Search Results for: A Symbol of Time

Nadia’s Heart, Part One by Wendy Altshuler – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Wendy will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When an amnesiac girl who thinks she has been born without a heart utters a prayer, she is met by a mysterious angelic stranger from her forgotten past. Together they embark on a journey to recover her removed heart, but enter into battle with an Evil Voice on a rampage to remove the hearts of an entire generation of children – and replace them with stones.

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

It was slow going in the sand. Nadia could not seem to start off in flight, and Richard’s chattering teeth continued to distract her. It seemed a good idea to head up shore toward the rocks so that they could get free of the sand. Nadia trudged along and pulled Richard, whose eyes were fixed on the glow. She tugged at him to stay close, and his teeth chattering had gotten so fervent that Nadia could barely think. She wondered if he was suffering from pneumonia or some paralyzing fear, and why it had seemed right to bring him along. The noise was unbearable and, bracing herself on a rock, she flung her arm backward, wrapped it around the boy’s mouth, her eyes closed, just to have a moment’s peace. For a glorious moment there was only the long exhalation of the ocean.

But in the distance, rising above the sounds of the surging tide, came another sound.

Chop.

A single chatter from Richard’s mouth escaped. Nadia held his mouth with both hands, his eyes wide in questioning as they listened.

Chop, Chop, Chop.

It was the sound of a knife on a cutting board. Nadia hurled Richard toward the rocks they were ascending. She climbed and gripped his chin to stop, carefully withdrawing her fingers from being bitten as a chatter escaped. She tugged, pushed and pulled Richard up the crevices, stepping and slipping, the boots clunking as they climbed.

Chop.

Now seated on the rock, they listened. Nadia spun debris from the tiny, air-infused wheels which spouted back in defense. Try as she might, she could not make the boots fly. The wheels, she was certain, operated on principles she did not fully understand, specifications governed by magickal formulas sealed into the metal itself. She moved to and fro on the rock, but only managed to slip, clunking the boots clamorously and hushing Richard. How was she to get across the ocean?

Richard stared at the wheels intently as Nadia sat again, rolling them free of miniscule grains. They remained there, Nadia clearing the wheels and Richard staring out at the ocean.

Only minutes had passed under the spotlight of the moon, when Nadia felt Richard’s small hand on her arm. The teeth chattering had stopped, as had the knife chopping. The only sound they heard was the ocean tide coming up on the shore, and an occasional strong wind. She had removed almost all the sand from the boots’ wheels. But she stopped brushing it away, for it seemed too quiet, and when she looked up, she noticed that the glow was gone.

They could barely see the hut among the grasses in the distance. And then, Richard’s grip was sudden and fierce, his profile lit by the moon, his gasp heard and swallowed by the wind. His hair shifted, and Nadia felt an enormous arm pull her from under her ribcage, forcing the air out of her lungs. She was dragged into darkness under foliage, away from the light of the moon. She heard the breath of a man, and Richard’s sudden shouts. It was strange to hear his voice; they had spoken so little on their journey, and suddenly he was near her, yelping defensively, biting the man’s arm. Richard was thrown by another, fiercer arm as Nadia fought the arm binding her, like a steel bar around her stomach locked in place.

And slip from it she did, the wheels snagged in grass and grit, crawling on all fours back to the sight of the moon. Where was Richard? Nadia heard her own voice cry out for him. The wheels spun and spattered beneath her in response, lifting her up a few inches. Her voice failed as a strong hand clasped her heel and yanked her backward. She clawed at the sand, saw lines drawn in it as she was pulled with surprising speed, but that was all. All grew black, the cold, coarse grit dragging along her cheek.

Only then, as the shadowy shape fell upon her, seizing her as they fell into the quiet, ice cold sea, did Nadia realize the power in the suit. As she fought off the giant, there was a sudden explosion of air, an enormous bubbling blast which came from her torso and sent the giant shooting up into the air. She bobbed on the surface and watched him soar up and away.

Nadia then dove under the water, screaming out for the boy, her sound pulsating through the dark abyss like a distressed motor. Up above she gasped for air, hurrying to the overturned boat, the sounds of distant, large windmill strokes treading toward them. No bubbles on the surface, she dove again, when a faint touch like a fish’s tail brushed her elbow. Abhorred, then groping with her hands, she dived down, and in the depth was a shadow, then flowing white. She reached the form, grasping, then exploded up into the air, the arms lain across her at first limp, then reaching.

And then Nadia flew. Past the man, past the upturned boat, not knowing which direction, but she flew higher.. She held the boy, who heaved and coughed up sea water. Richard stood himself on Nadia’s boot to look below, matter-of-factly surveying their corrected course. Time was something that they did not have to spare.

About the Author: Wendy Altshuler is a writer-producer who explores myth in new media. She writes fantasy novels and creates works in stop motion animation. Her credits include award-winning screenwriting and WGA-accredited representation. With a degree in psychology and a Master of Arts from Columbia University, Altshuler documented the work of international choreographers and wrote and produced regional programming. Her short plays have been performed at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, at regional schools and most recently, Puppet Showplace Theatre. Altshuler’s young adult book series has been hailed as “emotionally moving, uplifting and wholesome,” and “spirited and haunting. . .with much symbolism and beauty.”

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Saturday Seven: If You Liked…


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Sometimes I will finish a book or series and still be craving a similar book. Maybe you are the same way. If so, here are some authors you might want to check out– based on books I am currently reading (yes, I read more at one time):

1. THE WHITE PRINCESS by Philippa Gregory. Other authors I might check out are Vanora Bennett and Tracy Chevalier.

2. SEE WHAT I HAVE DONE by Sarah Schmidt. Other authors I might check out are Oscar de Muriel and David Grann.

3. THE GRAVE’S A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE by Alan Bradley. Other authors I might check out are Tiffany Baker and Rachel DeWoskin.

4. THE SILENT CORNER by Dean Koontz. Other authors I might check out are Lincoln Child and Michael Crichton.

5. GLORY IN DEATH by J.D. Robb. Other authors I might check out are Iris Johansen and Marie Force.

6. SEVEN STONES TO STAND OR FALL by Diana Gabaldon. Other authors I might check out are Susanna Clarke and Antonia Hodgson.

7. DRAGONFLIGHT by Anne McCaffrey. Other authors I might check out are Diana Wynne Jones and Christopher Paolini.


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Winter Blogfest: Aidee Ladnier

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.

The Three Best Things About Going Home for the Holidays


With the holidays fast approaching, I’m looking forward to a few of my favorite things I get to share with my extended family.

1. Getting to drink guilt-free hot cocoa with marshmallows. I’m a hot chocolate fan. And I love to sip it in hot and cold weather. But I never, ever, ever buy marshmallows to go in my cocoa because while staring at them in the grocery aisle, all I can think about is the extra calories that the cocoa will already be providing. But when my mom hands me a warm cup of cocoa, she has already sprinkled marshmallows on top and I couldn’t possibly be rude enough to dip them out. I just enjoy them to the fullest.

2. Taking a drive around the neighborhood to see the Christmas lights. Full disclosure – I’m related to the person, you know who I’m talking about, who spends a month or more putting up outside decorations and has to take up a collection to pay the electric bill. So a visit to drive through my cousin’s twinkling wonderland complete with holiday music is a must. And it’s also wonderful to see every other house in the neighborhood just as brightly lit with trees, Santas, and plastic snowmen. And when we get back, everyone piles out of the car and my mom serves another round of cocoa!

3. Hearing all the great stories of holidays past. I come from a family of storytellers. Which means anytime everyone gathered, someone would have a funny story or a poignant one to pull out for the rest of us. My favorite stories were my grandmother’s. She regaled my sister and me with stories of riding on the buckboard to church, cutting paper dolls out of the discarded Sears catalog, and waking up to a special breakfast just for Christmas. And now that I’m one of the storytellers in the family, I’m passing those stories down to the newer members myself.
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I love writing about family traditions and this year I’ve even written a story set at Christmas. I hope you’ll check out A Hundred Promises of Love and may you have a wonderful holiday!


For Ethan and Nico, a broken millefiori ornament is more than a few shards of glass−it’s a chance at finding love at Christmas.

Ethan Carson wants to treat his mother to the perfect Christmas while she’s visiting over the holidays. He’s spent all his savings on presents and bought an enormous tree that takes up half his living room. But when he starts to trim the tree with the family heirloom decorations, he finds her favorite ornament, the one his late father bought on their honeymoon, is broken.

Glassblower Nico Kazan doesn’t celebrate Christmas—unless you count trying to sell the art glass in his gallery to holiday shoppers. When Ethan, the object of his secret crush, asks him to recreate a broken Murano ball, he knows it will take more than his skill and time. Can he risk his heart to give Ethan back a symbol of love and family for Christmas?

About the Author: Aidee Ladnier, an award-winning author of speculative fiction, began writing at twelve years old but took a hiatus to be a magician’s assistant, ride in hot air balloons, produce independent movies, collect interesting shoes, fold origami, and send ping pong balls into space. A lover of genre fiction, it has been a lifelong dream of Aidee’s to write both romance and erotica with a little science fiction, fantasy, mystery, or the paranormal thrown in to add a zing.

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Winter Blogfest: C. J. Anthony

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card.

My Favorite Time of the Year

The End-of-Year Holiday Trifecta (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s) is my favorite time of the year—except for the weather being colder and wetter (depending where you live). But this is the one time of year I will forgive Mother Nature, even for snow; in fact I have even been heard to say snow is pretty during the holidays.

The year is winding down, but we have all these celebrations to get in before the very end. It can be a very rushed stressful time for a lot of folks. Not matter what is going on for me at the time, the holidays always lift me up. They are something to look forward to, to bring some cheer and light into my world.

Christmas is obviously the big holiday but I combine the three together because let’s face it, they do kind of run together.

Thanksgiving gets saddled with the kickoff. These days with stores bringing out the Christmas decorations and sales as soon as Halloween is over, quite frankly the poor holiday almost gets swept aside.  But Thanksgiving has its moments. For me, it is the Peanuts Thanksgiving special—I know, EVERYONE loves the Christmas special, but the Thanksgiving one is my favorite. Not sure why, other than I love that Snoopy helps serve a feast of popcorn, toast and jelly beans to Charlie Brown’s friends, then turns around after they’re gone and shares a full turkey feast—including pumpkin pie—with his little buddy Woodstock.

My other favorite of Thanksgiving is making my mom’s pumpkin pie. It is the BEST and most yummiest. If you like a spicy pumpkin pie then this would not be the one for you. The spice is much lighter and the pie more creamy than a traditional pie. (It’s actually the recipe from the Libby pumpkin pie can, minus the cloves and substituting real milk for the condensed milk)

On to Christmas…well, I have to say I start getting in the mood early. As I write this, it is the middle of November and I am ready to start breaking out the Christmas music! I do keep it to myself; I try not to annoy those who aren’t quite in the spirit yet. And I don’t put my tree up until Thanksgiving weekend. But I have already done a little shopping for new Christmas ornaments and such.

Most of my family Christmas traditions are pretty low key. I do make a few varieties of Christmas cookies, and some fudge. Christmas dinner is at my aunt’s house. It’s my mother’s side of the family and we’re Italian so no turkey or stuffing. We have pasta and sauce and a few other family dishes. The rest of Christmas Eve/Christmas Day I like just doing nothing…relaxing on the couch with the tree lights glowing, watching Christmas movies or reading a good book (usually a good M/M Christmas story.)

And then we have New Year’s bringing up the rear, literally the Trifecta Hangover, LOL. Everyone’s kind of done with the holidays, but not quite. Some folks start taking down their trees and decorations. (I always wait till after New Year’s Day.) Some people go all out for fancy New Year’s Eve parties and others stay home in their P.J.s and watch the ball drop.

Primarily intended by manufacturer Pfizer’s Kent center to deal with purchasing viagra angina and hypertension. This trend has contributed to the increasing incidences of mishaps in surgical procedures check my drugshop viagra no prescription and other chemical options which leave your penis damaged. Women often find it difficult to relax when they constantly anticipate that acquisition de viagra icks.org sexual activity is going on. In case, you are suffering from ED and also before cialis mastercard taking medications like Penegra online. For me New Year’s Eve is important because I love the real symbolism and spirit behind it. To reflect on the past year, and all that has happened—good and bad—and to celebrate the fresh start and optimism that comes with starting a whole new year.

I hope everyone reading this has a wonderful holiday, however and whatever you choose to celebrate. But most importantly I hope everyone finds their own piece of happiness this season.

Share your thoughts on the holidays in the comments below, and if you feel like a fun holiday read check out my book Falling for Santa Claus.

When Jack Frost’s aunt dies and leaves him her house in the tiny town of Great Falls, Jack seizes the opportunity to escape the rat race of Chicago for the quaint village he loved as a child. On his first night he’s welcomed by a baseball bat and a trespassing warning from Nick St. James—longtime Great Falls resident and infamous curmudgeon.

Jack wants to give Nick the benefit of the doubt—he can’t deny his attraction to the big man—but after several run-ins with Nick’s grumpiness and closed-off heart, he’s ready to give up. Only after discovering the secret Nick’s been covering up for years does he vow to break through Nick’s walls to find the loving man hiding behind them.

About the Author: C. J. Anthony grew up watching soap operas and reading piles of books. She attributes her love of reading and romance to her mother, who not only taught her to read but also made countless trips to the library lugging piles of books home for her. It wasn’t a far jump to start writing her own stories, early childhood tales about flower families and traveling to the moon with her best friend.

C. J.’s favorite stories to read and write include “opposites attract” pairings—couples who appear to be an odd couple to the rest of the world, but fit together perfectly, finding their own happily-ever-after with a little hard work and a whole lot of love.
Not surprisingly, C. J. is a big lover of rom coms—she’ll gladly take Julia Roberts standing in front of Hugh Grant asking him to love her over car crashes and shoot-em-up movies any day. She also watches way too much TV and every singing reality show there is. She loves music of all genres and attending live concerts.

She spends most of her time juggling a day job and a commute and freelance and falling asleep on her couch, dreaming of a day when she can write all day in her pajamas while living in a house by the beach.

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A Hundred Promises of Love by Aidee Ladnier – Spotlight and Giveaway


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Aidee Ladnier will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

For Ethan and Nico, a broken millefiori ornament is more than a few shards of glass−it’s a chance at finding love at Christmas.

Ethan Carson wants to treat his mother to the perfect Christmas while she’s visiting over the holidays. He’s spent all his savings on presents and bought an enormous tree that takes up half his living room. But when he starts to trim the tree with the family heirloom decorations, he finds her favorite ornament, the one his late father bought on their honeymoon, is broken.

Glassblower Nico Kazan doesn’t celebrate Christmas—unless you count trying to sell the art glass in his gallery to holiday shoppers. When Ethan, the object of his secret crush, asks him to recreate a broken Murano ball, he knows it will take more than his skill and time. Can he risk his heart to give Ethan back a symbol of love and family for Christmas?

Enjoy an Excerpt

On the Christmas card, two fluffy Persian cats sporting felt antlers stared at Ethan in disgust. Behind them a miniature sleigh sat empty. A thought balloon rose above one cat with the words, “Pull your own sleigh, fat man.” Ha. Ethan tried to smother the chuckle, but it escaped.

“Are you laughing at your Cousin Emmylou’s lumbago?” His mom’s disapproving question snapped Ethan back to the conversation on his phone. He shoved the card back in the rack and lined them up from where the last customer picked through them.

“What? No. What is lumbago, anyway?” His Cousin Emmylou always had some ailment discussed ad nauseam by the family. A pang of regret thrummed in his chest as Ethan realized he wouldn’t see Cousin Emmylou or any of the extended family this Christmas.

At least his mom would be here to celebrate.

“It’s a three-dollar word for back pain.” Ethan’s mom sighed. “Last month it was impetigo. I swear that woman is a walking health hazard.”

“Well, you’ll get a week off from Cousin Emmylou. I’m looking forward to your visit, Mom.” And he was. His mom traveled little, and he wanted to pamper her this Christmas. He’d spent his cash, extra savings, and maxed out his puny credit card to buy spa day gift certificates, theatre tickets, and a special weekend stay at the Opryland hotel. He’d even sprung for passes to see his mom’s favorite performer in concert. He’d need to watch his budget through January to make sure he didn’t overdraw his checking account, but she deserved it. Christmas was always hard, now that Dad had passed. And with her move out of the family home this year… He wanted her new memories to be just as special.

“I can’t wait to spend quality time with my baby boy again.”

“Well, it will be a whole new experience to see Nashville at Christmas. Don’t forget to bring a warm coat.”

His mom’s laughter sparkled through the phone’s speaker. “No shorts for Christmas?”

“I’m hoping for snow.” Ethan chuckled at his mom’s exaggerated “brrr” noise in response.

“There’s something else I—” She began but movement beyond the coffee shop’s plate glass window caught his eye.

Ethan recognized the tall, delicious figure in purple lens sunglasses striding toward him. He interrupted her mid-sentence. “Oops. Gotta go, Mom. Love you.”

“Love you too, baby boy.”

Ethan rammed the phone back in his pocket and ducked behind the counter a minute before the bell over the door jingled.

About the Author: Award-winning author Aidee Ladnier began writing at twelve years old but took a hiatus to be a magician’s assistant, ride in hot air balloons, produce independent movies, collect interesting shoes, fold origami, and send ping pong balls into space. Don’t tell anyone, but she secretly likes to watch Hallmark Christmas movies because she’s convinced that the holidays are the most romantic time of year.

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If I Had Never Heard of Me, Would I Read My Book? by Anita Dickason – Guest Blog and Giveaway


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Anita Dickason will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN CG to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

If I’d never heard of me would I read my book?

What an interesting and intriguing question. One that lends itself to a high degree of introspection. My immediate response on reading it was to think, of course I would. But then, I had to step back and ask myself why. Why would I read my book?

My habits when perusing books in a bookstore or on line, are probably the same as most readers. I look at the cover, though, I probably examine covers more closely than most individuals. I am a graphics designer and design book covers. Errors in cover design have a way of popping out at me just as errors in a book grab the attention of an editor.

Still, if I find the cover intriguing, I’ll pick it up and turn it over, or if I am on line, move onto the synopsis. Does the description grab my attention, and more importantly, is this a book in the genres that I like to read? I gravitate toward crime thrillers with a touch of paranormal. I might even read the first page or two before making a commitment to buy or pass.

When I evaluated my book as objectively as possible, the cover does appeal. The owl’s eyes add a mystique that connects to the title Sentinels of the Night and would grab my attention. The blood red moon sinking into a red sea adds another level of intrigue. The synopsis adds to the mystery. What is the strange secret the FBI agent, Cat Morgan, is hiding and how does that tie into owls? What caused the controversy with a police chief when all she did was find a body? Then what is up with the carving on the body. All in all, it raised questions, that I would want answered.

Reading the first few pages, would tell me this was my type of book. A strong female lead character, with a strange twist on the paranormal, overcoming danger and adversity. Yep, it would be right up my alley. I would buy.

Thank you for hosting my book.
Anita Dickason

.FBI Tracker Cat Morgan has an unusual talent, one she has successfully concealed, even from her fellow agents. That is—until she finds a body with a strange symbol carved on the forehead during a stop in Clinton, Mississippi and crosses paths with the town’s rugged police chief, Kevin Hunter. Despite his instant attraction to the sexy agent, Kevin is suspicious of her presence at the crime scene and isn’t buying her dubious explanations. He wants her out of the investigation and out of his town.

The discovery of another mutilated body with the same symbol sends Cat back to Clinton, and this time she isn’t leaving. To stop the killer, Cat must find a way to overcome Kevin’s distrust and will face an impossible impasse—truth or lies. But will either one matter, when the killer fixates on her for his next sacrifice?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Overhead, a deep hoot echoed, followed by the flap of wings. Two owls settled on top of the railroad car. Perched side by side, the formidable talons that could crush the spine of their quarry in an instant clung to the edge. Tufts of hair that protruded like horns and the glow of huge golden eyes gave the birds a fearsome appearance.

Motionless, she eyed the large raptors while she pondered their intervention. A bewildering deviation from their normal behavior.

“Hmm … that was a rather … dramatic entrance, even for you.”

They blinked, and their bills clacked, as if in protest.

“Not that I am complaining, of course.”

Heads swiveled in unison as their intense gaze shifted to the body on the ground. A few seconds later, they refocused on Cat. The magnetic tug twitched in her mind, and an odd sense of approval mixed with fear flowed into her thoughts. Jeez, this is getting even more weird.

“I’m wondering, though, how do I explain this one to Ben? He couldn’t miss seeing you, and he’s already suspicious.”

Another blink, then their wings spread as they lifted off. No help there, not that she expected any.

Her gaze returned to the body. Without their warning—well, she didn’t want to think about what might have happened. As for Ben, she’d come up with some excuse to fob off his questions. She always did.

About the Author: Anita Dickason is a retired police officer with twenty-seven years of experience, twenty-two with the Dallas Police Department. She served in patrol, undercover narcotics, accident investigation and was on a sniper on the Dallas SWAT team.

Anita is the recipient of the prestigious Law Enforcement Professional Achievement Award from the State of Texas House of Representatives. Other awards include Officer of the Year—Texas Women in Law Enforcement, Officer of the Year—International Association of Women in Police, Runner-up Officer of the Year—Dallas Police Department, Officer of the Month—Dallas Police Department and multiple Police Commendations, Certificates of Merit and Citizen/Business commendations from the Dallas Police Department and the Dallas community.

Anita was a certified instructor with Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Her instructor certifications include Defensive Tactics, Batons, Spontaneous Knife Defense, Field Sobriety Procedures, Drug Recognition Expert program, and Accident Investigation.

She is a Past President of Texas Women in Law Enforcement, and Past Treasurer for the International Association of Women in Police.

Her first book, JFK Assassination Eyewitness: Rush to Conspiracy, is non-fiction and details the reconstruction of a 1966 vehicle accident near Midlothian, Texas that killed a key witness to the Kennedy assassination. The project opened the door to a new career, Author and Publisher. She owns Mystic Circle Books & Designs, LLC and provides manuscript and design services, helping other authors turn their manuscripts into a published book.

Her fictional works are suspense/thrillers and her plots are drawn from her extensive law enforcement knowledge and experience. Characters with unexpected skills, that extra edge for overcoming danger and adversity, have always intrigued her. Her infatuation with ancient myths and legends of Native American Indians, and Scottish and Irish folklore adds a touch of paranormal for the backdrop of her characters.

The experience of writing led to developing a knowledge of self-publishing and graphic design and a new business endeavor: Mystic Circle Books & Designs, LLC. It is a tossup of what Anita enjoys more, working on her books or helping another author publish their works. She has found an unexpected enjoyment in designing book covers, bookmarks, bookplates, etc. Email her for an autographed custom bookplate — anita@anitadickason.com

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Unseen by Lucy Felthouse – Spotlight and $0.99 book

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Lucy Felthouse as she celebrates the recent release of Unseen, her M/M superhero erotic romance – on sale for only $0.99.

When a scientific procedure has unexpected results, Rory tries to make the best of a bad situation and ends up becoming an accidental superhero.

Medical scientist Rory is working in his top secret underground laboratory in Central London when a procedure has unexpected results. Far from curing his patient, a monkey called Arnold, of an unpleasant disease, he manages to turn the animal invisible! In his panic, Rory accidentally gets some of the serum he injected Arnold with into his own bloodstream, rendering himself invisible, too. With disbelief and confusion filling his brain, Rory finds it impossible to think straight, much less to figure out what precisely happened, and what on earth he’s going to do about it. So, after stripping off his clothes—which remain visible and therefore would give him away—he heads out into the London night for a walk to try and clear his head. Soon, a series of events lead him into a situation where he takes heroic action to protect somebody from hurting themselves, or someone else. And, just when Rory thinks things can’t get any weirder, he’s found, completely naked, in the home of the man he helped the previous evening. How can he explain his way out of this?

Enjoy an Excerpt

Rory carefully placed the empty syringe into a kidney bowl on a wheeled metal table at his side then snapped off his latex gloves and put them next to the bowl. When he turned back to his workstation, though, the monkey he’d just injected had disappeared.

He blinked, as though his eyes were not functioning correctly and that closing and opening them again would do a hard reset. Like doing a restart on his PC when it acted up. Unfortunately, in the case of his eyes, it didn’t help. He tried again, just to be sure. No such luck. The monkey was still not there.

Shaking his head, he looked around the laboratory. It wasn’t very big, and there was nowhere to hide. Not for a creature the size of Arnold, anyway. Even an escaped mouse would be pretty easy to locate. Rory wondered if perhaps he was asleep and dreaming—vivid and bonkers dreams were a constant in his life. A swift pinch of his arm answered that question. Muttering, he rubbed the afflicted area, the cotton of his lab coat soft beneath his fingers.

He frowned, then frowned some more as a thought occurred to him. A thought so unbelievable, so ludicrous that he couldn’t understand why it had even popped into his brain.

Because it’s the only possible explanation.

He shook his head. No, it wasn’t. There was a perfectly rational explanation for Arnold’s sudden disappearance. He wasn’t where he’d left him, but although he was smart, there was no way in hell he could have escaped the lab. It was impossible. Rory reached into his pocket and clasped the hard plastic of his security pass between his fingers and heaved a sigh of relief. The very idea of a monkey—albeit a tame, friendly one—wandering around the City of London didn’t bear thinking about. And neither did the consequences.
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Determined to disprove his silly idea, Rory began searching in earnest for Arnold. It took all of five seconds—he wasn’t underneath the workstation, or behind the large storage unit at one end of the long room. All of the cupboards were closed and locked, and the keys still hung securely on a lanyard around Rory’s neck. There was nowhere else the animal could have gone.

Rory scratched his head, the scientist in him still desperate not to resort to believing the thought that was now flashing on and off in his mind in strobe lighting, unwilling to be ignored any longer.

Invisible. You’ve turned Arnold invisible.

No. No way. He was trying to cure a lethal disease, not create some Harry Potter-esque potion for invisibility. But it was a cloak that made them invisible in Harry Potter, wasn’t it, not a potion? He tutted and sighed, then shook his head.

About the Author: Lucy Felthouse is the award-winning author of erotic romance novels Stately Pleasures (named in the top 5 of Cliterati.co.uk’s 100 Modern Erotic Classics That You’ve Never Heard Of, and an Amazon bestseller), Eyes Wide Open (winner of the Love Romances Café’s Best Ménage Book 2015 award, and an Amazon bestseller), The Persecution of the Wolves and Hiding in Plain Sight. Including novels, short stories and novellas, she has over 160 publications to her name. She owns Erotica For All, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes.

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The Itching Scars by Mohy Omar


The Itching Scars by Mohy Omar
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (22 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Stargazer

A collection of short stories dealing with different kinds of scars we keep. They never said being human could be this hard. they never told us about the scars we would carry. they only told us that this is what it means to be alive

Have you every truly looked into the darker side of your psyche?
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The Itching Scars is a collection of three short stories that examine the thoughts, actions and reality of humanity that many of us choose to ignore in our daily lives. To Court Death is the first short story that you will encounter and just like the title implies, it is a look at the courtship of death. Keep in mind that this is not the courtship of the character Death, but a courtship or love of the idea and symbolism of death. This story is primarily narrative with very little dialogue; yet the story is very clear from this vantage point. The reader obtains a fantastic view of death and the hold it has on the individual psyche.

The second story in the three story collection is called The Space Above, The Space Within. This story is told from a third person point of view and includes quite a bit more dialogue. This story takes a deep difficult look at governmental and societal controls. Votum is the main character in this story and it follows his life from the point when his father begins taking a stand against the thought control that their society enforces. The author does a fantastic job at making this world a real, believable construct and in effect, works to cause the reader to question how a society could become so focused that humanity is lost in the daily lives.

The final story is called Under The Rust. The title deceived me at first, but the story was epic. I especially loved the twist at the end, which I did not foresee coming. Under the Rust has a great amount of dialogue and interaction, this comes from a first person narrative encounter. This story is great to be set as last, because it ties the other two stories up to give a total glimpse into the human mind. Out of the three stories, this by far was my favorite.

The author has a great knack for storytelling and understands the use of the various points of view to bring about the best story. Where there was less dialogue, this was certainly cleanly replaced with important description and narration. The length of the book overall was shorter, I feel that none of the stories felt rushed or that anything was left out. I had a great time and enjoyed all three stories.

If you would like to consider looking into your own dark humanity by examining another individual’s dark thoughts and perceptions, this is definitely the book for you!

The Marriage Ultimatum by Charlotte O’Shay


The Marriage Ultimatum by Charlotte O’Shay
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (239 pages)
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Dead-end job? Dreary apartment? Disastrous love life? Check, check, and check. Toddler who makes it all worthwhile? Absolutely. Juggling work, college, and the care of young Alex was never Sabrina’s plan. But Sabrina’s dreams are bigger than any curve ball life can throw at her. Her top priority is keeping her small family together, no matter what the cost.

Vladimir Grigory doesn’t believe in dreams. He earned his position at the top of New York’s corporate ladder with his own sweat. His empire is his baby, and he’ll destroy anyone who threatens it. Even the sexy employee who challenges him on every level. When the New York tabloids and the world call him the baby daddy of Sabrina’s son, Vlad believes Sabrina is part of a plot to expose the secrets of his past. He threatens to destroy her future. But since Sabrina has secrets of her own, she has no choice but to agree to Vlad’s marriage ultimatum.

However, there could be other physical and psychological conditions are responsible tadalafil 100mg for developing ED in many cases We all know smoke, drink, depression and stress causes erectile dysfunction, but do you know STDs like Chlamydia can also cause ED. Also, ask him the accurate dosage of this drug.* Talk viagra soft tab to the doctor if any of these side effects remain for a longer time and become bothersome.PRECAUTIONS :* Drinking alcohol can temporarily impair the ability to get hard state of the male reproductive organ. You don’t have to worry much as this medicine can be bought from online drug store is the free samples levitra as you get discounts and offers on the purchase of a medicine. There is no denying that, for a sexually active male, premature ejaculation is extremely click here for info order levitra online embarrassing problem. Instant chemistry and sex sets this story racing along, titillate and heat the blood. However, the deep undercurrent of what truly drives twenty-three year old Sabrina Boyd and billionaire mogul Vladimir Grigory, is the gripping element of the story—want to cry for both of them.

Life had not dealt kindly with either of them, but each had taken what was there to work with and built a life.

When Vladimir’s actions threatened to wreck Sabrina’s efforts to make a better life for her and three-year-old Alex, she lashes out in the only way she knows how. In doing so, she, unknowingly, sets off the tabloids and gossip columns around the world. What people saw and assumed, in reality, had no truth in it. But the tabloids didn’t care.

The fall out of the gossip threatened things near and dear to Vladimir—nobody did that to him—he had power and used it. His damage control plan set Sabrina and baby Alex’s lives on a path that astonishes.

The hurricane that battered Sabrina and Vladimir at the onset of his scheme to defuse the damaging gossip seemed symbolic of the storm to come in their relationship. How caring, protective, all-consuming love wiggled its way into the mix and brought joy, contentment, and a happy-ever-after for Sabrina, Vladimir and baby Alex, makes captivating reading, kept me up WAY passed my bedtime.

Charlotte O’Shay uses back-story in a remarkable way to give the reader insight into the characters, to create empathy, and to build characters that meet and beat the odds with determination. She has a smooth, very readable writing style.

The Gathering Dark by Charles O’Keefe


The Gathering Dark by Charles O’Keefe
Publisher: Four Phoenixes Publishing
Genre: Fantasy
Length: Full (224 pgs)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review by Rose

Newly-made vampire Joseph O’Reily has rejected his vampire lover Cassandra and declared their relationship at an end. Although he loves Cassandra – and she loves him – he knows their relationship cannot survive because she places such low worth on human life and morals.

Former pirate and vampire sire Anne Bonny is bored from spending almost a century on a tropical island and makes her way to St. John’s after receiving the last thoughts of her creation, John Snow. Once in Newfoundland she engages with Joseph and Cassandra, both of them surprised to see a vampire that doesn’t wish them harm.

Joseph, who is dealing with his failed relationship with Cassandra and his new one with Anne, has forgotten a human figure from his past, Augustus Green, a pimp and murderer. Green plans revenge for the brutal beating Joseph and Cassandra gave him months ago.

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With Anne and Cassandra at his side, they wage a desperate battle against the Countess, in the hopes of not just defeating her but striking a pre-emptive blow against the forces of evil. Joseph is ready to take on his greatest challenge yet. If he wins, good will prevail. If he fails, he will enable the destruction of the entire world. With a lot riding on him, Joseph can only hope for help from old friends and old flames alike, if he is to turn the tide of destiny.

This is the third book in the series and while it can be read as a standalone for the most part, I feel I would have enjoyed the book more had I read the first two in the series. I’ve bought them and look forward to reading the series from the beginning.

Because the book has a history, there was some confusion at times as I tried to work out the different relationships. But that eased out as I got into the story.

The characters are complex and well-drawn–they are definitely not one-dimensional copies of vampires. They have their faults and foibles, and all is not fun and games in the vampire camps. In fact, they take great joy in killing each other. There is a side that fights for right and a side that fights for evil and this is where this book has us.

Joseph, a reluctant vampire at best, is doing his best to get on with his life and studies. Unfortunately life had different plans, and he is caught up in a battle to help save the world. The intricacies of his relationships with a former love and a new love set up an interesting dilemma of its own. While it’s not a romance, there were a couple of sex scenes that, in my opinion, did not add much to the book.

The book is easy to read, but I do suggest reading the entire series in order. I think you would find it a richer experience.