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Welcome to my place in the blogosphere!
feel free to explore the Flight Deck and check out my books and website.
Then fasten your seatbelts, sip a glass of something sparkling and let's chat awhile!
I hope you'll stop by again for guest authors and spotlights from time to time.

Beloved Enemy joined Starquest and Children of the Mist to continue the Destiny Trilogy and I'm thrilled to announce was shortlisted for the R.N.A. RoNA Awards 2017, awarded 2nd Runner up in the RONE Awards 2017 and was the winner in the SF/Fantasy category of the 'Best Banter Contest'.

Wednesday 4 December 2013

The Cold Elf - Promotional Book Tour and Giveaway

John-Garrett-Banner  


About the Author

john-garrett-author-pic  I'm John Garrett, an author and artist who loves Comics, Art, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Web and Tech stuff -also I prefer food in sandwich form.   My main site is Hypertransitory.com, where I write about all kinds of stuff and show the latest art I've created. Head on over if you're interested in learning more about me. See you there!    




Author Links
Twitter: http://twitter.com/johngarrettx


Purchase Link (Kindle, iBooks and Nook versions available): http://thecoldelf.com



The Cold ElfTITLE: The Cold Elf
AUTHOR: John Garrett
GENRE: Fantasy

PRICE (Standard version): $0.99 - for one device (contains 5-piece art gallery)

PRICE (Premium Package): $2.99 - includes epub and mobi versions, 15 pieces of hi-res art plus the Artist's Diary pdf.

SYNOPSIS: A young, bitter Elf undertakes a solitary journey, in search of a weapon that could be the last hope of his people.    




Excerpts:


Jorr had never seen snow before. It wasn't the kind of weather that Elves traditionally preferred, and so they had little to do with snow.
Stepping shakily out of his boat, Jorr's foot sank deep into a mass of the damp substance. If the wetness of the sea couldn't get through his oiled leather boots, he knew this snow would fare no better. Still, the cold was unpleasant.

He stood and stretched, satisfied that he could do so after three long days on the sea. He looked out over the vastness of icy, dark gray water he had just crossed and frowned. It had taken so long, it was hard to believe that he had sailed across the narrowest part. Crossing that water again was not something to look forward to.

Then another thought - depending on what he found here, maybe he wouldn't have to?
In any event, he was here now. He still had a good distance to travel if the maps were correct.

Jorr grasped the side of the small boat that had been his home for the past three days and pulled it completely onto the shore.

The snow had stopped falling, yet there was plenty of it already on the ground here. The day was overcast, but was beginning to get darker, and the wind wasn't helping with cold or visibility. Waves of snow dust were washing over him. He pulled the hood of his cloak over his bald head. He had waited too late. The hood had collected snow inside of it, and now it fell down past the side of his face and down his neck.

What a vile substance!
He resigned himself to the sensation, then looked around some more. The snow-covered beach was stark white, contrasted with a row of dark, dead trees a short distance away.
A very lonely place.

Jorr dragged the boat through the snow up towards the trees. He was so tired, but he had to get to those trees and start a fire, or he might fall asleep and freeze to death.
If that happened, the hope of the Elven people would die with him.

Grasping the small pouch he carried reminded him of how painfully little food he had been able to bring. The Elves had little enough at all in these dark times, and Jorr had hidden away as much as he could before his trip. It was not mucht. He had hoped for a bountiful forest where he could hunt, but as the island had grown into view bit by bit he had realized the forest was dead.
Just as the Elders had said it would be.
They were right about this, but that didn't mean they were right about everything. In Jorr's opinion, the Elders were wrong about most everything, and were not relevant any longer. Only a little time left, and they would see that he was right. Although he was but fifty years of age, and considered a child, he felt he was the one seeing reality, while the Elders were content to meekly accept their fate.

Shivering, Jorr realized that he was standing around freezing instead of building his fire.
Leaving his boat by the forest edge, he made his way through the trees and found what he considered to be an acceptable spot to make a fire. There was a row of trees grown tightly enough together to block much of the wind and the snow, so beside them the ground was only lightly covered.

Jorr opened his pack and withdrew the Fire Element.
The dull red rock glowed warm in his hands. Powerful guilt came over him. Although snow was new to him, the Elven people were no strangers to cold. They lived in a land that was nearly all desert, and the nights were as mercilessly cold as the days were hot. It seemed every night you would wish for the same burning sun that you cursed during the day.

Fire Elements were precious. They represented the last vestiges of magic the Elves still possessed. Supposedly they were used as children's fireworks back in the Before-Times, but now the few they had left were critical to surviving the cold nights of the ShirraLand Expanse where the Elves resided.

All Elves were now taught to make a fire as soon as they could hold a stick, so Jorr knew he could make one from the wood in these dead trees if necessary, but he couldn't take the chance that there would be no forest here. He had to be sure he could survive his journey, so he had stolen one of the Fire Elements the night he left.

It would all be worth it. He did this not for himself, but for all the Elven people.




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Sunday 1 December 2013

Betting It All, Cate Masters - Book Tour


It's a real pleasure to welcome Cate Masters to the flight Deck today and to congratulate her on her latest release 'Betting It All'

Betting-it-All300x450
synopsis-divider
Can the daughter of a well-known prostitute start a new life where no one knows her family history? Norah Hawkins is sure going to try. When a letter arrives deeding her property in San Francisco, she packs her bags.
Irishman Gerard MacKenzie likes his life free and easy, but is tired of the snobbish East Coast folk. San Francisco has enough vice and folly to suit his needs. Meeting Norah gives him the opportunity to bartend in her saloon. Maybe he can convince her to let him play the piano. She’s a shrewd businesswoman, and negotiating with her makes his blood boil. Damn if she doesn’t make his blood boil in other ways, too.
The morning of April 18, 1906, a terrible earthquake buries their dreams beneath the city’s ruins. Can Norah and Mac rebuild their lives? Will rebuilding their dreams bond them forever, or tear them apart?
authorbio-dividerCateMasters2-24-LRCate Masters has made beautiful central Pennsylvania her home, but she’ll always be a Jersey girl at heart. When not spending time with her dear hubby, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her athttp://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.
Cate loves to hear from readers! Email her at:cate.masters@gmail.com
 Catch up to Cate
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 To receive extras exclusive to subscribers, sign up for Cate’s newsletter through her blog at http://catemasters.blogspot.com
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Monday 25 November 2013

Shadow of a Man - review and Guest PoH


Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Date of publication: October 11, 201
http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/borealis-xii-shadow-of-a-man-epub/
Number of pages: 60

Word Count: 19,000

Formats available: E-book


It's always a pleasure to welcome another SF romance author to my blog and today I'm thrilled to welcome Maria Hammerblad, who not only shares my love of Science Fiction but of animals as well.

Maria has this to say:

"The exotic is attractive

The familiar might be peaceful, comfortable, and secure, but let’s face it: the exotic is attractive. Anything different from what we’re used to tickles the imagination and invokes dreams. Whether they’re dreams about soaking up the sun on a distant beach, going down a glittering slope on skis, or traveling to a distant world, we all have them to some extent.

This sense of adventure brings mankind forward. It makes us explore and invent, and forces us to take risks and break new ground. I also believe that our sense of adventure drives science fiction.

Whether literature gives a glimpse of a different parallel reality, a dystopia where men are slaves to machines, or a brilliant future where sleek spaceships rush to the sky, we love it. Real life doesn’t have the same zing. I could write a story about my everyday life. I got up in the morning, walked the dogs, went to work, had coffee… Much too mundane to be interesting.

I think the same attraction to the exotic rules the mind when it comes to romance. In many cases, being a little bad or dangerous just adds to the thrill. Romance stories in books, TV-shows, and movies overflow with vampires, werewolves, and other almost human heroes.

The trick is to be human enough for the romance to seem feasible, while still being different enough to appeal to the sense of danger and other-ness. I'm personally not that into vampires and werewolves, but I love space and science fiction, both when I read and when I write. If we were ever to encounter an alien civilization I doubt they'd be anything like us, but in fiction, I love having an alien similar enough to have a possible relationship with a human, yet different enough to be sexy.


What do you think? Would you go for the safe and well-known, or plunge in to experience the extraordinary?"

Book Description:
PURCHASE ON AMAZON

There might be a place Theresa fears more than Borealis, but she can't think of one. The old and decrepit station houses all sorts of cruelty, and to make it better, this is where her husband Dominic was imprisoned, drugged, and tortured. He returned a mere shadow of his old self, scarred by abuse and Uudon withdrawal.

Borealis is the last place Theresa wants to go, and the only one she can't escape. Dominic's apparent madness does nothing to alleviate her fears. Her once sweet husband has turned into a womanizing monster, and will destroy anyone who gets in her way.


Geo, her faithful and all too handsome bodyguard, appears to be the only one on her side. He once helped rescue Dominic, and pays for the insurrection with a lifetime on the run. This might be a situation not even he can handle, and Theresa fears none of them will make it out alive.


About the Author :

Born in Sweden in the early 1970s, Maria showed a large interest for books at an early age. Even 
before she was able to read or write, she made her mom staple papers together into booklets she filled with drawings of suns and planets. She proudly declared them, "The Sun Book." They were all about the sun. She also claimed, to her mother's horror, that her being on Earth was a big mistake and that her alien family would come and bring her home at any moment. This never happened, but both the interest in space and the passion for bookmaking stayed with her.

As an adult Maria's creativity got an outlet through playing bass in a number of rock bands, and through writing technical manuals and making web pages for various companies and organizations. She did write drafts for a few novels, but the storytelling muse was mostly 
satisfied through role playing online on Myspace. It was here, while writing stories together with people from around the globe, she stumbled onto Mike. They started talking out of character, and she moved over to Florida to him late 2008. Today the two are married and live in the Tampa Bay area with three rescue dogs.

Besides writing and playing bass, Maria enjoys driving off-road, archery, and Tameshigiri.

Upcoming releases

Borealis XII, to be released by Desert Breeze Publishing November 2013

Fun Facts

Favorite color:             Blue
Favorite food:              Chicken with cashew nuts
Doesn't eat:                  Mammals
Favorite TV Show:       Star Trek TNG and Leverage
Favorite animal:           Border Collie
Quotes:                        "Full Speed Ahead" and "Caffeine is good for you"

Find Maria on the web
Website:                       http://www.hammarblad.com
Facebook:                    https://www.facebook.com/mariahammarblad
Blog:                            http://www.scifiromance.info
Twitter:                        @mariahammarblad
Goodreads:                  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4114780.Maria_Hammarblad


Publisher's website:      http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com



My Review

I have to say, that for me, this story was a real page turner and kept me guessing all the way through. Was Dominic really the monster he seemed to have become, and if so, how could Theresa still love him?  Was Geo really the faithful companion and protector he appeared, or was he just a bit too good to be true? 


I loved the three main characters and there are some very moving scenes in this Novella. We are presented with several twists and turns in the story before the thrilling climax, and the ending, although satisfying, had me wishing there were at least another chapter! Altogether a short, fast read, this thrilling story of loyalty, friendship, and love set against warring facations and espionage, will stay with me for a long time, and I can recommend it as an intriguing and moving read

                                                                                     






Friday 22 November 2013

Into The Fire Super Book Blast and Giveaway

I'm thrilled to welcome not one, but two fabulous authors to my blog and to be part of their 'Into The Fire' Super Book Blast!

INTO THE FIRE
by Lindsey Fairleigh and Lindsey Pogue

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

The Virus changed them, but that was only the beginning…
…death…mutation…insanity…corruption…terror…
…all that remains is hope.

In the wake of destruction left behind by the Virus, it took Dani and Zoe months to find each other. But their reunion was short-lived. Dani has been taken, and though little distance separates them, they might as well be worlds apart.

From the moment she hears Dani’s scream, Zoe’s only goal is to save her best friend. She and her companions scramble to come up with a rescue plan, but when a ghost from Jake’s past reappears, lines are blurred, decisions become harder, and secrets are revealed…and some secrets are best left buried. To keep heartache and fear from consuming her, Zoe must cling to her determination. She will see Dani again.

Dani awakens inside the final hold-out of civilization: the Colony. Remnants of the former world surround her—electricity, safety, social order—but all is not what it seems. As she faces her most manipulative adversary yet, she loses sight of who she is and who she can trust. Friends become enemies, enemies become allies, and allies will betray her.  Dani will have to decide what she’s willing to do and whose lives she’s willing to risk if she is to have any chance of breaking free.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

“Tell me! Who was I with?”

“Zoe…and Jason.”

“What?” I screeched and scurried away from him to huddle on the edge of the bed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Zoe was in Massachusetts and was probably dead, and Jason…Jason was…I didn’t know. Why would I have been with Jason? Nothing was making sense. Scrunching my eyes closed, I tried to remember, but the harder I tried, the more my head hurt. Panic churned within me, making me feel sick. My heart beat heavily, like my blood was too thick, and my lungs felt constricted.

“Dani,” Gabe said, and I felt the bed shift behind me. He scooted closer, joining me on the edge of the bed and draping his arm over my bare shoulders. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Only when I looked up at him did I realize tears were streaking down my cheeks. “I don’t want to think about them…about any of it,” I told him. “If they’re gone…I just want to forget. I just want to be here, with you.”

“Dani, I think we should…”

I tilted my face up, leaning in closer to the safety and comfort of his body. “What?”

“Probably not be…”

“What?” I asked, raising my hand to his face. I brushed my thumb over his chin, feeling the rough stubble covering it, and angled his face lower.

“In here, doing this.” He breathed in jerkily when my thumb brushed across his full lower lip. It was soft and dry and begging to be kissed.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I whispered, closing the distance between us.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Lindsey Fairleigh lives her life with one foot in a book—as long as that book transports her to a magical world or bends the rules of science. Her novels, from post-apocalyptic to time travel and historical fantasy, always offer up a hearty dose of unreality, along with plenty of adventure and romance. When she's not working on her next novel, Lindsey spends her time reading and trying out new recipes in the kitchen. She lives in the Napa Valley with her loving husband and confused cats.

Lindsey Pogue has always been a little creative. As a child she established a bug hospital on her elementary school soccer field, compiled books of collages as a teenager, and as an adult, expresses herself through writing. Her novels are inspired by her observations of the world around her--whether she's traveling, people watching, or hiking. When not plotting her next story line or dreaming up new, brooding characters, Lindsey's wrapped in blankets watching her favorite action flicks or going on road trips with her own leading man.

Links:

Website:  http://www.theendingseries.com/
Blog:  http://aftertheending-ae.blogspot.com/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TheEndingSeries
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AfterTheEnding
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/series/99139-the-ending

Buy links:
Amazon:
Into The Fire (The Ending, #2) - not available yet
After The Ending (The Ending, #1) - http://www.amazon.com/After-Ending-ebook/dp/B00BJDUBLU

Barnes & Noble:
Into The Fire (The Ending, #2) - not available yet
After The Ending (The Ending, #1) - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/after-the-ending-lindsey-fairleigh/1114702967

Smashwords:
Into The Fire (The Ending, #2) - not available yet
After The Ending (The Ending, #1) – not available yet

Kobo:
Into The Fire (The Ending, #2) - not available yet
After The Ending (The Ending, #1) – not available yet

The authors will be awarding a $15 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. 
Tour dates and links can be found HERE 


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Saturday 16 November 2013

Dangerous Attraction - Fantastic prizes, and a boxed set at an amazing price!


10 Award-winning, bestselling authors – 10 Hot Heroes – 10 Romantic Suspense Page Turners

99 CENTS THROUGH NOVEMBER 16th!
With nine full-size novels from bestselling romantic suspense authors and a brand new Christmas novella from New York Times bestselling author, Rebecca York, this boxed set can’t be missed. Sexy, steamy heroes to heat you up and twisting plots to keep you turning page after page well past midnight!Grab it at the introductory price of 99 cents. That’s 10 books for less than a buck!

From sweet to scorcher, these stories are a must read. Fall in love with our sexy cops, tough military heroes, and hot CEOs. Treat yourself to an amazing reading experience by top authors of romantic suspense collected in one boxed set at a price that can’t be beat.


Ignited by award-winning and national bestselling author, Kaylea Cross – Can sexy ex-SEAL Hunter Phillips keep Khalia safe from the terrorists who took her father’s life? (Scorcher)

Secret Guardian by international bestselling author, Jill Sanders – Will ex-special forces hero, Ethan, save Ann in time, only to lose himself to love? (Scorcher)

Deathscape by Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence recipient and Rita Award finalist, Dana Marton – Detective Jack Sullivan will do anything to put Ashley in prison for her crimes…even if he’s falling in love with her. (Sensual)

Legal Ease by award winning and national bestselling author Lori Ryan – Marrying Kelly solved the problems this steamy CEO faced at his company, but will he ever be able to forgive himself for the price she has to pay? (Scorcher)

The Killing Game by international bestselling author, Toni Anderson –Forced to choose between his country and his heart, British SAS Soldier, Ty Dempsey risks it all to save a wildlife biologist caught in the crosshairs of a ruthless killer. (Sensual)

Fallen SEAL Legacy by national bestselling author, Sharon Hamilton – Will Navy SEAL Cooper be able to survive the loss of the woman he loves, or will his self-sacrifice be enough to keep Libby safe? (Scorcher)

Three Days in Seattle by national bestselling author, Debra Burroughs – Trying to stay a step ahead of a lunatic set on revenge, Kate and Ryan are locked in a desperate race to find her missing sister and capture the madman before both women wind up dead. (Sweet)

See Me in Your Dreams by Patricia Rosemoor, Golden Heart Winner and two-time recipient of the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award – Her dreams allow her to see through his missing daughter's eyes, but he thinks she’s a con woman...until she dreams of something known only to him and the girl. (Sensual)

Catching the Bad Guy by national bestselling author, Marie Astor – Top-notch white collar crime investigators Janet Maple and Dennis Walker team up to solve what could be the biggest case of their careers, but will their attraction to each other get in the way? (Sensual)

Bonus Christmas Novella, Christmas Captive by Romantic Times Career Achievement Award Winner and Rita Finalist, Rebecca York – Her special sight let her glimpse the Christmases past of this international financier, but did he have a Christmas future?

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Dangerous Attraction Pre-Sale Links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/18Ya4Oc
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1ahU8nO
Smashword: http://bit.ly/1bOocy8
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1cmZDsi
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1gfq2J7



The authors are giving away multiple prizes! There are too many to list, lol. You can check them out and enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link to tour schedule: http://wp.me/p3SVfE-8W

Excerpt from SEE ME IN YOUR DREAMS by Patricia Rosemoor:
“Seamus McKenna came to her rescue at a desperate time." Keelin remembered the tale her grandmother had repeated both with sadness and joy many times through the years. "A child Gran tried to heal died. There was no helping it, for the parents waited too long and expected a miracle. The fever took the lad. But the family blamed Moira, came after her, determined to burn the witch in her enchanted cottage."

"But Seamus stopped them."
  
Keelin nodded. "A tinker by trade, he lived on the road in a caravan and made his way by fixing tools and such for people. He was repairing a drying rack in the herb shed when trouble arrived. He protected Moira with his own life and so won her heart. She, in turn, tamed a bit of the wildness in him, enough to convince him to settle down with her."
  
"Sounds like a fairy tale."
 
 "My family is from Éire, after all," Keelin said with a grin. How good it felt to smile. To feel days of tension drain from her, if only for a short while. "A land of many wondrous tales."
  
"You'll have to tell me more."
 
He made it sound as if she would be around for an indefinite period. As if he was suddenly enjoying her company. And despite the many heated words that had passed between them, despite the distrust that still lingered like a dark shadow in the background, she found the idea of spending some peaceful time with Tyler oddly appealing.
  
"Sometime, perhaps," she said softly. "But at the moment, I fear I am talked out."
  
Before she knew what he was about, Tyler cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her face to his. Though he held her gently, she could feel the imprint of each finger. Her breathing near stopped. His pale blue eyes seemed to take in every detail of her features. And the longer he took, the harder her heart thudded.


Excerpt from THE KILLING GAME by Toni Anderson:

“Dempsey?” She gave an audible swallow of relief, but she was still shaking with fear.
“I think you can call me, Ty, now you’ve slept with me twice.”
Her fingers sank into his shirt, searching for some sort of anchor in the dense sea of blackness. “Funny.”
“Thank you. How’re you feeling?”
“I haven’t bathed in days and I’m in danger of throwing up every time I remember where I am.” She laughed nervously. The silence grew and he felt her staring at him. “Every time I think about where we are—”
“So don’t think about it.” He smoothed hair off her brow.
She captured his fingers. “Then distract me.” That gave his small brain a jolt. “Tell me something about yourself that isn’t name, rank and number. Tell me why you joined the army.”
Lingering thoughts of sex and arousal evaporated.
Normally, he’d have lied. But he could feel her nervous breath against his neck, knew her panic was right on the periphery. And, for once, he didn’t want to lie. It was a big part of what made him who he was and he wanted her to know. To know him.

Excerpt from IGNITED by Kaylea Cross:
She was only a few yards from him when he reared up with the second rifle and let loose with another stream of bullets. She stopped and risked a glance past him, caught sight of three men bursting into view down the spiral of the staircase. Hunter had held his own so far, but he couldn’t hold off that much firepower alone.

In that moment a surge of cold, hard determination flooded her system. She brought her pistol up, finger on the trigger, prepared to shoot at anything coming up those stairs, but Hunter suddenly swept an arm out and knocked her flat. The air whooshed out of her as her chest hit the hard concrete and something hot and sharp tore into her back, just below her right shoulder blade. A split second later, Hunter’s weight crashed down on top of her. She went dead still beneath him, the repeated boom of gunfire echoing in her ears. She felt Hunter shift and heard the answering bark of his rifle, then he twitched and grunted, rolling away slightly.

Khalia snapped her head up in time to see two of the three gunmen appear at the bottom of the stairs. Hunter must have taken out the third. The remaining two were so close now she could see the whites of their eyes. She didn’t think, only reacted. If she was going to die, she was going to die fighting, not cowering in the corner begging for her life. Rage and adrenaline crashed through her in a toxic, dizzying tide. Everything slowed. Hunter was still struggling to turn over when she brought both arms up to grasp the pistol grip and pulled the trigger over and over.