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Showing posts with label book two. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book two. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Excerpt: Dragoius Reborn: Fate and Whispers (The Bloods Passion Saga Book Two) by Adom Sample

Dragoius Reborn: Fate and Whispers (The Bloods Passion Saga Book Two)
by Adom Sample
March 31, 2018
Genre: Fantasy Vampire/ Paranormal Romance
ISBN-13: 978-1987401202
ISBN-10: 1987401204
ASIN: B078QSMDBG
Number of pages: 415
Word Count: 104,000
Cover Artist: Adom Sample
How far will you go to be with the one you love?

We all have a choice in life. Sebastian and I made our choice—to be together.

The Shadow Lands became our sanctuary after everything we'd sacrificed. Our desire for one another only deepened as time passed. We'd broken Coven Laws, defied the human government, and put our families at risk to pursue our passion. The Courting Moon bonded us on that night, sealing our fate.

Nevertheless, our work is far from complete. With the Coven searching everywhere to find us it's only a matter of time before death befalls those we love. We are left with no other choice, but to finish what my father died trying to accomplish. To reestablish the Alliance Sanctuary, rebuild the Kingdom of Dragoius, and bring an end to the Coven of Vampyre's tyrannical rule.

The most powerful Vampyre in all the lands, Sebastian's father, the Count of Orias has vowed to stop at nothing until we are found, and our bond is broken. We're racing against time and it all hinges on discovering the Coven's one secret—

Why romantic love is forbidden…


Excerpt:
He stands there looking upon her radiant beauty, unable to form words. She’s so luxurious to him; he still can’t believe he’s found someone like her to love him unconditionally. She exits the shower, bright pink hair soaking wet. He becomes aroused yet fades into the background. He must fight off the temptation; otherwise, his plans will lie in ruins. He isn’t supposed to be here—not at this moment.

For months he tried and failed to express the passion burning within him in the form of words, but those words never came to fruition. Like a sly snake, he went into their room and placed a note on the bed. Now, only now, is he able to tell her the depths of his unending love for her.

Not just the sexual, but the emotional and spiritual as well—something no Vampyre or human could ever understand in a world built on emotional suppression. He exits the room just as she approaches. Slowly, he closes the door and goes back to fixing the steps that caused them to tumble into the bunker where they now dwell. They’ve been trapped in the bunker for three days, and while everything they need is provided for them, they still would like to have an exit readily available.

The door creaks.

Sebastian, is that you?” she calls out.

She looks around, but seeing no one, she wraps one towel around her head and one over her body before closing the shower doors. As glaring as the sun beyond the Shadow Lands, the note is there when she nears the bed.

“I can’t believe this man,” she says with a bright smile. She tightens the towel around her body and sits on the bed, taking the note in her hands.

The words “From Me to You” are written across the front. She unfolds the note carefully so as not to tear any part of it. That’s when she notices the Courting Moon’s glow as it shimmers on her skin. A flush of emotion overcomes her heart. They are safe from the Coven, from Daven, from the Council, from anyone looking to do them harm. Now is the time to enjoy each other, to learn more about the emotions they’re experiencing. She finishes unfolding the note and reads the delicate words Sebastian has written for her.

Kyra, my love, my everything,

Space and time have no validity when we are together. The nights I have stayed awake wondering how I could be blessed with such an angel are innumerable. You, Kyra, are my heart . . . if that’s what you wish to call it. Love itself is a word that couldn’t possibly hold bearing on what I feel for you. What we have is so much more than that—I can’t explain it. All I do know is the connection we have will last longer than anything in this world. As bright as the moon shines in the night, I will love you, never fail you, always be there for you, give my life for you, and live for you. Whatever this journey may bring, just know that I, Sebastian of Orias, am within you every moment until my immortality gives way. I love you, Kyra—always.

Holding her hand to her face, she tries to keep tears from ruining the note.

“Kyra,” says Sebastian, holding a collection of pink roses. “Did you read it?”

She removes the towel on her head and places the note on the nightstand near their bed. “Yes, it’s beautiful.”

Sebastian takes a single rose from the bouquet he’s holding and places the bud of it in her hair.

“No, Kyra, you’re beautiful.”

She takes the bouquet from him and breathes its scent in deeply, then sets the roses on the nightstand near the note. She embraced him in a time-stopping kiss. With Sebastian by her side, Kyra is left with a decision. And the fates of both Vampyre and humankind hang in the balance. The choice is hers and hers alone.

About the Author:
Adom Sample was born in Kansas City, Missouri and currently lives in Fairfax, Virginia. He holds an MBA from GMU, an MHA from ATSU. He served in the United States Air Force from 2001 to 2008. He is an independent author who enjoys reading and writing romance, erotic, and paranormal stories. Writing is his passion and he lives to give others ideas and inspire stories to push the limits of creativity.

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Book Review: Wolf at the Door (Heritage Series Book 2) by Layne Macadam

Wolf at the Door (Heritage Series Book 2)
by Layne Macadam
July 11, 2016
134 pages
Jonah Lawson’s protective armor is working fine, until the lovely Camille Robineau enters his life. He’s prepared for a solitary existence, and resigned to the hand fate has dealt him. But when the headstrong Camille goes missing, he knows she’s stolen his heart. He leads a search party that has repercussions no one could have foreseen.


The great part about reading certain authors series, among a number of things, you can pick up from any book and carry on without missing a beat. I didn't read book one in this saga and it didn't even matter. Which was great! 

I'm pretty certain we've meet our main alpha male in book one and he's back with the spotlight shinning bright! Talk about a well hashed out and complex character. I really enjoyed him and the chemistry between our couple seemed to throw off sparks at times. 

A short story like this is sometimes all you need. You can read this one pretty quickly and get sucked right into the world this author does an awesome job creating! A few little flaws in our main gal were maybe the only drawback I had. Wreckless woman can be a bit dramatic and it's not really my bag. But overall this is a solid PNR for anyone looking to try out this colorful author. 


Getting 4 Sheep
KD  

About the Author:
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I live with my husband, two dogs and a cat on the beautiful east coast of Australia.  I have a full-time job and a degree in history. 

​

I've always been an avid reader, and I love a happy ending, so writing romance seemed a natural progression for me.  But as I sat at the computer one day staring at a blank screen it all seemed rather daunting.  Once I finally started tapping on the keys though, the words kept flowing and before I knew it I'd written my first book.  I write contemporary romance, and sci-fi.  I'm currently working on Desire Denied, Book 2 in the Desire Series.  I have ideas for an historical romance in the future, and with thoughts of a Wolf shifter germinating in my head a paranormal romance is not outside the realms of possibility either.  ​
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When I'm not writing you might find me in the kitchen creating culinary delights, some dishes of course do turn out better than others!!  I guess my love of history has fueled my other passion which is travel.  I have been fortunate enough to have seen lots of this wonderful world we live in.  I would like to share some of my destinations and experiences with you.

Friday, February 5, 2016

Mitchell Hogan guest post: Top 5 Coming of Age Stories (Blood of Innocents book tour) + giveaway


Coming of Age Stories: Five fantasy series that I really connected with when I was young, and that drove me to write my Sorcery Ascendant Sequence trilogy.

I was drawn into fantasy by reading many great coming of age stories. The protagonist usually starts with a great loss or alienation — perhaps they’re an orphan, or they begin to manifest magical powers which sets them apart. They are then forced to pursue knowledge — about their past, their powers, to find out who or what he/she really is. A dangerous journey ensues, one where the hero broadens their horizons by going out into a perilous world. It’s a journey of self-discovery, of physical and/or mental maturation, of moral growth. Innocence is transformed into experience.

So here are five coming of age fantasy series I read when I was young, and that shaped the way I began my writing career, and my Sorcery Ascendant Sequence trilogy:


1. Magician (Raymond E. Feist): A classic! An orphan is apprenticed to a master magician, and fate of two worlds is changed forever. This was the first modern (at the time) fantasy novel I read. I fell in love with the characters, and I discovered I also wanted a purpose, to be a part of something.
2. A Wizard of Earthsea (Ursula Le Guinn): Not a traditional fantasy adventure, but one in which the tale is of self-discovery and of acceptance of the darkness that is inside all human beings. A story about the fascination with knowledge and the temptation of power.
The Belgariad (David Eddings): I don’t know if this series has aged well, but at the time it was a breath of fresh air for me. A naive farm boy is led on a dangerous quest by those he loves, at the end of which it’s up to him to confront an evil god.
4. A Man of His Word series (Dave Duncan): A stable boy and a princess… but it works, and works extremely well. It may not be deep, but it is fun! The hero’s strengths are his stubbornness, loyalty, and good heart.
5. The Fionavar Tapestry (Guy Gavriel Kay): My first “portal fantasy”. Five young men and women are transported by a mage to the magical world of Fionavar. Modern day people bringing their modern ideals into a sword and sorcery age. All five take unique paths, some darker than others.

When I began writing, I felt I had to begin my own journey with a coming of age story. After all, I also wanted to grow along the way. I would enter a strange world and endure my own trials and failures, and triumphs. Forged anew — if I survived — I would emerge on the other side a more mature writer, having taken a long hard look at myself and my craft, and at what I wanted to achieve.




by Mitchell Hogan
February 2, 2016
592 pages

Harper Voyager; Reissue edition
A novice sorcerer may hold the key to saving his world—or be the instrument of its destruction—in this second book in The Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, a mesmerizing saga of high fantasy that combines magic, malevolence, and mystery.


Anasoma, jewel of the Mahruse Empire, has fallen.

As orphaned, monk-raised Caldan and his companions flee the city, leaving behind their hopes for a new beginning, horrors from the time of the Shattering begin to close in.

With Miranda’s mind broken by forbidden sorcery, Caldan does the unthinkable to save her: he breaks the most sacrosanct laws of the Protectors. But when the emperor’s warlocks arrive to capture him, Caldan realizes that his burgeoning powers may be more of a curse than a blessing, and the enemies assailing the empire may be rivaled by more sinister forces within.

And soon, the blood of innocents may be on Caldan’s own hands

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About the author:
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When he was eleven, Mitchell Hogan was given The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy to read, and a love of fantasy novels was born. He spent the next ten years reading, rolling dice, and playing computer games, with some school and university thrown in. Along the way he accumulated numerous bookcases’ worth with fantasy and sci-fi novels and doesn’t look to stop anytime soon. For ten years he put off his dream of writing, then he quit his job and wrote A Crucible of Souls. He now writes full-time and is eternally grateful to the readers who took a chance on an unknown self-published author. He lives in Sydney, Australia, with his wife, Angela, and daughter, Isabelle.




GIVEAWAY
signed copies of both A Crucible of Souls and Blood of Innocents

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Monday, November 16, 2015

Character Confession, the Devil of the Arcana Council—Aleksander Kreios (Wilde Card by Jenn Stark) + giveaway

Character Confession, the Devil of the Arcana Council—Aleksander Kreios

Jenn: Sharon, hello! I’m so happy to be here today as I have a very outspoken character who’d like to share his perspective. And, as the saying goes, it’s always good to give the Devil his due.

Aleksander Kreios is a character readers first met in Book 1 of the Immortal Vegas series, GETTING WILDE. He’s the Devil, a famous element of Tarot mythology incarnated as one of the more powerful members of the Arcana Council.

Jenn: Kreios, I understand when Sara met you, it was kind of a tight situation at first?

KREIOS: You do love to bring that up, don’t you? Is there something about me being constrained that piques your interest? Because we could arrange a full demonstration.

Jenn: Ahhh…hmm.

KREIOS: I must say I’m intrigued with your use of me so far. You introduce me as being locked in a reliquary, buried in the heart of the Vatican in Rome, and then you give me the most sumptuous description: Greek heritage but of the fairer sort, with green eyes and tawny hair, sun-bronzed skin and a body made for sin. Which, of course, it is. And then you bring me Sara Wilde, who, while lovely, is currently entangled with the Magician, the leader of the Arcana Council and, it should be said, my friend. Armaeus Bertrand hasn’t had someone perplex him as much as Sara has for centuries. There is simply no way I’m going to step between them, not when I’m having so much fun watching them try to come to terms with their unearthly attraction to each other. Unless, of course, you have plans for me and Sara?

Jenn: (Ponders) There definitely seems to be a connection between you two. But in WILDE CARD, you act more as her mentor, hinting at secrets untold.

KREIOS: I do my best work sharing the secrets of mortals. It’s always a diverting exercise.

Jenn: But not their innermost fears, make sure you mention that part.

KREIOS, purring: My dear Jenn, you should focus more on the good things in life. I deal in the province of pleasure and pain. Pain that can be a pleasure—pleasure that can intensify right to the edge of pain. My ability is that I know anyone’s deepest desires and needs instantly, the moment I meet him or her. Once such desires and needs are in the open, then I can bring their manifestation to mortals at exactly the level they crave. And I do so with great enjoyment. With Sara, for example, I knew what she most wanted, what she most needed, from the very beginning. But it’s been captivating to watch her figure those things out on her own.
(sighs with deep appreciation, then quirks a grin.)

Still, you are quite right. I do not know a person’s innermost fears—the nightmares that keep one awake at night, the thoughts that turn one’s bones to water. Those, a mortal must speak to me. But you’d be amazed how many of them do, without provocation. As an author, you should know this more than most people. You are ever quick to spill out fears on the page… and needs and desires as well. And as to your desires…

Jenn: Yeah, not going to go there. Can you tell readers what they can expect from you in WILDE CARD?

KREIOS: As you say, it is my great privilege to play the role of Sara’s mentor, educating her on some intriguing artifacts that, of course, the Council has hired her to steal. Along the way, deliciously, I get to provide her with an outfit for a gala celebration… though she opted out of the leather wrist cuffs. Curious, yes?

Jenn: Maybe she doesn’t really have a thing for being tied up.

KREIOS: And yet, the possibilities are really endless, don’t you think? Fortunately, her friend Nikki Dawes has far fewer inhibitions when it comes to experimentation. Her visit to my domain proved quite…invigorating. For all of my various selves.

Jenn: Not really fair when you can create multiple illusions of yourself, all of them seeming real.

KREIOS: Depends entirely on your definition of “fair.” Nikki appeared not to mind. (pauses) Would you have minded, I wonder? Though of course, I already know…

Jenn: Gosh, will you look at the time. I need to get working on the next book in the series, BORN TO BE WILDE. Can you share the role you’ll play in that book?

KREIOS: Sara will learn that no one on the Council is willing to give her straight information, except me. And I, of course, will only do it for a price. For there are things about Sara that I find intriguing as well—she hasn’t just perplexed the Magician. And unlike the Magician, I have no problem going after what I want…intensely and personally.

Jenn: Um… I’m not sure that’s a twist I planned for BORN TO BE WILDE.

KREIOS: Then maybe you should consider it—but, of course, you already are. The Devil really is in the details, wouldn’t you say?

Jenn: Ah, Sharon, I think it’s time for me to get back to writing, since things are quickly getting out of hand with my plot! Thank you again for inviting me! And I’ll leave Kreios behind for a bit. He’s sure to get in some trouble.

*Sharon and Katie look at each other and smile.*

Sharon: Sure, Jenn. We will show him our dungeon...
*Katie runs cackling through the dungeon door pulling Kreios.*
Kreios: Jenn! I don't think this was the best—

Wilde Card (Immortal Vegas, Book 2)
by Jenn Stark
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: November 17, 2015
Publisher: Elewyn Publishing
Format: Digital eBook
Digital ISBN: 978-1-9437-6802-8
All that glitters may not be gold.

When an antique gold show comes to Vegas, Tarot-reading magical artifacts hunter Sara Wilde’s job is simple: locate and liberate a set of relics rumored to give their bearers access to an ancient, incredible power. With whispers of a war on magic racing through the Connected community, every psychic, mystic, warlock, and witch descends on Sin City to claim the relics first. But no one wants these talismans more than Sara’s client: the insufferably arrogant, criminally sensual, absolutely untrustworthy Magician.

And what the Magician wants…

Sara’s heist takes a turn for the trickier as the smoky-eyed specter from her past, Detective Brody Rooks, is assigned to investigate a break-in at the gold show, forcing her to confront the one man in Vegas she can’t bluff. Even worse, just as she finally gets her hands on the goods, the game changes anew. The resulting chase leads her across the world to an ancient Egyptian temple filled with secrets, deception… and hints about her own abilities that could change everything. Desperate for answers, Sara is forced to turn to the one person she knows will lie, cheat, manipulate and steal to get whatever he craves. Only now, it seems, the Magician wants her.

Sometimes, when the deck is stacked against you… you’ve got to play the Wilde Card.


Praise for Getting Wilde (Immortal Vegas #1):
“Jenn Stark’s Getting Wilde kept me riveted from cover to cover. Hilarious, sexy, and thrillingly high action with a kick-ass herione and a bone-dissolving hero (AKA my new book boyfriend!). GET THIS BOOK!” - NY Bestselling Author Darynda Jones
Available at: Amazon | Nook | iTunes | Kobo | Goodreads


Excerpt:

Chapter One

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even blink. Six foot two of hard-bodied ex–Special Forces operative was snugged up against my backside, and I was totally falling for him.

For about eight thousand more feet.

My helmet crackled. “You’re doing great.”

“Unghflun.” Worse, we were still spinning. They’d told me the spinning would stop, but it didn’t feel like it was stopping. It felt like we were dying. And of all the ways to die, French-kissing a cliff at a hundred miles per hour had not made my short list. It gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “terminal” velocity.

“Right on target.”

Something shuddered above us, and I shifted from sprawl to nearly vertical in a sudden blur. I squinted up past the man carabinered to me in not nearly enough places, to see that our parachute had deployed.

That would be the “Low Opening” portion of this joyride into the Siberian mountain range surrounding Lake Baikal. The “High Altitude” section had been covered by our plunging six-mile drop from a souped-up jet now well on its way to Beijing.

Getting off this rock without alerting the local military would be its own special kind of crazy, but I was down for that. Pretty much any kind of crazy that got me away from Vegas and the Arcana Council for a few days worked for me.

“Drop point,” echoed in my ear.

Beside us, two other barely discernible shadows rocketed through the predawn gloom. We were aiming for a strip of gravel tucked between two sheer cliffs where, according to my client, X marked the spot for the ultimate Mongolian treasure: the crown of Genghis Khan. Rumored to give its wearer the Khan’s magical mojo for protection, abundance, and crazy long life.

Then again, said crown was apparently resting on the head of a dead guy right now. So there was that.

Another crackle in my helmet. “Bend your knees.”

“If I had a dollar…”

My guide’s laughter carried through our final several hundred feet of descent, and suddenly we were on the ground, a tumble of arms, legs, and high-tech padding. With impressive military precision, mission leader Zander “Call me Zee” James broke up with me without remorse, thrusting me aside. I lurched drunkenly to my knees as he slowed his run then turned to his parachute and punched it into submission.

The other men landed beside us, neatly outrunning their chutes, and I ducked to avoid a fine spray of rocks stirred up by the movement. Zee stripped off his HALO suit, oxygen mask and gear like he was shimmying out of swim trunks, and shoved them into a we-were-never-here-sized nylon bagel for easy transport out. He flapped his hand at me for mine and I shoved them at him in a big ball. “Report?” he snapped.

Zee’s right-hand man squinted down at a device attached to his wrist. “No heat signatures,” he said, aiming the thing at the rock wall. “Wall” was being kind. The cliff face surged up as if an angry god had punched through the earth’s crust, all crags and fissures and sharp edges. “Seismic activity currently stable.”

As if to counter his words, another crackle of falling rocks sounded high above us. “Right.” Zee squinted up. “At dawn, this place’ll light up like the surface of the sun. We don’t want to be here for that. We get in, we get out, we get gone.” His gaze shifted to me. “Ready?”

I nodded, then tugged down the zipper of my tech suit to fetch my own tools of the trade, my trusty pack of Tarot cards.

With the deck as my compass, I could find about anything—for a price. As it happened, a hundred G was a heck of a price. That kind of money translated to at least three more Connecteds hidden away from the dark practitioners who wanted to use them for spare parts. Not enough to save them all, no. But enough to count. I had to believe that.

“Sometime today, princess.”

Double-tasking one set of fingers to offer Zee my opinion of his people management skills, I used the other to pull a scatter of cards out of the deck.

Here we go.

Other Books in the IMMORTAL VEGAS Series

One Wilde Night (Book 0.5)
Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | Nook

Getting Wilde (Book 1)
Amazon | Kobo | Nook | iTunes



About the Author:
Jenn Stark is a Golden Heart award-winning author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. She lives and writes in Ohio. . . and she writes a LOT. In addition to her work in paranormal, she is also author Jennifer McGowan, whose Maids of Honor series of Young Adult Elizabethan spy romances are published by Simon & Schuster, and author Jennifer Chance, whose Rule Breakers series of New Adult contemporary romances are published by Random House/LoveSwept.

The world of her first paranormal romance, which was previously titled BLACK JACK, has now been reimagined as the setting ONE WILDE NIGHT, GETTING WILDE and WILDE CARD, all to be published in 2015, with BORN TO BE WILDE to follow in early 2016!



GIVEAWAY
One grand prize winner will receive a $25 gift card for Amazon (Open Internationally) and one grand prize winner will receive a ‘Dixie Quinn Approved “Girls Night Out” Gift Basket’ (Open to U.S. Residents Only).
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Monday, October 12, 2015

Guest Post: That awkward morning after... by Naomi Bellina (Sins of Long Ago book tour) + giveaway

 That awkward morning after

Have your ever woke up and wished you could go back in time and erase a few hours? You're in bed with someone you like, but you weren't quite ready to take it to the next level. Whether it was alcohol, a hot band, a full moon, or some other force fueling your passion, you ended up having sex. So now you have to gracefully escape. One of the best excuses is work. You can leave super early if you have a job to get to. No time for chatting, breakfast, or even coffee. If it's a weekend, you'll have to get more creative.

Let's say you actually want to stick around and get to know your friend better. What do you talk about? My advice, stick with the safe subjects. The weather, how good the band was, you'll have to get that sushi again, etc. Then, once you're out of bed (with or without another round of fun), gauge your partner's mood. Do they want to spend more time with you? If not, it's probably not personal; they need a little space and some time to process. If it turns out to be just a single encounter, be glad you used protection and carry on.

In Sins of Long Ago, Gen is rusty at dating and glad Vincent leaves her home early after a night of hot sex. She likes him, a lot, but needs time to herself. Of course, she has a curse that could kill her hanging over her head, so her situation is kind of unique.

How about you? Do you have a good morning after story? 
Thanks so much for letting me share with you, and thank you for reading!


Sins of Long Ago (Nocturne Book 2)
by Naomi Bellina
Genre: Paranormal romance
Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Date of Publication: 7/27/2015
ISBN: 9781622102372
ASIN: B01051ZNZU
Number of pages: 189
Werewolves and humans don't mix. Until danger forces an alliance and desire demands satisfaction.

Leading his pack of werewolves keeps Vincent plenty busy, and now with a predator out to harm them, life is more perilous than ever. The last thing he needs is a woman to complicate matters, especially one who sets his body and soul on fire. She's a human and a witch — totally the wrong woman for him. Even if he could take a mate for his own, he refuses to put her in the danger his life has become. No way can they ever be together. Werewolf-style love is fine anyway. No permanent partner, no bullshit, no heartache.

Genevieve has never known true love. Cursed by an enraged woman long ago, females in her family are doomed to go insane if they fall in love. Life has been fine without a man around-- until a hot werewolf drops in and captures her heart. Though they have plenty of obstacles to overcome, Gen knows they can work past them. Tell that to Vincent, as he struggles with old pack rules about love, sex, and consorting with humans.

As Vincent searches for a killer, deals with death among his own, and tries to keep his hands off Gen, she attempts to end her family curse. Together, they must find a way to break free from the sins of long ago.

Heat level: 3 out of 4



About the Author:
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Naomi lives in sunny Florida with the love of her life and a magical calico cat. She writes for various fiction and non-fiction markets but is drawn to romance because her characters insist on canoodling and falling in love. So she lets them. Her interests include dancing, motorcycle riding, drumming and creating healthy meals. She takes the opportunity to play whenever possible.

Her motto: Never pass up the opportunity to have an adventure!


Tour giveaway 
A $10 GC for Amazon, BN or All Romance



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