~ Another Great #EggcerptExchange by Carmen Stefanescu ~ from SHADOWS OF THE PAST ~

Howdy! Have another wonderful eggcerpt for you, but first, here's what the book's about...

BLURB ~

Anne's relationship with her boyfriend Neil has disintegrated. After a two-year separation, they pack for a week vacation in hopes of reconciling. But fate has other plans for them.

The discovery of a bejeweled cross and ancient human bones opens a door to a new and frightening world--one where the ghost of a medieval nun named Genevieve will not let Anne rest. This new world threatens not only to ruin Anne and Neil's vacation but to end all hopes of reconciliation as Anne feels compelled to help free Genevieve's soul from its torment.

Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve find her eternal rest?

A touching, compelling story of tragedy, loss and the power of endless love and good magic.

The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.

LINKS ~

Wild Child Publishing

http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=84&products_id=410


Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-of-the-Past-ebook/dp/B00AK2D9I8/ref=sr_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354874514&sr=1-15&keywords=shadows+of+the+past

All Romance

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadowsofthepast-1013184-140.html


Barnes & Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-of-the-past-carmen-stefanescu/1113910162?ean=2940015715026

EGGCERPT ~ 

The peal of the church bells from the abbey tower startled Genevieve. The sound added to her mounting anxiety.

The massive abbey loomed over the stone paved path. All the nuns were at evening mass. With a bit of luck her disappearance would go unnoticed for a few more hours. The Abbess would assume she was cleaning the toilets as ordered.

Fear skittered through Genevieve when she turned away from the abbey towards the path leading to town. Nothing stirred. She hesitated. Evil emanated from the forest surrounding the abbey. With a shiver, she leaned against the solid oak gates that flanked the abbey's main path. They had hidden her from detection for the past couple of hours, but how much longer would she be safe?

The mountain shadows grew thicker and closer.

She moved her weight from one leg to the other. They ached from so much standing, but she lacked the strength to return to the gardener's cottage and wait for Andrew's arrival as planned. Genevieve closed her tired eyes. The image of old Ryan, slumped dead in his chair in his cubicle, caught life in her mind and made her whole body ripple with fear.

She'd rather wait for Andrew here, outside.

Had he forgotten his promise? What if something terrible befell him during the last three days, or he had changed his mind? Why should he risk all for an ordinary nun?

Had his folks talked him into giving her up, made him see reason? Helping her out of her predicament meant a huge risk for him -- losing his family, his friends and his position among his peers. His words echoed in her mind. "I will risk everything for you, even life, if necessary."

* * * *

"Anne, Anne, wake up. Wake up, please," the insistent voice whispered next to her ear. The touch of a hand, on her shoulder, startled Anne.

She opened her eyes, still half between sleep and reality. Her gaze stopped on a stranger, a woman, by her side.

The moon's pale face, the only light, filtered through a small gap in the tent's entrance; yet the stranger's whole body emanated a kind of soft ray, a yellowish halo making her figure and face easy to discern.

A long, dark robe, similar to those worn by nuns in monasteries centuries ago, covered her body. No traditional headdress covered the woman's red hair, which fell loosely over her shoulders in long, heavy tendrils and continued down her chest and back.

Anne stood up and studied the intruder with open curiosity. The stranger’s wax pale face looked corpse like. Anne opened her mouth to ask her who she was. She looked Anne straight in the eyes, placed her forefinger on her lips and whispered, "Hush, come. Follow me."

Anne's eyes widened.

The woman, moving away from the sleeping bag, appeared to glide above the ground. Her bare feet didn't make a sound.

As if hypnotized, Anne followed the illuminated silhouette heading into the forest, without questioning her own actions.

An onrush of sensations unfamiliar to her followed. Dizziness and a malevolent feeling of unreality suffocated her. The presence of evil, creeping up and enveloping her, became almost palpable. Her throat turned dry, and she gasped for air.

/ / / / / / / / / 

INTERVIEW ~

Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable Miss...

"Genevieve. My name is Genevieve, but Sister Clementa, the Abbess, and some of her followers call me The witch."


I see... Ahem. Tell me, Genevieve, where are you living?

Genevieve ( a small sigh escapes her lips. Then she shrugs) "Well, for the moment I reside at St. Mary’s Abbey. On top of a mountain in Britain, in the...cursed forest."


 Is that so? Well, do you have any schooling?

Genevieve (nods and pats and invisible crease of her dress) "Kind Old Bertha, who took care of me after my family perished, taught me to read and write. Not only English but also Latin. And, most important, she taught me how to prepare healing potions from plants and herbs. Perhaps that’s why the Abbess hates me so much. A peasant girl of the 13th century is dangerous if she knows more than her superiors, I think."

Hmm...that may be... What are your worst fears or nightmare?

Genevieve (throws a shy look around her. She shivers and her voice is small) "I fear the cursed forest. This forest is responsible for what happened to my family. My father’s odd behavior, the death of my siblings. All the evil that lurks in it.

My nightmare - the Abbess, sister Clementa, who threatens me all the time with sending me to the stake. I can’t understand why she wants me out of the way."

Sounds quite unpleasant. Is there anything that you secretly desire?

Genevieve (blushes and wrings her hands. Then she looks me directly in the eyes. Her voice is strong now. ) "To become Andrew’s wife and grow a family. If his family agrees....If the Abbess lets me go... If God forgives me for giving up being a nun.....If I escape alive from the forest.... If....”

Nice ending!

AUTHOR BIO ~

Carmen Stefanescu resides in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal phenomena could have led someone to great trouble - the psychiatric hospital if not to prison.

Teacher of English and German in her native country and mother of two daughters, Carmen Stefanescu survived the grim years of oppression, by escaping in a parallel world, that of books.

She has dreamed all her life of becoming a writer, but many of the things she wrote during those years remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceausescu’s regime in 1989, and the opening of the country to the world, meant a new beginning for her. She started publishing. Poems first, and then prose. Both in English.

Shadows of the Past, paranormal/light romance/light mystery/light horror was released at the end of 2012 by Wild Child publishing, USA.



Carmen Stefanescu's Links:

http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/

https://twitter.com/Carmen_Books

http://www.pinterest.com/carmens007/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carmen-Stefanescu-Books/499245716760283

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6624397.Carmen_Stefanescu

https://plus.google.com/117216040843648957646/posts

http://www.amazon.com/Carmen-Stefanescu/e/B00APVDGAA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1




Thank you for joining us today, Carmen!

~ Another Great #EggcerptExchange, by Kim Headlee ~ from THE CHALLENGE ~

I've got another wonderful #eggcerpt for you, so hop on along and take a look...

Blurb ~

The gauntlet is thrown. One must die. Refusal is not an option.

Arthur the High King of Breatein has fallen captive of a longtime enemy, the Saxon warrior-princess Camilla, who lusts to avenge the death of her betrothed at Gyan’s hands and will stop at nothing, even the black arts, to achieve her goal. Because Gyan and Arthur have grown estranged, she fears that Arthur may side with Camilla and make her his new queen.

To meet Camilla’s challenge, Gyan must face all her demons—public as well as private.

Eggcerpt ~

With a shudder Gyan recalled the rumor that Camilla had enlisted demonic aid…

She banished those thoughts, and their attendant fears, by pondering the irony that Camilla had tried to strike at her through Arthur. It might have worked, once. The passion that had colored the early years of their marriage was still celebrated in song throughout Breatein and Caledon.

These days, she wasn’t singing.

This was the shortest of the excerpts that Kim sent me, and they were all fantastic, but I LOVED the way this one ended! Now, let's find out a bit more about our lady Gyan...

What is the meaning of your name? 

I am Gyanhumara nic Hymar, daughter of Hymar and her consort, Ogryvan. My mother, whose name means “song,” named me her “rarest song,” for I was fated before birth to be the only daughter she would ever bear. Those who do not ken the Caledonach tongue call me by many other names: Vennevria… Guanhumara… Ganora… Gwenhwyfar… Guenevara… Guinevere. I am none of those women.

I am Gyanhumara.

My kin and closest friends call me Gyan. You may call me “Your Majesty.”


As you wish, of course. Please describe your job, Your Majesty.

I am Chieftainess of Clan Argyll of Caledon, a position I inherited from my mother. When my husband Arthur was acclaimed High King of Breatein by virtue of his—our—victories over the Saxons, Scots, and other enemies of his people the Breatanaich, I became High Queen to rule at Arthur’s side.

Though I remain honored that Arthur’s people hold much love and respect for me, the added responsibilities have proven to be far more of a burden than I could have ever foreseen.

Do you have a favorite place to visit?

The Sanctuary of the Chalice on St. Padraic’s Isle. In the churchyard lie the bodies of the first men to die under my command. Their gravestones serve to remind me that war should only be pursued after all other avenues toward peace have failed. Inside the church sits enshrined one of the holiest relics of all Christendom… and the only means by which I have ever attained forgiveness for the mistakes I’ve made. And those mistakes are, indeed, legion.


This may be a sensitive question, but please tell us, Your Majesty, about your significant other.

Ah, Arthur, my life, my heart, my soul… my dearest love. How did we ever come to a point where we scarcely share an intimate word anymore? I blame the pressures of governing the people, of protecting them from invasions and famines and plagues and sundry other threats.

But most of all, I blame myself for the poor choices I have made that have widened our rift.


What is your most important goal? 

I would give anything for the chance to set things aright with Arthur. Anything, even my very life itself.

What is your worst nightmare? 

Ha! You have doubtless heard that in mere moments I must face in combat a woman reputed to be in league with a demon. Is that not nightmare enough for you?


Please forgive me, Your Majesty; I intended no offense. Thank you so much for your precious time, and I wish you success in this battle… and beyond.

(Gyan inclines her head, a slight smile bending her lips. The smile inverts as she tugs on her gloves, dons her helmet, claps hand to hilt, and strides off to meet her foe.) 

And, as a special extra, Kim sent along a sample of her graphic novel!

So cool!

Author Bio ~

Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet. She has been an award-winning novelist since 1999 (Dawnflight 1st edition, Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian Legends for nigh on half a century. 

Links ~

You can find Kim here:
 

WORLDWIDE AMAZON KINDLE LINK – http://getBook.at/The_Challenge_by_KIH_Kindle (Kindle Unlimited)

You can buy THE CHALLENGE here: (Come on. I dare ya!)



AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE (Worldwide link) – http://Author.to/Kim_Headlee_Amazon_page

BLOG – http://kimiversonheadlee.blogspot.com

NEWSLETTER – http://eepurl.com/boiQ0z

FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/KimIversonHeadlee

TWITTER – https://twitter.com/KimHeadlee

I've thoroughly enjoyed having you as my guest today, Kim. Please come back anytime!

~ An Eggcellent #EggcerptExchange by Elaine Cantrell ~from FORTUNA! ~

I have another eggcellent eggcerpt for you all...

Blurb ~


Aimee Sherwood never dreamed that following her fiancé into the witness protection pro-gram would land her in a haunted house in a town that’s downright creepy. She’d have laughed if she had been told the guy who lives down the road might be her soul mate, not the man whose ring she’s wearing. Life in West Virginia is nothing like life in Los Angeles, but between bean ball battles with Marilyn Monroe, remodeling a crumbling farmhouse, and starting a new business, Aimee’s life is anything but dull.

Eggcerpt ~


Rocky and Aimee go to a church luncheon.

“What’s that?” Rocky asked.

Aimee took a look and saw something that reminded her of meatballs: blue, perfectly shaped meatballs. She giggled. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Both of them stopped snickering when a buxom blonde wearing a tight, flowered blouse approached with a frown on her face. Aimee gasped. This was the woman from the coffee shop at the funeral home.

The woman recognized her at the same time. “You!”

“Yeah, I recognize you too.” Aimee tried to instill the proper amount of disdain in her voice.

A second, older woman who looked somewhat like the blonde wandered over to the table to see what was going on. Fortified by the newcomer’s presence, the buxom blonde gestured wildly toward the table. “What are you doing to my bean balls?”

“Bean balls?”

“Yes, you were staring at my bean balls.”

Aimee giggled even though she tried not to. “I was just taking the lid off them. Honest.”

“Well, I don’t like the way you were looking at them. Don’t you know it’s better for you to eat healthy food?”

Aimee gritted her teeth, amusement gone. “I was looking at them because I had no idea what they were.”

She wondered if the blonde was about to have a stroke. Her face was that red. Actually, it matched her skirt pretty well, which, by the way, didn’t match her tight blouse.

The woman gave Aimee the evil eye. “You are a hateful, mean woman. I’m sorry I ever met you. First you misrepresented yourself at the coffee shop, and now you mock my bean balls.”

“I did not!”

Without warning the blonde jerked the plastic container away from Aimee. It scooted across the table and crashed into a gelatin salad, taking a corner off its molded perfection. The blue bean balls went everywhere, rolling around the table like marbles on steroids. ”Look what you’ve done,” the blonde wailed. “Nobody will want to eat them now.”

She snatched a bean ball and hurled it at Aimee, who ducked just in time. “You missed me,” she taunted. She had no sooner finished speaking before a second bean ball flew through the air. This one caught the shoulder of her new blouse.

The blonde laughed.

Aimee grabbed a bean ball from the table and threw it at the blonde. She hit the woman right in the chest. “Help me!” the blonde shrieked. “She hit me in the heart. Where’s the sheriff?”

From the corner of her eye, Aimee saw the priest hurrying their way. She fired one final bean ball, which hit the blonde’s forehead with a beany thud.

Rocky grabbed her arm. “They’re circling the wagons. Let’s get out of here.”

Practically running, they made their escape from the church. Rocky took the precaution of locking the truck doors. He sighed. “I guess we can’t come back to this church either. Are we going to become atheists?”

“Of course not!”

Sunk in gloom, they drove back to Fortuna. The jinx was still on as far as churches were concerned.

Links ~

http://www.amazon.com/Fortuna-Elaine-Cantrell-ebook/dp/B01B5P9EF0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1454292353&sr=1-1&keywords=fortuna+by+elaine+cantrell


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fortuna-elaine-cantrell/1123328090?ean=2940157912277



https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/fortuna-12


http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/611196

Author Bio ~

Elaine Cantrell was born and raised in South Carolina. She holds a master’s degree in personnel services from Clemson University. She is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary society for women educators and is also a member of Romance Writers of America. Her first novel, A New Leaf, was the 2003 winner of the Timeless Love Contest. When she isn’t writing or teaching, she enjoys reading, traveling, and collecting vintage Christmas ornaments.

Author Links:

http://www.elainecantrell.com

http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/elainepcantrell

http://www.twitter.com/elainecantrell

http://www.pinterest.com/elainecantrell

Character Interview: Aimee ~

Rhonda: Welcome to Updated History, a Viewer’s Choice TV program. My name is Rhonda Dalton, and my guest today is Aimee Sherwood. Aimee, welcome to the show. Could you introduce yourself to the viewers?


Aimee: Thank you, Rhonda. As you said, I’m Aimee Sherwood. I was born in Baltimore, but I spent the last couple of years in LA where I met LAWA wrestler Rocky Stone. Rocky bought some property in West Virginia, and that’s how I got here.


Rhonda: That’s lovely, Aimee. Why don’t you tell the viewers about your new business?


Aimee: I’d love to. My business is Internet based. I make authentic reproductions of 17th and 18th century clothing for both men and women. So many people in Centerville love history that I thought I’d help them get quality reproduction clothing for balls, reenactments, garden parties, and so on.


Rhonda: That sounds fascinating. I’m in need of a new costume myself. Was opening your own business your major life goal?


Aimee: No, I only recently thought of it. My main goal is to decide between two… Well, it’s kind of personal so I guess I’ll pass on this one.

Rhonda: That’s very mysterious. Can you tell us your greatest fear?


Aimee: (Laughs) I’m afraid I’ll do something stupid like that bean ball battle I had with Marilyn Monroe.


Rhonda: (laughs too) Yes, I’ve heard about that. I take it bean balls aren’t your favorite food.

Aimee: I’d rather have chocolate doughnuts or pork skins.


Rhonda: Yummy. One final question, if you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?

Aimee: That’s easy. I’d expand my business and help Rocky renovate Fortuna.


Rhonda: That’s wonderful, Aimee. Thanks for being here.

Aimee: Thanks for having me.

~ Another Great #EggcerptExchange by Linda Sienkiewicz ~ from IN THE CONTEXT OF LOVE ~

Author Linda K. Sienkiewicz writes women’s fiction/ contemporary romance. Her debut novel is In the Context of Love.

What makes us step back to examine the events and people that have shaped our lives? And what happens when what we discover leads to more questions? In the Context of Love revolves around the journey of Angelica Schirrick as she reevaluates her life, and its direction.

Returning with her children from their first visit with her now imprisoned husband, she tries to figure out where it all went so wrong. Can she face the failures and secrets of her past and move forward? Can she find love and purpose again? Her future, which once held so much promise, crumbled like dust after the mysterious disappearance of her first love, and the shattering revelation that derailed her life, and divided her parents. Only when she finally learns to accept the violence of her beginning can she be open to life again, and maybe to a second chance at love.

Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of #1 NY Times Bestseller, DEEP END OF THE OCEAN, says: “With humor and tenderness, but without blinking, Linda K. Sienkiewicz turns her eye on the predator-prey savannah of the young and still somehow hopeful.”

Bonnie Jo Campbell, author of Michigan Notable Book MOTHERS TELL YOUR DAUGHTERS, says “Sienkiewicz’s powerful and richly detailed debut novel is at once a love story, a cautionary tale, and an inspirational journey. It should be required reading for all wayward daughters, and their mothers, too.”

Eggcerpt ~

I would later learn Gavin cut his teeth on the white lines of the highway—his father was in the service and his family moved every two years when Gavin and his brothers were growing up. I remember long road trips with my parents to Florida, Myrtle Beach, and New York when it seemed as if we drove forever, and half of it was just to get out of flat, boring Ohio. Whenever I would sit up from sleeping on the backseat, thickheaded from motion sickness, cramped and thirsty, the view was the same—barns, corn, and cows through smeared bugs on the front windshield. Mom would be in the front seat, grappling with a crumpled map while Dad hummed. I didn’t get carsick when Gavin drove forty-five miles from Cuyahoga County to Erie on I-90, following the contour of the lake in his black Cadillac Seville. His driving was as sleek as his seduction. He obviously held his liquor well, not necessarily a good sign.

It was after midnight when he parked his car in front of a cluster of – rattrap apartments. “Rock the boat,” he sang as he walked me to the front door with his hands on my back, guiding me forward, “Rock the boat, baby.”

I leaned against him as he unlocked the door, and we both fell inside. His place was sparse—a cheap couch, a card table covered with paperwork, folding chairs, a standing lamp, half-melted candles along the window ledge. A small TV on a two-shelf bookstand. Pull-down shades. No curtains. No pictures on the wall. I didn’t think his lack of décor meant anything more than he was a man of simple needs. His king size bed was unmade, and there was no dresser, but he had more stuff than I’d ever seen before in a man’s bathroom.



We didn’t get to sleep until 3:00 a.m., and when I awakened, Gavin Schirrick was stepping out of his trousers, already back from his job. He crawled over me, pressed his mouth onto mine, and re-intoxicated me before we lapsed into heavy sleep.



I was content. I felt safe. I was not.

Links ~

In the Context of Love can be purchased in paperback or e-reader on Amazon http://amzn.to/1IiVWEs or Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/1QFs340

Here’s an interview with Angelica Schirrick, the narrator of In the Context of Love:

What is your birthdate?

I came screaming into this world on June 30, 1958, delivered by a midwife, Rose Rumble, at my great aunt’s farm in Wisconsin.

Do you have a nickname?

People have called me troublemaker, short stuff, hot stuff, cupcake (by my dad) Angel, hure (by my wicked German grandmother — don’t ask why), but most people call me Angie.


What’s your level of schooling?

I should say the School of Hard Knocks, but I have an associate’s degree.

What is your most important goal?

To see my two children grow up to be happy and well-adjusted, despite having a felon for a father.

Who is your significant other?

That would Jozsef Vadas, the Hungarian heartthrob, the gypsy kind, the boy I fell in love with in high school. He will forever be my one and only.

Author Bio ~

Author Linda K. Sienkiewicz attributes her creative drive to her artistic mother, who taught her to sew, and her father, who let her monkey around with the gadgets in his workshop. Her poetry, short stories and art have been published in more than fifty literary journals. She has a poetry chapbook award from Bottom Dog Press and an MFA from The University of Southern Maine.

Website http://lindaksienkiewicz.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/LindaKSienkwicz
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/lindaksienkwicz/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lindaksienkiewicz/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lindasienkiewicz.author

~ Another Eggcellent #EggcerptExchange by Mari Manning ~ from STRANGER AT MY DOOR ~

What a fantastic cover, huh? Let's hop right into this eggcerpt and find out what it is about!

Blurb ~

The only thing standing between Dinah Pittman and a murderer is a man she’s afraid to trust …

As far as Dinah Pittman is concerned, men can’t be trusted. Especially cops. Her own father was a cop and a convicted felon who stole a small fortune before dying in prison. The best part? No one knows where the money is…and someone is willing to kill off everyone who knows anything about it.

And Dinah is next.

Rafe Morales left the Dallas police force to settle down to a simpler life in the small Texas town of El Royo. Instead, he finds himself protecting an infuriating, tough-as-nails, oh-so-sexy victim—and driving himself crazy with a thoroughly unprofessional desire.

But as the body count rises, Rafe and Dinah must find a way to trust each other…before they both end up dead.

Eggcerpt ~

The front door rebounded and clipped Rafe’s shoulder. He kicked it closed with his boot before raking his flashlight beam across the unlit entryway. The hall was clear. His heart thumping against ribs, he burst into the living room. His light hit the figure of a woman, and his feet froze. He tilted the beam up and framed Dinah Pittman’s expressionless face.

Most girls would have screamed or hid when he kicked in the door. Not this one. She had balls, he’d give her that.

Her forearm lifted to shield her eyes from the light. “Who are you? What do you want?” She sounded tired. “I already told Teke, I don’t know where the money is.”

Rafe lowered the flashlight and rolled his shoulder to loosen a tight muscle. There were about two dozen abandoned bungalows in this part of town. When he saw a candle flickering in the window, he’d expected a confrontation with teenagers or maybe a squatter.

He stepped into the candlelight. “Officer Morales, ma’am. Got something against electricity?” As soon as the words were out, he regretted them. The pink flyers. She’d needed money to turn on the lights.

Her mouth tightened. “Get out.” Turning to a small table by the window, she gathered up scattered cards, probably her tarot cards. Had she found customers already?

He studied her as he summoned up an appropriate apology. She wore cut-offs and a white T-shirt. His eyes swept down her slim legs to her bare feet and red toenails before he could stop himself. Why were pain-in-the-ass women always hot?

“I didn’t mean to upset you—”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”

“That’s tough to do with you around.”

Her hand stilled for a moment, then returned to its task. “You could have knocked.”

“Sometimes we get squatters in these abandoned houses. They’re more likely to be discouraged by a show of force.”

“I could have been a mass murderer. Aren’t you supposed to call for backup?” She glanced down at his flashlight. “If I was a bad guy with a gun, you’d be dead, Officer Morales.”

“Rafe.”

She’d read him right. He’d tried to pull out his service revolver when he broke down the door, but—predictably—his hand had turned to Jell-O. After two years, he still couldn’t get past the night in Dallas when his beautiful, daring Sam’s luck ran out, and he’d avenged her but failed to live up to his own lofty ideals. So he relied on the element of surprise and big fists.

Gathering up the cards, she set them in a neat stack. “As you can see, I am not a squatter.” Her gaze flickered to his flashlight, then back up to his face. “There’s an empty house about two blocks down if you’re determined to rescue one.”

The corner of his mouth inched up. She’d be a handful…for the right man, which sure as hell wasn’t him. Not anymore. “Thanks for the tip.”

Author Bio ~

Let’s start with the fun stuff. I love small towns, mysteries, quiet men, laughter, old-fashioned spaghetti dinners. I love boots and shopping and jokes and Hershey’s dark chocolate and white wine. I love lots of things. But my first love is reading.

I love to read. Just about anything, but it has to be well-written. I go through periods where I am into historical novels or romance or mystery or history or biography. I never know when my desires will suddenly change.

Now for the writer-ish, official stuff: Mari Manning is the author of several contemporary romances and three romantic suspense novels set in the Texas Hill Country. Stranger at My Door is the first in her A Murder in Teas series. The second, Stranger in My House will be published by Entangled later this year. The third book in the series is Stranger in My Bed. Currently Mari is working on a series of cozy mysteries.

She and her husband live in Chicago.

Interview ~

Dinah Pittman, heroine of Stranger at My Door

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small town in Texas. I’ll tell you the name, but it doesn’t matter since no one’s ever heard of it. It’s El Royo. For the first 17 years of my life, I loved it, then a crime destroyed my family, and I couldn’t get away fast enough.

When is your birthday?

I’m 25, so you do the math. I was born on November 1, and my mother, who believed in the stars, painted the night sky at it appeared the day I was born on the ceiling of my bedroom.

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Pay back the money my father stole.



Rafe Morales, hero of Stranger at My Door
Where did you grow up?
I grew up on Hacienda Osito, which means Little Bear Ranch in Spanish.


Worst fear or nightmare?

I’ve lived through my worst fear – I watched someone I love die before my eyes. Something broke in me that night. Most people call it my nerve. My mother swears it’s my alma, which means soul. Whatever it is, I hope it mends, but I don’t believe I will ever be whole again.

Links ~

You can buy STRANGER AT MY DOOR at:

http://www.entangledpublishing.com/stranger-at-my-door/

You can find Mari at: 

Contact Mari at manningillinois@gmail.com

Visit my website at www.marimanning.com

Follow me @mari_manning on Twitter

~ An #EggscerptExchange With Kimbra Kasch ~ From THE CATS OF CULLABY CREEK ~

 Here's another great eggcerpt...but first, let's find out what the book is about--

Blurb ~

When Savannah meets Kyle, its love at first sight. And why wouldn't it be? He's perfect, as far as she can tell. But Kyle appears whenever things go wrong. Maybe he isn't everything she thought he was. It's a complete mystery until she discovers the water in Cullaby Creek is being bottled and sold as vitamin “infused” water. Mistic Water promises the impossible. And then, like a magical elixir, it delivers. People who drink it feel younger, smarter, faster...healthier. But it doesn’t take long before side effects hit. Literally. The secret has to be in the water…or is it something more? 

Eggcerpt ~

Kelly and Kyle

These two shared some sort of history. And now I was in the middle of their story.

Sparks flew through the air. But, they didn’t seem to notice—or maybe they just didn’t care how uncomfortable they were making the rest of us.

I scanned the room. The terribly odd thing was that while they stood in the center of the cafeteria—arguing—everyone’s eyes were on me.

What is so interesting about me?

After a few seconds, I heard whispered accusations slammed back and forth, like a ping-pong ball. My name, muttered in odd and angry tones. No one seemed to mind staring at me, but only the bravest few were sneaking sideways glances over at Kelly and Kyle, hoping no one noticed.

This wasn’t what I needed on my first day at a new school. I hadn’t come here looking for instant enemies, but I knew I’d accidentally stirred a private pot and things were already starting to boil.

I needed to do something and quick. From the sounds floating around me, if they got into an actual argument, I was going to get the blame.

I spit out the first words I could think to say, “What’s a new kid to do, after school, around here… for fun?”

Kyle sighed and chuckled, “That depends on what you’re hoping to find and what you think is fun.” He stepped back away from Kelly for a moment. “You big city kids always think something needs to be going on. But in real life, in a small town, not much ever happens.”

“We could ask my Mom to drive us into Astoria to do some shopping,” I suggested. It was a little too obvious—even to me—Kelly wanted me out of the picture and was trying everything she could think of to keep me away from Kyle. I almost felt sorry for her—but only for a second.

“Or,” Kyle sat down and nodded for me to join him. I could feel a warm rush of air and his scent worked its way up inside my head. I barely heard him finish, “We could go for a run.”

“What?” Kelly demanded, clenching her hands into tight-balled fists at her side.

“Savannah,” Kyle lowered his voice and said my name slow, putting an emphasis on the last syllable, like it was a soft sigh, ‘ah’. And, for the first time in my life, I loved the sound of my own name. “Is a runner. And she’s fast. Aren’t ‘cha?” He nudged me and moved even closer. I could barely think. His smell overpowered my senses; it was the sweet woodsy scent of him that took me by surprise. I closed my eyes and drank it in.

When I opened them back up, Kelly’s eyes were shooting red flames of rage straight at me.

I gazed at Kyle and felt a warmth in my stomach again. It was working its way up into my chest. “That’s not what you said this morning,” I laughed then spun away.

Interview ~

1. Nickname: Vannah
2. Job: Student
3. Level of schooling, or self-taught: High school
4. Birthdate: 8.15.2009
5. Birthplace: Portland, Oregon
6. Currently residing in...Mist, Oregon
7. Favorite type of pet: Cat
8. Favorite place to visit: Portland
9. Significant other: Kyle
10. Most important goal: Get her family out of Mist
11. Worst fear or nightmare: That Kyle won’t make it out of Mist
12. Favorite food: Chili Dogs
13. Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between? In-between
14. Secret desire or fantasy: To Morph into a cougar
15. What would you do if you won the lottery? Move and buy out Mistic Water

Author Bio ~

I'm a writer who grew up in a family with 9 kids and only 1 t.v. so I spent my days reading and, later, writing. I love books. . .maybe because I never got to pick t.v. shows we watched. But I’d run home after school to catch the last fifteen minutes of Dark Shadows...

I still love to run...and read. My favorite romance novels are The Hunger Games...okay, I know, it's a survival book but it's really all about romance. Then there were the series: Twilight, Fifty Shades, and more but I also love paranormal, Horror and even light books like Dewey the Small Town Library Cat... Mainly, I just love to read. . . and write.

Links ~

KIM’S AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

http://www.amazon.com/Kim-Kasch/e/B00ZOAUKMO/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Website: https://www.kimkasch.com

https://www.kimbrakasch.com

Blog: https://www.kimkasch.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009489617484

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimkasch

Tina Gayle’s #EggcerptExchange and #99cent sale on Marketing Exec’s Widow

I've got another awesome eggcerpt for you today, but first, let's find out a little bit about the book it comes from...

Blurb ~

Four women...
One fatal car wreck...
Everyone's lives changed...

Letting go and rebuilding a life comes at a price.

Having come to terms with losing her husband, Jennifer is ready to move on with her life, but she faces opposition from her friends, in-laws, and brother-in-law, who see himself as her future husband. None of them know of Jen’s marital problems and she is afraid of their reaction when they learn she has a date for Friday night?
Hagan Chaney is not anything like Craig. He tempts Jen into the future but is she willing to give love another chance after the heartache she faced the 1st time around.



Eggcerpt ~

“God, you must think I’m awful.”

“Not even in the ballpark as to what I think about you. Because I know you would never have said yes to a night out with me if you’d been happy in your marriage.”

His words hit her like a fist to the face and her head snapped backward, striking the wooden partition between the booths. Wow, how could he have guessed the truth when so many people who knew her hadn’t?

She closed her eyes and searched for an answer. For so long, she’d kept her emotions bottled inside, not allowing anyone to see the loneliness or heartache her unhappy marriage had caused. What now? Lie, or admit the truth?

The vinyl cushion squeaked, and a hand touched her shoulder, pulling her from her stupor. Hagan slipped in beside her, his thigh bumped hers and his arm slid along the back of the seat. In the space of a few seconds, his large athletic body blocked her escape from the confining booth.

Nerves pulsed in an agitated rhythm. She couldn’t sit still, and opened her mouth to tell him to back off, but the thin lines of concern marring his brow killed the comment.

“Hey, there’s no reason to get upset.” He cupped a hand over her shoulder and drew her close. “I’m happy you said yes.”

Jolted by his sudden nearness, she exhaled, and then fought to draw air back into her lungs. His crisp, masculine scent acted like a seductive lure, and she had to fight the urge to bury her nose in the curve of his neck.



Read the 1st chapter of any of my books at www.tinagayle.net

Links ~


Marketing Exec's Widow is available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007AARGPA/


Author Bio ~
Tina Gayle loves writing and is currently working on finishing her Family Tree series, a contemporary paranormal suspense series.

When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling around the country. She hasn't hit every state, but she hopes to someday. You might also catch her on the golf course with her husband of 30 years.

Also, you can read the first chapter of any of her books by visiting her website or download an exclusive story "My Future Step Brother" and join her special friend's list. All on her website www.tinagayle.net



Home - www.tinagayle.net

Blog - www.tinagayle.blogspot.com

Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle

Goodread - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1641826.Tina_Gayle

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle


Interview ~



1. Nickname – Jen
2. Job - realtor
3. Level of schooling, or self-taught – some college
4. Birthdate – August 8

5. Birthplace – Omaha, NE
6. Currently residing in... Elkhorn, NE
7. Favorite type of pet – dog -
8. Favorite place to visit
9. Significant other – Craig but he was killed in a car wreck
10. Most important goal – to be independent
11. Worst fear or nightmare – spending my live alone
12. Favorite food - all
13. Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between? wealthy now
14. Secret desire or fantasy – to have children
15. What would you do if you won the lottery? I won the lottery when Craig died. I now have more money than I’ll ever need, but sadly it hasn’t made me happier.

~ Another Great #EggcerptExchange by Kasia Radzka ~ from LETHAL DISPOSAL ~

I've got another awesome eggcerpt for you today, but let's hear a little about the book first...

Blurb ~

Lexi Ryder vowed to never return to the Gold Coast, but after a desperate phone call from an old friend, she returns only to learn her friend is dead.

Was it murder or an accident?

Lexi finds herself embroiled in a game of politics, assassinations and secrets. A world where people are not who they seem.

Detective Matthew Ryan wants Lexi as far away as possible from him and the case. But Lexi knows too much. After a public assassination they discover that whoever is responsible is willing to go to great lengths to dispose of those who get in the way of their plans.

Is Lexi willing to risk her own life to seek the truth?

Money, status, and power. Some people will do anything to get it, others will do whatever it takes to keep it.

Eggcerpt ~ 

He pushed her hard and she slammed into the wall of the building, the rugged bricks cutting her palms as she tried to protect herself from the impact. This couldn’t be the end. She turned to face her attacker. She didn’t recognise him. In the darkness she could just make out his features. He had a face that could easily get lost in a crowd, olive skin, a freckle beside his eye, and brown hair. It’s funny the details you notice when you face your killer.

“I’ll give you whatever you want, please, take my keys, my wallet, there’s two hundred dollars in there, just don’t hurt me, please,” Lexi pleaded as he pushed her against the wall.

He stared at her. No smile. No reaction. Then she noticed the glimmer of a gun in his hand.

He pushed even closer until she felt his lips against her ear. “You’ve been asking too many questions.”

Lexi squeezed her eyes shut and pushed him away with all the strength that she could muster as pain seared through her body. She kicked him but he grabbed her by the neck and pulled her towards him pressing the cold metal barrel against the flesh of her lower back. This was it. She was about to die. And all for nothing. She wondered if Dana had known she was going to die at the exact moment her car had veered off the road and slammed into the tree.

Author Bio ~ 

Kasia Radzka is an author, athlete wannabe, food & wine lover, and blogger, living with her husband and son on the Gold Coast, Australia. A run along the coastline generally gets her muse buzzing. You can contact her at kasiajradzka@gmail.com or stop by her website www.kasiaradzka.com. 

Interview ~ 

1. Nickname -
Lexi

2. Job -
Freelance Investigative Journalist
3. Level of schooling, or self-taught -
University Degree and the school of life
4. Birthdate - 

5 May

5. Birthplace -
Melbourne, Australia

6. Currently residing in…
Gold Coast, Australia

7. Favorite type of pet -
Dog, but she has no room for one in her life at the moment

8. Favorite place to visit -
Europe

9. Significant other -
It’s complicated
10. Most important goal -
To figure out who killed her friend
11. Worst fear or nightmare -
Failing the people she promises to help
12. Favorite food -
Wine, burgers, and rockmelon - not necessarily in that order.

13. Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between?
Wealthy, but doesn’t like to advertise it.
14. Secret desire or fantasy -
If she told you it wouldn’t be a secret.
15. What would you do if you won the lottery? Give half to charity, invest the other half and continue investigating stories.

You can find Kasia at:

http://www.kasiaradzka.com

You can buy LETHAL DISPOSAL at:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YAC0NLA?keywords=lethal%20disposal&qid=1452997317&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1


http://www.amazon.com.au/Lethal-Disposal-Kasia-Radzka-ebook/dp/B00YAC0NLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453285484&sr=8-1&keywords=lethal+disposal

~ Another Great #EggcerptExchange by Pamela S. Thibodeaux ~ from Tempered Hearts ~

I've got another wonderful eggcerpt for you from Pamela Thibodeaux, but first, let's hear a little bit about the book...


Blurb ~

Rancher Craig Harris and veterinarian Tamera Collins clash from the moment they meet. Innocence is pitted against arrogance as tempers rise and passions ignite to form a love as pure as the finest gold, fresh from the crucible and as strong as steel. Thrown together amid tragedy and unsated passion, Tamera and Craig share a strong attraction that neither accepts as the first stages of love. Torn between desire and dislike, they must make peace with their pasts and God in order to open up to the love blossoming between them. It is a love that nothing can destroy when they come to understand that only when hearts are tempered, minds are opened and wills are softened can man discern the will of God for his life.

Excerpt ~ 

 Tamera awoke in a mild state of panic and confusion. Glancing around, she realized where she was and who was beside her. A blush warmed her cheeks as she struggled to sit up. She released the filly and fumbled with the front of her gown.

“I couldn’t sleep.” she explained, glancing into the steel gray eyes. His gaze, soft and warm like liquid metal, made her blush harder as he brushed strands of hay out of her hair with a gentleness that seemed out of character.

Craig knew he was treading on dangerous ground, that people were expecting them, but couldn’t seem to get past the moment at hand. “I guess a kiss is out of the question,” he queried, his voice tender, gaze unwavering.

Emotions, raw and unfamiliar, shivered through her. Tamera attempted to scoot away from him, emitted a shaky little laugh and tried to quench the feelings escalating to frightening proportions. “A kiss? Why would you want a kiss? I didn’t think you even liked me.”

Craig wound his hand in her thick hair, stopping her movements. “Like has nothing to do with desire,” he moaned and crushed her to him as his mouth covered hers in a thorough kiss. “Absolutely nothing,” he assured as she clung to his shirt and trembled in his arms.

Links ~ 

Amazon Print: http://amzn.to/1Elwhpx

Kindle http://amzn.to/1rdBRzW

B&N Print: http://bit.ly/1uRZMfy

Nook http://bit.ly/19C6Q5q

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/16sLHL9

Interview ~  


Tamera Collins / Tempered Hearts (book 1 in series)

Nickname: When I was very young, anytime I threw a fit for not getting my way my dad would just laugh and say, “not going to work my little Temper Tantrum” LOL! but the nickname has been shortened to Temper.

Job: I am a large animal Veterinarian

Birthplace: Greenville, Mississippi

Currently residing in: Bandera, TX

Favorite type of pet: I own an Arabian but love all horses large and small.

Thank you, Tamera!

Author Bio ~  

+-

Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”


Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com

Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

Face Book: http://facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux

Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pamelasthibodea/