Special Guest Madeline Pryce: THE DARK CRAVINGS BLOG TOUR

 A-DARK CRAVINGS-Blog Tour presented by Madeline Pryce


I want to take a minute to thank Maggie for hosting me today. Your books rock (so hurry up and write more so I can keep reading!)

Today, we’re at the bar with Micah. He’s got a lot of attitude (the looks to back it up) and a fondness for guns…and Ella.

ROLE
Hero. Human—or, is he?

FAVORITE QUOTE/SCENE
Micah’s laugh reverberated off the walls, drawing a smile across my face. Only Micah could look this handsome right after he’d been white as a sheet and laid up in bed, ready to die, a mere hour ago.

The dark tufts of his hair were softly skewed from a cowlick I’d never noticed before. At some point he must have dragged a hand through those strands, because there was a streak of my blood on his forehead.

When he looked at me, his eyes sparkled from the challenge. I couldn’t help how my heart beat just a little faster when he winked at me.

“That’s a low blow, Ella.”

Bending down, Micah nuzzled the side of my face. When he got to my neck, his tongue just barely snaked out to lap at the bite, his bite, that hadn’t healed on my neck. The only things my vampiric powers hadn’t healed were his bites. Mates. I shivered. A needy moan escaped my lips, encouraging him.

Light as a feather, Micah ran his hand up my side. He cupped the back of my neck. Gently, he pulled me forward and tilted my head to the side as if to kiss me. Good God, what was he doing to me? At the last moment, when my eyes closed and my lips parted, he guided my all too pliable body to the floor until I was lying on my back.

He gently straddled my hips and pinned me to the shaggy brown rug.

“I’m plenty man enough, haven’t I proven that already?” he whispered.

PREFERRED BEVERAGE
Woodford Reserve Bourbon, neat—as smooth as a good scotch, but still carries the smokiness of a Bourbon

CHARACTER INSPIRATION
David Williams (Aussie rugby star who looks better out of uniform…)

CHARACTER INSPIRED COCKTAIL/SHOOTER
Green Demon—tastes like honeydew and lemons, it also matches Micah’s eyes when they glow…

GIVEAWAY
For a chance to win an electronic copy of DARK CRAVINGS leave a comment (be sure to include your email). I’ll randomly pick a replier within three days for each blog stop. Don’t forget to enter the grand prize (Rafflecopter link at bottom). One lucky winner will receive a $25 gift card from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

GREEN DEMON

1 oz Rum
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Melon Liqueur
Top up with Lemonade

Shake all ingredients except the Lemonade with crushed ice and pour into a highball glass. Top up with Lemonade. Garnish with mint.

BLURB
As a half-breed vampire, Ella Grey’s life sucks. She does her best to pass the time killing demons and secretly admiring her Shadow Hunter partner, Micah. He’s hot, dangerous and knows it. He’d be just Ella’s type if he weren’t likely to kill her the moment she put a toe out of line.

A chance encounter with a succubus changes everything. From the second the succubus’s spell washes over them, Ella and Micah are helpless to keep their hands off one another. The sex, when it’s not leaving them on the verge of death, is earth shattering and for the first time in ages Ella is connected with someone on a level she’d feared lost forever. But a dangerous prophecy has been set into motion, and if Ella’s not careful it’ll pull her straight from Micah’s arms and into the deepest bowels of the underworld.

A Romantica® Paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Publisher’s Note: This book was previously published under the title Blood Lust Rising. It has been revised and expanded for EC.

BUY LINK

ABOUT MADELINE PRYCE

Madeline Pryce wrote her first novel when she was ten, penned with neon-pink ink in a loose-leaf binder. Captivated by romantic literature, yet intrigued by the paranormal, she continues to develop her own voice, writing the kinds of stories that inspired her as a teen.

EC AUTHOR PAGE | BLOG |  FACEBOOK | TWITTER


a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Release: The Wolf on the Run - Jorja Lovett

Thanks for having me today to share my new release, The Wolf on the Run, book two in my series, The Wild Irish Wolves. This book is special to me for so many different reasons, not least my love of a certain Alpha police officer. My book boyfriend aside, this release is a big deal to me. This is my first publication as a full time writer *gulps*

Yes, I've made that huge leap from steady income to monthly nail-biting unpredictability. But, you know what? I'm doing what I love - creating characters, imagining worlds, and writing romance. I appreciate I'm probably not going to make millions, but being happy in what I do means far more to me. Life's too short to give up on our dreams and I've spent so long working towards mine I've got to grab it now when I have the chance.

When we make these big decisions in life, we know we'll work our asses off to make it work. I intend to do just that. So, be warned, I have a lot of wolves howling in my ear to have their stories told! I love my Olcan Hills pack and hopefully my readers will have the same passion for Rory and co too.

The Wolf on the Run – Jorja Lovett

Alpha Rory is determined to protect his pack, including feisty Naomi. How can he get close when she's intent on facing her demons alone?

Blurb:
As a police officer and Alpha of the Olcan Hills' pack, being a protector is in Rory Blake's DNA.
When Naomi Duffy turned up heavily pregnant and alone, Rory's natural instinct was to look after her. However, her fierce need for independence over the years has ensured they've never been anything more than friends.

Naomi has spent too long trying to keep her daughter safe to jeopardise everything for a fling. But, when her past threatens to catch up with her, Rory is the only person she trusts with her life.
Thrown together, the couple finally succumb to their passion and it's all too easy to forget the danger lurking in the hills.

Do Rory and Naomi have a future together, or will secrets from the past tear them apart?
Excerpt:

Naomi came after Rory, pitting her stealthy grace against his sheer power. In his peripheral vision, he could see the wisps of her breath spiralling into the cold air as she forged ahead, determined to catch him. Rory snorted, sending his own white breath curling up into the atmosphere.
He led her over the hills, their claws making short work of carving up the cold, hard terrain. Naomi never lost ground. Even when he made a turn towards the woods on the boundary, she kept pace.
The chase awakened something deep inside him—that animal freedom with no responsibilities except the survival of himself and his pack. The spiky silhouettes of barren trees lined his path, like broad strokes of a black marker pen scratched against the silver sky.

He dodged in and out, never slowing, with Naomi always in pursuit. Occasionally, a pair of woodland eyes blinked at him from the darkness—a rabbit, a fox, observing their bizarre courtship.
Rory had no doubt the exhilaration of their illicit run would end in wild sex between him and Naomi. It was like a very enthusiastic bout of foreplay without actual touching.
They crunched through the leaf-littered forest floor until he tired of being the hunted. He looped back the way they came and stopped in a clearing. In all aspects of life he preferred to be the one doing the chasing, but at this moment in time he wanted nothing more than to be caught.

He shifted back into his naked, horny self. Naomi came to a skidding halt seconds later, scooting a bundle of leaves over his bare feet. “You can run, wolf lady, I'll give you that. Now can we go back to bed?”

She shifted back to stand beautifully naked before him. “Not until you say it.”

“Say what?” He was hard as hell and ready for round two.

“That I’m as good as you.” She gave him a flirty smile. One which said she was looking forward to the future rather than staring back at the past. The run had obviously done wonders for her too.
“That was probably a fluke. I don’t think you could keep up with me on a normal day. You know, one where you haven’t seduced me on top of a car boot and made me carry you home first.” The play fighting wasn’t limited to their animal personas. Not when it proved such a turn on. Human or wolf, the scent of Naomi’s arousal would always draw him to her.

“I didn’t hear you complaining at the time. But, if you’re tired, just say and we’ll call it a night.” She shrugged her shoulders, making her boobs jiggle enough to bring his erection to full strength once more.

He stepped forward and brushed her wild hair from her face. “I’ll never be too tired for you, Naomi. I’ll race you back. This time the winner stays on top.”

She grinned, eyes twinkling as bright as the stars. “You’re on.”

This was one race he intended to lose.

Available from Total-E-Bound 4th October
On general release from 1st November

Author Bio:

Jorja Lovett is a British author with both Irish and Scottish roots, which makes for a very dry sense of humour. Writing since she was old enough to wield a pen, it wasn't until she joined her crit group, UCW, that she pursued her passion seriously.

Now, with Joe Manganiello as her permanent muse, if she can leave the pause button on her Magic Mike dvd long enough, she hopes to spend the rest of her days writing steamy romances.

Author Links: Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Website

Special interview with C. A Szarek. Writing multiple genres...

Hi everyone.  Today I welcome a good friend and awesome author Chrissy Szarek. I've asked her the tough questions, and here's her answers....pretty cool huh?

Maggie: Tell us about your new release.

My debut novel, Sword’s Call (King’s Riders Book One) was released at the end of Feb. It’s high fantasy, a classic quest story!

For generations, the Ryhans, ruling family of the Province of Greenwald have been keepers of a sword rumored to possess enough magic to defeat kings. Lord Varthan, a former archduke and betrayer of the king, covets the sword and invades Greenwald.
Lady Ceralda Ryhan, daughter of the murdered duke, gains the sword and flees, trusting only her white wolf, Trikser—magically bonded to her. Cera needs nothing more to aid in her fight.
Jorrin Aldern, half elfin and half human, left his home in the mountains of Aramour to find his human father who disappeared twenty turns before, but finds Cera with Varthan and his shades on her tail instead. His dual heritage and empathic magic will tempt Cera in ways she never thought she’d desire. But can he convince her trust and love can pave the path to redemption or will the epic battle end in tragedy and evil conquer them all?

WHERE YOU CAN FIND IT?
 

Gypsy Shadow | Barnes and Noble | Amazon |Amazon UK | ARe|Smashwords

Maggie: How about telling us a little about your road to publication.

It was certainly arduous at times. I have always been a writer, but I wasn’t sure how to approach publication. But then a few years ago, I joined a group of writers, NTRWA (the North Texas Chapter of Romance Writers of America) and also a critique focused group, GFTWW (Greater Ft. Worth Writers). These two groups of AWESOME writers gave me the direction I needed to get published. These days, there are so many options out there. Agent, going directly to a publisher, self-pub…the avenues are endless.

I decided I wanted to submit to publishers who didn’t necessarily require agents.

I went through more publishers than I can count, and rejections get you down.

But I am a firm believer that when you write a book, or books, publication is a matter of getting your work in front of the right person.

So I kept at it, until I have my right fit. And I did, with Gypsy Shadow Publishing. They’re great, and I am so happy they signed my series. It’s a great home for me and my books.

Maggie: Where did you come up with the idea for this book?

A dream, actually. A very long time ago, I dreamt of a girl with a white wolf, and I worked on this book off and on for about twelve years. Then I finished it in about 6 months when I got serious about wanting to get published, a few years ago.

How did you research for your story? Was it fun?

This is fantasy, so I didn’t research much. I made it all up! LOL!

Maggie: You write both fantasy and romantic suspense.  Do you find it hard to switch between genres?  What are the bonuses of writing two ways?

I actually write more than these two genres. I have a paranormal (wolf shifters) and a contemporary YA, as well as a paranormal YA in the works. I kinda just write what occurs to me.

I do love fantasy! Always have, and always will. I love romantic suspense and I am glad I have these two series going.

Switching back and forth isn’t a problem. It’s just that I struggle to write in the real world (not always in a bad way). When you write contemporary and police related, everything has to be credible, logical. I have a background in law enforcement, but I still need help sometimes, which I’m lucky. I work for a court, and our police dept is available and helpful for my questions.

I guess it’s just easier for me to make up my own world and rules than follow the real ones! Hehehe.

Wow... that's a lot of juggling!

Is this part of a series?  Any plans for other stories based on these characters?
Yes, this is a series. Book 2, Love’s Call, will be out in late 2013 or early 2014.

Here’s the blurb:
Senior King’s Rider Ansley Fraser has been in love with Leargan Tegran for turns, but he’s never noticed her. When she sets out for Greenwald to deliver a message to the duke, she has no idea its contents contain an order that will change her life. Instead, she is focused on visiting dear friends.
Leargan, captain of the Greenwald personal guard, is an honorable knight, so when the king commands him to wed Ansley, he intends to follow orders, even as he knows nothing of the girl.
Ansley ignores her instinct to question Leargan’s sudden interest in her. She wants to fall into his arms—and his bed—even as Ali, her wolf bondmate, growls her reticence.
Her extended visit allows Leargan time to win her affection, but when he falls for Ansley, it takes him by surprise. Will she be willing to give herself to him if she learns their marriage has been commanded by the king? What will it take to convince her he’s not simply following orders?


What was the hardest part about writing this book?

Editing it! Wow. It changed so much over the years. I am happy with the final product, but it is DEFINITELY not anything like what it was when I started it.

What was the easiest part?

Seeing thing through my characters eyes. They told me where the story was headed.

Favorite Scene?

Hmmm…I don’t know that I can pick just one. The spicy scenes, of course. ;)

Where can readers find out more about your new release?

On my website www.caszarek.com or my blog www.caszarekwriter.blogspot.com


What are you working on now?

I am working on Chance Collision, which is the 2nd book in my Crossing Forces romantic suspense series. It a fun book so far! I was a bit blocked but had a FANTASTIC brainstorming session with a few friends last weekend and now I am on a roll!

Collision Force (Crossing Forces Book One) will be released from Total-E-Bound Publishing! I am so excited for this book, I ADORE this couple!

Here’s the blurb:

Badboy, married to his job FBI agent Cole Lucas always gets his man. So when the unthinkable happens and one gets away, Cole grits his teeth and hunts human trafficker Carlo Maldonado all the way to Antioch, Texas, where he collides with Detective Andi MacLaren.
Cole doesn’t do small towns and he doesn’t get involved with women he works with, but Andi tempts him in ways he doesn’t want to acknowledge.

Two murders, her partner shot and leading the investigation on her own, the last thing Andi needs is a cocky FBI agent that sees her as no more than a tagalong.
Widow and single mother Andi is used to being on her own. When Cole gets stuck without a place to stay, crashing on her couch puts them in dangerous territory.

Attraction and passion bring Andi to a place she left behind when her husband died.
Her three-year-old son quickly wiggles his way into Cole’s heart, and he starts contemplating things—family, love—that he’d never planned for himself.

Can being forced to work together make them stronger or will their differences jeopardize their case and their hearts?


And now for the personal questions-

Favourite food?

I love food, I couldn’t possibly narrow it down. How about: Chocolate? Heheh. BIG fan of anything chocolate.

Favourite author?

Anne McCaffrey and JR Ward, but I love so many authors. SO many AWESOME books out there.

Favourite season?

Spring. Not too hot, not too cold.

BIO

C.A. is originally from Ohio, but got to Texas as soon as she could. She is married and has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. She works with kids when she’s not writing. She’s always wanted to be a writer and is overjoyed to share her stories with the world.

Blog: www.caszarekwriter.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/caszarek
Twitter: @caszarek
I LOVE to hear from readers: caszarekauthor@gmail.com

Wednesday Wisdom with Belinda McBride

I'm so excited to welcome my friend Belinda McBride as my first guest for 2013! I've thrown out the interview challenge, and she's accepted it with gusto! Here we go...

How long have you been writing? Tell us a little about your writing journey.

My writing journey is waaay long, so I’ll try to abbreviate it. LOL! I grew up wanting to tell stories and spent a good part of my life submerged in my daydreams but not writing. I started writing plays and poetry when I was in college but was in a severe accident and came out of it with a minor head injury. I had to learn to read and write again and lost all desire to write creatively. In 2006 I picked up a Christine Feehan book and fell in love with paranormal romance. I started writing again, found I had a knack for erotic romance and from there, I didn’t look back. I wound up quitting my day job to care for a disabled niece and that gave me the time to write. :-) I signed my first contracts in 2008.

Oh wow! That is an amazing story! I can't imagine how tough that would have been. Go you!

Your books cross a few sub genres….LGBT, BDSM, Paranormal, Fantasy …which is pretty awesome, I must say – so how did you get started in this, and have you found it an advantage or a hindrance in reaching your audience?

I think writing in multiple genres does limit an author at the beginning, but eventually I developed a core readership who likes my writing and trust that I’ll give them a good story regardless of the genre or gender of the leads. I got started writing multi-genre simply because I refuse to shut down any facet of my imagination. If a story starts rattling around in my head, I write it.

You write M/M stories. How do you research for your stories? Is it difficult getting into the psyche of males?

Any person writing a book has to have the ability to get into the psyche of the opposite sex. When I write a M/F story, I have to get into the psyche of the hero just as much as I do the heroine, so in a M/M romance, that’s just an extension of what a het writer is already doing.

I believe strongly that research into human behavior should be boots on the ground. I watch people, I talk to people…I listen. I’m really cautious of sweeping generalizations and labels. Not all gay men act the same. Not all BDSM lifestylers hang out in clubs. I rarely watch porn for research because that’s as far from genuine as life and romance can possibly get. For lack of a better term, I channel characters, whether it’s a tough female cop or a gay alpha werewolf. A writer has to have empathy for that which they cannot experience personally. Some of the most miraculous heroines in literature were written by men.

Yep, I get that! I don't seem to have too much of a problem getting into the males' heads, but sometimes my female characters confound me - it's tough to make sure they don't all sound like me!

Tell us about your latest release

My latest is Arcada 2: Silver/Steel. It’s the sequel to the very successful novel Blacque/Bleu. This book is about Lukas Blacque’s younger brother Travis, who is a very low ranked wolf in the pack. He struggles daily with living in the shadow of his father and brother who are both alpha wolves. His love interest is Dylan, a fae who was enslaved and has spent hundreds of years forced to be an assassin. Falling in love is the worst possible thing that could happen to these two, yet it hones them into the men they were meant to be.

Where did you come up with the idea for this book?

Travis had a very minor role in Blacque/Bleu. He was a very negative character and when I started thinking about another Arcada book, Travis came to mind. I spent a lot of time imagining what would turn a promising young man into such an asshole. And you know, it always seems to come back to family. LOL! He lives in a constant state of stress and fear, but at the core, he’s an amazing hero. In many ways he’s stronger than Dylan, who’s much older and more experienced. For the right reasons, Travis will face his greatest fears. To me, that demonstrates true courage.

Is this part of a series? Any plans for other stories based on these characters?

This is part of the Arcada series. I started this series with a couple short stories: Chrysalis and Mad at the Moon. (both will be revised and re-released soon) Blacque/Bleu was the first full length book in the series. Arcada is a magic town that is a sanctuary for paranormal beings and gifted humans. It’s very charming and like any classic American small town, but the town itself is sentient and has figurative claws.

What was the hardest part about writing this book?

Just getting it written! My computer crashed and I did a lot of re-writing on my backup computer. No sooner had I caught up then my back-up computer failed and as it melted down, my online backup saved the corrupted file. So I re-wrote it again. Once I stopped crying, I decided it was my opportunity to write it even better. :-)

Aside from that, following a successful book is always hard. Lukas and Oliver are very, very popular and it was tough to try and capture that spark again. I tried to make this book part of the whole, but completely unique with equally special heroes.

I remember that happening...and I don't know if I could have handled it as well as you did. It took a lot to get it all written again, and in such a short time!

What was the easiest part?

Finding the emotional core of the men. Once I knew what made them tick, the characters just blossomed. Dylan starts off cold and Travis starts off as a spoiled asshole. But that’s just the beginning of their journey.

Favorite Scene?

I love the moment that Dylan and Travis first meet. Dylan is so hard and cynical. He scopes out this slutty young man he sees in the bar, but the moment they make eye contact, he falls hard. I loved that moment.

Oh I love that first moment of eye contact too. It reminds me of when I met my husband :-) *sigh*

Where can readers find out more about you?

I’m most active on Facebook these days. I had to pare down my social networking because of my limited time, but I pop in and out there all the time. I try to blog weekly and readers can also subscribe to my monthly newsletter at my website.

What are you working on now?

I’m juggling two projects. One if called Toxic, which is a re-issue of the first Truckee Wolves book. It’s M/F BDSM and related to the novellas I did for the Doms of Dark Haven anthologies. Toxic will release at Loose Id. The other project is a trilogy of books called The Aphrodite Project. It’s a M/M fantasy series about minor Greek gods who work as bounty hunters in the modern world. I get to play with classical myth and do some fun gender-bendy stuff.

I can't wait for the rewrite of Toxic! I loved the Doms of Dark Haven anthologies :-)

And now for the very very personal questions...

Favourite toy?

If I say his name, he might be embarrassed. ;)

Favourite food?

Depends on my mood, but generally its pizza or something chocolate.

Favourite position?

Up against the wall.

Yes!

Favourite research item (tool, scene, whatever…) that you actually tried yourself? (okay, you don’t have to answer this one if you don’t want to LOL)

Well, I’ve never done it in a tree, nor while dropping out of the sky…or in an anti-gravity chamber… In Bad Angels: Burn (which is temporarily out of print) one of the heroes and their heroine have sex on the balcony of a hotel in San Francisco Chinatown. I’ve stayed in that hotel a couple times and based that scene on something I saw on that balcony. Later I went out and scoped it out, checking for foliage underneath for her clothing to fall into.

Like I said, boots on the ground…

You saw a couple having sex on a balcony? That would definitely be inspiring!

If you could have anyone, famous or not - who do you want to get hot and heavy with in a ménage?

I have some very creative fantasies about Viggo Mortensen, and I get the feeling Alex Skarsgaard would fit into those fantasies just fine and dandy…they almost look like a matched pair.

Good choice!

Thanks so much for being my guest today Belinda!
So here's some more about Belinda's new release...love that cover! Of course, I am a cover whore :-)

Book Blurb:

When dream hunter Dylan Ryve spots a beautiful shapeshifter raising hell in a bar, he knows he wants the wild young man. But Travis Feris is more to Dylan than a few hot minutes outside in the snow; he's the assassin's ticket into the magical town of Arcada. He didn't plan to rescue the kid, but when he found the shifter being attacked, the opportunity to play hero was too good to pass up.

Through the solitude of a long winter night, Dylan walks in Travis's fevered dreams, learning about Arcada and the pack, and showing the shifter the man he'd been so very long ago. When morning comes, both men know their lives will be forever entwined.

From Dylan, Travis learns that he is a strong, valued member of the pack. The dreamwalker sees his own worth reflected back at him in the dark blue eyes of the wolf. Yet when Dylan has the chance to free himself from centuries of enslavement, can he betray the man he has come to love?

BUY this book from Loose Id

***

Belinda McBride lives in far Northern California, in a valley bordered by the Trinity Alps, the Siskiyou Mountains and Mt. Lassen. She’s a full-time caregiver for her autistic niece and elderly mother. She also shares her home with a pack of perpetually shedding Siberian Huskies who form the basis of her wolf pack stories.

Belinda’s books have received numerous awards, including the EPIC, the Passionate Plume and several placements in the Rainbow Book Awards. She primarily writes erotic speculative fiction in multiple sub-genres including LGBTQ and BDSM.

Her hobbies include travel, gemology, crafting and Chinese martial arts. She graduated from the notorious party university Chico State without ever getting drunk, arrested or ending up in a “Girls Gone Wild” video. She holds degrees in history and cultural anthropology.

You can find Belinda at:

Facebook Website Blog

 

Debra Smith and The Keeper of the Key

Today I have one of my fellow Romance Writers of the Apocalypse authors as my special guest... Debra Smith :-)

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?

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.

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*****

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?
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