Constricted by Rae Z. Ryans

Hey all, check out this event for the book Constricted by Rae Z. Ryans. Check it out!

 Blurb

“Enjoy
a morbidly assortment of heartache, tears, and sadness …immediately felt
connected … flow is beautiful … this book is what perfection really is!”

– Toni L.
The world sundered
and the demons arose, warring against those neither God nor Satan had wanted.
Korrigan trained most
of her life as a courtesan, submitting to the will of men.
Petre searched for
the perfect woman to break his immortal curse.
Sold to Petre in
Arcadia, Korrigan stumbled through her journey of love, treachery, and
forgiveness. Secrets and lies whispered in the dark recesses of her mind as her
past haunted her dreams.
What if all her
master taught her proved to be wrong? As the weight of her new world compounded
on her shoulders, slave and master hatched a plan to liberate the brothel and
tear down the walls.
Beyond the Brothel
Walls Saga #1
Lust ruled the
demons. Seven signs have come and gone. Sloth ruled the vampires. Seven angels
fell to the Earth. Envy ruled the courtesans. Seven Keys lay hidden amongst the
Seven Angels. Gluttony ruled the rich. Seven families rose and fell. Wrath
ruled the Horsemen. One family would bring the world to its knees. Pride ruled
the Morning Star. The Horsemen must seize the keys. Greed ruled the world.






Author Bio
Rae Z. Ryans is a member of the RWA and RWA Fantasy,
Futuristic, and Paranormal chapter. She currently resides in Alabama with her
family. Published since the age of fourteen, Rae enjoys writing romantic,
erotic, fantasy/paranormal stories and poetry. Her name pays homage to her
brothers: Specialist Ryan D. Rexon and Zachary U. Berthot.
She is currently working on Beyond the Brothel Walls #2:
Altered. This post-apocalyptic, erotic paranormal romance is emotionally
driven, dark fantasy.

Excerpt:
Human life held value. A virgin body attracted more wealth
than a used up hag. What my master had paid for mine, I hadn’t known. I’d been
born of unfortunate circumstance and abandoned as an infant. Like most women in
the rebuilt world, I’d existed as a slave to men. Slaves never voiced opinions
if they’d wished to live. Without an owner, I’d wilt away or fall to the harsh
conditions of the broken world.
At eighteen and on my birthday, all I’d celebrated was my
new sale. With a single suitcase grasped in my hand, I’d boarded the steam
engine, and departed Delphia for the first time in my life. My destination,
over ten hours from the Hampshire House of the Lady, lay in one of the three
surviving countries of the Sundering. Arcadia was where my new owner lived.
Hard to believe it an improvement of my situation, but rather a woman belonged
to a single man than those visiting the brothel.
“Ticket miss?” the man interrupted my daydreaming thoughts
as the door to my compartment skidded open. I fished into the pocket of my used
pea coat and handed him the crumpled documents. He whistled low as his eyes
raked over me. My skin crawled with a hundred bugs, and my stomach lurched from
the sudden jostle of the train.
“Business or pleasure?” He accentuated the pleasure. I
thanked the dim lights and hid my blush in the shadows. His hand punched my
ticket, and he marked something on his clipboard. But those eyes kept rolling
over me, and his tongue grazed his teeth.
We slowed down, and my legs itched to run for it as the
steam driven lights dimmed inside my train car. Vehicles, small ships, and some
older trains operated on the steam systems, but the tracks were older and worn
from the icy elements. Steam remained cheap; trash was by far the cheapest.
That much I’d understood from the overheard newscasts and conversations. I
shifted in my seat as the train pulled to a screeching stop on the platform.
Fancy women and groomed men waited their turn as the passengers departed.
“Business.” I forced a smile and met his glassy stare.
Women were different now; I guessed but I had no notions of
the real world beyond stolen moments of television. Even then, I hadn’t
followed much of what they’d explained. New laws had passed, revoking old rules
where men couldn’t own humans, let alone women as property. Females once
established within the governments had found themselves forced from their
positions. Even soldiers and officers found themselves without jobs, and they
became instant scapegoats. God spoke; the man on the television had believed
and blamed the rise of feminine power for the Sundering. Free men had believed
the wild banter as the upper class citizens sought a reason. There lived a rationale
for everything in life, and every wicked deed they had viewed as a punishment.
To me it was a bunch of hogwash, but it had remained the truth.
“Awful long way to travel for a young miss such as
yourself.” His eyes said what his lips hadn’t. I was alone and a slave. At
least the tinted talc hid the marks in my hair, turning the twisted mass into a
pale lilac shade. Wanton men took a glance and knew what services I offered.
Usually, I wore two thick swatches of purple streaked through my dark hair. The
unmistakable sign had announced to others that I remained pure –a prize among
the men but a whopping, fat lie. Nothing about me was wholesome anymore, and
everyone I passed knew it too.
Sure, to him I was young –small enough to pass for a child-
bundled in my coat, but I’d forgotten about the uniform. Even hidden beneath
the wool, my corset squeezed against my boney ribs and dug deeper into my
already marred flesh. Years of training allowed me to block the pain, but I
wasn’t used to the stares of strange men.
At the house, men knew better than to touch me when Jules
was there. My body had belonged to him, and he remained their boss, but I
couldn’t rely on him any longer. Instinct kicked in, and I moved away from the
man, placing my body against the wall of my compartment. I shivered, but there
wasn’t even a hairline gap between the metal barrier and me. He stepped
forward, not bothering to close the door, and my heartbeat quickened. My lungs
burned as he approached, and the scent of his aftershave nauseated my stomach.

“Excuse me,” a deep, accented voice called from the train
car’s hallway. 

 Hope to see you all there!!

Brought to you by the Release Day Diva

 


Jessica Gibson
Website: http://www.releasedaydiva.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ReleaseDayDiva
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReleaseDayDiva

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Review of Bee Helpful by J.W. Edwards

I am a mom first to two beautiful boys. I chose to review this book for my 3 year old.

Review:
My son and me really enjoyed this book. It is still a bit old for him but he liked the pictures and finding items I would ask him to look for in the page. I really liked the concept of this book. I thought it was very sweet of the bee to try to get water over long distances for his friend the sunflower even though they were “different” and bees don’t help flowers. I also enjoyed the end, where the bee went through many trials but was still able to help. Its a sweet story about being willing to help a friend no matter what. If you have little ones I highly recommend this book!

HTML:
BeeHelpfulBannerBee_Helpful_webFor Sunny Bee, being truly helpful means going anywhere and everywhere. When his beautiful sunflower friend Myah becomes very ill, Sunny travels to the “far side of the hills” seeking help. Faced with a series of challenges including a raging storm, large spiders, or even the intimidating Grandfather Oak, Sunny’s dedication never wavers! (ages 4 – 8)

Softcover: http://amzn.com/0991325303 Hardcover: http://amzn.com/0991325311

About the author:

DSC_0107J.W. Edwards III was born in St. Louis, Missouri and spent the majority of his childhood there. Eventually he left St. Louis for engineering school and job opportunities. He has traveled across most the U.S. in search of a place to call home. He currently resides in northern California with his wife and three boys and works full-time as a software engineer while writing stories for his youngest son in his spare time.

J.W. Edwards is busy these days working on a variety of writing projects which includes the Sunny Bee Book Series. Book number three, Bee Helpful, was the first one to be published. Books 1, 2, and 4 will follow soon in 2014. Learn more about this series at www.sunnybeebooks.com.

Follow the Book Tour

New Release! Guarding Abigail by T.E. Ridener

Check out this #NewRelease, #oneclick it looks good!

Cover Designer: Double J Book Graphics-  Facebook

Tell me if you’ve heard this before.  A Guardian, a fallen angel, a sensitive, and a human walk into a bar…..

Abigail Gentry knew her life was going to change when her mother lost her battle with cancer, but she couldn’t have possibly anticipated what that change would entail.
   He’s been a Guardian and protector of the human realm for thousands of years, and Cillian’s giving it all up for her.

     She will discover her purpose on earth; he will discover the simplest of human emotions.  Abigail always thought she was just an ordinary woman, but oh, how she’s in for a big surprise.  Everything she’s ever believed will be shattered and the truth will set her on a course of good, evil, near-death experiences, demon possessions, and real love.


T.E. Ridener entered the world in the magnificent year of 1985. She’s an avid reader, crazy writer, and photoshop addict. She started writing stories at a young age, and will probably do so until she takes her last breath. Forever the daydreamer, not a day passes in which Miss Ridener isn’t working on something book related. Her books may be a work of fiction, but there is a lot of truth in each one.
Creating relatable characters and believable storylines mixed in with make-believe is what she is best known for. She always includes a strong female lead, a compassionate male, and tons of every day events that readers will be able to connect with. Miss Ridener is a lover of music, movies, TV shows, and her family.
During the months of November and December, she participates in the charity she helped create called Random Acts of Christmas, an online program geared towards making Christmas happen for families in need. In 2013, they gave over $69,000 in gifts to kids who otherwise would not have had presents to open on Christmas morning. Coming from a childhood of poverty, T.E. understands that life isn’t always easy and she has experienced living from paycheck to paycheck. This has fueled her drive to always lend a helping hand in every form possible. She is very active in the group “Books for Troops”, a program designed to send ebooks and paperbacks to soldiers currently serving overseas.
T.E. Ridener is the youngest of 3 children, a surviving twin, and an extremely proud aunt. She claims to be married to her books and the characters she creates are her kids. Thus far, she has produced three ongoing series entitled Blood Betrayal (vampires), The Kadenburg Shifters Series (bear-shifters), and The Descendants (elementals). There are loads more and new ones popping up each day. She LOVES her fans and readers, and not a single one of them appear as a number to her. She knows that without them, she wouldn’t be where she is today. Every day is a new possibility, a new adventure, and a new dream. Life doesn’t get any better than that.
Social Links:
Be sure to head over to Facebook and join us for the Guarding Abigail Release Day Event for your chance to win some awesome prizes!

Behind His Eyes Convicted Release Day Event!

THE MISSING YEARS is the final piece to Aleatha Romig’s CONSEQUENCES SERIES

puzzle. Follow the twists and turns as secrets are revealed, consequences are

delivered, and the future is shown.

In CONVICTED we saw what happened that fateful afternoon at the Rawlings

Estate. Now experience the shocking repercussions firsthand. More than a

companion, this full-length novel fills in the gap of time that was only

mentioned, beginning when Claire Nichols forgets and seen through the eyes of

collective men (the HIS is plural).

In THE MISSING YEARS, readers will see Anthony Rawlings fight for what

belongs to him and cope with the reality of his past. Watch as Harrison Baldwin

discovers the truth that threatens his beliefs, and as John Vandersol comes to

terms with his revelations. Witness Phillip Roach, as he decides with whom his

loyalties lay, and Brent Simmons, as he demonstrates the meaning of

friendship—no matter the cost.

As the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, BEHIND HIS EYES CONVICTED goes

beyond. This final installment of the series offers a glimpse into the future

of the lives that will forever be changed because there was a man who…

Once upon a time, signed a napkin that he knew was

a contract. As an esteemed businessman, he forgot one very important rule—he

forgot to read the fine print. It wasn’t an acquisition to own another person

as he’d previously assumed. It was an agreement to acquire a soul.

—Aleatha Romig, CONVICTED


Available for pre-order now!! Amazon ~ Apple 

Join the Facebook event! Plus we will be having a live video event during the event where you can ask all of your questions! It’s going to be a ton of fun, you don’t want to miss out!

About Aleatha Romig:

Aleatha Romig is a New York Times and USA Today best selling author, who has been voted #1 “New Author to Read” on Goodreads July 2012 – Present!

She has lived most of her life in Indiana, growing-up in Mishawaka, graduating from Indiana University, and currently living south of Indianapolis. Together with her high-school sweetheart and husband of twenty six years, they’ve raised three children. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time with her family and friends. Her pastimes include exercising, reading and creating heros/ anti-heros who haunt your dreams!

Aleatha enjoys traveling, especially when there is a beach involved. In 2011 she had the opportunity to visit Sydney, Australia to visit her daughter studying at the University of Wollongong. Her dream is to travel to places in her novels and around the world.

Stalker links:

 Hope to see you all there!!

Brought to you by the Release Day Diva


 

Review of Chartreuse by T.E. Ridener

Being from a small town this story hit close to home, it still amazes me that in 2014 people truly think this way. Rowen and Kasen had to go through a lot just to simply be together, to show their love was worth it. Rosen was patient with Kasen through it all, he allowed him to find him self as they built their relationship together. Kasen had an interesting hand dealt to him with his family, yet knows just who he is, while Rowen has been through the heart ache of finding the man he thought was his life partner in bed with some one else.
Even if you don’t think m/m books are for you, I think you should one click now. This book was gifted to me, however I enjoyed it so much I purchased a copy for my own library.
~~Vyckie~~

Cover Designer: Double

J Book Graphics-  Facebook

Kasen Reed was a lonely guy with hardly any friends.

Sheltered by his domineering, cynical mother, he never gained much of a social status

and he’s never known true affection. At the age of 19, he finally moves out to start his

own life and he has no idea where he’s going from here.

Rowan Kelly moved to the tiny town of Chartreuse, Alabama in hopes of starting anew. After a messy breakup that lingers over his

head, and his heart, he believes he’s finally found the perfect place to open his clinic and

do what he loves best; helping animals. Despite how picture perfect the quaint little town

seems, the 26 year old feels like something is missing…..

Two lonesome hearts will have a chance encounter in a town that doesn’t seem to be

ready for the acceptance of love equality, but will it stop them from being together?

100 % of proceeds made

during the blog tour (May 10 – May 23) will be donated to The Trevor Project and the

Ronald McDonald House Charities

<br />

  

    

T.E. Ridener entered the world in the

magnificent year of 1985. She’s an avid reader, crazy writer, and photoshop addict. She

started writing stories at a young age, and will probably do so until she takes her last

breath. Forever the daydreamer, not a day passes in which Miss Ridener isn’t working on

something book related. Her books may be a work of fiction, but there is a lot of truth in

each one.

Creating relatable

characters and believable storylines mixed in with make-believe is what she is best

known for. She always includes a strong female lead, a compassionate male, and tons

of every day events that readers will be able to connect with. Miss Ridener is a lover of

music, movies, TV shows, and her family.

During the months of

November and December, she participates in the charity she helped create called Random

Acts of Christmas, an online program geared towards making Christmas happen for

families in need. In 2013, they gave over $69,000 in gifts to kids who otherwise would

not have had presents to open on Christmas morning. Coming from a childhood of

poverty, T.E. understands that life isn’t always easy and she has experienced living from

paycheck to paycheck. This has fueled her drive to always lend a helping hand in every

form possible. She is very active in the group “Books for Troops”, a program designed to

send ebooks and paperbacks to soldiers currently serving overseas.

T.E. Ridener is the youngest of 3

children, a surviving twin, and an extremely proud aunt. She claims to be married to

her books and the characters she creates are her kids. Thus far, she has produced three

ongoing series entitled Blood Betrayal (vampires), The Kadenburg Shifters Series (bear-
shifters), and The Descendants (elementals). There are loads more and new ones popping

up each day. She LOVES her fans and readers, and not a single one of them appear as a

number to her. She knows that without them, she wouldn’t be where she is today. Every

day is a new possibility, a new adventure, and a new dream. Life doesn’t get any better

than that.

Social

Links:

Amazon.com Widgets

Indigo Instinct by Jacinda Buchmann Release Day Party

They thought they were safe


Identical twins, Tyler and Toby, escaped the clutches of a covert government agency determined to exploit their extra-sensory powers. Before they regained their freedom, they acquired proof of the agency’s existence, proof that was guaranteed to secure immunity not only for themselves but for their friends as well.


They took more than they bargained for


When the brothers learn that they have unfinished business with the agency, they find themselves reunited with Indigo Children, Liliana, Grace, Eddie, and Rebecka and once again on the run.


They must rely on their instincts


While Grace and Eddie discover that love isn’t always easy, Sarah’s life is thrown into turmoil, and her guilty conscience leads to fear and distrust of her own heart.


Intuition doesn’t lie


There are new players in the game and it isn’t easy to know who to trust


Sometimes the right path isn’t always the easiest


Is there a way to give the agency what they want and still retain their freedom? Find out in Indigo Instinct, Book Two of The Indigo Trilogy.



Join the event and celebrate with us!!



About Jacinda Buchmann:


Jacinda Buchmann lives in Arizona with her husband and three children. She graduated from Carroll College, in Helena, Montana, with a B.A. in elementary education and later received a Master’s degree from Northern Arizona University, in school counseling. After spending several years as a teacher and later a school counselor, she now spends her time writing, any free chance she can get, that is, when she’s not spending time with her family or creating a new concoction in the kitchen.


Stalker links:


Blog:  http://jacindabuchmann.com/











 Hope to see you all there!!

Brought to you by the Release Day Diva


 

Blog Hop! Check it out!

#BlogHop! Check out both these awesome book and AWESOME blogs! The book I picked as favorite, and I decided to buy it, is The Funeral Singer by Linda Budinsi and so far it is funny and a very cute YA book!
I chose Ellen Page to represent Melanie.
Ellen Page

BRD-Books

This Hop is brought to you by

Fabulosity Reads Book Tours

13 AUTHORS OVER 3 DAYS

GENRES: Epic fantasy, Paranorma, Romance, YA

Tour Link: March Book Frenzy

Find AMAZING books of unrivaled quality,

right here on this CATALOGUE.

GIVEAWAYS

Check out the prizes the authors are sponsoring:

FOR READERS

A KINDLE FIRE

PLUS

2 featured eBooks from each author.

PARTCIPATING BLOGGERS ONLY

2 X $20

in cash via paypal or gift card via Amazon (your choice)

Giveaway Link: MAY Book Festival Giveaway

REMEMBER! Follow the hop by visiting as many of the blogs on the linky as possible.

And visit featured authors:

http://reginajoseph.blogspot.com/

www.kathryndionne.com
www.jalpawilliby.com
http://dianneharman.com/blog/
http://williambryanmiller.com/
www.terrymaggert.com
http://mariagreene.me
www.cynthiapratt.com
http://www.wix.com/brokendesire/paintedwire
www.lindabudzinski.com
http://lookingonthesunnyside.blogspot.com/

Book Review Depot Catalogue

*Please click on the red buttom to read the book synopsis.

Please comment on and follow as many blogs as you can during the event.

You have not joined the hop yet? No worries, click on the link and get hooked up.
*Guide to Joining and Participating in the HOP

All Book Prices Valid At The Time Of Publishing This Catalogue..

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Review of Strings of the Heart by Katie Ashley

1ebb0-rhys

f00f0-allison

96066-stringsoftheheartcoverI really love Katie Ashley’s work. The first book in the Runaway Train series, Music of the Heart, even inspired me to find a special way to say I love you to my oldest son, and later it inspired a tattoo that I love. I loved Jake’s reformed bad boy ways, and Abby is a sweet spitfire that changed his ways. In Beat of the Heart, AJ, ah AJ, is funny, crazy, and a player himself. He meets Mia though and its all over. That brings us to Rhys, in Strings of the Heart.

Rhys is not portrayed as much of a player as his buddies and band mates. I feel that because of his upbringing he is more restrained. Allison, Jake’s little sister has always loved him. When it happens that they both end up in Savannah they hang out. One night of drinking was all it took for them to turn to each other. Then they both end up on the tour and Rhys is a jerk. Eventually he figures it out but in doing so he hurts Allison over and over. Its no surprise really that he does, he never was loved by his family, the only love really in his life was his band mates, and men generally are not good at showing their feelings. Eventually he gets it together but its almost too late.

I liked that Allison, while having always been in love with Rhys, is willing to walk away. That takes strength and self perseverance. While I did not love Rhys as much a Jake (and really its not Rhys fault), I still really enjoyed this book. Loved seeing the other couples on the bus, and the kids too.

I highly recommend Strings of the Heart. You will enjoy it, of that I am sure!
4.5 stars from me! I was gifted an advance copy from the author but still bought a copy as well.

Title: Strings of the Heart

Author: Katie Ashley

Expected Release: May 12th

Twenty year old, Allison Slater has been in love with her brother’s bandmate, Rhys

McGowan, since she was fifteen years old. But to him, she’ll always be Jake’s little sister

and off limits. Now a college sophomore and licking her wounds from a bad breakup,

she sets her sights on making Rhys see her as someone he could date…maybe even love.

Her opportunity comes when Rhys visits his parents in Savannah where she is attending

college. But the night she’s dreamed of turns to heart-break, and she realizes she’ll never

be the one for Rhys.

For Rhys McGowan, his nightmare began when he woke up, naked and hung-over,

next to his bandmate’s little sister. Unable to remember a thing from the previous night,

he only makes matters worse by lying to Allison about not being interested in her. The

truth is he’s spent the last year to ignore his body’s reaction whenever Allison is around.

His resolve is tested when Allison comes on tour with Runaway Train, as both Jake and

Abby’s nanny and to fulfill her fashion design internship. The more time he spends with

her in the close quarters of the bus, the harder it is for him to resist.

Will Rhys realize that having a relationship with Allison is worth fighting for even if

it means that he has to fight his best friend for a chance?

Pulling away, I stared into her face. “God you’re so fucking beautiful,” I

murmured.

She fluttered her eyelashes prettily at me. “Do you really mean that?”

“I would say it was the tequila talking, but I think my wood would prove me

wrong.”

As her arms came to encircle my neck, she pressed herself against me. “I don’t want

it to be the tequila talking. I want it to be what you feel deep down inside.”

I stared into her eyes, which held such vulnerability. “You like me, don’t you?”

With a solemn expression, she nodded her head. “I always have, and I always will,”

she whispered.

 

Katie Ashley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author

of The Proposition. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs

and one outnumbered cat. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls,

Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.

She spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS

English until she left to write full time in December 2012.

She also writes Young Adult fiction under the name Krista Ashe.

 

Review of Irreparable by Amanda Lanclos

Have you used the #oneclick button on Irreparable? If not you need too! Read on for my review of this debut novel by Amanda Lanclos.

Review of Irreparable by Amanda Lanclos

So I have to tell you, I really loved this book. I don’t even know where to start to tell you about it other then you need to buy it. It is a debut novel for the author and it’s so worth it for you to check her out! This book kept my attention and I did not want to stop reading it.

One of the things I really liked about this book is that it is written in Jameson’s POV. That does not happen often. Yes you will get a male POV book, after the first book was so successful, but not generally from the start. I also felt that the author did a good job with Jameson, and the story always felt like it was truly from a guys POV.

Jameson Carter was in the military when almost his whole team was killed and he lost his legs. He goes home to his fiancé to try and get back into the civilian world again, and adjust to learning how to walk again. PTSD is part of his every day now.

Sam was Jameson’s friend growing up. She had some very horrible things happen to her, and while it changed some aspects of her life, she still wants to help people. She of all people can understand Jameson’s PTSD, but what happened to her was in the past. Her dark times are generally behind her, and She has a kick ass personality, with strength and character. She and Jameson reconnect in his physical therapy, but he is still involved with his fiancé.

Some of the time I wanted to smack Jameson for his not wanting to deal with what happened while in the army or his home life once he got home. Other times I wanted to cry for all the things he was struggling with.

Jameson and Sam’s relationship once it started felt real – I laughed, cried and got pissed at them both. This book also has some twists and turns you will never see coming. I encourage you to check out this book, I honestly believe it will stay with you as a book to read over.

I was gifted a copy of this book from the author, but I liked it so much I bought a copy of my own!

 
Synopsis


In one day your life
can go from awesome to total shit and for me it’s going to change forever.  Who am I? 
My name is PFC Jameson Carter, and I am a United States Marine, or I was
until a bomb detonated and took half of me with it.  The only thing that kept me alive was the
woman I had waiting back for me at home. 

How do you go from
being a complete person to being half of something?  For me, I have help, but how can I be
anything more than half of what I used to be? 
Then when the one person you count on, the person you lived for leaves
you how do you react? 

For Samantha Blalock
life is easy, she helps repair people like me, the people who lose limbs.  Something isn’t the same though, she’s
changed.  See I’ve known Samantha for
years.  She’s hiding something.  Can we help each other through these trying
times in our lives?  Or does the fact
remain that we are both irreparable?

Buy the Book
Amazon Amazon UK B&N
 
Teasers
 
 

 
 
 20 Fun Facts
 
1. My nieces and nephews call me Aunt Birdie, after my nickname Bird.  Because I tried to fly off the trampoline when I was 3.
2.  I love animals! I want to save them all!
3.  I was adopted.
4. My family is the modern day Brady Bunch (kinda) I have 2 half brothers 1 brother and 1 sister and 2 step brothers!
5.  I love broccoli, it’s my favorite.
6.  I am a stay at home momma.
7. I have a license for cosmetology
8.  My favorite color is purple.
9.  There is nothing better than a Saturday night in Death Valley (LSU’s Stadium.)
10.  My favorite candy is sour gummy worms 🙂
11.  Writing 20 facts is kinda not that easy 😛
12. My mother passed away 7 years ago.
13.  I released this book on my 26th birthday.
14.  I love books! I want a whole room full of books
15.  My favorite Disney princess is Belle, because of her love of books
16.  I hate to sweat (funny since I live in Louisiana)
17.  I am also a blogger.  Crazy Cajun Book Addicts.
18.  I have a huge signed book collection.
19.  I love to sing (even though I can’t carry a tune in a bucket).
20.  I prefer music and books to movies and television.
 
Excerpt
Jerking out of the bed
I gasp, my body drenched in sweat, it’s something that I’ve become accustomed
to.  Four months I’ve been in this hospital
reliving the pain of that night, and I still relive it every day I wake up and
look down at my lower half. 
Today is the day I get
to leave this hell hole I have been placed into by the VA.  I look around the room at all the high tech
equipment they have all around me.  There
is a heart monitor and it is beeping like crazy as my eyes land on Mary-Beth
sleeping peacefully on the pull out couch. 
It took two months to get me back to the States after the bombing; I had
to have extensive therapy for the burns I sustained.  Luckily for me I didn’t have any scarring,
but my legs couldn’t be saved. 
I can smell the
hospital smell, you know what I mean? 
The clean smell, the smell of alcohol wipes, and the smell of iodine as
it goes on to clean your skin.  That is a
smell I don’t believe I will ever be able to forget. It is etched into my brain
forever.
An honorable discharge
is what I got after having my legs blown apart and four of my best friends
stripped from me by Al-Qaida. I have been through three extensive surgeries,
and unfortunately by the end of them, I have lost both of my legs.  
            I
look over and smile as I notice Mary-Beth laying on the couch of my hospital
room, her brown hair covering her beautiful face. I laugh softly as I see the
drool running down her chin onto her pillow from her plump lips.  Three years she waited for me after high
school and I thank God every day because, let me be honest, I would have given
up a long fucking time ago if it weren’t for her. She stirs and sits up and
wipes the drool from her face and catches my eye.  Standing from her make shift bed she gets up
and comes to stand before me.
“Did you sleep well?” she
asks. Looking into those beautiful emerald green eyes I know she knows I had
the dream again, so I will not lie to her; she sees through them anyway.
“Eh, I had a rough
night but it will be fine. I’m just ready to get the hell out of this place.” I
smile and lean into her hand when she places it on my cheek, but a feeling of
dread washes over me as I look at the wheelchair I have been given.
            I hate that fucking thing. I am a man
and I shouldn’t have to rely on anything to help me get around. Well, except
for my midnight blue 2012 Mustang GT waiting at home for me.  I thought I had a reason to hate the men that
performed those acts of terrorism after 9/11, but after February 2013 my hate
has changed. If I could I would kill them all with my bare hands.
“Are you ready to get
out of here? I know a little girl who is going to be so excited to see you
again.” Mary-Beth smiles and when I shrug she lets out a sigh. “Jameson, I know
you’re dealing with a lot of loss baby, but you have to remember, you’re here and
you survived. You cannot leave; I need you here with me.” She lets out a little
sigh and looks me in the eye before she speaks again.
 “I think God kept you alive for me. He knew if
he took you away I would never be able to breathe again.  After losing Mom and Leila, I could never
imagine losing you. You’re the greatest part of me. Even if you feel you are
not whole, you are. You’re alive and you’re breathing. That’s got to be worth
something.” A tear runs down her cheek as she looks at me and my breathing
hitches. I am being selfish.  I am alive
while four of my brothers were laid to rest. Their families have that burden to
bear, while I just have to carry the thought of being half of what I once was.  
“You’re right Mary-Beth.
I am glad to still be breathing but it doesn’t mean it’s going to get easier. How
am I supposed to go on knowing it should have been me? It could have been me.”
I look down at the sheets and twist my hands into them so I don’t have to look
into her face. I know what’s in her eyes; pity mixed with agony and I want
neither of those emotions when I look at her. 
She huffs and walks
over to her bag and then into the bathroom, slamming the door shut.  I wait until I hear the water running and
lift my blanket slowly to look at the bandages on my now non-existent legs. I
let the air leave my lungs in a loud groan, thinking of what the future holds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I let out a loud groan as
the two nurses’ help me from the bed to the wheelchair.  “Man, you’re going to be walking in no time
with the physical therapist you got. 
Blalock is the best in the profession around here,” Kurt says as he
wheels me down to the front of the hospital. 
Mary-Beth is standing
beside her red Honda Accord and smiling. 
“You finally get to come home.”  I
laugh softly and reach my hands into the car. 
I put one hand on the console and one on the dashboard just like they
taught me to do in therapy in the hospital.
Kurt holds the
wheelchair as I pull myself into the seat. 
I guess that’s what I get for making fun of Lieutenant Dan in Forrest
Gump. Now I’m the real life version of him. 
“Thanks for everything Kurt,”  I
say and salute him before he shuts the door. 
Mary-Beth slides into the car and her shorts ride up her already exposed
thighs.  “Baby, you’re trying to kill me,”
I say with a grin and she laughs.
“No, I am trying to
keep you alive, thank you,” she replies and starts driving to the house.  We pull up to the house, which is a simple
townhouse covered in brick along with four others in the complex.  There is a white picket fence for Maggie, my
golden Labrador, in the back.  Man how I have  missed her! 
Mary-Beth gets the wheelchair out of the trunk and brings it over to my
door. 
“Thanks,” I grunt out
as I position my hands to move myself from the car to the chair.  I will be so glad when I don’t have to worry about
relying on someone else to help me. 
Mary-Beth stops at the
front door and walks around me.  “Wait
right here Jameson. I’m gonna go put Maggie in the back yard so she doesn’t
jump all over you before you can get situated.” She starts to walk in but I
stop her. 
“I want to see Maggie
now, please.”  I smile and push my chair
into the threshold and laugh when Maggie jumps into my lap like she weighs all
of ten pounds.  We wrestle a bit and she
jumps around licking all over my face. 
Well at least one of my girls was excited to see me. It wasn’t that Mary-Beth
wasn’t excited;  I was torn and mangled
when she first saw me.  I guess that
deserves a pass for not being enthusiastic. 
“She’s really been
missing you the last few years, but a lot more since you came back for a week
before your deployment.  She did a lot of
moping. I suppose we owe Tanner, the kid next door, for spending time with her..  He likes to play ball with Maggie. I think
the kids at school bully him and she seems to be therapeutic for him.”  Mary-Beth smiles and pushes me into the
living room and walks back into the kitchen. 
Maggie jumps down and
starts pawing at me to rub her head, so I rub the top of her head and scratch
her ear like I did when she was a puppy. I can’t believe how big Maggie is
getting. She has grown up into a big golden Labrador and she has one ear that
flops and one that sticks up in a funny way. 
Her long hair is all over the house, but it’s totally worth it.   It’s amazing how a dog will never forget a
person who cared for it. Well I’m sure they won’t forget the person who abuses
them either. 
“Here baby.”  I turn to see a beer sitting in front of my
face.  Thank the good Lord for this
woman, she knows me so well.  I haven’t
had a drink in six very long months.  I
take a sip and moan my approval. 
“I was gonna see if you
wanted to go to Hooter’s tonight. Mason and Luke wanted to see you, but if
you’re not up for it we can stay in and I’ll order some pizza.”  She smiles and I meet her green eyes. 
“I think I better wait
a few more days before I try to do the social thing. Hooters isn’t really the
place for me to go, not like this.”  I
point to the chair and Mary-Beth’s smile disappears.
“And why not?” Uh oh,
bitchy woman is out again.  “Mary-Beth,
I’m in a damn wheel chair and it’s always so packed in there. I wouldn’t be
able to get around,” I say and she puts her hand on her hip. 
“Jameson, they have to
be able to accommodate you. It’s against the law not to.”  Here goes momma bear Mary-Beth. It’s
something I have always loved about her and she never lets people get picked
on.  She has tried to be superwoman to
everyone when we were younger. Well, except to Luke’s sister Sam. It was like
they had a competition or something. 
Speaking of Sam, I need to check on her. I haven’t spoken to her since
the night I left for Afghanistan. 
“You’re right Mary-Beth,
but I’d rather not go for a few more weeks please.” I pet Maggie’s head again
and then turn on the flat screen to watch some LSU football.  Don’t judge me. Les Miles puts on a nail
biter and it’s not always easy to see my Tigers play where I’ve been. 
“Okay, I’ll just go
order us some pizza then.” With that she walks out of the room, and for once I
actually feel like a man again.  Pissed
off woman? Check.  Dog by my side? Check.
Beer in my hand? Check.  Step one on my
road to normalcy is complete. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sit on the couch with
Mary-Beth and Maggie on both sides of me. Funny how they can come and go as
they want, but I have to move from one seated place to another.  I eat my pizza and groan; hospital food sucks
compared to this.  I grab Mary-Beth’s
hand and drink a sip of my beer.  She
squeezes my hand and lays her head down in my lap as I watch the game.   “It’s nice to have you back Jameson.” She
sighs and I smile.
            “It’s good to be back.  I have missed being all domesticated.” I let
out a light chuckle and she slaps my thigh. 
“Not funny. I know you
feel like you’re not enough anymore, but baby you’ll always be enough for
me.”  She locks our fingers and turns her
head to look up at me. 
“I know Mary-Beth. It’s
just hard to explain.”  I put the beer
down and run my fingers through her hair. 
I watch as she closes her almond shaped green eyes.   This is my Mary-Beth; the one I took to the
field behind old man Rayborn’s barn in town. 
She’s the reason why I spent hours with Luke catching fireflies in mason
jars. I wanted to light up the blanket where Mary-Beth and I made love the
first time.  I remember this look of
bliss on her face after that, and now I remember why I survived that bomb.  She needed me, and dammit I was going to be
everything she needed. Even if I was only half of the man I used to be.
 
About the Author 
 


Amanda Lanclos is from a small town right outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Most of the time you will find her with her nose in a book, or blogging on her blog.  She is an avid reader, and never expected to write a book.  One day she was inspired and her first novel was written.  She has been married to her amazing husband for three years.  Together they have a beautiful daughter, and two very bad fur-babies.  During College Football season you can find her screaming for her Tigers. 

 
 
 

Cover Reveal: Into The Flames by S.M. Lynn

Add Into the Flames to your TBR – it looks really good!

  You can’t outrun your
past.  The flames will hunt you until
you’re found.  You must embrace it, learn
from it, and allow it to help you grow into who you are meant to be.

Celeste knows that she cannot leave the past behind.  It has scorched a dark path through her
present and her future.  As she tries to
deal with the demons that haunt her and come to terms with who she really is,
she realizes what true fear is.  And it’s
not Dean Marcus.  The fear that consumes
her thoughts is for Ian, for their love and for his life.

You know your past has
shaped you but you refuse to bend to its will. 
That is when the flames of the past will find you and take their
revenge.

Ian knows the truth and his love remains strong.  He wants nothing more than to protect his future and his love at all costs.  He has the woman he loves in his arms.  His greatest desire is to make her his wife.  When more betrayal strikes at his heart, will he be able to overcome those that seek to harm him and the woman he loves?


RELEASING 9.15.14



      Gavin has been my
rock and my refuge in all of this.  He
took me back in or rather helped have all my things moved from the house I
shared with Ian back to the apartment.  I
broke down several times as boxes were carried in and was in no shape to
actually go over to the house to help pack my things.  I spent the day on my bed, soaking my pillow
in tears.  I don’t know what I would have
done without Gavin.  He rarely left my
side at the hospital.  He has been home
caring for me almost night and day since I returned.  I hate to think about the toll I’m taking on
his work and his social life.  I know
it’s selfish of me but I can’t function without him right now.  I need someone to lean on and for me; Gavin
is the only one.  Ian would have been the
only one but…  Well, I don’t want to
think about that right now.  Dr. Somers
was adamant that I rest my brain.  No
excessive reading or watching tv; nothing that would really stress my brain,
just rest, is what he told me.  I’ve
tried to follow orders as best I can. 
I’d thought about
getting a place of my own when I left the hospital but Gavin would not hear of
it.  “Gav, I’m so sorry that you have to
deal with all this.  It can’t be easy for
you.  I don’t blame you with the media
circus and everything if you don’t want me to come back and live with you.”
“Stop it.  I won’t listen to another word of that
dribble.  You will come home to our
apartment and we will eat bad chinese, get drunk and go dancing.  Once you’re feeling better that is.  And there’s nothing you can say to stop
that.”  Gavin’s so great to try to cheer
me up.  He knows I need someone to lean
on and without Ian, well, I don’t know what I would do without Gavin.
My schedule has
consisted of wake, run, lay in bed, go for an evening run on the days I don’t
meet with Dr. Reeves and then home to shower and go to bed for the night.  It wouldn’t have been too much of a stretch
to say I was depressed.  I knew I needed
to talk with someone, a professional. 
Dr. Somers insisted upon it when I was in the hospital and introduced me
to Dr. Reeves.  When I first met with
him, I didn’t think I would ever be comfortable enough to share my story with
him.  Hell, I couldn’t share it with the
people that were closest to me, how would I share it with a complete
stranger?  But I guess that is what makes
him the professional.  From day one I
shared my life with him and he helped me walk through what it all meant for my
future.
I’ve tried to
contact Ian.  The 100s of voicemails that
probably went un-listened to, the texts that are too numerous for me to even
fathom, daily emails and calls to his office and the house attest to the fact
that I wanted to talk with him. 
Everything went unanswered.  I
still remember the pain in his voice from that brief time in the hospital.  He was broken.  I’d done that to him.  I wanted to wrap him my arms but couldn’t
even manage to open my eyes.  I wanted to
plead with him, to explain everything, to tell him it was the only way to
protect him, to let him know that I planned to tell him everything that night
before Dean came to the door.  I just
wanted to stop him from leaving.  I
remember hearing the door close and the knowledge that there was no going back
hit me full force.  Ian’s gone and I’m
left here.  Alone.
Nightmares have
plagued me nightly since the attack.  I’m
hopeful that therapy will help alleviate them if not stop them all
together.  I know they are a
manifestation of my fear but I really don’t want to be afraid anymore.  Most nights Gavin has either had to calm me
after the nightmare or sleep in my room because I can’t bear to be alone
afterward.
Only once do we
talk about Dean being at the hospital. 
Gavin said he looked like he was studying me.  He didn’t make any move to touch me but kept
mumbling about coming back to him, being with him, loving him.  It’s hard to come to grips with the fact that
Dean is essentially two people, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde if you will.  There’s the one side that actually seems to
care for me but it’s more the kind of care that a master has for his pet.  Then there’s the sadistic side, the side the
reveled in my pain; the side that only wants to take, take from me, take from
my father, take everything and that would kill me in the process.  That Dean was the one I had come to know so
well after our engagement.  I tried so
many times to break things off with him; either he would convince me to come
back or force me to with threats, eventually I thought my fate was sealed. I
had no idea anyone could be so cruel, evil. 
But Dean showed me time and again that I had no idea what real evil was
until him. 


S.M. Lynn has a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education
with an English specialization.  She
resides in small town Nebraska with her husband and two children.  She writes contemporary romance leaning
toward the erotic but enjoys mixing in elements of suspense.

When her family can pry her away from writing and reading,
she works in her husband’s financial services firm.  Between kids and work there is not much time
left over but when she has some, she enjoys traveling, watching Vampire Diaries
and scouring Facebook for book deals.




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