Friday, February 27, 2015

Cover Reveal for Thrill Kinky be Teresa Noelle Roberts


Do you still miss Firefly, with its ensemble of slightly shady characters who suffered from alarming moments of being big damn heroes? Did you enjoy the Canadian show Farscape, with its own cast of fascinating miscreants and bizarre (and sometimes bizarrely sexy) aliens?

Did you find yourself wishing the sexual and romantic tension underlying these shows got resolved as a more important part of the plot, as important as the heroic and/or criminal science-fiction shenanigans? Did you appreciate the way the wonderful Babylon 5 explored personal relationships along with political intrigue and interstellar mysticism? 

Then you should take a ride on the independent freighter Malcolm and check out my new science fiction romance series, Chronicles of the Malcolm. Yes, it’s a deliberate tribute to “Captain Tight-Pants” from Firefly, the tormented but delicious Malcolm Reynolds, played by Nathan Fillion. 

 The first book, Thrill-Kinky, comes out from Samhain on May 12, and I’m thrilled to introduce the series and show off the gorgeous cover.



In the 26th century, humans and numerous alien races share the galaxy. Technology has advanced massively. Old Earth is a vast preserve and museum, and humans have spread to the stars. But some things remain the same. Love, lust, and money are the forces that motivate both humans and other sentient species. Politics can get ugly. And crime can pay very well indeed.

The Malcolm, an independent interplanetary freighter, prefers to steer clear of both politics and crime, at least the kind of crime that doesn’t involve rescuing the occasional slave or exploited child on planets where such abominations are legal. Captain Mik and his loyal, if eccentric crew—Mik’s overprotective alien husband Gan, adventurous human mechanic Rita, bouncy cat-girl (and trained assassin) Xia, and PTSD-haunted ex-soldier Buck—usually succeed in keeping things only a little bit illegal. (One planet’s cash crop, after all, might be another’s favorite illicit recreational substance, and as long as no one’s getting hurt, why not get a cut of the profits?) But when a seemingly legitimate job goes supernova, the crew finds themselves up to their armpits in interplanetary espionage, art theft, and spies, and on the run from an infamous assassin. 

What a time to fall in love! 


(Thrill-Kinky, coming 5/12/2015).

Luckily, Drax Jalricki—reformed (mostly) art thief, former (mostly) Banjali covert operative, and all-around winged hunk—falls for Rita while they’re working together against the bad guys. Drax has a plan to protect them.

But it involves hiding out on Cibari, the most dangerous planet in the galaxy.

Who knew Cibari was run by a felinoid warlord who might be the perfect match for Xia—if the straight-arrow detective sent from her homeworld to “rescue” her doesn’t win her heart, ears and adorable, perky tail first? And that’s not even talking about how the warlord and the detective are eying each other. 


(Book Two, Bad Kitty, coming 9/2015)

Who would guess that a hot cyborg who’s already survived more than a human lifetime could offer Buck both healing and love? But the cyborg shares a common, deadly enemy with the Malcolm’s crew, and surviving that confrontation will trigger all their inner demons. (Book Three, tentatively called Buck, Naked)

Dark secrets Mik hides even from Gan will come to a head and threaten them more than the enemies they’d hoped to escape. A mysterious stranger holds the key to Mik’s salvation… and unexpectedly, a key to both men’s hearts as well, if they’re willing to open that door. (Book Four, title TBD)


Thrill-Kinky (Chronicles of the Malcolm, Book 1)
Teresa Noelle Roberts
Publication Date: May 12, 2015


Sexual freefall is like a game of chicken, except the first one to let go wins.

Chronicles of the Malcolm, Book 1

Humans may have expanded to the stars, but they still have the annoying need to work for a living. Which is why Rita, crew member of the space freighter Malcolm, is stuck collecting recyclable slag rather than attending her favorite festival celebrating love and sexuality.

Things go from boring to interesting when she discovers a badly injured man who’s been thrown into a recycling bin to die. The catch, he’s gorgeous, winged, and naked.

Drax Jalricki, reformed (mostly) art thief and reluctant covert operative, is on an undercover mission to protect three planets when someone in his own government brands him a traitor. By virtue of association, Rita and her crew are going down with him.

From their first, hide-in-plain-sight quickie, the erotic spark between Rita and Drax is fueled by danger and adrenaline. But their growing suspicion that there’s more to their connection than lust may not matter if they don’t live through the night.

Warning: Hero and heroine who straddle the line of criminal behavior—and definitely violate public indecency statutes. Exhibitionist, dangerous sex. Dark, sordid pasts. Wild risk-taking. Giggly cat-girl sidekick who’s not just another pretty…tail. And the greatest risk of all: true love.


Thrill-Kinky won’t even be available to pre-order until April, but it’s up at the Samhain website. Check it out!

I can’t really give away the book when it’s still in production (!), so I’m giving away an ebook of Lions’ Pride, the first of my paranormal Duals and Donovans, the Different series, to one lucky commenter. 

Teresa Noelle Roberts started writing stories in kindergarten and she hasn’t stopped yet. A prolific author of short erotica, she’s also a published poet and fantasy writer—but hot paranormals and BDSM-spiced contemporaries are her favorites. Or they were, until she realized science-fiction romances offered new possibilities for outrageous adventure, wild sex and love that overcomes some serious obstacles, including species! She’s also a prolific author of short erotica, a published poet and fantasy writer. Find her at www.teresanoelleroberts.com, on Facebook or on Twitter, where she hangs out as @TeresNoeRoberts. 

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

S.E. Gilchrist shares the first books of two new series: Stranded and Don't Look Back


Today, while fishing the multiverses, I found a double-cluster of books! I love it when I can bring you more than one to feast upon.

These books are both by S.E. Gilchrist who is working on two new series and the first stories in both series are out now.

And even better, I didn't have to interrogate her. She willingly shared. 

Here is what S.E. Gilchrist had to say when I asked her to tell us about her books:



In January, the first book in my New Adult, Science Fiction series, The Mars Academy was published. Stranded is the story of a young, rookie shuttle pilot who when on a training flight has her ship damaged by a solar storm and crash lands on an unknown planet. Unfortunately, the mission of finding and claiming a new Earth has priority and she is left behind. 

Blurb: Indoctrinated since birth by revolutionary parents, Cleo has no time for close friendships and even less for boyfriends. Freshly graduated from the Mars Academy, she’s on her first intergalactic mission and desperate to meet her parents’ expectations. All is on course when a solar flare damages her shuttle and she crash-lands on a watery wasteland of a planet. 

Two generations ago, Kai's people fled their home-world after being invaded. They now live on super-ships that prowl beneath the planet's murky waters. When he ‘hears’ the cry of his destined mate, he discovers she is alone and stranded. And an alien. How can such a strange being be meant for him? 

Worse, if he helps her, he risks exposing their location to the enemy.




In February, the first book in my New Adult, apocalyptic series, Warders of Earth was published. Don’t Look Back is about a twenty year old girl who discovers her life is based on a lie and her family’s been on the run for years. The reason? - she’s been genetically modified before birth.

Blurb: Almost twenty, Tara has no direction in her life. She longs for a trendy lifestyle, far from the responsibilities of her crazy parents and their preoccupation with apocalyptic predictions. 
But what happens when it all comes true? 

The hottest guy she’s ever seen blows into town, claiming he’s here to protect her. The tattoo on his nape reads: Warder of Earth. 

Alien seeder meteorites rain down bringing chaos and destruction. 

The town is overtaken by gun-toting, zealous soldiers and a mysterious virus spreads with terrifying and deadly results. Someone close to her, is leaking information to the enemy. She no longer knows who to trust. 

Fighting for her family and the world’s survival, Tara must accept the secret of her past; she was genetically bred for a specific purpose. 

But every victory comes at great cost. 
And heroes are ordinary people who in a heartbeat, choose to make the ultimate sacrifice.




Space Rep: Oh wow! These both sound fabulous.
Can we buy them? Can we? Can we?

Liza: They do sound really good.
Go find the buy links, because I'm sure lots of readers will want to buy these.

Space Rep: Found them!


Buy links:
Stranded at Amazon
Don’t Look Back at Amazon.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

AR DeClerck talks about her main characters in Forged in Fire


I asked AR DeClerck to share a bit about how her characters came to be. I found her explanation most interesting:


AR: Forged in Fire started with Gin Draven. He was as real to me as any person I have ever known. One day the words “Steel is forged in fire” popped into my head. I thought about what those words might mean, and Gin was born. He is a tough SOB with a scar on his face and a heart of gold. Once upon a time he was in love with a woman who betrayed him, and he turned the tables and left her to die. I thought about what a man like that might live for, and his galaxy was born. Eight beautiful planets surrounding a young red sun, and one of those planets was destroyed. Now Gin has something to live for, the utter destruction of the Boderians who attacked his people.

Every hero needs an equal. Enter Maeve. She is a princess. A mother. A soldier who secretly fought in the war without her parents’ knowledge. She is also the woman Gin Draven once loved. I think Maeve came to life the moment Gin Draven did, because they belong to each other. Even if they didn’t know it at the time. 

Forged in Fire is a story about learning to trust. Fighting for what you want. Surviving no matter what. Because it’s true: Steel is forged in fire.




Forged in FireAR DeClerck




Gin Draven is a soldier. THE soldier. Sworn to protect the nine planets in the galaxy humans made their home ninety thousand years ago. He lives for winning the war. He loved a woman once, and she cost him his sanity, his eye, and his heart. He’d taken every moment of their time together and buried it deep. Until the day she strolled back into his life. 

Maeve was a woman. THE woman. Back to make Gin Draven her husband. She wants the same thing he does. The end to the war that plagues them all. She knows secrets that can help him win the war, and secrets that could destroy them both. 


War brought them together, and war tore them apart. The strongest loves are Forged in Fire. 











AR DeClerck is a wife and mother of 2 daughters. She lives in the Quad Cities, IL and works as a dialysis technician. She grew up in the mountains of NC and has always been an avid reader. 
She started writing in high school and never stopped. 

AR writes romance novels in many sub genres. She publishes through Nevermore Press and currently has 3 novels available with a few more in the works and thousands more in her head. She credits her love of reading and writing to her mother who always has a book handy.


Social Links:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/authoramydeclerck    

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/@ARDeClerck

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23922743-forged-in-fire

Friday, February 20, 2015

Cover Reveal for Sabine Priestley's Rebellion

Today, I have another cover reveal, this one by the talented Sabine Priestley. It's book 2 of the Aliens Attachments Romance, and it's called:

Rebellion 

Ria Montori is no stranger to kicking ass. Despite her petite size, she’s a former Sandarian military officer currently serving the Cavacent clan and adjusting to life on a strange planet called Earth. She has no time to search for her psi-mate: the one being who could bring her pleasure beyond any mere physical intimacy. Which doesn’t explain why she’s bonding with a Curzan native who just killed a government official.

Ty Sordina hates Ria’s kind. The Sandarians enslaved his people, and murdered his parents in front him when he was a child. He has sought revenge ever since, and nothing will get in his way. Especially not a feisty redhead who challenges his every instinct, and calls to his psi like no other.

But there is a war coming. And the two beings who want nothing to do with each other hold the fate of an entire planet in the heat of their undeniable desire…
               
Sabine Priestley Sabine is a lifelong fan of Science Fiction and Romance novels. When the characters in the Alien Attachments series started talking to her, she had no choice but to write. They’re still talking and she’s still writing. Sabine lives in Florida with her husband, kids, cats, and a whole mess of characters in her head. 
 For more please visit www.sabinepriestley.com.


Available for pre-order now.  

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Cover reveal for Matronly Duties by Melissa Kendall


cool TWCS logo
PRESENTS. . .

Matronly Duties

by Melissa Kendall
Matronly-Duties-Hi-Res-Cover
Release Date: May 21 , 2015



~~SUMMARY~~
Hundreds of years after an asteroid slammed into Earth and sent it into a new ice age, what remains of the human race lives on in underground sanctuaries. Now, as the bicentennial anniversary of the impact approaches, a new leader prepares to take her place at the head of the government. At least, that’s what she thinks.

Matronly-Duties-3D-Paperback-eReaderBethanie Greene’s life has been planned out for her since the age of thirteen. Beautiful and intelligent, she’s spent the last twelve years training to become the next Matron of the underground nation of Oceania. But when Bethanie is kidnapped by rogue extremists just six weeks shy of taking office, her world is turned upside down by the handsome stranger who rescues her.

Howard James’ life has been the polar opposite of Bethanie’s. Struggling to survive in a world where those in power wished he didn’t exist, he harbors a deep-seated resentment of the government and all its representatives. Together with his unconventional family, he shows Bethanie a life she never knew was possible, while at the same time, opening her eyes to the injustices of the government she is meant to lead.

But can she trust a stranger? And can a few days change everything she believes and desires? Against all odds, Bethanie must decide if her heart and her duties can coexist.
 
~~EXCERPT~~

My body shakes at the thought of what could have happened to me yet again. I’ve heard stories about the slums, and I have to take a few deep breaths to calm myself.


“I was silly running away, I get it. I just couldn’t stay in your home any longer.”

Howard sighs. “Just because my parents raised us with traditionalist values doesn’t mean we are anything like the Trads. You accused us of being a drain on society, but you don’t even know us.”

“You’re right, I don’t. But you don’t know me either. If you did, you would understand why it’s hard for me to understand your way of life. It goes against every law, moral, and convention I’ve been taught. So I can’t be sorry for what I said, even if I’m sorry I ran out of the house.”

Howard takes a deep breath, then exhales long and slow. The expression on his face looks a bit like pity but with a dash of guilt mixed in. “Look, maybe I’ve judged you unfairly based on preconceived notions, but—”

A loud bang echoes outside. Howard glances at me with a panicked look on his face, and then pulls me off the crate onto the floor behind. I sit up, and turn to yell at him, but male voices outside keep my mouth closed. I instead huddle closer to Howard as he puts his hand around my shoulders. He pulls me in until I’m tucked against him.

“Did you see where she went?” a man’s voice asks.

“Nah, she just vanished.” The voice of this one sounds young.

“Damn, the boss isn’t going to be pleased about this.”
The crunch of shoes against pavement indicates they are on the move again. The sounds trail off until they’re no longer audible. I sigh in relief, all the tension fleeing my body.

Matronly-Duties-3D-Paperback“Are you okay?’ Howard asks, rubbing my shoulder.

I glance up, only then noticing how little space is between us. His blue eyes have flecks of grey in them, and there’s a smattering of freckles covering his nose and cheeks. His warm breath tickles my cheek almost like a caress, and his jaw has the barest hint of a five o’clock shadow. He really is captivating.

“I’m fine,” I eventually say, the words a mere whisper.

The butterflies in my stomach return with a vengeance. Howard licks his lips as they turn up ever so slightly in a smile.

“Good.”

I can’t stop the sigh that slips past my own lips. Howard leans forward a little, then moves closer still until his mouth is pressed against mine. I don’t dare move. A zing of something, I’m not sure whether it’s pleasure or fear, shoots through me. His lips are soft and wet, and the sensation is unlike anything I’ve felt before. I can’t even decide if I want him to continue or stop. When he pulls away though, a feeling of disappointment bubbles up inside me.

My first kiss.

Goosebumps cover me from head to toe, and unbidden, my fingers move to my lips. Glancing at Howard, he stares at me for a minute, then moves to sit further away.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
I shrug. “It’s okay.”

Howard frowns and then looks across the room.
Part of Matron training is learning not to form close relationships. It doesn’t mean it never happens. I’ve heard the odd story here and there from the other women, and I realise that’s probably what Gail was trying to tell me at breakfast the other day. But in all honesty, I can’t remember the last time I had real physical contact with anyone, above all with a man.

We sit in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Tension rolls off Howard in waves.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Come on,” Howard whispers. “We need to get to the house before those guys come back.”
 
~~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~~
Melissa Kendall
Melissa Kendall is an almost forty-year-old mother of two from Perth, Western Australia, the second-most isolated capital city in the world. Predominantly a stay-at-home mum, she works a few hours a week as a software support consultant. She has always loved to read and write, and spent most of her teens writing poetry and short stories. Over the years, daily life got in the way and she lost the passion for it, but after the birth of her first child, Melissa discovered e-books and her interest in writing rekindled. She is now the author of two published short stories. Matronly Duties is her first full-length novel.
 
     
~~CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR~~
Matronly-Duties-3D-Book-Stack
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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Liza has captured Jenna Bennett's Fortune's Hero


Today, I've got  Jenna Bennett discussing the Non-asskicking heroines and why they need to exist as well.


Once upon a time, just after the original release of Fortune’s Hero back in 2012, the heroine in that book was featured on a list of non-kickbutt heroines in science fiction romance.

Yes, you read that correctly. NON-kickbutt.

Elsa Brandeis is a doctor. A medical doctor. Quite good at what she does. Good enough to be chosen by the venerable Doctor Sterling to be his most favored assistant, thus making her second in command to the chief of medicine—AKA chief torturer—in the penal colony on the moon Marica-3.

She’s also, according to Quinn Conlan, the hero of Fortune’s Hero, “tight-assed, militant, and frigid,” as well as quite beautiful.

What she isn’t, is kickbutt. She’s a doctor. A scientist. Brainy and cerebral, mostly uninterested in what goes on outside the lab. She dresses in lab coats and ugly sack-like dresses in dull colors, along with lace-up shoes and what Quinn calls “granny-wear”—white synthetic underthings. There isn’t a silver bikini anywhere in the book, let alone a pair of thigh-high boots.

She doesn’t carry a weapon, and wouldn’t know how to use one if she did. She certainly wouldn’t have any idea how to pilot a spaceship or save the world. Not unless the world was dying of bubonic plague. That she might be able to do something about.

I didn’t make her this way because I have anything against kickbutt heroines, in SFR or anywhere else. I quite enjoy them, in their place.

I do think, however, that there’s a tendency to think that every heroine in the future will be—or should be—kickbutt. Soldier. Mercenary. Galactic bounty hunter.

And it makes sense, in a way. It’s the future, after all, and women won’t have to abide by outdated gender roles. We’ll have the freedom to be all that we can be, in the future. We’ll be equal. Anything men can do, we can do too, and better. At least in the pages of a book.

Nothing wrong with a woman who wants to kick butt and restore order to the universe. If that’s what blows her skirt up—pun totally intended—more power to her. Someone has to do it, and it might as well be a woman. And I do sincerely hope—and like the idea of—societies in the future wherein women really are equal, in all ways that matter.

But women are not all kickbutt, any more than all men are. Some of us don’t want to be. Some of us want to be doctors instead. Or nurses. Or accountants. Or writers.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. A lot of the time, when traveling through space and settling new worlds, I suspect doctors and nurses will be a lot more useful than fighters. With a few exceptions—wildlife and wild-eyed aliens—the planets probably won’t fight back much of the time. Not in a way that a kickbutt heroine could deal with.

A doctor, on the other hand... a doctor could be very useful. Or a nurse. A geologist. Or a biologist. Someone has to examine all the flora and fauna and decide what’s edible and what’s not, right?

Or how about an architect? New worlds have to be settled, after all, and buildings have to be built. Someone has to design them.

And farmers... don’t get me started on farmers. Everyone has to eat. The food has to come from somewhere, and that means someone will have to farm the land. I’d hate to try to settle a new world without a few farmers in the party. And a few doctors and nurses.

So let’s hear it for non-kickbutt heroines, shall we? And while we’re at it, non-kickbutt heroes, too. Let’s hear it for the people who build worlds instead of destroying them, and who save lives instead of taking them. Let’s hear it for diversity, of gender, of color, and of personality. A future where the meek may inherit Earth, but the geeks rule the universe.

Who’s with me?


* * *



Links for Fortune’s Hero ebook:



AMAZON  BARNES and NOBLE  GOOGLE PLAY  iBOOKS – KOBO

Paperback:  AMAZON






New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jenna Bennett writes the Do It Yourself home renovation mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime and the Cutthroat Business mysteries for her own gratification. She also writes a variety of romance for a change of pace, including the award-winning Soldiers of Fortune science fiction romance series. For more information, please visit Jenna’s website, www.jennabennett.com









Sunday, February 15, 2015

Liza interviews Jack from Zombies in Love by Nora Fleischer

Setting the Scene for Interview:

I have to admit, I was a little nervous about this interview.  I mean, a romance novel with a zombie hero?  What if I get eaten?  But author Nora Fleischer insisted, and off we went.

The offices of the Boston Zombie Support Group are in a rundown office building between a psychic and a failing yoga studio.  Inside, the place looks like the sort of thing Tony Stark would design if he had Peter Parker's budget. 

 Spokesperson Jack Kershaw-- a handsome man a couple of inches shorter than me-- has the distinctive bluish skin of the zombie.  When he speaks, he has a noticeable South Carolina accent.  He hands each of us a cup of coffee that could peel paint and sits on the other side of the recorder I've placed on the table.

First impressions: he's very smart and observant.  He's determined to make me like him, and he's succeeding, but I'm not sure I can trust a word out of his mouth.



 ***

Liza:*dumps coffee in a plant urn* Hi, Jack.  I really appreciate you taking the time out of your schedule to talk with us.

Jack: Of course, Liza.  I'm always delighted to clarify some misconceptions about us. 

Liza: How do people become zombies?

Jack: Actually, there are two important points here.  Zombies are people, otherwise I wouldn't be having this conversation with you; I'd be grunting and gnawing on the microphone. The second is that it's very difficult to become a zombie.  The person must have become infected before his death by a virus, and this virus survives only briefly outside the body. 

Liza: How did you get infected?

Jack: Me personally?  I was part of the incident that infected at least thirty people in Boston about three years ago.  We still haven't been able to pinpoint when, where, and why it happened. But I can also tell you that being infected didn't affect my quality of life in any way-- I only learned it had happened after I died.

Liza: And how did you die?

Jack: I'd really like to focus on the larger issue here: how Boston's zombie population can contribute to the wellbeing of the community as a whole.  If our nutrition issues are properly taken care of, then we're just like anyone else.

Liza: Which is a nice way of saying that you need to eat people.

Jack: Yes, but they don't have to be living people.  Let's put it this way: Boston is never going to run out of cemeteries.  Zombies eat locally, we have a minimal carbon footprint.  We're actually contributing to the greening of Boston.

Liza: Being grossly ignorant about zombies, I've invited an expert on the subject to assist me in this interview.

*Nora waves.*

Jack: *squints at Nora* Have we met before?  You look very familiar.

Nora: I'm sorry, no.  I was hoping you'd tell Liza some more about how zombies can actually be an asset for Boston.

Jack: Right.   We seem to come back with a compulsion to be useful.  For example, I work at Alioto's Pizza.

Liza: *writes note to self: Don't eat at Alioto's.*

Nora: The restaurant belonging to your girlfriend Lisa Alioto?

Jack: She'd kill me if I didn't get the name in the interview somewhere.  Can you link to her website?

Nora: Sure.  It's in Somerville, very close to Winthrop University.  In fact, other journalists have noticed several interesting links between the zombies and Winthrop University.  For example--

Jack: Please turn that recorder off. 

*Nora turns off the recorder Jack can see.  Liza leaves the one in her jacket pocket running.* 

Nora: Good?

Jack: I would like to be nothing but open with both of you.  The thing about Winthrop is that they're very good at making their problems disappear.  And I don't want them to see Boston's zombies as a problem.

Nora: Did Winthrop University intentionally raise the dead?

Jack: No.  Who told you that?

Nora: Unintentionally?

Jack: Trust me, you really don't want to know the answer to that question. 

Liza: If you know, why haven't they gone after you?

Jack: *Stands up.*  It's been good talking with you both.  Please, stay in touch-- I'd love to see a link to the story when it appears.

Liza: But we've barely started talking!

Nora: I think you should listen to him.

*Liza shakes his hand.  His skin is room temperature.  As the two women walk down the hallway, Liza turns back, and sees him through the glass door.  Jack looks terrified.*

Liza: I wonder what happened at Winthrop? Can't wait to read the book and find out.




"Jack Kershaw just wants to hold on to his new job at Lisa Alioto's pizza parlor, and to keep Lisa from finding out that he's a zombie.  But Jack learns that he and Lisa are in serious danger.   His second chance at life is the inadvertent result of a lab experiment by two graduate students, and Winthrop University-- a school which knows how to keep its secrets-- will do anything necessary to conceal that someone on campus raised the dead. 

 With the help of Boston's zombie horde, can Jack and Lisa escape Winthrop's sinister clutches?”



 All the peace that had come over Jack in the morgue was gone.  Even though he was jogging back to Lisa’s apartment-- and getting some strange looks because he was wearing a set of scrubs and a pair of flip-flops he’d liberated from the hospital-- he felt a terrible restlessness.  Like he couldn’t be still, ever again.

No, that wasn’t it-- he felt the sort of prickly awareness of a mouse being watched by a owl.  It felt as though something was after him, something with a stride matching his own, something that reached out with a pale cold hand...

He reached the door of Lisa’s apartment, thudded up the stairs, and pounded at the closed door.  She opened it like she’d been waiting next to it for hours.  Out the door came the rosy scent of her body, the heat of her, and in the center of the candle flame, Lisa’s beautiful daredevil smile.

“You're back!  How'd it go?  I dropped off the satchel, just like we planned, and the guy seemed to know exactly what it was for,” she said.  He followed her in.  “I’ve never done anything like that in my life.  Wasn’t that crazy, wasn’t that wild?”

“Stick with me, honey,” he said.  “We’ll have fun.”

She smiled and squeezed his bare upper arm roughly enough for him to feel it.  Heat seared his cold skin.  “And tomorrow, we go back to work, and I know I’m going to be standing there, giving people their pizza and thinking, ‘All you people, you don’t know a damn thing about me, you don’t know what I’ve been up to.’  Me and my secret life.” 

And then it all made sense.  He knew what he wanted.  He reached up and kissed her.  For a moment she seemed surprised, but then she pressed closer to him, and he became aware of how thin his scrubs were, and that her body heat flew through them as if he were naked.  And the way her mouth tasted!  He could feel it over his tongue, the unique taste of her body, as if it was sinking into his body, changing all of his cells, drawing a little of her into him, forever...

“You smell like lilacs,” he said, “did I ever tell you that?  Like lilacs and cinnamon.  And you’re so warm.”









"Nora Fleischer has a PhD from Winthrop University, and promises every word of this story is true. She lives in Minneapolis with her lovable husband Sven and children Wolfgang and Anastasia.  She tweets as @zombinanora and blogs at norafleischer.livejournal.com."



Thursday, February 12, 2015

Aurora Springer's Grand Master's Pawn Parts 1-3 released.

GRAND MASTER’S PAWN. Parts 1, 2 and 3 released.



Blurb
A thousand years in the future, instant travel via portals links the civilized planets. Now, portals fail at random and wars disturb the outer planets. Do the powerful Grand Masters conspire to disrupt galactic civilization? Drink tea with the White Mother Tingu, soar through the skies with dragon lord Ythris, and slip through a portal to explore another planet. Follow the adventures of Violet Hunter as she explores unknown planets, while pursuing the truth about the mysterious Grand Masters.

Violet Hunter seems an ordinary student, graduating with a master’s degree in xenobiology from the Terran Space Academy. In secret, she is a trained empath, and the unwitting catalyst of her father’s prophesy. One Grand Master took the risk and selected the girl with the star mark on her forehead. He gets more than he expected. Violet is an impudent and disobedient pawn, but her secret talents lead to successful missions. She gains new powers, strange allies and snatches clues to the identity of the Grand Masters. Violet is hurled into explosive conflicts with her adversaries, while the galaxy flies toward chaos. Will she survive the confrontation?



Excerpt:
She flipped her laser on low beam to illuminate the cave. Two large golden eyes gleamed only a few paces in front of her. As her sight adjusted to the dim light, she perceived the eyes were set on a long narrow head. The head swung from side to side in a mesmerizing motion.

Violet blinked, and the rest of the large animal became clear. His bulky body loomed above her head. He had four legs, and a long thin tail curled around his clawed feet. The beast shifted position uneasily. A great leathery wing lifted on one side, while his other wing drooped at an unnatural angle. Ythris was a dragon.

The dragon swung his great head to peer at her, perplexed by her lack of fear. Violet was fascinated. At last, she stood next to one of the fabled dragon lords of Sythos. A fleeting nudge at her collar marked the Grand Master’s interest.

“Your wing is injured,” she said, reaching out her hand in sympathy.

His head recoiled and Ythris hissed in distaste, “You are a Vron, an ugly human!” 

“Yes, I am a human. I have permission to venture onto your lands,” Violet said firmly, refusing to be overawed by the huge dragon. “Will you permit me to examine your broken wing, Ythris?”

The dragon’s luminous eyes blinked, and his head curled round to stare at the unusable wing, “I have little choice. No one else has replied to my calls for help.” His head swiveled until his long nose almost touched her face. Violet noted the curved white fangs protruding from his jaws and the flat black scales over his narrow face. He was deadly, yet she did not fear him.

“I am pleased to meet a dragon lord,” she said, emoting reassurance.

Ythris placed his clawed forelimb on her shoulder, and she stood motionless, feeling the sharp claw tips prick her skin even through the insulated suit. “You do not fear a dragon lord?” he said, emitting intense curiosity.

Violet shook her head, “No, you’re hurt and need my help. Why should I fear you?” 

“Many people fear Ythris the Black!” the dragon hissed, and swished his tail from side to side to demonstrate his ferocity.

Buy Links
Grand Master’s Pawn, part 1: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SG91AHE
Grand Master’s Pawn, part 2: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SJE7O30
Grand Master’s Pawn, part 3: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TBI638A

Expect Part 4 in a few weeks.

Bio:
After a career in science, I have achieved my life-long ambition to publish novels. My published works include science fiction and fantasy with romance and a sprinkle of humor. I was born in the UK and live in Atlanta with my husband, a dog and two cats to sit on my laptop. My hobbies, besides reading and writing, include outdoor activities like watching wildlife, hiking and canoeing. 

Media links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Aurora-Springer/e/B00K2C4NL8


Monday, February 9, 2015

Review of Summer of Haight '67 by Diane Sager


Today, I've Diane Sager and her fabulous book Summer of Haight '67

Space Rep: Is there a prize?

Liza: There is oh, greedy one. Diane will give a $15 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to one lucky person who enters the rafflecopter



Summer of Haight 67
by Diane Sager

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KATHERINE RHODES has a tragic accident which sends her back in time. She wakes up as the 20 year old hippie she was back in 1967 in the Haight/Ashbury district of San Francisco. This was the period known globally as the “Summer of Love”. It’s all here, Hippies, Hells Angels, Black Panthers and the abhorrent war in Vietnam. “KATIE gets the chance to re-live this era with her friends FROG and MOONBEAM. This time she knows what to expect and tries to change things……….. Can she ?


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Feeling dizzy, she shut her eyes and rubbed her temples for several minutes, running through the accident in her mind.  She remembered going down the embankment and hitting the tree.  She knew she had been in an ambulance and she remembered a slew of doctors surrounding her. Yet here she was sitting on a couch…somewhere familiar, a place she knew but couldn’t recall.

A brown chenille bedspread covered the couch.  There was a basic wooden coffee table, several antique lamps, one in the corner and another on an old table by a beveled window. The hardwood floor of the room was covered by an imitation Persian carpet.

The walls and even the ceilings were filled with posters; old bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Yardbirds, and even the Monkees.  Some were drug related, promoting marijuana, mushrooms and LSD.  Others were political, protesting the Vietnam War, even including a caricature of Lyndon B. Johnson dressed as John Wayne. 

On the ceiling directly above her was a poster of Clint Eastwood draped in a poncho, cigar resting on his lip. A pose from For a Few Dollars More.  She knew the film well.  Beside it were several blacklight posters, psychedelic peace symbols, a hookah smoking caterpillar, and an assortment of twirling colorful designs.

The television, an old tube model from yesteryear, was in a wooden cabinet covered by stickers: STP; two local radio stations, KLIV and KFRC; Champion spark plugs; bare feet and peace symbols of various colors. Beside that was a flower painted guitar case that leaned against the wall. Everything in the room was familiar. She knew this house. She had been here many, many times, so why couldn’t she remember whose house she was in?
  
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This very long story is a mix between exquisite detail and accuracy about the ‘hippie years’ and sloppy attention to the mystical so-called “time travel” side of the story.

My issues were it’s not a valid time travel story. Nor does the mystical actions hold up under scrutiny at the end, which disappointed me greatly.

There was also some redundancy of information told more than once in the story, so don’t be surprised when reading if you have deja vu moments where you are certain you’ve already read this before. You may have.

But despite those issues, this is a fabulous read. It is well written, unique, intriguing, with exquisite detail about the 1960-70 era, the Vietnam war, the race riots, the hippies, the Hell’s angels, the Black panthers. The author pulls you deep into her story with amazing ease.

This would have been a slam dunk 5 star novel had the mystical side of the story received equal attention. But as presently written, the logic behind the ‘mystical’ side of the story falters at the end. So I’ve no choice but to drop it  to 4 stars.

For those readers who don’t care if the ‘fantasy’ side lacks plausibility, consider this book a five star and expect to have a long and delightful read. 

For those who require the story to be plausible and logical even in paranormal plots, then you might want to stop reading at Chapter 47. This means you can thoroughly enjoy the main story. 

It’s only at the very end, during the wrap up, that matters fall apart with the plausibility on the mystical side. And if you read it really fast, perhaps you won’t even notice the fatal flaw of logic. 






Author Diane Sager was raised and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her awesome husband Russ, three dogs, two cats and an African grey parrot named Storm. She holds a fascination for all things macabre and has developed a deep knowledge of serial killers, vampires, zombies, the Tarot, world religions, witchcraft, horror and the occult.

However, her latest indie release, SUMMER OF HAIGHT ‘67 is none of the above albeit a little supernatural……..This story is nestled between her zombie series “EVIL VEIN” published by Permuted Press and penned under her “apocalyptic” name of D.S.Sager

A former high school teacher of emotionally disturbed and high-risk youth, Diane is now dedicated to full time writing.

Contact her at celticdi@gmail.com, @celticdi on Twitter, www.evilvein.com, Author – Diane Sager on Facebook.




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