Bookcerpt: Lust After Death by Daisy Harris

Lust After Death
by Daisy Harris

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Excerpt:

Josie’s muscles screamed with pent-­up rage. She struggled to focus her gaze on her new husband’s face, hoping her expression conveyed the depth of her hurt.

“When I open this door, I want you to run as fast as you can. Will you do that?”

She dragged her jaw low, forcing her tongue to work. “Noooooo.” Her voice sounded foreign, sickly, frightening to her own ears.

Bane scrubbed a hand over his face. “Listen, it’s for your own good. I...” He couldn’t seem to look at her, his gaze swinging to the corners and shelves.

Her breath dragged into her chest, slow and ragged. “Nooooooo.” Josie couldn’t... Couldn’t let this man, who’d she’d hoped for so hard, treat her like a thing. Adam had done that, and it nearly broke her.

His lips pinched. With guilt? She couldn’t tell. Then Bane crossed his arms and stepped back as far as the tiny room would allow. “All right, fine,” he whispered. “If I let you go free will you run as fast as you can?”

Her mind shrieked to refuse, but she chose what would give her the best chance at freedom. Josie pinched her eyes and gulped hard on her pride, then nodded.

“I release you.”

She let out her breath and lifted her chin, but refused to show the depth of her relief.

Bane reached for the handle, not giving her a chance to even think. “Head for the stairs and out the front door. Don’t turn around, don’t look at me. I’ll be right behind you. One...” he breathed. “Two...three!”

The door flew open and Josie ran. She’d planned to head to her room and lock the door once they reached the top, but from behind her, gunfire erupted. Her vision tunneled, her legs pedaled up the staircase. Josie stumbled at the top step and her knee smacked down on the marble floor, but Bane’s arm hooked under her shoulder and hauled her to her feet.

He shoved her across Adam’s living room, and then gripped her upper arm to haul her outside. All the while, Bane continued firing behind them, not looking where he shot, but hitting his mark every time.

Cool, fragrant air filled her senses. The heels of her shoes sank into the damp ground with her every step. She ran as fast as she could, her legs burning as she fought to keep Bane’s pace. The forest swirled with life—animals scurried in the underbrush, birds rustled the leaves, waist-­high greenery licked at her dress with waterlogged branches.

The enormous white confection became heavier as she ran, her shoes burned at her heels and toes. She panted, “I can’t... I have to stop...” Bane bent over and grabbed her waist and hauled her up, then set her down immediately. “You wearing anything under that?”

Josie opened her mouth to answer, but he waved his hand. “Whatever.” Gripping her shoulders, he turned her around and unzipped the back. Bane shoved the dress to the forest floor and ordered, “Ditch the shoes too. They’ll only slow you down.”

Too frightened to argue, Josie bent over to tilt her shoes off then stepped out of the pile of dress. When she rounded on Bane, his desperate expression forced her to step back and consider running the other way.

“Damn, babe.” He ripped his shirt over his head. The muscles of his arms and abdomen rippled as he bunched the cloth in his fists. More gently than she would have thought, he put it over her head. Josie fed her arms through the holes and the scent of man and sweat clung to the garment, as did the heat of his body. Josie wanted to roll around in the cloth like a cat in the sun.

Author:


Birkenstock-wearing glamour girl and mother of two by immaculate conception, Daisy Harris still isn’t sure if she writes erotica. Her paranormal romances start out innocently enough. However, her characters behave like complete sluts. Much to Miss Harris’s dismay, the sex tends to get completely out of hand.

If you like science-y subplots, fantastical creatures, and red-hot chemistry, you’ll love Daisy Harris. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook and at www.thedaisyharris.com.

~*~
VISIT the next blog stop:

Oct 8 – Romancing The Darkside

~*~
* part of Lust After Death tour, Sep 30 to Oct 18

Bleeder by LK Rigel

Bleeder
A Postapocapunk Romance
(Apocalypto 3)
by LK Rigel

Published: 2011
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, SciFi
ebook
Rating: 4

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Goodreads

The King of Garrick wants to kill her.
The King of Allel wants to love her.
And shapeshifters stole her baby's soul!

It's been a hundred years since sea-level rise and global nuclear war wiped out most of humanity. Mallory is a chalice, one of the world's rare fertile females who contract with the kings of the Concord Cities to provide natural-born heirs.

It was supposed to be a pampered and easy life, but Mal becomes caught between King Garrick's scheme for world domination and the goddess Asherah's desperate plays for another god's attention.

In her struggle to survive, Mal must confront the most terrifying threat of all -- the truth of her past and the inevitability of her destiny.

NOTE: Bleeder contains sexual content, including graphic scenes. Not recommended for younger readers.

READ chapter one: The Ptery and the Peregrine

Series:
Space Junque
Spiderwork
Bleeder

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): soul
The world building continues in this postapocapunk series.

I liked this futuristic read which touched on religion, politics, the body, the soul and love - what of love?

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
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~*~
* review copy courtesy of author
* part of other punk event
* part of Bleeder blog tour, July 9 to August 1 - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies
* detour during the rrRoad Trip event

Dark Corners: Ghosts

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Liz Schulte
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
Thank you for hosting me on you blog today. My subject today is ghost stories. Not the ones you read, but the ones you have experienced or know someone who has experienced a ghostly encounter.

I am a big fan staying in "haunted" hotels and bed and breakfasts. I consider myself an open-minded skeptic when it comes to all things ghostly. I don't believe ghosts are likely, but I am willing to believe there are things that cannot be explained. I am a proof sort of girl, and I have never had any experience I couldn't suss out. However, my mother has had her share of ghostly encounters in her life, some of which I use in my book DARK CORNERS.

The one I am going to tell you about today is not in the book. Mom and dad were in a hotel in Kansas and it is the middle of the night. The doors are locked, snoring piercing the quiet, and something unexplainable is about to happen. My mom opens her eyes to see a woman in sixties style clothes and a bouffant hair is leaning over her bed reaching towards her. Mom yells to get out of here, and the woman slowly fades into nothing as my dad wakes up. The room is searched and nothing is found. Mom is told it was a dream and the encounter is dismissed. Months later she is watching Unsolved Mysteries and swears she recognizes a girl who went missing from Texas in the sixties who was never found as the girl in her hotel room. Is it the same girl? Was it a ghostly encounter or a dream? No one can say for certain.

So tell me about your ghostly experiences?

What still gives you the creeps when you think about it?

~end


Many authors claim to have known their calling from a young age. Liz Schulte, however, didn't always want to be an author. In fact, she had no clue. Liz wanted to be a veterinarian, then she wanted to be a lawyer, then she wanted to be a criminal profiler. In a valiant effort to keep from becoming Walter Mitty, Liz put pen to paper and began writing her first novel. It was at that moment she realized this is what she was meant to do. As a scribe she could be all of those things and so much more.

When Liz isn’t writing or on social networks she is inflicting movie quotes and trivia on people, reading, traveling, and hanging out with friends and family. Liz is a Midwest girl through and through, though she would be perfectly happy never having to shovel her driveway again. She has a love for all things spooky, supernatural, and snarky. Her favorite authors range from Edgar Allen Poe to Joseph Heller to Jane Austen to Jim Butcher and everything in between.

Liz would love to hear from you and what you thought of Dark Corners.

Please stop by and visit at any of the below mentioned networks:

Liz's Blog

Liz's Facebook

Liz's Twitter

Liz on Goodreads

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Liz Schulte
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
Dark Corners
by Liz Schulte
Win a copy of this ebook!

Open to all.

Offer ends: July 31, 2011

TO DO:
Answer one of Liz's questions...

So tell me about your ghostly experiences?

What still gives you the creeps when you think about it?

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - winner is here

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

AND, there's more

Tour schedule
for more blog tour goodies

The next blog stop: Jul 20 – Workaday Reads

Bookcerpt: Bleeder

Bleeder
by LK Rigel
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courtesy of author
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Excerpt:

[When Mal meets Edmund for the first time, she doesn’t know that bleeders are forbidden emotional involvement with any prince. In this scene, Edmund has just presented her with an assortment of gifts from his city, Allel.]

Edmund opened a small rosewood box and held up a bright cut gold bracelet for everyone to see. It glittered in the light. “This bracelet is made of gold from the foothills of Allel.”

Sister Jordana nodded approval. Mal shifted the blue amber to her right hand and held out her left wrist. She trembled as Edmund closed the clasp of the bracelet, but he didn’t seem to notice. Their eyes met, and he smiled again.

“Thank you.” She sounded like Ma squeaking in awe before the Emissary. For one terrifying moment, she was sure Edmund was going to pat her bald head, but he merely kissed the back of her hand. Like a prince.

Someone called out from the back of the hall. “To Mallory!”

And the crowd answered all together. “Rah!”

It was exhilarating – but strange to be applauded merely for existing. She usually had to bring in a bag of rabbits to generate such enthusiasm.

“You’re very generous,” Sister Jordana said, more gloriously elegant than Mal could hope to be if she lived two hundred years. Mal wasn’t completely comfortable with her, but she couldn’t help admiring her. Sister Jordana signaled two Red City guards. They loaded the gifts onto the plank.

Mal tucked the blue amber stone into her mantle pocket with her shades and the Asherah. Now she understood why the pockets were so deep.

Just as the guards left the hall with Mal’s gifts, Harriet stormed in through the same doorway. More Red City guards followed her, escorting a girl around Mal’s age who was definitely flummoxed. Her straight black hair came down to her waist, held back from her face by a green band.

She had the Red City appearance: rounded hips and breasts, thick hair and glowing healthy skin – though her face was splotchy red as she looked at Lady Drahan with bewildered embarrassment.

Lady Drahan said, “What is this?” Behind her, a flicker of satisfaction passed over the regent’s face.

“Hormones!” cried an enraged Harriet.

“Sting me,” Counselor said, and the guests uttered a collective gasp.

“Lady Drahan, I am shocked,” the regent said. Mal didn’t think she was shocked.

“She’s been dosed.” Harriet’s eyebrows were scrunched together in a mix of sorrow and fury.

The regent went on. “To commit such a violation on a potential breeder! To risk the pollution of humanity itself!”

“I swear to you, Regent, Emissary, I know nothing about this.”

“That will be for a tribunal to decide,” the regent said.

Lady Drahan’s face lost its color.

“Drahan household is hereby in receivership.” The regent turned to Sister Jordana. “I assume Sanguibahd will take custody of the pretender?” Sanguibahd. Red City’s official name. This was truly serious.

“Absolutely.” Fire orange flashed in Sister Jordana’s eyes and didn’t go away until she blinked twice.

But it seemed neither the regent nor Sister Jordana was surprised by these events. In fact, Mal was sure the regent was suppressing a bit of malicious glee.

With Harriet it was different. Her anger felt honest and brutal. Great Asherah, let me never make Harriet mad.

Whatever was going on, Claire wasn’t in on it. Her face was a mess of shame and confusion. Her ma, though, was a little too loud about her outrage. A little too practiced. Lady Drahan was guilty – of something.

That’s how she was like Ma – she had meant to profit on her daughter’s good luck, and she cared more about the lost loot than she did about her child.

Edmund’s attention was on Claire. He gave her a supportive nod, and Mal’s stomach felt like it turned over. He must care for her. Claire was much prettier than Mal could ever hope to be, and she was from Allel. Maybe he loved her. It was stupid, but the very idea made Mal miserable.

LK Rigel lives in California with her cat, Coleridge. She was once a singing waitress, scored the independent science fantasy karate movie Lucid Dreams, and was a reporter for the Sacramento Rock 'N Roll News. Her BA is in humanities and religious studies. Her work has appeared in Literary Mama and Tattoo Highway. Her short story "Slurp" will appear in Anne Frasier's 2011 Halloween anthology Deadly Treats published by Nodin Press.

AND try your luck here...

Enter to win $100 gift certificate
to Amazon or B&N
courtesy of author
Just answer this question...

Char and Sky were named for:
(all answers can be found in the Lexicon Apocalypto)

a) constellations

b) monsters

c) queens

d) rivers

Answer the question on THIS FORM to win $100 gift certificate (Amazon or B&N) from the Bleeder Blog Tour.


VISIT the next blog stop:

July 12 – Ex Libris

~*~
* part of Bleeder blog tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies

Save My Soul by Zoe Winters

Save My Soul
(A Paranormal Romance: Preternaturals Book 2)
by Zoe Winters

Published: 2011
Publisher: Incubooks
Genre: Demons, Paranormal, Romance
Paperback: 300 pages
Rating: 4

Description from the amazon:
All he’s asking for is her soul.

After buying the antebellum home she’s fantasized about since childhood, Anna Worthington discovers Luc, a dangerously seductive incubus who has been trapped in the house by a fifty-year-old curse. To rid herself of her problem house guest she’ll call on a priest, gypsies, ghost hunters, and the coven of witches from lust bunny hell. All she has to do is resist him long enough to break the spell so they can go their separate ways. If she doesn’t, she could die. And that would be the best case scenario.

Zombie sighting:
She stretched her arms in front of her like a zombie and wandered around the living room making woooo noises.
-location 318, chapter 2

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): bond
I am still new to the demon world and this story was a good way to get them on my good side. Luc is such a sweet demon if demons can be sweet that I found him as irresistible as the main character, Anna.

I should also mention that the demon focus was on an incubus.

ooo, and there is a cool twist in the end that I liked to this paranormal romance.

PeekAbook:

Book Trailer: Save My Soul by: Zoe Winters from Zoe Winters on Vimeo.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author
* part of Save My Soul blog tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies

Tour Schedule

today's blog stop:
June 28 – Paranormal Opinion

Replay by Keira Lea

Replay
by Keira Lea

Published:
Genre: Coming of Age, Time Travel, YA
ebook
Rating: 5

Description from the amazon:
Kelsee Lewis has a new school, a prima donna best friend, and one week to write a hit play. Throw in a self-obsessed mom and an absent executive dad, and it’s no wonder she has panic attacks—complete with time-warp special effects. When Kelsee meets comic book maven Quinn, she realizes the attacks give her the ability to rewind time.

Replaying life seems like the best way to erase mistakes. But will second chances leave Kelsee flailing in the orchestra pit alone?

Zombie sighting:
She turns to converse at the top of her lungs with the zombie standing next to her.
- page 46, chapter Scene One

Series:
Replay
Echo - coming Fall 2011

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): Chronogirl
Very enjoyable coming of age kind of story including coming of special abilities. The time travel element worked for me and kept me interested to the end. I look forward to book two to see how the characters progress.

I also liked the introduction to play writing and theatre production. Got to see aspects all around that are involved in a school play.

The style and format of the book helped with the ambiance. Instead of chapter headings, acts and scenes prefaced the chapters which created a sense of reading a script.

A few references to 80s movies were a treat to see as well ;-D

PeekAbook:



fyi: kindle version is currently available for 99 cents

Or try your luck here...

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A N D
Tour schedule

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

* part of Replay blog tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies

Raven's Kiss by Toni LoTempio

Raven's Kiss
by Toni LoTempio

Published: 2011
Genre: Paranormal, Romance
ebook
Rating: 5

Description from the amazon:
Raven Grace was a college senior with ambitions of a career in law enforcement when she met the demon Aega, whose bite turned her from mortal to Shapeshifter.

Now a member of the Recovery Organization, Raven keeps the peace between humans and errant Hellhounds, trolls, wizards and the like while trying to track down Aega and bring him to justice. After a particularly dicey encounter one night with a Hellhound, she goes to the aid of a girl who’s been attacked and near death—and is amazed to find Aega’s bite mark on the girl’s arm.

Determined to get to the bottom of this, she revisits the victim’s apartment and there discovers her closet is a portal to a parallel universe, where people she knows lead vastly different lives.

She also gets a glimpse of the Recovery Captain there—a six foot, redheaded Scotsman named Finn McPhee, whose sexy accent and even sexier bod sets her senses aflame.

Seeking answers, Finn takes Raven to the magickal underworld, where an ancient fae informs them the demon’s quest is rooted in Scottish mythology and magick.

As they delve deeper into legend, the truth comes to light—Aega is only a pawn, subservient to another, darker demon… a being who knows the truth about Raven’s heritage, and who orchestrated her return to this parallel universe for the ultimate showdown.

Now, Finn and Raven find their passion for one another must take a backseat to Raven’s battle with a dark force who won’t be satisfied until he’s claimed her soul for his very own…

fyi: kindle version is currently 99 cents

Zombie sighting:
Zombie.
I hissed the word. While I'd never actually seen one until now, I'd read enough about them to know they acted mindlessly, and their favorite food of choice was living brains.
-page 241, chapter 21

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): timeband
The parallel alternate universe in this story gives us a double dose of colorful characters that makes this an interesting read all the way to the demon showdown at the end.

The romancing is fun with a bit of banter and light on the schmexy stuff, after all, demon hunting is the priority ;-D

And I like how the title of the book comes into play.

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
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A N D
Tour Schedule

~*~
* read Toni's guest post including these characters

* review copy courtesy of author

* part of SteamPink event and captain wentworth's boating party event

* part of Raven's Kiss blog tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies

The Friday 56: Raven's Kiss

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted at Freda's Voice.

If you want to play along, here are the rules:

Grab a book, any book.
Turn to page 56.
Find any sentence that grabs you.
Post it.
Add your (url) post in the Linky at Freda's Voice.

~*~

Raven's Kiss
by Toni LoTempio
signup to win this book

PAGE 56:

Sighing, I transformed my arm into a snake's coil once again, wrapped it around the object, and brought it down to me.


~*~
* If it's your first time here, WELCOME!
and feel free to signup for my other current giveaways on my sidebar -->

What if You Could Rewind Time? by Keira Lea

a bit o'clockpunk...

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Keira Lea
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
What would you do if you could rewind time? Would you take advantage of a second chance? I thought about this question a lot while writing Replay. A few things came to mind.

First, I would rewind to my freshman year of college. When I was in high school, everyone expected you to go to college, but no one told you what to do when you got there. I ended up on the five-year bachelor's degree plan because I was clueless the first year. Some would argue I was just drunk … on the excitement of being on my own. While we're talking about college, I would go back to that moment I ran my car into my dad's truck as I left to move into the dorm.

I would also rewind to my high school prom, when I tripped on a step and sprained not one but two ankles. I'd go back to the day I decided to walk across an icy sidewalk at school. I'm sure you know how that ended. The next decision I would undo is turning on an unprotected left two months after earning my driver's license. That time, my father's car and my pride sustained a bit more damage.

Let's go back further to the weekend I rode a jetski at the lake for three hours with no sunscreen on my porcelain skin. Or the afternoon at Six Flags I went straight from a lunch of pizza and Dr Pepper to a ride that goes upsidedown. Twice. Oh, and speaking of that visit to Six Flags during a Texas summer? I wore a black T-shirt, a long black skirt, and boots. Sunscreen was a moot point, but heatstroke was not.

What if you could rewind time? Tell me what you would change.

~end

Keira Lea released her debut novel in April 2011. She is a devoted fan of the TV show FRINGE, a card-carrying member of the Apple cult, and a mother to two human children and three feline ones. She is working on a sequel to Replay.

Guest post, What if You Could Rewind Time? was created by Keira Lea author of Replay
© 2011. All rights reserved.

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Keira Lea
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
Read more from Keira...

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
Replay
by Keira Lea
Win a copy of this ebook!

Open to all.

Offer ends: June 26, 2011

TO DO:
What hour is your favorite time?
i.e. 8pm for me

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - winner is here

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

There's more...
Tour schedule

~*~
* image source

* part of the Replay blog tour - check out other stops for more details and goodies about this book

next blog stop:
June 17 – Adventures of A Cautionary Tale

-=+ other punk schedule +=-

postapocapunk

postapocapunk:
where things have settled a bit, is a mashup of the new world and survivals of the old – with dirigibles! -per LK Rigel

Bleeder
A Postapocapunk Romance
(Apocalypto 3)
by LK Rigel
The King of Garrick wants to kill her.
The King of Allel wants to love her.
And shapeshifters stole her baby's soul!

It's been a hundred years since sea-level rise and global nuclear war wiped out most of humanity. Mallory is a chalice, one of the world's rare fertile females who contract with the kings of the Concord Cities to provide natural-born heirs.

It was supposed to be a pampered and easy life, but Mal becomes caught between King Garrick's scheme for world domination and the goddess Asherah's desperate plays for another god's attention.

In her struggle to survive, Mal must confront the most terrifying threat of all -- the truth of her past and the inevitability of her destiny.

NOTE: Bleeder contains sexual content, including graphic scenes. Not recommended for younger readers.

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
Win a copy of this ebook!

Open to those over age 18.

Offer ends: July 31, 2011

TO DO:
Visit LK's site and tell me something you found interesting.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - winner is here

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

~*~
* image source

* part of Bleeder blog tour, July 9 to August 1 - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies

-=+ other punk schedule +=-

Stepping Through Time by Toni LoTempio

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Toni LoTempio
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
STEPPING THROUGH TIME
A Raven Grace/Finn McPhee short short

“Where in blazes are we?”

Raven Grace picked herself up off the grassy terrain and brushed off her leather pants. A gorgeous, green meadow stretched before her, dotted with fragrant flowers. In the distance she could see a crystal blue lake shimmering in the afternoon sun. There was a dock with a large boat tied to it, and she could see people milling about – oddly dressed people, by her standards.

A shadow fell across the lawn, and she glanced over her shoulder with a smile. Finn McPhee, his red locks glinting in the midday sun, came over and laid his hand on her shoulder.

“I’m not quite sure,” he said, his Scottish brogue as thick as ever. He looked around at the surroundings. “When we jumped through the portal after that demon, we knew we might end up somewhere…strange. But I never expected this.”

“Where in blazes are we,” Raven repeated. As members of the Recovery squad, it was their job to chase down errant demons and other denizens of the Underworld who went against the Peace Code – and their abilities to shift back and forth through time, both real and parallel, often made it easier –except when they found themselves in a situation like now.

“It would seem we’ve gone back. And quite a way, too.” Finn squinted as he studied the tableaux by the lake. “Looks like eighteenth century England to me.”

“Good Hades. One of these days we’re gonna have to find a way to control just where we end up – if we can.” Raven glanced down at her clothes, then her gaze traveled to Finn’s tight fitting trousers, and the shirt that seemed molded to every inch of his muscular frame. “Damn demon knew what he was doing, allright. What better place for Justa to hide than a picnic? And with his ability to imitate human form, he’ll blend right in. Lots of people, good food.”

“Looks rather pleasant to me,” observed Finn. He reached for Raven’s hand, held it fast as they stood on the grassy knoll and gave a swift look around. Over to their left, a long table was set up, covered with a white damask tablecloth and heaped with food. To the right was another table, with pitchers of cool lemonade. A group of children played tag over in a small meadow. People were scattered about, in couples or in small groups, picking flowers, reading, laughing. “'Twas a much simpler time, lass,” he murmured.

“You can say that again,” Raven answered, her eyes on a group of girls clustered around a table. It looked as if they were playing a card game. “I like cards,” she said, almost wistfully.

Finn caught the note in her tone and squeezed her arm lightly. “Well, we could try and find some appropriate clothing and join them. Justa’s waited this long, after all.”

She hesitated, obviously tempted, and then shook her head. “Nah- can’t you just picture me in one of those high-waisted dresses? I’d probably trip on the skirt and fall flat on my a—“

Finn stopped her with a kiss. “Oddly, I can picture you. You’d look most charming.”

“You would too. In a greatcoat, though, not a dress.” Raven punched his arm playfully. “It would be nice if our lives could be this simple.”

“Ah, but then all the bad guys would escape, and the world we live in would be a far worse place.” Finn closed his eyes, and Raven remained still, realizing he was reaching out with his mental powers, trying to get a bead on the demon. At last he raised his eyes to hers.

“He was here, but he’s gone,” Finn sighed. “Apparently all this tranquility and charm isn’t Justa’s cup of tea.” He took Raven’s arm. “We’d best be going back through the portal again, Raven. I think, according to the mental image I received, we’ll have to jump a little farther forward – maybe 1900.”

“All right.” She gave another, long, wistful look at the peaceful tableaux before her. “Almost seems a shame to leave it.”

“You don’t have to,” Finn took her hand and they turned to walk back up the hill. “I’ve a few Jane Austen books in my library back home. Immerse yourself in those, and you’ll l be whisked back here in no time.” He touched her lips with his finger. “That’s the beauty of a good book.”

Her lips curved upward and her black eyes danced with merriment. “It’s so like you, Finn. Always trying to improve my culture.”

“One can never read enough classics.”

Raven considered that for a moment, then nodded. “Jane Austen, eh? Well, maybe I’ll try it. And the best part,” she grinned back, “is it’ll be demon free.”

a bit about the author:
Hello!
I’m Toni LoTempio, author of Paranormal Romance/Romantic Suspense/YA Fantasy! I’ve been writing ever since I was old enough to read, when I didn’t like the endings of the stories my mother read me I simply rewrote them ☺ Even though I write mainly in the paranormal genre, I have also written straight horror, as well as contemporary romance/suspense.

In 1995, I joined the staff of SUSABELLA PASSENGERS AND FRIENDS, a pulp magazine for collectors of antique children’s literature (Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, etc.)

Currently I’ve written over 300 articles for that magazine, and I was the first recipient of their Margaret Sutton Award for Distinguished Writing in 1998. I joined the staff of NIGHT OWL REVIEWS IN January 2011 as the suspense reviewer/columnist. My column, DARK STREETS, which features articles on suspense authors and their novels, is featured on a monthly basis. I love to spotlight new talent, so if you’re a suspense author, please contact me!

In 2007, Whiskey Creek Press published BOUND BY BLOOD, a tale of possession, and EBONY, which deals with zombies and the dark side of man. EBONY was #2 on the Fictionwise bestseller list for e-books for the month of July 2007, beating out Stephen King’s Lisey’s Story. (and no one was more shocked than I, LOL) In 2010, after countless attempts to land another agent, I took the advice of a fellow author HP Mallory, and self published NO REST FOR THE WICCA, which has been on Amazon’s list of top one hundred in Occult since March 2011. My short story, THE SACRIFICE, appears in the e-published anthology KISS ME KILL ME, and I also have a YA fantasy, MY SUPERHERO SISTER on B&N and Amazon. A complete listing of my books appears at the end of this bio.

Currently single, I work full time and live in Clifton, NJ, with my muses: Rocco, Maxx, Gata and Trixie. (Rocco is also known as Rocco the SciFi Blogging Cat and has appeared on the SciFi Saturday Night website and radio show, and also on the Kids Need To Read website where he holds the distinction of being the first (and possibly only!) blogging cat to support this charity!)

I love hearing from fans, so please feel free to friend me on FACEBOOK, and visit my website, Rocco and I post daily M-F on his blog.

Toni LoTempio Books:

Bound by Blood – Whiskey Creek Press, trade paperback & e-book, Feb. 2007 (paranormal suspense)

Ebony – Whiskey Creek Press, trade paperback & e-book, July 2007 (paranormal suspense)

Witch’s Pawn – Echelon Press, trade paperback & e-book, December 2008 (horror)

Nom de Plume – Whiskey Creek Press, trade paperback & e-book, November 2008 (contemporary romance)

It’s in the Cards – Whiskey Creek Press, e-book, February 2010 – (paranormal romance)

Out of the Ashes – Whiskey Creek Press, e-book, May 2010 – Fantasy

No Rest for the Wicca – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book, September 2010 – paranormal suspense

My Superhero Sister – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book, Trade Paperback - January 2011 – YA Fantasy

Kiss Me, Kill Me – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book anthology –February 2011 – Short Story, “The Sacrifice”

Raven’s Kiss – Amazon & B&N Pub-It, e-book, & Trade Paperback April, 2011 – Paranormal Romance

~end

Guest post created for captain wentworth's boating party event by Toni LoTempio author of Raven's Kiss
© 2011. All rights reserved.

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by Toni LoTempio
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Meet these characters in...

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
Raven's Kiss
by Toni LoTempio
signup to win this ebook

~*~
* image source seaside

* part of Raven's Kiss blog tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies

next blog stop:
June 10 - Novella Vialli’s Blog

~~~ captain wentworth's boating party schedule ~~~

Crystal Ball Gazing by John G. Hartness

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by John G. Hartness
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Crystal Ball Gazing - The Future of the Book
by John G. Hartness

I attended a panel this weekend at ConCarolinas in Charlotte, NC on “The Future of the Printed Word,” and brought back what I thought were some fascinating ideas. So I figured I’d share them with you, and see what you think the future brings for books as an artifact.

My first caveat - I make the majority of my writing income via e-books. The vast majority. And as a self-published author, my books are typically only available in bookstores as special order, due to the bookstore industry’s return policies. So while I love bookstores, and love browsing in them and the ambience, the vast majority of them won’t stock my books and won’t show me any love. So I will weep fewer tears than many people if Barnes & Noble and Borders shut down massive numbers of stores. Just wanted to get that out there.

One thing that was brought up by Stuart Jaffe of Magical Words, was an idea that I agree with wholeheartedly. Stuart posited that the mass market paperback was one likely victim of the rise of e-books, but that a resurgence of hardcovers may very well occur. Imagine a world where the predominant format of a book isn’t a cheaply made paperback, but a digital file - DRM free - that you can easily move from your phone, to your e-reader, to your PC, to your tablet.

But also living in this world, for those books you love and want to read over and over again and share with friends and have as a piece of art - are hardback books. And not just the cheap pressed-paper hardbacks we’re used to, but beautiful leather-bound editions, books that are special, books that are as artistic on the outside as they are on the inside. That’s where I think things will end up. Just like vinyl is making a comeback in limited edition releases for audiophile (and lovers of full-size album art), books as works of art may well see a resurgence.

I think there’s no doubt that the e-book will be the predominant format in which reading material is consumed. It just logically follows the historical pattern. The iPod killed the CD. Streaming video killed the DVD. And the e-book will kill the paperback. But please note that nothing has killed the story.

I hear a lot of people say “I love the smell of a book.” I tend to ask those people if they have mold. Really, kids? You love the smell of a book, or you love the feeling of reading because it takes you back to a time when you felt safe, and you have a sense memory of those times? Be honest.

Like I said, I love bookstores. And what I see for bookstores is great for real bibliophiles, and bad for wage slaves in corporate America. Because I do see big bookstore chains folding or morphing into something unrecognizable as a bookstore. But I see independent bookstores making a comeback.

Just like music lovers prefer their indie record store to Best Buy, book lovers will have to go somewhere for educated recommendations and to get those limited edition hardcovers. And have a cup of coffee and talk about books with people. And swipe a card at the register and have the Espresso book machine in the corner print whatever you want to buy on demand while you wait.

Yeah, those machines are real, and are in use in a few places already. They’re not quite ready for prime time yet, but once they are, indie bookstores can focus their inventory much more narrowly, and then just print off whatever the customer wants that isn’t in stock. Then your indie bookstore comes back with a vengeance, because while you’re waiting for the new James Patterson to print, they can recommend you to the new John Hartness vampire novel that they just know you’ll love.

So yeah, the world is changing rapidly. And all this is my speculation, because none of us knows where it’s going. But I promise you one thing - I’ll be here with my books in some form or another to see what it looks like when the world finishes changing.

A bit about the author:


John G. Hartness is a recovering theatre geek who likes loud music, fried pickles and cold beer. He’s been published or accepted online in several journals including The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, cc&d, Deuce Coupe and Truckin’.

His first novel, The Chosen, is an urban fantasy about saving the world, snotty archangels, gambling, tattooed street preachers, immortals with family issues, bar brawls and the consequences of our decisions.

He followed up The Chosen with Hard Day’s Knight, a new twist on the vampire detective novel and the first in a planned series of at least five books. The second book of The Black Knight Chronicles, Back in Black, landed in March 2011 and has enjoyed immediate success.

John has been called “the Kevin Smith of Charlotte,” and fans of Joss Whedon and Jim Butcher should enjoy his snarky slant on the fantasy genre. His next novel, Knight Moves (Black Knight Chronicles Vol. 3) is due out in the summer of 2011.

He can be found online at www.johnhartness.com and spends too much time on Twitter, especially after a few drinks.

~end

Guest post by John G. Hartness author of Hard Day's Knight
© 2011. All rights reserved.

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by John G. Hartness
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--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
Hard Day's Knight
by John G. Hartness - my review
signup to win this ebook

A N D
Tour Schedule

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* part of Hard Day's Knight blog tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies

next blog stop:
June 9 – Secrets of A Book Lover

PeekAbook: Save My Soul

Save My Soul
(A Paranormal Romance: Preternaturals Book 2)
by Zoe Winters
kindle version is currently $4.95

Description from the amazon:
All he’s asking for is her soul.

After buying the antebellum home she’s fantasized about since childhood, Anna Worthington discovers Luc, a dangerously seductive incubus who has been trapped in the house by a fifty-year-old curse. To rid herself of her problem house guest she’ll call on a priest, gypsies, ghost hunters, and the coven of witches from lust bunny hell. All she has to do is resist him long enough to break the spell so they can go their separate ways. If she doesn’t, she could die. And that would be the best case scenario.

PeekAbook:



Book Trailer: Save My Soul by: Zoe Winters from Zoe Winters on Vimeo.

a bit about the author:
Zoe Winters writes quirky and sometimes dark paranormal romance. She lives with her husband and two cats, and her favorite colors are rainbow and clear. To learn more, please visit http://www.zoewinters.org or her blog

Tour Schedule

next blog stop:
June 9 – Romancing The Darkside

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* part of Save My Soul blog tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies

Hard Day's Knight by John G. Hartness

Hard Day's Knight
by John G. Hartness

Published: 2010
Publisher: CreateSpace
Genre: Mystery, Vampires, Zombies
Paperback: 196 pages
Rating: 5

Description from the amazon:
In the first volume of The Black Knight Chronicles, detectives Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood investigate a series of mysterious disappearances with the help of the friend, Father Mike.

The investigation is hampered by interference from the police, a dozen marauding zombies, a middle-aged necromancer, and the fact that our heroes can only look for clues by night.

Because they're vampires.

Vampire detectives kicking zombie butt all over town, what could be better?

Amusing quote:
People think being a private detective is all fast cars and loose women, but it's mostly divorce photos (not even the hot ones) and paperwork. Of course, people think being a vampire is all seductive glances and string quartets, and they never think about blood-in-a- bag and SPF ten million.
- page 67, chapter 14

The Black Knight Chronicles:
Hard Day's Knight
Back in Black
Knight Moves - due Summer 2011
book 4 - tba
book 5 - tba

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): mojo
Hilarious. This is not a comedy but the banter and feel of the story kept me smiling throughout.

The main characters are young vampires (not your usual 100+ year olds) and the story revolves around modern day dork types (not your usual hunky schmexy emo vamps).

I had a good time following along with this vampire detective duo. Looking forward to more investigations with them.

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
signup to win this ebook

~*~
* review copy courtesy of author

* read John's guest post, Crystal Ball Gazing

* part of Fairy Tales in Bruges (the sequel) event

* also part of Hard Day's Knight blog tour - visit other stops for more details and goodies about this book

Fairgrounds: Raven's Kiss

As we approach the exhibit hall, we notice certain people in the crowd - like shapeshifters...

Raven's Kiss
by Toni LoTempio
Description from the amazon:
Raven Grace was a college senior with ambitions of a career in law enforcement when she met the demon Aega, whose bite turned her from mortal to Shapeshifter.

Now a member of the Recovery Organization, Raven keeps the peace between humans and errant Hellhounds, trolls, wizards and the like while trying to track down Aega and bring him to justice. After a particularly dicey encounter one night with a Hellhound, she goes to the aid of a girl who’s been attacked and near death—and is amazed to find Aega’s bite mark on the girl’s arm.

Determined to get to the bottom of this, she revisits the victim’s apartment and there discovers her closet is a portal to a parallel universe, where people she knows lead vastly different lives.

She also gets a glimpse of the Recovery Captain there—a six foot, redheaded Scotsman named Finn McPhee, whose sexy accent and even sexier bod sets her senses aflame.

Seeking answers, Finn takes Raven to the magickal underworld, where an ancient fae informs them the demon’s quest is rooted in Scottish mythology and magick.

As they delve deeper into legend, the truth comes to light—Aega is only a pawn, subservient to another, darker demon… a being who knows the truth about Raven’s heritage, and who orchestrated her return to this parallel universe for the ultimate showdown.

Now, Finn and Raven find their passion for one another must take a backseat to Raven’s battle with a dark force who won’t be satisfied until he’s claimed her soul for his very own…

fyi: kindle version is currently 99 cents

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
Win a copy of this ebook!

Open to all.

Offer ends: June 26, 2011

TO DO:
Visit Toni's blog and leave her a comment.

Come back here and tell me where you did the deed.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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There's more...

Tour Schedule

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* image source palace

* read Toni's guest post including these characters

* also part of Raven's Kiss blog tour visit other tour stops to learn more about this book

next stop on the tour:
June10 : Breathing Books

!^^ SteamPink schedule ^^!

Vampire Relationship Guide by Evelyn LaFont

Vampire Relationship Guide
Meeting & Mating, Volume 1
by Evelyn LaFont

Just released: March 2011
Publisher: Helios Media, Inc.
Genre: Novella, Vampires
ebook
Rating: 4

Description from the amazon:
Josie wants what she’s never been able to have—sex with a vampire. When she receives an invitation to a party thrown by one of the world’s richest vamps, she doesn’t stop to question her luck; she just jumps into her favorite stilettos and heads out to the event of a lifetime, secretly hoping that she’ll come home with a party favor in the shape of a sexy coffin dweller.

But the great undead, much to Josie’s chagrin, aren’t just pale sexbots with pointy teeth waiting to satisfy her carnal desires—they are dangerous…and sometimes cranky. With a single-minded focus on fulfilling her sole sexual longing, Josie unwittingly entrenches herself in the twisted and sometimes antagonistic world of vampire relationships with no one to guide her, but herself.

Zombie sighting:
Like zombies, brides have one thing on their mind.
- page 26, chapter 6

Series:
Meeting and Mating, Volume 1
Volume 2: tba

PeekAbook:



My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): datable male vampire
By the title you can guess there are a couple hot scenes, but what makes this story fun is the banter.

~*~
* read in interview with Evelyn and signup to win this ebook

* review copy courtesy of author

* part of The Bookish Snob -Blog Tour: Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume 1 by Evelyn LaFont

Vampire Relationship Guide: Interview

Getting down to some nitty-gritty vampireliciousness...

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by Evelyn LaFont
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Do your vampires sparkle?

No, other than the odd twinkle in an eyeball, no sparkling occurs in this book. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Which vampire character in literature or film inspire you to write about vampires?

I was really inspired by the whole paranormal romance genre. I love the Southern Vampire Mysteries, Casa Dracula, Nice Girls and many other PNR series.

What is another paranormal creature you would select to write a relationship guide for?

I gotta go with the weres on this one. But to be honest, I’d love to create guides for every creature. Demons, mermen, angels, fae—all of them!

How did you come up with the idea to write a relationship guide?

I was taking a fiction writing course and for one of the assignments, was working on a satirical magazine article about breaking up with your vampire boyfriend. While working on it, I started thinking about how many PNR books stay away from the practicalities of dating a vampire, and I realized how funny it would be to actually talk about them.

Can you tell us a little bit about Josie? What do you think makes her such a relatable character?

Josie is relatable because she’s human. She’s fallible, she can’t kick anyone’s ass, she isn’t afraid to speak her mind—but she also isn’t afraid to admit when she’s wrong. I think she’s relatable because she isn’t cartoony, she’s “real.”

Any juicy insights you can share about Gregory and Walker? What makes these sexy vamps tick?

Hmmm, well, Gregory is focused on power. He likes having it and exerting it, but he’s old enough to know how to exert his power without mere mortals knowing he is. Walker…Walker is motivated by honesty and reality, and yet—he is a bad boy. It’s an interesting mix.

If you had to choose what scene was your favorite, which would it be and why?

This is a hard one, and it actually changes based on my mood on a particular day. Today my favorite scene is when Josie gets home after spending the night with someone and finds she has an unexpected house guest.

There are so many kinds of vampires out there – which would you most like to “hook up” with?

This is another one of those questions which will have a different answer on a different day. If my husband were to answer this question for me, I bet he’d say, “One like Eric Northman.” And, okay, I’m not saying he’s wrong… but to be honest, I’m not sure I can handle that level of sexual intensity. That whole serious, growly, eye contact thing—I can’t. I like laughter mixed with confidence and desire more than anything. I think Ian from the Casa Dracula series might have the best combination of all things.

What can we expect from Josie in the future? Any sneak peeks?

Josie has now been irrevocably pulled from the comfort of her predictable life. Josie may not be well-learned, but she is adaptable. So expect to see her become more exposed to the real world around her and to adapt to that exposure in her typical Josie way.

What other plans do you have with writing?

I have another PNR series planned as well as a chick lit zombie novel. Who knows what I’ll come up with after that :-)

If you could leave one piece of advice to all those seeking the lovin’ of a good vampire, what would it be?

I’ve been with my husband since I was 19, so I’m the last person you want to look to for singles advice! I’d tell you to put your hair up in your best scrunchy with your favorite plaid flannel shirt, crank up the new Extreme album and mosh pit your way to love. And man, that is just not timely advice.

~end

Interview post created for Blog Tour of Vampire Relationship Guide, Meeting & Mating, Volume 1 by Evelyn LaFont
© 2011. All rights reserved.


Evelyn Lafont is an author and freelance writer with an addiction to Xanax and a predilection for snark. Her debut novella, The Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume 1: Meeting and Mating is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.

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by Evelyn LaFont
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next stop on this tour: Reading Between The Wines Book Club

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Vampire Relationship Guide
Meeting & Mating, Volume 1
by Evelyn LaFont
--~ Book Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
signup to win this book at these blog stops

April 18 –The Wyld Hollow
April 29 – Book Lover’s Hideaway
May 4 – Ramblings Of A Chaotic Mind
May 7 – The Bookish Snob
May 10 – P.S. I Love Books
May 11 – A Chick Who Reads
May 13 – Getting Naughty Between The Stacks
May 14 – Poisoned Rationality
May 15 – Romance Book Junkies
May 16 - Author Evelyn

View the complete tour schedule here

Giveaways from other sites:
Weblog of Zoe Winters

visit Evelyn on May 16!

~*~
* part of The Bookish Snob -Blog Tour: Vampire Relationship Guide, Volume 1 by Evelyn LaFont

Trouble With Spells by Lacey Weatherford

Trouble With Spells
by Lacey Weatherford

Published: March 2011
Publisher: Global Authors Publishers
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, YA
Paperback: 246 pages
Rating: 4

Description from Smashwords:
Portia Mullins had always lived the life of a normal teenager, up until her sixteenth birthday. She is then informed by her grandma that she is actually a witch who is a descendant from a long line of witches and warlocks.

After overcoming her disbelief she finds that being a member of the coven comes with one great perk in the form of the school's handsome bad boy, Vance Mangum.

Vance and Portia have an immediate connection as a budding romance begins, only to be threatened by turbulent skies on the horizon as Vance's checkered past rears its ugly head to haunt them.

Portia is forced to use her untried powers in defense of everything she loves in a desperate attempt to hold on to the one thing that really matters in her life.

Amusing quote:
"Well, paint me purple and call me stupid," I muttered in complete amazement.
- location 916, chapter 5

Series:
The Trouble With Spells
The Demon Kiss
Blood Of The White Witch

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): ahh, young love
This was a nice start for a YA witch series. We are introduced to this witch world along with the main character, Portia, as she learns of her powers.

Portia and Vance make for such a lovey dovey couple. But what gets interesting with their relathionship is the twist at the end.

--~ Kindle Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
signup to win

~*~
* review copy courtesy of blog tour

* part of The Bookish Snob -Blog Tour: The Trouble With Spells by Lacey Weatherford