#EggcerptExchange: HOUSE OF THE RISING SON by Trevann Rogers

Another #Eggcerpt for the Eggcerpt Exhange Authors Blog Tour! Today I’m featuring Trevann Rogers with the book HOUSE OF THE RISING SON.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sex. Rebellion. Rock and roll.

Living After Midnight, Book 1

Cheyenne is a half-human incubus whose star is on the rise in the Unakite City rock scene. His father, the leader of the supernatural races, would prefer he keep a “low profile”, but screw that. Cheyenne has as much music in his veins as royal incubi blood.

Alexander’s future is all set—finish law school, join the family firm, and marry someone who’d be good for business. Not that he has a say in any of it. He’s barely met the woman his father expects him to marry.

As Cheyenne’s musical career takes off, his carefully constructed life begins to unravel, exacerbated by an ex-lover who can’t let go, a crotchety barkeeper with a dirty mind and a pure heart, a drag queen who moonlights as a nanny, and Alexander—who’s not sure if he’s falling for the incubus or the rocker.

Cheyenne denies who he is, while Alexander hides what he wants. Together, they learn that getting what they truly want means being who they truly are.

Excerpt

The blue-gray glow of the synthesizer’s lights increased with the music’s crescendo and tugged him to the edge of his seat. The beginning of a show was one of his favorite parts. He was also partial to the middle and the end.

But Alexander didn’t applaud and stomp and scream in anticipation like the rest of the crowd. He was grateful to be able to keep his composure, but the truth was, it was all he could do to remember to breathe.

With a burst of light and a thunderous chord, Cheyenne appeared at center stage, arms out from his sides. An ethereal white light illuminated him. A rock and roll messiah.

Purchase Links

Amazon http://amzn.to/1LCFQl6
Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/1TZOHpv
http://bit.ly/1KKW4NZ

Trevann’s Bio

Trevann Rogers writes urban fantasy and LGBT paranormal romances. Her stories incorporate an unquenchable addition to music and her love for vampires, Weres, incubi and rock stars. Like these elusive creatures, Trevann learned long ago that sometimes being yourself means Living After Midnight.

Author links

www.trevannrogers.com
www.facebook.com/trevannr
www.pinterest.com/trevannr
www.twitter.com/trevannrogers

Character Q&A: Cheyenne Constantine

1. Nickname ~ Chey
2. Job ~ Musician
3. Level of schooling, or self-taught: I graduated high school. But I taught myself guitar and piano
4. Birthdate ~ June 2
5. Birthplace ~ Unakite City
6. Currently residing in ~ Unakite City
7. Favorite type of pet ~ Tiger but don’t tell Zander. I’d be in the doghouse for sure.
8. Favorite place to visit ~ Las Vegas
9. Significant other ~ Zander
10. Most important goal ~ I’m going to be a rock star.
11. Worst fear or nightmare ~ Failing my kids somehow. But I won’t ever let that happen.
12. Favorite food ~ Zander. His essence is the most powerful I’ve ever tasted. And it feels like…chocolate.
13. Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between? ~ Poor but not for much longer.
14. Secret desire or fantasy ~ I want my father to be proud of me.
15. What would you do if you won the lottery? ~ Buy a big house, get my kids every thing they want, and get a custom made guitar.

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#EggcerptExchange: THE GUARDIAN by Jacquie Biggar

Today’s featured author is Jacquie Bigger, author of The Guardian.

The Guardian

Restitution begins with the truth 

Lucas Carmichael and Scott Anderson had it all, money, fame, and fortune. But one night’s stupid mistake takes everything they thought they cherished and dumps it upside down.  

A car accident ends Lucas’ life and leaves Scott injured and bitter.  

As the local ME, Tracy York, investigates the case, discrepancies begin to point to more than a simple drunk driving incident. 

When threats are made to Tracy’s life can Scott and his guardian angel, Lucas, protect her, or will she become another casualty? 

Available April 19/16

PRE-ORDER: HTTP://AMZN.COM/B01D4D3LMS

TBR LIST: HTTPS://WWW.GOODREADS.COM/BOOK/SHOW/29510815-THE-GUARDIAN

Excerpt:

Scott grasped her forearm in his good hand and stopped her forward momentum. He froze, their lips a hairsbreadth apart. Her eyes grew large and he felt like the wolf at Red Riding Hood’s door. His heart skidded along his windpipe like it was an Olympic medal winning luge run. How had he thought her merely cute? She was gorgeous, with hair like the finest brandy and skin that rivalled any fairy tale heroine he’d ever read about. He leaned toward her, solely focused on tasting that lush, honey-sweet mouth.

And she frowned.

Just like that the noise came rushing back in, the creak of the van, the beep of machines, and the stifled snort of the paramedic who suddenly pretended to act busy.

Character Interview

What do you do for a living?

“I save souls. When I was a human I led a fairly selfish life as a movie star. Now that I’m dead my task is to make restitution so that I can move on to the other side.”

What is your greatest fear?

Shifts uncomfortably. “To be alone.”

What do you wear when you go to sleep?

“You’re supposed to wear something?” Grins slyly. “Come over one night and you’ll find out.”

What is your most prized possession?

Flexes shoulders. “Now that I have them, I’d have to say my wings.” Hesitates for a moment. “They give me worth.”

What do you think your greatest weakness is?

Looks down at his hands. “Natalya. She doesn’t know it, but she’s owned my heart from the moment we met.”

Author Bio

Jacquie lives in paradise along the west coast of Canada with her family and loves reading, writing, and flower gardening. She swears she can’t function without coffee, preferably at the beach with her sweetheart. 🙂

Jacquie writes Romantic Suspense with tough, alpha males who know what they want, until they’re gob-smacked by heroines who are strong, contemporary women willing to show them that what they really need is love.

Jacquie has been blessed with a long, happy marriage and enjoys writing romance novels that end with happy-ever-afters.

Follow Jacquie’s website below – if you check out her giveaways page you’ll find tons of great prizes every month!
http://jacqbiggar.com
http://Facebook.com/jacqbiggar
http://Facebook.com/jacquiebiggar

Facebook Street Team:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1051448161572521/
http://Twitter.com/jacqbiggar
http://amazon.com/author/jacquiebiggar
https://www.goodreads.com/JacquieBiggar
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jacquie-biggar

Newsletter- http://eepurl.com/2MFvX

#EggcerptExchange: STRANGER AT MY DOOR by Mari Manning

I am participating in the Author Helping Authors – Egg-cerpt Exchange.

Today, I am featuring Mari Manning, author of Stranger at My Door.

Character Interviews

Dinah Pittman, heroine of Stranger at My Door

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small town in Texas. I’ll tell you the name, but it doesn’t matter since no one’s ever heard of it. It’s El Royo. For the first 17 years of my life, I loved it, then a crime destroyed my family, and I couldn’t get away fast enough.

When is your birthday?

I’m 25, so you do the math. I was born on November 1, and my mother, who believed in the stars, painted the night sky at it appeared the day I was born on the ceiling of my bedroom.

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Pay back the money my father stole.

Rafe Morales, hero of Stranger at My Door

Where did you grow up?

I grew up on Hacienda Osito, which means Little Bear Ranch in Spanish.

Worst fear or nightmare?

I’ve lived through my worst fear – I watched someone I love die before my eyes. Something broke in me that night. Most people call it my nerve. My mother swears it’s my alma, which means soul. Whatever it is, I hope it mends, but I don’t believe I will ever be whole again.

About “Stranger at My Door” by Mari Manning

The only thing standing between Dinah Pittman and a murderer is a man she’s afraid to trust …

As far as Dinah Pittman is concerned, men can’t be trusted. Especially cops. Her own father was a cop and a convicted felon who stole a small fortune before dying in prison. The best part? No one knows where the money is…and someone is willing to kill off everyone who knows anything about it.

And Dinah is next.

Rafe Morales left the Dallas police force to settle down to a simpler life in the small Texas town of El Royo. Instead, he finds himself protecting an infuriating, tough-as-nails, oh-so-sexy victim—and driving himself crazy with a thoroughly unprofessional desire.

But as the body count rises, Rafe and Dinah must find a way to trust each other…before they both end up dead.

From the Book

The front door rebounded and clipped Rafe’s shoulder. He kicked it closed with his boot before raking his flashlight beam across the unlit entryway. The hall was clear. His heart thumping against ribs, he burst into the living room. His light hit the figure of a woman, and his feet froze. He tilted the beam up and framed Dinah Pittman’s expressionless face.

Most girls would have screamed or hid when he kicked in the door. Not this one. She had balls, he’d give her that.

Her forearm lifted to shield her eyes from the light. “Who are you? What do you want?” She sounded tired. “I already told Teke, I don’t know where the money is.”

Rafe lowered the flashlight and rolled his shoulder to loosen a tight muscle. There were about two dozen abandoned bungalows in this part of town. When he saw a candle flickering in the window, he’d expected a confrontation with teenagers or maybe a squatter.

He stepped into the candlelight. “Officer Morales, ma’am. Got something against electricity?” As soon as the words were out, he regretted them. The pink flyers. She’d needed money to turn on the lights.

Her mouth tightened. “Get out.” Turning to a small table by the window, she gathered up scattered cards, probably her tarot cards. Had she found customers already?

He studied her as he summoned up an appropriate apology. She wore cut-offs and a white T-shirt. His eyes swept down her slim legs to her bare feet and red toenails before he could stop himself. Why were pain-in-the-ass women always hot?

“I didn’t mean to upset you—”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”

“That’s tough to do with you around.”

Her hand stilled for a moment, then returned to its task. “You could have knocked.”

“Sometimes we get squatters in these abandoned houses. They’re more likely to be discouraged by a show of force.”

“I could have been a mass murderer. Aren’t you supposed to call for backup?” She glanced down at his flashlight. “If I was a bad guy with a gun, you’d be dead, Officer Morales.”

“Rafe.”

She’d read him right. He’d tried to pull out his service revolver when he broke down the door, but—predictably—his hand had turned to Jell-O. After two years, he still couldn’t get past the night in Dallas when his beautiful, daring Sam’s luck ran out, and he’d avenged her but failed to live up to his own lofty ideals. So he relied on the element of surprise and big fists.

Gathering up the cards, she set them in a neat stack. “As you can see, I am not a squatter.” Her gaze flickered to his flashlight, then back up to his face. “There’s an empty house about two blocks down if you’re determined to rescue one.”

The corner of his mouth inched up. She’d be a handful…for the right man, which sure as hell wasn’t him. Not anymore. “Thanks for the tip.”

About Mari Manning

Let’s start with the fun stuff. I love small towns, mysteries, quiet men, laughter, old-fashioned spaghetti dinners. I love boots and shopping and jokes and Hershey’s dark chocolate and white wine. I love lots of things. But my first love is reading.

I love to read. Just about anything, but it has to be well-written. I go through periods where I am into historical novels or romance or mystery or history or biography. I never know when my desires will suddenly change.

Now for the writer-ish, official stuff: Mari Manning is the author of several contemporary romances and three romantic suspense novels set in the Texas Hill Country. Stranger at My Door is the first in her A Murder in Teas series. The second, Stranger in My House will be published by Entangled later this year. The third book in the series is Stranger in My Bed. Currently Mari is working on a series of cozy mysteries.

She and her husband live in Chicago.

Buy links to all the major electronic sites are here: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/stranger-at-my-door/
Contact Mari at manningillinois@gmail.com
Visit my website at www.marimanning.com
Follow me @mari_manning on Twitter

#EggcerptExchange: HOMETOWN HEARTACHE by M. J. Schiller

I am participating in the Author Helping Authors – Egg-cerpt Exchange.

Today, I am featuring M. J. Schiller, author of Hometown Heartache.

 

Blurb ~

Nash is trying to make a name for himself in the art world…

But when he meets a realtor to buy a gallery, he is stunned to find Chloe sitting at the table with the man. He has never stopped thinking about her since she disappeared from his life without a trace. Is it too late to win back her love?

Chloe has finally found a way to leave her past behind her…

But her heart leaps out of her chest when she sees Nash. How can he be here? Now…after all this time? On the surface, she pulls herself back together. But underneath she feels she is about to shatter. After remaking herself, how can she deal with being faced with Nash and the life she knew before?

If this chance meeting doesn’t rip Chloe and Nash apart, he will.

Little do they know, someone has been lurking in the shadows, manipulating them all along. If he has his way, the two will never be reunited. Even if he has to take one of them out to ensure it.

Excerpt ~

Outside, I paid a valet attendant to let me park my truck near the front, so I could see her come out. Minutes later, the pair strolled through the door, Jack seeming miffed and Chloe obviously trying to reassure him. As I watched, she reached up on her tiptoes and pulled his head down to whisper in his ear. He laughed and slid his arms around her, letting his hands move down to grab her ass, tightly housed, I saw now, in a short black skirt. My eyes wandered, as his hands had, over her firm rear and the seeming endlessness of her legs, lengthened even more by the racy black heels she wore. They cut a pretty picture—Chloe, light and sensual, Jack, tall, broad-chested, with dark blond, well-groomed hair and a glowing smile. My hands gripped the steering wheel, observing until the valet maneuvered a sleek, red Ferrari into the spot in front of the hotel where the awning and red carpet ended. Jack reached to open the door for her. She folded her long legs into the vehicle, laughing, head tilted flirtatiously as her eyes danced over the high-priced realtor.

An unfamiliar tightening in my chest grabbed me, and I fought to swallow the fire which seemed to be rising within me, choking me with its intensity. I automatically steered my beat-up, blue pickup truck onto the street behind the red Ferrari, following it through the thick knots of traffic in the downtown theatre district. I could see through the rear window she was sitting nearly on top of him.

Don’t those things have stick shifts, for God’s sake?

Purchase Links ~
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AHIS2TK/

Author Bio ~

MJ is a lunch lady in the heart of Central Illinois. My gosh! Can you get more folksy than that? She met her husband at the University of Missouri-Columbia and now she has a nineteen-year-old (how did that happen?) and seventeen year old triplets! She loves to read, karaoke (where she can pretend she is a rock star) and spends WAY too much time on Facebook. She grew up in St. Louis and still has family there.

Website:
www.mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Schiller-Romance-Author/286382241460365?ref=hl

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

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/mjschiller

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/M.J.-Schiller/e/B009JOQFQQ/

Character ~

Favorite place to visit– no question, our treehouse! Nash’s and mine. Well, it’s not exactly ours, unless you count squatter’s rights. We sort of…appropriated it.
Significant other- none. Significant or not.
Worst fear or nightmare– someone touching the real me.
Favorite food– it’s gotta be za. Pizza, that is. And chocolate. Or maybe chocolate coated pizza. Now that’s an idea!
Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between?- money actually doesn’t mean much to me. All I need is enough to pay my bills and occasionally get a new outfit. Even when I do get a new outfit, you can bet it’s an affordable one and not some designer piece.

 

#EggcerptExchange: LETHAL DISPOSAL by Kasia Radzka

I am participating in the Author Helping Authors – Egg-cerpt Exchange.

Today, I am featuring Kasia Radzka, author of Lethal Disposal.

Lethal Disposal
by Kasia Radzka

Blurb

Lexi Ryder vowed to never return to the Gold Coast, but after a desperate phone call from an old friend, she returns only to learn her friend is dead.

Was it murder or an accident?

Lexi finds herself embroiled in a game of politics, assassinations and secrets. A world where people are not who they seem.

Detective Matthew Ryan wants Lexi as far away as possible from him and the case. But Lexi knows too much. After a public assassination they discover that whoever is responsible is willing to go to great lengths to dispose of those who get in the way of their plans.

Is Lexi willing to risk her own life to seek the truth?

Money, status, and power. Some people will do anything to get it, others will do whatever it takes to keep it.

Excerpt

He pushed her hard and she slammed into the wall of the building, the rugged bricks cutting her palms as she tried to protect herself from the impact. This couldn’t be the end. She turned to face her attacker. She didn’t recognise him. In the darkness she could just make out his features. He had a face that could easily get lost in a crowd, olive skin, a freckle beside his eye, and brown hair. It’s funny the details you notice when you face your killer.

“I’ll give you whatever you want, please, take my keys, my wallet, there’s two hundred dollars in there, just don’t hurt me, please,” Lexi pleaded as he pushed her against the wall.

He stared at her. No smile. No reaction. Then she noticed the glimmer of a gun in his hand.

He pushed even closer until she felt his lips against her ear. “You’ve been asking too many questions.”

Lexi squeezed her eyes shut and pushed him away with all the strength that she could muster as pain seared through her body. She kicked him but he grabbed her by the neck and pulled her towards him pressing the cold metal barrel against the flesh of her lower back. This was it. She was about to die. And all for nothing. She wondered if Dana had known she was going to die at the exact moment her car had veered off the road and slammed into the tree.

Purchase Links
http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00YAC0NLA/

Author Bio

Kasia Radzka is an author, athlete wannabe, food & wine lover, and blogger, living with her husband and son on the Gold Coast, Australia. A run along the coastline generally gets her muse buzzing. You can contact her at kasiajradzka@gmail.com or stop by her website www.kasiaradzka.com.

Author Links
http://www.kasiaradzka.com

Character Questions:

1. Nickname –
   Lexi

2. Job –
   Freelance Investigative Journalist

3. Level of schooling, or self-taught –
   University Degree and the school of life

4. Birthdate –
   5 May

5. Birthplace –
   Melbourne, Australia

6. Currently residing in…
   Gold Coast, Australia

7. Favorite type of pet –
   Dog, but she has no room for one in her life at the moment

8. Favorite place to visit –
   Europe

9. Significant other –
   It’s complicated

10. Most important goal –
    To figure out who killed her friend

11. Worst fear or nightmare –
    Failing the people she promises to help

12. Favorite food –
    Wine, burgers, and rockmelon – not necessarily in that order.

13. Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between?
    Wealthy, but doesn’t like to advertise it.

14. Secret desire or fantasy –
    If she told you it wouldn’t be a secret.

15. What would you do if you won the lottery?
    Give half to charity, invest the other half and continue investigating stories.

 

#EggcerptExchange: SHADOWS OF THE PAST by Carmen Stefanescu

I am participating in the Author Helping Authors – Egg-cerpt Exchange.

Today, I am featuring Carmen Stefanescu, author of Shadows of the Past.

Shadows of the Past
by Carmen Stefanescu

Publisher: Wild Child Publishing
Genre: paranormal/light romance/light historical/light horror.

Blurb:

Anne’s relationship with her boyfriend Neil has disintegrated. After a two-year separation, they pack for a week vacation in hopes of reconciling. But fate has other plans for them.

The discovery of a bejeweled cross and ancient human bones opens a door to a new and frightening world–one where the ghost of a medieval nun named Genevieve will not let Anne rest. This new world threatens not only to ruin Anne and Neil’s vacation but to end all hopes of reconciliation as Anne feels compelled to help free Genevieve’s soul from its torment.

Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve find her eternal rest?

A touching, compelling story of tragedy, loss and the power of endless love and good magic.

The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.

Excerpt

The peal of the church bells from the abbey tower startled Genevieve. The sound added to her mounting anxiety.

The massive abbey loomed over the stone paved path.  All the nuns were at evening mass.  With a bit of luck her disappearance would go unnoticed for a few more hours. The Abbess would assume she was cleaning the toilets as ordered.

Fear skittered through Genevieve when she turned away from the abbey towards the path leading to town. Nothing stirred.  She hesitated.  Evil emanated from the forest surrounding the abbey. With a shiver, she leaned against the solid oak gates that flanked the abbey’s main path. They had hidden her from detection for the past couple of hours, but how much longer would she be safe?

The mountain shadows grew thicker and closer.

She moved her weight from one leg to the other. They ached from so much standing, but she lacked the strength to return to the gardener’s cottage and wait for Andrew’s arrival as planned. Genevieve closed her tired eyes. The image of old Ryan, slumped dead in his chair in his cubicle, caught life in her mind and made her whole body ripple with fear.

She’d rather wait for Andrew here, outside.

Had he forgotten his promise? What if something terrible befell him during the last three days, or he had changed his mind? Why should he risk all for an ordinary nun?

Had his folks talked him into giving her up, made him see reason? Helping her out of her predicament meant a huge risk for him — losing his family, his friends and his position among his peers. His words echoed in her mind. “I will risk everything for you, even life, if necessary.”

* * * *

“Anne, Anne, wake up. Wake up, please,” the insistent voice whispered next to her ear.  The touch of a hand, on her shoulder, startled Anne.

She opened her eyes, still half between sleep and reality. Her gaze stopped on a stranger, a woman, by her side.

The moon’s pale face, the only light, filtered through a small gap in the tent’s entrance; yet the stranger’s whole body emanated a kind of soft ray, a yellowish halo making her figure and face easy to discern.

A long, dark robe, similar to those worn by nuns in monasteries centuries ago, covered her body. No traditional headdress covered the woman’s red hair, which fell loosely over her shoulders in long, heavy tendrils and continued down her chest and back.

Anne stood up and studied the intruder with open curiosity. The stranger’s wax pale face looked corpse like. Anne opened her mouth to ask her who she was. She looked Anne straight in the eyes, placed her forefinger on her lips and whispered, “Hush, come. Follow me.”

Anne’s eyes widened.

The woman, moving away from the sleeping bag, appeared to glide above the ground. Her bare feet didn’t make a sound.

As if hypnotized, Anne followed the illuminated silhouette heading into the forest, without questioning her own actions.

An onrush of sensations unfamiliar to her followed. Dizziness and a malevolent feeling of unreality suffocated her. The presence of evil, creeping up and enveloping her, became almost palpable. Her throat turned dry, and she gasped for air.

Buy Links

Wild Child Publishing
http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=84&products_id=410

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AK2D9I8/

All Romance
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadowsofthepast-1013184-140.html

Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-of-the-past-carmen-stefanescu/1113910162?ean=2940015715026

Character Interview

Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable Miss… 

“Genevieve. My name is Genevieve, but Sister Clementa, the Abbess,  and some of her followers call me The witch.”

Tell me, Genevieve, where are you living?

Genevieve ( a small sigh escapes her lips. Then she shrugs) “Well, for the moment I reside at St. Mary’s Abbey. On top of a mountain in Britain, in the…cursed forest.”

Do you have any schooling?

Genevieve  (nods and pats and invisible crease of her dress) “Kind  Old Bertha, who took care of me after my family perished, taught me to read and write. Not only English but also Latin. And, most important, she taught me how to prepare healing potions from plants and herbs. Perhaps that’s why the Abbess hates me so much. A peasant girl of the 13th century is dangerous if she knows more than her superiors, I think.”

What are your worst fears or nightmare?

Genevieve (throws a shy look around her. She shivers and her voice is small) “I fear the cursed forest. This forest is responsible for what happened to my family. My father’s odd behavior, the death of my siblings. All the evil that lurks in it.

My nightmare – the Abbess, sister Clementa, who threatens me all the time with sending me to the stake. I can’t understand why she wants me out of the way.”

Is it anything that you secretly desire?

Genevieve (blushes and wrings her hands. Then she looks me directly in the eyes. Her voice is strong now. ) “To become Andrew’s wife and grow a family. If his family agrees….If the Abbess lets me go… If God  forgives me for giving up being a nun…..If I escape alive from the forest…. If….”

Author bio:

Carmen Stefanescu resides in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal phenomena could have led someone to great trouble – the psychiatric hospital if not to prison.

Teacher of English and German in her native country and mother of two daughters, Carmen Stefanescu survived the grim years of oppression, by escaping in a parallel world, that of the books.

She has dreamed all her life to become a writer, but many of the things she wrote during those years remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceausescu’s regime in 1989, and the opening of the country to the world meant a new beginning for her. She started publishing. Poems first, and then prose. Both in English.

Shadows of the Past, paranormal/light romance/light mystery/light horror was released at the end of 2012 by Wild Child publishing, USA.

Carmen Stefanescu’s Links:
http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/
https://twitter.com/Carmen_Books
http://www.pinterest.com/carmens007/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carmen-Stefanescu-Books/499245716760283
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6624397.Carmen_Stefanescu
https://plus.google.com/117216040843648957646/posts
http://www.amazon.com/Carmen-Stefanescu/e/B00APVDGAA/

 

#EggcerptExchange: Warrior Women by Janie Franz

I am participating in the Author Helping Authors – Eggcerpt Exchange.

Today, I am featuring Janie Franz, author of Warrior Women.

Warrior Women
By Janie Franz
MuseItUp Publishing

Jan-nell the bowdancer, now pregnant with her second child, and her daughter, Mira-nell, trek up a mountain where bards’ tales have said a village of warrior women exists. Jan-nell makes this trip in winter—and in her condition—in order to find a place for Mira-nell where the child’s precocious abilities will be accepted. The women on the mountain, though, are not fighters or even man-haters. They have chosen to live apart from the world in a village of only women, led by a sisterhood of hunters. Chandro, a beautiful trackfinder, rescues Jan-nell and her daughter, offering them a home and the promise of love.

EXCERPT

Nearing the bend in the trail, Mira-nell gave out a cry and pulled on her mother’s cloak. Jan-nell looked back at her. The child’s face was rapt as if she had seen the One before her. “Look,” she said, pointing ahead.

On the trail, silhouetted by the morning sun, a tall woman stood with feet spread wide apart, a hand on an upright spear that towered far over her head. The woman’s short red hair was set afire by the golden rays behind her. She wore a cape and woven pants with high boots made of goat hide. Her stance was powerful. No doubt she could bar their way further up the trail since Jan-nell possessed little strength to push past her, much less fight her for the right to pass, if that was her intention.

Before Jan-nell could ask what she wanted, another tightening spread across her belly. She was prepared for it this time, only turning slightly to hold her staff with two hands as she breathed with it.

When Jan-nell finally raised her head, the woman with the spear stood a few paces from them. Reaching into a pouch by her waist, she brought out two small leaves and offered them to Jan-nell. “Chew and swallow the juice but not the leaf.”

Jan-nell examined the leaves, sniffed them, and then raised an eyebrow to question the stranger.

“It will pause your labor,” the woman explained in quiet tones.

“Pause it?” she questioned with suspicion. “I have used plants to speed a birth and to ease it, but not one to make it stop. I know of no such plant. Where did you find it?”

“It grows in the waste places of the mountain near the edge of the snows.” Then she added, “It will not harm the babe.”

Jan-nell crunched on the bitter leaves and nearly retched as the vile fluid filled her mouth. With effort, she managed to swallow it.

The woman offered a rueful smile and put a strong hand on her shoulder in comfort. “‘Tis awful it is true, but it does the work.” Then her brow furrowed. “The pull of the earth hastens the birth. We must get you to shelter and off your feet—and soon….”

BUY LINKS

Museitup Publishing
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

About Janie Franz

Janie Franz comes from a long line of Southern liars and storytellers. She told  other people’s stories as a freelance journalist for many years. With Texas wedding DJ, Bill Cox, she co-wrote The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book and The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book, and then self-published a writing manual, Freelance Writing: It’s a Business, Stupid!  She also published an online music publication, was an agent/publicist for a groove/funk band, a radio announcer, and a yoga/relaxation instructor.

Currently, she is writing her tweveth novel and a self-help book, Starting Over: Becoming a Woman of Power.

Character Interview

1. Nickname or Name? My name is Jan-nell. For part of my life I was known only by my title, The Bowdancer.
2. Job? I am the Bowdancer, the keeper of the lore of my people. I am also a midwife and healer. I sing the songs of the One. Though I have left my people and that revered place in their village, I still do the work of the One, trying to find my place within this wild world I have discovered.
3. Most important goal? My most fervent desire at this moment of my life, before the birth of my second child, is to find a home for my clever daughter. Like I was as a child, she is quick-witted. However unlike me, she has no place where that gift is recognized. In the village below this great mountain I am climbing, she was ridiculed by child and adult. And her only future was to be the wife of a dull-witted farmer.
4. Worst fear or nightmare? My worse fear is that there will never be a place for my daughter Mira-nell, nor for me, for I, too, wish to finally belong somewhere again.

#EggcerptExchange: FALLEN LEAVES by Tina Gayle

I am participating in the Author Helping Authors – Egg-cerpt Exchange.

Today, I am featuring Tina Gayle, author of Fallen Leaves.

Fallen Leaves by Tina Gayle

Blurb –

As autumn comes to the Winston estate in Ohio, Amber Harrison learns further lessons in her new position as keeper for the spirits and ghosts who haunt the estate–and further lessons in love, too. She and her love, Carter Miller, grapple with the fears and passions of new love, while caught up in the storm of ancient family drama.

This is the second book in the unfolding saga of the psychics and talents associated with the Winston estate, a sheltered place where past, present, and future are woven into a single dramatic tapestry of love and desire. The tale spans multiple generations, multiple eras, and offers something special for all ages of reader. A sexy, erotic winner, with an assortment of couples to appeal to most tastes.

Excerpt:

“How long before you install the new cabinets?”

He turned on the ladder. His dark brown eyes captured her, engulfing her in an encompassing warmth. She melted under his heated gaze, which ran from the top of her head to the white socks on her feet. He lifted a brow at her attire, but he didn’t comment on her pink sweat suit.

“With the old cabinets out of the way, I need to knock down this wall and tear up the flooring. The electrical work is next on the agenda.” He climbed off the ladder, yanked off his gloves, and slid a hand through his thick, wavy hair.

“It might be awhile before we install the new cabinets. Right now, we’re simply working to remove the old stuff so we can start fresh.” He smiled, which didn’t hide the dark circles under his eyes or the fatigue in the slump of his shoulders.

“There’s no hurry. If you’re busy with something else, this can wait until your Dad and Mattie come home next week.”

“No, Dad doesn’t want her dealing with this mess.” Carter unbuckled his tool belt and placed it on a workbench. “I promised him I’d have it done.”

“Is Grant helping?” Amber stepped around several pieces of sheetrock and stray bits of wood, to the bottom of the stairs.

He walked to the backdoor. “Friday, his classes are over at noon.”

With his hand resting on the doorknob, he appeared anxious to leave. “I’m headed to lunch, and then I need to drop by the office for a while. Are you sure you’re okay here by yourself?”

Amber toyed with the idea of saying no. She missed the taste of his lips and the strength of his arms, but she nodded instead. “Yes, I’m fine.”

After opening the door, he paused. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

She waved and turned to head to her room, satisfied she’d at least gotten him to talk. Her leaden feet trudged up the steps. Unexcited, she contemplated her latest assignment from the family council. How could she achieve such an impossible task of convincing her great grandmother’s ghost to cross over?

Purchase links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JOTY270

Character Questions

1. Nickname – Don’t have one
2. Job – new keeper of the Winston Manor
3. Level of schooling, or self-taught – some college
4. Birth Date – April 17
5. Currently residing in… Hebron, Ohio
6. Favorite type of pet – cat
7. Favorite place to visit – Disney World
8. Significant other – Carter Miller
9. Most important goal – to save my grandmother’s spirit

About Tina Gayle

Tina Gayle loves writing and is currently working on finishing her Family Tree series, a contemporary paranormal suspense series.

When not writing, she enjoys spending time with my family and traveling around the country. She hasn’t hit every state, but she hopes to someday. You might also catch her on the golf course with her husband of 30 years.

Also, you can read the first chapter of any of her books by visiting her website or download an exclusive story “My Future Step Brother” and join her special friend’s list. All on her website www.tinagayle.net

Find Tina  everywhere
Home – www.tinagayle.net
Blog – www.tinagayle.blogspot.com
Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle
Goodread – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1641826.Tina_Gayle
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle
Google + – https://plus.google.com
Linkin – http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tina-gayle/11/689/759

#EggcerptExchange: BLONDE DEMOLITION by Chris Redding

I am participating in the Author Helping Authors – Egg-cerpt Exchange.

Today, I am featuring Chris Redding, author of Blonde Demolition.

Blonde Demolition

YOU JUST CAN’T HIDE FROM THE PAST…

Mallory Sage lives in a small, idyllic town where nothing ever happens. Just the kind of life she has always wanted. No one, not even her fellow volunteer firefighters, knows about her past life as an agent for Homeland Security.

Former partner and lover, Trey McCrane, comes back into Mallory’s life. He believes they made a great team once, and that they can do so again. Besides, they don’t have much choice. Paul Stanley, a twisted killer and their old nemesis, is back.

Framed for a bombing and drawn together by necessity, Mallory and Trey go on the run and must learn to trust each other again―if they hope to survive. But Mallory has been hiding another secret, one that could destroy their relationship. And time is running out.

Excerpt

They had no clue she could defend herself armed or unarmed. That information didn’t go along with her trust fund reputation. No need to enlighten them.

Trey’s words brought her back. “Have you thought about it?”

“Yes.”

“And.”

“I didn’t come up with an answer.” She wouldn’t be rushed. She would decide this in her own damn time. Not on someone else’s schedule.

“Better soon.”

“You better move on, Trey.”

He glanced back at the firefighters who walked his way. A sardonic grin creased his face. “Well, well.”

“Leave, Trey. I don’t want to see anyone hurt.”

“Me or them?”

He walked past her as if she didn’t exist.

“He bothering you?” Cal asked.

She shook her head. “Nope, just asking the time.”

“You didn’t look at your watch.”

“I don’t have one, so I couldn’t tell him the time. He was harmless, guys. Thanks anyway.”

Cal stared after Trey, who now turned bolts on the massive Ferris wheel. He wasn’t harmless, though he’d never hurt her physically.

Just emotionally.

Purchase Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B0065KM0DY

About The Author

Chris Redding lives in New Jersey with her husband, two kids, one dog and one show rabbit. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in Journalism and is still a diehard Nittany Lions fan. Her books are filled with romance, suspense and thrills.

Author Links
Email: chrisreddingauthor@gmail.com
Website: www.chrisreddingauthor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/253606058045505
Twitter: www.twitter.com/chrisredding
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/101743269602364199911/posts

Character Questions

1. Nickname: I’ve been called CPR lady because I helped run a training center for 7 years.
2. Job: ghostwriter, but I also teach CPR.
3. Level of schooling, or self-taught: BA in Journalism with a minor in English from The Pennsylvania State University
4. Birthplace: Pennsylvania
5. Favorite type of pet: One without hair, but DH doesn’t like reptiles so we have a dog.
6. Favorite place to visit: The beach
7. Favorite food: Pizza, I could eat it almost every day.
8. What would you do if you won the lottery? Fund scholarships.

#EggcerptExchange: SHOCKING FINDS by Tracey Clark

I am participating in the Author Helping Authors – Egg-cerpt Exchange.

Today, I am featuring Tracey Clark, author of Shocking Finds.

Shocking Finds (A Finder’s Keepers Novel)

-Tracey Clark
Here are a few treats for readers interested in Paranormal/Fantasy Romance (New Adult)
A blurb, a quick excerpt, some links for buying options and author info… and
Lastly… a fun little Q&A session with the main character Marin!!
Happy wordage everyone

Blurb:

An act of rebellion, Marin doesn’t think that running into the new store in town will hurt anything. Her aunt will never know… right? One car wreck later, her aunt is hospitalized, Marin is forced to spend her twenty-first birthday fighting for her life, and magic – the very thing her aunt has always sworn to be for fools – is real. And so is the irresistible Fae dedicated to Marin’s protection.

Kyland has searched Earth-side and all the other realms, looking for a missing Fae child. A child his Queen prophesied would be able to one day save the Fae people from the Danshue, as the evil Fae threat tries to overwhelm the entire Supernatural Community. A child that would know nothing of her blocked gifts, or her Fae heritage waiting to be claimed. A child that has grown into a curvy, delicious morsel he would love to taste

Together Marin and Kyland will fight Fae assassins, overcome betrayals, and if they’re lucky … they will find the Danshue responsible for their plight. That’s if Marin doesn’t shock him to death with her erratic new gift, and her out of control emotions.

Buy your copy today!!

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014UA6XV0/

Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shocking-finds-tracey-clark/1122614922

Kobo:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/shocking-finds-a-finder-s-keepers-novel

Indigo:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/shocking-finds-a-finders-keepers/9781310309090-item.html

Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/574301

Excerpt: (from chapter two Shocking Finds)

Marin needed answers. Like why had they been targeted? The parking lot hadn’t exactly been lacking for vehicular violence victim contenders. There had been a group of at least four women, standing by their cars, chatting. If there was a target more deserving of vehicular rage, it had definitely been that group of women. They had finished shopping, and courtesy demanded that their parking spots were to be relinquished as soon as possible. Why not them?

The man—and Marin was only guessing that the driver was a man—had bypassed those without parking lot etiquette and zeroed in on Lindal. If she had continued her slow progress through the parking lot, would Marin be in this horrible room with its beeping monitors and bleached air instead of Lindal.

Staring down at her aunt’s unmoving form, Marin tried to find a place to rest her hand. She needed to touch her. She needed to know that the only person willing to take her in, after the death of her mother, was really here and still alive.

“They will find him, Lindal. He won’t get away with this,” Marin made her vow as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb Lindal’s recovery.

Glancing up to keep tears from falling from her eyes, Marin noticed something swinging off of Lindal’s oxygen line.

“What the…” It looked like a Barbie doll with wings, perhaps six inches tall. The odd little creature wore a loin cloth and sported some overly obvious male attributes. Was it wrong to be checking out the abs of someone no larger than a child’s toy?

His arms tugged and his muscles bunched as he attempted to make a knot in Lindal’s oxygen line. His silver skin tone went beautifully with his tri-colored wings— a mix of light purple, maroon, and gold. The little man didn’t seem to realize that Marin was staring at him.

“Stop,” Marin shouted. Dammit, this was a hospital. She needed to lower her voice. She also needed to go upstairs to the psych ward. Head trauma, shock, or hallucinations…something wasn’t right. If she told Lindal about this, her aunt would call her every kind of fool.

Hallucination or not, she grabbed the little man by the wings, pulled him from Lindal’s oxygen line, and tried to speak more calmly. “What do you think you’re doing?”

She finally had her figment’s attention. A striking, though small, pair of lavender eyes glared at her through overly long sandy brown bangs. On closer inspection, she could see that his hair was actually multicolored. It seemed to go from crystal white sand to bronzed gold.

“Well, answer me. What do you think you’re doing?”

“Waiting for you, of course.”

“What are you?” She was losing it. The buzzing in her temples was increasing. And she was now speaking to a figment of her imagination. Yep, she needed to be medicated.

The creature put its tiny fists on narrow hips. “A Sprite, of course. Don’t you know anything? I have my work cut out for me.” Now she was being insulted by her imagination. Great.

“Nope. Too Much,” Marin said and tossed the little man with wings out of the hospital window. She needed coffee. Either that or a large dose of Thorazine. Maybe both.

All About Tracey Clark!!

I am a country-twang gal from the bluegrass state. Kentucky is a hot bed of horses, cave systems, and whiskey. And I love all three. With my pugs and bossy kitty cat, I spend my days writing and working social media. I write with the help of the voices pushing me to create worlds for them to live in. Fantasy Romance, Contemporary Romance, and eventually some cowboys (because cowboys live in a group all their own, yummmm)… These are the genres that I love best. Oil paints, crafts, dealing with Multiple Sclerosis, and writing into the dead of night… this I my life!!!

To Find out more about Tracey here are some links…

Author Page (Main):
http://traceylclark.com/

Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/103301.Author_Tracey_Clark

MS Page:
https://multiplesclerosisnewsblog.wordpress.com/

Facebook Author Page:
https://www.facebook.com/traceyclark.finderskeepers/

Anddddd…. Twitter Page:
https://twitter.com/traceylclark11

Now… without further ado… here is Marin Yarthine…

Interviewer: You’ve had quick the introduction to the Fae world, Marin… Can I call you Marin..

Marin (reddened cheeks): Uhh… sure… I mean, that’s what most people call me… Kyland has been call me, Minzet, but I’m pretty sure that’s something just between us since it means Sweet One… but…yeah… Marin would be best.

Interviewer (light chuckle): Great. Well, I nice to finally get to sit down with us… and as the new Princess to the Fae people, with such an odd upbringing… the Fae would love to know a little pit about you… Tell us a little bit about day to day life in the royal world…

Marin: Pfft… Most of the time I think they have the wrong girl… I mean… I was home schooled, and have worked at Finder’s Keepers since I turned 17… for the past four years I have been slipping into Finder’s Trances in order to locate everything from pets to abduction victims… from car keys to family heirlooms… it sounds like important work but really, I mostly had to pull a bunch of information together so that other Finder’s could go out on Mission to locate whatever the client had misplaced…

Interviewer: That sounds like important work to me… also, something that would take a toll on your emotions… do you have someone to cuddle up to at night to help you get through the day???

Marin (Cheeks now flaming red): Kyland… he came out of nowhere and changed my life… and he doesn’t even mind when I accidentally shock him with this new power that has a tendency to get out of control when I’m upset…

Interview: …. (shuffles through questions) … (scoots chair back and grits her teeth)… What goals and hardships do you face… what do you want for the Fae?? I mean… what are your plans to keep the Fae community safe?? (scoots back a little further…)

Marin (head cocked to the side): I’m still learning about the Fae world.. but I would say my goal is to keep as many people safe as I can… (fists clench) … if the evil Fae, those Danshue ********… sorry for my language, but if they would just stop getting in the way, I could learn a little faster… someone needs to stop the Danshue before this community I’m just getting to know dies out…

Sparks light up on Marin’s hands, but Interviewer merely gets a white
Knuckled grip on her set and continues…

Interviewer: One final questions and we will let you get back to your new duties as Princess… Can you tell us what fears you are facing in this new chapter of your life???

Marin: … (Deep Breath…) Lindal… that the woman that pretended to be my only family, that kidnapped me as a child (sparks on her fingertips) … that she will find a way to finish what she started… (more sparks) … that she will find a way to hurt the people I am coming to care about… that she will hurt KYLAND … (small explosion blowing out all the lights)

Interview warily pulls herself up out of the floor, where she dove to avoid flying glass…

Interview(voice shaky) : Alright… I think that’s all we have time for… thanks for stopping by Princess…