tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91002896303875955002024-03-14T05:25:38.888-07:00Marie Treanor's Romantic Theme PartyMarie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.comBlogger239125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-19973471498538865212013-06-25T23:44:00.000-07:002013-06-26T01:11:05.254-07:00BLOOD GUILT Special Offer - Only 99 cents!Just a quick heads-up to let you know that until 2nd July, <b><i>Blood Guilt</i></b>, the first of my <i>Blood Hunters</i> vampire romance series, is on offer for only 99 cents (73 pence in the UK)! If you haven't read it already, you might want to grab it now :).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDn1-fVFqe0bYRtOLl7DeI0VcXsktzgbBl-DdIuzZpEn8zfg4zRr-G8MArgAM8qcpOg6Z81jxNmARZmElYVRg0Th5LAqKpe6nBneNHsocoJpYLslUwhLG7KsuKAVCofWnUniixbnXlww/s1600/BloodGuilt_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDn1-fVFqe0bYRtOLl7DeI0VcXsktzgbBl-DdIuzZpEn8zfg4zRr-G8MArgAM8qcpOg6Z81jxNmARZmElYVRg0Th5LAqKpe6nBneNHsocoJpYLslUwhLG7KsuKAVCofWnUniixbnXlww/s320/BloodGuilt_800px.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b>BLOOD GUILT: Blood Hunters, Book 1</b><br />
<b>By MARIE TREANOR</b><br />
<b>Ebook Only 99 cents from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0088Q23F8/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=marietrecom-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B0088Q23F8" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Guilt-Hunters-Series-ebook/dp/B0088Q23F8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1338875398&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-guilt-marie-treanor/1111396728?ean=2940014751063" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a>, <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Blood-Guilt/book-oxmGH6wz8UaTYWRkDKB-4Q/page1.html?s=yT1SAbKzlkCWc1RdJGO89A&r=1" target="_blank">Kobo</a>, and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/blood-guilt/id592242849?ls=1" target="_blank">i-Books</a> </b><br />
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<i>"one delicious book....one big ball of fun...sexual tension and temptation and fulfillment..."</i> - Place of Reads.<br />
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<i>"a beautiful thing to be a part of.... you just gotta read this baby."</i> Butterflyometer Books<br />
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<i>"captivating"</i> - BeLoved Books<br />
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<i>"an excellent series... beautifully written with action, adventure, love, lust, and sex... In a </i><br />
<i>world full of vampire stories, Marie Treanor has carved out her own niche that will keep readers </i><br />
<i>coming back for more!" </i>- Faerie Tale Books<br />
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<b><i>Natural enemies, deadly attraction..</i></b>.<br />
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The first of a new vampire romance series, a sequel to the Awakened by Blood trilogy.<br />
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Mihaela, a fearless vampire hunter secretly haunted by loneliness and childhood tragedy, finds it difficult to adjust to the new world order where vampires are not always the bad guys. She's taking a much needed vacation in Scotland when she sees a little boy being chased through the streets of Edinburgh. Rescuing him brings bigger problems - two vampires from her past: Gavril, who killed her family; and the reclusive and troubled Maximilian, gifted Renaissance artist and one-time overlord of the most powerful undead community in the world. Maximilian once saved her life and now needs that favor returned.<br />
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The earth moves for Mihaela in more ways than one. From Scotland to Budapest and Malta, she races against time to prevent a disastrous, vampire-induced earthquake and save an innocent yet powerful child – all while fighting a dreadful attraction to Maximilian, her only ally, whom she can’t afford to trust. For Maximilian, the hunter becomes a symbol of renewed existence, as he struggles to accept his past and rediscovers his appetite for blood and sex - and maybe even happiness.<br />
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Books 2 and 3 in the series are also available...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZyz8ayA7z-4QEA746mpNsEWHuVVrpuTdU8FZ4t5EWIrAfAITUaRSz3R1MMUneohoLBBZHCm_LOnIL1bSoYYf6A0ER3jf791lEjdrfOVjeOBVNbuuUEcuVF3M5Lg5vUfKA8OtnBD20-s/s1600/BloodofAngels200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZyz8ayA7z-4QEA746mpNsEWHuVVrpuTdU8FZ4t5EWIrAfAITUaRSz3R1MMUneohoLBBZHCm_LOnIL1bSoYYf6A0ER3jf791lEjdrfOVjeOBVNbuuUEcuVF3M5Lg5vUfKA8OtnBD20-s/s200/BloodofAngels200.jpg" width="133" /></a><b>BLOOD OF ANGELS: Blood Hunters, Book 2</b><br />
<b>By MARIE TREANOR</b><br />
<b>Ebook $2.99 from <a href="http://amzn.to/10AN2WR">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Angels-Hunters-Series-ebook/dp/B00B51EMWA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1359406589&sr=1-1">Amazon UK</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-of-angels-marie-treanor/1115402855?ean=2940016646336">B&N</a>, <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Blood-of-Angels/book-yk-hsN_2b0CmlWB69t5f8w/page1.html?s=e4cCt5MzMUWkST5LOAAkkg&r=2">Kobo</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/blood-of-angels/id651455573?ls=1">i-Books</a> </b><br />
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<b><i>Obsession... a wounded hunter, a damaged vampire</i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLxxQ61gh44NXG9w10MtgC3b2HLPdr94OUCtsWQtgvJ5l3j7rxgFRA7Z2Jsitggr9T1CMGi6LmueWC_dPSb-L7DI9-m2EwXDRmf3Xbq62G5yiGCQGogUgExGAxokBJ3EVlamQUo_9nYc/s1600/BloodDescent200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLxxQ61gh44NXG9w10MtgC3b2HLPdr94OUCtsWQtgvJ5l3j7rxgFRA7Z2Jsitggr9T1CMGi6LmueWC_dPSb-L7DI9-m2EwXDRmf3Xbq62G5yiGCQGogUgExGAxokBJ3EVlamQUo_9nYc/s200/BloodDescent200.jpg" width="133" /></a><b>BLOOD DESCENT (Blood Hunters, Book 3) </b><br />
<b>By MARIE TREANOR</b><br />
<b>Ebook $2.99 from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CXYHOHS?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00CXYHOHS&linkCode=xm2&tag=marietrecom-20">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Descent-Hunters-Series-ebook/dp/B00CXYHOHS">Amazon UK</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-descent-marie-treanor/1115402854?ean=2940016646329">Barnes & Noble</a>, <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Blood-Descent/book-71EIDUXegEe5VbjiTc3a7Q/page1.html?s=NnWwIWupOE-QB2CdiIa88A&r=1">Kobo</a> and i-Books</b><br />
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<b><i>A child is born...into the final showdown of Vampire and Hunter</i></b><br />
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-72005228363078633422013-06-21T07:24:00.003-07:002013-06-21T07:24:56.092-07:00Bewitching Summer Giveaway!From 21st June until 21st July, Bewitching Book Tours is hosting a fabulous giveaway! In fact, FOUR fabulous giveaways! Including three of my ebooks, and a Kindle Fire :).<br />
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Psst! My books are in Giveaway Four!<br />
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Here are the details of all the giveaways!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYN83TnWTr7VjAuLX9BEvVKrgCfBdqjsIzcUERLQTsSPSwwqU9Co858hvvAD6Gn40ypvPr6qlH82Bb0NoynzqNGQSQK-8IBjSeqhC8IdYSmVDYg0WE678t1d0c7QnUje2i5oKElPGBms/s1600/BewitchingSummerGiveaway+banner+450+x+169.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYN83TnWTr7VjAuLX9BEvVKrgCfBdqjsIzcUERLQTsSPSwwqU9Co858hvvAD6Gn40ypvPr6qlH82Bb0NoynzqNGQSQK-8IBjSeqhC8IdYSmVDYg0WE678t1d0c7QnUje2i5oKElPGBms/s320/BewitchingSummerGiveaway+banner+450+x+169.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Rafflecopter
Giveaway One: Kindle and swag packs<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Kindle HD -30
authors joined together to offer a spectacular grand prize A Kindle Fire HD
8.9” screen , Wifi ,16GB $269 value Open to US shipping, if outside US you can
receive an equal value Amazon Gift Card<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 huge package
of book swag from Bewitching Book Tours filled with fun goodies from Bewitching
Book Tours, owner Roxanne Rhoads and numerous Bewitching authors including a
Starbucks giftcard from Gina Conkle<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4 packages of
book swag from Bewitching Book Tours- filled with fun goodies from Bewitching
authors<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 mixed swag
pack of various book swag from Milly Taiden<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 book swag from
Constance Phillips<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">$15 Amazon gift
card from Sky Purington <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><b>Enter via the <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112f305/" target="_blank">Rafflecopter here!</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Rafflecopter
Giveaway Two: Print Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 set of
Bleeding Hearts (Demimonde #1) and Blood Rush (Demimonde #2) by Ash Krafton- US
Shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2 sets of Her
Dear & Loving Husband and Her Loving Husband's Curse by Meredith Allard
open to US Shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Kidnapped by
Maria Hammarbald us shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 ROGUE ORACLE
and DARK ORACLE by Alayna Williams- us shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 EMBERS and
SPARKS by Laura Bickle- US shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Fall of Sky
City by SM Blooding US Shipping only<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 signed set of
DARK LIGHT OF DAY and FIERY EDGE OF STEEL by Jill Archer<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Life After the
Undead and Death to the Undead by Pembroke Sinclair- US shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 DiSemblance by
Shanae Branham<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Shield:
Allie's War, Book Two by JC Andrijeski (or Revik: Allie's War, Early Years) by
JC Andrijeski<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 signed copy of
VICIOUS CIRCLE by Linda Robertson (or any other title written by her if winner
already has VC)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 DiSemblance by
Shanae Branham open to International Shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 The
Necromancer’s Seduction by Mimi Sebastian open to International Shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2 print copies
of The Chosen by Annette Gisby, US/Canada and UK entrants<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Print or ebook
Copy of Night Hawk by JE Taylor to US residents or ebook (mobi or epub) for
international folks. If US resident would prefer ebook - that can be done as
well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Print or ebook
Copy of Hunting Season by JE Taylor to US residents or ebook (mobi or epub) for
international folks. If US resident would prefer ebook - that can be done as
well<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Winner’s
choice of print or digital (.mobi or .epub) of Royal Street or River Road by
Suzanne Johnson, in either U.S. or U.K. editions; open to international.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Winner’s
Choice of print, audio, or digital (.mobi only) of Redemption, Absolution,
Omega, or Storm Force by Susannah Sandlin open to international.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 All three
books in the Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator series The Seduction of
Phaeton Black, The Moonstone and Miss Jones, The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter
by Jillian Stone. Print or eBook any format, reader's choice Ebook open
international<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>Enter via the <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112f306/" target="_blank">Rafflecopter here</a>!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Bewitching
Giveaway Three: YA Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Signed print
copy Portal by Imogen Rose- US Shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Signed print
copy of INITIATION by Imogen Rose- US Shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 print copy
Hollow's End by Marianne Morea- US Shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5 print copies
Visionary Unleashed by N. Dunham US shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 THE HALLOWED
ONES by Laura Bickle- US Shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 print copy The
Ifs (middle grade book) by JD Pooker<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 print set of
Reckoning and Relentless by Molly Hall- US shipping<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 ebook copy of
Soul Meaning by AD Starrling<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 ebook copy of
King's Crusade by AD Starrling (<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 ebook copy
Hollow's End by Marianne Morea<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5 ecopies
Visionary Unleashed by N. Dunham<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5 ecopies of
Portal by Imogen Rose<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5 ecopies
INITIATION by Imogen Rose<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Bewitching Books
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">10 ebook copies
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Years)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Tyrant of
Tarsit (Time travel romance) by Holly Hunt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2 ebooks of New
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 each Bleeding
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Her Dear & Loving Husband and Her Loving Husband's Curse by Meredith Allard<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 Winner’s
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Resurrecting Harry by Constance Phillips<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 The Cat's Meow
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1 eCopy of The
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5 free copies of
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5 ecopies of
THREE WISHES by Paula Millhouse pdf, mobi, ePub<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>1 ecopy SMOKE
AND MIRRORS (The Gifted, Book 1) by Marie Treanor<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>1 BLOOD GUILT
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of .pdf, epub, mobi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2 ebooks of
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-52409188982116411782013-05-26T01:05:00.000-07:002013-05-26T01:05:46.136-07:00The Final Showdown? BLOOD DESCENT Is Out!I'm thrilled to announce the release of <b><i>Blood Descent</i></b>, the third <i>Blood Hunters</i> book, and a milestone in the series...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKP6QYPRvK5KHV5i_4tGZ-xJi2r2pG02mAoXPVeoAYkiT6iPQt0S01v-hoNx1MeFZhop1UPV_9QTJQYgze9zWrUc37YRxJU67gwa4GFHRbUEnGFDmaMmJpY9dgjG2IXxgsEGimm24ueY/s1600/BloodDescent800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKP6QYPRvK5KHV5i_4tGZ-xJi2r2pG02mAoXPVeoAYkiT6iPQt0S01v-hoNx1MeFZhop1UPV_9QTJQYgze9zWrUc37YRxJU67gwa4GFHRbUEnGFDmaMmJpY9dgjG2IXxgsEGimm24ueY/s400/BloodDescent800.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<b>BLOOD DESCENT (Blood Hunters, Book 3)</b><br />
<b>By MARIE TREANOR</b><br />
<b>Ebook $2.99 from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CXYHOHS?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00CXYHOHS&linkCode=xm2&tag=marietrecom-20" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Descent-Hunters-Series-ebook/dp/B00CXYHOHS">Amazon UK</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-descent-marie-treanor/1115402854?ean=2940016646329" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a>, <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Blood-Descent/book-71EIDUXegEe5VbjiTc3a7Q/page1.html?s=NnWwIWupOE-QB2CdiIa88A&r=1" target="_blank">Kobo</a> and i-Books</b><br />
<br />
<i>A child is born...into the final showdown of Vampire and Hunter</i><br />
<br />
The face of a killer, the heart of a lost child… Konrad once led the legendary first team of Hungarian vampire hunters. Now, refusing to ally with the undead, he goes his own way, slaughtering vampires across the length and breadth of Europe.<br />
<br />
The dying thoughts of one such vampire send Konrad to Britain in search of a dangerous instrument that might be just what he needs in his obsessive war with undead overlord Saloman – a war he’s determined to win at any cost. The only being who can lead him to the instrument and its current, evil possessor, is sexy, mysterious, young Glaswegian vampire Maggie, who holds herself aloof from her own kind.<br />
<br />
Maggie sees much more than Konrad’s anger and cruelty. She makes it her mission to reach beyond the horrors of his past and find the man he should have been. Difficult, when he threatens her heart as well as everything she believes in; and when her whole being clamors for his body and his blood.<br />
<br />
While journalists circle, about to break the news of vampire existence on mainstream television, Elizabeth Silk labors to give birth to Saloman’s daughter, and Maggie plays a dangerous game that risks everyone for her belief in one troubled man.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
<br />
“Tramp broke his leg once falling through that hole,” she observed.<br />
<br />
“Are his bones still here?”<br />
<br />
“No; he took them with him when he left. Squeamish for a hunter, aren’t you?”<br />
<br />
Konrad sat on the table and dangled his legs over the edge while he took in her candlelit lair. It was surprisingly comfortable. And clean. Lots of fabric and color. Dark, rather good wooden furniture. A turn-of-the-century dressing table arrayed with hairbrushes and bottles, a wardrobe and full-length mirror, a desk with a leather-bound notebook and several pens. A bed made up in one corner with lace pillows and bright cushions. Did she bring her victims back here to feed in comfort? The idea bothered him. No wonder she’d said he was squeamish.<br />
<br />
“Never been called that before,” he said casually, bringing his attention back to her face. “Did you know Victor?”<br />
<br />
“Should I?”<br />
<br />
“He had some connection to Glasgow,” Konrad lied. “You’re an unusual vampire with unlikely friends. I wondered if his connection was you.”<br />
<br />
“There are several vampires in this city. Do I have—did I have something in common with this Victor?”<br />
<br />
“Another vampire called Georges,” Konrad said.<br />
<br />
He slid off the table and strolled toward her. She still smelled good, the same dark, seductive perfume as last night, overwhelmingly feminine. With some effort, he focused on her expression. Her sultry eyes were impenetrable, but this time there was no noticeable reaction that he could see. She was ready now for anything he threw at her.<br />
<br />
He came to a halt so close he was almost touching her. It was a good way to get to vampires, who didn’t care to be close to hunters, and he felt her tension as if it was his own. But then, his own was considerable too. It had to be to resist the urge to touch her. She’d be able to hear the beating of his heart, probably knew what effect her body had on him. He used that, crowding her, turning it into the kind of threat he’d never have used against a human woman. A vampire didn’t deserve that respect.<br />
<br />
Her head tilted to meet his deliberately harsh gaze. It may have been a struggle, but she achieved a hint of sardonic amusement in her gorgeous green eyes.<br />
<br />
Konrad stirred. “Georges is in possession of an instrument stolen from hunters.”<br />
<br />
“He plays the fiddle?” she guessed flippantly. Her gaze dropped to the stake he still held ready to use, but unlike most, she still didn’t back off.<br />
<br />
Konrad smiled. “You have heard of it.”<br />
<br />
Maggie shrugged. The movement brushed her arm against his sleeve. He wondered how her skin would feel against his. The brief, electric touch of her wrist last night had only been enough to arouse his curiosity. Was it soft, like a real woman’s, or just cold and dead? It didn’t look dead. It hadn’t felt dead last night. Instead, it seemed to glow, like the rest of her.<br />
<br />
With the blood of her victims, he reminded himself harshly.<br />
<br />
She said, “I hear a lot of things that make no sense. Like I said, I don’t gossip.”<br />
<br />
“Did you hear where Georges or this instrument is? Or what they plan to use it for?”<br />
<br />
“I know they’re not here in Glasgow.” She tilted her head back farther, the familiar gesture of a vampire insisting she wasn’t afraid. She was. He could almost smell it. He’d got to her all right, although whether with his too-close presence or his questions, it was impossible to tell.<br />
<br />
Her neck was beautiful: long, slender, elegant, like a ballet dancer’s. He wanted to wrap his fingers around it, trace the complicated path of her delicate veins. He stirred, just to upset her, to feel her against his jacket again.<br />
<br />
“And how, exactly, do you know that?” he asked softly.<br />
<br />
“I’m a vampire. I’m good at knowing where people aren’t.”<br />
<br />
“Would you help me find this instrument?”<br />
<br />
Her eyes widened. She had no breath to feel on his face, and yet he almost imagined he could. The tiny hairs on his skin stood up in awareness. She swung away from him, and his breath spilled out in a rush of relief and disappointment. She sat down on a frayed, once-opulent armchair. She crossed her shapely legs, and even at this distance, his blood surged to his already growing erection.<br />
<br />
“Now why,” she wondered, “would you ask me that? You don’t like me; you don’t trust me. You’re as liable to kill me as to let me live, and you really don’t want my help with anything. But for the record, no, I won’t.”<br />
<br />
Konrad curled his lip. “Is that why John likes you? Because you pretend to be so straight talking?”<br />
<br />
Maggie picked up a packet of cigarettes from the arm of the chair. “You really have forgotten, haven’t you? You don’t need a reason to like someone.”<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQhIFXiKJYSBlEfp6jLdCfVJQibqa9jbHxrqlCPoaNMa4mlRkwxyR6JM966pLtS0gfpbrh74aPsIxM8mIei2UgJ1sm9eHwxlut189fbE_DctlpWuSldQf3DAobDKw7nICLplO6iPcMgo/s1600/BloodofAngels200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQhIFXiKJYSBlEfp6jLdCfVJQibqa9jbHxrqlCPoaNMa4mlRkwxyR6JM966pLtS0gfpbrh74aPsIxM8mIei2UgJ1sm9eHwxlut189fbE_DctlpWuSldQf3DAobDKw7nICLplO6iPcMgo/s200/BloodofAngels200.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHOlfxDiKEMT_3KSWdTEXVpO7unwk2x9TxzTrOYV2_XykS_xVGH9a7DJngmfwUq2cnVNrkG4NgvaoJoGgqzNUz6fkMs4dTpQ8w5OY8pS8YhYtjnTxSKaNYoRi71HCT4W5LxzFam1ysm0/s1600/BloodGuilt_200px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHOlfxDiKEMT_3KSWdTEXVpO7unwk2x9TxzTrOYV2_XykS_xVGH9a7DJngmfwUq2cnVNrkG4NgvaoJoGgqzNUz6fkMs4dTpQ8w5OY8pS8YhYtjnTxSKaNYoRi71HCT4W5LxzFam1ysm0/s200/BloodGuilt_200px.jpg" width="133" /></a>If you haven't already read the first two books in the series, they're also available as ebooks, only $2.99!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0088Q23F8/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=marietrecom-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B0088Q23F8" target="_blank">Blood Guilt:</a> <i>Natural enemies, deadly attraction..</i>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://amzn.to/10AN2WR" target="_blank">Blood of Angels</a>: <i>Obsession... a wounded hunter, a damaged vampire</i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Script MT Bold"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-no-proof: yes;">Blood Descent</span></b><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-66025647766140300572013-04-27T08:49:00.000-07:002013-04-27T08:49:54.556-07:00Serafina and the Virtual Man is Free!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDNGvhh9MkxIO40NHsKb578MoZLq6VywDkVom8CO6SWqgeJoSnd7fR9oh_8tp461RbkXfw-yXvNSXRscK0CewXPp0u2zm6_Ar2jDCUip5DyJb5-GJwLrrSMqmHnQ3ykc9grcBbpa-c6A/s1600/SerafinaAndTheVirtualMan200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDNGvhh9MkxIO40NHsKb578MoZLq6VywDkVom8CO6SWqgeJoSnd7fR9oh_8tp461RbkXfw-yXvNSXRscK0CewXPp0u2zm6_Ar2jDCUip5DyJb5-GJwLrrSMqmHnQ3ykc9grcBbpa-c6A/s320/SerafinaAndTheVirtualMan200.jpg" width="213" /></a>Thought you might like to know that this weekend and Monday 29th, you can download <b><i>Serafina and the Virtual Man</i></b> for free from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CB2BCCK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00CB2BCCK&linkCode=as2&tag=marietrecom-20.">Amazon</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Serafina-Virtual-Serafinas-Series-ebook/dp/B00CB2BCCK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1365661155&sr=1-1&keywords=serafina+and+the+virtual+marie+treanor">Amazon UK</a>. Grab it while you can :)<br />
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<b>SERAFINA AND THE VIRTUAL MAN: Serafina's, Book2)</b><br />
<b>By MARIE TREANOR</b><br />
Free until 29th April from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CB2BCCK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00CB2BCCK&linkCode=as2&tag=marietrecom-20.">Amazon.com</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Serafina-Virtual-Serafinas-Series-ebook/dp/B00CB2BCCK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1365661155&sr=1-1&keywords=serafina+and+the+virtual+marie+treanor">Amazon UK</a><br />
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Real man versus dead man - no contest!<br />
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Dale Ewan, the wealthy owner of Genesis Gaming, has a serious poltergeist problem. In desperation, he calls on Edinburgh's unique psychic investigation agency, Serafina's.<br />
<br />
But Sera and her hacker friend, the beautiful and aggressive Jilly, find more than one spirit haunting the ugly country house. While Sera fights the poltergeist, Jilly encounters what appears to be the ghost of Dale's brilliant ex-partner, Genesis Adam, trapped in his own new virtual reality system.<br />
<br />
Jilly delves headlong into Adam's mystery. How did he get there? Why is he more exciting and attractive than any of the real men in her life? How are Jilly's own criminal brothers involved in his death? And what are Dale and his wife Petra hiding? Apart from the body buried in their garden...<br />
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While Jilly falls in love with the sexy, virtual ghost, Sera has problems of her own, not least the shadowy presence of the undead Founder that seems to threaten Sera, her vampire lover Blair, and all her friends.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8woPw67uPrQeweJjv5pWxVXuacZHDOwA2RbY59K6Y_EiGNCQExpbIRmWg-l9t-ETj4j6BWGOh47I3mWc4mlhsNe-6y_yHStQfqKCHG5FLDiUigt1Pap-8FJhNbrEuUpFOHkUlSO38Z74/s1600/SerafinaAndTheSilentVampire_200px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8woPw67uPrQeweJjv5pWxVXuacZHDOwA2RbY59K6Y_EiGNCQExpbIRmWg-l9t-ETj4j6BWGOh47I3mWc4mlhsNe-6y_yHStQfqKCHG5FLDiUigt1Pap-8FJhNbrEuUpFOHkUlSO38Z74/s200/SerafinaAndTheSilentVampire_200px.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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And of course, if you haven't read it already, Book 1 in the series, <b><i>Serafina and the Silent Vampire</i></b> is still available, only $2.99 from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0092UD3GM/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=marietrecom-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B0092UD3GM">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Serafina-Silent-Vampire-Serafinas-ebook/dp/B0092UD3GM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346133091&sr=1-1">Amazon UK</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/serafina-and-the-silent-vampire-marie-treanor/1112680976?ean=2940015185386">Barnes & Noble</a>, <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Serafina-and-the-Silent-Vampire/book-we5QN_GC806C6M8MuWeNqw/page1.html">Kobo</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/serafina-silent-vampire/id592243045?ls=1">i-Books</a>.<br />
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Marie<br />
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-80415879192728935792013-04-11T23:42:00.001-07:002013-04-11T23:42:43.984-07:00Birthday Release! SERAFINA AND THE VIRTUAL MAN by MARIE TREANORYes, it's my birthday - again!<br />
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But the upside is, I'm thrilled to be celebrating a new release! <b><i>Serafina and the Virtual Man</i></b> came out yesterday at Amazon - the second in the <i>Serafina's</i> series featuring a unique psychic investigation agency based in Edinburgh, Scotland.<br />
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So, by way of celebration, here's the blurb and an excerpt from the new book - enjoy!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">SERAFINA AND THE VIRTUAL MAN:</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Serafina's</i>, Book 2</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">By MARIE TREANOR</span></b></div>
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<b>Ebook $2.99, from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CB2BCCK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00CB2BCCK&linkCode=as2&tag=marietrecom-20.">Amazon.com</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Serafina-Virtual-Serafinas-Series-ebook/dp/B00CB2BCCK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1365661155&sr=1-1&keywords=serafina+and+the+virtual+marie+treanor">Amazon UK</a></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FWsu33qWrcxAvgKshGn0kb8mFSJRUflg7u1HvCKDjiqOefo0li7aOWuGt5f9hyxmcurfp-kVrQhXqgoBKUP4rhyphenhyphenJ1j6nWcdcQEwrgPU7EVBIKeWdTrf91SOyNSL9k4scgc12aQqHE9c/s1600/SerafinaAndTheVirtualMan800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FWsu33qWrcxAvgKshGn0kb8mFSJRUflg7u1HvCKDjiqOefo0li7aOWuGt5f9hyxmcurfp-kVrQhXqgoBKUP4rhyphenhyphenJ1j6nWcdcQEwrgPU7EVBIKeWdTrf91SOyNSL9k4scgc12aQqHE9c/s400/SerafinaAndTheVirtualMan800.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Real man versus dead man - no contest!</i></b></div>
<br />
Dale Ewan, the wealthy owner of Genesis Gaming, has a serious poltergeist problem. In desperation, he calls on Edinburgh's unique psychic investigation agency, Serafina's.<br />
<br />
But Sera and her hacker friend, the beautiful and aggressive Jilly, find more than one spirit haunting the ugly country house. While Sera fights the poltergeist, Jilly encounters what appears to be the ghost of Dale's brilliant ex-partner, Genesis Adam, trapped in his own new virtual reality system.<br />
<br />
Jilly delves headlong into Adam's mystery. How did he get there? Why is he more exciting and attractive than any of the real men in her life? How are Jilly's own criminal brothers involved in his death? And what are Dale and his wife Petra hiding? Apart from the body buried in their garden...<br />
<br />
While Jilly falls in love with the sexy, virtual ghost, Sera has problems of her own, not least the shadowy presence of the undead Founder that seems to threaten Sera, her vampire lover Blair, and all her friends.<br />
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*</div>
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Jilly stared at the stranger in front of her. Typical. The first man she’d met in ages whom she didn’t want to punch, and he was short of the full shilling.<br />
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“Dead? Why should I be dead,” she snapped. “Are you?”<br />
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He dragged one hand through his untidy black hair and down over his stubbly jaw. “Well, yes, I think so.”<br />
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Jilly blinked. “You look pretty lively to me. Where did you come from?”<br />
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He gazed around. “I don’t know. Sort of—asleep, and then I was here looking at you.”<br />
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Shit, she hadn’t even seen him in her desperation to get at the computers. He hadn’t been on the benches… Perhaps he’d been under them? Or wandered in from somewhere else in the house, through the outer study?<br />
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“Who are you?” she asked. And then since attack was the best method of defence: “What are you doing here?”<br />
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“Adam. And I don’t know.” His dark gaze came back to her. His frown deepened. “Are you sure you aren’t dead?” He stepped closer, reached out one curious, hesitant hand, and touched her cheek. Almost as if he imagined she’d disintegrate on contact.<br />
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Warm fingers, slightly rough in texture…<br />
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Her breath caught, but since his hand slid away almost immediately, she’d no reason to shove or punch. She curled her hands into fists but kept them still at her side.<br />
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“Soft,” he murmured as if pleased by the discovery. His frown cleared, and his lips quirked upward, almost smiling. “So soft.”<br />
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Jilly flushed. “Only on the outside. Why do you keep saying ‘dead’?”<br />
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“I remember dying.” The frown was back. “I was shot. Hurt like hell.”<br />
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“You’ve been dreaming,” Jilly said with a dismissive flap of one hand.<br />
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He nodded. “Could be. Or I could be wasted. Certainly never imagined the afterlife would resemble Dale’s testing lab.”<br />
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“Is that what this place is?” Jilly asked with interest. “What’s he testing?”<br />
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The frown between his brows twitched. His lips parted, and he sank backward, leaning his hip against the edge of the bench. “Of course… Wow. Shit, this is mind-blowing. I can remember.”<br />
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“Remember what?”<br />
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“My life… Well, most of it. No wonder everything’s so unreal.” His glazed eyes came back into focus, sparkling with excitement as he gazed at her face. “And you—did I really manage to think you up too?”<br />
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“No, you fucking didn’t,” Jilly said indignantly, and a grin flickered across his face. He had a good grin, boyish and spontaneous, allowing her a glimpse of what might, in other circumstances, be a fun-loving personality.<br />
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“Thought not. You’re much too grumpy.”<br />
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Jilly felt her lips part in shock. She wasn’t used to anyone calling her something as unpleasantly mundane and trivial as “grumpy.” Even Sera usually just ignored her or threw things at her when she got bad tempered. Men either told her she was beautiful in a placating sort of a way or backed off in terror, which was just as it should be.<br />
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Amusement lingered in his dark eyes as he straightened and began to pace around the room.<br />
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“Trust me, it’s a fascinating combination, and I’m very glad to have met you. Although I wish I was alive to enjoy the experience to the full.”<br />
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Jilly rolled her eyes. “Oh, for… Are you back at the dead thing again? You want to see a doctor, or preferably a shrink.”<br />
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He spread his hands wide at his side and came to a halt just in front of her. “Feel free to bring one.”<br />
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She had to crick her neck to look him in the eye. She wished she wasn’t so aware of his tall, strong body only inches from hers, and confusion made her snappish.<br />
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“You’re not my problem, pal. Look, just walk past me and out the door.”<br />
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She stepped aside with a strange mixture of relief and disappointment. He glanced at the door. His brows twitched. Then he took one pace forward and stopped. Suddenly, he looked lost, and, stupidly, her heart tugged as if he were an abandoned child.<br />
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“Come on,” she muttered ungraciously. “I have to get out of here anyway. Follow me.” She marched to the door, turned to make sure he was coming too—and found an empty room.<br />
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*</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluluHPgBdIS-yGQ_VMuQvz7qtw1RdhNYZqgXovLuCDOVtQoxbJQX1AKNaaVjmzkg53qII79c7SEqYNTmZu_ofvcLtXMB33ugtIYRnZSYd3i9Qa6MfT7QWPF4JcdFTWeidOwDxBfsxUNo/s1600/SerafinaAndTheSilentVampire_200px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluluHPgBdIS-yGQ_VMuQvz7qtw1RdhNYZqgXovLuCDOVtQoxbJQX1AKNaaVjmzkg53qII79c7SEqYNTmZu_ofvcLtXMB33ugtIYRnZSYd3i9Qa6MfT7QWPF4JcdFTWeidOwDxBfsxUNo/s200/SerafinaAndTheSilentVampire_200px.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
:) Thanks for reading! There's another, hotter excerpt on website if you'd care to check it out: <a href="http://www.marietreanor.com/SerafinaAndVirtualMan.htm#excerpts">http://www.marietreanor.com/SerafinaAndVirtualMan.htm#excerpts</a><br />
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Also, you may already have read Book 1 in the series, <b><i>Serafina and the Silent Vampire</i></b> - if you haven't, you can grab your e-copy at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0092UD3GM/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=marietrecom-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B0092UD3GM" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Serafina-Silent-Vampire-Serafinas-ebook/dp/B0092UD3GM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346133091&sr=1-1">Amazon UK</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/serafina-and-the-silent-vampire-marie-treanor/1112680976?ean=2940015185386">Barnes & Noble</a>, <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Serafina-and-the-Silent-Vampire/book-we5QN_GC806C6M8MuWeNqw/page1.html" target="_blank">Kobo</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/serafina-silent-vampire/id592243045?ls=1" target="_blank">i-Books</a>.<br />
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Marie</div>
Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-29993632043702565542013-02-24T08:14:00.000-08:002013-02-24T08:14:53.160-08:00BLOOD OF ANGELS Free Once More! Plus: Enter to Win a Kindle Fire HD!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv534uVTxYIetovrHwcwECsjgneg05svcnqYACbwrbil-uC_gq9hQZRD6zZcKoMdCYroF3HoZWg_7NSRPcpofaYJullEu0nUA9exgWIn4T_lyWJYNLzJeKorKopJwe_148K2PjtvYP_2g/s1600/BloodofAngels_Half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv534uVTxYIetovrHwcwECsjgneg05svcnqYACbwrbil-uC_gq9hQZRD6zZcKoMdCYroF3HoZWg_7NSRPcpofaYJullEu0nUA9exgWIn4T_lyWJYNLzJeKorKopJwe_148K2PjtvYP_2g/s200/BloodofAngels_Half.jpg" width="133" /></a>BLOOD OF ANGELS, the second of my vampire romance series, <b><i>Blood Hunters </i></b>(which follows on from the Awakened by Blood trilogy) is free to download from Amazon today and tomorrow! Get your copy <a href="http://amzn.to/10AN2WR" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Also, the book is featured today on Kindle Nation Shorts, where you can read a long excerpt and enter the Kindle Fire HD giveaway <a href="http://bit.ly/YQa62Q" target="_blank">here</a>!<br />
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Don't miss your chances!<br />
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Marie<br />
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-86030387852366701172013-01-26T06:46:00.000-08:002013-01-26T06:46:41.719-08:00BLOOD OF ANGELS Free Today!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm very glad to tell you that today and tomorrow (26th and 27th Jan), my new vampire romance <b><i>Blood of Angels</i></b>, second in the <i>Blood Hunters</i> series, will be free on Amazon Kindle! So, please grab your free download while you can :).<br />
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<b>BLOOD OF ANGELS: Blood Hunters, Book 2</b><br />
<b>By MARIE TREANOR</b><br />
<b><a href="http://amzn.to/10AN2WR" target="_blank">Free 26th and 27th Jan from Amazon</a>. </b><br />
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<b><i>Obsession... a wounded hunter, a damaged vampire</i></b><br />
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Six months ago, vampire hunter and inventive genius Istvan nearly died in the seminal battle that would change the relationship between humans and vampires forever.<br />
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A year before that, he first encountered sexy vampiress, Angyalka, owner of the Angel Club, favored haunt of the undead. Istvan won that round, but when he recklessly seeks her out again in search of the secret of angels, he's alone and so exhausted he can barely stand, let alone fight vampires. Plus Angyalka's out for revenge, and very happy to use his powerful sexual attraction to her…<br />
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But Angyalka has her own secret weaknesses amd terrifying strengths even she doesn't understand. Their battle becomes one of wits and sex, but when someone bombs the club, they fight together to contain all the threats closing in on the Angel, from humans and vampires, including the sadistic killer who could just be dangerous enough to finally topple undead overlord Saloman.<br />
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As Istvan struggles to harness the mysterious power of angels, Angyalka needs a deeper strength to send away the fascinating hunter who delivers on all her deepest sensual desires and yet can't come to terms with her vampire nature.<br />
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Marie<br />
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-89502697768101101022013-01-24T06:06:00.002-08:002013-01-24T06:06:22.847-08:00New Release: BLOOD OF ANGELS!VERY happy to announce the release of my latest book! <b><i>Blood of Angels,</i></b> the second in the <i>Blood Hunters</i> vampire romance series, is now available from <a href="http://amzn.to/10AN2WR" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.<br />
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As you may know, the Blood Hunters series follows on from the Awakened by Blood trilogy, although it can be read on its own. And one thing I have to mention in connection with both series, is the cover art. So before I post the blurb and excerpt from Blood of Angels, here's a quick glimpse of ALL the covers - just because they're so beautiful :).<br />
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<img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjuoLiQ7hQPi0j7Bje6mrJU4GCPzM3BQ9nerwfbYqWLHo-0AX7ylEp5PxvB92Pfc6AmsIdlaUpq1Dk79uc43-ZKfeiM9WXXauU44wv4OS2kJ_H14zoHR1skBcp7UYoOngsRYEVJIi0vc/s200/BloodGuilt_200px_Smaller.jpg" width="133" /><span id="goog_904508093"></span><span id="goog_904508094"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_904508085"></span><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyw_suBS1vPUABRk4bQMzZVJtLRaMpEuRG_t32o-P2VXVMXeFuRPhch1-1wIpa4QmXRYPoI9N9lvsYeY4KAUZUtmlR1mxMKp5brjJ2uHD9ya7J-jWeDHebSBVCufITJhjfBMhfzb3SIZQ/s200/BloodofAngels200.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<br />
NAL did the <i>Awakened by Blood</i> covers, Kimberly Killion designed the <i>Blood Hunters</i> ones...<br />
<br />
And so to <b><i>Blood of Angels</i></b>!<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>BLOOD OF ANGELS: Blood Hunters, Book 2</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>By MARIE TREANOR</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Ebook $2.99 from <a href="http://amzn.to/10AN2WR" target="_blank">Amazon</a></b>. </div>
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<i><b>Obsession... a wounded hunter, a damaged vampire</b></i></div>
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Six months ago, vampire hunter and inventive genius Istvan nearly died in the seminal battle that would change the relationship between humans and vampires forever.<br />
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A year before that, he first encountered sexy vampiress, Angyalka, owner of the Angel Club, favored haunt of the undead. Istvan won that round, but when he recklessly seeks her out again in search of the secret of angels, he's alone and so exhausted he can barely stand, let alone fight vampires. Plus Angyalka's out for revenge, and very happy to use his powerful sexual attraction to her…<br />
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But Angyalka has her own secret weaknesses amd terrifying strengths even she doesn't understand. Their battle becomes one of wits and sex, but when someone bombs the club, they fight together to contain all the threats closing in on the Angel, from humans and vampires, including the sadistic killer who could just be dangerous enough to finally topple undead overlord Saloman.<br />
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As Istvan struggles to harness the mysterious power of angels, Angyalka needs a deeper strength to send away the fascinating hunter who delivers on all her deepest sensual desires and yet can't come to terms with her vampire nature.<br />
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*</div>
<br />
István caught the vampiress Angyalka by luck. If she’d noticed him, he’d never have been able to jump her in time, slam her back hard against his body, and shove the discreetly palmed wooden stake over her heart.<br />
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Now, if she made any move to escape, she’d impale herself on the lethally sharpened stick and disintegrate. It was a classic move, perfectly executed. But it gave him no satisfaction since their quarry, the Ancient vampire Saloman, had just soared through the skylight in the glass-domed ceiling of the vampires’ nightclub, taking Elizabeth, the hunters’ bait, with him.<br />
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Fear, anger, and guilt would all have to wait. István’s immediate goal was to prevent the fiasco turning into a bloodbath. His team leader, Konrad, openly brandished a wooden stake, an understandable act of aggression which had brought Angyalka flying over the bar in the first place. Now, the backward surge of humans and the forward surge of vampires halted abruptly as everyone stared up to the skylight through which Saloman and Elizabeth had vanished.<br />
<br />
There was even an instant when, from pure surprise, the vampiress held herself motionless as she took in her own position, clamped between István’s legs, pinioned by his arms. She couldn’t go forward onto the stake, so she strained back into him.<br />
<br />
He followed with the stake, piercing her skin. He felt the wetness of blood under his palm, between her firm, soft breasts.<br />
<br />
She was strong. But she wasn’t stupid. She stilled once more and then unhurriedly tilted her face up to look at him.<br />
<br />
Her beauty crashed into him, a blow of raw, powerful lust. Short, stylish black hair framed piquant, almost elfin features that seemed oddly familiar. Fine, straight black brows sloped upwards like a devil’s over mocking, mysterious blue eyes so dark they looked navy. She had delicate, hollowed cheekbones, a short, straight nose, and a full, sensual mouth that just cried out to a man to crush it under his—if he was brave enough.<br />
<br />
Big, jet earrings dangled from her pale shell-like ears. One caught against the creamy whiteness of her cheek as she twisted to gaze up at him. She wore a short little black silk dress with full-length, black leather boots. Long, slender legs, slim, elegant body, tiny waist, shapely breasts, and an alabaster, swanlike neck.<br />
<br />
She looked like the angel carving over the club’s front door.<br />
<br />
Her thick lashes drooped and rose again. The other vampires, interestingly, didn’t move. Perhaps they understood Angyalka’s danger. Perhaps she told them telepathically to be still. Her strange, dark blue eyes held his while, deceptively casual, she recited the club rules: “No fighting, no biting.”<br />
<br />
Even through the relentless beat of the surrounding music, her voice wrapped around his loins like velvet, soft, dark, and seductive as sin. And it carried to the other vampires, who made no further move toward the hunters. Konrad and Mihaela, realizing they wouldn’t have to fight their way out after all, began to run for the exit in pursuit of Elizabeth and Saloman.<br />
<br />
Deliberately, Angyalka pushed her firm bottom back into István’s hips. “What about you, hunter? Are you leaving too?” She smiled, rocking subtly against the erection he couldn’t hide. “Or are you staying to dance?”<br />
<br />
The terrifying thing was, even with Elizabeth at the mercy of the monster they’d come to kill, he was tempted. And seeing it, she began to sway to the music, playing havoc with the lust already raging through his body.<br />
<br />
He was far too old a hand to fall for this trick.<br />
<br />
He stepped back. But like lightening, as soon as her hand could move, it flew up to cover his on the stake between her breasts. Electricity zinged through his fingers. He knew an urge to drop the stake and just palm her breast instead. As if she knew it, her siren smile broadened. Without warning, she spun to face him, revealing her fangs and all the very real danger that lurked below the pretended seduction of her eyes.<br />
<br />
He’d held her immobile in front of her people. He’d humiliated her in her own bar, and she wouldn’t forget it. But he’d no time to barter words with a vampire, not even this one. He had to find and save the woman he loved, who would never ever love him.<br />
<br />
“No dance, then,” she hissed. “Next time, it will be different.”<br />
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<br />
And of course, it is :). Thanks for reading! Hope you;re inspired to dash off and download it :).<br />
<br />
Marie<br />
Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-48210492057020117542012-12-25T23:22:00.000-08:002012-12-25T23:28:18.646-08:00The Next Big Thing: My BLOOD OF ANGELS<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So,
Happy Christmas, everyone! Hope you had a wonderful day - as I did! - and are still enjoying
the Festive Season!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Today,
I’m participating in The Next Big Thing blog hop, which sees writers answering
questions about their works in progress, and tagging other writers to follow
on. Last week, I was tagged by the wonderful, multi-talented and intriguingly
named <b>K.A. M’Lady</b>, whom you can catch up with here: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://kamladyotherworld.blogspot.com./"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://kamladyotherworld.blogspot.com.</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">And you can read all about <i>her</i>
Next Big Thing <a href="http://kamladyotherworld.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-next-big-thing-in-downfall-and.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Many thanks to K for her tag!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now, the next part of my job
is to tag the next authors and their blogs – which was doubly difficult because
a) I admire so many and b) everyone’s so busy over Christmas and New Year!
However, I'm<b> </b>happy to say I have manage to pin down one of my favourites,</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> my old friend <b>Kate
Rothwell/Summer Devon</b> who writes beautiful, unusual and charming historicals
(Kate) as well as highly imaginative, erotic paranormals (Summer). </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Summer's next book is an m/m contemporary called <b><i>Taming the Bander</i></b>, published in February by Samhain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">You can track her down
here: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://katerothwell.com/">http://katerothwell.com</a>, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">here: <a href="http://summerdevon.com/">http://summerdevon.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">and here: <a href="http://katerothwell.blogspot.com/">http://katerothwell.blogspot.com</a> - where you can check out <i>her</i> Next Big Thing post next Wednesday, 2nd January 2012.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">And so back to <i>my</i> next big thing, <b><i>Blood of Angels</i></b>... Here are my interview answers:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is the working title of
your book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve
just been proofing the final files for BLOOD OF ANGELS.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where did the idea come from
for the book? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">BLOOD
OF ANGELS is the natural progression of a story that began with BLOOD ON SILK,
the first of my Awakened by Blood trilogy. I’m now writing a spin off series
called Blood Hunters, of which BLOOD OF ANGELS is the second book. It grew
largely out of the previous stories and characters which got under my skin. Although
I have to confess that Angyalka, my agoraphobic vampire heroine, actually grew
out of my own realization that with writing so much I was beginning to avoid
going out of the house! So I took Angyalka’s issues a stage or too further </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;">J</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">What genre does your book
fall under?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Paramormal/vampire
romance – on the steamy<b> </b>side!<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Which actors would you
choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
always find this a really hard question to answer! Very seldom do I see my
characters as like any actor I know. So I suppose I have to pick actors that
change dramtically with each role. Johnny Depp in understated mode could play
Istvan, my scientific yet kick-ass hero. Not sure about Angyalka – although
Hungarian, she has a style I associate with France </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;">J</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, but I can’t think of a specific actress!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is the one-sentence
synopsis of your book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Obsession...
a wounded hunter, a damaged vampire<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where do you plan to submit
your book, or will you self published it?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ll
be self-publishing it - I’m self-publishing all the Blood Hunters series<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">How long did it take you to
write the first draft of your manuscript?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
can’t remember! A first draft of a full length novel can take anything from
three weeks (my fastest ever!) to three months. I think this one was probably
seven or eight weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">What other books would you
compare this story to within your genre?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Goodness,
there are so many vampire romances out there that I wouldn’t know where to
start! Plus, I suppose we all like to think our own story is unique </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;">J</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">. The best comparison is probably with my other
stories, especially BLOOD GUILT, the first book in this series, and with the
prequel Awakened by Blood trilogy, BLOOD ON SILK, BLOOD SIN and BLOOD ETERNAL.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Who or What inspired you to
write this book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hmm
– a combination of things and people! As I say, this book is a natural
progression from a story that keeps moving forward in my head. As such, I have
to acknowledge my agent, Robert Gottlieb, on whose advice I first wrote BLOOD
ON SILK from a long-standing germ of an idea. And my husband, who's actually
the inspiration for at least part of all my heroes, including the inventive and
off-the-wall Istvan of BLOOD OF ANGELS </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;">J</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">What else about your book
might pique the reader’s interest?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Vampires - both scary and sexy! Need I say more? :) Well, maybe I should! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">BLOOD OF ANGELS is another stage in the saga readers might have read or at least heard of before, and my world seems to grow with every story. It features wounded and yet strong characters whom readers may have met in the past. Plus, there's a hot enemies to lovers tale - always irresistible to me! And meeting old friends such as Saloman, Elizabeth, Maximilian and Mihaela. And of course new readers to this world have a new vampire series to catch up on and follow :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Oh and it should be out in January 2013!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Marie</span></div>
<br />Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-7676969264219064772012-12-17T05:36:00.003-08:002012-12-17T05:38:30.064-08:00Party WinnersJust taking a moment amidst the Christmas madness around here to thank everyone who came to the party, readers and authors, commenters and lurkers! Obviously a special thank you to all our generous guest authors who partied with us. It was a wonderful party and I enjoyed every moment :).<br />
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And a quick word about the contests. Winners will be announced by each author in the Comments section of their post, so don't forget to check back to see if it's you :). It's up to individual authors when they choose to close their contests and pick their winners.<br />
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However, I can announce that the Changeling Press winner is:<b> bn100candg</b>. So, many congratulations to her! She's won a series of Changeling Christmas short stories, and she's chosen the <b><i>White Hot Christmas</i></b> set.<br />
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And finally, I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas, (or indeed which ever other holiday you celebrate this season!), and I look forward to seeing you again in the New Year!<br />
<br />
Marie xMarie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-22693068612038084922012-12-14T14:20:00.001-08:002012-12-14T14:41:20.604-08:00Christmas of the Damned by Marie Treanor<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KTy2mkcJeAfrnVtJ91AGgyy_cGy2MTSO1GM4vsDPB1d9Tm-cHT_hXXiu3zuUaN55mh0yNSd52vdPEFI2NxNv4jW-6QqGhyphenhyphenK6CIzmV8ghqgvj6c-63vQjxzOwqlN_Hc7NCL6PJlROQdo/s1600/Christmas_Cookies_MT_ChristmasoftheDamned_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KTy2mkcJeAfrnVtJ91AGgyy_cGy2MTSO1GM4vsDPB1d9Tm-cHT_hXXiu3zuUaN55mh0yNSd52vdPEFI2NxNv4jW-6QqGhyphenhyphenK6CIzmV8ghqgvj6c-63vQjxzOwqlN_Hc7NCL6PJlROQdo/s320/Christmas_Cookies_MT_ChristmasoftheDamned_large.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
My first Christmas story for Changeling Press was about miracles, though not really religious ones :). Like my new story, <i><a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1953" target="_blank"><b>Damned Santa</b></a></i>, <b><i>Christmas of the Damned</i></b> is set in the ruined, post-nuclear apocalypse city which began with <i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/Available%20now%20at%20Changeling%20Press%20http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1072" target="_blank"><b>Loving the Wolf</b></a></i>.<br />
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Sol, my unlikely hero, performs miracles every day simply by carrying out his duties as bouncer at the City of the Damned's most popular nightclub. No one even guesses what he does, until one Christmas Eve, he rescues a wounded wolf who's more damaged than anyone else can see...<br />
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<b>Christmas Cookies: CHRISTMAS OF THE DAMNED</b><br />
<b>By MARIE TREANOR</b><br />
<b>Short story available now at <a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=756" target="_blank">Changeling Press </a></b><br />
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No one remembers why, but every year on the same cold December night, the survivors of the ruined City of the Damned gather to celebrate a miracle that never happens...<br />
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When a wounded wolf appears outside the city’s most popular nightclub, only Sol, the tough doorman, recognizes that the wolf is more than she seems. But then, so is Sol. A man of few words who hides his gift and his generosity, only he can unlock the wolf's lost humanity. <br />
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And as it turns out, the meeting of these two remarkable creatures is just one of the miracles of this Christmas night.<br />
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*</div>
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The fur of her head was silky soft. She stiffened under his touch but didn’t move away. He began to caress her, stroking her ears and neck, feeling the matted fur and dried blood. She didn’t wince when he touched her wounds. He closed his eyes and let it crash over him, the pain of her broken rib and bruised leg, the knife cuts in her neck and back. He could bear that easily. What overwhelmed him was her internal agony, the memories of violations and terror and grief; the impossibly conflicting fears of human compassion and animal violence locked inside her.<br />
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Deeper and deeper he fell into her pain until he couldn’t quite muffle a groan of anguish, but still he held on, feeling now the wild confusion of unsatisfied lusts within her.<br />
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The wolf had never mated. She had half-killed a male wolf who had approached her too forcefully in her last season. A loner like him, but seeking, and fearing solitude at the same time.<br />
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Sol’s head fell forward. He held on grimly, taking it all, until gradually, he felt her wonder, and slowly, carefully, he could begin to disperse the pain, deal with it. Eyes still closed, he held his hands over her wounded neck and back, reached down between her forelegs, seeking and finding the broken rib.<br />
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When he opened his eyes, the wolf still stared at him, wonder and gratitude and new, desperate fear fighting for dominance in her amber eyes.<br />
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“Come back,” he whispered. “It’s time.” And pressed his lips to her soft, furry head.<br />
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A whimper escaped her. There was more pain, unbelievable, unbearable, but he took that too, head thrown back against the sofa for support while the wolf’s body twisted and changed, limbs lengthening, bones altering shape and position. The fur began to vanish from her shoulders and back, her face shortened and re-formed, hairless and white as her long, slender limbs.<br />
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A lovely woman knelt between his knees, trembling.<br />
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<b>Commenters on all Changeling Press posts - including this one! - will be entered to win a past Changeling Christmas series! </b><br />
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<br />Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-26525709841101158952012-12-14T14:05:00.000-08:002012-12-14T14:05:51.770-08:00Who the Punk Do You Think You Are? By Megan Slayer<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbFH1yc06nT1meXbaQnDIBo65N9Epyks-MaQrST7EUnEk8SX29N5w0OQECFyOni_nbzpLdZOolr07x4HtqAKgMLaQgUOVHwT0N1BO-Mj5VBVURCErJW_orFVLYfqucuHK3WinqRwUZRk/s1600/MeganSlayer_Wendi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbFH1yc06nT1meXbaQnDIBo65N9Epyks-MaQrST7EUnEk8SX29N5w0OQECFyOni_nbzpLdZOolr07x4HtqAKgMLaQgUOVHwT0N1BO-Mj5VBVURCErJW_orFVLYfqucuHK3WinqRwUZRk/s200/MeganSlayer_Wendi.jpg" width="158" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Silly title for a silly post,
right? You’re right. I like to write characters that are human and by that I
mean they have nuances that make them different and can get them in to trouble.
Pixie is one of those characters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What’s so bad about Pix? Well,
she’s in charge of the teddy bear line. You know, make the bears, fluff them,
put a nice bow on them and see that they go on their way onto the child on the
nice list. Sounds like a nice, cushy job, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Pixie puts her own spin on
those bears. Some are tie-dyed. Some are black with a neon green bow and pink
feet. Some have tattoos. Some have piercings. Yep, they are punk bears. Santa’s
wondered about Pixie for years. He’s reprimanded her for not following
protocol. But then he’s completely shocked when those bears, the bears he
thinks won’t end up under any Christmas tree, are requested. Yep, they are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">For all her bravado, Pixie is
kind of like </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">her bears. She puts up a good front and hopes someone will end up
requesting her. But she hasn’t had any takers. Up on the North Pole, her
originality isn’t as cool as she wishes it was.</span></div>
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<div style="background: #ECE4CD;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">That’s where Glow and Nitro
come in. Glow is the punk band she loves and creates fan art for. The band is
her one outlet for creativity when she gets into trouble. Nitro? He’s the one
person who understands her...except he’s in Ohio and she’s at the North Pole. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Will these two get together?
Only time will tell</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif; font-size: 10pt;">—</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">well, time and Christmas
Glow. Grab a copy! You’ll be glad you did. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt;">J</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">~~~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">And now a little more about <b>Christmas Glow</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">One concert
changed her mind, but can one night truly change her life?</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Pixie Elf's days of designing
punk teddy bears just aren't cutting it. She wants more, including the sexy
radio jockey she met at a Glow concert. That is, if he's up for grabs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Nitro Hicks loves playing the
latest rock tunes, but he can't get a certain elf off his mind. Does he have
what it takes to rock her world for the long haul?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Magic happens in the Christmas
Glow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Buy link: <a href="http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1955">http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1955</a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">~~~</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And now a little bit about me!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;">When she's not writing the stories in her head, Megan Slayer can
be found luxuriating in her hot tub with her two vampire Cabana boys, Luke and
Jeremy. She has the tendency to run a tad too far with her muse, so she has to
hide in the head of her alter ego, but the boys don't seem to mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;">When she’s not obsessing over her whip collection, she can be
found picking up her kidlet from school. She enjoys writing in all genres, but
writing about men in love suits her fancy best.<span style="background: #F7D7E6;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;">Currently hanging out every Wednesday
and Friday at the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9100289630387595500"><span style="color: black;">Menagerie Authors site</span></a>, hunting Hotties for the
Saturday posts, and working on the next great story brewing in her head! <span style="background: #F7D7E6;"><br />
<br />
</span>The cabana boys are willing to serve, unless she needs them. She <i>always</i> need
them. So be nice to Javier or he will bite--on command.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;">She also masquerades under the name
Wendi Zwaduk and is published through Changeling Press, Liquid Silver Books,
and Total-E-Bound Publishing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Megan’s site: <a href="http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm"><span style="color: black;">http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Megan’s blog: <a href="http://theauthormeganslayer.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;">http://theauthormeganslayer.blogspot.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Megan on Amazon: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/meganslayer" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #3a65bb; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">https://www.amazon.com/author/meganslayer</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Megan on Goodreads: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5330530.Megan_Slayer"><span style="color: black;">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5330530.Megan_Slayer</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Megan on Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/theauthormeganslayer"><span style="color: black;">http://www.facebook.com/theauthormeganslayer</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;">Megan on Twitter: <span style="color: black;"><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/MeganSlayer">https://twitter.com/#!/MeganSlayer</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;">Excerpt from <b><i>Christmas Glow</i></b>:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fFh_11rWkVgWEM258P6rhgWRPp3632_J-j3zcoRn5c2w21MIrO7j3UUYz6HUHXNCpVNC22q9Qyz1qQvMcsVeS894xVtMxm_sxj6fy5VyXjQF7NZZRca5n2ev_hh10LtZ4Ad8GQunL8k/s1600/MeganSlayer_SH_ChristmasGlow_Renee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fFh_11rWkVgWEM258P6rhgWRPp3632_J-j3zcoRn5c2w21MIrO7j3UUYz6HUHXNCpVNC22q9Qyz1qQvMcsVeS894xVtMxm_sxj6fy5VyXjQF7NZZRca5n2ev_hh10LtZ4Ad8GQunL8k/s1600/MeganSlayer_SH_ChristmasGlow_Renee.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">Santa waved his hand. "Okay. The reason you're here is your Christmas list. You've been original, yet invaluable on the stuffed animal production floor." He sighed. "I see you'd like two concert tickets. Glow? Seems like I do something involving them every year."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">"Yes. There's someone very special I want to invite." Pixie narrowed her eyes. If she didn't just ask, she'd never get the courage to go through with her plan. "That's where being your helper on the sleigh this year would help out."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">His brows rose. "I knew it wasn't something as simple as going on Stub Hub. Lay it out for me."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">Pixie sank down into the nearest chair. She'd gotten past the first hurdle, getting into the office and asking. Next obstacle. "My birthday present to myself was the ticket to see Glow in Montreal. That and a plane ticket. Anyway, I met this person there. We clicked and started talking. I had to head home and so did he, but we continued chatting online. I'm putting my heart out there, but I think this is our chance to have the magic from Montreal once more."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">She picked at the white fuzz lining the edge of her skirt. He hadn't replied and barely moved. Santa lowered his gaze to the desk. He still didn't say anything. Her heart sank. The longer he stayed quiet, the worse her chances of the wish coming true.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">Santa pressed a button on his desk. "Mrs. Claus, I'm in need of your perspective on something." He folded his thick arms and leaned back in his seat. "I'm over my head."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">Moments later, his wife strolled into the office. "Hi, Pix. More bears?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">Pixie groaned. Damn bears, anyway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">"What's up?" Mrs. Claus perched on Santa's knee. "This has got to be relationship stuff. You never ask me for help with the production floor."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">"Later. I've got some ideas I want to... send your way." He wriggled his brows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">Pixie groaned again. If she didn't think gagging would jeopardize her wish, she might have done that, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">"We're embarrassing Pix." Mrs. Claus giggled. "Male or female?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">"A man, I believe." Santa tapped the keys on his computer. "Looks like a Nitro Hicks. What a name... Nitro? You've got a thing for a guy named Nitro?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">"Why don't you check on the run of tricycles?" Mrs. Claus stood. "They've been a little slow down there."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">Santa's shoulders dropped. "Fine." He climbed out of his chair. "But I'll remember this later."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">"You'd better." Mrs. Claus took his vacated seat and waited until he left the room to speak. "You and Nitro, aka Nolan Hicks. Hot and heavy? Spit it out with all the details."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">Pixie always had liked Mrs. Claus's no-nonsense style. "It's like this. We met at the concert, but I'm shy. He spoke first and made me feel like I belonged there. We talked, laughed and shared some secrets. I mentioned I might want something more than what I have here in the North Pole. He drove me to the airport. We kissed, talked and had to go our separate ways. Thrilling."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">"He's easy on the eyes, I'll agree, and if he kisses the way he looks then, yes, it was probably thrilling. What did he say when he found out about the elf thing?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">"Cleveland was cold like the North Pole. He could dig the chill."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">"Cute on all accounts."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;">"We've chatted and Skyped since the concert. Lots of times." She wasn't about to admit to how hot the chat sessions got. "I'm scared I'm really putting myself out there, but I have to give it a chance."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;"><b>Commenters on all Changeling Press posts - including this one! - will be entered to win a past Changeling Christmas series!</b> </span></div>
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-68819113351728526872012-12-14T12:33:00.000-08:002012-12-14T12:33:03.654-08:00Inspiration behind Her Christmas Elf by Sarah Makela<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-6puQcy1lAoqijQZUAVCwMP8LTuK3ph7T7i_LHJ069g3CBvWZsuuT3eqz8vpF7DrmCR27EC_xOi46wHFqbPXGJm9spsHHUelSwDzucm9TrxScMO6eQiwb8JWv_Kb-9mHQ6d9b4zILqQ/s1600/SarahMakela_HerChristmasElf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-6puQcy1lAoqijQZUAVCwMP8LTuK3ph7T7i_LHJ069g3CBvWZsuuT3eqz8vpF7DrmCR27EC_xOi46wHFqbPXGJm9spsHHUelSwDzucm9TrxScMO6eQiwb8JWv_Kb-9mHQ6d9b4zILqQ/s1600/SarahMakela_HerChristmasElf.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-US"><b>Santa’s
Helpers: Her Christmas Elf<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>By Sarah
Mäkelä</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Traveling
alone in Finland around Christmas isn’t exactly what Vera Hayes had imagined
she’d be doing. When her longtime boyfriend dumps her before the trip at the
last minute, she decides to go anyways. However, she gets lost in a forest in
Lapland and starts to panic until she runs into a magical man who looks
suspiciously like an elf without the pointy ears. Pekka, one of Santa’s elves,
soothes away her worry and helps her find her way back to her cabin, giving her
a Christmas Eve to remember.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1960">http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1960</a></span> <span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">~~~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Winter is
my favorite season. I love snow and cold weather. Although, I don’t get either
of those nearly enough. So when I saw the call for Santa’s Helper stories, I
knew I had to write one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My story,
Her Christmas Elf, came about after doing research on Finland. I’d been
researching faeries and elves for another story, when I stumbled upon the
Finnish Christmas variety. They were a lot different than the version we’re all
used to. They fascinated me since they were seen more as dwarflike humans as
opposed to actual elves. Of course, my hero has magical abilities, which make
him look normal unless his concentration wavers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I’ve only
been to southern Finland a few times, once even during the Christmas season!
Unfortunately, I didn’t see any sexy Christmas elves. But I digress. I set the
story up north since Rovaniemi, Finland–which is in Lapland–is supposedly where
Santa lives at Santa Claus Village. How perfect for my Santa’s Helpers story!
*grin*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My hero and
heroine are in the forests outside of Rovaniemi. My hero is watching a herd of
reindeer, while my heroine is utterly lost and starting to get really cold. I
hope you’ll read it to find out how the story ends up!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">~~~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>Sarah
Mäkelä</b> lives in North Carolina with her husband and cats. In her spare time,
she enjoys reading, computer and console games, and traveling all over the
world. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, as well as the Heart of
Carolina Romance Writers and the Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal chapters.
Find her online at </span><a href="http://www.sarahmakela.com/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">www.sarahmakela.com</span></a><span lang="EN-US">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>Excerpt: </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Shivering, Vera Hayes watched the soft snow falling
around her. The landscape was so pretty and so dangerous at this chilling
temperature, especially considering she had no clue where she was. She'd gone
on a walk when the sun had been up, but now darkness rapidly descended on the
forest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Damn it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">This trip had been nothing but trouble, and she'd been
stupid to actually take it. Her ex-boyfriend Steve had wanted this, not her.
She'd gone ahead with it thinking it would help free her somehow, but this was
far from freeing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Vera stomped her feet and huddled deeper into her
coat, which was starting to feel a little too thin for the current weather. She
leaned against a birch tree and hunched her shoulders, beyond frustrated with
her current predicament.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Snow dusted her, and she scanned the forest again.
Hope failed her, and she set off walking again. Damn, damn, damn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Faint rumbling sounded in the distance behind her and
she stopped. The noise grew louder until she could identify it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Hooves. Lots and lots of hooves. Adrenaline flooded
her veins, but her body froze in place from fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">In the distance, she spotted a herd of reindeer
running in her direction. A quick look around her showed no trees with
low-hanging branches. So much for easy climbing. She reached for the closest
birch, its bark broken by the frost. She wrapped her hands around it and began
to climb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Behind her, the noise grew louder. Among the trees, a
herd of reindeer led by a massive gray bull trampled its way through the
forest. Snow and frost caved beneath their hooves with almost no resistance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The glance startled her, and her feet slipped down the
birch. Panic struck her chest as she dropped to the ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">To her left, she saw a small clearing among the trees.
She tried to sprint through the almost knee-deep snow, but her progress was too
slow. With the herd not far behind, she screamed. When would this nightmare
end?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Just as she reached the clearing, a man grabbed her by
the arm. He pulled her toward him then and shoved her against a tree, his firm
body nestled against her back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Her breath came out in pants, and not only from her
running. "Let me go," she yelled, fear audible in her voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">"Hush. The herd will ignore you." The man's
low, accented voice calmed her a little.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">For a moment, Vera considered kicking him and racing away,
but his grip tightened on her. He pressed her tighter to the tree. His body
molded to hers as if they were puzzle pieces. She only had a second to ponder
that as the herd of reindeer stampeded through the clearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The large reindeer bull slowed to a stop beside them.
Intelligence gleamed in its black, glaring eyes as it waited for the rest of
the herd to pass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">"She won't hunt your kin, Old One. I'll look
after her," the man said. The reindeer turned its gaze to the man and
snorted, shaking its head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Vera trembled. The cold and numbness she'd been
fighting against was draining away her energy. She barely made out the man
saying something she couldn't catch. Her attention now focused on the huge bull
that stood close enough for her to reach out her hand and touch. The other
reindeer were easily her height from hoof to head, but this one made them look
small in comparison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The reindeer stared at her then blew a cloud of steam
from its nostrils, obviously not impressed, before galloping after the rest of
the herd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">She watched it go until it was barely in sight, then
the man grabbed her shoulders. He spun her around, and his gaze dipped to take
her in. His expression soured, and he returned his gaze to hers. "What are
you doing out here dressed like that?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Surprise at his audacity had her pulling away from
him. His clothing didn't exactly inspire confidence in his sense of fashion
either. From what she could tell, his clothing looked to be made of animal
pelt. She placed her glove-covered hand against his chest and marveled at the
sleek fur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">He snagged her wrist yet didn't move her hand.
"There's a storm coming. You shouldn't be out here. You'll die." His
gaze whipped over her again, and he grimaced. "Where are you
staying?" His words held a melodic lilt that was so pleasant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">"At the cabins." Her teeth chattered a bit
more, and she huddled in on herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">He gave her a quizzical stare then cursed an almost
lyrical string of sound. "You're far from safety. What are you doing way
out here?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">What did he mean? She hadn't been walking for that
long. Or maybe it just hadn't seemed so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">He scooped her into his arms, and she considered
falling asleep in the warmth of his grip. But she didn't know anything about
him, and after what had just happened with the reindeer...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>Commenters on all Changeling Press posts - including this one! - will be entered to win a past Changeling Christmas series!</b> </span></div>
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-39415854670517121882012-12-14T12:31:00.000-08:002012-12-14T12:31:02.339-08:00Lone Star Angel by Linda Carroll-Bradd<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaNZ06IyT4B7ibUwx55b0hPM7k58DAL_2g772l-ij8U2BpQSZ0xoSKC1YuoyUIzPoQ4AAXusQQ4Ogv829MMiKC95QHpCwY5O0ovsiRbgq7oOisYAf2-FcvQUDifl8RVK94hCyjcljwMk/s1600/LindaCarrollBradd_Lone+Star+Angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaNZ06IyT4B7ibUwx55b0hPM7k58DAL_2g772l-ij8U2BpQSZ0xoSKC1YuoyUIzPoQ4AAXusQQ4Ogv829MMiKC95QHpCwY5O0ovsiRbgq7oOisYAf2-FcvQUDifl8RVK94hCyjcljwMk/s1600/LindaCarrollBradd_Lone+Star+Angel.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-US">In my historical Christmas story, <i>Lone Star Angel</i>, I wrote of a heroine,
Carnelian Wendell, who just wanted to spend the holiday in a safe place. For
five years, she’d been estranged from her large family of five siblings,
parents and grandparents back in Houston. Her teenaged hasty decision to run
off with an adventurous man turned to tragedy when he was gunned down during a
stagecoach robbery. A visit to her sister who is a cook on a small west Texas
ranch seems timely, as well as a great place to hide out. Carni is as full of
life and activity as hero Luc Tarrant is quiet and set in his routine. Times
are tough although Luc would say his ranch is getting by. Carni needs to shake
off her bad experience and looks for ways to make a celebration. She turns the
household upside down by changing the menu, creating holiday decorations, and
bringing color into his life. Luc is helpless against her infectious spirit.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">Excerpt:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">“Whoa, Star, just a
little breeze. Nothing more.” Carni Wendell pulled the reins to the left,
wondering if she should have paid the stable master to drive her out to the
Bar-T Ranch. This time she promised herself she wouldn’t be a burden as a
visiting relation, so she’d hired the horse and cart for the month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">In the distance,
dark clouds chased the afternoon sun from the base of a craggy mountain. A
chilly wind blew across the west Texas hard-packed prairie, twisting a dirt
devil and tossing stray tumbleweeds across the path. Star stopped and nickered
as an apparition appeared on the horizon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">A dark horse with a
rider cantered in her direction and stopped not ten feet away, scraping up a
dust cloud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">“Take a wrong turn,
lady?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">The
broad-shouldered man’s voice was deep and full of suspicion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">“Easy, Star.” With
effort, she pulled the prancing horse back to an uneasy stand and turned her
attention to the stranger. His hat shaded his eyes, but couldn’t hide a strong
jaw covered with beard stubble and a tight mouth pulled down at the edges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">A loose tendril of
hair tickled her forehead. With a gloved hand, she tucked it under the knitted
scarf wrapped over her ears and neck to fight off the chilly air. “I’m looking
for the Bar-T Ranch. Would you know if I’m on the right lane? Can’t really call
this uneven, pot-holed path a road.” She paused, expecting the silent stranger
to answer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">Leather creaked at
his shift in position. He rested a forearm across the pommel and stared. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">“The stable master
in Wayside Gap told me to turn south at the double fencepost. Not that I’m too
good with directions, but those were the only double posts I saw.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">“Thought I
recognized Einhardt’s mare.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">What? The man
commented on ownership of a horse, not about the boundaries for a cattle ranch?
She waited for his confirmation she was headed in the right direction. “So, I
did take the correct turn?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">“Could be.” The man
stood in the stirrups to peer over her shoulder. “What’s your business here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">Carni’s gaze was
pulled to the muscles straining the thighs of his muddy denims. The man
obviously worked hard for a living. How dare a ranch hand question her?
Rudeness was not to be tolerated. Grasping the reins with one hand, she reached
under the cart seat to collect the velvet reticule lying at her feet. “I’m
tired and I’m cold. As wonderful as our conversation has been, I need to get to
the Bar-T ranch. I’ll pay you four bits to direct me to the ranch house.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">She dug out the
coins and held them suspended over the side of the cart, staring with a
narrowed gaze at the man’s shadowed face. When he sat as still as a statute
with only his eyes tracking her movements, her temper simmered. However,
discussing her personal business with a ranch hand was unthinkable. She shook
her hand and raised an eyebrow in his direction. “Okay, six bits.” Another coin
was added to her hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">The wind teased her
skirts, flipping back the hem to reveal several inches of a red petticoat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">His gaze flicked to
the exposed lingerie and the right side of his mouth quirked for just a second.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">She saw his
reaction and steamed even more. He’d taken advantage of the wind’s mischief
instead of averting his gaze like a gentleman would. “A dollar for the
directions. Take it now, I <i>won’t</i> be
offering more.” Money well spent to remove herself from the belligerent company
of this quiet man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">Several moments
passed before he clucked out of the side of his mouth and urged the horse
forward until abreast of the cart. “Whoa, Hades.” He held a cupped hand under
her outstretched one, looked up from under the brim of his black hat and
winked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">Heat flashed
through her at his bold gesture. With a quick movement, she released her hand
and let the clinking coins drop into his gloved hand. “Your boss will be
hearing about your surly attitude.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">He shrugged and
wheeled the horse, guiding it to the middle of the path. “Follow me.” Without a
look over his shoulder, he trotted up the small rise and disappeared over the
top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">TWRP buy link: </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Adelle","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Adelle;">http://</span></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Adelle","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Adelle;">bit.ly/10JW8mh</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">Amazon buy link: </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Adelle","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Adelle;">http://</span></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Adelle","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Adelle;">amzn.to/10JWlWA</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";">B&N buy link: </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Adelle","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">http://</span></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Adelle","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">bit.ly/Yk7S19</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Schoolbook","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Adelle","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>CONTEST:</b> On December 15, I will draw the
name from those who either subscribe to my blog, Musing About The Writing Life <a href="http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com/">http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com</a>
or follow my fan Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Carroll-Bradd-author/440814942635289">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Carroll-Bradd-author/440814942635289</a>.
Mention “The Romantic Theme Party” and this novella title for a chance to win your
choice of a free download (if outside of USA) or a print copy.</span></div>
Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-58909225039698363382012-12-14T11:24:00.000-08:002012-12-14T11:24:51.313-08:00Interview with Ayla Ruse: Zarakion's Tip<br />
<b>Zenobia Renquist</b> interviews <b>Ayla Ruse</b> about her very interesting
take on Christmas deliveries to Hell. Yup, you read that right. Someone in Hell
made Santa’s Nice List. I’m not sure who, but I know it couldn’t have been
Zarakion. *eg* So I asked Ayla.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OG2XmnqURYkti7LkpNfZg6QniZw5lPVcBry8Pw3L5P1XX2s4XGEyaF8p9yBrImbI8CbHrQE0xvx2lHRBpNY_JSPDdm2Qr1hJyhPRP-1s4F11XobUmkPGsZzcmatmiYI9n7ACb9beDRw/s1600/AylaRuse_SH_Zarakions_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OG2XmnqURYkti7LkpNfZg6QniZw5lPVcBry8Pw3L5P1XX2s4XGEyaF8p9yBrImbI8CbHrQE0xvx2lHRBpNY_JSPDdm2Qr1hJyhPRP-1s4F11XobUmkPGsZzcmatmiYI9n7ACb9beDRw/s320/AylaRuse_SH_Zarakions_large.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<strong><span lang="EN-US">ZR:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><br />
I’m curious who in Hell would be getting presents? Or is that a secret for
another time?</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<strong><span lang="EN-US">Ayla:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><br />
That is an excellent question, and the answer is one I’m holding close right
now. I have a few ideas for future revelations regarding what kinds of things
the creatures in Hell could possibly want.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<strong><span lang="EN-US">ZR:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><br />
You tease! Fine. I respect that. How did you come up with this plot?</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<strong><span lang="EN-US">Ayla:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><br />
When Changeling announced it was gathering proposals for this year’s Christmas
stories, I jumped. I’d never written demons before. I think at the time there
was a bit of talk about demons on the loops, so demons were at the forefront of
my mind. The only problem then became, how would I incorporate a demon with
Christmas in a fun and loving way? With the theme being <em><b>Santa’s Helpers</b></em>,
a delivery service popped up next. From there, I created the scenario of a
substitute receiving demon and a newbie delivery elf. They each don’t know the
“rules,” so everything’s fair game for them.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<strong><span lang="EN-US">ZR:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><br />
This sounds like the process I used last year for my <em><b>White Hot Christmas</b></em>
title. In other words, the Changeling Press plot bunnies at work, as usual.
Will you be revisiting this world and these characters? (the answer better be
yes, or else)</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<strong><span lang="EN-US">Ayla:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><br />
Hahaha. I’ve let the idea tumble around, and it’s come to my attention that
delivery services often operate throughout the year. Nothing concrete yet, but
yes, there will be something more from Taryn and Zarakion in the future. As for
revisiting this world, that’s a definite yes. I’m writing a story now for the
upcoming <em><b>Soul Debt</b></em> series with Changeling, and a portion of the
tale takes place through one of the Gates of Hell.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<strong><span lang="EN-US">ZR:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><br />
Ohhhh. I’m going to enjoy reading that one. I will definitely keep an eye out
for that. So, what do Taryn and Zarakion do in the off season… besides each
other?</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<strong><span lang="EN-US">Ayla:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><br />
Is there anything better to do? *g* Seriously, they develop their relationship
just like any other. They talk, hang out, and I’ve recently discovered that
Taryn is a great cook and loves to sneak treats to Zarakion.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<strong><span lang="EN-US">ZR:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><br />
I love when characters reveal more about themselves to the author so she can
share with the rest of the class, as it were. I look forward to seeing more of
those two. They were great together. What can readers expect from you next and
when?</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<strong><span lang="EN-US">Ayla:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><br />
I’ll have a story for the <em><b>Soul Debt</b></em> series out in spring of
2013. After that will be a Contemporary Menage with Total-e-Bound. My plate is
lining up from there. It’s just a matter of what story screams the loudest to
be written first. I will admit, with the flash fictions Changeling does every
Friday, my cup of story lines runneth over.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<strong><span lang="EN-US">ZR:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"><br />
I completely sympathize. Changeling’s Flash Fiction challenges have spawned
enough plot bunnies that I’m planning for 2014 already. Great interview, Ayla,
and thanks for sharing insight into the story and the below excerpt. For those
who want to experience a non-traditional Christmas, HOT as… well Hell Erotic
Romance, check out <em><b>Zarakion’s Tip</b></em>.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: large;">Excerpt
from Santa’s Helpers: <i><b>Zarakion’s Tip</b></i> by <b>Ayla Ruse</b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Zarakion stood just beyond the light's edge
when that dainty morsel of flesh stuck out a hand, palm up. His mouth dropped.
Every demon understood that an offered, open palm meant the female wanted to
fuck him.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">As a Cha'horz demon, he had a job to guard
the fragile border of Hell. He'd interacted with all kinds of beings. Today was
the first time, however, he'd run into a creature like the little female before
him. And that she knew of demon inferences shocked and excited him.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">She still held out her slender hand. He
could see the lines tracing her palm and he wondered again how that pale flesh
would feel next to his skin. Would it burn, or feel like that legendary
snowflake he'd referred to?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"> Then she did the impossible. She curled her fingers
a few times, as if showing her impatience.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">"I'll be blessed," Zarakion
cursed. His straining cock could take no more. He wasn't sure how they would
work together -- she was impossibly tiny -- but he'd find a way.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">In a quick move, Zarakion stepped into the
light, wrapped a large hand around her torso, yanked her up to him, and slicked
his long tongue from her waist to her neck.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The tips of his forked tongue burned when
it her touched her flesh. Like strong peppers, her skin held a taste that hurt
but called him back for more. He opened his mouth for another striking taste,
but sexual craving flooded his body and he dropped to his knees.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Snowflake had wrapped her hands around his
outer horns, the largest across his forehead. Out of the seven lining his brow,
the ones at the ends linked directly to his cock, and her firm grip upon the
horns felt like she squeezed him without mercy.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">"Let go," he cried out, positive
he'd come on the spot if she didn't. He couldn't yank her away for just the
same reason.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">"You let go first," she demanded,
even though her breath was uneven and her entire body smelled like sex.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">He set her on her feet and regrettably
unwrapped his hand from her body as she removed her fingers from his horns. It
was now he realized exactly how small she was compared to him. His palm had
covered her entire back, and his fingers had reached around to her front. Her
breasts had pillowed themselves between his fingers, and he couldn't resist
tightening his knuckles over her nipples as he removed his hand. She gasped and
shivered, her large blue eyes shining as she stared up at him.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">When they separated, he blinked to see that
his entire body stood twice the size of hers. She tipped her head back,
exposing the pale skin of the neck he wanted to taste again.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">"You touched me," she said, her
voice full of wonder.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">"I plan to touch you again."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">"But you're not allowed to do
that."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">"I don't know where you were, but I
just did."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">"No, I mean, I was told Receiving
demons couldn't touch others."</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">He barked out a laugh. "You might be
right, but I'm a Cha'horz demon." His grin grew wicked and his voice dropped.
"Isn't this your lucky day?"</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">He had lied to her. He couldn't touch her
any time he wanted. There were some rules to follow. Few, but there were some.
One stated there could be no physical contact unless the delivery creature
initiated or requested contact. Her open palm sure as hell was an invite, but
now he'd have to wait for another.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">He shook his head at her defiance and
stalked out of her pool of light and back to the darkness and the desk he'd
been given. He reclined in the large seat and stared at her. Who could blame
him? The way her arms crossed lifted her small breasts. He flicked his forked
tongue over his lips, spying her hard nipples pressed against the blood-red
shirt she wore. Her green skirt rode high on her thighs, exposing slender legs
encased in soft green stockings -- that ended at the tops of her thighs? His
blood heated when she shifted and pale skin peeked out. She tossed her head and
long, silky, white hair flipped across her back, revealing pointy ears.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Wait. An Elf? He'd heard of such creatures,
but never had one tried to breach the borders, had they? At least, not the
points of Hell he usually guarded. Still, he'd heard rumors of these
creatures... and of how sensual they could be.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Buy at <a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1950" target="_blank">Changeling Press</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Commenters on all Changeling Press posts - including this one! - will be entered to win a past Changeling Christmas series! </b></div>
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<br /></div>
Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-83035016979321900112012-12-14T11:17:00.000-08:002012-12-14T11:17:13.760-08:00Tonya Kappes<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1v6CAWlV713YfAjNYUM0uFcbzuD_XRPrLi8t510IO7KWADxd0yaLzZuX6XTrr_gQUombqe93iDF0PctGEr7_-KSXG5_UM5BYWxNpKtpzX_oWHvLTd_9sibI2iwMYtY38ehbj8kU4knQ/s1600/TonyaKappes_photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1v6CAWlV713YfAjNYUM0uFcbzuD_XRPrLi8t510IO7KWADxd0yaLzZuX6XTrr_gQUombqe93iDF0PctGEr7_-KSXG5_UM5BYWxNpKtpzX_oWHvLTd_9sibI2iwMYtY38ehbj8kU4knQ/s1600/TonyaKappes_photo+(3).JPG" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy holidays! This time of year makes
me (and a lot of others) a bit more sentimental. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My family celebrates Christmas and
everything that comes with it, making gingerbread houses, putting up a
Christmas tree or seven (yes! I have seven in my house…is that weird?), candy
making, cookie decorating, skiing, snow tubing, gift giving (the wrapping I’m
not a fan of), eating the candy and cookies we made, church, and family
gatherings. But the one tradition I love most is going to pick out the live
tree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s become a tradition for me and my
family (hubby and three teenage boys) to go pick out the tree, strap it on the
car, bring it home (yes, you can picture Christmas Vacation and I’m definitely
Clark…and we do have a few Uncle Eddie’s in the family), and immediately put it
up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The homemade Christmas ornaments my boys
have made over the years are so much fun to go through and we laugh while Bing
Crosby and old school Alvin and the Chipmunks play in the background…and yes, a
plate of homemade cookies and apple cider to go with it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then we get to the box my guys have titled:
Mom’s Special Ornament. It is only one ornament that I get to place on the
tree. It takes my breath away every time I see it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rudolph…the little guy that stands about
three-inches tall and is missing his little black eyes, takes his place~front
and center. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rudolph was given to me, now over
thirty-five years ago, from my grandmother. She was and remains such an
inspiration to me. We had gone to an antique store and she bought me Rudolph. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My grandmother didn’t drive and couldn’t
read. But she could tell a great story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“You see,” she looked at me with sadness
in her eyes but a smile on her face, “I’ve overcome my share of things. I
married your papa when I was fourteen, birthed nine children, and buried three.
Sometimes life can throw you some really tough lesson.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Her long skinny fingers fanned out, each
one had more wrinkles than the other, and Rudolph lay in her palm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Rudolph had to overcome many things. He
was made fun of. He was different. You, Tonya, you are different.” She took my
hand and held it palm up. Gently, she placed Rudolph in my hand. “You have
talent beyond belief. You have a great strength, go-get ‘em attitude that many
young people don’t have and will be intimidated by. You are creative beyond
your years.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I watched her wondering what she was
thinking as she stared out the window. I could tell she was thinking of a time
long ago. I couldn’t help but believe she was telling me a story of herself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But either way, all it took was that
three-inch plastic reindeer to inspire everything in my life, to overcome any
and everything that stepped into the way of me reaching my dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tonya is an Amazon Movers and Shakers,
and self-published International bestselling author. She writes humorous cozy
mystery and women's fiction that involves quirky characters in quirky
situations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><i>Splitsville.com</i></b>, the first novel in the
Olivia Davis Mystery Series, is a double finalist in the Next Generation Indie
Book Awards in the Mystery and Humorous Categories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><i>Carpe Bead 'em</i></b> is the winner in Amazon's
eFestival of Words in the Women's Fiction/Chick-lit Category.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She travel to various writer's groups
giving workshops on marketing and promoting no matter where you are in your
career, and a self publishing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
Become a member of Tonya's STREET TEAM by clicking <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/208579765929709/">HERE</a>! It's a
gathering place of readers who love Tonya Kappes novels and Tonya gives away
monthly prizes! To sign up for Tonya's STREET TEAM, newsletter, view book
trailer, and upcoming news, check out Tonya's website, <a href="http://tonyakappes.blogspot.com/">Tonyakappes.blogspot.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Check out Tonya’s Novels at these online
retailers:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tonya-Kappes/e/B0048NYQLE/ref=la_B0048NYQLE_rf_p_n_feature_browse-b_1?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_82%3AB0048NYQLE%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A618073011&bbn=283155&ie=UTF8&qid=1350840194&rnid=618072011">Amazon</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tonya-Kappes/e/B0048NYQLE/ref=la_B0048NYQLE_rf_p_n_feature_browse-b_0?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_82%3AB0048NYQLE%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A2656022011&bbn=283155&ie=UTF8&qid=1350840472&rnid=618072011">Amazon
Print</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tonya-Kappes/e/B0048NYQLE/ref=la_B0048NYQLE_rf_p_n_feature_browse-b_2?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_82%3AB0048NYQLE%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A1240885011&bbn=283155&ie=UTF8&qid=1350840527&rnid=618072011">Audible
for ITunes, IPhone, IPad, IPod</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/tonya-kappes?store=allproducts&keyword=tonya+kappes">Barnes
and Noble</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.indiebound.org/hybrid?filter0=tonya+kappes&x=19&y=17">Indie
Bound</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=Tonya+Kappes#__utma=1.377043055.1350682354.1350682354.1350840634.2&__utmb=1.1.10.1350840634&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1350682354.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=-&__utmk=174750754">Kobo</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Excerpt from <b><i>A New Tradition</i></b>, a
Christmas short story:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Chapter One<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xLmiOyJrmXtow0rD7mRynXBJrlzGKIDuprkvDoyGTk8muEHwXcobutXTW1I5AvweXF_V_xiF6zkTDqHkcWI4VVNYax6zEHT2n7g4sz018T051YTW3V0qfU3Kd0R5AGWOBjhz7usQXDQ/s1600/TonyaKappes_a+small+town+romance+book+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xLmiOyJrmXtow0rD7mRynXBJrlzGKIDuprkvDoyGTk8muEHwXcobutXTW1I5AvweXF_V_xiF6zkTDqHkcWI4VVNYax6zEHT2n7g4sz018T051YTW3V0qfU3Kd0R5AGWOBjhz7usQXDQ/s320/TonyaKappes_a+small+town+romance+book+1.jpg" width="159" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Are you sure you don’t
want to come? “ Jenna asked, packing up for the early pre-holiday filled night.
I watched as she gathered all the goodies she got from her Secret Santa gift
exchange.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“No thank you,” I
smiled, turning around and peering out over the city lights. They lit up Main
Street like the white lights on a Christmas tree. A Christmas tree that I would
not be decorating this year. This was the first Christmas that I was going to
be alone. ALONE. <u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I don’t know.” She
leaned against the door frame of my office. Her normally straight blonde hair
was off-set with curls that framed her face, as worry set deep in her hazel
eyes. “It’s not healthy to spend Christmas alone when you have a slew of
girlfriends that want to be with you.”<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I will be fine.” I
turned around and picked up the stack of papers sitting on my desk. “I have
that big conference call with Walter Bassett. Plus, my date with Audrey.”<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Mr. Bassett can wait
until after the holidays.” Jenna crossed her arms. “He has made us wait plenty
of times.”<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She was right. Mr.
Bassett was a big pill to swallow when it came to business. He owned several
casinos around the world and used our little firm to help decorate them. Help,
as in help with a little light fixture here, another there. But the day had
come when Mr. Bassett finally gave my little firm, The Design Studio, the
entire account on the new gambling boat in Biloxi, Mississippi, and we were
going to finalize the deal on Christmas morning during our Skype meeting. That
in itself was enough incentive to spend Christmas alone.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Granted, the boat casino
wasn’t Vegas, but it was bigger than any job we had gotten in Mulberry End,
Connecticut. And with the wonders of technology, Mr. Bassett had no clue he was
doing business with a tiny business located in a town of ten-thousand people.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“The gang is going to
meet around 7 PM down at the Rum and Monkey for the honky-tonk Christmas Eve
party to ring in Christmas. And it’s not too late to have our annual Audrey
party before we meet.” She referred to our annual watching of Breakfast at
Tiffany’s where we all dressed up in our finest ball gowns and tiaras while
sipping wine. “Tomorrow you can come to my family Christmas dinner. We’d love
to have you.” <u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The gang consisted of
five of my best friends who all grew up in Mulberry End. Of course we all went
our separate ways when we went to college, but came home shortly after
graduation. It was slim picking in Mulberry End’s single men department, which
explains why none of us had a husband or boyfriend. <u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“It sounds like a great
time, but it’s not every year that I have the opportunity to spend the holidays
alone.” I took the Breakfast at Tiffany’s DVD out of my computer bag and held
it up. “This year, Audrey and I are going to be spending Christmas <i>alone</i>.”<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Not that I didn’t enjoy
Christmas with the Englehardt’s (my family) and my tradition with my friends,
but us being apart one Christmas wasn’t going to kill anyone. Besides, it
wasn’t like I didn’t see my family on a bi-weekly basis and my friends on a
weekly basis. <u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Plus, I didn’t have to
hear about Aunt Edna’s new dentures, Uncle Bill’s bunions, or cute baby Sally’s
first green poopy diapers.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes. Those were the
conversations we had around our Christmas table. And I am determined that this
year was going to be a relaxing one.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Before she left, Jenna
turned around. “If you change your mind, you can stop on down at the Rum and
Monkey.”<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I won’t.” <u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“And is your cell phone
charged?” Jenna was almost as good as my mother. “I don’t like you traveling to
that remote hunk of woods with five inches of snow on the ground.”<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“It’s fine.” I assured
her. “And my dad made sure the cabin was stocked with plenty of firewood before
they left.”<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I can’t believe they
left you alone on Christmas. The Englehardt’s love Christmas.” She stomped back
to her receptionist desk just outside my office door. With her hands full, she
called over her shoulder, “The girls are going to miss your rendition of Santa
Baby during Rum and Monkey’s karaoke hour.”<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I won’t be alone. I
have Henry.” I pointed to my little white Persian cat curled on the brown
leather couch in the corner of my office. Yes, I named him Henry after My Fair
Ladies’, Henry Higgins.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“You can only watch so
much Audrey Hepburn.” <u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She didn’t just say
that! No one can ever have enough of Audrey! “Please don’t tell me you packed
the Audrey outfit.” Her gaze darkened when she realized that I had, in fact,
packed the black dress and tiara I love to put on when I watch Breakfast at
Tiffany’s. “Really, I think you need help. I mean professional help.”<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I did buy a new book on
my Kindle. It’s charged and ready to go.” I knew that I would fall fast asleep
before I got in a few pages. I had been working so hard on the Bassett deal
that when my head hit the pillow, I was out.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I will call you
tomorrow. Now get out of here.” I glance down at my watch. Noon. If I hurried,
I could be at the cabin by two. Just in time to start a fire, put the small
turkey and all the fixings in the refrigerator and fix my annual salmon dinner
for tonight. Just because I wasn’t having Christmas with my family didn’t mean
that I couldn’t have Christmas dinner with Audrey.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Tell your parents Merry
Christmas if they call you,” Jenna said before heading out of the office. <u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This was a once in a
lifetime trip for my parents. Recently, my father had retired from the
lumberyard. He started out sorting nuts and bolts for Mr. Baker, the owner of
Mulberry Lumber, at the age of eighteen, moved up in the company and retired
after forty-five years. <u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As an appreciation for
all dads’ hard work, Mr. Baker’s family gave him and mom an all-expense paid
trip to London, England. Mom had always wanted to spend the holidays abroad.
Since I’m their only child and grown, I encouraged them to go this year. I had
the meeting with Mr. Bassett coming up on Christmas morning through Skype.
He had insisted it be on Christmas morning. It shouldn’t have surprised
me, because he was always as cold as ice in his emails. Scrooge!<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I was looking forward to
seeing him. Of course, I had googled him, but he was nowhere to be found. I had
heard through the grapevine that he never attended the openings of any of his
casinos or the parties. He’s a bit of a recluse from what I understand.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 21.6pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I’d put money on it that he was on some beautiful Caribbean island
where everything you could possibly need was at his fingertips. And I wanted a
piece of that pie. I was going to have to work hard to get it. That was why I
was more than happy to head to our family cabin in the woods for a relaxing
couple of days with Audrey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Contest: comment for the
chance to win ebook copies of <i>A New Tradition </i>and <i>Carpe Bead 'em</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-587785647483233082012-12-14T09:53:00.003-08:002012-12-14T09:53:36.390-08:00Christmas Time by Anne Kane<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The problem with Christmas is that I just
don’t seem to have enough time to do everything I want to do. We need to add
half days to the calendar. They would fit in between the whole days. You know,
December 1, December 1 ½, December 2, December 2 ½. You get the idea. If we add
just one half day between each of the existing days from now until Christmas,
I’ll have enough time to get everything done. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I promise to use the extra time to put up
my tree, decorate the house, bake up a storm, clean the house from top to
bottom, take the grandkids to see Santa, do my Christmas shopping, wrap the
presents and attend all those amazing Christmas functions I’m invited to. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Oh, and while they’re at it, maybe the
powers-that-be can arrange for me to not gain any weight while I overindulge in
all the Christmas goodies! What do you think? Am I asking too much? LOL! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I do love the Christmas season. The music,
the decorations, the smiles on everyone’s faces make me feel all warm and fuzzy
inside. I love the smells, and the fresh white snow glistening under the cold
light of a new moon. Winter is still new
and fresh and exciting, and I swear I can almost hear the bells jingling on
Santa’s sleigh while the reindeer fly overhead. Now, if you’ll excuse me I have
a tree to decorate and cookies to bake. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">Merry
Christmas everyone!</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Anne Kane<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.annekane.com/">http://www.AnneKane.com</a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoPlainText" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">Series: <st1:place w:st="on">Holiday</st1:place>
Howlz<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoPlainText" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">Title: Dawg-Napped!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoPlainText" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">ISBN:</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">978-1-60521-303-3</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoPlainText" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">Genres:
Paranormal, Magic and Mayhem<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoPlainText" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">Themes: Shapeshifter, Seasonal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoPlainText" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">Publisher
URL </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/"><span class="Internetlink"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">Changeling Press - Erotic Fiction</span></span></a></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoPlainText" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoPlainText" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">BLURB: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">When one of Santa's elves stops at the
Prairie Dawg Saloon on his vintage motorcycle, Cyndi can't resist taking a
closer look at the classic bike. Then Bruce comes back outside unexpectedly and
Cyndi panics, shifting to hide in one of the saddlebags. She doesn't realize
the bike is a matchmaking reindeer in disguise. Comet knows all about the sexy
little critters of <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Dawg</st1:state> <st1:state w:st="on">Town</st1:state></st1:state>, and he's decided the cute little
prairie dawg is just what Bruce needs to cuddle up with him in his North Pole
cottage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">EXCERPT:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">“Well,
now I’m going to have to wake her up and try to explain why she’s freezing her
furry little tail off at the North Pole instead of sunning it in Barkus,
Kansas.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">The
North Pole? Cyndi cracked one eye open, but all she could see was an impressive
set of antlers. She closed her eyes and snuggled back down into the blankets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">Blankets?
Her sleep-befuddled mind nudged her. She should be in human form if there were
blankets. She obligingly shifted into human form, stretching her arms out over
her head to help get the blood flowing. Prairie dawgs went into semi
hibernation in the winter, so when her body in dawg-form had encountered cold
it had automatically slowed her physiology down to conserve energy. Coming out
of hibernation left her feeling sluggish, and somewhat cold. She shivered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">“Oh.
My. Christmas tree!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">The
shock in the biker’s deep voice penetrated the layers of fog, and Cyndi
reluctantly opened her eyes. He was taller than she remembered, at least <st1:state w:st="on">five ten</st1:state>. His dark curly hair was tucked behind his
pointed ears before it fell to his shoulders in a sexy tangle. A pair of the
brightest blue eyes she’d ever seen were busy taking in every detail of her naked
body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">The
fact that her clothing didn’t shift with her meant she was stark naked, and she
hastily pulled the blanket up to her chin. Feeling a little more confident now
that she was covered, Cyndi tore her attention away from the mouthwatering
biceps on the biker and turned her head to look at the other speaker. She
blinked, confused. All she could see was a deer regarding her with its soft
brown eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">“She’s
in shock, Bruce. You’re going to have to warm her up slowly.” A hint of panic
sounded in the deer’s voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">She
was not in shock, she was coming out of hibernation mode, but right now she
wasn’t up to explaining the difference to the attractive elf, let alone the
deer. Or was it a buck? Those antlers really were impressive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">“I’m
sorry. I didn’t realize you’d suffer like this when I held the saddle bags
closed.” The deer batted its insanely long eyelashes at her. “I just thought
you and Bruce might hit it off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">“A
taaalllkkkin deeer?” Cyndi started to wonder if she was still asleep and this
was just a bizarre dream. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">“I’m
not a deer. I’m one of Santa’s reindeer.” He actually sounded offended, and the
look on his face tempted her to giggle. “I’m capable of disguising myself as
the bike you couldn’t keep your paws off of. It’s no harder to believe than a
shapeshifting prairie dog.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">“Comet,
mind your manners!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";"> Cyndi turned her attention back to the hunky
elf. A talking reindeer that doubled as a vintage bike was just a little too
much to deal with at the moment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">“Who
are you and where are we?” She drew the blanket tighter around her and glanced
at her surroundings. They were sitting on a thick bed of straw, and it looked
for all the world like a hayloft somewhere in <st1:state w:st="on">Kansas</st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">The
elf frowned, looking concerned. “We’re at the North Pole, of course. Where else
would you expect to find elves and reindeer? You were so cold I didn’t want to
chance moving you to the house, so I threw some blankets on top of the straw
and covered you to try to warm you up.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">He
grabbed the hem of his bright red shirt and pulled it over his head, revealing
an impressive set of abs. “You’re still shivering, so I guess it wasn’t enough.
I’ll have to share my body heat with you. It’s the only way to combat the
hypothermia without having you go into shock. Damn Comet and his stupid ideas.”
He tossed the shirt aside and loosened the drawstring on his pants. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">Cyndi
felt her temperature go up a notch when he dropped the pants to the ground and
kicked them aside to stand in front of her clad only in a pair of jockey shorts
-- Christmas themed, she noticed. The holly and ivy print material stretched
valiantly over a massive bulge at his groin. She tried to remember what she
knew about elves. Were they all well hung? Because unless she was mistaken,
that was the largest hard-on she’d ever seen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">He
was under the impression that she had hypothermia or shock or something. She
supposed she should tell him she was okay, before he got completely naked. Then
again, he’d seen everything she had to offer, and turnabout was fair play. She
hadn’t had a good roll in the hay since her previous boyfriend moved to the
other side of <st1:state w:st="on">Kansas</st1:state> last spring. This was
starting to look interesting. She kept her mouth closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";">“AAhhhemmmm.”
Mischief danced in the reindeer’s eyes as he turned toward the door. “I’ll just
go make sure everything went okay in our absence.” He looked at Bruce, and
nodded his antlers toward the bed. “You need to be under those blankets with
her if you’re going to warm her up.” Prancing gleefully, the matchmaking mammal
sidled out the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>Commenters on all Changeling Press posts - including this one! - will be entered to win a past Changeling Christmas series! </b></div>
Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-60312052163195973522012-12-14T09:28:00.000-08:002012-12-14T09:28:23.134-08:00Leah Braemel<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpRgjHZarGEBg5rhp1Noa-INRs9OT1QLt7hXENKimNBxlZk-mqO1eZ8YNlF5wZFek7XKJVHjOlhXpS33REq0E7HWXqVGdWSKH2NPkr4TsQQtsWAtZ9Sptc9k_AVxu3tdgegM3WyIZFnA/s1600/LeahBraemel_I+Need+You+For+Christmas200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpRgjHZarGEBg5rhp1Noa-INRs9OT1QLt7hXENKimNBxlZk-mqO1eZ8YNlF5wZFek7XKJVHjOlhXpS33REq0E7HWXqVGdWSKH2NPkr4TsQQtsWAtZ9Sptc9k_AVxu3tdgegM3WyIZFnA/s320/LeahBraemel_I+Need+You+For+Christmas200x300.jpg" width="202" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">I love Christmas surprises. For most of my married life, my husband has
managed to surprise me with something special every Christmas. Usually because
he did a lot of travelling and would find unique presents from whatever city he
was in around North America or Europe.
But since his job changed and he’s been chained to the same stores as
me, he’s taken to doing his Christmas shopping by taking me out and saying
“choose something.” It takes a lot of
the fun from my Christmas morning. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Oh, now mind, I’m not complaining. I know
too many others who hand their wife money and so “go buy it yourself.” If they
give them anything at all. But still,
Christmas to me has always had that childlike fun of watching the presents appear
beneath the tree, of going to bed on Christmas Eve wondering what I’ll find
when I open them the next morning. Now that our sons are all grown up, there
seems to be no more “fun” to Christmas. It’s almost just another day. Only with
a Christmas tree standing in the living room.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Which may be why we started several new
traditions – one being the scavenger hunt. A different target is chosen from
within the family each year and they find a note either wrapped in a box or
tucked in a stocking. A <i>Yes, you may know
what I’ve bought you, but now I’m making you search for it</i> note. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">But that surprise is still missing, and
it’s not the same. So when I wrote I Need You For Christmas, my hero and
heroine are desperately trying to keep their gift a secret, so they can
surprise the other on Christmas morning.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">
</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Ryan and Meg have been in love for almost
eight years. But just at the time they were planning on making things
permanent, a car accident leaving Ryan in charge of his siblings changed
everything. Meg went on to follow her heart and joined the Mounties. Which
meant she had to leave Ryan in Ontario while she trained in Saskatchewan then
moved to Nunavut, 1600 miles away. Though
they never married, they’ve stayed in love ever since, snatching short visits a
few times a year. But now Meg is tired of
life up north. She’s decided to change directions with her career and join the
Ontario Provincial Police and move south. Unknown to her, now that Ryan is
finally free of his family obligations, he’s made a decision about his career
too. And both are planning to surprise the other on Christmas morning…</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Have you ever been given a present that
surprised you? Or have you ever given one? Tell me for a chance to win a
digital copy of the <i>Red Hot Holiday</i>
anthology from Carina Press, that has not only I Need You for Christmas, but
also has K.A. Mitchell’s Wish List, and Anne Calhoun’s Breath on Embers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Then pop over to my website and leave a
comment for a chance to win a Kindle in my “<a href="http://leahbraemel.com/2012/11/26/i-need-you-for-christmas-contest/">I
Need A Kindle for Christmas</a>” contest. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<h1>
<span lang="EN-CA">I Need You For Christmas</span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Copyright © 2012 Leah Braemel</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">The scent of bacon and cinnamon and coffee
penetrated Meg’s consciousness long before she convinced her eyelids to open.
Accompanied by Ryan’s off-key warbling of “Baby It’s Cold Outside”, she
stretched beneath the duvet and planned out her day. Which consisted of…what?
Staying in bed all day was tempting, but that probably wasn’t an option,
especially since she’d promised Amy she’d help her do her annual
Christmas-cookie-making marathon.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Grumbling about having to get up, yet
excited to be spending the day with Ryan, she tossed back the covers and padded
to the washroom. Once she’d had a shower and dressed, she wandered out to the
kitchen where Ryan was frying bacon wearing only a T-shirt and butt-hugging
briefs. Standing in the doorway, she stayed quiet, appreciating the sight of
his long legs with their muscular thighs and calves from miles of riding his
bike over the hilly gravel roads in the area. Legs that had clenched around her
the night before, the rough hair tickling her cheeks when she’d gone down on
him. Then later, they’d brushed the insides of her thighs when he’d ridden her
until they were both out of breath, sweaty and sore and thoroughly satisfied.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">The music changed to “Silver Bells”, or as
he sang it, <i>Silver Balls</i>. Guys. For
such a talented artist, talk about tone deaf.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“Aren’t you worried about grease splatter?”
She grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Ever the wise man, he waited until
she’d had her first full hit of caffeine before taking the cup and placing it
on the counter. As she was about to protest, he wrapped his arms around her.
With one hand firmly cupping her butt, he kissed her until they were both
breathless.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“I wasn’t expecting you to wake up so
early. You were sleeping like a log when I got up.” Ryan’s satisfied smile told
her he knew full well he was the reason she’d slept soundly. “I was planning on
bringing you breakfast in bed.” His hand squeezed her behind then released her.
“But now you’re up, you sit your butt on the couch while I finish here.”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“You spoil me.” She picked up her coffee
and headed to the couch, but not before stopping off to admire the seven-foot
live pine taking over the corner. Nestled among the original blown glass
ornaments and metal pieces Ryan created were a dozen or more embroidered
pieces. They’d been his mother’s creations—he’d told her that until his father
remarried and his new wife moved in, his mother’s needlework adorned just about
every surface in the house.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">She stroked the long needles; the scent of
pine brought memories flooding back. “Do you remember our first Christmas
tree?”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">He chuckled. “Not the tree itself, but I
remember trying to impress you by driving you out to Shewchuk’s tree farm and
getting stuck in the ditch. Not my finest moment.”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“I was remembering what happened after we
brought it home.” How they’d made love after they’d decorated it.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“I’ll never forget that part of the day,
babe.” His voice was soft.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">While she’d always loved the spirit of
Christmas, she’d seldom found it at her family’s home. For some reason her
parents fought more over the holidays, and the Christmas carols she’d play
seldom drowned out the shouting matches. Though she hadn’t told him, she
suspected Ryan had when he had invited her to his family’s place for Christmas
their first year together and included her on the tradition of picking out the
family’s tree.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">If she hadn’t already been falling in love
with him, he’d sealed the deal when he’d said he loved her that afternoon.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2">
<span lang="EN-CA">*HARLEQUIN COVER ART: Cover Art
Copyright© 2010 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited permission to reproduce text
granted by Harlequin Books S.A. Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin
Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. © and ™ are trademarks owned by
Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliated companies, used under license.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">You can buy <a href="http://leahbraemel.com/books/i-need-you-for-christmas/">I Need You for
Christmas</a> from</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://ebooks.carinapress.com/3A85F437-092C-4B59-A68C-A0874A3608D4/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=A22FD8BE-5C1C-4C49-B7E1-56A592B085CF" target="_blank" title="I Need You for Christmas from Carina Press">Carina
Press,</a> or from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009FX4PFE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009FX4PFE&linkCode=as2&tag=offiwebsoflea-20">Amazon</a>,
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-need-you-for-christmas-leah-braemel/1113014335?ean=9781426894763">Barnes
& Noble</a> or <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/i-need-you-for-christmas/id570993655?mt=11">Apple</a>.
You can also buy the entire <a href="http://ebooks.carinapress.com/3A85F437-092C-4B59-A68C-A0874A3608D4/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=1F9CAFC1-9AFE-4FA3-9691-891ABE1C6884">Red
Hot Holiday</a> anthology, with stories by KA Mitchell and Anne Calhoun. Or you can listen to the entire<i> Red Hot Holiday</i> anthology as an audio
book from <a href="http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B00AEURVKI&qid=1354299631&sr=1-1">Audible</a>.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">The only woman in a houseful of men (even
the cat and dog are male), Leah Braemel loves hiding away from all the
testosterone to let the dust bunnies fend for themselves. You can visit her <a href="http://leahbraemel.com/">website</a>, follow her on <a href="http://twitter.com/leahbraemel">Twitter</a>, or on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLeahBraemel">FaceBook</a> and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/73216-leah-s-lounge">Goodreads</a>.
Don’t miss her upcoming print release of <a href="http://leahbraemel.com/books/private-deceptions/">Private Deceptions</a>
from Samhain Publishing, an anthology containing <i>Private Property</i> and <i>Deliberate
Deceptions</i> from her Hauberk Protection series. </span></div>
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-5110015686688851892012-12-14T08:55:00.001-08:002012-12-14T08:55:35.363-08:00Sean Michael<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WK7sY6Zuoa6ETmADGzt3RSfZZ9JSEY2tr00tBx3QKkVHLUjHZpgPgd1MHDaqzmbAMUc7t_VHQX2_52CjSk_8dF-Ly8Y80ZRlKWlCr328M3_wsy4u3miUmk0QBh-Sfuxk5bHRyCcmDHo/s1600/SeanMichael_christmaselves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WK7sY6Zuoa6ETmADGzt3RSfZZ9JSEY2tr00tBx3QKkVHLUjHZpgPgd1MHDaqzmbAMUc7t_VHQX2_52CjSk_8dF-Ly8Y80ZRlKWlCr328M3_wsy4u3miUmk0QBh-Sfuxk5bHRyCcmDHo/s1600/SeanMichael_christmaselves.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-CA">Thank you, Marie, for allowing me to be a
part of your Christmas Party on your blog!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">I love Christmas and I love doing Christmas
stories, as may be evidenced by the fact that this is my third year doing one
for Changeling and my uh, more than that year of doing one for Torquere Press.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Changeling's theme this year was Santa's
Helpers and I jumped in eagerly with a story featuring two North Pole elves --
one a doll maker, the other The Sleigh mechanic. I had great fun writing it and
the result is fun and sexy and kinky. And bells are definitely rung by the
elves </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><b><i>Christmas Elves are Ringing</i></b>: Can Bane give
Joey the attitude adjustment he needs in time to fill Santa's sleigh with toys?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Buy link: <a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1957">http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1957</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Changeling also has my previous two
Christmas titles on sale for only 99cents! They are both m/m/f.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4bGbQ7sRaSZ8k4Bb9DrAB3MlDOH174t5CzS-Ppwtp9osFolQ_4bPI6hxTc7wBFi7R8vwptKEXU7jc9MYHPkTCaIS-MnCCoOzv5Ddisp5uM_dFFPt8jq2MgAwiFD5NJ_MXtpvOIjNbyA/s1600/SeanMichael_stranded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4bGbQ7sRaSZ8k4Bb9DrAB3MlDOH174t5CzS-Ppwtp9osFolQ_4bPI6hxTc7wBFi7R8vwptKEXU7jc9MYHPkTCaIS-MnCCoOzv5Ddisp5uM_dFFPt8jq2MgAwiFD5NJ_MXtpvOIjNbyA/s200/SeanMichael_stranded.jpg" width="131" /></a><span lang="EN-CA"><b><i>Stranded</i></b>: Russ and Gretchen are stranded in
Vegas for Christmas. Can Dave make their holiday spanking hot?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Buy link: <a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1735">http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1735</a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><b><i>Bound for Christmas</i></b>: Jenny's got the
perfect present for her husband: a pretty boy toy, wrapped up with Christmas
ribbon.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Buy link: <a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1514">http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1514</a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">The other Christmas story I did this year
was supposed to be a short, kinky story and the characters ran away on me and I
wound up with a Christmas novella called Wicked Gift. I usually do a Hammer Christmas Auction
story, but the Wicked Gift guys stole my writing time this year!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPR8bQCq_ZkSQSEDWVX05ZpwxoDo8vVuCs9_hXrEWF_0KPx7uMb61mqoING4PZLo1ZXIB7DsA4Ev-27Pczir5EP3WxXbxq5n1CibEOxC2-eCYRuPRzzm2EEqyTAHdbz5BDaAgjMj74LmE/s1600/SeanMichael_wickedgift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPR8bQCq_ZkSQSEDWVX05ZpwxoDo8vVuCs9_hXrEWF_0KPx7uMb61mqoING4PZLo1ZXIB7DsA4Ev-27Pczir5EP3WxXbxq5n1CibEOxC2-eCYRuPRzzm2EEqyTAHdbz5BDaAgjMj74LmE/s320/SeanMichael_wickedgift.jpg" width="211" /></a><span lang="EN-US"><b><i>Wicked
Gift</i></b>: Can you give your best friend to your lover for Christmas? Alec is sure
gonna try and if he's lucky, all three of them will end up having the best
Christmas ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Buy link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_85&products_id=3764</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">If you're looking for past Hammer Christmas
Auction books they are:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Christmas Auction: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_91&products_id=2395</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Christmas Angel: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_91&products_id=2971</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Christmas Homecoming: <a href="http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_91&products_id=3473">http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_91&products_id=3473</a></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoUdAmC9Fl4jWu8AVd_JlkzIiDwui6gQBxAsC97E0XbM8cp37gDiqrwUwloTAcs75ICzR-9vCTcPqh9UCZa9v8KDizoSk1ap49-HHSNth3nBlwxPbzbP0jpL5roGG6P0AE8lzAJx043E/s1600/SeanMichael_christmasauction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoUdAmC9Fl4jWu8AVd_JlkzIiDwui6gQBxAsC97E0XbM8cp37gDiqrwUwloTAcs75ICzR-9vCTcPqh9UCZa9v8KDizoSk1ap49-HHSNth3nBlwxPbzbP0jpL5roGG6P0AE8lzAJx043E/s200/SeanMichael_christmasauction.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvZGZVq9JpGaMgU-aLWjxjgyLH1jjWjYzFl5rMzbmeuITWULjTlkPCJe6m1Y8f4m-iIa8VA0XXHZI9wHTSQWQo6gpXjIHVaN-WDdT-L_U5XzDisrNl1RAR7Tdy6WTnRLGNg_Pxj0REIk/s1600/SeanMichael_christmasangel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvZGZVq9JpGaMgU-aLWjxjgyLH1jjWjYzFl5rMzbmeuITWULjTlkPCJe6m1Y8f4m-iIa8VA0XXHZI9wHTSQWQo6gpXjIHVaN-WDdT-L_U5XzDisrNl1RAR7Tdy6WTnRLGNg_Pxj0REIk/s200/SeanMichael_christmasangel.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Here's an excerpt for <b><i>Christmas Elves are
Ringing</i></b>:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Snow was falling, the sounds of choirs
practicing grating on Joey’s ears. They left that behind as they kept moving,
though, and Bane swatted him twice more before they pushed through the door to
their home.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">The house was like a little oasis -- warm
and dark, masculine, without a single hint of green or red. It was perfect, and
one hundred percent theirs.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">They didn’t stop in the front room. Or the
kitchen. And they didn’t turn into the bedroom. Instead, Bane went right,
straight to the little room where they... played.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Oh, fuck him. Yes. “I’m not going in
there!” He screamed the words out, kicking again.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“Not your choice, baby.” Bane closed the
door once they were in. Locked it. Only then was he put down.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">They stood there, staring each other down,
both breathing hard.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Then Bane grabbed Joey’s sweater and pulled
him up hard against that amazing body, mouth coming down like a ton of bricks
on his. He let himself feel that for a moment, just opening up, drowning for a
moment in the kiss. Nobody kissed like Bane. Nobody.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Once he had his balance back, he started
fighting again, giving them both what they needed. He was moved backward,
slowly but surely, Bane stronger than him, more determined.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“I was working, you asshole.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Bane snorted. “You were not.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“Was too!” Fucker.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“You were throwing shit around.” Bane
dragged him right over to the padded bench and pushed him over it on his
stomach. It put him at exactly the right level for Bane to fuck him. Please God,
please let Bane fuck him.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“I was frustrated! I’m on a deadline.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“So am I.” There was a grin in Bane’s
words.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Joey’s legs were spread, his right ankle
put into a cuff. He kicked out with his left, the action somehow putting it
right in Bane’s heavy hand.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“Good elf,” murmured Bane, hand stroking
his sole before attaching the cuff.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Shackled to the padded bench, he opened up,
trusted Bane with his truth. “I’m trapped, in my chest. It’s like I can’t
breathe.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">“You know you can ask when you need things.
You don’t have to throw tantrums.” Bane grabbed Joey’s right hand and stroked
his palm several times before cuffing his wrist to the bench.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">“I need to.” Sometimes. Lots of times. This
whole... thing they’d found was newish still. Good and necessary, but newish.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA">Bane gave him a sudden, surprising grin as
his other wrist was cuffed. “It’s kind of hot.”</span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">If you leave a comment, on Saturday (the
15th) I will randomly choose a winner to receive a copy of the winner’s choice
of Stranded, Bound for Christmas, Christmas Auction, Christmas Angel or
Christmas Homecoming</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Thanks again to Marie for hosting!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">Sean Michael</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA">smut fixes everything</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com/">www.seanmichaelwrites.com</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>As well as Sean's own contest, commenters on all Changeling Press posts - including this one! - will be entered to win a past Changeling Christmas series! </b></div>
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-81346113755759690072012-12-14T08:53:00.000-08:002012-12-14T08:53:19.884-08:00Books: The Perfect Gift for Christmas by Shelley Munro<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PDukjQnsR1owCiXWgULNf_X3euqD5fl-OSbDtPYAb29-u_jV51kq1QlAB-3XPmShdspdj0tXGi2Aj_6lV-HpnrXHD9mZx9kmc1x0ut10AcAA31CqgxWOoV3M0JJtDpmPN99SZ2y-TqU/s1600/ShelleyMunro_christmasiscoming_200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PDukjQnsR1owCiXWgULNf_X3euqD5fl-OSbDtPYAb29-u_jV51kq1QlAB-3XPmShdspdj0tXGi2Aj_6lV-HpnrXHD9mZx9kmc1x0ut10AcAA31CqgxWOoV3M0JJtDpmPN99SZ2y-TqU/s1600/ShelleyMunro_christmasiscoming_200x300.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Books
have always been a part of my life. Our parents read to us—my brother, sister and
I—when we were young. I remember nursery rhymes and fairy tales galore. The
book habit stuck leaving my brother a fantasy and sci-fi fan while my sister
and I enjoy romance and mysteries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Each
year our Christmas stocking (in our family it was actually a pillow case)
contained at least one book. I recall pulling a Dr. Dolittle book from my
stocking at an ungodly hour on Christmas morning. I settled back with a bag of
peanuts to munch and started reading. As a child I devoured books and that
hasn’t changed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Once
we were all at school my mother returned to teaching. She taught five-year-olds
and owned a huge collection of children’s books. She was always showing us her
latest purchases, and we had to read the latest Bernstein Bears installment,
about Hubert’s Hair-Raising Adventure and The Bunyip of Berkeley’s Creek. Not
such a hardship because kid’s books are fun and cute with great pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For
me, it’s not Christmas if I don’t receive a few new books. I think they’re the
perfect present for all ages. Books are an adventure, a rest from routine, a
chance to armchair travel and live someone else’s life. Books are an education.
My nieces and nephews receive books, either fiction or non-fiction while recipe
books hit the spot for the cooks in the family. For the men there’s a copy of
the latest thriller or maybe a biography about a sports star. There’s a book
for everyone. All the purchaser needs to do is make a match. Heck, it’s a bit
like dating!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Finally,
let me head into promo territory to tell you about my Christmas book. <b>Christmas is Coming</b> is book two in my
Fancy Free series. And yes, it’s a naughty one. These characters got up to
mischief before Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Christmas is coming. Give your
lover the gift of pleasure…</span></em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></em></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Gaby Montgomery works for Fancy
Free as a condom designer. Recently she’s been designing sex toys and testing
her inventions with fellow designer Marc, but they’ve parted ways. The timing
couldn’t be worse because she’s stuck without a willing test subject for her
sexy products.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Gaby’s roommates Liam Richardson and
Fletch Darcy both want a serious relationship with Gaby, and now that she’s
free, it’s time to make a move. But how do they decide which one will date
Gaby? Fletch finally suggests they share her. Liam is skeptical but agrees the
scheme might work, which allows Fletch to move on to step two of his romance
plan. Fletch doesn’t just want Gaby, he wants Liam as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The loving is hot, their days
full of fun product testing, exquisite pleasure and laughter. Everything is
perfect until the outside world intrudes, putting their budding relationship
under stress. This time their love and friendship might not stand the pressure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Publisher’s Note: Want to have
more fun with the characters in this book, including finding out more about
those spaceship sightings, then pick up</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Fancy Free<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em>along with the books in the</em><span class="apple-converted-space"><i> </i></span>Talking
Dog<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em>series. They’re an out-of-this world
experience.</em><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><em><br /></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><a href="http://www.shelleymunro.com/books/christmas-is-coming/" target="_blank">Read an excerpt </a><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><a href="http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9703-christmas-is-coming.aspx" target="_blank">Purchase</a> </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">CONTEST: Win a download of Christmas
is Coming. Tell me about a book you’ve received in the past as a gift or tell
me which book you’d like to find in your Christmas stocking this year.</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Shelley
Munro lives in New Zealand with her husband and a rambunctious puppy. She
writes spicy romances for Carina Press, Ellora’s Cave and Samhain Publishing.
To learn more about Shelley and her books visit her website at <a href="http://www.shelleymunro.com/">http://www.shelleymunro.com</a></span></i>Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-38116522802404225212012-12-14T05:41:00.000-08:002012-12-14T05:41:12.020-08:00Zenobia Renquist<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Announcer:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Welcome and we’re back with the North Pole fashion show sponsored
by Zenobia Renquist. We’ve had a star studded show tonight, ladies and gentlemen.
And it’s now time for the grand finale, the time everyone has been waiting for.
Next up is Santa Claus, the one and only, with his lovely wife Mrs. Claus. You
might not recognize Kris Kringle since he’s not wearing his Christmas glamor
today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">**Kris walks onto the catwalk and pauses.
His long white hair hangs loose down his back and over one shoulder adding an
accent to the red, Mandarin-style suit hugging his tall, toned physique.**</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Announcer:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Definitely not the jolly fat man I’m used to. That’s for sure. And
here is Mrs. Claus dressed… wow! Barely anything. If she wasn’t on the naughty
list before, that dress should put her on it now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">**Kris’s long, pointed ears tinge red, a
blush creeping up his face, as Alex joins him on stage. Her generous curves are
swathed in a green backless, micro-mini dress with a bustier top, sporting a
sprig of mistletoe and holly nestled between her breasts.**</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">**After placing a quick kiss on Kris’s
cheek, Alex places her hand on his elbow and walks with him down the catwalk.
Kris walks smoothly but he doesn’t seem happy with the amount of cameras
flashing. Alex appears to be in her element, even giving a little twirl and
winking at the audience at the end of the catwalk before letting Kris escort
her back.**</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Announcer:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> My, my, my. I’m not sure where Santa found a wife life that, but
he’s a very lucky man. That surely does explain why the Northern Lights have
been shining so bright the last few nights. Thank you, Kris and Alex, the stars
of <b><i>White
Hot Christmas: Stripping Christmas </i></b>by Zenobia Renquist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">****</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFsEylKualJ2O-fdbz4z-eUPYJAAj0r-Fc9w9CEwL_wnNqdkIXW1G9J9wZ51bxCKRAgjM0oFHEivm4P4asqF_4XntH4DmKRdMYNIh9c-mY3xz9A5QR-Dgotgi39Tt8cASgE-t9soqcsY/s1600/ZenobiaRenquistWHC_StrippingChristmas-200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFsEylKualJ2O-fdbz4z-eUPYJAAj0r-Fc9w9CEwL_wnNqdkIXW1G9J9wZ51bxCKRAgjM0oFHEivm4P4asqF_4XntH4DmKRdMYNIh9c-mY3xz9A5QR-Dgotgi39Tt8cASgE-t9soqcsY/s320/ZenobiaRenquistWHC_StrippingChristmas-200x300.jpg" width="212" /></a><span lang="EN-US"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US">Alex
is firmly on the naughty list and she wants Santa to join her.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Alex thought she was going to a job,
instead she ends up marrying the heir to the title of Santa Claus. The vows
have been said and cannot be taken back, even if Alex isn't the ideal bride
Kris was hoping for to re-energize the powers of the House of Kringle. But,
Alex is about to teach him that being a little naughty -- or a lot -- can go a
long way.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Genre:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Erotic Urban Fantasy Romance, Interracial, Fey</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Buy
Now:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Changeling Press (99¢ for December): <a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1740">http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1740</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">All Romance eBooks: <a href="http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-whitehotchristmasstrippingchristmas-729000-168.html">http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-whitehotchristmasstrippingchristmas-729000-168.html</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Amazon Kindle: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00817ITJI/">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00817ITJI/</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">B&N Nook: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stripping-christmas-zenobia-renquist/1109156700?ean=2940013991224">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stripping-christmas-zenobia-renquist/1109156700?ean=2940013991224</a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">****</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Announcer:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Santa isn’t the only celebratory from the North Pole. Next up is
another member of the Kringle family. Spir, the spirit of Christmas, and his
lovely wife Danette. These lovebirds are newlyweds who tore themselves away
from their honeymoon long enough to come strut their stuff with us today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">**Danette and Spir walk on stage together.
Spir, wearing a dark grey suit with red trim, has his arm around Danette’s
waist. The long black, braided ponytail gracing Spir’s head is looped over the
shoulder opposite from Danette, who is dressed in a soft grey pantsuit trimmed
in red.**</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Announcer:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Spir might not be as flashy as his brother Kris, and Danette is
definitely not as risqué as Alex, but these two are a lovely sight. And from
the way Spir’s hand is curving around Danette’s behind, I can guess what
they’ll be doing after the show.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">**Danette tries to pull Spir’s hand up but
he distracts her with a spin at the end of the catwalk before he dips her. The
audience cheers as Spir gives Danette a deep kiss before letting her stand up
straight again and they walk back down the catwalk.**</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Announcer:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Well now. I’m beginning to see why everyone thinks the polar ice
caps are melting. No way snow can last with those two heating up the North
Pole. Danette and Spir from <b><i>Santa’s Helpers: Decorating Spirit</i></b>
by Zenobia Renquist (out now.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">****</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00bmvRUJItsNs-WtTHfn5o-usDTMw_TlP1vRitZppgbKDbz524IF3JtNaattEJl737mvos_E4hWvDLwEiRpCwvAL0m135c3GfS5btBtjObgDL1o6PTaKTftFy1U4yJuOr4rH40D44tl4/s1600/ZenobiaRenquist_SH_DecoratingSpirit_200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00bmvRUJItsNs-WtTHfn5o-usDTMw_TlP1vRitZppgbKDbz524IF3JtNaattEJl737mvos_E4hWvDLwEiRpCwvAL0m135c3GfS5btBtjObgDL1o6PTaKTftFy1U4yJuOr4rH40D44tl4/s1600/ZenobiaRenquist_SH_DecoratingSpirit_200x300.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a><i><span lang="EN-US">She's
making sure Christmas comes more than once this year.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The Spirit of Christmas should be a joyous
person who can spread happiness around the world. Spir is anything but. His
mood is as dark as the black clothes he wears. Danette is hired to change his
clothing in hopes that his attitude will follow. Spir doesn’t want to
cooperate. When she finally gets him out of his clothes, Danette discovers
something harder than her job and much more enjoyable.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Genre:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Erotic Urban Fantasy Romance, Interracial, Fey</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Buy
Now:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Changeling Press: <a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1961">http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1961</a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">****</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Excerpt
from <i>Decorating Spirit</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She shrugged. “This
might not have been my calling from birth, like you, but this is my life. I
can’t do anything else. My only talent is enhancing people so they are better,
brighter versions of themselves, or so everyone thinks they are better and brighter.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“And
now you think you can make me better and brighter?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I’m
not trying to make you better, Spir. From where I’m standing, you’re perfect
already. I’m just trying to make you brighter.” She grinned. “Okay, not
brighter. Just less dark. Hence all the gray.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Perfect?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“What
about it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I’m
not perfect.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Dude,
have you looked in a mirror ever? There are men who would sell their souls and
the souls of their dear mommas to have your looks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I’m
not bright like Kris.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“And
your point is what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Women
-- fey women -- have always ignored me and flocked to my brother.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“That
makes them blind or stupid or both. Kris is gorgeous and so are you. You’re
identical. And did you ever stop to think they were flocking to him because he
was the heir of the house? He’s the head of the House of Kringle, the top house
in the winter clan. Women would have been flocking to him if he looked like a
troll because of the power he now holds.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Spir
stared at her with wide, confused eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I
think the only one hung up on you being his shadow is you, Spir. You let the
opinions of a bunch of gold diggers and opportunists determine your self worth.
You’re the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>spirit</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>of Christmas. It can’t exist without
you. Even those who don’t believe in Santa do acknowledge you. Have you even
visited humans around Christmas time?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He shook his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Did
your uncle?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I
never saw him leave the North Pole.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Well
there you go. You’re basing your opinion on false information that further
perpetuates your feelings of inadequacy. I was always taught that presents and
a jolly fat man in a red suit don’t make Christmas. It’s the feeling inside.
The giving -- not to be redundant -- spirit. The love of family and brotherhood
and togetherness. Everything else is icing on the cake.” She took his hand and
squeezed it. “You’re the cake, Spir.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">His
gaze went down to her hand and then back to her eyes. His earlier confusion had
changed to surprise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She
released him and stepped back, clearing her throat. She’d gotten too wrapped up
in her preaching. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to start lecturing you. It’s one of my
bad habits.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“It’s
fine.” He raised the hand she’d held and looked at it as though he’d never seen
it before. “It’s completely fine.” He lowered his hand and turned his attention
back to her. A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. “Your enthusiasm has rubbed
off on me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">~ Zenobia Renquist</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://zenobiarenquist.com/">http://zenobiarenquist.com</a>
</span></div>
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<b>Commenters on all Changeling Press posts - including this one! - will be entered to win a past Changeling Christmas series! </b></div>
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-91404308581128262952012-12-14T05:35:00.000-08:002012-12-14T05:35:01.417-08:00K.A. M’Lady – O’ Christmas Tree & Other Magic<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_j1Wo_6XqdWzI8qJJ8mFYpTF8xle3nhJqMw09jVZD_s9e6Qv9NcWT9_rvfqCcqCg_nOykvHDRjBQHyACD9-THb4IUybwFbqtXF1cuViBdb6ibxHKSn9HTWIMACa-SvGr_0EYP_enSdGE/s1600/KAMLady_JAPM-Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_j1Wo_6XqdWzI8qJJ8mFYpTF8xle3nhJqMw09jVZD_s9e6Qv9NcWT9_rvfqCcqCg_nOykvHDRjBQHyACD9-THb4IUybwFbqtXF1cuViBdb6ibxHKSn9HTWIMACa-SvGr_0EYP_enSdGE/s320/KAMLady_JAPM-Christmas.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">History teaches that a 7th century monk
from Crediton, Devonshire, went to Germany to spread the Word of God. Legend has it that he used a Fir Tree’s
triangular shape to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. The converted Thuringian people
began to revere the Fir tree as God's Tree.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It is said that in the early 16th century,
Martin Luther was to have decorated a small Christmas Tree with candles, to
show his children how the stars twinkled through the dark night.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The worship of trees goes as far back as
the practicing pagans of Europe. It survived
their conversion to Christianity. And,
it is said that in the Scandinavian customs of decorating the house and barn
with evergreens at the New Year, the boughs were used to scare away the devil.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">So, as you see, the Christmas Tree has a
long history of light, and faith, customs and beliefs. Its traditions are varied and cross many histories
of people. At the center of these
customs is collectively gathering amongst those we care for in love, and
friendship; coming together in the lights and joy of Christmas.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">As you gather with family and friends this
holiday and share in the magic of this blessed season, and as you decorate your
Christmas Tree with treasured decorations, think on all of the memories that
made up that box of ornaments. That lit
up tree decked with tinsel or garland.
And remember that monk and all those who have gone before us who passed
on this treasured tradition of light and love.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Best Selling Author of Ramshackle Castle ~
Bent Poetry & Other Altered Verse and Just Another Paranormal Christmas; <b>K.A.
M’Lady</b> lives a few stone throws from corn fields, chaos and congestion; all
lying on the outskirts of the many burbs of Chicago. Her work has been described as scary,
descriptive, beautiful, dark, frightening, prosaic, addictive, sexy and
believable. You can visit the worlds she
creates on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ARe or at her publisher, Mojocastle
Press. Or, look her up on the web at: <a href="http://www.kamlady.net/">www.kamlady.net</a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b>Today I’ll be giving away one (1) copy each
of my best-selling ebooks; <i>Just Another Paranormal Christmas</i> – Anthology by
several of the multi-talented authors from the paranormal group Just Another
Paranormal Monday. As well as my
best-selling poetry ebook; <i>Ramshackle Castle ~ Bent Poetry & Other Altered
Verse</i>. To win answer either of the following questions in
the Comment Section:</b></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US"> What is your favorite Christmas Tree
decorating memory?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">What do you top your tree with
– Angel or Star and why?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My favorite tree memory: When I was a little girl our neighbors had
this huge white tree and they would always decorate it with blue and white
lights, silver, and blue balls and tons of sparkling blue and silver garland. It always reminds me of some sort of
sparkling, magical, elfin tree, dusted with snow and sparkling with
diamonds. To this day, I love white
Christmas Trees.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And our tree is always topped with an Angel
– to watch over and protect us.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Ramshackle Castle - Bent Poetry & Other Altered Verse<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">in review: <a href="http://romancereviewsbyauthors.blogspot.com/2012/08/book-review-ramshackle-castle-by-ka.html" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1354888430_0"><span style="color: #0066cc; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romance Reviews Submitted by Authors</span></span></span></a>
had this to say:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">K.A. M’Lady’s works take on a range of emotion, from comical,
morose, sad, and dramatic. I loved reading the twisted, melancholy, and
oft times humorous, words of K.A. M’Lady. What an adventure! She has
taken an interesting approach to the collection, and it is very much worth the
read. There is such a broad range of poems and writings in Ramshackle
Castle that you are sure to find something that will bring a tear to your eye
or a laugh to your day. I can’t wait to read more from K.A. M’Lady.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> <br />
~Reviewed by Author Elizabeth Finn~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvC6YrxwvSrN3Sklj-OTdLXnHu1rSF9R2CoxycLsx0ebZEH9q6qyOGj6qnI_0_IZ9ZhNwJsUFb3qYSixaqOcC0Kg0m-qYTQ61jI9v93NkMGy5Id1b5akCF3xTybpbU9MwGCrDC6lOIp0/s1600/KAMLady_Ramshackle+Castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvC6YrxwvSrN3Sklj-OTdLXnHu1rSF9R2CoxycLsx0ebZEH9q6qyOGj6qnI_0_IZ9ZhNwJsUFb3qYSixaqOcC0Kg0m-qYTQ61jI9v93NkMGy5Id1b5akCF3xTybpbU9MwGCrDC6lOIp0/s320/KAMLady_Ramshackle+Castle.jpg" width="219" /></a><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Available Now at <a href="http://www.mojocastle.com/RamshackleCastle.html" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1354888430_1"><span style="color: #0066cc; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mojocastle Press</span></span></span></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ramshackle-Castle-Poetry-Altered-ebook/dp/B004IZM9UW" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1354888430_2"><span style="color: #0066cc; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amazon</span></span></span></a>
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ramshackle-castle-ka-mlady/1109901239?ean=2940014193702" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1354888430_3"><span style="color: #0066cc; font-size: 12.0pt;">Barnes & Noble</span></span></span></a>
& <a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ramshacklecastlebentpoetryandotheralteredverse-504083-175.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc; font-size: 12.0pt;">ARe</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Ramshackle Castle - Bent Poetry & Other Altered Verse<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Humor, Paranormal, Poetry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Ramshackle Castle<br />
<i>K. A. M'Lady</i><br />
Rated: The Curtain Wall<br />
Length: Sigil<br />
Price: $1.99<br />
ISBN: 1-60180-RCC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Come, walk the night road through your memory of childhood fairy
tales, limericks, ghostly apparitions and the lingering breath of classic
poetry gone awry. At the Castle, magick and mayhem are a lyrical delight
spun with fairy dust. It may at times be dark, dusty and a bit bent but
every word is a glamorous enchantment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">
<b><i>Tread Lightly</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">The road less traveled. Whoever told me to take that damn
road was an idiot! Yellow woods indeed. Maybe from the field full
of fairies -- no doubt. Crazy bitches with wings! ....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Dead Birds & The Ghosts of Psycho Ex-Girlfriends</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">One would think that a mind numbing midnight drunk would still the
incessant tapping; hammering its way inside my lonely chamber. I groaned,
“Be gone, I’m napping.” Only this and the tome I chucked at said wavering
chamber door. Only this and nothing more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> .....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">What becomes of falling snow</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">the dwarves never understood the longing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">and after months in a hovel cleaning<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">what should have been diamonds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">but remained only dust; coal black<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">and caking on the threshold of a place<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">now known as home, even doc couldn’t<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">cure the insatiable need for belonging,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">and love, ah that sweet poison,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">piercing my heart from a childhood<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">haunted by shadows and lonely dreams,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">I still long for a woodland filled with hope<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">where the wind, subtly cresting in the night, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">sometimes whispers -- maybe,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">someday,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">maybe…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">The ugly side of trolls</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">the night wrangles on amidst long intervals<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">of heavy pacing and endless moments<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">of deep introspection, for there is much to consider<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">beneath the dim light of plank-board<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">and the dark cool stench of wet, root filled earth --<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">for even bridge trolls get bored<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> ....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Reflections of Hamlet</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">I met Hamlet in my reflection and knew the solitude of his
rambling, his agony reflected in my eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">The sorrows of an ugly step-sister</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">you, Cinderella with your flaxen waves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">and sparkling eyes, know not what it is<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">to be cast in the shadows -- the second born,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">a grey goose of waddling travels mucking about<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">in a truly murky lake, suffering <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">an unsavory flair as a true second class citizen<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">K.A. M’Lady Copyright 2010<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">All Rights Reserved<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Just Another Paranormal Christmas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span id="yiv1003848064yui_3_2_0_4_1312209889447312">An All Romance eBooks anthology
Best Seller!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Buy your copy today at ARe - <a href="http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-justanotherparanormalchristmasanthology-504082-139.html" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1354888574_0"><span style="color: purple;">Purchase</span></span></span></a> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Available Now<o:p></o:p></div>
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at Mojocastle Press<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.mojocastle.com/ParaChristmas.html" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1354888574_1"><span style="color: #0066cc;">http://www.mojocastle.com/ParaChristmas.html</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="yiv1003848064msid13368"><span id="yiv1003848064yui_3_2_0_4_1312211311099167"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This Christmas the
castle will make you believe again....</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="yiv1003848064msid13368"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="yiv1003848064msid13370"><span id="yiv1003848064yui_3_2_0_4_1312211311099174"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just Another
ParaNormal Christmas</span></span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span class="yiv1003848064msid13371"><span id="yiv1003848064yui_3_2_0_4_1312211311099178"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by</span></span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span class="yiv1003848064msid13372"><span id="yiv1003848064yui_3_2_0_4_1312211311099130"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just Another
Paranormal Monday Authors:</span></span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Kayden McLeod, Candace Sams, Heather Kuehl<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
K.A. M'Lady, Brigit Aine, & Susan Gabriel<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
All Proceeds to benefit The Armed
ForcesChildren's Education Fund<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.afcef.org/" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1354888574_2"><span style="color: #0066cc;">www.afcef.org</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: maroon; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Once
Upon a Dragon - K.A. M’Lady <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
Jeremy Owens and his older siblings want to believe in magic, but hope and
belief are difficult things to hold onto even when you’re a child. After the
loss of their parents, three young children find themselves fostered off on an
Aunt who’s never known the love of a child. This Christmas, will the Owens
children find out what it means to believe again?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Anything is possible with a little magic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Excerpt:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“Are you okay, Aunt Lenni?” Jeremy’s sweet
little voice floated up at her like the breath of innocence that she’d recently
come to enjoy and she briefly wondered how anyone could not want to hear its
little bit of heaven on a daily basis.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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“I’m fine, Jeremy. Just a bit of the pre-holiday
blues,” she told him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
“You want to hold my dragon’s egg?” he asked
her. “It’s magic, you know.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
“No, Jeremy. It’s okay.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
“Really,” he told her, his voice filled with
excitement. “It will make you feel better.” Then he thrust the round, sparkling
rock into Lennai’s lap. “It makes me feel better. That’s cuz all of the magic
that’s built up inside of it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Lennai couldn’t help but smile. So, she took the
rock and held it in the palm of her hands. But as the rock began to warm a bit
of wonder seemed to grow with it. The feeling of warmth spread as it tingled
through her fingers. Then the warmth spread up her arms, all the way to her
heart. Lennai blinked in wonder at the now glowing rock she was holding.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
“See,” Jeremy whispered. “It’s magic.” Then he
took his dragon’s egg and wandered off.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Lennai sat in the chair at the kitchen table
where she’d begun her pondering. Her mouth hung open and her eyes, she was
certain, were wide with shock. The warm, fuzzy feeling she’d had when she was
holding the egg still crept through her heart; she was warm all over.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
“Well, I’ll be,” she whispered.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
</div>
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“You’ll be what?” asked Sam, who’d traipsed into
the kitchen wearing one of Lennai’s old sweaters.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Lennai blinked, looked down at her sparkling
fingers and blinked again. Her hands shone with a glimmer of dust, sparkling in
the morning light.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
“I’ll be,” she stammered again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
“You’ll be what?” Sam asked, looking at her Aunt
with a frown.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Lennai glanced up from her shiny fingers at her
young niece and babbled, “I’ll be right back.” Then she tore out the kitchen
door, down the stairs and across the snow-dusted lawn. She had one direction
set in mind—Pen’s. Good thing he lived right next door.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
“Pen,” she yelled, pounding on his front door.
“Pen, answer this door right now. I know you’re home. Your truck’s in the
drive. Pen, you answer this door.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
“Good grief, woman. What’s got you all fired up
this morning that you’re storming my castle door?” Pen asked when he yanked the
door open a minute later, wiping his hands with a work rag.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
“You,” she insinuated, her voice filled with
fire as she shoved her way past him, stopping only when she ended in his
kitchen. “You and that dang egg. Do you know that if you hold one it gets warm
all over? That it glows?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Pen looked at her like she was the one with a
few rocks loose.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
“Look,” she said thrusting her dust-covered
hands at him. “Jeremy gave me his egg to hold this morning because I was
feeling a bit down and when I held it, it got all warm and glowed and now I’m
all covered in its dust.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Pen took her hands in his and ran his fingers
over their dusty surface. “Maybe it is magic,” he whispered, sarcasm dripping
with every word.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
About Just Another Paranormal Christmas:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #c00000; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A Christmas to Remember - Brigit Aine </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Now that they are married, Lance and Kira thought
life would settle down. Unforntunately for them, as Christmas approaches, so do
their enemies.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #c00000; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #c00000; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reflections of a Lily in Winter - Susan
Gabriel </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
Even a tough cookie can crumble under difficult
circumstances. Fourteen year old Lily is drowning in domestic drama and facing
the worst Christmas in her life until a distant relative in a faraway place
throws her a lifeline.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
One Christmas spent at Candlewood Manor will
open her eyes to a world beyond her imagining and open her heart to the reason
behind the season.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #c00000; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Unexpected Guests - Heather Kuehl </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Werewolf Sarah Vargas returns to South Carolina
to attend a Christmas party thrown by Damian, born vampire and Lord of
Charleston. She quickly discovers that The Council - an elite group of vampires
- are attending. They are bringing with them two members of the Du'Rah, the
vampire's elders. The Du'Rah are pretending to attend Damian's party so that
they can initiate him into their ranks, however they have a more sinister plan.
Will Sarah be able to save Damian from the true death and still celebrate the
holiday season?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #c00000; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A Cornwall Christmas - Kayden McLeod </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Even vampires celebrate the holidays. Marcus and
Kelly wake up Christmas morning with their own extraordinary presents for the
other, one of them blowing up the kitchen. In an effort to appear more human,
the Cornwalls plan an extravagant dinner, with all the trimmings and more.
Differences are put aside; the Council and Covens come together to show that
this time of year is only for good tidings.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #c00000; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Once Upon a Dragon - K.A. M’Lady </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Jeremy Owens and his older siblings want to
believe in magic, but hope and belief are difficult things to hold onto even
when you’re a child. After the loss of their parents, three young children find
themselves fostered off on an Aunt who’s never known the love of a child. This
Christmas, will the Owens children find out what it means to believe again?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
Anything is possible with a little magic.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #c00000; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A Future Holiday - Candace Sams </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
In a future society, two lonely fighters return
from war. Rorn T’Kar is the commander of an Earth ship which has been battling
in space for eight long years. He once loved Lyra Dench, but she apparently
found his presence tedious. Lyra couldn’t tell Rorn she’d joined the Infiltration
Corps, which unfortunately had an eighty-percent mortality rate. She was
ordered to keep her actions secret and knew Rorn would try to keep her from
fighting to save Earth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
When Armistice finally comes and coincidentally
corresponds with the holidays, the magic of the season takes over. Rorn and
Lyra meet again, at the end of the war, and find what they thought they’d
lost…all by the light of a Yule tree.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-50320958595197499022012-12-14T02:00:00.000-08:002012-12-14T02:00:01.905-08:00Mistletoe Mistakes by Jocelyn Michel<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US"><b>BJ McCall</b> interviews Jonah Fortune, hero of Jocelyn Michel's <b><i>Mistletoe Mistakes</i>.</b>..</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAJkvzfZoyG_NsFWoA8olNCt383_LPNwSfEqKXDg9Jq_P6e-KfdmM-8JjCpr02rif3B7SiokgPyIibbw_sj_e8mgsnipKBbQwvsKalfoIrwA4IpweUGJObMO7FGGGPB8sp5zaFBrcm-8/s1600/JocelynMichel_MistletoeMistakes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAJkvzfZoyG_NsFWoA8olNCt383_LPNwSfEqKXDg9Jq_P6e-KfdmM-8JjCpr02rif3B7SiokgPyIibbw_sj_e8mgsnipKBbQwvsKalfoIrwA4IpweUGJObMO7FGGGPB8sp5zaFBrcm-8/s1600/JocelynMichel_MistletoeMistakes2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: large;">Interview with Jonah
Fortune</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Interviewer: Tell me about your favorite Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US">Jonah: Just about
every Christmas spent with my grandparents was my favorite. They had this theory that people who had
money should help people who didn't, especially during the holidays. So every year they drove around town looking
for ways to help--replacing a bad roof here, finding lodging for a homeless
person there. Stuff like that. I always went with them, which means that
early on I experienced the joy of giving.
I've continued the tradition as an adult because being one of Santa's
helpers is kind of addicting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Interviewer: What feature do you find most attractive in a woman?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US">Jonah: A giving
spirit, a wicked sense of humor, smarts…and it doesn't hurt if they love sex as
much as I do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Interviewer: So beauty isn't everything?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US">Jonah: Beauty is
nothing, which might sound odd from a guy who owns a national chain of family
gyms. But my fitness programs and workout equipment are about good health, not
buff bodies. I'm just trying to get
people off their couches.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US">Not that I don't
appreciate a good-looking woman. I'm a
guy. I do. But inner beauty is what really gets me--that
natural glow that manifests as a twinkle in her eye, a friendly smile, or even
a blush. Yeah, I'm a sucker for that
girl-next-door stuff.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Interviewer: Tell me about your first love.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US">Jonah: My first
real love was a girl named Mary Jo, or MJ as we all called her. We met in the mountains one summer because
some of our kin had neighboring cabins.
Being at an, um, experimental age sex-wise, we made the most of the
sunshine, seclusion, and each other, which means we made love every way but
upside down. Actually…we may have tried
that position, too. To say she was
memorable doesn't begin to go there.
Since I now live in one of those cabins, everything around me is a
constant reminder of what we had. I was
one lucky guy.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US">Interviewer: Sounds like you still have feelings for MJ?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Jonah: Oh
yeah. And I'm telling you now that if we
ever meet again and she's still available, I'm not letting her out of my
sight. Of course, the chances of that
happening are slim and none. I mean, she
was perfect as a teenager. As a woman…well… she's bound to have stolen more
than one guy's heart just the way she stole mine. And I'm pretty sure nothing short of a
miracle--no, a string of them--will ever get us together again. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US">But hey, it's
Christmas, time for that sort of thing.
So MJ, if you're out there and available, I'm still on our mountain in a
cabin built for two with mistletoe nailed over all the doors. Call me, or better yet, drop by. Anytime. Day or night. I'll be waiting.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><b><i>Commenters on all Changeling Press posts - including this one! - will be entered to win a past Changeling Christmas series!</i></b> </span></div>
Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-81770937134346411572012-12-14T01:56:00.000-08:002012-12-14T01:56:42.435-08:00Party Time by Vanessa Kelly<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FoTAfzbJabDfKV4kFhyphenhyphenskQ0Icg4bFaqnivJXBbKAH_u2hRS0MS366AYnKN9Fp7fc5-CCy2aUYoDpg3E9j2izGDwm1iWxgLdlLu-mHfEs2QiXL57bwSdaFDa9MN5PwyCmOEZZJ-0gXdQ/s1600/VanessaKedlly_IMG_0078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FoTAfzbJabDfKV4kFhyphenhyphenskQ0Icg4bFaqnivJXBbKAH_u2hRS0MS366AYnKN9Fp7fc5-CCy2aUYoDpg3E9j2izGDwm1iWxgLdlLu-mHfEs2QiXL57bwSdaFDa9MN5PwyCmOEZZJ-0gXdQ/s320/VanessaKedlly_IMG_0078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Regency
period was a time when folks really knew how to throw a party. That was especially true during the Christmas
Season, which ran from Christmas Eve through to Twelfth Night on January 6. The final party on Twelfth Night was usually
a real wing-ding, roughly comparable to the kind of blow-out we now celebrate
on New Year’s Eve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Much of the
action in my new historical romance, <b><i>His Mistletoe Bride</i></b>, takes place
during the holiday season. One of my
favorite scenes happens on Twelfth Night.
Lucas and Phoebe, my hero and heroine and very recently married, are
throwing a huge party at their estate, Mistletoe Manor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Life hasn’t been
easy at the manor—Lucas is dealing with a decrepit mansion and a neglected
estate, smugglers who are using his lands for their smuggling route, interfering
relatives, and a motley group of servants who go by the name of Christmas. The last thing Lucas wants is a big, noisy
party, and he tells his wife that in no uncertain terms. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But Phoebe is convinced
that holding a holiday celebration will put everyone in a good mood—especially
Lucas—and the bigger, the better. She’s
particularly excited about the King’s Cake, the centerpiece of the
celebration. Traditionally, one bean
would be baked into the cake and whoever got it would be appointed the Lord of
Misrule for the evening’s festivities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Phoebe, however,
has a little surprise planned for Lucas that involves this particular tradition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Gy_qXNMbs6baRG7JMBBcjGEx2TvWsNM-C34XMdbyXyA38dlp4AxxzAJdUXAYQzce45bsw2vN-72Ls1Xa6DfJB-eGZJTtGeaHogPkOujAWAIVHVFWhF0dtWGFVuDNQDTKt0F0lh71Lhs/s1600/VanessaKelly_His+Mistletoe+Bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Gy_qXNMbs6baRG7JMBBcjGEx2TvWsNM-C34XMdbyXyA38dlp4AxxzAJdUXAYQzce45bsw2vN-72Ls1Xa6DfJB-eGZJTtGeaHogPkOujAWAIVHVFWhF0dtWGFVuDNQDTKt0F0lh71Lhs/s320/VanessaKelly_His+Mistletoe+Bride.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
tugged his hand and they weaved their way through the crowd, heading for the
dais. It took several minutes, as villagers wished them good cheer and warm
thanks for the evening’s entertainment. Phoebe was too flustered to say more
than a few words, but Lucas responded with easy charm, seeming to enjoy himself.
When his hand settled once more low on her back, cradling her gently as they
strolled, her tension eased.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
reached the dais just as the door in the back of the hall swung open. Mr.
Christmas emerged with great ceremony, two brawny footmen staggering behind him
under the load of an enormous King’s Cake. The confectionary edifice was always
the centerpiece of the Twelfth Night celebrations, and Mrs. Christmas claimed
that Cook’s was the finest in the entire county.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
cake’s thick icing gleamed with a brilliant white in the blaze of the candles,
and whimsical sugar figurines dotted the polished, two-tiered surface. The
round base was elaborately trimmed with sugar flowers in a rainbow of pretty
pastels, while a credible representation of the village church and a few of the
local shops topped the cake off.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Good
Lord,” Lucas exclaimed. “Is that the village square on top of that
monstrosity?” <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Yes,”
Phoebe said proudly. “It was Cook’s idea. She did a splendid job, do you not
think?”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Her
husband laughed. “Actually, yes. It’s got everything but the village drunk.” <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Really,
Lucas,” she responded primly. “Come along. It is time to take your seat on the
Lord of Misrule’s throne.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
frowned. “Why do you think I’m going to be Lord of Misrule? That’s a damned big
cake, and there’s only one little bean baked into it. Anyone could find it and
be appointed lord.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
glanced over at Mrs. Christmas, who was cutting the first slice. “We decided to
do things a bit differently this year. Given certain, ah, mishaps in the past,
everyone will be handed slips of paper with their cake. He who receives the
slip with the appropriate mark will be designated Lord of Misrule.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Hmm.
I suppose someone got drunk and almost choked on the bean one year.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
widened her eyes. “How did you know that?” <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“It’s
a fairly frequent occurrence. It happened to Robert once, and he wasn’t even in
his cups. Almost went to his grave because of the damn thing. He’s only still
with us thanks to his grandfather. The General slapped him on the back so hard he
nearly knocked the poor lad into the next room.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Phoebe
had to laugh at the image. “Well, we want to avoid that sort of thing. Mrs.
Christmas came up with the slips as a substitute.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Yes,
but that still doesn’t explain why you think I’ll—” <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lucas
broke off as Mrs. Christmas trundled toward them, carrying a plate. He directed
a baleful look Phoebe’s way. “Tell me you are not doing this.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
gave him a beatific smile in response.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
groaned. “On top of everything else, I must now be Lord of Misrule?”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I
am afraid so.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Surprisingly,
his mouth twitched into a smile. “Well, I suppose it does make a bizarre sort
of sense, given how everything tends to go to hell in a handcart around here.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Needless to say,
things <i>do </i>go to hell in a handcart
and right in the middle of the party, too.
But Lucas and Phoebe are rather used to that by now, so I’m sure they’ll
cope!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46GPVP8vqGx9L9jaIGn-K0spltag4eSDFJzbiG2_vBItViRKzNWdO2KVbAg-HJbeufLPLT58Ex9A26iLPVAF7QPRLVQbvRyOemQB51PPvJJO5cMMD0eqMKU576TeU6fUmN3DnZmLxn3s/s1600/VanessaKelly_My+Favorite+Countess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46GPVP8vqGx9L9jaIGn-K0spltag4eSDFJzbiG2_vBItViRKzNWdO2KVbAg-HJbeufLPLT58Ex9A26iLPVAF7QPRLVQbvRyOemQB51PPvJJO5cMMD0eqMKU576TeU6fUmN3DnZmLxn3s/s200/VanessaKelly_My+Favorite+Countess.jpg" width="124" /></a><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
about you, readers? What’s your favorite
type of party during the holidays? Do
you like fun family get-togethers, rowdy New Year’s Eve celebrations, or do you
prefer curling up with your honey by a cozy fire? One person who comments will win a copy of my
last book, <i>My Favorite Countess</i>.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9100289630387595500" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">BLAME
IT ON THE MISTLETOE…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When Major Lucas
Stanton inherited his earldom, he never dreamed his property would include the
previous earl’s granddaughter. Phoebe Linville is a sparkling American beauty,
yes, but with a talent for getting into trouble. Witness the compromising
position that forced them into wedlock. Whisked away to Mistletoe Manor, his
country estate, it isn’t long before she is challenging his rules—and
surprising him in and out of bed…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Phoebe has no
intention of bowing to Lucas’s stubbornness even though he offers all that she
wants. His kisses and unexpected warmth are enticing, but Phoebe is determined
to show the Earl of Merritt what real love is all about. And if that takes
twelve nights of delicious seduction by a roaring fire, she’s more than willing
to reveal her gifts very slowly…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Buy
links: </span></b><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/His-Mistletoe-Bride-ebook/dp/B007XIC46A/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amazon</span></b></a></span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></b><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-mistletoe-bride-vanessa-kelly/1108931530?ean=9781420114843&itm=2&usri=his+mistletoe+bride"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Barnes & Noble</span></b></a></span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></b><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/His-Mistletoe-Bride/Vanessa-Kelly/9781420114843?id=5312597997285"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Books A Million</span></b></a></span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Vanessa
Kelly was named by Booklist, the
review journal of the American Library Association, as one of the “New Stars of
Historical Romance.” Her Regency-set historical romances have been
nominated for awards in a number of contests, and her second book, <i>Sex and The Single Earl</i>, won the
prestigious Maggie Medallion for Best Historical Romance. Vanessa also writes contemporary romance with
her husband under the name of V.K. Sykes.
You can find her on the web at </span></b><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.vanessakellyauthor.com/"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">www.vanessakellyauthor.com</span></b></a></span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> or at </span></b><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.vksykes.com/"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">www.vksykes.com</span></b></a></span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-CA"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/vanessakellyauthor"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Facebook</span></b></a></span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://pinterest.com/vanessakellyaut/"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pinterest</span></b></a></span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><a href="https://twitter.com/VanessaKellyAut"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Twitter</span></b></a></span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://vanessakellyauthor.com/vanessa-blog/"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Vanessa's
Blog</span></b></a></span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.rockitreads.com/"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Rock*It Reads</span></b></a></span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9100289630387595500.post-26364969234521437942012-12-13T23:24:00.003-08:002012-12-13T23:38:55.254-08:00Cry for the Moon by Marie Treanor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i>Cry for the Moon</i></b>, a short Christmas story I wrote a couple of years ago, focuses in the beginning on a tragic element of many people's Christmas - loneliness. My heroine is so lonely after the loss of her husband two years ago, that she's spending Christmas alone in an isolated cottage, with a suicide plan.<br />
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Not festive!<br />
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However, since this is romance, unexpected hope comes to Ruth. And this <i>doe</i>s seem right for Christmas! So, thinking of the real life lonely this Christmas, and wishing them new hope and better things, here's an excerpt from <b><i>Cry for the Moon</i></b>...<br />
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<b>Holiday Howlz: CRY FOR THE MOON</b></div>
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<b>By MARIE TREANOR</b></div>
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<b>Available Now from <a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1288" target="_blank">Changeling Press</a></b></div>
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A lonely woman spends Christmas by herself in the country cottage she once shared with her beloved husband, a soldier who disappeared without trace two years ago. She has finally accepted that he's dead and is even contemplating suicide.<br />
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On Christmas Eve, a knock on the door heralds the arrival of a homeless man in ragged clothes who bears a staggering resemblance to her husband. However, he doesn't know who he is, or what has led him to the cottage. Recklessly, she lets him stay the night, but begins to suspect she may have made a terrible mistake when, in the midst of unexpected passion, a wolf flees howling from her bed.<br />
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Ruth lost herself in her dream, the remembered feel of his lips and tongue, the caress of his hand on her breast while the other sneaked up her skirt to stroke her thigh and hip and slide round between her legs. She was wet for him, always eager and the discovery made his breath hitch as he slid his fingers inside her panties to find the slick nub of her clitoris. Jared’s fingers… she loved his fingers, adored the pleasure they gave her. But soon, she wanted more. She turned in his arms, burrowing under his sweater to pull it over his head before unzipping his jeans and dragging out his fully erect cock. Raising herself in his arms, shivering as his hands closed around her naked hips, she gazed into his hot, devouring eyes as she lowered herself onto his cock. God, it felt so good, filling her, answering her every desperate need…<br />
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A loud knock shattered her dream. Whisky sloshed over her hand as she jumped. Who the hell could that be? Whoever it was, she hated them for interrupting her dream. It had almost felt real.<br />
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Standing, she dashed her hand across her wet face. Shit, when had she started to cry? As the knock came again, loud and impatient, she walked unsteadily to the door, wiping her eyes on her sleeve as she went.<br />
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She was a woman, alone, in an isolated cottage at night. But she ignored the danger. She’d been beyond caring for some time. In any case, it must be Jane or Charlie in the midst of some emergency.<br />
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She flung open the door, “What is it?”<br />
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And found a tall man leaning one arm across the door frame, staring at her. In the contrast of the lit cottage with the darkness outside, she couldn’t make him out properly, but he seemed to be large and ragged and unshaven. And by some unkind trick, he managed to look like her husband.<br />
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Her throat dried up. Shock and grief kept her frozen. Had she fallen asleep in front of the fire and was dreaming? After all, she’d had dreams like this before, where he came back… Only he hadn’t looked so… rough.<br />
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He moved, pushing his head forward into the light and she saw that of course it wasn’t Jared. This man had blank, wild eyes, not the thoughtful, intelligent, often cynically amused ones of her husband. And he was too thin, too unshaven. Jared had never had stubble growing all over his neck like that…<br />
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The man took a step nearer her, and instinctively, although she wasn’t frightened, she took one back. She blinked. In the glow of light from the cottage, his neck no longer looked so hairy, though he clearly hadn’t shaved for some time. Unsure, she lifted her gaze back to his.<br />
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He stared at her, a frown etched between his thick brows. Or were they really so thick? Perhaps they were just untidy. But his eyes… her mind was playing tricks, for his eyes seemed to be exactly the same shade of bright, piercing blue as Jared’s.<br />
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Incidentally, <b><i>Cry for the Moon</i></b> is also part of the <b><i>Wolf Hunt</i></b> series, and is available in this ebook collection, together with <b><i>Urban Wolf</i></b>, <i><b>Forest Wolf</b></i> and <b><i>Galactic Wolf</i></b>.<br />
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<b>WOLF HUNT - E-book collection, by MARIE TREANOR </b>- Available Now from <a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1535" target="_blank">Changeling Press</a>:<br />
<i>Only sex can restore the damaged wolves. Will love destroy their vital mission, or save the world?</i><br />
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<b>Commenters on all Changeling Press posts - including this one! - will be entered to win a past Changeling Christmas series! </b><br />
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Marie<br />
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<br />Marie Treanorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00910679808761240343noreply@blogger.com10