Monthly Archives: October 2017

Oct 28 2017

Dig In and Fight Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revisedHere’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

I was excited to do a cover reveal this week for my next paranormal romance, set in ancient Egypt. I hadn’t written one in quite a while and it was fun to dive back into my version of 1550 BCE! (I also have a new scifi romance coming in November – more on that next week.)

Captain Khian and his men are in front of Pharaoh, to receive honors for heroism. Lady Tuya is in the audience and this is her POV. The excerpt (edited for punctuation to fit our rules):

Pharaoh leaned forward to speak to the solider, “My general tells me your men held off the enemy at the Meribe Pass long enough for him to bring up reinforcements and turn the tide of battle – well done.” He took the gold of valor, a heavy necklace of golden flies, from the scribe and looped it over the captain’s neck.

“It was either dig in and fight or jump off the cliffs at our back, Great One.” This Khian’s voice was deep, his smile engaging, “I didn’t see much choice in the moment, frankly. So we made a wall of our shields and dared the Hyksos to overrun us.”

Tuya held her fan still, waiting to see how the ruler would react to being addressed. Normally, the recipients of honors merely saluted and murmured their brief, awed thanks.

But Pharaoh was a former military man and in a good mood. He laughed, “Sometimes the best strategy is just to survive and fight like hell, captain, I quite agree.”

LadyoftheNileFinalHere’s the story:

Tuya, a high ranking lady-in-waiting at Pharaoh’s court, lives a life of luxury, pageantry and boredom. Khian, a brave and honorable officer from the provinces temporarily re-assigned to Thebes, catches her eye at a gold of valor ceremony. As the pair are thrown together by circumstances, she finds herself unaccountably attracted to this man so unlike the haughty nobles she’s used to. But a life with Khian would mean leaving the court and giving up all that she’s worked so hard to attain. As she goes about her duties, Tuya struggles with her heart’s desires. 

When Tuya is lured into a dangerous part of Thebes by her disgraced half-brother and kidnapped by unknown enemies of Egypt, Khian becomes her only hope. Pharaoh assigns him to bring the lady home. 

Aided by the gods, Khian races into the desert on the trail of the elusive kidnappers, hoping to find Tuya before it’s too late. Neither of them has any idea of the dark forces arrayed against them, nor the obstacles to be faced. An ancient evil from the long gone past wants to claim Tuya for its own purposes and won’t relinquish her easily. 

Can Khian find her in time? Will he and his uncanny allies be able to prevent her death? And if the couple escapes and reaches safety, what of their fledgling romance?

 

 

Oct 27 2017

Cover Reveal LADY OF THE NILE

I realized it had been far too long since I visited ancient Egypt to tell a paranormal romance, so I’ve got a new book releasing next week (exact date TBD as it’s still with the formatter)!

Here’s my gorgeous cover, from Fiona Jayde:

LadyoftheNileFinal

Here’s the story:

Tuya, a high ranking lady-in-waiting at Pharaoh’s court, lives a life of luxury, pageantry and boredom. Khian, a brave and honorable officer from the provinces temporarily re-assigned to Thebes, catches her eye at a gold of valor ceremony. As the pair are thrown together by circumstances, she finds herself unaccountably attracted to this man so unlike the haughty nobles she’s used to. But a life with Khian would mean leaving the court and giving up all that she’s worked so hard to attain. As she goes about her duties, Tuya struggles with her heart’s desires.

When Tuya is lured into a dangerous part of Thebes by her disgraced half-brother and kidnapped by unknown enemies of Egypt, Khian becomes her only hope. Pharaoh assigns him to bring the lady home.

Aided by the gods, Khian races into the desert on the trail of the elusive kidnappers, hoping to find Tuya before it’s too late. Neither of them has any idea of the dark forces arrayed against them, nor the obstacles to be faced. An ancient evil from the long gone past wants to claim Tuya for its own purposes and won’t relinquish her easily.

Can Khian find her in time? Will he and his uncanny allies be able to prevent her death? And if the couple escapes and reaches safety, what of their fledgling romance?

The excerpt:

Facing down the attacking Hyksos hordes at the Meribe Pass had been easier in many ways than preparing to meet a grateful Pharaoh to receive the reward for not accepting defeat. Captain Khian walked the line of his small troop murmuring encouragement, straightening a sword here and making a joke there, anything to lighten the men’s tension as they waited outside the ceremonial chamber for their moments under Pharaoh’s eye. It wasn’t often that common soldiers had the chance to stand in front of the Living God who ruled Egypt. The idea was terrifying.

At last the scribe touched his elbow. “You can march in now, captain.”

He nodded, gave his soldiers one final, critical inspection. “We’ll do the Jackal Nome proud, men.”

Khian set the pace, walking behind the young scribe, keeping his proud military bearing, not looking to the right or the left but focusing on the glittering dais where Pharaoh’s golden throne sat and the Great One himself waited to honor them. He might be only a landholder, commissioned to fight in the war against the invaders, rather than one of the career officers, and his men might be farmers in their daily lives, but by the gods, they’d held that damned pass and saved the day for Egypt. Pride for what his troops had accomplished in battle filled his heart and pushed aside trepidation over being in a completely foreign environment now. He just wanted to get through the ceremony without disgracing himself or his men in front of the ruler.

The scribe had them line up off to the side, awaiting their moment with Pharaoh, who was still speaking with a group of ambassadors. “Your name will be called and then move forward in front of the throne. Salute and stand at attention.”

“We’ll do as you instruct.” Khian clenched his hand on the hilt of his sword. He gazed across the chamber while he waited, taking in the crowd of courtiers attending the audience. For the most part the nobles, officers and functionaries were a blur of painted faces, fine clothes and elaborate jewelry but one woman caught his attention. She sat near the queen, so was obviously high ranking, but her expression was sweet rather than haughty and she stared at him as if trying to give him encouragement. Could she tell he was nervous about committing an inadvertent error of royal protocol? The lady smiled, plying her ostrich feather fan flirtatiously. He made a slight bow to her, before he abruptly remembered where he was.

Ridiculous as it might seem, he felt as if he had a friend here.

Boredom had been weighing on Tuya all afternoon. She’d sat through many audiences at the court of Pharaoh Nat-re-Akhte and this one was no different—newly arrived dignitaries to greet, a few issues needing  Pharaoh’s judgment, gold of valor to be awarded to a deserving soldier or two. In her five years as chief lady-in-waiting to the Royal Wife, Tuya had seen all variations.

Pharaoh would present the gold of valor next, and Tuya found herself glancing at the assembled soldiers. The officer captured her attention instantly. Something about his face drew her gaze. He had the look of a man going into combat and she guessed his unfamiliarity with royal protocol and the customs at court might lie at the heart of his tension. Or he was worried for his men that they’d manage the moments under Pharaoh’s scrutiny with honor. Direct attention from the living god was a frightening thing to most people.  She wished she could take the officer aside for a moment and reassure him that Pharaoh was a kind man, a soldier himself in fact, and would most likely be tolerant of any minor breaches in protocol from overawed rural troops.

The captain was looking at the crowd now, as he waited, and when his attention turned to her, she smiled and tried to project encouraging thoughts for him. It doesn’t matter how the court perceives you, only Pharaoh’s opinion counts with the gods.

 

Oct 25 2017

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday October 25

aristonAs always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

ARISTON (STAR GUARDIANS) by Ruby Lionsdrake

VS Note: Always great to have a new one from Ruby! I’m also happy to see her continue to write books in this series. One clicked promptly LOL.

An undercover Star Guardian agent sworn to enforce the law.
A US marine turned galactic pilot, inadvertently breaking the law.
Trapped on a mysterious planet full of dangerous ruins, these two enemies must work together—and deal with their growing attraction—as they struggle to survive.

It’s been two years since delegates from the Confederation visited our solar system, pointing out a wormhole that leads into the rest of the galaxy. Former Marine Michelle “Mick” Saunders was one of the first people from Earth to acquire a spaceship and venture out among the stars. Still haunted by the devastating event that prompted her to leave the military, she’s led a lonely life of late, and longs to find something greater out there.

But for now, she has a spaceship to pay off…(more)…

Amazon

laurens barbarianLAUREN’S BARBARIAN by Ruby Dixon

A lush, tropical island on an icy planet makes no sense.

Then again, not much makes sense anymore after waking up and finding myself not in bed but on a strange world populated by aliens. Since that moment, I’ve learned that nothing is normal anymore and I’ve got to roll with the punches. I can handle this, though. I’m strong and capable.

So… washed up on a tropical island? Got it handled.

Separated from the others in my group? Handled.

Stranded alone with a brutal but delicious alien man that can’t speak English but has great…ahem…body language? Yup, handled.

Add in the fact that my cootie – a symbiont I need to survive – has chosen my big, hulking alien friend as my fated mate? Let’s just say that the situation isn’t the only thing that’s going to be handled.

But it isn’t long before I learn that the tropical island paradise is a death trap and we’re all in grave danger, aliens and humans alike. To survive this, I’ll need my tempting guy to give me a hand with the situation…good thing he’s got four of them.

Amazon     iBooks

battalions brideBATTALION’S BRIDE (CELESTIAL MATES SERIES BOOK 8) BY C J SCARLETT

Being trapped on a dying Earth was quickly becoming a daily fight to stay alive. Ember and her brother Dark are losing the battle and her big brother is willing to give his life to give her a chance to survive. After researching all the aliens, he selects the insectoids. They are the only ones who don’t buy or trade for brides. They simply accept all who wish to come. Dark senses she might not be considered property on the new Maruvian home world.

After his sacrifice, Ember feels compelled to do as she’s told to get along. Unfortunately, she’s never been the docile type. Feeling like a she’s been forged in crucible of pain and suffering, Ember hopes to finally get some peace on her new home world. When an insectoid training ship attacks their vessel, it looks like peace might not be in the cards after all.

Haroc and Valic: These two Maruvian warriors compose an elite fighting unit. Their assignment is to retrieve a large group of human queens from Earth…(more)…

Amazon

talon revant warriorsTALON (REVANT WARRIORS) by Celeste Raye

Talon is a Revant, one of the few left of his race. He’s been at war with the Gorlites
and the Federation for centuries and he doesn’t see that changing anytime soon.

Jessica’s a human Talon saved from a slaver ship. She’s also a fierce warrior and a
former Federation Capo with a shadowy past and a closely guarded secret that she can’t
remember.

The attraction between them is strong but they both fight it as hard as they fight
against the impossible decision that must be made. Stand with the Federation or see
the universe taken over by something even more sinister.

Amazon

aeon captiveAEON CAPTIVE ( SENSUAL ABDUCTION SERIES BOOK 1) by Amelia Wilson

Sarah is a young woman adrift: she’s recently left school, she lives back home with her geologist father, and she’s avoiding her recently deceased best friend’s mother without really knowing why. When a crystal her father gave her begins to glow and make sounds, Sarah’s world is turned upside down. The crystal is a beacon, and aliens are here to take her away from her home. Far away.

Aboard the alien ship Sarah meets a telepathic alien she names Henry. They share their stories and begin to fall for one another. Though, perhaps Henry isn’t what he seems. That’s what Gar, an alien whose species is at war with Henry’s tells Sarah when he saves her. ..(more)…

Amazon

paxPAX (VERIAN MATES) by Stella Sky

Dr. Ali Monroe hates the condescending attitude of her superiors at the lab, and the war-torn world she was born into. The last thing she expects is to find an attractive alien warrior in distress.

When she is abducted by the Verian alien and brought to the planet Helna, she is introduced to perspectives and desires she has never even dreamed of. But just when she is starting to see the beauty of the Verian way of life and their world, things take a dramatic turn and she finds herself in the sensual arms of the fierce alien warrior.

Pax Curad is the Second-in-Command to his corrupt brother, leader of the Verian race. When he begins to unravel a plot to overtake humans and Verians alike, Pax realizes that the only way out of this catastrophe is collaboration. He has been fighting against his attraction to the human female for so long that working with her seems almost like a trap. Will he be able to focus on victory?

Or will his passion win out and cost him the thing he holds most dear; a chance for a better life for his race?

Amazon

tangled in timeTANGLED IN TIME (McCARTHY SISTERS) by Barbara Longley

VS Note: I’ve known Barbara since we both wrote for Carina Press back in the day. I always enjoy her stories…

Regan MacCarthy’s ability to see ghosts is a gift inherited from her Irish ancestors, but it’s one she’d dearly like to give back. In an attempt to return her powers to their source, she travels to Ireland to harness the ancient magic that still permeates the mystical site of Newgrange. Instead, something far more unexpected awaits her: a strapping, gorgeous stranger who insists he’s a centuries-old Celtic warrior.

Fáelán was one of Fionn MacCumhaill’s elite soldiers before being cursed by a resentful fae princess. The only way to free himself is to fall so deeply in love that he’d sacrifice his life. Not an easy matter when he’s invisible to most. Yet Regan sees him—not just the proud, handsome warrior on the surface, but the complex man beneath. Only when it’s too late does Fáelán realize that drawing this beautiful mortal into his world has endangered them both, and may destroy the happiness he’s waited an eternity to claim.

Amazon

london callingLONDON CALLING: 3 SCINTILLATING VICTORIAN STEAMPUNK TALES by  Sorcha Mowbray, TL Reeve, Michele Ryan and Dena Garson

Journey to Victorian London where an assassin meets her match, zombies invade, and top scientists go missing.

Four talented authors come together to bring you three BRAND NEW, full length Victorian steampunk novels of seduction, adventure, and mystery.

Amazon     iBooks

 

7% and rising7% AND RISING BY Kim Knox

For Level Seven Observer Cahn Dal, her mission is simple—on the surface.
Travel 700 years into the past, alter a complicated equation that will assure the continuation of her timeline, and slip out unnoticed.
Except someone else got there first, and he’s waiting for her.
Alexander Roen. The man she’s loved since she was a teenager, and, to her disgust, she finds she still desires…(more)…

Amazon     iBooks

cosmic catalystCOSMIC CATALYST (SHAMANS AND SHIFTERS SPACE OPERA Book 2)  by Jenny Schwartz

When starship shaman Jaya Romanov and her new mate partner, galactic bounty hunter and robot wolf shifter, Vulf Trent, saved the galaxy from the deadly actions of a determined geriatric terrorist, they forgot that old Earth truism: no good deed goes unpunished.

Now, the galaxy is exploding with unexpected aliens, greedy politicians—well, that’s normal enough, it’s what the politicians will attempt that is worrying—and a radically new aspect to sha energy that has the potential to change everything.

And then there’s the mystery of Jaya’s father…who is he? Some big secrets are lurking in Jaya’s past, and to save those she loves, she’ll be forced to risk the galaxy in a shoot ’em up, take-no-prisoners rescue because sometimes there’s no fighting your destiny.

Fortunately, Vulf is always ready for a fight!

Amazon

beyond foreverBEYOND FOREVER (O’KANE FOR LIFE #2) by Kit Rocha

Before they were the King and Queen…

Six years before the Beyond series started, an ambitious bootlegger named Dallas O’Kane caught a very pretty thief named Lex with her hand in his safe.

The rest is very sexy history.

In Beyond Forever, follow Dallas and Lex through the turning points in their relationship, from the night he caught her trying to rob him, through his rise to successful bootlegger, to legend, to Sector Leader–with Lex always there, willing to give him the push he needs.

Amazon     iBooks

tag teamTAG TEAM (GEMINI PROJECT BOOK 1) by Bianca D’Arc

VS Note: Listed in PNR/Psychics…a short read apparently.

Peter and Mike are back from their latest overseas mission and this time, nothing will stop them from claiming the woman they love. Lilly isn’t too sure about their motives, but when both of her dream guys put the move on her, she’s powerless to resist one of her dearest fantasies coming true. But can it last long term? Dare she take a chance and find out?

Amazon     iBooks

a second chance loveA SECOND CHANCE LOVE (LOVE THROUGH TIME BOOK 1) by Augustina Van Hoven

Can a person learn to live and love again?

A single moment changed Jessica Winters’s life forever… a drunken driver crossed over the centerline and stole the lives of her husband and her little boy. Now, she is trying to find meaning in her life, and she has immersed herself in the world of journalism. While on her way to cover a story, she swerves to miss a deer and loses control of her car.

When she awakens, everything has changed—even the century.

Captain Harlan Jefferson Baylor had found Jessica, unconscious and, to his eye, half-dressed, and he had taken her to the only person he thought would offer help: the local madam…(more)…

Amazon     iBooks

saving themSAVING THEM (WINGS OF ARTEMIS BOOK 6) by Rebecca Royce

Paloma McQueen is a woman on a mission.

Loving the Sandler brothers in the midst of a war tearing their galaxy apart never promised to be easy but Paloma swore an oath to her husbands. Their challenges are hers, their war hers, their happiness… Everything she is and will be, she plans to be with them no matter what changes the conflicts wrought on the map.

When a battle gone wrong rips her away from her loves, she will tear the galaxy apart to get them.

She made a promise to love them for better or worse and nothing—not war, cartel, or corporation will keep her from those she loves.

Nothing.     Amazon

leopards bloodLEOPARD’S BLOOD by Christine Feehan

Though he was born into a leopard’s lair in the bayou, Joshua Tregre’s fighting skills were honed in the rain forests of Borneo. Sleek and deadly, he’s the perfect man to take over a crime syndicate back home in Louisiana’s lush swamplands. His razor-sharp instincts give him an edge in the violent underworld he knows so well, but even the watchful leopard inside him isn’t prepared for the threat that comes from the girl next door…

She is a woman who can create beauty out of thin air—and out of the ruins of her own life. The games that dangerous men play have taken their toll on her, but she is bent, not broken. And it’s her fierce spirit that’s like a lure to Joshua, a temptation he can’t resist—even if it means bringing his true nature into the light.

Amazon     iBooks

keep me closeKEEP ME CLOSE (LAZARUS RISING BOOK 2) by Cynthia Eden

Flynn Haddox is a dead man. Literally.

As a highly trained Navy SEAL, Flynn once worked covert missions for the U.S. government, but then his life was stolen away. Killed and placed in the secretive “Lazarus” program, Flynn was brought back from the dead and turned into a super-soldier. Now he has increased strength, enhanced senses, and a few psychic bonuses that he fights hard to keep hidden from the rest of the world. He also has no memory of his past…and a new, twisting darkness seems to be growing inside of Flynn.

Cecelia Gregory escaped death once. Can she do it again?

Dr. Cecelia Gregory was supposed to help the Lazarus test subjects…(much more)…

Amazon     iBooks

prince of foolsPRINCE OF FOOLS (HOUSE OF TERIOT BOOK 3) by Nancy Gideon

VS note: I’ve been reading snippets of this on the Weekend Writing Warriors hop and really enjoying the story. One-clicked.

Reckless, hotheaded Rico Terriot seeks purpose and a sense of pride training the resentful guardians of New Orleans to defend a city besieged by a deadly outside force. Torn between his desire for his brother’s mate and the woman tied to the child of another, protecting their future happiness means denying his own on a dangerous path to redemption.

Amber . . . a single mother hiding a terrible past:  Rico Terriot was the stuff of dreams . . . lately all of hers. But there’s no happily-ever-after for someone living in the shadows, protecting dangerous secrets that threaten her and her daughter. Dare she believe in a fairytale prince when he comes to her rescue, not knowing the price he’ll pay for making her troubles his own? From world’s so far apart, is love strong enough to hold them together . . . and keep them alive?

Amazon

devlin zooDEVLIN (WERE ZOO BOOK 5)  by R E Butler

VS Note: Interviewed REB last week for USA Today/HEA

Lion shifter, Jenni Brisban, is beginning to think that the VIP tours hosted by the Amazing Adventures Safari Park aren’t going to help her find her soulmate. Hardly any human males come on the tour, and she spends her weekends in her shift, feeling like her life is passing before her eyes. When she’s offered a job in the new sweets shop at the park, she decides that standing behind the counter, talking to customers, and sneaking candy is just what she needs to get her mind off her singleness.

Human, Devlin Potter, is poised to get a promotion at work that will change his life dramatically. Finally, all his hard work will be worth it. The job he wants is just within reach, and his five-year plan is right on track. But when he sees a beautiful blonde woman at his cousin’s sweets shop, everything he ever thought he wanted disappears… (more)…

Amazon     iBooks

white lilyTHE WHITE LILY (VAMPIRE BLOOD) by Juliette Cross

To the north of the Varis empire, a mysterious faction spreads propaganda against the vampire monarchy. Friedrich Volya, the Duke of Winter Hill, seeks to discover who they are before his uncle finds them first. King Dominik will punish the traitors with brutal force.

Local schoolteacher, the raven-haired Brennalyn, is on her own mission—to spy on the duke and discover what she can for the Black Lily…(more)…

Amazon     iBooks

 

all hallows everALL HALLOWS EVER By Kaye Manro

When rock musician Nick Zelmenis finds out his band must dress in costume to perform at the All Hallows Eve music gig he is in a quandary over what to wear. His lover ballet dancer Krista McBaine and a few good friends come up with a groovy sci-fi costume idea for the band’s big night. But a devastating incident occurs just before the show and everything falls apart. Nick must pull out all the stops and call upon his innate psychic abilities. He knows beyond doubt if he can’t figure it out fast something tragic is going to happen to the one he loves.

Amazon

end of the roadEND OF THE ROAD by Karen Michelle Nutt

VS Note: Been reading the snippets from this book on the Weekend Writing Warriors too, and enjoying them. On my TBR List.

Lars Gunner, the frontman for Silent Plaids, died 23 years ago and his death was ruled an unfortunate accident. Despite the fact he can’t recall what happened to him in his last moments of life, he is convinced he was murdered. He has been trapped in limbo until his daughter, Cecilia, unearths his journal and is able to see him. She seeks help from Kaleb, a psychic, but as they resurrect the past, the secrets and lies surrounding Lars’ rock and roll life just may be the death of them too.

Amazon     iBooks

soulboundSOUL BOUND (DARK ARTS BOOK 3) by Bec McMaster

VS Note: I love her SFR books, I’ll have to try this one!

Sebastian Montcalm knows freedom for the first time in his life, but it has come at the cost of his father’s soul. If he can learn to harness his uncontrollable sorcery then he might be able to save his father from a demon’s grip, but every move he makes leads to failure. The only thing that gives him hope is the innocent touch of Cleo Sinclair, the woman he was forced to marry. But will his darkness drown out her light?

He could be her destruction…

Cleo knew her father only ever loved her for the power of her visions, but when he bartered her away in marriage to a man she’d never met, she realized how little value she truly had. Her husband, Sebastian, was nothing more than a dark warmth in her bed, a stranger who refused to touch her. But together, the two tortured souls found friendship. And now, when he needs her the most, he won’t even look at her.

…Or she could be his salvation…

When Cleo receives a powerful vision of a darkness that threatens London, she knows she is the key to defeating it. Only by working together can she and Sebastian prevail. But is Sebastian the one who can end this prophetic doom, or the one bound to begin it?

Amazon     iBooks

druid warrior princeDRUID WARRIOR PRINCE (CELTIC REWARDS CHRONICLES BOOK 3) by Juli D Revezzo

Gwenevieve Macken’s well-ordered world falls into chaos as encroaching interlopers scheme to possess both her and her land. Although she’s been trained to spot the signs of inhuman evil in men, the amassing armies take on guises she never expected.

When a foreign guardian presents himself as her only option for salvation, Gwenevieve must make a choice between her desires, and fulfilling the mythic fate to which she was born. A forced marriage to a Tuatha dé Danann warrior isn’t part of her plan.     Amazon

dark swan regine abelTHE DARK SWAN (THE SHADOW REALMS 0.5) by Regine Abel

Elianna is the ugly duckling of the Swan family, the youngest daughter amidst her three gorgeous and loving sisters. She’s used to be overlooked until the day the circus rolls into their quiet little town of Willow Grove. The crew only has eyes for her while she can’t get hers off their boss.

Thoryn feels her presence before he sees her. The others have too, especially Ken. Thoryn must move quickly and bind her to him before another claim what was always meant to be his. And his she will be, for eternity.

Amazon

overseerOVERSEER (THE HORN BOOK 3) by J Kathleen Cheney

VS Note: I was a HUGE fan of her Golden City series and the only thing holding me back from immersing myself in this series is that I gotta write my own books! And I’d probably binge read all of these. Sigh. So, added the series to my TBR List. She can get pretty dark with some of her plot elements but really good at world building.

Those who hold the secrets of the Fortresses can remake the world…
A new player has arrived at Horn Keep, and it’s up to Amal to decide whether he’s the key to keeping her people safe, or the threat they’ve feared the most. Aulis is, like Dalyan, a version of the same long-dead engineer, a Founder of the Salonen Fortress. That alone should make him worth keeping alive.

But he’s served the Cince Empire for almost two decades, the very people who want to steal Salonen Fortress. Now Amal is faced with the task of deciding whether he’s even capable of telling the truth, whether he can lie to Dalyan. The question is…are they the same man or not?

And is buying Aulis’ loyalty worth the risk of giving him the one thing he wants more than life itself? It’s within Amal’s power, but she knows that doing so will forever change her people’s world.

Amazon     iBooks

dragon princes baby bargainTHE DRAGON PRINCE’S BABY BARGAIN by Zoe Chant

Prince Victor can’t inherit the crown until he fathers a child on a woman of royal blood. For the sake of his kingdom, he agrees to an arranged marriage to a princess… who up and vanishes the day before the wedding.

Debbie Jameson, a virgin 7-11 clerk from Tennessee, was thrilled to win an all-expenses paid vacation abroad. But much bigger thrills are in store for her when the alpha dragon shifter Victor sweeps her off her feet with an offer she can’t refuse: impersonate the missing princess, marry him, and have his baby!

It’s a fairytale romance… until someone who definitely isn’t a noble knight tries to slay the dragon’s mate. Can Victor protect his beloved Debbie from mysterious assassins? And what happens if the real princess returns?

Amazon

fooled around and spelled in loveFOOLED AROUND AND SPELLED IN LOVE (THE HAPPILY EVERLASTING SERIES BOOK 3)  by  Michelle M Pillow

Welcome to Everlasting, Maine, where there’s no such thing as normal.

Anna Crawford is well aware her town is filled with supernaturals, but she isn’t exactly willing to embrace her paranormal gifts. Her aunt says she’s a witch-in-denial. All Anna wants is to live a quiet “normal” life and run her business, Witch’s Brew Coffee Shop and Bakery. But everything is about to be turned upside down the moment Jackson Argent walks into her life.

Jackson isn’t sure why he agreed to come back to his boyhood home of Everlasting. It’s like a spell was cast and he couldn’t say no. Covering the Cranberry Festival isn’t exactly the hard-hitting news this reporter is used to. But when a local death is ruled an accident, and the police aren’t interested in investigating, he takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of the mystery. To do that, he’ll need to enlist the help of the beautiful coffee shop owner.

It soon becomes apparent things are not what they seem and more than coffee is brewing in Everlasting.

Amazon     iBooks

wraith of the ancientsWRAITH OF THE ANCIENTS by Catherine Cavendish

VS Note: No idea if there’s any romance but I’m always fascinated by things touching on ancient Egypt. Put it on my TBR.

Egypt, 1908

Eminent archeologist Dr. Emeryk Quintillus has unearthed the burial chamber of Cleopatra. But this tomb raider’s obsession with the Queen of the Nile has nothing to do with preserving history. Stealing sacred and priceless relics, he murders his expedition crew, and flees—escaping the quake that swallows the site beneath the desert sands . . .

Vienna, 1913

Young widow Adeline Ogilvy has accepted employment at the mansion of Dr. Quintillus, transcribing the late professor’s memoirs. Within the pages of his journals, she discovers the ravings of a madman convinced he possessed the ability to reincarnate Cleopatra. Within the walls of his home, she is assailed by unexplained phenomena: strange sounds, shadowy figures, and apparitions of hieroglyphics.

Something pursued Dr. Quintillus from Egypt. Something dark, something hungry. Something tied to the fate and future of Adeline Ogilvy.

Amazon     iBooks

my secret to bearMY SECRET TO BEAR by Becca Fanning

Cole Patton never knew who his parents were, but he knew his role in life. As a child he was an outcast, running away from foster homes in search of some kind of family. In the Marines he was a secret weapon, an eight hundred pound Grizzly Bear Shifter capable of breaching any bunker. And now that he was back home, he was a pity case, forgotten and living on the street. Struggling to balance his humanity with his bestial side, he knew that anyone he let close would be in danger. But what if a greater danger is looming from his past?

Amazon     iBooks

mating frenzyTHE MATING FRENZY  (WEREWOLVES OF MONTANA BOOK 10) by Bonnie Vanak

Strong-willed, curvy Ella Princeton doesn’t have time for dating or dreams of fantasy. Practical to the core, she’s working three jobs to support her family. But everything changes when Ella meets a handsome naked man while searching for a lost cat. Exuding male strength and pure sex, he makes her heart race and her hormones fire. She wants to crawl all over him and lick him from head to toe. Too bad he’s crazy and talks as if he’s a shapeshifter from another world where the sharp snows of winter hold power and magick.

Kieran of the Winter Kingdom may be a tomcat when it comes to sex, but he is equally smitten with Ella, his new assignment. He must convince fiery, lovely Ella that she is a werewolf, and coax her into joining him on a quest to find a rare crystal. The hidden gem will turn her into a powerful warrior to fight the gathering darkness in the world. Only Ella can help stop a growing threat to Xavier, the Crystal Wizard, and save him and perhaps the entire human race.

Amazon     iBooks

gray wolf mateGRAY WOLF MATE: LEAGUE OF GALLIZE SHIFTERS by Dianna Love 

Shifters came out to the public eight years ago and, since then, the world has never been the same for many.
Tess Janver and Cole Cavanaugh fell deeply in love in college … then he disappeared without a word. She feared the worst, or thought she had. After seven years, he returns as a beefed up version of his former self. That’s not the only thing different. As someone working in a preternatural criminal investigation unit and the daughter of a senator determined to rid the world of dangerous shifters, Tess is caught between performing her duty to humans, protecting the only family she has left and risking her heart to a man who once destroyed it.
Cole had no choice in becoming a Gallize shifter, a secret group of apex predators at the top of the food chain for their kind, and now faces a deadline from a fatal mating curse he can’t stop. The only woman he’s ever loved is human and wouldn’t survive bonding with him. He never planned on Tess finding out he was a wolf shifter, but she’s in danger from a rogue pack. He’s not leaving until she’s safe … and he has a chance to redeem himself in her eyes before his time is up.
Amazon     iBooks
hallow be the hauntHALLOW BE THE HAUNT: A KREWE OF HUNTERS NOVELLA  by Heather Graham
Years ago, Jake Mallory fell in love all over again with Ashley Donegal—while he and the Krewe were investigating a murder that replicated a horrible Civil War death at her family’s Donegal Plantation.

Now, Ashley and Jake are back—planning for their wedding, which will take place the following month at Donegal Plantation, her beautiful old antebellum home.

But Halloween is approaching and Ashley is haunted by a ghost warning her of deaths about to come in the city of New Orleans … (more)…

happily ever after collectionHAPPILY EVER AFTER COLLECTION
Six brand new fairy tale romance novellas by New York Times bestseller Jessica Day George, and bestselling authors Julie Wright, Sarah M. Eden, Julie Daines, Heather B. Moore, and Annette Lyon.
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EMBRACE THE ROMANCE: PETS IN SPACE 2 made the US Today Best Seller list last week!!!! Thank you to all the readers, blogger and reviewers for the support! Still time to get your copy of these 12 original scifi romance stories featuring heroic pets, and have us make a donation to Hero Dogs, Inc.
Buy Links:   Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N 
canva new favorite review

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

October 18

October 11

October 4

September 27

September 20

September 13

September 6

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My standard Notes and Caveats:

The term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

 

Oct 21 2017

You’re In His Space Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revisedHere’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

In honor of the fact that Embrace the Romance: Pets In Space 2 hit the USA Today Best Seller List last week, I’ll do one more snippet from my story in the anthology!

Thanks to everyone for all the support and encouragement!

Once Karissa learns Grant has a pet in need of exercise, she cajoles him to let her go with him. In today’s snippet, she meets the ‘pet’. Edited a bit to comply with the WeWriWa rules:

The excerpt:

Karissa stopped in her tracks once she was across the threshold, “You didn’t tell me you had a bird!” Before Grant could stop her, she went forward to where Valkyr sat on his special perch, “You’re gorgeous, big boy.” She extended her hand to stroke the glossy iridescent black wing.

Grant had no conscious memory of moving but he had her in an iron grip, with his back to the bird and her safely to the side.

“What the seven hells—” She yanked away from him.

“Valkyr is a Qaazamir hunting eagle—he could bite off one of your fingers without any problem and his talons can inflict enough damage to kill a human. Never approach a wild, feral animal as if it’s a house pet.”

She looked chastened, “He’s beautiful and he doesn’t seem upset, or threatening.”

“You’re in his space and he’s never met you,” Grant turned. Valkyr sat on his perch calmly, blinking at them, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. He preened, fluffing out his feathers, raising his elegant crest of white and doing a bit of grooming, then spread his wings wide for a moment in an imposing display, before settling on the perch.

pets2The story:

Grant Barton, a Security Officer on the Nebula Zephyr, is less than thrilled with his current assignment to guard an Interstellar singing sensation while she’s on board the ship. It doesn’t help that he and his military war bird Valkyr are dealing with their recent separation from the Sectors Special Forces and uncertainty over their future, with their own planet in ruins.

Karissa Dawnstar is on top of the charts and seemingly has it all – talent, fame, fortune and devoted fans, but behind her brave smile and upbeat lyrics she hides an aching heart. When a publicity stunt goes wrong, Karissa finds herself in the arms of the security officer assigned to protect her – and discovers a mutual attraction she can’t ignore.

Trouble continues to plague the pair, driving a wedge between them and leaving Grant certain that Karissa is in more danger than she realizes, from overzealous fans and her own management. Grant is determined to protect Karissa whether she wants his help or not. Can he discover the truth behind what’s going on before he loses Karissa or is there someone else plotting to keep them apart – permanently?

Blurb for Embrace the Romance: Pets In Space 2:

The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!

10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.

Buy Links:   Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N 

My New Favorite Review:

canva new favorite review

 

Oct 20 2017

The Story Behind the Story: Why I Wrote My #Scifi Rock Star Romance

pets2In case you haven’t heard me making lots of noise and throwing confetti, Embrace the Romance: Pets In Space 2 made the USA Today Best Seller List this week!

I thought it would be a good time to re-blog this post I wrote for my co-organizer on the anthology, Pauline B Jones, about why I wrote this particular story. Pauline loves to have authors come visit and spill the beans on the stories behind the story. I’ll give you the beginning of the post here and then you can jump over and read the rest on Pauline’s blog.

Here’s how I began the post:

“It’s always such a pleasure to visit your blog and explain the influences that contributed to how I wrote a newly released book or story! In fact, this process is so much fun I sometimes find myself thinking while writing a book, “Oh, I’ll have to tell Pauline about this.”

I’ve always wanted to write a rock star romance because I LOVE the genre but if I sit down to write anything, it inevitably becomes science fiction. So when you and I decided to do Pets In Space 2, I thought, here’s my chance to involve a rock star. Among my favorites are Nalini Singh’s Rock Kiss series, J T Geissinger, Liora Blake…plus movies such as “The Bodyguard” and “Beyond the Lights”.  I had also recently read that there are cruises nowadays where bands are featured and do concerts and fan events during the cruise. So that part of the story worked fine if I set this Pets In Space story on board my interstellar luxury cruise liner, the Nebula Dream.

The next question was who would the hero be? I love to write Sectors Special Forces heroes, or recently retired service members from that branch, so I decided Grant would fall into that category and be a security officer on the ship. In that job assignment, it was logical that he’d cross paths with a high profile passenger like a rock star.

As far as a pet….”(and now you can find the rest  of the post here, including an excerpt: http://www.paulinebjones.com/why-star-cruise-songbird  )

canva heathers review

canva meme rock star available now

Buy Links: Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N 

Oct 18 2017

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy Romance for Wednesday October 18

unexpected pippaAs always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

UNEXPECTED: AN ALIEN ROMANCE by Pippa Jay

VS Note: Always exciting to have a new book from Pip!

When an injured alien crashes on her planet, Soraya follows her instinct to repair and restore it despite the challenge of their differing physiology. But as she gets closer to her patient and he recovers, Soraya confronts a whole new form of existence…and a desire that could destroy her completely.

Yoran chose exile in order to release the woman he thought his soulmate from a marriage contract she had no wish to fulfill, and almost paid for it with his life. Now he finds himself drawn to his alien savior. But how can he ask her to give up the only existence she knows when he’s already suffered the consequences of such a sacrifice himself?

Amazon   iBooks

other worldsOTHER WORLDS by Various

21 award-winning and best-selling authors bring you the best of PARANORMAL and SCI-FI ROMANCE in this enticing boxed set of 20 exclusive epic adventures.

Dark vampire lords, supernatural hunters, crafty hackers, uncompromising alien alphas, fearless shifters, rogue spaceship captains, and MORE await in this highly sought-after collection including BRAND NEW romantic, otherworldly tales!

Amazon

conan tashaCONAN STARGAZER ALIEN MAIL ORDER BRIDES #8 (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Tasha Black

​Brooke Singleton is a highly skilled hand-to-hand combat trainer for the police academy. The cadets respect her, her friends adore her and her dream of running her own gym is coming true. But Brooke’s charmed life is fraying at the edges. Her nights are dogged by terrible nightmares of her military service. And a handsome stranger from another planet has arrived, stirring up her emotions with his every heated glance. And he isn’t satisfied with haunting her days, he’s taken to showing up in her dreams as well.

Conan wants only one thing – for brave, beautiful Brooke Singleton to be his mate. But Brooke denies him at every turn. If it weren’t for the nights he visits her dreams, he wouldn’t even know that she craves him more than her next breath. And that would be a pity, because fulfilling Brooke’s wildest desires is all he can think about.

When outside forces threaten Brooke’s home and gym, she and Conan must work together to protect the life she and her friends have built. Brooke will need a hand facing her fears if she wants to preserve what matters most. But can the broken warrior open her heart to let Conan help her?

Amazon     iBooks

princess of dragaPRINCESS OF DRAGA (DRAGA COURT BOOK 1) by Emma Dean

Will Princess Adelina sacrifice everything for the chance at love?

In a galaxy far from ours, in the distant future Princess Adelina is a submissive among dominants, a sheep among wolves, until war arrives on the doorstep of the Draga galaxy.

Prince Nash managed to escape the monstrous horde that devoured his own galaxy and now he asks for sanctuary. Adelina feels indescribably drawn to him, but he’s forbidden to her. Will she risk it all to find out if Nash is her true love?

Amazon

alien captainALIEN CAPTAIN by Ariel Jade

Xaviara is a human diplomat for the Sol Alliance Coalition who’s determined to prove herself to her superiors. Nicholen is the sexy alien captain of the guard sent to escort her team to his homeworld to complete negotiations of an important treaty.

When a spaceship carrying his prince crash lands on a wild, abandoned planet terraformed centuries ago, they uncover a sinister plot that could shatter the peace. Despite rules against interspecies relationships between the diplomatic teams prior to the treaty’s signing, Xaviara finds herself drawn to Nicholen’s commanding presence.

Can they resist one another long enough to catch the saboteur and mount a rescue before the planet’s dangers turn deadly?

Amazon

wanted by the werewolf princeWANTED  BY THE WEREWOLF PRINCE (SPACE SHIFTERS CHRONICLES BOOK 1) by Kara Lockharte

Captain Skye Daring is a space fighter pilot without equal. Rescuing a foreign werewolf prince and his sister from behind enemy lines should be a breeze.

Prince Ral doesn’t take orders from impudent humans. He’s determined to save not only his sister and but his people they left behind. The only thing in his way is a sexy pilot too stubborn to acknowledge his authority.

Stuck in a crippled ship and hunted by tiger shifters, Skye and Ral must stop fighting each other and battle the enemy — together. Will the prince and pilot drop their guards long enough to conquer their dislike…and desire?

Amazon

HAVEN AND THE ALIEN MECHANIC (INTERGALACTIC BRIDES #13) by Jessica Coulter Smith

VS Note: Not a fan of the cover art even if he is purple.

When the IRS claimed her parents’ home and all of their possessions, Haven lost everything and was plunged into an unforgiving world she’d never been prepared for. Pregnant and alone, she’s not sure how much more she can handle, when her car breaks down in a parking lot. Good thing for her it’s a car repair shop.

Dryden has always wanted one thing. A mate. When the brides being sent to his world barely spared him a glance, he moved to Earth to see if he could find a mate on his own. Little did he realize that the perfect woman would fall into his lap. Her rotten luck was the best thing that ever happened to him.

When certain things come to light about the baby Haven is carrying, her world is turned upside down once more. But with Dryden by her side, she knows anything is possible… even true love and a happily-ever-after.

Amazon     iBooks

tour de forceDIVISION ONE: TOUR DE FORCE by Stephanie Osborn

Alpha One is participating in Omega’s very first First Contact diplomatic operation. Unfortunately, it’s going to split up the team—the Cortians, a race from the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy, have stringent requirements, and that narrows down the list of “candidate exchange students” to…Echo. ONLY Echo. PGLEIA’s top Division One Agent, the man being groomed to be the next Director…and Omega’s partner. A plum assignment, for the pick of the crop.

But Omega doesn’t see it that way, though she can’t—or won’t—explain why. She is determined to stop the mission from going forward. At any cost…(more)..

Amazon

through the neverTHROUGH THE NEVER (AN SF&F COLLECTION): by Various

VS Note: Not sure how much romance content is in here but recognized some of the author names so…

Forge the journey. Blaze the path. Seize the adventure.

If you’re ready to risk everything and follow powerful but flawed characters to new worlds, then this Fantasy and Science Fiction Anthology will leave you breathless with the thrill of the journey.

Get ready to travel to travel THROUGH THE NEVER with brave characters who break free from familiar confines and launch themselves into the dangerous unknown as they seek new lives and race down pathways from which there is no return.
From Earth to far-off galaxies to fantastic new realms, embark on fourteen exciting adventures in science fiction and fantasy where dangerous new worlds, epic quests, and heart-pounding adventures await.

Amazon

27 hours27 HOURS (THE NIGHTSIDE SAGA) by Tristina Wright

VS Note: YA but sounds good

Rumor Mora fears two things: hellhounds too strong for him to kill, and failure. Jude Welton has two dreams: for humans to stop killing monsters, and for his strange abilities to vanish.

But in no reality should a boy raised to love monsters fall for a boy raised to kill them.

Nyx Llorca keeps two secrets: the moon speaks to her, and she’s in love with her best friend, Dahlia. Braeden Tennant wants two things: to get out from his mother’s shadow, and to unlearn his colony’s darkest secret.

To save everyone they love, they’ll both have to commit treason.

During one twenty-seven-hour night, these four runaways must stop the war between the colonies and the monsters from becoming a war of extinction, or the things they fear most will be all that’s left.

Amazon     iBooks

punishing their matePUNISHING THEIR MATE: A DARK ALIEN ROMANCE NOVELLA (THERAN WARRIOR MENAGE BOOK 3) by Kallista Dane

She’s been rescued by hot alien twins. Taken back to their home planet. Now she’s about to discover what being their Mate REALLY means!

Cass Randall gave up command of the starship Luna to experience life on the alien world of Tharon, where every male is born with an identical twin. Under Tharan law, females are required to be submissive and each one must take a pair of dominant brothers as her mates…(much more)…

Amazon

alien explorers loveTHE ALIEN EXPLORER’S LOVE by Leslie Chase and Juno Wells

For Jaranak, the visit to Earth at the dawn of the 20th century isn’t going well. Here to rescue another shipwrecked alien, he and his crew crashed – and now they’re trapped themselves. Blending in won’t be easy with their blue skin, but they have no choice if they’re going to complete their mission.

He might have gotten away with his disguise if he hadn’t met Lilly. The human female may be lovely but her annoying questions are far too clever, and she won’t leave him alone. Worst of all, Jaranak isn’t sure he wants her to. There’s something about the sassy woman that draws him in irresistibly.

All her life Lilly dreamed of following in her parents’ footsteps and exploring the South Seas, but a childhood illness left her unable to do more than read about it. When Jaranak turns up pretending to be from an undiscovered island, she knows that the tall, gorgeous man is lying. But finding out where he’s really from will give her more than she’s bargained for.

Lilly isn’t the only human interested in Jaranak’s secrets, and the others are far more dangerous. When they come after him and his ship, can he keep Lilly out of the line of fire without losing her forever?

Amazon

venomous cravingVENOMOUS CRAVING by Mary Auclair

In a world where humanity has been hunted to near extinction, Rose is captured and on her way to be sold on the lucrative black market. Seizing her only chance, she escapes and finds fate waiting for her in the form of another captive of terrifying strength: a legendary Eok warrior.
Together, Rose and the Eok warrior Karian  fight for their survival – and ultimately for the fate of the entire human race. During that fight, a dangerous attraction is born.
Karian, the unyielding Commander in Chief of the Eok armies, feels his control fading a little more every time he looks at the fragile but headstrong human. Soon, the call to make her his mate torments his body, turning his desires into an imperious craving. She seems to want him, too, but she has no idea of the consequences for her should he claim her.
Will Rose accept him as her bloodmate and seal both their destinies, before everything is lost?
draekon heartDRAEKON HEART (EXILED TO THE PRISON PLANET) (DRAGONS IN EXILE BOOK 3) by Lee Savino and Lili Sander
Back on Earth is a man who wants to kill me.
Back on Earth, I slept with a knife under my pillow to be safe.
There’s no coffee on the prison planet. No pizza. No chocolate.
I should be thrilled that there might be a way back home.
Except I don’t want to return.
Here, I feel safe.
Because Mike isn’t here.
And because Thrax and Zorux are. …(more)…

 

 

her rogue matesHER ROGUE MATES (INTERSTELLAR BRIDES ROGUE 1 BOOK 5) by Grace Goodwin

An Earth member of the medical recovery team on Transport Station Zenith, Harper meets two mysterious strangers from an unknown world. With intense eyes and even more intense desires, it’s easy for the two sexy-as-sin aliens to prove how good it can be with them.

Styx, a leader from Rogue 5, knows Harper is destined to belong to him and his most trusted enforcer, Blade. But when Styx is betrayed by one of his own kind, she’s caught in the deadly crossfire. Her mates must tread carefully, for even if they win the battle on the lawless outer moon, they might lose the most important battle of all, the one for Harper’s heart.

vadirVADIR (INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Susan Hayes

Vadir has a business empire to run and no time to spare on frivolous endeavors. So how did he wind up on the far side of the galaxy to claim a mate he never signed up for? A matchmaking queen and a royal decree, that’s how.

His plan is simple: meet the female, negotiate terms, and leave the primitive planet of Earth as fast as he can. What could possibly go wrong?

Amazon     iBooks
evlonEVLON by Maia Starr
Miranda is on a mission, and the entire human race is relying on her. The ruthless aliens,
the Zenkians, have been attacking earth, but now they are allowing her to enter their
planet for talks of making peace. When the Zenkian leader makes her treat an injured
Zenkian soldier in order to establish trust, she knows that she cannot say no, but the
injured soldier wants her to massage more than just his injury…Evlon is a ruthless Zenkian soldier, second in command, and victor of the Zenkian war
games. Now, while preparing for the next war games, he is appointed to keep the newly
arrived humans distracted from his leaders devious plans. But when he feels Miranda’s
healing touch, he knows that he must have her, and he will not stop until she begs him to
take her.

He carries the secret that she has secretly been abducted and is a prisoner.

Will the soldier get everything he wants? War Games victory… and the human.

artistry of loveTHE ARTISTRY OF LOVE (CELESTIAL MATES BOOK 2) by C J Scarlett

For Jives, work always came first. As an alpha alien, a man in charge of the future of the planet, he didn’t have time for relationships. But, when he meets Tracey, everything changes.

Tracey is a woman stuck in a shitty relationship, but also wants to break free. She doesn’t know if she could ever date an alien, but she grows closer to Jives, who helps her through some tough times. Soon, passions start to arise, and lust forms.

But, behind all of that is an evil lurking. A figure from the past ready to cause trouble. Jives realizes who this is, and it’s someone very close to his past, a skeleton in the closet that he would rather not acknowledge. Of course, it was only a matter of time before things started to change. Will Jives take care of the problem before it spells curtains for not only the people of Earth, but Klanden as well?

trentTRENT (ZENKIAN WARRIORS) by Maia Starr
Samantha must escape from the hands of her ruthless alien abductor, a Zenkian
Commander known as Jenku Vade. But when she does she finds herself desolate in the
outlands, only to be rescued by Zenkian rebel Commander Trent Qoln, Jenku’s enemy.
She falls for Trent’s heroic and kind nature, but must keep her pregnancy a secret because
she bares the child of his enemy.Trent Qoln is a Zenkian rebel commander. He is a skilled hero. The blue skinned,
extraordinarily tall soldier lives by the rules of his people – do not interact with humans.
But when he finds a stranded delicate human female named Samantha, he knows that he
can’t abandon her and rescues her in secret. All of the rules that he has been loyal to
suddenly mean nothing compared to his desire of the human female.

He knows that he will eventually be faced with a choice, his loyalty or his desire.

bambis alien abductionBAMBI’S ALIEN ABDUCTION (EARTH GIRL’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING AN ALIEN ABDUCTION BOOK 1)  by Aubrey Cara

I’ve been abducted by Amish aliens, and hand to God, I’m so over it.

Don’t get me wrong. Their leader is super hot despite his likely shared ancestry with Godzilla. But he’s all about sexing me up and implanting his eggs in my you know where. And yes, I said eggs.

If that’s not bad enough, my besties have been abducted, too, but by entirely different aliens and are on an entirely different planet. I’ve got to get out of here…(more)…

caught beast mateCAUGHT BEAST MATE (BEAST MATES BOOK 4)  by Milana Jacks

VS Note: OK, this is my do-over. I meant to list this book last week but somehow got distracted and listed the first book in the series instead, which released a year ago! Sorry if I confused people.

Her protector, her nemesis. His once-in-a-lifetime second chance.

Kidnapped and taken from her home, Sienna is stuck in a beast community without the resources to find her way back. But she’s a survivor. Just like the wounded, bone-thin beast she finds in the desert.

Torrent was warned never to steal a human woman—especially if she’s his pair. He didn’t listen. Captured, beaten, starved by Men of Earth, he’s as near death as he can get without tipping into the void.

When her familiar scent brings him back to consciousness, recognition slams his gut. But there’s no answering light in her blue eyes. It’s just as well. If she remembered him, she’d know to run from the beast who once took her.

Although the spark of attraction burns bright between them, there’s danger in the heat. Because even if his crippled body had something to offer her, the forces arrayed against them are determined to snuff out their love before it catches flame.

Amazon

tourmalineTOURMALINE (AWAKENED SEA DRAGONS BOOK 2) by Terry Bolryder

Kai, formerly a powerful storm dragon, can’t seem to stop causing chaos wherever he goes, despite being collared in human form. Now he’s been sent out to an island to take a vacation and not come back without a mate. Which is hard when he’s better at rescuing humans than getting along with them. Until he sees curvy Renee, a sexy goddess that makes his dragon take notice. Now all bets are off, and the storm dragon is going to get what the storm dragon wants.

Renee is used to being overlooked, so when the hottest guy at the beach strolls right up to tell her she wants her, she almost falls off her stool. ..(more)..

eventide hourTHE EVENTIDE HOUR by Ursula Sinclair and C O Sin

My name is A’eron. I am Aos Si. Some might call me dark fae. But what I am is a prince without a kingdom, a man without a home. Stripped of my lands and title, I was banished to earth and to a place called Las Vegas. City of Sin. I can find my place here. What I did not expect was to be denied the Vampire I claimed as mine own. I’ve already lost everything. There is nothing else they can take from me. I will not give her up. No one tells me what to do.

My name is Tempest, Temp to my friends. Yeah, I’ve got a bit of a temper. It’s tough being kinkind, a blood Vampire whose uncle leads one of the most powerful Fractions in Vegas. He’s got enemies and since they can’t get to his daughter, they’ve targeted me. Thinking I’m the weaker target. Oh how wrong they are. But they will learn. I’m in a fight for my existence, but to my shock, I don’t fight alone.

Amazon     iBooks

opal bladeTHE OPAL BLADE (THE ASHEN TOUCH TRILOGY BOOK 1) by Kristy Nicolle

When Sephy Sinclair is forced to sign a contract taking over her father’s business empire, she’s not happy. What she doesn’t know though, is that in having her Father’s legacy thrust upon her, she’s about to discover the secret lives of her parents, and most importantly that her lineage is steeped far deeper in ancient myth and magic than she ever anticipated.

Journey, with Sephy, through The Hollow and find yourself among the sinners of Mortaria, The Underworldian City ruled by a council of Gods made mortal. Here, she will seek sanctuary beneath a purple sun and vermillion sky, ruled by Haedes, a man broken beyond repair by an incident far too close to home.

Unfortunately for Sephy, it is Haedes alone who can teach her how to wield her newfound powers. Will he overcome his personal loss in time to save Sephy as she is hunted by the Demon Lords of Ancient, or will Sephy be used as a bargaining chip to bring Mortaria to its knees?

Amazon

ghostedGHOSTED (MY SHATTERED SOUL SAGA BOOK 1) by Kristine Schwartz

It was supposed to be the last party of the summer––not of Blaire’s life.

When Blaire Stevens is thrust into an unknown realm, she must relearn everything she thought she knew. With a forgotten past, and no hope of unlocking those stolen memories, will Blaire be able to discover the truth… before it’s too late? Will her emerald-eyed wallflower be able to shield her heart and soul? Or will she be doomed to repeat a past she can’t even remember?

Amazon     iBooks

seenSEEN: AN OMEGAVERSE STORY (BREAKING FREE Book 2) by A M Arthur

Hell is a six-by-six jail cell and no hope for the future.

Kell Iverson has never raised his hand against another person in his entire life—and yet somehow he’s been arrested and charged with the murder of his alpha mate Krause. Sure, Krause brutalized him on a daily basis, and Kell hated his mate, but he never wanted the man dead. Not fighting the charge and accepting his fate is the easiest path—except Kell doesn’t think he’ll survive a week in prison, and he doesn’t want to disappoint his younger brother Braun by giving up. He also doesn’t expect to recognize the lawyer who shows up to defend him.

Ronin Cross was barely eighteen when he felt the mating bond with then-fourteen-year-old Kell, but his family moved away before Ronin could decide what to do…(much more)..

Amazon

blood tenderlyBLOOD TENDERLY by Linda Mooney writing as Gail Smith

With the cold weather quickly setting in, Lark is trying to ensure she has what she needs to make it through another bone-chilling winter in the cabin in the woods, but something has decided to pay her a visit. The question is, who? Or better yet, what?

There is a human invading his sanctuary, and he is determined to get rid of her. Humans in the past have left of their own accord, but not without a threat from him. However, this one is proving difficult. But she’ll go. One way or another, he will make her.

The thing is demanding that Lark leave, but she has nowhere to go. No one who cares. So she’s determined to stand her ground.

After all, what does she have to lose, besides her life?

Amazon     iBooks

forbidden instinctFORBIDDEN INSTINCT (FORBIDDEN KNIGHTS BOOK 1) by Cassandra Chandler

Miranda Lennox knows to trust her instincts no matter what. Her gut feelings aren’t just intuition—she can see the future. Her visions have driven her to keep everyone at a distance, even Darren, the gorgeous, raven-haired guy who shows up every night at the restaurant where she works. Then a vision drives her to risk her own life, throwing the two of them together.

Darren Calverton was waiting for the right moment to make a move on the sweet waitress who captured his heart the first time they spoke. He had no idea that move would be to pull her out of the wreckage of her car, or that it would happen right before he’d be fired from a private security firm when an important package is stolen.

Tracking down the thief leads him into a head-on encounter with a werewolf that leaves Darren questioning his perception of reality—and saddled with a very real curse. Only Miranda’s touch can ease the rage building within him as the full moon approaches.

Dodging a homicidal elf, an ex-fairy fighter who isn’t as retired as he seems, and a Fairy Lord bent on destroying the world isn’t the best way to start a relationship, but they have to rely on each other if they—or anyone else—are going to survive.

Amazon

halloween to rememberA HALLOWEEN TO REMEMBER: BOOK 9 OF THE RUNNING IN FEAR SERIES by Trinity Blacio

In A Halloween to Remember, Book Nine in #1 best-selling Amazon Romance writer Trinity Blacio’s futuristic Running in Fear series, Halloween was supposed to be about monsters, treats and fun, but Shelly Glassgo has had enough of monsters to last her a lifetime. You would think that the threat of war around the corner would bring people together, but that was not the case. How could a big cat love a small wolf?

Bo was tired, with the move, settling his people—and the new ones that were joining their den—it had all kept him to busy. He didn’t see his Little Wolf’s need and for that he would never forgive himself. But Bo was bound and determined to make sure her Halloween was filled with treats—three big ones—Argo, Buck and White Eagle.

All Hallows’ Eve came early for them: their marriage and mating would be one to remember, but it would seem the monsters have been awakened and were getting ready for the attack.

Amazon     iBooks

fall of the kingTHE FALL OF THE KING (LIGHTNESS SAGA BOOK 3) by Stacey Marie Brown

VS Note: The author says this one isn’t meant to be read first.

There is nothing the Unseelie king doesn’t acquire.

That was until he meets Fionna Cathbad.

A fierce druid, who won’t bow to anyone. Especially Lars. The demon king has every right to kill her, her treasonous acts against the crown are undisputable. But, she is the key to the one thing he wants more than anything. The cauldron of dagda. A powerful treasure that no fae should possess.

To get what he wants, he finds the very thing that forces her to help him, leading them down a dangerous path.

Because it’s not only Fionna who is deceiving him. His own mind is starting to turn on him, twisting his sanity, and releasing the demon he keeps pinned up.

As old ghosts and new foes step up into this game, Lars needs to find the cauldron before all is lost. His kingdom and himself.

Amazon     iBooks

freeing the beastFREEING THE BEAST by Tina Donahue

For Becca Salt being a witch isn’t all magic. Too curvy and lonely, she spends her nights running a makeover service for demons, vamps, weres and zombies who want to project a more human, normal side. Their goal? To get the babes without the authorities hunting them down like rabid dogs. Once Becca suppresses the worst of their beast, they’re on the hunt and gone.

Dating has been a definite bitch for Eric Diletto. Although he’s hot and hung, he’s also one of Cupid’s descendants—a god born to believe in courtship, courtesy and all that other junk. Tired of women dumping him for the bad boys, Eric hires Becca to release his inner beast. Grrrr.

Two potions later, they’re crawling all over each other. With Eric’s newfound dominance, he’s definitely the man. And the god, who intends to take Becca here, there and everywhere. Who said sorcery and love wasn’t fun?

Amazon     iBooks

shifters solaceONE TRUE MATE: SHIFTER’S SOLACE by Georgette St. Clair

Bear shifter Rory’s whole life is Firehouse 206. He knows it will probably be the death of him, too. But what really hurts is that he’s fated to die alone. The wolf shiften are all finding their true mates and pairing off, but the bear shiften seem to have been left behind – aching for their soul mates and cursed never to find them. Until one day, he hears a woman’s voice crying out for help. Too bad the voice is only in his head, and the odds of finding her in time are next to none.

Ivy grew up in the system, so even under the best of circumstances she doesn’t trust easily. Throw in a scorching-hot firefighter who can turn into a bear and says she’s his…and the only sane thing to do is run for the hills. But one other thing about Ivy – she’s not sane. She’s having visions that clearly prove she’s crazy.

But Rory feels like home, and Firehouse 206 offers her a chance at the sweet, smart-mouthed family she’s never had. Can Rory break down the walls around her guarded heart before the dark forces that are pursuing her claim her for good? Or will his newfound love literally go up in flames?

Amazon

mating needsMATING NEEDS (AN ALFA NOVEL) by Milly Taiden

A cougar shifter meets his mate and match in this latest sexy paranormal adventure in the A.L.F.A. series as another Alpha League Federal Agent finds love and passion in the midst of danger by the New York Times bestselling author of Elemental Mating.

Amazon     iBooks

 

 

 

once hunted twice shyONCE HUNTED, TWICE SHY (THE HAPPY EVERLASTING SERIES BOOK 2) by Mandy M Roth

Welcome to Everlasting, Maine, where there’s no such thing as normal.

Wolf-shifter Hugh Lupine simply wants to make it through the month and win the bet he has with his best friend. He’s not looking to date anyone, or to solve a murder, but when a breathtaking beauty runs him over (literally), he’s left no choice but to take notice of the quirky, sassy newcomer. She’d be perfect if it wasn’t for the fact she’s the granddaughter of the local supernatural hunter. Even if he can set aside his feelings about her family, Penelope is his complete opposite in all ways.

Penelope Messing wanted to get away from the harsh reminder that her boyfriend of two years dumped her. …(more)…

Amazon     iBooks

master of magicMASTER OF MAGIC by Angela Knight

Olivia Flynn finds herself on the brink of death, unable to call upon her Sidhe magic, when a handsome stranger rescues her. But this male is no ordinary human, and Olivia wants nothing to do with him. The foreign magic boiling around him is far beyond the power of even the Sidhe.

Rhys Kincade has never been able to explain his magical abilities. Olivia is the first person he’s encountered who shares his gifts. But before he can ask her about them, they find themselves under attack by a pack of werewolf assassins. An even deadlier threat follows, and the pair is forced to rely on each other as they fight unknown enemies—and an ever-growing attraction between them.

Amazon     iBooks

bayou bornBAYOU BORN by Hailey Edwards

Deep in the humid Mississippi bayou, a half-wild child is dragged from the murky waters. She has no memories, no family and is covered in mysterious markings. Adopted by the policeman who rescued her, Luce Boudreau follows him onto the force, determined to prove herself in the eyes of those who are still suspicious.

However, there’s more of a battle ahead than Luce could possibly imagine. She may be an orphan without a past, but no one – including Luce herself – could ever be prepared for the truth of her dark, powerful destiny.

Amazon     iBooks

eternal brothersETERNAL BROTHERS (DALAKIS PASSION BOOK 4) by N J Walters

When an anonymous late-night tip sends reporter Sophia Daring to the cemetery, she isn’t prepared for what she finds there—a grisly murder scene and the body of a woman completely drained of blood. Sophia’s never been scared off a story before, but this time all the clues point to one disturbing conclusion: this was the work of the mysterious and dangerous Dalakis brothers. And just as unsettling for the fiercely independent Sophia is the irresistible pull of the stranger also working the case, the sensually compelling Zane York.

A ex-cop, Zane has made it his personal mission to prove that the secretive Dalakis family are powerful vampires and ruthless killers. But when his investigation takes him to New Orleans and their latest victim, he begins to suspect that the Dalakis are being framed by an enemy as dark and mysterious as they are. And even as he struggles with his doubts about the family, there’s no doubt about his hungry response to the hauntingly beautiful Sophia. He knows he must make her his own, whatever the cost.

As the smoldering chemistry between Sophia and Zane ignites in a delirious haze of passion, they will find themselves immersed in the Dalakis family secrets and the trail of murder that leads to their door. And as their fears and suspicions war with an unquenchable desire, she and Zane will discover that a secret from the past may pose the deadliest threat yet.

Amazon     iBooks

sleeperSLEEPER (HUNTER: A THIEVES SERIES BOOK 3) by Lexi Blake

When Neil’s past catches up to him, Kelsey must choose between her new family and an old love…

With tensions rising between the Council and demonkind, Kelsey finds herself investigating a series of murders that threaten the fragile truce between them. If she can’t stop these killings soon, they could ignite a fire sure to burn the supernatural world down.

Unfortunately for her, Kelsey’s problems don’t stop with a pile of dead halflings. Her connection with Marcus is frayed at best, and Gray hasn’t been heard from in months. Her only semblance of peace comes from a new man in her life. When Gray storms back into the picture, her love life goes from incredibly complicated to apocalyptic.

Just as Kelsey begins to unravel the mystery, the forces of Heaven decide to take an interest in her actions. Outclassed with these powers in play, Kelsey knows that one misstep could leave the human and supernatural worlds in ashes.

Amazon     iBooks

bound by dreamsBOUND BY DREAMS (CAULD ANE SERIES BOOK 5) by Piper Davenport

Aspiring actress Charlotte Whitmore has been plagued by bizarre recurring dreams for years. But now she’s hearing a strange voice when she’s awake. To make matters worse, her Hollywood ambitions have flat lined. After one rejection too many, she moves home to press the reset button on her life.

World-renowned drummer Niall MacMillan’s world has been rocked by his brother’s betrayal. Still struggling to distinguish fact from fiction, he welcomes the distraction offered by the beautiful woman pulling him into her dreams.

When Niall and Charlotte finally meet face-to-face, she is unwilling to believe he’s her destiny. And when Charlotte’s dreams suddenly materialize into reality, Niall finds himself defending her against an ancient and powerful, yet all-too-familiar enemy.

Amazon     iBooks

pets2And just another mention for EMBRACE THE ROMANCE: PETS IN SPACE 2 if you haven’t gotten your copy yet :)! We’ve gotten over 80 reviews so far – whee!!! This was one of my favorites for my scifi rock star romance in the anthology (if you’ll excuse my squeeing!):

Buy Links: Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N 

canva heathers review

LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

October 11

October 4

September 27

September 20

September 13

September 6

August 30

*********************************************

My standard Notes and Caveats:

The term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…

 

Oct 16 2017

Laurie A Green on the Mystery of Flashpoint EMBRACE THE ROMANCE: PETS IN SPACE 2

pets2LargeIn Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, the tale of Courting Disaster includes some nifty Faster Than Light (FTL) travel that is reached via “flashpoint.” It’s a series-wide concept explored in Inherit the Stars, StarDog and Farewell Andromeda that allows specialized ships to “slip the bonds of 3D” and enter another dimension—the Dark Energy Dimension or DEDspace—as an almost instantaneous way of traveling from point A to point Z in our galaxy.

You could think of flashpoint as a sort of a high tech shortcut around the stars.

In the here and now, scientists aren’t 100% sure that Dark Energy and Dark Matter exist, they only have theories that they must in order for the universe to function the way that it does. Something is keeping the galaxies from spinning apart. The problem is, neither Dark Energy nor Dark Matter can be seen or sensed. And so far, there’s been no proof that either is really out there. All scientists know is that, mathematically, the universe can’t behave as it does without this pair of forces.

Here’s a surprise. Based on scientific calculations, we can only see a little over 4% of our actual universe, with the dark and mysterious components accounting for almost 96%. That’s a whole lot of big and scary nothing!

4 Laurie A Green FlashpointWhen I started researching possible FTL travel, I wanted to avoid using jump gates or hyperspace or any of a number of ideas that had already been explored in science fiction. I needed to create something new. The concept that made the most sense to me is that Dark Energy combined with Dark Matter actually exist in another unknown dimension.  That I could get my head around. (And better yet, my muse seemed to love the idea, too!)

Though up to nine dimensions (or more!) might mathematically exist, our tangible bodies are programmed to function in only three–height, width, depth. Or maybe four, if you consider time itself a dimension. So what if the combined elements of Dark Energy and Dark Matter exist in one of these other, unknown dimensions and it’s a place we could actually enter if we found a means to do so? And once we’ve entered this ‘flashpoint portal’ we might be able to span huge distances in normal space, almost instantaneously.

4 Laurie A Green StarshipFTLflashpointThat’s the science fiction behind the prototype starships in my series. The DEDspace drive was invented by a man named Zaviar Mennelsohn, who is frequently mentioned in the series, and his discovery is touched on in Courting Disaster here:

“…The first ship to prove his theories that DEDspace existed. The first vessel to cross the flashpoint barrier. That was some thirty calendars ago, right here in the Rift.” If Jagger’s memory served, Drea’s father had had some crazy notion that the charged particles in the Bradley Rift interacted with Dark Energy Dimension space. But it was a crazy idea that had proven to be right.

So DEDspace drive capability is a huge advantage. But to balance the laws of nature, there has to be a huge tradeoff. And so there is.

The excerpt:

“I don’t know much about DEDspace…except that it hurts,” Ket remarked.

Jagger turned his head back to the stars. “The price we pay for slipping the bonds of 3D.”

************************

Flashpoint is not fun. In fact, it’s terrifying. It alters the senses and perceptions and distorts time, space and reality, so it’s downright tortuous for crew and passengers to experience. It even drives some unfortunate souls completely insane. So it’s not a practical way to jump around the cosmos, even if it is a necessary and advantageous method for a select few.

Like every “superpower,” this rare ability comes at a price.

 

Laurie’s story – Courting Disaster: StarDog2

A commander of a spaceship faces the toughest decision of his life when he vows to protect the woman and her StarDog that he is escorting through a dangerous section of space.

About the Author

Laurie A. Green is a three-time RWA Golden Heart® finalist, an award-winning author, and a science fiction romance enthusiast who founded the SFR Brigade community of writers, which is now over 1,000 members strong.

She confesses to being an Andromeda Galaxy groupie and would someday love to own a vacation home on Mars or Titan. She’s enthused to be a part of this wonderful anthology mash-up of two of her favorite things–pets and space.

Website           [ http://www.laurieagreen.com/  ]

Facebook         [ https://www.facebook.com/Laurie-A-Green-139849829386292/ ]

FB Handle: @AuthorLaurieAGreen

Twitter                        [ https://twitter.com/SFRLaurie ]

Twitter Handle:           @SFRLaurie

Amazon Author Page [ https://www.amazon.com/Laurie-A.-Green/e/B00S456PDE/ ]

Blurb for Embrace the Romance: Pets In Space 2:

The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!

10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.

Buy Links:  

Amazon US   Amazon CA   Amazon UK   Amazon AU   Amazon FR

Amazon DE   Amazon JP   iBooks    B&N   Kobo   Google Play

Oct 14 2017

Write You Into a Song Weekend Writing Warriors

Warriors logo revisedHere’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

The snippet is from my new novella Star Cruise: Songbird, from the EMBRACE THE ROMANCE: PETS IN SPACE 2 anthology, which released on October 10th.

This will be the final snippet I’ll share from the novella. Grant has taken Karissa the singer to the security office while they wait for an unruly crowd of fans to disperse. Grant has been checking the wall chrono anxiously and Karissa asked if she was keeping him from a date…

The excerpt:

Reluctantly he said, “Not a date. I have a—a pet, who requires exercise.”

“A pet on board the ship? I never expected that answer.  So Fido needs a walk, does he? Let’s go—I could use some exercise.”

“It’s not that simple,” he said.

“Is the pet exercising area open to passengers?”

“Not the one I use.” He admitted. “But—”

“This office is boring,” she said, “Now I’m not a Socialite who’d probably die of boredom if you kept me here, but you can’t dangle a chance to take a pet for its walk in front of me and then yank it away. Too cruel, Officer Barton – be mean to me and I might have to write you into a song.”

pets2The story:

Grant Barton, a Security Officer on the Nebula Zephyr, is less than thrilled with his current assignment to guard an Interstellar singing sensation while she’s on board the ship. It doesn’t help that he and his military war bird Valkyr are dealing with their recent separation from the Sectors Special Forces and uncertainty over their future, with their own planet in ruins.

Karissa Dawnstar is on top of the charts and seemingly has it all – talent, fame, fortune and devoted fans, but behind her brave smile and upbeat lyrics she hides an aching heart. When a publicity stunt goes wrong, Karissa finds herself in the arms of the security officer assigned to protect her – and discovers a mutual attraction she can’t ignore.

Trouble continues to plague the pair, driving a wedge between them and leaving Grant certain that Karissa is in more danger than she realizes, from overzealous fans and her own management. Grant is determined to protect Karissa whether she wants his help or not. Can he discover the truth behind what’s going on before he loses Karissa or is there someone else plotting to keep them apart – permanently?

Blurb for Embrace the Romance: Pets In Space 2:

The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!

10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.

Buy Links:   Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N 

canva heathers review

 

Oct 13 2017

Carol Van Natta on Lions, Tigers and Cybernetic Snow Leopards PETS IN SPACE 2

pets2LargeI have cats. More accurately, I’m owned by cats who find me useful because I have opposable thumbs and know how to open doors and work the can opener. I’ve always thought it would be fabulous to legitimately have one of the big cats for a pet, but that’s fraught with difficulties, not the least of which is the ethics. They’re wild animals, not pets, and would be miserable, regardless of how well I cared for them.

In “Pet Trade,” my novella in the Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 anthology, I took the opportunity to explore a hidden facet of the civilization in my Central Galactic Concordance space opera-action-romance series. Whereas CGC has strict laws and harsh penalties against tinkering with human genetics and DNA, animals aren’t so lucky. Even reputable pet trade researchers, genetic designers, bio-engineers, and dealers put profit over compassion. Shadier, cut-throat companies operate in hidden facilities and smuggle their wares past customs inspectors. Think of the worst of pet traders as a cross between negligent backyard breeders and the ruthless smugglers who sell endangered wild animals to wealthy collectors.

In the CGC, foundation and cornerstone animal species are protected by laws and enforcement. Ordinary companion and domesticated animals—cats, dogs, foxes, birds, cattle, sheep, buffalo, etc.—are protected against pet-trade intellectual property claims. The real money in the pet trade industry is in recreations of extinct species, genetically engineered creatures from imagination and mythology, and enhanced versions of domestic animals. The pet trade likes to take credit as the saviors of endangered species, but the truth is murkier. For example, snow leopards, a protected foundation species, were extinct long before the first successful interstellar flight. So-called “natural” snow leopards on any settled planet in the Concordance trace their lineage to a genetic line recreated in the lab.

carol snow leopard

This is the backdrop for “Pet Trade,” where Bethnee Bakonin, a veterinarian who escaped the worst of the industry, must confront her dark past if she’s to help Axur Tragon, an ex-elite forces Jumper with cybernetic limbs and secrets of his own, fend off greedy mercenaries who are raiding the town. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Pets in Space story without pets. Bethnee, with a high-level mental talent that allows her to connect with and heal mammals and birds, loves all her companions, but her snow leopard, Jynx, holds a special place in her heart. Jynx has a cybernetic front leg, making her a magnet for thieves who recognize her worth to the right researchers. When Jynx gets injured, Bethnee asks Axur, with his training in cybernetic repair, to help fix the problem.

The excerpt:

Axur would bet hard credit that he and Bethnee were the only two people in the galaxy who had ever seen a cybernetic snow leopard and a formidable dire wolf play tag in the deep snow.

Bethnee laughed when Jynx made an astonishing six-meter leap onto a boulder to avoid Serena’s lunge. He snuck a glance at Bethnee, enjoying her happiness. “Are you helping them get along?” He tapped his temple, to indicate her enviable minder talent.

“A little. Mostly Jynx, because this isn’t her territory.”

He checked his internal chrono. “We better start collecting your gear. I’ll send Trouble out to keep an eye on these two.” Axur had yet to be able to crack the encryption on the e-dog’s command processor that Bethnee had told him about, but he kept trying.

Inside, he found Bethnee leaning against the kitchen counter, holding her small veterinary surgical suite . “I’d like to try removing your tracers.”

He blinked in surprise. “Now? Are you sure?”

“Hell, no, but it’ll be worse if I give myself time to think about it.” She searched his face. “Unless you don’t trust me?”

************************************************

Read more in “Pet Trade,” one of twelve stories in the Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 anthology, out  NOW! http://author.carolvannatta.com/news/its-pets-pets-in-spa-a-a-a-a-ce/

Carol Van Natta is a science fiction and fantasy author who is owned by multiple cats in Fort Collins, CO.

Pets In Space website: http://www.petsinspaceantho.com/

Author website: http://Author.CarolVanNatta.com

Carol on Facebook: https://facebook.com/CarolVanNattaAuthor

Blurb for Embrace the Romance: Pets In Space 2:

The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!

10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.

Buy Links:  

Amazon US   Amazon CA   Amazon UK   Amazon AU   Amazon FR

Amazon DE   Amazon JP   iBooks    B&N   Kobo   Google Play

Oct 11 2017

New Releases in #SciFi and #Fantasy for Wednesday October 11

pets2As always, I recommend sampling before you buy! I have not read most of the new releases listed (although I always end up one-clicking a bunch as I prepare these posts LOL).

VS Note: OK I am ALL EXCITED because Pets In Space 2 released this week!!! Pardon me while I squee. My rock star romance is included! And there’s a new GRIM story 🙂 among other treats.

EMBRACE THE ROMANCE: PETS IN SPACE 2 by SE Smith, M K Eidem, Susan Grant & More

he pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! …(more)…

10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.

Amazon   iBooks   Kobo   B&N 

cosmic cabaretCOSMIC CABARET by Kerry Adrienne & SFR Shooting Stars Authors

VS Note: So far I’ve read 5 of the 13 stories and enjoyed…(Note: For full disclosure, I received an ARC to review the book for Heroes & Heartbreakers). Great fun to have two good SFR anthologies out in one week!

Join us aboard Blue Star Line’s crown jewel, the LS Quantum. Thirteen USA Today, Amazon best-selling, award-winning speculative fiction romance authors deliver their twists on tales set in the dance halls and clubs of this luxury starship as it travels through space and time.

Follow princes, sultans, rock stars, scientists, cirque artists, and dancers as they solve murders, track thieves, fight bullies, plan heists and fall in love.

Amazon    iBooks

freeing the prsionerFREEING THE PRISONER (A KINDRED TALES NOVEL) by Evangeline Anderson

VS Note: One clicked this book ASAP.

Kyron is a Touch Kindred, able to physically touch others with the power of his mind and Touch sense, but he has sworn a solemn vow to use his power only for good. When he is captured and held prisoner on the small planet of Goshan Prime, his resolve is sorely tested. He’s beaten, starved, and kept constantly chained. There’s only one bright spot–a girl who slips into his cell because she’s curious.

Dannella is a Princess of the Blood. Raised to be a proper lady, she knows that one day she will be given in marriage to a male who will act as both her husband and owner. Females aren’t valued in Goshan society and she has little control over her own life. Despite her restrictive upbringing, Dani rebels and finds her way into the cell occupied by the strange new warrior, a Kindred so huge he dwarfs every other male she’s ever known…(more)…

Amazon     iBooks

rakes kissTHE INTERSTELLAR RAKE’S IRRESISTIBLE KISS (BLACK HOLE BRIDES #2 INTERGALACTIC DATING AGENCY) by Elsa Jade

Imprisoned on an abandoned space station orbiting a black hole, Trixie Boudreaux prayed for just one chance to escape…and she failed. When she and the other Black Hole Brides are rescued, she’s left adrift between the coward she was and the new universe ahead of her. If only she had a guide she could trust…

Nor irThorkonos paid good galactic credits for his captain’s commission on the flagship dreadnaught, and how many erstwhile interplanetary pirates have come as far? If he has a secret that the Azthrnos nobles mustn’t discover, well, certainly one skittish Earther girl won’t be the one to find him out.

But when interstellar imprisonment can’t hold an old evil, Trixie and Nor must save not only the worlds of Azthronos but each other.

Amazon     iBooks

renallRENALL (REVANT WARRIORS)  by Celeste Raye

VS Note: Brought to my attention by reader Merry.

Clara Waters is aboard a supposed brideship headed to a planet far from her home
world, it’s her punishment for being a carder and carrying currency on a world ruled by
an oppressive and dangerous government that often lets its poor citizens starve.

The ship is taken over by wreckers headed up by four brothers, none of whom know
that there are brides aboard as the ship is listed as a mere non-life-form carrying cargo
ship. When the wreckers attack to strip the ship Renall, the eldest, finds himself face to
face with Clara, who is not about to go down without a fight.

Clara does not want to be attracted to Renall…(more)..

Amazon

heart is a universeTHE HEART IS A UNIVERSE by Sherry Thomas

VS Note: Author Vivien J made sure on twitter that I saw this one.

On the remote planet of Pax Cara lies the greatest secret of the universe. Once every generation, the inhabitants must offer up an exceptional young person—the Chosen One–who sacrifices his or her own life for the sake of that secret, and the planet itself.

But Vitalis, the current Chosen One, is desperate to break free of the yoke of destiny. An unexpected invitation to an aristocratic courtship summit seems to be the perfect opportunity for her escape. As soon as she arrives, however, she receives a proposal of marriage from the most eligible prince in existence.

Eleian of Terra Illustrata can have any woman he wants. Why has he set his sight on Vitalis, who, unless she manages to flee, will die in sixteen standard days? Is it as simple as he declares, “To know you as I’ve always wanted to, but never had the chance?” Or is he hiding an ulterior motive, one that could put her plans, her life, and her heart in jeopardy?

And can Vitalis truly say no to the man she has secretly loved all her life?

Amazon     iBooks

triadTRIAD (TRIAD SERIES BOOK 6) by Kate Pearce

VS Note: Missed this in September. I love her writing so this went onto my TBR List.

Captain Jay Roberts knows his mission to infiltrate the isolated province of Neveks is dangerous, but the future of Planet Pavlovan depends on his success. As a telepathic super-soldier, he doesn’t expect the banished Neveks female, Rain Datta—his passport into Neveks—to cause him too much trouble. But Rain’s not playing by his rules, and Jay is in for one hell of a life-changing ride.

Amazon     iBooks

alien zookeepers abductionALIEN ZOOKEEPER’S ABDUCTION by Zara Zenia and Juno Wells

Jewel is a tomboy who was eventually discharged from the military because she struggled to get along with others and couldn’t adjust to the military’s restricted lifestyle.

After a scandal that disrupted the social order back home, Kay is banished to a zoological research vessel, where he acts as Curator. He struggles to prove himself, trying to earn his place in the order again so that he can end his exile and return to his normal life.

But when it turns out that Jewel was abducted from home and placed in an alien zoo, with Kay as the only other being around, she questions his intentions. He didn’t know that her species was an intelligent life form, and he tries to learn more about her…(more)…

Amazon

blind beast mateBLIND BEAST MATE (DYSTOPIAN ADULT ROMANCE BEAST MATES BOOK 1) by Milana Jacks

Since the day Rey’s defiance earned her a blinding blow to the head, fear has hovered as close as the guide dog that clings to her side. But the terror that grips her now is almost beyond description.

Like her sister before her, Rey has been sold to satisfy the lusts of one of the alien Beasts that now rule the Earth. If the towering, leather-clad Alpha discovers his prize can’t see, he could kill her with a flick of his claw. Or worse, send her home—where the only mercy she’ll get is a bullet.

From the moment the Alpha Beast spotted Rey smiling tenderly at her flowers, his desire to own her, body and soul, roared louder than his bike’s throaty engine. But the only smiles his new pair aims his way are forced—and oddly off target. She is liquid heat in his arms, yet ignores the notes and gifts he leaves for her.

If he can’t win her over, he can’t trust her with his own truth. And the combined weight of their secrets could destroy everything.

Amazon

aliens backTHE ALIEN’S BACK (UORIA MATES V BOOK 1) by Ruth Anne Scott

When Aubrey comes home with a story from work about a colleague who once explored a factory owned by the Orion Corporation and discovered strange rooms and other odd happenings, Jonah knows that he has to keep digging. A return to the medical ward reveals something that turns everything that he thought he knew upside down and he and Aubrey must decide what is the most important and what they should do next…(much more)…

Amazon

 

misadventures with superheroMISADVENTURES WITH A SUPERHERO by Angel Payne

Working the night shift at a five-star hotel in downtown Los Angeles, I get my fair share of weirdos. But none of them prepared me for the night I met Bolt. He saved my life.

Now, he’s my super hero—the hunk I’m yearning to thank in more creative ways than a damn kiss on the cheek. Too bad he’s actually Reece Richards, my full-on nerd of a real-life boss.

He’s got some commitment issues thanks to his evil ex and global empire—and from having to save the city from a maniac out to destroy everything he loves.

But there’s something that just may interfere with all those plans. My heart.

Amazon     iBooks

carolina pearlCAROLINA PEARL by Sela Carson

Conn Lucas is the illegitimate son who inherited the family home on the Congaree Swamp in Culford, South Carolina. Now he has to deal with his cousin sabotaging him, his ancestors haunting him, and his gorgeous neighbor distracting him.

Blair Moreau knows Conn is her mate, but he’s proving to be difficult to convince that they’re a fated pair. If only the stubborn man would let her help, all his problems would be solved.

It takes a wild night with a nail gun before they find they work better together than they ever can apart.

Amazon     iBooks

incuabriTHE INCUABRI: TAKEN PART TWO (WOMEN OF DOR NYE BOOK 3)  by Poppy Rhys

Captured. Imprisoned. Trapped. When Tosh wakes to a strange room with pieces of the previous night missing from her memory, she’s confused and disoriented.

But she’s not alone.

Caged in an elegant prison with a creature composed of her deepest nightmares, Tosh begins to wonder if something bigger is at play… and if the creature is the only one who can free her.

Amazon

hexed on bourbon streetHEXED ON BOURBON STREET by Deanna Chase

Between enjoying her first pregnancy and helping her two besties plan their weddings, Jade Calhoun’s life is just about perfect. But when two novice magical TV stars walk into her life, suddenly her magic goes haywire. Is the pregnancy causing her power to fizzle or is it something else?

Now with her empath abilities on the fritz, a newbie TV witch in need of instruction, and a sinister evil lurking in the background, Jade must find a way to navigate her new and unusual powers, keep her unborn child safe, and somehow save everyone she loves and the city of New Orleans… again.

Amazon     iBooks

djinn city of the endless nightTALES OF THE DJINN: THE CITY OF THE ENDLESS NIGHT by Emma Holly

When your boyfriend is a real live angel other men can’t compete.

Amateur magician Georgie swears this is true . . . until she and Connor leave everything they know to help the genie world. That’s where she discovers angels don’t have a monopoly on sex appeal.

Sultan Iksander would rather lose his smoke than fall for Georgie, no matter how smart and brave she is. The human race are rivals to genie kind—and angels are just traitors! Rescuing his people is what’s important, not getting tangled up in love triangles.

Only Connor believes in their chances for happiness. This angel knows love is worth fighting for, whatever form it takes.

Amazon     iBooks

out foxxedOUT FOXXE’D (THE ADVENTURES OF ROSIE PEAKS BOOK 5) by Madison Sevier

Markus Foxxe is in Eriewood for one reason. His boss wants Rosie Peaks. He doesn’t know why and he shouldn’t care, but after meeting her, there’s no way Markus will hand her over to the highest bidder.

Rosie Peaks left DuFour, Indiana two years ago and found a safe haven away from all things paranormal. Working at Mulcahy’s Pub has been fairly uneventful. Until Markus Foxxe rolled into town in his silk suits with a primal sex appeal that makes her want to spend every night with him banging like a screen door in a hurricane. The only problem is, Rosie isn’t looking for a commitment and Markus seems as though he’s a one-mate kind of guy.

Amazon     iBooks

evil speaks softlyEVIL SPEAKS SOFTLY by Maureen Bonatch

They were never supposed to meet.

Fame came easy for Liv by following in the footsteps of the female writers in her family. The cycle repeated for decades…until Liv changed the story. Her villain doesn’t like the revision—and he isn’t a fictional character. In his story, the bad guy always wins.

They were never supposed to find love.

Liv never questioned her demanding nocturnal muse, or the strange incidents in her old, family home until she met Gage. His job was to watch her from afar, not reveal the truth about the curse and the stories of the dead.

They’ve broken all the rules.

Together they unravel secrets as they strive to stop the cycle. Liv’s ability to find love, and protect her loved ones, hangs on the fickle whims of the dead—and they’ve got nothing to lose.

Amazon     iBooks

witchs questTHE WITCH’S QUEST (THE DECADENT DAMES) by Michelle Hauf

Kelyn Saint-Pierre always had a bit of a thing for Valor Hearst. But after he makes a harrowing sacrifice to save the tomboyish witch from a gruesome death, Kelyn’s certain that any spark between them is gone forever.

Valor wishes she’d known about Kelyn’s crush before she ruined everything. There may be a way she can repay her smoking-hot champion…but it won’t be easy. Circling the globe on a dangerous mission that pits them against deadly magics and dark creatures, Kelyn and Valor are pushed scorchingly close together. But surrendering to passion may only further bind them in pain.

Amazon     iBooks

dawn of the dragonsDAWN OF THE DRAGONS (EXILED DRAGONS BOOK 10)  by Sarah J Stone

Times have changed considerably since it was grounds for exile if a dragon shifter took a mate not of their own kind. The small dragon village in the Mourne Mountains where a secluded group of dragon shifters live has changed as well. Now, with dragon shifters, tiger shifters, and even multi-shifters in their midst, one would think a mere half human, half dragon shifter would be the least of their concerns.

It is this very kind – the young Dawn McCord – that begins to rise among the ranks with powers like no one has seen in centuries. By her side, as always, is her friend, Liam Donnelly. As time goes on and their childhood passes into youth and matters of the heart, will they stand the test of time, or will they find themselves on the wrong side of history?

Amazon

magic and alphasMAGIC AND ALPHAS by Scarlett Dawn and Various

Paranormal Romance blazes hot in Magic & Alphas. And it became even sexier… More dangerous… Scandalous.  These 8 full-length, first in series books have NEVER BEEN READ BEFORE. Each has brand new content, brand new worlds.
Everything is totally unique and fresh. Perfect for romance and paranormal addicts alike.

Amazon

 

 

wolves of wrathWOLVES OF WRATH by Quinn Loftus

Long ago, during the Great Purge, the witches that had grown too many in number and too powerful, were destroyed. The high fae council saw that the balance of good and evil had been tipped too far in one direction and it had to be rectified. So they killed all of the witches, and their creator…or so they thought. But they were wrong. Volcan, the high fae, who had once been a member of their council, until he decided he wanted to be all powerful and created the witches, had bided his time, hiding in the Dark Forest.
Now he’s back and hell bent on rebuilding his army of witches…(more)…

Amazon     iBooks

finding the dragonFINDING THE DRAGON (STONEFIRE BRITISH DRAGONS BOOK 10) by Jessie Donovan

VS Note: Not a standalone per note on Amazon, author advises to read Book #5 first)

On the day Jane Hartley’s online video series finally launches, she and Kai receive word that his younger half-sister, Delia, is missing. Gaining permission to search for her in Wales, Kai and Jane work together to find the teenage dragon-shifter before she winds up in the hands of the dragon hunters, or worse.

As the danger amps up, Kai and Jane’s relationship is put to the ultimate test. Will Kai and his dragon choose Jane above all? Or, will a ghost from Kai’s past end up tearing them apart?

Amazon     iBooks

midnight unleashedMIDNIGHT UNLEASHED: A MIDNIGHT BREED NOVELLA by Lara Adrian

For Breed vampire Trygg, a menacing former assassin and the ultimate loner, duty is everything…until his solo mission to destroy a powerful enemy earns him an unwanted partner in the form of Tamisia, a beautiful, ice-hot immortal who ignites a flame in his cold heart, and his blood.

Banished from her Atlantean colony, disgraced immortal Tamisia longs for a chance to redeem herself and return home where she belongs. Her work at a Rome women’s shelter has given Sia purpose, but when a break-in results in a brutal killing, her quest for answers puts her in the middle of the hunt for a dangerous enemy of the Order–and brings her up against one of the deadliest of their Breed warrior members, the Gen One vampire, Trygg….(more)…

Amazon

book of swordsBOOK OF SWORDS by George R R Martin and Various

VS Note: Not romance but I know we have a lot of Game of Thrones fans in our community.

New epic fantasy in the grand tradition—including a never-before-published Song of Ice and Fire story by George R. R. Martin!

Fantasy fiction has produced some of the most unforgettable heroes ever conjured onto the page: Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian, Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melniboné, Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Classic characters like these made sword and sorcery a storytelling sensation, a cornerstone of fantasy fiction—and an inspiration for a new generation of writers, spinning their own outsize tales of magic and swashbuckling adventure.

Now, in The Book of Swords, acclaimed editor and bestselling author Gardner Dozois presents an all-new anthology of original epic tales by a stellar cast of award-winning modern masters—many of them set in their authors’ best-loved worlds. Join today’s finest tellers of fantastic tales, including George R. R. Martin, K. J. Parker, Robin Hobb, Scott Lynch, Ken Liu, C. J. Cherryh, Daniel Abraham, Lavie Tidhar, Ellen Kushner, and more on action-packed journeys into the outer realms of dark enchantment and intrepid derring-do, featuring a stunning assortment of fearless swordsmen and warrior women who face down danger and death at every turn with courage, cunning, and cold steel.

Amazon     iBooks

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LINKS TO RECENT NEW RELEASES POSTS from Veronica:

October 4

September 27

September 20

September 13

September 6

August 30

August 23

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My standard Notes and Caveats:

The term “new” is generally plus or minus a week or two. I try to catch up on ones I missed in recent months.  

(NOTE: If the author provides me with buy links I insert those; otherwise I default to Amazon and iBooks. Pricing and availability are current as of the day I prepare the post – things can change fast in the ebook world LOL.)

Also, I often include only the beginning of the book blurb…