Book Bling-Elizabeth Alsobrooks

Elizabeth Alsobrooks Hires New Social Media VP

6/30/2016

I don't know about other authors, but I only have so many fingers (not counting my thumbs or toes, and sometimes I wish I could type with those too)! SO much social media and so little time. I also have a lot of other authors I want to help out. Then there are the manuscripts I edit and critique. Oh, and I have a husband, a family, friends, other activities and hobbies to fit into my days. Let's not forget daily routines and chores. When does one actually write? Fortunately, I do have some help. First there's this hunky hero-worthy guy...

Patrick Kenton Hinds

Yes, my twinkle-toes, Irish-Scotsman, Sam Elliot look-a-like husband, has women fawning over him! Fortunately one's his sister and the other's his cousin. All kidding aside, Kenton is a fantastic chef, a chiropractic massage therapist who saved my running knees (despite what 2 surgeons said!), is a kind-hearted and loving husband and the best cheerleader a writer could ever hope for. But he’s busy too, is just learning about social media, and is so happy that we have our faithful friend and companion to help us out.

Hudson and I

Hudson! Tell me those aren't the cutest big brown eyes you've ever seen? This little guy helps us make good choices so we can "live naturally" and stay healthy. He follows me around the house and "helps" me do just about everything. No one EVER beats him to the door when the mailman arrives! He LOVES getting the mail. He LOVES whenever the birds chirp out their little tweets! Not one ever misses his avid attention. So it made perfect sense to assign him to Social Media VP!

Jess, Hudson's Groomer

Hudson is not a complete stranger to celebrity. He is being featured in author Charmaine Gordon's upcoming book about rescue and service doggies, but he has never been this much of a celebrity before!

He assured me that he is still thrilled with the new position (and secretly thinking it was about time he got recognition for all his hard work and attention to every detail). His favorite perk was a trip to his doggie day spa for hair, nails, and teeth. He said he especially loves Jess's purple hair. He think's it's a pretty shade and thinks she's hip (though this opinion may also be influenced by her special treats).

After so much excitement, Hudson decides he needs to get some sleep in order to be rested for his important new job (and it's a secret, but the monsoon thunder sometimes scares him). Announcing HUDSON, Author Elizabeth Alsobrooks' new Social Media VP!

by raemonetinc.com

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A Book Series Romance Trading Card

6/29/2016

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Romance Trading Cards?

What? Romance Trading Cards? Now, you say? Yes, now. I know there are some of you rolling your eyes, or shaking your heads, thinking that RTC's have gone the way of bookmarks and paperbacks, but that's not really true. There are still quite a few authors who offer them. There are still a lot of book graphic artists who create them. Besides, I have a lot of my own reasons for making this decision, and I'm happy to share them with you.

First, since I'm pulling my writing career out of moth balls after some pretty horrendous personal trauma (which included the death of a spouse), I needed something besides business cards to toss onto library and bookstore reading tables, to leave my signature in goodie & grab bags or raffle baskets, and to slip into the cover of a gift book or card. They're handy, pretty, and informative. They've fairly inexpensive and still professional and unique and give added "Book Bling" to just about anything!

Secondly, I saw on someone's website that they were giving 1/2 the proceeds from the sale of their cards to Cancer Research, and the rest was going to offset the cost of postage and printing. Since I lost my mother to breast cancer when I was a senior in high school I instantly fell in love with this idea. I too want to do this fundraiser!

Thirdly, as many of my blog followers know I read tarot and have for several decades. We have often done character readings to help fellow writers with plot development. I am in the process of creating a tarot deck from my Illuminati series characters! I felt creating some RTC's was a good place to start!

Lastly, at my art therapy class (an art gallery where I regularly attend painting classes) the other artists all "trade" art trading cards, the same 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" size as most RTC's. I paint for recreation and relaxation, not because it's a vocational calling. Creating "art" trading cards is not something that really interests me... RTC's is something I would find much more useful. I decided I needed to pay back the kind artists for their art card gifts by creating a card of my own.

I did contact 3 different graphic artists, but when I didn't hear back from any of them in a timely manner, and they were going to charge me an arm and a leg anyway, I figured I might as well get artsy myself. So I did! Now, what do you think of the ones I have created for The first book in the series, The Book of Life? I think they have some sparkle and shine, in keeping with their "illuminati" tradition. I have ordered a set, so will have to wait and see how they look in person and figure out how much they will cost in bulk so I can set up my fundraiser page, but I am pretty happy about them. Now I need to complete the series and work on my tarot deck. Reactions? Impressions? Suggestions? (Keep in mine that I am not a graphic design artist, but I am learning!)

I almost forgot! Only a few more hours to sign up for my rafflecopter (below) prizes and the great games/prizes at The Romance Review's Sizzling Summer Party (See my sidebar for link)!

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Weekend Writing Warriors #SnippetSunday "The VIP"

6/25/2016

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Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Sign up below with your name, blog and email and share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Your post needs to be live between 12:00 noon on Saturday 06/25/16 and 9:00 AM on Sunday 06/26/16. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts

I've been sharing from my current WIP, Book 2 of my Illuminati series, The Tree of Life. Rio, in shapeshifter form is about to leave the ancient ruins, where he has been spying on the Vargas family, when...

Rio scented half-a-dozen humans in the area, sentries, guarding the perimeter. Within minutes the men who had carried the gurney returned with it. They put it back in their truck and returned to the jungle. He now knew why they had found only one sick tribesman, but how many had there been?
The black jaguar jumped from the tree and slipped into the jungle. Just then, several vehicles approached. Curious, he turned back, sheltered in the buttress roots of a tree.
Three SUV’s arrived and parked near the ruin. The area was again flooded with light. Doors flew open from every direction, and chaotic organization erupted in the form of a little Arabian man who was instantly barking orders at the men who came rushing out of the ruin to carry supplies and apparently do his every bidding of preparation, for it was immediately clear that a VIP had arrived.

I hope you enjoyed this week's snippet. Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Warriors and Fabulous #SnippetSunday Authors! Also, last chance to enter my rafflecopter contest below, and enter the Romance Review Sizzling Summer contest (see my sidebar link) before the 30th! Wonderful prizes and games!

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Thursday Thrills & Chills With Award-Winning Author Nancy Gideon!

6/23/2016

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10 Fun, Fast & Funny Q & A
With Nancy Gideon!

1. Do you write naked? Only emotionally! Otherwise, I’d stick to my office chair.

2. What do you want your tombstone to say? “Here Lies Nancy Gideon, Skin and Bones at Last!” We didn’t see that on our trip to Tombstone, did we?

3. What secret talents do you have? I’m ambidextrous and have a photographic memory (film quality sometimes iffy as I age.)

4. What were you like as a child? Your favorite toy? I was VERY introverted in public but with my neighborhood group of friends, I was always the one who came up with the ideas of what to play. I LOVED to tell stories and create scenarios, especially when it came to my collection of toy horses. They all had names and roles in the horse hierarchy. My middle sister and I would take over the entire living room to act them out. My first exercise in world building!

5. Picture your favorite writing space. What are five objects you would find there? Laptop, comfy chair, cup of coffee, desert fountain, and wildlife outside the window (especially quails. Love those quailians!)- Gosh, sounds like our host’s office. Hmmmm. Got so much work done there when I visited.

6. In 5 words, please describe your ‘Romance Writing Style’. Fast-paced, suspenseful, steamy, dark and addictive.

7. What is your ‘girl vice’? ie getting your hair done? Nails? Shopping? Gossiping? Chick flicks?
Oh, girl. Nails!! I haven’t been able to get them done since I moved at the end of last year and I’m soooo missing it! And hair - No one will ever see my original hair color again!

8. If we snuck a peek in your purse right now, what would we find? Everything MacGyver would ever want or need! Umbrella, check. Tape measure, check. Crazy glue, dental pix, sunglasses, Honda Accord user manual, key to car, home, and office, scenes from upcoming WIP typed or on Post-Its. Hey, there’s my reading glasses! Pens from every places I’ve stayed since I bought my last purse, menus, paid receipts . . . Don’t get me started on what’s in my wallet. My purse (thanks to my D-I-L) could be checked as carry-on luggage.

9. Do you have any unique or quirky writing habits? Post-It notes! My office (home and work) and purse are littered with scraps of dialogue, play list songs, and synopses of scenes that come to me in the car on the commute to and from work or in the middle of the night. I write them down immediately so I don’t forget them.

10. What are your current projects? I’ve got a brand new release! I’m featured in my first paranormal boxed set, PARANORMAL ATTRACTIONS with 8 other authors. It’s on sale for just $0.99! My offering, REMEMBERED BY MOONLIGHT, is a pivotal book in my “By Moonlight” dark shapeshifter series. Because my hero has had his memories stripped from him, new readers can learn about his dark, intriguing world as he does. It anchors the spin-off I’m writing now called “The House of Terriot Foursome” which follows the dreamy, damaged and dangerous princes in a rival warrior clan. Book one, PRINCE OF HONOR, is being edited and Book 2, PRINCE OF POWER, is about 1/3 finished and is calling to me now . . .

Author Nancy Gideon

Nancy Gideon is the award winning author of over 59 romances ranging from historical, regency and series contemporary suspense to dark paranormal, with a couple of horror screenplays tossed into the mix, and is currently testing the “Hybrid Author” waters of self-publishing. When not at the keyboard, this central Michigan writer feeds a Netflix addiction along with all things fur, fin and fowl. She also has written under the pen names Dana Ransom, Rosalyn West and Lauren Giddings.

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"Nancy Gideon by Moonlight"

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Book Bling Review Her Highland Rogue by Violetta Rand

6/22/2016

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Her Highland Rogue
Violetta Rand

Genre: Historical romance, Highlander

Publisher: Random House/Loveswept

Date of Publication: June 21, 2016

ASIN: B00XG9BWZE

Number of pages: 170
Word Count: 52,000

Cover Artist: Random House

Book Description:

Errol MacRae’s days of gallivanting across the Highlands are nearing an end. His father’s health has taken a turn for the worse, and rumors are swirling that the crown intends to transfer ancient lands into the hands of the MacKenzies, the clan the MacRaes are sworn to defend. Errol expects to lead his men into battle soon. So he isn’t pleased when his father instead sends him to retrieve a beautiful flame-haired lass who has fled into the mountains.

Orphaned as a young girl, Aileana vividly remembers how the MacRaes rescued her and welcomed her into their clan. For ten years, she has served them loyally—until the night she’s nearly despoiled by one of the laird’s captains. Aileana risks her life and her reputation to seek refuge in the snowcapped peaks of the Five Sisters, the one place that has always felt like home. But after the strong-armed, strong-willed Errol tracks her down in a blizzard, she finds herself tempted to risk something even more dangerous: her heart.

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Excerpt:
Aileana opened her eyes, confused by her surroundings. She’d fled the MacRae stronghold after Broc cornered her in the kitchen, long after the other women had gone abovestairs to sleep. She’d stupidly volunteered to keep watch over the remaining men in the hall in case they required more bread and meat—or in Broc’s case, more ale. Once she’d refilled his cup, even leaving a full pitcher behind for the great beast to finish off, he stumbled after her, smelling of sweat and spirits, and drooling on her neck.

She’d known him nearly all her life—at least for the time she remembered being alive. Before her tenth year, she held no clear memories. The occasional flash of a face or spoken word, but nothing that could connect her to a family or place. So she wandered through life nameless, though the MacRae laird had offered to recognize her as part of his clan. But whenever she considered it, something inside her warned not to do it. For once ye denied your name, whether you knew it or not, your fate might change. And she didn’t want to lose her only chance at true happiness. Deep down, Aileana knew there was more to her existence than being a bastard.

That’s what half the women within the MacRae keep called her. Behind her back mostly, but sometimes directly if she was blamed for burning the bread or spilling wine.

She kicked off the fur covering her from neck-to-foot, cold air sending a chill down her body. A fire burned at the opening of the rock enclosure, and she padded over to it, desperate for warmth. She stared beyond the flames, the world outside covered in white. Winter had come early to Kintail. And only by God’s grace had she met a woman last night in the hills. How could she turn down an offer of hot stew and a pallet to sleep on? So she’d walked quietly with the stranger to her cave.

As soon as she finished eating and drained her cup of wine, sleep overwhelmed her. That’s all she remembered. And now she woke up alone. But there was a loaf of bread and a cup of milk on the table by her pallet, hopefully meant for her to eat. Her stomach growled with hunger.

“Good morning,” Aileana heard as she reached for the cup.

She turned and met the woman’s smile. “Thank ye for allowing me to stay here last night. I’m afraid I have nothing to offer you, no money or goods to trade.”

The woman joined her, picked up the loaf of bread, then tore it in half. “I don’t remember asking for payment, child.”

“But your generosity must be rewarded in some way.”

“Aye,” she agreed. “Your company will do nicely.”

Aileana took a bite and it melted in her mouth, as tasty as what she cooked every morning in the MacRae kitchens. “Whatever you wish,” she said. “I prefer staying here. I wasn’t prepared for the snow. If ye hadn’t found me, I’m afraid I would have perished in the cold.” Though she had a fur cloak and thick-soled boots, she hadn’t had time to gather anything else before she ran away.

The woman sat down. “My name is Sgùrr.”

“Aileana.”

The woman studied her in silence, her dark gaze wandering more than once to her hair. “Who is your father?”

Aileana took another sip of milk, then put the cup down on the table. The idea of admitting to a stranger that she had no family was as humiliating as what Broc had done to her. “I don’t know.”

“And why were you roaming the hills alone? Surely someone will miss ye?”

“Laird MacRae is my guardian.”

“Your mother has passed?”

“I’m afraid I know nothing about my birth.” She walked the couple feet to her pallet and picked up her cloak. “Eight years ago a MacRae guard found me in the forest, cold and hungry, close to death I’ve been told. He bundled me in a blanket and took me home with him. I’ve lived there ever since.”

“Has the laird been kind and generous?”

“Laird MacRae is not only kind, but treats me as his own daughter. A day never passes without him greeting me. Sometimes I wonder what would have become of me if the MacDonalds or MacLeods found me instead.”

The older woman nodded. “Don’t put much stock in the affairs of men. Clan feuds are the last thing a lass needs to worry about. ’Tis your heart and charitable acts that define your character.”

About the Author:
Raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, Violetta Rand spent her childhood reading, writing, and playing soccer. After meeting her husband in New England, they moved to Alaska where she studied environmental science and policy before attending graduate school. Violetta then spent nearly a decade working as a scientist, specializing in soil and water contamination and environmental assessments.

Violetta still lives in Alaska and spends her days writing romance. When she's not reading, writing, or editing, she enjoys time with her husband, pets, and friends. In her free time, she loves to hike, fish, and ride motorcycles and 4-wheelers.

Website: http://www.violettarandromance.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/violettarandromance

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ViolettaRand

Errol MacRae, the Highland hero, is next in line to become the leader of his clan. His father has failing health and Errol is expected to marry and produce an heir to fulfill his duties. When he is tasked by his father to save a young maid, Aileana, from running away, he finally meets his match. No longer will women be mere playthings and exist for his amusement, or to attend to his personal needs.

Aileana has been a servant for the MacRae clan since she was taken in at 10 with no memory of her past. Disrespected by a clansman, she has run away and it's only fitting that Errol's father send his philandering son to fetch her back. Though Aileana first seems timid and unable to fend for herself, she grows and develops into a strong and more confident woman, discovering her history and lineage and becoming sort of woman able to hold her own with a future laird like Errol.
Amidst an historic Scottish Highland in turmoil, Ms Rand let’s the reader follow these two strong highlanders through some misadventures of their own and others making before finding their ultimate HEA. A fine start to this Wild Highland series, fans of kilts and brogues will not be disappointed.

Book Bling gives this 4 Stars!

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Book Hooks Blog Hop "First Impressions"

6/22/2016

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“Hold on. We can fight in a minute. But first, tell me who you are.”
“Nalini,” she spat out. Her chest heaved with her resentment.
He noticed.
Nalini, it means lovely in Sanskrit, a lotus flower. It didn’t do her justice either. Though, he reminded himself, she did want to kill him. He had read that in her eyes clearly enough. And what beautiful eyes they were. His brother had been right about that. Anger caused sapphire flames to darken the unusual lavender irises.
“So why are you following me?” He pictured her more as the type men followed around, waiting for her smallest attention.
“I’m not following you. I’m tracking you, like the animal that you are.”
Said simply, matter of fact-like, as if it should have been obvious to him. That said, she rushed forward and sliced the air where he had been standing a moment before. He dodged and weaved, always dancing just out of reach of her blade. His opponent too kept moving, swiftly, with determination and cunning, countering both his trained and instinctive defenses. She round-kicked the flashlight out of his hand and it rolled on the ground, flipping shadows end over end on the stone walls as if they were dancing in a disco. Unfair he thought, and grinned. He was trying not to hurt her.
A rush of footfalls sounded behind him. Luc moved to get his back toward the wall and glanced to his left. It was all the distraction she needed. Nalini moved with him and sliced his chest open with a downward stroke. Watching her eyes in the diffused light from his fallen lamp, he realized she fully intended to catch his neck with her upward motion.
She’s magnificent. Like a leopard closing in for the kill.
Her next motion was stopped by Andrew. He jumped past Luc’s sagging body like the lethal beast she had accused his brother of being. “Babylonian whore!” he screamed. His arm came back and he ran her through with his dagger on the forward thrust.

It sounds like the H/H's first meeting may have gotten off to a rocky start...ah, first dates, you never know what to wear. Thanks for visiting! Be sure to check out the other interesting authors on this blog tour, and don't forget to sign up for the GCs, free books and Awesome Tree of Life journal I'm giving away with my rafflecopter, or visit The Romance Reviews Sizzling Summer Reads giveaway--there's a link on my sidebar!

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Book Bling-9 Reviews! Paranormal Attractions

6/20/2016

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Boxed Set Launch Day It's a Steal of a Deal! Don't Miss Out!

Paranormal Attractions-- Vampires, sexy ghosts, gargoyles, mummy’s curses and a secret magical society are some of the fabulous paranormal twists you’ll find in PARANORMAL ATTRACTIONS, a boxed set of 9 steamy romances brought to you by Amazon, Barnes & Noble bestselling, and award-winning authors. Lose yourself in these light and dark paranormal stories that are only around for a short time.

My Blood Runs Blue – Stacy Eaton. Officer Kristin Greene’s life is turned upside down when she begins to investigate a homicide and finds that killer is something out of her nightmares. What will happen when Julian and Alexander introduce Kristin to the world of vampires?

Paranormal romance meets murder mystery in My Blood Runs Blue by Stacy Eaton. A small-town cop who is also the widow of another Fawn Hollow cop, our heroine, Kristin, has a lot of baggage behind that tin badge. When she’s assigned to investigate the horrific murder of a woman she knows, the Vampire Military Force get involved because the throat wound isn’t from a knife. Hero number one—yes, I said one—is Alexander, the leader of this task force. Julian, hero number two, is one of his investigators, who lost his wife and daughter to the killer.

Take the main players, throw in some backstory in the form of past life relationships, and the plot twists just keep on coming as to who will end up with the girl, let alone whodunit. The police procedurals are authentic and interesting—as they should be, given that the author is a former police woman—so the murder mystery plot is solid and engaging. The vampire take is a bit off the normal track, but the world is created in a believable and well-defined way.

Though three different points of view offers an easy vehicle for adding depth to individual characters, it also adds more repetition than I enjoy. I really think I would have preferred the usual fare of dialogue, actions and internal dialogue to give the characters more depth. Sometimes, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.
Book Bling gives this 4 Stars!

Instinct – J.A. Belfield Werewolf Sean Holloway treats the village marketplace like a sexual buffet, until his instincts guide him toward the unique scent of the nonchalant Jem Stonehouse. Despite his pack's rules, he wants her— an attraction that can bring only danger for Jem. Will Sean defy his own Alpha to save the woman he loves?

For obvious reasons, this story is in Sean’s point of view. It is a Halloway Pack prequel novella, and Sean is the hero from the Darkness & Light novel of that series. He’s quite the big bad wolf, and this novella is erotic in both flavor and scent. He meets his match, however, or shall we say mate, Gem. He has to use his wiles to get around his pack’s rules and Gem’s mother, a powerful witch who has no intention of letting her daughter near a werewolf. To tell more would be to give away the storyline. Short, fierce and passionate. A quick read.
Book Bling gives this 4 Stars.

Parlor Games – Bonnie Edwards. Carrie MacLean and Matt Crewe have secret needs when they arrive at Perdition House for a sexy bachelor auction. Can love survive the mesmerizing spirits of the hookers who once lived and worked in the haunted bordello?

I believe this is #4 in a series. I’m not sure. I am sure it’s short, so a novella. In this story the hero, Matt, puts himself up for auction, as research for his book. Carrie poses as a buyer to write an article and get a better job as a journalist, and make a name for herself. The ghosts in the house have their own ideas. This story mixes mystery, paranormal and erotic sex scenes, which is what one would expect in a haunted bordello in which men are being auctioned off for a weekend of sex-on-demand. A quick, steamy, read, sure to make you wish you could attend your own private auction.
Book Bling gives this 4 stars.

Love Set in Stone – Staci Troilo. Perched above Pittsburgh, a gargoyle spends centuries as a protector of humanity while he waits for the one who will break his curse and free him from his stone prison. When he finally finds her, her life is in jeopardy, and he realizes he may face eternal damnation to save her life.

Marketed as a paranormal romance, this novel has cross-over elements that I loved. It has a reincarnation-ish curse, angels, demons, gargoyles, urban decay, yup, definitely some urban fantasy creeping along the edges of this one. Love it. Don’t get me wrong, I love vampires or anything else that goes bump in the night, but I really liked the change of pace in this storyline.

In Love Set in Stone, Damien, the hero, is an ancient warrior who fought on the battlefields of France centuries ago—what’s not to love? He made a pack with not the devil but of all creatures, an angel, Anael, so now he’s a gargoyle by day—loved how he dives into the water to wash the bird doo off his head once he takes human form at night.

One night he sees Katarina (Rina) and saves her from an attacker, and realizes she’s his soul mate. But there’s the problem of how to tell her he’s a gargoyle. The plot flies fast and furious from there and the secondary characters are as fascinating as the H/H. The romance is handled beautifully, with a great tie-up, but I could see this becoming a strong series.
Book Bling gives this 5 Stars!

Romance Under Wraps – Michele Jones. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History gets an Egyptian installation, and it seems to come with the ubiquitous mummy’s curse. Death and destruction abound. But the real curse is on the mummy’s advisor— he must teach the mummy how to pass forty-three judgments or find the reincarnated queen and win her love— or they are doomed to continue reawakening every century to try all over again.

Well, you’d better be careful whenever you go to Pittsburgh. Between gargoyles that come alive at night (Love Set in Stone by Staci Troilo) and mummies that wake every century or so, you never know what you’ll find in the shadows. This novel’s blurb grabbed my attention right off. I love anything Egyptian or based on mythology.
A strong debut novel, this story has well-developed characters, a hot romance and a good plot line fueled by a mummy’s curse.
Book Bling gives this 4 Stars

Phantasm - J.L. Campbell. After losing her husband in a tragic accident, Josette is convinced she's on the road to recovery— until Dwayne starts appearing to her in ways that take her to the edge of terror and back. Can Mario Browning, a persistent and perceptive man, save her from falling into a dangerous abyss between the world of the living and the dead?

Phantasm is a paranormal sweet romance novella. Josette is haunted by her husband’s ghost, which prevents her from falling for Mario Browning, a persistent man who doesn’t like to give up once he finds something he wants, and he wants Josette. But Mario has emotional baggage of his own, so the plot twists and turns as the two would-be lovers struggle to leave their pasts behind and find their happy ever after. This story is about love and loss and letting go. It’s about moving on and learning to love again. It’s about family and caring and trust. But mostly it’s about people and the struggles they go through as they live their lives.
Book Bling gives this story 4 stars!

The Beckoning of Beguiling Things - Calinda B. Can 24 hours really change your life in magical ways you never imagined? Marissa Engles is about to find out, when she heads to Las Vegas, meets sexy, Thunder and Lightning dancer Chris King and unwittingly unleashes the force of a secret, global, magical society known only as the Numina.

This is the novella that precludes the Beckoning series. If you want to find out where Marissa Engles got her powers, this is the place. So I guess you know what choices she made about Christ King and his beguiling come-hither passion. This is a fun little Vegas romp, worthy of its venue.
Book Bling gives this 4 Stars!

Remembered by Moonlight - Nancy Gideon The deadly leader of a shape-shifter clan with no memories of who he is and a dedicated cop hiding a heart-breaking secret face impossible odds in steamy New Orleans that conspire to pull them apart. Because the enemy they pursue . . . might be him.

Finally! Max and Cee Cee together again. And as if Nola isn't sultry enough, the push-pull of sexual tension felt on a molecular level only Gideon could deliver will make readers weak at the knees.

Max doesn't need to remember Cee Cee's name to quake from rigid resistance when he smells her come-hither scent, or notices, without letting her know, the comeliness of her short-skirt sway or high-heeled swagger. Cee Cee manages, with her hardened NOPD restraint, to keep her composure around Max, despite the love and desire she feels for him, and the heartache of knowing he doesn't even remember her face. Or their love.

Gideon delivers what may be the best storyline to date in her By Moonlight series. The plot rolls out like midnight fog in this what-if-Max-is-really-the-monster-both-he-and-Cee Cee-fear paranormal suspense.
Book Bling gives this 5 Stars!

Once Forbidden - Hope Welsh. Devlin wants her from the moment he sees her save a child in a fire, but it’s forbidden for vampires to change humans. Can he bear to let her go?

Once Forbidden is Book 1 of The Hunted Series. It’s a quick read that definitely fits into the naughty pleasures category. Vampire Devlin sets his sights on Sarah, one of the Chosen (meaning she could be turned into a mate for a vampire if it hadn’t been forbidden by the elders since vampires began to be “hunted” by humans. Sarah is brave and selfless, having been severely scarred after rescuing a child from a fire. Devlin witnessed this act, and already broke the rules by calling 911. He continues to follow and observe Sarah, and eventually becomes her lover and tries to convince her to “choose” to become his mate.

The plot thickens and twists and the sex kinks and steams as the two lovers continue to romp one step ahead of hunters and consequences. Vampire fans are sure to have fun sinking their teeth into this short but sizzling paranormal romance.
Book Bling gives this 4 stars!

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Weekend Writing Warriors #SnippetSunday Queen of the Nile

6/19/2016

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Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Sign up below with your name, blog and email and share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Your post needs to be live between 12:00 noon on Saturday 06/18/16 and 9:00 AM on Sunday 06/19/16. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts.

I've been sharing from my current work in progress, Book 2 of my Illuminati series, The Tree of Life. We just discovered that Rio, the hero is a Black Jaguar shapeshifter. He is in cat form and trying to discover who the intruders are in his jungle and what they are up to... ::Caution:: Some creative punctuation may follow to meet the requirements of the blog rules.

As soon as the men were far enough away, the cat jumped and raced after the vehicle. Sleek and sure-footed, able to move quickly through terrain where the truck must creep cautiously, it didn’t take long to find them; but once he did, he was surprised to discover their destination because he’d been to the ancient ruins many times in the past and it seemed an unlikely place to set up a base camp.
            He would have liked to get closer, but care was needed if he was going to remain undetected and gather information. Rio jumped into a tree about fifty yards from the entrance he knew led nowhere but a collapsed wall overgrown with vines and waited to discover what further secrets would be revealed. The truck parked and as he had suspected the area was quickly flooded with lights.
            Distracted by the activity of the men unloading, he didn’t at first notice Kirin because he scented her companion first. Ears back, nostrils flared, hairs bristling, his throat constricted, and only with a supreme effort did Rio manage to keep his other self from growling at the leopard brushing with casual affection against Kirin’s leg as she emerged from the darkness of the ruin. Then the smaller cat, having sensed Rio’s presence and with no need for concealment snapped its head in his direction and growled a warning.
            “Easy, Raja,” Kirin said softly, bending to scratch the pet behind his ear, but she too looked in Rio’s direction as Roscoe stepped from the ruin and Rio’s nails dug deeply into the tree bark while he remembered the man’s remark regarding the tracking device and Rio becoming a pet. He looked at the leopard again, and was relieved to see that Kirin at least had the decency not to adorn it with a humiliating jeweled collar or bowed Velcro shirt. She turned to speak to Roscoe as the men approached with the gurney. The cat moved forward and sat, staring at him, clearly placing itself as sentry between his mistress and the perceived threat, Rio.

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Rio, shapeshifted, Black Jaguar

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Book Hooks "Catch a Falling Star"

6/14/2016

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Book Hooks is a weekly blog hop where authors share 8-10 sentence hooks from one of their books with readers, and readers get the chance to sample some great books!

“Let me go,” she cried. “You have what you want, why have you taken me?”

He leaned down and said truthfully against her ear, “Because I don’t want you to be whipped, ever again, and never because of me.”

She fell silent then, and reached with her bound hand to clutch the stallion’s mane, leaning over his neck. He wondered what she was thinking.

But not for long.

As they reached the next summit, a platoon of Arab’s appeared about two kilometers away. The tall Nubian was among them. Seeing them, she chose that moment to fling herself under his arm and off the horse, onto the ground, though they were at full gallop. He immediately pulled on the reins and turned back. Rolling to her feet, she sprinted toward the Arabs. No, not fragile at all.

His brother Andrew was on her in an instant. He launched himself through the air and brought her to ground. Luc rode up and swiftly grabbed his horse’s reins. Her own people probably wouldn’t chance shooting her, but who knew how stupid they were?

Andrew already had her in the air and shoved her atop his horse. He had one toe in the stirrup when she reached out to kick him in the chest. She was off, again, with Andrew’s horse and The Book of Life in the saddle bag. Luc kicked his heels against his horse. Illusive, Andrew had once called her. That didn’t come close to describing it. Holding her was like trying to grasp pure mercury.

Ljluka Vargas, immortal prince and the cool-headed enforcer for the Vargas Dynasty, must go up against his most intriguing enemy, the mysterious Nalini. She intends to beat him to the secret archaeological site of The Book of Life which contains the genetic secrets of their ancient ancestors.

In order to escape the cruel domination of her family and gain freedom for her mother, Nalini assumes the role of assassin. In her rival, the sleek and deadly Luc, she finds a different kind of danger. She’s supposed to eliminate him, but that would foil destiny’s plan for them to be together.

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Weekend Writing Warriors #SnippetSunday The Beast Within

6/12/2016

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Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their #8sunday posts.

I've been posting from my current WIP, Book 2 in my Illuminati series, The Tree of Life. Today you learn a little more about the hero, Rodrigo, whose nickname the heroine has found out is Rio. ::Caution:: Tweeked for sentence demands of Blog rules!

   Rio walked deeper into the forest and breathed in the familiar odors, because the other, his darker, more primitive self that he kept locked away deep inside, hidden and almost tamed, was awakening and restless.
            It was the other who increased his pace into a steady jog, and the other made his skin tingle and itch and his fingertips clench and uncurl and his toes scrunch up and squash within the confines of his boots. He pushed back, just a bit more, and the other squeezed his throat, making him growl, though it came out more a cough in sound. Almost there, he shoved through some interlaced root outcroppings and came upon a small pond. At last, his shirt was wrenched from his pants and ripped open, and he shrugged it off quickly and let it fall. His pants soon followed, and then it felt so good to tug out of his boots and socks, wading into the water.
            Rio dove down, a few glorious strokes later, he let himself relax,and let the beast free. His skull broadened and his jaw widened, becoming powerful enough for the incisors this other was so fond of to fit in his mouth. He surfaced and breathed; the skin on his body had already been replaced by fine black hair with darker rosettes, widely spaced and dotted with dark spots. Reaching out with a wide paw, he sliced through the water and headed for shore. Once there, he shook the water from his broad-shouldered, muscular body and stretched, relishing the release from physical restriction and confining domestic habitats the two-hundred-and–fifty-pound black jaguar padded over to Rio’s pile of clothes and raked the ground with razor-sharp claws so that they would remain undisturbed until his return because Rio might try to tame his inner beast, but his other self was king in this rainforest, and knew it.

Black Jaguar

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