GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ I Smell Sheep: July 2023

Monday, July 31, 2023

WIP it Real Good: Romantic Fantasy Author Brianna Sugalski + giveaway

Disillusioned (A Lay of Ruinous Reign: Book Two) by Brianna Sugalski

Chapter 5 Excerpt
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the fireplace in the far corner. In front of it, upon a patchwork rug, was a large tan armchair that looked like it had seen better years. Or centuries. Garin sat in it, the trimmed back of his head looking very astute, and she wondered distantly if his cropped, blue-black waves ever grew.

There was a neatly made bed across the fire, lush cream undersheets beneath what appeared to be a black duvet, and next to it, a short shelf containing books and several manually bound stacks of parchment. His prized longsword from Sinclair was perched on a wall rack before her, and to the left of that, a long mounted shelf hanging with thick twine that nestled into the corner. This was lined in strange potted plants—ones she’d never seen before. She couldn’t tell if they were foreign as in from a different continent, or Low Forest foreign. None of them glowed, but it was hard to tell in the light. Some of them had mouths, or at least, leaves that looked like mouths. She could’ve sworn one of them yawned.

Stepping further into the room and promptly away from the row of plants, Lilac cleared her throat. “Nice of you to share your space with Lorietta.”

Garin looked up from the worn sheepskin book in his palm, turned so she could see his sharp profile against the hearth before him, and said, sounding alarmed, “What makes you think she shares my room?”

“That’s not what I was implying,” she said, motioning to the strange array of flora, unsure if he saw the motion. “Her plants make for some intriguing decor, that’s all.”

He turned back to the fire and the room was silent for a beat more. She waited while he finished his page, marked it with the red lace protruding from the top of the book, and slid it into his pant pocket.

“Are you still angry with me?” There was genuine curiosity in his words.

“No.”

Standing and rounding the chair, he sauntered toward her. The way the firelight struck the man’s features made her breath catch. He was beautiful, as he’d always been. But it was strange bearing witness to this beauty here, in his home—not his parents’ home, or the Sanguine Mine, but in the place Garin Trevelyan took true solace. True pride. Taken aback, it took a moment for her to meet his gaze, and by the time she did, he showed no intention of stopping.

Lilac played along, retreating and taunting him, lips slightly parted, her eyes wide and stormy, taking him in. Yes, she was still angry. Furious. She was also hungry. There were many ways to punish men, but applying this to Garin might also punish her, in ways she might not entirely mind.

He rocked with a bounce in each step, slowly dancing them both, untouching, to the wall of plants.

Hands behind her, both to feel for the stone and to keep herself from raking her nails into him, she came to rest against the wall. She was nearly panting by the time he leaned down so that their mouths were almost touching.

“If I can tell you’ve made yourself come tonight, do you think I wouldn’t be able to tell you’re lying to me?”

She’d been grinning hungrily up at him; now, the smile fell abruptly. Fire coursed through her veins. “I was—How did you know?”

He placed a hand against the wall and two fingers of the other under her chin, teasing against the pout of her bottom lip. “How’s staying away going for you, Eleanor?”

She had never intended to stay away. She was selfish, she’d been called that before and tonight she didn’t fight it. The intensity in his slate eyes was overwhelming, burning and heavy, this time planting her in her body instead of coaxing her out to sea. “You’re the one backing me into a corner.”

“And you’re the one who walked into my room unannounced.” His teeth were elongated; although this no longer invoked the same initial fear she once felt, they still sent a visceral reaction through her. He reveled in it, grinning with satisfaction. “That’s twice, now. If only the former king knew. If only, Armand knew.”

Lilac jerked her chin from him, but he gripped her jaw in a gentle, iron vice.

“Is that what this is?” She lifted her hand to his and coaxed the finger at the corner of her mouth onto her tongue, unflinching as she wrapped her lips around it.

Garin froze, his breath hitched and throat bobbing. She would play his game, and play it better. A low groan erupted from his throat as he released her.

“Is this your revenge?”

When he answered, his voice cracked. “If this is revenge, Your Majesty, let it be the sweetest I’ll ever taste.”

Disenchanted
(A Lay of Ruinous Reign, #1)
by Brianna Sugalski
December 27th 2022
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Tangled meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this Breton folklore-inspired fantasy debut brimming with wry humor, epic adventure, and an irresistible romance.

At the peak of the Breton Renaissance, Lilac Trécesson is held prisoner in her own castle after a most wicked secret is revealed on the eve of her fifteenth birthday. Years later, her Accession looms upon her father’s decision to abdicate, and between town riots and the noble family bent on snatching her throne, she prepares for the worst…

Until a letter arrives from The Witch of Lupine Grotto, detailing a curious offer to banish her curse forever.

Her heirloom dagger at the ready, Lilac embarks into Brocéliande and finds herself in the grasp of a bloodthirsty barkeep who demands her help in exchange for protection against the even deadlier forces of the woods.

She is thrust on a quest to uphold her family’s legacy—and her sovereign right to destroy it and start anew—by any means necessary. Pity the fool to underestimate the girl with subpar blade skills but the pure spite to make up for it.

This is the tale of a cursed princess,

A crestfallen killer,

The town that wants them to burn,

And the witch who can save them both.


About the Author:
Website-FB-InstagramSoutheast Asian fantasy author with a soup addiction. Diverse medievalist and developmental editor who lives in oversized sweaters, and prefers to explore the more ominous—disenchanting, if you will—undertones of history, romance, and the arcane.

My debut, Breton Arthuriana-inspired YA Dark Fantasy DISENCHANTED, released with the Parliament Press in March 2020, and is being re-released and rebranded for the New Adult/ Adult indie market in December 2022. The rest of the trilogy will follow this updated genre rating.

Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INT)
Signed copy of Disenchanted



Sunday, July 30, 2023

A Song of Shadow and Starlight (Shadow and Starlight #1) by Morgan Gauthier

Welcome to the tour for A Song of Shadow and Starlight by Morgan Gauthier! Read on for more details!

A Song of Shadow and Starlight (Shadow and Starlight #1)

by Morgan Gauthier
August 2, 2023
Genre: NA Fantasy/ Romantic Fantasy
⭐Enemies-to-Lovers
⭐Kidnapped Princess
⭐Found Family
⭐3 Magic Wielding Brothers
⭐Epic World Building
⭐Magic, Magic, and more Magic!

Never Trust a Tronovian.

Ilaria Shaye Kitarni is the sole heir to the Midorian Throne, but she will never be permitted to rule.
On the eve of her wedding to her childhood best friend, she unwittingly thwarts an assassination attempt, and is kidnapped by the Tronovians, the sworn enemy of the Midorians.

Determined to escape her captors, she burns their boat and swims to the shores of the Jungle Kingdom of Bava. But instead of getting away, she thrusts herself, and the three magic-wielding brothers who captured her, into perils she’s only ever read about in books.

During the long trek through Bava, she discovers hidden truths not only about the people she loves most, but about herself as well.

Never trust a Tronovian. That has been beaten into Shaye’s head for as long as she can remember, but could it be, the only people she can trust, are her enemies?

A Song of Shadow and Starlight is the first book in a NA Fantasy Romance and Adventure series, perfect for fans of Avatar the Last Airbender, ACOTAR (Steamy vibes without Explicit Spice), and Dungeons and Dragons!

About the Author

Website-Instagram
Instagram/TikTok/Facebook/Pinterest: @authormorgangauthier
Storytelling is in Morgan Gauthier’s blood. She can’t seem to turn her brain off at night and some of her best ideas have come to her in the shower.

Born to two book-loving parents, Morgan was raised on a healthy diet of The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Nancy Drew, and any fantasy book she could get her hands on. She started writing her own stories at eleven years old and hasn’t looked back.

She is the author of the Mark of the Hunter Trilogy (Wolves of Adalore, The Red Maiden, and The Raven and the Wolf) as well as Aloha, Seattle and The Maine Attraction (both Contemporary Romantic Comedies).

Morgan Gauthier lives in East Tennessee with her husband and best friend, Brad, and their three children, Remi, Archer, and Roux (who are 5 years old and younger!). If five people wreaking havoc in the same house wasn’t enough, Morgan also has three dogs, Potter, Skye, and Bubba.

If Morgan isn’t writing or reading, she can be found binge watching Netflix shows, attempting to cook like Gordon Ramsay (not even close to his level), and practicing archery.

Book Tour Schedule
July 31st
http://rrbooktours.com Kick-off
http://www.ismellsheep.com/ - Feature
https://www.instagram.com/theliteraryhobbs/?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg%3D%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/calhoun.crew/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/thebennetbookshelf/?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg%3D%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/bookswithbunnies/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/jenalreads/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/katierichardauthor/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/mary.readsalot/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/mommasbookies/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/blond.iereads/?igshid=MTIyMzRjYmRlZg%3D%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/dreaminginpages/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/tairen_soul/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/notastringonme/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/thecaffeinatedbooksisters/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/bookswithstacie/ - Review
https://www.thesexynerdrevue.com – Feature
https://www.instagram.com/readwritefantasy/ - Feature
August 1st
https://www.instagram.com/emilyflovesbooks/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/word.addict914/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/bouviebooks/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/over.on.my.bookshelf/?hl=en – Review
https://www.instagram.com/jennsbookreviews1321/ - Review
https://www.tiktok.com/@jenniferdavis9697
https://www.instagram.com/vicariousbookstagram/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/stepintothepages/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/littlemrsspooner/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/lilyreadsandotherthings/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/bingingbooksandcoffee/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/books_cats_andchemistry_tt/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/shannonl0vesbooks/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/vellumandvillains/ - Review
August 2nd
https://www.instagram.com/magicalmushroombookshelf/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/ashleys_endless_tbrlist/?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/emilyvanderbent_author/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/harliereadsitall/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/jayjay_pjkw/ - Review
https://instagram.com/fictionalfey - Review
https://www.instagram.com/rantingbooklover/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/morrighanrose/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/wander.through.books/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/thebookishmusician/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/stephs.books/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/susans.readingnook/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/nerdette.recs/ - Review
August 3rd
https://www.instagram.com/crooks_book_nook/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/briannas_bookshelf/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/book_lover_danny/ - Review
http://readwriterun.ca/ - Review
https://instagram.com/read_write_run_?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
https://www.instagram.com/kay.reads.books_/ - Review
https://www.tiktok.com/@kbrookereads?_t=8cFzWdBLwyM&_r=1 – Review
https://www.instagram.com/toomuchcoffeemd/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/squeakeysundergroundlibrary/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/fueledbybooksandespresso/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/books.highlighters.me/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/anotherdamnbook - Review
https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/shelbe_reads/?igshid=ZDdkNTZiNTM%3D – Review
https://www.instagram.com/itbeganwiththestars/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/szandrareadsbakestories/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/angieisbooked/ - Review
August 4th
https://www.instagram.com/amanda_coffee_books/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/happily_undignified/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/rissreviews_xx/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/literaryrogues/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/elizasbookshelves/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/abookshelftomagicalrealms/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/booksdogscaffeinechic/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/michaelawrites517/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/mommabookish/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/BookBaddies4Life/ - Review
https://www.instagram.com/samanthainfantasyworld - Review

 
Book Tour Organized By:
 

Friday, July 28, 2023

Action/Adventure Sci-Fi Novella: Phoenix Rising by Mark T. Wellington


by Mark T. Wellington
May 13, 2023
Genre: Action, Adventure, Techno-Thriller, Suspense, Sci-Fi, Military Thriller, Conspiracy
124 pages

Unveiling the latest sensation in the world of Short Form Novels: Phoenix Rising by Mark T. Wellington!

This high-octane, adrenaline-pumping thriller will transport you to the year 2035, where mind-controlled space-age drones reign supreme, and one man's quest to save the world takes an intensely personal turn.

Immerse yourself in the gripping story of Tony Simmons, a fearless Air Force major with the extraordinary ability to control three of the most powerful drones ever created - the Devastators. When his family is kidnapped, and he finds himself betrayed and hunted, Tony is forced to push his powers to the limit in a desperate race against time.

Phoenix Rising is the perfect embodiment of the Short Form Novel, delivering a relentless, fast-paced narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Mark T. Wellington masterfully weaves a tale of suspense, intrigue, and heart-stopping action, combining futuristic technology and geopolitical complexities with raw, human emotions.

In this compact literary masterpiece, every page is packed with tension, danger, and unexpected twists, as Tony navigates the treacherous world of betrayal, espionage, and simmering romantic tension with his colleague, Adrianne. As the line between reality and fabrication blurs, Tony must unravel the shocking truth behind the conspiracy that threatens his life and the safety of his family.

Don't miss out on this exhilarating new addition to the Short Form Novel revolution! Grab your copy of Phoenix Rising today and join Tony Simmons as he battles insurmountable odds to save his family and uncover the sinister truth that lies beneath the surface. Are you ready for the ride of your life?




About the Author
Website-FB Group-Twitter
Mark T. Wellington is a US Air Force Veteran with the Electronic Security Command who held an SCI/SBI Top Secret clearance—his experience in the military has given him the tools to tell exciting stories. His expertise in cyber and electronic warfare, as well as his practices in Krav Maga and kickboxing, inspired his turbulent and exciting novel, Phoenix Rising.

A citizen of the world, Mark's passport is a mosaic of global experiences. He has journeyed from the bustling streets of Istanbul to the steep inclines of Mount Everest, and from the historic heart of Berlin to the vibrant culture of Barcelona. Having resided in six different countries, he has absorbed diverse cultures, engaged with intricate art forms, and navigated awe-inspiring landscapes.

Despite his technological acumen and AI engineering expertise, he is never one to be confined within the digital realm. His creativity spills over into his passion for scuba diving, rock climbing, and racing, each providing unique inspirations for his storytelling. Moreover, his interests in cooking, gardening, and painting reveal an individual who fully embraces the blend of art and science, making his work as varied and colorful as his life.

With his extensive world travels, deep technical expertise, and unbounded creativity, Mark is a true renaissance man, promising many more exciting stories to come.


Thursday, July 27, 2023

Interview: Paranornal Women's Fiction Author Lori Handeland +giveaway

What inspired you to write this book?
A few years back at a writer’s conference a writer friend who had started writing Paranormal Women’s Fiction suggested I give it a try. While I finished with other commitments, an idea began to form about a mother who would do anything, lost love and werewolves. Bit by bit, Sarah came to life.

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in the books?
NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS AFTER MIDNIGHT introduces Sarah Sullivan, a recent widow who gets the phone call all mother’s dread in the middle of the night. Her daughter, Jenna, is missing from college. This sets Sarah on a journey of discovery, both for her daughter’s whereabouts and for the answer to a mystery in her past.

Ash has a lot of secrets too. Sarah is that mother we all hope to be—she will do anything—ANYTHING—to find her daughter and keep her safe. Even sacrifice herself.

BLAME IT ON MIDNIGHT continues Sarah’s story. She now lives in a world of werewolves. She’s one of them. There’s a civil werewolf war brewing and she’s right in the middle of it. There’s a tug of war over her between the high school love of her life turned alpha werewolf, Gideon, and the incredibly sexy Zane, former beta of a pack Gideon has taken over.

IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR finds Sarah uncovering more and more secrets as she hides one of her own. She has choices to make and werewolves to kill. She has become the Luna werewolf queen she didn’t want to be.

In all three of these novels we meet, or perhaps meet again if you’ve read my Nightcreature Novels, Edward Mandenauer, leader of the Jager-Suchers (hunter searchers, monster hunters he organized after WW2, when Hitler’s werewolf army was released into the world. Edward is rough, tough, no one to mess with and as always, and incredible hoot.

Where did you come up with the names in the story?
I have a notebook where I keep a list of names I’ve heard or read that struck me as a name I’d like to use in the future. Then I test them out on the characters as they come to me. There have been times when a character arrives in my brain with a name attached. No idea why.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Revisiting characters I’d created in my “Nightcreature Novels,” specifically Edward and the voodoo queen, Renee.

I have written 2 short stories about Edward and Renee, which you can read for free on Bookfunnel.

I saved my daughter. But how do I save myself when I have a secret that is going to turn the entire werewolf world upside down?


Blame It On Midnight  (A Midnight Madness Nightcreature Novel Book 2)
by Lori Handeland
Genre: Paranormal Women's Fiction

I saved my daughter. But how do I save myself?

I did what I had to. Try and kill my girl? I will end you faster than you can say have mercy. Sure I broke a cardinal pack rule, which will get me executed by my mate. If they find out. If they find me.

Saved from capture by Zane, the sexiest of sexy werewolves, my rescue comes with a price. Zane wants a favor, one that could cause an all-out pack war. The last thing I need is to make more enemies, but lives are at stake if I don’t make a stand.
Not only that, but I have a secret. An impossible secret that is going to turn the entire werewolf world upside down.

From the voice of New York Times bestselling author Lori Handeland, a new volume in her Nightcreature world, complete with the humor, depth of characterization and fast-paced plot lines she is known for while showcasing the author’s incredible range.

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Excerpt
I found the country lane that led to where I was going. Several minutes later, the overgrown driveway spit me into a clearing tucked into a deep, dark wood. The place had always given me Hansel and Gretel vibes, but now, considering, it felt more Little Red Riding Hood.

I cast uneasy glances at the thick, dense trees, which, thanks to my fairy-tale thoughts—curse them!—appeared to heave and hum. Despite the ungodly hour, seemingly every available light fixture blazed within the gorgeous log home.

Why Frankie—my late husband’s assistant, a beautiful young man with ridiculously long, dark lashes and very shiny teeth—had built a place that fit him as well as shitkicker boots fit a gazelle had always been unclear.

Frankie’s baby—a peacock-blue 1957 Ford Fairlane convertible—shone beneath the light of the undulating moon, and before I could even knock, the door swung open.

Middle of the night and Frankie matched his car. Smooth. Cool. Classic. His cream trousers held a perfect crease, and his apricot button-down had never known a crinkle. The only indication of the ungodly hour were his bare, narrow feet. We matched.

I lifted my hand. “Hi.”

His unwrinkled brow wrinkled. “People have been searching for you.”

Old news. The only one who hadn’t been, come to think of it, was Frankie. And now that I did think of it, and considering . . . everything . . . that was suspect.

“I told them you were visiting a friend.”

Oh. Right. I had said that. Had, in fact, pushed him with my mind—my innate werewolf gift—into believing it despite—

“Then someone mentioned you don’t have friends.”

That.

I had contractors. Suppliers. Consultants. I had made Patrick’s Victorian family home into a showplace once featured in Architectural Digest, something that had made Patrick proud of the place for the first, and last, time I could recall.

I had neighbors. Fellow members of charitable organizations. Spouses of other politicians. Basically acquaintances. I’d never fit in. Not anywhere. Ever. Except with Patrick. With Gideon. And I hadn’t wanted to.

But now would have been a good time to have friends. Someone I could go to for help besides my husband’s lover. But you get what you get.

The wind chose that second to rustle through the trees and waft the scent of rotting walnuts across my face. I tensed and whirled, spreading my arms wide, putting myself between that scent and Frankie.

But behind me—to the left and to the right—there was nothing but trees, and when I took another whiff . . . more nothing. Because I’d killed the last werewolf that smelled like that. I knew I had.

“Sarah, what the he—?”

I shoved Frankie inside and slammed the door, flicked the lock, looked for a dead bolt. Didn’t find one, but a dead bolt wasn’t going to help if a werewolf wanted in. A werewolf would just jump through one of the far too numerous windows.

“Did you ever consider storm shutters for those?”

“To prep for the hurricane that isn’t going to hit Wisconsin ever?” Frankie asked.

I started turning off the lights. “Better safe than sorry.”

Nothing Good Happens After Midnight (A Midnight Madness Nightcreature Novel Book 1)
They say a mother will do anything for her child . . . I’m living proof

This nightmare began when I got the call every parent dreads. My daughter, Jenna, was missing from her college campus. Of course, my mind went to the worst place. After all, my late husband was a powerful senator. Was this some political payback?

I call in a favor and soon I’m partnered with an FBI sex trafficking agent. He tells me local girls have been disappearing for some time now, and he finally has a lead. But what we find at that abandoned warehouse is something out of a horror movie.

Werewolves! Two rival packs, their alphas fighting, winner take all––the pack and the trafficked girls. The werewolves must replenish their breeders, recently decimated by a virus that killed only the females.

But Jenna’s been keeping a secret, which only makes two of us. Though I should be angry, I know the lies I’ve told play a huge role in why we’re here. I’ll do anything to make it right. No way is my girl going to become a sacrificial mate for the greater good––even if she is the ‘chosen one.’ So, I do what any mother would do, I take her place, offering myself to Gideon, the winning alpha, as his mate.

Gideon’s goal is to live in harmony with the human world, but there are others who exist for the power, for the violence, and they don’t plan to let peace prevail.

There’s a civil werewolf war brewing and I am right in the middle of it.

From the voice of New York Times bestselling author Lori Handeland, a new volume in her Nightcreature world, complete with the humor, depth of characterization and fast-paced plot lines she is known for while showcasing the author’s incredible range.

Amazon-B&N-Kobo-Smashwords-Books2Read-Bookbub-Goodreads


About the Author
Website-FB-Instagram
Bookbub-Amazon
Goodreads
Lori Handeland is a five-time nominee and two-time winner of t
he prestigious RITA™ Award from Romance Writers of America, as well as the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over sixty novels spanning the genres of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, contemporary romance, historical romance, historical fantasy and women’s fiction. Her novel Just Once received a coveted, starred review from Library Journal and was optioned as a feature film by Catalyst Global Media.


Lori set her sight on being an author at the age of ten. She remembers sitting at a typewriter before she knew how to type, pecking out a story about a family who went into space. As an only child her summers were spent with that typewriter, television, and, above all, books. As a young adult, she got sidetracked by the need to make a living. She worked as a waitress and later enrolled in college to become a teacher.

Lori lives in Southern Wisconsin with her husband of over thirty-five years. In between writing and reading, she enjoys long walks with their rescue mutt, Arnold, and visits from her two grown sons, awesome daughter-in-law and perfectly adorable grandchildren.

Giveaway

Stuffed Wolf Plush,
$20 Amazon giftcard
- 1 winner each!
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt: Enchanted Realms: Tales of Fantasy in Light and Shadow + giveaway

For the first time, these 13 award-winning authors collaborate on fantastic novellas of adventure, magic, dragons, quests, fae, and war! 
 
Enchanted Realms: Tales of Fantasy in Light and Shadow

with stories by
Richard Fierce, R. Kyle Hannah, Jeanne Hardt, William Heinzen, Kenyon T. Henry, Abigail Keam,
J.L. Lawrence, Sandy Lender, Philip Ligon, Carl R. Moore, E.G. Rowley, Steven L. Shrewsbury, Stephen Zimmer
For the first time, these award-winning authors collaborate on fantastic novellas of adventure, magic, dragons, quests, fae, and war!

Find your next favorite fantasy world among these enchanted tales--from dragons to fairies to creatures you’d never dream of. Fantasy has been re-imagined for your reading pleasure in this boxed set of original novellas. Let them carry you to lands you won’t want to leave with fully fleshed—and sometimes scaled—characters you can’t help but cheer for--on adventures you may not survive…

If you like reading J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Goodkind, and Ursula K. Le Guin, you will love Enchanted Realms. No matter your typical fantasy flavor, Enchanted Realms offers a tantalizing feast for your senses.
** Preorder now for only .99cents! **
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Featuring: 
 
Della and the Dragon's Sword
by Sandy Lender
The clever Della Smithieson returns to a dragon’s lair not knowing if the beast will help her—or roast her for her audacity. She’s on a quest to retrieve a cursed sword for a wizard, unaware of the trap the ancient dragon set for her two winters ago, unaware of the covetous evil lurking in the fetid fields around her old home. This psychological horror story of dragon manipulation and #GirlPower is set in Sandy Lender’s fantasy world of Onweald and appears for the first time in Enchanted Realms: Tales of Fantasy in Light and Shadow, from Jumpmaster Press.


Excerpt from Della and the Dragon’s Sword, by Sandy Lender
The Demon Fight Scene, from chapter 1

A beast clicked its claws along the Anthelk Mountain pass in pursuit of her—the dragging hit of thick nails against stone gaining ground behind her with each step she took. It was time to make her stand against the threat, before she found herself fighting a demon that could see more clearly in the dark than she.

Grasping the hilt of a too-short dagger at her belt, Della struggled to soften her breath. Tried to listen over her blood sloshing in her brain to hear from where the creature approached. She glanced up.

Blast.

The chasm where she sought shelter gave way to a ledge where any number of monsters could stand. Then drop onto her. She mouthed a prayer to the gods, hoping at least one in Mahriket was paying attention.

Good luck, girl, she told herself.

She pulled the knife clear of its leather sheath and put its tip to the wall near the deflated satchel resting against her hip. With a calculated arc, she swirled her wrist, so the forged iron dragged in a metallic scrape for the space of a breath.

The creature grunted nearby.

In fact, the vile thing had crept close enough that she heard the bones in its neck snap toward her position. It gurgled deeply, lowly—a growl of anticipation. Its rotting-flesh stink wafted in her direction, along with the whine of tiny, winged insects seeking flesh to aggravate.

She fought her gag reflex, holding her open hand to her stomach.

Instead of giving in to sickness, she tightened her grip on the weapon—holding it pointed backward as Trume had taught her at the conclave.

I need a longer blade.

She glanced furtively around her feet for a rock, a stone, any jagged shard from the path that she could grab to bludgeon the creature’s mouth if it should rush her. She had to keep its teeth and claws at bay. If this was an edras—which is what it smelled like—she had to keep its venom off her skin.

I should’ve demanded a sword before I left.

She bent her knees, lowering her torso vertically down the rock face—momentarily catching the satchel strap on some blasted outcropping that probably bruised her flesh—to reach for a fist-sized rock about a hand’s width from her boot. Curling her long geasa’n fingers around it, she shifted it in her grip, so the smoothest surface positioned in her palm and the most jagged edge jutted out from between her thumb and splayed digits.

It’s my own fault. I should’ve picked up a sword on the way here. I had a full turn of the moons to change this insipid plan.

That’s when time slipped away for Della. Crouched close to the ground, basic weapons in each hand, she cringed at the putrid heap of flesh-covered bone landing not six feet from her. An edras demon hit the stone-and-earth path on all fours, powdering dust clouds around its feet and claws. Its alopecic head brought its snake-slit eyes level with hers. Slime-lined vocal cords vibrated a slippery, alto growl. “I know who you are, Della Sssmithiessson.”

Her whole body shuddered. No one in the world of Onweald wanted an edras singling him out; it meant someone in a position of power had called on this foul-smelling beast, summoning it from the dark spirit realm to find her specifically.

“Fight for your life,” it commanded lowly. “One who will not be named wantsss your valuable carcassss.”

The urge to run sent the geasa coursing through her. Blood thundered violently to her brain like the Wepanchiele River in flood. If I stand, I expose too much of myself. She could lunge to the left from her crouched position, could dive and dart away from this menace.

Except now the familiar hit-click of thick nails sounded from the left.

By the gods, there are two of them.

About the Author

Website-TwitterSandy Lender is a construction magazine editor by day and author of #GirlPower fantasy novels by night, living in Florida to help with sea turtle conservation and parrot rescue. You can follow her author page on Amazon, check her website at SandyLenderInk.com, or subscribe to her newsletter at https://bit.ly/SSReNews.

ith a four-year degree in English and thirty-year career in publishing, Sandy’s successes include traditionally and self-published novels, hundreds of magazine articles, multiple short stories in competitive anthologies, a handful of technical writing awards, and a handful of creative writing awards and nominations. Sandy’s been writing stories since she was knee-high to a grasshopper when her great-grandmother shared her odd little tales of squeaky ghost-spiders around an apartment complex in Southern Illinois. The stories have developed to include strong young ladies working with dragons to save worlds from terrible fates, but those pesky spiders still show up from time to time.

There’s always something brewing at Sandy Lender Ink headquarters where some days, you just want the dragon to win.

Giveaway
$10 Amazon
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Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Excerpt: Taming the White Wolf (Lone Wolf Legacy Book 1) by N.J. Walters + giveaway

Solitude is his fate...until her.

Taming the White Wolf (Lone Wolf Legacy Book 1)
by N.J. Walters
Genre: Paranormal Romance
The lone wolf answers to no alpha or pack. From his first transformation, he knows his destiny: to be both judge and executioner for rogue werewolves. Welcome to the spellbinding first book in New York Times bestselling author N.J. Walters intense new werewolf series.

White wolf Devlin Moore has spent nearly the last century following his destiny: hunting rogue werewolves. His fate is to be the only one of his kind—hardened, feared, and brutally ruthless. Only now, Devlin’s not alone. There are two others. And if that wasn’t unsettling enough, Devlin is drawn to New York City for what appears to be a human…

As far as Devlin can tell, vibrant artist Zoe Galvani is no threat. But there’s something about her— from her unusual eyes that look similar to the same shocking hue as his own, to his growing need to mark her as his that suggests magical forces may be at play.

Now there’s no escaping each other, or the attraction that grows stronger by the second. But no one, especially a human woman, should have this effect on a lone wolf. And just when he’s sure that having her could be his undoing…the truth steps out of the shadows.

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EXCERPT
Whoever this woman was, she was pure temptation, a dangerous distraction he didn’t need. If anything, he needed to keep his guard up until he discovered why he’d been drawn to her.

She licked her lips again. Unable to resist, he leaned toward her. When she didn’t object, he brushed his mouth against hers. Lust roared through him like a runaway freight train. He almost staggered under the onslaught. Every muscle in his chest rippled as her hand skimmed over it before settling on his shoulder.

Mine! The possessive impulse caught him off guard. Wolves mated for life, but not lone wolves. As the name implied, they were solitary creatures by necessity.

Inhaling sharply, he sorted through myriad scents. Beneath the layers of sweat, liquor, and artificial fragrance lay a richer one—sweet with a hint of arousal—hers. It went straight to his dick, making it throb. Then he caught a darker, musky scent mixed with a hint of blood.

A low growl escaped him before he could swallow it back. Everything inside him stilled as he scented his quarry. Needing to be sure, he buried his face against her neck and shoulder. It was stronger near her back. There was no mistaking it. This was no mere brush from someone passing by. The rogue had marked her with several drops of his blood.

Either she was involved with the rogue he was hunting, or the male had watched him save her life earlier and decided to draw her into their deadly game of hide-and-seek. Whatever the reason, she’d been marked. Rogues chose their victims at random to leave no pattern to track, but this was deliberate.

About the Author:
Once upon a time N.J. had the idea that she would like to quit her job at the bookstore, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown, and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the bookstore and her hometown and settled in for another seven years.

One day she gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first romance novel and life would never be the same.

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks--all vie for her attention. It's a tough life, but someone's got to live it.

Giveaway
$10 Amazon
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Monday, July 24, 2023

Fantasy Anthology: Merciless Mermaids: Tails from the Deep

Merciless Mermaids: Tails from the Deep

by Kevin J. Anderson, Allyson Longueira, Mercedes Lackey, Rick Wilber, D.J. Butler, Gama Ray Martinez, Julia Vee, Ken Bebelle
July 25, 2023
Publisher: Wordfire Press
Think deep.

The deep of the sea, the deep of space, the deep of our souls, our fears ... ourselves.

Fear not the monsters under your bed-but the mermaids under your boat.

Merciless Mermaids: Tails from the Deep features thirty original stories and poems by Mercedes Lackey, Rick Wilber, D.J. Butler, Gama Ray Martinez, Julia Vee, Ken Bebelle, and many others. From Japanese legends to mafia mermen, from carnival freaks to flying aces, from bayou legends to kraken-like behemoths, these tales explore the darker side of merfolk: desire, envy, love unfulfilled, grace ungranted, loneliness turned to rage....

Can you see the shapes in the waters that watch you?

Do you hear the lure of a siren's call?

Can you feel the mermaid's eyes upon you?

Compiled by New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson and award-winning editor Allyson Longueira and their Publishing graduate students at Western Colorado University.

Deep down you know that the darkness has a tail.


About the Author:
Kevin J. Anderson has published more than 175 books, 58 of which have been national or international bestsellers. He has written numerous novels in the Star Wars, X-Files, and Dune universes, as well as a unique steampunk fantasy trilogy beginning with Clockwork Angels, written with legendary rock drummer Neil Peart. His original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series, the Wake the Dragon and Terra Incognita fantasy trilogies, the Saga of Shadows trilogy, and his humorous horror series featuring Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. He has edited numerous anthologies, written comics and games, and the lyrics to two rock CDs. Anderson is the director of the graduate program in Publishing at Western Colorado University. Anderson and his wife Rebecca Moesta are the publishers of WordFire Press. His most recent novels are Clockwork Destiny, Gods and Dragons, Dune: The Lady of Caladan (with Brian Herbert), and Slushpile Memories: How NOT to Get Rejected.