Sunday, December 18, 2016
PROMO Blitz: The Game That Never Ends by David Adamson Harper @AjijicDavid @RABTBookTour
Romantic Action, Drama
Date Published: October 2016
In 1953 Sandy and Alex meet and fall in love in Adelaide, South Australia. She comes from a wealthy Catholic family and he is the son of a shopkeeper and an Anglican. Her mother has marriage plans for her and takes Alex to Italy to keep them apart. He goes to Oxford University where he achieves great success in cricket and rugby football. For the next seven years their love has to overcome many conflicts and is sorely tested by a tragic event and her Catholicism. In 1961 now working in San Francisco and believing Alex lost to him forever, Sandy falls in love and marries Kate but Alex, now finally free of her marriage, returns to him plunging his life into chaos. Will he be able to bring an end to this never ending game?
Excerpt
She woke me up in the morning at eight saying their group was departing at ten and I should leave before anyone saw me. The Italians knew she was married to Paolo but in true Italian style would never say anything about last night, but it was probably best not to be seen together in the morning. I was getting dressed when she picked up my jacket to hand it to me and she noticed there was something heavy in the pocket.
“She said. “Oh there’s something here in the pocket.”
I had totally forgotten about it but her hand went in and brought out Eva’s watch.
She looked at me strangely. “It’s a ladies watch. Why do you have a ladies watch in your pocket?”
I tried to look nonchalant. “Oh, it’s Eva’s. She gave it to me when Göran gave her a new watch as a birthday present. I’ll give it back to her in the office on Monday.”
“But why did she give it to you?”
I stammered a little. “Well… well, I was sitting next to her when she took it off.”
I saw the disbelief growing in her face and I had a flash back to the Darlene’s gold chain incident in Naples.
“Don’t lie to me Sandy. She gave it to you because you were going to take her home and sleep with her, weren’t you?”
I shook my head. “No, no.”
“You’re lying Sandy. You were going to have her last night until I came along. How inconvenient for you, but then you had me instead. Is she better than me Sandy? How long have you been sleeping with her?”
“Alex, I did not lie to you. I’ve never had sex with her.”
She was completely furious now. “Just a month ago you promised me you would wait for me and marry me when I am free. Is that a lie too?”
“Alex please calm down.”
In answer she hurled Eva’s watch at my face, hitting me on the forehead. I caught it as it bounced off me.
This was too much and I lost my temper. “Alex I did not lie to you but my God how long do you expect me to wait for you? How long will you remain married to Paolo and expect me to stay celibate while wait for you to pop up occasionally? You tell me you don’t sleep with him and I believe you, but when I told you I have never slept with Eva you don’t believe me. If you don’t trust me then maybe we should forget the whole thing. It’s a crazy situation anyway.”
I had gone too far and instantly regretted it.
She burst into a torrent of tears. I went to her but she pushed me away and said “just go”. I put on my jacket, slipped the watch into my pocket and walked out. I could feel blood trickling down my nose and put my handkerchief over the cut in my forehead.
I stayed in my hotel room and drowsed through all of Sunday. I went over the whole scenario, over and over again. I wished I could take it all back. I shouldn’t have reacted angrily to her charges. I would have slept with Eva so she was partially right but I had not lied when I said I had never slept with her. But poor Alex had all the stress of a loveless marriage and her secret. I knew she loved me and I could understand her being upset when she saw me dancing romantically with another woman. But where does that leave us now? By dinner time I had decided that I should wait for her to contact me again. She knew I had another year at Oxford. Despite everything I was still in love with her.
On Monday morning I went straight to Göran’s office. He looked up smiling at me as I walked in. Then he saw the small elastoplast on my forehead.
“Oh no Sandy, please don’t tell me she hit you.”
I pulled Eva’s watch out of my pocket and placed it on his desk.
“She found it in my pocket and threw it at me.”
He felt its weight. “My God Sandy, what a woman. Adrian had told me about her and she was exactly as he described her. Adrian and Pete call her the movie star. Did you know that? What a beauty and she’s violent too. What a combination. You are a lucky man.”
“Well I’m not so lucky now. I think she’s finished with me this time.”
Göran looked upset. “Oh no and it’s entirely my fault because I set you up with Eva.”
I told him it was not his fault and that our relationship was very complicated but I was sure she would come back. I wasn’t really sure but I didn’t want Göran feeling guilty about it.
Except for this one incident I had a wonderful summer in Stockholm. I’d met Mr. Axel Persson, Göran’s father, and he seemed interested in me. Perhaps that would lead to other opportunities. Had cricket opened another door?
About the Author
David Adamson Harper started his working life as a British naval officer serving out of the Hong Kong station, which became the backdrop for his first novel KWANGCHOW. After leaving the navy he joined the management program at Grace Line in New York and spent many years in Panama and San Francisco. He then joined United States Line as a senior executive and ran their South Asia Division from Bombay and later the Africa Division stationed in Durban, South Africa. He returned to San Francisco where he ended his career as a maritime consultant to major west coast ocean carriers. Wherever he went he was always involved in the game of rugby football and was a referee for many years. On retiring he moved to Mexico to become a full time writer. He and wife Susan live in a village on the north shore of beautiful LakeChapala at 5000 feet in the Sierra Madre Mountains. THE GAME THAT NEVER ENDS is his third novel and follows the critically successful HOW TEDDY TOOK PANAMA.
Contact Links
Purchase Links
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Thrust by Sybil Bartel @SybilBartel @XpressoTours
Thrust
Sybil Bartel
Publication date: December 6th 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Alex
I know the game. I know the angle. I know how to make you beg.
My hands on your body, my mouth hovering over yours—I’ll tell you everything you want to hear. Ten inches of real estate never felt so good.
But don’t take my word for it. My client list is long and my motto is short—one single thrust and you’re mine. I’m not good at what I do, I’m fantastic. But satisfaction doesn’t come cheap. So open your wallet and prepare to forget your name. I’m about to ruin you for any other man.
One single thrust and you’re mine.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
EXCERPT:
“How do you wanna settle up?” I tied off the condom and slipped it into my pocket as I pulled my pants up. Rule number one—never leave behind any evidence.
Naked except for her heels, she got off the bed and sauntered to her purse. “How much?”“Four grand.” I smiled like I was checking her out.
“Four?”
I took two strides and tipped her chin. “Two rounds and oral. You want a third? I just got hard watching that ass of yours.” I could fit in another quickie before my next appointment.
She smiled coyly. “Maybe next time.”
I held back my laugh, just barely. I was hung as hell. If she wasn’t sore from all that pounding, my name wasn’t Alex Vega. “You know where to find me.” I dropped her chin. “Cash or credit?”
She handed me her card and I swiped it through the small credit card reader attached to my cell phone. “Need me to text you a receipt?”
She smiled. “Receipt?”
“Deep tissue massage.” I was legit as fuck. I’d even gotten the damn massage therapist license. “Medical expense. You can deduct it on your taxes.” I winked. “You’re welcome.”
She shook her head but she looked amused. The card went through and I got dressed ASAP. Rule number two—never stick around—unless they pay you.
“So….” She twirled her hair like she was twelve. “What are you doing Saturday night? I’m looking for a date to this fundraiser that’s for—”
I was already shaking my head. “Sorry, babe. I don’t do show and tell. Strictly bedroom scenes. But text me after if you’re bored.” I shot her my money smile and buckled my Ferragamo belt then threw on the jacket of my custom-tailored suit. Stepping into my loafers sans socks, I was out. “Later, gorgeous.” Three steps backward, a wink for good measure and I turned.
On the elevator ride to the lobby, I checked my messages, scheduled three more clients and pulled up my E-Trade account balance. Nothing got me hard like seven digits in a row.
Author Bio:
Sybil Bartel grew up in Northern California with her head in a book and her feet in the sand. She dreamt of becoming a painter but the heady scent of libraries with their shelves full of books drew her into the world of storytelling. She loves the New Adult genre, but any story about a love so desperately wrong and impossibly beautiful makes her swoon.
Sybil now resides in Southern Florida and while she doesn’t get to read as much as she likes, she still buries her toes in the sand. If she isn’t writing or fighting to contain the banana plantation in her backyard, you can find her spending time with her handsomely tattooed husband, her brilliantly practical son and a mischievous miniature boxer…
But Seriously?
Here are ten things you probably really want to know about Sybil.
She grew up a faculty brat. She can swear like a sailor. She loves men in uniform. She hates being told what to do. She can do your taxes (but don’t ask). The Bird Market in Hong Kong freaks her out. Her favorite word is desperate…or dirty, or both—she can’t decide. She has a thing for muscle cars. But never reply on her for driving directions, ever. And she has a new book boyfriend every week—don’t tell her husband.
To find out more about Sybil Bartel, be sure to follow her on Twitter (she loves to hear about your favorite book boyfriend!), visit her website, like her on Facebook or join her Facebook group Book Boyfriend Heroes for exclusive excerpts and giveaways.
Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Acca by Christina Bauer @CB_Bauer @XpressoTours
Acca
Christina Bauer
(Angelbound Origins, #3)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: December 13th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
In just one week, supernatural warrior Myla Lewis must discover enough evidence to send the evil House of Acca to prison… or she’ll end up in jail herself, along with her fiancé, Prince Lincoln. No pressure.
To gather proof, Myla and Lincoln go undercover at an all-girl’s high school on Earth. Lincoln acts as the new gym teacher; Myla becomes the school’s least popular transfer student ever. To stop them from getting the goods, Acca releases Hell on Earth. Literally. Good thing Myla and Lincoln aren’t afraid of a tough fight. This one promises to be the hardest yet. After all, who ever said high school wasn’t hell?
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
Interview with Myla Lewis and Prince Lincoln:
December 13, 2016
Susan Smiley: Welcome back. We’re very excited here at Good Morning, Purgatory. Today we have with us Myla Lewis, the Great Scala, and her fiancée Prince Lincoln.
Myla: He’s not my fiancée. We’re married.
Lincoln: (Smirks) We talked about this, Myla.
Myla: (Makes innocent face) We talked about what?
Lincoln: This is a book tour for ACCA. Christina Bauer wrote our story and we’re here to help her sell more novels. You’re not supposed to give away anything that happens in the books. It’s counter-productive.
Myla: (Taps chin.) There’s a loophole, but my brain is fudge right now.
Lincoln: There is indeed. You can say whatever you want as long as you start off by saying SPOILER ALERT.
Myla: (Snaps fingers.) That’s right. (Clears throat). Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye! This is a SPOILER ALERT! Now, are we all good? (Glares at Susan, eyes glowing red)
Susan: (Blood drains from face) Sure. We’re, uh, fine.
Myla: Okay, everybody. The book happened in the past and as of today, Lincoln and I have already gotten married. Also, he knocked me up and I’m super grouchy. That’s more fair warning than spoiler alert, though.
Lincoln: (Raises his hand) I’ll vouch for that.
Myla: In fact, someone better bring me some crackers like, now. I have the munchies.
Susan: (Calls to stage left.) Can someone get her crackers?
Myla: And I want a diet coke.
Lincoln: (Clears throat.) We talked about that, too.
Myla: Right. The baby. No diet coke.
(Terrified intern runs up and hands Myla a box of saltines.)
Myla: Thanks, kid. (Opens box, stuffs face, and talks through mouth full of crackers.) What’s up, Susan?
Susan: Well, you’re the Great Scala, the only being who can send souls to Heaven or Hell. Our viewers want to know… what’s it like to wield so much power?
Myla: It’s a pain in the ass, mostly. Except I can park wherever I want. That’s pretty much the big perk.
Susan: And what about you, Lincoln? (Blushes.) I can call you Lincoln, can’t I?
Lincoln: Of course.
Susan: You’re the High Prince of the Thrax, a race of demon fighters from Earth. Most of our viewers have never left Purgatory. We see some recordings of Earth on television reruns, but everyone wants to know… what’s it really like?
Lincoln: (Purses lips.) Filled with demons, mostly. Only humans can’t see them. Trust me, Purgatory is a nicer place to live.
Susan: (Blushes.) Thank you, Lincoln. I must say, you’re a… (Giggles.) Very fit man.
Myla: Back off. That’s my baby daddy.
Lincoln: Ever since Myla became pregnant, her demonic side is a little high-strung.
Myla: True that. I tried to fight a broom the other day. Long story.
Susan: How fascinating. Your mother is the President of Purgatory and your father is first consort as well, isn’t he?.
Myla: Yup. He’s also an archangel.
Susan: What’s that like?
Myla: It’s like any girl living in her parent’s basement while being pregnant. Not too great. Lincoln and I are looking into getting our own place in Purgatory, but it isn’t easy.
Lincoln: We need a rooftop where her father can land safely. He’s a big fan of flying around.
Myla: What a pain. (Tips cracker box upside down, nothing comes out.) Well, I’m all out of crackers, which means I need to get some juice and a back rub. (Chucks box aside and turns to Lincoln.) You up for that?
Lincoln: (Leans in and whispers something in Myla’s ear. Her eyes glow red.)
Myla: (Hops to her feet.) We’re leaving RIGHT now, thank you very much. (Waves to camera.) Buy Christina’s book and write a review for crying out loud. These books won’t sell themselves.
Lincoln: (Takes Myla’s hand,) And keep an eye out for the next installment, THRAX, which is due out in the Fall of 2017.
Susan: Thank you both for visiting us here today. (Turns to camera.) I’m Susan Smiley, and this was Good Morning, Purgatory.
Author Bio:
Christina graduated from Syracuse University's Newhouse School with BA's in English as well as Television, Radio, and Film Production. Her day job is in marketing for companies like Microsoft, Cisco, and Zerto. Back in the go-go 90′s, she founded her own software start-up, Mindful Technologies. Christina believes that, upon close examination of Tolkien's text, it's entirely possible that the Balrog was wearing fuzzy bunny slippers.
PROMO Blitz: Harrington Manor by Ronald M. James @authronaldjames @RABTBookTour
Historical Fiction
Date Published: October 8, 2016
A murderer stalks the orange groves of 1923 Southern California. Detective Sidney Snipes is called to the Harrington Manor when retired Colonel Peter Wescott Harrington is found slumped over his desk by his family. Snipes entrusts the sensational new crime fighting technology—Fingerprint Analysis to find a fierce fiend.
Just when he though he had the murderer cornered, a neighbor discovers a shallow grave in the orange groves; an unsolved missing person's cold case files. A case that has haunted the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for three years. The evidence in the missing person's case rumples Snipes proficient sleuthing skills as the leads take him in circles. Then to add to the muddying discord, another Harrington turns up dead, apparently murdered in his sleep.
But when a sinister child’s Jack-in-the-box, seemingly from the grim reaper himself, materializes on the Colonel’s desk, the detective is bedeviled more than he cares to admit. Nevertheless, Snipes had enough moxie to send fingerprints to every city where his suspects had ever lived. The leads take Snipes in a direction he never saw coming. Within days, he's shocked to his eyebrows by the results; the identity of the murderer befuddles his mind. Alas, the oldest Harrington son, Shep, supposed wife, had a mock wedding to him in Manhattan, New York, and their plan was to kill the whole Harrington clan for their wealth.
Praise for Harrington Manor:
"Harrington Manor is James at his very best."-Publisher's Weekly
About the Author
Ronald James was born during the great depression, and as a toddler watched WPA men build a new street, from his home’s big front window. His playmates were a red rider wagon, a small black satchel and rocks. By using his imagination he had conversations with mythical street workers that bloomed into fashioned fantasies by age four. He used cardboard boxes to create fun spaces for his neighborhood playmates to enjoy and he kept telling stories all through high school. In college he abandoned writing and studied architecture. James had a successful architectural career and retired, however he wanted to keep his creative juices fluent, so he returned to his childhood story telling days and joined a writers group. Like architecture, each day he couldn’t wait to create, finish, and start new stories—like, Harrington Manor.
Contact Links
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Cover Reveal: Nelumbo Nucifera by Cristina Slough @cristina_slough @XpressoTours
Nelumbo Nucifera
Cristina Slough
Publication date: January 24th 2017
Genres: Adult, Psychological Thriller
On the surface, Gaby Parker has it all; however, behind closed doors, is a woman who lives in constant fear of the man who was supposed to love her: her husband, Kyle. Beaten, desperate, and broken, Gaby realizes the only way to escape from her violent husband is to kill herself — on paper. Gaby is dead, and Riley Locklin is born, residing in the tranquil coastal town of Chesswick Bay Montauk where she hopes to start over and meets a man who shows her bruises aren’t kisses.
Meanwhile, back home, Kyle is doing everything in his power to prove Gaby isn’t dead.
But…police find her burnt-out car and remains?
Kyle isn’t buying it; he knows she’s still alive. He launches his own full investigation to find his wife — and he’ll stop at nothing to claim her back. A female Detective assigned to his wife’s case doesn’t like him very much after discovering a domestic violence report – scorned by the history of her mother’s domestic abuse, she’s determined to send Kyle down for his wife’s murder.
And then he finds her. Will Gaby finally take a stand?
Author Bio:
Novelist, movie addict, and animal lover, Cristina Slough is the author of:
Nelumbo Nucifera and Till Death Us Do Part.
Cristina has always been a bookworm, rarely seen without a pen and paper in her hand, she loves delving into a literacy fictional world of her own.
Although Cristina loves pink and fluffy, her writing isn’t. She loves to focus on raw human emotion and gritty story lines; she’s very fond of messing with her readers heads by weaving twists into her books.
Cristina is married to Adam, who runs a successful business; together they share their Bedfordshire home with their son, and several spoiled pets. As a family, they love to travel frequently, the United States being a firm favorite.
Sale Blitz + #Giveaway: Tempting Scrooge A Hot Tree Publishing Anthology @HotTreePromos
Kaithlin Shepherd - V. Cantrell - Katherine May - Mari Brown - Amy McClung - Becca Lee
Lola Stark - Debra Elisa - Vanessa Morse - Ann Grech - K.D. Robichaux - Danielle Jamie
HALF-PRICE SALE
HALF-PRICE SALE
Sometimes hot alphas struggle to get into the festive spirit, but holidays offer the perfect opportunity to tempt Scrooge. Join 12 amazing authors and fall in love with their 12 Scrooges.
There's never a more perfect time than today to be swept away in sweet kisses and tempting caresses.
A Hot Tree Publishing Anthology
His Christmas Miracle by Kaithlin Shepherd
Jayce promised himself that he would never risk losing anything again, but sometimes the magic of Christmas sends you what you need the most.
Presents & Possibilities by V. Cantrell
Event planner, Lily, must be prepared for all possibilities, but not even she can predict the outcome of working with Tyler during the holiday season.
Seducing Mr. Scrooge by Katherine May
Jude Shepherd isn't feeling the holiday spirit, and is taking his frustration out on his staff. When Ariana Gilbert hears Jude, her high school crush, has an opening at his multi-million corporation, her mind is set: she's going to seduce Mr. Scrooge.
Belle's Christmas Miracle by Mari Brown
Sierra needs Cage's help. But with six years of history between them, can they get through the past to work on the future?
A Christmas Makeover by Amy McClung
Thatcher Cole’s Grinch-like attitude clashes with Skye’s jolly-holiday stance. When Skye’s house needs a makeover, it’s not the only transformation occurring this holiday season.
All Wrapped Up by Lola Stark
He wanted a fling, she wanted to forget. A chance meeting gives each more than they bargained for.
Mistletoe & Scrooge by Debra Elise
A scrooge and a party planner agree to a "business only" date on Christmas Eve. But it's not long before a meddling aunt, a pixie, and plenty of mistletoe bring Grant and Sophie closer together - sharing hot kisses and relearning the true meaning of Christmas.
Mistletoe by Vanessa Morse
Holly's holiday began long before a kiss under the mistletoe. A night forgotten, a love found...Christmas wishes really can come true.
A Christmas Wish Come True by Ann Grech
Christmas is always a difficult time for Declan, made worse when he's faced with an impossible choice: his straight step-brother or an anonymous one-night stand. Will Declan find a reason to smile this holiday?
The Christmas Hunt by KD Robichaux
Finally landing the super-sexy, broody, tatted-up hottie, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he can give The Grinch and Scrooge a run for the title of Biggest Christmas Bad Boy.
Seducing St. Nick by Danielle Jamie
Marina has vowed to never allow herself to fall for the arrogant playboy, Dr. St. Nick...but sometimes vows are made to broken.
Kiss & Tell by Becca Lee
Avoiding the festivities of Christmas is virtually impossible for Jenna. Not only is she forced to man the community fete’s kissing booth, but Nick, a man she’s been lusting over for far too long, finally finds the perfect opportunity to get her to kiss and tell.
HALF-PRICE SALE
Rafflecopter Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ea80a6ed204/
Friday, December 16, 2016
Review + #Giveaway: Insidious (The Marked Mage Chronicles, Book One) by Victoria Evers @victoria_evers
Title: Insidious
Series: The Marked Mage Chronicles, Book #1
Series: The Marked Mage Chronicles, Book #1
Author: Victoria Evers
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: December 16, 2016
BLURB:
All Kat Montgomery wanted was a fun night out on the town. What she got was a death warrant. As it turns out, the quaint little hamlet of Mystic Harbor, Maine houses more than sandy beaches and adorable B&B’s. Beneath the New England charm rests a deadly world where shifters, demons, vampires, and angelic hunters all vie for power.
A world where magic is the greatest weapon.
Magic that Kat now possesses.
After that one fateful night, she can feel the changes beginning to take hold of her. Only problem, she doesn’t even know what she’s turning into. With threats hiding in plain sight, deciphering the lines between friend and foe is nearly impossible. As if things couldn’t get any worse, Kat learns her only real ally rests in the one person she can’t stand: Reese Blackburn, an insufferably handsome magician whom the town fears most.
Kat’s very soul is at stake, and destiny doesn't seem to be playing out in her favor. Can these two unlikely partners challenge fate itself before it's too late?
My
Review:
In
the charming, small town of Mystic Harbor, Maine there is a whole other world
that is full of secrets floating around that most people of the town don’t know
anything about; the deadly world of shifters, demons, vampires, and angelic
hunters and they all vie for power.
Kat
Montgomery is one of the ones who know nothing about this secret deadly world
in Mystic Harbor. On one eventful night all of that changes for Kat when she
ends up in a tragic accident that leaves one of her friends dead. Kat just
wants to have a night out with all of her friends and have a good time without
having to worry about what party or event her mom is going to drag her to next.
After
this tragic accident strange things start happening to Kat which she does not
understand. Kat is changing but the thing is she has no idea what she is
turning into. Kat is being stalked at every turn. Someone just may want her
dead or do they? Why are they following her? What do they want with her? What
is happening to her?
She
can’t trust anyone every time she does it ends up in disaster. But there is one
person she may be able to trust but there is one problem; he lives on the other
side of town, yeah the town’s bad boy Reese. Her mom would have a conniption
fit if she found out but Kit may have no choice. I don’t think that it is too
hard of a decision for her though because I think she secretly likes Reese.
Well I don’t blame her one bit. Cute dude and all!
When I read the blurb for Insidious and saw
that it had vampires, shifters, demons and the word deadly in it that is all I
needed to know and I was hooked. I am so glad I gave Insidious a try it is so
amazing. It is filled with so many twist and turns but they bog you down you
just keep turning those corners wanting to get to the next one hoping to find
out what is up ahead. The mystery just rains down on top of you and just when
you think you have it all figured out then bam something else slams you in the
face and you are like what, whoa, wait a minute, what just happened? I
definitely didn’t see that one coming.
If
you love a good vampire, shifter, demon, angel hunting, deadly world, killing
book then Insidious is the one for you. Come on give it a try and step into the
deadly world of vampires, shifters, demons and angel hunting who all want to be
on top with all the power.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
VICTORIA EVERS is a debut paranormal fiction writer who feels really awkward referring to herself in the third person.... When she's not vacationing in Narnia, you’ll probably find her reading, watching horror movies, spending time with her AMAZING family, or daydreaming about the newest story in her head.
Release Week Blast Off! + #Giveaway: Space Cowboy Survival Guide by Heather Long @HVLong @Barclay_P
SPACE COWBOY SURVIVAL GUIDE by Heather Long
Escape for the space adventure of your life and learn the rules along
the way...
Visit the blogs below for a chance to enter the #giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a $25 Amazon
Gift Card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
National bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas summertime. From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories—her characters drive the books. When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family. She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.
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December 12th
Carole Kittie Reviews Review + Guest
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Evermore Books Spotlight +
Excerpt
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Book Nook Review
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Notes From Around the Bend Review 
Title: Space Cowboy Survival Guide
Author: Heather Long
Release Date: December 13, 2016
Format: Digital
Genres: Action/Adventure,
Science Fiction, Space Opera
Rule #42 – Don’t
be a hero. Heroes do shit for free and get themselves killed. It’s a lose-lose
proposition.
From his leather Stetson to
his long coat and choice of weapons, Shaw Sullivan is just a space cowboy who
lives by his own code. A loner by choice, he accepted the contract to conduct a
stellar census under duress…it was the only way to save his family’s ranch.
Sullivan has four years to
complete the mission, and he has zero intentions of letting anything get in his
way least of all a desperate woman who wants to hire him to be a hero.
Read an excerpt
from SPACE COWBOY SURVIVAL GUIDE:
Chapter 1
Rule #5 One good sob story
deserves another.
They say every story starts
somewhere. Shaw Sullivan's could have begun when he was born. Wasn’t that when
everyone’s story technically began? Or did his story start elsewhere? Does a
person’s story begin with them or does it begin with their parents? If it
begins with their parents does it begin with all of their forefathers? And if
that's the case, maybe all stories were rooted on Earth.
It didn't really matter.
For Shaw Sullivan, his story definitely started on Earth—the one place he
wished he could return to, where his family's ranch remained, and all of his
life's work awaited him. When mounting debt drove him to accept an indentured
servitude offer, he’d left. The only hope for saving his family’s ranch rested
on his shoulders. A ranch his father and his father's father and his father's
father's father going back more than 500 years survived from worked. It didn't
matter if humans were in the stars, and it didn't matter that colony worlds
enumerating into the hundreds existed. No, what mattered to Shaw Sullivan was
his ranch. A ranch he only had four years to save.
Of course, as he studied
the Earth Analog he currently stood on through a field glass, a part of him had
to really wonder what was the point ? The place was a shithole. Farms barely
eking out an existence stretched around the perimeter. Their main spaceport was
an empty field next to a ramshackle building, which seemed cobbled together
from the remnants of the landing pods the colonists had used when they first
arrived. As far as he could tell, EA-114 had settled during the Corbin Space
Rush. By that reckoning, the original settlers arrived sometime between 2045
and 2095, give or take. Since it was in 2225, these people had spent nearly 200
years building nothing.
Easing his Stetson back
from his face, Shaw let the sun—or what passed for sunlight—warm his skin. The
air seemed almost too clammy. Maybe he'd come at the wrong time of year to
appreciate this so-called untouched beauty? Then again, maybe the land was
exactly what he’d come to expect—the poor remnants of the poor settlers’ fatal
mistake. They traveled to the stars to find a planet to call their own and
established a colony without backup support or industry then had to survive
literally on their crops or starve.
He pulled out a small
recorder and began to make some notations on the census reports he needed to
file. Each planet required notes on population density, on production values,
on geography and natural resources, and, on their current governing structures.
As far as he could tell, this planet didn't have much worth an entry. His
initial scans from space only showed a population numbering below 10,000—not a
very high number in the immediate region, though the overall planetary
population was closer to 40,000. The spaceport was their most populous area.
He glanced back at the
ramshackle container pod office, or whatever they wanted to call it. It was the
most modern of the structures he could see. Everything else had been
constructed from local materials.
“Captain Sullivan, sir,” a
male voice called out to him.
Shaw pivoted to face the
man. It took a minute to place his name—as far as he could recall, the man had
actually introduced himself when he had arrived to take Shaw's order for fuel.
That brought up another question for Shaw—where the hell did these people get
their fuel?
“It was Winston, right?”
Shaw walked toward him, sliding the recorder into the pocket of his duster.
The red, jowl-faced man
nodded. “Yes sir. I was just checking the requisition for your fuel. Really
sorry to say we only have maybe third of what you're requesting.”
Unsurprised, Shaw nodded.
Didn't actually need the fuel, but putting in an order usually got him some
results as far as on the local resources. He learned that on the last three
planets he visited. He also made it a point not to tell them why he was there
or what he was doing for a living. On the first planet, honesty damn near got
him shot. Twice.
“Any other dealers? We can
reach out to Eden.” The neighboring settlement might be located a few thousand
klicks away, but at least EA-114 had other settlements.
The man sopped at his face
with a handkerchief, trying to clean up the sweat. The humidity didn't make it
that hot, just uncomfortable. “They aren’t big allies, but I can call and see
what they've got. Supplies have been pretty scarce these days. Fuel is coming
in at a far more expensive price. So, be happy I’m willing to part with the
fuel I have. It's going to cost.”
Liars, shysters and con
men. Every planet had them. Shaw nodded and went for an understanding
expression—at least he hoped it came across as understanding. Part of him just
wanted to punch the man in his jowly face and get the hell out of there. That,
however, would not be getting his job done. Sure, Earth Prime might not know
what he’d done, but he would. Shaw never welched on a deal.
“I'd be happy to pay it,”
Shaw said. “I really do need the fuel. If you can check with the other towns,
that would be great.”
Winston scowled. Okay, wrong
answer. Apparently, Winston did not want to reach out to the other towns.
“Well, I reckon if you're prepared to pay that price for the third, I could see
if I could scrape together the rest.”
Shock of shockers. Shaw
gave the man a thin smile. “That would be great.”
His answer seemed to add
another layer to Winston's distress and rising temper. The man's already
flushed face, reddened further and his fists clenched, knuckles whitening. So,
offering the man a small fortune for fuel just increased his anger.
Interesting.
“It could take a while.”
Winston practically spat the words out.
“I got all the time in the
world.” Shaw spread his arms. “Think I'll take a stroll, stretch my legs, look
around.”
Winston's face tightened
and his nostrils flared. Yeah, he liked the idea someone walking around even
less than he liked the idea of accepting so much money for fuel.
EA-114 just became a lot
more interesting.
“That won't be a problem,
will it?” Shaw inquired, resting his hand on the butt of his pistol. Hell, if
they wanted him to wander the stars to check out all these different worlds and
see what they had to offer, he might as well be armed. Since they didn't sell
bullets anymore, at least not on home world, he’d gone for the closest thing he
could find—Colt .45 pearl-handled laser pistol. It packed a hell of a punch.
Winston glanced from him to
the weapon, then back again and shook his head. “Not at all.” The lie fell from
his lips as easily as the rain from the sky in a Texas spring storm. Not only
did he have to figure out what they were hiding, he had to watch his back.
He’d already set the
security features on the Gilly. No one was getting on his ship. Whether he was
dead or alive, the Gilly wouldn't open for anyone that wasn't him without with
his code, his DNA, and a little something special that he provided after the
security specialists had finished programming the ship for him.
“I'll check back in with
you later then, Winston.” Shaw raised his hand in half-salute. He set off at an
angle that allowed him to keep his eye on the fuel dealer while also scanning
his surroundings. The main section town stretched out and away from the
spaceport. Mostly farms, as far as he could tell, however he had seen some
shops, or at least what he thought were shops. It didn't appear industrial,
more retail.
If the community was that
poor and fuel that expensive, what were they doing with retail shops?
Never hurt to stir up some
trouble and figure out what their sob story was.
Shaw's boots clicked with
every step he took on the wooden boardwalks lining their tiny town. In some
ways, it amused him, this attempt at 1800s Americana on a world so far from
where they all originated. At the same time, the very familiarity of it all
aggravated him. Not far from his MorningStar ranch, the tiny New Texas town of
Quanto looked exactly the same, right down to the wooden boardwalks and classic
storefronts.
As nostalgia wasn't
something he could afford, he continued strolling and inspecting his
surroundings. The street was dirt, still churned to mud from an earlier rain.
No real sign of pack or herd animals. The only vehicles present were back at
the makeshift port.
Despite his earlier
supposition about living crop to mouth, the planet had been settled long enough
to develop at least some wealth. The first building, a mission of some
kind—Paradise Interfaith Meditation—boasted a closed sign in the window and a
locked door. The dress shop next door also appeared closed, as was the feed and
supply shop.
Odd. All the shops on the
lonely street appeared closed. Closed or abandoned? Even the churned mud had no
footprints.
Shaw scratched his jaw,
crossing the muddy road to the boardwalk on other side of the road, verifying
his boots left prints. Sure enough, he did—and the solo boot heels amplified the
lonely feeling of the not-so-abandoned town. One shop closed, maybe even two,
didn’t seem a cause for suspicion. However, all of them closed? That was worth
investigating. After making a full circuit of the town center, Shaw checked his
datalink, verified his bearings based on the longitude and latitude, angle of
the sun, and the planet’s current rotation pattern around the system’s star.
It was around midday on a
weekday, based on their solar calendar. His stroll revealed more questions than
answers.
At the Interfaith center,
he paused to stare at the locked doors. It seemed almost universal for faith
centers to be open to its congregants, and an interfaith one would have to be
open nearly all the time to cater to so many different religions. So, why was
it closed? Why were the doors locked?
Sparing a glance over his
shoulder toward the port, Shaw debated going back the Gilly and using the
ship’s scanners to take a deeper look, only that would be cheating.
Abandoning the boardwalk,
he circled the end of the ‘block’ to take a wander beyond the main strip.
Tenements bordered right up against the side of the town. What few people he'd
seen moving while talking to Winston had vanished except for one small girl.
She stared at him with a questioning expression on her face until her mother
swept her inside swiftly then bolted the door. It was definitely bolted, he
heard the slide lock snick closed. Lifting one arm, he sniffed himself. No, he
didn’t stink. Whatever happened in the sleepy little shithole definitely did.
Stripping off his Stetson, he ran his fingers through his hair while he tapped
his hat against his thigh.
Playing dilettante wasn’t
getting him anywhere. The task at hand was a census. The charge of documenting
populations and resources on colony worlds had him traveling to this armpit of
the galaxy. He didn’t want to tell the locals what he was up to, as they
usually rebelled at the idea of anyone reporting on them back to Earth Prime,
whether they had anything to hide or not. One thing hadn’t changed in
centuries—government inspections and investigations were a universal cause for
concern. He needed a good idea of how many people actually lived in this town.
In the debate over whether to knock on the door hiding the mother and her
child, his conscience got the better of him.
Harassing a mom, especially
a scared one, went against the grain.
One hand on his holstered
sidearm, Shaw continued his circuit around the tenements. He didn't think he
looked like someone out to get anyone. Then again, criminals didn't always look
like criminals. Whatever issues these people had to hide… better to find out
now rather than later.
Thirty minutes of wandering
left Shaw in a foul mood. The people here lived almost too poor, despite
verdant fields beyond their little hellhole of a town. The populated area
seemed only remarkable for the plethora of debris and human refuse alongside
the occasional scrub garden with their pitifully sad vegetables straining
toward the gray light of the sun above—a scar left on the face of an idyllic
colony world.
Whoever ran things around
here did a shit job. Having had enough, Shaw strode back toward the scant town
center. Sure enough, all the buildings remain locked with their signs on
closed, no lights showing inside. Checking his datalink again, he accessed the
Gilly’s computer and initiated the scan.
Cheating be damned. His
ship reported in short order with the population number he’d read from space
and heat signatures fanning around him. After studying the readout on his
watch, he returned to the Interfaith Center.
“I wouldn't do that if I
were you,” a hostile voice warned him when he raised his hand to knock on the
door.
Pivoting, Shaw faced the
newcomer. A tall, broad shouldered man, he had a handlebar mustache and a body
odor that struck as soon as the breeze shifted. The only thing that prevented
Shaw from noticing him to begin with was the fact that the wind had been in his
favor. The change in the breeze’s direction damn near gagged Shaw with the
stench.
“What's the problem?” Shaw
asked, dropping his gaze to the dull, flat edged tin star on the man's chest.
“Sheriff?”
“Marshal.” The man
corrected him, and his chest puffed out as he did so. “Locked doors generally
mean people don't want company, son.”
“Fair enough,” Shaw
acknowledged. “However, it's an interfaith center, Sheriff.” Yes, he used the
wrong title on purpose. When the man's cheeks reddened and his eyes bulged as
his nostrils flared, Shaw enjoyed the fact his targeted barb hitting its mark.
“You're not from around
here, son,” was the man's only response.
“Very true, and obviously
so.” Shaw kept his arms loose and didn't approach the ‘marshal.' The man was
off, and he came armed with a sawed off double-barreled shotgun, one Shaw was
willing to bet didn’t come loaded with bird pellets. Hunting laws at home
outlawed the weapons—this far out, though? They could probably use bullets
without any fear of reprisal. The marshal’s boots were filthy and mud spattered
his jeans. The smell on him though—damn—Shaw had gotten a lungful of dead
week-old corpses that didn’t smell this bad.
“You should ahead on back
over the port. We don't much like strangers around here.”
Not an unusual response to
a stranger in someone’s territory. “Didn’t mean any harm, Sheriff.” He tugged
on the string once more. The animosity combined with the marshal’s stench to
roll over him in choking waves.
“I said I was a marshal,
boy.” He swung the shotgun into a targeted position, aiming it directly at
Shaw. “You’ll move along. Now.”
“That’s downright
unfriendly for a sheriff, considering I am not your boy, and I’m spending my
good, hard earned credits at your port.” Didn’t matter how far apart the colony
worlds were, the first accords made credit chits universal currency and
preferred for financing interstellar purchases.
“Your ship can earn us more
for scrap, too.” Apparently, they were all done playing nice.
Worked for Shaw. The
sheriff closed the distance between them and used the shotgun to gesture for
him to backup. The problem with using a weapon to point meant it wasn’t always
directed at the target. In fact, when the sheriff gave it a jerk again to
motion him away, the barrel aimed at the sky. Shaw caught the barrel, and kept
it pointed upward as he gave it a hard tug and withdrew his pistol in the same
breath.
Startled, the wannabe
lawman released his weapon then gulped when he saw the laser pistol barrel
right between his eyes.
“I’d tell you what you were
doing wrong, but I like to keep my interactions polite.” Not to mention more
words required more breathing in the man’s too smelly presence. “So, let me be
clear. This gun won’t make a bang so much as a sizzle as it fries through your
skull and incinerates what brain matter you might be possessing. You catch my
drift?”
With fumbling fingers, the
man stripped off his abused star and tossed it on the ground. “Ain’t no job
worth this,” the man sputtered. “I quit.”
“Well, I’m sure these
townsfolk will be real interested to hear that you don’t want the job of
protecting them no more. Not seeing it as their loss.” Shaw studied him. Sweat
beaded along the man’s forehead and ran down his face in rivulets. His gaze
kept darting to the interfaith center. Without removing his weapon from the
man’s forehead, Shaw used his chin to gesture the man to walk. Circling with
the man, he flipped the shotgun so it landed with his finger over the trigger
and pointed at the door of the center just as it opened.
“Come on out and join us,
Winston.”
It shouldn’t have surprised
Shaw to learn that the seedy fuel dealer had something going on in the town
considering the unkempt condition of both the so-called port and the town
itself.
Winston stomped out onto
the boardwalk. “You’re going to regret this.”
“I kind of already do,”
Shaw replied and kept his tone even. His datalink vibrated three times. The
scanners on his ship detected three more weapons. “And for that you have my
apology.” He gave Marshal Stinky a shove, sending him right into Winston even
as Shaw threw himself sideways.
The bullets kicked up the
mud and sent it spattering. A meaty thunk, and a less than manly yowl warned
him that the rapid fire projectiles found their mark in one or both of the two
men. A woman’s scream, soon joined by another, filled the building behind him.
Rolling, Shaw brought his
pistol up just as another bullet slammed into the boardwalk next to him,
splintering the wood. Ignoring the sharp pain of a scrape across his cheek, he
targeted where the gunfire came from and returned fire of his own.
The laser had no kick, but
it did make a decent sized hole in the second story of the shop. A man let out
a shout, then tumbled through the glass along with his weapon and hit the mud
with a splat. Rising, Shaw checked his datalink as he caught sight of Winston
trying to crawl away. A blast to his right leg, just above the knee had the man
screaming and aborted his escape effort.
The last two weapons were
coming in at speed from the opposite side of town. Spinning, Shaw had his
pistol and shotgun ready even as the roar of a motor warned him of their
approach. He gave them a split second but, at the sight of their weapons
pointed at him, he opened fire on the bike itself. The fuel tank went up like a
jetpack at launch and flung metal and men into a fiery ball. The rain of debris
left a hell of a mess in the middle of the muddy row.
Another glance at his
datalink screen showed no red signatures for weapons, only orange for people.
The buildings around him were stocked with them, especially the interfaith
center. Moseying down to where Winston left a bloody trail on the path, Shaw
stepped on his wounded leg, making the man let out a whimpering cry.
“It would seem, Winston,
that we’ve come to a parting of ways. The only question I have is do I finish
the task or do I just ask the good people of this town?”
“Go to hell, you bastard.”
“I hope you don’t kiss your
momma with that mouth.” After grinding his foot into the wound once more for
good measure, Shaw leaned over and knocked on the door. “It’s all clear folks.
Y’all can come out now.”
A woman appeared in the open
doorway, her dirty face bruised and tear streaked, but a fiery anger simmered
in her brown eyes. “Who are you?”
Hoping she wasn’t on the
side of the men he’d just dealt with, Shaw nodded to her as politely as he
could manage while still carrying a weapon in each hand. “Shaw Sullivan, ma’am.
Hope I haven’t done more harm than good, but these men didn’t appear to have
your town’s honest interests at heart.”
The woman looked from him
to the downed wannabe lawman who’d taken a bullet to the heart and dropped dead
where he’d fallen then to Winston, who lay in a moaning heap. Pulling the door
open wider, she stepped outside and glanced at the dead man across the street,
then to the still burning wreckage of the bike with what was left of its pair
of extremely dead riders.
Miss Brown Eyes gave Shaw
another look and he backed away a pace respectfully, but he didn’t lower the
weapons. The town had already had five very unpleasant surprises. He didn’t
fancy meeting another unarmed.
She walked over to where
Winston lay muttering pitifully, and lifted her skirt lightly as though taking
care not to get any blood on it before she delivered a swift kick to the man’s
head.
“He’s right,” she called in
a strong voice. “We’re safe! Y’all come on out! We have our town back.”
Shaw nodded to himself,
satisfied with the result until the people spilled out in a chattering flow and
surrounded him. Miss Brown Eyes rushed over to him and threw her arms around
him.
“Our hero!”
Oh, hell no.
Other Books by Heather Long:
THE JUDAS CONTACT
Doctor Ilsa
Blaine
Codename: Doc
Abilities: Designs programmable bioware, enhanced understanding of brain chemistry
Mission: Research, analyze and troubleshoot the team’s active microchips
On the cutting edge of neuroscience, Ilsa is
developing microchips that can be inserted into the brain and deliver
information. The applications are endless, but her current goal is just to get
dogs to return to their owners should they ‘become lost.’ When her college
roommate turns up asking for lunch, she’s hardly prepared for the chaos that
ensues or the revelation her chip changed the world and the lives of five
heroes from the future. And now they need her help…
Garrett Fox
Codename: The Viper
Abilities: toxins, poisons and assassination, he can kill with a touch
Mission: Protect Ilsa Blaine
One of five desperate men sent back in time to
save the future, Garrett volunteers to be the doctor’s guinea pig as she
studies their neuro-chips. It’s not his first time being a lab rat. In close
quarters, the unthinkable happens, an attraction that could kill Ilsa. Drawn
together by science, and on the fast track to destiny, Ilsa must prove to
Garrett he isn’t toxic to everything and save his team from their chips before
they can end them…
Heroes come in
all shapes and sizes. An alliance with Halo has given their leader a taste of
hope. For these five lonely soldiers, the single emotion may prove their most
dangerous threat.
HUNT ME
One Thief...
Wealthy,
titled, and very privileged, Lady Katherine Hardwicke successfully eluded some
of the best thieves in the world in a quest to obtain the Fortunate Buddha. Her
time is running out and her enemies are closing in, and one deliciously enigmatic
man seems determined to get in her way. Will he save her or end her quest
forever?
One Hunt...
Jarod Parker
wears many faces and lies for a living, but when the same thief steals the
Buddha out from beneath his agents not once but twice, this handler returns to
the field. His target? The last woman anyone would suspect of being the thief.
But is he really after the Buddha or has this brilliant woman stolen his heart?
One Choice...
Their sensuous
game of cat and mouse turns deadly when a third player turns up the heat, but
can these two liars come clean with each other or will they lose it all?
About Heather Long:
National bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas summertime. From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories—her characters drive the books. When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family. She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.
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