Saturday, October 28, 2017

Murder Feels Bad by Bill Alive #mystery #newadult #excerpt #giveaway


Murder Feels Bad
Bill Alive
(Empath Detective, #2)
Publication date: October 24th 2017
Genres: Mystery, New Adult
He can feel people’s emotions. And murderers feel super bad.
Mark Falcon, an aspiring detective and (for now) reluctant web developer, has a secret. He can “vibe” other people’s emotions. And when a wedding gets crashed by a seeming suicide, Mark vibes that there’s one aloof groomsman who wasn’t surprised at the death. Problem is, this guy’s also the only current lead for Mark’s website business. And both Mark and I (his trusty sidekick/housemate) are dead broke.

Then, we get our first-ever real detective client … and she’s afraid the wedding killer wants to kill her next.
Exciting, right? Except her reason sounds … delusional. But Mark does vibe that she’s in real danger. Also, she’s super hot. And possibly into me…
Meanwhile, the cops tell us to back off the whole thing, or else. Even when more people in our small Virginia town start dying.
With the cops threatening jail (again), quirky locals turning lethal, and a spiritual crisis on my part which has really bad timing, Mark and I are racing to catch a killer who seems ready to murder anyone…
Including us.
Murder Feels Bad is the second novel in the Empath Detective mystery series, a new cozy mystery series that totally really happened, but is officially fiction. If you like Janet Evanovich, M. C. Beaton, Deb Baker, and long lists of famous author names, you’ll love this new series that has it all — amateur detectives you’ll love, zany small-town characters, sparkling wit, and a cold-blooded killer you’ll never even suspect.
EXCERPT:
… But you do at least know about the empathy thing, right?
Okay. Super fast, so we don’t bore all the organized readers … my friend, housemate/landlord, and sidekickee Mark Falcon (I’m the sidekick) is the world’s one and only legit empath detective.
He can feel other people’s emotions. Even when he doesn’t want to.
Which is crazy awesome, but on top of that, Mark has chosen to use this superpower to fight crime, vibing the innermost secrets of real-deal murderers and bringing them to justice. So far we’ve been at it for a solid month.
And there were these two suspects, Dr. Jivanta Kistna and, um, this other guy I won’t name in case you didn’t read Book 1 (Murder Feels Awful) yet, and they did a bunch of crazy stuff I can’t tell you about here but the upshot was, they decided to get married.
Like, right away. I don’t know how they pulled that off, since Jivanta’s family turned out to be Catholic and I thought they had rules about that. I think Jivanta wanted to get the wedding in while the Blue Ridge Mountains were still at Peak Autumn Gorgeous.
In a good year, the view out here in rural Virginia is continuously breathtaking. You can’t even (for instance) be running late for a wedding without a lush distant backdrop of mountainous fall foliage, serene in every direction.
Unfortunately, if you are running late for that wedding, the fantastic scenery on a crisp sunny morning just seems wildly inappropriate, even sinister…
[Mark, Pete (the narrator), and Pete’s plus-one, his nurse friend Ceci, barely make it to the wedding on time…]
We grabbed a pew, just as the music fired up and the first awkward couple started the long march.
I didn’t know any of these people, but Ceci was craning to see the entire wedding party with endless enthusiasm. She’d probably know half of them by the end of the reception.
I caught her eye and grinned. She grinned back, sparkling and happy.
Then Jivanta made her entrance.
I hadn’t seen Jivanta since the “suspect party”, weeks ago. Even in civilian clothes, Jivanta’s eyes and smile can induce a mind-altering state. Now, maxed out in makeup and a bridal gown…
… I kind of blissed out.
Except the bliss was steeped with pain, because how could I ever really have a woman like that?
When my trance faded, Ceci was staring ahead, obviously hurt.
I gave an inward sigh. Even though we were totally here as friends, it couldn’t feel great to have your dude gawking at another woman … especially the bride. I realized I’d have to show some finesse here. Not only is Ceci one of my best friends, but I’d been racking up karmic debt to her like crazy, especially lately. The last thing I wanted was to make her feel bad.
I leaned toward her to whisper some smooth reassurance.
Oops. Wrong sight line.
Because in the next pew over, the hottest blonde I’d seen in months stood alone.
She didn’t just stand, she had that curvy lean thing going on, relaxing on one black-hosed leg, where a woman has so much pent-up curvaceous goodness in so many ways that she can’t even stand up straight, she has to slow burn in a sinuous stance of sensuality.
Even as I looked, she turned right toward me, locked my gaze in her own mascara-ringed infinities, and smiled. At me.
And I thought I’d been blissing over Jivanta.
Ceci groaned.
I startled, panicking that I’d been caught again. “What?” I whispered.
“Female emergency,” Ceci hissed.
“What is it?” I whispered. “You can tell me.”
“No I can’t,” she snapped. “Save my seat.”
She slipped out and clacked away down the aisle. She always wobbles a little on those unfamiliar high heels.
With Ceci gone, the pull of the blonde amped up like crazy. I was terrified to look back, terrified not to look back. At the front of the church, the wedding had already begun, but I was in another world entirely.
Beside me, Mark grunted. “Seriously, Pete? Now?”
Have I mentioned that Mark and I have this weird connection? And it’s getting worse. I wouldn’t mind so much if I could vibe his thoughts once in awhile.
“Dude,” I whispered. “Look at her.”
Mark flicked her a glance. “So?”
“So?” I said. “Can you see if she likes me?”
“WHAT?” he snapped. “Did you not hear anything last night from my Akina disaster?”
Oh right. The night before, we’d stayed up too late doing this whole interview thing that turned into a novella. Like, literally, it’s a novella now, you can read it. And it’s free, it’s a mailing-list-only thing — but don’t go get it now if you haven’t read it, I’ll put the link at the end.
All you need to know here is that in Mark’s distant past, trying to vibe whether women liked him had led to, um … problems.
“That was different!” I said.
“Sure it’s different,” he said. “You’re fricking here with Ceci.”
“As a friend! And I’m not going to ignore Ceci, I could just get the girl’s number—”
“No! Besides, I’ve got my shields maxed out.”
You remember shields, right? In theory, an empath can reduce the constant emotional onslaught by visualizing some kind of shield. A castle wall, a glowing force field, whatever. But it takes a lot of concentration, and it’s not super reliable, especially (apparently) at keeping out me.
“Why would you have your shields up?” I said. “It’s a wedding!”
“Are you kidding? Weddings are worse than funerals. Every woman’s comparing herself to the bride, every dude’s wishing he could have the bride—”
“Okay, okay, TMI!” I said. “But can’t you just do a quick check? It’ll only take a minute.”
“No.”
“If you don’t, I’ll just be wondering the whole time.”
Mark eyed me. “You’re going to regret this,” he muttered. “At least try to calm down, you’re causing major interference.”
He closed his eyes and looked focused.
I strained to be calm. I tried to focus anywhere but the woman … anywhere at all…
The priest at the front was super young. He was cracking awkward jokes about him being a new priest and this being his first wedding, and hoping he could say the same for Jivanta and the groom. That one didn’t land so well.
I was trying so hard not to look at Mark and guess what he was reading.
Then he gasped.
And not just any gasp. The kind that made the skin of my neck start to crawl.
I looked. He was darting gazes in every direction like a bloodhound.
“What is it?” I whispered. “Does she secretly hate me?”
“It’s not her,” he snapped. His eyes narrowed. “Something is very wrong.”
The priest made another awkward stab at humor, how he was pretty sure he was more nervous than the bride and groom. He’d woken up that morning praying nothing would go wrong—
CLANG.
Everyone in the entire church jolted. What the hell was that?
CLANG. CLANG.
The bell. The bell in the old tower was booming, blasting through the church like an air raid siren.
The priest’s smooth face creased with anxiety.
Mark shoved out of the pew and ran for the back. I stumbled after him, my heart thudding.
As we rushed into the lobby, a piercing wail shrieked beneath the bell.
It was a kid, howling.
And beneath that, a new yell of pain was stabbing us, a woman crying for help.
We followed the cries and burst through a side door into an old brick hallway that led to the tower. We nearly collided with the fat, familiar woman I’d seen before, who was still clutching the cute toddler. Both their faces were distorted with terror. The woman was fleeing, and the girl was squirming frantic against her, trying to escape even faster, mashing her mother’s shoulder with some old holy card. Even in that moment, I noted that the card had a delicate border of lace. It was getting crushed.
Then I saw behind them.
The frayed end of a thick rope lay on the old brick floor like the rattle of a snake. The rope wound back to what was left of a woman.
I could only look for a split second.
The body was crushed and obscene, like a broken deer on the side of the road, the red half-eaten carcass stretched across the asphalt. Except this was much worse.
Revulsion clenched me. I could already feel the doom of my future nightmares. I had to look somewhere, anywhere else. I looked up.
High in the tower, in the dizzy upper darkness, the broken rope dangled. The bell was still ringing from the force of the body’s release…


Author Bio:
You know how you keep reading piles and piles and piles of mystery series, and most of them are, like, moderately okay … at least, there weren’t too many typos … and your eyes aren’t actually bleeding …
… but then … THEN … every so often … WOW, you’re just smitten.
The style is fabulous, the people are hilarious, the action is fantastic and terrifying and gut-wrenching and you just want to shout, THIS! This right here! Why can’t they all be like THIS?
The next time you find a series like that, could you PLEASE TELL ME?
I mean, please tell this Bill Alive author guy?
Because otherwise, he’s just going to keep trying to write them.
Which is super fun. See that smile? He’s clearly enjoying himself.
But still. Once in awhile, the guy needs to see how it’s done. What’s your favorite series? He’ll probably love it too.

GIVEAWAY!
Mark Falcon, the Empath Detective, may be able to sense people’s emotions, but the rest of us need a little help. If you win this giveaway, you’ll not only get paperback editions of all Mark’s detective adventures so far (including his prequel novella, ORIGIN STORY, which you can’t even BUY in print, because it’s only a gift ebook for my email list friends) … you’ll also get the technology to BE an empath yourself! I refer, of course, to … MOOD RINGS!
According to the happy Amazon reviews, this mood ring actually DOES CHANGE COLOR! (And does NOT turn your finger green! ) These are nice. Plus, you’ll get TWO rings … the possibilities are endless … you and your significant other could start to feel a whole new connection … or, alternatively, you could “gift” a ring to a particularly inscrutable colleague … or crush …
The rings will be available in size 7, 8, or 9 — just let me know which size you want for each of your two rings. Man, I wish I could enter this contest myself…
a Rafflecopter giveaway

XBTBanner1

Friday, October 27, 2017

Blackmoore by Marcus James #gothic #horror #pnr #feature #giveaway



Blackmoore
The Blackmoore Legacy
Volume 1
Marcus James

Genre: Gothic horror/paranormal romance/
M/M romance/supernatural

Publisher: Candiano Books

Date of Publication:  06/08/2017

ISBN: 1547266651
ASIN: B071KH64VZ

Number of pages: 416
Word Count: 127,046

Cover Artist: Ransom Graphics

Tagline: The Devil shall come for his witches...

Book Description:

Welcome to South Hill, a neighborhood of wealth, secrets, gracious Victorians, and austere manor homes overlooking the port of Fairhaven and the dark waters of Bellingham Bay. Seventeen year old Trevor Blackmoore has lived here is entire life, shunned and feared, along with the rest of his clan, by the elitist and superstitious families that surround them and who regard the Blackmoores as the devil's concubines.

As a young clairvoyant dealing not only with the dark secrets of his family but also with his homosexuality-two things which have made him an outsider-he struggles to find normalcy. Trevor's life is made extremely difficult by his tormentors and former childhood friends Cheri Hannifin, Greg Sheer, and Christian Vasquez; the school gods of the prestigious Mariner High School. His only saving grace is Braxton Volaverunt, a captivating young man with secrets of his own.

A diabolical plan sets in motion a chain of events that will fulfill the doomed prophecy of the Blackmoore family. A centuries old curse comes to an end, releasing an ancient and bloodthirsty evil, set on wiping out the family, and Trevor learns that he is at the center of it. Realizing that he is all that stands between this darkness and his family's survival.

"2017 E-Festival of Words award winner for Best Literary Fiction"





The Best Halloween Songs You Need To Be Listening To This Holiday Season
 
Halloween, in my opinion, is one of the most magical times of the year. From the autumnal leaves in all of their wonderful colors just before they completely brown and dry, to the perfume of rotting apples, sickly sweet, and to the darkening sky so early in the day.

There are pumpkins carved with ghoulish grins on porches and in windows, and there is the feeling that at any turn, you may walk right into a ghost.

Parties are planned, decorations are bought and spider webs strung like the anti-garland of Christmas (which has it’s own horror roots), and the food is made.

There’s only one more thing needed, that one thing to set the mood, and it can often be the hardest to put together; the playlist. There are plenty of Halloween records out there, a Halloween station on Pandora, and they all contain familiars like ‘Monster Mash' and ‘Thriller', but there are so many other gems out there. So many unknown and not used. Treasures that have existed for as long as the record.  

Below is a list of these relative unknowns and the one’s not thought about but are known by everyone. There are a couple of recognizable sonic faces on this list, but for the most part, these songs will be new friends and give you a unique touch to your Halloween romp.

I didn’t include all of my favorites, that would be too long, but I included those that I go back to again and again.

1.       Robert Johnson-Cross Road Blues: This 1936 Delta Blues track is haunting. In it, Robert sings of going to the crossroads and selling his soul to the devil for the gift of guitar playing. It is more likely, that as with all early blues, there was a great Hoodoo influence and who he refers to as the devil, is actually Papa Legba; the deity ruler of the gates to the other realms.

2.       Claudine Clark-Walkin' Through a Cemetery: This 1962 track is great with its early funk sound and her throaty voice.

3.       Jack Rivers-Haunted House Boogie: Another fun Halloween hit with Blue Grass elements is a great 1951 hit.

4.       Jack Teagarden-Putting Salt on the Devil's Tail: This 1941 big band has lingering elements of hoodoo found in early blues tracks.

5.       Cris Kevin-Haunted House: 1959 Halloween Rockabilly that is just plain fun.

6.       Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang-Mr. Ghost Goes to Town: this 1936 Jazz hit tells a tale of a ghost looking for a good time. Considering Prima was from New Orleans, of course a ghost was walking around looking for a good time.

7.       Bauhaus-Bela Lugosi's Dead: This iconic 1982 hit from Bauhaus is a must have for Halloween, and the opening sequence of the seminal Vampire film, The Hunger, is downright decadent in its darkness.

8.       Judy Garland and the Scarecrow, Tinman, and the Cowardly Lion-The Jitter Bug: this song was cut from the 1939 film. In lost archival footage, they sing this song while in the haunted forest. It is a fun swing track that perhaps was cut because of how different from the rest of the songs are. Fits right in there with Jeepers Creepers.

9.       Screaming Lord Sutch-Jack The Ripper-this 1963 rock song is a blast. Opening with a woman running and then screaming in terror.

10.     Marilyn Manson-Sweet Dreams: this 1995 cover is dripping with nightmare. I find it to be a constant source of inspiration when I am writing a terribly dark scene.

11.     Michael Jackson-Thriller: one of the most iconic Halloween songs of all time. This 1982, Release will get you moving in all the right ways. A love letter to horror films, my favorite lyric-the one I think is the most powerful and yet so often over looked is “I’ll save you from the terror on the Screen-I’ll make you see that this is Thriller-Thriller night.” It harkens to “keep telling yourself, it is only a movie.” Like most children, the John Landis directed music video film scared me to death.

12.     Datura-Tori Amos: this almost psychedelic 1999 track celebrates the herb that was essential to a witch's ointment. This dangerous and psychotropic herb got into the pours and is believed may have been the reason witches felt as if they were flying.

13.     Robert Johnson-Hellhound On My Trail- Johnson is back with another 1937 Delta Blues track with heavy Hoodoo influence.

14.     Donovan-Season of the Witch: this 1966 track was a celebration of all of the mystical psychedelic occult revival of the hippie movement. It got a resurgence when it was featured in an episode of American Horror Story: Coven. Give this song a listen and let loose your inner Fiona Goode.

15.     Henry Hall-Here Comes the Bogeyman: this 1932 classic taught young kids how to ward themselves from the bogeyman. It plays like a creepy lullaby and has seen a new life in video games and horror films such as Jeepers Creepers and Sinister 2.  It’s haunting melody reaches out through time and has the ability to give anyone the wiggins.

16.     The Four Modernaires-Jeepers Creepers: One of my childhood favorites. Like Here Comes the Bogeyman, this 1938 hit has found infamy in no small part to the film of the same name.

17.     Ted Cassidy-The Lurch: this song (and the video, which I encourage you readers to watch) premiered October 30th, 1965 on the ABC music program Shindig! It is a great, poptastic number with an accompanying dance, and Ted Cassidy-the actor who portrayed Lurch in the Addams Family television show-appeared in costume on set and is featured in the song saying his signature “You rang?” and groaning and moaning in all his creepy and kooky glory.

There you have it! Grab these songs, add them to your party playlist, and have a scream!

About the Author:

“Some writers have great ideas, but fail with the delivery. That is not the case for our author. He has clearly developed his craft and whittled it to perfection”-Wesley Thomas, bestselling author of Nightmare Fuel

Marcus James is the author of five novels, including The Blackmoore Legacy series. He has contributed to a dozen anthologies from Alyson Books, has been a featured writer for the Seattle Gay News, is the host of Brews and Books at Ravenna Brewing Co. and is host of Queerly Spoken. When not writing he’s cooking, drinking champagne like water, and watching horror films with his husband and their Staffordshire terrier, Nikita. He is 32 years old and lives in Seattle.





a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

The Murder's Maid by Erika Mailman #historical #ficition

The Murderer's Maid by Erika Mailman

Publication Date: October 30, 2017
Bonhomie Press
Hardcover; ISBN-13: 978-0997066449
Genre: Fiction/Historical/Mystery
Bram Stoker Award finalist Erika Mailman brings the true story of the brutal murder of Lizzie Borden's father and stepmother into new focus by adding a riveting contemporary narrative. The Murderer's Maid interweaves the stories of two women: one, the servant of infamous Lizzie Borden, and the other a modern-day barista fleeing from an attempt on her life. Trapped by servitude and afraid for her own safety, Irish maid Bridget finds herself an unwilling witness to the tensions in the volatile Borden household. As Lizzie seethes with resentment, Bridget tries to perform her duties and keep her mouth shut. Unknowingly connected to the legendary crime of a century ago, Brooke, the illegitimate daughter of an immigrant maid, struggles to conceal her identity and stay a jump ahead of the men who want to kill her. When she unexpectedly falls in love with Anthony, a local attorney, she has to decide whether to stop running and begin her life anew. With historical detail and taut, modern storytelling, Erika Mailman writes a captivating novel about identity, choices, freedom, and murder. She offers readers a fresh perspective on the notorious crime and explores the trials of immigrants seeking a better life while facing down fear and oppression, today and throughout history. Intelligent and detailed, The Murderer's Maid is a gripping read from beginning to bloody conclusion.
“A complex and riveting parallax view of domestic crimes, decades apart.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Erika Mailman writes a page turner of a thriller that will fascinate as well as terrify.” — Margaret Lane, New York Journal of Books
"Fascinating, mesmerizing, and so darkly atmospheric that you keep looking over your shoulder as you read." ―Diana Gabaldon, internationally-bestselling author of the Outlander series
"The Murderer’s Maid is a fascinating and deeply chilling tale. Erika Mailman weaves a story that is by turns poignant, compelling, and murderously suspenseful." ―Kathleen Kent, author of The Heretic’s Daughter

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Powell's

About the Author

Erika Mailman is the author of The Witch's Trinity, a San Francisco Chronicle Notable Book and Bram Stoker Award finalist, and Woman of Ill Fame, a Pushcart Press Editor's Book Award nominee. She's a Yaddo fellow and lives in Northern California with her family. For more information, please visit Erika Mailman's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Giveaway

Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 8th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.


Monday, October 23, 2017

Xandria Drake: Ancient Rising by Laura C. Cantu #ya #paranormal #fantasy #excerpt #giveaway




Xandria Drake: Ancient Rising
Xandria Drake
Book 1
Laura C. Cantu

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Fantasy

Publisher: Serendipity Digital Media KC

Date of Publication: November 13, 2013

ISBN: 978-0988585102
ASIN: B00BMBMF90

Number of pages: 448
Word Count: 131,357

Cover Artist: Laura C. Cantu

Tagline: When you learn your life is a lie, who do you trust?

Book Description:

“When an unusual carnival pulls into town, Xandria Drake has no clue this mystical fairground will thrust her into a thrilling world of mystery, deception, and danger. Her predictable existence will soon be transformed into a turbulent reality where magic reigns, and creatures of fantasy are just as tangible as her ballroom dancing trophies. New revelations will send Xandria on a quest in which she is forced to question everything and everyone, including the man of her dreams, Viktor.

When Viktor confesses his interest in Xandria, she couldn’t be happier. Her joy quickly fades, however, when Viktor reveals he is a vampire. Xandria is soon forced to face shadowy and obscure dangers she never knew existed, and on the coattails of the impending darkness rides Viktor’s greatest rival andXandria’s ultimate temptation, Sebastian Vespera.

Will Xandria’s love for Viktor be enough? Or will Sebastian’s seductions ensnare Xandria in a fierce and powerful romance? How will Xandria cope with the forbidden knowledge she gains? Mysterious, magical, and compelling, Xandria Drake: Ancient Rising is witty when you want it to be and serious when it needs to be. This paranormal fantasy novel will capture you from the beginning and won’t let you go until long after the story is finished.”






Excerpt:

His pale golden eyes flamed with glints of orange and burned with intensity and promises of dark, forbidden passion. The man’s chiseled face screamed rebellion, arrogance, and strife. He was the kind of man my mother told me to avoid; the kind you want to take home and fix; the kind you want to tame. He flicked his head to the side, flinging his long dark-brown hair out of his face. Then he slipped off his black trench coat in one flowing movement and rolled up the cuffs of his white, semi-translucent button-up shirt. He obviously knew my eyes followed his every movement because he allowed the neckline of his shirt to gape open more than it should have. My eyes traced the golden-tanned curves of his smooth athletic chest.
“Bonsoir, mademoiselle. I am Sebastian Vespera. I must insist on seeing you this evening.”
Long fingers and a broad palm extended toward me, intent on shaking my hand. His silky voice caressed parts of my body best left unnamed. Oh my.
I stood there, unmoving, admiring him.
Ebony cleared her throat as she observed our interaction from behind the counter. I blinked and recovered from my moment of obvious obsession. The man smirked. His five o’clock shadow added virility and ruggedness to his appearance.
I covered my eyes with my right palm for a second and then rested it on my forehead as if I were tired. “Please excuse me. May I ask, what did you say?” I tried to be as polite as possible.
“My name is Sebastian Vespera.”
I recognized his accent: French. There was something else too—something my mind refused to recognize–fangs?
“Please, Miss Drake. It is imperative for me to receive a treatment from you this evening.”
Something about his request drew me to place my palm in his awaiting hand. Unexpectedly, a jolt of energy forced a path up my arm as our fingers and palms locked together. My entire body jerked and buzzed as if I had been hit with a thousand little volts of static electricity. Simultaneously, voracious lust swarmed inside me like a hive of angry bees. The sensations made it impossible to concentrate. Searching for my attention, his calloused hand squeezed mine.
I shook my head and blinked. Think! Think! My voice came out high and breathy when I said, “Please, Mr. Vespera. Come this way.”
He dropped my hand and nodded. “As you desire.”
His intoxicating scent chose that moment to fill my nostrils. My body shuddered before I turned around and took a step toward the first treatment room.
Ebony fanned herself and muttered, “Oh Lordy, this ain’t gonna be pretty.”


About the Author:

Laura C. Cantu is a multitalented artist, visionary, and humanitarian. Throughout her life, she has felt an overwhelming desire explore the mysteries of the unknown and to expand her awareness and experiences. By allowing her perspective to shift and change, Laura has learned to unleash her imagination and use it to guide her through creative processes. She passionately follows her dreams and has achieved high levels of success in her various careers. As a professional dancer, Laura won six national titles and placed fourth in the Professional Argentine Tango World Championships. She also stretched her creative muscles as a visual artist with drawings that toured across the globe. Adding to her diverse accomplishments, Laura earned her master’s degree in Oriental Medicine in 2012, which has afforded her opportunities to assist many along their journeys to realizing wellness.

Despite her already jeweled career, there is another passion Laura delights in—the art of storytelling. Her first young adult fantasy novel, Xandria Drake: Ancient Rising, earned rave reviews and a Goodreads' book of the month award. Currently working on The Vathylite Realms, Laura is harnessing and focusing her energies to craft engaging stories that are meant to bring joy, inspiration, and awareness to all who read them.

Laura is on a mission to live a life of inspiration, truth, and empowerment. With future books pending release, she continues to dance as a hobby, study energetics and wellness, and explore her imagination. Laura also enjoys drawing and creating 3D art and animations, hiking, meditation, playing guitar, and spending time with her family, friends, and pets.









a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Wicked Fallout by Kelly Charron #adult #thriller #excerpt #giveaway


Wicked Fallout
Kelly Charron
(Pretty Wicked #2)
Publication date: July 17th 2017
Genres: Adult, Thriller
“Wicked Fallout is a twisty cat and mouse psychological thriller that will keep you turning pages right up to the unexpected end. A creepy mix of horror and psychological insight, Charron takes you into the mind of a killer and doesn’t let go.”
~Eileen Cook, Author of WITH MALICE

Convicted of six murders when she was just fifteen, the notorious Ryann Wilkanson hasn’t been able to act on her darkest, deadliest urges for twelve years. She’s exhausted her appeals and has little hope of ever getting out of prison and back to hunting.
Until a media-hungry legal team mounts a campaign to do the impossible—get her immediately released with a commuted sentence.
Forensic psychiatrist Nancy Clafin has mere weeks to evaluate Ryann’s current mental state against her grisly past to determine if she’s changed. But under the shadow of her own questionable history, it’s not easy to separate her personal life from her professional duty.
At least that’s what Ryann is counting on.
Behind the cold steel doors of a Colorado maximum-security prison, will Nancy find a cold-blooded killer or a newly redeemed woman determined to right her past wrongs?
**This novel can be enjoyed as a standalone or as part of the Pretty Wicked series.
EXCERPT:
I spin around and see two women rolling on the ground, hair flying. Fights are a pretty rare occurrence, but when they happen it’s nasty. I once read that men fight to injure, but women fight to kill.
Sounds accurate.
The women roll closer to our table, and we all jerk out of the way in case some of the action heads toward us. I can hardly see who it is, but Georgina is quick to say it’s Roxie and Jinx. And they are going at each other: hands whacking, hair pulling, face slapping, and rib kicking. The whole nine. But it doesn’t go on for too long. Two guards descend on them, yanking the women apart. Some damage is already done. Jinx has a bloody nose and a swelling eye, and Roxie’s lip is split open.
“Fuck, man. Did you see that? Roxie almost killed the bitch! Bam!” Margot slams her hand on the table and my head rings. Jodi laughs. Must be nice for her to sit back and chuckle, since she’s never actually fought in here.
“Enough, Margot, or the guards are gonna be over here next.” Steph eyes her and Margot settles down.
The cafeteria is returning to normal so we sit again, and I try to force a spoonful of my cold, lumpy lunch down. It takes all my concentration to swallow the disgusting mouthful. My stomach clenches, so I drop my spoon.
“No offense, princess, but you look like shit,” Georgina says in between shovels. She’s a fat pig. No matter how disgusting the food is in here, don’t take your eyes off your plate or it’ll be in her goddamn mouth before you know what’s happening.
I lock my gaze on her. “Thanks. Just giving you a chance to feel a bit better about your ugly ass.”
She shoots me the finger.
“Seriously, you look pale, like even more than normal,” Stephanie chimes in, sounding far too motherly for my liking.
I smile. “Thanks, ladies. You sure are the fucking cheer committee today.”
“This shrink is really taking the piss outta you, huh? I ain’t never seen you so frazzled before,” Jodi says.
“I’m just tired. Been sleeping like shit, the food is inedible, and yes, talking in circles about your feelings is agony. So I’m taking donations—any booze, pills, or weed is welcome.” Most of what I say is bravado. Keeping up appearances is key to survival in this hellhole. I can’t afford to get caught with any contraband in case a miracle happens and I have a chance of getting out. What a kick in the tit that would be, if I got approved only to have a stupid joint found in my bunk.
“We’re all suffering in here, princess, so buck up.” Georgina braces her gigantic noggin on top of her propped arms.
It takes all my strength to stay calm. Sometimes people in here forget what I’m capable of. Maybe some of them don’t believe in my history and are willing to take a chance by coming at me.
Too bad I’m on my best behavior.
Margot puts a hand in Georgina’s face. “Lay off her, Gina. Ain’t none of us know what being examined under a microscope like that feels like. I know I’d be stressed to fucking shit if my whole future relied on talking to one damn bitch for a couple of weeks.”
“Thanks, Margot, but you don’t have to defend me.”
“Yeah, princess is a big girl. She can take care of herself, or so she wants us to think.”
I glower at her and swallow the scream that threatens to explode out of me. I’m afraid if I release it, I’ll never stop. “You got something to say?” I sit on my hands. Just in case I’m a little too tempted to gouge her eyes out.
Georgina stands up from her spot at the table across from me and walks around to my side. “Actually, yeah. I think you’re a fucking weak-ass bitch who ain’t no one afraid of in here, especially not me. You walk around all high and mighty, thinking you’re better than us, smarter and prettier than us, but guess what—you in here just like the fucking rest of us, and I ain’t scared by your supposed past.” She makes finger quotations an inch from my face.
I stand. We’re eye to eye. I can feel her hot, stinky breath on my face. Her finger jabs me in the chest. My blood fills my ears and I can’t hear much past the intense rushing. I clench my fists at my sides. Ready. I want her to come at me so badly. “Is that so? You gonna do something about it then?” I say, smacking her finger away from me. My eyes narrow on her acne-scarred face.
Before I can register what’s happening, I feel her two bony hands dig into my chest. The air is pushed out and I gasp. My legs tremble. Teeth clench.
It only takes me a second to leap onto her. Her fingers are entwined in my hair and I can feel the pressure as she yanks. I elbow her, and she lets go. The top of my hand swings across her cheek and I hear a loud slapping sound. Her head flies back, her arms wave wildly as she tries to grab a hold of me, but my adrenaline is pumping so hard that I don’t feel anything. My hands find their way to her neck. I squeeze and squeeze. Teeth gritting.
The power of my fingers pressing into the flesh of her neck makes me shiver with excitement. It feels like I can breathe for the first time since that day in the library all those years ago.
I have tunnel vision. I only see her eyes rolling back and her mouth attempting to suck in air. My heartbeat increases in my ears. Thump. Thump. Thump. My hands and wrists must be aching, but I don’t feel them.
Her arms keep flailing. Her fingers attempt to dig at my face. I don’t feel that either, I just keep pressing my hands into her. Squeezing. I wonder how much longer until she dies. I’m tingling all over.
And then I feel hands on me—pulling and yanking me off her. I fight harder, and then so do the hands.
My grasp is broken. I’m being lifted into the air. I’m screaming and swearing. I’m shaking, ferocious with rage. It’s a sensation from a time very long ago, yet it’s so familiar to me.
A man’s gruff voice breaks into my trance. My arms are twisted behind my back where I’m cuffed. Tightly. “That’s enough, Wilkanson! You’re done! You’re done!”
Now that I’m off her, I realize in a sobering moment that he might not be talking about just the fight. A hurtling wave of nausea makes my stomach twist and my mouth water.
I may have just ruined any chance I ever had to get out of here.
***
I’m whisked away by two guards who throw me into solitary.
They aren’t gentle with me as they literally launch me inside the room. I’ve never been in here before, but I’ve heard enough horror stories to know I never wanted to see it. I land on the ground with a thud. My bones vibrate from the motion. My arms are sore and bruised above my elbows where I was manhandled.
“I got to say, I’m surprised to see you in here, Wilkanson. There goes your perfect record. Was it worth it?” The guard, Han, shakes his head. He looks like a disappointed daddy and not some guy who’s getting underpaid to deal with us lowlifes.
I remain quiet, as is my right. It’s about the only thing I can control in here.
The other guard that has kindly accompanied me to the hole is Rickers. Unlike Han, has a smug smile on his face, like he’s been waiting for this moment with a lousy fifty bucks riding on it.
Han spins me around and unlocks the handcuffs. My wrists are sore from being forced into the cold, hard metal. I rub them, trying to get the circulation back into my hands. My brain finally registers where I am as I look around the closet-sized room. There’s nothing in here but a sweat- stained pad on the floor and a disgusting dirty blanket that I wouldn’t touch for fear of contracting scabies or countless other contagious diseases.
“Someone will be in later to bring you to your hearing. Do you want anyone else there with you?” Rickers asks.
“What do you mean? I don’t understand what’s happening,” I say, and it’s the truth. I’ve never committed an offense before. My anger has dwindled, and I’m left in a state of confusion and shock. My body trembles. I can even feel my ribs shaking. What did I fucking do?
Han stands tall, shoulders squared, with his hand on his baton. He looks like he’s ready to take down a linebacker and not some hundred-and-ten-pound chick. “You’ll be taken in to see an adjudicator. You can bring in witnesses if you think it’ll help your case. You’ll tell them what happened and plead guilty or not guilty of the offense—in this case, assaulting a fellow inmate.”
“But Georgina started it. She hit me first!” Ugh. I hear the pitiful whine in my voice and I wonder how I suddenly became a petulant child. I need to get my shit together before the hearing if I have any hope in hell of being taken seriously. “Can you ask Stephanie Harvey and Jodi Brown to come? They were there.”
“We’ll see what we can do,” Han says.
“So what, I have to stay in here until then? How long does this hearing take to set up?” I ask. My palms are slick, and I wipe them on the thighs of my pants.
“It could be a few hours.”
“Oh, great,” I exhale, relieved.
“Or it could be tomorrow,” Rickers adds.
My eyes and mouth widen. “What? You mean to tell me that I could be stuck in this hell
hole overnight?” My mind reels. My bunk is shitty, but it’s the Westin compared to this hovel. “That’s right.” Rickers smiles. “Shoulda thought about that before you tried to kill someone in here.” He walks out with Han right behind him.
My hand goes up and I wave for them to stop. “No, wait. You can’t leave me.”
Han takes another step away. “I’m afraid we can, and just in case we’re not back today, sleep tight.” The hefty steel door slams shut. The sound reverberates, echoing painfully in my ears. I’m dizzy. The walls look like they’re getting closer. The air is cold and stale. My stomach turns over.
Think, Ryann. Lunch was served at one o’clock. The fight happened just after, which puts it around two. There’s got to be enough time to get a judge or adjudicator to see me. What if the warden won’t let Steph and Jodi out to testify for me?
I need water. My mouth is so dry.
Surely someone will come soon. In twelve years at this prison, I’ve never so much as hid a candy bar I wasn’t supposed to have. I don’t deserve this.
Fighting is a major infraction. Georgina wanted this. This was probably her fucking plan the entire time.
What the fuck did I do?


Author Bio:
Kelly Charron is the author of YA and adult horror, psychological thrillers and urban fantasy novels. All with gritty, murderous inclinations and some moderate amounts of humor. She spends far too much time consuming true crime television (and chocolate) while trying to decide if yes, it was the husband, with the wrench, in the library. She lives with her husband and cat, Moo Moo, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

XBTBanner1

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Read-a-thon is a GO!!!

So I planned on starting at the actual gosh darn start time, but my phone had other plans! So here I am getting started at almost 9am CST! Boo!

Here we go!

Update 1:
Time: 9:00 am CST- 12:30pm
Book: The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir
Start Page: 10
Ending Page:85
Snacks: Coffee, popcorn

Intro:
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? 
Jacksonville Alabama!
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
The Life of Elizabeth 1 by Alison Weir!
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
Most of my snacks are popcorn based lol So yeah I'm down with the corn this time!
4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
I am a coffee fiend, a nap fiend, I love history, horror, and cats.
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? 
I'm just going to take it easy this year. I'm probably not going to make it very late, plus I have work tomorrow so I most likely will have to cut the 'thon short, but I always have fun! So that's what I'm planning on doing this time 'round as well. :)

My recommendations:
2015/16 I LOVED THESE BOOKS!

NAPTIME IS NOW TIME

Update 2:
Time: 2pm-4pm
Book: The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir
Start Page: 85
Ending Page: 105
Snacks: flat out pizza, seltzer water, coffee
I am reading SOOO slow, but I'm still reading!

Update 3:
Time: 4:00pm CST-6pm CST
Book: The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir
Start Page: 105
Ending Page: 159
Snacks: Seltzer water.

Mid Way Survey:

1. What are you reading right now?
I'm still reading the Princes in the Tower
2. How many books have you read so far?
See above! My reading is going soooooo slooowly.
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
It's a toss up between The Life of Elizabeth 1 and Catherine de Medici
4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Yes! Social media is of da debil! Also the laundry monster had to be slain. Laundry waits for NO readathon!
Also a nap...but I is are old so...
5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
How hungry I get when I read lol It never fails that I think I have enough snacks but alas, I do not.

Update 4:
Time: 6pm CST-10pm
Book: The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir (finished) / Catherine de Medici by Leonie Frieda
Start Page: (Princes)159/ 1
Ending Page: (Princes) 258/ 19
Snacks: pizza, seltzer and popcorn


Other Worlds Boxed Set By multiple Authors #scifi #adult #paranormal #romance #giveaway


Other Worlds: A Limited Edition Collection of Science Fiction Romance and Paranormal Romance
Publication date: October 17th 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction
Journey into a multiverse beyond the boundaries of your imagination…
21 award-winning and best-selling authors bring you the best of PARANORMAL and SCI-FI ROMANCE in this enticing boxed set of exclusive epic adventures.
Rogue spaceship captains, dark vampire lords, supernatural hunters, crafty hackers, uncompromising alien alphas, fearless shifters, and MORE await in this highly sought-after collection including BRAND NEW romantic, otherworldly tales!
Step into OTHER WORLDS as these fresh voices of SFR and PNR take you on a journey to immortal realms and extraterrestrial territories where your imagination takes flight and fantasies come to life.
PreOrder now to secure YOUR copy of this limited edition Sci-Fi Romance and Paranormal Romance collection!
INCLUDING STORIES FROM…
Allyson Lindt
Award-Winning author A.D. Trosper
Cheri Schmidt and Tristan Hunt
Akaria Gale
Award-Winning author R. A. Steffan
Jennifer Rose McMahon
Award-Winning author Amy L Gale
Shawnee Small
K. R. Fajardo
Award-Winning author Lea Kirk
Mychal Daniels
Laura Hysell
Shawna Romkey
Elizabeth Ryder
E.A. Weston
Award-Winning author Lindsay Avalon
LaVerne Thompson
Starla Night
Jayne Fury
Isadora Brown
Grab yours today for only 99¢!
Facebook Party & weekly prizes ~ From now until October 23 we are giving away weekly gift cards, ebooks, and other swag in the Other Worlds Facebook Party.
Check out Other Worlds online:
Website / Facebook / Instagram

XBTBanner1

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Stolas by Randi Cooley Wilson #newadult #paranormal #excerpt #giveaway


Stolas
Randi Cooley Wilson
(Dark Soul, #1)
Publication date: May 22nd 2017
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal
An ancient legend draws them together.
His dark soul will tear them apart.
Sometimes the only fairytales that exist are the dark ones.
For the past two years, Hope Annandale has fought to hold onto her sanity. Plagued by voices and visions, she struggles to understand what’s real, and what’s an illusion. As the lines between reality and hallucination blur, Hope discovers things that shouldn’t be real, suddenly exist. When Hope’s world falls apart, figuring out the secrets of her past becomes a matter of life and death. And the only one who can save her is the dangerously attractive demon prince, who is bound by an ancient legacy to betray her. The fate Stone has fought to escape is here. With destiny on one side, and desire on the other, Stone must protect Hope from the one thing he can’t hide from, his birthright.
What if the one person you were meant to be with could never be yours? Stolas, the first novel in the Dark Soul series is a riveting tale of passion, danger and forbidden love. Intended for mature readers 18+ due to language, violence, sexual situations and dark themes.
EXCERPT:
Dark thoughts loom in the back of my mind as I hover over this mortal. As much as she intrigues me, my frustration with her for trussing me to this self-imposed protection detail is festering. I’m programmed to despise human and divine life, not bind myself to it.
“I’m the prince of darkness, sweetheart, not a bodyguard,” I whisper into the night, and brush the hair away from her face, wanting to feel her soft skin against my fingers.
I’d allowed my temper and frustration with the archangel to get the best of me, tethering myself to this oracle. A mortal with a divine soul. One my father wants to use for his own selfish revenge. The dull irony is that I’ve vowed to safeguard her from the one thing I will never be able to protect her from—my own birthright.
I move away from her, even though it’s the last thing I want to do, and take a seat in the chair facing her bed. I should have made her leave last night, but it doesn’t matter now. I couldn’t stay away from her any longer. Vassago wouldn’t allow it.
She is my mission. She has chosen her fate. And I’m bound to save her from the one thing I can’t protect her from—my dark soul.


Author Bio:
Randi Cooley Wilson is the bestselling author of The Revelation Series, The Royal Protector Academy Novels, The Dark Soul Trilogy, and "Covetousness" a Havenwood Falls Novella. She resides in Massachusetts with her husband and daughter.

XBTBanner1