Monday, July 18, 2016

Christine by Marie Piper - Excerpt Tour

Each Sunday for ten years, the young and prominent Maidens of Mapleton club have met in the town schoolhouse and told each other all. A town with a violent past, now-booming Mapleton dotes on its favorite daughters: Christine, a performer at the town's beautiful music hall, Mina, the daughter of the newspaper owner, Esme, a ward of the church and Lucy and Elizabeth, daughters of the widower Mayor-one ladylike, the other a hellion.


Slowly, the truth begins to cloud. The pieces of the past don't add up, bad dreams are haunting Esme, and familiar tales and faces fail to comfort. In this five novella series from Marie Piper, comprised of Old West adaptations of gothic/horror tales, the Maidens find their friendships tested, fall in (and out) of love, and are forced to unravel the mystery of that one terrible day. What really happened on the day of the Mapleton Massacre?

In the first installment, CHRISTINE, there's a music hall under new management, a mysterious patron, a dancing girl turned soloist, and murder to boot. It's a Western romance tribute to a story that has delighted for decades, this time with a mystery girl squad!

One

Never had Opal Hall shone as brightly as on the night of the Masquerade Ball. At the time, it was the grandest place I had ever seen. The stagehands had worked non-stop to polish every piece of ornate engraving on every staircase and doorframe, and had added plentiful fresh flowers and new pieces of art on every surface. People in elaborate costumes were already flocking to the hall when I walked up, and I was glad for it. With the whole town in attendance, I could hide in plain sight.
My angel costume, created from the old dancer’s swan outfit, fitted my form until it swelled with lush white skirts trimmed with feathers and bared my shoulders. Wearing it was bold, but knowing I’d be in a room full of people in masks had given me confidence. The costume made me feel beautiful and, what’s more, it made me feel powerful. On a night as important as this one, both were needed. I had also donned white tights and heeled boots adorned with lace. Lucy and I had figured out together how to make a set of wings from reeds and paper, so the elaborate appendages trailed behind me. I’d also attached a small gold crown like a halo to the hair I piled high. My white mask, also feathered to match the gown, completed the look.
“Miss Dale,” Rafe exclaimed when I arrived at the theater. “You’re an angel.”
“Of course I am.”
His costume was simpler: head to toe black with a long cape and a black mask. In contrast to me, he appeared a devil. Perhaps that was the point.
Two

Something shifted in the crowd.
Heads turned to see a red devil coming into the theater from the lobby. He cut an imposing figure, his already impressive stature topped by the addition of a grand red hat trimmed in silver, cloaked in red robes with a terrible white half-mask.
He clapped as he entered, headed directly for me.
And I knew immediately who it was.
Once he was only a foot away from me, he bowed grandly.
Mr. Flaherty cued up the band for a polka, and I stepped down to the floor. “The Masque of the Red Death,” I said with a mischievous smile, my former worries about his absence from the Ball far from my mind now that he was smiling in front of me. “Well done.”
“I hear Maidens enjoy Poe from time to time. And every devil needs an angel.”
“Well I hope you’re not allergic to chicken feathers. This cursed costume is shedding them everywhere,” I laughed, feeling relaxed for the first time that night.
“My angel, even a rattlesnake bite couldn’t keep me away from you.”
Marie Piper lives in Chicago, but writes Romance and Erotica usually set in the old west. Her short pieces are available in anthologies from LoveSlave, House of Erotica, Coming Together, and Torquere Press, as well as via NineStar Press. The full-length steamy Western trilogy, FIRES OF CRICKET BEND, is being released by Limitless Publishing. (HAVEN'S FLAME, Book #1, is out now. EMMA'S BLAZE, Book #2, comes out on March 15th!) When Marie isn't writing, she's likely out exploring the Windy City, gathering more books for her hoard, or happily drinking coffee and reading. There's also a strong possibility she's wasting time on Twitter.


Twitter: @mariepiperbooks

Friday, July 15, 2016

Rebel Soul by J.C. Hannigan - Sale Blitz




Title: Rebel Soul
Series: Rebel #1
Author: J.C. Hannigan
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: June 1, 2016



Blurb

Tessa Armstrong has one more summer at home before heading off to college with her best friend. She’s been counting down the months, waiting to be free of her overbearing brothers and overprotective father — not to mention getting out of the small, suffocating town she’s grown up in.

The one thing Tessa doesn’t count on is falling in love, least of all with Brock Miller. He’s the kind of boy her father has always warned her about. He’s older, mysterious, and a little dangerous.

Brock has had a hard past, and the whole town not only knows it, but won’t let him forget.


Brock has come back to take care of his ailing mother and struggling younger siblings. He doesn’t have time to fall in love, especially with one of the town’s darlings, but sometimes, love comes fast and fierce.

Can Tessa and Brock find a way to each other despite their pasts and the obstacles their families present?





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Excerpt

The clearing was shaped like a circle, with the access road on the south side. Directly across from it was an old but clean looking trailer. Before I could ask who’d brought the camper, Elle was darting off to join Braden at the fire pit in the center of the clearing.

I watched as she leaned into him and whispered in his ear. He grinned, nodding at her with an affectionate smile as she ran her hand along his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him and pressing a slow, tender kiss to her lips.

For a moment, a small swell of jealousy pressed down on me. Not because it was Braden, but because I wanted that. I wanted someone to kiss me slowly; I wanted to feel strong arms around me. I wanted intimacy and tender touches.

I glanced around the party, noting there wasn’t anyone even remotely interesting around. These were all guys that I’d gone to school with, or guys that were Braden’s and Tommy’s friends. None of them made my heart beat faster and my palms sweat. Hell, I got a better chemical reaction from shooting a bow and hitting my target than with any of the guys around this lame town.

One reason to really wish the summer away: college meant more of a selection.

Elle saw me sulking and reluctantly pulled away from Braden. “What’s up?” she asked, frowning at the sullen look on my face.

“Nothing.” I sighed.

“I don’t buy that,” she called me out, jutting her hip out and propping her hand on it with her certain brand of attitude.

I fixed her with a serious stare. “I promise that I’m fine. Just…please tell me we’re still sharing a tent and that Braden won’t be in it?” I raised my brows, pleading with her.

Elle smiled at me brightly, her white teeth flashing in the moonlight. “Don’t worry about it! Braden’s sharing a tent with Ezra. Unless you want to share a tent with him…” Elle trailed off, smirking as her hip bumped into mine.

“Um, no. I’m good.” I made a face, my memories drawn to the one time when Ezra and I hooked up. It was a year before the Corbin Little incident. I was sixteen and Ezra was seventeen, his license still fresh in his hand when he asked me out to the movies. We’d mutually decided to skip the movie and drive around in his truck, and one thing led to another. Although Ezra was sweet, he wasn’t experienced and neither was I for that matter. The whole situation was awkward, painful, unpleasant, and completely overrated. Definitely not worth the black eye that Ezra got when Tommy found out. I definitely had no desire to relive that night. “So, whose camper is that?”

She glanced up, looking towards the trailer. A guilty look befell her face. “That’s Braden’s brother’s trailer,” she said innocently, shrugging. She wasn’t meeting my eyes.

“Braden’s brother?” I repeated, blinking slowly.

“Yeah, I think that’s him now.” Elle grinned, nodding towards the headlights that were focused on us as a truck pulled up. My eyes widened as I took in the new Ford F-250 with huge, monstrous tires and floodlights. He parked carelessly with the other vehicles lining our makeshift party area and got out, leaving the lights pointed directly at our little group.

“Hey, Brock! Glad you could make it.” Braden smiled, his entire demeanor changing as his older brother slowly walked up to us. Brock had a dark, grim look on his face, as if this was exactly where he didn’t want to be. He was carrying two ten gallon jugs of water effortlessly. He set them down a little ways away from the fire.

“Get the rest of the water from my truck,” Brock ordered, his eyes narrowing in on Braden’s face.

His voice prompted butterflies to explode in my belly. It was deep, gravelly, and full of authority. Brock had the kind of voice and rugged good looks that made girls swoon.

My eyes drank him in. His dark hair was wet, as if he’d just stepped out of the shower, and bits of it fell across his forehead. He had a strong, chiseled jaw, a five o’clock shadow and the most sensual lips I’d ever seen.

I had the most ridiculous urge to step towards him and run my hands through all that hair. The way his Wrangler jeans clung to his muscular thighs made my mouth water. He looked like a damn cover model for some country living magazine.

He looked a thousand times better than I remembered. Not good, not good at all! I thought, desperately seeking some kind of flaw in him that I could latch on to.

Even his clothes made me drool, or perhaps it was the way he wore them. He was dressed in well-worn cowboy boots and a black t-shirt that clung to the muscles in his strong arms. Arms that looked capable of hard labor; arms that I’d love to have wrapped around me.

Elle elbowed me sharply, giggling. I hadn’t realized I was noticeably gawking at the man standing less than a foot away from me, but I couldn’t help it. The guys I was used to seeing around weren’t built like Brock. They didn’t even come close to being built like Brock.

He glanced over, his brow furrowing as his eyes landed on me. I clamped my jaw shut and tried to force my eyes away from his, but he had some kind of pull on me. I couldn’t stop staring at him and he was staring right back.

His eyes were every bit as intriguing as I remembered, but the easy dimpled smile was definitely not present. Brock Miller looked hostile and every bit as dangerous as they said he was…and still, I couldn’t stop staring.

“Yeah, yeah,” Braden grumbled, effectively breaking whatever strange spell had overcome us. Brock’s eyes tore from my face and he watched as his brother stomped over to his truck. A second later, a menacing deep bark sounded from in the cab. Braden yelped and flew backwards, away from the snarling dog sitting inside. Brock smiled slowly, the dimple appearing just above the left corner of his lip.

He put his fingers to his lips and whistled. The dog leapt from the open window and growled at Braden. Brock whistled once again. Obediently, the dog walked up and sat down at Brock’s feet, still watching Braden carefully. The dog was huge and beautiful, a German shepherd mix from the looks of it. Absently, Brock’s hand dropped down to pat the dog on the head.

“I hope you’re going to control that fucking mutt,” Braden seethed, his face red with embarrassment. “I don’t want it barking all night.”

Brock sent him a single look that had Braden clamping his mouth shut and fetching the rest of the water jugs from the back of the truck. It seemed that Brock had an undeniable power over those around him. Me, Braden, the dog, even Elle watched with wide eyes.

I grabbed Elle’s arm again, dragging her further away from both Brock and Braden. I felt light headed, and I didn’t like it at all. “Why didn’t you tell me he was going to be here? If my father finds out, he’s going to flip!”

“Chill out, Tessa. Your father isn’t going to find out…I promise.” Elle’s eyes were filled with sincerity. “And really, there’s nothing wrong with Brock.”

“Didn’t he just get out of jail for aggravated assault?” I retorted, folding my arms across my chest. I was suddenly cold; the good mood I’d been in earlier had long since evaporated in a puff of smoke, replaced with a swirling number of complicated emotions and reactions that I couldn’t even begin to sift through.

“Yes, but you don’t know the reason why,” Elle said, as if this should make all the difference in the world. Elle noticed my unimpressed are you serious stare. She smiled sadly. “Tessa, your world is always so black and white. Sometimes, things fall in the grey area. Trust me when I tell you, this is one of those things. He is one of those things.”

I wrinkled my nose, resenting my friend for calling me out. “Fine, but don’t expect me to talk to him. I barely tolerate Braden.”

“I know,” Elle said without humor. She pursed her lips as if she had more to say. Instead, she forced a smile. “Let’s go get a drink.”





Author Bio


J.C. Hannigan lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, their two sons, and their dog. She writes contemporary new adult romance and suspense. Her novels focus on relationships, mental health, social issues, and other life challenges.



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With a Twist by Staci Hart - Sale Blitz




Title: With a Twist
Series: A Bad Habits Novel
Author: Staci Hart
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: July 16, 2015



Blurb

Love is somewhere near the bottom of Lily Thomas’ list of life goals, right next to competitive eating and underwater cave diving. She’s spent six years pirouetting and pliéing her way up the ranks of the New York Ballet with her eye on the prize and love in the back seat. But now that Blane Baker -- Lily’s long time crush -- is finally single, she’ll throw her rules out the window without thinking twice.

Reality with Blane isn’t as epic as the fantasy she imagined, and the truth sends her spinning straight into the arms of the man she never knew she’d always wanted.

West Williams has been friends with Lily since the day she moved into their building and he saved her armoire from a swift, sudden death by staircase. Their friendship has always been easy, the boundaries clearly defined. With neither of them willing to risk their relationship, they’ve drifted happily through the years as companions, never considering more.

That is, until they do. And that realization changes everything.

With a Twist is a standalone romantic comedy.





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Author Bio


Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life: a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, even though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey. Her favorite word starts with f and ends with k.

From roots in Houston, to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's sleeping, cleaning, or designing graphics.



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Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Illusions by J.C. Thompson - Release Blitz + Excerpt

Title: Illusions
Series: The Club #1
Author: J.C. Thompson
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 12, 2016
Aly
I'm the princess, at least that's what my family believes. In their eyes, I can do no wrong. I was tired of trying to be perfect, so I left. I moved across the country and opened Illusions with my best friend. It's not your average upscale nightclub. What happens behind the scenes is where I get to go from princess to vixen. I never ran into any of the gentlemen that came into Illusions in the real world. Until him. Now, I'm in serious trouble. Not only is he a repeat customer, but he is my brother's best friend and business partner.
Cole
The stress of opening the new office finally got to me. I'd heard about Illusions, an upscale nightclub, in the middle of town. I went for more than a drink and found the one woman I can't get off my mind. I'd give anything to see her again. Turns out that isn't too unlikely. I didn't expect her to be my best friend and business partner's little sister. They call her the princess, but to me, she is my kitten.
Pulling up to Aly’s, I turn off the Nova and turn to face her. “What’s on your mind?”
“Why are you here?” she asks, looking down at her hands in her lap.
“I wasn’t ready for our time to be over,” I tell her the truth, because that is the only thing that I can think of.
“Did you mean what you said this morning? That this can’t continue?” She looks up at me. The look in her eyes stops my heart. Her eyes are shining bright with unshed tears.
Not wanting to lie, I go with the truth again. “Yes.”
She doesn’t say anything for a minute. She just sits there looking at me. With a small nod, she leans over, placing a kiss on my cheek. “Goodbye, Cole,” she says, and then she climbs out.
I want so badly to get out of the car and chase her. But at what cost? I know I can’t be anything more to her. I want to see her again, but it’s not fair to expect her to give up on what she wants, what she deserves. I can’t be selfish. Not with her. A few minutes later, the porch light shuts off. The loss of the light from her porch makes me feel cold. With the flip of that switch, it’s like she is shutting me out. Starting the car back up, I leave, not wanting to hang on to this day any longer than necessary, and I head back to the highway. It’s time to come back to reality.
Author JC Thompson was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Where she currently lives with her high school sweetheart, two little girls, and five furry kids (3 cats and 2 dogs). JC loves to read romance, the smuttier the better. She is a self-proclaimed book addict that likes to get lost in a false reality anytime possible. When she is not getting lost in reading, she is getting lost in writing, or spending time with her family. 

Drawn to You by Lily Summers - Release Blitz + Giveaway



Title: Drawn to You
Author: Lily Summers
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 12, 2016
Blurb

After an earth-shattering tragedy, I left everything behind. School, family, friends -- what does any of it matter now?

No one knows my story. No one knows what happened. I'm barely holding on.

Then Ezra finds me. A tagger with a raw talent, he fills the city with his art, splashing color across Portland's grey skies. A ghostly woman in the depths of the ocean, a boy preyed upon by shadows -- everything he creates touches my soul. Authentic and raw, his work grounds me. Magnetic and brave, he heals me.

Ezra is everything I need; he's everything I don't deserve.

But Ezra won't let me fade away.

Drawn To You is a heart-wrenching debut about love, art, and a passion that brings color to the darkness. It's about the lengths we go to remember and the love we can never forget.
Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK

Author Bio

Lily Summers is a lover of avocados, man-buns, and all things angst. She made her book-nerd debut by winning her local bookstore's Harry Potter costume contest and has been lost in the shelves ever since. When she's not writing, she can be found pretending like she knows how to run, befriending strangers' dogs, or enjoying a cold beer in the sunshine. Lily lives in Los Angeles but is considering moving to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

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Monday, July 11, 2016

Sealing My Fate by Heidi Lis - Book Blitz + Giveaway




Title: Sealing My Fate
Series: Fate #2 
Author: Heidi Lis
Genre: Romantic Suspense
 Re-release Date: June 22, 2016

Blurb

Kara Santos fled Chicago in an attempt to escape danger. When she is introduced to a six-foot tower of muscle and tattoos, she quickly forgets her troubles. Until, evil returns with a vengeance.

Years of living in fear came to a tragic end one dark night at a farmhouse in the middle of the woods. Kara so desperate to end her torment and save her best friend from a monster, she did the unthinkable.

What she did not count on was the consequences her actions would ignite.

Liam Talbot’s life was easy going until a sassy, long legged brunette came crashing into his life. Connections run deep, and Liam soon finds he is forced to make a hard decision. Give Kara up to the MC who wants retribution, or let the consequences fall on his shoulders. Faced with only one option, Liam made it his mission to keep Kara safe at all costs.

Hidden lies, family secrets and personal vendettas will expose that no one is safe.

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Author Bio

Heidi grew up in the Midwest, but currently resides with her husband and four children in the Pacific Northwest.

Heidi most enjoys spending time outdoors with her family. Between raising her children and obsessing over her favorite reads, she has let the storyteller within herself come to life.

With the love and support from her family, she is following her dream. At the same time teaching her children how important it is to follow theirs. She prides herself in believing that anything is possible. The first step is believing in yourself.


Heidi’s passionate and loving nature in which she lives her life comes through in her writing. Her heart has led her down the genre path of a contemporary and suspense romance writer, but she has plans to extend her vision into other genres as well.
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