Chasing the Star Garden By Melanie Karsak ~ The Airship Racing Chronicles ~ Fangtastic Book Tours ~ Excerpt ~ Giveaway

Chasing the Star Garden

The Airship Racing Chronicles

By Melanie Karsak

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Blurb:

An opium-addicted beauty.An infamous poet living in self-imposed exile.An ancient treasure about to fall into the wrong hands.

Melanie Karsak's Chasing the Star Garden takes readers on a thrilling adventure from the gritty opium dens of gaslamp London to the gem-colored waters of the ancient world. Lily Stargazer, a loveable but reckless airship racer with a famous lover and shattered past, reluctantly plunges into a centuries-old mystery in a romantic adventure best described as Dan Brown meets Mary Shelley.

It all begins on one of the worst days of Lily’s life. She just lost the London leg of the 1823 Airship Grand Prix. To top it off, a harlequin fleeing from constables shoved a kaleidoscope down her pants, told her to fly to Venice, then threw himself from her airship tower. What’s a girl to do? For Lily, the answer is easy: drink absinthe and smoke opium.

Lily’s lover, Lord Byron, encourages her to make the trip to Venice. Lily soon finds herself at the heart of an ancient mystery which has her running from her past and chasing true love and the stars along the way.

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Excerpt:

Chapter 1

I was going to lose-again. I gripped the brass handles on the wheel and turned the airship sharply port. The tiller vibrated in protest making the wheel shake and my wrist bones ache. Bracing my knees against the spokes, I tore off my brown leather gloves to get a better feel. The metal handgrips were smooth and cold. My fingers tingled from the chill.
“Easy,” I whispered to the Stargazer. I looked up from my position at the wheelstand, past the ropes, burner basket, and balloon, toward the clouds. They were drifting slowly left in a periwinkle blue sky. There’d be an updraft as we passed over the green-brown waters of the canal near Buckingham House. I locked the wheel and jumped from the wheelstand onto the deck of the gondola and looked over the rail. The canal waters were a hundred feet away. I ran back to the wheel and steadied the ship. If I caught the updraft, it would propel me up and forward and give me an edge.
“Cutter caught it, Lily,” Jessup yelled down from the burner basket below the balloon opening. “Up he goes,” he added, looking out through his spyglass. The gold polish on the spyglass reflected the fire from the burner.
“Dammit!” I snapped down my binocular lense. I saw Hank Cutter’s red-and-white striped balloon rise upward. At the top, he pitched forward with great momentum, catching a horizontal wind. I could just make out Cutter at the wheel. His blond hair blew wildly around him. He turned and waved to me. Wanker.
I was not as lucky. Just as the bow of the Stargazer reached the water, a stray wind came in and blew us leeward. The balloon jiggled violently in the turbulent air. I missed the air pocket altogether.
“No! No, no, no!” I cursed and steadied the ship. I had chased Cutter from Edinburgh across the Scottish and English countryside. He had been off his game all day. I’d had him by half a mile the entire race. With the bottom feeders lingering somewhere in the distance behind us, I’d thought the London leg of the 1823 Airship Grand Prix would be mine. That was until St. Albans, where Cutter caught a random breeze that pushed him slightly in front of me. Cutter had a knack for catching favorable winds; it was not a talent I shared.
“We’re coming up on Westminster,” Jessup yelled down from the basket. “Lily, drop altitude. Cutter is too high. Come in low and fast, and you might overtake him.”
The airship towers sat at the pier near the Palace of Westminster along the Thames. A carnival atmosphere had overtaken the city as it always does on race day. Colorful tents were set up everywhere. Vendors hawked their wares to excited Londoners and international visitors. I could hear the merchants barking from their tents even from this far above. I fancied I could smell roasted peanuts in the wind.
I jumped down from the wheelstand, ran across the deck, and pulled the valve cord, opening the flap at the top of the balloon. Hot air released with a hiss. I kept one eye on the balloon and another eye on Tinkers’ Tower. At this time of day, the heat coming off of the Palace of Westminster and Tinkers’ Tower would give us a bump. I looked up. Cutter had started preparing his descent. It would be close.
I ran back to the wheel.
“Angus, I need more speed,” I yelled down to the gear galley, rapping on the wooden hatch that led to the rods, belts, and propeller parts below.
Angus slapped open the hatch and stuck out his bald head. His face was covered in grease, and his blue-lense monocle glimmered in the sunlight. He looked up at the clouds and back at me.
“Let’s giddyup,” I called to him.
“You trying the Tower sling?” he yelled back.
“You got it.”
He laughed wildly. “That’s my lassie,” he yelled and dropped back down, pulling the wood hatch closed with a clap. I heard the gears grind, and the propeller, which had been turning nice and steady, began to hum loudly. The ship pitched forward. Within moments, we were coming up on Tinkers’ Tower. The airship towers were just a stone’s throw away.
I aimed the ship directly toward Tinkers’ Tower. Just as the bowsprit neared the clock, I yanked the wheel. The warm air caught us.
“Whoa!” Jessup yelled as the balloon moved within arm’s length of the tower.
The sound of “Ohhs!” echoed from the crowd below.
A mix of warm air and propulsion gave us some go, and seconds later we were slingshotting around Tinkers’ Tower toward the airship platforms. Gliding in on warm air and momentum, we flew fast and low.
Cutter had kept it high, but now he was dropping like a stone toward his own tower. Damned American. I didn’t blame him; I would have used the same move. His balloon was releasing so much air that I wondered if he would be able to slow down in time, not that I would have minded seeing him smash to the ground in a million pieces.
“It’s going to be close,” Jessup yelled as he adjusted the heat pan.
I guided the helm. The Stargazer was temperamental, but we understood one another. A shake of the wheel warned me I was pushing too hard. “Almost there,” I whispered to the ship.
The Grand Prix Marshalls were standing on the platform. Cutter and I had the end towers. I was going to make it.
“Cut propulsion,” I yelled toward the gear galley. On the floor near the wheelstand, a rope led to a bell in the galley. I rang it twice. The propeller switched off.
A soft, sweet wind blew in from the port side. It ruffled my hair around my shoulders. I closed my eyes and turned the wheel slightly starboard, guiding the ship in. Moments later, I heard a jubilant cheer erupt from the American side and an explosion from the firework cannon signaling the winner had been declared. My eyes popped open. I tore off my goggles and looked starboard. Cutter’s balloon was docked. I threw the goggles onto the deck and set my forehead against the wheel.
The Stargazer settled into her dock. Jessup set the balloon on hover and, grabbing a rope, swung down to the deck. He then threw the lead lines and anchors onto the platform. The beautifully dressed crowd, gentlemen in suits and top hats and fancy ladies in a rainbow of satin gowns carrying parasols, rushed toward the American end of the platform to congratulate the winner.
I was, once again, a national disgrace. Lily the loser. Lily second place. Perhaps I would never be anything more than a ferrywoman, a cheap air jockey.
“Good job, Lily. Second place!” Jessup said joining me. He patted me on the shoulder.
I sighed deeply and unbuttoned my vest. The tension had me sweating; I could feel it dripping down from my neck, between my breasts, into my corset.
“You did great,” I told Jessup. “Sorry I let you down.”
“Ah, Lily,” he sighed.
Angus emerged from below wiping sweat from his head with a greasy rag. He pulled off his monocle. He frowned toward the American side. “Well, we beat the French,” he said with a shrug and kissed me on the cheek, smearing grease on me.
“Good job, Angus. Thank you,” I said, taking him by the chin and giving him a little shake as I wrinkled my nose and smiled at him.
Angus laughed and dropped his arm around Jessup’s shoulders. They grinned happily at one another.
“You stink, brother,” Jessup told him.
“It’s a wee bit toasty down there. Besides, I pedaled this ship across the entire fucking country while you were up here looking at the birds. That, my friend, is the smell of success.”
I laughed.
“You pedaled the ship?” Jessup asked mockingly. “Like Lil and I were just up here playing cards? If I didn’t keep the balloon aloft, your ass would be kissing the ground.”
“Now wait a minute. Are you saying your job is more important that mine?” Angus retorted.
I could see where this was going. “Gents.”
“More important? Now why would I say that? Just because I’m the one . . .” Jessup started and then his mouth ran.
“Gents.”
“ . . . and another thing . . .” Jessup went on.
“Gentlemen! Our audience awaits,” I said cutting them both off, motioning to the well-shod crowd who waited for us on the loading platform outside the Stargazer.
I grinned at my crew. “Come on. Let’s go.”
I patted the rail of the Stargazer. “Thanks,” I whispered to her, and we exited onto the platform.
A reporter from the London Times and several race officials stood waiting for me.
“Well done, Lily! Well done!” the British race official congratulated me with a pat on the back. “Second place! King George will be so proud. One of these days you’ll have it, by God.”
I was pretty sure that the last thing I needed was the attention of George IV, the extravagant, unpopular lush. But I bit my tongue and smiled politely.
“Lily, how did Cutter beat you? You led the entire race,” the reporter asked. She was a round woman wearing a very thick black lace collar that looked like it was choking her. Her heavy purple walking dress looked hot under the late afternoon summer sun, and the brim of her black satin cap barely shaded her nose. I noticed, however, that she had a small clockwork fan pin attached to her chest. The fan wagged cool air toward her face.
I pulled off my cap, mopped my forehead, and thought about the question. “Luck,” I replied.
“Lily, that was some move around Tinkers’ Tower. How did you learn to do that?” another reporter asked.
“My father,” I lied.
“Make way, make way,” one of the race officials called, ushering a Marshall forward.
The Marshall looked like someone who lingered an hour too long at supper. The gold buttons on his satin, marigold colored vest would take an eye out if they popped. His overly tall top hat was adorned with a ring of flowers that matched his striking orange colored dress coat.
“Miss Stargazer, congratulations,” he said, shaking my hand. “The Spanish airship is coming in now. Will you please join Mr. Cutter at the winners’ podium?” he asked politely as he guided me forward by the hand.
From below there was a commotion. A man dressed in an unusual costume rushed up the stairs. The London constables, a full squadron of the Bow Street Runners, chased him. When he got to the loading platform, the man pushed through a crowd of well-dressed ladies and gentlemen, many of whom were gentry. It was then I could see he was dressed as a harlequin. He wore the traditional red and black checked outfit and a black mask. He scanned the towers until he caught sight of me. He jumped, landing on the tower railing, and ran toward me. A woman in the crowd screamed. Moments later the constables appeared on the platform. The race Marshalls pointed toward the harlequin who was making a beeline for me.
I let go of the Marshall’s hand and stepped back toward the ship.
“Lily,” Jessup warned, moving protectively toward me.
Angus reached over the deck of the Stargazer and grabbed a very large wrench.
Was it an assassin? Christ, would someone murder me for winning second place? I turned and ran toward the Stargazer. A moment later, the harlequin flipped from the rail, grabbed one of the Stargazer’s ropes, and swinging over the others, landed on the platform directly in front of me. Any second now, I would be dead.
He panted and muttered “Lily?” from behind the mask.
“Stop that man! Stop him!” a constable yelled.
“Get out of my way!” Angus roared at the crowd that had thronged in between us.
The masked man grabbed me, tugged on the front of my trousers, and leaned into my ear. The long nose of the mask tickled the side of my face. “Go to Venice,” he whispered as he stuffed something down the front of my pants.
“We got you now,” a constable said, grabbing him, raising his club.
The man shook him off, took two steps backward, and with a jump, leapt off the tower.
Several people in the crowd screamed.
I rushed to the side of the tower to see the harlequin lying at its base. His body was twisted, and his arms and legs bent oddly, contorted into three distinct points. Blood began pooling around him.
“Miss Stargazer, are you all right?” a constable asked.
“A man just killed himself in front of me. No, I am not all right.”
“I mean, are you harmed? Did he hurt you?”
I shook my head and looked down at the mangled body which lay in the shape of a three-sided triskelion. It was the same symbol that was painted on the balloon of the Stargazer.

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About the author:



Melanie Karsak grew up in rural northwestern Pennsylvania where there wasn’t much to do but read books and go for hikes. She wrote her first novel, a gripping piece about a 1920s stage actress, when she was 12. Today, Melanie, a steampunk connoisseur, white elephant collector, and caffeine junkie, lives in Florida with her husband and two children. She is an Instructor of English at Eastern Florida State College.




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Author Links: 

Blog: melaniekarsak.blogspot.com

Twitter: twitter.com/MelanieKarsak

Email: melanie@clockpunkpress.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorMelanieKarsak

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/melaniekarsak/

Authorgraph: www.authorgraph.com/authors/MelanieKarsak

A Goodreads author: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6539577.Melanie_Karsak


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Gailene’s Vow, Original Blood #1 By Stuart Land ~ Fangtastic Book Tours ~Giveaway ~ Excerpt

Gailene’s Vow, Original Blood #1

By Stuart Land

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter below to enter the for the prize.

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Blurb:


DESTINY IS IN THE BLOOD

GAILENE’S VOW is the delicious, but tormenting tale of two women as they become vampires. Gailene must rise from devastation, rage, and vengeance in 1790s rural England, leaving her human family to become a powerful vampire matriarch in fledgling America. Two centuries later, college coed, Zondra, discovers she’s the leader of her grandmother’s empire when she begins turning, though never bitten. Gailene’s story unfolds to Zondra through their familial blood, revealing the tragic destiny, but poignant love both women have for Jeremiah. He lives in anguish while preparing Zondra to protect her new family against the retribution of Gailene’s creator.


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Excerpt:

Washington D.C.–present

My scream choked off as if frozen in the air along with the white puffs of my breath. Terror forced my ice skates out across the frozen pond, blood pounding in my ears with each thrust of my legs. When I chanced a glance back, he was impossibly gone from the wide-open ice. The Washington Monument, sleek and barren of emotion, loomed ominously above the trees in the distant grey dusk. Despair engulfed me as I jerked my eyes forward, flooding my mind with prayers that went immediately unanswered: his horrid, insipid gaze was just inches from my face.

He glided backwards on the ice as fast as I skated forward, though he wore no skates and his body showed no motion. His voice entered my mind: I’m going to taste you, Zondra. I tried desperately to stop, but slid into his outstretched arms and legs that wrapped about me like a lover, drawing me to him. I arched away, pushing against his chest as he bent toward my neck, mouth opening horridly wide as slender fangs seemed to materialize with a sound as soft as a breath.

His pallid face passed my vision when his cold hand angled my head to the side­and that’s when I saw him, just a blur of color, nothing really to focus on. In an instant, he was across the pond and upon us. The one who held me yelped, almost bird-like, when something snapped by my ear. Cold viscous liquid blasted the side of my face, my eyes­then the ice broke.

As I slid into the black water, I saw two others, lips curled back, talon-like teeth bared, collide with the one who had come to aid me. For that frozen moment his face turned toward me and I knew what should be unknowable: that I was, and always had been, his.

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 About the Author:

Stuart is a novelist, screenwriter, and sculptor.
His story ideas come from his vivid imagination, but his inspiration draws from extensive world travel and fascinating careers: from US military medic to hairstylist, then Washington D.C. Police officer to NYC photographer.
Later, Stuart converted a chicken coop in the woods into a live-in studio and taught himself metal sculpture. That rudimentary craft expanded into the fine arts. Sculptures in bronze and fiberglass led to shows in the US, England and Thailand.
My passion for all arts segued into: costume design (top 100 designers in the book, Fashion: 2001); modeling agency art director; fashion show designer; water feature designer, computer illustrator, and a top sculptor for special effects, sets and props in the entertainment industry with work in over thirty major films, hotels and theme parks worldwide.
During Stuart’s film career, he learned screenwriting firsthand by pestering the many actors, directors, and producers whose films he worked on, as well as attending many writing and directing workshops. To explore character and environment more, he took up narrative fiction. Stuart Land has published 8 novels, and written 18 screenplays.
He continues on the journey.

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Buy Links:
Amazon

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You can find Stuart on:

Web site: http://bit.ly/17oMGtX

Blog: http://bit.ly/1bs4PG9

Fan page: http://on.fb.me/19JQBkC

Linkedin: http://linkd.in/1dztA8g

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1ahtX5V

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/18YBfJA

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1cqj4QY

Aboutme: http://bit.ly/1hkrYz8


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Coming Soon to Amazon :

Szejna’s Revenge, Original Blood #2

By Stuart Land

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Blurb:

FOLLOW THE BLOOD

In SZEJNA’S REVENGE, the astounding conclusion that played out in GAILENE'S VOW threatens to tear apart the vampire nation, and start a global war with humans. Only Szejna, a vampire who looks 18, but is so old she's lost her memory, has the solution to the coming Armageddon. But to find it, she must share her blood with her nascent protégé, Zondra, and together, journey back thousands of years to ancient Rome. In the present, while Szejna teaches Zondra how to use her unique abilities, they unintentionally resurrect dreadful vampires from beyond death, bent on retribution and world domination.

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Additional Excerpt from Gailene’s Vow:

Opening for chapter two:

Holly-on-Brighton, England–November 1789

Rough breath panted at Gailene’s ear in rhythm with her racing heart. Her body, coated in a sweaty sheen, glowed in candlelight as she slid upon another in pulsing cadence. Arms and legs tangled, fingers reaching for one another. Glorious moans escaped lips with each breath, while salt burnt eyes and flavored roaming tongues.

Gailene drew herself up to ride Fenton in full gallop. By the same wavering light from the hearth that threw her lithe silhouette onto the log and mortar wall of the cabin, Fenton’s powerfully cut features stood out in sharp relief. The hard straight edge of his nose that settled into hollowed cheeks gave him the air of a Greek warrior from which he laughingly swore descendancy. However, the fire in his swarthy eyes betrayed Spanish heritage. Except in name, there seemed nothing English about him. It was staring into those eyes that weakened her resolve and made her wet.

She arched her back away from the overpowering fireplace heat to meet the cool air of the room that flowed down over her face and breasts, renewing her. Rocking hard against Fenton’s thighs, she ground down while he plowed up deep into her. Each thrust was like cannon fire between her legs, unifying their rapturous screams.

Gailene collapsed onto Fenton with a sigh. He stroked her hair and whispered into her ear. “Why the lament, dearest? Do our rendezvous upset you so?”

“On outset, I am eager, but on conclusion, there are regrets.”

“Then why don’t you come and stay with me? By God’s truth, I can care for you better than Kerrick.”

She rolled off him onto her back, staring at the shadows jumping on the ceiling from the firelight. “He is my husband and I love him. You are his best friend and should love him also.”

Fenton turned on his side to study her silhouette and the now steady rise and fall of her breasts. Her skin, as smooth and white as a dove’s breast, begged to be touched, but her deep jade faraway eyes, naturally defiant, kept everyone at bay but for him and Kerrick. Her lips, full and always flush, cut to a fine taper where they met her cheeks. Hers was a mouth that drew attention in its serenity, a mouth that rarely smiled. But it had always smiled for him.

“I do love Kerrick, as a man can love a brother, and you know the truth in that.” He ran coarse fingers over the tender skin of her cheek. “But I love you more, my Gailene.”

She batted his hand away as if it were a mouse fallen from the rafters. “Just stop that talk, Fenton Ryder! You don’t love me and I am not yours to love.”

Sitting up, he grabbed her hands. “Then why do you call me to you? Are you so fond of torturing me?”

She pulled away, slipping off the bed, her thatch of red hair seemingly igniting from the firelight as it slapped against her back. “Me thinks I torture myself all the more for these rendezvous. I feel but a harlot at these times.”

Fenton reached for her, but she stepped further away into the shadows. “Please, darling, don’t speak of yourself as such. We’ve held company since we were children.”

“How can I not, when I desire your sex so strongly, the same as any streetwalker.” She came back to the bedside and took his hands. “T’were better we finished such trysts and live blamelessly.”

Alarmed, Fenton sprang from the bed to gather Gailene in his arms. “You cannot mean it!”

She pushed against his comfort. “I’ve made up my mind.”

“But dearest, I don’t want­“

“This isn’t about our wants, Fenton. Our desires are wrong, and we both know it.” She pushed harder against his still wet chest. “Release me and don your clothes.”

Fenton’s will dissolved and his arms fell to his sides. His powerful muscles were no match to Gailene’s resolve. He felt like a boy before his scolding mother, powerless and guilt ridden.

She went to the washstand and poured water from the clay pitcher into the plain ceramic bowl. “Get dressed, Fenton. Kerrick arrives home come morn.”

He gathered his clothes, and pulled them on as he watched her wash. His heart and loins ached for her, but talking was useless now. Another month, maybe, but not now. In minutes, both stood dressed and silent at the threshold. Fenton went to embrace her, but she moved back. He couldn’t even gaze into her eyes for she hung her head low. He swept his dagger and flintlock pistol off the side table and stuck them in his waistband, then took up his sabre from its perch by the door and affixed it to his belt.

While his hands were busy at that task, Gailene stepped in and embraced him, trapping his arms. “I do love you, Fenton, and this will not change. But please, I beg of you, go back to being Kerrick’s true friend and leave me to be his true wife.”

She stepped away and with great difficulty, pulled her wet eyes up to his. His strength to oppose multiple adversaries in combat was not sufficient to keep the tears from his eyes. Forcing his words was harder than facing death. “I will abide by your desire, my­”

He stood motionless, lost in the universe of his empty heart, then leaned forward and brought a handful of Gailene’s hair to his face, inhaling its fragrance for the last time. Within the moment, he was out the door, swallowed by the darkness. Seconds later, the whinny of his horse and sudden thumping hooves, were testament to his painful departure. When the horse’s rhythmic clomp died away, Gailene fell against the door, pushing it shut as she crumpled to the floor. Shaking in silence, she bit back the tears until her screams of agony and regret finally escaped.

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From Prisoner of War to Artist: This is His Story as I Know It By Corinne B. Trepanier ~ Fangsastic Book Tour ~ Giveaway

From Prisoner of War to Artist: 
This is His Story as I Know It

By Corinne B. Trepanier

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway near the bottom of the page.

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Book blurb:


Otto Donau was a bigger-than-life character to me who lived in a completely different time than we do. A century ago, he was twenty-four years old. Although I never met him, I am drawn to him like no one else before. There is an unexplainable connection I feel between him and me that with words I cannot explain. This book is about his life and the way he lived it. It is told through stories passed down from generation to generation. I want those who read my words to be able to feel and see his life as I see it. I wish for him to never be forgotten.



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Excerpt:

Otto and his fellow prisoners were placed in tight quarters or dormitories barely large enough to house the number of people who were placed there. There was one person on top of another in cots and makeshift bunk beds. A large portion of the prisoners were forced into hard labor, either working as lumberjacks or working on the railroads. There are so many varied accounts as to the treatment of these prisoners of war. Some stories would suggest that the camps weren’t too terribly bad and the treatment was relatively fair. Other accounts describe them as devilish places of torture and grief; the worst possible places you could picture here on Earth. Honestly, if you weren’t there, how could you describe them precisely? The percentage of those prisoners who died was extremely high and those who did manage to survive suffered illness and injury. My grandfather was not immune to those ailments that so many suffered and would develop severe asthma and kidney disease.

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About the Author:

Corinne is a girl that's lived all over the world having been an Air force brat. She lives in a small town in Wisconsin with her husband and five furry children. She started writing so that she can give the world the story of her Grandfather and the interesting life he lived. She tells his story now so that he may live on in print.


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Buy Links:

Amazon
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Barnes & Noble
Trafford
Book World
Kobo
Goodreads
Sony


You can find Corinne on:
Facebook
Twitter
Website

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Short Pathways in a Room of Imagination By John Needham ~ Fangtastic Book Tours

Short Pathways in a Room of Imagination

By John Needham

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Blurb:



Each of my stories portray settings that seem as though they may have really happened, but could not possibly be so. Each and every concept is straight out of my head, and figments of my imagination. None of the content is real, even if I wanted or willed it to be. All of it is pure fantasy, as much as it would be nice that any of it is real. It is my strongest hope that I draw you in to imagine along with me for a while.





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Excerpt:

INTRODUCTION
You are cordially invited to open a door in my mind. It is an entryway to a room that contains my imagination. Once inside, you will find that I have cleared short pathways that lead to different parts of the room. The reason for this is because it is rather crowded. I truly apologize for the mess, as well as a considerable amount of disturbing items. If you can look past the clutter, I would be honored to have you wander down each pathway to my assorted brick-a-brac of ideas. By all means, examine any thing you want closely. It is my hope that during your visit to explore my room, you will be inspired to imagine for yourself a while, but be warned to keep a proper perspective. Leave every one of my knick knacks and curios inside the room. Shut the door behind you when you go. Above all, take heed that the seeds of might bes not consume you, as the could happens have threatened to consume me. It is a good to use your imagination, but I have found through personal experience that excesses, as with all excesses, lead to compulsions. The first litmus test for that extreme, is when the lines between the real and unreal get blurred.

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About the Author:

There is not much tell about myself, and I won't bore anyone with a life story that is much like any other, except to point out the great lengths I go to get attention; not so much 'life of the party' attention, because for me, it is not about the ego, but an ear, and interaction. I crave for someone to listen, and talk for a while. Writing affords me this privilege, even if it is set on time delay. I am not some old sage that imparts wisdom to savor for the generations, but to point out thoughts, concepts, and ideas that should be pondered, imagined, shared, cried, or laughed over. I feel it is important to pause every now and again to consider what is around us, rather than to continue doggedly living without acknowledging something else beside our own linear worlds. I tried for years to sit and chat with any and everybody who would spend some time bull-crapping without the crapper needing the benefit of drug inducement, or being so old a word can't be gotten in edgewise. Now it is my turn to speak...

You can find John on:
Twitter
Facebook
Website

You can buy online at:
Amazon


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Eden’s Mark By D.M. Sears ~ Fangtastic Book Tours ~ Giveaway ~

Eden’s Mark

By D.M. Sears

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Blurb:


After tonight, Eden would be forever different. The life she knew was in the past making way for a future unknown. Her destiny beckoned, Eden took a breath and walked into the portal away from childhood, away from her home.
Eden Arik was a typical teenager who lived the typical teenage life...until the pale eyes showed up in her dreams. The birthmark, Eden had always ignored, burned at the new nightmares, raising questions about her past. Eden finds out she is part witch and fairy that is destined to save a world she never knew existed that inhabits people far more than human. Her only solitude is the woods behind her house where she meets a mysterious stranger with steel eyes. With the help of her guardians, two unlikely shape shifters, and a vampire who can bring her to her knees with one glance, Eden goes on to search the secrets of her past, present, and future. Along her way to discovery, Eden comes across Circenn; her grandmother, consort to the Darkness and the evil magic he possess. Circenn will stop at nothing to bring Eden to the darkness so she can harness her granddaughter's limitless power. Seduction, power, and death pave the way towards Eden's destiny and the fate of Ellethny.

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Excerpt:

Air…I needed air. I sucked breath in between my lips trying to calm my shaking limbs. My skin covered in sweat was ice cold. My wrist seemed as if on fire, my birthmark pulsed an ugly red in unison with my labored breathing. For all the years I dreamed, my birthmark never flared or bothered me, not until recently. Dreams of odd goings on haunted me now. Distant images of a gray sky, purple mountains, and mostly, of these too white blank pair of eyes. Those dreams cause my mark to burn savagely leaving me with a feeling of unsettledness.
      I lay in my bed hoping to get a grip on reality as I heard footsteps coming from the hallway.  The clock on my nightstand read 2:30 am. Ugh, another night of waking up my guardians. Poor Lex and Val. Every night that a dream troubled me, they came to comfort me. So many sleepless nights they have had all because I am a freak with nightmares.
      Tucking my arm under my cover, I sat up in bed waiting for them to burst in. The large oak door opened as my faithful guardians rushed into the room, worried expressions plagued their faces.
      “Eden, are you all right?” Val threw her arms around my shoulders pulling me into her warm embrace. Her cracking voice gave a hint that tears were not far behind.
       So sleep deprived. Val’s rich brown eyes lacked luster where once they looked like shiny pebbles from a creek bed. Her peaches and cream complexion was pale, pasty, marred with dark circles. The worst part was her hair. Val’s long copper tresses looked colorless and ill treated. I remember wanting to touch the strands all the time. I would wrap my fingers in her natural curls and watch her hair dance as it fell down her back. Taking her in now, the sadness had become so apparent. I was responsible for this whole mess.
      “Same dream again. Sorry for getting you both up. I just don’t understand why these dreams keep coming back.” I stared at Lex; his face was shadowed with concern.                                                           
      Lexington, much like Valora, was also a ghost of his once youthful self. He had perfect blonde hair, deep-set aqua eyes, and always carried a smile. Now, he looked weary, sad, almost guilty yet sympathetic to my night terrors. Not much to smile about anymore, for any of us.
      “You have nothing to be sorry for.” Lex patted my shoulder and I took some solace in his soft voice. “We love you and want to help. If coming in here and sitting with you through these nightmares is all we can do, then, we will, for as long as we can.” His smile never reached the corners of his mouth. Val stood behind him, gazing at her husband with sweet appreciation.
      “Let’s go downstairs and I will make us some tea. There’s a new recipe I want to try. Made correctly, should induce sleep. Sound good?”Her playful smirk gave way to my grin. I always smiled when she had new recipes to try on us.
      “Who doesn’t love being a guinea pig?” I gave a short laugh trying to release the heavy.
      “That’s our girl!”  Lex beamed at me.
      Val winked at the two of us and strolled out of the room. Lex gave his signature smile-nod combo and followed behind.
       I pushed the covers off once they had gone. A faded pink birthmark replaced the red inflamed skin that throbbed just moments ago. I pulled my sleeve back in place to cover it, removing it from sight. I needed a minute to get myself under control; I watched the small particles of dust float around in the air.
      “Come on feet, time to get moving.” I sat up on the corner of my bed, my feet found my slippers and I walked into my bathroom.
      The faucet was arched spitting the cold water into the bowl sink. I filled my hands, splashing my face several times enjoying the serenity it gave me. At this point, I would try anything to clear my head. Too many days had come and gone where I was mentally useless. My thoughts hung up on my dreams or weird feelings I was having. Now that my birthmark was coming alive, it added to my already strugglesome life.
       The fluffy towel dried my now cooled face and I took the chance to look at myself in the mirror. A worn image of a youthful girl stared back at me. The girl in the mirror looked exhausted, run down from nightly thrashing and screaming. Lifeless auburn hair, pin straight, hung over her shoulders. The girl’s large hazel eyes, dull and bloodshot from endless nightmares, had lost their charm. Exotic, warm, glowing, people said these things about her face. All I could see was a face that had lost its vitality.
      There was no point in trying to look nice, have a boyfriend, or friends in general. “Eden nothing is going to help the hot mess that is you.” Talking to myself seemed to be my favorite past time. I pulled my hair back and walked out of the room.
      The familiar pictures on the walls comforted me. I had seen these photos for the past seventeen years of my life, each one displaying scenes of my guardians and me. Lex and Val, the only real family I had, but somewhere inside of me there had to be more to my life I had yet to discover; about myself and my past.
      My guardians told me I came to live with them as a baby. Fragmented, blurry images were all I could ever remember of my early childhood. Anytime the subject was broached, they shut it down… immediately. For some reason that particular topic was a sore spot. I hoped in time they would tell me on their own, but that came to no avail. Avoidance became the routine. Now, with these super creepy dreams coming at me every night, something had to be done. My gut told me the dreams and my past was interconnected somehow.
      My ears picked up the hushed sounds of my guardians in the kitchen. Even though eavesdropping was wrong, I tipped toed to the door straining to hear their conversation.
      “Honey, we have to tell her. These dreams are coming more and more often. Something is going to happen if we do not prepare her. We promised we would tell Eden everything when the time was right, that time has come.” 
      Watching through the crack in the door, Lex walked over and wrapped his arms around Val. Her eyes followed the reflections in the glass before them. 
      “I don’t know Lex. Her protection is all that matters to me. My family died so I could keep her safe. I cannot put Eden in the same danger I fled from, I just can’t.”
      “Don’t cry Valora, Eden has a great destiny, one she will need guidance to fulfill, it is our job to prepare her, no matter what.” Tenderness and sincerity backed each syllable he uttered.
      I stood dumbstruck for a brief moment. What did Val mean…her family had died and what danger had she come from? Confusion filled my thoughts. I pushed the door open causing it to hit the wall loudly. “What journey, what am I being prepared for? I think you all need to fill me in on some things.” Curiosity killed the cat they say, I say…meow.
      “You heard us huh?” I nodded in response. “Eden, for many years you have asked us what happened to you, your parents, and how you came to live here with us. It’s time to tell you all you want to know.”
      Anxiousness overwhelmed me. Trepidation claimed me over what they were going to say. Seventeen years was a long time to keep something quiet, my guess, it wasn’t going to be good news.
      “Perhaps we should go sit and talk. The tea is almost ready, I will be with you in a few moments. Val’s whispering voice was barely audible.
      Lex gestured towards the door, I followed working out the questions I wanted to ask and hoping I vomit from nervousness.
      Lex sat in his usual spot on the worn leather sofa, its matching chair and ottoman sat near the fireplace, my favorite seat in the house. Warm, inviting, I could sit in that chair and read for hours. On more than one occasion, Lex or Valora would find me asleep with a book open in my lap. They would cover me up and leave me. I would eventually wake up minus one book and plus one blanket. Slight warmth, like bath water, flowed from the eclipsed shape mark on my wrist relaxing my tense somewhat.
      Semi-relaxed, Val brought me a cup of her tea; I smelled it to see if I could figure out what she had put in it. My guardian has always had this thing with herbs, flowers, and spices. She has a gift, to say the least. Val can combine different herbs and plants into food and drink to help others. She has a small home based business and supplies such remedies to those who can afford it. Tonight her tea smelled of jasmine, lavender, and one other fragrance that stumped me. I took a sip of the heated brown liquid, delicious. It had a strong bitter taste at first, but soon melted away to a sweet floral, honey-like after taste. I felt the tea slide down my throat and warm me from the inside. Relaxation hit immediately. Val knew what she was doing.
      “I don’t want to be rude, and I am sorry for listening in on you two, but what do I need to be prepared for?” My gaze flitted between the both of them seated side by side on the leather sofa. They were holding hands, staring at each other; Val had tears in her eyes.
      Slowly Lex set his cup down and cleared his throat. “I guess the best place to start is our past. You need to know where we come from to understand the situation we now find ourselves in.”
      Lex was ready to speak when Val put a hand up in front of him. “Wait, I should be the one to tell her, after all, she is my niece.” Niece…when did that happen? My insides rolled.
      “What? I thought you said you were friends with my mom?” I know I looked stunned, I felt stunned.

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About the Author:

D.M. Sears lives in a small town in the middle of Missouri with her daughter, Larissa, and their crazy two-faced cat, Cindy Lou. She is currently a director at an early childhood center and bakes cupcakes on the side as a small in-home business. She has recently begun her publishing career and hopes to continue that for years to come. Sears has found that all the small things that make up her daily life provide her enough ammunition to write some interesting things!




You can find D.M. Sears online at:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/diana.sears2
Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/DMSears1
Website:  http://myrissaeden1.wix.com/ellethnyseries


Available for Purchase


http://www.solsticepublishing.com




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Samantha Chase’s Montgomery Brothers Series Box Set Book Tour ~ Fangtastic Book Tours ~ Giveaway

 Montgomery Brothers Series Box Set

By Samantha Chase

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Interview:

Crystal: Today as part of a Fangtastic Book Tours I have the pleasure interview Samantha Chase. Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?

Samantha: Hey!  I’m Samantha Chase and I am an avid reader and writer of Contemporary Romances.  I’ve been writing for what seems like my entire life but I decided to take the leap to self-publishing in 2011 after getting way too many rejections!  I currently have 9 titles available but that seems to be forever changing because my goal has been a book a month for 2013 and I’m almost there!

Crystal: Where did you come up with the idea for “More of Me”?

Samantha: The Montgomery Brothers trilogy was a much bigger success than I had ever imagined it would be.  It took me completely by surprise.  By the time the third book came out, people were just beyond excited.  The night that it was released, I was live chatting with dozens of fans who were telling me that they got it while my UK fans were upset because it wasn’t released there yet!  It was a wonderful experience.  

So many people wanted more of the series but it was about three brothers and I had written three books.  End of story, right?  So I decided to write “More of Me” as a transition book to sort of wrap up the trilogy and then introduce some Montgomery cousins who will have their own trilogy in 2014.

Crystal:  What are you currently working on?

Samantha: I am getting ready to release a box set of my Montgomery Brothers trilogy along with a bonus novella that will be exclusive to the bundle.  It is due to release on 10/24.  But I am in the midst of writing a Christmas novella that will be released in late November called “The Snowflake Inn”.  I love a good holiday story!

Crystal:  Do you have any special routine that you follow when you are writing? 

Samantha: I live in a very small house and right now my “office” is in my dining room.  I tend to write more at night and so with no privacy and no doors to shut, I have a pair of headphones and a sounds of the ocean CD that I listen to to block out the sounds of the family and TV and whatnot going on around me.  

About twice a year I go on a writing retreat weekend.  I either go to this great little cottage that is on a friend’s property or to a hotel.  I check in on Friday night and don’t return home until Sunday night and I spend the entire weekend writing.  One particular weekend during NaNoWriMo, I wrote 33,000 words over the course of the weekend!

In general, I write when the mood strikes and when I really need to buckle down, I don’t allow myself to get up until I’ve written at least 2,500 words.  Sometimes that’s pretty quick and other times it feels like days.

Crystal:  Did you have to do a lot of research for this book or any other? If so do you have a fascinating fact that you have learned you would like to share with us?

Samantha: It’s funny because I’ve tried to stick to writing what I know.  In my book “Catering to the CEO”, the heroine dealt with Endometriosis.  I was diagnosed with that myself many years ago and so I drew from that experience for the book.  I had one particularly angry reader leave a heated review on Amazon stating that I didn’t know what I was talking about because SHE had Endometriosis and I wasn’t telling it right!  Kind of funny because everyone has different degrees of ailments and respond differently to treatment and I felt like here was a time that I had actually lived through something I was writing about and someone accused me of not doing my research!  How much more could I have done!  LOL!

Most of my stories take place in North Carolina – where I’ve lived now for 18 years – and I am just starting to branch out and travel to different parts of the state for research.  So far I love the Carolina Coast the best!

Crystal:  Who are some of your favorite authors that you like to read?

Samantha: Bella Andre, Kate Perry, Shannon Stacey, Jill Shalvis and Kristan Higgins

Crystal: Is there a genre you haven't written that you would like to try?

Samantha: Many years ago I had started a romantic suspense novel but never finished it.  I think if I had to do something other than contemporary romance, I’d go there first.  I’ve watched enough “Law & Order” that I could possibly muddle through!

Crystal:  Do you have a favorite scene you would like to share with us?

Samantha: Is it wrong that I have a LOT of favorite scenes?  Let’s see…here’s a little bit from the novella “More of Me” that will be exclusive to the Montgomery Brothers box set, “All of Me”:

“Why were the two of you hiding back there?”  Casey turned and faced an elderly woman who had to be in her eighties; she was standing in a bright yellow sequined dress, hands on her hips and frowning at both Casey and Ryder.  “It’s not polite to partake in hanky panky at somebody’s wedding you know,” she snapped.  

“What?” Casey managed to squeak out.  “Oh, no…ma’am; there was no hanky panky going on back there.”

“Did you find out what they were doing back there?”  Another elderly woman stepped up in an equally loud dress.  She was looking at Casey and Ryder with suspicion.  “We’re in a hotel for crying out loud; seriously, get a room.”

Ryder stepped around Casey and faced the two women.  “Ladies, as we said, there was no…hanky panky going on and there was no need to get a room.”

“Then why were you hiding out back there?” 

Ryder turned and looked to Casey for help.  She stepped to his side and faced to the women again.  “We’re here looking at the resort for an upcoming event.  I’m afraid we were just sort of…people watching.  You know, making sure that the flow of the room was good and that the servers were able to handle the crowd and keep everyone happy.”

“You see that, Minnie,” the one in the yellow said as she elbowed her friend.  “Young people.  Here they are in a perfectly romantic setting and they’re too wrapped up in watching food get tossed around to fool around.  What’s the world coming to?”

“I hear you, Izzy.”  Lady number two, Minnie, made a tsking sound.  “So basically you’re crashing the wedding.”

“What?” Casey cried in despair, her eyes immediately going to Ryder’s before she could find her voice again.  “No…no, it’s not like that.  Really.  You see, I’m a wedding planner.  I’ve done many events here and Ryder is here to help his cousin make a decision on whether or not to book this particular resort for his wedding.”

“Well that’s a damn shame,” Izzy said.  “You two are just adorable and now you’re telling me that this is all about business.” She turned to Minnie.  “Back in my day when an attractive man pulled a woman behind a potted plant, he had the good sense to kiss her.”  Minnie nodded and then Izzy poked Ryder in the chest.  “Don’t you have any sense, son?”

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Blurbs:



Wait for Me, Montgomery Brothers Series #1


There’s no time like the present…
Executive assistant Emma Taylor is desperate for a little time away; away from her job, her life and from thoughts of her boss’s son who doesn’t seem to know she even exists. Tired of waiting for the time to be right, she takes advantage of her boss’s generous offer for a little weekend getaway to thank her for helping out with a difficult business deal.
Unless you’re still running from your past…
Former NFL superstar Lucas Montgomery is still suffering from a career-ending injury. His self-imposed exile from life is exactly what he wants; a sanctuary where there’s no chance for disappointment or distractions and that’s exactly the way he likes it. While his family has been patiently waiting for Lucas to come around and embrace life once again, they don’t realize that it wasn’t just his career that was lost, but his sense of identity.
…And afraid to hope for the future
Lucas thought everything was fine until sweet, sexy and completely off-limits Emma Taylor comes crashing into his carefully constructed world one snowy weekend and turns his entire life upside down.
Was Mother Nature really to blame or did someone else lend a hand?


*****************


Trust in Me, Montgomery Brothers Series #2



All work and no play…

…would make Jason Montgomery a very happy man. Ever since his brother had married a woman who worked for their company, Jason has been walking around fending off the unwanted advances of all of the single women in his employ. Now, with a make or break business expansion in the works, the last thing he needs is a hands-on assistant who wants to get her hands on him!
For three years Maggie Barrett has happily hid in the shadows of Montgomery’s. After dealing with her own unwanted advances from her previous employer, staying under the radar was working just fine for her. But now she’s thrown into the spotlight as Jason’s assistant because he believes her to be a safe choice because she’s married.
The only problem?
She’s not.
Working in close proximity wasn’t supposed to be an issue. The lines of their relationship were clearly defined. But when a mutual respect turns into a mutual attraction how will Maggie explain that the only thing holding Jason back was just a little white lie?
Book two in The Montgomery Brothers Trilogy, “Trust in Me” is a 45,000 word contemporary romance novella. See where it all began with Lucas and Emma’s story in book one, “Wait for Me”.

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Stay With Me, Montgomery Brothers Series #3


Was a little peace and quiet too much to hope for?
Mac Montgomery spent two years watching his father play matchmaker for his brothers and their wives and as the last Montgomery standing, he knew it wouldn't be long until all eyes would be on him. While he couldn't deny that things had worked out well for his siblings, the last thing that Mac wanted was to get married and settle down.
He hadn't counted on his father not wanting to set him up with anyone.
And he hadn't counted on Gina Micelli.
After more than a dozen years away from her beloved family friends, Gina Micelli comes home to take care of her ailing father. Some of her most cherished memories are of the times she spent with the Montgomerys - and her crush on Mac. She was a child when she moved away, but now as a grown woman, the thought of seeing Mac again actually has her wondering at the possibilities.
Ever the responsible one, Mac makes sure that Gina is taken care of during such an emotional time. He wants to see her as a friend, as the girl that he remembers from his youth. Unfortunately, the beautiful woman she has grown into has all thoughts of a platonic relationship flying out the window. Torn between honor and passion and peace or chaos, all Mac knows is that his life is never going to be the same.
The timing is all wrong but for two people fighting for control over their own lives, their response to one another is anything but.

Plus readers will get bonus novella, More of Me

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About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan's Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40's to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.
Her second book, a holiday novella titled "The Christmas Cottage" hit #10 on Amazon's Overall Best Seller List on Christmas Eve. It was a great Christmas gift! Watching the numbers rise and fall is a daily roller coaster ride but definitely an exciting one! And on February 25th, she released the follow up novella - "Ever After".
In March 2013, "The Christmas Cottage" was nominated for two Indie Romance Convention Award - Best Indie Romance Novella and Best Indie Contemporary Romance while Samantha was nominated for Indie Author of the Year! In August 2013, the video trailer for "Wait for Me" won an Oscar for Indie Author Book Trailer!
More titles quickly followed: "Catering to the CEO", "Wait for Me" (Montgomery Brothers book 1), "Trust in Me" (Montgomery Brothers book 2), "In the Eye of the Storm", and "Stay With Me" (Montgomery Brothers book 3) and she shows no signs of slowing down. "Catering to the CEO" was included in the romance bundle "Loving the CEO" - a five-book package - that made the New York Times and the USA Today Bestseller list. The second half of 2013 has Samantha planning another five releases.
When she's not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, blogging, playing way too many games of Scrabble on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 24 years and their two sons in North Carolina.


You can find Samantha online at:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaChaseFanClub
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SamanthaChase3
Website:  http://www.chasing-romance.com/

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