Urban Fantasy Author
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Clark Jackson’s travels, for the first time, put him in touch with an intriguing species remarkably human-like. He becomes instantly fascinated with the Fronents and envious of their advanced technology. Striving to befriend them and learn more, his uncontrolled enthusiasm forsakes the use of appropriate caution and suspicion. Could their cold reception be a byproduct of their war with a vile species in this corner of the universe, or something else? The magnificent splendor of an unexplored galaxy, new species to encounter and the adrenalin rush of space battle feed Clark’s awestruck hunger for exploration and adventure. Unfortunately, the more he learns the more he questions; including the wisdom of his entangled involvement in their war. Meanwhile, back home in Des Moines, Iowa, Clark attempts to maintain an inconspicuous lifestyle to avoid attracting the attention of a certain relentless federal agency. His girlfriend’s own secret, however, could unravel it all. *Even though the book is the second book in the series, it IS stand alone Clark inched his way along the wall from his seated position. Slowly, quietly, he distanced himself from the curious pursuer. The sound of marching echoed in the hallway. He wanted to avoid the hard gaze of the vile creature, but Clark’s head would not move. No, no, no. Stay away. Nothing here. The tenacious searcher took two steps forward. Fingers flexed open and closed and opened and closed. Nostrils flared. Eyes continued searching while chomping persisted. Clark inched along faster, less concerned with noise than distance. His pulse quickened and despite his best efforts, sweat began to gather on his forehead. His stomach lurched. Breaths came in shorter, quicker gasps. The sound of stomping feet eased slightly as did the smell of reptiles and leather. One final sniff caused the soldier’s eyes to narrow, more determined to locate the foul smell. He looked over his shoulder to see his comrades moving on without him. A moment of indecision, and then renewed focus brought the hunter a step closer to Clark. Small drops of sweat fell to the floor. No longer attached to his body, a thin trail became visible as he continued backward. Clark looked at the floor. Gasp! The creature followed Clark’s path. He stepped onto the drops of sweat as he made his way toward the rear door. David Englund is a storyteller (science fiction author) and teaches economics at North Dakota State University. His first two titles, Upsetting the Tides and UNSEASONAL WAR are available on Amazon. Camouflaged Encounters is due out in late 2014 and the fourth and fifth books are in progress. This is a very good young adult read that will coax both genders, but especially many reluctant male readers into the story. From the interesting worlds Clark visits through invisible "stargates" to the unusual aliens and subplots, this is a book anyone who enjoy Star Trek, Stargate, or Star Wars is going to love this story. Englund does a good job developing likeable characters readers will relate to. He also creates fascinating altnerate worlds that will spark the imagination of young readers and help them develop a lot of reading they so desperately need in this video age. Well done. If I have any quibble it's that I hate the title. But that's probably the former English teacher in me. Book Bling gives this story 4 stars! ![]() David Englund is a storyteller (science fiction author) and teaches economics at North Dakota State University. His first two titles, Upsetting the Tides and UNSEASONAL WAR are available on Amazon. Camouflaged Encounters is due out in late 2014 and the fourth and fifth books are in progress. Leave a Comment & Be Entered to Win a Free Copy!
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Daring Miss Danvers & Winning Miss Wakefield Wallflower Weddings Books By: Vivienne Lorret5/21/2014 It's all fun and games … until someone falls in love. Oliver Goswick, Viscount Rathburn, needs money—and soon. With time ticking away and his inheritance held hostage until he's properly wed, Rathburn's slim options point to a single solution: a faux engagement. In need of the perfect bride, he knows of only one candidate: his best friend's wallflower sister. The plan seems flawless, except for one problem … He can't help falling in love with her. Poised, polished Emma Danvers knows nothing good can come of Rathburn's scheme. Spending the next two months engaged in a mock courtship is not what she'd imagined for her final season. Yet, charmed by his roguish ways and the inexplicable hammering he causes in her heart, she accepts his challenge. For Emma, keeping the secret seemed easy when it was just a game … But as Rathburn begins to see past her reserved exterior to the passionate woman within, the risk of losing her heart becomes all too real. Emma Danvers doesn't like breaking the rules. After all, she needs to make a good marriage and her artsy parents won't help her chances any, or so she initially believes. But when her brother's best friend from Eton, Viscount Rathburn's father dies, she postpones her coming out to observe a year of mourning, because their families have grown close over the years. Rathburn is his father's heir, but his grandmother refuses to release his inheritance until he is settled down, but only with a woman that she approves. She approves of Emma, so Emma agrees to help Rathburn out by pretending to become his betrothed. Rathburn has agreed to break the betrothal before the marriage if he receives his inheritance. As the faux courtship continues the couple become the best of friends (unusual in an historical of this genre in which the couple is generally in continual conflict). As often happens, friendship grew to more, until each is secretely in love with the other, afraid to admit it for fear of being rejectred. Overall this is a fast read, but the plot is driven with sexual tension rather than action, espionage or adventure. That's not to say there is nothing of interest here. It's a well written story, and though the plot threads are rather frail at times, the secondary characters are often funny, witty and entertaining. Rathburn's grandmother is delightful and marionettes the hero/heroine throughout. The covers alone should have these books flying off the shelves. Gorgeous! If you like romantic historicals, you will definately enjoy this! Book Bling gives this Avon romance 4 stars! Winning Miss Wakefield- Releasing June 10th, 2014 She's got nothing left to lose … With her fiancé suddenly engaged to another and her reputation in tatters, Merribeth Wakefield needs a bold plan to reclaim her life. She must be brave. Confident. She must … kiss a rake? The suggestion is ludicrous! Yet when Merribeth finds herself alone with the dark and brooding Lord Knightswold, suddenly the plan doesn't seem so farfetched. So she does something she never thought she'd do—she kisses him. But he has everything to gain … The Marquess of Knightswold—Bane to most—has no use for the affections of women. Well, none lasting longer than a single night. A plot for revenge weighs heavy on his mind, leaving no room for romance. But then a shy, witty miss borrows a kiss from him in a darkened room, and everything he thought he knew about innocent debutantes vanishes along with her. When a twist of fate brings Merribeth within Bane's grasp, he'll have to resist her charms—or risk losing everything—for the sake of his heart. I fell in love with fairy tales and the romance behind happily ever after at a very young age. Like a lot of you, I tweaked the fables bit by bit in my imagination until they suited me perfectly. By the time I was eleven, a teacher encouraged me to start writing.
Throughout the years that followed, my teachers remained my most fervent supporters, giving me the tools I needed to continue my journey as a writer. My husband and I have two teenage boys, who are heroes in their own right. For now, we live in a small Midwestern town near Lake Michigan…until a time in the future when a new adventure calls us to other shores. I am currently working on my next novel, but I always enjoy hearing from my readers. Feel free to email me at [email protected] (book intended for 15+) Seventeen year old Sinta Allen has one objective, to get from Tallahassee, Florida to her mother in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Seems simple enough right? Wrong. Hostile aliens have invaded Earth—and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that we’re losing the fight. While the aliens bring devastation and destruction and take people away to God knows where in their spaceships, Sinta, along with some of her classmates must rely on their survival instincts, a little luck and each other if they want to survive the venture across the country. The last thing she needs is for Wade, her school friend and Jason, her rescuer, to distract her along the way. “Please mom,” I say, whining. “I really don’t want to go.” “Sinta, you know I love it when you help me out, but this conversation is getting old. We’ve been going round and round like this for months. You’re going, end of story.” She pulls into an empty parking space and turns off the car. “I’ll help you with your things,” she says, popping the trunk. Feeling defiant, and with nothing else to lose, I cross my arms and don’t move. She opens her door and gets out. I hear her saying good morning to some of the other parents and kids, but I don’t budge. I recognize the kids passing my car with their bags either in their hands or over their shoulders. Some look my way and smile. Some even wave enthusiastically. All are in grades below mine. With this being my senior year, I don’t expect many others from my class to be here. Like I told my mom, band camp isn’t needed for anyone’s college application, especially since most of us seniors applied for college last summer or during the beginning of first semester. Besides Mia and Ian, I expect to be hanging around a bunch of younger kids. Through the side mirror I see my mom coming up to my door. I quickly lock it. Childish? Yes. She raps on the window and, when I don’t answer, she raps again, this time faster and harder. When I still ignore her she leans closer to the window. “For the love of God, if you keep it up I will unlock this door and drag your skinny tail out and strangle you in front of everyone here and still make you get on that bus.” My mom has never hit me before, she’s full of threats and they usually prove empty. I turn to see her glaring daggers at me. The look on her face says that she intends to do as she said and more. I open the door and step out and around her. I grab my duffle and sleeping bag from the trunk and head to the bus. “Aren’t you going to at least kiss me goodbye?” she yells out after me. “I can’t. I need to hurry. I don’t want the fun to start without me.” “Sinta!” Without turning I raise my hand in the air, saying bye. Of course she’ll be mad for a little while, but then she’ll start missing me. I’m her only daughter and she forced me to go on a trip I didn’t want to take. I think by tomorrow afternoon she’ll be calling the camp to check up on me. I set my things next to the other bags on the ground by the side of the bus and climb the stairs. I only stop briefly to see if Mia has made it yet. Yep. She and Ian are huddled in a back seat, kissing. Lovely. The fun is starting already. I walk down the aisle, passing ninth and tenth graders. Closer to the back are the eleventh graders and, taking up the last three rows, the twelfth graders. Myles Jackson or MJ as he’s called and Shayla Day have a seat across from Mia and Ian. Seeing MJ surprises me, because he’s a jock and the number one football prospect from Michigan. He doesn’t need band camp to go on any application. Michael and Aaron take up another seat, with MJ’s best friend Eric and his girlfriend Melissa across from them. Then there’s Daniel and Andrew taking up a seat, and across from them is an empty one. “We saved you a seat,” Mia says, pulling her mouth away from Ian’s long enough to talk and breathe. “Thanks,” I say sliding into it. I put my ear buds in and pull the hood of my Huron Band sweatshirt over my head. Just as soon as I close my eyes I feel the dip in my seat. Opening one, I peek to catch a glimpse of Wade Hill squeezing into the seat next to me. “Sorry, Sinta,” he says, after settling in. “I asked Mrs. Franklin for my own seat but she told me there wasn’t enough room. Mrs. Burgess told me to sit next to you, since you’re so skinny.” I close my eyes. This is a punishment. I hear the creak of the door closing and, after a few minutes, the bus begins to move. “Testing, testing,” Ms. Burgess’ voice projects over the loud speaker. She’s the new young teacher who just started teaching at our school this year. “How about I sing everyone a nice little lullaby to get you all to sleep, hmm? Oh. My. God. “Can someone please tell her she isn’t auditioning for American Idol,” I mutter. Wade laughs. His meaty arm brushes up against mine as he does. Let the fun begin. ![]() A. M. Griffin is a wife who rarely cooks, mother of three, dog owner (and sometimes dog owned), a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She’s a hard worker whose two favorite outlets are reading and writing. She enjoys reading everything from mystery novels to historical romances and of course fantasy romance. She is a believer in the unbelievable, open to all possibilities from mermaids in our oceans and seas, angels in the skies and intelligent life forms in distant galaxies. Now available from Ellora’s Cave: https://www.ellorascave.com/index.php/authors/index/author/slug/a.m.-griffin/ You can find out what else I’m working on by visiting my website: http://www.amgriffinbooks.com/ Like my FaceBook page for exclusive news and free books and swag giveaways! http://www.facebook.com/amgriffinbooks Follow me on Twitter! https://twitter.com/AMGriffinbooks Click to follow the tour for more chances to win! The Wild Hunt - Cover/Excerpt/Trailer Reveal By Ron C. Nieto Mature YA Paranormal Date Published: May 29, 2014 ![]() Magic still lingers in the mist-covered corners of the world, wherever the Old Ways are remembered. However, as civilization and reason scoff at the Fair Folk, the paths to power have been forgotten by all but a few. Lily Boyd was meant to become a faerie doctor, a warden of humans and a keeper of balance, until disbelief and pragmatism led her away from the hidden world and into a mundane life. But truth has a way to be Heard and she will be forced to face it if she wants to save her family. Armed with nothing but her childhood memories and protected by a debt of gratitude she doesn’t understand, Lily must decide who to trust while she navigates a world that is darker and more twisted than she is prepared for. And should she make the wrong choice, should she mistake friend and foe… the eternal balance between the Faerie Courts may shatter, and then there will be more than Lily’s life on the line. EXCERPT Lily woke. She didn’t have any recollection of falling asleep or passing out, but when she opened her eyes, the cottage was no longer in sight and she was no longer riding. A dream? She stirred and a jolt of pain traveled her body. “I would ask you not to do that,” the level voice of the stranger said somewhere behind her. “I took great pains to close your wounds and I dislike working in vain.” Lily moved her arm ever so slightly, just enough to glimpse her hand. In the dim light, it looked covered in a mud-like paste and wrapped in rough cloth. A doctor would fret at the possible infection, and it did feel numb, but after the attack and the overwhelming events, numb was too much of a blessing to complain. “Where am I?” she asked instead. “Someplace safe.” He walked around and crouched in front of her, close enough for her bleary eyes to make out his features and study him. His coal black hair was wet and slicked back. Occasional droplets of water fell down his brow, running down the side of his face and neck. He had delicate eyebrows, a well-defined jaw and sharp cheekbones that gave his angular face a striking, atemporal beauty. His thin lips were smirking. “Who are you?” Lily pressed on, fighting a sudden urge to crawl back and put some distance between them. “A friend. The question is, dear girl”—his eyes caught the scant light and glinted, the luminescent green of lichen—“who you are. What is your name?” “Lily,” she said. He canted his head, eyes narrowed in thought, and after a moment she added, “Lily Boyd.” That startled a laugh out of him. He rocked forth on the balls of his feet, his crouch bringing him too close, breaking all illusions of personal space. She caught sight of his tongue, darting out to wet his lips. “Such delicious naivete,” he said. “It truly is, is it not? Lily Boyd.” Her name rolled off his mouth, languid and sensuous, and she felt a chilling tingle down her spine. He watched her reaction and nodded, satisfied, before sitting back to give her a little more room. “What’s yours?” she asked, trying to shake the odd sensation. “Why are you wearing that piece of jewelry?” he asked in turn, pointing to her neck with a long, delicate finger. On reflex, her hand went up to grab the silver charms and the movement sent another flash of pain through her arm. She gritted her teeth through the worst of it. “It’s a gift. From my grandma,” she said when she could form words again. “Why?” “Who is your grandmother?” “You saved me from her house. Why were you there, anyway?” “Such inquisitive mind.” He offered another smirk and reached out to touch the pendant around her neck. “So you are the faerie doctor’s blood, then. Giving you her protection is much like her, yes.” “You’re not… I’m not following you.” Lily sighed, letting her head roll back and closing her eyes. Her head had begun to pound. “And you haven’t told me your name yet.” “And I won’t.” He laughed. “But you may call me Troy if you must.” About the Author: ![]() Ron C. Nieto is a fantasy and romance author who has been writing in her secluded fortress for the longest time. Recently, she had a talk with her cat and decided that she should share her creations, because it was selfish to hoard them all for herself. Author Links What is the Insecure Writers Support Group? Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! We’ve got your back! Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group from the amazing links below and connect with your fellow writers - aim for a dozen new people each time. Be sure to thank our wonderful cohosts today! Mark Koopmans, Joylene Nowell Butler,Elsie, and Lisa Buie-Collard! Please stop by their sites and thank them for helping today. Throw a Shot of Vodka in That Lemonade, |
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