Cursed Cape by Janice Lane Palko -- Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Janice will be awarding a $25 gift certificate to the OBXstore to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Please see the Rafflecopter code at the end of this post and click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Bliss Sherman doesn’t believe in curses—that is until she arrives at Cape Destiny, North Carolina. Bliss comes to the cape determined to make a name for herself and her new firm by accomplishing an incredible engineering feat—moving the Cape Destiny Lighthouse inland before it's swallowed by the Atlantic Ocean.

Bliss, who has struggled with dyslexia, discrimination, and betrayal by her ex-husband and former business partner, Jonathan, faces her greatest challenge when she falls in love with the handsome, mysterious descendant of the lighthouse keepers, Parker Swain, who is vehemently opposed to the lighthouse’s move.

When someone targets Bliss, she begins to wonder if the curse that is rumored to be attached to the lighthouse may be true. Who is sabotaging her dream? Who is trying to harm her? Who wants to kill her? When all clues point to Parker, she dismisses her suspicions, deciding to trust him and her heart. But as the evidence mounts against Parker, she begins to doubt not only herself and her heart, but also Parker.

Can she trust her judgment? Can she trust Parker? Most importantly, when she is trapped inside the lighthouse with him during a raging hurricane, can she trust Parker with her life?

A romantic suspense with all the seaside moody romance of du Maurier’s Rebecca and the spine-tingling thrills that keep you turning the pages, Cape Cursed casts a spell of sensous deception and seductive danger. A Category 5 of a romantic suspense novel,Cape Cursed, barrels in packing a surge of suspense that knocks you off your feet and a blistering romance that sweeps you up and carries you away.

Enjoy an excerpt:

“Destroyer of your lighthouse?” Bliss cried, shocked that Parker had shifted from Southern gentleman to bully so quickly. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about your jeopardizing a national treasure.”

Bliss was well aware that some of the residents were opposed to the move, but she didn’t expect to be blamed. “Look, I came down here to save it,” Bliss said, trying not to further raise his ire. She wanted this move to go smoothly. Her career was riding on it, and she didn’t need any more enemies. Jonathan Lavere was enough.

“What do you know about my lighthouse?” Parker asked, puffing out his chest.

“I know that if it’s not moved, it’ll soon be swallowed up by the sea.”

“I don’t believe that.”

She tossed her hair back. “Have you checked the beach? There’s only fifteen feet separating it from the Atlantic.”

He sniffed. “Checked the beach? I don’t need to check the beach. I’ve lived here all my life, and I don’t believe it’s worth risking my lighthouse just because some pinhead in the capitol thinks it should be moved.”

“Well, I’ve seen the studies, and I’m telling you, Mr. Swain, one more hurricane and your beloved lighthouse could be washed out to sea.”

Parker swept his hand toward the direction of the beach. “I know this place. No one can predict that ocean. With the next storm, it could very well add ten feet of new sand to the shoreline.”

Bliss sighed impatiently. “That’s highly unlikely.”

Parker’s soft brown eyes hardened as he glared at Bliss. “I believe in the unlikely. I know the impossible happens.”

About the Author: In addition to Cape Cursed, Janice Lane Palko is the author of the romantic comedy St. Anne’s Day and the Christmas novel, A Shepherd’s Song. She has been a professional writer for nearly 20 years. During her career, she has written everything from greeting cards to web content and has taught several classes at the local community college including Building English Skills to Creative and Memoir writing.

She is currently on the staff of the website Popular Pittsburgh and has been the executive editor of Northern Connection and Pittsburgh 55+ magazines, where she also contributed to the editorial content, writing her own column and numerous features. Palko has also been a columnist with the North Hills News Record.

Her work has appeared in publications such as The Reader’s Digest, Guideposts for Teens, Woman’s World, The Christian Science Monitor, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and her essays have been featured in the books A Cup of Comfort for Inspiration, A Cup of Comfort for Expectant Mothers, and Chicken Soup for the Single’s Soul.

A graduate of Union Institute and University with a B.A. in Writing and Literature, Palko has won several awards for her writing including the prestigious Amy Foundation Award of Merit. Her writings have also garnered accolades at the The Kent State Writer's Conference, and she has been selected as Writer of the Month by Oatmeal Studio greeting cards.

She is at work on her next novel, another romantic suspense entitled Most Highly Favored Daughter.

Sign up for her newsletter by visiting her website. You can also find her at her blog. Keep in touch by following or contacting her at Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, or Twitter. You may purchase her novels at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Smashwords.
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A Tumble Through Time by Callie Hutton -- Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Callie will be awarding an Ebook copy of Emma’s Journey to a randomly drawn commenter at every stop, and a grand prize of a $25 Amazon or B&N GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Anna Devlin, a recently jilted bounty hunter is a modern woman from the twenty-first century. She is anxious for the hearing that will reinstate her law enforcement career, but an encounter with a strange Native American woman sends Anna back in time to the year 1870.

Federal Marshal Wesley Shannon of Denton, Kansas, has no idea where this woman with the strange clothing and way of speaking came from. Since he fights his own inner demons, the last thing he needs is an attraction to a woman who has given him no clear idea who she is.

But when danger arrives in the form of stagecoach hold ups where drivers and passengers are being killed, Anna torments Wes with plans to help him bring in the outlaws.

Will Wes be able to keep Anna out of harm’s way, or will his attraction to her distract him enough that they are both in danger?

Enjoy the following excerpt:

Anna was quiet on the walk to the café. Her eyes darted back and forth as she took in the sights around her, all the time fiddling with her ring, spinning the silver and black circle round and round. She continued to draw in deep breaths and chew on her lower lip, occasionally muttering ‘not possible’ under her breath, as if fighting an internal battle. Her natural color seemed to have paled, the light dusting of freckles more prominent.

Once they’d settled in their seats at the café and ordered dried apple pie and coffee, Wes rested his forearms on the table. “Tell me a little bit about this ‘Tulsa.’”

Anna cleared her throat. “It’s in Oklahoma.” She flinched when he shrugged, still not sure what she was talking about.

“Oklahoma. You know, the state south of Kansas?”

He narrowed his eyes. “The only thing south of us is Indian Territory, then Texas.”

“No,” she whispered, her eyes round as saucers.

Wes nodded at the waitress as she placed cups of coffee and two cuts of pie in front of them. She glanced at Anna, who stared straight ahead, taking in shallow breaths.

Once the waitress left, Anna nodded, as if she’d made a decision. “Wes, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

She looked him in the eye, seeming to draw strength from within herself. “What year is this?”

His forkful of pie stopped halfway to his mouth. “What?”

Anna licked her lips and cleared her throat. “Just tell me, please. What year is this?”

He frowned and lowered the fork. “It’s eighteen hundred and seventy. Why?”

Then he leapt forward as Anna’s eyes rolled to the back of her head and her slack body slid to the floor.

About the Author:

Callie has been making up stories since elementary school, and writing gave her a way to turn off the voices in her head. After having a number of articles and interviews published in newspapers and magazines, she took on what she’d always dreamed of. Writing that book. She currently has a number of both historical and contemporary romance books published. Visit her website for more information. www.CallieHutton.com.

She currently lives in Oklahoma with her husband and adult children who move in and out with alarming regularity. Add three rescue dogs and the household is complete—and full. She enjoys hearing from her readers, and would love to have you visit her on Facebook or @calliehutton.

Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Talk Dirty with the Player by Jackie Ashenden

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jackie will be awarding a digital copy of Talking Dirty to the CEO and a $50 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Thanks to Jackie for answering all our prying questions!

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

I love writing contemporary romance because I can concentrate on the characters rather than too much world building because for me the characters are the most important thing in my books. More important than the setting or even the plot. I'm also quite impatient when I have a new story idea and I like just getting stuck in and writing it , which is easy when you're writing contemporary because the world is already set up for you.

What research is required?

It depends what I'm writing about. When I'm setting a book in a different city/country I tend to do a bit of internet research about it first so I can get details right. I also research a characters profession/interests if I'm not familiar with it. For example, Talking Dirty with the Player, I had to investigate a bit about rugby (since I don't play or follow the game). And for Talking Dirty with the Boss (due out in December) I did quite a bit of research into OCD because that's what my hero has.

Name one thing you learned from your hero.

From Caleb I learned that when you kick a rugby ball you have to balance it on a tee first. Hehe.

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

Oh, interesting question! I know some writers like to have a tidy room or scented candles or something to help get them into a good writing space. I don't. I just sit down and start writing. But once I'm fully immersed in writing, I HATE being interrupted. Makes me sooooo cranky. Actually, perhaps I should have a little ritual or something because it can take me a while to get fully immersed – and then I'll have to get the kids from school and then I'm cranky!

Are you a plotter or pantser?

Total pantser. I generally work out my characters and set up before I start writing but that'll be the extent of it. If I've figured out my hero and heroine, the plot will happen as I write because the plot all depends on the choices my hero and heroine make.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

My iphone! Keeping me up to date with Twitter. And also Skype-ready so I can call my crit partner for any character related emergencies.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I have the third in my Talking Dirty Series coming up – tentatively in December. This is Marisa and Luke's story. Party girl meets Uptight OCD boss. Shenanigans ensue. You get the idea… Do you have a question for our readers?

Oooh, I do! Okay so what do you think about sports romances? Favorite or not? And why?

Up-and-coming photographer Judith Ashton is pretty sure she has everything in her life under control. That is, until a blast from the past comes back to taunt her, in the shape of Caleb Steele, her older brother's best friend...and the man who broke her heart eight years ago. Their chemistry is combustible, but she's been fooled once by this player, and she's not going there again. To pro rugby player Caleb, Judith has always been his Kryptonite. But his former playboy lifestyle is the last thing she wants to be involved in. In the midst of her brother's threats to back off, and the deal of his career sending him far away from her, he knows he's playing with fire. And this is one game he's going to lose.

Enjoy the following excerpt:

His smile widened and Judith had to remind herself that she was now immune to its lethal charm. Completely immune.

“Oh don’t be like that,” he said. “You missed me. Admit it.”

“Yeah. Like I miss gonorrhea.”

One dark brow rose. “You’ve had gonorrhea?”

Judith sighed. He was all about the witty comeback. If that’s what you called wit. “Oh, shut up, Caleb.”

“See, this is what I’ve missed while I’ve been away. I say something then you say something, then I say something back and you end with ‘shut up, Caleb’. We always have such great, in-depth conversations.”

Still the same old Caleb. Patronizing, arrogant, and cocky as hell. They’d been friends once, a long time ago. And then more than friends. Until he’d broken her poor little teenage heart. She’d forgiven him for that, though; it had been years and years since their affair, after all.

Eight years to be exact.

Nevertheless a familiar feeling began to creep up on her. An antsy, irritated feeling. Like she’d brushed up against poison ivy. Okay, so she may have forgiven him. That didn’t mean he didn’t bug her on occasion.

Judith swallowed her irritation and maintained her usual calm-and-in-control expression. The one that seemed to exasperate him as much as his teasing arrogance exasperated her.

“Did you have something special you wanted to say?” she asked him in bored tones. “Or are you just here to be annoying?”

“Actually, I’m here to shoot you. Though, being annoying is always an added bonus.”

About the Author:

Jackie has been writing fiction since she was eleven years old. Mild mannered fantasy/SF/pseudo-literary writer by day, obsessive romance writer by night, she used to balance her writing with the more serious job of librarianship until a chance meeting with another romance writer prompted her to throw off the shackles of her day job and devote herself to the true love of her heart – writing romance. She particularly likes to write emotional stories with alpha heroes who've just got the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines.

She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.

Twitter: @JackieAshenden
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jackie.ashenden
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6577006.Jackie_Ashenden
Website: www.JackieAshenden.com

Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Medium Rare by Meg Benjamin -- Review and Giveaway

(Paranormal Romance)

This review is in conjunction with a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Meg will be awarding a $15 Amazon gift certificate to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and E-copies of Medium Well (the preceding book in the series) to two randomly drawn commenters during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.



There are no skeletons in her closet…only ghosts

Rose Ramos was a reference librarian, until she inherited her grandmother’s house—and the family talent for connecting with the other side…

Moving into the lovely Victorian in San Antonio’s King William District is a dream come true for Rose—and also a nightmare. That’s the only explanation she has for the man hovering above her bed. But Skag is a ghost who’s been part of Rose’s family for generations. And now he’s all hers.

When Evan Delwin, a reporter out to debunk the city’s newest celebrity, posts an ad looking for a research assistant to investigate a famous medium making his home in San Antonio, Skag suggests that Rose apply for the job. Delving into the dark side has its own dangers for Rose—including trying to resist Delwin’s manly charms. But as the investigation draws them closer together, the deadly currents surrounding the medium threaten to destroy them all…



With a great set of protagonists, fascinating secondary characters and a storyline that intrigues, Meg Benjamin has penned a story I very much enjoyed.

I loved having a medium and a skeptic paired together.  Realistically attracted to each other, but aware of the pitfalls of their attraction made for an interesting bit of tension.  Rose kept mum about her abilities for a very long time, because how to do you explain to someone like Evan that you have a ghost in your house who helps commune with the other side in order to locate missing items?

Evan has surprises of his own ... things that are a surprise even to him.  He was believable and interesting and just a really three dimensional character. 

I loved, LOVED Helen and Lenore ("moron").  Every time they showed up in a scene I had to smile.  Really, they completed a well rounded cast of characters here, and of everyone I was most attached to them.

There weren't many downsides.  I did think Rose took having a ghost in the house a little too smoothly.  And the story was a little slow to start, but interested me enough that I wasn't tempted to stop reading.  Thankfully, despite being second in a series, it stands alone quite well. There were a few allusions to things that happened in the first book, but this story itself is quite solid on its own. 

Ms. Benjamin is quite a master of prose.  I enjoyed her voice and commend her on her skill.  But, truly what makes this book something I can happily recommend are the characters, even though the plot (once it really got rolling) was definitely a page-turner.

Well done!

4.5 Flowers - This was a very good book! I'd recommend it to my friends.

Now enjoy the following excerpt:

Suddenly, she heard the sound of paws galloping along the driveway, monstrous claws clicking on the asphalt. She fumbled for the key she kept in the old mailbox at the door, jamming it into the lock and twisting for all she was worth.

Close behind her, something yipped as she shoved the front door open, half falling through, trying to shove it closed with her shoulder. A large heavy projectile struck her chest with the force of a missile, blowing the door wide and throwing her down full-length just inside. She looked up into an immense mouth full of yellowing fangs. Threads of drool hung a few inches from her face.

She tried to twist away, pulling as far back as she could beneath the dog’s weight. Dread clenched her stomach as she closed her eyes. “Ohgodohgodohgod.”

“Rose!” Skag’s voice echoed through the hall. “That’s a hellhound. Stay absolutely still! Do not move!”

She couldn’t have moved if her life depended on it, which, of course, it probably did. The dog’s huge paws still held her shoulders flat against the floor. Its breath blew hot against her cheeks, smelling of old meat and open graves. She struggled to breathe under its weight, tensing for the moment it would clamp its teeth on her throat. She heard the faint creak of its jaws as they opened wider.

And then something large, damp, and utterly disgusting swiped across her cheeks.

She peeked through her lashes up into the dog’s face. Glowing orange eyes stared back as the animal prepared to lick her again.

Meg Benjamin is writes contemporary romance for Samhain Publishing and paranormal romance for Berkley InterMix. Her books have won an EPIC Award for Contemporary Romance, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the New England Romance Writers Beanpot Award, and the Holt Medallion among other honors. Meg lives in Colorado. Her Web site is http://www.MegBenjamin.com and her blog is http://megbenj1.wordpress.com/. You can follow her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/meg.benjamin1), Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/megbenjamin/), and Twitter (http://twitter.com/megbenj1). Meg loves to hear from readers—contact her at meg@megbenjamin.com.

Author Interview: David Wellington

A special It's Raining Books welcome to David Wellington, whose debut action thriller was released in July.

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

Well, that’s kind of a trick question because I don’t write in just one genre. I’ve done horror and fantasy and now thrillers—and even my thrillers contain mystery, science fiction, horror… I don’t think in terms of genre when I write. If a good story comes to me, I just write it down!

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

Research is one of those things you either love or hate, and luckily for me I love it. I read ten times more about a subject than I need to in order to be able to write about it. For Chimera, my new book, I had to learn a great deal about the intelligence community, about prosthetic limbs, about genetics and even the biology of grizzly bear hibernation. I was in heaven.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Jim Chapel, my protagonist, is an intelligence operative working for some pretty shady people but he never lets it compromise his humanity. He started out as a much grittier character, and got more principled as I wrote his scenes. He taught me that it’s still possible to be compassionate and even honorable, even in a world like ours that seems to have lost its way. It just takes a willingness to accept responsibility for your actions.

Any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I have to play and win a quick video game between writing each chapter of one of my books. Nothing too involved—I have a computer version of Risk that plays out in five minutes. It wakes me up and gets me pumped to write. I can actually write without it, but it definitely helps.

Plotter or pantser?

Plotter, definitely. I make elaborate outlines and think carefully about the structure of my story before I begin. I know exactly what each chapter needs and how it should go. Of course, once I’m actually composing, all that goes out the window when I think of a better way or I realize there’s a plot hole that needs to be filled.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

My bed. I live in Brooklyn in a very small apartment (all apartments in Brooklyn are very small apartments) and so I don’t have a separate writing space—I write in my bedroom. I can’t complain too much, as it means my morning commute to the office is about ten feet.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

There will be two sequels to Chimera, called Hydra and Cyclops, which continue Jim Chapel’s story. I also have a zombie epic called Positive that should be out next year.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Yes: If we lived in a world where there were no pre-defined genres, if all books from literary to paranormal romance to novels about real estate speculation were on the same shelf, how would you describe the book you wanted to read? You may not use any quasi-genre terms like “speculative fiction” or “mashup” or “slipstream”, either. Would you just say you wanted an entertaining book? Or would you be more specific and say you wanted a book about sailors who fall in love with dental hygienists? This is a more serious question than may at first be apparent. I’m very worried that the emphasis on genre leads us to miss out on a lot of great books. It’s possible that the rise of eBooks could change that trend, though we’re not there yet.

About the Author: David Wellington is the author of more than a dozen novels, which have been translated into seven languages and published around the world. His horror series include Monster Island, 13 Bullets and Frostbite. His first thriller novel, Chimera, is available now. He lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

David Wellington has quickly become a rising star in the horror/sci-fi community with his “Monster Island” trilogy. In CHIMERA (William Morrow Hardcover; On Sale: 7/23/13; ISBN: 9780062248770), Wellington’s break-out action thriller, he combines heart-stopping scientific horrors with non-stop action in a race to stop a group of genetically-modified killers.

When wounded Special Forces veteran Jim Chapel came home from Afghanistan, he thought his career in military intelligence was over. Chapel has been stuck behind a desk rather than out in the field. But now medical technology has finally caught up with Chapel’s ambitions, and coupled with his unstoppable determination he’s able get back to where he thrives: the thick of the action.

Ten years after his return, Chapel is drafted into a new war, this time on American soil. A small band of fugitives has escaped from a top secret upstate NY military facility, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. Four men are loose in America, men with superhuman speed and strength, men carrying a deadly virus, men with a mission: kill an innocent civilian. And they will not stop until their mission is complete.

Chapel is tasked with hunting down the group of escapees and unraveling the mystery behind their existence. Aided by a mysterious woman named Angel and a courageous, beautiful veterinarian, Chapel begins a cross-country hunt to stop the murders. But are the killers really rogues, or are they part of a sinister conspiracy that reaches the highest levels?

Kirkus proclaims that CHIMERA is, “sure to score with those who like a little touch of science fiction with their action thrillers.” With the “…crisply written and exciting…” CHIMERA, Wellington shows how dabbling into genetic manipulation can produce terrifying results. (Booklist)

Blood Scent by Maggie Mundy -- Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Maggie will be awarding a pair of earrings and an Aussie tote bag to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop during the tour, and a necklace with a blood red stone along with an Aussie tote bag to one randomly host. (International Giveaway) Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Trent Feldor is a Seeker vampire who protects human females from Rogue vampires who would take them as mates. Kellie is a reporter who wants to make the front page of the Adelaide newspaper by finding the Parklands Killer. Instead she stumbles straight into a vampire fight and she is the trophy being fought for.

Kellie has never let anyone into her life since her mother's death, and isn't going to let the mysterious Trent get under her skin. As for Trent, he may have found the one woman he could love but he will have to stop Rogue vampires who want to kidnap her, and vampire hunters who want to kill him.

Enjoy the excerpt:

She held her breath as she lowered the car window and watched mesmerized as they performed their hypnotic dance. Shit, they had knives. Common sense told her to leave but she couldn’t draw her eyes away. Now she had a story. Every step appeared calculated as they circled each other like trained fighters. One made a lunge forward but the other moved before he could connect. It must have been the flickering light through the trees affecting her eyes because their movements seemed fast enough to blur. The taller one thrust a knife into his opponent’s chest and the injured man collapsed to his knees. Oh my god, it’s a murder. The ground rumbled again shaking the car but this time she held on tight to the camera. A fight to the death in the Parklands and an earthquake, maybe she would make the front page after all. It was about time her luck came through. She just needed to stay calm and get closer for a picture. Opening the car door as quietly as she could she crept to the nearest tree and hid. She needed one picture for proof and then she could drive away and call the police. It wasn’t vampires or mass murderers, but maybe she’d get a promotion. She could see the headline.

Fatal Stabbing between Husband and Wife’s Lover in Parklands during Earthquake.

About the Author:

Maggie Mundy lives in Adelaide, Australia and is a member of Romance Writers of Australia, and the local chapter SARA (South Australian Romance Authors). She had a short story published in the RWA Topaz Anthology Little Gems in 2010 called Sea and Vines. Over the past year she has had stories on line with Alfie dog in the UK and Antipodean SF in Australia.

She always loved reading all forms of speculative fiction and decided the stories in her head needed to be written down. It was either that or start on medication. She didn’t know she wanted to be a writer until a few years back when she started doing a degree in drama but soon realised her love was writing, though there is a play lurking somewhere on her computer. Her day job is as a nurse in the operating room which helps with research for her gory scenes. She believes romance can be fun but it’s exciting to spice it up with the unknown where the rules can be broken.

Her debut novella Blood Scent is available from www.roguephoenixpress.com. She would love to hear from you via her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Room of Tears by Linda Merlino-- Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Linda will be awarding a $25 Amazon or BN.com gift card each to two randomly drawn commenters during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Out of tragedies come heroes and miracles…

At 9:59 a.m. on September 11, 2001, Diane O’Connor’s life as a firefighter’s wife changes forever, shattering her faith. Four decades later, a note still hangs on her kitchen cabinet in Queens, the paper yellowed with age. Diane knows the scribbled sentences by heart; she'd left them the morning of 9/11 for her husband, Billy.

In the summer of 2041, Diane invites Friar Antonio Ortiz to her home. He is a man destined to become counsel to the first American pope—her son, Peter. Antonio asks no questions and arrives in secret, promising to wait nineteen years before passing Diane's journal to Peter. Only then will Billy’s story be told, along with answers to Peter’s questions about his father’s last days.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Absorbed, Antonio neglected to notice that Diane had disappeared into the kitchen. He thought to ask her about the two men in the photographs, and when he turned in anticipation of seeing her next to him, he took a step toward where she might be standing. His right foot struck a pair of boots propped upright against the wall. He stumbled and put a hand out to that empty place where he thought she might be, but his face did not meet hers, and instead came within an inch of a firefighter’s helmet, the medallion of its FDNY ladder company polished and gleaming.

On the edge of that moment, trying to regain his balance, each breath he took tightened in his throat. Antonio began to gag. His mind raced. What could be happening? One minute he was looking at photographs and the next his throat was constricting. An acrid odor rose to his nostrils. He shook his head—the same faint smell he’d noticed from before, at the door, but stronger, sharp enough now to sear his soft membranes. My God, he thought and recoiled. Sweat sprang from his face and neck. A heart attack? He clutched his chest. No, not that. His heart was fine except for the galloping beat under his ribcage. Heat emanated from the helmet as if it had just come through an inferno. “My God,” he said aloud. Perhaps a fire burned inside the wall, hot enough to choke him.

About the Author:

Linda Merlino is the author of Room of Tears (July 23 2013), Hudson Catalina (2008-Belly of the Whale & re-release 9/14/12), Swan Boat Souvenir (self-published 2003) she began writing fiction as a young mother on the sidelines of endless soccer practices. Linda wrote anytime any place. A manuscript filled a carton in the back seat of her car. Many years have passed since those early beginnings, but her work continues to be inspired by her children.

The author has a fascination with heroes and writes her fiction to honor ordinary men and women who react unselfishly in extraordinary circumstances. She extends her gratitude to all who keep us safe and free.

Her hometown is outside of Boston. She lived for many years in New York City and more recently calls Connecticut her home.

Linda Merlino

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Hudson Catalina

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The Witch on Twisted Oak by Susan C. Muller -- Guest Blog and Giveaway

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

*****

It’s Raining Books has asked me to share some fun, interesting, edifying, or embarrassing facts about myself. I’m not that interesting, and I don’t have anything edifying to share with you, so I better go with embarrassing. That should be easy, because you can’t take me anywhere that I can’t manage to embarrass myself.

I once sat next to a woman I didn’t know at a luncheon and we started talking about our kids. My son and his family had just moved into a new house and I told her how much they loved the house and the neighborhood, but they thought their next-door neighbor was with the Mafia. He claimed to be in investments, but he left the house each night around seven and didn’t come home till the wee hours. They had a full time nanny for their kids, but my son thought she was a bodyguard. She looked like an East German shot-putter and never did anything with the kids.

The lady next to me asked where they lived. It turned out that was her daughter’s family. Now, Houston has over four million people, and that’s not counting the suburbs, and I sit next to the mother of my son’s neighbor? She did admit she always thought the same thing about her son-in-law and the nanny.

I told you that you couldn’t take me anywhere. Once my husband came in from golf and wanted to go to our favorite Chinese restaurant for supper. Now, I’ll go anywhere, anytime, but I’d been volunteering at the hospital that day and still had on my uniform. I grabbed a sweatshirt, yanked off my white pants and pulled on yesterday’s jeans that had been draped over a stool in the bathroom. The restaurant was busy, so we had to stand in line, but it was worth the wait because the food was great. My husband got up to pay the bill at the front register while I took one last bite and wiped my mouth, Only I couldn’t find my napkin; I’d dropped it on the floor. I reached down and there were two napkins. One was burgundy cotton, like all the other napkins, the other was white. And nylon. My underwear from the day before, caught in the leg of my jeans!

There ought to be a law against my mouth. Every time I open it, I get in trouble. And there are plenty of chances to do that when you’ve volunteered at the hospital for almost thirty years. But the worst thing I ever did was help a mental patient escape.

How was I to know? She came to the front desk and asked me to call her a taxi. I know, you think I’m going to say I looked at her and said, “You’re a taxi.” No, I called the taxi and we chatted while she waited. I was very helpful—that’s supposed to be my job at the hospital, isn’t it?—and I cut her armband off when she asked me to. We discussed where the nearest bank was so she could stop at the ATM and get money to pay the driver. I still say she was one of the nicest, most level headed patients I’ve talked to in all those years.

The trouble started about fifteen minutes after she left when the head of the psychic unit came running out and wanted to know if I’d seen a woman with long blonde hair worn in cornrows. Yes, I just called her a taxi. Did she have on white shorts? Yes, she did. Was her hair pulled up on top of her head? Why yes, it was. Did she have beads in her hair? Now, I ask you, how many women wearing white shorts, and with waist-length blonde hair, worn in cornrows and pulled up on top of her head had they lost, one with beads and one without?

In my novel, The Witch on Twisted Oak, my hero, Ruben, can manage to get himself in trouble. He’s just ripped down Tessa’s shower curtain, looking for the intruder who trashed her house:

Ruben stood beside her shattered back door, a huge mountain of a man in his bulletproof vest. A gun as large as he was hung from his side. His gold detective’s badge clipped to his belt looked out of place with his jeans and t-shirt.

“I’ve phoned this in, but you can’t stay here.”

What did he mean, not stay here? This was her home. The only place she’d ever felt truly safe. “It’ll be okay. I’ll get someone out to fix the door.”

He took her arm and placed her in front of the back door. “Look at that door. You had it locked, but one good kick and he was inside.” He turned her toward him and stared into her eyes. “You can’t stay here. It’s not safe until we catch him.”

He wasn’t going to keep her from her own house. She twisted out of his grip and ran inside. Her eyes darted from side to side, seeing the destruction but not taking it in fully.

She sank to the floor in the middle of her bedroom when he caught up with her.

“Who would do a thing like this?” She held up pieces of a broken orange and gold necklace. “I made this myself. And the shower curtain he ripped down in the bathroom? I hand painted that.”

He made a strange sound and she looked up. His face was flushed. Maybe he wasn’t as cold as she thought.

What about you? What embarrassing thing have you done?

About the Author:

Susan C. Muller is a fourth generation Texan. She attended Stephen F. Austin State University where she majored in Business Administration. She started her first novel at age eleven, but it wasn’t until after she had worked many years and raised a family that she returned to her first love, writing. She is a member of Northwest Houston RWA, Kiss of Death online RWA, and The Houston Writers Guild. Her novel, The Secrets on Forest Bend, has won several awards.

Susan and her husband, Sid, live in Spring, Texas with their rescue dog, Buster, a 120 pound black lab of advanced age. They have two children and four grandchildren. They love to travel and have been fortunate to see much of the world. Her favorite places include Kenya, New Zealand, and the Galapagos Islands. When not writing, she can be found doing volunteer work at a local hospital. She loves to read, travel, snorkel and take long walks.

Website: http://susancmuller.com/

A powerful psychic is brutally murdered. Secrets are revealed. An old enemy is out for revenge.

Detective Ruben Marquez is thrust back into his childhood memories when he investigates a gruesome murder that occurs only feet from his mother's home. Is the killer somehow connected to his own past? Is the beautiful, mysterious daughter of the victim, someone he can trust? Or is her revelation that she’s a witch a sign he should stay clear. But how can he, when it appears she’s next on the murderer’s to-do list.

In the ultimate test of courage, he uses himself as bait to protect all he holds dear . . . his career, his family, and the Witch on Twisted Oak.

Author Interview and Giveaway: Pat McDermott

A special It's Raining Books welcome to Pat McDermott who is here to talk with us. Her first contemporary romance, The Rosewood Whistle, is out and is available on Kindle and in Paperback from Amazon and other online book sellers. Leave a comment for a chance to win a print copy of The Rosewood Whistle.



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

My stories cross several genres, incorporating fantasy, alternate history, science fiction, action/adventure, and romance. It’s the “what if” thing that acts as a catalyst for me. Most of my stories are set in a modern Ireland still ruled by the heirs of a medieval High King, the result of my tinkering with Irish history. But history remained unchanged for The Rosewood Whistle, my first adult contemporary romance. I wrote this “autumn” romance as a tribute of sorts, not only to one of my favorite Irish towns, but also to Ireland’s wonderful traditional music. Each chapter title contains a phrase from an old Irish song, though no one needs to know the songs (or have even a drop of Irish blood) to enjoy the story.

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

A reader must willingly suspend disbelief upon entering any author’s book world. For fantasy etc., the author’s unique locations and rules must remain consistent throughout the story, no easy task. For contemporary fiction, a familiarity with the locale, whether firsthand or researched, is essential. I’ve had the good fortune to visit both County Mayo and Dublin, the settings for The Rosewood Whistle, several times. My research also included lots of reading about local legends, Irish slang and proverbs, and the psychology behind the terror the victim of a bad marriage might feel when offered a second chance at love.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Widowed after less than ideal marriages, both Ben and Gemma enjoy hard won but lonely independence. For companionship’s sake, they risk trusting each other with the intention of enjoying a summer romance, but a series of misunderstandings sabotages that trust. Yet their resilience and determination help smooth the way to a suitable understanding that just might lead to a lifetime of love. What I learned? No one should underestimate the resilience of the human spirit. The deepest despair mustn’t rule out hope.

Any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

No superstitions, but making a good strong cup of tea is always the first order of business, and my daily desk calendar has to display the new day before I do anything. Only then will I choose a Quiet Music playlist from my media player and get to work.

Plotter or pantser?

A little of both, though mostly a pantser. I always start a story by doing lots of research, which I know will give me plenty of ideas for subplots. The outline approach helps organize my thoughts, but outlines aren’t written in stone. In fact, they become useless when the story takes off on its own and the characters rebel and start dictating to me.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

My poor typing stand, overburdened with notes and To Do items. Above it are shelves packed with reference books. Below it, on the floor, is the cat bed, where my three favorite writing assistants are cuddling together in one of their many daily naps.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

Right now I’m preparing to write the third novel in my young adult “Glimmer” series, paranormal adventures that feature Ireland’s fairies (who don’t seem to mind that I write about them). Research is ongoing, and I plan to return to Dublin this autumn for further fact finding, or to find such facts as one can find about fairies, with their permission.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Yes! Does knowing too may personal details about an author interfere with your enjoyment of a story?

Surrounded by Ireland’s music and myths, a widowed American writer meets a tour guide leery of love…

On her own at the end of a long and difficult marriage, Gemma Pentrandolfo still hears the critical voice of her husband taunting her from his grave. To foster her independence, she schedules a summer vacation in County Mayo intending to write her first book, and she’s counting on Ireland for inspiration. An idea presents itself when she tours Achill Island with a silver-tongued tour guide whose good looks prompt her to write more than her high-minded novel: she transcribes her years of longing in a steamy fantasy no one is meant to see.

Years have passed since an accident claimed the self-absorbed wife who scorned Ben Connigan and his music. Since then, the former tin whistle ace has avoided marriage, though he never lacked for female companionship before he traded his high-tech career for the slow-paced life of a hometown tour guide. Ben has accepted the end of his run of discreet affairs, until he takes Gemma touring. Her passion for Ireland impresses him. Her love of Irish music soon compels him to dust off his whistles. Knowing she’ll leave at the end of the summer, he sees no harm in keeping her company—until he dares to dream of spending the rest of his life with her.

But he knows it can’t be, not while the ghosts of their partners still haunt them. Not unless the music and myths of Ireland can help them find their way…

Enjoy an excert:

His grandfather's steady hands had often caressed the tattered terrycloth. Warmed by the memory, Ben brought the towel to the bed and unfolded it. His whistles were inside. Would they forgive him for neglecting them? He picked up the C whistle, larger than the D, though his long fingers easily covered the extra ground. The metal felt cool in his hand, its black finish rusted in spots, the gold paint around its six holes worn. He tried something simple, a tune he'd sung as a child. He imagined his grandfather nodding, approving, and then Gemma Keenan was smiling at him. The child's song turned to a waltz, and he saw himself dancing with her. She reached for him when the next tune began, and he played to keep her in his arms.

Boston, Massachusetts native Pat McDermott writes romantic action/adventure stories set in an Ireland that might have been. Glancing Through the Glimmer and its sequel, Autumn Glimmer, are young adult paranormal adventures featuring Ireland’s mischievous fairies. Both books are “prequels” to her popular Band of Roses Trilogy: A Band of Roses, Fiery Roses, and Salty Roses. The Rosewood Whistle is her first contemporary romance.

Pat is a member of the New Hampshire Writers’ Project, Romance Writers of America, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers. Her favorite non-writing activities include cooking, hiking, reading, and traveling, especially to Ireland. She lives and writes in New Hampshire, USA.

http://www.patmcdermott.net/
Pat’s Travel/Writing Blog (Put the Kettle On)

Five Things You'd Probably Never Guess About Arial Burnz -- Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Arial will be awarding a $15 Amazon or BN Gift Card (winner's choice) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Also, at every stop a randomly drawn commenter will be awarded a 5-Star Short Story eBook, Romance Trading Card set and signed Bonded By Blood series post card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

~~~Welcome to Arial Burnz~~~

It’s Raining Books – I LOVE that! What a fantasy come true! It’s pretty close to being a reality for me and most readers I know…so many books, so little time! Gah! Regardless, I’m happy to be here today to hopefully throw another few books onto that TBR pile!

I won’t elaborate about my stories since that information is included in this post. Instead, I’m happy to share…

5 Things You’d Probably Never Guess About Arial Burnz

I Love Snakes

I know! Most people cringe when they hear the “S” word mentioned, and honestly I did too before I actually owned one. As much as I dislike my ex-husband, I do have to credit him for introducing me to reptiles. He had a red-eared slider (water turtle) and I had so much fun learning how to take care of it, we got another one. Then, for his birthday, I bought him a red-tail boa constrictor. He named it Samson (after the Bible character), but we later found out it was girl! Since I was home most of the time, I ended up being the one to take care of her. I seriously did not want to do this, but since she was only about 10 inches long and the width of my index finger, she wasn’t as intimidating as a full-grown snake.

I was told that in order to ensure a snake didn’t grow up aggressive (aka bite you), it needed to be handled…OFTEN. GAH! Okay…so I took her out of her tank almost daily, held her…and actually started to like it. Her skin was smooth and since they’re cold-blooded, they love to cuddle. I know, I know…people are afraid of cuddling with a constrictor. The truth is, they won’t squeeze you to death unless they consider you a meal. And quite frankly, we’re just too big for them to eat. Now, an anaconda…that’s a different story.

Anyway, Sammy and I got to know each other and as she grew, it became easier for me to carry her around. And since she loved my body heat, she would wrap around me and then fall asleep. What surprised me the most was I actually loved this animal like I loved a cat or a dog! I know…weird, right? I’d have her around my shoulders, her tail wrapping around me and curling onto my belt loop at my waist, while she would actually push her head through my French braid and rest her little noggin on the top of my head and just fall asleep. I’d do housework, laundry and write…all the while she was hanging around. It was great!

I Used to Sing Professionally in Chicago

It wasn’t anything major and I’m no Christina Aguilera, but I could hold my own on the stage. I used to sing a lot of old standards in cocktail lounges when smoking was still allowed inside. Sometimes I would have a band or a piano accompany me, but most of the time it was recorded music, similar to singing Karaoke, but without the screens. I still love to sing Karaoke and my husband is my best supporter. Some of my favorite tunes to sing are Black Velvet (Alannah Myles), New York State of Mind (Billy Joel), This Masquerade (George Benson), Love Shack (B52’s), Bring Me To Life (Evanescence), Think (Aretha Franklin), some Cole Porter, Barbara Streisand…and so many others.

I Was a Software Instructor for Fifteen Years

Yep…I used to teach people how to use computers, from basic computer skills to graphic programs and MS Excel. I was the IT Training Manager for 20th Century Fox and Sony Pictures Entertainment, and my job was to manage all the Desktop software training for the company. I did scheduling, maintained training room computers, tested network connectivity to ensure all my computers had network access, blah, blah, blah! This was my first job as a writer, too. I have written over 50 training manuals, not counting online tutorials, brochures, marketing materials and dozens of websites.

My favorite part of training was teaching people something new. The ooos and ahhhs when someone learns a new skill is music to my ears! The sparkle in their eyes…priceless! In fact, I come from a family of teachers, so it’s in my blood! My mom was a history teacher and her parents were school counselors and general education teachers. I love to share a good thing and I have an aptitude for teaching people just about anything. The first classes I taught were in the crafting industry – knitting, crochet, tole painting, wood working and wood burning. And if all goes well, I’ll start teaching some classes for the San Diego’s Writer’s group in the fall – self-publishing classes on how to format and publish books, show versus tell, and many others.

I’m a Certified Hypnotherapist

Hypnotherapy is something that has always interested me and it was a dream career for me until I realized how many people were afraid of being hypnotized! I was very shocked at how difficult it was to get clients. Usually the first question someone asks me is, “Are you gonna make me cluck like a chicken?” My response is, “Not on the first visit.” Ba-doom-CHEE! I’ll be here all week! Try the tofu and don’t forget to tip your servers. Though it was always a laughing matter, further conversation revealed people thought they were going to lose control when they were hypnotized. It’s simply not true, but stage hypnosis has taught everyone that people do crazy things when they’re hypnotized. In reality, stage hypnosis is just an excuse for people to act silly. If you don’t want to do something when you’re hypnotized…you won’t. Period.

I’m a US Air Force Veteran

Yep! I’m proud to say I served my country as a Sergeant in the United States Air Force and I served in Desert Storm during the Gulf War. I was also divorced twice…which means I’ve seen combat three times. Doh! I gotta million of ‘em! Anyway, I was a Ground Radio Maintenance Technician (30454 for those who know an AFSC is) and basically fixed and operated the radios and antennas that communicated with aircraft from the ground. I was part of the 39 SOW (Special Operations Wing) and was stationed at Rhein-Main AB in Frankfurt, Germany. I was also stationed at RAF Alconbury in the UK, about 60 miles north of London. Boy do I miss Europe! My husband and I plan on moving overseas once we’re retired (in about 5 years…early retirement for us – woo hoo!). I can’t wait!!

So there ya have it! I’ll be available if anyone has any questions about those fun little facts or about my Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles. And if anyone has any questions for my characters, they are known to come out and play…even for a little bite!

Thanks so much again for having me as a guest today! Mwah!

About the Author:

Arial Burnz has been an avid reader of both paranormal and fantasy fiction for over thirty years. With bedtime stories filled with unicorns, hobbits, dragons and elves, she had no choice but to craft her own tales, penning to life the many magical creatures roaming her mind and dreams. And with a romantic husband who's taught her the meaning of true love, she's helpless to weave romance into her tales. Now she shares them with the world. Arial Burnz lives in Rancho Cucamonga, California, with her husband (a.k.a. her romance novel hero)—who is also a descendent of Clan MacDougal—along with their dog and two cats.

Find Arial at her website, Facebook, Twitter, or her Amazon author page. To see images of her characters, see her board on Pinterest.

Masked in a Gypsy guise, Broderick MacDougal hides his vampiric identity while seeking to destroy the man who slaughtered his family. When an old Clan rival ensnares Broderick in a trap using an enticing widow, he is compelled to discover if she is bait or an accomplice, and the cinnamon-haired beauty is his next conquest.

Widow of an abusive husband, Davina Stewart-Russell clings to the only image that gave her strength during those dark times—the Gypsy rogue who stole her heart as a youth. After nine years, she is finally face-to-face with him again, but reality clashes with fantasy as she is confronted with Broderick’s passionate pursuit.

When Davina’s past returns to haunt her, Broderick is forced to reveal a dark secret worse than anything Davina thought possible. The challenge before them has fatal risks and neither of them is prepared for the sacrifices expected for the sake of eternal love.

Cailin MacDougal has lived a dangerous life being the adopted daughter of vampire Broderick "Rick" MacDougal, so she had no choice but to learn to fight in order to protect herself. However, such behavior is hardly desirable in a dutiful wife who's supposed to embroider and run a household. This aggressive side of her behavior should be easy enough to hide from her betrothed...shouldn't it?

After being away at fencing school for seven years, James Knightly has returned as a master swordsman, ready to captain his own ship and finally wed his childhood sweetheart, Cailin MacDougal. What he finds waiting for him is a dagger-toting hellion for a bride, an immortal father-in-law, and an enemy bent on extracting revenge by threatening the family James holds most dear--the MacDougals.

Broderick MacDougal is lured away from his family with the promise of-at last-learning a way to protect those he loves from his clan enemy, Angus Campbell. Broderick knows he's headed for a trap, but the bait is too tempting to resist...and he unravels the beginning of a prophecy that will lead to redemption for all vampires. The cost of such redemption, though, may be the very soul of the woman he would die for...his wife, Davina.

The Reluctant Bride by Beverley Eikli -- Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen commenter will win a $20 Amazon/BN.com gift card, so make sure you visit with Beverley before you leave!

Winner of the Choc-Lit Australian Star competition!

Emily Micklen is proud, passionate – and left with no option after the death of her loving fiancé, Jack, but to marry the scarred, taciturn, soldier who needs to secure a well-connected wife.

Major Angus McCartney hopes that marriage to the unobtainable beauty whose confident gaze about the ballroom once failed to register his presence will offer both of them a chance to put the past to rest.

Emily’s determination to be faithful to Jack’s memory is matched only by Angus’s desire to win her with honour and action. Sent to France on a mission of national security, Angus discovers how deeply Emily has been duped, but the secrets he uncovers lead them both into danger. Can Angus and Emily unmask the real conspirators before they lose everything?

Enjoy the following excerpt:

Note from the author: Angus and Emily, newly married, have just been visited unexpectedly by Angus’s brother and his unsuitable consort. Emily, embarrassed by her highly pregnant state and knowing it will cause gossip amongst Angus’s family, reacts in this scene to her husband’s apologies for the situation Emily has just confronted.

With deliberate care Emily set down the plates once more and turned to look at her husband through narrowed eyes.

‘For contaminating me with a lady of dubious repute? But Angus, how much worse a contaminant would I have been had you not married me?’ She patted her swollen belly. ‘You’d be apologising to your brother. A fallen woman—’

‘Don’t speak like that.’ His wide-set eyes burned with undeserved defence of her. ‘Men’s impulses can be ungovernable, but ladies do not suffer such … urges … You were … taken advantage of.’

Emily stared at him. She sucked in a long, quavering breath as her simmering anger came finally to the boil. Is that what he believed? That she was insensible to passion? And that was a good thing?

‘What would you say if I told you that my impulses were every bit as ungovernable as Jack’s?’ She could barely control her anger sufficiently to speak. For days she had forced her feelings into the background, using the same emotional device against her unwanted husband as she had when her father insulted her, shutting out the hurt by erecting a barrieras impenetrable as steel.

Now, feeling surged through her, blackening her vision and causing her to sway. She put her hand on the back of the sofa to steady herself.

Angus stood awkwardly by the door, as if unsure whether to move closer to support her, or beat a tactful retreat.

Emily glared at him. ‘What if I told you that I was so consumed by passion in Jack’s arms I would not have heeded the Blessed Virgin Mary cautioning me against the temptations of the flesh?’ She tried to regulate her breathing, but the rage was clawing its way further up her body, threatening to make her its puppet. She, who never lost her temper. ‘I loved Jack. I was his slave in passion, every bit as culpable as he. If you are so concerned for virtue, spare your condemnation of innocent Miss Galway. You need only cast your eyes upon your wife to be singed by my sin. There! I have confessed my true nature. Whatever you thought of me before, you cannot but think worse of me now.’ She registered the horror in his eyes and was glad for it. Much better that she banish any pretence between them.

She’d never expressed anger as poisonous as this. At first it frightened her, then it sent exhilaration pulsing through her. Her love for Jack had been cut off at the root. Now hatred filled her veins, making her feel alive again. ‘And so you know, I care nothing for your opinion,’ she added.

She managed to remain upright, though her vision came in waves. She could feel her strength leaving her, but she had to spit out the truth so he’d have no illusions as to the kind of woman he’d married. A woman no good man deserved.

‘You married me because you needed a wife. I married you so I could keep my child. We made a contract. My body is yours to do with as you please, but that is all you will ever have. My thoughts, my feelings, my love will be forever out of bounds to you.’

Beverley Eikli is the author of eight historical romances published by Pan Macmillan Momentum, Robert Hale, Ellora's Cave and Total-e-Bound. Recently she won UK Women's Fiction publisher Choc-Lit's Search for an Australian Star competition with her suspenseful, spy-based Regency Romance The Reluctant Bride.

She's been shortlisted twice for a Romance Readers of Australia Award in the Favourite Historical category — in 2011 for A Little Deception, and in 2012 for her racy Regency Romp, Rake's Honour, written under her Beverley Oakley pseudonym.

Beverley wrote her first romance when she was seventeen. However, drowning the heroine on the last page was, she discovered, not in the spirit of the genre so her romance-writing career ground to a halt and she became a journalist.

After throwing in her job on South Australia's metropolitan daily The Advertiser to manage a luxury safari lodge in the Okavango Delta, in Botswana, Beverley discovered a new world of romance and adventure in a thatched cottage in the middle of a mopane forest with the handsome Norwegian bush pilot she met around a camp fire.

Eighteen years later, after exploring the world in the back of Cessna 404s and CASA 212s as an airborne geophysical survey operator during low-level sorties over the French Guyanese jungle and Greenland's ice cap, Beverley is back in Australia teaching in the Department of Professional Writing & Editing at Victoria University, as well as teaching Short Courses for the Centre of Adult Education and Macedon Ranges Further Education.

She writes Regency Historical Intrigue as Beverley Eikli and erotic historicals as Beverley Oakley.

http://beverleyoakley.com/Beverley_Oakley/Welcome.html
https://www.facebook.com/beverley.eikli?ref=tn_tnmn

Buy the book at Amazon, Amazon UK, or Barnes and Noble.

Kinght Blindess by Chris Karlsen-- Interview

Last year we reviewed Journey in Time by Chris Karlsen and we are excited to let you know that the next book in the Knights in Time series is now out. Chris stopped by to talk with us a bit.




Why do you write in your genre?

I write two different genres: paranormal romance and romantic thrillers.

What draws me to it?

My mother was an avid reader and she read many romance authors. From my early teens on, she’d give me her favorite books to read so I grew up with a love of reading and especially romances. My fave genres now are romance, thrillers and historical fiction. I love the fast pace of thrillers and usually the protagonist has a wicked sense of humor, which I enjoy. My father taught history and I grew up with a love of that, which is why I am a fan of historical fiction. For a romance to succeed or resonate with me, I must truly and deeply care about the hero/heroine, more so than in the other genres. If I dislike one or the other, it ruins the story for me.

What research is required?

In my paranormals my characters are from a specific period in English medieval history. I chose the period as it is one I’ve been interested in since I was young. That said, in order to flesh out the setting and the support characters, along with presenting my H/h with problems inherent to the times, I had to go beyond the basics I already knew. I read dozens of books, watched DVD’s from the history channel or Nat Geo or Discovery, sought various articles by experts and on occasion, when I had the opportunity I interviewed experts. I searched the same media sources for my thrillers, which involve nautical archaeology and Bronze or Byzantine history.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

My hero in Knight Blindness, my latest book and part of my Knights in Time series, has returned from battle with a grievous injury. I learned great determination and intestinal fortitude can overcome much of what is thrown at us. From my heroine in the same story, I learned how to have and show a new appreciation of another’s strength of character.

Any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

Honestly, I am not terribly superstitious or possess many quirks. If I had to name one thing I’m superstitious about regarding my writing it would be that I avoid verbalizing negative worries or possible disappointing predictions. I am leery of putting those vibes or negative sound bites out in the universe. To me, it’s kind of like telling someone you’ve never had an accident. I don’t ever do that either for fear it will happen.

Plotter or pantser?

Up until very recently, I’d say a bit of both. I always wrote out an outline but it wasn’t written in stone. I always wound up moving away from it when I felt the need. However, I just started a book that I hope will be book one in a new series. I haven’t come close to writing an outline. So far, I’ve simply sat and wrote what I thought made some of the characters tick. We’ll see how it turns out.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

No one. My desk is in a small niche area between the living room and dining room. The stairs to the second floor are to my right. On occasion, our dog Sammy sits on the rug to my right at the base of the stairs. Usually, he sits behind me and to the left while our little guy, Trooper, sits in my chair with me like a personal fanny pack. It is not the most comfortable for me but he likes it.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

I just released Knight Blindness. It is book 3 in my paranormal romance series. It’s a time travel involving a hero who is a medieval knight. I wanted to do something very different. Instead of taking my heroine back in time, I brought the hero forward to our time. What he doesn’t know is the enemy knight he was battling when the time shift occurred has also come forward. The enemy knight believes the hero holds the “key” to time and is pursuing him in hopes of forcing the hero to reverse the shift.

Do you have a question for our readers?

I like asking the readers if time travel was possible where would they go and why. Forward to the future? Back to a past time? Here’s the tricky part, if you fell in love would you stay? I think the initial response is to say yes without hesitation. But thinking on it, much comes into play. What if something happens to your love? Now, you’re in a place that is pretty alien to everything you know and may present remarkable dangers you don’t face in your modern life.

This is a major concern of my heroine in Journey in Time. She and the hero are caught in a time warp that sends them back to medieval England. England is at war with France, and the hero is about to sail with the army to France. If he’s killed in battle, my heroine has no means to make a living and provide for herself, not to mention this was a desperate time for a woman without a protector. She might be thought a witch and burned at the stake or any number of other dangers can plague her. My heroine had no choice. She and the hero were trapped and had no idea how to return to the modern world. But when answering the question of staying, in a circumstance where you have a choice, these are factors to consider.

Ready for battle, Medieval English knight, Stephen Palmer, charges into the French enemy’s cavalry line. Heeding a warning given months before, he hesitates as he comes face-to-face with the knight in the warning. Struck down in the year 1356, he finds himself landing in the year 2013. Grievously wounded, he’s taken to a nearby hospital. Confused by the new world surrounding him, he attempts to convince the staff he’s from another time, only to find they think him mad.

Rescued by friends, who, to his surprise, have also come through time, he must find a way to function in this odd modern England. He is quickly enchanted by the kind Esme Crippen, the young woman hired to tutor him. She too is enchanted by him. Tempted to deepen the relationship, she hesitates thinking him adorable, but mad. He must discover the means for getting her to believe the truth, all the while, unknown to him, he didn’t come forward in time alone. The enemy knight has also traveled to 2013.

French noble, Roger Marchand, doesn’t question why the English knight who charged him hesitated. That fraction of a pause gave him the advantage needed and he brought his sword down upon the Englishman’s helmet hard, unhorsing the knight. He moved to finish the Englishman off when the world changed in a rush of sensations as he is ripped through time.

Seeking a reason for the terrible event, he enters a nearby chapel. There, thinking God has chosen him for a quest to turn French defeat that day in 1356 to victory, he sets out to find the English knight. The man he is convinced holds the key to time. If he returns to the day of the battle, he can warn his king of mistakes that snatched victory from them.

I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.

My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa.

I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream. I write two different series. My paranormal romance series is called Knights in Time. My romantic thriller series is Dangerous Waters.

I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, four rescue dogs and a rescue horse.

Find Chris at her website or Facebook.
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