The Colors of Friendship by K. R. Raye @KRRaye

The Alpha Party – January 2000

“Whew, we made it,” Melody Wilkins said with a laugh as she, Lance Dunn, and Imani Jordan escaped the throng of fraternity partygoers.

Imani brushed past Melody, eager to enjoy the relative oasis of the makeshift bar.  She pulled up a stool and swallowed her disappointment.  During their mad, congested dash from the front door to the back bar, she scanned the two hundred plus, hard-dancing students looking for Trevor, but to no avail.

She pasted on a smile to prevent Melody or Lance from misinterpreting things.  Hell, even she didn’t know what to expect from the Trevor situation.  All she knew was that she liked hanging out with him in and out of class.  Imani checked her expression in the nick of time before Lance caught her eye.

Lance winked and arranged his muscular, 6’2” frame into a GQ stance while he stroked his goatee, a pose that he assumed oozed sexy charm.  Please, like he didn’t already generate enough attention when they entered the fraternity house, working the room like a campaigning politician or the ridiculous jock he was.

Imani tried to choke back a guffaw as Melody watched her in amusement.  But much to Imani’s awe and chagrin, Lance’s ridiculous antics started working.  Four attractive girls honed in on Lance’s horny, homing beacon, their mouths almost salivating.

What the hell?  Imani frowned as two of the girls shot her and Melody jealous daggers.  All of this unwarranted attention just because Lance played football the last two games of the season and played well?

Imani sucked her teeth and turned to the bar.  “Damn, I’m ready to get my swerve on!”

“Well, you deserve a drink,” Melody replied as she hopped her petite, frame onto a stool to Imani’s left.  Melody’s thick, blond curls bounced about like springs.  “Heck, after our intense studying all week and your physics exam today; you deserve to unwind.”

Right on cue the attractive fraternity brother acting as the bartender meandered over.  “What can I get you, Sugar?”

“Two amaretto sours,” she said gesturing to Melody and herself, “and one vodka tonic for him,” she said nodding towards Lance.

“Sure thing, Sugar,” he replied with a wink.

After the flirty bartender departed, she elbowed Lance in his side.  “You’re awful quiet.”

“I’m sure he’s thinking what I’m thinking,” Melody said, swiveling her stool around to face them.  “Looking at all these beautiful faces and wondering which person is the one, that magical one, true love.”

“Oh Lord, here we go!”  Imani moaned and leaned back against the bar.

“Ah, let me handle this, Imani.”  Lance clapped Melody’s back.  “Dear, deluded Melody,” he said, then he stroked his mustache and goatee.  “In actuality, I was looking at all of these beautiful women and wondering which one is going to end up in my bed.  However, it seems I need to school you.”  He cleared his throat and his deep voice took on a preacher-like quality.

“Love is highly overrated.  It’s this fantasyland you read about in those Harlequin rags you devour.  A vicious lie parents tell their little girls.”  He shook his head and shrugged.  “That’s why the divorce rate is so high.  Unreasonable expectations.”

“Thoughts, Imani?”  Melody smiled knowing she could get a rise out of her.  Melody’s gray-green eyes twinkled in anticipation against her golden-tanned skin.

“Lance is kinda right.”  Imani’s nose scrunched up, hating to agree with Lance.  “You’re one of these women that fosters unrealistic fantasies about the fairytale wedding and living happily ever after.  That shit don’t happen.”  Imani threw Lance a scathing look.  “But love does exist and it ain’t overrated.”

True friendship endures all obstacles…right?

Three college friends search for true love, NFL fame, and a successful engineering career. Will one friend’s quest for happiness endanger all three of their lives?

Naïve, romantic Melody Wilkins aims to find true love at college just like her parents. But will she sacrifice her soul to obtain it?

No-nonsense Imani Jordan strives for good grades and a chemical engineering degree. When a friendship offers more, will she follow her head or her heart?

Lance Dunn is only serious about two things: football and protecting his girls, Melody and Imani. When a threat enters their lives and tests their friendship, can he stop it before it kills them?

After the torrents of jealousy, sex, and abuse subside, will their friendship survive…The Colors of Friendship?

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Genre – New Adult, Contemporary

Rating – R

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Website http://krraye.com/events.html

 

 

Quality Reads UK Book Club Disclosure: Author interview / guest post has been submitted by the author and previously used on other sites.

The Howling Heart by April Bostic

Paige Donovan is an ambitious college graduate who aspires to reach the top of the corporate ladder. She’s climbing fast when she’s given the promotion of a lifetime at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York City. Her bright future comes to an unexpected halt after news of her father’s death. She inherits his old cabin in the Colorado Rockies, and just when she thinks her luck couldn’t get any worse, she has a car accident in the mountains and awakens in the small, remote community of Black River.

Soon, she’s engulfed in the mystical world of Varulv–wolves descended from 13th century Scandinavia and blessed by Norse gods with the ability to appear human. Paige is desperate to return home, but she never expects to fall for her rescuer, Riley Gray, a charming young werewolf from England who offers her an alternate future with his pack.

Now, she must choose between the career she’s always wanted and the love she’s always dreamed.

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Genre – Paranormal Romance

Rating – Adult

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Website http://www.aprilbostic.com/

Malpractice! The Novel by William Louis Harvey @sexandlawnovel

Recalling the past and the body he had known under that black robe, Paul began to develop an erection, which was quickly arrested by a clear, sharp voice. “I note that today we are here to start the trial of Miller v. Downey Hospital, et al. I see that the plaintiff is represented by attorney Paul Butler. Good morning, Mr. Butler. Glad to see you here on time. I presume that you and your associates are prepared to begin jury selection today.” (p. 17)

Malpractice! the Novel is an electrifying work of realistic fiction written by an anonymous insider who worked the frontlines of the clash between the medical and legal professions during the California medical malpractice insurance crisis, which began in the 1960s. William Louis Harvey, a nom de plume, takes readers on a steamy adventure involving power, sex, lies and money in this candid courtroom suspense thriller. While Malpractice! The Novel, is a work of fiction, it is rooted in the personal experiences and firsthand knowledge the author acquired during his decades of working inside the medical industry. California in the 1960s and first half of the 1970s had already seen a dramatic increase in medical malpractice lawsuits as juries awarded progressively higher sums for “pain and suffering,” a category that had no concrete limits and caused physicians’ insurance premiums for malpractice to skyrocket. Harvey chaired a committee that reviewed all malpractice claims involving a major California hospital during the crisis. Details of some of the cases he experienced are engraved in his memory, and small portions of these tidbits find their way into Malpractice! the Novel, his first novel. Roused by a recent New York Times article about the American male novelist’s fear of addressing sexuality, Harvey interleaved honest sex histories for his novel’s characters, adding a titillating sensuality to the suspenseful novel.

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Genre – Steamy Courtroom Drama

Rating – R

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Author Interview – Dora Machado @DoraMachado

Do you read much, and if so, who are your favorite authors?

I love to read and I wish I had time to read even more. As a young woman growing up in the Dominican Republic, I was exposed to many different influences.  Books such as A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosas, and the House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende left lasting impressions. In fantasy, I’m always dazzled by J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen Donaldson, Frank Herbert, Robert Jordan, and George R.R. Martin. I also like Diana Gabaldon, Colleen McCullough, Bernard Cornwell and Anne Rice.

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? 

I don’t strive to preach any kind of morality in my stories, but I do write a lot about conflicting situations, injustice, opposing beliefs, and the meaning of concepts such as truth, faith and prejudice. Sometimes, the storyline leaves me and my readers thinking about things. For example, in The Curse Giver we join with the characters as they discover how reason, knowledge and awareness are the main components of our personal sense of strength. We don’t have to be magical to be strong. We just have to believe in ourselves.

Have you developed a specific writing style?

I like sentences that flow and paragraphs that sing. I enjoy a lyrical style coupled with an engaging, irresistible story.

What is your greatest strength as a writer?

I love writing clever plots and deep characters involved in meaningful relationships. Friendships, rivalries and romance are indispensable to my novels. But by far, my biggest strength as a writer has to do with the passion that I bring to the craft and the story.

Why did you choose the fantasy genre?

I love the creative freedom that the fantasy genre offers, the opportunity to explore our attitudes, prejudices and preferences against the background of new and diverse worlds. I particularly enjoy exploring relationships and beliefs in the fantasy genre, testing humanity’s enduring questions and building up my worlds and adventures with history’s rich offerings. Add a meaningful, blazing romance to all of the above and you have a novel that is as fun to write as it is to read.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book, then choose the title?

I usually discover the title of my novels at the very moment when I write it for the first time into the story. It can happen early on, during the opening paragraph or late in the process. It’s really neat. It’s always a “wow” moment.

Have you ever used anyone from your real life encounters in any of your books?

I’ve never consciously set out to model one of my characters after anyone in particular. On the other hand, I’m sure I’ve used all of my life experiences and observations to construct my worlds and conceive my characters. In that sense, everything I do, every place I go and everyone I’ve met has somehow contributed to my stories.

In writing your book, how did you deal with the phone ringing, your family needing dinner or your boss calling you saying you’re late?

I quit on my boss, waited until the kids were old enough to fend for themselves, and wrote at night, and I mean, really late at night. To this day, I typically wait for everyone to go to bed before I start writing and then write through most of the night. Call it life avoidance, but the phone doesn’t ring late at night and everyone else is asleep. I’ll admit that my strategy prevents me from ever becoming a morning person, but hey, we can’t all be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed first thing in the morning.

If you had the chance to change something regarding how you got published, what would you change?

Oh, my gosh! That’s a really good question! Hmm. Let me think. I would have gone for it a lot earlier. Yes, I think that’s it. Had I had the chance to change something at the very beginning, I would have shaken off all my misgivings and started on this journey a lot sooner.

How are you promoting The Curse Giver thus far?

In many ways, including traditional means but also social media, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, print and radio interviews, and also virtual book tours like this one, which are brand new to me but incredibly interesting and far-reaching.

What is your least favorite quality about yourself?

Skepticism. I loathe it and yet I value it. It keeps the mind sharp and the heart pumping.

What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?

If you are truly a writer, write! Write like the wind—this is actually the title of a writing series by my friend Aaron Paul Lazar—write as much as you can, whenever you can, however you can. Only by writing will you perfect your skills, polish your stories and develop the grit necessary to pursuit a path towards publication. And only by writing can you fulfill the need to tell your stories.

What’s next for you?

I have several different projects going, including a contemporary dark fantasy with a Latin twist that has been really fun to write and The Soul Chaser, a companion novel to The Curse Giver.

What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?

To learn more about me and my novels, visit my website at www.doramachado.com or contact me at Dora@doramachado.com. You can also subscribe to my blog at http://www.doramachado.com/blog/, sign up for my newsletter at http://doramachado.com/newsletter.php, or find me on Facebook and Twitter. For a free excerpt of The Curse Giver, visit  http://twilighttimesbooks.com/TheCurseGiver_ch1.html.

Lusielle's bleak but orderly life as a remedy mixer is shattered when she is sentenced to die for a crime she didn't commit. She's on the pyre, about to be burned, when a stranger breaks through the crowd and rescues her from the flames. Brennus, Lord of Laonia is the last of his line. He is caught in the grip of a mysterious curse that has murdered his kin, doomed his people and embittered his life. To defeat the curse, he must hunt a birthmark and kill the woman who bears it in the foulest of ways. Lusielle bears such a mark. Stalked by intrigue and confounded by the forbidden passion flaring between them, predator and prey must come together to defeat not only the vile curse, but also the curse giver who has already conjured their demise.

Award-Winning Finalist in the fantasy category of The 2013 USA Best Book Awards, sponsored by USA Book News

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Genre – Fantasy/Dark Fantasy

Rating – PG-18

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Author Interview - J.B. McCauley @MccauleyJay

What is your least favorite quality about yourself?

I can be selfish.

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why?

“Yes we can!” by Barrack Obama. Because we can. Those who say we can’t are just not trying.

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?

I keep getting up off the canvas and having a go. Nothings got me beat yet.

What is your favorite color?

Blue

What is your favorite food?

Chicken

The King of Sunday Morning is a geezer. Not in the traditional sense of the word as in old man. This geezer is a face, a wannabe, a top notch bloke. He is the greatest DJ that never was. He should have been. Could have been. Would have been. Now becoming a has-been.

Tray McCarthy was born into privilege but with the genetic coding of London’s violent East End. Having broken the underworld’s sacred honour code, it is only his family’s gangland connections that save him. But in return for his life, he must deny that which he has ever known or ever will be and runs to Australia where he is forced to live an inconsequential life.

But trouble never strays far from Tray McCarthy and eventually his past and present collide to put everyone he has ever loved in danger. He must now make a stand and fight against those that are set to destroy him and play their game according to his rules.

Set against the subterfuge and violence of the international drugs trade, The King of Sunday Morning is the tale of what can go wrong when you make bad decisions. Tray McCarthy has made some of the worst. He must now save those he holds dear but in the process gets trapped deeper and deeper into a world where he doesn’t belong.

“I want three pump-action shotguns, about twelve sticks of dynamite and a blowtorch”

THIS BOOK CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE, FREQUENT DRUG USE AND SEX SCENES – NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE

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Genre – Thriller, Action, Suspense, Gangster, Crime, Music

Rating – PG-18

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Quality Reads UK Book Club Disclosure: Author interview / guest post has been submitted by the author and previously used on other sites.

Author Interview – Sarah Krisch

Have you developed a specific writing style?
My goal is to try to establish the characters’ emotions.  You can’t have a romance without an emphasis on emotions.  I figure, emotions + conflict = a recipe for a successful romance novel.
How much of the book is realistic?
Julia is set, as are all the books in the Good Life series, in Harmony Grove, Iowa.  These are stories about small town charm and hard-working people.  I don’t sugarcoat these aspects, even if some of the narrative is on the nostalgic end of the spectrum.
What are your goals as a writer?
I want to tell stories that I would like to read.  I figure if I can accomplish that, then readers will eventually find my work.
What contributes to making a writer successful?
Having a thick skin is important.  If you shy away at the slightest criticism, either in the critiquing phase or after your work is published, then writing might not be in the cards for you.  Writing is a hard and oftentimes lonely business.  One day a reader might call your book an all-favorite, while the next day someone might question your ability to string together coherent sentences.  Hard work and a thick skin will take you far.
Do you have any advice for writers?
Reading is just as important as writing.  I sometimes read about a writer who doesn’t read when they are in the middle of writing a novel.  Aren’t novelists always in the middle of writing a novel?  Does that mean that they don’t read at all?  I read for enjoyment, but I also read to learn about improving my craft.  You can learn as much from a poorly written novel as a literary masterpiece.  But you have to take the time to read, or you’ll lag behind those writers of equal talent who do

A failed actress, twenty-something Julia McCarthy begins writing a fictionalized blog as a form of self-therapy. Based on her carefree summers at her grandparents’ farm, she never expects her little experiment to garner a viral following, but it does. Boy, does it ever.

Now, with thousands of loyal blog followers, and a syndication deal with the Chicago Herald, Julia is approached by GreenTV to adapt her blog into a TV show. The producers see her as a “Rachel Ray on the Prairie-type”. She sees herself as a fraud.

In Julia’s fictional world, she’s successful. She can pay her bills on time. Heck, she even has a fictional gorgeous husband and charming little boy. Ready to realize her dreams, Julia returns to her grandparents’ farm to shoot the TV pilot.

Brad Taylor is definitely not her type: he’s rugged, sensible, and oh-so smug about learning that Julia’s blog is a farce. As the manager of her grandparent’s farm, Brad doesn’t have time to deal with whimsical women who don’t even know how to cook.

Julia can’t allow her attraction to Brad to distract her, not when her dreams are about to come true. But are these truly her dreams, her good life?

A fun, fast (150 pages) contemporary romance

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Genre – Contemporary Romance

Rating – PG-13

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Quality Reads UK Book Club Disclosure: Author interview / guest post has been submitted by the author and previously used on other sites.

Author Interview – Rayne Hall @RayneHall

What book genre of books do you adore?

I enjoy thrillers, fantasy that takes me to imagined worlds, and creepy horror.

Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live?

I grew up in rural southern Germany, near Lake Constance, the Black Forest, the Hegau Mountains and the Swiss border. I’ve travelled a lot and lived and worked in many countries – including China, Nepal and Mongolia  – and the experience of these landscapes and cultures has definitely influenced my writing. The story Turkish Night, for example, is inspired by bellydancing in Bodrum, while Black Karma is set in Nepal.

Now I live on the south coast of England, in a dilapidated town of former Victorian grandeur, near roaring waves clashing against chalk cliffs, cemeteries clustering around ancient churches, and medieval castle ruins washed by rain. All these places feed my imagination, and you will recognise some of them in Thirty Scary Tales.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Most of my horror story ideas come from my own fears – things that frighten me, places that creep me out, nightmares that keep me awake at night. Thousands of ideas flutter around in my head at the same time. Sometimes, two or three of those ideas click together like jigsaw pieces, and that’s when a story starts to form. The location is almost always one of the first pieces to click. I like to set my stories in unusual, atmospheric places.

The stories in Thirty Scary Tales are definitely inspired by places where I’ve lived and travelled – the streets of Nepal, the cliffs on the English coast, the stone circles of Cornwall…

Do you plan to publish more books?

I’ve had about fifty books published (under several pen names, in several genres, by several publishers, in several languages) and I’m definitely not going to stop now!

I’m already at work on several new titles: Writing Dark Stories for my bestselling series of writing craft books, an anthology of dragon fantasy stories, a collection of steampunk stories, another collection of horror stories, a sequel to my bestselling dark epic fantasy novel Storm Dancer, and more.

What other jobs have you had in your life?

While I’ve been writing professionally for over thirty years, I’ve also always done other jobs at the same time: teaching adult education, journalism, magazine editing, consulting… even weird things like belly dancing and tarot reading. I was  a museum guide,  development aid worker, a trade fair hostess, a bilingual secretary and an apple picker.

Sometimes the writing has been my main job, sometimes a sideline, but I’ve always written, and I’ve always done something else. I need the variety.

The great thing about these jobs is that they feed my fiction.  In the Thirty Scary Tales collection, the story Turkish Night is about belly dancing, and The Painted Staircase is about a guided museum tour, and they ooze authenticity.

Thirty creepy, atmospheric stories by Rayne Hall.

The horror in these stories is spooky, creepy, unsettling and sometimes disturbing. It is not very violent or gory; however, the stories may not be suitable for young readers without parental guidance. PG 13.

This book is a compilation of volumes 1-5 of the Six Scary Tales books. It includes the acclaimed stories Burning and The Bridge Chamber.

All stories have been previously published in magazines, ezines, collections and anthologies. British English.

Stories in collection include:
The Devil You Know, Greywalker, Prophetess, Each Stone A Life, By Your Own Free Will, The Bridge Chamber, Only A Fool, Four Bony Hands, The Black Boar, Double Rainbows, Druid Stones, Burning, Scruples, Seagulls, Night Train, Through the Tunnel, Black Karma, Take Me To St. Roch’s, Turkish Night, Never Leave Me, The Colour of Dishonour, Beltane, The Painted Staircase, I Dived The Pandora, Terre Vert and Payne’s Grey, They Say, Tuppence Special, Disturbed Sleep, Normal Considering the Weather, Arete.

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Genre – Horror

Rating – PG-13

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Quality Reads UK Book Club Disclosure: Author interview / guest post has been submitted by the author and previously used on other sites.

Author Interview – Michael J. Webb @mjwebbbooks

What writing are you most proud of?

My most recent novel, Infernal Gates.  I’ve been writing since 1984 and it just seems like I finally hit my stride with this thriller.  I’m very excited about the sequel that I’m just finishing up as well.  I’ve fallen in love with the diversity and uniqueness of my characters and I’m trying to decide if there is a credible way to continue on with them once the second book is complete.

What books did you love growing up?

The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew when I was young, then anything Science Fiction from Junior High through College, especially Robert Heinlein, Phillip K. Dick (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep was a favorite), Isaac Asimov, Phillip Jose Farmer, Arthur C. Clarke (all the oldies, but goodies).  I read everything James Michener wrote, but my favorite was The Source. I also read a lot of books on biology, chemistry, astronomy, physics, metaphysics, and philosophy. Guess you can tell I was, and still am, an eclectic reader.

Who is your favorite author?

For some time now I have been following Daniel Silva and his protagonist, Gabriel Allon of the Israeli Mossad.  I love Silva’s writing style, his Middle Eastern theme, the way he weaves historical information into his stories, his powerful message about the Jews and Israel, the depth of his characters, and the incredible tension he generates in his plots.  I’m first in line at the library when one of his books comes out.  I do have to say, however, I read a lot of fiction and in a variety of genres, so it is very hard for me to pick a favorite author. I chose Silva because I’ve read all of his novels and he puts one out every year, so it’s a numbers thing.  Before him, it would probably have been Michael Crichton (before he died).

What book genre of books do you adore?

Thrillers–the same genre I love to write.

Ethan Freeman, ex-Special Forces Ranger, wakes up to discover he is the sole survivor of a fiery commercial airline crash that killed his entire family. His nightmare is only beginning when he becomes the FBI’s prime suspect. Only Ethan knows he’s not a cold-hearted murderer, but he has no idea what happened to him–and why he alone survived.

He finds an unlikely ally in Sam Weaver, the NTSB Chief Investigator. An ex-military pilot, Sam senses Ethan is innocent. She tries to remain dispassionate in her investigation of the crash even as she finds herself attracted to the man who may be America=s worst homegrown mass-murderer.

Neither Ethan nor Sam realize that shadowy spiritual forces are at work which will alter their lives forever.

A monstrous evil, imprisoned since the time of the Pharaohs, has been released by The Nine, a sinister group of powerful men and women who believe they are the direct descendants of the Anunnaki, ancient Sumerian gods. The demon they have unleashed intends to free The Destroyer from The Abyss, the angelic prison referred to in the Book of Revelation, and unleash a worldwide reign of terror and annihilation.

Facing impossible odds, time is running out for Ethan and all of humanity as he is drawn into an ever-deeper conspiracy–millennia in the making–and learns that he is the key to stopping The Nine. Will he overcome his deepest fears and find reserves of strength he never knew he had as he confronts pure evil in order to save himself and an unsuspecting world?

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Genre – Christian Thriller, Fantasy, Adventure

Rating – PG-13

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Website http://www.michaeljwebbfiction.com/

Author Interview – Pepper Winters @PepperWinters

What makes you angry?
Trolls
Are you a city slicker or a country lover?
City for sure. After living in Hong Kong I adore busy, vibrant cities. I love being able to go shopping at 2am and having the world alive.
What’s your next project?
Quintessentially Q is my current project but Last Shadow is my next one and I’m very excited for it J
What would you love to produce in your life?
Four books a year for a very strong fanbase that love my work J That would be my ultimate dream
How do you feel about self-publishing?
I love it. I think it’s enabled so many writers who might never have got a chance with traditional to get their work into the hands of readers. I’ve become an avid fan of many self-published authors and have the privilege to call some of them friends.

Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility.

For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world.

But lusty paradise is shattered.

Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror.

Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can’t save her from the horror of being sold.

Can Brax find Tess before she’s broken and ruined, or will Tess’s new owner change her life forever?

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Genre – Dark New Adult Contemporary Romance

Rating – PG-18

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Website http://www.pepperwinters.wordpress.com/

Quality Reads UK Book Club Disclosure: Author interview / guest post has been submitted by the author and previously used on other sites.

Author Interview – Colin Falconer @colin_falconer

 

What other jobs have you had in your life?

What I wanted to do was play for Manchester United but they didn’t want to play with me. I had trails with a top flight English club – Southampton – and didn’t make it. I drove taxis while I was learning to write. I worked for 13 years as a volunteer paramedic in Australia. Working as a volunteer paramedic is a book on its own! I would be sitting at my desk typing then my pager would go off and half an hour later I’d be crawling into a car wreck feeling for a pulse. It was an unusual life.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Right where I’m living now – Barcelona. The people are great, there are tapas bars everywhere, you can get a beer any hour of the day or night, and you can feel history in every stone.

Tell us about your family?

I have two amazing daughters, they both live in London now. One is a director of a company that manages pubs in the centre of London, the other is studying writing and literature at Goldsmith. Pubs and writing! They’re not really chips off the old block, they’re half a block each! I am very close to my brother and his wife, they always have a bed and a bottle of whisky for me whenever I get in a jam. Which is far too often. My niece is probably my biggest fan – she goes up to complete strangers while they’re reading a book on a train and asks them if the book’s one of mine. When they say no, she says – well, why not? and tells them to start with Venom.

How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?

No pasa nada. I write anywhere, any place, any time. Cut a vein and scrawl on the back of a MacDonald’s towelette if there’s nothing else handy. I have to write. It’s an addiction. Every Thursday I go to Writers Anonymous but I keep falling off the wagon.

Tell us about your new book? What’s it about and why did you write it?

What do you do if you are a 12 year old girl and are married off to a king who prefers men? The answer, if your name is Isabella, is you wait until you are old enough and then you invade England with your lover and depose him, and put your son on the throne.

I was fascinated with this story because growing up in England our school teachers told us England was only ever invaded once, by William the Conqueror in 1066. They never mentioned Isabella! Was it just blatant sexism? Anyway, I just found the whole story fascinating with a lot of relevance for sexual issues today. And great characters – really conflicted.

She was taught to obey. Now she has learned to rebel.

12 year old Isabella, a French princess marries the King of England – only to discover he has a terrible secret. Ten long years later she is in utter despair – does she submit to a lifetime of solitude and a spiritual death – or seize her destiny and take the throne of England for herself?

Isabella is just twelve years old when she marries Edward II of England. For the young princess it is love at first sight – but Edward has a terrible secret that threatens to tear their marriage – and England apart.

Who is Piers Gaveston – and why is his presence in the king’s court about to plunge England into civil war?

The young queen believes in the love songs of the troubadours and her own exalted destiny – but she finds reality very different. As she grows to a woman in the deadly maelstrom of Edward’s court, she must decide between her husband, her children, even her life – and one breath-taking gamble that will change the course of history.

This is the story of Isabella, the only woman ever to invade England – and win.

In the tradition of Philippa Gregory and Elizabeth Chadwick, ISABELLA is thoroughly researched and fast paced, the little known story of the one invasion the English never talk about.

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Genre – Historical Fiction

Rating – PG-13

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Connect with Colin Falconer on Facebook & Twitter

Website https://colinfalconer.wordpress.com/

Author Interview – J.L. Myers @BloodBoundJLM

What is your favourite quality about yourself?

My favourite quality about myself is that I am determined and focused. When I decide on something I will do everything in my power to make it happen. I hate giving up!

What is your least favourite quality about yourself?

Being a pessimist I tend to catastrophize things and see the worst in a situation without really considering the actual reality.

What is your favourite quote, by whom, and why?

Albert Einstein Theory of Insanity – ‘Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.’

I love this quote and live by it. It’s so true. Expecting a different result from repeating the same action or behaviour over and over is absolute insanity!

What’s your favourite place in the entire world?

I would have to say Disneyland. I took a trip there with my husband and son in 2012 and it was amazing. Having grown up watching Disney movies I think I enjoyed it just as much as my son. It’s an absolutely magical place for all ages.

How has your upbringing influenced your writing?

With a history of family depression and with my parents divorcing when I was four, my childhood was not the safe nuclear family type. As a young child I suffered night terrors that continued for years. I also experience anxiety—not that I knew what that was back then—that affected my social development and confidence. While becoming a teenager depression developed, running sideshow to my continued anxiety. The suicide of my stepbrother was huge and world shattering, lending a voice to my first dark poems and short stories. It was a very difficult time, one that was pushed even further to the limits when I was forced to live with an aunt I didn’t know.

All of these experiences and the way I coped with many things when I didn’t have constructive ways of doing so, lend themes to everything I have written and everything I now write. Betrayal, abandonment, distrust, and not belonging come from my past and enrich my stories and my characters. On the flip side, everything I have now learnt brings positive change and growth to these same flawed characters, making them deep and relatable.

Amelia Lamont never asked to unleash her inner vampire

Amelia’s normal teen world is shattered when a terrifying nightmare awakens the monster inside her. A newfound, insatiable thirst for blood that leads her to drain the school quarterback is only the beginning; she’s horrified to discover that her family and best friend Kendrick have been harboring the secret all along. And is the strangely alluring boy who seems hell-bent on curbing her murderous, blood-filled desires a friend, or foe?

To escape detection Amelia and her twin brother Dorian are forced to move to a new town, and the challenge of a new, exclusive high school where nearly every classmate smells like prey. Including the irresistible Ty, who seems hauntingly familiar, yet darkly menacing …

Amelia’s disturbing dreams and entanglement in a web of forbidden romance render her increasingly powerless against the chilling lies and secrets of vampire power struggles. And, as she soon discovers, vampire politics mixed with outlawed love can be a lethal cocktail.

Falling in love may just cost Amelia everything: her friends, her family…even her life

Move over Twilight, True Blood and Underworld! J.L. Myers’ first book in the Blood Bound series will have you swooning for more!

Warning – This book contains some language and sexual situations.

YA/ Vampire/ Paranormal Fiction

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Genre – YA Paranormal Romance

Rating – PG-13+

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Connect with  Jessica Myers on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://bloodboundnovels.com

Author Interview – James Shipman @jshipman_author

Do you find the time to read?

Yes, I constantly read.  I love to read history and fantasy.

What is your favorite quality about yourself?

My optimism.  I feel I’m able to stay pretty positive and bounce back from most of the horrid things that come along in life.  Most.

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?

During law school I received a full scholarship for my second and third years.  That was a pretty exciting moment for me.

What is your favorite color?

Blue

What is your favorite food?

Spicy beef teriyaki with brown rice (the brown rice is my concession to something quasi-healthy).

In 1453 Constantinople is the impregnable jewel of the East. It has stood as the greatest Christian city for a millennium as hordes have crashed fruitlessly against its walls.

But Mehmet II, the youthful Sultan of the Ottoman Turks, has besieged the city. His opponent is Constantine XI, the wise and capable ruler of the crumbling Eastern Roman Empire. Mehmet, distrusted by his people and hated by his Grand Vizer, must accomplish what all those before him have failed to do: capture Constantinople. To prove that he deserves the throne that his father once took from him, Mehmet, against all advice, storms the city. If he fails, he will not only have failed himself and his people, but he will surely lose his life.

On the other side of the city walls, the emperor Constantine must find a way to stop the greatest army in the medieval world. To finance his defenses, he becomes a beggar to the Pope, the Italian city-states, and the Hungarians. But the price for aid is high: The Pope demands the Greeks reunite the Eastern and Western churches and accept the Latin faith. If Constantine wants aid for his people he must choose between their lives and their souls.

Two leaders, two peoples, two faiths battle for their future before the mighty walls of Constantinople.

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Genre – Historical Fiction

Rating – PG

More details about the author and the book

Connect with  James Shipman on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://james-shipman.com

White Chalk by Pavarti K. Tyler

Chelle isn’t what most people consider a typical 13-year-old girl—she doesn’t laugh with friends, play sports, or hang out at the mall after school. Instead, she navigates a world well beyond her years.

Life in Dawson, ND spins on as she grasps at people, pleading for someone to save her—to return her to the simple childhood of unicorns on her bedroom wall and stories on her father’s knee.

When Troy Christiansen walks into her life, Chelle is desperate to believe his arrival will be her salvation. So much so, she forgets to save herself. After experiencing a tragedy at school, her world begins to crack, causing a deeper scar in her already fragile psyche.

Follow Chelle’s twisted tale of modern adolescence, as she travels down the rabbit hole into a reality none of us wants to admit actually exists.

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Genre - Literary Fiction/Coming of Age

Rating – R (15+)

More details about the author

Connect with Pavarti K Tyler on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.fightingmonkeypress.com/

The Benjamin Chronicles: Relativity by Matthew DiConti

Conal Benjamin never let the love of his life Abigail Bradley know of his romantic feelings for her. Years of living with that regret haunted Conals life and left him with an emptiness in his heart. In one serendipitous moment they are reunited at an alumni science exhibit giving Conal a second chance but in a cruel twist of fate Conal’s triggers an unexpected chain of events sending Abby and himself through a wormhole to 1888 Whitechapel, London, the time and place of one of the most horrifying serial killers in history, Jack the Ripper. With the time machine lost and Conal and Abby separated, the fate of both of their lives hang in the balance. Nothing is what it appears to be and it’s up to Conal to unravel the mysteries that await him, before it’s too late.

“I could not put this cleverly crafted paranormal fiction novel down. I can’t wait to go on the next time travel journey with Benjamin! It would make for a great TV Series/Feature Film. Out of 5 stars I give it 6!”   - Kelly V. Dolan, NBC News Radio

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Genre - Paranormal Fiction

Rating – NC17

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Connect with Matthew DiConti on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://matthewdiconti.com/

Rapid Answer Zone with Mike Hartner

Write two truths and one lie (but don’t tell us which is which until I say so. ) A. I’m happily married B. My proudest achievement is my son. C. The next several books are planned already.

Tell us a bit about yourself
a. What was the first book you remember reading? HARRY THE DIRTY DOG
b. What is your greatest fear Something tragic happening to my son and/or wife
c. If you were on a deserted island what three items would you want with you? Sat phone to call for help, good book to keep me company, food.
d. Your favorite musician Bruce Springsteen
e. Your Favorite song No Surrender followed closely by From Small Things

 

Rapid Answer Zone
1. What was the last movie you saw? The Dark Knight
2. What did you do last Halloween? Stayed home
3. What is the name of your car? Dah-ling.

Now, which one of the three was the lie? C. I may be privy to the name of the main character, but that’s as far as it goes. Their life events are organic and surprising, even to me.

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Genre – Historical Fiction/ Romance

Rating – PG

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Connect with Mike Hartner on Facebook & Twitter

The Elf & Huntress (Volume 1) by J. L. Lawson

The Elf & Huntress is the beginning of a long and winding trail from power to obscurity, from infamy to glory for a naïve lass from the highlands. On a simple off-planet assignment she’s dragged screaming into an underworld she couldn’t have fathomed existed. A scarred and liberated prisoner, she rises to become the feared Captain of the Lascorii Secret Services, avenging nemesis of the vilest pirate plaguing the worlds underwritten by the Seranath Trade Guild, with a hand-picked crew—and one diminutive, rather officious Seranim Guild Agent who learns for herself that Wish is the most powerful thing in the Universe…

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Genre - Science Fiction/Metaphysical/Adventure

Rating – G

More details about the author

Connect with J.L. Lawson on Facebook

Website http://voyagerpress.org/

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Author Interview – Emma Right

Tell us a bit about your family.

We are a family of seven, if you don’t include the pets…otherwise we are a family of at least eleven, and that doesn’t include the occasional pets we adopt, like the duckling that lost its mother, or the stray neighbor kid who got locked out of his house…

How do you work through self-doubts and fear?

The worst fears are those that we use to condemn ourselves with, and I have had my struggles. I am probably my worst critic, but I am trying to let go more and just accept things the way they are. Self-doubt? I don’t know if I have any formula to get through this. They come at odd hours of the day, and invade my dreams, or maybe I should say, nightmares. I think most authors go through this self-doubt business. I do hope to turn the doubts into examining how I could improve myself, as a person, and as an author, so I can better serve my readers, and capture their hearts. And imagination.

What scares you the most?

That my children will not  feel that I love them.

What makes you happiest?

Seeing good people happy. Like when a person who’s had cancer defeat it and it never comes back again. Or seeing children laughing.

What’s your weakest character trait?

Too many to list–we’d need an encyclopedia, although most young people would probably wonder what are those archaic things called encyclopedia.

Why do you write?

To share with my target readers the message I have through my imagination and the fiction I’ve created.

Have you always enjoyed writing?

I probably express better through writing than speaking.

Books written in blood. Most are lost, their Keepers with them. A curse that befell a people. A Kingdom with no King. Life couldn’t get more harrowing for the Elfies, a blend of Elves and Fairies. Or for sixteen-year-old Jules Blaze. Or could it?

For Jules, the heir of a Keeper, no less, suspects his family hides a forgotten secret. It was bad enough that his people, the Elfies of Reign, triggered a curse which reduced the entire inhabitants to a mere inch centuries ago. All because of one Keeper who failed his purpose. Even the King’s Ancient Books, did not help ward off that anathema.

Now, Gehzurolle, the evil lord, and his armies of Scorpents, seem bent on destroying Jules and his family. Why? Gehzurolle’s agents hunt for Jules as he journeys into enemy land to find the truth. Truth that could save him and his family, and possibly even reverse the age-long curse. Provided Jules doesn’t get himself killed first.

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Genre - Young Adult Adventure Fantasy  

Rating – G

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Connect with Emma Right on Facebook & Facebook (Keeper of Reign)

Website http://www.emmaright.com/Home.aspx

Catherine Astolfo – What Inspired Me to Write My Book

What Inspired Me to Write My Book

by Catherine Astolfo

The devil inspired me to write The Bridgeman. Not literally, I hope, but more in the sense that I am intrigued by evil people. I am attracted to the reasons behind their darkness. As an old song says, evil grows in the dark…or does it? I think truly wicked people walk among us, aliens with human faces. Their lack of empathy, twisted ideas and desire to hurt absolutely make me want to dig around and find out why.

There are theories that psychopaths have brains that are wired differently. They feel no empathy, are narcissistic and obsessed. Reader’s Digest once published an article entitled, “Psychopaths among us”. There are those who claim that a great number of CEO’s (those people who get paid millions of dollars to hire and fire) share a great many characteristics with psychopaths and sociopaths. They just use that extra “edge” and lack of sympathy in more socially acceptable ways.

The hidden evil in some people – the ability to wear a mask of nice while seething with twisted thoughts underneath – is even more fascinating to me. Once when I was driving through a small Ontario town, I had to wait at an old-fashioned drawbridge that spanned the canal. A completely blank and bored looking man was working away at the wheels. Barely noticed, red-checkered jacket, plain face, every day, slow habits and movements. And I thought: what could this almost invisible person be hiding? What dark secrets might lie beneath the banality of his existence?

At the same time, my niece had acquired a job as a veterinarian’s assistant. Her tales of the puppy and kitten mills and their victims gave me an idea for the secret my ordinary lockmaster might suppress.

Thus was born The Bridgeman, my first mystery novel. “I deserve no more smiles, no friendship, no pity, no love, no feather or silk or fur, no soft skin.” My character had some self-recrimination, and turned out to be capable of love, so he was not completely savage, but he was close.

From my experiences in schools, or from the newspapers, where kids shot and killed other kids, burned down a house (with their families inside), tortured and maimed animals, my character, The Bridgeman, is not so far-fetched. Nor are the other diabolical characters in the ensuing novels of my series very far from reality. They are scary, but these people do exist.

However, what I love about the world of fiction—everything turns out all right in the end. Most of the time, anyway.

If I knew what I know now, would I have searched so hard for the truth?

Anne Williams says she killed her best friend, Karoline. But did she? Or is there more to Karoline’s mysterious death than meets the eye?

Anne embarks on a compelling journey to discover her past and exposes an unusual history, horrific crimes and appalling betrayals. Through unexpected turns and revelations, Anne learns about love, family and who she really is. Can she survive the truth?

Editorial Reviews

“A deliciously vibrant portrait that realistically muddles good and evil.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Astolfo’s wonderful first sentence in Sweet Karoline explodes on the page and resonates right to the end of this twisting examination of dangerous minds. Never have I encountered a narrative voice that alternates more deftly between alienating and enticing.” —Mel Bradshaw, author of Fire On The Runway

“A deliciously twisted story about the perplexing power of adult female relationships. By turns scathingly funny and darkly insightful, Sweet Karoline is a hedonistic journey with all the right ingredients: lust, betrayal, true love and mystery. Grab a glass of wine and have the bottle handy. A compelling read from the start through to the surprising end.” —Robin Spano, author of Death’s Last Run

“In Catherine Astolfo’s chilling new novel Sweet Karoline, things aren’t always as they seem. Anne, the multifaceted anti-heroine in this noir tale takes a fateful journey into her forgotten past, uncovering the painful roots of her childhood. While furrowing for answers, a mystery unfolds, truths swirl to the surface, a heinous murder occurs. Who’s the killer? Caught in a tangled web of greed, lies and deceit Anne must come to terms with her past, present and future, and the bleak realization that those we hold close may be the last ones to trust. Compelling, visually descriptive, deftly delivered…Catherine Astolfo’s got the goods!” —Douglas Wickard, author of A Perfect Husband

“Sweet Karoline is a multi-layered mystery, where nothing is as it seems. The story grips you on page one and leads you through a maze of history, twisted relationships, and ultimately the darkness of the human mind.” —Liz Bugg, author of Oranges and Lemons

“In Sweet Karoline, Astolfo has created a daring hybrid mystery that combines elements of romance, history, and suspense in a carefully crafted story that keeps you guessing to the very end. Astolfo explores new boundaries as she extends her reach beyond the cozy mystery in this psychological exploration of the mind of a killer. A unique exploration of guilt and revenge.” —Michael J. McCann, author of The Fregoli Delusion

“The clever plot twists in Sweet Karoline will enrapture you from page one through the last paragraphs of this fast-paced modern mystery. Author Catherine Astolfo exhibits a strikingly perceptive gift for believable dialogue and rich character development. Her dry wit and colorful descriptions will have you howling in laughter at points, but in tears at others as she digs deep into the themes of guilt, race, and relationships. The powers of love and redemption are strong, but does the heart of an Ice Queen ever really melt? Enjoy the romp from Los Angeles, through Canada, to a priceless Italian rendezvous—all in the pages of Sweet Karoline, where long-buried secrets lie.” —Lisa Pell, award-winning author of Who’s Your Daddy, Baby?

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Genre –  Psychological Suspense

Rating – 18+

Connect with Catherine Astolfo on Facebook  & Twitter

Website http://www.catherineastolfo.com/

Author Interview – Alana Cash

Tell us about your family. My dad was in the military so I moved around quite a bit as a child – I lived in 10 different houses and attended 8 schools before finally graduating high school.  My dad’s father was a cotton farmer and their family moved around a lot as well, so it was kind of his nature to wander.  And it’s mine too.

How has your upbringing influence your writing? The most obvious way is that my stories take place in different cities and I know them all very well.  A less obvious way is that my stories are streamlined – they lack flowery description – and are always told from one point of view.  I think this is because I was always looking to understand my new environment as quickly as possible and did that with certain standard perceptions – the same way my characters do.

Is there a message that you would like your readers to grasp? Just considering my book, HOW YOU LEAVE TEXAS, I would say the answer to that question is that we have to bear our losses.  We don’t want to and can distract ourselves for a little while, but eventually if we want peace, we have to see things the way they truly are and not how we wish they were.  Things end.  We have to let go.  And then, we can begin a new adventure.

How much of the book [HOW YOU LEAVE TEXAS] is realistic? All of it is realistic.  People lose their best friends, marry the wrong people, have to deal with unfair family situations and health issues every day.

How much of the book is true to my life?  Let’s say that the color red represents what’s true and really happened in my life.  Then look at the American flag – that’s how much is true in the book.

HOW YOU LEAVE TEXAS is a volume of four unique stories about four young women who leave Midland, Austin, Fort Worth and Mayville, Texas for New York, California, Jakarta, and in one instance, jail. These young women seek escape from boredom and sorrow and find it. Told with humor and pathos, here are the synopses:

DAM BROKE – after high school graduation, two quirky best friends reveal big secrets.

“In sixth grade, I abandoned the reading glasses for a blond wig and a fake mole above my top lip. Mickey started wearing sunglasses indoors and carrying business cards.”
—–
CAMILLE’S NET WORTH – on her 40th birthday, Camille’s life falls apart in uncontrolled demolition. Life improves when she gets a job creating art paper and returns to painting. But the plot twists and she ends up in jail, laughing.

“I’m not going to spend much time repeating myself,” Camille said, “I want you to remove whatever you want to keep from this house. You can store your stuff in a rental truck if you need to until you find a new home, but you will be gone from here by midnight and never return.”
“You can’t do that!”
“If you are not gone by midnight, I will set fire to the house.”
——
KRYSTAL’S WEDDING – Heading for New York, Krystal leaves behind her shoddy family in Midland, Texas. Ill-prepared for the culture shock and expense, she takes a few slippery steps before she finds true independence.

“Krystal’s family wasn’t an American success story. Mom felt like life had cheated her since Daddy never made any real money and spent most nights getting drunk at the Welcome Inn. Erin never finished beauty school and worked at a donut shop. Bethany worked as a bar-back at the Rusty Nail and was turning out like Daddy. Alcoholic, back-slapping, charming. Eddie Garthwaite, owner of Garthwaite Used Cars located on Interstate 20 between Midland and Odessa. Eddie Garthwaite who currently had his driver’s license suspended because of a DUI.”
—–
FRYING YOUR BURGER – Nicky and her friends spend mornings slinging repartee in a coffee shop. While paying a traffic fine, she meets a director and soon finds herself a pawn for two directors trying to ruin each others careers.

“I went into the room marked Cashier and got into a long line. And there he was. Grinning that grin. He should have had a license for it. It was that bright. I stood next to him in my white t-shirt and white pants looking like someone straight out of the ‘hospital orderly fashion catalogue.’ It was all I had clean that day.”

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Genre –  Women’s Fiction

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Alana Cash on her

Blog http://howyoulovetexas.blogspot.com/

Corr Syl The Warrior by Garry Rogers (Excerpt)

Corr Syl

The warrior wiggled his furry toes, scratched an ear, and thought about singing with Ralph and dancing with Allysen last night.  He grinned and rolled out of bed.  As he reached toward his jar of dried fruit and nuts, he sensed the attack and dropped to the floor.

The assassin came across the smooth stone with quick light steps, his gleaming blade slashing down from right to left.  The warrior had dropped right beneath the cut, and now he leapt forward, drew a short sword, and turned to block the whirling assassin’s rising cut.  As the assassin recoiled from the block, the warrior drew his long sword and attacked in ‘two heavens’ form, rotating blades beating down the defenses of the backing assassin.  In seconds the warrior stopped, his short sword holding the enemy blade, the edge of his long sword across the imaginary assassin’s neck.

The attack could follow many other paths.  Instead of completing a full spin after the blocked cut, the assassin could have directed his momentum ‘over the mountain’ onto the warrior’s shoulders or skull.  To meet that slower, but stronger maneuver, the warrior might continue his turn into his left quarter, letting his short sword trail into a high block position.  Then he would step in and shove the assassin back, and again use two heavens.  Or….

The instant an attack began, chemical and electrical impulses generated by nodes throughout his body would accelerate the warrior’s movements.  Had the assassin been another Tsaeb warrior, the attack would have been complete before the warrior reached his sword.

Corr Syl, the youngest fully-trained warrior of Wycliff District, liked the direct block and the power of two heavens, but he knew that if he drew both swords, his long sword could end the encounter almost instantly.  He grinned, and his long gray whiskers twitched when he thought about the damage the edge-to-edge block by his almost indestructible drahsalleh sword would do to a metal blade.  He added the defense against the assassin’s over the mountain maneuver to the collection of tactics in the battle kingdom of his memory world and shifted his thoughts.

Corr’s battle kingdom held perfect memories of thousands of encounters, both from real practices with other warriors and from his imagination.  Narrow canyons, waterfalls, caves, and dark woods filled the battle kingdom.  A tendril of Corr’s conscious mind often visited and relived favorite encounters.  After Nursery Canyon where Corr had spent his childhood, Corr liked the battle kingdom best.

Barren lands and seas existing only as outlines covered most of Corr’s memory world.  If no mortal attack or accident occurred, the outlines would eventually fill with images, emotions, and thoughts.

Corr twitched his fur-covered skin, and pulled on his weapons harness.  As he snapped the smooth gray clasp bearing the warrior’s insignia, he ended the thread of an old argument that had lost significance.  He had always questioned the value of mental combat exercises involving close-quarters surprise attacks.  No normal assassin, and almost no Tsaeb warriors, could come so close undetected.  But Corr’s teacher had insisted that Corr practice such situations at least once every day.  After 13 years and thousands of practices, Corr’s complaint had faded.  So he gave it up.  All the warriors Corr knew added a close encounter attack to their other daily exercises.  It must serve a purpose.

As he turned toward the door, another thoughtstream, like a mocking child, produced a conclusion:  Rhya Bright doesn’t like me. Corr severed the stream and gave the freed capacity to a new botheration.

Yesterday, as Corr strolled toward the river enjoying the warm sun on his fur, Arden Aquila, the Chairman of the District Council, swooped to a landing in Corr’s path and made a befuddling announcement.

“Corr, the council has elected you as its volunteer agent; we need to have at least one warrior present at all meetings.”

When an armed Danog patrol crosses the border into Wycliff District, the Wycliff Council sends a young Tsaeb warrior named Corr Syl to investigate and recommend a response. Corr soon learns that spies have infiltrated his district, and already many lives are at risk. He catches a glimpse of something truly evil, and with no time to spare, must choose between a safe response that might fail, and a sure response that might start a global war.

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Genre –  Science Fiction

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Garry Rogers on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://garryrogers.com/