Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Book Review: Campbell's Redemption by Sharon Cullen

Campbell's Redemption is the third book in the Highland Pride series. Each book is a stand-alone, but I need to go back and read the first two as this was a terrific story.
Cait Campbell is a widow and a healer. She lives in a small cottage on the lands of Iain Campbell, laird of the Campbell lands. He was once her husband's best friend, but she blames him for John's death. Meanwhile, Iain feels guilty about Cait and how she is now living.
When Iain's second-in-command is injured, Iain brings him to Cait to fix up. This incident starts to repair their relationship and perhaps lead to something more. All of this takes place in the turmoil after Culloden when English soldiers are killing Scots without mercy. Iain is caught in the middle, playing a dangerous game to protect his people.
This is a lovely romance about finding love again. Cait has committment issues, understandable as you read along. Iain is a great hero, determined to do anything for the woman he loves. If I'm really picky, I was taken out of the story each time the author uses 'okay' (not a word a Scot would use at that time), but generally, the history was good and the setting of the Highlands accurate. All-in-all, the writing is good and the story engrossing.
I received this as a NetGalley ARC and choose to give an honest review. 

Link to Amazon

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Book Review: Mommy, What is the Moon? by Crystal MM Burton

Mommy, What is the Moon? is a lovely children's book in the style of Goodnight Moon. It is a story of a young boy asking his mother a series of questions about the moon.
The illustrations by Michael Finch fit the theme perfectly. 10% of the proceeds go to JDRF.org to help find a cure for type 1 diabetes.

You can get either the ebook or the paper book which makes a great gift for someone on your upcoming holiday gift list

Link to Amazon

Promo Blitz: Ave, Caesarion by Deborah L. Davitt




The Rise of Caesarion's Rome, Book One
 Fantasy, Alternative History
 Date Published:  October 21, 2016

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A single event can reshape a world—or shatter it forever.

Fifteen years ago, Caesar escaped assassination, and went on to be crowned Emperor of Rome. His son by Cleopatra, Caesarion, carries the blood of Mars, Venus, Isis, and Osiris in his veins—but will the power that the gods have granted him, be enough to secure his hold on Rome after his father’s death?

What of the powers his sister, Eurydice Julia, has begun to manifest, and her puzzling visions that hint at the sacrifices that the gods of both Rome and Egypt will demand of them?

Will they, together, be strong enough to forge a better world than the one their ancestors built?

Return to the world of Edda-Earth, where magic and science coexist and all the gods are real.

And always remember this truth: The end of all things . . . was just the beginning.

Recent Praise for Ave, Caesarion:

“. . . irresistible wit and superior characterization . . . . A scorching alternate-history adventure packed with romance and fantasy action.” -- Kirkus

“. . . a fantastically complex, evocative and involving story that moves through . . . every nuance of the social, spiritual and political world of their times. [A]s gripping, involving, and as real as today's modern world.” -- D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review

Excerpt

On this warm summer evening, fifteen years after Julius Caesar had been crowned in the Forum of Rome, the Empire held its breath. Rumor—fleeter of foot than Mercury—swept through the city, from patrician homes to plebeian ones, whispering that Gaius Julius Caesar had suffered some manner of fit. It had long been murmured that he was subject to the falling-sickness, perhaps contracted in tropical climes, or meted out as punishment by the gods for having dared to ascend so far. More troubling, however, were Rumor’s sly additions to her tale: that the seventy-year-old emperor could not rise, and that his foreign-born wife, Cleopatra, would not leave his side, whispering spells and incantations to keep him alive.

The freeborn muttered in the marketplaces; the Empress might be a curse on Rome. Their beloved Emperor had divorced his third wife, Calpurnia, after his coronation, and had extended to Cleopatra and the Hellene-Egyptian House of Ptolemy Roman citizenship for “services to the Empire.” Italians who had only recently been granted citizenship spat at those words; her services, in their opinion, were those of a harlot, and the rights that their grandfathers had died for in the Social War had been granted to her for what lay between her thighs.

Few in Rome understood that the bread distributed by the government—the Annona—came at such a low cost to the state solely because Egypt’s fertile fields provided their plenty at the whim of their queen.  

In the last light of sunset, five cohorts of legionnaires marched along the Via Flaminia towards the gates of Rome, accompanying two young men on horseback. The dirt and dust on their uniforms suggested a long journey, conducted rapidly. The senior centurion and all the men on foot were hardened soldiers in their thirties, members of the Legio X Equestris—the first legion levied by Julius Caesar. The Equestris formed the backbone of Caesar’s Praetorian Guard, the personal protectors accorded to many a general over the centuries. Hence the distinctive white crests on the helmets of their officers. 

Of the pair on horseback, the elder, who wore the long white crest of a tribune of the Tenth Legion, didn’t look to have escaped his adolescent years; the younger, who wore no uniform, but rather just a tunic and cloak suitable for riding, looked barely old enough to have received his toga virilis. “Malleolus! Fall the men out,” the older of the pair called to the centurion, reining in. “Let them eat and bathe and see their families. But be at my father’s villa outside of Rome first thing in the morning.”

The centurion thumped his breastplate in acknowledgement, and the weary legionnaires gave a desultory cheer. But the centurion let the rest of his men file past, and then caught the young officer’s reins before he could thump a heel into his horse’s flanks. “I’ll be going with you, dominus?” Malleolus asked. It wasn’t quite a question. 

The corners of the young man’s mouth kinked upwards slightly. “This is Rome.”

“Yes, my lord.” Solemn acknowledgement. “And fifteen years ago, seven men tried to murder your father. On the sacred soil of Rome.”

The young man put a hand on his shoulder, imperceptible through the armor. “I’m harder to kill than my father, Malleolus. Though I thank you for your care.” In the last rays of sunset, his eyes gleamed an unnatural shade under the shadows cast by his helm—the color of spilled blood. For Ptolemy XV Julius Caesarion Philopator Philomator—generally called Caesarion—was god-born. 

His mother, Cleopatra, who had made her son co-ruler of Egypt with herself when he was no more than three, claimed that the blood of Isis and Osiris ran in her veins. His father had once minted coins that reminded the people of Rome that his house claimed descent from Venus. And none could deny that Mars had favored Caesar on the battlefield as well. Yet neither of his parents had shown the signs of divine favor as clearly as Caesarion did.

Malleolus released the reins, saying mildly, “I would sleep better tonight, my lord, if you’d allow me to follow you to the villa’s gates.”

A quick smile. “You’re going to insist?”

“I would never so presume. But I do ask, dominus.”

“For the sake of your good rest, then, yes.” A nod, and then the young patrician clucked at his horse, preparing to enter the city. But now his brother, young Alexander, caught the reins. “Caesarion,” Alexander said, his voice tight, “You’re not carrying a sword. You can enter the city legally. But . . . if you enter now, you’re giving up your right to a triumph.”

 “I don’t care,” Caesarion replied impatiently. “Father had a choice once, between being accorded a triumph for his victories, and standing for election as consul. He chose the consulship. You pick the thing that’s more important. And seeing him before he dies . . . that’s more important.” He grimaced. “And ensuring that we’re here to deal with issues of succession, too. Gods. I hate thinking like this.”

Alexander shook his head sharply. Five years younger than his brother, he still seemed to have more political acumen. “A triumph will ensure the love of the plebeians. And you must have the mob behind you before dealing with the Senate.”

Caesarion’s expression tautened. “It’s strange, Alexander. I see your face, but I hear our mother’s voice when you speak.” An impatient shake of his head. “Every man who stood with me in Germania deserves that triumph. They all deserve that recognition, because without the men who followed me, the seventh Legion would have been cut off, surrounded, and destroyed in that damned forest.” His face settled into stubborn lines. “But holding a triumph instead of making my way to Father’s deathbed?” He regarded Alexander steadily. “Bad taste. It would look as if I valued his position more than his life.” He stared at the Porta Flaminia, and then turned his head and spat into the dust at the side of the road. “To Dis with the damned triumph. Let’s go home, brother.”

Centurion Ramirus Modius Malleolus trotted silently alongside the pair as they entered the city. They looked far too young to bear the weight of the Empire on their shoulders. But Caesarion will have to carry it. And in spite of the young man’s high rank and youth, he liked Caesarion. Uncannily, almost everyone did. The love of his father’s legions was mostly assured, but Malleolus had seen freedmen and slaves who served the legionnaires in their camps—men who hated anyone with a patrician name—smile when Caesarion addressed them. 

He sighed, and kept his eyes on the people crowding the streets. No one had yet given them more than a glance, but someone had to keep these two youngsters alive. 


About the Author

Deborah L. Davitt was born in Washington State, but grew up in Reno, Nevada, where she earned her BA in English Literature. She received her MA in English at Penn State, where she taught college rhetoric and composition, and has since worked as a technical writer in industries including nuclear submarines, NASA, and computer manufacturing.

Her poetry has appeared in Star*Line, Blue Monday Review's Storytime Challenge, Grievous Angel, Silver Blade, Dreams and Nightmares, Poetry Quarterly, and other venues. A short-story of hers has appeared in Intergalactic Medicine Show, and she has four novels published to Kindle--The Valkyrie, The Goddess Denied, The Goddess Embraced, and Ave, Caesarion.


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Friday, November 18, 2016

New Release: Collide by L.R. Johnson




Paranormal Romance
Date Published:  September 2016

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Be careful what you wish for, it just might come true...Lauren's life has been turned upside down by some simple choices that have gone awry.

Since her father’s mysterious death, Lauren Cowley has been stuck in a pitiful rut until she begins having ominous encounters, haunting her every move. While attempting to break free from her wretched life she meets Donovan. He is tall, dark, good-looking, strangely familiar – and yet terrifying. His unexplained ability to stare deep into her soul with emotionless eyes frightens her, yet she has no desire to break free from the gravitating pull he has on her. He unlocks her passion…and suppressed memories forcing her to fight for everything she loves. Lauren now has to face the reality of demons and the tragic consequences they have had on her life.



Excerpt

The room was filled with several insidious beings, a scene Donovan was all too familiar with. This was a part of the work he detested the most. He didn’t want to be here, but this man’s corrupt desires forced his hand. Donovan’s height reached a good foot above the man’s stout body, making Donovan appear even more menacing. A heavy debate had transpired between the man and a friend who had tried to stop the transaction, causing heavy amounts of sweat beads to form around the stout man’s receding hairline – despite the cool air.
Turning towards Donovan the man begged, “Please, you don’t have to do this. I have a family and…”

“You should have thought about them before you decided to ruin their lives.” Donovan’s voice was dark, yet a tinge of regret coated his tongue.

The man’s eyes pierced into a part of Donovan he hadn’t felt for years. How could he justify what he was about to do? Just because he was trapped in this situation didn’t mean he should damn someone else to this life – if it even is a life. What is wrong with wanting something so bad you are willing to sacrifice everything for it?

The man slowly turned towards his dark-haired friend who had tried to stop the exchange, gazing into his eyes sorrowfully. The two men were a yin and yang of each other. Where one was stout and fair with the beginnings of a receding hairline, the other was tall and thin with dark, thick hair and olive complexion. Though the two were opposite in appearance their friendship was intertwined like a thick rope.

The dark-haired man’s eyes narrowed as he pleaded to his friend in a weak whisper, “If this needs to happen, let it happen to me. I have no family, nothing that will be destroyed by the outcome.”
The dank air within the room hung thick and dark like a heavy blanket suffocating the room and making it hard to breathe. Donovan was familiar with what was transpiring. Gripping his fingers into a tight fist he fought back the urge to give in to his now natural instinct. Locking his sights onto the two men in front of him he silently watched their useless debate. There was only one way out of this situation and that was if Donovan would let him go, and that could never happen.

The stout man grabs hold of his friend’s shoulders, uttering firmly, “No, this is my fault and I take responsibility for it, but I need you to do me a favor. I need you to…”

Instantly the door opened, causing the two men to turn towards the intruder. “Father, what are you doing?”

A blithe voice rang in Donovan’s ears as he turned abruptly towards the intruder. The girl’s eyes locked onto his and for a brief moment he was reminded of who and what he used to be – a good man. Though his past was now just a grain of virgin sand in a murky moat, for a brief moment
Donovan was able to see the grain and grab onto it.

Donovan watched her eyes transform from a bright joyful appearance to one of fear and disgust. Her smile dropped, ripping out her heart on its way down. Donovan’s eyes remained locked onto hers like two magnets colliding, mentally grabbing hold of her with fervor and strength – refusing to let go. Her eyes too were locked onto Donovan’s, though hers told a very different story. One of betrayal, rage and despair, something he couldn’t look upon anymore.

“Please leave, sweetheart. I need you to go – now,” the stout man uttered to his daughter. His voice echoed loudly with guilty pain.

“No,” she snapped back.    

A growling voice instantly cut into the small yet crowded room, making everyone freeze with fear. A man stepped out of a dark corner from the far side of the room. He seemed to materialize from the bleak shadows draped mysteriously from the corners of the room, like tattered curtains ready to reveal the main event. “You are pathetic, Donovan. Do I have to do everything myself?”

“Darius, please don’t,” Donovan uttered, trying to stop Darius, but it was too late.

Darius’s black eyes deepened as he tore across the room. A swirling wind ripped through everyone as Donovan rushed over to the girl. His eyes locked onto her now silver-dollar-size blue eyes for the last time. He quickly lifted his hand, wrapped it firmly around her throat and gently squeezed. He watched as the light within her eyes slowly diminished, leaving the room a black plague where there once was light.


About the Author

L. R. JOHNSON is the founder and President of The Inspired Writers League - an active community writers group. When L. R. Johnson was a child she would live in a world of her imagination. Her teachers would have to put her in the front row of the class or she would drift off into a story she was creating. Though she studied Psychology in college she never lost her imagination, constantly creating stories in her mind. Bringing to life her characters and writing great love stories filled with adventure, dynamic characters, and brilliant surroundings is something that L.R. Johnson has a natural gift for. She lives in California with her husband and two wonderful children.

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Other books by L. R. Johnson:

YA/NA Romance
Published: November 2015

Needing a fresh start, eighteen year old widow Breanna Hayes flees from America to England to fulfill her husband’s last request and her dream of going to Cambridge University. There she meets Callum. He’s arrogant, brash, affluent, rippling with charisma – and certain to run away when he learns about her tainted past. But as an unexpected bond is formed between them she discovers he has secrets of his own. She must overcome her stubbornness, fears, and open her heart again or risk losing a chance at love and the stable family she has always wanted.

“Stop,” I interrupt, not wanting to hear a frivolous apology, “What I do is no longer your concern.” A heavy sigh rolls off of me, “I come from trash. I have always known it, and now I know you believe it, too.”

Turning my back on him I begin hastily walking away when suddenly I hear him softly utter my name. It rolls along the surface of the mist, slamming against my back, piercing into my core, revealing his internal pain. Ignoring his pleading call I continue to walk away from him, leaving all my hopes and dreams behind. My decision is made. I am leaving as soon as my classes are done.

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Thursday, November 17, 2016

Book Review: Fantastic Creatures by A Fellowship of Fantasy authors

This is a 'Fantastic' anthology packed with stories for all ages about mythical and fantasy beasts and their friends. Many of the creatures are the usual dragons, mermaids, and griffins. Others were not as familiar to me, the hum-fairies,  werejaguars, or tree octapuses, but the stories are uniformly interesting and well-written.
I especially enjoyed 'Three Steaks and a Box of Chocolates', 'The Very Last Dragon', 'An Adventurer's Heart', and 'Absolutely True Facts about the Pacific Tree Octapus', but there is something to like for everyone in this fantastical collection of stories.
 A few stories have some violence and are marked as such for younger readers. I received this as an ARC and choose to give an honest review.




The ebook is FREE- Get it here !

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Icarus Ascending by Dan Fogelburg

The theme of Icarus appears in a lot of art and music. Here is one of my favorites, Icarus Ascending by Dan Fogelburg.

Soaring alone upon a threatening wind
Just fix your eyes on the horizon
Cut off from everything
You've known or have been
I shouldn't think it's so surprisin'
Spiralling upward on a freshening lift
Reaching the realms of fleet Apollo
You have been given the most sacred of gifts
You must be fearless now and follow
[Chorus:]
Don't look down
Though your heart may be weary
Don't look down
Though your wings are on fire
Don't look down
Though the night may seem endless
There's a reason you're flying
This fast and this far
Let your faith be your strength
And your love be your guiding star
Venturing further than
The length of your sight
Out past the reach of your beginnings
There is a gamble in each
Proud act of flight
But the losses pale before the winnings
Circling and diving with this
Freedom you've found
Illusion blows apart and scatters
There is no darkness in this place
That we're bound
Love is the only thing that matters
[Chorus]
Up.....up.....up.....up.....


Bruce's Cave on Rathlin Island

http://www.andymcinroy.com/5port6b.htm

One of the locations I used in The Black Swans is Bruce's Cave on Rathlin Island off the coast of Ireland. The cave is famous because of local lore that this is where Robert the Bruce of Scotland and his men hid when pursued by the armies of England.
While hiding there and in despair over his defeat, he noticed a spider trying to climb up the wall. The spider kept falling back, but continued to try which encouraged him to go back to Scotland and eventually defeat the English at Bannockburn.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Write A Paragraph/Poem About This news!


Check out Angelique's Blog for WAPAT news!



https://authorangeliqueanderson.wordpress.com/2016/11/09/w-a-p-a-t-recap-and-writer-helps-for-1030-1105/

Character Interview with Veronique of Centaurs & Magic by Linda M. Crate

Evan Arwen Rabastan Louis Artinfallinger the III, son of Yvonigsar  Artinfallinger, has a secret. One he wouldn't want anyone in Atriel to know. One that he's killed over and for because if anyone should find out the truth, he knows they'd only use it against him.

In this prequel to Blood & Magic and Dragons & Magic one learns the bloody, secretive past of one of Atriel's worst counsel leaders and his fearless and shameless pursuit to become king. Yet there is a prophecy made of a child who will foil his plans. Will he be able to rid Atriel of said child before the curse made in the prophecy comes true or is he doomed to fail one day in the future?




Character interview:

ME: Hello, Veronique. How are you?

VERONIQUE: Well, all things considering, I suppose.

ME: So how do you feel about your brother Evan?

VERONIQUE: Going in for the hard questions from the get-go, eh? Evan is Evan. We get along some days and other days I’d like to have his head on a silver platter. That’s the way it goes for most siblings, no?

ME: Most siblings don’t threaten to kill their siblings to become king, though.

VERONIQUE: Is there a question there, somewhere?

ME: All right, very well, back to the questions and less commentary. How do you feel about Atriel?

VERONIQUE: It’s a beautiful place or likely would be if not for men and  women like my brother.

ME: Who else makes Atriel a terrible place?

VERONIQUE: Don’t act like you don’t know. Petro and Petula are hardly angels. They’re incestuous little brats who act as if they’re gods thinking they’re invincible simply because they’re vampires. If a day ever came where Evan asked me to kill them, I would in a heartbeat. I’m not afraid to sully my hands or stakes with the blood of vampires. They’re all vile and wicked creatures from my experience.

ME: What other experience with vampires have you had?

VERONIQUE: Many including that idiot Rugged.

ME: Ah, I see. Is Rugged his actual name?

VERONIQUE: You know full well that it isn’t, but he made me promise not to divulge his name and I don’t break promises. Not even to monsters like him.

ME: That’s admirable of you. Did your mother or father instill morals in you?

VERONIQUE: My father was a good man. My mother was not. She left my father and me shortly after my birth declaring me an abomination because of my mismatched eyes. I grew up with Evan and my father. Evan never had many morals and he’s detested all person’s that he considers half-breeds and magic. In hating magic users he also hates himself. I think he hates himself most of all. It’s probably why he’s so harsh and abrasive because he’s lost all his morality and humanity.

ME: You said he’s a magic user?

VERONIQUE: It may be a well-kept secret from most, but I know Evan better than most. He’s a witch. His magic usually manifests in the form of lightening, but I didn’t tell you that. I, however, do not have the entire day to waste in conversation. I have things I must attend to, if you’ll excuse me.

ME: Of course, thank you for agreeing to this interview.

VERONIQUE: You’re very welcome. I fare thee well.



AUTHOR BIO: Linda M. Crate is a Pennsylvanian native born in Pittsburgh yet raised in the rural town of Conneautville. Her poetry, short stories, articles, and reviews have been published in a myriad of magazines both online and in print. Recently her two chapbooks A Mermaid Crashing Into Dawn (Fowlpox Press - June 2013) and Less Than A Man (The Camel Saloon - January 2014) were published. Her fantasy novel Blood & Magic was published in March 2015. The second novel of this series Dragons & Magic was published in October 2015. Her third poetry collection If Tomorrow Never Comes (Scars Publication - August 2016) was recently published. Her poetry collection Sing Your Own Song is forthcoming through Barometric Pressures Series.

YOUR BLOG URL: http://bloodandmagic.blogspot.com/

TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/thysilverdoe

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Linda-M-Crate-129813357119547/




Tuesday, November 8, 2016

New Release with Excerpt: High Hopes by Sue Lilley

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Contemporary Romance
Date Published:  August 2016

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Grace, Sam and Dixie have known each other forever. But Grace has a secret. Pregnant and penniless after one drunken night with Sam, she gave up her baby for adoption without telling him. And condemned herself to twenty years of guilt.

When her daughter traces her, out of the blue, Grace longs to meet her. But she’s asking about her father and if Grace confesses to Sam after all these years, it will surely wreck his marriage to Dixie. How can their friendship survive such a betrayal? Yet does Grace have a choice?



Excerpt

Grace glared at them. Sam didn’t bother to move his hands. If anything, he pulled the girl harder against him, a defiant glint in his eye. Grace had never seen Sam look like that. He looked hungry. And strangely sexy in his own dishevelled way.

The girl kissed him, her lips deliberate as she kept her eyes on Grace. Grace wanted to slap the smirk from her face but when Sam made no attempt to kiss her back, the girl shrugged and eventually slunk away.

“Why did you tell her you’d been dumped?”

Sam grabbed at the bottle precariously balanced on the fruit machine. “What would you call a dirty weekend with your ex?”

“That’s stupid,” Grace laughed. “Dixie went to his twenty-first party.  Big deal. It’ll be your turn next year. Who will you invite from school?”

“That’s easy.” He combed his fingers through his untidy shock of black hair. “I was the school odd-bod, remember? There was only you.”

She remembered, even through the drunken haze of too much vodka and champagne. It had always been the two of them. Until Dixie. And then there were three.

“Here you are, like a mermaid in your sexy see-through top.”

His hand was on her arm, the heat of him, next to her breast, the nipple poking through the thin fabric of her top. It was suddenly hard to breathe.

“Dance with me?”

It was a slow number, barely recognisable over the raucous beat of the party. Sultry, though, throbbing through the wooden floor, up through the soles of her feet to thud against her heart.

“Our song,” he whispered against her hair.

Black Velvet, she recognised it now. Remembered Sam’s crush on Alannah Myles. Felt strangely thrilled that Sam had called it their song. They’d always had each other. And Sam was right here, kissing her for the first time, an intense meeting of lost souls. It had always been their destiny to be together.

***

Danny was strangely riveted. “What happened next?”

“I can’t blame Sam. I totally seduced him.”

“You’d be pretty hard to resist, twenty years ago. Not like now, with your puffy red face and mascara filling your wrinkles.”

“How can you make me laugh at a time like this?” She fished another tissue out of her bag. “I need to start buying waterproof mascara.”

“Here, let me.”

He licked the tissue and applied it to the streaks on her face. For once, she was too exhausted to care what she looked like as she snuggled into the warmth of his shoulder, staring at the gulls as they wheeled and whooped above the harbour.

“I’m guessing you got pregnant? What did he say?”

“He didn’t know. But now I have to tell him everything because his daughter wants to meet him.” Another tear escaped down her cheek. “Everybody’s going to hate me.”

***

They’d loved each other all through that one stolen night, right until the first glimmer of watery daylight. Even drunk on vodka and champagne, Grace had never felt more alive. Sam was her soul mate. How had she never known that before?

When she woke up, Sam had gone out. He stayed out for hours and when he came back, he turned on the TV without saying a word.

“I made chilli. Something to do, left here on my own.”

“I already ate, thanks. Hangover munchies, you know how it is?”

She sat on the arm of the sofa, sick with dread. “What’s wrong?”

“You know what’s wrong. Listen, I’m sorry. But please can we not talk about it again?”

Still, he didn’t look at her. He couldn’t be sorry. He must see they were meant to be together. She stroked his arm but he shrugged her off, leaning as far away from her as he could get.

“Look Grace, stuff happens. I’m not sure how I ended up in your bed but the sooner we can forget about it the better. When Dixie comes back, Christ! This would kill her. Don’t even think about telling her.”

“But last night you said she’d dumped you.”

“Well today, I know I was being a tit. I’ve spoken to her. She’ll be back tomorrow, as planned. We’re fine.”

“What about me? Should I just disappear? Everything hunky-dory because you and Dixie are fine?”

The sarcasm bounced off him. He’d reduced their connection to a drunken fumble. A mistake he didn’t want to pick over. Dixie returned to claim Sam’s bed as well as his heart and nobody noticed how distraught Grace was. She’d never been more lonely.

By Christmas she knew she was pregnant. 


About the Author


Sue Lilley lives in the north east of England, when she isn’t escaping somewhere else in her imagination.  She loves a good story, especially feel-good escapism that makes you miss your stop and be late for work because you can’t put the book down.  Her practical exterior hides the soul of a daydreamer and compulsive people watcher.  She has been writing as a hobby for years, eavesdropping on people’s conversations on the Metro for inspiration.

She’s been married to Michael, an artist and fellow creative spirit, for more years than they’re brave enough to count.  They have one grown-up daughter who’s far more sensible than either of them.  ANOTHER SUMMER was Sue’s first published novel. Her latest, HIGH HOPES is also available on Amazon. Now she’s forced herself out of the closet, there will be other novels coming soon.

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Pre-Release Blitz for Tru Blue by Melissa Foster




Title: Tru Blue
Series: A dark, sexy standalone romance...
Author: Melissa Foster
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 9, 2016


Imagine falling in love with a man, then finding out he was a killer...
TRU BLUE is a sexy, dark stand-alone novel written in the same loving, raw, and emotional voice romance readers have come to love, and the deeply emotional literary prose women's fiction readers have come to expect, from New York Times & USA Today bestselling, award-winning author Melissa Foster. 

He wore the skin of a killer, and bore the heart of a lover...

There's nothing Truman Gritt won't do to protect his family--Including spending years in jail for a crime he didn't commit. When he's finally released, the life he knew is turned upside down by his mother's overdose, and Truman steps in to raise the children she's left behind. Truman's hard, he's secretive, and he's trying to save a brother who's even more broken than he is. He's never needed help in his life, and when beautiful Gemma Wright tries to step in, he's less than accepting. But Gemma has a way of slithering into people's lives and eventually she pierces through his ironclad heart. When Truman's dark past collides with his future, his loyalties will be tested, and he'll be faced with his toughest decision yet.

 
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"Several emotional topics -- such as drug addiction, abandonment, infertility and unexpectedly becoming a parent -- are easily woven together without making the story feel crowded or overdone. Foster writes exceptional characters that keep readers thinking long after the book is finished... The dynamic members of the Whiskey family are the foundation that holds the group together and they are exactly the reason we're taught not to judge. Let's hope we hear more from all of them!"
~RT Book Reviews

"Sexy and Heartbreaking....I simply adored this beautifully written romance."
~Tasty Book PR 

"Ms. Foster, went for the gut with Truman and Gemma. Tru Blue is more than a romance, it is a story of love, a story of hope and a story of courage. 10 + stars."
~Night Owl Reviews

"With her wonderful characters and resonating emotions, Melissa Foster is a must-read author!"
~New York Times Bestseller Julie Kenner

"Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!"
~New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely
"You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!"
~NYT Bestselling Author Brenda Novak
 
Excerpt from Tru Blue
© Melissa Foster 2016

TRUMAN GRITT LOCKED the door to Whiskey Automotive and stepped into the stormy September night. Sheets of rain blurred his vision, instantly drenching his jeans and T-shirt. A slow smile crept across his face as he tipped his chin up, soaking in the shower of freedom. He made his way around the dark building and climbed the wooden stairs to the deck outside his apartment. He could have used the interior door, but after being behind bars for six long years, Truman took advantage of the small pleasures he’d missed out on, like determining his own schedule, deciding when to eat and drink, and standing in the f**king rain if he wanted to. He leaned on the rough wooden railing, ignoring the splinters of wood piercing his tattooed forearms, squinted against the wetness, and scanned the cars in the junkyard they used for parts—and he used to rid himself of frustrations. He rested his leather boot on the metal box where he kept his painting supplies. Truman didn’t have much—his old extended-cab truck, which his friend Bear Whiskey had held on to for him while he was in prison, this apartment, and a solid job, both of which were compliments of the Whiskey family. The only family he had anymore.

Emotions he didn’t want to deal with burned in his gut, causing his chest to constrict. He turned to go inside, hoping to outrun thoughts of his own f**ked-up family, whom he’d tried—and failed—to save. His cell phone rang with his brother’s ringtone, “A Beautiful Lie” by 30 Seconds to Mars.

“F**k,” he muttered, debating letting the call go to voicemail, but six months of silence from his brother was a long time. Rain pelleted his back as he pressed his palm to the door to steady himself. The ringing stopped, and he blew out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d trapped inside. The phone rang again, and he froze.

He’d just freed himself from the dredges of hell that he’d been thrown into in an effort to save his brother. He didn’t need to get wrapped up in whatever mess the drug-addicted fool had gotten himself into. The call went to voicemail, and Truman eyed the metal box containing his painting supplies. Breathing like he’d been in a fight, he wished he could paint the frustration out of his head. When the phone rang for the third time in as many minutes, the third time since he was released from prison six months ago, he reluctantly answered.

“Quincy.” He hated the way his brother’s name came out sounding like the enemy. Quincy had been just a kid when Truman went to prison. Heavy breathing filled the airwaves. The hairs on Truman’s forearms and neck stood on end. He knew fear when he heard it. He could practically taste it as he ground his teeth together.

“I need you,” his brother’s tortured voice implored.

Need me? Truman had hunted down his brother after he was released from prison, and when he’d finally found him, Quincy was so high on crack he was nearly incoherent—but it didn’t take much for f**k off to come through loud and clear. What Quincy needed was rehab, but Truman knew from his tone that wasn’t the point of the call.

Before he could respond, his brother croaked out, “It’s Mom. She’s really bad.”


Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance (M/F, M/M, F/F), romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary CafĂ©. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success.Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on Facebook or her personal website.
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