PROMO: Fall Into Darkness

Paranormal Romance

Date Published: November 9, 2015

Eli lives by his own rules and bows to no one, even when summoned before the Tribunal Seven. They deem the hunter has lost his humanity and sentence the angel to earth with one mission: find some compassion or be condemned to Hell.

Ashley considers herself a freak. With one glance into a person’s eyes, she foresees their death. When an attack brings a handsome stranger to her rescue, she can’t help but be drawn to his steel-blue gaze.

Fate will bring them together but desire could bond them for eternity.

EXCERPT

Ashley wandered through Eli’s bedroom, noting how bare it was. Except for a queen four-poster bed, a dresser, and a fireplace, there was nothing else here. She wondered how lonely he must have been to never make a real home in one place. Eva had told her this small cabin in the north woods was always his favorite and that was why she’d asked to be brought here.

After stoking a fire, she donned the short red nightie that hardly covered her breasts and left her long legs exposed. There was no way he could resist, not if he were half as needful as she, and something told her he would be more so. She hoped he’d be so lust ridden he’d complete the bond. Guilt filled her for what she was about to do, but she’d do anything to save him. She’d worry about the aftermath later.

The double-winged tattoo on the back of her hip burned, and she’d learned it meant Eli was close by. Was he watching from a distance? She stepped into the soft light of the fire, knowing it cast a sensual glow across her skin. Yeah, she was pulling out all the stops. A cool breeze whispered across her skin causing her nipples to tighten.

He was here.

She turned, and when her gaze fell upon him standing in the shadows she gasped. His naked chest glistened in the firelight that reflected across the room. A thick rope of muscles coiled just under his skin, and her fingertips itched to touch him. Dark jeans, settled so low on his hips, she could see the dusting of hair that led to his sweet spot. However, it was the massive black wings that stretched out and brushed the ground that really drew her attention. Her fallen angel was dark and sinister, yet every fiber of her being said he’d never harm her. He’d come to her and she was determined to finish what they’d started.

She was determined to save his soul.

“Eli.” She took a step closer.

He flashed a set of fangs. “I’ve never been weak in my entire life, but with you… You are my weakness. Look at me Ashley, I’m one step away from claiming you. Being mated to me will be a fate worse than death.”

Another step. Careful not to scare him off, she stopped short of being able to reach out and touch him. Opening her mind, he could feel everything she did should he choose to. “You’re wrong. Walking away from you would be a worse fate. You’ve touched something deep inside me. Fate brought us together because we need each other.” She took the last step and placed her hands on his chest. He stiffened beneath her touch.

“I need you and I don’t mean just the physical. I mean emotionally as well. You have my heart as well as my body. All of me, it belongs to you.”

His adam’s apple rose and fell then he gripped her waist and tugged her close. He bent his head and slanted his mouth over hers. Sucking her bottom lip through his teeth, he gave a nibble; his fangs gently scraped her sensitive flesh before his tongue slipped inside. She dragged her nails down his chest, and he deepened the kiss. They both became lost in the moment.

Eli broke the kiss and licked his way down her neck and across her clavicle. Ashley tipped her head back on a moan.

“You have on too many clothes,” he whispered.

“Then I suggest you get rid of them,” she urged.

He wasted no time. Gripping the top of her nightie, he ripped it wide open then shoved the satin material off her shoulders and let it drop to the floor. She stood before him, her body bathed in only the firelight.

“You should be laid out on a bed of silk and worshipped. Instead, I tear your clothes from your body.” He unbuttoned his jeans and shoved them to the floor, stepping free from them before he kicked them aside. She started to reach for his erection, but he spun her and pinned her back against the wall. “I can’t stop myself. I’m so damn cold, and I need to feel your warmth wrapped around me.”

“Take what you need.”

About the Author

Award winning and bestselling author Valerie Twombly grew up watching Dark Shadows over her mother's shoulder, and from there her love of the fanged creatures blossomed. Today, Valerie has decided to take her darker, sensual side and put it to paper. When she is not busy creating a world full of steamy, hot men and strong, seductive women, she juggles her time between a full-time job, hubby and her two German Shepherd dogs, in Northern IL. Valerie is a member of Romance Writers of America and Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Romance Writers. She is also the founder of Sexy Scribblers, a group of romance writers who bring readers new and fresh stories every month.

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Blog Tour: The Cypress Trap

Mystery / Suspense

Date Published: August 16, 2015

A good vacation delivers you home alive.
This is not a good vacation. 

When Rayanne commandeers her husband’s weekend fishing trip, she knows it’ll take work to adjust Owen’s attitude. She has no choice. Since the tragedy, they lost so much. They need to reconnect. 

Without her knowledge, Owen texts his best buddy, Daryl, to join the getaway. The three of them aren’t alone in the backwoods of Georgia, though. 

Owen took something that didn’t belong to him. Something that changed their lives. And now the owner wants it back. By any means -- including a posse led by a killer dog. 

At first, Rayanne is clueless about the item and its value. One thing becomes crystal clear: If it’s not returned, they might not make it home alive. 

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EXCERPT

Rayanne heard the kids’ voices, and she looked again at the old cars in the bottom of the ditch. The first thing that came to mind was rattlesnakes. But she knew she couldn’t think of that right now.

She got up and headed for the rusted jeep. The hood was gone and it looked like a corpse left to rot in the sun. She glanced at the other cars. There was a hatchback with no doors. A pickup was off to one side, on blocks. The wheels had been removed and the driver’s side door thrown open and left to hang. There was a yellow Volkswagen Beetle half buried in the dirt.

Brown and yellow weeds sprouted up between the wrecks, but the ground was hard and Rayanne knew she had no choice. She raced past the rusting jeep, watching where she stepped.

She moved to the shell of a Volkswagen Beetle. It had two doors. She forced the passenger side open and looked into the dank interior. The overhead lining draped down like a misty shroud. Weeds had grown through the undercarriage and overtaken the floorboards. But two front seats and a long backseat remained. It could be a hiding place, she thought, and squeezed herself into the backseat. She cowered as low as she could.

She held her breath and prayed there was nothing living inside.

She shut her eyes and listened. The teens’ voices grew louder. They sounded like they were coming down into the hollow and she could hear Scut—or was it Roddy—say something about the cars. He sounded excited.

Dru was farther away. Rayanne could hear her calling the dog. Perhaps she didn’t want to walk down into the dump. It didn’t matter. Rayanne knew Scut and Roddy already had.

Their voices echoed, slipping between the cars. One of them said something about the pile of tires and the other laughed. She could hear them moving about, throwing rocks on metal remains, until they stopped right in front of the Volkswagen.

Rayanne stopped breathing.

“She’s hide’n here somewhere,” Scut was saying. He threw another rock and it hit the bumper. The sound reverberated through the Volkswagen, and Rayanne shivered.

“Naaaah,” Roddy said. It sounded like he was walking away. “I don’t think so. She’s a woman. She ain’t gonna come down here.”

“We’re not leav’n till we search every car.” Scut sounded like he was stepping away too. She could hear him throwing rocks at other cars now.

Rude Roddy was saying something when one of them screamed. For a second Rayanne thought Dru had made her way down into the dump. She was surprised to learn it was Scut.

“There’s a rattler! There’s a rattler!” Scut’s high-pitched wail echoed through the hollow, and she heard what sounded like some kind of skirmish. Perhaps an avalanche of gravel rolled down the slopes of the hollow, like marbles beneath their feet.

“I hate snakes! I hate ’em!” Scut’s voice rapidly moved away, and it sounded as far as Dru’s now. The girl asked them what was wrong.

They had to have climbed out of the hollow, Rayanne thought. She opened her eyes. She wanted to poke her head up, but didn’t dare.

Coming from a large family with five brothers, JC Gatlin grew up in Grapevine, Texas, a small town outside of Dallas. In 1999 he moved to Tampa, Florida, where he now resides. JC’s fishing trips help him breathe authenticity into his stories, which feature the rich landscapes of Texas and Florida as backdrops.

He has written a monthly column in New Tampa Style magazine and penned several mystery-suspense stories. His first, The Designated Survivor, was published in 2013. JC invites you to visit his mystery writing blog at jcgatlin.com.

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Blog Tour: Fires of Man

Sci-Fi / Fantasy

Date Published: June 17, 2014

Supposedly the war between Calchis and Orion ended decades ago. But upon reporting to an isolated Orion army base for basic training, Private Stockton Finn learns the war still rages; only the weapons have changed, and Finn has been selected to become one of them.

Across the border, Calchan farm boy Aaron Waverly learns how determined his country is to win the war when he is abducted by a sinister government operative known as Agent. Trapped and learning to use deadly powers he's never before imagined, Aaron struggles to reconcile his ephemeral faith with his harsh new reality.

As the two nations hurtle toward a resurgence of open hostilities, Finn and Aaron, Agent, and two Orion officers and former lovers—Nyne Allen and Kay Barrett—must prepare themselves for the inevitable clash. Meanwhile, Calchan archaeologist Dr. Faith Santia unearths a massive lost temple in the frozen tundra far to the north, which hints that the brewing conflict may only be the first of their worries...


Review 

I loved that this story was so unique and imaginative. There were a barrage of  great characters that really added to the story. 

There are many secrets and twists that make this novel interesting from beginning to end. You will feel like you are constantly learning new things. 

It is just a first in a series, and I am very curious to see where the author takes us next.

Dan Levinson is a NY-based writer of speculative fiction. Trained as an actor at NYU's Tisch School of Arts, he also writes for the stage and screen. He grew up immersing himself in fantastical worlds, and now creates them. In addition to the Psionic Earth series, he is also the author of the upcoming YA fantasy novel The Ace of Kings, first book of The Conjurer's Cycle.

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PROMO: Short Stories

Suspense/Thriller/Short Stories

Date Published: January 2014

From Best Selling Author of The Jeff Bradley Thriller Series Thomas Ryan is a collection of suspense/thriller short stories.

Award winning thriller novelist, Thomas Ryan, is a prolific writer of short stories. Ryan’s short story’s span the spectrum of human emotions, from the creepy ‘Nightmares’, to the fun and humour of ‘The World’s Biggest Bun’. Ryan believes all good short stories should have unexpected twists and turns. Applying his thriller writing skills he manages to achieve this end and readers will find Ryan’s short story writing gripping but also easy to read. Quoting a recent review, ‘these are very intriguing, original stories, all well written and enjoyable. Ryan really gets inside his characters and makes their world our world, whatever its moral code or unwritten rules. These stories are powerful and stay with you once you've finished them.

Volume Two Was Released in February 2015 - Short Stories Volume 2”: Incudes 'John Wayne' and 'Gerry'

EXCERPT

Ruth

After hitting the kitchen floor and suffering the sickening sensation of her head bouncing off the grey slate, Ruth Deverett found her vision blurry. Squinting eyes couldn’t make out the position of the hands on the wall clock above the fridge. No matter. She knew it was six o’clock. There was no mistaking the news signature tune streaming from the television set in the lounge.

And the day?

Easy.

From the cheese and garlic aromas in her nostrils, the dish now splattered across the floor could only have been lasagna. Robert demanded she keep a strict mealtime regimen. Roast on Sunday, steak on Monday, curry on Tuesday and….

Lasagna on Wednesday.

So, Wednesday it was.

A cautious hand lifted from the tiles and drew up the rough weave of her husband-prescribed white linen apron. Tips of fingers gently patted the side of her head. A wince as Ruth encountered a newly formed lump.

Her head never used to jar this badly when it hit vinyl. She had argued with Robert against replacing the vinyl, but as usual a forceful justification of the soundness of his decision had silenced her. How fortunate, Ruth continually reminded herself, to have a husband who was so supremely confident of the correctness of his opinions.

Out the corner of her eye she caught sight of a movement. A defensive hand flew to her side. A boot deflected off her wrist and into her thigh. Needles of pain stabbed through her upper arm. She knew another blow would come and squeezed her eyes tight. She worried her wrist might be broken. How could she iron Robert’s shirt in the morning with a broken wrist? Her own fault really, she should not have tried to defend herself. Robert had repeatedly yelled at her not to do so. It only made him angrier.

She should apologise for her foolishness. After all, Robert only ever offered helpful advice.

Without opening her eyes Ruth curled into a fetal position and waited. The toe of Robert’s boot tapped against the table leg. She sensed him looking down at her, almost certainly disgusted by her weakness and deliberating his next move. This usually meant he was calming. She held her breath, guarding against sound. A groan would set him off again. She ached, but it wasn’t so bad. Not as bad as other times.

She heard the news reader introduce a news bulletin.

That meant the ad break was over. Robert would not miss the news, not on her account.

A bowl smashed against the wall. Ruth flinched. Lettuce and tomato sprinkled across her exposed calf. Shards of crockery skittered across the floor. This was a good sign. Robert only threw dishes at the wall when it was over. A final vent. Footsteps moved away from her. The sound became muffled. He’d reached the thickness of the broadloom carpet in the sitting room.

“Don’t move yet,” she whispered. “Not yet.”

About the Author

Award winning novelist, Thomas Ryan, has been a soldier in a theatre of war, he has traded in Eastern Europe, trampled the jungles of Asia, and struggled through the trials of love and loss. Armed with these life experiences Ryan turned to writing thriller novels and short stories. Ryan considers himself a story teller, a creator who has enthusiastically plunged his psyche into the world of creativity and fantasy. With the reader in mind he weaves colourful characters into the threads of his riveting storylines. Taking readers on a thrilling journey is what motivates Ryan as a writer. Find out more about Thomas Ryan and his books on his official website www.thomasryanwriter.com

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PROMO: Finding Gabriel

Historical Romance

Date Published: eBook - August 27, 2015 / Paperback - September 24, 2015

Published By: Momentum (Pan Macmillan)

Colonel Gabriel de Laurent departed for the war intending to die.

After a decade of bloodstained battlegrounds while fighting in Napoleon's army, Gabriel returns to the streets of Paris a shattered and haunted soul. Plagued by inner demons, he swallows the barrel of his flintlock pistol and pulls the trigger.

But fate has a different plan.

Ariah Larochelle is a survivor. Orphaned at twelve and victim to a devastating crime, she has learned to keep her back to walls and to trust no one. But when she finds a gravely injured soldier washed up on the River Seine, she's moved by compassion. In spite of her reservations, she rescues him from the icy water and brings him into her home.

Now scarred inside and out, Gabriel discovers a kindred spirit in Ariah—and feelings he imagined lost forever reawaken as he observes her strength in the face of adversity. But when Ariah's own lethal secrets unfold, their new love is threatened by ancient ghosts. Can Gabriel and Ariah find hope in the wreckage of their pasts—or will the cycle of history repeat again?

Perfect for fans of Gaelen Foley's Lord of Ice and Judith James's Broken Wing, Finding Gabriel features all the dark romance, searing passion, and historical intrigue of The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables.

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EXCERPT

Ariah stood beneath the immeasurable night sky as she admired the breathtaking view. She lost herself within the constellations, allowing those luxurious diamond strands to coil around her heart. Numberless stars reflected within the Seine’s glassy surface and set the water afire. Breathing deeply, Ariah reached out and folded her hands atop the stone balustrade.

This is where she’d found him. Her heart picked up speed as memories of that fateful night invaded her mind and body. Down below, water lapped against the embankment and infused the atmosphere with a soothing lull. A flashback of Gabriel’s motionless form materialized within the shadows . . . and Ariah’s chest constricted as she relived his every kiss and touch.

Then –

A gentle pressure whispered against her back. Gabriel’s unique aroma filled her spirit while strong arms enfolded her from behind. Somehow, some way, she’d known he’d be here tonight.

She sighed deeply and relaxed within his protective embrace. One hand lost itself in her curls and delicately sifted through the strands; the other applied subtle pressure to the base of her spine in a ghostlike caress. Breathless and at peace, she spiraled into a decadent trance. She drank in each sensation . . . the mesmerizing caress of his fingertips against her scalp, the wind’s crisp breath, the Seine’s haunting lamentations . . .

Gabriel brushed away the swarm of curls, exposing her ear to the night, and breathed against the fine cartilage. This was the moment she’d feared for weeks – the moment of their parting. Then he sang to her – his voice rich, warm, and sultry, and all other thoughts fell away.

“The gentle breath of winter sings,

It cools my brow and furls my wings.

And when the dusk at last descends,

I shall keep my hope, steel my heart, for never will thy love depart.

Now you are come all my grief is gone,

Let us forget those nights that never dawned.”

The rich cadence of his voice seduced her into calmness. Fighting to hold back tears, she rotated in his arms, never once leaving the security of his embrace. Indeed, she’d stay with him until the very end – and they wouldn’t part a moment sooner. She tilted her chin up and met his expressive gaze. The nearby oil lamp shone brightly behind Gabriel, silhouetting his strained features. She directed his body to the side, needing to see his eyes, directing the shadows from his face.

“You remember.”

Gabriel shook his head while a riot of emotions crossed his features. “I shall never forget.”

About the Author

Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and her high school sweetheart of eleven years. She enjoys writing dark, poignant romances that challenge the reader's emotions and explore the redeeming power of love.

Imagining dynamic worlds and characters has been Rachel's passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mother would record them for her. She holds a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether crafting the protagonist or antagonist, she ensures every character is given a soul.

Rachel endeavors to defy conventions by blending elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness.

Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.

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PROMO: Immortal Kiss

Paranormal Romance

Date Published: February 2015

Centuries ago ten powerful vampire gods first walked the earth; their blood thirst knew no boundaries. The destruction of mankind was inevitable. Recognizing their weakness, they selected twelve wise human beings to transform with their godly blood. These twelve, known as The Old Ones and The Council, govern The Ten. A blood lottery appeasing The Ten’s hunger was set forth into the human world and passed down every fifth generation, continuing into the present day. All of Beth Ryan’s life a mysterious mist watched over her, a mist she believed to be a vampire. On a cold winter night, she comes face to face with Philippe Delon, a 700 year old vampire with a human soul. Beth is certain Philippe is the vampire behind the mist. She is drawn to him, accepting his immortality without question or fear. Beth and Philippe cannot deny their love for each other, nor do they try to fight it. Within days of their encounter, Beth accepts Philippe’s invitation to move into his mansion. The mansion unlocks the door to the vampire world and exposes secrets from Beth’s past. Within its walls, she learns the true identity of the mist, her link to the blood lottery, and betrayal of her loved ones. Surrounded by lies, Beth stands before The Council begging for resolution.

EXCERPT

My bedroom door stood ajar. It reeked of dewy rosebuds. Inhaling an intoxicating breath, my head spun. I inched closer, running my hand along the wall and peering through the parted doorframe. The mist drifted past the opening. My heart jumped into my throat. Pushing the door wide open, I hurried inside and flicked on the light. Red rose petals drenched my bed, cascading like a waterfall onto the carpet. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. My feet seemed rooted into the floor. He’d done this for me, for my birthday. Catching my breath, I shut the door, closing us off from the outside world. The mist shifted into the silhouette of man, gliding across my room toward my bed. His translucent hand pointed to a folded sheet of pink paper resting on my pillow. My palms tingled. Was it a love letter? I ran to my bed, pick it up, and fell backward onto the blanket of rose petals. They fluttered, crashed onto me, and caressed my skin. Stroking the coarse paper between my fingers, I bit my lip and opened it. My gaze flew across the page. If I had to choose whether to breathe or to love you, I would use my last breath to tell you that…I love you. The paper trembled in my hands, his words blurring behind my tears. He loved me, and I him. I rose to my feet and faced him. My mouth went dry. I forced out each word. “What…are…you?” He waved his hand over the rose petals, spinning them faster and faster. As they came to rest on my mattress, a letter unfolded…V. The others quickly followed. My small human life shrunk into the background. All that remained was a word…VAMPIRE.

About the Author

Laura Daleo was born and raised in San Diego, California where she majored in Fine Arts at Mesa College.  Laura is best known for her love of animals.  She is an animal advocate and shares her home with five humorous Basset Hounds, Edie, Lucy, Stuart, Morgan, and Dexter, her toughest critics.  Laura has held positions in several industries, Restaurant, Telecom, Biotech, and Research.  She enjoys anything paranormal or urban fantasy related, and writes in both genres for adults.

A creative writing class in junior high sparked her desire to tell stores.  Throughout Laura’s professional career, she crafted her writing skills by taking courses and by joining a writer’s critique group and Writers Digest.

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PROMO: Birthright

Christian Fiction

Date Published: August 2013

Experience a journey that leads to a legacy. Birthright brings the imagination to life and explores true faith. Orion discovers that life can be so much more.

There are so many things in life that we must work hard for. Other things come to us just from being born. What an amazing feeling to have something of importance given to you. In Birthright, author T. J. Pulley tells the story of a young college student Orion who inherits an extraordinary gift after suffering the loss of his grandpa. In the reading of the will Orion heard, 'To my wonderful grandson you brought me much joy in life so I give you my greatest treasure; I leave you my faith.' Sitting and waiting for the rest, he realized that there wasn't anything left to hear. What Orion thought to be pointless becomes the foundation of his existence. Join in this story as Orion navigates the challenges of life while he comes to grip with his purpose. This is a story of someone receiving something far greater than they could ever imagine. We all share in this story because we all have a birthright in God.

EXCERPT

I could see it all. I remembered every thought and fear.

I remember everything before I blacked out. I had shortness of breath, intense emotions, and disbelief. I was scared but I had an unsettling peace. I was being asked the same things in different ways, so I attempted to explain, but some of the details were hazy, so I had to go to the beginning of that day and work my way to where I was at that moment. That day wasn’t the greatest day for me because I had to attend my Grandpa Miller’s funeral.

I wasn’t hurt because he was too young—he actually lived to be ninety-eight years old. I was more hurt because of the connection we once had, and without warning, it was gone forever.

Sometimes you can feel that a person will mean a lot to your life, and that’s how I felt about Grandpa Miller.

I felt like he was teaching me without even trying to.

Despite the fact that he was seventy-nine years older than me he never bored me or even seemed old for that matter. Part of me felt like he would actually live forever. It’s nothing like someone close to you leaving your life to make you feel like your whole life has been flipped upside down. He once told me this world is a bad preview of the coming attraction. He was always finding common ground, and he knew I loved the movies. He would occasionally watch one with me even though he had no use for them. After a while Grandpa drifted away from normal things and behaviors and always seemed to be preoccupied. No matter how brief our activities got I would always remember my talks with him the most.

There was always wisdom that he had to pass on to me.

We could talk for hours on just about anything except for the one sore subject, which was my grandma Miller.

About the Author

T. J. Pulley was born in Chicago, IL. Growing up in the church was one of the best things that happened to him. It not only gave him a relationship with God but it exposed him to talents he would have never known that he had. Pulley’s writing was mostly geared toward music, but he asked God for the ability to be able to write in every way possible. Religion is a big part of his life and draws upon his beliefs in all aspects of his life and his writing. His wife, Ashlie is a great support for him and was a great encouragement while creating his book, Birthright. T. J. really hopes people are blessed by this book and he is thankful for the chance to express this story in his own way.

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