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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'.

Monday 26 October 2015

Haunted Open House Giveaway Blog Hop

I'm so happy to be part of this Blog Hop.  Who doesn't enjoy being a little bit frightened by ghostly tales of ghosts, vampires and things of the night?  A huge thanks to Nancy Gideon for organising this blog tour.

Leave a comment and follow this blog (if you're already following that's fine, just leave a comment) and I will draw one winner at the end of the 'hop' to win a $6 Amazon Gift Card(Or £5 if in the UK)


I thought I'd share with you some of the myths and legends of home homeland, Wales. Wales is a land legends and folklore, and has its fair share of ghosts.  Here are just a few tales of hauntings from various pars of the Principality.

 THE GHOST OF LLANDEGLA
 A small river runs close to the secluded village of Llandegla, and in this mountain stream under a huge stone lies a wicked Ghost. This is how he came to be there:

It  not is not known why Ffrith farm was troubled by a ghost, but when the servants were busily engaged in cheese making the Spirit would suddenly throw earth or sand into the milk, and thus spoil the curds. The dairy was also visited by the ghost, and there he played havoc with the milk and dishes. He sent the pans, one after the other, around the room, and dashed them to pieces. The terrible doings of the ghost was a topic of general conversation in those parts.
The farmer offered a reward of five pounds to anyone who would lay the Spirit. One Sunday afternoon,  an aged priest visited the farm yard, and in the presence of a crowd of spectators
exorcised the ghost, but without effect.

The farmer then sent for Griffiths, an Independent minister at Llanarmon, who enticed the ghost to
the barn. The ghost then changed its appearance to the form of a lion, but  could not touch Griffiths, because he stood in the centre of a circle, over which the lion could not pass. Griffiths tricked the ghost  into appearing in a less formidable shape, and it changed into a mastiff, but Griffiths demanded that it change to something smaller. At last, the ghost appeared as a fly, which was captured by Griffiths and secured in his tobacco box,  This box he buried under a large stone in the river, just below the bridge, near the Llandegla Mills, and there the Spirit is forced to remain until a certain tree, which grows by the bridge, reaches the height of the parapet. When this takes place, the Spirit shall have power to regain his liberty.  To prevent this tree from growing, the school children, even to this day, nip the upper branches to limit its upward growth.

THE GHOSTLY GIANT OF PONT-Y-GLYN

There is a picturesque glen between Corwen and Cerrig-y-Drudion, down which rushes a mountain stream, and over this stream is a bridge, called Pont-y-Glyn.  On the left hand side, a few yards from the bridge, on the Corwen side, is a yawning chasm, through which the river bounds.  Here people who have travelled by night affirm that they have seen ghosts—the ghosts of those who have been murdered in this secluded glen. A man who was a servant at Garth Meilio, said that one night, when he was returning home late from Corwen, he saw before him, seated on a heap of stones, a female dressed in Welsh costume.  He wished her good night, but she returned him no answer.  She, got up and grew to gigantic proportions as she continued down the road which she filled, so great were her increased dimensions. Other Spirits are said to have made their homes in the hills not far from Pont-y-Glyn.

THE GHOST OF TY FELIN
An exciseman, overtaken by night, went to a house called Ty Felin, (Yellow House) in the parish of Llanynys, and asked for lodgings.  Unfortunately the house was a very small one, containing only two bedrooms, and one of these was haunted; consequently no one dared sleep in it.  After a while, however, the stranger induced the master to allow him to sleep in this haunted room. He had not been there long before a ghost entered the room in the shape of a travelling Jew and walked around the
room.  The exciseman tried to catch him and gave chase, but he lost sight of the Jew in the yard.  He had scarcely entered the room, a second time, when he again saw the ghost.  He chased him once more and lost sight of him in the same place.  The third time he followed the ghost, he made a mark on the yard where the ghost vanished and went to rest, and was not disturbed again.

The next day, the exciseman got up early and went away, but, before long, he returned to Ty Felin accompanied by a policeman, whom he requested to dig in the place where his mark was.  This was done and underneath a superficial covering, a deep well was discovered, and in it a corpse.

Under interrogation, the tenant of the house, confessed that a travelling Jew, selling jewelry and such items, once lodged with him, and that he had murdered him and cast his body in the well.

BLACK DOGS AND ARTHUR'S SEAT
In Welsh mythology and folklore, Cŵn Annwn" hounds of Annwn") were the spectral hounds of Annwn, the otherworld of Welsh myth. They were associated with a form of the Wild Hunt, presided over by Gwynn ap Nudd. Christians came to dub these mythical creatures as "The Hounds of Hell" or "Dogs of Hell" and theorised they were therefore owned by Satan. However, the Annwn of medieval Welsh tradition is an otherworldly paradise and not a hell, or abode of dead souls.

They were associated with migrating geese, supposedly because their honking in the night is reminiscent of barking dogs

The Cŵn Annwn also came to be regarded as the escorts of souls on their journey to the Otherworld.
The hounds are sometimes accompanied by a fearsome hag called Mallt-y-Nos, "Matilda of the Night". An alternative name in Welsh folklore is Cŵn Mamau ("Hounds of the Mothers").

Hunting grounds for the Cŵn Annwn are said to include the mountain of  Cadair Idris, where it is believed "the howling of these huge dogs foretold death to anyone who heard them.The locals claim  that the mountain is haunted, and that anyone who spends the night on top of Cadair Idris will wake up either a madman or a poet. Different legends surround the mountain and one of the earliest claims that the giant Idris lived there. Three large stones rest at the foot of the mountain, and legend says that Idris got angry once and kicked them, sending them rolling down the mountainside.

Other Welsh legends state, however, that King  Arthur made his kingdom there, hence the name Cadair Idris: or the Seat of Idris.(Arthur)

Pwll-y-Wrach, the Witches Pool.
There is a pool hidden from the road among a copse on the top of Flint Mountain, in Flint North Wales. The pool is so small that travellers from Flint to Northop would not give it a second glance. But this was not always so. In days gone by Flint Mountain was a bare and desolate place and the pool was known as Pwll-y-Wrach, the Hag's Pool or the Witches Pool, the place where the ellyllon (as the Welsh call goblins) would congregate, and thus a place where humans would stay well clear of, especially after dark.

In 1852 John Roberts a farm labourer paid an unexpected visit to Pwll-y-Wrach. It was a cold winter's  morning and John was setting out to work when he found a youth blocking his path. With a harmless gesture he made to pass the youth but all of a sudden a force propelled him through the air. He landed face down above Pwll-y-Wrach, and the force held him there despite John's best efforts to free himself. He struggled for what seemed a lifetime, but in fact was just a few short minutes, until at the sound of a cock crow he was released. The ellyll, still disguised as a youth, stood astride him and warned. " When the cuckoo sings its first note on Flint Mountain I shall come again to fetch you". John got to his feet and stumbled back home, shaken but otherwise unhurt.

The following May, John Roberts died. He had been repairing a wall at Pen-y-glyn on Flint Mountain when it collapsed and crushed him. A lady who witnessed the accident said a cuckoo had come to land on a nearby tree just as it happened. And as the body of John Roberts was being returned to his home the cuckoo  followed, singing from tree to tree all the way to the front door.


  And  since I am looking forward to the release of 'Beloved Enemy', the third in the Destiny Trilogy, I thought I'd be indulgent and share an excerpt from my the first book in the trilogy,  'Starquest', which I think has a really 'spooky' feel to it, although it's SF romance rather than witches or vampires! My heroine is stranded on an uninhabited planet with her companion who has been badly wounded. She keeps guard during the night, watching over him and trying to tend to his wounds, but has a feeling they are not alone. 

Then tiny, dancing pinpoints of light appear... 


EXCERPT FROM STARQUEST  


After a while I decided it was just marsh gas, but as I watched I became aware that the 'flames' were orderly. They moved in groups of threes and fours, gliding in straight lines and then circling to retrace their steps in what seemed to be a methodical fashion, as no Will o' the Wisp ever did. I began to feel I was in the presence of something malevolent...evil. Then I heard the voices. Strange, unearthly voices, which had nothing to do with flesh and blood. 

"Take the male," they hissed, "while he yet lives. Before the life-force within him dies and is of no use to us." 

"Wait. The female is stronger," came another voice. "Stay until she sleeps. Then will be our chance, and we can take them both." 

 I reached for my blaster, by now fully charged, and fired a steady beam in the direction of the 'flames.' When I laid down the gun there was nothing, only the darkness. Had the voices been in my imagination, or was it a dream? But I knew I had not slept. Trying to recall the experience, as I record this, I realise they did not speak in words at all. Yet I had understood... I've always loved the night, the beauty of the darkened, star-filled skies. Here, however, on this forsaken and perilous planet, it is menacing, with the sense of something lurking, lying in wait.

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Tuesday 20 October 2015

Dragon Song - by Tara West - New Release Spotlight and Giveaway


Dragon Song
Dawn of the Dragon Queen

Book One
Tara West

Genre: historical fantasy romance

Publisher: Shifting Sands Publishing

Date of Publication: October 20, 2015

Number of pages: 250
Word Count: 65,000

Cover Artist: Renee Barratt at
The Cover Counts

Book Description:

Duncan MacQuoid, dragon-slayer, is no more. In his place is a tortured man seeking solace for his sins. One fateful night he finds a woman he believes will be his salvation. Little does he know, his love for her could be his final undoing.

Fiona Firesblood, dragon-shifter and noble queen, will stop at nothing to protect her child, even if it means she must sever the bond with her mate, Duncan MacQuoid, the one man she loves above all others, and the one man whose past could destroy them all.

Safina Firesblood, daughter of a cursed union between dragon and dragon-slayer, has grown into a young woman, a powerful dragon princess in her own right. When she’s given one chance at true love, will she risk the dragon queen’s wrath or resign herself to an eternity of sorrow?
EXCERPT
“Murderer!” She shoved him back with such force, he toppled from the bed in a tangle of furs

“Fiona, ’tis me, Duncan,” he cried as he struggled to stand.
What had come over her? One moment they were caressing beneath the warm furs, and the next she had sprung from his bed, screaming like a banshee.

“I know who you are, MacQuoid. Dragonslayer!” She ended on a shrill sob before covering her face with her hands.

Duncan stood, kicking the furs to the side and reaching for her. “I am a dragonslayer no more, Fiona.”

“Why did you make love to me? You should have killed me like you did the rest of my kind.” She rushed through the flap of his tiny hut into the cool morning air.

Swearing under his breath, Duncan wrapped a fur around his waist and chased after her.

Surely they had both gone mad.

The morning was exceptionally cold, and Fiona wore not a stitch of clothes. A chill wind from the north whipped the heavy branches overhead into a frenzy. Autumn leaves danced around Fiona’s feet as she wept, kneeling beside a fallen oak.

The sharp edge of her suffering pierced the cavity of Duncan’s chest. He still did not understand how her emotions had been tethered to his own, but he did feel her pain, so keen he thought his heart would break from it. “Fiona, you are mistaken. Come inside where ’tis warm,” he pleaded.

She looked up at him through tear-soaked eyes. “You killed my mother!” Her body shook with violent tremors. “You struck her with a spear, and she had never sought to harm mankind. Never!”

Duncan’s head spun and he felt weightless. Mouth agape, he stared at her, hoping his senses would return. And then the words from the she-dragon reverberated through his skull. I have never sought to harm mankind. Never!

“’Twas a dragon I speared, not a human.” But even as he said the words, he knew ’twas a lie. That dragon had been no dumb beast. She was something more.

“She was my mother!” Fiona wailed. “She was kind and good and all I had left in the world.”

“Fiona,” Duncan struggled for words, knowing nothing he could say would ever bring back her mother. “Forgive me.” Stepping forward, he reached out, needing to touch her and soothe her pain.

“Do not touch me! Do not ever touch me!”

What happened next Duncan would not have believed had he not seen the she-dragon transform into a beautiful woman each night in his dreams.
But those were dreams, and the dragon hovering above him now was no fantasy, though just a moment before she had been his beautiful lass.

Panting like a wounded animal, she singed his hair with her fiery breath.
Duncan did not cower. He did not fear. They had shared a connection when he loved her beneath the light of the full moon. She would not harm him now.
He looked up into her amber eyes, which were the same as last night, only larger, sadder.

’Twas then he knew neither of them would come away from this unscathed. For her heart was shattered, and he did not know how he could live without her forgiveness.

Available at Amazon
About the Author:

Tara West writes books about dragons, witches, and handsome heroes while eating chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate. She's willing to share her dragons, witches and heroes. Keep your hands off her chocolate.

Tara West's young adult and new adult romances have been Kindle bestsellers. A former high school English teacher, Tara is now a full-time writer and graphic artist. She enjoys spending time with her family, interacting with her fans, and fishing the Texas coast.




@TaraWestauthor


Giveaway

2 print copies

$25 Amazon GC 


Monday 19 October 2015

A Princess Is Always Right - Spotlight and Giveaway


BLURB:

Sophia may be the youngest Windsor, but she knows her mind. A Princess of York, she's committed to do her duty – prevent Jonas Byron from finding Nikola Tesla and decimating the time line.

Jax Ruston is a rugged metalsmith with curly hair and dimples to die for. A resident of 1855,
he's pledged to help Sophia find Jonas. Together, they journey across continental Europe in pursuit of Jonas.

Despite her duty, Sophia's attracted to handsome Jax. However, he's committed to living in
1855. Can Sophia keep her focus on her mission, or will desire interfere with her task? Only one

thing is certain: a princess is always right.

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

EXCERPT

She wrinkled her brow. What did she want? To go home and train horses and pray the press leave her alone? To support charities? Sure, the task was noble, but not...fulfilling. Would she be dispatched through Great Britain as a goodwill ambassador? Did she want to seek higher schooling like Richard had? Was there a balance to be found between her personal life and her royal obligations? Richard and Alice seemed to find that balance, but Sophia felt almost rudderless in this moment. Did she want to remain a princess or enjoy the anonymity that Edmund possessed?

She ran a hand over her hair. She'd never felt so directionless before. Why was that? Because
she wanted Jax in her life? They had discussed visiting each other using the time machine before Augustus' uncle passed away, but Sophia believed travel wouldn't be approved just for dating.

"You're a Windsor. Duty first. Love second. That's what I did and the nation benefited because of it." Liz's voice filled with pride.

"I had no idea it was such a thought provoking question." He kept his voice light in an effort to
put her at ease.

She placed her hands in her lap. "Surprisingly, it is."

"How so?"

"I have some very serious decisions to make regarding my future." She drew in a breath. "And
the direction I want to take it in."

He chuckled. "Remember -- a princess is always right."

She sighed, realizing she could only think of one major problem at a time and her future would
have to wait. "I have to be right when it comes to Jonas. I have to catch him."

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

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. She was born and raised in Manchester,

New Hampshire. After serving 11 years in the US Army she currently calls Castaic, California

her home. Stephanie was married in Denmark in 1991 and has two young sons. She adores

chocolate, is addicted to coffee and enjoys early morning walks. She's also an assistant den

leader for her son's Cub Scout den and is a Boy Scout mom. She writes paranormal,

contemporary, and steampunk romance and has two children's books published with 4RV

Publishing.

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:

http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:

http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:

http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

PINTEREST:

http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/


NB:  I am currently reading this book and will post a review as soon as I can
Apologies for not being able to post it now

BUY LINKS FOR A PRINCESS IS ALWAYS RIGHT:

PUBLISHERS'S WEBSITE:  http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/the-windsor-diaries-book-four-a-princess-is-always-right-epub/

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Always-Right-Windsor-Diaries-
ebook/dp/B01593SYZU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443912470&sr=8-


BARNES AND NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-princess-is-always-right-

stephanie-burkhart/1122644143?ean=2940150862906

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html



GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

 a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thursday 15 October 2015

Win an Arc of Soul Of Dust

Roane Publishing is giving away THREE ecopies of 
Soul of Dust!
Soul of Dust
By Adam Millard
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: December 7, 2015
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Keywords: Urban Fantasy, Sleuth, Paranormal, Investigator, Wizard, Demons, magic, Gritty

Jack Bridge is having a very bad day.
Life as a private investigator is tough, but it’s even worse when you’re a semi-immortal wizard private investigator whose tolerance for humans grows thinner by the day. Just when he thinks things can’t get worse, in she walks.

Kate West, beautiful and complex in equal measure, with a problem only Jack can solve. Daemons, magic, voodoo, and vamps; it’s all very real, and Jack Bridge is the last line of defense against the creatures of Elsewhere.


Sometimes being semi-immortal just isn’t enough.
~~~oOo~~~

Roane Publishing is giving away THREE ARC copies to three lucky winners!

You don’t even have to be a blogger.


If you are willing to leave an honest review before December 19th, you are eligible to enter.

How? Simply fill out the form!
You have until Midnight of October 17th when three winners will be chosen by random drawing.

Wednesday 14 October 2015

Cover Reveal and Giveaway for Saven Deception by Siobahn Davis

Today is the cover reveal for Saven: Deception (The Saven Series #1) by Siobhan Davis. This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours.

Saven DeceptionSaven: Deception (The Saven Series #1)
By Siobhan Davis
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: December 15, 2015

Blurb:
I’ve fallen hard for an alien.
But he’s harboring secrets.
Massive ones that threaten the very essence of humanity.
How can I give him my heart when his race plan on taking my future?


Sadie Owens has been slowly dying inside. Bit by bit, piece by piece, day by day. Trapped in a life she hates, she relies on only one person: Herself.

Despised by her family, and betrayed by an unscrupulous government, Sadie dreams of a different life. When she is chosen to participate in the government’s new social experiment, she is ecstatic at the prospect of spending six months in Thalassic City, the shiny new city under the sea.

Immediately drawn to Logan Chandler, Sadie is captivated by the beautiful boy with the ocean-blue eyes. Logan seems to embody everything that has been forbidden, but he isn’t all he appears to be.

When Sadie finally learns the truth about why the Saven walk among us, will it be too late to save her heart and the human race?


You can find Saven: Deception on Goodreads

You can pre-order Saven: Deception here:
- Amazon USA
- Amazon UK
- Amazon Canada
- Amazon Australia

Excerpt:
Please note that this book is currently undergoing professional editing so this is an unedited sample. The final published version will be slightly different.

The stench of stale sweat, unwashed skin, and rancid body odor assaults my nostrils and I gag. The temp in the carriage must be pushing ninety degrees and a steady line of sweat coasts down my spine, gluing my shirt to my back. A craving to crawl out of my skin hits me like a bullet to the chest.
 It’s not a new sentiment. It’s an urge I feel at least once every hour.
A potent desire to be anyone but myself.
 To live any life but this one.
Heat rolls off the large body pressed into me from behind and the man grunts loudly. The desire to shed my skin accelerates and I shudder uncontrollably. Everywhere I look I’m confronted by a sea of grimy, male chests in dirty, sweat encrusted work wear. Being short sucks almost all of the time, but being stuck in the middle of an overcrowded, bursting-at-the-seams subway carriage, during one of the hottest heatwaves New York has ever known, sucks butt on a stratospheric level, and has me cursing the genes that stalled my growth at five feet one.
 Claustrophobia swoops in, surrounding me in an anxiety-laced cloud, and I know I’ve reaching my tipping point.
I can’t bear this a second longer.
With my lungs screaming for air, I push my way forward, shuddering as I squeeze past more disgusting, heaving forms. I fling myself out onto the platform in the nick of time. The train eases out of the station as my legs make a break for freedom. Bounding up the stairs two at a time, I thrust my tiny frame forward, propelling my legs as fast as they can go. My entire being strains for release.


SiobhanAbout the Author:
Siobhan Davis is the author of YA science fiction romance series True Calling.
A self-diagnosed ‘teenager forever’—at least when it comes to books, music and movies; Siobhan is totally addicted to teen fiction and superhero/blockbuster movies. Siobhan loves baking, crime novels, shoes, bags, make-up, anti-wrinkle cream, anything pink, Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, and Robert Pattinson (definitely Team Edward).
Siobhan has forged a successful corporate career, in Human Resources, over the last twenty years.
Siobhan resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.
Contact Siobhan at: www.siobhandavis.com

You can find and contact Siobhan here:
- Website
- Blog
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google +
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Newsletter

Sample chapters, quotes, reviews and book excerpts are all available to download from the authors website

There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of Saven: Deception. You can win a 10$ Amazon Gift Card. For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
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