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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Rise of the Flame Pre-Order Sale

From international bestselling author, K.N. Lee comes Rise of the Flame, an epic fantasy. 


There are six races, four realms, and one human girl who can bring them together in peace...or war. 

Lilae has been hunted since the night of her birth. She is the only heir to the human god's throne. 

For centuries the races have been separated by an ancient barrier. Now that the barrier is crumbling and vanishing, the races are once again pitted against one another. 

Who will rule? Which races will survive? Will Lilae give up her chance for the throne to save the race of the man she loves?


Exclusive Excerpt
Pirin already started to gather wood from fallen branches around the camp. “I’ll watch for half of the night, and then you girls can take turns. We’ll get horses from the next village and I promise we can stay at an inn.”
The twins smiled. Lilae watched their faces light up, and it brought a small smile to her lips. The thought of sleeping in an inn excited them all. There, they could drink ale and meet new people. The food was always hearty even if the beds were sometimes infested with bed bugs.
Lilae lingered near the slope into the woods while the others set up. She heard something. Her head tilted as she listened to The Winds.
Delia looked back at her, concern spreading across her face. “What is it, Lilae?”
Lilae held a gloved hand up and continued to listen. The Winds spoke to her. They were always there like an old friend. The voices that floated along the breeze or rushing winds always warned her when something was amiss. She had relied on them since she was a child, and they never lied.
Now, they issued a warning.
“Bandits,” Lilae said, standing tall. Her eyes searched for movement in the bushes.
“Oh, great. She’s talking to herself again,” Risa whispered. “Am I the only one who thinks she’s gone completely mad?”
“Shush, Risa.” Jaiza nudged her sister’s arm. “She may talk to herself, but has she ever been wrong?”
Risa didn’t reply. They both watched as Lilae stood completely still near the edge of the woods.
Murderers.” The Winds were sure to tell Lilae that and she gave the twins a look that they understood.
“They followed our tracks, and they wish to rob and kill us.” Lilae said it as if she was discussing the weather.
Humph. I wish they’d try,” Jaiza said with a glower in the same direction as Lilae’s gaze.
            Delia drew in a deep breath. “Holy Elahe. We can never travel in peace.” She stabbed her staff into the ground. “Those bandits are damned fools to be this close to The Barrier.”
“I don’t like this.” Lhana’s eyes darted toward the forest as she withdrew o hide near the cave. “Why does this always happen? One day they’ll sneak up on us, I just know it!”
“I won’t let that happen,” Lilae said, glancing back at her.
 “You will be the death of me,” Lhana said as she turned her back on Lilae.
Pirin gave her a sidelong glance. “Perhaps you’d let me train you sometime, Lhana. You are not as defenseless as you pretend to be. Your trait is quite rare; it could be of use to us.”
Lhana glared at him. “I don’t want to hear it. You seem to forget that I am a proper lady, only warriors use their traits.”
Pirin shrugged. “Suit yourself. I don’t understand why you’d rather waste something you’ve inherited.”
Lhana shook her head. “Never. So stop asking me.” She raised a finger. “The first queen of the black throne gave my family my dowry. Who else can make such a claim?”
Risa sighed and gave Jaiza a look. They both sat their things down without a word.They’d trained for times such as this with Lilae since they were all children; and this wouldn’t be the first group of bandits to threaten them.
Jaiza grabbed her bow, securing her quiver of arrows onto her back.
Risa drew her sword quietly and put the scabbard down. She rolled her shoulders, as if loosening her muscles.
Lilae grinned, her teeth shining in the moonlight. She loved when the twins were like this.
Jaiza stepped beside Lilae, who was younger yet taller. Her keen eyes looked into the growing darkness. “I’ll go ahead and see how many there are.” She twisted her blond hair into a knot at the top of her head to keep it from getting in the way.
“There are eight.”
“You know everything don’t you?” Jaiza rolled her eyes. “Fine. I can take them out.”
Lilae’s grin widened. The thrill of a fight excited her. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Pirin continued to unpack their supplies, shaking out their wool blankets. “This will be good practice for you girls. It’s been awhile since you’ve had a real fight. Maybe you can practice working as a team this time…”
Risa lowered her sword. “Eight? What a waste of energy.”
Pirin gave her a stern look.
“What? I was hoping for at least ten,” she said as though it was a sport. “That would have been good practice. I can handle eight on my own.” She put her sword away and started to help Lhana prepare the salted pork and beans.
“Risa…”
“Father…” Risa said as she squatted down and pulled out an iron pot. “Lilae and Jaiza can take this one.”
“Don’t be so cocky. You’re not the best fighter in the realm by any stretch of the imagination, so stop acting like you know everything. Even your Evasion can be countered if someone has the right skill. Trust me, killing people isn’t a game and should not be taken lightly.”
Risa  raised a brow. “I know it isn’t. But Lilae and Jaiza can handle it. We’ve done this how many times now? At least seven.”
“Never underestimate your enemy, Risa. You never know if those men are as trained as you, or better.”
“You can’t be serious.” Risa huffed. “I doubt it. We both know that most bandits are nothing more than boys who can barely hold the weight of their own cheap sword.”
“You’re not listening are you?”
“Yes, Father. I get what you’re saying. I will try not to be so cocky about it. That better?”
Pirin sighed. “You girls are impossible,” he said, though a small smile played across his lips.
“You didn’t train us to be warriors for nothing, Father,” Risa said as Jaiza slunk into the forest as quietly as a panther. Without a sound, she climbed into a tall tree and disappeared into the branches and leaves.
Lilae stepped out of her cloak with her dagger sharpened and ready in one hand. It was warm on her palm and pulsed for action. She listened to The Winds as they led her to the men who approached her family’s camp, careful not to crunch any of the fallen branches beneath her feet.
As the sun’s last light faded, she peered silently at the bandits from her place behind a tall oak tree. Energy flowed within her body, and there was an anxiousness filling her throat, and a fire within her veins.
The Winds warned her that the men were merciless. They preyed on innocent travelers, robbing and killing even defenseless women. In return, Lilae and Jaiza would show no mercy.
There was a sudden whistling sound as Jaiza’s arrow cut through the dark forest and slammed into the chest of the leader. He gasped loudly, clutching his chest as he was thrown back onto the ground with a solid thud. The arrow was made of the strongest wood and impaled him to the dirt so that he couldn’t lift himself.
Lilae noted the look of shock and pain on his face, as he strained against the arrow. That look always interested her. It was the look of one surprised by death’s touch.
Shouts and frantic orders ensued from the other bandits as they drew their weapons and searched for the source of the arrow. They held their weapons but ducked and cowered toward the safety of the dense, dark forest.
Lilae watched them in silence. She could feel their fear, knowing their hearts were thumping with terror of the unknown. She wanted them to feel that fear. It was the same fear countless others had felt when those men harmed them. Risa was right about one thing: their weapons were cheap. But these were not boys; they were men who had done this countless times, with success. This would be their last.
“Who's there?” someone shouted in a high-pitched voice that cracked with his words.
“Demons!” another wailed.
“Shut up, Gred. There ain’t no stupid demons in this forest!” Lilae heard someone reply, yet she could hear the fear in his voice as if he were uncertain about his own reassurances.
“I told you we shouldn’t tempt the Ancients! We’re too close to The Barrier!”
Lilae worked quickly, hoping to get some action before Jaiza killed them all with her skilled archery. She took a deep breath and her vision changed. She could see their moves before they even did them. Everything stilled for her; all sounds muted, and Lilae activated her Focus.
Silence welcome Lilae as she raced into the battle, calculating their every action.
She darted into the mob, with her dagger in her fist. She sliced Gred down before he even saw her coming. Lilae didn’t waste time making sure he was dead. Her dagger had cut his throat with such precision that there were no doubts.
She slammed into a tall, burly man who seemed more like a solid tree. His body was made of pure muscle, hard as stone. Lilae climbed his body and stabbed him in the neck. Blood spurted into the air.
As he fell backward, his hands racing to cover his wound, she hopped from his body and went on to the next. She didn’t need to look back; Lilae always struck true. She could hear him gasping for breath.
Someone grabbed Lilae by her hair from behind. She growled in annoyance and used her Evasion. Her ibellen flickered before his eyes, and in an instant, she swirled out of his grasp. She kicked him in the back with such force that she heard his spine crack.
His scream resonated throughout the woods, drowning out her angry yell at him for having unraveled her long red braid. Lilae put him out of his misery, pouncing onto his back. Her hands were secure against his thick, coarse beard as she snapped his neck.
She stood and swirled around. The remaining men were laying on the ground, covered in blood and dirt. Jaiza’s arrows protruded from their bodies. Lilae calmed her breathing. Only three kills. Better than nothing.
She stood stoically at the center of the massacre. Her eyes closed as she listened to the last groans of pain and gurgles of blood coming from the bandits’ mouths. Her Focus subsided and her vision of the world returned to normal. Then she remembered Pirin’s words about honoring death, even for those who were evil, and wished them well as they entered the Underworld.
Lilae waited until their sounds of dying ceased before making her way back to the camp. She emerged from the forest, her hands and clothes covered in blood splatters. She wiped her face free of a few speckles with a rag that Risa handed her. Jaiza already sat by the fire as though nothing had happened.
Lilae joined them. They all stared at her over the dancing flames as she warmed her bloodstained hands over the burning logs. Her pale face was streaked with blood and her eyes watched the fire without a trace of emotion.
“You should teach her not to get so dirty,” Lhana quipped as she poured porridge into their clay bowls.
Lilae looked at her bloody hands. The red liquid seeped into the lines of her palms. She rubbed them together, smearing the blood onto her knuckles. “At least the wolves will have a real meal tonight. Isn’t that right, Lhana?” She knew Lhana was afraid of wolves.
            Lhana slumped onto the ground and took a swig of potent ale from her flask. She looked at Lilae and shook her head. Lilae felt an intense wave of sorrow as she caught a tiny tear slip from the woman’s eye.
Lhana quickly wiped it and looked away.


Pre-Order now for only $2.99! On release day the book goes to the  regular price of $4.99.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

The Greatest Sin Blog Tour **Lee French's Top 10 Favorite Books**


Lee French's Top Ten Favorite Books:

10. Jason Cosmo by Dan McGirt

9. Guardians of the Flame by Joel Rosenberg

8. Ecotopia Emerging by Ernest Callenbach

7. Circus of the Damned by Laurell K. Hamilton

6. Undead & Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson

5. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

4. The Iron Druid (series) by Kevin Hearne

3. Systemic Shock by Dean Ing

2. The Last Herald-Mage (trilogy) by Mercedes Lackey

1. The Dresden Files (series) by Jim Butcher


The Fallen 

For hundreds of years, the Blaukenev clan has wandered across Tilzam, from one end to the other and back. Each wagon carries history, love, laughter, pain, sorrow, and secrets. Their greatest secret of all may be Chavali, the clan Seer. 


Spirits claim/use/save/damn her. 

With her gift/curse, nothing surprises her anymore, no one keeps secrets from her. She, on the other hand, has more than enough secrets to keep. Secrets of her own, secrets of her clan, secrets of the world, secrets she even keeps from herself. 

There are always people who want secrets. 
Some will do anything to get what they want. 

The Fallen is the foundation of the story of The Greatest Sin, of a world adrift from its God that desperately wants Her back. Chavali's comfortable, predictable life will be ripped apart and burnt to ashes as she's forced into the middle of that struggle. Change, she hates it passionately. It hates her right back.


Harbinger


Adjusting to her new life as a soul-bound agent of the Fallen has Chavali pushing herself harder than ever before. Between learning to fight, dealing with idiots, and climbing stairs - lots of stairs - she has little time to waste on thoughts of the future. Or the past. 


When another agent fails to report in, Chavali is sent on the mission to discover her fate. Ready or not, she saddles up for a new adventure with new dangers. 

The search takes her to Ket, a coastal city slathered in mystery. There, she faces ghosts from her past and demons of her future as she seeks answers. All she seems to find are more questions. 

Plague, murder, lies, espionage...this city harbors much more than meets the eye, and maybe too much to handle.


Purchase links:

Social media links:
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About the Author:

 Lee French lives in Olympia, WA with two kids, two bicycles, and too much stuff. She is an avid gamer and active member of the Myth-Weavers online RPG community, where she is known for her fondness for Angry Ninja Squirrels of Doom. In addition to spending much time there, she also trains year-round for the one-week of glorious madness that is RAGBRAI, has a nice flower garden with absolutely no lawn gnomes, and tries in vain every year to grow vegetables that don't get devoured by neighborhood wildlife.


Saturday, November 15, 2014

The Second Captive by, Maggie James **Book Feature**

The Second Captive Maggie James 



Stockholm syndrome: the psychological tendency of a hostage to bond with his or her captor.
What happens when you love the man you should hate?
Beth Sutton is eighteen years old when Dominic Perdue abducts her. Held prisoner in a basement, she’s dependent upon him for food, clothes, her very existence. As the months pass, her hatred changes to compassion. Beth never allows herself to forget, however, that her captor has killed another woman. She has evidence to prove it, not to mention Dominic’s own admission of murder.
Then Beth escapes…
And discovers Dominic Perdue is not a man who lets go easily. Meanwhile, despite being reunited with her family, she spirals into self-destructive behaviour. Release from her prison isn’t enough. Can Beth also break free from the clutches of Stockholm syndrome?
A study of emotional dependency, The Second Captive examines how love can assume strange guises.



About the Author
Maggie James is a British author who lives in Bristol. She writes psychological suspense novels.

The first draft of her first novel, entitled His Kidnapper’s Shoes, was written whilst travelling in Bolivia. Maggie was inspired by an impending milestone birthday along with a healthy dose of annoyance at having procrastinated for so long in writing a novel. His Kidnapper’s Shoes was published in both paperback and e-book format in 2013, followed by her second novel, entitled Sister, Psychopath. Her third novel, Guilty Innocence, like her first two, features her home city of Bristol. She has recently published her fourth novel, The Second Captive.

Before turning her hand to writing, Maggie worked mainly as an accountant, with a diversion into practising as a nutritional therapist. Diet and health remain high on her list of interests, along with travel. Accountancy does not, but then it never did. The urge to pack a bag and go off travelling is always lurking in the background! When not writing, going to the gym, practising yoga or travelling, Maggie can be found seeking new four-legged friends to pet; animals are a lifelong love!




Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Free E-Book!! Wisconsin Vamp (Monsters in the Midwest Book 1)

Free E-Book!! Wisconsin Vamp (Monsters in the Midwest Book 1)



"Midwestern nice” is hard to pull off when you’re a bloodthirsty monster. 

Poor Herb isn’t even sure how he got vamped. One day, it's same old, same old. Cooking at Ronnie's, bowling with the guys, drinking at Steinknockers and pining for Lois, the prettiest waitress in Trappersville. The next, things start getting weird. With no one to guide him, Herb fumbles into his newfound abilities, courting disaster with each bumbling step. Sure, there are some perks. The local stripper wants him, he can do this whammy mind-control thing, and he is getting a lot better at bowling. But he can’t drink beer, the bodies are piling up, and his best friend Dallas is getting suspicious. When Herb and Dallas go for the same girl, keeping his dark secret becomes the least of Herb's concerns. 

Booze, billiards, bake sales, babes, bowling, bar fights, blood and karaoke. Who would’ve thought that being undead would make life so interesting?




5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Entertaining Change-of-Pace Vampire Story August 17, 2014
Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Growing up in Wisconsin and having traversed most of the state, I just had to get Scott Burtness' book. I found his first published book to be quite entertaining. Yes, poor Herb 'accidentally' becomes a vampire after a trip to New Orleans, but not until he is back home at his rambler in the woods sitting outside one morning having his coffee. And not by a vampire biting him.

Odd, quirky... Yes. A story about an accidental vampire learning on his own what the "rules" are being a vampire. No, he can't stand sunlight or 'normal' food, requiring the usual liquid diet. Yes, he is a lot stronger and faster and finds he is really good at pool and bowling (a couple of staples of life up there along with darts). He is just learning and stumbling as he goes, not being sure of what his full abilities and limitations are or might be. The writing just keeps the story moving and the reader wanting to keep reading.

The way it is laid out as a story of discovery is quite well done IMO. Very little of the book delves into the gory side of being a vampire, it is treated more matter-of-fact with the most happening the morning he awakes after he has turned -- but even Scott's handling of the situation is done well. The ending starts out kind of cool, giving you a good feeling, but takes a sharp turn in the last couple of sentences that will leave you with a chuckle and nodding in agreement.

It was also a pleasure to read a book with almost no editing issues -- Thank You Scott and your editor(s).


5.0 out of 5 stars Herb: A Celebration of All Things Average August 29, 2014
Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Herb is a celebration of all things average. He's a beer drinking, bowling alley frequenting Wisconsin-ite that cooks at a truck stop and drives a noisy Pinto. Never mind that he gets bitten by a mosquito and turned into a vampire...

Actually scratch that, because turning into a vampire is maybe the best thing that's happened to Herb.

Maybe.

Wisconsin Vamp was a gamble for me for two reasons: a) I don't generally read vampire novels and b) I didn't know even know Horror Comedy was a thing. Thankfully, I ignored points a) and b) and was rewarded with a book that at times, had me laughing so hard I was shaking the bed. Herb is charming (in a non-sparkly vampire way) and has you rooting for him through the whole book.

Besides an engaging storyline, the writing itself is worth pointing out. The clever phrasing, the well thought out word choice, and the crafting of each sentence made me smile (and highlight) many times. Each sentence was like a meal; meaty and rich, full bodied and satisfyingly descriptive, giving you something to chew through to the next sentence, page, chapter, until you were finally through the book.

All in all, a great read. Well developed and humorously written characters, a deeper-than-one-might-assume storyline, and a fabulous cover all combine to make a great book that I'm very glad to have read. I look forward to more books in the Monsters of the Midwest series!

Scott Burtness lives in the Midwest with his wife, Liz and their

 boxer-Pitt, Frank. He enjoys beer, bowling, karaoke, reading

 horror and rooting for the underdog. 



Twitter: SWBauthor

The Choice by, A.J. Adwen **Blog Tour**

The Choice
by, A.J. Adwen
**Blog Tour**


A.J. Adwen's 
Top Ten Favorite Books (in no particular order):

1. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
2. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
3. The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R Tolkien
4. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
5. The Hero of Lesser Causes - Julie Johnston
6. The Horse Whisperer - Nicholas Evans
7. The Hunger Games Series - Suzanne Collins
8. Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers
9. The Mark of the Lion series - Francine Rivers
10. If I Stay - Gayle Forman

The Choice:

How do you heal from your past when you're still trapped within it? 

I lost myself the night of the party. Just like that, my innocence and my sanity were torn away. 

I would like to say that time heals all wounds, but it doesn't. And I would like to say that falling in love is what rescued me, but it wasn't. Nobody told me what to expect in the coming days and weeks and months after conceiving a rapist's child. Years later, my wounds are still just as fresh as the night they were made. It would be so easy to disappear and allow the memories to consume me. 

But that's the choice, isn't it? To live instead. 

**This book contains rape triggers. Discretion is advised.**


Author Bio:

Allison was born and raised in the mountains of Oregon, birthed of the crisp, clean air and rainy forests. She now resides in Oklahoma City, though she is still thoroughly attached to her home and finds much inspiration for her stories whenever she has a chance to return. As the spouse of a police officer and a full-time photographer, she is on her toes 24/7. In 2013, she was a recipient of the Oklahoma Next Generation award: an award given to thirty individuals under the age of thirty in the state who have proven to be innovative and inspiring leaders in the arts, entertainment, business, media, and other areas of impact.
Often told that she has her head in the clouds, she couldn’t deny it even if she wanted to. 

Allison began dreaming up stories long before she was old enough to write them. She enjoys a variety of genres, including YA, romance, historical romance, fantasy, dystopian, and anything else that hooks her interest. She prefers to write books that tell gripping love stories in heart-wrenching, real, inspiring ways. Her stories are deep and raw, taking the reader into a world that is richly intricate. Readers often say that they are swept away and left reeling when they have finished the last page.
Allison loves to interact with her readers, and she does her best to respond to every email she receives. To learn more about her, visit her Facebook page and follow along on her writing journey!