Thursday, November 29, 2018

Thank God for Jean - The Evolution of Beauty Within by Jae El Foster


Welcome to the book tour for Beauty Within by Jae El Foster! Do you know how important an editor is to the writing process? I can always tell when an author doesn't use an editor and when someone has a really good editor on their hands. Today, Jae El Foster talks about the importance of an editor and sings the praises of the one he uses. Find out what he has to say and then check out his latest book. Be sure to leave comments and questions all along the tour and download your own copy after you enter the giveaway!

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.


******************************

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Nothing is better than a good editor, and I have a great one. Without editors like Jean Watkins, our books would not see their potential.

The importance of an editor is extreme, and on my first attempt at a fairy tale, I needed an editor more than ever before. An editor’s job extends further than correcting a writer’s punctuation, grammar and spelling. They see things that we as the authors do not see, and they help us correct them, build on them, or eliminate them if needed. Some writers feel that an editor will rewrite their books, but they are so very wrong on that assumption. A good editor will guide your hand as your tweak your story to make it the best piece of fiction that it can be.

Beauty Within was a book that saw several incarnations on its road to publication. It was the first of several books to hold a clue in my Jae El Fandom Hardcore Easter Egg Competition, and that clue had to be worked seamlessly into the story and still point people in the right direction to the second clue (full details are at www.jaeelbooks.com/contests). I’d never held a contest before where I’d had to hide clues in my books, so this was a challenge for me, and my editor helped me make that clue flow along with the rest of the novel – like it should – but stand out enough to be noticed by participants in the competition.

When it comes to misspellings, sentences that don’t flow, and paragraphs that are too complicated, my editor spots what my own eyes do not see, and she helps me rework what needs to be reworked, and sometimes, that is all because of my dyslexia. In Beauty Within, Jean came across a typo – Sirpiece instead of masterpiece. Not only was Sirpiece – which is not a real word – capitalized, but it was used at least three times throughout the book. I don’t know what the word means or why I created it, but I’m thankful my editor questioned it.

There is a French hair stylist named Pierre that is introduced a few chapters into Beauty Within. His role is to provide my protagonist Natalie with a unique hairstyle for a ball. In the original draft, Pierre did not understand a lick of English and spoke only French, so every time he would speak in the book, his words were in French and poorly translated to Natalie via her nemesis Sarah. While I saw the humor in the conversational situation, my editor pointed out that the only people who would understand what was going on and would get it were me and people who spoke French. I hadn’t thought of that when writing the scene, and so Pierre became a Frenchman with a bad English accent that my readers still enjoyed.

Jean and I worked our way through two – maybe three – edits of Beauty Within until all corrections had been made and the story flowed without pause or loss of flow. Yet, on my final read-through, when the book was set for publication, I realized Beauty Within was not finished. It didn’t feel finished. It lacked something – something big – and it had to do with the ending.

The original ending of Beauty Within is still there, but it is no longer the ending to the book. I drafted a whole new ending, adding a few more chapters onto the otherwise ready-to-go manuscript, and dropped it back to Jean.

The new twist in Beauty Within was so unexpected that even she admitted surprise to it. Yet, even as these new chapters did not much affect what we’d already edited and corrected, they had to be fixed from errors and inconsistencies, and the book as a whole had to be reread as well.

My editor has seen the best of my writing and the worst of my writing. She is why Beauty Within evolved into the wonderful fairy tale that it is, and she is why most of my writing is seamless and makes sense. I do not make life easy on her – especially with my first drafts and sudden ‘hey I had a’ thoughts. Yes, she’s a trooper, and if I have one piece of advice for any and every author out there, it is to get out there and find an editor. And when you do, hope that he or she is as good as Jean Watkins.

By the way – you might be able to tell – I did not let Jean edit this Guest Post beforehand.

My thanks to Books to Light Your Fire for hosting me today! Thanks also to Goddess Fish Promotions and DCL Publications for making this possible. Also, to those of you who have swung by to see what’s up, I hope you enjoy what you see. Thanks for stopping by!


******************************


Beauty Within

An enchanted mask. A harrowing castle. A reclusive dark lord. With the helping hand of the village witch, these three ingredients form a spell that will warm your heart as much as it chills it. Madame Howell makes her second appearance in Jae El Foster’s literary universe in this fairy tale that puts a new twist on an old classic. When a village maiden finds herself in a forbidden castle, she discovers that its sole occupant might be less of a monster than he has been made out to be. However, dark secrets and black magic are afoot, and a ‘happily ever after’ could turn disastrous. Will true love conquer all, or will a dark power make their world come crumbling down?

Read an excerpt:
Hanging his head low, he sighed with a deep sadness, and in a bout of self-anger, he jerked his head up to the ceiling and cried out with an agony and a rage that he had never expressed with such intenseness. His scream ran long, and it echoed loudly throughout every hall and chamber of the castle and even into the blackened air outside. When this scream fell silent, he cried out once again, this time falling down to his knees in bitter self-loathing. His hands fell across his face, touching upon the scars that had sealed his doom. Running his fingers from his face to his hair, he grabbed two fistfuls of the golden locks and pulled hard, adding pain to his already crippling misery.

“Lest he who hath created his hell perish in his hell…” he whispered as the tears began to dry from his eyes. Then, with a leap, he rose to his feet and crossed the foyer to the staircase. With slow, steady movements, he began up the stairs, formulating in his thoughts what his next actions would be. His mind was hazy and in a fog, and thinking made his head only hurt more.

The stairs seemed to continue up for an eternity, but he was used to the climb and he made it to the belfry of his castle with practiced ease. There, he rushed past the old brass bell that had not rang in many, many years, and he forced his hands to brace him as he stopped abruptly at the stone encasing that prevented him from falling to his death below.

With tear-stained cheeks, he stared down at the foggy ground, barely able to see the dirt of the hill. He looked over just slightly and gazed at the village of Foliage, which was completely lost in the night and the thick of the fog surrounding it. The wind still blew with massive force, rocking against his chilled body but never once ringing the bell behind him. Had the bell decided to ring, it would have rocked up against him with enough strength that he would have been pushed from the belfry and down to the ground below, shattering every bone in his body.

This thought chilled him more than the powerful wind, and he held himself in his arms as he tried to find the cottage of the mistress with the mask. Even though he could see none of the buildings contained within Foliage, he knew now the exact location of the fair maiden’s home, and he stared in that direction for the longest of time.

“What I would give,” he whispered, releasing fog with his breath, “just to touch you… to hold you… to share but one dance with you.”


Available on Amazon 


About Jae El Foster

Jae El Foster is an author with whom you question going to bed with at night, but you dare to venture beneath the sheets with him anyway. As the venture concludes, you are perhaps romanced by it, or perhaps you are frightened by it. Don’t worry, because you are always satisfied by it. Despite the title or genre of the book, Jae El sets out to please you with climatic and unexpected conclusions that will make you tremble with emotion. Hop aboard the Jae El train and give it a good ride.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.jaeelbooks.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaeelbooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjaeelfoster/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/communities/105715668467648152419

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaeelfoster/

Amazon Author’s Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/jaefoster

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4540432.Jae_El_Foster

Blog 1: https://www.jaeelbooks.com/blog

Blog 2: https://thoughtsbyjaeelfoster.wordpress.com/


Jae El Foster will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Roosters: Innocent and Sweet by Megan Slayer


Welcome to the book blast for Roosters: Innocent & Sweet by Megan Slayer. If you follow this blog, you'll know she is a familiar face around here! Please enjoy the excerpt of another contemporary romance, leave Megan questions and comments, and then follow the tour for even more fun! Plus there's a great giveaway!

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.



Roosters: Innocent & Sweet


Anissa Dunn wants one man -- Kameron. He’s got looks, brains and a boatload of attitude… and all that muscle. A girl can only take so much, and he's her heart's desire. She’s not afraid to give as good as she gets and she wants him to be her teacher in all things carnal.

There's only one catch -- he's her bodyguard and the rules state she can't date the staff.

But rules are meant to be broken…


Read an excerpt:
Copyright ©2018 Megan Slayer

Kam broke the kiss, then stood her on her feet. “That’s hot.”

Excitement like she’d never known coursed through her veins. The hotness was her. She’d turned someone on -- better yet, the someone was him.

“Kiss swollen lips, flushed cheeks and wide eyes.” He grinned. “That’s the sign a woman’s been properly kissed. Lesson one complete.”

She reached for him. “I didn’t get a passing grade. I want another try. I know I can bump my grade up to an A.” She wound her arms around his neck. “At least offer me some extra credit.”

“Get through this event tonight, and we’ll not only go back over lesson one, but we’ll move to lessons two and three,” Kam said. “Once we leave this room, we resume our roles. No question.” He caressed her ribs. “Remember, this is an event for kids.” He let go, then left her in the suite alone.

Anissa touched her mouth. Her lips tingled. She’d never felt so wanted before. She bit back a whoop and spun on her heel. Hope blossomed in her chest. She’d chosen the right teacher. He’d give her everything she craved.

Now to find ways to make him crave her, too.

Buy links: 



About Megan Slayer

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. Find out more about Megan and Wendi at: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm Sign up for the newsletter here: http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj


Website, http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm

Blog, https://wendizwaduk.wordpress.com/

Fan Page, https://www.facebook.com/wendizwaduk.meganslayer/

Amazon Author Page, http://www.amazon.com/Megan-Slayer/e/B008BJCFSC

Bookbub, https://www.bookbub.com/authors/megan-slayer

Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/wendizwaduk/

Goodreads, http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5330530.Megan_Slayer

Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/MeganSlayer


Megan Slayer will be awarding a prize pack featuring a necklace made by the author and signed swag to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, November 26, 2018

Twelve Days by Hope Waters


Welcome to the blurb blitz tour for Twelve Days by Hope Waters! Check out an excerpt from this rock star romance with a Christmas twist and then download your own copy for just 99 cents during this tour! You can't go wrong with a read for under a dollar. Then be sure to follow the tour to read even more excerpts and reviews. Leave comments and questions for Hope along the way and be sure to enter the giveaway! It's a good one.

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.



Twelve Days

Zoey Blake is having a perfect holiday season. Finals are over and it's time to head home for Christmas, but when she wins the Hartbreakers True Love contest to join them of their tour, she has a chance to follow her favorite band for twelve days -- and twelve steamy nights.

Mackenzie Hart has been a player since and joining Hartbreakers has only edged up his game, that is until he meets Zoey. She's turned his world upside down and only she can make it right. Now all he has to do is convince her to stay with him forever. For a guy like Mack, that shouldn't be too hard but it's gonna take all he has and twelve days to win her true love.


Read an excerpt:
“Zoey,” Nia yelled from inside her bunk, where she had been talking to Josh. “Mack wants to say good night.”

I heard a chorus of approvals from the back of the bus. I stuck my tongue out at them and they laughed. I took the walkie-talkie from Nia and went back to my bunk.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Zoey.

“I just wanted to say goodnight,” Mack said over the crackles.

I smirked. “Why don’t you just call me?”

“Isn’t there something romantic about saying good night over a two-way radio channel in the wilds of Texas where a dozen truckers can hear us?”

I rolled my eyes. “I guess it’s romantic,” I said with a laugh. “Thank you. That is very sweet. Good night Mack.”

“Night.”

Before I shut off the walkie-talkie, I heard from over the waves, “Aw, you kids are cute.” I let out a laugh and turned it off as I handed it back to Nia. I closed my curtains and laid down to sleep as visions of Mack danced in my head.

https://amzn.to/2TJEwZu
 Just 99 cents for a limited time!


About Hope Waters

Straight out of fandom, Hope Waters has been writing for over thirty years. From a young age, she was crafting stories to entertain others of all ages and continues to do so to this day. Hope uses she/they for pronouns and enjoys a good book with a cup of coffee and snuggles from her cats.

Website: http://www.hopewaters.net

Twitter: http://twitter.com/HopeWatersBooks

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HopeWatersBooks

E-mail: hope@hopewaters.net

Hope Waters will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Some Men's Dreams by Eileen Dreyer, writing as Kathleen Korbel


She has no time for love; he has no taste for love. Please enjoy an excerpt from this contemporary romance, Some Men's Dreams by Eileen Dreyer, writing as Kathleen Korbel. Be sure to leave comments and questions after you read the excerpt and download your own copy. And then of course follow the tour for more chances to win the giveaway.

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Some Man's Dreams

SHE HAS NO TIME FOR LOVE

Dr. Gen Kendall has paid too high a price to let anything get in the way of her dream. In one month she’ll be a full-fledged doctor. She just has to impress her chief of staff, Dr. Jack O’Neill. She impresses him, all right. With one swing of a softball bat she puts him in his own hospital and changes both of their lives forever.

HE HAS NO TASTE FOR LOVE

A widower with a 12-year-old daughter, Jack hopes this move to Chicago will signal a new life for them both. He doesn’t plan on finding himself literally at the feet of one of the most compelling women he’s ever known. He certainly doesn’t expect her to turn his life upside down when she recognizes something in his daughter that could well break his heart. Is love enough to see them through, especially when it means that not just Jack but Gen must face the ghosts of their pasts to save his little girl?




Buy Links:
Amazon *  Nook *  KoboiBooks 

Read an excerpt:
Dr. Genevieve Kendall met the new chief of pediatric critical care at the house staff softball game. More to the point, she knocked him out.

Literally.

Dr. John Parker O’Neill, the handsome new wunderkind of medicine, who until very recently had made his name in Boston by effecting near-miraculous saves of desperately ill children, had this day decided to introduce himself to Chicago’s Memorial Medical Center by pitching for the attending-physicians’ team that always challenged the residents on the field of battle the Saturday after Memorial Day.

He had so far pitched as near-perfect a game as anybody would have expected him to. By the time Gen showed up late, because of a surprise admission she’d had to finish, he’d helped the attendings trounce the hapless residents by a score of fifteen to one. The residents promptly sent Gen in to pinch hit for their own sadly overmatched pitcher.

For Dr. O’Neill’s part, he looked unwrinkled and unflustered, standing out on the pitcher’s mound in perfectly pressed khaki shorts and a peach Izod shirt, his hawk-like features tanned and smiling, his gray-fingered black hair tousled just slightly in the humid breeze of an early Chicago summer afternoon.

Gen, on the other hand, looked as if she’d just pulled a thirty-six-hour shift, which, in fact, she had. Stretching the kinks from a sleep-deprived body still encased in wrinkled, Snoopy-decorated scrubs, she tossed her thick chestnut braid over her shoulder and choked up on the softball bat.

“Come on, weenie pitcher!” she taunted, much to everyone’s surprise. “See if you can reach the plate!”

Dr. O’Neill’s smile, a thing of controlled beauty, widened a notch. He tossed the thick, scuffed ball a couple of times into his oiled and gleaming glove and eyed his prey as if she were an amusing child.

His first pitch was wide. Gen waited until the ball safely thunked into the glove behind her to give her bat a few more practice swings.

“Big-time doctor can’t even find the strike zone,” she taunted, which drew howls of outrage from the infielders and another enigmatic smile from her foe.

His next pitch was as sweet a strike as is allowed in slow-pitch softball. Gen watched it arc into the afternoon sun and smiled with delight. She was winding up even before the ball reached its apex. Feet planted, left shoulder slightly forward, her whole body tensed for contact. The ball dropped toward her, and she slammed into it as if it were the head of the last surgeon who had called her an idiot.

The crack of a solid hit could be heard into the next diamond. The ball shot straight back the way it had come. Gen never even got the chance to drop her bat or turn toward first base. She recognized imminent disaster before anyone else.

Even Dr. O’Neill.

“Oh, shit,” was all Gen got to say before the ball, with unerring accuracy, slammed into Dr. O’Neill’s forehead and dropped him like a rock.

About Eileen Dreyer

New York Times bestselling, RWA Hall of Fame author Eileen Dreyer has published 31 romance novels in most genres, 8 medical­forensic suspenses, and 10 short stories.

2018 sees Eileen enjoying critical acclaim for her foray into historical romance, the Drake’s Rakes series, which Eileen labels as Regency Romantic Adventure that follows a group of Regency aristocrats who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep their country safe. She is also working on her first non­fiction book, TRAVELS WITH DAVE, about a journey she's been taking with a friend's ashes.

A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.

Website -- http://eileendreyer.com/

Facebook -- https://www.facebook.com/EileenDreyer

Twitter --https://twitter.com/eileendreyer


Eileen Dreyer will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, November 12, 2018

Meet Jenn Hughes, author of Love at the Electric with Review and Giveaway


Welcome to the Name Before the Masses Tour for Love at the Electric by Jenn Hughes. I fell madly in love with this quirky romance and am sharing my thoughts and an excerpt with you. To add to the fun, Jenn took some time to answer some questions to take us deeper into the story and herself. Please leave her comments and questions of your own and then follow the tour for multiple opportunities to enter the giveaway.

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I also received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

********************

What was the inspiration behind this book?
I started writing this story the day after Christmas. The holidays were a big inspiration, but since it was post-Christmas and I was in that zone of being “over it,” I created characters that weren’t initially holly, jolly types. Mix that with the fact that video games were high on wish lists in 2016, and a holiday story about a geek-in-designer-clothing who falls for an attorney across enemy lines was born.
Which character was your favorite to write?
Ravi was a lot of fun. He doesn’t have that emergency brake that keeps someone from blurting out socially inappropriate things, so he gets to say all the things I think from time to time…all the time.
What was one of your favorite scenes?
I laughed to myself when I was writing the scene where Lillian has dinner with Richard at the farm-themed restaurant. There’s this strange trend of restaurants serving food on everything but plates (they use shoes or bricks or shingles instead), so Lillian is not having it when her meal is served on a shovel. She would have been better off having popcorn at The Electric with Sam. :)
Will we see these characters again?
Absolutely. They pop up again in the second book in the Port Bristol series and join a new cast of characters who are just as entertaining. Besides, Sam and Lillian didn’t quite get rid of Preston Lavery in Love at The Electric, so he’ll be back to throw a digital wrench into everyone’s plans in the second book.
What do you hope people will get out of your book?
I hope it makes them smile. Best case scenario, they laugh out loud. It’s supposed to be a quick, fun read with a 100% happy ending, so I want people to enjoy it.
On what are you currently working?
I’ve finished the first draft of the second book in the Port Bristol series, and now I’m working on rewrites. There are two other separate series I have on the backburner that occasionally attempt to lure me away, but I’m on a deadline, so I’m staying focused on Port Bristol.
What is the best writing advice you ever received?
The best writing advice I received was to keep writing. I never thought I’d get published because it seemed like no matter what I wrote or how hard I tried, it didn’t connect with an editor or publisher or agent. From no responses to outright-cruel rejections, it’s not an easy industry for new writers. But, I kept writing because I enjoyed it, not the queries or submissions—the writing. And I improved. It took time, but eventually a story that I wrote for my own enjoyment and then rewrote numerous (15+) times ended up being my first published work.
What are you currently reading? Up next on your TBR?
The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux. I like historical romance, and this has been on my list for a while. I only have time to read when I’m waiting in the car pick-up line at school, so it takes me a while to finish a book. After that, maybe Kay Scarpetta #9. It depends on my mood.
When not writing, what can we find you doing?
Working. Working. More work. Okay, I’m not that bad. When not writing or working, I can be found cooking, spending time with family, repairing computers (that’s for fun, don’t judge), and I play around with mixed media artwork on occasion.
What is something readers may be surprised to learn about you?
Hmmm… I’m cross-dominant. That means I favor one hand for some tasks and the other hand for others. I write with my left hand, but I throw with my right. It’s a problem in archery, but since I don’t have aspirations for a superhero secret identity involving a bow and arrow (or do I? *cue theme music*), it’s not a big deal.


Love at the Electric


Walking wildfire Sam Owens gets Lillian hot in all the right ways, but there's more to the software CEO than just a pretty face. And a great body. And… Oh, right. He’s the enemy, according to the contract she signed with his rival. So when they secretly meet up for movies at The Electric, Lillian can't get too involved with Sam. She could lose her job. Her reputation. And her heart.

Sam is in love with his company, his image, his video games, and his ability to avoid commitment--at least until he levels up with attorney Lillian Walker. With her love of campy horror flicks and a body that makes him want to howl like a cartoon wolf, Sam’s found his leading lady. Too bad getting close to Lillian means tangling with her boss, a supervillain in the making.

In the nights leading up to Christmas, movies at The Electric mean more than just mutant toads and cannibal fruitcakes. Between shenanigans with old flames and an arch nemesis out to destroy any future they might have, Sam and Lillian learn the hard way that falling in love isn’t as easy as it looks on screen. When the past gets in the way of a perfect “the end,” there’s really only one solution--if werewolf Santas can bring them together, zombie ex-girlfriends can keep them together.

After all, anything’s possible at The Electric.

Read an excerpt:
Beneath a tailored tuxedo jacket, Ravi wore a printed-on tuxedo T-shirt and an LED bow tie slowly cycling through a rainbow of colors. The left pocket of the coat bulged out, and Sam didn’t even have to ask why. Ravi slid his hand down into the pocket, deftly pulled out a chocolate chip cookie, and then took a bite out of it.

“Nothing illegal about it,” he mumbled, cookie crumbs tumbling out of his mouth.

“Isn’t the T-shirt a little redundant?”

Ravi held up a finger and swallowed his mouthful. “It’s ironic. And you know I hate dress shirts with cuff links. Makes my wrists feel—”

“Like they’re suffocating. Right. I know.” Sam turned back to the window and took another sip of his drink.

“Where’s Lillian?”

Sam tugged on his bow tie. “Not coming, I guess. It’s after nine, and not even the limo driver will text me back, so she must have changed her mind.”

A normal friend might have slapped him on the back and said, “Sorry, bro,” or something similarly empathetic. But if normal was a single color, Ravi was an LED rainbow. Sam looked over at him. They stared at one another for a few seconds. Ravi took another bite of his cookie, and twisted his mouth into an uncomfortable frown.

“You should leave,” he finally said.

“What? Why?”

“Because this is a party and you’re bumming everyone out.”

“Wow, thanks for the sympathy.”

“Sympathy. Such a human emotion…” Ravi deadpanned. He finally flashed Sam a grin. “Okay. Fine. I’ll simplify this for you—why are you moping around here when you could be moping around Lillian? Get outta here. Go get the girl.”

https://amzn.to/2qOyFVz


**My thoughts**
It took me a couple of chapters to warm up to this book, as I am not one who dabbles in sci-fi and other "geek" topics. But then all of a sudden, I found myself head over heels in love with it and didn't want to put it down. 

Sam and Lillian are two of the realest characters I have read in a long time. It probably helps that they are about my age, a group which seems to be often overlooked in romance books. They have their fancy jobs, but with each other are completely willing to drop the facade and just be themselves. It's how so many of us live our lives. Sam may take the dual persona a little farther than the rest of us would, but he can afford to do so.

They are a doomed couple in some respects. Sam tends to be a playboy and Lillian is eager to do anything BUT get her heart stomped on by another man. And they literally legally aren't even supposed to be hanging out with each other, as Lillian's boss Preston and Sam have a nasty history. But they are drawn to each other from deep within and share a love for strange, horrible Christmas-themed horror movies being shown at the local independent theatre. It's not often that you find someone who shares your quirky hobbies, so of course they want to spend time together, even if it's "accidentally" bumping into each other.

They play almost a sort of chess game, doing a bit of a dance back and forth subtly teasing and flirting with each other, while also being cognizant of why they shouldn't be together. At the same time, they find themselves saying to hell with it because they are most free to be themselves and give a hefty boost to each other's self-esteem. Isn't that what we all want in our relationships? I enjoyed watching them stumble along, trying to figure it all out and rooted for them from the get-go.

In addition to our quirky starring couple, with whom I can see myself being friends with in real life, you have their even more quirky friends and family who add another layer of entertainment to the story. And then there are the settings. The town of Port Bristol is a clash between old-fashioned charm and new convenient technology. And the restaurants that Lillian visits while hanging out with her ex-boyfriend Richard made me laugh out loud at their descriptions. But most important is that theatre. I just wanted to go there and hang out, even if it meant watching weird Christmas horror movies like reindeer fighting wars with each other while speaking reindeer language.

I found out that there is going to be a second book in the series, and I am so excited for it. I want to go back to this town and hang out with these characters again.


About Jenn Hughes

Jenn Hughes writes romance with a heavy dose of humor. A lifelong love of all things sci-fi, combined with her day job in marketing, IT, and graphic design, infuses her writing with tech-centric and geeky references.

When not reading and writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and gardening at her home in North Carolina. You might also find her gaming, repairing computers and electronics, experimenting with mixed media art, or finishing furniture.

You can find her online at:

Author Website: jennhughesbooks.com

The Bristol Beagle, Port Bristol’s Trusted Source for News: portbristol.com

Twitter: twitter.com/jennhughesbooks

Instagram: instagram.com/jennhughesbooks


Jenn Hughes will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Resisting the Rock Star by Megan Slayer


Welcome to the book blast for Resisting the Rock Star by Megan Slayer. Who doesn't love a rock star romance? I still make them up in my head on a regular basis and love reading them. So check out an excerpt from Megan's book before you download your very own copy to read and enjoy. Remember to follow the tour and leave comments and questions along the way as you enter the great giveaway!

Please note that affiliate links are present in this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.




Resisting the Rock Star


What the rock god wants, he gets—including her.

Mason ‘Kross’ Khan left the rock and roll stage to connect with the son he never knew existed. He’s used to electrifying crowds and romancing the ladies. Money’s never been an object. He’s not looking for a relationship, but when he meets the saucy brunette at a club, he’s smitten. Danya’s perfect—curvy, smart and has no idea he’s a giant in the music industry. The one-night stand is just what he needs and he’s convinced he’ll never see Danya again—until he attends conference night at the local high school.

Danya Littrell isn’t just his one-night stand. She’s also his son’s art teacher and the woman who sparks his muse. Can he balance parenthood, a relationship with Danya and his music career? Or will his secrets be too much for the relationship to withstand?



Buy Links:
B/NAmazon * Google Play * iTunes * KoboPrint 

Read an excerpt:
©2018 Megan Slayer, All Rights Reserved

“You seem fine to me.” He held her close once again. “You seem pretty great.”

She tipped her head to the side to look at him. His eyes flashed, then he captured her mouth in a kiss. Electricity shot from her head to her toes. She pressed against him. She’d never been kissed so deeply. Sparks centered in her pussy. He threaded his fingers into her hair and held her tight without crushing her. When he broke the connection, her knees quaked. She sagged into him.

“Damn.” He smiled. “Better than I thought.”

She wanted to say something snappy, but the words weren’t there. Instead, she settled for honesty. “For me, too.”

She draped her arms around his neck. She didn’t want to leave the dance floor or for the night to end. She could almost hear Kelly encouraging her to leave with him and live a little. He hadn’t asked her to go home with him, but the better part of her wanted that to happen.

“I can’t offer you forever, but I want to give you tonight,” he said. He kissed her again then cupped her jaw in both hands. “Very much so.”

“Who needs forever when one night can be everything?”

About Megan Slayer

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. Find out more about Megan and Wendi at: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm Sign up for the newsletter here: http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj


Website, http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm

Blog, https://wendizwaduk.wordpress.com/

Fan Page, https://www.facebook.com/wendizwaduk.meganslayer/

Amazon Author Page, http://www.amazon.com/Megan-Slayer/e/B008BJCFSC

Bookbub, https://www.bookbub.com/authors/megan-slayer

Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/wendizwaduk/

Goodreads, http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5330530.Megan_Slayer

Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/MeganSlayer



Megan Slayer will be awarding a prize pack featuring a necklace made by the author and signed swag to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rekindled by Marcella Swann


Redkindled

So you tell me this: Why would I ever, ever, EVER give my heart to that bad boy … again?

Yeah, he’s sexy as hell. Yeah, he’s got more money than God. Yeah, he always takes what he wants.

But no way I’m falling for his act. We were high school sweethearts. We were gonna spend our lives together.

But he left; got the hell outta Dodge.

Now he’s back. A devil in a tailored blue suit. Sh^^ he’s hot.

He’s a raptor from the bright lights, big city and he’s on the hunt to take over the last manufacturing plant left in our hometown. Like it’s some kind of freakin’ 8-point buck for his fancy New York City digs.

I run that plant. So, basically, he wants to own me.

No way. I’m gonna fight him. But what if I lose? What if he takes the plant ... and me?



https://amzn.to/2FjKw86

About Marcella Swann

Marcella Swann is an Amazon #1 bestselling author of heart-thumping and heart-melting contemporary romance. She's plied her trade in the newspaper business, written and produced a way off Broadway play, and is the proud mama of a singer-songwriter. When she's not trying to save newspapers from imminent doom (by subscribing to them all), she loves to take her readers on dreamy journeys to that place where all the men are hotties and the women are beautiful and strong. She also swings a mean kettle bell at the gym and likes people watching at Grand Central on a busy day. For more information visit www.marcellaswann.com. Marcella loves to hear from her readers! You can follow her @MarcellaSwannRomance on Facebook and @Marcella_Swann on Twitter or contact her at marci@marcellaswann.com.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Soft Clay (Celestial Mates Book 4) by Megan Slayer



Welcome to the book blast for Soft Clay by Megan Slayer, a contemporary paranormal erotic romance. If you follow Books to Light Your Fire, you've seen many of her other titles! I have an excerpt for you, plus there's a great giveaway. Be sure to leave comments and questions for Megan and then follow the tour for more opportunities and fun!

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.



Soft Clay

Two souls trapped—can they find freedom in each other’s arms?
Nike, the goddess of speed can’t move. She’s the goddess of strength and she can’t shatter her curse. The goddess of victory has lost her weapons—her shield and spear. She put her faith in a human, only to be cursed. Can another human be the key to her salvation and freedom from the clay?

Charlie needs someone who can understand him. A person to cherish him. Male or female, he doesn’t care. He’s intrigued by Nike’s statue. Call him infatuated. But she’s a statue and they don’t come to life from true love’s kiss, do they?


https://amzn.to/2REeCEG


Read an excerpt:
©Megan Slayer, 2018, All Rights Reserved

Nike wished she could move. She longed to shiver into his touch and lean into his kiss. She wished her heart could beat again and she could enfold him in her wings.

What he wore and his makeup didn’t matter to her. Men in women’s clothing could be pretty. He had the eyes and body to pull off the look. If being different made him happy, then wonderful. She wanted to make him happy, too. With the curse in place, all she could do was listen and watch.

Damn the magic. Damn her curse. She wanted to be free. Her brothers and sister were there, but they couldn’t hear her. Couldn’t they tell the human how to break the curse?

She stared at the human male. He reminded her of the servant men on Olympus. He was so pretty but masculine. He’d defer to her, wouldn’t he? He struck her as glamorous, yet off-limits like the servants. Not that she’d held back before. Her desire to sleep with the servants had gotten her into trouble so many times. When she found someone she liked, she wanted to sleep with them. So what if her father deemed her lovers beneath her?

She turned her attention back to the man. His kiss delighted her. She’d never tasted anything so delicious in her life. More than that, she’d been able to feel him. Her hope increased. If she could feel him, not just assume she could, then perfect. She wanted another kiss from the quirky man.

Could he break the curse? She wasn’t sure, but she wanted him to keep trying.

Please, don’t stop trying.

About Megan Slayer

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. Find out more about Megan and Wendi at: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm Sign up for the newsletter here: http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj 



Megan Slayer will be awarding a Prize Pack featuring a Necklace made by the author and signed swag to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

His Tempting Love (Cuffs and Spurs #5) by Anya Summer With Giveaway



Sexy cowboys and secret clubs, oh my! This one is for fans of erotic contemporary romance with some country thrown into it. Read an excerpt from His Tempting Love by Anya Summers and then download your own swoon-worthy copy. Be sure to leave her your questions and comments along the way as you follow the book tour for other installments. And make sure you enter the giveaway below!

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.



His Tempting Love

Cora Roberts has a plan: move to a new town and make a better life for herself and her son. As a single mom, she’s not looking for a relationship of any kind. But then she never expected to have the sexy Garrett offer her a night of uninhibited pleasure with no strings attached.

Garrett Brooks never expected Cora’s surrender to his touch to be so sweet – or tempt him to want more than just a single night with her. But as he pursues a deeper relationship with Cora, a threat from his past emerges.

Will Garrett be able to tempt Cora with his love, or will outside forces tear them apart?


Book links


Read an excerpt:

A pair of shirtless cowboys settled onto the stools at table ten in her station. Cora approached and couldn’t help but notice that the man with his back to her had one hell of a sexy back. Could a back be sexy? Because this one was. His muscles were defined, flexing with each slight movement. She had an image of herself dragging her tongue along the clearly distinct line of his spine, right down to the two dimples peeking above the line of his low-slung blue jeans.

She inhaled a steadying breath. Clearly her vibrator wasn’t getting the job done if she was having lusty thoughts about a strange man’s back.

The gentleman was a large guy—had to be at least six feet or taller—with dark chestnut hair peeping from beneath his ivory Stetson. His long, muscular, jean-clad legs were tucked beneath the table. The jeans rode low on his hips, even with the brown leather belt circling his waist, and the material lovingly cupped his behind. It wasn’t one of the flat butts so many men had but firmly rounded to give a woman something to hold on to as he thrust.

Clearly it had been far too long since she’d done the deed if she was envisioning holding on to his sexy butt while he had his way with her. She had to be careful or she’d wind up sleeping with someone she had no business getting entangled with.

The hot cowboy’s friend was an equally big fella. Although, for her at least, he was eclipsed by his friend.

Cora plastered a smile on her face as she rounded the table and faced the two Doms.

“Sirs, what can I get for you this evening?” she asked and finally lifted her gaze up to the man’s face. And holy smokes, what a face. Sinfully handsome didn’t even begin to describe her hot cowboy. Nor the fact that one glance at him made her skin feel three sizes too small.

“You’re new,” the cowboy said, and his voice reminded her of melted dark chocolate. Her gaze dipped from his ‘melt your panties off’ face to his brawny shoulders. Viewing them from the front, suffused with lines of ropey muscles, made tingles tighten in her core. Her gaze lowered to his solidly formed chest, the pectorals well-defined and liberally dusted with fine dark hair. Her mouth watered to taste the flat disks of his dusky brown nipples and then follow the singular line of his happy trail with her tongue over his ripcord abs. She inhaled a steadying breath. What the hell was wrong with her? She flashed her gaze back up to his face. His chestnut hair was shaded with hints of deep auburn and the color extended to the trim beard covering his square jaw. But it was the Dom’s eyes, framed by thick chestnut brows, the sharp cobalt orbs reminding her of the deep blue waters off the bay in Seattle, that caused her breath to catch in her throat. They stared at her, glittering with interest as they gave her body the same studious perusal.

“Perceptive,” she replied, as she attempted to reel her pulse back from its fluttering, thumping madness. Just because she found the cowboy sinfully attractive to the point that all her erogenous zones had taken notice, didn’t mean she could act on said lusts. “My name is Cora and I will be serving you this evening.”

“I’ve not seen you around here. New to the area?” the other cowboy said.

She directed her gaze his way. He was equally attractive, with his fawn-colored hair showing beneath the brim of his black hat and hazel eyes that leaned more toward brown with flecks of emerald and gold. His jaw was clean shaven, a bit more angular, and he had a slight cleft in his chin. The cowboy’s chest was certainly noteworthy, a tad leaner, his build more like a swimmer’s, and dusted with light fawn-colored hair. But this guy didn’t make a five-alarm fire ignite in her nether regions. Which made him safe territory, regardless of the fact that his eyes weren’t all that warm.

She addressed him and said, “Yep. Moved here two weeks ago.”

“From where?” Blue eyes asked and she swiveled her head, feeling her high ponytail swish against her shoulder blades. She was drowning in his stare, pin pricks of heat swarming her system. With a simple glance, the man caused every nerve ending to tingle with awareness. Her breath backed up in her lungs and she had to fight the very real desire to touch him. See if his skin would burn at the touch.

“Seattle. Would you two like anything to drink tonight?” she asked, wanting to steer away from her personal life.

“Quite a long way,” the other cowboy said, his stare assessing her, and she couldn’t help but feel he was attempting to divine all her secrets.

He had no idea. She missed her friends, she missed her tiny little house. She missed home. She shook herself. This was home now, whether she liked it or not.

“It is.”

Blue eyes said, “I’m Garrett and this is Jackson. Why don’t you bring us a bucket of Coronas to start?”

“Absolutely. Hungry? Anything to eat?” she asked.

“Not for anything on the menu.” Garrett gave her a lopsided, sexy grin. Laugh lines crinkled at the corners of his intense gaze. And Cora felt a resounding ache in her core. Smooth. This Dom was a charmer. A panty melting charmer, and by the wicked gleam in his cobalt gaze, he knew how to make a woman scream in ecstasy. And if she was reading correctly into his innuendo, sexy Garrett would only be too happy to show her just how exemplary he was in matters of the flesh.


About Anya Summers

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.

Visit her website here:
www.anyasummers.com

Visit her on social media here:
http://www.facebook.com/AnyaSummersAuthor

Twitter: @AnyaBSummers https://twitter.com/anyabsummers

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15183606.Anya_Summers

Anya Summers Newsletter

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Anya-Summers/e/B01EGTVRKC/

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anya-summers

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/anyasummersauthor/


Don’t miss these exciting titles by Anya Summers!

Dungeon Fantasy Club Series

Her Highland Master, Book 1

To Master and Defend, Book 2

Two Doms for Kara, Book 3

His Driven Domme, Book 4

Her Country Master, Book 5 

Love Me, Master Me, Book 6

Submit To Me, Book 7

Her Wired Dom, Book 8


Pleasure Island Series

Her Master & Commander, Book 1

Her Music Masters, Book 2

Their Shy Submissive, Book 3

Her Lawful Master, Book 4 

Her Rockstar Dom, Book 5

Duets & Dominance, Book 6

Her Undercover Dom, Book 7

Ménage In Paradise, Book 8

Her Rodeo Masters, Book 9


Cuffs & Spurs Series

His Scandalous Love

His Unexpected Love

His Wicked Love

His Untamed Love

His Tempting Love

His Seductive Love releasing November 2018

His Secret Love releasing January 2019

His Cherished Love releasing March 2019


The Alcyran Chronicles

Taken by the Beast

Claimed by the Beast releasing Fall 2018

Loved by the Beast releasing Winter 2019


Anya Summers will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, November 5, 2018

Read an exclusive excerpt from The Nefarious Series by Lucille Moncrief



Welcome to the excerpt tour for the Nefarious series by Lucille Moncrief. I have an exclusive excerpt for you today, plus there's a great giveaway at the end. You can read more about the book series and download your own copies. The first book is on sale for just 99 cents during the tour, so you can't go wrong! Leave Lucille comments and questions and then visit the rest of the tour for even more excerpts and opportunities to enter the giveaway!

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission to help support my websites at no additional cost to you.


The Nefarious Series


A captured mermaid, two vampire hives on the brink of war, and a bored, sadistic king weave a tale of forbidden love in this spin-off from Moncrief’s Nefarious series.

Follow Hannibal Steele, chief alchemist of the Scion Hive, as he races against the clock to produce the coveted Bone Elixir. Will he finish the elixir in time before the Great King Abaddon murders Hannibal’s love, Emmeline, princess of the rival Minoa Hive?

Find out in this thrilling, fast-paced tale set in a steampunk world, where the sea rises in anger at the capture of her princess, wolves howl within the hoary swirls of a white potion, and mermaids join forces with a lonely alchemist in the foggy Georgia night.


https://amzn.to/2PHqIiE


Nefarious Volume One: A Dark and Erotic Tale

Penny Dreadful meets Fifty Shades

Book 1 of 6 of Lucille Moncrief’s the Nefarious Series

Talcott Henderson, dead for over one hundred years old, wants to live again. Enslaved and abused, he longs to destroy his maker and return to the world of the living. But first, he must replace himself with someone else. Armed with only a silver tongue and a fuzzy sense of right and wrong, he sets his sights on Elyse Delafayette, a lonely melancholic. But Samuel Quartermaine, a vampire hunter with a dark past of his own, bears a grudge against Talcott's maker, and stalks Talcott from the shadows of the cemetery walls.

Will Talcott succeed in convincing Elyse to join the ranks of the undead before Samuel can stop him?

Fans of Dracula, steampunk, and gaslight fantasy will love this collection of dark and lurid tales. If you're tired of sparkly vampires and sickly-sweet romances, sink your fangs into the Nefarious Series and get a bigger bite out of the vampire world.

https://amzn.to/2JE1Gvw

Nefarious Volume Two: Honor the Suffering

While the bombs rain overhead, Talcott Henderson and a group of fellow soldiers huddle in the cratered ground beneath the German front lines. Through the never-ending din of enemy fire, the voracious, blood-soaked machine of war haunts Talcott. Memories claw at him; kill or be killed, eat or be eaten. In the bowels of the earth a specter appears and offers him an eternal life free of guilt.

But what is the cost of an unmarred soul?

If you like dark and gritty tales, war stories and the supernatural, you'll love this installment of the authoress Moncrief's Nefarious series. Grab your copy today, travel through time, and escape into a breathtaking new world!

https://amzn.to/2F0pYB6

Nefarious Volume Three: The World is Our Exile

Can evil consume innocence?

Can the one who walks the line between both save it?

Elyse Delafayette, innocent yet darkly cynical, continues a naive flirtation with evil incarnate. Although goodness pursues her, she rebukes him. Although he seems sincere, she fears he is not.

Samuel Quartermaine, embodying darkness and light, races against time to save her from the clutches of the undead.

Will she let him love her?

If you are sick of sparkly vampires and love sarcastic heroines, brooding, secretive heroes, and exploring the stark contrast between good and evil, you will love this story. Get your copy now to experience a sensual, thrilling ride into vivid new world!

https://amzn.to/2OuVI12

Nefarious Volume Four: The Dirigible Airship Disaster


Penny Dreadful meets Fifty Shades

Described as “captivating,” and “hauntingly beautiful,” the Nefarious series is a sophisticated, enthralling, and well-written tale of intrigue and devious desires. Set in a lurid, southern gothic world, follow the undead Talcott Henderson as he engages in a battle of wits with his intended, Elyse Delafayette.

But wait, what’s this? Half-ling dhamphyrs armed with hawthorn stakes, an energy-witch coven torn apart by infighting, and a corpse-like, ancient vampire king with an agenda of his own?

Enhanced with custom illustrations, this fast-paced steampunk series will leave you on the edge of your seat and hungry for more. If you are sick and tired of wimpy vampires and the flood of terrible books on the romance market, grab your copy today of the Nefarious series and relearn what a true escape into fiction is all about.

https://amzn.to/2JDWVC1


Nefarious Volume 4.5: The Heads That Rolled


Fans of Trueblood and all things dark and steampunk will fall in love with Lucille Moncrief's Nefarious Series.

In the fifth installment of this newest generation of vampire lore, go back in time to the savage heights of the French Revolution. Heads will roll as the story follows the series' anti-hero, Samuel Quartermaine, as he falls victim to the family curse and his father's betrayal.

Book 4.5 is a wild ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat and reading long into the night . . . With the lights on, of course.



https://amzn.to/2QqUEg4

Read an excerpt:
Hannibal Steele and the Bone Elixir

Hannibal regarded her with pity. Her skirt was torn in places and stained. Dark circles fell beneath her eyes like the specters of poverty. Hannibal knew it all too well after centuries of stalking humanity. So many of them, and few ever had enough to eat. Bitterness struck at the deep hole in his chest where his soul had once resided. He wished, oh how he wished to have put his talents to good use. Instead they only lived to serve a greedy, covetous and bored king. Hannibal frowned, opening the basket lid. Bottles clinked inside, and the witch began to point at the different contents, her voice shaking with excitement.

“This one here with the blue stopper is water from a white wolf’s paw print, and the one with the red stopper is a dried and crushed wolf’s brain, and . . .”

Her voice, light as the dulcet tones of a harp, faded out, and Hannibal felt his eyes begin to turn as she continued, oblivious to his hunger. His gums itched. He salivated, and all the while, the tropical, spicy masala smell that wafted from her warm, toffee-colored skin enticed him. The blood that ticked along in the vein of her neck teased him with its soft beats. His fangs snapped forth, and she spied him at once, gasping. She took a step back and he covered his mouth, not wanting to harm or frighten her, but he needed to feed. The pull of her essence upon his dark spirit was unbearable, and to deny it would be like ripping his own skin off. Her fear laced the air with a taste like copper pennies, and he heard a scream gurgling up in her delicate, delicious throat. Immediately, his eyes began to spin into black orbs, holding on to her gaze, and he lowered his hand and set the basket down at his feet.

Her eyes began to mirror the tar-black shade of his, and her pupils became huge disks as his hypnotism took over. She was foolish to not protect herself with some charm, for even though he was in dire need, and of greater empathy than most of the undead, he was still weak to his own blood-lust and depredations. The hunger clawed and scratched at his insides as his fangs elongated, and his voice washed over her, drowning out her reason.

“Bare your neck to me,” he whispered, closing the space between them.


About Lucille Moncrief

Lucille Moncrief, authoress of the steampunk and gaslight vampire series, Nefarious, was clearly a stodgy old librarian in a past life. She loves poring over history books and binge-watching PBS's Secrets Of series.

Join her mailing list by downloading the free book, Hannibal Steele and the Bone Elixir:

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/9pmdoroswd

When Ms. Moncrief is not yelling at the kids to get off her lawn, you can find her staring out her window pretending to be pensive. She's usually in a good mood and readily accepts follows and friend requests to her Facebook page.

To contact the authoress Moncrief and for more information on upcoming and past releases, please visit her website, www.moncriefs.net.

Website – www.moncriefs.net

Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/Lucille-Moncrief/e/B073MFT2CM

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16984216.Lucille_Moncrief

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/moncriefs.net/

Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/501377123571897

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lucille_moncrief/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/moncriefelle


Lucille Moncrief will be awarding a (US ONLY) signed paperback copy of Book 4.5 and a poster of the series (The series is illustrated) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway