February 2014 Issue of Bewitching Book Tours Magazine

Bewitching Book Tours Magazine Issue 20 February 2014

Bewitching Book Tours Magazine is a publication of Bewitching Book Tours and Bewitching Books.

Editor: Roxanne Rhoads Design Editor and Layout: Lisa McGeen Contributors include Bewitching Book Tours Authors and Tour Hosts learn more at www.bewitchingbooktours.blogspot.com Ad space rates are: $40 full page ad $20 half page ad $10 quarter page ad You can subscribe to this magazine at http://issuu.com/bewitchingbooktours Š Copyright 2014 Stock images from www.123rf.com

Contents What do you dream about?

Rustic Chic Wedding Review The Everlasting Appeal of Vampires The Unholy Feature Interview with Tammy Farrell Interview with Michael Cantwell Vampire Books Monthly Feature: Falling Pick a Date Writing with Soul How to be a Man Feature Legendary Witches from The Accidental Witch Stronger Than This Feature Begotten Interview Voodoo on Bayou Lafonte Feature Call the Lightening Feature Books to Trailers Pagen Children Learning Review Witches Ball Naughty Nook Section Valentine’s Day Interview Love, Sex, Majick Coven of the Courtesan Feature The Worst Dilemma Feature Vampire Haiku Pinup Files

4 12 14 20 22 26 40 42 54 59 62 66 68 70 74 78 81 82 86 91 92 97 98 102 104 105

What do You Dream About?

Ann Gimpel In your secret heart of hearts, what do you wish would happen? Is it something you ever talk about, or does it stay hidden away for fear if the world looked too closely, they’d throw sand on your rainbow?

Do you have friends, or mostly acquaintances? How can you tell the difference? That’s easy. Friends respect confidences. They’re there for you no matter what. They don’t preach and they don’t judge.

They support your rainbows and your dreams. Most of us are heavy on acquaintances and shy of real friends.

Back to my original question. Do you turn your dreams into goals, or are you convinced they’re simply too farfetched to ever leave the dream realm? If that’s true, have you asked yourself why? Not much is truly beyond our reach. The main thing standing in the way is us. Yup. You heard me.

Once upon a time, they taught problem solving skills in school. Most of my college education was an exercise in problem solving. Even beyond an actual problem, my professors—the good ones, anyway—taught flexibility. If the first attempt to address something doesn’t work, it’s actually a learning experience, not a failure. It gives a golden opportunity to assess just why things didn’t work so we can craft a better solution.

I’m absolutely convinced all problems can be broken into components and the components addressed individually. It’s how I’ve taught myself things I really had very little aptitude for, like flying, for example. People need spatial ability to fly. That’s the skill of judging three-dimensional space. Mine is so non-existent even topographic map reading is a struggle. It took me twice as long as it would have taken anyone else, but I did manage to get a private pilot’s license a number of years ago.

Another issue is I really do not like it when someone tells me I can’t do something. It hurts my feelings and kicks up a stubborn streak and an, “I’ll show you,” attitude that’s gotten me into hot water a time or two.

How about you? What do you struggle with? If something is hard, does it make you try harder or give up? This is a pretty anonymous forum, I’d love to know what you think.

Excerpt: Chapter One

Fionn tumbled through a gateway and leapt to his feet. Something was decidedly wrong. The wolf and raven were right behind him, but he’d lost all sense of Aislinn’s presence in the traveling portal. It made him half-crazy with fear, but there was nothing he could do until the spell spit him out. Mouth dry, heartbeat thudding in his ears, he waited to see who would follow him out of the ragged hole he’d left in the ether.

For the love of the goddess, please let me be mistaken about this.

Rune emerged. A howl split the still air.

“Where is she?” the black and gray timber wolf demanded. He reared up and plunked his paws on Fionn’s chest. “What happened to my bond mate? I cannot feel her anywhere.” He howled again. It was a mournful sound, full of grief. Fionn wrapped his arms around the wolf, but Rune dropped to the ground, apparently not interested in comfort.

“Yes, where did Aislinn go?” Bella demanded, bouncing forward with her awkward avian gait. Ever cantankerous, the raven was bonded to him, so Fionn was used to her moods. She spread her large wings, took to the air, and cawed her displeasure. He stared after her and struggled to manage a mounting sense of panic while balling his hands into fists. Both bond animals knew the truth: Aislinn had disappeared somewhere between Ely, Nevada and wherever they were now. He barked a word to close off his magic. The place they’d rolled out of shimmered and disappeared.

He loosed a string of Gaelic curses. “What the fuck went wrong?” he muttered. Fionn drew magic to augment his night vision and gazed wildly about for clues. They were in the midst of rubble that could well be Salt Lake City. So at least that part of his casting had been true. No, an inner voice corrected him, I doona know that. This could be anywhere. He shoved straggling strands of blond hair out of his eyes and sent his magic spinning outward to gather data. His heart beat a worried tattoo against his ribcage.

The air to his right took on a pearlescent hue.

Bran and Arawn leapt through a portal in a flash of battle leathers, the snug-fitting garments indistinguishable from Fionn’s attire. Arawn barked a command; their gateway winked shut. His midnight gaze scanned the small group. “Why is Gwydion not here?” he demanded. “He left afore any of us.”

Rune threw his head back. Another desolate howl split the night.

Bran’s coppery eyes narrowed. “Aye, and where is the lass?”

“And that Hunter scum, Travis,” Fionn growled. He spread his hands in front of him. “I havena felt Aislinn since a few moments after we entered the portal. Join your magic to mine so we might figure out what has happened.”

Bran nodded curtly. “Aye, Travis must have lied to us, but to what purpose?”

“To save his own sorry hide, what else?”

Fionn snapped. “Or mayhap because he wanted Aislinn for himself.”

The air took on an iridescent waviness.

Gwydion stumbled out of the odd-looking place. Tangled in a welter of blue robes, he clutched an intricately carved staff; blond hair swirled around him. “Be gone, I say—Wait, what happened to—?” He took in the tableau as he lurched unsteadily to his feet. Fionn almost heard wheels turning as Gwydion tallied who was missing. The warrior magician pounded the end of his wooden staff into broken asphalt. Lightning crackled from the end of the staff, betraying his annoyance.

Something snapped in Fionn. Bright, brittle anger lanced through him He launched himself at Gwydion and drove the other Celtic god to the ground. “Bastard,” he screamed. “Ye were in charge of Travis. What? Ye couldna control a simple human?

Look what your slipshod seeds have sown—” He raised a fist and drove it into the side of Gwydion’s face. It was more satisfying than using magic. Closer and more personal.

Rune jumped into the fray and sank his teeth into Gwydion’s leg. Bella cawed her disapproval. She tangled her talons in the mage’s long hair and pulled as she pecked at him. Gwydion bellowed in pain. The air thickened and developed an electric quality as he reached for his magic.

Fionn had just cocked his arm back to hit Gwydion again—before his fellow Celtic god shielded himself—when strong arms closed about him and dragged him back. Magic surrounded him, forming a barrier.

“That willna help,” Arawn, god of the dead, revenge, and terror, said, voice stern with command.

“Aye, it willna get your lass back,” Bran agreed. God of prophecy, the arts, and war, he often had a gentler approach than the other Celtic deities.

Gwydion rolled to a sit, looking dazed. He placed his hands on the wolf and raven, muttering in Gaelic. After a time, both animals retreated. He touched the bloodied places on his thigh; the flesh mended quickly. The master enchanter and god of il-

lusion did not make any move to get to his feet. He settled his blue gaze on Fionn, bowed his head slightly, and said, “I am most sorry. Ye are right to be angry with me. The lad came at me flanked by Lemurians. I never even knew how many. When I sent my magic spiraling out to find Travis, he was gone beyond my reach.”

“Why didn’t ye tell me?” Fionn growled.

“How?” Gwydion countered, sounding weary.

“Communication isna possible in the portals.”

Fionn groaned inwardly. He knew that. Where were his brains? Taking a wee holiday, a sarcastic inner voice suggested. Fionn jerked against the magic holding him. “You can let me go now,” he told Arawn and Bran. “I’ve returned to my senses.”

He stepped forward and extended a hand to Gwydion, who grasped it. “I am sorry I lost my temper.”

Something sparked from the mage’s blue eyes—compassion laced with pity. Gwydion stood, and then brushed off his robes; dust flew in all directions. He bent to retrieve his richly carved staff. It glowed blue-white when he touched it and he arched a brow at Fionn. “See, the staff knows battle lies ahead. The important thing is what we do now. A good start would be not tearing one another to bits.”

Though Fionn agreed, he secretly wondered if Gwydion might have tried harder were it not for the bad blood between them over Tara, Aislinn’s dead mother. As a MacLochlainn, Aislinn was bound to him, just like her mother had been. But Tara had loved Gwydion. To avoid marrying Fionn, she’d given herself to a stranger and run away to America, effectively severing an age-old bonding. Tara MacLochlainn had been an Irish queen. Under laws of blood and dynasty, she should have belonged to him, Fionn MacCumhaill, Celtic god of wisdom, knowledge, and divination…

Guess she had other ideas about that. What a fankle. Mayhap one we are still paying for. Fionn forced his mind to stay in the present. No point in dragging old bones out and chewing them half to death. Rune’s large black and gray head rammed his side. The wolf bared his fangs and growled.

“I understand.” Fionn settled his blue gaze on Rune. “We have to find her. And we will.”

“Let us go over what we know.” Bran stepped closer. Blond braids were tucked into tight-fitting battle leathers. He had a dreamy look about him, but Fionn wasn’t fooled. The god of prophecy’s mind was sharp as a whip.

“Good idea,” Arawn echoed. Dark hair cascaded down his leather-clad shoulders. Looking as grim as the dead he commanded, his face etched into harsh lines. Eyes so dark iris and pupil were indistinguishable, flashed fire.

“Let us ask the goddess’ blessing,” Fionn intoned. A weight like a cold stone settled into his guts.

They couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. Aislinn’s life depended on them getting this right the first time.

And my life right along with it. Fionn thought about the next thousand years without the only woman he’d ever truly loved; his soul shriveled. He cursed his immortality. Life without Aislinn wouldn’t be worth very damned much.

Gwydion began a Celtic chant. The other three joined in at proscribed intervals punctuated by Bella’s shrieks and Rune’s barks, whines, and howls. Night yielded to a sickly orange sunrise as they sang.

“I believe we are ready,” Gwydion murmured.

“Aye, I feel a goddess presence.” Arawn spoke reverently. “’Twill provide a balance point against all our male energies.”

“Let us return to cataloging what we know.”

Fionn gestured impatiently. Though he understood the wisdom of securing divine assistance, he wanted to get moving before something lethal happened to Aislinn. A vision of her being tortured—long limbs splayed over a rack—rose to taunt him. He muffled a cry, but his mind wouldn’t clear. Blood ran down Aislinn’s face and blended with the red of her hair.

Her golden eyes were glazed with pain. He bit down hard on his lower lip, feeling powerless. Adrenaline surged; it left a sour taste in the back of his throat.

“We are, indeed, ready.” Bran nodded.

Fionn latched onto the sound of Bran’s voice and let it pull him out of the black pit his mind had become.

Bran inhaled sharply. “The Hunter, Travis, sought us out. I dinna try verra hard to test his words, but there was enough truth in his tale to satisfy me.”

“And I, as well,” Gwydion agreed. “So mayhap his small group of humans truly was set upon by Lemurians—” Fionn snapped his fingers. “I have it. That putrid poor-excuse-for-a-human cut a deal to save himself. Mayhap part of it was designed to wrest Aislinn away from me since he was in love with her, too. She told me—” The words curdled in his throat. He couldn’t bear the thought of Aislinn fucking anyone else.

She’d been with Travis once. If she was telling me the truth… Mayhap she was with him many times and

softened the telling to spare me.

Arawn cocked his head to one side. “Even though ye stopped midstream, what ye did say made sense. Travis agreed to serve as bait in exchange for his life—and mayhap the life of his bond animal as well. If he had his eye on the lass afore all this, well, the pot would have been all the sweeter.”

Fionn waved him to silence. “Ye say ye felt Lemurians?” He looked at Gwydion who nodded.

“Well, then, she must be in Taltos. Where else would they take her?”

Relieved to have a destination and something to do, Fionn pulled magic, intent on leaving immediately.

“Hold.” Gwydion put up a hand.

“What?” Annoyed, muscles strung tighter than a bow, Fionn locked gazes with him. Blue eyes sparred with a nearly identical set.

“Ye canna go off half-cocked. There are not enough of us.” Gwydion hesitated. “As the god of wisdom, knowledge and divination, Fionn MacCumhaill, I would think ye would know that without me having to tell you.”

Frustration fueled rage. Fionn opened his mouth to tell Gwydion what he really thought of him.

“Why you sanctimonious—” “Never mind that,” Bran spoke up. “We need a strategy.”

“And mayhap more of us,” Arawn added.

“Aye, and what about Dewi?” Ignoring Fionn’s bitten off words and the challenge beneath them, Gwydion furled his brows.

Fionn blew out an impatient breath; his anger receded. The others were right. Dewi, the blood-red Celtic dragon god, was linked to the MacLochlainn women. She’d also spent centuries in the tunnels beneath Taltos, spying on the Lemurians. Yes, they definitely needed the dragon.

“All right,” he ground out through gritted teeth.

“I get it. I agree we need Dewi, and probably more of us as well.”

“We must return to Marta’s house. As soon as we can.”

The wolf’s voice startled Fionn. He turned to look at Rune. The wolf padded closer. “I have been to Taltos both ways,” the wolf reminded him, growling low. “It is much easier and more direct if we enter through the portal in Marta’s basement. That way we maintain the element of surprise. The Mount Shasta gateway is akin to going to their front door and ringing a bell.”

Fionn kicked himself. Even the wolf is thinking

more clearly than I am.

Rune had been bonded to Marta and knew her secrets. She’d been onto the Lemurians, delving deep into the extent of their lies. Before they’d killed her, she’d managed to figure out that the war against the dark gods was a sham. The Lemurians were actually in league with the dark. They were the ones who’d masterminded cracking the veils between the worlds to allow the dark ones access to Earth. An ancient race, the Lemurians understood they were dying. They needed an infusion of magic so they’d cut a deal. Access to Earth in exchange for— Fionn filled his lungs with air, blew out a breath, and did it again. He had to get hold of himself or he’d be less than useless hunting for Aislinn. That will not happen. Focus, goddamn it. Pull it together.

Fionn pushed the ache in his heart aside and buried it deep. He couldn’t afford emotion. Not now. Or mental forays into Lemurian treachery. When he’d met Aislinn, she’d been a foot soldier in the Lemurian army, branded so she couldn’t use her magic against them.

Voices flowed over him. When words fell into coherent patterns again, he heard Gwydion ticking off a plan on his fingers. Apparently one the others had formed without any input from him. How dare they?

Anger flared hot and bright. Fionn welcomed it like a drowning man might grab a spar. He needed the energy to find the woman he loved. “…agreed, Bran will hunt for Dewi. Arawn will return to the Old Country to muster as many of us as he can find. Fionn and I and the bond animals will return to Marta’s house. We will sneak into the tunnel a time or two to see what we can discover, but we will not move to rescue the lass until you arrive with reinforcements.”

Gwydion nailed Fionn with his blue gaze. “Aye and ye have returned to us. Did ye hear—?”

“Aye.” Fionn cut off Gwydion’s next words.

“Let’s get moving.”

The master enchanter inclined his head. “As ye will.”

Fionn looked at him and wondered if it were mere coincidence Gwydion would end up babysitting him. He decided to test those waters. “I really would be fine with just the bond animals, feel free to join either Arawn or—” “Pah!” Gwydion interrupted. “Not on your life.

I know you, Fionn MacCumhaill. If ye returned alone, ye would turn Taltos upside down to find your lady love. Then the rest of us would have two to search for.”

Arawn moved forward and laid a hand on Fionn’s arm. “Remember,” he said, “the Lemurians came from Mu. They may still have a way to retreat there. If they do so, we will not be able to follow. Or they might strike a deal with the five remaining dark gods and go to one of their worlds if they feel threatened. We can travel to the border worlds, but it isna pleasant. Nay, if they have truly taken Aislinn to Taltos—and we do not know this as a fact—it is imperative they remain there. So, doona do anything foolish.”

“I understand.” Fionn clamped his jaws shut.

Thoroughly chastised, he felt like a child again. He hadn’t considered either of the alternatives Arawn had just outlined. Apparently they’d come up in the part of the conversation he’d missed while wrestling with himself.

“I know ye do.” Arawn favored him with a rare smile. “Bran and I are leaving.” The words had scarcely left his mouth when the air around both mages took on a numinous quality.

Fionn locked gazes with Gwydion. “Are ye ready?”

“I am.” Rune took up his traveling position next to Fionn’s side.

“As am I.” Bella settled on his shoulder in a flutter of wings.

Fionn stared at the bond animals. They’d returned to audible speech; that must mean they’d gotten their anger under control. If they can do it, so can I. Gwydion nodded slowly. “I do not believe there is aught else to be done right now, so the answer to your question would be aye.”

The air thickened as Gwydion drew magic to open a portal. Blessedly numb inside, Fionn added his own to the mix, buried a hand in Rune’s neck ruff, and stepped through. **** After they returned to Marta’s house in the ruins of Ely, Nevada, Fionn spent the next hour rattling through it looking for clues that might help them. He started in the bedroom, but Aislinn’s scent, a mix of honey and musk, clung to everything and nearly undid him. When he caught himself pulling her pillow to his nose, he threw it against the wall and stormed out of the room they’d shared.

The rest of the house hadn’t yielded anything.

Fionn didn’t bother going up to the attic. Marta’s parents were there, trapped in a state of suspended animation by a strong spell. Best leave them to their

rest since they held the gates between the worlds open.

Because there wasn’t anything else to do, he settled at the kitchen table with a bottle of mead and nearly emptied it. The anesthetic effect he hoped for hadn’t happened, though. At least not yet.

“Would ye like to talk about it?” Gwydion’s melodic voice interrupted Fionn’s bleak thoughts. He swiveled his head to look at the mage standing in the doorway, flanked by Rune and Bella. Dirt clung to his robes; Fionn wondered where he’d been. Gwydion had told him where he was going, but Fionn hadn’t paid much attention.

Hmph. Even the animals deserted me.

I’d have deserted me, too, a different inner voice inserted dryly. The way I banged around in here wanting to kill something—anything—if only it would bring Aislinn back to me. Fionn understood at a level beyond reckoning, if he ever laid eyes on Travis again, the Hunter would be dead before he saw what hit him.

He tipped the bottle in Gwydion’s direction.

“Not sure what there is to say,” Fionn mumbled.

“Och and there is much to be said between us.” Gwydion clomped to the table, hooked a chair out with one of his perpetually bare feet, and sat heavily. “For example, we havena ever truly talked about Tara—” “With good reason,” Fionn snapped.

Gwydion shook his head. “Ye doona trust me.

I sense your hesitation. We must clear the air.”

Fionn opened his mouth, but Gwydion shook his head. “Hear me out. That empty place inside you?

The one ye’re trying your damnedest to ignore—or drown with spirits? ’Tis akin to how I felt when Tara fled Ireland to escape having to choose you or me.

She wanted me, but the ancient bond demanded she wed you.”

“I know all that. I still doona see—” “For the love of the goddess, would ye stop interrupting?” Gwydion’s blue eyes flashed dangerously. Fionn subsided against the back of his seat. “’Twas no skin off your ass when the lass left Ireland, yet I mourned her loss every day. It’s been years, but I miss her still. ’Twas a gift to see her once again in the tunnels under Slototh’s lair—even if she was already dead.”

Something in Gwydion’s words penetrated the desolation surrounding Fionn. He’d known Gwydion cared for Tara, but he’d never appreciated the extent of his loss. Truth hit home and shame washed over

him. When Gwydion waved it in front of his nose—no, make that shoved his nose right in it—Fionn recognized kindred pain. He drew his brows together. “Why were ye not angrier at me? We had words, but it seemed we made things up soon enough.”

“Nay, I simply buried my resentment. What would have been the point in holding a grudge? I tracked Tara to America. By then she’d wed another and made it painfully clear she wanted nothing to do with you or me—or the dragon—ever again.”

“At least part of that was my fault. I could have—” A bitter laugh bubbled past the close-cropped red-blond beard on Gwydion’s face. “Aye, ye see it now. Ye dinna see it then. All ye could see then was that she was the MacLochlainn. Your MacLochlainn.”

Fionn looked at his hands. What Gwydion said was true. He hadn’t loved Tara and he’d known she didn’t even like him, yet he’d insisted on pressing forward with marriage. Of course, there was the niggling problem he already had a wife, so he’d been finagling a divorce. That had been when Tara, finally eighteen, took matters into her own hands and left Ireland.

“I really am sorry. I should have been more considerate—of both of you.”

“Och, aye.” A thread of magic forced his gaze to meet the master enchanter’s. “I forgive you.”

A corner of Fionn’s mouth turned downward.

“The question is whether I can forgive myself.”

Gwydion held out a hand for the mead. Fionn passed it to him. Eyeing what was left of the bottle’s contents, Gwydion said, “There never was a drink that offered enough oblivion to purge Tara from my thoughts.”

“Wasna working for me, either.” Fionn snorted.

“I should know this. Ye told me, but I wasna paying attention. Where did you and the animals go?”

“We did the same outside as ye were supposed to be doing within. That would be hunting for clues Travis may have dropped while he was here.”

Fionn waited. Instead of talking, Gwydion tipped the bottle and drank until it was empty. “Did ye find aught?” he asked after it appeared the other mage wasn’t going to say anything else.

Gwydion’s forehead creased. He shoved blond hair over his shoulders, pulled a leather thong out of his robes, and bound it out of the way. “It was odd,” he murmured. “At first we all,” he gestured toward Rune and Bella, “thought we sensed Old Ones—ah, I meant to say Lemurians. When I looked more closely, though, whatever had been there was gone.” He shrugged.

Something tugged at Fionn’s internal alarm system. Attuned to danger, it rarely failed him. “Do ye suppose they were after Marta’s parents?”

For a moment Gwydion looked confused. His features smoothed. “Och, ye mean the Lemurianhuman hybrids ensorcelled in yon chamber.” He waved a hand over one shoulder. “Mayhap. There is little else here to draw the Old Ones.”

Fionn thought about the genetic manipulation that must have gone into hybridizing the couple in the attic and shuddered. Did the Old Ones want Marta’s parents’ blood so they could do the same thing to Aislinn?

“At least Aislinn is likely still on this side of the veil,” Gwydion muttered.

Fionn looked sharply at Gwydion, realizing the other mage must have read his thoughts. He dragged a hand down his face. “Aye, we all hope that.”

Something sharp closed over his calf. Rune had bitten him. “It is time. We should go into Taltos. I must see for myself whether my bond mate still lives.”

“Can ye feel her?” Fionn asked.

The wolf’s amber eyes gleamed in the dim kitchen. “No, but if she is in Taltos, I will know it once we open the gateway and I cross over.”

“They might have her shielded in some way—” Fionn cautioned.

“Enough words.” Rune nipped Fionn again. As if to support her fellow bond animal, Bella landed on Fionn’s shoulder and dug her talons deep.

A wry smile split Gwydion’s face. “It would appear the animals have spoken.”

“We did tell the others we’d do a reconnaissance.” Fionn stood.

Gwydion followed suit. Both men went to the corner of the kitchen with the hidden trap door. Fionn kicked the rug aside and tugged the door upward.

When he looked back he saw Gwydion’s staff glowing with a blue-white light.

Fionn worked his way down the ladder, helping the wolf. It was awkward. When Aislinn had gone into Taltos without him, she’d used magic to transport the wolf to the gateway. The thought of her seared his soul. His throat felt thick. A pulse pounded behind one eye, promising a mother of a headache if he didn’t focus magic to soothe the inflamed blood vessels.

At the bottom of the ladder, he strode to the section of wall holding the gateway and began the incantation from Marta’s journals. Gwydion’s energy vibrated next to him. Stones scraped against one another as the gateway swung open. Fionn bent to give Rune

instructions, but the wolf bounded through the opening and disappeared into the dark.

“Damn it.” Fionn swore softly. “Ye stay with me,” he said to Bella.

“I am not going past this doorway,” the bird informed him. She fluttered from his shoulder to a chair and perched on it. “Fewer of us, less chance of discovery. Safer for Aislinn.”

Fionn couldn’t help but agree with her. His bird had warmed to Aislinn much to his relief, since she’d taken a perverse delight in making all the other women in his life—including Tara—miserable.

“Mind speech,” Gwydion said sharply. “And precious little of that.”

“I suppose we follow the wolf. He gave us little choice.”

“After you.”

Fionn stepped through into a dark tunnel.

Careful to mute his magic in case the Lemurians had posted guards nearby, he turned left and trailed after Rune. Guts tight, barely breathing, he moved beneath Taltos, the city built by Lemurians deep inside Mount Shasta. Desperation thrummed through him.

I have to find her. Failure is not an option.

About the Author Ann Gimpel is a mountaineer at heart. Recently retired from a long career as a psychologist, she remembers many hours at her desk where her body may have been stuck inside four walls, but her soul was planning yet one more trip to the backcountry. Around the turn of the last century (that would be 2000, not 1900!), she managed to finagle moving to the Eastern Sierra, a mecca for those in love with the mountains. It was during long backcountry treks that Ann’s writing evolved. Unlike some who see the backcountry as an excuse to drag friends and relatives along, Ann prefers her solitude. Stories always ran around in her head on those journeys, sometimes as a hedge against abject terror when challenging conditions made her fear for her life, sometimes for company. Eventually, she returned from a trip and sat down at the computer. Three months later, a five hundred page novel emerged. Oh, it wasn’t very good, but it was a beginning. And, she learned a lot between writing that novel and its sequel.

Around that time, a friend of hers suggested she try her hand at short stories. It didn’t take long before that first story found its way into print and they’ve been accepted pretty regularly since then. One of Ann’s passions has always been ecology, so her tales often have a green twist.

In addition to writing, Ann enjoys wilderness photography. She lugs pounds of camera equipment in her backpack to distant locales every year. A standing joke is that over ten percent of her pack weight is camera gear which means someone else has to carry the food! That someone is her husband. They’ve shared a life together for a very long time. Children, grandchildren and three wolf hybrids round out their family. www.anngimpel.com http://anngimpel.blogspot.com http://www.amazon.com/author/anngimpel http://www.facebook.com/anngimpel.author @AnnGimpel (for Twitter)

Brownie Tart Directions 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter 3 1/4 cups (20 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips 3 extra-large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup (4 ounces) chopped walnuts 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream Grease and flour a 9-inch tart pan with removable sides. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a bowl set over simmering water. Add 2 cups of the chocolate chips, remove from the heat, and stir until the chocolate melts. Set aside to cool completely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, coffee, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cooled chocolate. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, 1 cup of the chocolate chips, and the walnuts. Fold the flour mixture into the batter until just combined. Pour into the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is puffed (the top may crack). The inside will still be very soft. Cool to room temperature before removing the sides of the tart pan.

Melt the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips with the heavy cream and drizzle on the tart.

Rustic Chic Wedding

by Morgann Hill A DIY Guide with 55 projects for crafting your own Wedding Style Rustic Chic Wedding is a bride and groom’s peek into the vintage-inspired, timeless wedding of their dreams. A little DIY with a whiff of romance and whimsy goes a long way toward wedding-day magic.

Choose from any of the three beautiful wedding “themes.”

Maybe your wedding style is Shabby Vintage Couture Wedding: try the Garden Table Numbers or Monogrammed Cake Stand. Or if the Rustic, Recycled & Re-purposed Wedding is more your speed, there’s a Flower Girl Crown and Kissing Bell. The Urban Farmhouse Wedding has instructions for creating a Twig Cake Topper and a S’mores Bar. However you mix and match the projects, your wedding will express your love story, inside and out!

With a chapter on creating the perfect themed tablescape and one dedicated to beautiful bridal bouquets and boutonnieres, Rustic Chic Wedding will be an indispensable guide on the sweetest day of your life.

Available January 28th, 2014 Buy it online from the following sellers: Amazon

Indiebound

Barnes and Noble

About the Author Since starting her Etsy business, BraggingBags, in her garage, author Morgann Hill has become an established name in handmade wedding supplies. Her designs are sold through Etsy, Anthropologie BHLDN, Open Sky, and others. She has been featured in magazines like Brides, Cosmopolitan, B Wedding, Rocky Mountain Bride, VegNews, Wedding Style, on HGTV and Studio 5, and on thousands of sites such as Brides.com, TheHuffingtonPost.com, MindyWeiss.com, StyleMePretty.com. Morgann lives in Oceanside, California.

Purchase Rustic Chic Items on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/braggingbags Learn more at http://morgannhilldesigns.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Morgann-Hill-Designs/107933605976075

http://morgannhilldesigns.blogspot.com/ Review by Wenona Napolitano: Rustic Chic Wedding is now my favorite DIY Wedding Book ever.

The designs are gorgeous, yet simple. You don't need an engineering degree to be able to do the fabulous DIY decor and wedding accessories. Too many crafty wedding books demonstrate complicated designs that you need specialized tools and supplies for...not this one. These are really the greatest DIY wedding ideas for any crafter skill set from newbie to experienced crafter.

About as complicated as the tools get is a wood burner...for pretty much everything else...a hot glue gun. And what crafter does not have a hot glue gun on hand? It's like the number one tool of the trade. And what I really love- is that not only do they list what you'll need- you also get full color images of what the tools and supplies look like. Crafting has never been simpler.

And the designs...the ideas....beautiful, elegant, with a hint of rustic charm.

The Rustic Chic Wedding is full of projects that will fit into outdoor weddings, barn weddings, country weddings, cowboy theme weddings, Victorian weddings, garden weddings, and any wedding where simple elegance with a touch of rustic charm is desired.

I am so in love with these designs I want to plan a wedding centered around them :-) Check out this sample of some of the fantastic DIY designs then be sure to order your copy on Amazon Indiebound or Barnes and Noble

The Everlasting Appeal of Vampires Amber Belldene I’ve decided to share some of my thoughts about the appeal of vampires and why they continue to hold our imagination. Just when everyone insists the vampire fad is over, Jonathan Rhys Myers *swoon* gets cast in a steampunk retelling of the Dracula story and….they’re back!

One of my theories about the perpetual popularity of vampires has to do with love and lust. A vampire’s hunger is symbolic of lust—a physical desire, fixated on an object without regard for his or her character—in other words, it’s all about the blood and it doesn’t matter whose.

The predatory vampire becomes a fascinating character when he (or she, in the case of Uta, the heroine in my new release) falls in love. Suddenly emotions complicate the hunger, and concern for the beloved complicates the vampire’s life.

A romance is exciting enough when it’s about a duke and a spinster, or two contemporary heroes who live across the tracks from each other, but when the story is about a vampire, it has the potential to be even more romantic: tragic pasts, immortality, sexy fangs. Need I say more?

The kinds of conflicts vampires face are larger than life, cranked up several notches from our every day experience, and yet, they shine a light onto our ordinary lives, making us consider what it means to hunger for something, or someone, and whether we can find ways to have what we desire without harming those we care about.

Before vampires became romantic figures in our literature, they were frightening demonic blood guzzlers in the folklore of Eastern Europe. The fact our vampire mythology and the Zinfandel grape both originated in Croatia was a huge part of the inspiration for my Blood Vine series, about a family of vampires in exile from Croatia.

The first record of an actual deceased person being thought to have come back as a vampire was a guy named Jure Grando from Croatia in the seventeenth century. He was a peasant, and twenty years after his death, local villagers claimed he returned from the dead and began drinking blood from the people. The village leader ordered a stake to be driven through his heart, but when the method failed to kill him, he was subsequently beheaded and that apparently

worked. They’ve found skeletons of people buried with stakes through the heart at sites spanning over Eastern Europe.

These vampires were demonic and scary and not at all sexy. It wasn’t until Bram Stoker’s Dracula, published in 1897, that we really get the idea of a seductive, gentlemanly, cultured vampire. And the sex appeal of the species evolved from there, because the romance genre loves to redeem a dangerous bad guy!

The vampires in my Blood Vine series have their own customs and mythology. They live all around the world in secret households, and they are mostly good guys, if a little jaded and grumpy after having lived so long, persecuted by vampire Hunters. My love of studying history and mythology heavily influenced the world I built for this series. In Blood Reunited, the hero and heroine travel from California all the way to Turkey to investigate the bloody origins of the war between vampires and Hunters. This Pinterest board shows some of my research into their journey.

There is so much more I could say about vampires in mythology. I’m fascinated that the folktales make drinking blood a frightening, demonic thing, and yet for certain vampire fans it’s become something very erotic. How did that happen? And I want to know more about the vampire hunts in Eastern Europe—if vampires aren’t real, who was hurting innocent people, and were the people staked through the heart the real culprits?

I can’t promise you’ll find the answers to any of these question in the Blood Vine series, but you will find a new, rich and complex vampire world, with a dash of history and lots of sexy characters. It was bittersweet to wrap up the series with my new release, Blood Reunited, because I had fallen so deeply in love with my characters and my world. But now that all the books are out, I get to experience it all over again with my readers. If you decide to check out my books, I do hope you’ll enjoy them, and I always love to hear from readers!

Blood Reunited Blood Vine Series Book Three Amber Belldene Genre: paranormal romance Publisher: Omnific Publishing Date of Publication: January 28, 2014 ISBN:9781623420956

Book Description: Book Three in the Blood Vine Series.

Brooding vampire halfling and biologist Bel Maras is determined to create a cure for the wasting disease that plagues his vampire family. His work becomes essential as the Hunters intensify their global and bloody campaign. When Bel's cure fails, only his ancient and estranged godmother Uta Ilirije can help. But seeing the ice-cold Uta reveals something shocking--she is his bonded mate.

She may be a dangerous warrior, but Uta feels her failures acutely. She has been unable to protect her kind from Hunters, and vampires are dying out. Worse, she tied Bel to her long ago in an accident of blood, then abandoned him for his own good--a choice he has never forgiven.

Many days, she is convinced Bel and the vampires would be better off if she just walked into the sun.

Biology has fated them to be mates. Now these old enemies must overcome their past to save the vampires and come to peace with the bond they never chose.

Blood Entangled Blood Vine Series Book Two Amber Belldene Genre: paranormal romance Publisher: Omnific Publishing ISBN: 9781623420437 ASIN:B00E3ER9KI Number of pages: 318 Amazon Book Description: KOS MARAS’s orderly life is in shambles—he must distribute Blood Vine to a population of ailing vampires, but Hunters block him at every turn. To make matters worse, each night he watches over a temptingly beautiful woman sleeping in his bed. He is convinced love cannot last a vampire-long lifetime and an entanglement will only cause them grief, but he doesn’t have the heart to send her away.

From a long line of blood servants, LENA ISAAKSON is destined to serve a vampire, but a string of humiliating rejections thwarts her pleasure. When Kos shows her kindness, she hopes he will claim her. Instead he proves himself a coward in the face of love and sends her to serve another.

Will the dark seduction of a rakish new vampire finally bring Lena the pleasure she desires or deliver her into the hands of Hunters who want to destroy everything the Maras family has worked for?

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/qoPMUDZFyI8 Blood Vine Blood Vine Series Book One Amber Belldene

Genre: paranormal romance Publisher: Omnific Publishing Date of Publication: January 6, 2013 ISBN:9781623420048 ASIN: B00AXREPM4 Number of pages: 206

Amazon

Book Description:

In Blood Vine, bites are an inconvenient bliss, exiled vampires are wasting away, and the fate of their kind depends on the perfect PR campaign.

When public relations pro Zoey Porter arrives at an enchanting California winery, she discovers her sexy new client is the almost one-night stand she can't forget. After her husband's suicide, Zoey has vowed never to risk her heart again. But can she walk away from the intriguing winemaker a second time?

Driven from Croatia by his ancient foes, vampire Andre Maras has finally made a blood-like wine to cure his fellow refugees. Now he needs Zoey's PR expertise to reach them. After his wife's death, Andre has a vow of his own—never to risk another painful blood bond. And one taste of the tempting Zoey would bind him to her eternally.

His secrets stall her PR plans. Her jealousy is stoked by the blissed-out beauties leaving his bedroom. At every turn, he utterly fails to resist her. When she discovers he is a vampire, will she be lost to the golden-eyed Hunters, or lose herself to the emptiness in her heart, before she can help him save his kind?

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/Is-mvrLlheo About the Author:

Amber Belldene grew up on the Florida panhandle, swimming with alligators, climbing oak trees and diving for scallops…when she could pull herself away from a book. As a child, she hid her Nancy Drew novels inside the church bulletin and read mysteries during sermons—an irony that is not lost on her when she preaches these days.

Amber is an Episcopal Priest and student of religion. She believes stories are the best way to explore human truths. Some people think it is strange for a minister to write romance, but it is perfectly natural to her, because the human desire for love is at the heart of every romance novel and God made people with that desire. She lives with her husband and two children in San Francisco. http://amberbelldene.com twitter: @amberbelldene facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amber.belldene goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Amber_Belldene

Excerpt “Hush now, child,” said a voice she recognized as that of her mother’s closest friend. “The man cannot harm you, mijita, as long as you are with us.

We will make him think you are dead. But you must be very quiet. Ya no llores,” the woman warned, raising a finger to her lips.

The woman then carried her into a dark cave illuminated by the light of a single candle. The cave was frightening, with shadows of what appeared to be goblins and demons dancing on the red sandstone walls. “I will return for you soon. You will be safe here,” the woman said. The girl watched the woman walk away, shivering as a breeze blew through the cave’s narrow passages.

Closing her eyes, she rocked back and forth—imagining herself safe in her mother’s arms—then opened her eyes to the light of the full moon shining through the mouth of the cave. The shadows on the walls were just shadows now, no longer goblins and demons. As she slipped into a trance, images flickered in her mind. She saw the woman who had brought her to this place scattering pieces of raw meat around the open mesa where her mother had struggled, helped by two other women the girl could not identify.

Suddenly, the scene shifted to a stone ledge jutting over the mesa, and she heard the pounding footsteps of a man running toward the women. The girl felt her heart race and her breathing quicken, afraid that the bad man would spot them and kill them. Then the image shifted again, and she now saw on the mesa three gray wolves circling the raw meat and the man walking away from the granite ledge. As he left, she heard his thought: The child is dead.

The Unholy Paul DeBlassie III Publisher: Sunstone Press ISBN-10: 0865349592 ISBN-13: 978-0865349599 Paperback: 202 pages Genre: Psychological thriller

Book Description: A young curandera, a medicine woman, intent on uncovering the secrets of her past is forced into a life-and-death battle against an evil Archbishop. Set in the mystic land of Aztlan, the Unholy is a novel of destiny as healer and slayer. native lore of dreams and visions, shape changing, and natural magic work to spin a neo-gothic web in which sadness and mystery lure the unsuspecting into a twilight realm of discovery and decision.

Amazon About the Book: Part psychological thriller, part supernatural heroine’s journey and part gothic horror, The Unholy lures the reader into a twilight realm that pits two old worlds against each other: the medicine woman against the church. Witchcraft, magic, demons and religion each play a role as healer confronts slayer.

“Paul DeBlassie III has brought us a richly imagined supernatural thriller set in the high mountain desert of Aztlan, where Claire Sanchez, an herbalist and medicine woman, has come to reclaim her healing heritage and uncover the secrets of her mother’s death. The book digs deep into legend, folklore, and the author’s own imagination to paint a stirring picture of traditional curanderismo pitted against the oppressive forces of institutional religious power. Make sure you have lots of time; once you start reading this book, it will be hard to put down.”— Stephan V. Beyer, author of Singing to the Plants: A Guide to Mestizo Shamanism in the Upper Amazon Rich in the native lore of the southwest and set in the mythical, yet modern, land of Aztlan, you will follow a young curandera (Spanish medicine woman) Claire, who is intent on uncovering the secrets of her past, secrets that lead her into a life-and-death battle with an evil archbishop. As women die in mysterious circumstances, Claire must decide how much faith she has in her own powers and how far she can go before putting her own life in mortal danger.

The Unholy will appeal those who are fascinated by the old traditions of healing and magic as well as those who simply desire a fast paced battle between good and evil, masculine and feminine, darkness and light…

“The Unholy, an excellent novel by Paul DeBlassie III, keeps the reader engaged throughout in mystery, suspense, and church politics. In addition to vividly depicting the beauti- ful landscape and culture of New Mexico, it exposes and strengthens the traditional work of the medicine women of the Southwest. I am looking forward to Dr. DeBlassie’s next book.”—Eliseo “Cheo” Torres, author of Curandero: A Life In Mexican Folk Healing, professor, and university administrator

Interview with The Darkness of Light by Tammy Farrell What kind of heroine is Mara Black?

Mara starts out as a young woman who really needs to grow into her strength. She’s led a very sheltered life up until her mother’s arrest, and when Mara’s forced to fight for her survival, she’s also forced to push through her fears and doubts. She certainly has courage, even from the start, but it takes some time before she really starts to trust her instincts. Mara goes through some terrible things in this book, life changing things, and it’s her strength and will to fight that makes me love her so much.

How does Mara react to her mother’s death?

I had one person tell me that Mara should have a stronger reaction once she escaped the village, but if you think about it, her mother has been murdered and then she’s running for her life. There’s really no time for her to grieve. It’s either fight or die for her in the days following her mother’s murder. She is numb after it happens, confused and lost.

I lost my mother four years ago, so I was able to draw on that for Mara. For some, there’s a numbness, a sense of disbelief that follows the death of a loved one. It just doesn’t sink in right away. That’s how Mara reacts. She’s confused, angry and just trying to live.

What is a Dia? The word Dia (Dee-ah) is the Irish word for God. There is no plural form of the word that translates well in English, so I used Dia as both the plural and singular form. The mythology behind The Darkness of Light is the legend of Tuatha Dé Danann, who were god-like people said to have once ruled Ireland.

The Dia in this novel are not the original rulers, but descendants of the long lost race. Some are pure Dia, while others are part Dia, part human. Their powers vary from Dia to Dia, but for the most part they all have heightened senses, the ability to cloak themselves and the powers of persuasion.

Others can create fire, make changes in the weather and even alter their appearances. They also live for about 1300 years and because of this, they call themselves immortal.

Where do these Dia live? In a different land?

Yes and no. The characters in this novel live in 6th century Britain on the shores of Dumnonia (Devon

County). Their ancestors fled Ireland after their kingdom was lost. All locations are on earth (as we know it) with the exception of their fortress. It rests on a cliff in Devon, but it’s veiled from mortal eyes with magic.

Those that die go to the Otherworld, which is the Tuatha Dé Danann form of heaven.

What type of character is Corbin?

Corbin is the hero-type character of the story. He’s half Dia, half mortal. He was raised as a mortal and a lot of the time he wishes he could just go back to living that way. He wanted to be a soldier, just like his father, but after his father’s death, he was taken in by other Dia. Corbin is moral and honorable with a bit of a temper at times.

What I like about Corbin is that he’s not perfect. He’s not the type of hero that saves the day at the right time.

He misjudges things and makes mistakes, but he always fights his way back.

Corbin and Mara develop a relationship throughout the book. At first it might seem like this is a love triangle (with Malcolm), but it isn’t. Mara and Corbin’s connection is very different from Mara and Malcolm’s.

What type of character is Malcolm?

Malcolm is the antagonist and was a very difficult character to write. I wouldn’t say he starts out bad, but some of his decisions take him down a dark path. He can be a very sympathetic character but he can also be extremely vile. It was emotionally challenging to get into his head, feel what he feels and find a way to justify (in his mind) the things he does.

What makes The Darkness of Light a historical fantasy? What elements are based upon history?

Yes, I know, how can something be “historical” and “fantasy?” Well, mythology aside, everything in this novel is based on real history. The setting, “Dumnonia” was actually the name of that realm in the 6th century. The king mentione earlier in the novel is recorded in surviving historical works as the king at the time (though, those accounts are a bit unreliable). Many details are true to the time period, from the clothing to the religion to the chaotic social structure. Even the capital city of Isca (now known as Exeter) is a real place. The settlement names are fictitious simply because town and village names changed too frequently back then. I called Mara’s village Moorthrop because it’s nestled in the moors.

My initial thoughts when writing this novel was that it was going to be a historical paranormal story, but when I used mythology it automatically became labeled as “Fantasy.”

Excerpt: The drums echoed off the walls as Corbin and Malcolm made their way through the back gates of Moorthrop. The guards and villagers were gathered near the green, leaving no one to challenge their entry, or seize their swords.

“We’re too late,” Corbin said through clenched teeth.

“I can see that,” Malcolm responded. “How was I supposed to know we wouldn’t make it in time?”

Corbin bit his tongue. Now was not the time to argue with Malcolm. They had a job to do. As they weaved through the rows of huts, an old woman called out to them. She sat near the door of her hovel, her body hunched with age, and a half-woven basket in her lap. “Here for the execution?” she asked.

Malcolm laughed at the woman with a sneer and continued on. Corbin stopped and looked at her with a tilt of his head; the knuckles of her hands were swollen, and appeared painfully stiff. “Will there be an execution today?” he asked.

She nodded and pointed to the square. “I never saw in all my life such evil as this. Killin’ folks fer

nothin'.” She gave a disapproving shake of her head and began to fumble with the basket.

Corbin walked up to her and dropped a coin in her lap. When she glanced down at it, he took hold of both her hands. She gasped as the blue light from his fingertips covered her skin, but in less than a moment he stepped back, and the light vanished. Blinking in amazement, she examined her hands, her fingers spread out like wings, healed from the stiffness that crippled them. She moved her fingers up and down, and then met Corbin’s gaze and asked, “What magic is this?”

Corbin smiled. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Before the old woman could respond, he continued towards the green.

He met up with Malcolm as he approached the edge of the crowd. Malcolm used his energy to move the onlookers aside. The crowd of people wouldn’t know why they moved or even look at the two men moving past them. The power of the veil was a gift to their kind, to protect them from discerning mortal eyes.

Most mortals wouldn’t have noticed Corbin much anyway. He looked almost human. But anyone could see that Malcolm, with his white hair and fierce gray eyes, was different, unnatural.

The man in the long black robe bellowed out to the crowd. “By order of King Gerren of the realm of Dumnonia, we are not to tolerate evil among us.” He pointed his finger at the accused woman on the platform. Corbin used his keen sight to examine her. She looked wretched, defeated, and certainly not one of their kind. Could Rowan have been mistaken?

Corbin turned to Malcolm. “Are they charging her with witchcraft?”

Malcolm nodded with a smirk. “It appears that way. Fools. They waste their time looking for witches.

They have no idea what walks amongst them.”

The Darkness of Light The Dia Chronicles Book One Tammy Farrell Genre: Historical Fantasy ISBN-13: 978-1492766582 ISBN-10: 1492766585 Number of pages: 375 Word Count: 90,000 Cover Artist: Nathalia Suellen Book Description: The world has long forgotten them, but their descendants live on, not wholly mortal or god, but something in between…

At the dawn of the sixth century, in the aftermath of her mother’s brutal execution, Mara Black is forced to flee the only life she has ever known.

Mara can tell she’s different, but isn't sure why. After she encounters two mysterious strangers, she discovers her secret is but a drop in an ocean of many. She is a Dia, a descendant of ancient gods, and her mother sacrificed herself to protect Mara from their past.

Summoned by an uncle she didn't know existed, Mara thinks she’s found the family she’s always wanted, and

Corbin, a love she never thought possible. But not everything is as it seems. Her uncle has other motives for protecting her, and her mentor, Malcolm, becomes so jealous, he’ll do anything to get what he wants.

When tragedy strikes, and the true darkness among them comes to light, Mara discovers that sometimes love can give you everything, and obsession can take it all away. With her powers gone, and destiny calling, she has to look deep within to find the courage to save herself. Mara, along with Corbin and her newfound family, must fight to get back what was taken, or die trying.

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About the Author: Tammy Farrell grew up in Orangeville, Ontario Canada where she discovered her love of writing, and all things related to Edgar Allan Poe. She now lives with her husband and four fur babies in Greenville, South Carolina, where she teaches pre-GED English and attempts to learn French when she isn’t busy writing. www.TammyFarrell.com @Tamzwrite http://www.facebook.com/thediachronicles

What inspired you to become an author?

I was a commercial real estate agent and when the market went in the tank, a friend bet me lunch I couldn’t write a best seller. Once I started writing, I found I enjoyed the process and began finding ways to improve my skills.

Do you have a specific writing style?

The first three books I wrote were all done not knowing what would be on the next page. Since then I have been taught and adopted the technique of writing scene to scene. Though I still like to leave everything open till the last line is written, I find myself outlining the story in my head now far more than I did when I began writing. I don’t know if it’s any better that way or not, but it has changed. As far as what’s in the story, I find myself writing more dialogue with each book.

Do you write in different genres?

I always write in first person but the genres tend to shift from biographical to political to fantasy, yet all my characters follow me around and find their way into each book.

How did you come up with the title for your latest book?

Since it’s the last in a series (for now) I wanted to look back on the main character and think of it in terms of how he saw himself in the series.

Do you title the book first or wait until after it’s complete?

I generally like to get near the finish line before thinking of a title. That being said, the book I started recently which is not part of this series, I had the title before I wrote the first word. I think the first book I wrote I had an idea for a title but didn’t settle on it until the last word was complete.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Every book I write I hope pushes people to question what they would do if put in the same situation. I also lean heavily on people’s morals and ethics.

Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?

In this series there are a few characters in my life in the book, however most are taken from the newspapers and twisted to fit my characters.

Is there a genre(s) that you’d like to write that you haven’t tackled yet?

I enjoy politics and history. My second book was about politics but the one I am starting now tells history from a 10 year old boy’s perspective. It will be written for a younger audience.

Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

I would say Dylan James from my first book “A Beautiful Song” only because he was my first major character and one people who have read it assume is me.

What books are in your to read pile?

I am on book four of A Song of Ice and Fire series or as some know it, Game of Thrones. I also enjoy music autobiographies and a good mystery.

What books/authors have influenced your life?

Catcher in the Rye was my favorite book growing up. Now I am influenced George RR Martin and have always been influenced by Sydney Sheldon.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

It is only two chapters complete but it’s a story about a kid who talks with dead presidents. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot since it’s not written and could change, but the boy has recovered a book stolen from the White House with all the presidents secrets inside.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I’m a person who likes to finish a task. With writing sometimes you have to let the idea sit in your brain for a while. That is difficult for me. I want to finish it even though it would be better to wait. It’s a constant battle.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Don’t take critiques or reviews personally. No doubt they sting at first but step back and consider the source. I had someone in my writers group tell me my work was horrible and when I asked why they said, “Well you can’t steal someone’s soul, so you can’t write about the subject.” When I asked about the writing they said, “It’s well written, good grammar, good descriptions, easy to read, but I don’t like the subject, so it’s a lousy book.” I had another tell me they didn’t like my first book because, “It had too much music in it and I don’t like music.”

So, think about what they said before you get too excited. Other than that, write, write more and no matter what anyone tells you, keep writing.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

I never considered writing a book until I was 53. I also secretly watch Pinky and Brain cartoons.

When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

I love photography. I shoot mostly nature and sports, but I do it to take out the nerves and it helps clear my mind

for future plots.

What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

The working title for my next release is called “44 Friends.” It’s about a kid who is advised by dead presidents.

Everyone thinks he’s insane but Samuel Wilson is sending presidents to speak with him so as he grows up he can reeducate the public about our American history and remind our politicians how and why our government was formed.

Soul Intentions Leadership and Redemption Book One Michael Cantwell, CCIM Genre: Fiction, fantasy Publisher: KSM Publishing ISBN: 978-0615725741 ASIN: B00A3DCRCI Number of pages: 292 Word Count: 95,068 Amazon Book Description: Caeles Novo has lost count at how many times he has taken a soul. He now fears his actions are not saving his existence, but damaging it. It is a painful transition when you question if your life has been a lie Chapter 1 The granite steps were damp and cold from the drizzling rain falling on an early British afternoon. The time had come for me to return what was never mine.

My subject sat with his hands covering his face, his shirt torn at the sleeve, his breaking point was near. I cautiously sat down on the same steps to his right knowing the time was now or never. It took nearly five minutes before he reacted to my presence.

“Your face seems familiar to me. People assume because I meet hundreds from around the world and I am generally surrounded by bright lights and cameras, I would not notice when someone is following me, but I do. Who are you? Are you a fan looking for an autograph? Or do you want to sit here and pity me like so many others do now? ” “It is not important for you to know who I am, but only that you focus on what you believe is lost in your life. If you don’t, it will be impossible for me to give you back what you seek.” My subject had been without his soul far too long. I do not know for sure what

it must feel like to lose something so valuable, yet in watching my human targets struggle without them for several decades, it is not a feeling I want to know firsthand.

His tired face and frail body slumped even more at the shoulders. However, for the first time in months, I knew he was ready for me to restore his soul. He stared down into the cold grey steps where we were sitting and replied, “I know I am lost. My wife was taken from me far too young. My ability to do the only thing in life I have ever loved was destroyed, yet you sit here, a total stranger and I feel like you know all this without me telling you, and I don’t know why.

Did you do this to me? Did you take my most precious of gifts from me? If you are the one who is punishing me, please stop. My daughters need me. My band needs me. I need me. Please, I know you have been following me for several months and I don’t know why. But if you can help me, I beg you to release me from my misery!”

Maybe I did pity him to some degree. Here was

someone who had everything most humans seek, yet because of one mishap in his life, he threw it all away.

“You did this to yourself fool, but I will try to repair the damage you have done. However, I cannot repair what is broken until you open your mind and body.

Allow yourself to fully understand what it is you have lost. It is imperative you admit to yourself what you have done to your life. Stop blaming your ills on everyone else and admit you are the one responsible, not me, not your family, and not your band mates. It will be in a single moment, a simple frame in your life, where I can offer back what was stolen from you because you stopped appreciating all which was given to you.”

As he looked up and turned my way, I focused on his face and hit the shutter release. It was done. I noticed one small tear had leaked from the corner of his left eye as he asked, “How long was I without it?” It was forbidden for me to be doing any of this, but I felt obligated to tell him. It seemed I had broken so many ancient laws already, what was one more? Choking back my own emotions, I could only respond, “Longer than I had anticipated, but let us both take comfort in knowing you are whole again.” After delivering my final remark, I could only hope he had found his long lost hopes and dreams and my Elders would not send me back on another mission to steal again what I had just returned.

Myself, I felt drained of life, yet somehow relieved.

My subject was given a reprieve, something I had never attempted. My body was reacting in the opposite way to what it felt when I stole all the souls in my past.

To return one was new to me, and expressly forbidden by the laws of our High Council.

A young woman, who seemed to recognize my subject, was now sitting to his left. She was speaking to both of us, but my senses were so dulled I could barely speak. I was not sure I could stand and walk away, but I knew I had to try. My legs wobbled as I hobbled down the many steps of The Royal Albert Hall. For a few moments, I was not sure I would survive my last snap of the camera shutter. It was not until a tall stranger, clean shaven and pale skinned with long flowing white hair, whispered for me to lean on him.

When I did, instantly my abilities to function were restored.

You see, there are some cultures that believe someone can steal your soul if you take their photograph or they see themselves in a mirror. Others believe you can lose part of your soul with the click of a shutter release and still others have no desire to seek the truth.

Those who believe that such a force exists know the

truth. How can I be so certain in my words?

I am one of the few remaining who roam this earth and are responsible for collecting broken souls. They are the damaged souls, ones which my Elders have deemed far too ruined to deserve to remain within their earthly bodies. However, in my opinion, the time has come when my Elders have lost their way for not hearing my pleas. Anytime I talk of exploring it my way, I am branded a heretic and shame is brought to my family name. “Caeles our mission is clear and concise, the longer you deny our truths the more you damage all of our kind.”

In Latin they call it “anima furtim,” to steal one’s soul. However, I have over time started to develop my own plan, my own system. Unfortunately, my first attempt made me weak and disoriented. It is a system I need to perfect before I try again. The next time I might not be so lucky. Despite my Elders objections and threats, there will be a next time.

Since some in our highest court had lost faith in my judgments, I was now being tracked in the same manner I would track my own subjects. Once word got back to them, the Elders were furious with me, but what else is new? I had again over stepped my limits and used my powers with little regard for our laws.

They were furious that I restored a soul years after I had stolen it from the original owner.

“We ordered you before our Council yet again because you have been taught beyond a shadow of a doubt our powers are to take, never to return. Our mission is not to offer hope to the hopeless or restore what has been deemed forever broken. These people we send to you as subjects, they do not deserve to keep their most precious of all gifts and you know this Caeles . You have been taught this since you could barely read and write, yet you insist on disobeying us, even with our most sacred law! Have you nothing to say to defend your actions?”

What could I say? It is true in all my years of reading the ancient scrolls, nowhere does it read where our kind can or should restore souls our kind had already stolen. Our mission on earth has always been to steal from humans who no longer appreciated their blessings on earth. Yet as I stood before the six men who comprised our highest Council, the Elders who would decide my fate, I felt confused. I felt that way because I knew our powers grew stronger the more we stole.

This was not my opinion or a lesson taught to me. No, this was more, it was physical. I could feel all my senses explode with energy every time I ripped a soul from my intended target. I could feel it when others of our kind stole as well. So I knew it was very important

for our own survival to continue to steal. But after I restored my first soul, and discovered respite on another’s shoulder, I felt a moment of peace in my own soul, never realized in my past.

“No, Elder Orcus, I cannot defend my actions before the High Council. I only beg that before you hand down your ruling you seek to understand the power of healing can be a powerful source of energy, possibly more than destruction.”

“Damn you Caeles, have you not listened to a word I have told you today? Or the last time you stood before this Council? We have shown you mercy in the past, yet you continue to develop powers not permitted by our laws. Do you not realize I have the power to destroy your soul as you stand in front of me?

My powers were growing stronger with each passing day. So as I looked upon the six men deciding my fate, any one of whom could remove my soul with a flick of a finger, I didn’t believe I had to answer to any one of them for my actions.

“Caeles, I can see into your soul as I can anyone else’s here on earth. I see confusion and murkiness that was not there the last time you stood before this Council. Our entire survival depends on thieves like you to be strong and vigilant. As you are aware, our numbers have diminished in recent years. We once numbered in the thousands across the globe with the power to steal.

Now we are but a small number who still possess the sacred power granted centuries ago. If you insist on returning souls, I don’t know what will become of our kind. You must know everyone of us felt the same weakness when you restored that pitiful man’s soul.

That includes your own family. This Council cannot and will not tolerate your wreck less behavior in restoring what is broken and jeopardizing our people’s existence here on earth. Rules have been in place for centuries and will exist long after your time on earth has ex-

pired!”

As Charon Orcus, the highest of our Elders, sat staring down at me with his piercing black eyes and long grey hair, again scolding me for my actions, I knew I was at a point of no return. I had been penalized before, having been forbidden to steal for one year. That might seem like a holiday for many, but for every year we are forbidden to steal, we lose years off of our time here on earth. Our powers thrive from thieving. He knows by denying me the right to steal, it not only weakens my body but also disorients my mind to the point of permanent dementia. But he understands, the longer he keeps me from thievery, the longer there is one less on earth collecting broken souls. We cannot survive as a species without collecting and feeding off broken souls.

My attention was again focused on our leader as he continued his rant, “This Council will no longer tolerate you developing new powers. Do not dare to believe that your new found skills can save you should you attempt your foolishness again. I can assure you the Council of Elders will have no mercy on you. Your punishment will be harsh, swift but just. You cannot continue to behave so poorly by ignoring our decrees and customs. Should you break any law or attempt to take another soul before my ruling; your fate will be death. Now retire to your home and await your punishment.” With his decree, I knew of only three words which would allow me to leave with my soul and possibly my life still intact, “Yes, Elder Orcus.”

The Council was now placed with a very difficult decision. Remove me from the ranks of the few remaining soul stealers and slowly watch our kind suffer, or go beyond their archaic beliefs and listen to my plea that healing souls can nourish us as well. I held out little optimism they would hear my plea.

Soul Directive Leadership and Redemption Book Two Michael Cantwell, CCIM Genre: Fiction, fantasy Publisher: KSM Publishing ISBN: 978-0615838359 ASIN: B00DJV4B9I

Number of pages: 302 Word Count: 87,067 Amazon Book Description: Caeles Novo continues his journey of seeking broken souls that he started in “Soul Intentions”.

Caeles is now the leader of his disciples and must discover the mystery as to why so few soul stealers remain on earth. He learns the high cost of both leadership and success. Caeles is assigned to remove the soul of an internet blogger who is spreading false information for the President of the United States, a man who trains fighting dogs and others. He meets up with a Doctor about to cure cancer and a woman with multiple personalities. He does all this while attempting to lead his people and be a good husband and father.

Chapter 1 Few remained. The old and weak had lost their ability.

Among the young and strong; few had the will. Yet it was imperative I persevered. This is my story.

Most have the luxury of choosing their own destiny. Maybe I did. I do trust everyone has the ability in freedom of choice. Only my choices were far more limited than most. It was always presented as my duty to feed our kind with stealing damaged souls. It was not until later in life, I also believed that most, if not all, deserved a second chance. Our Council had eliminated the power of restoration of broken souls long ago. My grandfather’s bloodlines were chosen to alter the power of the Council and restore the power of redemption. The responsibility was now mine. However, along the way, I had lost my family as well as faith in my leaders.

My given name is Caeles Novo. I was the preeminent soul stealer on earth. I assumed I knew who my family was, and what my future held. That was until I discovered the people closest to me, never told me the truth about who I am. My mother and father did not disclose my true bloodlines to me until my natural born grandfather visited me in a hospital bed. He appeared to me with his grand visions and my future path. Sure I had been known to fight my elders, but I never could have imagined the destruction and pain that ensued.

Charon Orcus no longer owned his soul since I had just removed it. He was lying in the fetal position on the floor exactly where I’d ripped out his most prized possession. I couldn’t muster up even one drop of sympathy for him. If anyone no longer deserved a sec-

ond chance, it was my former leader.

After the unexpected had happened, silence fell upon the room. Three of the five elders left. I peered across the room, eyes still filled with tears. My wife and son stood like statues, where Charon Orcus cast his spell. They were not like stone but still in the flesh, unable to move. The cold marble floor started to feel even less inviting as I struggled to stand. The lone window was barely offering a glint of light as the two elders remaining in the room guided me to my feet.

“Caeles, I can assure you, no one on this Council expected this outcome. Orcus assured us your family would only remain motionless for a few moments. He told us he only wanted to scare you into backing down. I would be a liar if I stated that some of us on the Council weren’t hoping for a way to remove him as our leader but no one wanted this. It all happened so quickly. Yes, there is no doubt I wanted to find a way for you to replace Charon Orcus on our Council, but removing his soul was not our first option.”

“No? Then tell me, what was your first option?” I asked my grandfather.

Again silence filled the room. It was all very obvious to me that they didn’t expect the outcome they just witnessed. They never dared to believe I would remove his soul. However, some on the Council did want me to start a power struggle with the man who was our leader for decades.

My grandfather spoke again. “What is done cannot be erased Cale. We will move forward from here. You have been elected as a full voting member of the Council and our new leader. Many of us are tired and have little time left on earth. It is time we pass along the responsibilities to someone with your youth. This

has always been your destiny, Caeles, long before you were born.” I attempted to gain a firm footing to stand alone as my grandfather continued.

“Caeles, everyone understands things have gotten out of hand. After Elder Orcus assumed his position as leader of our Council, he believed his authority was more than our laws describe. It had become a problem.

However no one assumed you would use your powers to remove his soul. Even if you attempted it, not one of us considered it possible. We assumed he was too powerful. Therefore, please believe me when I tell you, what just occurred was never our intention. That being said, none of us intend on returning his soul to him.”

“With all due respect, Grandfather, I don’t give a damn about Charon Orcus or his soul. I only care about how to restore my family. Now, if you would be so kind in doing so, it would be much appreciated.”

“Caeles, none of us has a cure for your wife and son. We don’t know what Elder Orcus did to your family.”

“Well isn’t that just great! You bait me into a battle with Orcus and none of you envisioned what the consequences might be? On top of that, my family is lost to me and the only man who understands what he did has the capacities of a newborn, whoo hoo! Do any of you have anything to offer me other than your lame excuses?”

Stillness erupted in the room as we stared at each other. My grandfather, James Spia, the oldest of the five remaining elders with a soul, along with, Jair Rex, another elder and the grandfather to my frozen wife, looked down to the ground. The elder who was usually first to voice an opinion on the Council after Orcus, Elder Jair Rex, spoke up.

“Caeles, we all realize this was a tragic accident.

We will find a solution. However, our disciples need leadership. As stated earlier by Elder Spia, who we just now find out is your own flesh and blood, we are an aging Council. Some of us, me included, should have retired many moons ago. It should be obvious for all to see that you were sent to us for a reason. You must be the one to bring back our disciples from the brink of extinction and our wicked ways.”

“Thanks guys but let me say this slowly so I don’t confuse any of you. I don’t want to be the leader of this Council, our disciples, or even my home town city council, until my family has been saved. Can I be any more direct with you?”

At that point, my grandfather raised his voice to get my attention.

“I will not tolerate any more of your insubordination, Caeles. We will find a way to restore your family

but you will lead this Council. There is a room set up here in the complex for you to rest. Once you calm yourself, you will assist us in deciding our future path, but no more childish behavior.”

I’m not sure what everyone could expect from me.

For as much training as I had to learn not to be emotional, it was still difficult. It is true the highest honor for our kind is to lead the Council. But I was in no emotional state to lead anyone. However, I would listen to the advice and retired for some self examination to determine what my life now had in store for me.

Sleep was difficult. Not only was I stressing about my family all night but the few times I could drift off, I would have a dream loop over and over in my brain. It contained a voice reciting, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” It played in my brain throughout the night.

“Elder Novo, it’s time to wake.” That was the next thing I heard. It was one of our disciples standing alongside my bed. “Elder Novo, please a long day awaits you.”

“Who are you? Why are you in my room? And who’s Elder Novo for goodness sake?”

I did my best to focus on the young man’s face. I could see his confusion matched mine.

“You’re Elder Novo, are you not? The Council has a long day planned. With all due respect, you need to get your wits about you. After all, you are our new leader, Sir. And to answer your initial question, I have been assigned to assist you while in the complex. My name is Peter, Peter Pascal.”

“Well Peter Pascal, your first assignment is to head back out the door, lock it and don’t allow anyone to enter it until I walk through it to leave.”

“I’m sorry, Elder Novo. I am under strict orders from Elder Spia. I believe his exact words were; get his ass in this Council room immediately.”

“Maybe so but I’m now the leader of the band around here, so what I say rules. Am I wrong?”

“Elder Novo, a wise man once said, what’s in a name? I am going to conclude it applies to titles as well. I refuse to go back into that room and tell Elder Spia you decided to sleep past noon. I’m too new here.

I would like to keep my job and my new title for more than a few hours. Please get up.”

I didn’t want my new assistant to shed tears on his first day. I got up.

When I arrived in the Council room, there were three of our disciples with their noses plastered inside the pages of old dusty books. Along with them were the five members of the Council with a soul, anxiously

peering over their shoulders, as if the books contained the winning lottery numbers.

Elder James Spia, took the lead. “Have a seat Caeles. Our best historians are reading all they can to solve the issue with your family.”

“Issue, you are calling it an issue?” I was none too pleased. His words and demeanor seemed almost trivial.

“Caeles, please, have a seat. There are many topics that need to be discussed. Some are of a delicate nature, but we can all agree your family is our highest priority. Now, please, we all understand you are still emotionally charged, but you are a trained professional. You’ve been trained for emotional situations. So calm down and get your mind right. We will fix the wrong that has happened. However, you are now on this Council. One day soon, you will be presented to our disciples as their new leader. But until that day, there are many urgent issues around the table for discussion.”

I looked around the room. The five members of the Council were all seated at a large round wooden table with me. They included my grandfather, James Spia, along with my wife’s grandfather, Jair Rex. It was not until recently these two men were exposed to me as more than Council members. I was hoping there would be no more surprises concerning the other three. They included, Nathan Stella, Baruch Robus and Reuel Polus. I only knew these men from coming before the Council when I was being praised or punished. Along with Charon Orcus, the previous leader of the Council, these six men had shaped my life with their decrees and words of wisdom.

There was one window I could stare out. The floor was as cold as the icy stare Orcus had in this room the previous day. The table we were using was designed as the more informal place for the Council to sit while discussing the agenda. There was also the dais where the Council sits when conducting official business, such as handing out penalties to the likes of me, when I would take matters into my own hands. There were a few scant paintings from past European masters on the walls, merely to cover up the boring and sterile qualities of the room. I was trying to focus on all the discussion around me but I wasn’t interested. That was until one topic came up. Elder Stella started to speak in an anxious manner.

“Elders, we cannot continue to pretend our dwindling numbers of soul stealers is not an issue. We can no longer support all we need to support. Our research indicates that our disciples are living on average fifty

years less than they were only one generation ago. This generation has been dying at an alarming rate of less than two hundred and fifty in earthly years. Our founders all survived past three hundred. Our mission on earth is far too important to allow this trend to continue.”

This information was all new to me. I had noticed my own parents starting to slow, despite being barely two hundred years on earth. Why the trend?

“Ok, this being all new to me, can someone please explain why the lower life expectancies?” I inquired.

Elder Stella attempted to explain. “It is simple math, Elder Novo. When the Lord of Life bestowed upon us the ability to remove souls from humans, who no longer could appreciate all that was given to them, we were one hundred strong. Each and every one of our ancestors had the ability that the six of us have, meaning to be able to see into another’s soul and remove it, if deemed necessary. Once we started to marry pure humans and thin our bloodlines, fewer and fewer acquired the same abilities. It is why now some can only remove souls and so few other than the six at this table and possibly our offspring will be able to see into another’s soul. Because so many have mated with humans over the generations we have hundreds that we feed but we are down to less than thirty active soul stealers other than us at this table.”

“Ok, so what’s the plan? I mean you guys have been sitting around this table for decades, you musta’ seen this coming? I mean if you are telling me it’s all simple math then let’s fix the math.”

Elder Polus spoke up. “As you are aware, Elder Novo, all our bloodlines are carefully recorded. We have hundreds living now with some remaining strains of our bloodlines that we feed. However, with less than forty at least half blooded and less than fifteen full blooded, it is likely why we are dying at an earlier age.

We are a dying breed.”

“Why has it taken so long for anyone to do anything about this Elder Polus?”

“Would you have listened if we ordered you to marry someone other than Kalani, Elder Novo? I think I’ve made my point.”

I couldn’t believe all I was hearing. But then again, why should I have cared? I could care for myself. I could steal all the souls I wanted and keep myself in top form.

“You know what guys, this is not my problem. I can see into another’s soul, I can steal, I can survive. I don’t think we should really care about anyone who decided to thin out their blood line.”

My grandfather spoke up. “So tell me Caeles, should you become injured removing a soul, or when you become too old or ill to remove souls, will you still wish this Council to have the same approach you are taking now?”

“You are missing my point, Grandfather. I have worked very hard to reach my goals and my position in life. If others don’t care to try, why should I help them?”

“What about the ones who through no fault of their own, but only through genetics have never developed the power to steal like your father Caeles? Shall we tell him, sorry but we no longer can support you? He pays his dues to us. There are hundreds with good jobs in life who help support our cause. We should ignore them?”

“There has to be a better way, Grandfather.”

“There is and it’s one reason why you are now on this Council. When you risked your own life to offer redemption to Dylan James, a man who you barely knew, I knew you would one day find a solution to this issue. I suggest you start thinking.”

My first Council meeting as a member disbanded. I had much to think about but my mind was still elsewhere. I walked across the hallway and sat with my wife and child, still frozen in time. I didn’t care much about others shortened life spans or ones who could possibly steal, who didn’t want to for various reasons, like my own mother. My mind rested with my family.

The Council sat around the table for a few more days until it became obvious that I had to continue on as a soul stealer and no one had the cure for my family. I sat

Fortunate Soul Leadership and Redemption Book Three Michael Cantwell, CCIM Genre: Fiction, fantasy Publisher: KSM Publishing ISBN: 978-0615937380 ASIN: B00HMTEIQ4 Number of pages: 328 Word Count: 90,620 Amazon

through boring meeting after boring meeting with men who had led our disciples for years acting as if they were just brought into find solutions the same day I was. It was appalling to me that the ones who admonished me for years for my ideas, where now looking to me to lead. My entire world had become upside down in less than a week.

I decided that I would travel to Jamaica to visit with my old friend, Bastian “Doc” Duvaliar, who assisted me in restoring my first soul. He was in possession of a book that documented many of our secrets from the past. It had been given to his ancestors many decades ago. He taught me how to offer redemption to a broken soul from the writings stored in this book. Since many of our disciples aren’t even aware of its existence, my hope is that it also stores the secrets to unlock my family.

As I departed, my grandfather was there to offer a few words.

“Cale, everyone on the Council understands the pressure you are under right now. I promise you, we will search every avenue we can to find a cure for your family. We’ll also look into your idea of contacting all of our disciples to see if they want to go through some of our training again to see if they have developed powers since the last time they were tested.”

“Thanks, Granddad, it seems every time I think I have life figured out, I’m on another airplane entering a new phase in my journey. I wish I could go back to being a single guy with no responsibilities to anyone but myself.”

“No you don’t, have a safe trip.”

Book Description: In this third installment, Caeles Novo has been removed as leader of the Council. He now seeks revenge for those who have taken away his power to remove souls and is on a journey to return his disciples back to their original mission Chapter 1 Sadness and euphoria are intertwined within the fabrics of our lives. I should know; they are the emotional landscape I’ve crossed back and forth for decades. I never wanted for material items, mine were more spiritual. Maybe I didn’t care about the material things because I never had to think about them. They were always provided to me by my fellow disciples. The spiritual ones were developed over decades of following my instincts and intensive education. My entire life was dedicated to my craft, which led me to another dangerous exchange between sadness and euphoria.

My name is Caeles Novo. My grandfather believed I was sent from the heavens to change the ways of our disciples who have misplaced their values. This is why I was given my particular name. You won’t know me.

I work in the shadows. I look like any other human wandering the busy streets of large cities. I can also appear as a broken man on the side of a dusty country road. That’s the idea.

My education and that of my fellow disciples was more extensive than most who travel the earth. My life expectancy was once more than three times longer than ordinary humans, so my structured learning lasted three times longer as well. Most would have you believe that more education could only be of value.

Think again. Our superiority has destroyed our way of life. We are not ordinary humans.

Despite my superior intelligence, I was victimized by some who no longer found my way of leadership in compliance with their own way of life. Priorities changed for some, mine were more secure. My fellow disciples and I were trained for one mission in life. I followed my gut and continued our predetermined journey, others became wayward. I again crossed over from euphoria to sadness. I realized I lost the ability given to me from the heavens and was destined to do.

In those mere seconds of self-realization, when you have once again crisscrossed back to the other side, you must decide who you are as an individual, leader, husband and father.

Some are designed to lead, while others follow.

Some are dominant. Others live a more submissive way of life. Some live conservative lives while others want to change the structure of every institution they meet. Some are men, some are women. Some have dark skins, others the shade of cream. None of that mattered to me. I only cared about the next soul on my list. I could read souls like some read the daily newspaper. If yours was broken, I stole it. That was my mission in life. I make no apologies for who I am. If you couldn’t appreciate all that life had bestowed upon you, welcome to my list.

I was trained to be an unseen shadow. You never found me. I found you. When I did, you would either fall to the ground or barely feel a scratch. Everyone has a soul. However, depending on how much one believes they own a soul, determines how much the loss affects them. Non-believers are fools. I know the truth.

I stole your most prized possession if you made my list of being a dark soul. I’ve taken from some who laugh in my face, or cry for redemption within moments of my thievery. Either way, I was completing what I was born to do.

If I wasn’t taking your soul, one of my fellow disciples would do so with as much passion as me. After all, we trained for fifty years to be experts in our decree sent from the Lord of Life. However, because of our extensive education, some of our disciples evolved past being mere soul stealers. For their sin in wandering away from our decree, I will destroy their perfect lives.

However, I am now the broken one.

I was so involved in restoring the number of soul stealers on earth, being the leader on our High Council, as well as a good husband and father, I never saw the fact that our disciples had become leaders in their communities across the globe. The less than thirty of us who did remain loyal to our goals on earth, were constantly on a mission attempting to steal souls.

That’s where our power resides. If we are no longer removing souls, we become mere mortals. Greed for power and money while abandoning our true task has become our collective downfall.

Because I no longer had my ability, to see into, and remove souls, I was replaced as leader of the High Council. Members of the Council had decided long before my appointment as leader, ruling the world’s economy was a better option for our disciples than to remain loyal to our original decree. Before they removed me, I was driven to make sure no mistakes were made in taking souls not dark enough to be stolen. I became dangerous. I would on occasion, return a soul which was preposterous to our leaders. My own kind set out to destroy me. They succeeded.

The crossroads where sadness and euphoria intertwine had found me once again. Many days came and went where I wanted no responsibility to anyone but my family. But that day had arrived without my consent. My destiny was stolen from me. I had to ask myself, could being restricted to being only a good husband and father be the path to euphoria, or the conduit of sadness? I had to answer one important question. Did I still have a burning desire to be the ultimate soul stealer and follow my mission sent from the heavens?

Kalani had been my wife and confidant for decades. She was furious when she heard what our fellow disciples had done to me. It took all of my best powers of persuasion to calm her over the phone and not allow her to seek revenge. I didn’t know what my response to my newly formed sworn enemies would be, but sending my wife on a suicide operation was not option one. She always wanted to protect me, as I did her, but we needed to think through our next move.

Kalani was on assignment the day we met in Hawaii where she was born and raised. I was on vacation from removing my first few souls when we met. Neither of us had any idea we were both soul stealers until days after our initial encounter. She found herself in some trouble with the local band of drug traffickers on Oahu, when we were both shoved off the road while bike riding. When the attacker stepped out of the car to finish his task, I instinctively removed the soul of her attacker. I caught grief with our Council for that mishap. It also exposed my identity as a soul stealer to my future wife. It wasn’t until later that she admitted we shared more in common than our love.

We were married soon after and have been faithful companions ever since. She got herself into trouble with the Council protecting me, as I have her, more than once. We don’t see each other as much as we would like because of our extensive travels, but we attempt to live as a normal family as much as possible.

Kalani and I wanted to grow our family. At the

time of my removal as leader, we had one son, Nicon.

He was training to be a soul stealer and already had what would be equivalent to a Master’s Degree in Business. Because we aged slower than full blooded humans, our son looked to be a child of seven or eight but was already nearing his twenty- fourth birthday.

Kalani and I didn’t want to wait much longer to make a decision about having another child.

The tender ages were the toughest for our disciples. We are far more educated than others who look our age, until we appear to be in our late twenties. By the time we look to be twenty, we have traveled the world usually more than once, speak multiple languages, have read all the classic literature, explored many of the world’s great museums, and lived with one or more ancient culture. We are immune to most earthly diseases but we’re not super human. When attacked with common weapons such as a knife or bullet, we are wounded like an ordinary human. Those were the difficult years for our son, to look so young, yet still be so mature.

It wasn’t easy for Nic to associate with others who appeared his age on a physical level. He played little league baseball, and other physical activities with children who looked his age, but weren’t. He was forbidden to tell the other kids he went to the World Series at Yankee Stadium several years before they were even born. He had the mind of a student with an MBA degree, but he still struck out like an eight year old boy. That frustrated him to no end. But he needed the physical work as much as the mental side of life.

My dilemma was to decide if I had become one of those people who couldn’t appreciate all that was given to him or her. My choice was to live a secure and peaceful life with my wife and son, or seek revenge on the people who removed my ability to do what I was destined to do. I was not put on this earth to live out my remaining years selling used cars but I was a broken man.

I needed to make a decision. One issue was that the one person who could assist me with regaining my power was not exactly my best friend. I was told by my former Council members that Doctor Grayson Winfield created the potion which blocks my ability to remove souls. It was possible he had created such an evil toxin, but I had been misled so many times. The truth was always complicated.

I returned home to California to Kalani with my wounded ego and damaged self to figure out what to do with my life. She looked as radiant as ever. Her dark olive skin and shiny black straight hair that

reached an inch above her waistline hadn’t altered since the day we met. Her jade colored eyes and Polynesian shape that curved in all the proper places still made me smile knowing she was my one and only. A few had tempted me to stray over the years, but Kalani would always be my one true love.

My wife knew my short comings. “So, Cale dear, since you plan to sit on the sofa watching the woman from New York tell fortunes and do your best to cook us all dinner, does this mean you aren’t the best soul stealer now? I will admit maybe you were better at kicking ass and taking names than you are a cook, but hey, at least I know now I can buy you cook books for Christmas.”

She looked directly into my eyes, and offered me her stare she used when she wanted to challenge me. I wasn’t biting. She continued.

“But then again, we really don’t know if your numbers were legit since you liked to return half of souls you stole. At least when I take one, they stay taken. It can be official now that I‘m the best. I still think while you were sitting on the Council, Bink gave you far too many easy assignments. I had to earn all of mine slinking down dark alleys, chasing violent criminals. Your targets were white collar professionals who have to take in a Stallone flick to see a gun.”

Another stare, only this time longer.

“I’m sorry I introduced you to that Timmons woman, Cale. I might tease you, but I never tried to get the best of ya. It seems she did. I’m sorry.”

That was the wound. Fireworks started to blast through my skull. A pain rushed from my head down to my gut and back up again. It was as if someone was playing a game of pong between my head and belly using a bottle rocket as the pong ball.

“That woman didn’t get the best of me. And don’t you ever, ever suggest she did. Just for that, I’m not making you any dinner tonight!”

I could see Kalani’s ruby lips curl at each end, knowing she made me realize, I was the best ever. Not Tasha Timmons, not Charon Orcus, Peter Pascal, or any of the others who schemed to derail me, could keep me on that blasted sofa that sagged in the middle. I ordered take out for Kalani and mapped out how to proceed.

At my core, I was and always would be a collector of broken souls. There were occasions when I did find reason to return one, because deep inside I believed in redemption. I needed to come to grips with that.

Being a husband and father didn’t have to be sec-

ondary to my work. I think my conscience had been getting the better of me since my father had always been in the house with me and didn’t travel. I would spend time with Nic and Kalani but it never seemed to be enough. In that regard, I was like most humans.

It was imperative I board the first available flight to Texas to speak with Doctor Grayson Winfield. The desire to be the best soul stealer as well as to restore our disciples to prominence had returned.

Kalani assured me, I had made the right decision. She kissed me as I made my way towards the front door of our modest home.

“I married you because of who you are, Cale, not because of something you’re not. If I wanted someone at home cooking dinner and polishing the silver, I woulda married someone else. It’s important to me that you are happy in who you are. Go be that person again.”

Kalani knew how to motivate me in those rare times where I felt lost. My personal pity party had ended. It was now time to seek my destiny not because my grandfather assured me he knew what it was, or because I was told it was sent from the heavens.

For the first time in my life, I was one hundred percent certain of my chosen path. Life is not a simple choice of one direction or another. It’s a long complicated one with peaks and valleys filled with every emotion one can imagine. I had long been on my journey. This slight detour wasn’t about to alter my destiny and who I was as a person.

I never thought I would return to Winfield’s office, but there I was. I walked in the door to find Nurse Simon sitting behind her desk.

“Good afternoon, Nurse Simon. I need to speak with Doctor Winfield. It’s an emergency.”

“Well hello, sugar, Rose sure has missed seeing you. How you been?”

“Rose? What are you doing here? Where is Doc Winfield?”

Rose stood up from behind the desk, walked over and put her arms around me. She offered a loving hug; then whispered in my ear.

“I told you, sugar, Rose would take care of everything and she has.”

About the Author: Michael Cantwell, CCIM (1958-present) is an author and commercial real estate agent in Florida as well as a published photographer. He was born in Ft. Campbell KY, raised in Trenton, NJ, graduated college at LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA. He now resides in Palm Beach County, Florida. He is married with three children and one dog. He loves music and is a Miami Marlins, Dolphins, Panthers and Heat fan. He also enjoys strolling Florida with his camera at hand. He has served on many board of directors and volunteered many hours as a coach for baseball and basketball as well as for Junior Achievement in many schools around South Florida.

Web – www.ksmmike.com Blog - http://ksmmike.blogspot.com/ Twitter - @ksmmike Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCantwellWriter Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6430576.Michael_Cantwell

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Vampire Books for Serious Vampire Aficionados

By Roxanne Rhoads Blood Read: The Vampire as Metaphor in Contemporary Culture

By Editors Joan Gordon and Veronica Hollinger Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press Date Published: October 1, 1997 ISBN-13: 978-0812216288

Our Vampires, Ourselves By: Nina Auerbach Publisher: University Of Chicago Press Date Published: April 7, 1997 ISBN-13: 978-0226032023 The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead By: J. Gordon Melton Publisher: Visible Ink Press; 2nd edition Date Published: November 1, 1998 ISBN-13: 978-1578590711

The Vampire in Lore and Legend

By Montague Summers Publisher: Dover Publications Date Published: August 28, 2001 ISBN-13: 978-0486419428 Vamps: An Illustrated History of the Femme Fatale

By Pam Keesey Publisher: Cleis Pr; illustrated edition edition Date Published: December 1997 ISBN-13: 978-1573440264

The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters

By Rosemary Guiley Publisher: Checkmark Books Date Published: November 30, 2004 ISBN-13: 978-0816046850 You’ll find everything in The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters from ancient customs to famous cases of beasts and vampires in modern culture, to books, movies and more about vampires and werewolves; everything has its own entry in the complex and very complete edition of a supernatural encyclopedia.

The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters focuses a lot on folklore, historical cases, cross-cultural mythology, and the presence of the monsters in the world of entertainment. It also covers in its entries Japanese, Mexican, Gypsy, and Bosnian variations, among others displaying a very detailed and multicultural perspective that shows the similarity of monsters and myth around the world.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vampires

By Ph.D., Jay Stevenson Publisher: Alpha Date Published: January 21, 2009 ISBN-13: 978-1592579433

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vampires is one of the newest all about vampire books on the market from the series, Complete Idiot’s Guides, that has a lot of fun, interesting and useful information if you are researching vampires for a school project, a book you are writing, or just because.

The Everything Vampire Book: From Vlad the Impaler to The Vampire Lestat - A History of Vampires in Literature, Film, and Legend By: Barb Karg, Arjean Spaite, and Rick Sutherland Publisher: Adams Media Date Published: January 17, 2009) ISBN-13: 978-1605506319

Hollywood and Back: How Author E. Van Lowe Reinvented Himself in Hollywood Sitcom producer and writer E. Van Lowe, who had major hits with "The Cosby Show"and "Charles in Charge" among others, found as he hit middle-age that the phone rang less for jobs. He began writing paranormal romance novels, which, in turn, is bringing him back to Hollywood.

Los Angeles, CA In mid-December, Ehrich (pronounced Eric) Van Lowe received a flat envelope in the mail from the Writers Guild of America. In it was a letter of congratulations along with a certificate. The Cosby Show had been selected as one of the 101 best television shows in history. Van Lowe and other writers were being honored for their roles in writing and producing the show.

“Receiving the honor was a mixed blessing,” says Van Lowe. “Many of my current fans weren’t even born when The Cosby Show aired in first run. They only know it from late night reruns on TV Land and Nick at Night. They view The Cosby Show the same way I viewed I Love Lucy reruns when I was a kid—something that happened a long, long time ago.”

Van Lowe laughs when he says this, but his laughter is bittersweet.

Many of the young Hollywood executives who Van Lowe must look to to get hired to write TV shows and movies were children when he was writing and producing such stalwart series as The Cosby Show, Knight Rider, Charles In Charge and Even Stevens. In a culture that celebrates youth, they don’t see Van Lowe as a seasoned veteran; they see him just as they see any writer over forty—old and washed-up.

After a head writer stint on The Tom Joyner Show in 2006, Van Lowe realized his phone wasn’t ringing as much as it once was. He decided after the show had wrapped to begin his segue into his next career, that as an author. Van Lowe had begun his writing career as an author, writing a few paperback original horror novels when he was a student at the University of Southern California. In the early 80s, Van Lowe had written "Child’s Play" and "The Power" under the pseudonym Sal Conte.

“I loved horror when I was growing up,” says van Lowe. “I still do. I chose the first and last names of two guys I played basketball with at the Y as my pseudonym. I figured I’d save my own name for when I wrote the great American novel.”

The great American novel never happened because soon after graduating from the Masters in Professional Writing program at USC, Van Lowe began his more than twenty-year career writing television and film, and never looked back. “The plan was to return to writing books when my TV run was over. I had no idea it was going to last as long as it did, or be so successful.”

Van Lowe’s successes includes: co-writing the Academy Award nominated short film, Cadillac Dreams. A People’s Choice Award for The Cosby Show, an Emmy nomination for Even Stevens, and numerous other nominations including several for the NAACP Image Award, and two for the Director’s Guild of America Diversity Award.

When the Tom Joyner Show wrapped, Van Lowe made the difficult decision to not take any studio meetings that year in search of his next gig. Instead, he decided to take the year off and write his first young

adult novel, “Never Slow Dance with a Zombie.” “It wasn’t a difficult decision for me. I knew my career was winding down and I wanted to get my second career started before my first career ended. I wrote the book before the zombie craze had hit, before YA novels like 'Twilight' and 'The Hunger Games' were hot movie properties. So to many of my friends, as well as my agents and manager, it seemed like a bad idea. But I have to hand it to my team, once they understood what I was doing, they embraced the idea as best they could and never deserted me.”

In 2007, Van Lowe’s faith in his team was rewarded when his agent, Jim Kellem (JKA Talent & Literary), did what Van Lowe thought he couldn’t by inking a book deal at Tor Teen, a division of publishing powerhouse MacMillan/St. Martin’s. By then, the book was highly anticipated. "Never Slow Dance with a Zombie" was released in September 2009 with an initial order of 70,000 copies. While the book never made it onto the best seller list, "Never Slow Dance with a Zombie" went on to garner a nomination for an American Library Association Award. The book became part of the first wave of YA zombie novels and launched the beginning of the current YA paranormal craze.

Soon after the sale of "Never Slow Dance with a Zombie," Kellem called again telling Van Lowe the family of a teen Hollywood star wanted to meet with him. Jim had slipped the manuscript to the young star’s family.

They loved the story and wanted to option it for their daughter. Van Lowe declined the option because he realized he could have a resurgence in Hollywood if he were the rights holder and producer of this and several popular novels. How would he become the rights holder to more books? He’d write the books himself.

“I wanted to become a beloved novelist, not a guy who wrote one book that became a movie,” says Van Lowe.

“I love books and the people who read them. As much as I wanted to renew my Hollywood career, I knew I had to write several books that readers enjoyed. If I did that, the rest would take care of itself.”

Van Lowe says his greatest reward has been the fans. Although his protagonists are always teenagers, his books appeal to young and old alike. Van Lowe particularly loves interacting with his younger fans. “They’re so enthusiastic,” he says. In 2009 Van Lowe’s young fan’s enthusiasm was on display when many of them showed up to his Never Slow Dance with a Zombie Fest hours early to get made into zombies by a professional Hollywood makeup artist.

Van Lowe was on a roll. His second and third novels, (the first two books in The Falling Angels Saga) "Boyfriend from Hell" and "Earth Angel" became eBook Best Sellers in 2012. The four-book saga is being published by White Whisker Books, owned and operated by Van Lowe’s college classmate and friend, Christopher Meeks.

“Working with Meeks has been a dream. I’m able to have a hand in all aspects of the publishing process, including design, marketing, and release dates. I’m a hands-on kind of guy. I try to write page-turners, and with Chris’s help, I believe we deliver the best visceral experience for my fans that we possibly can.”

Meeks only has admiration for Van Lowe. "Ehrich saw what I was doing at White Whisker and asked if I'd considering publishing his Falling Angels Saga. I was only one chapter in and saw this guy is a magician. He can write. His fourth book comes out in two months."

Van Lowe takes as much care with his new career as he did with The Cosby Show. The highly anticipated fourth and final book in the saga, entitled "Falling," debuts on March 13th 2014. White Whisker is hosting a launch party at Vroman’s Books in Pasadena on launch day, where Van Lowe will do a reading. The event is free and open to the public. Van Lowe is hoping his latest book becomes another best seller. “My fans are going to love the final book. I put everything I had into it,” he says with pride.

Van Lowe is quite busy in his new career. He spent much of the summer in meetings at every major studio and many production companies shopping his projects. He and a partner wrote a sitcom pilot for a cable network. In December, he teamed with Hollywood heavyweight Peter Bergmann to produce the Falling Angels Saga as a feature film franchise. He is currently at work on the screenplay for "Boyfriend from Hell," the first book in the franchise. In January, he resumed taking meetings for more TV projects based on his works. He’s also working on a new novella and his next novel.

“I can’t believe how busy I am,” says Van Lowe. “Two years ago I couldn’t get arrested. Some days I feel overwhelmed, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. My new career is every bit as rewarding as my first, possibly even more rewarding because I’m older and wiser. Who said youth is wasted on the young? I feel as youthful as ever. I’m having a ball.”

Van Lowe hopes his story can be an inspiration for men and women who believe the work world is preparing them for pasture. “We can all continue to be productive members of society,” he says, “if instead of lamenting the end of our careers, we take a moment to rethink our career strategies.”

Contact Information White Whisker Books Christopher Meeks www.WhiteWhiskerBooks.com Falling Falling Angels Saga Book Four E Van Lowe Genre: Paranormal YA Think twice before you agree to marry Satan. There’s no divorcing the devil.

The End is Near Will Megan Barnett go falling back into the arms of dreamy earth angel, Guy Matson? Or, is she in fact, falling in love with the demon, Orthon? Or, will her out-ofcontrol abilities send her falling into Satan’s open arms?

In the final, heart-stopping chapter of the Falling Angels Saga, Megan Barnett is on a quest to rid her life of Satan forever, but Satan has other plans, including a lavish wedding, and he’s willing to destroy her family and everyone she loves to have his way. To add to the drama, rogue demons have risen from hell with plans of their own.

Will Megan finally have her happily-ever-after, or is she doomed to an eternity in HELL? As Amanda Ashby, author of Zombie Queen of Newbury High, writes, “E. Van Lowe is a writing force to be reckoned with and you are in masterful hands from the first page to the last.”

Heaven Sent Falling Angels Saga Book Three E Van Lowe Genre: Paranormal YA What Does It All Mean?

Readers who devoured Boyfriend From Hell and Earth Angel will be captivated by the third book in the Falling Angels Saga.

As summer break for Glendale Union high begins, heartsick Megan awaits Guy's return while struggling to control her emerging abilities. Love is in the air, but can the new loves in Megan, Maudrina, Suze and Aunt' Jaz's life be trusted? Nothing is what it seems. Meanwhile, the Satanists are set to hatch their most diabolical scheme ever, and if it comes to pass, Satan may finally win out.

Megan has precious little time to unravel the cryptic message hidden in the riddle she received at the end of Earth Angel. If she doesn’t, the life of someone most dear to her will be lost forever, and Megan may yet find herself living in HELL. Excerpt Earth Angel Falling Angels Book Two E Van Lowe Genre: Paranormal YA Heaven Can Wait!

Just because Megan Barnett recently defeated Satan, has a fantastic new best friend, and has won the love of deliciously handsome, Guy Matson, doesn’t mean her troubles are over.

Far from it. For Megan doesn’t realize it, but in her possession is a powerful weapon, a weapon sought after by both angels and demons and everything in between. They will do ANYTHING to get it.

In E. Van Lowe’s humorous, romantic and thrilling sequel to Boyfriend From Hell, Megan winds up in a gripping life or death battle to save herself, the boy she loves, and all of mankind from unthinkable evil.

Megan Barnett has recently defeated Satan, found a fantastic new best friend, and has won the heart of deliciously handsome, Guy Matson. But that doesn’t mean her troubles are over. Far from it. For Megan doesn’t realize that she is in possession of a powerful paranormal weapon, a weapon sought after by both angels, demons and everything in between.

In E. Van Lowe’s romantic yet thrilling sequel to Boyfriend From Hell, Megan finds herself in a gripping life or death battle to save the boy she loves, and all of mankind from unthinkable evil.

Paperback Kindle Excerpt Boyfriend from Hell Falling Angels Saga Book One E Van Lowe

Genre: Paranormal YA

Aww, Hell No! Fifteen year-old Megan Barnett and her single mom, Suze, have a special relationship—they are friends, close friends, who do almost everything together.

“But come on, guys, she’s my mother… Can I really tell her that while we’re snuggled up on the sofa watching Spider Man Three, I’m secretly undressing James Franco with my eyes? Of course not…”

The special bond takes a turn for the worse when Suze decides to start dating again. She hasn’t had a man in her life since Megan’s father left ten years ago.

Enter two mysterious young men, Megan’s new classmate, sinfully attractive bad boy, Guy Matson, and the dangerously handsome art dealer, Armando. Before long Megan and Suze both wind up in steamy relationships. But neither of the handsome guys is quite what he seems. In fact, one of them is Satan, with his sights set on a new bride. Megan has precious little time to figure out how to stop him. If she doesn’t, either Megan or Suze are quite literally going to HELL. www.whitewhiskerbooks.com Paperback Kindle Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/39hI9rmwI5A Excerpt

About The Author E. Van Lowe is an author, television writer, screen-writer, playwright and producer who has worked on such TV shows as "The Cosby Show," "Even Stevens," and "Homeboys In Outer Space." He has been nominated for both an Emmy and an Academy Award. His first YA Paranormal novel, "Never Slow Dance With A Zombie," was a selection of The Scholastic Book Club, and a nominee for an American Library Association Award. The first two books in the Falling Angels Saga: “Boyfriend From Hell” and “Earth Angel,” are best sellers. “The Zombie Always Knocks Twice” is the first book in the Hollyweird series.

In December 2014, he received a letter and certificate from the Writers Guild of America for his work on The Cosby Show, which had been selected as one of the 101 best television shows in history.

E lives in Beverly Hills California with his spouse, a werewolf, several zombies and a fairy godmother who grants him wishes from time-to -time. www.evanlowe.com http://vanlowe.blogspot.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/E-Van-Lowe/152364748167154

A Chick Who Reads Reviews Boyfriend from Hell by E Van Lowe This is a really unique YA story. E. Van Lowe has given readers a great twist on the paranormal. No vampires, mummies or holy ghosts here. Nope. Just the devil and he's looking for a bride!

Megan is not the most endearing heroine's. She's a bit spoiled and selfish when it comes to her mom, Suze getting back in the dating game. There are times when you really want to hit her, but her obnoxiousness and jealousy is real. Devil or not, I think most teenage girls would feel the same way she did if their mother started dating after about 15 years, especially when she hasn't had a boyfriend.

When the object of Suze's affection turns out to be not what he seems that's when things get interesting. There are loads of plot twists surrounding the Devil and Megan and Suze. To say that the ending surprised me, is perhaps a bit too little. I was flabbergasted. Totally not what I expected. The only thing that disappointed me was Erin not forgiving Megan.

Originally Published at: http://achickwhoreads.blogspot.com/2011/09/book-review-boyfriendfrom-hell.html

Sapphyria from Saph’s Book Blog Reviews The First Three Books of E Van Lowe’s Fallen Angels Saga

Boyfriend From Hell Falling Angels Saga Book 1 E Van Lowe This was a pretty good YA book. When Megan's mom, who's been single for as long as Megan can remember, decides to start dating, Megan's not quite sure that's a good idea. I love the tight relationship that Megan and her mom, Suze, have in this book. When Suze dates her first guy, Megan is not at all impressed by him. Megan send a small prayer, wishing her mom to find someone worthy of her. Shortly thereafter Guy, a new guy to Megan's school, who is hotter than sin itself, comes to town and has his sights set on Megan. And enter Armando--everything she wished for her mom to find except now that Suze is dating Armando, Megan doesn't like it.

It has such hysterical elements and antics that are so typical of a teenager. A definite indicator of the age group of the teens (around 15-ish) is the maturity level - or immaturity level - of them. I wasn't sure of Guy throughout the novel but the end helped me

put him into perspective. Megan made an interesting heroine. She humiliated herself so many times in order to help keep her mom safe and alienated herself from her best friends, Matt and Erin. And they, Matt and Erin, along with Armando and Guy, are NOT what the seem or who they say they are. This was a nicely played out mystery with some twists that, while easy to keep straight, kept me intrigued from start to finish.

It was nice and easy read.

Earth Angel Falling Angels Saga Book 2 I enjoyed Book 2 just as much as Book 1.

Now that Megan has chucked Satan back to Hell where he belongs, she can concentrate on healing her wounded heart after the death of Matt, salvaging her friendship with Erin, and spending time with her now-grounded Heavenly Angel, Guy. Even the best laid plans have bumps in the road.

Megan still has the The Book of Calls--the tool used to defeat Satan. Now, everyone wants the book; Angels in Heaven, Demons in Hell, and Nephilim on Earth.

There are very typical teenager moments in this book (it is YA after all).

After Matt's death, the Poplarati invite her to The Explosion, a "ditch day" tradition. She is then accused by the Principal of the school and threatened with expulsion from the school unless she gives up the names of everyone else that was there. She refuses, not wanting to be the snitch.

Guy shows up to a basketball game with a beautiful angel at his side and Megan fears the worst--he is breaking up with her for this beauty. Of course, there are tears, accusations, and miscommunication.

Discord between her and Suze (her mom), which is a typical teenager problem (I was a teenager once, a typical one at that).

Megan's former friend, Erin, transfers to another school and refuses to talk to Megan at all; angry because she blames Megan for Matt's death. She also befriends some ruffians from her new school. This particular plot line isn't explored in Book 2 but I hope it is in

Book 3.

Guy, now that his wings are clipped and he's grounded to earth, spends as much time with Megan as possible. Since Suze isn't fond of him, it's mainly at school. Megan never reveals that she is in possession of The Book Of Calls to Guy but he eventually finds out...after it's too late. The demon obsessed with finding The Book Of Calls has tricks up his sleeve, requiring Megan to save the boy she loves.

Heaven Sent Falling Angels Saga Book 3 "Heaven Sent" is Book 3 in the Falling Angels saga by E. Van Lowe. These have been the most entertaining, easily read novels. I've enjoyed each and every one so far.

We find Megan attempting to pick up the pieces of her shatter romance and life - Really!....She is. Or maybe not so much. Even though her boyfriend, Guy, is a grounded angel, at the end of Book 2, he leaves her and ascends back up to heaven with the beautiful but extremely broken angel, Roxanne. She discovers that her former best friend, Erin, is engaged and the wedding is the day of Megan's birthday.

Her current best friend, Maudine, is preoccupied with her boyfriend, Curtis. And to top it all off, Harrison, a demon hunter, who has become Megan's protector, and just like a brother, has been summoned to Australia to deal with an emergency.

She also has some powers manifesting that have been placed within her. Powers that are triggered by her anger. Powers that she can't control.

Upon arrival at home, after meeting with Harrison about is impending departure, Megan discovers a grey and white kitten waiting for her on the front porch. Harrison provided a cute little hellcat to watch over Megan, since there wasn't anyone else who could.

You read that right....a hellcat. Yep, I'm going to just let you figure out that little bit all by yourself.

When Megan decides it's time to confront Erin and find out why, at the age of 16, she has decided to marry Danny, she gets a little more than expected. Erin is cold and sarcastic - not anywhere near the girl that Megan grew up with. As she's leaving the establishment where she found Erin, Erin's fiance and two of his friends chase her down to the bus stop. And here to save the day is - Guy! She thought she'd lost him forever, and here he is, her knight in shining armor. All is now right in that little part of her world!

If only if it were that easy and uncomplicated in Megan's world. She, with the help of Matt (who is, indeed, in hell but providing clues to Megan in her dreams at night), discovers a sinister plot involving Erin, herself, and of course Satan. And a sinister plot that proves Guy may not be the guy she remembers from a couple months ago.

I tell you, this girl cannot catch a break.

This novel, heck - this series - has an excellent story line that just keeps getting better! I devoured this book in about 4 hours. I couldn't put it down once I started. There are twists, turns, and gripping emotions. Just when we think we know what's going on, the rug gets pulled out and things just crumble. We get to watch Megan mature a little bit more as she grasps the use of her powers, and the situations involving Maudine and Erin.

If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend it.

These reviews originally appeared on http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/

Pick a Date: A Vampire Valentine’s Day in Penton, Alabama Susannah Sandlin Imagine your ideal romantic Valentine’s Day. A romantic dinner, a shared bottle of wine, soft music, maybe a sparkling diamondlike bauble, passionate kisses…well, you get the idea.

Hang it up. You’re spending Valentine’s Day in Penton, Alabama, a small, idyllic town of about two-hundred, almost half of which are vampires. They’re really nice vampires, though. Usually. Most of the time.

So here I give you a choice of three special Valentine’s Day evenings. You can spend your evening with Aidan Murphy, Mirren Kincaid, or Will Ludlam. Here’s what you might expect.

Aidan (whose story is featured in Redemption). He’s just over 400 in vampire years, but was turned in his early 30s in Ireland, and still maintains a trace of an accent. He’s about six feet even, well built, has shoulder length chestnut hair and light blue eyes that grow downright frosty when he’s hungry or agitated or, um, aroused. Aidan’s the head of the Penton scathe (or vampire community), and he doesn’t tolerate disloyalty. In return, he is very loyal to his people and will put himself in danger to protect them. Aidan was a farmer in his human life, and he maintains a greenhouse that captures the sunlight during the day and grows night-blooming plants so he can still work the soil and smell the sunlight in the leaves.

A Valentine’s Day evening with Aidan would include snuggling on the sofa in front of a cozy fire, listening to some Celtic music (the real thing, not modern interpretations), having a drink of red wine, maybe discussing a good book you’ve both read. The evening will end with tender

and meaningful sex, during which you will probably be bitten. And like it.

Mirren (whose story is featured in Absolution). Another four-century-old vampire, Mirren was a gallowglass Scottish warrior of Norse descent, later turned vampire enforcer and executioner when he was in his early-to-mid 30s. He was very, very good at killing, and became widely feared among vampires as The Slayer. Mirren still has his battle axe and his sword, Faolain, but he now fights against the Vampire Tribunal instead of working for them. He’s a 6 -8 moose of a man, with black short hair, a Vandyke beard, and stormcloud-gray eyes. He’s heavily tattoed, and is second-in-command in Penton. Mirren can be gruff and monosyllabic.

Well, okay, he can be a jerk. But he has a wicked sense of humor he keeps hidden, and does have a soft underbelly if you are patient enough to look for it.

A Valentine’s Day evening with Mirren would include a glass of bourbon, a ride on one of his vintage motorcycles, and maybe an old Western shoot-em-up on his state-of-the-art entertainment system. He won’t talk much, but he does listen well and is good with smartass one-liners. The evening will end with pounding, intense sex, during which you will probably be bitten. And like it.

Will (whose story is featured in Omega). William’s the baby of the Penton lieutenants, having been turned in 1969 when he was only 22.

He still has the sun-streaked blond hair from his human days, paired with honey-brown eyes, dimples to die for, and a well-proportioned six-foot frame. Will’s outgoing and friendly— razor-sharp wit, scary smart, with a tendency to tease people he likes unmercifully. Mirren’s a favorite target. But Will’s got a serious side if you take the time to find it, and he’s capable of incredible sacrifice and loyalty—once you’ve earned it. He’s got a bit of a reputation as a ladies’ man. Okay, he might have earned it.

A Valentine’s day with Will would start with flowers. He’d ply you with chocolate and maybe take you to hear a good band (although, be warned: he’s fond of the music from his human era so don’t be surprised to hear “classic rock”). You might cruise around in his creamcolored vintage Corvette, and stop to take in the stars if it isn’t too cold. He will find out something you’re sensitive about and tease you until you can’t decide whether to slap him silly or laugh. The evening will end with creative, high-energy sex, which might or might not involve role-playing, during which you will probably be bitten. And like it.

So, welcome to Penton, ladies. With whom will you be sharing your evening?

Omega Penton Vampire Legacy, Book 3 Susannah Sandlin Genre: Paranormal Romance Publisher: Montlake Romance Date of Publication: February 5, 2013 ISBN: 978-1612183596 ASIN: B0073XV3L2 Number of pages: 328 Word Count: approx. 88,000 Amazon

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The bloody war between the Vampire Tribunal and the defiant scathe of Penton, Alabama, rages on, forcing its residents and their bonded humans to retreat into the underground fortress of last resort: Omega. There, Will Ludlam is charged with the care of Penton's humans, though he longs to fight alongside his vampire brethren. He knows the risks: as the renegade son of the Tribunal's vicious leader, Will's capture could doom the resistance.

Yet he is determined to prove his worth to his adopted scathe, to his vengeful father and to former US Army officer Randa Thomas, his beautiful, reluctant partner. Randa has little faith that a former member of the vampire elite has what it takes to fight a war. But as their enemies descend upon Omega, Will's polished charm and Randa's guarded heart finally give way to the warrior within.

Fans of Susannah Sandlin's Penton Legacy are sure to devour this long-awaited third installment of the steamy paranormal series.

ABSOLUTION The Penton Legacy, Book 2

By Susannah Sandlin Release date: October 9, 2012 Publisher: Montlake Romance Book Description: With the vampire world on the brink of civil war over the scarcity of untainted human blood, battle lines are being drawn between the once peaceful vampire and human enclave of Penton, Alabama, and the powerful Vampire Tribunal.

A Scottish gallowglass warrior turned vampire in the early 17th century, Mirren Kincaid once served the Tribunal as its most creative and ruthless executioner—a time when he was known as the Slayer. But when assigned a killing he found questionable, Mirren abandoned the Tribunal’s political machinations and disappeared—only to resurface two centuries later as the protector and second-in-command of Penton.

Now the Tribunal wants him back on their side—or dead.

To break their rogue agent, they capture Glory Cummings, the descendant of a shaman, and send her to restore Mirren’s bloodthirsty nature. But instead of a monster, Glory sees a man burdened by the weight of his past. Could her magic touch—meant by the tribunal to bring out a violent killer—actually help Mirren break his bonds and discover the love he doesn’t believe he deserves?

It’s a town under siege, a powerful warrior in a battle with his past, and one woman who can make the earth move— literally—as the Penton Legacy continues.

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REDEMPTION Book One Penton Legacy series

By Susannah Sandlin Following a worldwide pandemic whose vaccine left human blood deadly to vampires, the vampire community is on the verge of starvation and panic. Some have fanned into rural areas, where the vaccine was less prevalent, and are taking unsuspecting humans as blood slaves. Others are simply

starving, which for a vampire is worse than death—a raging hunger in a creature too weak to feed.

Immune to these struggles—at first—is Penton, a tiny community in rural Chambers County, Alabama, an abandoned cotton mill town that has been repopulated by charismatic vampire Aidan Murphy, his scathe of 50 vampires, and their willingly bonded humans. Aidan has recruited his people carefully, believing in a peaceful community where the humans are respected and the vampires retain a bit of their humanity.

But an unresolved family feud and the paranoia of the Vampire Tribunal descend on Penton in the form of Aidan’s brother, Owen Murphy. Owen has been issued a death warrant that can only be commuted if he destroys Penton—and Aidan, against whom he’s held a grudge since both were turned vampire in 17th-century Ireland. Owen begins a systematic attack on the town, first killing its doctor, then attacking one of Aidan’s own human familiars To protect his people, Aidan is forced to go against his principles and kidnap an unvaccinated human doctor— and finds himself falling in love for the first time since the death of his wife in Ireland centuries ago.

Dr. Krystal Harris, forced into a world she never knew existed, must face up to her own abusive past to learn if the feelings she’s developing for her kidnapper are real—or just a warped, supernatural kind of Stockholm Syndrome in which she’s allowing herself to become a victim yet again.

Susannah Sandlin’s REDEMPTION is the first in the Penton Legacy series. Book two, ABSOLUTION, will be out September 18, and book three, OMEGA, on December 18.

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About the Author: Susannah Sandlin writes paranormal romance and romantic thrillers from Auburn, Alabama, on top of a career in educational publishing that has thus far spanned five states and six universities—including both Alabama and Auburn, which makes her bilingual. She grew up in Winfield, Alabama, but was also a longtime resident of New Orleans, so she has a highly refined sense of the absurd and an ingrained love of SEC football, cheap Mardi Gras trinkets, and fried gator on a stick.

She’s the author of the award-winning Penton Legacy paranormal romance series, a spinoff novel, Storm Force, a standalone novelette, Chenoire, and a new romantic thriller series, The Collectors, beginning this month with Lovely, Dark, and Deep. Writing as Suzanne Johnson, she also is the author of the Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series. Her Penton novel, Omega, is currently nominated for a 2013 Reviewer’s Choice Award in Paranormal Romance from RT Book Reviews magazine.

Website: http://www.susannahsandlin.com Blog: http://suzanne-johnson.blogspot.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SusannahSandlin FB: http://www.facebook.com/SusannahSandlin

Writing with Soul Lisa M. Airey, Author of “Touching the Moon” Writing pundits will tell you to write what you know, but this is not a guaranteed recipe for success.

Certainly it should be easy to write (or lecture) about a subject you know well…but we’ve all seen the brilliant mind that can’t cobble together a cohesive paper or presentation. And yes, it should be simple to describe an experience you’ve had or an emotion you’ve felt, but only if you are “attuned to the moment” and can deliver total recall, otherwise the scene you create lacks impact and authenticity.

In other words, writing what you know only gets you so far.

Writing about a subject you don’t know is also fraught with landmines. Many writers feel compelled to put all of their research into their text. This can come off didactic or pedantic. Worse are factual errors, misuse of jargon, or empty emotions.

In “Touching the Moon”, my main character experienced physical abuse at the hand of her stepfather during her childhood years. Many readers have written to me expressing compassion for a pain that they assumed I knew from past experience. But this is not the case. Nor did I research the subject.

Six years ago, a small gray cat appeared on my doorstep. It had been terribly abused. Although I fed it and cared for it, six months passed before it allowed me to touch it. It took three years and a blizzard for me to get the cat inside and out of the weather. I named this fragile, little thing: Gandalf the Gray.

In my novel, I painted broad brushstroke details about the abuse that the main character suffered. The pain was in the past and I left it there. (I could not speak with legitimacy about beatings and broken bones.) Instead, I funneled all the experience I had healing Gandalf into the actions of my main character. It was this authenticity to which my readers responded.

To write a scene that resonates, I believe you have to portray life accurately. In or der to do that, you have to observe it and analyze it keenly and compassionately. I believe that this is the fulcrum. Research and first-hand experience just give “flesh” to this “soul”.

Touching the Moon Lisa M. Airey Genre: Romantic Suspense with a Paranormal Twist

Publisher: Aakenbaaken & Kent, NY ISBN: 978-1-938436-05-5 ASIN: B00A6GM0X8 Number of pages: 272 Word Count: 89K Cover Artist: www.reese-winslow.com Amazon BN Book Description: A gifted healer with a genetic secret and a haunted past, Julie Hastings takes her new veterinary degree to South Dakota hoping to bury memories of a physically abusive stepfather and unprotective mother.

Although intending to lead a quiet life, she finds herself relentlessly pursued by two unwelcome suitors: the Chief of Police and a powerful member of the Sioux Indian Nation.

The man she chooses shatters her world-view.

Her stepfather taught her that not all monsters run on four legs. Now Julie must face another truth—some beasts are good.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/-4drhhDLcSU About the Author: Lisa has worked in the wine industry for 20 years, the most recent eight in education with the Society of Wine Educators and the French Wine Society. In these roles, she has authored and/or edited wine study manuals and developed or expanded certification programs for the wine trade.

In her free-time, she writes fiction...naturally, with a glass of wine at the elbow.

She is a Maryland Master Gardener and puts that training into practice in her sizable vegetable garden. To assist her, she has recruited the services of a very helpful staff: two Chinese geese, two mini-Rex rabbits and 2,000 red wigglers (worms)…all of which are “master composters”. An adopted feral cat guards the perimeters and keeps the groundhogs at bay. She resides in Monkton, Maryland. www.lisamairey.com http://www.lisamairey.com/blog.php Twitter: @LisaMAirey https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-M-Airey/435564216488832 https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6622769.Lisa_M_Airey http://www.amazon.com/Lisa-M.-Airey/e/B00B9D3TIM/

Picture your book here Contact Roxanne at roxannerhoads@bewitchingbooktours.com

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from short story “How to Be a Man” Never acknowledge the fact that you’re a girl, and take pride when your guy friends say, “You’re one of the guys.” Tell yourself, “I am one of the guys,” even though, in the back of your mind, a little voice says, “But you’ve got girl parts.”

You are born on a ranch in central Colorado or southern Wyoming or northern Montana and grow up surrounded by cowboys. Or maybe not a ranch, maybe a farm, and you have five older brothers. Your first memory is of sitting on the back of Big Cheese, an old sorrel gelding with a sway back and—you find out later when you regularly ride bareback—a backbone like a ridge line. Later, you won’t know if this first memory is real or comes from one of the only photos of you as a baby. You study that photo a lot. It must be spring or late fall because you’re wearing a quilted yellow jacket with a blue-lined hood and your brother’s hands reach from the side of the frame and support you in the saddle. You look half asleep with your head tilted to the side against your shoulder, a little sack of potatoes.

Your dad is a kind man, a hard worker, who gives you respect when no one else will. When you’re four, if he asks, “Birdie, do you think the price of hogs is going up?” ponder this a while. Take into account how Rosie has just farrowed seven piglets and how you’re bottle-raising the runt and how you’ve heard your brothers complaining about pig shit on the boots they wear to town. Think about how much Jewel—that’s what you’ve decided to name the pig—means to you and say, “Yes, Daddy, pigs are worth a lot.” He’ll nod his head, but he won’t smile like other people when they think what you say was cute or precocious.

Your mother is a mouse of a woman who takes long walks in the gray sagebrushed hills beyond the fields or lays in the cool back bedroom reading the Bible. When your brothers ask “Where’s Mom?” you won’t know. You don’t think it odd when at five you learn how to boil water in the big speckled enamelware pot and to shake in three boxes of macaroni, to watch as it turn from off-yellow plasticity to soft white noodles, to hold both handles with a towel and carefully pour it into the colander in the sink while avoiding the steam, to measure the butter and the milk—one of your brothers shows you how much—and then to mix in the powdered cheese. You learn to dig a dollop of bacon grease from the Kerr jar in the fridge into the hot cast iron skillet, wait for it to melt, and then lay in half-frozen steaks, the wonderful smell of the fat and the popping of ice crystals filling the kitchen. When your brothers come in from doing their chores, they talk and laugh instead of opening the cupboards and slamming them shut. And your dad doesn’t clench his jaw while washing his hands with Dawn dishwashing liquid at the kitchen sink and then toss big hunks of Wonder Bread into bowls filled with milk.

When you wear hand-me-downs from your brothers, be proud. Covet the red plaid shirt of your next

older brother, and when you get it—a hot late summer afternoon when he tosses three shirts on your bed— wear it until the holes in the elbows decapitated the cuffs. If you go to town with your dad for parts, be proud of your shitty boots and muddy jeans and torn-up shirts. It shows that you know an honest day’s work. Work is more important than fancy things, and you are not one of those ninnies who wear girlie dresses and couldn’t change a tire if their lives depended on it.

Be prepared: when you go to school, you won’t know quite where you fit. All the other kids will seem to know something that you don’t, something they whisper to each other behind their hands. They won’t ever whisper it to you. But they won’t make fun of you either because—you’ll get this right away and take pride in it—you are tough and also you have five older brothers and the Gunderson family sticks together. Be proud of the fact that, in seventh grade social studies, you sit elbows-on-the-table next to a boy about your size, and he says with a note of admiration, “Look at them guns. You got arms bigger than me.” It’s winter, and you’ve been throwing hay bales every morning to feed the livestock.

Your friends will be boys. You understand boys. When you say something, they take it at face value. If they don’t understand, hit them, and they’ll understand that. For a couple of months—until your dad finds out about it—your second oldest brother will give you a dime every time you get into a fist fight. The look on your brother’s face as he hands you those dimes will make your insides puff to bursting. Use the dimes to buy lemons at the corner grocery during lunch time. Slice them up with your buck knife and hand them out to see which of the boys can bite into it without making a face.

How to Be a Man Tamara Linse Genre: Literary Short Story Collection Publisher: Willow Words Print ISBN: 0991386701 ISBN-13: 978-0-9913867-0-3 Epub ISBN: 099138671X ISBN-13: 978-0-9913867-1-0 ASIN: B00HKSLFSQ Number of pages: 238 Word Count: 59,650

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“Never acknowledge the fact that you’re a girl, and take pride when your guy friends say, ‘You’re one of the guys.’ Tell yourself, ‘I am one of the guys,’ even though, in the back of your mind, a little voice says, ‘But you’ve got girl parts.’” – Birdie, in “How to Be a Man” A girl whose self-worth revolves around masculinity, a bartender who loses her sense of safety, a woman who compares men to plants, and a boy who shoots his cranked-out father.

These are a few of the hard-scrabble characters in Tamara Linse’s debut short story collection, How to Be a Man. Set in contemporary Wyoming—the myth of the West taking its toll—these stories reveal the lives of tough-minded girls and boys, self-reliant women and men, struggling to break out of their lonely lives and the emotional havoc of their families to make a connection, to build a life despite the odds. How to Be a Man falls within the tradition of Maile Meloy, Tom McGuane, and Annie Proulx.

The author Tamara Linse—writer, cogitator, recovering ranch girl—broke her collarbone when she was three, her leg when she was four, a horse when she was twelve, and her heart ever since. Raised on a ranch in northern Wyoming, she earned her master’s in English from the University of Wyoming, where she taught writing. Her work appears in the Georgetown Review, South Dakota Review, and Talking River, among others, and she was a finalist for an Arts & Letters and Glimmer Train contests, as well as the Black Lawrence Press Hudson Prize for a book of short stories. She works as an editor for a foundation and a freelancer. Find her online at tamaralinse.com and tamara-linse.blogspot.com About the Author: Tamara Linse grew up on a ranch in northern Wyoming with her farmer/rancher rock-hound ex-GI father, her artistic musician mother from small-town middle America, and her four sisters and two brothers. She jokes that she was raised in the 1880s because they did things old-style—she learned how to bake bread, break horses, irrigate, change tires, and be alone, skills she’s been thankful for ever since. The ranch was a partnership between her father and her uncle, and in the 80s and 90s the two families had a Hatfields and McCoys-style feud.

She worked her way through the University of Wyoming as a bartender, waitress, and editor. At UW, she was officially in almost every college on campus until she settled on English and after 15 years earned her bachelor’s and master’s in English. While there, she taught writing, including a course called Literature and the Land, where students read Wordsworth and Donner Party diaries during the week and hiked in the mountains on weekends. She also worked as a technical editor for an environmental consulting firm.

She still lives in Laramie, Wyoming, with her husband Steve and their twin son and daughter. She writes fiction around her job as an editor for a foundation. She is also a photographer, and when she can she posts a photo a day for a Project 365. Please stop by Tamara’s website, www.tamaralinse.com, and her blog, Writer, Cogitator, Recovering Ranch Girl, at tamara-linse.blogspot.com. You can find an extended bio there with lots of juicy details. Also friend her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter, and if you see her in person, please say hi. www.tamaralinse.com

http://tamara-linse.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/tlinse www.twitter.com/TamaraLinse www.pinterest.com/tlinse https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1481856-tamara-linse

Legendary Witches in the Accidental Witch One of my favorite parts of writing fantasy is that you can draw from old mythology and legends to create characters with interesting histories. The Accidental Witch is the story of a small town psychologist, Phaedra, who turns to black magic to help cure her patients. She is pulled into a world of dark magic and finds herself completely in over her head.

In order to create a magical landscape for my dark witch, I drew on many mythological and legendary characters. The first is Nineveh. Nineveh is Phaedra’s mother and she is the origin of all of Phaedra’s problems. Nineveh came from Arthurian legend. In legend, Nineveh is also known as Nimue or Viviane. Because of the many variations of the Arthur legends, sometimes Nineveh is the Lady of the Lake. Her name is sometimes spelled Nyneveh, but there are so many variations on her name in legend it is hard to keep up with the true spelling. Regardless of her name, she is always the woman who defeated Merlin. In legend, Nineveh seduces Merlin and he becomes so enamored with her that he teaches her all of his magic. She uses this magic to imprison him in a crystal cave. I do play with the traditional legend a bit in my book. I divide The Lady of Lake and Nineveh into two separate characters. I take the good aspects of Nyneveh away from her and turn her into the evil witch from legend.

Another character I took from legend was Morgause.

Morgause is one of Arthur’s nemesis in legend. She is his halfsister and the mother of Mordred, who ultimately defeats Arthur.

I won’t talk too much about her role in my book, but I will say that it was fun to pull some of my favorite legendary witches from the pages of Malory and breathe life into them. The witches from legend ruled the land and toppled kings. Toying with history and creating new witches in a world that has forgotten magic made writing The Accidental Witch the most fun I’ve had writing in a very long time.

The Accidental Witch The Darkest Arts Series Book 1 Jessica Penot Genre: Paranormal Romance Publisher: Lachesis Publishing ASIN: B00GG83WLE

Number of pages: 276 Word Count: 85,000 All Romance eBook Bookstrand Kindle UK Kindle US Lachesis Publishing Inc OmniLit Book Description: Phaedra Michaels is a small town psychologist who is beginning to lose hope. Two of her patients at the local hospital in Dismal, Alabama have just killed themselves, she’s still reeling from her divorce and what turned out to be a disastrous marriage, and her father has died, leaving her without any notion of who her real mother is.

Just as Phaedra decides to commit herself to a serious drinking problem and an eating disorder, or two, a mysterious spell book arrives in the mail. Feeling desperate, Phaedra uses it to cast spells to save her fading patients. Suddenly, good things start happening. Phaedra’s patients begin to get better and she even starts dating the sexy doctor from the hospital.

Phaedra is so happy she doesn't notice the small things that start to go wrong in Dismal, or the dark creatures slithering out of the shadows near her house. When Phaedra finally realizes her spells have attracted every card-carrying demon from hell, she has no choice but to accept help from a slightly nerdy, 500 year-old warlock with a penchant for wearing super hero T-shirts and a knack for getting under Phaedra’s skin. Now, if only she could get the hang of this witch thing, she might be able to save her town.

Excerpt It is amazing how the most world-changing days can seem entirely mundane to begin with. Friday the 13th seemed no different than any other day to me. I woke up late, as always, and rushed to get dressed and make it to the car with my usual box of animal crackers and diet cola. I pulled my shoes on as I backed out of the driveway and ate while I drove to work.

I was late to work, but just early enough to not be noticed as late. The small hospital where I worked was a blip in a vast nowhere and the small psychiatric floor I worked on was a blip in a blip. I was a blip within a blip within a blip, making me practically nothing. I could’ve died in my sleep and the world would barely belch. I liked to think that I was good at what I did. I liked to think that even though I was a nothing, I made a difference in the patients’ lives. I was one of those deluded people that believed in saving the world one person at a time. I guess I still am. Certainly, I was one of the few people that actually cared about the patients.

The management didn’t care that I cared. Management was too busy trying to balance the books and keep the floor profitable to care what the staff did with the patients. I could take all the patients outside and have them moo like cows and management wouldn’t care as long as I billed it as a recreational therapy group and got the proper reimbursement.

About the Author: Jessica Penot is a therapist who lives in Alabama with her 2 corgis, cat, sons, husband and other strange creatures. She is the author of Haunted North Alabama, Haunted Chattanooga, and Circe. www.jessicapenot.net https://www.facebook.com/jessica.penot

www.ghoststoriesandhauntedplaces.blogspot.com

Stronger Than This David-Matthew Barnes Genre: Literary Fiction/LGBT/Death/Dying/Grief Publisher: Bold Strokes Books Date of Publication: February 18, 2014 ISBN: 978-1602829886 ASIN: TBA Number of pages: 216 Word Count: 55,000 Amazon

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Book Description:

Charlene’s soul mate, Samantha, has been killed in a car accident. Daniel’s partner, Martin, has been murdered in a robbery gone wrong. Seeking comfort, Charlene and Daniel attend a support group where they meet for the first time.

Emotionally devastated and discarded by their loved ones’ conservative families, Charlene and Daniel feel an immediate connection. Rather than reveal their pain to a room full of strangers, they decide to see each other through their shared anguish.

As a beautiful friendship emerges from grief, slivers of new hope are found.

About the Author:

David-Matthew Barnes is the bestselling author of ten novels, including the young adult novels Swimming to Chicago and Wonderland, which were nominated by the American Library Association for their annual Rainbow Books, a list of quality books with significant and authentic GLBTQ content for children and teens.

He is also the author of a collection of short stories, Boys Like Me, and two collections of poetry, Roadside Attractions and Souvenir Boys. He has written over forty stage plays that have been performed in three languages in eight countries.

Collections of his theatrical works include Deuces: Stage Plays for Two Actors, Monologues That Kick Ass, You Think You Know Us: Stage Plays for Teen Actors, and more. He is the writer and director of the feature film Frozen Stars and the dramatic short film Threnody.

His literary work has been featured in over one hundred publications including The Best Stage Scenes, The Best Men's Stage Monologues, The Best Women's Stage Monologues, The Comstock Review, and The Southeast Review. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing at Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina.

He teaches college courses in writing, literature, and the arts.

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Giovanna Lagana for “Begotten” 1-What inspired you to become an author?

There have been many factors and people who inspired me. But what was the most defining inspiration is the fact that storytelling is so much fun. I loved to tell stories as a kid. I love to tell stories as an adult now, too. To be able to make a living telling stories, or editing them, is a dream for any author or editor. :) 2-Do you have a specific writing style?

My writing style changes depending on the genre. But I especially love to tell stories in different POVs. I find it’s the best way to develop each of the main characters.

3-Do you write in different genres?

Yes, I’ve written pictures books, middle reader, young adult, horror, Sci-Fi, mystery, and romance stories.

4-If yes which is your favorite genre to write?

Middle reader adventure stories. Only because I am and will always be a kid at heart. :) 5-If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

Yes, it’s part of a series. The next installment takes place right where the first story ends. It’s Tristan’s story.

He’s older, wiser, stronger, and more vulnerable. He’ll have to depend on and trust someone he loathes most in the world to help him in his perilous quest to save mankind.

6-Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I’m finishing the final chapters of the next installment in my paranormal mystery middle reader series Adventures of a New Witch, which I’m writing with my daughter under the pen name Annabelle Mallet. It’s about a ten year old shy and highly imaginative girl who finds out that she comes from a long line of witches. She has to learn the ropes on being a witch while solving mysteries that keep popping up around the town of Salmon Beach in New Brunswick, Canada. Even though she tries to stay clear of trouble, it seems to always want to find her.

7-When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

When I’m not writing or editing, I love to spend time with family and friends. I also love to read and exercise.

As for hobbies, I paint, collect recipes, which I usually try making with my daughter. She also enjoys cooking.

As for guilty pleasures, chocolate and chips are my Achilles’ heel. I try to stay away from them, especially chips. They’re my unhealthy addiction. I can never have just one. :) 9-What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

I will soon be finished with the second installment in Adventures of a New Witch, but as for when the next story in The Forsaken Prophecies will be coming out, that will take some more time. It’s a long and complicated story to write.

Begotten The Forsaken Prophecies Giovanna Lagana Genre: Paranormal romantic suspense Mystery/Thriller ASIN: B00H0M7PLI Number of pages: 324 Word Count: 78280 Cover Artist: Ghislain Mallet Amazon Amazon.ca Amazon.co.uk Smashwords

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Book Description:

In the blink of an eye Megan Johnson’s perfect life turns into a nightmare. Her beloved husband mysteriously dies in a car crash and her fourteen-year-old son, Tristan, runs away with a diabolical cult leader named Vincent Hellion. Her world is spiraling to destruction. She leans on her husband’s best friend, Rhett Foster, for support and help. But when feelings she thought she never had for Rhett begin to surface and unknown psychic powers possess her, she becomes more confused than ever. She tries to push her feelings for Rhett aside and focus on her visions to save her son before it’s too late.

Rhett Foster has loved Megan for so long. But he never confessed his feelings to her because his best friend was her husband. Now that her husband is dead, he struggles with his conscience. Should he tell Megan how he really feels or should he honor his best friend's memory?

Megan's desperate quest to find and free her son sets them both on a path of love, danger, and renewal. If they return, their lives will be changed forever.

Excerpt: Megan closed the door and leaned on it. She began to cry. Fatigue and the doctor’s words took their toll on her.

Rhett hugged her and caressed her long hair. “You heard what the doctor said? Tristan is going to be all right.”

She sniffled. “But what if he gets worse? Mark and he were so close. He lost his whole world a few days ago.”

“He still has you,” Rhett said.

“Yeah, but what if he doesn’t let me in? What if he won’t let me help him and support him? He’s a teenager now, Rhett. At his age, who knows how he will react.”

Rhett stared into her eyes, which she knew were watery, red, and puffy. “Then I’m here. Granted, my relationship with Tristan isn’t anywhere as close as his relationship had been with his dad, but we are still close.

If he won’t confide in you, then I’ll try. The kid is tough. You and Mark hit the jackpot with him. He’ll be okay.”

“I hope you’re right, Rhett.”

He pulled out a compact pouch of tissues from his suit pocket. “Here you go.”

She smiled, wiped her teary eyes, and jokingly said, “Thanks, do you have any mascara in there, too?”

He put his hand in his pocket to check. “No, just a small lint remover. Care to use it?”

They both laughed at his joke. Then Megan felt a twinge of guilt for experiencing a happy emotion when she buried her husband just a few hours before. She turned serious. “Why is it that you always know what to say or do? It’s like you can read my mind.”

He smiled as he raised his left eyebrow. “That’s because we’ve known each other almost all our lives.”

“That’s true. There’s nothing we don’t know about each other. We have no secrets. You’re like the big brother I always wanted.”

Looking up into the air, he nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I know. You always say that.”

“But it’s true. You’ve always been there for me, and for Mark.” A yawn escaped her lips. “What am I thinking right now?”

Rhett winked as he spoke. “Okay, okay, I get the hint. I’ll go now.” With genuine concern, he continued, “Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes, I think I’ll go to bed early.”

He opened the door. “I’ll call you tomorrow from work. Bye.” He kissed her cheek and left. **** As Rhett closed the door behind him, he rubbed his nose. Megan’s soft locks had tickled his cheek.

He could still smell her strawberry scented shampoo. He thought about what she had just said as he stood on her porch. “We have no secrets,” she’d uttered. She was wrong.

He had a secret that he kept from her all of these years. He wondered if he should ever tell her the truth. Their friendship would be at great risk if he did.

Rhett got into his car, put on the radio, and tuned it to his favorite station. The Wind Beneath My Wings was playing. He had a flashback of when he and Megan had been seventeen. They were dancing to this song at their prom.

Since they didn’t have any dates, they decided to go with each other. A smile formed on his face as he remembered how they both had two left feet. A spectacle they had made of themselves on the dance floor. Ah, the fun times they had. Megan was certainly someone special. How boring his life would have been if she had never come into it.

He drove off, vowing to protect her and her son in these troubled times. He owed it to Mark and to himself.

About the Author: Giovanna Lagana is a freelance author. Some of her short stories and poems have been featured in magazines like Tales of the Talisman, Short-Story.Me, Static Movement, and Fear and Trembling Magazine, etc.

To learn more about Giovanna and her writing, please check her website at: www.giovannalagana.com Website: www.giovannalagana.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/G_Lagana Blog: http://giovannalaganablog.wordpress.com Blog: http://jjgiovanna.bravejournal.com/

I’m often asked, “How do authors deal with writers block?”

There are two types of writers block; difficulty figuring out how to make a scene or plot line work, and the inability to write anything. The answer to one type is “get up,” while the answer to the other is “sit down.”

If you are having trouble making some aspect of your story work, go put on a load of laundry or let the dog out. Better yet, walk the dog around the block. If that doesn’t work, sleep on it. Sometimes the answer will magically present itself when you awake.

Critique partners or writing buddies are another solution. Give a synopsis of your story and then explain your dilemma. You might be surprised what another set of eyes (or ears) can come up with.

One thing is sure, if you let indecision go on for too long, it will turn into the more severe type of block, the total incapacity to write at all. Stress, depression, and fear are other reasons a writer stops writing. The only cure for this is to make a change.

Try writing on your laptop instead of your desktop. Listen to music while you write, or pick a different style of music, or stop listening to music at all. Write at a coffee shop or on your back patio. Take a class on writing, especially one with homework.

If you are still having trouble, but your book aside and try writing a short story. Do you have a blog? Write something for it, or post on a friend’s blog.

If you have to start small, that’s fine. Just start. Write something. And write every day. The only true way to get over writer’s block is to sit down and write.

When I first started Voodoo on Bayou Lafonte, I had a little trouble deciding on the plot. I spent days hashing out different scenarios. I knew Remy had to go to Louisiana and save either his ex-wife or his child. I decided saving his child would work better and I was walking with a friend and mentioned that I couldn’t figure out what exactly could have happened to his son.

“There would be much more tension if it was his daughter who was in trouble,” she said.

And Bingo, the story of Remy’s daughter being kidnapped by a voodoo priest was born.

Have you ever struggled with writer’s block? How did you handle it?

Excerpt Detective Remy Steinberg glared at his phone. No good could come from answering this late on a Friday afternoon, but he still had ten minutes left on his shift. It was one thing to slip out when you finished your work, but to turn his back on a ringing phone . . .

He glanced at his lieutenant’s office. Hard Luck Luchak stared back at him. Damn. Remy gritted his teeth and reached for the phone, hoping like hell he wouldn’t be delayed.

“Homicide, Steinberg.” Maybe it was one of the guys in the back, playing a joke on him.

“Remy?”

Shit. Ball Breaker Number One. What could she want? He’d mailed his child support payment in plenty of time.

“Gabrielle, what is it? I’m just leaving the office.”

“Adrienne didn’t come home from school today.”

He sighed. Poor Adrienne. She never had any freedom.

“For God’s sake, Gabby, she’s sixteen. She can’t be more than an hour late. She’s probably gossiping with a girlfriend. Cut the girl some slack.”

“She’s seventeen, which you’d know if you paid her any attention.”

He knew how old she was, he just didn’t like to think of her as anything except a gap-toothed kid.

Gabby didn’t give him time to answer. “She hasn’t been missing for an hour. She’s been missing for over thirty hours.”

His heart caught in his throat and he couldn’t speak for several seconds. In his job, he’d seen what could befall a young girl in that length of time. He might not be the world’s best dad, but he was her dad just the same.

“What? For over a day? How could you let this happen?” His voice rose and he couldn’t control it, despite the eyes he knew were trained on him. “Why weren’t you keeping track of her? Have you called the police?”

“I’m calling you, aren’t I? You’re the police.” The tremor in her voice might not have been noticeable

to anyone else, but he recognized just how scared she was.

“And I’m three hundred miles away.” A good four and a half hours from Comeaux. More like five on a Friday afternoon when half of Houston headed across the state line to do some gambling in Louisiana.

Voodoo on Bayou Lafonte Occult Series Book 3 Susan C. Muller Genre: Paranormal romantic suspense Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing Date of Publication: Jan 2, 2014 Word Count: 80,000 Cover Artist: Rae Monet Book Description: A frantic phone call leads Detective Remy Steinberg racing through the night toward the one place he vowed never to return. With the life of his kidnapped daughter at stake, he willingly faces shotgun-wielding drug dealers, corrupt law-enforcement officials, and a raging hurricane.

Scouring the seedy back alleys of New Orleans for information, he goes undercover at a sinister voodoo ceremony, and struggles to understand the forces of black magic that hold his daughter hostage.

With time ticking down, he battles for his life against a high voodoo priest, but can he face the two things he fears most: the swamp that terrorized his childhood, and the ex-wife he’s never stopped loving?

Detective Remy Steinberg must return to Louisiana in search of his kidnapped daughter. Can he save her before the swamp swallows her up and he loses any chance at happiness?

About the Author: For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a fourth generation Texan and I attended Stephen F. Austin State University where I majored in Business Administration, but took creative writing classes on the side because that’s where my heart was.

I have always loved reading and if it’s true that God doesn’t subtract the hours you spend reading from your life span, then I should pass the century mark with flying colors. I first tried my hand at writing when I was eleven, but the sun was shining and I had a new bike so that effort was doomed to failure.

I didn’t try writing again until I was well into my sixties. People ask me why I took it up then and my answer is simple, because my husband retired. If you don’t understand, just wait, you will.

My first novel, The Secrets on Forest Bend, won several awards. After that, I was hooked.

I’ve been blessed with two great kids and four grandkids. My late husband and I loved to travel and we saw much of the world. Kenya, New Zealand, and the Galapagos Islands are a few of my favorite places. After he passed, I thought my traveling days were over, yet I’ve since been to Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela.

I live in Spring, Texas where I currently serve as president of the Northwest Houston chapter of RWA and volunteer at a local hospital. I also enjoy speaking to book clubs and writers groups. www.susancmuller.com https://www.facebook.com/SusanCMuller Twitter: @susancmuller

Excerpt: I was humming “Chasing Cars” in the shower when the clear curtain slid back. Sean leaned against the sink, letting his eyes drift down my soapy body. He still wore jeans, but the button was undone and they rode low on his hips. He’d already stripped off the t-shirt he wore today. I licked my lips and tried to say something sexy but nothing came out. My tongue got stuck in my mouth. Instead, I stepped back to make room. The jeans hit the floor in the blink of an eye and his hands were everywhere at once. With my back against the warm tile, I closed my eyes and let the sensations overwhelm me. He dragged his lips away from my mouth and smiled wickedly.

Nonplussed, I started to ask what he was up to, but it came out as a yelp when he scooped me up and wrapped my legs around his waist. His arms cushioned me from the hard tile as he impaled me with one quick thrust.

“Oh. My. God.” Moving against me now, he bit my earlobe and murmured, “Not quite.”

After using all of the hot water, we stumbled to the bedroom to work out the bed. Exhausted and limp, I trailed my finger through the fine black hair that formed his happy trail and said, “There is no way that you’ve never had sex before me. You’re like a porn star.”

“A porn star?” He propped himself up on his elbow and frowned.

He looked so disgruntled, I started to giggle. “Baby, wait. I meant that as a compliment! You’re just so amazing when we…uh, do it.” I blushed and shut up.

“You’re a mess. You know that? Of course it’s amazing! Hello? Supernatural beings here! Our souls are connected; we share the same saol. God Mica, when I see you my brain and my body go into hyper-drive with awareness. I feel every breath you take, every heartbeat, every emotion. When I touch you, I feel your blood flowing under your skin. I feel it under my fingertips. I have the power to draw it to the surface anywhere I want.

Do you know how hot that makes me? I want to lose myself in you.” He gently traced a pale blue vein on my chest with his thumb. It pulsed in response. “I can give you pleasure because I feel what you want when your breath catches just so.”

My breath caught as he nipped my collarbone with his teeth. I felt my bones turn liquid again and knew he was right. I felt the same things when I touched him. I was turned on just standing close to him. He hummed with energy that I felt on every inch of my skin. I assumed everyone in love felt this way, but maybe he was right. Our souls were entwined as much as our bodies. Maybe this was special.

He peered up from the vicinity of my naval and asked, “Besides, what made you think I was a virgin?”

Call the Lightning Primani Book Two Laurie Olerich Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy Publisher: Laurie Olerich ISBN: 149276759X ASIN: B00FIV203G Number of pages: 448 Word Count: 141,500 Cover Artist: Angela Bauer Amazon Kindle

Amazon Print

Book Description:

Bound by blood and flame...

Mica Thomas is not having a good year. First, her Primani Sean vanishes without a trace. Second, a sadistic demon wants to use her as leverage. Third, her totally unwanted powers are making her nuts. And then there’s Killian...his eyes hold secrets that confuse her and his every touch sends her blood racing out of control.

Killian has secrets--a lot of them. With Sean MIA, it’s up to him to keep Mica safe while her powers evolve.

His protection takes a dangerous turn when she becomes a pawn in the game. Desperate to keep her alive, he drags her into his private world of ancient power and bloody altars with devastating consequences.

With their minds and bodies connected, is there room for Sean?

About the Author: Laurie Olerich is the author of the new Primani series. Part urban fantasy, part romance, part paranormal...Three things she can’t live without! Laurie spent most of her life in the Northeastern United States and in Western Europe. She now lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her son and Dalmatian duo, Domino and Rambo. Desperate to escape the heat, she lives vicariously through Mica and her Primani by setting their adventures in the mountain coolness of New England and the rainy days of London. Before throwing caution to the wind and diving

into a writing career, Laurie dedicated 20 years to her country by serving in the United States Air Force. Much of her time was spent around men with guns and cool toys...this explains her obsession with both. http://www.laurieolerich.com https://twitter.com/LaurieOlerich https://www.amazon.com/author/laurieolerich http://www.laurieolerich.com/blog

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Who is a Witch?

Pagan Children Learning Series Book #1

By Rowan Moss, Illustrations by T.S. Lamb 978-0-9855906-6-6 Who is a Witch is a companion-reader book for children and parents, exploring the basics – what makes a witch special and who a witch might be in a child’s life.

Whimsical illustrations and purposefully upbeat and simple language will delight the eye and open communication.

Each book in the Pagan Children Learning Series is a beginner’s introduction that allows room for discussion of your family’s own beliefs in every lesson!

What is Magic Pagan Children Learning Series Book #2 978-0-9855906-7-3

By Rowan Moss, Illustrations by T.S. Lamb What is Magic (Pagan Children Learning Series Book #2) is a companion-reader book for children and parents, exploring basics –the nature of magic and what it can do!

the

Whimsical illustrations and purposefully upbeat and simple language will delight the eye and open communication.

Each book in the Pagan Children Learning Series is a beginner’s introduction that allows room for discussion of your family’s own beliefs in every lesson!

What are the Elements Pagan Children Learning Series Book #3 978-0-9855906-8-0

By Rowan Moss, Illustrations by T.S. Lamb What are the Elements (Pagan Children Learning Series Book #3) is a companion-Reader book for children and parents, exploring the basics – the Elements and their properties.

Whimsical illustrations and purposefully upbeat and simple language will delight the eye and open communication.

Each book in the Pagan Children Learning Series is a beginner’s introduction that allows room for discussion of your family’s own beliefs in every lesson!

About the Author and Illustrator: Pie Plate has just released Rowan Moss’s first three books – The Pagan Children Learning Series: Books 1, 2 and 3. Who is a Witch, What is Magic, and What are the Elements are written in simple, understandable language for young audiences and beautifully illustrated by T.S. Lamb. Rowan holds a B.S. in Sociology and an M.A. in Schools, Society, and Violence. She is also a Certified Yoga Teacher and lives in Michigan with her son.

T.S. Lamb is an artist, illustrator, sculptor, graphic designer and owner of Epiphanies. T.S. illustrated Pie Plate’s first children’s release, the first installment in the Asim the Awesome Possum series: Asim Gets His Awesome, which teaches about adjectives.

(Intended 36-40 DRA LEVEL Lexile: 780 Flesch-Kincaid: 3.4 Content Lesson: Parts of Speech – Adjectives). She has also completed illustrations for the Pagan Children Learning Series – Who is a Witch, What is Magic, and What are the Elements – newly released in August 2013. For more samples of her work and inquiries, check out T.S. on Facebook (as Epiphanies), LinkedIn, or on her website: www.epiphaniesdesign.com http://www.pieplatepublishing.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pieplatepub

A Review of Pagan Children Learning Series Books 1-3 Reviewed by Roxanne Rhoads

Finally a series of books for children about being a Pagan/Witch- this is long overdue.

It’s often hard for parents to find the right words and positive language to explain to young children what witchcraft and paganism is. With so much of pop culture and media showcasing negative light on witches, these simple, elegant and beautifully illustrated books break down explanations into simple, easy to understand language and terms for children.

These books do not over explain or get too serious in the topics they cover.

It’s a basic introduction to Paganism, witches, magic and the elements.

A must have for Pagans/Witches with small children.

I highly recommend these books and will be sharing them with my children.

Interview with the Author and Illustrator of the Pagan Children Learning Series Books 1-3

This is a beautiful series for children, I’ve never seen anything like it before. I plan to share these books with my children. Such a great introduction to Paganism…and in simple terms kids can understand.

How did the two of you end up collaborating to create these books?

Erin: We met through a local pagan group and hung out at the Midwest Witches’ Ball in 2012. We both have children and have dealt with the issue of finding material to help us explain our faith to our children, so we put our heads together and came up with The Pagan Children Learning Series.

T.S.: Rowan had some ideas that she had been working on writing and I was looking for a new illustration project. It was a natural fit.

How did you decide what to include and what to keep out of the books, because obviously you want to cover the basics without making things too complicated for the kids?

Erin: That was one of the hardest parts. We really want to make these books “customizable.” We understand that not everyone shares the same beliefs, so we tried our best to stick to the basics by attempting to look at the books as if through the eyes of someone else. It helps that T.S. and I have differing beliefs in some aspects as well, so we have different perspectives.

Tiffany: I think we just started brainstorming each topic and once we had all the information we could come up with for the topic, we went back and narrowed it to the basics. Mostly it was just talking it out and looking to our own experiences to see what in the end made sense. Then I think we both read it to our kids to see which parts kept their interest and which seemed dull to them.

What topics would you like to cover in future books?

Erin: We have so many ideas! We’re actually hoping to make this into a large learning series. We’ve purposefully broken the books up into small chunks so parents can pick and choose which aspects they want to teach to their children. We’re also open to suggestions from parents. We love it when people let us know what they’re looking for! We have topics for the following books chosen… but you’ll have to wait to find out which were chosen! ;)

Tiffany: Wow, I think we have a list of around 50 topics that we've already talked about. For me, I'd love to do some on using Nature in Paganism, The Sun and Moon, and how to have Paganism be part of every-

day life, not just for holidays or a ritual.

Do you have any release dates for new books in the series?

Erin: Not yet, but we’re hoping soon.

Rowan, have you published other books or do you have other books in the works outside of this series?

Erin: Not at this time, but there *might* be a something for adults in the works!

T.S., what other books have you illustrated? Where can we find other examples of your work?

T.S.: I've illustrated "Asim the Awesome Possum: Asim Gets His Awesome" written by Jennifer Oddo.

Published in 2012 and available through Amazon.com and B&N .com. I have also illustrated "How to Get Rid of Monsters" by Laura Hutchison it is slated to be published later this year. I've also illustrated and written "Grandmother Moon Invited Me For Tea" and "The Dinosaur Picnic". The best place to find samples of my work are on my website: epiphaniesdesign.com, through my facebook page: https:// www.facebook.com/pages/Epiphanies/204421339596603?ref=hl, and of course the Pagan Children Learning Series. Currently I'm displaying artwork at Four Kingdoms Art Market in Commerce Township, MI and at The Yoga and Wellness Collective in Dearborn, MI. Will you be attending any events in 2014 where readers can meet you and purchase signed copies of your books?

Tiffany: Currently we are looking at Michigan Pagan Fest, Mid-West Witches Bazaar and Hazel Par Art Fair in August.

Wonderful, I’ll be at the Midwest Witches Bazaar and Ball, Bewitching Book Tours is a sponsor. I hope to see you there.

Michigan Pagan Scholarships Pagan College Scholarship for the State Of Michigan We are offering a $500.00 Pagan College Scholarship for a high school senior. All applicants must live in State of Michigan. Applicants must be 17 years of age or older, have a current GPA of 2.5 or higher, be Pagan, and currently accepted in a full time course of study in any accredited technical college, general college, university. Applicants must provide their most recent school transcript to establish state of residency, and GPA requirements. In addition they must also state the reason for applying for this scholarship and submit a essay about what being a Pagan means to them. http://pagancollegescholarship.org/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/ MichiganPaganScholarship/ admin@pagancollegescholarship.org

Michigan Witches’ Ball 2014 TICKETS GO ON SALE 2/20/14 Last year’s Ball sold out in advance. Get your tickets early if you don’t want to be left out!

DRESS TO IMPRESS! TWENTY-ONE AND OVER ONLY Saturday, October 18th, 2014 7:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

LOCATION Royalty House 8201 E 13 Mile Road Warren, MI 48093 TICKETS ARE $40 EACH AND INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: Open bar, hors d’oeuvres and raffle ticket.

PLEASE NOTE: Tickets are non-refundable. Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance. Tickets Will Not Be Available At The Door!

DISCOUNT HOTEL ROOMS Baymont Inn & Suites 7447 Convention Boulevard Warren, MI 48092 (586) 977-7270 Free shuttle service will be provided from the hotel to the hall – PLEASE DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. Reserve your hotel room early and save. The code for your hotel room discount is MWB/Midwest Witches Ball 2014 Midwest Witches’ Bazaar Artists and vendors will fill the hall with their Magickal Marketplace, a tempting bazaar of colors, smells, textures and sounds. They offer for sale the beautiful, the exotic and the magickal.

The Midwest Witches’ Bazaar showcases products, services and resources for Witches, Wiccans, Druids and Pagans of all paths. Wouldn’t it be great if you could go to one place and explore everything that is available? Well, that’s exactly what the Midwest Witches’ Bazaar is all about!

October 18TH, 2014 Royalty House 8201 East 13 Mile Road

Warren, MI 48093 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. FREE Admission. 50 quality vendors, readers, and healers.

A Review of the 2013 Michigan-Midwest Witches Ball

By Roxanne Rhoads This was my third year attending the Michigan-Midwest Witches Ball and I must say it was byfar the best. This was the second year the Ball was held at the Royalty House and this venue is beautiful, elegant and very appropriate for the event. During the day the Royalty House hosted the bazaar full of witchy wares- everything from art and books to incense and clothing- and if you needed something extra for your costume they had plenty of steamed accessories to coordinate with this year’s theme- Steampunk.

I must admit the costume aspect is one of my favorite parts of the ball. I adore Halloween and getting dressed up. But the Ball isn’t where you’ll find silly cartoon character costumes. No, the Witches Ball is more of an old fashioned masquerade, elegant with touches of fun modern elements. It is dress to impress but not in your average tux and ball gown. Every year has a new theme that attendees are invited to interpret through their costumes.

The first year I attended it was an Alice and Wonderland theme, there were a lot of top hats and rabbits. Last year’s theme was “The End of The World As We Know It” which turned out to be a kind of free for all costume wise- everyone interpreted their own version or simply dressed to impress in witchy fun fashions.

This year the Steampunk theme really put everyone into high gear to create amazing costumes and it really amped up the festive feeling. The costumes were spectacular and everyone seemed to be having a fabulous time. Everyone walked around checking out each other’s costumes, gears, gadgets and accessories. It didn’t take long to discover that the Witch community overflows with creativity.

Good music, good food, and an open bar were included with each ticket-making the event worry free. The only cash you need is to tip the bartenders and shuttle drivers.

The Ball coordinates with the local Baymont hotel to offer discounted hotel rooms which makes the ball even more fun and a lot safer because a shuttle will take you back and forth from your hotel to the Royalty House then back to the hotel. No drinking and driving, no worrying about driving a long way home at 2am- which is wonderful for me because it’s over an hour drive from the ball to my house. The Baymont is clean, comfortable and a really great value. I would stay there even without the ball discount.

I think one of the things I love most about the Michigan Midwest Witches Ball is the sense of community. The whole thing is supported by sponsors who place ads in the brochure, by vendors who sell at the bazaar and by local businesses in the witch community that donate time,

money, services, and items for the ball every year. And to give back the Ball donates partial proceeds from ticket sales back to several local charities like Pagans in Need and 4 Paws 4 Kender. The Ball also has a special Pagan of the Year Award that is given to an outstanding member of the community. This year it was awarded to Michael Wiggins.

The Ball is geared towards Wiccans and Pagans (and the other paths and belief systems that can fall under the overall “Witch” umbrella of religions) but those who do not follow the Wiccan and Pagan ways can still enjoy it. It’s open to all and the religious aspects are very minimal and are not even noticed by those who do not follow the paths. Everyone is welcome with open arms – and that means all religions and sexual preferences. I found the atmosphere to be very welcoming of everyone- including LGBT guests (which I have been to other events that were not so friendly). I overheard one woman crying with joy that she loved attending the ball because she has “never felt so welcome anywhere before.”

The Michigan Midwest Witches Ball has become a must attend event for me- and I bring new friends with me every year. I am looking forward to 2014- “Into the Woods” we go.

We have a special Valentine’s Day interview with a few of the witches from the erotic short story collection Paranormal Pleasures: Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction.

I’ll start with Marissa from “A Last Goodbye”.

Marissa is new to the supernatural world, being a late bloomer with her magic but her trainer, Deirdre, who happens to be a vampire, is showing her the ropes and helping her acclimate quite well.

RR: So Marissa how are you celebrating Valentine’s Day this year, is Deirdre very romantic?

Marissa: Deirdre is quite the romantic though don’t tell her I said that, it would ruin her ice queen image. I’m not sure what she has planned but I know she’s up to something, she’s had a twinkle in her eye and that always means she’s in planning mode.

RR: Has she done grand romantic gestures before?

Marissa: Not any extremely grand gestures, she’s more of an everyday romantic- a rose on my pillow, a new book of spells on my desk…she always does something sweet for me.

RR: That is precious. I think it’s so important to have those little everyday reminders of love they keep the romance alive.

Marissa: Oh yes, it definitely does. And with our crazy lifestyles and supernatural drama…it can be hard to think about the mundane stuff.

RR: Vampires, witches and their drama…

Marissa: You know it.

As Marissa giggles thinking about her new life full of vampires I turn to Ariadne from “Witch in the Middle”. Ariadne has not one but two gorgeous men in her life. Such a greedy witch ;-) RR: Hi Ariadne, how are you celebrating Valentine’s Day this year? Anything special planned? Will you celebrate with both of your men?

Ariadne: I’m not sure what I will be doing for Valentine’s Day this year.

RR: Why not?

Ariadne: The whole “who to be with” issue, and choosing which guy to celebrate with is such a headache.

RR: Why not be with them both?

Ariadne: And risk the dirty looks, the questioning looks…or even worse the guys getting into it in the middle of a romantic dinner and embarrassing me? No thank you.

RR: So they’re still having issues with each other?

Ariadne: Men are so territorial, jealousy is always an issue.

They are always trying to one up each other or be the better man. Sometimes I wonder if I should just choose and be done with it.

RR: I’m sorry to hear that, I was really hoping the three of you had worked things out.

Ariadne: Perhaps they’ll get over the pettiness so I can have a HappyValentine’s Day. I would really love to be with both of them and have a good time.

RR: Well there you go, just tell them you want to go out and have fun without their egos getting in the way.

Ariadne: Thanks, Rox I will do that. Now I just have to figure out what to wear.

RR: Maybe you should go chat with Marissa and Deirdre I hear Deirdre has closets full of amazing clothes.

Ariadne: Thanks, I’ll do that.

Ariadne wanders off to find Marissa and I turn to Elita from “The Questioning Concubine”.

RR: Hello Elita, glad you could join us today. How are things going with the investigation?

Elita: Thanks to Connor I’m finally making some headway with the case. I’m closer than ever to finding out who killed my parents.

RR: That’s great news. Are you taking any time off to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Elita: Oh yes *she smiles coyly*. We will definitely be celebrating Valentine’s day.

RR: Do you and Connor have anything planned?

Elita: A wicked little grin creeps across her pretty features…I do. I want to surprise him with a very romantic and sexy evening.

RR: Really? How do give an incubus a romantic surprise? I mean, after all he is all about the sex.

Elita: That’s just it, he is used to doling out the pleasure and being the means to an end. I want to give him pleasure, treat him like he has treated me. I want to return the affection. I don’t think he’s used to being on the receiving end of love.

RR: So you plan to turn things upside down for your pleasure demon?

Elita: Oh yes *again with that wicked grin*. I wanted to ask her more but I didn’t want to get into the TMI area plus I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise for Connor, who knows maybe there’s a future sto-

ry in the works featuring Elita and Connor’s Valentine’s pleasurefest.

RR: Good luck with that. I hope it turns out to be a spectacular night for the tow of you.

Elita: Oh it will it’s going to be so amazing and so damn hot… *she blushes as she realizes she’s getting a little carried away* RR: I clear my throat thanks for joining me for this little interview, I hope all of your Valentine fantasies turn out to be fabulous.

Elita: Thanks Rox I’m sure they will.

Elita wanders off and I turn to the witch that’s left, Vicki from “Witching You A Merry Christmas”.

RR: So Vicki, You and Daniel ended up having a very wonderful Christmas last year, will you be celebrating Valentine’s Day together as well?

Vicki: She gives me a shy smile Yes, we’ll be together for Valentine’s and for the rest of the holidays.

RR: Wonderful. So any plans?

Vicki: I think Daniel has something up his sleeve. He is such a sweet and charming romantic.

RR: What kind of romantic is he, hearts and flowers or something deeper?

Vicki: Oh a little of both. He does the hearts and flowers and chocolates but he always adds something deeply personal- like finding a first edition copy of my favorite book signed by the author. Or hunting down my grandmother’s locket which had been pawned years ago when my mother needed money.

RR: Wow. He puts his detective skills to work for romance huh?

Vicki: She laughs Oh yes. He is very good at tracking things down, and he’s such a good listener.

Sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself.

RR: I know he loves Christmas and goes all out with the decorations, is he the same way for Valentine’s day?

Vicki: He loves to celebrate…anything. He has an entire room filled with decorations for every holiday.

RR: So that’s a yes? I laugh.

Vicki: Most definitely.

RR: Well thank you for joining me today, thanks to all the witches that took the time to stop by and answer my questions.

To learn more about these characters check out Paranormal Pleasures Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction.

And watch for Paranormal Pleasures II: Ten More Tales of Supernatural Seduction- coming soon.

Paranormal Pleasures:Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction Roxanne Rhoads Publisher: Bewitching Books Genre: Paranormal erotica ISBN: 0615470386 / 9780615470382 Page Count: 138 Book description: Ten tantalizing, erotic tales of vampires, witches and demons grace the pages of this short story collection by Roxanne Rhoads.

Step into the darkness and let these tales tempt and tease to satisfy your paranormal cravings.

Eight of Roxanne Rhoads' previous eBook publications appear in print for the first time, along with two brand new, never before published tales of supernatural love and lust.

Extended Description A Last Goodbye New witch Marissa is learning the ropes of being one of The Others. One of her mentors is vampire Deirdre, a tall beauty who really irritates Marissa. Marissa is extremely pissed when she shows up to Dante's Ball and finds Deirdre there with Marissa's recent ex-boyfriend, Jeff. The one she was encouraged to break up with because of his humanity. Deirdre explains her reasons for bringing Jeff and offers to help Marissa say goodbye to him in a way none of them will ever forget Overkill Vanessa is tired of her boyfriend Simon’s promiscuous vampire ways and stakes him, repeatedlynot close enough to the heart to kill him but close enough to make it hurt. But now she’s had a change of heart and considers embracing the sexual world of the vampire instead of being jealous of it.

Witch in the Middle Ariadne is a witch torn between two men, a vampire and a human. Her heart doesn’t want to choose but the men force her to make a decision that could break her heart, unless with the help of the Goddess all three of them can come to a mutually acceptable…and enjoyable agreement.

When It Storms Devon’s witchy girlfriend becomes insatiable every time a storm rolls around and he’s more than happy to give her exactly what she needs.

Monster Inside Shannon’s never seen her vampire boyfriend, Logan, vamp out before. Then one night he has to kill to save her life. Can she ever look at him the same way again?

The Questioning Concubine Elita, a pure blood witch, has come home to find who or what killed her parents and to take her rightful place as the head of the coven. After five years of investigating and exhausting all conventional methods at her disposal, she decides to do the one thing a good witch should never do—summon a demon. The demon is not what she expected. Elita is soon swept up in his power… and her own.

Renata The residents of the sleepy little town of Flushing, Michigan had no idea a vampire lived among them, seducing and drinking from all the men in town. Renata walked among them, blending in, taking only what she needed. One night, while she was on the prowl for fresh blood at a carnival, a handsome carnie caught her eye. She had no way of knowing he was a vampire hunter and was there for her.

Sea of Blood Liana made Nerissa a vampire centuries ago in the islands of Greece but she’s never tired of her companion or the way she hunts her prey.

A Halloween to Remember What says Halloween better than a wild party at an old Victorian mansion complete with its own cemetery? Perhaps meeting the man of your dreams thanks to the magic of Halloween.

Adena can’t believe her eyes when she spots Dimitri in the library- he looks like something straight off the cover of a historical romance novel-the type of guy she’s always dreamed of. Too bad he disappears before she has the chance to introduce herself. When she finally spots him again later that night she decides she’s not letting him get away again. Adena thinks she’s finally found the one. Until she wakes up alone the next morning- in the cemetery.

Halloween magic brought them together but will it be strong enough to keep them together?

Witching You A Merry Christmas Witch Vicki has been leery of vampires ever since she was attacked five years ago. Daniel's a vampire and he's been secretly in love in with Vicki for two years ever since becoming Vicki's partner in The Guardians a supernatural group of paranormal crime fighters. Daniel loves Christmas and hopes the spirit of the holidays will soften Vicki's hatred of vampires and help her see him in a new light.

Will he get his Christmas wish?

Love, Sex, and Magick Coven of the Courtesan follows a coven of witches in New York that bring back the art and magick of the courtesans. Many people thought of courtesans as witches because they were so seductive and charming. One thing that the courtesans are known for is their passionate sex lives. Let’s talk about sex magick shall we‌.

Sex magick also known as "sacred sex", works with the divine to use your power to create a desired result during sex. It is something that one has to experience versus just read about to get the full effect. Sex magick is found in every religion in various forms. The goal is love, harmony, and bliss. There are those who agree that sacred sex is a lifestyle choice that can open up creativity, manifest what the heart desires, create open and fulfilling relationships as well as heal things within us.

One way that you can begin to experience sex magick is to add tantra to your life. Tantra actually has little to do with sex. Its teachings are about everyday life including the body, which is where the myth of it being mainly about sex comes from. Think of it as slowing down, awakening the senses and living in the moment to become more complete. It is a way of life that values sex and the life force originating from the same place. You can practice tantra with or without a partner.

The other way to experience sex magick is by awakening your kundalini energy. This energy is a spiritual energy that comes from the base of the spine. To tap into this energy explore more spiritually and add meditation to the mix. It is an energy that few people experience because it stays dormant until it is called upon. When this energy is open, a person experiences, bliss, spiritual awareness, and unlimited love by the universe, which in turn makes for an amazing sex life. Take a kundalini yoga class to get your spiritual juices flowing.

You deserve amazing love which includes amazing sex. Having great sex does not start in the bedroom. The best way to experience sex on a deeper level is through your own self-awareness, spirituality and healing. May you have many orgasmic experiences and read Coven of the Courtesan.

As Bast Buchanan got closer, she could see the shadow of a man standing in the distance and hear a voice whispering something that she could not make out. All she could tell was that it was a woman’s voice.

"Hello, can you hear me, you called to me,” stated Bast.

The whispering continued and the words flowed faster. Walking over debris in the darkness, Bast moved closer to the voice speaking to the person who was calling out to her. "What are you trying to tell me, can you speak louder?” Darkness and echos filled the space. From the corners of her eyes, Bast could see other spirits moving around her, but she was focused on the voice that was speaking to her.

Every step she took, she began to make out words "By the kissing...." then the words turned back into a whisper. As Bast made it to the door she could see an older woman dressed in a wild colorful outfit. She looked like a rainbow decided to have an orgy all over her body. It was another one of the crazy characters on the lower astral plane connecting with her. Quite often she exercised her witch super powers by astral projecting. There was no telling what or who she would bump into on the astral plane.

"Hello, do you have a message for me or do you need help,” questioned Bast.

"By the kissing of my thumbs something sexy this way comes." said the women with a slight grin on her face. Bast was not sure that the lady meant. She was familiar with the original quote "by the pricking of my thumbs something wicked this way comes" from the witches in Macbeth.

"Ma’am, I don't..." as Bast started to talk, the older lady repeated herself "by the kissing of my thumb, something sex this way comes, you won't know what hit you,” laughed the old lady.

Bast was getting a little creeped out. As she started to move closer to the lady, a black cat jumped on her back. All of sudden Bast was on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in her luxury apartment from her outer body experience. It was time for her to get up and get on her grind. When she tended to stay past her time to rise, her midnight black cat, Kinky, would travel to the astral plane to bring her back.

"Kinky, get your damn tail out of my face. Really, when you come to get me from the plane, can you not jump on me.” Kinky, her diva cat gave a soft me meow as she walked away with her tail sticking straight in the air.

As she sat up in her bed she thought about what the older woman said. It did not make sense. The ring of the telephone caused her to leave her train of thoughts.

"How's my favorite new CEO, today is your big day," said the voice on the other side. It was one of her best friends, Lola Martinez. Every morning they called we other to kick off the day.

"Nothing has been decided, they could go another way.”

"As if,” they said in unison and started laughing.

"Save your lunch plans for me and Pixie. We are going to celebrate with champagne and all the fixins.

Call me when the deal is sealed. Besos." said Lola as she hung up the phone.

Bast looked at the clock, she was running late. Pushing the black satin sheets aside, she felt a rush of energy when her milk chocolate toes hit the plush carpet. She looked over at the corner where Kinky was lounging on a chair throwing her tail back and forth. Bast blew her an air kiss, which Kinky ignored. They had

a strong telepathic connection so they tended to communicate with each other through actions and not words.

The cat was the animal totem for Bast which was appropriate since her name was inspired by the Egyptian cat goddess. After she stepped out of the shower, she started her morning witch ritual. To begin, she sprayed on the goddess magickal mist that she had conjured up with her coven. Her beloved coven was known as the Coven of the Courtesan, it included her and two other witches: Lola Martinez, the Latina firecracker/public relations guru and the world famous blond starlet/syren, Pixie Peppermint Petersen. All three of them were eclectic witches, meaning that they worked with many different beliefs, rituals, and systems in their witchcraft. The magick of their coven used sensual oils, herbs, and crystals. They were three witches who loved to claim their divine feminine powers and sensuality which is why they choose to bring back the art and magick of the courtesans who were thought to be witches themselves.

Coven of the Courtesan The Courtesan Chronicles Book 1 Yolanda Shoshana Genre: Erotic Romance Publisher: Bastet Publishing ASIN: B00G7P079Q Number of pages: 40 Amazon Google Kobo Smashwords

Book Description:

Coven of the Courtesan follows a coven of witches in New York City who bring back the magick and art of the courtesan. Come on the adventures of Bast, Lola, and Pixie as they take you on a journey that looks like Charmed meets Sex in the City.

Coven of the Courtesan, Book 1- The Courtesan Chronicles Series Bast Buchanan is about to become CEO of Spellbound Entertainment until the Ewing family swoops down and buys the company. She never saw this coming.

Ramennis Ewing expects to run his father’s new conquest and take over the family media empire. He is ready to prove there is more to him than what is in the press.

When Bast is asked to work side by side with roving playboy, Ramennis, can she continue to keep her guard up with this new enemy, one of the sexiest men she has ever met or does her

coven have to open up a can of power of three on him. Just who will seduce whom? *The mixed media novelette series contains real magick and spells.

About the Author: Yolanda Shoshana ("Shoshi") is a BadAss Bruja, Celebrity Clairvoyant, Courtesan Curator, and Author. She helps people have amazing love, toe curling sex, and unleash their magick.

Shoshi is the creatrix of Bruja Bespoke, an apothecary for bodacious and sensuous women.

When not creating, conjuring, or interviewing, she can be found officiating wedding ceremonies around New York.

Web: http://www.yolandashoshana.com Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/yolandashoshana Twitter: https://twitter.com/Shoshi

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

Blog: http://www.yolandashsohana.blogspot.com

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+YolandaShoshana-LoveSexMagick

The Worst Dilemma Muhammed Sokhna Genre: Erotic Romance/Erotica Publisher: World Entanglement Publications LLC ISBN: 9780991202706 ASIN B00GRXTYBA Number of pages: 126 Word Count: About 33,000 Cover Artist: Ronnell D Porter Amazon Kobo BN Smashwords

Book Description:

The spark of all dilemmas is lies and deception

Just what is love? Is it just a word people use for personal gain? Is it a verb that needs creativity expression in order to understand its full meaning? Or, is it just looking in the mirror?

For Chantrelle Hayfield, love is simplicity. But, she lives in Atlanta, a complex city full of surprises. Like her chiseled, tall, and chocolate next door neighbor, Rasheed Goodmen, who could be a new love interest? But, when her best friend, Ashley Leslie, comes out about her true feelings, will Chantrelle be able to handle the convoluted feelings of others even if that means losing her simplicity?

Chantrelle’s other friends Ariel Samson and Alexis Smith could be able to guide her? But, Ariel needs to learn to be a little selfish and Alexis has to stop scheming to get by. The underworld of Atlanta will test each of these women. Because behind the spark of every dilemma, is lies and deception. Who will be able to see clearly in order to avoid tragedy?

About the Author:

Throughout Mr. Sokhna life, he searched for a purpose. At the age of eighteen, he went through some tough times. His girlfriend left him, his finances were not where they needed to be, his family was struggling to make ends meet, he lost his Hope scholarship, and was desperately trying to find out what was his purpose here on earth. The depression within him started to build and lead to an attempt of suicide.

With the love and support of his family and close friends, he slowly climbed back on his feet, but there was still one remaining problem. He still didn’t know what his purpose was, until he had a vision.

Something within him told him to write down his story. There was resistance, but he followed the hunch. Five thousand words turn into ten thousand. Then ten turned into twenty thousand. Then all of a sudden, twenty thousand words turned into over forty thousand words. He recognized that he found his true passion. It was something that will challenge him. It was something he was yearning for all his life. It was something he could call “his own” and that something was writing.

Mr. Sokhna purpose is to ignite the creativity within people and help them realize that life is much more than what meets the eye. He wants his readers to know that all that we ever done and all we will ever do in this world is just the tip of this iceberg of what could have been done in this life.

The Worst Dilemma Series is one of the three ways he likes to channel his talent to the world. Being able to create erotic content that makes people blush is not only pleasing to him, but it makes him more humble to evolve the craft of literature. Mr. Sokhna will continue to strive to bring more enticing content through The Worst Dilemma Series. A series that will shed light on some of the toughest situations people go through in life, with the added bonus of erotic content.

Website www.theworstdilemmaseries.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MuhammedRSokhna Twitter: @MuhammedSokhna Google+: https://plus.google.com/+MuhammedSokhna LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/muhammedsokhna/ Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/muhammedsokhna Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/MuhammedSokhna