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Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Excerpt: Only In Darkness by Brenda Stanley + giveaway

Only In Darkness
by Brenda Stanley
March 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Thriller
Based on ancient Mayan mythology comes a story of bloodlust, love and the horrors of coming of age.

In ancient Central America, the legend of the Camazotz: large, bat-like creatures that desire blood and terrorize the villages in search of prey. When the volcano, Masaya, erupts and kills the tribe from which the Camazotz are from, they discover a miracle ash in the ruins.

Years later in present-day eastern Idaho, 17-year-old Emilio Chavez lives in an isolated area near the lava rock cliffs of the American Falls reservoir. From birth, he has been different. After Emilio’s friend Clara falls victim to a terrible accident, suspicions about Emilio arise, and he discovers an astonishing secret about his past.

As a sinister force tightens its grip on Clara, can Milo save her from those searching for blood while keeping his own internal demons at bay?


Excerpts
I stand looking off the cliff at the raging river and jagged boulders below. I'm going to jump--or rather let myself give in to it and just fall--that I know. What I don't know is what will happen next. There are two ways it will end, and the more I think about it, the more trouble I have deciding which result will be worse. Often, it's the not knowing that makes life hell. I've been in the dark and unaware for so many years. Now I know what I am. But it is the unknown of what that fate holds for me, should I survive, that makes me shudder.

I've lost my family, my friends, and everything I've ever known, and still, someone, or something, is out there hunting me down like an animal, trying to take what has completely altered my life. The only thing I do know is I'm going to take the leap. It will be a rush for a few seconds, and then I will hit the rocks and hopefully die instantly or--and this is what I can't fathom--if what they say is true, my back will explode, and I will transform into what my grandmother and the others of the tribe call the winged ones.


About the Author:
Brenda Stanley is a former television news anchor and investigative reporter for the NBC affiliate in Eastern Idaho. She has been recognized for her writing by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Hearst Journalism Awards, The Idaho Press Club and the Society for Professional Journalists. She is a graduate of Dixie College in St. George, Utah and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She is the mother of 5 children, including two sets of twins. Brenda and her husband Dave, a veterinarian, live on a small ranch near the Snake River with their horses and dogs.

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)
$20 Amazon gift card
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, May 30, 2022

Interview: Superhero Invincika from Fantasy author Varun Sayal's new action adventure release

Sharon
: Today we have on our show a new superhero in town, Invincika. Welcome to the Late night talk show with Sharon.
Invincika: Thanks

Sharon: So let me read out your powers for our viewers tonight. Super strength, indestructible body, ability to fly and …
Invincika: **laughs** And?

Sharon: You can shoot a white laser through your forehead which can slice through anything. Like really?
Invincika: **Nods**

Sharon: Wow. So it’s like a third eye opens in your forehead?
Invincika: Well, no. It’s actually an enmeshment of nerves which acts like a gemstone.

Sharon: Wow that’s enigmatic. And you can just focus it on anything and laser shoots out?
Invincika: No. This laser works more like a defense mechanism. It activates itself when I am in deep danger. I don’t actually control this power.

Sharon: Interesting. You do a lot of work with orphanages too, tell us more about that.
Invincika: Yeah, my parents they split even before my birth. I spent a lot of time in orphanages. I was cared for in some of those places but, I know how it feels to live without parental care. So whenever I can, I visit a place and spend some time with the kids.

Sharon: Do they ask you to float in air, show off your cape.
Invincika: **Giggles** They do.

Sharon: We know you are a very busy person so we won’t hold you for long. Thanks a lot for coming in today Invincika.
Invincika: Thanks a lot for having me today, Sharon, the pleasure is mine.

Sharon: To our viewers and listeners, the book Invincika is the first novel in series Superheroes of the Multiverse. It’s available on Amazon, grab a copy today.
 

 
Invincika: A Superhero Action Adventure Series (Superheroes of the Multiverse Book 1)
by Varun Sayal
April 25, 2022
Genre:  Women's Fantasy Fiction, Superhero Fantasy, Action & Adventure
She tries to save the world ...

... but can she save herself?

Ulka trained besides the Sigma, but unlike them, her powers remained dormant.

Until a ballistic weapon finally awakened her hidden abilities and flipped her world upside down.

As Ulka struggled with her new found powers, a Magnetar raced toward earth, causing tides, volcanoes and tremors. The super-humans sent to counter the Magnetar never returned, and Ulka is the world’s last hope.

Even if she succeeds, there’s a much bigger threat lurking in the shadows, waiting to unleash a fate worse than death.

If you like superhero stories with riveting action sequences, you will love this first book in the series.

A great superhero story. A great introduction to this universe. The story is good with a lot of potential to build on. ~ Top 1000 Amazon Reviewer

I really liked this book and I read it in one evening. ~ Netgalley Reviewer

Story was engaging, fun to read, and I was intrigued to know What Next. ~ Goodreads Reviewer

Invincika is a fantastic superhero action-adventure novel with a blend of sci fi. This is the first book in the Superheroes of multiverse series. With a fast-paced plot and engaging narration, delve into the exciting world of action, superheroes and dangers. ~ Book Blogger

It's a fast-paced, engaging, superhero book with the writer's trademark combination of sci-fi and mythology. I enjoyed reading the book. ~ Goodreads Reviewer

Book 2

About the Author:
Varun Sayal is a Data Science manager living in Redmond, Washington. He grew up in India on a steady dose of fantastical tales from ancient Indian scriptures. His genre of writing is science fiction and fantasy, blended with Indian legends and mythology. In his own words:

I live by the quote, 'a true art calms a disturbed mind and disturbs a calm mind.'

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Death Warden: Grave Spirits MC by Debbie Cassidy + giveaway

Death Warden: Grave Spirits MC
by Debbie Cassidy
May 27th 2022

Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Reverse Harem, Romance
Death waits for no one, unless you’re a necromancer, in which case he might stop for a cup of tea and a chat.

I didn’t ask to be a necromancer, and I certainly didn’t ask to be saddled with a magical amulet holding an ancient big bad at bay.

I got both.

All I want to do is steer clear of trouble, write horror novels, and hang with my talking cat.

But the spell on my amulet is weakening, and the only way to sustain it is to pick up and go to Frostgate—a city built on a powerful convergence of ley lines.

The plan is to lay low and wait for a revelation that’ll lead me to my conduit, my perfect match, to help me to sustain the spell on the lock.

But there is no laying low at Grave Spirits MC. No avoiding the burning stares of the hellhound Vice President, the icy cool assessment of the undead Sergeant at Arms, or the warm amber gaze of the hellhound Club Secretary.

I can’t get involved with any of them. I have a perfect mate to find.

But for the first time in my life steering clear of trouble is the last thing I want to do
.



About the Author:
Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head - in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)
$15 Amazon gift card


Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Excerpt: Darkness Awakening (The Others Book 1) by J.S. Andrews + giveaway

Darkness Awakening (The Others Book 1)
by J.S. Andrews
May 13, 2022
Genre: Urban Fantasy Thriller
Homicide might be Vanessa Flynn's business, but magic had never been in the job description.

Until now...

When a deadly car accident turns Detective Flynn's life upside down, she finds herself working the biggest case of her life.

Saving her son.

Can she find out who is behind a series of ritual killings before it's too late?

Mikey's life depends on it...and so much more.

**On Sale for Only .99cents until June 10th!!**


Vanessa Flynn stood in a hospital hallway. Her mind was blank. She felt no emotion or any other sensation as she stood there staring, just a strange feeling of being disconnected. Her mind gradually awakened as she stared around in confusion. Van was wearing a hospital gown that gaped unpleasantly in the back. Yet, oddly, she felt no embarrassment or discomfort. Beyond the confusion, she didn’t feel anything at all.

As a detective on the Denver police force, Vanessa, or Van as her friends called her, was not used to feeling dazed or confused. The dawning realization that her mind was not functioning correctly allowed her to bring her thoughts better into focus. Now that her mind was working a little better, Vanessa began to take in her surroundings with more attention to detail. Not one person bustling around took notice of the half-naked, disoriented woman in a hospital gown. That alone told her something strange was going on.

“Mommy!” Van spun toward the high-pitched childish voice.

A little coppery blond boy waved at her from the other end of the hallway. Vanessa could tell there was something strange about him, but she couldn’t seem to focus as much as she wanted to. Mikey! She felt a sense of urgency and found herself going toward her five-year-old son. She wasn’t running, but she was moving. I must be a little out of it; that’s probably why I’m in a hospital.

“Mikey! What the h…what is going on?” Her voice was plaintive and thin. Vanessa didn’t like hearing herself sound like this; she wasn’t one to be whiny. Somehow, though, she knew by instinct that Mikey was aware of what was going on. Considering she had survived everything her life had thrown at her by trusting her instincts, she trusted this one implicitly.

“I think we died, Momma.” His little voice casually uttered a sentence that threatened to destroy Vanessa’s world. The small boy swiftly dismissed what, to Vanessa, was a life-changing moment. “But that doesn’t matter right now. I need you to come with me, please?”

Mikey looked up at her with that charming little grin that he knew melted anyone’s heart. He offered her his hand, and Van finally realized what was bothering her. He literally had no substance. His hand felt more like a memory of what his hand had felt like in hers. She peeked down at their hands joined together and realized she could see through both of their hands. She felt like crying. What the absolute fuck is going on? My baby can’t be dead!

There was no dismay about her being dead, but the thought of her child passing filled Vanessa with absolute dread and despair. A vast pit formed in her stomach, and she felt like she was falling.

“Sure, baby. Let’s go.” Her voice shook. Her mind wondered how it could shake if she didn’t have vocal cords. Even as she created the idea, it slipped from her mind like water slipped from a duck’s back. Those types of thoughts would drive her mad. Unless I really am dead. I can’t go crazy if I am dead. Can I? I have no clue what the fuck is going on. I’m so confused right now. Unless it’s some kind of twisted nightmare? Wake up, Van, you idiot! She tried to think of what had happened before she found herself standing in the middle of the hospital. Her thoughts refused to formulate in her mind. She didn’t remember going to sleep or anything else. Van definitely did not remember dying. She figured someone would remember something like that.

About the Author
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Jessica enjoys spending time with her three kids, husband, and horde of naughty critters (which her children could fall under that description). She works as a business manager for a local university in Wyoming and recently obtained her MBA.

Jessica was an imaginative child, constantly playing pretend and spending time in the stories she made up. She would write for hours but never felt brave enough to share her words with others.

Jessica is excited to embark on her journey to overcome expectations and imposter syndrome

Giveaway
Signed Paperback of Darkness Awakening,
$10 Amazon giftcard
- 1 winner each!
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

$.99 Horror fiction: Miss Diagnosis by Derek Dubois + giveaway

Miss Diagnosis
by Derek Dubois
April 28, 2022
Genre: Horror, Thriller
As a young medical student in Boston, Kate White is barely hanging on. The stress of interning at a top-tier teaching hospital, compounded by her father's recent death and her upcoming wedding to a superstar surgeon, are proving to be too much to handle.

Meanwhile, somewhere deep in the depths of the hospital's research laboratory, secretive experiments have led to a horrific breakthrough. As Kate finds each new test increasingly overwhelming, she becomes obsessed with seeking a way out, crossing all professional boundaries, and putting herself and her colleagues in harm's way.

In Miss Diagnosis, Dubois imbues his characters with nuance and realism which heightens the suspense when "the story takes a wild swerve in the final third that changes the straightforward crime drama into a horror story" (Kirkus Reviews).
**Only .99cents!!**

About the Author
Website-FBDerek Dubois is an award-winning filmmaker and writer. His stories and essays have been published in The Evansville Review, North Dakota Quarterly, Allegory Ridge, The Helix, Dreamers Creative Writing, and Senses of Cinema. Most recently, his essays Little Swimmers and Bachelor Party were named NOTABLE WORKS by the 2019 and 2020 BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS collections. Miss Diagnosis is his first novel. He lives in northern Rhode Island with his wife and son.

Giveaway
$10 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, May 23, 2022

Book Review: Meat by Dane Cobain

Meat
by Dane Cobain
October 13, 2020
ASIN: B08L71G8J4 
ISBN: 9798685539595
Veterinarian Tom Copeland takes a job at a factory farm called Sunnyvale after a scandal at his suburban practice. His job is to keep the animals alive for long enough to get them to slaughter. But there are rumors of a strange creature living beneath the complex, accidents waiting to happen on brutal production lines and the threat of zoonotic disease from the pigs, sheep, cows, chickens, and fish that the complex houses. Suddenly, disaster rocks Sunnyvale and cleaners, butchers, security guards and clerical staff alike must come together under the ruthless leadership of CEO John MacDonald. Together, they’ll learn what happens when there’s a sudden change to the food chain. Bon appĆ©tit.

Tom Copeland is an English veterinarian who was forced to steal ketamine from storage. His vet partner gave him the option of selling out his half in the vet practice or being reported to the police. His wife leaves him and he finally manages to get a job as a vet for a factory farm. His job is to keep the animals alive long enough for slaughter. Suddenly, disaster hits and it is not long before he, CEO MacDonald, and other workers have to come together to survive. Something horrible has hit not just the factory farm, but elsewhere.

This horror/end of the world book is creepy because it could really happen. Covid has shown viruses jumping from an animal and causing a pandemic. What if other viruses or even something man-made brings worse. Dark enough to make you wonder if you should take that next bite of ham or fried egg, or go vegetarian. A Bon Appetit of horror.

I give Meat 4 sheep.





Reviewed by Pamela K. Kinney

About the Author:
Dane Cobain (High Wycombe, UK) is a published author, freelance writer and (occasional) poet and musician with a passion for language and learning. When he’s not working on his next release, he can be found reading and reviewing books while trying not to be distracted by Wikipedia.

His releases include No Rest for the Wicked (supernatural thriller), Eyes Like Lighthouses When the Boats Come Home (poetry) Former.ly (literary fiction), Social Paranoia (non-fiction), Come On Up to the House (horror), Subject Verb Object (anthology), Driven (crime/detective), The Tower Hill Terror (crime/detective), Meat (horror), Scarlet Sins (short stories), The Lexicologist’s Handbook (non-fiction) and The Leipfold Files (crime/detective).

His short stories have also been anthologised in Local Haunts (ed. R. Saint Clare), We’re Not Home (ed. Cam Wolfe), Served Cold (ed. R. Saint Clare and Steve Donoghue) and Eccentric Circles (ed. Cynthia Brackett-Vincent).

New Release: The Night Blade: Indulgence Series 2 by Erin Kellison (And a 99 cent deal!)

The Indulgence Series is a fast-paced, action-packed, slow-burn romantic fantasy set in a contemporary world of gods and monsters. If you like a fierce heroine, enemies to lovers, epic battles, worldbuilding, magic, and mayhem...this is a series for you.
(Sharon: If you've never read Erin Kellison this is a great time to start! This series is all that and a bag of chips!. Erin's writing is as magic as the worlds she creates. Seriously, you have to try it! AND book 1 is only $.99 right now.)

The Night Blade: Indulgence Series 2
by Erin Kellison
May 23, 2022
Lose yourself in the second installment of bestselling author Erin Kellison's Indulgence series, where unlikely allies must contend with savage beasts, spiteful gods...and each other to survive.

Luck isn't going Terah Crane's way. She's stuck with the prince of Fury, the arrogant scion of Pyre, who passionately hates her. Yeah, well...she doesn't like him much, either.

When a vengeful goddess captures someone Terah loves, Adomanei reluctantly joins the rescue mission to settle the debt he owes her. Enemies at heart but united by purpose, they set out upon a dangerous journey into a foreign godland to reach their quarry.

Adom's godborn talents allow him to disguise his identity, but Terah must travel under the cover of darkness, even if it takes them into the belly of a mountain beast and across a sea of bones. A cryptic clue suggests that Terah has allies among the ghosts of Phemerae—if only she can find them. But Adom doesn't trust anyone who strives against the gods.

Beset by monsters and pursued by spies, Terah and Adom are forced to watch each other's backs, learn to speak with a glance, and be there when the other falls. But will it be enough? Because a malevolent Power stalks them, utter ruin on its mind, and Adom and Terah find themselves trapped together in an intrigue of the gods that will change their world.
"There are gods and monsters and people who think they're ordinary, but turn out to be anything but. There's betrayal and heartache and...I feel like we've just skimmed the surface...BUT I AM HERE FOR IT. *thumbs up*" — Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal (VINE VOICE)

"The characters were vivid, tangible...I was easily transported into a world packed with action, adventure, betrayals, and breadcrumb teasers that kept me on the edge of my seat. And the adventure has truly just started! Highly recommended" — Joyffree (Top Contributor: Fantasy Books/VINE VOICE)

 Amazon


Grab book #1 for only $.99
About the Author:
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Erin Kellison is the bestselling author of the Dragons of Bloodfire series, the Reveler series, and the Shadow series. She writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and science fiction romance. She loves other worlds and visits them as often as possible via movies and books and her kids’ imaginations. When not daydreaming or writing, she’s goofing off with her family in sunny Arizona.

Saturday, May 21, 2022

Romance Author Sascha Illyvich's Top 5 Weird-ish Things About Him

I’m Not Normal, What Do You Want from Me?

It’s been a very long time since I’ve written a guest post for anyone in romancelandia. To be fair, I have had an absence from the world of writing myself until 2020. No, it wasn’t the ‘Rona. But it was at the same time.

I kinda fell into a depression and decided Hemingway might have been on to something until I realized just how nasty a beer Corona actually is.

My point is, I haven’t had the foggiest idea where to start and I stared at a blinking cursor for all of 69,420 seconds before coming up with the brilliant idea on my (not very) own (Don’t listen to Sharon, I didn’t read the suggested blog topics no matter what she tells you!) and realized that it’s time for an awkward top five list.

This Top Five list includes random facts you might not expect of a romance author, so we’ll call it…

Weird Ish!
Or
Sascha’s already titled this blog post as He’s not normal.

1. I love reading romance novels and outside of personal growth/motivational books, books on tarot or witchcraft, I am a diehard reader. Cynthia Eden is almost an auto buy for me, and has been since the days when Coffee Time Romance sent her first two books for me to read and review as ARCs. That being said, I listen to death metal. Both classic with the disgusting lyrics, and progressive, with lyrics asking about how humanity can uplevel itself to a higher plane of consciousness. More on my musical tastes in a moment.

2. I have cats now. Yeah, I’m blaming the younger girlfriend on this one. Literally, we’d been discussing getting a cat for some time. In May 2020, I had ablation heart surgery to fix atrial fibrillation issues that had been plaguing me since 1999. Two weeks after surgery, she comes home from whatever errand she was running and said, “We have a cat coming to us this weekend.” Timing, woman! The second cat came because I’m a sucker and she was outside our apartment in this (stupid) Georgia deep south heat. After a month of petting her every time I took out the trash, she showed up on the top floor of my building, staring at my door. I live on the third story of this building. A few days later, she got cat-napped, taken to the vet, checked out, and finally brought home where she belongs. Ember currently occupies my office chair and I love her. And sometimes, if you follow my Instagram, you can see one or both of our cats trying to help me read Tarot.

3. Bucket list items relate to the above two posts. I’m a HUGE technical metal music junkie. For another guest blog post, I stepped outside my normal range and check out Grimes. That didn’t last and I went back to listening to Cannibal Corpse. Here’s where the bucket list thing comes in. On my bucket list are two items relating to two musicians. Dez Fafara of Devildriver is a Padron cigar smoker and Italian wine drinker. I think it’d be cool to hang with him and enjoy the same cigars and see what his wine taste looks like. Second, George “Corpsegrinder” Fischer of Cannibal Corpse sings some of the must disturbing, disgusting lyrics in death metal. Thing is, Dude’s a total big kid. I’d love to hang with him while he pets my cats and we just shot the ish. FYI, there are a lot of guys in death metal are huge animal rights activists.

4. Circling back above, did I mention I have been a tarot reader for the better part of twenty years? Finances have prevented me from becoming a deck collector, but the last several years have allowed me to journey further into tarot, finally get a foothold in witchcraft and not only enjoy that side of spirituality, but embrace it. Yes, it’s helped with writing. No, it’s actually not weird. What IS weird is all my affinities for deity. Lord Ganesha (I’m not Hindu and yes, I know I don’t need to be!) Lakshmi, Diana, the Moon Goddess, just to name the ones I currently work with. In the past, The Green Man and Papa Legba/Elegba were gifted to me during a time when those energies needed me to practice extreme self-control.

5. Going back to music, I have a thing for side projects and ‘tribute’ bands of the odd variety. For example, I’m actually a fan of Okilly-Dokilly. If that catch phrase sounds familiar, imagine Ned Flanders in a metal band. Made up of Ned Flanders on vocals, Ned Flanders on Bass…you get the picture. A Ned Flanders quote makes its way into every song. They’re actually quite good! Same thing with Austrian Death Machine–an ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger’ fronted metal band. They used lines from random famous Schwarzenegger movies, particularly Terminator and T-2. I get a kick out of it, more so because again, the side project doesn’t suck.

I’ll end this now so I don’t ramble on. Like I said, it’s been a while and while I have cats, well…I have cats. I’m already a loner as it is! Someone, anyone, talk to me! Help LOL!

Music plays an important role in my writing process–especially when I was listening to James LaBrie’s solo project and came across a track that begged me to write Derrick, a puma shifter who was an ex-spy with personal demons. And once again, when Sonja came into my head as the female lead singer of a progressive death metal band who also is a witch with the ability to give and take energy with the sound of her voice.

A shape-shifting former spy hired to defend. A witchy singer seeking protection. Can they prevent the loss of lives while embracing their passion?

The Bodyguard: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (Burning Desires Book 1)
by Sascha Illyvich

July 6, 2020
He wants a quiet life. She’s about to turn up the volume…

Puma-shifter Derrick is plagued by nightmares from his days as a spy. Still struggling to cope with the traumatic memories, he has no choice but to throw himself into his work. But his latest gig protecting a gorgeous death metal vocalist has all his worst demons screaming with desire.

Sonja is no stranger to ominous threats. With a voice that can control shifters and humans alike, she knows she’s a powerful weapon… in the wrong hands. And tired of always looking over her shoulder, she’s happy to put her trust in her sexy new guard and do her best to ignore their red-hot chemistry.

Intent on defending the stunning singer and her unique magic, Derrick’s past mistakes come back to haunt him when she is kidnapped. And when Sonja finds herself at the mercy of the dangerous Anti-Shifter League, her only way to save everyone’s skin could lie in the power of her magical songs.

Can Derrick and Sonja pick up the beat and drive hard to the ultimate climax?

The Bodyguard is the thrilling first book in the Burning Desires paranormal romance series. If you like smoking-hot attractions, wild women, and broody heroes, then you’ll adore Sascha Illyvich’s luscious tale.

About the Author:
Sascha, who was proclaimed by the publishing industry as The Gentleman Playboy of Romance, was first published in 1999 and continues to write. His erotic romances have been listed under Night Owl Romance’s and Road to Romance’s Recommended read lists, and he’s been nominated for a CAPA by The Romance Studio. Torn to Pieces was a USA TODAY Recommended Read.

Sascha is a trained and experienced public speaker; and enjoys giving talks and teaching, particularly on aspects of romance, erotic romance, and writing. He was the former host of The Unnamed Romance Show on Radio Dentata and is fond of doing guest spots and interviews, on both traditional radio and podcasts.

Sascha has written for City Lights Publishing, Red Sage, Secret Cravings Publishing, Sizzler Editions, Totally Bound, and Decadent Publishing.

Friday, May 20, 2022

Excerpt: Daughters of the Cosmos by Dana Littlejohn + giveaway

Daughters of the Cosmos
by Dana Littlejohn
March 24, 2022
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy
Takasa, goddess of the sun, left her mountain home consumed with bitterness caused by her long endured loneliness. The elders in her tribe fed her a potion to put her to sleep for a thousand years to wait for the one who would be able to save them from her wrath.

Luneria, goddess of the moon, saw that Rubani, the God of War, was in need of advice. She offered her assistance and watched out for him during his latest campaign with the people. Rubani wanted her for his wife, Luneria was unsure, She had only spoken a few times and she did not want to leave the sky to be among the people. Was there a way for the goddesses to have happiness without losing the position?


Excerpt
“My lord, my son has only been the leader in our land for the last five years. We live under his rule now. The people are duty-bound to follow him.”

“And I do not believe the old tales my father spouted when we were children!” the chief interjected angrily. “My brother may believe those old wives’ tales the elders droned on about in our youth, but I do not. I am the only lord here! We have no need of the gods. You should fall on your face and pay homage to me!”

“Silence, Muruso, have you gone mad?” his father stated, yanking on Muruso’s garments.

“Be still, old one,” Rubani said, holding up a patient hand. “Let your leader speak his mind,” he added calmly.

The old man nodded and took a step back. Rubani turned and addressed Muruso, his words calm and to the point.

“I have been through your land. It is clear to me now that you are disrespectful to the gods and have destroyed the soil with your lack of knowledge. You make no use of your elder’s wisdom. I have conquered the armies you sent to put an end to the Buganda people, so you could conquer their territory. We are here to claim what is now theirs and no longer yours. Do you wish to challenge me for that claim?”

Muruso’s overconfidence put a smug look on his face as he listened to Rubani. He openly looked Rubani over with a sneer on his lips. It was true that Muruso stood as tall as Rubani with a strong and powerful build, but a mere mortal would never be a match for the god of war. The look of arrogance in Muruso’s eye told Rubani that he would accept his challenge.

About the Author
Dana Littlejohn was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. After spending most of her youth dreaming up stories to pass around the lunch room for her friends to read, she decided that writing was something she wanted to do. As an adult, she took on a new role as mother, wife, and laborer, and her writing took a back seat. In 2003 and with the encouragement of her husband, she picked up her pen again and has no intention on putting it down. She has called Indianapolis, Indiana, her home for over 10 years, still working a 9-5, and is still a wife and mother, but now an author. Her imagination is the wildest ride ever! Jump on board and see for yourself!

Giveaway
$5 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Exclusive Excerpt: A Lair So Fateful (The Last Dragorai Book 4) by Zoey Ellis

by Zoey Ellis
May 19, 2022
A Lair So Fateful, an all new sizzling and thrilling, dark fantasy romance from Zoey Ellis, is available now!

š…š«šØš¦ šš šššš«š¤, š¦ššš š¢šœ-š«šššÆššš šžš š°šØš«š„š šœšØš¦šžš¬ ššš§ šžš§š­š”š«ššš„š„š¢š§š  š§šžš° šŸššš§š­ššš¬š² š«šØš¦ššš§šœšž š¬šžš«š¢šžš¬. š…š¢šÆšž š›š«šØš­š”šžš«š¬, š„ššš¬š­ šØšŸ ššš§ ššš§šœš¢šžš§š­ š€š„š©š”šš š›š„šØšØšš„š¢š§šž, šžšššœš” š›šØš®š§š š›š² šŸš¢š«šž ššš§š š›š„šØšØš š­šØ š­š”šžš¢š« š¦ššš£šžš¬š­š¢šœ šš«ššš šØš§š¬.

š˜š˜¦ š˜„š˜¦š˜®š˜¢š˜Æš˜„š˜“ š˜©š˜¦š˜³ š˜øš˜°š˜³š˜“š˜©š˜Ŗš˜±. š˜–š˜³ š˜©š˜¦ š˜øš˜Ŗš˜­š˜­ š˜£š˜³š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜©š˜¦š˜³ š˜µš˜° š˜©š˜¦š˜³ š˜¬š˜Æš˜¦š˜¦š˜“.

Uraya is desperate to live in peace. Having finally escaped the queen of the south, her goal is to vanish, to leave the war in the Twin Realms and start a new life.

But to get her freedom she must work with the most intolerable dragonlord across the Realms.

Known for reducing women into simpering worshipers, Sethorn ruins the lives of any woman he desires.

Uraya refuses to be his plaything…

And her defiance fuels his intense captivation with her.

In an effort to maintain her quest for serenity, Uraya is forced to bargain with him, but Sethorn rouses a sinful craving that only he can control.

Primal attraction erupts into savage, carnal hunger.

When the queen complicates their mission, Uraya realizes she is on the brink of losing not just the peace she has always dreamed of but herself.

And if she doesn’t evade Sethorn’s obsessive claim on her, he will drag her to a fate of his choosing.

š˜ˆ š˜“š˜ˆš˜š˜™ š˜šš˜– š˜š˜ˆš˜›š˜Œš˜š˜œš˜“ š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜§š˜°š˜¶š˜³š˜µš˜© š˜£š˜°š˜°š˜¬ š˜Ŗš˜Æ š˜›š˜©š˜¦ š˜“š˜¢š˜“š˜µ š˜‹š˜³š˜¢š˜Øš˜°š˜³š˜¢š˜Ŗ, š˜¢š˜Æ š˜¦š˜±š˜Ŗš˜¤ š˜§š˜¢š˜Æš˜µš˜¢š˜“š˜ŗ š˜³š˜°š˜®š˜¢š˜Æš˜¤š˜¦ š˜“š˜¦š˜³š˜Ŗš˜¦š˜“. š˜›š˜©š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜“š˜¦š˜³š˜Ŗš˜¦š˜“ š˜¤š˜¢š˜Æ š˜£š˜¦ š˜³š˜¦š˜¢š˜„ š˜¢š˜“ š˜“š˜µš˜¢š˜Æš˜„š˜¢š˜­š˜°š˜Æš˜¦š˜“ š˜£š˜¶š˜µ š˜øš˜Ŗš˜­š˜­ š˜£š˜¦ š˜£š˜¦š˜µš˜µš˜¦š˜³ š˜¦š˜Æš˜«š˜°š˜ŗš˜¦š˜„ š˜Ŗš˜§ š˜³š˜¦š˜¢š˜„ š˜Ŗš˜Æ š˜°š˜³š˜„š˜¦š˜³. š˜š˜Æš˜¤š˜­š˜¶š˜„š˜¦š˜“ š˜³š˜°š˜®š˜¢š˜Æš˜¤š˜¦ š˜°š˜§ š˜¢ š˜„š˜¢š˜³š˜¬ š˜Æš˜¢š˜µš˜¶š˜³š˜¦ š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜¢ š˜š˜Œš˜ˆ.
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Read on for an exclusive excerpt!

The moment she walked into the room, the alpha’s eyes tracked down her body, and Uraya resisted the urge to pull her robes tighter. Maybe what she was wearing wasn’t the best choice of attire to meet him in. “How may I help you, dragorai?”

His smirk disappeared. “That is not how you will address me.”

“It is the middle of the night.” She forced her voice to remain level. “If you wish me to address you appropriately, maybe you should visit at a more appropriate time of the day.”

Sethorn said nothing for a long moment. “Gather your things. We are leaving for my lair.”

Shock jolted through Uraya’s body. “What are you talking about?”

“You are aware that we have been tasked with working together on this ridiculous mission you have insisted on. In order for us to do that, you need to be in my lair.”

“I do not.”

Sethorn lifted his chin, looking down on her through narrow eyes. “Then how do you hope for us to be successful? You do not have any means of getting to my territory frequently enough.”

Uraya shook her head. “Why can’t you come here to work? There is enough space and I will make myself available at any time.”

“I will not keep breaching my brother’s territory simply to work on something that benefits you alone. If you wish for us to carry out this mission quickly and efficiently, you need to be based in my lair. No further discussion.”

Her heart thudded as she glared at him, holding back all the things she wanted to scream in his face. He wasn’t saying this to help her, he simply wanted her in his lair, like he’d insisted from the first time they’d met.

Sethorn stepped closer, his hazel eyes trained on her, and within the depths of the fiery annoyance in his gaze was something that terrified her—a gleam of amusement. His smirk returned. “I can promise you, you will be treated in my lair exactly as you would expect.”

A surge of anger flared in Uraya’s chest. “Respectfully, I decline,” she replied tightly. Turning on her heel, she walked out of the room.

As soon as she was out in the corridor, she exhaled heavily and headed back to her room. How dare he turn up in the middle of the night insisting she go to his lair. He must think she—

Her breath was knocked out of her as something clamped around her stomach and hoisted her into the air. Yelping, Uraya tried to fight against it, but her arms were locked by her sides, and instinctively she recognized the thick arm wrapped around her.

“Put me down!” Uraya struggled against his hold, but it was firm, with no room to squeeze or slip out of his grip.

“Quiet.” Sethorn strode down the corridor. “We do not have time for this. We need to start working tomorrow and for that you need to be in my lair. You do not have a say.”

He fixed her in such a manner that she slightly flopped over his arm like a sack of potatoes. Furious, Uraya abandoned all attempts to remain calm. She fought him as best she could with her arms locked down by her sides while screaming for him to release her. Her voice echoed off the stone walls of the corridor. Surely someone had to hear her?

Sethorn hoisted her up higher. “Keep screaming, little foe,” he murmured. “It is good practice for you.”

Start the series with A Lair So Sinful!
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About the Author:
Goodreads
Zoey Ellis writes dark, magical, fantasy romances about tortured, possessive, alpha anti-heroes and the sassy heroines who belong to them (even if they don’t want to!). Filled with passionate, carnal steam, Zoey’s stories feature couples that go through tough journeys and make mistakes but ultimately have to grow for each other to survive the dark worlds they inhabit.

Described as ‘deliciously dark’ and ‘unputdownable’, Zoey’s thrilling, fantastical romances come complete with roller-coaster twists and turns, unique worlds, and happy endings.

Zoey is a Londoner, cat mama, and proud romance and epic fantasy addict. She loves jealous/possessive heroes, sexual tension that jumps off the page, and memorable, magical worlds. She reads most genres of romance and has a special love for the ‘true mates’ trope and dark angst. However, she enjoys all different genres of fiction, usually on the darker side.

When not working on her stories, Zoey is usually gaming, buddying reading with friends or stumbling upon new and ridiculous ways to mess up a date!

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Excerpt: Midnight Pages Mystical Inspiration and Writing Prompts for Writers, Insomniacs, and Night Owls by Diane Riis

Ewe won’t believe this!!

Those things that go bump in the night? They’re trying to tell you something. I wrote a whole book about listening to the messages your insomnia is trying to send you. And if you see or hear things in the night, that confirms it for me: the night has something to tell you. If you want it to be otherwise, I get it. I ignored the night for YEARS until I couldn’t anymore.

Here’s what I found out: If you don’t get up and do something with your messages (or at least honor the messengers,) then you are just dooming yourself to more sleepless nights. More bleary-eyed days with nothing to show for it.

For a long time, I resisted this truth. Even though I believed it 100%.

The night is your shadow. It’s your dark side. It’s the piles of unconscious genius you’ve been ignoring in favor of the ordinary.

If you can’t sleep you are up for a reason.
I have a bad track record with sleep. I guess the night has always been my cave, my true home. But even as a newborn, I never slept. Not just colic. Just not a sleeper.

That’s my neuro-divergence and I now longer try to fix or feel bad about it. You shouldn’t either. Maybe it’s your nature and anyway an eight-hour mono-sleep is not the normal human pattern – not for our cave-dwelling ancestors or anyone else throughout history.

One problem with sleeplessness isn’t only the frustration. It’s the fear.
If you’re like me you’ve spent nights frozen in fear of the dark. I’d stare into my room until the shadowy shapes started to look like people and it got even harder to close my eyes and doze off. Things would bump and creak and I’d search my brain for their source. But I never could identify any. I can sleep once day breaks (or more accurately at 2:00 in the afternoon.)

But I was up for a reason and once I got a hold of that – everything changed and now I perk up and pay attention to things that scared me before. And, I stopped being afraid of all the doom and gloom about dying young and getting fat if you can’t sleep at night, too.

But spiritually it was even more profound than that…
Now I know the shadows and messengers and the night itself were calling me to get up and DO something. (Since I’m a writer, I wrote.)

And, three times, entire books have come out of it. Now I know that insomnia is the SIGNAL: Message coming in! I better listen to – or more insomnia is my reward.

Your house isn’t haunted.
Or maybe it is. But YOU yourself might be haunted if the night is keeping you up. It’s the shadow side of you trying to get your attention. It’s the archetypes of Goddess Nyx, the guiding stars, the sounds of crickets and owls. It’s your unconscious, the things that are trying to help you make sense of your crazy, screwed up life! It’s the shadowy crone at the crossroads, pointing to the right choice, or direction.

Things gestate in the dark. And there are things you should be doing: writing, planning, creating. Get up and give birth to them already!

Until you get up and do the thing that calls you, you’ll never sleep through the night without melatonin, hypnosis, or medication.

Sleeplessness might come in waves and cycles. If you miss it, you may never get it back: that inspiration that could have led you to write a bestseller or invent the next million-dollar Shark Tank investment.

It may not be fun.
I have been the recipient of scary, unclear messages I could not interpret. That’s frustrating I will admit. The most surreal sign came one night when I was lying there, eyes burning, staring at the wall. Three lights suddenly appeared, hovering over a dresser. They were yellow, green and orange (I figured that was probably spirit’s version of red.)

So it was like a stop light, I guess. And I mean, they were there, undeniable. I scooted over closer to my sleeping spouse and prayed for the lights to go away or at least not to come any closer. They didn’t feel ominous except for the fact they didn’t belong there but I was terrified!

I frantically tried to figure out the source but there was no way they came from anywhere but thin air or Spirt (or a spirit guide of some sort – one of whom has since become more of a companion, but I can’t blame him for the lights. But I wouldn’t know any of my spirit guides if it weren’t for being up in the night.

I never saw the lights again but they came during a stall during writing this book: Midnight Pages. www.themidnightpages.com . If I had to interpret (guess) I’d say the message was,
“You believe the night has signs and messages and you’re even writing a book about it. And you’re lying there? Trying to sleep? Don’t’ be a hypocrite! Get the heck up and write!”
I stopped stalling after that.

Yes, I get messages in the night and Midnight Pages is the result: a book about stopping fighting your night owl tendencies and making it an adventure. Maybe you’ll become someone who says, “I do my best work at night.”

What I know is if your day is wrecked by how little you slept the night before you might as well have something to show for it.

So, if you are a writer, a journal keeper, a spiritual seeker, a creative or someone who believes imagination is key to life, the night has something to tell you and if you’re awake already, don’t just lie there. Get up and listen. Like Rumi says, “Seeker, don’t sleep.”

Midnight Pages
Mystical Inspiration and Writing Prompts for Writers, Insomniacs, and Night Owls

by Diane Riis
Feb 2, 2022
Genre: Nonfiction, Self Help, Writing, Journal, Workbook
Publisher: Earth and Soul Publishing
ISBN: 9798985131000
Number of pages: 370
Word Count: 25,000
Cover Artist: Book Designer: Andrea Schmidt, a-schmidt.com
The night has something to tell you.

Midnight Pages is a workbook of magical prompts and creative writing exercises. It is also the antidote for anyone who has ever tried (and failed) to get up early to write morning pages.

Embrace your nature! Whether you do your best work at night or you’re going through a bout of insomnia, you will deepen your writing practice and learn to listen to the voices of the night.


WRITING PROMPT From Midnight Pages:
Close your eyes. What do you hear, smell, taste? What do you sense at an energetic or intuitive level? Spend some real time. Find at least twenty-five things. When it gets hard to add to the list is when it gets interesting…”

Excerpt:
VIGILANTIA
Vigilantia: lying awake, sleepless, vigilance. The silence and stillness of midnight might feel suffocating, dense, and thick—heavy with foreboding. It might have you lying in bed, heart pounding, afraid of the dark.


Under the cloak of night, your hearing is heightened. Sounds startle you awake as you drowse. Your mind can ramp up: haunting memories, recriminations, regrets, and stuck thoughts keep you from your rest. Some “insights come up as well and sensations: the surge of adrenaline, pricklings on your neck. You might feel the weight of the dark bearing down on you or you notice movement in the shadows. Maybe you have the sense you’re being watched. Something lurks in the dark that’s imperceptible during the day. You might feel like you are not alone, and that subtle presence over your shoulder seems familiar. You wonder if it’s been there before, maybe even always. During the day, with music blaring and people talking, you just don’t perceive it. Ask what message all this has in store for you. Don’t reject what you hear. Don’t dismiss. Allow.

Night belongs to the spirits. –Proverb


About the Author:
Diane Riis is author of five books and owner of Earth and Soul Coaching and Publishing which works with Indie authors, writers and magical practitioners who want more joy in their lives. She is a metaphysical minister and witch offering spiritual direction (which is a process of reflecting on your journey and learning to observe how you participate in your personal spiritual framework.) She offers writing coaching and classes as well as High Vibe, Soul Deep writing workshops and retreats for women who understand the power of the collective. Rev. Dr. Diane owns and operates a remnant flower farm on Long Island, NY all the while raising dogs, cats, chickens and a boy.
Tweet:
Some writers do their best work at night. Rather than worry that you’re not getting enough sleep, let your insomnia be your writing prompt. Get up and listen to the night. https://www.themidnightpages.com
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