Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Twisted Dreams

 Twisted Dreams (The Dhampyre Chronicles, #1)  
1/2
 Born of a vampire father to a human mother, Elizabeth Bandores’ life was never going to be normal, so she can’t image why she thinks starting college will be any different.
Having grown up in the affluent Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles and desperate to escape, she decides on the small college town of Sage Springs. With dreams of being a writer, she joins the college newspaper and is introduced to blond, confident Flynn Matthews, Sage Springs’ rising swim star.
But a carnival has set up in the small town, and the boy running the Waltzer catches her eye. Dark-haired, leather-jacketed Riley is rude, with an air of danger. Elizabeth can’t help but notice him. And when an accident thrusts them together, she discovers he’s noticed her, too.
Sage Springs isn’t the quiet little town Elizabeth had hoped for. The forests bordering the town harbour a dark secret—one some of the residents have been trying to protect, and the leaders of the carnival have set in their sights... 

Review
****Warwick House Press, via NetGalley, provided me with a complimentary advanced review copy of this for my honest review****
Elizabeth Bandores struggles like most girls her age. Only, she doesn't struggle with just the average growing pains. She's a Dhampyre, part vampire, part human. Oh, and she also has the ability of her touch bringing her glimpses into a person's life. Past, present, or future. Growing up could be tough, especially having to explain her father's "sun allergy" and avoiding physical contact when possible, but she has loving parents who supported her. Wanting to go away to school and try her hand at being "normal" takes some convincing but she does it. She is officially a student in a sleepy town called Sage Springs. When a freak accident and a carnival welcome her into her new town, she's wondering if it's just her luck or an omen of what's to come. Add a mysterious and attractive carnie named Riley, who seems to always be around when things go wrong, and Elizabeth is about the go on the journey of her life.
Even though this isn't the genre I really read much of anymore, I still really enjoyed this story. It felt slightly more YA than New Adult, even though the characters were NA age. Not to say the characters were excessively immature, just the opposite, they read like their age but in a positive way. It just had that feel. Besides her gift and parentage, Elizabeth is a normal girl trying to find her place in the world, it made her easy to bond with and follow her story. The levels and secrets of the story were a little predictable if you looked hard enough but intriguing. There seemed to be a supporting character for everyone. Ones to love and loath, ones you cheered when they met their demise, a few you forgot about, and others you hope pop up in future writing. Riley followed the bad boy with a chained up soft spot story to a t, ultimately just doing what he knew and coming through as the book went on. The coven and magic was detailed and brought more action to the writing. Overall, a fun rainy night read.   





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Monday, December 29, 2014

Found Near Water




Crime / Thriller / Mystery
Date Published: July 2014

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Rena Sutherland wakes from a coma into a mother’s nightmare. Her daughter is missing – lost for four days – but no one has noticed; no one has complained; no one has been searching.
As the victim support officer assigned to her case, Christine Emmett puts aside her own problems as she tries to guide Rena through the maelstrom of her daughter’s disappearance.
A task made harder by an ex-husband desperate for control; a paedophile on early-release in the community; and a psychic who knows more than seems possible.
And intertwined throughout, the stories of six women; six daughters lost.






About the Author

Katherine Hayton is a 41 year old woman who works in insurance, doesn't have children or pets, can't drive, has lived in Christchurch her entire life, and currently resides a two minute walk from where she was born. For some reason she's developed a rich fantasy life.

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Hark



Short Stories / Christmas
Date Published: November 2014

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A beautifully written collection of short stories from critically acclaimed Pacific Northwest writer Justin Bog, Hark explores the range of emotions surrounding the holidays. From melancholy to madness, loss and despair to hope and forgiveness, these six tales shimmer with feelings, some we’d rather stuff away, that Christmas can evoke.

Within Hark–A Christmas Collection, a retired police officer faces another Christmas Eve while bitter recollections haunt his every turn, a lonely woman plans to seduce Santa Claus one Christmas Eve, a widow grows anxious as she searches for a present she misplaced and intended to send to her ungrateful sister, a woman can’t keep the images of her past–these ghosts–from haunting the life she chooses to live, a bookstore clerk and his partner join a Christmas party in Sun Valley, Idaho and are taught a lesson most un-holidaylike, and, finally, a couple portrays Mr. & Mrs. Claus in their small island town holiday festivities and face a grim diagnosis together.

Set in colorful locations around the United States, from Anacortes, Washington, to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Sun Valley, Idaho, each tale focuses on people who struggle to make good choices, learn lessons, and maybe even find peace during the holiday season.

A bonus story, Poseidon Eyes, from the upcoming Sandcastle and Other Stories–The Complete Edition, is included.





About the Author

Justin Bog lives in the Pacific Northwest on Fidalgo Island. Justin Bog was Pop Culture Correspondent and Editor for In Classic Style. He is an experimental cook, a lawn mower who colors outside the lines, and treat master to two long coat German shepherds, Zippy and Kipling, and two barn cats, Ajax The Gray and Eartha Kitt’n.'

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Email: justinbog@mac.com






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Monday, December 22, 2014

Bittersweet




Young Adult Romance

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Date Published: December 9, 2014

In the aftermath of one tragic and uncertain night, Edy and Hassan shut out the chaos with a kiss. But when Hassan's traditionalist mother sees that kiss … well, a nightmare of a different sort begins. After all, he still has an arranged marriage on the horizon.
Love attacks the glue of their two bonded families; while the slow tug of success pulls Edy and Hassan in opposite directions. After denying their feelings for so long, they now have each other, but are forced to ask themselves if being together is worth it.
 


Excerpt

Hassan examined the gash on his right hand with mild interest, curious as to what point he’d earned it. His hand shook; his whole arm shook, and the tightness in his chest worked like a vice. He believed he could whittle away the panic. He believed he could wish away the night. He closed his eyes, opened them, and found all exactly as it had been.
He swatted at the EMT impatiently as his legs dangled from the rear of the ambulance. “That’s enough,” Hassan said. “I’m good.”
The man frowned down at his work. He’d cleaned the wound, applied an ointment, and looked at a roll of gauze longingly. “Really, you should let me—”
“I said ‘no.’” Hassan snatched his arm free and stood.
They’d rolled Wyatt away on a gurney. When that happened, the wheel of the stretcher had bumped on the door frame’s ledge, causing his arm to swing out from the bed. Long, white, limp—that was Hassan’s last image of him. He thought of it now as he stared at the Green’s front entrance. A uniformed officer banged at the door. Another stood at his side. The wind howled in response.
He couldn’t watch that. He couldn’t stand this. Swarming, aimless flashing lights, the methodical sectioning and combing of here and there, and Wyatt’s swinging arm, slipped out to greet him.
He’s dead. No one loses that much blood and lives.
Hassan’s thoughts turned to Edy, Edy whose friend had been shot. Quick steps brought him to her, in the cold, in the dark, in the madness they’d rushed home. Get to her was his only command.
She stood underneath a winter-stripped oak wrapped in a fleece Patriots blanket. Seeing her reminded him of his own bare arms and of how cold he should have been.
He slid in with her, wrapped her in the circle of his arms so tight, and exhaled a puff of exhaustion. Better, he thought. Best. Because he couldn’t think just now. He could only feel and breathe in drafts, so wrecked was he from the senselessness of it all. Some part of him, some inner part, fractured and burned, fluttering off in winter winds ashen piece by ashen piece.
“Hassan,” Edy said. “I—I’m freaking out. I’m going to lose it completely.” Her eyes swept the lawn without seeing, watering to overflow, sliding into panic.
“Edy,” he said, but she didn’t hear.
“Edy,” he repeated, but she still didn’t hear. She gripped the fabric of his shirt at the waist, fisting it with a hand and twisting. He pulled her in so they were forehead to forehead and trembling.
She would keep it together or he would unravel right with her.
“Don’t leave me,” Hassan said. “You know you can’t.”
He yanked at her as if he could rouse her into forgetting, into going backward, into being yesterday’s Edy and therefore okay. In this tighter, fiercer embrace, he was hyper aware of his every clenched muscles, of her fingers first touching, then digging into his side, and of the snow that eventually began to fall.
He’d hold them together if it took all night.
She ran a hand across his face and he caught her by the wrist. Funny how the noises dulled then, how the rushing thuds of footsteps and the commanding voices drifted to insignificance when she looked at him. While he couldn’t will every muscle in his body to release, or his heart to slow down on the gallop, he could do this. He could hold her and she could him. They could ground each other, help each other. It worked two ways.
Luckily.
She licked her lips.
And he kissed them.
It happened that fast.
“Hassan!” his mother cried.
Yeah.
His mother.




About the Author

Shewanda Pugh is a tomboy who credits Stephen King with being the reason she writes romance. In 2012 she debuted with the first novel in a three part contemporary adult romance series, Crimson Footprints. Since then, she's been shortlisted for the AAMBC Reader's Choice Award, the National Black Book Festival's Best New Author Award, and the Rone Award for Contemporary Fiction in 2012 and 2013. She has an MA in Writing from Nova Southeastern University and a BA in Political Science from Alabama A&M University. Though a native of Boston, MA, she now lives in Miami, FL, where she can soak up sun rays without fear of shivering.

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Thursday, December 18, 2014

Fusion



Paranormal Urban Fantasy
Date Published: December 16, 2014

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NEW from HIJINKS INK PUBLISHING…..

FUSION: Nine outstanding fantasy stories merged together to create a bestselling reaction.

An anthology designed for readers of fantasy . . . Paranormal, urban/contemporary fantasy, science fiction and dystopian fused together in one epic fantasy bundle. Make your way through fire and ice, love, lust and hate as NINE International Bestselling Authors come together to spin their tales of magic and destruction. This is a truly unique bundle that successfully blends all aspects of the Fantasy genre.


"ELEMENTALLY PRICELESS" an EXCLUSIVE Novella by SHANNON MAYER (International Bestselling Author)

Urban Fantasy, Heat Rating: 2

"My name is Rylee, and I am a Tracker."

A missing child, a deadly prophecy, and a world of unusual supernaturals slam together in this EXCLUSIVE novella from Shannon Mayer. Meet Rylee, a Tracker of missing children, and Lark, an Earth Elemental as they tackle a case neither could crack on their own dodging the world of the supernatural and FBI alike. Separate, they are deadly, strong, and determined. Together, they are unstoppable. Or so they think.


"ETHEREAL (Celestra Series, Book 1)" by ADDISON MOORE (NY Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author)

YA Paranormal Romance, Heat Rating: 2

The Celestra Series has been optioned for film by 20th CENTURY FOX

Sixteen year-old, Skyla Messenger is a dead girl walking. With her life in upheaval, she finds refuge in Logan Oliver, a boy who shares her unique ability to read minds and has knowledge she desires. If only he would share. Skyla’s bloodlines to angelic beings may not be able to save her from those who want her dead, but Skyla is nowhere near done living --- and she’s not going down without a fight.



"HERE (On the Otherside Series, Book 1)" by DENISE GROVER SWANK (NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author)

YA Science Fiction, Heat Rating: 2

Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend in a car accident. But guilt can’t explain howshe can suddenly draw, has false memories of the accident and how a bracelet engraved with her name ended at the scene. Suddenly, Evan Whittaker is interested in her and her life. Why he was missing for two days and returns wearing a pendant she’s been drawing for months leads the two on a journey to find out how Monica is still alive and just where Even is really from.


"INESCAPABLE (The Premonition Series, Book 1)" by AMY BARTOL (International Bestselling Author)

YA Paranormal Romance, Heat Rating: 2

I’m Evie and this was to be the making of me-my first year of college. I’d hoped that once I’d arrived at Crestwood, the nightmare that I’ve been having would go away. It hasn’t. At 17, I may be inexperienced, but I’m sane. When Reed is near, however, nothing makes any sense. He’s not what he seems to be…and neither am I. I’m afraid that the nightmare my dream is foretelling is…inescapable.


"THE CURE” by STEPHANIE ERICKSON (Bestselling Author)

YA Dystopian, Heat Rating: 1

“One life will make the difference.”  Macey Holsinger has heard that phrase her whole life, in the name of fighting a disease that has claimed so many lives.  How much will she be willing to sacrifice in the name of the cure? 


"UPRISING (A Collide Novel, Book 2)" by SHELLY CRANE (NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author)

YA Science Fiction, Heat Rating: 2

Sherry and Merrick come face to face with old friends and new enemies in this sequel to Collide. When a little girl is found, things change for everyone and loyalties will be tested. New romances, drama and rivalries may upset the delicate balance they established while transformations on both sides of good and evil will arise as the series continues.



"ARCADIA’S GIFT (Arcadia Series, Book 1)" by JESI LEA RYAN (Bestselling Author)

 YA Paranormal, Heat Rating: 2

When teenager Arcadia Day wakes in a hospital after what can only be described as a psychic episode, she finds her family in tatters. As her home life crumbles and her emotional control slips away, she begins to suspect that her first psychic experience was just the beginning.

"BIRTH (Allie’s War, Early Years)” by J.C. Andrijeski (Bestselling Author)

Contemporary Fantasy, Heat Rating: 4

High in mountain caves, surrounded by kind-hearted monks, the shadow of the Rooks hangs over Revik’s head, a constant reminder of the dark warrior he used to be. When strange, militant Seers appear, asking for his help, his first impulse is to say no...until he learns it is Kali who needs saving… the one person he cannot refuse.


"WICKEDEST WITCH” by EVE LANGLAIS (New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author)

Paranormal Romance, Heat Rating: 4

Evangeline is not a very nice witch, and she’s not afraid to show it. She lands a job where she is forced to work with a rude, cocky and totally unsuitable shifter. Despite it all, she can’t help craving his touch. When Ryker is partnered with the witch, he does everything he can to fight her allure. And fails. Vampires, a wedding from hell, and a cackling boss make this an action packed and humorous romance to remember.








About the Authors

Shannon Mayer

Shannon Mayer lives in the southwestern tip of Canada with her husband, dog, cats, horse, and cows. When not writing she spends her time staring at immense amounts of rain, herding old people (similar to herding cats) and attempting to stay out of trouble. Especially that last is difficult for her.
She is the author of the The Rylee Adamson Novels, The Nevermore Trilogy, A Celtic Legacy series and several contemporary romances.  Please visit her website at http://www.shannonmayer.com  for more information on her novels.



Addison Moore

Addison Moore is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who writes contemporary and paranormal romance. Her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine. Previously she worked as a therapist on a locked psychiatric unit for nearly a decade. She resides on the West Coast with her husband, four wonderful children, and two dogs where she eats too much chocolate and stays up way too late. When she's not writing, she's reading. Addison’sCelestra Series has been optioned for film by 20th Century Fox.


Denise Grover Swank

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in the area until she was nineteen. Then she became a nomadic gypsy, living in five cities, four states and ten houses over the course of ten years before she moved back to her roots.

She speaks English and smattering of Spanish and Chinese which she learned through an intensive Nick Jr. immersion period. Her hobbies include witty Facebook comments (in own her mind) and dancing in her kitchen with her children. (Quite badly if you believe her offspring.)

Hidden talents include the gift of justification and the ability to drink massive amounts of caffeine and still fall asleep within two minutes. Her lack of the sense of smell allows her to perform many unspeakable tasks. She has six children and hasn't lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.

You can find out more about Denise at www.denisegroverswank.com or email her at DeniseGroverSwank@gmail.com.



Amy Bartol

Amy A. Bartol is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Premonition Series, which includes: Inescapable, Intuition, Indebted,Incendiary and Iniquity. She has also written the Kricket Series, which includes: Under Different Stars, Sea of Stars, and Darken the Stars. She lives in Michigan with her husband and two sons. Visit her at her website: http://www.amyabartol.com.



Stephanie Erickson

Stephanie Erickson has always had a passion for the written word. She pursued her love of literature at Flagler College, in St. Augustine, FL, where she graduated with a BA in English Literature. She has received several honors in her writing career, including recognition in the 72nd Annual Writer's Digest Competition.
After graduation, she married and followed her husband in pursuit of his dream. The Cure and The Blackout were written to reignite Stephanie's passion, when she found the time. Now that he is settled in his career, it's her turn to devote more time and energy into writing.  Unseen, released in November, is her first book since she started writing full time.

Stephanie has three projects planned for 2015. Her next release is well underway and is slated for a March, 2015 publication date, with the sequel to Unseen—Unforgiven—slated for release in July.

Stephanie, of course, loves to read and write. She also enjoys living on the beach on Florida's Treasure Coast. Most of all, she and her husband are head over heels in love with their baby girl.


Shelly Crane

Shelly is a NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY bestselling author from a small town in Georgia and loves everything about the south.

She is wife to a fantastical husband and stay-at-home mom to two boisterous and mischievous boys who keep her on her toes. She hoards paperbacks, devours sweet tea, searches year-round for candy corn, and loves to spend time with her family and friends, go out to eat at new restaurants, site-see in the new areas they travel to, listen to music, and, of course, loves to read, but doesn’t have much time to these days with all the characters filling her head begging to come out.

Her own books happen by accident and she revels in the writing and imagination process. She doesn't go anywhere without her notepad for fear of an idea creeping up and not being able to write it down immediately, even in the middle of the night, where her best ideas are born.



Jesi Lea Ryan

Jesi Lea Ryan grew up in the Mississippi River town of Dubuque, IA. She holds bachelor degrees in creative writing and literature and a masters degree in business. She considers herself a well-rounded nerd who can spend hours on the internet researching things like British history, anthropology of ancient people, geography of random parts of the world, bad tattoos and the paranormal. She currently lives in Madison, WI with her husband and two exceptionally naughty kitties.


JC Andrijeski

JC Andrijeski writes urban fantasy, dystopian and paranormal romance. Current works include the gritty, epic, urban fantasy series, Allie’s War, which follows Allie Taylor and her antihero partner, Revik, in their attempts to save the world from a dark, psychic force bent on controlling Earth. She also has a new adult dystopian series, Alien Apocalypse about Jet Tetsuo, survivor and slave under alien conquerors, and the Gate Shifter series, about a shape-shifting alien and a tough-girl PI.

She also writes crime fiction, children’s and some literary under different names, although her first love will always be of the supernatural, especially when it involves kick-ass superpowers and people fighting for the light and against their own inner demons.
JC currently lives and writes full time in Bangkok, Thailand, although she tends to get itchy feet on a fairly regular basis, so can’t quite commit to that as a final resting place...

Eve Langlais

Hello, my name is Eve and I am a Canadian author who pens steamy romance--usually with shapeshifters, cyborgs or aliens lol.I love to write, and while I don't always know what my mind is going to come up with next, I can promise it will be fun, probably humorous, and most of all romantic because I love a happily ever after.I look forward to seeing you again, whether online or between the pages of a book.



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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

For The Eye Sees Not Itself



Urban Fantasy / Erotica / Menage / MMF
Date Published: November 12, 2014

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The SIS team has dealt with all sorts of things that go bump in the night--vampires, zombies, even demons. But not everything odd or occult walks or breathes. The CIA calls on SIS leader John Benchley to alert him to a strange set of occurrences around an abandoned house in Baltimore. Investigating, the SIS team stumbles on to something unprecedented and deadly. And not every SIS member gets away from their encounters unscathed.
Life continues to go on--even around vampires, mad scientists and demons. SIS FBI liaison Gabrielle Dichenz, who is the lover of both John Benchley and Evan Garrett, John’s boyfriend, is coming to terms with her new life.  Recovering from her past with an abusive ex means looking closely at her present. Evan’s waiting patiently to integrate both of his lovers into his wider life. John, on the other hand, isn’t the sort of personality who takes well to waiting. There’s something really good growing between the three of them. Gabrielle just has to decide whether to truly grab for the brass ring or let her past dictate the shape of her future.


EXCERPT

John placed a hand on the doorknob. He already had a slightly creepy feeling about this place and he wondered if it had to with the reputed ley lines that Fiona had indicated might be beneath the house. The knob twisted with moderate ease and he pushed the door open.  “No need to break out the lock picks.”
There were signs of scuffed footprints through the dust and dirt in the foyer and he stood motionless for a moment just looking inside.
“Are we going in or what?” asked Todd.
“Yeah, yeah. Todd, you and Cecelia check upstairs. Rich, circle around back and see if there’s a door there. Evan and I will start on this floor.
There was a murmur of assent from the team members, and they began to head in separate directions. Evan was left standing a few feet behind John.
“Is it just me or does this place kind of make your skin crawl?” asked Evan.
John glanced back at him. “No, it’s not just you. Any thoughts as to why?”
Evan stepped in the direction of the front room and stood studying the decorative molding above the door. “Take a look at the corners,” he said pointing to the square blocks topping the corners. “Those look like Thelemic stars to me.” He pointed to the two overlapping chevron’s carved into the wood. It was all stained the same color and the symbols were not immediately apparent.
“Thelemic… that ritual magic stuff right?”

“Not just ritual, more along the lines of ceremonial, and more specifically utilized heavily by the Crowley crowd. I think theremight be more than one version of the stars, but I don’t know offhand what the differences might indicate.”
“Okay this definitely leans in the direction of supporting some of last few things that Fiona found. You take the right hand rooms as we move toward the back of the house and I’ll take the left. It should only take us a few minutes to go through,” said John.
***
Evan walked into the dimly lit room near the back of the house. It had one window, much smudged and cobwebbed that let some daylight in. Along the wall was a dusty broken chair, a fabric duffle bag and a pair of beer cans. He turned around to glance at the walls behind him, near the door. On the right hand side of the door hung a long narrow mirror in a heavy, dark, carved frame. He was standing at a sharp angle to it and couldn’t see his own reflection. Heading toward the duffle bag, he glanced at the mirror again. His image was wavy, distorted and he idly wondered how old the glass was. Something drew his eye.
In the reflection Evan saw a man behind him, and he whirled around to face the stranger. Gabrielle’s body was sprawled limply on the floor. Tom Garner, Brie’s psycho ex-boyfriend, was kneeling beside her, a knife in his hand, stabbing her again and again. Evan screamed, “NO!” He tackled the man and knocked him backward to the floor.
***
As John reached the back door and met Rich in the narrow kitchen, he wondered if Evan had found anything. “Go check upstairs and see if Todd and Cecelia need any help. I wonder of this place has a basement or just a crawl space. Look for a door that goes down,” he said to Rich.
“On it.”
John backtracked and veered into the very abbreviated hallway that separated two of the rear rooms. He glanced into the left hand one, empty, unless you counted dust and a squashed soda can.
“Yo, Evan. Find anything?” he called out. He looked into the right hand one. Evan was standing motionless, staring into an empty corner, his hand outstretched. John started toward him.  “Ev’?”
Suddenly Evan lunged at him, screaming. They went down in a tangle. Evan’s hands wrapped around John’s throat, and he began banging John’s head on the edge of the door frame. The first blow stunned John and he flailed helplessly against the floor. The second was a bolt of agony through the back of his head. He could barely breathe, Evan’s hands were wrapped so tightly around his throat. The blows continued and consciousness was fading into blackness. Evan was still screaming at him, “No! NO! You killed her! Oh God you killed her!”




About the Author

A.R. Moler is a chemistry professor at a community college, a homeschooling mom and an avid science fiction fan. She is a devotee of first hand research for her writing whenever possible and to this end has - learned to fire a handgun, been rappelling, ridden with both EMS and the police, flown a helicopter, bought a motorcycle and learned to ride it. She has traveled to nearly all the places where her stories are set and taken hundreds of photos for documentation. She has been writing since her high school years, but only recently has become published. She recently launched a website for her writing http://armoler.com
Her blog is www.playdohstoichiometry.blogspot.com and is entitled Playdoh, Legos and Stoichiometry. When asked why such a name for her blog, she commented that it reflects 3 of the many phases of her life. Her daughter has been an avid playdoh artist, her son owns enough Legos is fill a 55-gallon drum and the stoichiometry--one of the most challenging topics to many chemistry students. Her husband's only contribution to chemistry is brewing beer.

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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

A Veil of Glass and Rain

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Book Title: Veil of Glass and Rain: Special Edition
Author: Petra March
Release Date: January 20, 2014
Series: A Touch of Cinnamon.
Book Type: All books in the series can be read Stand-alone


 Brina and Eagan meet for the first time when she's nine and he's fourteen. They like each other from the very beginning, though their bond isn't immediate, but it grows over the years. What links them is the fact that their parents are photographers and are extremely devoted to their work and to each other; so much so that both Brina and Eagan have to learn how to take care of themselves from a very young age. Despite their differences, age, gender, nationality - Brina is Italian and Eagan is American - they find comfort in their growing friendship. 
Then Brina becomes a teenager, and her feelings for her friend start changing and deepening. New desires stir within her. As soon as Brina realizes how those feelings complicate her friendship with Eagan, she runs away from him.  A few years later, Brina is twenty and Eagan is twenty-five, they find one another once again.


Publisher's Note: This is a fully re-edited and enriched with new and special contents version of the previously published novel, A Veil of Glass and Rain, by Petra F. Bagnardi (aka Petra March). 
AVeilOfGlassAndRain_SpecialEd_PBCover    

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 ~Excerpt ~

A stolen kiss...
[...]I was wearing a yellow sundress and clutching the handle of my guitar case. Eagan offered to carry it for me, but I shook my head, for he was already bearing the weight of his huge backpack.

A part of me was glad he hadn't been able to hear me play. The piece I had chosen was an acoustic cover of one of my favorite rock songs. The acoustic version was utterly sentimental; it expressed perfectly the way I felt about Eagan. After my performance, all my professors and fellow students admitted that they'd never heard me play with so much feeling. I wasn't certain I wanted Eagan to discover that part of my soul yet.

We embraced awkwardly. I noticed that his eyes were red and tired. I also remarked that he was tanned and that he smelled good, as always. Of course, I didn't reveal my sentiments.

It was a bright summer day. We went to a park, we sat, we didn't talk much. After a while, Eagan lay back and fell asleep.

I watched him rest for a few moments, then I reclined alongside him. I placed my body very close to his, so that I could feel his heat through the thin cotton of my dress. His handsome face was turned toward me and his lips were slightly parted. Flecks of gold dotted his beard stubble and his dark blond hair.

I braced one of my hands on his arm and the other one on his muscled chest, then I leaned toward his face, keeping my eyes open. I let my mouth linger over his and breathed his breath then, finally, I whispered a kiss across the side of his mouth, then I licked his upper lip. I waited. He didn't stir. So I closed my eyes and brushed his lips with mine once more. I became greedy. My tongue pressed between his parted lips and stroked his tongue once, twice and then again until I moaned and an unbearable ache surged between my legs.

My fingers gripped his sweaty T-shirt. I kept kissing Eagan until he groaned softly in his sleep.

“I love you,” I murmured against his lips.

I moved away from him. I forced myself to stand, I grabbed my guitar case and I left.

On the bus, I kept licking my lips; I tasted him, the salt of his sweat, and a hint of cinnamon.
(A Veil of Glass and Rain: Special Edition, by Petra March)

 

About the Petra

  PetraMarch    
 Petra March (aka Petra F. Bagnardi) studied Screenwriting and History of American Cinema at UCLA and NYU. Presently, Petra keeps traveling and dreaming through her novels. Her characters are deeply in love with Europe and the USA, just like Petra is.

 On October 2nd 2014 her debut novel, A Veil of Glass and Rain, won the Indie Book of the Day Award.

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Seventh Wonder

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  Title:  Seventh Wonder 
  Author:  Renae Kelleigh 
  Genre:  Contemporary Romance 18+ 
  Publication Date:  December 16, 2014    

~  Synopsis ~

June 1969 - Meg Lowry, with a cadre of her friends from UC Berkley, is speeding toward Grand Canyon National Park and their very last summer break. At least she THINKS they're friends - in the first days of their final farewell to the innocence of young adulthood, she wonders whether she has ever felt more alone. Little does she know how close she stands to the brink of an all-new chapter of her life that will prominently feature one all-new character.
John Stovall is an artist of minor note and modest aspiration. His presence at the Canyon is for an entirely different reason and under drastically different circumstances. He doesn't have much interest in either establishing new or retaining old characters in his story - yet he is about to discover that, at times, one has little to say about such things.
Can two people on such dramatically different paths find their way to each other? Even when a frightening new event threatens to tear the delicate fabric of their relationship, will they accept that love - true love - can sometimes conquer all?Seventh Wonder

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~ About the Author ~

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 Renae Kelleigh is originally from the Midwest but now lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her husband, dog and rabbit. Besides reading and writing, she also enjoys hiking and photography.

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Book Giveaway

Love to Love Her (Silver State Series Book 1)
Forever With You (Silver State Series)