Cbl digest magazine july 2013 edition #2 by Laurynne Meyer

CBL DIGEST FOR THOSE WHO LIVE F I C T I O N

EDITION #2

J U LY 2 0 1 3

WHAT’S INSIDE

GIVEAWAYS COVER REVEALS AUTHOR INTEVIEWS NEW RELEASES NEWS EXCLUSIVE CHAPTERS BOOK PROMOTIONS & MORE

EDITION #2 JULY 2013

INSIDE

REGULARS Advertorials

16, 18, 19, 26, 42

Cover Reveals

New Releases

15 17, 20

Reviews

10 08 & 27 ON THE

COVER F E AT U R E

AUTHOR FEATURES

Jennifer Echols

S.L. Jennings

YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE 03

Kathrine Polillo

04, 07

David Estes Christy Sloat

T.M.Franklin

Amy Rachiele

Christina Channelle

24, 25

Gary Caruso

28, 29

Kristy Centeno

30, 31

NEW ADULT ROMANCE Jessica Park

08 & 27

who to contact?

15 28 43

Aspiring Author

DIRTY LITTLE SECRET BY JENNIFER ECHOLS GIVEAWAY!

OUR SOULS TO KEEP BY GARY CARUSO CBL DIGEST EXCLUSIVE! ALTERED BY EVELYN R. BALDWIN COVER REVEAL

ADULT ROMANCE Forbes Arnone

10 & 11

Layne Macadams

Vicki Green

Dulany-Glen

Ann Gimpel

32, 33

EROTIC ROMANCE Carlie Sexton

34, 35

Rosanna Leo

36, 41, 46

Sofia Grey

37, 40, 41

Allyson Lindt

38, 39

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of CBL Digest. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents within this publication, CBL Digest can not be held responsible for the accuracy of the content held within this publication or any consequinces arising from it. All Copyright Material appearing in CBL Digest belongs to CBL Digest or the Contributors / Authors and may not be reproduced without the written consent of either CBL Digest or the Contributing Authors & Publishers. E&OE

Alexi Raymond & Jennah Scott

44, 45

A.R. Von

DEVOTED (THE WATCHER’S TRILOGY #2) .

By Katherine Polillo

ichelle has managed to survive high school against all odds, but now she finds herself floating adrift in “the real world”. With two horsemen defeated, there are still two unaccounted for, and surely they are plotting her immediate demise. Michelle leaves her small New Jersey town

behind to venture off west. Barely able to comprehend her role as humanity’s savior she now has to grapple with some new roles and identities. With her Watcher, Gabriel, by her side she must again face the evils of Hell and attempt to keep her family safe. Will love conquer all or will till death do us part come too soon?

Katherine Polillo originally planned to grow-up and become an archeologist. Unfortunately the desert air dried out her skin, the dirt was impossible to get from under her fingernails, and she just couldn’t pull off a fedora like Harrison Ford. So instead she pursued a career in education. She currently teaches high school history and special education, while fabricating fictional stories in her free time. She never really outgrew her imaginary friends stage, and instead has created lives and stories for the creations of her imagination to live in. When she is present in reality and not off on an adventure with her imaginary friends, she lives in a small, New Jersey town with her husband, the man to which all fictional leading men are compared, and their two spoiled rotten, ungrateful cats.

Y O U N G A D U LT PA R A N O R M A L

Can Love Conqueror All?

TAKE A PEAK!

heard the door click shut behind me, but I was too petrified to turn around and face him. I felt him step up behind me, my skin springing to attention with the electric pulse that ran between us whenever he was near. He gently reached up, brushing my ponytail and some stray strands of hair over my shoulder. I felt him lean forward, his breath warm on my skin as his lips brushed along the nape of my neck, sending chills down my spine. I couldn’t help but shudder. He reached up, pulling my shirt lower and exposing what skin he could. He continued to kiss along my neck and down my shoulder, pausing to lightly nip at my skin. His free hand slowly crept up underneath my loose fitting peasant top, exploring the contours of my back, lightly running his fingers along my spine. A soft, almost inaudible, moan escaped my lips, and it was as if I had ignited a fire with that one tiny noise. His touch went from light to desperate in a moment. His body closed the small distance between us, pressing his front to my back. His hand, which had lightly been tracing my spine, slid forward to my stomach and tightly grasped my hip, holding me to him. His left hand tangled in my hair, freeing it from its ponytail, and his teeth sank into the hollow of my neck with just enough force to surprise yet excite. I felt my knees buckle and in one fluid motion he had me cradled in his arms. Now it was my turn. I was no longer mentally distracted with trying to stand or breathe; instead I gave myself over to my wants, my needs. ♥ >> ADD DEVOTED ON GOODREADS

ENTER THE ONLINE FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS

G I V E A W AY H E R E JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

Y O U N G A D U LT D Y S T O P I A N

H T R A E E TH

S R E L L E DW ESTES ID V A D BY

THE 7TH AND FINAL BOOK IN THE COMBINED

DWELLERS / COUNTRY SAGAS

AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2013

he Earth Dwellers is the 4th book in BOTH The Dwellers Saga and The Country Saga. The author recommends that BOTH series are read in their entirety before reading this book (The Moon Dwellers, The Star Dwellers, The Sun Dwellers, Fire Country, Ice Country, Water & Storm Country).

Tri-Tribes that may be their only hope of survival.

Meanwhile, Tristan is forced to face his greatest challenge, the unification of the Tri-Realms, in an attempt to garner support against Lecter and the earth dwellers.

Finally, Siena and the Tri-Tribes All your old favorite characters march on the Glass City in an from both the Dwellers and Country attempt to take the fight to Lecter and Sagas come together in an epic 7th his army of killers. book! The entire world, both under and When President Borg Lecter threatens above the earth’s surface, sits on the to wipe all four native tribes off the edge of a knife. Will the efforts of face of the earth, Adele designs a Adele, Tristan, Dazz, and Siena be plan that will send her deep into the enough to save the ones they love? belly of the beast.

ENTER OUR DAVID ESTES GIVEAWAY HERE!

At the same time, Dazz must convince the new ice country consortium to the Unity Alliance, a pact with the

David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. He grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife and soul mate, Adele, who he’s now been happily married to for more than two years. A reader all his life, David began writing novels for the children’s and YA markets in 2010, and has completed 15 novels, 13 of which have been published. In June of 2012, David became a fulltime writer and is now travelling the world with Adele while he writes books, and she writes and takes photographs. David gleans inspiration from all sorts of crazy places, like watching random people do entertaining things, dreams (which he jots copious notes about immediately after waking up), and even from thin air sometimes! David’s a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, an obsessive Goodreads group member, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table. He loves responding to e-mails, Facebook messages, Tweets, blog comments, and Goodreads comments from his readers, all of whom he considers to be his friends.

SEE AN EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK AND THE 4TH CHAPTER OF THE EARTH DWELLERS BY DAVID ESTES ON PAGE 7!

THE DWELLERS SAGA

THE COUNTRY SAGA

WEBSITE • FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

Y O U N G A D U LT PA R A N O R M A L

An Exclusive Sneak Peek Of

UNFOUND A Visi tor’s Series Novella By Christy Sloat “Kayla?” My mom called from the front door. I glanced at the clock and realized she was home early. I shouted a, hey back down to her so she knew I was home. I shut my window and heard laughing from next door. Anna and Isabel no doubt. We lived so close I could hear them from my room, sometimes I could see them. They were typical girls; loud and annoying. I greeted my mom from the stairs and her usual cigarette smell hit my nose with full force. I craved a smoke then. I had to hide my smoking habit from her. She said she wanted better for me, but I wanted to smoke. It started out I wanted to be like her, but after a while I was hooked on them. I couldn’t quit if I wanted to. “Mind taking out the trash for me?” she asked as she took a seat in her lounge chair. I nodded and heaved the heavy bag out the door. It was trash night and I pulled the can to the curb. It scraped along the driveway loudly and probably annoyed my neighbors. I didn’t care, they all hated me and my mom anyway. “Taking out the trash Hart?” A voice asked behind me. I turned swiftly and found Anna and Isabel standing with arms crossed staring at me. “Oh, is this the first time you’ve seen anyone do this sort of

ENTER THE CRIMSON KEY GIVEAWAY HERE Christy Sloat is a SoCal born girl who resides in New Jersey currently with her husband, two daughters and Sophie her Chihuahua. Christy has embraced the love of reading and writing since her youth and was inspired by her grandmother’s loving support. Christy passes that love of reading, writing, and creativity to her daughters, family, and friends. When you do not find Christy within the pages of a book you can find her being mommy, wife, crafter, and dear friend. She loves adventurous journeys with her friends and can be known to get lost inside a bookstore. Be sure to venture into her Past Lives Series, The Visitor’s Series, and watch for many more exciting things to come.

thing? You wouldn’t know how to do this if you tried would you, Anna? It’s called, work!” I said as I rolled my eyes. “Maybe you should do us all a favor and climb in and throw yourself away,” Anna remarked. At first I was stunned, but I came back strong. “You see I would, but this can is meant for you two.” They laughed at first but I could see the fear in their eyes. The sad truth was that they were all bark and no bite. If I even lunged at them then they would piss themselves. Anna and Isabel were attached at the hip. They did everything together including watching the fireworks at the lake with their football playing boy toys. They would probably even go to the same college and drive the same type of car. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if they had babies on the same day. So I knew if retaliation for all my threats would take place it would have happened right then and there. Instead they backed away from me. “You better watch yourself Hart!” Isabel warned. “You watch it or both of you will end up chopped in tiny pieces and I will be dragging your asses to the curb by next week.” With that they scurried away and I was left in the silence of the stars. I wouldn’t let them ruin my night. I had enough crap on my mind lately. ♥ - Releasing End of Summer 2013

MORE BOOKS IN THE VISITOR’S SERIES BY CHRISTY SLOAT

WEBSITE • FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

A U T H O R F E AT U R E

Q&A WITH JENNIFER ECHOLS • WHAT ARE YOUR WRITING HABITS?

• HOW DID IT ALL START?

I’m a mess! Most publishers want to buy my books on proposal, meaning I write a synopsis of the book first, but that’s almost impossible for me.

My grandmother was an unpublished writer, and she got me interested in reading and writing at an early age. By college I knew I wanted to make a living as a novelist, but it took me another 15 years to sell a book to Simon & Schuster! My first book was a YA romantic comedy called MAJOR CRUSH, which came out in 2006.

I don’t really know what a book is about until I write it. And my writing process goes in circles. I’m likely to write the middle of the book first, then the end, then the beginning, and fill in between. I’ve tried to straighten the whole thing out and act more like other writers, but by now I know better. • SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES OTHER THAN WRITING? I started running to get back in shape after I had a baby, and I’ve never stopped. It took me a while to work up to longer distances, but I’ve now run a marathon and five half marathons. I’ve signed up for half marathons in August, September, October, and November this year, and I hope I’ll make it to another full marathon in February. We’ll see!

Jennifer Echols was born in Atlanta and grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama—a setting that has inspired many of her books. She has written nine romantic novels for young adults, including the comedy MAJOR CRUSH, which won the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the drama GOING TOO FAR, which was a finalist in the RITA, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Book Buyer’s Best, and was nominated by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults. Simon & Schuster will debut her adult romance novels in 2013, with many more teen novels scheduled for the next few years. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and her son.

• WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES? My degrees are in literature, and I read all genres (currently I’m on a science fiction kick!), but my all-time favorite romance author is the brilliant Jennifer Crusie, who writes hilarious romantic comedies. • WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW? I just sent back revisions for my next adult romantic comedy with Pocket Books, PLAYING DIRTY. It’s about a public relations crisis manager sent to corral the lead singer for a raucous country band, and it will be out on October 29. I also have a series of three YA romantic comedies coming out with Simon Pulse in 2014 and 2015. The first, BIGGEST FLIRTS, will be published in May 2014, and I’m writing the second as we speak!

FIND MORE BOOKS BY JENNIFER ECHOLS

Author Photograph Curtosy Of: Mark Oxley/Studio 16

WEBSITE • FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

Y O U N G A D U LT D Y S T O P I A N

NEVER-BEFORE-RELEASED SNEAK PEEK AND THE 4TH CHAPTER OF THE EARTH DWELLERS BY DAVID ESTES (FIRST THREE CHAPTERS AVAILABLE AT THE END OF WATER & STORM COUNTRY)

THE EARTH DWELLERS CHAPTER FOUR ADELE I can tell Tristan’s offer has shocked them, because none of them are saying anything. Even Skye’s eyebrows are raised, her mouth slightly open. Gone are the accusations, fired at us with her round words and strange accent. But does Tristan mean what he said? Can we really offer these people any help? Is it our job, our responsibility? Down below, we’ve got our own problems. The Tri-Realms are shattered, and without Tristan, leaderless. And Roc and Tawni will be wondering where we are, whether we’re dead. And my mother…my mother… “We’ll come back with an army,” Tristan says, his words cutting into the silence like a knife. “Come back?” Skye says, and I know from her tone and the pissed off look on her face that coming back is NOT an option… because we won’t be leaving in the first place. “Yer our prisoners. Yer comin’ with us.” “Like hell,” I say, my sword coming up without me even having to think about it. As casually as pushing back a strand of hair, Siena fits an arrow and aims it at Tristan, half-smiling. “Skye says you’re coming, so you’re coming.” “But the air,” I plead, “you said it yourself: The air is bad, toxic. We’ll die if we stay here.” I’m surprised how high-pitched and whiny my voice sounds, even to me. But I’m frustrated, tired— of all the fighting, of the nonstop adventure I’ve been on. We’re supposed to be in the Sun Realm changing things, uniting the people. Who knows what the other generals are doing in our absence. If we stay aboveground…will I ever see my mother and sister again? “Not right away,” Skye says. “You can cover yer noses and mouths with cloth until we can find somethin’ better.” My shoulders sag and I drop my sword arm, all the fight gone out of me. Where’s the girl who raced across the Moon Realm, dodging sun dweller soldiers and killing a deranged psychopath named Rivet, all to free her sister and father? Where’s the girl who infiltrated the Sun Realm and assassinated the President of the TriRealms? Does she even exist anymore? Tristan throws his sword on the ground in front of us, snapping me out of my depressed thoughts. I follow his lead and do the same. We can’t fight arrows with swords. Not now. Maybe later. “Where are we going?” I ask. “New Wildetown,” Wilde says. “Home of the Tri-Tribes.” ~~~ They cover our faces with thin pieces of cloth, tied tight against the backs of our heads and clamped down by our hats and sunglasses, which they put on over them. I can’t see anything except the glow

of red light. We can breathe, but I don’t believe for one second that filtering the air through the cloth will protect us from whatever harmful chemicals are in the oxygen. What the hell is going on? Who are these girls, so young, so rough, so here? With their sun-kissed skin they’re clearly not Dwellers, not the ones from the Sun Realm, the Glassies as they call them. But didn’t everyone else die when the meteor hit hundreds of years ago? That’s what the scientists predicted, that’s what the history books say. But what if they were wrong…? My hands are strapped behind my back, but my feet are free so I can walk. Big mistake. All I need are my feet, if I can just get the cover off my eyes… A firm grip on my elbow. I pull away, struggle against it. “Everything’ll be easier if you don’t fight us,” says a voice. Not the smooth one, not the rough one, the in-between one. The young, skinny girl with the pack full of arrows. Siena. When she tries to take my elbow the second time, I don’t resist. Not because she told me not to, but because it’s not the time to fight. They’ve got our weapons, we can’t see, our hands are tied. Not the right time. I stumble on my first step, because there are rocks and lumps under my feet, but Siena holds me up. “Careful,” she says, like she cares whether I fall or not. “Why are you doing this?” I ask, my voice muffled through the cloth that’s over my mouth. “No talking,” the rough one says. Skye, who would sooner kill us first and ask questions later. Siena’s sister. I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything that’s happening. Is it real? Am I dreaming? Just a few minutes ago Tristan and I were enjoying my first ever glimpse of the earth’s surface, and now…now we’re prisoners of the people who apparently live up here—who have maybe lived up here for a very long time. What? I repeat: What!? “Tristan?” I say, just to make sure they haven’t separated us, leading us in two different directions. “Yeah, Adele,” he says. “I swear to the sun goddess if you say one more word I’ll—” “You’ll what?” I spout. “Abduct us? Take us prisoner? Kill us? Do what you have to do, and quit talking about it.” I tense my muscles, wait for the blow. There are scuffs and scrapes and grunts: sounds of a struggle. And then: “Okay, okay, let go of me.” Skye’s voice. “We’re not going to hurt you,” says Wilde, and I almost believe her, because her voice is so calm, so warm, almost like a song. But no, it’s not true. Although they stopped Skye from hitting me just now, I can still remember the gleam in Siena’s eyes as she looked down the arrow pointed at my chest. If we threaten them, they’ll kill us in a heartbeat. ♥

WANT MORE? GET IT HERE THE EARTH DWELLERS BY DAVID ESTES, COMING SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2013! JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

N E W A D U LT R O M A N C E

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO RISE FROM LIFE’S DEPTHS, SWIM AGAINST THE CURRENT, AND BREATHE?

eighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College. Then a chance meeting sends Blythe crashing into something she doesn’t expect—an undeniable attraction to a dark-haired senior named Chris Shepherd, whose past may be even more complicated than her own. As their relationship deepens, Chris pulls Blythe out of the stupor she’s been in since the night a fire took half her family. She begins to heal, and even, haltingly, to love this guy who helps her find new paths to pleasure and self-discovery. But as Blythe moves into calmer waters, she realizes Chris is the one still strangled by his family’s traumatic history. As dark currents threaten to pull him under, Blythe may be the only person who can keep him from drowning.

SEE A CHAPTER SAMPLE ON PAGE 27

AMAZON • WEBSITE • GOODREADS • TWITTER • FACEBOOK

“ I am going to fight with everything that I am to save him and to save us, but I won’t be able to do it alone. ” - BLYTHE ... FROM LEFT DROWNING BY JESSICA PARK - TO BE RELEASED JULY 16TH, 2013 JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

Q & A

WITH AUTHOR S.L. JENNINGS • WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? Some of my favorites would have to be Easy by Tammara Webber, Hopeless by Colleen Hoover, The Edge of Never by JA Redmerski and The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay • HOBBIES OTHER THAN WRITING? When I have the time, I love to cook. I’d consider myself a bit of a foodie. • HOW DID IT ALL START? I’ve always been a bit of a book nerd. In grade school, I wrote short stories & would spend all my free time reading. I was also really into music and songwriting. I believe that music and writing truly go hand in hand. If I wasn’t writing music, performing or reading, I was writing stories. • FIVE THINGS WE PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT YOU? 1) ’m American but have lived in Europe for most of my life. 2) I have 3 boys, ages 4, 8 & 9 3) I married my high school sweetheart. Yup. Been with the same guy since I was 16. 4) I have an unhealthy obsession with coffee. 5) I love horrible reality housewife TV shows. • WHAT WAS YOU INSPIRATION BEHIND THE STORY LINE OF FEAR OF FALLING? ? Fear of Falling was actually inspired by true events. It deals with an issue that is very real and very serious, and it happens all too often. I wanted to tackle that issue but also show that pain & fear don’t always last. There’s always hope. • WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCES YOUR WRITING? Definitely my life and the people around me. I grew up a military brat & have traveled the world. I think my appreciation for different people & cultures is reflected in my stories. • WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?

A U T H O R F E AT U R E

COMING JULY 18, 2013 I can’t remember the last time I felt completely safe. Security seemed more like a luxury to me, reserved for those who were fortunate enough to have picture perfect childhoods. For those who didn’t bear the ugly scars that keep me bound in constant, debilitating fear. I’ve run from that fear my entire life. But when I met him, for once, I couldn’t run anymore. He scared the hell out of me in a way that excited every fiber of my being. It wasn’t the tattoos or the piercings. It wasn’t the warmth that seemed to radiate from his frame and blanket me whenever he was near. It was just… him. The scary beautiful man that threatened to alter 23 years of routine and rituals, and make me face my crippling fear. My name is Kami and I am constantly afraid. And the thing that scares me the most is the very thing I want. ***Inspired by true events***

Most known for her starring role in a popular sitcom as a child, S.L. Jennings went on to earn her law degree from Harvard at the young age of 16. While studying for the bar exam and recording her debut hit album, she also won the Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking invention of caloriefree wine. When she isn’t conquering the seas in her yacht or flying her Gulfstream, she likes to spin elaborate webs of lies and has even documented a few of these said falsehoods. Some of S.L.’s devious lies: THE DARK LIGHT SERIES - Dark Light, The Dark Prince & Light Shadows (coming soon), FEAR OF FALLING - Summer 2013

Right now? Hmmmm… right now, a certain devilishly handsome Dark One is consuming my thoughts, by the name of Nikolai. His story will be out this fall. WEBSITE • FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

A D U LT R O M A N C E

R E L E A S E D J U LY 2 N D

IN MY MOTHER’S

Footsteps BY FORBES ARNONE

Jennifer Garcia’s (aka Forbes Arnone) love of travel began when she traveled to the West Coast to visit her father at the age of three. Her home until she was sixteen was a small coastal town near Boston. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. Her lifelong love for reading and writing was put aside for many years while she made her way in the world and nurtured her young family. Even though she is older, and life never seems to settle, she’s finding her way while attending college full-time in pursuit of a B.A. in English Literature. She also runs a business, and is still caring for her family. Believing she can do it all, with the help of her family, she worked on her first novel during the late hours of the night while balancing the rest of her life during the day. Her hard work paid off, as her first novel, My Mr. Manny, will be published August 2013.

WEBSITE • FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS

“I really enjoyed this heartfelt novella, and would recommend it without reservation.” -Author R.E. Hargrave

BLURB A

nela Alborn’s life is a lie. After growing up without the love of a father, her mother reveals his identity. Tragedy strikes and she sets off on an adventure that leads to more than she could ever imagine. Bumping into Christian Sivers distracts her from the real man of her dreams, her father. Will he live up to her dreams? And does she follow in her mother’s footsteps?

FOR AN EXCLUSIVE BONUS SCENE SEE PAGE 11 OR ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

A D U LT R O M A N C E

Exclusive Chapter From In My Mother's Footsteps ANELA AND CHRISTIAN’S WEDDING “Jackee, stop hitting your brother,” Joseph scolded his five year old daughter for hitting her older brother. My brother sure did have his hands full with his four kids. I laughed as I watched all of the entertaining and distracting action going on in the Ko’Olina Chapel of Joy. I tried to picture myself in his shoes in a few years and it only made me sweat more than I already was. The sun shining through the floor to ceiling glass windows in this little church on the beach was the reason for my perspiration. I felt a slap on my back and turned around to see who it was. “Feeling all right, son.” Ah, it was my dad. “No, not really. I’m just anxious. There’s nothing more in this world that I want to do. I just hate the wait.” I looked at my watch for the millionth time. My heart began beating fast when I noticed we had only five minutes before I’d watch my angel walk toward me for the last time as a single woman.

wherever you want, angel. Just stop crying, please.” I held her face in my palms. “Shh, don’t be ridiculous, I’m not upset. I’m so happy. How can you be anymore sweet … coming up with such a romantic plan.” With her hands over mine on her face she tilted her head and looked at me with such reverence in her eyes. “All right then, you’re okay with this?” I asked. She jumped off her chair and into my arms. “Of course I am. It’s the perfect place and the best idea. Thank you so much.” She laughed and sniffled, while planting a kiss straight on my mouth. Penny startled us by jumping out of her chair. “What? What is it?” asked Neil in a hurry. “Oh, goodness. We have so much to do. Okay, we have the location now we need the date, and the guest list and … Where’s a pen and pad of paper?” She stood, looking around and waving her hands in excitement. I groaned and Anela laughed at me. That was the beginning of every single dinner being filled with wedding plans, decisions, more plans, dresses, tuxes, and just plain chaos.

Anela and I decided on a small wedding and I wanted to give her something special since she’d be missing her mother. I remember the night during dinner with her dad and Penny; she brought up getting married at the courthouse. The Colonel almost choked on his food. There was no way we were getting married in a government building. It wasn’t romantic enough for my girl.

The memory made me laugh and so happy to be here with all of that behind us. They threw this wedding together so quickly because Anela had been staying with her parents until we got married. I needed to apply for family housing but until then, we weren’t living together. Another look at my watch told me it was time. Now I just needed my girl to walk down that isle.

“No, no way. I want better than that for us,” I said. Neil and Penny agreed.

My mother ran down the isle to get into her seat. With a thumb up in my direction she let me know it was all going well. My brother and I scrambled to get in place at the altar, while my dad joined my mother in the pew.

“Well then, where?” Anela looked uncomfortable, nervous. I put down my fork and placed my hand over hers. Her beautiful yellow eyes met mine looking for an answer. “Angel, remember where we met?” She nodded. “Well, when you told me about why you decided to hang out at that beach that day, the chapel, I knew it held a special place in our lives. If your mother never painted that church, you would have never recognized it and stayed for the day. We never would have met.” I looked at Neil and Penny, looking for confirmation of this being a good idea. Their faces were open, accepting to the idea. “So, I think it would be a perfect place for us to get married. Your mom will be there with us in spirit–” Her sobs broke me from speaking and I was afraid she hated the idea. I reached over and lifted her chin and her lips were trembling, tears streaming down her face. “I’m sorry. It was a bad idea. We’ll get married

The doors swung open and the music started, my sister, Natasha stood in the doorway in a purple Hawaiian dress with big white flowers printed on it. Right behind my sister came Penny in the same dress and I knew my future wife was next. The music changed to a wedding march and Anela stood in the doorway with her father. She looked ecstatic but relaxed to finally seal our union. The smile on her beautiful face was grand and her eyes sparkled. With two beaded straps on her shoulders the dress’s bodice hugged her before it opened at her hips into a flowing skirt. It was simple yet elegant and she looked like the angel she was. My eyes were glued to hers until Neil stepped into my view and shook my hand. “You take care of her, you hear?” I shook his hand with a tight grip and agreed without a second thought. Neil kissed his daughter on the forehead and placed her hand in mine before he sat down. If I had never known anything in my life it didn’t matter, because what I did know in that very moment was that Anela and I were meant to be. Just thinking about how much of an idiot I was by fighting our destiny and denying my feelings for her was just ridiculous. I wasted time, but never again. I’d never waste another moment with her. While the officiant did his job, I listened to his words carefully, trying to gain as much knowledge and guidance as I could. I wanted to be the best husband, partner, and friend to my angel. I gazed into her captivating cat eyes, with what she called my crystal blues, and prayed she knew I’d never do her wrong. ♥

JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

A D U LT R O M A N C E

I live with my husband, two dogs and a cat on the beautiful east coast of Australia. I have a full-time job with a degree in history. I’ve always been an avid reader, and I love a happy ending, so writing romance seemed a natural progression for me. But as I sat at my computer staring at the screen it all seemed rather daunting. Once I started tapping on the keys though, the words kept flowing and before I knew it I had written my first book. I write contemporary romance and sci-fi. I am currently working on Desire Denied book 2 in the Desire Series. I have ideas for an historical romance in the future, and with thoughts of a wolf shifter germinating in my head and a paranormal romance is not outside the realms of possibility either. When I’m not writing you might find me in the kitchen creating culinary delights, but of course some dishes work out better than others! I guess my love of history has fueled my other passion which is travel. I have been fortunate enough to have seen lots of this wonderful world we live in and on my web page you can share some of my experiences and pictures.

DESIRE Unleashed BY LAYNE MACADAM RELEASED: MARCH 25TH GENRE: SPICY CONTEMPORARY MILITARY ROMANCE MAIN CHARACTERS: SHANE JACKSON ALPHA MALE. NAVY SEAL. A LONER. KATHY BELLAMY OLD FASHION GIRL. LOYAL. A REAL SWEETHEART.

WEBSITE • FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS

ALSO BY AUTHOR LAYNE MACADAMS Princess Nova of the planet Yorque is in a Dilemma. Even her superpowers, inherited from her time traveling father, cannot save her. Thanks to her thoughtless cousin, to honor their planet’s treaty, she must now wed the Emperor of Tron’s grandson. Otherwise, her planet will be at war.

LENGTH: 188 PAGES

When schoolteacher Kathy Bellamy moved from Louisiana to Coronado, she didn’t expect her secret dream or her worst nightmare to become a reality. Kathy longs for the fairytale. An old-fashioned girl saving herself for the right guy, after one date with Navy SEAL Shane Jackson, she trashes her values and willingly tumbles into the sack without a thought for the consequences. Confirmed bachelor and relationship cynic, Jackson has no room in his life for a permanent woman. Temporary liaisons are all he is up for. Cocky and self-assured, he believes he can pick a likeminded player at a glance. So when he discovers Kathy is the complete antithesis of what he believed her to be, he is thrown into a tailspin. But before long and way out of his comfort zone, he finds himself knee deep in a relationship he can’t quite seem to end. Kathy’s love life is evolving parallel with a nightmare. The object of a maniac’s obsession, when she throws caution to the wind and acts out of character, her actions are seen as a betrayal by her stalker that demand retribution in blood. Abducted at knifepoint and taken to a secret location, can Shane, who is the ultimate predator, find and rescue her before it’s too late?

READ AN EXCERPT & ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

A D U LT R O M A N C E

With all my heart, With every inch of my Soul, With every breath I take, I promise to love you forever... Cassie can’t remember being loved, being wanted. At a young age she was placed in Foster care that moved her around from one place to the other. Finally being freed at 18, she was left with no money and nowhere to go until she finds a small town in Kansas where she can start over. Little did she know her life was going

to be uprooted again when she is kidnapped and brutally raped. Jesse is considered HOT in most women’s eyes, but has little time for Romance. While searching for his Mother’s killers, he witnesses a young girl being kidnapped. He now faces decisions that he must make quickly. Will Jesse rescue Cassie? Will Cassie ever find the happiness she longs for?

*Due to a graphic rape scene, strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

E X C E R P T F R O M M Y S AV O I R F O R E V E R

lay there watching him as he sleeps. He’s beautiful. He looks younger when he is asleep. His beard scruff has grown. I sigh as I reach over with my right hand and lightly move his hair back from his forehead. He sighs in his sleep and has an ever so slight smile on his lips. I think I am falling for this beautiful man. But, how can I be? This is so fast but I can’t help the way I feel, how fast my heart is beating. He is my Savior Forever!

this ok?” I nod as I lay my head on his shoulder. “I wish I could take away your nightmares, baby. I’m so sorry that happened to you but I’m glad it was me who found you.”

Jesse pulls me in an embrace. “Baby, you take all the time you need. I know you have been through so much. You’re so brave.” He pushes me back a little and stares into my eyes. “Do you know how brave you are?” I shyly shake my head. He pulls me back and holds me again. “Oh, baby. After all you have been through in your life. I think you’re the bravest person Jesse lays us down and wraps me in his arms. He whispers, “Is I know.” Tears form in my eyes. I don’t feel very brave.

G E T U P D AT E S A N D M O R E H E R E

CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH JESSE MICHAELS RICHARDS FROM MY SAVIOR FOREVER BY VICKI GREEN Favorite food: Mexican Favorite music: Classic Rock Favorite pastime: running, working out, taking a stroll hand in hand with my Cassie, snuggling with Cassie Biggest Regret: not being there when my Mother was killed. Maybe I could have stopped them. Not being able to get Cassie out of that house before they hurt her. It killed me to have to sit outside in my truck waiting for the right time to go in after her. I hated what I saw when I finally did. Sweetest Moment: marrying Cassie. Seeing her walk down the aisle to me and the look on her face made my heart beat out of my chest.

them terribly and I know it was hard on them too. I know I put them through a lot. But, I had to do it, for her. She deserved to have them caught and put away. No one else was willing to do that. I guess deep down I was a little nervous of being killed but I had to take that chance. I hear that you are a hopeless Romantic. What goes through your mind when trying to impress a woman? Jesse laughs. Well, when I fall, I fall hard. I want to take care of her and give her everything her heart desires. Most woman, or so I’ve heard (chuckle), love the flowers, pampering, candle light and so on. I guess I have a great imagination when trying to come up with things to woo them. What can I say? (He smiles and shrugs)

What where your first thoughts as you entered the room and found Cassie? Most Romanic Moment: When I prepared a Romantic dinner for It was so dark in the room that I had to use my flashlight. I cringed as her in celebration. I love doing that! The look on her face was priceless. I moved the light up her body. Seeing her tied to the bed that way, the She was so shocked but in her eyes was the love for me that hit me like a bruises, marks in her flesh and her face. Damn, her face. Bruised and her freight train. I fell in love with her all over again. left eye swollen shut. I wanted to go after them right then and kill them. Beating them to a pulp first like they did to her. I’m not a violent man but Jesse, I can’t imagine how hard it was for you, chasing my rage was extreme as I saw what they had done to her. (He leans after your Mother’s killers for two years. Wasn’t it hard forward in his seat, putting his elbows on his legs to get closer). But, wow! being out there by yourself and weren’t you afraid of being I think I was knocked over by her beauty. She stunned me. Right then, I killed? knew I had to get to know her better. I had to have her. I can’t explain it. It was extremely hard being away from my family and friends. I missed JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

A D U LT R O M A N C E

BONUS SCENE FROM UNEXPECTED BY DULANEY-GLEN

an wasn’t ready to meet Grace Holtsen. In no way was he prepared for her. But can you ever be ready for fate to step in? Can you ever be ready to meet the one person who will change your entire existence? Ian knew that Grace would change everything he was used to, but something about her made it worth it. For the first time somebody seemed worth the risk. Will Ian jump and let fate wait for him at the bottom? Hoping that it can somehow save him...hoping that Grace can somehow save him. I don’t think Grace is like most girls. Maybe that’s the thing that I can’t put my finger on. Maybe for the first time, I’ve met a girl that’s unlike anyone that I’ve ever known. Grace, a single mother and owner of a Nashville recording company, met Ian Paul, a recent college grad and her new employee. The moment he entered her world, it turned upside down. She knew better than anyone that a relationship with Ian would never work. He was never supposed to fit into her life, and she was never supposed to show up in his. But what happened between them was something more than either of them ever anticipated. Grace was unprepared for how bad it would hurt when they were faced with something far more unexpected. He stole the rest of my heart tonight. I know that no matter what happens tomorrow, or days from now, I’ll never want it back. I could never give it to someone else.

Walking toward me is a silhouette. The room is light, streams of sun flooding in but the figure in front of me is dark. I step closer and as I do, parts find their clarity. I can tell it’s a man, but his head hangs between his broad shoulders. I can’t make out his face, and he doesn’t acknowledge me. He shifts his feet and it looks like he’s walking toward me but he never gets closer. Although I have a sense of fear, I take a step toward him. I lean down to try to see his face but it’s still dark. His hair becomes brown and messy. His sideburns lead into scruff, but the rest fades into the darkness. I hadn’t even noticed that his hands were in his pockets until he pulls one at a time out. He folds his arms across his chest and I can make out a few tattoos. One in particular strikes me. It’s the same as the one that is in the center of Ian’s back. Is this Ian that I’m looking at? Why won’t he look at me? Why can’t I see his face? I wake up, startled and gasping for air. Ian looks over at me, “You okay?” I shrug my shoulders. My heart is still beating fast in my chest. I’m trying to catch my breath as I choke out, “I’m fine.” But I’m not entirely sure if I believe it. I lean my head against the cool of the window and fight sleep. Dreaming or not, the image of the man is still there, and it haunts me as I watch the scenery change on the highway. Who was he? What does it mean? What am I missing? MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND SOME KEY PERSONALITY TRAITS: Grace Holtsen – Independent, self-assured, often too serious, she’s adjusted, holds herself accountable for every decision she makes, seemingly untouchable but in reality she’s more reserved than most would think, big kid at heart, perceptive, forgiving, and most importantly she loves with everything she is. Ian Paul – Maturing college grad with a lot to figure out. He’s an old soul, music-obsessed, career driven guy who doesn’t let any of those traits get in the way of happiness. He’s affectionate, protective, sarcastic, he has an infectious personality that immediately draws people in, he’s loyal sometimes to a fault, he’s supportive, surprising and sometimes shy. He’s the guy that likes to blend in so another can have their moment to stand out.

W I N E B O O K S & S WA G O F U N E X P E C T E D ! ENTER HERE JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

AVA I L A B LE J U LY 16 T H

NEW RELEASES

ROM THE AUTHOR OF THE “REAL PAGE-TURNER” (SEVENTEEN) SUCH A RUSH COMES AN UNFORGETTABLE NEW DRAMA THAT FOLLOWS FRIENDS-TURNEDLOVERS AS THEY NAVIGATE THE PASSIONS, HEARTBREAKS, AND INTRIGUE OF COUNTRY MUSIC FAME.

There are too many secrets in eighteen-year-old Bailey’s life. Not just the obvious one: that she told her grandfather she was going on a date, and instead is playing fiddle in a Nashville bar. There’s all the stuff that makes it worse. Like how her younger sister Julie was offered a recording contract, and her family is terrified that Bailey is going to mess the deal up. Like the way that Bailey has been acting out. Like the way they’re all mad at her, even Julie. Bailey’s parents don’t want her playing any gigs at all, but when they leave her with her grandfather in Nashville for the summer so they can tour with Julie, he lands her a music job that’s beneath the radar, playing old country songs in cheesy costumes at a local mall. That’s where she meets Sam. . . . Sam’s got big plans that don’t include playing backup while his alcoholic dad scratches out a living as a Johnny Cash sound-alike. He intends to take his high school garage band to the big time, and as soon as he hears Bailey play, he knows she’s just what he

wants. That really ticks off Charlotte, the drummer for the band and Sam’s ex-girlfriend, while bass guitarist Ace just wants to keep everyone happy. Bailey isn’t at all sure where she stands with this boy who has a lust for music and life, and who may or may not have a lust for her. Something tells her that with Sam, there could always be a catch. And yet, suddenly, her life is no longer about what might have been, and a whole lot about where she will choose to go.

WIN A HARDCOVER COPY OF DIRTY LITTLE SECRET BY JENNIFER ECHOLS >>

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MORE NEW RELEASES JULY 2ND Archer (A Hard Body Novel) by Debra Kayn Facade (The Games Series) by Nyrae Dawn JULY 4TH The Silver Chain (Unbreakable Trilogy, Book 1) by Primula Bond The Pimlico Kid by Barry Walsh JULY 8TH Losing Hope: A Novel by Colleen Hoover Once an Innocent (Crimson Romance) by Elizabeth Boyce JULY 9TH Beautiful Bitch by Christina Lauren White Trash Beautiful by Teresa Mummert JULY 15TH Bonds of Desire (Wicked Play) by Lynda Aicher Lost Boy by Tara Brown Fight For Her by Kelly Favor Making It Last - A Novella (Camelot Series) by Ruthie Knox

JULY 16TH Left Drowning by Jessica Park Not Until You Part VI: Not Until You Surrender by Roni Loren When I Find You: A Trust No One Novel by Dixie Lee Brown JULY 17TH Harder We Fade by Kate Dawes Surrender/Seduction by Amanda Quick JULY 22ND Escaping Reality (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen) by Lisa Renee Jones Making the First Move by Reese Ryan JULY 23RD Lacey and Lethal by Laurann Dohner Not Until You Part VII: Not Until You Believe by Roni Loren JULY 30TH Complete Me (The Stark Trilogy): A Novel by J. Kenner The Marriage Merger by Jennifer Probst Revenge: The Faces of Evil Series: Book 5 by Debra Webb

JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

ADVERTORIAL

Adela Arthur and the Creator’s Clock (The Chronicles of A #1) by Judyann McCole Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Released: July 26th, 2013

To Whom Ever This May Concern;

Redemption (Prophecies of The Nine #1) by Brynn Myers Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance Released: March 29th, 2013

I wish I could tell you the contents of this book were purely fictional. That I, Adela Arthur, was just a normal sixteen year old from Portland and that dragons, giants, elves and mermaids were just myths. I wish these were legends shared from crazy old grandparents to crazy old grandparents around campfires. After all, that is what I used to believe. I never would have thought they lived on the other side of our mirrors in a world called Cielieu. But they do…

The past is no longer a blur, the present has become a mystery, and the future remains unknown. Kylah’s mind has been freed and her power unleashed. She is once again the loose cannon she was two hundred years ago. Everyone she loves is waiting for her to take her rightful place among The Nine. But if Kylah can’t control her guilt, her anger, and her conflicting desires, she may yet again ruin the lives of those she loves. After spending two hundred years thinking his mate was dead, Aerric finally has the love of his life back in his arms and in his bed. But after realizing Kylah willingly made the choice to leave him all those years ago, his heaven quickly turned to hell. Truths are revealed and tempers flare, leaving their happily ever after on the verge of ashes.

I never would have thought there were humans, better known as Volsin that lived among them with the ability to create light from a single thought. But there are… I never would have thought I was one of them… But I am… I am the last Arthur and I was brought to the human world after a Volsin, filled with greed, began to strip the light from our kind. The human world was supposed to be a safe haven… but he’s found us and the only way to stop him is to go back to Cielieu and begin training as a student in the Elpida Castle of Light. Like I said I wish the contents of this book were purely fictional and not my life… ADELA ARTHUR

JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

REVIEW BY LAURYNNE : BRANDED (SINNERS #1) BY ABI KETNER & MISSY KALICICKI

e rped mind, th a w is h In . im dh rding all who oppose d re e rd branded acco u m re a d n rs a e r n e n w si o p re whe e into ated the Hole mmander cam re o c C e e H th . ty o g ie c a mit f our so Twenty years e I didn’t com the downfall o m ri re c e a w f s o n si . d st st se accu . At be seven deadlie e. I’ve been e a few years m iv g rv n li su g t n h ra ig st m nd fingers to their sins a eck like blue n y m d n u ro a ps Now LUST wra ome. le is my new h o H e th w o n and lence. Pain. io V . th a e D . ss in. Darkne on’t let them w w I . ie d ’t n o w But I ht for survival. g fi a is y e. a d can’t break m Now, every le o H e h T . e keep m The Hole can’t ghter. brand. I’m a fi y m n a th ory. re o I am m d this is my st n a , n to il m a H xi My name is Le

• Released June 28th, 2013 • Genre: Mature Young Adult • Series • Rating: 5 Stars

I didn’t miss it at all while reading this book. It was only afterwards that I realized there was no adult content and even then, I can’t say it bothered me at all nor did it change my opinion of the book.

I don’t need to go into what Branded is about because the summary is sufficient enough to give you a taste, however, I feel it is my duty to inform you that if you have not gotten your hands on this book yet... do I’d like it to go on record and state so immediately. It’s so engrossing and perfectly written that for those few that on this day I said “Just you hours while you are reading this book... you are gripped into the unique wait and see... Branded is going world created by Abi & Missy within Branded. to become a Bestseller for sure. If this doesn’t happen then there’s a I have absolutely no complaints. None what-so-ever... ok maybe one and problem with the system. Injustice that’s is that I really need to get my hands on the second part. Although will not be tolerated - Branded Branded doesn’t end on a cliffer, you don’t get nearly enough of Cole... deserves to be amongst the best.” Who is this Cole I speak of? Well... Cole is the reading worlds newest It’s been a long time since I read book boyfriend. Perfect and Divine! a YA and even longer since I read a dystopian novel. I’d forgotten how much fun they can be. Yes, Branded is YA and considering I’m bordering I loved every single character in the book... well except for the on 31, I do like more ‘risque’ books, however, Branded is not as spic and Commander and we aren’t suppose to like him so clearly the job of span as you may be lead to believe. The blood, sweat and tears within character development was done brilliantly. this book is not something for the faint at heart. Branded is a debut novel for author duo Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki and Really the only thing that makes this a YA is the fact that there isn’t much what a privilege to have been able to read it. swearing (or none - but I speak under correction). There are no sexual themed naked scenes so that would add to it being considered a YA... I will never be the same again... I too have been Branded... but other than that it’s pretty dark, deep and emotional... Quite grown up. But you know what... even though I do love my angst and passion... SEE THIS FULL REVIEW & MORE ON CBLREVIEWS.COM JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

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ADVERTORIAL

S E L C I N O R H C S S E N K R A D E S H N T O F O M S M I S . N . D KNIGHT Y B

am so excited to be featured in the July edition of CBL Magazine! I was asked to tell the readers a little bit about my series, The Knights of the Darkness Chronicles. I’m very excited about getting the word out because it’s such an amazing series. I like to say that it’s not just an adventure you’re reading about, it’s an experience. Have you ever read a book where the characters think like you do? Feel what you feel? React the way you would? The world of the KOTDC is so grounded in reality; it’s hard to imagine a society without sexy and powerful vampires and shape-shifters running about. LOL. Here’s the premise of the entire series: “Enter the world of the Knights of the Darkness Chronicles, where supernatural beings and humans live together openly in a tenuous society. Danger lurks behind every corner as they release their darkest and deadliest desires. In an attempt to keep order, the government has created laws that govern the supernaturals and a special police force; the S.U.I.T. (Supernatural Unit Investigation Team), are trained to keep the dangerous supernatural threat in check. But not everyone can be contained or controlled. Criminals come in all species and even the highly trained S.U.I.T. Organization needs help. It is apparent that if the world is to maintain its fragile peace, certain alliances must be formed, even if it’s between enemies.” Sounds pretty exciting, doesn’t it? Trust me, it is. But you don’t have to listen to me, you can see for yourself. ☺ For this special article, I’ve decided to spill the beans, if you will about the creation of one of my beloved characters, Richard. When I was writing “Hostile Territory”, the fourth book in the series, I wanted to create a team of villains whose power rivaled that of my heroes. But I also wanted to show the readers the differences between the two factions. Where their loyalties lied and how far they’d go to achieve their goals. In creating Richard, he was the leader of the coyote shifters. He was supposed to be ruthless in his business dealings, loyal to his Pack and a stickler for tradition. Somewhere in creating the friction between him and his cohorts, I began

to like Richard and a few of his Pack members. With the way his character was developing, I didn’t see him as a villain, but more so a man who wanted to help out his Pack even though he didn’t agree with the methods they used. So, at that point, I had to stop writing and go back into the story to re-write his scenes, tweaking them just a little to paint him fully in the light I was beginning to see him in. I’m so happy that I did. Changing his character’s personality made the story so much more thrilling and added such an amazing dynamic, not just for Hostile Territory, but for my other books that followed. One thing you must always do as a writer is follow your heart. You can call it your gut instinct if you will. For me, it has to feel right; I can’t have any doubts about what create. Each idea has to fit into the story like the perfect puzzle piece. I want to always leave my readers completely satisfied and with huge smiles on their faces. That’s my goal. Love, D.N. Simmons

JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

REVIEW BY LAURYNNE : SCARS AND SONGS (MAD WORLD #3) BY CHRISTINE ZOLENDZ

has orld. But he W d a M , d ban opular rock p ’s y it C k r w Yo ong men. man for Ne t m n a o d fr e . lk is is a n e w to ks h gels Shane Max rybody thin e, when an e v m e ti t t a n h e r w fe t if no om a d ner secrets; he’s nt world, fr ie c n ce and his in a a r n g a m m o o fr fr ll is fa He comes den love, h id b r fo is h f n. yes, o h Shane’s e being huma g f u o ro s n th o , ti y o r al em Read the sto ving Grace, the irration a h S it d w n a g e in c v a li m Gr turmoil from & 2, Fall Fro 1 s k o o B orld ry of Mad W to s e th ton. is is 1: Th Shane Max f ’s o w ie Disclaimer # v f o it to you, it oint ll p te e th to h n r g u ne’s tu written thro It’s just Sha . e n a h S d e an RY of Grac . O T S e v o L ole lot more h AME S w E a H d T n sing, a IS IT iolence, cur v read before , e s g ’v u in o th y g ty ugh ou everythin els doing na will make y g t n a a th , ll s e ro n d e c k an ng s e contains roc , and irritati nder the ag y s u r n e o to n s ti o a is y u h n it T a s : l r 2 le fo exua Disclaimer # ce abuse, s ’s not suitab n It . ta s w b o u d s in l, o w oh t the drinking alc or book ou r e d a e R e r l you want to hur of 18.

• Released June 13th, 2013 • Genre: New Adult Paranormal • Series • Rating: 4.5 Stars

annoyed with Shane & Grace when I read it through Shane’s eyes. I can’t say that much really excited me because I have read it all before and I realized that they were both just silly. They made things harder on themselves when it didn’t really have to be that way. Hey, make no mistake... I still love this series with all my heart and I’m not disappointed at all. I just wish that I could have gotten more ‘newer’ content - that’s all. I’m greedy like that :)

I nearly collapsed when I saw Scars & Songs was available on Amazon! When I read the first two books... I was obsessed. But I found myself getting agitated a little with Scars & Songs. It was only at the end of the I didn’t even realize it until I saw book when we are given a brand new chapter... that I simply couldn’t it. I’ve definitely been sleeping get enough. because Mad World is one of my all-time favorite series. One thing is for sure, that the “Bad Boy” persona Shane has in Fall from Grace & Saving Grace is kind of killed off in Scars & Songs. You realize Anyway, so if you’ve read Fall that he’s not so much ‘bad boy’, but really he acts the way he does From Grace (Mad World #1) & because he want’s to drown Grace out. Which is cool... but I can’t say Saving Grace (Mad World #2) I didn’t like thinking that he was total bad boy player. I found him a little You will know that it’s an awesome tale! No? Well then you didn’t read soft and honestly, while he’s still sexy in my eyes, he’s not that much of a it properly lol :) ‘Sex God’ sexy anymore. Does that make sense? Scars & Songs is really just both of the first two books, but written from Shane’s POV. The first half is related to Fall from Grace and the 2nd half relates to Saving Grace. Plus... there’s a little something something added to the end that you have not yet seen and it’s bound to make you swoon for sure!

So ladies... I think that you need to read Scars & Songs... you need to read it even if it’s only for that added bonus at the end. I also get the impression that this is not the last time we will be hearing from Grace & Shane. The ending leaves us thinking there’s more to come and if that’s true.... I can’t freaking wait!

You may be asking why I gave Scars and Songs a 4.5 instead of a 5 I love you Christine Zolendz! since I really love this series... well truth be told it’s because for one... it’s the same books just in a different POV and secondly, I kind of got SEE THIS FULL REVIEW & MORE ON CBLREVIEWS.COM JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

ASPIRING AUTHOR

CHAT : A WIRELESS LOVE STORY

By Tony Gadsden CHAPTER 5

One certainty of prison is that an empty bed will not remain empty for long. Usually, the best one could hope for was that a roommate would get locked down or transferred at the onset or during the weekend so that maybe they could have forty eight hours of privacy. In most instances the hole would be full, so in order to put someone in, someone had to be let out or vice versa. At all times, someone needed a bed. Nico watched as a newcomer wheeled his property through the front door. His interest piqued when he realized that the man was a former roommate of his from another building. He quickly bounded down the steps to help him unload his property. “How’s it going, Old Timer? He asked cheerily. “Hey Nico!” The newcomer exclaimed. “Long time, no see. I didn’t know where you went when you left K-1.” “Here I am. What room are you headed to?” “One-sixteen.” “Lemme give you a hand.” Nico grabbed the rolled-up mattress and a laundry bag and started in the direction of his room. The newcomer’s name was Milton Norris. He was forty years old and was considered (in prison jargon) ‘country cool;’ Meaning despite his rural back ground, he had swag’. He stood about six foot two with droopy eyes and an abnormally long head. As his former barber, Nico remembered this all too well. He recalled having to use at least three razor blades to perform his haircut with razors and combs, as was the custom in the dormitories. Norris came from a small town called Pelham, where he was a drug dealer by trade. Whether from a small town or a big city, a dope boy was a dope boy. He was always waiting on an opportunity to score some quick cash. He used his easy going manner and simple outer appearance to lure the unsuspecting. He possessed a down-home quality that most people found both curious and disarming. Despite their age difference, the mutual respect they held for each other as men and hustlers made them good friends as well as good roommates. They parted ways when Nico was placed under investigation for personal dealings. Norris was one of the few people who sent food or cigarettes to him while he was in the hole. In prison, that was one measure of someones true friendship. Finally, they made it to Norris’ room. The short walk seemed to take an unusually long time. Why was Norris moving so slow? “Just throw that stuff on the floor.” Norris said with a groan as he sat down heavily on the stainless steel toilet. After doing just that, Nico asked “So, what brings you to this neck of the woods? You weren’t in the hole, were you?” “Oh Naw,” he let out a deep breath. “I just got back from having hernia surgery. I’ve been up in the infirmary recovering for the last three days.” ‘THAT EXPLAINS THE SLOW WALKING’, Nico thought, he cringed at the thought of having any type of surgery while in prison. He’d

heard numerous nightmare accounts of surgical tools being lost and sewn up inside of people, wrong limbs and organs being removed ~ The sad part was that once you signed a consent for the procedure, you waived the right to claim malpractice. You were literally at their mercy. “Neek, let me ask you something.” “Shoot.” Norris looked around and lowered his voice conspiratorially. “What’s up with this dorm? Is it okay? I heard there was a bunch of snitches in here.” This line of questioning could only mean one thing. Norris had something going on, or was about to. True enough, he was a hustler, but he was one of the most paranoid and jittery individuals Nico had ever met. This would require tact. Nico shrugged. “No more than there is in K-1, or any other dorm for that matter. If anything, they’ll cut your throat about one of these chicks. Other than that, there’s not much to worry about. That’s why I stayed here instead of moving back to K-1.” Norris squinted in deep concentration as he seemed to let Nico’s words sink in. After a long pause he started to rub that humongous dome of his. “I need your help. I don’t know these dudes in here, plus you’re one of the few people I trust. You know I work in the kitchen, right? Well, I caught me one. I got me a mule. She’s a stewardess up there. I’ve been having her bring me cell phones. “Nico didn’t blink or breathe. He wanted Norris to come all the way clean. He continued. “She’ll do whatever I tell her to do. I don’t let her bring the dope anymore. Selling it is too much of a hassle. Besides, the cell phones go for three hundred dollars a pop, all day. That’s quick, easy money.” Nico did a mental check to make sure his poker face was still in tact. It was. He kept quiet. “I feel like these folks are watchin’ me, but ol’ girl is ready to make another move because she needs the money ~.” Nico smiled, interrupting for the first time. “This is where I come in, huh?” Norris smiled back. “Yeah, pretty much.” “I’m listening.” Nico prodded. “Nobody else knows about this ~ “ “And they never will.” Nico finished. “Now come on with it.” He knew that this was all part of Norris’ stage show, but he indulged him in it. Paranoid or not, there’s no doubt that he’d been dying to confide this in someone. To some extent, every soul seeks approval – especially a hustler. Once again, a dope boy is a dope boy. ♥ Tony Gadsden was born on March 27, 1975 in Charleston, SC, but moved to Atlanta, GA at age 5. He honed his writing skills while studying at the Avondale High School for Performing Arts. Following an unfortunate brush with the law, he was incarcerated, where he received 1st hang insight & inspiration for his present work entitled CHAT: A Wireless Love Story...

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Genre: YA Paranormal Suspense / Romance Release Date: October 4, 2012 Ava Michaels used to think she was special. As a child, she fantasized about having magical powers . . . making things happen. But Ava grew up and eventually accepted the fact that her childish dreams were just that, and maybe a normal life wasn’t so bad after all. Now a young college student, Ava meets Caleb Foster, a brilliant and mysterious man who’s supposed to help her pass physics, but in reality has another mission in mind. What he shows Ava challenges her view of the world, shaking it to its very core. Because Caleb isn’t quite what he seems. In fact, he’s not entirely human, and he’s not the only one. Together, the duo faces a threat from an ancient race bound to protect humans, but only after protecting their own secrets—secrets they fear Ava may expose. Fighting to survive, Ava soon learns she’s not actually normal . . . she’s not even just special. She’s a little bit more.

RELEASING NOVEMBER 7TH 2013 THE GUARDIANS (MORE #2)

ENJOY AN EXCERPT FROM MORE Ava scrambled back, but he reached out in a flash, gripping her upper arms and lifting her up so her toes barely brushed the ground. One hand slid to her throat, and he held her easily, pulling her closer to his frightening face. “Please,” she begged, the word catching as she fought to breathe. The man’s glare tightened, and Ava stared in morbid fascination at his mismatched eyes—blue and green—odd and vividly terrifying. She struggled, reaching for her pepper spray, only to have it slip from her fingers as she kicked out at the man. He responded by laughing humorlessly, flipping her around and banding one arm around her torso. His grip was like iron, and she could barely breathe. “Please,” she said again, dizziness closing in. “I can’t,” she gasped. A press of metal to her temple transformed her fearful trembles into horrified shudders. She had no doubt. She was going to die. Her eyelids fluttered shut in defeat as he cocked the gun, the loud click echoing off the trees. Then, a flash of black, a gust of wind, and suddenly she could breathe again. The man’s grip loosened, but he didn’t release her. “Damn you,” he growled. “Stay out of this!” Ava pushed him, her efforts in vain, as he hitched her up in response, tucking her under his arm like a bag of groceries. She kicked her legs, flailing desperately as the man spun about, pointing his gun into the darkness. “Show yourself, you coward!” The same flash of black, another blast of wind, and Ava fell to the ground, her head cracking on the concrete. She curled onto her side, moaning, lifting a hand to the back of her head, and squinting in shock at the blood that came away, streaking across her trembling palm. Low grunts and the crack of bone on flesh floated on the air toward her, muzzy with her disorientation. She tried to focus, but could only make out two dark figures exchanging blows. Ava tried to sit up, but collapsed back onto the icy ground, overcome by a shock of dizziness and nausea. Suddenly, the two dark beings seemed to meld into one, and in the next moment, she felt herself floating. She blinked; a face took form above her briefly, the features cast in shadow. “Do I . . . do I know you?” she mumbled, fighting for consciousness. “I’ve got you,” a low voice replied, and Ava nodded as a cool palm stroked her forehead, and the darkness consumed her. ♥

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THE MOBSTER SERIES BY AMY RACHIELE

“GRIPPING MY CHEST IS THE ONLY WAY TO HOLD MYSELF TOGETHER OR WHAT’S LEFT OF ME WILL FALL OUT. THE PAST WEEK HAS ENLIGHTENED ME ON ONE THING-I DON’T CARE.” MEGAN, MOBSTER’S GIRL

“I

DIDN’T EVEN HESITATE. I TOOK TWO STRIDES AND BLASTED HIM IN THE FACE WITH MY FIST. HE WAS READY FOR IT THIS TIME-UNLIKE IN CHURCH. HE TRIED TO HIT ME BACK, BUT I DUCKED AND SMASHED HIM AGAIN.

”

ANTONIO, MOBSTER’S GIRL

You can’t help what family you’re born into or what lies they keep from you. You can’t help it if they mold and shape you just the way they wanted. Are monsters born or made? Antonio and Megan have a timeless issue. They were told to stay away from each other. They try, they really do. But they are drawn to each other. Antonio is eighteen and the up and coming mob boss of Palmetto, New Jersey. Megan is a girl uprooted from the grassy plains of Ireland at the age of five. Now she’s seventeen and faced with horrors she never thought existed.

Amy Rachiele is a military spouse who has spent many years in the family program sector of the National Guard and currently works for the Department of Veteran Affairs. She has worked previously with families facing deployment and separation issues as well as families of the Fallen. She holds a Master’s degree from Rhode Island College in English and Secondary Education. Amy devoted 10 years to teaching at-risk students in the Providence School System. Besides writing, she enjoys scrapbooking, sewing and is learning to knit. Amy lives in Massachusetts with her son and husband.

THE R E T EN ERE H Y A W GIVEA

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CHAPTER SAMPLE FROM THOSE FOUR LETTER WORDS BY CHRISTINA CHANNELLE Reflecting is a powerful thing. It makes you realize that not everything is as it seems, and that you should have figured that out by now. The signs were blaringly obvious. The power of three. Three. It was the number of people in my life that I cared for more than life itself. Yes, there was my mother and father but they didn’t count. It was expected of me to love them, and occasionally despise them for some of their less than perfect choices in life. But you know, there was the whole unconditional love, providing food and shelter, and a wonderful safe environment for their offspring that sort of canceled out the hate. Yup, that was my ma and pops. But it always seemed as if three was the amount of people I would give my heart to at any given moment in time. The people might change now and again but the number always seemed to stay the same. That was deep … wasn’t it? When I was five, it was Bryn, Reed and Allison. But then Allison moved away so it became Bryn, Reed and Melissa when I was ten. At fifteen, it turned into Bryn, Reed and Nina. Then it was Bryn, Nina and Connor. Bryn, or rather B as I liked to call him, was my brother. He was my best friend even though he was five years older. Usually brothers ignore their younger siblings but he was different. He didn’t think of me as a nuisance, this pest that followed him around wherever he went. No, he loved me and protected me—always had since I was a little girl. And although eighteen and perfectly capable of fighting my own battles, that definitely hadn’t changed much. Though there were a lot of bumps in the road along the way. I guess you could say we took care of each other. Nina was my best friend outside of my family. For some reason I didn’t have many friends. Okay, let’s be honest: girls hated my guts because I tended not to play nice and could be quite bitchy when provoked. Emphasis on provoked. Honestly, they were just jealous because my overprotective big brother never paid them any attention when he came to pick me up from school, jealous because they were just not as pretty as me. Yeah, I said it. They were jealous because I knew how to throw a mean punch and knew how to take a hit, whether verbally or physically. But anyway, this was not what the assignment was about. No, this was about love and hate—not jealousy. So Nina was the only girl to make an effort to befriend me. She was this tall, blonde thing, and the total opposite of me in every way. But she didn’t put up with my bullshit and always told it like it was. She was new to the school so perhaps she hadn’t heard about my reputation as Big Bitch as of yet. The day I met her I’d been sitting off in the corner by myself in the cafeteria when this blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl sat right in front of me and just started digging into her meal as if I wasn’t even there. I just silently looked at her until she glanced up and finally noticed me gawking at her. “You know if you don’t shut your mouth, it’ll freeze like that,” she’d said with a drawl. Then she’d lifted her right hand up and crossed her index and middle finger together as she gave me a sly look with a wink. “Honest.” Since then we were joined at the hip—I liked her spunk.

Connor was my boyfriend. I met him when we were both sixteen, a year after I had met Nina. I was stuck in detention after having been in a fight with a girl who had called me a name. I think it was bitch or something along those lines. Anyway, I didn’t take too kindly to that and punched her in the nose. I happened to break said nose. As a result, when the girl was probably getting her nose splinted at the hospital, I was sitting in detention after school, sucking on a caramel hard candy, staring blankly at the wall in front of me, when I felt a shiver run down my spine. I frowned, knowing someone must have been staring at me hard. I turned around to give the person a piece of my mind when I happened to lock gazes with a brown-haired, browneyed guy. He just … looked at me with this glint in his eyes … and my mouth suddenly went dry, my heart hammering in my chest. Only one other person had ever made me feel like he had at that very moment. Like prey. ♥

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s e i r e S e v a r C d o o l B e h

NEL N A H C A N I BY CHRIST

ere w s m a r dre u o y f i ou do s? y d l u o ream d t What w s u j r soul n u a o h y t f e o r mo pths e d e h t new inke the rest? k u o y When u were unli H e r c o p in g that yo is h e r tr u th . is th , rs te r li fe . in D a h li a W e ss th a t is h e n ld e o g rn a e ra st -y n e e il y, e n y th o r se v e n te h a fo st e r fa m fo rg e t a n d d it ly w p g m in si d si to re nt . Now m e c h a n is m is n u e to to rm e in s a m y st e ry ti a n o m c re s st m a a p re r e Ye t, d O rp h a n e d , h a tt e m p ts to . s, b u t o f a lu st r d n -o u lo a w rm g o n n li e ls sl y h e a sh e fi n a ll y fe o f m ir a c u lo u s n io is v y b c o n su m e d ra v e . h e r. N o t o n ly e r n a tu ra ll y c v e n ld u o sh nd g sh e fo r so m e th in r th o u g h ts a e n in r e h g c h o in th in g s a b o u t rs h e r li fe e te s n w e o n r k e g e n H ra h e r. n -e y e d st s sh e n e v e r n ti n g to h a rm y a a w T h e n a g re e w rs in e r th e o h t s waken in g s a b o u w, a n d h e a o n k v o ic in g w a rn ly ib ss o n e sh o u ld p h e r th a t n o o n. a n ju st h u m a e x p e c te d . th re o m is e fo r sh a g a in st h e r, sh e re a ll y is , g o n h ti h w g r fi e v ly o n c su d d e h li a to d is g ri p s th e e le m e n ts d n a T h is le a d s D a , e g a n d c o m e s to d s n le e w k o a n w k a d y n fo u e fi n a ll Wit h th is n e w e . A n d a s sh n o y n a st u tr a rd to to st a y a li v e . ts h g fi e sh e fi n d s it h sh s, ss e e r sh e p o ss e w it h th e p o w t. e a se s to e x is c , it s w o n k o rl d , a s sh e B e fo re th e w

T WIN A SE OF THREE ! KS PAPERBAC E ENTER TH RE HE Y A W A E IV G

C h ri st in a d re a m e r, h e a lt h A d e g re e s in o tw s ld o h ss io n C h a n n e ll e ys had a pa a lw a s a h t g sc ie n c e s b u d h e r re a d in n fi l il w u o Y fo r w ri ti n g . o r ty p in g u p , ls e v o n lt u ad o th e r y o u n g hen not o m p u te r. W c r e h n o ry me at a n e w st o d s h e r fr e e ti n e sp a in st ri ng w ri ti n g , C h u si c , o r e a ti m to g in n e st li as th e m o v ie s, ju n k ie a n d h V T ty li a re a ra c te rs su sh i. S h e ’s to m a n y c h a ip sh n o ti la many a c lo se re n a to p ic o f e e b e v a h t She o n T V th a n g fr ie n d s. o m a s n io ss u h e a te d d is c da. n ta ri o , C a n a re si d e s in O

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ADVERTORIAL

CLOAKED IN FUR BY T.F. WALSH

Release Date: August 5th 2013 Genre: Adult Paranormal Suspense

As a moonwulf, Daciana never expected to fall in love with a human. Hell, she never imagined that she’d abandon her pack, endanger everyone around her, and break the worst rule possible. But she did.

PICTURE PERFECT

ISABEL’S AWAKENING

Release Date: May 20th 2013 Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 22nd, 2013 Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance

A Woman Determined to Rise Above Heartache and Ruin

It’s been five busy years, and Newcastleborn singer/guitarist Thomas Morgan is still punishing himself for his younger brother’s death. Thomas’s young, fashion-model wife once led her husband’s idolizing brother, Chris, into both drugs and an adulterous relationship. The loss of his brother and total destruction of his marriage destroyed Thomas. To avoid entanglements with others, even his young son, Thomas focused on promoting his music and the management of his now highly profitable record company. He thought he had everything at a safe distance, at least until Isabel literally slammed into his life. High school teacher, Isabel Warren, finds herself falling head over heels in love with the sexy-as-sin guitarist for the rock band Becket. Soon Isabel’s orderly world of lesson plans, thesis writing, and student loan debt is competing against desire, passion, and her vulnerable heart. Isabel struggles to navigate her newly stirred passions with her rising academic career and independent nature. As the sex sizzles, the two lovers will have to decide which parts of their dreams they will sacrifice for their fledgling relationship. Can Thomas ever trust and love again, and will the young woman he meets ever have the confidence and strength to be with him?

BY LESLIE C. FERDINAND

Alexis Morgan returned to New Orleans just after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. Determined to focus on rebuilding her interior decorating business and saving her home, Alex has no time for relationships. She refuses to fall into the same trap that her mother fell into and become involved with a married man. Then the soon-to-be married Elliot Walker storms into her life, tempting her to forget the hard lessons she learned as a child. A Man Determined to Prove Himself

A rogue werewolf is killing Daciana’s friends, and she sets on capturing the creature. She’ll do whatever it takes to stop the beast. The police and her boyfriend, Inspector Connell Lonescu, are starting to question her involvement in the murders, which is endangering the pack’s secret existence. But when the pack alpha kidnaps Connell, revealing the awful truth about the creature and its connection to the pack, Daciana must choose between saving the man she loves and saving her pack family from certain death

Businessman Elliot Walker is the youngest and only son, though adopted, of a wealthy and prominent New Orleans family. The Walkers’ natural children are models of society and Elliot will do no less. Once his older brother marries, Elliot knows their mother will push him to marry the woman she believes is perfect for him, a high-powered attorney with a thirst for money, power, and sex. With six months to go before his wedding, Elliot hires Alex to redecorate his home. Suddenly, keeping his mother happy by marrying Rachel, a woman he’s beginning to realize he barely knows, isn’t as important as having Alex in his arms. But Rachel intends to have it all, and she’s willing to murder to get it.

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Out of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, secrets are revealed, relationships tested, and true love born.

BY T.D. HASSETT

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N E W A D U LT R O M A N C E

CHAPTER SAMPLE FROM LEFT DROWNING BY JESSICA PARK

~ BASELINE ~

catch my foot on the first step outside of my dorm and fall unceremoniously onto the concrete. I stay where I am for a moment, thinking that the set of keys digging into my hand should probably hurt more. Not to mention my knees, since they just endured a direct blow. “Awesome,” I mumble as I push to a wobbly stand and careen toward the door. I giggle slightly while struggling to fit the key into the lock. The good news here is that if I banged the shit out of myself like I think I just did, I might just feel something tomorrow. It has to be better than feeling nothing, right? How’s that for a goddamn silver lining? I brace myself against the giant door, steadying myself. Wait, what’s less than silver? Iron? Zinc? Could there be a zinc lining? It takes a few failed attempts at working the lock for me to realize that the key to the house I grew up in near Boston will not, understandably, unlock a dorm in Wisconsin. I finally shove the proper key in the hole and turn the lock. “I’ve opened the door!” I whisper triumphantly to no one. The thick metal door is unbearably heavy and resists opening fully, so I slam my shoulder hard against the door frame as I try to slither through the narrow opening. Yet another victory! I think hazily. The hangover I’m sure to have tomorrow, plus the injuries from smashing into objects, is definitely going to hurt. So continues my endless search for physical feeling, sensation. Anything. Still, even in my decidedly inebriated state, I know that the bruises from a drunken night can hardly be equated with any sort of positive emotional step forward. At least it will be something, though. Something other than numbness. It will be a distraction, and distractions are always welcome. The stairwell is flooded with hideous fluorescent light. It’s empty, although at this time of night, I realize one of my drunken peers might stagger past me with a one-night stand in tow at any minute. I really don’t understand how people ever get laid on campus. Anyone who looks even vaguely attractive in a normal setting becomes drastically less appealing on the way back to a dorm room. Beer goggles are no match for atrocious lighting. I lean against the wall on the second-story landing and yank my phone from my pocket. My reflection in the small black screen confirms my suspicion. My already messy curls have popped out of my ponytail so there’s a frizzy halo around my head, and even on my dark phone I can see the puffiness under my eyes. I look bananas.

“I look bananas!” I holler, noting the echo of my slurred words. Maybe I always look like this? Not that I care. I don’t spend a lot of time in front of the mirror or concerning myself with my appearance in any way, really. I look however I look, and that is that. In the scheme of things, it just doesn’t matter. And no one is paying attention. However, I do indeed look bananas. When I get to my room, I practically fall through the unlocked door. Luckily, I don’t have a roommate who might complain about my noisy entrance. She moved out a few days before— presumably to go live with someone less catatonic—so the double is now all mine. I don’t blame the poor girl. If you’re going to be trapped on a relatively small campus outside of Madison, Wisconsin, it’s best to surround yourself with cheerful people. I walk through the dark room, stub my toe on what I’m pretty sure is an anthropology textbook, and collapse onto the futon. Oh, the irony of my having replaced the dorm-provided single bed with a full-size futon. Anyone seeing it might imagine I was the type to bring home boys... ♥

“Left Drowning is beautifully crafted in every way. From the fully-fleshed out characters, to the sense of time and place, to the stunning emotional impact, to the flawlessly affecting and vivid writing, this story took my breath away and left me fumbling for words to articulate my experience!” - Sinfully Sexy Book Blog

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ANNEMARIE’S POV EXCLUSIVE!

Release Date: April 25th, 2013 Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

After seventeen-year-old Wake Reynolds agrees to trade his life to prevent the damaged soul of his suicidal mother from the fiery tortures of Hell, Satan strips him of his humanity and forces him to become a demonic collector of souls. With no memory of his human existence, Wake preys on defenseless teenagers until they willingly end their own lives. After many years of loyal service, something inside Wake is changing. Images of a forgotten life, lost human emotions begin to emerge. As Wake struggles to keep these new sensations hidden, Satan orders him to corrupt the soul of a pregnant girl, Annemarie. Beautiful, gentle Annemarie. From the moment Wake sees her, she brings lightness to his blackened heart. If he chooses to defy Satan and spare the lives of Annemarie and her unborn child, his mother’s soul will writhe in Hell’s deepest pit for eternity. Annemarie or his mother? It’s a choice no one should have to make.

The crowd thins and I watch Tina and Neil walk away. I wish things could be simpler for them. It’s just too easy for high school drama to bring out the worst in two kind people. I caress the lower section of my stomach, a habit I’ve developed over the last month. It feels like my little one is running laps. I wonder if I can use that on my fitness log for PE. I reach for my books. I’ll have to hurry if I’ll have enough time to use the bathroom. I turn, but before I can take a step, I crash into someone. My books scatter across the floor. “I’m so sorry,” I say. I have no idea who I hit, but it was muscular— definitely male. Kneeling to pick up my books, my little one shifts. I can’t wait to have my baby. My English book slid out of my reach. I lean forward. The muscles in my back, sore from carry extra weight of a child, stretch as I try to grab my book. I almost have it when I a strange feeling distracts me. I’m not sure how I know, but whoever I ran into is staring at me. Normally, I would be creeped out, but somehow I know his attention is different, tender and honest. I wrap my fingers around the book and turn my head to see him. His eyes are deep brown, like aged leather, yet they sparkle with childlike innocence. His hair is dark and long enough to almost touch his shoulders. His body is tall and lean, with shadows of tightened muscles rippling through his thin white t-shirt. He’s compellingly beautiful. I remain silent for a moment as I watch his eyes trail up my back. Maybe I shouldn’t, but I welcome his gaze. It’s been a long time since anyone has made me feel so feminine. “Are you okay?” I ask as smiles breaks through. It feels natural. It isn’t that I haven’t smiled, but when Matthew was killed last year…I still get sad when I think of him. He was everything to me, somehow

life faded into perpetual shades of faded color. His head snaps back, breaking his trance and drawing his eyes to mine. “Me? Yeah, I’m…fine. Oh, god. I’m so sorry. I should be picking up your books. You’re…you know.” He blushes and points at my stomach as he organizes his thoughts. It’s always awkward when people, especial guys my age, have to acknowledge that I’m pregnant. I’m used to them seeing my stomach and not me. I should help him before he hurts himself. “Pregnant,” I say. I stand and straighten my blouse, a feeble attempt to look thinner. “It’s all right to say it. I already know.” He places his hand on his forehead. His smile very quickly bursts into laughter. It’s so truthful and open, I laugh with him, as if I’ve known him for years. And I have to admit, seeing a strong guy so flustered is disarming, like I have no reason to be ashamed of my baby. “You look familiar,” I say as my eyes search his. “Do we have a class together?” “No. I mean, I don’t know. Today is my first day at this school.” His answer surprises me. I can’t shake this haunting feeling that we’ve spent time together. But it’s more than that. I could see the tips of my fingers as they trace a line along his jaw. His lips are full and I can imagine my lips pressed to his. His strong hands pressed into my back, pulling me closer. I snap out of my fantasy. My cheeks are warm and my pulse has quickened. I know him. I’m sure of it. “Great,” I say, doing my best to cover the nagging feeling of déjà vu. “Welcome to Roosevelt High School. My name is Annemarie.” “I’m Wake.” “Wake? That’s an interesting name.” >> more on page 29

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“Yeah, I know. It sounds like a funeral.” “I like it. But I have to go. My little guy keeps pushing on my bladder. Lately, I have to use the restroom between every class.” Oh my God. Did I just tell him about my bathroom schedule? I cover my mouth before something more awkward leaps out. Wake turns his head, but his cheeks rise and his ears twitch subtly, a sure sign that he’s smiling. When he faces me again, his eyes catch mine. He’s amused by my openness, which makes me feel even more embarrassed. At least he can’t see my flirtatious smile behind my hand. So he’s cute, in a bad boy kind of way, but that doesn’t mean I should act like an innocent little girl around him. “I can’t believe I just told you that.” I say. I turn and hurry away before I embarrass myself any more. Then, as if I’ve lost complete control of my own actions, I glance over my shoulder. Wake hasn’t moved. Does he have any idea the warming affect he has on me? “See you later, Wake.” Great, Annemarie. That’s the best

you can up with—see you later? That should leave a lasting impression. He waves to me. I twist my head forward before I walk into a wall. Nothing says dork with a baby like face-planting a wall. I continue down the hall. I have to fight the urge to turn around again. What if he’s still watching me? I feel my throat tighten and a tear falls from the corner of my eye. Is he like the rest of the male population? Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t mean I’m easy. I rub my stomach when I feel my little one jump. Guys can be such jerks. I finally turn a corner and stop, my back pressed against a locker. For months, I’ve hidden my emotions from almost everyone. Now I can feel a flood of sadness rushing through me. What am I going to do? Tracks of tears flow down my cheeks. Get control of yourself, Annemarie. No matter how familiar he seems, no teenage guy wants to be with anyone who has a ready-made family as part of the package. Then why did he seem so different? ♥

THE PROMISED LAND (OUR SOULS TO KEEP 0.5) BY GARY CARUSO

After years of struggling within a dysfunctional family, Wake Reynolds must decide if there’s a limit to what he would be willing to sacrifice to save his mother from unimaginable pain and suffering. “The Promised Land” is a short story prequel to “Our Souls to Keep”. “Our Souls to Keep” is now available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and iTunes! Receive a FREE download of “The Promised Land” at www.garycarusobooks.com.

COMING SEPTEMBER 2013

THE DARK SIDE OF THE TRUTH BY GARY CARUSO!

Soon after fifteen year-old Will Reed and his friend Mason stumble over a corpse in the woods, Will’s ex-con father is arrested for the murder—and it’s Will’s fault. With the police about to close their investigation, Will must discover the identity of a ruthless killer before his father goes back to prison. Not an easy task for two teenagers on a scooter, but it’s the discovery of a coded message which starts them on an unexpected path of mystery and danger to find an ancient relic. Unfortunately, there are others who are willing to kill in order to take possession of this valuable item. Is Will ready to risk his life and the lives of others in order to keep his father free?

Gary Caruso lives in northern Virginia with his wife Jill, but their favorite place is in Ohio with their three beautiful grandchildren. Although Gary is exhilarated when he sits down to write, teaching middle school science is his first love. He’s passionate about empowering students to make thoughtful decisions and positive choices in life. Gary enjoys reading, especially fiction that blurs the line between what’s real and what’s fantasy. He never imagined becoming a writer until an ordinary car ride on a spring day jolted an unlikely thought into his head. Gary’s early experience writing is a reminder that no matter how intimidating the challenge, action and determination are the foundations for fulfilling any dream. Gary has an insatiable love for writing, a blessing he’s excited to share with his readers.

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Y O U N G A D U LT PA R A N O R M A L

BOOK EXCERPT:

hough somewhat scared and a little spooked, I continued forward without missing a single step. Determination, obligation, and a strong resolve were driving me forward even though my mind kept yelling at me not to. Of course, with every step I took, my anxiety levels elevated. It was the worst sensation in the world and it was made worse by the fact that I couldn’t turn back and flee like I really wanted to do. Once I reached the first wooden stair that led up to the porch, a strong sense of being watched took ahold of me and I literally drew a circle in the ground with my feet as I spun to glance in every direction, looking for any indications that might lead to a hiding suspect. As expected, there was nothing anywhere. Since I couldn’t see a thing, I decided to pretend as if the weird feeling in my gut was nothing but trepidation and made to put my foot onto the step. If I wasn’t apprehensive about the mansion and the eeriness that surrounded it, I would’ve been the second a ball of white mist zapped me with an electrical shock that sent me free falling back the second my left foot lifted off the ground. Although the pain from the electrical charge was quick and tolerable, the discomfort that spread through my back and bum the second I made contact with the hard ground was not. A sharp sting rushed through my backside like wildfire and the only way to control it was by deep breathing. It was a good technique. Unfortunately, it also distracted me from the fact that someone had just attacked me. I was completely disoriented. At first, I had no clue as to why I was lying on the ground, looking up at the star-filled sky. But my brain recovered quickly from the surprise and I sat upright, immediately glancing up at the stairs, where I’d seen the ball of white electricity coming from right before it hit me. As my gaze locked on one

Bryn McCaskey is young, naïve, and can talk to ghosts... Like her mother and grandmother, Bryn comes from a breed of witches called The Keepers of the Lost Souls. Their main purpose is to guard those spirits who are permanently or temporarily grounded in the world of the living. Handling supernatural creatures is something which comes naturally to Bryn, however, dealing with people is a whole different story. As her 18th birthday approaches it’s time for her to take on her first assignment. Bryn is forced to confront her inability to communicate with others in an effort to save the one soul that can mean the difference between life and death for mankind. Johnny Shaw is a lost soul with a personal vendetta against witches... A vendetta he has carried on even after death. As much as he hate’s them he must join forces with a keeper witch, in order to stop a century old threat. When fate brings them together, not only will they be forced to learn how to work as a team, but they will have to depend on each other to stop an evil witch carrying a six hundred year grudge!

particular spot just above me, my mind struggled to come up with a logical explanation for what had just happened. Although there were several factors to consider, there was one particular thing that nagged at me. I’d just been attacked, but I was positive that a demon was not the culprit. Before entering the property, I’d made sure I was protected and no amount of demon

magic could’ve bypassed that spell. Unless of course, the demon happened to be hundreds of years old. This wasn’t the case, however—of that I was sure. A demon looking to destroy a witch wouldn’t wait so long to finish her off, especially when she was already down. With that in mind, I lifted my bruised body off the ground and stared ahead of me. ♥ JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

Y O U N G A D U LT PA R A N O R M A L

As a child, she used to lose herself in an imaginary world by the means of a good book. Now that she’s all grown up, Kristy gets to create her own fictional realms and make them come to life in ways that most readers might not expect. She’s always had a passion for writing but never had the opportunity to do so until now. After trying out numerous options, she realized that writing was what she loved the most so when she found herself with some free time on her hands, she decided to pursue her passion. As it turned out, her very active imagination helped her achieve her goals of creating believable plots with some ordinary, and some not so ordinary characters that helped the stories move along one way or another. As she keeps moving along in achieving her dreams of becoming a published author, she divides her time in between her four children and her very understanding husband.

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PA R A N O R M A L AADDUULT LT RRO OM MA AN NCCEE

RELEASED JULY 11TH, 2013

BY ANN GIMPEL

Series: Underground Heat Genre: Paranormal Romance Release Date: June 10, 2013 Length: Just shy of 50K words Main Characters: Kate Roman: She’s a snarky, quirky mountain cat shifter who works as a sex surrogate in her human form in a futuristic Berkeley. Devon Hartshorn: He’s half Native American and a cop. Like many, he has some shifter blood, but not enough to turn into anything, so he’s exempt from the two-year old law that turned shifters into hunted. He’s very conflicted because his mother, a full blood shifter, died in prison. Torn between his duty to his badge and his heart, he has a sensitive side behind his kickass cop persona.

Once respected members of society, shifters are running for their lives. In a futuristic world where resources are scarce, Kate uses her human form to work as a sex surrogate. Furious at what looks a lot like genocide for her people, she joins the shifter underground. Devon’s been a cop for a long time. He has shifter blood, but not enough to change into anything; at least not until the police department insists on a series of infusions to make him better at tracking shifters so they can be imprisoned—or killed. Devon’s latest assignment is Kate. From the moment he sees her, he can’t get her out of his mind. The line between hunter and hunted thins, blurs, and finally disappears. Kate and Devon defy the odds. Will their passion save them or doom them forever?

Ann Gimpel is a clinical psychologist, with a Jungian bent. Avocations include mountaineering, skiing, wilderness photography and, of course, writing. A lifelong aficionado of the unusual, she began writing speculative fiction a few years ago. Since then her short fiction has appeared in a number of webzines and anthologies. Several paranormal romance novellas are available in e-format. Three novels, Psyche’s Prophecy, Psyche’s Search, and Psyche’s Promise are small press publications available in e-format and paperback. Look for two more urban fantasy novels coming this summer and fall: Fortune’s Scion and Earth’s Requiem. A husband, grown children, grandchildren and three wolf hybrids round out her family.

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PA R A N O R M A L A D U LT R O M A N C E

CHAPTER 1 Kate Roman sauntered down Telegraph Avenue, the sounds of the constant Berkeley traffic loud in her ears. The city had banned hovercraft when air quality got so bad people needed masks to venture outside. The air still made the back of her throat burn, but at least her eyes didn’t tear up. She pushed her dark glasses up her nose and wrapped a colorful scarf more tightly around her hair. Someone was following her. She’d caught a whiff of something … unusual … with her feline senses half a dozen blocks back. Her perceptions weren’t as sharp in her human form, but they gave her a definite edge. Who was back there? Try as she might, she couldn’t identify its scent. She didn’t want to stop and turn around. So long as her pursuer thought himself invisible, he—or she, or it—wouldn’t do anything rash. She hoped. Her heart beat a little faster. No cause for alarm. Not yet, anyway. She worked as a sex surrogate, and there had been hundreds of clients over the past several years. Her hair was unmistakable with its bright red tone and warm, golden streaks. Clients sometimes trailed after her. Too shy to approach directly, yet drawn to her because of the best—sometimes the only— sex they’d had in their lives, they just liked to be close. Even though they had no idea she was a shifter—that played into the equation too. Humans were attracted to her animal energy. Shy clients were one thing. The other options were scarier. Humans had made a big push to get rid of shifters. Because killing them outright would have engendered a great hue and cry from personal rights groups, they’d been imprisoned in droves. Conditions were deplorable; many of her kin had died. Others were so ill, they might as well be dead. Apparently the personal rights groups weren’t into visiting prisons to check on things. Disgust twisted Kate’s features into an annoyed scowl. Appalled by what was looking a lot like the beginnings of genocide, she’d joined the shifter underground, a group masterminding escapes for those like her. Of course, the escapes were only the first step. Once out, shifters almost always needed medical care. They had to be hidden until their magic was strong enough for them to shield themselves. Many opted for dramatic plastic surgery to obliterate any trace of who they’d been when captured. Kate blew out a tense breath. She had three post-surgical shifters concealed in the basement of her home in the Berkeley Hills. A wolf, a mountain lion—like her—and a bear were sequestered behind a hidden wall panel. She hadn’t expected them to stay quite so long and her pantry was almost bare. She glanced at her wrist computer and clicked a few keys. Ration Coupons flashed on the screen, followed by the numerals one and zero.

than a day’s worth of food. She needed to put in an emergency call to the underground once she got to her office and no one could hear her. They had code words for everything, but still… Kate tilted her head back. Her nose twitched. Whoever was behind her was closer. Not much, but a little. Should I turn around? She glanced at the cross street. Another half block and she’d be at her office. Someone jostled her shoulder. She pulled back, wary of a trap. Kate strengthened the illusion which softened her lengthened incisors and muted the sharp angle of her cheekbones and jaw. “Sorry,” a man muttered and pushed past her. She stared after him and reached out with a dribble of shifter magic. Whew! She exhaled sharply. Just a human. Definitely not who’d been following her. Garden-variety cops had geneticallyaltered enhanced abilities. They smelled different. Trackers, elite police squads targeting shifters, had their own unique scent. She pressed her tongue against her teeth, thinking. What she smelled behind her was … different. Did that mean it wasn’t a cop—or a Tracker? Not necessarily. He could be using one of their tricks to mask his spoor. Her throat tightened. She tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry. Enough excitement for one morning. Kate lengthened her stride, loped across the street, taking advantage of an amber light, and took the steps to her office in a renovated Victorian two at a time. She ran her palm over the keypad. The electronics hummed and the door clicked open. She ducked inside, shut the door, and reset the lock. Annoyance tinged with fear made her stomach roil. Against her better judgment, she turned and peered through a frosted glass side panel next to the thick, carved oak door. Eyes narrowed, she used her feline vision to take a good, hard look at who was walking down the sidewalk. After a couple minutes of nothing, she chided herself for being paranoid. Kate was about to turn away and get ready for her first client when a man caught her attention. Boy, did he catch her attention. He was tall, maybe six-foot four, with broad shoulders and slender hips. He wore form-fitting jeans, a snug knitted dark blue top, and a brown leather vest. Well-muscled arms and thighs jumped out at her. Kate’s eyes went to his crotch. Wow. If he looked like that soft, he’d have a hell of an erection. Waist-length black hair swirled around him. Dark eyes, set in Native American bone structure, looked right at her building. It was as if he sensed her looking at him. ♥

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EROTIC ROMANCE

FALLEN FOR YOU (THE KILLER NEXT DOOR, PART 1) vulnerable, and Kate’s choices more than ever mark a splattered line between being happy and being If you believe your life is the dead. sum total of your choices, what do you do when things Care to choose? Here’s your just don’t add up? You are menu: about to find out. It won’t be A strangely alluring building pretty. It won’t be dull. And manager so possessed with surely, it won’t be safe. In wanting you for his own, fact, making just one wrong he’ll bury more than the choice could put evil at your fact he has a girlfriend; bedside watching you sleep. a buff college student for whom you are clearly hot, And so it is with Kate as are all the other girls on Simmons, a young woman campus; a pushy lawyer who, by choosing to regain who is as handsome as he her life, actually puts it at is intoxicated with conquest, risk by the very choices she who doesn’t take no for an makes. After unimaginable answer, who gets what he heartbreak stops her world on wants — always. a dime, Kate falls into a threeyear blackness of self blame Sometimes, it’s whom you that brings her to the edge choose. Sometimes, it’s who of life, itself. As time finally chooses you. If you’re Kate, brings light back through tiny it’s both, and it puts you on cracks of renewed desire, a perilous road where good Kate moves out of the prison looks and humor are the thin she made for herself in her masks of jealous delusion mother’s home to find a new and utter violence. reality, rooming with her best You’re in trouble when the girlfriend, Charlie. sum total of your choices is Yet, to be free is to be written in blood red. Genre: Erotic Romance Thriller Released: June 6th, 2013

READ AN EXCERPT ON PAGE 31!

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TAKEN BY YOU (THE KILLER NEXT DOOR #2) Every path offers a choice. Every choice offers a consequence. And every consequence summons its due. As emotions swirl across fateful days and nights, some in Kate’s life will reach out to touch happiness in warm embraces, others to sever ties in bloody traces. The stains of passion are frequently mistaken. The question here is who will be taken? JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

EROTIC ROMANCE

FALLEN

FOR

YOU

(THE KILLER NEXT DOOR, PART 1) BY CARLIE SEXTON “I was able to get us a table with a view. But I must say that you are giving the San Diego Bay a run for its money. You look absolutely stunning. I am especially partial to your zipper front blouse,” he said, kissing the back of her hand while raising one eyebrow. He put her hand on the table and kept his hand over hers. She felt her heart rate accelerate with his fiery touch. “Have you been here before?” “I love coming to Seaport Village to shop. It is so quaint and I adore one of the bath shops here. But I must say that I have not eaten at this restaurant before. What’s good on the menu?” “The macadamia halibut and the swordfish are my favorites.” “Mm. Both sound delicious,” she said with a shy smile. She knew that Neil would be tastier than anything on the menu. She blushed at her own thoughts. Neil picked up her hand and kissed each of her knuckles. “Not as delicious as you are,” he said, his lascivious stare drenching her core all over again. What was she going to do with these two hot guys? She was going to need to bring spare panties with her on dates. Kate picked up her glass of cold water and guzzled down about half of it. “Wow, is it warm in here or is it just me?” she said, feeling a slight twinge of perspiration. “No, I think that it is you, my beauty,” he said, looking crisp and cool. She knew by his expression that he could tell that she was a bundle of nerves and he was enjoying every minute of it. “How was class today?” “It was good. I ended up making a new friend,” she said with a coy tone in her voice. She realized that she needed to turn the tables on him and make him sweat a little. “That’s great. Who’s your new friend?” “His name is Mark and he wants us to be study partners,” she said, waiting for his reaction. “Ah, a male study partner. You know what he wants to study, right?” he asked, taking a sip of his water. As if on cue, the waiter walked up to take their order. This was perfect. Neil could stew with this idea for a moment. “Good afternoon. Have you two dined with us before?” “I have,” Neil said with annoyance in his voice.

“Very good, sir. Then you are acquainted with our outstanding menu. Are you ready to order or do you need a few minutes?” Neil looked at her and she shook her head indicating that she wasn’t ready. “We need a few more minutes,” he said politely. “No problem. Do you know what you would like to drink?” “I’ll have an iced tea,” Kate said, looking up at the waiter. “I’ll have the same,” Neil indicated. “Excellent.” The waiter hurried away to get their drinks. After the waiter was out of ear shot, Neil’s intense gaze turned toward her. “So, where were we? Oh, yes. You have someone who wants to be your study partner. What is this Mark guy like? Devastatingly handsome or unfortunately homely?” Neil’s face was stone-cold serious. “He leans more toward the devastatingly handsome side. In fact, I’d say that he’s almost as handsome as you, Mr. Statton,” she said, looking up coquettishly through her long, dark lashes. She was enjoying seeing him fret a little. H e unexpectedly grabbed her chair and pulled her close to him. Her mouth fell open a little with his sudden movement. He was grinning like a wolf just before he sinks his teeth into his prey. In a low voice, he said, “I have to tell you that I am the jealous type and I always get what I want.” “And what is it that you want?” she asked flirtatiously. “My mind is set on you, my beauty,” he said kissing her cheek. His words startled her and intrigued her at the same time. She didn’t know how to respond to his overture. But it made her want him more than she expected. ♥ JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

EROTIC ROMANCE

ROSANNA LEO’S

On the beaches of Orkney, Scotland, an evil entity stalks mortal women. Machar “Mack” Kirk is a selkie man with a haunted past, one that has prompted him to become a hunter. He prowls the beaches at night, his arrows aiming for the finman who took his first love. Beth Pedersen also watches the sea. The haunted widow has suffered losses of her own, ones that have crippled her into a state of stony grief. Beth can no longer feel, can no longer see color and life. Until the day Mack Kirk saves her from a mysterious foe, flooding her world with brightness and foreign temptation. As Mack and Beth fight their inundating passion, the finman escalates his attacks. Before long, Mack realizes he’s not just playing Good Samaritan. He wants Beth, too, and will do anything to ensure his lover isn’t taken by the finman. But can he protect his mate from a monster with no soul?

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EARDOUTLT I C RROOM MAANNCCEE

SNOWDONIA WOLVES SERIES BY SOFIA GREY

Released 13 May 2013 Genre: Erotic PNR / Shifter Length: 109 Pages

Love can heal all wounds… Pop star Lillian Hart is determined never to trust another man. She has no idea that the wolf at her door is anything other than a wounded dog, much less the Alpha of the Snowdonia Wolf pack. There’s something about the wild creature that pulls at her. Then a man with her wolf’s eyes starts to invade her dreams, and reality and fantasy merge in a way that has her hoping, against all odds, for dreams to come true. Lillian may have sworn off men, but Jake’s not just any man, he’s a shifter, and he’s about to shift Lillian’s world to make room for him. He vows to claim her as his Mate, and when Jake makes a vow, he keeps it. But Lillian wants to take it slow and Jake is not about to waste any time. In this battle of wills, both discover giving in and trusting their hearts can heal even the deepest of hurts.

Romance author Sofia Grey spends her days managing projects in the corporate world and her nights hanging out with wolf shifters and alpha males. She devours pretty much anything in the fiction line, but she prefers her romances to be hot, and her heroes to have hidden depths. When writing, she enjoys peeling back the layers to expose her characters’ flaws and always makes them work hard for their happy endings.

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EROTIC ROMANCE

HOLDING HER CLOSE (BITS & BYTES 0) BY ALLYSON LINDT When heartbreak and betrayal define a billionaire playboy’s past, the last thing he needs is to fall for the one woman who can save his company. See how it all started in the prequel to Allyson Lindt’s Bits & Bytes series. Holding Her Close is a sexy, contemporary romance about first loves and second chances. Zach is haunted by ex-girlfriends. The day his fiancée dumped him she also sold her shares of his multi-billion dollar corporation. On top of that, that girl who broke his heart in high school – the only woman he’s never been able to forget – is back in his life. She’s filling his business partner’s head with delusions of recovering from the hostile takeover, and haunting his most vivid fantasies. But he’s got a plan to solve half the problem: one night together and they can put the past behind them. It’s been years since Rae talked to her high school sweetheart. But running in the same circles –her best friend is his business partner – has caught up to her. Rae is seeing Zach everywhere, including her explicit, rampant imagination. When he proposes a single night together for closure, she hopes it will be just what she needs to move on. The past and the present intertwine as “Just this once” becomes “Just one more time.” Especially when Rae discovers the solution to Zach’s business problems. Can he trust her enough to risk his heart and livelihood a second time, or will experience convince him to walk away from everything?

MAIN CHARACTERS:

performance. She’s petite, rocking a killer set of curves, and knows how to play with the corporate big-boys and Zach Johnston: Zach has built his career on a carefully still keep them at arm’s length. crafted mask, and playing nice with the big money in his industry in order to stay on top. Love has burned him LENGTH: 55,000 words (about 150 pages) twice, so he’s happy to bounce from woman to woman Does Holding Her Close have an HEA? Yes rather than risk his heart a third time. With a tall, wiry How would I describe it? Holding her close is a sexy, frame, he has a presence in a room that can’t be ignored, light read with a decent dose of angst and his steel-blue eyes that tell him what he needs to know to make the sale. IS THIS THE FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES? Chronologically, Holding Her Close is the first book in Lorraine (Rae) Neilson: Rae is the best at what she does the Bits & Bytes series, even though Conflict of Interest – making numbers work for struggling businesses. Oh, was released first in April 2013. Book 2 (Toeing the Line) and standing on her own. Always. She lost herself once will be released August 19, 2013 in a relationship and she’s not planning on a repeat

Allyson Lindt is a fulltime database developer and a fullertime contemporary romance author. She was lucky enough to marry her muse and soul mate. Their cats are their children, and when they’re not spending way too much time gaming, they’re building new worlds together. She loves a sexy happily-ever-after and helping deserving cubicle dwellers find their futures together

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EROTIC ROMANCE

EXCLUSIVE BONUS MATERIAL HOLDING HER CLOSE BY ALLYSON LINDT FIRST LOVES AND HOW THEY MET Rae and Zach have lived in my head longer than almost any other character, and as a result I have a good idea of about 90% of their backstor y. At one point, I even thought their tale would be told in a young adult universe. I never got very far with that venture, but I once upon a time I wrote out the day they actually met, and now I’m sharing it for the first time. Rae stuffed her books in her locker, grabbed the brown paper bag with her lunch in it, and let the wave of students wash her down the stairs and towards the cafeteria. Before she reached the common area, a glance through a side door replaced her irritation with a smile. She peeled away from the throng and made a beeline for the empty spot under a tree at the edge of the lawn. She rested her back against the trunk and stretched her legs out. The sun was high enough that the warmth hit her feet, but the branches canopied out to shade the rest of her. “Excuse me,” a male voice interrupted. She looked up to find a pair of steel blue eyes watching her, and heat flooded her cheeks. “It’s Rae, right?” he asked She nodded, and pulled her knees to her chest. “I’m Zach. We kind of, but not really, met at registration.” She nodded again. She recognized the blond hair that just brushed his ears, and the clothes that looked like they cost more than her entire wardrobe and hung nicely off his frame. “You’ve got one of the best spots out here, and I was wondering if maybe I could share it with you?” He asked.

She nodded a third time and scooted aside to make room. “Are you sure?” He sat across from her. “I mean, if you’d rather be alone…” “You’re fine.” She cringed inwardly at the feather y whisper of her voice. He grinned. “So you do talk. I was starting to worr y you didn’t like me.” She swallowed and forced the breathiness from her voice. “It’s not that. I’m just shy.” He stretched his legs out until they rested parallel to hers. “I saw you with your friends, you’re not shy.” He was so at ease, why couldn’t she do that? “Not with them, I know them.” “So now you know me too.” He made it sound so simple. Her mouth twisted in exasperation. “It’s not the same.” “Why not?” “I’ve known them for a long time,” she explained. “If I say something stupid in front of them, they expect it. If I say something in front of you, and you don’t know what to make of it, then I have to eat lunch alone.” His face scrunched up in thought, and then he looked at her again. “And if you don’t say anything, I’ll leave anyway.” “But at least then I won’t spend the rest of my high school career wondering if it was something I said.” What was she doing? This had to rank near the top of saying embarrassing things. Her self-consciousness floated away when he laughed. A genuine, clear sound. “You’re doing fine so far,” he assured her. “Don’t worry so much.” ♥

JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

EROTIC ROMANCE

SNOWDONIA WOLVES SERIES BY SOFIA GREY

WOLFIE VIGNETTE 3 – EXCLUSIVE FOR CBL DIGEST

They’re almost the colour of lapis lazuli, an intense blue I’ve never seen before. Does he wear coloured contacts? It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask when Ella clears her throat.

(TAKES PLACE A FEW WEEKS AFTER WOLF AT THE DOOR FINISHES)

“I asked you here today, Olivia, because I wanted to share some news with you. Have you heard any rumours?”

Olivia Wright’s interview with rock star Ella Hart and her new husband Jake Bledri

’m ushered into a plush hotel room overlooking a rugged mountain range, in the heart of rural Wales. Despite it being the end of April, there are still traces of snow on the peaks. I’m here to catch up with Ella Hart as she completes her current tour and it’s been hinted she has something big to tell me. Recently married, this is my first chance to meet her husband and to see them together. Ella greets me with a kiss on each cheek and leads me to a comfortable sofa. As always, she looks stunning. Her bright red curls are tied back from her porcelain smooth skin with just a few tendrils escaping. “Hello again, Olivia. How long is it since I last saw you?” I smile at her friendliness. “Almost a year. A lot has happened since then, but you look amazing. Marriage must agree with you?” Her cheeks colour briefly and her smile widens. “I’m very happy, thank you.” She turns her head as a side door opens and I see Jake Bledri joining us. He’s taller than I expected and broader in the shoulders, and I can see why Ella is so taken with him. He strides across the room to shake my hand in a firm grip. “Jake, this is Olivia Wright.” “Pleased to meet you.” His accent is delicious and close to, he’s even more yummy. I have to drag my gaze away from his chiselled cheekbones and bright blue eyes. Did I say bright?

There are always rumours about a platinum-selling rock star like Ella Hart. Mentally shaking myself to focus on the job, I count them on my fingers. “One: you’re pregnant. Two: you’re divorcing already. Three: You’re divorcing Jake because you’re pregnant with Kurt’s love child.” She laughs aloud at this one and tangles her fingers with her husband’s. He moves to stand behind her while she settles in the corner of the sofa. “Where did I get up to? Oh yes. Four: You’re going into the movies to star in Kurt’s latest blockbuster.” I shrug and smile. “They’re the main ones.” She glances up at the man holding her hand and then turns back to me with a smile. “None of the above. I’m retiring.” I truly didn’t expect that. Music has been Ella’s focus for the past ten years and it’s made her a household name. “Spending the last five years on the road, huh. I guess you need a break?” I try not to stare at her stomach (flat as always). “I’m not pregnant, Olivia. But I do want to spend time with Jake, and I can’t do them both.” A nearby phone jangles and she frowns. Reaching out to take it, she glances at the display. “I need to take this, will you give me a minute?” I nod, but she’s already getting up and leaving the room, the door closing softly behind her. My heart races. My chance to speak to her husband alone. “Mr Bledri – can I call you Jake?” “ I t ’ s pronounced Blay-dree.” His accent washes over me but I jump right in, conscious that Ella will be back at any moment. >> more on page 41 JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

EROTIC ROMANCE

“Mr Blay-dree. You’ve captured the heart of one of music’s most popular artists in recent years. She’s giving up her career for you. You must be something very special and yet the media knows nothing about you.” He shifts his feet and his eyes darken a fraction, but he stays quiet. “What can I tell the world? Everyone wants to know how you’ve done it. Do you worry that you’re her rebound guy? She was madly in love with Kurt Anderson just a few months ago.”

“Olivia was asking if you’ll get bored with me. Do you think you will, Cariad?” He murmurs the last word, an endearment, and my heart flips. What I’d give to have someone looking at me like that, as though I was the reason for his next breath. Ella giggles. “It’s a good question, darling. What on earth do I see in you?” She’s teasing, I know and his wolfish grin tells me he knows it too.

There’s a long pause and then the corner of his lips tilts up. I’ve amused him? I was trying to provoke a reaction. “You can tell “Must be my animal magnetism.” the world that I’m madly in love with my beautiful wife, and you can ask her the question yourself when she comes back.” Jake’s startling blue eyes glance at me, his eyebrows quirking and I can’t help blushing. There’s something tremendously He’s smart. I try another tack. “You’re Welsh, I know that.” I strong about him and I have to admit, they look good together. glance outside at the wild scenery. “Do you live near here?” I sigh inwardly and go back to my script. We discuss Ella’s impending retirement, her happiness with Jake and then I steer “Yes, we live in Wales.” Damn, he’s not giving anything away. the conversation back to her very famous ex. There’s still no sign of Ella, so I have another try. “How – where “So. Kurt Anderson has now divorced his wife and is single – did you meet Ella?” again. Any regrets that you’re no longer together?” “We met when she was taking a holiday in the Welsh Ella snorts with laughter and squeezes her husband’s fingers. mountains. I was there, she was there… we clicked.” “You seriously have to ask that? Olivia, I have no regrets. Jake is my life now and I couldn’t be happier.” “She’s a rock star, used to bright lights and the city vibe, to adoring fans and media appearances. Do you worry that As I pack up my things and shake both their hands, I feel a you’ll be enough to keep her satisfied? Surely she’ll get bored pang of envy for Ella. She has bagged a gorgeous guy who after a few months of playing house?” obviously dotes on her and if anyone deserves happiness it’s her. I wish them both the very best of luck. ♥ Right on cue the side door opens and Ella rejoins us. She narrows her eyes at Jake and catches his hand again as she sits. “Sorry about that, did I miss anything?”

EXCERPT FROM SELKIE’S REVENGE BY

ROSANNA LEO

s a torrent of emotion coiled up through her core, Beth kissed him. She barely understood his words, barely comprehended her own thoughts, but she knew she needed Mack’s mouth upon hers. She smashed her lips against his, and his tongue penetrated the warmth of her mouth, finding its home there. He slid his hands down her back to her bottom, and he groaned, digging into the soft flesh of her behind. Desire and common sense raged a war inside her head. Common sense told her to pack a bag, purchase a ticket to New Smyrna, and leave Mack Kirk far behind. Desire told her to submit, and it was winning out by a mile. “I don’t know what to do. I need you to tell me what to do.” He leaned in, smelling so sweet, like an exotic fruit she just needed to peel and gobble up. “Just let go, Beth. Just feel.” She dared to look him in the eye. “I’m afraid to feel.” “I know. For years I was too.” He brushed his lips against

hers, and his tongue slipped out to caress between them, making her ache with such yearning. “But I’ll help you.” Jamie and Edan arrived with beers. Edan gave Jamie a look as if knowing they’d interrupted

>> more on page 46 JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

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“

I’m going to hell anyway, so why not.

COVER REVEAL

Every day she comes and kneels in the first pew. I can’t help but wonder where else she’s on her knees, or who else she’s on her kneels in front of.

It’s the same vicious cycle, though. I think impure thoughts, castigate myself in my office or confessional chamber, then count the minutes until she returns again the next day so I can repeat the cycle. Today is no different. She’s in the front pew, hands folded, resting against her forehead as she prays for forgiveness. I wonder what she’s done that she needs to come here and pay penance each day. Is she a bad girl? Does she have naughty thoughts? I can’t help the impure thoughts from creeping in. It wouldn’t matter how much I castigate myself. When it comes to her, there’s no use in trying to be a man of God. COVER DESIGN BY MAYHEM COVER CREATIONS

ALSO BY EVELYN R. BALDWYN Evelyn has written short stories since childhood but only recently began exercising her real writing muscles. While she does not consider herself a professional writer in any sense of the word, she continues to polish her craft and hopes for success in her writing ventures, even if they are just as a hobby. WEBSITE • TWITTER • GOODREADS • FACEBOOK

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EROTIC ROMANCE

CHAPTER SAMPLE

Scrap Metal

ALEXI RAYMOND AND JENNAH SCOTT’S

CHAPTER 1

Angelica’s best friend, RayAnne, belted the lyrics to the ridiculous country song as they drove down the quiet streets of Kimmswick, Missouri. RayAnne was the most positive person she’d ever met, which was probably why they worked so well together. Whatever the reason for their odd couple style friendship, Angelica was more than happy for it. It was easy for Angel to slip into lonesome artist mode as a sculptor, and Ray was always there to yank her back from the depths. “Come on, Angel, you know this one.” Angelica laughed and leaned her head out the truck’s window, the smell of small town life and fresh grass lingering in her nostrils. Angelica laughed as she butchered the lyrics. The decision to ride along while RayAnne worked was definitely the right one. If anything could get her mind out of the slump it was in, there was no doubt RayAnne could do it. “Sorry, lover, guess I didn’t quite learn this one last time.” She reached over and turned the volume dial down on the dash of the old blue Chevy pickup. “That’s all right.” RayAnne shrugged. “One more stop today and then we’re done. You ready to quit your art job and be a scrapper with me?” Angelica forced a smile. How close she’d been to giving up on art for so many years and so many reasons. Maybe it would be better to try something different. Just the thought made her heart ache. Give up on art. Aside from her clothes, art was the only output she’d found. Well, that, and the great casual sex she’d had in all her days traveling from town to town. But here in Kimmswick? Not too many options. Which brought her to think about someone else’s problems for a change. “Oh. Changes. I need details. What’s going on with that boyfriend of yours, Matt? You came home awful early last night.” “Ugh.” RayAnne’s shoulders slumped. “Don’t worry, Angel, it’s not me, no, no, it’s never me. It’s him. Just like it was with Steve and Darryl and…” Ray brought her sunglasses down to her nose and glanced over at Angelica. “Now why would you go and ruin a good song?” RayAnne’s dainty arms turned the steering wheel hard onto a gravel road Angelica didn’t recognize. Even though Kimmswick was small, she tended to stick to her studio and house. The grocery store, gas station, and bar were all within five miles of both, so she didn’t have a reason to explore the town much. “Sorry. Where are we going?” Angelica stuck her head out the window and took in several long warehouse-shaped buildings about a mile up the road. “This is it, last stop, and we can go home and pop open a beer.” “Oh, so this is the friend you’ve been telling me about all this time, huh? Favorite stop of the day?” RayAnne pulled up to a broad expanse of lot where a big black 350 was parked. A man bent over brushing at the rocker panel on the driver’s side was the focus of her attention. >> more on page 41

Release Date: July 8th, 2013 Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Not one to settle down, Angelica Rousseau never thought she’d consider planting roots in the small town of Kimmswick, Missouri. When her art speaks to her—and gives her a reason to get up close and personal with body shop owner, Ryker Talcott—sticking around starts to have appeal. Ryker has to deal with a lot of personalities and has found that custom orders for women almost never end well. Especially when the women are as picky and confident as Angelica. This time it’s different. He’s never met a woman like her. She rivals his confidence and has the attitude to back it up. When the past threatens their future, Angelica and Ryker have to decide what’s more important—their own promises to themselves, or the love they both feel for each other. JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

EROTIC ROMANCE

“Oh yeah, hot as sin.” Ray let loose a long whistle as her eyes raked over the man’s ass. Angel unclicked her seat belt. “So why haven’t you dated this one?” RayAnne cackled, “No, sir. Hot as sin and likely to take me to hell just as fast. I don’t think I could control myself with him.” RayAnne hopped out of the truck, slamming her door, but the man outside didn’t even flinch. “Aww, isn’t that cute. See, where I come from we like men who don’t mind a little dirt on their machines.” The way RayAnne bounded out of the truck of her Chevy in cowboy boots and country dresses still amazed Angelica. But it was part of who she was. Her heart was still in Tennessee, buried with her mom. Now, without hesitation, Angelica put one heavy black boot on the ground before sliding the other out and taking the small hop to the ground. Sure, the shin-high laced up boots were easier to maneuver than her usual stilettos, but she’d rather get out of her Cadillac than hop out of a pickup truck any day of the week. Angelica leaned against the truck and watched as RayAnne sauntered up to the man and snaked her arms around his neck as he leaned down to wrap her up in a brotherly type hug. His shirt was solid black, cotton from the way it moved on his torso. She eyed his biceps as they stretched the material. The man released RayAnne, straightening to his full stature as he pointed to a set of bay doors and headed toward the shop. RayAnne walked back to the truck and jumped in, yelling through the window. “You getting back in?” “No, I’ll just walk it.” Angelica kicked at the gravel under her feet as the truck roared to life next to her. It was pretty back by the shop. Trees surrounded the lot, the only ones removed for the drive and the buildings; thin shoots of grass stuck up in the densest areas of the trees. So much nature right around an auto and body shop, odd combination, but one that made Angelica smile, nonetheless. Funny how she could still find new places and people in such a small town. In the three years she’d been in Kimmswick, the place had yet to stop surprising her. Which in itself was surprising considering it was a small town where not a whole lot happened. Angelica shook off a shudder and looked around. No sense reliving past mistakes. The bed of RayAnne’s truck was already disappearing into the bay doors as she approached the building.

“All right, Ryke, whatchya got for me today?” RayAnne’s sweet twang carried over the still air inside. Even in the dim lighting, Angelica saw the shop was cared for much more than the other stops they’d made throughout the day. Where tools and empty oil containers laid open on the floor and on workbenches in other shops, everything in this one had a place and was clearly in it. As Angel came around the side of the truck, she watched the man, Ryke, walk over to a gated area in the middle of the shop and pull open the door. Indeterminable ink sketched onto his skin was visible from where she stood, moving as he brought his hand up to run it through dirty blond hair. “Odds and ends today, Ray. Got room for me?” White teeth dazzled as he smiled, his head swiveling around for Ray but locking with Angelica’s. “Hi, there.” His lips opened to say something else, but Ray interrupted him. “Sorry, Ryke, forgot to introduce you to Angelica. You know, my roomie I always talk about?” Angel kept her pace and stuck her hand out to Ryke. “So you do exist.” Ryke chuckled and held out his hand. It was warm, covering hers as he eyed her just as plainly as she was eying him. She took in the laugh lines coming from his eyes and the slight tanned color of his skin. Words etched on his forearms, and different colored paints splattered across the black denim jeans he wore. Angelica smiled, a purr growing inside of her. The man was intriguing. “I do. I see you’re just as sinful as Ray says.” “Is that what she says about me?” Ryke winked at Angel. “I’m Ryker.

Nice to meet you, Angelica.” “Call me Angel.” “My pleasure.” The rumble to his voice made Angelica regret wearing her art clothes. The smock covered her legs, most of her boots, and if she hadn’t pulled down the top to stop from sweating to death, everything else she had to offer. Of course, the tank she wore under it would have been sexier if she had curves and voluptuous breasts like Ray, but she was proud of what she had, and she squared her shoulders, hoping he liked what he saw. “All right, enough dilly-dallying, you two. We gotta get this scrap loaded.” RayAnne walked up to them, a piece of metal in each hand. “Yes, ma’am.” Angel separated herself from Ryke and saluted her friend before taking the next few steps to the gated area and grabbing herself a piece of squared metal. It was shiny and smooth under her hands with just the center dented. Walking back to the truck, she tucked it close to the passenger side window of the bed where she would remember it. Something about it called to her; just a silly piece of scrap metal, but it spoke to her muse. One piece of scrap could be the tip of the iceberg for breaking her dry spell. Piece by odd piece, Angel helped Ray and Ryke haul the rest of the scrap into the truck until the gated area was empty and Ray’s truck was overfilled. Lucky for them, he didn’t have any long pieces like the first stops had had, or there was no way it would have all fit. Angel climbed back into her seat, reaching to close the door. ♥

Jennah Scott resides in Missouri. Until she started writing, she didn’t know what she wanted to be. So she ended up with degrees in education, business, and the medical field. When not writing you can find her with her family or lost in a book. Alexi Raymond lives in Indiana with her husband and kittens. She can be found tumbling at gymnastics class, beating up the boys in a wrestling ring, and filming sports for her local TV station when she’s not on the couch talking to the people in her head!

WEBSITE • FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

EROTIC ROMANCE

>> continued from page 41 something. “I’m heading back to the bar to try my luck with the luscious bartender.” Jamie grimaced. “The old one with the beard?” “Not him, you eejit,” Edan said with a grunt. “The female bartender. The one with the big…” He paused, looking at Beth. “Uh, bottle of vodka. Right,

that one.” He dashed off. Jamie winked at Beth. “I’ll get to her first.” With a smile, he was after his brother. She leaned against Mack’s wall of a chest, wanting to lose herself in him. “Show me how to feel again.” “With pleasure,” he growled into her ear. He nibbled her earlobe and then proceeded to slide back out of the booth. “Where are you going?” she asked, already needy for his touch again. “Just to the jukebox,” he replied, grinning. “You are going to dance with me. And feel.” She watched, glued to her seat as Mack inserted a couple of coins into the jukebox and selected a song. He turned to her, his lips curled in a grin. As the first rolling guitar chords of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” washed over her, making her want to move, Mack beckoned to her with a finger. Beth’s body moved toward him, responding like a homing pigeon diving toward its destination. He pulled her into his arms and they swayed. Beth had never danced so closely with a man to anything but a romantic ballad, but Mack wouldn’t break contact with her. He moved his hard body against hers, his hands on her hips, and his erection was a thick temptation grinding against her stomach. She had to fight the need to drop to her knees, rip down his jeans, and take his cock deep in her throat. The urge, and the depth of emotion accompanying it, made her light-headed. He turned her away from the bar area toward the nearest wall and slid his hands over the curve of her bottom. His fingers dug into her ass, and Beth had to remind herself they were in public. She wanted him to nail her right to the wall. Through the damn wall. She needed him inside her at all costs. He felt so good.

My mate. Could it be? He lowered his head so he could whisper against her ear. “Do you feel me, Beth? Do you feel my desire throbbing against you? My need to be joined to you again?” The song reached its crescendo, and his hips rolled against hers in a heady foreshadowing of what he would do to her the next time they were alone. Beth closed her eyes. The way he moved was sinful. She imagined devils from the most depraved circles of hell might dance in such a fashion. All of a sudden, even her soft leggings felt tight and restrictive. She wanted them off. She wanted no barrier between their bodies. As if sensing her need, Mack reached a discreet hand toward her breast and located her distended nipple through her tunic. He tugged and she had to bite her lip not to cry out. “Take me home, Mack,” she begged in an unfamiliar, wanton voice. “I want to feel more.” ♥

ALSO AVAILABLE! BOOK #1 IN THE ORKNEY SELKIES SERIES BY ROSANNA LEO THE SELKIES

Rosanna Leo is a multipublished, erotic romance author with Liquid Silver Books. Her books include For the Love of a God, The Selkie and Predator’s Kiss. There is nothing that gives her greater pleasure than pairing awkward mortal heroines with devastating, immortal men. When not writing, she can be found haunting dusty library stacks or planning her next star-crossed love affair.

WEBSITE • FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS JULY 2013 | WWW.CBLDIGEST.COM

EROTIC ROMANCE

EXCERPT WUNDER (0.5 DREAMS) BY A.R. VON

might have a normal life now— well as normal of a life a freak of nature that lives in a world filled with infected people can have. Normal…as in training daily to fight and kill to stay alive as well as keep others safe. But it was a bit difficult for me growing up. No mother, abnormal genes and being raised by a single parent, my father, Lance. Don’t get me wrong, he’s the best father a girl could ask for. I think he did an excellent job raising me. He taught me everything I know and then some. Well, with the exception of a few minor details that a father prefers not to discuss with his only daughter, you know, the ‘sex talk’. When I was checked over just recently, the doctors determined that I could have children, just like any other woman in the world. As a result, my dad actually had one of the local female physicians give me the talk. Oh yea, that was fun! I believe I had Doc Smith blushing when I blurted out everything I knew. Which I have mostly learned from the guys at the training center and my team mates. They always speak openly and boldly of their conquests and love lives. Then of course, there are my dreams. I’ve not told her about those though. She said I knew an awful lot for not having experience in that area. THAT made me blush and we ended that conversation right there. My dad couldn’t look me in the eye that evening when I got home. I was smiling the entire time, knowing how awkward he felt about having to send me to someone else for the talk. I didn’t tease him or anything though, despite my constant grin. Well, I did in my mind, but I knew he would be even more uncomfortable if I did. I couldn’t do that to him. He’s had enough to deal with, just having to hold on to the secret. The secret which lives within in me. He’s kept it for so long, on top of having to continue living with the loss of his one true love and soul mate, my mother Jasmine. There are some others beside my dad and myself, who know what I truly am, but not many. My dad had no other choice but to try and find

out more about me and what to expect as I grew and developed. He wanted to be prepared in case of anything happening because of my DNA. There seems to be no other part zombies of any sort around. So, he went to a couple of his closest friends who worked in the medical field, and they ran a multitude of tests on me. Comparing me to other humans, other zombies, even a few animals (to date there’s never been an infected animal of any type). I don’t remember much about most of it. I was way too young to hold those memories. I do recall lights, very bright ones and some smells. I now know what one particular scent was. Zombies. Boy, do those suckers stink! I think it’s my heightened senses that make it so bad. I’d describe their scent as a combination of the stink in the air which comes into a car window when driving by an old sewage plant on a very hot day, combined with a rotted corpse. The smell of death reeks! My dad always tells me he doesn’t smell them the way I do. Not even close. He can only smell them when he’s up close and getting personal with handing them their death. One of those ‘up close and personal meet the end of my machete’ types of meetings. He’s been by my side for all of it. He still is to this day. Even every month, when I have to go renew my proof of living, he’s right there by my side. He insists on being there in case any changes occur within me. So, I won’t have to feel alone or frightened. All they do to process anyone for their proof of living (which everyone has to go through no less than once a month) is prick your finger to draw a bit of blood. I guess you could say it’s somewhat similar to what a diabetic would do to test their blood sugar. Except in this case, they’re checking for a different sort of abnormality within. You know, the fucked up infected kind. ♥

WIN WITH WUNDER!

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance Release Date: June 11, 2013

A World of Turmoil and Yearning Wunder may have a normal life now…well, as normal as a freak of nature could have. Half zombie while her job is to hunt bloodthirsty creatures to protect the innocent. It’s the dreams that haunt her and they aren’t nightmares. Wunder dreams of a man, a man made just for her. Is he real, can he be the one she‘s yearned for? Pete’s world is a lonely one as he wrestles with the reality of being part zombie. His hatred for the creatures that killed his parents drives him to patrol the streets and wipe them all out. His life would be stark, but for the dreams he’s been having; of a woman, so sensuous, so sexy. These alluring visions have become erotic and consuming. He feels as if he made her up to keep from going crazy. Is this life of hunting the walking dead, all there is? Or is she out there, waiting…just for him?

ALSO AVAILABLE! THE APPROACH (WUNDER #1) BY A.R. VON

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