The Cadence of Gypsies

Today's post is a Super Book Blast for The Cadence of Gypsies, a Contemporary Mystery by Barbara Casey. As a book blast, there is no interview or blog post, but there is a blurb, excerpt and a bit about the author. As always, I will post links to the participating blogs to give everyone more chances to win Ms. Casey's prize of a $25 Amazon or B & N GC to one random commenter on the tour. Please leave your e-mail address when you comment.

Originally from Carrollton, Illinois, Barbara Casey attended the University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University, and North Carolina Wesleyan College where she received a BA degree, summa cum laude, with a double major in English and history. In 1978 she left her position as Director of Public Relations and Vice President of Development at North Carolina Wesleyan College to write full time and develop her own manuscript evaluation and editorial service. Since that time her award-winning articles, short stories, and poetry for adults have appeared in several publications including the AMERICAN POETRY ANTHOLOGY, the SPARROWGRASS POETRY FORUM, THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF POETRY (Editor’s Choice Award), the NORTH CAROLINA CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE MAGAZINE, THE NEW EAST MAGAZINE, the RALEIGH (NC) NEWS AND OBSERVER, the ROCKY MOUNT (NC) SUNDAY TELEGRAM, DOG FANCY, BYLINE, TRUE STORY and THE CHRISTIAN RECORD. A thirty-minute television special which Ms. Casey wrote and coordinated was broadcast on WRAL, Channel 5, in Raleigh, North Carolina. Ms. Casey's award-winning science fiction short stories for adults are featured in THE COSMIC UNICORN and CROSS TIME short story anthologies. Her essays, also written for adults, appear in THE CHRYSALIS READER, the international literary journal of the Swedenborg Foundation, and A CUP OF COMFORT ANTHOLOGY by the Adams Media Corporation.

Her two middle-grade/young adult novels, LEILANI ZAN and GRANDMA JOCK AND CHRISTABELLE (James C. Winston Publishing Co.) were nominated for awards of excellence by the SCBWI Golden Kite Award, the National Association of University Women Literary Award and the Sir Walter Raleigh Literary Award.  SHYLA'S INITIATIVE (Crossquarter Publishing Group, 2002), a contemporary adult novel of fiction, received the 2003 Independent Publisher Book Award and received special recognition for literary merit by the Palm Beach County Cultural Council. Ms. Casey’s novel THE COACH’S WIFE (ArcheBooks Publishing), a contemporary mystery, was listed as a Publisher’s Best Seller and was semifinalist of the Dana Award for Outstanding Novel. In 2007 her novel, THE HOUSE OF KANE (ArcheBooks Publishing), also a contemporary mystery, was considered for a Pulitzer nomination, and in December 2009 her novel, JUST LIKE FAMILY (Wandering Sage Publications), was launched by the
7-Eleven stores in St. Louis, Missouri. Her young adult novel, THE CADENCE OF GYPSIES (Gauthier Publications), was released in March 2011 and considered for the Smithsonian’s Most Notable 2011 Books.  It has also been selected by Amazon for its 2013 List of Best Books.  THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PRISSY (Strategic Media Books), a novel for adults, was released in March 2013 and received an IPPY Award for Best Regional Fiction.  It has also been listed as a “2013 Best Summer Read” by Conversations Live Radio and has been placed in nomination for a Pulitzer Award.

Blurb for The Cadence of Gypsies

Three high-spirited 17 year olds, with intelligent quotients in the genius range, accompany their teacher and mentor, Carolina Lovel, to Frascati, Italy, a few weeks before they are to graduate from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women. Carolina's purpose in planning the trip is to remove her gifted, creative students from the Wood Rose campus located in Raleigh, North Carolina, so they can't cause any more problems ("expressions of creativity") for the headmaster, faculty, and other students – which they do with regularity. Carolina also wants to visit the Villa Mondragone where the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world, was first discovered and search how it is related to a paper written in the same script she received on her 18th birthday when she was told that she was adopted – a search that will take them into the mystical world of gypsy tradition and magic, more exciting and dangerous than any of them could have imagined.

Excerpt from The Cadence of Gypsies

The slight voice tremor was all that was needed, but the deep, audible sigh confirmed what Carolina suspected:  that she was in for another real ass-chewing.  This would be the eighth time getting called into the headmaster's office in the same number of months she had been teaching at Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women.  Each time it had been because her girls had committed a serious infraction of rules or behaved in some inappropriate way that was unacceptable within the stone walls of Wood Rose.

Her girls, the ones she had been given total responsibility for, called themselves Females of Intellectual Genius, or FIGs.   Everyone else, however, called them strange.  Never before in the history of Wood Rose had a student even come close to approaching genius status.  Certainly not in the time that Dr. Harcourt had been headmaster.  Then, within the short span of one week, two seven-year-old children--Dara Roux and Mackenzie Yarborough--were admitted, each from a different family, a different background, and a different part of the country, but each with an intelligence quotient well within the range of genius.  Amazingly, several years later, a third student--Jennifer Torres--was enrolled, whose age and scores were comparable to those of the original FIGs.  What Wood Rose could do for these gifted girls was now coming to a close, much to the relief of the administration, faculty, and staff alike.  This would be their final year at Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women, for in June--less than six weeks away--they would graduate.

Carolina was still in bed, deep in thought as she usually was whenever she had a quiet moment to herself, when the telephone rang.  For several days she had been struggling with how best to approach the headmaster.  Ever since being put in charge of the FIGs shortly after getting hired at Wood Rose, she had been trying to come up with innovative ways in which she could somehow excite her girls, challenge their intellect, and, most of all, keep them out of trouble.  The inherent problems of being different extended beyond their prickly relationship with Wood Rose staff members.   The multi-faceted difficulties in teaching the FIGs frequently left the faculty with feelings of inferiority and impotency at the very least.  None of the other residents wanted to be around them either, with the exception of the youngest residents who didn't yet comprehend the difference between being brilliant and normal, which brought about additional struggles of an inner psychological nature.  Carolina had tried a variety of things, but, obviously, what she had been doing wasn't working.  What had stimulated her when she was their age?  What mysteries of the universe had intrigued her?

Then she had remembered.

Participating Blogs

1 Blood Red Shadows
2 Full Moon Dreaming
3 LizaOConnor
4 Out of the Lockbox
5 Danita Minnis
6 Writer Wonderland
7 Reading In Twilight
8 Andi's Young Adult Books
9 Sexy Adventures, Passionate Tales
10 Reviews by Crystal
11 Cabin Goddess
12 Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
13 You Gotta Read Reviews
14 On the Broomstick
15 My Devotional Thoughts
16 Dawn's Reading Nook Blog
17 Deal Sharing Aunt
18 My Odd Little World
19 Hope Dreams. Life... Love
20 Dalene's Book Reviews
21 The Cerebral Writer
22 Chris Redding Author
23 The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl
24 Red Wine and Books
25 A Writer's Life
26 The Simple Things in Life
27 Bunny's Review
28 Farm Girl Books
29 Renee Luke
30 Nickie's Views and Interviews
31 Who's Reviews
32 Fiction Writing and Other Oddities
33 Andi's Book Reviews
34 Wake Up Your Wild Side
35 Hope Dreams. Life... Love
36 fuonlyknew
37 Musings and Ramblings
38 Sharing Links and Wisdom
39 Becky Flade Author

Beauty Bites (How Beauty saved Meiers Corners and won the hot Vampire)

Today I am delighted to showcase the latest book about Mary Hughes' delightfully hot and deliciously sexy vampires of Meiers Corners, that hotbed of German goodness ans hot and sexy vampires. I have been hooked on this series since the first time I opened one of these books, and they just keep getting better (and hotter, if that is possible). Mary is giving away a Kindle or Nook (up to $140). No individual stop prizes, just one grand prize. First, a bit about Mary Hughes.

Bio:

I've worked as everything from a cleaning temp to project manager for global clients. Currently I'm an author, musician, and computer consultant. I live in the United States Midwest with a basement full of spare computer parts and several musical instruments including my husband's romantic cello and my flute for playing bird parts in orchestra...ask me to tell you that story sometime :)

Hugs!

Mary

After reading all of these fun books, I had one question for Mary, and she was gracious enough to give me an answer to address my curiosity about the location of her Biting Love Series. The following is her answer to my question 'Why Meiers Corners and not some bigger city?'

Thank you to Nancy and My Odd Little World for having me back!

Why a small town for the setting, instead of a major city?

New Orleans, Chicago, and New York give an urban fantasy or paranormal romance that gritty urban flavor. My vampire romances are set in the small German-immigrant settled city (pop. 7000) of Meiers Corners, a town outside Chicago, for several reasons.

The contrast is funnier.

Come on. Opie with fangs? Instant hoot.

(Don’t worry. The heroes are all big bad alpha males. No wimpy neck-sippers in the Biting Love romances.)

The writerly answer is that setting is another character. In this case, it’s really true, because Meiers Corners has a lot of personality. It’s a self-contained community, settled in the 1800s, where everyone is still related to some degree, even the newcomers—the genes rub off. It’s like an extended family. Everyone knows the rules. Arrive twenty minutes early for everything; the instant the lawn gets longer than one-point-five inches the mowers come out. Meiers Corners makes a great contrast to characters like Nixie, a punk rocker who spells authority G-e-t-M-e-O-u-t-t-a-H-e-r-e.

The personal answer is that I was born in a big city and grew up in a bedroom community but raised my kids in a small town, and it was a new experience for me. In some ways we were like Oscar and Felix in the Odd Couple, but my little town rubbed off on me just like Meiers Corners does. I’ve moved since then and at our new place we have the best-clipped lawn in the neighborhood!

Now for a bit of Beauty Bites.

BEAUTY BITES Blurb:

Beauty Bites (Biting Love Book 6)

Beauty is skin deep…but the beast goes all the way.

When top Minneapolis ad man Ric Holiday is asked to design a campaign for a quaint little town, his first reaction is absolutely not. Meiers Corners is too near Chicago, home of the vampire who turned him as an orphaned boy. 

Then the city sends an angel-faced med student with a body made for sin to plead their case. Synnove Byornsson is the ray of sunshine Ric hasn’t felt since he was human.

Armed with determination and a micro miniskirt, Synnove is prepared to crash Holiday’s penthouse cocktail party—and to dislike him on sight. But Mr. All-Style-No-Substance turns out to have a deadly smile, a barely restrained, feral strength, and piercing blue eyes that look at her—not at her cleavage.

Unfortunately Synnove has competition in the form of a sly temptress with a counterproposal. For the first time in her life, Synnove must cash in her genetic lottery ticket and fire back with some sizzle of her own—or her beloved Meiers Corners could become the new Sin City.

Warning: Contains a doctor with a bod for sin, an ad exec with a chip on his shoulder, sarcasm, sex, and a cabin full of annoying friends. Secrets are revealed. One heart-stopping, horrific moment leads to the ultimate of happily-ever-afters.

Excerpt from Beauty Bites:

It was all fun and games until the gun hit my skull.

Thud. A bright pain cracked in my brain, telling me the mountainous hostage-taker had brought his own weapon to bear.

Almost immediately something heavy plowed into us, spinning me away from the gun. I staggered to a stop.

My sight cleared to Ric, wrestling the mountain.

The big goon seized Ric with one arm, hugging him close like he was going to give him noogies. But the gun in his noogie hand made reality more chilling.

Ric shimmered, and suddenly the mountain was holding a cloud of mist. 

Vampire fighting technique? I cheered before it occurred to me to wonder why Ric hadn’t used it before and why the shadowman helping us hadn’t used it at all.

The edge of Ric’s mist caught a stray beam of sunlight. It instantly combusted—poof. My elation turned to horror.

Ric snapped back into being like a rubber band. His cheek was seared open, exposing red muscle surrounded by blackened, bubbling skin. But he lost no time raising his bound hands, swinging, and whacked the bad guy’s head with fists like a mallet.

The mountain swayed but didn’t go down. Ric spun, once, twice, winding up his whole body behind it, and whacked him again.

Still the guy didn’t go down. My heart tripped double time. The mountain swept his gun toward Ric.

I leaped at them. Went oof when I hit the shadow’s arm, stuck out like a bar. I folded over it like a cheap towel and staggered back.

Ric slid into the rifle.

The mountainous goon opened fire as Ric knocked the gun to the side—the side where the ogre-like head hostage-taker stood.

Ogre Face ducked and covered. A spray of bullets rat-a-tat-tatted a line where his head had been.

Ric chopped his forearms across the mountain’s right wrist. The mountain howled, both arms flying up in defense, right hand dangling with a protruding lump at the wrist presenting as broken. The gun fell to hang from its clip. The mountain groped for it with his left hand.

Ric grabbed the big man’s balls.

The guy shrieked. Ric wrenched. The mountain dropped, curling on the floor like a shrimp. Apparently Ric also had a grip like a nut crusher.

“Stop!”

I whipped around. Ogre Face pointed his gun at my head. He rasped, “You’re dead.”

Terror burned that instant into my head like a snapshot. I stood facing the ogre. About ten feet separated us. Behind me was the hostage-lined bank of windows, the shadowman already running toward them. A few feet to my right, the mountain goon curled on the floor, Ric breathing deeply over him.

Both Ric and I were too far away to stop the ogre from shooting.

“Down!” The shadowman pushed hostages to the floor, starting with the ones in Ogre Face’s direct line of fire. Well, if you didn’t count me.

Ric leaped.

My knees started to bend.

Ogre Face pulled the trigger.

Ric wouldn’t hit him in time, even though he’d leaped before the ogre pulled the trigger.

The gun went off.

----------------------------------------------

I turned.

Ric Holiday in his full sizzling glory was right on top of me.

I stepped back, spine hitting the edge of the elevator shaft. My nipples reached out as if trying to stay in touch. *The erection of the mammary papilla is due to muscle contraction, like the pilomotor reflex which causes goose bumps*—Stupid nipples. “What do you want?” I spoke a bit sharply, but his heat and heady scent had goosed my frustration into borderline rudeness. I flushed but held my place. Well, fused against the corner of the shaft, I had to.

He stared down into my eyes, his own frustrated too. “I want to explain.”

“You made it clear enough. Me and Camille at the O.K. Corral, one week from today.” I looked away. The elevator was leaving.

“Synnove.” He slid two strong fingers under my chin and urged my face back to him. The blue had softened. “I’m sorry.”

“Why? There’s worse?” I scowled, but I had to work at it. Why did he have to be so gorgeous? Why did his fingers have to be so gentle, so warm? “You’re going to make us bikini mud wrestle?”

“Ouch.” He smiled slightly. “I deserve that.”

“No,” I grumped. “You don’t. But you’re getting it anyway.”

The grin slowly widened, making his whole face edible. “The vaunted Byornsson honesty. I’m beginning to see the advantages.”

And I was beginning to see the advantages of hot sexy sizzle. But no way I was admitting that to him. Not lying, just omission, which is not a lie. Mostly.

When my lips parted to say something that was not a lie and definitely wasn’t about how sexy he was, his eyes darkened. “Shh.”

He replaced the two fingers on my chin with two cupping hands, holding my face gently, like it was something precious. Like I was precious.

My lips stayed parted but no words came out.

In that moment of silence, he lowered his head. Slowly, so I could have stopped him.

Should have stopped him.

Did not want to.

*He’s nothing but image.*

*Image and intense pleasure.*

*The lips have one of the highest density of nerve endings in the body…*

*Argh. Shut up and kiss him.*

While I was arguing with myself his warm mouth settled on mine, tongue sliding deftly between my lips. It rasped my sensitive skin, rubbing my lips awake like a thorough toweling. A steamed towel, hot and wet.

Confused feelings fled. I gave a little moan and opened wider.

He swept inside, all spice and heat. He groaned, a sound of masculine hunger. His questing mouth, his hot kiss, said lust plain and clear. Yet his hands were tender on my face, his sweet caress speaking of something beyond sex, a closeness that transcended the physical.

Happiness blossomed in my heart. Our groans were intertwined, mutual. For this one moment, the battle was suspended and we were on the same side.

His fingers tunneled into my hair, holding me firmly while his tongue drove deeper. He pressed closer yet, pinning me to the edge of the elevator shaft with his body, imprinting me with every muscle, every bulge, every place he was hard and primitive under his worsted.

I rippled against him and moaned softly in response. If he could generate this kind of pressure standing, how would the weight of his body feel, pressing me into a mattress?

At the thought I nearly exploded.

He shifted me, his powerful hands urging me away from where the corner of the elevator was digging into my spine and guiding me onto the wall. There he pressed me into vinyl wallpaper and kissed me like he was starving for me. The honest hunger in his kiss undid me. I grabbed his head and kissed him back with everything I had.

A big hand slid up my ribs, sparking a trail of heat, stopping under my breast. The mound throbbed, waiting, wanting, yearning for that hot hand to slide up the curve, to touch my delicate and private flesh. To brand it as his own. My soft moans shortened to whimpers, and I arched to thrust my breast more fully into his hand.

A deep rumbling started, a lion’s purr. His hand moved, fingers barely brushing the bottom curve. I stopped breathing. His fingers skimmed higher, circling nearer, nearer to the hardening tip. I twitched in anticipation, greedy for his touch on sensitive flesh barely covered by a thin blouse and the wispiest scallop of lace. Bless Twyla’s endless supply of sexy bras.

Finally, finally his thumb scraped my nipple. I shrieked into his mouth, jerking against him. My nipple furled instantly, wordlessly urging him again, more, now.

He opened his hand and covered my breast, his heat searing. Slotting the nipple between two fingers, he began to pump and tug gently, rhythmically squeezing, pulling. I thought I’d go insane from the sweet soft tugging.

Until he replaced the hand with his mouth.

His lips closed on my erect nipple through thin blouse and bra, breath wetting the material until he could have been sucking directly on flesh. It was the dream become real; it was better. More aroused than I’d been in my life, I grabbed his ears and beat my hips into him, not thinking at all, just moving. A pressure built between my legs, a hot, heavy throbbing that made me want him on his back and me naked and clamping him between my thighs.

A ding startled me; my eyes flew open. The elevator, which had gone and come back again, disgorged half a dozen professional-looking people.

I will be posting my review of Beauty Bites back here on Thursday, so come back for more from Meiers Corners.

Tour Schedule

8/26/2013

Tattooed Book Review
Reviewing in Chaos 
Reading Between the Wines

8/27/2013

Spiced Latte Reads 
My Odd Little World 
AJ's Reading Nook 

8/28/2013

Waves of Fiction 
Talk Supe
Musings From An Addicted Reader 
A Little Fiction of Every Flavour 

8/29/2013

First Class Books
What's On the Bookshelf
The Readers Roundtable

8/30/2013

Busy Moms Book Reviews
Smardy Pants Book Blog

9/2/2013

Manic Readers Guest Author Blog 
We Love Kink
Blackraven's Erotic Cafe

9/3/2013

The Muse Unleashed
Rachel Brimble Romance 
Book-A-Holic Anon

9/4/2013

deal sharing aunt
Scorching Book Reviews 
Blackraven's Reviews

9/5/2013

Ali's Bookshelf 
Simply Ali 
My Life Beyond Labels

9/6/2013

Harlie's Books 
Love N. Books 
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

Buy Links

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Time to 'Burn With Me' and with R.G. Alexander

Tomorrow will see the release of the first book in R.G. Alexander's newest series, and this book is smokin' hot, my friends. I was lucky enough to get a copy of Burn With Me to read and review, and I wanted to see what all of R.G.'s hollering was about. After reading this one (three times, no less) I can see why she is so excited. I could not put this one down, and did not want this one to end. I'm already anxiously awaiting the next one, wondering where Ms. Alexander will lead me in the future of Aziza Jane Stewart's world. 

The characters here are fascinating...and there are such a range, from normal humans like Greg and Aunt Penn, to Jinn like Ram and Shev, Aziza's giant Stalker Brandon and so many others, each with an agenda concerning Aziza and her future. I enjoyed the interplay between the characters; the teasing word play between Greg and Aunt Penn, the sarcasm of the Jinn, and the confusion that Brandon shows to Aziza add up to a very intriguing story. I can see people choosing sides here...will you be Team Ram, Team Brandon, or, like me, Team Greg? 

I enjoyed watching as Aziza discovers who, and what, she really is, and learns that there is no 'curse', but rather some differing factions each seeking to influence her awakening as the Fireborne, the last in the line of an ancient bloodline. At first, she is confused, then determined, and finally she just gets angry at the truly horrific things that have been done to ensure she become what she was destined to be, at all that was sacrificed, unknown to her, to reach this point in her life.

R.G. Alexander uses humor, danger and screaming hot passion to keep Aziza on her toes, and I loved the interaction between Aziza and Brandon, Aziza and Ram and then there is that one really hot scene inthe barn with Brandon and an invisible Ram that...well I'll let you use your imagination on that for now.

I recommend this one to anyone who likes hot sex, unusual characters, and lots of action in unusual places. Would I buy this book? In a heartbeat...as a matter of fact I've pre-ordered three copies for friends of mine who I know will devour it like I did.

Burn With Me

Book 1, Coming August 27, 2013

Aziza Jane Stewart is living on borrowed time, and making a few mistakes in London seems like a good way to go out with a bang. But when two compelling strangers draw her into an ancient conflict, she realizes her curse isn’t about death at all…it’s about the power within her.

The sexy giant following her says he can smell trouble on her skin, the smokeless fire and magic of the demons he was born and bred to hunt. Brandon may be an enforcer, but his reaction to her is anything but adversarial. Ram, her new Jinn shadow, will do whatever it takes to come between them, and he’s just as hard for Aziza to resist.

When her dark family legacy burns to the surface, whom can Aziza trust? The alpha male who pushes all her hot buttons, the Jinn who seduces her in dreams, or the emerging Fireborne within? As danger circles closer, she must learn to embrace her newfound powers—and trust someone with her heart—before she becomes the final casualty.

Warning: Explicit content, magic, danger, voyeurism, chains, a secret ménage and carnal deeds of devilish debauchery at every other turn. Basically…fasten your seatbelts and get ready to burn.

A taste of Burn With Me:

“Clever. So very clever and fearless and smart, aren’t you?”

Ram dragged her body up against his, the yellow rose pressed between them. “There are other ways to switch you on, Aziza. They just aren’t as much fun.”

She was breathless. Her body—the traitor—reacted instinctively to his. “So you admit it.”

“Why not?” He shrugged, his head moving closer to hers, his emerald stare piercing. “I don’t want to die. Do you? Oh yes, I forgot. You do. That’s why you took those risks, isn’t it? Why you decided to live for the first time when you found out you were going to die?”

His grip tightened and he shook her roughly. “You know it won’t matter why this is happening or what you can do with your gifts. We are doomed anyway, because you’ve already given up. You want to be cursed because then you won’t have to accept what’s happened. Accept the loss and move on. Accept your life, or what’s left of it once you’ve checked off every item on your list.”

“You’re a bastard,” she whispered.

Ram licked his lips. “And you still want to fuck me.”

Where you can buy Burn With Me

Samhain 

http://store.samhainpublishing.com/burn-with-p-72984.html

Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CQKFIGI/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00CQKFIGI&linkCode=as2&tag=rgale-20

B & N

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/burn-with-me-rg-alexander/1115304981?ean=9781619217782&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-kvKWPOcSHSY-_-10:1&r=1

Kobo

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/books/Burn-With-Me/d3iKl5DMb0qYT5apYoJSIA

            

From the Ashes

Today's Super Book Blast is for one of my favorite authors, Daisy Harris. I just love her books, and can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this one. From the Ashes is a Contemporary M/M Romance from Samhain Publishing, out today. As with all book blasts, there will be no interview or blog post, but I will post the blurb, and excerpt and a brief author bio, and will also post links to the other participating blogs. Daisy will be awarding a $20 Starbucks GC to one randomly chosen commenter during the tour, so please be sure you leave your e-mail address when you comment.

Birkenstock-wearing glamour girl and mother of two by immaculate conception, Daisy Harris still isn't sure if she writes erotica. Her romances start out innocently enough. However, her characters behave like complete sluts. Much to Miss Harris's dismay the sex tends to get completely out of hand.

She writes about fantastical creatures and about young men getting their freak on, and she's never missed an episode of The Walking Dead.

Want to learn more about new releases, general news and my latest inappropriate boy band crush? Sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/b96xX

Find me on twitter at: https://twitter.com/thedaisyharris

Like me on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Daisy-Harris/185042351535537

My filthy Tumblr feed can be found at: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/holsumcollege

Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/From-Ashes-Fire-Rain-ebook/dp/B00C4U6MOC

Samhain buy link: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/from-ashes-p-72937.html

Barnes and Noble buy link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-the-ashes-daisy-harris/1115084890?ean=9781619217980

Blurb for From the Ashes

When an accident burns down Jesse’s apartment, he’s left broke and homeless, with a giant dog and a college schedule he can’t afford to maintain. And no family who’s willing to take him in.

Lucky for him, a sexy fireman offers him a place to stay. The drawback? The fireman’s big Latino family lives next door, and they don’t know their son is gay.

Tomas’s parents made their way in America with hard work and by accepting help when it was offered, so he won’t let Jesse drop out of school just so he can afford a place to live. Besides, Jesse’s the perfect roommate—funny, sweet and breathtakingly cute. He climbs into Tomas’s bed and tugs at his heart. Until Jesse starts pushing for more.

Their passion enflames their bodies but threatens to crush Tomas’s family. Tomas is willing to fight for Jesse, but after losing everything, Jesse isn’t sure he can bear to risk his one remaining possession—his heart.

Warning: Contains an angry older brother, judgmental best friends, a slobbering bull mastiff, and enough red-hot gay loving to make a porn star blush.

Excerpt for From the Ashes

The gay guys Tomas hooked up with never seemed to find what he did to them demeaning, but he’d been raised to believe it was.

That was fine when it came to hookups at strange bars in the city, but the kid curled up on his couch watching television wasn’t like those guys. He was sweet and had had a tough time. He didn’t deserve to be treated the way Tomas treated men, even if Jesse thought that’s what he wanted.

By the time he pushed open the door from his bedroom into the living room, Jesse had twisted into the fetal position on the couch, and fallen asleep.

“Jess?” Tomas touched his arm, trying to shake him awake. He needed to get Jesse off the couch long enough to unfold it into a bed.

“Hmm?” Jesse flopped onto his other side, almost falling off in the process.

Tomas shook his head. “All right.” He went to the other side of the loveseat and worked his arms under Jesse’s knees and shoulders. “Up you go.” He lifted.

Waking up, Jesse wrapped his arms around Tomas’s neck.

He smelled like soap from Tomas’s shower, overlaid on the scent of ashes. Jesse pressed a kiss into his shoulder.

“You can take my bed tonight,” Tomas whispered. He tried to ignore the throbbing in his belly and the urge to set Jesse down and lie on top of him.

When he laid Jesse on the bed, Jesse didn’t let go. “I could be rocking your world right now,” Jesse breathed in his ear.

Soundlessly, Tomas gasped. He couldn’t leave the circle of Jesse’s arms. Jesse was stronger than he realized, and in that moment, Tomas was far too weak.

Oh, wow, this sounds totally delicious. Got to get this one, and soon!

Participating Blogs

1: Christine Young Romance Writer

2: Bunny's Review

3: Farm Girl Books

4: Shelley Munro

5: Books to Light Your Fire

6: Dalene's Book Reviews

7: Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess

8: Reading In Twilight

9: The Purple Fantasy Den

10: Its Raining Men

11: Triad Literary Works

12: Sharing Links and Wisdom

13: Dawn's Reading Nook Blog

14: Passion Sense

15: #BookNerd

16: Rachel Leigh

17: The Divas of Desire

18: Live read and breathe

19: Wake Up Your Wild Side

20: Author Raine Delight's Blog

21: Literary Nook

22: Literal Hotties Naughty Books Reviews

23: Wickedly Wanton Tales

24: Beyond Romance

25: Erzabet's Enchantments

26: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews

27: You Gotta Read Reviews

28: In Shadows

29: We Love Kink

30: My Odd Little World

31: In a Dream Beyond

32: Long and Short Reviews

33: For the Love of Bookends

34: All I Want and More

35: Welcome to My World of Dreams

36: It's Raining Books

Bama Bride Super Book Blast

Today's post is a Super Book Blast for Bama Bride by Joan Chandler, a Contemporary Mainstream romance available now from Book Strand Publishing. As a Book Blast, there is no interview or blog post, but I will post a blurb, an excerpt and a bit about Joan Chandler. Joan will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so please leave your e-mail address when you comment. I will also post links to the participating blogs for you to visit, to increase your chances of winning.

Joan Chandler is a Florida native who has lived in the Deep South all of her life. She is married with two children who are her pride and joy. She lives a double life of sorts, holding down a nine-to-five job during the day, and writing steamy romance at night—often with her black cat curled up in her arms as she types.

When she’s not spending her spare time working on her next novel, she loves to go camping, sharing girls’ night out with her friends, walking her two dogs, and watching college football.

BUY Links:

AMAZON:  http://www.amazon.com/Bride-BookStrand-Publishing-Romance-ebook/dp/B00CT35YFW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369583017&sr=8-1&keywords=bama+bride

BOOKSTRAND PUBLISHING:    http://www.bookstrand.com/bama-bride

BLOG:  www.joanchandler.wordpress.com

twitter account:   @joanchandler1

Find me on facebook:  Joan Chandler

email:  joanchandler13@gmail.com

Blurb for Bama Bride

Neal Sinclair meets David Bankston in a college town bar. He’s tall, dark, and handsome, and wears a Stetson like nobody’s business.

When they dance, inner passion heats up while inhibitions melt away. Neal quickly discovers David’s not a Southerner at all. He’s a Boston architect, in Tuscaloosa for only one night. The next morning, they struggle to walk away from something that caught them both by surprise.

Time doesn’t diminish the ache they feel in each other’s absence. Unable to stay apart, David arranges to take Neal to watch her beloved Crimson Tide play in a football bowl game. Reunited, they’re determined to make it work. When separated, they perfect the art of open communication. They each know that true love is a long shot.

But distance isn’t the only thing standing in their way. Unbeknownst to her, Neal’s overprotective father is, too. With so much conspiring against them, can a natural disaster turn the odds in their favor?

Excerpt from Bama Bride

“Hey, cowboy. How about a dance?” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she cringed. Wow, even to my own ears that sounded way too cheesy.

She looked him over as he stood with the sole of one boot propped against the wall, and a Stetson perched atop his head. He had sinfully good looks, and his olive complexion and wavy black hair gave him a swarthy, pirate-like appeal.

“Evening.” He nodded, but his gaze remained focused on the room, never lingering in one place too long. Clearly, she had been dismissed.

So much for my skill at playing the vamp. This is shaping up to be an epic fail.

With each swig he took from that long-necked beer bottle, however, she found herself wanting nothing more than to offer to lick off the moisture that clung to his mouth after every swallow. She decided not to give up so easily.

“You’re about empty. How about a second round? My treat?”

He locked eyes with her then, and humor glinted in his. The gorgeous stranger rewarded her with a dazzling smile even as he shook his head in polite refusal.

“Thank you, but no.”

His fingers were long, and his hand was broad. He exuded sex appeal. But she wasn’t used to these games of pursuit. It was usually the other way around, and she was fending off the unwanted advances.

Jeez, I must look utterly pathetic to him just standing here with doe eyes. I don’t know what possessed me to think I could ever stand a chance with someone like him.

She started to back away when suddenly the band began to play the first strains of “Sweet Home Alabama.” She took it as a sign that this might be her lucky night after all. She quickly downed the rest of her sour apple martini to bolster her courage and then deposited the empty glass on a nearby table.

“Are you just passing through?” She spoke loudly to be heard above the cacophony of their surroundings.

“I only came in for a beer—nothing else. I leave town in the morning.”

“I get it. No entanglements, right? But it’s just one dance. And judging by your accent, you aren’t from around here. So I’m willing to overlook the fact that you don’t know it’s an unwritten law that when that particular song comes on, it’s lady’s choice. She can ask any man to dance, and he can’t say no.”

“Can’t, huh? Is that a fact?” A playful grin toyed at the corners of his mouth.

“It is when you’re in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. That song’s a sacred anthem around here. So, cowboy, I’m asking you once again. You wanna dance?” She put one hand on her hip and extended the other toward him, waiting. Hoping he would acquiesce.

His hesitation surprised her. Instead of accepting immediately, he purposefully raked his eyes over her from head to toe.

“Go ahead. I’ve got all night.” She teased him at the flagrant assessment of her assets. She welcomed the appraisal. She knew she looked good tonight.

Finally he budged, putting both feet on the ground and taking a step closer. “All right then. You lead the way.” He smirked, as if amused by the whole incident.

She smiled and turned toward the wooden floor near the stage, their fingers joined behind her as they walked. When they were front and center, she put her hands on his shoulders while his immediately came to rest on her hips. Although it wasn’t a particularly slow song, he pulled her close until their bodies touched, and they began to move in time to the music.

He was tall and towered over her, despite her high heels, so he bent slightly and introduced himself. “I’m David. What’s your name?”

The feel of his warm breath against her face made the air around her crackle. She inhaled the scent of him. It was equal parts of shampoo, spice, and suds, and it was more intoxicating to her than the vodka had been. She breathed deeply then looked up into his brown eyes.

“Neal.”

He raised an eyebrow in apparent surprise at the revelation. “That’s an unusual name for a girl. My best friend in high school was named Neil.”

“Cowboy, it may sound like a boy’s name, but I can assure you I am one-hundred-percent genuine woman.”

He let his hands wander over the luscious curve of her bottom. Pressing his lips against her ear, he dared her. “Prove it.”

Oh boy, what a good start. I think this one just got added to my 'to-buy' list, that ever expanding document.

Participating Blogs

1:  Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess
2:  Andi's Book Reviews
3:  Queen of the Night Reviews
4:  Wicked Readings by Tawania
5:  Novel Moments
6:  Books and Other Spells
7:  A Writer's Life
8:  Critters at the Keyboard . . . .
9:  United By Books
10:  Kate Patrick...unlock your fantasies
11:  Read Your Writes Book Reviews
12:  Deal Sharing Aunt
13:  The Dan O'Brien Project
14:  You Gotta Read Reviews
15:  My Odd Little World
16:  My Devotional Thoughts
17:  Dawn's Reading Nook Blog
18:  Tina Donahue Presents
19:  Sandra's Blog
20:  Enjoying the Unique Flavors of Life
21:  Nickie's Views and Interviews
22:  Chris Redding Author
23:  Wake Up Your Wild Side
24:  Author Jinni James
25:  Mommasez...
26:  Renee Luke
27:  Deb Deb Reviews
28:  Sweet and Spicy Tales
29:  Harlie's Books
30:  Christine Young Romance Writer
31:  The Snarkology of a Romance Author
32:  A to Z Reviews
33:  Reviews by Crystal
34:  Bea's Book Nook
35:  Perfect Chaos
36:  Writer Wonderland
37:  My Reading Obsession
38:  Just Trying to Let it Be
39:  Sugarbeat's Books
40:  Author Raine Delight's Blog