The Rorik Tour and Giveaway! by Mary Morgan

 I'm thrilled to be part of Mary Morgan's book tour and giveaway for her new release, RORIK! I love the cover for this book and I can definitely see why Mary calls Rorik "The Black Seducer"! Don't forget to enter the giveaway. Enjoy!

 

Rorik

The Wolves of Clan Sutherland Book 2

by Mary Morgan

Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance

The Dark Seducer is known throughout Scotland as a man who charms many women into his bed. Pleasure is his motto as he obtains information for his king. Yet Rorik MacNeil harbors one secret buried beneath his heart of steel. An unfulfilled conquest plagues both man and his inner wolf, and Rorik would rather suffer death's sharp blade than confront his greatest fear.

As the Seer for the Orkneyjar Isles, Ragna Maddadsson confronts an unknown destiny when she travels across the North Sea to Scotland. In her quest to deliver a message from a powerful vision, she fears the warrior will not listen. If Rorik ignores her warning, Ragna must find a way to forestall his impending death. If unsuccessful, she risks having her heart cleaved in two.

To unravel their true fates, Rorik and Ragna must trust in the power of the wolf.

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Magnar

The Wolves of Clan Sutherland Book 1

Known as the Barbarian, Magnar MacAlpin is a fierce ruler for those under his command. As leader of the Wolves of Clan Sutherland, his loyalty and obedience lies with Scotland. However, the king’s last demand is not something Magnar will tolerate.

After Elspeth Gunn’s brother the Chieftain of Castle Steinn is murdered, she flees with her nephew, and finds safety amongst a band of men who are rumored to be part wolf. When the king forces her to wed a heathen Northman, she fears losing her heart and soul not only to the man, but the beast as well.

In order to restore peace to a shattered clan, Magnar and Elspeth travel a treacherous path that challenges their beliefs. When evil seeks to destroy ancient traditions, will Magnar be compelled to restrain his wolf or allow him free to protect those he loves?

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8 Reasons You Should Read RORIK

1.  The Vikings had their ancient laws, but you will also learn the Wolves of Clan Sutherland had their own called the Nine Noble Virtues of Wolf Lore.

2.  You’ll get to meet a powerful Seer and wise woman from the Orkneyjar Isles who does not get along with a certain wolf in the elite guard.

3. You learn several ways how Rorik can shift magically into a wolf—from swiftly and quietly, to uttering a chant and transforming into the animal.  

4.  You’ll have a chance to revisit characters from the first book, Magnar.

5.  Find out the other magical gift Rorik possesses.

6.  Experience a Viking sporting game over a raging river.  

7.  Learn what happens when Rorik surrenders control to his inner wolf.

8.  Norse Mythology comes alive within the pages of this story, and when you’re done, you’ll feel transported into Rorik and Ragna’s world.

Award-winning Celtic paranormal and fantasy romance author, Mary Morgan resides in Northern California with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.

 

Mary's passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. Inspired by her love for history and ancient Celtic mythology, her tales are filled with powerful warriors, brave women, magic, and romance. It wasn't until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling by writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.

If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$25 Amazon gift card and a signed print copy of RORIK

 

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Five Things about ALITUS by Kayelle Allen

I'm excited to welcome Kayelle Allen to my blog today. She's here to tell us a little about Alitus, Book two in her erotic sci-fi gay romance series, Tales of the Chosen. Welcome Kayelle!

5 Things Alitus Will Never Do - from Alitus #SciFi #Romance

The character Alitus lives life in a personal lockdown -- not because of ill health or being shy. Alitus is addictive. He can touch no one.

Conceived as a Better, an enhanced human, Alitus spends his days working for Her Majesty Rheyn Destoiya, better known as the Conqueror. As her personal assistant, he manages every aspect of her life, and no one gets through to the Empress without going through him. They say it's harder to get an appointment with him than it is with her. So here are five things he will never do:

1. Alitus will never give up. He's determined that no matter what life throws his direction, he will overcome it and move forward. Even while not being permitted to touch another living person.

2. Alitus will never know what it's like not to have a friend. He is friendly, but that's not the reason. One of his special attributes as a Better is that if he touches a person, that person will like him and seek to help him. It's one reason he's not permitted to touch people. If he were, he would quickly gain control.

3. Alitus will never be allowed to use his natural voice. The voices of Betters are pleasant to the human ear, but there is a harmonic undertone that enables them to take control of another person's will.

4. Alitus will never tire of hearing stories about his parents. They were killed when he was fifteen, during a riot aboard a space station where they worked. They had done nothing to anyone and were not taking part, but to control the riots, the Praetorian Guard jettisoned modules of the station. Once exposed to outer space, his parents died almost instantly.

5. Alitus will never forget a kindness shown to him. Because he lives such an isolated life, when others speak to him and allow him to take part in an activity or to join a group, he appreciates it.

Blurb:

Promoted to Minister of Imperial Intelligence, Alitus has a newfound joy -- working with others. His days are filled with requests for assistance and information, and he loves providing it. That is, until a friend of the Empress accuses a lover of being unfaithful, and the Empress asks Alitus to help prove it. His access permits him use of any recording device in the Empire, so the task won't be hard. But this is one request he fears fulfilling above all others. Why? The affair is with Alitus himself.

Up to now, hiding what Wulf means to him has taken discipline and denial. Now, it will take a miracle...

Alitus is book 2 in the erotic gay science fiction series Tales of the Chosen. Book 1, Wulf, now permafree everywhere. Pick up the book and start the series from it's oh-so-hot beginning.

Find the entire trilogy here: https://amzn.to/33rN3pI

Jawk, which completes the series, is available on preorder.

About Kayelle Allen

Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role-playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She is the author of multiple books, novellas, and short stories. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured.

Sign up for her newsletter and get free Sci-Fi stories, book recommendations, and become a Tarthian Empire citizen (and an immortal), among other reader exclusives. https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

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Clothes Make the Character: DRAGONS WALK AMONG US by Dan Rice

Dan Rice is visiting today with his YA Urban Fantasy, DRAGONS WALK AMONG US. I always love posts about what a character is wearing because clothes give real insight to their personality. Dan's character Allison is positively brimming with personality! Thanks for joining me today Dan.

Clothes Make the Character

In my YA urban fantasy, Dragons Walk Among Us, heroine Allison Lee's style can best be described as a cross between punk and goth. Her preference is for dark clothing, but, being a photographer, she has a deep appreciation for contrast. So you might see her wearing an oversized black sweatshirt featuring a white sketch of a goth kitty cat––think Hello Kitty but with a piratical eyepatch. 

She typically wears skinny jeans, black, of course. The usual T-shirt or hoodie she wears, depending on the amount of Pacific Northwest gloom dialed in for a particular day, is always one or two sizes too large for her diminutive frame. For footwear, she opts for comfortable sneakers during the summer and boots to keep her feet dry during the rainy season, which is every season that's not summer.

Dragons Walk Among Us takes place in the late fall and winter. A cold front brings a freak early snow to the Pacific Northwest. Allison dresses accordingly, choosing practical attire––a heavy black winter coat and scarf. She neglects to wear gloves, though, because handwear makes manipulating her camera's controls difficult. Yes, she'd rather have icicles for fingers than miss taking the perfect picture due to heavy winter gloves.

Her pride and joy is her forest green hair, which she often refers to as her mop. In her absolutely 100% correct, factual opinion, forest green is the most fabulous color in the world. It reminds her of the forest and trees, which she loves despite not being an outdoors person. Like many of her generation, she's deeply concerned about climate change and the environment in general. She often photographs the local climate marches organized by her BFF, Dalia, who incidentally dyes her hair neon pink.

After surviving an unprovoked attack, Allison briefly has a scar on her forehead. She thinks it makes her look dangerous like a femme fatale. Her forest green mop covers up the wound, ruining the effect. Still, she'd like to meet her mysterious attacker again, only this time she is the predator.

Blurb:

Shutterbug Allison Lee is trying to survive high school while suffering the popular girl's abuse. Her life is often abysmal, but at least her green hair is savage. Her talent for photography is recognized by the school paper and the judges of a photo contest.

While visiting her friend Joe, a homeless vet, Allison's life irrevocably changes after an attack leaves her blind. All her dreams as a photojournalist are dashed as she realizes she'll never see again. Despair sets in until she is offered an experimental procedure to restore her vision. But there are side effects, or are they hallucinations? She now sees dragons accompanying some of the people she meets. Can she trust her eyes, or has the procedure affected her more than she can see?

Excerpt:

I sit at the dining room table for breakfast. After downing a second cup of coffee, I’m ready to head outside. I grab my heavy black winter coat, purple scarf, and black stocking cap from a closet by the front door. I rush back to the kitchen and take my camera out of the bag. The cool metallic and rubberized body of the mirrorless digital camera feels familiar in my hands. I turn the camera on, checking the battery life and the amount of free space on the two SD cards. Full battery power. Enough space on the cards for 2,000 shots. I smile, looking forward to heading outside, despite expecting to suffer from the biting cold. 

The front yard is my photographic playground. I capture the sun as a starburst, backlighting the snow- laden branches of the cherry tree. Icicles hanging from the gutter catch my eye. The icy stalactites gleam golden in the light, almost like sparkling jewels. It reminds me of the glittering scales of the astral dragon. Don’t think about Dr. Radcliffe or his dragon. Don’t. 

I bite my lower lip and notice my fingers are about as nimble as the icicles. I’m not wearing gloves to better manipulate the camera’s controls, the sacrifices an artist must make. I shoot for another twenty minutes or so, creating a visual scrapbook of the morning before the cold drives me inside. I rush to the kitchen where I find Dad sipping coffee while oatmeal simmers on the stove. 

Links for Purchase:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iBooks

Author Bio:

Dan has wanted to write novels since first reading Frank Herbert’s Dune at the age of eleven. A native of the Pacific Northwest, he often goes hiking with his family through mist-shrouded forests and along alpine trails with expansive views. 

Dragons Walk Among Us is his debut novel. He plans to keep writing fantasy and science-fiction for many years. You can explore his blog at https://www.danscifi.com. 

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It's RAINBOW SPRINKLES Book Birthday!

 D.V. Stone is celebrating the 1st birthday of her book RAINBOW SPRINKLES and I'm helping her spread the news! Until July 23, 2021 RAINBOW SPRINKLES will be on sale for .99 cents. That's a great way to mark the occasion!

Blurb:

Retired and widowed Gloriana Jones is forging on with the plans she and her late husband dreamed of—bringing joy and happiness, one ice cream cone at a time, to Lake Unami. But bad weather is drowning her dream. A trip to Upstate NY is bittersweet for Nathan James. He is excited to see his first granddaughter but without his wife he’s lonely. When his car breaks down, he heads to the only light he can see, an ice cream shop. With aid from a heavenly source, electricity sparks, but will the two weather the summer storms and find love a second time? Or will their hopes and dreams melt away?

Excerpt:

“Do you mind if I wait until the tow truck gets here?” He plucked the wet shirt away from his chest with the long fingers of one tanned hand. “It must be electrical, even the radio stopped working.” 

“No, you’re welcome to hang around as long as you need.” Gloriana riffled through a cardboard box under the counter, pulled out an extra-large t-shirt, and tossed it to him. “Here you go. The restroom is through there.”

Mr. Gorgeous beamed a perfect toothy smile. “Thanks. I’ll be right back.”

When he disappeared into the hallway and the door clicked shut, Gloriana fanned her face. What the hot fudge was wrong with her? 

“Coffee. Make coffee.”

Buy Links:

Amazon    Barnes & Noble   iBooks  

Author Bio:

Born in Brooklyn, D.V. Stone has moved around a bit and even lived for a time on a dairy farm in Minnesota before moving back east. Throughout her wandering, she always considered herself a Jersey Girl. She met and married the love of her life, Pete—a lifelong Jersey Man, and moved this time to Sussex County. They live with Hali, a mixed breed from the local shelter, and their cat, Baby.

You can find out more about D. V. by following her on Social Media

 

Website           Amazon Author Page             Facebook         Twitter             Instagram

Pinterest          Bookbub        Goodreads      Newsletter       YouTube

 

Blogs

 

Welcome to the Campfire Blog          Peek Through the Window    

 

Other Books by

D. V. Stone

 

Rock House Grill

One man’s choices. One woman’s Impact

 

Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar

One foolish thought. One brutal act. Instead of a peaceful alliance––war.

 

Agent Sam Carter and the Mystery at Branch Lake

Agent Sam Carter and the Mystery at High Pointe Tower

Mid-grade paranormal

 

Contributing Author

Australia Burns

Jean Grant and The Hundred Trilogy

Jean M. Grant is my guest today and she's celebrating the creation of The Hundred Trilogy, a boxed set of her three medieval Scottish/Norse books in ebook format. She tells us how the trilogy came to life and came together. Congratulations Jean!

Tying a Trilogy Together

What seemed ages ago, but in the grand scheme of life, only about 6 or 7 years ago, I sat down to write another manuscript. With three “practice” novels written but shelved, I dug into a new story. I changed my time period from 12th to 13th century during the Scottish Wars of Independence, wove a mystical element into the story line, and on some invaluable advice of an agent, worked the heck out of that story to give it twists and turns to excite my readers. In 2017, A Hundred Kisses was born with the publishing house The Wild Rose Press. 

The backstory of the heroine’s parents nagged at me. And guess what? When I looked at the history thirty years prior to the first book (which was 1296, and I looked back to 1263), lo and behold, it was a time rife with Norse-Scottish turmoil. The end of the Viking reign to boot. That story came forth in a flurry, and I found myself contemplating the third book in what was now becoming a trilogy. A Hundred Breaths (the prequel, and book one) released in 2019. Fast-forward to 1322, a time after the Scottish Wars of Independence, and A Hundred Lies was born, wrapping up my trilogy. 

Each story is a standalone, but they can be read in or out of order. Each story tells a tale of a MacCoinneach family member “gifted but afflicted” with a mystical ability that comes at a cost: to heal but lose your own breaths in return, to feel auras/lifebloods but to feel others’ pain, and to see the future but to be unable to prevent the visions unless refraining from touch. Conquering Norse, Scottish lore, Ancient mystics, and invading English…the trilogy has a bit of everything. Can our mystical family hone their gifts for good, escape curses, discover mercy, find home, and find love? 

With the encouragement of a few readers, I added supplemental material on my website to those interested: a genealogy/lineage chart of the family over three books, a glossary of people, places, and things, and medieval Scotland map. Check it out: https://www.jeanmgrant.com/extras

Blurbs:

Scotland, 1263 – 1322

The MacCoinneach family is gifted but afflicted. Deeply rooted powers of healing, feeling, and prophecy run in their bloodline. Descended from the Norse and mystical Ancients of the Isles, they must each face the curses associated with their ability…they must each find the path to love. Norse invasions, Scottish fights for independence, and the plights of the mystical isles’ people come together in The Hundred Trilogy. 

A Hundred Breaths

1263

Gwyn of Uist is a merciful Healer but loses breaths of her life with every healing charm. She barters an alliance with a Scot bent on revenge against her Norse kin, in the hopes to save her brother from their abusive father. But can she and Simon MacCoinneach outwit her betrothed and bring an end to the Norse-Scottish bloodshed when it will take all her breaths to save Simon on the battlefield? 

A Hundred Kisses

1296

Deirdre MacCoinneach feels the lifebloods of everyone around her…but vows to discover if her gift killed the men she married. Under the facade of a trader, Alasdair Montgomerie travels to Uist with pivotal information for a claimant seeking the Scottish throne. A cruel baron hunts him, leaving little room for alliances with the lass he meets along the way. Amidst ghosts of the past, Alasdair and Deirdre find themselves falling together in a web of secrets and the curse of a hundred kisses…

A Hundred Lies

1322

Rosalie Threston’s fortune-telling lies have caught up with her and she’s on the run from a ruthless English noblewoman. Rosalie finds refuge in the halls of Eilean Donan castle deep in the Highlands, and in the arms of the laird’s mysterious son, Domhnall Montgomerie. Terrible visions plague Domhnall and he avoids physical contact to temper them. When an accidental touch reveals only delight, he wonders if Rose is the key to silencing the Sight. Mystical awakening unravels with each kiss. But can Domhnall embrace his gift in time to save her life, even if it means exposing her lies?

Buy Links:

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  Universal Link

Author Bio:

Jean’s background is in science and she draws from her interests in history, nature, and her family for inspiration. She writes historical and contemporary romances and women's fiction. She also writes articles for family-oriented travel magazines. When she's not writing or chasing after children, she enjoys tending to her flower gardens, hiking, and doing just about anything in the outdoors.

Social Media Info:

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#NewRelease from Alison Lohans: CANINE CUPID

My friend Alison's new book releases today! If you love emotional stories, especially emotional stories featuring dogs, you'll love CANINE CUPID. 

Blurb:

Kara’s vengeful con-man ex-husband has left her with a mountain of fraudulent debt – and now he’s begun stalking her, too! What is a hardworking elementary school teacher to do, simply to stay afloat, let alone trust someone new? Is Kara even safe?

Peter is still grieving the deaths of his beloved wife and daughter. Even so, his self-pitying widowed mother keeps escalating her unreasonable demands. Meanwhile, Peter’s stand partner in the symphony comes on to him, although he’s tried hard to make it clear that he’s not interested – in anyone.

When Kara slams on the brakes to avoid hitting a stray dog and Peter rear-ends her, an unexpected and unwelcome attraction begins to flare.

My Review:

Kara and Peter meet in the aftermath of a fender-bender when Kara brakes suddenly to avoid hitting a dog. From the moment we meet them, we like them. In this emotion-packed story, these characters are people we want to root for. You can tell a lot about people by the way they treat animals, and these two are definitely good people who deserve a happy ending. Both have faced terrible pain, and we want them to find happiness together. We can truly identify with what they’ve experienced in the past and what they’re still going through. When they fall in love, it feels like the most natural thing in the world, as if they were made for each other.

Ms. Lohans’ writing is rich and descriptive. The dogs practically jumped off the page and licked my face. I also loved the musical references connected to Peter’s career as a cellist in the symphony, and it’s obvious Ms. Lohans has a deep knowledge of classical music. One of my favorite scenes was when Peter brought his cello to Kara’s grade four class and was absolutely masterful in getting the kids excited about music.

I loved Kara and Peter’s love story. And I really loved their dogs!  I highly recommend this book and will be looking for more stories from Ms. Lohans.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Canine-Cupid-Alison-Lohans-ebook/dp/B096PT1G5K 

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1088124