For me, second only to the story and writing, the most important component of an audio book is
the narrator. Through Audible.com I had several narrators audition using a short excerpt from my
manuscript. I chose a sexy scene with dialogue from both the hero and heroine so that I could
1) How does the narrator handle male and female voices? This can be tricky – some
narrators switch with natural ease. But for others, doing the opposite sex voice can sound harsh and unnatural, jarring the listener out of the experience.
2) These books are erotic and I wanted to make sure the narrator sounded natural in the sex scenes and using the language. I needed to feel like I was in the character’s head, not being read a script. Just as important, I needed to be able to work with the narrator on erotic material with professionalism. I had one narrator who auditioned also contact me through social media with some adolescent type comments about how hot my book was for him to read. I crossed that narrator of my potential list immediately.
3) Performance Quality. The narrator I chose, Ryan Hudson, is an actor who has appeared in movies and done voiceovers for commercials (under another name). He did a good job of interpreting the story while in the character’s point of view. It really felt to me like I was experiencing it with the character.
4) Someone who will do corrections and work with me on any issues that come up. Ryan was fantastic about that, very professional. I actually only had a few corrections for him, and he did them promptly. I really appreciated that. After about ten auditions in total, it came down to two narrators. But ultimately it was Ryan’s voice and talent made the choice very easy for me. He ticked all the boxes and frankly, has one of the sexiest voices I’ve heard yet. I really had a good experience working with him.
But like all things, this was a learning curve for me. The one thing I wish I’d done better was to have all three books recorded and released at the same time, or at least closer together. I started slow, having Ryan do only the first book to see how well we worked together. In retrospect that was a mistake, as the first two books in the series, The Proposition and Possession end on cliffhangers and that really frustrated listeners. By the time I contracted Ryan to do the next two books and he could get them in his schedule, I ended up with a time lag of months between the books. That really wasn’t fair to listeners chomping at the bit to get the next book. But I learned from the experience, and if I ever put a cliffhanger-type series in audio again, I will absolutely release the books as close together as possible.
One fun note about my experience with audio books: I discovered that listening to my sex scenes is a vastly different experience from reading them. Whoa, it feels a lot more personal and intimate. While Ryan handled the scenes wonderfully, I had a hard time listening to them to proof for mistakes. My husband thought it was hilarious that I can write the scene but blushed when I listened to them in an audio book.
THANK YOU Jennifer for being part of our Audio Book Lovin’ series and sharing with us your experience with selecting a narrator!! Friends, you can learn more about Jennifer below and that includes where to find her and she has a fabulous giveaway for you all! Kelly and I also have a giveaway that is running throughout the month of June! Make sure to enter by scrolling below!
About The Author
Jennifer Lyon, who also writes as Jennifer Apodaca, lives in Southern California where she continually plots ways to convince her husband that they should get a dog. After all, they met at the dog pound, fell in love, married and had three wonderful sons. So far, however, she has failed in her doggy endeavor. She consoles herself by pouring her passion into writing books. To date, Jen has published more than fifteen books and novellas, including a fun and sexy mystery series and a variety of contemporary romances under the name Jennifer Apodaca. As Jennifer Lyon she created a dark, sizzling paranormal series, and The Plus Once Chronicles, an emotionally sensual adult contemporary series. Jen’s won numerous awards and had her books translated into multiple languages, but she still hasn’t come up with a way to persuade her husband that they need a dog.
You can find Jennifer at
Author Giveaway
Today I’m giving away one full set of the three audio books in my Plus One Chronicles series, The Proposition, Possession and Obsession, and a bonus audio book of The Baby Bargain under my other name of Jennifer Apodaca. (Please note, I must be able to deliver the audio books to the winner through Audible.com. You may have to sign up to pick up your audiobooks.) To enter, just tell me if like listening to audio books.
She bears the scars of the past. He blames himself for things he can’t control. Their defenses are up, but in Cecy Robson’s latest Shattered Past novel—perfect for fans of Monica Murphy and J. Lynn—true love lands a knockout punch.
Sofia Tres Santos remembers a time before her life went sour, before her innocence was ripped away, before she began punishing herself with risky behaviors and unworthy men. Now, at twenty, she just hopes she’s ready to rebuild some of what she lost. One way or another, it always comes back to her childhood friend and longtime crush, Killian O’Brien.
As strong as Killian is, Sofia has always been his one weakness. He knows Sofia has suffered and wants to ensure she’s never hurt again—not like before, and definitely not under his watch. When Sofia agrees to work at his mixed martial arts gym, Killian seizes the opportunity to help and protect the sweet girl he’s always cared for. And yet, as he trains Sofia to defend herself using his hard-hitting MMA techniques, he’s drawn to the vulnerable beauty in ways he never expected.
The steady pummeling of fists against the speed bag continued as if the body slams and swears weren’t bouncing off every wall of the MMA gym. Every strike, every blow, promised pain and demanded respect. I tried not to react to each loud smack, or cower from supersized bodies dripping with sweat, but it was hard. Controlled chaos was the best way to describe the scene unraveling before me. And no one owned it like Killian O’Brien.
I slipped my fingers into the computer bag hooked to my shoulder, pretending to fumble with the files tucked against my laptop, while totally checking out Killian behind the safety of my sunglasses.
His broad and muscular back was to me, but that was okay. I liked the way his Celtic cross tat crawled down the length of his spine and spread across his shoulder blades. I liked the way his wavy jet-black hair tickled the base of his skull. I liked the way—okay, who was I kidding? I liked everything about him. I had since I was seven, when he and his large Catholic family moved into the row home across from ours.
Killian hadn’t noticed me. He was busy kicking what remained of a heavy bag, showing the younger MMA brawlers how it was done. At six feet five, and fighting at super heavyweight status, Killian shouldn’t have been so flexible. But he was. Dear Lord, he so was.
His foot skimmed the top of the bag with each brutal thump, causing the chain holding it to rattle and jolt with hard shakes. Killian was best known for his kicks. If he caught his opponent in the face with his foot, the poor guy was done, and so was what remained of his face.
“Hey, Sofia!”
I jumped when the youngest O’Brien approached. “Oh. Hi, Finn.”
The dimple on his right cheek deepened when he grinned. He motioned to my nylon
computer bag. “You ready to work?”
“Oh, yeah. Ready to go.” I patted the bag like a total loser, then rather awkwardly let my hand fall to my side. In an attempt to regain some sense of grace, I slipped my sunglasses to the top of my head, pushing the strands of my long, bouncy curls behind my ears.
Finn’s grin widened. He likely sensed my nervousness. His toothy smile made him appear younger than his nineteen years, but it was sweet enough to soothe the tension my first day back had caused. I liked Finn, I always had. He was smaller than his brothers, but just as tough, working his way up the MMA ranks as a welterweight.
He slapped his gloved hands together, full of energy as usual. God, it seemed, had dumped all the O’Brien muscle onto Killian’s heavy-duty frame. God was funny that way. That didn’t mean Finn wouldn’t take on a guy twice his size. Finn was funny that way.
He scratched the top of his curly ginger hair. “Killian know you’re here?”
“Ah, no, but that’s okay. I can just head to his office and start on his website—”
“Kill, Kill!” Finn cupped his mouth with his hands, yelling at the top of his lungs. “Your woman is here!” His attention cut to my mortified face. “You are his woman, right, Sofia?”
“Ah . . .”
Killian’s head jerked our way, along with most of the behemoths training. I wasn’t sure if he could see how red my face was from where he stood, but the easy smile spreading along his strong features told me he could. He abandoned what remained of the heavy bag and crossed the padded floor as the rest of the fighters resumed their free-for-alls.
I froze, watching him prowl forward like the mad beast he was, his hulking and densely tattooed arms swinging loosely against his sides. It wouldn’t take him long to reach us, despite the large expanse of the converted warehouse, so I tried to speak fast. “I’m not his woman, Finn.”
“So you’re just banging?”
“No!”
“But you want to.”
“Want to what?”
“Bang my brother like a pair of cymbals,” he said, like I was the stupid one.
“Yes—no.” Oh, good heavens.
“Why not?”
“Finn!”
“He’s a good guy.”
“Finn, I’m not having this conversation with you.”
“Do you want to have it with Kill instead?”
“Have what with me?” Killian’s deep voice rumbled like thunder as he stopped just in front of me.
Dear. Lord.
It had been a few weeks since I’d last seen him. Dark stubble grazed his chin, forming a mini-goatee and emphasizing the angles of his square jaw. But his face didn’t hold my attention for long. My stare traveled down his body, taking in his light skin glistening with sweat . . . before I remembered that my sunglasses now rested on the top of my head and I was blatantly gawking at him.
“Like what you see?” he asked, playfully.
“I . . .” The urge to bolt had me shifting my weight, hard enough to slap the hem of my long white skirt against my bare legs. But I stayed put, trying not to faint from his scorching level of badassness and working to form a decent response. “I was just admiring your sweat.”
So much for a decent response. He stopped smiling. “My sweat?”
I punched him in the arm, because, yeah, I was just that lame. “Totally. You must have had quite the workout, huh, asskicker?”
Finn grimaced as if it pained him to watch me go down in flames. I was good with computers. I couldn’t say the same about men. If the fate of the world depended on me successfully interacting with the male species without stuttering, blushing, or recoiling, the world would just end and we’d all die some sick apocalyptic death.
Killian analyzed me closely like most would a bug they were debating on squashing, before his chest shook with laughter. God, this is Sofia. Please strike me dead.
Killian closed the distance between us, the fingertips of his large hand extending to tickle my chin. “I was just getting started. Nice to have a pretty girl appreciate my efforts.”
About the Author:
Cecy Robson is the New Adult author of Once Perfect, Once Loved, and Once Pure and the award-winning author of the Weird Girls urban fantasy romance series. A self-proclaimed professional napper, Cecy counts among her talents a jaw-dropping knowledge of useless trivia, the ability to make her hair big, and a knack for breaking into song despite her family’s vehement protests. A full-time writer, registered nurse, wife, and mother living in the Great Northwest, Cecy enjoys spending time with her family and silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.
Jennifer’s Review of Once Pure Review (4.5 Stars): Sofia and Killian’s story was amazingly beautiful and the love that they shared with one another brought me to tears. Sofia is a rape survivor and because of that experience is afraid to get close to anyone except Killian O’Brien. They have been close since they were young and he is the one person that has always made her feel safe. When Sofia agrees to help Killian with his MMA gym, they find that the more time they spend with each other, the closer they are to finding the love they have always wanted.
Ms. Robson always makes me cry but in a good way. Her books are a gut-wrenching journey of emotions for her characters that almost always leads to a happy ending. For Sofia, she not only got Killian but she got her life back. He taught her to defend herself and showed her that she wasn’t broken because of what she went through. She was stronger because of it and the scene where she reacted instead of cowering in fear made me cheer.
Killian is my new favorite book boyfriend and I liked how protective he was of Sofia over the course of this book. He blamed himself for something that wasn’t his fault and I was glad that he and Sofia could work through their past and have a wonderful future. I love all the books in this series and I’m crossing my fingers that Ms. Robson will start finding happy endings for each of Killian’s siblings next. I desperately want to see who ends up with Wren. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Next time you visit the mystery section at your favorite bookstore, count the number of books that have cats on the covers. Although it might be easier to count the ones that don’t. There has been a cat on the cover of every one of my Bibliophile Mysteries.
And my Fixer-Upper Mysteries, too!
And now there’s a cat on the cover of my latest book, Ripped from the Pages.
Well… a kitten. The same kitten that appeared on the cover of The Book Stops Here last year because finally, Brooklyn Wainwright has a cat of her very own. Charlie (aka Charlemagne Cupcake Wainwright Stone, a weighty name for something so tiny and cute).
Cats and cozy mysteries seem to go together, and I think it’s because cats are both mysterious and cozy. They don’t express themselves as openly and as enthusiastically as dogs do. Their love is not automatic—you have to earn it. You have to prove yourself worthy of being allowed the honor of petting a cat.
Once you do win the love of a cat, that’s where the “cozy” part comes in. Can there be anything cozier than sitting in a comfy chair to read a good book, with a cat curled up in your lap? Their purr is hypnotic and almost magically disperses the stresses of the day.
I’m going to have fun watching little Charlie grow up, and I hope readers will, too. Although the books are published about a year apart, much less time passes in Brooklyn’s world between books, which means that although Charlie was first introduced two years ago, she’s still just a kitten. Here’s a snippet from Ripped from the Pages so you can see how Charlie reacts the first time she meets a dog face-to-face.
My parents’ next-door neighbors, the Quinlans, generously offered up their gorgeous French-style cottage for our use. They were off to Europe for three months. We offered to pay them rent, but all they required from us was that we take good care of their golden retriever, Maggie.
Once we were unpacked and exploring the kitchen, Derek and I watched Maggie and Charlie sniff and circle each other for a few minutes. Finally, they seemed to agree that they could live in peace together. At least, I hoped so. Maggie ambled over to her bed and settled herself down on the fluffy surface. Charlie followed right behind her, clambered up and perched directly on Maggie’s big paw. Maggie stared at the tiny creature for a long moment and I prepared myself to whisk the cat away. But then Maggie let out a heavy sigh and closed her eyes. Charlie snuggled up against the big dog’s soft, warm fur and was asleep several seconds later.
Derek and I exchanged smiles. I had a feeling we would all be very happy here.
And now here I was, sitting in my mother’s kitchen on a bright, Monday morning, drinking coffee with Robin and listening as my mother tried to brush past the fact that I did indeed have an alarming tendency to come upon dead bodies in the strangest places. Luckily, that wasn’t likely to happen in Dharma anytime soon.
Are you a cat person or a dog person (or both)? Share a cute story about a pet in your life.
About the Author:
New York Times bestselling author Kate Carlisle is a native Californian who worked in television production for many years before turning to writing. A lifelong fascination with the art and craft of bookbinding led her to write the Bibliophile Mysteries, featuring Brooklyn Wainwright, whose bookbinding and restoration skills invariably uncover old secrets, treachery and murder. Her latest book is RIPPED FROM THE PAGES, available now in hardcover and ebook.
Excited to explore the secrets of wine country, Brooklyn attends an excavation of the caves hidden deep under her parents’ commune—and the findings are explosive. A room is unearthed, and it contains a treasure trove of artwork, rare books, a chest of jewelry…and a perfectly mummified body.
A closer examination of the murdered man’s possessions reveals a valuable first edition of Jules Verne’s A Journey to the Center of the Earth. Hidden in the book is a secret map that unveils an even greater hoard of treasures brought to California by French winemakers fleeing the Nazi invasion with the commune leader’s grandfather, Anton, among them.
As reporters and art appraisers flock to Sonoma to see the precious bounty, questions begin to rise—did Anton hide these items to protect them, or did he steal them for himself? Who is the mysterious man left for dead inside the cave? But not all crime is buried in the past. When a new presence threatens the town’s peace, Brooklyn decides to do a little excavating of her own and solve the mystery of the treasure before anyone else is written off….
Review (4 Stars): What a fascinating mystery! I love Ms. Carlisle’s mysteries because of the detailed research that is involved with each book that Brooklyn restores.In Ripped From The Pages, Brooklyn has moved back to Dharma temporarily with her lovely boyfriend, Derek, until the renovations on their loft are completed. While they are there, a mysterious room filled with treasures is discovered during an excavation of the caves and Brooklyn finds herself involved in another murder mystery. She must find the clues to solve the mystery before it is too late and someone wants to make sure that she never leaves Dharma again.
Such a delightful series and I always look forward to spending time with Brooklyn and Derek. I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and learning about A Journey to the Center of the Earth made this story so much more enjoyable. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the Bibliophile Mystery series and see what danger Brooklyn can find herself in next.
Giveaway
I’m excited to give away a copy ofRipped From The Pages. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 12th, please leave me a comment below:
From the Bestselling author of the Immortal Guardians series comes a new paranormal historical romance that inspired it all, and is sure to enchant fans new and old!
Thank you for joining me! I’m thrilled to be here today, celebrating the release of A SORCERESS OF HIS OWN, the first book in my new series The Gifted Ones and my first historical romance. Every time I release a new book, I like to introduce readers to the characters they’ll find in it via character interviews. Since men and women in the middle ages didn’t interview each other for e-newsletters, I’ve decided to let Sheldon (a popular human character in my Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series) interview Roland, a powerful Immortal Guardian who appears in both series.
Sheldon: Hey, man. Thanks for doing another interview.
Roland: Sarah asked me to do it.
Sheldon: *lips twitch* And you’d do anything to make her happy?
Roland: Of course.
Sheldon: That is so weird.
Roland: *arches a brow* Rumor has it you would do anything to please Tracy.
Sheldon: Come on. Everyone knows how antisocial you are. It’s just weird seeing you act all lovey dovey around Sarah.
Roland: *sighs* Is this what you wanted to talk about in this interview — my relationship with Sarah and how swiftly your insolence will compel me to kick your arse?
Sheldon: *laughs* No. I actually wanted to ask you about something else. I interviewed Marcus a few days ago and he mentioned a gifted one named Alyssa.
Roland: *gaze sharpening* Alyssa? The Earl of Westcott’s wisewoman?
Sheldon: *surprised* Yes. You remember her?
Roland: Absolutely. How did her name come up in the conversation?
Sheldon: I asked him who the first gifted one he met was, outside of family.
Roland: Ah.
Sheldon: You met her yourself?
Roland: Yes. I met her whole family actually.
Sheldon: That was, like, eight hundred years ago. How did you remember that?
Roland: I suppose it’s a combination of the advanced DNA all gifted ones like myself possess, coupled with the virus that lends me immortality and prevents me from aging. The memories of immortals don’t fade with time the way those of humans do.
Sheldon: That’s awesome and sucks all at the same time. I imagine there are some things you’d like to forget.
Roland: *expression darkens ominously* If we forget our mistakes, then we won’t learn from them.
Sheldon: *swallows* Yeah, back to Alyssa. So . . . Alyssa was a gifted one like you back in the 12th century.
Roland: Yes. She actually came to be quite powerful.
Sheldon: Marcus said she could heal with her hands and read emotions with a touch.
Roland: Among other things.
Sheldon: You’re renowned for disliking and distrusting . . . pretty much everyone. Yet you sound like you liked Alyssa.
Roland: I admired her a great deal. She was, quite frankly, gutsy as hell. Those like us who bore special gifts`tended to inspire fear and hatred in those who distrusted anyone who was different. Our gifts were more often than not associated with evil than they were with miracles. And we were frequently blamed for things we didn’t do.
Sheldon: Like what?
Roland: If drought struck, a gifted one’s “sorcery” was surely responsible. If a cow’s milk dried up, then the resident gifted one must have done it. If a man’s health failed, he must have been cursed by the gifted one. As a result, many a gifted one was slain.
Sheldon: That’s infuriating.
Roland: *shrugs* It’s the way of the world. Little has changed. Just look at the trouble we Immoral Guardians have faced in recent years.
Sheldon: True.
Roland: Most of us gifted ones hid our unusual abilties as best we could for our own protection.
Sheldon: I don’t blame you.
Roland: But Alyssa . . . *shakes his head and smiles* She found a way to use hers openly.
Sheldon: As Lord Dillon’s wisewoman.
Roland: Yes. Her grandmother served as Lord Dillon’s father’s wisewoman, you see. When Lord Dillon assumed the title, Alyssa took her grandmother’s place with none the wiser. Lord Dillon was widely feared, thanks to his ferocity on the battlefield and his reticent nature. So Alyssa was able to use her gifts to counsel him and to heal the injured and sick without worrying so much about being slain. All were so afraid of Lord Dillon that none would dare incur his wrath by harming his trusted wisewoman. And, since everyone believed she was the same wisewoman who served Dillon’s father and grandfather before him, some even began to believe her immortal and, thus, capable of exacting retribution against any who sought to slay her.
Sheldon: That was pretty slick.
Roland: Yes, it was.
Sheldon: You sound like you admired Lord Dillon, too.
Roland: I did. His skills with a sword rivaled Seth’s.
Sheldon: Dude.
Roland: Exactly. I even disobeyed Seth’s orders not to interfere and joined Lord Dillon in battle once just so I could have the privilege of fighting alongside him.
Sheldon: And?
Roland: It was worth the punishment Seth dealt out afterward.
Sheldon: You like to fight, don’t you?
Roland: I’ve been a warrior for nearly a thousand years. I’m very good at it.
Sheldon: Maybe you should have spent a little more of that time improving your people skills
Roland: *arches a brow* Sarah has no problem with my people skills.
Sheldon: Which is why immortals who have never met her assume she’s a few cards short of a full deck.
Roland: *eyes flash bright amber* What?! Who said that?
Sheldon: *scramble out of his chair* Not me! It wasn’t me! Don’t kill the messenger!
Roland: *growls* You’re the only one currently within reach.
Sheldon: Is that my cell phone ringing? *fumbles in his pocket* I think my cell phone is ringing. *backs toward the door* Thanks for the interview, man. I gotta book. *slams the door behind him*
Sarah: *enters, lips twitching* That was mean.
Roland: *grins* But fun. I thought he’d never leave. *pulls her into his arms captures her lips in a long, hot kiss* Now where were?
Awe Roland is so awesome. Now let’s take a look at A Sorceress of His Own.
From the New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Immortal Guardians series comes an enchanting new series full of romance, danger, and loyalty: The Gifted OnesSince the day Lord Dillon earned his spurs, rumors of his savagery on the battlefield have preceded him into every room, stilling tongues and sparking fear. Weary of battle, he wishes only to find a woman he can wed who will approach him not with fear, but with the tenderness that has been absent from his life for so long. Yet only the wisewoman seems invariably at ease in his presence. Perhaps because she garners the same fear in others that he does himself.
For seven years, Alyssa has been by Lord Dillon’s side, counseling him from the shadows, healing him with her hands, and staving off the worst of his loneliness while his fearsome reputation keeps others at bay. Blessed–or cursed–with gifts that label her a sorceress, she is forced to conceal her youth and the love she harbors for him beneath umbral robes that lead Dillon and his people to believe she is the same aged wisewoman who served his father.
All is revealed, however, and passions flare when an enemy threatens Dillon’s life and Alyssa sacrifices everything to save him. When Dillon discovers that the wisewoman is far from elderly, he is instantly entranced. And, as he and Alyssa work together to defeat an enemy bent on destroying them both, Dillon will risk anything–even the wrath of his king–to be with her.
Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series and The Gifted Ones series. Her books have twice been nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance and are routinely deemed Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, The Romance Reviews, and/or Night Owl Reviews. Reviewers have called Dianne’s books “fast-paced and humorous” (Publishers Weekly), “utterly addictive” (RT Book Reviews), “extraordinary” (Long and Short Reviews), and “wonderfully imaginative” (The Romance Reviews).
Dianne loves all things creative. When she isn’t writing, Dianne is active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the vampires she creates in her books.
Pre-order (before June 2nd) and enter the Pre-Order Extravaganza!
Every 1000 pre-orders that come in between now and June 2nd, the author will give away an Amazon Gift Card, each larger than the previous one. To enter, Fill Out This Form!
June is Audio Book Month and we’re celebrating all month long with fabulous Authors and Narrators!!! This is our first post for this event, which is hosted by both Viviana, Enchantress of Books and myself Kelly, Books-n-Kisses.
Let me tell you a little about what is going to happen this month. Did I mention that there are fabulous goodies up for grabs? I think I did! Didn’t I? Gasp! My bad, any who…. Many of our Authors and Narrators are hosting giveaways!!! Woohooo!! But Wait! There’s More!!! Enchantress of Booksand I are also hosting our own MONTH LONG Giveaway! Our giveaway will be included in each post! Make sure to visit us each day to not only hang out with us but also enter the giveaway! Oh and the first week, Enchantress of Books and I will be hosting the same guests but afterwards, we each will have separate guests on our sites. Make sure to visit us BOTH throughout the ENTIRE MONTH as you never know what surprises we might throw your way!! And remember, our giveaway runs the ENTIRE MONTH of JUNE and there are multiple entries you can gain by hanging out with the BOTH OF US!! Just sayin’! LOL
A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.
Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.
Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.
IT BEGAN WITH A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES.Historian Diana Bishop, descended from a line of powerful witches, and long-lived vampire Matthew Clairmont have broken the laws dividing creatures. When Diana discovered a significant alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library,she sparked a struggle in which she became bound to Matthew. Now the fragile coexistence of witches, daemons, vampires and humans is dangerously threatened.
Seeking safety, Diana and Matthew travel back in time to London, 1590. But they soon realise that the past may not provide a haven. Reclaiming his former identity as poet and spy for Queen Elizabeth, the vampire falls back in with a group of radicals known as the School of Night. Many are unruly daemons, the creative minds of the age, including playwright Christopher Marlowe and mathematician Thomas Harriot.
Together Matthew and Diana scour Tudor London for the elusive manuscript Ashmole 782, and search for the witch who will teach Diana how to control her remarkable powers.
After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches–with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.
I’m writing from a new spot. In February my husband and I moved to Arizona from Utah. Everything is different, but the thing I knew would impact me the most is my office. I used to have a room to myself. It was one of the smaller bedrooms in our house and had been my son’s room when he was younger, then the guest room after he moved on to a bigger basement space. Then it became mine. I liked it, a lot. The view out the window was made up mostly of my neighbor’s house, but I could also see some far off mountain peaks. I grew into that room and it grew and formed around me. I thought I would miss it terribly.
Quick question – what type of decider are you? Are you a “go with your first gut reaction” or do you “think on things for a while?” I’m a gut reaction decider. I have lived my entire life making decisions based on very little real information but choosing to listen to my gut only. So far, so good. My husband is a thinker, a researcher, and then a thinker again. When we decided to move to Arizona the plans for our Utah house moved so quickly that we had to make a flash decision about where to live in our new state. My husband’s typical methods were thrown out the window. Fortunately, a couple of options were offered to us by a friend – one of those options being a house we could rent until we decided on something permanent. We were moving so quickly that there was no time to even wait for someone to bring a key out for us to look inside the house. As we peered in a window, seeing only one slice of space that included part of the kitchen and part of the dining area, I just knew we’d found the right spot.
My gut told me.
So, here we are. The house is perfect for us and so is the neighborhood, but what’s really cool and happens to be my favorite feature is my office. Its floorplan is open so I got a side space with windows. My views aren’t of mountains but of the backyard and there are a couple of windows high up on the walls that offer great views of the sky, clouds, moon and stars. I really love it.
I was sad to leave my friends in Utah, but I’ll go visit them. I was also sad to leave my office, but it looks like my gut was right again. I love growing into this new space and letting it grow up and around me.
Thanks for letting me stop by today. See you in the bookstores.
About the Author:
Paige Shelton is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Farmers’ Market and the Country Cooking School mystery series. For more information see www.paigeshelton.com
This summer, Becca is looking forward to selling her delicious jams and preserves, but things are changing fast at the farmers’ market. A fleet of food trucks has arrived for a two week visit, peddling cupcakes, tacos, chicken wings, and more—including a gourmet hot dog truck operated by Becca’s own cousin, Peyton.
Tensions between truck operators and market vendors over their required licenses reach a crescendo when the town’s business manager is murdered. With Peyton already under suspicion of stealing money and a secret recipe from the restaurant where she worked in Arizona, the cops start grilling her as their prime suspect. Now it’s up to Becca to clear her cousin and find out who at the market gave themselves a license to kill…
Review (4 Stars): Becca and the gang are excited to have food trucks with them for the next two weeks including a food truck that just happens to be operated by her cousin, Peyton. Becca discovers that Peyton may be in hot water for she is a suspect in an embezzlement scheme at the restaurant that she used to work at. On top of that, the dead body of a business manager has been discovered and the prime suspect just happens to be Peyton. Becca must clear her name quickly or Peyton may watch her dreams of owning her own restaurant go up in smoke.
Bushel Full of Murder was an entertaining mystery with delightfully quirky characters and yummy recipes that will make your mouth water. Ms. Shelton has created a fast-paced yet well-written mystery that I found myself lost in while updating myself on the lives of these charming characters. I had a hard time figuring out the killer and loved how Becca always find herself in the middle of trouble, even though she tries desperately to avoid it. This is the sixth mystery in the Farmer’s Market Mystery series and each title is just as engaging and exciting as the last.
Giveaway
I’m excited to give away a copy ofBushel Full of Murder. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 11th, please leave me a comment below:
“This is who I am. This is what I want. Now I need a man dangerous enough to give it to me.”
Graduate student Vivienne Charles is afraid of her own desires—ashamed to admit that she fantasizes about being taken by force, by a man who will claim her completely and without mercy. When the magnetic, mysterious Jonah Marks learns her secret, he makes an offer that stuns her: they will remain near-strangers to each other, and meet in secret so that he can fulfill her fantasy.
Their arrangement is twisted. The sex is incredible. And—despite their attempts to stay apart—soon their emotions are bound together as tightly as the rope around Vivienne’s wrists. But the secrets in their pasts threaten to turn their affair even darker…
***Reader Advisory: Asking for It deals explicitly with fantasies of non-consensual sex. Readers sensitive to portrayals of non-consensual sex should be advised.
About the Author:
Lilah Pace is a pseudonym for a New York Times bestselling YA author. This is her first adult novel.
Jennifer’s Review of Asking For It
Review (4 Stars): First of all, this book deals with a very sensitive subject matter and some readers may have a difficult time with this. I wasn’t sure if this book would be something that I would be interested in but that all changed when I started reading Vivienne and Jonah’s story together. Vivienne is a rape survivor and has had a difficult time with her previous relationships because of this traumatic experience. She also has fantasies of non-consensual sex and even though she tells herself this is wrong and messed up, she still has these fantasies. Then she meets Jonah, a dark and sexy stranger, who makes her an offer that she can’t refuse and he agrees to be a willing participant in these fantasies.
One of the things that I liked about this book was the relationship between Vivienne and Jonah. They were virtually strangers but everything they did was discussed in long detail before anything happened. He wanted to make sure that everything that happened between them was fantasy and never crossed the line to the real thing. The thing that I noticed about Jonah was very careful in everything that he did and always seemed to know when something was wrong in Vivienne’s life even when her closest friends didn’t see beyond the mask she presented to everyone. I felt that he used this fantasy life to get close to her because he wanted to know the real Vivienne.
Vivienne knew that these thoughts and feelings were wrong but she couldn’t stop herself from having them. I felt that Vivienne wanted to take back control of that situation with these fantasies because she didn’t have the control of that traumatic experience then. No one believed her when she told them about her rape and because of that, she felt that she couldn’t really trust anyone, including her own family. My heart broke for Vivienne when she was labeled a liar and that she was actually blamed for what had really happened. Still makes my blood boil when I think about it. The one person that she could trust with her secrets was Jonah but when the truth does comes out it changes everything.
Ms. Pace handled this very dark subject matter with grace and respect for what Vivienne experienced in her life. I saw Asking For It as a psychological and emotional journey of a beautiful character that was still broken because of her experience. She was able to find someone that she could trust to share her experience with and finally have someone believe in her. After the ending of Asking For It, I’m curious to see where Vivienne and Jonah’s relationship goes from here in Begging For It and how the truth will affect the life that Vivienne wanted to build with Jonah.
Romance was not part of Nora Grey’s plan. She’s never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.
But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can’t decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen – and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.
Nora Grey’s life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn’t pleasant, but at least she got a guardian angel out of it. A mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He’s more elusive than ever (if that’s possible) and what’s worse, he seems to be spending time with Nora’s archenemy, Marcie Millar.
Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadn’t been acting so distant. Even with Scott’s totally infuriating attitude, Nora finds herself drawn to him – despite her lingering feelings that he is hiding something.
If that weren’t enough, Nora is haunted by images of her murdered father, and comes to question whether her Nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death. Desperate to figure out what happened, she puts herself in increasingly dangerous situations to get the answer. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything – and everyone – she trusts.
Silence
Hush, Hush #3
WHEN SILENCE IS ALL THAT’S LEFT, CAN THE TRUTH FINALLY BE HEARD?
Nora Grey can’t remember the past five months of her life. After the initial shock of waking up in a cemetery and being told that she has been missing for weeks – with no one knowing where she was or who she was with – she tried to get her life back on track. Go to school, hang out with her best friend, Vee, and dodge mom’s creepy new boyfriend.
But there is this voice in the back of her head, an idea that she can almost reach out and touch. Visions of angel wings and unearthly creatures that have nothing to do with the life she knows.
And this unshakable feeling that a part of her is missing.
Then Nora crosses paths with a sexy stranger, whom she feels a mesmerizing connection to. He seems to hold all the answers…and her heart. Every minute she spends with him grows more and more intense until she realizes she could be falling in love. Again.
Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank’s absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels – destroying Patch.
Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.
But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.
As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.
We are please to show you for the first time Jennifer Fusco’s new cover FIGHTING FOR IT.
So with out further ado.
Hang on.
Lace up.
And get ready…….
Release date: September 15, 2015
The first in a sexy new series where the hard-hitters of Las Vegas’s Stamina boxing gym are K.O.-ed by the women they never saw coming…
After suffering a devastating loss during his last fight, heavyweight boxer Jack Brady’s whole career went down for the count. Now, his late manager’s daughter has inherited his contract and Jack is pleased to discover that the girl he fell in love with as a kid has grown into a strong, sexy woman—until she makes it clear that Jack has no choice but to get in the ring.
Daniella Chambers is determined to get her father’s failing gym back on track with Jack’s upcoming fight. She knows Jack’s got the talent to become champion and decides to force the unmotivated fighter away from the neon lights of Vegas to train in the seclusion of her lake house. But when they take a time out from their sessions to steam up the bedroom, the urge to win gets all tangled up with their desires.
Now, Jack’s fight is swiftly approaching, and the fate of the gym isn’t the only thing on the ropes.
Jennifer Fusco began writing romance in 2010 as a way to expend the excess creative energy which wasn’t exhausted by her day job. A fan of all genres, Jennifer enjoys reading and writing contemporary romance. She loves creating incredibly flawed characters because, well, nobody’s perfect. She received her B.A in English from North Carolina State University, and today, lives in southwest Florida with her husband and school-aged son.
The Guardians of Eternity are facing a final battle to save their world—but battles of the heart may be the most difficult to fight…
Cyn, the vampire clan chief of Ireland, is an unabashed hedonist whose beauty is surpassed only by his insatiable appetite for pleasure. It’s no wonder he’s furious when he’s transported from the magical land of the pureblooded feys to his desolate private lair—only to have his very existence thrown into a chaos that even he cannot charm his way out of…
Most women may be all but powerless against Cyn, but Fallon, a sharp-witted fairy princess, is less than beguiled by the silver-tongued vampire. She’s a serious soul with no time for the sort of games he plays—especially when they learn that someone is trying to close the veil that separates the dimensions. But seduction may prove the most powerful force of all, as attraction ignites between the unlikely pair even as worlds are colliding around them…
Fallon gasped when Siljar disappeared as swiftly as she’d appeared.
One second she was patting Cyn’s arm and the next . . . poof.
No smoke. No mirrors. No abracadabra.
Just there and then gone.
Damn.
What was wrong with her?
She should have insisted that the powerful demon return her to her homeland. Even with Sariel’s interference she could have kept watch on the Commission. It wasn’t as if she’d ever let her father or fiancé interfere in her fascination with scrying before.
It was easy to tell herself that it was the shock of waking up in a strange cave with a dangerous vampire, swiftly followed by the appearance of an Oracle demanding her help in spying on the Commission, that had rattled her brain. How could any poor female think clearly under such circumstances?
But a part of her knew that she’d allowed herself to be steamrolled by the tiny Oracle quite simply because she didn’t want to go home.
She’d spent centuries trapped in the glorious palace her father had created. She’d been petted and pampered and . . .Trapped.
And worse, she’d known deep in her heart that she would never escape.
Not so long as her father considered the pure-blooded Chatri above the lesser fey.
So was it really surprising that she would be reluctant to give up this unexpected miracle even if it meant enduring the company of an obnoxious vampire?
It wasn’t like she had to actually work next to him.
He was a clan chief. His lair should be large enough for them never to cross paths, right?
As if to prove her point, Cyn was abruptly heading toward the far end of the cave, his face grim although he held the scroll with obvious care.
Far more care than he was willing to give her. Jackass. With a swift step, Fallon had moved to place herself directly in his path.
“Where are you going?”
He came to a grudging halt, his gaze narrowed. “To have a shower.”
“What about me?”
He shrugged. “Aren’t you supposed to be spying on the Oracles or something?”
Her fists clenched. She’d never hit anyone before, but now seemed a good time to start.
“Now look here, you big lug—”
“You have an obsessive fascination with my size.” He ran a slow, deliberate gaze down her tense body before leaning forward to whisper directly in her ear, “In case you’re interested, I’m large everywhere.”
The brush of his lips against her skin sent darts of white-hot excitement sizzling through her.
How was that possible?
She’d lived with the most beautiful men in the world. Her own fiancé, Magnus, was breathtaking. But never, ever had one of them made her so acutely aware of being a woman. As if Cyn had some magical ability to arouse her darkest, most intimate desires.
Jerking back, she sent him a glare. “Well, your head is certainly bloated.”
His gaze lingered on her mouth. “If you’re trying to charm me, it’s not working.”
She wouldn’t lick her lips. She wouldn’t.
Her tongue peeked out, swiping her lower lip with a provocative movement. Instantly Cyn’s eyes darkened with a scorching heat.
Fallon stiffened. What was wrong with her?
“I’m not trying to charm you,” she stubbornly denied.
“Fine.”
Abruptly he’d stepped around her, clearly intending to leave her abandoned in the caves.
“Wait.”
He sent an impatient glance over his shoulder. “Now what?”
“We’re obviously stuck with one another for now,” she said, pointing out the obvious.
“Do you have a point?”
Heathen. Barbarian. Hulking, gorgeous, pain in the ass.
She counted to ten.
“You could at least try to be civil.”
He folded his arms over his chest. “And what does ‘civil’ entail?”
“I obviously can’t stay in these caves.” She waved a dismissive hand toward the damp floor, shivering at the distinct chill in the air. “I’m assuming you have private rooms I could use. And I’ll need food. Oh . . .” She glanced down to the plain, too-short robe. “And clothes. Silk.”
Something dangerous lurked in the jade eyes. “Anything else, princess?”
“Nectar.” She used her most grating princess voice. She was a guest here, dammit, not a prisoner. It was time that Cyn fulfilled his duties as a host. “Preferably from my homeland.”
A stark, dangerous silence followed her daring command. The sort of silence that came before the strike of lightning.
Or a nuclear explosion.
Instead there was a flurry of movement as Cyn reached out to grasp her by the waist and with one smooth movement had her tossed over his shoulder.
Fallon gasped in shock. No man touched the royal princess. Not unless he wanted to be burned to a crisp by Sariel. And certainly they didn’t haul her around like she was a sack of potatoes.
“What are you doing?” she finally managed to choke out.
Leaving the cave, Cyn headed up a narrow set of stairs carved into the stone.
“Let’s get one thing straight, princess. This is my lair,” he growled.
She slammed her fist against his back only to wince in pain. Crap, the man felt as if he’d been chiseled from granite.
“I wouldn’t be so quick to boast about this shabby—”
Her furious insult came to an outraged halt as his large hand landed on her butt, giving the tender flesh a deliberate squeeze. Fallon’s breath tangled in her throat. She was livid. Of course she was. But more than that she was . . . oh dear God, was she aroused? Was the intimate touch of his hand turning her on?
Or maybe being in this world was screwing with her hormones. Yes. That was a much better answer.
Belatedly aware they were moving through a long hallway lined with heavy tapestries, she gave his back another punch.
“Put me down, you barbarian.”
“Berserker,” he snapped.
“Is that supposed to be better?” she ground out, wiggling in an effort to dislodge his hand that was causing tiny sparks of pleasure to race through her body. “I told you to put me down.”
Her wiggles were futile, but thankfully they’d reached a closed door and he was forced to release her butt to shove it open.
“My lair, my rules.”
They entered what appeared to be a large room with a woven carpet in shades of silver and violet.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that I’m not your damned servant.” He crossed the floor, abruptly dropping her on a massive four-poster bed with a feather mattress. “So long as you’re beneath my roof you’ll treat me with respect.”
“Respect is earned, not commanded.”
“Actually I just did.” He planted his fists on his hips, using his powers to ignite the logs that were neatly stacked in the stone fireplace. “And you’d better pay attention.”
“Or?”
“Or I’ll return you to the caves and you can rot down there for all I care.”
Fallon glared into the forcefully handsome face, catching a glimpse of snowy white fangs. Sensibly she knew she should be afraid of him.
He was a lethal predator who had her completely at his mercy.
But she wasn’t afraid.
She was angry and frustrated and terrifyingly aware of the hard, male body barely concealed beneath the thin robe.
“I really dislike you,” she muttered, trying to tug the robe down her legs.
“The feeling is mutual.”
“I . . .” Fallon forgot what she was going to say as she belatedly noticed her surroundings. “Oh.”
Cyn was instantly wary. “Now what?”
She forgot her urge to slap his arrogant face as she slowly scanned the pale ash furniture that filled the room.
Beyond the canopied bed, there was a chest set beneath a large stained-glass window that was composed in shades of indigo and saffron and crimson with threads of gold. The arched masterpiece not only provided beauty, but filtered out any potential sunlight. Near the fireplace was a rocking chair that matched the large armoire near the door. And nearer the bed was a delicate washstand.
There was a definite medieval vibe, but it was the exquisite craftsmanship that captured Fallon’s attention.
With a soft sigh she shoved herself to her knees, reaching to skim her fingers over the delicate pattern that had been carved into the wooden posts of the bed.
Row after row of tiny flowers and woodland creatures flowed from the top of the post to the bottom, each one charmingly different in design. And the carvings were echoed on every piece of furniture, giving the room an ethereal beauty that tugged at her heart.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed, feeling as if she were surrounded by a woodland glade despite the fact that the sun would never be allowed to stray beyond the window. “Really, really beautiful.”
Cyn made a strangled sound, as if pushed to the very edge.
“Bloody hell, you could drive a saint to drink,” he roared.
Ignoring the completely unfair accusation, she continued to stroke her fingers over the glossy wood.
“Where did you find the furnishings?”
“I made them.”
She sent him a startled glance. “You?”
“Why do you sound so surprised?”
Fallon frowned at the hint of defensiveness in his tone. Was he embarrassed to reveal his artistic talent?
“This is fey in design.”
“Oh.” He shrugged. “I was taken in by fairies while I was a foundling. Mika trained me to carve.”
Fallon couldn’t deny a stab of curiosity.
She’d watched this world enough to know it was extremely unusual for any demon to foster another species, let alone a fairy taking in a savage vampire.
It would be like a human adopting a full-grown lion.
But she wasn’t about to probe. Not when Cyn was already treating her as if she were some unwelcomed intruder who’d invaded his lair.
Like black mold.
“He must have been a master craftsman,” she instead murmured.
“Careful, princess. That was perilously close to a compliment,” he mocked.
Okay. That was it.
Turning her head, she stabbed him with a furious glare.
“Do you always have to be an ass?”
He abruptly grimaced, then without warning, he reached out to cup her cheek with his hand.
“No,” he said, his thumb brushing her lower lip.
Fallon stilled, sensing the electric tension that sizzled between them.
“Cyn?”
His lips twisted at the sudden uncertainty in her voice.
“We’re stuck together. At least for now,” he said, his gaze lowering to her mouth. Almost as if he was imagining how it would taste beneath his own. “We need a truce.”
Fallon shivered, the image of him tumbling her back onto the mattress and covering her with his hard body searing through her mind.
It was raw and primal and scary as hell.
You’re playing with fire, a voice whispered in the back of her mind. And you’re the one who’s going to get burned.
She covertly inched back on the mattress. He carried with him a force field that threatened to suck her in.
“It should be simple enough.” She managed to sound almost indifferent. Good for her.
His gaze remained locked on her lips. “Do you think so?”
“This is obviously a large lair. There’s truly no need to spend any time in each other’s company.”
Something that looked like . . . hurt . . . flared through his eyes before he abruptly dropped his hand and stepped back.
“Right,” he muttered, turning to head toward the door. “A perfect solution.”
“Wait.” Feeling ridiculously guilty, Fallon scrambled off the bed, her feet barely touching the floor as the door was being slammed shut.
With a shake of her head, she flopped back on the mattress, wondering why men had to be so . . . so impossible.
About the Author:
ALEXANDRA IVY graduated from Truman University with a degree in theatre before deciding she preferred to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage. She currently lives in Missouri with her extraordinarily patient husband and teenage sons. To stay updated on Alexandra’s Guardian series or to chat with other readers, please visit her website at www.alexandraivy.com
Review (4 Stars): This is the 12th book in the Guardians of Eternity series and I enjoyed the sharp-witted banter between Cyn and Fallon. They seemed perfect together even when they were fighting and working together to solve the mystery that involved the powerful Oracles. The chemistry between them was off the charts and I loved learning the back story of this sexy vampire. I’m sad to see this series come to an end but I can’t wait to see what Ms. Ivy has planned in the future. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sometimes I wonder if the purpose of my life
is to serve as a cautionary tale to others.
–T-shirt
Charley Davidson has enough going on without having to worry about twelve hellhounds hot on her trail. She is, after all, incredibly pregnant and feeling like she could pop at any moment. But, just her luck, twelve deadly beasts from hell have chosen this time to escape onto our plane, and they’ve made Charley their target. And so she takes refuge at the only place she thinks they can’t get to her: the grounds of an abandoned convent. Of course, if hellhounds aren’t enough, Charley also has a new case to hold her attention: the decades-old murder of a newly-vowed nun she keeps seeing in the shadows of the convent.
Add to that the still unsolved murder of her father, the strange behavior of her husband, and Charley’s tendency to attract the, shall we say, undead, and she has her hands full…but also tied. While the angry hellhounds can’t traverse the consecrated soil, they can lurk just beyond its borders like evil sentries, so Charley has been forbidden from leaving the sacred grounds. Luckily, she has her loyal team with her, and they’re a scrappy bunch who won’t let a few thirsty hellhounds deter them.
While the team scours the prophesies, searching for clues on the Twelve, for a way to kill them or at least send them back to hell, Charley just wants answers and is powerless to get them. But the mass of friends they’ve accrued helps. They convince her even more that everyone in her recent life has somehow been drawn to her, as though they were a part of a bigger picture all along. Their presence is comforting. But the good feelings don’t last for long because Charley is about to get the surprise of her crazy, mixed-up, supernatural life….
First Grave on the Right is the smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper..
Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life…and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author DARYNDA JONES won a RITA Award for best first novel for First Grave On The Right. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. Jones lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her husband and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.
