Thursday, June 4, 2015

Sale Promo: Where Sea Meets Sky by Karina Halle!






Joshua Miles has spent his early twenties spinning his wheels. Working dead-end jobs and living at home has left him exhausted and uninspired, with little energy to pursue his passion for graphic art. Until he meets Gemma Henare, a vivacious out-of-towner from New Zealand. What begins as a one-night stand soon becomes a turning point for Josh. He can’t get Gemma out of his head, even after she has left for home, and finds himself throwing caution to the wind for the first time in his life.

It’s not long before Josh is headed to New Zealand with only a backpack, some cash, and Gemma’s name to go on. But when he finally tracks her down, he finds his adventure is only just beginning. Equally infatuated, Gemma leads him on a whirlwind tour across the beautiful country, opening Josh up to life, lust, love, and all the messy heartache in between. Because, when love drags you somewhere, it might never let go—even when you know you have to say goodbye.








BUY NOW!

AMAZON    BARNES & NOBLE   iBOOKS 



“Where Sea Meets Sky combines one-night-stand with coming-of-age to glorious success, one that makes this not just a read, but an experience…Halle’s writing also stands out, poetic and vivid, then starkly honest.”
--Heroes and Heartbreakers

Karina Halle takes us on another epic adventure… a journey of self-discovery and love, of taking chances and redefining futures…I absolutely loved Halle’s ability to whisk us away and make it seem as if we were in a faraway place…It felt like an adventure.
--Vilma’s Book Blog

“A luminous love story fraught with serious angst and impossible odds against the backdrop of a stunningly beautiful location… Where Sea Meets Sky is Karina Halle's most flawless writing to date.”
--Angie and Jessica’s Dreamy Reads 

“Karina Halle, where have you been all my life?...[the] descriptive writing made the entire book so vivid!...if you’re looking for an insanely sexy book to pick up, grab Where Sea Meets Sky!”
--Once Upon a Twilight

“Emotionally beautiful, inspiring and unforgettable, Karina Halle has yet again touched my heart with her poignant writing and her beautiful stories, and I can’t wait to read Amber’s story coming soon this summer!”
--Shh Mom’s Reading










EXCERPT

There’s nothing but me and Gemma. It feels like we’re the only people left in the world. And it scares me, because she’s all I have to hold onto. I can’t be sure she won’t let go.
There’s no official camping at the lighthouse, so Gemma takes the bus off-roading, much like we did yesterday, and we come to a stop in a small valley in the middle of a field of cows. They all swivel their heads to stare at us with dark, inquisitive eyes. There’s a small house up on the hill but we can barely see it. Horses graze on the hill’s terraced grooves.
Beyond the hills, there’s nothing but ocean. I breathe in deep, feeling strangely nervous and shaky. I don’t think it’s just about being on the edge of nothing, though.
I think it’s that I’m on the edge of something.
We go to bed early, our alarms set for the early morning hour, pre-dawn. Even though the ocean looks to be about a ten-minute walk, I pack a bag with my camera, my phone, my sketchbook and the pastels.
I can’t get enough of her. Our love-making is slow and lazy but necessary. Being inside her feels like being home, it feels like being in love, it feels like everything sweet and beautiful and nice in the world. Every time I come in her I hope I’m making a home for myself, a place where I belong.
The alarm on my phone goes off way too early. In my sleepy stupor I nearly turn it off but Gemma is patting my arm, then punching my arm, telling me to get up. The world around us vibrates with the sound of mooing cows and I wonder how the hell I slept through them.
Even though the days are hot, the mornings by the ocean are cold, and I can barely get on my jeans and hoodie in time. Armed with the pack and flashlights, we jump out of the van. The air snaps at us as if we’re wind-blown flags.
Hundreds of cattle spread out in all directions, bound by the green hills to the south and the lighthouse to the north. I look east, to where the hills part and the sky is a paler shade of dawn. It seems to be growing lighter by the second, and our chances of catching the sunrise are dwindling.
We take off toward the light, cautiously creeping under barbed wire fences and avoiding the epic cow pies dotting the land. The cows, for the most part, seem to be ignoring us, but their piles of shit are like hidden landmines in the dim light. A meandering, narrow stream cuts across us and we have to head up into the terraced hills where wary horses eye us. I get the feeling that we’ve chosen the most difficult route to see the sunrise, and from our vantage point I can’t even see the lighthouse anymore.
Just as the sky seems to grow frighteningly light, we reach the crest of the hill and I nearly collapse, out of breath from the quick, steep hike. A lone filly bolts at the sight of us.
Below us lies an empty beach, laid out like a sheet of velvet. Aside from the occasional hoof print and driftwood, it looks totally undisturbed, like it has been waiting for us all this time. The South Pacific is spread out at the horizon’s feet, a royal blue tinged with saffron edges. The sun is not up yet. We still have time.
We run down the hill and I nearly eat shit, several times, my shoes slipping on the dew-slicked grass, until sand sinks beneath my feet. I grab Gemma’s hand and we run over to the water’s edge just as the sun peeks its glowing crown over the wavering line.
I look at her and smile. We made it. We’re standing on the easternmost point in the easternmost habitable country. We might even be the first people on this whole fucking earth to see this fiery sunrise. Only thousands of miles of rolling water lies between us and the southwest coast of Chile.
And yesterday.



Don’t miss Karina’s next book, RACING THE SUN, on sale July 28th!











With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term "Hybrid Author." Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she's a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA...whenever possible.Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiancĂ© and rescue pup.

LINKS: FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Release Day Launch: HEARTS IN DANGER!

It’s the release day launch for Hearts in Danger a box set of fourteen romantic thriller that will benefit the American Heart Association!! Grab your copy and enter the fantastic giveaway today! Hearts in Danger RDL
Blogs Taking Part in the Release Day Launch
Blog Name
The Other Side of the Shelf
Bound In Ink Book Blog
Read More Romance
Hawt Reads & Dirty Talk
Novel Addiction
Southern Vixens Book Obsessions
Obsessed With Myshelf
Dayreader Reviews
Adventures in Writing
The Dark Realm
promoting authors with read along with sue
Lady Amber's Reviews
Indy Book Fairy
Craves the Angst
Booklover Sue
Bookaholic Fairies
Us Girls & A Book
Romancing the Readers
Evermore Books
Between The Lines
Melissa Jones
Naughty Book Eden
Just Let Me Read
Always Falling for Book Guys
Book Nook Nuts
Wild and Dirty Book Blog
Collector of book boyfriends
deal sharing aunt
Love Affair With Fiction
Smut Book Junkie Reviews
Got Nikki?
East Coast Book Chicks
Musings In Fiction Alley
The Phantom Paragrapher
Jen's Reading Obsession
Country Gals Sexy Reads
Renee Entress's Blog
Jax's Book Magic
undercover book reviews
Reading Bliss
The Consummate Reader
Inner Goddess
Book Baristas
Arlenis J
This Wacky Momma Reads!
Those Crazy Book Chicks
Renee Giraldy
Book It
To Each Their Own Reviews
Pages to Explore
Books Can Take You There
Sweet Reads: You're In For A Treat
Greyland Reviews
21st Century Once Upon A Times
undercover book reviews
Lostbraincell's Bookish Blog
penny for my thoughts
Stephanie Witter
Escape Inside the Pages
Vera is Reading
Kelsey's Corner Time
What Is That Book About
Aira Reads
Souls Readers
BookHounds
Book Babes and Boyfriends
One Book Boyfriend At A Time
Debb's Reads
One Book Boyfriend At A Time
Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents
Read, Write, Ripley
The Reading Chameleon
We're Jumpin' Books
Mama She's Crazy About Books
BBF BookBoyfriends
AHASetMED2
Hearts in Danger Synopsis: Hearts in Danger, FOURTEEN stories of thrilling romance to benefit the American Heart Association. These full length, Romantic Suspense stories come from NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, AND NATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHORS, including Sharon Hamilton, Roxanne St. Claire, Paige Tyler, Lynn Raye Harris, Elle James, Carolyn Crane, Cheyenne McCray, Nina Bruhns, Misty Evans, Susan Stoker, Parker Kincade, Mandy Harbin, Megan Mitcham, and Barb Han.   Here’s a bit more about the book… Accidental SEAL by Sharon Hamilton: Newbie Realtor Christy Nelson holds her first Open House but is given the wrong address, and finds a hot naked SEAL in the master bedroom.   Pick Your Poison by Roxanne St. Claire: Meet Benjamin Youngblood - he’s sexy, smart, spectacular and ... about to lose his job for the best security firm in the world. He’s got one chance to prove himself and nothing will stop him. Not even a flower farmer. Protective Custody by Paige Tyler: Someone is stalking reporter Paisley McCoy, and police detective Gray Beckham is the only man who can protect her. And while she might be sexy as hell, there’s no way he’s going anywhere near the captain’s daughter.   Hot Pursuit by Lynn Raye Harris: When someone starts shooting at Evie Baker, there's only one man dangerous enough to help her--the man who broke her heart ten years ago. Hostile Operations Team soldier Matt Girard uses all his considerable black ops skill to protect Evie.   SEAL's Honor by Elle James: Two Navy SEALs jeopardize their lives and hearts in a battle-torn land when they vie for the love of one sexy Night Stalker helicopter pilot.   Against The Dark by Carolyn Crane: Angel is an ex-safecracker forced into one last heist. Cole is an undercover agent with big plans for his gorgeous thief—he'll make her pose as his girlfriend to help with a dangerous mission.   Hidden Prey by Cheyenne McCray: Tori is in the wrong place at the wrong time and witnesses the execution of a Federal agent by the son of the head of the Jimenez Cartel. Special Agent Landon Walker rescues Tori and sets out to protect her, but soon protecting her isn’t enough.   Dangerous Curves by Nina Bruhns: A spec ops transporter for STORM Corps takes on drones, bad guys, and car chases on the coast of Italy—and falls for a beautiful scientist whose curves are far more dangerous than the road!   Deadly Pursuit by Misty Evans: When Londano escapes a maximum security prison and begins picking off Celina’s friends and coworkers, everyone she knows becomes a target. Including DEA agent Cooper Harris, the man who once broke her heart and is now assigned to be her bodyguard.   Protecting Caroline by Susan Stoker: Caroline helps foil a terrorist plot when she finds herself on a plane that’s hijacked (with the help of three members of a SEAL team), but after she gets home she finds herself still in the sights of the terrorists. She can only hope Wolf and his team will be able to save her in time.   One Night Stand by Parker Kincade:Amanda Martin decides to have a one-night stand. No relationship, no promises just hot, indulgent sex. What she doesn’t anticipate is meeting a handsome-as-sin stranger who gives her pleasure unlike she’s ever known. A stranger with a deadly secret.   Brody by Mandy Harbin: Brody thinks the skittish Xan is sexy as hell, but it’s not her hot body that has him rocked to his core. He knows her from somewhere, and in his line of work, that’s a dangerous thing. Following orders have never been this hard, but when he finds out she’s his next assignment, he will protect her at all costs.   Enemy Mine by Megan Mitcham: Born in the blood of Sierra Leone's Civil War, enslaved, then sold to the US as an orphan, Base Branch operative Sloan Harris is emotionally dead and driven by vengeance. With no soul to give, her body becomes the bargaining chip to infiltrate a warlord's inner circle.   Caught in the Crosshair by Barb Han: On a tropical island with a hurricane brewing and dangerous men closing in, private security firm owner Jaden Dean will need to work side-by-side with Lauren James to survive and find her brother. He will have to use all his specialized training and risk everything, including his heart, to outwit the deadly group and keep Lauren safe. HeartsInDanger_3d_Cover Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble |iBooks | Kobo | Google Play Links: Blog   TiffanysGrandPrize_Border(1) Enter the awesome giveaway! Hearts In Danger Grand Prize  

Monday, June 1, 2015

EXCERPT: Sword of the Gladiatrix by Faith L. Justice!!

Author Faith L. Justice, previously reviewed at Novel Addiction (see my review of Selene of Alexandria), has a new book! A review will be forth coming, but for now, the author has graciously provided an excerpt of her newest title Sword of the Gladiatrix!

Author info and buy links at the bottom!

EXCERPT:

Kingdom of Kush, in the sixth year of Nero’s reign (60 CE)
Afra watched with her fellow Kushites, as the small contingent of Roman soldiers escorted General Decimus Cornial Asina through the streets and plazas of the Kush capital of Meroe. The setting sun washed the city in bloody light—an ill omen. As their guide from the Egyptian border, she should have tried to delay the Romans till morning, a more auspicious time for new beginnings.
She shook her head. Leave the auguring to the priests. Only they can determine the will of the gods, what is auspicious, what is ill-omened. Besides, the General had been most insistent on setting the pace. Any ill-luck is his own.
The blare of curved horns—what the Romans call buccinae—announced the Roman presence at the palace. Bright limestone steps led up to a colonnade sheltering a massive wooden door, flanked by monumental stone carvings of the king on one side and the queen on the other; both smiting their enemies with flails and spears. The red sun reflected off the soldiers’ burnished breastplates and sharp spears.
Kashta, the king’s chief advisor, and his entourage of aides and guards, met the delegation with their own fine show of trumpets and drums. Among them, Afra spotted Piye, Kashta’s son and her step-sister’s husband, dressed in shimmering striped robes. His hooked nose curved over a cruel mouth.
Her stomach roiled and her lips unconsciously curled into a snarl.
Gods curse him!
A final flourish of trumpets called her attention back to the ceremony. The chief advisor raised his hands for silence. “My Lord Amanitenmemide, Qore of the Kushites, born of the gods, and his wife Kandake Amanikhatashan, Mother of the next Qore, bids the representative of Nero, Imperator of the Romans, welcome to their lands.”
General Asina gave the briefest of bows. Afra knew he would take the King’s absence as a slight on his honor. Her people knew the absence of the queen was just as great an insult. Perhaps it was meant to be. If so, it was a dangerous game to bait these Romans.
Asina intoned in his stentorian voice, “Imperator Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Pontifex MaximusPater Patriae and four times Consul of the People of Rome sends his greetings.”
Kashta did not bend his neck. “My Qore has had accommodations prepared for you, but asks your pardon for his absence. He has duties in the temple of Amun and will greet you properly at a feast in your honor after you have rested and refreshed yourselves.” Asina gave him a stiff nod and ordered his men to camp outside the walls. An honor guard accompanied him to his more comfortable accommodations.
The Romans marched off and the crowd dispersed, muttering. One young man spat in the street as the Romans left it. Three women with kohl-rimmed eyes watched the soldiers retreat; speculative smiles on their faces. Afra shrugged as the women drifted down the street in the Roman’s wake. Everyone had to eat. If not for her hunting skills, it might be she following the Romans to their beds. The thought made her shudder.
Thank you Mother Isis, Queen of all Gods, Goddesses, and Women for saving me from that fate.
Afra walked across the plaza fronting the palace and the brightly painted Temple of Amun, wondering if she dared visit her step-sister before retiring for the night. She lived for Asata’s smiles and loving embraces, but it was dangerous meeting too often. Her rumbling stomach and a whiff of rancid odor decided for her. Dinner, then a wash.
She didn’t make it to her room.
One of the queen’s servants caught up to her, panting. “Huntress, the Kandake wishes to talk to you.”
Afra indicated her sweat-stained linen clothes, worn sandals, and dusty hair. “Now? It’s been a long journey escorting the Romans from Hierasykaminos. I don’t wish to offend the Kandake with my stink.”
The slave sniffed and raised the corner of his mouth. “She says at once.”
***
Sword of the Gladiatrix


Author:         Faith L. Justice
ISBN:             978-0692386491
Length:         260 pp
Format:         Trade paperback and eBook
Price:             $11.99 paper; $3.99 eBook
Publisher:    Raggedy Moon Books
Pub Date:     May 2015
Website:      raggedymoonbooks.com



Back Cover Copy:

Two women. Two swords. One victor.

An action-packed tale that exposes the brutal underside of Imperial Rome, Sword of the Gladiatrix brings to life unforgettable characters and exotic settings. From the far edges of the Empire, two women come to battle on the hot sands of the arena in Nero's Rome: Afra, scout and beast master to the Queen of Kush; and Cinnia, warrior-bard and companion to Queen Boudica of the British Iceni. Enslaved, forced to fight for their lives and the Romans' pleasure; they seek to replace lost friendship, love, and family in each other's arms. But the Roman arena offers only two futures: the Gate of Life for the victors or the Gate of Death for the losers.


Available at:

·        Amazon.com (USUKCanada)
·        Barnes and Noble
·        CreateSpace
·        iBooks
·        Kobo
·        Smashwords


About the Author:

“A promising new historical novelist [with] the gift for wonderfully researched, vividly evoked, good old-fashioned storytelling.”—Historical Novel Society

“I am blown away and enthralled with the work of this author.”—BookPleasures.com

“Does what historical fiction does best—weaves historical fact, real-life historical figures, and attention to detail with page-turning, plot-driven fiction.”—The Copperfield Review


FAITH L. JUSTICE writes award-winning novels, short stories, and articles in Brooklyn, New York. Her work has appeared in Salon.com, Writer’s Digest, The Copperfield Review, the Circles in the Hair anthology, and many more. She is a frequent contributor to Strange Horizons, Associate Editor for Space and Time Magazine, and co-founded a writer’s workshop many more years ago than she likes to admit. For fun, she digs in the dirt—her garden and various archaeological sites.



Contact Information:

·        Website/Blog
·        LinkedIn
·        Twitter: @faithljustice
·        Facebook

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~