Echoes of Memories by Samantha LaFantasie Coming July 2014! About the Author A Kansas native, Samantha LaFantasie spends her free time with her husband and three kids. Writing has always been a passion of hers, forgoing all other desires to devote to this one obsession, even though she often finds herself arguing with her characters through much of the process. Sheâs primarily a fantasy writer but often feels pulled to genres such as sci-fi, romance, and others. Among her writing credentials, a member of the Kansas Writerâs Association and has authored works such as Heart Song (her debut novel) and Made to Forget. Samantha loves to take time to enjoy other activities such as photography and playing her favorite game of all time, Guild Wars 2. Want more from Samantha? Keep up with her at any of her digital hangouts.
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Click to set custom For months now Jayde Kimberland has been touring from city to city with her best friend, Arianna Moore, as The Daughters of Darkness. Living the dream most musician would kill for, they were known as the opening act for the platinum selling rock group, From Yesterday. With Arianna battling demons of her own, Jayde found what she thought was her Prince Charming within rocker bad boy, Cash O’Brien. As the tour came to a close, the distance between them pulled like the tuning key turning to tighten one of their guitar strings. When Nate Daniels walks back into the picture, she’s faced with the possibility of having the life with the man she loved years ago or trying to hold onto a reckless, Cash. Everywhere Jayde turns she is hit with a curve ball, shattering everything she tries to build. But one person is there to help pick up the pieces no matter what. But as tragedy reveals its ugly head, she finds herself lost, lonely, and confused on what the future may hold. Will she be able to let go of the past and find happiness within her future or will she have to forever deal with the shattering effects of a love long gone? My black lace dress clung to my soaked body as I sobbed uncontrollably against the old oak tree. With one hand pressed against my heart I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, trying to remember the last thing he had said to me. “I love you, Jayde, with all my heart. Give Sawyer a kiss for me, I’ll be home after the show.” My body continued to heave as my knees gave out and I crumbled to the ground. The sky roared with thunder and lightning; usually I would have been scared shitless to be out in this stuff but right then I didn’t care what happened to me. I just wanted it all to be a horrible dream…and I would wake up with a racing heart but find him beside me in our bed instead of buried in the ground. “This can’t be real!!” I wailed loudly into my hands, where my head was now resting. I had no energy to lift my body from the ground, not that I wanted to. But if I didn’t get out of the storm I would most likely be sucked up into it. I remembered losing my parents at a very young age but the one thing I did not remember was how badly my heart ached from having someone ripped from your life at the drop of a hat. Everything was perfect…too perfect. Any time in my life when things seemed to fall together, something had always come along to wreak havoc and remind me that my life would never be perfect. I should have gone to the show; if I was there…I could have stopped it from happening and we would be together…in our home. One big happy family. “Baby girl…” That voice cut right through me. Was it bad of me to want to allow him to help me? After everything he had done…and after everything I had done? I didn’t even bother to look up; I continued to pour every ounce of emotions I had out through my tears and onto my soaking wet self. “Let me get you out of this storm…You’re going to be sick and Sawyer needs you.” He scooped me up into his arms; the warmth of his skin caused me to gasp. I circled my arms around his neck and rested my head against his shoulder. “I know this sounds cliché and I’m fucking horrible with words…but it’ll get better with time, Jayde. I promise you…” His voice was thick with emotion. His kindness only caused me to cry even harder. I was a horrible person…I didn’t deserve happiness, and I definitely didn’t deserve him being kind to me right now. I heard the car door open just before he lowered me into the passenger’s seat. When the door shut I finally looked at him through the rain streaked window. His hair was shorter than usual but my heart still fluttered uncontrollably at the sight of him. What the hell is wrong with me? I shouldn’t feel this way, not today… I curled my legs up into the seat with me and wrapped my arms around them tightly. Resting my head against my knees I stared out the front window as the driver’s door shut. “Is there anywhere you want me to take you?” His voice was just above a whisper. Without moving my eyes from the front window I shook my head no. “Do you want to go home?” Home…Where all the memories were… The thought of walking back into that house caused a horrible sob to rip from my chest. Wasn’t there a limit of tears a person could produce? I buried my face into my knees to ride out the emotional rollercoaster I was on yet again. “I’m staying at Aria and Bryden’s place while I’m in town. How ‘bout I take you there?” I didn’t respond, after a few long seconds I felt the car shift into gear. He pulled his jacket from the backseat and draped it over me. I hadn’t realized my body was shaking so badly until then. I rolled onto my side facing the door, gripping the jacket tightly around me, and fell into a silent cry, the kind where your body shook aggressively but you didn’t produce any noise. I felt his warm hand touch my arm lightly causing even more goose bumps to run across my skin. “Seeing you like this is killing me right now…” His hand ran up and down my arm briefly before it was gone and the coldness was back. Facebook / Goodreads / Amazon / Twitter I am very much a Leo, I currently don't have any children, but my dog Jack might as well be one! I'm a Book-a-holic who loves music, tattoos, photography, singing, acting, writing, & laughing. One of my favorite quotes is "Love is the beauty of the soul." Hopefully one day I will be able to travel to all the places I am dying to see!! Thanks for stopping by! :-) Hosted by: HTML WELCOME TO DAY #3 OF THE CROSSROADS SAGA COVER REVEAL! Missed Day 1 & 2? Day #1 http://www.goodchoicereading.com/2014/03/cover-reveal-game-crossroads-by-mary.html Day #2 http://www.goodchoicereading.com/2014/03/crossroads-saga-cover-reveal-2-between.html Don't forget, EVERY DAY we are adding more entries to the rafflecopter! Check out the FULL COVER.... Torn between the past she can't remember and a future she isn't ready for, Claudia feels at a loss. With unanswered questions, she is certain there is more to her past than just being a venator. Finding the missing pieces in her life won't be easy because duty calls. When mysterious dark shadows get released, an apocalypse sets in motion. PRAISE FOR BETWEEN... "Beyond is an extraordinary story with unforgettable characters, passionately written by an author who clearly understands the true identity of love. Compelling and exciting; this is a must-read for all hardcore fans of the paranormal romance genre."- Angie Edwards @ Books4Tomorrow "Beyond lived up to the highest expectations. Proof that Love can conquer all. This story exhibits exciting adventure, loyalties in friendships, and astounding scenery that will utterly draw you in completely where you never want to escape."- Michele, Insane About Books Amazon â UK Amazon â Barnes and Noble REMEMBER TO LOOK FOR THE BLANK SPACE FOR THE MISSING WORD. YOU CAN GUESS THE WORD ON THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW.
FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY! Everyday while this giveaway is running we will be adding extra entries to the rafflecopter. :) Make sure to check back to see all the covers, collect each word, and enter daily! Please read the TERMS & CONDITIONS at the bottom of the rafflecopter before entering. Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her childrenâs chapter book-No Bullies Allowed. Mary Ting is also a featured author at Chapter by Chapter Book Rave happening in NY on September 20th! 100+ authors will be signing! There will be YA BOWLING, BILLIARDS PARTY, and more! We are very excited to share with you the amazing cover for Emily Minton and Dawn Martens' newest book, </ strong> Renegade Reject (Renegade Sons MC #2), </ p> which is releasing MAY 13th!! Release Date ~ May 13th 2014 Genre ~</ strong> Contemporary Romance ☆✮ Synopsis ✮☆</ span> Daisy “Little Flower” Anderson has lived her entire life on the sidelines of the Renegade Sons MC. Her father is a member, and her mother a club whore turned old lady. Not wanting to follow their footsteps, she chose a different path; one that keeps her close to the biker family she loves, but out of the club. Struggling to keep it together, she never thought she would have anything of her own, until she met Preach. He is everything she swore she didn't want in life. One night of passion leads to unexpected consequences, and she knows, now more than ever, it’s time to move forward. Garrett “Preach” Austin lived his life caught in his father’s iron fist. He never thought he would want anything more than freedom from his past, until he met his “Little Flower”. She shows him there is more to life than pain. </ span> Preach has a secret; one that forces him to choose between Daisy and his brothers. Even though he loves Daisy, the Renegade Sons are the only true family he has. He knows he can’t have her, yet he can’t let her go.</ em> When Daisy moves on, Preach realizes what he’s lost. Can he prove that he’s the man for her, or is he too late? ☆✮ RENEGADE REJECT TEASER ✮☆ ☆</ span>✮</ span> RENEGADE REJECT REVEAL GIVEAWAY ✮☆ ☆✮ RENEGADE REJECT PLAYLIST✮☆</ strong> ☆✮</ span> Other books in the Renegade Sons MC series ✮☆ ✮ Goodreads ✮ </ p> ✮ Amazon ✮ ✮ </ strong>Barnes & Noble ✮</ strong> ✮ Kobo ✮</ span> ☆</ strong>✮</ span> About Emily Minton ✮☆</ strong> Emily is a Kentucky native. Raised in Missouri, her family returned to Kentucky when she was a teen. She is proud to call the Bluegrass State home. She claims she bleeds blue--Wildcat Blue! Emily has been married to her husband, David, for over twenty years. They share two lovable but irritating teenagers, Jess and Bailey. She is also the proud mom of a feisty terrier mix, Rae Rae. Emily loves to read and has more books on her kindle than most people could read in a life time, but she intends to read every single one. Nope, no hoarding problem here! Her favorite author is Kristen Ashley, and she swears Kristen’s book Sweet Dreams changed her life. Emily has co-authored two books with Dawn Martens, Whiskey Lullaby and Renegade Lady. She has also written one solo book, Windows. Many more are floating around in her head, and she hopes to get them all on paper before long. She loves sharing her dreams with her readers.Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads | Amazon ☆✮ About Dawn Martens ✮☆</ span> Dawn Martens is a young, spunky Canadian Author, who is widely known for her best-selling “Resisting Love” series that she co-authored with Author Chantel Fernando. Being a wife to Colin, and a mother to two (soon to be THREE!) beautiful little girls (Sarah (6), Grace (3), Ava on the way! ) hasn’t stopped this Canadian Firecracker from pursuing her dreams of becoming a writer! She has also co-authored “Whiskey Lullaby” (book one in the Love Songs series) with her friend and fellow writer, Author Emily Minton; on top of serving as a mentor and support system for many Authors in the Indie community over the past few years. 2014 is shaping up to be a phenomenal year for Dawn, as the highly anticipated book two in the Love Songs series titled “Broken”. She will also be releasing a brand new gritty MC series, “Renegade Sons MC,” with Emily Minton, that will for sure take their avid readers on yet another mind blowing journey. Dawn’s number one passion in life is the written word, and she’s extremely thankful that she has to ability to share the ramblings from the characters inside of her head with the rest of the world! She also may or may not have the hugest girl crush on Author Kristen Ashley, who is her personal idol and helped inspire Dawn in the beginning of her Indie career.Facebook | Twitter | Website</ a> | Goodreads | Amazon Title: Alliance Author: Aubrie Dionne Series: Paradise Reclaimed #3 Genre: Young Adult fantasy Release Date: January 31, 2014 âSaving him meant saving her colonyâ¦â Other books in the series: Colonization, book #1 Reconnaissance, book #2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXCERPT --- Chapter One Empty Bed The scar burned between my breasts. Would I ever feel whole again? I smoothed my fingers over the fabric of my uniform, where the sunburst blossomed red and pink on my skin. My other hand traced the exotic, inky patterns on the alien manâs face lying on the examination bed beside me. Only he could understand my pain. Weâd both been cocooned on that wretched alien ship, waiting to die. âLyra, you have to leave him. The ceremonyâs in twenty minutes.â Tauren stood with his arms crossed over his broad chest. A forehead worthy of an Old Earth cave man hung over his little, beady eyes as he stared with suspicion. âDonât you want your medal?â Behind me, monitors beeped with a steady, abnormally slow heart rate. A line fluctuating on a graph showed unprecedented brain activity. My ward dreamed. What of, I wasnât sure: star systems Iâd never seen, or maybe his home planet. My fingers traced his shimmery golden skin, soft and smooth except for the calluses on the underside of his palm and the hard ripped abs underneath the sheets--not that Iâd peeked. For an alien, he looked more like a demigod or one of those statues of roman warriors from Old Earth. I brushed back a strand of cobalt hair from his eyes and tucked in the bed sheets. âI donât care about medals.â Tauren lurched toward me and grabbed my wrist like I was his toy kite that had drifted too far on the wind. His fingernails dug into my skin. âWhat do you care about?â His voice was hoarse, his smudge-brown eyes desperate. My thoughts wandered to the alien man. I hadnât even spoken to him or learned his name. When I first saw him, wrapped in the arachnidsâ cocoon aboard their metallic ship, my emotions ignited. Far from his home, he lay in stasis, trapped until the arachnids drained his body of life. Iâd been in the same position until Nova saved me. I had to save him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Author Aubrie grew up watching the original Star Wars movies over and over again until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation-favorite character was Data by far-, and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end. Twitter | Goodreads | Blog ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Giveaway Title: When The Sun Goes Down Author: Erin Noelle Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: 25th March, 2014 Trina is a quiet, reserved music teacher at an inner-city elementary school. Because of the traumatic events of her childhood, sheâs skittish of people in general, but men especially frighten her. However, when Lucca Ellis appears in her life, he refuses to take no for an answer. Will he be able to help her overcome the past that has kept her a prisoner for over eight years? Kat is a woman scorned and out for revenge. Wronged by the men in her life, she thrives on belittling and dominating all men that she comes in contact with. Her end goal is to make the one man, the one who stole her life away as a child, pay for his actions, and she doesnât care who she has to destroy to get there. These two lives that both thrive on control, were never supposed to overlap, but anything can happen⦠When the Sun Goes Down. Excerpt: When the Sun Goes Down ~ Trina ~ âA sexy woman, eh?â I close my eyes as that deep, male voice that has been playing in my mind for the last four days calls out to me from the doorway. I pivot on my heel to see Lucca leaning against my door frame with a smirk spread across his face. Heâs wearing dark jeans and a plaid button down shirt with the sleeves loosely rolled up to just below his elbow. He causes the strangest feeling inside of me when he looks at me; I hate it and like it all at the same time. I really donât have time for this distraction in my life. âI have no idea what my dear friend is talking about,â I say, acting aloof. âSheâs desperately trying to make my life exciting, and unfortunately, thatâs just not happening.â He wanders into the room, my body temperature rising with each step that he takes closer to me. âSo if you donât like sexy women, then men are your thing?â Rolling my eyes, I sigh overdramatically. âPeople arenât my thing. Iâm fine by myself, thank you.â I move around him to rearrange the instruments that really donât need rit. âI donât buy that, Miss Foster. Everybody wants to feel wanted.â His eyes follow me around the room, the heat from his stare causing my entire body to flame. Standing upright, I turn to face him as his words slice to my core. âI know what itâs like to feel wanted, Mr. Ellis, and believe me, thatâs not what I want. Feeling wanted and being loved are two completely different things.â I stop before I say anything else to reveal information that I donât want anyone else to know, especially the guy that enlivens things inside of me I didnât even know existed. âMy students will be back from lunch soon, so please excuse me as I set up.â âYouâll never know what being loved feels like if you donât allow anyone to get close to you, Miss Foster.â Running his fingers through his messy hair, he walks out of the room. âIâll see you around.â His voice is calm and collected, and the words he speaks are true. Iâm just not ready for anyone to be close to me. I know if I let someone in, theyâd run away scared once they found out who I really am, and my heart would break all over again. I just canât. Playlist When the Sun Goes Down Playlist Mysterious Ways ~ U2 The Only Time ~ Nine Inch Nails In the Fade ~ Queens of the Stone Age Destrokk ~ MGMT My Same ~ Adele Ainât No Sunshine ~ Bill Withers Addicted to Love ~ Skylar Grey Sail ~ AWOLNATION Canât Get You off My Mind ~ Lenny Kravitz Better Living Through Chemistry ~ Queens of the Stone Age Head Full of Doubt/ Road Full of Promise ~ The Avett Brothers Been Caught Stealing ~ Janeâs Addiction Calm Like a Bomb ~ Rage Against the Machine S&M ~ Rihanna Glad You Came ~ The Wanted November Rain ~ Guns & Roses The Woman in You ~ Ben Harper Never Say Never ~ The Fray Chances ~ Five for Fighting Secret ~ Maroon 5 Fix You ~ Coldplay Enjoy the Silence ~ Breaking Benjamin Breathe Me ~ Sia Goodbye My Lover ~ James Blunt Bleeding Out ~ Imagine Dragons Dreaming with a Broken Heart ~ John Mayer Soldier ~ Gavin DeGraw Patient Love ~ Passenger Secrets ~ One Republic My Body is a Cage ~ Arcade Fire Arms ~ Christina Perri All These Things That Iâve Done ~ The Killers River of Deceit ~ Mad Season Happy ~ Pharell Williams Fireflies ~ Ron Pope You Found Me ~The Fray Kiss Me ~Ed Sheeran Never Stop ~ SafetySuit Time of Our Lives ~ Tyrone Wells Forever and Always ~ Parachute Amazon US - http://goo.gl/UD4qaA Amazon UK - http://goo.gl/NtZ1jF Amazon CA - http://goo.gl/MxOyKa Amazon AU - http://goo.gl/r1so6p Barnes & Noble - http://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-the-sun-goes-down-erin-noelle/1118956349?ean=2940149395323 Erin Noelle is a Texas native, where she lives with her husband and two young daughters. While earning her degree in History, she rediscovered her love for reading that was first instilled by her grandmother when she was a young child. A lover of happily-ever-afters, both historical and current, Erin is an avid reader of all romance novels. In 2013, she published the Book Boyfriend Series, which included books Metamorphosis, Ambrosia, and Euphoria. Her books have been a part of the USA Today Bestselling list and/ or the Amazon and Barnes & Noble overall Top 100. You can follow her on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/erin.noelle.98, her blog @ www.erinnoelleauthor.com, and on Twitter @authorenoelle. Website: Facebook: Twitter: WELCOME TO DAY #2 OF THE CROSSROADS SAGA COVER REVEAL! Missed Day #1? Visit this link to enter yesterday's SECRET WORD. Check out the FULL COVER.... As the alkins head back to Crossroads, Claudia leads her normal life, but not for long. Having a special soul, she attracts danger. The Twelve, known as Divine Elders on Earth, are very much involved when they find out evil is lurking in the shadows and Claudia is no longer safe. As more secrets are revealed, Claudia learns about the venators--demon hunters--on Earth. PRAISE FOR BETWEEN... "Between reaches a completely new level of storytelling. Descriptive writing and heartfelt emotions captures your soul in this enticing saga of Angel lore, romance, betrayal, and the battle for good. One cannot help but fall in love with the superb characters and the world Mary Ting has created." - Michele Luker , PageTurners Blog/Insane About Books "When reading Between you feel that you are immediately wrapped up in Angel wings and taken for the flight of your life. At times you feel like you might fall but then your back up in the clouds feeling Heavenly again. This sophomore novel delivers everything that makes a book Great: Romance: check, Action: check and even heartache: check plus I can't forget to mention about those swoon-worthy Angels! Between will leave you on a celestial high!" - Yara, Once Upon A Twilight Amazon â UK Amazon â Barnes and Noble REMEMBER TO LOOK FOR THE BLANK SPACE FOR THE MISSING WORD. YOU CAN GUESS THE WORD ON THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW. âAhhh!â I pressed my hands to his chest. âWhy are you such an ass?â I couldnât believe Iâd said it, but it felt so good! Then I thought, How does he bring out the worst in me? I was not an angry person, and I didnât normally shoot out cuss words. Mom and Gamma had taught me better than that. FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY! Everyday while this giveaway is running we will be adding extra entries to the rafflecopter. :) Make sure to check back to see all the covers, collect each word, and enter daily! Please read the TERMS & CONDITIONS at the bottom of the rafflecopter before entering. Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her childrenâs chapter book-No Bullies Allowed. Mary Ting is also a featured author at Chapter by Chapter Book Rave happening in NY on September 20th! 100+ authors will be signing! There will be YA BOWLING, BILLIARDS PARTY, and more! SYNOPSIS: BEND “Your pleasure is our goal” BEND brought to you by the mistresses of The Erotica Consortium Eight mistresses of the erotic bring you eight original, never before published stories to excite and arouse, including USA Today Bestseller CD Reiss, and NY Times Bestseller K. Bromberg. --------------- Bend… Your body. Your will. Your mind. We will take you, and make you ours. With each word, you sink deeper into lust. Once you bend, life will never be the same. Bend will leave you aching for more. ------------- This set will only be available for a limited time, so get it before it disappears. Price - 99 cents Launch Date 5/5/2014 PRE-ORDER LINK:AUTHOR LINKS: The Erotica Consortium: https://www.facebook.com/TheEroticaConsortium C.D. Reiss: http://cdreiss.com/ https://www.facebook.com/CDReiss.writer?fref=ts JA Huss: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJAHuss K.I. Lynn: http://www.kilynnwrites.blogspot.com/ https://www.facebook.com/kilynn.breach Alessandra Torre: http://www.alessandratorre.com/ https://www.facebook.com/AlessandraTorre0?ref=hl Elle James: http://www.ellajamesbooks.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ellajamesbooks?hc_location=timeline K Bromberg: http://www.kbromberg.com/ https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKBromberg?filter=1 Andrea Smith: https://www.facebook.com/AndreaSmithAuthor Shay Savage: http://www.shaysavage.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ShaySavage7289 Thank you to Rock Star PR!!!! Chira Kelly thought she didn’t need anyone…until she met Ben. Because of one ugly rumor, Chira lives as an outcast at her school. Which is fine with her, because she works better alone. Always has, always will. And at least she has her one and only true friend, Tasha. When Tasha insists that they join a group to visit a possibly haunted abandoned old schoolhouse, she's wary, but joins her friend. Because of that decision, their lives are in jeopardy as a malevolent spirit targets the group. Tragedies and accidents pick them off one by one, and Chira finds herself drawn to the one person who can see the truth. But can he protect her? First Impression: A Shadow Maven ParanormalRelease Date: March 24, 2014 Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/Urban Mystery
Goodreads Book GiveawayFirst Impressionby Pauline CreedenGiveaway ends April 30, 2014. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Teaser Book TrailerFirst Impression Teaser Book Trailer from Pauline Jim Creeden on Vimeo. Purchase LinksExcerptShe rips my hall pass from her pad and points it toward the young man sitting across from her desk. “Chira Kelley, meet Ben Oscuro. He’s new here and needs someone to show him around. It just so happens he’s also a member of class 18B.” I finally focus on the boy. He doesn’t look up at me, and his disheveled dark hair is just long enough that it hides his eyes. But he pushes himself up from his chair, and his slim form towers over me. He’s at least six-feet-two and his uniform is almost as crumpled as his hair. He swings his backpack onto a strong, square shoulder and nibbles his full bottom lip. His smooth olive skin and dark hair make him look like a foreign rocker, and there’s something about him that seems vaguely familiar. “Here’s a copy of his class schedule. When you’re not in the same class, I want you to leave a few minutes early and help him find the next class room. That’s your job for today. Got it?” I swallow back and resist sniffling again. Taking the hall pass and the copy of the schedule from her, I say, “Um…sure.” “Excellent. Robin, you’re off the hook.” The office aide pumps a fist in the air before returning to file more papers in the cabinet. The secretary’s chair squeals a dismissal, and Mrs. Campbell picks up her phone, returning to her duties without another word. Ben pulls open the office door and stands to the side to allow me to go first. The hallway that was empty only a short while ago is now full of students and their continuous conversations. With a shrug, I eye his class schedule quickly. Except for second and sixth period, we have exactly the same schedule. He’s in all of the advanced classes, too. Only he has gym for second period and Latin for sixth – opposite of my schedule, except I take French. Piece of cake. I glance up at him again, and his eyes meet mine. My breath hitches. His intense gaze makes me feel like he’s measuring me. The dark pools of his eyes seem deep and bottomless, but there’s something strange about them. They’re brown, but he has colored contacts. Why would anyone color their eyes brown? My heart flutters. A sniffle escapes me before I can stop it. Ugh. I clear my throat and start in the direction of first period. “Follow me.” We elbow our way down the freshman hall toward the second floor, but before we start up I point down the way. “Do you know what your locker number is?” Ben nods and pushes his backpack on his shoulder farther. I wait for a second and then smile. “What is it?” “706.” He has a slight accent, and his voice is deeper than I expect. I suppress a shiver at the jolt the musical timbre of his voice sends through my body. I’m resonating like a tuning fork. I really want him to speak again with every fiber of my being. What’s with me? “Uh…okay.” I swallow, trying to regain composure. I take him to the general area of the locker. “Here it is.” He looks at it, nods, and returns his hard gaze to me. Is he always so stiff? Probably just nerves from being new. “I know you don’t have any books to put in it, but do you want to try out the combination?” He lifts one shoulder in a shrug and spins the combo quickly through the three numbers. I purposefully avert my eyes so he knows I’m not peeking. He opens the locker wide, nods toward me, and then closes it again. “Great. We have first period over here.” “You and I have the same first period?” My body vibrates again, and I blink hard. So glad my back was to him so he couldn’t see the effect his voice has on me. I swallow and face him. “Actually, yeah. Our schedules are very similar. It’s a smallish school, so there’re only a few tracks that juniors can be on.” He nods, and his eyes are half lidded as if he’s bored already. I lead him toward our classroom. “We don’t really have assigned seats, so you can pretty much sit anywhere you want. I’ll show you to the gym at the end of class. I have French next, but it’s not too far from there.” I lead him to the front of the class, and my friend Tasha gives me a wan smile and raises her eyebrows, looking back and forth between me and Ben. She mouths, Who’s that? I roll my eyes and put up one finger toward her to let her know I’ll tell her in a minute. Then I turn to the teacher. I hand him the schedule from the office. “Hi, Mr. Scott, this is Ben Oscuro, a transfer.” Mr. Scott’s kind blue eyes smile at us both. He sets down the Mountain Dew he was drinking and offers Ben a wide grin. He puts a hand out for him to shake. Ben hesitates but takes the hand in what looks like a firm grip. Mr. Scott shakes his hand afterward. “That’s some grip you’ve got there.” He laughs and leans down to the bottom drawer of his desk and hands Ben a geography text book. With a nod, I return to Tasha and squeeze into the desk next to hers. I’m at Jackson Hall partially on my father’s insurance money partially on scholarship because my stepdad works at the school. What he does, I don’t know, because I’ve never seen him. Because of all this, I’m somewhat of a social pariah. My only real friend is Tasha Brown, a pariah herself, being one of the few African-American kids in the school. Still she tends to be more popular than me, because at least her family has the money they’ve made in the night club and music business. But then there’s that rumor… “So who is the new hottie?” Tasha hops up and down in her seat. I shake my head at her. “You are one big hormone, you know that? Sure, he’s cute, but is there any guy in the room you don’t consider a hottie?” Tasha scans the room with her hand on her chin and a very serious expression on her face. Her hair is in the typical pigtail braids she usually uses to play up the uniform. She has on no sweater, and her shirt is one size too small, the buttonholes at the front stretched to expose part of her red bra. Finally she returns her gaze to me. “There’s only one guy in here that doesn’t rank hottie.” “Really? Who?” She leans in conspiratorially and whispers, “Mr. Scott.” I nearly choke on a laugh as I eye the middle-aged, balding teacher at the front of the room. But I have to admit, Jackson Hall is a prep school. And there's no one who can afford to make their children look their best more than the wealthy. I guess if I take my father’s words to heart, it’s better to be the poor kid in the rich kids’ school…than the other way around. Right? Tasha’s smile returns, and I follow her gaze to figure out why. Ben Oscuro walks down the aisle between us and takes the desk right behind mine. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. He smells like pine and mint, and it reminds me of the outdoors. When I open them again, Tasha’s smile has grown impossibly wider. She leans towards me and whispers, “What was that you said about hormones again?” I shove my elbow toward her, but she dodges me with a giggle. a Rafflecopter giveawayOne winner will receive a swag pack from Pauline Creeden and its open International!!!About the AuthorIn simple language, Pauline Creeden 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. Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. Her books have hit #1 on the Amazon Bestseller List and Armored Hearts won the 2013 Book Junkie’s Choice Award in Historical Fiction. First Impression: A Shadow Maven Paranormal is her first mystery. It’s a dark urban fantasy and will be released March 24, 2014.
Website: http://PaulineCreeden.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/PaulineCreeden Twitter: http://twitter.com/P_Creeden
We are so excited to share the BRAND NEW covers to author Mary Ting's young adult series CROSSROADS SAGA. Every day this week (March 24th - 28th) we will be revealing the covers to each novel in the series. The series has gotten a complete makeover. I love the new covers and think they fit the story perfectly! Not only will we be revealing the covers, but we also have a little teaser from each book. Oh, and a game for you all to play along. ;) Each teaser will be missing a word. You have to guess that word correctly on each reveal, and at the end you could win a $25 gift card or a signed copy of CROSSROADS. So, are you ready? Check out book one, CROSSROADS below. Let us know what you think of the cover! Check out the FULL COVER.... Protecting her from the fallen was his duty. PRAISE FOR CROSSROADS... "Crossroads contains action, twists and romance that has you flipping through the pages so fast that you're at the end and ready for more before you know it." - Gabby, Nashville Young Adult Fiction Examiner/What's Beyond Forks "Crossroads is an exciting debut book with a rich paranormal mythology, unique angel-lore, forbidden romance, action, suspense and plot twists. With her detailed writing and a plot that flow wells, Mary created a world I enjoyed visiting, and a story that was hard to put down." - Katie with Mundie Moms REMEMBER TO LOOK FOR THE BLANK SPACE FOR THE MISSING WORD. YOU CAN GUESS THE WORD ON THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW. “After I became your guardian angel, I never wanted to leave your sight. I wanted to protect you and keep you safe. If I were a mere human, I couldn’t do that. I found my purpose.” He paused, setting his eyes deeply into mine. “If I had to die to save you, I would. I would do it in a _________. Life isn’t worth living, unless you have someone worth dying for.” FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY! Everyday while this giveaway is running we will be adding extra entries to the rafflecopter. :) Make sure to check back to see all the covers, collect each word, and enter daily! Please read the TERMS & CONDITIONS at the bottom of the rafflecopter before entering. Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed. Mary Ting is also a featured author at Chapter by Chapter Book Rave happening in NY on September 20th! 100+ authors will be signing! There will be YA BOWLING, BILLIARDS PARTY, and more! |
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