Thursday, May 28, 2020

THE COLOR OF ROSES, a SciFi Flash Fiction by Linda Mooney

Posted by: Linda Mooney
THE COLOR OF ROSES
A SciFi Flash Fiction
by Linda Mooney


Mack strode into the bedroom after returning home from work to find DeShay sitting in the middle of the bed. Her bared chrome feet were propped up on the quilt, and pieces of cotton were stuck between her toes. Curious, he stopped to see what she was up to.
            She was holding a small bottle of something which emitted a highly pungent odor, and she was applying the liquid from it to the metallic tips of her digits with a tiny brush. Throwing his jacket over the back of the nearby chair, he eased himself down on the bed next to her to watch.
            DeShay smiled and glanced over at him. “I had to try it for myself.”
            He laughed softly. “I can see that. But why?”
            “I was at that place today where you buy food, and there were two women over in the section where you buy items to make yourself more beautiful. They were talking loudly and laughing and arguing. The noise caught my attention. I went over to listen, and I discovered they were talking about painting their nails.”
            Mack bit his lips to keep from commenting and patiently waited for her to continue. She held up the bottle for him to see. “They were particularly interested in this color. I liked it, too. When they left, I got one. Now, I am painting my foot nails.” She examined the tips of her fingers. “I debate whether or not to do my hand nails. What do you think?”
            “I think you should do what makes you happy.”
            It seemed an odd ritual for her to do, especially since she rarely went barefoot. The syntho souls of her specially-made boots could withstand anything. Even temperatures as low as minus forty degrees, to as high as one thousand degrees Fahrenheit. The only time she didn’t wear them was when she was home.
DeShay shrugged, one of the human attributes she’d adopted. “I know it may seem silly to you, but it makes me happy. It makes me feel…”
            “Human?” he supplied, lightly jesting.
            “It makes me feel as if I have properly taken care of them.” She smiled. “I think I will make this a regular part of my regimen in my personal hygiene.”
            “Who is going to see them?” Mack questioned.
            “You, for one.” She wriggled all ten experimentally. “What do you think? They are pretty, right?”
            He looked at her feet. The shade she was using was a pale pink. It reminded him of the tea roses his mother used to raise in the back yard when he was growing up. And he told her so.
            DeShay studied her feet, but this time from his perspective. “I never thought of it like that. I chose this hue because I thought it was pretty, but you are right. My foot nails are now the color of tea roses.”
            “Too bad that stuff doesn’t smell like tea roses.” Getting up from the bed, he went over to the wall to turn on the air filtration unit. After all these years, with all the advancements in science, technology, medicine, and a million other improvements and upgrades, you’d think they’d make a nail polish that wasn’t noxious to the point of giving people a headache, he mused to himself. But he’d never complain about it to her.
            He glanced over at where she continued to admire her handiwork. “Are you going to do your fingernails now?”
            “No. Not yet. Maybe later, after dinner.” She flashed him a smile. “I tried fixing your favorite. Chicken tortellini. I hope it is to your liking.”
            Mack tried not to groan. Her military prowess may be unsurpassed, but her cooking skills were rudimentary at best. On the up side, at least he knew he could make himself a sandwich if their meal turned out to be inedible.
            Surprisingly, the chicken tortellini was pretty good. After they were finished, they stretched out on the bed. DeShay cuddled in his lap as he indulged in a bag of peanut butter cookies she’d also bought that day. The movie they’d selected to watch was soon ignored as they mused over more of the day’s happenings. Their mood soon mellowed, with one kiss leading to another, until their combined heat began to infuse them with a deep yet playful hunger.
            Nuzzling the sensitive skin beneath her ear, Mack ran a hand along her thigh. “DeShay, are your toes still the color of roses?”
            She giggled softly, stroking his body with hers. “I think they are.”
            He grinned. “You think?” He loved to tease her. She was totally unpredictable, which added to her appeal.
            “I have not looked at them lately,” she tried to explain. “I do not know if the polish will wash off or wear off after a while. I need to find out how often human females paint them.”
            He kissed her earlobe. “I’m so proud of you. You know that, right? But you don’t have to try so hard to appear human. I love you just the way you are, mechanical body parts and all.”
            “I know, but why?”
            “But they’re what make you you.” He tapped her forehead with a finger. “Those doctors and scientist may have replaced most of your human limbs with superior artificial ones, but that doesn’t change the human side of you.”
            “I am not human. I am a cyborg.”
            “You’re the love of my life,” he argued, chuckling.
            “I am an amalgamation of what is the best of a human female and…” She paused when his head suddenly vanished under the quilt. “Mack, what are you…ooohhh!”
            The next second, she was jerked underneath the covers as Mack smothered her with his passion. But at one point, he made sure to kiss those wonderfully strange feet with toenails the color of roses.
~ ~ ~

New!

MY BATTLE LORD'S PASSION
Book 9 of The Battle Lord Saga
Sci-Fi/Futuristic/Post-Apocalyptic Romance
by Linda Mooney
Word Count: 53.2K
$3.99 e

The battle lord and lady of Alta Novis are still recovering from disease and loss, but things are slowly getting back to normal. Of course, things can’t be that easy. There’s a new enemy in town, of the eight-legged variety—an infestation of them. The species is a new one, and it's unknown how dangerous they are, but Yulen isn’t going to take any risks to find out.

With a plan in motion, Yulen and a small army of men set out to track down the giant creatures, finding their nest in a cave. He and his crew waste no time going in to burn out the egg sacs, but when Yulen emerges from the flaming caverns, he finds himself…in the past? At least, he believes so when he sees the figure of a long-dead adversary.

Somehow, a twist of fate has switched Yulen with a different version of himself. With the monstrous Yulen. The way he was before Atty. Before love. Before his acceptance of the Mutah. Realizing the other D’Jacques could be with his Atty, the reformed Yulen is seeing what his life would be like if she'd never come along. Now he must figure out how to get back to his own present. But before he does, he knows he has to bring this alternate timeline back up to speed with his own thriving world.

Parallel lives, parallel realities, but totally different people and circumstances. Sometimes you learn a lot about yourself from experiences that you never knew possible, and it alters the course of your future for the better.

Warning! Contains hammies, seven years imprisonment, hard-won trust, a threat from within, an unexplained phenomenon, stagnation, and a love that crosses all boundaries of time and space.

Excerpt and Buy Links

Monday, May 25, 2020

HERE BE NEWS for May 25, 2020

Posted by: Dani Harper, Author



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Monday, May 18 
"HERE BE NEWS" - All the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic, including how to beat cabin fever, fairies in North America, a collection of futuristic tales, and a sale on an angelic ebook trilogy.  

Tuesday, May 19 -

LOOKING FOR DISTRACTIONS? HOW ABOUT LEARNING SOMETHING NEW? – According to author Deborah A. Bailey, there are online classes for every hobby or interest. Check out her suggestions

Thursday, May 21 -
STIR YOUR CHILDLIKE CURIOSITY – Being more observant can help us experience life more fully. Author Maureen Bonatch invites us to take off our blinders and look at our worlds—both real and fictional—with fresh eyes. 






New! 
 

MY BATTLE LORD'S PASSION
Book 9 of The Battle Lord Saga


Sci-Fi/Futuristic/Post-Apocalyptic Romance
by Linda Mooney


Word Count:
53.2K
$3.99 e / $9.99 p

The battle lord and lady of Alta Novis are still recovering from disease and loss, but things are slowly getting back to normal. Of course, things can’t be that easy. There’s a new enemy in town, of the eight-legged variety—an infestation of them. The species is a new one, and it's unknown how dangerous they are, but Yulen isn’t going to take any risks to find out. 


With a plan in motion, Yulen and a small army of men set out to track down the giant creatures, finding their nest in a cave. He and his crew waste no time going in to burn out the egg sacs, but when Yulen emerges from the flaming caverns, he finds himself…in the past? At least, he believes so when he sees the figure of a long-dead adversary.  

Somehow, a twist of fate has switched Yulen with a different version of himself. With the monstrous Yulen. The way he was before Atty. Before love. Before his acceptance of the Mutah. Realizing the other D’Jacques could be with his Atty, the reformed Yulen is seeing what his life would be like if she'd never come along. Now he must figure out how to get back to his own present. But before he does, he knows he has to bring this alternate timeline back up to speed with his own thriving world.  

Parallel lives, parallel realities, but totally different people and circumstances. Sometimes you learn a lot about yourself from experiences that you never knew possible, and it alters the course of your future for the better.

Warning! Contains hammies, seven years imprisonment, hard-won trust, a threat from within, an unexplained phenomenon, stagnation, and a love that crosses all boundaries of time and space. 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Stir Your Childlike Curiosity

Posted by: Maureen


by Maureen Bonatch 

It seems that as we get older we tend to notice things less. Our lives are busy, our minds are always churning away at what we need to do today, tomorrow, or what we did yesterday. Being more observant, and curious, can enable us write better stories, make little changes in our lives, and maybe experience life more fully.

Wearing Blinders


Often we go through each day wearing blinders, sometimes to the point that we’re so immersed in our routines that we might wonder if we completed a routine task—or if that was yesterday as time blends together.

Children usually go through their days blinder-free, filled with curiosity and the tendency to notice everything. Here are just a few examples of how my girls used to remove my blinders when they were younger.

Twins:              “When did you go to New York?”
Me:                  (At the time, I’d never been to New York.) “I haven’t.”
Twins:              “Why do you wear that shirt that says New York on it?”
Me:                  Confused. “I don’t.”  Sure enough, one of my favorite shirts 
                         said New York

Twins:              “I know what your favorite room is.”
Me:                  “What?”
Twins:              “The laundry room, because you’re always in there.”
Me:                  Vows to get out of the laundry room more.

Twins:              “I know what your favorite color is.”
Me:                  Thinking they will say mauve, black or purple. “What?”
Twins:              “Green. Most of your shirts are green.”
Me:                  Checks closet and vows to go shopping soon.

Me:                  “Have a good time at daycare.”
Twins:              “Why can’t we stay home today with you?”
Me:                  “I’m going to work.”
Twins:              Wailing. “No you’re not, you’re not wearing your work clothes.”
Me:                  …Caught in a fib planning a quiet day off

Taking Off The Blinders


We spend a lot of time in our home, or other personal spaces, and tend to stop truly seeing things other than what we expect to see. Gain a fresh perspective on your life, personal space, or your story, by taking off your blinders, thinking out of the box, or opening the door for something more than ordinary.

Allow your childlike curiosity to guide you and ask “why” or consider what might be possible when:

  • You’re world building in your story, or adding some unique character traits or making an ordinary experience into your extraordinary story 

  • You’re spending time at home and look around with a fresh eye, or from a different angle by standing or sitting somewhere new. Maybe things could be reorganized better, or colors might not match, or would look better in another area or room. This might allow you to make something old look new again.

 

You don’t have to be a child to embrace the extraordinary and believe in magic. You just have to look a little closer —and maybe take off your blinders.




Author Bio: Maureen Bonatch grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—hockey, biking, sweat pants and hibernation—keeps her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music, and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line. Find Maureen on her websiteFacebookTwitter

Be the first to know about Maureen’s book sales and new releases by following her on BookBub, Amazon and/or signing up for her newsletter

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Looking for Distractions? How About Learning Something New?

Posted by: Deborah A Bailey
For a lot of people, the online learning space is something completely new. Though it's been around for quite a while, it's become more popular now that we're in quarantine mode. 

I really like online courses, even before I was sheltering-in-place. You can take them from anywhere, at any time. Finish them at your convenience and at your own pace. Even better, many of the classes are free or very reasonably priced.

There's something for every hobby or interest, and several platforms to choose from. You may have already heard of Lynda.com (now owned by LinkedIn) or Udemy, but here are a few others to check out.

Reedsy Learning – free classes offered by Reedsy, a network for publishing professionals. If you're looking for some perspectives on writing, editing, marketing and distribution, there's a decent selection to choose from. Course content is delivered directly to your email inbox
https://blog.reedsy.com/learning/ 

CreativeLive – I've taken quite a few classes on this platform over the years. They specialize in photography and design for creative hobbyists and professionals. When you sign up, they usually offer special pricing for individual classes and course bundles.
https://www.creativelive.com/

Skillshare – another learning platform with lots of classes for creatives. In addition to design, crafting and writing, they also have classes in personal and professional development. All classes are available for one yearly (or monthly) fee.
https://www.skillshare.com

Prefer to be entertained instead? Maybe you'd rather relax and enjoy. If so, here are some suggestions for you!

The National Theater in London is closed until the end of June, but their YouTube channel is featuring their productions. You can set reminders for upcoming premiers and watch behind the scenes videos.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDq1XzCY0NIOYVJvEMQjqw

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has also uploaded several performances, including short videos and profiles.
 https://www.youtube.com/user/AileyOrganization/featured

Mural Arts Philadelphia offers short virtual tours of murals from around the city.
https://www.muralarts.org/virtual-tours/

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has a selection of virtual tours of current and past exhibits.
https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour



Monday, May 18, 2020

HERE BE NEWS for May 18, 2020

Posted by: Dani Harper, Author
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Monday, May 11 
"HERE BE NEWS" - The latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic, including one author's reading list plus an ebook sale.  

Tuesday, May 12 -

STAY-IN-PLACE FATIGUE – There’s no place like home—unless you haven’t left it in weeks! Author Ruth A. Casie offers ideas on how to beat cabin fever.

Thursday, May 14 -
NORTH AMERICAN FAERIES, Part 2” -  May is the month closely associated with faeries. To celebrate, author Dani Harper has assembled tales from her collection of folklore, myths, and legends. 

Saturday, May 16 -
This week's Bring It Back(list) feature is ELECTRIC DREAMS: Seven Futuristic Tales" by Deborah A Bailey. Scroll down for all the details.




ELECTRIC DREAMS:
Seven Futuristic Tales
by Deborah A Bailey

At the intersection of technology and humanity, what could happen?

A collection of speculative fiction stories set in future worlds from Earth to the far reaches of the solar system.



  • Electric Schemes
  • Between the Mirror and the Heart
  • On the Beach
  • Stranger in Town
  • When Words Leave Off
  • Roots of Deception
  • A Place in the World

DETAILS on HERE BE MAGIC: 
http://herebemagic.blogspot.com/2020/05/bring-it-backlist-electric-dreams-seven.html

PURCHASE LINKS:
For ebook, print and audio versions  
https://books2read.com/u/bogDRb



THE THUNDER TRILOGY
Love angels? 
Check out this scifi-fantasy romance triple feature 
by Linda Mooney.
All 3 ebooks are 99 cents each for the month of May.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Bring it Back(list) - Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales

Posted by: Deborah A Bailey
Electric Dreams short story collection
Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales by Deborah A. Bailey

Seven short stories of the future.

A collection of speculative fiction stories set in future worlds from Earth to the far reaches of the solar system.

At the intersection of technology and humanity, what could happen?

 Electric Schemes – A frustrated employee plugs himself into his computer everyday in his boring job, but when his micromanaging boss tries to get him fired, his computer decides to take charge by managing his career.

 Between the Mirror and the Heart – A robot is ordered as a lover for a human woman, and as he adapts to his humanity, he realizes his human buyer is having second thoughts about their relationship.

On the Beach – The last caretaker of a lonely space station must stay there alone for three months to shut down the systems, so the station computers come up with a plan so that she’ll have company.

Stranger in Town – Desperate to survive in the harsh 21st century dystopia, a mother agrees to be a mail-order bride to rich foreign businessmen, but what will she have to sacrifice in order to provide for her family?

When Words Leave Off – During a deep space mission, what else is there for two officers to do except fall in love?

Roots of Deception & A Place in the World – On a faraway world, a woman must decide what she’s willing to risk in order to guide her planet to peace after a devastating war and military occupation. Caught between personal sacrifice and self-interest, she discovers that achieving absolute power always comes with a price.


Buy links for ebook, print and audio versions; https://books2read.com/u/bogDRb

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Stay-in-Place Fatigue

Posted by: Ruth A Casie

From the familiar creaks in the floorboards to your favorite easy chair, there's no place like a warm, cozy home. Here in New Jersey it’s week five of the stay-in-place order. Warm and cozy has turned into a dampened energy level, lack of motivation and general going stir-crazy. Many of my friends are challenged with home schooling, unemployment, and no social contact with friends and family. 

Before you take up permanent residence on your couch or start to sleep out of sheer boredom, there is good news. Check out this list of ideas to help you (and the whole family) beat cabin fever.

HOW TO BEAT CABIN FEVER
1.     Break out a good book. You had to know that would be my first suggestion. All joking aside, read an uplifting story. For suggestions and reviews, check out goodreads.com.
2.     For Medieval Romance enthusiasts, you can read Chapter One from The Maxwell Ghost here.
3.     Start a new hobby. A few ideas include knitting, stained glass, Soduku (for those who have read my bio, you know where I keep my Soduku book) and fiction writing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a fan tell me that they have an idea for a story. NOW is the time to write it.
4.     Actually, stay-in-place creates a need to make a meal plan for the week (or weeks), create your shopping list, and place your order for pick up or delivery.
5.     Try a new recipe. I’ve included one for you in this newsletter.
6.     Start scrapbooking.
7.     Do a puzzle. It’s a little old-school, but still fun. There are some awesome available on Amazon.
8.     Pull out some old board games or a pack of cards. One of my favorite’s is scrabble. My husband and I play. However you can play Words with Friends online with those that cannot be with you.
9.     Engage in some pre-spring cleaning. You’ll have more time to enjoy the great outdoors once you can go out again.
10.Rearrange your furniture. Sometimes a few moves is all it takes to make your place look new.
11.Have a movie and popcorn night. Dig out an old favorite or stream or rent something new. You can also watch a with family and friends using Netflix Party
12.Research your family history and create a family tree.
13.Catch up on those shows you’ve been threatening to watch but never have time. Like Tiger King, or something more to your liking. I’m all caught on The Crown and Westworld. You can see where my head is.
14.Go for a walk, even a 15-minute one. PLEASE, wear a mask or at least cover your mouth and nose.
15.If you enjoy museums, you can take a virtual tour. The good news is you avoid the gift shop. Here are some links to places you may enjoy. Here is VersaillesPyramid of Giz, and Harry Potter’s Magical Train.
16.Speaking of Harry Potter, here is a link to an online game for the whole family, https://emulatoronline.com/games/harry-potter/
Did I mention read a book...



Feisty Heroines Romance A Cross Genre Collection of Shorts
Over 30+ pulse-racing shorts to capture your heart with USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Award-winning authors in the mix.

Paranormal, Contemporary, Fantasy, and Historical Romance that will whet your appetite with titillating, heart-pounding tales you’ll want to read again then beg for more.

Fall in love with your next book crush!

Forever Equals by Ruth A. Casie

Lady Morgana Stelton is more comfortable with a sword than a sewing needle. Abandoned by her highlander, who has gone to war for his king, she refuses every man her father and brothers present, but with her father’s estate on the English side of Scottish border, a political marriage is proposed by Lord Westervelt’s son, who has no love for the Scots.
Grayson MacDonald is a longtime friend of the Steltons. He holds his friendships close, his love for Morgana dear, and his duty to his king sacred. Hours before he’s to ask for Morgana’s hand, he is summoned into battle and refuses her pleas to go with him. Gray earns the reputation of a fierce highland warrior. Severely wounded in his last battle, his men leave him well hidden to recover. Three years later, Gray returns as an emissary for his king to the English court. Morgana may no longer love him, but he will never let anyone harm her. Ever.
Westervelt and his followers snub the highlander and start rumors questioning the Stelton’s loyalty to the crown. According to Westervelt, the only way to protect her family is for Morgana to marry him. Morgana overhears Westervelt arrange to kill Gray. With no time to seek help, she is Grays only hope. Gray arrives and finds Morgana facing Westervelt with her sword in hand. He will protect her with his last breath. She will fight for the only man she’s ever wanted. Him. 


RUTH A. CASIE is a USA Today bestselling author of historical swashbuckling action-adventures and contemporary romance with enough action to keep you turning pages. Her stories feature strong women and the men who deserve them, endearing flaws and all. She lives in New Jersey with her hero, three empty bedrooms and a growing number of incomplete counted cross-stitch projects. Before she found her voice, she was a speech therapist (pun intended), client liaison for a corrugated manufacturer, and vice president at an international bank where she was a product/ marketing manager, but her favorite job is the one she’s doing now—writing romance. She hopes her stories become your favorite adventures. For more information, please visit RuthACasie.com or visit her on Facebook, @RuthACasie, Twitter, @RuthACasie, Instagram RuthACasie, or Pinterest RuthACasie

Social Media Links:

Ruth’s Newsletter Signup:  http://ruthacasie.com/contact.html#newsletter
Facebook private reader’s page, Casie Café: https://www.facebook.com/groups/963711677128537/
Email:  mailto:ruth@ruthacasie.com

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