A Warlock’s Dance by Marina Myles Character Interview

Interview with Lucian Ivanu – hero from A WARLOCK’S DANCE

A WARLOCK’S Dance is a magical tale bursting with lost love, mistaken identity, the Dark Arts, passion, and the search for retribution. This first novella in my Cursed Princes series is based loosely on the fairy tale ballet, Swan Lake and features my sexiest hero yet! 

I hope you enjoy this exclusive interview.

Q: Thank you for having me in your lovely home, Mr. Ivanu. 

A: (Settling in a chair, Lucian slings one leg over the armrest.) You’re very welcome. 

Q: This affluent section of Bucharest is quite something.

A: (He nods.) This mansion in particular is a far cry from the dank alleys and streets I grew up on.

Q: What changed your luck?

A: (Lucian draws in a long breath. As he does, I can’t help but notice his handsome facial features, muscular arms, and corded thighs.) Well, I’ve had many jobs. I worked at the Bucharest National Opera House where I met the love of my life, Giselle Swenov. (Agony overcomes his face.) But she disappeared long ago. After that, I took a position in this very  mansion.

Q: What was your position here?

A: I was a footman to a wealthy baron. When a carriage fell on him, I lifted it off and saved his life. Subsequently, he bequeathed me his riches. 

Q: The Baron left everything to you when he died?

A: Incredibly, yes.

Q: You were very fortunate. I suppose good deeds don’t go unrewarded.

A: Very well said. (His lips quirk in a charming smile. Cheeks flushed, I scramble to look at my notes.)

Q: I’d like to get back to Giselle Swenov. She was an up-and-coming opera star, was she not?

A: (Lucian looks away – as if lost in the memory of her beauty.) Giselle’s voice could have opened heavens gates. And she was enchantingly gorgeous.

Q: Weren’t you two engaged?

A: (Thrusts me a scowl.) You’ve done your research, eh?

Q: It’s part of my job as a journalist.

A: Yes, Giselle and I were engaged. I’m embarrassed to say she left me at the altar on our wedding day.

Q: Why? What happened?

A: It remains a mystery. All I know is that the most prominent patron of the opera, Ileana Zǎpǎda, is said to have powers of black magic. I suspect she had something to do with Giselle’s disappearance.

Q: Aren’t you said to have black magic powers, as well?

A: (Lucian pushes himself out of the chair and paces the room. Nostrils flaring, he runs his hands through his short, ivory-colored hair.) After Giselle vanished and left me heart-broken, I decided to forsake my warlock powers. (He turns and looks at me.) There was no reason for me to enact magic when Giselle held all the magic I ever wanted in my life. 

Q: You’d say your life has changed a great deal without her?

A: Yes. I’ve come to the cruel realization that money cannot buy happiness. Not in the midst of a shattered heart, anyway.

Q: Have you moved on from Giselle?

A: (To indicate the end of our interview, Lucian steps forward and shakes my hand.) I’ll put it this way: if Giselle hasn’t returned to me by now, she probably never will. 

Giselle Swenov is a radiant opera star whose beauty is second only to her voice. That is, until a jealous enchantress strips away her talent and looks, transforms her into a mute and haggard old woman, and forces her to leave the man of her dreams at the altar on their wedding day. Now there’s only one person able to reverse the spell: Giselle’s warlock ex-fiancé, Lucian Ivanu.

But three years have passed, and the ever-dashing Lucian seems to have moved on―he’s inherited a vast fortune, forsaken his scandalous powers, and is even set to marry again. Will he recognize his former flame when she shows up at his engagement party and begs for help? Can she recover the powerful magic ring needed to break the curse before it’s too late? Giselle’s plight has a darker twist as she discovers just how far the enchantress’s grasp reaches…

About the Author:

Although Marina Myles lives under the sunny skies of Arizona, she would reside in a historic manor house in foggy England if she had her way. Her love of books began as soon as she read her first fairy tale, and grew by leaps and bounds when she discovered Nancy Drew/Agatha Christie mysteries and rich, historical romances.

Dreaming of becoming a published author, she wrote her first ‘gothic’ story at age eleven. She went on to study creative writing at Southern Methodist University— where she received degrees in Communications and English Literature. During her time in Dallas, she had the unique experience of being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.

Now with her loyal Maltese close by, she relishes the hours she gets to escape into worlds filled with tortured heroes, strong heroines, and their fiery—but not easily attained—love affairs. She’s busy being a wife (to her Italian-born husband) and a mother (to her two beautiful daughters), but she is never too busy to hear from her amazing readers.

http://www.marinamyles.com

http://www.marinamyles.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/marinamylesauthor

http://www.twitter.com/#!/marinaauthor

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7104310.Marina_Myles

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Elene Sallinger What Happens When Troubled Souls Collide Interview & giveaway

The moment Bridget Ross and Connor Reynolds run into each other on the street – quite literally while out on a run – tempers flare. But when the two get together for an apology coffee date, it’s clear that the coffee isn’t the only thing steaming.

Connor is a charming artist without purpose. His own tragic pas prevents him from putting down roots or committing to anything. Bridget is feisty but guarded. She’s aching to fill a void in her life but is wracked with guilt over her past and denies herself true pleasure. Can this gorgeous man tempt Bridget to finally succumb to her desires?

About the Author

Hailing from Washington, D.C., Elene Sallinger first caught the writing bug in 2004 after writing and illustrating several stories for her then four-year-old daughter. Her writing career has encompassed two award-winning children’s stories, a stint as a consumer-education advocate, as well as writing her debut novel, Awakening – a novel of erotic fiction that won the New Writing Competition at the Festival of Romance 2011.

EleneSallinger.wordpress.com  - @esallinger

If you could live back in time, what time period would you choose and why?

I would love to have lived during the Moorish conquest of Spain. During that time, Toledo and Damascus were a center for education and culture. The Moors even performed surgeries that would not be seen again for hundreds of years. The gorgeous palace, the Alhambra, was built. It was a time of enlightenment. 

When the Moors were driven out and the libraries burned, we lost over 400 years of technology.

Have you ever come across a song that might fit the theme of one of your books?

I think that Open My Eyes by Maverick Sabre fits the theme of the Chrysalis Series in general. All of my heroines are struggling with internal conflicts that keep them stuck. They all need a bit of help to understand that it’s alright to change, which is the refrain of the song.

When writing do you have a playlist of music you like to listen to? What are a couple songs on it?

Not really. If I really need some background music, I play what I call fusion instrumental. It’s not classical, but the music has no lyrics which I find distracting when I’m trying to write. Some of my favorite songs are Broken Sorrow by Nuttin’ but Stringz, The Violin Player by Vanessa Mae, and Thunder by Nuttin’ but Stringz.

What do you do when you think nobody is watching?

Cry at movies unabashedly. I am moved by many things and it can be embarrassing. I’ve cried at particularly poignant commercials, so when I’m alone, I feel free to cry at whatever moves me.

What was your favorite childhood book?

It’s not so much a book as it is a series. I adored the Deryni series by Katherine Kurtz. I read every single one many, many times.

What is your favorite addition to chocolate? 

Sea Salt. I love the salty, sweetness together.

Besides your own, what is one of your favorite series to keep up with?

The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward. I devour those books and read them multiple times.

What do you think you would be doing if you weren't writing?

I’d be an animal activist and run a Pit Bull sanctuary.

Do you have any hobbies or activities you enjoy doing?

I love to knit and read. I also enjoy making woven jewelry and dancing. 

We all know about muses...what do you think inspires you to allow your creative juices flowing?

Now that I have the confidence in my writing ability, it’s more that there are just some stories that I absolutely must tell. They beat at my brain until they pour forth. I no longer have the option of not writing.

10 Fun Facts

• I was a varsity cheerleader in high school but quit to focus on going to college
• I’ve been told I resemble Lisbeth Salander (Noomy Rapace), Winona Ryder, and Trinity from the Matrix.
• I am a trained diamond grader but never worked as one
• I knit
• I am a Pit Bull advocate and own two, Floyd and Bella.
• I am proudly 40 years old.
• I’ve lived in 7 states in 10 years
• I graduated from a Science & Technology High School
• I was originally a chemistry major in college before dropping out my freshman year
• I now have three degrees and am working on my fourth

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Dangerously Bound by Eden Bradley Interview & Giveaway

Interview

When writing do you have a playlist of music you like to listen to? What are a couple songs on it? 

I always listen to music when I write-it helps to set the mood and tone for each book, and I have playlists in my iTunes for all the books I’ve written in the last several years. Some of the songs on the playlist for DANGEROUSLY BOUND are: Drive by Incubus (you have to listen to the lyrics--so touching), Relax My Beloved by Alex Clare (he’s a new obsession--love his stuff!), The Same Side by Lucie Silvas (a great song for a reunion story), Kingdom of Rain by The The (this one is on almost all of my writing playlists), Get Outta My Head by Intwine (an amazing band from the Netherlands-sadly not together anymore, but their lead singer Roger Peterson is a HUGE crush of mine!).

Do you remember what you felt when you had your first kiss? 

Well, my very first kiss was not terribly romantic. I was about four years old—I was playing The Wizard of Oz with the little boy who lived across the street. He kissed me right on the mouth and I was so mad I stormed home-lol! But my first *real* kiss…oh, that was another matter. I remember that melting feeling, heat just shimmering over my skin and right down into my bones. There’s nothing better than really hot kissing! 

What does your husband/significant other say about your writing erotic stories? What about your family and/or do they read your books? 

I’m very lucky in that my family is incredibly supportive of my writing. My parents even have several of my books on a table in their guest room for their visitors. My dad loves to tell people that his daughter writes ‘smut’-said in the most loving way. ; ) My brothers came to my first live reading, which was fairly excruciating! Even in a family as close and open-minded as mine, there are some things you just do not want to say in front of your brothers!

Besides your own, what is one of your favorite series to keep up with? 

I’m madly in love with Tiffany Reisz’s Original Sinners series! Those books are so gorgeously written, and her characters so complex—I wish I’d written them myself!

What do you think you would be doing if you weren't writing? 

I’d probably be teaching Pilates, which I did for a few years while still writing when the economy was taking a downswing. My specialty was clients with spinal issues, people who were post-surgery or post-chemo. I loved that sense of satisfaction in seeing my clients feel better, function better and their lives improve. And it was a great way to get me off my behind and exercising every day, which I don’t do nearly enough these days.

Do you have any hobbies or activities you enjoy doing? 

Is shopping for shoes a hobby…? *G*

Actually, I have several, and now that I think about it they’re mostly creative. I love to make ATC’s (Artist’s Trading Cards). These are small—the size of a playing card—bits of multi-media pieces. You can use pretty papers, ribbon, buttons, stickers, ink stamps, bits of lace…anything you’d use for scrapbooking and more. 

I’ve introduced it to a lot of author friends, including Jax Cassidy and Jeannie Lin, who have both since blogged about it. We’ve all found that it’s a refreshing way to exercise a different part of the creative mind. 

I’m also a huge costume geek! Right now I’m working on several costumes for the parties at the RT Booklover’s Convention in New Orleans in May, which I do every year. But one of my favorite things to work on are the steampunk costumes for the photo shoots we do for Smutketeers (my group blog with fellow authors R.G. Alexander and Robin L. Rotham). You can see the pics in the photo galleries on our blog. We’re due for another one in New Orleans--can’t wait!

My other current ‘hobby’ is raising my Boston Terrier puppy, Voodoo, which is keeping me pretty busy. He is the cutest cartoon character dog ever!

What is your favorite addition to chocolate? 

Currently, sea salt and caramel!

What is something you do to de-stress? 

I watch the most heinous reality TV. I have a secret—or now, not-so-secret—addiction to the Kardashians, every dating show around…it helps me to just shut my brain off and wind down when I’ve been working too much—which is most of the time. 

What do you do when you think nobody is watching? 

I sing. Seriously. I have the worst singing voice—a terrible crime since I come from a family of musicians. Believe me, it’s much better that I not expose anyone to my voice! The only time I’ll sing in front of other people is at karaoke if I’m with a big group I can hide behind.

What was your favorite childhood book? 

Ooh--so many! But if I had to choose just one I think it would be LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott. I loved reading and re-reading about the March girls, and I’ve loved every single movie version ever made.

We all know about muses...what do you think inspires you to allow your creative juices flowing? 

Music is definitely a big factor. But I also take bits and pieces from my real life—romantic moments, my experiences in the kink world (which I’m very open about) have definitely inspired me a lot—characters, places…

10 Fun Facts about Eden:

I fall in love far too easily, but I guess that can be a good thing for a romance author. : )

When I was little I wanted to be a ballerina, a nurse, an archaeologist—and a writer!

I’m deathly allergic to avocados—a tragedy for a California girl! (and maybe not the most ‘fun’ fact).

I have had my toenails painted every single day of my life since I was eighteen. My favorite color is a dark eggplant/red.

I did competition body building in my twenties. I wanted to look like Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2.

I will read the same handful of books and watch the same handful of movies over and over again-they comfort me.

I read almost nothing but hard-core sci-fi for years.

I’m fascinated by ancient Egypt, something I share with my father and my great Uncle James, who passed before I was born—he was an archaeologist and worked at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco. 

I love body art, collect tattoo books and have quite a bit of ink myself.

One of my favorite albums as a kid was Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies--I think I was eleven when I got it. To this day I know almost every single lyric to every song on that album. Some of my friends say that explains a lot. *G*

She can whip up something sweet…

Allie LeClair has finally returned to the sultry city of New Orleans. After ten years of studying and working as a pastry chef in San Francisco and all over Europe—and feeding her submissive side at BDSM clubs—Allie is home, and she has something to prove to the man who once fueled her desires. She’s not a child anymore.

But with two in the kitchen…

When security specialist Mick Reid hears that Allie is back in town, he knows he won’t be able to stay away for long. Ever since he discovered his darker side, Mick has tried to protect Allie from the aggressive beast within him—but that power and wildness is exactly what she wants.

Can they take the heat?

Allie has made the first move, but now it’s up to Mick. The game has begun, and playing has never been so rough.

About Author

Website:  www.EdenBradley.com
Group blog: http://www.Smutketeers.com/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/edenandeve/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdenBradley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEdenBradley.EveBerlin

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author Eden Bradley writes dark, edgy erotica and erotic romance for Bantam/Delta, Harlequin Spice and HQN, Berkley Heat (as both Eden Bradley and Eve Berlin), and Samhain Publishing. Two of her books have been Romantic Times Top Picks, and her novel FORBIDDEN FRUIT was profiled in Cosmopolitan Magazine's Red Hot Reads column in 2008. More recently her BDSM book THE DARK GARDEN hit the top paperback fiction charts in the UK. Her books have been translated into German, French, Romanian, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Czech, Polish and Japanese.

As someone who has been involved in BDSM practice for much of her adult life, she relates in particular to her BDSM and kink stories, infusing them with her own truth about kink practice from her life experiences.

Eden has appeared regularly on Playboy Radio's 'Night Calls' and the Hollywood In the Flesh readings. She loves art, shoes, tattoos, reading smutty books, chocolate and sex, of course, not necessarily in that order.

GIVEAWAY
2 COPIES OF THE BOOK---US ONLY
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Lori Wilde MAD ABOUT YOU Interview

Interview

1.What is one of your favorite Myths/legends to write about?

I adore myth and legends and collect them. As a child, I read every Grimm's Fairytale I could get my hands on. I make up legends for my books, but my favorite real legend is the Texas story of Cynthia Ann Parker who was kidnapped by the Comanche when she was a child and they raised her as one of their own. Her story was inspiration for the John Wayne movie, The Searchers.

2.If you could live back in time, what time period would you choose and why?

Although I'm a country girl, I'm a thoroughly modern woman. I'm happy to be living in what I consider one of the most exciting times in history.

3.Have you ever come across a song that might fit the theme of one of your books?

All the time. I have a theme song for every single book I write. In fact, I have a song for every scene. 

4.Do you remember what you felt when you had your first kiss?

It was nothing to write home about. My first kiss came from my first date. I was nineteen and only went out with him because he was the first guy to ask me out. My reaction? At least I got it over with.

5.What was the most creative pick up line you've ever used on someone or someone used on you?

"You're not like the other girls here."

6. When writing do you have a playlist of music you like to listen to? What are a couple songs on it?

My playlist match the book and the characters and that's what I listen to when I'm writing. That said, I do have a personal playlist of songs that move me. Some cuts off that list are: "Memory Motel" by The Rolling Stones, "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen and "The Lengths" by The Black Keys. Hmm, seems like I like mournful songs.

7.What do you do when you think nobody is watching?

Shh, I'm not telling.

8.What was your favorite childhood book?

There was so many! Loved Laura Ingalls Wilder series, Trixie Beldon, A Wrinkle in Time, Little Women, Jane Eyre. But gun to the head, I'd have to say Tom Sawyer. I'm enamored of Mark Twain.

9. What is your favorite addition to chocolate?

Caramel. In fact, throw in some walnuts and you could even leave out the chocolate.

10.What does your husband/significant other say about your writing erotic stories? What about your family and/or do they read your books?

Husband smiles as he takes the checks to the bank. Most of my family don't read my books, mainly because they're not big fiction readers. My father does read my books and he's very proud of me. He just skips over the sex scenes.

11.Besides your own, what is one of your favorite series to keep up with?

Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum. 

12.What do you think you would be doing if you weren't writing?

Since it's the only thing I ever wanted to do, I can't really imagine a life where I didn't write.

13.Do you have any hobbies or activities you enjoy doing?

I love yoga. I've always enjoyed exercise, but recently took up yoga and it has changed my life. I'm also a huge movie and TV buff. Love stories in any form.

14.What is something you do to de-stress?

Yoga!

15.We all know about muses...what do you think inspires you to allow your creative juices flowing?

Straight up honesty here, dread fear of having to go back to my old career as a nurse.

LICENSE TO THRILL

Las Vegas private eye Charlee Champagne is absolutely fearless. But when handsome Mason Gentry strides into her office, demanding to know where his grandfather is, she can't control the goosebumps. It's not like Mason to be in Sin City while the biggest deal of his banking career wraps up without him, but one moment with Charlee brings out his wild side. Before he knows it, Mason is on a mission, driving pedal to the metal across the desert with the toughest, sexiest woman he has ever met . . .

YOU ONLY LOVE TWICE
Comic book creator Marlie Montague's life isn't as exciting as her heroine's . . . until someone points the business end of a pistol right at her. Now she needs help from a real-life action hero: her rock-hard Navy secret-agent neighbor, Joel Hunter. Soon he and the beautiful Marlie are blowing the doors off a full-blown conspiracy with more double agents than a Bond flick. But the real mystery is: How does Marlie manage to leave Joel both shaken and stirred?

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About Lori Wilde

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lori Wilde has written sixty novels. She holds a bachelor's degree in nursing from Texas Christian University and a certificate in forensics. She volunteers as a sexual assault first responder for Freedom House, a shelter for battered women. Lori is a past RITA finalist and has been nominated four times for the Romantic TimesReviewers' Choice Award. She's won the Colorado Award of Excellence, the Wisconsin Write Touch Award, the Lories, the More Than Maggie, the Golden Quill, the Laurel Wreath, and the Best Books of 2006 Book Award. Her books have been translated into twenty-five languages and featured in Cosmopolitan,Redbook, Complete Woman, All You, TIME, and Quick and Simple magazines. She lives in Texas with her husband, Bill.

You can learn more at:
LoriWilde.com
Twitter @LoriWilde
Facebook.com/Lori.Wilde

GIVEAWAY

1 winner INTERNATIONALLY receives an e-book copy of "Mad About You" 

1 winner CANADA & US ONLY receives a printed copy of "Mad About You" 

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Of Fur and Fangs Boxed Set Spotlight & giveaway

Book Description:
Things don’t shift any better than this. One cutting edge read after another, of Fur & Fangs brings you six steamy paranormal reads from five best-selling authors.

http://www.amazon.com/Fur-Fangs-Paranormal-Romance-Bundle-ebook/dp/B00IITRM8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392996514&sr=8-1&keywords=of+fur+%26+fangs+boxed+set

FANG CHRONICLES: MANDY’S STORY
By D’Elen McClain

Every beastkind knows you don’t mess with a Kodiak bear—everyone that is except Mandy, the wolf-pack Alpha’s sister. When Mandy hears whispers that the bad attitude bear, Honey, has chosen a mate, she takes matters into her own hands because her wolf decided months before that Honey was hers.

http://www.fangchronicles.com    

Excerpt: 
“I’m giving you to the count of three before I shift and tear this cage apart.”

Mandy’s green eyes flashed. She checked out the bars and then gazed back at him. “Hmm. It might hurt, but go ahead and give it a try.” She flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder.

His low growl swelled as it traveled up from his chest. “One…”

Her pouty lips curved slightly. “I’m not a child, and the number counting thing is ridiculous.” 

Eyelashes swept down over her green eyes and then went back up almost in a practiced move.

Nine hundred pounds of Kodiak bear exploded within the steel bars. Large tuffs of brown fur stuck out between the solid three-inch slats of metal, leaving no room for movement. He pushed his weight against the steel, and when nothing gave so much as an inch, he went completely wild, which did exactly... nothing.


She gave him her bored look again. “Are you finished throwing your temper tantrum?”

BIG BAD BEAST
By Skhye Moncrief

Each wants the other, but neither can stand to be in the same room together…And each has secretly lusted for the other like a dark explosive sin. Stand back and watch the fireworks light up the Minnesota Territory’s post-apocalyptic sky because the BIG BAD BEAST can’t help but to huff and to puff and to blow Josie’s house in…

http://skhyemoncrief.com

Excerpt: 
Interesting way to see if I feared nightfall and being preyed upon by alien monsters. "I thought I'd ask for sanctuary." I shot him a firm glance, challenging him to think otherwise. "Avoid Bounders one night." Why not? The alien creatures could dine upon my carcass tomorrow night. This game of cat and mouse with this young Shifter could be pretty entertaining. I'd just play along to see how long it took for us to get around to introductions. Then the fireworks start.

"Then?" he asked.

The door creaked.

Jaguar spun to the doorway.

One filling with an extremely large form. Shadows draping his features. Shifter though. Too big for a normal. Apparently, Augustus had enough sense to keep an adult around to keep the hormonal antics to a minimum here.

"Shouldn't you be guarding the gate?" a familiar unsettling voice asked.

My whole being shuddered and quaked.

In fear. I think. Hostillian.

My gut actually had the audacity to do somersaults. 

FERAL FASCINATIONS
By Skhye Moncrief

Their blood lust flares hotter than a solar storm…She seduced an earthling to create their were-assassin blood bond. Shanghaied to fight a war between vampires and werewolves, his gut shouts escape. But humanity needs a hero. Colliding in a universe of psychic mind-reading games, each realizes trusting the other is as dangerous as buying into their FERAL FASCINATIONS.

http://skhyemoncrief.com

Excerpt: 
My mouth watered where I sat across the table from the bloodied mixture. The succulent smell of blood isn't what I remembered from a lifetime of fistfights and accidents back on Earth. No. I could have done without the blood smell then. Now, the metallic tang rooted in my nostrils with a sweetness that begged for a chug-a-lug.

My mouth watered again.

Drink it and I cave. To give in means I relinquish the last vestige of choice I have. But the scent calls to me.

Nausea roiled in my gut.

Was that an intuitive sign to abstain? You stupid gut that only makes sense on Earth.
She settled into the bed, shoving the blade back in its boot.

Funny thing about the glass's contents. It had some kind of magical power because my captor blurred into the background behind the shimmery blueness of the liquid. Faded into a smear. And my woody didn't pitch a fit.

THE GEORGIAN EMBRACE
By Sky Purington

When Devin, a mysterious stranger claiming to be from the future, appears on her Georgian's worksite everything changes for eighteenth century Isabel. Even as smoldering, unavoidable desire ignites between them they must struggle to stay one step ahead of the time-warping house caught in Calum's Curse. Better yet, the rival werewolf determined to finish the legacy it began.

http://www.skypurington.com

Excerpt: 
Devin gently seized her wandering, worried hand and shook his head, voice strained. “I’m fine, lass. Please sit.”

“No. You’re not.” She frowned. “What is it?”

After pouring three glasses of wine, Calum sat behind his desk. “Do as he asks, Isabel.”

She glanced between the two. Both were clearly troubled. Though reluctant, she slowly sat. “What’s happened?”

Calum looked to Devin. When Devin shook his head, he continued. “There have been some unfortunate changes.”

A chill raced up her spine. “Tell me.”

“The wolf…” Calum cleared his throat then said, “Has left its mark.”

Fists clenched, her heart skidded to a stop. Devin. Frightened, she looked his way. His smoky green eyes were unusually pale. Sensuous lips were cut into a thin, grim line and the skin around his eyes drawn. “What does he mean?”

“Did Lucas never tell you how he became the beast he is?” Devin drained his wine, eyes locked with hers. 

“Did he never mention the bite of the werewolf?”

CARNAL THIRST
By Celeste Anwar

When Danior found the woman being drained of life by one of his clan, for some unfathomable reason, he knew he could not allow her to die. Against the ruling of the council, Danior secrets her away, taking her through the change from human into vampire and forever changing life as she knows it. But the move ensures they will be outcasts--hunted to the death by his people.

http://www.romancewiki.com/Celeste_Anwar

Excerpt: 
 Maggie gritted her teeth and jerked the poker out of the wall.  “Look, I don’t know who you are, and I don’t know what you had in mind when you brought me here, but I’d like to leave now.” 

He shrugged.  “Unfortunately, I can’t allow that.  You’ve been bitten.” 

Her eyes widened.  “You son of a bitch!  You’re the one that attacked me, aren’t you?” 

He smiled faintly.  “Not I.” 

She wanted to wipe that smug look off his face with the poker, but she didn’t want to get that close to him.

If he was the one who had attacked her, he had thrown her around as if she was some shrimpy ninety pound weakling.  “Why is it that I don’t believe you?” 

Again, he shrugged, as if it was a matter of indifference to him one way or the other. 

She studied him for several moments when he didn’t respond.  “You can’t keep me a prisoner here.”

He looked at her with interest.  “Why not?”

THE PROTECTORS DAMON
By Teresa Gabelman

The Vampire Council Warriors have been ordered to train social workers how to protect themselves against vampire attacks. VC Warrior Damon DeMaster’s and social worker Nicole Callahan clash at their first meeting. Even as sparks fly and tensions mount, Nicole and Damon depend on each other to protect the children of both races against the new drug hitting the streets, Crimson Rush.

http://www.teresagabelman.com

Excerpt:
“I still think you are taking grave risks that you are ill equipped to take, human,” Damon scowled, his voice a low deep rumble of authority.

“Yeah, well, it wasn’t you who put that child in the hands of a monster, vamp,” Nicole shot back. If he thought to scare her with the big bad vampire warrior thing he had going on, he was sadly mistaken. Backing down wasn't an option when it came to her job.

“Ah....okay,” Duncan stepped in not liking where this was heading. “Everybody partner up.”

Mitch glared a warning at Nicole, who just shrugged and mouthed, “He started it.” Taking a quick peek at the warrior, she noticed his smug grin. Oh yeah, this was going to be a problem.

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GIVEN & TAKE THIS MAN by Kelli Maine - Giveaways

About Kelli Maine

USA Today bestselling author of TAKEN and its sequel, No Take Backs, Kelli Maine watches entirely too much reality TV, which led to her compulsion to write dramatic romance novels. Blessed with a unique ability to bond with difficult people, she's convinced she could win Big Brother. Her deathly fear of heights would keep her from completing half of the detours on The Amazing Race, and she's shocked nobody has ever penned The Survivor Diet Plan: Eat One Cup of Rice for Thirty-Nine Days and Lose Fifty Pounds! Kelli lives in northeast Ohio with her family and a crazy cat that broke into their attic and refused to leave.

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Take This Man

Excerpt:

He slowed to a stop beside the large, dangling frame. There was nothing fancy about it. It was black—and empty other than a white mat. From the right bottom corner of the matting, a black ink tree was sketched, jutting up with branches sprouting over the right top corner. On the tree trunk was drawn a heart, and inside that heart was written Merrick and Rachael Rocha, and the date.

The handwriting was familiar. I couldn’t believe he’d done this. “Merrick… you drew this?”

His dimples and the gleam in his eye couldn’t be contained. “I did. It’s the start of our family tree. We’ll put our wedding photo in it and eventually a family photo and then a photo with our grandkids.” He took me by the chin. “And in fifty years when we’re old and gray, we’ll renew our vows here on the island and have a new wedding photo to frame.”

Merrick kissed me then, a firm kiss, full of confidence, promises that would be kept, a lifetime of adventures to share and a family to love. My heart was on a precipice, ready to fall over the edge and burst with its fullness.

He took my face between his hands and nuzzled my nose with his. “Are you ready to get married now? To become my wife?”

I almost laughed with so much joy inside. “I’ve been ready!”

Then we did laugh and held each other until our giddy excitement was interrupted by the squawk of a walkie-talkie clipped to the visor followed by MJ’s voice. “NBT to Big Papa, what’s your ETA?”

Still chuckling, Merrick closed his eyes and shook his head. “NBT?” I asked. “Big Papa?”

“MJ’s idea,” he said. “He says he’s the NBT—Next Big Thing—and that even though he’s my little brother, he’d always think of me as Big Papa.”

I slid my hand up his thigh. “Big Papa, huh? I’ll have to remember that.”

“I want to hear you scream it tonight.” He shrugged his eyebrows up and down.

“Big Papa,” MJ said into the walkie-talkie. “Come in, Big Papa. Looking for an ETA here. Riley’s got his thong in a knot about putting the cake out too soon.”

“Forget the damn cake.” Beck’s voice now, fainter than MJ’s. “I’ve got a gator fifty yards from the gazebo. Get it gone—now!”

“Fine!” Riley’s voice now. “You fly in the cake from L.A. next time, tough man, and figure out how much defrosting time it needs so it’s not frozen solid or a ball of mush for photos.”

Beck let out a bark of laughter. “Yeah, that will always be all you.”

“Don’t act all muscles and tats with me. You’re in touch with your feminine side, Mr. Cello.”

“Big Papa!” MJ yelled this time. “ETA.”

Merrick and I couldn’t stop laughing. “You put those three stooges in charge of my wedding?” I gave him a playful whack on the arm.

He rolled his eyes. “Trust me, my selection of helpers was limited. Maddie and Shannon are around somewhere, though. Never fear.” He pressed his foot to the accelerator and picked up the walkie-talkie. “Big Papa to NBT. ETA five minutes.”

Five minutes and I’d be walking down the aisle.

Five minutes and this man beside me would be mine forever.

Five minutes and I’d become Mrs. Merrick Rocha.

TAKE THIS MAN (Forever E-Novella; $1.99).

It's finally here. After many twists and turns and shocking revelations, it's time for Merrick and Rocha to declare their love for one another in front of their family and friends. And what better place than the historic island where their love first began?

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Given

GIVEN (Forever Trade Paperback; $14.00).

For Merrick and Rachael, Turtle Tear Island has become their own private paradise with days of unimaginable bliss and sizzling nights in the bedroom—and beyond. But Rachael and Merrick’s happiness is shattered when his daughter, Nadia, suddenly becomes increasingly demanding of his time and devotion. It soon becomes clear that Merrick will have to make an agonizing choice: the woman whose love saved his tortured soul or the daughter he never knew existed…

Rachel can't stand the thought of losing Merrick after everything she's sacrificed to be with him. She had thought she and Merrick were done with secrets, that the passion that burned so brightly between them had forged an unbreakable connection, but she begins to wonder if she ever really knew the man at all.  Now the love they've fought so desperately to protect may not be enough to save them…

Excerpt:

 Although exhausted, I didn’t sleep. While Merrick napped, I got online and looked up as many apartments on Rue Lincoln that rented weekly as I could find. I called the phone numbers listed on the rentals, pretending to be Enzo’s daughter in-law, hoping to find Nadia, but wasn’t having any luck.

I was so focused on my search, I didn’t hear Merrick come up behind me. “You’ll never find them,” he whispered in my ear, making me jump and grasp the arms of the chair.

“God, you scared me.”

He swept my hair to the side and kissed my neck. “If Enzo doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be.”

I closed my laptop. “Then why are we here?”

He traced my earlobe with the tip of his nose. “Nadia will contact me. She’ll tell us where to find her.”

I wanted to believe that. I heard the desperation in his voice. He didn’t want to believe his daughter would betray him and be loyal to Enzo. I hoped for his sake—for all of their sakes—Nadia would get in touch.

Merrick took my hands and pulled me up out of my chair, wrapping his arms around me and holding me against him. “Let’s get out of here and go look around.”

He kissed me. I remembered our first kiss and how I’d been so hesitant, so nervous, but my raw lust for Merrick took over and I couldn’t hold myself back. Now my lust and desire pooled with comfort and love. His kisses made me feel cherished and treasured as well as physically wanted.

It was so clear to me, even though neither one of us had actually spoken the word marriage, that he was my husband. He would be—it was meant to be. I felt the white, hot truth of it in every cell of my body. We were one soul, torn in half and put on earth to find each other.

And there he was, right in front of me. He’d made it happen. He must’ve somehow known deep inside that I belonged with him.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” he asked, a cocky grin forming on his lips.

I rose up on my toes to kiss him again. “Like what?”

“Like you have some dangerous secret.” He pinned my hands behind my back and pressed me into the wall. “Are you keeping something from me, Ms. DeSalvo?”

“Nothing you don’t already know,” I said, smiling.

“And what’s that?” He nuzzled my neck. It tickled and I leaned my head against his, laughing.

“You’ll figure it out sooner or later,” I said, nipping his earlobe. “I’m just giving you time.”

Merrick chuckled and rested his forehead against mine. “Is that so? How much time do you think I need?”

I shrugged playfully, wondering if he knew what I was referring to.

“Maybe you’re the one who needs time.” He winked.

Caught off guard, my pulse quickened. Were we talking about the same thing? Marriage? Why was he giving me time? I was waiting on him. “Maybe I don’t.”

He stepped back and turned me toward the big suitcase, still packed and sitting beside the bed. “Maybe you should change out of that robe and get dressed so we can get out of here.” He smacked me on the bottom to get me moving.

Padding across the plush carpet, I felt my heart sink a little at his dismissal of the conversation we’d been circling so closely. His giving me time sounded like a poor excuse.

I knelt on the floor and began to dig through the clothes I’d brought.

I was so certain we were on the same page, just not verbalizing it yet. But… maybe we weren’t on the same page?

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Take Me Back

TAKE ME BACK (Forever E-Novella; $1.99)

Rachael DeSalvo is haunted by the past. She's come home to her beloved Turtle Tear Island, where she looks forward to happy days and bliss-filled nights in the arms of Merrick Rocha. But when she finds a trunk full of old photo albums and handwritten notes, Rachael soon realizes that the island has not given up all its secrets… 

For long before Rachael and Merrick made Turtle Tear Resort their home, this historic island was a haven for sensual, forbidden affairs. As Rachael and Merrick work to restore the grand hotel to its former glory, they will be caught in the perfect maelstrom of conflict and desire.

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Taken by Storm

TAKEN BY STORM (Forever Trade Paperback; $14.00)

Maddie Simcoe knows the devastation that comes from keeping secrets. Now, she's desperate to move on from the heartbreak that almost destroyed her--- trading wild passion that once made her knees weak for a life of comfortable stability. But before Maddie can start over, she must return home to put the past behind her once and for all…

When Maddie blows back into MJ Rocha's life, nothing will stop him from proving to her that walking away from him was the biggest mistake of her life -- not even the engagement ring she wears. Her every look, every touch tells MJ that the fire that once raged between them still burns hot, and MJ won't give up until Maddie gives in to the inferno.

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No Take Backs

NO TAKE BACKS (Forever E-Novella; $1.99)

The man Rachael DeSalvo loves more than anything is suffering in silence. The grand opening of Turtle Tear Resort should be a time of celebration for Merrick Rocha. But he's suddenly intent on selling off the business he built from the ground up-and Rachael's hell-bent on finding out why. Only one man can give her the answers she seeks, but meeting with him would be the ultimate betrayal to Merrick. Merrick once asked Rachael to trust him against all odds…can he do the same?

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Taken

TAKEN (Forever Trade Paperback; $13.99)

He steals her away to a deserted island, to the one place she's dreamed of being-the one place she can't go. He's used to buying whatever he wants, but he can't buy her. How can she resist the magnetism of his body, the longing ache deep inside her? She wants him to take her-on her terms. Every attempt he makes to love her only hurts her. How can they go on like this? This is the story of how she was . . .

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