Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Book Feature: The Highlander's Lady by Eliza Knight

 




A Highlander tamed… 

Laird Daniel Murray seeks adventure, battle and freedom for his countrymen. Putting off his duties as laird—with a promise to his clan he’ll return come spring—Daniel sets off with his men to fight alongside William Wallace and the Bruce. But soon he stumbles across an enchanting lady in need. She tantalizes him with an offer he simply can’t refuse and a desire he attempts to dismiss. 

A lady’s passion ignited… 

Escaping near death at the treacherous hands of a nearby clan, Lady Myra must find the Bruce and relay the news of an enemy within his own camp. Alone in a world full of danger and the future of her clan at stake, she must trust the handsome, charismatic Highland laird who promises to keep her safe on her journey—and sets her heart to pounding. 

Together, Daniel and Myra will risk not only their lives, but their hearts while discovering the true meaning of hope and love in a world fraught with unrest.







Early December
Highlands, 1297
A loud crash sounded from below stairs, startling Lady Myra from her prayers. What in all of heaven was that?
She’d been sequestered in the chapel for most of the morning—penance for her latest bout of eavesdropping.
The chapel was dark, lit only by a few candles upon the altar. A fierce winter gust blew open the shudders, causing the candle flames to waver. Myra rushed to the windows, securing the shudders once more, feeling the wood rattle against her fingertips.
Her stomach muscles tightened with unease. There were not often sounds like this at Foulis. In fact, she’d never heard such before.
The very floors seemed to shake. Imagination going wild, she pictured the boards beneath her feet splintering and falling through to the great hall below.
Myra kept a keen ear, waiting for a sign that would reassure her that nothing was amiss. For once she hoped to hear her older brother, Laird Munro, railing at the clumsy servant who’d dropped something, but there was nothing save an eerie silence. The hair along her neck rose and with it, her skin prickled as an acute sense of dread enveloped her.
The castle was never this silent.
“Astrid?” she called out to her maid—but there was no reply. Not even the scurrying of her servant’s feet across the floor. Where had the maid gone? She was supposed to wait for Myra outside the chapel door. “Astrid!” she called a little louder this time, but still there was no reply.
’Twas as if she were alone, but that made no sense. Foulis Castle was always bustling with people. Unable to stand the silence, Myra scrambled to her feet. She lit a tallow candle by the hearth to light her way in the darkened corridor and slowly crept toward the door of the family chapel. Nothing but a whisper of a breeze from her gown disturbed the areas where she passed—’twas how she was able to eavesdrop so often. Locked away, supposedly for her own good, since she was a girl, she learned an important lesson. If she were to find out anything of import, she had to be secretive and slick, so she learned to creep.
She did so now with practiced ease, sidestepping boards known to creak and pausing every few moments to listen for sounds. She strained to hear a whisper, someone’s breathing, anything that would assure her that she had in fact let her imagination get the best of her. But there was nothing.

Fighting hard to keep the fear from suffocating her, she reached the door, and with tortured slowness gripped the cool iron handle. She wanted to throw it open, and ignore the dread that held her hand still. But she had to trust her instincts. Something was terribly wrong. She could feel it. Myra leaned in close, pressing her ear to the frozen wood. She remained motionless, listening. Again silence. Satisfied there was no imminent threat, she began to open the door. An earth shattering shriek and another loud crash broke the silence. Myra slammed the door. Was that…? She shook her head. It couldn’t be. Scrambling away from the door, she dropped her candle which snuffed itself out. God’s teeth! Was that a battle cry? Granted, she’d never heard one before, but ’twas not just any shout. Nay, this sound was terrifying. A cry that sent her knees to shaking and her lip to bleeding from biting it so hard.
She could barely see, the candles at the altar weren’t putting off enough light. What in blazes was she supposed to do? How would she protect herself? Damn those guards. Why hadn’t there been any warning? Shouts of caution. Why hadn’t the gates been closed?
Was it possible that she’d just not heard the warnings? She had been deep in prayer, worrying about her sore knees, and to add insult to injury she’d needed to use the privy for hours. Had she been that preoccupied? 
Angered? So distracted that if someone had shouted in her ear she probably wouldn’t have heard it? She took a deep breath to figure out her next course of action.
The secret stairways! Lucky for her, the chapel was located in a tiny corridor off the gallery above the great hall. A hidden stair, inside the chapel, led up to the master’s chamber. Embarrassed after her penances—which were often, Myra chose not to venture into the great hall, instead she preferred to use the hidden stairs. She knew them well. All of them. When she was just a girl, her father had shown her where they were located, and when she’d once found them fun, she now found comfort in their obscurity. Now they would not only help hide her embarrassment but they might even save her life.



Eliza Knight is a USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of sizzling historical romance and time-travel erotic romance. Under the name E. Knight, she pens riveting historical fiction. She runs the award-winning blog, History Undressed. When not reading, writing and researching, she likes to cuddle up in front of a warm fire with her own knight in shining armor. 

Connect with her at http://www.elizaknight.com or http://www.historyundressed.com. You can sign up for her newsletter at  http://eepurl.com/CSFFD. Follow her on social media at:











Monday, May 29
Book featured at Books, Dreams, Life
Book featured at Nicole's Book Musings

Tuesday, May 30
Book featured at Warrior Woman Winmill
Book featured at Write and Take Flight

Wednesday, May 31
Book reviewed at The Book Junkie Reads
Book featured at I'm Shelf-ish

Thursday, June 1
Book featured at The Dark Phantom
Book featured at The Literary Nook

Friday, June 2
Book reviewed at My Book Addiction and More
Book featured at Mello and June
Book reviewed at Celtic Dragon Lady Reviews
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A Conversation with Bruce Forciea, author of Alan 2





Bruce Forciea is known for taking complex scientific concepts and making them easy to understand through engaging stories and simple explanations. He is an Amazon Best Selling Author and author of several books on healing and biology, along with science fiction thriller novels. His fiction writing draws on a diverse and eclectic background that includes touring and performing with a professional show, designing digital circuits, treating thousands of patients, and teaching. His stories include complex plots with unexpected twists and turns, quirky characters, and a reality very similar to our own. Dr. Forciea lives in Wisconsin and loves writing during the solitude of the long Northern winters. 

Website & Social Links:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK






A brilliant artificial intelligence (AI) scientist, Dr. Alan Boyd, develops a new program that integrates part of his brain with a computer’s operating system. The program, Alan 2, can anticipate a user’s needs and automatically perform many tasks. A large software company, International Microsystems (IM) desperately wants the program and tempts Dr. Boyd with huge sums of money, but when Dr. Boyd refuses their offer, IM sabotages his job, leaving him in a difficult financial situation.

Dr. Boyd turns to Alan 2 for an answer to his financial problems, and Alan 2 develops plan Alpha, which is a cyber robin hood scheme to rob from rich corporations via a credit card scam.

Alan and his girlfriend Kaitlin travel to Mexico where they live the good life funded by plan Alpha, but the FBI cybercrime division has discovered part of Alan 2’s cyber escapades, and two agents, Rachel and Stu, trace the crime through the TOR network and Bitcoin.

Alan 2 discovers the FBI is on to them and advises Alan and Kaitlin to change locations. A dramatic chase ensues taking them to St. Thomas, a cruise ship bound for Spain, and finally to Morocco. 

Will they escape detection? They will if Alan 2's Plan Beta can be implemented in time. Or is 'Plan B' something altogether different than it appears to be, something wholly sinister that will affect the entire population of the world?
Watch the trailer at YouTube!

Purchase Information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher



Thank you for this interview!  I’d like to know more about you as a person first.  What do you do when you’re not writing?

I work full-time as a college instructor. I teach anatomy and physiology.

When did you start writing?

About 10 years ago. I wrote a non-fiction book on healing (Unlocking the Healing Code) which was published by Llewellyn. This led to some books on anatomy and physiology. About 3 years ago I began writing fiction. My first novel, The X-Cure, was published by Open Books. They picked up my second novel, Alan 2 as well.

As a published author, what would you say was the most pivotal point of your writing life?

I think it was getting published after the many rejections.

If you could go anywhere in the world to start writing your next book, where would that be and why?

I think I would like to go to one of those all-inclusive resorts in Mexico where everything is provided. I could then sit on the beach or pool-side and not be concerned with anything except writing.

If you had 4 hours of extra time today, what would you do?

At this point, I am swamped with work, so I would have to say I would get a good chunk of work done to free up more time during the week.

Where would you like to set a story that you haven’t done yet?

My next story will have 3 characters. One is American, one is Indian and one is African. I’m looking forward to studying the Indian slums where my character lives.

Back to your present book, Alan 2, how did you publish it?

Alan 2 was picked up by my publisher, Open Books. They published my first novel, The X-Cure.

In writing your book, did you travel anywhere for research?

No, I used some locations I was already familiar with and did a lot of online research.

Why was writing Alan 2 so important to you?

It was a story that I had rumbling around in my head and thought it would make a great book. It also gave me a reason to explore some areas that interested me, such as artificial intelligence and cybercrime.

Where do you get your best ideas and why do you think that is?

I actually get some of my best ideas while exercising. I like to do my cardio on an elliptical and I really feel it frees my mind to explore new ideas. There is something about the rhythmic nature of working out that helps me to think.

I am always exploring new ideas and stories that come from various topics. These could be news stories, movies, other books or just my daily life. Sometimes, one will “stick” in my mind and I’ll explore it while exercising or driving.

Any final words?

Thank you so much for this interview. I am very grateful for this opportunity and I sincerely hope my readers enjoy my stories.

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Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Book Review: The Bomb That Never Was by J.R. Shaw

419382_Blog Tour_L2

 

Inside the Book:

The Bomb That Never Was
Title: The Bomb That Never Was
Author: J.R. Shaw
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Alternative History
Format: Ebook/Paperback

Praise for The Bomb That Never Was

 “Hitler has the bomb, and it's headed for the USA. This meticulously researched historical novel will have you asking, ‘What if?' This is an intelligent, fast-paced page-turner that will make you forget that you already know how it all turns out. Provocative, informative, and entertaining—I couldn't put it down.” —Joseph P. DeSario, author of Limbo and Sanctuary and coauthor of Crusade: Undercover Against the Mafia & KGB

“Authoritative and credible in its attention to detail, The Bomb That Never Was captures the spirit and temper of the WWII years and raises some deep philosophical questions about loyalty, treason, and commitment to country. A page-turner … tough to put down … a story well told.” —Robert L. Aaron, journalist and public relations executive

The Review:

Even if you are not a historical buff, this is a book that will appeal to you! Historical fiction at its finest, J.R. Shaw has found a way to weave a tale that will scare you and intrigue you at the same time. What if Hitler had a bomb and it was on its way to the US? How might history have changed in that scenario? You can tell that plenty of research went in to developing this story and it was fascinating to hear about what it took to make the bombs as well.

An interesting book that will leave you thinking long after you read the first page. 

Meet the Author:
J. R. Shaw is a pseudonym for a person who likes privacy, preferring to remain in the shadows. If you're interested in reading the next book, please turn to the back of this book and enjoy reading an excerpt from The Pieces. The Pieces will be out in 2016.

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Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Book Blast: The Right-Wing Threat to Democracy by Burt Hall







For over thirty years, World War II veteran and author Burt Hall assessed accountability in government and national security. Now, this seasoned, professional analyst delivers a tough account of what went wrong in our politics and system of government over the past two decades and what we can do about it. 

The right wing (not to be confused with Conservatism) has hijacked the Republican Party and wrecked havoc on our nation. It exploited basic flaws in our system to gain power and a series of major setbacks and a weakened democracy have followed. 

The Right-Wing Threat to Democracy lays out clearly what the basic flaws in our system are and how they can be fixed. The danger is that an ongoing shift of political power to the very wealthy and suppression of voting rights is silencing the voice of the average citizen. 

If elected officials do not fix the basic flaws, the American people have alternatives in our democracy and must take matters into their own hands.




After early careers in the aircraft electronics field and as a CPA, Burt Hall joined the USGovernment Accountability Office (GAO), where he served as group director analyst on national security and other matters. For more than thirty years, he reported to Congress and testified before its committees on behalf of the GAO. Mr. Hall graduated from the Harvard Advanced Management Program and was loaned twice for two years, once to a bipartisan congressional commission and later to the Reagan White House.

With Ed Asner, who also contributed to The Right-Wing Threat to Democracy, Hall coauthored Misuse of Power. He coauthored the bestselling book, How the Experts Win at Bridge, with his wife, Lynn.
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RIK'S BOOK TRAILER BLAST






About the Book:

Title: RIK’S   
Author: dhtreichler
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 483
Genre: Thriller

“The entire affair began with sheep brains and falafel -- Saddam Hussein's favorite dish.”
It is 1990 and in Baghdad two lovers are separated by the impending First Gulf War. CIA operative Rik Bogart is desperately seeking television correspondent Ingrid Johannson -- but is instead picked up by  Saddam’s Secret Police and thrown into Abu Graib -- the Prison of the Dead. Ten years later, he must make a fateful decision after finally reuniting with her -- one that may keep them apart forever. How far would YOU go for your true love?
This heart-pounding thriller is written by a former international defense contractor who brings incredible realism and arresting insights into the days leading up to Saddam’s invasion of neighboring Kuwait, and provides a chilling account of life inside the infamous Prison of the Dead.
"It's as much a love story as it is a runaway thriller." Midwest Book Review

RIK’S IS AVAILABLE AT AMAZON


Book Excerpt:


Despite the blood flowing from my side and my exhausted condition, we wrestled for control of the weapon.

I rolled him over, coming up on top, and pinned him to the ground as we continued to wrestle for control of the Glock. I pushed his arm down to my left, held his arm with my left hand and punched him in the face, which loosened his grip just enough. I gained control of the gun. Now Tariq stared down the barrel of his own weapon with me on top of him.

“So this is the end, my friend?” Tariq asked as he looked beyond the barrel pointed at his head.

“No, Tariq, this is just the beginning. The ring?”

Tariq nodded in understanding and held his hand up for me to remove my Academy class ring, which I did and slipped it into my pocket.


About the Author

As a defense contractor, award-winning screenwriter and novelist, dhtreichler has wandered the world, visiting garden spots and more.  Having lived and worked with our intelligence agents and soldiers, witnessing the conflicts and the turmoil of recent decades, he paints vivid backdrops for his stories. Like him, the men and women he portrays attempt to make sense of our fast-changing world. He has held a lifelong interest in the profound influence of rapidly changing technology on our lives and relationships. Exploring that power (what has changed and what might come) forms an insightful theme of his novels. His stories also reflect the universal desires and fears of real people everywhere.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

 

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Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Book Spotlight: Lord of Shadows by Shania Tyler


Title: LORD OF SHADOWS
Author: Shania Tyler
Publisher: ColleenNorman Publishing House
Pages: 330
Genre: Paranormal Romance
The Power of Love and Darkness
How strong you need to be to face your sealed fate?

Kelly Green had plans for her senior year of college.
Graduate. Get a job. And hopefully find love.

What she didn’t include was:
1. Getting kidnapped by an arrogant vampire 
2. Getting swept into his world of eternal darkness
3. And she certainly didn’t plan on falling for him...

Mason is the leader of the Rebels, an army fighting in a secret war that is about to get real. Vampires have enslaved elves for centuries, and Mason’s men fight for their freedom.

He’s willing do anything to see his people as the victors… whatever it takes.
This includes kidnapping a woman who isn’t what she seems and doing whatever he must in order to keep her close…

including pretending to fall in love…

But all the magic in the world of Asea can’t protect the heart and sooner or later, they’ll both have to make a choice that could change the future of an entire nation.

In the world of Asea, destiny’s course is set like a dance.
Nothing in life has been left up to chance.

“Destiny must be fulfilled.”

*Are they ready?*

*Are you?*

PURCHASE INFORMATION:

Amazon


Book Excerpt:


“Hey!” she called as he headed toward her. “What’s with the robe?”
A strong gust pushed her dress backward. She looked over her shoulder at the administration building and then back at the stranger, who stood only a few yards away.
He’d been so far away a moment ago.
Kelly did a double take, noticing for the first time that he wasn’t wearing a robe. The black was like a shadow that floated around him. The image of Pig-Pen from the Peanuts comic strip—the little boy with the cloud of dirt always circling him—stopped her from totally freaking out.
Then the image of Pig-Pen vanished and she freaked out.
“Kelly!”
She turned and saw the stranger from inside and frowned. How did he know her name?
He held out his hand, his green eyes wide and his dark hair windblown. “Come to me.”
She rushed to him, too afraid of the thing behind her to think about the consequences.
A peacefulness fell over her at his touch and then she was flush against him, chest to chest and thigh to thigh. “I—” Her body jerked and a fast wind stung her eyes. Her hair whipped in her face, and it was only then that she realized they were moving.
Her stranger, with his arm around her waist, held her with her feet off the ground and was running faster than humanly possible. “Hold onto me.”
Kelly’s jaw dropped, but her arms went around his neck to hold onto him for fear of being dropped; she could feel the strength in his body and knew he wouldn’t let her go.
What was happening to her?
Maybe she’d been drugged.
She tried to remember everything that had happened. Had she even attended the event? What if she was dreaming? It was the only explanation for the fact that she was being carried by a man who was speeding past buildings and trees like some sort of superhero. The street lamps’ rays splashed onto the sidewalk in quick patterns and everything about the dream felt real.
The man holding her certainly felt real. His thick muscles and the coolness of his leather jacket under her hands all felt real.
But then she looked up and saw they were being chased by the shadow. She thought it a dream again, especially as the shadow seemed to spread into the darkness around them, turning the already dark night into a blackness she’d never seen.
She closed her eyes and, like she did with any nightmare she’d found herself stuck in, told herself to wake up.
Her body jerked when they turned, and she heard the opening of a door before her body jolted again when they came to a complete stop.
The stranger set her down on her feet and then turned to close the door.
Kelly looked around and recognized the president’s house. She’d attended a few dinners at the house last year with her friend Amity, who’d been part of every major organization on campus.
“Come on,” the stranger said, holding out his hand.
She didn’t move. “What is going on?”
Something flickered in his green eyes, anger she thought, before he smoothed it away and said, “We have to go.”
“No.” Kelly shook her head. “I want to know what’s going on.”
The front door began to rattle, and she jumped.
“Come on!” the stranger shouted.
Kelly pressed her fingers to her temples. “Wake up, wake up, wake up.”
He grabbed her arms.
She looked up into the stranger’s eyes and the intricate shades of green began to dance.
Ote-oun’a.”
Kelly blinked as a heaviness settled in her head and over her eyes. She grew tired instantly and the stranger wrapped his arms around her.
Ote-oun’a,” he whispered again. His eyes held a touch of tenderness and then darkness claimed her. “Sleep,” she heard him whisper, before there was nothing.




About the Author


As a young girl, Shania Tyler has always been fascinated with the world of vampires, dragons, fairies, elves and angles. So strong was her fascination that she always felt there is indeed such a world out there. A world where creatures of supernatural powers can transcend beyond time and space, not confined to the rules of the human world, and being able to live for eternity.

In Shania’s writings, you will find an infusion of passionate romance, action and mystery, and sometimes with a touch of suspense. She enjoys creating a dark complex world containing entities of a supernatural or otherworldly nature and being able to bring a romantic flavour to the plot and amongst the characters. It brings her great joy to see her childhood fantasies becoming a reality through the pages that she wrote. Some of her inspirations of writings include Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, J.R. Ward’s The Black Dagger Brotherhood series and Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton .

Shania’s latest book is the paranormal romance, Lord of Shadows.

You can connect with Shania on Facebook.




Shania Tyler is giving away 7 paranormal romance paperbacks by Bella Forrest, JR Ward, I.T. Lucas, Dannika Dark, Karen Marie Moning, Patricia Briggs and Christine Feehan. BONUS: All entries will receive a free copy of FALLING INTO DARKNESS by Shania Tyler.

Terms & Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive  a 7-pack paperback collection of paranormal romance novels by bestselling authors. All entries will receive a free copy of Shania Tyler's FALLING INTO DARKNESS.
  • This giveaway ends midnight May 31.
  • Winner will be contacted via email on June 1.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!




 
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Monday, May 22, 2017

Book Feature: Dark Mind Star Carrier by Ian Douglas

 


Title: Dark Mind: Star Carrier
Author: Ian Douglas
Release Date: April 25, 2017
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy


New York Times Bestselling Author Ian Douglas continues his Star Carrier saga as humanity unites against an ancient artificial consciousness powerful enough to exterminate every species it encounters

2425. The civil war between the United States of North America and the Pan-European Confederation is over. But before a new era of peace on Earth can begin, humankind must martial its interstellar forces as one fleet to engage in a war against an alien entity in Omega Centauri. Without provocation, it destroyed a Confederation science facility inhabited by 12,000 people, and it must be neutralized before it sets its sights on Earth.

Admiral Trevor “Sandy” Gray of the USNA star carrier America has his own mission. The enigmatic AI known as Konstantin has convinced him that humanity’s only chance for survival is technology found in a distant star system. Now, Gray must disobey orders as well as locate and create a weapon capable of defeating a living sphere the size of a small planet…





Ian Douglas is one of the pseudonyms for William H. Keith, New York Times bestselling author of the popular military science fiction series The Heritage Trilogy, The Legacy Trilogy, The Inheritance Trilogy, Star Corpsman, and Star Carrier. A former naval corpsman, he lives in Pennsylvania.





Monday, May 8
Book featured at I'm Shelf-ish
Book featured at A Title Wave

Tuesday, May 9
Book featured at The Literary Nook
Book featured at Write and Take Flight

Wednesday, May 10
Book featured at The Dark Phantom
Book featured at Voodoo Princess

Thursday, May 11
Book featured at The Writer's Life
Book featured at Lover of Literature

Friday, May 12
Book featured at Harmonious Publicity

Monday, May 15
Book featured at All Inclusive Retort

Tuesday, May 16
Book featured at The Revolving Bookshelf

Wednesday, May 17
Book featured at From Paperback to Leatherbound

Thursday, May 18
Book featured at Yah Gotta Read This
Book featured at Inkslinger's Opus

Friday, May 19
Book featured at As the Page Turns

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