A look behind Vengeance of Grimbald by Richard Hacker

Fantasy meets thriller in Vengeance of Grimbald by Richard Hacker. Today he takes us behind the scenes of his book, the characters and the world he has created. Then you can also check out an excerpt to whet your appetite some more for downloading your own copy. Be sure to let him know what you think in the comments! And then follow the tour for even more fun and to enter the great giveaway!

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Battling evil through time and death.

Six hundred years after a fifteenth century scryer gains the alchemical knowledge to create a dark future in his own image, Addison Shaw inherits a destiny: to fight this ancient war that threatens all he loves with extinction. Using an alchemical pen, he writes himself into past lives, leaving his body in the present. Upon completion of his mission, he must die in order to break the link and return home. Addison, and his inking partner, Jules, are members of the League, a secret alchemist society of Inkers who protect the time continuum. They believe they defeated their enemy, Cuthbert Grimwald, known to them as Kairos. When he resurfaces filled with vengeance, intent on destroying the League, and acquiring the Alchimeia, a book of such power the League has hidden it for millennia, Grimwald leaves a path of destruction across centuries. As he quests for absolute control of reality, Addison and Jules pursue him through time and death in a desperate struggle to save the world from his vengeance. 

You might wonder where a story like this comes from. People who know me would say a twisted mind. LOL. But actually, it started with a fountain pen. I was holding a fountain pen one day and my mind wandered to the power of words. Human beings have been naming things since the beginnings of language. It’s how we find our place in the world and in some cases I think, gives us a sense of control. Or at least the illusion of control. So, what would happen if a character had a pen filled with alchemical ink that when he wrote the name and a date for someone living in the past, his consciousness would be transported into that person? What would he do with that astounding capability? And as with most technology, what if someone decided to use the alchemy to acquire power and control time itself? How would the protagonist fend off this attack on the time continuum and reality as he knows it? And then I put the fountain pen down, pulled out the laptop, and started writing.

The story goes all over the world, past, present, and future such as ancient Egypt; 19th century Alexandria; WWII Belgium; an altered present day Seattle and Tokelau Atoll in the Pacific; 1940’s Padang, West Sumatra; 17th century Delft, Dutch Republic; and Cromwell’s England. As the story in Book 2 unfolds the time continuum once again shifts, sometimes with subtle changes and sometimes with radical shifts in culture and technology. And my characters have to play on this multi-dimensional chessboard. So, I’m sure you can imagine, I had to be structured to the point of working from an outline and making notes to myself at the end of each writing session to keep me oriented.

But what drives a story are characters. I think you’ll find the protagonist, Addison Shaw, to be both an interesting and a complicated guy. He has a deep guilt and sense of responsibility for the death of a girlfriend when he rolled their car on a mountain road in a snowstorm. He carries the scars of that night, emotionally and physically with a damaged knee requiring him to use a cane to walk. He went from school athlete to disabled loner. As the story progresses, he will face even greater challenges and will have to find a way to heal himself enough to move forward. He’s also a bit of a smart ass, a little compulsive, more shy than he’d like you to think, and willing to act even when he’s terrified.

His partner, Jules, takes more center-stage in VENGEANCE OF GRIMBALD. She is a strong character, well-grounded, with a burning desire to seek justice for the murder of her parents, who were also inkers in the League, by Kairos. Unknown to her, she has died in one continuum, to exist in another. Given that a relationship can be challenging in one-time dimension, her relationship to Addison, who has known her in each, becomes complicated.

In in the fantasy world, many of the books lean toward fantastical world building far from our own reality. The Alchimeia Series has its feet on the ground, anchored in the actual. There’s a sense that, even though the story is fantasy, the speculative and historical elements feel very possible. I once heard Ken Burns say the attraction of professional baseball is that you can watch in the stands and think you can actually play the game. But of course, it takes tremendous skill to hit a 95 mph fastball. But it sure is fun imagining the possibility! In VENGEANCE OF GRIMBALD, readers can realistically imagine they could do the things these characters are doing. It seems possible. Which I think is an important message in our day and time. When life looks hopeless, when everything seems to be turned upside, the people who make a difference are not superheroes, but people like you and me, people who persevere in spite of the odds and do the best we can.

Thanks again for being a reader. Please check out DIE BACK and VENGEANCE OF GRIMBALD on Amazon. And I’d love to hear from you. Visit my website, www.richardhacker.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RWHacker and drop me a line.

Addison and Jules, members of the League, a secret alchemist society of Inkers who protect the time continuum, believe they defeated their enemy, Cuthbert Grimwald, known to them as Kairos. When he resurfaces filled with vengeance, intent on destroying the League, and acquiring the Alchimeia, a book of such power the League has hidden it for millennia, Grimwald leaves a path of destruction across centuries. As he quests for absolute control of reality, Addison and Jules pursue him through time and death in a desperate struggle to save the world from his vengeance.

Read an excerpt:

The concussive force of the explosion scrambled the pod’s nav system, her pod, wobbling, flipping and twirling out of control. Jules fought to override the navigation controls, but the G-forces whipped her around viscously, her vision narrowing until she finally lost consciousness altogether.

Blackout.

With a start, she took in a deep breath, the ocean moving swiftly toward her. She reached for a manual control, something like a gaming control she once to use in a life that seemed so very far away. She pulled back on the stick, the water still rushing toward her.

“Come on. Come on, dammit.”

Without warning, the pod leveled out.

“Thank god.” Her heart pounded, but she took in another deep breath, grateful to survive. The moment didn’t last.

Like being caught in a Tilt-a-Whirl, the pod spun around as if top heavy, then crashed into the ocean like a stone skipping across a pond. Once, twice, three times, then hitting hard enough to submerge completely under the water. For a moment, disoriented, Jules sat frozen in place. Then survival instincts set in, holding fear back long enough to find a way out, a lever, a release button, something. She knew the pod was in motion, but she wasn’t sure in which direction–floating to the surface and light and life, or sinking to the bottom and darkness and death.

A sudden burst of morning light confirmed the former, the pod bobbing in the ocean. She scanned the surface. Addison. Come on, Addison. Where are you? But she couldn’t find another pod bobbing in the water. Meili had given her life to get them to Tokelau. Against her will she let the possibility enter her mind that Addison may have died as well. Rising and falling with the swells, Jules held her face in her hands and wept.

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Richard Hacker, lives and writes in Seattle, Washington after living many years in Austin, Texas. In addition to the science fiction/fantasy novels of The Alchimeía Series, his crime novels ride the thin line between fact and fiction in Texas. Along the way, his writing has been recognized by the Writer’s League of Texas and the Pacific Northwest Writers Association. As a judge in literary contests shuch as PNWA and ChicLit, and as a freelance development editor, he enjoys the opportunity to work with other writers. In addition, he is the Sci-Fi/Fantasy editor for the Del Sol Review. DIE BACK was his first novel in the Alchimeia series.

Del Sol Press books by Richard Hacker are available at Amazon

The Alchimeía Series
DIEBACK: Book One
VENGEANCE OF GRIMBALD: Book Two

Other books by Richard Hacker:

Nick Sibelius Crime Series
KILL’T DEAD OR WORSE
BUZZARD BAIT
ALL HAT AND NO CATTLE

Follow the author at www.richardhacker.com
Or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RWHacker

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

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Saunders' Choice by Gina Briganti

Dear fans of fantasy romance, this one is for you! Please enjoy an excerpt from Saunders' Choice by Gina Briganti before you download your own copy. Get even more as you follow the tour. And as always, best of luck in the giveaway!

She lives life below the waves. What will a man sacrifice to discover it’s not a dream?

Mermaid Velvet has always had a special fascination with the World. And studying its two-legged humans has given the aspiring comedian unique skills to make her audiences laugh. But when she saves a human who believes he’s drowning, she’s stunned by the magic that flows between them.

Saunders is trapped between two realities with no memory of his past. Lost in a strange, underwater domain, he comes face-to-face with an alluring goddess of the sea. When he disappears from her realm, he’s desperate to reunite with the entrancing beauty.

As Velvet continues to bring Saunders out of the darkness, her love for him grows along with her fear that his next disappearance might be his last. And as his memories slowly return, Saunders must decide if he’s willing to leave the World permanently for a chance to be with the mermaid he desires.

Can Velvet and Saunders overcome his terrible fate and sink into each other’s perfect arms? Saunders’ Choice is a standalone novella in the enchanting Natural Gifts fantasy romance series. If you like irresistible attraction, mystery, and love against the odds, then you’ll adore Gina Briganti’s tale of the deep.

*An early version of Saunders’ Choice was published in the Changing Worlds anthology. Buy Saunders’ Choice to dive into an ocean of passion today.

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

Laughter followed Velvet as she left the stage in the grotto where she had been hired to perform a private show for the wealthy creatures’s birthday party.

She knew the crowd were eyeing her bare torso, hoping the current would sway her long silver and lilac-tinted hair off of her breasts so they could see if the color of her nipples matched the color of her lilac fin.

She sighed. Maybe it was time to change. Raven black hair with a bright, shiny aqua blue tail made her audiences stare, but she did get more jobs that way. She wanted more shows at the big clubs.

“Velvet.” Cassidy, her manager, called out to her from where she waited in the luxurious apartment the management called a dressing room.

Cassidy was a mermaid, too. She was much older than Velvet, who was only one hundred years old. Cassidy was more than three hundred years old. No one would know that if it weren’t for the Hall of Records there in The Dreaming because everything stayed the way you wanted it to.

UBL: https://books2read.com/u/3nvKDB

About Gina Briganti

Gina Briganti writes fantasy and sci-fi romance in north Texas. She also writes holistic health non-fiction because real life can be magic, too. Her credentials in holistic health include certification as a Reiki Master Practitioner and teacher, certification as a nutrition consultant, and a degree in holistic nutrition.

When she's not writing, eating delicious healthy food, reading, or making videos, she is spending time with family and friends. Her constant companion is a special soul who masquerades as a lab and chow mix.

There are exclusives and announcements that she shares only in her newsletter, which you can sign up for right here: http://ginabriganti.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=efb8eaf5e244c4ac83bb036d2&id=f0d488464f

Links:

Website: www.ginabriganti.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gina.brigantiauthor

Instagram: @ginabriganti

Newsletter: https://ginabriganti.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=efb8eaf5e244c4ac83bb036d2&id=2bb9bdfd73

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCddcTr_wNeqiqRWHiGaujQ

Twitter: @brigantigina

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gina-briganti

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4236998.Gina_Briganti

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Gina-Briganti/e/B008QZ2ZVI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Gina Briganti will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Learning to Bend by Michelle Davis Guest Post and Giveaway

Welcome to the book tour for Learning to Bend by Michelle Davis. Today she is sharing with us a great guest post comparing writing and publishing her book to riding a bike. I actually understand her story so much better than I can even begin to tell you. Please enjoy and then read an excerpt from the book. Let her know what you think after you download your copy. Follow the tour for even more fun. And then enter the amazing giveaway!

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It's Not About the Bike by Michelle Davis – August 2019

Similar to Jenna, the main character in Learning to Bend, I’m challenged on a bike. It stems from my childhood. Let’s just say that I wasn’t exactly the adventurous type – I was happy playing with Barbies, reading comic books, and doing art projects. Still, I vividly recall my first bike – a Schwinn Stingray complete with a banana seat and a yellow and orange frame. I remember riding up and down our sidewalk– with training wheels on and our dog’s leash attached to the handlebars. Early on I figured out an “easier” way to ride. I think that I might have been the last kid in our neighborhood to lose the training wheels.

As I grew older my friends and I really never rode our bikes. Biking was more of a vacation activity – riding flat roads on a rented blue bike with a white basket hanging from the handlebars. To stop these bikes, you just peddled backwards. The seats were soft, and they had kickstands. Easy, plain, and simple.

But then I married a man who loved to mountain bike. One Christmas he gave me a “very nice” mountain bike. This was a piece of art that should have been displayed inside, not stored in our garage. It was beautiful, but it intimidated the hell out of me. Still, I tried.

Let’s just say it wasn’t a high point in our marriage. I think I called him words that one should never say to her husband. And then, as I disembarked at a red light, I managed to take off about six inches of the skin on my right shin as my leg scraped the metal pedal.

Yet I wrote it off to my first time out, so I tried it again. But that “easy” bike ride was anything but. Once again, I employed my less than classy vocabulary to ensure that my husband knew exactly how I felt about that experience. After that the bike never left the garage… until we sold it at a huge loss.

This experience pretty much confirmed my suspicion about mountain biking. That was “his” thing, not mine. But life has a way of twisting and turning. Two and a half years ago we found ourselves spending significant time in Bend, Oregon – a mountain biking mecca. When a friend offered to take me riding on the trails, I readily agreed. I was sort of athletic, and if I were going to be in Bend, then I needed to mountain bike, right?

Maybe not – I again managed to take another six inches of skin off my right shin. Yep, that damn metal spiked pedal was the culprit. Plus, I fell into a very prickly bush, which didn’t help matters. I felt that this was an omen warning me to stay off of mountain bikes. So, I took heed. Sure, I’d take my hybrid bike out on the road, but its thin wheels couldn’t handle dirt. I resigned myself to the fact that I would never ride these magnificent trails.

But then this past winter I started to spin a lot. It was an amazing workout, and here was the best part – I couldn’t fall off. I had finally found my kind of bike!

However, this summer when we returned to Bend, I missed spinning. Plus, I witnessed how happy my husband would be after returning from the trails. It made me wonder – since I love spinning and being outside, what would happen if I gave mountain biking one more try? I took a risk and bought a mountain bike.

The second day out on the “baby” trails, I realized that my issue is not with the bike, it’s the feelings I experience while biking. When I’m riding on the trails all sorts of emotions emerge that make me uncomfortable:

- Will I fall and hurt myself?
- Will I look ridiculous?
- How can I navigate through the rocks?
- What if the ground is too sandy and gives out?
- What if I come across a dangerous animal?
- What if I make a wrong turn?
- What if I get left behind?
- Will I hit the tree trunk when riding between two trees?
- Will I break too hard and topple over my handlebars?

And the list goes on.

Being on a bike illuminated hidden fears, forcing me to second guess myself and doubt my abilities. It’s like trying on a bathing suit in a brightly lit dressing room – there is no hiding anything. All that you wish wasn’t there is in plain view. That is what riding a bike does to me.

But I want to become proficient on this mountain bike and maneuver the easy trails so I can ride with my husband and friends. So, I have a decision to make. I either strap on my helmet and climb onto this bike, or I play it safe and avoid those uncomfortable feelings.

It’s a similar dilemma I faced regarding self-publishing my book, Learning to Bend. Keeping it as a word document on my laptop would be safe. No one can judge my writing, criticize the characters, or laugh at the plot. But if I want to grow, expand, and see what I can truly become, I must put the manuscript out there, just as I know I must get on the bike if I want to have the joy of riding.

And who knows what will happen as I leave my comfort zone and try. Sure, I may fall down or my book may not sell. But that’s not what it’s all about. For if I never try and fail to venture into uncharted waters, then how will I ever know what I am capable of?

Jenna Moore's flawlessly orchestrated life and engagement to Ben Kelly, “the perfect man,” vanish when she discovers a controlling side of her fiancé. Confused and unsure of who she is without Ben, Jenna decides to uproot from her safe, predictable life in Boston and move to Bend, Oregon, hoping to find her answers there. It’s when she meets Jackson, a former Navy SEAL who battles demons of his own, that Jenna finds the courage to let go of being perfect and embrace uncomfortable risks, transforming her life through forgiveness, compassion, surrender and acceptance. Yet the rewards from discovering her true self exceed Jenna’s expectations – not only does she find the greatest love of her life, but she also understands what’s kept her from learning to bend.

Read an excerpt:

I’m drawn to a solitary man with shoulder length thick brown hair sitting alone at a café table. I try not to stare, but I can’t help myself. When I get closer, I see a faint scar on his cheek. It intrigues me. He intrigues me. Yet it’s his captivating green eyes that truly catch my attention. I look in the opposite direction and make it appear as if I’m about to walk away. But I can’t, he pulls me toward him. I pause, actually freeze in my tracks before I find my body shifting in his direction. He’s drinking coffee and gazing at me. Who is he and why am I feeling this way? Doing my best to regain some composure, I try to avert my eyes, but they won’t stop staring at him. What is it? He’s not traditionally handsome – he’s more of a sensual “bad boy” type – nothing like Ben. Suddenly, I feel my throat tighten and butterflies appear inside my stomach. I become conscious about my hair. I’ve had a helmet on all day. It must look awful.

Stop it. He’s just some stranger.

Although he’s sitting, I quickly assess his height and notice his chiseled muscular build. I’m guessing that he’s older than me, by at least five or more years. Something deep inside of me begins to stir as I pass by his table. That’s when I hear, “Place the weight on your inside toe when you turn. You’re using your knees too much.”

Buy Links

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Michelle Davis, whose career path includes banking, teaching, and college admissions consulting, holds a B.S. in Finance from Lehigh University and a M.S. in Education from St. Joseph’s University. Through her blog, elevate, Michelle’s goal is to inspire others to shift their perspectives and welcome change as they realize their life purpose. A Pennsylvania native, Michelle and her husband enjoy visiting their sons in Boston and spending time in Bend, Oregon, the settings of her debut novel, Learning to Bend. To learn more about Michelle and how to elevate your life, visit www.michellemdavis.net.


https://www.michellemdavis.net

https://www.learningtobend.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LearningtoBend/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/michellemillerdavis/

The author will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour.

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Diamond at Midnight by J.A. Jackson

Here's a hot romance for you to check out! I've got an excerpt for you today from Diamond at Midnight, the latest from J.A. Jackson. Be sure to follow the tour to read even more and then download your own copy! There's also a great giveaway at the end!

Growing up on the mean streets of Chicago prepared Diamond Dunbar for almost anything. With her sights set on a college education, she’s ready to live the dream. Her boyfriend, Allen built his reputation on ruthlessness. After making a questionable business arrangement with Diamond, he pulls the rug right out from under her. Diamond finds herself in a hopeless situation. Caught in a train wreck of heartbreak and betrayal, she couldn’t believe this was happening to her. With her future on the line, enter, Max, he’s enthralled with Diamond. Diamond can’t resist the attention of Max. Yes, he’s tall, dark and handsome but can she trust him with her secret? Can Max help her navigate through her complicated world of secrets, lies, and betrayal? When trust is an option. Trust no one!

Read an excerpt:

Maximilian Joseph Matheson… 

Once Maximilian Joseph Matheson made up his mind that he wanted something, there was no turning back.

Max stood in the 800 block of Noyes Street and watched Diamond struggle with her shopping bags coming out of Dominick’s grocery store.

Eyes locked with his, as Diamond took a step forward recognizing him.

Diamond inhaled a spicy heavenly scent. As she he drew near. She couldn’t take her eyes off Max’s six feet three-inch frame.

Max smiled as he walked over slowly, assessing her. Diamond was her normal jean wearing self as she seductively sashayed toward him. “Mind if I help you with your bags?” Max asked.

Her eyes brightened, and she gave him an affirmative nod. “You sure can,” she said, watching him rush over and grab all her bags.

She was tempted to do a happy twirl right in front of him but refrained. “Thanks for the lift home, I hate catching the bus loaded up with bags of groceries.”

“Wow, you look amazing,” Max said, nodding and steering her toward the curb. “Here’s my car.”

Max put her bags in the trunk and walked around the car and held the door for Diamond.

Diamond watched as Max strides over to the driver’s side and got in. She bit her tongue, thinking that Max was an attractive man. His warm tan complexion held a glow that added to his masculine virility. She wondered what he would do if he knew that she was wildly attracted to him.

Clearing her throat, she thought of something to say. “You weren’t following me, were you Max?” She asked, as her brain raced. She couldn’t help wondering if he was stalking her.

A twinkled shimmered in his eyes. “Of course, not. I was in the store picking up some shaving cream when I saw you. We just happened to be in the same place at the same time and I saw the chance to do a good deed.”

In an instant, the words popped into her mind and she opened her mouth to speak. “Well, one good deed deserves another. How about I cook us some dinner?”

“That sounds great!”

After giving him, short cut directions, back to her apartment Diamond leaned back and exhaled as she looked out the window and watch the city fly by. What was she thinking? She wondered. What if Allen had stopped by? The voice inside her head, laughed and she knew the answer. Allen would never stop by. Allen was somewhere doing exactly what Allen wanted to do. Just like a man.

Amazon Buy Links (Just 99 cents!)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082CVSJVD

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https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B082CVSJVD

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J.A. Jackson is the pseudonym for an author, who loves to write deliciously sultry adult romantic, suspenseful, entertaining novels with a unique twist. She lives in an enchanted little house she calls home in the Northern California foothills.

She spent over ten years working in the non-profit sector where she wrote grants, press releases and contributed many stories to their newsletter. She was their Newsletter editor for over ten years. She loves growing roses, a good pot of hot tea, chocolate, magical stories, suspense stories, ghost stories, and reading Jane Austen again and again in her past time.

Please write her at P.O. Box 1494, Clovis, CA 93613

Email Address: jerreecejackson@gmail.com jerreecejackson@yahoo.com

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jerreece

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jerreece-Ann-Jackson/204377496289139?ref=hl

Blog: http://jerreeceannjackson.blogspot.com

Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/author/jajackson

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jerreece1/boards/

J. A. Jackson will be awarding a $15 Amazon GC + 8 kindle versions of the book to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Legally Binding (The Sunset Romance Series) by Emily Weinhart

Beautiful, whip-smart, and unrelentingly ambitious, Anna Swanson is a woman on top.

Making partner at one of the most prestigious law firms in Los Angeles was a breeze for her. Controlling men on a daily basis is something that has become an art-form to her. In a man's world, she's a woman with more balls than most.

Anna's only real problem is one of her fellow partners at the firm, Drake Williams. He's blunt, inconsiderate, arrogant and downright infuriating, add to that the fact the bastard has her heart and you can see why Anna's in trouble.

But that's the least of her problems; the firm they're both partners at has a strict policy against relationships. A policy that if compromised, could result in both Drake and Anna sacrificing their careers and undoing decades of their hard work.

With some of their fellow law firm partners starting to become suspicious of them, while their own sexual appetites increase for each other, Drake and Anna must decide what they're willing to lose in order to keep each other.

Buy it on Amazon

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About Emily Weinhart

Emily Weinhart is an author of Erotic Romance.

After experiencing a painful break-up with her fiancé, several days before their marriage, Emily decided to leave her career in the corporate world and to live by the sea.

Whilst living a nomadic yet romantic lifestyle, traveling from country to country, and beach to beach, Emily spent her time reading as many hot stories for women as she could find.

As she read and traveled, Emily decided to pursue her dream to write a romantic book series.

Now, happier than ever and still a devoted beach-a-holic, Emily spends her time writing novels like Fifty Shades while consuming copious amounts of coffee, and attempting to write the next best romance book series.

Instagram: @emilyweinhart

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.

When Our Stories Collide by K.L. Goodreau

Maggie Carpenter is a waitress at a high-end club in Arizona who loves nothing more than a quiet night cozying up with a good book. One fateful night she ends up serving Jackson Porter, a handsome yet brooding best-selling author, celebrating the recent National Book Awards nomination for his newest romance novel. It's an instant magnetic attraction for the two of them but there's just one problem, they are polar opposites.

Maggie wears her heart on her sleeve, she's mild-mannered and does everything to please those around her. She believes making one person smile at a time can change the world, which in turn makes everyone she meets subconsciously swarm to her.

Jackson won't let anyone close. He's a womanizer, has no respect for rules, covered in tattoos, curses like a sailor and he hates the idea of trusting his heart with anyone other than himself. He believes himself an irrevocably broken man with an attitude problem.

Jackson plays her hot and cold and despite Maggie's gentle nature, around Jack she becomes a firecracker. "With Jackson, it feels like the oxygen is sucked out of the room and it would only take a single match to bring it to a full scorching fire. But now I know, that match could easily turn the room into a boxing ring or it could be a passionate force of affection."

Jackson lives his life wild and free, while Maggie toils her life away living vicariously through the pages in her books. But the reality is, neither of them were really living until their stories collided.

Maggie needs someone to show her how to live and Jack needs someone to how him how to love. Will she end up convincing him love exists or simply be used as a pawn in his book?

Read it now on Wattpad

Read the prologue:

“Before we met I was just a girl living in the silent black and white pages of a book. There were no real ends or beginnings only continuations of days blurring to the next. Ever forward, we didn't realize we were heading straight for each other until we crashed- no collided, into each others worlds. The collision brought color and beauty that neither of us had ever experienced before. 

We were complete opposites. Jackson's life before me consisted of him pushing away anyone who tried to get close, while I wore my heart on my sleeve. He had tattoos, piercings, and cursed like a sailor, yet I was mild-mannered and did everything to please the people around me. He had a new woman every night, yet I was a virgin. Everyone warned me away from him, including himself. 

He lived his life wild and free while I toiled my life away living vicariously through the pages I've read in books. But the reality is, neither of us were really living until our stories collided. This is our story. 

-Maggie”

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers. 

A Brief History of the Female Vampire by LT Getty, author of Dreams of Mariposa

Do you think you know it all about vampires? Test your knowledge with this brief look at the history of the female vampire, given to us by author LT Getty. Then check out an excerpt from her book Dreams of Mariposa before you download a copy for yourself. Check out the rest of the tour to learn even more! And best of luck entering the giveaway!

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A Brief History of The Female Vampire

Dracula is perhaps the most well known or iconic vampire in media, but the idea of female vampires occurring not only in Stoker’s work as his trio of vampire brides is not unique. Though not the first novel to feature a vampire, (that belongs to Polidori’s The Vampyre, 1816) the female Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu was published more than two decades prior, in 1872 as compared to Stoker’s Dracula’s publication being 1897. Historically speaking, these novels came much later than the history and legends of female vampires. If we go beyond the word ‘vampire’ and look for common traits, such as beings that drank blood and were uniquely female, we see an interesting collection of stories that usually centered around demonic shapeshifters. 

Vampires as well as other creatures that drink blood can be found in many cultures throughout the world, and this is by no means a comprehensive list. 

Perhaps the most prominent figure in history would be the succubus, a beautiful demon who would seduce and sometimes even rape men, with her male counterpart being the Incubus. Stories of night terrors and night hags exist to this day.
We can find more specific cultural references to monsters who drank human blood, and oftentimes were always female. The Jewish legend of the Estries, is about a female shapeshifter that only fed on the blood but could walk on holy ground. In ancient Greece there were no shortage of monsters classical heroes had to vanquish. One was said to be the Empusa, a female shape-shifter said to possess a single leg of copper. They were thought be controlled by the goddess Hectate and seduced and then fed upon young men. Ancient Babylonians had tales of the mythical Lilitu, creatures that were thought to pray on pregnant women, and were especially fond of their newborn babies.

We don’t have to go into ancient legends to find inspiration to what would eventually become the early gothic works, our own history is often enough. While it’s common knowledge that many attribute Vlad the Impaler as the primary source, many cite Elizabeth of Bathorymight as one of the inspirations of for Dracula. Bathory’s notoriety comes from reasonable evidence she might be history’s most prolific serial killer, with her and several accomplices luring 10-14 year old girls to her castle for desire of work, then torturing them. Though it remains possible that there was political motivation to make accusations towards Bathory, more than 300 witnesses were called and she was accused of killing and torturing over 600 girls, with some of the more horrific accounts citing she chose to bathe in their blood to retain a youthful complexion. The number was never confirmed. The reality was she was found guilty and was only not executed because of her social standing and familial power. While some historians say she was placed under strict house arrest, it was said she was bricked inside a room in her castle. There is often no way of telling fact from fiction, and no doubt some of Bathory’s actions have grown into more legend than historical fact, however history will likely always remember Bathoryas as a real monster.

I intentionally chose to focus on the past in this post, but please don’t feel obligated to do the same. What are some of your favorite legends of vampire like creatures? Do you have any favorite female vampires that come to mind?

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_literature
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estries
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empusa

Every decade, Marie must leave her home and everything she loves to start anew. She can’t risk the locals learning the truth of her immortality, much less her vampiric need of feeding off fear. Fortunately for Marie, fear comes easily and she spends her endless days mourning the loss of her beloved.

When she is summoned to the leaders of the masquerade, she is persuaded to assist them in uncovering a mystery of powers possibly more ancient then their own order.

As a rare daywalker of exquisite beauty, there is no society Marie cannot infiltrate. Having spent the last few centuries growing into her abilities, she expects to learn of the old powers, and return to her lonely eternity of mourning.

She doesn’t expect to fall in love.

Read an excerpt:

I could smell the inside of the building as being more than simply old and in need of a maid. It smelled of old earth and iron. I sensed nothing out of the ordinary, which told me the devious one likely had means of cloaking. Curious, as most old houses at least had hints of hauntings.

He led me past a set of stairs and into what was probably once a receiving parlor, but he had many dusty tomes and tall bookshelves, and a ladder besides to get to the highest levels. One could not easily get to the furniture, which was draped in ugly fabric. Boxes and crates littered the floor. The cad hadn’t the sense to tidy up and make an effort when he knew he was having a lady visitor.

“How many of your kind are there in town?” Septimus asked. “More than a dozen?”

I laughed, looking up at the ghostly pale portraits. He had strange tastes in art, preferring a more stylized appropriation than realistic or idealized beauty. I saw a reference to ancient gods, destroying towns and descending upon mortal women to force upon them their demi-god offspring. Half-naked women in chains being molested was his true artistic preference, it seemed. I should have brought Rosa. Even if he only dabbled in finger-paints, she needed only half an excuse to show skin, and perhaps I could have rooted around and discovered what he was up to without his condescension.

“As…we like to keep to ourselves and go without detection, it is more like half that.” I didn’t bore him of the needs of the lesser of my kin. “Have you had many run-ins with my kind?”

“I was curious about how you go about feeding without being detected.” He turned his back on me and lit the fire almost too easily.

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About LT Getty

L.T. Getty is a science fiction and fantasy writer who hails from the Canadian Prairies. When she’s not writing, you can likely find her driving an ambulance and dreaming about travel.

Blog: https://ltgetty.wordpress.com/

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6479207.L_T_Getty
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48991028-dreams-of-mariposa

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Love, Lies, and Bad Guys by Bill Blodgett

This one is for my fellow fans of romantic suspense. I have an excerpt from Love, Lies, and Bad Guys by Bill Blodgett for you to check out before you download your own copy. Ask the author some questions in the comments section! And then follow the tour for more fun. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

Love, Lies, and Bad Guys

When US Marshal Jay Stonewalker sees a possible terrorist comment in a chatroom frequented by anti-government radicals suggesting a nuclear threat to New York City, specifically the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, he can’t get it out of his mind. Against his boss’s orders he heads off to NYC to investigate on his own time. While there he follows a suspicious character into a secluded recess of the New York Subway system and foils what he believes is the terrorist event. In a shoot-out with his suspect he’s wounded and calls the NYC PD for backup. When he sees NYPD Detective KC Daviau and other uniformed officers slipping into the darkness from the subway platform he’s relieved, but to his surprise he’s met with resistance and disrespect by Detective Daviau. Against his objections, KC takes custody of the evidence and leaves the scene. When Jay asks an officer if she is always that way he’s told that, “Since her parents died, she’s been… let’s say… a little cold.” When they are assigned to work the case together, KC’s icy exterior soon begins to melt away as they begin to fall for each other, but KC has to hold back. She has a dark secret and knows he can’t ever know her truths because if he did he would hate her just as she hates herself for what she’s about to do.

Read an excerpt:

“I was surprised to see you had body art.”

“It isn’t body art. It is my belief. I guess that’s why I don’t show them. It’s personal. They are of my Goddess, Mother Earth and the symbol of our tribe, the mighty eagle. The Mother Earth Tree Goddess demonstrates the circle of life. Where all things on land, air and water are connected. They are all one. If one element is removed, the tree will wither and die. We believe that it is the same for people. We must be as one or we will all eventually suffer. The Eagle is our symbol for bravery, something that is essential to take on such a derêp.” He saw her puzzled look and continued before she could speak. “Derêp is our word for job or chore. The Eagle is dedicated to protecting our tribe, which is a very difficult job. I use his image to remind myself each day that my task is difficult and not to falter. If you were just another chick, maybe I’d say they were body art, but I want to share that part of me with you.”

“So…” she teased. “How many other chicks have admired your body art?”

He laughed lightly with maybe a hint of a gallows laugh, “Not as many as you might guess.”

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About Bill Blodgett

I still live in the community where I met and married my lovely wife, Janice. Actually, she lived around the corner from me and we both ignored each other until our teen years when the hormone thing kicked in and we suddenly realized that the cute little girl skipping rope and that goofy boy riding a bike had both grown up.

We are the proud parents of April and Lindsay; both of whom are now married. April married Darren and they have two beautiful boys, Brian and Owen. Lindsay married Tim and they have two beautiful children: Kailyn and Evan.

I enjoy hiking, kayaking, camping with my family, golfing, making candles, and restoring my antique European sports car, a 1972 MGB.

They say to write from what you know, so I do. I write of love, life and relationships. In addition to the romantic plot we all expect from a Romance novel all of my books deal with a real-world issue as a sub-plot that we all have had to deal in some manner in life, but not in a preachy way. I find that including this sort of theme helps me identify with my characters on a personal level. My hope is that the reader will also feel that connection with my characters.

I have four other published novels. Dead Or A Lie and Saint’s Sword are vampire Romances. Unrequited is a contemporary novel with romantic elements and received 4 stars from Romantic Times Book Review magazine. The Last Prejudice is a family saga that deals with the issues a family must address when a family member comes out.

I have been a member of the RWA and the Central New York Romance Writers since 2004 and have held various posts in my local group. By day I am a construction inspector for an engineering company.Please visit my website: www.billblodgett.com or email me at bill@billblodgett.com You can also find me on Facebook at @authorbillblodgett and Twitter @bill_blodgett

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

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