It’s Music Monday… a day late in honour of Christmas!!!
PLUS: an AWESOME Sapphire Star Publishing
festive sale and give-away!!
Well… it’s definitely the season to be jolly, so I’m offering today one of my all-time favourite festive tunes. It’s got the word ‘rocking’ in the title… It’s got to be a good one, right? I hope you get into the spirit but wait… before you get dancing, I just wanted to say a big Thank You for all your support across 2012; for your comments and tweets and shares, for your time and interest in my ramblings on this very blog, and for your patience.
Blogging wouldn’t be any fun without you ~ And I look forward to many more fabulous posts with your input during 2013!
And now it’s time to dance… but don’t forget to read on for the SALE and GIVEAWAY news!
If this video clip won’t play in your country… try this link instead. 🙂
SSP’sMerryJubilee
From Christmas to New Year’s, we’re celebrating YOU with $0.99 books and a chance to win an iPad 2!
Stuff your stocking with some of Sapphire Star’s hottest books for just $0.99… Plus, DON’T miss your chance at winning an iPad 2, details below (Rafflecopter)
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a safe, happy and prosperous 2013 ~ Rock on!
Official Giveaway Rules:
Giveaway Prize: One (1) Apple® – iPad® 2 with Wi-Fi – 16 GB – White. No purchase necessary. This contest is void where prohibited by law. Entrants must follow Rafflecopter instructions. One (1) winner will be picked via Rafflecopter and will be notified by email within three days of end of contest. If a winner is unreachable after seven (7) days, or if that winner is unavailable for prize fulfillment, an alternate winner will be selected. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Contest entrants agree to abide by the terms of these Official Rules and by the decisions of the contest commissioners, which are final on all matters pertaining to the contest. Entrants grant to Sapphire Star Publishing the right to use and publish their name online. All results posted are unofficial until winner responds to e-mail notification. Contest ends on January 2, 2013 at 12:00 a.m. PST.
The new Bond film, Skyfall launches tomorrow – but why wait until then for a military intelligence hottie? Let me introduce you to the lead male in Mandy Baggot’s new romantic thriller, Security, and reveal the eye-catching 007-style book cover!
First of all… here’s Nathan Regan. Hello, handsome!
And here’s the gorgeous book cover… are you ready?
Security
Lies hurt, but the truth can get you killed
Autumn Raine is a pop vocalist at the very top of her game. She’s a style icon, the paparazzi’s darling and everyone wants to be her friend. But when her safety is threatened, her whole life starts to unravel.
Enter Nathan Regan, an ex-elite soldier who is assigned to protect her. He’s a good man doing bad things but what drives him? Passion? Madness? Or grief? Demons from his past are threatening to consume him. Can he win the fight alone or will he have to admit he needs help?
As the threat deepens, Autumn starts to find out who she really needs in her life. Is there still room for personal assistant Janey or rapper boyfriend Rockweiler? When everyone around her is feeding her lies, how does she work out the truth? Does her record producer know more than he’s letting on? What is her mother, the British Foreign Secretary’s involvement in the situation? And can Autumn put her faith in a forty-something Jamaican woman who handles an automatic weapon as expertly as she cooks?
Eluding kidnap and trying to stay alive, can Autumn find the strength to be the person she longs to be? And can two people, poles apart, forge something strong enough to survive anything?
Security is coming from Sapphire Star Publishing on 4 April 2013! If you can’t wait until then to find out more here is the teasing trailer!
And to up the fun a bit more, Mandy is offering a great competition right here, right now.
FIVE paperback copies of Mandy’s novel Strings Attached are up for grabs! All you have to do is collect the Bond films. On each of the websites featuring the Security cover reveal, there will be Bond film mentioned (NOT Skyfall).
Once you have all the titles, drop Mandy an email mandybaggot@sapphirestarpublishing.com and you will go into the draw for one of the books! Easy ~ you have until November 1st! Here are the website links you need:
Roll out the red carpet! Open the champagne! It’s time to enter the Hall of Fame!
Huge congratulations to my Sapphire Star Publishing sister and hugely talented author, Nancy S. Thompson, as she celebrates her first book birthday with the launch of The Mistaken!
Can I just say upfront that I absolutely adore the title of Nancy’s novel. It is so clever and intriguing, and perfectly perfect, and I’ve adored it ever since it was announced. Awesome!
Introducing: The Mistaken
Tyler Karras is an honest man, a transplanted Brit living the American dream, but his charmed life takes an unexpected turn when his brother, Nick, is coerced into joining ranks with San Francisco’s Russian mafia. Ty intervenes to secure Nick’s freedom, yet only succeeds in incurring their wrath. With no choice but to accept Nick’s new life, Ty returns to his own, but his dreams are dashed when his wife—pregnant with their first child—is killed, the victim of a reckless crime.
Despondent and bitter, Ty macerates his grief in alcohol. From the depths of the bottle screams a voice, howling for vengeance. His target is a stranger, the woman who drew his wife toward her death. He doesn’t know her, but he’ll find her, and when he does, he will make her pay, for a deal has been struck with Nick’s Russian associates, enslaving her into a life of sexual bondage. But as Ty moves forward in a cloud of alcohol, he mistakes the wrong woman for his intended victim, and now all his plans have gone straight to hell.
With his eyes made clear by the stark reality of his mistake, Ty is driven, compelled by remorse and a relentless sense of guilt to make amends and protect Hannah Maguire, the innocent woman whose life he has derailed. He vows to keep her safe and out of the Russians’ hands, but they’re holding Nick as leverage to force Ty to complete their deal. Once again, he must fight to free his brother, miring all three lives in further jeopardy. But Ty can’t do it all: save the girl, his brother and his own soul. One of them must make the ultimate sacrifice.
Nicky says: I am hooked. Tell me more…
Sit back and enjoy: Excerpt of The Mistaken!
Tyler dropped my hand and turned away from me, sitting straight along the edge of the sofa. With his elbows resting on his knees and his fingers steepled between his nose and upper lip, he struggled to find the right words. Unable to sit still, he stood and paced the floor.
“Hannah, I’ve explained that you—by proxy, of course—have a price on your head, that you’d been sold already. I’ve been trying to get you out of this deal, but these people Nick and I are mixed up with are reluctant to renegotiate. They’ve already received payment from their client and are just waiting for me to deliver you to them. I’ve explained to Nick’s boss, Alexi, that I’d made a mistake, that I had misidentified you, that I had the wrong girl.”
Ty shook his head and kept his eyes pinned to the floor.
“From the beginning, Alexi knew I was intending retribution against Erin, and since he would directly benefit from it, he was only too willing to accommodate me, but essentially, he doesn’t care about the reasoning behind the plan. All he cares about is that I owe him his, uh…merchandise. Merchandise he’s already sold and been paid for. He only cares about closing the deal. I told him I would repay the price his boss, Dmitri, had accepted, with interest, and he could refund the money to his client. But he’s not willing to do that. Nick said it’s not about the money for Dmitri, it’s about power. They can’t allow themselves to be screwed with, to look weak.”
He stopped pacing, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and stared out the window.
“I told Alexi I would never turn you over—an innocent girl—to be used that way. At this point, I couldn’t even do that to Erin.”
Tyler’s focus wavered and he choked up. He looked down at his feet and continued, his brow knitted tightly together.
“We argued over this point for some time without coming to an agreement, so Alexi felt… He felt it…necessary to secure some kind of…insurance policy—leverage, you might say—to compel me to complete the deal by our prearranged deadline.”
Tyler dropped his hands to his sides and tightened them into fists. He glanced over his shoulder and looked me in the eye.
“Hannah, Alexi has my brother, and he will kill him if I don’t comply.”
Nicky says: Fantastic! I can’t wait ~ I’ve got my Kindle copy right here and am dying to get reading. As no doubt you feel the same, dear friends and readers, here’s the vital info:
Nancy is an interior designer with her own business since 1997. A California transplant, she currently lives with her husband of 21 years near Seattle, WA. They have one son together, a college freshman at ArizonaStateUniversity. She was recently contracted as a freelance editor for Sapphire Star Publishing.
Visit Nancy’s blog, follow, and leave a comment during her book tour between October 18th & November 1st for a chance to win an ARC of The Mistaken. Plus, 5 runner-up winners will each receive an ebook copy.
Last but not least ~ Praise for TheMistaken and a fabulous trailer
“A deliciously slow burn that builds to a ferocious crescendo, Nancy S. Thompson’s THE MISTAKEN kept me riveted until the very last page. Tyler Karras is a complex and flawed protagonist, and his redemptive journey makes him the perfect anti-hero. This psychological suspense is a standout, and I can’t wait for Thompson’s next book.” ~ Jennifer Hillier, author of CREEP and FREAK
“Nancy S. Thompson’s debut novel, The Mistaken, is a first-rate thriller full of hair-raising twists and turns. Pursued by the police and the Russian mafia in San Francisco, brothers Tyler and Nick Karras are fascinating, fully-drawn, desperate characters. The action is non-stop. Thompson’s taut, intriguing tale of revenge, mistaken identity, kidnapping and murder will keep you enthralled and entertained.” ~Kevin O’Brien, New York Times Bestselling Author of DISTURBED and TERRIFIED
“Fast-paced and emotionally gripping – once the ride begins, you won’t stop reading until it ends.” ~Alex J. Cavanaugh, author of CASSAFIRE and CASSASTAR
Huge congratulations on your launch day, Nancy. Wishing you every success and a huge amount of sales!!! Rock on… 🙂
This is it! Give it up for the glorious cover of Sophie’s Run
Part 2 in the Rock Star Romance Trilogy
Coming from Sapphire Star Publishing on 7 February 2013.
Ready?
Wow. I am in love. A huge Thank You goes to Amy Lichtenhan and Chad Lichtenhan for their patience, good humour, great ideas and endless cheer as I changed my mind time and time again. You see, I had various conflicting visions for this cover and Amy patiently looked at all of them, gently but firmly guiding me onto the right path. And Chad is a hero for making all the little tweaks and changes that I kept heaping upon him. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, the team over at Sapphire Star Publishingtotally rocks.
Thank you for this amazing cover!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sophie’s Run
Her famous star remains her rock while life takes her on a little detour…
Who says that the road toward true love is straight and even? Sophie is certainly discovering that it is anything but.
So she has finally found the man of her dreams. Well…she knows who he is, even though she hasn’t actually quite met him yet. When she misses her opportunity, her life goes crazy. Rock star and ex-fiancé, Dan, keeps getting in the way of her new romance—even if he is just trying to be helpful. A fire, an impromptu mini-trip with Dan, and a dreaded wedding later, Sophie is still struggling to meet the love of her life. Just as she is getting it together with her perfect man, best friend Rachel commits an act of unspeakable betrayal. And to top it all, her new boyfriend leaves her lying in the mud.
Sophie has had enough. Confused and distraught, she decides that it is time for radical change. Surprising herself and shocking her friends, she embarks on a secret journey that eventually gets her life back on track.
Coming from Sapphire Star Publishing on 7 February 2013!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you very much to my lovely, amazing author and blogger friends who are taking part in my cover reveal today!
I’d like to dispense big hugs to:
Roll out the red carpet! Open the champagne! It’s time to enter the Hall of Fame!
Today, we’re partying in honour of my Sapphire Star Publishing sister, the one and only Dana Mason! Dana launches her debut novel, Dangerous Embrace today and I am really excited to be part of the launch day extravaganza.
Dana shares her road to publication…
When I started writing Dangerous Embrace, I had no idea it would lead me here. I didn’t even think I could get my best friend to read the story. Until Dangerous Embrace was sent out for editing, Amy and Katie from Sapphire Star Publishing were the only two people, besides myself, who had read the novel from beginning to end.
When Sapphire Star posted the Month of Romance contest on their website, I decided to take the leap and submit. It was my very first submission for Dangerous Embrace, and the novel wasn’t even finished. I was still in the process of revising and editing. Fortunately they didn’t require completed manuscripts for the contest.
I couldn’t believe it when on the morning of March 10, 2012, I received the email from Amy offering me a publishing contract. I remember getting out of bed in the wee early hours of the morning and creeping into my office to check my email. While I didn’t think I had a chance of getting a positive response, I still hoped.
The rest is history…
…indeed! In fact, this is where it all begins. HUGE congratulations on your launch day, Dana, I am so excited for you. This is a tremendous moment and I hope you’re having the best time… ever! Here’s an excerpt of your masterpiece, let’s take a look…
Dangerous Embrace: the excerpt
Sarah pried open her heavy eyelids and turned, trying to focus on the clock. “Ow, dammit!” She clenched her teeth and looked down at the sling tied to her arm. The smothering realization pressed on her chest. When the nausea hit, she flung the covers off and rushed to the bathroom, fighting to get to the toilet before her stomach heaved.
When the painful dry heaving stopped, she lay back on the cold tile floor, exhausted, and waited for the room to stop spinning. Her ragged breaths roared in her ears and seemed to echo in the quiet room. When her breathing slowed, the silence ebbed around her in waves, but when footsteps approached the bathroom door, she tensed again.
A bead of sweat dripped down her scalp and at the same time someone tapped at the door. Her pulse spiked and she fought like hell to remember who brought her home from the hospital.
She closed her eyes. “Who’s there?” The waver in her voice pissed her off. Gawd-please don’t let me be pathetic in front of whoever this is.
A hesitant and completely unfamiliar man’s voice said, “Are you all right? Do you need something?”
Sarah sucked in a hard breath. “Um…” She exhaled slowly. “Who are you?”
“Mark Summors.”
She stiffened and tried to sit up. “Do I know you?” she asked her voice pitching.
“I can explain if you open the door.”
She steadied herself against the bathtub. The sling had slipped up her arm, exposing the trail of bruises. She swallowed another wave of nausea and tried to put the pieces together. Mark Summors? She glanced around for something to use as a weapon just in case, then she wanted to laugh-and cry. Who the hell was she kidding? She rolled her eyes. Good plan, Sarah, take on a strange guy with a toilet brush.
“Can I come in?” His voice was muffled as if he was resting his face against the door.
“Go ahead.” She clamped her mouth closed to suppress a shiver, then said, “It’s unlocked.”
The door eased open and a cup of water shot out at her.
“Oh, thank you,” she cried out, relieved to wash the disgusting film out of her mouth. She snatched the cup out of his hand and gulped it, letting her eyes lift above the rim to see his face.
“Ah.” Sarah choked and inhaled the water. She set the cup down, almost upending it as she dropped it. “Oh my God!” She would never forget those intense blue eyes, just like she would never forget the smell of her attacker’s breath. They were all thrown together in the same horrifying memory.
Wow! You have totally got me hooked. I can’t wait to read the whole book, it’s all ready and waiting for me on my Kindle!
And for all of those out there duly intrigued, as me, you can get your very own copy of Dangerous Embrace on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.
Last thing… let’s hear about you, Dana Mason, the author! 🙂
About Dana Mason
Dana Mason started writing to prove to her computer geek husband and her math & science geek kids that she actually has a brain; it’s just a right functioning brain instead of a left. She’s lived all over the country and uses that experience in her writing and character studies. Her debut novel, Dangerous Embrace, is the first in a contemporary romance series about a group of friends from Northern California who learn just how short life can be when you don’t hold on to what’s important. Second chances don’t come easy…but sometimes love is worth the risk.
When not writing, Dana specializes in professional development and training. She’s also a board member on the local Art’s Council and does what she can to support the art community.
As an avid reader and movie watcher, she always requires a happily ever after ending.
Once again, words seem hardly adequate to convey what I wish to say to you all today, but a humble “Thank you” will have to do for the amazing party that was the launch of Sophie’s Turnright here on this blog yesterday.
Thank you to everyone who visited, commented, and partied along. You are amazing.
We had the launch party of all launch parties for Sophie’s Turn!
Everywhere I looked yesterday during the launch day celebrations, there were tweets flying around, comments posted on Facebooks, visitors to the first blogstops of my massive launch blogtour. You created a buzz that was tangible and audible all over the place and all the way down to my little office in this small village in Lincolnshire.
For that, I am truly grateful. This launch went on stage rocking and rolling and I personally will certainly never forget the day. All thanks to you. So stand up proud and take a bow for my roll call of honour!
An extra special thank you has to go to my special guests, the THE HUSH BAND. I was terribly excited when they announced they were coming to the party, ready to play a song. I was not prepared for the Twitter storm and Facebook fest that followed! Moreover, THE HUSH also supplied us with generous amounts of bubbly. A box of champagne to begin with, a special edition Coppola called Sofia, and then Bellinis, too. I am completely bowled over by your support. You seriously rock!
Post-Script
My head is somewhat heavy this morning, and my brain is not functioning terribly well. If, by any terrible happenstance, I have forgotten to thank you, please don’t take the omission personally; rest assured, I didn’t mean to! And please don’t sit there quietly in a sulk and a grumble: let me know, and I’ll fix the situation post haste. Promise!
Happy Reading of Sophie’s Turn! Did you enjoy the launch party?
Taking a deep breath. And another one. Trying to calm my nerves, contain the excitement that is threatening to spill over and engulf me.
Tomorrow is launch day for Sophie’s Turn.Tomorrow, I will party. And I’ll post a party piece with all the joys and thank yous and everything. But today, I’m sharing with you the itinerary for the promotion journey that Sophie, Dan, Sapphire Star Publishing and I will undertake with sixty-three outstanding bloggers and reviewers. Yes, you read that right. Sixty-three! Hence my question… are you ready?
How did this come about? I don’t rightly now. Sapphire Star Publishing organised a fabulous blog tour on my behalf with Reading Addiction Blog Tours. And I got in touch with the bloggers I had come to know and love from a previous release of Sophie’s Turn. The response has been overwhelming, the support is staggering and I am just totally over the moon. The result is the blog tour of all blog tours.
Don’t panic. I won’t be asking you to visit every stop. I won’t be asking you to tweet yourself to death (that’s my job, wish me luck). I won’t even stalk you with continuous updates, although hopefully you’ll see the odd tweet or three… 🙂 I’m simply posting the schedule here, in a safe, obvious space on my blog, so that if you DO want to stop by and say hello on any given day, you can find me. That’s all.
Lastly, I want to give due credit and say Thank You to all these amazing bloggers and fellow authors who are giving up their time and making space on their blogs to help me shout about Sophie’s Turn. I couldn’t do it without you. So without furhter ado, take a look at this schedule and stand in awe, as I do, at the amazing support for my baby.
See?
SOPHIE’S TURN:
THE LAUNCH TOUR 2012
Stops and features are subject to change. Links may not function until the date a post is scheduled. *Asterisked stops have been scheduled by Reading Addiction Blog Tours on behalf of Sapphire Star Publishing: Thank You!
Nearly There! On Thursday, 6 September–yes, that’s Thursday NEXT WEEK–Sapphire Star Publishing will launch my rock star romance, Sophie’s Turn, onto the world in its newly polished and better-than-ever format.
You know I’ve been working towards this day, like, forever. Let’s see… since January of this year…
Now, there really isn’t much left to do. Right? Apart from, of course, organising the rocking launch party!!!!
Coming to this very blog and to Facebookon launch day, 6 September, all day long, the launch party will absolutely rock. Get ready for food and drink, music, dancing and a host of amazing guests.
Will you be there? I
would be honoured if you were to pop in to help me celebrate!
Nearly eight years in the making. Nothing but a vague dream, a hopeful aspiration to begin with. An idea. An ambition. And now it’s here. It’s real. The very rushed man from UPS delivered it in the morning, oblivious to the importance of the cargo he was carrying.
I know what’s in these boxes. Tears? Why, of course. I’m all choked up with emotion, and I haven’t even opened them yet.
My book! There it is…
It’s beautiful. It smells gorgeous, that hot-of-the-press smell of fresh ink. And it’s all mine. I did that!
Of course, I had lots of help along the way, and you all know who you are, but this moment… this is mine. And in less than two weeks, it can be anyone’s.
My two boys, witnessing their mummy’s moment of pure joy, decide to capture the occasion for all eternity and grab the camera. Thank you, my lovelies!
Roll out the red carpet! Open the champagne! It’s time to enter the Hall of Fame!
Yes, today it’s a double celebration as not one but two of my amazing fellow authors over at Sapphire Star Publishing celebrate the launch day for their books. Meet Linn B. Halton and J. K. Hogan! Pour yourself a cuppa (or something sparkly, if it’s late enough in the day!), sit back and enjoy as you get to meet these exciting new authors…
STOP PRESS! Just had news that the lovely Linn B. Halton can’t be with us today as she is currently touring Europe:
So she’s asked Hilary Marks from The Restaurant @ The Millto visit on her behalf…
Welcome, Hilary!
Hello Nicky – it’s fantastic to meet you! My name is Hilary Marks and stepping in for Linn B Halton. As you say, Linn’s on a tour of Europe at the moment, the lucky thing! Some big wedding anniversary celebration, so it’s all rather romantic – castles, a chateau here and there …
Anyway, I’ve come to tell you a little bit about The Restaurant, it’s out now and is published by Sapphire Star Publishing.
Nicky: Yes, tell us more about The Restaurant. What’s the story here?
Why did Ben and I open a Restaurant? Well, it’s a long story and it’s the reason why Linn began writing this novel. Let’s just say Ben and I both have things from the past that mean it’s hard to let go. I wish it wasn’t like that, but that’s life. However, the wonderful thing is that The Restaurant @ The Mill is our dream and it’s thriving. It’s been very hard work and it hasn’t all been easy, but the building itself lends an ambience and with Ben’s brilliance as a chef … well, we’re both very proud of what we have achieved.
Nicky: But it’s not just about you and Ben, is it? I gather there are plenty of things going on!
Ah, you want to know about the other ‘stories’ within this story ….
Well, we have some lovely regulars and then, of course, there is Sadie, our head waitress. She’s learning the trade and although she’s very new I think she’s going to do very well. She has this ‘friend’ Sam, she’d like him to be a boyfriend really but it’s complicated. He used to be her sister’s boyfriend before her sister had a serious accident. The story of Sadie’s sister Mya is told in Linn’s novel, Touched By The Light, which is a psychic romance. It’s both sad and uplifting, but it left Sadie and Sam with an awkward association, they still rely upon each other so much. I’m sure we’ll find out what happens before we get to the last page of The Restaurant.
There’s Thomas too, he’s a friend of mine – very attractive, very wealthy and very lonely. Funny how when we look at other people’s lives we tend to focus on the successful bits and don’t always see the heartache they hide so cleverly.
Isobel and David live nearby and often come to dine. Isobel is a writer and after a lifetime of bringing up her family it’s how her time to devote to her passion! The problem is that whilst David is the love of her life, he’s decided to take early retirement and I get the feeling he’s often in the way … I hope they do sort it out. They are a lovely couple, I’d hate to see them drift apart at this stage in their lives.
Charlotte and Nick are struggling. They might be newlyweds and having their first baby, but life is taking its toll on them. Nick was involved in an accident and it’s changed him – I wonder if Charlotte will ever get back the ‘Nick’ with whom she fell in love …
Now Grace is a fabulous lady, she’s a medium and features on the TV programme ‘Spirits Live’. This rather distinguished gentleman seems to have come into her life, his name is Lawrence and it’s obvious they’ve known each other really well in the past…
Nicky: What a colourful cast! I have to confess to having met them all by now and I’m totally wrapped up in their stories. But someone is still missing, right?
You want to know about Sarah? There isn’t very much I can tell you, the spirit of Sarah wanders the Mill and when we bought it the previous owners warned us of her presence. She doesn’t trouble us at all, although she’s often felt by people who come to visit us. I haven’t seen her myself, but I think Ben has – I’m sure Linn knows all about that!
Nicky: Well, well, I’ll just have to read on to find out more….
It’s been lovely to be here with you Nicky, thank you so much and if you ever want to come and dine with us – The Restaurant @ The Mill will have a table especially reserved for you!
Nicky: Thanks so much, Hilary, I will. I know how much pride Ben takes in his work, sourcing only the freshest ingredients every day (and the very best wines, I hear!). I look forward to meeting you there!
Wow, what a post! I have goose bumps of excitement. But there’s more… don’t miss the excerpt below! First of all, though, Hilary wanted to share how you can find out more about her author, Linn B. Halton. You can visit Linn’s author page over at loveahapyending.com. You can also find Linn on Facebook and Twitter and, of course, at Sapphire Star Publishing. Linn is also present on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com!
Nicky: Thanks for that, Hilary. Now then, let’s have a read of the opening page of The Restaurant @ The Mill:
The first time I walked around the flour mill at Huntingbridge in Gloucestershire turned out to be a life-changing moment. Reminiscent of the first time I met my business partner, Ben Adams. The initial thought that struck me on both occasions was “Great, not perfect, but I can work with this.” It was enough to clinch the deal for me.
You see, I thought I had a “perfect” life once a long time ago. I married Josh, the man of my dreams, only to find out one failed marriage and a broken heart later, that everything could change in an instant. What you saw depended upon where you were standing when you admired it. If you were on the outside looking in on someone else’s life, it was only natural to form an opinion based on the façade you saw. What I eventually discovered was that even when you were on the inside looking out, it was easy to be fooled into thinking everything was fine. On that fateful day many years ago, what I hadn’t appreciated was that what we had was in fact a love triangle and knowing that would have given me a whole new perspective.
Everyone around us believed Josh and I had an enviable life, because we looked like the perfect couple. For two years and four months I thought so too. Then I found out Josh was cheating on me, and had been for quite a while before I eventually discovered the truth. The other woman, who had also fallen under the irresistible spell of my attentive husband, obviously had a completely different viewpoint from where she was standing. What was so poignantly sad and particularly cruel was that even after their affair I continued to remain oblivious to the fact that my life was a sham. Josh continued to be the kindest, most thoughtful, and loving man that I had fallen in love with—and that, above all else, hurt the most. How could he deceive with such blatant disregard to anyone else’s feelings? Had he ever really loved me? Or did he only love himself?
Well, I don’t know about you, but I was hooked after this, and I have been following the story of The Restaurant @ The Mill ever since…
HUGE congratulations to Linn on the launch of her second novel with Sapphire Star Publishing. Here’s to a tremendous launch!
And here’s today’s second launch in the Sapphire Star Publishing family. Get ready for…
Fire On The Island by J.K. Hogan
“She who wields the mark is the barrier between man and monster.
She is the daughter of gods, the mother of man, protector of all. Vigilati Usque Ad Mortem”
All Isla Macallen wanted was a simple existence on her little Scottish island, free from her mother’s insanity and the prying eyes of neighbors. What she got was embroiled in a war for the souls of mankind. A war of good versus evil, of witches versus demons, and Isla learns that she alone can end it.
Dr. Jeremiah Rousseau was a self-proclaimed nomad, traveling the world researching paranormal phenomena. He doesn’t expect his research to lead him to Scotland, and to the woman who will turn his world upside down.
Together with a facetious shapeshifting animal spirit guide, Jeremiah and Isla discover that she is part of an ancient bloodline bred to protect the gateways between the human world and the spirit world, to keep evil demons from destroying them. They must find the key to defeating Alastore, the demon king, and closing the gate before Samhain, when the veil between the worlds is lifted. As the war for their souls wages around them, Isla and Jeremiah will risk it all for love—a love neither had ever thought possible.
Are you intrigued? Does that stunning cover grab you? Want to read on? Well, J.K. has sent this excerpt to get you hooked good and proper. Enjoy!
Isla had stopped at the edge of the porch and stood, frozen, staring out into the rainy darkness. Beyond her, Jeremiah could see the silhouette of a man. His face was in shadow, but from the luminescent eyes swirling with shadows, he knew it was Alastore.
When the man stepped forward into the dim light cast through the open door of the house, it became clear that he had a victim. Mhairi Mackay stood in front of the demon, and he had a strong arm locked around her neck.
Jeremiah surged forward, determined to protect Isla’s only remaining family, but Marduk stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. With a silent shake of his head, Marduk encouraged Jeremiah to think first and act with care.
Trust nothing, question everything, because things will most definitely not be as they seem. Marduk’s earlier words came back to him, and Jeremiah gave the man a quick nod to let him know he understood.
Isla lifted a foot to step down off the porch. “Think, Isla. Breathe. That’s not really Mhairi. She’s at Sacred Hearts, guarded by doctors and nurses that didn’t even want to let us in at first, remember?” he said in a low tone.
He saw a shudder rack her slender body but, much to his relief, she stayed put. Three pairs of eyes fixed on the pale, glowing arm that had the projection of Mhairi in a headlock.
Alastore threw his head back and cackled, before pinning each of them with a hard glare. “You think you can defeat me? I will lead you to your graves like lambs to the slaughter.” His voice was demonic, and they could hear the echo of pure evil behind it. It sounded like a dozen demons living inside one body, speaking in unison.
Without warning, he wrapped his free hand around Mhairi’s head and twisted in opposite directions. They heard a gruesome snap before the image of Mhairi crumpled to the ground.
A strangled cry ripped from Isla’s throat as the three of them bounded off the porch. They ground to a halt as Alastore threw his hands up toward the sky, and the pelting raindrops burst into incandescent flames.
The pellets of flame singed their skin, forcing them back to the shelter of the porch. Isla wailed as the spectre of Mhairi seemed to dissolve under the onslaught of fire and rain combined. Alastore’s head swiveled back to face them, his eyes gleaming with madness and hatred, pierced through to Isla’s soul.
“The little witch thinks she can defeat me! I, who can make the sky rain fire?” He took a step forward and Isla stood her ground. He glared at her with his mouth turned up in a gruesome sneer. “I will burn your life!” he spat at her.
“You’ll watch everything you care for turn to ash if you fight me!” He turned his cutting glare to the two men standing shoulder to shoulder on her right and absently gestured toward them. “These will die. Everyone will die.”
Facing Isla again, he gave her a sickeningly sweet smile. “And you, my dear…You will watch things fall apart. And then, you shall be mine.” She shuddered when he licked his lips and leered at her.
Isla would never be able to explain what came over her in that moment. As she focused on the images the demon pushed into her head—the pain and suffering, the dead and dying—it was the thought of Alastore turning his wrath upon Jeremiah that sparked the bone-deep anger inside her.
Storming off the porch into the maelstrom of fire and rain, she felt the breeze on the nape of her neck, when Jeremiah reached for her and missed. Storming toward Alastore, she stopped a few feet in front of him.
The balls of fire raining from the sky seemed to roll off an invisible shield around her and fury radiated from her body. “The hell I will!” she growled at him, gathering her energy low in her chest, preparing for a strike.
Marduk’s deceptively calm whisper drifted over to Jeremiah. “He’s goading her for a reason. Pushing her buttons. He may be trying to funnel her energy into himself, leaving her vulnerable for him to take her. Alastore does nothing without reason. Stop her.”
Jeremiah palmed the shotgun and whispered back to Marduk. “If I shoot him, it’s not going to stop him, right?” He waited for the other man to nod before continuing. “But it’ll hurt.”
Giving him a devious grin, Marduk nodded again. “It sure will. When he’s in corporeal form, he’ll feel the same pain a human would, he just won’t die. It will send him back to the locus to recharge.”
“Good enough for me.” Jeremiah pumped the forestock of the shotgun, drawing Alastore’s attention. The demon snarled at him but didn’t seem overly worried. That didn’t bode well.
Bracing the buttstock of the twelve gauge on his shoulder, he took aim and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. Cursing, he expelled the dead round and pumped again. Trigger pull, nothing.
Howling with laughter, Alastore returned his attention to the 110 pounds of livid woman that stood in front of him. He cocked his head, like an animal hearing a strange sound. “So pretty, and yet so easy,” he began, “just like your mother.”
“Christ,” Jeremiah hissed as he saw flames spike out from Isla’s fingertips. She was playing right into Alastore’s hands, but she just couldn’t see it. Shoving the shotgun into Marduk’s hands, he turned toward the house.
“I think he’s somehow jamming the gun. Maybe if I find something with no mechanics, he won’t be able to stop it.”
“Hurry.”
Well, duh. Jeremiah bounded into the house and began tearing through cupboards and rifling through drawers. He thought about grabbing a knife, but he didn’t think any of them should get that close to the demon.
Inspiration struck when he found an unopened bottle of vodka, dusty and forgotten in a cabinet. Grabbing a kitchen rag, he ripped it in half. Emptying a third of the bottle down the sink, he stuffed the rag down into the neck, making sure that it was in far enough to soak up the alcohol.
He snagged a lighter from a drawer and rushed back outside. “Get her out of the way,” he ordered Marduk as he passed, not even stopping to make sure the other man heard him. He didn’t need to stop, because Marduk ran to catch up with him as he was lighting the rag on fire.
Marduk grasped Isla by the shoulders and yanked her back into his arms as Jeremiah tossed the burning bottle at Alastore’s feet.
The projectile immediately exploded, engulfing the demon in a huge wall of fire. The surge of heat was so intense, Jeremiah backed up several steps. He stood, watching as the skin melted off of Alastore’s corporeal form to reveal a blackened skeleton.
An inhuman screech rent the air as Alastore pointed a bony finger at them. “You’re mine,” he croaked as what was left of him dissolved into ash and flame.
“Yeah, yeah, and our little dog, too. Got it,” Jere grumbled.
“Hey!” Marduk’s indignant tone said he didn’t appreciate the dog reference, but Jeremiah didn’t much care. Pulling Isla away from wolf-boy, he enveloped her in a tight hug. Resting his chin on the top of her head, he allowed the shudders he had been suppressing to roll over his body. Giving her one last squeeze, he set her away from him and brushed past her, stalking into the house, slamming the door behind him.
Doesn’t this just have everything? Passion, romance, intrigue, fire… well, I can’t wait to read the entire book! HUGE congratulations to J.K. on the launch of Fire On The Island!! Fire on the Island is available now from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
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