Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Ariella's Escape by Carolee Croft

Book Spotlight: Reliquary’s Choice by Melissa Macfie

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Reliquary’s Choice
The Celtic Prophecy
Book Two
Melissa Macfie
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Can’t Put It Down Books
Date of Publication: August 3, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-9972024-4-1
Number of pages: 215
Word Count: 65,000
Cover Artist: Genevieve Lavo Cosdon, lavodesign.com

Book Description:

Brenawyn knows loss. Her mother, her father,  her husband…that bastard. She can’t let Alex die, too.

With the Coven closing in, Alex flees with Brenawyn to Tir-Na-Nog, even though he knows he is setting her on a path of no return. Brenawyn must say goodbye to her family forever and traverse time. She is the only one who can fulfill an ancient prophecy.

But what is Alex hiding? Has he condemned Brenawyn to serve the gods forever? Or will the depth of his sacrifice bring salvation to them both?

In Book Two of The Celtic Prophecy, Alex prepares Brenawyn to travel to ancient Scotland to claim her rightful place.

Amazon


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Excerpt:

Brenawyn thought about what her grandmother had just said and nodded. Her memories of the Lughnasadh ceremony were hazy; she had been possessed by the spirit of Aine, the goddess of fertility. Even though her memories weren’t clear, her face grew red at the thought of the steamy interlude with Alex that had followed the ceremony, and she quickly changed the subject.

“What of visions and omens?”

“You should know better, Brenawyn, than to ask that. Is it so different than Catholicism that people have visions? It is written in the Bible on several occasions.”

“That’s true.”

“And as far as omens go, people have always tried to interpret meaning from their environment. Is it so farfetched to try to determine when it’s going to rain, or if the storm will be a severe one? I mean, the method may seem odd, watching for changes in animal behavior, but animals are more sensitive to things like that.”

“Now that you mention it, I think there were studies done on horses being able to predict earthquakes.”

“See, not so weird.”

“But some methods are extreme. Do not tell me you hold with evisceration as a means of prediction?” Her pointed question brought up vivid scenes of horror. Though she hadn’t seen Barbara’s body herself, the kindly bakery owner across the street from her grandmother’s place, the scene had been described to her in minute detail by the police the night of her murder. That, combined with the blood stained cobblestones left after the crime scene had been fully processed, left her with night terrors. If imagination was a poor substitute for actual sight, she’d rather stick to imagination for it filled in the gaps of what was a drawn-out, grisly death.

Barbara had been killed by the Vate to help the Order locate Brenawyn. Brenawyn, despite all she had seen in the past few weeks, was still finding it difficult to accept that her twenty-eight years of living in a normal, fact-based, scientific world were at an end; that she now lived in a world where gods and goddesses and magic were real, and that she was some kind of reincarnation of a long-lost high priestess.

“Brenawyn, honey, look at me. I know what you’re thinking. Don’t go there. You’ll just be beating yourself up trying to make sense of her death. To these people, her life meant nothing. There is no reason. They will stop at nothing to get to you. As for your question, no, of course I don’t hold with it. But these people do very much believe in it and you have to accept that so you can ward yourself against it.”

Brenawyn stifled back tears and nodded her head.

“It is an ancient custom. Back then, you have to understand, it was a different time, savage, harrowing, people unsure of where the next threat would originate. I can understand why they did anything they could to gain some information on what the future might hold for them. They were trying to carve out an existence, some stability and surety in a time when nothing was constant. Blood offerings do offer some clarity; they just don’t have to be as vicious as what was done to Barbara.”

She opened her hands and showed them to Brenawyn, a scabbed over slice to the meaty part of her palm showed red. “Why do you think my hands are so scarred?”

Tears welled in Brenawyn’s eyes as she took her grandmother’s hand and covered it with her own, “When did you do this?”

“The night that Barbara was murdered. Alex asked me to scry for a location of the Oracle.”

“And what did it do?”

“Visions are like dreams. They don’t adhere to the linear. They are illogical and are often full of symbols. The blood is like wearing goggles when you swim underwater in the ocean. It makes things clearer; there is still the murk to wade through, but it makes it much less disorienting.”

“Is it just human blood that makes things clearer?”

“In ancient times animal blood was used more frequently, but it depended on the situation and what vision the seer was seeking. I’ve used animal blood.

“Ugh. Nana! But why?”

“Listen Brenawyn, I didn’t go out to slaughter an animal for the sole purpose of using its blood in a ritual. You seem to forget I was a farmer’s wife. If we wanted to eat, we had to kill the chicken or lamb. That’s the truth of it. We have moved so far away from the way things were. You go to the grocery store to buy chicken cutlets, but do you ever think of how those cutlets got there? Someone had to kill the chicken, cut it up, package it, and send it to the store. Don’t look at me with that disgust on your face,” Leo said indignantly.

“I’m sorry, Nana.”

“It’s okay. Mine is not the first religion to do this. There are Old Testament stories that refer to acts of sacrifice, but little thought is given to how things must have been. Animals were scarce and expensive. If a sacrifice was to be made, the people sacrificed according to their beliefs, but likely retained the meat to feed themselves and only sacrificed the inedible. Greek and Roman accounts made mention of this too.”

“Will I be expected to … ?”

“I think you know the answer to that already, but we’re a long way from that. I think we got off track here.”

Brenawyn nodded, took a breath, and said, “So, willingness is the first requirement. What is the second? How many others are there?”

“The second is precision. You took the time to study the ritual; you said the proper words giving thanks to all the gods. How did you prepare?”

“I heard you practice it so many times, saw you perform it for years.”

“Nothing else?”

“No, not that I can remember … wait.”

“What?”

“Wait, wait. Let me think.” Brenawyn got up from the table and paced away, muttering to herself.

“Your grandfather did that.”

Brenawyn looked up, “Huh?”

“He mumbled to himself when he was thinking about something important. You reminded me of him just now.”

She smiled. “Nana, do you remember the night you told me that you were a Druid? A few days before the ceremony? I stormed out of the house to clear my head.”

“I remember.”

“Well, I ran into Alex and we ended up taking a walk to the ceremonial grounds. He was telling me stories about the ritual and what the officiant would do the night before.”

“Ah, did it have something to do with asking permission?”

“Yes, that was it.”

Leo nodded her head, “The picture is becoming clearer. Did you by chance ask permission?”

“Ugh, yes, I didn’t know what I was doing. I was so swept up in the story, that I didn’t even think that in so doing it might be seen as disrespectful.”

“Well, now it makes more sense that your latent abilities were activated by the thanksgiving ceremony. Brenawyn, would you do me a favor? Really think about this before you make a decision. Your life has become more complicated and dangerous, but I think it’s manageable yet. If you choose this you will own the danger. Choosing this lifestyle, you will be trained to use your magic and will be able to defend yourself. But make no mistake, if you accept this destiny, they will come for you, and there will be no going back.”

“So, no pressure then. Thanks.”

“Brenawyn. Just think about it. Please. Spend some time with Alexander. He knows all of the history; he can teach you the basics before you have to decide anything.”

***

About the Author:

For most of her life, Melissa Macfie has pursued artistic endeavors such as drawing, painting, and sculpting. She holds a M.Ed. in English Education from the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University, and has spent the last sixteen years as a public school English teacher. She also spent a short time serving as the co-host of Alpha Centauri & Beyond, an Internet talk radio show about science and science fiction. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, Donald. Their children, Elizabeth and Donald, are grown and pursuing their own dreams.

https://www.facebook.com/celticprophecy

@melissa_macfie

https://melissamacfie.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14547285.Melissa_Macfie

Book Trailer: Out of Time by Michelle Garren Flye

Book Trailer

About the Book

Title: Out of Time

Author: Michelle Garren Flye

Genre: Romantic Fantasy

Tucked away in the mountains of North Carolina, the people of the strange little town of Sanctuary have enjoyed their status as a tourist attraction and Renaissance faire destination for decades. But on her twenty-sixth birthday, Kaelyn Anderson discovers a dark secret about her hometown.

The only reality she’s ever known has proven false. Now, her last hope lies in an unusual alliance with the son of the enemy she didn’t even know she had. Under the protection of Jack, an Elf prince, Kaelyn plunges into Cherokee lore to find the answer that will protect her people from invaders from another world.

Can Kaelyn and Jack form an alliance between three factions to fight their common enemy, or are they out of time?

Author Bio

Michelle Garren Flye is an award-winning author of romance and women’s fiction. Reviewers have described her work as: “an engaging novel with charming and likable characters”, a story that “will make you believe in love and second chances”, and a “well-written and thought-provoking novel.”

Michelle placed third in the Hyperink Romance Writing Contest for her short story “Life After”. Her short stories have been published by the romance anthology Foreign Affairs, Opium.com, SmokelongQuarterly.com and Flashquake.com. She has served on the editorial staffs of Horror Library, Butcher Shop Quartet and Tattered Souls.

Michelle has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is the mother of three and lives in North Carolina with her husband and their rapidly growing collection of pets.

Links

Blog: http://michellegflye.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michellegflye
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellegarrenflye/
Amazon Author Central: amazon.com/author/michellegflye
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-flye-0ab9235

Author Interview: Pages of the Mind by Jeffe Kennedy

About the Author:

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include non-fiction, poetry, short fiction, and novels. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including Redbook.

Her most recent works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion, and an erotic contemporary serial novel, Master of the Opera. A fourth series, the fantasy trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms, hit the shelves starting in May 2014 and book 1, The Mark of the Tala, received a starred Library Journal review was nominated for the RT Book of the Year while the sequel, The Tears of the Rose was nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2014 and the third book, The Talon of the Hawk, won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Fantasy Romance of 2015. Two more books will follow in this world, beginning with The Pages of the Mind May 2016. A fifth series, the erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, started with Going Under, and was followed by Under His Touch and Under Contract.

She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular Word Whores blog, on Facebook, on Goodreads and pretty much constantly on Twitter @jeffekennedy. She is represented by Connor Goldsmith of Fuse Literary.

***

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

I plan really nothing at all. Even when I have an idea of where the overall story is going, I don’t feel like I am deciding it. It’s more like life—what happens, happens. 

Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

I think when authors say this, they mean that they have a plan and the characters wrest it away. I feel like when I write that I’m riding around in the characters’ heads, so they’re always in charge of the story.  

What is your favourite food?

Does wine count?

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

More morning person these days. I used to be more of a night owl, but I do my best writing in the morning, so I retrained myself to get up early. 

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

Lord Howe Island – because I love to snorkel and I’d love to see the wildlife in that part of the world. 

Do distant places feature in your books?

Definitely! I often make them up that way, too. 

Do you listen to music while writing?

No. I did when I was first starting out, as a way of creating a writing ritual. Now I prefer total silence. 

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

I have two books coming out on May 31. One is a novella, THE CROWN OF THE QUEEN, that will be in a duology with Grace Draven called FOR CROWN AND KINGDOM. That story takes place in the immediate aftermath of THE TALON OF THE HAWK, which concluded The Twelve Kingdoms trilogy. It’s told from the point of view of Dafne, the librarian who accompanied all three of the princesses in the original trilogy on their journeys. This one relates a short, but necessary tale of picking up the pieces of the end of one reign and establishing a new one. The other release, a novel called THE PAGES OF THE MIND, kicks off the next stage of the story, in a series called The Uncharted Realms. In that Dafne goes on an adventure of her own, along with Jepp, best scout in the Hawks, and Zynda, a Tala shapeshifter and sorceress.  

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

I’m much better at writing consistently and at trusting the revision process. The ways I’ve improved my craft would taka book to detail! As far as publishing, I’ve learned that trends come and go. I don’t get too worked up about the latest crisis or the most recent fad. Whenever events threaten to distract me, the best thing I can do every time is put my head back in my own work. 

Is there anything you would do differently?

I’d say that I wished I’d developed more diligent writing habits sooner and followed up on books I had out there. But I also believe we do things as we can. I wasn’t capable of doing those things at the time, for many reasons. 

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

Everything has! I’m a lifelong reader and have an extensive education. I’m a big stew of influences, which is how it should be, I think.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

It really does work to write every day in a way that nothing else does. Build the habit of generating words. Write regularly. 

What are three words that describe you?

Driven, enthusiastic, positive.

What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?

I don’t have one favorite. I read widely across many genres. Two books I’ve re-read more than any others—for different reasons at different times—are J.D. Robb’s NAKED IN DEATH and Anne McCaffrey’s DRAGONFLIGHT.

Blurb of your latest release or coming soon book

The Pages of the Mind

AN ORPHAN’S THRONE

Magic has broken free over the Twelve Kingdoms. The population is beset by shapeshifters and portents, landscapes that migrate, uncanny allies who are not quite human…and enemies eager to take advantage of the chaos.

Dafne Mailloux is no adventurer—she’s a librarian. But the High Queen trusts Dafne’s ability with languages, her way of winnowing the useful facts from a dusty scroll, and even more important, the subtlety and guile that three decades under the thumb of a tyrant taught her.

Dafne never thought to need those skills again. But she accepts her duty. Until her journey drops her into the arms of a barbarian king. He speaks no tongue she knows but that of power, yet he recognizes his captive as a valuable pawn. Dafne must submit to a wedding of alliance, becoming a prisoner-queen in a court she does not understand. If she is to save herself and her country, she will have to learn to read the heart of a wild stranger. And there are more secrets written there than even Dafne could suspect…

List of previous books if any

Negotiation: A Twelve Kingdoms Novella

The Mark of the Tala

The Tears of the Rose

The Talon of the Hawk

Heart’s Blood

(This is a spinoff novella that stands alone but takes place in the Twelve Kingdoms. The characters in this make a cameo appearance in THE CROWN OF THE QUEEN.)

THE CROWN OF THE QUEEN

The Pages of the Mind

THE EDGE OF THE BLADE (out December 27, 2016)

Multi-Author Promo - Sci-fi, Fantasy and More

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http://pattyjansen.com/promo/

Over a hundred books available in this double promotion. Books you can read for free if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, and if not, they will be reduced to 99 cents on the dates of the promo - March 5-6.

The second part is first books of a series free on Kobo. Science-fiction, horror, fantasy, paranormal and speculative fiction romances, something for everyone! Here is just a small selection below:

Science-fiction

New Horizons
by Patty Jansen

A collection of fifteen short stories and novellas by Patty Jansen. Includes the Writers of the Future winning story This Peaceful State Of War, as well as fiction published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact.

Mind Secrets
by Jane Killick


Waking up without his memories and hunted by Agent Cooper, Michael finds sanctuary with a group of perceivers: telepaths who sense the thoughts and emotions of others. Drawn into their battle to stay free of the cure which threatens to strip them of their powers, he searches for the person who stole his past. As the tension between perceivers and norms erupts into violence, Michael pieces together the shocking truth behind the origin of their power. To save his friends from destruction, he must face Cooper and confront the painful revelations of his forgotten secrets.

A gripping science fiction thriller set on the streets of London, Mind Secrets takes an exciting and dangerous journey into intrigue, friendship and deception.

Circle Spinner
by E.K. Baxter


Five fantasy and science fiction tales that will sweep you to other worlds.

A tired old woman is the only one who can save a city from the terrifying Pantheon. A boy walks the empty corridors of a starship with only his dog for company. A high-flying city worker learns that fairy tales really do come true. A young slave woman discovers that she carries a power that could set her free. A cyborg demon-hunter meets an angel who throws his world into chaos.

Step into the world of the circle spinner…



Dystopian & Post Apocalyptic

Strikers
by Ann Christy


One hundred and twelve years after the fall, the Republic of Texas is built on two foundations: total freedom and total responsibility. A law broken means a strike against the lawbreaker. Five strikes means execution. The only hope for the law breaker is to escape Texas—to go Striker—before justice comes for them.

Sixteen-year-old Karas Quick has never had it easy. The daughter of a Striker and an alcoholic mother, she’s gotten everything she has the hard way — even the strike on her neck. Yet try as Karas might to stay above-board with the authorities, there are some things you just can’t plan for.

Like seeing the face of her long-lost father paraded through the town square in chains.

In the blink of an eye, Karas’s life changes forever. Potential strikes be damned, she has to see her father one last time. What she discovers propels her upon an unimaginable journey, one she can only hope she’ll survive.

The Tide

by Anthony J. Melchiorri


Captain Dominic Holland leads a crew of skilled covert operatives and talented scientific personnel. He’s taken them to all corners of the earth to protect the United States from biological and chemical warfare. When his CIA handler, Meredith Webb, gives him a mission to investigate a disturbing lead on a laboratory based out of an abandoned oil rig, they discover the most terrifying threat to mankind they’ve ever faced—a genetically engineered biological weapon called the Oni Agent.

Back in the United States, Meredith discovers a frightening connection between the CIA and the Oni Agent. But her investigations are short-lived when the Agent spreads and brings mankind to its knees. Cities burn as it turns humans into warped creatures hell-bent on destruction.

Dominic and Meredith vow to do everything they can to combat the Agent and find a cure. But will their efforts be enough to turn the tide—or is humanity’s fate already sealed?

Fantasy & Paranormal

The Law of Isolation
by Angela Holder


Two lands, separated for a millennium by divine decree. Each holds the key to the other’s survival.

The Matriarch of Ramunna needs an heir. Only the lost healing magic of the ancient wizards can help her conceive and bear the daughter who will ensure Ramunna’s future. She sends an expedition to seek the wizards who legends say still dwell somewhere far across the uncharted ocean.

Tevenar hovers on the brink of disaster. Elkan, Josiah, and the rest of the Wizard’s Guild battle a virulent wheat blight, but even the Mother’s power might not be enough to prevent a deadly famine. The arrival of the Matriarch’s envoy offers both hope and danger. For in order to strike the bargain that could save both lands, they’ll have to sacrifice the isolation that has protected Tevenar for centuries.

The Silvering
by G.B. Wren


This is Book 2 in The Silvering Series and the second in reading order.

Loran Avileen wants nothing more than a new life in a magical land with Topen, the man who captured her heart. There's only one person who could turn her dream into a nightmare -- her brother.

The evil sorcerer, Nepsaril, left the scars of dark magic on her brother's flesh and power now dominates her sibling's mind. He seeks magical allies to help him strip the rule of his land from his twin. But the opportunistic Listurn may have found a greater purpose for him.

Can Topen and Loran stop her brother's quest in time to keep two powerful magical families from war?

Drowning Rapunzel
by Annette Gisby


Recently released from a mental institution, Beth Gregory accepts a job as a live-in secretary/PA to the reclusive painter Josh Warrington. From the first moment he sees her, Beth’s long red hair fascinates him, and Josh wants her to be his Rapunzel for a series of fairy tale paintings on which he’s working.

Beth has two major fears: that she will be sent back to the mental hospital and that the visions which landed her there in the first place will return. They do; this time giving her glimpses of murders before they happen. Beth becomes the main suspect in the murder investigation and then she has the most disturbing vision of all: she will become the next victim…

Give Up The Ghost
by Megan Crewe


Cass McKenna much prefers the company of ghosts over "breathers." Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody... and Cass loves dirt. She's on a mission to expose the lies and backstabbing between her fellow students.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass's whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim's life, she's surprised to realize he's not so bad—and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it's time to give the living another chance...

To see all the books available, please visit the promo page here:

http://pattyjansen.com/promo/

Book Spotlight: Feast of Dreams by Christian A. Brown

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Feast of Dreams
Four Feasts Till Darkness 
Book Two
Christian A. Brown
Genre: Fantasy Romance

Book Description:

As King Brutus licks his wounds and gathers new strength, two rival queens vow to destroy each other’s nations.

Lila of Eod, sliding into madness, risks everything in the search for a powerful relic, while Queen Gloriatrix threatens Eod with military might—including three monstrous technomagikal warships.

Far from this clash of queens, Morigan and the Wolf scour Alabion, hunting for the mad king’s hidden weakness. Their quest brings them face to face with their own pasts, their dark futures…and the Sisters Three themselves.

Unbeknownst to all, a third thread in Geadhain’s tapestry begins to move in the wastes of Mor’Khul. There, a father and son scavenge to survive as they travel south toward a new chapter in Geadhain history.

Available at Amazon Kindle and Paperback

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Excerpt:

“Fine playing,” said Maggie.

The Silk Purse’s proprietor sat down at the table where the night’s entertainment fiddled with his lute’s strings. The bard glanced up and smiled at her with his eyes, although he kept on tinkering and tuning to the pitch of his voice. Maggie watched him for a spell. The man was mystifying. He was as distant as a dream one forgot and so far into himself, his music, or some secret obsession that she might as well have been elsewhere. He was certainly handsome, though, and in their short conversations today, he’d proven a capable and witty talker. She wanted a bit more of his talk.

“Will you be staying on another night?” she asked. “Before heading back to…”

She realized that in all their discussions, the man had never told her where he had come from—or where he was headed. Or much about himself at all. Even stranger, she couldn’t pin down how she’d made his acquaintance. Had he come knocking at the tavern door yesterday? Had he smiled a dashing hello with a lute over his back and a promise to play for coin? That seemed right.

“Would you like me to stay?” he asked suddenly.

He grinned from ear to ear and displayed his offer of companionship as confidently as the fox he reminded her of strutting around the henhouse and picking its prey. She could see him evaluating her body—her full breasts, strong hips, thick, wind-tossed hair, and comely face. She was as chipped and beautiful as a sculptor’s favorite piece. She wore her hardship plainly, but it had not dulled her beauty, and he seemed to appreciate her weathered self. As for the fox’s proposal, Maggie was a sensible self-made woman without need for a man. Once or maybe twice a year, she took one to her bed, but she never asked him to stay or even to break a morning fast with her. Whatever her hesitations, when the fox smiled—fiery and daring—she lit up and felt as warm as a woman sinking into a bath. A decision was made. A little outside of herself, she slid his hand over hers. She reinforced her agreement by standing up from the table and leading him past her tired staff as they cleaned up the night’s mess and rolled the drunks outside. The trip up the stairs and into her chambers was fuzzy. Suddenly, they were alone and kissing in the dark. He whispered of her beauty. “Like a cameo of Diasora,” he declared.

She wondered who Diasora was while he plucked his fingers upon and within her as though she were his lute. They tumbled into chairs, onto the carpet, and onto the bed. She wasn’t sure where they were half the time. She swallowed his hardness just as he ate and kissed the mouth between her thighs. Together they rolled and tumbled about in the dark and moaned in ecstasy. She rode him against the wall and swallowed his gasps as he spilled himself inside her. It was careless, and she should have known better. Apologetically and with a perverted grin, he cleaned out with his tongue what he had done, and passion carried her mind away again. Through the haze of their sex, she would remember his handsome smell—vanilla, subtle incense, and sweeter herbs such as marjoram. Sometimes he sang to her ears while playing the instrument of her body. She would most remember this—his passion and musicality.

When they finished, dawn had come. It cast its hard rays though the curtains and into their humid nest of sin. Maggie should have felt embarrassed or shamed even, but instead she snuggled into her lover’s taut flesh while he continued caressing her breasts. Milk drops, the bard called them, for their pendulous whiteness and succulence. She chuckled as he said it. She would have slapped any other man who made nicknames for portions of her anatomy.

“Where will you go?” she asked.

She knew this was a fleeting encounter. Men as artistic at loving as he were called to greater passions than women.

Alastair kissed her breast. “Well, I shall stay in Taroch’s Arm a while longer. I have another task to which I must attend. One more meeting after this.” He sighed and looked off with his multicolored stare to count the ceiling’s lines.

Maggie snuggled into him further until she realized what he’d admitted. “Wait! Meeting? Is that what this is? What is your aim?”

She leaped from the bed. Alastair went after her and backed her into a corner. He appeared stricken and white from regret. Rather brazenly, he kissed her so deeply she lost her breath. Although Maggie allowed it, she slapped him as soon as their lips parted. He grinned and rubbed his cheek. “What fire you have!” he said, adding sadly, “How much you remind me of a woman I once knew. Do understand. This is not how I had planned our parley. I am not ungrateful, though, for this turn of events. I would stay for a thousand kisses more if I could. However, my master is most demanding of my time.”

“Master?” she exclaimed.

“You are fortunate, Maggie. Most serve masters and destinies from which we cannot break. You have made so much of yourself without the hands of others. Despairingly, I must ask this of you. It’s a task you cannot refuse.”

I can, and I shall, she thought. No man, not even a roguish wanderer, could boss her around. Then the fox whispered a secret and those familiar names to her: Thackery, Caenith, Rowena, and Galivad. By the time he was done, she had no resolve to argue. She had only an unwanted urgency to pack, make quick arrangements for the Silk Purse’s managerial duties, and leave. She had no choice—not with so many lives at stake. While she busied herself about her apartment, the bard came to kiss her a final time, and they fell onto the bed. For all their grinding, they did not make love. Soon he stopped, studied her, and soaked in her beauty. Maggie closed her eyes. She would not watch him leave. When she was certain he had gone, she pulled her sturdiest boots from under her bed and put them on.

***

About the Author:

Bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Feast of Fates, Christian A. Brown received a Kirkus star in 2014 for the first novel in his genre-changing Four Feasts Till Darkness series. He has appeared on Newstalk 1010, AM640, Daytime Rogers, and Get Bold Today with LeGrande Green. He actively writes a blog about his mother’s journey with cancer and on gender issues in the media. A lover of the weird and wonderful, Brown considers himself an eccentric with a talent for cat-whispering.

Links:
http://christianadrianbrown.com
https://twitter.com/AuthorChrisAB
https://www.facebook.com/ChristianAdrianBrown
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8422242.Christian_A_Brown
https://plus.google.com/u/0/105782095673393074893/about

Author Interview & Giveaway: Chalvaren Rising by Paula Millhouse

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Chalvaren Rising
A Kingdom of Chalvaren Romance
Paula Millhouse
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing

Book Description:

THE DRAGONSTONE HAS RETURNED

With the love of Kort, Chalvaren’s warrior-prince heir, Mia Ansgar will seize her birthright and become the great dragon-riding wizardess prophesied to free that elven kingdom from her embittered sorceress kin.

TO ASCEND TRIUMPHANT

Twenty-five years ago, Theo Ansgar abandoned the Kingdom of Chalvaren for a hiding place on another world. Some called him traitor. Some, thief. Now his fully grown daughter Mia must return to the land of her birth...and their war.

It was the elf prince Kort Elias who brought her back. Theirs was an instant connection, an inescapable union of body, soul and sorcery, reminding Mia of what she truly is, and what she must become. There is also Magnus, destined to be more potent than any wyrm Chalvaren has ever seen, a three-day-old dragonlet Mia must nurture and then ride. And then there is the Dragonstone, an artifact of power nonpareil. Joined, they can tip the scales of battle against the wraith-possessed forces of darkness, of Mia’s own embittered kin. Redemption will be offered, the protected will become the protector, and an ancient prophecy will come to fruition, but only righteous love can conquer all.

Boroughs Publishing

Book Trailer: 
https://youtu.be/q2FCU-gJPog

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About the Author:

Paula Millhouse is the author of fantasy romance books including Chalvaren Rising, its prequel, Dragonstone, and Three Wishes. Dragonstone also appears in the anthology, A Gift of Fantasy. These stories are published by Boroughs Publishing Group.

She is also the author of a romantic suspense series, The Wishes Chronicles, including Careful..., and All Your Wishes...

When not following her muse on quests for happily ever afters, Paula works in the field of medicine as a Family Nurse Practitioner by day, and micro-gardens in her potager with her husband and their pack and pride of furry babies.

Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, where Spanish moss whispers tales in breezes from the Atlantic Ocean, as a child Paula soaked in the sunshine and heritage of cobblestones, pirate lore, and stories steeped in savory mysteries of the south.

She’s a PRO member of Romance Writers of America, and the Fantasy, Futuristic, & Paranormal Writers specialty chapter.

She lives in the mountains now, but she honors her southern heritage as a storyteller by sharing her adventures in fiction with readers.

Website:  www.paulamillhouse.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/paulamillhousefans

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/pmillhouse

tsu:  www.tsu.co/pmillhouse

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INTERVIEW:

Hi Everyone! I’m Paula Millhouse. Thank you for inviting me and my dragons to visit the Books and Tales Blog. I write fiction where Fantasy, Romance, & Suspense Collide.

Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?

I’m a hybrid, so I start by letting things flow to enter my creative space – artists call that the creative flow state – then, at the end of the draft I reorganize my story with a structural plan.

Do your characters ever want to take over the story? 

Absolutely! When they hijack my story and take me places I didn’t expect that’s one of the best discoveries about writing for me.

What is your favourite food?

Cheesecake from Junior’s Restaurant in New York City.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Morning Person – the earlier the better, preferably with strong, hot coffee. If it’s not done by 2pm, it’s not going to get done until tomorrow.

Where do you dream of travelling to and why?

Europe – I’m fascinated by the cultures and history and food and fairy tales of an older place than America. Italy, Scotland, Greece, England – there’s so much territory to cover…

Do distant places feature in your books?

My fantasy world, The Kingdom of Chalvaren, is based on my vision of those places I dream of traveling to one day.

Do you listen to music while writing?

Often I listen to instrumental movie scores to enhance the drama of action scenes. They also help me pen those romantic love scenes by heightening my senses.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?

Thank you for asking!

In Chalvaren Rising I wanted to find out what would happen if I designed a world where fantasy lovers get their quest, but also give their girlfriends a healthy dose of grown-up romance along the way. I think Fantasy worlds are better when you include the element of love.

Building on my childhood imagination, I created a world where sentient dragons defend their keepers, and the elves of Chalvaren willingly risk everything to save their future kingdom. It’s a family story with a strong cast of characters aided by a taste of magic which rounds out the adventure.

Villains exist in Chalvaren, and darkness looms, but the theme that love is worth fighting for is demonstrated when Mia and Kort’s passion will not wait. And, their love for their dragons, their protectors, drives the story line in an intimate way.

What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?

Editors matter – they take an idea and transform it to a higher level than we could ever produce on our own.

Is there anything you would do differently?

I’d join my national and local writing association sooner. The contacts I’ve made since joining Romance Writers of America have enhanced my writer’s life, and my work.

Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?

My mother always had fiction around our home when I was a child. She instilled a love of language in me at an early age, and I believe that’s because she was so well-read. She signed me up for my first library card.

Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?

Write. Protect your writing time like a fierce mother dragon protects her precious brood.

What are three words that describe you?

Tenacious. Imaginative. Collaborator.

List of previous books if any

DRAGONSTONE
THREE WISHES

Any websites/places readers can find you on the web.

Find the Author here:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon / Boroughs Publishing Group / Pinterest

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Tour Giveaway:

$25 Gift Card to Boroughs Publishing Group, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble - Winner's Choice

3 custom designed Dragonstone Book Thongs open to US Shipping

2 e-copies of Dragonstone (Lunchbox Romance prequel to CR)

2 e-copies of Chalvaren Rising

a Rafflecopter giveaway