Thursday, December 12, 2019

Cover Reveal - BORN TO FLY by Jamie A. Waters


Born to Fly
Jamie A. Waters
Publication date: July 23 2020
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Someone’s killing fairies …
Jezzie wasn’t thrilled with her brother’s idea of entering a scavenger hunt sponsored by humans.

It wasn’t as though winning was going to be difficult. After all, sneaking around and stealing from humans was one of the things fairies did best.
Getting around the disapproving Fairy Elders, however, would require a bit more creativity.
What’s life without a challenge?
Mitch Harlow is a human, and he’s considering buying Otherworld Entertainment. Ever since the portal to the Otherworld collapsed and infused their world with magical creatures, the humans had been clamoring to learn more about their newest visitors—especially the elusive and secretive fairies. Their newest scavenger hunt show is a hot commodity, and Mitch is eager to get his hands on it—and on the feisty fairy who’s intent on causing trouble.
When Jezzie’s brother mysteriously goes missing and the contest sponsors refuse to release her from her contract, Jezzie’s determined to make them regret their decision—even if it costs her everything.
Unfortunately, Jezzie’s brother isn’t the first fairy to disappear.
Someone’s hunting fairies, and it looks like Jezzie’s next.


Author Bio:
Jamie A. Waters is an award-winning, fantasy and science-fiction writer. Her first novel was a winner of the Readers' Favorite Award in Science-Fiction/Fantasy Romance and the CIPA EVVY Award in Science-Fiction.
Jamie currently resides in Florida with two neurotic dogs who enjoy stealing socks. When she's not pursuing her passion of writing, she's usually trying to learn new and interesting random things (like how to pick locks or use the self-cleaning feature of the oven without setting off the fire alarm). In her downtime, she enjoys reading on her Kindle, playing computer games, painting, or acting as a referee between the dragons and fairies currently at war inside her closet.
You can learn more by visiting: www.jamieawaters.com

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Monday, November 25, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - REST IN PIECES by Lucinda Dark


Rest in Pieces
Lucinda Dark
(Barbie: The Vampire Hunter #1)
Publication date: November 25th 2019
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy
Ashes to Ashes. Dust to Dust. If vampires kill your entire family, vengeance is a must.
I can’t say my parents never warned me about vampires. I just never believed them. Not—that is—until six months ago when vampires broke into my home and killed my family. Thanks to all the skills my parents taught me, I managed to escape but I couldn’t save them.
Two vampires down and the rest of the world to go.
My bid for revenge is going to have to wait, though, because until I turn 18, I’m being placed in the loving care of Elizabeth and Jonathan McKnight—godparents I didn’t even know existed. The clock is ticking until I can get back to my goal of eradicating the vampire race. But something is amiss at my new high school. According to my parents, vampires can’t walk in daylight. So, why then, does Torin Priest? If he’s not a vampire, then what is he? Because unlike the obnoxious asshole, Maverick McKnight, who sees me as some sort of bloodsucking leech on his wealthy family, Torin Priest is most certainly not human.
To stake or not to stake, that is the question.
EXCERPT:
Maverick pointed his finger right in my face. “I’m watching you, Barbie,” he spat my name like a curse. “If you try to steal from them, you’ll be out the door so goddamn fast, you’ll have burns on your ass from being kicked to the curb.”
“For your information, Maverick,” I said, using the same tone he’d used with my name, “I’m not here to find a new fucking family. I’m here because the government put me here. Comprende, dumbass? As a minor, I don’t have much of a fucking choice.”
“Choice or not.” He shook his head and fixed me with an outright glare. “You will not fuck with me. You will not fuck with my parents. You will stay the hell out of my way and out of my fucking business. Do you comprende?”
“Duly noted,” I replied dryly. “And since we’re on the topic of discussion, let’s make a deal—you and I.” Before he could agree or not on any sort of deal, I continued. “You stay out of my fucking way and I won’t kick your ass. And trust me, pretty boy, I may look smaller than you, but I would have you begging in a matter of seconds. If you don’t like me now, wait until I unleash my inner bitch. Therefore, if you wish to remain breathing, I suggest you back off,” I growled. “And in case you can’t understand that, understand this”—I stopped and leaned forward, moving into his space until I could smell a hint of his spicy cologne—“thou shalt not try me. Do so at your own peril.” He eyed me with no small amount of cold-blooded hatred. I didn’t give much of a shit. I moved back once more and jerked the door handle. “Now unlock the fucking door, Deputy Maverick, or you’ll see just what my inner bitch can do.”


Author Bio:
Lucinda Dark is the Fantasy based pen name for USA Today Bestselling Author, Lucy Smoke.
A writer of various genres, Lucy is a young adventurer with a lust for good characterization and unique protagonists.
You can contact her or view her catalog via her website at www.Lucysmoke.com or join her newsletter to keep up to date on all the latest releases!

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Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - GIVE UP THE GHOST by Debbie Cassidy


Give up the Ghost
Debbie Cassidy
(The Nightwatch #2)
Publication date: November 19th 2019
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy
They say not to judge a book by its cover. It’s what’s on the inside that counts. But what if what’s on the inside could get you killed?
My secret is out and there’s nowhere to run. The council have my Gramps. But there’s hope, a lifeline that’s related to my heritage. The council want an ancient magical text stolen by Demonica, and they need me to get it back.
I guess they just don’t want to get their hands dirty killing me themselves.
Welcome to the spot between a rock and a hard place.
A kick ass Urban Fantasy Adventure filled with fey, demons, vampires, gargoyles and golems.


Author Bio:
Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head - in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.

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Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - TASTING HER CHRISTMAS COOKIES by Alina Jacobs


Tasting Her Christmas Cookies
Alina Jacobs
Publication date: November 19th 2019
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance
Winter is coming—and unfortunately it’s bringing Christmas with it.
I loathe the holiday. I hate holiday parties, fragrant decorations, and hokey movies. If I had my way it would be winter all year round and never Christmas.
Nothing burns like the cold—except a hot oven.
That’s right; against my better judgment I agreed to let The Great Christmas Bake-Off film in my tower.
And St. Nick help me but I even agreed to be a judge.
Holly
Christmas is like the perfect sugar cookie—it slowly melts in your mouth, sweetening every taste bud, making you wish it could last forever.
I love Christmas. I love the cheerful music, the fun sweaters, and the holiday lights. Most of all I love Christmas Cookies.
A begrudging bake-off judge, I refuse to let grouchy billionaire Owen Frost hate Christmas. The man is overworked, his employees are uninspired, and his life is seriously lacking in Yuletide cheer. I want to stuff his stocking with sugary goodness to put him in a very festive mood.
So I dressed up as a sexy elf and gave Owen a taste of something extra special. You should have seen his eyes roll back in his head when he bit into the perfect sugar cookie!
I can’t let Owen Frost be a distraction. Things are insane enough without a sexy billionaire.
My baking subscription service is in the death throes.
My Christmas-ruining step sister is trying to sabotage me in the bake-off.
I’m being stalked by elves on the shelf come to life.
Ok that last one is a little weird, but welcome to my disaster of a life.
I need to win The Great Christmas Bake-Off to pay of my debts and launch my baking career. Sleeping with one of the judges is going to ruin my chance for a merry Christmas. Owen with his washboard abs and big Christmas package is a bad idea. It’s best to keep that all wrapped under the tree.
But when he said in that deep, sexy voice, “Can I have another taste of your Christmas cookies?” Well, let’s just say I’m unwrapping one particular Christmas present early!
Tasting Her Christmas Cookies is a standalone holiday romantic comedy. If you love Christmas desserts, like to laugh out loud at holiday innuendoes, and want Santa to put a tall, good-looking guy under your tree, then pick up this full-length, steamy romance novel! There are no cliffhangers but there is a very happy (Christmas!) ever after!
EXCERPT:
“We are having a Christmas bath scene in the near future,” I said to the camera, “with holiday bath bombs and themed cocktails. But unfortunately, it won’t be tonight. The bake-off starts tomorrow, baking fans!”
I looked longingly at the bathtub. Then, making sure the phone was definitely not recording, because I did not need to be that kind of Instagrammer, I took a quick shower. I seriously could not get over how huge the bathroom was. I could live in it. With a toaster and a mini fridge, I would totally be good.
After wrapping myself in the robe, I tied a T-shirt around my hair. I had frizzy hair on a good day; keeping my curls manageable was a perpetual struggle. I applied a gingerbread-cookie-scented moisturizer while my videos uploaded. Because I was busy scrolling through my phone and answering comments as I came out of the bathroom, I didn’t notice the half-naked man until he swore.
I looked up and screamed.
“Help! Help! Stalker!” I shrieked and ineffectively pointed at the stranger. Between the rippling muscles, the washboard abs, and an ass I could bounce a quarter on, I hoped he wasn’t actually here to hurt me, because he could do some damage. Pointing and shrieking wasn’t going to stop him. Fortunately, he looked more shocked and horrified than angry and violent.
“Stop screaming!” he bellowed. A freezing breeze blew into the room. It was as if the man had brought the rage of winter into the master suite with him. He looked like it, too, with his ice-blue eyes and silver-white hair. “This is my penthouse. You are not authorized to be here. That makes you the stalker!”
I stopped screaming. It clearly wasn’t helping anything. I also couldn’t help but notice that the bathroom wasn’t the only thing that was huge in the room. With him wearing nothing but boxer briefs, I could tell Santa had brought the handsome man a very large Christmas package indeed. The breeze blew in from the balcony, swirling the strange man’s clean and masculine scent around the room. I forced myself to ignore it.
“Get out of my house,” Big Christmas Package said flatly.
“You get out!” I shrieked. “I’m a bake-off contestant. This isn’t your room!”
“What the—” he grabbed his clothes, tugging on his pants. “The Great Christmas Bake-Off? I cannot have Christmas invading every element of my life. This is ridiculous. Christmas is ridiculous. It’s such a stupid, childish holiday.” He punctuated his words by snatching up articles of clothing.
“Hey now!” I said, hands on my hips, fear subsiding. “Christmas is never ridiculous. It’s the best holiday ever. And if you can’t see that, well then, you’re just a grinch, aren’t you?”
He advanced on me. I was suddenly very aware of how large he was. Christmas package notwithstanding, this dude was tall, broad shouldered, with rippling muscles. He could probably split me in two.
Yes, please.
“You’re some stupid little baker who never outgrew the childish fantasy of Christmas,” he sneered.
My nose was inches away from his chest. He glowered down at me. I was too angry to be aware of his half-naked body. Okay, maybe I was like fifteen percent aware. But the majority of my energy was focused on being offended on behalf of Christmas.
“Don’t insult baking,” I said, giving him my best “I want to speak to the manager vibe,” though it was ruined by the fact that I had to crane my neck up to see him and that I was completely naked under the robe. “And never insult Christmas!”
His nostrils flared slightly.
“Men like you constantly belittle the work that women do to keep cultural traditions like Christmas alive,” I continued, poking him in the chest.
“We decorate homes to make them cozy.”
Poke.
“We cook holiday dinners and bake festive desserts.”
Poke.
“We host parties that bring families and friends together.”
Before I could poke him again, he grabbed my hand in his much-larger one. Then, realizing what he’d done, he quickly released it.
“I will not stand for your bad attitude!” I declared.
He glared down at me, strong jaw clenched, eyes cold as a frozen lake. “I can’t even believe this,” he finally snarled. He grabbed his briefcase and stormed out, still shirtless.
“Oh my God!” Fiona exclaimed, wide-eyed, as she ran into the room. She hugged me then pushed me to sit on the bed. “Are you okay? Who was that? Why was he in here? Someone call the police!”
“I knew it! You’re trying to steal my boyfriend,” Amber yelled at me, rushing into the room. “That’s Owen Frost, and he’s mine!”


Author Bio:
If you like steamy romantic comedies with a creative streak, then I'm your girl!
Architect by day, writer by night, I love matcha green tea, chocolate, and books! So many books...
Sign up for my mailing list to get the free novella, AFTER HIS PEONIES, along with special bonus content, giveaways, and more!
http://alinajacobs.com/mailinglist.html

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Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Book Review - CHRISTMAS ANGELS by Nancy Naigle

Title: Christmas Angels
Author: Nancy Naigle
Genre: Holiday Romance
Release Date: October 15, 2019


About the Book:
A heartwarming Christmas story filled with the magic and miracles of the holiday season by USA Today Bestselling author, Nancy Naigle.
Growing up, Liz Westmoreland dreamed of taking over her grandparents inn located in the small mountain town of Antler Creek only for it to be sold before she ever got the chance. While browsing the internet, she stumbles upon a listing for what looks to be the picturesque inn and it’s set to go to auction. Liz places a bid, and by a miracle, wins the auction. But when she gets there she finds the property in significant disrepair.
When Matt Hardy narrowly lost the inn and property that butted his land, he just hoped it wasn't another city slicker coming to make matters worse after the previous owners gutted the place for an art gallery. But the minute he recognized the sweet, freckle-faced girl from his childhood and heard her plans to reopen the inn, he jumps at the chance to help his childhood crush restore a place where he made so many fond memories.
While working on repairs, Liz and Matt discover her grandmother’s collection of angels in one of the cabins. When the angels start mysteriously showing up all over the inn, she begins to look at them as reassurance—that restoring the inn is what she's meant to do. But when an accident leaves Liz feeling like she made a mistake, will Matt—and the residents of Antler Creek—be able to show Liz that she's found a home? And possibly true love as well?
Buy Links: Amazon 
Barnes & Noble

My Review:

"Christmas Angels" would make the perfect Hallmark Christmas Movie. Absolutely LOVED the characters and the story.

Nancy Naigle's description of this small mountain town of Antler Creek makes me want to pack up my bags and move there.  This is a story about following your dream, and watching that dream come to life, angel by angel.  I'm hoping for a Hallmark movie, and a sequel next Christmas.  I'd love to see how things develop between Liz and Matt and what the future holds for them.

This is a sweet romance that will warm your heart.

Side Note:  If you are traveling this holiday season, this is a great Audible story to listen to while you drive.

My Rating:

About the Author:
USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. She began her popular contemporary romance series, Adams Grove, while juggling a successful career in finance and life on a seventy-six-acre farm. She went on to produce works in collaboration with other authors, including the hilarious southern fiction G Team series. A Romance Writers of America Honor Roll author, her books have been translated in multiple languages and received favorable reviews from major trade journals.

In 2018, Crown Media brought two of Nancy's novels to life. Christmas Joy premiered on Hallmark Channel 11/3/18. Hope at Christmas premiered on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. She also novelized two Hallmark Original Movies set in the town of Evergreen, bringing the whole story and bonus epilogues to Hallmark fans.

Now happily retired from a career in the financial industry, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and horseback riding with friends. A Virginia girl at heart, Nancy now calls North Carolina home.

Download a complete list of Nancy's books at www.NancyNaigle.com, then stay up to date with future releases by joining Nancy's free newsletter -or-visit her on facebook and twitter (@nancynaigle)

And if you would like to meet Nancy Naigle in person, come find her at the Coastal Magic Convention in Daytona Beach in February 2020!  Find out more at CoastalMagicConvention.com  



Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Book Review - PORTALS by Savannah Verte

Title: Portals
Author: Savannah Verte
Genre: Time Travel Romance, Epic Fantasy
Release Date: July 19, 2019


About the Book:
The fate of the Aradian world depends on a single lesson.
Can they survive long enough to learn it?

A banishment portal meant for one becomes a catalyst to destiny for seven brothers who pass through. Their journey takes them between worlds, time, and back again, revealing truths they were never supposed to uncover: everything they’ve believed for a millennia is false, they are pawns on someone else’s game board, and, they are all expendable. Between the world they know, and the ones they don’t are more portals, each with truths waiting to be revealed.

Can they turn the tables, reclaim their lives, reunite with their mates, and end the game? Or, will their world be lost forever before they can return?

Truth takes time…theirs is running out.

Buy Links: Amazon 
Note:  If you have Kindle Unlimited, this is currently free!

My Review:

I first met Author Savannah Verte a few years ago at a book conference in Savannah, Georgia.  Awesome lady who is not only a very creative writer, but a really nice person as well.  At another book convention, Space Coast Book Lovers 2019 in Port Canaveral, Florida, I ran into her again.  That's where she was launching her newest novel, "Portals".

Let me start out by saying that this is a really big book of approximately 680 pages.  I was extremely excited to get my hands on this book when it first came out because I am a huge fan of Savannah Verte.  Fabulous world building and an epic fantasy!  I was blown away by this author's imagination and creativity.  I almost believed that places like Aradian could actually exist.

It took me a while to read this entire novel because real life kind of got in the way, and then I had to back track a bit to get back into it.  There are a lot of characters to keep straight.  But it was certainly worth reading.  The story hit on loyalty, family bonds, true mates, and the search for the truth.  And that "truth" may surprise you.  Definitely worth the read!

My Rating:

About the Author:
A lifelong lover of words and reading, Savannah Verte hasn’t quite figured out what she wants to write when she grows up. Born and raised in the upper Midwest, Savannah’s gypsy spirit and never quit attitude keep her busy and seldom idle. For so many reasons, Savannah considers herself a ‘Contemporary Vagabond’ when it comes to writing and hopes that others find her diverse offerings as enjoyable to read as they are to write.

As the primary owner and driving force behind Eclectic Bard Books she considers herself immensely fortunate to see writing from varied perspectives as she endeavors to publish the authors rostered there. Working with other writers, Savannah gets to expand her horizons every day as someone brings a new idea to the table and the brainstorming begins. There is something addictive about the creative process for her and helping other authors embrace their dreams make hers a reality daily.

That’s the official Savannah, the unofficial version is just this: a girl who loves experiencing life with every twist and turn it takes. When she was born, she had such fine, light hair that her mother used to tape bows to her head so people would know she was a girl. She’s had a host of crazy unrelated jobs- everything from cake decorator, dry cleaner, and insurance agent to Emergency Room assistant, bartender, crime lab tech and bouncer. Savannah loves air hockey but completely sucks at it. She loves good jazz, good scotch, and antiques but also old rock, a quiet tea, and a tidy home. She’s completely technology impaired and can get it after she’s broken the computer or done it ass-backwards a few times… Thank Gods that there are some amazing meme creators that let her pilfer images or she’d be lost. Lime green is her color, the rhinoceros is her logo & philosophy, and she’s completely mad about seeing new authors try.

Follow Savannah on Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorsavannahverte
or on her webpage My Revolution: www.savannahverte.com

Monday, October 28, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - ON HIS BENDED KNEE by Shanae Johnson


On His Bended Knee: a Sweet Marriage of Convenience series
Shanae Johnson
(The Brides of Purple Heart Ranch, #1)
Publication date: October 11th 2018
Genres: Adult, Romance, Western
She needed a place to stay. He needed to save his ranch. Together they just might make a home.
Sgt. Dylan Banks lost more than just his leg in the war. His fiancĂ©e and family turned their backs on him as well. Now, he’s determined to create a safe place where wounded warriors like himself can heal. But a hidden zoning law requires all residents of the Purple Heart Ranch to be married. To save his dream, Dylan and his men will have to tie the knot—but can a man with such deep scars inside and out believe in love again?
Maggie Shaw lost both her job as a veterinary technician and her apartment on the same day. Who knew her unreasonable landlord would kick her out for being four dogs over the one pet limit? Now, she and her gang of special-needs dogs are in trouble. Fate puts her in Dylan’s path with a proposal that seems too good to be true—but can her heart bear a loveless marriage of convenience?
Dylan yearns to reach out for Maggie’s healing touch, but he keeps his distance, convinced his wounds are too deep for her embrace. Maggie sees past Dylan’s injuries, but if she fails to capture his heart they both could lose it all: her beloved animals, his ranch, and each other.
Find out if love can truly heal all wounds in this light-hearted, sweet romance of convenient arrangements that unfold into lasting love. On His Bended Knee is the first in a series of marriage of convenience tales featuring Wounded Warriors who are healed with the power of love.
Only 99¢ for a limited time!
The complete series:
EXCERPT:
“Wives? As in married? To women?”
“Unless there’s something about you that we should know, Ramos.”
Xavier Ramos reached over and tried to smack Reed Cannon in the head, but the other man raised his prosthetic arm to ward off the attack. There was nothing wrong with his reflexes. Ramos’s flesh hit Cannon’s metal and Ramos winced.
“Can’t we get the zoning changed?” asked Sean Jeffries. He had his sunglasses off now that they were all inside one of the ranch’s barns.
The men had converted the old barn into a gaming room complete with large flat screens, an old-fashioned record player and tape deck, and every gaming console including an antique Atari which Rees had brought back to life with his techno-genius.
“It would be a long process,” said Dylan. “And in the meantime, we’d all have to leave the ranch while the powers that be waded through all the red tape.”
The men were lounging in recliners or sitting on bar stools, but an anxious hum went around the room. The ranch was their haven, their home. Even for those who had somewhere that they could go, leaving was not an option.
Unlike with Dylan, Jeffries’s family hadn’t rejected him. They called the ranch on a regular basis. It was Jeffries who didn’t want them to see him. It wasn’t just the scar on his face that shamed him. He suffered from PTSD and was prone to flashbacks. He could be taken back to the war-torn deserts of the Middle East when he slept, or with loud noises he could readily identify. The men surrounding him knew how to manage his episodes. But Jeffries was terrified of hurting someone he cared about. And so he stayed away from his family and wouldn’t receive their calls.
“Aren’t you all missing the obvious?” They all turned to Reed and waited for his revelation. Reed took his time. The man had a bit of the flare for the dramatic at times. “We just need to get married.”
Eyes and heads rolled as everyone turned away from the proclamation. Except Fran.
“It’s not a bad idea,” Fran said. “People do it all the time. For green cards, for financial stability, some fools even do it for something called love.”
Dylan had been such a fool who wanted to get married for love. Or what he thought was love. He had no idea where the plan came from as his own parents hadn’t been in love.
Catherine and Charles Banks had married for social standing. The irony was that they couldn’t stand each other. Though the rest of society would never know it. At parties, they put on a show of devotion and compatibility. They used to put on the show at home for Dylan when he was a kid. But they soon stopped caring about what he saw behind the closed doors of their many homes, which they often occupied separately.
“Who would want to marry a bunch of broken soldiers?” asked Sean.
“Hey, we’re not broken.” Dylan almost believed the words coming out of his own mouth. “We served our country. We are highly skilled. We are loyal, dedicated men.”
Though the speech was impassioned, the faces around him looked doubtful.
“Frances might have a point,” said Xavier, using the feminization of the name to get under Fran’s skin like they all did from time to time. “There are a lot of hard-up women out there. Some probably need a place to stay, money in their pocket, or just a good lay.”
Now it was Dylan who rolled his eyes and neck at the preposterous direction the discussion was taking. He needed his men to focus on viable solutions to this very real problem. But the other men were listening to Xavier’s nonsense.
“Dr. Patel is always saying we need a good woman to heal our hearts.” Reed picked up the gauntlet of the insanity. He was a romantic at heart and still believed love was waiting to come into his arms. “Maybe now’s the time.”
“Patel had an arranged marriage,” said Fran. “And it worked for him.”
“This is the Wild West,” said Reed. “This kind of stuff happened here all the time. Remember the Gold Rush Brides?”
“That was California,” Sean said. The man was a walking encyclopedia. “You mean mail order brides.”
“It would be email now,” said Fran. “No one uses the postal system.”
“We are not finding women on Craig’s List,” said Dylan, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut in exasperation.
“Then how are we gonna stay here?”
Dylan wasn’t sure which man said it, but he knew they all were thinking it. He opened his eyes and faced the room full of men. They’d looked to him for leadership when they were in combat, and they looked at him the same way now. How would they win this particular war on the home front?
“We’ll petition the court,” said Dylan. “I have a few contacts in the government.”
“We have more recruits coming in a couple of month. What are we gonna do with them?”
Dylan didn’t have an answer for that. He didn’t know how he would take in another wounded soldier only to potentially turn the man away. As he prepared to turn around, a flash of fur ran through the room.
No, ran wasn’t exactly the right word. Two front paws ran. The two back paws were not there. Instead, two wheels acted as legs that the little dog used to propel himself onward.
Dylan wasn’t the only one who spotted the animal. The other soldiers turned and stared at the creature. The dog stared back. It also slowed down as it looked up at all the big humans eying it.
The dog had had a grin on his face, but under the close scrutiny, his muzzle closed. He pulled his lolling tongue back into his mouth and let out a low whimper.
Dylan bent down to be on the dog’s level. He rested on his good knee, which was a difficult feat for him after a long day. But he had to get a closer look at this dog and his apparatus.
The dog made a slow beeline for Dylan. Dylan put his hand out to the dog. The dog gave the back of his hand a tentative sniff and then a lick.
Who would do such a thing as to take a dog’s hind legs? But more importantly, who would take the time to make a contraption that gave the animal back a semblance of the life he once knew?
“I’m so sorry,” said a feminine voice. “That’s my dog.”
Dylan looked up into the face of the woman. She was dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail. She wasn’t wearing a lick of makeup. She looked fresh, clean, capable.
She marched into the room, not like she was on a catwalk, but like she was on a mission. She reached for the dog and he saw her hands were un-manicured. When one of her rough fingers brushed the skin of his forearm, Dylan felt a spark. His breath caught and so did hers.


Author Bio:
Shanae Johnson was raised by Saturday Morning cartoons and After School Specials. She still doesn't understand why there isn't a life lesson that ties the issues of the day together just before bedtime. While she's still waiting for the meaning of it all, she writes stories to try and figure it all out. Her books are wholesome and sweet, but her heroes are hot and her heroines are full of sass!
And by the way, the E elongates the A. So it's pronounced Shan-aaaaaaaa. Perfect for a hero to call out across the moors, or up to a balcony, or to blare outside her window on a boombox. If you hear him calling her name, please send him her way!

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Friday, October 25, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - THE MERKABAH RECRUIT by L.Z. Marie


The Merkabah Recruit
L.Z. Marie
(Merkabah, #1)
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
A mystical shape. Three gruesome murders. One reluctant hero. And the only person able to prevent the next murder is an anxiety-prone recruit. Divorced and depressed, Daphne Sites is stunned to learn that a unique empathic ability allows her to identify otherworldly life. So when a secret organization asks for her help, it’s difficult to refuse.
Serik Jalani is the man who must convince the reluctant recruit to assume a chilling mantle of responsibility. There’s only one way to do this. Reel her in slowly. Except Daphne suspects Serik is not being entirely truthful. About the organization. The mission. And even his true identity.
As Daphne attempts to keep her new job secret from two sassy sisters, one jealous ex-husband, and a bimbo Barbie neighbor, she struggles to embrace the mysteries of a cosmic technology and realize her own self-worth.
If Daphne hopes to stop the next murder and stay alive, she must first confront her biggest problem. Herself.
The first in the Merkabah Series about a forbidden love that destroys an ancient legacy.
The series so far:
EXCERPT:
SJ’s fingers wrapped around my hand.
An energy pulse surged up my arm. I yanked my hand away, but the rolling wave of warmth went right to my heart and blossomed outward. I rubbed my hand, his touch still lingering on my skin like the faintest tickle.
“You felt it. Good.” He nodded, satisfied, as though I had passed a test. “Relax, Daphne. Look at the people. What do you see?” He pushed my Long Island Iced Tea towards me.
There were drunk people and desperate men and women laughing too loud and trying too hard to have fun. “What am I supposed to see?” I sipped the drink.
SJ’s lips twitched and his brow lifted. “You tell me.”
“I see people,” I shrugged.
“You see more than that.” His brown eyes twinkled from over the rim of his extra dirty martini.
“I see drunk people.”
SJ leaned close, his shoulder touching mine. “I know you sense the feelings and thoughts of others.”
My stomach flip-flopped. “Who are you?”
SJ tapped his chest, flashed his thousand-watt grin. “I’m your guide.”
“For what?” I sucked on the straw, tried to cool the embers burning in my belly. “Am I taking a trip?”
His forefinger made a little circle in the air. “You see a person’s true form.” SJ withdrew his accusing finger, speared his martini olive with the tiny plastic fork, and popped the olive in his mouth.
This conversation took a sharp left onto Creepy Town Road.
SJ was right about one thing though. I did need this drink. Maybe two.
“What do you mean?” I lifted the glass, drank down the sweet nectar as though it could help me deal with this. With him. With his knowing.
“You’re an empath with special skills.” SJ’s eyes seared like laser beams.
“An empath?” I pondered the ice cubes floating in my Long Island Iced Tea. Was he referring to my over-sensibilities about people? Referring to the bizarre impressions I get about someone? I never told anybody about that. People would think I was crazy. Once in while I let something slip to my sisters, who laughed and said I was weird. When I was a child, Mom accused me of having a fanciful imagination.
Slurp, swallow, repeat. The alcohol took the edge off my rising panic. I stared at my drink, the condensation on the glass as cold as the back of my neck.
SJ’s voice was low, its warmth encouraging and seducing. “An empath feels others’ emotions, but you do more than that. You detect people in their true form. The time has come to perfect this ability.”
I sensed his stare. Determined. Serious. Like a hot poker to my soul. I pretended fascination with the cocktail napkin. Confusion, curiosity, anxiety, and attraction swirled like a tornado around me. I didn’t dare make eye contact.
“We know you perceive strange creatures in human form.”
My heart jumped in my throat.


Author Bio:
LZ Marie writes paranormal romance with mystical sass. She uses another pen name for her historical fiction.
LZ lives in southern California and wishes she could get to the beach more often. She adores lattes, swimming, vacations, a great book, and hanging out with her very large family. A intriguing mystery-thriller, action-adventure, historical fiction, or urban fantasy will have her reading into the wee hours of the night.

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Monday, October 21, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - BETWEEN WILD AND RUIN by Jennifer G. Edelson


Between Wild and Ruin
Jennifer G. Edelson
Publication date: September 28th 2019
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Truth, like love, isn’t always obvious.
Seventeen-year-old Ruby Brooks has never had a boyfriend. After moving to small-town La Luna, New Mexico following her mother’s untimely death, boys aren’t even on her radar. Ruby just wants to forget the last horrible year and blend in. But when she discovers an ancient pueblo ruin hidden in the forest behind her house, and meets Ezra, a bitter recluse whose once-perfect face was destroyed in an accident he won’t talk about; Angel, the town’s handsome sheriff’s deputy, and Leo, a stranger who only appears in the forest, Ruby finds herself caught between love, mystery, and other worlds. What happened to Ezra’s face? And why is she so attracted to the one boy in town everyone despises? As Ruby unravels her own powerful connections to both Ezra and the pueblo ruin, she’ll learn surfaces are deceiving. Especially in the heart of New Mexico, where ghosts and legends aren’t always just campfire stories.
BOOK TRAILER:
EXCERPT:
After walking through dense stands of pine trees, I follow the remnants of what may have been a trail toward the top of the mountain. Higher up, the pines and junipers dappling the mountainside grow taller, but there aren’t as many. As they thin, small gusts of wind whistle through the forest, echoing through the trees. Otherwise, the forest is completely silent.
Closer to the top of the mountain, the rocky ground levels off and the land spreads across a plateau below the mountain’s peak. Unlike the forest, the plateau is more like a jungle, marked by thick hanging moss and clusters of tall, unidentifiable conifers. Trees stand like sentries several rows deep. Beyond them, fallen logs lie scattered among overgrown shrubs and boulders in circular bands like rings on a tree. I walk through it all, making my way past thick brush into a clearing.
Fresh sap and damp earth assault my nose. Under bright sunlight, large, rough-cut slabs of glittery rock blanket the otherwise bare field. Some lie stacked on top of each other like the crumbling remains of a building. Awestruck, I circle the structure, running my fingers over what looks like a ruin.
“Incredible, isn’t it?”
A voice behind me sends my heart racing toward my throat. I jump, whipping around to find a young man leaning casually against a pine near the clearing’s perimeter, looking off to his left as though listening for something.
Even in the shade, his face glows. He smiles, showing off teeth that gleam like snowflakes between perfect lips. Hair as dark as Liddy’s French roast coffee falls around his face in unruly waves. His features are angular but refined, and his high, rounded cheeks soften the striking juxtaposition.
I blink, then blink again. Ruby. I rub my eyes. You’re hallucinating. But he’s still there, staring at me.
While I gawk, he pushes himself off the tree. “Not many people make it up here.” He smiles broadly.
A soft, purple-hued halo circles his golden irises, catching fire in the sunlight. They settle on me, and my heart stops, completely paralyzed by his faultless storybook features.
I exhale, trying to swallow inconspicuously. “It’s definitely a hike.”
“Who are you?”
“Who am I?” I sputter. “Who are you?”
“Leo.” He grins.
“I’m Ruby.”
“Ruby.” My name rolls off his tongue with a smooth “R” and a musical lilt. Somehow, he even manages to make it sound appealing. “First time up?”
“Yes. We just moved to La Luna.”
“La Luna,” he repeats. “Welcome.”
“Thanks,” I mumble. Earth to Ruby, I mentally smack myself. Since when has any boy made you senseless?
“You okay?” He smiles like he knows I’m not. Like he knows whyI’m not. “Do you want to sit down? The altitude can be a bitch if you’re not used to it.”
“No. I mean, yes, I’m fine. No, I don’t want to sit down. You just really startled me. You should announce yourself next time.”
“Next time?”
“Next time you sneak up on somebody.”
Leo raises a perfect dark eyebrow. “But then it wouldn’t be sneaking, would it?”
My cheeks flush, and I suddenly want to drop through a hole in the ground. I choke out, “Ummm,” and something incoherent and then stare at my toes like they hold the keys to my future.


Author Bio:
Jennifer G. Edelson is a writer, trained artist, former attorney, pizza lover, and hard-core Bollywood fan. She has a BFA in Sculpture and a J.D. in law, and has taught both creative writing and legal research and writing at several fine institutions, including the University of Minnesota. Originally a California native, she currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her husband, kids, and dog, Hubble after surviving twenty-plus years in the Minnesota tundra (but still considers Los Angeles, the Twin Cities, and Santa Fe all home). Other than writing, Jennifer loves hiking, traveling, Albert Camus, Dr. Seuss, dark chocolate, drinking copious amounts of coffee, exploring mysterious places, and meeting new people--if you're human (or otherwise), odds are she'll probably love you.

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Sunday, October 13, 2019

Key's Locals Restaurant Review - Ziggie & Mad Dog's Restaurant

Okay.  The name sounds a bit strange, but I'll explain that.  In the meantime, just know that the food and the atmosphere are wonderful!

We are back to trying out local eating establishments, even the ones that have been around for a long time.  So watch my blog and join our journey!

A bit of history about Ziggie & Mad Dog's Restaurant:  
The structure was transformed into a small restaurant in the 1950's after serving as an outbuilding for a pineapple plantation back in the 1930's.  In 1962 it was turned into a restaurant and the legendary Ziggie's Conch was born.  But there is more history here that just that!

The Miami Herald, back in 1948, reported stories of police shoot outs with gamblers and shady characters referred to as "the new Capone gang".  It was said that Al Capone was a part of the high-stakes card games and casino action held in the back building.  Ziggie himself was a notorious gambler and drifter.  Rumer has it that John Huston got the idea for the movie "Key Largo" while gambling at a casino Ziggie was known to have frequented.  Ziggie's Conch became quite popular as a fine food establishment throughout the Florida Keys.

Then in 2005, Jim "Mad Dog" Mandich of Miami Dolphin fame, and his long time business partner purchased the legendary Ziggie's.  After some extensive renovations, Ziggie & Mad Dog's was born.  The original bar, the slate wainscot and terrazzo have all been refurbished with great care.

Today, Ziggie and Mad Dog’s has become a destination steak house… one of the finest in South Florida! Ziggie and Mandich’s culinary influence are on display even today with some of their favorite dishes still on their menu.
My Review:
We stopped in to check out this restaurant a couple of nights ago.  We had been here many, many, many years ago and weren't terribly impressed, but so many people highly recommended it that we thought we would give it another try.  I'm so glad we did!
We arrived without reservations, but were politely seated anyway.  I would highly recommend that you have reservations, especially during the "season".  The tables were covered with white linen and looked quite inviting, but so did the bar area with the happy customers standing around having a few drinks.  The menu looked great and it took us a while to make our decisions.  Our waitress, a delightful young lady named Becky, told us the night's specials and I chose filet mignon, served with a whole tomato stuffed with brie cheese and spinach.  Oh my goodness!  It was sinfully delicious!  
My husband chose Big Ben's Smothered Medallions, filet mignon medallions topped with carmalized onions and stilton blue cheese with an awesome au poivre sauce poured over it.  Again, although I am not a blue cheese fan, my husband absolutely loved it!  The Au Gratin Potatoes he ordered as a side dish was large enough to share... and then some!  Oh!  And the bread!  We were served a whole round loaf of warm bread, right out of the oven. It was served with soft honey butter.
The restaurant is a bit pricey, but definitely worth it for a nice night out. The service was impeccable!  Becky, our server, was wonderful and the young man filling the water glasses and clearing the table was definitely on the ball, never letting that glass get empty.
You can find Ziggie & Mad Dog's at 83000 Overseas Highway in Islamorada, Florida.  Check out their website at www.ziggieandmaddogs.com 

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

UPCOMING EVENTS

I love going to Book Signings and Book Conventions!  I meet the most interesting people there!

As 2019 will be winding down soon and I will need time to prepare for the holidays, my last major event for the year will be on November 1 & 2 in Huntington, West Virginia.  Will I see you there at Rebels & Readers?



I already have a pretty busy schedule set up for 2020.  I'll let you know more about those events after the holidays!  Hope to see you there!

Psst.... I may have some exciting news to share with you soon too!



 

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