Monday, July 29, 2013

Close Encounters of the Wicked Kind Scavenger Hunt



Hello and welcome to my stop on the Wicked Hop. I write paranormal romance and have have ventured into writing paranormal erotics as well. For my stop, here is my scavenger hunt question:


The answer will be easy to find as it is listed in the excerpt below.


Excerpt

Cogs looked down at his belly, it was nearly midnight. The prince should be asleep soon. He wished he could spin the hands a little faster and speed up time. He hated being in this form, it was too limiting.

But, then again, if he sped up time, it just meant the prince would grow older and that much closer to his birthday. The birthday. The one that could mean they would be locked in these forms forever.

He turned away, letting her leave. He would go to her later and smooth things over. On his way to the big doors, he saw the candelabra saying something to the feather duster, she giggled at his words. Cogs called out to his best friend. “Be careful over there, her feathers are going to catch on fire.”

“Ha, ha, monsieur. She is already hot for me.” Lu allowed his flames to flicker a little higher before moving away.

The chimes in Cogs’ belly began to sound, filling the kitchen with excitement. Everyone, including Cogs, turned and headed for the back staircase leading to the lower portion of the castle.

They all stood staring at one another for what felt like an eternity. A white zap of electricity raced through the room, zipping from one item to the next.

Each person stood and stretched; smiles of joy on their faces. As the prince slept, the occupants of the house changed into their human forms and got to play. 

Author Links


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Sunday, July 28, 2013

The Island Book Blast



Book Info-
Title-The Island
By- Jen Minkman
Publication Date-June 1, 2013
*Novella* (80 pages)
Genre- YA Dystopian


Blurb-
‘I walk toward the sea. The endless surface of the water extends to the horizon, whichever way I look.


Our world is small. We are on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us, as taught to us by our forefathers.


If I were to walk westward from here, I would come across a barrier – the Wall.
Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that’s what everyone says.
I have never seen one.’


Leia lives on the Island, a world in which children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it are not amenable to reason – they believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors.
But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?

Or is everyone in their world, in fact, a Fool?

Thursday, July 25, 2013

RBTL Presents: Book Trailer Blitz for COPPER GIRL

Title: Copper Girl
Author: Jennifer Allis Provost
Series: Copper Legacy
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Spence City
Release Date: June 25 2013

Sara had always been careful.
She never spoke of magic, never associated with those suspected of handling magic, never thought of magic, and never, ever, let anyone see her mark. After all, the last thing she wanted was to end up missing, like her father and brother.
Then, a silver elf pushed his way into Sara's dream, and her life became anything but ordinary.



Book Trailer



CHAPTER ONE, Part I

It seemed like a good idea at the time.
My office, like most modern offices, cranked the air conditioning down to Arctic proportions during the summer months. Consequently, we workers arrived in the morning dressed in sandals and sleeveless tops, donned heavy sweaters upon reaching our desks, and ended up shivering by noon. Ironically, when our workday ended we were hit by a wall of oppressive heat the moment we stepped outside the main doors. No, this wasn’t a flawed system in the slightest.
That day, I wasn’t having it. I had the grand idea of spending my lunch hour outside, away from the icy wind stiffening my fingers and chilling my neck. After I unwound myself from the afghan I kept in my desk (and only used in the summer months), I gathered up my lunch and my phone and headed out for an impromptu picnic in my car.
What I hadn’t considered was that the office runs the air conditioning so cold because it was, well, hot outside. Very hot, in fact. So hot that the cheese was melting in my sandwich and the lettuce looked like something that had washed ashore months, maybe even years, ago. I was parked in the shade and had taken down my car’s convertible top, but I still couldn’t manage to get comfortable. I’d already shed my sandals and cardigan, which left me wearing my sundress and…
Dare I?
I glanced around the parking lot of Real Estate Evaluation Services, the ‘go-to firm for all your commercial real estate needs’, according to the brochures. No one, human or drone, was taking a noontime stroll, and, by virtue of my being on the far side of the lot, no cars were near mine. Most of my coworkers didn’t even have cars, so the lot was rarely more than half-full. What was more, from where I sat, I couldn’t even see the office.
I dared.
I took a deep breath and channeled my inner wild woman, then leaned the seat back and slipped off my panties. Removing that small bit of cotton made an incredible difference, and the heat became somewhat bearable. Enjoyable, even. Was that a breeze?
Ignoring my decrepit sandwich, I fully reclined the seat, set the alarm on my phone, and closed my eyes. A nap. Now that would make today bearable.
***
Suddenly, he is there.
Here.
Kissing me, holding me.
I know I'm dreaming, because he's perfect. His lips are soft but insistent, his hands gentle. I glide my fingers across his back, feeling thick cords of muscle, before sinking my fingers into his hair. It’s superfine, like cobwebs, and when I crack an eyelid, I learn that it’s silver. Not gray or white, but the elegant hue of antique candlesticks and fine flatware. Cool.
I squeeze my eyes shut again, not wanting the dream to end any sooner than it has to. He kisses me once more, and I can’t help melting against him. His hand travels up my leg, up past my hip… shit! No panties!
I try twisting away, but he already knows. I feel his mouth stretch into a smile, and he moves to nuzzle my neck. "What’s your name?" he murmurs.
"Sara," I reply. "Yours?"
"Micah." By now, his hands have traveled to my waist, and he slides one around to stroke the small of my back. "Why did you summon me, Sara?"
"I didn’t," I protest. "I don’t know how." I would say more, but he nibbles a trail from my neck to my shoulder, and pushes my dress to the side. As for me, I let him.
Micah raises his head, and I get a good look at him for the first time. His eyes are large and dark gray, like thunderheads, his features chiseled into warm caramel skin, and his unruly mop of silver hair seems to float around his head. He wears an odd, buff-colored leather shirt, made all the odder in this heat, and matching leather pants and boots. Boots?
"You did summon me," he insists. "My Sara, you must tell me why."
"Does it matter?" I ask. I pull him back to me, kissing him with all the passion I’ve never felt with anyone during my waking hours. Micah kisses me back, fingers deftly unbuttoning my dress while his other hand rubs my lower back. I’ve never felt so free, so alive as I do in Micah’s embrace, and I have no intention of rushing this. None at all.

Jennifer Allis Provost is a native New Englander who lives in a sprawling colonial along with her beautiful and precocious twins, a dog, a parrot, two cats, and a wonderful husband who never forgets to buy ice cream. As a child, she read anything and everything she could get her hands on, including a set of encyclopedias, but fantasy was always her favorite. She spends her days drinking vast amounts of coffee, arguing with her computer, and avoiding any and all domestic behavior.





Wednesday, July 24, 2013

RBTL Presents: Heavenly Hunted Cover Reveal




Title: Heavenly Hunted
Author: Aria Williams
Series: Heavenly Hell Series (#2)
Genre: YA/Paranormal/Angels
Publisher: Self PublishedRelease Date: To Be AnnouncedThere is a new threat in town named Bernie who is has one thing on her mind, killing Indiana. Bernie has very special skills, she stalks her prey while keeping hidden in shadows, isolates her victim’s attacking them when least expected and can get into any house at any time with the occupants unaware. 

Indiana feels that no one on this earth poses a risk to herself and continues to her involvement help victims of abuse.
Until Nate put his foot down and demands for her to stop, he feels her safety is more important.
With both Connor and Nate putting their differences aside to protect Indy, will she get through this new threat or will she unintentionally put one her friends lives at risk to satisfy her own selfish needs. Or will love prevail and save the day?

My name is Aria Williams, and I am a new author who loves to write Young adult and paranormal novels. I live on nine acres of beautiful pasture land in the central west of NSW. I work full time as a nurse, this is where I get a lot of my inspiration from. For me I find my inspiration in the form of many vices either good or bad. I write from the heart and use my novels to express myself. My first novel was born from my feelings of helplessness in a world where even the innocent die and many people are left wondering why. It felt right to create a character that could heal any physical illness with some minor consequences.  My second novel Heavenly hell is from my personal experiences involving harassment, and the dominating role in which people in positions of authority take and use to their own selfish advancements. When I am not writing or working, I like to play with my dogs and have fun with my friends.  
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Friday, July 19, 2013

RBTL Presents: Say When



Title: Say When

Author: Tara West

Series: Something More (#1)

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Shifting Sands Publishing

Release Date: July 19 2013

He told me to say when, but I can’t. Not with Andrés. It’s so hard to say anything when he’s trailing feather soft kisses down my neck, or when his touch sends hot currents of lust rippling across my skin.
Then there’s the way he smiles and offers soft words of encouragement when I’m creating art, almost like he believes I have talent.
He’s not like any guy I’ve ever met. Not like my ex-fiancée. Not like my father. He’s got me thinking that maybe we can have something more. More than just lust, degradation, and abuse.
And now I’m scared, because that means I’ll have to trust him with more than just my body, but with my heart, too.
Christina Duval  

***Warning: this book contains graphic language, sex, and mature situations. Not intended for young adult readers.***
A former Texas high school teacher, I enjoyed coaching the writing team and even the hectic deadlines that came with running the school publications. After taking a break to raise my baby girl, I now work from home as a cover artist.

In my spare time, I loves to read, exercise and spend time with family and friends. I contribute the cover art for my Whispers Series and have designed covers for over 500 other books.

Please visit me at http://www.tarawestauthor.wordpress.com/ or www.tarawest.com where you can check out my Whispers series and sample my artwork.


Scene from chapter four...

“So how old are you today, mija?” He asks as he takes a swig from his bottle.
            A blush creeps into my cheeks. I’ve heard Spanish speakers use “mija” as a term of endearment. I regain my composure long enough to answer. “Twenty-one.”
            His eyes widen. “Wow. Special night. How come you’re sitting here with me?”
            I laugh. Sexy and funny. Jackson would have never made such a joke. He always pretends I should be flattered he picked me out of his throng of money-grubbing admirers.
            “I just broke it off with my fiancé,” I say, while trying to shake off dark memories of fart breath, sex and puking. I am so ready to move past Jackson. So ready. I realize the only reason I’ve clung to this failing relationship so long is because of my mother.  But too bad. I take a long drink of beer, before swiping my hand across my lips. It’s my life. Time to live it how I want. Or so I keep telling myself. I only hope my resolve will still be strong tomorrow after the beer buzz has worn off.
            Andrés is looking at me. I read the uncertainty in his gaze as he holds himself ramrod straight. “Why’d you break up?”
            “He treats me like shit,” I say. Then I avert my gaze, realizing I’ve said too much. I don’t want Andrés knowing I allowed a guy to treat me like a door mat. If he thinks I’m strong, maybe he’ll know better than to treat me like shit, too. Maybe he won’t be like other guys. “I don’t want to talk about him,” I say as I look at Andrés. I tilt my chin and do my best to put on a brave face.
            Andrés takes a step back, smiles, and holds out his hand. “You want to dance?”
            I can’t help but smile. “Yes, but I’ve had a few drinks and I’m a bit wobbly.” I point down at my heels, which have become the bane of my existence. I make a mental note to throw them in a dumpster as soon as I get my hands on a decent pair of shoes.
             “It’s a slow song,” he says and nods toward the dance floor.
            I follow his gaze, to the couples clutching each other tightly while slowly moving to the rhythm. I hadn’t noticed the music changed.  It’s an old song by Rascal Flats, something sappy that always makes me want to pull my hair out by the roots. Maybe it’s because it’s hard to identify with a song that talks about romance and forever, but I think I can enjoy this song with Andrés.
            I tentatively give him my hand, and he pulls me to the floor. He wraps his arms around me as if holding me is second nature. I let out a slow breath as I force my stupid nerves to calm down. I’ve always hated being short. With these heels, I’m barely five foot six, but as I lean into his hard chest, pressing my head against his shoulder, I think we fit perfectly together.
            Another slow song, by Carrie Underwood, follows. I wind my arms around Andrés’s waist, relishing the feel of him.
            He leans down, his breath a hot whisper in my ear. “Christina, I’m usually not this open, but when I met you at that gas station, I thought you were the prettiest girl I’d ever seen.”
            My heart soars as my brain seizes on that thought. Okay, he obviously likes me. Awesome!
            “I’m not usually this open, either, but…” I pause as I bite my lip, silently cursing myself for being so stupid. I’m about to say too much. I’m about to make Andrés think I’m a total slut. And I’m not. In fact, Jackson is the only guy I’ve ever been with. Well, the only guy I’ve ever offered myself to willingly. 
            “But what?” he asks me.
            I close my eyes and try to channel the Christina from earlier this evening. The Christina who speaks up for herself and tells people exactly how she feels. Even though what I want right now is very, very bad, that voice inside me is telling me to take it. I open my eyes and I can see the lust in his dark gaze reflecting back at me. I know he’s feeling exactly how I feel. I steel my resolve and summon the courage to speak. “I want to go home with you.”




RBTL Presents: Secret Seekers Society and the Beast of Bladenboro




Title: The Secret Seekers Society and the Beast of Bladenboro

Author: J. L. Hickey

Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal

Publisher: Self Published

Release Date: Dec 31 2012

Edition/Formats Available In: Ebook

My Rating:   


Secret Seekers Society and the Beast of Bladenboro follows the young protagonists Hunter Glenn, and Eliza Lynn through an adventure ripe with adversity, paranormal monsters, secret societies, and most haunting of all, a life without their parents.
It all happened one fall afternoon when they learned that their parent’s plane had gone down overseas, never to be seen again.
The book follows the siblings as they are dropped off at their new guardian’s home, an ancient and creepy mansion known only as the Belmonte Estate. Here they unravel the secrets of their parent’s true identities, the origin of the mysterious Mansion, and their inheritance into an ancient secret society of monster hunters known as Seekers.
I kept hearing that this story is like the Harry Potter Series...it sort of is, but not really. 

After losing their parents, Hunter and Elly Jakobs are thrown into a world of secrecy, myths and danger. The brother and sister find themselves forced to live in a castle a godfather they have never met, Professor Calenstine, As with most kids, they are curious to see what they are told they cannot. Hunter is curious and wants to explore the secret rooms in the mansion while Elly tries to make him follow the rules. She is quite content to read. 

Following her brother, Elly is injured when they sneak out of their room and meet the Beast of Bladenboro. Hunter is worried that she may never wake up. Elly does wake up and their adventures continue; forcing their uncle Joe to come to the castle when things begin to happen. Along the way they meet Alistair and Olivia who are their ages. They have new friends to go on more secret finding adventures with and who can help them stop the Beast of Bladenboro. 

There are many characters introduced into this story, making it a fun read that kept me reading on and on. This can be read and enjoyed by all ages, from young kids to adult. I hope I get to read the next book in the series!

   


J.L. was born in Saginaw, Michigan where he has a Bachelor's Degree in Creative Writing through Saginaw Valley State University. He has written and is currently self publishing two novels, the first entitled The Deity Chronicles: Origins was released in 2008.

His recent release, The Secret Seekers Society and the Beast of Bladenboro was released 12/31/12 and has garnered a decent amount of momentum in its initial release.

You can follow J.L. Hickey's works at www.secretseekerssociety.com.  He also dabbles in literary short fiction, and poetry. When J.L. is not writing, he heads up a local paranormal investigation group in his home town.


"“I’d like you to meet Trayer. He’s our newest addition to the Belmonte family, and we all thought it might be nice if you kids could help us watch over him,” Margot said.
“He’s huge!” Elly laughed, giving the tremendous dog a huge bear hug. “He’s a puppy?”
“Only eight weeks old,” Margot responded.
“Is he mean?” Hunter asked, a bit more hesitant. He had always wanted a dog, but he had envisioned something a bit more lap friendly—a Chihuahua perhaps.
“Not at all, he’s just a pup, and he loves attention.”
“What kind of dog is he?” Hunter asked, now cautiously petting the large animal’s head.
“Well, it’s a rare breed…” Margot paused for a minute, thinking of how to answer the question. “I’m certain you’ve never heard of it before. It’s actually from Scotland, and sadly, the breed is almost extinct.”
“Oh no… that’s so sad,” Elly said, frowning.
“Well, yes… it’s quite sad actually,” Margot answered. “We’re fairly sure he’s the last one alive in the entire world… and with no female to mate with, well…”
“We promise to take good care of him!” Elly smiled.
“It’s much bigger than the Great Dane our neighbor had,” Hunter said, a bit more worried about what taking care of such a large dog actually entailed.
“Well, Trayer’s breed is called a Cusith. It’s an enormous canine breed, and when he’s an adult, he’ll be the size of a large calf.”
“Seriously?” Hunter’s eyes widened with concern.
“Hey, I read about the Cusith in one of those monster books.” Elly’s eyebrows rose. “The book said they were mean, like a dog version of a Grim Reaper…”
“Yes. Unfortunately, many books describe them as such. I assure you they are wrong.”
“What do you mean ‘Grim Reaper’?” Hunter pulled his hand slowly away from the pup, who quickly put his head down in a whimper.
“Well, you read the legend of the Cusith—I applaud you for reading those books by the way,” Margot winked at Elly. “However, the legend and the truth are vastly different. See, people fear what they don’t know, and those legends are based on fear. Even in the wild, the Cusith were very isolated and spent most of their time in hiding. It was extremely rare for anyone to ever set eyes on one, but every once in a great while, someone would. They’d stumble unknowingly into the presence of a large dog-like animal, which can look terrifying if you didn’t know any better. So the legend was born out of fear and a lack of understanding. Truth be told, they are extremely smart and loyal animals. He’ll make a perfect friend for you both.






Wednesday, July 17, 2013

RBTL Presents - Spotlight: Awakending


Title: Awakening 2
Author: Jeanie Grey
Series: Lilly Frank (Novella)
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: July 1 2013

The second book in The Lilly Frank series joins Torren and Lilly in northern Italy, where Torren tries to help Lilly adjust to her sensitive new vampire body and win her love before she discovers the real reason behind his interest in her.
A newly made vampire requires a certain amount of time to get used to her new body and heightened senses. But Torren's worried that if Lilly doesn't hurry up, she'll be dead before she ever gets the chance to adjust to life as a vampire.
Word among vampires is that someone's hunting their kind, and it's not a quick death if you're caught. This killer likes to torture the victims first, and all signs indicate that he or she is circling ever-closer to Torren and Lilly.
Torren needs Lilly to stop fighting him and start trusting him. Maybe he shouldn't have deceived her...
 Amazon  |  Goodreads

Jeanie Grey is a feminist reader and writer of romance and erotica who lives in Portland, Oregon. Her short stories have been published on deadlyeverafter.com and thedarkerhalf.com. To date, over 1200 copies of her first novella, Awakening (2012), have been downloaded. Awakening 2, the second book in the Lilly Frank series, joins Lilly and Torren in northern Italy, where Torren attempts to win Lilly's love before she finds out the truth about his interest in her. The final installment in the Lilly Frank series, Awakening 3, is slated to be released in 2014.
  
 Blog  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Twitter
 
As he took her hand in his, that electric current ran up his arm to his elbow. He took hold of her index and middle fingers together and raised them to his neck. Put them on the very spot that she should bite. Her fingertips were cool against his skin. Cool and smooth. He moved them back and forth a little over the skin of his neck, and just that small, light caress was enough to cause his blood to pump a little harder, his breath to come a little quicker.
She must have felt it too. Or smelled his arousal. Her pupils dilated and she inhaled sharply.
Focus, he reminded himself.
“Your teeth must go in here,” he said. Then he let go of her hand.
She kept her fingers pressed against his neck. Then, slowly, uncertainly, she brought her head closer to his. Angled her mouth to intercept her fingers. He felt the small pressure of cool fingertips, and her warm breath beyond. Then her fingers slid off his neck and were replaced by her tongue. Ah yes, of course. Her tongue. She could feel his pulse just as well with that as with her fingers.
She licked his neck, her tongue moist and soft against his skin. He struggled to remain still. What he really wanted to do was…. Well. Best not to even think about it.
She licked his neck again, and then shifted and he felt the tips of her teeth just barely grazing his skin.
“That’s right,” he reassured her. “Right there. Use only your top teeth. Just bring them down, almost like you’re nodding.”
She did. And the bite was clean. He felt the blood begin to well up. She tried to extract her teeth in the same way and they tore a little, but he gave no sign of discomfort and it was over quickly. The rest was, he knew from experience, instinctive. Her tongue against the twin wounds. Lapping. Caressing.
“Good,” he tried to say, but it came out somewhere between an exhale and a moan.
She sucked gently, and he really did moan then. The sensation was like millions of little bubbles in his bloodstream, all over his body, flowing toward his neck where she called his blood out to her. Like being filled with champagne, almost.