Interview - Freeze by Michele Barrow-Belisle

Tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.

This new book is called Freeze, and its part of the Faerie Song Trilogy. The series which originally was meant to be three books, has now grown into six. Possibly seven, if my readers get their way. It’s the story written from the point of view of Zanthiel, the dark shadow faerie who the main character Lorelei is entangled with. He unexpectedly became the fan favourite after the first two books came out and I thought it would be fun to delve into his life to see what makes him so compelling. So that’s where this story originated, but it’s really a continuation of the series from where the second book leaves off, only told from Zanthiel’s perspective.

If you are a parent do you find it hard to juggle writing and parenting? Any tips for time management or sneaking in writing time?

I have to admit it is so much easier now that I’m parenting a teenager than it was when I was parenting a toddler. I used to have to sneak in time to work between naps, getting up early and staying up late. Now I have massive chunks of uninterrupted writing time. And an awesome husband and son who will deliver dinner when I’m so desperate to meet a deadline that I forget to eat. You have to do what works for your family and your own style. I didn’t mind working in parts during the day and I loved the quiet of getting up before everyone else. If late nights work better, opt for that. And remember that eventually those little ones grow up and it happens all too quickly, so savour every moment and take as much time off as you possibly can to be with them. That’s what worked, and still works, for me.

Have you ever based your book or characters on actual events or people from your own life?

Not really, although there are some elements of real people I’ve known, within those characters. There could also be the occasional habit or physical trait that I might have borrowed from someone I know.

Is there a theme or message in your work that you would like readers to connect to?

There are a few themes throughout the books, love conquers all and such, but I think the central theme is about choice. The story really goes into the debate over whether we make our own destiny the choices we make, or if our destiny is what guides our choices. I find it a fascinating question to ponder.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

I sometimes go all day eating nothing but chocolate. Shhh. Our little secret.

When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

I love reading and sculpting and binge-watching tv series. Outlander, Nashville, Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars. How’s that for guilty pleasures, lol.

Which romance book or series (or other genre, if you don’t write romance) do you wish you had written?

Um...Twilight, Hunger Games, Harry Potter….for obvious reasons. Pretty much anything by Colleen Hoover or Rachel Van Dyken. I LOVE their books. I mean really crazy-love them!

Is there a genre(s) that you’d like to write that you haven’t tackled yet?

I might like to try historical romance at some point in time. Or perhaps contemporary, but I have a feeling that I’d eventually get bored and become obsessed with trying to throw in a witch, or a vampire or two.

Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?

I love the character in this book, FREEZE, Zanthiel the shadow faerie knight from the Winter Court. It was the reason I was so eager to write his story. He has fascinated not only me but most of my readers as well. I guess it’s because he’s got that whole dark-side bad-boy anti-hero thing going on. There’s something fascinating and compelling about those characters, so riddled with battle scars worn like badges of honor, behind the fortress surrounding their heart. You want to know what lies behind all of those emotional wounds.

If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

Well as I mentioned this series was original intended as a trilogy. But the secondary characters were begging to have a change to tell their own story. So there are three novellas coming out before the third book in the trilogy is release. The next in line is MELT, which is told from Venus’s point of view. For those who don’t know she’s not the nicest character in the book-world. I won’t say too much so as not to give away any spoilers. And after her story is BURN, which is Adrius’s story. For those who’ve read FIRE & ICE, the first in the series they’ll remember him as the first love interest for the main character Lorelei. Now that the series has been optioned for a motion picture, something we’re all extremely excited about, there may even be additional books added to the series. Which is find by me, since I have no shortage of ideas!

What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

Right now I’m working on the last two novellas, a children’s picture book series and a brand new young adult dystopian series.

What book are you reading now?

Court of Thornes and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

What is in your to read pile?

More books than I could possibly read in this lifetime plus a dozen others. I love books and when I walk into a bookstore, my eyes are definitely much bigger than my reading-time.

Thanks so much for letting me drop by today!

Freeze

Faerie Song Trilogy

Book 2.5

Michele Barrow-Belisle

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance

Publisher: Astraea Press/ Cleanreads Publishing

Date of Publication: September 1, 2016

Word Count: 70,000

Cover Artist: AM Designs

Book Description:

In a twisted game of following impossible clues to ceaseless dead ends, The Shadow Faerie Zanthiel is forced to search for the girl he'd let go.

Lorelei may be out of his life, but she’s never far from his mind with the prophecy pulling them together. They both feel it, yet they both have reason to fight it. He might not be able to have her, but no force in this world, or any other will stop him from saving her.

Time is running out, and Zanthiel has only a fraction of it left to find her, before those hunting her find either one of them.

PROLOGUE

My blood froze to ice in my veins when I saw her.

Lorelei.

Lying there broken. Bloodied. Bruised.

I'd kill whoever did this to her. Then I'd slaughter their entire family line. My steps hurried, but I could not reach her quickly enough. She was pale. Weakened from the loss of too much blood, and too much cold, and too little hope. Her light was fading from this world and all others.

"No. No. NO. I will not let you die. I forbid it, do you hear me?" My voice rose as I scooped her into my arms, barely any weight at all, which set my fears even deeper. Live. You must live. Live. For me.

I had to get her help, but I feared there wouldn't be anything left of her to save once I had. My powers were useless against whatever treacherous magic this was, but there was always an undoing. A workaround for nearly all spells, even a curse or hex. Something had to be able to change this, reverse the effects and restore her life. A cure existed—I wanted to believe that. It just meant finding it.

This was my fault. Things of beauty are never meant to be broken. But I did this. I allowed her into my world, into my life, and I broke her. I deserved to suffer the same fate. Worse than her fate. I never intended to be her nightmare, only her savior. And I failed. Vows signed in blood, giving me ownership of something no one deserved—her body and her soul.

Flames ignited from within, consuming her whole, ‘til only her ashes remained. Like a breath of snow and ash they fell gently upon subtle winds—air and shadow carrying both in equal measure to their final resting place. To love someone is to grieve them. For it thrusts you into a black hole—an abyss from which you can never escape.

She was worth fighting for. This time, I would fight for her, until my last breath.

****

I awoke with a sharp gasp, ripples of fear tensing every muscle in my body. It took several breaths to realize it had been a dream. No, not a dream. A dream implies something unreal. Wild imaginings of the mind. This was something else. It was a foreshadowing. A glimpse of what may come to pass. But why was I seeing it? By now she'd be leagues from here, safely back in her own world. There should be no cause for what I'd witnessed. Pain and suffering were not supposed to be her future. I'd rather it was mine.

I pushed off the fur pelts and climbed from of the wilted mattress stuffed with dry leaves. I was grateful to the Dwarf Tilak for allowing me to stay in his home. A hovel really, but shelter nonetheless. I was still being hunted by Queen Mab's armies. I'd deserted her and the marriage agreement I'd entered into, and word would have spread by now. Thankfully, Lorelei was safely back in her world, with the elf Elf Adrius. I could almost hear her chastising me for not using his name. And I knew it well, for we were friends once.

The human world was her home, but it could never be mine. I did not belong there. Each visit was the same as the one before, and it was only her presence that made those visits tolerable.

Humans—you could smell their weaknesses. Their needy desires. Their constant craving for more. Their eternal fear. Like a toxic cloud that hovered over their land. It sickened my stomach with each inward breath. I'd hold it for a moment. Then another. Then gasp for air when I could hold it no longer. Ignoring the stench, I'd searched for her. For her face. Her smile. Her eyes that shone in the dimness of her world. The fear strangely mixed with curiosity when she would set her eyes upon me. And without fail, she’d smile.

No one else would see me but her. I was careful. For to break that code would mean my death. Her father was specific in his orders. "Watch her. Keep her safe. But remain unseen by the humans." But she wasn't human. Not fully. She was part fey, like I was. And from the very first moment I saw her, she stole my heart away.

I shuffled to the wash basin, splashed icy water over my face and dried it on my sleeve. My hand slid across the uneven surface of the mirror. The cracked glass scraped my palm, but I kept it there, watching the blood drip down the surface before it froze to crimson slush.

Leaning in, I stared at the reflection, at the steely eyes glaring back at me. Full of accusation and blame.

I lost her.

No, I didn't lose her. I threw her away.

She was my protégé.

We were never supposed to be together. Never meant to fall in love.

I was careless.

She got hurt.

And now she was gone.

About the Author:

A dreamer at heart, Michele Barrow-Belisle has always lived with one foot in this reality and one foot in another, one of her own imagining. So it follows that she would grow up to write about the characters from those enchanting worlds she knows and loves so well. A fan of all things romantic, her young adult novels are populated with scintillating witches, vampires and fey.  Her bestselling debut book series Fire and Ice (Faerie Song Trilogy) was optioned for a major motion picture this year. Michele resides in southern Canada with her hubby and son who indulge her never-ending obsession with reading, writing and most importantly… chocolate. 

Website:  www.michelebarrowbelisle.com  

Blog:  www.michelebelisle.blogspot.ca 

Facebook Author Page:  www.facebook.com/authormichele

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/3059577.Michele_Barrow_Belisle

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/MicheleBelisle

Pintrest:  www.pinterest.com/micheley26

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michele.barrow.belisle

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Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway: Platinum Pleasures by Kate Deveaux

Please share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.

Thanks so much for having me stop by to chat. It’s my pleasure to share some details of my writing life as well as my latest releases. I’m Kate Deveaux and I write toe-curling romance. Most often my books are categorized as contemporary erotic romance.

Tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.

I have two recent releases, PLATINUM PLEASURES and BRIDE UNDONE. Both are unconventional romances that challenge the boundaries of both love and passion. I’m very excited to share news with you of my upcoming release, due out July 3^rd. A VIXEN IN VENICE. Not only is it set in one my most favorite places on earth, Venice, but also it’s a red-hot romance about an art thief on the run with the heroine’s heart. Art, intrigue and passion comingle to make this Vixen take the ultimate risk.

Have you ever based your book or characters on actual events or people from your own life?

I don’t write per se about actual events or people, but more a combination of events, places and personalities mixed with pure fiction.    

Is there a theme or message in your work that you would like readers to connect to?

Often the themes in my books are about trust and letting go. Trust is a key element in any characters development, whether in erotic romance or not. Trusting themselves, knowing themselves, that is what makes a character evolve and in turn able to trust others. Also, I often love for my characters to do things uncharacteristic, push the envelope so to speak. That makes for riveting storyline and in the case of erotic romance, a very racy read.

When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

I play tennis and I love — and I mean love — to cook and entertain. As well, arm chair traveling is my guilty pleasure, dreaming of all the places I’d love to visit and putting them on my travel “to do” list.

Which romance book or series (or other genre, if you don’t write romance) do you wish you had written?

I’d love to be able to write a good thriller. I admire the authors that craft spine tingling thrillers that are original in their plot lines.

Is there a genre(s) that you’d like to write that you haven’t tackled yet?

I think I am always going to be a romance writer, and a hot romance writer at that. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of writing about the dynamics of relationships and the endless ways those stories can be told.

What is in your to read pile?

Anything by Opal Carew, Jasmine Haynes, Tracy Garvis-Graves, Meagn Hart, Lily Harlem and Lucy Felthouse and many, many others J

Thanks so much for having me as your guest.

Best,

Kate

xx

Platinum Pleasures

Kate Deveaux

Genre: contemporary erotic romance            

Publisher: Totally Bound

Date of Publication: June 1, 2014

ISBN: 9781784300326

ASIN: B00KO0H90U

Number of pages: 100

Word Count: 25,815

Book Description:

One night…one fantasy for hire…one sizzling case of mistaken identity.

Ainsley Simmons can hardly believe she’s ordered a fantasy lover online — a man to fulfill her deepest sexual desires for the entire evening. She’s in for a surprise when sexy young Mr. R shows up at her door in a classic case of mistaken identity.

Ainsley has the night of her life being pleasured by the much younger and demanding multi-millionaire — until she discovers he’s not her fantasy lover after all.

He’s even better than that.

Available at  Totally Bound    Amazon    BN

Excerpt:

“I worked up an appetite,” Mr R said after he’d polished off the wide array of canapés she had set out for them. She’d watched with amusement as he’d devoured everything. Even the extra frozen flatbread pizza she’d pulled out and quickly microwaved when he’d cleaned his plate. Now he was on to the caviar. He must have been starving after fucking her like she longed to be fucked.

It was so much fun being someone else, the mysterious Mrs M, having anonymous sex while knowing her lover was there just for her enjoyment. For her sheer ecstasy. And what a turn on when he’d tied her legs together with his tie. Things she’d never dreamed of doing with any of the men she’d dated, and certainly not Charles. Hiring this man to fulfil her fantasies had allowed her to reach new, orgasmic heights. Ones she’d merely imagined were possible before tonight. Ones her girlfriends had bragged about, but she’d only ever offered a polite nod, not wanting to reveal that she’d never reached the mind and body experience they seemed to deem a regular occurrence.

Thank goodness for Tara and that business card. This was a whole new world for her with this Mr R. And she sure hoped there was more where that came from, as long as her credit card held out. She was a beginner, but so willing to learn at the hands of this young hottie who made her body melt with just a stroke of his fingers—or his impressive cock.

Looking at the clock, she saw it was past midnight. Probably the cut off time for how late her Mr R was supposed to stay, but there was no way she was going to say boo about him leaving. Besides, he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself, even if he were paid to do this. No one could fake that kind of ardour, could they?

He caught her gaze as he noted the time on the clock, but he didn’t say anything as she passed him the caviar, nested in a bowl of crushed ice. It was his second serving. She was surprised he even liked the caviar, men his age seldom did. Not that she had much experience with younger men, and not that she wouldn’t like to—especially if they were all as surprising, demanding and capable in the sack as this one. But then of course, she knew he must have acquired these refined tastes in his line of work. Pleasuring rich older women. Maybe even younger women—there was no age barrier on wealth, was there?

Not that she was wealthy any more, Charles had seen to that. Her saving grace was her home, the penthouse her mother had left her, the one she hoped to save from Charles’ clutches. Hopefully she could count on her experience in the commercial interior design world to land her a job, and fast. But all those worries could wait, if just for one night. Tonight she was just Mrs M...wild, wanton and savouring what were possibly her last few thousand dollars on her dream Valentine.

Straightening her posture, she sipped her champagne and sat slightly angled across from him on the settee. No point in him seeing her little stomach roll that refused to go away and looked worse when she was seated. She leaned towards him, a trick she’d learned from Tara for making the body appear thinner and the neck firmer. She swore it took years off.

“Aren’t you hungry?” her delectable playmate inquired. He grinned and handed her a toast point piled with caviar, along with the egg and onion condiments he had carefully adorned on it.

“Famished,” she said, playing the game, opening her mouth wide.

He moved towards her and popped the morsel into her waiting mouth. “You have a beautiful mouth.” His thumb lingered on her bottom lip for a moment as he ran his other hand suggestively along her thigh. His touch thrilled her through the thin silk of her robe. “I’d like to see just what you can do with it.”

Delighted by his attentions and feeling the intoxication of both Mr R and the bottle of champagne they’d just polished off, she teased his thumb on her bottom lip. With the tip of her tongue, she flicked at it suggestively, watching his eyes turn hungry as he pushed his thumb between her lips.

Looked like he wasn’t going home anytime soon.

About the Author:

Kate Deveaux is a contemporary, erotic romance writer and die-hard romantic. It was after reading Jane Eyre in high school, that she became hooked on the idea of writing about romance, excitement and drama. Kate has been penning stories, from the sensual to the sinfully sexy, ever since! 

A former wedding planner, Kate has always been "in love" with love!  She was inspired to transition from writing racy short stories to full length manuscripts after meeting other authors in the romance world at industry workshops, conferences and events. Originally from England, now resides in the U.S. with her husband.

When she’s not writing or reading, Kate can be found on the tennis court—yes, there’s even "love" in that game too!

Author website: http://www.katedeveaux.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kate-Deveaux/349294291841235

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KateDeveaux

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/katedeveaux

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/7126956.Kate_Deveaux

Join the Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1561963064047158/

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Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway Banewolf by Eden Ashley

Please share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.

I’m a southern girl with a city girl affinity for spiced tea lattes. My love for science fiction/fantasy/paranormal started a very young age, and my dad is probably to blame for that. He would always let us watch scary, weird movies that we kids had no business watching because it us all sorts of nightmares! Writing paranormal romance seems to be a natural fit for me thus far, but maybe one day I’ll write a completely normal contemporary romance. Maybe.

Is there a theme or message in your work that you would like readers to connect to?

The Dark Siren series really explores what truly makes a family and the bonds within them. When the strength of those bonds is tested, people are forced to make difficult choices that may not be for the greater good. I wanted to see where the characters would go if they couldn’t make the heroic choice, if they couldn’t make the sacrifices heroes typically make in order to save the world. How would the chips fall then?

When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

Unfortunately, I am an incorrigible television addict. Netflix just announced that they are adding the entire run of Friends to their lineup in January 2015. My social life is about to become nonexistent!

Is there a genre(s) that you’d like to write that you haven’t tackled yet?

Yes! Lately, I’ve dabbled at writing a few chapters of a steamy adult romance. I like the way the story has evolved so far and will probably finish writing the full novel by the end of this year. This title will published beneath a different pen name though. (Laughs) I’ve got to keep the erotica separate from the teen fiction.

If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

Banewolf is the second book in a four part series. Books 1-3 are currently available on all major online retailers. Banewolf is immediately followed by Blood Chained, which picks up right on the heels of where the story leaves off. The fantasy world within the Dark Siren series expands quite a bit, revealing more about where Rhane comes from, and that really helps to explain many things about his character. Book 3 also answers a lot of questions that are raised in the first two books. So far, reader feedback for Blood Chained has been great! So I’m excited.

What is next for you? Do you have any scheduled upcoming releases or works in progress?

I’m working on the fourth and final book in the Dark Siren series. This word is probably overused, but the last book is going to be epic. Rhane and Kali have come so far on their journeys together and apart. So much has happened since the two were reunited—the final book has to lend justice to that. I’m determined to give readers a satisfying conclusion to the story. 

What is in your to read pile?

Oh that pile is huge! I’m one of those bibliophiles who will continue to buy books even when her shelves at home are filled with unread selections. I’ll give you the list of the ones I’m really anxious to read next. Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith, Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan (This one is actually a re-read.), The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans (Though after reading The Horse Whisperer, I know I’m in for heartbreak). I’m also eager to start Karen Marie Moning’s Darkfever series.

Banewolf

Dark Siren Series

Book Two

Eden Ashley

Genre: paranormal romance, young adult

ISBN: 9780989963237

ASIN: B00GTT3RDI

Number of pages: 395

Word Count: 90,000

Cover Artist: Nathalia Suellen

Book Description:

New enemies are made.

New allies must be forged.

Kali is beginning to regain her memories. In doing so, she discovers old secrets and betrayals that threaten to unravel her present and shake the foundation for Rhane’s belief in her innocence. While her maturing abilities present unique challenges, a bigger problem arises when Kali learns her ex-boyfriend has made a misguided deal with the enemy in order to win her back—a decision that may ultimately cost him his humanity.

Keeping Kali safe has become a full time job for Rhane. And struggling to gain control of the immortal Banewolf isn’t making that task any easier. The power to eliminate the growing threat against Kali lies at Rhane’s fingertips, but using it means risking his friends to the insatiable blood lust of a monster. So Rhane is forced to forge a shaky alliance with creatures he has sworn to destroy. Despite these new allies, the danger pressing on their borders intensifies, culminating in a heartbreaking and shocking finale.

The strength of the bond between young and ancient lovers will be tested…and if Kali and Rhane are to survive, they must find a way to be unbreakable.

BN       Amazon Print      Amazon Kindle

Excerpt from Banewolf

I Want You to Remember…

After seeing the Cal who wasn’t Cal, Kali’s mind was far too harried to focus on class. Skipping the last block of the day, she went to the swimming pool and sat at the bottom for a long time. Her eyes were closed. Her body was motionless. The pressure of the water became a loving caress, helping to relax everything except her mind. Those anxious thoughts just wouldn’t let go. Even with all Rhane had revealed, the past remained hidden like it had never existed.

But you didn’t forget.

That was right. An entire lifetime…taken. And it wasn’t just her life with Rhane. Kali had lived well over a dozen lives in stolen human bodies. Yet she couldn’t remember a single one of them. Each of those little girls had been stripped from the arms of a family who loved them, only to be replaced by a soul-sucking, fire-setting siren. And for what reason? If Rhane knew, he wasn’t telling. Why won’t he talk to me? I’ve proven my trust.

Well, she amended the thought. I did push him away at first, but only for like fifteen minutes. Then Gabriel showed up and started ripping more of my life to pieces.

Kali took a breath and then another, but not with her lungs. Her skin absorbed oxygen from the water and exchanged it for carbon dioxide waste in her blood. The process didn’t come automatically. It took a lot of focus to make underwater breathing happen. In her two weeks on the lam, she’d discovered this new talent. And it had proven very useful, practically allowing her to live in the water. Holding her breath was certainly easier, but that came with time limits. After twenty minutes, she had to surface.

She was determined to master underwater breathing. Concentrating on the task left her brain severely limited in the number of other things it could worry about. And that was a plus.

Feeling the faintest tremble in the water, she opened her eyes. The lights were flickering. After a few cycles of an ebbing and surging glow, they went out completely. She tried not to panic in the darkness, expecting the underwater lighting to illuminate soon. But instead, there came a muted thud. All of the lights suddenly flooded the pool arena. And Kali screamed.

Bodies were everywhere. Hundreds of them littered the swimming pool floor. Parts of their skin were burned. Charred chunks broke apart from decaying flesh. Tentacles of black liquid snaked into the water. The body of a child rose up, a bloated mass set adrift in a nonexistent current. Kali stared into the film of the corpse’s dead eyes with absolute horror. Black hair floated around his head in a dark halo of death. Even with blanched, greying and puckered skin, Kali saw in the child a startling resemblance to Rhane. Bubbles spurted from her mouth as she screamed again.

She kicked hard, trying to get as far away from the corpse as fast as she could. When her back slammed into solid concrete, she turned to scramble up the pool wall. Fingers slipping on the wet ledge, she finally managed to pull herself out and flop onto her stomach. Trembling with a dozen more screams welled up inside, Kali shook with the effort of not releasing them.  

Pushing to her feet, she looked down into the water, needing desperately to believe she was not going crazy. There were no dead people. There was no dead boy. The pool was empty.

#

Icy water pounded from the showerhead, streaming into her eyes as it washed the chlorine from her body. All Kali could see was the boy. His lifeless face floating before hers, dark and grey and distorted in death. It took both hands to smother her sobs. She couldn’t understand what was happening. Was it possible that the vision was a real memory like the nightmares of the horseman had been real memories?

The lights in the shower room flickered and went out just as they had in the pool auditorium. Her breath caught in her chest as she waited for what would happen next. She didn’t have to wait long.

“Kalista,” a male voice sighed into the darkness.

She backed away. She was naked and blind. And in the shower was a stranger who probably meant her harm. The vulnerable state made Kali’s movements very clumsy.

“Darkesong.” 

This time the voice was closer. So close, she could feel the whisper against her skin. She knew it was the thing pretending to be Cal. Kali bit her lip. She was too frightened to scream. But screaming wouldn’t have helped anyway.

At first, his touch was light. Kali reacted, flinching away violently. Then “Cal” grabbed her. He was an irresistible force shoving her against the wet shower wall. His hard body pressed against hers. The heat from him completely dispelled the cold that fell around them.

Kali felt his face against her skin. His hot breath steamed next to her cheek.

“Don’t,” she whispered.

Strong fingers slipped around her throat, but their hold was gentle. The lights partially returned, and she could see him. Physically, everything was the same…except for the eyes. Gone was the shocking blue of Cal’s stormy stare. In its place were two red orbs that reflected abnormally in the dim light. She would have recognized those eyes anywhere.

“Gabriel.”

He nodded. His body still had her pinned. His right hand grasped her throat, while the other rested idly against the wall. She waited for him to say or do something, but he didn’t. Nothing happened. Open malice and rage emanated from Gabriel’s still form, but Kali wasn’t entirely sure those emotions were aimed at her.

She inhaled a shaky breath. The action squashed her breasts against his chest. “What did you do to Cal?”

Another unnerving smile slashed his face. “He’s still here.”

“What do you want?”

Pressing his nose into the curve of her neck, Gabriel inhaled a dramatic whiff of her scent. Trembling, Kali tried to push away, wedging her body painfully into the wall. When Gabriel’s left hand moved, she went rigid. But the hand never touched her. It hovered next to her head, holding a tiny yellow stone.

“I want to help you remember.”

The events that followed would remain a blur of varying shades of grey darkness for some time. When Kali came to, she was standing in the rain, completely drenched. Rhane stood in front of her, lips moving soundlessly as he shouted, the words swept away by an unforgiving wind. She had never seen his eyes so black or so deadly focused as he leveled a gun directly over her heart.

About the Author:

Cynic, realist, and hopeless romantic all rolled into one, Eden was born and raised in a small, sunny town in South Carolina, but thunderstorms have inspired her best ideas. There are few things she loves more than curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee on a rainy day, (except maybe chocolate cake. She loves cake.) often reading into the wee hours of morning when something really grabs her attention. She pretty much loves anything with supernatural elements, so writing paranormal romance and fantasy romance seems to be a natural fit.

http://edenbynite.blogspot.com

https://twitter.com/Eden_byNite

https://www.facebook.com/EdenAshleyAuthor

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7150184.Eden_Ashley

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Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway with D.L. Koontz

Please Welcome DL Koontz to the Write at Home Mom today.

First, hi Wenona!  Thanks for the opportunity to answer these questions!

Please share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.

I am a wife, mother and consultant (energy field), living in southeastern Georgia. I grew up in Pennsylvania, lived in West Virginia for a while (which I miss desperately) and now reside with my husband, Joe, on our 400-acre ranch in GA.  We raise cattle (free-range), grow organic food, and share our home with two dogs (Tug-a German Shepherd and a Jaz-a Border Collie) one cantankerous cat (Ash), and a bunch of uninvited (but very welcome) deer, foxes, armadillos, an occasional bobcat and a occasional traveling alligator.

I’ve had several non-fiction book published...years ago...in a different season of my life and under a former married name.  But it never satisfied me.  So I left writing for years. Turns out, it never left me. Fiction festered in my soul...which is not surprising because I come from a long-line of fablers in the Appalachian Mountains. One day, I woke up with a story in my mind that I just had to write and I haven’t looked back since.

Tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.

Latest release: Crossing into the Mystic. My first novel. In brief: Insufferably independent teen orphan tackles the unfinished business of the ghosts she finds in her new home, but begins to wonder if she's dealing with angels and demons in disguise. As if the thrills and chills of ghosts and demons aren’t enough, she finds herself embroiled in a love quadrangle – with two living guys and one dead. 

It addresses the notion that: Now and then, you see something that alters how you view the world.  And it explores the question: Do ghosts exist, or are they angels and demons in disguise?

Are you a mom?

Absolutely! A mom of a son now in college. I could not be prouder...which is funny because before he came along I didn’t much like children.  After his birth, I thought he was the best thing since the invention of the wheel.  I began to look at all children with new love and respect.

If yes do you find it hard to juggle writing and parenting?

Again, absolutely! And through it all, I learned that you CAN have it all....just not all at the same time.

There is a season for everything, and sometimes you just have to trust that the season for writing will return. And, it will. It’s a matter of priorities.

Have you ever based your book or characters on actual events or people from your own life?

Only the good characters – those with a positive attitude who do good things.  As for my villains, angry dolts, liars, manipulators and general nasty guys, I try to steer very clear of modeling them after people I know because I never want that to come back to haunt me!

Is there a theme or message in your work that you would like readers to connect to?

Just this: It’s possible we can’t even see what’s right around us.

Scientists tell us that ninety-five percent of the universe consists of dark matter and dark energy whose fundamental nature is a mystery. In short, you can’t see most of what’s out there. And, I harbor a strong spiritual side, a strong faith that anchors me and gives me purpose. I believe in the potential for incredible miracles.

So when you merge all that together – Well, that’s where my mind goes and where my writing goes.

When you’re not writing what do you do? Do you have any hobbies or guilty pleasures?

I used to live in the city and go to the country. Now I live in the country and go to the city.  So, my forays into the city are my guilty pleasure. I love a quaint café with a good cup of coffee. But, I’m always SO GLAD to get back to my peaceful ranch. In every direction, I can see nature and animals – not another house or living person.  It’s quite tranquil.

I am also a music buff – any type, except rap. When I’m not writing, the music is on. Ironically, I can only write in complete silence. I also play piano.

Other than that, my joys are being with my animals, and jumping on my 4-wheeler to ride into the back woodsy swamp area with my camera.

Which romance book or series (or other genre, if you don’t write romance) do you wish you had written?

Trite as it sounds, the Harry Potter series. Those books were intriguing, well-written, imaginative, and opened up a whole new world to young boys – one of whom was my son. I loved what the books did for him, and I wished I could give such a gift to the world.

If this book is part of a series…what is the next book? Any details you can share?

Yes, Crossing into the Mystic is book I of III – a trilogy. Book II is in the hands of the publisher at this time, but as yet is unnamed for reasons too lengthy to get into.  I’m working on book III at this time.

Books II and III further Grace’s (main character) move into darkness and explore the notion that sometimes we’re chosen to do extraordinary things. I don’t want to say more lest I create a spoiler.

What is in your to read pile?

I like to give back, so on my pile are books from a few authors that served as beta readers for me. 

Crossing Into the Mystic:

A Civil War Paranormal Romance

The Crossings Series

Book One of a Trilogy

D.L. Koontz

Genre: Inspirational Fantasy, paranormal (contains Christian themes)

Print Length: 258 pages

ISBN: 1941103030

ASIN: B00J5GSSRM

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing

of the Carolinas

Book Description:

Three years after losing her family in a car crash, Grace MacKenna is set to inherit her stepfather's ancestral estate among the mountains of West Virginia. Seeking solace and healing, Grace discovers the ghost of William Kavanaugh, a dashing Civil War captain in Virginia s 17th Infantry, haunts the property. When William charms Grace into investigating the mystery that led to his death a hundred and fifty years ago, she finds herself drawn into a world of chivalry and honor, but also deception with secrets too dark to speak aloud.

Meanwhile, Clay Baxter, home from service in Afghanistan, fights his own demons and ghosts. When Clay senses Grace falling deeper into the realm of the dead, he seeks to pull her back. But is he too late?

Torn between her love for two mysterious young men - one living and one dead - Grace stands in the shadows of the Antietam Battlefield with a choice: one that could leave Grace lost forever, "crossing into the Mystic."

Available at Amazon  Amazon Paperback    BN

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/4RKylDUi0sc

Chapter 1

All of it became mine that day: the hefty trust fund, my mother’s red SUV, and my stepfather’s ancestral estate isolated amidst the caverns of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I was embarking on a 500-mile journey to make solo use of all three. As long as I remained in Boston, I would continue to live my life backward—dwelling on the past and longing for the parents and sister who were dead. Buried. Gone. There was no way I could have known that by turning away from death I would be running into it.

Th day seemed like the perfect time to launch my escape. Th rising sun shot beguiling streaks of crimson through the divisions of the massive brown- stones on Boston’s Beacon Hill, teasing away any threat of “Red sky at morn- ing, sailor take warning.”

In the stillness of the morning, I heard a house door latch, then a husky voice grumble. “Ouch ... ouch ... dang!”

My cousin, Michael, barefoot and clad only in gym trunks and a T-shirt, pranced between stones as he hurried up the steep three-block incline toward me. He was carrying travel snacks, but what I hoped he was bringing me was reassurance of our individual escapes.

“Grace, go! Go! Go! Click your heels and get the Sam Hill out of Oz before she changes her mind!”

Though Michael’s words echoed my resolve, I laughed. He was four inches taller and eight years older, but a million times more sociable and often reminded me of an oversized little boy.

“Auck, Dorothy.” He reached my car, glanced back toward our house, and handed me a zip-locked bag stuffed with trail mix. “You’re too late. You’ll never get to Kansas now.”

I turned to see the subject of his wicked witch allusion exit through the over- sized front door of our ivy-covered brownstone and begin her march up the side- walk with Uncle Phil dawdling behind. Aunt Tish wasn’t toting a flying broom, but she was storming along, face scowling, hands fisted.

Michael grinned. “I guess she’s saving the flying monkeys for me.”

“Maybe. She wasn’t very happy about you leaving tonight for Chile. You sure you’re tough enough to stand up to her?” I elbowed him, knowing he wouldn’t feel the jab. Despite his baby face and wire-rimmed glasses, he had the abs of a bodybuilder.

“No problem. She can’t control me anymore. It’s you who better leave quickly.” “I’m going. Don’t worry about that.” I tossed the trail mix on the back seat. From  the front, my dog, Tramp, watched it land and turned back to the front window,more excited about going somewhere than the goodies. He barked twice. 

Let’s go. “Good. It will be two years before you’ll get another chance,” Michael warned in a whisper. “I won’t be here this summer to save you like I have before.” “Which is exactly why I’m leaving today. Thanks for coming home to see me off. 

She’s not that bad you know.” Maybe voicing such hope would make it so.

Eyes wide, he said, “What? She’s an unstable, soul-sucking—” “Shush.” I stifled laughter. “She’ll hear you.”

He sobered and leaned against my car, crossing his arms. “You’re sure about this?” “The trip? Of course.”

He shook his head. “Th house. It sounds … weird. Like Norman Bates lives there.”

I looked at him, startled. Michael was generally carefree and titillated by the unknown. He loved the notion that people held secrets within themselves.

“That’s crazy,” I affirmed, lest his uncharacteristic concern unnerve me. “Is it? Jack was so close-mouthed about the place.”

“Michael, stop it! It’s only a house. Jack was there three years ago. How bad could it be?”

“Remember. I’m only a phone call away. You have to live there what— three months?”

“That’s what the will says. Then it’s mine to do what I want. Including selling it. And, of course, that’s exactly what Aunt Tish expects me to do.”

“We’ll work that out later. Stick with this charade that you’re fixing it for your senior project, then selling it and moving back to Boston. By the end of summer, my new company will transfer me back to the states, and you can live with me. Just don’t come back here.”

“I know, I know.”

“And keep Tramp close by.”

I shook my head to indicate his concern was unnecessary. But inside, I couldn’t help but wonder if Tramp would be able to stop all threats that I might encounter.

* * *

After stopping to assess her own vehicle and bark orders at my Uncle Phil to take it to the car wash, Aunt Tish reached us. As her eyes scanned my car, Uncle Phil plodded up behind.

Beside me, Michael murmured, “Shoulda’ tied garlic around our necks,” then he donned a Cheshire grin and bellowed, “Good morning, Mother dearest.”

“Nice of you to grace us with your company, darling,” Aunt Tish clucked with saccharin sarcasm and crossed her arms. Her face was stern, her eyes leveled. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to sleep your way through the day until your fl      leaves.”

“Got in late, Mom.”

She arched a skeptical brow. “If you’re turning right around and leaving for that ridiculous job in Chile, why did you even bother coming home? You could have been working at MacGruder’s, you know. They  are the most prestigious firm in Boston.”

“Yeah, Mom, I know.”

“Th certainly would have paid better. Must be nice to have no concerns about money.”

“I haven’t cost you a cent since I turned twenty-one. And if you’re so worried about money, why do you live in this pretentious place? How can you afford it anyway?” He clicked his thumb and middle finger. “Oh, that’s right. You used Grace’s education fund.”

She exhaled into a pout. “You kids are so disrespectful. Why do you do these things to me? Haven’t I suffered enough?”

“Here we go.” Michael rubbed his forehead.

“And look at you. Go put on some clothes. What will the neighbors think?” Her eyes darted to the windows of the lofty brownstones shadowing the street.

“Yeah, Mom. Th ’ll probably think I feed nails to little children since I don’t wear shoes.” He turned his back to her and smiled at me, then withdrew to the back of the car and shook my bike as though to make sure it was tethered securely. I could see his grin from the corner of my eye.

“We’ll talk later about you arriving home one day just to leave the next.”

She turned to me, swapping irritation with sadness as easily as if she’d replaced a straw hat with a ball cap. Wiping at invisible tears, she sniffled and brushed back a lock of frizzled hair, causing her peace sign earrings to sway to and fro. With characteristic dramatic flourish, she took one of my hands and pressed an object into my palm.

“Your keys. Why your mother insisted you keep this atrocious gas-guzzler, I’ll never know. I never did understand her.”

I wrapped my fingers around the keys, feeling the shape of independence. “Thank you.”

It was expected of me to treat this as a heart-rending gesture on her part, even though she had readily agreed to the trip because she wanted the house to be sold as quickly as possible, thereby placing more money into my accounts, to which she had access.

Aunt Tish pouted. “You selfish kids are breaking my heart with these trips.” I kept quiet. Best not to acknowledge her fabricated sadness or her varnished insult.

Receiving no response from her selfish kids, she turned to my uncle. “Philip, I must be crazy. I’m going to be thrown in jail for letting a 16-year-old live by herself ... in some creepy house in a … a … redneck wilderness.”

From the back of the car, Michael groaned. “Aunt Tish––” I began.

Uncle Phil cleared his throat and stood tall, looking for a moment more like the commanding professor he was when teaching Chaucer at Boston College than the ventriloquist’s dummy he played at home for his formidable wife. “Tish, she’ll be fi     It’s only for the summer.”

“But it’s so far away from Beacon Hill and civilized society, for bloody sake,” she responded stiffly. “She won’t be around our kind. Those people are so provin- cial. What will my friends think? And that house ...”

Uncle Phil sighed. “The house is fine. The management company said so.” “Yeah, Mom,” Michael scolded from his retreat, “just because the place is old doesn’t make it creepy. Heck, our house is old.”

Uncle Phil shot his son a quelling look. “Jack loved the place. He spent a lot of time there. It must be in good shape. And if it’s not, then Grace will fi  it up. Th  ’s the whole point of this trip anyway.” He frowned. 

“Besides, by the time you were six- teen, you had already been arrested for disturbing the peace and indecent exposure.” “Oh gawd, Pops.” Michael cringed and reached up to rub his temples. “Too
much information.”

Uncle Phil continued. “You already set up a bank account for her. She has a credit card. She’s got everything she needs. If anyone can take care of herself, it’s Grace.” “Yeah, Mom,” Michael chimed from behind the car. “Crimeny, she’s been taking care of you for the past three years.”

Aunt Tish pushed her tangled hair behind her ears and huffed. “Fine. Obvi- ously no one cares what I think. Just go, Grace. But stay out of trouble. I don’t want any calls from the police.”

I mouthed a “thank you,” to Uncle Phil, shoved my backpack on the heap of boxes lining my back seat, and shut the door. Tramp sat waiting on the passenger seat. On the fl , my cat Chubbs crouched in his carrier, obviously annoyed. On the con- sole sat an envelope containing $5,000 in cash, covered with road maps graphing my way from Massachusetts to West Virginia.

“Aunt Tish, I’ll be fine.” I pulled her into a sideways embrace as I rounded to the driver’s side and opened the door. She was my only aunt and despite her opinions of me, I wanted to believe her capable of feeling genuine concern. “I promise to call every day.”

“Be careful. If something goes wrong, it’s a reflection on me.” As she pulled away, she flicked at my hair. “And for pity’s sake, Grace, do something with that ridiculous hair while you’re there.”

I ignored her. “Remember your dentist appointment tomorrow. I left a note on the fridge.”

She waved that away with a Yes, yes, I know all this dismissal, but I knew she would forget.

Then, because I felt it was expected of me, I looked back toward the house and lied, “I’ll miss this place.”
I voiced some inane comment about what I’d miss, but my thoughts were on the excitement of being me, rather than a dead couple’s orphaned child or Tish Rosenburg’s ungrateful niece.

The goodbyes complete, I climbed into my car and pulled away. I could see Michael standing behind my aunt and uncle, fl his arms in a dramatic don’t- stop-keep-going wave.


“Call your Grandma Sadie, she’s not doing so well,” was the last thing I heard Aunt Tish bark as I descended the hill and rounded the corner onto Beacon Street, took a final glance at Boston Common, and headed toward I-95 South.

The trip underway, I exhaled deeply. I’d loved to have driven into the future without looking back, to have fast-forwarded to summer’s end when Michael and I could plant roots somewhere together. But, there was no shortcut to that time, and I felt dread press in on me as if each accumulated mile were adding a hole to the safety net I hadn’t yet hung in place.

About the Author

D. L. Koontz was born in Pennsylvania, but with her husband, now splits her time between their home in mountainous West Virginia and their cattle ranch in coastal plains Georgia. She has a son and a stepdaughter. A member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and ASJA (American Society of Journalists and Authors), she is a former journalist, business consultant, spokesperson, and college instructor. After several non-fiction books, Crossing into the Mystic is her first novel.

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