Thursday 4 July 2013

Promo Blog: Encore by Bernadette Marie



Title: Encore

Series: Matchmakers

Author: Bernadette Marie

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: 5 Prince Books

Formats Available In: All eBook formats & Print

Release Date: June 13, 2013

Digital: ISBN 13:978-1-939217-58-5 ISBN 10:1-939217-58-X

Print: ISBN 13:978-1-939217-57-8 ISBN 10:1-939217-57-1

Purchase Link: http://www.5princebooks.com/buy.html (Available July 4)

Blurb: Newly unemployed concert pianist, Thomas Samuel has spent most of his adult life escaping his upbringing. He’s become an expert at hiding his feelings and remaining professional. But when he meets cellist Carissa Kendal he’s faced with one emotion he can’t escape—love.

Carissa hadn’t expected her mother to take on the art of matchmaking and she was convinced she wasn’t very good at it. Strong minded Carissa had her work cut out for her with the emotionally scarred Thomas, but love always wins in the end—or does it?

By the time Thomas realizes his past does not define the man he has become it might be too late. Big venues and scenic places might just win over the heart of Carissa and take her away from him—unless he hurries and faces the man who ruined his career and convince Carissa that every performance, even love, deserves an encore.

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Her young student pulled the bow across the strings of the violin, and the sound was pure evil. Carissa Kendal winced, then quickly smiled. She’d get it in time. Eventually, they all got it if they stuck around.

The dropout rate of students was the one dark cloud over her next venture, the Kendal School of Music. It had been her dream to teach music in her own school, and she was about to dive into it. She’d hoped her mother would want to be by her side more, but Sophia still had Hope to raise. Carissa had accepted that, but to have her mother call up an old friend to help her wasn’t settling.

Did Sophia not think she’d look him up? That she wouldn’t find out who he was?
At the moment, he was nobody. Every musical endeavor he’d pursued in the eight years since the renowned tenor Pablo DiAngelo’s ensemble broke up had failed spectacularly.
Why was Sophia soft on him? Her mother’s name carried far more influence than that of the failed pianist, and it would have given Carissa’s music school all the prestige it needed.

The student pulled another evil note and snapped Carissa from her thoughts.

“I’m never going to get this,” the young girl complained with her nose wrinkled.

“You will. If you want to, you’ll get it.” She smiled encouragingly, remembering when she’d been that young girl. “You need to remember to practice the material I give you.” Carissa raised her eyebrows with the subtle demand.

“Okay. I promise I’ll be better next time.”

“And if you practice, that will always be the case.”

As her student gathered her instrument, Carissa marked off her lesson sheet and handed it to her.

They left the study of the old boardinghouse, where Carissa lived with her grandmother, and stood by the door as her student’s mother walked toward them. Carissa gave the girl a squeeze on her shoulder.

“She’s doing wonderfully. A little extra practice each day will help,” she said. “Don’t forget your peppermint on your way out the door.”

The young girl fished in the bowl for the right piece of candy as Carissa opened the front door. The violinist’s mother handed Carissa a check for the lesson.

“Thank you, Carissa. She enjoys her lessons very much.”

“I’m pleased to hear that. We’ll see you both next week.”

As the woman and her daughter descended the front steps, a man paid a cab on the street in front of the old house. He stood with his suitcase in his hand and looked her way.

He was tall and too thin for her taste, but he looked almost regal in the way he carried himself. He removed his sunglasses and stroked the wisps of dirty blond hair from his eyes. She almost didn’t recognize the man from the pictures she’d seen on the Internet.
He looked like a blond Jimmy Stewart, and her stomach did a little flip.

“Hello,” he called as he neared the house. She smiled despite her misgivings. He even walked like Jimmy Stewart.

Like most of Pablo’s ensemble, he’d always walked behind the man with the million-dollar smile, never next to or in front of him, not like her mother who had been paraded on Pablo’s arm. It was no wonder she hadn’t recognized him.

She extended her hand to him, and as his fingers enclosed hers, she gulped in air. He was strikingly handsome. She hadn’t expected that.

To have played for Pablo, as Sophia had, Thomas had to be tremendously talented. Yet would the curse that hung over his career affect her music school?

“You must be Thomas Samuel. I’m Sophia’s daughter, Carissa Kendal. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

When Sophia Kendal had said her daughter would meet him at the boardinghouse in Kansas City, he hadn’t expected she’d look like the woman standing before him. The woman before him stood erect as a dancer. Her hair fell to the middle of her back like an ebony waterfall, and her dark eyes were soft. She wore a flowing, orange blouse and a long skirt of the same orange, mixed with earthy browns that swirled around her calves when she moved.

She was mesmerizing.

“Please come in.” She stepped back through the door. Heat rose on the back of his neck as he passed by her. “My mother says you’ll be staying with us until you get settled.”

“Uh. Yes.” He felt like his tongue had swollen. “I’m sorry if I seem out of sorts. I knew Sophia for so long that to think of her as your mother, well, that’s a stretch for me.”
Carissa smiled at him again. “I was seventeen before she adopted me, so I can understand. I’m sorry you couldn’t make it out for their wedding.”

“Yes, so am I.” Had he made that wedding, he’d have made it his business to become more familiar with the dark beauty who, with the most subtle gesture of tucking her hair behind her ear, had his pulse climbing.

Guilt halted his thoughts. He should have been at the wedding because he’d promised Sophia he would be. It was just another broken promise, and he feared he would let her down again. And given his past, he had no business fantasizing about Carissa—or any woman. It could end only in heartache—or worse.


About Bernadette Marie:

Bernadette Marie has been an avid writer since the early age of 13, when she’d fill notebook after notebook with stories that she’d share with her friends.  Her journey into novel writing started the summer before eighth grade when her father gave her an old typewriter.  At all times of the day and night you would find her on the back porch penning her first work, which she would continue to write for the next 22 years. 

In 2007 – after marriage, filling her chronic entrepreneurial needs, and having five children – Bernadette began to write seriously with the goal of being published.  That year she wrote 12 books.  In 2009  she was contracted for her first trilogy and the published author was born.  In 2011 she (being the entrepreneur that she is) opened her own publishing house, 5 Prince Publishing, and has released contemporary titles and began the process of taking on other authors in other genres. 

In 2012 Bernadette Marie found herself on the bestsellers lists of iTunes and Amazon to name a few.  Her office wall is lined with colorful PostIt notes with the titles of books she will be releasing in the very near future, with hope that they too will grace the bestsellers lists.

Bernadette spends most of her free time driving her kids to their many events.  She is also an accomplished martial artist who will earn her conditional second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do in October 2012.  An avid reader, she enjoys most, the works of Nora Roberts, Karen White, Megan Hart, to name a few. She loves to meet readers who enjoy reading contemporary romances and she always promises Happily Ever After.

Author Contact Info:






Friday 28 June 2013

Alex's Lemonade Stand Charity Blog!!




Titles:Kat Fight, Collision Course and Dracian Legacy

Authors:Dina Silver, S.C. Stephens and PriyaKanaparti

Blurbs:

Kat Fight: The seriously funny, fabulously flawed Kat Porter has arrived, and she may just steal your heart—not to mention your boyfriend. Readers everywhere will revel in this sharp-witted, well-meaning whirlwind in author Dina Silver’s hilarious new novel, Kat Fight. In her quest for love, Kat makes every wrong turn, juggling two men, one best friend, and her own deeply confused heart’s desires.

Kat Porter is a consummate romantic, eager for her chance to find love and commitment. But after her boyfriend of four years, Marc, begins to grow apathetic and sends her calls straight to voicemail one too many times, Kat finally musters the courage to confront her so-called sweetheart, who seems more interested in dodging her than courting her. Though she’s no fan of ultimatums, Kat is at the end of her considerable wits, and lobs a massive one his way, completely confident that he'll make the right decision when faced with losing her. He doesn't.

With radio silence from Marc, Kat’s lifelong dream of finding a husband and forging a family is decidedly on the skids. That’s when her childhood friend Julie steps in, forcing Kat on a blind date to help her move beyond the break-up. Not only does Kat botch the setup, she instead finds herself in hot pursuit of Julie’s love interest, Ryan Sullivan. A man who, in addition to literally taking her breath away, is the living, breathing personification of everything Kat wants in a husband.

Can Kat connect with the man of her dreams without hurting two of the people she cares most about? At the same time, she must also contend with the quips of her beloved catty coworker Adam, her bi-polar boss Brooke, and a string of comic, unpredictable plot twists. All the while, Kat’s cheeky perspective and generous heart will leave readers adoring every moment of her journey while chuckling and cheering for the ever cute, razor-sharp Kat as she fights to land the love of a lifetime.


Collision Course: Lucas had it all – popularity, a devoted girlfriend, a brotherly best friend, and a loving mother who would do anything for him. His life was right on course to be a successful and fulfilling one, until the crash changed everything. It happened late one night during a sudden downpour. That evening, three young lives were lost and one life was left irrevocably altered. As the lone survivor, Lucas finds himself surrounded by swirling gossip of reckless drunkenness from the small town he used to warmly call home. Amid his own guilt and self-hatred, Lucas struggles to find hope, find peace, and maybe, even find love again.


Dracian Legacy: Ren and Axel are caught between two powerful magical races: one destined to end the bloodshed, the other out for vengeance.

Seventeen-year-old RenPernell is prophesied to end the war between the Dracians and the Telalians. So when a Dracian, Axel Knight, is sent to find and bring back the prophesied one before she turns eighteen and Telalians discover of her existence, unexpected sparks start to fly between the two. Once Ren finds the truth behind Axel’s arrival, she wants everything to do with him and nothing to do with his mission.

Things prove to become difficult as Ren’s life is constantly threatened by the Goarders, humans who sold their souls, a Proxy Succubi, and the leader of the Telalians, who has been searching for her as well.

With the clock ticking and Ren’s life in jeopardy, it is no longer just a mission for Axel. It becomes a personal endeavor to save the only one he’s ever loved. In a heart racing ending, they must find a way to evade the preordained war that won’t also end Ren’s life.


About Dina Silver: A graduate of Purdue University, Dina Silver has spent the past fifteen years feeding her red wine habit by working as a copywriter in the advertising industry. After seeing the bulk of her professional prose on brochures and direct mail pieces, she is delighted to have made the transition to novelist. She currently lives with her husband and son in suburban Chicago. Additionally, she loves talking about herself in the third person.

About S.C. Stephens:

S.C. Stephens is an independent author who enjoys spending every free moment she has creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance.

Her first attempt at a full-length novel was Thoughtless. She wrote the angst-filled love triangle in early 2009 and published it that summer on FictionPress. Amazed and surprised by the response, more stories were quick to follow.

Conversion, the first novel in a three story vampire series, was released in the fall. Collision Course, a tragic, yet hopeful tale of love and loss was released in early 2010. The second Conversion novel came out next, along with It’s All Relative, a different take on a one night stand story.

In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys reading other people’s fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block reducing music, heading out to the movie theaters, and spending quality time with her children.

About PriyaKanaparti:

Indie YA/NA Author. DRACIAN LEGACY, a YA Paranormal Romance releases in 2013. Priya strongly believes that true love concurs all and that's what she writes about

She live in beautiful city of Boise, ID. She’s a full time working mom and part time YA Novel Author.


The Event Details:

** During the month of June, $1 of every Kat Fight, Collision Course, and Dracian Legacy purchase will be donated to Alex's Lemonade Stand - Foundation for Childhood Cancer **

PLUS: Author Rebecca Donovan from the Breathing series will be matching
every dollar they donate!

Alex's Lemondae Stand

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope.



Thursday 27 June 2013

Promo Blog: Split Decisions by Carmen DeSousa



Title:Split Decisions

Author:Carmen DeSousa

Genre:Fiction, Romance, Suspense

Publisher:5 Prince Books

Formats Available In:All eBook formats& Print

Release Date: June 27, 2013

Digital: ISBN 13: 978-1-939217-65-3  ISBN 10: 1-939217-65-2

Print: ISBN 13: 978-1-939217-66-0  ISBN 10: 1-939217-66-0

Purchase Link: http://www.5princebooks.com/buy.html(Available June 27)

Blurb:Sometimes you want something so badly you are willing to abandon everything you’ve ever known—including yourself.

Eighteen years ago, Jaynee Monroe married the man of her dreams, became the mother of four, and fulfilled her career goals. About to turn forty, she senses something is missing from her idyllic life. While Googling her name in an attempt to find herself, she unearths something so impossible, she contemplates her own sanity. Seeking answers, she embarks on a journey to discover the truth, only to end up abducted by a deranged stranger who insists on calling her Caycee.

Caycee took the road less traveled. Rejecting a marriage proposal from the only decent man she ever knew, she ventures to California to become famous. Eighteen years later, success has left her alone and miserable. Attempting to locate her lost love on Facebook, she discovers his infatuation with her. Not only does his presumed-dead wife have Caycee’s uncommon middle name, it appears he has photo-shopped her face over hers.

Never could Caycee and Jaynee have imagined decisions they made years earlier would threaten not only their lives but also their loved ones. Caycee must now reunite with the southern gent she dismissed eighteen years ago and convince him to accompany her to New York to locate his wife, the most important person in both their lives.

Excerpt:

Jaynee awoke with a start, salty tears streaming down her cheeks, burning her already chapped lips. She attempted to swallow, but didn’t have enough saliva to moisten her mouth. It’d just been a nightmare. The nightmare she used to have nightly after her father committed suicide. Though, she hadn’t had it in years. Not since Jordan had taken her away from her previous life, providing a stable home, love, and strong arms to shield her from the demons that haunted her.

Unfortunately, Jordan wasn’t here, and her surroundings were all too real. Pinpricks of sunlight streaked through the corners of the shaded windows, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air.

The room was still dark in most spots, but she could almost make out her surroundings. It looked like a cabin of some sort. The walls were a dingy off-white or possibly just stained from years of exposure, but the ceiling and trim were dark wood along with the slatted floors. A musty scent permeated the area, irritating her sinuses, but she couldn’t even scratch her nose.

Cuffs still secured her to the four bedposts. What kind of sicko would do such a thing? Her arms and legs ached from the position they’d been in all night, and she had to go to the bathroom something awful.

When she opened her mouth to speak, nothing but a croak escaped, leaving a trail of lava in her parched throat. “Hel-lo?” Though her voice had cracked, she attempted to sound friendly. Screaming or sobbing wouldn’t do any good. Not that she had the strength or vocal cords anyway.

She wasn’t in the city; only the country would be as dark as it’d been last night when her assailant brought her here. Even if she screamed her head off, no one would hear. “Please,” she tried again. “I really have to use the bathroom.”

The door opened finally, the hinges protesting in a lengthy screech, begging for oil. Her captor entered the room still wearing a black ski mask, gloved, and the same dark jeans and thick overcoat he’d had on the previous evening. He wasn’t too tall or heavy. If given the chance, she could probably take him. Jordan had taught her a few things. But as long as he had the gun trained on her, she’d have to be submissive.

His gauntleted hand unlocked just one of her wrists. Then placing the key in her hand, he stepped back. Obviously she was to unlock her other restraints. She didn’t waste any time. She unlatched her left hand, then both of her ankles. After rubbing them to increase circulation, she jumped out of the bed on the opposite side of her detainer. He motioned with the gun that she should move to the door on the far side of the room. She did as instructed, opening the door to a small bathroom with just a sink and toilet. No window. She quickly relieved herself. It felt incredible; she’d actually been in pain.

When finished, she opened the medicine cabinet and cubbyhole under the sink, finding nothing usable as a weapon. Both rooms were completely barren, stripped of everything. The abduction had not been a coincidence, but premeditated.

About Carmen DeSousa:

A romantic-suspense writer, Carmen DeSousa’s books overflow with romance, mystery, suspense, and of course, tragedy. After all, what would a great story be without a tragic event setting the stage? Her sensual and gripping mysteries have earned bestseller status on three continents because of her ability to make readers love, laugh, cry, gasp, and hope.

All of Carmen’s novels are standalones; however, she does link each of her stories with a little surprise. If you read out of order, you'll never notice. But if you read in order, it's fun.

Find her novels in print and eBook formats at your favorite retailer:

She Belongs to MeDecember 2011
Land of the Noonday SunMay 2012
Entangled DreamsSeptember 2012
When Noonday EndsDecember 2012
Split DecisionsJune 2013
.
How to contact Carmen DeSousa:







Thursday 13 June 2013

Promo Blog: Matchmakers by Bernadette Marie




Title: Matchmakers

Series: Matchmakers

Author: Bernadette Marie

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: 5 Prince Books

Formats Available In: All eBook formats & Print

Release Date: June 13, 2013

Digital: ISBN 13:978-1-939217-56-1 ISBN 10: 1-939217-56-3

Print: ISBN 13: 978-1-939217-55-4 ISBN 10: 1-939217-55-5

Purchase Link: http://www.5princebooks.com/buy.html (Available June 13)

Blurb: Cellist Sophia Burkhalter thought ten years in Europe performing with an exclusive ensemble would have made it clear that she wasn’t a candidate for her grandmother’s matchmaking. After all, she’d walked away from the man she loved, leaving him back home in Kansas City.

David Kendal had fallen in love with Sophia, a match orchestrated by her grandmother and his aunt. However, the unexpected appearance of the daughter he never knew he had—and Sophia’s sudden, subsequent departure for Europe—thrust him into the role of single father.

Carissa Kendal has only ever wanted the best for her father. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that the very woman who broke her father’s heart might be the one to make them a real family.

Can Carissa and the women who originally played matchmaker to the duo convince them that love is worth a second try? Or will careers and past mistakes tear them apart forever before they have a chance to reconcile?


Excerpt:
Sophia filed off the airplane along with the other groggy passengers. The red-eye flight to Kansas City had knotted up her stomach. What in the hell was she doing back here?
Perfect persuasion and just the right amount of guilt had gotten her on that plane.
Perhaps the tightening of her stomach wasn’t the flying—it could very well be that she’d returned to the very place she’d run from ten years ago.

She’d run from a man and shattered the hearts of people she loved. The guilt stung a little deeper. She should have come home years earlier.

Sophia followed a small group of women from the plane into the ladies’ room. Exhaustion weighed down her shoulders. Within the hour, she’d be at her grandmother’s house, tucked into her childhood bed, and asleep. In the meantime, she splashed cool water on her face to keep herself alert.

She dried her face and hands and adjusted the scarf at her neck to ensure it hid the secret she kept from the world. She picked up the carry-on luggage at her feet and headed toward baggage claim.

“Sophia.”

The husky voice was soft and male and made her knees weak when she heard it. She knew that voice as well as she knew her own. The knot in her stomach returned, but this time it was like a fist in her gut.

She turned to see him standing there in his pilot’s uniform with his suitcase at his side—David Kendal, the very man she’d run from so many years ago.

He took his pilot’s hat off and revealed the dark, wavy hair that she’d once run her fingers through. It was now speckled with hints of sophisticated silver. His uniform was striking on him—just as it had always been. Even in the early morning hour, she felt her skin tingle when she looked at his broad shoulders and knew what it was like to rest her head against his chest.

“David.” His name floated from her lips in a sigh. Ten years had passed since she’d last laid eyes on him, and now he was as large as life standing before her.

“I thought that was you on the plane.” He was walking closer to her, and her trembling knees wouldn’t allow her to run the other direction.

The scent of his cologne washed over her. His dark eyes were smoky and wide as she watched him take in the sight of her.

“You look wonderful.” He stepped closer, and Sophia gripped her bag tighter and tried to swallow the ball of fear that had lodged in her throat. He gripped his hat tighter. “I’ve been following your career.”

“Really?” The muscles in her shoulders tensed. “Why?”

“Why?” He chuckled and took one more step closer, and her throat constricted. “Sophia, you’re…” He shrugged as though brushing off a thought. “You’re very talented.”

Sophia shook her head, trying desperately to remove all thoughts of him from before—of what she’d lost. She sighed. “David, it was nice to see you. I really need to get my luggage.”

She turned from him, head up, shoulders back, and strode toward the elevator, stepping in as the door closed. She leaned her head against the back wall and closed her eyes.

How was it possible that after ten years he could stir such feelings in her? Sophia took inventory of what she was feeling. There was a surge of attraction between them. Then the anger she’d felt for years accompanied the thought of him. She’d walked out on him. His betrayal was much stronger than the attraction. It had given her purpose to make something of herself. Her success as a concert cellist sprang as much from her desire to succeed as it did from a need to escape her feelings for David.

Sophia opened her eyes when she heard the elevator doors open. The small group of others who had been aboard the plane with her stood watching the empty luggage carousel go around. Sophia waited for her cello case to arrive in the oversized luggage. It killed her to have to check the instrument, but there were no other choices. It was times like this she wondered why she didn’t play the violin. She could carry that onto the plane.

Relief flooded her as a man brought her the case. She quickly opened it and examined the instrument to assure herself it had arrived in one piece.

Her trip was to last two weeks. She’d wanted to pack only one bag, but against her better judgment, she’d packed two. When the two suitcases dropped to the carousel, she pulled them off and stacked them. One hung from the other, and she slung her carry-on over her shoulder. With a grunt, she hoisted her cello to her side. She started toward the curb to collect a cab.

Footsteps clattered on the tile floor behind her.

“Sophia.”

She wouldn’t let herself turn to see him hurrying to her.

“Let me help you.”

“I travel like this all the time. I do not need your assistance.” Her voice was cold.

“I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I didn’t offer to help a lady in need.”

“A gentleman?” He’d already taken her suitcases from her and wheeled them out to the sidewalk. “Mr. Kendal, I assure you I do not need you.”

“No, you made that perfectly clear when you disappeared and left your engagement ring in the sink.” He kept walking, forcing her to follow.

“Where are you going?” She tried to keep up with him, but his long stride kept him a hefty distance ahead of her.

He pointed off into the parking garage. “My car is parked just over here.”

“Your car?” She trotted to catch up with him. “I’m taking a cab.”

“I don’t want you in a cab in the middle of the night,” he said, unwavering from his path.
She grunted and quickened her step again.

“I don’t care what you think—”

“I know.” He darted a stare in her direction.




About Bernadette Marie:

Bernadette Marie has been an avid writer since the early age of 13, when she’d fill notebook after notebook with stories that she’d share with her friends.  Her journey into novel writing started the summer before eighth grade when her father gave her an old typewriter.  At all times of the day and night you would find her on the back porch penning her first work, which she would continue to write for the next 22 years. 

In 2007 – after marriage, filling her chronic entrepreneurial needs, and having five children – Bernadette began to write seriously with the goal of being published.  That year she wrote 12 books.  In 2009  she was contracted for her first trilogy and the published author was born.  In 2011 she (being the entrepreneur that she is) opened her own publishing house, 5 Prince Publishing, and has released contemporary titles and began the process of taking on other authors in other genres. 

In 2012 Bernadette Marie found herself on the bestsellers lists of iTunes and Amazon to name a few.  Her office wall is lined with colorful PostIt notes with the titles of books she will be releasing in the very near future, with hope that they too will grace the bestsellers lists.

Bernadette spends most of her free time driving her kids to their many events.  She is also an accomplished martial artist who will earn her conditional second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do in October 2012.  An avid reader, she enjoys most, the works of Nora Roberts, Karen White, Megan Hart, to name a few. She loves to meet readers who enjoy reading contemporary romances and she always promises Happily Ever After.

Author Contact Info:




Wednesday 12 June 2013

promo blog: Witchling by Ari Harper


Title: Witchling

Author: Ari Harper

Genre: Young Adult

Series: Curse Of Kin

Publisher: Lycaon Press

Formats Available In: All eBook formats

Word Count: 97.956

Blurb: Nera is a normal teenage girl living in Ireland, or so she thought until she discovers the family secret.. now her world is forever changed.

Descended from a long line of witches, she discovers is the one who has to stop the curse that has taken the life of every girl before her.

And if that isn't enough, she must learn to use magic from the man called Bones. He is the son of Mari, Queen of the Witches...and a god. It is Bones who has been entrusted to teach her the skills she needs to stay alive, which wouldn't be so bad if he didn't have an uncanny knack for pushing her buttons.

Can Nera succeed and resist the charms of the man who gets under her skin at every opportunity?

Book Links:





Excerpt:

"Witches did and still do exist. You know that wherever there is good there must also be evil to balance it out." He paused, took a deep breath, then continued. "That can take many forms, witches only being one of them. Not all witches are evil obviously, but Edrith O'Reilly was very evil. When Pria planned to elope with Edrith's youngest son, she placed a curse on them. She cursed me, and she cursed her own son. I know this is a lot to take in, Nera, but what I have told you is true. That is exactly what happened."

"Come on, Jasper. You really don't expect me, us, to believe this, do you?" It couldn't be true, yet parts of his story were settling into my heart and mind already, as if the words had been waiting to find a resting place within me.

"Yes, girl dear, I do," Jasper replied, gazing at me. "How did your daughter die, Jasper?" Sully asked, obviously remembering the other dream that I had constantly.

"Edrith slit her throat with a sword, Sully."

I felt the bile rise in my own throat and pressed my hand to my mouth in an effort to stop it. Breathe, I told myself, just breathe. I squeezed my eyes tight and fought for control. I could feel a hand on my knee, and when I looked up, Jasper was kneeling on the floor in front of me, his gaze full of pain.

"Was that the other dream you were having?" His beautiful blue eyes were shadowed and troubled.

I nodded my head. The words stuck in my mind, the bile forcing its way up my throat. I pushed past him and ran for the downstairs bathroom in the hallway. I leaned over and retched into the bowl. I gripped onto the sides to stop myself from collapsing to the floor. My knees had gone weak, and cold sweat was running down my face. I couldn't control the shaking and was past caring. Neither my body nor my mind could accept what I had heard. It wasn't possible. How could it be that Jasper is 800 years old and I am reliving his daughter's death on a nightly basis? No, it is not possible.

There was a light tap on the door, and Brie tiptoed in with a damp cloth in her hands. Her mouth was set into a grim line. She watched me as I struggled to stand and then handed me the cloth. I leaned against the basin, unsteady on my feet. I wiped my face and hands and looked up at her, my gaze searching her face for any trace of sympathy.

"I'm really going crazy, aren't I?" I hung my head, suddenly not wanting to see the pity in her eyes.

"I don't think you are," she replied, her voice gentle. She ran her hand down my arm before I pulled away. "I think what Jasper is saying is true. Why don't you come back into the library and we can discuss it more."

"You're kidding, right," I scoffed at her, ignoring the shocked look on her face. "You don't seriously believe this stuff. Does he look that old to you?" I leaned on the basin until the ground stopped moving under my feet.

"No, he doesn't." Brie brushed her hair back from her face and then licked her lips at the reflection in the mirror over my shoulder. "But he said that was part of the curse, Nera. Just listen to him before you decide you're crazy and he is lying."

"Whatever." I threw the cloth into the sink and pushed past her out of the bathroom.

Jasper and Sully looked up when I stalked back into the room. Brie followed me and hurried to sit with Sully on the couch. I opted to stand beside the fireplace, my arms folded.

"I don't believe you," I said, knowing that with the hitch in my voice I didn't sound convincing. I was acting like a petulant bitch, but I couldn't help it. The way the day was shaping up called for my worst side to come out and play and I really didn't care.

"Before you make up your mind, there's more, Nera." He pursed his lips, then continued. "When there is a curse, there is always a way out of that curse. Each third generation since that time has had one female child that has the ability to break the spell. Not all have had the faith in themselves or believed in me enough to do so. Maybe their connection wasn't close enough," he shrugged. "I don't really know. But you are third generation. You are stronger than any other female that has come forward. Because of who you are, Nera, you are the one."

Jasper watched me closely while I tried to process the information that he had given me. I nibbled on my bottom lip and pulled at my hair. "What are you trying to tell me?" I asked him.

"When you were born, I knew who you were." A small smile hovered on his lips. "You were born with a caul, a part of the birthing membrane, on your head, and that makes you a Caulbearer, girl dear. In the world of magic, this marks the child as unique and powerful, usually with psychic gifts, like second sight and the ability to soul journey. But we can talk about that later."

"Does that mean Nera is a witch?" Brie asked, her eyes wide as she looked at me, her face lighting up.

"I guess that depends on your definition of a witch," Jasper replied. "I believe there are people in this world who have special abilities. Some call themselves witches, some don't. It's just the way you perceive something, I suppose."

"So what does she have to do with the whole curse thing, then?" Sully asked.

Jasper's gazed met mine before he answered. "She is the one that can stop the curse and let me die."

"Are you crazy, Jasper? How can you even think I would let you die?" I jumped to my feet, the horror of what he was saying slamming into me. I paused for a breath, the fear gripping my chest like a vice which made such a simple task difficult. It was too much for me. I turned and fled to the kitchen and threw open the door to the garden. I gulped down a breath of cool air and lurched over to a grassy patch and sank to the ground. Hugo walked over to me and licked my hand before sitting down in front of me, his soulful brown gaze on my face.

"Oh, Hugo, what is going on?" I cried, pushing my face into his fur. Cradling his head in my arms for comfort, I leaned against his huge body. I felt movement, and Brie and Sully sat down beside me. They reached out and wrapped their arms around me. Most of what Jasper had told us was hard to believe, but what if it was true? Parts of my brain screamed at me that it was possible, but parts still balked at the idea of witches, gods, and demons—especially so close to someone I loved.

"Do you believe what Jasper said?" Sully leaned forward. He picked a blade of grass and ran it through his fingers before looking at me again."Do you think it could be possible?"

"I really don't know." I sighed, rubbing the back of my hand over my face. "It seems so farfetched."

"But it could be true." Brie leaned her chin on my shoulder. "What if you really are what he says you are? I've always said there was something special about you. Everyone thinks so, not just Sully and me."

"Yeah, Connor thinks I'm special, so special he wants to grope me every time he sees me," I scoffed.

"Stop being so pigheaded. You know you have something that no one else has. Do you really think we would hang out with you if you were normal?" Brie joked. Her smile faded quickly when I looked at her, and she pulled away from me.

"I know you are trying to make me feel better, and I do appreciate it, I really do. But if this is even halfway true… It's so much to take in." Just pull yourself together, girl. This is getting you nowhere, tears over, deal with it.

About The Author:

Ari Harper never wanted to grow up.

To offset the limitations of growing old ungracefully, she created her own set of unique worlds where she can be and do whatever she wants. God, demons and witches surround Ari while she spins her magic, mainly doing what they tell her to do.

She likes to work amongst chaos when given a choice, which is good because she is generally surrounded by children, all clamoring for attention. Some of them end up in her stories, some of them even get to die grisly deaths or be cast away to another realm.
Her favorite pet is a big black Labrador, Hugo. He stars as himself in the Curse of Kin series as Nera's faithful hound.


Friday 7 June 2013

Promo Blog: Airion: Return to Zire by J.S. Council



Title: Airion: Return To Zire

Author: J.S. Council

Series: Airion Series

Genre: Young Adult Epic Fantasy

Publisher: Self Published

Formats Available In: Paperback, Ebook (HTML, Kindle, Epub, PDF, RTF, LRF, Palm Doc, Plain Text (download), Plain Text (View)

Blurb: Aside from his outward appearance, Kobi is a normal thirteen-year-old boy. Living with his mother, his father, and his identical twin brother, Raili, with whom he spends most days at the cove watching dolphins and whales feed, he is happy with his life just the way it is. But his fourteenth birthday is coming and Kobi has no idea how much his life is about to change.

When Raili is pulled through a puddle in the floor of their second floor bedroom by a monster armed with poisonous, spiked tentacles, Kobi goes in after him. What he finds isn’t Raili, but a new world all together, buried beneath the ocean. With a bounty on his head that has been there since he and Raili’s birth, Kobi will have to learn to fight or die before he can be reunited with Raili again. Everything he knew to be true was a lie.

People he loved and trusted are not who they seem. He isn’t the normal boy he thought himself to be. A transformation is coming. Raili is gone. Blood is shed. Traitors lurk, waiting for their chance. War is inevitable. The fate of the world of Airion rests in his hands. The Wiseone speaks. Failure is certain.

Book Links:




Amazon  

About The Author:

“Although I didn’t fully commit to making writing my life’s work until my sophomore year of college, I have always been a writer at heart. I was the only student in class to get excited about school papers, even asking to write a few for extra credit on occasion. I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a degree in Creative Writing – Fiction. After graduating, I moved to Japan where I wrote most of my debut novel, Airion: Return to Zire and all of my second novel Airion: Light and Dawn – the first two of a four book series. Japan was a peaceful place to just sit and write, but life in Japan was also filled with adventure. However much I loved it there, I had to return home to do what I love most. Write.”

Social Media Links:





Excerpt:

“If the Cellians just wanted us dead, why didn’t they just kill Raili instead of taking him?” asked Kobi.

“That is the question, isn’t it?” said Kaiyen slowly. “If they only wanted to use his power, wouldn’t they have taken them both?”

“Not necessarily,” said Rick, fist to his chin. “Having both would probably be too dangerous to risk. They may have been afraid of being destroyed from the inside if they worked together to free themselves. Even with one son of the prophecy, they could cause considerable damage, or so they may think.”

“But Raili would never do that though,” Kobi protested. “Dad…I…I mean, Black Master Rick. You know Raili; you know he wouldn’t do anything like that.”

“It may not be his choice,” said Kimi. “The Cellians can be very persuasive.”

Kobi’s heart sank. “What would they do to him?” he asked, not wanting to hear the answer.

“Whatever they had to,” said Kaiyen. “That is why we must focus on a plan of rescue, before Raili Saio acquires the powers they seek.”

“On our fourteenth birthday,” said Kobi.

“Yes,” said Kai Ventra. “Almost all Airians change on their fourteenth birthday. Along with the natural changes they undergo, such as growing gills, they also acquire unique individual skills, allowing them to thrive more than most others in that ability. These abilities can be anything from designing exceptional clothing to controlling the elements.”

“The stronger the ability, the harder it is to control,” said Kaiyen. “No doubt Cella is depending on this.”

“It won’t work,” said Rick.

“Agreed,” nodded Kaiyen. “But there is another matter that must be discussed, if I may.” Questioning eyes turned to Kaiyen. “Lady Sara,” Kaiyen continued after a swift nod from the King. He was addressing the old woman seated beside Kimi, “have you seen anything in your Kubec about a traitor in Zire.”

Whispers filled the room. “You go too far, Captain,” said Bran.

“What are you saying,” said the advisor to Bran’s left.

“Silence,” said Sai Thayne. The talking ceased instantly. The King’s questioning eyes fell on Kaiyen then turned to Lady Sara. “Wise One?”

“This man possesses a tainted heart,” said the old woman, her eyes gazing into the diamond block. “His treachery dives deep.”

“Do you know who this man is?” asked Kaiyen.

“I see not his face nor his rank,” said Lady Sara, her brow creased and her hands resting on the Kubec. “However, he knows all that we know and some we do not.”

“It is as I thought,” said Kaiyen, “Zire’s traitor has resurfaced.”

Alaine's review:

I love how the story is fantasy and draws you in before you even reach the first chapter (due to a prologue – which is very enjoyable) J.S council has a way of pacing the story so a lot happens in a short time but you go with the flow and don't feel like the pace is fast. You are pulled along with the story but also engrossed in it at the same time

It is the first fantasy book I have ever read and I really enjoyed it. I felt like I knew the world where this was based and it is so discriptive of everything, you get a clear picture of how people look, the places they are in and the things that are happening around them

You can tell the strong bond between Kobi and Raili from the start and feel how Kobi will do all he can to help his brother and do the right thing for his family. Even though his mum (Kimi) lied to them to try and keep them safe and out of harms way
A wonderful read. 
Would recommend!! 5 out of 5!!!!

Tuesday 4 June 2013

To Catch A Spirit by Carrie Pulkinen

Title:To Catch A Spirit

Author:Carrie Pulkinen

Genre:Paranormal

Heat Rating: 2

Publisher:Breathless Press

Formats Available In:Print

Word Count: 93,868

Blurb:A psychic who's afraid of ghosts and a millionaire with a haunted past and a hidden power find that only love can catch a spirit. With love, all things are possible—especially if you need to catch a Spirit.

Psychic Allison Dupuis has a soft spot for Logan Mitchell, even though she's never met him. All it takes is one encounter for the millionaire's true emotions to slip through Allison's shields, and she is intrigued. He needs her help, but Allison soon discovers that the kind of help Logan needs is the kind she isn't willing to give. Logan has a ghost, and Allison doesn't work with spirits anymore.

But the ghost is the least of Logan's problems. Born an empath, Logan is constantly barraged with human emotions. And while his talent has come in handy in the business world, it's about to drive him insane. Literally. Logan has OCD, and his ability triggers unbearable attacks that have him counting and cleaning until he collapses from exhaustion.

Sex and money. That's all anyone wants from him. Even worse, he's plagued with recurring visions of his future wife's death, so Logan has spent his entire life avoiding love. He's given up hope of ever having a normal life, until he meets Allison. She's everything he's ever dreamed of, and now he has to decide if loving her is worth risking her life.

If she'll even have him. Allison's lost too much already — her mother to cancer, her father to suicide. But, Logan is so charming and so real, she can't help but fall for him. Now she has to overcome her fear of commitment...and ghosts...or face spending the rest of her life alone.

Book Links:





Excerpt:

She sensed them as they drew closer to her—many different spirits, their energy buzzing on varying frequencies.

"One at a time, guys. Please." she said. But they didn't listen. These were the spirits of the mentally ill, after all. Taking turns wasn't their concern, and they all rushed her. She felt their presence closing in on her like an avalanche, and she was consumed. Every mental illness imaginable was thrown into her psyche as she tightened her grip on Gage's hand and slumped down in her chair.

"Allison! Allison, are you okay?" Gage's voice was a distant echo as she fought to hold on to herself. She was slipping. Sliding into the depths of despair and the spirits were pulling her down.

"It's... No... There's a light... You need to... You need to go to it." She tried to help the spirits cross over, but they wouldn't listen. There were too many. Twenty at least, and they were so consumed by their own illnesses they thought of nothing else. Paranoia, depression, anxiety. Allison felt it all, and it was going to kill her. The pressure.So hard to breath. Her hands cradled her head as the migraine overtook her. Sharp, pounding pain had her crumpled on the floor as she drew her knees into her chest and rocked back and forth.

"Make it stop. Please, just make it stop." She was paralyzed. Frozen by the anguish of the tortured souls that forced themselves upon her. Hot tears streamed down her face and blood trickled from her nose. She gasped for air as she heard a faint voice call, "Get her out of here!"

About The Author:

Carrie Pulkinen has always been fascinated with the paranormal. Of course, when you grow up next door to a cemetery, the dead (and the undead) are hard to ignore. Pair that with her passion for writing and her father's insatiable love for monster movies, and you've got the perfect recipe for an exciting storyteller. 

When she's not writing stories of amazing sex with devilishly handsome men, Carrie likes to read, take pictures, and play with her kids. She also enjoys hearing from her readers, who can write to her at carrie.pulkinen@hotmail.com.


If you enjoyed this story, Sweet Release, her first published work is also available from Breathless Press.