BOOK BLITZ: Stars on Fire by Sky Gold #PNR #ScienceFiction @XpressoTours

Stars on Fire
Sky Gold
(The Sable Riders, #1)
Publication date: February 26th 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction

The thing is, Selene, I don’t do forever. It’s not what this is.’ – Kainan Sable.

He’s lethal, wraith-like, a warrior who lives in the twilight, the hidden inferno amongst the stars.

She’s driven, ambitious, and unrelenting, with an allure that forces him from the shadows.

He needs to control the intensity of his reaction to her.

She fights the temptation glinting in his sapphire wildfire eyes.

He wants revenge.

She wants forever.

But he can’t give her ‘forever’.

Or can he?

War is stirring in the skies and stars above Eden II. Between empires in ascension and realms in decline. Kainan and Selene find themselves caught up in the maelstrom. Together they’ll light the stars on fire, even as darkness beyond their control seeks to turn their destiny – and their forever – to ashes.

__________________________

If you’re in the mood for:

  • A strong, smart heroine AND a sexy, badass anti-hero
  • Unrequited love and a personal growth saga that spans a universe
  • Steamy, hot epic jolts!
  • Paranormal action
  • All the feels AND heartfelt escapism

Then take to the Skies Above Eden II. A whole new world awaits you.

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EXCERPT:

The four men looked up and studied her coolly.

Kainan’s voice rumbled behind her. ‘Selene Munene, meet the Sable Riders, also known in our official capacity as The Sable Group.’

She stepped closer to the table and gazed at her new acquaintances as calmly as she could manage.

The one closest to her was just as significant in size as Kainan, a hulking figure with a mass of short jet-black hair with blue streaks, a bushy black beard and silver grey eyes, with a stubborn jaw and a swathe of jagged scars down one side of his face. His massive feet were slung up and crossed on top of the table.

The man beside him was also tall, with angular, dark features, a roughly shaven jaw, a beard and penetrating eyes with hazel irises ringed with glowing sapphire flecks. He leaned back in his oversized chair to study her unhurriedly.

Kainan pointed to the scar-faced man. ‘This is Kage, call name Shadow. He’s our ship designer, tech head and all-around maestro. He also runs our mini armada. Next to him is Xion, call name Phoenix – head of internal security on Eden II, privately overseeing law and order on the rock.’

Two other men glanced at her from the other side of the room.

One sported a magnificent sheathe of dead straight white and silver hair that fell to his back in a long, smooth sheet with a braid to one side. His skin was pale, and so were his white irised eyes that he seemed a ghoul, albeit a very handsome one. He wore a close-fitted black jumpsuit with the same crest on his shoulder as Kainan. She assumed this was The Sable Group’s insignia.

He jerked his chin to her, his pale eyes keenly raking her face.

Next to him was a lean, long, striking, powerfully built man in a beautifully cut suit with dark thick hair, a neat moustache and a beard with piercing blue eyes. His elegant presence contrasted sharply with his more casually dressed companions. He nodded to her cordially.

‘At the far back is Riv, call name Wraith. He runs our armouries. He occasionally moonlights as the head of our private surveillance ops and militia, and on his off days, he dallies as a bounty hunter. With him is Zane, call name Phantom. Our business and financial controller. He runs our sales, logistics, private equity and finance division.’

Selene nodded her head formally in acknowledgement, momentarily unable to speak. As it were, her breath had been snatched from her lungs by the presence of these five devastatingly powerful creatures. She saw sleek blasters strapped to their powerful thighs and hips and imagined the various other weapons tucked in places unseen. These were no boy scouts she was dealing with.

‘You remember Mirage,’ Kainan added drily, gesturing toward the gyrfalcon with silver wings and feet.

Selene’s eyebrow rose. ‘Really?’

‘It is indeed, Selene,’ said the gyrfalcon in the AI’s harmonious tone. ‘As a nano-engineered AI, I can take various forms, but this is the one I tend to prefer when I’m off Kainan’s ship. But, of course, I’m also still on the ship due to my split consciousness and various remote capabilities.’

‘Mirage is our eyes and ears across the rock, and she oversees all AI on all our ships and holdings,’ Kainan explained.

‘I’m also taking an encrypted recording of these proceedings,’ Mirage piped up. ‘Which will be shared to all your comm tabs after the meeting and only accessible with your bio authentication.’

Kainan inclined his head. ‘As you can see, she’s a very valued member of The Sable Riders.’

‘Wow,’ Selene said, genuinely astonished. ‘Incredible.’

The gyrfalcon bent her sleek silver head in a bow.

‘Sit,’ Kainan ordered Selene, pulling out a plush chair.

‘What’s your call name?’ she managed to ask him softly as she sat down.

He paused for a moment.

‘Chimera,’ he said quietly.

Fitting, she thought, given the strange ability he had to switch her feelings, from hot to cold, in seconds.

Author Bio:

Sky Gold is a best selling author, writer and lover of all things delicious, fun and courageously life affirming. She imagines herself a warrior for the people she loves and values she stands for! She looks to her gorgeous husband, her whimsical kids, her loyal friends, her sweet Russian Blue Cat, and the stars themselves for her heavenly inspiration.


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RELEASE BLITZ: Second Chance Omegas by Will Okati #LGBTQ #PNR #UrbanFantasy @changelingpress @GoIndiMarketing

Title: Second Chance Omegas

Author: Will Okati

Publisher: Changeling Press

Release Date: March 24

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 394 pages

Genre: Romance, New Adult, Action Adventure, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Gay, Second Chances, Sex/Gender Shifters & MPreg

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Synopsis

Second Chance — a small town where anything can happen — and it usually does.

Only You: Once upon a time a teenaged Alpha fell in love with a pretty Omega from the wrong side of the tracks. Zachary was everything Alex wanted — sweet, sassy, and sexy as hell. Alex would have married that boy if Zachary hadn’t run. When the secrets they’ve been keeping come to light, will they shatter their bond for keeps, or bring them together in a forever kind of love?

Yes, You Are: Everyone assumed petite Darian would be an Omega, and big, athletic Coby would be an Alpha. When they met as teenagers, they had no reason to doubt that was who they’d be. But everyone was wrong. Opposites attract like lightning and steel rods when they meet again in Second Chance, but do they have what it takes to overcome the unexpected for the long haul?

Come for You: Gabriel, a dreamer and a librarian, is so shy and introverted that he’s still a virgin Omega at twenty-five — but he can’t help wishing for a fairy-tale Prince Charming. Meet captivating quarryman Alpha Wynn. For them, it’s love at first sight. But the happy ending is harder to come by. Who will rescue who?

Take You There: Ethan teaches music at the university. He’s not looking for Mr. Right, just Mr. Right Now. A quick, dirty alley encounter should have satisfied him. But now Ethan can’t get Blue out of his mind. The smoldering musician who caught Blue’s eye and what they did in the alley, should have been enough. Until Ethan finds him. And then, everything changes. Again.

Excerpt

Copyright ©2023 Will Okati
Excerpt from Only You

“Coffee, sir?”

“As much of it as you can fit in a cup. No cream but double the sugar. Please.”

The train attendant shook his head, but with a smile and a finger briefly pressed to his lips as he passed over not one but two Styrofoam cups filled to the brim. He was an Omega too, in his mid-thirties by the look of him, and he wore a black jet widower’s ring instead of a wedding band. Things weren’t much easier for the widowed than the unmated or separated. He understood.

Zach took a grateful gulp, not caring that the coffee was hot enough to scald his throat, and asked, “How far behind schedule are we?” Stretching his legs at the next station would do him good; they ached when he stayed still for too long.

“About half an hour, at this point.”

Wishing wouldn’t make the wheels turn faster, but with nothing to look at outside in the dark, Zach adjusted his position so he could get a better view of the passengers in his car. Like most Omegas, he wasn’t very tall. Some new folks had gotten on and others disembarked while he’d dozed, and he liked wondering what their stories were. Two young Alphas who acted like frat bros; interesting, they weren’t the usual size for Alphas, but small and compact and they weren’t at each other’s throats but laughed and joked like best friends. A couple that had to be recently married from the way they could barely resist climbing all over each other; an Omega with a contented smile, probably on his way back home, and —

Oh.

Oh, God.

Zach’s heart jumped into his throat and wedged stuck there even around the burn of his beverage. Three rows ahead, dark wheat-blond hair and a profile almost as familiar as his own turned to smile at the attendant as he refused their offer of coffee. It couldn’t be, it couldn’t be, he hadn’t seen that profile since he was eighteen, but —
He’d changed — well, he’d grown up, the way everyone did, the bones of his face maturing from soft boyish cuteness to strong, masculine definition. A short beard, trimmed and shaped, that suited his strong, stubborn jaw. The kind of casual suit that would have cost the equivalent of a month’s rent in Manhattan. Elegant hands with sturdy knuckles and deft fingers, and a smile that lit up the train.

He did and didn’t look a thing like the boy Zach remembered but it was, it was, it was him.

Alex.

Zach would have known him anywhere, even if he’d shaved his head and started scowling instead of smiling. If he closed his eyes, he could feel those hands on the bare skin of memory. After all, you never forgot your first.

I love you. And I know you love me too.”

He should stop staring. Alex would sense it any second now, and he might look around, and —

His gaze drifted back up, drawn like a moth to a flame.

Alex. Oh, Alex.

Zach’s body twitched with the first pangs of arousal, wanting what he’d had once upon a time. He remembered it all, and he remembered it perfectly. He dreamed about it, when he slept. The taste of Alex’s skin, the softness and hardness of his mouth and how his eagerness had nearly rubbed the insides of Zach’s thighs raw. The fullness, almost too much and too tight, when he slid inside Zach.

“I love you. And I know you love me too.”

Anger slowly took alarm and unhappiness’s place – anger, and frustration with himself. Zach should have sensed this train was to be avoided. Dodged. Something! And Alex, sitting there as if he didn’t have a care in the world – it was everything Zach had wanted for him, the entire reason he’d left Alex in the first place, but seeing it in the flesh opened all those old wounds back up and made them bleed afresh. The pain from that moment of saying no to what Alex had offered with all his big, warm heart cut sharper than any knife – but he’d had to. You didn’t do that to your first boyfriend, did you? Take him up on a marriage proprosal and tie him down to a shitty life based on a few promises made in the afterglow?

He’d done the right thing by saying no, leaving, and giving Alex his freedom. Zach knew that. Was sure of it. Even if none of that had ever made him feel any better about it.

They must have been traveling farther and faster than Zach had realized, or he was more out of it than he’d known. Between one blink and the next the train’s PA system crackled to far-too-loud life again, announcing they’d reach their next station at Second Chance in ten minutes. Second Chance? What kind of name was that for a town?

Alex looked up at the speaker, nodded in an absent sort of way, and stood to open the overhead compartment. He took out a bulging messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder and stuffed a pair of thick gloves and a warm knit hat in the pockets of his coat. This would be his stop.

Zach caught his lip between his teeth, torn between – it was pure foolishness, the idea of going to him — and sanity, staying right where he was.

Let it go.

Zach would have, really he would. But as Alex walked past him – always so eager to do things, that one; he would start heading for the exits before the train had even come to a halt — he only made it two steps past Zach’s seat before he stopped. As Zach’s heart sank down past the pit of his stomach he saw Alex pause, then turn to look back.

He stopped, just like Zach had, blank with surprise. “Do I know you?”

Zach held his breath. Could he lie? Yes, but this new, matured Alex would have the life experience not to believe him, and he hadn’t changed nearly as much as Alex had. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

“I do know you. I know your face,” Alex said. His voice had matured with the rest of him as he aged, going from sweet to firm with a raspy vocal fry on the edges. “Zach?”

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Meet the Author

Will Okati (formerly known as Willa) has lived through a few Interesting Times, but come out the other side a little grayer, a little wiser, and ready to get writing. Still as passionate about coffee, cats, and crafts as ever, but knowing that to your own self you must be true. Also still one of the quiet ones to watch out for, but life — like storytelling — is always a work in progress.

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BOOK TOUR: Smoke by Sara Jaeger #PNR #shifters @RRBookTours1

It’s finally launch week and we are so excited for Sarah Jaeger and the release of her debut novel, Smoke! Read on for more info!

Smoke (The Ardelean Bloodlines)

Publication Date: March 23rd, 2023

Genre: Shifter Romance/ Paranormal Romance

Thalia

Apparently ignoring my parents’ politics wasn’t the right move. Shifters were outed to the public, and months later, I’m still unsure what the big deal is about.

Now my life is in danger and the only one who can protect me is the true king of the wolves.

Cade is nothing like what my mom and the press show shifters to be. He’s thoughtful, reserved… and have you seen his butt in those jeans?

Cade

Having abdicated the throne, I’ve vowed to stay out of shifter politics.

Now, my sole responsibility, for the next six weeks, is to make sure no idiots can completely derail the deal I’ve cut with the one woman holding all the cards.

The problem is… the threats against Thalia Clark are nothing compared to the danger of my wolf, now that he’s claimed this human as his.

I’ll kill to protect my mate, but is keeping up my end of the deal enough to save her?

Smoke is the first book in the Ardelean Bloodline series. While this story does contain an HEA for Cade and Thalia, there is an ongoing plot connecting each book in the series. Each book will need to be read in order. There are open door, explicit scenes as well as colorful language not intended for young readers.

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Excerpt

What is she thinking about? Is it what we talked about with Ansel or something more? I step closer, testing her guarded nature. “Country life is dull. I don’t exactly work here, which means I’m pretty much stuck to whatever chores Ansel’s left around the house, and you’re left to whatever sanity-keeping activities you can find. I guess if you’re feeling adventurous . . .” I shrug. “Have you ever been to Arches?”

“No, I’ve heard it’s beautiful, but this is my first time in Utah.”

Thalia’s eyes light up, and I know the answer.

“Would you like to go today?” I ask slowly.

Thalia starts nodding. I smile, seeing her excitement. “Ansel’s right, it’s been too long since I’ve given The Leviathan a little bit of time to run. Plus, I think it would be beneficial for you to meet a wolf, in a positive environment, with someone who’s in control before someone else can further taint the experience. I know Sherman was a little upsetting for you. I can ask Ansel or Ezra, but their wolves are pretty scary looking if you’re not used to looking at wolves.” I pause and give her a smirk licking my bottom lip before sighing. “They’re also not really fucking fluffy.”

“Did you just ask me to take your wolf on a walk?” she returns with a sly smile, raising an eyebrow.

Her comment catches me off guard, and my face heats. There are so many different ways I could answer. But she started it. Thalia was comfortable enough with me to crack a joke. I shrug and release my bottom lip from between my teeth.

Tell our mate. The Leviathan encourages with the image of a ceremonial collar wrapping around Thalia’s neck. I feel him brush and know my eyes just went gold.

My version is dirtier. “Not quite. I’m not following any of the leash laws. And if anyone will be doing any collaring, it’ll be me clasping one around your neck. If there’s going to be any tying, it’ll be you to the bed, while I show you all the ways I can make you scream my name.”

A chill rips through Thalia’s body, and she shudders, her whole body standing taller. I step into her personal space. Thalia wobbles, looking up at me. I watch her wet her bottom lip with her tongue. Drawing a deep breath, I catch the scent of her arousal.

The Leviathan paces. Give mate wolf, we run together.

“Easy, Draga Mea.” I kiss her forehead. When I step back, I see her trying to figure out the cute nickname The Leviathan’s given her. Only having the briefest memory of Romanian spoken in the home growing up, even I had to look it up. My Darling. I could tell her, but I’m not sure she’s ready.

A backpack, snacks, water, and a trip to the restroom later, I walk Thalia out of the house and to the garage. The classic pickup truck Ansel loves so much is right where it always is. Thalia seems impressed when the old Ford roars to life. I just smile. Ansel’s love for this truck runs deep, and I’d be surprised if it didn’t turn over.

We’re somewhere farther onto Ansel’s property and close to the border with the national park. It’s a gamble that we may come across someone. It’s not common for tourists to make it out this far, but we’ll have to be in the national park to see some cool rock formations. It’s selfish and maybe a bit cocky to risk bringing her into public like this, but I want her to have a positive experience. I know The Leviathan is set on wanting to give her a wolf, but not so badly that he would sabotage all the progress we’re making in having her accept wolves and what this life looks like.

We find Ansel’s secret entrance to Arches National Park. It’s denoted by an old wooden trunk tucked off the side of the gravel trail behind some scrub brush.

Putting the old Ford in park, I turn in my seat to look at her. “Two rules.”

Thalia’s eyes go wide, and there’s the smallest hint of fear.

“Okay . . .” She draws out the last syllable.

“Don’t run. The Leviathan will chase. I’m worried he’ll push you down and you’ll get hurt. Humans are breakable compared to wolves, and even a friendly little shove could hurt you,” I caution.

Thalia nods. “The second one?”

“Breathe.” I lock eyes with her. “Enjoy this and know I’m here.”

Available on Amazon

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About the Author

Apparently, to be an author one must have a bio. Well, I’m human despite the fact that I wish to be a shifter. I have an issue with the way some words are shaped. And that means sometimes, they must be spelled incorrectly to be right. This is something I’m passionate about. So, we’ll get along fine! Oh, yeah: Midwest USA, married, all fur babies.

​The Ardelean Bloodline is Sarah Jaeger’s debut series

Sarah Jaeger

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March 21st

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March 24th

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SPOTLIGHT & GIVEAWAY: Alan (Devoted Guardians MC 3) by Harley Wylde & Jessica Coulter Smith #mcromance #shifters @changelingpress

Jolene – My life wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t have any real complaints — until something went horribly wrong and one of my potions blew up, killing my husband. Raising our son on my own hasn’t been easy. Grief and guilt keep getting in my way. But a certain biker keeps stopping by to lend a helping hand. Is it wrong I wish he’d do more than fix my porch steps?

Alan – I knew Jolene was mine, even when she belonged to someone else. Now that she’s single, I might have a chance. I can’t rush this, though. Not after what she’s been through. Not till I’m sure she’s ready. I’ll take my time, build a friendship with her, then lay all my cards on the table. Only one problem. I didn’t count on traffickers hitting our little town. Everything’s gone sideways. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my new family safe, even if I have to get my hands dirty.

WARNING: This is a Dixie Reapers Shifter MC story and contains bad language, violence, and adult situations. Recommended for adult readers 18+.

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ABOUT HARLEY WYLDE

When Harley’s writing, her motto is the hotter the better — off-the-charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can’t deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you’ve come to the right place. She doesn’t shy away from the dangers and nastiness in the world, bringing those realities to the pages of her books, but always gives her characters a happily-ever-after and makes sure the bad guys get what they deserve.

ABOUT JESSICA COULTER SMITH

Award-winning author Jessica Coulter Smith has been in love with the written word since she was a child writing her first stories in crayon. Today she’s a multi-published author of over seventy-five novellas and novels. Romance is an integral part of her world and she firmly believes that love will find you at the right time, even if Mr. Right is literally out of this world.

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COVER REVEAL: Dreams Really Do (A Bomb-Ass Genie Wedding) by Brindi Quinn #RomCom #NewAdult #PNR #CoverReveal @RRBookTours1 @midnighttidepub

We are so excited to share not only the stunning cover of Dreams Really Do: A Bomb-Ass Genie Wedding, but the blurb too! Read on for all book and preorder details!

Dreams Really Do: A Bomb-Ass Genie Wedding (Come True #3)

Expected Publication Date: June 14th, 2023

Genre: New Adult Paranormal/ Fantasy Romcom

Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing

Cover Artist: @emryn_art

A dream is a wish your heart . . . definitely doesn’t need.

Recent college graduate Dolly Jones just wants to live a nice, quiet life with her ultra-hot, ultra-magical genie boyfriend. Is that too much to ask? Yes, because she’s still stuck tethered to the bad-boy brother, Velis is busy prepping for the coronation that will make him laird of the estate, and there are multiple evil sons of b*tches out there that want her dead. Not to mention she’s plagued with magical dreams now. Of a memory Arrik swears he didn’t take.

Velis and Arrik Reilhander were born to be rivals—one of them not full djinn, the other not a full person, both finding validation in a shared source of light. When Daddy Djinn’s return home to the manor sparks the escape of the oldest, nastiest triplet who wants Dolly’s head more than ever, Velis and Arrik will stop at nothing to make sure Dolly is safe. Forever. Even if for one of them, it means saying goodbye.

DREAMS REALLY DO: A BOMB-ASS GENIE WEDDING is the romantic, fantastic second-coming-of-age story of at least three flawed twenty-somethings from different realms battling their inner demons, and each other, one wish at a time.

Preorder: Amazon

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Come True: A Bomb-Ass Genie Romance

Publication Date: April 27th, 2022

Genre: New Adult/ Paranormal Romance/ Comedy

Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing

★A jaded girl. A persistent genie. A contest of souls.★

Recent college graduate Dolly Jones has spent the last year stubbornly trying to atone for a mistake that cost her everything. She doesn’t go out, she doesn’t make new friends and she sure as hell doesn’t treat herself to things she hasn’t earned, but when her most recent thrift store purchase proves home to a hot, magical genie determined to draw out her darkest desires in exchange for a taste of her soul, Dolly’s restraint, and patience, will be put to the test.

Newbie genie Velis Reilhander will do anything to beat his older half-brothers in a soul-collecting contest that will determine the next heir to their family estate, even if it means coaxing desire out of the least palatable human he’s ever contracted. As a djinn from a ‘polluted’ bloodline, Velis knows what it’s like to work twice as hard as everyone else, and he won’t let anyone—not even Dolly f*cking Jones—stand in the way of his birthright. He just needs to figure out her heart’s greatest desire before his asshole brothers can get to her first.

COME TRUE: A BOMB-ASS GENIE ROMANCE is the romantic, fantastic second-coming-of-age story of two flawed twenty-somethings from different realms battling their inner demons, and each other, one wish at a time.

Granted: A Bomb-Ass Genie Sequel

Publication Date: December 13th, 2022

Genre: New Adult/ Paranormal Romance/ Comedy

Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing

★Some villains have reasons for sticking to the shadows.★

Recent college graduate Dolly Jones has spent the last week shacked up with her genie boyfriend in a pompous fantasyland manor avoiding the three vengeful brothers determined to sully her relationship with the new Laird. The rest of the world may be against Velis Reilhander taking a human for a mate, but Dolly is committed to being the person on his side, at his side—her own anxieties be damned. But when a trip to the nymph realm doesn’t go as planned, Dolly’s newfound strength will be tested as she quickly learns there are more secrets surrounding the Reilhander legacy than even Velis knows.

Veteran genie Arrik Reilhander will do anything to make himself feel better, anything. Even if it means jumping into someone else’s story. Especially if it means jumping into someone else’s story. And as for Dolly f*cking Jones . . .

GRANTED: A BOMB-ASS GENIE SEQUEL is the romantic, fantastic second-coming-of-age story of three flawed twenty-somethings from different realms battling their inner demons, and each other, one wish at a time.

About the Author

Brindi Quinn is a fangirling fantasy author from Minnesota specializing in world-building and romance. She is an advocate of quirky love and firmly believes that banter makes the heart grow fonder. Her main ingredients for a great read are spice, sparkle, and SWOON.

Since 2011, Brindi has written over a dozen young adult and new adult novels beginning with her debut epic fantasy series, Heart of Farellah. Her works often blur the lines between paranormal romance, science fiction, and fantasy, and her series have been hailed as unique, addictive reads by reviewers.

Brindi is an IT Project Manager by day and has a bachelor’s in communication-based studies from Southern New Hampshire University. She lives in suburban Minnesota where she likes to bike, indulge in video game lore, and spend time with her life partner, Kent, the world’s cutest pup, Burton, and the fluffle of cantankerous rabbits that hop around her house.

Brindi is published through Never & Ever Publishing and Midnight Tide Publishing.

Brindi Quinn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Goodreads\

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RELEASE BLITZ: Cauldrons Call by Kristen Proby #salemwitches #paranormalromance @valentine_pr_

Cauldrons Call by Kristen Proby is now live! 

Cauldrons Call, by New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby, is the highly-anticipated second book in The Curse of the Blood Moon series.
 
Breena has known Giles all her life—and has loved him for nearly as long. Linked by the ties of family and coven, Breena has had a lifetime to discover everything there is to know about him. His intelligence and specialization in crystals and gems are truly things to admire, but it’s how he smiles at her that really makes her cauldron bubble. Too bad he’s completely oblivious.
 
Giles isn’t as oblivious as Breena thinks he is. A powerful witch, he’s spent most of his life hiding his true feelings from her, but he can’t ignore the fact that she’s hurting and plagued by the same nightmares that haunt him every night. So, getting her to move in with him so he can do just that seems like simple common sense. The hard part will be resisting the way Breena makes him feel.
 
But evil has invaded their world, and it has the power to kill every witch in Salem.  Breena has no time to wallow in what might have been and Giles’ desire to protect her is stronger than the power contained in his crystals . Together they must lift the curse of the blood moon before time runs out. If they can’t, the people Breena loves the most are all in danger. It will take every skill she’s honed as a witch to protect what’s hers and the man who cast a spell on her heart.
 
 
Will they have time to kindle their love for each other, or will the clock run out at the hands of fate?

  Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3hrGuy9

Apple Books: https://bit.ly/3BDbRN0

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Audible: http://bit.ly/3FsYPnc

Narrated by: Sebastian York & Samantha Brentmoor

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3FuL5rf

Meet Kristen


Kristen Proby has published more than forty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion and Romancing Manhattan Series. 

Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two cats and dog.

 

Connect with Kristen

Website: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6550037.Kristen_Proby

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SPOTLIGHT: Embracing the Demon by AJ Graham #PNR #DarkFantasy #LGBTQ

Love is always a gamble, but when you bargain with a demon the deck’s stacked in his favor.

Demon’s Bargain (Embracing the Demon 1): Ella is desperate. A vicious dragon stalks her people. The only man strong enough to defeat it is Vaz, the half-demon outcast — banished long ago for his tainted blood. Ella soon learns just how potent a demon’s touch can be.

Living with a Demon (Embracing the Demon 2): When Nate answered a personals ad, he wasn’t looking for romance. But now he knows Pierce is the man for him… even when he finds out Pierce is something more than human.

Playing Games (Embracing the Demon 3): Nate adores his demon lover, Pierce. But lately, Pierce has been distant and preoccupied, and it’s driving Nate crazy. Awakening Pierce’s possessive instincts is a dangerous game to play… but to Nate, the danger just makes it more tempting.

Escaping Darkside (Embracing the Demon 4): After he’s killed in a hit and run accident, Christian wakes up in Darkside — the demon-infested world between life and death. If he can reach door back to Earth, Christian will have a second chance at life. But going back will mean leaving Seth behind forever… and Christian is falling in love with his demon.

Get the ebook from Changeling Press or the paperback from Amazon

EXCERPT

Copyright ©2023 AJ Graham
Excerpt from Escaping Darkside


Christian woke face down on the ground, head throbbing. A smell like garbage and sewer water filled his nose, and hard, gritty pavement pressed against his cheek. He opened his eyes to find himself lying in a narrow alley between two brick buildings, next to a row of overflowing trashcans.

Christian stood, staggered, and leaned against the nearby wall. What had happened? Had he been mugged? A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he swayed. He must have hit his head. Maybe that was why he couldn’t remember anything. When the world finally stopped spinning, he began to walk.

Run-down, brick buildings lined the narrow street, and fragments of broken glass glittered on the pavement. It looked like one of the bad parts of Chicago, but it wasn’t a neighborhood he recognized.

He heard a low, faint moan, like distant wind, and froze. The back of his neck prickled and he slowly turned.

Four red-cloaked figures stood in the street, motionless. Hoods covered their heads and shadow hid their faces. Goose bumps rose on Christian’s flesh. “Um… hello.”

No reply. One figure stretched out an arm and curled a long, bony finger in beckoning.

Christian swallowed, hard. His heart rose into his throat as fear slammed into his gut like a fist. He took a shaky step backward, then turned and ran, feet pounding the pavement, breath coming in frantic gulps. He looked over his shoulder and saw them following — not running, but floating several inches above the road, their red cloaks billowing behind them.

What the hell was going on?

He kept running, but he could sense the things getting closer, closing in on him. An icy hand curled around his arm, the fingers brittle and thin, yet strong as iron. Cold filled his chest, as if that skeletal hand had reached into his body to grip his heart. He looked into the darkness beneath the thing’s hood and saw the glint of eyes. A weird clicking, chattering noise drifted from that darkness.

Christian twisted away. “Let me go!” He yanked his arm free. His skin still burned where the thing had touched him.

He ran, ignoring the throbbing stitch in his side and the burn in his lungs. There was nothing left in his mind but the desperate need to get away. He ran until his legs gave out, and he sank to his hands and knees, gulping air, each breath like nettles scraping his raw lungs. He looked over his shoulder, shaking. The red-cloaked figures were nowhere in sight. Somehow, he’d lost them.

He crawled to the side of the street and hid behind a Dumpster, hugging his knees to his chest. He looked down at his arm, where the thing had grabbed him. Its grip had left ugly, black burn marks on his skin, and the marks writhed like something alive. Just looking at them made him nauseous. He pulled his sleeve over the burn, hiding it, then leaned back against the brick wall and closed his eyes. His muscles felt like overcooked noodles, but somehow, he managed to drag himself to his feet and resume walking.

Ahead, a row of motorcycles stood next to a low, windowless building with black cement walls. Even from a distance, Christian could hear the pulse of a bass-beat. A dance club?

Whatever it was, he needed to get inside. He ran toward the building, flung open the door, and entered. A blast of warm air and sound hit him. After the eerie silence of the street, the sudden din of music and voices was overwhelming. The club was dimly lit, smoky, and packed. Music thumped in his ears. Christian squeezed through the crush of bodies, his gaze darting back and forth. Sweaty shirts surrounded him wherever he turned.

“Ow! Watch where you’re going!”

“Sorry. I –” Christian looked up and his jaw dropped. The thing staring down at him had the body of a weightlifter, but from the neck up, it resembled a cross between a bull and a lion, with curved black horns, a shaggy mane, and sharp fangs. “What are you staring at?” growled a deep, rough voice.

“S-sorry,” Christian stammered and backed away.

Had he stumbled into some sort of costume party? No, that hadn’t been a mask. He’d seen its mouth move.

He stepped on something that felt like a rope and heard a snarl. He looked down to see a long, furry tail pull away, and something with three horns and four eyes glared at him. Christian stumbled backward.

Breathing hard, he made his way through the crowd. He spotted a silver-haired girl in black leather. Relieved to see someone relatively normal-looking, Christian grabbed her arm. She looked at him. Her eyes were huge, almond-shaped, and completely black, without whites or irises. “Excuse me, Miss, I’m sorry, but could you tell me…”

She opened her mouth, revealing inch-long fangs where her canine teeth should have been, and hissed like a cat. He backed off. His head swiveled back and forth. Everywhere he looked was a creature out of a nightmare. There stood a man with a wriggling mass of tentacles where his mouth should have been. Across from him loomed another man with the head of a hawk and four feathery arms.

A hand grabbed his arm and twisted him around. He found himself staring up into a face that was almost human, except it was black — not brown, but licorice black — and topped by a pair of small, spiral horns protruding from crimson hair. The man dragged Christian through the crowd, out the door, into the cool night. He shoved his face into Christian’s, eyes narrowed. “What are you doing here? You’re not from Darkside.”

“I don’t even know how I got here. What is this place?”

His lip curled in an unpleasant expression that was half-grin, half-sneer, revealing tiny, sharp fangs. “You’re from Earth, huh?”

“Earth? You mean we’re not on Earth?”

“Oh boy, are you in for a rude awakening.” Sharp claws dug into the meat of Christian’s arm, making him squirm. “There’s bound to be a fat reward on your head. The Council doesn’t like it when souls slip through their grasp.”

Breathing hard, Christian tried to pry the sausage-thick, dark fingers from his arm. “Let go!”

“Oh no. You’re not getting away so easily.”

ABOUT AJ GRAHAM

AJ Graham has a passion for cold weather, unusual beers, and anything otherworldly.  Dragons, demons, shapeshifters and psychics have always populated their imagination, but sometimes the real world can be just as fascinating and mysterious.  And no matter the genre, AJ has always loved stories about soulmates connecting.  Whether it’s instant, explosive passion or a slow burn, the power of two (or more) minds and bodies coming together to form a greater whole is always a story worth telling.  AJ lives in the Chicago suburbs with their husband.

Spotlight: Maid for the Mermen (Mermen 1) by Ashlynn Monroe #PNR #UrbanFantasy @ashlynn_monroe

Couch surfing and temp jobs were a way of life for Daisy Daniels after she aged out of the foster care system. She’s always taken life one day at a time and gone with the flow. What she never expected is that flow would lead her down a raging current of uncertainty about her life and the world she knows.

River, Ocean, and Bayou Waterson need someone to keep their island home neat and tidy, but they have a problem. They can’t trust any old cleaning service. They need to find someone who will be willing to overlook their differences. What they never expected was to find a live-in maid they would all love.

When Daisy discovers the celebrity treasure hunters are really mermen, will she be able to keep her head above water? An ancient prophecy brings danger to their doorstep. Forces she never imagined are conspiring to destroy everything that matters to her. The only thing that can save her is a bond she can’t break. Saving the world definitely wasn’t in the job description.

Available from Changeling Press

EXCERPT

All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2022 Ashlynn Monroe

Daisy had slept — more like tossed and turned — at Sally’s the previous night. It felt weird leaving her vehicle behind at the harbor, the rusty hunk of junk being her most valuable possession. She’d been told to bring a bag in case this worked out and she could spend the night settling in. Everything she owned fit into a large suitcase and overnight bag, so she decided to bring it all. After grabbing her pillow, she looked at the small pile on the ground. So little to show for twenty-one years of life. It caused a wave of melancholy to wash over her while locking the car.

She’d looked for the boat called Siren. It didn’t take long. The huge thing was no boat. This was a yacht. “Wow,” she muttered to herself.

“Do you like her?” a male said from behind her.

Daisy jumped, but she didn’t look to see who’d asked. “It’s pretty. I’ve never been on a boat before.”

“Are you Daisy Daniels?”

When she heard her name, she turned. Her mouth went dry. She’d seen an episode of his TV show with Sally here and there, but she’d always been more interested in playing with her phone than the program. She vaguely recognized this guy as one of the hotties Sally drooled over. He wasn’t just TV pretty. This guy was hot. A total hunk. His long black hair, casually tied back in a ponytail, made her a bit envious. He had a black goatee and eyes so brown they could have been black. His skin, tanned, and his upper body, powerful. His arms looked like they belonged to a body builder. She opened her mouth, at a loss for words.

He grinned, as if amused. “You do realize this job is on an island. The only way off and on is by boat. Are you sure you’re up for it?”

Mort’s had already replaced her with another temp. She needed this job. Nodding, Daisy dropped her overnight bag and stuck out her hand. “I’m up for it.”

“River Waterson.” He shook her hand firmly.

Daisy picked up her bag. She couldn’t help wondering if it was actually his name or a stage name for his reality show.

“Let me take something for you,” River offered. He gave her a tight smile.

“You don’t have to do that, Mr. Waterson. It’s not heavy.” Years of having things stolen made Daisy nervous to hand off her belongings.

“Don’t worry, I won’t run off with it.” He held out his hand. “And please, it’s River. Three Mr. Watersons could get a bit confusing.”

Daisy nodded. Wanting to seem cooperative and make a good impression, she reluctantly let him take the handle of her suitcase. He rolled it behind him as they approached the boat.

They walked to the dock and then up a wobbly metal ramp. Daisy took hold of the railing, feeling a little woozy.

“Careful. You’ll need to get those sea legs if we all agree you’re a good fit,” River said.

Worry nibbled at the back of her mind. His words reminded her this wasn’t a sure thing, but an interview. Whatever happened, she’d just have to figure things out. Silently, she cursed Sally’s idea. It wasn’t as if Daisy qualified as maid material. These guys would probably see that. At least Sally would be obligated to let Daisy crash at her place.

“Do you have time left on a lease somewhere?” River asked.

Daisy mentally cursed. She still wasn’t totally sure how to frame her lack of permanent address, so she didn’t sound flighty. And was this guy some kind of mind reader or just super perceptive?

ABOUT ASHLYNN MONROE

Ashlynn Monroe is a busy working mom. She loves her kids and family. Her greatest joy is creating stories to entertain others, and she hopes they bring a little more romance into the world. She’s been writing since her teens for her own enjoyment but decided in her thirties to share her imagination with readers. Ashlynn enjoys biking, camping, reading, video games, and filling her home and life with love. If she’s not working or chasing children, you can find her daydreaming up her next tale of romance.

Find her online: Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook

BOOK TOUR: Love Like a Cephalopod by Cassondra Windwalker #Fantasy #Paranormal @WindwalkerWrite @RRBookTours1

Welcome to the book tour for Love Like a Cephalopod by Cassondra Windwalker. Read on for more details and an excerpt!

Love Like a Cephalopod

Publication Date: February 15th, 2023

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

Publisher: Bayou Wolf Press

To death and to the dragon born.

Being an executioner for the state is exhausting, but after a lifetime of dispatching the criminal

and the inconvenient, fifty-eight-year-old Grenda finds it does have its compensations. Her cat-

sized dragon Bjartur and the dragon eggs she tends are all the friends and family she needs. Completely cut off from the outside world, she happily accepts the luxuries owed her status – including a pet octopus named Morrigan – without the faintest twinge of conscience or doubt.

All that changes when she encounters the most unexpected nemesis: a young refugee girl whom Grenda is incapable of executing. Against her will, Grenda finds herself shifting from killer to caretaker, risking her life to defy the state she’s never questioned and help young Allora to freedom. Everything Grenda thinks she knows about her world, her life, and even her own identity cascades out of her control—including the dragon-bond she holds dearer than life itself.

Excerpt

Her last words, I think, will always haunt me.

“You still don’t understand anything about octopuses, do you?”

It rankled, how calm she sounded, even under these circumstances. The dragon on my wrist, sensing my irritation, drew back his vermilion lips to display the kittenish, needle-sharp teeth, and he huffed his leathern wings slightly. I laid a hand on his ridged back, and he settled down.

To this day, I don’t believe Magenna was guilty of the charges. At least, not as they were stated. Witchcraft has always seemed a nebulous thing to me. Too easy an accusation to lob at anyone who speaks too often to ravens or owls, who lingers too long in moonlight, who possesses too rational an understanding of herbs and flowers and fungi. Even then, I wondered if the danger lay not in access to some mythical magick and more in the alternative it offered to the dictates of the state.

But if belief is a dangerous liability for an executioner, skepticism is even greater. True safety lies only in acceptance for acceptance’s sake.

It doesn’t do for a woman in my position to believe or disbelieve anything too strongly. The sentence must be carried out regardless, and beliefs sour quickly into guilt and regret. It’s better to walk entirely in the grey and trust without exception to the system that hands down the verdict. Let them deal in black and white. My dragon and I, we were creatures of mist. We walked in fog, obscured from all but the walking dead. It was a peculiar irony, that the only people who saw us, who knew us face-to-face, were those who would shortly die at our hands.

I am only truly real here, chatelaine at the gateway to death.

And you, should I have ever met you here, would be more real in this moment with me than you had ever been in all your life. Contrary to how stories like to depict us, executioners aren’t hard-hearted, unfeeling creatures. We can’t be. It’s not enough to kill the body, after all. We have to be sure to send the soul on its way, too. Malingering isn’t good for anyone. And a soul simply can’t go if it hasn’t been seen. My dragon helped the dying shed their skin, and I – I helped them shed their invisibility.

That’s all a ghost wants. They don’t persist to wreak some paltry vengeance only the flesh-bound could imagine as a motivation. They don’t need you to provide justice or peace. All your work is here, on this plane marked by hours and rot, and cannot reach them. They only need to be seen. Once. For who they are. Then they can go on.

So if I did my job right, the condemned were less likely than anyone to stick around. And I was very good at my job.

Some people – maybe even most people – are seen long before they meet death. But the people most likely to cross that bridge with my dragon and me rarely had been. If they’d been seen for who they were, they’d probably never have ended up here with us. It’s not about innocence or guilt. It’s about who sees you, as you are.

I didn’t answer Magenna’s question. She knew the answer already. I looked at her, and she looked at me.

Magenna’s veins ran cold like currents deep in the ocean trenches, her heart fluttering faintly as it met mine. A little fear, only a very little. I wanted to take it from her, but I resisted the urge. She had very few things left to claim as her own, and this last fear was one of them. In her eyes, a hawk rested on a column of air, suspended dauntless above an endless chasm. And under her skin, the octopus stretched and unwound its long limbs, reaching for me.

My breath matched the rhythmic pulsing of the octopus’ gills, and I felt the weight of the water rippling evenly along my body. I shifted as the sea-beast altered its colors and textures to match my own, and suddenly I was confused as to whether it looked like me, or I looked like it. The octopus’ alien, slit-pupiled gaze had become Magenna’s gaze, and I fell further in, seeing colors no woman could see, as if they were grains of sand sifted through my fingers rather than bands of light. A thousand soft mouths sucked at my body, pulling the skin, rearranging the bones into a shape that feared no pressure.

Then all at once, they let go. I was back in the cold, sterile room of death, with its harsh electric light and faint antiseptic smell. My subject lay slumped over her own arms on the table between us, her brown hair curtaining her face from any further trespass. My dragon kittered softly in my ear, his talons clutching my forearm, his dark liquid eyes fixed anxiously on my face. I saw the smear of blood on his white teeth and knew the task was done.

That was totally out of order. Dragons didn’t act on their own volition. Bonded to their keepers from the hatch, they were nonetheless wicked clever, and one drop of their venom could fell an elephant within two seconds. Even a hint of rebellious tendencies resulted in immediate termination, a process that usually occurred within the first few days of their bonding. In the rare cases I’d read about where a dragon was terminated later in the relationship, the executioner invariably went mad.

None of that is exactly common knowledge, but little in an executioner’s library is.

Nonetheless, I had no doubts about Bjartur. I understood that when the octopus had reached through my arms, tasting every inch of my intentions, it had directed Bjartur to complete the execution. I’d been wrong to think fear was Magenna’s last possession. Volition, too, she held fast still. This un-wicked un-witch who lay silent and unbreathing on the table had staged one final insurrection, not submitting to her death but rushing to meet it as boldly as any beserker. Unnerved as I was, I could hardly fault her for it.

I rose to my feet, and Bjartur fluttered from my arm to my shoulder, tucking his emerald head well into my gray corkscrew curls. Time to deal with the ordinary people, those we’d neither execute nor see or engage any more than absolutely necessary. Bjartur wasn’t shy – far from it. The unbonded were invariably fascinated by dragons. Bjartur didn’t mind the attention, exactly. He just considered almost everyone else beneath his notice. He refused to be put on display or used as a symbol of anything for anyone. It’s a common trait among dragons. They’re notoriously catlike in their dignity and their arrogance. I can’t explain how that makes them all the more irresistible, but it does. I adored the pretentious little puffer.

I pushed the button beside the door, and the guard on the other side keyed me out. Cleanup wasn’t part of my responsibilities. The husk of the woman I left behind – her name had been Magenna, but the body needed no name – would be burned, its ashes scattered in the ebullient gardens that ringed the Justice Center. It’s not as callous as it sounds. The part of her that was real was gone, after all.

Upstairs in my windowless office, I typed up the execution report on my typewriter and submitted it. Executioners don’t have to muddle with tiresome machines like computers. Don’t have to, aren’t allowed to, what’s the difference, really? Bjartur settled down between my shoulder blades, his talons resting on the harness there while he buried his head against my neck, under my hair, and snored softly, his sulfurous breath uncomfortably warm on my skin. I was well-used to it, though. That’s another catlike feature of dragons – they are inordinately fond of naps.

Although executions have stepped up significantly in the past few years, it’s still not a nine-to-five job. That’s why in spite of the fact executioners possess more status than almost anyone outside of the president, my office resembled a broom closet more than an executive suite. Besides, windows were a security risk, especially here in the heart of the city. I spent a handful of hours there a month, so the grimness didn’t trouble me.

Most of my actual work was done at home, well outside of city walls. As one of death’s many gatekeepers, I kept the hinges swinging both ways. Ushering people out, and dragons in. A dragon clutch can take upwards of ten years before it’s ready to hatch, and caring for them is a full-time job.

I was reaching for the door, on my way to the garage where my car waited for me, when it swung open and nearly smacked me in the face.

Naturally. My favorite person in the Justice Center.

“Fiske.” I made no effort to imbue his name with the least enthusiasm. Our feelings were mutual and required no subterfuge.

“Grenda.” He nodded, irritation at having been caught off-balance at the door flashing in his eyes. Fiske was a man of little talent and much presence, so he was easily perturbed.

“I’m on my way out, Fiske,” I stated the obvious. “What do you need?”

On paper, Fiske would have appeared to be my boss, but that was only true in as much as he was the one who assigned the executions. As far as I was concerned, that made him more my assistant than my superior, and he knew it.

“It’s going to be a busy week.” He pulled himself up to his full height of over six feet tall, a futile effort to intimidate me. I’d hit my maximum height at the age of eleven and was barely five feet tall. Somebody’s bones being longer than mine never impressed me much.

“Magenna Hassan was my only appointment this week.”

Fiske bared his nicotine-yellowed teeth at me in what I can only assume he thought a patronizing smile. “The Army just notified me they successfully closed down an invaders’ camp near the coast. It’s going to be all hands on deck for at least four days. So be sure you’re back here bright and early in the morning.”

Something uncoiled in my belly, something that felt eerily like the slimy, seeking tentacle of an octopus. I swallowed the sour taste in my mouth and nodded briskly. Fiske’s face contorted as he tried on a few different expressions, all intended as dismissal. I pushed past him without waiting to see which one he landed on. Laughter bubbled in my throat to watch him sway back until he nearly fell over in the effort to avoid any contact with Bjartur.

Silliness, of course. Dragons were perfectly safe. Or rather, my dragon was as safe as I was.

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Cassondra Windwalker is the multi-genre author of several novels and award-winning poetry collections. She has lived in the South, the Midwest, and the West, and presently writes full-time from the grim coasts of the Frozen North. Regrettably, she has no dragon of her own, but she keeps company with corvids, anemones, moose, and mycelium. Readers are invited to reach out to her on Twitter @WindwalkerWrite.

Bayou Wolf Press

Book Tour Schedule

March 6th

R&R Book Tours (Kick-Off) http://rrbooktours.com

I Love Books & Stuff (Spotlight) https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com

The Faerie Review (Spotlight) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

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March 7th

@plungeintobooks (Review Out of Tour) https://www.instagram.com/plungeintobooks/

Bunny’s Reviews (Review) https://bookwormbunnyreviews.blogspot.com/

@literarycovenclub (Review) https://www.instagram.com/literarycovenclub_/

@vinamkent_author (Review) https://www.instagram.com/vinamkent_author

March 8th

Liliyana Shadowlyn (Review) https://lshadowlynauthor.com/

Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com

Books + Coffee = Happiness (Spotlight) https://bookscoffeehappiness.com/

March 9th

@squeakeysundergroundlibrary (Review) https://www.instagram.com/squeakeysundergroundlibrary/

@amber.bunch_author (Spotlight) https://www.instagram.com/amber.bunch_author/

Rambling Mads (Spotlight) http://ramblingmads.com

March 10th

@jlreadstoperpetuity (Review) https://www.instagram.com/jlreadstoperpetuity/

I Smell Sheep (Spotlight) http://www.ismellsheep.com/

Stine Writing (Spotlight) https://christinebialczak.com/

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BOOK BLITZ: Dead and Buried by Annie Anderson #Paranormal #UrbanFantasy @XpressoTours @annieande

Dead and Buried
Annie Anderson
(Grave Talker, #7)
Publication date: February 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Darby Adler is done.

Done with the Council. Done with ancient evils popping up every five seconds. And especially done with her ex-boyfriend, Bishop. On the hunt for the slippery mage, she has teamed up with an unlikely ally in a Prince of Hell. The same prince that invades her thoughts, her space, and maybe her heart.

But when the dreaded ex starts targeting those closest to Darby, all deals–demon or otherwise–are off.

Darby’s going to bury Bishop La Roux… one way or another.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

I should have taken the trip to the Underworld.

That thought had plagued me since I agreed to this damn adventure. Mainly because I was not a good flyer.

There were too many people in the airport and what if you didn’t get there in time and what if they searched your luggage and decided to confiscate everything. There were far too many variables when it came to air travel, and I was in charge of none of them.

Not. A. Fan.

But when we arrived at the airport, it was not on the super commercial side. When the smoke from Aemon’s power faded, we were outside a giant hangar with a few people milling about like little worker bees. An airplane sat just off the tarmac with a red carpet leading to the boarding stairs.

“Umm…” I said nervously, staring at a suit-clad flight attendant who just seemed to notice us standing there.

I had never flown private in my life, but it seemed that streak was about to end.

“Did you honestly think I was going to make you fly commercial?” Aemon scoffed, shaking his head as he pulled his hands away from my hips. “After the Orlando trip? Never.”

He was referring to my senior trip when my plane nearly went down after an electrical disturbance. I hadn’t flown since, and I was pretty sure I would need pharmaceuticals to do it this time. But there was only one way Aemon knew about my flying trauma because Jay and I refused to talk about it ever.

It was the same reason he knew every other corner of my brain. Because he had seen it in my memories when he invaded my mind during his possession.

“What are the odds that flight attendant has Xanax in his pocket?” I asked, choosing to ignore the reminder of Aemon’s possession completely.

He seemed to consider my question as he ushered us forward. “I’d say pretty good, but I wouldn’t take them. He’d likely confuse them for the Molly in his other pocket and then you’d really be in trouble.

My feet nearly stuttered to a stop as my tongue felt heavy in my mouth and a sweat broke out all over my skin. I did not want to get into that plane. Not at all.

“Come on, Flower. I’ll hold your hand the whole time.”

Now I was hot, but it was due to anger rather than anything else. “I’m not a child. I don’t need you to hold anything for me.”

Choking down my fear, I marched to the plane, handed off my suitcase, and made it up the steps before the fear took root again.

“You can sit anywhere. Would you like something to drink?” The attendant was my height with a shock of ginger hair and a jaw you could sharpen blades on.

The hum of the engine started, and it took everything in me not to climb out of my skin, holding onto the chaos magic like it was my job. I chose a seat and waved him off.

“I’m fine.” I was not fine, but I would grit my teeth and make it so. Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back to the cushion.

Eight hours. Just eight tiny hours and you will be there. You’ll get answers. This is fine.

“You’re such a little liar,” Aemon whispered in my ear, his approach completely undetected.

I cracked an eyelid, cutting my gaze to him with a glare that should have roasted him on the spot.

“You couldn’t be less fine if you tried. Now, I can help calm you down, or you can sit there and pray you don’t blow this plane up mid-flight. Your choice, Flower.”

Aemon had a habit of making me sleep when I needed it. There had been a few instances where I had gone days without even so much as a wink of it until he took the decision out of my hands.

Him actually asking this time was new.

“I could have sworn I had a name, and it wasn’t anything even remotely resembling ‘Flower’ or anything close to it.”

Aemon’s petulant sigh practically rattled my bones. “Ms. Darby Adler, will you pretty please with sugar on top hold my hand so I may calm you down on this very treacherous flight over an ocean of salt that will surely kill me dead should you explode this plane and dunk me in it?”

That had my breath hitching in my chest as acid churned in my gut. Exploding this plane had been a real concern, but now? Now I was holding onto the armrests for dear life, and we hadn’t left the tarmac yet.

Aemon’s face got right in mine so all I could see were those pretty blue eyes and too-full lips.

“You’d better answer me, Flower, or I’ll have to think of other ways to distract you.”

Author Bio:

Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she’ll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life… interesting.

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