Interview: Chacelyn Pierce

Happy Thursday! You know what my favorite part of today is? It's almost Friday. Today, I'm hosting Chacelyn Pierce with an interview and excerpt!

The author is also offering a prize on this tour. You could win one of two e-book copies of The Last Pyr of Eden! Go here to enter. Good luck!

Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Last-Eden-Hearts-ebook/dp/B00ALZZA9A/

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thelastpyrofeden-1018043-143.html

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-pyr-of-eden-chacelyn-pierce/1113985609

BookStrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/the-last-pyr-of-eden

Total-E-Bound: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1884

Blurb

Outside the protected gates of Eden, ancient enemies lurk in waiting to drain elementals of all their power.

For eons, the four elementals have bled their nourishing blood to sustain life for superior spirit elementals known as Daemons. No race has suffered in despair as critically as the fire elementals—the Pyr. Their numbers dwindled down so miserably, that Raynor is the last known warrior of the race, living on a faint hope that there is more of his kind between both worlds. He ventures out constantly searching for elementals to save from enslavement. In reality, he searches for a female to bond with. After a yearlong trip away from Eden—an elemental settlement hidden deep in the woods—he is immediately confronted by the enchanting Sylph, Samira. She ignites desires and emotions in him that he considered long dead and nearly destroyed like his people. Indulging in his erotic cravings with Samira can be a daring game to play, because elementals have never intermingled in all recorded history.

Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains explicit sex scenes and/or situations and adult language which may be considered offensive to some readers.

Interview

Welcome aboard! Tell us a little about yourself, please.

Thanks for having me! I live in the mighty city called Dallas, the one in Texas. I'm a southern gal at heart, even have a truck to prove it. No, I don't own a ranch and no, I don't listen to country. Rock music inspires me most of the time, but music in other genres helps my muse as well. For example, I'm a big Josh Groban fan. Also, I'm a huge villain chick.

What about your latest release?

The Last Pyr of Eden is about Raynor, a fire elemental in his quest to find another female fire elemental. His kind is nearly extinct but when he returns home, Samira, an air elemental has him feeling things no fire elemental should feel towards another of a different race. He thinks leaving his home will stop those feelings but out the protected home of Eden, enemies lurk waiting to drain him of his energy. Samira's not going to leave the male she loves to face a dark fate alone. Not when she can help him on his mission to find more elementals in need of help.

Ok, let’s get down to the fun stuff. If you were stranded on a lush tropical island, and all of your basic needs were met, what two items would you have with you? What person would be with you? Remember, you’re stuck there for an indefinite period with only each other to occupy the time.

Well, my person would of course be my husband. He's proved very resourceful over the years and I know if something needed fixing or built, he'd be the one I'd wish for. As far as two things: a telescope, so that I can star gaze at night. Also a few books that I wouldn't mind rereading so that I could escape into another world when I wanted.

If you could play opposite any of your lead characters, which one would it be and why?

Samira, I mean who wouldn't want a fiery male warrior protecting them at all time?

If you could lead any of your secondary characters, which one would it be and why?

Draven, seeing as how I love villains anyway, Draven stole my attention a lot of times during this book.

You’re locked in a closet with Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, three paperclips and a string. How do you get out?

Who'd want to get out? We could just wait till someone happened upon us. I mean all the yelling and screaming is bound to bring someone around.

Name five things you can do with a pencil.

Write. Clean your ears with the eraser. Flip through fingers. Tap on the desk. Chew on during frustration. It's a universal tool obviously. LOL

Who’s your favorite character from your book(s)? Why? Don’t worry, we won’t tell.

Draven and Isric, I love villains, and I love writing villains. My villains seem to get an extra pow added to them at times.

Where can we find you around the vast interwebs?

http://www.chacelynpierce.com
http://www.facebook.com/chacelyn.pierce
https://twitter.com/chacelynpierce
http://chacelynpierce.tumblr.com/

What about your books? Where are they being sold at?

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1884
http://www.amazon.com/The-Last-Eden-Hearts-ebook/dp/B00ALZZA9A/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1355195452&sr=1-1
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thelastpyrofeden-1018043-143.html

Thanks for dropping in! Any last words?

Thanks for having me!

Excerpt

Ten years ago

Raynor knew the ignited fire had absorbed the encounter, and his skin sensed the horror in the flames. He heard the bloodcurdling scream of the girl, mere echoing shatters in the wisps of wind between the torrid blazes. His vision saw the subliminal outlines of human blood and death, the misshapen evil Phantoms between the flares. For a Pyr, fire could be used as an opaque narration, to be viewed as a distorted script or even a sketchy photograph. The inferno told him what its sparks touched, who lurked in the darkness and revealed that blood had been spilt. Elemental blood. Raynor hoped that a female fire elemental had started the fire. But because the fire was untamed, he stepped cautiously out of the ley line.

He took in the scene in the distance. The ranch house was only lit by the fire burning up into the midnight sky. The nasty, ghoulish Phantoms circled the ramshackle house like buzzards, picking a strategy best suited for hunting elemental prey. Using the pull of the bonfire’s heat, he teleported in front of the house, right between the advancing malicious Phantoms and whoever was inside the house.

Without delay, he kindled small flares from the bonfire, creating an amber ring of flames. His incandescent design raged savagely as he twisted the barricade to hinder the evil spirit elementals or detain them. At this moment, any little setback would help in ground-level attacks. Thirty of the greasy bastards floated around the ranch. The smoky shapes only knew one thing…to kill heartlessly.

The house behind his back was in shambles, barely standing on its rickety support beams. All the windows were blown out. Crumbs of glass shone like glittering diamonds on the dirt and reflected back the summer moon. The fallen-in house looked as if it had been abandoned but Raynor knew better. The fire didn’t lie, there was an elemental somewhere within its crumpled walls, and all he had to do was make it safe for her.

He scanned over the human elderly owner of the house. Her corpse was face down in the ginger dust, blood pooling from her distorted body. She’d clearly been propelled from the living room window. Shards of glass were still embedded in her frail skin and tatters of her blouse clung to the windowsill. Raynor hated that he hadn’t made it in time to save her but the spirit Phantoms would pay for her horrid death. It wasn’t in their nature to kill humans but if the mortal stood in the way of their goal, a quick death was a relief.

The vile spectres circled him in shifting, vague humanoid shapes, looking for weaknesses in his scorching barrier. Soon, they’d be bold enough to fly over it. Their featureless inky silhouettes were agitated, clearly pissed off that he’d shown up to interrupt their evening plans. Now they focused on him as their main target, he could feel their hunger heighten at his arrival, but he couldn’t show distress. The Phantoms loved to prey on elemental beings, sucking the energy out of his people like cemetery ghouls. Ignoring his fear, he raised his fiery sword in defiance. They hesitated momentarily, then shrieked at him in retaliation. The searing embers of the elfin-charmed blade would burn their oily substance, igniting them in a blaze and killing a few of them quickly, but he couldn’t destroy them all.

As the last male in the elemental fire race, he was doing the one thing that the Pyr had been good at, destruction and protection. He was used to being daring, eradicating the wickedness of the spirit elementals whenever he’d sensed them near. Raynor had never been surrounded by so damn many before. He’d quickly realised that he was outnumbered, and if he died, he knew the Pyr race would be extinct.

Lost forever. 

About the Author

A rocker by heart, Chacelyn Pierce is constantly ear plugged with heavy tunes blaring to stir up the phantom personalities that swarm her mind. It’s no surprise that she enjoys writing and reading to satiate her appetite for the male antagonist in a story. Married to a blatant redhead and mothering a diva, there is never a dull moment in the house. As a native Texan, she doesn't personally own a horse but follows the unwritten southern rule of knowing how to ride one. When she’s not testing the emotional capacity of her characters, she works part time as a dog groomer. For more information about Chacelyn and her books, visit her website at http://www.chacelynpierce.com.

Spotlight!

It's another spotlight day! Today's feature is author Dilys J Carnie. Enjoy!

About The Author:

Dilys J. Carnie

I’m just an everyday kinda girl and I have lived on the Island of Anglesey in North Wales for thirty nine years. I have two grown up children Emma is a teacher and Christopher is involved in the family commercial business. I have three sisters; two of them live close by as does my mum.

 I am an avid health freak, a vegetarian who is manic about working out in the gym and doing Pilates classes. I love clothes, makeup, having my nails and hair done. I’m just a girl’s girl.

If I am not in my office pounding the keys I’m sitting in my favourite chair reading on my new Kindle.

Author Links

Website / Blog / Goodreads / Pinterest / Twitter

Her Passionate Protector

By

Dilys J. Carnie

Erotic Romance

Secret Cravings Publishing

November 12, 2012

When Lucy meets Alex the owner of the new company her cleaning business has just picked up a contract for, her hard won self-preservation and quiet life flies out the window.

Smoldering heat ignites every time Alex comes near her.

He is confused by this independent, yet vulnerable woman and when her ex-husband returns, determined to hurt her, Alex fights for her life and their love.

Excerpt

“Give her time, Alex. She’s been through a lot.” The pressure of his friend’s hand was reassuring on his shoulder and he just nodded. It would take more than time. It was going to be one hell of an uphill battle.

At that point, Jack came wandering into the kitchen, rubbing himself around Alex’s legs.

“And what do you want, little one?” Alex picked up the cat, its purring hum showing he had settled down quite easily.

“Do you want some cream, buddy?” He poured some into a saucer and put it down, watching as the cat lapped greedily.

“Let’s take the coffee out now.” Alex picked up the try and followed Simon.

After they went out on to the balcony, and he set the tray of cups and coffee on the table, Nic got up from where she had been sitting with Lucy on the wicker sofa and put her arms around Simon.

Alex looked over at Lucy, her body hunched, the pain and sadness evident in her chocolate brown eyes.

More excerpts can be found at Dilys WattPad

Buy Links

Secret Cravings Publishing / Barnes & Noble / Amazon UK / Amazon US /  BookStrand

Book Blast: Memories of Murder

Monday. Is there any worse word in the human language? Perhaps, but none are more recognizable than Monday, I think. One good thing for today: I'm hosting a book blast for Memories of Murder by Lara Nance. Enjoy!

The author is offering a prize for comments! You can win a signed cover flat at this spot. Additionally, the author is awarding a $50 gift card to a randomly drawn commenter so be sure to leave your email!

BLURB:

When Maeve McKenna renounces her witch powers and accepts a low-key nurse practitioner position at a Virginia retirement community, the last thing she expects is a suicide her first day on the job.

     

As the town's sexy sheriff, Paul Sutton, starts looking into the tragic death of his father's friend, Maeve can't help but get involved--with both the case and him. Their informal investigation unveils an old journal that connects the ruins of a nearby asylum and long-forgotten cemetery with the shiny new retirement community's memory unit--and Maeve's Alzheimer's patients.

     

Maeve senses a sinister presence in the old asylum, calling to the patients, but in order to stop it from killing again, she must first conquer some demons of her own and reclaim the magic she's denied herself.

Excerpt:

“No, stop. Don’t jump!” Maeve McKenna yelled at the man poised on the roof three stories above her. Her heart pounded as he took a step that left his toes hanging over the edge. A wave of cold that had nothing to do with fear pressed about her as though a frigid hand gripped her soul. She frowned at the eerie presence and pressed her hands to her head.

“Damn.” She swirled around looking for help. Across the parking lot and among the small villas scattered about the manicured landscape, elderly couples strolled or walked their dogs. But they were too far away to do more than stare in her direction. The urge to use her powers was pointless, she no longer had them.

“Hey,” she called trying to get the man’s attention as he looked back over his shoulder, eyes wide as he flinched away from something she couldn’t see. If only he would talk to her, she might be able to keep him safe until someone got to him. He had on pajamas, so he must be a patient. She held up her hands. “Hey, back up, stop.”

“Oh, no! Mr. Baker, no!” A woman with short black hair ran from the main entrance of the retirement community, waving her arms.

Both Maeve and the woman screamed as the unfortunate Mr. Baker took a step into the air and hurtled to the ground. He landed in a heap of tangled limbs and bloody splatter on the sidewalk in front of them. The cold presence surrounding Maeve seeped away, leaving her rubbing her arms and puzzled at the sensation.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Lara Nance grew up and lived in many cities throughout the South. She loves to write in a variety of genres within the scope of women’s fiction. But the basis of all her stories is a tale that will entertain and intrigue.

If you want to escape and lose yourself in a novel, you’ve come to the right place. Choose your genre and settle in to be entertained. From thrilling mysteries and steampunk tales, to paranormal romance and adventure, Lara’s willing to explore a variety of compelling stories full of danger and suspense, with a touch of romance.

Having been on the fencing team in college and now living on a sailboat convinces her that she was a pirate in another life, or possibly kin to Errol Flynn… However, due to the unfortunate demise of the romantic pirates of the past, she lives out her fantasies, thrills and adventures in her stories.

Currently docked in Norfolk, Virginia (until the wind changes) Lara enjoys living on her sailboat and spends time reading, of course writing, indulging a variety of artistic endeavors, cooking and sailing with her husband, Joe and their Yorkie, Rio.

WEBSITE:  www.laranance.com

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Lara_Nance

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lara-Nance-Author/164262596944196?ref=hl

BUY LINK:

http://www.amazon.com/Memories-Murder-paranormal-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00AVKAFE0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358027204&sr=8-2&keywords=memories+of+murder+lara+nance

Blitz: Mooner

Happy Saturday! I don't know about everybody else, but I'm sure happy it's the weekend. Today's guest is Selah Janel, with her book Mooner. Enjoy!

Blurb:

Like many young men at the end of the 1800s, Bill has signed on to work in a logging camp to earn a fast paycheck to start his life. Unfortunately his role model is Big John, the camp’s golden boy known for blowing his pay as fast as he makes it. On a cold Saturday night they enter Red’s Saloon to forget the work that takes the sweat and the lives of so many. Red may have plans for their whiskey money, but something else lurks in the shadows, something that badly wants a drink that has nothing to do with alcohol. Can Bill make it back out the shabby door or does someone have their own plans for his future?

Blog  Facebook Twitter Goodreads Buy links

Excerpt:

For a moment, Bill thought he was imagining things or was having a particularly bad reaction to the rot gut. Blinking a few times refocused his tired gaze and proved there was, indeed, a moving pile of…something at a table close to the other end of the bar.

Nancy shuffled back towards the bar, casting a wary look over her shoulder. “Red, he’s back,” she breathed as she scooped up another tray and fled to the other side of the room. Upon closer inspection, the youth realized it wasn’t a pile of something, but a figure draped in a patchwork of skins then cloaked with half-torn, moldy furs. Most who passed his way quickly avoided him, though whether it was because of his odd looks or his smell, it was hard to say.

Red hissed through his teeth and ran a sweating hand through his thick mane. “Tom Haskins,” he mumbled under his breath for the benefit of those crowded round him.

“I thought he lived on the edge of town,” Jack replied as he glared down the length of the bar.

 “He tried to start a dry goods store, and it didn’t go over too well. He had it in his mind he could make up his loss with fur, though he ain’t no trapper. He moved out to the woods weeks ago and comes into town every so often to hang round and get his fix. Just when I think he’s finally died out there, he comes round again.” Not once did the saloon proprietor take his eyes off the body hunched over a table. Every breath made Tom’s ragtag cloak shudder, and every moldy hair on him quivered.

“You want me to kick him out?” Jack offered, already shifting his weight across the room.

“Nah, let him warm up at least. He doesn’t do much; just pesters everyone for drink now that he can’t afford it for himself. Give him time, and he’ll be up to his tricks.”

Bill couldn’t stop looking away. The pile of sloughed animals slumped as the man’s head rose. His skin was a cold grey and stretched taught across his face and hands. His hair had all but fallen out, but what was still left of it hung in clumps of long, ragtag strands that were paler than dried straw. His thin-lipped mouth was open and he sucked in air in painful, erratic pants.

“Look at ‘im! Actin’ like a piglet pulled away from its ma’s teat!” Big John sneered. “I bet his clothes are fulla maggots!”

“It’s too cold for maggots,” Ben snorted. “His clothes are thin. Wonder how the hell he stands bein’ out in the woods in weather like this.” “We do it,” Bill muttered. The recluse’s head jerked at the sound of his voice; the young man immediately snapped his mouth shut.

“Yeah, but we’re used to it! And younger’n he ever was!” John’s voice was purposefully loud and carried the haughty tone that won him admiration from the other loggers. “He’s durn crazy, that’s why he don’t notice.” He cocked his head Tom’s way with a sneer. “All that time on your own turn you yaps, man?”

Tom’s head very slowly shifted towards them, and Bill shuddered. There were days he’d survived the logging camp and the extreme conditions by will power and prayer alone, all the while wondering in the back of his head what it would be like if he didn’t have even that. Looking at the vagrant, he knew.

Ben was cursing behind them. “I saw him not more than a month ago and he didn’t look like that. Solitary life don’t turn a man in that short a’ time! Maybe he’s got rabies or fever n’ ague.”

Tom’s eyes sat so far back in his skull, it was impossible to tell what color they were, though they harbored a steady, unsettling gleam. They roved over the huddled group, searching hungrily for an easy mark. Bill’s heart plummeted to his boots when the hollow glitter locked onto him. He was suddenly as cold as he was when a seventh-year blizzard hit. All the frustrations and hell he’d endured since joining the logging team, all his good intentions and reasons, all he was trying to move forward to, swelled and jumbled together in a brief, howling wind of thought. The two distant stars in Tom’s eyes were the only thing that pegged him as a stable man in his otherwise rotting and dozy appearance.

All around the little group, the saloon’s weekend life went on. The distant sound of swearing and dice clattering across the floor mixed with discordant harmonies and a half-hearted mouth organ. But in the area by the bar, all was muffled and still. It was like the snows had come without warning over the forest, smothering everything in their path with chilled silence. Bill shuddered, and out of the corner of his eye, noticed Red do the same.

“You want I should knock his ears down, Red?” John’s bravado was the sudden yell that knocked the snow from the treetops, for better or ill. He had the relaxed look of a man who’d been in his cup just enough to throw caution to the wind. “I’ll toss him out and give ‘im a pat on the lip he won’t forget!”

“Leave be, John,” the barkeep muttered. His hand never stopped wiping down the bar. Though his head was tilted down towards his task, his eyes were set on their target across the room.

“What…what you want me to do for a drink?” At first it didn’t register that that thing, that man, had actually spoken. His voice was high and reedy, and cracked the way the thinnest ice along the river did.

“Pardon?”

 “What you want me to do for a drink?” His lips cracked when his mouth moved. A thin trail of spittle dripped off his lower lip and was quickly caught up by the tip of the derelict’s seeking tongue. The distant gleam in Tom’s eyes burned as his mouth formed the last word. Otherwise, it was hard to even say how he’d made it into the saloon; he looked more than a little dim.

About the author:

Selah Janel has been blessed with a giant imagination since she was little and convinced that fairies lived in the nearby state park or vampires hid in the abandoned barns outside of town. Her appreciation for a good story was enhanced by a love of reading, the many talented storytellers that surrounded her, and a healthy curiosity for everything. A talent for warping everything she learned didn’t hurt, either. She gravitates to writing fantasy and horror, but can be convinced to pursue any genre if the idea is good enough. Often her stories feature the unknown creeping into the “real” world and she loves to find the magical in the mundane.

She has four e-books with No Boundaries Press, including the upcoming novel ‘In the Red’. Her work has also been included in ‘The MacGuffin’, ‘The Realm Beyond’, ‘Stories for Children Magazine’, and the upcoming Wicked East Press anthology ‘Bedtime Stories for Girls’. She likes her music to rock, her vampires lethal, her fairies to play mind games, and her princesses to hold their own.

Review: Minotaur Revisited

March 1st already? Is it me, or is this year flying by? Today, I'm hosting a review for Minotaur Revisited by David Gelber. Happy reading!

BLURB:  

Legend states that the Minotaur was confined to the Labyrinth, slain by Theseus and then laid to rest by thousands of years of Greek mythology. But, the truth is far different. Read the Minotaur’s own words as he recounts his full life as god, king, warrior, matchmaker, midwife, monk, sage, father, mother, husband and, most of all, witness. The fierce Minotaur lived to see and be a part of the best and worst of humanity during a life spanning thousands of years. Part bull, part human, the Minotaur struggled to find his place in this world and, in the end, left his unique mark on history.

REVIEW:

Minotaur Revisited is a narrative story told from the viewpoint of the Minotaur, and follows history as he saw it happening. The Minotaur raised an African queen, suffered through Auschwitz, met Picasso, and tried to help humanity as best he could along his immortal life.

This was an interesting read. I initially had trouble getting into the book, but once the story begins to flow it's a relatively easy read. The Minotaur has seen much suffering in his long life, and we are never too far off of his jaded path. This was rather disheartening, and I left this story with a more dismal view of society. When a character is exposed to only the worst of humanity, the reader cannot come away from that with a light heart.

The only thing that truly bothered me with this book was the ending. It was abrupt and rushed, perhaps to end the book on a tidy note. It was a good read, though. The author can weave a tale, that's for sure. Four of five stars for me.

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

David Gelber, a New York native, is the seventh of nine sons and one of three to pursue medicine. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1980 and went on to graduate medical school in 1984 from the University of Rochester.

He completed his residency at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, followed by three years as attending surgeon at Nassau County Medical Center in Long Island, N.Y. Gelber has since joined Coastal Surgical Group in Houston, Texas.

Gelber has been a surgeon for more than 20 years, but over the last few years he began to pursue his passion for writing, initially with his debut novel, "Future Hope" (Emerald Book Company, January 2010). The novel speculates about future Earth and what the world might have been like if man had not succumbed to temptation in the Garden of Eden. "Joshua and Aaron" is a sequel to "Future Hope" and follows the battle of wills that transpires between unsung hero Joshua Smith and satanic Aaron Diblonski.

Dr. Gelber has added two books about surgery, "Behind the Mask" and "Under the Drapes", both of which provide the reader with a view of the world of surgery rarely seen by those outside the medical professions.

"Last Light" is an apocalyptic short story which starts off asking the question: "What would happen if nobody ever was sick or injured?"

"Minotaur Revisited" is an entertaining romp through history seen through the eyes of Quint, the famed half bull half man monster of Greek Mythology. It was in October 2012.

Gelber was raised in reformed Judaism, but joined the Presbyterian Church 15 years ago. He is married with three teenage children, four dogs and 24 birds of various species. His interests include horse racing, mechanical Swiss watches and, of course, writing.

LINKS:

http://www.davidgelber.com/

Blitz: Highlander Mine

Happy Wednesday! I'm part of a book blitz today for Highlander Mine by Kharisma Rayne. This is only a short posting, but I hope it's enough to peak your interest.

Enjoy!

Meet Auralee Fraser and see into her life as it is in 2012. As a history major doing Scottish research (and fluent in Gaelic) she feels misplaced - perhaps born in the wrong century. But she is still a woman and her over-protective brother is on her last nerve.

Website Blog Facebook Amazon Barnes & Noble

Book Blast: Untangling the Knot

Happy Friday! Oh, what glorious words. I get to spend the morning with my beloved husband before he goes to work for the weekend, but on the bright side there are no sleepovers scheduled or anything important to do. Guess what I'll be doing? Reading all weekend!

Anyhoo, today is a book blast for Untangling the Knot by Deanne Wilsted. And guess what? The author will be awarding a $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes And Noble, so be sure to go here and enter for a chance to win. Enjoy!

BLURB:  

“I did what?”

Twenty-eight year old Gabriella Bessu is St. Therese’s meticulous wedding ceremony coordinator. So the fact that she has mistakenly signed her newest couple up for an annulment, rather than a wedding, sends her Catholic guilt into overdrive.

But who can blame her? The groom is gorgeous and his two kids tug at Gabriella’s heart in a way that overcomes all her best intentions. Before long she’s in over her head, fixing her mixed-up plans and helping the children and dad come to terms with their haunting grief for the mother and wife they lost years earlier.

Can Gabriella untangle her own fears and accept the messy life that God has handed them? 

EXCERPT: 

“Umm, Gabriella,” Chloe said, “I don’t think that’s the plumber. It sounds like . . .”

The last thing Ryan had expected to see when he’d entered the cottage was Gabriella flat on her back in a puddle of water, inspecting the rear of the toilet. Chloe was holding a bucket and a sopping wet towel, and Peter was nowhere to be seen.

“Hi, Chloe,” he said quickly. “Where’s Peter?”

“Dad!” Peter came flying from another room and flung himself into Ryan’s arms.

“RYAN?” Gabriella yelled and quickly sat up. The thump of her head smacking the toilet bowl echoed around the tiny room.

“Ow,” she cried. “Damn it! Ow, ow, ow.”

Ryan grimaced. Gabriella sat on the wet floor, near tears, rubbing at the welt already forming on her forehead.

“I’m sorry,” she said, clearly at the end of her rope. “I can’t believe I said that in front of the kids. It’s just, everything has gone wrong today.”

She hung her head in her lap and began to cry for real.

Ryan had to hold back a smile. She looked so much like a wet cat. And, to top it off, she had yet to hear how wrong things had really gone with the day.

“Come on, now. It’s not that bad,” he finally said. “We’ll get it all fixed. Don’t worry.”

Chloe’s face lit up with an expression he hadn’t seen in years. For a few moments at least he was back to being her superhero dad.

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

With an English teacher for a mom, DEANNE WILSTED, grew up reciting conjugation instead of nursery rhymes. Now, forty years later, she's sharing that special skill through her writing and her mothering. Her first book, a contemporary romance called BETTING JESSICA, was released October 2011. Her second Novel, UNTANGLING THE KNOT, is due out in February 2013 from Soul Mate Publishing. She is currently marketing her third book for publication and writing her fourth, fifth and sixth while blogging about the crazy stuff she overhears while writing.

LINKS:

Author Follow Links –

www.deannewilsted.com

http://www.facebook.com/DeanneWilstedAuthor

@dwilsted - https://twitter.com/dwilsted

Goodreads  author page- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5294824.Deanne_Wilsted

Amazon author page - http://amzn.com/e/B005YHFBQ2

Untangling the Knot Purchase Links – these will need to be updated when the direct POP links are live, Feb 13^th. Also, we will add amazon, itunes, nook and smashwords. Thanks.

www.deannewilsted.com

http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/untangling-the-knot/

Book Tour: Insatiable

Happy Friday! Unfortunately, this post should have been live earlier, but due to an extensive issue with my oldest child it slipped my mind. My sincerest apologies. Here's a book tour for Insatiable by Emily Kimelman! Enjoy!

Don't forget to check out the prize she's offering:

This is a handblown glass made by her husband to be awarded to a randomly drawn commenter!

BLURB:

INSATIABLE is the third novel in my Sydney Rye Series of dark murder mysteries. This series feature a strong female protagonist and her canine best friend. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

INSATIABLE begins with private detective Sydney Rye living a simple, disciplined life in London, but when a dangerous man from her past calls, Rye finds she cannot turn him away. Robert Maxim explains that the daughter of a powerful friend has gone missing and he wants Rye to find her. In exchange he offers her something she had given up hope of ever having; freedom from her past.

With her dog, Blue, at her side, Rye meets up with her new partner, a handsome man she's not sure she can trust. Heading for Mexico City, they go undercover, posing as husband and wife. After meeting with the bereaved parents, Rye starts to sense that there is more going on than just a missing girl. But it isn't until they arrive in the Yucatan Peninsula, hot on the girl's trail in Paradise, that all hell breaks loose. Sydney has to reach out for help from old friends and deal with the consequences of her past, if she's going to find the girl and keep them all alive.

Excerpt:

"What the fuck is that?" he asked.

"A dog," I answered, moving toward the only remaining chair at the table. Blue stayed on my heel.

The man put up his hands and knocked his chair over trying to back up. "I don't like dogs, and I don't like that."

I took my seat and Blue sat next to me. "He won't hurt you." The man reached behind him, opened a drawer and pulled out a hand gun, swinging it around to aim at Blue. His hand was shaking. I smiled at him. "It still surprises me that so many people are so afraid of dogs."

"I'll fucking shoot it."

"That seems unnecessary," I said. He didn't look like he was going to shoot Blue but with the tremor in his finger and the fear in his eyes, there was little I could be sure of. "How about I have him wait outside?"

"How about you just get the fuck out of my house?"

I stood up and reached into my purse. "Hey," he turned the gun on me.

"I'm just getting money," I said. I moved very slowly ignoring the muzzle of the gun trained on my face. I pulled out a bundle of cash and slowly placed it on the table. "You give me that gun, another that looks like it, and some bullets, I'll leave the money and your house," I said.

He looked down at the money and then at Blue, then his eyes reached my face. "I don't like doing business this way."

"Me either, man, but then again, I'm not the one who pulled out a gun and started threatening people's pets." I smiled at him and I could see him relax.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Emily Kimelman lives on a boat in the Hudson Valley with her husband, Sean and their dog Kinsey (named after Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone). Kimelman has a passion for traveling and spends as much time as possible in the pursuit of adventure.

Her Sydney Rye series feature a strong female protagonist and her canine best friend. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

Website/blog: https://emilykimelman.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ejkimelman

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EmilyKimelman

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4832911.Emily_Kimelman

Spotlight: Alien Lover

Monday, Monday. I don't know how many of y'all watch the Walking Dead, but that one keeps me up for a few extra hours on Sunday nights so I'm pretty beat this morning. That doesn't stop the Monday from rolling in, though, does it? Welcome to the blog tour for Alien Lover by Jessica E Subject!

Blurb:

Unconvinced of her fiancé’s demise, Molly combs the galaxy to search for him. As her supplies run low, she is forced to turn around and set a course for Earth, alone. But, a Moloxian Starcruiser halts her retreat, and the single passenger transports onto her ship without permission. Taser in hand to defend herself, she is startled as the form remolds into her fiancé. Has Diego found her or is her tired mind playing tricks?

Amazon (Canada/US/UK) | Decadent Publishing | All Romance | more

Excerpt:

“Incoming message,” the computer chimed. “Source located one nautical mile away, starboard.”

She brushed her hands across the console and brought the video feed from the ship’s right hand side onscreen. The image quivered, and she groaned when it finally became clear. A Moloxian starcruiser.

Shit! I just want to go home. During her search, the crews of the few Moloxian scavenger ships she’d come across had been willing to let her pass if she traded with them. But she had nothing left, only enough food and fuel to reach Earth, and even then she’d be hungry during the last leg of her journey.

“Play.” She decided to listen to their demands, give them what they wanted, and move on. She had no other choice. Starvation was a better alternative than providing the sexual services they’d always hinted at. The Moloxians, though humanoid, had scale-covered bodies. So incompatible with her own. She wouldn’t survive unscathed and didn’t sleep around anyway.

“Prepare to be boarded.” The deep computerized voice shook her. No slur, and therefore not Moloxian. Who the hell was he?

She didn’t have time to contemplate. Her blood boiling, she gripped the arms of her chair. The creature, whatever species he happened to be, planned to come onto her ship. No one boarded without her permission, which she would not grant. At the sound of her transporter, like the pitter-patter of rain on Earth, she leaped from her seat and spun around. She grasped her bolt stunner and pointed it at the figure materializing into solid form before her eyes.

With a huge outline, the male boarding her ship would only bring her trouble. If his strength matched his size, she had one option: to kill him. She took in his bare, broad chest, sculpted abs, and muscled arms. His tanned skin shone with brilliance, as if the sun rested behind him. She gazed up at his dark hair and warm brown eyes. He studied her with an intense stare while his soft lips curved into a smile.

She gasped. “Diego?" 

About the Author:

Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from her readers.

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