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FATAL FORTY-EIGHT by Kassandra Lamb

December 4, 2014 by Mia Fox Leave a Comment

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – FATAL FORTY-EIGHT
SERIES – The Kate Huntington Mysteries #7
AUTHOR – Kassandra Lamb
GENRE – Mystery/Thriller
PUBLICATION DATE – Nov. 12, 2014
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 272 pages
PUBLISHER – Misterio press LLC
COVER ARTIST – Melinda VanLone, Book Cover Corner

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Celebration turns to nightmare when psychotherapist Kate Huntington’s guest of honor disappears en route to her own retirement party. Kate’s former boss, Sally Ford, has been kidnapped by a serial killer who holds his victims exactly forty-eight hours before killing them.

With time ticking away, the police allow Kate and her P.I. husband to help with the investigation. The FBI agents involved in the case have mixed reactions to the “civilian consultants.” The senior agent welcomes Kate’s assistance as he fine-tunes his psychological profile. His voluptuous, young partner is more by the book. She locks horns out in the field with Kate’s husband, while back at headquarters, misunderstandings abound.

But they can ill afford these distractions. Sally’s time is about to expire.

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US – AMAZON KINDLE CA – AMAZON KINDLE UK –
BARNES & NOBLES NOOK – ITUNES – GOODREADS – KOBO – SCRIBD

EXCERPT

“Charles,” she said into the phone, “I’m sorry, but I have to–”
“No, baby, that’s not the issue. I don’t care about going out to dinner, but that wasn’t really where we were going tonight.”
“What do you mean?”
Charles blew out air on the other end of the line.
Dear lord, even his sighs are sexy!
“You’ve got to promise you won’t let on that I told you.”
“Told me what?”
“I was charged with getting you to your surprise retirement party tonight.”
It took a second for Sally to digest that. “So we’ve got to show up at the restaurant then.”
“Yeah, that was the tricky part, how to get you to where we’re really going,” Charles said. “The party’s at a former employee’s house. A lady named Kate…can’t remember her last name.”
“Huntington.”
“No that isn’t it.”
“Oh, right, Canfield. She’s remarried since she left the center.”
Sally glanced at her watch. Five o’clock. “Charles, I’ve gotta go. I have this client waiting. What time’s the party?”
“Seven was when I was supposed to get you there.”
“Why don’t you swing by and pick me up at quarter of. We’ll come back for my car later.”
“Okay,” Charles said, “but you’ve got to act surprised or Pauline is going to skin me alive.”
“Pauline? She’s been retired six years now!”
“You seem to inspire loyalty in even your former employees, baby.”
“Humph. See you at six forty-five.”
Sally hung up her desk phone and stood up. She tugged on the bottom of her tailored jacket. At least she was wearing something she would be comfortable in all evening. The pale peach suit was one of her favorite outfits, partly because it complemented her chocolate brown skin but mainly because it fit her so well, without any binding or pinching. Too often, in her opinion, women’s clothing was too much about the latest style and not enough about practicality and comfort.
She went out to the waiting area of the center, an apology on her lips for keeping this new client waiting.
But he never gave her a chance to verbalize it.
The short, inconsequential-looking man stood up quickly. “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Ms. Ford. I’m thrilled to make your acquaintance.”
Thrilled to make my acquaintance? What an odd choice of words.
Sally extended her hand. As the man shook it, he placed his other hand on her arm.
A sharp zing. Her arm reflexively jerked away.
The man jumped back a little. “Oh my, I’m sorry. Static electricity.” His embarrassed laughter sounded almost feminine. “It’s such a nuisance this time of year.”
“No problem, Mr. Johnson,” Sally said. “Come on in to my office.”
He followed her down the short hallway and through the door, closing it behind him.
Sally stumbled a little as she walked to the sitting area in the corner of the room, where she talked to clients. She was even more exhausted than she’d realized. Hopefully they would be able to beg off from the party after an hour or two. She gestured toward the loveseat and lowered herself into her own chair.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Ford, for keeping you here this evening. I see that your staff has all gone home.”
Sally shook her head, then wished she hadn’t when the room spun for a brief moment. “I was planning to work late anyway.” After she’d heard the poor man’s story over the phone earlier, and his comments that had hinted of severe depression and suicidal ideation, she wasn’t about to make him wait until Monday.
She just hoped she could stay alert enough to be helpful. Fatigue was making her limbs heavy, and she realized her mind was wandering. Mr. Johnson was talking and she had no idea what he had just said. She shook her head again. Her vision blurred but her mind cleared enough for his words to partially register.
“What time is Mr. Tolliver picking you up, Ms. Ford?”
Sally tried to push herself up straighter in her chair. She wondered vaguely how this man knew about Charles. “What did you say?” Her voice sounded slurred, as if she’d been drinking.
“I need to know exactly when Mr. Tolliver was supposed to pick you up, Ms. Ford,” Johnson said more firmly.
Was supposed to, not is picking me up!
Panic shot through her system. Her brain told her body to jump up and run, but her limbs didn’t respond. They felt like they were made of lead.
“Why…” Sally’s head fell back against the chair, her neck no longer able to support its weight.
“Because that is when the clock starts,” the man said.
But Sally didn’t hear him. She had already sunk into darkness.

CHARACTER BIOS

Kate Huntington-Canfield:
Born Kathleen O’Donnell, Kate has the Black-Irish coloring of dark curls and sky-blue eyes. At five-eight and with a decent figure–thanks to a good metabolism and tri-weekly aikido classes–she considers herself reasonably attractive. But occasionally another woman comes on to her hunky second husband, an uncomfortable reminder that she’s not quite in his league looks-wise.

Kate’s known for her voracious appetite, her inability to cook much of anything that’s edible, her warmth and intelligence, and an insatiable curiosity about what makes people tick. Her greatest passion, after her husband, is her work as a psychotherapist specializing in helping people recover from the traumatic events in their lives.

Trauma entered her own life a few years ago, when she was widowed at the hands of a killer with a murderous grudge against her and her close friend, lawyer Rob Franklin (Book 1 in the series).

Kate gets a second chance at love with private detective, Skip Canfield, but their respective professions sometimes bring murder and mayhem into their lives. Kate can’t help but worry that someday she will lose another husband to violence.

Reginald William “Skip” Canfield, III:
Skip Canfield is six-five and drop-dead gorgeous. Gold flecks dance in his hazel eyes and his straight, brown hair has an annoying habit of flopping down over his forehead. But he wasn’t always tall, broad-shouldered and buff. The short, scrawny teenager who was bullied because of his goofy nickname still lives inside of him.

One can hear a touch of his Texan origins in his speech now and again, even though he’s lived in Maryland a couple decades now. Sometimes he let’s that Texas drawl creep in on purpose, when he wants to charm the ladies.

He was a confirmed bachelor, until he reconnected with a former client during a case several years ago. That summer, he fell for Kate Huntington and fell hard. But she was still grieving for her murdered husband (Book 2).

Skip is nothing if not patient, and eventually his patience paid off (Book 3). His laid-back personality serves him well in his work as a bodyguard and private investigator. There’s only one thing that can cause him to lose his cool–a threat to his wife or kids.

He and Kate have built a good life together. He adores his sometimes intense, occasionally a tad jealous, but always delightful and delectable wife.

AUTHOR BIO

Writing and psychology have always vied for number one on Kassandra Lamb’s Greatest Passions list. In her youth, she had to make a decision between writing and paying the bills. Partial to electricity and food, she studied psychology. Now retired from a career as a psychotherapist and college professor, she spends most of her time in an alternate universe with her characters. The portal to this universe (aka her computer) is located in Florida where her husband and dog catch occasional glimpses of her. She and her husband also spend part of each summer in her native Maryland, where the Kate Huntington mysteries are set.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK – TWITTER –
PINTEREST – GOODREADS

GIVEAWAY PRIZES

$20 Amazon gift card; either a book charm or key chain (winner’s choice) and a signed paperback copy of any Kate Huntington Mystery book.

(Note if the winner is outside of the US/Canada, a comparable gift certificate may be substituted)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Fracture by D.D. Chant

December 2, 2014 by Mia Fox Leave a Comment

Fracture by D.D. Chant is a dystopian adventure and part of the Chronicles of Discord series.

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Fracture
SERIES – The Chronicles of Discord
AUTHOR – D.D. Chant GENRE – Dystopian Adventure
PUBLICATION DATE – 03/03/2013
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 97.620
PUBLISHER – Self Published
COVER ARTIST – D.D. Chant

BOOK BLURB / SYNOPSIS

In a world torn apart by war, three nations stand divided.

The Free Nation
Senator Burton and his son Ben arrive in the Tula strongholds for peace talks, but find that a treaty between the two nations has a price. Confronted by a world of sedate tranquility the two men are appalled to learn that the Tula Council rules with an iron rod of fear and repression. The Council removes anyone who dares to stand in the way of their reforms and Ben uncovers a secret that puts his life in danger.

The Tula
Astra has been pressured into working for the very Council that threatens to kill her loved ones. No stranger to loss, the precariously balanced world she has constructed begins to fracture when Ben starts asking difficult questions about her past. As her deepest secrets are uncovered, Astra finds there are secrets in her childhood that even she is unaware of.

The Una
Kai is Apprentice Headman to the Una people. Unaccountably called upon to sacrifice his honour in the name of peace, Kai’s hatred toward this injustice proves all consuming. If the time comes, will he be able to forgive the woman that betrayed him?

When these three worlds collide ugly truths come to light on every side. Is there any way to make peace, or will the world end in discord.

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US – AMAZON KINDLE CA – AMAZON KINDLE UK –
SMASHWORDS – SHELFARI

EXCERPT

“I thought you looked thirsty, Mr. Burton.”
Ben turned to find Councillor Sendel holding out a champagne flute toward him and accepted it with a light hearted smile.
“How has Astra been treating you?” asked Councillor Sendel conversationally.
“With the length of her arm between us,” grimaced Ben.
Councillor Sendel chuckled softly.
“I’m not surprised. I hear she took you to the library?”
Ben turned to find Sendel smiling softly at him over his glass. Ben felt a prickle of unease work its way over his skin.
How did Councillor Sendel know what he and Astra had done during the day?
Ben tried to shake off his discomfort. After all it had been no secret that he and Astra were to explore the city together.
“I guess she doesn’t like me much.” He watched Sendel take another sip of champagne. “By the way, congratulations: three terms is very impressive.”
Councillor Sendel appeared to have trouble swallowing and Ben suddenly felt his sharp gaze upon him.
“Thank you,” he bowed, “but compared to Corbani’s five terms it is nothing to boast of.”
Ben nodded.
“I hear he had no opposition for the last three terms.”
Councillor Sender’s smile had a chilling undertone.
“Yes, he was only opposed during his two opening terms.” He paused significantly. “He won the first election of course.”
Ben knew what was expected of him and turned to Councillor Sendel with the obvious question.
“What about the second?”
Councillor Sendel smiled again, pleased to see that Ben knew how the game was played.
“It was a great tragedy; Meron Va Dic Padis was the opposition that year but before the polls could take place he and his whole family died in a tragic accident.” Sendel’s eyes met Ben’s. “Of course, Corbani hasn’t been opposed since.”
Ben understood completely and had to suppress a shiver. He had guessed that Councillor Ladron was ruthless but having it confirmed made him feel sick.
“I dare say that Councillor Ladron fills his role so well that no one sees the need for change,” replied Ben evenly.
“Oh, Corbani is very good at keeping… things… in their proper place,” agreed Councillor Sendel. “A man would have to have friends in high places if he wished to oppose him.”
Ben met Sendel’s gaze unflinchingly.
“Like Senators and their sons for instance?”
He smiled.
“You think in such small terms, Mr. Burton: any highly placed friends would do.” He placed his hand on his heart and inclined his head but before he left he smiled again.
“I hope you enjoyed Jayn’s coffee, Mr. Burton.”
Ben clutched his champagne flute so tightly that the stem broke in his hand and several shards pierced his palm.
It seemed that Councillor Ladron was not the only one of the councillors with an agenda. Councillor Sendel appeared to covet Corbani Va Dic Ladron’s position and was hoping that the Free Nation would help him attain his ends.
Ben was fully aware that he had just been threatened. If there was one thing a Burton didn’t react well to it was threats and he’d been in the receiving end of too many tonight.
“You’re bleeding.”
“What?”
The newcomer held out a napkin toward Ben.
“Your hand, it’s bleeding.”
Ben made no move to take the napkin from her, so after a small pause she took his hand between her own and, removing the flute from his grasp, studied his palm carefully.
“I don’t think there is any glass in the wound,” she remarked, inspecting his hand closely before wrapping the napkin around his palm and tying the ends in a knot. “You should have it seen to, though.”
Ben watched her hands as they folded the bandage neatly.
“Thank you, Leda.”
For a moment she stilled and when Ben looked up it was to find her regarding him pensively.
“You have a good memory,” she remarked.
“Or maybe you’re just hard to forget,” replied Ben.
Leda raised an eyebrow, her expression unimpressed.
“Did you enjoy lunch with my sister?”
The question threw him, shaking him out of his calm and making his next words surprised.
“Astra is your sister?”
Ben frowned annoyed by the gauche betrayal of his feelings.
Leda nodded pushing the dark curls flirting with her jaw line behind her ear.
“Actually she’s my stepsister,” she responded in the same laconic voice.
Ben studied her face trying to decide how she felt about Astra. Leda had large eyes, amber but with light green flecks, fringed with long lashes and a sprinkling of freckles over her nose that gave her an almost childlike sweetness. Her dress was black and Ben thought that she was probably four or five inches taller than Astra.
But something about her was reminiscent of Astra. Ben couldn’t put his finger on what it was. Almost everything about her was the opposite of her sister: her bold manner, her physical appearance and athletic build.
“Why wouldn’t Astra introduce us at the restaurant?”
Leda shrugged.
“She was probably terrified that I would say something highly inappropriate… so she told me to get lost.”
“And would you have? Said something inappropriate I mean?”
“Judging by our conversation so far, I would say her worry was entirely justified,” she returned.
Ben was silent for a moment.
“She didn’t want me to know you were her sister?”
Leda raised her glass to him in a silent toast.
“Seems like you’re not as stupid as you look.”
Ben was taken aback by the remark, but there had been no malice in her voice, just the plain stating of fact. He decided to let it pass.
“Why wouldn’t she want me to know you were her sister?”
“Stepsister,” corrected Leda. “Guess.”
Ben looked at the young woman standing next to him in astonishment: what was she up to?
“Because you don’t get along?”
“My opinion of your intelligence just dropped twenty points.”
Ben chuckled.
“It’s not exactly a fair question.”
“That’s because you haven’t been listening, Mr. Burton.”
Ben frowned, and quickly reviewed their conversation.
“Because she’s your stepsister?” he asked slowly.
Leda nodded.
“Do you like mysteries, Mr. Burton?”
“Depends what I get for solving them,” returned Ben lightly.
“In this case it will be what you don’t get,” Leda’s tone was repressive.
The slight pause between them was interrupted by a new voice.
“Leda, your presence is required elsewhere.” Astra’s words were flat but dismissal was obvious in the shift of her eyes.
“Busted!” remarked Leda with a smile. “It was nice talking to you Mr. Burton, should you tire of my sister’s company feel free to call me.” She held out a slim black stick. “This is a contact strip: Astra will tell you how to use it.”
“Leda it is highly inappropriate for you to give Mr. Burton your number.”
Astra made to retrieve it from Ben’s slack grasp but he jerked his hand back out of her way.
“I’ve never given a pretty woman her number back before and I don’t intend to start now.” he laughed.
“Such behaviour is inappropriate Mr. Burton, I must ask you to return the contact strip now.”
“I don’t think I will!”
For a moment he thought Astra was going to fight him for possession of the contact strip right here in the middle of the ball room with the elite of the Tula nation looking on but in the end she just turned to her sister.
“Go back to your father, Leda.”
Leda nodded.
“Call me, Mr. Burton.”
She placed her hand over her heart and inclined her head before withdrawing.
“She seems like quite a handful,” Ben remarked.
“She shares your delight in rousing the hornet’s nest.”
“Really?” Ben smiled, turning to watch Leda thread her way slowly through the crowd of people. “I wonder how she feels about skeletons…”
Astra gifted him with a frosty glare and suggested that they both return to their table. Ben acquiesced with a chuckle, reflecting that the day might not have gone as he had planned, but the developments had nevertheless been interesting.
Just interesting enough to make him want more.

AUTHOR BIO

Hi everyone! My name is Dee Dee, I’m twenty seven and I live in a beautiful part of Devon, England with my family. I have a younger sister, Jingle, who is a brilliant guitar player, some chickens, duck, geese, pheasants, a cat (that adopted us when we moved in!!!) and some Koi. Fracture is the first book in the Chronicles of Discord series and is a dystopian adventure. I also write post-apocalyptic/dystopian fiction (the Broken City series) and historical romance/adventure (the Lady Quill Chronicles series). I also have a series of short contemporary humour stories (Claire series). I really hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them. I love reading and have a kindle: I read almost anything with adventure and romance in it! I also like to cook and wear impractical high heels!!! And as you might have noticed I have a horrible addiction to exclamation marks!!!

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

FACEBOOK – GOODREADS – TWITTER – BLOG – GOOGLE

GIVEAWAY PRIZES

1 eCopy of Broken City (Book #1) &
1 eCopy of Broken Truce (Book#2)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK #2 IN THE CHRONICLES OF DISCORD

SEVERANCE

The Head Families are at war, those who oppose Elder Headman Amajit view Astra’s acceptance into the house of Singh as an abomination, a pollution of the pure Una bloodlines.

Duty and honour ought to be clear, still Kai and Astra must learn to overcome their past and rely on each other, or face death.

Senator Burton remains trapped in the Tula strongholds with no word of his son. Should he compromise, or seize the chance to stop Ladron?

Ben seems safe under Amajit’s protection, but time is running out and a man once accustomed to influence, finds himself a pawn in a play for power.

The separation has begun…

Author D.D. Chant answered a few questions about her writing process and “Fracture.”

What inspired you to be a writer?

Writing just happened for me. I’ve always loved writing and reading and when I was 14 my aunt suggested I try to write a full length novel. It took me two years and the resulting manuscript wasn’t good enough to publish, but I learnt a lot and by then I’d caught the writing bug. My next story was Broken City.

What inspired the story of ‘Fracture’?

It started out as an idea: what if a child was bought up by her family’s enemies? What if she grew to love them and they her? When her family finally managed to reclaim her, which family would she be loyal to?

I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and so I started writing!

If you couldn’t be a writer, what job would you choose?

A musician. My sister and I are in a band called Gentian. So far we’ve had some success on the indie music scene and our songs have been played on radio stations all around the U.K. In January we’re going to London to record our first EP!

GOODREADS

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Movember is Over!

December 1, 2014 by Mia Fox Leave a Comment

Ladies…got a question for you? Can I see a show of hands for anyone who agrees we should give three cheers that Movember is Over!

I found a humorous blog article that claims, “You’ll want a mustache after seeing these manly romance novel posters.” I’ll let you all be the judge. But for me, I prefer the men in my romance novels to wake with just a bit of stubble in the morning, leading them to hit the shower and become the clean-shaven dashing man that is hidden beneath that hairy surface.

While I know that Movember was for a good cause, I was forced to endure a Thanksgiving dinner with a motley looking crew of men in various conditions of facial hair. There was my nephew who was sporting a mustache that barely graced his upper lip, but seemed to gain steam once it trickled down the sides of his mouth. Then, there was my brother-in-law with a beard that hung more around his throat then anywhere else. And my own husband, well…he outdid himself with a bit of a mustache/beard smorgasbord.

I’m glad that #Movember is gaining popularity and will hopefully be a step in the right direcction for finding cures to many of men’s health issues. But now that it’s December, I’m going to relish in the smooth look of my husband’s face.

For All in the Hope by K.E. Nowinsky

November 25, 2014 by Mia Fox Leave a Comment

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – For All in the Hope
SERIES – Going off Dreams
AUTHOR – K.E. Nowinsky
GENRE – Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction
PUBLICATION DATE – December 9th, 2014
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) –
PUBLISHER – Kindle Direct Publishing
COVER ARTIST – Going off Dreams Saga Productions

BOOK SYNOPSIS

For All in the Hope picks up right where Going off Dreams (book 1) leaves off. Nyx wakes up in the dark realm of Tartarus without her man next to her in bed. They had Xylo, the wicked Woodland Dryad prisoner until they discover that not only is she missing, Nyx’s man Tobar is missing too. Plus, another ally and friend, the Feung Phoenix Shifter and best friend of Tobar’s, Zhou is critically injured! There is a race against time to find out what happened and to rescue Tobar before those that want to destroy Nyx and her powers permanently turn Tobar.

In the Earthly realm, Eryn is still coping with the fact that she has to leave her family and everything she knows and loves. She struggles to keep the stress of the realms from shattering her realities. As mortal Eryn, she’s a daughter to loving parents, the bigger sister to her outgoing younger sister Lena, who is living with her, and she’s also trying to balance Ryan in her life. After Christmas, Lena’s ex fiancé makes another tragic appearance that will change their fates forever.

Back in Tartarus, Nyx comes head to head with the Darkness that wants to consume her powers. Just when you would think the battle is over, another sinister entity comes forward trying to claim her powers. Meanwhile she’s continuing to build her relationships with her friends and allies she’s made in Tartarus while also learning the capabilities of her powers that the Darkness wants to consume and wield for their dark purposes. Nyx discovers her qualities within the quests and becomes the deity that will bring light to the darkness.

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON – THUNDERCLAP – BARNES & NOBLES

BOOK 1 (Going Off Dreams) BUY LINKS

AMAZON – BARNES & NOBLES

EXCERPT

Gift of Escape

Opening my eyes the images surrounding me were blurry and unfocused. Not knowing where I was, made me feel sick within the pit of my stomach and threatening to escape. My heart was in competition, feeling as if it were going to burst through my chest along with my breathing; it was catching in my lungs like knives.

Surveying the scene, items started making some sense. When my eyes focused, I could make out the dark room with the help of the soft glow from the lights above me. I knew I had returned. I was back in Arden’s Hut, something didn’t feel right though, I was alone. Immediately I moved my hand to feel the sheets on the bed next to me, only feeling empty fabric and coldness where I expected warmth.

My feet met the cool wooden floor as I searched the small quarters along with the connecting bathroom. He wasn’t anywhere, no note, no sign of him ever being there. My heart plummeted in a swan dive directly to the pit of my stomach, this felt all too real and familiar. The emptiness and dread, as if the darkness would swallow me whole was threatening to entrap my consciousness. Commotion from the hallway broke the threatening fear.

Not being able to hear what was going on; I crept toward the huge thick door. Carefully, I maneuvered my toes on the floor, not to wake the creaky boards beneath me. When I heard a familiar voice say “Get Nyx, we’ll have to tell her.” The knock at the door was a little shocking, making my already erratic breathing nearly stop all together.

Drawing a deep breath in I cracked the door peaking out, my eyes focused on the dark silhouette, light that was being filtered from behind her somewhere. As my eyes adjusted more I could associate the name with the being; Arden. She was one of the first entities I met here in this realm.

While it was dark and perilous there was a sense that there could be more, quite a weird sensation of both hesitation and promise. I knew there were threats possibly lurking in the shadows and yet I also had formed friendships and allies with some unique and wonderful beings here. While the threat was prominent I also felt secure and a sense of being home.

When I first met Arden I had seen her materialize on the edge of a mystical forest, which seemed like a lifetime ago. Her hair, black as the night that plagued Tartarus, and her eyes a mystic violet. She reminded me of a Native American goddess. She had the fighting skills of Qamait; goddess of war with the Nuxalk Nation. Her body looks sculpted like a well-trained assassin, fit with curves to draw any male prey. With her enchanted bow and her whip KiKi to aid in her quests, she was magnificent and wicked to witness in battle.

Arden was more of an older sister figure. Within minutes of meeting her I felt a sense of shared spiritual security within our devotion and dedication to those we hold near to us. Plainly put, I liked Arden. She was usually in better spirits though. Now her face was serious and worried which in turn worried me further and only added to my desperation.

Looking at her through the entrance to my bedroom chamber, the light flickered from the candles in the hallway flirting with her skin enhancing her natural beauty. She said, “Nyx, you’ll need to come with me.”

“What’s going on?” I asked her.

She didn’t answer as she walked up toward the main hall.

The main room in Arden’s Hut consisted of wooden walls that reminded me of the consistency and texture like beavers had whittled the wood. Complete opposite, the floors were smooth and reminded me of a clean chopped tree displaying its many rings of life. When you looked above you could see smoke escaping through a fashioned hide-stretched ceiling. In the middle of the room a roaring fire encompassed by rocks that protect the many pillows thrown about – to which Arden would resort to throwing at guests when the opportunity presented itself. Her hut was comforting and inviting; when you took a deep breath in you could detect all the wonders and smells of the forest, which to me were delightful. You could also tell that her home had been around for a long time. Arden is a direct descendent of the Arduinnian Clan, who are known as the Guardians of the Forest, direct descendent of Diana, goddess of the hunt.

Upon entering Arden’s main room, my stomach immediately wrenched into a horrid knot. Zhou was laying lifelessly on the floor. This made my insides crawl knowing how powerful a fighter he is. Immediately I started contemplating what could have caused this serious condition.

Arden must have been hurting even more so. She had developed a relationship with Zhou and this only increased my concern. Arden, the true warrior that she is, was being strong for everyone. A painful lump was pressing against my throat and my eyes were pleading to cry. If Arden was holding it together, so could I.

I always liked Zhou, and I was sad to see him like this. He was still wearing his electric dark blue pants, with an equally dark purple shirt, and with the red streak in his black hair made him look intriguing. I never understood his fashion statements. I respected him though, as a fighter, a friend, and ally. With Zhou’s New Age fashion sense, it made him seem like he wasn’t from this dimension. Tartarus was more of a realm set with foliage. His choices in wardrobe against Arden’s more naturalistic approach made them both look mismatched. Seeing them together usually made me smile but, not now—

Zhou was a Fenghuang, a shape shifting fire bird, more precisely a fiery phoenix. While he was very skilled in both his forms he is more powerful when he is in his phoenix form. He’s always eager for a fight. Zhou is like that big brother pulling you in to give you a noogie to remind you of the status quo. I’m afraid this time though, the fight won.

A healer Hikmat had his hands on Zhou’s forehead and chest, his eyes closed in concentration, meditating over Zhou’s lifeless body. I didn’t know Hikmat as well as some of the others in the room, I had met him only recently, and I knew he was a healer of sorts. He was a wizard when it pertained to plants, potions, and concoctions. He was a Tobar Segais like Tobar, meaning he possessed wisdom. His eyes stayed closed while his hands remained on Zhou.

Thinking of Tobar made my stomach dive even deeper. As if my stomach detached from the warm blood circulation within my body and plummeted toward the depths of despair— my mind reconnected with another concern that had me riddled right before seeing Zhou on the floor. Tobar, he was missing from our room and if Zhou was lying on the floor defeated… Tobar was an equal opponent.

Tobar was the one that introduced me into the realm. He was the one that my heart connected with and I felt drawn toward, like no other before him. A truly deep soul connection, without him next to me I felt as though a part of my being was missing. He had given me refuge from myself, I felt safe when I was with him. Without him, the danger lurking within the darkness here seemed more prominent and threatening.

With the thought of him not in sight intensified the sinking feeling that had pressed so deeply south. It began to rise more rapidly back up. I had to place my hand over my mouth to reel in my senses.

Arden kneeled down next to Zhou as closely as she could. She gently brushed her cheek against his in an intimate gesture. The room felt as if all the oxygen leaving vacuumed sealed the room, extinguishing the fire, and even the warm inside my body as I felt a sudden chill. Suffocating, I watched as she then placed her lips upon his with a soft wanting kiss. Arden’s eyes began to fill with emotion. I felt for her, as the tears sparkling against her skin escaped their confines and splashed against Zhou’s skin below. She placed her hands on his as she prayed silently.

Seeing her in such distress only made the situation feel more dire. I too bowed my head and closing my eyes.

Desperately I began to pray for Tobar’s safety and Zhou’s recovery. Please Lord, deliver Tobar back to us safely and lay your healing hands upon Zhou; as we so desperately need You now. I pray for those that have made their move against us. They’ll wish they had never been in existence once I finish with them…

My concentration broke off when Avlov and Enki joined us then. They both had bowls in their hands that contained some healing elements. Enki took Avlov’s and kneeled next to Hikmat on Zhou’s other side. Enki and I had only met recently as well. He was known as Lord of the Earth, meaning he had control over the elements and its constituents.

A Wieven, Avlov is also known as a Wise Woman. She has a vast knowledge of healing salves, rituals and how to use the elements for their benefit. She has fierce white eyes that match her white hair and almost a hipster outfit. I always liked Avlov because she wore converses.

The group that was working on Zhou, the healers, are much like those that wield magic. They can manipulate matter and they have a vast knowledge that helps them in their aiding processes. To watch them in action definitely feels like you were experiencing magic in a true form.

Touching my shoulder, Avolv broadcasted a message using her telepathy, “Nyx, I need to talk to you, please come with me over to the table.” Leading me over, she verbally asked “Have you seen Tobar?”

I was on the verge of tears, there was still so much that remained unanswered, and if Zhou was hurt—I could barely articulate “No, I woke up to an empty room, a cold bed and I couldn’t find him anywhere.” My chest flet like it was going to combust.

Arden had joined us and she put her hand around my shoulders to give me a half-hug “We’ll get these—”

But Avlov interrupted her and said, “I think we should get Nyx up to speed with what’s going on.”

Zhou began to stir making some noises and we all ran to his side. I felt so bad that he had to suffer so much. He opened his eyes and found Arden’s first, she took his hands in hers. Then he found mine and started to speak, weakly saying “I don’t… know… what… happened.”

Enki spoke up and said that Zhou had taken Xylo, the captured dryad we were interrogating, some refreshments for when she would wake up.

Zhou continued, “I opened her door… the next thing I knew I was… laying here.”

Hikmat told Zhou that he needed to rest. We gathered pillows as they propped him up, attempting to give him some comfort. Hikmat gave Zhou another potion, this time it was clear. What was it? How easily we were to trust. After he drank it, he smiled before his eyes closed and he was back asleep.

“So where’s Tobar?” I asked plainly.

Everyone looked alarmed. The sick feeling returned and now there was an alarming amount of pressure on my chest. I could sense something bad was coming. It was just around the corner, lingering there like a poisonous snake waiting to strike, taking me down with its dread and despair.

Avlov came to my side, she could be frightening to look at in the eye. Tobar mentioned before she was also known as the White Witch, I guess when you’ve been in existence as long as someone like Avlov has been, you can acquire a few nick names here and there.

She offered me some tea but I refused it, especially since I know how loopy her tea could make me feel. No doubt she added a little something extra to the liquid concoctions to help ease the soul in times of stress or high anxiety. Which would actually be great right about now but, I need my wit about me.

Arden came over to me and put her hands upon my shoulders again. Looking me directly in the eyes she said “We can’t find him.” My chest felt like it burst into flames. My body went limp, and I felt like I was falling. Everything went black.

AUTHOR BIO

K.E. lives in Maryland, which she refers to as “The Land of Mary”, with her faithful guard dog Bryan, her supportive parents, and their little brat-dog Sampson. She has deep-rooted morals and is very faithful in her beliefs. As a person born and raised in Maryland, she is a fan of the Baltimore Ravens and the Baltimore Orioles. When she isn’t writing, blogging, or spending time with those special characters in her head, she loves to watch her shows, to cuddle up with a good movie, or to spend time with her family and friends.

“After years and years of my mother telling me that I should us my talents and write, I finally listened!”

K.E. Nowinsky continues writing and plans to further the Going off Dreams realms as she dives deeper into the characters and will produce more content and books. The next scheduled work will be about one of her characters Arden and titled Arduinna: Guardians of the Forest, slotted for April 2015. She is also continuing Nyx’s quests in the next installment: How Otlen Prepares Eternity, expected to release late summer 2015.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK –
FACEBOOK PAGE – TWITTER – GOOGLE+ – PINTEREST –
GOING OFF DREAMS BLOG – GOODREADS

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Chocolate Love

November 24, 2014 by Mia Fox Leave a Comment

As a romance writer, I can imagine a scene in which the dashingly handsome man hand feeds his lady a bite of chocolate and then proceeds to kiss away any traces that may have marred her lower lip. Now, I’ve got even more reasons for my chocolate love.

Usually around 3 p.m. I find myself in need of a small pick-me-up. You know, that little bit of luxury that gives me the boost of energy I need so that I can go into mom-mode and become a snack making, homework helping, activity driving pixie extraordinaire. A bite of chocolate is the ticket.

It’s packed with healthy chemicals like flavonoids and theobromine, but remember to nibble on dark chocolate, which has more trans fats and less of the undesirable saturated fats.

Here’s what the doctors are saying chocolate can do for us:

Reduce the risk of heart attack
Decrease blood pressure and increase insulin sensitivity
May improve arterial blood flow
May help people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome

However, the health benefits of chocolate may disappear if you overindulge. It might mean that you are adding pounds along with flavonoids. Think of chocolate as your afternoon indulgence. A little break and a little bite go a long way. Try a two-ounce square of chocolate or about six chocolate kisses (Special Dark variety)…and don’t forget to reach for your favorite romance novel while having your bit of indulgence.

Angel Inspired Bottle

November 19, 2014 by Mia Fox Leave a Comment

I love perfume bottles. In fact, the inspiration behind “Released,” the first book in the Romani Realms series, came from a perfume bottle. Now, I’ve found this angel inspired bottle by Victoria’s Secret and I think I feel a story brewing.

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