Blog Tour and Review: Love Me To Death

Love Me To Death

by:  Marissa Clarke

Synopsis: 

Medical research scientist Elena Arcos has always lived her life under the radar. When she is shot in a convenience store robbery, Elena finds herself rocketed into supernatural insanity courtesy of a sexy immortal law enforcer. He’s convinced she’s some kind of freaky half-vampire thing and that her deceased dad was the real deal: a blood sucking monster. Yeah, right.

Nikolai Itzov never anticipated battling the urge to kiss the offspring of his father’s murderer. As a Slayer, an elite law enforcer descended from Azrael himself, his orders from the Underveil General are clear: Kill her or die.

Nikolai and Elena find themselves in a life and death battle to stop a plot designed to lift the Underveil and enslave humans. With her analytical mind and his centuries of training, they might be able to foil the plot with their lives and maybe their hearts intact. But in order to succeed, he must help her become the very thing he hates the most: an Undead.

Buy Links:  Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Entangled

Entangled Select:

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Twitter: @EntangledSelect Steals and Deals

Author Bio: Marissa Clarke lives in Texas, where everything is bigger, especially the mosquitoes. 

When not writing, she wrangles her rowdy pack of three teens, husband, and a Cairn Terrier named Annabel, who rules the house (and Marissa's heart) with an iron paw.  She loves to connect with readers, so follow/friend her on Facebook and Twitter or shoot her an email from her website "Contact" page.

 Website * Twitter * Blog * Facebook * Goodreads * Newsletter 

4 Bloody Fangs
Review:

Marissa Clarke will sink her fangs into readers from page one and keep latched on until the very last page. Fast paced, action packed read with plenty of characters to love and ones readers will love to hate.

All Elena Acros wanted to do was grab a candy bar to regulate her sugar. What she gets instead is her life turned upside down and thrust into a world she could never have even imagined existed, but apparently was born a part of. A world consisting of every mythical faction ever though of, and some never even imagined. As if that isn't a shock enough to her system, there is also a very large bounty on her head. And the egocentric, overbearing, control freak of a Slayer charged with the task of taking her life has also taken over her libido. Though the fact that he continues to drag her around like a puppy dog while he decides on if he should, she has a couple tricks up her own sleeve to in order to cut the leash.'

Nikolai has had one goal for the past fifteen years, avenge his father. So when he is assigned the task to take out his killers offspring, he is more than up for it. Only when he gets up close and personal, he realizes there is much more to her than what he was led to believe. The he now must answer is not only what exactly she is, but what was the true reason her execution was ordered. Nik ends up being in a race against time because the prophecy embedded on his flesh is also on hers.

Love Me to Death is much more than just a Paranormal Romance, it is an intriguing tail that lovers of the Supernatural are sure to eat up. With a heroine who doesn't just sit around and mope when she learns her fate and what she truly is, but embraces that power and faces it head on. While it may not be a complete mystery of whodunnit, learning all the players that took part and learning which characters are what they seem to be is a highly entertaining thrill ride. One can't go wrong with a muumuu that purrs, literally.

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Virtual Book Tour and Excerpt: In The Dark

In the Dark 

The Cities Below # 1 

By: Jen Colly 

Releasing November 3, 2014

Lyrical Press / Kensington  

Blurb

Demons have returned, a vengeful enemy waiting to strike. Soren and Faith must find a way to survive the evil and darkness. Faith's spur of the moment vacation, meant to free her and boost her spirits, has left her lost on the streets of Paris. And apparently, Paris is populated with something more than just humans. Vampires, suave, seductive and oh so sexy, and one such warrior vampire has set his sights on her.

When Soren hears Faith’s terrified screams, he rushes in and saves her life without considering the consequences. Two problems: one, she’s a human and clearly aware of his vampire qualities, and two, the men who attacked her were not men at all, but demons. Their target, his beloved underground city of Balinese. He can never let Faith go home again, but can she learn to love his people...love him?

 Link to Follow Tour:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/10/in-dark-cities-below-1-by-jen-colly.html 

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23290569-in-the-dark?from_search=true 

Buy Links:   Amazon | Barnes | iBooks | Kobo

Cover Reveal: Angel Bait

Today is the big day! The prequel installment in Tricia Skinner's ANGEL ASSASSINS series is being re-released into the wild, and will be available on Kindle at the discounted price of $0.99 for a limited time (exclusive to Amazon for 90 days). Please note that if you own the old ebook, you can upgrade for free!

And now, without further ado, feast your eyes on ANGEL BAIT:

Author's Website | Amazon | GoodReads

He's not that kind of angel. 

Jarrid is a “Bound One”: half angel, half human, trained from childhood to enforce Heaven’s laws on earth. An assassin with no remorse. And no choice. When he discovers an ancient ritual called Ascension, which might give him a shot at freedom, he can’t resist his lifelong dream. He only needs to find one last Renegade angel and take him down…using a certain woman to flush the angel out of hiding. 

She's not what he's expecting. 

News reporter Ionie Gifford has no clue an outlaw angel wants her dead, much less why, but she does know one thing: the enigmatic Jarrid, with his penetrating silver eyes and his worship-worthy body, is her ticket to the city's supernatural underworld, where she might finally be able to locate her mother's killer. For that kind of information, she's willing to risk everything... 

They can't be together -- but can't keep apart... 

Blindsided by Ionie's beauty and tenacity, Jarrid finds the millennia-old glacier around his heart melting. But when he's faced with a choice, will he sacrifice Ionie for freedom from his brutal servitude—or agree to be bound for eternity, to protect the life of the woman he's falling in love with? 

From novelist Tricia Skinner comes a story that will have fans of action-packed love stories applauding. Seamlessly combining elements of paranormal romance and gritty urban fantasy, the Angel Assassins series is a heart-pounding spin on angel mythology.

Angel Assassins Series
		Fall 2014

Author Bio *Photo by Kauwuane Burton. I’m Tricia Skinner and I write Romantic Urban Fantasy. I’m a former journalist who discovered my inspiration to write fiction as an escape from “real life.” My reading tastes are all over the place, but I’m mainly drawn to fantasy (and its subgenres), paranormal, sci-fi, and history. When I’m not writing, I’m a newbie “green” practitioner, strength training fan, and a technology geek. I’m a mother and a wife. My family includes two Great Danes. I’m also a gamer. I enjoy interacting with my fellow geeks and helping other writers. I’m represented by Laurie McLean of Fuse Literary.  TriciaSkinner.com | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Amazon | Google+ | Pinterest | Blog

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Tour Hosts
Angel's Guilty Pleasures	Romancing The Dark Side
Coffee and Characters	Delighted Reader
Shooting Stars Reviews	Dark Thoughts Blog
Book Lovin' Mamas	GothicMoms Reviews
RhiReading	Diaries of 2 Thick Chick
The Bookaholic Cat	Mad Hatter Reads
I Smell Sheep	Corazones Literarios
Just Talking Books	Ramblings From A Chaotic Mind
Sapphyria's Book Reviews	Literaria
My BookMine	Lore Lush Books
Girl with Pen	Written Love Reviews
Read What I Like	Books Make Me Happy
Urban Fantasy Investigations	Bookworm Brandee
My Favorite Things

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Guest Post on Sexy Villains by Catherine Stride

DORIANNA

Catherine Stine

Contemporary/Paranormal Teen Romance

Released October 24, 2014

Internet followers, beauty, power. It all sounded good. Until it transformed into a terrifying reality Dorianna couldn’t stop. 

When her father is jailed, her mother ships Dorianna to her aunt’s house. Dorianna yearns to build a new identity, but the popular Lacey bullies her—mostly for getting attention from her ex, Ander.

Ander takes Dorianna to Coney Island where Wilson, a videographer, creates a stunning compilation of her. She dreams of being an online sensation, tired of being plain and lonely, and vows she’d give anything to go viral. Wilson claims he’s the Prince of Darkness and offers her the beauty and fame she's dreamed of—warning her that a pledge has its downsides.  Dorianna has no idea of how dire those consequences might be.

EVERNIGHT TEEN     AMAZON

Excerpt:

On the way to my new school, I catch a glimpse of my face in a shop mirror. Even though I hate mirrors, I force myself to look. No one needs to remind me I’m plain.

Leaning forward, I examine my pale skin with its tracery of blue underneath. It looks like granny spider veins. And I never smile all the way. That would expose my wonky teeth—one front tooth slightly over the other. 

My hair’s limp, but it’s auburn with peachy highlights. I’ve got that going for me, at least. Lifting up a lock, I admire its warm glow in the September sun. And there’s still a hint of eagerness in my eyes––they haven’t knocked that out of me. It’s hope, whispering, “Maybe this place will be different. Maybe they won’t walk past me as if I’m floating dust.”

I’ve been here in Brooklyn for four days, shuffled away from family chaos to my Aunt Carol’s house. She’s nice so far, but I don’t really know her. It’s too bad we could never afford to fly east for family reunions. I do know she’s a fundraiser for a public radio station, and owns one floor in a brownstone. And that she eats vegetarian, and neatly folds the nubbly throws on her earth-tone Pottery Barn couch.

And she’s the sister of my screw-up father.

I’m not sorry I left Wabash. School there was a train wreck. It got so lonely, watching the reigning couples kissing their way down the halls. I wanted someone’s arms around me, too, or at least another good friend after Jen. But it wasn’t meant to be, after gossip spread that my father was sent to jail for committing moral turpitude. My mom took to her bed, and I took over. We were struck with loss and horror and shock all at once. Mom needed me last spring. I tried to help in any way I could, until she insisted that I needed a total break from the family. Or was it Mom who needed the break?

I’m going to suck it up. I am. If she needs the break, she can have it. Maybe I need one, too. I’m determined to pump myself up to face a different army of kids.

Ambling down Montague Street, past the cute boutiques, I soak in the balmy September sun and survey my new stomping grounds. These Brooklyn streets are as delicious as strawberry shortcake. The narrow shops are a wonder of necklaces, handmade with glass bits and bottle tops, and leafy bracelets fashioned from green computer chips.

The caffeine-laced scents wafting from the cyber café draw me in. As I walk by, I sneak looks at the lean, fox-quick boys with scruffy hair, low-slung belts, and tees that read Neon Pandas and Oubliettes of Onyx. Bands I’ve never heard of, since out in Hoosier Land they mostly play country music.

I smile, picturing myself talking to a slinky boy who makes me my very own playlist—he’d call it Songs for a Brooklyn Beauty. A girl can dream, right?

Turning down Court Street, a woman breezes past me in a black jumpsuit. Another dramatic beauty in thigh-high boots floats by, with two dachshunds tugging against their pink leashes. As I glance back at her, I imagine her working as a Broadway actress, dancing across a stage in those fancy boots.

Just then, one of her dogs works free of her grasp, and streaks into the street. “Hey!” I call. “Hey, pup!” I dash after it, grab the pink leather strap, and coax it back toward the curb as a bakery van careens around the corner, the driver pounding on his horn.

The booted lady runs over to me. “Thanks so much!” she says, breathless.

“Happy to help. Couldn’t let your sweet dog be hit.” Our eyes meet as I hand her the leash, and her smile touches me. I watch for another moment as she walks demurely on.

Everything here vibrates with possibility, if I block out my dread of school. It’s my chance to figure out who I want to be, which I couldn’t quite do back home. I can’t wait to let my old, stale-kernel life rot on the vine, and start over.

Reading the sign on a red colonial stone building, I sway with sudden trepidation: School. Ivy sprints up its scholarly walls, and its walkway is marked with marble planters. Each one bursts with purple chrysanthemums, as if this is the cheeriest high school ever. I’m here, no turning back. Look, you’re smart, I tell myself, you tested in and even got a scholarship here. Maybe private school kids are easier on new students. Unlikely, but I’ll give it my best.

Guest Post on Sexy Villains

I like my villains smart, sexy and devious

by Catherine Stine

I like handsome, hot villains. And I tend to like them almost better than the good guys. They need to be every bit as shrewd as the heroes. Because if they’re not, it’s too easy a struggle to overcome them, and we want the battles between protag and antag to be hard won, bloody, and brimming with breathtaking plot twists.

Why sexy, you ask? The real question should be, why not? All the more intrigue and eye-candy to capture your imagination! The hero shouldn’t hog all the good looks and muscles. Besides you never know when a bad guy might turn into a flawed yet alluring anti-hero and actually win over the fair lady’s heart. Sexy rogues abound: the Joker from Dark Knight, Loki in Thor, the Avengers; Khan in Star Trek into Darkness and Alex De Large in a Clockwork Orange. The list goes on and on.

From the very early days of badassery, both real and fictitious villains like Dracula, Jack the Ripper and Blackbeard the Pirate were outsmarting god-fearing folks all around them, and doing it with magnetism and edgy swag. Here’s a telling quote about piracy from the Smithsonian:

“Out of all the pirates who trolled the seas over the past 3,000 years, Blackbeard is the most famous. His nearest rivals—Capt. William Kidd and Sir Henry Morgan—weren’t really pirates at all, but privateers, mercenaries given permission by their sovereign to attack enemy shipping in time of war. Blackbeard and his contemporaries in the early 18th-century Caribbean had nobody’s permission to do what they were doing; they were outlaws. But unlike the aristocrats who controlled the British, French and Spanish colonial empires, many ordinary people saw Blackbeard and his pirates as heroes… fighting a rear-guard action against a corrupt, unaccountable and increasingly tyrannical ruling class.”

Part of the allure is the vigilante or outlaw aspect—the baddie gets to do all immoral, outrageous things and totally get away with it, at least for a while. Often the villain truly thinks he’s doing a service—like Dexter, ridding the world of even worse killers, or Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to spread the wealth around. Another part of the allure is a villain’s pure audacity, and let’s face it—his fabulous capes, scabbards, leather boots and gold earrings! Outsmarting someone this devious takes masterful strategy and is not for the faint at heart. 

In my YA horror, DORIANNA, the villain is Wilson, a tall, raven-haired stranger who claims to be none other than a Prince of Darkness. He’s also a videographer who, in minutes, edits a compilation of Dorianna so supernaturally beautiful it has her gasping. He paints his nails black, wears Victorian style silk shirts, and black skinny jeans to show off his long legs, and um, impressive physique. The possible tip-off to his degenerate side is his necklace with its mournful, spooky glass doll face staring out. Well, also his top hat and Voldemort cape he favors when the boardwalk in Coney is windy. Here’s a short excerpt showing just how charismatic he is to Dorianna:

As I watch the video compilation, what really throws me is that Wilson has magically changed me out of my school clothes—the pencil skirt and simple top—and into a yellow fringe bikini, barely covering my thighs. 

An immediate protest boils up. How dare he virtually strip me. But as I stare longer at the image, I realize how stunning he’s made me. This is no porn slut image. This is the masterful, painstaking work of a cutting-edge filmmaker, amplifying tenfold the glory of his muse.

“You like?” Wilson asks, clicking stop.

Muse—I roll the word silently in my mind, taste its honeyed essence. All the concerns that crowded my mind minutes ago drift off. Things like morality and conscience seem like dirty rain clouds bumping by. Life is good, I am awesome, and Wilson’s video kicks serious butt.

Placing my hand on his long, curiously delicate fingers, I whisper, “Am I your muse?” I remove my hand only when it starts to heat up, and before he gets the wrong idea that I want more. 

Or do I?

He shifts slightly in his chair, in order to line his eyes up with mine. “You could say that you’re my muse,” he admits. In his gaze, I know I could have him right now, in this room, as easily as he’s captured me on video. I could rip off his shirt and run my hands through his forest of hair. Plant a firm kiss on his lips and force them open. His tongue would taste of smoke, of musk, of infinite need. For that second, I see past his charming façade into the hunger, lodged in his soul. A lonely, desperate soul that seems to have lived for centuries, yet not quite at all—stuck in some netherworld where a virus might exist.

It takes real effort to pull away. But I have to. This is dangerous, this audacious forgetting. 

Bad guys are masters of deception, manipulation, and pure wickedness. That’s why, when the good guy finally triumphs, we truly admire and love him.

Who’s your favorite baddie and why? Do you think villains are sexy?

My Answer: Too many to name! And of course! What a silly question to ask me Muahahaha! ;-)

Author Bio:

Catherine Stine’s YA novels span the range from science fiction to dark fantasy to modern horror. Her futuristic thriller, Fireseed One was a finalist in YA and SF in the USA News International Book Awards and an Indie Reader Approved notable. Its companion novel, Ruby’s Fire was a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Awards. She also writes new adult fiction as Kitsy Clare, and her Art of Love series (Model Position and Private Internship) is about Sienna’s artistic perils in NYC. Her YA paranormal, Dorianna is her new YA horror from Evernight Teen. Catherine’s love of dark fantasy came from her father reading Edgar Allen Poe to her when she was a child. She was also addicted to science fiction as a teen. The freakier the better! She teaches workshops in writing speculative fiction and is a member of RWA, SFWA and SCBWI.

Subscribe to Catherine’s newsletter: http://catherinestine.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=1fe566b1e53f7d3e95b7443e4&id=93554d599e

Twitter: https://twitter.com/crossoverwriter

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kitsy84557/

Blog: http://catherinestine.blogspot.com/

Website: http://catherinestine.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1018139.Catherine_Stine

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Catherine-Stine/e/B001H9TXJC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1412807948&sr=8-1

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Cover Reveal: Distorted

Fantasy Anthology

Date Published: November 7, 2014

   

Tantalizingly bloody tales featuring human pitted against beast and gods, with the true majesty and horrors of the afterlife, with love and death and desire...

Eight writers modernize ancient mythologies in DISTORTED, proving that not every story has been told.

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EXCERPTS

From “To Sing Which Tune” by Heidi C Vlach

Thinking that way made the truth weigh heavier: Helen might have picked up soda bottles on the beach last week, and worked on biochemical equations last night until her head screamed for mercy. She had stroked her own ego for attending her university's Sound The Sirens fundraiser gala, one where she wore an actual dress and some mascara. But she wasn't doing enough.

She couldn't think of Odyssia's face without a grey burden of guilt. The face that had beamed all throughout her childhood, crinkled with merriment around her eyes and poured joyous, warbling songs from her lips. Taught Helen songs she hummed offhandedly, even now. But these past few months, Odyssia barely smiled. She stared longer at Helen; like two stars with a void between them.

Sirens attack yacht, 2 dead.

Putting down the newspaper, Helen rose from the kitchen table to go get dressed and do something recklessly expensive. This was a bigger issue than one homicide case. Bigger than the one siren Helen owed a debt of love to. Bigger than her personal credit rating could make a dent in, but she had to try.

From “Bullman” by Anthony S. Buoni

"I'm still not sure it’s a good idea," Cassandra said, adjusting the top of her black corset.  Dressed like a cyber goth club kid, multicolored glow sticks dangled from the zippers and belt on her baggy black pants matched her glowing bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.  She scratched her short, spiky black hair with hot pink tips from her eyes before crossing her arms.

Theo wasn’t sure why Icky wanted Europe so bad—Cassandra's green gaze and hourglass figure made her the prettier of the two.  Other than a hint of social awkwardness and her taste for illegal intoxicants, Cassandra was a catch.

"Chicken," Icky said, clucking.

"Well, what is it?" Ariadne asked.  "Going to sit around with your fingers in a bowl of peeled grapes and tell each other stories about vanishing hitchhikers and perverts with hooks for hands attacking Lovers' Lane?"

"No," Icky said.  "Something way better.  We're driving to Hamilton Heights and looking for the Bullman."

Ariadne puffed.

"The Bullman?" Theo asked conscious of his date's aggravation.  The tale stemmed from a dark page in her family's history, so he tried downplaying it.  "There's no such thing."

Everyone knew the town's most famous urban legend.

Before Ariadne was born, her parents' first child came into the world stillborn.  Refusing any public response or funeral, the prominent family ignored the tragedy, and, as will often happen when scandal rubs elbows with the rich, their terse reaction prompted immediate gossip.

Stories claiming that the child survived began circulating the community.  The myth grew, taking on an insidious nature.

The most common account had Ariadne's mom falling in love and fornicating with their prize winning snow-white bull, resulting in the birth of a ferocious monster.  Fearing disgrace, Judge Hamilton ordered the creature destroyed.  Their doctor, taken by the genetic anomaly and unable to terminate the atrocity, gave the creature to hobos living in scattered shacks dotting the dense woods outside of town so he could study it in secret.

According to rumors, the creature matured and now lurked the forest near Cretan Road and Hamilton Heights, a sprawling park on the lake bordering the state's thick wilderness.  Campers and hikers would return from the forest with stories of a hairy, malformed creature stealing food and gear from their campsites before scurrying off into the brush.  Once in a while, someone would vanish in the woods, and parents told their kids that the Bullman roamed the neighborhood streets after sunset, stealing and devouring misbehaving children.

No one ever managed to photograph the thing.

No footprints emerged in the rich, dark soil or red clay hills surrounding Hamilton Heights.

Despite a lack of hard evidence, the stories lingered on the public tongue, whispers spoken around crackling campfires and in tight alleyways.

The Hamilton family did not appreciate the yarn and ignored the accounts, debunking them whenever the newspaper reported sightings or ran spotlights for their Halloween editions.

Of all the embarrassing things that could go wrong on a first date with Ariadne Hamilton, Theo couldn’t think of anything worse than Icky seeking out her fabled brother.

About the Author:
@AlishaCostanzo

Alisha Costanzo is from a Syracuse suburb. She earned her MFA in creative writing from the University of Central Oklahoma, where she currently teaches English. She’s the author of BLOOD PHOENIX: REBIRTH and BLOOD PHOENIX: CLAIMED, and co-editor of DISTORTED. LOVING RED, a Broken World novel, is undergoing serious edits for its 2015 release. In the meantime, she will continue to corrupt young minds, rant about the government, and daydream about her all around nasty creatures.

About the Author:

Having relocated from Northwest Florida's lonesome roads and haunted swamps, Anthony S. Buoni now prowls the gas lamp lit streets of New Orleans, playing moonlight hide and seek in the Crescent City's above ground cemeteries. Anthony is the author of Conversation Party, Bad Apple Bolero, as well as the editor to the Between There anthologies.  His stories and articles have been featured in North Florida Noir and Waterfront Living. When not prowling, Anthony keeps it scary, writing dark fiction, editing, and watching horror movies.  In his spare time, he DJs, plays music, and conjures other worldly creatures with tarot cards and dreams.

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Blog Tour: Oden

ODEN by Jessica Frances

The Invasion Book 3

New Adult / Sci-Fi Romance

Date Published: October 18, 2014

   

Synopsis -

Mattie:

A war is coming.

It will not be an Earth bound battle yet humans will have to fight for their survival.

This is no longer about fighting to take our planet back, this is a fight for our society, our way of life.

However I will not be fighting in this war, I have another I must battle against, to stop him and keep myself, Marduke and our child safe and out of his clutches. I will do anything to protect my family from this evil maniac.

Jeprow doesn't know of human’s strengths. He doesn't know how resourceful we are. How brave and cunning and smart we can be.

He thinks he’s already won and the battle between us is over, but he has no idea who he’s messing with.

Marduke:

Oden is under attack and suddenly there is more at risk than just my own life. Mattie and our baby now rely on me and I can’t let them down

My new family is trapped in a warzone and I must protect them. 

But I must still protect my people, my family’s legacy and the leadership that holds it all together.

If we lose this war, then the humans lose as well. 

We are in this fight together and the losses on both sides will be many.

Never before have I been under such pressure, never before has the risk of failure been so high.

What happens when they end up sacrificing more than they ever intended, if they lose who they are and what they are fighting for?

Can they move on from all they have lost, forgive each other for what they have been forced to do?

Most importantly, can they ever learn to forgive themselves?

Who will win the war and who loses everything?.

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Excerpt -

    “I really can’t do this right now.” Her voice breaks, which in turn, breaks my heart. “Please, can you just leave?”

     “I’m sorry,” I say sadly, moving to stand in front of her and crouching down, taking her hands that are resting on her lap and overlapping them with mine. “I never meant to hurt you. I will do whatever it takes to make this right between us.”

     “What if there isn’t anything that can make this right? What if, when I look at you now, all I see is pain and suffering that humans are about to go through and have already been through?”

     “I’m hoping that, perhaps, you’ll be able to look at me and see the man you once saw before.”

     “I’m not sure if he even existed now. Did you always know you’d use humans this way? That we wouldn’t have any rights on Oden? Did you know that we were as good as dead when you invaded us?”

     “I couldn’t have predicted Jeprow and the Claws. This wasn’t planned, and right now, this is our last resort. If we don’t have a distraction, then there is no chance of us slowing down the Claws. More people will die, and that will include humans. They’ve already taken over most of Oden. We’re losing this fight. Our hinemas are being destroyed. If we don’t act now, within days, Oden will be lost.”

     She sighs, her eyes looking sad, and her shoulders sag. “I’m tired, Marduke. I don’t hate you, but I hate the choice that you have made. It forces me to make my own choice, one that neither of us likes. I guess, we are doomed to always be unhappy now.”

     “I want that family I envisioned. I want our baby—our son—to have that happy family. He is ours and you are mine.”

     “I can’t be with someone who thinks my race is expendable. Riley is part human, too, you know? When you sentence my people to death, you’re sentencing his, too.”

About The Author:

Born and raised in South Australia, Jessica spends her days working in a bakery, afternoons catching up on lost sleep, and nights reading and writing. After having the Taken Trilogy taking up space in her head for years, she was relieved to have a break and her mind clear. But apparently the free rent was announced to the world and Mattie and her friends heard, because now she is hearing their new voices and a whole new story. The Invasion Trilogy was then born.

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Cover Reveal & Sneak Peak: Deceptions

 

Deceptions By Sean Hayden

Book 2 of the Demonkin

Published October 21, 2014 by Untold Press (www.untoldpress.com)

Urban Fantasy

Word Count: 71k  Pages:  198

Blurb

The great State of California has elected themselves a new governor…and he’s a vampire! Many hope it will bring some peace between the humans and vampires. Many don’t, which could be the reason someone is trying to kill him. Knowing they can’t protect him from supernatural terrorist attacks, the Department of Homeland Security turns to the only people who can, the FBI. More importantly, their only vampire agent. Ashlyn may be Governor Greer’s only hope, but can she keep him alive without starting a war of her own? When the lines begin to blur and it becomes difficult to separate her enemies from her allies, Ashlyn may end up doing just that.

Due to mature content recommended for 18+

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And all other Amazon stores. Free on Amazon Prime KOLL and Kindle Unlimited.

Giveaway: http://untoldpress.com/contests-and-giveaways/deceptions-release-giveaway

Author Bio

Born the son of a fire chief, Sean naturally developed a love of playing with fire. His family and friends quickly found other outlets for his destructive creativity. Writing is his latest endeavour

Always a fan of the macabre, mythical, and magical, Sean found a love of urban fantasy and horror. After writing several novels in this genre, he found, fell in love with, and immersed himself in steampunk. He has always wanted to rewrite history and steampunk gave him that opportunity.

Sean currently lives in Florida as a fiber-optic engineer as well as an author. He was blessed with the two most amazing children he could ever hope for, has met the absolute love of his life, who coincidentally is his partner in everything. His hobbies include grand designs on world domination as well as a starring role in his own television sitcom.

Excerpt:

"I've told you fifteen times already, Agent Grimes, I don't know how he died. Cicero and I fought and I heard Thompson getting his ass kicked. I ended the fight as fast as inhumanly possible and rushed out to help him. That's when the cavalry came in through the proverbial window. When we went back into the office, Cicero wasn't undead anymore." I sighed as I recounted the made-up chain of events for the fiftieth time since returning to Washington, D.C.

I closed my eyes and thanked the gods the events of the past month were over. The weeks I spent working as an agent in the Chicago field office of the FBI had been pure hell. I got my partner assaulted by one vampire, and then killed by a different vampire named Cicero. The master of the City of Chicago had been a crazed lunatic and my partner paid the ultimate price. I held back the tears for my dead friend and smiled, for the gods had given me Thompson, my current partner, werelion extraordinaire, and the only reason Cicero had his ashes in a ceramic container and I didn't.

"Agent Ashlyn," Agent Grimes began and cleared his throat, "the forensic team found Cicero's body with his throat torn out and completely drained of blood. Let me get this straight, you have absolutely no idea how he 'became un-undead'?" I'd answered this question so many times I was about to snap, and how dare he quote me to myself.

"Grimes, I've explained this a hundred times and at least five of those times to you. The wounds inflicted on Cicero couldn't have killed him. Even a common vampire couldn't be killed by blood loss, so I didn't kill him. Even if I had, it would have been self-defense! The deputy director himself congratulated me on a job well done. Why the sudden change?"

"It's easy. We didn't know you ate the rogue vampire, Ashlyn. You're an FBI agent, hired to police the rogue vampires. That means bringing them in so they can be incarcerated, tried by jury, and punished by a court of law!" He seemed to mean every word he said. Was this guy joking? A vampire who kills somebody doesn't get a jury. They'd be lucky to get a cell without a window.

"Which is why I tried to non-lethally subdue him," I lied again through my teeth. The douchebag abducted my injured partner, used him to get to me, and then killed him without a second thought. If you ask me, he got what he deserved. I fought down the urge to flip my superior off and walk out of the room. "What else can I do for you, Agent Grimes? I've answered all your questions, I've filed all my reports, and honestly I don't know what else to say. If you don't believe me, the Deputy Director will have my resignation in the morning." I stood and made my way to the door, not giving the mousy man a chance to respond.

I thought the entire act of my rebellion quite debonair until I placed my hand on the knob and tried to turn the handle. I could have sworn I heard a trombone somewhere in the room going wa-wa-waa. Talk about ruining the moment. I watched Grimes when he came through the door. He didn't lock it, so I knew something wasn't right. I turned around and stared at the balding man sitting at the table tapping his pen on his notepad and staring pointedly at the mirror on the wall. "Sonofabitch," left my lips beforeI could curb my tongue.

Instead of rounding on Grimes, I walked over to the mirror. I stopped in front of it and crossed my arms. I thought about knocking on it to get their attention, but settled for my secondary idea. I uncrossed my arms and held out my talon. Slowly, I etched a circle slightly larger than my head in the otherwise perfect surface of the glass. Once it was completely etched, I rapped my knuckles against it. I smiled as the circle fell out smoothly and shattered on the floor in the tiny dark room behind the mirror.

A normal human wouldn't have been able to see in the dark room, but I didn't have a problem. I peered in and saw the Deputy Director standing next to a tall slender man I'd never seen before. I stood there staring at the both of them and waited for some sort of explanation.

"Agent Ashlyn, please meet me in my office in five minutes," the Deputy Director said without a hint of emotion or surprise.

I seriously considered telling him what he could go do with himself in his office, but I blinked and pulled my face from the Ashlyn-sized hole in the glass. I turned and strode past Grimes. By the time I reached the door, the handle was unlocked, denying me the satisfaction of ripping the door off its hinges. I snarled and made my way to the elevator.

Teasers/Quotes:

What doesn't kill you often hurts like a son of a bitch.

"Kid, I hope you know you're filling out the report on this one."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault, chief. They had rocket launchers."

"Why is it with you, they always have rocket launchers?"

"Whatever works? They keep missing with the smaller crap." 

He laughed, a little.

"Can we get a ride?"

"Not if they're still out there with more rockets."

I really hoped not to get shot tonight. I hated clothes shopping. 

I didn't look back as we got into the suburban and drove back to the hotel.

Why should I look back? Marcel would fix it. Marcel fixed everything.

More books by Sean Hayden

Rise of the Fallen Series

My Soul to Keep

Your Soul to Take

The Demonkin Series

Origins

Deceptions

Anthologies

Flashy Fiction and Other Insane Tales

Novellas

Lady Dorn

Book Blitz: Sanguinary

A Night Shift Novel

Only fifty years left before vampires rule the world.

When Dallas police detective Cami Davis joined the city's vampire unit, she planned to use the job as a stepping-stone to a better position in the department.

But she didn't know then what she knows now: there's a silent war raging between humans and vampires, and the vampires are winning.

So with the help of a disaffected vampire and an ex-cop addict, Cami is going undercover, determined to solve a series of recent murders, discover a way to overthrow the local Sanguinary government, and, in the process, help win the war for the human race.

But can she maintain her own humanity in the process? Or will Cami find herself, along with the rest of the world, pulled under a darkness she cannot oppose?

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Forthcoming October 8, 2014

Order on Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/Sanguinary-Night-Shift-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00MR5VGV8/


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My Top Five Favorite Vampire Books/Series

A Guest Post by Margo Bond Collins  

1. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black http://www.amazon.com/Coldest-Girl-Coldtown-Holly-Black-ebook/dp/B00BAXFB3C/

I loved Black’s short story of the same name and was initially a little disappointed to discover that the novel was not, in fact, a continuation of the same story but rather a new story set in the same world. But that disappointment quickly disappeared as Black’s novel drew me in. The vampires here are horrifying—and being the single (potential) exception to that rule makes the love-interest vampire equally terrifying and attractive, adding up to the kind of vicarious adrenaline rush that draws me to vampire tales in the first place.

 

2. Sunshine by Robin McKinley http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Robin-McKinley/dp/0515138819/

I re-read this book every year or two—I just finished the latest re-reading in November. McKinley does a beautiful job of setting up a world that is almost, but not exactly, like our own. The eponymous protagonist almost seems to ramble sometimes, but the voice is perfectly her own and the things she reveals about herself are beautifully woven back into the plot. Also, the vampires are creepy as all get-out!  

3. Quiver by Holly Luhning http://www.amazon.com/Quiver-Holly-Luhning-ebook/dp/B005BTJUHE/

Unlike most of the books I read, Quiver is not speculative fiction. It’s a psychological thriller about obsession—specifically, obsession with Elizabeth Bathory, the psychotic sixteenth-century Hungarian countess who bathed in the blood of her (many!) victims in an attempt to make herself younger. Luhning’s depiction of a dissatisfied academic pulled further into a world of horror and intrigue is both compelling and unsettling. So this isn’t really a “vampire” novel in the strictest sense—but it draws on vampire mythology in interesting ways.  

4. Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Book 1) by Laurell K. Hamilton http://www.amazon.com/Guilty-Pleasures-Laurell-K-Hamilton-ebook/dp/B0030MTPU6/

This was probably the first book I ever heard called a “urban fantasy”—though the term Hamilton used for it was “paranormal mystery.” In the early novels of this series, Anita Blake, is based more on the gritty noir detective than the romance heroine. Though the series shifts toward the erotic later, the early novels are still among my favorite paranormal mysteries/urban fantasies.

5. Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock, Book 1) by Faith Hunter http://www.amazon.com/Skinwalker-Jane-Yellowrock-Book-1-ebook/dp/B002AU7MSG/

This series has landed on my favorite vampires and my favorite shapeshifters lists. I’m a fan of shapeshifter novels in general, and of this series in particular. I like Hunter’s twist on the shapeshifter standards—in these novels, Jane shares her body and her consciousness with a big cat she calls Beast. Watching the two of them negotiating their shared life is almost as much fun as watching them work through whatever mysteries and problems come their way because of Jane’s job as bodyguard to vampires.

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About the Author:

Margo Bond Collins is the author of urban fantasy, contemporary romance, and paranormal mysteries. She has published a number of novels, including Sanguinary, Taming the Country Star, Legally Undead, Waking Up Dead, and Fairy, Texas. She lives in Texas with her husband, their daughter, and several spoiled pets. Although writing fiction is her first love, she also teaches college-level English courses online. She enjoys reading romance and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about heroes, monsters, cowboys, and villains, and the strong women who love them—and sometimes fight them. _____________________________________________

Connect with Margo
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/margobondcollins
Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com
Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.net
Blog: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin @MargoBondCollin
Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/

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Sign up to join the Sanguinary Blog Blitz:
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Tour Sale and Giveaway!

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Book Tour: The Sanctum

The Boy by Madhuri Blaylock

The Sanctum Trilogy Book 2

Published May 15, 2014

Paranormal

Synopsis -

In THE GIRL, Madhuri Blaylock introduced readers to the world of The Sanctum, one corrupted by greed and savagery and hellbent on achieving a single goal: destroying the prophesied hybrid. When one of its most celebrated warriors questioned his allegiances, age-old secrets were unveiled and violence erupted. The journey becomes more perilous and intense as the trilogy surges forward with THE BOY.

Can you cross the plains of death, collect every piece of your soul and make it back to the land of the living?

And if you complete the journey, will your loved ones welcome your return?

The Ramyan have been answering such questions since the creation of The Sanctum. A mysterious sect of Magicals, haunting the blank spaces of time and memory, they serve no one but themselves and their higher purpose. They exist on a plane removed from earthly matters, shifting easily between the living and the dead, moving in time to the beat of their own drummer. 

At least they did. 

Dev and Wyatt change all of that when the prophesied hybrid lands on the steps of Rinshun Palace, seeking help for the wounded Class A Warrior. That decision alters lives and sets old agendas back on course. But at what cost to Dev and Wyatt? And does that really even matter?

Excerpt -

“We’re Sanctum, Ryker,” Dot replied as she began a sun salutation, “we do not become emotionally tied. To anything or anyone.”

Ryker remained silent.

Moving into a warrior pose, Dot continued.

“But I suppose you and Wyatt did not get that memo.”

Rather than engage Dot in conversation, Ryker joined her in a warrior II pose. 

“Sam and Josiah should have never allowed you boys to become so dependent upon one another. Very few Sanctum have been so intertwined and when they have, the results have been disastrous. Now that he’s gone, you’re incapable of functioning and fulfilling your duties as a warrior.”

“He’s not gone,” Ryker insisted.

Dot heard the pain in her son’s voice and relented a bit.

“I don’t mean it like that, Ryker. I know you know Wyatt is still alive. What troubles me is how you’re handling his absence.”

Ryker broke his pose and sat on the floor, watching his mom go through her routine. He knew Dot was tough, but sometimes that toughness came across as plain, cold-heartedness. She didn’t mean it that way; she loved him and was just worried, Ryker simply wished her mode of conveying that concern was a bit warmer. He couldn’t remember the last time she hugged him, touched him affectionately.

“I’m handling his absence by helping Jools stave off a Sanctum-wide revolution, ma,” Ryker explained quietly, “I’m investigating violations of The Book of Peace by the Breslins, looking into Ava’s murder of Jasper and Kalinda Edwards at the last meeting of The Circle of Ten and speaking to other Founding Family members. So I think I am handling Wyatt’s temporary absence just fine.”

Dot looked down on her elder son and softened, despite the voice inside her head telling her to beware. That was The Sanctum speaking to her, always reaching out and cutting off the ties to her children. First taking them at such a young age and now, telling her to shut them out. But she had always been stronger than The Sanctum, and today was no different. 

She reached down and caressed Ryker’s face, a gesture she couldn’t remember indulging in since he was small. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, as if ashamed by his need for her affection. Dot’s heart broke as she watched him, wondering over the years how many times he had craved her touch, needed her arms around him. He was a grown man now but Ryker would always be her baby, so she bent down and did what she hadn’t done in almost a decade: pulled her son into her arms and held him as he cried.

About the Author:

Madhuri is a Jersey City Heights girl via Snellville, Georgia, who writes paranormal fiction and is slightly infatuated with tattoos, four-inch heels, ice cream, Matt Damon, scotch, Doc Martens, Laini Taylor, photo booths and dancing like a fool. 

She's currently working on The Sanctum trilogy and hopes one day soon, everyone is walking around with a copy of The Girl in their pocket or on their Kindle. 

She wants to get a goat and a burro, but since she lives in the city, will settle for some chickens. 

To learn more about her, you can follow her blog at madhuriblaylock.wordpress.com, follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MadhuriBlaylock or like her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thesanctumtr...

She's totally chatty so drop her a line any time.

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