Something strange is happening in the mountains of Sanctuary
Veterinarian Ember Burns makes a grisly discovery and it leads authorities to the body of a man in the woods above her home. Although the circumstances are suspicious, the only witness is her dog and the death's ruled a suicide.
But things aren't that simple. When Ember looks into the man's local connections, it creates more questions than answers. Including the source of an unusual rock, and what he was really doing in the mountains.
As a mysterious illness sickens the local animals, Ember's battle to save them leads to a startling discovery. She races to prove both the cause of the animals' symptoms and how the man died, but will it be too late?
How does a $25 Amazon gift card & 16 eBooks sound?
At nineteen, I was recruited into a secret government program, where my memory was erased .. wait -- that's the outline for a potential book. Sorry, my real biography isn't quite as interesting, but I'll give it a shot!
I live in the Pacific Northwest, and when I'm not writing, I'm out beach combing with my dogs for sea glass, or hiking in the rugged Cascade Mountains. It's the perfect backdrop to fuel my creative genius. *rubs hands together evilly*
You'll find all my adult romantic suspense and cozy mysteries here, and on my OTHER profile (secret identity ;)) Tara Ellis, I keep my middle grade and young adult books. Check them out, You might like those, too!
Take a look at this exciting new young adult action and adventure novel, The Student and the Slave, now available for purchase! This is the third book in the Krillonian Chronicles, after The Collar and the Cavvarach and The Gladiator and the Guard.
The series is set in an alternate world that is very much like our own, with just a few major differences. One is that slavery is legal there. Slaves must wear metal collars that lock around their neck, making their enslaved status obvious to everyone. Another difference is the popularity of a martial art called cavvara shil. It is fought with a cavvarach (rhymes with "have a rack"), a weapon similar to a sword but with a steel hook protruding from partway down its top edge. Competitors can strike at each other with their feet as well as with the blades. You win in one of two ways: disarming your opponent (hooking or knocking their cavvarach out of their hands) or pinning their shoulders to the mat for five seconds. First, a Little Information about Books 1 and 2:
Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire's most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie's escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time. With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse? Click here to read chapter 1 of The Collar and the Cavvarach. Click here to read about life in the Krillonian Empire, where the series is set.
Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is just one victory away from freedom. But after he is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he is condemned to the violent life and early death of a gladiator. While his loved ones seek desperately for a way to rescue him, Bensin struggles to stay alive and forge an identity in an environment designed to strip it from him. When he infuriates the authorities with his choices, he knows he is running out of time. Can he stand against the cruelty of the arena system and seize his freedom before that system crushes him? Click here to read about life in the arena where Bensin and other gladiators are forced to live and train.
And now, The Student and the Slave, with another awesome cover by the talented Jack Lin!
Book 3: The Student and the Slave Is this what freedom is supposed to be like? Desperate to provide for himself and his sister Ellie, Bensin searches fruitlessly for work like all the other former slaves in Tarnestra. He needs the money for an even more important purpose, though: to rescue Coach Steene, who sacrificed himself for Bensin’s freedom. When members of two rival street gangs express interest in Bensin’s martial arts skills, he realizes he may have a chance to save his father figure after all … at a cost.
Meanwhile, Steene struggles with his new life of slavery in far-away Neliria. Raymond, his young owner, seizes any opportunity to make his life miserable. But while Steene longs to escape and rejoin Bensin and Ellie, he starts to realize that Raymond needs him too. His choices will affect not only his own future, but that of everyone he cares about. Can he make the right ones … and live with the consequences?
Click here to order The Student and the Slave from Amazonfor $2.99a discounted price of just 99 cents through November 31st!
About the Author:
Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and
later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her
husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at
Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since
her childhood, and to date has published fifteen books (three YA action and
adventure novels, four fantasies, a puppet script, six anthologies of her
students’ poetry, and a Bible verse coloring and activity book). Besides
writing, her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction),
scrapbooking, and international travel.
I've been super busy this past month with my 'real' job, getting my home up for sale, and writing book #8 in the Samantha Wolf Mysteries. I'm SO happy that today is RELEASE DAY!
Spring break starts with a surprise, when Sam and her friends get an unexpected trip to the Alaskan wilderness. They're always prepared for an adventure, but not a plane crash! Plunged into the unforgiving terrain, they must rely on their instincts and each other to reach the top of Shadow Mountain and the help they desperately need.
But standing between them and their destination is more than the terrain. Giant Kodiak bears protect the sacred land and her secrets, and a local legend shrouds the mountain in mystery. As a series of events unfold, Sam suspects that the answer to both the mystery and their salvation lies at the heart of Shadow Mountain.
If you're a fan of Samantha Wolf, you're going to notice right away that there's something different about this story. While there is still a legend/mystery element (a fun one!), Shadow Mountain is all about the non-stop action and adventure! Trust me, you're going to have a hard time putting this one down.
To celebrate the release, I've made A Mysterious Christmas on Orcas Island FREE for two days. So, if you don't already have a copy of it, go grab one and be sure to get the latest edition TODAY!!!!
Spring
break starts with a surprise, when Sam and her friends get an unexpected trip
to the Alaskan wilderness. They’re always prepared for an adventure, but not a
plane crash! Plunged into the unforgiving terrain, they must rely on their instincts
and each other to reach the top of Shadow Mountain and the help they desperately
need.
But
standing between them and their destination is more than the terrain. Giant
Kodiak bears protect the sacred land and her secrets, and a local legend
shrouds the mountain in mystery. As a series of events unfold, Sam suspects
that the answer to both the mystery and their salvation lies at the heart of Shadow
Mountain.
I'm super excited about this one! Book number eight in The Samantha Wolf Mysteries is full of everything you have come to love from the series. Adventure, danger, mystery, friendship, and family bonds. After finding themselves stuck in the deep wilderness of Alaska, Sam, Ally, Cassy, Hunter, and John must hike to safety. Along the way, they encounter multiple challenges, including the mystery surrounding a local legend that may just be the key to solving a current problem Sam's dad is facing. Buckle up, this one is going to take you for a ride!!!
Each book from the Samantha Wolf Mysteries can be read on their own, or you can choose to read them in order, starting with The Mystery of Hollow Inn, which has won multiple awards! Having hit the Amazon best seller list several times, the series is often compared to Trixie Beldon, or Nancy Drew. Fun for the young or the young at heart, there's something in them for everyone!
I'm happy to introduce this new, clean romance by my friend, and author, Krysten Lindsay Hager!
Dating the It Guy
By Krysten Lindsay Hager
YA contemporary romance
Published by Clean Reads
Blurb:
Emme is a sophomore in high school who starts dating,
Brendon Agretti, the popular senior who happens to be a senator's son and
well-known for his good looks. Emme feels out of her comfort zone in Brendon's
world and it doesn't help that his picture perfect ex, Lauren seems determined
to get back into his life along with every other girl who wants to be the
future Mrs. Agretti. Emme is already conflicted due to the fact her last
boyfriend cheated on her and her whole world is off kilter with her family
issues. Life suddenly seems easier keeping Brendon away and relying on her
crystals and horoscopes to guide her. Emme soon starts to realize she needs to
focus less on the stars and more on her senses. Can Emme get over her
insecurities and make her relationship work? Life sure is complicated when
you're dating the it guy.
Excerpt:
He
put the magazine between us, and when I moved forward to see it, he put his arm
across the back of my chair. Now lots of guys did put their arms on chair
backs, even Kirk did that with Rory, and he definitely wasn’t interested in
her, but I couldn’t help but hope it meant something. I got this shivery
feeling, and he asked if I was cold. I shook my head. I always got a feeling
before something major was about to happen, and it has nothing to do with being
cold, but I didn’t know why I got the feeling. Grandma used to do the same
thing and always said, “Somebody just walked across my grave.” Somehow I didn’t
think Brendon would understand if I told him I needed to move my future burial
plot to a less high-traffic area.
“Are we still on for the art fair?” he asked.
I had only been circling it with hearts on my calendar since
he asked.
“Sure, I think I’m still free,” I said.
We finished up our work, and he walked me out to meet Kylie.
“Okay, I’ll pick you up at three tomorrow,” he said, walking
off.
“Can I ask a stupid question?” Kylie asked as soon as
Brendon was out of earshot. “What’s he like? Because he’s so well-known, and I
can’t imagine what it’d be like to grow up with your whole life under a
microscope. I mean, my mom remembers his first birthday party pictures being
shown on the news. And he’s hot, but he’s not like I-know-I’m-a-hottie hot, but
more like a confident, ‘Yes, I am hot. Any questions?’ I mean, he has to have
noticed there aren’t any guys who look like him walking around.”
“I should tell him what you said.”
“Don’t you dare,” Kylie said.
“I get what you mean—he’s grown up with everybody knowing
his dad and watching him, but he’s pretty down to earth.”
“So what’s up with you two? You guys didn’t do any work last
Saturday, and now you’re going to an art fair.”
“I dunno. He just asked me to go with him.”
“Asked you to go with him as his study buddy or asked you to
go with him because he’s desperately in love with you?” she asked.
I said we were just friends, but she wouldn’t let it go.
“Okay, duh, obviously I like him, but let’s be honest. He’s
out of my league. He’s out of most people’s league. It’s weird because normally
if I like a guy then one of two things happens—either he likes me and asks for
my number…or I find out he’s not into me and I cry in my pillow and listen to
man-hating music for at least three days,” I said. “But this time’s different
because he’s, I dunno, not just ‘some guy.’ I mean, I’m not putting up a shrine
to him in my room, and I haven’t rooted though his garbage can, but I have as
much chance of going out with him as Kirk does of getting an ‘A’ in this
class.”
“You listen to man-hating music?” she asked, and I narrowed
my eyes at her. “Whatever. Anyway, Em, he’s asked you out once already, and you
are seeing him tomorrow. Plus, he’s always staring at you.”
I said he was probably just bored in class today, but she
wouldn’t let it go.
“I’m not just talking about today. When we watched the movie
on Monday, he watched you instead, and whenever I see you guys, he acts like
there’s no one else in the room,” she said.
I couldn’t hold back the big, stupid smile spreading across
my face. “He does? For real?”
She nodded. “You know, it’s weird. Here you were all upset
you didn’t have a partner at the beginning of the semester, and then you ended
up with like, Mr. Perfection, as your partner.”
Bio: Besides
mining her teen years and humiliating moments for her novels, Krysten is a
also a book addict who has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked
as a journalist and writes young adult, middle grade, new adult, and adult
fiction as well as humor essays. She is originally from Michigan and has lived
in Portugal, South Dakota, and currently resides in southwestern Ohio where you
can find her reading and writing when she’s not catching up on her favorite
shows (she's addicted to American Dad to the point where she quotes episodes on
a daily basis and also loves Girl Meets World). She's also a third generation Detroit
Lions fan.
Krysten writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in,
frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True
Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, and Competing with the Star
(The Star Series: Book 2). Her debut novel, True Colors, won the Readers
Favorite award for best preteen book. Krysten's work has been featured in USA
Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the
Bellbrook Times and on Living Dayton.
Praise for Dating the It Guy:
“A sweet, endearing story—you’ll fall in love with Emme just
like I did!” --Kimber Leigh Wheaton, YA/NA author
"Hager's authentic characters will resonate with
readers of all ages as they are immersed in the story - complete with teen drama and angst, but
also the relationships which make it all worthwhile." -- Leslie L. McKee, book reviewer, Edits and
Reviews by Leslie
What people are
saying about Krysten’s work:
From Teenage Book
Recommendations in the UK: "This is a fantastically relatable and real
book which I feel captures all of the insecurities and troubles which haunt the
modern teenage girl. It is about a young model who has to go through tough
times when she is torn between a life as a model and managing her friendships.
You learn which friends she can most trust and which will create the drama
typical of teenage life. Follow the life of Landry and try to see if you can
find out which are her true friends before their true colours are revealed.
This book is all about relationships, hopes and truth. I loved this book!"
From Books &
Authors Spot: “This book is such an inspiration for those who just care about
their looks and are tensed about them. This thing is looks aren't everything.
This book is related to every teen's problem. Hager has written a very
inspiring novel.”
“Krysten captures the teenage girl today. The struggles are
real, the issues are something children have been dealing with since before I
was a teen, and oddly-Krysten captures the readers! I was prepared for another
"Mean Girls" story. This is NOT that. This is the real story of
teenage girls! You watch Landry flower into a young woman who finds out trust
is an invaluable item to find, and friendships are hard to seek genuine realism
in. You will learn about relationships with not just friends, but peers, boys,
and others. The details put into the book will draw you, and make the story so much
more realistic. Krysten expresses emotions beautifully through her writing, and
the story flows flawlessly…” By Candice
J. Conway Simpson
“True Colors, is just a dazzling story of how middle school
kids show their true colors of jealousy, drama, loss and gains of friendship.
However, the way Krysten wrote her story; she wrote it with passion, creativity
and honesty that this story line could be placed in anyone's life at any age.” Review by Double Decker Books
“Krysten Lindsay
Hager understands what it means to be a teen today, and she writes with an
authentic voice. Landry, the main character, is funny, lively, and very real.
Readers will relate to her struggles with friends and family, self-esteem and
self-discovery, boys and school and life in general. It's fun to read about
Landry's blossoming modeling career and the changes it brings.” Review by Author Diana Jenkins
Well ... I did it. I published the first book in a new series in a brand-new genre, Romantic Suspense! Because it's such a different theme, I created a new platform and pen name, Tara Meyers.
Chris Echo thought a private island in the South Pacific would be the perfect escape from the terrors of her life as a CSI profiler. But shortly after retreating to the tropical setting, she finds herself trapped in the middle of something far more dangerous.
Kyle Stone is battling his own demons. And it isn't anything a remote luxury island can fix. After a long undercover mission, he and the guerrilla cartel he's infiltrated are traveling to an exchange when a storm washes them ashore. The resort's guests are taken hostage, and he can either keep his cover intact or save their lives. To complicate matters even further, there's a beautiful captive who may just be his salvation.
Each of the visitors to the island arrives harboring different fears, but they are about to confront the ultimate fear of all, a struggle between life and death. In the midst of the turmoil, Chris begins to realize that perhaps death isn't her greatest challenge after all.
**Note: Go to my Facebook page now and comment on my post about the new release to get your FREE COPY!!!!!
Check it out, and let me know what you think. I have several books planned for this series!!
To get you started, you can read the free short story lead-in, A Distant Echo.
Have you ever wondered what it was like for orphans born in
the Wild West? Faith Blum has a new book that explores the life of three
orphans born during that time. She’s with us today to tell us a little about
her book. Make sure you read to the end to see the super fun giveaway she has
going on, too!
About the Book
The ground shook and a rumble sounded
through the air as the train squealed to a stop. Maybe, just maybe, I could
carry someone’s bags without the porter taking notice. And then there was the
even bigger maybe: Maybe I could get enough money to at least buy a crust of
bread for Trevor and Tabitha to share.
I hid behind the boxes in the freight yard
and kept one eye on the porter, and the other on the second class passenger
car. The porter had his attention on the first class car, so I slipped into the
gathering crowd.
I have several items to share with you! First, the FREE book. Because I know how everyone loves a free story. :) I have posted about this before. It's a short story (10,000 words) lead-in to the first full length novel in my new adult thriller series, The Chris Echo Files. It's called A Distant Echo, and is available wide, in all markets!
Chris Echo, a CSI profiler, is forced to go on vacation after struggling to rebound from an officer-involved shooting. Playing vacationer isn’t her thing but the small, private island in the south pacific might be just what she needs.
Kyle Stone has been undercover for too long. With his goal in sight, he’s caught in a storm during his final mission and washed ashore the remote island. When the unsuspecting guests are taken hostage, he can either break cover to save them, or rely on his emotionless state to see him through.
Each of the visitors to the island arrives harboring their own, private fears. Fear of trusting, of letting go, of needing, and of love. They’re about to confront the ultimate fear of all, a struggle for life and death. But in the midst of the turmoil, Chris comes to realize that perhaps death isn’t her greatest challenge … it’s allowing herself to live.
You're invited to come along on this new 'thrilling' journey with me!!! As always, I LOVE reader feedback. Take a look at the free, short story, and let me know if you want more. I'll be announcing some contests soon, involving Echo of Fear!
My last announcement is going back to my middle grade mystery series! As you know, I recently released book 7. I plan on having book 8 out in a couple of months (have to finish Echo of Fear first! ;) ), but meanwhile, since there are now seven books, I put together a second box set that includes books 4,5,6. The first box set has been dropped to 5.99 for the first three books because I decided to reduce the price on book 1, The Mystery of Hollow Inn permanently to .99!
It's here! Book #3 in the Druid's Brooch Series! A mix of adventure, romance, and a wee bit of fairy magic!
(Although part of a series, it CAN be read on it's own!)
Éamonn is a Traveler at a horse fair in Ballyshannon, Ireland. He loves gambling, women and drinking, not necessarily in that order. But he’s entangled in a true mess when he falls for a fiery redhead after dallying with her sister.
When she is married off to a Scottish Traveler without her consent, he must travel to Scotland to find her, with the help of her sister, his cousin, and a magical brooch his father gifts to him. Their quest takes them along the coast of Northern Ireland and the west coast of Scotland, all the way to the Isle of Skye.
Along the way, they encounter war, betrayal, death, and in the end, he must make his own luck, and learn how to use his powers without danger.
Christy Nicholas, also known as Green Dragon, has her hands in many crafts, including writing, digital art, beaded jewelry, writing, and photography. In real life, she's a CPA, but having grown up with art all around her (her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are/were all artists), it sort of infected her, as it were. She loves to draw and to create things. She says it's more of an obsession than a hobby. She likes looking up into the sky and seeing a beautiful sunset, or seeing a fragrant blossom or a dramatic seaside. She takes a picture or creates a piece of jewelry as her way of sharing this serenity, this joy, this beauty with others. Sometimes this sharing requires explanation - and thus she writes. Combine this love of beauty with a bit of financial sense and you get an art business. She does local art and craft shows, as well as sending her art to various science fiction conventions throughout the country and abroad.
It's here! Book #7 in the Samantha Wolf Mysteries, and it's a doggone good mystery!
(Although part of a series, it CAN be read on it's own!)
The next best thing to owning your own dog is having a job where you get to take care of them. That’s what Sam figures when she, Ally, and Cassy all volunteer at a local animal shelter. But they don’t expect the trouble that comes along with the work.
When dogs start showing up at the shelter with odd symptoms, the director doesn’t seem concerned. However, strange coincidences start to happen and Sam doesn’t believe that they’re random.
Confronted with the hard decision of following either her heart or her nose for a good mystery, Sam faces an emotional dilemma. Sometimes, the right path is the most difficult and this is one challenge that’s going to take all of her friends to help solve.
Tara Ellis, an Amazon best selling author, lives in a small, rural town in Washington State set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She enjoys the quiet lifestyle with her two kids and several dogs. Tara was a firefighter/EMT, and worked in the medical field for many years, before committing herself to writing young adult and middle grade novels full-time.
Her on-going middle grade mystery series, The Samantha Wolf Mysteries, has hit the best seller status on Amazon in the children's detective story genre several times, and continues to grow in popularity. The engaging, fun stories herald back to the days of Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon, and several readers have commented that the series is of the same caliber. These are clean reads that are suitable for the whole family to read together, and are also part of the Kindle Unlimited program.
Laerka is a Southern Gothic thriller featuring
Stella, the sixteen year old daughter of an out -of-work Savannah fisherman and
Laerka, a mysterious Danish girl who leaps off a container ship into the
Savannah River. Stella appoints herself as Laerka's rescuer. Both Laerka and her
sister Aleksandra have been kidnapped by a Russian trafficker and forced to
work in the off-highway strip trade. Together with a band of teenage skater
punks, Stella busts the gang of traffickers, but not before discovering that
both he and Laerka have a secret supernatural skill -- she, to morph into the
Rusalka mermaid and he into the Vodyanoy water dragon.
Laura Bendoly is a
writer, photographer and teacher of writing in Columbus, Ohio. She is the
author of the 2016 urban fantasy, Laerka
and the 2015 thriller, The Estate. When not researching a book, she
photographs architecture, landscapes, animals and people. She also does yoga
and cycling, she runs, kayaks and swims and loves long walks in the mountains.
Recently moved from Atlanta, she had a long career in the museum field and
worked at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, the Atlanta History Center,
the High Museum of Art and the Indiana University Art Museum. She has lived in
France, England and the Czech Republic, all of which have influenced her
writing in one form or another. Laura currently lives in Columbus, Ohio with
her husband and two children.
Find out about
appearances and correspond with Laura at one of her social media channels:
When Sam and Ally get a special Christmas invitation to Orcas Island, they have no idea that the small island has such big mysteries.
When their friend, Sandy, begs them to help her solve a troubling situation, they are drawn into a puzzle with layers of uncertainties. From secret meetings, to legendary ghosts, they explore the picturesque setting in an attempt to make sense of it all.
But in the middle of their plight, a storm of the century bears down on them. Not only do they end up battling the raging storm, but also a criminal plot. Stranded and alone, can the girls come together to overcome their most harrowing adventure yet?
