Tag Archives: fantasy

Spotlight On: Full Moon on the Rise, by Natalie Carlisle

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Full Moon on the Rise
By: Natalie Carlisle

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Blurb
Someone in Emerson Fox Academy is determined to kill him, and Kale Rollins doesn’t know how much more he can take. And on top of everything, his adopted mom has “disappeared” and his real brother, Trey, is leaving just when Kale needs him the most. Not to mention, Miller and Kit are getting too close for his comfort and there is nothing he can do about it.

Frustrated, scared, and struggling for “control” Kale doesn’t trust himself at all. With the full moon on the rise, Kale soon realizes he isn’t the only one who might die.

What he wouldn’t do to be normal these days…

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Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Natalie-Carlisle/e/B00DQDBLN8

Link to Follow Tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2013/09/now-booking-tasty-blurb-tour-tasty.html

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Author Info
Natalie

Natalie Carlisle currently lives with her husband and two dogs in New Jersey but misses the mountains of her hometown in PA every day. When not writing, Natalie can be found reading, drawing, painting, watching chick flicks, taking pictures of nature, running (when her knee is being cooperative)and hiking. She loves being active though lately most of her time is spent in front of a computer working on her next novel.

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Author Links
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6555319.Natalie_Carlisle
http://nataliecarlisle.blogspot.com/
http://www.tell-talepublishing.com/natalie-carlisle.html
https://www.facebook.com/natalie.carlisle.71

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Rafflecopter Giveaway (Digital Set of THE SHIFTED and FULL MOON ON THE RISE or $10.00 Amazon or B&N Gift Card)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Excerpt

“Please pick up… come on, pick up.” Kale’s fingers worried the cord of the library’s phone for the second time that day. And just like yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that… there was still no answer. “Come on.”

Another ring passed loudly in his ear. Two more and he knew the answering machine would pick up. Again. He held his breath.

One…

Come on.

Two…

“Hi! You reached the Rollins’ residence. We can’t come to the phone right now—”

“Damn it!” Deep inhale. He slammed the receiver. Heads turned toward the noise to stare at him. It took everything in him not to snap at them. Bending over he snatched his book bag off the floor and swung it hastily over his shoulder. Ignore them. They don’t get it. Their lives are normal.

What he wouldn’t do to be normal these days.

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Full Moon On The Rise Natalie Carlisle Blurb

Review: Cerberus, by P.K. Gallagher + Giveaway

Cerberus

Review

In P.K. Gallagher’s novel Cerberus, Kaeden Parish’s life seems perfectly normal. Sure, his girlfriend Genesis might seem a little reserved sometimes, and Hagan, the guy he’s training to take over his job at Bosch’s Archive antique bookstore, might be a little too good, but nothing’s out of the ordinary. He’s got plans for his future after graduation, and he doesn’t see them changing anytime soon. Until, that is, the night he is attacked in a dark alley by a stranger who seems to know who he is. Kaeden’s world turns upside down, and all the rules he used to follow no longer apply.

Cerberus drew me in instantly. Watching Kaeden’s unwilling transformation from regular-guy student to the kind of monster he never believed in was fabulous, and Gallagher’s depictions of the relationship between Genesis and Kaeden rang true for me, right down to Kaeden’s slight disbelief that he had never quite grown used to the attraction he felt for her. Unraveling the mystery of the secret Genesis holds—the underlying reason for her reserved nature—and Kaeden’s new experiences in a supernatural shadow world kept me entertained throughout the book.

I don’t want to give any serious spoilers, so I’ll just say that the utter lack of sparkles in this book made me happy—I love novels that trace a character’s experience changing from human to monster, and this one did not fail. It’s a great book, and perfect for October; it’s got mystery, monsters, and mayhem galore, and it made me a very happy reader. I can’t wait for the next book!

Score: 9/10
5 stars

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About the Author

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Despite writing stories that take place almost exclusively in New England, speculative young adult fiction author P. K. Gallagher has lived in the suburbs of the south her entire life. It is to this that she attributes her love of the fantastic and the supernatural—writing such things was her only escape from the monotony of Suburbia. Gallagher graduated from Florida A&M University in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a fervent desire to never set foot inside a newsroom again.

She currently lives in Atlanta and divides her time between working a day job, finishing her works in progress, and perfecting her plans for world domination.

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Connect with P. K. Gallagher

Website * Twitter * Facebook

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Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway

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Spotlight On: Tomorrow by CK Kelly Martin

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The sci-fi adventure that began with Yesterday continues with a thriller that can also be read as a standalone.

2063, United North America: climate change has rendered great swathes of the country uninhabitable, the rise of robot workers has created mass unemployment, eco-terrorism is a constant threat and a 2059 nuclear exchange between Pakistan and India has torn large holes in the world’s ozone layer and pushed humanity’s existence towards a cliff.

Garren and Freya have managed to escape that nightmare world and lose themselves in 1986 Vancouver. But the future’s reach is long, and they’re no longer safe there. No one is. Shadowy forces are intent on influencing the past’s path. And when Freya is taken, it’s up to Garren to save both her, and the future.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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C.K. Kelly Martin always thought she’d get around to writing in earnest eventually and began writing her first novel in a flat in Dublin, finishing it in a Toronto suburb. By then she’d discovered that young adult fiction felt the freshest and most exciting to her. You have most of your life to be an adult but you only grow up once!

Martin currently resides near Toronto with her Dub husband. She became an Irish citizen in 2001 and continues to visit Dublin often (although not as often as she’d like!) while working on teen novels.

http://www.ckkellymartin.com | twitter.com/ckkellymartin

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Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQLEl4mOIug

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Review of Her Wicked Angel by Felicity Heaton

Wicked angel

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Review

In Her Wicked Angel, the dark angel Asmodeus is sent to earth to retrieve the witch Liora for his master, the Devil. But when Asmodeus sets eyes on Liora, he is lost; he can’t imagine handing her over to the Devil. Instead, he sets out to make her his own.

In this latest entry of the Her Angel Romance series, author Felicity Heaton offers a sexy hero and a beautiful heroine whose chemistry makes the pages sizzle. I particularly liked Heaton’s depiction of Asmodeus’ difficulties as a hell-born angel on his first trip to earth; the fact that he doesn’t know how to behave and Liora has to teach him evened the odds a little bit. He might be overwhelmingly powerful, but Liora is a powerful witch in her own right—and as attractive as she finds him, she’s not overawed by him. That made for a nice balance in their relationship.

I was a little distracted by what felt like the author’s constant use of “male” and “female” in the text. I get the reasoning—these demonic angels aren’t exactly men and wouldn’t necessarily think in the same terms we do. Nonetheless, the constant use of the terms seemed a little overly biological to me. I think the words “man” and “woman” would have been almost invisible in a way that “male” and “female” weren’t.

But that’s really a minor issue. This is a solid romance novel. The plot is entertaining, Asmodeus is a bad-ass, and Liora is definitely his match. Her Wicked Angel is wicked good fun.

Overall, I give it 8/10
4 stars

~Margo Bond Collins

A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris

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Amazon

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

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Excerpt
Without stopping or even slowing his stride, he grabs a map from a vendor and flips it open. “So Lethal Xperience is at the back of the park. We’ll hit that first and then make our way up to the front.”

He seems unaware that the length of his legs far exceeds my own. As I frantically attempt to match his stride, I must pant or wheeze because he finally looks down at me, no doubt pink-faced and wide-eyed both from the sensory overload surrounding us and my huffing at a near jog to stay beside him. He grins. “Try to keep up, Short Stuff.”

I grit my teeth with determination and somehow keep myself from muttering, Yes, Master. But the thought still makes me smile. Cat must be rubbing off.

We pass a circular ride filled with fake horses going up and down. Giggling and drooling children clap their adorable hands from their belted saddles while a spirited tune blares overhead. Just past that is a miniature roller coaster made to look like a giant, happy centipede. The child in the front seat waves to his mother as the cart dips, and his squeal of joy tails behind him. It’s too bad that not all roller coasters can be five feet tall.

Then I get a wicked idea.

Austin believes I am a child, naive and boring, and, it would seem, without any humor. This second challenge is supposed to be about fun, and nothing—not even the lead role in a prestigious play with a crowd of a thousand—will give me more joy than turning the tables on him, even if only for a moment.

Looking back at the children’s ride, I grab Austin’s elbow and say innocently, “Is this not the roller coaster you are looking for?”

He stops rather abruptly and peers at me through squinted eyes. “You know, it’s like you look normal…” He trails off and shakes his head. He points a long tan finger at the centipede ride and in a tone dripping with condescension explains, “Less, Arthropod Picnic is a kiddie ride. It’s made for pint-size ankle-biters ages three and under.”

I try my best to look disappointed. I do everything I can to contain my mounting delight. But after no more than a few brief moments, I let forth a victorious giggle.

Realization dawns on his face. “You think you’re funny, huh?”

When I nod, he chuckles. He leans back on his heels and lets his gaze travel over my body. Humor dissipates as my skin prickles to life. On Austin’s slow ascent back up, he pauses to look me in the eye and an emotion crosses his face. It’s so fleeting—gone and there in an instant—that I cannot catch it.

“So, you think you’re ready to play at the big girl table now.” The left side of his mouth kicks up in a grin. “We’ll just have to see about that.”

The apparent taunt and Austin’s added wink spur me on.

This is my chance to prove to him that I’m not the timid girl I once was. To prove to myself that I’m no longer the child of my youth but a woman ready for the future.

I sashay toward a person dressed as a shiny nugget of gold posing for pictures with children, feeling Austin watching me, his gaze on my every step like a physical touch. My legs feel wobbly under my skirt, but an energizing spark ignites in my blood. I glance over my shoulder, confirming I have his complete attention, and then with an outward shrug (and an inner dance), I reply with every ounce of confidence I can muster, “Yes. We will.”

Austin’s smile widens. The sounds and patrons of the park fade away, and it is as if we are the only two around. I don’t know what is happening…I scarcely even recognize myself in this moment. Being with Austin does that. It turns me into someone else.

And I like who I become.

I watch his slow saunter, my body poised with tension. I don’t know what is going to happen next, but I wouldn’t trade the delicious expectation for anything. Austin doesn’t stop until he is right in front of me, close enough that I have to look up to meet his demanding blue gaze, and so close that warmth fans across my face as he says in a low voice, “Careful, girl. You’re playing with fire.”

“I’ve been careful my whole life,” I tell him, surprising myself with the resentment ringing in my tone. But it’s the truth. “And you know, I think it’s about time for me to be a little…” I bite the corner of my bottom lip, searching for exactly the right word to describe the emotions and thoughts that have surfaced the last few days. When I find it, I smile and wiggle my eyebrows suggestively “Wild.”

Austin sucks in a breath. He searches my eyes and I boldly stare back, praying that he cannot see my knees shaking. Then, obviously concluding that I meant every word, he flashes his devilish grin. “I can work with that.”

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About Rachel Harris

I grew up in New Orleans, where I watched soap operas with my grandmother and stayed up late sneak reading my mama’s favorite romance novels. Now a Cajun cowgirl living in Houston, I still stay up way too late reading my favorite romances, only now, I can do so openly. I firmly believe life’s problems can be solved with a hot, powdered-sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.

When not typing furiously or flipping pages in an enthralling romance, I homeschool my two beautiful girls and watch reality television with my amazing husband.

I write YA, NA, and Adult Fun & Flirty Escapes. Taste The Heat is my adult romance debut, and I’m also the author of MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY and A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES, as well as a ton of other books to come. I love hearing from readers and dishing books!

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Book Blitz: Elemental Killers by Mia Hoddell

Deadly to Love (Elemental Killers #1)
by Mia Hoddell
Release Date: February 2013

Genre: YA/Romance/Paranormal/Fantasy
ASIN: B00BDQ3QGA
ISBN: 978-1-291-41025-9
Blurb:
The world is dangerous – but love will kill you.

Little did Serena Jackson know that one simple, flirty remark to an anonymous guy online would lead to her world being changed forever.

She doesn’t know him, but inexplicably, is drawn. She knows it is wrong but she agrees to meet.

His real name is Kai. He is beautiful. And immediately Serena feels herself blindly falling for him even though she senses a lie. She knows he is hiding something and it terrifies her.

What she doesn’t realise is that her entire life has been built on secrets and lies. The people she loved left her in the dark for a reason.

She trusted them. She trusts Kai. But as he pulls her straight into the heart of the danger the lies and deadly secrets are revealed. They overwhelm her, and the person she once was no longer exists as she is thrown into a ruthless world of elemental forces. The price of truth is her life—and now the world wants her dead.

Available from:

Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Paperback) | Lulu
and only 99c / 77p on Kindle for September!

Praise:
“I couldn’t put it down. So I finished it last
night and all I can say is WOW! This book was amazing and different.” Brianna (Book Blogger)

“I loved how the author took a different
approach to writing a love story in modern times with the paranormal element present.
I thought it was absolutely wonderful and refreshing. Marvelous!” Kathy H (Amazon Reviewer)

“I will admit I scoffed at the way it
started but in the end I had fallen in love with this story…completely
untraditional it was a very original idea, not to mention modern. This story had
such a good plot and the story structure was sound.” Kacii – The Kooky Bookworm (Book Blogger)

About the Author
Mia Hoddell lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends most of her time writing or reading and loves anything paranormal. Mia always had a love of writing but never reading. She was more interested in sports and hated sitting still – despite getting three poems published before the age of sixteen. Finally though, she found some novels that captured her interest and developed a love of reading which is now one of her favourite hobbies.
Mia began with poems before moving on to short stories. Although she enjoyed this, Mia found she had too much to tell with too little space, so later on she created her first series ‘The Wanderer Trilogy’ and from there other ideas have emerged. With a total of nine books planned at this moment, she is busy working on her second series ‘Elemental Killers’ before moving onto the next idea on her ever growing list.

***Excerpt***
Happy with the amount of photos I had collected I started to head back out of the forest, still flicking through my shots. As well as close ups, I had taken a few landscapes and as I was almost at the edge of the forest I noticed something in one of the photographs that made me stop.
In the left hand corner was a figure that looked mostly human, but was blurred as if they were moving on the spot.
A cold shudder shot through me.
Looking over my shoulder I became slightly panicked and felt as if someone was following me.
My eyes flicked and searched the shadows. Even though there was no sign that anything had ever been behind me, the forest looked different now – dark and threatening.
Instinctively I broke away and ran, still clutching the camera that was displaying the freaky image. Surrounded by trees I didn’t stop until I was free of the forest and back in the open light and sight of my house.
Throwing open my door, I slumped against the inside of it, regaining my breath from the short sprint. Once I had recovered I looked down at the photo once more, just to make sure that I hadn’t been seeing things. The old saying “the camera never lies,” came into my mind and for the first time I wished it not to be true. Sure enough though, as I looked down at the screen, the figure was still there and this time I noticed a red and orange glow around where its feet should have been. The image almost looked like the person was on fire but I thought I would have surely noticed if there had been a burning man in front of me.

***GIVEAWAY***
Mia Hoddell is giving away an Amazon gift card this month only there is a slight twist: the more entries she receives the more money she will put on the gift card to giveaway! For example:
No matter what = $5
100 entries = $10
150 entries = $15
200 entries = $20
and so forth…
So if she gets 1000 entries she will give away $100, there’s no limit!

To enter all you have to do is buy or have bought Deadly to Love. It’s only $0.99 or £0.79 on Amazon for the duration of the giveaway! This will also unlock extra entries for you so you can earn more points by sharing the giveaway. Remember the more entries she gets the bigger the prize for you so share!


Spotlight On: An Element of Time by Bebe Knight

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An Element of Time
Eternal Flame Series: Book One
By: Bebe Knight
Releasing September 24th, 2013 through Solstice Publishing

A vampire and a slayer walk into a bar… Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but for Veronica and Mackenzie, it’s the beginning of the rest of their lives…

An Element of Time COVER

The world has seen its fair share of evil, but Veronica Chase had no idea such monsters truly existed. Werewolves, poltergeists, witches… even vampires. Ignorance was bliss. But her reality was crushed on that horrid day her family was taken away from her. Now, Veronica has devoted her entire life to hunting those very creatures, searching for the werewolf pack that murdered her parents in hopes of finding her abducted sister. Nothing will get in her way of settling the score for the hand she was unjustly dealt. That is until her newest assignment brings her to her knees.

After one hundred and eight years on earth, Mackenzie Jones thought he had seen it all. With the exception of daylight of course, but that’s what comes with the territory being a vampire and all. Perpetually damned to live his life as a bartender in the shadows of the night, nothing has sparked his interest lately. Just once he wished something exciting would happen in his mundane life. Little did he know, his wish was about to come true. Walking through the door to his bar, and into his heart, Mackenzie allows love to take the wheel for the first time. There’s just one slight problem. She’s there to kill him.

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Excerpt

Veronica took a seat on an empty stool in a deserted corner, far enough away from anyone to hear a conversation. He glanced her way and held up a finger to let her know he’d be right over. Mackenzie was currently busy talking with two girls, a blond and a brunette, who were both dressed to kill and definitely playing him up. The blond kept laughing louder than necessary, while the brunette playfully hit his arm.

Veronica rolled her eyes. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain what they were after. However, his demeanor suggested that he was uninterested. Either that or just very naïve. Points for her if that were the case. When he was finally able to remove himself from the talkative twins, he made his was over to take her order.

“What can I get you?” Mackenzie asked with his back to her, ringing out another customer on the cash register. He had no clue that she held the fate of his life in her hands.

“Make it a Bloody Mary,” she requested. Trying to see if she could get him to turn around, she hoisted her messenger bag onto the bar, making a loud thump in the process.

He cocked his head toward her, and raised an eyebrow. “You sure you can handle it? I like mine extra hot.”

“Yeah, ninety-eight point six degrees,” she muttered under her breath. “Bring it on Mackenzie, I like a challenge.” He turned around at the mention of his name.

God, he’s gorgeous, Veronica thought. Shit, is he using mind control on me? She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Now was her chance– all she had to do was hop over the bar and stake him. Easy enough, right?

“Now that I have your undivided attention, let me introduce myself. I’m Veronica Chase and I’ll be your slayer tonight.” She took a stake out of her bag and placed it on the bar. “Any questions?”

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About the Author

Bebe Knight is the author of the paranormal romance series The Eternal Flame Books. She lives in Upstate NY with her husband and son. Writing has always been a part of her life whether it be books, plays, or handwritten letters to friends and family. It’s a dream come true for her to be able to share her stories with others.

Contact Bebe:
http://www.bebeknight.com
https://www.facebook.com/BebeKnightAuthor
http://www.goodreads.com/Bebe_Knight
http://www.twitter.com/Bebe_Knight

BebeKnight

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Spotlight On: The Second Shadow, by Elizabeth Arroyo

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Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Date Published: 9/5/2013

Jake thought being demon meant a shredded humanity, stripped of all human emotion. Chaos and self-preservation dominates a demon’s instincts. But Jake feels every ounce of pain and despair around him.

And it’s driving him deeper into Hell.

Gabby’s choice to save him last summer left a fissure in Hell’s gate that released a malevolent evil. When Jake’s given a mission by the demons to shadow a human girl who may know the whereabouts of an ethereal weapon, he doesn’t expect to see Gabby. But Fate has her own agenda.

When Jake and Gabby are thrown together on a camping trip with a group of delinquent teens, Jake begins to grapple with the haunting choices he made in the past. When the evil finds them, the group begins to battle for their lives, alliances are made, and truths revealed.

As the evil begins to influence Jake, he questions his link to the demons, his purpose, and his love for Gabby.

But the answers to those questions are only found in Hell. And it may cost him his soul.

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Prologue
Old, dead things

Gabriela Vega was going to pay. It was all Tasha could think about after the little freak soaked her in mop water—as if. No one in the cafeteria had lifted a finger as Tasha pounded on the new girl. They wouldn’t dare. Suspended after she tackled the little swine, Tasha knew she’d be in deep shit when she got home. Grams was going to have a fit.

Wiping her dripping nose as she stepped onto the bus, she took a seat near the window in the rear. Tasha hated riding on the bus, but Robin refused to take her wet ass home. He didn’t want to ruin the polyester upholstery in his car. Asshole.

But Tasha hadn’t left the fight empty-handed.

She lifted the chain in front of her eyes and scrutinized the small silver angel pendant. The pendant made the fight worthwhile, even the suspension. Wait until Gabby saw Tasha wearing it. Let the little shit try to take it back. Rubbing the warm pendant with her thumb, she felt tiny vibrations under her skin. It felt good.

A strong odor caught in her throat from the guy sitting next to her. The smell of old, dead things. Scooting away from him without jumping out the window didn’t help. His shoulder nudged hers, forcing her to turn and face the dark, hollow pit that replaced his face. She tried to move, to pull back, to scream, but her body and her voice wouldn’t comply. The fabric of his dark trench coat fluttered, as if caught by an unfelt wind.

And then he began to lean toward her. The air grew thick, pressing against her as if she’d fallen into a deep ocean trench and the pressure threatened to crush her. Implode.

She couldn’t breathe.

No one noticed her dying on the bus. No one noticed the thing beside her, with its hollow face inches from hers, and stench of death. It whispered words in her ear and a cold wetness draped her in fear. Tears leaked from her eyes and pain exploded inside her skull. Then she did move. She pulled away from him, closed her eyes to keep them in her head, and rubbed her forehead with her palm.

“Are you okay?”

Tasha looked at the woman sitting beside her.

“Huh?” Tasha rubbed her head again. A splitting headache tightened its nasty clamp around her head. “No, I feel like crap.” Tasha stood up as the bus reached her stop, and she got off.

She arrived home with no memory of the bus ride or the walk. She needed to crash. Cold sweat forced shivers throughout her body. The buzzing in her head wouldn’t stop. Sick. She was getting sick. The flu maybe. She rubbed her ear and felt a wet sticky substance. Black goop on her fingertips made her stomach roll. She stepped inside the apartment she shared with her grandma and sister and a foul smell forced her eyes to water. Her stomach lurched, and she ran to the bathroom.

“Are you sick?” Grandma’s voice tore into her brain as she stumbled back to the couch. Moaning, Tasha threw herself on it, her limbs heavy, her breathing hard. She needed sleep. Rest. Peace.

“I asked you a question!” Grandma hollered.

There is no peace for the wicked.

Tasha sat up, eyes closed. Grandma’s in one of her moods again. “Please, Grams, can I sleep for a little bit?” Pain exploded on her left cheek, then, in quick succession, her right. She’d been slapped. Twice. Opening her eyes to her grandmother, Tasha restrained the urge to crawl away and die.

“You demon spawn, what did you do?” Spittle fell from Grams thin lips, the only feature on her face that looked…human. “The school called! What did you do this time?”

Tasha stood up on shaky legs. Grandma’s face, a writhing mass of bugs, stood a foot away from her own. Her heart did a double-take, and she felt the blood drain from her body. Tasha felt the scream at her throat and opened her mouth to release it into the space between her and the monster. But nothing came out. As if she’d been dropped into cold water, her limbs felt heavy, slow, uncoordinated. Sidestepping the sofa in an attempt to get as far away from the bugs on her grandma’s face, Tasha’s feet got tangled on the rug, and she crashed to the floor. Pain brought her flittering to the surface of reality and the instinct to survive grew into panic. Crawling on all fours, she reached her bedroom door, but strong arms lifted her by the hair, pulling, tearing her scalp. A scream escaped her, cut short by more pain.

Grandma had never beaten her. Grandma wasn’t strong enough to do much but holler at her and her sister. But it dawned on Tasha that the thing in front of her wasn’t her grandma anymore. “Grandma, please.”

“You did this to her. And now you will pay,” an inhuman voice said between the colonies of bugs slithering along Grandma’s flesh.

Tasha stumbled into the kitchen. Fear drove her to reach for the block of knives, pulling one out. The buzzing in her head grew louder. She turned to her grandma with the knife in her hand. “Please, don’t do this.”

But Tasha couldn’t see anymore. Her vision darkened.

The Pain. The buzzing in her head. It wouldn’t stop.

Her muscles liquid fire, her body not her own.

Someone let out a painful scream. And Tasha felt warm liquid seep between her fingers curled around the knife. Then silence.

And she was floating. Sleep. She needed sleep.

Not sure how long she’d been in darkness, she found herself sitting on the sofa, staring at the front door. She reached for the angel medallion around her neck. She didn’t remember putting it on. But it wasn’t hers. She had to give it back.

A shadow moved in front of her, its hand extended. She pulled off the chain and dropped it inside its palm.

Make the buzzing stop. Please.

One more.

Tasha had one more job to do.

She sauntered back to the kitchen, stepped over the body on the floor, and pulled out the stove as if it weighed nothing. The connector snapped and gas hissed into the room. Good.

Slowly, she went back to the living room, pulled out her lighter, and waited.

Burn.

Her sister would be home soon.

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About the Author
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Elizabeth Arroyo

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Elizabeth spent most of her younger years as an avid reader with a wild imagination which led her to write her first manuscript at the age of fourteen.

But, life got in the way. Elizabeth completed a Bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice at Northeastern Illinois University and works in the community strengthening families.

But her love of stories held, and in 2008 she found herself back into her storytelling roots and began writing again. In 2012, Elizabeth signed with Sapphire Star Publishing to release her debut novel, THE SECOND SIGN.

Elizabeth still resides in Chicago’s south west side with her family, a household of kids, and the bliss of chaos. The good kind. She continues to work in the community.

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Blog Tour: Blue Moon Chronicles, by Bryant Golden

About The Author:

Bryant Golden started writing “Blue Moon Chronicles, Book I” when he was twelve years old and sick at home. The story and the genre changed significantly in the seven years it took to finish, hopefully for the better, but the title and the themes never changed. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, he originally settled his characters into fantasy worlds with magic and creatures to abandon life in the city. When he was rewriting the story for the final time he realized that the story needs to be personal for it to matter, to the writer and to readers, so he created new characters and settled the story into a fictional but realistic world.

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Genre: Fiction/Action & Adventure/Young Adult

Publisher: Self-published with CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Released June 4, 2013.

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Book Description:

It’s been a century since the Civil War split the continent into two provinces, Sanctum and Alexandria, and now another war is on the horizon: the Continent War. The end of this war means the end of one of the provinces. This is the story of Ian Hirst as he finds himself in the fray and fights to defend his province and loved ones. Isaiah, a young boy from the newest locale in Sanctum, struggles to learn what it means to grow up and become “a proper man” in the middle of it all.

Excerpt #2, “Abigail”:

Isaiah followed Abigail’s lead, more because he’s curious than worried. She hummed quietly to herself. He doesn’t mind, he enjoys the tune—it feels familiar somehow.

Abigail reached for his hand. “C’mon, mister,” she said. Isaiah nodded and followed, suddenly feeling a strange sadness, followed by immediate frustration.

“Abigail? Can I ask where we’re going?”

“I’m walking you home, mister,” she said.

“But home is that way,” said Isaiah, pointing back at the way they came.

“No it isn’t,” she said, holding his hand tighter.

“Abigail, what do you want with me?”

She looked back at him and sighed. “I’ve already told you twice, mister.”

“Abigail, we’re friends, right?” he asked with a smile.

Abigail jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes, we’re friends,” she said, hugging him tightly.

“Then tell me where we’re going. Where we’re really going,” said Isaiah, struggling to push her off.

Abigail smiled. “I’ve never had a friend before,” she said. She reached for Isaiah’s hand again and led him deeper into the dungeons. The two walked in silence for a few more minutes and Isaiah sighed.

“You didn’t tell me where we’re going, Abigail.”

She let go of his hand and walked into an old cell. “C’mon, sit down,” she smiled. He sighed again and followed her inside. She closed the cell behind him. Blindly following a strange girl into a prison cell in an old dungeon is probably not one of his smartest moves, but he’s a capable young man.

He can fight off a little girl. Not that he wants to, but he can.

“Welcome home, mister,” she whispered as if she thought they were being followed.

“This is your grave, kid,” a deep, heavy voice echoed in his head.

“Wait, Abigail… Did you hear that?” he asked. She doesn’t seem bothered by the voice. It must only be in his head.

Is he losing his mind?

Abigail walked up to him and held his hand once more. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, resting her hand on his cheek.

Isaiah shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

“Well, it looks like you hit your head pretty hard,” said Abigail, pointing at the dry blood on Isaiah’s face. He didn’t feel any pain. He didn’t feel the blood.

“What’s going on, Abigail?” asked Isaiah, a flood of light filling the dungeon cell.

His vision blurred and when he regained his senses he found himself chained to the wall. “Abigail?” he said.

“Can you please shut up?” said a man in the cell next to his. He was a dirty, unhealthy looking man with a lot of hair and a large beard, his gray eyes barely visible behind it all.

“Where are we?” asked Isaiah.

“Where do you think? You’re a prisoner now. We’re in the Alexandria dungeons. You were fading in and out of consciousness for a few days, it looks like you were hit pretty hard,” said the man, leaning against the prison bars that separated them.

“A few days?” asked Isaiah. “How many?”

“Well, I’ve had three meals since you got here so…you’ve been here for a week, more or less. You’ve been mumbling on about some ‘Abigail’ and it’s been pretty horrible listening to it. I even threw a few pebbles at you to try and shut you up.”

Isaiah looked down and noticed a small pile of pebbles at his feet.

“A few pebbles?” he said.

“A few pebbles a day, yeah.”

 

Guest Author: Amalia Dillin

Thor and Loki

In Norse Mythology, Thor and Loki have a very complex relationship. Loki, as Odin’s blood brother, has been a part of Thor’s life for an eternity and while he often led Thor into trouble, Loki usually guided him back out of it, too.

Reading the myths, it’s easy to see Loki as something of an indulgent and wild uncle, and if they were living in the modern world, I can easily imagine Loki as the person who buys the underage Thor beer so he can party with his friends, or takes him to the strip club for his 18th birthday, while Loki himself did some questionable business in a backroom.

In the myths, they go to Jotunheim to pick fights with the giants, traveling together like adventurers, and we see as the stories in the Eddas unfold, that Loki’s reasons for traveling with Thor are maybe not just the interests of “the cool uncle.” We start to see that Loki has ulterior motives, that he might be deliberately putting Thor in harm’s way, hoping for his destruction. Even in the myths, Thor, as trusting as he is, begins to realize that Loki’s tricks are turning malicious.

It’s after Thor has come to this understanding of Loki’s character (with a little help from a giantess), that the FATE OF THE GODS series takes place – and Loki had better watch out, because, as we see in this excerpt from FORGED BY FATE, Thor is getting tired of his uncle’s mischief!

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“So sullen, Thor,” Loki said, seating himself across the table in Odin’s hall. “Surely you cannot still be angry about that mischief with your wife.”

Thor curled his lip, hiding the expression behind his mug.

“I see,” Loki said, when Thor had not responded with anything more than a long drink and a glower. “A shame, really. I thought I might travel East, and as often as Sif has been away, it seemed to me you might wish for an excuse to do the same. I have heard wondrous things about the Olympian goddesses.” His green eyes glittered, feral in the firelight. “Perhaps I should ask Magni and Modi to accompany me, instead. I’m certain they would enjoy themselves immensely.”

Thor growled. “My sons have better taste than to choose you as their companion.”

Loki laughed. “There was a time you did not find me so contemptible, Thor. Or do you forget that once you called me uncle?”

“An error in judgment, corrected by Jarnsaxa’s grace.” To his younger eyes, Loki had seemed so much wiser. Brilliant and daring and, even better, always willing to embark on some adventure or another, taking time for Thor while Odin had been too busy with his own affairs.

But that had been before Thor had recognized the malice behind the Trickster’s “mischief.” Before he had met Jarnsaxa, who had borne his sons while he had still believed Sif would never have him. Jarnsaxa had died in the wars on Jotunheim, the world where Thor had been raised, where they had fled with his mother’s aid after Surt had destroyed their own lands. But Jarnsaxa had not died before she had told him all she knew of the Trickster and his role in what had come to pass, fearing for her sons. Even so, Thor had not believed Loki would go so far as to meddle with Sif, and he was not certain which stung him more: that Sif had been taken in by his silver-tongue, or that Loki had betrayed him so completely. Sif, at least, might have been fooled. Loki had known precisely what he was doing.

“Just as well,” Loki said, smiling slowly. “Sif would never forgive you if she learned you’d gone off in search of Elohim’s daughter, though it is not only I who finds it strange you did not mention such a goddess in all your reports. Surely you had heard of her.”

Thor said nothing, his jaw tense with the need to keep his silence.

“I can only imagine you had some reason for keeping her a secret,” Loki said, reaching casually across the table to take a piece of bread from Thor’s meal. “A lovechild, perhaps? It would not be your first.”

“Magni and Modi were born long before I married Sif,” he growled, catching Loki’s arm by the wrist before he touched his plate. Thor threw his hand away, his eyes burning with lightning. The color had already leached from Loki’s face and the warm yellow of the wooden table had turned gray. “Nor have I fathered any godchild since, but for Thrud.”

“And then there is that pesky business with Ullr,” Loki mused, grinning now. “Did finding Sif in my arms not make you wonder in the slightest? Sif is as much a warrior as any of us, to be forced—”

“Freyja bore witness,” he said, grinding his teeth on the words. And Sif had loved him then, as he had her. She would never have betrayed him. Not so soon after their marriage, and not while they warred against the Vanir. She was not Aphrodite to take lovers among their enemies.

“And Freyja is so reliable when it comes to these things.” Loki rolled his eyes. “Poor Jarnsaxa. She tried and she tried, and all her efforts came to nothing. You’re still as thick as you ever were.”

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You can learn more about the FATE OF THE GODS series and FORGED BY FATE, as well as my new e-novella tie-in, TEMPTING FATE on my website, http://www.amaliadillin.com and at World Weaver Press. You can also pick up a copy on Amazon or B&N, or add them on Goodreads!

Tempting Fate cover

~Amalia Dillin