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Sunday, 16 June 2013
Release Day ~ 15 Minutes by Jill Cooper {Giveaway/Excerpt/Trailer}
15 Minutes
by Jill Cooper
Published: June 15, 2013
Genre: YA Time Travel Thriller/Romance
Synopsis
I have 15 minutes to save my mother’s life….
15 minutes is all the Rewind Agency gives you in the past, but for Lara Crane it’s enough time to race through the city, find her mother, and stop her from being killed in a mugging that happened over ten years ago.
But that’s not how it happened. The story she’s been told all her life is a lie and when Lara takes a bullet meant for her mother, her future changes forever.
The love of her life acts like a stranger. Her simple life is replaced with a giant house, glamorous clothes and a new boyfriend.
Except someone knows her secret. And he will try to stop her at every turn as she races against the clock to unravel a dangerous conspiracy.
15 Minutes is an edgy high octane YA thriller that can be described as Back to the Future meets Inception where the people Lara trusts change in an instant. She is in a timeline she doesn't understand, and is about to make one fatal mistake as she faces an enemy so familiar, he’s family.
Excerpt
Locker 63.
My eyes sweep aisle after aisle until I find the one I’m looking for. It’s blue and unassuming, but it could unlock the secret to everything. I lick my lips as I insert the key, close my eyes, and with a prayer, twist.
Click.
The door opens, and inside I find more than documents. There’s also a pink hoodie, a duffle bag, and a fresh change of clothes.
What was I preparing for? What was I doing? I open the manila envelope on the bottom and flip through the documents—a lot of reports, surveillance photos, old newspaper clippings. I don’t have time to go through all of it now, so I stash them in my duffle bag and throw on some new clothes.
A tight-fitting t-shirt, pink hoodie, and comfortable blue jeans are my new outfit. It’s a weird choice for trendy, sophisticated Lara, but she was up to something big. Real big.
I lift the hidden duffle bag out of the locker, surprised at how hefty it is. I unzip it and find money inside. A lot of money. I touch it. Must be thousands of dollars bound together in neat little stacks.
My heart quickens as I wonder where it came from and what I was planning to do with it. If ever there was a moment for a flashback, it's now. A shining blue cell phone at the bottom of the duffle bag catches my attention. I pull it out and see a note stuck to it. In my handwriting.
Hide in the shower. Move fast.
Wide eyed and with a pounding heart, I slam the locker, grab everything, and run down the hall. I turn into the showers and duck into a stall, the vinyl shower curtain flapping against me. I still it with trembling fingers as I hear heavy steps enter the locker room.
About The Author
Jill Cooper
Jill Cooper loves tea more than coffee and is obsessed over finding that perfect recipe. She was born in 1977 and shared a room with her sister for 18 years. Early on she had dreams of writing romances and mysteries. It was something she did when most kids were trying out for softball or out riding bikes.
She's always loved dark mysteries, but also enjoys a great comedy so she tries to include both these things in everything she writes, one way or another.
She lives in Danvers, MA with two cats, a toddler, a husband, and a 1964 yellow taxi. Her life is chaotic, but fun.
~ Giveaway ~
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This event is presented to you by
Book Blitz ~ All in by Marta Brown
All In
by Marta Brown
Published: May 28, 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Synopsis
On the picturesque island of Martha's Vineyard, there are two kinds of residents. Locals and Stays.
Local boy, Lane McCarthy, plans on spending his summer working at the country club to save money for college in the fall, while summer stay, Ashley Whitmore, and her elite group of friends are only there to play.
As the summer heat goes up on the island, so does the ante, when both Lane and Ashley must decide what they’re willing to wager in order to follow their dreams… and their hearts.
With stakes as high as the surf, and hopes as high as the midday sun, will they risk everything and go all in?
Excerpt
Ashley
“Good afternoon and welcome to the Field House Grille. May I start you two off with drinks
or an appetizer today?” The waiter’s voice startles me out of my conspiracy theories, and I resume
perusing my menu.
“Yes, I’ll have a long island ice tea and a white wine spritzer for the lady.” Gregory orders
with confidence. He’s only a year shy of the legal drinking age so he may pass as old enough to
get served, but it’s obvious I’m not old enough to drink yet. “And then we’ll have an order of the
calamari to start and for our entrees she’ll have the sea bass, and I’ll have the filet.” He shuts his
menu and hands it back to the waiter with bravado.
“I’ll actually have a bottle of San Pellegrino please,” I say, staring at my menu, trying to avoid
the embarrassment of being carded and then denied, or worse, my parents finding out I tried to
order an alcoholic drink, at the club no less. “And what salad would you recommend?” I start to
ask, but the words get caught in my throat when I finally look up and see the waiter.
Whoa.
He. Is. Gorgeous.
“Well…our house mixed salad is very popular. It’s locally grown organic and is fresh picked
daily. It comes with a light raspberry vinaigrette dressing that can be tossed on or left on the side,”
he says, holding my gaze.
“Oh. Yes. That sounds… yummy.” The words come out all breathy, and I’m immediately
humiliated at the way I must have sounded.
Yummy. Breathy. Seriously, Ashley?
“Then on the side, miss?” the waiter asks, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“Yes, thank you,” I say, feeling my face flush with warmth.
Apparently Gregory Chase isn’t the only boy in town who can make a girl blush, and by the
daggers Gregory’s shooting the poor guy with his eyes, he knows it too.
Gregory clears his throat and pulls the attention of the waiter back on him. “Fine. We’ll have
one house salad with dressing on the side and an order of calamari to start.” Then with a dismissive
flick of his hand, “Now, go fetch our drinks.”
Go fetch our drinks? Is he serious? How can he think it’s okay to speak to someone that way?
But before I can say anything the cute waiter lets out an amused laugh that surprises me.
“I’m sorry sir, but I’m gonna have to see an ID first.” The waiter looks not at all sorry to ask,
which makes me have to hide a smile.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Gregory starts. “I left it in the men’s locker room,” he
explains, but his confidence is shaken. No one ever challenges Gregory.
“I’m sorry sir, but without a valid ID I’m not gonna be able to serve you, but I’ll be happy to
wait here while you go and get it.” The waiter gives Greg a fake smile and then me a real one. He
clearly is enjoying himself.
It’s evident Greg’s not going to get his way, so he finally concedes, but without an ounce of
grace. “How about you take your eyes off my date, and go do your job.” He levels the waiter with
his eyes. “And just bring me a damn coke while you’re at it.”
“Will do, sir,” the waiter says with artificial politeness, giving Gregory an almost
imperceptible bow before turning around and leaving.
This time, I’m the one who gets caught watching one of the waitstaff walk away.
Lane
“Dude, I just busted some richie-rich for trying to order drinks underage, and he had the nerve
to yell at me for looking at his date. Too bad for him, she was looking right back,” I say with a
cocky laugh before giving Mario a high five. “Man, it’s the jerks like that, that always get
everything in life—the money, the power, the girl. Probably has some big fat trust fund to pay for
college too.”
“Sorry, man, but try not to let him get under your skin, amigo.”
I know Mario’s right, I should just let it go, but I’m sick and tired of Stays treating us locals
like we’re nothing. And who the hell tells someone to ‘go fetch’? What am I? A dog? What an ass.
I drum my fingers against the metal counter at the pass until Mario rings the service bell with a
grin and hands me their starters.
“Here, orders up and good luck.”
I give him a nod then try to shove my jealousy and anger down when I enter the dining room
again, but I feel it hovering right on the surface. I take a deep breath before setting the calamari in
the center of the table and the salad in front of the girl.
“Is there anything else I can get you right now?” I ask, and it’s hard to keep my eyes off of her
long dark hair, her light green eyes and her legs that go on for miles. Maybe that douche had a
point.
“No, I’m fine. Thank you,” she says politely, and I wonder why she’s on a date with such an
ass-hat. Either way, girls like her don’t date boys like me. Unless they’re trying to piss off their
parents, which is fine by me, but she doesn’t look like the rebellious type.
I turn to face him, lifting my eyebrows. “And you?” I ask because it’s my job.
“Yes, there is something you can do for me, how about you explain why my silverware is off
of the floor.” He holds up his dinner fork, but I don’t understand what he’s talking about. Off the
floor?
“Excuse me?” I reach for the fork to examine it. I personally set this table less than an hour
ago, and the silverware hadn’t touched the ground. Why would it? But right before I’m able to take
the fork from him for a closer look he opens his thumb and pointer finger letting the fork fall to the
hardwood floor with a loud ping that echoes through the dining room.
“See.” He looks me right in the eyes, a smirk plastered across his smug face, challenging me.
You have got to be kidding me. This guy picked the wrong day.
I calmly pick the fork up off the ground, bring it to my mouth and spit on the tongs before
lifting my apron and polishing it until it’s dry and shining. So much for not letting him get under
my skin.
“My apologies, sir.” I place the fork back on the table in front of him like I’d accidentally
brought out the wrong appetizer instead of spitting all over the dude’s silverware. “If there’s
anything else I can do for you please let me know, otherwise your entrees will be out shortly.”
I watch his eyes go wide with shock before walking away looking cool, calm, and collected, even
though on the inside I’m totally freaking out. This is not going to end well.
About The Author
Marta Brown
Marta Brown grew up in the Pacific Northwest and was a teenager when Doc Martens, Pearl Jam and flannel were the norm and Dylan loved Kelly forever (Beverly Hills, 90210 shout out).
She still lives just outside Seattle, now with her husband and cat, and loves the rain.
When she’s not writing about cute boys, first kisses and the magic and wonder of being seventeen, she’s watching The CW. And she sleeps in. Late.
Book Blitz ~ Eversea by Natasha Boyd {Giveaway}
Eversea
by Natasha Boyd
Series: Eversea #1
Published: June 4, 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Synopsis
• An orphaned small-town southern girl, burdened by responsibility and stuck in time.
• A Hollywood A-list mega-star, on the run from his latest scandal and with everything to lose.
• A chance encounter that leads to an unlikely arrangement and epic love affair that will change them both forever.
When his co-star and real-life girlfriend is caught cheating on him with her married and much older director, A-list hottie, Jack Eversea, finds himself in sleepy Butler Cove, South Carolina. Jack hopes the sultry southern heat in this tiny coastal Lowcountry town will hide him not only from the tabloids and his cheating girlfriend, but his increasingly vapid life and the people who run it. He doesn’t count on meeting Keri Ann Butler.
Keri Ann has relied on herself so long, dealing with her family’s death and the responsibilities of keeping up her family’s historic mansion, that boys and certainly the meager offering of eligible boys in Butler Cove, have never figured into her equation. But fate has other plans. Suddenly face to face with the man who played the movie role of her favorite fictional character, Jack has Keri Ann yearning for everything she has previously avoided ... and Jack must decide whether this funny, sassy girl is worth changing his life for, before his mistakes catch up to him.
Eversea is a FINALIST in the Winter Rose Unpublished Contest for 2013
About The Author
Natasha Boyd
Natasha Boyd is a writer with a background in marketing and public relations. She lives in the coastal Carolina Lowcountry, complete with Spanish moss, alligators and mosquitoes the size of tiny birds. She has a husband, two sons and a cat named Tuna. Eversea is her first full-length novel.
~ Giveaway ~
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This event is presented to you by
Blog Hops ~ Book Blogger + Feature & Follow {Spine Poetry}
The Rules:-
- You MUST follow BOTH hosts Rachel @ Parajunkee and Alison @ Alison Can Read
- You MUST follow BOTH Featured Blogs of the week (linked below)
- Do your own Feature & Follow Friday post answering the question of the week and link to it at the bottom of this post
- Follow and comment on other participants Feature & Follow Friday posts!
Saturday, 15 June 2013
Cover Reveal ~ Tension by R.L. Griffin
The Stella who emerges from the rubble of the bombing in Montana is a woman full of conflict. She knows she should be grateful that she lived when others didn't, but after waking in the hospital as a celebrity, complete with a new moniker, she's bitter and distrustful, questioning everything in her life. She's unsure of her friends, her new boyfriend, and her job. In addition, a face from the past reappears and threatens to take the one good thing in her life.Stella attempts to deal with the new scrutiny of her life with her usual sense of humor, but she's filled with a new emotion that she tries desperately to hide: HATE. Her recovery is hastened by her determination to find the man who turned her into a walking scar. She's going to kill him; she needs to kill him.Stella isn't alone. She has her close friends and her dog, Cooper. Will their support be enough to help Stella accomplish her plan, or will this endeavor be her undoing?
Book ONE in the series
I live in the Atlanta area and I'm surrounded by awesome dudes: my husband, son and two dogs. I went to law school at American University, Washington College of Law, but only after I fell in love with D.C. I worked in the Senate during the impeachment trial and wanted to stay. After law school I worked for a bit in the area, then moved to Atlanta.
If you ask anyone who knows me they know I love reading and read all sorts of books. Any free time I have I'm either reading, writing or drinking with friends.
R.L. Griffin is also a New Adult Sleepover Weekend Featured Author. Click photo below for more information.
Cover Reveal ~ Indelible by Bethany Lopez
Title: Indelible
Author: Bethany Lopez
Expected release date: July 9, 2013
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: New Adult
Cover Designed by : B Design alliebbooks.wordpress.com – Photo by Kelsey Kukal-Keeton
Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours
Book Description:
After a year of partying, Sam decides to buckle down and focus on college. Things are going great until a one-night stand leaves her pregnant and alone. Raising a child while going to school isn’t easy, but Sam is determined to be strong for her daughter. She doesn’t have time for guys or relationships, and takes great care to protect her child and her heart.Judd doesn’t fit the mold of a college ballplayer. His long hair and tattoos may fit the life he’s created for himself, but baseball is the one thing he takes seriously. When he meets Sam, he’s immediately drawn to her curves and refusal to put up with his crap. When Judd learns the truth, can he handle the responsibility that comes with loving a single mother?Sam yearns for the fire that Judd fuels in her, but her child’s needs have to come first. Can two people at different stages in their life find a way to make a life together?
Author Bio:
Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. Since then she has published various YA and NA books. She is a lover of romance, family, and friends, and enjoys incorporating those things in what she writes. When she isn't reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible.
IAN - http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/bethany-lopez.html
Webpage - www.bethanylopez.blogspot.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/BethanyLopez2
Facebook - http://on.fb.me/LypEaO
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/bethanylopez2/
Author Interview ~ Bait by K.C Blake
Welcome to my tour stop for
Bait by K.C Blake
Please follow the remaining stops: click on the event banner above for tour schedule
Please welcome Bait's Author, KC Blake at Paperback Princess, as she gives us a brief insight into her life and the story of Bait, the first book in her new Order of Spirit Realm series
About The Author
K.C. Blake
Born and raised in California, I fell in love with writing while reading The Outsiders. Then I fell in love with Stephen King's writing style. I enjoy reading many types of books, but YA Paranormal is my favorite. I used to write for Harlequin under a different name. So that's my background. Exciting, no?
~ Author Interview ~
3 words to describe yourself
Tenacious, funny, and weird.
Top 3 Things you MUST have to write?
My computer, music, and Scrivener.
The next 3 books in your To Be Read pile?
City of Ashes, Paranormalcy, and Entice by Carrie Jones.
Top 3 Favourite Authors?
Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Stephen King.
Your stranded on an island, which ONE of your characters from Bait would you take and why?
Nick Gallos because he is super hot, strong enough to climb trees for fruit and carry loads of firewood to the beach, and he can keep me entertained by singing.
Stephen King is one of your favourite Author, for his writing style, what is it about his writing style do you like?
I love how King can interweave fantasy with reality so well. His characters jump off the page. For instance, I remember in Needful Things how this boy comes home and his mom is watching General Hospital while eating something like Ding Dongs and drinking diet pop, and he thinks to himself it’s silly to drink diet pop while eating junk food, but he knows if he says something to his mom she will knock his head off. Priceless.
YA Paranormal is your favourite genre, why?
I’ve always loved movies and books about monsters. When I was a kid, I remember staying up late to watch the Creature Feature. If I’m remembering right, it was two monster movies back to back. All the kids at school wanted to stay up and watch. I could only do it if my parents were asleep and didn’t know I was out of bed.
What was it about The Outsiders that made you want to write?
That was so long ago I honestly don’t know. All I remember is being assigned to read it for English class, and I fell in love with it. Then I tried to write a short story like it. I don’t think I ever finished that story either.
Your inspiration for Order of the Spirit Realm.
This series has been brewing in the back of my mind for years. I don’t remember what started it. My friends can tell you I’ve been talking about it for so long that they are relieved I finally started writing them. Now they don’t have to hear about it as much anymore. The idea of a school for hunters founded by the great Van Helsing has always intrigued me.
Your trying to sway a reluctant reader to reading Bait, what would you say?
If you love action, you’ll enjoy it. There are Mock Battles with dangerous consequences. If you like a little romance with your action, you don’t want to miss out on Bait. Bay-Lee and Nick were pitted against each other from the moment they were born, but they can’t stop from noticing how amazing the other is and how they feel when they accidentally touch. If you like paranormal, you will love this book. There are border monsters, wraiths, and a reaper. Who can say no to that?
3 words to describe Bait?
Fun, twisted, and dark.
About The Book
Bait
by K.C Blake
Series: Order of the Spirit Realm #1
Published: April 24, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Synopsis
At sixteen, Bay-Lee Bishop is not a typical girl. The last thing she wants is to be popular, but flying under the radar is nearly impossible when you’re the tallest kid in the eleventh grade. She works hard to maintain a steady C point average, never raises her hand in class, and avoids extra-curricular activity of any kind. The other students would be shocked to learn she’s living under an alias, relocating at her uncle’s whim, and hiding from monsters who want her dead because she’s Van Helsing’s daughter.
Life is weird. Then everything changes. A reaper uses her closet to cross over from the Spirit Realm right before her father whisks her away to a new school. This is the school she was born for, the school where she will learn to hunt and kill monsters, but it isn’t what she imagined. Students hate her, her mentor refuses to help her, and wraiths are murdering hunters on their birthdays. She is laser-focused on training. Love is not an option for her. Try telling that to her heart.
Excerpt
The knowledge she was no longer alone in bed should have scared the crap out of Bay-Lee and normally it would have, but she was still floating on the fragments of a blissful dream. The soft whisper of a lover’s hands surfaced with her consciousness. She’d been dreaming about being in love, the kind that inspired people to die for each other, the Romeo and Juliet sort of love. Beyond that nothing seemed real to her.
An odd smell pierced the veil of sleep, and she wrinkled her nose. Jack Daniels?
The next thing to grab her attention was the feel of a hard body crowding her on the narrow mattress. Warm breath lightly blew a trail down her face from forehead to mouth like the soft wings of a butterfly brushing against her skin. Fingers slid up one arm to curve around her shoulder. Her eyelids fluttered, and she smiled up at the gorgeous stranger. Fantasy wove a complicated tapestry with reality, and she decided she was still dreaming.
The dark-haired boy’s gaze settled on her lips. She could practically read his mind. He wanted to kiss her until neither of them could breathe. Still living on the leftover residue of an imagined love, she was going to allow it. A tingling sense of anticipation had her nearly breathless already.
She closed her eyes again, mentally preparing for the kiss.
She waited.
The bed creaked as he leaned in to give her what she desired most. His hot breath teased her lips, and the smell of whiskey intoxicated her. She clenched her hands into tight fists, grabbing and holding bunched up bedding, silently willing him to hurry before she came to her senses. Outside of this moment nothing existed, not school, not her boyfriend, not the troubling circumstances that forced her to constantly move from state to state, nothing.
When her lips remained cool and untouched, she opened her eyes to find the boy staring down at her with pure contempt. A menacing light emanated from his eyes. He parted his lips on a soft growl, reminding her of a werewolf, and her blood turned to ice.
“You ruined my life,” he whispered in a semi-harsh tone, accusing.
Wide awake now, facts hit her like an avalanche. A stranger was in her bed, her gun was in the dresser, and he was big enough to overpower her. Feeling vulnerable made her sick to her stomach. It also filled her with unquenchable anger. How dare this stupid boy invade her bedroom, her bed, and threaten her!
Speaking in a firm tone without the slightest quiver, she asked, “How did you get in here?” He rolled off the mattress, no hurry, while she pulled the sheet higher to hide the bunny pajamas. They were ridiculous, sky blue with fluffy scampering white rabbits. Knowing her hair was a mess, she automatically reached up to smooth it down. At the last second she stayed her hand. Why should she care if he thought she was pretty? “Did Connor let you in?”
Her uncle wasn’t known for having the greatest judgment in the world.
The intruder grinned and took a two steps back until beams of moonlight exposed the left side of his body. Tall and muscular, the guy was built better than any of the boys at school. If she had to guess, she would say he was between eighteen and twenty-two. Utterly masculine, he also had a lot of features girls would be envious of, long lashes, thick hair, and beautiful eyes. They were the most amazing shade of green, like a place deep in the forest after a violent thunderstorm.
He grinned as if hearing her thoughts. “I thought it was every teen girl’s secret fantasy to have me in her bedroom. Was I wrong?”
It was then she recognized him, Tyler Beck, lead singer for the notorious band Bad-Rock. There was a celebrity in her bedroom. Gulp! For a moment she forgot to breathe. How was it even possible? Why would a rock star come to her home in the middle of the night? She had to be dreaming.
He picked the CD collection off the edge of the white wicker dresser and carelessly leafed through them, lips twisted in disgust. A few of the CDs wound up on the floor.
She blinked. “Am I... dreaming?”
“No.” The grin changed to a smirk. “I break into the homes of random girls all the time... just to talk. Being a rock star doesn’t keep me busy enough.” He raised an eyebrow and held up the next CD in the shortening stack. “Seriously? I wouldn’t listen to this if someone had a gun to my head.” He flicked it to the floor. “Your taste in music sucks.”
Although the CDs in his hands were a mixture of Country and Jazz, she loved Classic Rock like her dad. The discs didn’t belong to her. Nothing in the ridiculous girlie neon orange and pink room did with the exception of a few sentimental items she dragged from place to place, but she wasn’t going to explain her way of life to this intruder. If she wanted to bare her soul, she’d see a psychiatrist. Knowing it was a dream didn’t make her feel any better about him going through what he thought were her personal belongings.
“Why did you kill those people?” she asked out of curiosity. An image of dead bodies on a night club floor surfaced in her mind. It took effort not to shudder. “What did they ever do to you?”
He laughed, throaty and deep, sexy. The sound dried the inside of her mouth and she clenched her teeth, feeling betrayed by her own body. What was wrong with her? She hadn’t felt this way about a guy before. Why now? Why this murderer?
“What did they do to me?” he repeated her question. “Nothing.” Then he pointed a finger at her. “You, on the other hand, ruined my life.”
“Stop saying that. I don’t even know you. Before you killed those people I wasn’t aware we were on the same planet.”
“Ouch.” He placed a hand over his heart as if she’d wounded him. “So you aren’t one of my many adoring fans, huh?”
He put what was left of her CD collection on the dresser and reached for the tiny television, flipping it on without seeking permission. An old sit-com with a noisy family brought the square screen to life.
“No, I am not a fan. I don’t follow you on Twitter or turn the volume up when one of your dumb songs comes on the radio. I never think about you. Why are you in my head now?”
“You tell me. It’s your—”
“Dream. I know. You don’t have to keep saying it. I get it already.”
“Until this dream ends, what do you want to do?” His hungry gaze locked on her face, and he bit his lower lip as if he was once again thinking about kissing her.
Close to panicking now, she froze. The kisses she shared with Gavin were brief and passionless and always for the benefit of those watching. What would it feel like to kiss someone she actually wanted? Her skin burned from just looking at the guy. The chemistry between them had the potential to blow the roof off the house. If he touched her, she’d probably spontaneously combust.
Tyler Beck, the hottest rock singer on the planet, the boy every girl fantasized about stared at her with desire in his eyes. He planted a knee on the bed near her foot. His hand landed next to her upper thigh. The other knee and hand joined them on the mattress. Slowly he crawled up her body, careful not to touch her until he was once again hovering over her mouth. In a husky whisper he repeated, “What do you want to do? Talk? Fight? Make out?”
The challenging tone sent a chill through her, a bad sort of chill. Doubts surfaced. What if this wasn’t a dream? Maybe a monster had crossed over from the Spirit Realm in a Tyler Beck disguise to kill her. She needed to do something quick. If she died, it would be her own fault for being so stupid.
Her hand slid under the pink pillow behind her head to grab the ancient dagger she slept on. Gripping it hard, she prepared to attack. Something in her eyes tipped him off. Before she could bury the blade deep in his chest, he leaped off the bed without warning, flying backwards. He stumbled and hit the wall near the dresser. A picture of a girl sitting in a garden rocked sideways before falling off the nail.
“Another time then,” he mumbled before disappearing.
Bay-Lee blinked at the empty space where his body had been. A shaky laugh escaped her open mouth. She was dreaming. There wasn’t a monster out there that could vanish into thin air. Relaxed now, she collapsed on the mattress, breathing through her mouth. Something was seriously wrong with her, having a hot dream about a psycho rock star.
Maybe she should seek therapy.
An odd smell pierced the veil of sleep, and she wrinkled her nose. Jack Daniels?
The next thing to grab her attention was the feel of a hard body crowding her on the narrow mattress. Warm breath lightly blew a trail down her face from forehead to mouth like the soft wings of a butterfly brushing against her skin. Fingers slid up one arm to curve around her shoulder. Her eyelids fluttered, and she smiled up at the gorgeous stranger. Fantasy wove a complicated tapestry with reality, and she decided she was still dreaming.
The dark-haired boy’s gaze settled on her lips. She could practically read his mind. He wanted to kiss her until neither of them could breathe. Still living on the leftover residue of an imagined love, she was going to allow it. A tingling sense of anticipation had her nearly breathless already.
She closed her eyes again, mentally preparing for the kiss.
She waited.
The bed creaked as he leaned in to give her what she desired most. His hot breath teased her lips, and the smell of whiskey intoxicated her. She clenched her hands into tight fists, grabbing and holding bunched up bedding, silently willing him to hurry before she came to her senses. Outside of this moment nothing existed, not school, not her boyfriend, not the troubling circumstances that forced her to constantly move from state to state, nothing.
When her lips remained cool and untouched, she opened her eyes to find the boy staring down at her with pure contempt. A menacing light emanated from his eyes. He parted his lips on a soft growl, reminding her of a werewolf, and her blood turned to ice.
“You ruined my life,” he whispered in a semi-harsh tone, accusing.
Wide awake now, facts hit her like an avalanche. A stranger was in her bed, her gun was in the dresser, and he was big enough to overpower her. Feeling vulnerable made her sick to her stomach. It also filled her with unquenchable anger. How dare this stupid boy invade her bedroom, her bed, and threaten her!
Speaking in a firm tone without the slightest quiver, she asked, “How did you get in here?” He rolled off the mattress, no hurry, while she pulled the sheet higher to hide the bunny pajamas. They were ridiculous, sky blue with fluffy scampering white rabbits. Knowing her hair was a mess, she automatically reached up to smooth it down. At the last second she stayed her hand. Why should she care if he thought she was pretty? “Did Connor let you in?”
Her uncle wasn’t known for having the greatest judgment in the world.
The intruder grinned and took a two steps back until beams of moonlight exposed the left side of his body. Tall and muscular, the guy was built better than any of the boys at school. If she had to guess, she would say he was between eighteen and twenty-two. Utterly masculine, he also had a lot of features girls would be envious of, long lashes, thick hair, and beautiful eyes. They were the most amazing shade of green, like a place deep in the forest after a violent thunderstorm.
He grinned as if hearing her thoughts. “I thought it was every teen girl’s secret fantasy to have me in her bedroom. Was I wrong?”
It was then she recognized him, Tyler Beck, lead singer for the notorious band Bad-Rock. There was a celebrity in her bedroom. Gulp! For a moment she forgot to breathe. How was it even possible? Why would a rock star come to her home in the middle of the night? She had to be dreaming.
He picked the CD collection off the edge of the white wicker dresser and carelessly leafed through them, lips twisted in disgust. A few of the CDs wound up on the floor.
She blinked. “Am I... dreaming?”
“No.” The grin changed to a smirk. “I break into the homes of random girls all the time... just to talk. Being a rock star doesn’t keep me busy enough.” He raised an eyebrow and held up the next CD in the shortening stack. “Seriously? I wouldn’t listen to this if someone had a gun to my head.” He flicked it to the floor. “Your taste in music sucks.”
Although the CDs in his hands were a mixture of Country and Jazz, she loved Classic Rock like her dad. The discs didn’t belong to her. Nothing in the ridiculous girlie neon orange and pink room did with the exception of a few sentimental items she dragged from place to place, but she wasn’t going to explain her way of life to this intruder. If she wanted to bare her soul, she’d see a psychiatrist. Knowing it was a dream didn’t make her feel any better about him going through what he thought were her personal belongings.
“Why did you kill those people?” she asked out of curiosity. An image of dead bodies on a night club floor surfaced in her mind. It took effort not to shudder. “What did they ever do to you?”
He laughed, throaty and deep, sexy. The sound dried the inside of her mouth and she clenched her teeth, feeling betrayed by her own body. What was wrong with her? She hadn’t felt this way about a guy before. Why now? Why this murderer?
“What did they do to me?” he repeated her question. “Nothing.” Then he pointed a finger at her. “You, on the other hand, ruined my life.”
“Stop saying that. I don’t even know you. Before you killed those people I wasn’t aware we were on the same planet.”
“Ouch.” He placed a hand over his heart as if she’d wounded him. “So you aren’t one of my many adoring fans, huh?”
He put what was left of her CD collection on the dresser and reached for the tiny television, flipping it on without seeking permission. An old sit-com with a noisy family brought the square screen to life.
“No, I am not a fan. I don’t follow you on Twitter or turn the volume up when one of your dumb songs comes on the radio. I never think about you. Why are you in my head now?”
“You tell me. It’s your—”
“Dream. I know. You don’t have to keep saying it. I get it already.”
“Until this dream ends, what do you want to do?” His hungry gaze locked on her face, and he bit his lower lip as if he was once again thinking about kissing her.
Close to panicking now, she froze. The kisses she shared with Gavin were brief and passionless and always for the benefit of those watching. What would it feel like to kiss someone she actually wanted? Her skin burned from just looking at the guy. The chemistry between them had the potential to blow the roof off the house. If he touched her, she’d probably spontaneously combust.
Tyler Beck, the hottest rock singer on the planet, the boy every girl fantasized about stared at her with desire in his eyes. He planted a knee on the bed near her foot. His hand landed next to her upper thigh. The other knee and hand joined them on the mattress. Slowly he crawled up her body, careful not to touch her until he was once again hovering over her mouth. In a husky whisper he repeated, “What do you want to do? Talk? Fight? Make out?”
The challenging tone sent a chill through her, a bad sort of chill. Doubts surfaced. What if this wasn’t a dream? Maybe a monster had crossed over from the Spirit Realm in a Tyler Beck disguise to kill her. She needed to do something quick. If she died, it would be her own fault for being so stupid.
Her hand slid under the pink pillow behind her head to grab the ancient dagger she slept on. Gripping it hard, she prepared to attack. Something in her eyes tipped him off. Before she could bury the blade deep in his chest, he leaped off the bed without warning, flying backwards. He stumbled and hit the wall near the dresser. A picture of a girl sitting in a garden rocked sideways before falling off the nail.
“Another time then,” he mumbled before disappearing.
Bay-Lee blinked at the empty space where his body had been. A shaky laugh escaped her open mouth. She was dreaming. There wasn’t a monster out there that could vanish into thin air. Relaxed now, she collapsed on the mattress, breathing through her mouth. Something was seriously wrong with her, having a hot dream about a psycho rock star.
Maybe she should seek therapy.
~ Buy It Now ~
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Friday, 14 June 2013
Author Interview ~ Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus {Giveaway}
Welcome to my stop for
Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus
hosted by Girl Who Reads
Please follow the remaining stops: tour Schedule can be found by clicking on the event banner above
As you all may know I'm a HUGE Jeff Gunhus fan after reading his Templar Chronicles series which is a Middle Grade Adventure/Paranormal novel; check out my Review and Author Interview for Jack Templar the Monster Hunter (book 1in the Templar Chronicles) and my review of it's sequel, Jack Templar and the Monster Academy.
To celebrate Jeff's foray into Adult Fiction we're lucky to have Jeff here with us again today to talk about his newly released book, Night Chill. Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post.
About The Author
Jeff Gunhus
Jeff Gunhus is the author of the Middle Grade/YA series The Templar Chronicles. The first book, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. The book is a Book Of The Year Finalist for Foreword Reviews and a Finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award. Book #2, Jack Templar and the Monster Hunter Academy was released April 2013. Night Chill is his first book for adults. As a father of five, he leads an active lifestyle in Maryland by trying to constantly keep up with his kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel.
~ Author Interview ~
What inspired you to write Night Chill?
Just like the book’s protagonist, Jack Tremont, I was a recent California transplant to Maryland when I wrote this book. I was also a new father so the theme of a parent willing to do anything to protect their child was a very real feeling for me.
There is a lot of time spent underground in caves. Is that from personal experience?
Yes, I went spelunking for the first time in the limestone caves of Western Maryland just before I wrote this. Let’s just say Jack’s claustrophobia in the cave scenes wasn’t hard to imagine.
The reviews of Night Chill all talk about how scary it is. Are you a horror fan?
I think horror is too broad of a term. You can put the movies The Shining and Saw (the torture series) in the horror genre, but they are completely different experiences. I enjoy being spooked out but I like my scares to come from suspense instead of gore.
But there is some gore in Night Chill, right?
Well, a little gore never killed anyone, right? And even then, I don’t thing it’s excessive or overly indulgent. Is there such a thing as tasteful gore? Probably not.
The cover is super-creepy. Who did it?
My brother Eric designs all my covers. He’s an uber-talented guy—Broadway performer, graphic designer, you name it. We work together on the idea and then he works his magic and sends me something ten times better than I was imagining. Nice to have him in my corner.
Who are your writing influences in this genre?
Stephen King is the master. I love his books and his approach to writing. His book, On Writing, is a touchstone that I go back to over and over to help my writing. Dean Koontz is great too.
When do you find time to write?
With five kids and a national business to run, it’s hard to find time. The King book I was just talking about has a book stresses the importance of writing every day, even if it’s for five minutes. I try to stick to that. Early mornings from 5:30-7:30 are my mainstays when I’m in the middle of a project.
What’s your writing process like?
I write screenplays with a writing partner and that influenced the way I approached the book. With a partner, you can’t write by the seat of your pants. You have to outline and define a plan, otherwise it’s chaos. Also, you need to flesh out the characters completely so you both have a clear picture of who they are. I outlined each chapter thoroughly before I started, following the advice of Terry Brooks (great author!) in his book on writing called, Sometimes The Magic Works.
What’s next?
I’m almost done with Book #3 of the Jack Templar series and I have that series outlined for a total of seven books, so that’s going to keep me busy. I have another novel for adults call Improper Conduct that takes place at the U.S. Naval Academy (which is 10 miles from my house). And I have a stack of books I want to write in my desk. So little time….
About The Book
Night Chill
by Jeff Gunhus
Published: May 31, 2013
Publisher: Seven Guns Press
Genre: Supernatural Thriller/Horror
Synopsis
"Gunhus delivers a taut supernatural thriller...all the chops of an action-packed horror tale." - Kirkus Reviews
Emotionally scarred from a car accident in which a little girl was killed, Jack Tremont moves his family from Southern California to Prescott City in the quiet mountains of Western Maryland. At first, the small town appears to be the perfect place to reconnect with his family and to cure his troubled conscience, but Jack soon discovers he has left one nightmare only to walk into another. When a stranger who has been struck by lightning dies in Jack's arms, a child's voice comes from the man's smoldering body to issue a warning:
They're coming for your little girl, Jack. . . you better run. Take your family and run.
The warning turns prophetic when a local cult targets Jack's five year-old daughter Sarah and Jack finds himself in a fight against dark, supernatural forces that he cannot begin to understand. With the help of a mysterious Native American, Jack uncovers more than just a conspiracy that extends into the small community, but an ancient mystery larger than anything he could have imagined. Suddenly, he's not only fighting for his family, but also to stop a devastating evil from escaping into the world. Above all, he must rush against the clock to save his little girl.
~ Giveaway ~
Author Interview ~ Never Too Far by Thomas Christopher {Giveaway}
Welcome to the Book Blitz for
Never Too Far by Thomas Christopher
Check out the Author Interview and don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post
About The Author
Thomas Christopher
Thomas Christopher grew up in Iowa. He received his MFA from Western Michigan University. His short stories have appeared in The Louisville Review, The MacGuffin, Redivider, and Cooweescoowee. He was also awarded an Irving S. Gilmore Emerging Artist Grant and was a finalist for the Matthew Clark Prize in Fiction. He lives in Wisconsin with his wife and son.
~ Author Interview ~
Tell us about Never Too Far?
Well, it’s set in a future that is much hotter and where gas and oil are running out. In fact, it’s illegal and possessing it is a capital crime. The hero is a sixteen-year-old boy named Joe, whose family is very poor and live in Dust Bowl-like conditions on the plains. One day, he finds a wrecked vehicle that belongs to the authoritarian city-state of Chikowa. And against his family’s wishes, especially his older brother Frank, Joe siphons the vehicle’s diesel and takes off on a treacherous journey to sell the fuel on the city’s black market. Fuel is worth a tremendous amount of money because it is so scarce. Joe takes along a pregnant orphan girl named Mary that his family recently took in. They use a cover story about Mary’s baby being breech and needing a hospital to throw off suspicion. She barely talks at first and hides beneath a big hat she always wears. The relationship that develops between them is one of the big themes, especially after she gets sick. The whole journey leads through a hostile landscape of desert and forests until they reach the city, where they get caught in a dark world of fear corruption they might not escape from.
Where did the idea for the novel come from?
The idea for Never Too Far came from two sources, really. Several years ago, my wife gave me a book called The Long Emergency by James Howard Kunstler about the consequences of running out of oil. Around the same time, I also read The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I really loved it. It was dark and ominous, but also full of tenderness between the boy and his father. I started thinking about a future where oil was scarce, and global warming had heated the planet, and some kind of desperate journey, like in The Road. I first wrote it as a short story, but I liked it so much that I turned it into a novel.
The environment is wide raging in the story— arid plains, deep forests, and a city on a lake. Is it based on any specific area?
Yes. Although the country in the novel is a fictional one called the Meshica Union, it’s really based on the geography of the U.S. that stretches from eastern Iowa to the shores of Lake Michigan. I didn’t want to be bound to actual places and cities because I wanted the story to have more of a universal and timeless feel.
Who is the audience for Never Too Far?
I would say that both adults and young adults would enjoy this novel very much. Fans of dystopian fiction, coming-of-age stories, adventure and suspense would like it as well.
Tell us a little about yourself?
Sure. I grew up on an acreage near Grinnell, IA. As a kid, I loved roaming all the fields and creeks that surrounded us. We also raised sheep, and I helped birth the lambs. I remember very fondly feeding bottles of milk to orphan lambs in our basement. After high school, I hiked the 130 mile Adirondack Trail in upset New York. And after I graduated from college, I lived out west for a while in Seattle and Montana. I did a lot of hiking in the mountains out there. Then I went to graduate school in Michigan to studying writing and that’s where I was lucky enough to meet my wife. She was the manager of the hotel I was working at. I taught writing and literature for a while at Western Michigan University, Creighton University, and a few community colleges. Then came the birth of our son. I now split my time between writing and chasing after a very active 18 month old boy.
About The Book
Never Too Far
by Thomas Christopher
Published: May 10, 2012
Publisher: Kalmaha Press
Genre: YA Dystopian
Synopsis
A harrowing story of love and survival.
In a future of scarce resources, where the possession of gas and diesel is punishable by death, a teenage boy and a pregnant girl must save their impoverished family. They risk their lives on a terrifying journey to sell stolen fuel on the black market.
In a future of scarce resources, where the possession of gas and diesel is punishable by death, a teenage boy and a pregnant girl must save their impoverished family. They risk their lives on a terrifying journey to sell stolen fuel on the black market.
Excerpt
Mary surprised Joe by knocking his arms away. She was stronger than she looked. Then she swept her legs off the bed and sprang to her feet. She took two steps and turned to face him as if to prove there was nothing wrong with her. But there was definitely something wrong.
She wavered a moment. Her already white face turned ghostly. Her eyelids trembled. She seemed to realize she was becoming faint, and what that meant.
“I’m fine,” she said. “You don’t have to go.”
Joe got ready to catch her in case she fell, but somehow she held herself steady.
“It’s okay,” Joe said. “Just sit down. I will go find some food.”
Joe inched toward her. He was afraid to grab her again because she might try to wrench free once more and really fall. When she coughed, her little shoulders jerked and her round stomach jumped. Her head was drooped low and her hair hung down so he couldn’t see her face at all.
“Come on, lay down,” Joe said.
She didn’t move. Joe stepped toward her, but before he could put his arms around her, she tilted forward and rested the crown of her head against his chest. He slid his arms along the sides of her hard belly and around her waist. Then he shifted her toward the bed again. She moved like a bundle of empty sacks in his arms. He set her gently on the bed before he bent down to lift her feet onto the sheets.
After he sat in the chair, Mary asked him, “What if you don’t come back?”
“That’s not going to happen,” Joe said.
“How do you know?”
“I just know. You have to trust me.”
She wavered a moment. Her already white face turned ghostly. Her eyelids trembled. She seemed to realize she was becoming faint, and what that meant.
“I’m fine,” she said. “You don’t have to go.”
Joe got ready to catch her in case she fell, but somehow she held herself steady.
“It’s okay,” Joe said. “Just sit down. I will go find some food.”
Joe inched toward her. He was afraid to grab her again because she might try to wrench free once more and really fall. When she coughed, her little shoulders jerked and her round stomach jumped. Her head was drooped low and her hair hung down so he couldn’t see her face at all.
“Come on, lay down,” Joe said.
She didn’t move. Joe stepped toward her, but before he could put his arms around her, she tilted forward and rested the crown of her head against his chest. He slid his arms along the sides of her hard belly and around her waist. Then he shifted her toward the bed again. She moved like a bundle of empty sacks in his arms. He set her gently on the bed before he bent down to lift her feet onto the sheets.
After he sat in the chair, Mary asked him, “What if you don’t come back?”
“That’s not going to happen,” Joe said.
“How do you know?”
“I just know. You have to trust me.”
~ Giveaway ~
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Tour ~ Hidden by M.Lathan {Giveaway & Excerpt}
Welcome to my tour stop for
Hidden by M Lathan
Please follow the remaining stops: click on the event banner for tour schedule
About The Book
Hidden
by M. Lathan
Series: Hidden #1
Published: November 12, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal
Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Leah Grant has given up on being normal. She’d settle for stopping the voices in her head, intrusive visions of the future, and better odds of making it to her seventeenth birthday.
That’s the thing about pretending to be human in a world where magic used to exist – at any moment, her cover could be blown and she’ll be burned to death like the rest of the witches.
Everything changes when she loses control of her powers and flees the orphanage she grew up in. She desperately wants to be invisible but finds her face plastered on every news channel as humans panic over the possible resurgence of her kind. And now the hunters won’t give up until they find her.
Making friends for the first time in her life and falling in love with one of them drives her to discover why she is unlike any being she’s ever met – human or otherwise. The dangerous powers inside of her that would repel Nathan, her new, handsome reason for living, are priceless to some. The locked up forever kind of priceless. And to others, they are too dangerous to allow her to live.
Let’s hope she can stay hidden.
That’s the thing about pretending to be human in a world where magic used to exist – at any moment, her cover could be blown and she’ll be burned to death like the rest of the witches.
Everything changes when she loses control of her powers and flees the orphanage she grew up in. She desperately wants to be invisible but finds her face plastered on every news channel as humans panic over the possible resurgence of her kind. And now the hunters won’t give up until they find her.
Making friends for the first time in her life and falling in love with one of them drives her to discover why she is unlike any being she’s ever met – human or otherwise. The dangerous powers inside of her that would repel Nathan, her new, handsome reason for living, are priceless to some. The locked up forever kind of priceless. And to others, they are too dangerous to allow her to live.
Let’s hope she can stay hidden.
Chapter 1
Only once have I wanted to make a friend. I was seven, and he was a cat. This old, gangly thing the other orphans called Mr. Crusty. I would watch him hobble around, no feline grace left in his bones, wanting to play with and talk to the other pest at St. Catalina. Like I knew his pain and he knew mine.
Birds swarmed his carcass the day he died, before I ever worked up the courage to approach him. We found him out in the courtyard, getting pecked at, his pain and death meaningless to the hungry birds and everyone watching.
I still had a lot in common with Mr. Crusty. Especially now as Sienna and her flock circled me. They’d jumped at the chance to torture me as soon as Sister Margret left class for a bathroom break.
Sienna snatched last week’s Chemistry test from my desk. I hadn’t turned it over. I knew it was a D minus.
She cackled and passed it around.
“Leah, you would think someone who spends most of her time alone would have better grades,” she said. Her birds laughed on cue. “What do you do all day? Obviously not study.” She gasped slowly like she’d gotten a revelation in that blonde head of hers. “You fantasize about us, don’t you? You probably sleep in Whit’s old bed to feel close to her.”
Laughter spread around the room like an airborne disease. Disease. I shivered. That was an intriguing thought; I could almost hear the sound their bodies would make against the floor when it hit.
“Leah, come on. Say something. Scream at me, it’s been a while. At least cry,” Sienna said, laughing and leaning into my desk, closer to danger.
I didn’t cry. I never cry. And if I were going to, it wouldn’t be because of Sienna. I had bigger problems. I’d just broken a promise I’d made to God to not think about hurting His people, His children. And today was not the day to piss Him off.
My old roommate, Whitney Nguyen, graciously returned my test as she cackled with the rest of the birds. She liked the idea of me pining over her, but she knew I didn’t spend my free time thinking about her or sleeping in her old bed. After fourteen years of hard labor as my roommate, she’d given up on being friends or me being remotely normal. The current theory to explain my oddness was that I was in love with all of the girls and consumed by lust.
As long as they didn’t know it was magic.
I’d always known it was real. Everyone did. And I knew, along with the rest of the world, that it was evil, satanic, and had coursed through the veins of the creatures that tried and failed to take over the world.
I was afraid of them until four years ago, when I got disgusting magical powers and changed from a shy twelve-year-old into one of the monsters from everyone’s nightmares. That was shocking considering all of the creatures were executed after the botched apocalypse. I discovered that the government missed one on a Tuesday afternoon when I wished I could skip the walk to my dorm. When I opened my eyes, I was there, in my room, seconds after standing in an empty classroom.
I stuffed my test in my bag, bracing for the rest of their stunt. Even with my head down and eyes closed, I knew Sienna had taken a mask they’d spent hours decorating out of her bag. And I knew Whitney had covered her mouth while she giggled in anticipation.
She’d wanted to be Sienna’s friend since Sienna was the blonde toddler named Esther. Before the nuns learned our real names, we all answered to the one they’d given us from the bible. It took them a few years to identify the orphans who had been left to them after the world nearly ended. They thought Sienna was charming and our little leader, our queen. I struck them as weary. Whitney’s name used to be Abigail. I’d had to listen to the passage she used as evidence of being a king’s wife countless times, just like her idol and future best friend Esther.
Eventually, most of the girls put aside their bible names and went with what their records showed. I’d been Leah for eight years already, so I didn’t ask to be called Christine Grant. It didn’t matter to me then, but after the powers came, it felt like blasphemy to have a name with Christ in it.
Sienna cleared her throat, getting on with the prank, and I kept my head down. I’d seen this moment as I stepped out of the shower last night during one of my annoying and useless visions of the future. I couldn’t avoid much of what I predicted. I’d promised God I wouldn’t use magic.
Birds swarmed his carcass the day he died, before I ever worked up the courage to approach him. We found him out in the courtyard, getting pecked at, his pain and death meaningless to the hungry birds and everyone watching.
I still had a lot in common with Mr. Crusty. Especially now as Sienna and her flock circled me. They’d jumped at the chance to torture me as soon as Sister Margret left class for a bathroom break.
Sienna snatched last week’s Chemistry test from my desk. I hadn’t turned it over. I knew it was a D minus.
She cackled and passed it around.
“Leah, you would think someone who spends most of her time alone would have better grades,” she said. Her birds laughed on cue. “What do you do all day? Obviously not study.” She gasped slowly like she’d gotten a revelation in that blonde head of hers. “You fantasize about us, don’t you? You probably sleep in Whit’s old bed to feel close to her.”
Laughter spread around the room like an airborne disease. Disease. I shivered. That was an intriguing thought; I could almost hear the sound their bodies would make against the floor when it hit.
“Leah, come on. Say something. Scream at me, it’s been a while. At least cry,” Sienna said, laughing and leaning into my desk, closer to danger.
I didn’t cry. I never cry. And if I were going to, it wouldn’t be because of Sienna. I had bigger problems. I’d just broken a promise I’d made to God to not think about hurting His people, His children. And today was not the day to piss Him off.
My old roommate, Whitney Nguyen, graciously returned my test as she cackled with the rest of the birds. She liked the idea of me pining over her, but she knew I didn’t spend my free time thinking about her or sleeping in her old bed. After fourteen years of hard labor as my roommate, she’d given up on being friends or me being remotely normal. The current theory to explain my oddness was that I was in love with all of the girls and consumed by lust.
As long as they didn’t know it was magic.
I’d always known it was real. Everyone did. And I knew, along with the rest of the world, that it was evil, satanic, and had coursed through the veins of the creatures that tried and failed to take over the world.
I was afraid of them until four years ago, when I got disgusting magical powers and changed from a shy twelve-year-old into one of the monsters from everyone’s nightmares. That was shocking considering all of the creatures were executed after the botched apocalypse. I discovered that the government missed one on a Tuesday afternoon when I wished I could skip the walk to my dorm. When I opened my eyes, I was there, in my room, seconds after standing in an empty classroom.
I stuffed my test in my bag, bracing for the rest of their stunt. Even with my head down and eyes closed, I knew Sienna had taken a mask they’d spent hours decorating out of her bag. And I knew Whitney had covered her mouth while she giggled in anticipation.
She’d wanted to be Sienna’s friend since Sienna was the blonde toddler named Esther. Before the nuns learned our real names, we all answered to the one they’d given us from the bible. It took them a few years to identify the orphans who had been left to them after the world nearly ended. They thought Sienna was charming and our little leader, our queen. I struck them as weary. Whitney’s name used to be Abigail. I’d had to listen to the passage she used as evidence of being a king’s wife countless times, just like her idol and future best friend Esther.
Eventually, most of the girls put aside their bible names and went with what their records showed. I’d been Leah for eight years already, so I didn’t ask to be called Christine Grant. It didn’t matter to me then, but after the powers came, it felt like blasphemy to have a name with Christ in it.
Sienna cleared her throat, getting on with the prank, and I kept my head down. I’d seen this moment as I stepped out of the shower last night during one of my annoying and useless visions of the future. I couldn’t avoid much of what I predicted. I’d promised God I wouldn’t use magic.
About The Author
M. Lathan
M. Lathan lives in San Antonio with her husband and mini-schnauzer. She enjoys writing and has a B.S. in Psych and a Masters in Counseling. Her passion is a blend of her two interests – creating new worlds and stocking them with crazy people. She enjoys reading anything with interesting characters and writing in front of a window while asking rhetorical questions … like her idol Carrie Bradshaw.
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