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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Here Be Magic Authors Talk Halloween Books + Giveaway

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As we cross from October into November, we pass through Halloween, the Day of the Dead, and Samhain. Such an otherworldly season lends itself to a certain kind of book ... and the authors at Here Be Magic have banded together to talk about a few such stories. Plus, in the spirit of all treats and no tricks, we have an amazing giveaway you can enter at the bottom of this post!

Winners name will be listed on the November 6th Here Be News post.

Angela Campbell: SOMETHING WICKED
Can a skeptical detective save a psychic after a serial killer targets her?
 
SOMETHING WICKED has it all for the Halloween season — ghosts, psychics, and a serial killer who calls himself The Grim Reaper. I also set it in Charleston, South Carolina, which is purported to be one of the most haunted cities in America. Anyone who has ever visited Charleston will appreciate what great atmosphere it lends to a spooky story, especially when the story is set in fall. As the second book in my psychic detectives series, SOMETHING WICKED can also easily be read as a standalone, so if you're looking for something that's a little spooky and a little funny, too, give it a try this Halloween! Homicide detective Dylan Collins is tracking a serial killer, and when the woman Dylan spent the night with turns up and offers her services as a psychic consultant on the case, his ardor quickly cools. Last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a con artist. It doesn't take long for Dylan to realize Alexandra King is the real deal – and the killer's next target. 
Amazon | iBooks    | Google Play     |  Kobo

Cindy Spencer Pape, BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD DRAGON
A pixie, a dragon, and some sex magic in the woods on Halloween...

This short novella, originally published in a Halloween anthology, is still one of my favorites. Tywla and Bram are sweet, kick-ass, and funny together as well as scorchingly sexy, and the magic of Samhain/Halloween infuses their story.





Dani Harper, FIRST BITE:
A reluctant hero. An unwilling heroine. And a new pack of Changelings in a darker paranormal tale that brushes the edges of horror...
Out of all my books, this one is my “Most Halloween-y”. Because Halloween is not all candy and fun—there’s a chilling thread of fear at its heart, a primal memory that great evil resides in the world as well as good. The story also qualifies for Halloween reading due to the strange way it came about. First Bite wasn’t even a faint idea in the back of my mind. The characters, Travis and Neva, simply started talking in my head one day, and never let up until the book was finished. It was like taking notes while being haunted!

Available on Amazon in Kindle ebook, paperback, and audiobook at https://www.amazon.com/First-Bite-Dark-Wolf-Book-ebook/dp/B00BI4W7G2


Jenny Schwartz, STORM ROAD 
When a woman with secrets saves a man hunted by a ghoul, the choice is stark: salvation or damnation.

I was thinking of Barbara Michaels' gothic romantic suspense novels when I wrote STORM ROAD. I wanted the eeriness she evokes as ordinary people face a horrifying supernatural threat. So, here is a Civil War era ghoul for you this Halloween. Beware! 




Jody Wallace, TANGIBLE:
Dreams don’t come true, but nightmares do.

Halloween appropriateness: TANGIBLE is set in a world where certain humans' dreams create monsters--nightmare monsters. And the dreamwalkers exist to save the rest of the world from their own dreams. Halloween is all about vampires and other critters of the night, and in TANGIBLE readers get that with a side of pop culture and sexual tension between Zeke, a cynical dreamwalker, and Maggie, the new dreamer he's been assigned to mentor.


Joely Sue Burkhart, THE ZOMBIE BILLIONAIRE’S VIRGIN WITCH:
Because even zombies deserve a happily ever after.

A billionaire cursed to turn into a zombie--and a curvy kitchen witch who might be able to save him. Plus delicious FOOD - inspired by my favorite restaurant, Mythos, in Joplin, MO.  This story has all the fun of a category romance - with paranormal elements just in time for Halloween!




Linda Mooney, BLOOD TENDERLY

With the cold weather quickly setting in, Lark is trying to ensure she has what she needs to make it through another bone-chilling winter in the cabin in the woods, but something has decided to pay her a visit. The question is, who? Or better yet, what?

There is a human invading his sanctuary, and he is determined to get rid of her. Humans in the past have left of their own accord, but not without a threat from him. However, this one is proving difficult. But she’ll go. One way or another, he will make her.
The thing is demanding that Lark leave, but she has nowhere to go. No one who cares.  So she's determined to stand her ground.

After all, what does she have to lose, besides her life?

Marie Harte, of ALL I WANT FOR HALLOWEEN:
TONIGHT, SHE PLANS TO LET GO.
When Sourcebooks came up with the idea of a Halloween story, I knew just what to write--a masquerade party gone sideways! Sadie, like me, loves Halloween. And paired up with a scary-on-the-outside motorcycle mechanic/reality star, Sadie and Gear fill the story with enough sexy tricks to make Maureen L Bonatcvhup for one happily-ever-after of a treat. If you love Halloween and romance as much as I do, you'll love ALL I WANT FOR HALLOWEEN.

Dressed up and anonymous, Sadie Liberato feels powerful, sexy and free. Where better to lose herself than a masked party?

Gear Blackstone’s cheating ex and scheming best friend have managed to spin his life into a serious downward spiral. At least with a mask on he can cut loose for one night. And cut loose he does—with the sexiest, snarkiest chick he’s ever met.

After a scorching-hot encounter, Sadie and Gear are desperate to find each other in real life. But can the heat last when the masks come off?
BUY LINKS:
Amazon  |  B&N  |  Kobo  |  iBooks  |  More

Maureen L. Bonatch, GRANDMA MUST DIE
She's a witch hunting a spell. He's hunting witches and falling for her.
Grandma Must Die is easily the most appropriate book I’ve written to read for Halloween. This book is bursting with witches, spells, and magic bounty hunters— not to mention sexy heroines with sass and stilettoes.

This book was such fun to write. Escape your ordinary everyday with this delicious book-candy treat without any pesky calories. Grandma Must Die takes you into a world where magic is known but forbidden. So curl up with your cauldron of candy and get ready to challenge the rules. Because who hasn’t wished to be able to hop on a broom and fly away?
Amazon    Wild Rose Press     B&N     Kobo

PG Forte, OLD SINS, LONG SHADOWS (CHILDREN OF NIGHT, BOOK 2):
Living forever is hard. Loving forever? Impossible.

I have several books that are set at least partially on Halloween (including the first book in this series, In the Dark). But I chose this one because it’s got a great Halloween party scene.  I love the idea of vampires celebrating Halloween—even though some of my older vampires think it's tacky. In a way, it reminds me of the first Halloween episode from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.


Ruth A. Casie THE WITCHING HOUR:

Lost: One locket filled with memories. Will finding it lead Rachel to peace and happiness?

Ghosts Take Over Havenport! The Witching Hour will soon be upon us--anyone think Havencroft Manor's most famous dearly departed will stop by for a visit? Such a haunting tale of love and betrayal makes the town gossip columnist stand up and take notice. Just read the story and we'll take a stroll down memory lane to find out all the juicy details.
Amazon     iBooks     B&N     Kobo


Shawna Reppert, A HUNT BY MOONLIGHT
Steampunk Victorian detective novel with werewolves

What makes it an ideal book for Halloween: It has werewolves, creepy automatons, and a Ripper-like killer stalking the dark streets of Victorian London.  What’s not to love?





Shona Husk, SINGER OF DEATH:
Singer of Death is a Beauty and the Beast story (with a female beast) set around Halloween. Unlike the other Annwyn books this one takes place mostly in our world, the hero and heroine are both changelings who use their magic for good and bad. They, like the humans they live among, are trying to deal with the fallout from the plagues that killed hundreds of thousands. I don’t usually write holiday stories, but Halloween worked for this one as it is a time that fairies can reveal their true selves and people don’t flee terrified. At Halloween people expect to see monsters…



Veronica Scott, GHOST OF THE NILE
Can he solve his own murder 200 years after the fact?
While ancient Egypt didn’t have the concept of Halloween, they definitely had myths and strong beliefs about ghosts, which made it a fascinating idea for me, to make the hero a ghost.

Betrayed, murdered, and buried without proper ceremony, Egyptian warrior Periseneb is doomed to roam the gray deserts of the dead as a ghost for all eternity. But then the goddess of truth offers him a bargain: return to the world of the living as her champion for 30 days. If he completes his mission, he’ll be guaranteed entry into Paradise. Periseneb agrees to the bargain but, when he returns to the living world, two hundred years have passed and nothing is quite as he expected.

iBooks     Amazon    Barnes & Noble    Kobo

Gift certificate provided by authors Janni Nell, Veronica Scott, Jenny Schwartz, Maureen L. Bonatch, Dani Harper, Cindy Spencer Pape, Jody Wallace, Linda Mooney, Ruth A. Casie, Angela Campbell, Shawna Reppert, PG Forte

Cycle through the Rafflecopter below to see all the prizes available, including ebooks, 2 print books, and a $70 gift certificate.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, October 30, 2017

Here Be News

NOTE: We're doing a big Halloween giveaway this week so watch this space on the 31st! Treats, no tricks!

New Releases:

Cosmic Catalyst by Jenny Schwartz A renegade shaman and her bounty hunter mate saved the galaxy - now they'll pay the price! The thrilling adventures of the "Shifters and Shamans" series continue in Cosmic Catalyst. Aliens, pirates, and worst of all, politicians! Beware!!! 99c for a short time only. *Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited*

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076PSPMHH/




 
Other News:
Now Available as an Audiobook!


EVERY MEMORY OF YOU
Sweet Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

by Linda Mooney
Word Count: 34.7K
$2.99 e / $9.99 p / $14.95 a

Narrated by Tom Taverna
Length: 3 hrs, 36 min
Hear a Sample



Traveling with the circus since he was twelve, the carny life was all Toby Pach knew, the only place he fit in. From strong man to clean-up crew, he had many jobs, but he spent most of his time working with the elephants, who he had more in common with than most people knew.

When Toby sees the newest act and member of the family, a dark-haired beauty named Kai, he's enamored. Could she be the one who will accept him, both sides of him?

Kai Omanpang, one half of a knife-throwing act, is tired of traveling from one Big Top to another. She's ready to settle down, ready to put down some roots, but she can't convince her father of that. Maybe this circus will be different, and they will be part of the main event after all. When she meets Tobias the Mighty, she's intrigued by the gentle giant, but he has secrets.

With an unexpected onslaught of protestors, shootings, and a string of bad luck, something's got to give. Is it the newcomers' fault? Or is it time to hang up the ringmaster hat once and for all? Circuses are a dying pastime, but the memories they incur will last a lifetime.

Warning! Contains shattered glass, vengeful head-butting, shared secrets, carving watermelons from fifteen feet away, chili and beans (and meatloaf on Tuesdays!), physical and emotional loss, and one man fighting himself to let the woman he's come to love learn his darkest secrets.

Excerpt and buy links.
******************************************
Veronica Scott was honored Honored to have STAR CRUISE OUTBREAK in the CQ International Magazine  Sci-Fi season special     













Bring It Back(list) Feature: 

Veronica Scott brought award winning Ghost of the Nile to the weekend feature, with an excerpt. Also see her new cover for Lady of Nile, to be released this week!

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Bring It Back(list) GHOST OF THE NILE

Not only is it a good time to be talking about ghosts, but also I have a new release in my Gods of Egypt series next week! (The books can be read in any order.)

Here's the story for the award winning GHOST OF THE NILE:
Egypt, 1550 BCE: Betrayed, murdered, and buried without proper ceremony, Egyptian warrior Periseneb is doomed to roam the gray deserts of the dead as a ghost for all eternity.

But then the goddess of truth offers him a bargain: return to the world of the living as her champion for 30 days. If he completes his mission, he’ll be guaranteed entry into Paradise. Periseneb agrees to the bargain but, when he returns to the living world, two hundred years have passed and nothing is quite as he expected.

Neithamun is a woman fighting to hang onto her family’s estate against an unscrupulous nobleman who desires the land as well as the lady. All seems lost until a mysterious yet appealing ex-soldier, Periseneb, appears out of nowhere to help her fight off the noble’s repeated attacks.

Meanwhile, Periseneb’s thirty days are rushing by, and he’s powerless against the growing attraction between himself and Neithamun. But their love can never be. For his Fate is to return to the Afterlife, and Death cannot wed with Life…

And the excerpt:
              Periseneb had no idea how many years he’d been wandering in the gray lands of the Afterlife. Time had no meaning here. For time unending he’d done battle with monsters and demons, experiencing neither pain nor emotion, despite the horrific combat, until a startling moment when he felt pavement underfoot, not shifting gray sand. Raising his head with a rare flicker of curiosity, Periseneb found himself in a tunnel, walking toward an illuminated room. Radiance and warmth from a golden light beckoned him onward. He slowed and then stopped, fighting the tug of the summons bringing him here. Whatever was about to happen, he wouldn’t go as a supplicant.

              I was a warrior.

              He straightened his shoulders.

               One of Pharaoh’s own guards.
 
                He tightened the leather straps of his breastplate and drew his sword, intent on facing this new challenge as he’d lived, with pride.

                Jaw set, eyes focused on the light ahead, Periseneb marched forward resolutely, braced by the discipline he’d learned in his life as a soldier.

                He crossed the threshold into the chamber, his steps faltering at the sight of the deity waiting for him. But then, who had he expected? He was too lowly a shade for Isis or Osiris to bother with. Standing at attention, he saluted. “Lady Ma’at.”

                Calm smile on her face, the Great One, goddess of truth, nodded to him. Taller than he, dressed in a finely pleated red sheath, the goddess was imposing. Her expertly painted face was accented by the towering red ostrich feather in her hair, and her expression could only be deemed welcoming. Eyebrows raised, eyes gleaming, she inspected him from head to toe as a commanding officer might.

                He assessed the room with a glance, hope dying as quickly as it had sprung. Ma’at was alone. Neither of the other two judges, Anubis and Thoth, was present. Their chairs sat empty. The most dreaded occupant of the judging chamber was, thankfully, not paying any attention to him. As grotesque as the depictions of her hinted, the beast Ammit, Destroyer of Souls, slept snoring in a corner. Claws curled possessively, one hideous cheetah forepaw was draped over a gleaming human thigh bone. She snuffled, long pink tongue scraping the sharp crocodile teeth in her jaws, while her hippopotamus hind legs kicked in some dream. Repressing a shudder, Periseneb averted his eyes.

                “I’m not here for my heart to be judged at long last, am I?” His voice sounded rusty to his ears.

                “No indeed, Periseneb. The laws of the Afterlife haven’t changed—you can’t receive judgment, since none did you honor at the time of your death. No one performed even the tiniest ritual from the Book of the Dead on your behalf. You’ve no tomb, although your bones do lie in the soil of the Black Lands.” Ma’at’s voice was soft, her eyes misty with tears, apparently for him. “A paltry blessing, I know. I’m sorry.”

                He knew she was sincere. Truth was the only utterance Ma’at could make. He rammed his sword into its sheath and rolled his shoulders. “Why then am I here? I didn’t seek this place out; I swear to you.” Pride stiffened his spine. He wouldn’t beg favors, not even when unexpectedly drawn into the presence of a gatekeeper, someone who could free his ka from ceaseless wandering…sentenced to defending the green serenity of the blessed duat, never to set foot there himself, banned for lack of proper ceremonies. The rule was harsh but just. No one deserved eternal life in the duat without proper judgment from the gods.

                “Don’t concern yourself about misunderstanding, warrior. I summoned you.” The goddess walked to the ebony table where the scale for weighing the worthiness of human hearts stood ready. Idly, she tapped the balance beam and the arms swayed, cups twisting in the air on their thin gold chains.

                Periseneb pushed away a rush of hot jealousy for the souls luckier than he, whose hearts had been weighed on the scales and obtained passage to the Afterlife for their owners. A tiny beacon of hope flickered in his mind. There had to be a reason Ma’at had picked him, of all the lost ones in the hinterlands, to meet with her.

                “You recognize me as the embodiment of Truth?” She continued to toy with the scale, then picked up a slate and scanned the hieroglyphics before glancing at him, eyes gleaming under winged brows.

                He nodded.

                “Yet, I’m also a seeker of justice and balance, one who rights wrongs. I’m the goddess of second chances for the human race.” She raised her elegant eyebrows. “Although such chances are few and far between.”

                Despite the warmth of the brightly lit room, a shiver worked its way down Periseneb’s spine. “You wish to right the wrong of my murder? Bring my murderer to account for the crime?”

                She shook her head, the golden beads in her wig chiming like little bells. “Your death is done, past, woven into the fabric of life in the upper world these two-hundred years and more.”

                He staggered, locking one hand on the edge of the table to steady himself. “So long?”


                “Time here and time there run differently, warrior. Only the Nile remains unchanging.” She moved to the black-and-gold chair, seating herself and leaning against the richly decorated back. “Yet, your death is connected in a way to events now.” Ma’at nodded her head as if some decision had been reached. “I need a champion.”

BUY LINKS:
 iBooks     Amazon    Barnes & Noble    Kobo

Here's the pretty cover for my new release:

Friday, October 27, 2017

Halloween Books in Kindle Unlimited


I asked a popular authors group on Facebook if they wanted to share any of their books that are in Kindle Unlimited and which they think are perfect reading for Halloween. Here are the results, books for you to read and enjoy while eating "leftover" Halloween candy.

Quick note before you dive in. Please check that the books are in Kindle Unlimited before you one-click so that you don't get over-excited and mistakenly buy them when you meant to borrow them (I've done this). I'm not sure what heat and violence level some of the books are, so reviews are your friend for checking that you're comfortable with what the characters may get up to!

I'm pretty sure there's something for everyone in this Lucky Dip. Happy reading!

Purgatory of the Werewolf (The Wolf of Dorian Gray), Brian Ference  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074Q1KLPJ

A Haunting of Words, Brian Paone et al https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0712286CR/

Cold Kiss Goodbye, Genevieve Powell https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QSOPPZM

Only Half Alive, Konstanz Silverbow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FG6N37U/

A Ghoul's Kiss, J M Stoneback https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DWQZCL/

Stake-Out (Paranormal Detectives), Lily Luchesi https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XUV5FCE/

Of Cinders and Madness, Nicole Zoltack https://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B06X1G1DHM/

The Reapers, Ali Winters https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y7I74SW

Graveyard Rose, Ginny Clyde https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HQ2EFGE

The Grave Run: Dark Urban Fantasy, Adelaide Walsh https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073ZFCVJF/

Retribution Ridge, Anna Willett https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M73JK71/

Alchemy Shift, Jenny Schwartz  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MF741XY/ 

The Case of the Snow-White Lady: A Sherlock Holmes short story, Liz Hedgecock https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MCZ206Y

Resurrection (Requiem Vampire Knight), Pat Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0IOGVB

Lockdown (AM13 Outbreak series), Samie Sands https://www.amazon.com/dp/1680585932/

Witch or Treat, ReGina Welling et al https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0759XS3JY

Aoife's Destiny, Bethany Strobel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0749D77JJ

Prepared, Courtney Konstantin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074S8Z5HL/

Fall Into Magic, Melissa Baldwin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LX3ECQ9/

Cookies, Corpses & the Deadly Haunt, Rachael Stapleton https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074TY4ZXD

Orpheum: A Dark Fantasy Romance, D S Murphy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B4Y8034

Lost (A Ghost Story), Patricia Masserman https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071X8K9Z5/

On Wings of Steel (A Halloween Love Story), Steve Statham https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY8HG24

Dark Heirloom: A Vampire Urban Fantasy, JD Brown https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011JZ5OFK/

Lizzie Borden, Vampire Hunter, CA Verstraete https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KISRS80

To Catch a Spirit, Carrie Pulkinen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071V8B2PJ

When the Black Roses Grow, Angela Christina Archer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017RJWYS2

Salem's Embrace, Sherrie Lea Morgan https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XC8WMJH/

Only the Dead Don't Die, A D Popovich https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HW6X5LU

Dearly Departed (Grave Reminders), Rachael Rawlings https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GJZH5FS/

Phobic (The Forbidden Doors), Cortney Pearson https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MZNJ3CG/

The Hunted, Jessica Gunn https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072PQ7GFN

Twisted Magic: Raven's Cove, Claire C Riley https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016LJBPP2/

Save Her Soul, Amanda J Evans https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073XTZ2DQ/

Beneath Claire's House (Mount Herod Legends), Corey J Popp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015VLFRO6

Under Your Spell (A Romance Boxed Set of Masked Balls, Haunted Gardens, Magic and More), Elana Johnson et al https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IRYW1O8

Shadow and Lies: A World of Gothic, Raine English https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M9BY010

DOTTY and the Dream Catchers (A Magical Fantasy Adventure for 8-12 year olds), Emma Warner-Reed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073Z48ML1

Bump (A Witchlight Novel), Jaime Munn https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074TYVQJ3

Veritas, Quinn Coleridge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073T7Q2GF

Smolder (A Paranormal Romance), Lisa Carlisle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0755L9NBM/

Wrath of the Angel, John R Monteith https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JDAJPCG/

The Ghastly Gizmo, Tilda Hale https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MPVLPF6

There are so many gems to discover in this list. I hope you have some spooky, fun reading this Halloween!

If you're looking for yet more Kindle Unlimited reading, I share the books I've read and enjoyed in Kindle Unlimited on my book review Facebook page, Always Another Great Book. I'd love to see you there.

Originally posted at my blog.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

The Magic of Make-Believe



From the time I was a kid, Halloween has always been my favorite time of year. I loved dressing up. . .I would obsess all summer about what my costume would be that year. I loved the candy, sure, but I loved everything else, too. The jack-o-lanterns. The sweet smell of leaves crunching underfoot. The skeleton decorations and fake cobwebs. The excitement of waiting for true dark to fall so the trick=or-treating could begin. The sense of magic edged with danger as we went from house to house in the shadowy night. (Okay, we were never out of sight of our parents, but we could pretend.) Long before the word fangirl came into being, I had an absolute obsession with the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow.

I still love Halloween. What better excuse to drag out the medieval garb that usually only gets to see light of day if I turn up at a Society for Creative Anachronism event, or to get in touch with my inner pirate? But what, you might ask, does this have to do with books?

Simple. I think that the same yearning for magic, the same need to try on new characters and new lives, drives the love of fiction. Not just for writers, but for readers. Like all good authors, I am a voracious reader as well. I love a book that will take me to new worlds, to get into a character’s skin, to explore a new way of thinking, a new way of being.

So, remember this when the candy corn has all been eaten and the jack-o-lanterns have been relegated to the compost heap. You can keep the magic of make-believe year-round, just by setting aside time for a quiet corner and a good book.


Shawna Reppert is a best-selling author of award-winning fantasy and steampunk. You can find out more about her work at www.Shawna-Reppert.com