Snippet Sunday: Magic of the Loch (Chapter One #5) #SPeekSunday #8sunday #snippetsunday

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Snippet Sunday: Magic of the Loch (Chapter One #5) #SPeekSunday #8sunday #snippetsunday

I'm Being Roasted!! @KMNbooks #authorsroastandtoast

Author's Roast and Toast:  Oliver has brought Tuscany to us with Italian dining, drinks and dessert! And of course there's a giveaway. Can't have a party without prizes?  Come join in on the silliness and nonsense at:  http:// authorroastandtoast.blogspot. com/

Escaping Darkness by Theresa McClinton

KAREN: IT'S A BOOK BLAST CELEBRATION WITH THERESA MCLINTON! Enjoy an excerpt from this fascinating new series. 

****CONTEST: Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway, too! One lucky winner will receive an Ebook copy of Escaping Darkness and a $50 Visa Gift Card!

Excerpt from Escaping Darkness:

Rays of morning sun crept through the windows of Tara’s hotel room. She was already awake, frozen in bed and staring at the entrance. Harsh whispers echoed from the hall paired with rushed footsteps on the carpeted floors beyond the door. She gripped the blanket, her heart pounding in anticipation.

She flung the covers aside and hurried across the room. The knob rattled followed by several sharp pounds. She peered through the peephole before swinging open the door. Renato rushed in with a limp Hawa hanging in his arms.

“Oh my god! What happened?”

Renato laid Hawa on the bed. Black hair spilled over her face as she moaned.

Peter stumbled into the room, his eyes glossed over with sleep. Renato glanced over his shoulder and waved him over. “We need your help.”

Tara’s chest tightened while she stared at them. “Where’s Ashley?” Renato glanced at her and then back to Hawa without a word. Tara stepped forward, a knot forming in her stomach. She gripped the bedpost, her legs beginning to feel like mush. “Mr. Renato, what happened to Ashley?”

“She’ll be fine,” Peter said while examining Hawa’s bandaged leg. “I don’t sense any breaks or fractures. No lesions.” He stared up at Renato. “What the hell happened?”

Renato paced, rubbing the five o’clock shadow that darkened his chin and jawline. “Sarian was much stronger than we anticipated. When Ashley tried to retrieve the stone, he somehow sensed her, even with the masking spell.”

Figures. Tara knew it was bad news when that witch offered to help. She hated the idea from the start, but being outnumbered and a girl with no abilities to contribute, she thought it better to keep her mouth shut and let Renato and Ashley make the final decision. The masking spell could have been a dud. For all they knew, Contessa might have wanted Ashley dead to take her stone. The witch only helped to get revenge on Sarian in the first place. Who knows what other motives she had. Tara still wasn’t sure of the extent of the stone’s power, but since every underworlder seemed to want to get their hands on it, it had to be capable of some unworldly things.

“Who healed Hawa?” Peter asked.

“Contessa. At her home.” Renato glanced at his watch. “We arrived back less than an hour ago.”

“Well, it looks like she did a decent job.” Peter laid the back of his hand against Hawa’s forehead. “No fever. I think she’s just exhausted. We should let her sleep.”

Tara let go of the bedpost, anger peeling away her layers of patience. There was no way she’d let them keep ignoring her. With her fists perched on her hips, she glared at them. “If someone doesn’t answer me in the next two seconds, I swear I’m going to flip the hell out.” They both stopped and stared at her. Tara swallowed. “Where’s Ashley?”

Anger was as good as any other emotion right now—better even, since it kept her blood rushing fast enough to prevent her from passing out if the news was grim.

Renato gave a deep exhale. “Tara.”

The way he said her name sucked the heat right out of her body.

She wound her fingers into her mess of red curls. “Oh God. What?”

“Please don’t panic,” he continued. “She is not hurt.”

Tara exhaled a calming breath and gestured toward the door. “I’m gonna go talk to her.” When she took a step forward, Renato stepped to the side, cutting off her path. She stared up at his tight face. “I’ll be right back. I just want to go see how she’s holding up.”

“Tara.” But when he said her name the second time, his tone hadn’t changed, and the look in his eyes told her something was wrong. He ran his fingers through his hair, smoothing it down. “She’s not here.”

“What do you mean she’s not here? You said she’s all right.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

Tara shifted her weight. “Well, where is she?”

“She and Arwan left to get Jayden back.”

“Back?” Tara scanned the room. In all of the chaos, she hadn’t noticed Jayden wasn’t there. “Is he pulling another stunt to win Ashley over?”

“I don’t think that’s what’s going on this time,” Peter said.

“Sarian is stronger than we realized.”

“But…” Tara shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

“Jayden was killed in battle.”

She felt like someone had kicked her in the chest. “What?” She gasped, her bottom lip quivering with her voice. She had known Jayden almost as long as Ashley, and even if they weren’t as close, he was her friend. She swallowed past the ache in her throat.

Peter took her hand.

“She and Arwan rushed to Guatemala,” Renato continued. “To the caves of Naj Tunich.”

She tightened her grip on Peter’s hand while suspicion crawled over her. “Ashley hates caves. Why would she want to go there?”

“Ashley was determined. I attempted to convince her it was a dangerous, reckless idea, but she insisted. She and Arwan traveled to the caves to find Houn—the Guardian of Souls. She has the insane thought that they can get Jayden’s soul back in time.”

Tara pulled away from Peter, grabbed Renato’s collar, and jerked him forward. “Are you trying to tell me that my best friend is going to meet up with the Grim Reaper?”

Renato stared down at Tara’s fingers clenching his shirt.

She let go of his collar. “I want proof. Ashley wouldn’t just take off like that. Not without telling me first.”

Renato straightened his posture while smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes. “I managed to rent a cold chamber for Jayden’s body in the local morgue.” He paused, watching her skeptical stare. His lips pressed tightly together. “If escorting you to see his body is the only way to convince you I am being honest, that is certainly an option.”

Tara took a step back. “Oh my God. You’re serious.”

“Unfortunately, yes. If Ashley and Arwan cannot retrieve his soul before Houn places it, the morgue is where Jayden’s body belongs. Either way, we need to preserve it the best we can.”

“Preserve?” She choked on the word and slowly lowered herself to the mattress beside Hawa’s feet.

Peter tucked a curl behind Tara’s ear. “It’ll be all right.”

She wanted to believe him, but something in her gut told her it wouldn’t be that simple. “Jayden’s dead and…Ashley didn’t even say goodbye. What if—” Her breath caught in her throat. “What if I never see her again?”
 Paranormal Romance Guild gave Escaping Darkness 4 stars!

Purchase a copy of Escaping Darkness at:

Kobo: Amazon
Barnes and Noble:
All Romance E-books

STONE GUARDIAN

She may have spent years in an asylum, but that didn’t make her crazy–just fearless.

Dropped in Moscow with her friends on an impossible mission against underworld forces, Tara is left to her feelings of overwhelming inadequacy. Her boyfriend is a healer, her best friend is “the Guardian,” and everyone else is a powerhouse of awesome strengths. The only thing she has been able to contribute are her memories, which has left her with nightmares of her time spent at the mercy of the evil Sarian–who everyone has gone to fight.

Alone with her emotions, Tara finds herself falling into a city of depravity and corruption. And amidst all this evil is a young man with an agenda of his own, who leads her down a road that will either prove she is a hero at heart, or drag her into a world she’s always feared.

He wants revenge, she wants redemption. And in an underground rings of missing girls and bloody sacrifices, only the fearless can survive…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A long time enthusiast of things that go bump in the night, Theresa began her writing career as a journalism intern—possibly the least creative writing field out there. After her first semester at a local newspaper, she washed her hands of press releases and feature articles to delve into the whimsical world of young adult and new adult paranormal and contemporary romance.

Since then, Theresa has been married, had three terrific kids, moved to central Ohio, and was repeatedly guilt tripped into adopting a menagerie of animals that are now members of the family. But don’t be fooled by her domesticated appearance. Her greatest love is travel. Having traveled to over a dozen countries and explored dozens of U.S. states—including an extended seven-year stay in Kodiak, Alaska—she is anything but settled down. But wherever life brings her, Theresa will continue to weave tales of adventure and love with the hope her stories will bring joy and inspiration to her readers.

***GIVEAWAY****

a Rafflecopter giveaway

List of blogs participating in the Book Blast!

http://theresamcclinton.com/escaping-darkness-book-blast/ 

Cowboys and Lawmen #CowboysLawmen

And the winners are... Sherry and Oncerfan! Sherry won an Ebook Copy of Storm Riders and Oncerfan won an Ebook copy of Wanted! Thanks all for hopping with us!

Welcome to the Cowboys and Lawmen Blog Hop!!

There is just something about a man in a cowboy hat and boots. They have a sense of justice and
chivalry the knights of medieval time once had. They’ll go out of their way to defend a woman or a child’s honor.

I love a good John Wayne swagger, and the cool demeanor of Bret Maverick (James Garner).

The sweet-talkin’ Luke Macahan played by Bruce Boxleitner in How the West Was Won had me dreaming about cowboys, and the mischievous smile of the outlaw Hannibal Heyes played by Pete Duel in Alias Smith and Jones was my first crush.  

Sheriff, gambler, or outlaw, my heart skitters a beat or two faster when that
man dons a cowboy hat. Don’t get started on a duster. Nathan Fillion as Malcolm Reynolds looked mighty fine in the western space drama, Firefly. Steampunk cowboys are a favorite of mine, too. The Wild, Wild West falls into the western steampunk category, and aired long before steampunk became a known genre. James T. West (Robert Conrad) was fearless and handsome in his cowboy hat. He sure knew how to fight off bad guys. Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin) was the brilliant gadgeteer and master of disguises. Gotta love them both.

Steampunk, Cowboy Hats and Gadgets

My steampunk western, Storm Riders takes place in the mining town of Bodie, located in California. The Storm Riders ride the storms for time travel. Their mission is to keep the time line flowing. There are three destines, three paths for each decision a person makes, but if one of the roads becomes tangled, a Storm Rider must step in and repair the rift before the dimensions collide. I’ve combined the western, fantasy (time travel), and historical elements for my tale. It’s how I’d imagine the wild west would look if the future stopped by for a visit. 


Available at:
Smashwords 
Amazon Kindle
Barnes and Noble NOOK

How could I not have a story with Outlaws and Sheriffs?

In my western tale, WANTED, six year-old Emma is convinced her Christmas wish and

premonition has come true when outlaw JoBeth Riley is brought into town and locked behind bars. Emma’s father, Sheriff Jace Kelly, must keep JoBeth from being broken out by the leader of the outlaw gang, who is determined to have JoBeth by his side once more.

JoBeth finds the Kellys a strange lot when forced to spend Christmas with them. The little girl believes her dreams are tales of the future and the rugged sheriff kindness proves to be a distraction. She’s an outlaw for heaven’s sake, but Jace is bound and determined to steal her heart. 

Available at:
Amazon Kindle
Barnes and Noble Nook
Smashwords

***CONTEST: 2 Winners. 2 Books. I’m giving away One Ebook Copy of WANTED and One Ebook copy of STORM RIDERS.  All you have to do is answer one/or all of the questions below, and leave your email. That’s it, and you’re entered to win! So easy! 

If you’ve already read WANTED and STORM RIDERS, you are welcome to gift the copies to someone else, or you may choose another book from my back list. 

****QUESTIONS: Do you have a favorite western book, TV show, or movie? What makes it so special? Which book would you like: Storm Riders or Wanted?

THAT'S NOT ALL as you enjoy some awesome blogs and find fantastic books, for every post you comment on with your email address, you will be entered for some amazing prizes.

***PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO QUALIFY***

Grand Prize: At least a $100 Gift Card for Amazon or Barnes and Noble, your choice. The winner will be chosen at random from comments containing email addresses, and will be announced on May 7. This is open to both US and international readers.

Tombstone, Arizona

About the Author: 

Karen Michelle Nutt resides in California with her husband, three fascinating children, and houseful of demanding pets. Jack, her Chorkie, is her writing buddy and sits long hours with her at the computer.

When she’s not fighting demons, vampires or outlaws, she creates book covers for Western Trail Blazers and Rebecca J. Vickery Publishing. She's started Gillian's Book Covers: Judge Your Book By Its Cover with her daughter, Katrina Gillian. They offer one of a kind Pre-Made Covers.

Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, historical or time travel, all her stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena—falling in love. 

Karen Michelle Nutt's Website

Cowboy Charm Blog Hops now has a companion FaceBook Group. If you'd like to join to receive blog hop and prize announcements here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/453991144693516/

Now hop on your virtual horse, ride like the wind and visit Cowboy Charm for the list of participants. Most of all have a rip-roaring good time! 

Soul Taker Could Use Your Vote! @KMNbooks @InDTaleMagazine #triberr

Soul Taker is up for the Créme de la Cover Contest! If you have the chance, I would sure appreciate your Vote! http://indtale.com/cover-contest

 

Soul Taker by Karen Michelle Nutt: Book Blitz

Participating BTB Tour Hosts
Mallory Heart Reviews
Celestial Reviews
Tattered Pages
Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews
Real World Writing
Christine's Words
HBS Author's Spotlight
Writerly Ramblings
Cathie Dunn writes...
Open Book Society
Indie Paranormal Book Reviews
FLY HIGH!
Amberkatze's Book Blog
Paranormal Book Club
Simply Ali
Books and Needlepoint

Vlogging with Georgiana Derwent @GianaDerwent #FMBAuthors #vampire #vlog

Title: Screaming Spires

Series: The Cavaliers #2

Author: Georgiana Derwent

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, New Adult, Vampire

Publisher: self-published

Format: Ebook, Paperback

Length: approx 100 000 words

Publication Date: April 12th 2013

Book Description:

A Tale of the Posh, the Privileged and the Paranormal...

The Cavaliers are the most elite society at Oxford University - rich, powerful, and beautiful. No one realises that they are no ordinary students, but a group of aristocratic vampires from the English Civil War. For four hundred years they have groomed the most promising students to run the government, police, and finance in the way the vampires wish, granting them eternal life in return for absolute obedience.

In her first year at Oxford University, Harriet French became inextricably tied to the Cavaliers. Now Harriet’s back at Oxford for her second year. Armed with a vampire boyfriend, some great friends and the truth, she’s expecting an easier time.  She’s wrong.  Her best friend is now a vampire and the Cavalier who turned her to save her life is facing death for the one good deed he’s ever done. Just when it seems that things can’t get any worse, the Cavaliers’ ancient enemies decide to strike at the heart of the society and they’ve got Harriet in their sights. 

Screaming Spires continues the story of an ancient vampire conspiracy and the ordinary girl caught in its web begun in Oxford Blood.

About the Author:

Georgiana Derwent read History at Oxford University. Aside from the vampires, The Cavaliers Series is an exaggerated but fairly accurate portrayal of her time there. She now works in London and lives with her fiancé. He’s been very supportive throughout the writing of her books, mainly because he likes to claim that all the most attractive characters are based on him.

Georgiana fell in love with vampire novels after reading The Vampire Diaries back in 2000. At the time it was a struggle to find any similar paranormal romances, a situation that it’s fair to say seems to have been rectified in the last few years. She now loves paranormal series, fantasy novels, and modern literary works in roughly equal measure.

Ever since her teens, she wanted to write a vampire series. Ever since going to Oxford she wanted to write a book about her experiences there. During a dull few months between finishing university and starting her graduate job, she had the idea of combining the two and The Cavaliers Series was born.

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