Thursday, March 27, 2014

Blog Tour Giveaway:Falling For Hope, by Ann Conley

Join me today as I fall for another amazing story.





TOUR-ABOUTBOOK

Title – Falling For Hope
 

Series – Four Winds #3
 

Author- Anne Conley
 

Genre- Paranormal Romance
 

Publication Date - March 5, 2014
 

Length (Pages/#words)- 46,000 words
 

Publisher – Anne Conley
 

Cover Artist – Vanessa Booke

 




FallingForHope

Book Blurb/Synopsis- 
Hope is an eccentric librarian who lives with her five cats and loves to spend her time fantasizing about living in a world of shape shifters, vampires, and fairies. Although the existence of a paranormal world is far from Hope’s reality, she can’t help but sense there’s something different about the mysterious man lurking in her library.

Gabriel is God’s Strength, the Messenger, who’s been tasked with delivering the Word for millennia. His most recent assignment will be his last, to fall in love and become human. But he can’t quite figure out what he’s done to displease the Boss. Gabriel’s latest assignment might be the hardest, but this gorgeous rubenesque quirk of a woman definitely has him intrigued.

God’s Four Winds are his most trusted archangels: Uriel, Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael. Follow their adventures in “falling” as they each discover their chosen one and what it means to be human. Along the way, the Deceiver, who’s been cast down, only wants what his “brothers” have, and will stop at nothing to foil his Father’s plans.

Falling for Hope is book three in the Four Winds series, but they are all stand-alone novels.







TOUR-BUYTBRLINK

AMAZON | GOODREADS | SMASHWORDS | BARNES & NOBLES

 




FallingForHopeteaser3




TOUR-EXCERPT


 The next morning, Hope was watching her feet as she climbed the steps to the library. She cursed to herself as she tasted the tangy-sweet saliva in her mouth again. Maybe it was some sort of building issue? She'd never heard of asbestos making people taste funny things, but she'd be sure to ask the other employees today, just in case.

As she neared the top of the stairs, Hope felt the prickly feeling yet again, and her gaze rose to the man standing in front of the library doors waiting.

"Aren't the doors open?" She tried to sound solicitous, but the truth of the matter was, this guy took her breath away. It was the man that had watched her all day yesterday.

"Yes, but I won't be staying today." The low rumble of his voice greeted her a cheery good morning unlike anything else she could ask for. Just the sound of his voice made her day perfect.

"Oh." Disappointed that he wouldn't be in her little room of the library bit through the fog of his voice.

"Come to dinner with me tonight."

Shocked speechless, she stared at him. He had an air of expectation about him, and his forehead crinkled in thought at the same time that she heard his luxurious voice rumble inside her head.

Come. Say yes. His sexy-as-sin voice resonated inside her head.

Hope's eyes darted around, making sure there wasn't anybody else who could have done that, before she looked back up at him. "You don't have to use the force on me. I'm thinking. I was just taken by surprise, is all."

Both of his eyebrows rose, almost to his hairline and his eyes widened in surprise. "You heard that?"

"Didn't you mean for me to?" She countered, putting a hand on her hip.

His face remained impassive. "Well…yes. But usually it's not so obvious." His tone of voice suggested he wasn’t expecting Hope to call him on his little trick, and seeing that gave her a little boost of confidence.

"You go around using Jedi mind tricks on women to get dates often?"

He chuckled, and his eyes dropped to the ground. "No. I've never done it for a date, no."

Hope's eyes roamed his body from his feet, clad in shiny leather loafers, up his gray woolen slacks (Hello, Fifty), to the black sweater vest he wore over a white long-sleeved button down shirt, open at the collar. His face held strong features: a square jaw with a small dimple in the middle, high, obscenely high cheekbones, a rather large mouth that made her mind travel to erotic places, and those eyes… The man exuded a strength that wasn’t visible. Well, it was visible, he looked like his muscles had muscles, but he had an air of intense power and vigor about him that told Hope he expected people to do what he said. Often.

Then her eyes traveled to herself. She had worn black dress pants today, with a shirt that actually sort of fit her large breasts, although it showed a little more cleavage than she was comfortable with. Hope looked at him again, and his eyes held the question. What was her answer?

"Why?"

The question in his eyes turned to surprise. Apparently, this guy didn't get questioned very often. An image flitted through her mind, the two of them together at a table, lit with candles, Hope's head thrown back in laughter.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Did you do that, too?"

He had the grace to look sheepish. "Will you go to dinner with me?"

"No."

His head snapped up, and his mouth fell open. "Why not?"

"Because I'm having dinner with my parents tonight. But you didn't answer my question? Why do you want to take me out?"

It was his turn to peruse her. His eyes started at her feet, and slowly worked their way up her body. By the time they reached her face, Hope was squirming. "Why not?" The timbre of his voice washed over her, like it had yesterday, and Hope actually felt her breasts get heavier, as if they were swelling out of her bra.

Why not, indeed?

"Okay, my lunch is from one to two."

"I'll pick you up here, then? At one o'clock?"

Hope nodded, suddenly speechless again, unable to look away as he turned his long, lean frame and deftly descended the steps. Suppressing the urge to do a happy dance, lest he turn around and catch her, she scurried inside the library.






fallingforhopeteaser2




TOUR-MEETAUTHOR


My Mistake - Author Photo


Author bio-


Anne Conley lives in a small town in East Texas, with her husband, two kids and numerous goats. She brazenly stole her pseudonym from her great-grandmother, a true pioneer woman who raised seven kids alone: churning butter, plucking chickens, knitting clothes, and putting coal oil on every visible wound. Anne’s Stories of serendipity feature real people, living life and finding love in a small town. She also has a Paranormal Romance series, the Four Winds about archangels “falling” in love and coping with turning into humans Her writing is escapist therepy, and she succumbs to it every chance she gets.




TOUR-FOLLOWLINKS

WEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER

 



Giveaway

GIVEAWAY PRIZE LIST 
1 winner will receive all 3 ebooks of the Four Winds series (Falling for Heaven, Falling for Grace, and Falling for Hope) 
1 winner will receive a FREE ebook of Falling for Hope 
1 winner (US only) will receive an Autographed copy of Hot Mess, a Story of Serendipity

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE AUTHORS GIVEAWAY

 




sexy woman in red underwear undressing a man




  

This Tour Organized By:

http://tonyaloveslife.wordpress.com


Keep being distracted by reding,
Urania

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Global Blog Event Hop! Keep The Magic Alive a world of YA fantasy!


Global Blog Event Hop 

March 21st thru April 4th - 2014


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Global Blog Event Hop


Welcome to my blog!
Urania's Distractions is the place for booklovers of all genres although  (why hide it?) my preference for forbidden love is renowned! So is my adoration for bad guys and kick-ass heroines...
These are characters I like to write about. Because I'm not just an avid reader. I am one of those who hear "the voices" inside their head and instead of looking for an expert to shut them down, I listen to what they're saying to me and give them space and time to unravel their story. It usually ends up into a paranormal or fantasy book because reality is not enough for them. Then who knows? Maybe one day they decide to settle down, stop whispering to me. Whatever happens it's an amazing journey and I'm glad I have so many wonderful companions like you all along. 
My blog is full of wonderful stories and their amazing authors. Just take  a look. 

As for my story...
I am the author of 'Gate Deadlock' a paranormal, time travel romance and its sequel, "Beguiled".
You can find out all about them below. 




Have you ever thought that the present reality can be predetermined and constantly monitored by the dark forces of the future world with the only aim to protect their own reality? Could the present and the future be evolving simultaneously? What if you suddenly discovered that everything you have considered to be your own choices were nothing but inevitable responses to the sly directions of the future? Even worse, what if it was your heart that betrayed you by selecting the future? Gate Deadlock, a Young (and Forever-Young) Adult, time-travel romance, will share with you the secrets of the future and of forbidden love.



The war between the present and the future has started. Compelled to cooperate with the forces of the future in order to gain Christopher back, Emma has taken on a new mission. The portal that connects the two worlds must be relocated otherwise there is no hope for humanity. But there are so many obstacles she has to overcome; Christopher has given up on their love, her best friend has been kidnapped and the life-changing truth about her family is revealed. Worst of all, a new, unexpected menace under the name Frederick, Christopher’s evil double, threatens their lives. 

Will she be able to secure the future of mankind and claim the love she has fought so hard for? What if Christopher has decided to sacrifice himself again in order to save her? 

In “Beguiled”, the second book of the “Gate Deadlock” series, love knows no deadlocks.





I hope you can join me on Emma and Christopher's story. If you do, let me know what you think about it. It is always god to know.

Keep being distracted by reading,
Urania



Friday, March 21, 2014

Book tour giveaway: The Whisper Man, by David Flynn

Hello book-lovers! 
Today I'd like you to meet the mysterious Whisper Man.
Enjoy!




David Flynn has worked for
as a writer and actor (under the screen name Patrick Flynne) and is a
member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of
Television and Radio Artists (SAG/AFTRA). He has appeared in
numerous motion pictures, both studio and independent productions,
and in the daytime series, All My Children, Another World, Guiding
Light and Loving and as the ongoing character Representative
Ingersoll in videos for The Onion.

He has also performed as a
spokesperson in numerous industrial films and television commercials,
as a voiceover artist in radio broadcast commercials and as an
English language narrator, editor and writer for several series on
Ebru-TV, a Turkish company currently broadcasting on the Internet.

David has written 18
screenplays, including THE WAR CHANNEL, a Bronze Award Winner for
Best Dramatic Screenplay at the Worldfest/Houston International Film
Festival. This script was optioned by the Auerbach Company at
Columbia TriStar Television. He has also co-authored two
screenplays, one a Silver Award Winner for Best Dramatic Screenplay
at Worldfest.

Under its original title,
THE BRIDE OF DREAMS, the screenplay for THE UNDYING was one of
fifteen semifinalists (out of a total of 3900 entrants) for a Nicholl
Fellowship, a screenwriting competition sponsored by the American
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The Nicholl is
considered to be the most prestigious screenwriting competition in
the industry.

His novel THE WHISPER MAN
is the first in a series of mysteries that focus on unusual crimes
and criminals in New York City.






Book Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Amazon
Release Date: Jan 3, 2014


Book Description: Sex,
vanity and psychology are the weapons David Barry uses as he kills
for money in THE WHISPER MAN.

David's prey - and profit
- are the wealthy of New York City,
with each murder crafted to
look like a suicide, an accident or the work of another, but always
with the goal of increasing David's balance sheet. When a close
friend of Manhattan ADA Joseph Kane dies at the 
apparent hand of
his wife, Kane refuses to believe in her guilt. He investigates the
recent deaths of several prominent and wealthy New Yorkers and
decides there may be an undiscovered killer behind them.

Kane develops a prime
suspect and triggers a battle of wits with the brilliant and
arrogant
David Barry who must kill again, not for profit this time but to
protect his identity. The jealousy of Kane's insecure wife and
conflicts with his boss become the tools David will use to destroy
his adversary.

Excerpt:

The
moment after the crash was filled with screeching tires as following
vehicles tried to stop or avoid the two ruined cars. If traffic were
heavier it might have been a three or four car pile up but since the
street was fairly quiet, no other vehicle added to the destruction.
The two cars had struck each other on the right front fenders,
leaving the drivers’ sides untouched. Behind the now deflating
airbag Per Arnudssen sat in shock. He did not consciously register
the fact that the driver’s door on the Cadillac was swinging open
and the driver was stepping out.
Later,
witnesses at the scene would describe the young Latino with the
greasy hair under the tightly tied “do-rag” who ran from the
scene of the accident. They would describe the puffy jacket and
hoodie he was wearing, the baggy jeans and the large Nikes with the
shoelaces loosely tied in the street fashion of the day. They would
point north on Eleventh Avenue and east on 29th Street where they saw
him run. It all happened so quickly and so unexpectedly. That was
all the Police would have to go on.
#
The
driver of the Cadillac stopped running as he turned onto 30th Street
after crossing Ninth Avenue. He slowed his pace to a street swagger
until he reached the narrow opening between two buildings. He
glanced around quickly before slipping into the alley. Sure that he
was not being observed, he stripped off the jacket and the hoodie and
threw them on top of a garbage can. Next he slipped off the oversize
sneakers and the baggy jeans, and they followed the jacket onto the
garbage can. He was confident that within a couple of hours they
would be found by a bum or an addict and sold to someone else for the
price of a few hours of diminished consciousness. Recycled into the
city’s economy, they would never be identified as the clothes of a
hit and run driver.
Underneath
the Nikes he wore slender white tennis shoes. Finally, he slipped
the do-rag from his head and used it to wipe the grease from his face
and ditched it in a different trash can. David Barry, wearing a
buttoned down shirt, crew neck sweater, khakis and an attitude of
innocence, walked out of the alley and over toward Eighth Avenue.
 David
decided that his plan had gone so well that he would take a leisurely
stroll back to the scene of the accident and look over his handiwork
before going out for dinner. By the time he reached 26th Street, a
considerable crowd had gathered and was being held back on the south
side of 27th Street. He joined the crowd and slowly worked his way
to the front of the group. He watched the actions of the Police and
the EMT team for about ten minutes before finally deciding on Thai
food.

Giveaway:

1 DVD of The Undying, written and produced by Author, David Flynn







Guest post: What inspired you to write this book?
As a long time fan of the writing of Michael Connelly, John Sandford and several others, I realized that I had never come across the concept of a serial killer who enjoys his work but only does it if he can make a profit from it. And what better place to ply this trade than New York City? There are many elements that have to be brought into play to create a realistic scenario that would make the actions of the antagonist David Barry not only plausible but probable and possible. There is no shortage of people in a city as large as New York one can call the ‘walking wounded’, some who are classified as sociopathic or psychopathic and take human life for whatever twisted logic they apply to their actions. There’s also no shortage of those who have used their talents to steal as much as possible from as many people as possible for as long as possible. Did Bernie Madoff believe he would never be caught? Did Charles Ponzi, for whom the scheme of acquiring ever larger amounts of money to pay off prior investors is named, believe the scheme could never run out of suckers? Now put the two together – a murderer who’s also a financial vulture and you have David Barry.




The


Undying is a 2011 American supernatural romantic thriller written 



by



David M. Flynn and 



Steven Peros and directed by Steven Peros. The



film stars Robin Weigert, Anthony Carrigan, Wes 


Studi, Jay O.



Sanders, and Sybil Temtchine. Wikipedia

Initial



releaseOctober



25, 2009























  • Keep being distracted by reading,
    Urania

    Friday, March 7, 2014

    Book Tour GiveawaY: Blood Moon and Key of Solomon by Cassiel Knight

    Ready to be distracted by two stories of paranormal romance?
    Take a look!

    Scroll down to find out more about the books and the author, read the excerpt and enter the giveaway.

    Have fun!

    Title: Blood on the Moon  
    Author:  Cassiel Knight
    Published:  Sept 30th, 2012
    Publisher:  Champagne Book Group
    Word Count:  85,000
    Genre:  Paranormal Romance
    Content Warning:  Mild Adult Content
    Recommended Age:  17+
    Synopsis:
    Mia Langdon—tomb raider and adventure-seeker—has everything she wants. Freedom. Independence. No chains (a.k.a. a man). Her troubles begin when she’s attacked on a dig in Peru. Soon, she’s forced to use her tomb raiding talents to find the flaming arrows of an Egyptian goddess. In the wrong hands, this weapon could destroy the human race—and nearly had.

    Used to doing things her own way, it isn’t long before she figures out that she needs the help of Harrison Braden Stanton, her stuffy, but so yummy, Egyptologist and ex-lover. There’s one problem. He despises what she does. As Mia and Harrison find themselves in the middle of a battle between the Egyptian gods and goddess, there’s no choice for the woman with a Grand Canyon-sized independence streak and the man working for the Egyptian god, Osiris, but to work together to prevent the destruction of all they love.


    Title: Key of Solomon  
    Author:  Cassiel Knight
    Published: March 1st, 2011
    Publisher:  Samhain
    Word Count:  85,000
    Genre:  Paranormal Romance
    Content Warning:  Mild Adult Content
    Recommended Age:  17+
    Synopsis:
    Anthropology PhD candidate Lexi Harrison never bares it all when she belly dances for a strip club crowd. She doesn’t have to—she’s that good. Every performance earns money toward her degree, and restores the sense of power that her painful childhood ripped away.

    Something is different about tonight. A man whose silver gaze seems to touch her skin beneath her veils. When a rowdy customer crosses the line, he comes to her rescue with the speed of a falcon—complete with wings.

    Mikos Tyomni has never seen anyone dance the raqs sharqi like Lexi. Trust his tormentor, Archangel Michael, to put him in close contact with the cause of his downfall: a mortal woman. Particularly this mortal woman. The Defender. He has only thirty days to win her trust before Hell’s deadliest demons attempt the mother of all prison breaks.

    No matter how sexy the messenger is, Lexi’s career plans don’t include some crazy idea that she’s the last line of defense against the forces of evil. Until her university mentor’s murder leaves her holding the key to Hell. And fighting a losing battle against a passion with the unholy power to bring down Heaven…

    About the Author:
    In the job that pays the mortgage and allows her to indulge in her real passion, writing, Cassiel Knight works in the beautiful state of Oregon. Crazy-passionate about the romance writing industry, Cassiel has a paranormal romance series featuring fallen angels and demons from Samhain Publishing, an urban fantasy through Lyrical Press and a Egyptian mythology/archeology series with Champagne Book Group. She writes paranormal romances with kick-assitude that blend archeology and mythology – just a few of her favorite things.




    Giveaway Details:
    There is an International tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
    ·         $25 Amazon Gift Card
    Samhain

    Interview

    Welcome to "Urania's distractions", Cassiel Knight. I think your readers already know a lot about you, but please share a short bio with us.

    Hi and thanks for having me here! I’ve been a writer ever since I can remember. The first time I put pen to paper to write fiction was after reading The Flame and the Flower by Rosemary Rogers. At the time, I was in high school and thought being able to write such a terrific story must be the most amazing thing in the world. Turned out it was; however, I wasn’t the writer. I still kept writing. But not fiction. I wrote for newsletters, drafted publications in the military, training outlines, business letters and more. Everything but fiction. It wasn’t until AOL came along that I found fiction again. Actually, it was a combination of AOL, Moondust and Madness by Janelle Taylor (futuristic romance) and a dream. From then on, I was hooked on the genre and wanted to craft my own stories.


    When did you discover your gift for writing?
    As I noted above, a long long time ago. For as far back as I can remember, I’ve always written. But my goal to be a full-fledged writer started around 1993 and solidified in 2003 when I got serious about being a writer and getting published.

    What personal need does writing cover for you?
    I used to play with Barbie dolls and make up stories with them. I think it’s the creative aspect I like. Plus, I love to research and continue to learn. And, I love words—love crafting sentences into an interesting and entertaining story.

    What kind of sacrifices have you made along the way?
    Well, I have to say my marriage. My husband and I have separated after 22 years of marriage because of my focus on writing and editing and his, I don’t want to say lack of support but maybe lack of understand how important this all is to me. However, we are still fabulous friends and I have hopes we can find our way back together. I love him to pieces.

    What genre do you write?
    I love paranormal romance but my absolute favorite is science fiction romance and I’m actually, among working on my series, writing two science fiction romances. Taking my characters into the stars, for some reason, really excites me. I blame it on Janelle Taylor’s Moondust and Madness and Dorchester Publishing for their LoveSpell books in the nineties. J

    Any genre you have excluded from your writing?
    Erotica. I thought about writing it because it’s such a hot genre but I just can’t do it. I just cannot be THAT descriptive in my sex scenes. This means I have to struggle harder to find readers who like sexual tension but not a lot of descriptive sex. Not a whole lot out there anymore. J

    Do you have a special genre preference as a reader?
    I’m an eclectic reader and what I read really depends on my mood. Right now, I’m in a horror frame of mine and have just finished several really wonderful spooky books by Michaelbrent Collins who I discovered. I’m also a picky reader and while I love urban fantasy, I’m tired of the same old trope. Because I have limited time to read, I need to be hooked or I’ll put the book down. And when I put it down and don’t think about going back to it, I’m done. I love action-oriented books, which I write. I love characters but for me, it’s more about stuff happening. The books I read tend to cross genres but they all have lots of stuff happening.

    How do you approach your writing?  Do you plot or go with the flow?
    Oh, go with the flow all the way but sometimes, with just a teeny bit of plotting tossed in just to mix things up. I know some say it’s because if they plot, they know the story so why write it. That could be part of my thoughts as well but I don’t think it’s just that. I like the act of creating and while I run into frequent snags (sigh), I love coming up with neat ways to come out of them and find that my stories tend to twist better this way.

    Who is your favorite author and why?
    I really have two - Jim Butcher but for his Harry Dresden series only. I tried to read his fantasy series but after Dresden, well, I can’t read him as anything else. I just love the world he created for Harry, and I’m in awe of his imagination. My second favorite is Stephen King. Seriously. He’s so wickedly scary and such a genius at creating terror on the page. I’ve read his On Writing book a number of times. It’s quite inspirational.

    What inspired you to write Key of Solomon and Blood on the Moon?
    For Key of Solomon, book 1 of my Relic Defender series with Samhain. At the time I wrote this, there wasn’t a lot on the market about fallen angels and I really wanted to write about them. Plus, I loved Tomb Raider and got the idea of combining fallen angels, demons and a woman on a quest for an ancient book that controls demons. All this combined made Key of Solomon and the characters that fill it.

    For Blood on the Moon, book 1 of my Children of Egypt series, again, here I am with my Tomb Raider love but this time, I married it with my love for all things Egyptian.  I wrote this book so I could write my own version of Lara Croft who turns out to be the daughter of an Egyptian goddess. Her hero is the son of an Egyptian god. The idea was to turn this into a series featuring the half-blood children of Egyptian gods and goddesses battling it out for various dangerous to mankind relics.

    What's the significance of the book's title? Key of Solomon is the title of the book the story is about—the item my heroine and hero need to find. Blood on the Moon I took from, believe it or not, the bibliography of a book on vampires I was researching for another story. It works perfect given the nature of the story.

    Is there a main message that you'd like readers to take away from the book?
    I’m supposed to have one of those? J Really, I write for entertainment but I do tend to have a similar message in both stories. It’s that giving up control doesn’t make someone weak – it can add more strength then one things possible. Also, faith in friends and a higher authority (this is NOT an inspirational book but all mine tend to have a faith element).

    How do you pick the character’s names?
    Oh boy. That’s hard to answer. See below for why. J

    Any interesting writing quirks or stories you would like to share with my readers?
    It takes me forever to get a character’s name and my critique partners were always getting new pages and kept asking, who is so and so? I’d have to tell them that’s the heroine’s or hero’s new name. It got to be quite a joke. I’m not as bad now but it still takes me long time to settle on just the right name for my characters – all of them – big and small. I just keep researching names until one “sounds” right. That can take until the book is finished.

    What was one of the most surprising things you learned while creating your book?
    Nothing really surprising, but a lot was fascinating in both books. I can’t think of anything that made me go wow.

    Did you have to do any research for your story/ies?
    Oh, lots and that was really, in a lot of ways, the best part. Besides the putting it all together. I relied on Internet and library research plus my own library is now filled with all kinds of reference books. They look so pretty sitting on my shelves. Happy sigh.

    What’s the most challenging aspect of writing?  Easiest?
    Besides my character names, I have such a hard time with making sure I’m descriptive enough. I’m a plot driven author which means, for me, it’s all about what’s happening. I have to go back during revisions and fill in details. I had someone read my book and tell me that not once had I described the location. I just figured the reader knew. :-D  I’ve been told that I write very good action scenes. Those probably come easiest to me. Wonder what it means that I like to write violence?

    What’s the most rewarding aspect?
    My covers. Really. Have you seen them?! J And telling people I’ve written a book and it’s actually for sale. But more than that, I like being published because it lets me continue to write. It was hard to keep going for a while when I was spending a lot of money and getting nothing (except satisfaction but satisfaction doesn’t pay the bills, you know?) in return. Now, I still spend money but at least, I get some return. And I enjoy creating a new world and playing with new characters.

    What’s the most interesting comment you have received about your books?
    Sorry, I’m boring. No interesting comments. J

    What advice can you offer to those who are struggling to make their book known to the public?
    It’s the same thing I give to writers waiting to be published. Don’t give up. Keep putting yourself out there. Keep exploring new promotional opportunities and if you work with a publisher, take advantage of what opportunities they offer. We can’t always make millions out of the gate. Most of us struggle so just keep going.

    What are we to expect of Cassie in the future?
    I’m actually working on two projects—the next books in both of my series featured here. First, The Death Skull, book 2 of my Relic Defender series (Key of Solomon, Book 1) comes out this May. I’ve started working on book 3 as I’d like to have that come out early next year to wrap up this series. Then, I’m also working on book 2 of the Children of Egypt series (Blood on the Moon is the first). And, as if that isn’t enough, I have a science fiction romance I’m working on. Whew! Problem is, I have a lot of ideas but just me to write them. J

    Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?
    I would love to know where they find their books and how they decide where to spend their money.

    Thanks again, Cassie, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavours!



    Excerpt from Blood on the Moon by Cassiel Knight:


    Harrison sighed and leaned back in the chair. He stretched one arm over the back of Eleanor’s chair. She turned and smiled at him, lavender eyes sparkling nearly as much as the diamonds she wore at her neck and in the delicate pink lobes of her ears. He smiled back and she returned to telling their tablemates a story about her last trip to France.
    His girlfriend was in rare form tonight, bubbling and officious and impeccably attired in a blue dress the color of Egyptian lapis lazuli hugging every curve and swell of her body. Pure feminine delight, a feast for the eyes.
    He sighed again. For some reason, the banquet set before him left him full. After nine months of dating exclusively, he knew Eleanor expected him to pop the question, as the Yanks would say. A week ago, he considered doing just that. But now, a sense of restlessness and anticipation left his feet tapping and not from a desire to dance.
    His gaze swept the crowd again. Where was Sophie? He hadn’t seen her since she and Sebastian left to see the tomb mock up. His niece hadn’t wanted to wait until his duties as exhibition curator were discharged before going off and exploring. Fortunately, his friend surprised him with a visit and now ran watch over Sophie.
    Harrison rubbed his chin, feeling the slight scrape of his morning shave wearing off. Time for him to go find his wayward, high-spirited niece. The last thing he needed was for her to find her way into a part of the museum she wasn’t supposed to be. And it wasn’t like his best friend from childhood would be any sort of detriment. In fact, Sebastian was just as likely to lead the way.
    As if towed toward her by a fishing line, his gaze found and locked onto a tall woman in a sleek gown of scarlet. It wasn’t just the color that got his attention, or made his mouth suddenly dry. It was the long, naked line of her spine revealed by the nearly backless dress, a smooth expanse of flawless skin that begged to be touched. To be caressed. To run his lips along the indentation of her spine.
    Unlike most of the other women with hair pulled into tight knots, the exotic woman’s black hair fell in a loose braid down to the middle of her back. Some hair escaped, defying any attempts at control.
    She carried herself confidently, her strides smooth and slinky as if she were aware of the appreciative gazes following her every move. Pure animal sexuality screamed from every bump and swivel of her hips. Harrison clenched his jaw. Fingers gripped the back of the chair as he fought the urge to adjust the tightness in his crotch.
    Holy hell.
    The woman’s whose body language fairly shouted take me now turned her head and looked him straight in the eye. God almighty. The full lines of her lips curved into a mischievous smile. Familiar tawny eyes glowed with humor.
    Mia.
    He should have bloody well known. Indeed, the most primitive part of him had known. Scarlet dress, red, the color of warning. The color of danger. Everything Mia Langdon was. Dangerously exotic, dangerously sensual.
    The only woman who had the power to take his breath away. The woman who he once thought would be at his side for the rest of his life. Until he discovered, unlike the perfect relationships in romance novels, love did not conquer all. It failed to conquer the insurmountable, deep within their soul, differences each had about their passions. The passion for history. While he worked to protect the past for the future; Mia salvaged the past’s treasures for the glory. For the excitement. For the money. That he could not get past.
    Hovering at the beautiful woman’s side was the sun-kissed sable waves of his recalcitrant niece. And just a little further away, a tall man with dark hair. Bloody hell. Sebastian. Harrison’s stomach twisted. The only way this situation could get worse is if—
    Harrison!”


    Excerpt from Key of Solomon by Cassiel Knight:


    Time to get to work.
    Unsettled feelings aside, even after dancing four, sometimes, five nights a week, she never got tired of the sensuality or power contained within the Sharqi dance movements. She much preferred this style of Egyptian belly dancing since it was less folksy and more refined and delicate. Besides, she loved the feeling of supremacy and control over the hypnotized audience. Oh, and they were hypnotized. Glassy, staring eyes and slack lips proved that.
    Striking a pose, arms upraised, veils draped seductively about her waist and hips, Lexi waited as a hush fell. She risked a glance about the darkened room. Men, and some women, from all walks of life filled the chairs.
    Business men, stiff in their tailored suits, with desperate gleams in their eyes as if they sought to find relief outside the rigid structure of the world they lived in rubbed elbows with construction workers whose steel-toed boots showed the dusty debris of the worksite. Homeless men skittered about the room’s edges and wore hopeless expressions like heavy clothing.
    All of them lost souls. Like her. Maybe that’s why she was still here. Still dancing. Whatever the reason, she had a job to do. Money to make. Her lips pulled into a quick smile. No open seats. Good. A packed audience. The tips’ll be great.
    She swiveled her hips and slipped into the comforting routine of her choreography. The pulsing beat swirled around her, curling its seductive energy about her body. When she danced, nothing else existed.
    Not the laughter, catcalls or propositions.
    Not the clink of glass or scrape of chairs against the scarred wooden floors.
    Only the thrumming cadence, the crystal clash of the finger cymbals, the jingle of the coins at her waist and the soulful moan of the lute.
    Shutting out everything but the music and the provocative dance movements was the only way she could do what she loved while the lust-filled and often half-crazed faces watched.
    Halfway through her set, that changed.
    Surrounded by a sea of blurred faces, a shadow-shrouded man grabbed her attention, coerced her regard as if a spotlight caught him in its beam. For a brief moment, she froze while her music continued its bewitching tempo.
    The dark figure steeped in gray sat motionless, not attempting to hide the fact he watched her. While that didn’t make him different from the twenty or so other men who did the same thing, his posture and behavior did. Like a quiescent volcano, he left her with the impression that tremendous power lay beneath the serene surface. Power ready to explode at the slightest provocation.
    Three other men occupied the same beer-bottle dotted table. Yet, no one spoke to him. They talked to each other around him. As if they didn’t know he sat there.
    As if they didn’t see him.             
    One of his long arms was stretched across the back of the chair next to him. The neck of his black shirt gaped, revealing a muscular, tanned chest dusted with dark hair. He projected an energy that sang a mesmerizing song of hot nights and warm bodies wrapped in cool sheets. Of velvet caresses and hard, yet tender, lips pressed against all her hidden, pleasure points.
    Her heart hammered against her ribs, and she squinted with the effort to make out his features. All she glimpsed was a masculine profile and an occasional silver glint from his eyes when the lights eddied over him. Like viewing an object from behind a full glass of water, his form was vague, yet visible at the same time.
    Flickering, wavering.
    There, but not there.
    From behind the shadows over his face, she felt the touch of his stare, his magnetism so potent she couldn’t look away A wealth of unspoken words hung in the air, words she could only imagine. Words directed at her. For her. Only her.
    Despite her best efforts to look away, something kept pulling her attention to him. Something familiar. As if she’d seen him before. But where?
    He shifted. The wan, but clear, glow from one of the lights fell over his face and suddenly she saw him as clear as if he stood right before her. The shaft of light struck his hair, illuminating the midnight depths with flashes of fire. She licked her lips as her gaze tracked back to his face, to his firm, sensual lips.
    A brief, violent shiver rippled within her muscles, and she lost a step. Or was it two? To cover her abnormal, and frustrating, reaction, Lexi dropped into a deep downward movement. The satin of her costume and colorful jewel-toned veils drifted with soft scrapes against her sensitive skin, skimming across her nipples until they peaked.
    His gaze was riveted on her face then moved to her shoulders and down to her breasts. Embers kissed her skin everywhere his eyes rested. Her breasts tightened while liquid heat pooled between her legs. She licked her lips again. His silver regard turned molten.
    He held her gaze, a long, silent moment suspending between them as if spun from silk into a finely made and equally fragile gossamer thread. Her pulse leaped before settling into an erratic rhythm that threatened to steal her breath away. She slowly drew off each veil, a come-hither siren’s call in every motion. To tantalize, tease and torment. Even as she moved, she knew she’d never danced as well as she did now. Certainly never for a particular man.
    When the last scrap of gauze floated to the ground, she bent backward, a final flourish, knowing as she did so, she delivered a message. For him. Only him. All she had to do was step off the stage and…
    The tinkle and crash of shattering glass, followed by a woman’s squeal, snapped Lexi out of her trance. She swallowed over a dry throat and blinked rapidly. What the hell had just happened? Had she really come close to going to that man?
    God help her, she was losing her mind.


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