Friday, June 29, 2018

Book Blitz: The Proposition


The Proposition
A.M. Salinger
(Nights, #6)
Publication date: June 26th 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
They call me the Charmer. My best friend Wade tells me it’s because I’m suave and mysterious. But he doesn’t know my secret. The one I’ve kept hidden from him for twelve years. The one I will never reveal to him — Rhys
They call me The Brute. Probably because of my physique. And, let’s face it, because I’m a total dick at times. So Rhys likes to tell me anyway. Thing is, there’s something Rhys isn’t telling me. Something I’m dying to hear from his lips. His sinful confession. You see, I know Rhys’s secret — Wade
Rhys Damon has spent most of his adult life watching Wade Tucker bed woman after woman, his dark desire for his best friend and business partner a secret he is determined to take to his grave, since he knows it will never be reciprocated. With their design firm thriving across two continents, Rhys finds himself content burying his heartache in a string of meaningless, casual sex arrangements. Until the night everything changes.
When Wade Tucker stumbles upon his best friend calling out his name as he pleasures himself, he knows his relationship with Rhys will never be the same again. A year later, the memory of what Wade saw is still branded in his mind and his feelings for Rhys have evolved into something he never anticipated. As tension mounts and the relationship between the two business partners becomes increasingly strained, things finally come to a head the night Wade follows Rhys and discovers him with another man.
After an explosive confrontation, Wade makes Rhys a proposition he can’t refuse: that they try things out for six weeks. Six weeks of exploring a side of each other they never knew before. Six weeks of torrid kisses and sultry touches. Six weeks of screamingly good, scorching hot sex. Six weeks of utterly losing themselves to one another.
But as the end of their proposition looms in sight, can Wade persuade Rhys that he wants more? Or will Rhys’s deep-seated fears stop him from fully surrendering his heart and soul to the one man he thought he could never have?
Discover Rhys and Wade’s wickedly intoxicating story in this sixth novella in the hot, contemporary romance series Nights by A.M. Salinger. Note from the author: although each book in Nights can be read as a standalone, you will enjoy this series even more if you read the books in order!
This is a novella length MM romance with a HEA.
EXCERPT:
A muscle jumped in Rhys Damon’s jaw as he strode across the open plan workspace of the Tokyo branch of Damon & Tucker. He ignored the curious looks of the men and women seated at the neat, uncluttered cubicles lining the ebony floor and stormed inside a large, glass-lined office. He slammed the door shut and glared at the figure on the other side of the sleek desk dominating the stark masculine room while he flicked a switch. The outside world disappeared as the privacy glass changed from clear to frosted.
“Why did you take Misaki off the Osaka project?” Rhys snapped.
Wade Tucker placed his pen down on the file he was working on and leaned back in his leather chair. His expression grew shuttered as he locked gaze with Rhys, his slate blue eyes unreadable.
“She’s not fit for it right now.”
Rhys inhaled shallowly and counted to five.
Breathe. Just breathe. Don’t let him get to you.
“Would you care to explain?” Rhys said between gritted teeth. “We agreed months ago that it was time to give her the lead on one of the new contracts and we did so. We’re now six weeks from the deadline. The timing of this couldn’t be any worse.”
Wade drummed his fingers on the white laminate table, a slight frown darkening his chiseled face. Rhys found his eyes drawn to Wade’s large hand and immaculately clipped nails. He wondered if Wade had touched anyone with that very hand the night before. Had dipped his fingers inside a woman’s hot mouth and her wet pussy. Had gripped her ass and her hips while he thrust his hard dick repeatedly into her body.
Rhys reigned in on the torrid images flashing across his inner vision and cursed internally.
Now is not the time to indulge in your usual fuck fantasies about this dipshit.
Rhys thinned his lips, leaned against the door, and folded his arms across his chest. “I’m still waiting, Wade.”
Wade let out a rueful sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “She’s made several mistakes in the past two weeks that would have jeopardized the entire project had one of the other designers on her team not picked up on them.”
Surprise jolted through Rhys at Wade’s words. It was followed by a surge of irritation. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me about this sooner? That doesn’t sound like the kind of thing she’d—”
“Because I only managed to pin her down and talk to her last night,” Wade said, his own voice laced with annoyance.
Rhys stilled, his mouth suddenly dry. “Wait…please tell me you didn’t sleep with her!”
Shock flared across Wade’s face. He scowled and jumped to his feet, his hands flat on the desk.
“What?! No! What the hell do you take me for?” he barked.
“An asshole who likes to dip his stick in any wet hole he can find,” Rhys said bluntly.
Wade blinked owlishly, his expression so disconcerted Rhys would have laughed had the candid statement he had just made not burned through his very core.
He’d watched Wade bed woman after woman in the sixteen years they had known each other, and it still hurt just as badly as the day he realized he wanted the man who ended up becoming his closest friend and business partner.
Fate is a sick, twisted bitch.
“You’re such a fucking contradiction,” Wade muttered.
Rhys stiffened under Wade’s heated stare. “What do you mean?”
Wade’s eyes darkened with a mixture of frustration and amusement.
“You’ve got that whole suave, sophisticated, butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-your-mouth look down to a T,” he said, his laser-like blue gaze roaming Rhys from his carefully-styled, dark blonde hair to the polished caps of his Italian loafers, “yet you’ve got the filthiest mouth of anyone I’ve ever met.”
Rhys ignored the fire licking across his skin where Wade had literally kissed his body with those dangerously mesmerizing eyes of his. He unfolded his arms, pushed away from the door, and tucked his hands in the pockets of his tailor-made trousers as he strolled casually across the office. He stopped opposite Wade and faced him across the desk.
“Of course.” Rhys arched an eyebrow arrogantly. “After all, that’s why they call me The Charmer and you The Brute.”
Wade’s lips twitched at the nicknames that had plagued them since their college days. “I still maintain they should have named us The Joker and The King.”
Rhys’s shoulders relaxed, the tension that had been with him since that morning slowly abating. “With me in the role of king, obviously,” he said tartly.
Wade chuckled, his mouth curving in a lopsided grin that brought out his dimples. Rhys swallowed a groan when he felt his dick stir in response.
Sexy fucker.
Wade’s expression gradually sobered. “Misaki’s pregnant. And she’s thinking about having a termination,” he said quietly.
Rhys inhaled sharply, surprise tightening his muscles once more.
Wade sighed. “And no, before you ask, it isn’t mine.”
Rhys’s heart thudded in his chest as he considered Wade. “Who’s the father?” he mumbled.
Wade rolled his eyes. “You get one guess.”
Rhys’s mind raced frantically as he thought of their staff and anyone Misaki had shown interest in of late. From Wade’s words, it had to be somebody they both knew.
“Not Reo?” Rhys said. “I know she had a thing for him a while back but he just got engaged, didn’t—”
“For one of the smartest guys I know, you sure are dumb sometimes,” Wade interrupted, deadpan. “It’s Itsuki.”
Rhys ignored the insult and frowned. “We haven’t got an Its—” He froze as a face swam before his eyes. “Oh my fucking God, you mean that Itsuki?!”
Wade nodded, his eyes sparkling with mirth at Rhys’s stunned expression.
“The sandwich guy?!” Rhys spluttered. “That baby-faced kid who looks like he hasn’t hit puberty yet? The one who delivers our lunch every day?!”
“Shush, keep your voice down!” Wade said with a frown, eyes darting to the frosted glass separating them from the outer office.
“We both know it’s soundproof,” Rhys said absent-mindedly. He crossed his arms and leaned his hip against Wade’s desk, still startled by Wade’s revelation. “Is she serious? About the termination?” he said after a while, chewing his lower lip thoughtfully.
They both knew Misaki was deeply committed to her career at Damon & Tucker. She had been with their Tokyo branch ever since its inception four years ago.
Wade’s gaze dropped fleetingly to Rhys’s mouth. He sat down slowly.
“I’ve told her to take some time out and think about it.” He picked up his pen and rolled it between his fingers. “Her head is all over the place right now and, until she makes her decision and comes to terms with it, she won’t be able to concentrate fully on work.”
“Good move,” Rhys murmured. He was still annoyed Wade had kept what had happened from him, but he was also pleased Wade had chosen to address things personally with Misaki first, before hauling her over the coals about her mistakes in front of the entire office. It was one of the reasons they had built such a successful business together and had fiercely loyal employees who rarely jumped ship.
“So, who are you thinking of giving the lead on the project to?” Rhys said curiously.
The pen stilled in Wade’s hand. The strangest look flashed in his eyes as he gazed at Rhys.
“I thought you and I could take this one on together.” A faint smile curved his sculptured lips. “Like the good old days.”
Rhys’s stomach plummeted as he stared back at Wade. The last thing he wanted to do with Wade was get back to their “good old days”. In fact, he couldn’t think of anything worse.
Rhys knew there was no way he could be that close to Wade again without doing something stupid. Like kiss him. Or jump his bones.
“It’ll please our client. And with the both of us working on it, it won’t impact too much on our schedule,” Wade continued in a wary tone, as if he were testing the waters.
“What about Gabe?” Rhys said, conscious he was grinding his teeth. He took a breath and deliberately relaxed his jaw.
“He’s got his plate full with the Hawaii project.” Wade grimaced. “Besides, I can practically see heart-shaped bubbles above his head whenever I look at him these days. If he wasn’t a guy, I’d swear he was pregnant, too. He’s positively glowing.”
Gabe Anderson, one of their senior and most sought after design consultants, had recently gotten engaged to his boyfriend. Their relationship hadn’t been without its trials though, and it was a testament to the two men’s commitment to one another that they had come this far in such a short time.
“Well, if anyone could impregnate a guy, I’d say it was Cam Sorvino,” Rhys murmured as he thought of the gray-eyed king Gabe had tamed. He smiled faintly when another man’s face swam before his eyes, one he knew could also lay claim to that improbable scenario. “Or Joe Cavendish. And you, of course.”
Wade startled.
Rhys suppressed a bitter smile at his business partner’s expression.
“Don’t worry,” he drawled in the nonchalant tone he had mastered over the years of his friendship with Wade, “I know you have zero interest in sticking your dick in a man’s ass.” He pushed away from the desk and started for the door.
“Who’s Joe Cavendish?” Wade said.
Surprise flashed through Rhys at Wade’s tone. He paused and looked over his shoulder. “A friend.”
Lines wrinkled Wade’s brow. “You should introduce me, one day.”
Rhys blinked. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that was a hint of jealousy in his voice. He scoffed at himself internally then. Yeah, like that would ever happen.
“I don’t think so,” Rhys said smoothly.
Wade’s frown deepened.
And there it is.


Author Bio:
Ava Marie Salinger is the pen name of an Amazon bestselling author who has always wanted to write scorching hot contemporary and erotic romance. In 2018, she finally decided to venture to the steamy side. NIGHTS is the first of several sizzling series featuring sweet, sexy men and women with dark pasts and a whole lot of love to give to the ones brave enough to fight for their hearts. When she’s not dreaming up hotties to write about, you’ll find Ava creating kickass music playlists to write to, spying on the wildlife in her garden, drooling over gadgets, and eating Chinese.
Want to be the first to know about Ava’s new releases and get access to exclusive content, sneak previews, sales, and giveaways ? Then sign up to her Reader Group here and join her VIP Facebook Fan Group here.
Here are some other places where you can connect with her:

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Thursday, June 28, 2018

Book Blitz: Alpha


Alpha
Jus Accardo
(The Infinity Division #3)
Published by: Entangled: Teen
Publication date: July 3rd 2018
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
“A fun YA sci-fi story with a compelling cast of characters.” —Kirkus Reviews on Infinity
Sera is the obsession of a killer chasing a ghost. G is a soldier with too much blood on his hands.
Dylan lost the only person he ever loved—and will stop at nothing to get her back.
In a whirlwind chase that takes them back to where it all started, Sera, G, and Dylan will have to confront their demons—both physical and mental—and each other, in order to win their freedom.
EXCERPT:
The rain stopped, and the wind outside had settled, leaving an uncomfortable silence in its wake. I didn’t have a problem with the quiet. I liked it, in fact. But this was something a little different. This was uncomfortable. The kind of stillness that came from forced proximity to someone or something that made your skin itch and your stomach roil. The kind of hush that usually set in right before a devastating storm or a natural disaster.
He did this sometimes. Just sat across from me and stared. He usually wouldn’t even say anything. I didn’t think he expected me to say anything, either. He just looked. Sometimes it lasted a few minutes, just long enough to send that chill skittering up and down my spine. Other times it would go on for hours. He’d blink and breathe and fidget, but his eyes…those remained locked on me, his unhealthy mix of sadness and lust and greed and anger crushing me to the point of breathlessness.
We were at it again, and I was just about out of patience. It was one thing to have been ripped away from my home, from my life, by that madwoman, Cora Anderson. It was another to have her poke and prod and use me as a science experiment. She’d altered my mind. Made me forget most of my life before the day I woke up a prisoner on the floor of her cold, dank cell. Those things were all bad, but having been “rescued” by this bastard and forced to stay by his side at all times? That was an entirely new level of torture.
“You’re thinking about him again, aren’t you?” His tone was acidic and his jaw tight. He had a temper, this guy. I’d seen it multiple times. He’d never done anything more than scream at me, but it was only a matter of time with people like this. I wasn’t sure how I knew that, but I felt it in my bones. Maybe I’d known someone like him at home. Maybe it was just intuition.
“Yes,” was all I replied. I found that simple, one-word responses went over the best. Or, more accurately, the worst. When I said too little, he grew agitated. He wanted me to talk to him, yet the things that came out of my mouth weren’t ever what he wanted to hear. I didn’t act like he’d hoped I would, didn’t say the things he longed to hear. Some days he was determined to change me. Others, he was rabid, blaming me for not behaving like myself and demanding that I wake up.
Forget that I had no idea who I was.
“While it’s not okay, I understand.” He offered me a smile—a small, tentative twitch of his lips and gentle shrug of his shoulders. He was making an effort to be kinder today, going out of his way to speak softer and move slower.
That made me even angrier.
“You understand? Then my life is complete. All I’ve ever wanted was the understanding of a serial killer.” Even if I hadn’t been thinking about…someone else, I would have lied. The fact that I wasn’t focused on him, and him alone, drove Dylan—my savior, my captor—crazy. But the truth was, I was thinking of him. That other him. How could I not? Even if I didn’t find myself missing him every moment of every day in an almost physical way, I wouldn’t be able to put him out of my mind because he was technically sitting here across from me.


Author Bio:
JUS ACCARDO spent her childhood reading and learning to cook. Determined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps as a chef, she applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America. But at the last minute, she realized her true path lay with fiction, not food.
Jus is the bestselling author of the popular Denazen series from Entangled publishing. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald.

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Wednesday, June 27, 2018

PROMO Blitz: Beneath Deception by A.L. Long @allong1963 read an #excerpt from the #erotica novel


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An Unbreakable Series
Romantic Suspense, Erotica
Date Published:  May 2018

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From The Award Winning Author of the Shattered Innocence Trilogy

Everyone has a story and for Xavier London, he preferred to keep his hidden. As ruthless as he was, he still had morals and those morals included betraying the one man who saved his life. He never thought that meeting one woman could change everything.

Tessa Sands never knew the truth about her life, nor did she ever question it. The only life she knew was the one she was taught, disciplined by the man who raised and groomed her to be only his. But, when another man entered her life, she slowly begins to discover that she had been deceived from the start.

Can she find true love or will his secrets get in the way?

Their love for each other will be tested. Only they can determine if love will win.





Excerpt


New town, same life. Even though leaving Manhattan was the hardest thing I had ever done, I knew it was best for me to leave and start over. So here I stand in my plush penthouse apartment, one year later. Taking a sip of my Scotch on the rocks, gazing out my floor-to-ceiling window, wondering what this magnificent town was going to bring me tomorrow. I always liked the nights in LA. It seemed to be the only time that the big city came to life. I loved the rush of a city at night. It was like escaping into a whole different world where every fantasy could be lived.

It was also the time when your worst nightmares could appear, and believe me, I had my share. As I downed my drink, I reflected that the night always brought back one nightmare in particular. I will never forget the look on my brother’s face when he realized I was dead. God, how I hated doing that to him, but it was the only way to break free.

Looking back at that day at Willow Crossing, it was amazing what one tiny pill could do. It could slow the heartbeat just enough to make it seem like you were dead. A little bit of animal blood as a prop could make it that much more real. With a little planning and a little money anything was possible. Luckily for me, I ran into the right man, and he needed a little help himself. The hardest part was finding a body. “Good old college academics and those donor lists,” I thought to myself with a chuckle. Who would have thought that a body being donated to science would be my savior? And with a little help from my needy coroner friend, I would soon be nonexistent. Free to start over.

Grabbing my suit jacket from the barstool, I casually put it on, making sure to catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror above the expensive accent table. There was always something about a man in a suit that women seemed to go crazy for, and with the money I’ve made, I always made sure my closet was brimming with the best designer suits money could buy. Picking up the keys to my Jag from the table, I smoothed back my brown hair and adjusted the collar of my freshly-pressed shirt. Tonight was my night off and I really wanted to have some fun.

As I rode the elevator down to the parking garage, the memory of what I left in Manhattan came aboard. Thinking back, the only downside to my plan was hurting the one person I loved most. I guess for every action there is a reaction, and the reaction was a new life for me. Besides, he’ll survive. With the only woman he ever loved at his side and the men he served with watching his back, he’ll do just fine. As for me, I am alive and well, living in California. I’m no longer Josh Hyatt, born of a convict and raised by a mom and dad who couldn’t be honest to the son who brought them so much joy. That man died a long time ago, and a new man was born.

While I smiled to myself in my new reality, the elevator door opened, and a gorgeous brunette got on. Checking out the curves on this beauty, I needed to get me some of that. Inhaling the scent of her perfume, I casually leaned over and asked in a sultry low voice, “That scent you’re wearing is breathtaking. What is it, if you don’t mind me asking?”

The minute she turned and our eyes met, I knew this was going to be easy. There was a hunger inside those emerald eyes that couldn’t be mistaken. At least there was one thing I didn’t regret. Watch out, LA, Xavier London is in town.


About the Author

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Award winning Author of the Independent Press Award., NYC Big Book Award, and the 2018 National Indie Excellence Award.

My love for writing began several years ago after an early retirement from a demanding job that I loved, but also hated because it consumed so much of my time. Now, I am able to focus my time on what I love. Writing romance has been a life long dream and to actually say that I am a published author is beyond what I would have ever expected.

Even though some may say I have a little naughtiness in my books, I look at it as an added bonus for my readers. After all what is a romance book without a little spice.

When I am not writing, I enjoy spending time with friends either at home or out on the town. Mostly, I enjoy a relaxing night at home where I can enjoy a glass of wine in the company of a good book.



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Book Blitz: Galaxies and Oceans


Galaxies and Oceans
N.R. Walker
Publication date: June 25th 2018
Genres: Adult, LGBTQ+, Romance
Seizing his one chance to escape, Ethan Hosking leaves his violent ex-boyfriend, leaves his entire life, and walks into the path of a raging bushfire. Desperate to start over, a new man named Aubrey Hobbs walks out of the fire-ravaged forest, alive and alone. With no ID and no money, nothing but his grandfather’s telescope, he goes where the Southern Cross leads him.
Patrick Carney is the resident lighthouse keeper in Hadley Cove, a small town on the remote Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia. After the tragic death of his lover four years ago, he lives a solitary life; just him, a tabby cat, the Indian and Southern Oceans, and a whole lot of loneliness. He’s content with his life until a stranger shows up in town and turns Patrick’s head.
Patrick never expected to be interested in anyone else.
Aubrey never expected to be happy.
Between Aubrey’s love of the stars and Patrick’s love of the ocean, these two fragile hearts must navigate new waters. If they can weather the storm of their pasts, they could very well have a love that eclipses everything.
EXCERPT:
Patrick
I stopped, looked toward the lonely figure still watching the ocean below, and with a deep breath and nothing to lose, I crossed the street and walked toward him.
“Hi,” I said, still a few metres away so as not to scare him.
He spun regardless, his eyes wide. He had dark eyes, pale skin, and I could see short brown hair poking out from under his hood. He looked three days unshaven, and the bump on the bridge of his nose gave his handsome face a rugged edge. “Oh, hi.”
“Didn’t mean to scare ya.” I nodded toward the tumultuous, tumbling ocean. “She’s upset today.”
He looked back out to the rough seas and gave me a quick smile. “It’s actually kinda pretty.”
I scratched at my beard. “I’ve heard it been called cruel, cold, rugged, hellish. The only people who call it pretty are the ones who end up staying.”
He looked back out to sea and smiled. The wind caught his hood and tousled his hair. His cheeks were pink from the cold as was the tip of his nose. He was handsome, no two ways about it. And possibly fifteen years younger than me.
I made myself look away. “What brings you here?”
“Looking,” he answered without turning to me.
“For?” I stared out across the stormy waves with him. “Work? A new beginning?”
He shot me a look. “Something like that.”
I sipped my coffee. “There’s not much work here. Well, that’s not true. There’s a tonne of work; this whole town is weather-beaten and old. Just not much work that pays.”
His lips twitched.
“But you can try the caravan park.” I didn’t let on that I knew that was where he was staying. “Old Frank Hill who runs the place would never say no to help. Maintenance, that kind of thing.”
He turned back to the water, to the wind. “I’ve asked him already.”
“Frank’s just a grumpy old man who thinks anyone under thirty’s a hooligan. I’ll have a word with him if you like.”
“Why would you do that?”
I smiled and gave pause. Why was I offering to help this guy? I didn’t know him from Adam. Sure, he was good-looking, but there was something in his eyes. Something deep, hidden, and burning. Something horrendously painful. Something I recognised.
I faced the angry sea alongside him. “Because you called this ocean pretty.”
Neither of us spoke for a while. I drank my coffee and he turned his empty cup in his hands.
“Anyway,” I said, realising I couldn’t stand around all day. “My name’s Patrick. I live at the lighthouse.”
That made him look at me. “In the lighthouse?”
“No. Not in it. In the residence.”
“Oh. Cool.”
“Well, it’s almost two hundred years old, made from sandstone, and it’s tiny. But yes, it’s cool.” I smiled as the wind whipped around us. “I should go. I have work to do, but I’ll call around and see Frank after lunch.” I pulled the newspaper out from under my arm, and his eyes darted to the front page.
He stared so long I turned it around so he could read it, but he shot me a look that I couldn’t place, and it was gone so fast I’d wondered if I’d seen it. He stepped back. “Yeah, um, thanks. That’d be great.”
It wasn’t until I got home that I realised what the look on his face was. It was fear. And I realised I didn’t know his name.


Author Bio:
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn't have it any other way.
She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don't let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.
She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things...but likes it even more when they fall in love.
She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
She's been writing ever since...

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Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Virtual Book Tour: Tribal Affairs by @DallmannMatt #enter the #giveaway for the #yafantasy #booktour



YA/Fantasy
Date Published: 07/31/17



Dahlia, a centuries old genie, lies hopelessly trapped in a damaged golden locket charm attached to an ankle bracelet. Its owner, sixteen-year-old Liana, wears it for the first time during her father Jamison’s opening night illusion spectacular. Not only does its presence cause Jamison to folly his performance, but it also starts a chain of bizarre events that lead to a showdown with Dahlia’s mortal enemy, Stefan, and an unsuspecting romance between Liana and his son.


About the Author


Matt Dallmann has a background in acting and holds a BFA from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. His films and screenplays have been featured at film festivals across the United States including Cinequest, Big Apple Film Festival, Seattle’s True Independent Film Festival, DragonCon and Zero Independent Film Festival. His piano compositions have been published for commercial use and he is a member of ASCAP. Matt is also the Co-Founder and Vice President of the boutique medical billing firm VGA Billing Services, Inc. in New York City. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and two daughters.


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Release Blitz & Giveaway from @londonlarge #thriller London Large


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Hard Boiled Thriller
Date Published: 26th June 2018
Publisher: London Large Publishing

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A vacation he couldn't refuse. A murder he didn't commit. A hellhole he needs to escape.

Harry Hawkins, a tough and experienced former London cop, goes on a surprise vacation to Las Vegas with a group of lifetime friends, expecting to party hard. What he doesn’t expect is to wake up in a dead-end motel with a woman’s corpse in the bathroom and his memory shot to bits.

As he starts to piece together the events that led him there he is moved, by an unseen hand, to a brutal high-security prison, where a reception committee has been eagerly awaiting his arrival. Friendless and alone, he is forced to use every resource of character to survive constant violence, humiliation...and worse. Can he put together the series of seemingly unrelated events that led to his incarceration in a desert hellhole, and escape to take revenge on those who put him there before he loses his life?


About the Authors

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Garry Robson has written a variety of books and articles, from the acclaimed No OneLikes Us, We Don't Care, a classic study of working class football subculture in London, to the London Large crime thriller series, an altogether grittier romp through the same streets. In between he wrote on subjects as diverse as gentrification, London dialects, the British cultural revolution, and surveillance. He was born in South London but now lives in Krakow.


Roy has worked as a squash coach, a youth worker, a service delivery manager and an IT project manager. He started his writing career with local history books before turning to gritty crime stories that mix suspense and murder mystery with intense action. The London Large books are set on the streets of South London where Roy still lives. They often portray human nature at its most brutal are not for the faint of heart.



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Book Blitz: Destiny Calls


Destiny Calls
Phenice Arielle
(The Phoenix Rising #1)
Publication date: December 26th 2013
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
College student Kay Morowa goes up against warlords, poachers and human traffickers in The Phoenix Rising – Destiny Calls.
After Kay’s parents reveal that they haven’t been honest with her about her past, Kay flies to South Africa feeling bitter and anxious. Her excitement on arrival is cut short when she becomes a victim of a human trafficking ring operated by a large-scale poaching operation.
Kay flees and finds her way to a dazzling refuge called Ipharadisi. There, she meets the majestic, menacing Queen Zaina and a handsome doctor named Erec.
Although impressed by Ipharadisi’s beauty and noble reason for existence, Kay’s sole desire is to return home to her college beau (whom she has much unsettled business with) and to her mom and dad, whom Kay never thought she could miss so much.
If Kay can survive the hand-to-hand combat she’ll need to learn to survive, she may just become the kind of peace-seeking hero her classmates would never believe. However, Kay may never get to tell the story if she can’t find her way home, or if she is forced to stay, or worse, if in doing either, Kay dies.
Only 99¢ for a limited time!
BOOK TRAILER:


Author Bio:
The Phoenix Rising - Destiny Calls was inspired by global events. Please support organizations like Restore International (Love Does), UNICEF and Wildlife Conservation Society.
New York native Phenice Arielle (featured on the book cover) majored in journalism at The Pennsylvania State University. Her favorite memories are those of traveling solo through South Africa and Namibia.
Having worked in both print and broadcast media, Phenice Arielle wrote, directed and produced a series of cinematic trailers for The Phoenix Rising – Destiny Calls to give fans a taste of future plans for the book and rest of the series.
For book extras, exclusive content and to stay in the loop about the upcoming sequel,
follow @PheniceArielle at:

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Monday, June 25, 2018

Virtual Book Tour: Model Marine by @modelmarine #interview #fiction #giveaway

Literary Fiction / Military Fiction   
Date Published: January 13, 2018  




Molly Monroe had her future planned out for her. When she makes an impulsive decision to join the Marine Corps, her boyfriend breaks up with her, her brother bears the burden of guilt, and her mother feels betrayed. The people in Molly’s life have always tried to protect her, but she wants to protect herself.

As a Combat Camera Marine, Molly observes and records her environment from behind the lens, where image shapes day-to-day life. After she is wounded during a combat deployment, her dreams are frightening, and her memories are a kaleidoscope of scattered and chaotic scenes; a collision of past and present, real and unreal. Snapshots in time. Glimpses of war. Fragments of love: lost and found.

This story unfolds through multiple perspectives and as the negatives and positives develop, an image of the Model Marine is sharpened into focus.




Author Interview


What is the hardest part of writing your books?

Initially, I had a hard time writing Model Marine because I was looking for the most effective Point of View (POV) to write the story. I began writing it in first person, but after several chapters, I realized that I needed multiple perspectives to properly convey to the reader what was happening with my characters. Once the POV was established, there were several scenarios I found difficult to write. Some of the combat and funeral scenes were difficult because of the content: they resemble real-life experiences, so it wasn’t unusual for me to cry violently while writing them. I found some of the boot camp scenes difficult to write because I was looking for the most effective way to portray the boot camp experience to someone who has never experienced it.

What songs are most played on your Ipod?

Songs by Imagine Dragons, Maroon 5, and Bruno Mars.

Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

Yes. I have a few friends and family members who were early readers. However, I also paid for professional editing services, which I will do for every book. I think it’s important to deliver a quality product to my readers.

What book are you reading now?

I’m in the middle of the second book in the Outlander series. However, I frequently read more than one book at a time. While the Outlander series may be a staple for several months, I will frequently devour a quick and easy beach read, such as The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe, or a discounted romance or fantasy novel delivered by one of the many book clubs I subscribe to. 

How did you start your writing career?

I don’t know that I can call my life as a writer a career (yet). My first career was spent as a United States Marine. I retired from the Corps in 2010. I’m on my second career as a Department of Defense contractor. I have wanted to be a writer for decades. It’s why I pursued and obtained an MFA in Creative Writing. However, I have spent so much time “going,” and “doing,” that I haven’t dedicated near the time I would like to writing and reflecting. Model Marine began as my thesis for my MFA, and last year I decided I needed to finish this story, so it became my weekend project for several months.


When I published Model Marine, I thought my next book would be about a young girl named Carly Sue who was abandoned by her mother. I have a short story written about her already. However, I’ve received so much reader feedback looking for a sequel to Model Marine, that I think I may need to delve back into that world before completing the story of Carly Sue. I think a second book in the series would focus on the Marine Corps’ Lioness program. In this program, female Marines were attached to combat units. Their purpose was to search women and children who may have been trying to smuggle money or weapons through security checkpoints. These female Marines also trained the local women (in Iraq or Afghanistan) how to conduct proper searches on other women.


For now, I have to spend my spare time marketing Model Marine. In the fall, I’ll be ready to get back to writing.


About the Author


Sondra Sykes Meek is originally from Florida, but she has lived in several locations in the United States and abroad. She is a wife and mother of two, a retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant, and a Project Manager in the Defense Industry. She earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, and has several stories in various stages of progress. She hopes to write full-time one day, but for now, she writes in the spare, quiet moments of her life.

Sondra wrote and published Model Marine: A Novel to reveal the courage and sacrifices of Marines and their families. She wanted to offer readers another kind of hero: someone who is not supernatural, immortal, or from the future. Although the events of this story are fiction, the setting and characters are influenced by her experiences as a Marine. The narrative is as authentic as it can be without excluding civilian readers. The protagonist is named after a Marine Corps icon, “Molly Marine.” This is especially relevant now, as 2018 marks 100 years since the first woman joined the United States Marine Corps.

Sondra hopes all readers enjoy this emotional journey of love, loss, and sacrifice. There are real heroes hidden within the pages of her debut novel. She invites you to meet them, love them, and remember them.

Contact Links


Purchase Link



Book Blitz: Dark Water


Dark Water
J.A. Armitage
(Reverse Fairytales, #4)
Publication date: June 19th 2018
Genres: Fairy Tales, Young Adult
You think you know the story of The Little Mermaid…
A tragic accident on the eve of her eighteenth birthday leads Princess Erica to a chance encounter with a mysterious man on the beach. When he turns up at her birthday party and whisks her off her feet, she knows she has to find out everything about him, but why won’t he speak and where does he keep disappearing to?
Ari knows he’s crossed a line by mingling with the land humans, but how can he resist the beautiful princess whose life he saved? He must decide whether to stay on land and become like her, or continue to live without her in the depths of the ocean.
Trapped in a centuries long battle between his kind and hers, his decision will rock both their kingdoms.
With a sea witch that needs repaying and the small matter of Erica’s engagement to someone else, Ari knows the odds are stacked against him.
Dark Water is the fourth in the Reverse Fairytale series and the first Little Mermaid retelling by USA Today bestselling author J.A.Armitage. Take everything you think you know about fairytales and turn it on its head.
EXCERPT:
CHAPTER ONE
“May God bless her and all who sail on her.”
I cleared my throat, hoping I’d said it correctly, and gripped the bottle of champagne, terrified of letting it go too early or, worse still, missing the ship entirely.
Beyond the ship, the ocean shimmered in the midday sun. Diamond-like sparkles of light bounced off the calm cerulean water—water that looked so inviting, I wanted nothing more than to jump in, to surrender to the balmy ripples. Of course, wanting it and doing it were two different things. First of all, I couldn’t swim, and secondly, my mother would pitch a fit if I took another step closer to the dock edge. She was already a bag of nerves from today’s event.
I looked behind me, needing reassurance from my parents. This was my first official royal engagement, and I was terrified of messing it up. My father beamed at me with pride while my mother gave me a thin smile. I could see the fear in her eyes although she was doing her best to hide it. I was amazed she’d come at all. The ocean positively terrified her. My father’s hand was almost white with how hard my mother was squeezing it. Next to them, my little brother, Anthony, was picking his nose and examining the treasure he found up there. Not for the first time I was reminded how fortunate it was that I was the first in line to the throne.
Beside me, my life-long best friend nudged me to let go of the bottle. Officially, his title was Sir Hayden Harrington-Blythe, but to me, he was just Hayden. He’d been my first crush since our first day in kindergarten when he’d pulled on my pigtails, and I’d stamped on his foot. Despite our unpromising start, over the years we’d turned into friends. My crush on him was long since over, and his pigtail pulling days were long gone, but somehow, our friendship had survived.
“You do know you are supposed to let go of the bottle right?” whispered Hayden in my ear. I gave him a look I only ever reserved for him and lifted the bottle. Letting go, I watched it swing on a length of string, arcing towards the majestic ship’s wooden hull. It made a tinkling sound as it smashed against the side of the ship, scattering glass all over the paved dock. I couldn’t help thinking it was a waste of good champagne and that it would be better served at the ball being held in honor of my birthday in a couple of days’ time. Still, I felt invigorated by the salty smell of the ocean, the atmosphere of a thousand happy people coming out to see the launch, and the fact that I now had a boat that bore my name. I was feeling as excited as I could hope to feel, second only to being allowed to actually go out on the damn thing.
The Erica Rose’s white sails flapped in the breeze below the official flag of Trifork as if she were eager to be off, out onto the ocean. I couldn’t blame her. To sail on the ocean was a lifelong dream of mine. Ever since I could remember, I’d looked out of my bedroom window toward the ocean and dreamed of the day that I’d be able to disappear beyond the rolling waves toward the horizon.
It was a dream that had never, and would never, be realized as long as my parents were in charge. For a kingdom so well-known for its naval and merchant vessels, my parents were ridiculously strict about letting me go near the ocean. This was the closest I’d gotten in the whole eighteen years of my life, and I had a full team of palace guards surrounding me, stopping me from taking one step closer to the water’s edge than I had to. It was all because of my mother, of course. My father might have been the one that ruled Trifork, but in the palace, my mother was the one that wore the pants, so to speak. If my mother said I couldn’t go near the ocean, then my father wasn’t going to argue with her. However, today was a special day, and not even my mother could come up with a good enough reason for us not to be here. She might have been absolutely petrified, but she was the queen, a duty she held above everything, even crippling panic.
Everybody clapped as the wooden ship began pulling up its anchor, its crew readying themselves to set sail.
I took a deep breath and inhaled the salty air. Above the excited chatter of the crowd, seagulls cawed to each other as they flew overhead looking for an easy snack. Oh, how I envied them and their freedom.
My father managed to extricate himself from my mother’s vice-like grip and joined me on the dock’s edge. My poor mother’s face turned even more ashen, and she had to grip a nearby railing instead to save herself from fainting. It was almost cruel, living so close to the ocean and being so frightened of it. I saw her eyes darting past my father and me to the ocean behind us as though it could somehow climb above the dock and swallow us whole. I don’t doubt it could on a stormy day, but today the skies were blue, and the sea was calm.
“We here in Trifork have a rich sailing heritage, one of which I am immensely proud,” began my father into the microphone that had been set up for the occasion. “Today is a big day for me, both as a king and a father. As you all know, my daughter, the princess Erica Rose, will turn eighteen in just two days’ time. Her first official engagement was supposed to be at the ball, but she begged me to be allowed to launch this ship. Being the dutiful father I am, I agreed.” He paused at this point waiting for a laugh. When he got it, he carried on. “This is my birthday gift to you, dear Erica. I know you’ve always had a fondness for the sea and so this ship not only bears your name but also belongs to you.”
I blinked a couple of times, unsure if what I was hearing was true. The ship was mine? I wasn’t allowed to dip my toes in the shallow waves at the beach, but I was allowed to own a ship?
I gazed up at the huge galleon. “She’s mine?” Hope rose in my chest that I might, for the first time in my life, be able to go out on the ocean. My parents had never so much as let me sail in a dinghy before now, let alone go on a ship.
“She’s all yours, sweetheart. As part of our fleet and a working ship, she will be taken out by her captain, Captain Jackson. But when she’s back in Trifork, you will be able to see her whenever you want.”
“See her?”
“Yes,” beamed my father, oblivious to the disappointment I was feeling. Only see her? I didn’t want a ship to look at. I’d spent my entire life watching the ships of Trifork sail in and out of the harbor. I wanted to sail to foreign lands, to feel the sea breeze upon my cheek. I wanted to know what it felt like to roll over the gentle waves with the vastness of the ocean the only thing in view.
My mother caught my disappointment though. She could read me like a book. An elegant woman with a sharp tongue and an even sharper sense of style, she swallowed her terror and took a few steps toward me, toward the ocean. She walked tall and calmly, but a slight tremor in her step gave her away.
“Aren’t you happy with your new ship?”
“Yes ma’am,” I lied. What was the point of having a ship if I wasn’t allowed on it?
She flicked her eyes past me, once again, toward the ocean. What was it she was looking for? Her eyes snapped back to me. “You know my feelings on you going near the sea, Erica. It’s a dangerous place. I nearly drowned when I was about your age.” She took my hand and pulled me a couple of steps toward her—away from the dock’s edge.
I’d heard the story a million times. Every time I even hinted at wanting to go near the sea, she’d dredge up the same story about how she nearly drowned when she was younger. I wasn’t in the mood to hear it again.
The ship was cast off, the gangplank raised. My ship was about to go on an adventure I could only dream of. The wind caught the sails and the majestic vessel began to move, her crew waving at us as she inched away from the dockside.
My father clapped me on the back, a beaming smile on his face. Even my mother, who usually had a face like a prune when it came to anything to do with water, had found her smile again. I glanced over at Hayden. He knew I was disappointed. I talked about nothing but the ocean with him. He loved the water as I did, but unlike me, he could go out onto it whenever he wanted. He even had his own boat. It was nowhere near as grand as the Erica Rose, but at least, he was allowed to sail in it.
He flicked his eyes almost imperceptibly towards the ship. I arched a brow.
“Do it,” he mouthed silently and cast his eyes towards the ship once again.
He wanted me to jump on the ship! He was actually daring me to do it. Thoughts of all the silly childhood pranks and adventures he’d led me into filled my mind. Hayden was the epitome of an irresistible bad idea. I followed his eye line to where the gangplank had been pulled up. The gate was still open, but it wouldn’t be for long. The ship was already a foot away from the dock and moving swiftly towards the open sea. I had seconds to make a decision.
My heart hammered, and adrenaline took over. Without thinking too hard, I ran from my parents, barged past the palace guards, and jumped as far as I could right off the dock. The ship had moved much faster than I’d anticipated, and I missed the gate by a long shot, and instead of landing on the ship, I plunged head first into the sea.
All I could hear were my mother’s screams as the water crowded in around me.
The water that had looked so warm and inviting when I’d been standing on the dock was actually a lot colder than I’d imagined, and as I scrambled for air, its icy grip took my breath away
Mouthfuls of briny water flowed into my mouth, causing me to choke as I tried desperately to keep above the water’s surface. In one terrifying instant, I realized what it was that my mother had been keeping me from for all these years. As I’d never been allowed in water deeper than a bath, I’d never learned how to swim. It occurred to me now that this wasn’t exactly my finest moment.
The dress I’d had picked out for me, a knee length cotton blue dress was perfect for looking smart and launching a ship. It was utterly useless as a floatation device. The heavy, waterlogged fabric weighed me down, making it even harder to try to keep my head above water.
Beside me, I heard a splash. I looked over to see a red and white life ring bobbing close by with a rope attached to it. On the other end of the rope, the Erica Rose’s crew shouted at me to grab hold. After I’d managed to pull myself through it, they heaved me up and pulled me over the side of the boat.
A group of worried faces peered down at me. One of the men reached a hand down to help me up. As I righted myself, my dress dripped ocean water all over the deck and tightened around me. I felt so uncomfortable in the soggy outfit, but when I saw how far from the dock we’d already moved, excitement flooded through me. The fear I’d felt just moments before dissolved, leaving me feeling exhilarated. I was on a ship for the first time in my life, and we were sailing away from the dock.
With giddy excitement, I gripped a railing. On the edge of the dock, my parents shouted and waved for us to come back. My heart fell as I caught the expression on my mother’s face. Her usual stern expression had contorted to one of absolute fear, and she wasn’t trying to hide it anymore. Her screams pierced the air, her usual stoic facade dropped completely as she tore at my father who was desperately trying to pull her back from the edge of the dock.
Her fear of falling into the ocean was obviously smaller than losing one of her children to it.
My stomach churned as I realized the severity of my actions. I’d only wanted to go out to sea. I didn’t want to hurt my mother in the process. I was going to be in the worst kind of trouble for this little stunt, and as we floated further and further out to sea, the more I realized that the adventure was not worth it.
Captain Jackson, a tall man with a perfectly groomed black mustache and oiled down hair greeted me with a salute. I’d never been saluted before. Bowed to and curtseyed aplenty, but a salute was new to me. I raised my hand and saluted back, unsure of the etiquette.
“I’m going to try to turn the ship back, your highness, but it may take a little time to adjust the sails. The wind is not optimal right now. There’s a squall coming, and I’d hoped to get far enough away to miss it.”
I glanced out to the horizon. The seamless blue sky was darkening, and the sea below it matched its threatening color. Where had that come from? Only seconds before, the weather had been as perfect as anyone could wish for.
“Yes, please turn around.” My heart dropped as I realized that my adventure was over before it had even started, and I’d gotten nothing out of it except to embarrass myself in front of thousands of onlookers and terrify my poor mother.
I looked back over to the shoreline. My parents and all the onlookers were barely dots on the horizon now. To my right, I could see the public beach to which people flocked in the summer months. Beyond that were magnificent white cliffs that I’d heard plenty about but never actually seen before as they were only visible from the sea. To my left, the coast was much rockier, and here was where the royal castle stood. Only a wide promenade separated the rocks from the castle. It looked so dark and imposing with its granite grey towers; I barely recognized it from this angle.
“Why don’t you go to my cabin and get changed out of those wet clothes. I’ll have one of my crew show you where it is.”
Captain Jackson swiveled on his toe and left me alone, feeling terrible. I’d not paused to consider the crew or the captain, and now they were going to have to abort their mission. I could chalk up a few more people to the list of those I’d disappointed. With a sigh, I walked to the other side of the deck to look out at the vast ocean. In the distance, the sea turned black and churned ominously almost as though that part of the ocean was alive and out to get us. It was a stark contrast to the crystal clear and calm water beneath the ship. Above me, the crew of the Erica Rose battled to maneuver the sails to turn us around.
“Your Royal Highness.”
I heard someone shouting at me above the wind that was now blustering fiercely. Lightning forked, splitting the sky in two, and the wind tugged my hair from the clip that had been keeping it in place. Strands of long red hair whipped around my face. I turned to see a young man heading toward me.
“I’m Joe, Your Highness, the second in command of the Erica Rose,” he said, giving me a quick bow. “The captain has asked me to escort you to his cabin.”
Joe was barely older than me, with short, dirty blond hair and a winning smile. I was surprised to see someone so young be the second in command of such a ship.
“It’s getting a little choppy,” Joe cautioned, his cheeks red as he took my hand. “They are going to struggle to get the ship back to shore. The forecast mentioned a little bit of turbulent water, but it looks to be shaping up to be a proper storm out there.”
I followed Joe to a big wooden doorway, which he opened for me and beckoned me inside. As I thanked him, a boom filled the darkening sky.
“Thunder,” Joe remarked, taking my hand and leading me down a corridor. I held on tightly to him as the ship listed violently to one side from the sharp turn of the wheel. He showed me to a large room with a writing desk on one side and a bed on the other.
“There will be some clothes in the wardrobe there,” he said, pointing to a small door. “I don’t expect the captain has any dresses, but I’m sure you’ll find something dry to wear.”
I watched the storm unfold through a small porthole as Joe left me to help the captain. It seemed no one was expecting the weather to be this bad and how could they? Only ten minutes earlier, there hadn’t been a cloud in the sky, and now there was barely any blue left, only the darkness of the sea and the sky. It was strange how quickly the storm had taken hold. I certainly had never seen anything like it before. Outside, the rain began to lash down, pitter-pattering on the round window. Thunder crashed as the waves became more intense with the roaring wind that whipped all around us. The storm had sneaked up on us quickly, and as far as I could see, we were getting further and further away from the coastline. Whatever Captain Jackson’s men were doing to turn the ship around, it wasn’t helping.
I hated admitting it to myself after dreaming of the day I could finally sail on the sea for so long, but I was beginning to get scared. My mother’s screams echoed in my head, although we had drifted too far to really hear her. The boat creaked with the strain, and from out of the window, I could see we were being pulled closer and closer toward the storm. A crash from behind me made me jump. I turned to find that some previously neatly stacked dishes had been flung from the cupboard and were now in hundreds of pieces on the floor. Holding on was almost impossible, the ship was lurching so much. I tried walking over to the wardrobe that Joe had pointed out, but the floor beneath me was rocking so much under the motion of the waves that I could barely stand at all. With a shock, I saw a stream of water pushing the remnants of the dishes across the floor. It was coming from the doorway. We were taking on water. I held on to the writing desk to keep myself upright, but the motion of the ship knocked me to the floor. Something sharp pierced my side, and when I looked down, I saw a sliver of broken plate had cut through my dress and into my flesh creating a bloom of fresh blood on the wet fabric.
I looked up to grab hold of the desk to pull myself back up and was shocked to see that the window was now partly submerged. We were sinking, and we were sinking fast. Pulling myself up, I ran to the door quickly. I had to get out, or I would drown. I yanked the door as hard as I could, and as it opened, a deluge of water rushed in knocking me over once again. The lights flickered out leaving me in complete darkness as the water engulfed me, sending me flying into something hard. Water filled my lungs as the blackness folded in around me, my mother’s warnings of the fierceness of the ocean echoing in my head.


Author Bio:
J.A lives in a total fantasy world (because reality is boring right?) When she’s not writing all the crazy fun in her head, she can be found eating cake, designing pretty pictures and hanging upside down from the tallest climbing frame in the local playground while her children look on in embarrassment. She’s travelled the world working as everything from a banana picker in Australia to a Pantomime clown, has climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and the bottom of the Grand Canyon and once gave birth to a surrogate baby for a friend of hers.
She spends way too much time gossiping on facebook and if you want to be part of her Reading Army, where you’ll get lots of freebies, exclusive sneak peeks and super secret sales, join up here
https://www.subscribepage.com/v7o8k4
Somehow she finds time to write.
Reviews for J.A.Armitage's work.
Endless Winter is a unique story that takes place in a beautiful world. J.A. Armitage's writing is lyrical and almost poetic. Janelle Fila for Readers' Favorite
I devoured this book like a rich box of chocolates. Sara C Roethle

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