Urban Fantasy Author
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A Lady is dead. Her noble line ended. And the King’s Reaper has come to reclaim her land and her home. In the marches of Aedaron, only one thing is for certain. All keeps of the old world must fall.
Elinor struggles to find her place in the new world. She once dreamed of great things. Of becoming a hero in the ways of the old world. But now she is a Reaper. And her duty is clear. Destroy the old. Herald the new.
The girl put a hand on his shoulder. Her voice was low. “Whatever happens next. You mustn’t move.”
And then the ground underneath the horse exploded upward and a pale white form the size of a wagon erupted into the air. The horse let out a scream that turned into a wet gurgle as white writhing tentacles enveloped the animal. The copper tang of blood filled the air and Conbert felt his stomach lurch. He thought to go for the sword he carried at his side but he saw the girl’s eyes. He held himself still as another of the creatures breached the drowning grass. It was a huge mass of rippling white flesh, except at the front where the mouth opened like an exposed wound. Massive tearing fangs lined the pink maw, and white tentacles writhed from the worm's throat, seeking the remnants of the thrashing horse. The two monsters tore the horse apart in seconds, powerful tentacles flaying meat from bone with horrific efficiency. As the rendworms began to slide across the ground in their direction, Con felt a terror urging him to run. He fought against it, trying to focus instead on the perfect stillness of the young girl. The huge worms slid past them. And then as Con held his breath, the girl moved. The young cadet was fast and sure as she darted forward. She struck out with the mace, swinging it with both hands, and smashing it into the rendworm’s side. There was a loud crack, and Con knew that somewhere inside the sinuous horror a bone had broken under the blow. The Authors
Mark and Joe have been writing and telling stories together for the last 25 years. They share a love for the classic fantasy tales of their childhood. Their Echoes of the Ascended series brings those old epic characters and worlds to new life.
Website: www.gelineauandking.com. Facebook:facebook.com/gelineauandking. Twitter: @gelineauandking. For our latest releases, join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/bww_4j Amazon author page: Mark - http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Gelineau/e/B00I6TQUCE Joe - http://www.amazon.com/Joe-King/e/B01460OK50 Free for Five Days!
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Ready for a kick-ass, older heroine and a cocky cowboy? HellKat has it all: romance, mystery, suspense, unrequited love, and dangerous family secrets. Give Kat and Tucker a try. You've got nothing to lose except a great story ... and maybe a little sleep.
Men and relationships have always disappointed Kat James. Not that it matters, because she doesn’t believe a woman can have it all, not without giving up her independence and identity; something Kat will not do. If there is such a thing as having it all, it’s going to be on Kat’s terms. And if there’s a man out there who can deal with that, she hasn’t met him yet. Enter Tucker Williams. A cowboy who knows all too well about life’s ups and downs. He’s learned the hard way that control is illusory. So he meets whatever happens head-on, confronts it without flinching. Because he knows that's his only chance of having control over anything, no matter how brief. When his eyes set on Kat James, he glimpses a woman who believes she’s in control. A woman who feels like a force of nature. A woman who should be wild and free. A woman who has forgotten how to be either. When dangerous family secrets surface, Kat will confront the people who’ve irrevocably changed her life. But in the end, she and Tucker will battle a union of madness they could not have seen coming. Family is supposed to watch your back, but sometimes they stab you in it instead.
“Do you like the opera, Tucker?” His mouth dropped open, but he didn’t speak. Oh, he wanted to, she could tell. Kat chewed at the inside of her cheek, did her best to hold back the grin wanting to break across her face. “Ever been to the Met?” He shook his head, slowly. “What a shame. We need to fix that as soon as possible.” She teased him with a wink.
“You don’t have any problem renting a tux, right?” He cleared his throat. “Not at all.” Kat’s eyes narrowed. “Just to be clear: black jeans and a sport coat aren’t considered a tux here.” He bit down on his lip to stop the grin so clearly wanting to spread. “Take care of that while I’m at work, would you? I have a friend who can get us great seats—tonight even. I’m sure of it. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” A killer smile lit up her face. Tucker nodded once. The playfulness in his eyes and tight set of his lips broadcasted he understood this to be a test, and that he wasn’t about to give up any points. Her body hummed with exhilaration. She checked the time on her smartphone. “I have to get back to the office now. I’ll call you with the details.” She smacked her lips together in an air kiss. Her giggle could not be stopped. Kat sashayed away, confident that not only was he watching her ass but also wondering if the opera would be the worst of his punishments.
Yes! A heroine I can actually like. Kat is strong, independent and unwilling to lower her standards for anyone! That includes her drama-ridden family and any of a long list of just-not-the-one men.
The hero, Tucker, is a cowboy with spurs who thinks Kat's wild side is right up his Stetson. All he has to do is convince Kat that he's the one for her, and that might prove twitchier than a bull in a hen house. Sparks fly, problems get solved, and lovers love, but not without some intelligent and suspenseful plot twists, crazy complications and satisfying character development. Move over milksops, HellKat's a keeper! Book Bling gives this novel 5 STARS!
Robyn Roze lives amongst the cornfields of the Midwest and telecommutes as an accountant. Writing was a childhood dream of Robyn’s. She won creative writing awards as a girl and teachers encouraged her to pursue a writing career. But pragmatism won out, and she boxed the dream away on the maybe-someday shelf.
Maybe-someday came for Robyn in 2013 when she published the Keeper Series, a new adult romantic suspense story. Then she shifted gears and decided to pen a novel with a much more mature cast—Chain of Title was born, her bestselling title. Readers have been loud in their demand for a sequel, and Robyn is currently working on the next chapter of Shayna and Sean's love story. And her latest book, HellKat, released in June 2015. All of Robyn’s stories contain one key element that her readers love: a strong, independent heroine. When she’s not spending time with her fictional families, she loves to spend time with her real one: her high school sweetheart, their two moody teenagers, and a pampered rescue mutt. AmazonAuthorPage:http://www.amazon.com/Robyn-Roze/e/B00AZXCT5G/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1 Website:http://www.robynroze.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/robynrozeauthor Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/robynroze Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobynRozeAuthor On sale for .99 until the 15th!
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Jack Wylie is tall, dark, handsome and brave - he's everything you'd want in a kidnapper. Ex-cop Jack Wylie is a born protector, tormented by the day he misjudged a criminal and his life took a tragic turn. Now he's on a mission to kidnap a woman to help her overcome a fear of being tied up. He's been told by his psychologist brother to keep up the game until the woman gives him the sign. But there has been a big mistake. Jack has accidentally abducted the feisty and beautiful Molly Rhoades - a newly arrived local TV reporter who has secrets of her own. And she doesn't know the sign. After a dangerous and unlikely meeting, Jack and Molly find themselves consumed by sexual tension, but things get even more complicated when Molly finds out that Jack is engaged to the local Councilwoman Amanda Everett, a ruthless career climber determined to succeed no matter what the cost. But why did Jack kidnap Molly in the first place? Who is pulling the strings in this perverted puppet show? Jack vows to protect Molly until he finds out the truth, but the layers of deception and vengeance run deeper than he could have ever imagined. Excerpt: The plan: Scare the shit out of Laura so she’d never fear her sadistic ex-boyfriend again. Apparently, the ass-wipe had gotten his rocks off playing kidnapper during their relationship. He blamed that damn Fifty Shades of Grey series for the upsurge of domestic violence. Sure, the books had provided a few kinky fantasies for the ladies, but lowlifes like Laura’s ex took the fantasy a step too far. A whimper. Was she crying herself to sleep? He flexed his shoulder blades and relaxed. Wouldn’t be long now. He listened to her breathing slow … and slow … and blinked himself awake. Her sounds soothed him and he was so damn tired. He shouldn’t be attempting this job after an overnight security shift at the bank, but he wanted to get it over with. Worried he’d fall asleep if he waited any longer, he slid out. Once he cleared the frame, he pushed up on his fingers and toes, then sprang to the balls of his feet. His right knee creaked. He froze, hovering above her, the paleness of her skin luminescent in the shadows. She lay on top of her comforter, a pair of white bikini panties and a gray tank top her only cover. Nice body. Real nice body — strong and sleek. A cop? Military? Nah, with training like that she wouldn’t be afraid of an ex-boyfriend. But she sure as hell didn’t sculpt those mile-long sexy legs doing aerobics. Slim hips, flat stomach. He whistled softly through his teeth. Damn perfect breasts, fuller than he would’ve expected on someone so lean. Her long, straight hair fanned above her shoulders. He glanced at her face to verify she matched the woman in the head shot Rudy had given him. His chest tightened and he jerked his gaze away. Too late. Those puffy pillow-lips would haunt his dreams. Time to go to work. He clasped her by the waist, tossed her onto her stomach, and pushed her face into the pillow just hard enough to muffle any screams. Startled awake, she bucked her curvy, near-naked ass in his face. Sweet Jesus! He sat on her legs, keeping one hand firmly planted on the back of her neck while he used his teeth to tear off a piece of duct tape. With the strip hanging between his lips, he caught her arms behind her and wrapped the tape around her wrists several times. He didn’t want to cut off her circulation, but she twisted her wrists and the bonds tightened. He ripped another piece of tape, cupped this one in his palm, and rolled her over. She sucked in air, but he gagged her before the scream escaped. A hunk of hair stuck to her face under the gag, making her look like a rumpled kid. But the sparks of terrorized fury she shot at him were far from childlike. Jack faltered. That kind of fear, he’d seen it before. He’d felt it before. But he’d never provoked it.
Natalie S. Ellis worked behind the scenes in TV news for sixteen years and will always miss the rush of a breaking story. But the seduction of writing a fiery romance with twisty suspense is even harder to resist, especially when she has a new curveball for the plot. Natalie enjoys living in her hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and attributes her cheerful attitude to empty nesting, a supportive family, and way too many lattés.
https://twitter.com/fearforhire https://www.facebook.com/NatalieSEllisNovels http://fearforhire.com/
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!
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 and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time. Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG The awesome co-hosts for the the September 2 posting of the IWSG will be Julie Flanders, Murees Dupé, Dolorah at Book Lover, Christine Rains, and Heather Gardner! How to Pic
One of the most insecure aspects of writing, for me, is self promotion. Everyone knows that in today's ever-changing marketplace, unless you are Stephen King or Nora Roberts you don't have a squad of publicists pushing your every achievement, thought or activity into the public eye. Authors HAVE to self promote.
One of the most insecure things about self promotion is getting yourself "out there," and that includes a photo. If readers like to know something "real" about an author, they certainly expect to "see" what they look like. I, myself, have seen cartoon sketches in place of a real "author" face in an author profile and wondered what they had to hide. There are so many varieties of author pics out there. Some of the bigger writing conferences even have magic photographers who, like the big name authors' photographers, can trim the chub off a chin, the wrinkles off a neck, glowing tan airbrush any flaws and even do an eye lift or nose shade. But those kind of pictures cost mucho moulah. Not all budding authors can afford to be Kardashian Kandid. So what's a starving artist to do? Personally, I like to see pictures of people in motion, or at least doing something. Some of the most cherished pics in my own collections are pics in which I am doing things in fun or exotic places with friends or family. In the pic above, I am on a Garden District tram in New Orleans with some writing buddies on a research vacation. It's one of my favorite memories. That's why I chose it. But, I have on sunglasses and a big hat, and in that way it might not be a good choice-though it's the one I currently use.
I have thought about this many times, and back when I first got into writing, I took one of those "glamour" pics because I had a coupon from a pic party. I thought it was romantic and would be a good pic for a romance writer. Looking back, I realize it was a pic of the times and by today's standards, pretty cheesy (not that I don't wish I still looked like that-minus the "big" hair!), but it is not the type of pic I would want to represent my professional writing now.
I see pics of all types on author profiles, from professional and artisitic head shots, to full on activity shots of horseback riding, dog frolicking, scuba diving buddy pics, kite flying or mountain hiking, to free teacher school pics to office directory pics (do the authors think we don't recognize that?), and even pics where authors just did a selfie. What's your favorite type of author pic? Any suggestions? How did you decide what to use on your own profile? An everyday man, living less than ordinary life in New York City, simply makes his way about his work life and one at home. A kind heart and an empathetic soul, who tended to think of others before he thought of himself. With his childhood totally left behind and gone with the final resting of his father, Nathan has come to terms with his past as he forges his life in the present, unaware of what lies ahead. An unlikely friendship, a random act of violence, a budding romance, all part of a life changed. “When it’s your time, there’s nothing you can do to change that outcome. The only thing you can do is meet it head on. You have to hope that the life you had with others, while you were here, has made a positive impact.” – Brian Devron “Where there is darkness, you are light. Where others know fear, you will be brave. When there are setbacks, you will persevere. Where others find weakness, you bring strength. Where there is despair, you are hope. Where cowardice falls, you rise courageously. Where others do not have the ability to believe, you have faith. You will suffer, so that others will endure. You will triumph where others would fall." - Cici Johnson “This is it; it all changes tonight. Anything I do tonight, at a minimum, is going to at least expose all of this to the world." - Nathan Devron. Nathan Devron, like many people, has known loss. He has compassion and a strong sense of justice. It's easy to see him as an ordinary guy--until he isn't. When suddenly endowed with super powers, it's no surprise that he feels he must pursue justice and right wrongs. What is less obvious is the fact that he takes his power seriously without feeling it makes him better than others. If you like larger than life heroes (AKA superheroes), you will love this novel. From an old woman who turns out to be a witch bearing a mystical gift of a bracelet that can invoke the Greek Gods of Olympus, to Nathan's superhero t-shirt collection, this story contains all the elements one expects from a superhero story. Fans of Superman, Spiderman, and Batman will find much to like about this plot-driven adventure. Jason has been working in the information technology field in one form or the other since 1996. He is currently employed full time at Bloomberg LP as a Systems Engineer in the R&D group. Jason lives in Wallingford Connecticut, with his wife Renata. He is the father to four children, three boys and 1 girl - 11 years (Andrew), 9 years (Angela), 7 years (Adam) and 6 years old (Alex). You can keep up with Jason on Facebook via his author page at https://www.facebook.com/jzandri You can FOLLOW Jason on Twitter via https://twitter.com/gunderstone You can ADD Jason to your circles on Google+ via https://plus.google.com/+JasonZandri/ A man without faith shares his views as the end of life approaches. The views are reflections on religion, morality and death. The deeply religious will find little of interest here and may find some of the material incomprehensible. Some moderates who have noticed twinges of doubt or discomfort in certain beliefs may find some explanations for those feelings. The faithless will probably understand it all. It is the author's hope that for them, it will be a pleasant read. Doomed Soul by Robert Boomsliter is a series of essays. He seems to write these essays as a form of self-actualization. Though he has submitted some of these essays to newspapers and even posts some of the back and forth dialogue he's had with readers, they sound at times as though he's trying to convince himself as well as his audience that he's right. One might suspect that like Anne Rice, he has deep-seeded conflict with some Catholic or other bureaucratic religious experience in his youth. But this is just speculation, and this book is worth a read whatever your beliefs as it will cause you to do just that, speculate. Just as radical Muslims seem to blame the problems of world civilization on America's political bureaucracy, Boomsliter blames religious bureaucracy. There doesn't seem to be a differentiation between religion and individual faith in a higher being, which requires no religion at all. In fact, it is somewhat difficult to understand how an atheist can believe in hell, let alone that their soul will go there. For that matter, why does an atheist believe they have a soul? What would be the point? Why would it matter? Love it or hate it, this book is short enough to read in one sitting, and interesting enough to make you shake your head, or your first. But whatever you think, you will not be bored. I am a retired electrical engineer, my career of 41 years spent mostly in Silicon Valley, California. I was one of those extremely fortunate individuals who enjoyed their work so much that it seemed unfair that I should be paid to perform it. My profession required some technical writing but I never aspired to author anything that would be interesting to the general reader. Doomed Soul is my first attempt to do so and I hope that its introduction is a clear explanation why I chose to do it. I currently live in Florida with my wife Babs and two bichon frise dogs named Boomer and Gabby. I can be reached by e-mail at bobboom2001@yahoo.com and would welcome any communication regarding my virgin effort. 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 08/29/15 and 9:00 AM on Sunday 08/30/15. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their 8sunday posts. WIP: Daughter of Ancients, a New Adult Supernatural Romance.SETUP:
What I'm working on is weaving supernatural abilities into the text in such a way that they seem natural to the world/character I am developing, while making sure the reader understands what is happening. I realize that happens over time and with consistency, but it is especially difficult in the beginning. Below is a scene in which I am revealing the characters' telepathic abilities while building suspense and weaving in information necessary to the plot development. EXCERPT: Instinct drove me, and I pushed gently into his thoughts. Danger. Not what he appears. This man is a threat to Stefanie. I must protect her, at all costs, Hunter was thinking. Surprised, I turned to consider Abasi, my lifelong friend, more seriously. He must not-- What the hell just happened? My quick access to Abasi’s thoughts had been cut off as though guillotined. Hunter. Again. I glanced at Hunter and caught him with his amiable facade down for a moment. Though he didn’t look at Abasi with hatred, his look was calculating and guarded. You Must be the "I" in Your Own Happiness!Pessimists like to claim that they are realists. If you consider that worst case scenario isn't a 100 percent fact in anyone's lifetime reality, that claim isn't very logical. Pessimism is a learned point of view, which means it can be unlearned. Or, rather, optimism is a happier point of view that can be learned. It takes making the conscience choice to have a rosier world view, practicing it with mindful observations, and being consistent.
If you don't think this can effect your overall mood, then try this for just one day, all day, no matter what you observe or do. If you would like a little motivation, consider the fact that a recent study from the University of Pittsburgh found that women who expect good things to happen have a 30% lower risk for heart disease. Still not convinced? Optimism was also linked to a lower risk of stroke in a University of Michigan study. The Canadian Medical Association journal found that as they age, optimists tend to get fewer disabilities and live longer than pessimists. Hm, I guess one does reap what they sow. Daughter of Ancients: New Adult Supernatural Romance“En garde!” I warned. A flash of silver. He parried. With sleek precision, a flick of his wrist. Slash, a backward step and then another, a long slide of his blade against mine. I shoved away, using the momentum to tilt back on my heels and then pivot on the balls of my feet and reach out to feint left, engage, and then parry. He swept his sword arm up and then down, snapping against the gleaming metal held firmly in my right hand. My arm began to tire. He advanced and engaged until the clang of our clashes echoed through the rafters. **WeWriWa guidelines**
Sunday 9 AM EST, your WeWriWa/8sentence post must be what appears when the linky link is clicked. Your WeWriWa intro/greeting and 8 to 10 sentence excerpt must be at the top of the post--nothing before. Eight to ten sentences for the story excerpt, please-- Links will be deleted without prior notice for excerpts going over ten. For poetry, limit the word count to 150 words. A link back to www.wewriwa.com must be included visibly on the page. Promotions for your own books, book release announcements, music videos, awards, personal photos, announcements, news and videos etc. are permitted after the wewriwa excerpt. The Secrets of Yashire: Emerging From the Shadows is a young adult fantasy adventure that occurs within the framework of a young girl’s subconscious mind. The main character, Brianna, finds herself thrown into a world called Yashire where she is forced to deal with circumstances that are threatening Yashire’s existence. Against her will, she is sent on a journey to restore unconditional love back to the land while also contending with the evil force in the land, Zolan. Brianna is sent on her mission by Libban, Keeper of the Land. Along the way, Brianna travels with the mystical tiger, Angelos; a huge, whitish-tan tiger with thick black stripes who sings only the purest songs of love, and the wondrous little one-eyed bird named Abiba. During the journey, Brianna is also preparing to meet her soulmate—the one she longs to be with and the one who will bring complete healing back into her life. Together they travel through fantastic lands filled with magical creatures that could only exist in the wildest of imaginations. Through her treacherous brushes with danger and heartwarming experiences of love and acceptance, Brianna discovers many things. It is here, amidst the powers and phantasms of the mind that Brianna receives life lessons and virtues to help her. Will one of her greatest triumphs be achieved as she learns to believe in herself? For only then can she truly see all of the wondrous things that life has to offer. Who doesn't like some well-done personification? In the same vein as Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of OZ, Lavendar takes a golden rule theme and personifies such delightful characters as Angelos, a mystical singing tiger, and a one-eyed bird named Abiba to accompany the main character, Brianna, on a fantastical journey toward coming of age. Brianna, a young adult who has made some bad decisions in life is in a terrible car accident, a fit metaphor for the self-destruction she is wrecking on her life. She "wakes" to find herself in a magical world where she is sent on a mission by Libban, Keeper of the Land. She must battle the evil Zolan, but also has some wondrous adventures as she prepares to meet her one true soulmate. Only then will the land, and her body and soul be healed. Though the story begins a bit slowly, happily ever after finds a fitting home in Yashire. Brianna discovers that self-worth and self-respect are necessary to get her own life on track. Only once she loves herself will she be capable of loving another. Great YA lessons in a fun and imaginative fantasy genre. Book Bling give this novel FOUR STARS! Diamante Lavendar lives in the Midwest and enjoys gardening, cooking, reading, art and spending time with family and friends. She is also an animal lover and she greatly enjoys swimming and connecting with nature.
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