Secret Worlds - 21 books, 21 authors

Secret Worlds is a HUGE boxed set ebook collection for lovers of dark fantasy and paranormal romance from twenty-one popular authors of the genre, including Catherine Stine, a member of Untethered Realms.

Supernaturally thrilling and engaging, this boxed set has it all: ghosts, vampires, mind-readers, shapeshifters, demons, faeries, werewolves, hybrid beings, and more.

For a limited time, enjoy books from today's USA Today, Amazon Bestselling and award-winning authors, including titles slated for the big screen. When purchased separately, these books cost over $50. But they are yours today for less than $1.

Amazon * B&N * iBooks * Kobo

BOX set landing page: http://parabookdeals.com/secretworlds/

Get a flavor of the novels and novellas in the collection:

Taken by the Beast by Conner Kressley and Rebecca Hamilton

Women are going missing. Women who look a lot like Charisse. And the man this beauty is falling for may be the beast responsible.

The Forever Girl by Rebecca Hamilton

Sophia's ancestor's body went missing during the Salem Witch Trials, and the only one able to help solve the mystery is a shapeshifter Sophia is afraid to trust

Summoned by Rainy Kaye

Dimitri can't reveal the paranormal bond controlling him, and Syd won't tolerate his secrets.

Purgatory by Susan Stec

A sex-hungry myth with no name, no flesh, and no identity ...unless it wears one of you.

The Pandora Principle by Noree Cosper

As a descendant of Pandora, Cassi must discover if her lover is one of the evil spirits she hunts before all her friends die.

Heart Song by Samantha LaFantasie

When incredibly handsome Marren frees Relena, there's a catch.

Changeling by Debbie Herbert

As a changeling and a witch work together to restore order in Fairy, they discover that love, like magic, casts its own spell of enchantment.

Shiftless by Aimee Easterling

After years of suppressing her inner predator, Terra meets a shifter who forces her to reclaim her wilder side.

The Black Parade by Kyoko M.

Poltergeist Michael is the key to saving Jordan's soul from hell, but can she handle the cost of her salvation?

Haunting Echoes by Caethes Faron

Will Amaia's vampire clan kill her ex-fiance before she learns whether he returned from the grave for love or revenge?

Braving Fate by Linsey Hall

Diana and Cadan fight demonic forces and a deadly passion that has lasted centuries.

Trinity Rising by J.E. Taylor

Damian and Naomi are desperate for victory against the devil, but one wrong step couldtrigger Armageddon.

Moonlight by Katie Salidas

Good girls don't wear fur, fight over men, or run around naked, howling at the moon. But Fallon's not a good girl.

Lash by L.G. Castillo

Lash, a fallen angel, must choose where to place his trust--in a home he fought so hard to regain or in a forbidden love he can't bear to lose.

Between by Lisa Swallow

Alek could kill Rose with a kiss. Finn, with a touch. Pulled into an intense affair with Alek, Rose discovers her connection to Finn threatens them all.

The Devil's Fool by Rachel McClellan

When vampire Boaz gives Eve the one thing she never had--love--she falls into a world of greed and seduction.

Spark Rising by Kate Corcino

A runaway Spark and the agent arresting her ignite a revolution to end their people's enslavement while resisting the electricity between them.

Ruby's Fire by Catherine Stine

On the run from a desert cult, Ruby must choose which handsome stranger to trust with her heart and her darkest secret: Armonk or Blane.

Cursed by Lucy Leroux

Governess Isobel Sterling has been hiding an uncanny ability her whole life--until she has to use it to save herself from a madman.

Hunted by A.J. Colby

With Agent Holbrook's help, Riley races time to stay ahead of a crazed werewolf killer.

Vigilant by Angel Lawson

Ari stumbles into a world of crime and vigilantism while discovering the one man that sets her heart on fire.

What's behind Masked Kiss

Blurb:

Video game geek Josh Hanson never gets noticed by women until a gorgeous booth babe drags him into a dark room for a quickie.

She doesn't give him her name, and her face is covered by a silver mask. Josh is determined to find the dark-haired beauty again, but communication isn't easy in a huge hall filled with nerds. When they end up playing in a tournament later, the games extend into her hotel room. Josh wants more than just a con fling, but she's not easy to catch. Can he figure out how to beat her games and become her champion?

Buy the book:

Ellora's Cave * Amazon * B&N * Kobo

Add it to read on Goodreads.

Thank you so much to everyone who has helped promote the Dice & Debauchery series. Your support and encouragement means a lot to me.

This is the final book in my geeky trilogy. It was also the most difficult one to write because it's from the guy's point of view. I asked my male friends a lot of questions and received many weird looks. You'd think they'd be use to me doing so by now!

Book tidbit: I used the Konami Code in one scene!

Once Upon a Nightmare tour - 7 Tips on Surviving a Horror Story

7 Tips on Surviving a Horror Story

by Cherie Reich

1. Never split up.

The first one to split from the group is almost always the first to die.

2. Phones are bad.

They never work when you want them to, and when they do work, it’s usually a way for the killer to get you right where he wants you.

3. Never look back.

Run, run, run and never, ever look back. You’re more likely to trip and die, if you do look back.

4. Off with its head!

There aren’t too many monsters out there, except hydras, that can live or grow stronger without their heads. So chop away!

5. Don’t live in small towns, forests, or near cornfields.

They’re crawling with monsters and aliens.

6. Don’t laugh at guys with chainsaws.

This one is from personal experience. No one likes to be laughed at, and it’s more dangerous to do so when the person has a chainsaw.

7. Romance will get you killed.

Whether it’s a one night stand or a romantic tryst with your beau, it’s better to be single in a horror story. Romance (or sex) clouds your judgment and makes you great monster bait.

What’s your favorite tip on surviving a horror story?

A monster hunts us. After hibernating for a decade, it’s ravenous. We long to stop this nightmare, but the end of the road is far. There is no waking up once a legend sets its sights on you.

Disappearances every ten or so years make little impact on the small town of New Haven, Virginia. Hikers get lost. Hunters lose the trail. Even when a body is discovered, the inhabitants’ memories last about as long as the newspaper articles.

No one connects the cases. No one notices the disappearances go back beyond Civil War times. No one believes a legendary monster roams the forests in Southwestern Virginia.

I don’t either until the truck breaks down on an old mountain trail. Cell phones won’t work in this neck of the woods. It’s amazing how much a person can see by starlight alone. So what if we can’t feel our fingers or toes as we hike toward the main road. How many more miles left to go?

Crrraaack!

Hear that noise?

Purchase Once upon a Nightmare: A Collection by Cherie Reich at Amazon. From June 22-28, the collection is only $0.99!

Cherie Reich is a speculative fiction author and library assistant living in Virginia. Visit her website and blog for more information.

The CassaSeries takes flight!

I'm so pleased to help the awesome Alex J. Cavanaugh spread the word about CassaSeries. All his fantastic space opera novels in one boxed set. This is a must read for all sci-fi and speculative fiction fans.

CassaSeries

By Alex J. Cavanaugh 

ISBN 9781939844118

Price - $5.99 eBook boxed set

Science fiction/adventure (FIC028010) and science fiction/space opera (FIC028030)

The Amazon Best-Selling Series!

CassaStar - Few options remain for Byron. Slated to train as a Cosbolt pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth to his instructor, Bassa. As war brews on the edge of space, Bassa must make a decision that could decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission destined to stretch their abilities to the limit?

CassaFire - Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters behind him, the detection of alien ruins sends him to the planet of Tgren. Forced to train a Tgren named Athee and deal with an eager young scientist, he feels invaded. Tensions mount as the ruins reveal a potential weapon, plunging him further into the chaos. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

CassaStorm - Commanding the base on Tgren, Byron watches as a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the planet. When the war hits Tgren, it triggers nightmares in his son. The ancient alien ship begins transmitting a deadly code and the probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago returns. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

Find it here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZAP5PV4?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ZAP5PV4?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cassaseries-alex-j-cavanaugh/1122097909?ean=294015196217

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/cassaseries

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25705316-cassaseries

About the author: Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design, graphics, and technical editing. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. He’s the author of Amazon Best-Sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, and CassaStorm.

http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

http://twitter.com/AlexJCavanaugh

Friday Five for June 19, 2015

1. One week until the release of Masked Kiss, the final book of the Dice & Debauchery series! It's available for pre-order everywhere right now. I'm excited that the whole series will be out. The trilogy is like the 13th Floor in that all the books link together and happen over the same space of time. It's fun to write and read the same scene from different points of view.

2. While next Friday will be a big day, I won't be around to promote it. I hope to do a tour in August for the series. Just not a three month tour this time! That was far too long and tiring. Two weeks seems to be the best time period for a tour.

3. I'll be taking a blogging break for the next three weeks. I do have some pre-scheduled posts during that time, so please stop by for a fabulous guest post about surviving a horror story by Cherie Reich on Wednesday and some tidbits about Masked Kiss next Friday.

4. I've gotten a little writing done this week. My WIP is still moving slow. It's at 15k and there's only one dead body! I've written a lot of novellas in the past few years, so this pace feels odd, and the story is challenging me. But that's a good thing.

5. Don't forget the T.B. Markinson's June Giveaway is still going on. You could win five awesome books and an Amazon gift card. One of those books is Of Blood and Sorrow by me!

Have a wonderful rest of the month. I'll see you in July!

My little guy swimming in the lake!

Huzzah! Time to start planning for Realms Faire!

Three cheers for Lady Mary!

We're starting plans for the land's grandest event, Realms Faire.

We're searching for brave heroes to help host events, plan and promote, donate prizes, or be a participant. Shine your armor and be a knight in the joust! Thou must click here and fill out the simple form. We thank you greatly for any aid you can offer.

I will be hosting the Drench-a-wench/Soak-a-bloke event again.

Who will be this year's dunkees?

Facebook

Twitter Hashtag - #grogz

Jophiel released & Patricia Josephine talks about a bitter angel

They must fight to stay on the path.

Joe embraces his duty without fear or hesitation, always ready for the next battle. But the path has never been easy. With Michael’s return, they uncover a truth more dangerous than they ever imagined. Their enemy plans to unleash the devil himself, Lucifer. Help comes in the form of an unlikely alley: a member of the fallen.

Mariangela is trying to make amends by protecting the child she is carrying. After blindly following Lucifer in the rebellion, her misguided allegiance came with a price: banishment from heaven. Now, as she strives for forgiveness in the human world, she must fight to prevent Uriel, a fallen archangel, from using her child to free evil from Hell.

The path becomes a battleground, one which may already be lost.

Buy the book!

Add it to read on Goodreads.

Tweets to share:

They've uncovered a truth more dangerous than Joe & his brothers could imagine. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WYJ3J08 #PathOfAngels #NA #urbanfantasy

Mariangela holds a secret that could destroy Joe. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WYJ3J08 #PathOfAngels #NA #urbanfantasy

The path is a battleground, but have Joe & his brothers already lost? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WYJ3J08 #PathOfAngels #NA #urbanfantasy

 

About the Author:

Patricia Josephine never set out to become a writer. In fact, she never considered it an option during high school and college. She was all about art. On a whim, she wrote down a story bouncing in her head. That was the start of it and she hasn't regretted a moment. She writes young adult under the name Patricia Lynne.

Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo, has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow, and an obsession with Doctor Who.

Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/plynne_writes

Website: http://www.patricialynne.com

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/108938106639683446081/posts/p/pub

Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/patricialynne07

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13460894.Patricia_Josephine

Path of Angels: http://www.patricialynne.com/path-of-angels.html

Bitter Angel

 

Honestly, fallen angels get a bad rep. They are easy bad guys. They did fall from grace after all, so it’s easy to make them embrace evil. I found it easy to write my fallen angels as bad guys.

Then there’s Mariangela.

A lone fallen angel trying to make things right. Her name is Italian and means bitter angel. Although, she isn’t really bitter and I can’t remember why, when I was writing the first draft, I chose it. That’s actually something she put behind herself. She had to forgive herself for what she did. Once she did that, she became the person you meet in the story. She’s kind and gentle, but determined. I think she is a strong woman. She’s not a fighter, but she will stand up and do what she believes is right.

Already Home is here!

A Maguire's Corner novel

Coffee shop owner Maggie Maguire doesn’t trust the new police chief her father hired to protect Maguire’s Corner. He’s a stranger, cold, bossy and annoyingly handsome. But, Maggie’s witnessed a serious crime and now someone’s trying to kill her. The man that aggravates her most might be the only one that can help her.
 
Police Chief Jack Munro likes his new job and his new town, and unfortunately he also likes the stubborn but beautiful town sweetheart. His self-imposed hands-off Maggie policy is about to be put to the ultimate test when he must keep her close to protect her while he tracks down a ruthless killer.

Determined to ignore Jack’s charms, Maggie attempts to help him unravel the mystery but when their lives hang in the balance she must decide how much she’s willing to risk to save the man she suddenly can’t resist.

Already Home is available right now on
 AMAZON -- Kobo -- B&N-- AllRomance

Add it on Goodreads HERE!

You can find Heather on her blog. 

Friday Five for June 5, 2015

1. I received some great reviews for my newest release, Layers of Lace (Dice & Debauchery #2). The first book in the series, Loose Corset, won a position in the top five of the Easychair Competition for novellas. Yay! It was a good week for geeky romances.

2. I haven't had much of a chance to do any writing this week. It's a little frustrating, but I know this is how summer is going to go. A little writing here and there until August. Time is already flying by!

3. I've been reading non-fiction this week. I love Mary Roach! She fills my need for odd tidbits of information.

4. Don't forget to head over to T.B. Markinson's blog and enter to win five awesome books plus an Amazon gift card. My urban fantasy, Of Blood and Sorrow is included in the giveaway.

5. I'm over at the Untethered Realms blog today with a review for Nick Wilford's new book. If you haven't checked it out yet, do it. Plus he's holding a giveaway too, and there's still a bit of time left to enter to win his awesome collection!

Have a great weekend!

Avalon: A Heartwarming True Cat Story

Some cats need nine lives to make a difference. Avalon only needed one.

From Amazon bestselling author Vanessa Morgan, Avalon is the heartwarming and once-in-a-lifetime love story of a girl and her neurotic Turkish Van cat.

With humor, the author details how Avalon made other creatures cringe in distress whenever he was around, how he threw her dates out by means of special techniques, and how he rendered it almost impossible for her to leave the house. Avalon was so incorrigible that even her landlord ordered her to get rid of him. But beneath Avalon's demonic boisterousness, Vanessa recognized her own flaws and insecurities, and she understood that abandoning Avalon would be the worst she could do to him. Thanks to her unswerving loyalty, Avalon transformed into a tender feline, and even landed a major role in a horror movie. In turn, Avalon made it his mission to be there for his human companion.

By turns jubilant and deeply moving, Avalon is a memoir for anyone who has ever been obsessively in love with a pet.

Purchase links

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/1FTC8Ep

Amazon.co.uk: http://amzn.to/1ImdPRo

Amazon.fr: http://amzn.to/1JTGIF2

Excerpt:

Small changes often caused major disturbances. When we removed a DVD from the cupboard, or put a pen on the living room table that he wasn’t used to seeing there, Avalon pitched himself near the problem area and vocalized his complaints as if he was a muezzin calling to prayer. He only stopped if the space returned back to normal.

Intelligent and calculating as he was, Avalon had also developed a technique to prevent Ballon and Tigris from using his litter boxes. Each time he heard the scratch scratch scratch in the litter, he settled into attack mode behind the bathroom wall, wiggled his behind, and leapt onto the other cat as soon as it emerged, making it jump. It worked every... single... time. Proud, Avalon walked away from the crime scene with his nose pointing airwards.

Borat, our guinea pig, was initially the best one off, but ended up the most miserable. What kept him safe at first was Avalon’s fear of rodents. Cats may be considered deadly predators, killing a median of 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion mammals a year in the United States alone, but whenever Borat had free range inside the apartment, Avalon went in a large circle around him, avoiding him at all cost.

Eventually, Avalon ferreted out a way to make Borat twinge in distress whenever he approached. It started when I taught Avalon not to throw up on the bed and carpets. Those lessons must have been meaningful, because Avalon didn’t vomit in those places anymore. Instead he aimed for the guinea pig's head. As soon as he felt a hairball mounting, Avalon ran as fast as he could toward Borat's cage, leaned in, and puked his heart out.

Author bio

Vanessa Morgan is an author, screenwriter, and blogger. Two of her works, The Strangers Outside and A Good Man, have been turned into films. Her short film script Next to Her is currently in pre-production. When she's not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching horror movies, digging through flea markets, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats (http://travelling-cats.blogspot.com). Avalon has appeared in several of her books and films.

Social media links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vanessa-Morgan/50159391888

Twitter: http://twitter.com/eeriestories

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/follow/eeriestories

Google+: https://plus.google.com/111498119214855356614/posts

Bloglovin: https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/vanessa-morgan-4135473

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Vanessa-Morgan/

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2890032.Vanessa_Morgan

Blog: http://vanessa-morgan.blogspot.com

IWSG for June 2015

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

The fantastic co-hosts this month are: M. Pax, Tracy Jo, Patricia Lynne, Rachna Chhabria, Feather Stone, and Randi Lee!

I received my first quarterly check from my publisher a few weeks ago. I held the envelope in my hands and did a happy jig. Then, like Wolverine, I tore it open and froze.

No, no. That can't be right. I had a dream. My dream told me I'd earn $4700. My subconscious clearly does not know where to place decimal points. I didn't even make triple digits.

The weight of the let-down flopped me into a chair. I could barely breathe. That lasted ten seconds until the panic of wondering whether taking the risk with this series was worth it had me madly pacing the room. This isn't my usual genre. Did I ruin myself by publishing these stories? Do readers think I'm crazy? Why oh why didn't I use a pen name?

ACK!

All that self doubt and anxiety crashed down on me. There wasn't enough ice cream in the world to help this one. Time to hide in a hole. Please ignore this silly geek over here.

Now that I've had some time to let things settle down, I'm okay with the fact I did take the risk. Even if I don't sell well, I've learned a lot from this experience. And I still do believe that the stories are great fun.

We all need to hide in a hole with a barrel bucket of ice cream now and then. The real challenge is to come out and keep pushing forward. Take risks and never give up.

Truly Awesome June Giveaway and Review for A Woman Ignored

What a way to start off June!

Every month, the wonderful T.B. Markinson is hosting an ebook giveaway. This month there are five spectacular books that you can win. I've read them all, and any one of them is worth entering this giveaway.

30 Seconds by Chrys Fey  (Fantastic romantic suspense)

Soul Cutter by Lexa Cain  (Fast-paced, intense YA horror)

Pop Travel by Tara Tyler  (Awesome sci-fi thriller)

Cloaked in Fur by T.F. Walsh  (Riveting paranormal romance)

and

Of Blood and Sorrow by me!

And while you're at T.B.'s blog entering the giveaway, be sure to pick up her books. Here's my review of the latest book in her Woman Lost series to tease you with.

Blurb: Historian Lizzie Petrie remains nothing more than a lesbian in her bitter mother’s eyes. The suppressed hurt of that superficial assessment means she still catches herself off guard when thinking of Sarah as her wife. The couple has endured the fallout of Lizzie’s insecurities and set-up house in Fort Collins, Colorado. Now their relationship is about to be tested again.

When her wife announces she wants to have a baby, Lizzie panics. A baby? The thought of sucking an egg from her ovary and implanting the resulting embryo into Sarah’s womb terrifies her. Lizzie constantly worries if she’ll make a good mother.

Just when she starts to make peace with the idea, Lizzie’s estranged family enters her life again. The news is anything but good, and she finds herself wondering how to make amends with her aloof mother, stranger of a father, and self-centered brother.

Deep down, Lizzie is more loving and caring than she ever gives herself credit. Sometimes it takes a tragedy to open a woman’s eyes to her full potential. But at what price?

My review: Lizzie Petrie has survived one big fallout in her relationship and now she's about to be tested again. Her wife Sarah surprises her with the announcement that she wants to have a baby. Lizzie's baby. If that doesn't shake up Lizzie's world enough, her haughty mother is diagnosed with cancer. With a baby in her future, she wants to make some peace with her estranged family. Yet will the effort destroy her further?

This is the sequel to A Woman Lost, a contemporary romance that amazed me with its fantastic characterization and dramatic plot. A Woman Ignored is just as well written and ups the intensity of the story. Lizzie's narrative is compelling, unusual, and quirky. She's a woman who sees things differently than others and brings forth questions others might not think about. You see a lot more of her heart in this book, and you can understand why Sarah loves her so. Their relationship may be bumpy at times, but it's drawn with the vivid colors of reality. It's quite sweet - and steamy! - at times. Sarah, Maddie, and Ethan are great complements, and I love the addition of Doug to their group. Just as fascinating was getting to see the dynamics of the Petrie family in the midst of a crisis.

I can't wait to read more from T.B. Markinson.

Buy the book here!