Fall Into Fantasy Tour #6: The Ragnarok Prophesies by A.K. Morgen

Welcome to the Fall Into Fantasy Tour, where we are keeping your mind off any end-of-summer blues and welcoming the cooler weather by introducing you to some incredible fantasy reads to curl up with and giving you plenty of chances to win awesome prizes!

Week 6: The Ragnarök Prophesies

Book One: Fade
Book Two: Fall

What do you do when you realize nothing in your life is what you’ve believed it to be?

When Arionna Jacobs loses her mother in a tragic accident, her world is turned upside down. She’s forced to leave her old life behind and move in with her father. Dace Matthews, a teaching assistant at her new college, is torn in two, unable to communicate with the feral wolf caged inside him.

When they meet, everything they thought they knew about life unravels. Dace has intimate access to Arionna’s mind, and something deep within her fights to rise to the surface. They don't understand what's happening to them or why, and they're running out of time to sort out the strange occurrences around them.

Their meeting sets an ancient Norse prophesy of destruction in motion, and what destiny has in store for them is bigger than either could have ever imagined. Unless they learn to trust themselves and one another, they may never resolve the mystery surrounding who they are to one another, and what that means for the world.

FADE is available from Curiosity Quills Press at Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo.

How do you save someone who doesn't want to be saved?

Those called to stand guard against the end are broken, and Sköll and Hati run free. Now Arionna Jacobs and Dace Matthews face a threat unlike any before. Ragnarök is coming and they aren't strong enough to stop it.

Arionna thought she understood sacrifice, but she never counted on her destiny tearing Dace apart. Ever since she nearly died, he has been consumed with guilt. Now it threatens to turn him into the monster he always feared.

It's up to Arionna to stop him before it's too late, but the path to hell is paved with good intentions, and Dace is hurtling toward self destruction. This time, Arionna isn't sure she can save him from himself. Can she convince him to let the past go, or is her true destiny to sacrifice her heart in exchange for the lives of the people she loves?

You can read the official prologue to FALL here.

FALL – The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. You can add it to your TBR list on Goodreads here.

ABOUT A.K. MORGEN:

A.K. Morgen lives in Little Rock with her husband, three dogs and two cats. She has a graduate degree in Criminal Justice and Law, and plans to save the world someday. When she’s not working or writing, she spends her time teaching her niece and nephews how to cause mischief. You can also find her dancing in the grocery store, building a spork army, and fundraising for nonprofits close to her heart.

You can learn more about Ayden at http://akmorgen.com or by following her on Twitter, Goodreads, or Facebook.

Want to get involved with the Fall Into Fantasy promotional tour?

• Don't forget to join us at the Facebook party here! 
• If you are interested in joining up as a blogger, you can always sign up here. We are happy to welcome more bloggers into the fold as the promotion continues. 
• If you are an author or blogger and want to sign up to help with the party, please fill out this form.

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Fall Into Fantasy Tour #5: The Curse Merchant by J.P. Sloan

Welcome to the Fall Into Fantasy Tour, where we are keeping your mind off any end-of-summer blues and welcoming the cooler weather by introducing you to some incredible fantasy reads to curl up with and giving you plenty of chances to win awesome prizes!

Week 5: The Dark Choir Series
Book One: The Curse Merchant
By J.P. Sloan

Dorian Lake spent years cornering the Baltimore hex-crafting market, using his skills at the hermetic arts to exact karmic justice for those whom the system has failed. He keeps his magic clean and free of soul-corrupting Netherwork, thus avoiding both the karmic blow-back of his practice and the notice of the Presidium, a powerful cabal of practitioners that polices the esoteric arts in America. However, when an unscrupulous Netherworker interferes with both his business and his personal life, Dorian's disarming charisma and hermetic savvy may not be enough to keep his soul out of jeopardy.

His rival, a soul monger named Neil Osterhaus, wouldn't be such a problem were it not for Carmen, Dorian's captivating ex-lover. After two years' absence Carmen arrives at Dorian’s doorstep with a problem: she sold her soul to Osterhaus, and has only two weeks to buy it back. Hoping to win back Carmen's affections, Dorian must find a replacement soul without tainting his own. As Dorian descends into the shadows of Baltimore’s underworld, he must decide how low he is willing to stoop in order to save Carmen from eternal damnation... with the Presidium watching, waiting for him to cross the line.

Buy it from: Amazon  Barnes & Noble

Add it Goodreads

ABOUT J.P. SLOAN

J.P. Sloan is a speculative fiction author, primarily of urban fantasy, horror and several shades between. His writing explores the strangeness in that which is familiar, at times stretching the limits of the human experience, or only hinting at the monsters lurking under your bed. 

A Louisiana native, Sloan relocated to the vineyards and cow pastures of Central Maryland after Hurricane Katrina, where he lives with his wife and son. During the day he commutes to the city of Baltimore, a setting which inspires much of his writing.

In his spare time, Sloan enjoys wine-making and homebrewing, and is a National-ranked beer judge.

Find J.P. Online:

J.P. Sloan's Fistful of Fiction  Facebook  Twitter  Tumblr


Want to get involved with the Fall Into Fantasy promotional tour?

• Don't forget to join us at the Facebook party here! 
• If you are interested in joining up as a blogger, you can always sign up here. We are happy to welcome more bloggers into the fold as the promotion continues. 
• If you are an author or blogger and want to sign up to help with the party, please fill out this form.

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Feature Friday: Excerpt from The Test of Time by Nicole Zoltack

Welcome back for another Feature Friday! This week I have an excerpt from Nicole Zoltack's time travel romance The Test of Time. Get to know the book, and then check out this awesome teaser!

BLURB: Katia jumps at the chance to go to England with her best friend after Rose ditches her deadbeat boyfriend. While walking through the market, she spies a large mansion and recognizes the guy out front as her high school friend Tony. Just as they start to reconnect, Katia passes through times and lands in the arms of Lord Landon, who looks like Tony but certainly doesn’t act like him.

Soon, Katia learns that this 1815 is different from the one in history books. Trapped in a parallel world, Katia struggles to not fall for Landon but his charm proves too much for her. Just when she is about to confess her love for him, Katia travels through time yet again.

The course of love never did run smooth and if Katia can’t figure out and master the test of time, she’ll never see or friends again, or worse, never be reunited with Landon.

So I'm sure you're dying to know the release date and luckily it's not that far away! THE TEST OF TIME releases September 9th! Be sure to grab it on the 9th!

Add it on Goodreads!

EXCERPT:

Her legs cramped up again, and she balanced on one leg, pulling the other leg's ankle to her butt to stretch out her quad. As she switched legs, her balance decided to take a hike, and she stumbled down the stairs. Her head cracked against something wicked hard, and she closed her eyes.

Strong hands touched her, helping her to her feet. "Tony?" she murmured, opening her eyes.

A man she had never seen before shook his head, his wispy sideburns not moving. He gave her a puzzled glance as he released her elbow and stepped back to bow. "I am not this Tony, my lady. I am Lord Landon Philamore." He straightened, and his eyes flickered over her so quickly she thought she was mistaken.

Wait—those eyes. She had seen them before. In her dream.

She shook her head and winced. A knot was already forming, and she rubbed it gingerly.

"You're hurt." Without touching her, he still managed to propel her forward into a seat. They were in some kind of living room, with three couches, two chairs, and a roaring fireplace.

Roaring fireplace? But it was summer!

"Where is Tony?" she asked, glad her voice did not tremble.

The man narrowed his strangely colored eyes ever so slightly. Maybe he wasn't used to women talking to him in such a tone, but she didn't care. "There is no one here by the name of Tony."

She opened her mouth, but he held up his hand before clasping both of his behind his back.

"And it should be I who is asking the questions. Who are you and why are you in my mansion?"

"Your mansion?" The guy was delusional.

Or maybe she was dreaming again.

But the pain, the throbbing… She resisted the urge to pinch herself. A masochist she was not.

She stood, intent on walking over to the window to look out, when a wave of dizziness washed over her.

"Sit," he commanded, but his voice had softened. A small degree. "You are not well… Lady…"

Lady? Did she look like a lady to him?

She glanced down at her clothes, relief flooding her at seeing her sundress, although even more wrinkles had been gained from the tumble down the stairs. Normally she wasn't such a klutz.

When she looked at him again, pink colored his cheeks.

"Did you just check me out again?" she demanded.

"Check you out?" His puzzlement seemed genuine as his dark eyebrows drew together. "I assure you, my lady, I do not know what you are referring to."    

ABOUT NICOLE ZOLTACK

BIO: Nicole Zoltack loves to write in many genres, especially romance, whether fantasy, paranormal, or regency. When she’s not writing about knights, superheroes, or zombies, she loves to spend time with her loving husband and three energetic young boys. She enjoys riding horses (pretending they’re unicorns, of course!) and going to the PA Renaissance Faire, dressed in garb. She’ll also read anything she can get her hands on. Her current favorite TV show is The Walking Dead. To learn more about Nicole and her writing, visit her blog.

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Escape from Witchwood Hollow by Jordan Elizabeth

How far into the hollow would you go? 

“After losing her parents in a terrorist attack on the Twin Towers, fifteen-year-old Honoria escapes New York City to Arnn—a farming town with more legends than residents, and a history of witchcraft and secrets best left buried.

Everyone in Arnn knows the story of Witchwood Hollow: if you venture into the whispering forest, the witch will trap your soul among the shadowed trees. In the lure of that perpetual darkness, Honoria finds hope when she should be afraid, and a past of missing children and broken promises.  To save the citizens of Arnn from becoming the witch’s next victims, she must find the truth behind the woman’s madness. How deep into Witchwood Hollow does Honoria dare venture?”

ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW is Jordan Elizabeth’s first novel.  This young adult fantasy will be published through Curiosity Quills Press on October 29, 2014. 

Jordan Elizabeth, formally Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, can’t get enough of the woods, be it splashing through a stream, sitting beneath an ancient oak, or following a path up a hill.  Some of those adventures have led to abandoned foundations.  Exploring the rocks and crumbling bricks sparked Jordan to imagine who might have lived there before, and that train of thought carried her to a wicked legend and an enchanted hollow.  You can contact Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethMierek.com.

You don’t have to wait for October 29^th to explore Witchwood Hollow.  Jordan Elizabeth is offering up a free eArc.  To enter for your chance to win a copy of ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW, you will need to share the cover.  This can be on your blog, Facebook, Twitter… Each time you share the cover image, log it into Rafflecoper to record it.  It will give you more chances to win.  The drawing for the winner will be held on October 20^th.  

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Cover Reveal & Excerpt: Tainted Blood by Karen Greco

Today's cover reveal is jam-packed with all kinds of extras! Karen Greco is revealing the cover for Tainted Blood, the second book in her Hell's Belle series. She's also brought along an excerpt from the book, and has a free prequel for the Hell's Belle series available for you to download now. Awesome, right? Let's get to it!

Tainted Blood 

Hell's Belle Series

Book 2 

Karen Greco

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Date of Publication: Oct. 20, 2014

ISBN: ISBN-13:978-1500844448 

ISBN-10:1500844446

Number of pages: 582

Word Count: 95,704

Cover Artist: Robin Ludwig Design Inc.

Book Description: 

After surviving a vampire assassin (not to mention an awkward affair with a hot FBI agent that ended worse than she could have imagined), witch/vampire hybrid Nina Martinez is reunited with the full Blood Ops team in Providence, Rhode Island. Her Aunt Babe is tutoring her in all things witchcraft, and her vampire partner Frankie is enjoying the benefits of daywalking, courtesy of a demon spell.

When a segment of the Rhode Island vampire population is marked for death by a tainted blood supply, Nina and her team race to find Patient Zero before the local vampire population is wiped out. But when a demon infestation threatens to take control of the city, Nina must join forces with newly elected mayor—and closet demon— Ami Bertrand before the city falls into ruin.

Filled with fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat action, Nina and her group of supernatural misfits battle a surprising new enemy that threatens their very existence.

No wonder she still can’t get a date.

From Amazon.com best-selling author Karen Greco, Tainted Blood is the second book in the critically acclaimed Hell’s Belle urban fantasy series.

River Vamp

A Hell’s Belle Prequel 

Short Story

Karen Greco

Book Description:

Frankie and Nina head to New York City for an early Blood Ops mission. 

Guess what they fish out of the Gowanus Canal? 

Free at Smashwords

Excerpt: CHAPTER ONE

First Chapter Tour & Giveaway: Charming by Krystal Wade

Exclusive First Look at CHARMING by Krystal Wade

Join us as we reveal the first chapter of Krystal Wade’s new edge-of-your-seat young adult thriller, CHARMING. Follow along and visit these sites to unlock a new section every day this week!

9/15/14 Fresh Fiction - http://freshfiction.com/
9/16/14 Mara Valderran - http://www.maravalderran.com/
9/17/14 Literary Escapism - http://www.literaryescapism.com/44404/exclusive-excerpt-charming-by-krystal-wade
9/18/14 Night Owl Reviews - http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Blog/Articles/Charming-by-Krystal-Wade
9/19/14 Fantasy Book Addict - http://www.fantasybookaddict.com/

A note to readers from author Krystal Wade...

If you’ve read the first part of chapter one, then you know how much Haley fears home, how unwelcome she feels. The second she walks in the door, Dad compares a murder on the news to his relationship with Haley. How awful. And the sister doesn’t even defend her, doesn’t even look in her direction. This part of the chapter explores Haley’s world, how alone she feels inside those walls, how she has no sense of family or belonging to anything.

Chapter 1, Part 2

“Deerfield police found Jeremiah Woodson dead this morning along the bank of the Connecticut River. Investigators say he suffered a bullet-wound to the head and are searching for clues.”

“Wife probably killed him.” Dad chugged a bottle of beer, then slammed it onto his side table—he knew his least favorite daughter was home, and that was his best greeting—rattling the seven or eight other empty bottles already there. “Maybe his oldest daughter.”

Jocelyn tensed, finger held over one spot in the middle of her book, legs tucked up under her on their ugly paisley sofa.

“I’m home,” Haley muttered.

Dad took the time to glance at the clock, then scowled over his shoulder at Haley with his piercing blue gaze. “About time.”

Please not tonight.

Five minutes past curfew, five minutes her manager had wanted to talk about candle placements for the upcoming Harvest Festival. But Dad would never forgive those five minutes. He’d never understand. Haley should have been home. She had chores, homework, a family—that didn’t love her.

He remained seated, despite his pursed lips and balled fists. Dad would wait for Jocelyn to go to bed before he said anything to Haley.

Wouldn’t want to tarnish that image in his perfect daughter’s eyes. That perfect daughter who had yet to acknowledge Haley was home.

With a silent sigh, she dropped her bag inside the door to the mostly empty bedroom she wouldn’t be able to crash in for at least another hour, then started on her chores. She filled the sink with soapy water, collected the dirty dishes from the uneven kitchen table and off stacks of newspapers in the den, then washed and dried them one by one. From there, Haley wiped down the butcher-block counters, the gas stove—astounded they actually tried to make a meal rather than microwave something; although burned mac and cheese was probably a step down—picked up the trash, then swept the tacky yellow linoleum floors. Haley slammed the garbage into the large black can outside and then sat on the steps and put her head in her hands, tugging out strands of hair as she tried to control her shaking.

A stray cat Dad had taken a liking to walked up to her and meowed.

“Hey there.”

The little orange tabby wound through Haley’s ankles, purring set on overdrive, leaving fur behind on her black work slacks.

“You’re like the only thing in this house that cares about my existence. Promise not to ever run away?”

The cat put her front paws on Haley’s knees and meowed again.

“Feed that animal already,” Dad yelled from inside, sending a wave of panic through Haley’s chest at the same time the cat hissed. Had Dad heard her?

“Taking off for Amanda’s now, Daddy,” Jocelyn called in her sweet little voice, walking toward the door with her patchwork shoulder bag slung over her arm.

“She still having issues with that stupid boy?”

“Yep. Be back in about an hour.”

“I don’t like you out there alone at night.”

“Mace is already in my bag, Daddy.”

Dad said something else in return, but Haley stopped paying attention when he agreed and allowed her fourteen-year-old sister to go out past ten on a school night because a friend was having boy issues.

“I’d love to hear his response if I asked that question,” Haley whispered, scratching the scruffy cat behind the ears.

“Maybe if you didn’t always come home after curfew, he’d let you.” Jocelyn allowed the screen door to slam behind her and then propped her hands on her slim hips, her wavy, long blonde hair falling around her porcelain face, narrowed blue gaze locked on Haley.

To be continued tomorrow at Bitten by Books.

About CHARMING:

They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and that's great . . . as long as you don't die.

Sixteen-year-old Haley Tremaine had it all: top-notch school, fantastic family, and a bright future, but all of that changed when an accident tore her family apart. Now, an alcoholic father, a bitter younger sister, and a cold headstone bearing her mother’s name are all she has left.

Chris Charming has it all: a powerful CEO for a father, a prestigious school, and a fortune at his fingertips, but none of that matters when he lands a reputation as a troublemaker. Struggling to follow in his father’s footsteps, he reaches out to the one person he believes truly sees him, the one person he wants: Haley.

Little do they know someone's determined to bring the two together, even if it means murder.

Available at Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

About Krystal Wade:

Krystal Wade is happily married to the love of her life (don’t gag) and raising three beautiful children in the gorgeous state of Virginia. They live just outside Washington, D.C., and every day she wakes up to find herself stuck in traffic trying to get there. When she’s not working, commuting, or chasing after her three children (four if you count the man), you can usually find Krystal outside talking to her chickens like they’re the cutest things in the world (they are), or training her amazing dogs how to herd said chickens (which they love), or curled up on the sofa with a good book (why can’t that be 100% of the time?).

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Goodreads | Instagram | Tumblr

Want to win a $10 gift card to the online retailer of your choice? Comment on this post, and next week I will choose a random winner to get the gift card!

Fall Into Fantasy Tour #4: The Enchanted Bookstore Legends by Marsha A. Moore

Welcome to the Fall Into Fantasy Tour, where we are keeping your mind off any end-of-summer blues and welcoming the cooler weather by introducing you to some incredible fantasy reads to curl up with and giving you plenty of chances to win awesome prizes!

The Enchanted Bookstore Legends
Book One: Seeking a Scribe
Book Two: Heritage Avenged
Book Three: Lost Volumes
Book Four: Staurolite
Book Five: Quintessence
By Marsha A. Moore

Seeking a Scribe: Enchanted Bookstore Legend One by Marsha A. Moore

Lyra McCauley is a writer and loves fantasy novels, but until she opens a selection from bookstore owner Cullen Drake, she has no idea he’s a wizard character who lives a double life inside that volume…or the story’s magic will compel her from the edge of depression to adventure, danger, and love.

His gift to Lyra, the Book of Dragonspeir, was actually her copy, misplaced years ago. Lost in her pain following divorce and death, she fails to recognize him as her childhood playmate from the fantasyland. Friendship builds anew. Attraction sparks. But Lyra doubts whether a wizard is capable of love. She’s torn—should she protect her fragile heart or risk new love?

Opening the book’s cover, she confronts a quest: save Dragonspeir from destruction by the Black Dragon before he utilizes power of August’s red moon to expand his strength and overthrow the opposing Imperial Dragon. Lyra accepts the challenge, fearing Cullen will perish if evil wins. Along with magical animal guides, Cullen helps her through many perils, but ultimately Lyra must use her own power…and time is running out.

Series Description:

The Enchanted Bookstore Legends are about Lyra McCauley, a woman destined to become one of five strong women in her family who possess unique magical abilities and serve as Scribes in Dragonspeir. The Scribes span a long history, dating from 1200 to present day. Each Scribe is expected to journey through Dragonspeir, both the good and evil factions, then draft a written account. Each book contains magic with vast implications.

Lyra was first introduced to Dragonspeir as a young girl, when she met the high sorcerer, Cullen Drake, through a gift of one of those enchanted books. Using its magic, he escorted her into the parallel world of Dragonspeir. Years later, she lost that volume and forgot the world and Cullen. These legends begin where he finds her again—she is thirty-five, standing in his enchanted bookstore, and Dragonspeir needs her. 

When Lyra reopens that enchanted book, she confronts a series of quests where she is expected to save the good Alliance from destruction by the evil Black Dragon. While learning about her role, Lyra and Cullen fall in love. He is 220 years old and kept alive by Dragonspeir magic. Cullen will die if Dragonspeir is taken over by the evil faction…Lyra becomes the Scribe.

Purchase Links:

Seeking a Scribe: Enchanted Bookstore Legend One

Heritage Avenged: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Two

Lost Volumes: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Three

Staurolite: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Four

Quintessence: Enchanted Bookstore Legend Five

ABOUT MARSHA A. MOORE

Marsha A. Moore loves to write fantasy and fantasy romance. Much of her life feeds the creative flow she uses to weave highly imaginative tales. 

The magic of art and nature often spark life into her writing, as well as watercolor painting and drawing. She’s been a yoga enthusiast for over a decade and is a registered yoga teacher. After a move from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, she’s happily transformed into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors. Marsha is crazy about cycling. She lives with her husband on a large saltwater lagoon, where taking her kayak out for an hour or more is a real treat. She never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at stories with toes wiggling in the sand. Every day at the beach is magical!

Website  Twitter  Facebook  Goodreads  Google +

 Want to get involved with the Fall Into Fantasy promotional tour?

• Don't forget to join us at the Facebook party here! 
• If you are interested in joining up as a blogger, you can always sign up here. We are happy to welcome more bloggers into the fold as the promotion continues. 
• If you are an author or blogger and want to sign up to help with the party, please fill out this form.

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Excerpt from Seeking a Scribe:

Chapter One: Licorice Memories

The smell of anise greeted Lyra as she opened the door to Drake’s bookstore. It took her back to happy childhood memories. Licorice-shoe-string-rewards for following her parents’ requests to stay on the dock while they secured the family’s pleasure boat to its trailer. The aroma brought a fleeting remembrance of times long gone, a treasure now that her folks had recently passed. At ease with the familiar scent, she settled into browsing through rows of antique bookcases.

The shop owner stuck his head around a set of shelves. “Do you like tea?”

“Yes, I do.” Before she could finish speaking, he disappeared. “Is that the wonderful smell?” she called out.

Kitchenware clinked in the back room. Receiving no answer, Lyra followed the noises, scanning collections as she walked. This bookshop appeared established, but surely she would have remembered it from her last visit to the Lake Huron village five years ago. Books were her passion, especially fantasy. She paused in front of that section and studied its titles.

The owner appeared, holding a pewter tray with a teapot, two cups, sugar jar, spoons, and napkins, which he laid on the corner of an old library table. She watched him carefully pour the tea and hand her a cup. He was about her age, mid thirties or a bit older, and handsome. His medium brown hair, peppered with gray at the temples, grazed his shoulders in wavy layers, and his beard was trimmed into a neat goatee. He wore long shorts, a knit golf shirt, and sandals—typical casual attire for this island resort community.

She set down her bag from the drugstore and accepted his offer with a smile. “Thanks. My name’s Lyra.” She blew across the hot surface of the tea to cool it and then inhaled the anise-scented steam. She closed her eyes to fully enjoy the memory. “Ah!”

“Afternoons of boating and licorice with your parents? Right?” he asked.

Her mouth dropped open. How did he know that?

Thursday Takeover & Giveaway: Rayna Noire

It feels like it has been forever since I had a Thursday Takeover, and who better to end that dry spell with than Rayna Noire? Rayna is the author of the Pagan Eyes series and is here to talk about how she developed the character of Ethan from her series . The third book in her series, Declaration, is out now. I've got a great excerpt from the third book to share with you, and you can read my review for the first book, Initiation, here on Goodreads. Initiaion will be free on Amazon from September 11th to 13th, so pick up your copy now! Let's get to know the book and Rayna a bit better before she takes over:

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Declaration

Pagan Eyes

Book Three

Rayna Noire

Genre: YA Paranormal

Publisher: Sleeping Dragon Press

Date of Publication: August 2014

ISBN-13: 978-0692254363 ISBN-10: 0692254366 

Number of pages: 241

Cover Artist: Dawne Dominique

Book Description:

Ethan finds himself trapped between the world he knows and the world that could be. A sadistic bully, an unsympathetic principal, and an unreachable love interest make high school difficult for Ethan. He feels like he’s living a lie, trying to blend in at school in an effort to keep his head attached to his body. 

The support his Wiccan family provides is negated by fear of not being the son his father wants. An impromptu trip into the future saves him from an enraged bully while instilling doubts about where he really belongs. Somehow, he has to find a way to survive in his own world tossing aside his mask and doubts.

Book Trailer http://youtu.be/gU5lJ-YKzsc 

Available at Amazon

Excerpt:

Ethan hid in a dark doorway, panting, while he considered his options. No way Caulb and his felons in training would give up once they figured out he outsmarted them. Shouts echoing in the cavernous hallway alerted him. Danger was closer than he’d thought. Great. Weren’t schools supposed to be crawling with staff members looking out for the welfare of the students? Yeah, right. Too bad, he’d left his cell phone in Leah’s car. Not that it would have done him much good since the school used a dampener to keep students from texting in class.

If high schools were a theme park, then tenth grade was the roller coaster. It started uneventfully. The most stressful part  had been fending off all the helpful staff members, who wanted to redirect him to the middle school, assuming, since he was shorter than a good portion of the girls, he wasn’t old enough for high school.

The voices veered off to the left, down the science corridor. A window of opportunity opened up. Ethan shot up the hallway to the gym, where the wrestling team practiced earlier. His father had nagged him to try out for the wrestling team. Even the coach asked him to give it a go, because they needed someone in his weight class. Most of his matches would forfeit due to not having anyone in his class or he’d end up wrestling a girl, the coach said. No thanks. He already had enough things to be teased about.

The dimly lit hallway stretched as if it were endless. Maybe this was a dream and he’d wake up soon. Caulb’s voice filtered down the hallway. His bass timber was menacing enough without the eerie quality of it bouncing off the metal lockers and taking on an almost mechanical quality. Caulb was a deadly droid, on the mission of annihilating anyone who didn’t conform to his standards. Unfortunately, no tip sheet existed to specify what his standards were. All Ethan knew was, he didn’t meet them.

The gym doors came into view. Sanctuary. He swung the door open with a gasp, unsure what he was going to say. All he had to do was stick close to the coach. Maybe he could say he needed to use the phone to call home. His eyes darted around the empty gym. Where was everyone? An image of the wrestlers in their spandex suits came to mind. They were dressed in their team apparel when he’d seen them earlier, which meant they were probably at an away meet, and why no one was in the gym. The lights illuminated the wooden floor and abandoned mats.

He took a few steps into the gym, stopped, and turned slowly, seeing no sign of following bullies, or an almost friend who stabbed him in the back. His lips pulled down into a frown, remembering the different expectations he’d had for the night, much different.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rayna Noire is an author and a historian. The desire to uncover the truth behind the original fear of witches led her to the surprising discovery that people believed in magick in some form up to 150 years ago. A world that believed the impossible could happen and often did must have been amazing. With this in mind, Ms. Noire taps into this dimension, shapes it into stories about Pagan families who really aren't that different from most people. They do go on the occasional time travel adventures and magick happens.

Find her online:

Website  Facebook  Twitter  Amazon Author Page

Take it away, Rayna!

The Character Factory by Rayna Noire

Sometimes people ask me where I get my characters. I suspect most think I base them on people I know or even my own family. Not true, many of my family members do read my books and would give me hard time if I did that, especially if they didn’t like the portrayal.

There are iconic figures such as the tortured hero, the myopic starlet, but I don’t do the classic characters since I’m not creating classic plot lines. Writers often board the popular character train. It could be a billionaire who likes to tie girls up or a vampire. In the end, that’s only a trait, not a character.

Often authors resort to using their own personality traits or phobias to create a character. It’s taking what a person knows on a deep level. Okay, all that said, why did I pick a gay male who loves old school musicals? That’s pretty far from who I am.

I didn’t pick him or intend to write his story since he was a secondary character, the little brother. Ethan added a comic element to previous tales. I shaped him through the first two books. Enjoyed his give and take with his sisters. Allowed him to assert himself in a colorful family dominated by strong personalities. Then one day, he demanded his own book. Yes, this really happened, in my head, but it did happen.

Very politely, I explained I didn’t do LGBT YA books. Didn’t know anyone who did. He pointed out it wasn’t an issue book, but a continuation of the Carpenter family saga. And so it was. The hardest part of writing Ethan was the time travel element, not the character. Ethan had already taken residence in my psyche with the first book, Pagan Eyes: Initiation.

To answer the inquiry where the characters come from, I think they always existed within the writers. At different times, one will step forward and make himself or herself known. Then, it’s time for his or her story to unfold.

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Teaser Tuesday: I See the Web by Cait Spivey

Yes, I am posting a book that heavily features spiders. I'm working through my arachnophobia, and you should too by checking out I See the Web by Cait Spivey. Let's get to know the book and Cait before I give you guys a tease of the book! Oh, and stay tuned for a cover reveal for the next book, A Single Thread here on October 3rd!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Seventeen-year-old Erin has a lot to look forward to, even if it suddenly seems like everywhere she turns there’s a spider staring at her. She’s finally out to her friends and family, surprising exactly no one. When Dawn, the love of her tender teenage dreams, corners her in the library, a whole new world opens up to Erin. From here on out, it’s all make-out sessions with her beautiful girlfriend in rooms stacked high with books.

Until the spiders start whispering.

Turns out the spiders aren’t just stalking her for kicks. They need her to be their voice, their vessel, whatever that means. But their timing is crap, because there’s no way Erin is giving up her human life just when things are starting to get amazing. Too bad the spiders just won’t quit. Like it or not, Erin will have to choose, and it won’t be nearly as easy as she thinks.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cait Spivey is a speculative fiction writer, author of the YA paranormal romance novella I See the Web. She is also a freelance editor, on staff for Curiosity Quills Press and REUTS Publications, as well as a managing member of Bear and Black Dog Editing, LLC. In her spare time, she plans her next tattoo (there will always be a next tattoo), watches too much Netflix, and spends quality time with her darling husband Matt and completely adorable dog Jay. The rest of her time is devoted to her tireless quest to make America read more.

Find Cait online: Website  Twitter

EXCERPT:

I’m dreaming about a house. It’s a big house on the coast, built into a hill with big ocean-facing windows and a patio that wraps almost the whole way around. I sit on that patio with a big mug of coffee (because adults drink coffee, not soda, right?), wrapped up in a fluffy afghan like my grandma used to knit. The sea is dark grey, which makes me think that this house is somewhere in the northwest, Puget Sound maybe. It’s cold and fresh and I am just as happy as can be.

Then she comes out and stands next to me. She leans down and kisses my forehead. I look up and see Dawn, or what I imagine a grown-up version of her will look like. Her hair is shorter, her face is thinner, and her boobs are just a little bigger. She’s wearing a thick blue robe and woolen pajamas. I stretch up towards her and she leans down again and kisses me on the mouth this time.

I get the sense that this is our day off. The lucid part of my still-teenage mind thrills with the realization that we are adults and we live together in this glorious house.

I hear a shriek of glee that mimics my own feelings and a little bullet of a creature comes thundering across the patio. It’s a little boy with Dawn’s golden hair. He’s maybe two years old, dressed in purple footie pajamas.

“Someone’s happy to be awake,” I hear myself say in a voice deeper than I have now. I put my coffee down on a table and hoist him into my lap.

This is our son, lucid-me understands. Dawn and I have a child.

I’m dreaming of the future, a life in the future where Dawn and I are married and we’re mothers and everything is perfect. For some reason I can’t explain, this makes me incredibly sad. I look up at my beautiful wife, I look down at our beautiful child, and I am filled with dread.

Why dread? I ask myself. It could happen. Washington legalized marriage equality. That’s probably why we moved—will move—it could happen.

“Mommerin,” says the boy. He looks up at me with a blank face.

Mommerin. His name for me, I remember. He calls Dawn DeeDee. But those aren’t memories, not real ones. It’s the dream, making stuff up. I feel sick to my stomach. My body lurches. I vomit something black, all over my lap and all over the boy.

Dawn screams. I blink through my reflex to squint, trying to see through the burning tears. My poor baby, covered in black, comes into focus. Then I scream too.

He’s covered in spiders. Him, me, we’re both crawling with tiny black spiders.