#GuestDayTuesday – Jagged Feathers by Jan Sikes – @jansikes3 #WhiteRuneSeries #NewRelease

 

Please help me welcome my friend and fellow author Jan Sikes to The Write Stuff this morning. Jan has a brand new book out, which I can’t wait to read, but I’ll let her tell you about it. Take it away, Jan!


Thank you, Marcia, for inviting me to your blog site today to talk about my new book, JAGGED FEATHERS! I appreciate your generosity.

I love including animals in my stories and especially in this one. Vann Noble needed a reason to keep living. So when a dog showed up on his front porch badly injured, it gave him a purpose.

His VA counselors had told him, “If you can’t find a reason to live, then find a reason not to die.” Those words came back to him when the dog appeared in desperate need of his help.

EXCERPT:

Champion jumped onto the bed and whimpered, then licked his hand. The part German Shepherd, part Border Collie, had an extraordinary sense of empathy.

Vann switched on the table lamp and scratched behind the dog’s ear with a shaky hand. “I’ll be okay, boy.” Champion rewarded him with a sloppy wet kiss on the cheek. They were two of a kind. Champion’s missing right ear and scars that ran deep along the right side of his body bore an uncanny resemblance to the ones Vann carried on the left side of his body. 

A loaded 9mm Glock on his nightstand reflected in the low lamplight. One bullet would end this relentless nightmare. Just one.

If you can’t find a reason to live, then find a reason not to die. The VA counselor’s words echoed.

Champion nuzzled his hand with a wet nose. He let out a low whine and blinked sad brown eyes.

“Looks like you’re that reason, ol’ boy.” He owed it to Champion to stick around. The dog had shown up on his front porch, starving and wounded. He gave Vann a much-needed purpose.

********

Have you ever had an animal show up needing your help? Did it make you feel like you were chosen for the job? Throughout this story, Champion stays loyal and true to Vann, then instantly adopts Nakina, and takes on the role of her guardian. I fell in love with him from the start.

Book Trailer Link HERE 

BLURB:

Vann Noble did his duty. He served his country and returned a shell of a man, wounded inside and out. With a missing limb and battling PTSD, he seeks healing in an isolated cabin outside a small Texas town with a stray dog that sees beyond his master’s scars. If only the white rune’s magic can bring a happily ever after to a man as broken as Vann.  

On the run from hired killers and struggling to make sense of her unexplained deadly mission, Nakina Bird seeks refuge in Vann’s cabin. She has secrets. Secrets that can get them all killed.

A ticking clock and long odds of living or dying, create jarring risks.

Will these two not only survive, but find an unexpected love along the way? Or, will evil forces win and destroy them both?

Buy Jagged Feathers at the Universal Purchase Link HERE

 

 Reach Jan on Social Media Here:

WEBSITE
BLOG
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
PINTEREST
GOODREADS
BOOKBUB
LINKEDIN
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE 

 

 

 

#ReblogAlert – #WakeRobinRidge Reviewed by Sally Cronin on Smorgasbord

 

 

Nothing like waking up late, wandering out to the ol’ computer, and finding a review of my first book, Wake-Robin Ridge, posted on Sally Cronin’s Smorgasbord blog! What a great way to jumpstart my day. I hope you’ll check it out and will enjoy seeing what Sally has to say about this one. (I sure did, but then, it’s MY book she’s lauding. 😀 )

Do stop by if you get a chance, though.  It would make the rest of my day just as lovely as the way it started! 😀  Thanks!

To read Sally’s review, go HERE

#GuestDayTuesday – #NewRelease by John W. Howell – #EternalRoad – The Final Stop

Hi, Everyone! Welcome to the “official opening day” of #GuestDayTuesday, a brand new weekly feature. (Or at least, an updated one.) From now on, Tuesdays will not be limited to sharing reviews, but will expand to sharing pretty much anything and everything our guests would like to talk about. To start things off, I’d like to introduce  our first guest, John W. Howell, a friend and fellow author from the Story Empire blog. 

John has a brand new book out, and I’m delighted to be sharing it with you today. After reading the blurb and excerpt below, I can’t wait to grab my copy, and I suspect many of you will soon feel the same way. Please join me in giving John the warmest of welcomes this morning! 


Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Marcia. You are the first on the Eternal Road -The final stop blog tour and thank you for helping me launch this book. Speaking of the book, let me describe the kind of book it is. Eternal Road is the story of two people finding their way through the selection process leading to the place where one will spend eternity. Yes, it is true. They both have passed away. James Wainwright just died in an auto accident. Samantha Tourneau died seventeen years before. Sam is James’s guide to help him decide where to spend eternity. This is not your usual thriller or paranormal romance. It is a piece of fiction that is a combination of inspiration, adventure, time travel, sci-fi, a touch of erotica, and a dash of spiritual. In short, it is a lot of things, but hopefully, a story that will make you happy to have read it.

BLURB:

James Wainwright picks up a hitchhiker and discovers two things 1. The woman he picks up is his childhood sweetheart, only seventeen years older. 2. He is no longer of this world.

James began a road trip alone in his 1956 Oldsmobile. He stops for a hitchhiker only to discover she is his childhood sweetheart, Sam, who disappeared seventeen years before. James learns from Sam falling asleep miles back caused him to perish in a one-car accident. He also comes to understand that Sam was taken and murdered all those years ago, and now she has come back to help him find his eternal home.

The pair visit a number of times and places and are witness to a number of historical events. The rules dictate that they do no harm to the time continuum. Trying to be careful, they inadvertently come to the attention of Lucifer, who would love to have their souls as his subjects. They also find a threat to human survival and desperately need to put in place the fix necessary to save humankind.

The question becomes, will James find his eternal home in grace or lose the battle with Satan for his immortal soul and the future of human life with it? If you like time-travel, adventure, mystery, justice, and the supernatural, this story is for you.

EXCERPT:

The man squats low in the woods. The little girl will come to the curve in the sidewalk soon. For the past month, he’s watched her walk home. She always takes this way. He chooses to squat so that he won’t get his pants dirty while he waits. It wouldn’t do to go back to the office with dirt on his knees. That would give folks a tip-off for sure. Someone would remember him walking in with dirt on his fine gabardine pants, and the police would put two and two together.

He’s planned this snatch and grab for weeks. Has lain awake nights thinking of how he will need to take utmost care. And he must make sure that the girl makes no noise. Though the dense woods muffle a lot of sounds, enough people use the area that one cry could bring down disaster. After a series of deep, calming breaths, he believes he is ready

The sound of skipping comes to his ears. He looks toward the sidewalk. Through the brush, the girl approaches, singing as she skips. A few seconds more, and she will be his forever.

Eternal Road The Final Stop is now available on Amazon in paper and Kindle.
The Kindle edition is introductory priced at 99¢ until October 15th

Kindle Universal link  
Paper Universal Link 

John W. Howell, Author

John is an award-winning author who, after an extensive business career, began writing full time in 2012. His specialty is thriller fiction novels, but John also writes poetry and short stories. He has written five other books that are on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. The paperback versions are also available in the Indie Lector store

John lives in Lakeway, Texas, with his wife and their spoiled rescue pets.

Contact John:
Blog Fiction Favorites – http://johnwhowell.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/john.howell.98229241
Twitter – https://www.twitter.com/HowellWave
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7751796.John_W_Howell
Amazon Author’s page – https://www.amazon.com/author/johnwhowell

Buy John’s Books Here:
My GRL
His Revenge
Our Justice
Circumstances of Childhood
The Contract: between heaven and earth 

 

#ComingSoon – #NewRelease – #CoverReveal – The Emissary 3: Love Hurts

It’s been a long journey for this little novella, but at last, the end is nigh! I hope to complete the publishing process within the next week, and will let you know as soon as this one is available for download. In the meantime, to whet your appetites, here’s a little goodie for you. A cover reveal/teaser graphic all in one. Enjoy! 

“Tortured Soul” – Newest Release by Staci Troilo

Hi, Marcia. Thank you for opening your blog to me today.

I know you have an interest in the paranormal, in romance, and in thrillers. Today, I’m going to share an excerpt from my newest release, Tortured Soul, the fourth and final installment of the Medici Protectorate series. This book has all those elements (and then some). I hope you and your readers enjoy it.

(Note: These guys are battle-hardened and make free use of swear words, particularly when in the heat of action. To keep this post reader-friendly for all audiences, all instances of such words have been tamed or deleted.)


Tortured Soul Teaser

“Mike? Where are you?”

“I do not know that ‘where’ is the correct term for what you are asking.”

Coz glanced around. No one reacted like they could hear him.

“They cannot hear me.”

Where the heck was he talking from? “Mike?”

“You do not have to speak aloud, Roberto. I am communicating with you, mind-to-mind.” Continue reading

#ThatDarkestPlace Labor Day Sale – #SundayBlogShare

Labor Day Sale!

Starting tomorrow, Book 3 of my Riverbend series, That Darkest Place, will be on sale for $1.99. For one week only, save $3.00! Physical trauma, grief, survivor’s guilt, love, and the unbreakable bond between brothers. This one has it all!

BLURB

The new year is a chance for new beginnings—usually hopeful, positive ones. But when Jackson Painter plows his car into a tree shortly after midnight on January 1, his new beginnings are tragic. His brothers, Forrest and Hunter, take up a grim bedside vigil at the hospital, waiting for Jackson to regain consciousness and anxious over how he’ll take the news that he’s lost a leg and his fiancée is dead. After all, the accident was all his fault.

REVIEWS FOR THAT DARKEST PLACE

“. . . This novel is a frank and realistic portrayal of a family who has had more than their share of tragedies and has come out on the other side better, stronger, and closer for it all. The best part is there’s no candy-coating or false happily-ever-after. These types of problems don’t go away in a few weeks, and Meara shows that reality in a compassionate and unidealized manner.”

“. . . Hunter, Forrest and Jackson Painter, like all of us, struggle with getting it right in dealing with life, friends, and loved ones. Throw in a vindictive mystery letter writer and you have another great Riverbend story. “

” . . . refreshing to see strong female leads in the story rather than damsels-in-distress. That doesn’t mean these ladies don’t feel pain or need support. It just means they can give as good as–actually, much more than–they get.”

“. . . excellent series which includes romance, heartbreak, suspense and family dynamics, in a wonderful setting…and not forgetting those Painter brothers.”

~~~


That Darkest Place $1.99 Sale 1 Week Only!

Excerpt Week—Medici Protectorate Series by Staci Troilo

I’m honored to have been asked to participate in Excerpt Week. Marcia, thank you for arranging this and letting me hop into the schedule.

I’m finishing up my Medici Protectorate series. Book 3 is with the publisher and will release soon. Book 4 is partially written, and then I have to say goodbye to this beloved series. Instead of providing you with lengthy excerpts from the novels, I’m going to give you a teaser from each of the three completed ones and a printed excerpt from the fourth.

Book 1, Bleeding Heart

Bleeding Heart teaser

Book 2, Mind Control

Mind Control teaser

Book 3, Body Armor

Body Armor teaser

And finally, from my WIP, a never-before published excerpt…

Book 4, Tortured Soul

She opened the door and glanced at the water. Coz treaded in the deep end, but mercifully, he faced the windows, his back to the door.

Good luck or consideration? She wasn’t sure, but she was grateful for the opportunity to divest herself of the roomy shirt and slip into the water unnoticed.

The cool water felt refreshing on her overheated skin. When she surfaced in front of him, she again took in his shirtless torso, distorted by the rippling water yet no less appealing. His light blond hair, slicked back and wet, had darkened to champagne and his bright blue eyes deepened from the reflection of the pool.

Adonis, come to life.

Her face heated, and she dipped under the surface with the pretense of getting her hair out of her face. Even immersing herself in the cool water didn’t soothe her burning cheeks.

As she came up, she was only inches from him, and the proximity caused her to suck in too soon. She got a lungful of water, then choked and sputtered while trying to catch her breath.

He grabbed her waist, and she flinched. “Can’t you tread? We can go to the shallow section.”

His hands on her did nothing to settle her breathing. “I can tread. I love to swim. Just somehow managed to suck down some water.”

Coz raised an eyebrow but didn’t reply. Instead, he flipped onto his back and swam toward the opposite end of the Olympic-sized pool, pulling Toni along on top of him as he sliced through the water.

The motion was far more erotic than she was prepared for. It wouldn’t have surprised her if steam billowed around them.


There you have it—a brief look at the four novels of the Medici Protectorate series, a saga about four sisters who discover they are Medici descendants, the warriors sworn to protect them, and the diabolical forces determined to use them… or destroy them.

I hope you enjoyed these quick peeks. You can find out more about the series or the individual books by clicking on any of the links above. And if you have any questions or comments, leave them below and we’ll talk about it. Thanks!

Staci Troilo bio

Connect with Staci: Website | Blog | Newsletter | Social Media

Cover Reveal & More

The Shy Girl Series, Short Story #2 – Little Black Dress

Cover Reveal

Blurb

“He kissed me! Roland kissed me! Wow! Did that just happen? It was so quick, but felt oh, so good!”

Having been offered a scholarship far away from the prying eyes and gossips of her small hometown, Betsy is excited to be going to the Valentine’s Dance, with her first crush Roland.

However, her clumsiness is a barrier as overcome by nerves; she worries that she will embarrass either herself or Roland. Luckily, her best friend Susan is on hand to offer some friendly advice and a shoulder to lean on. The two girls enjoy a fun-filled day shopping for dresses for the dance.

Will Betsy be able to control her nerves? Will her budding romance with Roland develop into a long-term romance?

Little Black Dress – Short Story #2 of the Shy Girl Series introduces the reader to an adorable young couple at the very start of their love story.

Little Black Dress

I’m pleased to announce that ‘The Shy Girl Series, Short Story #2 – Little Black Dress’ will be published and available for purchase on Monday, June 27th. In addition, ‘The Shy Girl Series, Short Story #1 – Bashful Betsy’ will be available for FREE!

‘The Shy Girl Series’ are teen and young adult short stories. ‘Bashful Betsy’ follows eighteen-year-old Betsy Robinson as she enters college, finds friendship with her new roommate, and develops a crush on fellow student, Roland Barrett.

Read more about ‘Bashful Betsy’ at: https://authordbmauldin.wordpress.com/my-books/

Be sure to check back on Monday, June 27th for links to the FREE ‘Bashful Betsy’ and the NEW ‘Little Black Dress’ available for only $0.99!

https://authordbmauldin.wordpress.com/

View and share my 1st Newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/b6Thav

Sign up for my newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/bUs2wv

 

#RomancingSeptember Days 27, 28, and 29

2015 cover

The next three #RomancingSeptember interviews are waiting for your reading pleasure. Day 27 features Jane Cable, Day 28 features Jane Linfoot, and Day 29 features Olga Miret. You can find the interviews here:

Rosie Amber: #RomancingSeptember Day 27 with Jane Cable
Stephanie Hurt: #RomancingSeptember Day 27 with Jane Cable

Rosie Amber: #RomancingSeptember Day 28 with Jane Linfoot
Stephanie Hurt: #RomancingSeptember Day 28 with Jane Linfoot

Rosie Amber: #RomancingSeptember Day 29 with Olga Miret
Stephanie Hurt: #RomancingSeptember Day 29 with Olga Miret

Enjoy these interviews, then pass them along to your peeps, thanks!! It’s all about sharing! Happy Reading!

#RomancingSeptember Days 23, 24, 25, and 26

2015 cover

Time for the latest from #RomancingSeptember. Day 23’s featured author is Bethan Darwin, and Day 24’s is Lorraine Jenkin. For Day 25, the featured author is Annie Crux, and Day 26 features Sam Cheever. Do yourself a favor, and check out these great interviews. Then remember to share them on Twitter, Facebook, your own blogs, or wherever you can. Some day it will be your turn, and we’ll do the same for you.

Read the interviews here:

RosieAmber: #RomancingSeptember Day 23 with Bethan Darwin
Stephanie Hurt: #RomancingSeptember Day 23 with Bethan Darwin

Rosie Amber: #RomancingSeptember Day 24 with Lorraine Jenkin
Stephanie Hurt: #RomancingSeptember Day 24 with Lorraine Jenkin

Rosie Amber: #RomancingSeptember Day 25 with Annie Crux
Stephanie Hurt: #RomancingSeptember Day 25 with Annie Crux

Rosie Amber:  #RomancingSeptember Day 26 with Sam Cheever
Stephanie Hurt: #RomancingSeptember Day 26 with Sam Cheever

Have fun!