Guest blog with Stacey Moran

Swimming with Horses

I warmly remember being asked what my favorite summer memory was every year during the first week of school. One summer memory has been my favorite since I was ten years old.

Every summer my brother and I spent a great deal of time at our Great Aunt’s farm. We would get to take care of the horses and on Saturday mornings we would receive riding instructions from the neighboring farm’s son. Scott was his name and to this day he is one of the most handsome men I have ever met (childhood crushes are the best and worst).

Anyway one Saturday he led us to a pond a few miles from the farm. Scott guided us along trails and until we ended up in a clear landing with a large pond but our ride did not stop there. Assuredly riding ahead of us, he continued the ride into the water. He rode and his horse happily waded in the water, wetting his legs, belly, then both sides of his chest as Scot’s feet touched the water.

Imagine our shock at seeing him become engulfed by the pond. The horse and Scott sank in one sudden swoop into the merky pond water. My brother and I gasped when all we saw above water were two heads. Scott arms poked out of the water revealing his hands grasping his horse’s mane. Once we realized the horse was actually swimming with Scott, my little brother and me started giggling and anxiously wanted to join our instructor. After a few moments of nerves, I slowly felt my horse’s unsure progression downward. Slowly he stepped into the water, the sensation of the cool water rising up my legs with each movement. I turned and looked over my shoulder noticing my brother following. My horse was no longer waiting for me to lead, no the horse was enjoying the cool water on a hot summer’s day. Before I knew it I was fully emerged into the pond and my horse was swimming.

I have bungee jumped, skied, and mountain climbed since then but nothing has ever felt as thrilling as trusting this large animal to swim me to the other side of the pond. Maybe it is because I was ten years old and my memories are inflated. It doesn’t really matter that summer swimming with horses was and is my favorite summer memory.

Tour Banner Blood Myth

 

The Art of Safkhet Presents 

Blood Myth

(The Myth Series)

blood

Zakah Sange was born into a world of dark magick, always living in the shadows of his father, the Raka King. He was dangerously sexy and enigmatic; he used power and control to shape himself into a hard and cunning man. Zakah became a warrior, a weapon and the master of his own violence lurking within.

Sorina Ruzicka was the great granddaughter of the evil god Akhekh. She was born into a legacy of magickal gifts that she wanted no part of. After years touring as a blues singer she returned home where she only wanted the seclusion of the mountains. A chance meeting with the mysterious club owner forced Sorina into the battle of her life.

Can a willful witch, accept the controlling nature of a demon who demands submission? Trusts will be tested, lines will be crossed and a fate neither of them expected will be played out.
Available in Print and Ebook:  Purchase Link: Amazon
CHAPTER THREE

Outside her cottage, the wind rose and whirled fiendishly. Rain pelted at her windows. Sorina wrapped her arms around her up drawn knees, resting her head on them. She felt his emotions. She sensed his need and what he wanted her to understand, but she didn’t understand.

“Sorina.” Zakah made sure his voice was warm, sensual, caressing, velvety, and soothing. “Don’t try to understand, my little rabbit.” He could feel her anguish even though she tried to hide it with her stubborn chin and defiant eyes.

A shadow flickered from a candle. Her eyes followed the shadow. She gasped up at his tall, dark, well-muscled frame which appeared out of nowhere. Sorina stammered, looking up at him towering over her. “What are you doing here?”

She looked like a scared rabbit. He never felt regret or pity, but to know he was the cause of her fear broke his heart. Zakah couldn’t stop himself; he did something he had never done in all his long years. He wanted to give comfort, take away her fears. Zakah gathered her into his arms, imprisoning her against his hard chest. “Breathe, Sorina. It will help.”

She pushed against the wall of his chest. “Let go of me. I am not a child who needs to be cradled or spanked.” She emphasized the last word.

Zakah ignored her struggle to pull away from him. He held her close to his chest, his hand stroking over her back slowly. He buried her face in the wealth of her luxurious hair, breathing in the sweet scent of citrus.

Sorina found the strength to pull back from his embrace. “I saw you. I felt you when you were using that rod on that woman. You were imagining she was me.”  Her breath caught in her throat when he threaded his fingers through her hair. Zakah gripped her scalp in his strong hands, yanking her head back and the look in his eyes seared her to the bones.

He lowered his head, his mouth inches from her plump lips, so that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. “Yes, I did imagine she was you. I wanted her to be you. I needed her to be you.”

Sorina was silent. She started to tremble in his arms. He knew his words were beginning to sink in. Zakah took in the sad shadows and fear lingering in her large, golden green eyes.

Her heart was pounding. “I want you to leave.” She pushed at the wall of his chest.

He merely tightened his hold on her. Zakah could not hide the bit of enjoyment he was getting from her struggle. “You do not want me to go, Sorina.”

“Yes, I want you to go, Zakah.”  His smug look of amusement infuriated her, making her work to keep her voice under control.

“You are safe with me, Sorina. I would not allow anyone or anything to harm you.”

She swallowed nervously, whispering defiantly, “Just you.”

 

StaceyAuthor Bio 

Website

Stacy (SAM) was born in West Virginia but now finds herself living in Texas. She has loved writing since the first grade when she completed her first book, The Land without Rules. Her mother will tell you it was a brilliant book.

Throughout her school years she was in journalism and has been an avid reader of all literature. She has always craved the feeling of discovering an author’s world for the first time. Now she devotes her time to creating her own worlds. Stacy focuses mainly on paranormal romance and poetry. She loves creating dominant male characters and headstrong females for her books.

Stacy now finds herself on a new journey and finally has taken the leap to go after her dreams. She recently finished a poetry book, Whispers in the Dark with two fellow authors and finished her first novel Blood Myth in her Myth Series.

 

 

Guest blog & Giveaway with Emma Jane Holloway

Is that a tentacle, or are you just happy to say hello?

When asked about the appeal of steampunk, it’s hard to give a serious answer. We’re talking about a group of ingenious folk who adore squids and octopi and parade around with their underwear on display, possibly wearing birdcages on their heads. I love steampunk and everything about it, but I don’t like overanalyzing the phenomenon or its participants. My head might combust.

Not that steampunk can’t be serious, but it’s enormously difficult to define beyond the standard answer of: it’s alternate history (typically Victorian) plus unusual technology (typically steam), often with themes of rebellion (which is where the punk comes in). To try and narrow it down any more than that wouldn’t be wise.

It’s that difficulty of definition that makes steampunk appealing to me. It is whatever you want it to be, and though it got its start in literature (classic authors include Jules Verne), it’s become an endeavor that spans everything from music to furniture making to fashion to iPhone apps. I maintain steampunk is an aesthetic, not a genre, but people tend to roll their eyes and tell me I’m talking like a professor.

So I can only tell you why steampunk appeals to me and let others speak for themselves. First and foremost, it’s cool. I’ve had a wardrobe of semi-Victorian clothing since I was in university and discovered Folkwear patterns (they’re still around at www.folkwear.com). I also absolutely love the fact that so many in the steampunk community are reviving old craft techniques and making just about everything by hand. In a world of shopping malls and throw-away goods, I value quality, unique items made by a person I can name. Call it a rebellion against mass-market culture if you like, but I’m content thinking of it as nifty. I’m also very much in favor of the revived interest in good manners—let’s hope that one spreads!

But back to the storytelling side of things. I’ve steeped in history and literature pretty much since my parents gave me my first book to chew, so writing historical fiction feels like I’ve finally come home. I also love the fact that most steampunk stories are packed with adventurers, pirates, and mad scientists. I live for edge-of-the-chair stories with derring-do and heroism, and here I have the scope to write that. My books have adventure, magic and romance—and my heroine, Evelina Cooper, is Sherlock Holmes’s niece. Of course there is mystery, too!

If the word “steampunk” didn’t exist, I’d call the Baskerville Affair trilogy Victorian fantasy with an ensemble cast. My books are long, but I have four important character arcs to see through by the end of the series, and I don’t cheat readers out of the full ride. In A Study in Silks, my characters start out in the elegance of London’s Mayfair and end up by the time A Study in Ashes comes along as players in a war of magic and machines that tears the Empire apart. Along the way, they have to face the darker sides of their natures and decide just how much they’re willing to risk for the futures—and the people—they desire.

So what’s the appeal of steampunk books? In many ways, they are the same as any other books. There might be flying machines and automatons, historical settings and tea, but all excellent tales are about good and evil and the complexity of the human heart. If you’ve got that, and a few good chase scenes—romantic or by dirigible—what’s not to like?

Have you read any steampunk stories?

What is your favorite thing about steampunk?

 

GIVEAWAY TIME

Answer one of the questions above, and you’ll be entered into a draw for these earrings.

They are adorably perfect for book lovers!

They’re hand made in Scotland and are tiny bound books with real pages.

These are ornamented with tiny silver butterflies.

Giveaway ends 9/16. Make sure you leave your email address too!!!!

Open to everyone

booksnkisses_butterfly earrings

 

 

Visit my web page: http://www.emmajaneholloway.com/

Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmmaJaneHollowayAuthor

 

A Study in Silks

September 2013

Study Silks small version

Evelina Cooper, the niece of the great Sherlock Holmes, is poised to enjoy her first Season in London’s high society, but there’s a murderer to deal with—not to mention missing automatons, a sorcerer, and a talking mouse . . .

In a Victorian era ruled by a Council of ruthless steam barons, mechanical power is the real monarch, and sorcery the demon enemy of the Empire. Nevertheless, the most coveted weapon is magic that can run machines—something Evelina has secretly mastered. But rather than making her fortune, her special talents could mean death or an eternity as a guest of Her Majesty’s secret laboratories. What’s a polite young lady to do but mind her manners and pray she’s never found out?

But then there’s that murder. As Sherlock Holmes’s niece, Evelina should be able to find the answers, but she has a lot to learn. And the first decision she has to make is whether to trust the handsome, clever rake who makes her breath come faster, or the dashing trick rider who would dare anything for her if she would only just ask . . .

Read an excerpt here:  http://www.emmajaneholloway.com/books/

 

emma-1A little about Emma Jane Holloway

Ever since childhood, Emma Jane Holloway refused to accept that history was nothing but facts prisoned behind the closed door of time. Why waste a perfectly good playground coloring within the timelines? Accordingly, her novels are filled with whimsical impossibilities and the occasional eye-blinking impertinence—but always in the service of grand adventure.

Struggling between the practical and the artistic—a family tradition, along with ghosts and a belief in the curative powers of shortbread—Emma Jane has a degree in literature and job in finance. She lives in the Pacific Northwest in a house crammed with books, musical instruments, and half-finished sewing projects. In the meantime, she’s published articles, essays, short stories, and enough novels to build a fort for her stuffed hedgehog.

Guest blog & giveaway with Ashlyn Chase

Top Mistake You Can Make When Dating a Dragon

In her journal, Bliss Russo should have written: Note to self…Next time you’re carried out of a burning building by a hot fire fighter, remember to grab your laptop with your whole life on it!

Instead, what she really wrote (and what her horrified roommate later read) was this:

A dragon? Seriously? A dragon. I think I’ve finally met a guy who might be worth a shot, and he turns out to be some kind of circus freak.

I’d never have believed him if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Transform? Yeah, right… Then he did it! Ack!

I keep waiting to wake up and find out this is just a crazy nightmare. Nope. I’ve pinched myself and then slapped myself for pinching myself. Still not popping out of any coma.

 I’ve even wondered if I was drugged. Drake never slipped me any pills. He didn’t even bring me a beer. Nope. Nothing went into my mouth except, well…him. Heh-heh.

Hey, I wonder if dragon penis can cause hallucinations? Naw. That doesn’t make sense. Because if it does, that means he’s a dragon and I didn’t hallucinate anything but the truth.

And while we’re at it…, no wonder he said he can’t get me pregnant. We’re not even the same species! Oh, man. If we ever got married, my mother would be in seventh heaven until she learned that little fun fact. Then she’d descend to the seventh circle of hell and never be seen again.

Why do I care what my mother thinks? Haven’t I always known she means well, but…

Yeah, there are no words following that “but.” Never have been. Never will be. Some things are better left alone.

So, back to Drake. What am I supposed to do with this information? He seemed relieved after he told me, but now I’m the one who’s all jiggy. I don’t know how I’ll feel next time I look at him…if there is a next time. Didn’t he say that biker chick was probably setting the fires and he had to stop her?

I may not have known him long, but one thing I’m certain of—he won’t hit a girl. I doubt he’d even fight back unless his life depended on it, and it well might. She must be some kind of psycho to beat him up and then set fires all over the place. All because he brought me flowers? I swear, if he lives through this, I’ll ask him never to bring me flowers again.

So…as you can see, there are loads of mistakes you can make when dating a dragon. The question to ask yourself is: “Is it worth it?”

If your dragon is as hot and heroic as Drake Cameron, you may be willing to make a few mistakes.

Here is my website where you’ll find all the major buy links, reviews, blog schedule, etc.

http://www.ashlynchase.com

So…what else would you like to know? Okay, there are a couple of important things. This is book 2 in the Flirting with Fangs series from Sourcebooks. Book 1 Flirting Under a Full Moon was released in April. And there will be a third book in March of 2014 called Kissing with Fangs. All take place in my beloved Boston in the Beacon Hill area.

Series arc: Anthony Cross is a vampire who believes that the different paranormal factions would get along if they simply got to know each other. So he opens a bar in Boston’s classy Beacon Hill area as a safe place for paranormals to congregate and socialize. Since immortals don’t seem to need or want wait-staff jobs, Anthony has to hire humans. The #1 rule for all paranormals is to keep humans ignorant of their existence.

But when some of the humans fall for their regulars, they could be in for the shock of their mortal lives!

 

HOW TO DATE A DRAGON

by ASHLYN CHASE

How to Date a Dragon Cover

IN STORES SEPTEMBER 2013

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Chapters/Indigo | iBookstore | Sourcebooks

 Let the Sparks Fly…

Bliss Russo thought nothing exciting ever happened in her life. Until her building caught on fire and she had to be carried out of the flames in the arms of a gorgeous fireman. Sure, her apartment is now in shambles and she’ll have to start her huge work project completely from scratch. But at least her love life is finally looking up…if only she can find her red-hot rescuer again.

Dragon shapeshifter Drake Cameron is the last of his clan, and the loneliness is starting to claw at him. He’s met only one woman who might be able to stand the shock of his true nature. After all, she barely batted an eyelash when her home burned down. And feeling her curves against him was just as hot as the inferno. Just when he thinks he’ll never track her down, she walks into his firehouse—with no idea what she’s about to get herself into…

 

“[Ashlyn Chase] entertains with a voice that makes reading her stories pure pleasure. It’s like spending time with your favorite friends. Reviewer Top Pick”Night Owl Reviews on How to Date a Dragon

 

Ashlyn Chase Photo (new)ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author Ashlyn Chase specializes in characters who reinvent themselves, having reinvented herself numerous times. She has a degree in behavioral sciences, and has worked as a psychiatric nurse and Red Cross nurse for several years. She lives with her true-life hero husband in New Hampshire. For more information, please visit www.ashlynchase.com.

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