Catalog
http://francespauli.com Spring 2012
Frances Pauli writes speculative fiction with touches of romance which means, of course, that she has trouble choosing sides. She’s always been a rabid fan of anything odd or unusual, and that trend follows through to her tales which feature aliens, fairies, and even, on occasion, the odd assortment of humans. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies and ezines. Her longer romances are published through Devine Destinies, and her Urban Fantasy and Science Fiction series are published by Mundania Press LLC. This catalog presents all of her published works to date.
Series: The Changeling Race BOOK ONE: A Moth in Darkness A woman must fight a fairy-induced addiction to her memories in order to save the man who haunts them... Blurb: The boundaries between the worlds have fallen. Forced to integrate the creatures of fantasy into real life, humanity struggles against its disillusionment, prejudice and an inevitable feeling of inadequacy. Once an agent for the embassy that mediates between the worlds, Elizabeth Larson has abandoned her past and slipped into a world of nostalgic addiction to fairy revels, dancing, and the dark lure of her own memories. But when Lockland Sheen, her former partner and lover, goes missing, she is pulled reluctantly back into service. She must venture once more across the borders, into the land that haunts her, facing a string of gruesome murders, the imposing Sidhe rulers and her own addiction in the process. While the Embassy’s agents attempt to soothe tensions between the races, Liz and her new partner search the fairy realm for Lockland. Fighting the constant temptation of the revels, they piece together the trail of an unknown enemy. But the longer they follow it, the more it appears that the man they came to rescue is more villain than victim. And the more they rely on Elizabeth’s ties to the fairies, the closer she inches toward the madness that lurks behind her fantasies.
Urban Fantasy from Mundania Press Published: 2011 ISBN: 978-1-59426-374-3 eBook: 978-1-59426-373-6
Excerpt The dancing would kill her eventually. Her brow furrowed slightly at the thought—suicide was not her style. She stared out the window and scanned the star pricked sky. The fairies were late tonight. Running a finger slowly along the painted frame, she considered closing the blinds and ignoring the little monsters when they finally arrived. Instead she sat, pulling Lockland's letter from the pocket of her worn Levis. It began: "Dearest Liz, It pains me to write this." She mouthed the words silently without opening the folded paper. Color flashed past the dark window. The gentle "tap, tap" of miniature fingers against glass immediately followed. Elizabeth's eyes slid sideways. A tiny yellow face flashed her a wicked grin and pressed itself into ridiculous contortions against the pane. Translucent blue wings buzzed gently behind the slim body. "Hello, little one." Liz fought against a smile that threatened to break across her features. "You're late." By the time she emerged from her apartment, half a dozen more had manifested. They swooped and fluttered around her as she descended the staircase to the city street below. "You're making this difficult." Probably on purpose. Snorting, she followed the growing cloud of multicolored fairies down the black asphalt that wound between silent buildings. The fairies continued to swarm around her, taking turns in the lead and motioning her ever forward toward the night's revel. A brilliant red male settled on her shoulder. She admired it for a moment then stood slightly taller and strode with more intent in each clipping footstep. "If you weren't so beautiful, you'd be demonic," she mused to the flock in general. They would lead her to the park, or someone's garden, or a strip of plantings on no particular street. It didn't matter. She would dance with Lockland tonight.
“From the first paragraph the author had me enthralled…” five stars Long and Short of It Reviews
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BOOK TWO: The Fly in Paradise
Blurb: Something’s rotten in the Fey lands. While Marcus Bramble tracks the lunatic who started it all, Elizabeth and the crew at the Embassy sort through the evidence he left behind. With Lockland back, and the revels behind her, Liz’s world is slowly returning to normal. But on both sides of the borders, shadow creatures spring out of nowhere, and the dark legends surrounding the fey take on a whole new meaning. Now time is against them. On the mortal side of things, protesters rally to close the borders, politicians descend on the Embassy, and something that shouldn’t exist stalks Elizabeth through the city. In his world, Marcus faces a madman with answers he doesn’t want to hear. The Fey rulers turn a blind eye on forests teeming with imaginary monsters, and the Sidhe tower stands silent amidst the chaos. Will the race to uncover its secrets solve the mystery of the elves’ past or unleash even more horrors on them all?
Urban Fantasy from Mundania Press Published: 2011 ISBN: 978-1-60659-261-8 eBook: 978-1-60659260-1
“I loved this twist to the Seelie idea, and the way we came to it. Wonderfully done.” Five star reader review.
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BOOK THREE: Spiders From Memory Blurb: The Seelie court is gone, and the Tower has fallen into darker hands. Now nightmare creatures terrorize the Fey races, and the whole Fey world turns to frost and shadow. Liz Larson holds the last remnant of the Seelie Sidhe's power. The elves look to her for guidance, but all she has to offer them is the disturbing story of their origin, the final truth that will turn many of them against her. With her dwindling number of allies, Liz needs to reopen the borders, to find the missing Marcus Bramble, and to avoid the sudden, terrifying attention of the new Fey ruler, the Unseelie Speaker and new master of the Sidhe Tower. While her friends in Mundanity race to pry open the gates, and Marcus searches for the answer to a puzzle that could save or damn them all, the Unseelie Speaker marches north, bringing his army and his wrath to focus on Elizabeth. What can one, fairy-touched human do in the face of the Unseelie court's full fury? How can she fight when the enemy's anger is only partly blind, when she can see all too clearly the traces of justice behind it?
Urban Fantasy from Mundania Press.
Published: 2012
ISBN: 978-1-60659-261-8 eBook: 978-1-60659-260-1 Excerpt Hoof beats rang like gunfire down the alley. Their sharp echoes ricocheted along the side of the dumpster, rattling the metal and waking the woman who leaned against it. She groaned and wrapped the rags more tightly across her shoulders. Shadows wove across the alley, and the woman shivered against the cold as much as the unfamiliar sound of hooves on asphalt. She listened to the beats, pressed her thin frame closer to the brick wall and waited for the authorities to dislodge her. When the noise stopped and no cold voice shouted for her to be up and moving, curiosity got the best of her. She ventured a peek around the dumpster’s rusted corner and squinted against the darkness until she’d nearly written off the sound to her unreliable brain’s imaginings. Then the blackness snorted. It moved, shifting its weight from one gleaming hoof to the other. It lowered its head as if it knew she watched, as if it waited for her to move. She sighed. A wave of excitement swarmed from the depths of her despair, and she responded, drawn by the flick of an ear and the twitch of a velvet muzzle. Her hand reached out. Her fingers curled toward the temptation of horse flesh. The beast’s nose stretched closer, and she caught the gleam of an arched neck, the cascade of tangled, black mane. Her hand brushed satin. One of the hooves stamped, loud and hollow against the night. The lips tensed and pulled back from a row of jagged teeth. The woman froze. She felt the first stutter of panic as the horse’s head tilted to regard her with fiery, red eyes. The silky nostrils vibrated, and a snort like thunder echoed against the bricks. The lips pulled back further, killing the equine resemblance completely. She saw the shoulders, the broad ebony chest, and the thick thighs that bent in the wrong direction. Her panic exploded in a scream, cut short by the first flash of pointed teeth.
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Shift Happens
BOOK ONE: The Dimensional Shift Blurb: Chloe came to the Three Lakes area for the peace and quiet. She happily abandoned the world of retail management, suits and promotions to work as a hotel maid catering to the local tourists. Until Andrew Paige showed up--a suit of the worst kind, the kind that makes her knees weak. When Andrew offers her a job at his hotel, Chloe is hell bent on resisting, but the Dimensional Shift is no ordinary hotel, and Chloe is immediately tossed into the world of inter-dimensional tourists, their odd accommodations, and a string of thefts that threaten to ruin her chances at romance. While learning the ropes, dealing with the Shift's unusual guests, and trying to determine if the boss' interest in her is strictly professional, Chloe uncovers a plot to steal the hotel's dimensional keys. With the help of the town gossip, her alien abductee neighbor, and her new invisible best friend, Chloe confronts an inter-dimensional crime ring and a host of complications that make romancing the boss look like the least of her troubles.
Romantic Science Fiction from Awe-Struck eBooks Published: 2011 ISBN: 978-1-59426-565-5
“With beautiful descriptions and a truly memorable cast, this is a book that will truly carry you away...I genuinely enjoyed this book...The secondary characters, human and otherwise, were delightfully memorable as well. I was glad that the residents of the Dimensional Shift were all fully-fledged characters, rather than stereotypical aliens, and I found myself caring as much for their well being as for Chloe's. It was a great experience to be so wrapped up in both worlds of this book, and I can't wait for the next installment of Chloe's adventures!� --The Romance Reviews See the TRAILER BUY THE BOOK:
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BOOK TWO: Aspect Ratio Chloe Watson is just starting to get used to her inter-dimensional career, her covert relationship with the boss and her life as a cross dimensional traveler. Then a last minute promotion, a galaxy wide tournament and an unexpected stow-away manage to throw a wrench in her status quo. Now she's left to sort out a string of parallel abductions, deal with an infestation of Lemurian bedbugs and get her local pet store associate back home before the woman blows the whistle on everything Chloe had going for her. Just for fun, her relationship starts looking more than a little rocky, her job is on the line and her boyfriend/boss is keeping secrets that could cost them both a lot more than just their salaries.
Romantic Science Fiction from Awe-Struck eBooks Published: 2011 ISBN: 978-1-60659-262-5 eBook 978-1-60659-058-4
“…it is one hell of a story that took me places I have only imagined in my wildest dreams!” Four star review at The Romance Reviews. Nominated for Best PNR of 2011 in Other Worlds category. “The author does a very good job of fleshing her world out and getting you interested in her characters. The story moves right along and each page adds another puzzle for the characters to resolve.” Five star review Long and Short Reviews.
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Stand Alone eBooks They have to be lying when they tell her she was dead. With no memory of her past, and no idea who she actually is, Nora has little options. Alone, and at the mercy of the Mercenary Defense Conglomerate, she searches for clues into her past, and the truth about her supposed demise.
Roarke Romantic Science Fiction From Devine Destines Published 2010
If she is a prisoner, robbed of memory and held against her will, then she must trust no one. If she has, in fact, returned from the dead, then who could possibly help her? Armed with only her wits and her inexplicably sharpened senses, she is forced to play along, to search for the holes in their story and to piece together the flashes of memory that serve only to taunt her.
ISBN: 978-1-55487-519-1
But the visions seem to confirm the impossible. The man who is supposed to be her fiancé seems bent on confusing her, and the one person she is desperate to be near may very well be responsible for her death. If the silent Roarke is her enemy, why do her visions draw her closer to him? And why, when nothing else seems remotely familiar, does Nora find herself remembering, or wanting to remember only him?
“Pauli’s prose is excellent and I immediately identified with the plight of Nora.” –Rise Reviews
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New Canterbury Affair Science Fiction Romance
Lierra drags her barely tolerable fiancé to New Canterbury, a planet where history is almost recreated for the nostalgic, human colonists. While preparing for their wedding, however, she encounters Forrest Ecks, her hero and one of the premier artists of the time.
From Devine Destinies Published 2010 ISBN: 978-1-55487-768-3
Despite his fame, Forrest Ecks has little in the way of promise. Injured in the war, his painting career has withered along with his damaged hand. When the Lady Darvid shows him an E-sel full of amateurish, but promising sketches, Forrest takes on the task of teaching the woman. But Lierra herself proves far more interesting than her paintings. Lierra’s engagement hovers ever closer, but more than her art blooms during her lessons with Forrest. With the little time they have, can they teach each other that giving up is never the best option?
Excerpt: “Craft is good,” she said. “But without the raw emotion it can come across as sterile.” Behind her, Colley let out another squeak. “Sterile?” His eyes widened. Both of his eyebrows raised in a startled stretch. A warning bell chimed in the back of Lierra’s mind. He stepped forward and gave the Ecks a good long stare, tucking one of his hands into the front of his coat and tilting his head sharply to the side. “Interesting perspective,” he said. “Unconventional, but interesting.” Lierra had no idea if he referred to the painting or her comments, but the chime of alarm escalated. She heard sirens in her head, stared at the glove tucked into his doublet. She darted a helpless glance in Collette’s direction. Her cousin inspected her own feet, demur, unhelpful. Lierra scrambled for something to say, but he spun away from the painting before her brain supplied any answer. “It has been a pleasure.” He bowed, a stiff, formal gesture that might have soothed her had it happened ten minutes ago. “I look forward to more conversation over dinner, Lady Darvid.” She stood frozen, knowing from the heat spreading across her cheeks that she blushed and that he noticed. The man knew exactly who she was. Her brain whirled. She managed a rather breathless, “Likewise,” and watched him pass, stride across the room and make his exit. The Gallery doors swung closed in slow motion. “That was Forrest Ecks, wasn’t it?” She turned to where Collette waited. The girl’s horrified expression answered for her. Forrest Ecks, of course it was.
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Maris always loved winter, but she never dreamed she’d actually meet him…
Lords of Oak and Holly Holiday Paranormal Romance
When her interpretation of a traditional holiday scene loses Maris the annual ice sculpting competition, her favorite season takes a turn toward dismal. The rent is due and her landlady won’t accept a fourth place ribbon. When the enigmatic Lord Brayce arrives with a last minute commission, Maris jumps at the chance. As her host’s icy exterior begins to melt away, Maris finds there is far more to him than meets the eye and his attentions leave her wishing this particular job could last forever.
From Devine Destinies Published 2010 ISBN: 978-1-55487-753-9
When Brayce’s family arrives for the holiday, Maris is plunged head-overheels into a world of secrets and an ageold conflict between brothers. Can an ordinary girl survive at the center of a battle straight out of myth? And if her impossible suspicions are correct, what are the odds that Maris can win her prince?
Excerpt: A throat cleared nearby. Maris started, opened her eyes and nearly slapped the hand away on reflex. A man stood opposite her, and his long fingers stroked the sculpture she’d spent so many hours shaping. She clenched her jaw against the urge to chastise. He might be a judge, or a potential patron, but he had a lot to learn about ice. She followed the hand with her eyes, willed it to lift away from the lines she prayed didn’t blur at his attention. The heat from a finger—Maris cringed—could ruin her efforts in mere seconds. “The epic battle.” His voice held no hint of his opinion on the piece. It stated fact only. Maris tore her gaze from his disobedient hand. She followed a tailored, indigo suit sleeve to the man’s face, and found her words frozen in her throat. He had eyes that pinned you in place, clear blue, backed by an unnamed authority. She sensed little amusement when he smiled at her. His expression simply cracked. He nodded toward the sculpture, and his finger pointed to the apex. Night black hair danced around his angular face with the gesture. “If I’m not mistaken,” he continued. “You’ve veered slightly from the traditional formula.” “A small, artistic license.” Maris’ spine stiffened. As intimidating as the stranger looked, she felt compelled to defend her work. Years of school may have prepared her for criticism, but exposure hadn’t lessoned the sting of it. “The Summer Prince would typically be ascendant.” She pointed to indicate the sculpture’s deviance. “I’ve chosen to feature his adversary, in honor of the season.” “Delightful.” “Pardon?” She had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. This time the smile held at least a trace of humor at the corners. His eyes flashed and held hers captive, frozen in a field of ice blue. “I like it.” His smile cracked wider, one end curling as he nodded again. “Wonderful.”
“The subtle concept to this story was amazingly clever with the characters connected to some aspect of Greek mythology but with a bit of a modern twist.” Four tombstone review at Bitten By Books.
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Twelve Dances
Some dreams are too good to be true. Is Clara’s too true to be good?
Holiday Paranormal Romance From Devine Destinies
When Clara adds a brand new nutcracker to her favorite Christmas collection, she immediately starts having vivid, recurring dreams about her twelve wooden princes. As the holiday nears, her infatuation with the new nutcracker grows into a flirtation that sets the rest of the little soldiers against her. Dancing through an impossibly real battle in her sleep and dodging her infuriating family during the day, Clara’s holidays take a spin toward disaster. If she can survive both and make it to Christmas Eve in one piece, will Clara get to dance with the one prince she actually wants? And even if she does, what happens when the holiday passes and the nutcrackers are packed away for another year?
Published 2011 ISBN: 978-1-77111-049-5
“You can tell me at the party.” “Right. Sure.” What the hell had she been thinking? Clara hung up the phone and leaned her head against the wall. The stupid dream had shaken her up is all. She’d just woken feeling nostalgic and naturally reached out to family. “I’m losing my mind.” Across the room, her nutcrackers stared and smiled their stiff grins. The dream dance whispered to her, the memory still crisp enough to cling to. She could hear the music, soft, familiar. Holy shit, she was losing her mind. Clara shook her head and turned her back on the princes. Dream or not, dancing with princes didn’t pay the rent, and she had to get to work. The tree jingled overhead. Not again. Clara sat and stared at the branches. Same plums, same tree, same dress—she laughed and stood up. The ground shone with silver leaves, and the fog called with the echo of a distant oboe. She could think of worse dreams to be stuck in. She shrugged and skipped down the path. This time she knew the world around her for a dream. This time she knew exactly what to expect and couldn’t help but hurry to the edge of the dance floor. Her princes would be waiting. Clara broke through the fog and slid out onto the smooth floor just as the nutcrackers began their march down the stairs. She watched them this time, stood close enough to catch the details. The sound of boots rang out—march, march. Her nutcrackers lined up along the floor’s edge in coats of green, blue and burgundy. They wore tall hats, crowns, helmets and some sparkled with huge jewels. Each face was individual, though each wore the same, phony version of the nutcracker’s swirly mustache. Clara couldn’t help but smile at the stern expressions behind the ridiculous disguises. Clara also couldn’t help looking behind them. Her eyes just drifted up to the spot where her newest prince stood. He already peered at her, eyes glinting like sapphires. His mouth twitched at a corner, and he tilted his head ever so slightly in her direction. Clara’s breath caught in her throat. She felt the heat of a blush creep into her cheeks. The nutcracker stood at attention, almost not smiling. But her dance partner this time clacked out of line to her far left, and she had to scramble to meet him. She slid into his arms just as the music kicked up and they moved out into the dance. The floor tiles shifted under their steps, glinting in a pattern of holly berries and candy canes. Clara watched their feet slide over the tiles, leaned into the nutcrackers hold and stared out as the silver world swirled around them to the hollow notes of the oboe.
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Friend or Foe Can they save the town without losing each other?
Supers Romance From Devine Destinies
When Simon Maxwell’s archenemy backs out of the annual competition, he thinks the prize is in the bag. But a surprise appearance from The Spartan’s long-lost sister leaves Simon scrambling for a foot hold.
Published 2011 ISBN: 978-1-55487-834-5
He’s sworn to protect the town, but the girl from his past has him spinning in circles from the start. Is she here to help her brother, or are her motives pure? When every turn hides another trap and each twist holds a new secret, Simon risks more than just his honor. Can he win the girl before the finish line? And how can he save the town, when winning the race means losing his heart? “Hello, Simon.” Her voice pulled him into step beside her, but she turned back to Mayor Lee almost immediately. The spell held just the same and Simon continued along at her right shoulder, rapt and watching the highlights shimmer in her hair while she listened to the mayor go on about something or another. “I’m thrilled that you’re here,” the mayor said. Simon nodded agreement, but the woman continued to watch Lee instead of him. “A chance to show our gratitude,” Lee continued. “For all that you’ve done for the town.” “There’s no need.” She shook her head, protesting the attention. Simon approved wholeheartedly. “Surely there is, my dear.” Mayor Lee waved an arm toward the library across the street. As he did so, he caught site of Simon alongside of them. “Oh good, Maxwell. Thought I’d lost you there for a moment. The new library.” He continued his argument. “Your generous check for the parks foundation.” “Anonymous check,” the woman corrected. “If you please, Mayor Lee.” Simon swooned inside. He managed to keep walking, resisted the temptation to run a hand through the mysterious town benefactor’s silky hair. He tuned out the mayor and focused on imagining what their children would look like. He’d almost chosen a name for their firstborn by the time they reached the platform. Spaulding’s voice, whiny and trembling with anger, broke through his trance. “It’s about damn time you got here!” Simon started up the stairs, intent on defending the mayor and the future Mrs. Maxwell, but a strong feminine hand wrapped around his forearm. The contact sent enough electricity through him to stop his feet. He turned and found a pair of brown eyes appraising him. She stepped closer and the hand on his arm tightened. Her lovely face turned to either side in a gentle reproof. Of course, Simon thought, restraint. Mayor Lee passed them, took the stairs to the podium with nothing more than a scowl of disapproval for Spaulding. Simon frowned, but resisted the urge to throttle Rutherford for his insolence. “Now,” Mayor Lee waved for them to join him. “Since we’re all here, we can get this year’s competition started.” “No.” Simon found his voice, remembered his predicament in a rush of clarity. He hadn’t had a chance to run the plan by Lee, but there’d be no help for it now. He shook his head. “I don’t intend to compete against Agnes. I suggest we postpone.” “Simon, Simon,” the woman at his elbow whispered. She stepped away from him and laughed softly. “It’s cute, really, but there’s no need.” The mayor nodded agreement from the podium. Behind him, Spaulding sneered and rubbed his hands together. Simon looked from one to the other. He looked at the woman beside him and then back to Spaulding. He squinted and looked at her again. His bride-to-be had Spaulding’s high cheekbones. She had a strong, Rutherford jaw. The satisfied smile, however, was all hers. “As for intentions,” she said. “I fully intend to leave you in the dust.”
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Thrice Shy
Jane’s waited years for her chance at romance, but the vampire has been waiting for her even longer…
Paranormal Romance From eXtasy Books Published 2011
Jane Johnston has always nursed her crush on the boss in silence. Then a rare invitation to the company conference drops a golden opportunity in her lap. She’s got the dress, she’s got a plan, but when she gets lost along the way, a roadside attraction leads her to a sexy Vampire who thinks Jane is the answer to his prayers. When he shows up at the conference hotel, all her plans go right out the window. Will Jane choose the man she’s always wanted, or the one who claims to own her soul?
ISBN: 978-1-77111-011-2
EXCERPT: “I thought you were a prop.” Jane scanned sideways just to be sure. At least she wasn't going crazy. The decoration had been moving. “Nice outfit.” The vampire tilted his head and bent one knee, dropping into a deep bow and flourishing the cape for effect. He was good. She felt goose bumps peak on her forearms. He had style. A bit too much, maybe, but then in a haunted maze, overly dramatic probably wouldn't count as a flaw. His voice flowed, as well. He drew out the words, and made each syllable stretch. “Gooooood Eeeeevening.” “Yeah. Nice touch.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. Aside from the pallor, he had a gorgeous face, prominent cheekbones, and a long aquiline nose. His eyes looked dark from a few steps away, but the gaze pierced just the same. Charisma, that was it. No doubt, he stole the lead in all the little, po-dunk, community plays. “How do you know my name?” “I heard it on the wind, Jane Johnston.” He moved to the side, circling her and keeping his gaze lowered and fixed on her position. “You've come to wake me, Jane. After all these years of waiting, you have come.” “Uh, yeah.” Jane shrugged. He moved more like a dancer than an actor. “Here I am. Now, what are the odds you'll just drop the act and show me the exit?” “You wish to leave?” He appeared at her shoulder, just like that. His voice whispered, but she caught each word and a thread of something else behind them. “I have a conference to get to,” she said. “My boss' car.” She could smell him, he stood so close. His aftershave had a sweet tang to it, and something familiar that she couldn't pin down. He never stopped moving either. One second he was on her right, the next, her left, and trying to keep track was making her dizzy. “Listen, I really need to get out of here.” “You do not wish to leave,” he said. “I don't?” “You were looking for me.” “Was I?” She shook her head, heard the corn rattle, and remembered she still had a car to deliver. “Listen, you've got a great ego or stage presence or what have you, but you really could do better than a corn maze in the middle of nowhere. Maybe try modeling?” She took a step back, far enough away that she could breathe again, and turned to go. “Stop!” He stood directly in front of her. “How the hell do you do that?” The vampire didn't answer. Instead, he flung one arm up and threw his cape wide. The material fluttered and then fell around her, dark, smelling of sweet, familiar musk, and blocking out any thoughts of leaving.
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Divine Intervention Torbin never meant to offend the Gods, but when an errant meteor whisks him off to another world, he’s pretty sure they’re punishing him for something. If the tomb he wakes in is not his own, then the only thing left to do is prove his valor and win his way back into their graces.
Paranormal Short Story From Devine Destinies Published 2011
When Nesset prays for a miracle, the last thing she expects is the pale foreigner stumbling through her prison. Still, beggars can’t be choosers, and she’s running out of time. She’s scheduled for the sacrificial altar, and no doubt that’s where she’ll end up— unless she can convince the barbarian to help her. If they survive beyond that, maybe she can even convince him to stick around.
The woman’s squeal drowned beneath the force of his battle cry. Her lithe body leapt like a cat, but once on her feet she froze, swaying with only the short brazier between them. It would prove no match for Torbin’s reach. One swipe and the hammer would extinguish her. I should swing now. Swing now. Swing. The hammer didn’t fall. Torbin frowned and stared into the woman’s eyes—huge dark eyes that fixed him in a fearless gaze. I really should kill her. But before he could move, the girl fell to the stone at his feet. Torbin’s scowl deepened. He’d failed, yet again. She lay with her knees tucked under and her torso flat against the stone. Her arms extended forward over her head in an attitude of supplication. Torbin snorted and lowered his hammer. The woman’s head lifted. Her eyes reflected the dance of flame. Her thin, painted lips pulled into a wide smile. Torbin shook his head. The depths of his suffering would never cease. The girl bowed to the floor before him again. Very pretty. I definitely should have killed her.
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Gastropod Press SPACE SLUGS The Universe is About to Get Sticky BOOK ONE: Space Slugs Romantic Space Opera
When Xenobiologist, Dr. Murray, receives yet another phony wedding invitation from her galaxy hopping sister, she does what any good sibling would do. She drops her research and hops the first flight to some obscure planet at the edge of the civilized universe.
From Gastropod Press Published 2011 ISBN-13: 978-1451530506
But Zora's weddings never manage to go off as planned, and before the cake is served, Murray finds herself imprisoned with the unapologetic bride. With the assistance of a mysterious android and the universe's last living space slug, the two find themselves on the run in a stolen space ship with half the galaxy in hot pursuit. Thanks to Zora, it's the least desirable half. Maybe Murray will get lucky, and the crash landing will kill her.
If you got a slug for a wedding present, would you keep it? The floor heaved again. Murray felt the cool tip of the weapon slide down her cheek. That time, she was almost certain the room really moved. “What’s happening?” She winced when his hand shifted the gun back into position. “You tell me,” Zander hissed. “I didn’t order any fireworks.” Murray frowned. Fireworks. The fog cleared a bit and she remembered a black duffel bag. She remembered the plan. “Zora,” she smiled and leaned her head back against the wall. Zander’s gun moved with her. “She’s blowing up your sonic emitter,” she said. “Who?” “My sister. You stole her space slug, asshole.”
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Short Fiction Complicated Cargo Published in Just One bite vol. 3 A loner pilot finds more than she bargained for in her cargo bay. BUY at All Romance Ebooks
Alien Embrace Published in Undiscovered by Hall Brothers Entertainment A musician races to save a misunderstood race of aliens. BUY on Amazon
Forbidden Published in Fangs by LL Dreamspell A vampire spends his birthday searching for the one thing he craves more than blood. BUY from Publisher
Offerings Published in Villainy by Hall Brothers Entertainment In an ancient labyrinth, a woman loses herself and finds a forgotten goddess. BUY from Amazon
Tri-copier 600XT Published in Signals from the Void by Rainstorm Press A slacker discovers more than he bargained for in a misplaced package. BUY from Amazon
Anyone? Published in Epocalypse from Pill Hill Press Co-authored with Jaleta Clegg Two sisters email through the end of the world. BUY from Amazon
A Brief Interruption Published in: Bewildering Stories Issue 403 Oct. 2010 A ship captain's gaming session is interrupted by a frisky alien.