The Mage Tales Prequels by Ilana Waters

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author giveaways, fantasy, Rafflecopter giveaway, urban fantasy, USA Today Best Selling author, vampire, witch

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ilana Waters will be awarding a $75 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

 

The author has set up a special giveaway for the first book in the series, BLOOD AND MAGIC. The link for the giveaway is https://www.amazon.com/ga/p/a4ba6f2f70a72918#ln-l

 

From USA Today bestselling author Ilana Waters:

Vampire. Witch. Hero. Monster.

Titus Aurelius is all of these things. Ever since he rose from the ashes of ancient Pompeii, this former Roman general has fought for survival.

A few millennia later, bloodseeker Titus isn’t looking for trouble—just a quick meal. But when his path crosses the witch Abigail’s, that plan gets shot to Hades. They find out the Paranormal Investigation Agency (PIA) is plotting something monstrous—something that involves exploding gas mains, lethal bird-shifters, and sadistic vampire minions.

Will they uncover the PIA’s murderous secret before every supernatural in its path is destroyed?

And what is Titus and Abigail’s connection to the mage who, almost twenty years later, is exiled to a paranormal boarding school? Can this mage solve a mystery concerning a stolen potion and ghostly figure before students—including him—wind up dead?

Together for the first time, the Mage Tales Prequels: Books 0-II are action-packed, edge-of-your-seat suspense stories shot through with a megadose of snark. If you love authors like Kevin Hearne, Lev Grossman, and Ilona Andrews, give these a try! This box set contains one novella and two full-length novels:

When Darkness Falls
Blood and Magic
Mage Lessons

Read an Excerpt

From Blood and Magic:

Abigail knew it would take more. They had to make the current even stronger. What was it Mom said about never dropping a hair dryer in the bathtub? She was about to do the equivalent—on a much larger scale.

I need you, she thought to the sky, the sea. The whole world. To magic, to energy, to life itself. We need you. Come to us!

The rain hit the ship like a meteor. Waves rose up over the sides. Tunnels of water bore down. The ship lurched violently from side to side. Abigail rose in the air a little so she wouldn’t fall onto the deck. The sound of thunder filled her ears.

But that was nothing compared to the fireworks of electricity coming from the net. The addition of the rain had made it absolutely lethal. The wind blew Cunningham’s hair and clothes behind her, as if she were standing in front of a giant fan. She fought not to go backward into the web of death, and even managed to advance several steps. Abigail’s heart hammered against her chest. Blood raced like quicksilver through her veins.

“She’s getting away!” Abigail shrieked. “Dammit, Titus, do something!”

About the Author:

Hi! I’m Ilana Waters, USA Today bestselling author of the Mage Tales.

I write urban fantasy for those who like it fast, funny, and fierce. If you’re into cross-blended creatures (think witch-vampire hybrids and half-breed mages) and supernatural ass-kicking, I’m all over that. Ditto if your book turn-ons are equal parts creepy and action-packed (think ancient cities and crypts combined with beheadings and bombs).

Sign up for my newsletter here, and I’ll give you a free book: http://tinyurl.com/zp7q9u8

Website: http://www.ilanawaters.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ilanawaters
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilanawatersbooks

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MJT1RWB/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

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Future Comes from Behind – Paradigm Shift by STK Chan

Tags

fantasy, historical non-fiction, new book releases, science fiction, Science-Fantasy, SF&F

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. STK Chan will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Fighting what we’ve become.
An ancient dimension of dark echoes from the past.

Lisa and her family barely manage to escape an invasion from the Rebel army in their home of Malta. Shortly after this episode, she discovers Exo, the ancient dimension she cannot understand until her late 20s. Exo is made of memories of the past; it brings forth all the strong echoes we leave behind. Lisa desperately wants to resolve the conflicts of this inner world peacefully, but quickly learns she must fight the shadows in people’s hearts, materialized through battle re-enactments, warfare and emotional turmoil.

Enjoy an Excerpt:

“Are we in danger? I heard Daddy talking to Uncle Bernie about some bad people coming to our island. There’s only water protecting us from them, see?”

“Ah, their long debates over the phone… It’s just chatting; just people talking. No worries here, my dear.”

Her mother paused and reflected on whether to be more honest with her child, as some school advisors were recommending, or whether to continue shielding her from the world’s problems.

“I don’t want them to come to my school. My friends might stay at home because they’re scared.”

“They won’t,” the mother replied with another smile as she caressed the little girl’s brown hair. “They won’t. Let’s get inside, sweetheart; it’s getting chilly.”

They resided in a fortunately situated neighborhood. Though just two miles from the shore, it was elevated enough to have an unobstructed sea view over the gentle slope of their rocky hill. Before entering the house, Lisa spotted some movement above her head.

“Hey, it’s Reblas!” She waved at their neighbor, who was tranquilly gazing through his telescope, poking out of his dark attic window. “Any shooting princesses today?”

“Why don’t you come over and take a look? It’s a cheesy moon out tonight,” beamed the man. He was recently retired and enjoyed the simple pleasures of life on the island.

“It’s late. Maybe tomorrow,” Lisa’s mother called back.

“’Night, Reblas.”

“Sure thing, Strawberry. It’ll be there tomorrow as well—always waiting for us to look up and admire it!”

The electric shutter on the back door slowly closed after they had passed through. Reblas adjusted his telescope’s lens and angle, observing the horizon, while in the background, concerned voices on the radio discussed the recent riots in Europe and the increasing numbers of boats crossing the Mediterranean Sea from both continents.

About the Author:

A fan of nourishing SF&F fiction. Seeker of essential truths in historical non-fiction. Exploring life for almost half a century. Delivering action and matters of the inner self. “Chan has license to be more philosophical and issue-oriented, and on the whole he blends together different genres well.” (John Staughton, SPR)

Website: http://stkchan.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18365677.S_T_K_Chan

The book is $0.99 during the tour.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/PARADIGM-SHIFT-Future-comes-behind-ebook/dp/B07GVNH3GQ
Other book venues: http://stkchan.com/#shortcode-88edda7ce3603c2b9a964b5f0f2b8d1e

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The Secret Lives of Royals by Shalina Dua

Tags

author giveaways, fantasy, gift card giveaways, new adult, rafflecpoter giveaways, YA

GENRE: New Adult, YA, Fantasy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shalina will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Travel Inspiration

I’ve been lucky enough to live in London and New York and travel to many wonderful and exciting places around the world. Walking past the eclectic doorways in New York, getting lost in the small back alleys of London’s side streets, enjoying cafes along the cobbled roads in France, sitting in view of the Italian ports and eating gelato and walking Barcelona’s gothic district, with its beautiful historical architecture, have all inspired so much of my storytelling. I always wander what is going on behind those varied and intricately designed doors as I’m walking past and what amazing things might have happened in the past that shaped our history. I think about the people who have walked these streets before me and imagine what their lives must have been like. Those musings eventually end up in my writing.

BLURB:

Olivia can’t take it anymore. She’s had enough of the big city and it’s lack of fulfilling her dreams. Then, just when she’s about to give up and move home, out of the blue, she is offered her dream job. Olivia is suspicious but that could just be the New York in her. She decides not to pull at threads. Despite her best efforts to remain blissfully oblivious, the secret to her life upgrade is soon uncovered when she finds herself invited to be part of a secret society.

Olivia learns that there is a thin curtain separating our world from theirs. Just beneath the surface, an entirely different one exists. One that is controlled by those of Royal lineage. The chosen ones, the Royals, hold the fate of the world in their hands. Will Olivia be able to bear the weight of the crown?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Confessions of a Shopaholic meets The Adjustment Bureau, this contemporary fairytale is both relatable and aspirational. Taking a look at the current balance of media and power with a healthy dose of humor, fashion, food and wanderlust.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:

 “It’s on Thursday. We’ll meet there at 8PM. A car will come to get you.” He pauses, gives me a once over and says, “The girls in the closet can help you with an outfit.” I’m caught off guard and I just stare at Connor, coolly heading off in the opposite direction as if he hasn’t just casually knocked my fashion sense, my self-confidence and basically who I have been up until this very moment.

“Thursday morning when I step out of the glass elevator at Le Salon, what can only be described as a glam squad descends upon me. When I ask where they came from, I’m informed that Connor has sent them because as they delicately put it,

“I need help.”

The first blonde eyes me warily as if I’m a 1,000 page report on her desk that she is about to dig into.

“You are not, uh,” she looks at the others apparently searching for tact, “meeting a certain standard, uh, in terms of brand image.”

I feel like a reality TV star, a “before” to be clear. Though, I would die if anyone from Le Salon knew my thoughts were this basic. The crew sees me, moves their heads up and down to examine me in unison as if operated by the same spine, and exchanges a look that says, “We’ve got our work cut out for us.” To be honest, I’m finding them more than a little judge-y. I wouldn’t say I’m a hot mess. Although it’s true I could get my nails done a tad more often, but I live by the rule of two out of three, which is that if you can hit two of these three things every day, you are doing pretty well: hair, make-up and outfit. Admittedly, I don’t always hit two, but I had been doing okay since starting at Le Salon. I had repeatedly accomplished all three and was very proud of myself, so I’m not sure what these critical bitches are rolling their eyes about.

They introduce themselves.

“Hi, I’m Sophia.” She extends a hand, Starbucks cup in the other. Sophia has dark hair and olive skin; she’s dressed in skinny black leather pants, a chic purple blouse, black pumps and aged silver jewelry. Very edgy style, but she actually seems semi-nice when compared with the other two.

“Kaley,” barely glances in my direction as she sips from her Starbucks cup. Dressed in ripped dark blue jeans and a black blazer, she seems more than a tad intimidating and clearly doesn’t have time for me.

“Trista,” with a slight nod of the head, ad for Starbucks pose, black dress and black pumps, appears to be a bit of an airhead though apparently a wiz with a make-up brush.

Sophia hands me a coffee, which I think is quite a nice gesture despite their apparent personalities.

I feel a set of hands on me as they collectively drag me into an entirely too brightly lit room somewhere left of the large closet that houses all of the fashion we use for various shoots. They push me into the tall black chair used for making-up the subjects of said photo sessions. And that is how I find myself in every woman’s nightmare, staring back at my early morning reflection, pre-coffee, in a mirror lit by at least thirty 100-watt light bulbs, which is when I stop protesting. Seriously, maybe models are not overpaid. I cannot imagine doing this for a living. I immediately develop a new respect for the gazelle-like creatures that float through this place on a daily basis and who, until today, I have been envy-judging with Mads after work in an effort to preserve the last shred of my self-esteem, which has been unceremoniously murdered by Sophia, Kaley and Trista early this morning. RIP self-esteem. You will be missed. I sip my coffee and ingest the singular source of warmth in this room.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

An international upbringing and a love of stories laid the foundation for wanderlust. Shalini aspires to spend her time country-hopping and consuming pop-culture, comedy and good food but the reality is often frantically downing coffee, meeting deadlines at exactly the last second and working her unglamorous corporate job to fund all of the other pursuits.

The Secret Lives of Royals is Shalini’s debut novel. Her other work includes published poetry and scripts only she has read.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEBSITE LINKS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShaliniDuaBooks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShaliniDua126

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ididntmeantofeelanything/

Website: http://www.shalinidua.com/books

BUY LINKS

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2HxD1uZ

iBooks: https://apple.co/2w0APXd

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 Shalina will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow Shalini’s tour at:

July 9: Candrel’s Crafts, Cooks, and Characters

July 9: Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews

July 9: Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews

July 10: Edgar’s Books

July 10: The Avid Reader

July 11: Notes From a Romantic’s Heart

July 11: Two Ends of the Pen

July 12: Long and Short Reviews

July 13: Let me tell you a story

July 16: Dina Rae’s Write Stuff

July 16: Readeropolis

July 16: Hearts and Scribbles

July 17: BooksChatter

July 18: Fabulous and Brunette

July 19: Linda Nightingale…Author

July 19: Read Your Writes Book Reviews

July 20: Elley the Book Otter

July 23: Mixed Book Bag

July 24: Where Landsquid Fear to Tread

July 25: Jazzy Book Reviews

July 25: Kit ‘N Kabookle – review

July 26: Hope. Dreams. Life… Love

July 27: Lauren is Reading – review

July 30: Mythical Books

July 31: Sharing Links and Wisdom

August 1: Dawn’s Reading Nook

August 2: T’s Stuff

August 3: Independent Authors

 

Destiny of a Gargoyle by and Author Interview of Chris Redding!!

Tags

clean, fairies, fantasy, Gargoyles, goblins, paranormal, romance, shape shifter, wholesome

Chris has graciously agreed to submit to an interview, then we’ll get a chance to read the blurb and excerpt of her new novel Destiny of a Gargoyle.  So, let’s give the mic to Chris.

What is your greatest temptation:

 In men: Tall and blonde. Nordic types. (YAY ME TOO)

In food: Cheese and anything with cheese on it or in it.

In clothes: Yoga pants. The most comfortable pants in the world.

What is your greatest weakness (example: buying shoes)?

I love to play games and sometimes get distracted by them on Facebook.

If you could have any kind of car, what would it be?

An Aston Martin Vantage. Sunburst Orange

(I’ll have a black one, please)  Note from another Aston fan!

Your dream home – mountains or ocean?

Mountains with a lake. I do love the ocean, but not the weather that can happen at the coast.

What inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve always had stories in my head. Just seemed obvious to write them down.

Do you have a daily writing routine?  If so, please share.

Not really. It depends on what day, if I have client work, and when yoga class is.

What is your favorite book?

I actually don’t have one. I know that sounds odd, but I don’t. I love anything by Edgar Allen Poe.

What is your favorite movie?

Probably Zoolander. I’ve seen it many times and laugh every time I see it.

Who is your favorite historical figure?

I’m not a big fan of history so I don’t have one.

In your books, who is your favorite hero and please introduce him?

Trey McCrane from Blonde Demolition. He’s a bad boy, but truly loves the heroine. She broke his heart and he never really recovered. He would do anything to get her back.

Who is your favorite heroine and please introduce her?

My favorite heroine is Chelsea James from Incendiary. She’s tough and smart and will do what needs to be done.

What do you have out now? 

Just out is the first in a trilogy of gargoyle shifter romances. Destiny of a Gargoyle is about the oldest Foley brother.

He was born in a time when magic ruled the Earth.

Gargoyles protected fairies from goblins. His family was a group of elite gargoyles who were assigned to protect a specific fairy. His father’s dereliction of that duty cursed his sons to become stone and wait.

Now reawakened in the twenty first century where no one believes in magic how is he going to convince his fairy that she is one and that she is in danger from a goblin?

He must do that without falling in love with her.

New releases anytime soon?

Destiny of a Gargoyle just came out.

Buy link: http://a.co/i56M3uV

Where can eager fans find you?

Chris Redding Author LLC

Email: chrisreddingauthor@gmail.com

Website: www.chrisreddingauthor.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chrisreddingauthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/chrisredding

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/101743269602364199911/posts

Skype: Chris.Redding.Author

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/chrisredding/

• Blurb

Destiny of a Gargoyle

Donal Foley was born in a time when magic ruled the Earth.

Gargoyles protected fairies from goblins. His family was a group of elite gargoyles who were assigned to protect a specific fairy. His father’s dereliction of that duty cursed his sons to become stone and wait.

Now reawakened in the twenty first century where no one believes in magic how is he going to convince his fairy that she is one and that she is in danger from a goblin?

He must do that without falling in love with her.

• Excerpt

“She’s it,” Donal said.

He could communicate with his brothers telepathically. Otherwise his time in stone might have driven him nuts.

“You’re sure?” Sean said.

“I’m sure. She’s it. I can feel my heart softening. She must be the one that I am supposed to protect,” Donal said.

“Wow. After all of these years. And of course Donal finds his first. Lucky guy,” Declan said.

“He is always the lucky one,” Sean said.

“If I were that lucky I wouldn’t have been stuck in stone here with you two lugs,” Donal said.

He would have lived and died in his own time. Instead of watching what had happened to the fairies he’d been born to protect. They’d died off and somewhere along the line the fairies had forgotten who they were. He’d bet that Meg had no idea who she was.

That made his job even harder. She wouldn’t have any idea why he was protecting her. The fairies had gone into hiding when the humans took over the world. They renamed his part of the island County Galway. What did that even mean?

He was Donal of Connaught. Not Donal of Galway. If he could sigh he would. He sighed in his head.

His brothers were stilling whinging about him being lucky. “I’m the oldest. You didn’t have to tell the Queen what our father had done. She could have made me stone and you would never have known what had happened to me.”

“Still, why do you get to go first?” Sean said.

“Because she is my fairy. Not yours,” Donal said.

He wasn’t going to apologize for finding his fairy first. He never would have thought they were going to find any of theirs. The fairies were all elsewhere and finding one from his own kingdom let alone another one had always been a long shot.

“What will you do?” Declan said.

“The Fairy Queen told me the rules before she left. I have to be in the fairy’s presence for a whole day before I lose the curse,” Donal said.

“A whole day. The sun must be in the same place for the beginning and the end?” Declan said.

“Yes.”

“How are you going to do that?” Sean said.

“I don’t know. She doesn’t spend that much time here, but I’m sure I have a few days to figure it out. I already feel as if I could fall off of this wall. Maybe I can go with her.”

“Without legs? Or only stone ones.”

“I don’t know everything, you mugs. I’m guessing some things here,” Donal said. “If you two be quiet and let me think maybe I’ll figure it out. You’ll have your chance and I get to sort out what needs to be done. That way neither of you mess it up.”

 

 

 

Simon Williams Interview & Preview

Tags

author interview, fantasy, horror, sci-fi, science fiction, young adult

I welcome Simon Williams today.  He has agreed to submit to questioning, so!

1. Tell me three words that describe yourself starting with A, B, and C

Aged, bony and cretinous? Hmm. Maybe author, broke and… can’t think of one beginning with C….

2. Which genre or genres do you write or prefer to write? And why? 

Fantasy, sci-fi and some horror… it’s what I do. I can’t see myself writing sloppy romance or porn like so many people seem to do, or “cosy mysteries”. I write the genres I love, basically.

3. What gets your creative juices flowing? 

Difficult to say, I can be stuck for a while and suddenly think of an idea and it all works from there. I’ve no idea what causes it or when it might happen. It just does.

4. Who would you love most to meet ‘in person’ and why? 

I’m not sure I’d like to meet any famous people – don’t really want to come across as “yet another fan” and worried about what they might think of me or that I’d say something utterly stupid.

5. Do you have a favorite snack that you like to munch on while writing? 

I probably eat too many sweets and should eat nuts or something instead.

6. Do you have a hobby? 

Reading. Makes sense…

7. Do you read your reviews on your books? Do they influence your story at all? 

I’m interested in reading reviews but they’ve never influenced me one way or another. Obviously I love it when I get a good review but regardless of what the reader says I stick to the story – after all the book has already come out by the time the reviews start appearing! One thing I will do is check and edit if needed, if someone has pointed out some technical issue (which is always helpful and appreciated)

8. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? 

Whether it’s interesting or not is debatable, but I do always need to have a title in place before I write anything meaningful for a new work. It may not be the title I end up using, but I have to have *something* half decent in place.

9. Do you have another profession besides writing?

Not really. I have to work in order to earn enough to eat but I don’t have any profession or expertise as such.

10. If you could go back in time, where would you go? 

I think I’d rather go forward in time. I’m curious to see if humanity finally finishes the world off forever (I have no doubt that it will eventually)

11. What’s the one thing you would do if you could be your character for a day? 

Write a spin-off story about myself and put the author Simon Williams into it, then go round his house and ask him to write a story about him reading it. The ultimate paradox?

12. What was the inspiration for “The Light from Far Below”?

 I’d been planning it for a while- Summer’s Dark Waters needed a sequel, and I wanted to take the story forward a year and a half for the characters and bring it up to date with more of a focus on the wider world as well as an escalation of the ideas and events that were touched on in the first book.

13. Will there be more books in your series, or can you tell us about any previous books?

 I’ve left The Light From Far Below so that it brings closure (maybe not the sort everyone will like, but still) but at the same time it does leave the scenario open for a possible third book. There doesn’t *need* to be a third book and there might never be (if there was, it would be aimed at the adult market). Who knows what the future holds. I may revisit their saga, I may not.

14. What is your favorite part of this book and why?

 There is a part where Amber finally (despite all the things she’s seen) no longer feels afraid (I don’t want to give away more than that, but that was an important moment for the character, focusing on the moment when you suddenly realise you have more courage and fortitude than you realise – and a sort of fire blossoms inside)

15. What are you currently working on?

A standalone novel featuring three characters whose lives become intertwined against a backdrop of what might be best described as an alternative Industrial Revolution with elements of steampunk, sci-fi / tech, dark fantasy and psychological horror. I’m happy with what I’ve written so far and hope to complete it by early 2019.

 Thank you, Simon.  And here’s a sneak peek at The Light from Far Below:

“You can’t go home, Amber. You know perfectly well that you don’t have one anymore. Home’s gone. Daddy’s gone. Joe’s long gone from your dreary life, but he lingers on in your head, doesn’t he? Like a footprint or a ghost. A faded sketch of the boy you once knew.”

Joe’s and Amber’s lives have changed, their fates engineered by unseen forces. The Order is not the organisation they thought it was. Universal secrets exist that Joe and Amber have only just begun to reveal.

Can they stay hidden from their enemies and find a way to stem the tide of chaos beginning to sweep through the world?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Light-Far-Below-Simon-Williams-ebook/dp/B07CR4VVB8/ref=sr_1_cc_9?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1527195783&sr=1-9-catcorr&keywords=simon+williams

The Forest Witch by Toni V. Sweeney

Tags

Class Act Books, fantasy, new releases, Toni V. Sweeney

THE FOREST WITCH, Book 7 of the Narrative of Riven the Heretic, Part 1 of the Arcanian Chronicles.

In Young Hawks Flying, Valriven kan Ingan, wounded and left for dead by the margrave’s men, is saved by Tamsin, a Ghermian forest witch.  With Hronhild the wolf-shifter, he becomes her companion. When he believes she and Hronhild die in a battle with a wizard’s minions, he returns to his quest of reuniting his brothers to fight Morling of Francovia.

Tamsin didn’t die, however, nor did Hronhild.  Instead, they survived to continue their adventures and achieve what each desired most in life.

Here, then, is the complete story of Tamsin, the Forest Witch…

From Class Act Books.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Forest-Witch-Arcanian-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B07916QNYZ/

Dark Child by Miriam Newman

Tags

fantasy, fantasy romance, giveaways, Rafflecopter giveaway, romance, virtual book tour

GENRE: Romance

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BLURB:

Born at a royal banquet for King Conor MacNessa of Ulster, Deirdre is predicted by Conor’s own druid to be blessed and cursed with a beauty that will make kingdoms contest over her.  He names her “Deirdre of the Sorrows” and urges the king to slay her.  But Conor, unwilling to murder a babe, takes her under his protection only to fall prey to the curse when she is nearly grown.  Captivated by her youth and beauty, the aging king will go to any extreme to possess her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

Once inside, the king and his guests found beef and mutton and pork…fowl and venison and  fine, firm pink salmon borne on ice across the sea from Alba where ice was often to be found.  Curds and whey they had, and all else that a dairy might supply.  There were breads and cakes, pies and pasties of every sort and great quantities of wine, honey mead and ale both light and dark.  Yet so deep went Conor’s unease that he had no appetite for them. Singers, dancers and musicians both foreign and native performed, male and female alike, but the crash and roar of the storm drowned out the sounds of their merry-making.    Men marked that never had such a storm visited Ulster.  Irishmen all they were and accustomed to the rains and gales of their island, but even Conor agreed it seemed no natural storm and that he, too, had a feeling of doom.

“Nonsense,” Felim insisted stoutly as the king merely nibbled at his food, for he saw all his plans dashed to destruction and the favor he wished of Conor turned to stone.  “’Tis but a storm!”

Hardly had the words left the storyteller’s mouth than a terrifying scream split the air, a sound to raise the bristle hair on a hound’s back.

“’Tis only my wife, who labors,” Felim insisted, but the king took not a bite further of his food and sat with a pale and ashen face.

“’Bring her here,” Conor ordered, “that I may see if that is the scream of any mortal woman, for I much doubt it.”

And so the unfortunate woman was required to present herself to the king.

“Tell me true,” Conor demanded, “was it you who screamed?”

Felim’s haggard and trembling wife, fearing for her life, nonetheless shook her head, for she knew her maidservants would give her away if she lied to the great king.

“Nay, my lord,” she replied.  “’Tis the child that screamed from inside my womb.”

“This is a thing I have never known!” Conor exclaimed, while beside him his druid Catha stood  abruptly to lay a hand upon the mother’s belly, his expression dire.

“’Tis the scream of a girl child,” he predicted, “and her name will be Deirdre, the call of alarm, for she will bring war.”

 AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Fantasy poetry driven by myths and legends has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I was published in poetry before catching the romance writing bug. I bring that background to my writing along with a lifelong addiction to horses, an 18 year career in various areas of psychiatric social services and many trips to Ireland, where I nurture my muse. My published works range from contemporary fantasy romance to fantasy historical, futuristic, science fiction and historical romance. Currently I live in rural Pennsylvania with a “motley crew” of rescue animals. You can see my books at http://www.miriamnewman.com.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-child-miriam-newman/1126646912

http://www.thecelticroseblog.blogspot.com

Miriam Newman Author

twitter@miriam newman

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

Miriam will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fire by Sam Rook

Tags

author giveaway, fantasy, fantasy novels, Rafflecopter giveaway, virtual book tours

GENRE: Fantasy

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BLURB:

The thrilling conclusion to the Knights of Av’lor trilogy!

Trapped on Av’lor and left for dead by her betrayer, Kathryn’s unrelenting determination is the only thing that might overcome the invading Zahkrinon army.

With the portal destroyed and the Zahkrinon army fast approaching, Kathryn and Lanclor have no choice but to focus on the survival of the Knighthood before they can consider rescuing Rachel. Unexpected events threaten their victory and the combined Av’lorian and Earth forces struggle to survive as their numbers dwindle.

They find the Zahkrinon are more dangerous than they had ever imagined.

Excerpt:

The momentum of her flight drove the sword completely into the back of the Zahkrinon’s neck along with her hands, up to her wrists. She felt pieces of bone cut through her gloves and she clenched her teeth from the pain. A dark wave of energy left the creature’s hands just after impact and drove into the dark elves instead of Hal’s group. Kathryn forced her spell through the blade and felt the Zahkrinon’s muscles tighten under her as it screeched in pain.

She clung to her sword for dear life as the Zahkrinon’s arms struggled to rip her from its back as it twisted back and forth in an attempt to throw her. Tucking her wings, she made herself smaller and poured more power into the fire spell. The smell of burning flesh made her gag, but she didn’t relent.

The bastard took forever to die and it was bound and determined to take Kate with it. With an agonized scream, it fell from the building and tried to turn itself in midair so it fell backward. Kate let go of her sword and pushed herself to the left before they hit the ground. Her effort was enough not to get crushed, but failed to dodge the Zahkrinon’s wing which caught her body and thrust her against the ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Sam Rook lives in Vermont with her husband and two children. Her passion for fantasy novels began in high school with her desire to write following shortly thereafter. Software engineer by day, fantasy author by night, she strives to give her readers a chance to enjoy worlds that transport them away from the stress of everyday life.

Website:

http://www.samrook.com

Buy links:

 

 

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/fire-104

 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire-sam-rook/1127522366?ean=2940154631225

 

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/759750

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 Sam will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more excerpts and chances to win, follow Sam on tour:

https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-blast-fire-by-sam-rook.html

Dark Genius by H. Peter Alesso

Tags

author giveaways, fantasy, general fiction, new releases, virtual book tours

GENRE:  Fiction

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BLURB:

To the insatiably curious—science is the greatest adventure. So, when scientists at CERN announced the discovery of the ‘God’ particle in 2012, all the world wondered, “How did they find it?”

A decade later, despite his past academic failures and egregious family circumstance, Andrew Lawrence embarked on a journey of discovery, competing against rival scientists to be the first to solve the greatest unsolved mystery of the universe—dark matter—and win the ultimate prize; the Nobel.

Emma Franklin, a PhD candidate at Harvard, developed software for detecting particle reactions using a quantum computer. To the amazement and excitement of the scientific community, her work revealed two possible bumps in the energy curve that were not predicted by any established theory.

At MIT, Lawrence created a model that predicted the scattering processes of a dark matter supersymmetry particle. Though his early work was disparaged, he improved his theory and found that it predicted the data Emma had discovered. Their professional collaboration deepened into a personal relationship, but when critical data was stolen, Emma found evidence that incriminated Lawrence. Though she withheld the impeaching material from the authorities, she felt she could no longer trust him.

Despite their troubled partnership, and notwithstanding the complexities of nature, Lawrence and Emma persevered against the egos, jealousy, and envy of rivals, on their exhilarating quest to find the ‘Holy Grail’ of physics

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EXCERPT

I thought all was lost—now I have a second chance.

With a profound sense of relief, Andrew Lawrence slide his tablet into his shoulder holster and walked briskly along the Boston sidewalk. His past academic failures and egregious family circumstances were behind him. He was ready for a fresh start.

Tall, slender, and dark-haired, he listened to the clicking and clacking of shuffling shoes on the pavement as students jostled alongside him. The hint of autumn from the cool morning air brought a frenzy of activity to the sprawling campuses of both MIT and Harvard which nurtured a flourishing rivalry among their ambitious students. He could feel the undercurrent of tension for the start of the fall term.

By the time he crossed Longfellow Bridge, his adrenaline was pumping. He noticed several eight-man sculls already rowing down the Charles River, their school colors plainly visible. Squinting his eyes against the glare, he could make out the MIT and Harvard boats vying for the lead, stroke by stroke.

Striding across the rambling campus, his lips concealed a secret smile as he contemplated a revolutionary solution to a problem he had been daydreaming about. When he swung around a corner, he ran smack-dab into a young woman. Her armload of books, papers, and assorted technology flew into the air and scattered across the walkway.

“Sor . . . sorry.”

“You should be,” the woman said, her face screwed into a tight scowl. “Your head was in the clouds.”

Lawrence opened his mouth, but before he could speak, she pointed down and said, “See what you’ve done?”

She stooped and frantically tried to corral her absconding belongings.

“Let me help,” said Lawrence, grasping some loose papers about to blow away.

Spying her tablet on the grass, she exclaimed, “Oh no! All my work.”

Carefully, she picked up the device and turned it on, tapping her fingers impatiently until the screen lit up. She heaved a sigh and looked Lawrence directly in the eyes. “You’re lucky. Sooo . . . lucky.”

Lawrence mumbled another apology and helped her pick up the last few books.

As she struggled to reorganize her treasures, Lawrence brushed a strand of hair away from his eyes and for the first time cast an appraising glance at the young woman.

She was attractive.

It wasn’t that she was a striking beauty—though her smooth white skin, olive green eyes, and classic profile complemented the hazelnut hair that cascaded over her shoulders. Nor was her carriage especially eye-catching, though she displayed an appealing youthful vitality. No, what seemed most appealing was her confident determined poise, as if she possessed a special hidden talent.

“You really should use a backpack.”

“The lining ripped,” she retorted.

Seeing the logos on her tablet’s screen, Lawrence asked, “Harvard? Math?”

“I can tell by your tone that you’re MIT,” she said, her eyes flashing.

Lawrence grinned, “Physics.” As an afterthought, he asked, “What are you doing on this campus?”

“Well, Mr. Physics, that’s none of your concern.”

Something in the way she said it, caused him to laugh.

They faced each other in a stand-off for a long moment—saying nothing.

Then the young woman heaved a sigh, gathered her possessions to her chest, and brushed past him.

Lawrence watched her figure disappear into the crowd.

Damn. I didn’t get her name.

As he turned to leave, something shiny on the ground caught his eye. It was a flash drive.

Picking it up, he spun around and called, “Wait!”

But she was gone.

He looked at the memory stick, thinking . . .

I’ll have to crack her password, if I’m going to see her again.

 

BUY LINK:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075HVG2Z9

 

About the Author:

As a scientist and author specializing in technology innovation, H. Peter Alesso has over twenty years research experience at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). As Engineering Group Leader at LLNL he led a team of scientists and engineers in innovative applications across a wide range of supercomputers, workstations, and networks. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a B.S. and served in the U.S. Navy on nuclear submarines before completing an M.S. and an advanced Engineering Degree at M.I.T. He has published several software titles and numerous scientific journal and conference articles, and he is the author/co-author of ten books.

Email: h.alessocomcast.net

Website: http://www.hpeteralesso.com/Default.aspx
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/413852.H_Peter_Alesso

Tweets by hpeteralesso

https://www.amazon.com/H.-Peter-Alesso/e/B001HCY45M/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1482982330&sr=1-3

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Peter will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more chances to win and more intriguing excerpts, follow Peter on tour:

https://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2017/09/book-blast-dark-genius-by-h-peter-alesso.html

 

The Chocolatier’s Wife and The Chocolatier’s Ghost by Cindy Lynn Speer

Tags

Amazon, fantasy, Fantasy Mystery, ghosts, new releases

GENRE: Fantasy Mystery

BLURB:

The Chocolatier’s Wife: ROMANCE, MAGIC, MYSTERY…. AND CHOCOLATE

A truly original, spellbinding love story, featuring vivid characters in a highly realistic historical setting.

When Tasmin’s bethrothed, William, is accused of murder, she gathers her wind sprites and rushes to his home town to investigate. She doesn’t have a shred of doubt about his innocence. But as she settles in his chocolate shop, she finds more in store than she bargained for. Facing suspicious townsfolk, gossiping neighbors, and William’s own family, who all resent her kind – the sorcerer folk from the North — she must also learn to tell friend from foe, and fast. For the real killer is still on the loose – and he is intent on ruining William’s family at all cost.

The Chocolatier’s Ghost: Married to her soul mate, the chocolatier William, Tasmin should not have to worry about anything at all. But when her happily ever after is interrupted by the disappearance of the town’s wise woman, she rushes in to investigate. Faced with dangers, dead bodies, and more mysterious disappearances, Tasmin and William must act fast to save their town and themselves – especially when Tasmin starts to be haunted by a most unwelcome ghost from her past…literally.

The Chocolatier’s Ghost is an enchanting sequel to Cindy Lynn Speer’s bestselling romantic mystery, The Chocolatier’s Wife.

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Excerpt:

Chocolatier’s Wife 1

Time was, in the kingdom of Berengeny, that no one picked their spouses. No one courted—not officially, at any rate—and no one married in a moment’s foolish passion. It was the charge of the town Wise Woman, who would fill her spell bowl with clear, pure water; a little salt; and the essence of roses, and rosemary, and sage. Next, she would prick the finger of the newborn child and let his or her blood drip into the potion. If a face showed in the waters, then it was known that the best possible mate (they never said true love, for that was the stuff of foolish fancy) had been born, and the Wise Woman could then tell where the future spouse lived, and arrangements were made.

For the parents of William of the House of Almsley, this process would turn out to be less than pleasant.

The first year that the baby William’s finger was pricked and nothing showed, the Wise Woman said, “Fear not, a wife is often younger than the husband.”

The second, third, and even fifth year she said much the same.

But you see, since the spell was meant to choose the best match—not the true love—of the heart the blood in the bowl belonged to, this did not mean, as years passed, that the boy was special. It meant that he would be impossible to live with.

On his seventh birthday, it seemed everyone had quite forgotten all about visiting the Wise Woman until William, who knew this of long habit to be a major part of his day–along with cake, a new toy, and a new set of clothes–tugged on his mother’s skirt and asked when they were going. She stared at him a long moment, tea cup in hand, before sighing and calling for the carriage. She didn’t even bother to change into formal clothes this time, and the Wise Woman seemed surprised to see them at all. “Well, we might as well try while you’re here,” she said, her voice obviously doubtful.

William obediently held out the ring finger on his left hand and watched as the blood dripped into the bowl. “She has dark brown eyes,” William observed, “and some hair already.” He shrugged, and looked at the two women. “I suppose she’ll do. I’m just glad ‘tis over, and that I can go on with my life.”

“For you, perhaps,” his mother said, thinking of what she would now have to accomplish.

“Do not fret, mother, I shall write a letter to the little girl. Not that she can read it, anyway.” He petted his mother’s arm. He was a sweet boy, but he was always charging forward, never worrying about feelings.

The Wise Woman rolled out an elegantly painted silk map of the kingdom and all its regions, his mother smoothed the fabric across the table, and then the Wise Woman dipped a brass weight into the bowl. Henriette, William’s mother, placed her hands on William’s shoulders as the Wise Woman held the weight, suspended, over the map.

Henriette held her breath, waiting to see where it would land. Andrew, her younger son, had his intended living just down the street, which was quite convenient. At least they knew what they were getting into immediately.

The plumb-bob made huge circles around the map, spinning and spinning as the Wise Woman recited the words over and over. It stopped, stiffly pointing toward the North.

“Tarnia? Not possible, nor even probable. You must try again!”

For once, William’s mother wasn’t being stubbornly demanding. Tarnia, a place of cruel and wild magic, was the last place from whence one would wish a bride. They did not have Wise Women there, for anyone could perform spells. The Hags of the North ate their dead and sent the harsh winter wind to ravage the crops of the people of the South. Five hundred years ago, the North and the South had fought a bitter war over a cause no one could quite remember, only that it had been a brutal thing, and that many had died, and it led to the South losing most of its magic. Though the war was long over and the two supposedly united again, memory lingered. “I have cast it twice.” The Wise Woman chewed her lower lip, but therewas naught else she could do.

“Not Tarnia, please?” Henriette, usually a rather fierce and cold woman, begged.

“I am afraid so.” The Wise Woman began cleaning up; her shoulders set a little lower. “I am sorry.”

William, staring out the window at the children playing outside, couldn’t care less. What did it matter where anyone was from? She was a baby, and babies didn’t cause that much trouble.

“Only you, William,” his mother said, shaking her head. “Why can you not do anything normal?”

This was to be the tenor of most of their conversations throughout their lives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Cindy Lynn Speer has been writing since she was 13.  She has Blue Moon and Unbalanced published by Zumaya.  Her other works, including The Chocolatier’s Wife (recently out in an illustrated hardcover to celebrate its 10th anniversary) and the Chocolatier’s Ghost, as well as the short story anthology Wishes and Sorrows.  When she is not writing she is either practicing historical swordsmanship, sewing, or pretending she can garden.  She also loves road trips and seeing nature.  Her secret side hobby is to write really boring bios about herself.  You can find out more about her at http://www.cindylynnspeer.com, or look for her on Facebook (Cindy Lynn Speer) and Twitter (cindylynnspeer).

https://www.amazon.com/Cindy-Lynn-Speer/e/B001JOVNP2

*****

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

FOR MORE FUN AND CHANCES TO WIN, FOLLOW CINDY ON TOUR:

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2017/06/virtual-book-tour-chocolatiers-wifethe.html