New Book: The Father of Monsters (Dark Fantasy)

Another beautiful cover for the Season of the Runer series by Abigail Linhardt. This one is called The Father of Monsters. 

eBook - Season of the Runer Book IV The Father of Monsters

The Father of Monsters (Season of the Runer IV)

Expected Publication Date: November 10, 2023

Genre: Dark Fantasy

With the wildling Signar in tow, Tzarik and Sybal track Tarkan to Alika only to find he’s in a race to the mythical Mahit’Nomicon against the would-be sorcerer Abigor Sharar. Now on the hunt for two of the most dangerous sentients to have ever existed, the Runers come closer to finding out that their paths might not have crossed with Sharar’s entirely by chance and the hunters may have in fact been the hunted.

After two decades of study, Sharar finally believes he knows the resting place of the Mahit’Onomicon. Just before he’s sure, an old nemesis appears, stronger and more vengeful than ever before. Armed with the djinn he enslaved long ago, protected by a sell-sword Runer, and informed by a traitorous necromancer, Sharar sees no way he can possibly fall to the revenge-bent Necro’Khan. He will be a sorcerer before the winter cools the desert sands of Alika.

Tarkan is gathering not only Apostles to his side but also unearthing spells and magic that Ishmael began to create one thousand years ago–long before Tarkan thought his father even existed. The more powerful the Necro’Khan becomes, the less he fears Sharar. In fact, Sharar as a sorcerer might be the missing piece he needs to become truly free and enthrone himself as the most powerful sentient on the map.

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About the Author

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Abi has been a writer all her life, but is a mentor at heart. When she is not writing, you can find her slaying enemies online or hunting for the next bohemian adventure. She has published works of fiction, poetry, academia, and even won awards for her short stories in science fiction and horror.

Abi is also a proud mom of two…ferrets! She live streams on Twitch where you can enjoy her terrible gaming skills and join the live discussion. She works part-time as a freelance ghostwriter, editor, and audiobook narrator, hoping to one day make these passions her full-time job. She currently resides in Kansas.

She is one of nine children–all who share the creative spark.

Abigail Linhardt | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

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New Book: House of Sticks (Psychological Thriller)

remember, not all girls are made of sugar and spice. 

Welcome to the tour for House of Sticks, the sequel to House of Straw by Marc Scott. Read on for more details!

House of Sticks

Publication Date: February 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

They are united now, two sisters who were kept apart by the cruel twists in their lives. And, despite the fact these siblings grew up at the opposite end of the social ladder, they have discovered that they share an unbreakable bond. It is like a modern-day fairy tale coming to life.

However, the pathway to their shared happiness is littered with misgivings and depraved memories from which they can never escape. Brianna is still haunted by the tragic death of her twin brother while Poppy finds it hard to let go of the ghosts of her abusive childhood. 

It seems that the forces around them will never leave them alone. Neddy, a ruthless drug dealer is hell-bent on revenge. A worried mother who is desperate to unlock the darkest of secrets. A stranger with tattooed fingers who must face retribution for his evil sins. These women must be strong to survive.

But remember, not all girls are made of sugar and spice. 

Be prepared! This is not a fairy tale…

Excerpt

Liver and Lights never did visit Lucy on that bitter cold and frosty night, but the myth was enough to buy the silence of at least a dozen of the victims of the sadistic caretaker. A lifelong warning that would forever disturb the minds and souls of even the strongest of them.

The loud commotion at the back gate that night was that of Lucy’s father, who, following his release from prison, had driven south from Cumbria for eight hours in heavy snowstorms to be re-united with his daughter.  The pair enjoyed a hearty breakfast the following morning before driving up to Kendal in the north of England. Life returned to normal, or at least as normal as it would ever be for young Lucy.

She never did tell her rescuer about the atrocities that went on behind closed doors in that Childrens Home. She feared that if she did, her father would over-react, as he had done with the ‘touchy-feely’ teacher at her school and beat the living daylights out of Sean Donovan. She did not relish the idea of her father going back to prison. But neither Lucy nor her father were surprised when they discovered that the Bluebridge Childrens Home was closed some years later, following several abuse allegations against members of its staff. Justice final caught up with the wicked caretaker more recently when a Paedophile Hunting Group caught him red-handed grooming two thirteen-year-old girls. He has served almost two years of the seven-year sentence he received for his crimes and had recently been placed in the isolation unit of the prison for his own safety.

Lucy Jones had carried the unwelcome burden of being an exceptionally pretty child. Her shiny blonde hair, silky soft skin and piercing blue eyes made her stand out in a crowd. It also made her a target for every sick pervert that crossed her path when she was placed into the care system. However, the girl had coped better than most did and is now a strong-minded survivor of the torturous nightmares she endured during those eighteen months.

She is twenty-seven years old now and is married to the manager of a clothing store. She lives two streets away from her doting father who visits her at least three times each week. She is a mother herself, twice over, two daughters, one of which she named Poppy, in memory of a brave young girl who had once put her own safety at risk to protect her.

She never fails to read her daughters bedtime stories, telling them tales of handsome princes and fairy queens who live idyllic lives in beautiful surroundings. But sometimes, just sometimes, when she slips those magical books back into the drawer, it all comes back to her. She remembers Donovan’s frightening tale of his phantom accomplice Liver and Lights. And on those nights, she will always watch over her children until they are soundly asleep. Occasionally, she finds herself caught up in the moment. And on those nights, she can be seen staring out of her children’s bedroom window, up at the surrounding darkness, shouting a few words she keeps locked away inside her head.

Available on Amazon

House of Straw

Publication Date: November 2018

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Traumatised by the tragic death of her twin brother, Brianna falls into a state of deep depression, isolating herself from the world and all those that care about her. When a twist of fate reveals that she has a half-sister she finds a new purpose in her life and sets out to find her sibling, desperately hoping she can fill the void left in her world.

Poppy has not enjoyed the same privileged lifestyle as her sister while growing up. Abandoned into the care system at the age of eight, she has encountered both physical and sexual abuse for most of her life. Passing through the hands of more care homes and foster families than she can remember, the damaged product of a broken upbringing, Poppy has never found a place to feel truly safe. Kicking back at society, she turns to drug abuse and acts of extreme violence to escape from reality.

When the two siblings are finally united, they discover that they have much more in common than their DNA. Their paths are shrouded with sinister secrets of betrayal and regret and both girls share a deep-rooted hatred for one of their parents. As the dark truths of their lives are unveiled, they realise that nothing can ever be the same again…

CW: Dark chapters involving child abuse and brutality, adult themes.

Amazon

About the Author

Marc Scott was born and raised in the heart of the East End of London. He spent more than 25 years working in the video and film industry, including a 12-month spell on a project in Los Angeles. More recently he has been involved with assisting at the rehabilitation section of the UK court service, working predominantly with young offenders.  It was here where he met the people that would inspire him to write his first novel House of Straw.

He is unapologetic for the dark backdrop and raw brutality in his books. ‘You can’t sugar-coat some of these damaged individuals that live in a broken society and make excuses for them.’ he says. ‘Not everyone wants the chance to redeem themselves.’

His gritty writing style has earned him much praise from reviewers and bloggers. The second book in his trilogy, House of Sticks, will be available later this year. A story that Marc describes as, ‘An even darker and more twisted journey into the depths of depravity.’

Marc lives in Halstead in England. He has a son and two daughters, who, he says, have given him the proudest moments in his life. He lists his favourite author as Kazuo Ishiguro, and his favourite book as ‘Birdy’ by William Wharton. He sums up his reading choices with a method which he applies to his own works.  ‘When I read a book, I want to feel like a bystander, watching on, as an ‘extra’ as everything unfolds. If any of the characters in the book are bland and don’t affect you in some way, the author has wasted an opportunity.’

Marc Scott

Twitter: @marco1918253109 @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours

IG: @rrbooktours #rrbooktours #houseofsticks #houseofstraw #psychologicalthriller #thrillerbooks 

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New Book: Balloon Days (Psychological Fiction with Literary Bent)

Welcome to the book tour for genre-bending novel by Kristi Strong, Balloon Days. Read on for an exclusive excerpt!

Balloon Days

Publication Date: January 25th, 2023

Genre: Psychological Fiction with Literary Bent

Let Your Perception Be Your Guide…

At the Manhattan-based Center of Balloon Days, you will find a psychotherapy unlike any that came before it. Imagine unlocking your desires and fears and manipulating them in an unparalleled lucid-dream-like state.

Bookish Elliott Bailey, a psychologist at the Center, struggles to prove the perfect life exists, all while helping others with their own troubles. Love-starved Howard Nor’s use of Balloon Days may be allowing him to live in a fantasy while his real life falls apart. Top lawyer, Orson Thatch, develops an obsession with Balloon Days-even if it puts his career and his relationship, with his young son, at risk. All three face a choice: Continue to live a life rooted in illusions or overcome the challenges of reality.

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Excerpt

 “We ensure that all our patients who undergo Balloon Day therapy are ready. And you are ready. Your grief is fresh, your emotion is raw. It is the perfect time to work on your healing.”

Dr. Heller passed the tablet, consent form open, over to Orson. The limit was three Balloon Day sessions per week, ninety minutes maximum per experience. An in-person check-in session at least once a month was required or else the Center would suspend any further appointments. Scrolling down, he noted at the bottom, as Dr. Heller mentioned, the risks stopped when the patient wanted them to stop.

“I’m in full control then.”

Dr. Heller slowly nodded, smiling. “Precisely.”

Images of Madison overwhelmed him. It felt right, as if she was telling him to sign on the dotted line and go with it.

He thought of life without her. He thought of Ryder.

He signed.

Dr. Heller nodded, taking the tablet back. “Your Elite Day Room, B107, is on floor ten. You will take the blue elevator. This will be yours to return to as you please for your scheduled Balloon Day sessions. In addition to the delightful perk of Elite Day Rooms being grander in size, we stagger the appointments, so you will not have to wait for anyone, but there is still a pre-room with the bathroom for you if need be.”

“Thank you.”

“Let your perception be your guide.” Dr. Heller smiled and shook Orson’s hand.

Orson’s waiting room, or the “pre-room” rather, was gleaming white and cozy. As he stepped into the restroom, he noticed an immaculate toilet and sink, complete with a beautiful brass waterfall faucet.

No mirror? Strange.

Although there wasn’t necessarily any reason why he would need to see himself at this moment, not having a mirror there gave him a feeling of invisibility; nothing to reflect his existence, no feedback for his mind. Maybe that was the point. Soon, as he was told, all sensory input would be stripped from him, allowing his brainwaves to shift into a blank canvas. Whatever the hell that meant.

He stepped back out. Slipped his Day Room card into the slot, selecting to use four out of his ten credits. Dr. Heller had suggested buying credits in bulk; Orson figured he would stick with the ten to see how things panned out.

The stunning blue, ice-like door slid open. Orson’s gaze fell to the floor first—the same thick white carpet as in Dr. Heller’s office. He took off his shoes and sunk his feet into the plush, delicate material. The softness against his silver socks, peppered with race cars for Ryder, put him at ease. The air smelled of mulled cider. Soothing sounds of a crackling fire filled the room. White angelic feathers covered all four walls. To his surprise, he suddenly wanted to create art, romantic, dreamy art, the art Madison had inspired. His Day Room was divine.

Scanning the sizable but quaint square room, everything was white save for the cobalt blue of the sky-like ceiling matching the pillows atop the velvety-looking sofa lining the back wall. The ethereal hammock in the middle of the room, hanging diagonally, the thin, clear wires of it barely noticeable, giving it a look of invisible suspension, was pure luxury.

Next, he discovered the control in a small white pocket hanging on the wall to the right of the door. He clutched it in his hand as the lights dimmed further, the white of the room now snow, in the dark.

The button glowed. His promise of refuge. He closed his eyes and envisioned his beautiful wife’s face, as he had remembered her long before she had become bedridden, mostly skin and bones. He pushed it. Instantly, he was as weightless as one of the feathers on the wall.

Opening his eyes, astounded and sitting on the edge of his bed inside his old college dorm, he recognized where he was immediately. The room Orson had during his second year—the year he met Madison. He hopped off the bed.

Everything was as it had been. His desk a mess of pens and papers from studying, political science textbooks opened to random chapters on the floor. A mirror hanging on his closet door showing his reflection, which startled him. Orson was his young and handsome nineteen-year-old self.

Hair darker and thicker, body less muscular in his green t-shirt and jeans—he had been scrawny in his youth. Minor wrinkles around his umber-brown eyes smoothed over. All in all, he was impressed at how little he had changed over the years.

Orson left his room and ambled down a path between the fellow residence halls. He didn’t feel quite in control of his actions. Not quite out of control either.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Etsy

About the Author

Kristi Strong was born and raised in (or how we prefer to say it here: on) Long Island. She considers herself to be the human version of her dog—the exceptionally weird and affectionate Rat Terrier named Sophia. Kristi loves to wander the planet with her wonderful hubby as much as she loves being nestled in the same spot of her couch most evenings, curled up with a good book.

Kristi’s writing draws upon her professional experience as a trauma- informed mental health therapist. Highlighting the human condition and the power of resilience—whether it be through fiction or non-fiction—is Kristi’s calling and passion. She has the honor of witnessing all facets of what it means to be human, and she wrote her first novel Balloon Days to remind readers they are worthy and capable of change.

Kristi Strong

Twitter: @kristi2paper @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours #BalloonDays

IG: @kristi2paper @rrbooktours #rrbtballoondays #balloondays #read #newbook #novel #fiction #psychology #bookstagram #mentalhealth #books #bookish #bookworm #booknerd #booklovers #reading #psychologicalfiction #bookrecommendations #readersofinstagram  #reader #scifi #blackmirror #eternalsunshineofthespotlessmind #themidnightlibrary #bookclub #bookworm #tbr #bookshelf

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New Book: Grace Summit (NA College Romance/ FF Romance (slightly literary bent))

We are happy to share Denise Roma’s novel Grace Summit with you all today! Read on for more details!

9-12-22 FINAL Full Cover -- Grace Summit

Grace Summit

Publication Date: September 2022

Genre: NA College Romance/ FF Romance (slightly literary bent)

Ann, Amelia, and Jackie arrive at Grace Summit Bible College with their own particular heartbreaks. Ann is lonely and hungry for belonging, Amelia is broken from abuse and separation from her child, and Jackie is searching for friendships to sustain her.

Ann and Amelia find the connection they seek in one another, but they must navigate the college’s religious mandates and eventually, the passage of decades. It is during those passing years that Jackie comes to understand the influence Amelia’s and Ann’s love story has had on her own life.

Grace Summit explores the lives of women coming of age in the late ’80s, navigating their places in a changing world. Giving each woman a voice to reflect on her story, it weaves together attraction, love, religion, and finally, aging, illness, and loss. It’s an achingly beautiful novel that spans cities and lifetimes, capturing the intensity of first loves and women’s friendships.

 Available on Amazon

About the Author

You can find Denise Roma’s poetry in After Hours, a Chicago journal of literature and visual art, and short fiction in the online literary journal Thread and the New Town Writer’s Off the Rocks magazine. Grace Summit is her first novel.

Denise lives in the Chicago area with her family. She loves reading, writing, dancing in land or water and early morning air.

Find out more at: Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/GraceSummitNovel

Instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/gracesummitnovel/

Twitter: @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours

IG: @gracesummitnovel @rrbooktours #rrbooktours #gracesummit #newadultromance #collegeromance #ffromance #queerreads #lgbtqbooks

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New Book: Bad Realities (Speculative Fiction/ Horror/ Suspense/ Sci-Fi)

Welcome to the tour for Andrew Schrader’s creeptastic collection, Bad Realities. Read on for more details!

Bad Realities: Stories of Shock and Suspense

Expected Publication Date: Spring 2023

Genre: Speculative Fiction/ Horror/ Suspense/ Sci-Fi

To avoid the apocalypse, a boy must cannibalize the dead in . . . THE IMPORTANCE OF EATING ERNEST

A Tarkagen barbarian returning home to retrieve an ancient elixir faces his own worst fears in . . . HONDO RANE AND THE CITY OF ILLUSION

After World War IV, a giant, radioactive floating brain haunts the wastelands. Can a psychic girl harness her powers long enough to stop it? . . . in THE FLOATING BRAIN.

Join these poor souls and many others as they struggle to survive in worlds gone wrong. Can you handle the shock? Or will their stories leave you in a crumpled heap, screaming in vain to escape.

Now Available on Amazon and Free for KU!

About the Author

Andrew Schrader is a Los Angeles-based author and film director known for his fascination with the stranger sides of human nature. He’s directed two feature films, music videos for bands Osees, Moon-Drenched, and White Reaper, and was a script consultant on “Afterlife,” a horror series for Crypt TV.

His three-book series, What Goes On In The Walls at Night, was featured on the Reddit No Sleep podcast and twice won the Red City Review Book of the Year for fantasy and horror. He also wrote several episodes of the animated show Tig n’ SeekBad Realities is his fourth book of short stories. 

Yes, of course he loves cats.

Andrew J. Schrader

Twitter: @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours #HorrorBooks #HorrorCommunity

IG: @rrbooktours #rrbooktours #badrealities #shortstories #specfiction #scifi #horror #darkfiction #creepyreads

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New Book: The Crimson Witch (YA Dark Fantasy)

Have you read The Crimson Witch by Ashley Oliver? Now’s the time to go back and read the first two books in The Royal Thieves Trilogy before the final installment is released!

The Crimson Witch (The Royal Thieves #2)

Publication Date: September 2022

Genre: YA Dark Fantasy

She will make them pay, even if it destroys her.

The Crimson Witch is determined to free her undead army and wreak havoc on the world, both seen and unseen. Death would be too kind a mercy for those faerie traitors compared to the torment she has endured. And she will get her vengeance, no matter the cost.

Four enchanted objects, each sealed by dark blood and ancient magic, have bound her. But they also hold the power to set her free once and for all.

After being captured and imprisoned in the Black Lake, Enya and the others must find a way to undo the wicked damage done once they escape, even if that means uniting feuding faerie courts, runaway royals, and rival gangs. Deals have been made in the shadows, each at an impossible cost.

But with lies and secrecy around every turn and two more hidden relics remaining, Enya can’t be sure whose word she can trust, if anyone’s.

With everything hanging in the balance, can unlikely alliances keep the world from falling into darkness?

Fans of Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, and The Wicked King by Holly Black can’t get enough of this action-packed story!

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Available on Amazon

The Raven Thief (The Royal Thieves #1)

Enya has a few very simple goals in life.

Take down a tyrannical king, give her gang a decent life, become the leader of Skeyya’s rebellion, and maybe become slightly more rich along the way.

Okay, so maybe those goals aren’t so simple. And everything comes at a cost in the capital streets of Arden; King Eamon is after her head, and shadows lurk around every corner, waiting to spill secrets and blood.

After being captured and sentenced to death in the esteemed royal palace, Enya never expected to run into three princes who need her help—and especially not ones thought to be dead for over a decade. An impossible quest is proposed; an ancient evil is rising, and only they can stop it. The Crimson Witch, a faerie demon imprisoned in the Black Lake, along with her undead army of ghouls.

Enya has now found herself caught in a web of darkness and deceit as she guides these princes and her right-hand man, Carson, on a journey to track down the magical artifacts needed to take down the Crimson Witch once and for all.

Love, friendship, and bravery will all be tested. Can three princes and a thief save the world?

Amazon

About the Author

Ashley Olivier is an aspiring writer based in the busy capital city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. When she’s not writing, she’s working as a full-time editor with a specialty in fiction and fantasy. You can usually find her spending an unusual amount of time in coffee shops taking advantage of free Wi-Fi and refills.

She prefers matcha green tea almond milk lattes over coffee, sushi over pretty much anything, and cats over humans.

When she’s not working, she’s getting her zen on with yoga, reading young adult fantasy—usually on the adventurous side, running her bookstagram, creating messy masterpieces in the kitchen, petting her cats, and going on midnight adventures.

– Instagram.com/ashleyolivierauthor

– Facebook.com/ashleyolivierauthor

– TikTok.com/@ashleyolivierauthor_

Twitter: @RRBookTours1 #RRchBookTours #TheCrimsonWitch

IG: @ashleyolivierauthor @rrbooktours #rrbtthecrimsonwitch #thecrimsonwitch #theroyalthievestrilogy #theraventhief #dakfantasybooks #yafantasy

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New Book: Obedience (Romantic Suspense)

Ties That Bind follows their epic love story in a suspenseful tale of hidden connections, the mafia, secrets, and a dark, slow-burn romance that unfolds with delicious tension across the series. Together, can Chandler and Cassandra make it out alive? Only fate knows for sure in this unforgettable tale of love and survival.

Welcome to the tour for Obedience, a suspenseful romance by Liza Snow! Read on for more details!

Obedience (Ties that Bind #1)

Publication Date: April 4th, 2023

Genre: Romantic Suspense

🔥Teacher/ Student Romance

🔥Forbidden Love

🔥Slow burn

🔥Dark Secrets

🔥Mafia Connections

Cassandra

Growing up, I was mesmerized by a man soaring the skies.
The greatest silk aerialist in the world, Chandler Moreau.

He was once my lifeline, the dream I clung to after my parents died. I’ve always believed he was my destiny. To join him at the Dreamers Academy. To perform for him.

To soar with him.

He’s more than I ever imagined. Far more than a mentor. When I am high in the silks, turning, flying, falling, he’s my lifeline once again. Twisting my heart and my body into knots like the knots of his beloved Japanese rope bondage, Shibari.

I don’t want to live without him. With each lesson, each touch, I crave more. Only he can satisfy me. And only he can destroy me…

But I must keep him safe from the past that relentlessly follows me.

Chandler

She is my protégé, the student I’ve been waiting to take under my wing for my entire career. Someone with whom I could share my lifelong journey in my family’s circus, Cirque du Lys.

I never intended to fall in love with the student I was supposed to protect—from myself and the demons that lurk in my shadows. But sometimes fate has other plans.

Cassandra, my beautiful butterfly. I know she’s off limits. Forbidden. Still, I want her in my life. My heart. My bed.

My grandfather’s taunting words still linger.
Mieux vaut plier que rompre.
Adapt and survive.

It’s what we must do. Cassandra and I share a history that entwines us more than the silks we’ve spent our lives mastering ever could.

There are secrets from the past that must never be told. And truths that could destroy what we’ve just begun…

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Excerpt

I hadn’t needed to prompt her. She began, pulling herself upward, drawing those silks around her small frame as she went. Climbing high into the air as the two women began their duet. The French lyrics pulled me in every time. It was perhaps one of the reasons that while I simply tolerated most opera songs I’d heard, I adored this song.

Every time I heard it, every time I got lost in those little nuances of the language, it brought me back to summertime in Melun, France. Playing on the hills overlooking the city, lost in the grasses filled with wildflowers. Climbing into Meme’s apple trees. Perhaps the time in my life when it had felt so simple. All there were, were the memories of when I’d been happy.

And if there was any place I wanted to be, as I watched Cassandra ascending above me, knowing in seconds I would be right beside her, it was in those memories again. Bringing her with me.

The first stanza finished, and my mind immediately centered. My hands had already been wrapped in the silks without having to think about it. She paused, and I saw her attention drift downward. We fell captive to one another, and it was all I needed to see. I knew it was my turn to go to her. She was waiting for me.

In the same fashion she had moments earlier, I began my way up the silks beside hers, which had been a deep royal purple color. The entire time I made my way high into the room, I immersed myself in the French lyrics, the strings complimenting every rise and fall of the two women’s voices. Some moments, I’d lose myself in what I was doing, taking careful note of all the little adjustments my body was making. Other times, my attention drifted upward. Until finally, I was just beneath Cassandra.

When I paused again, I took a few deep breaths, steadying myself. Focused entirely on the beautiful woman above me, who was just as attentive to me. I nodded to her, signaling I was ready, prepared to follow her in whatever she had thought to do next.

At the precise moment when I had met her, she had already begun moving herself into a sailor pose above me, legs splitting, and much to my satisfaction, every single part of her in perfect position. All the small details I’d shown her the first lesson we’d had together were as pristine as when I’d helped her myself.

I would have taken more time to truly enjoy how proud of her I felt if she hadn’t twisted downward, dropping her torso straight toward me in a graceful fall. Before she’d completed it, I knew what she’d done. A Rainbow Marchenko. A famous move of Jeanne’s for many years. But watching her as she settled into it, I would have thought it was hers alone.

Cassandra’s hands dropped, releasing the silks. Dangling inches away. The only thing holding her in the air was the precise folds of those green fabrics wrapped around her legs.

Looking into her eyes as she hung there, waiting for me to act, all I could do was smile. She’d been focused, lost in her own world, but she’d come back to me. We were together again in the very place I had wanted to be with her ever since I’d seen her flying through the silks at her audition. I had dreamt about it every time since, every lesson we had, every time I’d watched her from the shadows of the theater while she practiced.

I had taken her to those fields in Melun with me, high in the trees. Trapped us both in those treasured memories, made all the better knowing she was there. 

“I’ve got you, Cassandra,” I called out to her, gently. Steadying myself, my body locked in place. Breathing slow and rhythmic and calm. I watched her take the same breath as I had, waiting for the little drop in the lyrics before the next few lines began.

The moment their voices bellowed into the theater again, she let herself drop in a salto. In a gentle sweep of my body, I caught her gracefully into my arms. Twisted us together, letting the silks take hold of the two of us as we swung across the room, dozens of feet above the stage below us. Falling like two feathers locked together, dancing into the wind.

When the fabrics released us, I swung us outward. Our bodies drifted apart again as she spun around me, both of us still descending toward the floor. As beautiful as she looked, circling outward away from me, the moment she had, I wanted her back. I used my legs to give myself enough momentum to swing forward, latching on again once she’d appeared.

Cassandra had been so close I’d felt her breath against my face while we dangled above the stage. I got lost in the way it felt to be tangled up with her, a mess of bodies and fabric. Consumed by it. Convinced I might never let go of her again.

As we’d traversed the rest of the way back to the stage, I didn’t. The two of us descended together as a singular unit, just her and I and the fabrics. Improvising the graceful fall we were doing, finding little tricks and motions to carry out, all the while never leaving her side.

We’d both reached the floor, perfectly in sync with one another. I heard a gentle thump as we landed. Followed by the sound of both of our light, audible breaths. Steadying ourselves back on the ground.

Even having left the air, the silks still wrapped around us. Neither of us had freed ourselves. Cassandra was still in my arms, something I realized, when I hadn’t been so caught up in what we were doing all those feet above us, was happening for the very first time. 

The sweet smell of oranges overwhelmed me. Her beautiful hazel eyes, those captivating flecks of grays and greens and browns, drowned out the world around us. I watched her breathing softly, holding her to me and those silks holding me to her. 

And in those next few moments, every single solitary thing keeping me from her since the day we had met no longer existed in the little reality we were trapped in. Every fear I had, every reservation, disappeared. I tightened her to me, my hands capturing the sides of her face in a gentle sweep, as elegant as every other thing we’d done those last few minutes.

Our mouths fell together, and I lost myself in her. Trapped in those profound and so unbelievably relieving seconds in which the things that had stood in our way no longer mattered. 

I hadn’t thought anything could have surpassed the experience the two of us just shared. Undeniably, it had been the best minutes I had ever spent in those silks in my entire career. As simple as it had been. And we had barely started. This was only the beginning.

But this moment now was just as wonderful. As perfect as I could have hoped.

Available on Amazon

More to Love:

In addition to the paperback, Obedience is also available in a full-cast narrated audiobook, starring Daniel Zbel and Rapunzaroo, along with a cast of additional voiceover actresses. Brought to life in the way the story is meant to be told, and it will be the best audiobook you listen to this year—possibly for a very long time. You’ll love listening to the two voices of these iconic characters. And don’t forget to read along with them and enjoy a fantastic, immersive experience. You’ll need the paperback copy to fan yourself off from some of the narration!

Audible

About the Author

A bestselling independent author from Florida, Liza has been putting romance books into her readers hands for over a half decade, and has loved every minute of it.

Liza lives with her husband, her two dogs and her cat, ten minutes from the beach. When she isn’t writing, you can often find her walking and enjoying outside, with a coffee and a book in hand.

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New Book: The Magic Man (Paranormal Thriller/ Dark Fiction)

Welcome to the tour for the highly anticipated sequel to The Pain Eater, The Magic Man by LaShane Arnett! Read on for more!

The Magic Man (The Sadie Reed Stories #2)

Expected Publication Date: March 20th, 2023

Genre: Paranormal Thriller/ Dark Fiction

NATURE vs. NURTURE

THE MAGIC MAN:

From the time he was little he knew he was different. He enjoyed pain. Inflicting it. Seeing it swim through the eyes of others. His mother suspected what he was, a sociopath, like his father. He loved hurting animals and never smiled. She did everything in her power to instill goodness in him. But would nurturing him with goodness be enough, when at his core he was pure evil? Only time would tell. Or, would time help him see that if he gave in to his true nature, he would grow to be something more powerful than even he knew possible?

THE PAIN EATER:

It’s been two years since Sadie found one of the Magic Man’s victims, Maxine Powell. With her growing abilities and her dad’s notes she believes finding the missing women is her destiny. When her health takes a dark turn, Adrian and Lupita urge her to take a step back. She reluctantly agrees. But after she starts receiving mental messages from one of the victim’s six-year-old son, she questions whether her hiatus is a good idea. If she answers his call will she find one more victim, or move closer to becoming a victim herself?

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Available on Amazon 

About the Author

LaShane Arnett is an African American poet and author living in Southern California with her husband of thirty+ years. She is the creator of Arnett Publications and the author of The Sadie Reed Series. The first book in the series, The Pain Eater, is highly recommended for anyone who loves Paranormal Thrillers.

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New Book: A Summer with the Hermit King (YA/ Cozy Mystery)

Welcome to the tour for A Summer with the Hermit King by William Todd. Read on for more details!

A Summer with the Hermit King

Publication Date: December 2022

Genre: YA/ Cozy Mystery

Year: 1888. Diminutive sixteen-year-old Auggie Rose decides he can no longer take the physical and mental abuse at the hands of other boys living at the orphanage. He decides to leave and cast his lot living as a recluse on the nearby beautiful Presque Isle, a peninsula on the shores of Lake Erie. After sneaking out in the middle of the night, on his way to the peninsula, he witnesses a murder at the hands of ‘the man with a limp’.The murderer initially does not know he was witnessed. Not knowing what else to do that wouldn’t jeopardize him being sent back to the orphanage, Auggie tries as best he can to put the incident out of his head and so begins his new life adjusting to the wilds of Presque Isle. To that end, Auggie is helped along by Joe Root, a hermit himself and a curiosity among the locals, who has been living on the beaches of Presque Isle for decades. He is also befriended by kitchen help, Maisy, who works at a resort at the entrance to the peninsula. Over time, his relationship with Maisy blossoms into more than just friendship as he adjusts to his new life. During this time, he also slowly begins to realize that the murder he had witnessed is part of a larger plan that has something to do with the peninsula itself. Auggie inadvertently inserts himself into the investigation and is befriended by Will Weston, the detective investigating the murder. As businesses around Presque Isle are being bought then shuttered by a mysterious businessman, one of these owners is murdered. It is then that Auggie begins to realize that whatever nefarious plan ‘the man with the limp’ has, it is putting his life and the lives of those closest to him in mortal danger.

Free for KU

Paperback

About the Author

William Todd has been writing for over 20 years, primarily gothic horror stories in the style of Lovecraft, Poe, and Shelley. Loving all things Victorian, he was inspired to read (and later to write) by Arthur Conan Doyle. The first book he ever read cover to cover was Hound of the Baskervilles, which also fed his appetite for horror. William Todd has written two short story compilations of gothic horror, Dead of Night and Beyond the Gossamer Veil and one sci-fi/horror hybrid genre Something Wicked This Way Comes. He has also written multiple Sherlock Holmes pastiches, Murder in Keswick, A Reflection of Evil, Mystery of the Broken Window, and Elementary—a short story compilation, which were picked up for republish by Spellbound Publishing, LTD. Three of his short stories were part of MX Publishing’s New Sherlock Holmes Stories with proceeds going to a charity for special needs children housed in Undershaw, the very home Conan Doyle penned Hound of the Baskervilles. Writing for the books was a special privilege because his daughter, Alina, has Down Syndrome. In 2022, he published his first YA/historical novel A Summer with the Hermit King, which was an Amazon #1 New Release, and he has started yet another Sherlock Holmes compilation. When not writing (which isn’t often!) William spends his time walking the trails and beaches of Presque Isle in his home of Erie, Pennsylvania, and spending time with his family.

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New Book: Twisted Bond (YA Fantasy)

We are so excited to share this GORGEOUS cover with all of you today. Twisted Bond by Katlyn DeRouen is available for pre-order now and is due for release in October!

Twisted Bond (Twisted Series #1)

Expected Publication Date: October 18, 2023

Genre: YA Fantasy

Found Family

Hidden Royalty

Friends to Lovers

Chosen One

Three Girls.

Three Lives.

One Bond.

After almost a decade apart, Cammie, Hannah, and Sabina never expected their paths to cross again so suddenly. But when Cammie is plagued by memories of a person she has never met, she has no choice but to reach out to the friends she lost touch with years ago.

A charismatic stranger—by the name of Caelan—claims he holds the answers to her mounting list of questions. Instead, Cammie winds up in a comatose state. With Caelan’s help, Sabina races against time to find the man in Cammie’s memories who holds the key to an unseen world… before her friend is lost within her own mind forever.

Meanwhile, Hannah finds herself fighting for her life after being thrust into the middle of a war between beings rumored to be myth. In the midst of the chaos, one element holds true… fate pulled them back together for a reason. Will the trio uncover the truth they seek? Or run from an answer they fear will shatter their world as they know it?

Pre-Order Here

About the Author

Katlyn DeRouen is a multi-genre author who dabbles in science fiction, fantasy, and romance. Driven by her love of the written word, she penned her debut book of poetry in 2019, which received an outpouring of glowing reviews. Encouraged by the support of her readers, she allowed her imagination to take her to the stars and back with countless new engaging characters and compelling novels. She lives in Kansas with her husband and two fur babies where she can always be found getting lost in a story.

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