Author Rock Star Roundup, Amazon vs Hachette Issue

Author Barry Eisler had this to say this week.

So the Real Authors Guild is… Amazon?!

In case you missed it, today Amazon issued an update on its stalled negotiations with Hachette. It’s a great read: short, clear, and devastating to the meme that Hachette is in any way the good guy in this fight. But if you want just the executive summary, it’s this:

Amazon wants most ebooks to be priced at below ten dollars; Hachette wants ebooks to be priced higher.

Read here.

J.A. Konrath talked about it also.

So the Real Authors Guild is... Amazon?!

Joe sez: This is from Barry Eisler's blog. My comments to follow.

Barry sez: In case you missed it, today Amazon issued an update on its stalled negotiations with Hachette. It’s a great read: short, clear, and devastating to the meme that Hachette is in any way the good guy in this fight. But if you want just the executive summary, it’s this: Amazon wants most ebooks to be priced at below ten dollars; Hachette wants ebooks to be priced higher.

Read the rest.

Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn by Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Day Al-Mohamed (Palomino Press, 2014) Ali had little warning beyond an odd, metallic screech and a growing cloud of dust that moved across the sands. For weeks he had sought out the desert in an effort to decipher the cryptic diagram at the back of the travel diary. Not once in all that time had he spied another soul. To see a heavy-laden caravan now, traveling to the deep desert, far from any market or trade city, woke Ali’s sense of caution. Scrambling atop the tallest dune at the edge of the oasis, he crouched down, half concealed behind sand and arta bushes. He watched in silence as men riding sturdy desert horses led a train of heavy-laden camelids in his direction. At the sight of the great beasts towering above the riders, Ali’s heart pounded in time with the hoof beats. True ships of the desert, these camelids were not flesh-and-blood, but constructs; dull brass machines smoking and whirring as their long, pistoned legs churned through the loose sand. He wished that he could share the sight with Ustad Babbage. One of the constructs lurched oddly in comparison to the others. As any good artificer would, Ali wondered why. Part of him—a very foolish part—longed to observe the camelids closer, to examine the workings of such a grand invention. The rest of him embraced the wisdom of remaining unnoticed. Where are they bound? he wondered. There are no villages nearby; Wadi Al-Nejd is two days travel in the other direction. Wherever they headed, he wished they would move more swiftly. The delay in achieving his goal soured his belly. He longed to finish the journey begun nigh seven months earlier when the box containing his grandfather’s safarnameh, with its hidden secrets, came into Ali’s keeping. He clutched the satchel slung over his shoulder with those prized items inside. Instinct warned him that now was the time for patience. A li watched as the camelids’ broad, shovel feet sank deep into the shifting terrain. He studied the men. He counted forty of them. Their garments were the same colors as the desert, as were their horses. As they drew closer he noticed two things. Their horses’ hooves were wrapped in cloth, and the riders carried with them sharp khanjars and an air of menace. These were not signs of honorable men. As Ali realized the possible danger, he flattened himself against the dune and tucked his head. “Allah, preserve me,” he said so softly it barely disturbed the fine grains of sand mere inches from his lips. Blurb: Come, Best Beloved, and sit you by my feet. I shall tell you a tale such as sister Scheherazade could have scarce imagined… In the Nejd there is nothing at all…except secrets. A band of thieves wish such secrets to remain hidden. In England, far from his desert home, Ali bin-Massoud serves as apprentice to the famed Charles Babbage. One night a mysterious box is delivered by a clockwork falcon and Ali’s world is never the same again. Heartache, danger, and thieves mark his journey as Ali is summoned home at the death of his father. It will take faith, knowledge, and yes, love to realize his destiny, and more than a little skill with steam-driven technology. Can he unravel the mystery of the puzzle box and the clockwork djinn before it is too late? An ancient legacy and Ali's very life depend on his success. Hear you the tale of Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn. Author Bios Award-winning author and editor Danielle Ackley-McPhail has worked both sides of the publishing industry for longer than she cares to admit. Currently, she is a project editor and promotions manager for Dark Quest Books. Her published works include five urban fantasy novels, Yesterday's Dreams, Tomorrow's Memories, Today’s Promise, The Halfling’s Court: and The Redcaps’ Queen: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale, and a young adult Steampunk novel, Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn, written with Day Al-Mohamed. She is also the author of the solo science fiction collection, A Legacy of Stars, the non-fiction writers’ guide, The Literary Handyman, and is the senior editor of the Bad-Ass Faeries anthology series, Dragon’s Lure, and In an Iron Cage. Her work is included in numerous other anthologies and collections. Danielle lives in New Jersey with husband and fellow writer, Mike McPhail, mother-in-law Teresa, and three extremely spoiled cats. She can be found on LiveJournal (damcphail), Facebook (Danielle Ackley-McPhail), and Twitter (DMcPhail). To learn more about her work, visit www.sidhenadaire.com, www.literaryhandyman.com, or www.badassfaeries.com. Day Al-Mohamed is author for the upcoming novel Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn, written with Danielle Ackley-McPhail. Day hosts the multi-author blog Unleaded: Fuel for Writers, and in addition to speculative fiction, she also writes comics and film scripts. Her recent publications are available in Daily Science Fiction, Crossed Genres anthology Oomph - A Little Super Goes a Long Way, and GrayHaven Comics' anti-bullying issue You Are Not Alone. She is an active member of the Cat Vacuuming Society of Northern Virginia Writing Group, a member of Women in Film and Video, and a graduate of the VONA/Voices Writing Workshop. When not working on fiction, Day is Senior Policy Advisor with the U.S. Department of Labor. She has also worked as a lobbyist and political analyst on issues relating to Health care, Education, Employment, and International Development. She loves action movies and drinks far too much tea. She lives in Washington, DC with her wife, N.R. Brown, in a house with too many swords, comic books, and political treatises. She can be found online at www.DayAlMohamed.com and @DayAlMohamed Links Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21531932-baba-ali-and-the-clockwork-djinn Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Baba-Ali-Clockwork-Djinn-Steampunk-ebook/dp/B00KS8G0FI/ Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Baba-Ali-Clockwork-Djinn-Steampunk/dp/1937051900/ BN/Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/baba-ali-and-the-clockwork-djinn-danielle-ackley-mcphail/1119344959?ean=9781937051907

Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn by Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Day Al-Mohamed (Palomino Press, 2014)

Ali had little warning beyond an odd, metallic screech and a growing cloud of dust that moved across the sands. For weeks he had sought out the desert in an effort to decipher the cryptic diagram at the back of the travel diary. Not once in all that time had he spied another soul. To see a heavy-laden caravan now, traveling to the deep desert, far from any market or trade city, woke Ali’s sense of caution. Scrambling atop the tallest dune at the edge of the oasis, he crouched down, half concealed behind sand and arta bushes. He watched in silence as men riding sturdy desert horses led a train of heavy-laden camelids in his direction. At the sight of the great beasts towering above the riders, Ali’s heart pounded in time with the hoof beats. True ships of the desert, these camelids were not flesh-and-blood, but constructs; dull brass machines smoking and whirring as their long, pistoned legs churned through the loose sand. He wished that he could share the sight with Ustad Babbage. One of the constructs lurched oddly in comparison to the others. As any good artificer would, Ali wondered why. Part of him—a very foolish part—longed to observe the camelids closer, to examine the workings of such a grand invention. The rest of him embraced the wisdom of remaining unnoticed.

Where are they bound? he wondered. There are no villages nearby; Wadi Al-Nejd is two days travel in the other direction. Wherever they headed, he wished they would move more swiftly. The delay in achieving his goal soured his belly. He longed to finish the journey begun nigh seven months earlier when the box containing his grandfather’s safarnameh, with its hidden secrets, came into Ali’s keeping. He clutched the satchel slung over his shoulder with those prized items inside. Instinct warned him that now was the time for patience.

A

li watched as the camelids’ broad, shovel feet sank deep into the shifting terrain. He studied the men. He counted forty of them. Their garments were the same colors as the desert, as were their horses. As they drew closer he noticed two things. Their horses’ hooves were wrapped in cloth, and the riders carried with them sharp khanjars and an air of menace.

These were not signs of honorable men.

As Ali realized the possible danger, he flattened himself against the dune and tucked his head. “Allah, preserve me,” he said so softly it barely disturbed the fine grains of sand mere inches from his lips.

Blurb:

Come, Best Beloved, and sit you by my feet. I shall tell you a tale such as sister Scheherazade could have scarce imagined…

In the Nejd there is nothing at all…except secrets. A band of thieves wish such secrets to remain hidden.

In England, far from his desert home, Ali bin-Massoud serves as apprentice to the famed Charles Babbage. One night a mysterious box is delivered by a clockwork falcon and Ali’s world is never the same again. Heartache, danger, and thieves mark his journey as Ali is summoned home at the death of his father.

It will take faith, knowledge, and yes, love to realize his destiny, and more than a little skill with steam-driven technology. Can he unravel the mystery of the puzzle box and the clockwork djinn before it is too late? An ancient legacy and Ali's very life depend on his success.

Hear you the tale of Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn.

Author Bios

Award-winning author and editor Danielle Ackley-McPhail has worked both sides of the publishing industry for longer than she cares to admit. Currently, she is a project editor and promotions manager for Dark Quest Books.

Her published works include five urban fantasy novels, Yesterday's Dreams, Tomorrow's Memories, Today’s Promise, The Halfling’s Court: and The Redcaps’ Queen: A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale, and a young adult Steampunk novel, Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn, written with Day Al-Mohamed. She is also the author of the solo science fiction collection, A Legacy of Stars, the non-fiction writers’ guide, The Literary Handyman, and is the senior editor of the Bad-Ass Faeries anthology series, Dragon’s Lure, and In an Iron Cage. Her work is included in numerous other anthologies and collections.

Danielle lives in New Jersey with husband and fellow writer, Mike McPhail, mother-in-law Teresa, and three extremely spoiled cats. She can be found on LiveJournal (damcphail), Facebook (Danielle Ackley-McPhail), and Twitter (DMcPhail). To learn more about her work, visit www.sidhenadaire.com, www.literaryhandyman.com, or www.badassfaeries.com.

Day Al-Mohamed is author for the upcoming novel Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn, written with Danielle Ackley-McPhail. Day hosts the multi-author blog Unleaded: Fuel for Writers, and in addition to speculative fiction, she also writes comics and film scripts.

Her recent publications are available in Daily Science Fiction, Crossed Genres anthology Oomph - A Little Super Goes a Long Way, and GrayHaven Comics' anti-bullying issue You Are Not Alone. She is an active member of the Cat Vacuuming Society of Northern Virginia Writing Group, a member of Women in Film and Video, and a graduate of the VONA/Voices Writing Workshop.

When not working on fiction, Day is Senior Policy Advisor with the U.S. Department of Labor. She has also worked as a lobbyist and political analyst on issues relating to Health care, Education, Employment, and International Development. She loves action movies and drinks far too much tea. She lives in Washington, DC with her wife, N.R. Brown, in a house with too many swords, comic books, and political treatises.

She can be found online at www.DayAlMohamed.com and @DayAlMohamed

Links Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21531932-baba-ali-and-the-clockwork-djinn
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Baba-Ali-Clockwork-Djinn-Steampunk-ebook/dp/B00KS8G0FI/
Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Baba-Ali-Clockwork-Djinn-Steampunk/dp/1937051900/
BN/Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/baba-ali-and-the-clockwork-djinn-danielle-ackley-mcphail/1119344959?ean=9781937051907

The Love Programme

A contemporary romance set in the wilds of Scotland

What do you do when your childhood sweetheart and now ex-boyfriend won’t accept it’s over?

Lucy’s life is a mess. With her ex pursuing her across the country, she flees to Scotland and finds herself part of a reality TV show about love… will she find some answers or end up even more confused in matters of the heart?

*** Amazon USA ebook link:
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Programme-Zanna-MacKenzie-ebook/dp/B00BCL6C8U/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1397140934&sr=1-4&keywords=zanna+mackenzie

Amazon UK ebook link:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Love-Programme-Zanna-MacKenzie-ebook/dp/B00BCL6C8U/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398694384&sr=1-3&keywords=zanna+mackenzie

Extract From The Love Programme

“Just sit on this suitcase, will you, Fi? I can’t get the stupid thing shut!”

Fiona, obligingly perching her bottom on the bulging case so Lucy could tug the zipper to close it up, said, “I can’t believe you’ve agreed to do this. You’re going to be on a TV show about love! Won’t you be embarrassed having everyone know all your business?”

Her face red from doing battle with the suitcase and, thankfully, managing to win, Lucy shook her head. “No. Where else could I get a few extra weeks off work and live the life of luxury whilst a man tries to impress me with extravagant dates? Plus, I’ll be getting relationship coaching from a top expert.”

Lucy checked around the room to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. “Do you think I’ve packed the right clothes?”

Fiona lay back on the bed, stretching and spreading her arms out around her as though she was making the duvet version of a snow angel. “How should I know?”

“Mel said the programme is being recorded at the home of some Scottish laird. It’s a real mansion with a spa and acres and acres of land.”

Fiona pushed herself into an upright position, suddenly all attentive. “A laird, eh? Sounds interesting. What else do you know about him?”

“He’s not going to be one of the dates so don’t get all excited. He’s just rented his home out to the TV production company. Apparently he’ll be away on business most of the time we’re there, so we probably won’t even get to meet him.”

Fiona shook her head. “Shame, how exciting would it have been? Meeting a real life laird would be amazing.”

As Fiona stared into space, no doubt continuing her little country gent fantasy, Lucy flopped down onto the bed. “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”

“

Of course you are. This could be a life-changing opportunity.”

“I’d like to be able to go on dates without feeling guilty about Marcus all the time.” Sighing, Lucy added, “I want to be free to have relationships like everyone else does.”

“I know you do. So, how can you doubt if you’re doing the right thing? You have to go to Scotland. You know you do.”

*** Author bio:

Zanna Mackenzie lives in the UK with her husband, 4 dogs, a vegetable patch that’s home to far too many weeds and an ever expanding library of books waiting to be read.

Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!

Formerly a travel agent and therapist (she has qualifications in clinical aromatherapy, crystal healing, naturopathic nutrition and herbalism) she loves walking the dogs and gardening – that’s when she’s not writing or reading!

Zanna has written three novels, The Love Programme, How Do You Spell Love? and If You Only Knew.

Find out more about Zanna at:
www.zannamackenzie.blogspot.co.uk
Twitter: @ZannaMacKenzie
Facebook: www.facebook.com/zanna.mackenzie
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10703273-zanna-mackenzie

COOKING UP A STORM by Ashley Ladd Blurb:,br>

Brooks and Rique desperately want to win a coveted chef’s job offered by an eccentric millionaire in paradise. Even more, Rique desperately wants to stay alive.

Brooks and Rique desperately want to win the head chef’s position offered by an eccentric millionaire Jonah Verleun on his beautiful, private but peculiar island that includes a zoo full of exotic animals, an amusement park and a monster shark tank beneath Jonah’s bedroom floor. While Brooks wants the job to escape his heartache and the lover who thwarted him, Rique is hiding from the mob, hoping to live long enough to pay them off with the prize winnings. Fierce competitors, they cook up a storm in a series of cooking challenges while trying to turn down the heat on their intense attraction. When a hurricane strikes the island, the storm Rique has been cooking up explodes, and no heart—or body—is safe.

Excerpt:

They ran, hunched over, zigging and zagging as bullets flew around them. Rique damned himself for putting Brooks in this mess. He wondered if the mob held the others prisoner and that’s why they didn’t answer the door.

He turned the first corner they came upon and then the next. He stopped dead and the air left his lungs. A moment later Brooks ran into his back almost knocking him over. He swayed dangerously but managed to stay upright and spread his arms wide to keep Brooks from stumbling forward.

He couldn’t believe his eyes. One of Jonah’s tigers lay in their path crouching low, baring his teeth, and eying them as if they were dinner.

He tried to quell the jitters attacking his stomach so the animal wouldn’t smell his fear then whispered to Brooks through clenched teeth, “What do we do now? Freeze or run?”

“Run. But where?” Brooks whispered back, a frown trembling on his lips.

“To the closest protection.” He prayed their hunters had lost them, that they wouldn’t run back into a barrage of bullets. As Rique bunched his muscles to run, already feeling the animal’s fangs ripping into him, he noted how the tiger’s thick muscles corded in his shoulders, and how saliva ran down his snarling lips.

“Dear God, we’re going to die.” Panic laced Brooks’ voice. “If we get out of here alive, let’s both turn down the job and move in together.”

Swallowing hard, Rique couldn’t reply so he nodded. Besides, as much as he wanted to live with Brooks, he couldn’t do it as long as he was indebted to the mob. However, the point was moot. He couldn’t see a scenario in which one of them didn’t die in the next five minutes.

Feeling responsible, Rique couldn’t let anything happen to Brooks as long as he was alive. He would take on the tiger giving Brooks time to reach safety. “On the count of three, run!”

As Rique whispered, “One,” hisses, then a blood-curdling growl wrenched the air. It was a different sound than the tiger was making. Then a crocodile bellowed and jumped out of the bushes and snatched the tiger by its belly. As it dragged the struggling creature back to the bushes, the tiger howled in surprise and pain. It clawed the air in vain as the reptile’s powerful jaws clamped tighter biting through flesh and bone.

Buy links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Up-Storm-Ashley-Ladd-ebook/dp/B00LPR0FUC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405135531&sr=8-2&keywords=ashley+ladd
All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cookingupastorm-1566606-149.html
Totally Bound: https://www.totallybound.com/cooking-up-a-storm
Bio: Ashley Ladd

Ashley Ladd lives in South Florida with her husband, five children, and beloved pets. She loves the water, animals (especially cats), and playing on the computer.

She's been told she has a wicked sense of humor and often incorporates humor and adventure into her books. She also adores very spicy romance, which she weaves into her stories.

You can find Ashley at:

http://www.ashleyladd.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/AshleyLaddAuthor
https://twitter.com/ashleyladd
https://www.goodreads.com/AshleyLadd
https://www.totallybound.com/author/ashley-ladd#books
http://www.amazon.com/Ashley-Ladd/e/B002PSKTLU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1404670854&sr=8-1

A PROMISE AT DAWN by Jane Leopold Quinn
BLURB

Their affair was scorchingly sensual

Faye Burke, recently widowed, retreated to the coast of Maine to grieve and reassess her future. Her favorite part of the day is watching the sun rise out of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s also when the man she considers her guilty pleasure runs along the beach.

Gil Farrelly, a successful painter, is trying to get his career back on track after the studio fire that destroyed everything. He starts his creative juices flowing every day by running on the beach. The lovely woman who watches him also gets his juices flowing and he’s determined to reinvent his career by painting her.

Faye’s combination of maturity and sensual vulnerability intrigue Gil and he wants to immortalize her on his canvas. She’s flattered, aroused and ultimately frightened of the emotions he incites. He claims not to care he’s younger by twelve years but she believes sooner or later he’ll come to his senses and seek out women his own age. Can Faye conquer her fears? Can Gil prove to her it’s not age separating them but her fear?

EXCERPT

He crooked his finger, beckoning her. “Come here, Faye,” he said in his most seductive voice. He wanted to continue where they’d left off. He hadn’t had nearly enough of her.

She slowly came to him, heat simmering in her eyes. She wanted this as much as he did.

Sliding his fingers through her soft curls, he backed her against the counter and tipped her face up, his finger under her chin. Pressing his hips against hers, the swell of her belly cushioned his full cock. He groaned and buried his face at the side of her neck enjoying the warm, salty beach scent on her skin. She moaned and slipped her hands around his waist, tucking them into the back waist of his jeans.

“You feel so good,” she said with a sigh.

“You’re welcome to feel me all over.” He busied himself with unbuttoning her sweater again and this time sliding it off her shoulders along with her bra. Both fell to the floor. He cupped her breasts, pushing them up and together. Brushing his cheek over her silky skin, he murmured, “Where’s your bedroom?”

She clutched his arms and pushed her breasts against his face. “Down the hall. Come on,” she urged, gripping the front of his T-shirt and pulling him along after her.

Yeah. He liked a woman who knew what she wanted. Inside her room, he closed the door and drew her to him, her back against his front. Stroking her breasts, he compressed her nipples between his fingers and thumbs.

She cried out, her head dropping back on his shoulder. “Gil,” she whispered, wrapping her fingers around his.

He brushed his lips over her shoulder and traced the graceful line of her neck to her ear.

Her bottom wriggled against his cock. God damn, he wanted her sweet ass bare. Almost as much as he wanted her cunt open and hot. He unzipped her jeans. She toed off her shoes and helped slide her panties off. Then she turned and did the same for him, surprising him with her eagerness. When they were both naked, she walked backward, leading him toward the bed.

She was taking over. Every man’s fantasy. “Faye, you’re so beautiful.”

They landed with a whoomph on the bed, and she immediately put a hand over her belly. “I’m older…”

A Promise at Dawn is available at Amazon
Bio

Sensual fantasies were locked in my mind for years until a friend said, "Why don't you write them down?" Why not, indeed? One spiral notebook, a pen and the unleashing of my imagination later, and here I am with more than a dozen books published. The craft of writing erotic romance has become my passion and my niche in life. I love every part of the creative process — developing characters, designing the plot, even drawing the layout of physical spaces from my stories. My careers have been varied — third grade school teacher, bookkeeper, secretary — none of which gave me a bit of inspiration. But now I'm lucky enough to write romance full time — the best job in the universe!

Jane Leopold Quinn
My Romance: Love With a Scorching Sensuality
BlogSpot ~ Twitter

Blurb for In Too Deep

On the banks of the Trinity River, Sadie Pepperman is looking for a chance to escape the demands of her in-laws. With her husband’s dead, they want her to marry her brother-in-law so they can take control of her farm.

Suddenly, the peace of the day is shattered when her best friend steps too far into the river. Rushing to save her, Sadie meets a handsome stranger that ignites her dormant lust. She sees her friend rescued by a steamship and backs away from Logan Jansen, only to turn her ankle.

The agonizing pain leaves Sadie with the inability to walk. Needing help, she offers Logan a place to stay if he’ll help with the chores on her farm. With his agreement, Sadie adds another problem to her list. Now, not only does she have to worry about how to bring her crops in from the field and run her farm alone but she also has to fight her attraction to Logan.

Can Sadie end her in-laws’ interference in her life, run her farm alone, and give love another chance?

Excerpt:

“Zack, damn it.”

The loud shout caught Sadie by surprise. She scanned the shoreline and spotted a man. Drawing to a stop, she threw on the brake, scouting the river bank

.

Two horses grazed nearby. Their saddles, along with other gear, lay discarded in a heap in the middle of a small clearing, as if two people had camped there over night.

A man stood at the edge of the clearing, turning at her approach. Dressed in only a pair of dark cotton pants, he rushed forward. His bright, curly blond hair and his broad shoulders registered briefly with Sadie but with her friend in trouble she didn’t let her sway her from the problem at hand.

“Are you a friend of the woman who is drowning?”

Unable to certain what to say to the stranger, she nodded and worked to clear the lump in her throat. How did this man know about Carolyn?

“Move over. I’ll drive. If we hurry I should be able to save her and my friend.” He placed a foot on the side step of the wagon and crowded onto the bench.

She quickly scooted along the wooden plank, allowing him room to settle beside her. Long fingers closed over the reins and he tugged the leather from her grip.

He didn’t wait for an answer. Lifting the reins, he released the brake.

A loud whistle sounded from the river, followed almost immediately by the slapping of paddles against the water.

The man clicked his tongue to encourage Beauty to get moving. He drove the wagon closer to the edge of the river, creating a rough new trail.

Bouncing on the seat like a rag doll, Sadie tried to keep her distance from the man, even though the task was next to impossible with the constant swaying of the wagon. She continually brushed against his arm, shoulder and thigh. A particularly hard bump almost landed in his lap.

“I’m sorry, but you need to slow down,” she complained and straightened.

Find at:
Amazon
smashwords |
All Romance

Have a wonderful day and I hope you enjoy my book,

Anita

Bio for Anita Philmar

Anita Philmar likes to create stories that push the limit. A writer by day and a dreamer by night she wants her readers to see the world in a new way.

Influenced by sci-fi programs, she likes to develop places where anything can happen and where erotic moments come to life in a great read.

Naughty or Nice?

Read her books and decide.

Website: http://www.anitaphilmar.com/
Email: anitaphilmar@yahoo.com
Blog: http://www.anitaphilmar.blogspot.com/
FB: www.facebook.com/anita.philmar
GR: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1329767.Anita_Philmar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitaphilmar

Bloodsuckers

BLOODSUCKERS: A VAMPIRE RUNS FOR PRESIDENT is not a traditional vampire novel but more a political conspiracy thriller with humor. Oh sure, people turn into bats and drink blood ...

There’s a lot more information on my web page, along with links to other reviews and the first few chapters (so you can get hooked). You can get the ebook, nook, or kindle for as little as $6 or so, and the paperback for $15.

www.MichaelAVentrella.com

BLOODSUCKERS EXCERPT

“A lot of Christians aren’t going to vote for him because they think he’s a vampire,” said Collin.

Steve shrugged. “They already believe in magic and devils, so to them, vampires are a real possibility.”

“You don’t think vampires can exist?

”

Steve paused, embarrassed at his comment since he did not know his host’s views. He hoped he had not touched a sore spot. “Um, no, I don’t believe in vampires. I mean, look at him—you can see him in a mirror, he’s been doused with holy water by one of the Batties, and recently some people handed him crosses and he accepted them without a problem. He’s no undead.”

“But what about all that stuff about the bat in the video?”

“You mean the clip showing Brunswick’s balcony right after he jumped? Yeah, that’s all over the web. It might show a bat, but it might be a bird, too.”

“At midnight?”

“Some birds fly at night. And even if it was a bat, it could have just flown by right then. It’s not a good video, and doesn’t clearly show the creature coming from his window.”

Collin’s mouth stretched. “Still, it’s a coincidence you can’t overlook.”

“If I have to choose between a coincidence and something that defies the laws of nature, I’ll choose the coincidence.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes while Mark launched into his traditional “many different cultures and ideas forming America’s greatness” speech. The diverse crowd loved it.

“I’m going to get another beer,” Collin said, rising. “Want one?”

“Sure.”

Soft thuds, clinks and clanks sounded behind him, but Steve’s attention centered wholly on Mark, who had become very serious, and the crowd very silent.

“This is a dangerous quest we are on,” Mark said in a hushed voice. “Many powerful people do not want us to succeed. They don’t want change. They know that if I’m elected they won’t be able to take advantage of the American citizen anymore. They know that I’ll shut down their tax shelters in the Cayman Islands and cut off their tax breaks when they ship our jobs overseas. They know that they will not have someone in the White House they can buy. And they will do everything they can to—”

The shots echoed across the stadium. Mark’s eyes grew large on the giant screens and then he fell backwards, clutching his chest.

Screams filled the air. Steve jumped up, unable to hear over the ringing in his ears.

Below him, politicians dove off the tiered platform and scrambled for cover. Mayor Ross clamped her hand over her leg, blood spurting through the gaps between her fingers. Another victim lay still in a pool of blood. Secret Service agents stormed the stage with weapons drawn. Two knelt at Mark’s side; the others turned in all directions. People in the audience tripped and fell over each other in a mad dash to the closest exits.

Steve noticed all this in the brief, stunned moments before he turned to Collin, who cursed, dropped the high-powered rifle, then turned to Steve and winked.

In a matter of seconds, Collin’s transformation into a bat was complete. His clothes fell to the floor and the bat disappeared into the night.

Someone threw open the door.

BIO

Michael A. Ventrella’s other novels are ARCH ENEMIES and THE AXES OF EVIL. He edits the TALES OF FORTANNIS anthologies, and his stories have appeared in the collections HEROES IN HELL, TWISTED TAILS, and RUM AND RUNESTONES (among other places).

Love's Sweet Sorrow

Book Jacket for Love’s Sweet Sorrow

Love and faith are tested as Jason and Ariel are caught in a battle to expose smugglers selling weapons to terrorists.

It is said opposites attract. There can’t be two people more opposite than Ariel and Jason. Ariel is a traditional Quaker with an absolute aversion to war. Jason is the lead council for America's largest weapons manufacturer.

Their budding romance is thrown into turmoil when Jason uncovers evidence linking his employer to international arms deals that could devastate America. His determination to stop the treason puts Ariel in the middle of dangerous territory.

The kidnappings, killings and harrowing escapes from those trying to retrieve the evidence force Jason and Ariel to delve deeply into their often opposing long-held convictions, and question if they are truly meant to be together.

Excerpt

The following is an excerpt where Ariel has developed strong feelings―maybe not quite love yet―for Jason and starts to change to please him.

Set up: It is Ariel’s birthday. Jason had agonized for hours over what to get her. Now he wondered if he had made a mistake getting her a gift that expressed so unabashedly what he wanted. He was taking her to dinner and a Broadway show to celebrate her birthday. Having second thoughts about the gift and not wanting to cause tension in their evening, he asked her not to open it until they got back to her apartment.

She reached for the end of the pink ribbon.

He took her hand. “Open it when we get back.”

“Why?” she asked

“Because it’s to cap off the evening, not start it.”

(The celebration over, they had returned to her apartment.)

“Can I open my present now?”

He sat forward, crossing his fingers behind his back. “Go ahead.”

She pulled the pink ribbon. The bow dissolved. She lifted the top. The tissue paper rustled as she unfolded it. Cautiously she touched the lace trim on the shiny, jet-black garment and quickly withdrew her hand as if her fingers had been burned by a red hot branding iron.

She smiled meekly. “Thank you. It’s very pretty.”

A few minutes later she escorted him to the elevator.

* * *

Ariel took her present into her bedroom and placed the box on the heirloom bedspread. Ever so carefully she removed the black silk camisole, laid it on the bed and smoothed it out. She placed the tap pants below it. Slowly she undressed, dropping her blouse and skirt on the carpet. Reaching behind her back, she unhooked her bra then stepped out of her panties.

Slipping on the tap pants, she trembled as the sensuous silk stroked her long legs. Holding the camisole by the thin straps, she extended her arms over her head and released it. It floated over her torso sending a shiver through her.

Turning toward the mirror, she stood tall, her arms dangling next to her thighs. Will wearing this blind me to the hungry, the homeless? Will it prevent me from working toward a more peaceful world? I don’t think I will change my convictions because I put this on, or wear makeup, or like movies, art, TV, dancing and…

Her fingers fluttered against her thighs. She closed her eyes and envisioned Jason caressing the fabric against her hips, her waist, stomach, breasts.

“Jason, I want to, but…Lord, what should I do?”

BIO

Richard Brawer writes mystery, suspense and historical fiction novels. When not writing, he spends his time sailing and exploring local history. He has two married daughters and lives in New Jersey with his wife.

Love’s Sweet Sorrow will be available in mid September in both trade paperback and e-book wherever books are sold.

Read more about Love’s Sweet Sorrow and all Richard’s books at his website: www.silklegacy.com/

Book Giveaway: I will gift an e-book of “Love’s Sweet Sorrow” from Amazon to the first 10 responders to this blog. The only thing I ask is you read it as soon as they get it and post a review on Amazon and if you belong, to Goodreads. I do not expect anyone to compromise their ethics because I gifted you the book. Please write what you think. You can contact me at rich1braw@aol.com. Please put― giveaway lss Chris’blog― in the subject line so I do not delete your message as spam.

Summer Sizzles

Different Worlds

Passive Guy talks about a panel he was on at the New York Public Library.

One of the most chilling parts of this, is that he came away with the impression, that do Big Publishers, the author is superfluous.

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Konrants

just got back from a wonderful vacation with my family with limited cell phone and Internet access. We had to communicate by doing something called talking, which is a lot like texting or emailing, but without emoticons or abbreviations.

I have now returned, and as I might have guessed, the stupid was strong on the world wide web while I was away.

This is probably old news to everyone but me, and I have other things I want to blog about, but I hate missing an opportunity to give clues to the clueless.

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