Her new release looks wonderful! I am totally in love with this cover :-) Tell us what you think!
Blurb
Kate, an everyday book store
owner, is thrown into a world of danger after receiving a letter from her
deceased husband. She follows the clues into the arms of Xander, a tough guy
she can’t stop herself from responding to. Her body ignites from a single
glance, and she is unable to control her passions. Despite her love they are
doomed to fail, because a human can never survive a vampire's hunger.
Xander admires the fiery temper of the seductive human he’s determined to help follow the dangerous trail her dead husband sent her on, ending in the mythical land of Shangri La. In an effort to save her, Xander bonds them together, sentencing her to death unless he can undo the blood tie. Though he craves her touch, he's forced to push her away while they battle their way to the chaos at the heart of Shangri La. Can he protect her from her family’s secrets and find a way to be together, or will their love be lost in the pits of a crumbling castle?
Xander admires the fiery temper of the seductive human he’s determined to help follow the dangerous trail her dead husband sent her on, ending in the mythical land of Shangri La. In an effort to save her, Xander bonds them together, sentencing her to death unless he can undo the blood tie. Though he craves her touch, he's forced to push her away while they battle their way to the chaos at the heart of Shangri La. Can he protect her from her family’s secrets and find a way to be together, or will their love be lost in the pits of a crumbling castle?
CHAPTER ONE
The bell jingled above the door as a uniformed man carrying
an envelope crossed the threshold. Kate pushed her glasses up her nose and
placed her new romance novel on the book store’s counter, careful to mark the
page.
“Katherine Collins?” The man scanned the small storefront.
Kate darted a glance at his embroidered name tag. Chip, how quaint.
“Yes, how can I help you, Chip?”
“I have a delivery from Tom Collins dated for today. Could
you show me some identification and please sign?”
She froze, not even daring to breathe. Kate felt the blood
drain from her face. The scent of fresh-cut grass, the sound of deep laughter,
and the sweet taste of fresh strawberries lingered in her thoughts.
“Miss, is everything all right?”
Kate jumped with a start and blinked as her mind returned to
the present.
"I beg your pardon." Kate flushed.
His eyes filled with concern as he repeated his question.
“Yes, everything’s fine.” Kate reached down behind the
counter and retrieved her ID from her purse. She steadied her hand as she
handed the man her license.
“Thank you. Could you sign on the line at the bottom of the
page?”
She nodded in a daze, the torrent of emotions cascading
through her body too much to process.
“Have a nice day, miss.” The man tipped his hat and offered
a gentile smile.
“You too.” Her smile was a remembered politeness.
The man walked out, and Kate stared at the envelope. She
lied. Everything wasn’t fine. The package was from her husband Tom, and he had
died a year ago.
“Jenny, I need you to mind the register for a moment. I need
to go to my office.” Kate called to her one employee stocking her new shipment
of books for the store. Kate didn’t wait for a response as she walked to the
back of her book store.
The door emitted a soft click as it closed. She engaged the
lock, not because she wasn’t sure of her safety, but to buy her time to calm
her thoughts. Air rushed past her lips when she collapsed in her chair. The old
clock hanging on the wall marked the time, while she took several deep breathes
trying to appease her aching heart.
Tears fell down her cheeks. A fresh wound burned, raw on her
heart. Maybe his death wasn’t behind her.
“Tom,” she whispered as she caressed the envelope with
trembling fingers.
Her heart pounded, while her hand ghosted to her desk drawer
to retrieve her letter opener. Kate slid the silver tip in the corner of the
envelope, relying on familiar routine instead of a steady hand. She winced at
the harsh tearing of paper. She cautiously slid the contents on her desk and
scrunched her eyebrows.
Two small things spilled out of the belly of the envelope. A
delicate, silver necklace with a blue water lily pendant and a folded letter
rested on the dark wood of her desk.
Kate reached forward and claimed one of the two confusing
contents. Kate held the delicate lily between her fingers. The light glinted
off the blue petals, causing her breath to hitch. Her fingers tingled while a
dreamlike familiarity filled her heart. Why
would Tom send a necklace? Maybe the letter holds the answer.
She opened the folded pages, making the paper crinkle in
protest. She took a moment to let the unshed tears clear from her eyes before
she began.
My Dearest Kate,
I’m sorry that I am no longer
with you. I tried to protect you, but if you are reading this, I have failed.
First, trust no one. What you are about to discover is dangerous. People will
try to hurt you to gain the knowledge I have uncovered. The necklace is the
key. You must hide it. We are not alone in this world. Forces of which you
cannot possibly imagine will try to stop you. I know you had Great Expectations
for our life, and I’m sorry I’m not there. You must find Xander. He can help
you as he once helped me. Start at the Crossing, he should be there. Be
careful. I have left clues for only your eyes. Be brave. I love you.
Forever Yours,
Tom
Kate folded up the letter, matching the creases exactly as
Tom once had, and wiped the fresh tears from her cheeks. The whole thing was
crazy. A letter from her dead husband, dire warnings, and tales of dark forces
was too much to handle. She needed time to think. Heck, she needed a drink.
Walking to the front of the store, she flipped the sign on the door to closed. Kate
blew a slow stream of air past her lips.
“Everything okay, boss? We aren’t supposed to close for
another few hours.”
“I’m just not feeling well. Let’s call it a day.”
Jenny popped her strawberry bubble gum and jumped from the
stool, eager to escape her boredom and have a life at least for the evening.
“Okay, but I still get paid for the time, right?” Jenny
asked while stuffing her fashion magazines in her oversized purse.
“Sure, Jenny, of course.” Kate pinched the bridge of her
nose and closed her eyes.
“Cool . Thanks, Kate. See you tomorrow.” Jenny skipped to the
door, the scent of her Lucky perfume temporarily muting the smell of books.
“See you tomorrow.” Kate sighed as her gaze drifted to her
office.
Her heels tapped along the hardwood floor while she made her
way to the front door. She clicked the deadbolt into place and scanned the cars
and people in front of her shop. Nothing seemed unusual. Rubbing her hands up
and down her arms, she returned her gaze to her office.
She had a choice to make, and she needed to hide the
necklace. Whatever was going on, it was important enough for Tom to come back
to life, however briefly.
Click HERE to buy the book!
*****
Author Bio
I love romance of all
kinds. I've been writing all my life and decided to follow my passion. Thanks
to a loving husband and the chaos caused by my three wonderful children I find
inspiration in all things. I grew up In Colorado but currently live in North
Dakota.
I was never one of the people in high school
that knew what they wanted to do in life. I was lost. I had things I enjoyed
but never felt passionate about. The love of animals, travel, art, and creative
writing seemed impossible to combine. So I drifted trying to find the thing
that ignited a fire in my heart. Then not long ago I decided to finally tell
everyone about the lives of the people in my head. Sounds completely crazy I
know, but they felt real to me and much like the heroines of my stories I
decided to fight for them.
Where can you find Debra?
Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads Blog
Where can you find Debra?
Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads Blog
No comments:
Post a Comment