ASTROLOGY FUN BASICS with mini VIDEOS
for
Sunday, March 31, 2019
DEVIL'S DEN and DEVIL'S DANCE by Jeff Altabef
A former spy with a dark secret and a past he can’t outrun. A mysterious cult that steals beautiful teenagers. A looming battle between the forces of light and dark, and the girl who drags them into the middle of it all.
D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review,
says, “Readers who enjoy an injection of the supernatural
rather than a story based entirely on otherworldly forces will
appreciate just the right blend of paranormal tension and intrigue that
bring this thriller to life…. [A] vivid, winning tale of a former
couple’s confrontation with themselves, each other, and a wider-ranging
threat that grabs the reader from the beginning and proves nearly
impossible to put down. Thriller audiences will find Devil’s
Den more than a notch above others in the genre.”
[Pick of the Month – September 2018] WINNER: Pinnacle Book Achievement Award – Summer 2018 – Best Thriller Steven Cabbott sees demons, and has even had to fight a few. That might have something to do with his past. His mother killed his father when Steven was young, claiming he was a demon. He figured she was nuts. Now he’s not so certain. Sixteen years of silence between Steven and Kate, the love of his life, end with a cryptic one-word message: Help! A mysterious cult has kidnapped Kate’s teenaged daughter. Steven risks everything to save the young woman, but he’s caught in a fight between forces much larger than he can imagine. Can he overcome his own demons to save Kate’s daughter, or will they both fall victim to the Devil’s Den?
Buy on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited
An amazing new technology engineered to make people smarter,
a series of gruesome murders, and a mystery so dark, it threatens
everyone.
I’m a Nephilim, born of a fallen angel father and a human mother. This
makes me special in ways I don’t fully comprehend yet.
A war is brewing between angels and demons, and like it or not, we’ll
all have to choose sides. I’ve chosen the side of angels, a curious
decision for me, not only because I’m a killer, but because I enjoy
killing. Still, an angel promised me that redemption is possible—even
for me—and he needed warriors on his side. Did he tell me the truth? I
hope so, but who can I trust?
In a small, sleepy, tourist town, an old friend asks me to help solve a
series of gruesome murders that have been plaguing the town, but these
aren’t just random crimes. Somehow, they’re connected to this war
between angels and demons. I prefer working alone, not having to worry
about others, but I team up with a self-described anti-technology
hooligan, and a beautiful bartender I immediately fall for. If only they
knew what I know. The foe we’re facing is way more powerful than
anything they can imagine.
I must solve the mystery before it’s too late, because I’m certain of
this one thing: everyone’s soul is at stake.
Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited
Jeff Altabef lives in New York with his wife, two daughters, and Charlie the dog. He spends time volunteering at the writing center in the local community college. After years of being accused of “telling stories,” he thought he would make it official. He writes in both the thriller and young adult genres. Fourteenth Colony, a political thriller, was his debut novel. Shatter Point, a thriller, published by Evolved Publishing was his second novel. It won the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Best Thrill
Clancy Tucker's Blog: 1 April 2019 - SUBMERGED GONDOLA IN THE BALTIC SEA...
Clancy Tucker's Blog: 1 April 2019 - SUBMERGED GONDOLA IN THE BALTIC SEA...: SUBMERGED GONDOLA IN THE BALTIC SEA G'day folks, Located on the Isle of Usedom in Zinnowitz, Germany, what lo...
A to Z STARTS MONDAY APRIL 1st, 2019
ASTROLOGY is my THEME. Fun Basics, in short Video form be sure to visit every day.
Chutes and Ladder: A Silicon Valley Mystery by Marc Jedel
Excerpt
of Chutes
and Ladder: A Silicon Valley Mystery by Marc Jedel
Marty
Golden, protagonist in the Silicon Valley
Mystery series, is known for his outstanding attention to detail, but
sometimes his powers of self-delusion overwhelm even him.
Here’s an excerpt
from Chutes
and Ladder. Readers can also get the first chapter free for any of my
novels by signing up for my mailing list at www.marcjedel.com.
…
After a few minutes, I felt
someone staring at me but noticed no one nearby looking at me. I’ve never
understood how you could feel a stare. Was that some remnant of powers from
long-ago human evolution that had faded? What other superpowers had we lost?
Were we ever able to fly? I got excited about this possibility and almost
mentioned it to Meghan until I felt the stare again.
Wary, I glanced to the side. A
person painted all in gold was staring at me while he stood like a statue
outside a store named Southern Treasures. I stared back, careful not to blink.
Performers like him entertain the crowds by freezing long enough for a new fool
to walk by before scaring them with a sudden movement. I was not going to be
that fool. Not today, at least.
I couldn’t hold it any longer. I
blinked. This guy was good. He hadn’t moved or blinked in over a minute, unless
he timed his blink for right when I did.
“Why are you staring at that
mannequin?” Meghan leaned over me to get a better look.
Startled, I double-checked that
she was looking at the same thing. “Are you sure that’s a mannequin? It looks
like a real person painted in gold.”
Meghan
scoffed. “It’s missing ears.”
Dead friend. Free fall. Girl Scouts. Can Uncle Marty untangle the mystery before things really get out of control?
Juggling a budding relationship, demanding job, and mischievous nieces, Marty Golden struggled to keep his head above water — even before his friend’s death. Trying his best to be a good boyfriend and fun uncle, Marty had his own ideas for the weekend until his cunning sister tricked him again.
Convinced his friend’s death was no accident, Marty tries to summon superhero powers but merely manages to bumble along as an amateur sleuth. When Marty’s cousin shows up, she wreaks havoc with his plans and pulls him into yet another mystery.
As threats blossom, Marty doubles down now that his family’s involved. Besides, it’s poor manners to let your friend’s death go unsolved.
Can Marty figure out what happened before a killer, or his imagination, gets to him?
Chutes and Ladder is the second novel in a refreshingly modern mystery series set in Silicon Valley. If you like clever humor and wacky side characters, you’ll love this twisty mystery.
For most of my life, I’ve been inventing stories. Some, especially when I was young, involved my sister as the villain. As my sister’s brother for her entire life, I’m highly qualified to tell the tale of this evolving, quirky sibling relationship.
My writing skills were honed in years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley. While my high tech marketing roles involved crafting plenty of fiction, we called these marketing collateral, emails and ads.
The publication of my first novel, Uncle and Ants, gave me permission to claim “author” as my job. This leads to way more interesting discussions than answering “marketing.”
My family would tell you that Marty’s character isn’t much of a stretch of the imagination for me, but I proudly resemble that remark.
Like Marty, I live in Silicon Valley and can’t believe that otherwise normal people would willingly jump out of an airplane and call it fun. Unlike Marty, I have a wonderful wife and a neurotic but sweet, small dog, who is often the first to weigh in on the humor in my writing.
Author Links
- Email: marc@marcjedel.com
- Website: www.marcjedel.com
- FaceBook: www.facebook.com/MarcJedel.Author
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mjedel/
- GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/18403497.Marc_Jedel
- BookBub: www.bookbub.com/profile/marc-jedel
Friday, March 29, 2019
DEFINED by OTHERS new reviews on NetGalley
How can I request they visit AMAZON
Cristie U, Reviewer ☆☆☆☆
Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in. |
Edna G, Reviewer ☆☆☆☆
Dang, This was seriously some harsh stuff to deal. I enjoyed and it shows what Facebook can do.
THE WILD IN HER EYES a Novel by Karina Giörtz
Chapter One
WRONGS TO BE RIGHTED
The damp earth gave way under her feet and her palms landed in the brush and dirt to catch her. Rather than stop to find her footing, she dug in her fingers and clawed herself forward until her feet found the ground again beneath her. She stumbled breathless through the dark and willed her eyes to adjust to the black of night but feared what they might find there.
Nothing ahead could be worse than what I left behind, she thought. She held tight to this naïve thought. All her seventeen years may have been sheltered and filled with lavish luxuries like those only her father’s kind of wealth could provide, but she’d seen the chasm between the world her parents had created and the one beyond their fancy colonial home, built on a hill overlooking the heart of her hometown, or the extravagant parties and her exceptional schooling. She’d always been grateful to live life on her side of the divide, free of financial strain and societal struggles, far removed from the filth and unsavory sort that roamed the streets at night, begging for a handout they’d only have squandered away again come morning. Always, until tonight. There would be no going back. Her survival depended on traveling deeper into this dark night, uprooting herself from all that she knew was the only way to stay alive. Beyond that, nothing was certain anymore.
As the heels of her boots stuck in the mud and her dress dragged along the ground, catching on brambles and ripping to shreds, whispers of nightmares still ahead hissed in her ears. She clutched at the branches that scraped her skin and she pulled herself onward. She was sure that by now he most certainly knew she was gone. There was no telling how quickly he would discover how she’d successfully escaped.
She pulled the worn wool coat tighter around her to insulate against the cold chill sweeping through the forest. A thick woven belt replaced most of the coat’s buttons, lost from years of use. She wrapped the sides of the long, rough material so it overlapped across her stomach and then retied the belt tighter without slowing down. She kept moving forward, but her thoughts drifted back to the woman who’d wrapped her in this coat. She and the woman, her housekeeper, had exchanged every article of clothing they both wore that night. She’d shed her gown of rose-colored satin and hand-stitched details, along with her polished white boots, and put on an olive day dress and shoes with hole-riddled soles and frayed black laces, one thicker than the other. She might have been stripped of her past tonight, but it was the other woman who’d paid the greatest price. She had sacrificed her future.
The wind burned her skin raw as tears smeared her cheeks. She hardly noticed the painful friction her hands caused as she swiped at her face. Somewhere in the distance she heard the howl of dogs. Her breath caught in her throat at the sound of the hounds, as bloodthirsty as their owner. She knew they were tracking her. She had prepared for this moment. Her shaky hands moved for the pocket sewn into the side of the dress as she silently begged her thundering heart to quiet, certain the dogs could hear the panic pounding in her chest. Her fingers searched the linen pouch until they closed over the cold, slick, raw beef and flung it far out to the right of her. She didn’t wait to hear it land. A cold sweat rushed down the crease of her back as her eyes stayed locked on the night sky and her legs kept running over the uneven terrain. Follow the North Star, she remembered. It would lead her to the water.
The creek was small and shallow enough to wade across, but the current was strong enough to cut the scent of her trail. It was a better way to outsmart the hounds than the meat she’d used to distract them. It would buy her time, but not much of it.
Her own panting rushed in her ears as she struggled for breath. Her lungs cinched from the icy air. Adrenaline pumped through her in almost unbearable surges of energy, making it difficult to control her body’s movements. The sounds of water lapping over the rocks along the shore went unheard until she held her breath to listen for the dogs again. Relief tingled through her in waves as she parted the brush with her arms and turned her slender body sideways to pass through. She was almost there now. Almost free. Just a few more feet and she’d be in the creek, washing away her trail and making herself invisible to the night and the monsters hiding within it—those on this side of the water, at least.
The sandy bank of the small river was softer than she’d expected and so she stumbled. Her hands landed under her and shards of small rocks dug deep into her palms, slicing her soft skin. She swallowed the pain and let it land in the pit of her stomach with all the rest of her accumulated hurt. The whole of it twisted in her gut like knives through her abdomen. Teeth gritted, she locked her jaw and forced down all that threatened to overtake her, until the numbness spread and she could feel nothing—nothing except the cold of the water rushing alongside her calves, then moving up around her thighs, until she passed the deepest point of the creek and waded through the dark, waist-high water. It silently coaxed her body to sync with the current and disappear forever in the flow of the creek. She was tempted to surrender and be free of this night and all the terrors that would live inside her mind forever after. Her eyes closed. She let her ankle give way to the current’s force. Until she heard
it. Her housekeeper’s voice rang in her ears, an echo of words lingering inside her. “You make this right. Whatever wrong comes of this night, you go out there, and you live, and you make it right.”
The sole of her boot kicked hard into the rocky ground beneath her, sending a dull ache through her heel. It felt good. It felt alive. In that pain she knew there would be no giving in to the current tonight. Not ever. Not when the cost of her freedom had been paid by another. She owed it to her housekeeper, to her father, and to herself to stay alive, to keep moving, to make things right, no matter how long it took.
The water began to sway around her, gliding past the curve of her body as if it understood somehow that it would not claim her. Her passage grew easier with every inch that moved her closer to the opposite shore. The cold slipped down her hips and past her knees until it pooled only around her ankles. She felt the squish of water inside her boots as they found dry land. She’d imagined herself collapsing from exhaustion as a false sense of security settled over her after crossing the creek, but she felt neither tired nor weak as she placed one foot in front of the other on the bank, with her shoulders straight, chest out, and head high. There would be no trace left for the dogs to find. There would be no trace left of her at all.
CONTINUE TO READ HERE
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Dawn of a Legend R.K. Lander (The Silvan, #3)
Dawn of a Legend
R.K. Lander
(The Silvan, #3)
Publication date: May 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Book three in The Silvan, a best-selling series by award-winning author R.K. Lander. “Page-turning epic fantasy you will not be able to put down.”
A past to claim
A power to wield
A destiny to fulfil
To the enemy, Fel’annár is just a half-blood bastard, but to the Silvan people, he is their crownless warrior prince. Returning from battle in the mountains, he grieves for one who was lost, a death that triggers a mystery Fel’annár and his company of chosen brothers must unravel. But why do the trees speak of a beautiful monster?
Fel’annár will learn the ways of the Kah Warrior from a legendary commander while facing the disdain of another who struggles to accept this ‘ignoble son’ for who he is, not for what he represents. Meanwhile, Fel’annár’s royal half-brother reveals a plan to restore the Great Forest to its past splendour of multi-cultural harmony. But the Forest is falling apart under the final onslaught of a ruthless traitor and the Silvan people are turning away from their ruler. Can Fel’annár come to understand what role he must play in this plan before it is too late? Can the brothers put aside their resentment towards each other for tearing their families apart and learn to trust one another? Can love prosper in the midst of battle and hardship as dark enemies converge on the Motherland?
Danger lies in wait for an elf who is slowly coming to terms with his heritage, learning to wield a natural ability and accepting the nature of his unfolding destiny.
The greatest warriors of their time will come together once more—in the name of justice. In the name of love.
Start your Silvan adventure today!
Book One: Path of a Novice
Book Two: Road of a Warrior (Best Indie Book Award winner 2018)
Book Three: Dawn of a Legend – coming soon
Book Four: Rise of a Warlord – 2020
Previous books in the series:
Author Bio:
I write epic fantasy for adults. I love battles, warriors, great adventures - elves, monsters and generally weird things, but above all, I love a good story with compelling characters.
My first project is The Silvan Series, with book three, Dawn of a Legend ready to launch April 2019. I hope you'll enjoy my stories and perhaps click the 'follow' button. And I would love to see you over at rklander.com. You'll find some story extras there and freebie if you're interested.
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
SUBMERGED by bestselling author PAULINE CREEDEN is free MARCH 27-31 2019
Submerged by Pauline Creeden
Mermaids can be cruel creatures.
I couldn’t stop them from hurting her, but I couldn’t let them destroy her, no matter what they did to me. The moment I heard the bottom feeder had been chosen for the reckoning, my heart sank. Had I been discovered for what I truly was? Years of pretending I was just like everyone else could all have been for naught. But then I heard it was Verona, and my blood ran cold.
Why was I surprised?
I shouldn’t have been. I’d stood by and watched her ridiculed since we were younglings. I was never as brave or as unselfish as she was. But today, I would be.
Free on Amazon March 27 - 31
Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Pauline Creeden is USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of inventive and inspirational stories, entwining real-world problems with fantasy characters. She spends most of her day caring for the many animals around the horse farm and mentoring kids in horsemanship. Still, she finds time to play Pokemon and binge on Kdramas.
Her debut novel, Sanctuary, won 1st Place Christian YA Title 2013 Dante Rosetti Award and 2014 Reader's Choice Gold Award for Best YA Horror Novel. Chronicles of Steele Raven won the 2015 Grace Award and IndieBrag Medallion. Unshaken hit #22 on the USA Today Bestseller list as a part of the Murder and Mayhem Limited edition Boxed set in November 2017. Caught in the Current hit #89 on the USA Today Bestseller list as part of the Sirens & Scales Boxed set in January 2018. Last Escape hit #149 on the USA Today Bestseller list as part of the Empires of Shadow and Ash boxed set in June 2018. Of Water and Blood hit #107 on the USA Today Bestseller list as a part of the Shades of Fae boxed set in July 2018.
The Last Wingman Daisy Prescott (Wingmen #6)
Publication date: March 7th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
The Last Wingman is a standalone enemies to lovers romance.
Jonah Kingston is the last wingman standing.
June Moxee doesn’t care if he’s the last man on earth.
I haven’t exactly avoided relationships, but love has never been a priority. Solitude doesn’t bother me and being alone doesn’t mean being lonely. Until she moved to the island and I had to reconsider everything.
June seems content running her yarn shop, knitting with the local church ladies, and avoiding me. She’s a temptress in a hand-knit sweater. And for some reason, she’s not a fan of mine. It might be the tattoos. Or the beard. Or the fact that we’re polar opposites.
A woman has finally caught my attention. Too bad she thinks she hates me. Good thing I’m stubborn enough to try to change her mind.
Now on Kindle Unlimited!
—
EXCERPT:
An old-fashioned brass bell jingles when I open the door to June’s store. The narrow space is made even tighter by the floor-to-ceiling cubbies that line the two long walls. In the back of the store, a picture window frames a view of Saratoga Passage like a painting.Tucked in the corner near the window is a comfy-looking wingback chair, and next to it, an oversized basket filled with balls of yarn. The shop is cozy and feminine, comfortable like a sweet grandmother’s house.
A grandmother who listens to “Sex and Candy” on low volume.
Not what I was expecting.
“Hello?” I call from my spot near the door. There’s no sign of June or anyone else inside. Double-checking the door for a Be back soon note and not seeing one, I step farther into the space. “Hello?”
A soft thump followed by more thumps comes from the desk area. Metallic pings and something heavy hitting the floor precedes a feminine voice yelping “Ouch” and “Fuck!”
June doesn’t seem like the type to drop f-bombs. Maybe she’s hired a ’90s-music-loving teenager with a foul mouth.
“Everything okay?” I follow the noise to the partially open door near the register.
“Fine. Fine! Nothing to see here! I’ll be with you in a second. Thanks for your patience.” What sounds like rapid-fire beanbags hitting a cornhole board contradicts her words.
As I see it, I have two options. I can ignore whatever is going on inside the closet and wait, or I can ignore her lie and step in to help.
I go with the second choice.
Swinging the door open, I’m greeted with a scene of colorful chaos. A box balances on its side on the edge of a high shelf, most of its contents now on the floor around June’s feet. She’s keeping the box aloft with both hands, but doesn’t have the height to shove it back into position.
“Here, let me help you.” I step into the small space behind her and reach above her head to stabilize the cardboard container before she ends up concussed.
“I don’t need your help.” Reluctantly, she releases her grip.
“Okay.” Disappointed and a little hurt by her obvious annoyance at my presence, I give the corner a final shove to guarantee we’re out of danger. “You’re welcome.”
“I said I was fine.” Continuing to face the shelves, she doesn’t turn her head to speak to me. In fact, she sounds downright angry.
“Got it. Well, I’ll get out of your way.” Resigned, I decide to abandon my mission and retreat to the safety of my own business, both literally and figuratively.
What happens next is more her fault than mine. Had she used a step stool and not tipped the box over, there wouldn’t be balls of yarn strewn across the floor, creating a minefield. Easily-tripped-over round objects that cause me to lose my balance and reach for the closest available thing to stop myself from landing on my ass.
Unfortunately, I grab June by the waist, surprising her. She’s not prepared to act as my anchor. Unstable, we both stumble backward.
Lucky for June, I break her fall. Unlucky for me, she lands on top of me.
We’ve never even hugged before this moment. I think we might have shaken hands once when Dan introduced us, but the memory isn’t clear. There wasn’t an electric shock when we first touched or met eyes, no love-at-first-sight zings upon initial contact—unlike now when my body is on high alert that we’re not only touching but lying flush against each other.
“I’m so sorry!” June wiggles, her movement drawing my attention to her clothes. How did I not notice she’s wearing a full skirt made of thin material? My imagination easily erases its existence altogether.
“Don’t apologize. This was completely my fault.” My words come out a grunt as I try to catch my breath.
My hands still grip her waist, making this position more awkward by the second. Unbidden, my fingers flex against her softness. Bad idea. Feeling my dick thicken, I tell myself not to move, not to even breathe. Oxygen is overrated.
Shifting on top of me, she bends her knees and gets her feet under her enough to stand up in a single, ninja-quick movement. Instead of waiting for me to stand or extending a hand to help me, she exits through the door and closes it behind her.
I’m left sprawled out on the floor, balls of yarn and possibly a needle poking me in the back. “No good deed goes unpunished,” I mutter to myself as I scramble to my feet. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
Author Bio:
USA Today Bestselling Author Daisy Prescott writes romantic comedies about real love.
Love with Altitude, Daisy's new series of standalone Rom Coms, is set in the mountains of Colorado. The Wingmen books star regular guys who often have beards, drive trucks, and love deeply once they fall. Modern Love Stories feature characters in their thirties and forties finding and rediscovering love in unexpected and humorous ways.
Born and raised in San Diego, Daisy currently lives in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with her husband, their rescue dog, Mulder, and an imaginary house goat. When not writing about herself in the third person, Daisy can be found traveling, gardening, baking, or lost in a good book.
The Last Wingman Daisy Prescott (Wingmen #6)
The Last Wingman is a standalone enemies to lovers romance.Jonah Kingston is the last wingman standing.
June Moxee doesn’t care if he’s the last man on earth.I haven’t exactly avoided relationships, but love has never been a priority. Solitude doesn’t bother me and being alone doesn’t mean being lonely. Until she moved to the island and I had to reconsider everything.June seems content running her yarn shop, knitting with the local church ladies, and avoiding me. She’s a temptress in a hand-knit sweater. And for some reason, she’s not a fan of mine. It might be the tattoos. Or the beard. Or the fact that we’re polar opposites.A woman has finally caught my attention. Too bad she thinks she hates me. Good thing I’m stubborn enough to try to change her mind.
Find love at Simoneaux Bayou, where the romance is just as spicy as the food.
Olivia Hardin's Lost Along the Way
(Love & Found Book 2)
releases today!
Find love at Simoneaux Bayou, where the romance is just as spicy as the food.
Grab your copy here and enter to win--------> HERE
Blurb:
Can coming home be a second chance for lost love? Javi: Papa always told me I should shoot for the stars. I'm a dreamer, and I always had great big plans to go along with those dreams. But instead of moving away to hit it big as a famous chef, I was back home working two jobs to take care of my mom and sister. And the girl I thought I was going to marry someday? Well, things ended between us when we were both still off at college. Just when I'm beginning to doubt all that I once believed in . . . she pops back into my life. Lizzie: No one ever expected much from me. I'm the youngest of three girls, so I always got all of the attention just by virtue of being the baby. I remember the day I told them I'd been accepted to a college in Ohio for a degree in marketing. Can you say skeptical? But I was going to show everyone that I could become something besides just one of "The Girls." Somehow, though, I got off track. I managed to hide everything from them for almost a year, but it's time to come home, even if it is with my tail between my legs. I thought facing my parents and my sisters would be the hardest part . . . until I ran into him. Maybe rediscovering our friendship can build into the sort of love that will last forever...Check out this excerpt:
“That doesn’t make a bit of sense, Mary. If you miss him, if you want to be with him, you shouldn’t let anything stand in the way of that.” My sister and I were sitting in our beach chairs, our legs stretched out in front of us as if we were tanning ourselves. In truth, we were both coated from head to foot with SPF 50 lotion. Red-headed girls couldn’t be too careful where the sun was concerned. But the rays felt heavenly to me, my skin heated by the sun while the cool ocean waves crept up over my legs every so often. I hadn’t realized how much I had missed this place. It was as if the beach air and water were a magic elixir to make my insides whole again. Or at least nearly so. “Who are you to talk? Are you with the man you want to be with?” “Don’t be a bitch, Mary.” She was quiet, and I knew she was biting her tongue. I imagined it was hard to be the big sister and always be expected to take the higher road. But as the baby sister, I didn’t mind using that against her when necessary. I reached for my bottle and drank down the last of my water. “Mom says Austin seemed like a nice guy. And more importantly, she said Pas Bon likes him. And we all agree he’s a good judge of character.” “Humph.” She took a deep breath. “There’s always a first time for him to be wrong. And should we take that chance under the circumstances?” “Okay, so we’re not taking any chances with him. Is there anyone else? I mean, you’re starting to get a little long in the tooth aren’t you? We need to find you a man before you become an old maid.” “Now who’s being the bitch?” I laughed, shaking my bottle in front of me. “Okay, I’m going to go get some more water. Want anything?” A shadow fell across her, and she immediately sat up to see who it was. I watched her snag the nose of her sunglasses with one finger and slide them down. Her grin immediately elicited warning bells in my head. “How about I get the water?” She grabbed my bottle and hopped up so fast I couldn’t protest. I pivoted in the seat, squinting at the figure standing behind and over me. “Oh, it’s you…” Javi had the decency to look a little sheepish. Initially I’d been embarrassed by running into him yesterday in Mary’s store. But this morning when I thought about it, I got more and more angry. His comment about me being married wasn’t just surprise on his part. No, it was a tactical reminder that my former intolerance was coming back to bite me in the ass. He’d thrown my words from high school right back into my face. A child’s idyllic ideas meant nothing in the real world. And I certainly didn’t need him judging me. We both watched Mary walk away, then Javi moved around to stand closer to me. He put his hands in his pockets nervously while I turned away from him and back towards the water, trying my best to ignore his presence. But the longer we stood there with silence between us, the more uncomfortable I became. And then I looked down, noticing the pooch of my belly under my swimsuit. Not my swimsuit, but Mom’s. The ones I had here at the cabin were two-piece numbers intended to show off the curves of a body I no longer had, thanks to Benji. I sucked in my gut and folded my hands over my middle. “Can we talk? Maybe take a walk?” I twisted my lips to the side and started chewing the inside of my mouth. When I realized what I was doing, I drew my lips into a straight line and frowned. It was a nervous habit I’d developed in high school. During college I managed to break it, but over the last six or so months, I’d started doing it again. And although I was able to control it most days, anxiety made it difficult. “Okay…” He put out his hand to help me up, but I ignored him and used the arms of the chair instead. It wasn’t easy since my feet had sunk into the muddy sand, and I inwardly groaned at my lack of grace. Javi had his hands in his pockets again, and I crossed my arms over my chest as we started down the beach. He was stiff and clearly uncomfortable, but I wasn’t going to make it easy for him. Not just because I was pissed, but because I honestly didn’t know what to say. What do you tell the man you once thought you’d marry about accidentally getting pregnant with the wrong guy? How could I possibly explain it? “I’m sorry about how I acted yesterday.” He finally spoke, head down. “I was honestly kind of shocked by it. I didn’t mean to be ugly or to hurt you.” “Who said you hurt me?”
I wanted to yank back the words. They were said in a tone that reminded me of high school. Grow up, Lizzie.
Get your copy and join the giveaway! --------> HERE
About the Author
When Olivia Hardin began having strange movie-like dreams in her teens, she had no choice but to begin putting them to paper. Before long the writing bug had her and she knew she wanted to be a published author. Several rejections plus a little bit of life later, and she was temporarily “cured” of the urge to write. That is until she met a group of talented and fabulous writers who gave her the direction and encouragement she needed to get lost in the words again.
Olivia’s attended three different universities over the years and toyed with majors in Computer Technology, English, History and Geology. Then one day she heard the term road scholar and she knew that was what she wanted to be. Now she “studies” anything and everything just for the joy of learning. She's also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and she’s sometimes accused of being artistic.
A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband, Danny and their puppy, Bonnie.
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Monday, March 25, 2019
My Name Is Rose Alexa Kingaard
Rose is unsettled, curious, and bored. Life in a hippie commune is her parent’s dream come true, not hers. She doesn’t share their passion for living off the land, nor does she enjoy the isolation that is thrust upon her. When she convinces them to send her to public school in the nearby town, a new world opens up to her.
As she pursues her education, Rose chooses a different path, leaving her parents heartbroken at her insistence they are hiding something from her. She’s convinced her father isn’t the man her mother married.
Although she finds love far away from her roots and upbringing, her wounds only deepen as she keeps her family at arm’s length. What she loses during those years can only be retrieved with her understanding that “a Rose by any other name is still a Rose.”
Author Bio:
Alexa Kingaard was born in San Diego, CA and has lived most of her life in the area. She currently resides in Carlsbad and is the mother of an adult son and daughter who continue to be her biggest fans and cheerleaders. A realtor for fifteen years, she remains involved with her profession and praises her brokers and clients for giving her the nod to be creative.
She gives all the credit for completing her debut novel, KEEP FOREVER, to her inspiration and late ex-husband, Jeff, who battled the residual effects of the Vietnam War for decades after his return.
Her second novel, MY NAME IS ROSE, will be released through Acorn Publishing March 15, 2019.
MIMIC by C.L. DENAULT
Mimic
C.L. Denault
(The Prodigy Chronicles #2)
Publication date: March 22nd 2019
Genres: Dystopian, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
In 2012, one cycle of an ancient calendar system came to a close. Humanity predicted its downfall, but it wasn’t the end of their evolutionary climb. It was the beginning.
Willow Kent is discovering that life as a second-phase prodigy comes at a price. Trapped in the London Core, her choices are limited, made difficult by her forbidden romance with Reece and the presence of a new commanding officer who establishes harsh rules. With unpredictable skills and a growing distrust in her birth parents, she is struggling to play the Core’s game. But when opportunity arises in the form of a mysterious shapeshifter, Willow realizes there’s more to her own evolution than meets the eye. She soon learns that keeping secrets is a key move, and the more dangerous they are, the greater her need to evolve into the powerful prodigy nature intended her to become.
But those closest to her have their own secrets, and her status has made her an easy target for betrayal. Who will she turn to, when nothing is as it seems?
Sequel to:
—
EXCERPT:
The blow shouldn’t have stunned me. I’d grown up in a tavern, defending myself, and had spent plenty of time training with Kane and Tem. I knew how to take a hit.This was more than a hit. Kristoffe’s swing was fast and brutal, with a force behind it that rivaled my own—enough to knock me off my feet and send me flying down the hall.
Sensations took over. There was the feel of backward motion. Loss of control as my body hit the floor. More motion from sliding, and the hot sting of my flesh scraping tile. Ceiling lights blurred into white lines. Pain throbbed in my cheek.
But it was the tightness in my throat that hurt most. The tiger clawed like mad as we slid. Her screams pierced the fog in my brain, parting it, carving out a path. If I didn’t stop her, she would use it to climb up and take control.
Let me in!
I managed to shake my head.
You need me!
“No,” I whimpered, bumping into the limp body of an elevator guard. One of his arms stopped me, and I sat up quickly, recoiling. He was spread-eagled, face down among his comrades, his fingers wrapped around a retinal scanner. I cringed. Was he dead? Had the tiger killed them all? Then my eyes fell on the laser resting at his hip.
Take it.
I couldn’t. I’d never fired one before.
He’ll kill us!
Not sure who she meant, I jerked my head around. The man with the sabre was still gone. But Kristoffe and his patrol were marching in my direction, dragging Toby with them. He struggled violently until one of them drove a fist into his stomach. A savage tug tore through my belly. Gasping, I leaned over, fumbling for the guard’s laser.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Kristoffe signaled for his men to stop, but continued walking toward me. He didn’t waver, not even when I grasped the laser in both hands and aimed it at him.
“That’s far enough,” I said.
He kept coming.
“I’ll shoot.” My finger instinctively hugged the trigger. “I mean it.”
Spreading his arms, Kristoffe made a target out of his broad chest. His smile was icy. “Go ahead, then. Shoot.”
Was he bluffing? I couldn’t tell. He might have a defensive shield. On the other hand, he might go down with one shot. There was no way to know. But somehow, he’d survived the tiger. This laser was my only hope.
Do it, the tiger spat.
My pulse spiked. “I will shoot.”
He kept coming.
Shoot him!
“Stop,” I cried, my hands shaking.
But he didn’t stop, and the closer he came, the harder I choked on the tiger’s fury. Her strength was more than I could handle. He was only a few feet away when her hissing cry forced me to pull the trigger. A matching cry left my lips. The laser clicked, shuddered—
—and died.
—
Author Bio:
C.L. Denault is a speculative fiction writer who loves dreaming up tales of adventure and intrigue. A former systems analyst, she gave up her nerdy code-writing skills to care for her family (including a son with special needs), and currently lives among the vast stretches of cornfields in Illinois.
Writing and working out are her biggest passions, along with drinking coffee and watching sci-fi. When she’s not hanging out with her husband and kids, she can usually be found at a library or tucked away in the shadowy corner of a hip coffeehouse. She’s also been glimpsed sneaking into her garage, late at night, to work on her time machine.
She enjoys connecting with people—especially those from other planets, nearby dimensions, and the future. To find her, just visit her website or social media pages. Or use a Stargate. Whichever is easiest.
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