Four beautiful women seek fame and fortune in Hollywood, the City of Toys, where actresses are like dolls, playing pretend on the big screen.
Marlo: a former child actress from New York City.
Rhonda: a small-town beauty queen.
Kim: a “nice Jewish girl” with a painful childhood.
Guyla: a “serious actress” with a debilitating, stress-induced illness.
Marlo, Rhonda, Kim, and Guyla, become friends living in the same apartment complex, in the city where dreams and disasters go hand-in-hand. They come to rely on each other as they deal with sexual come-ons, crazed stalkers, jealous starlets and the constant pressure of trying to make it in showbiz. But when the pressure gets too much, will their friendship save them or will the City of Toys break them?
About the Author: Lindy S.Hudis is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied drama. She is a former actress, having appeared on such television shows as “Sunset Beach” and “Married with Children”. Her romantic murder mystery, Weekends, is currently available from Lachesis Publishing. She is also a filmmaker, her independent short film “The Lesson”, which she wrote, produced and directed, screened at the Seattle Underground Film Festival. She is co-owner of an independent production company called Impact Motion Pictures. She and her husband Steve, a Hollywood stuntman, have just completed the screenplay adaptation of Charmaine Hammond’s best selling book, “On Toby’s Terms.” She lives in California with her family.
Blurb – A young girl struggles with abuse, addiction, and abortion all while trying to go to school. Somehow she hits rock bottom and finds an unlikely love story.
Synopsis- Grace finds herself with a toxic friend and a brand new hobby when she discovers meth. She had a promising future before Grayson came into the picture. A wolf in sheep’s clothing he soon shows his true colors and they are painted with black and blue.
The drugs cause more problems than they fix, but lost in the intoxicating world of numbness she must find herself through abuse, addiction, and abortion. Will she let the drugs take her out of the world, and be forever numb, or will an unlikely love pull her out and make her feel again?
Website – http://www.authoremilywalker.com
Blog – http://www.selfpublishordie.com
Review site – http://www.reviewsfrombeyondthebook.blogspot.com
Emily Walker loves creating worlds and stumbling around in them. She is constantly losing her chap-stick, and has an obsession with the color pink. Currently a resident of the mountains and loving the view she writes mostly paranormal fiction, and horror. Her small family consists of her red bearded other half, a rat terrier named Rebel, and a cat called Mr. Creepy.
First and foremost, let me say thank you for having me today. In Retreat Hell! She Just Got Here, I introduced my readers to Jasmine “Jazz” Winters, and in the follow up No Regrets, No Surrender, introduced Jazz’s fellow FET teammates Mary “Stormer” Phillips (Combat Barbie) and Roxanne “Roxy” Cortez—all Marines and Marines who have all seen combat.
On January 25, 2013, the Department of Defense reported that women would no longer be forbidden from front line combat roles, but the truth is women have served in combat since the formation of the first armies in the late 1770s. Where there is war, where women are—women are in combat.
If you do your research, you will find that the Continental Congress awarded a military disability pension to Mary Corbin for the battle of Fort Washington in New York. What did Corbin do? She manned a cannon during the battle and was injured in the line of duty. She only received half the pension that her fellow male soldiers received, but she did get her full ration of rum.
Arguments Against Women in Combat
One of the primary arguments was that women in combat couldn’t perform on the same physical level and that the presence of women in combat would distract the cohesion of the male unit—that men wouldn’t be able to function or not want to protect them at the cost to themselves. Counter arguments point that brothers in combat don’t leave their brothers behind and they go above and beyond to protect their fellow sailors, soldiers, Marines, and airmen.
Women who serve in the military don’t have to be on the front lines to see combat. In October, 2013 Specialist Brittany Gordon was with a team meeting with some local Afghani leaders when a suicide bomber targeted the Afghan and a piece of shrapnel killed her. IEDs do not pay any attention whatsoever to the gender of the target nor does a bullet or a war.
Female Engagement Teams
The roots of the FET teams can be found in Iraq and Afghanistan during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Communicating with the female Muslim populations is extremely important and the culture precludes their contact with foreign males or any male for that matter who is not a member of their immediate families.
Marine Lioness teams in Iraq would search female Iraqis for contraband and concealed weapons and the FET teams developed from there. They provide an invaluable resource not only to their commanders and units, but also to the local communities in a way that had never been managed before.
Female Engagement Teams can interact with women and children in the local populace, report information and provide it. They implement community development programs, and they can gather intelligence without violating cultural standards. The women who serve on these teams are highly skilled and screened and serve their country with distinction.
These are the women that inspired me to create Jazz and Mary in the first place.
Semper fi.
***
Heather Long lives in North Texas with her family and their menagerie of animals. As a child, Heather skipped picture books and enjoyed the Harlequin romance novels by Penny Jordan and Nora Roberts that her grandmother read to her. Heather believes that laughter is as important to life as breathing and that the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus are very real. In the meanwhile, she is hard at work on her next novel.
You may remember Veronica Tower from before. I read and reviewed (and loved!) her Rock Idol. She has a new release and I'm pleased to be one of her stops. Let's talk to her: Hi Tara, thanks for inviting me to your site today to talk about Healing. It’s always so much fun to visit Book Babe. Why don’t you tell us about your new release?
Healing is a paranormal romance that built inside me for a very long time. Like just about everyone, I’ve seen too much sickness and death strike the people around me and I’d long to have a magical cure available for those I love. Unfortunately, few things in this world are unmitigatedly good and my crazy imagination began to wonder if there could be downsides to receiving the miracle of restored health. That train of thought led to this very sexy and deeply emotional novel.
That sounds intriguing. What else can you tell us?
Well I don’t want to say much, but I will say that this is my longest and most involved novel to date and an awful lot of those pages are dedicated to very hot and steamy sex. But this book isn’t erotica—it’s most definitely a powerfully emotional romance.
This is the second book of yours I’ve featured on this site. Where do you get your characters from?
That’s a hard question. Characters evolve slowly and by the time they pop out of my imagination I don’t always know exactly where they started. What I do know is that by the time I finish writing them they’re unique individuals who stand on their own.
One more question, you’ve got more than twenty books and stories in print. Which is your favorite?
The thing about writing is that for a story to come to life, you have to be able to live and breathe it while you’re creating it. You can’t do that without loving your story. So Healing is definitely my favorite book, at least until I publish the next one.STORY BLURB: Healing by Veronica Tower http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=974
If you lost the use of your legs, what would you do to walk again? When an automobile accident severs Ari's spine, she's willing to try anything to regain her mobility and the independence that comes with it—even travel to a mysterious clinic in the Rocky Mountains in search of a miracle. But no one will tell her how the clinic achieves its fabulous cures or how an unbelievably handsome young man living at the facility factors into the process. Can this hot young man regenerate Ari's spine? And if he does, can Ari live with the hidden price of Healing?
BIO:
Veronica Tower was married to her high school sweetheart for five deliriously happy years and ten far less wonderful ones. Now she is taking the time to make up for lost opportunities. In addition to returning to school to pursue a degree in psychology, Veronica has committed herself to fully exploring her fantasies, both in writing and in person…
What parent of a
ten-year-old daughter can resist her fervent pleas for a dog? Especially when
her young life has been marked by the pain of a horrible car accident that took
her mother when she was a toddler. Jay McAllister, single parent for the past
eight years, heeds the call of a neighbor in need of placing a newborn puppy and
welcomes Intrepid - a Lab-mix orphan - into his family. Intrepid gains the
nickname "Tepid", but her fit into the McAllister household is
anything but lukewarm. She helps the family heal from wounds they thought they
had left behind years ago, integrating herself into their lives and burrowing
into their hearts. She instills belief in Jay, knowledge that hurts can be
healed, family can be strengthened, and joy can return even when it has been
absent for quite a while.
She also opens his mind to something otherworldly. Together,
Jay and Tepid experience the reality that a promise made - between a wife and a
husband, between a public servant and his community - can transcend even death
itself
Daniel Weckerly resides in Pennsylvania and shares his life
with his wife and kids and his wonderful Labrador Retriever, Parker. He has
been writing in a business context for the past 25 years, with
"Intrepid" being his first novel. He credits a long-term love of
Labradors with his ability to capture in words the humor, honor, and heart of
these magnificent dogs, the only breed he has ever owned. You can follow Daniel
on Facebook at www.facebook.com/daniel.weckerly or www.facebook.com/intrepid or
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Intrepid-By-Daniel-Weckerly/392251177526031
*MY REVIEW* I really liked this book. I loved the story of a man and his two daughters healing with the help of a puppy. The puppy, the dog's love comes into their lives at a time it's needed. The puppy comes to them needing major care; bottle feeding, supervision, mothering, training, exercise. The dog's need for exercise leads to nighttime walks in the local cemetery where they scare away pesky geese and pick up water bottles. They are welcome there. Other intruders are not; kids on dirt bikes, vandals, muggers. The hero of the story...at first he doesn't face down his fear very well, and then I was perturbed that he takes his dog into the heart of danger, while at the same time I admired his sudden growth of balls didn't have before...but here's where the story gets paranormal. And I'll say no more. I liked the style of this. It's well told, well written, and engaging. I'd read more by this author, but in the end, I failed to see to how the paranormal activity tied into the dog. Was there a hint of something? Sort of, but I'm uncertain. Four bikes. I received this from Sizzling PR.
She left home to find herself...and found love along the way.
Maggie isn’t looking for love on her backpacking trip through Australia. She’s got enough man troubles back in Ireland. Australia is her escape, a place of adventure where she can create memories to last a lifetime.
But some memories won’t be left behind.
Gray is ready to quit hiring backpackers to help with the work on his remote Queensland cattle station when Maggie turns up. She’s just passing through, but the connection they forge during the long nights herding cattle won’t be so easily cast aside.
CONTENT WARNING: A strong-willed Irish heroine, a stubborn Australian hero, and oceans of difference to bridge for love.
A Lyrical Press Contemporary Romance
About the Author:
Having traveled and lived all over the world, Cd Brennan now talks with a strange accent, a mix of distant terminology, a blend of culturally cute but confusing euphemisms that leaves everyone looking at her with a blank stare. Luckily, her Australian husband (who she met in Ireland) and her two Aussie/Yankee sons have no problem understanding her – well, except for the word “NO”. Now settled back “home” in Michigan, she enjoys reliving her glory days by writing about them. She considers the last fifteen years abroad the perfect research for her Love Where You Roam series; matchmaking women and men from different cultures, even different hemispheres, helping them find their true one across oceans of difference. As destiny plays a hand in all the stories, Cd Brennan truly believes that what is for you, won’t pass you by. She hopes to inspire others to get out there: “Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” [Mark Twain] And of course, fall in love.
Excerpt:
She couldn’t figure him, and this was the first chance they’d had to be alone since that night. She put on her best teasing smile. “How did a seasoned bushman like you let a bull get the best of ya?”
As soon as it came out of her mouth, she knew it was the wrong thing to say.
His brow furrowed, anger lighting his eyes. “It happens to the best of us.” He ripped another piece of bark from the tree and turned to go.
“Did you have a good time last night?” Maggie hurried on. “I mean, other than the incident with the bull.”
He shrugged. “It was all right. Did you?”
“It was brilliant. I had a fantastic time.”
“Yeah, it looked like you were having a good time with ol’ mate there.”
Maggie raised an eyebrow. “Jason?”
“Yeah, that skeg.”
He had noticed.
“What does that mean? Skeg?”
Gray shook his head. “It’s nothin’, forget it.”
Maggie’s temper flared. “I might not be an Aussie, oi-oi-oi,” she mimicked, “to know that it’s rude.”
Gray shrugged. “Anyway, looked like you guys were getting pretty close. Are you going to stay with him next?”
Now her temper kicked in. She pumped harder on the swing. If he would only step a few feet closer, she’d be able to get him with her legs. That’s what he needed, a kick in the bum.
“Maybe I will.” She raised her chin in defiance. “With Lizzy here, you don’t need my help anymore.”
Gray narrowed his eyes at her. “Who told you that you were any help?”
Her mouth fell open. How rude! He was treating her like he had when she first arrived.
Suddenly, a loud crack sounded, and then snap! The next thing Maggie knew, she was lying on the ground on her back, the rope in her hands.
Gray squatted down over her. “Are you okay?” He appeared genuinely concerned.
She let go of the ropes and let her head fall onto the grass. “I’m grand, just need to catch my breath a moment.” There she was lying on her back again, looking up at him, wondering what the hell had happened. This was twice now. Was it divine intervention? Maggie wasn’t superstitious like most of the Irish, but she was smart enough to know not to push her luck if things looked grim.
He hovered over her, and she could feel the energy building between them like it always did when they were close. He smelled of earthy oats. His eyes were darker in the shade, not the usual golden reflection from the sun. She gazed into them, feeling herself being pulled deeper into everything that was Gray. “Thank you for bringing my journal and phone to me at the hospital.”
His features softened. “No worries.”
She dropped her eyes away to play at the blades of grass, pinching individual stems and running them through her fingers. “You came like you promised.”
He grabbed her hand with both of his, forcing Maggie to return her gaze to him. He gently rubbed the outside of her hand with his thumb. “We ride out early tomorrow. Be saddled up by first light.”
He dropped her hand suddenly and stood to go.
Maggie yanked a bunch of grass from the ground and threw it at his retreating figure, letting her head thump onto the ground. God, was she in love with him.
Here’s an
interview with Jake from Accidental romance, the day after Leanne’s accident.
Jessica: Hello, Jake!
Thank you for taking the time to be with us today. I know you’re super busy.
Jake: Anything
to prevent what happened to Leanne from happening to anyone else.
Jessica: What
exactly did happen to Leanne?
Jake: She was in
a hurry to finish her chores, wanted to meet friends that night. I’d agreed to
do the milking for her, but she had to finish plowing the field, and get the
grain up in to the bins. A bearing seized in her auger, so she had to borrow
one from the farmer the next mile and a quarter over. Big mistake. The thing
didn’t have a proper safety guard. Then, I guess it jammed, because Leanne went
to unblock it with a stick. She didn’t turn the tractor off. I rushed over to
turn if off before something happened. But I was too late. She must have
slipped. Her hand slipped into the blades. There was blood everywhere.
Jessica: But you
saved her. It could have been a lot worse.
Leanne: Yes, but
it should never have happened. If only I’d been closer, I could have prevented
the whole thing.
Jessica: It’s
not your fault. You can’t blame yourself. Leanne is going to need your support.
Leanne: I know,
and I’m going to be there for her every single second, until she can’t stand
me. I’m going to have her working beside me in the barns again. I’ve always
been there for her. Nothing’s going to change.
Jessica: I’m
happy to hear that, Jake. Thanks for joining me today. I hope you are able to
get Leanne back out in the barns. Good luck, and give her my best.
Accidental Romance Blurb:
At twenty-two,
Leanne Declan has graduated from college and hopes to take over the family farm
until a tragic accident changes her life forever. Unable to do the simplest
everyday chores, she must depend on her family and friends as she learns to
face life’s challenges. But when her fears threaten to destroy her future, can
an unexpected love be strong enough to help her dreams come true?
A million
needles pierced her wrist. She had to get away from the fire. Leanne flicked
open her eyes, screaming, longing for the agony to stop.
White walls
surrounded her. Machines beeped. Taking in the new scenery, she closed her
mouth, the pain forgotten. Bags filled with clear liquids as well as blood hung
from a metal pole. She followed the tubes from the bags into her left hand. Was
that where the burn came from? She glanced at the other arm, the end of which
was wrapped in thick bandages. The image of spinning blades and her mangled
flesh flashed before her eyes. She screamed again, tears falling down her
cheeks. This can’t be happening.
Bodies rushed
into the room, many in scrubs. With her vision blurred, she didn’t recognize
anyone. All strangers. She was in the foreign place by herself. A nightmare.
Has to be.
“Shh, calm down,
sweetie. You’ll be okay.”
A familiar
voice. She glanced to her other side to see her mom standing beside her, her
eyes glassy. She held her hand, but Leanne couldn’t feel it, only the throbbing
which had returned to her other one, the one that was…gone? She groaned,
turning on her side, and pulled her knees up to her chest.
“Mom, is it
really…?”
She brushed her
fingers over her forehead. “Don’t worry about it right now. You need to rest.”
“It hurts so
bad.”
“I know.” Her
mother stroked her face again. “But the nurses will help it go away.”
“Leanne,” one of
the nurses hovering around her said. “I want you to take deep breaths and count
backward from ten.”
“Ten.” She
sucked in air and cried out in agony.
Between clenched
teeth, she continued. Anything to stop the pain. “Nine.”
Ice traveled
through her veins. “Eight.”
The throbbing
slowly ebbed away. Seven.
Darkness swept
over her and pulled her down with it.
Bio:
Jessica Subject
is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet
to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You
may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.
When Jessica
isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and
walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.
Jessica lives in
Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to
hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com
and on twitter @jsubject.
Giveaway!! On
April 12, 2013, Jessica Subject will be giving away a $10 Amazon.com gift
certificate to one lucky commenter during the Accidental Romance tour. Please
leave your email address in your comment so that she can contact you if you
win. Contest is international. Good luck!
I have one complaint. Let's get that out of the way. I want a NOVEL featuring this heroine and her Female Engagement Team. She is awesome and what she does is amazing. Very strong and sexy heroine.
Mary Phillips is a former beauty queen who decided she wanted to use her brain, instead of her beauty and went on to find herself...in the Marines. She's fearless, she's tough, she's witty. When she's home on a deployment, she runs into the nerdy guy from high school, only he's not a nerd anymore. This was a short story, so I'm going to make this a short review as to not give anything important away. Love the heroine. She's part of FET. "We work with the women and girls and in the outlying villages and in the cities. We offer them opportunities, listen to their concerns, get them feedback and answer their questions." I'd love to know more about this. Thus, my whining above. The hero of this...it's not a jerk aka alpha male that's so popular nowadays. He's a man comfortable in his own skin and situation. Just my type. He is not intimidated by this woman's strength and the flirting between them was great. It built the relationship between them in the right amount of time for a short story. It didn't feel like, "Wham! Hi, there my name is .... Want to have sex?" The author did a terrific job. She respects the military with this story and yet offers up a side of sensual sex. Favorite quote: "All we have are moments. When you make the moments count--that's what matters." Five stars. I got this through Sizzling PR in exchange for an honest review.
"Last Saturday I went to the cinema and was taken on the most wonderful emotional journey. Forewarned by tales of people not leaving at the end credits, because they didn't want others to see they had been crying, I braced myself. Indeed, about ten minutes into the movie at the first emotional hiatus, my 20 year old son was swallowing so heavily I could hear him in the dark, but I remained dry eyed. After three-quarters of an hour and the death of a main character, I congratulate myself on still not having shed a tear whilst those around me sat sniffing. So I was totally unprepared, when after nearly three hours, and the movie reached its conclusion I was like a helpless baby with tears rolling down my cheeks and soaking my roll-neck sweater.
And what was the movie?
Les Miserables.
The irony is, that despite being left bereft at the end, I , along with the rest of the cinema stood and clapped. And the reason we clapped was that we had seen a towering example of the glory of the human spirit and the power of love. Not only that, but the film was a feast for the senses; from wonderful sweeping vista shots and searching close-ups, to the soaring music and wonderful lyrics, a true celebration of creativity, and a wonderful escape to a different world.
And that's what I look for in a good book; that sense of being immersed in a world that becomes real and to care about the characters such that their troubles become mine. As an author, my aim is to write the sort of page-turner I love to read, but only you, the reader can say whether I have succeeded or not.
In my latest release, "Hope's Betrayal", Captain George Huntley falls in love with his prisoner, a smuggler called Hope Tyler. But love on opposite sides of the law is a difficult destiny to follow when it means court-marshal for Huntley, or Hope betraying her own family.
***
Grace Elliot leads a double life as a veterinarian by day and author of historical romance by night. Grace believes intelligent people need to read romance as an antidote to the modern world. As an avid reader of historicals she turned to writing as a release from the emotionally draining side of veterinary work.
Grace lives near London and is addicted to cats. The Elliot household consists of five cats, two teenage sons, one husband, a guinea pig - and the latest addition - a bearded dragon!
Known for his ruthless efficiency, Captain George Huntley is sent to stamp out smuggling on the south coast of England. On a night raid, the Captain captures a smuggler, but finds his troubles are just beginning when the lad turns out to be a lass, Hope Tyler.
With Hope as bait, the Captain sets a trap to catch the rest of the gang. But in a battle of wills, with his reputation at stake, George Huntley starts to respect feisty, independent Hope. Challenged by her sea-green eyes and stubborn loyalty Huntley now faces a new threat - his growing attraction to a sworn enemy. But a love where either Hope betrays her own kind, or Captain Huntley is court-marshaled, is not an easy destiny to follow.
Excerpt Lass Not a Lad.- Captain Huntley Makes a Discovery About his Prisoner. Alone with his prisoner the Captain set to work, his face all harsh angles in the lamplight. First to stem the bleeding. Working with deft hands, he pulled the bloodstained scarf from the felon's head. Surprise registered, as he noted the delicate ears and elegant neck. The boy’s hair gleamed like polished-coal in the lamplight; tied back in a pony tail, black-as-the-devil’s heart.
Huntley reached for a rag to wipe blood from the boy's eyes and cheek. Soft skin emerged from beneath the clotted mess. The boy was young…a round face with pointed chin, a tipped nose …and lips, softly parted and provocatively plump….just ripe for kissing. A flush of heat warmed Huntley's cheeks. What was he thinking?
Wiping his sleeve across his eyes he forced himself to continue. He bathed the laceration, cleaning away sand and blood. Something about this lad had stirred deep emotions and the captain didn’t like it one little bit. He glanced toward the door, not wanting to be alone with the smuggler and these strange feelings he stirred.
“What the devil's taking that wench so long?”
The fire was crackling nicely now, steam rising from the lad's clothes. But it wasn’t warm enough; cold could kill every bit as much as blood loss.
”Hell's teeth, do I have to do everything myself?”
With rising irritation, Huntley set to stripping the lad of his wet clothes.
He peeled back the patched jacket, twice its weight with water, and dropped it to the floor. A patched and frayed shirt, sticky with blood, clung to the lad’s lean frame. Huntley tugged the shirt-tail free of the lad’s sodden breeches and off over his head, with the result that the Captain's pulse raced alarmingly.
“Get a grip, man.” Huntley muttered.
The lad had unexpectedly slim shoulders, a silver stiletto strapped to his thin upper arm.
“Naughty.”
Unsheathing the knife he held the elegant blade toward the firelight; a finely crafted weapon of silver filigree over an ivory handle— a lady’s weapon, and obviously expensive.
“Who did you steal this from, then?”
Placing the stiletto safely out of reach, he turned back to the table. Stripped of his shirt, it seemed the lad had broken ribs, for his chest was strapped. The bindings were soaked and must come off. Shifting the unconscious lad into a sitting position, balancing him against his shoulder, Huntley unwound the bandages.
As he lay the lad back down on the table, Huntley was suddenly struck by the peculiar shadows playing across the boy’s chest. A flush of blood heated his cheeks. That explained a lot! Huntley’s mouth dropped open; he threw back his head and laughed aloud with relief.
“Tis not a lad….but a lass!"
Alone in the scullery with a half-naked girl…no, not a girl, for she had the soft curves of a woman. Huntley took a step back. The sense of relief was overwhelming, that it was a woman who had excited his body so. He looked around for someone to share his astonishment, but the maid had not yet returned.
In his experience women were tiresome, wearisome creatures that sapped the spirit and drained the mind, but he studied this one with interest. Dark lashes lay brushed against her cheek, an almost catlike tilt to her closed eyes. Her skin was clear, fresh, and unblemished. Her face was wide, round even, but with a pointed chin and a nose turned up at the end. In all he decided, she was beautiful with the stubbornness of a mule and fragility of a china doll. She had been a worthy advisory on the dunes; agile, brave and resourceful and it thrilled him to the core. Lost in thought ,Huntley shrugged off his outer coat and covered her over, then removed himself to a respectable distance.
Nothing had changed, he told himself. She was a felon and would pay the penalty demanded by law. And if Huntley felt uneasy at the prospect he suppressed the emotion, it was just that he had to get used to the notion of interrogating a woman. Buy Links Amazon US / Amazon UK / Smashwords / Kobo
We need more books like this in the world, books of women tackling serious physical issues and finding love in spite of it. This is a novelette about a woman who plans to take over her dad's farm. She does her job just as good as, if not better than a man. She's not a girly girl. She's out there getting dirty...and then she has a horrible accident. And this stuff really happens. This story is very realistic. The best part of this story, for me, is watching the heroine come to terms with the loss of her hand. It made me appreciate those every day things I just do and take for granted: clasping my bra, tying my shoe laces, opening jars. Leanne must relearn everything. She wants to just give up. Imagine relearning everything at the age of twenty-two, how to eat, care for yourself. It's daunting. But this chick doesn't give up and she even finds love while at it. Enter the perfect hero. (I hate those alpha males. This is my kind of man.) He works beside her, tells her she can do it, loves her at her worst. The only thing that bothered me about this tale is...well, why wasn't she interested in him before the accident? Why did it take losing her hand to become interested in a man she worked beside and joked with for years? Though the heroine herself thinks this at one point, the question is never answered. The sex scene is mild, the romance blooms at a decent pace considering it's a short story. I recommend it. Four bikes. I got this through Sizzling PR.
Gabriella is a witch. The problem is, she doesn't remember.
She repressed the memories of her powers years ago when her mother was
murdered. Now, the warlock who was responsible for her mother's death has set
his sights on Gabriella. He is determined to use her fear to turn her to the
dark side of magick…even if it kills her. Her mother's spirit is reaching out
to warn her, but even that she pushes away.
Desperate to save her daughter, the
spirit finds a male witch–one that just happens to be in love with Gabriella.
Darron is more than willing to help but the two young witches will have way
more to battle than just an evil warlock. There are overbearing jocks and petty
rich girls who get tempers flaring and often set Gabriella and Darron at odds.
There is more to the story than Gabriella and Darron could even
imagine. There are terrible secrets to be revealed, battles to be waged, and
lives will be lost. Only after Gabriella and Darron both come to terms with who
they really are, and open themselves up to the true meaning of magick, can they
have any hope of fulfilling their destiny.
Destiny Unveiled
Gabriella and Darron thought their magickal battle was over
when they defeated the evil warlock, Richard. When her Aunt Donna seeks
Gabriella's help in rescuing her catatonic daughter from the Dark Coven, Gabriella
discovers that her cousin holds a power within her that would be catastrophic
in the hands of the evil witches. Gabriella's coven sets out on a journey that
may be their last. Along the way, they meet new allies, face devastating
treachery, and battle not only the Dark Coven, but the darkness within
themselves. When Gabriella finally comes face to face with the cousin she never
knew existed, her true destiny is unveiled, and the fate of the mortal world is
in her hands.
About the Author:
Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with
her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre
because it keeps her young at heart. In
addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the sole author of a popular review
blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community,
and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years. Visit her on her websites
at http://authorlauradeluca.blogspot.com or
http://newagemama.blogspot.com .
Her eyes scanned the room, from the pale blue sofa to the
bloody dent in the wall. But she didn’t need her eyes to know Darron was there.
Her heart sensed his presence before her eyes saw him lying in a heap on the
ground. His body shuttered with occasional spasms, and even though he wasn’t
fully conscious, his lips were twisted in a grimace of pain.
Uttering a gasp of surprise, Gabriella flew to his side. She
knelt beside him, and choked back a sob as she took his hand in her own. She
saw his chest rise and fall and was glad to know was alive, but she felt
helpless as she watched his face contort in pain. She noticed something wet and
sticky on her fingertips. She gently titled his head and saw a large gash that
looked like it needed medical attention.
The skin around the gash was so deeply bruised it looked almost black.
“Darron, what
happened to you?”
He didn’t move or reply. Gabriella moved her hand from the
cut on his forehead, and her fingers dripped with blood. She bit her lower lip
with fear. She knew enough about head injuries to know that the wound could be
serious. She grabbed a few tissues from a box on the coffee table, and tried to
apply pressure to the wound, but it was useless. The tissues were soaked
through in seconds.
“Darron?” She
squeezed his hand, and fought back tears of fear and frustration. “Darron, please open your eyes. Please be all
right!”
He squirmed and groaned a little in response. Looking at his
contorted features, Gabriella felt incompetent and useless. She didn’t know
what to do to help him. The cut must need stitches. The blood was gushing
through her fingertips, and she was sure his life was slipping away just as
quickly.
More than anything, Gabriella wanted to help Darron, to end
his suffering. Her thoughts, her desperation, caused something deep inside of
her to stir. Something that had long been napping was awoken. The power she had
fought so hard to deny was forcing its way to the surface. This time she didn’t
struggle against that power. Her instinct to hide from it was finally overcome
by the thought of losing someone else she cared about.
Gabriella was pulling strength and warmth from the earth, as
though her legs were tree roots taking nourishment from the element. A tingling
sensation began in the tips of her toes and spread slowly though her body as
she breathed in the essence of the element of air. Her blood flowed and grew warm, the element
of water, bringing the power to the surface. She was overcome by a vigorous
strength as she envisioned her spirit encircled by the element of fire. She
felt so powerful that she thought she could stop the world from churning if
that was what she wished. Gabriella focused the power, remembering for a moment
her mother’s lessons. She looked down at her battered friend. She willed him to
open his eyes and look at her. She demanded it of him.
Gabriella would have thought it was impossible, but she felt
herself grow warmer. Her face dripped with perspiration. The power within her
reached a climax. Then finally, when she thought she might burst, she felt the
energy release. It seeped through her fingers, and shined with an illumination
that only she could see. She heard herself chanting unfamiliar words, and
scarcely recognized her own voice.
“By the power of earth, water, fire and air,
Heal this man who’s in my care.
Goddess, hear your daughter’s plea.
As I will it, so mote it be!”
Gabriella repeated the words three times. Three was the
number of power. Then she watched as the wound on Darron’s forehead healed
before her eyes, becoming smaller and smaller, until finally it was gone. The
blood was still warm and sticky, but beneath the blood, the skin was smooth and
unmarred. Even the horrible bruise had vanished. Gabriella stared in open
astonishment, marveling at the work she had done.
Destiny Unveiled Excerpt:
After collecting the offering from his followers, the leader
returned to the center of the circle and the waiting initiate. With one quick
motion, he sliced open his own palm. He held his hand over the cup, letting his
blood drip slowly into the chalice, until the wound miraculously healed before
Darron's startled eyes. When the chalice was full, he carried it to the eager
initiate who took the cup firmly into his hands and tilted it towards his lips.
"As this blood makes you one with our flesh, so your
soul follows to become one with the darkness," the English voice intoned.
As the initiate drained the last of the liquid in the
chalice, his hood fell away, revealing a blonde ponytail pulled back over a
pale white face, made even paler by the outline of bright red blood around his
lips. Darron watched in stunned, horrified silence as his own face turned to
meet his gaze. Eyes turned as black as coals stared back at Darron with a grim
smile of satisfaction.
"Rise Darron," the leader commanded.
And as he spoke, he lifted the hood from his head. Rise brother of the Dark
Coven."
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