This virtual book tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.
Welcome to The Wormhole and my spotlight stop on the tour.
About the Author:
Jacqueline Paige lives in Ontario Blue Mountain
She began her writing career in 2006 and
since her first published works in 2009 she hasn’t stopped. Jacqueline describes her writing as “all
things paranormal”, which she has proven is her niche with stories of witches,
ghosts, physics and shifters now on the shelves.
When Jacqueline isn’t working at her
‘reality job’ or lost in her writing she spends time with her five children,
most of whom are finally able to look after her instead of the other way
around. Together they do random road
trips, that usually end up with them lost,
shopping trips where they push every button in the toy aisle, hiking
when there’s enough time to escape and bizarre things like creating new daring
recipes in the kitchen. She’s a grandmother to four (so far) and looks forward
to corrupting many more in the years to come.
Jacqueline loves to hear from her
readers, you can find her at www.jacqpaige.webs.com
, www.jacqpaige.blogspot.ca or http://magicseasonsbooks.blogspot.ca
After the
Silence – Bree: Part 1
Jacqueline
Paige
Excerpt
Book 1:
The snapping and
crunching of branches told me something was moving through the trees. Turning
the flash light off, I hunched down to be as small and invisible as
possible. I listened in the darkness for
anything that would let me know where the noise had come from and what had made
it. Voices were carried to me in the
dark, a man and a woman. I moved slowly
back towards my things and sat with my back against the tree straining to see
in the dark.
Time stopped as I waited
to see if the voices kept moving or came closer. I wasn’t sure what I’d do if they did come
closer. I touched the handle of the
knife inside my coat, hoping this wasn’t when I find out if I could use
it. Leaves rustled from behind me. I held my breath and pushed back against the
tree, waiting. When I heard a low growl
coming from around the tree I think even my heart even paused.
I had strangers coming
closer on one side of me and an animal voicing a warning behind me. Tremor shook his head and pranced a few times
and the growling got louder. I sat there
trying to gauge what was the most important and decided there was no way I was
going to let something happen to my horse.
Sliding up the tree as quietly as I could, while focusing on the voices,
I tried to recall every skill instilled in me, drawing more blanks than
anything useful.
Pulling the knife from
the pocket, I prayed it was sharp enough to cut the rope I’d tied Tremor
to. I guessed I had about fifteen
seconds to cut it and get to the horse before whatever was growling took a bite
off one of my legs or other body parts.
Chewing my lip, I hoped I could still get on his back without the
saddle. The plan was to ride like hell
and come back later for my stuff—if we could find it again.
After the Silence – Bree: Part 2
Jacqueline
Paige
Excerpt Part
2:
Claws dug into me as it
climbed to my neck at the same moment ice cold water swallowed me. My breath left my body so quickly it felt
like my lungs were going to burst. The
intense pain from the incisions the animal was making across my chest brought
me the strength to kick as hard as I could towards the surface. I wasn’t the strongest swimmer by far, but I
had more than enough will to live to try for both of us.
In the brief glimpses I
managed to keep my head above the water, I didn’t spot the shore once. We were being sucked into the middle. Through
the white choppy water that blurred my vision I was only able to catch a quick
look each time before we were dragged under again. I could feel the rocks rake over my back and
hoped there would be enough flesh left to survive it.
The cat was practically
wrapped around my neck and holding several layers of skin and flesh captive in
its young claws as we swirled around again in a deep pit of rushing water. Each time we surfaced, I gulped as much air
into my lungs as I could before water filled my mouth again. The undercurrent calmed just long enough for
me to find the direction of shore and with every ounce of strength I could find
I kicked and paddled with my arms trying to shove us in that direction. I could make out a tree that was floating
near the bank just seconds before I was inhaling water again.
Hitting the bottom I
shoved as hard as I could and tried to aim to the calmer water near the shore,
not even knowing if I was going in the right direction until air hit my face
once more. The tree was still in sight
and I somehow knew if we didn’t reach it we wouldn’t be on land after
that. Releasing my hold on the animal
that was anchored to me so deeply that no way was it going to jump off and float
away I swam towards the tree and prayed I’d reach the limbs lying in the water
before we were dragged beyond them.
After the
Silence - Bree: Part 3
Jacqueline
Paige
Excerpt
Part 3
The sound of wings
flapping had my undivided attention; I stopped and held my breath trying to
locate the direction it was coming from. The moment I honed in on the area the
bird had been I wished I hadn’t. Here I was half way to the middle of the
clearing in snow up past my knees and coming out of the trees roughly thirty
feet from me were two very rough, huge men. I had twenty seconds grace before
they spotted me, just enough time to turn in the snow and take the first step
in what would likely end up being the most difficult run of my life.
Running in snow this
deep was like running through water. If your feet didn’t clear it you got
nowhere. I hadn’t stopped long enough to measure the height of the men quickly
gaining on me, but I was fairly certain their long legs would move through this
snow faster than my own.
As I hit the tree line
again, I hesitated long enough to pick a direction. Kismet and I had been
through this area enough times I knew most of it without thinking now. Slipping
in the snow I changed directions and headed towards the hill that led to the
river bed. If I could out-maneuver them in the densest part of the trees I
might just be able to put a big enough gap between us that they’d give up.
Chancing a glance over
my shoulder I noted one thing. They were large enough it would take four of me
to make this anywhere near equal. My heart was thrumming, pumping blood through
my veins in a chaotic beat. A part of me knew I couldn’t outrun them, but I had
to try. Turning, I bolted back towards a tight grouping of trees. I could hear
the pounding of their feet hitting the ground behind me and had one second to
regret the one time I didn’t let Kismet come with me. He would have evened the
odds.
One of them was close
enough I could hear his heavy breathing over my own as I dodged between two
trees I knew he wouldn’t be able to go through. My coat was actually slowing me
down, but it held the knife and gun and there was no way I was dropping either
of those right now. I heard him curse behind me and knew I only had seconds
before he would have me. Ducking left, I stopped and spun around at the same
time. My knife was now in my hand held down against my side as I gasped to
settle my breathing. He stood a foot away from me and looked really pissed with
the fact that I had made him run after me.
I wanted to look around
for the other one, but didn’t dare take my eyes off of him. A familiar flick
sound brought my attention to his hand to see a blade slide smoothly from the
handle it had been folded into. There was nothing I could say that was going to
change this man’s plans. His eyes were wide and bored into mine with a look of
craziness. A branch snapping behind me was the only warning I got before a big
arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me back into a hard chest.
They spoke to each other
and it wasn’t in any language I understood, then again I only knew English. The
tone the man in front of me used and the sudden smirk on his face told me I was
in deep shit. There was no way, no how this was happening to me. I refused to
be a victim. The one behind me tightened his hold, making breathing hard. He
rubbed his face against my neck making my skin crawl. The other one waved the
knife in front of me a few times and then used it to push open my coat. He
grinned and said something to the one that was breathing on my neck.
The adrenaline was
pumping so fast through my body I didn’t know how I was able to not vibrate.
Now or never! Lowering my head, I relaxed my body as much as I could. Taking a
deep breath, I threw my head back and brought my hand with the knife up at the
same time, aiming for the arm around me. The loud crack and sudden pain in my
head told me I’d connected hard with the face behind me. He cursed and let me
go just as the other one lunged towards me. I felt the sting across my cheek as
I brought the knife down and across his chest.
After the
Silence - Bree: Part 4
Jacqueline
Paige
One woman’s journey through the chaotic
new world.
Those left standing make the paths for
the future generations.
Those the planet allowed to live still
have to survive the trials of the virus. If you manage to come out of it alive
you are left with some form of mutation that could give you an ability that
could be harmless or lethal.
Bree Taylor is the last survivor of her
family. With no other choice she sets off on her own to escape the clutches of the
new government’s army—that does not place safety and security in their code of
behavior only the highest bidder get their protection and loyalty.
Excerpt
for #4:
It felt like months, the hours dragged
on. I’d listen carefully to the voices
to try to figure out when the guards changed, but without ever seeing daylight
or night I couldn’t be sure if it was three times a day or only twice. My hands no longer throbbed; in fact I
couldn’t feel them at all.
I tried not to think about the woman I’d
known only for that one day, I tried not to think about Kismet and Tremor and
what was happening to them without me to keep them safe. I drifted in and out of sleep, or maybe I was
just numb, not feeling or sleeping at all.
When I stopped feeling thirsty, I knew
I’d reached some sort of bridge. A
person should always feel thirst to some degree I imagined. My stomach, was insistently reminding me that
I hadn’t had more than a few sips in the time I’d been here—I still didn’t try
to identify what the taste had been.
With each second I lay there in the dark, I felt myself starting to
accept not getting out of here.
My teeth hurt from trying to chew the
cord around my wrists to free my hands.
Why they only tied my hands I didn’t know, was I a threat to the two men
that were always outside the door? In my weakened state probably not much of
one, unless they were afraid I’d flick dirt off the floor at them when they
came in.
The entire volume 1 will be released in January 2015.
First part of volume 2 (Kane's story) is TBR in November 2014
