Of Claws and Fangs: Spotlight, Excerpt and Giveaway

 

 About OF CLAWS AND FANGS:

New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter presents a stunning collection of stories from the world of shape-shifting vampire hunter Jane Yellowrock and beyond.

Collected together for the first time, this volume contains shorter works featuring heroines Jane Yellowrock and Nell Ingram, as well as a host of other characters from the Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood series. Faith Hunter is “an expert at creating worlds filled with intriguing supernatural elements and exciting scenarios”* and her skills are on full display in this collection. From a vampire-filled Halloween evening in New Orleans to the searing tale of how a certain were-leopard first got his spots, this collection has something for everyone, and each story is sure to put the super in supernatural.

With eighteen stories in all, Of Claws and Fangs will enrich and entertain—it’s a must-have for Faith Hunter’s readers and all lovers of fantasy.

Preorder links:

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Books-a-Million

IndieBound - The Book Depository

Kobo - Google Books - Apple Books

______________

Excerpt:

Shiloh and the Brick

First appeared as a serial short in 2016 for the release of Blood in Her Veins. In the timeline, Jane is an Enforcer for Leo Pellissier.

“Yes. You are going, Shiloh Everhart Stone,” Molly said, enunciating every word with pitiless determination. “You and your blood-servants. You do not have the control you need, as evidenced by your reaction yesterday.”

A man had pinched Shiloh at a bar-and-grill near dawn, and she had come within a hairsbreadth of biting him. Unasked. And when her blood-servant stopped her, she nearly set the woman’s hair on fair with an inflammatur witch working. Shiloh was a major incident waiting to happen. The girl whirled to me. “Are you going to let her do this to me, Enforcer?” Shiloh demanded.

Ohhh. Nice move with the Enforcer title. Too bad I’d seen it coming. And too bad she used it. Making me choose between witches and vamps sounded good on the surface, but calling me Enforcer decreased her possible avenues of argument and backed her into a corner she hadn’t seen yet.

I shrugged. “You’re a witch, as powerful as anything I’ve ever seen.” I crossed the fingers hidden behind me. I had seen Angie Baby. So . . . liar, liar, pants on fire. “And a vamp. And you lost control. Therefore, yeah. I’m letting your aunt and uncle send you to witch training camp.”

“This is so not fair,” Shiloh spat.

“Thanks, Jane,” Molly said, her tone nowhere near calm and reasonable. Behind her, Big Evan smiled, the expression barely visible behind his full red beard. Molly shoved her own bouncy red curls out of her face and scowled at her niece, her words still strident. “You need formal schooling. It’s not an option. No witch in New Orleans can take you on to train, not with the work taking place putting together the Witch Conclave. The Charlotte coven accepted you as a student for six weeks and assured us of your safety. You. Need. Training.”

“I’m not going.” Shiloh stamped her foot.

I curled my lips under to keep from laughing aloud. I had never seen a vamp stamp their foot.

“And you can’t make me. Right, Enforcer?”

That’s what happened when you got three redheaded people, two of them witches, and one a witch-vamp, all in the same room with a Cherokee skinwalker. Trying to get them to work together to solve our problem had been difficult. Actually, impossible, so far.

I’m Jane Yellowrock. I was on my own, hunting and staking rogue vamps when I was Shiloh’s age. Now I’m the Enforcer to the MOC of NOLA and, with my partners, I run Yellowrock Securities, Inc., chasing and fighting “things that go bump in the night.” I can do tough. But I’d rather fight a ten-foot alligator with my bare human hands—buck naked—than deal with a teenager.

“No. They can’t,” I said, and I thought poisoned darts would shoot from Molly’s eyes. I grinned and stood, pulling my cell. “And I can’t.” On the cell’s face, I tapped the name Leo Pellissier, my boss and the Master of the City of New Orleans. I handed the girl the cell. “But he can.”

“I’m not talking to him,” Shiloh said, her eyes bleeding scarlet, her pupils dilating vamp-black.

I just laughed, the sound a little catty, a little mean, and shook my head. “Take the phone before he answers or I’ll stick you under my arm and carry you to vamp HQ and watch him convince you. It won’t be pretty.”

Shiloh ripped the cell out of my hand and said, “What?” A moment later she scowled and added, “Sir. What, sir? It’s Shiloh, sir.” She turned away and hunched her shoulders. I smiled at Molly and her husband Evan. It was a fake smile but it was all I had left, and it was nicer than the one I had shown Shiloh.

Molly’s niece had disappeared at age fifteen, a runaway. That same year, she had reappeared in New Orleans, in a teen shelter, just in time to be swept up by the Damours, witch-vampires who were looking for witch children to use in black-magic, blood-magic sacrifices for a big-ass spell to . . . never mind. It’s convoluted. But I could still feel the chill in my bones from the day I discovered she had been taken. Soon after, Shiloh had been turned and used by vamps to accomplish their own ends.

Except for running away to New Orleans—and look how badly that gone—Shiloh had never made a single decision in her own life. She had lived every moment at the behest of others, and she had suffered trauma. Her mother had commited murder and killed her father. Witches had abandoned the girl. Vamps had used and abused her. Her remaining family hadn’t known what to do with a witch-vamp.

All that made me want to let her go, let her make this decision with her own life, let her face the consequences on her own. If she was the only one to face repercussions, I’d likely let her go. But that wasn’t going to happen. If Shiloh Everhart Stone let a witch working explode, or bit a tourist, or, God help us, both, it would create major reverberations throughout the witch and vamp worlds. The whole country might face the results with her. And there wasn’t enough of me to protect everyone.

_______________________

About Faith Hunter:

 Faith Hunter is the award-winning New York Times and USAToday bestselling author of several series: Jane Yellowrock, Soulwood, Rogue Mage, and Junkyard Cats. In addition, she has edited multiple anthologies and coauthored the Rogue Mage RPG. She is the coauthor and author of 16 thrillers under pen names Gary Hunter and Gwen Hunter. Altogether she has 40+ books and dozens of short stories in print and is juggling multiple projects.

She sold her first book in 1989 and hasn’t stopped writing since.

Faith collects orchids and animal skulls, loves thunder storms, and writes. She drinks a lot of tea. She likes to kayak Class II & III whitewater rivers. Some days she’s a lady. Some days she ain't.

___________________

Tour-wide Giveaway!

There’s a tour-wide giveaway open to US residents!

• 2 winners will receive a limited-edition leather Soulwood bracelet

• 1 winner will receive their choice of a $50 gift card from Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Enter the giveaway here

Check out all the tour stops at LTP

SALVATORE by Cecy Robson - Spotlight

SALVATORE

by Cecy Robson
Publication Date: March 13, 2019
Genres: Adult, Gritty, Contemporary, Romance, Standalone

#PREORDER NOW!

Releasing 3/13!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Bnn3OG

Paperback: https://amzn.to/2NQswTt

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2Gc6t8r

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2SRnUx5

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2H92EBM

iTunes: https://apple.co/2DUsw1m

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Tz4xtJ

B&N: http://bit.ly/2S9qLpE

SYNOPSIS

Desperate men do desperate things . . .

Salvatore Torre is a dangerous man. If you’ve lived the life Sal has, rage is to be expected and maybe so is heart. After his father killed his mother in a jealous rage, Sal was left to raise his two younger brothers, becoming a parent long before he was ready.

Desperate for money to support his family, Sal sought help from his old friend, Vincent Maggiano, the son of New Jersey’s top crime boss being groomed to take over his ailing father’s empire.

Sal never planned to join the mob. He also never planned to fall for his brother’s sweet and ultra conservative counselor, Adrianna Daniels.

Aedry isn’t the type of girl Sal is usually drawn to. Her skirts are longer, her hair is tamer, and her heels aren’t clear. But he can’t deny the attraction he feels. And Salvatore’s dark, sexy, and dangerous persona is the exact opposite of the clean-cut business men who usually catch Aedry’s attention.

Neither planned on a life of crime nor did they plan on love. But now, both are in too far.

Excerpt


“What do you think, Salvatore?”
Donnie taps her iPad with her long red nails when she finds yet another pair of shoes she wants. Like I actually give a shit what she’s buying with Vincent’s money.
“Sure. Get them,” I answer, not bothering to really look and fixing my gaze back on the door.
She pouts in that way that annoys me, but probably gets Vin hard. “That’s what you said about the other six. I’m serious. Which ones should I get?”
I don’t have to tell her that Vincent will buy her whatever she wants so long as she keeps blowing him, but I come close. The muscles along my back are ready to tear away from the bone. Every nerve along my spine fires a warning that shit’s about to go down. But I don’t show it, my face giving nothing away. “Donnie, I’m paid to watch your back. Not help you pick out shoes,” I mutter.
She starts to argue, but a knock to the door shuts her up, so does me motioning her to the corner. She may spend her days worrying about what she looks like and what she’ll wear, but she’s not stupid enough to ignore me.
I lean against the wall, opposite the door. Donnie might have shrugged off Vin yelling down the hall, but I didn’t. He isn’t happy. Neither are the other mob bosses in Jersey. It won’t be long before hell itself rains down on us. “Yeah?” I ask, keeping my deep voice casual, like my piece isn’t already clutched in my hands.
“Vincent wants you in on the meeting,” Lucca says.
Lucca’s smart. And for someone who hasn’t been in the family long, he’s tough and good on his feet. But I pick up enough in his voice to know this meeting’s not going as planned. So maybe Vin didn’t send for me. Maybe Lucca thinks I’m needed. If so, things are a lot worse than I thought.
Donnie looks at me, her preoccupation with shoes nothing more than a memory. “Lock the door behind me,” I tell her.
She rushes forward. I snag her elbow and pull her in tight to whisper in her ear. “You hear shots, you leave out the back, through the alley and down the street. Find a diner, a store, any place with lots of people. Got me?”
She nods, but she’s trembling already. Shots fired means there are plenty more to come. The other family knows who Donnie is to Vin. But if they don’t know she’s here or if they find her with too many witnesses, she’ll be okay.
She clutches my arm when I start to leave. “Sal . . .” she says.
Donatella and me are from the old neighborhood. We’ve known each other since back when we were kids and we were too stupid to know shit about organized crime. Now, we’re more stupid, because we’re willingly a part of it. She wants to say something like “be careful” or “keep him safe” or something else I don’t need to hear. So, I don’t.
I crack open the door, making sure Lucca’s standing there alone, and step out.
His eyes cut toward the hall leading to Vincent’s office, where he’s meeting with Arturo, the boss in charge of most of South Jersey, including Atlantic City. Yeah. Shit’s going down. But I don’t move until Donnie clicks the door lock behind me.
Lucca starts forward, moving fast. I haul him back. “Easy,” I mutter.
That’s all he needs to hear. He slows, mimicking my pace and stance, chest out, hand curled near the piece at his waist, face hard and unreadable.
Arturo’s men stand in unison when we round the corner. At the sight of me, Vin’s men rise, too. They see what I want them to see in me and Lucca and me. A united front. It solidifies our crew and tenses Arturo’s. As Vin’s crew fixes their hard stares on the other family, I know they’re ready for what the next few minutes will bring.

ABOUT CECY ROBSON

Cecy Robson is an author of contemporary and new adult romance, young adult adventure, and award-winning urban fantasy. A double-nominated RITA® Finalist, Winner of the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and published author of more than twenty titles, you can typically find Cecy on her laptop or stumbling blindly in search of caffeine.

Connect with Cecy online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Bookbub | Goodreads | Amazon Author Profile

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On Our Radar - Dancing with the Viper

Dancing with the Viper (Viper #1)
by Amy Beatty

In the eight years since the first Talessanin embassy ship landed on Earth, Hanna Bradley, like most other humans, has never met one of the reclusive extraterrestrials—and she likes it that way. Hanna’s life is finally going well. She has her friends. She has her art. She has her own cozy home. And it’s been months since the last bout of horrific nightmares left her weeping on the floor of her locked bedroom closet.

Then Jon moves in across the street.

Jonantathinel of House Kanestelan Ehr has left the intergalactic emperor’s service to settle in a small, quiet town on the empire’s newest planetary protectorate, Earth. But Jon isn’t just any alien ex-soldier. Jon has secrets.

When Hanna’s charming, yet intimidating new neighbor tries to spark a romance, the spark reignites the terrors of Hanna’s past, and she struggles to keep her balance as Jon’s ominous secrets whirl around her, and draw her in.


Find buy links here

Kill the Queen - Spotlight and Excerpt

I absolutely love Kill the Queen, so I'm happy to be able to share an excerpt with you today!


The thrilling first novel in the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series combines magic, murder, and adventure when an unlikely member of the royal family suddenly becomes a contender in a clash for the crown . . .

In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of combat, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

ISBN-10: 0062797611
ISBN-13: 9780062797612

Purchase at:
Amazon - Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million - iBooks
Google Play - Bookdepository


~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

“The Andvarian ambassador is an important dignitary, and I want everything to be perfect for the luncheon,” Maeven called out. “Understood?”
The workers ducked their heads, avoiding her gaze. Maeven nodded, satisfied that she had cowed everyone into continued obedience. She looked around the kitchen again, and she noticed me standing with Isobel. Her gaze cut back to the crates of champagne, but she plastered a smile on her face and walked over to us.
“Incoming.” Isobel stepped back, grabbed a wet dishrag, and started wiping flour off the table, leaving me to face the kitchen steward alone.
“Coward,” I whispered.
Isobel grinned and kept working.
Maeven stopped in front of me. Up close, she was even more beautiful, especially her deep, dark, amethyst eyes. “Lady Everleigh. I didn’t realize that you were . . . visiting the kitchen.”
Visiting? That was Maeven’s way of stating that this was her territory, not mine, and that while my presence was tolerated, it would never truly be welcomed. As if I needed another reminder of my lowly position.
I pasted my usual bland, benign smile on my face, matching her supposed politeness. “Yes, I had to make the pies for the Andvarian ambassador. It’s tradition.”
“Oh, yes, the pies.”
Maeven’s gaze swept over me, and her lips puckered again. Not a speck of flour, sugar, or anything else marred her tunic, but the same could not be said for me. Sugar granules clung to my fingers like sticky sand, while flour stains streaked my clothes like stripes of chalky paint. Plus, several tendrils of my black hair had escaped from its braid and hung down the sides of my face. I blew one of the strands out of the way, but of course it dropped right back down again.
Maeven’s face cleared, as though some other, far more pleasing thought had distracted her from my unkempt appearance. She waved her hand at the crates. “Can I interest you in some champagne? I would love to get a royal opinion on it. Besides, you’re always . . . tasting things for Isobel.”
It might have sounded like an innocent request, but suspicion filled me. Maeven never asked me to taste test anything. Besides, what kind of lush did she think I was? It was barely ten o’clock. Even Cousin Horatio, the Blair family drunk, wouldn’t guzzle champagne at this hour. He’d wait until at least eleven.
“You’re the expert. I’m sure that whatever champagne you’ve picked out will be fine. But thank you ever so much for the offer.”
Disappointment flashed in her eyes, but she smiled at me again. Well, as much as she ever smiled at anyone. “I’ll be sure to save you a glass.”
“That sounds lovely.”

~~~~~~~~~~



About Jennifer Estep:

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea. 

Jennifer writes the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series. Kill the Queen, book #1, will be released on Oct. 2.

The Crown of Shards series focuses on Everleigh Blair, a member of the royal family who is distantly in line for the throne of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. But when the unthinkable happens, Evie finds herself fighting for her life—both inside and outside the gladiator arena.  

Jennifer is also the author of the Elemental Assassin, Mythos Academy, Bigtime, and Black Blade fantasy series.  

For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit www.jenniferestep.com or follow Jennifer on Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter. You can also sign up for her newsletter.


~~~~~~~~~~


Giveaway:
Win a $25 Amazon gift card! Contest runs Sept. 17 until October 7.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Organized by Let’s Talk! Promotions

EPIC by Adrienne Wilder - Spotlight + giveaway

Epic
by Adrienne Wilder
released June 15, 2017 - 319 pages

Andrew Atler has learned the hard way, fiction is far better than real life. In his romance novels the world is safe, predictable, and there is always a happy ending. Best of all, he can safely fall in love and the person will never know. There he can weave a tale of perfect passion plus pay the bills.

Matt Grim flies the colors of Hell’s Legion. When he’s not riding his chopper, he’s working as a bouncer for the Six. Matt’s life consists of drinking, playing in a band, and burning the midnight oil in the dungeon. He lives hard, plays hard, and rides even harder.

Two people who would never be a part of the same EPIC love story.

But sometimes those fairy tale clichés have a way of working magic.

And sometimes…sometimes those happy endings do come true.

Buy from Amazon
Goodreads

Author Bio:

Georgia born and bred, I am an artist, a writer, and a general pain in the ass.

I spend most of my days working on my next book or designing cover art for other writers. For stress relief I do Olympic lifting and occasionally run (but hate it). I have been in love with writing since I was very young but it wasn't until recently that I decided to pursue it as a profession.

I have experimented in several genres and found that since I identify as male, male romance has been the most comfortable for me to write. I don't discriminate in my books. All characters are fair game. I do however, prefer a happy ending at some level.

I don't write the standard romance book. Some might even argue that what I write isn't romance at all. Personally, I think of them as love stories, where even in a fantastical world, there are realistic outcomes to the obstacles the characters face.

Many of my books have dark turns and twists where the characters fight for the light at the end of the tunnel. I write action, fist fights, gun fights, downright dirty evil people who have to be stopped, things catch fire, blow up, and fall in. My characters come in a unique range. They are not all good guys, but the majority of them have very good hearts. Many of them have been through hell in their lives, and many of them have a laundry list of faults. But hopefully they manage to surprise you with their tenacity and loyalty.

If all goes well, there will be a myriad of different kinds of books available this year. If I am really lucky, you will enjoy them.

Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads
Amazon - Wattpad



Wild
by Adrienne Wilder
Releasing in August 2017

No sane man would choose to live in the Alaskan bush unless he had something to hide. And Keegan Brooks has secrets darker than night, more dangerous than wolves, more brutal than an Alaskan winter. Every day for him was survival until he found August Vallory the sole survivor in a downed plane.

It’s no longer just Keegan’s life teetering on the edge of survival.

Now it’s his heart.

Goodreads - Amazon




Blog Tour
Aug 14-25

Aug 14 Boy Meets Boys Reviews – guest post
Aug 15 Making it Happen - review
Vampy and Racey – review/guest post
Aug 16 The Novel Approach Reviews – guest post
Aug 17 Joyfully Jay – guest post
Aug 18 Jeep Diva – guest post
Aug 21 I Smell Sheep – guest post
Aug 22 Love Unchained - review
Pearls Cast Before a McPig - spotlight
Aug 23 Love Bytes – guest post
Aug 25 Jessie G Books – spotlight


Giveaway
Win an ecopy of an Adrienne Wilder book of your choice.

Rules:
Open internationally to everyone who's 18+ and legally allowed to enter
Leave a comment which book you'd like to win
Leave a way for me to contact you
Do so before August 26th, 2017

A winner will be randomly selected soon after.


Tour Wide Giveaway
$20 amazon gift card:

Fill in the Rafflecopter form here

The Captive Shifter - Spotlight

Today I have Veronica Scott dropping by with information about her new book - The Captive Shifter - and and excerpt



Thank you for having me as your guest! I'm thrilled to talk about my new fantasy romance The Captive Shifter, due out April 3rd, and share my beautiful cover from Fiona Jayde, the blurb and an excerpt with your readers!

The story:
Concealing her own considerable magical powers, Caitlyn enters the service of the northern Witch Queen masquerading as a simple healer. Under order from her goddess, she’s search ing for a magical gem stolen long ago from her own people, believed to be hidden in the massive castle. The task is daunting but Caitlyn is sure she can locate the gem and escape, bringing the prize back to the temple where it belongs. Until she meets the captive shifter and her loyalties become dangerously divided.

In payment for her past services to his people, Kyler the leopard shifter has entered into a life of servitude far from his forest home, allowing the Witch Queen to tap his magic to power her ever darker spells. Factions at Court are threatening to turn the Queen to the Shadow. Her increasing demands for magic will cut short his nearly immortal lifespan. Kyler’s resigned to his fate until the day he crosses paths with the new arrival, whose secrets and magic entice and attract both man and leopard. Has he met his mate at last?
The Queen will never willingly release him from captivity. Caitlyn’s goddess refuses to grant her any delay in accomplishing her own task. Can they locate the magical gem, fight the Shadow and win free of the Witch Queen to earn the right to be together?


The excerpt:
Caitlyn let the caravan master do the arguing on her behalf, although she wanted to reach through the bars of the city gate, grab the officious man standing in her way and shake him. Such a simple request—open the gate, glance at her papers and let her go on my way.  It lacked but half an hour till sunset and the captain of the guard at the ancient city’s portal wasn’t inclined to allow a long caravan to pass so late in the day.

Lazy bastard. She eyed him, tempted to use some of her magic to influence him but inner caution held her back. This was the city of witches and magic. She needed to go slowly displaying her abilities. Calm down, breathe. None of this will go as I hope if I let myself show anger. Caitlyn sucked in a deep breath of the damp air and stood straighter, adjusting her hood to keep the autumn drizzle off her face.

“Camp on the meadow across the river,” the captain said from the other side of the gate, addressing the caravan master. “Return in the morning.”

Glancing at Caitlyn, the old man shook his head. “I’ve told you, one of my passengers is an applicant, identified by the queen’s Searchers. She must be at the palace tonight, for the welcoming ceremony. She can’t wait until morning or risk losing her place in this year’s Trial.”

As she edged closer to the arched entryway to get out of the increasing rain, impatience burned along Caitlyn’s nerves. Why did a petty tyrant have to be her final obstacle after the long journey?  The caravan master was right; she did have to be at the palace tonight. After three weeks of slow travel from her home in the South it was especially galling to be so close to missing the deadline. To literally stand on the threshold of her destination and be refused entry was unbelievably frustrating. All right, honeyed words first, then there’s nothing for it but to unleash a taste of magic on him. Pasting a smile on her lips, she stepped forward, allowing her cape to fall open, deliberately swaying her hips a bit. “Please, captain, I’m sure the Witch Queen would appreciate your extra efforts to let me arrive on time. The Searchers told me every woman with power is greatly needed this year,” Caitlyn said, in an effort to cajole him. “How about permitting me past the gate by myself tonight? Admit the entire caravan tomorrow?”

Grinning like a cat toying with a mouse, the officer shook his head emphatically, shaking a finger at her. “Against the rules. We do the entire group or none. Now come back in the morning!”

The caravan master took her elbow, probably to escort her to the waiting wagons. Caitlyn jerked her arm free, ready to summon energy to bespell the officer into giving her entry. Folly to risk using power so soon in this place but he left her no choice. She pushed aside the next worry, about finding her way through the unknown city to the castle.

A new voice entered the conversation. “Is there a problem here?”

Behind the blustering captain, the other soldiers had snapped to respectful attention and were saluting two newcomers. The first gentleman walked forward into the torchlight at the gate proper. He was older than she, dressed in black and burgundy garments projecting a subtle message of wealth and power. Attractive, if one was looking for a bedmate, which she wasn’t. As the second man came into the light Caitlyn took a step back, blinking.

She’d never seen his like before. A shapeshifter? Why would such a rare creature of magic be here?  The power surrounding him was palpable to one with her gifts, yet didn’t flare in her second sight as it should. As if the magic was restrained but how could such a thing be possible? Dressed in a uniform similar to the officious gatekeeper’s, this man was clearly a warrior – muscular, handsome, high cheekbones, piercing green eyes, long, unbound sandy blond hair. But why would a shapeshifter be in this dank, gray city? His people ran in the massive forests of the North, where their kind ruled and humans walked at their peril. A city, much less a Court with all its ritual and routine, would be the last place to find such a wild and free spirit.

He returned her gaze with open appreciation. Caitlyn lowered her eyes first.


***********************************************************

Book’s Availability:
The book will be available on all major ebook retail sites as of April 3rd and the buy links will be added to this post on my blog: https://veronicascott.wordpress.com/2017/03/23/cover-reveal-the-captive-shifter/



Author Bio and Links:
Best Selling Science Fiction, Fantasy & Paranormal Romance author and “SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happy Ever After blog, Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.
Seven time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances! She recently was honored to read the part of Star Trek Crew Member in the audiobook production of Harlan Ellison’s “The City On the Edge of Forever.”

Blog: https://veronicascott.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vscotttheauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Veronica-Scott/177217415659637?ref=hl

The Crow Box - Spotlight

I just had to share this book with you. It sounds really cool and I'm very tempted to buy the paperback.


The Crow Box (Shadow and Ink #1)
by Nikki Rae

The small wooden box is dirty, the size of a human fist, and sealed with wax. When Corbin takes it upon herself to clean it and break the seal, a voice she has tried to ignore gathers strength. Shadows play on the walls at night, and with a family history of mental illness, Corbin fears the worst. But the voice tells her it is real. That its name is Six and it will prove it in time.

Drawn to this mysterious entity, Corbin isn't sure what to believe and the line between reality and her imagination blurs more every day.

Some doors should not be opened; can this one be closed?


Buy from:
Amazon - Bookdepository



About Nikki Rae:
Nikki Rae is an independent author who lives in New Jersey. She explores human nature through fiction, concentrating on making the imaginary as real as possible. Her genres of choice are mainly dark, scary, romantic tales, but she’ll try anything once. When she is not writing, reading, or thinking, you can find her spending time with animals, drawing in a quiet corner, or studying people. Closely.



Links:

Amazon

Goodreads - Facebook

Facebook Group (feel free to join!)

Website - Twitter

Instagram - Tumblr

Last Dance - Release Day Alert + Excerpt

It's release day for Last Dance by Jeffe Kennedy.

I got to read it early, and let me tell you: it's delicious and hot!



Last Dance - Missed Connections #1
by Jeffe Kennedy

It was five minutes. His hand on the small of her back. His eyes watching like there was no one else in the crowded club. His body a breath away from hers. A kiss full of heat and need and promise.

But then the stranger disappears. And Charlotte Emory can’t forget him. Worse, according to the dating Rules she and her four best friends swear by, all she can do is post an ad online. No names, no numbers. Just a missed connection – and the hope he’ll meet her, and see where another dance leads.

Except Mr. Mystery has his game, too, and he isn’t playing for only one night. He tempts Charley into a daring exploration of power, lust, and suspense, where even the most innocent requests sound indecent…and the indecent ones make her burn all night.

If she plays by the Rules, they’ll never get past teasing each other. But rules were made to be broken…


Excerpt:

The problem with martinis is, although they look and taste fabulous—plus low carb, if done right—the steep slope of the glass makes them easy to spill. Disaster in the making.

Particularly on the second round.

Being a cautious sort, if only in this arena, I sipped at mine before taking another step and used the opportunity to survey the club’s offering of masculine company. And to let them get a good look at me. Take the spotlight when you can because there’s always someone meaner ready to upstage you. The bright bounce of lights glanced off a good set of shoulders here—and ooh, a very nice ass in black jeans there. A table of guys gave me a long look as I passed and I pretended not to notice, though the dark-haired one could be a possible.

“Any likelies?” Amy asked, taking the fresh drink from me as I got to our table, blowing me a kiss of thanks. She wore a lacy black sheath she’d designed in her spare time and made from remnants at her job—and she made it look like couture, the talented bitch.

I set down my own glass. “Nobody stands out as fabulous. But the table over your right shoulder might have potential.”

“The night is young,” Ice observed, scanning the dance floor below with dark eyes. She’d refused another round, as had Julie. Both of them still nursed their first drink, though Ice—Anaisa, though only her professors called her that—was theoretically not supposed to drink alcohol. She made a regular practice of doing all the things her family disapproved of, which was fairly easy since most of them lived elsewhere, some of them in India. Marcia didn’t drink at all and she clutched her seltzer, clearly wishing to be at home. It was a rare Friday night that I didn’t have a show, Julie wasn’t slaving in her restaurant, and everyone else was free, too, so we’d talked Marcia into coming out with us instead of staying behind in our empty house. But no one could force her to have fun.

Believe me, I’d tried. My own personal sacred mission. Saint Charley, that’s me.

“I gave the bartender Marcia’s number though,” I added, because I couldn’t resist. The girl needed poking. “He said he wanted a virgin sacrifice for some shamanistic ritual.”

“Oh, ha ha.” Marcia at least transferred her black look from the seltzer to me. “There’s nothing wrong with saving myself.”

“Saving is economical.” Amy nodded, making a serious face.

“A virtue, even.” Julie licked off the end of the plastic gecko tail the Lizard Club used for drink stirrers. “Unless you count hoarding. Then it turns ugly.”

“Oh my god. That show is riveting.” Ice shuddered. “I’m horrified but I can’t look away. Even in reruns.”

“It’s a disease.” I deflected Marcia’s glower of warning with my best Julia Roberts angelic smile. It’s a good one. I’ve practiced it. “You can’t judge people like that—just give them your compassion and try to help. Or refer them to social services.”

“Charlotte Emory, I’m going to crawl across this table and strangle you if you don’t shut up,” Marcia growled.

I batted my lashes at her. “What? I’m just trying to help.”

“Well, you’re not. I’ll find the right guy sooner or later.”

“Sooner is more likely with you pried out of the house,” Ice noted.

“And later than anyone we know,” Amy toasted her with a martini already half gone.

“Than the rest of the known universe.” Julie poked Marcia with the gecko tail, which at least diverted Marcia’s attention onto her.

“I hate all of you.” Marcia folded her arms. “Why don’t you go dance already?”

“Hello, ladies.” Ooh, right on cue, Mr. Dark Hair had come through. His gaze fell on me and I returned his very charming smile. “Wanna dance?” he asked me.

Yes. Yes, I did.


==============

Find Buy Links Here

In Truth & Ashes by Nicole Luiken - Spotlight

Through Fire & Sea (Otherselves, #1) by Nicole Luiken:

Synopsis:

There is one True World, and then there are the four mirror worlds: fire, water, air, and stone. And each has a magic of its own…

In the Fire World, seventeen-year-old Leah is the illegitimate daughter of one of the realm’s most powerful lords. She’s hot-blooded—able to communicate with the tempestuous volcano gods. But she has another gift…the ability to Call her twin “Otherselves” on other worlds.

Holly resides in the Water World—our world. When she’s called by Leah from the Fire World, she nearly drowns. Suddenly the world Holly thought she knew is filled with secrets, magic…and deadly peril.

For a malevolent force seeks to destroy the mirror worlds. And as Leah and Holly are swept up in the tides of chaos and danger, they have only one choice to save the mirror worlds—to shatter every rule they’ve ever known…

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25338152-through-fire-sea

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Through-Fire-Sea-Entangled-Teen-ebook/dp/B00W1H5BT0

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/through-fire-sea-nicole-luiken/1121725505

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/through-fire-sea-entangled/id985135785

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/through-fire-sea-entangled-teen

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Through-Fire-Sea-Entangled-Teen-ebook/dp/B00W1H5BT0/

Amazon.ca: http://www.amazon.ca/Through-Fire-Sea-Entangled-Teen-ebook/dp/B00W1H5BT0

Entangled Page: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/through-fire-sea/

---

Amid Wind & Stone (Otherselves, #2)

Author: Nicole Luiken

Release Date: Mar. 7, 2016

Genre: YA Fantasy

 

There is one True World, and then there are the four Mirror Worlds: Fire, Water, Air, and Stone.

Audrey and Dorotea are “otherselves”—twin copies of each other who live on different Mirror Worlds.

On Air, Audrey has the ability to communicate with wind spirits. As war looms, she’s torn between loyalty to her country and her feelings for a roguish phantom who may be a dangerous spy.

Blackouts and earthquakes threaten the few remaining humans on Stone, who have been forced to live underground. To save her injured sister, Dorotea breaks taboo and releases an imprisoned gargoyle. Brooding, sensitive Jasper makes her wonder if gargoyles aretruly traitors, as she’s always been told.

Unbeknownst to them, they both face the same enemy—an evil sorceress bent on shattering all the Mirror Worlds.

 

Goodreads Book Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28597398-amid-wind-stone

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Amid-Stone-Otherselves-Nicole-Luiken-ebook/dp/B01BKMMFPE

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/amid-wind-and-stone-nicole-luiken/1123387309

iBooks Buy Link: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/amid-wind-and-stone/id1082374406

Kobo Buy Link: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/amid-wind-and-stone

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Amid-Stone-Otherselves-Nicole-Luiken-ebook/dp/B01BKMMFPE

Amazon.ca: http://www.amazon.ca/Amid-Stone-Otherselves-Nicole-Luiken-ebook/dp/B01BKMMFPE

Entangled Page: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/amid-wind-stone/

---

In Truth & Ashes (Otherselves, #3) by Nicole Luiken

Author: Nicole Luiken

Release Date: January 2nd, 2017

Genre: YA Fantasy

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33014994-in-truth-and-ashes

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-truth-and-ashes-nicole-luiken/1125262532?ean=9781633755451

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NCKVY0H?tag=entangpublis-20

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/in-truth-and-ashes

What she can’t remember could ruin her life.

The Mirror Worlds are but dull reflections of the True World, where magic and technology blend together…

On the True World, Belinda Loring has known from childhood that she must Bond with the son of another noble First Family. Uniting the families ensures hers will hold onto its powerful position, and so she’s always pushed down the tender feelings she has for her best friend—gorgeous, steadfast Demian, who isn’t noble.

But when the ceremonial magic goes disastrously wrong, Belinda becomes a national disgrace. Scorned as Broken, she turns to Demian for help getting revenge on the man who ruined her: the radical Malachi.

But the seeds of Malachi’s murderous plans lie buried in Belinda’s past, in the dark days of her kidnapping—a period of which she has no memory. And Demian may hold the key to recovering all that she’s lost—and saving the worlds.

---

Ab0ut the Author




Nicole Luiken wrote her first book at age 13 and never stopped.
She is the author of nine published books for young adults, including Violet Eyes and its sequels Silver Eyes and Angels Eyes, Frost, Unlocking the Doors, The Catalyst, Escape to the Overworld, Dreamfire and the sequel Dreamline. Through Fire & Sea, book one of Otherselves, and Amid Wind & Stone, book two of Otherselves, are her most recent releases. She also has an adult thriller, Running on Instinct, under the name N.M. Luiken and a fantasy romance series, Gate to Kandrith and Soul of Kandrith.
Nicole lives with her family in Edmonton, AB. It is physically impossible for her to go more than three days in a row without writing.

Author Website: http://www.nicoleluiken.com/

Author Twitter: @NicoleLuiken

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nicole-Luiken-50793836133/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/223320.Nicole_Luiken\

 

Read below for an excerpt from In Truth & Ashes:

Nightmare

Fire World

Leah wept in her sleep. And dreamed:

She was a dragon, floating on an orange sea of molten rock. Far above her was a hole like an eye, the Volcano Lord Thunderhead’s caldera. At first, the heat felt pleasant, soaking away the lingering chill of death, but then it increased in intensity as the magma invaded every nerve and lit them each on fire. She screamed through her ruined throat and convulsed—

Leah bolted upright and found herself in the Aerie, the top room of Qeturah’s Tower. She must have fallen asleep on Gideon’s bed.

She was shaking, her heart trying to beat its way out of her chest. Her skin felt clammy. What a terrible, awful nightmare.

One whole side of the Aerie opened out onto a large natural stone balcony. Outside, the sun silhouetted Thunderhead’s steep-sided black cone against the red sky. Thin trails of lava trickled down his sides as he erupted again.

The Volcano Lord grieved for the loss of his son, just as Leah grieved.

Leah had met Gideon here in this very room. He’d been feverish, and she’d been spying for her father, Duke Ruben, trying to prove that the evil sorceress Qeturah had something to do with the dragon attacks on their valley. Only, by the time she found out Gideon shape-shifted into the dragon at night and his mother Qeturah used a magic amulet to control him, Leah had already fallen in love with Gideon, and turning him in had been unthinkable.

But in the end, she’d been unable to protect him from her father. Duke Ruben’s army had shot the dragon down with a huge crossbow, and Gideon had died. And his death had signaled the beginning of the end of Fire World.

Gideon’s father, Thunderhead, had erupted and killed Duke Ruben and three other dukes. Their deaths, in turn, had sent the Volcano Lords linked to them into a mindless fury, and they’d all exploded. Those not killed in the eruptions would likely starve in the next year, since falling ash had blighted all the crops.

And Leah could barely bring herself to care.

Gideon was dead. Duke Ruben, her father, whom she’d alternately feared and wanted to please, was dead. Likely so were Jehannah, her half-sister, and her mother, Beulah. Her childhood home was destroyed.

Leah had spent all her time since the cataclysm struggling to stop Qeturah. But now Qeturah was dead, too. And Leah had no purpose.

Oh, the war hadn’t ended: Qeturah had had a mentor named Malachi who had supported her. He was still out there, no doubt still scheming to shatter the other Mirror Worlds, but Leah had run out of energy to fight. Let someone else take him down, someone from the True World.

Malachi wasn’t her problem.

Leah would just stay here with her memories. Alone.

Only the thought of the nightmare returning kept her from sleeping the rest of the day away.

Follow the rest of the tour below:

January 2^nd

For Love of Books4 – Spotlight Post

YA Book Madness – Review Book #3

January 3^rd

RoloPoloBookBlog – Spotlight Post

January 4^th

Queekie Girl Reads – Guest Post

January 5^th

YaReads – Author Interview

Sizzling Hot Books – Review Book #1

January 6^th

The Book Beacon – Review Book #3

Pearls Cast Before A McPig – Spotlight Post

January 7^th
Just One More Chapter – Spotlight Post

January 8^th

Roxy’s Book Reviews – Spotlight Post

January 9^th

Mythical Books – Author Interview

The Crafty Engineer’s Bookshelf- Review Book #3- Review Book #3

January 10^th

Captivated Reading – Guest Post

January 11^th

Crossroad Reviews – Spotlight Post

Splashes Into Books – Review Book #3

January 12^th

YA Book Divas – Guest Post

January 13^th

Sleeps on Tables – Spotlight Post

Home of Writing – Review Book #2

January 14^th

Verbosity Reviews – Review Book #1

January 15^th

Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Author Interview

Welcome To Sortilege Falls - Release Day Alert

This sounds like a cool read I must get my trotters on once my TBR pile is under control.


Welcome To Sortilege Falls
by Libby Heily

Sixteen-year-old Grape Merriweather has just moved to Sortilege Falls and already she knows something isn't right. A small pack of teenage models, too beautiful for words, holds the town in their sway. The models have no plans on making Grape's life easy. But no matter how cruel they are to Grape and the other “Normals”, no one can stay angry with them for long.

Grape's life changes for the better, or so she thinks, when Mandy, the only “nice” model, befriends her. But that’s when the trouble truly begins. Mandy's friendship places Grape smack in the middle of a medical mystery that has the entire town on edge. One by one, the models fall ill from an incurable disease. Grape quickly realizes that the models' parents are hiding a secret, even as they watch their children die. To save her only friend, Grape will have to find the truth–and that means putting her life in danger.


Buy from Amazon
Or try your luck on Goodreads (US only)



About Libby Heily:
I was born during a blizzard. I’m told it was pretty cool but I have no memory of that time. I grew up in two tiny towns in Virginia and spent most of my twenties moving around the US. I’ve lived in Virginia, Florida, Missouri, and Washington. I’ve settled down, for now, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

I’m a writer and improviser. I studied acting in college but spent more time rewriting lines than memorizing them. My first play, Fourth Wall, was produced my junior year. Since then, I’ve written several full length plays, one acts, and screenplays. I started writing fiction in my late twenties. Now, I focus mainly on novels but still dabble in theater.

Fun facts about me: There are none. I’m sorry to disappoint you so soon. But, I do love to read, write, and run. My hubby is my favorite person on earth. Dogs are my second favorite. All dogs. Know that. I love orange juice, especially when it’s mixed with club soda. Carbonation is better than alcohol. Jaws is my favorite movie. Everything I’ve said so far is true.

Find Libby online:
Website - Facebook - Twitter

Leaders: a Twin-Bred novel - Release Day Alert

You might remember my reviews of Twin-Bred and Reach, the first two books in the Twin-Bred series. They are both beautiful and thought-provoking. So I'm happy to tell you the third book is out today!

And for those who haven't started this series yet, you can now get all three books in a boxed set.

Beware: the blurb of Leaders might contain spoilers if you haven't read the previous books.


Leaders: a Twin-Bred novel
by Karen A. Wyle

They fled Tofarn and found a new home. Should they care what happens to the old?

The Twin-Bred are finally ready to welcome visitors to New Landing, the planet on which they settled after their exodus from Tofarn. They have invited Lan-sol, child of the only Tofa Twin-Bred still on Tofarn, to cross the galaxy through the same wormhole that channels communications between the two planets. But suddenly, all communication becomes impossible.

Lan-sol must decide whether to venture into the now-silent unknown. And the Twin-Bred must ask themselves whether the fate of those they left behind is important enough to justify a return to the planet they once called home.




Find Karen A. Wyle on Amazon

Buy Leaders for Kindle here and the paperback here
Buy the boxed set for Kindle here

More information about the series, and buy links can be found here

Plush Life - Release Day Alert

Today a new book by Gini Koch releases!

You can bet I'll be reading it once I have my TBR mountain under control again.


Plush Life
by Gini Koch

Tom and Meggie have been best friends forever. They’ve been in love with each other for almost as long, but neither one has ever admitted it to the other. Now they work together at the Plush Life Toys, the company Tom started where Meggie is the head of sales.

Meggie’s engaged to Mark, a successful doctor, but she’s having serious second thoughts. However, before she and Tom can talk about it, they get a strange offer from their make-or-break client – go to New Orleans and convince the head of the powerful Family Mart megastore chain that Plush Life is the right kind of company to be one of their vendors. The only catch? Family Mart is the poster company for family values, and Tom and Meggie have to be married or they won’t be approved.

Meggie can’t tell Mark why she has to cancel their weekend plans because Mark doesn’t like that she and Tom are friends. What Meggie and Tom don’t know, though, is that Mark is aware of a secret that affects Meggie’s life – and he and his friends will do anything they have to in order to ensure Mark gets to marry her.

Now Tom and Meggie have to figure out their feelings for each other while trying to keep the eccentric head of Family Mart believing that they’re happy newlyweds. But when Mark and his friends get involved they put Meggie’s life and sanity in jeopardy, and only Tom, a street thief, and the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans are going to be able to save Meggie from the devil himself.


Buy from amazon

Jim Webster - Spotlight

Today I'm handing over the blog to Jim Webster, so he can tell you all about the exciting things happening today!



I’d like to announce that 1st August 2015 is the culmination of a cunning master-plan which is aimed at getting as much good literature in front of you as possible.

Unfortunately if I’m honest it’s just something that’s happened in spite of my best efforts, and I’ve picked the 1st of August because it’s almost convenient.

You see, after discussion with my publishers, AUK, it was decided that the four Fantasy novels they’ve published of mine really deserved to be released in paperback. But being methodical types they suggested that I re-proofread them first. So that’s fine, that’s done.

So
‘Swords for a Dead Lady’

‘Dead Man Riding East’

‘The Flames of the City’

‘Learning a Hard Trade’

These four are available in paperback from 1st August. Book sellers will be able to get them through their usual wholesalers or if you want to buy from Amazon, they’re there.

 
If you’ve never seen them before, Swords for a Dead Lady can be found at

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Swords-Dead-Lady-Jim-Webster-ebook/dp/B006C4C8OO
or
http://www.amazon.com/Swords-Dead-Lady-Jim-Webster-ebook/dp/B006C4C8OO


But I’d also had this cunning plan, a truly brilliant idea. Rather than doing a full novel, I’d do a series of short stories, say about 20,000 words each. They’d be detective stories set in my fantasy world with one of my more popular protagonists ‘in charge.’
Not only that but I’d have half a dozen of them set up to go, and I’d release them at strict regular intervals so people came to expect them. Perhaps it’s a case of trying to build the market?

But anyway, thus and so, ‘The Port Naain Intelligencer’ was born, and the first story in the series, ‘Flotsam or Jetsam’ is out on, yes you’ve guessed it. The 1st August. This has meant that whilst proof-reading four novels I was also writing, editing etc 120,000 words of new work. But anyway, ‘Flotsam or Jetsam’ is available as an e-book on pretty well every platform, but for those who use kindle it’s at

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flotsam-Jetsam-Jim-Webster-ebook/dp/B011VHS21Y/
or
http://www.amazon.com/Flotsam-Jetsam-Jim-Webster-ebook/dp/B011VHS21Y/

To quote the Amazon synopsis, “Benor arrives in Port Naain intent on the simple task of producing a handbook for merchants. Then there is a murder, and a vengeful family who will stop at nothing to silence those who found the body. Suddenly Benor’s life is no longer simple.”



Finally there was something of a diversion. In the ‘Port Naain Intelligencer’, Benor’s landlord and friend Tallis is a poet. So he drops lines of poetry into his conversation.
But Mike Rose-Steel my editor is also a Poet. (With a capital P indeed.) So he asked if he could borrow Tallis. He then proceeded to write ten poems. Benor supplied cultural and historical background to them and Tallis’s somewhat bitter contemporary Lancet Foredeck provided literacy criticism.

Thus, ‘Lambent Dreams’ was born.


This fine work of cutting edge cultural relevance is also available as an e-book at

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lambent-Dreams-Jim-Webster-ebook/dp/B01278WPWI/
or
http://www.amazon.con/Lambent-Dreams-Jim-Webster-ebook/dp/B01278WPWI/

As the synopsis says, “The Poetry of Tallis Steelyard. This appropriately slim volume is the fruit of a unique artistic collaboration, bringing together the writings of one of Port Naain's most major minor poet with the personal commentary of an esteemed cartographer and traveller, and the guiding notes of an informed poet-critic. You cannot say you have not been warned.”

As a special treat, a way of saying thank-you to those who’ve bought my books in the past, Lambent Dreams will be free from 31st July to the 4th August. Admittedly it’s only £0.99 normally but it’s the thought that counts.

--------------------

Find Jim Webster online:

Blog: https://jandbvwebster.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JimWebster6

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.webster.10297