Blog Tour: Moroni Deception by Jack L. Brody

The Moroni Deception by Jack L. Brody

Genre: Political/Conspiracy Thriller

Identical ritual murders two thousand miles apart.  A missing Mormon relic long thought to be just a myth.  Investigating the connection, what reporter Michael Chenault uncovers may not only determine the next Presidential election, but cause an entire religion to come tumbling down.   If he can stay alive. 

In the tradition of Brad Meltzer, Dan Brown and Steve Berry, The Moroni Deception is a cleverly conceived, twisting tale of political and religious intrigue by a new master of the conspiracy thriller.

• Jack's Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
• The Moroni Deception on Amazon | Barnes & Noble 
• Publication Date: July 31, 2012

Excerpt

As the thunderous crashing of Lamott’s heavy footsteps got louder and louder as he begin closing in, for the first time in his life the thought crossed Chenault’s mind that this might really be the end. But just then, and from out of nowhere, came the rapid, high-pitched twittering of a bird. Chenault then heard it again, but clearer and even more distinctly, and it really did almost sound like the excited chirping of some exotic songbird--only it was electronic and closing in fast. As he continued to run, his lungs burning more and more with each step, he noticed the chirping along with Lamott’s footsteps getting fainter and fainter. And then he heard Lamott pull up and come to a stop, and the electronic chirping ended. The son of a bitch is taking a phone call! 

For good measure, Chenault ran a hundred more yards and pulled up behind the trunk of a massive oak. Heaving his lungs out as he tried to catch his breath, he could feel the rough bark of the tree through his jacket and sweat-drenched shirt as he leaned heavily back against it in his attempt to remain standing. Finally, and he didn't know how many seconds had passed--it might have even been several minutes, but he at last caught his breath and listened carefully, trying to hear something--anything, but all there was now was silence. Could the bastard be headed back for Rachel? 

The entire time he and Rachel had been running for their lives, it had never occurred to him to use his cell and dial 9-1-1, and except for the one brief respite earlier, there wouldn’t have been any time anyway. But in a moment of clarity, he whipped his phone out to call Rachel, to tell her that whatever she did to not honk the horn and call attention to herself. As he raced down his phone’s address book for her number, a car horn began honking in the distance, and not just once, but repeatedly, as if the alarm had been set off. 

Chenault never would have made for a very good long distance runner--he didn't have the wind for it, and his occasional smoking probably didn't help. He had, however, run the 200 meter sprint in high school and his first year of college, and with his adrenaline once again surging, he sensed he was now running the fastest he had ever run in his life as he headed back toward the parking lot, back to Rachel. 

(My thoughts to follow)

Winner!

Congrats to Shelley!

She is the winner of the kindle version of Guardians.

Blog Tour: Armoured Hearts by Pauline Creeden & Melissa Turner Lee (tour giveaway)

The blog tour is presented by Reading Addiction Blog Tours.

Click HERE for more tour information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature Armoured Hearts.

Melissa Turner Lee holds a BA in Communications with a concentration in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. She has studied fiction writing since 2008, attending various writing conferences and workshops, along with guidance from professional writing coaches. She resides in Spartanburg, SC with her husband and 3 sons.
Blog: http://melissaturnerlee.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/melissaturnerlee
Twitter: @MelissaTLee1975

Pauline Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.
Website: http://paulinecreeden.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/paulinecreeden
Twitter: @P_Creeden

Steampunk/Fantasy Romance

Date Published: 5/20/2013

When a crippled young lord rescues a girl falling from a tree, it reveals a secret about
himself and his mother's side of the family that could put him at the center of a war with
beings he thought only existed in fariytales.

Tristan Gareth Smyth lived his entire life stuck at home at Waverly Park and
left behind while his Grandfather makes trips to London, all because of his blasted
wheelchair.

Then an American heiress falls in his lap, literally, and he must find a way to keep
her at a distance to protect not only his secret, but everyone around him from an assassin
sent to kill him.

Excerpt:
Gareth wheeled his chair to the tree trunk, his curiosity getting the better of 

him. The girl dropped the hoop on the ground and took hold of the lowest branch. 

She whispered in an accent he didn’t recognize, “Keep watch for me, and call out if 

you see anyone coming.”

His chin tucked in and his eyes grew wide. She took it as assent, and nodded, 

starting her climb. She was spirited like Tabitha. The thought of being able to climb 

a tree at all pricked at Gareth’s heart. He would never get to climb a tree.

Again he took on the expression of being bored. No one needed to know 

he was jealous of the girl. Gareth made a habit of never owning his true feelings. It 

was his protective covering. With his lids half closed, he tried not to watch the girl 

or keep an eye out for anyone else’s approach. Without his permission, his gaze 

returned to the girl’s powder white limbs as she climbed higher than most children 

Soon she was too high up. 

Gareth adjusted himself in his seat, his eyes darting around. Instead of 

keeping lookout, he hoped for some adult to show up and tell the girl to come down. 

The girl called down in a harsh whisper.“Look! Watch this.”

She scooted out on a limb, making her way to a bird’s nest. The limb 

wobbled as she got closer to the end. 

He was about to call out a warning to her when it was too late. The branch 

snapped. The little girl was falling with barely a squeal.

All Gareth could think was that he needed to do something. It was then 

he noticed he was rushing towards her. He wasn’t sure how he was moving his 

wheelchair and catching her but he did. Her giant brown eyes grew as he held her. 

Then she looked about and her eyes became wider. He swallowed hard and stared at 

the ground several feet away. 

In a rush, he placed the girl on the grass and flew back to his chair. His heart 

still pounded in his ears as he sat. He tried to mask his confusion as he masked all 

other uncomfortable emotions, but it wasn’t working. The girl stared at him, but said 

nothing as a dark haired woman rushed toward her.

“Sweeting, are you ok?” The woman swept the girl up into her arms. “I got 

here as fast as I could. I can’t believe you did that. I thought I told you not to climb 

that tree.”

She put the girl back down and looked her over, grabbing her head and 

looking for a sign of injury. “Aren’t you hurt at all? I saw you falling from the 

window upstairs.”

The girl shook her head too quickly, like she was still in shock.

“Come on back to the house,” the pinch-faced woman snapped, ushering the 

little girl away. 

The girl yanked her hand free of the woman’s grasp and rushed back to 

Gareth. She placed an object in his hand and kissed his cheek. 

“You were amazing,” she whispered and turned back to the woman who 


called out her name.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Emma and her friend Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange––is it attraction?––and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s heard of––a human who can communicate with fish. What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t explain them, either––and both she and Galen must learn more about where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one another and their feelings. Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish–out–of–water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

My thoughts:
This book was wonderful. There were moments when the characters were just a little too much - but it's YA and so that will happen. In reality, I enjoyed the characters a great deal.
These characters are awash with emotions and the difficulty of both coming to terms with and coping with the those emotions and the other people involved.   The story is original and interesting. I have not read many mer-folk books and was thrilled with this one. The question of how Emma came to be where she was and who she was is fantastic. All of the characters, however small their part is, are well planned out and fully developed. I thought I had the lineage figured out from the go and then part way through decided I was wrong - but then it changed again... kept me listening and entertained for hours. Well worth the read - can't wait for the next book!

Blog Tour: Her Loving Husband's Return by Meredith Allard

This virtual book tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.

Click HERE for more tour information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature Meredith Allard and 

Her Loving Husband's Return.

About the Author:

Since 2000, Meredith Allard has been the Executive Editor of The Copperfield Review, an award-winning literary journal for readers and writers of historical fiction. She received her B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from California State University, Northridge, and she has taught creative writing and writing historical fiction seminars at Learning Tree University, UNLV, and the Las Vegas Writers Conference.

Her short fiction and articles have appeared in journals such as The Paumanok Review, Moondance, Wild Mind, Muse Apprentice Guild, Writers Weekly, CarbLite, and ViewsHound. She is the author of the Amazon Best-Selling Loving Husband Trilogy, as well as the historical novels Victory Garden, Woman of Stones, and My Brother’s Battle.

Victory Garden and Woman of Stones have also been Amazon Best-Sellers in the Historical Fiction and Religious Fiction categories.

Website Twitter Facebook

The Copperfield Review

Her Loving Husband’s Return

Book Three

The Loving Husband Trilogy

Meredith Allard

Book Description:

What would you do to return to the only one you have ever loved?

     James Wentworth’s secret is no longer a secret, and now he and his beloved wife, Sarah, have been separated.

     While suffering his own internment, James is reminded of his time with Japanese-Americans in the Manzanar Relocation Camp during World War II, and he cannot allow the past to repeat itself. With the help of his friends—Chandresh, Jocelyn, Timothy, even the irreverent Geoffrey—James learns what it means to return, and he is determined to return to his Sarah no matter the challenges—or the consequences.

     Will James and Sarah be reunited once and for all despite the madness surrounding them? Will James’s most fervent wish be granted? The changes in store for the Wentworths may be irreversible.

Smashwords Amazon BN

Her Loving Husband’s Curse

Book Two of The Loving Husband Trilogy

By Meredith Allard

How far will you go to protect the one you love?

Finally, after many long and lonely years, James Wentworth’s life is falling into place. Together with his wife, Sarah, the only woman he has ever loved, he has found the meaning behind her nightmares about the Salem Witch Trials, and now they are rebuilding the life they began together so long ago.

But the past is never far behind for the Wentworths. While Sarah is haunted by new visions, now about the baby she carried over three hundred years before, James is confronted with painful memories from his time with the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears. Through it all, the persistent reporter Kenneth Hempel reappears, still determined to prove that the undead walk the earth. If Hempel succeeds in his quest, James and Sarah will suffer. Will the curse of the vampire prevent James and Sarah from living their happily ever after?

Amazon—Her Loving Husband’s Curse

Smashwords

BN—Her Loving Husband’s Curse

Her Dear and Loving Husband
Book One of The Loving Husband Trilogy
By Meredith AllardBook Description:

How long would you wait for the one you loved?

James Wentworth has a secret. He lives quietly in Salem, Massachusetts, making few ties anywhere. One night his private world is turned upside down when he meets Sarah Alexander, a dead ringer for his wife Elizabeth. Though it has been years since Elizabeth's death, James cannot move on.

Sarah also has a secret. She is haunted by nightmares about the Salem Witch Trials, and every night she is awakened by visions of hangings, being arrested, and dying in jail. Despite the obstacles of their secrets, James and Sarah fall in love. As James comes to terms with his feelings for Sarah, he must dodge accusations from a reporter desperate to prove that James is not who, or what, he seems to be. Soon James and Sarah piece their stories together and discover a mystery that may bind them in ways they never imagined. Will James make the ultimate sacrifice to protect Sarah and prevent a new hunt from bringing hysteria to Salem again?

Her Dear & Loving Husband is part historical fiction, part romance, and part paranormal fantasy. With elements of Twilight and The Crucible, Her Dear & Loving Husband is a story for anyone who believes that true love never dies.

Amazon Print Amazon Kindle Smashwords Goodreads

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

FORMAT: 9 CDs, Unabridged

NARRATORS: Jenna Lamia & David Ledoux

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

My thoughts:

I have wanted to read this book for a very long time and just got it on audio, so I listened to it. 

It took me a little while to become accustomed to the voices of the readers. Wonderfully written. Creative and original, this story puts a new spin on the old theme of werewolves. I loved that it is YA and will offer an opportunity for young readers to glimpse a taste of the mythological werewolf idea.
The characters are fantastic.

Lycan Unleashed by Tiffany Allee

Amazon Product Description:

Detective Astrid Holmes is a sensitive, a human capable of feeling the energy of otherworlders. When she is dispatched to the horrific murder scene of a local vampire, she expects it to be just another day on the job. But when evidence is stolen on her watch, she is removed--not only from the investigation, but from her job as a member of the Chicago police department's paranormal unit.

Astrid's only hope of reinstatement lies with her ex co-worker and almost-lover, Lycan Mason Sanderson. But convincing the OWEA agent to let her assist with the investigation isn't nearly as difficult as staying alive when the murderer realizes that Astrid may hold the key to unlocking his identity.

Fighting to take down a killer could have deadly consequences for Astrid and Mason, but working together puts their already fragile relationship in jeopardy.

My thoughts:

This was a fun, light read that was exactly what I was looking for in the midst of all my review books and tour books.  It is a murder/mystery paranormal romance.  The murder mystery part of the plot is interesting, nicely paced and carefully planned, but the main focus to me was about Astrid and Mason.  The characters are wonderful; the self-assured, strong, capable heroine and the mysterious, overpowering, sexier than he should be, tortured by his past hero.  Who could want for more.  The secondary characters are well done and add depth to the story.  I enjoyed the book, although it is book 3 and I had not read the first two.  It stands alone well, but I plan to go back and read books 1 and 2 before looking for book 4. 

Blog Tour: Harbinger by Phillippa (Pip) Ballantine

This virtual book tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.

Click HERE for more tour information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the tour.

I am pleased to spotlight Phillippa Ballantine and Harbinger.

Phillippa has joined us for an interview:

? How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?

Just one! I was a librarian for thirteen years, and I loved it almost as much as being a writer later on. Books, it turns out, were always meant to be my life.

? How long does it take you to write a book?

Usually, three months in the first draft stage, and the comes lots of editing!

? What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I need a cat next to me. I call them my little furry muses. They call me a warm lap.

? What books have most influenced your life?

Watership Down. Although my Dad read me Lord of the Rings, I remember the characters in Watership Down, made me laugh, cry and demand more.

? What are you reading right now?

I’m reading a novel called Hapax by a young Canadian writer, K T Bryski. She’s got a great eye for setting a scene and making a reader care about her characters.

? What is your favorite comfort food?

I’m from New Zealand, so toast and Marmite are my comfort food. Makes me feel like a kid again, which I guess is the definition of comfort!

? What do you think makes a good story?

For me it is all about compelling characters. If I don’t like or find interesting the people I am going to spend a whole novel with, I will give up quickly.

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

I love CJ Cherryh. She’s been my heroine for longer than I can remember. She has had a varied career, writing many successful series. I guess what first drew me to her was her powerful, but relatable female characters. As a young reader I found that very compelling.

? What book, if any, do you read over and over again?

I am such a voracious reader I always find new books to read, and worry if I go back and get something I’ve already read I’ll miss out!

Fun random questions: 

• dogs or cats? Cats
• Coffee or tea? Tea
• Dark or milk chocolate? Dark chocolate
• Rocks or flowers? Flowers
• Night or day? Night
• Favorite color? Blue
• Crayons or markers? Crayons
• Pens or pencils? Pens

More About the Author:

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Philippa has always had her head in a book. For this she blames her father who thought Lord of the Rings was suitable bedtime reading for an eight year old. At the age of thirteen she began writing fantasy stories for herself.

She first earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Political Science and then a Bachelor of Applied Science in Library and Information Science. So soon enough she found herself working in the magical world of libraries where she stayed for over a decade.

Her first professional sale was in 1997, and since then she has gone on to produce mostly novel length fiction. In 2006 she became New Zealand’s first podcast novelist, and she has voiced and produced Weaver’s Web, Chasing the Bard, Weather Child and Digital Magic as podiobooks. Her podcasts have won both a Parsec Award and a Sir Julius Vogel award.

Philippa is the author of the Books of the Order series with Ace- Geist, Spectyr, Wrayth and Harbinger coming in July 2013.

She is also the co-author of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series with Tee Morris. Phoenix Rising debuted in May 2011 and The Janus Affair came out in May 2012. Phoenix Rising won the Airship Award for best written steampunk, and was the number eight best Science Fiction book of 2011 according to Goodreads.com. The Janus Affair was the seventh most popular science fiction book of 2012 on Goodreads.com. The series continues with Dawn’s Early Light in December 2013.

In addition she is also the author of the Shifted World series with Pyr Books, with the first book Hunter and Fox released in June 2012, and the second Kindred and Wings scheduled for August 2013.

When not writing or podcasting, Philippa loves reading, gardening, and whenever possible traveling. With her husband Tee and her daughter, she is looked after by a mighty clowder of five cats in Manassas, Virginia.

Website: www.pjballantine.com
Twitter: philippajane
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/pjballantine/  

Harbinger

Philippa (Pip) Ballantine
Release date July 30th
cover artist Jason Chan

Book Description:

The Deacons of the Order are all that stand between the wicked spirits of the Otherside and the innocent citizens of the Empire. They are sworn to protect humanity, even when they cannot protect themselves…

After the Razing of the Order, Sorcha Faris, one of the most powerful Deacons, is struggling to regain control of the runes she once wielded. The Deacons are needed more desperately than ever. The barrier between the world of the living and the world of the dead is weakening, and the Emperor has abandoned his throne, seeking to destroy those he feels have betrayed him.

Though she is haunted by the terrible truth of her past, Sorcha must lead the charge against the gathering hordes of geists seeking to cross into the Empire. But to do so, she will need to manipulate powers beyond her understanding—powers that may prove to be her undoing…

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Book Description:
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My thoughts:
This book is fantastic!
I listened to this audio book in my car, NOT a good idea.  Gas prices are going through the roof and driving around JUST to listen to the story is not cost effective - but I did it anyway.

I fell in love with the characters - all of them ~ from the smallest support characters on up to Karou, Akiva and of course Brimstone.  The writing is vivid, descriptive and visual; you can see the sites and smell the smells.  

The wishmonger - is what Brimstone is called and you are given a completely different view of wishes and dreams.  Karou has been raised by Brimstone in his shop filled with secrets, stories and portals.  She is his errand runner - but oh so much more than that.  The constant question - "Who/what is she?" 

In this story, you learn the price of wishes and the difference between wishing and dreaming.  You see the faith in friendship.  You find out what being family means and feel the sting of betrayal; the agony of loss and the glory of love.  Above all of this - there is hope.

My advice: If you are planning to listen to Daughter of Smoke and Bone in your vehicle, be going on a long trip - hopefully with someone else who loves audio books - buy book 2 so you can have it along for the return trip because the end of book one leaves you screaming for more.

Blog Tour: Guardians by Heather Frost (giveaway)

This blog tour is presented by the author Heather Frost.

Click HERE for more tour information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature Heather Frost and Guardians.

Heather Frost was born in Sandy, Utah, and raised in a small Northern Utah town. She is the second oldest of ten children, and she has always been an avid reader and writer. She’s a graduate of Snow College, and, more recently, Utah State University. She enjoys playing the flute, listening to all types of music, and watching a wide variety of movies. Ever since she wrote her first short story—at the age of four—she has dreamed of one day becoming an author. Guardians is her third published novel; her second book, Demons, is a Whitney Award Finalist. To learn more about Heather and the Seers Trilogy, or to send her a message, visitwww.HeatherFrost.com.

Book Description:

Kate Bennett has escaped captivity, but she has not escaped the hunt. The Demon Lord has one million dollars on Kate’s head, and every bounty hunter around is just waiting for the chance to break through her guardian force. Kate’s only shot at staying alive and protecting her loved ones is to lead the seers on a mission to the past and kill the Demon Lord before he comes to power.

But Patrick, Kate’s immortal guardian and the love of her life, knows what happens when she travels back in time: he has seen her die in his arms. With Patrick keeping a protective watch over her, Kate knows she can never lead her mission, but she cannot wait around to be captured by demons again, either.

This final installment of the Seers trilogy brings Kate Bennett’s tale to a surprising and exciting conclusion filled with love and heartache, danger and triumph, loss and redemption.

Click Here to buy a copy of Guardians.  Click HERE to buy book 2.   Click HERE to buy book 1.

Fill out this form for the chance to WIN a copy of book 3: Guardians.

My thoughts to follow.

Blog Tour: Dysus Dreamer by J.A. Garland - tourwide author giveaway

This virtual book tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.

Click HERE for more information.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature J.A. Garland and Dysus Dreamer.



J.A. Garland has stopped by for an interview: 

? When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

JA: Well, originally I wanted to be a jet fighter pilot, of course. Okay, so that was just a phase...following the movie Top Gun. Seriously, I’ve wanted to be a writer from childhood, but as life has a way of doing, it moved me in a different direction. Becoming and being a firefighter is full of rewards. I love serving the public. But writing is a release--an addictive freedom. I am very lucky to enjoy two such different, and spectacular careers in one lifetime.

? How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?

JA: Ten! I’ve dabbled with writing for years, but only became serious within the last four. So there are lifetimes of jobs in there!

? How long does it take you to write a book?

JA: It depends upon the book. The first book I wrote took me years, and they weren’t fun years. Every step was agonizing. I was so relieved to finish and move on to the next story.

? What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

JA: I must drink a big mug of coffee first! I am a dedicated morning person. I get up before the sun, around 5 am. I then drink a carafe of coffee--I'm not joking--I have the blood pressure to show for it, lol. Then I go for a run. I run at least 6 days a week. My favorite place to run is at a nearby park. 500 acres of trails, I love it! When I run I think about the next chapter of my current W.I.P. So by the time I get home, I am all ready to have at the computer. I peter out around noon, but get a second wind in the evening. Then I usually edit paragraphs I've already written, I don't add anything new.

? What are you reading right now?

JA: Right now I am reading the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. It’s a great series about a modern day wizard. Very entertaining.

? What do you like to do when you are not writing?

JA: I love to trail run, cook, and spend time with my family. I’m also an avid reader who isn’t married to a specific genre. I’ll read anything as long as it’s well written.

? What is your favorite comfort food?

JA: Vegetable soup. I have a crock-pot recipe that is really amazing. I chop everything, fill the crock-pot, and in the evening it’s perfect! Which also reminds me of a great steel cut oatmeal, crock-pot recipe. I really should use my crock-pot more often…

? What do you think makes a good story?

JA: Action, character depth and believability. I can’t stand authors who handhold their readers. I want an author who lets me put two and two together. It annoys me when I’m spoon fed stories.

Fun random questions: 

·        dogs or cats? Neither

·        Coffee or tea? COFFEE

·        Dark or milk chocolate? Milk

·        Rocks or flowers? Rocks

·        Night or day? Day

·        Favorite color? Glacier Blue

·        Crayons or markers? Crayons

·        Pens or pencils? Pens

More about the author:

Writing urban fantasy under the pen-name J.A. Garland, Jennifer is a professional firefighter in the state of California. Jennifer is married and has two children, both of whom are as different as night and day. A graduate of Cogswell Polytechnical with a degree in Fire Administration, Jennifer always knew she wanted to be an author. (Except for a brief two month period after watching the movie "Top Gun," when she wanted to be a fighter pilot).

Jennifer admits she is an addicted trail runner, mostly because she is a devout consumer of all things cheese puff. If she misses you at the next mud run, you can come back here to see what's new in the world "where fantasy becomes reality."

http://jagarland.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/J_A_Garland
https://www.facebook.com/jagarlandurbanfantasyauthor

The Dysus Dreamer

Book Two, The Halfling Chronicles

by JA Garland

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Release Date: July, 2013

"A powerful half-demon is kidnapped, bloodthirsty werewolves are on the rise, and a planet is dying. A demon warrior and dark elf joining forces are the least of their worries."

Demon warrior, Slade Aesus, is determined to destroy the werewolves controlling his cousin. But a beautiful elf, consumed by her own vengeance, finds the wolves first. Botching her assassination attempt, Annwyn has the most powerful Packs in the world biting at her heels. Both fiercely independent, can the two join forces long enough to fulfill their missions and stay alive?

Book Trailer http://youtu.be/M0qIjt_iBxU

Excerpt The Dysus Dreamer:
     A solid assassination operation takes one part opportunity, two parts discipline, and three parts disposition. Having two out of three this chilly Seattle evening, Slade considered himself in abundance of good fortune.
     Parked in front of a solitary office building, in the zone clearly marked “No Parking,” Slade cleared his mind of distractions consisting of the little here and there that could creep in and throw him off, just a hair, but enough to jeopardize his mission. Satisfied, he slid out of the rental car and re-tucked a stylish black golf shirt monogrammed with “Constantine Vineyards” into a pair of crisp, steel gray slacks. In this particular scenario, image was crucial.
     Tonight, the element discipline presented itself by his waiting for the precise moment to strike.  He made a living analyzing people and their habits, so he knew his targets relaxed around the holidays and were less likely to see the danger lurking behind his smiling façade. The current festivity du jour was Christmas, and coupled with his gift, destined Slade a popular man. I'm counting on it.
     He moved around to the trunk, where he heaved free a slatted, wooden case. It smelled of musky oak. The peaceful scent hinted at candlelit dinners shared with a long time lover. His jaw clenched. Not in my past and not in my future.
     Slade lugged his precious cargo toward the sprawling metal office building. Immense, the structure stabbed farther into the heavens than any other in the area, yet fell short. Just like my target. Outwardly, Joe Larsen appeared a dedicated family man, a real pillar of the community whose flourishing internet and telecommunications business, ProCom, employed hundreds. In reality, the werewolf belonged to the Dirty Dozen, a group of the twelve most ruthless wolf Packs roaming the earth.
     How ironic. I was once your target. A year ago, the Dozen kidnapped his cousin Amber, a half-demon, half-human. Able to keep a shifter from shifting, Amber's ability proved irresistible, since more times than not, the Dozen's meetings devolved into an unproductive, fur-flying brawl. We saved Amber, but left behind some unfinished business. Starting with Larsen, the wolves would learn a lesson...a demon’s memory rivals the most scorned woman, and paybacks were indeed a bitch.

My thoughts:
I am halfway through the book.  The characters are fantastic - original, distinctive and well made.  The story is multi-faceted and interesting.  It is nicely paced and entertaining.  I am both dreading and looking forward to the ending - wanting to know the answers, yet not really wanting the story to end.

INSTINCT
Book One, The Halfling Chronicles

"When war erupts among the Shadow creatures, can enemies become allies?"

Lone wolf, Rory Archer, never failed a single mission. Now the hunted instead of the hunter, Rory unwinds a twisted trail leading back to Amber Arlington, a spirited Halfling tied to a world of Shadows. Bound to vows initially forged out of necessity, Rory and Amber's relationship surges into more than either of them had bargained on. Scrambling to identify their attacker before joining the casualty list, Rory is forced to do the unthinkable, or watch Amber become a slave for his species.

In the battle against Shadows, demons and all variety of monsters come out to fight. Can one wolf learn to trust in time to save them all?

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