Sara Daniel Romance Author: August 2015

Monday, August 31, 2015

No Bake Ice Cream Sandwich Cake #recipe from HL Carpenter #YAlit

Guest Post from HL Carpenter

We wish we could say Gramma shared the recipe for this scrumptious dessert with us while we were writing The SkyHorse. After all, what better way for her granddaughter, Tovi, to stay cool on a sweltering summer day while tending a horse hatched from an egg? But we must admit the sweet treat was around long before The SkyHorse trotted into our lives.

If you like to have dessert on hand for those daily ice cream cravings guests, this cake keeps well in the freezer. It’s expandable, too. Just use a bigger pan, more ice cream and extra whipped topping. When it comes to ice cream, more is better, right?

No Bake Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
What you’ll need:
One package (12 bars) of ice cream sandwiches
One container (8 ounces or larger) of whipped topping (or make your own with a pint of whipping cream and 3 tablespoons of sugar)
Garnish of your choice: Sprinkles; chopped nuts; caramel, chocolate or other syrup
Glass or plastic pan with a lid

Directions:
Arrange six ice cream bars in a crisscross pattern in the bottom of the pan. (You may have to cut the bars to make them fit. Of course, then you’ll need to eat those little left-over pieces—who said chefs have an easy life?)

Spread a layer of whipped cream over the bars.*

Crisscross the remaining six ice cream bars on top of the whipped cream.

Slather another layer of whipped cream over the top and sides.

Decorate with sprinkles or chopped nuts, or drizzle with caramel or chocolate syrup.

Cover and freeze 2-3 hours or overnight.

Remove from freezer 10-15 minutes before serving to soften.

*For a richer cake, add a layer of syrup and/or chopped nuts over the whipped cream.

While your delicious cake is chilling, how about settling in with a good book?

Tovi thinks finding a flying horse is fabulous luck - until a mysterious stranger says finders aren’t always keepers.

When fourteen year old Tovi Taggert moves to Honeysuckle Hollow to take care of her grandmother, she has a hard time fitting in. For one thing, she’s been tagged with the hated nickname Too-Tall Tovi. For another, everyone at Honeysuckle Hollow High believes Tovi played the Choking Game with someone else’s boyfriend – and made out with him besides.

As if she doesn’t have enough problems, after the latest stand-off in the school hallway, Tovi finds a gorgeous speckled egg nestled in a feather lined nest.

She takes the egg home – and mysterious visitors begin appearing almost immediately. Even more worrisome, whatever is inside the egg starts chipping its way out.

When the egg hatches, revealing a winged horse, Tovi’s troubles multiply.

As she struggles to return the horse to the magical land where he belongs, Tovi must make a courageous decision – and accept what that decision will cost her.

To read more of The SkyHorse, please click here.



HL Carpenter is the pen name of a Florida-based mother/daughter duo who writes from their studio in Carpenter Country, a magical place that, like their stories, is unreal but not untrue. When they're not writing, the Carpenters enjoy exploring the Land of What-If and practicing the fine art of Curiosity. Learn more about HL Carpenter and their multi-genre books on their website.

Stay connected on Pinterest and Google+.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Disenchanted's Bewitching #YAlit character @Leigh_Goff @MirrorWorldPub

Disenchanted’s Bewitching Main Character, Sophie Goodchild
by Leigh Goff

Sophie Goodchild is a sixteen-year-old half-witch and the star of my new release Disenchanted from Mirror World Publishing. She lives with her eccentric aunt in the small town of Wethersfield, Connecticut—the sight of the first American Witch Trials. Sophie is descended from a powerful black witch, but struggles with her erratic white magic. All the while she is forced to deal with a nasty group of full-blooded witches known as the Glitterati. These evil beings love to make Sophie feel like she is less than they are.

Sophie is a natural beauty with long, unruly waves of sable-colored hair, dark blue sapphire eyes, and heart-shaped pillowy lips. More importantly, she is beautiful on the inside, although she hides it well behind her impatience and impetuousness, which makes her easy to relate to.

Those heart-strong characteristics are what lead Sophie into trouble and, since she is ruled by her heart, she’s always finds trouble. She is fiercely loyal, determined, and fearless and there is nothing she wouldn’t do or sacrifice for the ones she loves. That hold even more true when she learns of the true love curse her ancestor cast on the Mather family.

Things become more dangerous for the beautiful half-witch when Judge Mather, a descendant of the man who condemned Sophie’s ancestor to hang, learns his son has fallen hard for her. The mysterious, handsome young man recently returned to Wethersfield. His sexy British accent and face that could melt a black witch’s heart, sweep Sophie off her feet. Dark secrets come to light and impossible choices are made as Sophie sacrifices everything, including her soul, to save her true love.

Here is a brief intro to my novel that appeals to people of all ages. I hope you like it, too.

Disenchanted
A forbidden love. A dark curse. An impossible choice...

Descended from a powerful Wethersfield witch, sixteen-year-old Sophie is struggling to hide her awkwardly emerging magic, but that’s the least of her worries. When a dangerous thief tries to steal her mysterious heirloom necklace, she is rescued by the one person she’s forbidden to fall for, a descendant of the man who condemned her ancestor to hang. He carries a dark secret that could destroy them both unless Sophie learns how to tap into the mysterious power of her diamond bloodcharm. She will have to uncover dark secrets from both of their families' wicked pasts and risk everything, including her soul to save them from a witch's true love curse, but it will take much more than that.

Buy Links:
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon


Leigh Goff loves writing young adult fiction with elements of magic and romance because it's also what she liked to read. Born and raised on the East Coast, she now lives in Maryland where she enjoys the area's great history and culture.

Leigh is a graduate of the University of Maryland, University College and a member of the Maryland Writers' Association and Romance Writers of America. She is also an approved artist with the Maryland State Arts Council. Her debut novel, Disenchanted, was inspired by the Wethersfield witches of Connecticut and was released by Mirror World Publishing. Leigh is currently working on her next novel, The Witch's Ring which is set in Annapolis.

Learn more about Leigh Goff on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Monday, August 24, 2015

An Arranged Valentine #RegencyRomance from @KadeeMcDonald

Kadee McDonald is visiting today with her new release An Arranged Valentine. This traditional Regency romance novella is a delightful read with strong and heartwarming characters.

Miss Penelope Braxton has never met either sensible George Harburton or his more dashing younger brother, Henry, but she agrees to grant her dying father peace of mind by considering marriage to one of them.

The advantage of the match for the brothers is evident in the form of Miss Braxton’s substantial dowry. However, her money takes second place when one of the brothers realizes the extent of Penelope’s courage, wit, and devotion.

Henry doesn't plan to give up his philandering to romance Penelope. George's days are filled with the running of his family’s estate and he has never put aside his duties long enough to contemplate marriage. Will either gentleman change his ways and attempt to compose the perfect poetry to win Penelope’s heart?

EXCERPT
George stomped into the kitchen an hour later, shaking the rain off his coat and attempting to dislodge from his head the unpleasant business of asking for another account extension with the local grain merchant. Still, doing so was better than explaining to Sir Robert and Penelope that their horses had starved whilst in his care.

Penelope. Would she be their salvation? Always a practical man, George pictured her slim figure and lovely green eyes while calling Laurence to come and help pull off his muddy boots. It was a somewhat ironic task for a footman, but better than cleaning up a trail of dirt if he wore them further into the house.

The rain had begun in earnest while he was in the stables, and Henry and Uncle Solomon would likely be soaked through when they returned. George hoped they might at least have found a pheasant or a grouse for tonight’s dinner table as reward for their trouble.

Divested of the boots at last, George dispatched Laurence for a pair of shoes more suitable to the house and told the servant he would find him working in the library. He needed to make a note in the account books of the additional amount now owed for the grain. There was another, less tedious, but certainly more difficult, task to complete, as well—the writing of the St. Valentine’s Day verse, the first step in his wooing of Penelope.

George paused at the entrance to the great hall, found neither Sir Robert nor his daughter anywhere in sight, and made haste, his stocking feet noiseless on the cold stone floor. Once in the library, he shut the door behind him and exhaled in relief, grateful that their guests hadn’t caught him running about the place like an errant child, with no shoes on.

“Good morning, Mr. Harburton.”

His heart sank to his non-existent boots. George turned and saw Penelope seated in one of the wing chairs by the hearth, with an open book on her lap and a look of amusement in her eyes.

“Miss…Miss Braxton,” he stammered. “Yes, good morning. I trust you slept well?” Gathering his wits, George embraced his embarrassment and strode forward, seeking the warmth of the fire.

“Yes, quite well, sir. Thank you.” She nodded and smiled, as if finding one of her hosts pacing about, wearing twice-patched stockings, was an everyday occurrence. “I pray I haven’t overstepped by making myself comfortable here with my favourite of Mr. Shakespeare’s plays?”

She held up the volume in question, so he could see the title, The Merry Wives of Windsor.

“Not at all,” he assured her. “But, may I say, what an unusual choice. For I can imagine you enjoying a romantic tragedy such as Romeo and Juliet or even a history, on the order of Julius Caesar, but not a risqué comedy.”

“Do you think I possess no sense of humour, then, Mr. Harburton?” She cast a fleeting look down at his unshod feet.

BUY LINK

To read excerpts from other book by Kadee McDonald please click here.



Kadee McDonald grew up in Texas, but a piece of her heart will always belong to the muslin and lace of Regency England. Kadee now lives in the Los Angeles area and shares her life with her two feline fur babies, Izabella and Juliana.

Learn more about on her website and Goodreads. Please connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

A Taste of Italy: Chicken Terazzini #recipe from @sloanetaylor2

A Taste of Italy
Guest Post by Sloane Taylor

This dish may seem like a lot of work, but it really isn’t. Besides, you will love the beautiful blend of flavors. This recipe serves 2, maybe 3, people. Double it and freeze for a later meal. Serve with a Caesar salad and a crisp white wine.

Chicken Tetrazzini
Chicken Casserole with Noodles and Mushrooms

Chicken
2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 medium onion, peeled and halved
1 whole clove
1 stalks celery, including leaves
1 bay leaf
1 medium-sized carrot
5 cups chicken stock

Combine chicken and all remaining ingredients in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce temperature to low and simmer, partially covered for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender but not falling apart.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve set over a bowl. Press down hard on the vegetables with the back of a spoon, then discard them. Skim and discard the greases that rises to the top. Reserve the stock to use later in this recipe.

Noodles and Mushrooms
½ pound broad egg noodles
6 tbsp. butter
½ pound baby Portobello mushrooms, sliced

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan. Drop in noodles and boil for about 9 minutes or until just barely tender. Be careful not to overcook them.

Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Melt butter in a small skillet set on moderate heat. Stir in mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, or until barely tender. Set aside off the heat.

Sauce
6 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. flour
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup dry sherry
2 egg yolks
½ tsp. Frank’s Hot Sauce

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan set on moderate heat. Whisk in the flour and mix thoroughly. Gradually add 2 cups of reserved stock, cream, and sherry. Cook over high heat until this blend comes to a boil. Reduce heat to moderate.

Whisk the yolks in a small bowl. Slowly add about ½ cup of the hot liquid while whisking constantly. Now stir this egg mixture into the saucepan. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes, then stir in hot sauce. Remove pan from heat.

To Assemble and Bake
2 tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Coat the bottom and sides of a 8-by-10-by-2-inch baking dish, or a dish as close as you can get, with the butter. Pour in 1 cup of sauce and scatter half the noodles over the bottom. Spread on half the mushrooms, then cover with half the chicken. Repeat the layers and top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle cheese over the dish.

Bake for 30 minutes.

This recipe freezes beautifully. Thaw and add a little cream to the leftover. Bake for 15-25 minutes at 325°F.

Mangiare Bene!
May you enjoy all the days of your life around a well laden table!

Sloane Taylor
Twitter
Amazon Author Page

Monday, August 17, 2015

Claimed by the Bad Boy - Get hooked on Bad Boy Fever with @LSJRomance @DecadentPub #BDSM

Title: Claimed by the Bad Boy
Series: Bad Boy Fever (Book 2)
Author: London Saint James
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Release Date: August 11, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance, BDSM, Multiple Partners, Suspense
Heat level: 5
Word count – 53k
Cover art by Mina Carter

Blurb:
Something always brings him back to her...

Ryker Cage is a rough guy, with very particular tastes when it comes to sex. Rough, hard, and dirty is the extent of his repertoire. Never soft. He doesn’t have a clue about connecting with his sensitive side in the bedroom, or that find-your-inner-femininity bullshit. He fears nothing, except—his feelings for the sweet and innocent Molly Monroe.

The bad boy who lived next door claimed Molly’s heart long ago. Crazy, or not, she loves him. Always has. No matter what he does to push her away, nor how far he runs, Ryker is the one man she’ll never stop loving.

When Ryker finally finds his way back home, will he find the courage to claim what's always been his? Or, will he be destined for heartache when someone threatens to take everything away?




Excerpt:


The low, musical sounds of Debussy drifted through the speakers of Molly Monroe’s office, blending into the tap-tap-tapping noise of her fingers flying across the ergonomic keyboard as she typed. With a breath, the scent of the mahogany teakwood desk candle her secretary gave her filled the air, creating the perfect mood to lose herself in even though she was working.

She’d taken her strawberry-blonde hair down from the severe twist she always wore for work, untucked her silky blue blouse from her a-line skirt, and had even kicked off her Burberry pumps, settling in hours ago for a long, quiet night of undisturbed time. Now, she’d found her rhythm, making a dent in her to-do list.

When something dark flickered within her peripheral, she glanced up from her computer screen.

“Jack!” she yelped, her hand going to her heart in a kneejerk reaction to pat at the overactive thump going on there. “You startled me.”

“Sorry.” He leaned his shoulder against the doorframe of her office—the long, lean lines of him in his expensive black suit created the picture of masculinity and casual confidence. “I didn’t mean to.”

“I thought everyone left to get a head start on the long holiday weekend.”

“They did.” He gazed at her with eyes the color of warm cognac. “So why are you still here?”

Molly blew a piece of hair from her face before saying, “I could ask you the same thing.”

“The Aspin conference cut into my time this week, and I wanted to go over the financials for our board meeting next Tuesday.”

“Ah,” she mumbled. “Do you think they’ll give you a hard time about the expansion proposal?”

“When it comes to spending money, needed expansion or not, you know it’s better to have all our ducks in a row.” Molly nodded. Being the co-director of the non-profit agency for abused women, Horizons, she was always present at the board meetings, so she understood the kind of scrutiny the project would be under. “How are things going with the new case manager?” he asked. “Are you going to be able to give her the case load you took on, and go back to the business of running the department instead of giving Superwoman a run for her money?”

She sat back in her chair. “Penny needs eight more hours of training and supervision, then she can take over. So, yes.” Molly smiled. “I’ll be turning over everything to her next week and hanging up my cape.”

Jack Jamison straightened. “Sounds good,” he said. He glanced at his wristwatch. “You want to take a break and grab a bite of dinner with me?”

“I have to get my desk cleared.” Molly fluttered her hand over the stack of papers to her right. “If not, I may need to hang a danger of avalanche sign.”

“Come on.” He chuckled. “Work can wait. I’m feeling a bit ignored.”

“Ignored?”

“Yes.”

“But we had dinner when you got back into town last night.”

Jack tilted his head, causing a piece of copper-brown hair to brush across his brow. “We had more than dinner. And, so there’s no misunderstanding here, I want to have ‘dinner’ every night with you,” he said in his tempting voice.

Molly blushed. “We agreed to keep things under wraps and casual. Every night, isn’t exactly casual.”

“I ordered your favorite, and it’s already in my office, waiting for us,” he said, not bothering to travel down their current discussion path.

“Chinese from Ming’s?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

Molly clapped and did a little bounce in her chair. “I can’t say no to Ming’s.”

“I know.”

She grinned. “Oh you do, do you?”

He nodded. “Why do you think I ordered take-out from them? I even got those dumplings you rave about.” Jack beckoned with his fingers. “So hurry up, before everything gets cold.”

With a quick save to her work, she powered down her computer.

“Ready,” she said, rolling her leather chair back.

When she stood and walked around her desk with stocking-free feet, Jack did a double take before the corners of his mouth started their ascent.

“You know….” His gaze trailed up from her pink-tipped toes to her face. “You sure pull off the bare-footed rumpled look well.”

Molly rolled her green eyes at him. “We agreed. No flirting at the office. Remember?”

Jack stalked toward her, mischief flickering in his eyes. “We are the only two here, Molls.”

Her thin, shaped brows beetled down into a frown. “You know I don’t want to be called, Molls.”

He curled his arm around her waist and pulled her body into his, then traced the seam of her lips with the tip of his tongue before whispering, “I want to kiss you, Molly-mine.”

His stiff manhood pushed into her lower belly. She shivered. “We shouldn’t—”

Her protest stopped when he pressed his lips to hers and dipped his tongue inside her mouth. He groaned, and soon, one of his hands secured the back of her neck, fingers twining into her hair at the base of her skull as they kissed.

The dweedle-deet of her cell phone had Molly pulling back.

“Forget about the phone,” Jack said, nose skimming along her jaw. “God, you smell good. Maybe I should eat my dinner right here.” He nibbled her earlobe, causing an outcropping of goose bumps to dance across her skin. “What if I spread you out on the desk, and suck duck sauce from your—”

Dweedle-deet.

Molly pressed her palms flat on the vest of Jack’s three-piece suit. “It could be important.” Her thoughts shot to her very pregnant, due-at-any-moment, older sister. “It might be about Mary.”

With a defeated sounding sigh, Jack let loose of her. “Fine,” he said. “Check.”

Molly turned, snagged her cell from the desk, tapped the screen, and bit back a gasp when she saw the avatar of Darth Vader. 

Ryker.

He was the one man who’d become an expert at breaking her heart, and over the years, she’d turned into a woman skilled at letting him. Well, enough was enough. No more. Their crazy rollercoaster of a relationship, if you could even call it that, derailed one too many times. She was tired of waiting for him to get his shit together, and decided she was done being yanked into his gravitational pull. No more hopeful silliness. No more obsessing.

I should delete the text without reading it, she thought, biting at the inside of her cheek. She almost followed through. Her finger had been ready to do the deed, then for some insane reason, she gave in, tapped the message, and read.

 What are you doing?




Buy Links:



Author Bio & Links:
London Saint James has lived in many places, but never felt “at home” until she met the real-life man of her dreams and settled down in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. London lives with her husband and their fat cat who thinks he owns them.

As an award-winning, bestselling, multi-published author, London is living her childhood dream. She knew all the scribbling she did, that big imagination of hers, and all those clamoring characters running around in her head would pay off someday.
Bad Boy Fever FB Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/badboyfever

***Giveaway***
(From Aug 11th  to Aug 31st )
An ebook or audiobook of Spanked by the Bad Boy (Winners Choice)
and $10.00 Amazon Gift Card


Friday, August 14, 2015

Return to the @WiccanHaus #militaryromance #pnr #romanticsuspense @DecadentPub

I fell in love with the Wiccan Haus in November of 2011 and immediately dove in to writing a draft of what would become A Man Worth Fighting For, which was published in March 2012. I loved this story and believed in it from the beginning. Although I was sad to see it taken off the market when Musa Publishing closed its doors earlier this year, I knew I was a better writer than I was three years ago, so I was excited for the chance to revisit Holly and Justin and revise the writing while keeping with the same story.

If you're discovering this book for the first time, enjoy! If you're revisiting an old favorite, I hope you enjoy it even more now! I do!!


He has nothing left to offer. She's determined to show him how much he's worth.

Shot by a member of his elite military team, Justin Lawson goes into hiding, cutting all ties with his girlfriend to keep her safe from the traitor who’s hunting him down. With his body shattered, he no longer has anything to offer her anyway.

Holly Walters refuses to accept her boyfriend’s out-of-the-blue rejection without an explanation. Intent on seeking closure, she tracks him to the Wiccan Haus. Once there, she is drawn to help him heal his broken body and spirit, even though she knows she has to let him go.

The rogue assassin catches up to them, but this time Holly is in his crosshairs. Before Justin can make her believe he’s a man worth fighting for, they’ll have to fight for both their lives.

Buy Links:
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Google Play
iBooks

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Arranged Marriage...What?! @mannvalerie #giveaway @DecadentPub

Guest post by Valerie Mann


Who agrees to an arranged marriage in the 21st century? Beth Malone can’t believe a date request with the 1Night Stand service morphed into an arranged marriage offer. But after a heartbreaking divorce and no knight in shining armor coming to sweep her off her feet, her desire to find that knight and have a family is looking more like a dream than a reality.

After filling out a 1Night Stand questionnaire worthy of the CIA, Christian Ramos is stunned when Madame Eve offers to arrange more than a date for one night: she suggests a wife! What the hell? And after his best friend Jackson Castillo stops laughing, he advises him to consider the offer. Between the fortieth birthday looming on the horizon and his Latino upbringing, Chris is forced to take a hard look at his life. Reality check—time is running out for what he wants—a family and a woman to share his life.

First comes love, then comes marriage isn’t part of their matrimonial situation, but neither Beth nor Christian anticipated the immediate attraction and contentment that comes with saying, “I do.”




I hope you love Chris and Beth as much as I do! Madame Eve definitely knew what she was doing bringing these two lovebirds together!

You could win $25 USD in Amazon funny money to spend on anything you want (heaven knows they get lots of MY money pretty regularly), plus I’m giving away a 3-book e-book bundle—you choose the great reads!—from Decadent Publishing, and a Decadent audiobook of your choice from Audible.com!

Only one thing is mandatory: You MUST purchase First Comes Marriage (http://goo.gl/kjTk6h) from Amazon before midnight tonight. It’s only 99 cents, but for the chance to win awesome prezzies...so worth it!  Email me the receipt—a screenshot of the Amazon receipt or confirmation email is fine—BAM! You’re in the running for the big win!

If you read First Comes Marriage and leave a review, please let me know! I plan to give away ANOTHER bag of prizes to one reviewer at the end of August.

Valerie is the co-owner of a Decadent Publishing, as well as Wizards in Publishing, a company that provides editing and formatting services for authors and publishers. Where to find her:

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Complete One Night With the Bridal Party series #PrintBook @goodreads #Giveaway @DecadentPub


The One Night With the Bridal Party series is now complete. The release of One Night With His Wife this summer wrapped up the series, so if you resist diving into a series until you can read every book in instant succession, you are now free to start diving!

I also have a special treat. The complete collection of One Night with the Bridal Party novellas is now available in a single gorgeous print edition. Through August 23rd, you can enter to win it through Goodreads!


Goodreads Book Giveaway


One Night With the Bridal Party by Sara  Daniel

One Night With the Bridal Party

by Sara Daniel


Giveaway ends August 23, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.


Enter Giveaway



Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Raven Pirate Assassin Spy #BeyondFairytales with @LandraGraf #BlogTour @DecadentPub @cw1985

Raven Pirate Assassin Spy – Secondary Character Janken
Guest Post by Landra Graf

Five Facts about Janken:

-          The ultimate hedonist. He runs a club that caters to depravities and doesn’t apologize for his business. Nor will he condone anyone looking their nose down at him.  
-           
-          Born an albino and blind, his looks are singular in the town of New Orleans and he’s used these weaknesses as a strength.
-           
-          A well-known and moving jazz player, his band plays every night at his club, Howl at the Moon.
-           
-          He’s inspired by the character of the Moon, in the Grimm Fairytale The Seven Ravens, who smells flesh and blood and scares the little girl away. You can read the entire tale on my blog: http://wp.me/p6dpnC-21
-           
-          He speaks a mix of French and English, courtesy of lessons from his mother, a known Voodoo Queen.
-           
Here’s a short excerpt with my Creole hedonist:

“Merci, mon petites.” The albino’s voice sounded like gravel in the cylinder-shaped microphone. “I’ll be breaking for a short time. Youse keep yourselves amused and stay out of trouble.”

“Remember…let me do most of the talking,” Ian said as soon as the crooner stood and started making his way to the edge of the stage.

The captain merely nodded, taking in the other members of the band, who didn’t leave their spots on the stage.

Instead, they started playing again, a perky jazz tune with a good measure of saxophone. A few of the couples positioned around the room came out to the dancing square positioned in the middle of the room and began swaying or grinding to the beat. Ian kept his expression neutral although his gut churned at the visual.

Their host grunted as he pulled back a chair, and, as a guest, Ian stood as manners dictated. The captain didn’t.

“Standing on ceremony as if you were still a gentleman?” Janken chuckled.

Ian sat and smiled. “Mama’s rules ne’er do disappear.”

“Mine did, thank God.” The albino tapped his long fingernails on the table top in perfect rhythm with the beat from the stage. “Who’s your friend? She smells like a garden.”

“Castoa--”

“Captain Castoa of the Liberté.” She’d cut him off and extended a hand in peace.

For a blind man, Janken saw remarkable things, and he grabbed her, leaning forward over the small table. He flipped her palm between both of his and sniffed at her wrist. Without rebuke, she submitted to his eccentricities while Ian experienced a sudden desire to throw the skin trader from his seat and put the captain’s fancy knife through him.

“Divine. Absolutely delicious.” Then he let her go. “Such a pretty scent for a woman around filth and dirt all the time.”

They all fell silent. Ian couldn’t find his words at the moment, a red haze of jealousy winding its course through him. Being jealous of a blind man seemed a bit ridiculous, but at the same time he wanted permission to touch her, to smell her—liberties denied him that Janken had taken without even bothering to ask..

Luckily, he didn’t have to produce the next piece of conversation; the albino did the work for him. “Now what does a marked want so bad he’s willing to darken my establishment with his sinful presence?”

Time for business. “I need to find Luther.”

“You’re not the only one.”

“I’ve got merchandise he’s requested, but a delay had me late to our meeting point. I know you can tell me where he’s hiding.” He’d bet his life on it.

The two illegal-dealing men weren’t friends, but information about anything and everything black market or top secret seemed to be in the albino’s possession. The Cursed were always in need of intelligence. Information allowed them to stay one step ahead of the authorities and determine who’d want their services.

“I may know something, but the rules still apply.”

Ian nodded. “Yes, and she’s got something good to share.”

A white eyebrow rose. “Eh? What could this marvelous woman who captains an airship full of foul-smelling, disgusting men have to tell me that would equal such a trade?”

Book Blurb:

Once Upon A Time… 
Sorella Corvino lost her brother to The Cursed years ago. Sorella is so determined to find him, she’ll make any deal, rescue the outcasts and those like him, and risk flying into any port to rescue him. When her latest pirate efforts partner her with a bounty hunter who’s too charming, sexy, and handsome for his own good, she knows she’s in trouble.

Ian Marshall no longer believes in fairy tales…
Disowned and a marked criminal in the United States, this merchant turned bounty hunter, is one bounty away from freedom; and freedom’s price is handing over one person to the most cutthroat gang in the world, The Cursed. Yet, he can’t get to them without Sorella’s help. Too bad she’s gorgeous, aggravating, and a little trigger happy.

As the attraction mounts, the danger grows and the pair find themselves invading a skin trader den, the ballrooms of dictator-ruled Germany, and fighting battles in the sky in the hopes of getting everything they want. Only thing they didn’t plan on… falling in love.

About Author:

Landra Graf consumes at least one book a day, and has always been a sucker for stories where true love conquers all. She believes in the power of the written word, and the joy such words can bring. In between spending time with her family and having book adventures, she writes romance with the goal of giving everyone, fictional or not, their own happily ever after.


Monday, August 10, 2015

In Praise of eBooks - Guest Post by @CarolABrowne #indieauthor

In Praise of eBooks
Guest Post by Carol A. Browne

As a voracious book reader, I have lived my life believing in the superiority of the printed book; then my beta-reader kindly gave me her Kindle. Once I had figured out how to use it (three weeks well spent), my perspective underwent a sea change.

When I bought my first eBook and saw it download to my Kindle, it was a magical moment. I was also delighted to discover the device doubles as a flash drive.

There’s something amazing about travelling around with an entire library of books at your disposal and in these days of multi-tasking, being able to read, eat and drink at the same time in total comfort is most welcome. To someone like me on a low income, the availability of cheap or free eBooks is a blessing too.

From an eco-friendly point of view, no trees are cut down to make eBooks. Digital publishing also allows more authors to put their work before the reading public, often publishing great work that traditional publishers have rejected because they aren’t commercial enough.

I once assumed the device itself would be a distraction but, if you’re an avid bookworm, the body of an e-reader is no more of an intrusion than the body of a paperback; no more of a hindrance to your enjoyment than a screen is when you are watching a good movie.

Many will disagree. A teenage friend of mine prefers printed books because he likes the act of turning the pages. For me, the Kindle’s page-turning function is quicker and easier. Plus, you can say good-bye to the exasperation of having your bookmark fall out and not being able to remember where you were up to.

Meanwhile, another friend of mine is changing her opinion about eBooks. While moving to a smaller house, she regretted her vast collection of paperbacks that would have to be accommodated in less space—and then discovered many of them were mouldy and infested with mites. Yuk. She’ll be buying her first Kindle soon!

There is still a place for printed books in my home. I have about a dozen I will always cherish, but these books belong to an exclusive club. It’s unlikely I’ll be adding new members.

Unless they’re written by me, of course.