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Thursday, March 31, 2016

Blog Tour: Two Brothers: Species



YA Sc- Fi


The third and final book in the Ramtalan Triology brings Argus and Tai Dachel to a critical juncture in their lives. Struggling to maintain some sort of normalcy, the boys soon discover that they’ll never be the same and those around them, including Argus’s girlfriend Lola, are in danger from the Invaders and the government agency AURA. With enhanced abilities, Argus has to come to grips with being different from his brother, and being an enemy to the Ramtalans he thought were his friends. When hyper-intelligent, powerful Argustine Lenox and his sister, Galena, threaten to cleanse the Earth of humans and New Breeds, Argus and Tai have a difficult decision to make. Which side do they join? The Invaders accept him, while the Settler Ramtalans consider him dangerous. As if that’s not enough, Argus is on the brink of adulthood and must choose what sort of man he wants to be; defiant, compassionate, strong or all three. Nothing will matter though if he can’t save the Earth.



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Excerpt



Argus ran to Lola and dropped to his knees. She wasn’t moving and was pale. Aunt Celeste had one hand on Lola’s forehead and one on her chest, and looked up. “Argus, I’m so sorry.”

“What do you mean? You have to keep trying. You can heal her.” Argus cradled Lola’s head in his lap. “She can’t be dead.”
Aunt Celeste stood. “Nobody can heal a human who’s gone through a shift. It destroys…”
“Don’t. I don’t want to know.” Argus lifted Lola into his arms. “I’m going to take her to Galena.”
“Argus, no! Even Galena can’t heal a human.” Aunt Celeste shook her head and motioned to the couch in the living room. “Why don’t you put her down?”
“No!” Argus looked at Lola’s sweet face. He didn’t ever want to put her down. How could he have killed her? “I don’t accept that there’s nothing that can be done. Ramtala is more advanced than Earth, right? Then someone can heal her.”
Tai rushed over. “Wait, someone can heal her. At least I think so. Aunt Celeste, before Galena took away my computer time, I remember reading something about how the scientists on Ramtala had experimented with humans early on, and accidentally killed them when trying to merge the Ramtalan DNA with human DNA. It wasn’t an easy process. When Ramtalans took host bodies and mated with early humans…”
Aunt Celeste interrupted, “You’re right, Tai. Boys, I didn’t want to tell you that part of our history, but perhaps there is a possibility that…”
Argus blurted, “Whatever it is, Aunt Celeste, I’ll do it. I can’t let Lola die.”
“Bro,” Tai paused. “She’s already dead.”
“But didn’t you say there might be a way to bring her back?” Argus glared at Tai. Was he going back on what he’d just said?
It was Aunt Celeste who answered, “Yes, Argus, there might be a way. But it’s not something we can do easily. And it might not work. The only pure-form I know of here on Earth who has enhanced knowledge and abilities of healing humans is Lenox. Even Commander Jampara can’t help with something like that.”
Argus looked at Lola again. “Then I’ll go to Lenox. I don’t care anymore. He can have my energy for the XTRA-A1. It won’t kill me now that I’ve been converted.”
“Arg, you can’t. We still don’t really know what he’s planning. I know you care for Lola, but use your head. What if you get Lenox to help and then the XTRA-A1 kills you and me, and all of the New Breeds? Will that be worth it?” Tai glanced at Aunt Celeste. “Tell him it’s not a good idea. Sorry I opened my big mouth.”
Aunt Celeste shook her head. “It’s definitely not a good idea. Argus, please put Lola on the couch and let me think about this situation more fully.”
“Of course it’s worth it, Tai. We have to do something now!” Argus felt his temperature rising. “You might be willing to let her die, but I’m not!”
“Argus!” Aunt Celeste shouted. “Control yourself. You won’t do anyone any good if you lose control. There is a time limit for healing a deceased human, but we still have time. To summon help from Lenox would be a mistake. He preys on our weaknesses. Your weakness, Argus, is Lola and your concern for humans. He knows that and he’ll use it against you.”
Argus clutched Lola close. “How much time?”
“Put Lola down on the couch and let me calculate how much time she has.” Aunt Celeste motioned again to the couch. “Argus.”
He nodded. “Okay.” Carefully, he placed Lola on the couch and stepped back while Aunt Celeste knelt beside her. It would be worth giving up everything to see Lola alive again.
Aunt Celeste placed a hand on either side of Lola’s head. A blue aura settled over Lola’s entire body. “The shift has caused internal damage, cellular damage. I would estimate we have no more than ten planetary minutes to revive her.” She removed her hands and the aura faded. “I’m sorry, Argus.”
“Bullshit.” Argus ran to the kitchen and found the Wand of Ramtala leaning against the wall. Just seeing it made his heart race. He grabbed it and immediately felt a rush of adrenaline surge through his veins.
“Argus.” Aunt Celeste was beside him. “The Wand is a powerful extension of Ramtalan energy. Even Galena has to be careful, and she’s fully comingled with it. You’re not. Give it to me.”
“No.” Argus held it tightly and rushed back to Lola. “I’m going to use it to heal her.”
“Bro, you don’t know how.” Tai put his hand on Argus’s shoulder and took hold of the Wand. “Give it to Aunt Celeste.”
Argus glared at Tai. “Take your hand off the Wand, Tai. I do know how to use it. I’m a part of the Wand. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s like the Wand is telling me what to do. Get your hand off it and stand back.” He knew Tai was trying to help in the only way he knew how, but he didn’t understand the Wand. “I won’t tell you again, brother.”
“Arg, you’re scaring me. Your eyes have those freakish sparks in them again. That Wand’s going to kill you. I can’t let you…” He tightened his grip on the Wand.
Argus felt the energy inside him build up and knew he was about to throw a plasma burst. “Let go, Tai.”
Aunt Celeste came over. “Tai, do what he says.”
“No. You’ll have to kill me, Arg.” Tai raised an eyebrow. “I hope you don’t, but that’s the only way I’m letting you do anything with this Wand.”
“I…” Argus couldn’t control it any longer. “I’m sorry.” The plasma burst he released caused such a shock wave that Tai flew across the room and slammed into the wall, leaving a deep impression.
“Argus!” Aunt Celeste shouted.



Born in Sydney, Australia, I moved with my family to the United States when I was only four. Home wasn’t settled for a long time and included living in Toronto, Canada; Henrietta and Buffalo, New York; Northridge, Southern California; a short stint back in Sydney, Australia; Reno, Nevada; Dallas, Texas; Daytona Beach, Florida, with an eventual semi-settled life in Ojai and Ventura, Southern California as a single parent to my three daughters.
Perhaps the unsettled partial nomadic lifestyle is the reason I love to travel. Moving around and travelling to different countries are adventures which serve as potential settings and plots for stories. I’m a multi-genre fiction writer, with degrees in environmental science and archaeology, and coursework in creative writing and criminal justice. This has all helped in developing stories
When not glued to my desk writing or researching, I love spending time with my family and hairless Sphynx cats. Writing is a true passion, born from a love of the written word and how those words can transport the reader to different places or worlds and deliver them back to reality, safe and sound.

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Twitter: @sofiadianagabel


Monday, March 28, 2016

Blog Tour: Checkmate



Mystery
Date Published: February 16, 2016


Checkmate is the fourth standalone novel in the Harry Starke series of mysteries.

Angela Hartwell lay dead in the shallow waters beside the golf course. There was not a mark on her, yet she had been strangled. How could that be?
Once again, it’s up to Harry Starke to find out. The investigation takes him into a world he’s very familiar with, a world of affluence, privilege, and corruption.
To solve the mystery, he must deal with three murders, a beautiful used car dealer, her lovely twin sisters, and a crooked banker.  Not to mention Burke and Hare, two crazy repo men who will stop at nothing to protect their employer’s interests. There's also the matter of an ingenious, sadistic killer. But nothing is ever quite what it seems....
Harry Starke is a hard-boiled private detective, an ex-cop, a tough guy from the right side of the tracks with finely tuned senses, good instincts, and friends in high places. He’s single, successful, well educated, and yes, he will hurt you if he needs to.


Review

This isn't an action packed Mystery, but it does keep your mind working all of the way through. You will need to think and you will be surprised multiple times. 

Harry Starke is a great lead. He is witty and fun to read about. He has his downfalls and flaws, but they make him who he is.


A great addition to the Harry Starke series! 



Blair Howard is from a small town in England, near Stratford-upon-Avon, on the edge of the English Cotswolds. He is Kentucky Colonel, an honor bestowed upon him in 2008 by the then Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Steven L. Beshear. Until 2015, he wrote sweeping historical epics, and is the author of five historical novels. In July of 2015 he decided to try his hand at writing mystery novels, thus we have Harry Starke. The first in the series, Harry Starke, was released in mid-September 2015. The second novel, Two for the Money, was released October 19 the same year, Hill House, in mid-December 2015, and Checkmate in February 2016, and there are more to come.
Blair is the author of more than 40 books and more than 4,500 magazine, newspaper, and web articles. His work has appeared in many national and international publications, including Delta's Sky Magazine, PHOTOgraphic magazine, The Mail on Sunday, The Walking Magazine, Petersen's Hunting Magazine, The Boston Herald, The Detroit Free-Press, The Anchorage Times and many more.

Twitter: @bcwhoward


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Pre-Release: Never Trust a Skinny Cupcake Baker


Cozy Mystery
Date Published: April 11, 2016

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A cozy mystery with a heap of laughs, a generous portion of romance, and just a smidgeon of suspense.

Callie’s life is rather awesome. She owns a successful bakery and teaches German literature at the local university. There’s just one tiny problem. She has no self-confidence when it comes to her body. And then there’s the little matter of her being accused of murdering her pole dancing instructor. There’s no way Callie’s going to risk losing her teaching position and thus she embarks, with her best baker bud Anna, on a journey to discover the real killer. Between stripper auditions and a detective who insists Callie is the woman of his dreams, it’s a roller coast adventure. Cupcakes not included.

EXCERPT

I take a deep breath and walk into the club. It’s dark and smoky. No surprise there. The floors are covered in shag carpeting, the walls are painted a red so deep it looks black, and the chairs are red velour. Is strip club a euphemism for whore house? To the right is a shiny, black bar. Straight ahead is a stage in an M-shape with three stripper poles. Of course there are stripper poles. Dolly worked here after all.

“You next?” A man shouts, and I nearly jump out of my shoes. I look to my left to see two men in shiny suits sitting at a table in the middle of the room. “Come on, doll, are you the next dancer?”

“Dancer?”

The man rolls his eyes and talks to the man next to him. “Not the brightest one of the bunch is she?” He turns back to me. “Come on, sweetheart.” He looks me up and down, and I feel the sudden need to shower with bleach. “You’ve got the body for it. Show us what you can do.”

I’ve got the body for it? Have we landed on planet opposite? I’m still trying to figure out how to respond when Anna grabs my hand. “Where are the dressing rooms? She needs to change.”

The man points to a door on the right side of the stage behind the bar. “Hurry up. We ain’t got all day!”

Anna pulls me to the door. I stumble behind her unsure if I should follow her or get the heck out of Dodge. She pushes through the door and looks around before spotting a room filled with racks of clothing. She lets my hand go and starts pawing through the outfits.

“Anna, stop!” I say when my brain finally catches up. “I can’t go up there and dance. Let’s just get out of here and come back another time.”

I don’t even get a chance to stand up from the chair before Anna’s on me. Her tiny body boxes me in the chair. “I don’t want to hear it! You heard the man. You’ve got the perfect body for this because you’re… let’s say it together… sexy!” She turns back to the rack of clothes. “Besides, while you’re up there doing your thing, I can snoop around.” She pulls out an outfit and hands it to me.

I don’t have a choice but to take the hanger as she shoves it in my hand. There’s not enough fabric here. She’s got to be kidding me. “I can’t wear this,” I protest.

Anna’s having none of it. “You will wear it, and you will go up on that stage and totally rock! In the meantime, I’ll be doing some investigating so we can save your job. You know the one that you spent the last 10 years studying and preparing for?”

I want to scream and shout and fight her, but I don’t really see what other option we have. I suppose we can sneak out the back door, but then we’d have to come back at some point as this is our only lead. Mr. Creepy #1 and Mr. Creepy #2 might not recognize me – a chubby girl with boring brown hair. But a tiny pixie with bright pink hair? I shake my head and put on the darn outfit.





About the Author


I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom's Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Women. When I wasn't flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.

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$15 Amazon gift card


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Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Blog Tour: The Gun


Crime Fiction
Date Published: September 30, 2014


Garda Detective Tadhg Sullivan leads a special unit that investigates politically motivated crime. A man known only as The Deerstalker is a cancer who has infected
the Irish political system.
Sullivan teams up with journalist Helen Carty, and together they try tracking down the mysterious killer. Carty adds to Sullivan’s problems, when he finds himself falling in love with her. And further complicating things, he starts losing trust in his partner, Detective Pat Carter, who appears to be on the side of the Garda Commissioner, who Sullivan is rapidly falling out with.
Sullivan’s case is further thrown into confusion when a copycat killer, Tommy Walsh, is shot dead by the CIA. When the CIA discovers that they've killed the wrong person, the two agents involved--Simon, who has become disillusioned by his time stationed in the Middle East, and Joey, a psychopath who confuses zealotry with patriotism--are also in pursuit of The Deerstalker.
Sullivan finds himself in a race against time, if he is to arrest The Deerstalker before the CIA take him out, and use his death as a pawn in a political game of chess.
Who will win out in the end?

Purchase Links
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble 
Smashwords
Publisher
iTunes


Review 

I loved the way that Daithi Kavanagh chose to write this from double perspectives. It was a great change in the Crime novels I have read in the past. You have the person who is committing the crime "the suspect" as well as the person who is trying to catch him "the detective". I loved that we had alraedy gotten to know Sullivan in the past novels. This one really stays true to his character. The Crime element was well done as well as the Suspense that naturally comes with these novels. Daithi Kavanagh has managed to keep Detective Sullivan's saga fresh with this next installment. 




Daithi Kavanagh is 57 years old and lives with his wife and two teenage children in Trinity, Wexford, Ireland. Up to 2012 when the recession hit Ireland he was making a living as a musician. He then went back to adult education and completed his Leaving Certificate in 2014. He is now studying for a degree in Irish Culture and Heritage Studies at Wexford Campus.
While he was studying he began writing ‘The Gun’ which is the first book in The Tadhg Sullivan Series.  His second book in the series called The Brotherhood was released in May 2015. He is currently working on the third book in the series.
He plays guitar and sings in many of the pubs in his hometown of Wexford where he is often joined by his two children Ella and Rory who play fiddle and flute.
In his spare time he likes to walk his two dogs with his wife Caroline.





Release Week: Back in My Life




Romance / Erotica
Date Published: February 27, 2016

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Back in my Life is a story set in the beautiful cities of New York and Chicago. This story is not the typical and simple "boy meets girl, boy and girl get marry story." This story is a powerful story that shows how real and unselfish love truly looks like. The love between Ruby and Clyde is an amazing and genuine love that survived everything that came in between them—even the most painful experiences that destiny had planned for them.

During a college internship at a prestigious New York magazine, Ruby Sparks (a journalist graduate student from Chicago) meets Clyde Holt, (a fellow intern and a creative photography student from a London based college) whom from day one became Ruby's obsession and the new reason for her existence. After developing strong feelings for her emotionally unavailable friend, Ruby finds herself trapped in a whirlpool of emotions while trying to earn her friend's love. What Ruby doesn't know is that while she is looking for true love, Clyde's presence in her life came with a different purpose.



About the Author


I have been writing for pleasure for the past couple of years, but this is the first time I do a book tour so I am very excited for it. Writing is my passion, and I enjoy using real-life stories as the basis for my novels, but giving them a little twist to make them more melodramatic and breath-taking. I am also the author of Pamela's Confessions and Confesiones del Alma. I currently live in Florida with my husband and three children.

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Monday, March 21, 2016

Blog Tour: A Gentleman's Surrender



Historical Romance
Date Published: January 1, 2016


Call her a romantic—or a fool, Lady Monique Cathdon is determined to marry for love. After watching her parents tolerate an arranged betrothal, life seems too short to be wasted on keeping up appearances.

After all, what’s the point of having a heart if one refuses to follow it?

With a smile the devil himself might be proud of, James Stanton is not what her mother would call “a matrimonial prospect”. Still, there’s something about the young man that sends Lady Monique’s heart thumping around her chest, and silences her voice of reason.

Unfortunately for Lady Monique, the stakes are high, and young ladies of the ton make for very poor gamblers. Especially when James Stanton is on the hunt for revenge, and won’t let an innocent woman—or his own passionate desires—get in the way of righting past wrongs.


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Review 



I enjoy a good Historical Romance that can effectively take me back in time. This was one of those novels, the setting and characters as well as the writing style seemed to take me to a time I have never personally experienced and just read about. 

The characters were multi-dimensional and believable, as was the romance. It didn't feel forced and there were plenty of twists that helped the romance feel natural. 

Plenty of surprises along the way, there is drama, there is heartache, and their is happiness and love. 





From the moment she could put pen to paper, Mariel Grey knew she wanted to be a writer. Like all good adventures however, it didn’t happen overnight; it was after several decades of working in litigation that the desire to create dramatic worlds and characters became too great to ignore. Her first foray into historical romance, Surrender of Trust, explored the grime and glamour of regency horse racing, following the determined but impoverished Lucy Goodwin and upright Lord Chalifour. Her second novel, A Gentleman’s Surrender, released January 1, 2016 introduces the innocent Lady Monique and tortured Mr. Stanton, both struggling to find love in a world filled with deceit.
Though entirely at home in the ballrooms and street alleys of London past, Mariel Grey’s is currently working on  a contemporary story set in Florida, a landscape dear to the author’s heart. When she isn’t conjuring words on her computer screen, Grey can be found on the water fishing, snorkeling, and enjoying the incredible natural beauty of her home.
Mariel has a wonderful husband (the hero of her own romantic story) as well as a mischievous cat (who seems happy to play the role of villain). In addition to being a dutiful wife and animal wrangler, Mariel is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Ancient City Romance Authors chapter.

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Saturday, March 19, 2016

Blog Tour: Heart of Stone



Contemporary Romance
Date Published: December 27, 2015

Krystina Cole was a girl on a mission.  She had big dreams and aspirations, none of which included a man by her side.  She knew better than that – at least until she met Alexander Stone, the New York billionaire real estate tycoon.  She saw the way that he looked at her, and the dark promises in his eyes.  She was curious about his world and all that it entailed. But the shadows of her past haunted her, making her afraid to explore possibilities that she could never before have imagined…
Alexander Stone was a man who knew how to get what he wanted.  He understood the value of finesse, and the importance of patience and diligence to achieve the desired result. He was successful and wealthy, relying on his naturally sharp instincts to guide him through life.  But a chance run in with Krystina Cole quickly turned his world upside down. Her quick wit and firecracker attitude was the complete opposite of what he wanted in a woman, and his instincts failed him at every turn…
However, both Krystina and Alexander are clinging to the secrets of their past, and neither of them are willing to compromise.  Krystina’s hardened heart makes emotional surrender a hard limit.  But for Alexander, revealing his past could have devastating results.

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Review 

One thing I didn't expect and that I really felt helped this novel was the level of humor and wit used throughout by the characters. 

I think that the amount of insight we get into Krys's past was great and really helped us to understand her as a character. We only get brief glimpses of Alexander and even by the end we still have more questions than facts.

The relationship and connection between these two characters really felt authentic. They had an undeniable chemistry and I enjoyed that. 

I was a bit caught off guard by the cliffhanger and hate having to wait. :(







Dakota Willink is a self employed writer and editor, and the author of Heart of Stone, a contemporary romance novel.   

She has always had a passion for reading and writing. From the time she was an adolescent, she enjoyed curling up with a good paperback, reading genres that ranged from thriller and fantasy, to mystery and romance.  She always dreamed of one day writing her own book, but had put her aspirations on hold to focus on her family and a career that would pay the bills. 
Although she earned a degree in business and had built a solid reputation in retail sales, her heart continued to be with fictional characters – whether they belonged to a favorite author or if they were just stories that she made up in her own head.   
In 2013, Dakota gathered enough courage to turn her dreams into a reality. In between playing chauffeur to two very busy children and working her job during the day, Dakota began to put words on paper.  Eventually, she began to describe her life as a book.  Everything she saw or heard throughout the day, intertwined with her imagination for the creation of future writings.  By 2014, with the support of her husband and two children, she gave up the security of a steady paycheck and began working on her first novel full time.
Dakota Willink is a lover of music, and appreciates the power and stimulating effect it can have on the brain.  She often uses lyrics and melodies to help her through bouts of writers block.  At the end of her novel, you can find an authors note that recognizes and thanks the artists that gave her inspiration.
Dakota resides in the Western New York area, where she enjoys spending time with family, her two Labrador Retrievers, and her spoiled rotten cat.  During the summer months, she can often be found on a boat, soaking up the sun on the Great Lakes with her family. 
Heart of Stone is available in paperback and for Kindle eReaders.

Friday, March 18, 2016

Blog Tour: Dominic's Nemesis



Paranormal / Gothic Romance
Date Published: 11/9/2015


When Tortured Souls Collide…
In an unforgiving society where the hint of madness is all the damning proof men need, Dominic Ambrosi struggles to live a peaceful life, away from prying eyes, and damning innuendo.  Gifted with uncanny abilities, yet also cursed with the taint of madness, Dominic must walk a fine line.  After the horror of his past, his fractured soul is safe only in solitude…until one day, his refuge is irrevocably breached by an ethereal beauty haunted by demons of her own.  He is torn between protecting himself and his brothers from exposure and persecution and following the desires of his heart…


Review 


This was a touching novel and really seemed to focus on characterization. I think that is what carried the novel. As a reader I became so in tuned to Dominic and his past and everything he was dealing with. 

There are a lot of additional characters but I really didn't pay much mind to them. They were just people that came and went through the story. 

The fact that it was a Gothic Romance really came through. It was a bit darker and gloomy in the feel. 




D. Alyce Domain. Is a long-time lover of creative fiction.  She learned to read with Dr. Seuss, grew up reading Sweet Valley High, James Howe, and Lois Duncan, and graduated to category romance with Harlequin and Silhouette in her teen years.  Ms. Domain started out writing fan-fiction after her favorite fictional characters met with death and cancellation on network television.  Inspired by the entertaining, multi-layered storylines created by so many female romance, young adult and television writers, she began to experiment with her own characters.  Coupled with her own unique brand of genre-bending romantic fiction, Ms. Domain was able to create a whole new world within the pages of her books.
Ms. Domain was born and raised in Houston, Texas, the youngest daughter of Charles and Eunice Domain.  She has one older sister.  She earned a BS in Biochemistry and a MS in Biomedical Sciences.  She worked in Patient-Based Biological Research before switching careers and opening her own fashion boutique, The Aesthetic Domain.  In addition to fashion apparel and accessories, she sells her own original jewelry creations and runs the Boutique & Blog website, which is based in Houston, Texas.  Ms. Domain also has avid interests in inspirational music, art/entertainment, and history.