The Phoenix Project

The Phoenix Project by D.M. Cain

 

The brand new edition of dystopian, psychological thriller The Phoenix Project by D.M. Cain will be re-released on December 11th. Originally published in May 2014, this new Booktrope edition has had a complete editing overhaul plus a stunning new cover design.

 

The book will be available to buy from a wide range of digital and paperback distributors, including Amazon:

US: www.amazon.com/D.M.-Cain/e/B00LTTX3PA/

UK: www.amazon.co.uk/D.M.-Cain/e/B00LTTX3PA/

 

Author: D.M. Cain

Title: The Phoenix Project

Genre: Psychological thriller/Dark thriller/Dystopian

Book Content: Occasional adult language, graphic violence, and mild sexual content.

Original Cover Design from the first edition: 

 

Synopsis:

 

How can you fight to the death, when you’ve given up on life?

 

A thought provoking and compelling dystopian world that will change the way you view justice…

 

A man fights for life—and redemption—in D. M. Cain’s riveting re-released novel, The Phoenix Project.

 

Britain has descended into chaos as violence and terrorist attacks seethe across this once-peaceful country. Outraged by the steady stream of lawlessness, citizens demand a harsher penal system, and the Phoenix Project is born.

 

In prisons across the country, inmates fight to the death in a weekly bloodbath while the nation cheers them on.

 

Raven Kennedy, a prisoner who has never forgiven himself for his unspeakable crime, struggles against his own guilt and self-loathing. But even as the real war wages on within himself, Raven is forced to battle some of the prison’s most ruthless killing machines. Can he survive long enough to unravel the anger and regret that shackle him—and one day find the forgiveness he seeks?

 

‘The Phoenix Project by D.M. Cain is a superbly written debut, soaked in tension and intrigue,’ Jack Croxall, author of the ‘Tethers’ trilogy.

 

An interesting fact about The Phoenix Project: The horrifying ‘dark room’ in The Phoenix Project (a pitch-black sensory deprivation cell) was inspired by D.M. Cain’s visit to the Terror Haza in Budapest—a museum dedicated to the fascistic and communistic regimes that operated from the building. In the cellar of the Terror Haza are the old cells used to imprison and torture inmates. D.M. crawled inside a very low cell and shut the door, casting herself into total darkness. It was terrifying and claustrophobic, and she only lasted five minutes in there!

D.M. Cain Biography

 

D.M. Cain is a dystopian and fantasy author working for US publisher Booktrope. She has released three novels: The Phoenix Project – a psychological thriller set in a dystopian future, Soren – a middle-grade fantasy, and A Chronicle of Chaos – the first in a dark fantasy series. She is currently working on the next novel in the series, ‘The Shield of Soren’, and a novella to accompany it.

 

D.M. Cain is also a member of the International Thriller Writers and is one of the creators and administrators of the online author group #Awethors. Her short story ‘The End’ was published in Awethology Dark – an anthology by the #Awethors.

 

Cain lives in Leicestershire, UK, with her husband and young son, and spends her time reading, writing and reviewing books, playing RPGs and listening to symphonic metal.

 

 

 

Links:

Website: www.dmcain84.com

Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/XevZH

Amazon: www.amazon.com/D.M.-Cain/e/B00LTTX3PA/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DMCainauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DMCain84

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7888430.D_M_Cain

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzt_E8st1pyfkoTiA4E5jNg

 

Example tweets – These can be copied and pasted straight into Twitter, or you can make changes and personalize them:

#Regret, #revenge and #fightstothedeath by @dmcain84 at http://amzn.to/1QrVODA #ThePhoenixProject

A thought-provoking exploration of #depression and #self-harm by @dmcain84: #Booktrope #Edge http://amzn.to/1QrVODA

Anger, regret and despair #ThePhoenixProject One man’s journey on the road towards #redemption #Booktrope #Edge http://amzn.to/1QrVODA

When you’ve lost everything, all that’s left is to #fight #ThePhoenixProject – on Amazon now! #Booktrope #Edge http://amzn.to/1QrVODA

How would you survive in a #fighttothedeath? Cover reveal for #ThePhoenixProject by @dmcain84 #Booktrope #Edge http://amzn.to/1QrVODA

The riveting and thought-provoking   #ThePhoenixProject by @DMCain84 is available now! #Booktrope #Edge http://amzn.to/1QrVODA

 

Sapient

Here’s an extract from Jerry Kaczmarowski’s new book Sapient:

Jerry Kaczmarowski released his latest thriller Sapient in April 2015. It is available for sale on Amazon in eBook and paperback.

 

Synopsis:

Abandoned by her husband after the birth of their child, Jane Dixon’s world is defined by her autistic son and the research she does to find a cure for his condition. She knows her work on animal intelligence may hold the key. She also knows that the research will take decades to complete. None of it will ultimately benefit her son.

All that changes when a lab rat named Einstein demonstrates that he can read and write. Just as her research yields results, the U.S. government discovers her program. The army wants to harness her research for its military potential.  The CDC wants to shut her down completely.  The implications of animal intelligence are too dangerous, particularly when the previously inert virus proves to be highly contagious.

She steals the virus to cure her son, but the government discovers the theft. She must now escape to Canada before the authorities can replace her son’s mental prison with a physical one.

Praise for Sapient:

“A timely, winning adventure that brings up serious questions about technology and medical research.” – Reviewed by Kirkus

“The plot is fast-paced, thought provoking, funny at times, and kept me reading to find out what would happen next. I think that the YA audience will love it.” – Reviewed by Dana Bjornstad

“Sapient by Jerry Kaczmarowski is an intense, action-packed, suspenseful and thrilling read! The storyline is definitely unique and pulls readers in right away… The book was fast-paced, flowed nicely and provided a thought provoking message. I believe Sapient will really make readers wonder just how far and to what lengths they would go to save someone they love.” – Reviewed by Charity Tober for Readers’ Favorite

“I loved this story and I especially liked its animal characters – Einstein the lab rat with the keen sense of humor and Bear, the one-eyed German Shepherd dog who seems to always be the butt of Einstein’s jokes. And the human characters aren’t half bad either.” – Reviewed by Cheryl Stout

“A timeless, engrossing and perfectly-paced techno thriller about the promise – and fear – of modern medical science.” – Reviewed by Best Thrillers

About Jerry Kaczmarowski:

Jerry Kaczmarowski lives in Seattle with his family. He writes techno-thrillers that explore the benefits and dangers of mankind’s scientific advancement. His first book, Moon Rising, was released in June 2014.  His second book, Sapient, was published in April 2015.

Jerry spent the first twenty years of his professional life in the consulting industry on the West Coast. His fascination with technology is matched only by his love of stories. His books intertwine action with a keen insight into how technology will shape our lives in the coming years.

To learn more, go to http://www.jerrykaczmarowski.com/   

Connect with Jerry on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

EXTRACT

A young research assistant poked his head through the laboratory door and said, “We’re heading out to grab some beers. Want to join us?”

Dr. Jane Dixon brushed aside a strand of dark hair that had fallen from her ponytail. She waved the offer off without turning to face him and gave a curt, “Too much work.” I need to get out of here at a decent time to see Robbie, or I’m going to need to find a new nanny.

“Come on, Dr. Dixon. One quick drink. It’s Friday.”

She sighed and faced him, removing her dark-rimmed glasses. “How about a rain check?” She gave the younger man her best smile, but Jane knew she sounded insincere.

“Sure, a rain check.” The research assistant gave a perfunctory nod and let the door swing shut. Jane wouldn’t receive another invitation anytime soon, which was fine with her.

She put her hands in the small of her back and stretched, yielding a satisfying pop. Not for the first time, she congratulated herself on the regularity of her yoga workouts. They were one of the few distractions she permitted herself. With forty in the not-too- distant future, it was one distraction she couldn’t afford to forgo. She pulled her stool closer to her computer and checked her maze for the final time. She chuckled to herself. After all her years of education, she was reduced to playing video games with rodents. Using a virtual maze allowed her to create a level of complexity unrealistic with traditional animal intelligence testing.

Jane walked into an adjoining room with rows of cages where her subjects spent most of their day. She approached a cage adorned with a garish blue first-place ribbon. Her assistant had put it on the door as a joke. At first, it migrated back and forth as different rats outperformed others. For the past two months, it hadn’t moved.

She opened the cage and made a coaxing motion. “Come here, Einstein.” A fat, white rat dashed out the door onto her hand and scrambled up her right shoulder. His neon-blue eyes gave off an icy intelligence. The change in eye color was one of many side effects of her tests Jane still couldn’t explain. The rat whipped its tail into her hair for balance, hopping from paw to paw.

“Settle down, boy,” she said. She carried Einstein back into the lab with its virtual maze and extended her hand. He raced down her arm to the large trackball and made little jumps in anticipation of the race. As Jane clamped him gently into the metal rig that held him in place, he stopped jumping. Einstein differed from the

other rats—he never struggled when Jane locked him in place. The other rats fought against the harness, making it difficult to complete the test preparations.

A two-dimensional overview of a simple maze flashed on the screen. Without hesitating, Einstein rolled through the maze on his trackball, completing the challenge in seconds.

“Too easy,” Jane said. “You don’t even deserve a prize.” Despite this, she stroked the rat’s head and gave him a small piece of cheese. Einstein snapped it up in his front paws. As soon as he devoured it, he pulled against his harness and chattered at Jane.

“Relax, big fella.” She tapped on her keyboard to reconfigure the course before bending down to eye level with Einstein. “Now the real challenge begins.” He stared into her sea- green eyes. The small rodent had the intense focus of a fighter about to get in the ring.

A second maze flashed on the screen. There was a straightforward solution that was long and twisting. A second solution existed, but so far, none of the rats had figured it out. The second path had two tiny virtual teleportation pads. If the rats stepped onto one of the pads, they were transported to a corresponding location in a different part of the maze. For this test, the pads would save precious seconds.

“Go,” Jane shouted, starting the timer. Einstein didn’t budge. Instead, he looked back and forth between the obvious path and the first teleportation pad.

“Clock’s ticking,” Jane said to herself in frustration.

Einstein shrieked as he noticed the decreasing progress bar. A tentative paw step forward cleared the maze overview and put him in a six-inch-high virtual hallway. He waddled straight to the teleportation pad but stopped short. He turned his gaze to Jane as his whiskers moved back and forth, up and down. Jane stared back, willing him to make the right move.

The rat rolled forward on his trackball across the pad. The screen flashed, and he teleported to within a few steps of the exit. With a final glance at Jane, he spun through the gate with twenty seconds left on the clock.

Jane clapped her hands. “You did it.” She reached toward him. He clambered up her arm, slower now that he was out of the virtual world. She gave him a piece of cheese and returned him to the steel table.

“Impressive,” she said to the empty room. At times like this she wished someone could appreciate her triumphs. Her coworkers were at the bar. And Robbie? Robbie is Robbie. The warm smile of a mother flitted across her face as she thought about her son.

Einstein broke her reverie as he scratched and clawed at an iPad on the table. “It’s like having a second child,” Jane sighed to herself. She obliged Einstein’s pestering by starting an old episode of Sesame Street. The classic show was his favorite. Most other children’s programming bored him. His second-favorite genre was as far from the Children’s Television Workshop gang as you could get. One of Jane’s more unsavory assistants had decided to play Rated R comedies on the screen in the evening when the animals were alone in their cages. The crass movies entertained Einstein for hours despite the fact he couldn’t understand any of them.

Jane’s mobile phone vibrated. A message from her nanny read, “WHERE R U!!!” She glanced at the time in the lower right of her screen and gave a sharp intake of breath. I did it again, she chided herself.

“Leaving now. Sorry.” She almost typed a sad face emoticon but caught herself. It wouldn’t be well received. She pushed Send and dropped the phone on the lab table. She pounded the results of today’s tests into her computer, not bothering to correct spelling errors as she raced to enter her observations while they were still fresh.

The phone buzzed again. Jane gritted her teeth at the unnecessary back-and-forth. These nastygrams would only delay her departure. She reached for the phone in frustration, but Einstein was perched over it, staring at the screen. She nudged the little rodent back and set her jaw as she read the text.

The screen read, “Who is Einstein?” As she struggled to make sense of the nanny’s text, her eyes scanned back to the previous outbound message. She juggled her phone, almost dropping it on the floor.

The screen read, “I am Einstein.”

Download Now

Ari – Release Day

Title:  Ari

Author: Cheryl Headford

Genre: LGBT, romance, transgender, intersex, M/M, F/F

Length: Novel

Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

After having known each other online for some time, writers, Benji and Ari meet at a convention.

Their attraction is both immediate and mutual.

But all is not straightforward—Ari is intersex and Benji transgender.

Together they embark on a journey.

A journey that unites families, and heals old wounds.

But not everyone is happy with the blossoming love between these two unique and special individuals.

Will an act of aggression crush the flower before it can bloom?

Book trailer

Buy Links

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/?p=1298

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YUT48QE/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00YUT48QE/

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00YUT48QE/

Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00YUT48QE/

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ari-1820879-341.html

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ari-cheryl-headford/1122098431?ean=9781925222487

Excerpt

MY EYES slammed open to a world gone mad. Bella barked as an enormous flash of light was followed immediately by a god-awful bang and rumble that shook the house on its foundations. Before I quite got my bearings, another brilliant flash of lightning blinded me and thunder cracked and rolled down the valley. I yelled at Bella for howling, cursed her for waking me—then I checked the clock.

“Jesus. Marc, it’s ten past five. We slept in. We have to get up. Now.”

“Benji?” Marc’s sleepy voice was sharp with alarm. He cried out with terror when another flash of lightning was followed by a deep boom and the lights flickered.

“Benji?”

“It’s okay. I’m here. It’s just a thunderstorm. We need to get going. We slept late.”

Marc jumped up and scampered around the bed to hug me tight. The dog was still whining and yipping, clearly unhappy, and the rain absolutely hammered.

“Typical,” I grumbled as I pried my little brother off me and headed for the bathroom. Marc followed, so close he tripped me.

“Whoa. You can’t go in the bathroom with me.”

“But I’m scared.” He underlined his words with a yelp when another round of thunder and lightning rolled over us.

“You can’t come in the shower, so don’t be silly. I’ll leave the door open, okay? You can sit on the stairs, or in your room.”

Marc was unhappy, but I managed to take a quick shower. As soon as he was able he came in, sat on the closed toilet, and watched me do my hair.

“You have very pretty hair.”

“What’s brought this on? You’re usually criticizing.”

“You shouldn’t complain. You should take compliments where you can get them, at your age.”

“Cheeky bugger. I’m not old.”

“You are, compared to me.”

“Only by seven years. I’m still a teenager.”

“Only for four weeks.”

“Then I’ll have to make the most of it while I can.”

About the author

CHERYL HEADFORD was born into a poor mining family in the South Wales Valleys. Until she was 16, the toilet was at the bottom of the garden and the bath hung on the wall. Her refrigerator was a stone slab in the pantry and there was a black lead fireplace in the kitchen. They look lovely in a museum but aren’t so much fun to clean.

Cheryl has always been a storyteller. As a child, she’d make up stories for her nieces, nephews and cousin and they’d explore the imaginary worlds she created, in play.

Later in life, Cheryl became the storyteller for a re-enactment group who traveled widely, giving a taste of life in the Iron Age. As well as having an opportunity to run around hitting people with a sword, she had an opportunity to tell stories of all kinds, sometimes of her own making, to all kinds of people. The criticism was sometimes harsh, especially from the children, but the reward enormous.

It was here she began to appreciate the power of stories and the primal need to hear them. In ancient times, the wandering bard was the only source of news, and the storyteller the heart of the village, keeping the lore and the magic alive. Although much of the magic has been lost, the stories still provide a link to the part of us that still wants to believe that it’s still there, somewhere.

In present times, Cheryl lives in a terraced house in the valleys with her son and her two cats. Her daughter has deserted her for the big city, but they’re still close. The part of her that needs to earn money is a lawyer, but the deepest, and most important part of her is a storyteller and artist, and always will be.

Website: Nephylim-author.blogspot.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.headford

Twitter: @SevenPointStar

The Breaking of Bonds

Synopsis

A human sacrifice throws vampires of two worlds, trueborn and baseborn, into an escalating conflict. One side pushes for revenge, the other for freedom. The trueborns stubbornly hunt for Anthony and Louis, pushed by Hesrah’s desire to avenge her human best friend, Alexa. The baseborns are divided between rallying with those challenging the rule of Ankhsis and obeying the trueborns.

What emerges from the portal between Earth and Ankhsis in the middle of the turmoil rocking both worlds is more dead than alive. Neither human, nor baseborn, and certainly not trueborn. This new being will either damn them all or be their race’s most powerful weapon. Will they trust it not to destroy them, or will Ankhsis decide putting it down is the only solution?

In the end, who is guilty? Who will pay? Will anyone survive its wrath?

Book Trailer

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y4P5C5U

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00Y4P5C5U

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00Y4P5C5U

Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00Y4P5C5U

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-breaking-of-bonds-alina-popescu/1122051367?ean=2940151945226

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thebreakingofbonds-1814960-140.html

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/546554

Make sure you read book one of the series before enjoying book two!

The Edge of Hope – Bad Blood Trilogy, Book 1

Everyone she loved betrayed her. She felt lost and broken. Getting away from the pain and embracing a new path, Alexa decided to leave her old life behind and chase a long forgotten dream in Malta. There she met a gorgeous man, bearing the scent of fresh love. He led her to a new city to explore, Amsterdam. Is the tall, dark, and delicious man a dream come true or just a risky gamble?

Alexa chose hope and new beginnings over fear and warning signs only to be brutally dragged into a world she never really thought existed. Vampires, their feuds, and her future held tightly in their hands.

Trapped in a mysterious world, Alexa gives love chance after chance. Following her quest of self-discovery in a blood bound world, will she survive the journey?

Take advantage of the sale for The Edge of Hope – $0.99 everywhere

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JEBJXDQ

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JEBJXDQ

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00JEBJXDQ

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-edge-of-hope-alina-popescu/1119064391?ean=9781497436305

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theedgeofhope-1472664-143.html

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/424918

Excerpt

Seth

Her room felt so familiar, even in the twilight. He knew every detail, every piece of the shabby décor, her scent and her books and the careless mess that reigned it. Hesrah hadn’t changed a bit. As her steps brought her closer, he slipped out the window and up the old oak guarding it.

She walked in, looking worn out. He wasn’t surprised, not with the stress of the past week and the ruthless workout she had submitted herself to. She looked pale and worried and she reached out to the glass of water without even looking at it. She drank it all and lay down on the bed, probably thinking it would just be for a minute, a little rest before going to the portal. But she wouldn’t wake up till morning; the tasteless drops from Magnus would take care of that.

“Sleep, little sister! I’ll watch over the portal tonight,” he whispered, smiling down on her. Someone had to take care of her, and their mother was failing miserably. Hesrah did not know how to deal with her own emotions. When she was faced with pain or fear or worse, lack of control over a situation, she’d retreat into pushing her body over any reasonable limit and pretend things were fine.

She was doing it now, obsessing over shifts to watch the portals, her human friend and those who had betrayed her. He knew what hurt her most, apart from her friend’s fate being anyone’s guess, it was that Louis character having deceived her. She hardly ever made friends, and when she did, she put too much of her heart in it.

“I so miss you,” he said softly, the corners of his mouth dropping and twisting his smile into a frown.

Seth had just made it to the portal when it flared up. Nothing happened for several minutes, but it wouldn’t close down. He took a few steps back, thinking he might be what kept it active, but it was something else altogether. He kept waiting for a few more minutes and just when he thought nothing else would happen, a body got thrown out so viciously it landed fifty feet away.

About the author

Writer, traveler, and coffee addict, Alina Popescu has been in love with books all her life. She started writing when she was ten and even won awards in local competitions. She has always been drawn to sci-fi, fantasy, and the supernatural realm, which explains her deep love for vampires and is also to blame for this trilogy.

Social Links

Site & Blog: http://alina-popescu.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authoralinapopescu

Twitter: http://twitter.com/alina_popescu

Instagram: http://instagram.com/alinapopescuwriter

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/alina-popescu

Google+:  https://www.google.com/+AlinaPopescu

Amazon:  http://amazon.com/author/alinapopescu

Love Cubed

What is my writing process?

I’ve been asked to talk about my writing process. Writing is different for everyone, there isn’t just one process; at least, that’s what I like to tell myself. Mine is organic. I think of an idea and I run it around in my head a little. I need a beginning and a fair idea where the characters are going, and then I start typing at the computer.

Sometimes, things go smoothly. The characters jump onto the page and interact with each other. Sometimes, they want to go to places that I find uncomfortable, such as having sex, for example… and every once in a while they get obstinate or confused and refuse to talk to me. I hate those times.

When they happen I try to type out different stories, or I play games on-line, or read. The characters of the original story usually talk to me then, in the back of my head, sometimes for days. Eventually, they do talk to me, and I start typing again. In those times, the plan I originally had to the story goes right out the window. I get surprised when something happens that I originally intended to avoid altogether.

I re-read a lot. I try to find mistakes where I can. It’s hard to edit or proofread your own work. One tends to see what one wants to see, not always what is actually there. It does help though. If I re-read it and am not totally satisfied, all save the file, create another one and start again from a specific place. It usually becomes a new story. I then get to choose. Sort of like creating my own alternate dimensions.

The hard part for me is ending something. I am never satisfied with what I right, but eventually I have to let go. I’ve managed to find some very good friends who will tell me if I’m off track in a story.

Well, that is my process, such as it is. It’s not very logical sometimes. But it is my process.

Synopsis

Three very different young men meet at St-Frederick’s University.

Francis, haunted by his past and seeking a new life.

Andrew, the introverted football jock.

And Sebastian, the charismatic and confident hockey star.

Francis, wary and troubled, didn’t count on meeting anyone he could care for.

Andrew, closeted and lonely, didn’t think anything would matter more than his football career.

And Sebastian, content to float from conquest to conquest, never believed he’d meet someone who could hold his interest.

An encounter with a journalist causes consequences for all three.

Will they be able to take what they need from one another in order to cope?

Book Trailer

Buy Links

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W814OUQ/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00W814OUQ/

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00W814OUQ/

Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00W814OUQ/

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/love-cubed-by-eddy-lefey/

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-lovecubed-1795917-340.html

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-cubed-eddy-lefey/1121763485?ean=9781925222401

Excerpt

Suddenly, Francis felt someone sit down beside him. He heard a very sexy-husky voice state matter-of-factly, “So, dude, we’d all like to know what your story is, especially Heather over there. You might as well spill.”

Francis lifted his head to see two very athletic-looking blondes staring back at him. They both had annoyed looks on their faces. The young woman, whom Francis supposed was Heather, nodded and smiled at him. The extremely good-looking young man grinned and said, “Hey, kid, I’m Andrew. Your nosy neighbor is Sebastian. Don’t mind him. He’s just a busy-body.”

Francis frowned. Why did he always have to go through this? He made sure his speaking voice was in his lower register before replying, “I’m eighteen. I’m as much of a kid as you are—my name is Francis.”

He turned to Sebastian, was about to say something snarky, but was taken aback by how handsome Sebastian was. Then, Sebastian gave a cocky, self-absorbed smile and it changed everything. Francis knew that kind of smile—he knew the kind of personality that produced that kind of smile—and he was afraid of it.

Just before Francis could do anything that anyone could construe as being antisocial, the group was interrupted by rustling near the door. The floor’s leader, a fourth-year geology student named Harold, garnered people’s attention and started his welcoming speech, which consisted mostly of enumerating the house and floor rules—respect of property and respect of other floor-mates being chief among them. Oh, and cleaning up after oneself was rather enthusiastically emphasized.

The next announcement came as a surprise to everyone, especially to Francis. “Okay, now some of you have already come to me complaining about the fact a first-year on this floor was appointed to a single room. I am here to tell you that it’s true. The university has granted first-year Francis Hollingsworth the right to a single room because of special circumstances. Those special circumstances will not be discussed. I can say that it isn’t because of financial privilege. I am asking all of you to let Francis have his privacy. No one is to hound him for an answer, and yes, Sebastian, I mean you. Let the kid, I mean guy—let the guy be. If he wants to talk about it, he will let you know.”

Francis was mortified. No one had warned him, and he certainly didn’t expect to be singled out like that. He glanced at Heather and Andrew. They seemed intrigued but genuinely concerned and interested about him. Sebastian looked like a cat that had just found a mouse. Francis knew Sebastian was bound to be trouble for him in more ways than one. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to it. He hoped he wouldn’t have to endure him for too long. With his luck, Francis figured he and Sebastian would probably be teamed up in a get-to-know-you exercise; Francis shivered at the thought.

About the author

Eddie LeFey started reading m/m romance fanfiction a few years ago. At one point, during a crucial point in the soap opera storyline of his favorite gay couple, the story went on hiatus. He needed a fix and decided to write his own version of what he wished would happen. Friends wanted to read it, so he plucked up his courage. Pressing the submission button was nerve-wracking, but he did it. People liked it. He wrote a few more.

Up until that point Eddy had tried his hand at writing many times. The delete button was his friend, as was starting over, and over, and over, but he could no longer do that if he wanted people to read his works.

A few of his writing friends decided to create original stories, and feeling brave, Eddy did the same. The stories were shared among a select few. They encouraged him to submit one of them. Low and behold, it is now being published.

Eddy lives in Canada with his husband Ken and his cat Oscar Wild. He is busy writing many more stories.

Email: authoreddylefey@gmail.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Author_E_LeFey

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EddyLeFey

SUCCESS: THE BEATEN PATH

Check out the latest release from Curtis Florence and his book Success: The Beaten Path.

I have found that success leaves a trail of clues for us to follow if we so will. This book is a guide to those things that lead to success. I wrote this guide for myself as much as anyone else.

Download the book HERE

Find out more about Curtis here:

www.florencepublishing.wordpress.com

www.facebook.com/florencepublishing

Always Love You

New release time. Today it’s contemporary romance Always Love You from Shirleen Davies. Take a look.

Book Description:

“Romance, adventure, motorcycles, cowboys, suspense—everything you want in a contemporary western romance novel.”

Eric Sinclair loves his bachelor status. His work at MacLaren Enterprises leaves him with plenty of time to ride his horse as well as his Harley…and date beautiful women without a thought to commitment.

Amber Anderson is the new person at MacLaren Enterprises. Her passion for marketing landed her what she believes to be the perfect job—until she steps into her first meeting to find the man she left, but still loves, sitting at the management table—his disdain for her clear.

Eric won’t allow the past to taint his professional behavior, nor will he repeat his mistakes with Amber, even though love for her pulses through him as strong as ever.

As they strive to mold a working relationship, unexpected danger confronts those close to them, pitting the MacLarens and Sinclairs against an evil who stalks one member but threatens them all.

Eric can’t get the memories of their passionate past out of his mind, while Amber wrestles with feelings she thought long buried. Will they be able to put the past behind them to reclaim the love lost years before?

Read, Always Love You, book five in the MacLarens of Fire Mountain Contemporary Romance series.

Excerpt:

The trip to her apartment had been excruciating. Not so much because of where she sat, within arm’s reach of him. It had more to do with his acceptance he still loved Amber, wanted her back in his life and his bed—always. No other woman had been able to find a way into his heart the way she had, and there’d been many who’d tried.

He’d spent the drive trying to come up with the right words, something to make her understand he’d never stopped loving her. The fear she’d turn from him again began to fade as the need to find out if they could ever have a future took over. He’d seen the way she watched him when she thought he wasn’t looking. The regret he’d seen almost choked him.

It had taken all his willpower to unlock her door and step aside instead of taking her in his arms. Now he found his control falter as she stared up at him.

His chest squeezed as his breath caught. He reached for her hand, turning it over to press his mouth to her palm, never taking his gaze from hers. Her lips parted, her breathing quickened. The air around them pulsed as if they’d been enveloped in a magnetic force neither could escape.

“Amber…” He whispered her name a moment before lowering his head until his mouth came down on hers. The first touch seemed almost tentative before he wrapped his arms around her and tightened his hold. The kiss deepened, his mouth devouring hers, hot and moist.

He could feel her hands move up his arms to wrap around his neck, pulling him tight, melding her body to his. He groaned as her tongue traced his lips, sending a hot ache through him. Gathering her closer, he explored the recesses of her mouth until he pulled away on a ragged breath, letting his lips trace a path down her neck to the soft spot at the base. He sucked lightly before moving back up to reclaim her mouth.

Amber’s caution shattered at the first touch of his lips to hers. It had been so long and she wanted him so much. The feel of his mouth devouring hers sent waves of heat pulsing through her. She remembered how they used to be together and began to feel the same sense of urgency. Her hands moved under his jacket, splaying across his back.

“Ah, baby,” he groaned as fire roared through him. “God, I want you.”

 Bio

Shirleen Davies writes romance—historical, contemporary, and romantic suspense. She grew up in Southern California, attended Oregon State University, and has degrees from San Diego State University and the University of Maryland. During the day she provides consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses. But her real passion is writing emotionally charged stories of flawed people who find redemption through love and acceptance. She now lives with her husband in a beautiful town in northern Arizona.

Author links

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Ragnarok Blog Tour

Another new release check out this amazing book from Nicki J Markus. I’ve got a great extract for you as well as a chance to win the book too!

For Ragnarok will be completed….

Nothing marks Cassandra out—except her visions. She’s only ever seen small, insignificant things. That is until the strange frost arrives.

With her normal life turned upside down, Cassandra is plunged into an extraordinary and terrifying world of Norse gods and rampaging giants, ancient feuds and broken prophecies.

A handsome stranger offers aid. But can Cassandra really trust him? More importantly, can she trust her own judgment when his slightest touch sets her heart and her body aflame?

Extract

When the frost came, clinging murderously to every leaf and blade of grass, Cassandra was not surprised. Others viewed the carnage and bewailed the death of their summer gardens, muttering about climate change, but she knew better. For days now she had felt it coming. Her joints ached and she saw ice in her mind’s eye; glittering stalactites dripped into her field of vision, growing more persistent as the days passed. Ignoring the scoffing glances of her neighbours, she had carried the few potted plants she had not already killed off indoors where they would be protected from the coming chill.

Cassandra gazed out of the window at the frost-bitten world beyond her ground-floor flat. The summer sun had reached its peak, its rays warm even through the glass, yet strangely it was not enough. The frost gripped its victims still, refusing to budge, refusing to surrender. It stayed within her mind too, bringing a vague, pulsing chill to her bones. She crossed her arms and retreated to her reading chair, flopping down onto the cushions and hugging one tightly to her chest. It will pass, she told herself over and over.

For as long as she could remember she had had an uncanny ability to sense things before they happened. As a child, she would announce suddenly at dinner that it would rain in the morning, even though the weather report had just predicted a fine day. Or she would inform her frantic mother that the missing mobile phone was in the glove box and not in the house at all. It had freaked out her parents when she was small, but her grandmother had always winked at her and called it a gift, before launching into another of her famous tales of fairies and magic, gods and giants. Usually the message Cassandra received was fleeting—a flash of an image or a vague sensation in her mind, gone as quickly as it had arrived—but not this time. No, this time it lingered, icy tentacles wrapping around her, passing back and forth before her eyes. Tomorrow I’ll be fine again. Tomorrow when the frost clears.

 

Book trailer

http://youtu.be/DqqhcJac-Hc

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SW0TV46/

Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00SW0TV46/

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00SW0TV46/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ragnar-k-chronicles-nicki-j-markus/1121134764?ean=9780994234612

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-ragnarok-chronicles

Paperback Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Ragnarök-Chronicles-Nicki-J-Markus/dp/0994234600

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ragnarök-Chronicles-Nicki-J-Markus/dp/0994234600

The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Ragnarök-Chronicles-Nicki-Markus/9780994234605

Giveaway

Prizes: 3 x eCopy of The Ragnarok Chronicles and Swag signed by Nicki J. Markus

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct link to giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d3e3d66a18/

About the author

Nicki J Markus was born in England in 1982, but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia with her husband. She has loved both reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist. Nicki launched her writing career in 2011. She published works through Wicked Nights Publishing and Silver Publishing before both companies closed their doors. She is now self-publishing some of her works. Nicki also writes M/M fiction under the alternate pen name of Asta Idonea and has had several short stories published by Wayward Ink Publishing. Nicki works as a freelance editor and proofreader and in her spare time enjoys: music, theatre, cinema, photography, sketching, history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel.

Social media links

Blog: http://www.nickijmarkus.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NickiJMarkus

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickiJMarkus

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolamarkus

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4567057.Nicki_J_Markus

Walking on Custard

I have a new release coming up. Walking on Custard by Neil Hughes will be released on 31 March 2015 but you can pre-order it now here

Inner critic: I can’t believe you’re doing this…

Shh.

Inner critic: I mean, it’s bad enough you WROTE this damn book, now you’re TELLING everyone about it as well? You do realise how embarrassing this is going to be, right? You’re like a chimp driving a stolen car. You have no IDEA of the consequences. Just stop already!

My inner critic has some reservations about this article, it seems. But then he had a number of reservations about the book, too.

He reckoned that a comedy book about anxiety was a guaranteed disaster.

Inner critic: In fairness, that’s mostly because it was an idiot like YOU writing it. The idea is fine.

But I went ahead and wrote it anyway. Walking on Custard & the Meaning of Life explains how I learned to be less anxious, mostly by telling embarrassing personal stories… mixed with flights of outright fantasy, badly-drawn graphs and philosophical discussion of anxiety and happiness.

Inner critic: I’m in it too! I’m the best bit. Tell them about me!

Sigh. Yes, my inner critic is in it too. But don’t let that put you off. It’s still a fun read. And even a helpful one for those struggling with anxiety, or who want to get to know themselves better.

Or, I suppose, for those curious enough to want to know the Meaning of Life. But who would be interested in that…?

Inner critic: Really? THAT’S your attempt at a hook? Pretty obvious and lame, Neil. Lucky your book is better than that, or –

Aha! I knew you liked it really! And you just admitted it publicly!

Inner critic: Aw, nuts.

If your inner critic is as annoying as mine – or if you’re anxious, self-critical, unsure, in need of a laugh or confused – then check out Walking on Custard & the Meaning of Life: A Guide for Anxious Humans.

AN EXCERPT FROM Walking on Custard & the Meaning of Life (999 words!)

It was late 2010 and I was sitting at my desk at work. My life was broadly satisfying. I was settled into a new job, and my social life in a new city was budding. I was writing a book (I wrote one, it was rubbish), and had just done my first stand-up comedy gig, to mostly universal acclaim (of the people who’d been there, which was more than enough for me). And I was dating a girl I’d secretly liked for months. All was well.

Yet, on this day, suddenly, I felt awful. I had noticed a slight unease earlier, but now my head was spinning and my heart was pounding. I was terrified. I imagined the embarrassment of falling apart in front of my colleagues, and forced myself to sit still, hoping that no-one had noticed what was going on. Whatever it was.

I went to the little office kitchen and looked outside at some trees. Possibly somewhere in the back of my mind I thought this would help me connect with nature and make me feel better.

It didn’t.

In fact, the normality of everything outside contrasted with my spinning sense of falling apart, and I felt worse still.

I returned to my desk. At lunchtime I liked to watch a comedy show, a treat I usually looked forward to all morning. As the familiar sound of the theme tune started up in my headphones I put my fingers to my neck to feel my heartbeat thumping. What is that… like… 120 beats per minute? Am I dying?

I couldn’t concentrate. I closed the browser tab. I wasn’t even in the mood for laughter. Something was seriously, seriously wrong.

I left work early and went to the doctor convinced I must be ill. Something was wrong with my stomach, perhaps. In the back of my mind was an insistent thought that I was severely sick. I could not shake the thought.

This non-event began a lengthy anxious period. Every day I woke up feeling a heavy dread, my chest tight and my heart pounding. I couldn’t concentrate, only pretending to engage while my inner monologue desperately screamed about how awful everything was. I said no to social engagements in case I fell apart and embarrassed myself and everyone would know what a fraud I was.

I dreaded everything. Mostly, I dreaded continuing to feel like this. But I couldn’t see how it would stop, so I sought to explain how it started.

I was certain there must be a physical cause. I had stomach aches, headaches, bowel problems, racing heart, dizziness and shortness of breath. Surely these must point to the underlying cause. I simply had to find what was wrong and then all would be fixed. Or so I hoped.

I searched online. I diagnosed myself with every disease humans can catch, and probably some that they can’t. I saw multiple doctors, and signed up for blood tests, urine tests, fecal tests, scans, allergy tests, reaction tests and the bar exam.

(Well, maybe not the bar exam. But I would have, if I thought it might help.)

One day I even had a surprise endoscopy.

I should probably explain the endoscopy. It wasn’t exactly a surprise. Obviously I knew I was having an endoscopy. A certain amount of co-operation is required, after all.

The surprise was that, somehow, I hadn’t really considered what an endoscopy meant.

If you don’t know, it involves a scope going, er… in your end. Pleasingly, the word describes itself: End-o-scope-y.

I optimistically believed it would be a quick in-and-out procedure, so to speak. I’d nip to the hospital, there’d be a momentary discomfort, and I’d soon be on my way, finally armed with the answer to what’s wrong with me.

Five minutes, at most.

Two hours later, as I lay in a hospital bed, naked but for a backless gown (having reluctantly been forced to hand in my clothes, my mobile phone and my wallet), I wondered if perhaps I should have told my colleagues – or in fact, anyone at all – that I was going to the hospital for a procedure and that I might be late to work.

Several hours later, I uncomfortably boarded the bus home. I never made it to work that day. But I did have a story that greatly amused my housemates that evening.

Some days I’d feel better, some worse. But every day I feared that today would be the day I’d “lose control” or “lose my ability to cope”. I wasn’t sure what I was failing to cope with, exactly, but it was clearly something. I became terrified of driving, of getting trapped in traffic, or being on a train, or in a crowded place like a theatre. I was afraid that there was something deeply and irretrievably wrong with me.

And every day I searched for more possible causes, figuring that if I could just understand why then I’d finally be able to fix everything.

Maybe it’s subconscious trauma. Or delayed grief for the death of my father. Maybe it’s carbon monoxide poisoning. Or brain cancer. Or an allergy. Am I getting enough exercise? Or doing too much? It could be my environment. My life choices. Did I say brain cancer already?

Even – finally – accepting that there was nothing physically wrong with me didn’t help. Now I couldn’t understand how to fix myself mentally. My frightening online research indicated I had several anxiety disorders. At least.

I was afraid of the feelings. I was afraid they’d never stop.

This book is the story of how I came to understand and handle these feelings. Maybe you’re in a similar situation. If so, you have my sympathy. At the risk of getting uncomfortably poetical, this is a pilgrimage I’ve travelled myself, and I understand how arduous it is to pass.

But before we talk about exactly how, I’m afraid that there are things we must discuss regarding custard and physics…

 

Pre-order now here 

Unelmoija: Paradox

Another new release this month – time for an urban fantasy from Ella Boca. This book is out tomorrow but you can pre-order it today.

 

Amy and her friends uncover the cause of the disappearance of New Lyon, only to face their greatest challenge. Altering the past could mean the end of all humanity, while doing nothing could have dire consequences for those they love. Forced to risk everything and choose between the familiar and the unknown, even the Unelmoija may not be strong enough to evade the paradox.

Review

“Boca’s final installment in her Unelmoija series is her best book so far. Full of her unique blend of suspenseful action and all-too-human moments (especially enjoyable by this foodie), it wraps up the story in a perfect way that manages to both surprise the reader and offer us the expected closure.

Indeed, seemingly random events mentioned in the previous books find their explanation in this one in various little twists that provide readers with unexpectedly fulfilling ‘aha!’ moments. If you have followed Boca’s excellent series so far, be sure to read Paradox for the perfect conclusion to the series.”

Nicholas C. Rossis, author, Amazon best-selling epic fantasy series Pearseus

Pre-order or buy now from Amazon