Category Archives: Travel

June 13, 2013

Crosse Harbor Time Travel Trilogy by Barbara Bretton & CONTEST!!!

By Deb Sanders

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OH MY!!!! Who can resist a Barbara Bretton romance? You may not have to – if you leave a comment at the end of this blog post stating why you love Barbara Bretton. The lovely and talented Ms. Bretton has graciously agreed to offer a digital AUDIO copy of  ”Somewhere In Time” to one lucky commenter on my blog. This could be your lucky day so read through my review, check out the other two books in this fascinating time travel trilogy, and then leave a comment. The winner might be YOU!!!!  Drawing will be held at the end of the day on Friday, June, 14th.

REVIEW: “Somewhere In Time”

What can I say about Barbara Bretton romances that hasn’t already been said? This wonderful author creates characters who seem to jump off the page and personify right before your eyes. The angst and confusion that accompanies true love is woven into the dialogue and character development so well that I often find myself pondering what might happen to these star crossed lovers aloud . . . as if discussing my best friend’s predicament. An example: I read “Somewhere In Time” well into the night, long after the hour when I should have been fast asleep. I didn’t finish the book. My eyelids were too heavy. Even though I wanted to keep turning pages, I gave into a fitful slumber.

What resulted was a restless night of crazy dreams, trying to figure out if heroine, Emilie Crosse, would choose  her first love – ex-husband, Zane Grey Rutledge, or find contentment with an idolized historical hero, Andrew McVie. The fact that a freak storm sent her and Zane back to 1776 only added a delightful twist to the scenario. Zane is a contemporary playboy who never quite recovered from the fact his wife walked out on his irresponsible ways. Andrew is everything historian Emilie envisioned from her research, and more. A true Patriot. Responsible. Reliable. And not bad on the eyes, either.

Zane still holds the key to her heart but is dead set on finding a way to return to the future, even if it means changing an important event in history. Emilie is caught in the middle.  What should she do? The answer lies “Somewhere In Time”.

I love romance. I love HEAs. The first book in the Crosse Harbor Trilogy definitely delivers both. The only thing I found slightly unsettling was Emilie and Zane’s relationship. There was a give and take confusion that often affects new romance but these two characters had been married at one time. Even though it was short lived, I felt they should have had a deeper understanding of the other. That’s just my opinion. The other thing that bothered me was Andrew McVie. I liked the guy. A lot. I understand Ms. Bretton was building this secondary character so we could enjoy his story in Book 2. However, Zane was acting rather badly and I found myself hoping Em would choose Andrew instead of our larger than life hero.  It all works out in the end, and I’m absolutely delighted with the final events. I’m also chomping at the bit to read Andrew’s story in “Tomorrow and Always”. However, before everything was resolved I kept waking up from fitful dreams where Em was with Andrew instead of Zane.

The only way to ease my distress was to open the book at 4 a.m. and finish reading the final chapters. It left little time to sleep before the morning alarm sounded an alert but I took pride in the secretive, smug smile which stayed with me throughout most of  the day – enticing others to ponder what I was thinking. :)

If you love old fashioned romance, Harlequin Presents, time travel, or any of the above, you absolutely MUST read Barbara Bretton’s time travel trilogy, Crosse Harbor.

Somewhere in TimeJPG_FINAL_SOMEWHERE_IN_TIME
Crosse Harbor Time Travel Trilogy
Book One
Barbara Bretton

Genre: Time Travel/Romance

Publisher: Free Spirit Press

ISBN: 9781301712953

ASIN: B008ELA6VK

Page count: 300-320

Word count: Approx. 80,000

Book Trailer:

Book Description:

Historian Emilie Crosse dreamed of a love that would last forever

Who knew she’d have to sail across two centuries to find it?

When her ex-husband Zane Grey Rutledge showed up at her door with a Revolutionary War uniform that was part of his grandmother’s estate, neither one suspected that their lives were about to change in ways they couldn’t possibly imagine.

Swept back in time to 1776 where a nation is struggling to be born, Emilie finds herself torn between two men: Zane, her ex who still holds the key to her heart, and Andrew McVie, the Patriot hero of her long-ago dreams . . . .

Reviewers Choice Award – Best Historical Time Travel

–Romantic Times

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Excerpt:

Historian Emilie Crosse dreamed of a love that would last forever

Who knew she’d have to sail across two centuries to find it?

When her ex-husband Zane Grey Rutledge showed up at her door with a Revolutionary War uniform that was part of his grandmother’s estate, neither one suspected that their lives were about to change in ways they couldn’t possibly imagine.

Swept back in time to 1777 where a nation is struggling to be born, Emilie finds herself torn between two men: Zane, her ex who still holds the key to her heart, and Andrew McVie, the Patriot hero of her long-ago dreams . . . .

 

 Near Philadelphia

Zane Grey Rutledge downshifted into second as he guided the black Porsche up the curving driveway toward Rutledge House. Gravel crunched beneath the tires, sending a fine spray across the lacquered surface of the hood and fenders. He swore softly as a pebble pinged against the windshield, leaving behind a spider-web crack in the glass. A pair of moving vans were angled in the driveway near the massive front door and he eased to a stop behind one of them and let out the clutch.

He didn’t want to be there. Rutledge House without his grandmother Sara Jane was nothing more than a haunted collection of faded bricks and stones.

“One day it will all matter to you,” Sara Jane had said to him not long before she died. “I have faith that you’ll see there’s nothing more important than family.”

But he didn’t have a family. Not anymore. With Sara Jane’s death he had moved closer to the edge of the cliff. The lone remaining Rutledge in a long and illustrious series of Rutledges who had made their mark on a country.

Lately he’d had the feeling that his grandmother was watching him from somewhere in the shadows, shaking her head the way she used to when he was a boy and had been caught drinking beer with his friends from the wrong side of town.

He leaned back in his contoured leather seat and watched as the treasures of a lifetime were carried from the house by a parade of moving men. Winterhalter portraits of long-dead Rutledges, books and mementoes that catalogued a nation’s history as well as a family’s.

His fingers drummed against the steering wheel. He’d done the right thing, the only thing he could have done, given the circumstances. Rutledge House would survive long after he was gone. Wasn’t that what his grandmother had wanted?

“Mr. Rutledge? Oh, Mr. Rutledge, it is you. I was so afraid I’d missed you.”

He started at the sound of the woman’s voice floating through the open window of the car.

“Olivia McRae,” she said, smiling coyly as she prompted his memory. “We met last week.”

He opened the car door and unfolded himself from the sleek sports car. “I remember,” he said, shaking the woman’s bird-like hand. “Eastern Pennsylvania Preservation Society.”

She dimpled and Zane was struck by the fact that in her day Olivia McRae had probably been a looker.

“We have much to thank you for. I must tell you we feel as if Christmas has come early this year!”

He shot her a quizzical look. She was thanking him? In the past few days he had come to think of her as his own personal savior for taking Rutledge House and its contents off his hands.

“A pleasure,” he said, relying on charm to cover his surprise.

“Oh, it’s a fine day for Rutledge House,” she said, her tone upbeat. “I know your dear departed grandmother Sara Jane would heartily approve of your decision.”

“Approve might be too strong a word,” he said with a wry grin. “Accept is more like it.” Bloodlines had been everything to Sara Jane Rutledge. No matter that the venerable old house had been tumbling down around her ears, in need of more help than even the family fortune could provide. So long as a Rutledge was in residence, all had been right with her world.

Although she never said it in so many words, he knew that in the end he had disappointed her. No wife, no children, no arrow shot into the future of the Rutledge family

“Just you wait,” Olivia McRae said, patting his arm in a decidedly maternal gesture. “Next time you see it this wonderful old house will be on the way to regaining its former glory.”

“It’s up to you now, Olivia.”

“We would welcome your input,” the older woman said. “And we would most certainly like to have a Rutledge on the board of directors at the museum.”

“Sorry,” he said, perhaps a beat too quickly. “I think a clean break is better all around.”

The woman’s warm brown eyes misted over. “How thoughtless of me! This must be dreadfully difficult, coming so soon after the loss of your beloved grandmother.”

Zane looked away. Little in life unnerved him. Talk of his late grandmother did. “I have a flight to catch,” he said. No matter that the plane didn’t take off until the next afternoon. As far as he was concerned, emotions were more dangerous than skydiving without a chute. “I’d better get moving.”

Olivia McRae peered into the car. “You do have the package, don’t you?”

“Package?” His brows knotted.

“Oh, Mr. Rutledge, you can’t leave without the package I set out for you.” She looked at him curiously. “The uniform.”

“Damn,” he muttered under his breath. The oldest male child in each generation is entrusted with the uniform, Sara Jane had told him on his twelfth birthday when she handed him the carefully wrapped package. Someday you’ll hand it down to your son.

He hadn’t forgotten about the uniform. He knew exactly where it was: in the attic under a thick layer of dust, as forgotten as the past.

“You wait right here,” said Mrs. McRae, turning back toward the house. “I’ll fetch it for you.”

He was tempted to get behind the wheel of the Porsche and be halfway to Manhattan before the woman crossed the threshold. For as long as he could remember that uniform had been at the heart of Rutledge family lore. His grandmother and her sisters had woven endless stories of derring-do and bravery and laid every single one of them at the feet of some long-dead Revolutionary War relative who’d probably never done anything more courageous than shoot himself a duck for dinner.

Moments later Olivia McRae was back by his side.

“Here you are,” she said, pressing a large, neatly-wrapped parcel into his arms with the same tenderness a mother would display toward her first-born. “To think you almost left without it.”

“Heavier than I remembered,” he said. “You’re sure there isn’t a musket in there with the uniform?”

Mrs. McRae’s lined cheeks dimpled. “Oh, you! You always were a tease. Why, you must have seen this uniform a million times.”

“Afraid I never paid much attention.”

“That can’t be true.”

“I’m not much for antiques.”

“This is more than an antique,” she said, obviously appalled. “This is a piece of American history . . . your history.” She patted the parcel. “Open it, Mr. Rutledge. I’d love to see your face when you –”

“I will,” he said, edging toward the Porsche, “but right now I’d better get on the road.”

“Of course,” she said, her smile fading. “I understand.”

She looked at him and in her eyes Zane saw disappointment. Why should Mrs. McRae be any different? Disappointing people was what he did best.

He tossed the package in the back seat and with a nod toward Olivia McRae, roared back down the drive and away from Rutledge House.

He was almost at the Ben Franklin Bridge when he noticed the needle on his gas gauge was hovering around E. He whipped into the first gas station he saw and couldn’t help grinning at the crowd of attendants who swarmed the sports car.

“Fill it,” he said. “And it’s okay if you want to check under the hood.”

He was thinking about where he’d stashed his passport after his weekend in London last month when out of nowhere he heard Sara Jane’s voice.

You didn’t think I was going to let you get away without a fight, did you?

He jumped, cracking his elbow against the gear stick. Sara Jane? Ridiculous. It was probably his guilty conscience speaking.

It’s not too late, Zane. Open your eyes to what’s around you and your heart will soon follow . . .

What the hell did that mean? It sounded like something he’d read in a fortune cookie.

He glanced toward the package resting on the seat next to him. Experience had taught him that the best way to handle anything from a hangover to a guilty conscience was the hair of the dog that bit you. He might as well get it over with while he waited.

“Okay,” he said out loud, unknotting the string then folding back the brown paper. There was nothing scary about a moth-eaten hunk of fabric, even if he was hearing voices.

He pushed aside the buff-colored breeches and inspected the navy blue coat. Dark beige cuffs and lapels. A line of tarnished metal buttons. The only unusual thing about the garment was the decorative stitching inside the left cuff and under the collar. It had to be twenty years since he’d last looked at the uniform and that had been a cursory glance. Still, he had to admit it was weathering the years pretty well. He looked again. He was surprised to note that the shoulders of the jacket seemed broad enough to fit him and he was a man of above average size. He didn’t know all that much about history, but he vividly remembered diving off the Florida coast around the wreck of the Atocha some years back and noting the almost Lilliputian scale.

So what are you going to do, Zane, toss it in your closet and forget it the way you forgot everything else? You owe my memory more than that. Do the right thing this time.

Okay, now it was getting weird. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear Sara Jane was sitting in the car with him. He wondered if he was getting high on dry-cleaning fumes or something. He didn’t have time for any of this..

Make time! Wasn’t I the only one who ever made time for you?

The truth hurt. Sara Jane was the one person he’d been able to count on when he was growing up, the only one who’d never let him down.

Maybe he was crazy. Maybe she really was contacting him from another plane of existence. Or maybe it was just that guilty conscience of his speaking up. Whatever it was, two hours and six phone calls later, he was on his way down the Jersey shore.

It wasn’t possible. He knew that as well as he knew his own name. The odds against it were just too overwhelming. But time and again he’d heard the same thing: “Emilie Crosse is the one you need to see.” From Professor Attleman at Rutgers to Deno Grandinetti at the Smithsonian, every historian he contacted all sang the praises of the woman with the old-fashioned name and outdated occupation who just happened to be his ex-wife.

The woman who had broken his heart when she walked out the door one soft spring evening and never looked back.

“You play dirty, Sara Jane,” he said as he raced south along the Garden State, “but it’s not going to work. I’m dropping off the uniform and then I’m leaving for Tahiti, understand?”

It’s a start, dear boy, the familiar voice said with a laugh. It’s a start.

JPG_FINAL_TOMORROW_AND_ALWAYSTomorrow and Always
Crosse Harbor Time Travel Trilogy
Book Two
Barbara Bretton

Genre: Time Travel/Romance

Publisher: Free Spirit Press

ISBN: 9781301018895

ASIN: B008ELGJ0M

Page count: 300-320

Word count: Approx. 80,000

Book Description:

Timeless Lovers . . .

Different Worlds

Shannon Whitney didn’t believe she had a future until Andrew McVie crash-lands his time-traveling hot-air balloon in her backyard one summer afternoon and changes her life forever.

He is a Revolutionary War patriot

She is an independent modern woman

Their paths should never have crossed but apparently fate has other plans.

Amazon               BN             Smashwords

Destiny’s ChildFINAL_COVER_destiny's_child_4_Child_corrected

Crosse Harbor Time Travel Trilogy
Book Three
Barbara Bretton

Genre: Time Travel/Romance

Publisher: Free Spirit Press

ISBN: 9781301054299

ASIN: B008ELGLGY

Page count: 300-320

Word count: Approx. 80,000

Book Description:

It’s not every day a woman goes traveling through time

Dakota Wylie is a wisecracking, unemployed, overweight psychic librarian from Princeton

Patrick Devane is an angry, hard-headed spy with a six-year-old daughter who hears voices

The only thing they have in common is New Jersey

But when Dakota leaps from the basket of a hot air balloon to help his crying child, little does she know that she’s leaping into history . . . and love.

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 Praise for the Crosse Harbor Time Travel Trilogy 

“SOMEWHERE IN TIME sweeps readers away into a marvelous world where love is timeless and dreams come true. Combine this ingenious plot . . . with humor and sensuality and you have a great read.” –Romantic Times

SOMEWHERE IN TIME – Reviewers Choice Winner – Best Historical Time Travel

TOMORROW & ALWAYS – “Bretton is a monumental talent who targets her audience with intelligence and inspiration.” –Affaire de Coeur

“[TOMORROW & ALWAYS] is an entertaining story.” –Booklist

DESTINY’S CHILD – “Wonderful wit, a feisty heroine, a gifted child, and great glimpses of friends from the past combine to make magic!” – Romantic Times

Praise for USA Today Bestselling Author Barbara Bretton

“A monumental talent.” –Affaire de Coeur

“Very few romance writers create characters as well-developed as Bretton’s. Her books pull you in and don’t let you leave until the last word is read.” –Booklist (starred review)

“One of today’s best women’s fiction authors.” –The Romance Reader

“Barbara Bretton is a master at touching readers’ hearts.” –Romance Reviews Today

About the Author:

Barbara Bretton is the USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of more than 40 books. She currently has over ten million copies in print around the world. Her works have been translated into twelve languages in over twenty countries.

Barbara has been featured in articles in The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Romantic Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Herald News, Home News, Somerset Gazette, among others, and has been interviewed by Independent Network News Television, appeared on the Susan Stamberg Show on NPR, and been featured in an interview with Charles Osgood of WCBS, among others.

Her awards include both Reviewer’s Choice and Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times; Gold and Silver certificates from Affaire de Coeur; the RWA Region 1 Golden Leaf; and several sales awards from Bookrak. Ms. Bretton was included in a recent edition of Contemporary Authors.

Barbara loves to spend as much time as possible in Maine with her husband, walking the rocky beaches and dreaming up plots for upcoming books.

WEB: www.barbarabretton.com

FACEBOOK:  www.facebook.com/barbarabretton

TWITTER:  www.twitter.com/barbarabretton

GOODREADS:  www.goodreads.com/Barbara_Bretton

RAVELRY:  www.ravelry.com/wickedsplitty

4 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in contests, romance, Travel, writer

May 23, 2013

Soul Mates: REVIEW & GIVEAWAY!

By Deb Sanders

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GIVEAWAY!!! Tour wide contest for 18 copies of Soul Mates, winner’s choice of format. Enter through the Rafflecopter link:


http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112f278/

REVIEW:

I love a good time-travel romance but it must transition time periods realistically and stay true to the historical era. “Soul Mates” does an admirable job of  blending 14th century Ireland with a contemporary time period. I was hooked like a Salmon in spawn season during the first chapter and stayed that way to the last page.

Shannon O’Brien is celebrating her sixth birthday. She’s a special child. An empath, perhaps a bit clairvoyant, but a tragedy soon befalls her, creating a ripple effect to modern day Phoenix, Arizona and affecting the love between Ian Brennan and Shandelle Walker.

It’s tricky to write a synopsis for the story without giving away spoilers – so I’m not going to try. I’ve included the author’s blurb below and the first chapter.  What I will say is there’s a dark event in Soul Mates but it’s handled tastefully. Unless you are an ultra sensitive reader, you shouldn’t have any issues with the story line. I don’t deal well with child or animal cruelty/violence but I realized the scene was a catalyst for later events and admired the tactful way it was written.

Phew! Did I tiptoe around that without giving anything away?

“Soul Mates” is two stories running concurrently during different time periods. Ms. Wolters does an excellent job of switching back and forth without confusing the reader. Pardon the cliche, but her characters truly come alive on the page. This is the first book I’ve read by author Sandy Wolters. I assure you, it will not be the last.

Recommended for fans of time-travel and contemporary romance. Even readers who enjoy fantasy will find the wizards and dash of magick an exciting element to this wonderful tale. Rated 4 stars.

Soul-Mates_Front-Cvr_811x1200Soul Mates

Sandy Wolters

Genres:  Paranormal Romance
Magic, Time Travel Romance

ISBN:  9781301079049
ASIN:  B00C89GDIY

Number of pages:  142
Word Count: 50,573

Cover Artist:  Dannye Williamsen

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All Romance Ebooks

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Pulled Back Through Time, Shandelle Is Caught Between An Enduring Love And A Wizard’s Magic.

In the beginning of time, one soul splits into two. Lifetime after lifetime, the two souls are reborn and seek to reunite. Like a beacon of light from heaven above, their light shines for each other. Without the other, there is only darkness. A wonderful blessing that can only come from a deeply-bonded love, the sharing of one soul can also be a black curse if something disrupts the moment of their coming together.

Ireland 1323 – Donovan, chieftain of the Clan O’Brien, has unsuccessfully searched his entire adult life, to the detriment of his clan and all those around him, for that elusive possession that will bring his soul peace. He doesn’t know what it is, but he will give up everything to find it. One day, he is summoned by the Wizard and told the secret of his obsession—his soul mate. She is no longer living in his time, but there is a way to bring her back to him.

Phoenix 2013 – Shandelle and Ian are embarking on their new life together. She is everything Ian ever wanted but never realized he needed before he met her. Shandelle is a generous soul who lives to make Ian and everyone around her happy. Unfortunately for them both, evil is stalking them. The blood bond duty of a close friend brings betrayal and evil into their lives. How were they to know that the death of a six-year-old girl in the early fourteenth century could have such grave consequences on their lives today?

EXCERPT:

Chapter One

Ireland 1303

Watching the preparations for the upcoming festivities at the castle unfold in front of her, the young girl closed her eyes and breathed deeply to take in the smells of the assorted meats as they roasted on the communal spit. Her mouth was watering from the savory scents.

Today was indeed a special day. It was not only her birthday, but also a day of festival where all the people belonging to the Clan O’Brien converged on the castle dressed in their finest clothes, partook in games, listened to bards, danced, and indulged in succulent meats and spirits. Today was the first day of February, traditionally the first day of spring in Ireland and the day for honoring St. Brigid of Kildare. Long tables and benches had been set out in the courtyard for all the clansmen and visitors to partake in the celebration.

Maybe, just maybe, if she were lucky, she would get a glimpse of the chief’s son, Donovan. She smiled to herself, not understanding the feelings her six-year-old heart felt when her gaze fell on the beautiful Donovan with his dark hair and intense, ten-year-old boyish good looks.

She held the wild rose she had picked on her walk to the castle close to her heart. She didn’t know why, but she believed this rose was significant somehow. Her mother had always taught her to listen to her inner feelings so Shannon clung to the rose, knowing it would be of great import today.

As she weaved her way through the people, her spirits soared. Everyone was smiling, laughing, friendly. Moving closer to the inner circle of the courtyard, she noticed many unfamiliar faces among the men. While not unusual at festival time, her curiosity was aroused. As she moved even closer, a cold chill ran down her spine. Questions filled her mind as she became aware that these men displayed none of the lightheartedness of the others—in fact, just the opposite.

Her hand unwittingly flew to the amulet hanging around her neck in a leather pouch to feel its warmth and security. Who are these men? Why do they all look so unapproachable, so angry? Her feeling of unease was so intense that she wanted to run from the celebration and sound a warning of danger. Every instinct within her was forewarning Shannon about the pure evil of which these men were capable.

With such strong feelings of distress running through her body, she didn’t realize that she was slowly backing away from where the men had gathered in a single area of the courtyard. As she put distance between herself and these strangers, the tension in her body eased. Though her senses were relaxing, she still clutched her amulet. Turning, she saw a stranger dressed as the frightening men were dressed; yet, there was something different about this man. He was not angry like the others. She felt no evil cascading off of him as she had with the others.

This man was sad, the feeling so strong within him that the air around him seemed to shimmer with it. She stood there, unable to move, watching as people, walking by this man, unconsciously gave him a wide berth. Although the people seemed oblivious to the shimmering aura around him, it was evident they must have felt it for they walked around this force field of sorrow as if to avoid being trapped in it.

Aengus Doyle, heir to the Clan Doyle, sat and stared into his cup of ale. He was burdened by the  viciousness that always overtook him when he sought revenge against those who had murdered the people of his father’s clan—murdered for a few meaningless trinkets and even less livestock. With each day that passed, he knew he was becoming more and more like his bloodthirsty father, who ruled with an iron fist and a heart of stone. He could not help but wonder what had happened to that young lad who had loved life and dreamed of leading his father’s people with a generous, kind heart, rather than with one as black as his had become. Torturing those thieves had excited him as he discovered new ways to inflict pain upon them. It was as if his father had stepped inside him, possessing his body like the devil himself. Now it sickened him to the core.

Lost in thought and blocking all the sounds of celebration from himself, he felt a slight shift in the air pressure around him. A tiny voice made its way through the psychological walls he had set up around himself.

“Excuse me, sir.”

He ignored the sweet voice as he forcibly kept his attention on his feelings of disgust about the atrocities he had inflicted on other human beings. He hoped this exercise and his remorse would keep these dark, powerful emotions chained within himself, never to appear to him again. If he could keep them there, perhaps he had a chance to go on with his life.

“Excuse me, sir,” the voice repeated.

Without looking up, Aengus snarled, “Go away! I do not desire to have a conversation.”

The next moment, a beautiful rose moved into his field of vision. Something in his gut clenched. He looked up to see a little girl dressed in a well-worn smock, holding the rose out to him. His body relaxed as he looked at this beautiful child in front of him. She had golden hair that shimmered in the sun, light-colored freckles dotted her nose, and a beautiful smile crossed her lovely, bow-shaped mouth. Looking into her large, stunning eyes, he forgot to breathe. Her eyes were such a dark blue, they reminded him of priceless gems he had once been shown by his father in his clan’s coffers. Her soul shone brightly through these eyes of sparkling sapphire, and he knew he would never forget them. He felt this child looking into his soul and experienced peace for the first time since his journey had begun.

“I picked this rose for you, sir, on my way to the castle.” She brandished the wild rose, and her smile grew even larger.

Aengus lifted his hand and gently took the rose from the child. As he did this, she climbed into his lap and put her tiny hand on his face to help steal the sadness from him.

“My name is Shannon. Today is not a good day to feel so sad. Today is a happy day. It is festival and my sixth birthday. No one should feel the pain you do today.”

The emotion this child was evoking in him stunned Aengus. At her touch, tension that had ensconced itself in his body flowed out of him. He felt warmth and love emanating from this small angel, undoubtedly sent to him from heaven above. No more words were spoken. Shannon simply looked into his eyes and smiled. Time stood still. He knew this tiny girl was somehow giving him strength, healing his soul. He didn’t understand it, but he wouldn’t refuse the gift she was passing to him.

Proudly, she told him, “My mother says I have a gift. She says that I’m going to be a very important person when I grow up. I’m going to change the way people think and how they treat others.” Her hand moved from his face to clutch her amulet. “You are in danger. I can feel it. You’re afraid of losing yourself to the dark side of your ancestry.”

She paused as she took the pouch off of her body and held it out to him. “This is my talisman. It’s very powerful.” She reached for his hand and placed it over the amulet in her own. “Do you feel it? Do you feel the power of it?”

His breath caught in his throat. He could feel the power, power such as that contained in the strong storms at sea. He felt the power surge through his body as if he had been hit by lightening.

“Do you feel it?”

He couldn’t speak. All he could do was acknowledge her with a nod.

“The amulet keeps me safe. My mother said to never take it off, but I believe your soul is in grave danger, and you need it more than I.”

Aengus stared at her, unwilling to let go of the emotions this child aroused in him. She was offering something so personal, so powerful, to a complete stranger who she felt needed help.

Afraid of his voice cracking, he spoke very softly. “Thank you, little one, but I cannot accept such a gift as this. I have nothing of value to give in return.”

Shannon smiled. “The evil from your soul is gift enough. You, too, are destined to change the people around you. You need this to stay safe so you can continue on the path you were meant to be on.”

She put the pouch around his neck and pressed it against his heart. His body shook with emotions he had not felt in years. He felt as though he now had the strength to beat the devil himself. He didn’t know how or why, but he knew her words were true. He would change the lives of the people in his clan for the better when he became chieftain of the Clan Doyle.

She gently slid off his lap and gave him one last, delightful smile. Without her sitting on his lap, the sharp pain of abandonment, complete isolation, washed over him again.

“I must leave now to go home and help mother bring our food to the festival.” Conspiratorially, she cupped her hands to her mouth as if relaying a big secret. “I’m going to walk home through the trees.” She giggled. “My mother says not to walk there because there are goblins and fairies that will carry me off, but I’ve never seen one.”

Immediately alert, he leaned forward and reached for her hands. “Let me take you home. It’s the least I can do for you.”

Cocking her head, she said. “I love to walk, and I don’t live far. You stay and enjoy the festival. I’m glad you feel better. The sadness has stopped shimmering in the air around you.”

He didn’t want to let her go. He pleaded, “Please, do as your mother asks. Take the road. It’s much safer than the trees.” He paused, thinking of the ambush he and his men had accomplished just hours ago in trees like these. “There are bigger and much uglier things than fairies or goblins that can hide in the woods.”

Her answering smile sent waves of warmth to his very core as she nodded. “Then I will take the road.” She turned and walked away from him through the entrance of the castle.

His eyes never wavered from her retreating form. He continued to watch even after she was no longer visible. Reaching up. he gently fingered the amulet. His urge to look at what was inside the leather pouch was strong, but he felt this was something that must be done when no one was watching.

As he sat there, contemplating this tiny, angelic child who was placed in his path, a sense of foreboding settled over him. It was so strong that he found himself upright and moving quickly to his horse outside the castle walls before his actions even registered in his brain. Panic set in. Shannon, his beautiful, six-year-old guardian angel, was in trouble, and he knew it. He had to get to her. He kicked his horse and moved quickly down the road leading away from the castle.

As he approached a sharp bend in the road that hid the path ahead, his heart sank. He knew he would find her around this bend. A woman’s wail sliced through the air and excised all the strength in his body. His horse kept moving forward until they rounded the corner, and he saw her, his little angel, Shannon. She was lying broken on the road ahead of him.

Dropping from his horse, he ran the rest of the distance to her. The hysterical woman, Shannon’s mother, was being held back from Shannon’s body by other children who were older than his angel, obviously her brothers and sisters.

Aengus knelt beside the beautiful child in the tattered dress and tears fell unashamedly down his face. He looked into her huge, lifeless, dark-blue eyes that were wide open and staring at the sky. She was gone.

He placed the beautiful wild rose in her hand and picked up her broken body, trying to wash away the feeling of isolation that her loss was reigniting in him. He rocked her body back and forth, crying for a child who had changed his life in a matter of minutes.

“I promise you, Shannon, I will heed your words and change my life. My soul is safe from the darkness because of you. I will never forget you, and you will be in my heart forever.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Wolters

I’ve been an avid reader for years. To my husband’s dismay, I have bookshelves full of books, rooms full of books, boxes full of books. My cars have books in them. I just can’t seem to get rid of them after I read them. You just never know when you will want to read it again, right? When my husband bought me a Kindle, it cut down on our need for storage, but it opened me up to books that I might never have experienced otherwise.

The biggest transition in my relationship with books occurred, however, when I, much to my surprise, became an author. I had started having dreams about people I didn’t know. I started looking forward to my dreams every night. Then I realized that I was daydreaming about these people as well. I’d just be sitting there, and these people and their antics would pop into my mind. Finally, I gave in and began writing their story down, something I had never dreamed of doing.

After I wrote my first book Maggie Mae, I had do idea what to do with it. After trying the traditional route for a little while, my husband pushed me in the direction of ebooks, and I’ve never looked back.

My books invariably feature strong women. My husband, Michael, and I have raised two strong daughters, Pilar and Shandelle, and they inspire the characters in my stories. As a matter of fact, Pilar was the main character in my book A Brother’s Love, and Shandelle is the main character in my new release Soul Mates. Justice for Emily was the most difficult book I’ve written, and that was because Emily was the victim of a sadistic, cruel, and abusive husband, who just happened to be the Chief of Police. One of my readers described this books as a “good mystery laced with sex, violence, ghosts and spirits.” The only thing her summary left out was the strength of the two women in this story: Emily and Rachael.

I’ve had fun with all the books I’ve written. I think the fact that I insert real events into my books, things that have actually happened in my family’s lives, is like having a private joke. Knowing that Michael Rogers in Maggie Mae is based on my husband tickles my fancy. I am a very lucky woman!

Although I write romance novels, they always contain a paranormal twist. My latest, Soul Mates, has the added element of time travel accomplished through the magical arts. I imagine my future writings will always contain romance with strong women and men of character, influenced by events that reach beyond what we consider normal, and perhaps seasoned with a little touch of whimsy.

Website:  
http://sandywolters.weebly.com/index.html

Blog:  Sandy’s Spotlight - 
http://sandywolters.weebly.com/sandys-spotlight.html

Twitter:  
https://twitter.com/SandyWolters

Facebook:  
https://www.facebook.com/sandy.wolters.5

Goodreads:  
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4772120.Sandy_Wolters

Goodreads:  
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17734887-soul-mates

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Books, contests, ebooks, Reviews, romance, Travel

March 4, 2013

SPOTLIGHT on Brazil by Kenya Carlton

By Deb Sanders
Brazil Button 300 x 225
BRAZIL
by Kenya Carlton

Charly Beaudliar has fooled many powerful men. Completely discounted due to her good looks, she makes for the perfect spy.

Unfortunately, FBI agent Leo Santos finds out the hard way that he can’t make the beauty do anything she doesn’t want to.

In desperate need to capture and destroy a man who obliterated his childhood, Agent Santos tries to enlist the femme fatale for help on a life-threatening case, a request Charly reluctantly fills.

Together, heady emotions collide on a mission that not only jeopardizes their hearts but also their lives, but Leo is determined to put his past to rest, even if it’s with the help of a woman he doesn’t trust and is not entirely sure he even likes.

AWOL from their bureaus, Charly and Leo are forced to rely on each other in order to right the wrongs from his childhood and catch one of the world’s biggest drug czars.  With no room for mistakes, these two agents must squelch the soul-stirring chemistry between them in order to come out of the mission alive.

Author Bio

Kenya has a B.A. in Mass communication, Television and Radio. She has fifteen years in production of television and film and five in television engineering. In 2009 Kenya Produced Dawn a short film and Executive Produced Destination Everywhere the pilot for a travel series through her production company Black R.O.K Productions established in 2008.


http://kcbookcafe.com/

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October 17, 2012

I’m Charmed . . . And You Will Be, Too!

By Deb Sanders

First, let me say . . . O M G!!! You’re going to drool, jump up and down, scream “I WANT THAT” and then tell all your friends you’re going to win this incredible charm bracelet during the tour wide giveaway for The Moonstone and Miss Jones. And I don’t blame you because that’s exactly what I did when I saw it.

(Except I’m a tour host so I’m not entering. I’m just telling YOU how you can enter and win this gorgeous jewelry.) So here’s the scoop:

Win Phaeton’s most charming charm bracelet. And find clues to the Moonstone’s hiding place in this modern, edgy take on the traditional charm bracelet created by Ana Karolina, a 19-year-old Mexican born designer who made her debut at Nordstrom at the ripe old age of 17. This silver-plated chain bracelet makes skulls and bugs look oh-so cool! Plus five 2nd prizes – Copies of The Moonstone and Miss Jones. Click below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now, without further ado, let me introduce the  fascinating and incredibly talented, Jillian Stone.

Jillian is an RWA Golden Heart winner for her historical romantic suspense, An Affair with Mr. Kennedy (previously titled The Yard Man.) It netted her a contract with Pocket Books. That same year, she won the Erotica category in the 2010 Romance Through the Ages contest for The Seduction of Phaeton Black. Kensington Brava offered a 3-book contract.

This lady can write – and if you haven’t read any of her books – start now. If you have enjoyed one or more of Ms. Stone’s titles, then don’t miss her new release (and the second book in the Phaeton Black series), The Moonstone and Miss Jones.

Jillian, you’ve managed to write books in two genres, Historical and Paranormal Steampunk, and do both quite well. Which genre do you prefer, and why?

Thanks for having me on your blog site, Deb, and thanks so much for your kind mention about both series!

I have two favorite genres to write in, both of which crossover several romance subgenres. One is Historical Romantic Suspense and the other is Historical Paranormal. I love them both for different reasons, but I think it is safe to say that I enjoy having two plots to work with. I like to see the hero and heroine work together in ways that don’t involve obviously contrived obstacles. Also, I think that as much as I love romance, a hero and heroine who only have eyes for each other…need to get a life.

Romantic Times said The Seduction of Phaeton Black “almost defies categorization, combining elements of steampunk, erotica, paranormal romance, and mystery.” What do you think is the most appealing aspect of your Phaeton Black series for readers?

The Seduction of Phaeton Black has been growing a kind of cult following over these last six months. I consider the book to be historical paranormal with elements of steampunk and erotica.

Phaeton Black really drives the story in book one. He is one of those characters who is closer to an antihero. In fact, RT Book Reviews editors ran an article on Phaeton asking the question: Phaeton Black, Hero or Antihero?

I actually wrote Phaeton in the fine tradition of the Byronic hero, described by Lord Macaulay as “a man proud, moody, cynical, with defiance on his brow, and misery in his heart, a scorner of his kind, implacable in revenge, yet capable of deep and strong affection.”

FYI: Wikipedia has a checklist of Byronic hero traits:

  • Arrogant
  • Cunning and able to adapt
  • Cynical
  • Disrespectful of rank and privilege
  • Emotionally conflicted, bipolar or moody
  • Having a troubled past or suffering from an unnamed crime
  • Intelligent and perceptive
  • Jaded, world-weary
  • Mysterious, magnetic and charismatic
  • Rebellious
  • Seductive and sexually attractive
  • Self-critical and introspective
  • Self-destructive
  • Socially and sexually dominant
  • Sophisticated and educated
  • Struggling with integrity
  • Treated as an exile, outcast or outlaw

By the way, Phaeton Black exhibits just about all of the above. ;)

You have an award winning background in creative advertising. How have you used that experience with the development and/or marketing of your own books?

I think it has helped in some ways. I am able to steer my brand as an author with perhaps a little less angst than say an author who is new to promotion. On the other hand, I am overly critical of cover design or any advertising by my publishers do.

I think with the advent of indie publishing, the market is saturated with books, many of them selling for $.99 through $3.99. Even FREE! I think it is particularly difficult for a debut author to get enough discoverability (trendy marketing term) unless their publishers are willing to compete on cover pricing or stick with them for at least three or four years to help them build a following of readers.

When you’re in the mood to curl up with a good book, what genre do you choose? Please share a few titles that you’ve enjoyed.

Since I am on deadline for book three in the Phaeton Black series, I am not reading right now, but I will list some of my favorite reads: Outlander, Diana Gabaldon, Interview with a Vampire, Anne Rice, Lord of Scoundrels, Loretta Chase, The Devil in Winter, Lisa Kleypas, The Dark Prince, Christine Feehan.

The Phaeton Black series is set in the late 1800′s. If you could go back in time, what country and era would you visit, and why?

It would be so fascinating to explore London in the late 1880’s, all the strange places, and interesting characters I’ve discovered through research––actually get to experience them in person! But I’d want someone like Oscar Wilde to be my guide, so I could get a sense of every strata of society––from the beau monde to brothels!

I love that Phaeton Black is a paranormal investigator. How do you research for his line of work? Have you personally experienced paranormal activity?

The idea behind Phaeton’s gift is he is able to communicate with all manor or demons, trolls, vampires, succubae. But he deals with these otherworldly creatures using his charm and wits, and not with any special “slayer” skills, though he does partner with Doctor Exeter, and an odd being named Mr. Ping, who instructs him in the use of potent energy, or Ping’s term: “relic dust and champagne.”

I do some research into creatures and strange events. But I also like to handle traditional paranormal creatures in new and refreshing ways, so much of the paranormal aspects of the story come from inside my writer’s brain!

The third book in the series is tentatively scheduled for Summer, 2013. Can you tell us a little about The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter?

Doctor Exeter and his lovely, recently grown up charge, Mia, who are hero and heroine of the third novel. Exeter and Mia, along with a few of the Nightshades do battle with the mega powerful Prospero, a tech wizard who has abducted both Phaeton and America.

Exeter and Mia have their own set of issues to deal with, including their growing attraction to one another and the fact that Mia has unexpectedly becoming a shapeshifter.

What is the one thing about being an author you enjoy? And one thing you don’t?

I love the creative process––thinking up plots and characters, writing the stories, meeting with readers. I hate deadlines the most, because it never feels like I have enough time!

Some people relax with a walk in nature. Others prefer a trip to the spa. What do you do to de-stress and find your “Zen” moment?

I try to go to the gym and workout at least four days a week, this keeps the endorphins circulating and feeds oxygen to the brain. It is also my hour and a half of peace most days.

BOOK DETAILS:

The Moonstone and Miss Jones
Book Two in the Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator Series

By Jillian Stone

Genre: Paranormal romance with steampunk and erotic elements

Publisher: Kensington Brava

Date of Publication: September 26, 2012

ISBN-10: 075826898X  

ISBN-13: 978-0758268983

Number of pages: 300

Amazon  Barnes & Noble   Indiebound  The Book Depository

Book Description:

The Moonstone and Miss Jones is the dark and sexy sequel to The Seduction of Phaeton Black. Phaeton returns to England in time to help Doctor Exeter and the mysterious deadly Nightshades rescue London once again––this time from Professor Lovecraft’s destructive tinkering. 

As the threads of existence begin to unravel, the eccentric scientist attempts to save his son’s deteriorating condition by replacing body parts with mechanical apparatus. Ah, but how to power them? The near mad professor believes he has found a way to unleash the arcane energy inside the Moonstone and he needs Phaeton Black to help him do it.

When Phaeton is shanghaied in Shanghai, America Jones assumes the worst––that he has abandoned her in the Orient. An angry Miss Jones returns to London, where their spirited partnership takes an unexpected turn––a new business venture MOONSTONE INVESTIGATIONS. No uncommon psychical disturbance refused.

Well, why not mix business with pleasure?

Author Bio:

In 2010, Jillian won the RWA Golden Heart for An Affair with Mr. Kennedy and went from no agent or publisher to signing with Richard Curtis and being offered a three book contract by Pocket Books. That summer, she also won the erotica category of the 2010 Romance Through the Ages contest f

or The Seduction of Phaeton Black and was offered a three book contract by Kensington Brava. Needless to say, she has been busy writing book

Author web links: (web, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads, etc) s this past year and a half! Jillian lives in Southern California and is currently working on the third book in the Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator series, The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter.


http://jillianstone.com


http://www.facebook.com/JillianStoneBooks


http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4946569.Jillian_Stone

Twitter: @gJillianStone

9 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Adult Content, Author Interview, Books, contests, Paranormal, Reviews, romance, science fiction, Suspense, Travel, writer

October 8, 2012

Meet The Author: Paul Rudd

By Deb Sanders

 

I’m happy to welcome Paul Rudd, author of the exciting thriller, SHARC.  Paul has done to Aquariums what “Jaws” did to the beach. 

Can I start by saying a huge thank you for agreeing to the interview and I am very grateful for the chance to promote my novel. Now I’m all yours, Deb, so fire away.

Shots fired :)

Which came first – your passion for sharks/Megalodons or the idea to write a book about these massive prehistoric creatures?

That’s a nice easy start for me. Sharks have been a passion ever since I was a child. I remember watching Jaws when I was about 7 or 8, at a friend’s house after school. We used to pretend his dogs were the sharks and we used to jump across the living-room chairs to avoid them. And before I get hauled before the PC brigade, the gore didn’t bother me back then. I’ve never been squeamish when it comes to horror films. And I’m perfectly normal, even if the missus does get a bit freaked out when I put on my William Shatner Halloween mask.

I just remember the shark being magnificent. The real footage they used hooked me straightaway. And that scene with the cage!!! Bruce, the mechanical shark, looks dated now but the ruler of the ocean had me, I hate to be cliché, but afraid to go into the water.

As for the Megalodons, you need look no further than the great man himself, Steve Alten. In 1997 I bought Meg from Waterstones in Fleet Street and I read it within a few days and about ten times since. Plus the sequels, it’s a wonder I had time to write my own story.

So who wouldn’t be fascinated by a shark that allegedly grew to 70-80 feet in length and weighed in at 30 tons, and don’t forget the teeth of a fully grown adult that would have been bigger than your hand and as sharp as a butcher’s blade! Awesome, and yet frightening as hell.

What forms of research did you use to ensure factual information when writing about Megalodons?

I had a basic knowledge of sharks already but the Megalodon I only knew about from Steve Alten’s books and a few dodgy SCI-FI channel movies.

When I was growing up there wasn’t much about Megs that I could find, but in 2006, the World Wide Web grew to such an extent I studied the net for months for anything I could find on Megs. Basically I trawled through hundreds of pages of information and highlighted anything I found that was useful. Fossil remains, exerts dating back a few hundred years, plus I purchased prehistoric shark books, watched documentaries galore and anything else I could lay my hands on. Not just on Megs though. The ARC in the story houses all sea-life, like a giant aquarium, so I needed to know about those too, like jellyfish, Orcas and whales. I got so involved and I wanted to be spot on, so I gathered all the information and then I began to write.

If you were asked to create a question for a trivia game about the Megalodon, what would it be? (And please provide the answer.)

To make it interesting I would ask “does the Megalodon still exist?”

The answer would be “no”.

Only who knows for sure? Now that is the big question.

Tell us a little bit about future projects, and what you’re working on now.

I’ve recently finished working on a Western horror story called The Wild Wild Dead. It’s a run of the mill infected human and survivor story but I’ve added a huge twist which I a hope will work. If not, so be it. I didn’t want to do a man versus zombie story without throwing something a little different into the mix. I’ve also managed a huge scoop. A UK girl band named the Courtesans, gave me permission to use one of their songs as the backing track to the book trailer. I’m so grateful. Plus they are awesome babes too, even though I haven’t met them.

I’ve also finished The London Warriors. I call it my homage to the 80’s action movie era that I grew up watching. The basic premise is a band of muscle-bound antiheroes bash seven shades out of demons and warriors while attempting to escape from a walled off London. It’s a cross between Escape from New York and The Warriors but with a slice of Manga pie thrown in for good luck. It’s a big story, with a possibility of a trilogy. It’s all laid out in my head. 

I am also working on a horror anthology of short stories based on World War I and II with my good friend, Reggie Jones, who is another Taylor Street author. We are mixing soldiers with zombies, sea creatures and fantasy. It should rock, I say should but it WILL rock.

I’ve got dozens more from different genres all locked away inside my brain and I can’t wait to get started. Oh and the sequel to Sharc which my publisher wants me to draft. It’s going to be Die Hard but with sharks!

I’ve been told you love to watch movies. Name three movies you would watch more than once, and what attracts you to them?

Now that is a tough one. I could easily say Jaws, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars but that is not challenging enough.

First I’d have to say the Terminator, my favorite movie of all time and I just purchased it on Blu-Ray and can’t wait to see the upgrade. The scene where Arnie walks into Tech-Noir and pulls out the laser-sighted gun and aims it at Sarah Connor. It is an iconic moment and one where you shout at the television “run you daft cow”. The dancing is a bit dated but still better than any shapes I pull now. This movie is probably the reason why Arnie has a bit part in Sharc (not sure he knows about that though!).

Second is Brotherhood of the Wolf. A superb period/horror movie starring Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel and Mark Dacascos. If you haven’t seen it, do so, just for the Dacascos fight scenes. A huge party of hunters assembles to track a beast and Dacascos fight pretty much all of them, it’s great. And the scenery, oh and did I mention Monica Bellucci was in it!

And Pitch Black with Vin Diesel or The Crow with Brandon Lee.
Wait, isn’t that four?

You’re a self-described geek. Other than writing, what are your favorite “geeky” things to do?

 I play video games. I love video games. Always have. My friend’s wife said to me one ‘once you have kids you’ll never get to play your games!’ After two kids, I’m afraid to say she was right; although that hasn’t stopped me from completing every Call of Duty and Unchartered game out thus far. I mean to continue too…fingers crossed! 

Cartoons or should I say Anime! I’ve seen the new Tron: Uprising Anime on the kids channels on Sky (god I’m a product placement guru here!) whilst surfing for some shows for my daughter. It looks great. I love how the cartoons have changed since I used to watch them. I still remember the old Transformers, now there is about ten different shows! We used to get one.

I love reading graphic novels. I’ve got loads. I’ve just read Crossed by Garth Ennis and my latest purchase Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters is waiting in the wings. Now if that isn’t a geek, then I don’t know what is. Now I wonder if Godzooky will be in the book?

On your website, you listed two aquariums that were influential in aiding with your visualization of ARC. One is in Okinawa, the other in North Carolina. What’s the best aquarium you’ve visited to date?

Nothing as spectacular as those but I holidayed in Vilamoura in Portugal about six years ago and we visited one near there. I think that is the best one thus far. It had a seal show and lots of other marine life that I hadn’t seen before. It sounds silly but most of them in this country are the same. Although there is one in Chester, where you can swim with the sharks, which looks pretty cool.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? What would you like to accomplish?

Does it have to be ten years? I would like to be out of the office environment and able to sit at my PC and write. I feel that my ideas need to be out there, even if just for a piece of mind. Maybe I will write SHARC part 5; The Sharc bites again (as long as he’s not too old for this s*** – Lethal Weapon, quality). There might even be a cameo for Michael Caine (wait, didn’t he already star in a shark movie?).

Seriously though, apart from being the best dad for my kids and husband for my missus I would like to be able to say I have a best seller or able to point at a movie in the supermarket and I say to myself, I wrote the story for that. That would make me happy.

If you found a magic stone that allowed you to travel back in time to any era, any location, where would you go and why?

I would travel to the time the real kings and queens of the earth roamed our lands. I’d visit the dinosaurs and sea beasts. I’d be a bit like Nigel Marvin but with curly hair and a bulletproof tank, oh and maybe a spare pair of pants. No, better make that two!

Paul, it’s been a delight. Your wit and style really showed through. I know my readers will be anxious to pick up a copy of “Sharc”!

Thanks for having me, Deb, and thanks so much for letting me ramble on and plug my book!

Sharc

by Paul Rudd

Genre: Romance, Adventure, Great Whites

Publisher: Taylor Street Books

ISBN: 1479209899 / 978-1479209897

Number of pages: 285

Word Count: 101,000

Cover Artist: Tim Roux

Book Description:

It’s massive, it’s intelligent, it’s relentless and it’s always looking for its next meal or its next challenge.

Maxwell Baxter is intent on fulfilling his greatest ambition yet, and he is an ambitious man. He wants to build the largest floating aquarium in the world, an aquarium city, and fill it with all manner of monsters from the depths, the first being a presumed extinct Megalodon he has captured, a prehistoric monster shark currently only thirty-five feet long but destined to grow up to one hundred feet of raw, razor-toothed ravenous greed with extraordinary abilities to detect anything edible or threatening in the water for miles around.

In the midst of international financial negotiations to raise the rest of the money to complete his ARC, and with the Governor of California being entertained on his private yacht on his way to review the facility, the Megalodon escapes and begins to terrorize everything in the Pacific, ships and other sea creatures alike, no matter what their size.

Maxwell Baxter’s future rests on a knife-edge, and the Megalodon has a gigantic mouthful of them, each five feet long and giving it the capability to bite a small whale in half with one snap of its jaws.

With a Megalodon about, if you are thinking of getting back into the water, don’t flatter yourself – you’ll barely be a snack.

Amazon UK  Amazon US

Book Trailer

 

About the Author 

Ask a multi-award winning thespian if they would prefer a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame or have the chance to write about a prehistoric shark and they’d take the easy option every time. Me? Sharks are a passion, they always have been. Not to say I have actually met any face to face or relied on a shark cage to keep me out of harm’s way; cos that’s just dumb!

So say hello to the real Paul Rudd. I’m a geek, pure and simple and a far throw from celebrity. I write lots. I’ve watched movies since birth, which probably makes a lot of sense to those who know me well.

My brain is a minefield of ideas just waiting to detonate and making them available has always been a dream. Now, with thanks to Taylor Street, I have managed to take my first step into the unknown.

So now starts the latest saga of my life and a little like the original Lord of the Rings cartoon, the outcome remains up in the air. If only the late Ralph Bakshi was here to conclude it… alas for now I will carry on chasing my own Moby Dick; the great white tooth of a Megalodon, so if anyone has a spare?

This is Paul Rudd of the Nostromo signing off…….

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/theauthorpaulrudd

Twitter: @sharcwriter

Blog: 
http://sharcwriter.blogspot.co.uk/

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Author Interview, Books, ebooks, romance, science fiction, Suspense, Travel, writer

October 3, 2012

October’s Hallowed Authors: Micheal Rivers

By Deb Sanders

I’m not a native North Carolina girl but I’m adapting at lightening speed. The Carolinas are rich with history, Southern comfort i.e. foods, hospitality, and supernatural lore. What’s not to love? And one of North Carolina’s home-grown Paranormal Thriller authors, Micheal Rivers, has become my go-to source for haunting, evocative tales. I recently joined a group of ghost hunters who frequent North and South Carolina paranormal hotspots, which makes Micheal’s books even more enjoyable because of the familiar geographical settings. So, first on my list of  October Hallowed Authors is Micheal Rivers, an author who should be on your list of “must read” authors.

Click on the cover art to read a blurb of each book. Appalachia Mountain Folklore will be released in November but you can save $$ by pre-ordering now.

        

BIO:

Micheal, an American author, was born in Ahoskie, North Carolina in 1953. He served his country during the Vietnam War in the USMC. Later, his travels provided over thirty years of investigating and collecting stories of the paranormal. His genres include horror and thriller with an element of paranormal in all of his novels. The Smokey Mountain Ghost Trackers of Western North Carolina was founded by him and he is the lead investigator. Micheal currently resides in the mountains of North Carolina along with the love of his life and his Boxer he fondly calls Dee Dee.

Visit his website http://michealrivers.com/
Email: contact@michealrivers.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/micheal_rivers or @micheal_rivers
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/MichealRivers.Author

6 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Author Interview, Books, ebooks, General, Indie Publishing, Paranormal, Research, Reviews, Suspense, Travel, writer

April 27, 2012

BLOOM WHERE YOU’RE PLANTED

By Deb Sanders

Sometimes inspiration comes from places you least expect it.

I have a cyber friend named Tom. We’ve been email buddies for years, mostly exchanging jokes but occasionally passing a quick line to update the other on our activities. Tom and I have never met. We once attempted to put a face with a name but as fate would have it, our paths failed to connect. At least not physically. I still consider Tom one of my best friends. A kind soul with a good heart and a zest for life.

On the downside, because of Tom, I’m an addict. He’s introduced me to something I can’t resist. It’s too powerful, consuming my days . . . and my nights. I’m helpless, an unwitting victim of the drug called “Words With Friends”. Someday I’ll make up my mind to beat it, but I’m not ready for recovery yet. Not til I win a few more games.

Tom and I  recently had a text conversation where I admitted DH and I might end up staying in North Carolina. Or more probably closer to the coast in South Carolina since that state is kinder to retirees and offers lower property taxes. Now this would be of little consequence if it were not for the fact that Tom and his family are living my dream in Arizona. Just saying the name makes me sigh with contentment. Arizona. Arizona. Arizona. Ah, did you feel that? A Zen moment.

I lived there during another life (ten+  years ago) and promised myself I would die there. My children know the box canyon where they are to scatter my ashes, although at the rate of recent construction, my ashes will probably fall into someone’s backyard. Still, the memories call like a Pied Piper, reminding me that I once resided in God’s country.

So as I was bemoaning my fate, Tom uttered those four little words that completely altered my perspective. “Bloom where you’re planted.”

How many of us go through life living in the future world of “someday when” instead of embracing the here and now? How many are so fixated on a plan or goal that they fail to recognize it’s outdated? The only way to survive with any sense of enjoyment is to be flexible. To bend in the wind. Or as the lyrics go in that wonderful song, The Gambler, by Kenny Rogers, “know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away and know when to run.”

So starting today, I’m going to sit in the sun, water my roots, and bloom where I’m planted . . . no matter where that turns out to be.

2 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in General, life experiences, Travel

January 12, 2012

Not All Wanderers Are Lost . . .

By Deb Sanders

 . . . unless you’re my hubby.

I recently went on a Sunday afternoon drive with hubby. I typically explore my surroundings on my own but this particular day I encouraged him to go with me. We  moved to North Carolina last year and since our time here is short, I want to experience everything I can. I want him to do the same. Whether he wants to or not.

 Earlier this fall when the  trees were absolutely glorious with color, I took a day and meandered across a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was so enamored with my adventure that I convinced hubby to repeat the journey with me. In his defense, I’ll admit it was colder. Most of the trees had lost their leaves. The sky was overcast. The wind had a bite. But by golly, it was the friggin’ Blue Ridge Parkway. Everyone who comes here should take at least one day and traverse a few miles just to say they drove it. Right?

 We stopped in a high country hamlet called Blowing Rock for lunch at a quaint little place called Foggy Rock Eatery and Pub. The food was quite tasty and well worth the drive. But being the wanderer I am, I suggested we continue our trek. That’s when things got interesting.

 Hubby and I are a good match. We bring out the best in each other, although sometimes it requires time and patience to realize it. Often, it requires a LOT of time. We approach life and tasks differently and that adds a dash of color to our relationship.

 So it came as no surprise when I realized hubby was driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway at maximum speed, eyes set firmly on the highway in front of him, totally oblivious to the vast layers of mountain ranges in the distance. I set my camera on “motion” and tried to take a few photos but alas, not even motion setting can overcome such speeds.

 The color began to emerge in our relationship. Unfortunately, it came out more in my language than our actions. Did he not see the scenic overlooks? Did he not care to stop and gaze at the vast beauty that leaves one in awe? Apparently not. But this man loves me dearly. He stopped at every third or fourth overlook and allowed me to take a few snapshots for mementos. Granted, he sat in the car with the engine running but realizing how difficult this little diversion was for him just made me love him more.

 And that made me realize we all approach life differently. It doesn’t make one style of direction better than the other. Both will still get you where you want to go, but one will ultimately be more satisfying than the other.

 Hubby likes to go from Point A to Point B. It doesn’t matter if there are no time constraints. The journey is all about the destination. I, on the other hand, enjoy taking my time to experience the little twists and turns along the way. I know I’ll get to Point B eventually but why hurry? I don’t mind being lost. I consider it a road less travelled that could provide a gem or two I might have missed otherwise. Hubby freaks if he doesn’t know where we are. Which is why I often tell him I know our exact location when I haven’t a clue. It makes him feel better. And if he’s not stressed, he’s a lot more fun.

 Since Hubby and I have been married, two things have happened. I’ve learned to arrive on time, both surprising and shocking my children who used to bet on how many minutes I would be late when I said I would meet them at a certain time. Hubby’s indulged my penchant for wandering aimlessly and has even chalked up a couple of memories which he now recalls with fondness.

 And both of us have realized compromise can sometimes break us out of our comfort zone long enough to provide a stellar experience.

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