See more, and read about it here!
(Psst! Also includes a download link to free activity sheets!)
(Psst! Also includes a download link to free activity sheets!)
Friday, November 30, 2018
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Please Welcome Jane S. Morrissey as She Tells Us About Her Paranormal Romance, Circle of Flames, Quytel Series, Book Two
Circle of Flames
Quytel Series, Book Two
by Jane S. Morrissey
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Fiction
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing, New York
Date of Publication: November 14, 2018Quytel Series, Book Two
by Jane S. Morrissey
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Fiction
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing, New York
ISBN: 978-1-68291-764-0
Number of pages: 339
Word Count: 92,974
Cover Artist: Melody Pond, Soul Mate Publishing
Tagline: Bending time and space to battle evil
Book Description:
Sent back to his homeland to investigate the disappearance of psychic children, Darius Curilian must face the haunting truths of his past. In a remote village, Darius and his team arrive too late to stop a kidnapping but discover a beautiful stranger who could hold the key to finding the missing children.
A self-defined loner, Emma Williams has always been different. Fire breathes in her soul and has set her apart from everyone her whole life. When she stumbles upon a child in danger, she falls into Darius’s unwilling arms and is pulled into the dark world of the Quytel as they fight for their lives.
Excerpt:
For her safety
and ours, Darius reminded himself.
“Scotch?” Emma
emerged from the kitchen with two tumblers half full of amber liquid. “I don’t
know about you, but I could use a drink after the last couple of days.”
She’d changed
into a comfortable looking pair of cotton drawstring pants and a
spaghetti-strap tank, leaving a tempting part of her flat belly revealed.
Padding into the room on bare feet, her dark, silk-red hair brushed her jawline
and fell to her shoulders. His **** hardened.
He stood and
crossed the narrow room, taking the glass she offered him. “Thank you.”
“Cheers.” She
raised her glass and sat on the loveseat, tucking her feet under her. “So what
now?”
“I should
leave.” He didn’t move, feeling the weight of Sita’s vial in his pocket. He
took a long drink of the scotch and savored the smoke on his tongue.
“Will I see you
again?” Those lapis-lazuli eyes met his. They reminded him of Egyptian jewels
watching, waiting, her pale skin illuminated by the soft, yellow glow filling
the room.
“I’d like that.”
He chased the implication of his statement with another swallow of scotch
burning his throat. Just because he wouldn’t ever see her again didn’t mean he
wouldn’t want to. He was dead certain one night with her would do nothing to
quench his hunger.
What is it about this book that makes it special?
Circle of Dreams,
the first book in the Quytel Series, sets the stage for the Quytel.
their
world. I’ve always been drawn to the idea that there are sacred places in the
world;
centers of power grounding the energies of our planet. I’ve traveled and
lived
in a few different countries so blended my real-world experience with my
research
on the sacred wonders of the world, and various other theories about
Earth’s
connection to alien planets. Several of these concepts are woven into this
globe-trotting,
paranormal thriller, built on the growth of a strong romantic partnership.
About the Author:
Jane Morrissey is a paranormal romance writer who loves romance, magic, and writing. Her paranormal romantic mysteries will keep you reading late into the night. Jane spends her time writing, enjoying the glorious California Coast near her home and spending as much time as she can with family and friends.
Check Out Book One
Quytel Series
Book One
Jane S. Morrissey
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Fiction
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing, New York
Date of Publication: 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68291-297-3
Number of pages: 350
Word Count: 100,959
Cover Artist: Melody Pond, Soul Mate Publishing
Tagline: Spheres of power usher a new and dangerous secret
Book Description:
Leader of an elite psychic team, Cole Courtland is a shape-shifting wolf with a deep connection to the power of the Earth. His investigation of a string of mysterious murders throws him into the dangerous world of the Quytel and leads him straight to Brianna Doherty’s door.
Bri is plagued by vicious nightmares of death and pain that leave her wondering about her own history. When her home is under siege, an enigmatic stranger appears out of nowhere to save her.
Thrown together in a tangle of desire and danger, they are pulled deeper into the secretive world of the Quytel, an ancient order charged with maintaining the balance of psychic and paranormal power on earth. Staying one step ahead of those who would destroy them, they struggle to unravel the truth of Bri’s past and her family legacy. As her relationship with Cole grows stronger, the reality of who Bri is threatens to tear them apart.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Now Available as an Audio Book! BREATH OF CHRISTMAS, a Sweet Fantasy Romance
BREATH OF CHRISTMAS
Sweet Contemporary FantasyWord Count: 11.2K
$0.99 e / $6.99 p / $6.95 a
Narrated by Linda Mooney
Length: 1 hr., 20 min.
Hear a Sample
After being gone for months, there's nothing like being home for Christmas. Although Brindle has no family there to welcome her back, and the little town has grown since she left, it's still home to her and exactly where she wants to be in these final days.
With
a little help from a generous stranger full of the Christmas spirit, the
holiday is sure to be perfect for Brindle. Full of love and memories,
both old and new.
She just prays she's able to enjoy it before
she runs out of time and breath.
Excerpt and Buy Links
Excerpt and Buy Links
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Monday, November 26, 2018
Please Welcome J.M. Jinks as She Tells Us About Her Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy Romance, Mostly Innocent, A Powers That Be Novel, Book One
A Powers That Be Novel, Book One
by J.M. Jinks
Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Champagne Books
Date of Publication: 10/22/2018
Word Count: 58K
ASIN: B07JMCGNM6
ASIN: B07JMCGNM6
Tagline: If you can’t beat them, seduce them
Book Description:
Meet Layla James, your typical smart and snarky chick—except
for the whole succubus thing. After nearly a millennium on Earth, Layla’s
settled down in a boring life in Palm Springs, until a smoking-hot hunter comes
to arrest her for murder. But Layla knows the rules—she'd never kill someone
and incite the wrath of The Powers That Be.
Elijah Daines is a hunter, maintaining the balance of good
and evil in the mortal realm, his power stronger than any hunter she’s ever
encountered. Plus, he’s a seriously sexy distraction. Too bad he’s accused her
of a crime she didn't commit.
As the killer continues a murder spree that not only frames
Layla but threatens to expose the existence of supernatural creatures to
humans, Layla and Elijah team up to investigate. Hopefully, they can fight off
their escalating attraction for each other long enough to exonerate her and
stop the murder madness.
Excerpt:
He approached
the counter. I, or maybe my succubus, decided on a whim I would not be
intimidated by his power. I wasn’t sure where my sudden courage came from. He
had to have felt my succubus signature. We weren’t a violent race when we
controlled our urges. I’m Queen of Control over here. I’m sure he knows I
won’t, hurt him. Right?
But why was he here? Something must have been
wrong.
As I walked
toward him, I got a better look. His dark hair was in slight disarray and his
bright blue eyes scoured my face. He towered over me in every sense of the
word.
He and Jolene
should go back-to-back so I can get an accurate measure of his height.
I shook away my
thoughts of him—it was obvious he came here on a mission. Greek god or not, he
was still a hunter, and I—I was a product of evil, aka something he hunts.
“Succubus,” he
growled. The one little word was filled with eons of unabashed hatred. The word
vibrated through me. All hopes of him wanting a new bathroom paint color
vanished. No, this visit wasn’t going to be pleasant, not at all.
Perhaps I could
seduce him. Hell, he could do me right on the floor of aisle nine next to the
light fixtures, if it kept him from killing me. I bit my lip. But…hunters
weren’t typically susceptible to succubi charms. A failed attempt of Aprhodisia
could earn more problems.
I released a
breath. Some buried deep natural instinct rolled through me again. With that
feeling, I decided to stand my ground. I looked him in the eyes, stood up
straighter, and replied, “Hunter?”
Topic: What
is it about this book that makes it special?
Before
I actually sat down and started writing Mostly Innocent, I had Layla’s
story stuck in my head for months. I loved the idea of a succubus as the main
character. Succubi are underrepresented in fantasy novels, and to me, they are
one of the most intriguing supernatural creatures. What I love about Layla is
she is the heroine of the story, but she is an evil creature in the fantasy
world. Or as she puts it, she is “evil adjacent.”
I
love characters that are evil but do good things. The clashing of personality
adds a lot of depth and grit to a story, versus the always good hero. Layla is
a good person, but makes a lot of selfish decisions. She literally collects
souls for hell, but wants to do the right thing. She commits small bouts of
innocent “evil” from time to time. For example, Elijah, her do-good lover
interest, is always perfect (in her eyes.) He has perfect handwriting, tidy
desk, etc. So when she has the opportunity to do small things to purposely
irritate him, she will. For example, she mixes up his alphabetized
files—harmless action but no real reason for her to do it.
The
other enigma I love about Layla being a succubus is she has to, ahem, get down
and dirty regularly to exist. This allows for some steamy scenes and for her to
push the boundaries a bit. However, Mostly Innocent has an underlying theme of
romance. How can she collect souls and maintain a relationship at the same
time? Should she harm the man she cares about or get chunks of souls from
another man? This idea makes her dating life a little challenging to say the
least.
Mechanically,
I wanted to push typical writing norms as well. I always assumed writing meant
I needed to use a vast vocabulary and a thesaurus. However, I started reading
books that redefined typical writing mechanics. I liked the idea of using
hashtags in lines because people use them so much today. I also broke down the
“fourth wall,” in some lines using second person. I’ve been told that reading
Mostly Innocent is like sitting at a bar and hearing a story. I love that
because I didn’t want to take myself to seriously. I wanted to write something
you could enjoy after a long, hard day.
Kick
up your feet, pour a glass of wine, and pop some popcorn before reading. Mostly
Innocent is just a fun, flirty, quick read. It is escapism at its finest.
About the Author:
J.M. Jinks was born and raised in Southern California. She lives with her husband, two dogs, and two cats in her hometown. J.M. has a Bachelor’s in French and a Master’s of Education. She is a teacher by day and a writer by night. J.M. and her husband welcomed a baby boy in May 2018.
J.M. has always had a love of reading that progressed into writing. Mostly Innocent is her first completed manuscript.
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Saturday, November 24, 2018
Friday, November 23, 2018
Animator Keeps Late Wife’s Memory Alive Through Heartfelt Sketchbook Doodles
From My Modern Met:
On his 54th birthday, TV animation director Gary Andrews started a Doodle Diary. This still-ongoing project is simple, but it has proved powerful over the past year; he chronicles his day in a sketch. When he first began the endeavor, Andrews often depicted his life as a happily married man, enjoying the world with his wife Joy and their two young kids. But now, it’s a different story. Joy suddenly passed away on October 27, 2017, from multi-organ failure caused by sepsis. Andrews was on a business trip at the time and was unable to say goodbye to his wife before she died.
With Joy’s passing, the Doodle Diary changed overnight. Although Andrews missed drawing on the date his wife died, he was back to sketching the next day. He used the notebook as an outlet to channel his feelings and poured his emotions onto paper. “I was crying so hard it was difficult to focus on the page,” Andrews recalls. “I was drawing through tears.”
The sketches that followed the family tragedy show Andrews as he navigates being a widower. They chronicle the intensity of his grief as well as adjusting to life as a single parent. Sometimes, it’s as common as coordinating busy kids’ schedules, while other times it’s a look into how the family grieves together. But always, the poignant drawings offer a powerful reminder that life goes, for better or for worse.
See more of his sketches, including the BBC broadcast of an animated portion of his Doodle Diary HERE. (Be sure to have tissues handy.)
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Monday, November 19, 2018
Now Available in Print! BEAUTY'S ALIEN BEAST, an Erotic Sci-Fi Romance
BEAUTY'S ALIEN BEAST
(formerly released as Captive Surrender)
Erotic Sci-fi Romance
Word Count: 62K
$3.99 e / $9.99 p
As an
intergalactic cop gifted with psionic abilities, Maurra
instinctively went to the Ellinod's defense when she saw the
immense and bestial-looking alien being attacked by a group
of vicious Kronners. Little did she know what the Kronners
had planned for her and the Ellinod until she woke up naked
in a cell inside their ship. And it wasn't long before she
found out a translation device had been implanted against
her spine, debilitating her and making her helpless with
pain whenever she tried to use her psi powers.
Neither she
nor the Ellinod had any idea how twisted their captors were,
but they soon discovered that she and the beast were at the
mercy of someone who expected them to "entertain" his
"customers", and entertain them well regardless of the
consequences.
Warning:
Contains moral
degradation, public sex, self sacrifice, unexpected
tenderness, sadistic little aliens, banishment, exorbitant
Pay Per View charges, and sweet revenge served cold.
(Note: This book was
previously released by Carina Press/Harlequin as
Captive Surrender. It has been restored to its
original content, including more than 7K additional
words, and re-edited.)
Excerpt and Buy Links
Excerpt and Buy Links
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Six on Sunday - BEAUTY'S ALIEN BEAST
1. After six minutes she was finally able to sit up and open her eyes. To her surprise, all of the walls of her cell were transparent. Even the Ellinod’s. The big beast-like humanoid was sitting in the middle of his floor and gazing at her with those sea-green eyes. Thick, ridged eyebrows were lowered. The creature looked ready to chew through the walls of his cells if he was forced to. “I was wondering how long it would take you to wake up,” he said in that soft, gravelly voice.
2. “You’re looking at life without parole on Dumanbarti Four,” she told him, using her best professional voice. Getting back up, she made it a point to turn around slowly and look each Kronner in the face. A few were nervous, but the majority had that evil glint in their tiny pink eyes she easily recognized. “I am a JoJo. I represent the law in this quadrant of the Nebu Hollum galaxy. By kidnapping me, you have violated not just galactic law, but the laws of the twelve treaties of the universe. At the least, you all will be sentenced to life on the prison moon. And I can assure you your life won’t last long.”
3. “I don’t want her tamed!” Vol Brod yelled, suddenly whirling around in his seat to face the Kronner. “I don’t want her tamed! I want her to obey our wishes, but I want to keep that fire alive! Do you understand me? Our subscribers aren’t paying to see her broken. They want to see her fight! They want to see her defy us and rebel! They want to see her humiliated and de-humanized, but they don’t want her defeated. Am I getting this across to you, Mincred?”
4. They ate in silence. When they were finished, Safan threw the empty trays at the wall and reached for her. Maurra let him pull her roughly against him as he settled back down on the floor on his side. Stretching out a heavily-muscled arm, he guided her head down, urging her to use it as a pillow, and gently brushed her hair over her chest and belly for further warmth. With her buttocks nestled in his crotch, the Ellinod threw his other arm over her until she was safely ensconced in his embrace.
5. She turned on him with renewed fire. “You know nothing about what it was like, so don’t try to placate me! You weren’t there. You didn’t have to endure...” She swallowed, afraid to go on. “The only reason you’re here is because you and the others are just itching to condemn what I did because you want the integrity of the Jora Cartuum to remain spotless. You want to prove to the galactic councils that even a JoJo isn’t above punishment for breaking the law. Well, that’s all fine and good, Dreeson. I’ll take my bitter pills for breaking the one law, the one law! But not for the other shit, do you hear me? And I want you to promise me that Tramer Vol Brod will be held accountable for everything he did.”
6. She looked up and over at the group of Ellinod. They were busy trying to turn a speeder right side up, except for one. One with a peculiarly crooked horn. One who turned around and stood frozen to stare at her in shock and disbelief. He wasn’t as wasted as the others, considering the short amount of time he had been here, but the dark bruises and half-healed welts across his chest and face were evidence of how bad things were in the mines. Maurra felt her heart slamming against her ribcage. Safan!
Excerpt and buy links.
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Friday, November 16, 2018
Please Welcome Sonia Nova and Starr Huntress as They Tell Us About Their Sci-Fi Romance, MIRACLE OF THE BEAST, A Winter Starr
A Winter Starr
A Sci-Fi Romance
by Sonia Nova and Starr Huntress
Leaving Earth was no longer safe as a human woman…
Offered a trainee position in the Alliance, Hazel is on her way to Inea, the First Planet of the Alliance. She’s sad to miss the holiday season on Earth, and more than a bit concerned about the recent Krezlian attacks on spaceships leaving the solar system, but there’s no turning back now.
When her worst nightmare comes true and the Krezlians attack the ship she’s on, Hazel can only put her trust on a beastly Ezak-X Alliance soldier.
But why does she feel so drawn to him…?
The word “vacation” didn’t exist in the Ezak-X vocabulary…
Zeriq couldn’t have it worse. Just as he’s on leave from the military, unarmed and unprepared, the damned Krezlians attack the Alliance ship he’s on. Although he’d rather join the fight, a small human female tags along with him, clearly expecting him to get her to safety. He can’t just ignore her.
But when their emergency shuttle malfunctions, they find themselves stranded on a frozen alien planet. Far from Inea, possibly even farther from Earth, they must fight the extreme conditions to survive.
And although the temperature on the planet freezes, his body burns for the female…
Miracle of the Beast is a steamy holiday romance set in the Mate of the Beast universe. Complete with a HEA and no cliffhangers.
Amazon | Other Retailers
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Monday, November 12, 2018
Now Available In Its Original Format! BEAUTY'S ALIEN BEAST, an Erotic Sci-Fi Romance Novel!
Now Available in its ORIGINAL FORMAT!
BEAUTY'S ALIEN BEAST
(formerly released as Captive Surrender)
Erotic Sci-fi Romance
Word Count: 62K
$3.99 e
(Note: This book was
previously released by Carina Press/Harlequin as
Captive Surrender. It has been restored to its
original content, including more than 7K additional
words, and re-edited.)
As an
intergalactic cop gifted with psionic abilities, Maurra
instinctively went to the Ellinod's defense when she saw the
immense and bestial-looking alien being attacked by a group
of vicious Kronners. Little did she know what the Kronners
had planned for her and the Ellinod until she woke up naked
in a cell inside their ship. And it wasn't long before she
found out a translation device had been implanted against
her spine, debilitating her and making her helpless with
pain whenever she tried to use her psi powers.
Neither she
nor the Ellinod had any idea how twisted their captors were,
but they soon discovered that she and the beast were at the
mercy of someone who expected them to "entertain" his
"customers", and entertain them well regardless of the
consequences.
Excerpt and Buy Links
Sunday, November 11, 2018
Saturday, November 10, 2018
Disney Princesses Get an Edgy Twist Reimagined as Noir-Inspired Femme Fatales
