Guest Blog + Giveaway: The Reaper’s Kiss by Abigail Baker

UFI welcomes Author Abigail Baker. Thanks for Joining us!!

10 Stages of Getting Your 1st Tattoo…or Your Last Deathmark
In honor of the release of my debut paranormal romance, THE REAPER’S KISS, I give present to you the tumultuous process behind deciding on and getting that first tattoo.

1. After months of pondering, you’ve finally made your decision. You’ll get a tattoo. But your family is like…
   
    http://giphy.com/gifs/excited-screaming-anchorman-mpoYCxf1BUU5W
   
   
2. So you promise not to get the tattoo until you find the RIGHT tattoo shop and the RIGHT artist:
   
   
    http://giphy.com/gifs/reaction-doctor-who-rK8OmQwSBzk0U
   
   
3. You research tattoo shops and artists only to find yourself popping movie butter popcorn and using research time perusing Buzzfeed and chatting on Twitter.
   
   
    http://giphy.com/gifs/tired-sleepy-exhausted-2QPeIDB4myULK
   
   
4. Several sleepless nights later, you finally chose a tattoo shop and the artist.
   
   
     http://giphy.com/gifs/celebration-yes-victory-TsD8LGhM5jgs0
   
   
5. You make your appointment, show up ready for the pain only to discover that the tattooist has to draw up the artwork which will take a few days. This was the consultation appointment, not the actual tattoo session. You’re like:
   
   
   http://giphy.com/gifs/stig-IeZAFMmTpYRk4
    
   
6. But a week later you go back ready for some new ink.
   
   
     http://giphy.com/gifs/leslie-knope-im-ready-parksfinale-AxVvjPUW9Nahe0Dbaw
   
   
7. An hour into the session and wishing the pain would stop, you look down at your arm and discover there is only an outline of a skull and you have a few more hours to go.
   
   
     http://giphy.com/gifs/frustrated-jurassic-park-eKv7g4mWJLYXK
   
   
8. But hours later your tattoo is done. And it is badass! You are a boss of tattoos!
   
   
     http://giphy.com/gifs/david-bowie-like-a-boss-q50lZpFqMDzpu
   
   
9. You go to Yelp to write a positive review of your tattooist only to discover that she was actually a Scrivener and your latest tattoo is her Deathmark. You have days to live!
   
   
    http://giphy.com/gifs/decision-gfycat-yfi1ATPzlhpF6
   
   
10. Months later you are still alive and…well…you’re pretty glad that Deathmark isn’t gonna get you. Or will it?
    
    
      http://giphy.com/gifs/104hAZgZQJ17dS

Make sure to check out THE REAPER’S KISS to find out what could happen if you get that Deathmark. And then let me know if you’d still get one. (Psst: I do)

Peace out!
xAbigail

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Abigail Baker shares her home with a Siamese cat endearingly named “The Other Cat” and two rescued mutts with mundane human names that people think are cute. In addition to writing about rebellious heroines, she enjoys hiking, discovering craft beers, baking the perfect vanilla bean cupcake, and rock climbing (going as far as scaling 800 vertical feet to the summit of Devil’s Tower National Monument in 2013).

Abigail won first place in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer’s 2010 Colorado Gold Writing Contest for Romance for THE BLOODSUCKER and first place in RWA’s Golden Network’s 2011 Golden Pen in Paranormal Romance for TATTOO OF YOUR NAME ACROSS MY SOUL (now THE REAPER’S KISS, Deathmark Book One). She regularly blogs about life observances, lives at the base of the Rocky Mountains, and can be easily found hiking any of Colorado’s best trails.

Find Abigail and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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The Reaper's Kiss
Deathmark #1
Amazon

Drop-dead gorgeous…and fatal.

Ollie Dormier's tattoos are deadly. She is a Scrivener—an employee for Death—and her skull tattoos mark her clients for their demise. She does her job, and she stays out of trouble. But when her hands start to burn hot and fierce, and her control goes leaping out the window, all hell breaks loose. Ollie is showing the early signs of being a Master...demonstrating power that is forbidden.

That power is exactly what Reaper Brent Hume is counting on. A hot, scruffy rebel, who does marvelous and terrifying things to Ollie's insides. Now he needs Ollie's help—and her skills—to overthrow the evil and corrupt Head Reaper. That is, if he can figure out a way to keep this hot-handed girl cool...and keep his hands off.

Excerpt:

After raiding Lethe, the underground lair of the Head Reaper, Brent and I convened around a piping hot radiator in my livingroom. The temptation to sit on it and warm my buns was there, but I resisted. What was impossible to resist was standing side by side with Brent without touching. And the more we sought warmth, the closer we became. Too soon we were all but hugging in effort to regain our body heat.

Had he suggested removing our clothes, I would not have partaken. I would have liked to know what the rebel Brent Hume was like in the bedroom, but not right before Lethe, in Lethe, or after Lethe, and certainly not standing over a radiator, shivering ourselves silly.

My clicking teeth slowed as the radiator, and Brent’s body heat, melted a layer of ice on my clothing. “Did you... you get the Reaper’s name?”

He pulled down the collar of his shirt to expose a white notecard inside a plastic bag—the prize from Lethe. A name was scribbled on it, but from what I could see the writing had bled. Brent noticed a second after me.

“Mother fucker,” he groused. “The ink got wet.”

“Of course it did.” It was too much energy to roll my eyes. For now, I needed heat. Lots and lots of heat.

He held the baggie up to the overhead light. “I see a name. Baird.”

“Is that a last name or first? Is it a male or female? Who is it?” My shivering worsened my panic, which in turn worsened my shivering. “We did this all for nothing, didn’t we? Didn’t we?”

“Good Hades, calm down, Scrivener.” He turned from me when I tried to get a peek at the name through the soggy baggie. Not one to take such an obvious cue to give him space, I went for it, using my own shivering to launch into the air. Quick as he was, he underestimated my determination. The baggie was in my hands before my feet touched the floor. Being short and swift was a fine offense against tall and slow.

“Hey!” he barked.

“It says Baird. It’s a last name.” I ducked when he reach around my shoulders, thwarting his effort to retrieve the baggy. “But I can’t read the first name. No knowing if it is a guy or gal.”

“Give it back.” Brent refused to continue reaching for the prize, as if little ol’ Olivia outplaying him was a front to his ego.

“I don’t know a Baird,” I said.

“Neither do I. This means I can’t just look the Reaper up and distract him or her like I had planned.”

“So I was right?” I dropped my arms to my sides as we faced each other, Brent looking as bewildered and broken as I felt.

“Seems so.”

I sighed to keep from breaking into tears. My shoulders and head felt heavy. The couch seemed a great place to throw myself down and let my emotions pour out. I would’ve found out, if Brent did rush at me and grab the baggie. There was only a small glimpse of his wicked smile before we found ourselves entangled, both vying for the prize. A moment after, I found out what it would be like to collapse onto the couch, only with the Eidolon, too, falling over top of me. The springs of the IKEA beast cringed from our weight.

Thoughts of Eve and the name Baird flitted away in exchange for one very real thing hovering above me.

I grew tense but hopeful when his eyes turned to my lips. I knew what that meant. Every woman did. However selfish and grossly out of place it was, I was okay with one kiss, more curious than frightened to discover what it is like to kiss an Eidolon who could drain my life. Perhaps my motivation was to ridicule Fate by kissing the lips of Death himself. Or maybe I was cold, tired, and downright horny.

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Guest Blog + Giveaway: Blood and Metal by Nina Croft

UFI welcomes Author Nina Croft. Thanks for Joining us!!

Immortality – which type would you choose? 

Hi, I’m Nina Croft and I write romance, all sorts of romance, but often mixed with science fiction or paranormal or both. My latest release, BLOOD AND METAL, is book 5 in my Dark Desires series. When I started the series, I intended it to be pure space opera (I’d just finished watching Joss Whedon’s firefly at the time), but then the pilot of my space ship turned up flashing a pair of fangs. What could I do?

Actually, the more I thought about the idea of vampires in space, the more I liked it. After all, if vampires exist now (which of course they do) and they are immortal (which everyone knows they are), why shouldn’t they exist in the future? So Ricardo Sanchez, space pirate and vampire, was allowed to stay.

The series follows the adventures, romantic and otherwise, of the crew of the spaceship, the Blood Hunter. Rico is the hero of Break Out, book 1 in the series, and in book 5, Blood and Metal, we have another vampire. Daisy, the heroine, is the co-pilot of the Blood Hunter. She’s a plant/human hybrid and now a newly turned vampire (Rico had to change her to save her life, in book 4) struggling to come to terms with the darkness and the blood-hunger.

One of the many things which fascinates me about vampires is their immortality, and this fits very well into the overall theme of the Dark Desires series, which looks at man’s fear of death, and his search for ever lasting life. The truth is, I don’t want to die (ask me again in a few thousand years and I might change my mind), and I’m sure many people feel the same.

But you don’t have to go the vampire route. In my vision of the future, there are other sorts of immortality available. The series is set in a time where Earth is no longer habitable, and man has fled to the stars. There they have discovered Meridian, a substance with the power to bestow immortality. Meridian is extremely rare and only available to a select few, and a new class has evolved—the Collective—super-rich and immortal, they rule the universe. Unfortunately, there are a few side effects which only become apparent with time.

And then there’s Fergal, the hero of Blood and Metal. Fergal knows he’s never going to be able to afford the Meridian treatment and so he got himself inducted into a super-secret and highly-illegal cybernetics program which promises immortality. But it’s experimental and there are a few glitches along the way…

And finally, there’s the Church. While not everyone can afford Meridian, everyone wants to live forever, and religious beliefs have gained a new popularity. The Church of Everlasting Life offers a cheaper, if less reliable, alternative to immortality with its promise of an afterlife in paradise.
So which type of immortality would you choose? Meridian, expensive but reliable; the bite of a vampire, not always successful, but if it works, you’re set for life—or rather death; Cybernetics; very new and risky; or eternal paradise Church-style—al l you need is a little faith.
Or would you rather just die?

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Nina Croft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia, which left her with a love of the sun and a dislike of nine-to-five work. She then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but has now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains of southern Spain.

Nina writes all types of romance, often mixed with elements of the paranormal and science fiction.

Find Nina and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Blood and Metal
Dark Desires #5
Amazon BN    Entangled     Goodreads

She's his last chance for redemption...if she doesn't kill him first.

Copilot of the Blood Hunter, Daisy is a newly-turned vampire, and she's hungry. Really hungry and it's interfering with her plans for revenge. Unfortunately, the only thing that can distract her from said hunger is sex...which is a problem when she can barely refrain from draining any man dry within moments. But old flame Fergal Cain might just be the sexy-assed solution to her problem.

Part human, part cyborg, and with a poison coursing through his system, Fergal's running out of time to find the scientist who has the cure. Unfortunately for him, the misfit crew of the Blood Hunter put a serious kink in his plans. And if the poison doesn't kill him, the hot little vamp he can't resist might do the honors herself...

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Week in Review: 8/23-8/29

Books Received for Review

Under His Skin by Stacey O'Neale -eARC- Publisher

Fates Divided by Jules Barnard -eARC- NetGalley

Code Black by Tina Moss -eARC- NetGalley

Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers - eARC- Edelweiss

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine - eARC- Edelweiss

Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie - eARC- Edelweiss

The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins - eARC- Edelweiss

Dragons Will Fall by Susan Scott - eARC- Author

Books I've Read

Too Far Gone by K.C. Stewart
Crucible Zero by Devon Monk
Under His Skin by Stacey O'Neale

Reviews Posted

Summit of the Wolf by Tera Shanley
Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Tuesday- Promo + Giveaway for Even Vampires Get the Blues by Sandra Hill

* Wednesday- Promo for On the Hunt Paranormal Romance Anthology

* Friday- Interview + Giveaway for Guarded by Carmen Fox

* Saturday- Cover Reveal for Lothaire + Shadow's Claim by Kresley Cole

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

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You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.

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 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Cover Reveal: Lothaire + Shadow's Claim by Kresley Cole

The next two covers for the repackaging of Kresley Cole’s phenomenally popular Immortals After Dark series are here.

Lothaire

Immortals After Dark #12

All Fear The Enemy Of Old

Driven by his insatiable need for revenge, Lothaire, the Lore’s most ruthless vampire, plots to seize the Horde’s crown. But bloodlust and torture have left him on the brink of madness—until he finds Elizabeth Peirce, the key to his victory. He captures the unique young mortal, intending to offer up her very soul in exchange for power, yet Elizabeth soothes his tormented mind and awakens within him emotions Lothaire believed he could no longer experience.

A Deadly Force Dwells Within Her

Growing up in desperate poverty, Ellie Peirce yearned for a better life, never imagining she’d be convicted of murder—or that an evil immortal would abduct her from death row. But Lothaire is no savior, as he himself plans to sacrifice Ellie in one month’s time. And yet the vampire seems to ache for her touch, showering her with wealth and sexual pleasure. In a bid to save her soul, Ellie surrenders her body to the wicked vampire, while vowing to protect her heart.

Centuries Of Cold Indifference Shattered

Elizabeth tempts Lothaire beyond reason, as only his fated mate could. As the month draws to a close, he must choose between a millennia-old blood vendetta and his irresistible prisoner. Will Lothaire succumb to the miseries of his past . . . or risk everything for a future with her?

Shadow's Claim
Immortals After Dark #12.5

HE WON'T BE DENIED...

Trehan Daciano, known as the Prince of Shadows, has spent his life serving his people—striking in the night, quietly executing any threat to their realm. The coldly disciplined swordsman has never desired anything for himself - until he beholds Bettina, the sheltered ward of two of the Lore’s most fearsome villains.

SHE’S BOUND TO ANOTHER...

Desperate to earn her guardians’ approval after a life-shattering mistake, young Bettina has no choice but to marry whichever suitor prevails—even though she’s lost her heart to another. Yet one lethal competitor, a mysterious cloaked swordsman, invades her dreams, tempting her with forbidden pleasure.

A BATTLE FOR HER BODY AND SOUL

Even if Trehan can survive the punishing contests to claim her as his wife, the true battle for Bettina’s heart is yet to come. And unleashing a millennium’s worth of savage need will either frighten his Bride away - or stoke Bettina’s own desires to a fever pitch...

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Each of the above will be available in eBook format at a special price of $1.99 from August 31st – October 4^th. 
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Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the young adult Arcana Chronicles series, the erotic Gamemakers series, and five award-winning historical romances.

A master’s grad and former athlete, she has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings.

Her IAD books have been translated into twenty foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, a Hall of Fame induction, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists, in the U.S. and abroad.
Cole lives in Florida with her family and “far too many animals.”

Find Kresley and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Interview + Giveaway: Guarded by Carmen Fox

UFI welcomes Author Carmen Fox. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview? 

I love perfectly shaped trees and have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

What do you enjoy doing on your down time? 

Playing on my tablet. I love tabletop games, but sadly my friends don’t, so I’ve found a few great apps, like Carcassonne and Stone Age, that keep me occupied for hours. Oh yes, I said ‘hours.’

What is your favorite part of writing? 

That’s a tough one. Perhaps dialogue. When I prepare my first draft, I’m so lost in the moment, it’s just me watching the characters talk to each other. During the editing stage, I flesh out the scenes with movements, emotions and description, but the dialogue usually stays the same.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write? 

Yes. Butt in chair, cup of tea to my right, and phone off.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres? 

Darynda Jones, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, Kate Griffin, Suzanne McLeod, Mary Buckham, JR Ward, Sharon Ashwood, Chloe Neill, Celia Breslin, Patricia Briggs, Keri Arthur, Faith Hunter,... I could go on for a while longer. I read a lot and love them all.

How would you pitch GUARDED to someone who has not heard of it before? 

When everyone’s existence depends on the lies they tell, trust doesn’t come easy. Caught between three men, Ivy must tread carefully, because one wants her heart, one wants her body, and one wants her dead.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that GUARDED is set in? 

A long time ago, humans and kin (werewolves, vampires, demons, fae, satyrs etc.) lived side-by-side, until a few kin began using their powers for evil. A group of demons was charged with restoring order. These ‘Guardians’ carved a separate realm out of the old world and set about shipping the worst of the worst off to the newly created Alethia. Yet many stayed behind, blending in undetected with ordinary humans. This is the environment Ivy has to navigate, except she can tell who is human and who isn’t.

Do you have a favorite scene in GUARDED? 

Several. The first time Flo and Parker are in the same room is probably the funniest scene. Their second-grade insults are hilarious. Definitely a get-the-popcorn moment.

Which one character out of all your books was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about? 

One of the main characters in my first book, DIVIDE AND CONQUER, is a total geek, and it was fun letting her loose among people that totally didn’t get her. The hardest character for me was perhaps Ivy in GUARDED. Her change from someone who lacks confidence to someone who is comfortable in her own skin did not come easily, perhaps because I myself have not yet reached total acceptance of who I am.

What other projects can we look forward to reading from you? 

All things going well, I’ll be putting some anecdotal short ghost stories out in time for Halloween and a short novella in December. I’m currently working on the sequel to GUARDED for release in early 2016.

Thank you for the wonderful interview. It’s been so much fun! ☺

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Carmen lives in the south of England with her beloved tea maker and a stuffed sheep called Fergus. An avid reader since childhood, she caught the writing bug when her Nana asked her to write a story. She also has a law degree, studied physics for a few years, dabbled in marketing and human resources, and speaks native-level German and fluent Geek. Her preferred niches of geekdom are tabletop games, comics, sci-fi and fantasy.

She writes about smart women with sassitude, about pretty cool guys too, and will chase that plot twist, no matter how elusive.

Expect to be kept guessing.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER, Carmen’s first urban fantasy novel, was published in March 2015.

Find Carmen and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Guarded
Silverton Chronicles #1
Amazon

When everyone's existence depends on the lies they tell, trust doesn't come easy.

Ivy’s neighbors have a secret. They aren’t human. But Ivy has a secret, too. She knows. As long as everyone keeps quiet, she’s happy working as a P.I. by day and chillaxing with her BFF Florian, a vampire, by night. When a routine pickup drops her in the middle of a murder, her two worlds collide. While Florian knows how to throw a punch, deep down he's a softie. His idea of scary? Running out of hair product. It’s time Ivy faced facts. Even with a vampire on stand-by, one gal can only kick so many asses.

For help, she must put her faith in others. A human, who might just be the one. A demon, who will, for a price, open the doors to her heritage. And a werewolf, who wants to protect her from herself.

Torn between these men, Ivy must tread carefully, because one wants her heart, one wants her body, and one wants her dead.

Video Trailer: http://youtu.be/9gEgmHhoABg
Review Trailer: http://youtu.be/rpI5DtqvR8E
Blurb Read by Voiceover Artist: http://youtu.be/6i3DmvcaMWs

 Excerpt #2:

Parker placed both elbows on the table, rested his chin on one hand and regarded me for a moment. “So, Ivy. A P.I., eh?” He smacked his lips. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t exactly look like Philip Marlowe.”

“Your point being?” I squinted.

“You’re tiny. I mean, I’m sure you can take care of yourself. What if you need to overpower a 200-pound man, though? Do you at least know how to shoot your gun?”

“Shoot?” I scrunched my nose. “Yes. Aim and hit the target? Not so much. The last guy who made fun of my size still walks with a limp.”

“See, you hit one target right.” His eyes glinted.

I lifted my gaze. “I was aiming for his groin.” I squished my cupcake and shook my head. “No, I don’t carry a gun. And believe it or not, my size is an advantage. If you were an unfaithful husband and I followed you to a bar, trust me, I’d go unnoticed among the usual throng of people.”

Parker’s grin turned mischievous. “Well, Veronica Mars, I hate to be the bearer of bad news.” His voice reverberated through my nervous system. “I’d notice you.” He sipped his coffee. “If I was an unfaithful husband, that is.”

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Early Review: Summit of the Wolf by Tera Shanley

Summit of the Wolf

Author: Tera Shanley

Release Date: September 1, 2015

Publisher: Lyrical Press

Silver Wolf Clan Book #4

ISBN:   161650580X

ISBN13: 9781616505806

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

An Unbreakable Bond

Morgan Carter is a claimed werewolf. Only her mate, Greyson Crawford, has the right to protect her, and to love her. But that hasn’t stopped rival packs from challenging Greyson’s claim. Morgan is the last silver wolf—the only female with the ability to produce werewolf offspring, which means there are many who would defy pack law to make her their own.

An Unstoppable Evil

When war comes to the Silver Wolf Clan on the eve of The Summit, Morgan and Greyson have no choice but to fight for their kind. With the arrival of an ancient enemy, the two realize that the war has only just begun, and to survive the greatest threat they have ever faced, they must learn to trust each other again…

If you have been following my reviews for this series you know that each and every book has fallen short for me in one way or another. I am happy to say that SUMMIT OF THE WOLF was as good as I wanted it to be.

I want to start with some of the things that stuck out to me in SUMMIT OF THE WOLF. Morgan and Grey are finally on the same page and sticking together against others that are trying to take Morgan away. I LOVE that Morgan is willing to fight off the challengers alongside the guys and she is pretty bad-ass. There was a ton of suspense from beginning to end. Between The Summit and the crazy amount of challenges that keep coming in Morgan and Greyson, along with the Dallas pack, have a lot on their shoulders.

I just HAVE to get a few things off my chest .... To the Old Ones and the other wolves that suggested and want Morgan to be bred by multiple males against her will, you're a bunch of douche bags. I wanted to jump into the book and punch you all. And to Alexis, get over yourself, Greyson doesn't want you and never will. You suck. OK that is all.

My fingers are crossed hoping that the next book is as good or is better than SUMMIT OF THE WOLF. I really enjoyed this installment of The Silver Wolf Clan series and I am looking forward to the next book.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Promo: On the Hunt Paranormal Romance Anthology

On the Hunt
 Amazon  BN  Kobo  Google Play

Four of today’s most intriguing paranormal authors entice readers deep into the shadows, where vampires, immortals, and other supernatural creatures heat up the night...

ON THE HUNT by Alexandra Ivy
Mika Tanner has loved Bailey Morrell, a beautiful Healer, since childhood. But his duty as a Sentinel, a supernatural guardian of an ancient race, clashed with her rebellious spirit. Now a dangerous new anarchist group not only threatens life as they know it—but any chance of their being together again...

SCORPIUS RISING by Rebecca Zanetti
While searching for a meteorite, Nora Mendina is arrested by her sheriff ex-husband—who's only gotten hotter than the Nevada desert since she last saw him. When the meteorite breaks open, the few survivors gain extraordinary powers, unleashing a crazed super genius killer. Can Nora and her ex stop the murders…while igniting a new love affair?

PHANTOM EMBRACE by Dianne Duvall
Immortal Yuri Sokolov was born with the ability to see spirits, yet he's never seen one as lovely as Cat Seddon, the woman who haunts his home and his dreams. But amid their star-crossed love, a new danger may have Yuri facing a different kind of eternity.

STAKE OUT by Hannah Jayne
Vampire fashion designer Nina LaShay has a lot on her plate—just two days until fashion week and the model who was flirting with her photographer boyfriend is now a corpse in her studio. But when dead turns into undead and dangerous, Nina must find out who’s responsible…before the beautiful baby vamp takes too many bites out of the Big Apple.

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Like most writers, I was born with an avid love for reading. Growing up in a small town in the Midwest, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a book in my hand or wasn’t dreaming up wild stories in my head. And when I stepped into my local library for the first time I thought it was paradise. There were so many books on the shelves I didn’t know where to start! 

Still, I didn’t plan to grow up and become a writer. I was much more interested in a glorious career as an actress on Broadway.

I followed my dream by acquiring a degree in theatre and performing for several years in summer-stock productions, but after I married my college sweetheart I decided to put the career on hold while we started a family. After the arrival of my two sons, Chance and Alex, I found myself seeking a new creative outlet and decided to turn my occasional scribblings into a genuine effort to get published.

I’d like to say that I was an overnight success, but the truth is that it took years before I finally got ‘the call’. The rejections were painful, but now I’m relieved. All those manuscripts that I thought were the next Great American Novel are now exactly where they belong…gathering dust under my bed.

They did, however, help me learn my craft, and just as importantly, they gave me the opportunity to enjoy writing in a wide variety of genres as I searched for my voice. Which no doubt explains why I started writing traditional regencies under the name Debbie Raleigh and then moved to steamy historicals under the name Deborah Raleigh before transforming into a contemporary paranormal writer as Alexandra Ivy. Now my career spans everything from erotica to romantic suspense.

When I’m not writing I love to travel, it doesn’t matter where I’m going as long as it doesn’t include any cooking or cleaning. I also love to spend time with my family who continue to be my greatest source of inspiration. And since some things never change…when I have a few minutes, you can still find me with a book in my hand!

For More Information
Visit Alexandra’s website.
Connect with Alexandra: Twitter  Facebook

Rebecca Zanetti wrote her first story when she was six – a romance between a princess and neighboring prince.  The princess fell out of her castle and the prince rescued her. A happily ever after was had by all.

This theme of romance has been carried through Rebecca’s works until present time.  While today’s heroine may have a medical degree, black belt in Karate and her own 401K, she’s still after that happy ending.  And today’s prince may have fangs and wear a black hat, but hey, a modern princess likes a guy who bites.

Rebecca attended Pepperdine University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Journalism with a Political Science emphasis.  While there she worked as the Editor-in-Chief of The Graphic newspaper, a member of the Pi Phi Sorority and an intern for President Reagan, who still gave 3-5 speeches a week, even though he was no longer president.

After college, Rebecca worked as an art curator and a Senate aide before heading to law school, where she received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho.  She married Tony Zanetti in the middle of her second year of law school and became pregnant with their first child during the third year.  She graduated law school, gave birth three weeks later, and took the Bar Exam three weeks after that.  All she remembers about the bar exam is that it was so quiet in the testing room, she thought about taking a quick nap.  But she continued on, passed the bar and became a lawyer.   She worked for a large firm, then a small firm, then the county while also teaching legal classes at her local community college.  Now she writes  romances about vampires, cowboys, and soldiers.

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories.  She resides there with her husband, children and extended family who inspire her every day.  Rebecca has completed several manuscripts, winning award throughout the writing industry for her work.  She is currently writes the Dark Protector series for Kensington Publishing, the Maverick Montana series for Entangled Publishing, and the Sin Brothers series for Grand Central Publishing.

For More Information
Visit Rebecca’s website.
Connect with Rebecca: Twitter  Facebook

Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series and The Gifted Ones series. Her books have twice been nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance and are routinely deemed Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, The Romance Reviews, and/or Night Owl Reviews. Reviewers have called Dianne’s books “fast-paced and humorous” (Publishers Weekly), “utterly addictive” (RT Book Reviews), “extraordinary” (Long and Short Reviews), and “wonderfully imaginative” (The Romance Reviews). 

Dianne’s acclaimed Immortal Guardians books have all appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and/or Amazon Bestseller lists. The first book in Dianne’s new series The Gifted Ones, A Sorceress of His Own, will be released on June 2, 2015. A prequel of sorts to Darkness Dawns. A Sorceress of His Own is a medieval romance with paranormal elements that won awards in the Lone Star, Where the Magic Begins, Southern Heat, Picture This, Book of Your Heart and Suzannah national writing competitions. The second book in the series, Rendezvous With Yesterday, will be released in 2016 and is a time travel romance.

In addition to writing romance, Dianne has completed a one-act play (comedy) and teamed up with an award-winning screenwriter to write a spec script for a new situation comedy. Several of her poems have also been published in anthologies.

When she isn’t writing, Dianne is very active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the vampires she loves to create in her books.

For More Information
Visit Dianne’s website.
Connect with Dianne: Twitter  Facebook

Hannah is the author of the UNDERWORLD DETECTION AGENCY CHRONICLES from Kensington books and the young adult thrillers TRULY, MADLY, DEADLY, SEE JANE RUN and THE DARE available from Sourcebooks, Inc. When she’s not battling the demons of the Underworld or tackling a murderer at Hawthorne High, Jayne kicks her feet up in her San Francisco bay area home and attempts to share couch space with two enormous cats.

Now that you’re here, kick up your feet and stay awhile…

For More Information
Visit Hannah’s website.
Connect with Hannah: Twitter  Facebook

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Tour Schedule

August 24
Book featured at 3 Partners in Shopping
Book featured at Moonlight Rendezvous
Book reviewed and Guest blogging at Gothic Moms
Book featured at Chosen By You Book Club
August 25
Book reviewed at Romance for Every World
Guest blogging at Musings of the Book-a-holic Fairies
Book reviewed at I Smell Sheep
August 26
Book featured at Urban Fantasy Investigations
Guest blogging at Angel’s Guilty Pleasures
August 27
Book featured at Escape by Fiction
Book featured at Undercover Book Reviews
August 28
Guest blogging at Lisa Loves Books
Book reviewed at Sultry Steamy Reading
August 31
Guest blogging at Mythical Books
Guest blogging at Crystal’s Chaotic Confessions
Book reviewed at Books and Warpaint
September 1
Book reviewed and Guest blogging at Inner Goddess
Book featured at Booklover Sue
September 2
Book featured at Review From Here
September 3
Book reviewed at I’m Shelf-ish
September 4
Book featured at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews
Book reviewed at Little Shop of Readers
Book reviewed at My Life, Loves and Passions

Promo + Giveaway: Even Vampires Get the Blues by Sandra Hill

Even Vampires Get the Blues
Deadly Angels #6

New York Times bestselling author Sandra Hill delivers a sizzling new entry in her Deadly Angels series, as a Viking vangel's otherworldly mission teams him with a Navy SEAL who's more than his match— she's his predestined mate . . .

The fact that vampire angel Harek Sigurdsson was a Norseman in his mortal life doesn't make thawing out after exile in Siberia any easier. But things heat up when his search for evil Lucipires connects him with Camille Dumaine, a human who thrums with sensual energy that can mean only one thing: she's the mate Harek's been seeking for centuries . . .

The SEALs call her "Camo" for her ability to blend into a crowd—yet Harek's intense blue gaze singles Camille out like a white-hot spotlight. The security wiz was hired to help bring down a ruthless band of international kidnappers, but Camille senses an unspoken agenda—besides Harek's bold declaration that she's his "destiny." Just Camille's luck that the sexiest man she's ever met may also be . . . a vampire!

Excerpt #2:

“Harek Sigurdsson!” a male voice yelled out of the mist, so loud that Harek jerked into a sitting position on the pallet in the alcove of his enclosed space and almost rolled off to the floor. He blinked and tried to see the hazy blur standing in the open doorway leading to the longship’s deck. The only light came from the full moon outside.

He stood, and at first he was disoriented. Who wouldn’t be with a head the size of a wagon wheel, with what felt like a battle-axe imbedded in his skull?

A man … He could swear it was a man he saw standing there, and yet at the same time, there was no one there. Just a swirling fog.

“Who goes there?” he yelled out, thinking it must be one of the crew stationed on board overnight.

Silence.

Now he was starting to be annoyed. “Present yourself, man, or suffer the consequences.”

No one answered. Good thing, because he realized he had no weapon in hand. Should he grab a knife? What kind of weapon did one use with a ghost? Would a blade even suffice?

He shook his head to clear it, to no avail. He was still under the influence of ale. Or something.

He could see clearer now, and it was a tall, dark-haired man wearing a long gown in the Arab style who beckoned him outside. The gown in itself was not so unusual but the broadsword he held easily in one hand was, especially since it was his own pattern-welded blade. Then, there were the huge white wings spread out from his back.

What? Wings? Huh? It couldn’t be possible. He closed his eyes and looked again. Definitely wings.

Was it even a man? Or some kind of bird?

He had heard of shivering men suffering from wild dreams of writhing snakes or even fire-breathing dragons, but usually it was men trying to wean themselves away from years of the addictive brews or opium. Harek rarely drank to excess and never had an interest in the poppy seed.

But Harek had a more important issue at the moment. His bladder was so full he would be pissing from his ears if he didn’t soon relieve himself. Making his way through the now empty doorway, he staggered over to the rail. Undoing the laces on his braies, he released himself and let loose a long stream of urine. When he was done—shaking his cock clean, then tucking it back into his braies—he breathed a sigh of relief, then belched. Which was a mistake. His breath was enough to gag a maggot.

Which cleared his head enough to let him know he still had company. The man-bird stood there, scowling at him with contempt. The wings were folded so that he could scarce tell they were there.

“Who … what are you?”

“Michael. The Archangel.”

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Sandra Hill is a graduate of Penn State and worked for more than 10 years as a features writer and education editor for publications in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Writing about serious issues taught her the merits of seeking the lighter side of even the darkest stories. She is the wife of a stockbroker and the mother of four sons.


Find Sandra and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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