no customer, but a rising star and playwright…

Adam Lacey has been driven to distraction since the moment he saw Laura. She is his ideal leading lady come to irresistible life—and so much more. Certain they can make the perfect team on and off stage, he is determined to win her heart—and discover her story. But that is precisely what Laura fears. And she has no idea that Adam harbors shameful secrets of his own. Will the truth free them to love—or destroy all their dreams…?

Struck by Clarissa Johal - Book Blast and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Clarissa will be awarding an ecopy of STRUCK to three (3) randomly drawn commenters during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The shadows hadn't been waiting.
The shadows had been invited.

After a painful breakup, Gwynneth Reese moves in with her best friend and takes a job at a retirement home. She grows especially close to one resident, who dies alone the night of a terrific storm. On the way home from paying her last respects, Gwynneth is caught in another storm and is struck by lightning. She wakes in the hospital with a vague memory of being rescued by a mysterious stranger. Following her release from the hospital, the stranger visits her at will and offers Gwynneth a gift--one that will stay the hands of death. Gwynneth is uncertain whether Julian is a savior or something more sinister... for as he shares more and more of this gift, his price becomes more and more deadly.

Read this excerpt:

A loud ‘crack’ sounded and an iridescent white light surrounded her. Two things registered: a searing pain that ripped down her back and the ground which seemed to be pulled away from her at an alarming speed.

* * * *

Blackness.

Pain shot through the back of Gwynneth’s head as she opened her eyes. Somebody was standing over her. She tried to focus on the face, but it hurt too much. A cool hand slid across her forehead. She opened her eyes again.

Pale, almost white eyes. High cheekbones, aquiline nose, and a well-shaped mouth. Long, white hair. Ageless. Beautiful, like a Michelangelo. All of those details registered with clarity before agony ripped through her body. She arched her back and cried out. The man murmured something into her ear which she couldn’t understand. She could feel the vibration of his voice and his breath on her neck as he gathered her in his arms. She opened her eyes and saw lightning fork to the ground silently behind him. She blacked out again.

About the Author:Clarissa Johal has worked as a veterinary assistant, zoo-keeper aide and vegetarian chef. Writing has always been her passion. When she’s not listening to the ghosts in her head, she’s dancing or taking photographs of gargoyles. She shares her life with her husband, two daughters and every stray animal that darkens the doorstep. One day, she expects that a wayward troll will wander into her yard, but that hasn’t happened yet.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page

Buy the book at Amazon, Musa Publishing, or Barnes and Noble.

Blind Mercy by Violetta Rand - Interview and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly drawn commenter will receive a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

We would like to welcome Violetta Rand who agreed to come here and be grilled, I mean--answer some questions for us. First, Violetta, how would you spend ten thousand bucks?

I’d take a long trip with my husband to Norway or Israel.

That sounds like fun. What are 5 things within touching distance?

A pile of books, telephone, bouquet of flowers in my favorite vase, my computer, and Simon, my mini schnauzer.

Do you have a crush on anyone?

My husband.

What is your least favorite word?

F-bombs in public. There’s certainly situations where it’s tolerable, even necessary to get a point across, but I think its way overused in general conversation.

Can you tell us a little bit about your book?

The Sigurdsson family legacy continues…

A woman who prayed for a hero…

Orphaned at a young age, Rachelle Fiennes prayed for a hero to rescue her from her tragic life in England. When her only kinsman goes missing after the Battle of Stamford Bridge, Rachelle braves the aftermath of the battlefield to find him.

A man who lost everything…

Damned by the gods for surviving the bloodiest defeat in Norse history, Jarl Tyr Sigurdsson is still determined to get home. Hiding until nightfall so he can escape to his ship, his dangerous endeavor is disrupted when he’s accidently discovered by a beautiful Saxon.

Brought together by war, Rachelle and Tyr face many obstacles. Can sworn enemies find peace through love, or will fate be cruel?

About the Author:

Violetta Rand holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Policy and a master's degree in Environmental Management. Serving as an environmental scientist in the state of Alaska for over seven years, she enjoys the privilege of traveling to remote places few people have the opportunity to see.

Violetta has been "in love" with writing since childhood. Struck with an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age, at five, she wrote short stories illustrated by her best friend and sold them in her neighborhood. The only thing she loves more than writing is her wonderful relationship with her husband, Jeff. She enjoys outdoor activities, reading whatever she can get her hands on, music, and losing herself in the ancient worlds she enjoys bringing to life in the pages of her stories.

http://violettarand.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Violetta-Rand/578321415528848
https://twitter.com/ViolettaRand


Buy the book at Amazon. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Changeup by Rhonda Shaw - Review and Giveaway

(Contemporary Romance)

This review is done in conjunction with a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions Rhonda will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift certificate to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Playing for keeps

After nine years of striking out in the dating department, Maddie Hamlin is throwing in the towel. But just as this mom resolves to remain single, she meets sweet and sexy pitching phenom Chase Patton at a family dinner. He’s perfect for her aside from the fact he’s only twenty-two.

Chase knows he should be focusing on his rookie year with the Detroit Rockets, but he can’t stop thinking about Maddie. He doesn’t care that the beautiful school counselor is twelve years older, and he’s already lost his heart to her adorable daughter. When an incredible date leads to an incredible night of passion, he knows he never wants to let her go.

But dating in the media spotlight is a whole new ball game. Maddie quickly discovers that not everyone accepts their unconventional relationship and that finding love may mean losing everything else…

Here's my review:

This is a charmer of a love story between an older woman and a younger man, but Maddie is definitely no cougar. In fact, she does everything she can do to prevent the attraction between her and Chase growing into anything else--not only because of his age but because she's under the understanding that he is dating her niece.

Chase is mature for his years, and he doesn't see anything wrong with pursuing a relationship with Maddie. After all, they get on well together and he adores her daughter.

Rhonda Shaw does a wonderful job of portraying all the characters--even the secondary characters are fleshed out so you can almost believe they are real people. The pacing of the story couldn't be any better, and this reader came to care so much about Maddie and Chase that when it looked like everything was turning against them it hurt my heart.

I'm not normally a fan of sports-themed books, but I enjoyed this one so much, I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, which features two of the secondary characters from this book.

Four Flowers. Enjoy this excerpt:

“Lift your left foot there, that’s right, and bring your arm back to here. You feel that?” Chase asked as he held her right arm up, his warm hand moving slowly from her elbow to her wrist. He angled his body and she could feel the feel length of him pressed against her, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. “And then you’re going to bring it through and follow through to here.”

Maddie nodded. Could she feel that? She could feel nothing but that! The breadth and solidness of his chest against her back as he leaned over her made her want to turn and worship its strength. Her butt was snug against his front and she didn’t even want to think about what she could bump into if she moved even the slightest inch. His breath was warm on her neck and his lips were right by her ear making her mouth water. Her skin started to tighten and tingle as the air seemed to clog in her throat, and she could feel her cheeks burning. Her reactions, all of them, were shocking. Had it been that long that any touch from a male was going to set her off? Did it not matter that he was many—way too many—years her junior? Her mind screamed, asking what the hell she was thinking, but her body was happily ignoring the alarms.

About the Author:After writing one mind numbing technical document after another, Rhonda Shaw decided to combine her love of writing with her love of reading romance. Born in California, but transplanted to the Midwest, Rhonda is a warm weather girl to the bone. She works in the software development industry and was a lifelong dancer until her body told her it was time to come down off her toes. For more information about Rhonda and her books, please visit her website at http://www.rhondashaw.com. Connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

a Rafflecopter giveaway