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Authors/Writers, giveaway

Meet Nick Forrester, hero of Caper Magic

Please welcome Nick Forrester, from Caper Magic, a romantic novella, available in digital and print format [Hauntings in the Garden, Vol II] from the Wild Rose Press.

Where are you from, Nick? Syracuse, New York

perf5.000x8.000.inddTell us a bit about Caper Magic. Cape Brendan is a small tourist town at the eastern end of Lake Ontario where it empties into the Saint Lawrence River. Each October, the town puts on Caper Madness, a month-long celebration of all things Halloween. My uncle Hank has been the chief organizer for the last thirty years or so. I came up to help him out because he’s not getting any younger and his health is not the best. I needed to spend some time with him before he . . . you know. I ran into Nunie Doyle shortly after I arrived.

What did you think the first time you saw her, Nunie I mean? That her legs went on forever and that she ought to think about tying back her hair so it didn’t blow all over in a huge black cloud or hang like a curtain of velvet that melts against her curves in all the right—or wrong—places.

What was your second thought? I reminded myself that a few years back she’d stuck her nose into things that didn’t concern her. The ‘sticking’ business led directly to my partner’s suicide. Needless to say, my thoughts about Miz Doyle were not exactly friendly.

Did you feel it was love at first sight? As if.

What do you like most about her? Not that I like anything about her, in the least, but I’ll admit she is totally dedicated to whatever assignment she takes on—whether it’s advocating for victims of abuse, or helping Hank organize Caper Madness, or running a station on the underground railroad. Nunie is fearless. Plus, she bakes the best pies in the known universe and has a temper which is monumentally scary.

How would you describe her? Tall, thin, long black hair that begs for a man’s touch. She’s got an Irish accent which is normally easy to understand and rather musical. When she’s tense or upset, it thickens and she starts talking fast, it’s impossible to understand what she’s saying.

How would Nunie describe you? She’s called me a simpering git more times than I care to count. I think it’s a less than complimentary term. Truth is, I was acting like a complete hemorrhoid at the time so maybe I deserved it.

What made you choose law enforcement for a career? As a child my parents believed boundaries or limits of any type weren’t necessary. After they took off for better pickings, leaving my sister and I to fend for ourselves, my Uncle Hank and his wife rescued us from the streets where we were hiding from the authorities. Hank and Genny gave us the things every child deserves. As an adult, I found police work met my needs; I stayed with it for almost 30 years, then joined a big law firm in Syracuse to head their investigation unit. I’ve been with them for a couple years. It pays the bills and keeps me off the streets.

What is your biggest fear? Mucking up an investigation by taking the easier, softer way out only to have the client suffer because I screwed things up.

How do you relax? I like to listen to audio books. Any excuse to drive somewhere is always top of my list.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Mitch Rapp who is the lead character in a series of political thrillers written by the late Vince Flynn. Mitch is a real piece of work and doesn’t hesitate to speak what’s on his mind. He lost the on/off switch for tact and discretion a long time ago. I also like Robert B Parker’s Jesse Stone; Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers by John Sandford; and Elmore Leonard’s Raylan Givens and Boyd Crowder.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Do your job to the best of your ability; don’t hesitate to ask for help; think before you speak.

 

Here’s a bit more about Caper Magic:

P.I. Nick Forrester comes to Cape Brendan ostensibly to assist with Caper Madness, a month long celebration of everything Halloween. In reality he is tracking a woman on the run. Within days he is confronted by Annunciata Doyle, a vivid reminder of a pain-filled past.

After retreating to Cape Brendan in defeat and humiliation, Nunie Doyle’s only hope was to make the best of forced retirement. There, in this quaint tourist town on the shores of Lake Ontario, she has earned the love and respect of new friends and neighbors—and now puts her talent for helping women to use.

With the mutual goal of making Caper Madness the best ever, Nick and Nunie fight tooth and nail on the personal level, each discovering a new side to the other, sides that make them consider making drastic changes for the rest of their lives.

This attraction: complete madness—or sheer magic?

perf5.000x8.000.indd

BUY LINKS:

Wild Rose Press: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/3329-caper-magic.html

Amazon: wwwAmazon.com/Caper-Magic-Hauntings-Garden-Veronica=ebook/dp/B00O0FVUDC/ref=pd-rhf

Author Bio:

head shot            Legal nurse consultant, victim advocate, sexual assault nurse examiner Veronica Lynch–and her alter ego–Kat Henry Doran, has been there and done that–many times over. She often travels to the shores of Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence River to the historic Adirondack and Catskill Mountains for settings in her books which feature strong characters who stand for the less thans in this world. Over the years, she has been called many things, not all of them flattering. The name she treasures most is Nana to the four brightest lights in her life: Meredith and Ashlin, Owen and Kieran.

Veronica is giving away this adorable cosmetics bag with a scarecrow on the front to one commenter!IMG_20170911_120222594 2

 

 

 

For more information on Kat and Veronica, go to:

Email:                        WildWomenAuthors@yahoo.com

Blog:                        http://www.WildWomenAuthorsx2.blogspot.com

Amazon:            http://www.Amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Veronica+Lynch

Facebook:            http://www.Facebook.com/WildWomenAuthors

Pinterest:            http://www.Pinterest.com/KatHenryDoran

Twitter:            @VLynchAuthor and @KatHenryDoran1

Authors/Writers, giveaway

Welcome Pamela S. Thibodeaux

It’s my pleasure to welcome Inspirational author, Pamela Thibodeaux to Under a Paper Moon! Pamela has visited before and is a precious friend and colleague from Authors Helping Authors. Welcome her as she talks about her newly revised version of The Inheritance.

I adore this excerpt. Enjoy!

“I want to kiss you, Becca, here in the midst of Paradise.” His lips covered hers with devastating tenderness.

He let out a primitive grunt of satisfaction as he let go of her hands and pulled her closer. An answering purr escaped her as tiny pinpoints of pleasure bathed her senses with light and color. Never in her life had she felt so alive, so consumed with sensations.

Whether a moment or an eternity, she had no idea how long they stood there, his mouth in sweet possession of hers, but when the kiss was over, she realized she was pressed against his body. Her breathing came in sharp, almost painful rasps, and her fingers were clenched in his thick, sandy-colored hair. Appalled at her wanton response and the needy way in which she clung, Rebecca stumbled away with a startled cry of distress, and began to run.

 

Okay, I’m hooked and can’t wait to read this story! Here’s a little bit about Pamela and her book, The Inheritance.

Question:   What inspired this novel? How did it come about?

Answer: The Inheritance is one novel that began with a simple thought: They say life begins at forty, but for Rebecca Sinclair that’s far from the truth. Of course, as a nosy writer I had to find out why Rebecca felt that way.

Question: What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Answer: The hardest part of writing The Inheritance was making sure Rebecca’s feelings and emotions around her husband’s illegitimate child were authentic and stayed within her character – not what I would do or think.

Question: How did you come up with the concept and the setting?

Answer: Characters came first then setting for The Inheritance. My step-children live in Washington and I’ve visited Hammondsport, NY so the places depicted in the novel are drawn from my memories and impressions of both.

Question: What is the message you hope to get across in this story?

Answer: That, when it comes to love and forgiveness, we are called to be true imitators of Christ. I hope Rebecca’s handling of her deceased husband’s illegitimate child will encourage readers to open their hearts and minds and broaden their perspective on areas of pain, anger and unforgiveness in their own lives.

Question: What is your goal or mission as a writer?

Answer: A committed Christian, I firmly believe in God and His promises. God is very real to me. I believe that people today need and want to hear more of His truths wherever they can glean them and I do my best to encourage readers to develop a personal relationship with Him. The deepest desire of my heart is to glorify God and to get His message of faith, trust, and forgiveness to a hurting world. My hope is that all of my stories will touch the lives of everyone who reads them and – in some way – bring them a truer knowledge of God and urge them into a closer walk with Him.

 

Tagline: After her husband’s death she discovers a future she never expected and a family TheInheritance_w568n_300she never imagined.

Blurb: Widowed at age thirty-nine and suffering from empty nest syndrome, Rebecca Sinclair is overshadowed by grief and loneliness. Her husband has been deceased for a year, her oldest child has moved to New York in pursuit of an acting career and her youngest child is attending college in France. Having spent over half of her life as a wife and mother, she has no idea what God has in store for her now. Will an unexpected inheritance in the wine country of New York bring meaning and purpose to her life and give her the courage to love again?

 

US Postal worker Raymond Jacobey has been in love with the little widow since he first set eyes on her. A wanderer searching for the ever-illusive soul mate, Ray has never stayed in one place too long. Raised by self-centered, high-power executives, he’s longed for the idyllic life of residing in a cozy house in a small town with the love of his life. Will he gain the heart of the lovely widow or will he lose her to the wine country of New York?

 

 

Pamela S Thibodeaux publicity photo

Author bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

 

 

 

Pamela is giving away 5 copies of The Inheritance (the new addition).

Click on the Rafflecopter Giveaway Link to enter!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4752b1262/

 

The Inheritance (2nd edition – newly edited, revised, and updated!)

Purchase Link: http://amzn.to/1nXB8Z0

 

Here’s how to connect with Pamela…

Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com

Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2fzAdN7

Face Book: http://facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux

Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pamelasthibodea/

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1jUVcdU

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pamela-s-thibodeaux

 

Authors/Writers, Great Reads, Streetlights Down Memory Lane

Hugo’s and the Street Guy

 

One morning a couple of years ago, I was at Hugo’s Restaurant in West Hollywood having breakfast. I sat outside at a small table for two. A couple seated at the small bistro table next to me had recently left and the waitress hadn’t yet picked up their plates. To my IMG_2531astonishment, a very handsome young man, dressed in loose clothing, with wavy longish hair and a short beard walked by at a nice clip. He briefly stopped at their table and grabbed a napkin. Then without missing a beat, lifted a spoon, scrapped the last bit of food onto the napkin, then shoveled it into his mouth as he continued walking. He acted without the least hesitation. Without thought. As if he’d done this many times before. I sat stunned. Horrified at what had transpired, I watched him walk the length of the restaurant, then turn right before he disappeared.

When the homeless young man strode off, my heart cried out to stop him, to offer him a meal. But what 60-year-old woman runs after a thirty-year-old homeless guy? So, I did the normal, sane thing, simply sat there and watched him leave. I glanced around at those seated near me and not one of them seemed to have noticed him.

I’ve thought about that young man many times since then, replaying the scene over and over in my head. In my daydream, I call out to him. He stops and turns. I offer to buy him breakfast, and although surprised, he accepts. We sit at the bistro table on a beautiful California morning and I discover more about him over a hearty breakfast.

But, that’s not how it happened.

I thought about those who loved this young man, who worried about him. And mostly, I thought about his mother. As I pondered this man’s condition I played several scenarios in my head. Maybe he was a spy, undercover, and fleeing his most recent captors. Nearly starved. Why else would he eat off the plate of a stranger?

I knew someday I’d use him in a story and give him a reason to do what he did. Thus my undercover journalist hero was born. Then I gave my heroine the heart I’d wished I’d had that day. The heart that was in me, but afraid to act. I gave her the courage to actually go after the homeless man and the will to at least try and change his life.

The places she frequented would give most men pause. But, not her.

AMAZON      B&N     APPLE iBook

Authors/Writers

Escape to Africa Anthology ~ 6 stories by 6 Authors for ONLY 99 cents!!

Take a trip to fascinating, breathtaking, beautiful Africa, without ever leaving your home! These stories will send you on a journey filled with danger, love, and excitement. Travel from Casablanca to Morocco, across the plains of the Serengeti, to the ruins of Carthage, from the desert of Algeria, to the shores of Tripoli. Six international romance authors share spellbinding love stories told across time.

 I can’t wait to read these! Here’s a bit more information about each story.

EscapeToAfrica_cover_MED-FinalDangerous Liaison – Historical Romance by Denyse Bridger

In late 1942, Casablanca, liaisons can be deadly, especially those that involve intelligence the Germans are willing to kill for…

A Pirate’s Lady – Time Travel Romance – Lynn Crain

Amanda Hoskip, a Time Travel Bureau agent, is intent on discovering who is tampering with time. But when she’s captured, she must pretend to be the wife of fellow agent and rescuer, Trevor Haines, which seems impossible because he thinks she’s failed her mission.

Dying to Love You – Contemporary Romance with Paranormal Elements by Alicia Dean

To avoid purgatory, unloving and unlovable Autumn Baines is sent to the Serengeti where she must perform a selfless deed and find someone to fall in love with her. What she didn’t count on was falling in love herself, or that her selfless deed could save a life, but sentence Autumn to eternal damnation.

Treasured Times – Romantic Suspense – Gemma Juliana

Nerissa Noir is a woman with many secrets. Leon Rizzo intends to figure them out, without revealing his own. From the shops of the exotic souk in Tunis to the ancient ruins of Carthage and beyond, deadly mysteries must be solved before time unravels… can they trust each other?

The Ravine of the Wild Woman – Historical Romance by Marie Laval

Algeria, North Africa, 1865.

Lenora Sharp is Azerwal’s perfect woman. Brave, determined and unconventional, she is also related to the man who stole his name, his childhood and his identity – the very man and he has vowed to destroy, even if it takes him all the way to hell. Will love get in the way of revenge, or will Azerwal lose his soul before he loses his heart?

An Object of Desire – Romantic Suspense by Jenny Twist

Two students on holiday in Morocco discover that two sinister looking characters are following them. They meet an attractive man who offers to take them to their next destination. All seems well until one of the girls disappears.

Wow! These sounds fantastic! Pre-ordering my copy today!

Escape Teaser 1

Purchase here: Amazon

Find excerpts and more here: World Romance Authors

 

Authors/Writers, giveaway

12 Days Left to Enter Giveaway!

WANT TO WIN A KINDLE FIRE?

Image result for kindle fire

Several romance and mystery authors are participating in a Rafflecopter giveaway to offer everyone a chance to win a new Kindle Fire. The contest runs during the month of June and participants earn an entry for each newsletter signup completed. 12 Days left so don’t miss your chance to win! Just follow the link below.

Authors/Writers

Welcome Author Constance Bretes!

Please welcome Connie Bretes, author of Blue As Sapphires – Rated R

National Statistics. On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. … 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of [some form of] physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime.

Statistics – National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Blue As Sapphires was born from my love of sapphire digging, and gold panning in the beautiful Gem Mountains and Rock Creek River that runs through Philipsburg, Montana. Another issue that I’m passionate about is doing away with domestic abuse. I took the two subjects and combined them into a story that made Marissa determined to survive and overcome her ex-husband’s physical and emotional abuse, and the sheriff, Riley McCade, who is determined to love and protect her.

Blue As Sapphires Book Blurb:

51jrylvwwslEscaping from her abusive ex-husband, Marissa Simpson came back to her hometown to start over. She had no intention of getting involved with another man, or with the community she left behind all those years ago. That is, until Riley McCade showed up.

Riley was the Sheriff of Granite County and he commanded a work force of fifteen deputies. He loved his community and went out of his way to protect and serve. When he met up with Marissa, he was bound and determined to get to know her even though she said she wasn’t interested.

The more he got to know her, the more he learned of her past. Could he protect her and earn her love?

 

Buy Links: 

· https://www.amazon.com/Blue-as-Sapphires-Constance-Bretes-ebook/dp/B06WRTGRCB/
· http://beachwalkpress.com/blue-as-sapphires/
· http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blue-as-sapphires-constance-bretes/1125799265?ean=2940157442330

A Word About The Author

Connie began her career as a secretary in 1977 for the State of Michigan as a civil servant. She retired from the Michigan Department of Transportation after 38 years as the department’s forms analyst. She has an MBA in Business Administration – Leadership Studies, and a BA in Business Management.

She has six books published, with five more on the way.

Connie spends most of her time behind her computer, writing, editing and researching for her next story. When she’s not there, she can be found checking out ghost towns, sapphire mining, and gold panning with her best friend and husband, Jim. Her other hobbies consists of basket weaving, and jewelry making.

She is a member of RWA’s From The Heart Romance Writers, and Kiss of Death Romance Writers, and lives in Basin, Montana.

Snippet:

Marissa laid back and wrapped her arms around Riley’s neck. She brought her lips to within an inch of his. She stared into his eyes and noticed how tender they looked. She moved in a little more, and her lips met his. He moved his mouth over hers, devouring it. While the fireworks were going off in the sky, Marissa felt her own fireworks. His kiss sent a shock wave through her entire body. Riley guided Marissa so she was on her back and he was partially on her. His Stetson concealed their faces. They continued to kiss and touch, looking lovingly at each other, and then kiss again.

The fireworks lasted for fifteen minutes, and suddenly a flashlight shone on them and voices interrupted them. Three firefighters stood in front of them singing a line from Burning Love.

Riley and Marissa quickly broke apart.

“What the hell?” Riley said. A hint of irritation laced his voice. He abruptly stood up, grabbed Marissa’s hand, and pulled her up.

“We were told that there was sparks on the ground, and we were asked to put it out,” Mitch said, laughing.

“Just who the hell told you that?” Riley asked.

“Heidi,” John, second firefighter, said with an amused smile on his face.

Riley and Marissa shot Heidi a glance.

“We can see that the sparks have been put out so we’ll head back to the truck.” Mitch smiled even wider.

Dave and Cindy stood off to the side chuckling. Someone from the crowd that had gathered around them asked, “Hey, Sheriff, got a new girlfriend?” Ripples of laughter rang through the crowd.

Marissa continued to glare at Heidi. She couldn’t believe her friend would do something like that. As the party broke up, Marissa said to Heidi, “We will talk later.”

Stop by here, http://www.constancebretes.com/news–things.html for a chance to win a free copy of Blue As Sapphires.

You Can Find Connie Bretes on:
Website: http://www.constancebretes.com
Blog: http://www.constancebretes.com/connies-blog
Twitter: ConnieBretes https://twitter.com/ConnieBretes
Facebook: Connie Bretes
https://www.facebook.com/Connie-Bretes-385409614906182/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7737457.Constance_Bretes

Authors/Writers

Welcome Author Tena Stetler!

Please welcome, Best selling author, Tena Stetler with her release, A Demon’s Witch – a PG13 Paranormal Romance book.

Tena how did you  up with its premise….
A Demon’s Witch was my debut novel and has remained close to my heart. A Demon’s ademonswitch-w9470-750Witch hit the market and garnered best seller status. It earned The Romantic Reviews Readers Choice 2016 Nominee in the paranormal romance category. I love talking about this story.

The ideas begin to percolate as I sat in a beauty salon listening to the chatter from other customers. One woman swore she’d been approached by a vampire want-to-be.

This got me to thinking, which is scary in and of itself. What if the hairdresser was an alpha male, Demon Overlord of the Western Hemisphere that owned a multi-species salon in Washington DC? Enter a powerful witch, whose beauty caught the eye of the demon on a rainy day when she rushed into his salon. Now, unbeknownst to him, she is not any ordinary witch, but the little sister of the demon’s enforcer. Now you have a romance with unbelievable complications.

The story became a series, but the other planned books in the series took a strange turn when the majority of readers and reviewers clamored for the enforcer, Tristian’s story to be next in line. I’d never considered writing a book on the witch’s brother, the demon’s enforcer. But after mulling it over for several months and publishing three unrelated books,

I am excited to announce A Warlock’s Secrets (Tristian’s story) is awaiting cover art and will be published spring 2017. So please watch for it!

It’s always interesting to me where an author’s story idea comes from!

Now let’s find out more about A Demon’s Witch…..
Keeping a lid on all the paranormal beings inhabiting Washington D.C., is a daunting job. Bruce, a six hundred year old demon and the Territory Overlord of the Western Hemisphere, keeps his finger on the pulse of DC’s power players through the activities at his highly successful Wycked Hair Salon. His movie star good looks and body builder physique keeps his dance card full and the rumor mills running. Within these walls, his anonymity is safe, mostly.
Bruce’s world spins out of control when Angelique, a pint size, gorgeous witch, with an attitude breezes through the doors of his salon. She is the younger sister of Tristian, Bruce’s long time trusted enforcer, whose professional skills are second to none. Tristian is furious at the relationship between Bruce and Angelique, a dangerous situation, but something darker threatens them all. Will undeniable attraction between demon and witch tear their worlds apart?

Excerpt:
At two in the morning he awoke feeling her restlessness, listening he heard her soft sobs. He pulled on his black silk lounge pants and grabbed the robe from the foot of his bed. Padding silently in his bare feet down the hall, he paused at her bedroom door just as her anguished scream filled the room. He was at the side of her bed a second later. Gathering her onto his lap, he held her unyielding body to his until her flailing limbs quieted and her troubled violet eyes opened. Cognizant of where she was now and with whom, she flung her arms around his neck and clung tight as shivers racked her slight frame.

Megan came running from the other wing of the house where the staff lived during the week. “Is everything all right?” She peeked inside Angie’s bedroom door.

“Just a nightmare, nothing to worry about. She’s awake now.

“Oh no my Lord,” Megan said in a low frantic whisper.

“Don’t call me that,” he growled, his amber eyes tinged with orange glowed in the dark room.

“Sorry. There’s something dark and dangerous chasing that one.” She nodded in Angie’s direction. “It’s not of this world.”

He lowered his voice and spoke kindly. “Go back to bed, I’ve got this handled.” He paused for a beat exhaling slowly. “For now.”

Intriguing…. Purchase A Demon’s Witch at Amazon

tena7-300-1Author Bio: Best selling author, Tena Stetler, uses her over-active imagination to spin tales of paranormal romance/suspense and cozy mysteries. Her spicy romances spin the adventures of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. From demons to faeries and witches to vampires her intriguing characters take roads less traveled to draw you into exciting tales that engage the imagination and warm the heart. You can find out more about Tena by visiting the following locations….

Website: http://www.tenastetler.com
Blog: http://www.tenastetler.com/my-blog
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author
Twitter Page: http://www.twitter.com/TenaStetler
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14187532.Tena_Stetler
The Wild Rose Press: http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/1264_tena-stetler
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/tenastetler
Newsletter: Sign up on web page http://www.tenastetler.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tenastetler

For a chance to win an amazon $5.00 GC or a e-book of A Witch’s Journey please sign up for Tena’s newsletter at http://www.tenastetler.com and Like her facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author.

Authors/Writers

Welcome Author Casi McLean

BENEATH THE LAKE ~ A Time-Slip Romantic Suspense
by Casi McLean
USA Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/2jB4JXp
Worldwide Amazon Link: http://smarturl.it/BeneathTheLake

beneath-the-lakeCasi’s Inspiration For Beneath The Lake: (PG13)
I love to talk about my, Beneath The Lake, and the eerie lake lore that inspired my muse. A town that time forgot––the history and creepy stories attached to a rural area that sleeps beneath Atlanta’s famous man-made lake, Sidney Lanier, fascinated me. Homes, churches and businesses still linger beneath the surface. The moonshiners of the 1940’s added built-in suspense, and the birth of NASCAR. Looper Speedway, a half-mile dirt track where bootleggers competed with their souped-up cars, exposed its cement stands in a recent draught.
There’s a Lady of the Lake who haunts the ghost town too––the spine-chilling lore is the basis for book three in my Beneath The Lake series, Between The Shadows. Some say she lures victims to her watery grave. The truth is, swimmers get trapped among the deadfall of sheered-off trees and town remains. Even expert divers get tangled beneath the murky surface, hence the lake’s unnerving label: Lanier never gives up its dead. The inspiration swirled in my mind, begging for a story to be told. What a perfect setting for my romantic time-slip suspense series.

 
Why time-slip? Ever since my childhood imagination discovered Madeleine L’Engles, A Wrinkle In Time, the idea of time travel intrigued me. And Lake Lanier, a man-made lake with mesmerizing history, presented a plausible theory. What if the excavation explosions triggered a seismic shift? Given enough energy, could the blasts rip a portal into a different dimension or a crack in time? The possibilities were endless.

 
The birth of Lacey Montgomery evolved through my young adult love for Jude Deveraux’s A Knight In Shining Armor. The time-slip novel introduced her endearing Montgomery family. I hope my books honor her inspiration. My high school friend, Hilary Johnson, inspired the persona of my heroine, Lacey Montgomery. A lawyer, discouraged with defending criminals, yearned to help honest people in trouble. Some of Hillary’s finer qualities became part of Lacey––the dysfunctional relationships came from my own personal experiences. LOL. Once these elements entwined, Beneath The Lake blossomed with an energy and life of its own.

 
The sequel, Beyond The Mist, picks up where the first story ends incorporating two minor characters as the new hero and heroine. Beyond The Mist is complete, in editing, and will be published in a few months.

 
For a Free Gift, and a chance to win my entire short story collection, Destiny: Five Novelettes With a Twist, click here: https://spark.adobe.com/page/pxekfzj8Rx4el/

Trailer, blurb, and the opening excerpt follow:

Blurb:
A ghost town submerged beneath Atlanta’s famous man-made Lake Lanier reportedly lures victims to a watery grave. But when Lacey Montgomery’s car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of the icy water, she awakens in the arms of a stranger, in a town she’s never heard of–34 years before she was born.
When the 2012 lawyer tangles with a 1949 hunk, fire and ice swirl into a stream of sweltering desire. Bobby Reynolds is smitten the moment the storm-ravaged woman opens her eyes and, despite adamant protest, Lacey falls in love with a town destined for extinction, and the man who vows to save his legacy.
Threatened by a nefarious stalker, the wrath of bootleggers, and twists of fate, Lacey must find the key to a mysterious portal before time rips the lovers apart, leaving their star-crossed spirits to wander forever through a ghost town buried beneath the lake.

Excerpt:
Lake Lanier, Georgia—June 2011
A final thud hurled him backward, flailing through brush and thickets like a rag doll. Grasping at anything to break momentum, Rob’s hand clung to a branch wedged into the face of the precipice. Spiny splinters sliced his skin. Blood oozed and trickled into his palms, and one by one, his fingers slowly slipped.
A sharp crack echoed through the silence of the ravine as the bough succumbed to his weight. He plummeted into free-fall. Clenching his eyes, he drew in a deep breath, terrified of the pain, the mauling that waited on the jagged rocks below.
When icy water broke his fall, the chill kept him from losing consciousness. He spun, straining to see, but darkness enveloped him. Soggy clothing pulled him deeper—deeper into the murky, fathomless depths. He wrestled to squirm free from the waterlogged jacket dragging him down to a watery grave, watched the coat disappear into black obscurity. Panic gripped his stomach, or was it death that snaked around his chest, squeezing, squeezing, squeezing the air, the life from his body? Lack of oxygen burned his lungs, beckoning surrender, and a shard of rage pierced his gut as reality set in. He lunged upward with one last thrust and burst from the water’s deadly grip, gasping for air. A gurgling howl spewed from the depths of his soul and echoed into silence.
Sunlight shimmered across a smooth, indigo lake, but aside from the slight ripples of his own paddling, nothing but stillness surrounded him. He floated toward the shore, sucking deep breaths into his lungs until the pummeling in his chest subsided. When he reached the water’s edge, he hoisted his body onto the soft red clay and collapsed while the sun’s warmth drained the tension from his body.
No one knew he had survived. The rules had shifted. Now he could reinvent himself, become a stealth predator. His target: Lacey Madison Montgomery.
Contact Links:

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Author Casi McLean’s Bio:
Award winning author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense. Beneath The Lake won the 2016 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for BEST Romantic Suspense.
Her stories entwine strong, believable heroines with delicious hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires then fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. Ms. McLean weaves exceptional romantic mystery with suspenseful settings and lovable characters you’ll devour. You’ll see, hear, and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You’ll swear her time travel could happen, be mystified by her other worldly images, and feel heat of romantic suspense, but most of all you’ll want more.

Authors/Writers

Welcome AHA Author, Elizabeth Alsobrooks

I’d like to welcome Urban Fantasy Author Elizabeth Alsobrooks to Under a Paper Moon! I have to say her hero, pictured below, is divine!

Note: Elizabeth’s steamy fantasy romance, Stolen Secrets, is R rated.

Stolen Secrets is a romance spinoff from my Illuminati (Urban Fantasy) series, so is much more character driven and oriented than what is usual for me. It’s steamier, of course, and the hero is hot, hot, hot, if I do say so myself. Here is who I pictured when writing this.

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I’m sure you can see how princely he looks? What English gal stranded in Cairo could resist such a persuasive hunk? Well, the heroine, Lady Isabella Valentine tries, but being a romance I guess you know how it ends . . . .

Here’s how it begins:
Everything about the shop was irregular, including the displays which projected at odd angles, supported by ornate wooden brackets and the occasional book case or other Egyptian artifact. Its merchandise had been collected and added to over a lifetime of adventures, and the result was vastly eclectic and often mismatched and even mysterious. The windows of the cluttered antiquities dealership, not yet shuttered, allowed slanted sunlight to illuminate dust motes, thick and insidious, seeking every crevice and ornate feature in which to drift. Brushing her hand across the table to clear it of its most recent layer, Isabella unrolled the map and traced the route with her fingertip.
She heard the bell above the front door jingle, waited for the expected greeting, and sighed. Five minutes later and Misha would have arrived to clean and bar the entrance, and then she could begin preparing for the dig of a lifetime.
elizabeth_alsobrooks-ebook-stolen-secretsOffered an enormous sum by an anonymous benefactor for the acquisition of an ancient ceremonial relic, a sum that would keep the antiquities shop in Cairo her father left her afloat while she continued her own archaeological pursuits, Lady Isabella Valentine was distracted rather than tempted, then suspicious, when the dashing young Bedouin slipped in just before closing and promised her a deal she couldn’t refuse–for the very same relic. Despite his sensual appeal, she did refuse him, sending him away.

Prince Mukhtar, son of Sheikh Abdul Kummel al-Rahman, leader of the Hassana, is on a sacred Illuminati mission for Queen Isis to retrieve something stolen from one of her temples over a thousand years ago. This mortal disbeliever though an enchanting English rose, however beautiful she might be, is clearly in the power of the Usurper and must be persuaded to help him, one way or another. But neither of them know of the evil power they are up against, or what hidden dangers await them in the tomb of the high priest.
Available for preorder on Amazon, for sale in kindle, nook and trade paperback on Valentine’s Day!

Elizabeth’s Website: http://www.elizabethalsobrooks.com

Links:

Author Website: http://www.elizabethalsobrooks.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6998426.Elizabeth_Alsobrooks
Fb: https://www.facebook.com/authorelizabeth.alsobrooks/
Fb: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethalsobrooks.author
Twitter: @ElizAlsobrooks
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/elizabethauthor/
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Alsobrooks/e/B00BTRP7ZG/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1485895337&sr=8-2