May 2016 edition by The Book Breeze

Reviews, Interviews, New Releases

Vol 6 Issue 4

Welcome to the world of debut author

May 2016

Nadine Nightingale

Included in this issue ... Interview Book review Book Excerpt

Interview with Susan Mallery

Article Unleashing Your Creativity by Ash Krafton

Book Excerpts

KARMA by Nadine Nightingale INVISION by Sherrilyn Kenyon

turn the page c

in this issue

May 2016

On the cover ... Debut Author Nadine Nightingale

See her interview on page 4 Review Columns

YA Shannon’s Space . . . Page 10-13

Mystery Roberta’s Ramblings . . . Page 6-7

Articles

Unleashing Your Creativity: Five Ways to Switch Off Your Internal Editor By Ash Krafton ... Page 8-9

Interviews ...

Susan Mallery Page 14

Book Excerpts

KARMA by Nadine Nightingale Page 5 INVISION by Sherrilyn Kenyon Page 16 New Releases Everywhere

Dear Johnny by Kathryn Elizabeth Kelly

Perhaps they aren’t here. A little surge of hope shot through him. He turned away.

The door opened behind him. His hopes dashed, he turned around and his breath caught in his throat.

Stephen had been a handsome man. That knowledge should have provided him with forewarning. “Are you lost?” She asked. The voice of an angel.

Jackson stared into the very same blue eyes of his friend. I’ll think about that later. Black hair framed the most beautiful face he had ever seen. “Do I know you?” She asked, a small smile playing about her lips. Luscious pink lips. Jackson wavered. Perhaps it wasn’t too late to turn and walk away. “Leah,” he murmured.

The smile faded from her lips and she glanced behind him.

Saw the servant hovering behind him now. Stood her ground. She doesn't know me. “How do you know my name?” She asked, her eyes full of suspicion now. “I apologize,” Jackson said. “I don’t mean to frighten you.” “Who is it?” A woman called from the back of the house.

“It’s alright, Grandma. Just someone looking for directions.” Leah stepped over the threshold and pulled the door behind her. “Who are you?” She asked. “You seem to have the advantage.” “I apologize. My name is Jackson Holcomb.”

“Well, Jackson Holcomb, how may I assist you?”

Jackson shifted and her eyes lit on the haversack over his right shoulder. Stephen’s haversack.

Her gaze lifted to his. Recognition merged with knowledge. Her expression questioned.

There was nothing he could say. He shook his head slightly.

She swayed. Then the most beautiful angel fainted into his arms.

Before he knew what had happened, his arms were full of her. He cradled her close to him, putting his arms beneath her knees and picking her up. She was light as a feather. Nudging the door open, he carried her inside.

Nadine Nightingale Interview with

Tell us about your new release. Karma is the first book in the Drag.Me.To.Hell series. It’s the story of Amanda Bishop, a selfish, stab-worthy, arrogant and Alexander witch, Remington, a selfless, heroic hunter, who works for the Paranormal Analysis Unit of the FBI. They used to have a thing, but that was before he learned she’s a witch and tried to kill her. Now, eighteen months later, he’s back in her life and offers her a deal; she’ll help him save his brother and he’ll disappear from her life for good. But karma can be a real bitch… What led you to write this book? My middle-name, which I wouldn’t even disclose if you tortured me. Sounds weird? Wait for it. My creative writing tutor at the University of Oxford—yes, Mr. Hughes, I’m talking about you—kept teasing me about it. He was convinced said name could only mean I’m a witch. Then, one stormy autumn night, he gave us an assignment: write the beginning of a novel, consisting of two time frames. I figured it would be fun to throw his joke back at him by handing in the beginning of a witch novel. I already had the prefect characters in mind. Amanda and Alex had been with me for a while—met them in one of my many daydreams—et voila, Karma was born.

Did you have an interesting experience in the research of this book? Yes and yes. When I realized I wanted to finish the novel, I went to the Bodleain Library and read a pile of books about: demons, voodoo, and real-life occult cases. Trust me when I say, most of the students looked at me as if I was a crazy Satanist on the look-out for her next victim. Anyways, at some point, I came across the Kern County Child Abuse Cases of the 80s and couldn’t stop thinking about it. Many innocent people had been falsely accused and lost everything due to said allegations. But I kept wondering: What if not all of the allegations were false? What if the real evil slipped through the cracks?

How important is setting to your story? I like to set my stories in real places. So, most of the motels, bars, etc. in Karma exist. But I’m not a big fan of long, descriptive paragraphs. As a reader it pulls me out of the story and sometimes I just want the necessary details so I can picture it myself.

Which is more important characters or setting? Characters. I firmly believe a book is only as good as its characters.

Are any of your characters loosely based on people you know in real life? No, but I did name Amanda after my kick-ass niece.

Do you have a favorite fictional character by another author you’d like to meet? Oh boy, I have many fictional characters I’d like to meet. The one I’d go all super-fan-girl on would be the infamous Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. She so needs to teach me a few tricks. What do you hope readers take away from your work? The world isn’t just black and white, its mostly gray. We all have a selfish Amanda inside of us, but we also carry part of Alex’s heroism. In the end, it’s all about finding balance.

Do you have an interesting quirk about your personality that you’d like to share? Interesting? Not really. Annoying quirks? Many. I’m the kinda girl that googles the plot of a movie while watching it, I’m also stubborn, way too honest, and always right. Why my family and friends haven’t locked me away yet is a mystery to me.

What do you do when you are not writing? If I’m not travelling the world, I read, watch movies (preferably horror or action), pretend to work out, or hang with my family (cat and dog included) and friends.

Which book impacted you as a teenager? That would be To Kill a Mockingbird.

Do you read the same genre you write? I read every genre—classics, contemporary romance, young adult, new adult, scifi, crime, horror—the list is endless.

What is #1 on your bucket list? I don’t have a bucket list, but I follow James Dean’s motto: “Dream as if you live forever, live as if you die today.” I try to do whatever the hell I want, whenever the hell I want. Life is too short. Have you ever written a scene that ‘creeped’ you out? It’s pretty hard to freak me out. My brother enhanced my resilience by introducing me to George A. Romero when I was seven. I blame him for my dark side ☺. However, there’s one particular scene in Karma that made me cringe and turned my stomach upside down. Once you read it, you’ll know exactly what I’m referring to. I think it was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever written and I’m not sure how I managed to bring it to paper.

Do you have a favorite writing place or writing rituals? You mean like: getting up, grabbing coffee, sitting down in my bathrobe with messed up hair, glaring at a blank page, checking social media and so on?

My senses reeled. All I had to do was tell him we were over, but one touch, and I was a wet mess that hungered for more. “Alex,” I moaned as he reached for the hem of my shirt. “Please.”

What social media do you participate in? You can always find me on Facebook and I try my best to keep Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest up-to-date.

When I didn’t reply, he pulled my shirt over my head and pushed me against the wall. Cupping my ass with rough hands, he trailed kisses down my neck.

What are you reading now? I’m reading A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro and am eagerly waiting for the next Stephen King.

What is the one question you wish an interviewer would ask you? Are you always that weird? Would make this a whole less awkward for the poor interviewer ☺. In case you want an answer: I was born this way. What’s next for you? I’ve just sent the second book, of the Drag.Me.To.Hell series, to my awesome editor and am working on the third book. Book Excerpt from KARMA

For the longest time, I just stared at him. His perfect abs, the mesmerizing face, the fatal eyes—fuck, the guy was perfection. But this—us—was wrong. He was a hunter. I was a witch. He was gentle, good, and caring. I was a selfish, evil witch resented by my own mother. “Amanda?” He stepped forward until we were eye to eye. “What’s going on?” “Nothing,” I barked. “Just go back to bed, all right?”

He moved forward until we were chest to chest. “Sure about that?” His hands trailed down my arms. “The wall is so much more fun,” he said, kissing the edge of my lip.

Kissing the other side of my lip, he smiled. “Please touch me? Please leave me alone? Gotta be a bit more specific, Manda.”

I pressed my palms against his chest and wrapped my legs around his waist. Tension built in my belly as I felt his hardon against my black lace panties. What in God’s name was wrong with me? One second I wanted to get as far away from him as possible, and the next I wanted him buried inside me. “Alex,” I choked out. “This is a bad idea.”

He carried me to the table. When he set me down, his eyes locked with mine. “With you, everything seems to be a bad idea.” His gaze dropped to my lips, and before I could say anything, his mouth covered mine. He kissed me so hard, my head bent back. Desire spread through my body like a blazing fire, and no matter how hard I tried to fight it, I needed him.

Running my hands through his thick hair, I pressed my legs against his rock-hard ass and pulled him closer. “Alex,” I whispered against his lips. “I want you.” My chest rose and fell with excitement and nervousness. “Say that again,” he ordered in a husky voice. I pulled his boxers down. “I. Want. You.”

REVIEW

KARMA Drag.Me.To.Hell series By Nadine Nightingale Urban Fantasy Released May 4 by The Wild Rose Press 5 Stars

Amanda Bishop was about to start a new life as a NYU student when her past forced her into another direction – at gunpoint.

Alex Remington is a hunter and Amanda’s former lover until he found out she was a witch. He didn’t take the news well, but when his brother disappeared it was Amanda he turned to for help. The story ends with a touch of foreboding, leaving us a hint of what may come in the next installment in this must read series.

KARMA is a perfectly paced paranormal mystery. Written in first person, we follow Amanda as she and Alex follow leads, pedophiles and the occasional dead body, to find Alex’s brother.

Nightingale seasons this complex plot with masterfully written flashbacks that bring just the right amount of information to the reader. This is no small feat. There is real skill in knowing just how much info to deliver this way without hijacking the plot and sending the reader off into the wilderness.

The story ends with a touch of foreboding, leaving us a hint of what may come in the next installment in this must read series. This is a debut novel for Ms. Nightingale who professes to a serious Marvel superhero addition and considers the world her home. Nadine Nightingale is definitely an author to follow.

Roberta’s Ramblings by Roberta Rogow

The Ancient World has its mysteries... here are a few of them:

Gary Corby's Athenian Mysteries are set in Athens during the time when some of the most notable citizens were establishing the basis of Western culture. One of them in Nicolaos, who calls himself an “agent”, who tackles investigations for the de facto ruler, Pericles.

In THE MARATHON CONSPIRACY (Soho Crime, 2014, $15.95), Nico and his soon-to-be wife, the priestess Diotima, are called to the Sanctuary of Artemis to look into the discovery of a skull in a nearby cave. Coult it be the remains of Hippias, the traitor who summoned the Persians into Hellas? What's worse, one young women studying at the temple school is killed and another is missing, and the school itself is in turmoil. It takes Nico's pesty young brother Socrates to unlock the puzzle, and solve one of the great mysteries of the Battle of Marathon. DEATH EX MACHINA (Soho Crime, 2015,$15,95) has Nico, Diotima and Socrates investigating rumors that a ghost is haunting the grand theater, where the ceremonies of the Great Dionysia are to be performed.

A series of accidents has marred the rehearsals of the new tragedy by the most famous of the writers, Sophocles. A purification rite should take care of the ghost, but when an actor is found hanging from the apparatus used to elevate the one who takes the part of the god at the end of the play, Pericles does the unthinkable. He literally stops time until Nico can unravel this mystery and find the true culprit.

The position of non-Athenians in the city plays a part in the drama, and there are appearances by Euripides and his harridan of a mother as well. Author's notes at the beginning and end of each novel add to the reader's enjoyment of the books, and explain what is often left out of history books.

Roman fleet is on its way.

RAIDERS OF THE NILE, by Steven Saylor (Minotaur, 2014, $15.99) is a prequel to his Sub Rosa series, featuring Gordianus the Finder. Here is Gordianus as a young Roman adrift in the steamy cultural mix that was Alexandria before the Romans took over. Gordianus's slave woman, Bethesda, is kidnapped, and he will do anything to find her. His search takes him into the desert, where he gets involved in banditry, and hears that the

Street performers, mystical priests, mismatched twins all play a part in this wild romp that will lead Gordianus back to his roots in Rome. A Chronology of historical events (and how they coincide with Gordianus's life) is included, as well as Author's notes that explain some of the tangled politics of Egypt and Rome at this crucial time. Followers of the career of Marcus Didius Falco will be delighted to know that there is a second generation of Falco informers in Rome. Falco's daughter, Flavia Albia, has taken his career and his old digs, and is working during the frenetic reign of the Emperor Diocletian.

In ENEMIES AT HOME (Minotaur, 2014,$15.99), Flavia takes on a case that she knows will end badly. A rich man and his wife have been robbed and brutally murdered, The household slaves are immediately suspected. All of them will be tortured, some may be sent to arena. They seek sanctuary in the Temple of Ceres, where they may stay until they are proved innocent... or not. It's up to the aedile, Tiberius Manlius Faustus, to do it, and he, in turn, hires Flavia as his agent to get to the bottom of the tangled web of lies, truths and half-truths that creep into any household in Rome. There is a sickness in the house that may have something to do with the well, and Flavia finds herself in more trouble than she bargained for. The innocent do not always go free and the guilty are not always punished in the stew that is Rome.

DEADLY ELECTION (Minotaur, 2015,$25.00) finds Flavia back in Rome after a short period of rest, recuperating from her last case. There's a problem with the family auction business; a dead body has been found in a chest sold at the last auction. At the same time, her friend Faustus, who came to her rescue when she was deathly ill, calls in a favor, when he needs help getting on of his friends elected.

The two cases collide, when it turns out that Sextus may have something in common with the previous owners of the chest, and the body may have a bearing on the coming election. Roman political campaigns are rough, and Flavia

is caught between family and friends, while she digs for dirt, literally and figuratively. A shameful secret, a tangled web of sisters, a family feud that lasts for generations, all play a part in this tragic election. I

n the end, there is justice of the Roman sort, and Flavia finds a new partner in life, with a hint of more adventures to come.

Both books contain maps of Rome and lists of characters, which help keep the action clear.

Roberta Rogow is a retired librarian who enjoys books with characters that grab you, often set in exotic places or in other times. She reads a lot of historical mysteries, but also enjoys Alternate History, and has been known to indulge in an orgy of“cozy crafty” mysteries, set in small-town America or villages in Great Britain. Her latest release, MAYHEM IN MANATAS is the follow-up to MURDERS IN MANATAS.

TheWriting Life

Unleashing Your Creativity: Five Ways to Switch Off Your Internal Editor By Ash Krafton

A writer has two main signals in the brain: create and edit.

The creator, well, creates. Stories grow and bloom and take on life. The editor and her red pen prunes and cuts and shapes. But there's a reason why I'm a writer, not a farmer, so let's lose the gardening analogy and think of this another way: think green light and red light. Green light, go—the words flow. Red light—stop. Stop and fix, stop and think, stop and just plain stop.

And stopping isn't going to help you get your first draft done.

First drafts need to be green light, all the way. Any time your word flow hesitates, it's an opportunity for the editor to take over. You'll re-read those last lines and tweak them. You'll pause, mentally discarding phrase after phrase because they're just not good enough. The writing stops. The cursor blinks, wondering if you got up and left. Red light. But you don't have to live at the mercy of a red light. The writer controls the signal. Like every other element of writing, it's a piece of craft to be learned. Pro-level Green Light

One way to bask in the glow of the green light is to attain a level of competency that lets you self-edit on the fly. [link: http://www.copyblogger.com/stop-self-editin/] In this article, Sean D'Souza discusses how writing competency leads to writing fluency, where editing happens so quickly we don't even know we're doing it. The red light is only the briefest of flickers in a stream of green.

How does a writer become competent? You write. And you write. You make the mistakes that come with learning a craft. You learn from those mistakes and you get better. Each mistake and its subsequent lesson is one step closer to competency.

But learning a craft takes a long time. In the meantime, we still set word count goals and deadlines, long before we attain this nirvana called fluency. How do we keep ourselves writing forward instead of deleting backwards...or stalling because you can't get past a sentence just because you can't get it down right? Do everything you can to keep the red light from coming on.

I have a few tricks I use during first draft writing and each one contributes to green light streaming in its own way. 1). Go Analog

Notepads don't have delete keys. Plain and simple.

Writing longhand gives me a change to simply write. My handwriting is smooth enough that it all blends in my periphery--I tend not to look back over the last lines as I write. If I do need to change something, I strike it through. Unlike deleting, the original word is there so I don't obsess that I made a mistake by erasing one.

Plus, I love the flow of ink. I'm a very visible-art kind of person so writing with an ink pen is akin to painting words. Best of all, I get to choose the ink color that inspires me. When I was younger, my pen of choice was a purple Pilot ballpoint. Today, I'm partial to blue ink. So much of what I read is in black and white so the mere sight of blue taps into my creative side. Blue is also my ideal color for meditation. Calming, serene blue. Did you know that writing is, in itself, a form of meditation? Google it sometime—when you're not supposed to be writing, of course. Which leads me to another red light reducer: 2). Remove distractions

Distractions create pauses. If you are not actively submerging in the creative flow, typing out words, focused on the story, then your brain will flip the switch to editor mode.

I have a lot of cool junk on my desk. There's a lovely collection of ravens and skulls (thanks to my endless devotion to Edgar Allan Poe) and a bunch of Dr. Who and Sherlock and Supernatural collectables (because I will go down with that 'ship) and a bunch of other nifty writer things. In fact, my desk is the reason why I don't write at my desk. Ever. Too much to play with... and if I'm playing, I'm not writing.

If I look up from the page, I might toy with a sonic screwdriver. My brain might then toy with something I'd already written. The red light comes on and the editor comes out. And that's not what I want when I'm trying to get that first draft written.

Take the time to make a list of your worst distractions. Internet. The telephone. Your hair, if you're a twister-tuggerfidgeter like me. Identify those distractions and do what you can to limit them. The less you look up from the page, the less likely you are to staunch that green light flow.

3). Plan Ahead by Plotting

Some writers love the freedom of watching a story bloom and unfold right before their eyes, with each sentence taking them further along a path toward a new undiscovered word. That's a beautiful thing, that quicksilver taste of creativity—and it's the reason many of us enjoy writing as much as we do. But how many of us actually sit down in from of a blank screen without at least thinking where the book is going to go? Precious few, I'd wager. At the very least, we have an idea. A hook. An anecdote. Something. But if that something isn't big enough for a pantser to go on, it's easy to bang heads with writer's block. (Pantser? Writer's block? If that's the main problem for you, read this.) So, plan ahead. One easy way to do that is to create your plot outline.

Seems like contrary advice coming from a pantser like me but just hear me out. If you know where the story is going, you can write more freely than if you have to come up with each and every element as you go. A little planning goes a long way in illuminating the path ahead so you don't go bumbling in the dark. 4). Allow Necessary Roughness

A first draft is often called the rough draft. However, writers forget that they are allowed to be rough when writing them. Sometimes, we set unrealistic expectations for ourselves and our writing and feel pressured to make the first draft the only draft.

When I was in college, my freshman lit professor told me she loved my first drafts. I wasn't a budding writer or an English major. I had no thoughts about writing novels. I was a first year pharmacy student who felt more at home in the humanities department and I simply loved my reading and writing assignments. Lit classes were a brief escape from chem labs and white coats.

These days, I still haven't escaped the white coats, but I do still try to put out competent first drafts. It's a weird way to pay homage to my old mentors back in Philly—the pharmacist who writes as if her freshman lit teacher was watching. But these days, there is a big difference.

I'm not going for a grade. I've given myself a lot of breathing room. I allow myself to write imperfectly. I permit roughness in my drafts. For instance: I use brackets (like this article describes.) If an element makes me stumble, I close it off, skip over it, and keep going.

Skipping the unwritable parts keep the green light going.

You can go back and write those spots later, after you've had time to work them out. (That's what second drafts are for, right?)

In fact, I love skipping things. In my current WIP, one chapter has only three words: SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS. The next chapter picks up the narrative once more, with actual scenes and sequences. I'm able to pull this off because of the previous tip about plotting. I know where the story is going so it doesn't matter if I have trouble somewhere.

I just gun the gas and speed past it, blasting through that potential red light. Skipping stuff can be such a rush. 5). Avoid Criticism

It's not enough to allow myself to write roughly in a first draft. I know what I'm writing is not the final product. I know it's going to get better, and deeper, and less riddled with thinly-developed ideas. But would someone else know that?

Beta readers and critique partners are a writer's best friends. Seriously. We all need a set of impartial eyes on our stories to see the flaws we can't. But a first draft is no place for that kind of critique.

Not only is the story not yet at a place to be properly critiqued—neither are we. A first draft is a place of discovery and experimentation, a place where creativity needs to flow unimpeded. Criticism, at this point, slams the writing light to full red. It forces us to rethink our work, to go back and change. It intentionally switches us to editor mode.

It also does something to our confidence. Even when the critique is gentle and constructive, it makes us doubt ourselves and where we thought our story was going. You might think a critique is necessary at the beginning, that it will save us unnecessary work down the road. I think that's premature. I think that there's a bigger risk of squelching a good idea before it has a chance to be fully developed. That's the worst kind of editing—it's censoring.

That's why I keep my first drafts to myself. I might give a sneak peek of a scene to one of my inner-sanctum betas, just for a taste of what I'm writing. But I never give enough to inspire criticism and I never hand a red pen over with it. Green Light... Go!

The next time you find yourself stuck in first draft traffic, don't despair. The writer in you has the power to switch that signal and turn that red light green again. You don't need a miracle. You just need to learn how to take back that control. The switch is all yours. Learn to use it to your advantage.

Shannon’s Space

YA Reviews by Shannon Kennedy MR. SAMUEL’S PENNY by Treva Hall Melvin The Poisoned Pencil, November 2014 – 4.5 Stars

Blurb: It's 1972 and fourteen-year-old New Yorker Elizabeth Landers is sent to the sleepy town of Ahoskie, North Carolina to spend the summer with relatives. Her expectation of boredom is quickly dispelled when police sirens and flashing lights draw her to a horrible scene at the Danbury Bridge. Mr. Samuel, owner of Samuel's Lumber Yard, has driven his car off the bridge and into the river, drowning himself and his daughter. The medical examiner thinks it's an accident, but the sheriff finds fresh bullet holes on the bridge right where the skid marks are.

Curiously, Mr. Samuel died clutching a unique 1909 wheat penny --a penny that is then stolen from the sheriff's office. Lizbeth witnesses Miss Violet's grief upon learning that her husband and child are dead, and decides she will help by finding the penny. Her search involves Lizbeth in the lives of many Ahoskie residents. Like the owner of the grocery store, mean old Mr. Jake, who --as all the kids in Ahoskie know --hates black folks. Plenty of pennies in his till. Then there is Ms. Melanie Neely, otherwise known as “Ms. McMeanie,” who thinks the lumber yard should belong to her. And Mr. Samuel’s handsome brother Ben, who struggles to keep the business afloat after his more clever brother’s death. Lizbeth searches through the collection plates at church and in the coin jars of crazy old Aunt Ode, a strange old woman missing one eye and most of her teeth, who keeps a flask in her apron pocket and a secret in her soul.

Review: In the summer of 1972, 14 year-old, African-American Elizabeth Parrot Landers, better known as Lizbeth and her 9 year-old sister, Helena leave their home in New York City to travel south to Ahoskie, North Carolina to visit their extended family. Barely unpacked, Lizbeth and her Auntie Alice hear a string of emergency vehicles racing to the scene of a nearby car accident. Of course they want to help, but to their horror when they arrive, they discover that Joe Samuel, owner of the local lumberyard drove off the Danbury Bridge into the river. Both he and his baby daughter, Emma perish. Shockingly, he holds a Lincoln “wheat” penny, only discovered when the police pull his body out of the water. That same penny vanishes from the sheriff’s department before the medical examiner from the adjacent county arrives.

A coin collector, Lizbeth knows the penny is actually rare; it’s not just one that shows a sheaf of wheat. She explains to her aunt and the sheriff that “the original coin was struck, or made with VDB, the initials of the designer. Three days later, the design was changed, making that initial penny very rare.” Since Mr. Samuel held onto that penny while he and his baby girl drowned, Lizbeth suspects it has great significance and becomes determined to find it and solve the mystery of the deaths. This decision leads her to search the town, involving her in everyone’s lives and their secrets. Of course, she has supporters like Auntie Alice and her husband, Uncle Frank, but Lizbeth has to deal with those who criticize others like Ms. Melanie Neely, better known as Ms. McMeanie. One life lesson follows another, causing Lizbeth to grow and change.

Lizbeth is a girl of her time, an era well described by the author. The turbulent aftermath of the 1960’s pervades the book with the ongoing Vietnam Conflict – not yet known as a war – the Civil Rights Movement, desegregation, covert and overt racism. A trustworthy narrator, Lizbeth describes what she sees and how it affects her family. She shares stories of her parents and what led them to leave North Carolina for New York. Momma is a nurse and Daddy drives a cab after working his day job as a chemist. Lizbeth’s desire to protect her family includes not always sharing everything she knows so her father won’t end up in physical danger and looking after 9 year-old Lena (Helena).

The authentic setting with its lush details adds to the story. Many older readers will remember a more innocent time when kids actually did ride their bicycles all over town, even to the neighborhood grocery. Lizbeth’s first impression of Mr. Jake, the store owner is justifiably a negative one. He does seem to hate his regular customers because of their race. Then, Mr. Jake steps up to help Mrs. Violet Samuel, the widow of the man who died, the mother of Emma. Disturbed by the sound of a baby crying, Violet rushes out of the store without her groceries. Mr. Jake follows, catching up with her in the parking lot. Slowly, Lizbeth begins to realize that people have their own stories and some aren’t easily shared.

These kinds of details add to the story and will remain in the reader’s mind. Unfortunately when something isn’t resolved that also stays with the reader, such as the fact that Pop-Pop, Lizbeth’s grandfather is mentioned at the beginning of the story and then never again. The same thing happens when Lizbeth appears to be the only one investigating the accident – especially when the reader hears someone shot at Mr. Samuel – but don’t really know what /if the sheriff is doing anything. Most readers will immediately realize that Lizbeth’s snooping could lead to disastrous results.

Of course this could all be explained because we’re in her viewpoint for the entire novel and teenagers tend to be selfabsorbed at the best of times. Still, the reader was also told that Lizbeth and Lena would be moving around from relative to relative throughout the summer. Instead, they seem to remain with Auntie Alice and Uncle Frank for the duration. Considering the magical story, elegant prose, wonderful writing and superb characterization, these little bumps don’t affect the pacing. It’s to be hoped that Ms. Melvin returns soon to Lizbeth’s world and shares more of her adventures. FIRE AND ICE (Wild at Heart) by Mary Connealy Bethany House Publishers, October 2015 – 3.5 Stars

Blurb: Bailey Wilde is one of the best new ranchers in the West. She's been living disguised as a man for a while, but when Gage Coulter comes to drive her off her homestead, he quickly realizes he's dealing with a woman--a very tough, very intriguing woman at that. Gage is an honest man, but he didn't make his fortune being weak. He won't break the law, but he'll push as hard as he can within it. Five thousand acres of his best range land is lost to him because Bailey's homestead is located right across the only suitable entrance to a canyon full of lush grass. Gage has to regain access to his land--and he's got to go through Bailey to do it. Spending a winter alone has a way of making a person crave some human contact. In a moment of weakness, Bailey agrees to a wild plan Gage concocts. Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders loosen up enough to earn each other's respect--and maybe find love in the process?

Review: Along with her two younger sisters, Bailey Wilde masqueraded as a man and served in the Civil War to please their obsessed, half-crazed father. Now, in 1866, she’s moved West and homesteaded 160 acres at the mouth of a Rocky Mountain canyon filled with lush grass for her cattle. The ability to claim the land comes as a benefit of her war-time, military service as long as nobody learns she’s female. This creates more than one problem since her claim actually doesn’t include the canyon or the grass, only the approach. The land she needs for her livestock is owned by Gage Coulter and since he also requires the grazing, he’ll deal as harshly as necessary with one stubborn nester. Much to Gage’s shock, the young man who gives him heartburn isn’t one and their struggles are just beginning especially after Gage uses dynamite to construct a new trail into the canyon.

After a harsh winter, Bailey will do anything to have the grass she desperately needs to save her herd of cattle. When Gage arrives in the spring with a proposal of marriage, she considers it. He needs a wife. She needs the grass. Besides his “cowboys” or “hands” know she’s a woman and if word leaks out, she could lose her

homestead. Earlier in the series, Connealy made the facts of gender-based discrimination quite clear. While Bailey isn’t sure that a marriage of convenience will succeed, she hedges her bets by telling Gage that if she isn’t happy, she’ll leave and she wants the canyon signed over to her on their wedding day.

Trapped by the lie that he told his mother – i.e. that he’s married and happy – Gage reluctantly agrees to her conditions. With their vows barely said, he and Bailey plan to head for his ranch to prepare for his mother’s visit, but she arrives sooner than expected. Mama Colter loves her son and is nearly as obsessed with him as Bailey’s father is with her older brother. Their parents aren’t the only problem that Bailey and Gage face as they try to build a relationship. Cattle rustling and murder attempts only increase the tension.

This inspirational New Adult romance entertains without preaching, one of Connealy’s gifts as a polished writer. The characters will undoubtedly engage readers, but the story does have a few drawbacks. The biggest issue is that the book really doesn’t stand alone. In order to understand the complicated Wilde sisters, readers should have read the first two books in the trilogy. In addition it takes quite a while for readers to learn the year the story takes place. The location isn’t clear either – beyond being somewhere the snow is hip-high on a tall horse from late October to April, or springtime. Since the Rockies extend more than 3,000 miles, the novel could take place anywhere from northern New Mexico to British Columbia, although it becomes clear the setting is definitely in the U.S. It’s also in reach of a cattle drive from Texas since Gage brought his cattle from there. Hmm, there’s another mystery or unanswered question. The thumbnail descriptions of the continuing characters don’t add depth to the ensemble cast. While Bailey’s father browbeat his daughters into joining the military because of their brother’s death, the reader doesn’t learn enough about Jimmy or his relationship with his sisters. For the most part, Connealy ties up the loose ends in the series and it’s a lighthearted romp through the Old West with the occasional hint that there could be something more. It doesn’t touch the heights or depths of the writing talent that Connealy displayed in my favorite of her books, The Husband Tree. GO SET A WATCHMAN by Harper Lee Harper Collins, July 2015 – 3 Stars

Blurb: Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-sixyear-old Jean Louise Finch—"Scout"—returns home from New York City to visit her aging father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town, and the people dearest to her. Continued on next page

Shannon’s Space (continued)

Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill a Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past—a journey that can only be guided by one's own conscience.

Review: This story picks up almost twenty years after the classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird takes place. Jean Louise aka Scout Finch returns home to Maycomb, Alabama on a twoweek vacation from her job. She may be an adult in years, but in other ways she remains the young girl who charged through life and served as a witness when her father Atticus defended an innocent African American man accused of rape. Still “color-blind” as her Uncle Jack says, Scout shares stories of her life up north with Atticus and his young associate, Hank Clinton, the so-called best friend of her brother, Jem. Hank never appeared in To Kill A Mockingbird, and Lee explains this by saying he was only there during the school year when he boarded across the street from the Finches. Yet her first book also had scenes from those times and it seems odd to have Hank play such a huge part now, when he didn’t then. Readers will catch up with Aunt Alexandra who now lives with and looks after Atticus. Her husband went off to his fishing camp and never returned. While Jem died of a heart attack two years before the book opens, it is easy to appreciate that Scout and Atticus still grieve for him. We never learn what happened to Boo Radley or Scout’s childhood frenemy, Walter Cunningham. Of course, he could be the owner of the ice cream shop, but why wouldn’t he say so? Calpurnia, now retired, lives in The Quarters near her family.

Set in the 1950s, the book refers to the Montgomery bus strikes and “that Mississippi business” when Scout tells her father that not getting a conviction was the worst blunder since Pickett’s charge during the Civil War. It lends credence to the notion that most white people who live in the South are violent racists. Unless the reader remembers the social upheaval of the early civil rights movement, they may draw a mental blank on Scout’s theory. It seems probable she’s talking about the trial of Emmett Till’s murderers who were acquitted of beating, then lynching the 14 year-old boy. It’s difficult to be completely engaged in a book when one needs to stop and do research the setting.

Another of the key points that Scout and her father frequently discuss relates to Supreme Court decisions that infringe on the 10th Amendment. More research if a reader doesn’t remember that this amendment deals with the separation between federal and state governments, limiting federal powers. Supreme Court decisions during the 1950s impacted the Civil Rights movement and could be considered to also impact state rights. Still, it’s not clear exactly which decision most upsets Scout or Atticus if it’s Brown vs. Board of Education or Browder vs. Gayle – bus desegregation.

In addition, in this post World War II period, several of the young men are veterans. Still, the reader only hears specifically about Jem, Dill and Hank – it’s not clear if any of the “Negroes” from Maycomb County served, although more than 1.2 million African Americans served in uniform on the home-front, in Europe and the Pacific. Another glitch is that Jem supposedly inherited his “weak” heart from his mother. Why wasn’t this medical problem discovered when he enlisted in the military? It also isn’t clear what Scout did during the war to support the troops and she would certainly remember.

Readers should recall from the media blitz surrounding it that Go Set A Watchman was actually written before To Kill A Mockingbird and provided the impetus for Lee to write what is now a literary classic. This particular manuscript was lost and then found again only a short time before publication. Despite the developmental flaws, Go Set A Watchman is an interesting read, a literary sketch that lacks the depth of To Kill A Mockingbird. Yet it provides a view of a time when and where the world began to change. People either had to evolve or expire. More foreshadowing of the ongoing cultural and social revolution would have helped the story. It remains wonderful to reconnect with Scout in this early work by Harper Lee. Regardless of the flaws, this story showcases sparks of genius so that it’s not difficult to see the emergence of an immensely talented author who told an unforgettable story. ECHO by Lorena Glass YA Time Travel MyInkBooks (Feb 1, 2015) 4.5 Stars

Following the death of her soulmate, Karissa Sheffield determines to find him again regardless of what she may have to do. With a few handy devices, one of which is a timecutter and another is a can of Mace, she sets out on an adventure that will take her almost 1600 years into the past to the ancient Roman empire. One would think that her true love would be closer than that – after all, what happened to cause the man to have so much time between incarnations? However, Lorena Glass creates such a fascinating world with intriguing characters that it takes a long time before the reader realizes Roman soldier, Adregin Valyis could or would be reborn during that immense length of time.

Karissa brings an interesting skill set to the mix. Most people don’t speak conversational Latin and couldn’t survive in a time without medicine or emergency rooms. When Adregin is injured, she has to sew him up, borrowing a needle and thread from her landlord. The lack of indoor

Shannon’s Space (conttinued)

plumbing would be enough to send me to the nearest vortex or exit to the 21st century. An intrepid time-traveler, Karissa has no doubts that she’s where she’s meant to be, with the guy she loves whether his compatriots like and accept her or not. The descriptions and the setting add an aura of authenticity to the story. The Roman empire may be falling, but Karissa knows what’s coming. She holds to the prescribed Time Traveler creed of not sharing the future with the natives. This provides yet another example of her abilities or preparation for the trip – most people wouldn’t know the details of the ancient world, i.e. the names of the various emperors or the specifics of their political careers.

While it isn’t totally clear who arranged Karissa’s journey to the 5th century or why, again these questions don’t really impede the flow of the story which totally engages the reader. The deliberate pacing suits this book although at times the sequence of events does seem a bit slow. In most stories, the characters reveal what happens and how they personally feel about it which provides the reader the opportunity to connect with them. Some questions remain unanswered in this particular book, such as how Karissa knows where and when to find her soulmate or how Adregin knows how to locate her when they are separated. What connects them? Since this is obviously the beginning of a series, hopefully the answers will come in their own time.

In Echo, a fair amount of the book is told in omniscient viewpoint and this may distance the reader from the protagonists. The disconnection may often be seen in literary fiction so it won’t prove unfamiliar to more sophisticated readers, but may prove off-putting occasionally for genre or category aficionados who prefer the literary tenet of “show, don’t tell.” The dialogue really advances the plot in the last half of the book and Ms. Glass utilizes it to great effect. Her use of humor will also spark laughter, especially when Adregin and Karissa argue.

In conclusion, the historical background with its rich details provides an intriguing backdrop to a fascinating story. The well-developed characters that revolve through this tale have sufficient depth to engage readers. More physical descriptions would have helped us view the ensemble cast as well as additional sensory details, such as the use of smell, taste, sound in various scenes. Still, Ms. Glass Shannon Kennedy (YA) Shannon lives on the family farm, a riding stable in the Cascade foothills, where she organizes most of the riding programs and teaches horsemanship around her day-job as a substitute teacher. She writes books in her spare time, mainstream western romance as Josie Malone for SirenBookStrand and young adult novels for Black Opal Books and Fire & Ice YA. She’s a member of RWA, YARWA, the Greater Seattle RWA and Evergreen RWA chapters.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author

SUSAN MALLERY

What led you to write BEST OF MY LOVE (Fool's Gold)? I had to give Shelby Gilmore a happily-ever-after! If anyone deserves it, she does. She is one of the most selfless heroines I've ever written, a total nurturer. When her mom got sick, Shelby went home to take care of her, even though she knew it meant her father would hit her again. She stayed until her mom passed away. Now she's found a new home in Fool's Gold, friends, healing, and a job she adores, co-owning the local bakery, where she gets to nurture the entire town by making the pastries that help them celebrate life's special occasions.

Still, as happy as she is, something is missing—love. She keeps picking the wrong guys out of a self-protective instinct not to let any man too close. She decides to retrain her brain, to teach herself that there are men she can trust. She needs a guy to embark on a friendship experiment with her—no romance, no dating, no kissing, and definitely no you-know-what. This is the kind of thing Aidan Mitchell would never go for. He's known for you-know-what, except he just found out that he has a love-'em-and-leave-'em reputation. Shelby catches him at a moment when he wants to change his life, too— and a friendship is born. But as Shelby and Aidan go on a series of non-dates, that "no kissing" part turns out to be the challenge of their lives!

I had so much fun writing BEST OF MY LOVE and playing with the differences between men and women. I think this is one of my funniest books yet, while still giving readers all the feels they've come to expect from my books. Emotion + humor = happy reading!

How important is setting to your story? Very. Fool's Gold is a small town with a vibe all its own— quirky, charming, supportive to the point of being a little intrusive. (Sometimes a lot.) For many years, Fool's Gold had a man shortage, and the strong, capable women in town stepped into the leadership roles and took care of business. The chief of police is a woman, most of the city council members, and of course, Mayor Marsha with her almost mystical intuition. The books I set in Fool's Gold, including

BEST OF MY LOVE, couldn't be set anywhere else. The town defines the characters, and the characters define the town.

Which is more important characters or setting? Characters, always. The town is a backdrop, one I love, but what really interests me are the dynamics between people. Do you read the same genre you write? Romance is still my favorite thing to read, but while I'm writing, I don't read the same genre I'm writing because I don't want to be influenced. So I read romance in my rare breaks between books or when I'm writing women's fiction, such as THE FRIENDS WE KEEP, which came out earlier this year. While I'm writing romance, I often read young adult. Do you have a reoccurring theme to your books? The theme I keep coming back to time and again is finding family. I'm an only child, so I've always craved close connections. I've made my own family, one friend at a time. My characters do this, too, which is why friendships are such an important part of all of my books. Romantic love is wonderful, but life wouldn't be complete without friends, as well. What social media do you participate in? Oh, I'm everywhere, but especially on Facebook. Every day, I check in with my friends on Facebook. Readers can leave messages there for me. I read every message and respond personally to as many as I can. I also share a romantic or funny quote of the day, have live Q&As, hold contests, and more. Readers can connect with me at Facebook.com/SusanMallery. http://www.facebook.com/susanmallery If you're not on Facebook, here are the other places you can connect with me online: www.SusanMallery.com www.twitter.com/susanmallery www.instagram.com/susanmallery www.pinterest.com/susanmallery plus.google.com/+SusanMallery www.goodreads.com/susanmallery CONTINUED NEXT PAGE

What’s next for you? Next up is a book of my heart, a story that came to me almost fully formed, with characters who refused to leave me alone until I wrote their story. It was a pleasure to write from start to finish, filled with scenes I couldn't wait to write. DAUGHTERS OF THE BRIDE is the story of three women whose mom is getting married—and none of them even have a date to the wedding! It's filled with romance, family drama, wedding planning, romance, adorable dogs, humor…and did I mention romance? DAUGHTERS OF THE BRIDE will be out in July.

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THE ARRANGEMENT By Brandy Ayers

Erotic Romance Released March 25 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

The mind is a tricky thing. No one knows that better than Michelle O’Brian due an undiagnosed disorder that makes HER question the line between reality and fantasy. Her uncontrollable daydreams are a problem at work. Not even an orgasm inducing visit to her sexy as hell friend can stem the need for her mind to wander.

THE WIVES OF LUCIFER By Caryn M. McGill

Spicy Paranormal Romance Released April 6 by The Wild Rose Press

Olivia loves her new immortal life, her friends and especially Drew; she never thought she’d fall in love on the other side of death. But when Olivia learns she bears the mark of Lucifer and has powers that tie her to the Underworld, she worries that perhaps she’s done terrible things in her past lives and dark secrets are being kept from her. And those damn wives, what do they want from her? Olivia endures unspeakable tragedy in The Wives of Lucifer and when she discovers what fate has in store for her...she suddenly understands that being immortal doesn’t guarantee you’ll live forever. © 2016 The Book Breeze Page 15

Book Excerpt INVISION by Sherrilyn Kenyon

He’d just gotten comfortable again when the door opened to admit a new student. Something that didn’t happen often in their small private, parochial school. And it wasn’t just because St. Richard’s was hard to get into due to its high academic standing. But rather from the fact that the school had been set up as a place for preters to learn how to mingle with humans and not let the stress throw them into their animal states. While there were a handful of baretos, or “normal” humans who had no idea that they were attending school with shapeshifters, the majority of the student body here was either shapeshifters or the children of Squire families. Squires who had been in service to DarkHunter like Kyrian and Acheron for generations. As such, the Squires usually sent their kids to private school together so that they could be watched by older Squires to ensure that no one messed with them. Especially since their enemies might want to take their kids hostage, or kill them to get back at their parents or the Dark-Hunters in retaliation for the centuries of protecting humans from their supernatural predators.

It also allowed the shapeshifter families a controlled environment for their children so that they could have playtime with humans where if they had an accident and shifted into their animal bodies, the humans wouldn’t flip out and call the authorities. As Squires or their children, they all knew about Were-Hunters, and they could help cover for them with the humans here who didn’t know about them. It gave the Were-Hunters a way to practice being in the normal world so that they could acclimate.

Nick had been one of those baretos students at St. Richard’s until two and half years ago when his best friends had turned on him, and Kyrian had saved his life. For some reason that still eluded Nick, the ancient Greek had taken a liking to him and decided to give him a hand up and bring him into this amazing world. Now he was a Squire at an age that was unheard of since Squires were supposed to be eighteen before they could be sworn in to their oaths. But Kyrian had pulled strings and so here Nick was. The youngest Squire in Council history. And this new guy they were introducing . . .

He didn’t appear to be a Squire.

Nick glanced to Caleb. What do you think? Caleb shrugged nonchalantly.

Ms. Pantall cleared her throat as she read his card. “Everyone? This is Nathan St. Cyr. Nathan’s a new student who just moved to New Orleans from New York. I know everyone will be on your best behavior and welcome him in. Mr. St. Cyr, if you’ll take an empty seat, we’ll get started.” An odd sensation went through Nick as Nathan neared him. Like a wire had been touched to his spine and sent a jolt through his entire central nervous system. Not that anyone had ever done that to him, but that was what he imagined such a thing would feel like. As Nathan neared his desk, he inclined his head to him, then sat down on the other side of Kody.

Yeah, that didn’t endear him any. You better not be eye-balling my girl, punk . . .

Nick would snatch those blue eyes out of that boy’s head and use them for marbles. The Malachai in him was rising up and breathing fire down Nick’s neck. It was hard to leash the beast when he came calling like this. Every part of Nick wanted a piece of Nathan for daring to trespass on Kody’s personal space. Especially when he leaned over a second later and, with a charming grin, brushed his hand against Kody’s arm. “Do you have a pencil I can borrow? Mine must have fallen out of my backpack.” “Sure.” Kody handed him the one she was holding.

His grin turned even more debonnaire as he ran it under his nose and smelled the stylus as if he could still detect her light perfume on the wood. “Mmm, I’ll treasure it always. Thank you for your kindness, my noble lady.” When Nick started to rise, Caleb caught his arm. Down, boy. Don’t make me smack your nose with a rolled up newspaper.

Nick cut a glare at his best friend to let Caleb know he could be a worthy substitution as a whipping boy if he didn’t let go.

Kody turned toward Nick. Is it me or was that gross? And that right there saved Nathan’s life. Leave it to his girl to be oblivious. He was relieved, until Nathan turned back toward her.

Suddenly, Kody’s desk slid four inches closer to Nick’s, and farther from Nathan’s. She turned an indignant glare at him for his audacity.

At the sharp, scraping that made most people cringe, everyone in the room shot around to look for the source of the sudden sound. Nick forced himself not to cringe at the involuntary use of his Malachai powers. Clearing his throat, he glanced to his teacher. “Sorry. My foot got caught under Kody’s desk.” “Why was your foot under her desk?”

Nick shrugged. “I’m too tall for the desk and my feet have a mind of their own. You’ve seen me walking down the hall, Ms. Pantall. I never know where my arms or legs are located, hence all the bruises I keep.” She rolled her eyes. “Keep your feet under your own desk, Nick. Stop disrupting class or I’ll send you to the office.” Something stabbed him in the leg. Hard. Nick let out a sharp curse and though it wasn’t in English, Ms. Pantall had enough Cajun in her to unfortunately know exactly what the word meant. “That’s it! Get to the office! Now!” “But—”

Written Word

works with an international group of clients, providing writing and editing services. Specialties: • Editing manuscripts (line, copy, substantive) • Ghostwriting • Developmental coaching for fiction and non-fiction • Business writing and editing, blogging, and web articles • Press releases and marketing tools For more information on specific services, see Written Word pages at www.lyricalpens.com. www.lyricalpens.com www.twitter.com/mahalachurch www.facebook.com/mahalachurch

“No buts! Go!”

SMOKE AND MIRRORS By Taylor Anne Spicy Romantic Suspense Released May 25 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

CURSE OF THE MOON The Secret Warrior Series By Beth Trissel

Released May 4, 2016 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

BELOVED ENEMY By Hywela Lyn

DEMON KISSED By Karilyn Bentley

Released March 11, 2016 by The Wild Rose Press

Released Feb 17 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

Urban Fantasy

Spicy Sci-Fi Romance

Marooned on an inhospitable planet, Cat Kincaid and Kerry Marchant need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?

Gin Crawford, the world's latest demon huntress, has no time to mourn her dead lover as she's called in to determine why a demon attack occurred at the local medical school. And not just any demon, but the one demon that gives her demon-killing bracelet the shivers. A dead professor, a lab full of missing anthrax, and a demon who turns good people into minions complicate her life. Can Gin and her mentor Aidan Smythe solve the mystery of the missing anthrax and the identity of the demon before someone else dies?

THE BLOOD RED CITY By Justin Richards Alternate Thriller Released March 29 by Thomas Dunne Books

SKINNY DIPPING WITH MURDER By Auralee Wallace An Otter Lake Mystery Released March 1 by Minotaur Books

The alien Vril are waking, and the Never War is heating up. Colonel Brinkman and his team at Station Z desperately need answers – they have to discover exactly what they are facing and how the attack will come. But the information doesn’t come easily. With a major Vril offensive imminent, the Nazis step up their own project to exploit Vril weapon and technology. Described at Indiana Jones meets The X-Files, THE BLOOD RED CITY is a sequel to THE SUICIDE EXHIBITION.

Erica Bloom is in no rush to return to Otter Lake, the site of her mother’s spiritual retreat for women. But her new-age-y, well-meaning mother is losing her grip on the business and needs Erica’s help. So she heads back to her New Hampshire hometown, where nothing much has changed – except for maybe the body in the well ….

TERROR IN TAFFETA By Marla Cooper Mystery Released March 22 by Minotaur Books

Being a wedding planner is hard work, from juggling drunken groomsmen and wardrobe malfunctions to having to replace a Styrofoam wedding cake, but Kelsey McKenna has it handled – that is until homicide detective gets added to her job description. A smart, funny cozy debut perfect for fans of Carolyn Haines.

BIDDING ON THE BILLIONAIRE By JM Stewart

Erotic Contemporary Romance

Released March 1, 2016 by Grand Central Publishing/Forever Yours in ebook (Print to follow)

Shy bookshop owner Hannah Miller finds herself having an erotic online fling with a man she’s never met. Her lover’s scintillating words leave her hooked on him and longing for his touch. Corporate Attorney Cade McKenzie is addicted to their hot exchanges. When business brings him to her doorstep, he finally meets her in person. Their agreement is an exclusive, no-strings fling, but when Cade’s sister volunteers him for her charity bachelor auction, Hannah is forced to make a tough decision. Is she willing to make a bid for the billionaire’s heart?

TIME OF FOG AND FIRE By Rhys Bowen A Molly Murphy Mystery Released March 1 by Minotaru Books

Molly’s husband is offered an assignment by the secret service, the details of which he keeps from Molly. When she receives a cryptic message from him she fears something must have gone wrong. What can she do for him that the police can’t? Especially when she doesn’t even know what the assignment is? Embarking on a cross-country journey with her young son, Molly tries to untangle the mystery.

ALMOST MIDNIGHT: The Novella Collection By C.C. Hunter YA Urban Fantasy Released Feb 2 by St. Martin’s Griffin

From the Shadow Falls series ALMOST MIDNIGHT contains Turned at Dark, Saved at Sunrise, Unbreakable, Spellbinder and a brand new story Fierce.

WOUNDED AT HOME Wounded Seal Trilogy Book 2 by Mitzi Pool Bridges Spicy Romantic Suspense Released April 20 by The Wild Rose Press

Financial analyst Sky Chapman must free her sister of a murder charge. Ex-SEAL Dirk Browning uses his skills as a private investigator and a military dog trainer to search for a way to keep Sky safe while they look for the killer and the missing millions the killer thinks she has. Neither Sky nor Dirk want the attraction that springs between them. She, because she refuses to fall into the philandering-husband trap both her mother and sister dove into. He, because his mother abandoned him to the Brownings at the age of ten and he never saw her again. The killer has given Sky a timeline. Find the money and turn it over, or she and her sister die. Will Sky survive long enough to explore the feelings she has for Dirk? Will Dirk be there for her? Or will the thief and killer make the questions moot?

A VAMPIRE TO BE RECKONED WITH By RE Mullins Paranormal/Vampire/Romance Released March 23 by The Wild Rose Press

Vampire Metta Blautsauger is known as the family airhead and she works hard to keep up the façade. It’s the perfect cover as she goes from dispensing her own brand of justice as a vigilante to an agent for Orcus, the Nosferatu shadow agency. Captured, tortured, and left for dead, she is forced to leave both the agency and Lucas O’Cuinn, the mentor she’s grown to love.

For the last century she’s struggled with regret and boredom. Then her life is given new meaning when four mortal ministers ask her help in stopping a human trafficking ring. If Orcus discovers her unsanctioned involvement, they will brand her as a rogue. The penalty is death. It’s only a matter of time before Lucas arrives—stake in hand. Lucas O’Cuinn has waited ninety-eight years for Metta’s return and he’s run out of patience. It’s time she remembers she belongs to him.

Shape shifters, a serial killer, Vampires and time travel

Book two of the Crimson Series returns to the world of the ancient Dhampir. Vampires, shape-shifters and a witch hunter bent on murder. Caitlin MacPhee after two hundred years has finally found her soul mate, Raven O'Brien. But it's complicated. He's human and Caitlin is Dhampir. He's a macho cop who thinks his woman needs protecting, she's Dhampir and thinks he needs protecting. Will she lose him forever when she tells him what she is? Then there's the killer stalking her and her friends. Yep, complicated. Caitlin and Raven must work together to stop the murderer before Caitlin becomes his next victim.