 | "HEARTS' PRIDE" by Ally Shields is one of four paranormal stories in Valentines Heat I, a short story anthology for any season. I've read and enjoyed them all. If you like a variety of paranormal stories, you're sure to love them too! And maybe find a new author or two. :) Check out the anthology here: Amazon Barnes and Noble Etopia Press.com  |
 New Release includes "Hearts' Pride" by Ally Shields My publisher Etopia Press has released four volumes of short stories with Valentine's Day themes. (And heat levels from sweet to smexy). "Hearts' Pride," a short shifter story I wrote specifically for the anthology, is included in volume I with three other paranormal romance/urban fantasy selections by talented authors. "Hearts' Pride" includes characters you haven't seen before (although Guardian Witch fans will recognize the setting). Two black panthers have the starring roles, and I loved writing their story! Katrina is my kind of "take charge" woman. And Blane...well, you'll have to see for yourself. :) I hope you'll enjoy meeting them. Story blurb: When their wedding is ruined by a werepanther attack, Katrina is left hospitalized and Blane is just...gone. But when he finally finds his way to Riverdale, he learns he’s not the only one who’s been tracking Katrina... Buy Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble Etopia Press.com And other online retailers Other fantastic volumes are shown below. Click on the covers for Buy links.
 The Phantoms of Avenbury by Antonia van Zandt My new novel – Freya’s Choice – is set in the charming, picturesque and seemingly tranquil small town of Abbey St. Francis. Chocolate box thatched cottages sit alongside a meandering river. Birds of every hue sing and chirrup. The world moves at a slower place in communities like this, doesn’t it? Well, don’t you believe it! In my small town – hardly much more than a village really – strange things happen within some of those cottages. Unnatural, spooky things. The river transforms into a raging torrent when it feels like it. A massive bird takes to the air and a new resident has moved in. One that will change everything for this peaceful little backwater. In England there are many places like Abbey St Francis. And some of them are well haunted. Scarily well in some cases. Many of them hide deadly secrets. Oh yes, a lot can – and does – go on in the heart of rural England…  Take Avenbury, for example. This ancient Herefordshire village is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The community that was once centred on the church of St Mary has now disappeared, although the parish itself still consists of farms and hamlets. But it appears the 9th century church is far from empty. Multiple ghostly presences remain, making it arguably the most haunted church in England. During the post-medieval period, the village boasted a barn, several lime kilns and a thriving community but, gradually, it fell into decline. In 1861, 371 people lived and worked there, mostly farmers growing wheat, hops, apples and beans. The church itself was closed in 1931 and lost three of its bells to a London church - St Andrew by the Wardrobe – in 1933. In 1937, the last bell was removed from the Bell Tower. Since then it has endured a chequered history. It was even bought by a pagan in the 1970s, but then sold in 2007, when a trust was created to purchase it for preservation purposes. A local archaeologist bought it in June 2009. But this church with no bells lies far from silent. People wandering near to the building have reported hearing screams and bells ringing.  St Mary’s is now a ruin, hidden away on private land but visible from a public footpath, passing close by. Broken and cracked headstones litter the overgrown churchyard. The last vicar was a Mr E. H. Archer Shepard, who is said to haunt the place. The bell that no longer exists has been heard tolling. The sound of organ music was heard playing in the church in 1919 – even though the building was no longer being used, was locked up and there was no one there. Who is responsible for these ghostly goings-on? Local people will tell you it’s the spirit of the last vicar. But the ghosts of this church date back far longer than the twentieth century. In the 1600s, a local man called Nicholas Vaughan burned down one of the bishop’s houses and was executed for the crime. He didn’t rest in peace, but came back to haunt the Churchyard at St Mary’s where he was buried. The villagers became so frightened of this fearful ghostly presence that they dug his body up and reburied it in a silver casket. They then interred this in the brook which ran next to the church. On top of this, they placed a large stone, which can sometimes be seen to this very day, poking out of the water when the brook runs low. Silver and fresh running water – all guaranteed to quash the evil within.  At least… that’s how one version of the story goes. There is another: A brother and sister who lived in Avenbury at the beginning of the twentieth century recounted - when they were elderly – that the large stone didn’t cover the burial casket of Nicholas Vaughan, but of a wicked woman, believed to be a witch. The villagers were so scared of what she might do to them from beyond the grave that they refused to allow her to be buried in the churchyard. It is also said that a ghostly funeral was seen taking place in the churchyard – but the mourners had no heads. The church is also allegedly the site of Black Magic rituals, grave robbing and at least one other phantom funeral attended by ghostly monks. Whoever said it was peaceful in the countryside?  Freya’s Choice is published by Amber Quill Press. Here’s the blurb: Nothing much happens in Abbey St. Francis, but Freya’s about to change all that... Eve Lawson is no stranger to heartbreak. Three years ago, the man of her dreams betrayed her and left her unwilling to trust anyone ever again. So when gorgeous hunky farmer, Mark Latimer, starts to take more than a casual interest in her, she is cautious and nervous of committing either her mind or her body to him. But the attraction is there, and it’s growing. All Eve needs is just a little more time. Abbey St. Francis—a sleepy, pretty village where nothing much happens and traditional values are held true—has been Eve’s home all her life. No one suspects that the beautiful young woman who has just moved into West Lodge is anything other than a wealthy and generous benefactor. But Freya Nordstrom is not what she appears to be. Then the mysterious stranger takes more than a passing interest in Mark, and Eve knows she has a battle on her hands. But never in her wildest dreams could Eve have imagined the nature of the forces stacked against her... You can buy Freya’s Choice here: Amber Quill Press And here’s a short extract: ...A loud flapping startled me. I looked up and couldn’t believe what I saw. The most massive bird I had ever seen flew past me and hovered, silhouetted against the moon. Then it flew directly toward West Lodge. I glanced back down at the cats. Their ears twitched, but nothing more. I searched the sky for the giant bird again, but it had disappeared. Could I have imagined it? Surely not. I certainly wasn’t imagining those cats or the malevolence in their eyes. My knees buckled from my unaccustomed crouching position, but I was scared to make any rapid movement, and Freya’s cats continued to stare at me. Their eyes narrowed, as if at any moment they would pounce and tear me to shreds. But their hackles didn’t rise, they didn’t arch their backs, spit or make any of the warning gestures cats employ to let you know they’re about to strike. They just sat there, like statues. Waiting. My knees ached and I had no choice or I would simply keel over. Slowly, I rose to my feet, wobbling with the effort, while I kept my eyes on the animals. Their gaze traveled upward with my movement. A chill wound itself around my spine, spiraling the length of it, and I shivered. Then, as if receiving some signal I couldn’t hear, they blinked in unison and turned away. They slunk down my path before jumping over the wall and out of sight. I continued to watch and, in the light of the streetlamp at the bottom of Freya’s drive, saw them emerge and pad slowly up her long drive. They matched each other step for step, their tails held high. Then I saw a tall figure striding down Freya’s drive toward me. He passed the cats, apparently without acknowledging their presence. Too dark and far away to make out his features, my heart still lurched. Mark. I could see the familiar long hair fanning his shoulders, the white shirt and dark pants. Tears pricked my eyes. At that moment, I wished with all my heart I hadn’t seen him. It couldn’t be happening again. Surely he wouldn’t betray me as John had. After all he’d said to me. And I’d believed every word. So Freya had been telling the truth. Somewhere along the line she’d made his acquaintance, and now I knew why he hadn’t answered his phone. He’d been with her. I told myself to calm down. There could be a hundred innocent explanations for his visit. But unless I asked him, I wouldn’t know. I hurried down my path and opened the gate. “Mark! Hi!” I hoped I sounded nonchalant, but a note of desperation had crept into my voice. He reached the end of her drive and turned left. He was directly opposite me now, in shadows, on the other side of the lane. Any second and he would cross over. “Mark!” He must have heard me, but not a flicker. He never broke his stride. Just carried on walking, farther down the lane, away from me, while I stood and watched him, my insides turning to mush in dismayed disbelief... About Antonia: Antonia van Zandt has been writing since someone stuck a pencil in her hand at the age of around five. Sick of finding their wallpaper covered in scribbles, her parents relented and bought her an exercise book. This was the beginning of a trend. At the age of nine she progressed to her first typewriter, and can now spend hours happily tapping away at her keyboard while all around her descends into chaos. She has recently made the transition from writing erotica to paranormal adventure, with some pretty heavyweight Norse gods thrown in for good measure. She adores cats, fine wine and dramatic scenery. ‘Freya’s Choice’ is her first novel for Amber Quill. You can connect with Antonia here: Antonia van Zandt  Demon’s Touch Series: McLean Twins Volume: 2 Genre: Paranormal, Teen/YA 1st Edition: ebook Publishing date: 15th of January 2015 Publisher: Rogue House Blurb/Synopsis: “Magic is all about words and believing. If you believe then anything is possible.” Shannon McLean had come a long way since she lost her mother. A while ago she’d thought she was alone in the world, a plain Jane with no place to go. Now she knew better. Suddenly she was surrounded by relatives: a crazy talented twin brother, Ian, who literally held the keys to magic in his hands; a demonic father, Connor, who had paid a high price for a one-way ticket to hell; and a wannabe big brother, Simon, who was not only half demon but also a hit man of some sort; and herself … so not a plain Jane but a witch with ancient spells tingling on her fingertips. Oh, and if that were not enough of a burden for a thirteen-year-old girl, her father had sent her to London on an impossible quest. Truth be told, she might have volunteered, but only because she naively believed that the world was beneath her feet and she was capable of performing a miracle as long as her brother stood beside her. She’d been so wrong. No matter what she did, or who tried to help her, she kept failing time and time again, and time was not something she had. If she ever intended to save her father from becoming the next king of hell, she had to act fast. She had to find a way to do the impossible and save a demon. After all, every witch knows the hard truth: demons cannot be saved. Book Link: Amazon (International): http://authl.it/2mf  Blurb of Black Diamond: After her mom’s sudden death, twelve-year-old Shannon McLean has to move from the US to the English countryside to live with her mysterious father, Connor McLean, whom she hasn’t seen since she was a baby. Soon she discovers that he doesn’t want her around and her moving into his huge manor, Greyman Hill, is nothing more to him than a compulsory deal. But if he does not exactly give her a warm welcome, his servant Robert is most likely an incarnation of evil. He runs the house with an iron touch and makes everyone who works there his little puppets. Weird things start to happen and the whole place scares the crap out of Shannon. Her dad can control her just by looking at her. The walls are full of secret passages and apparently she has the talent to awaken the ghosts in them. Every day is worse than the day before and she wants badly to run away but discovers it’s impossible. If she wants to stay alive she has to do exactly as her dad says or else she will not only jeopardize her own life but also the lives of the people around her. While Shannon struggles to find the magic inside her, Connor is slowly turning into a demon. One carelessly spoken word from her could either save or destroy them both. In the end she has to decide whether to save herself and her loved ones, or lose her dad to the darkness and evil that threaten to eat his soul. Link to Black Diamond, Book One in the McLean Twins series: http://authl.it/1ax  About the Author: Jennifer Loiske lives in Finland in Naantali, which is a small sunny town on the southwest coast. She is a Teen/YA paranormal fiction author, with four exciting series available worldwide. McLean Twins series for teen readers, Immortal Blood series for mature young adult readers, Blood Hunters series, also for mature young adults, which is a follow up for Immortal Blood series and is created by the readers’ requests, and The Shape Shifter series for anyone age 16 and up. Jennifer’s stories are full of creatures of the night. Vampires, demons, witches, shape shifters…but even if they are mostly fiction you can find a hint of a truth in every story. Jennifer loves to research so every time she gets an idea of a new story she does a crazy Google session looking for places, old myths, names, folklores, magical items…anything that could spice up her story and make it more real for the readers. Jennifer is also part of Authors For Charity, an international author alliance, and team member in Epilepsy FI magazine. She has a soft spot for people in need and anything furry. In her spare time you can find her roaming in the woods with her two dogs or walking on a beach road, headphones on, a focused expression on her face, whilst her mind is developing wild plots which will make her readers to bite their nails off. Author links: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferLoiske https://twitter.com/jenniferloiske https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5821849.Jennifer_Loiske http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Loiske/e/B0054QIXPY https://jenniferloiske.wordpress.com https://fi.pinterest.com/authorjloiske/  Title: Destiny Nexus Series: Shimmer In The Dark Volume: 2 Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy 1st Edition: eBook Blurb/Synopsis: “This man isn’t the exclusive property of the US any longer. He is answerable to the world.” Major Niall Kearey is the only man capable of bridging space-time to create portals across the known universe. His government and the US military exploit his abilities, a secret society incites global unease in a bid to control him, and the alien refugees he smuggled to Earth revere him as the fulfillment of ancient prophecy. Under threat of exposure, a potential one-man weapon of mass destruction, Niall and his family are forced back into hiding. Struggling to protect his wife and children, honor his oath to God and country, Kearey discovers he’s attracted the attention of a devourer of worlds – the legendary Balor – an enemy so powerful it enslaves or destroys everyone in its path. The world needs Niall Kearey and his abilities, but the shady politics and dirty maneuverings of Earth’s power-brokers have tied his hands. Shackled by the unceasing suspicion and assaults on his liberty, Niall desperately seeks a means to protect planet Earth against the ancient predator hunting him down. Whether Balor’s purpose is Apocalypse or invasion, the threat escalates as Niall realizes the answer to the future lies in the past—his past. How far can one man travel to preserve a world that has turned on him? Niall must accept his destiny as the nexus – a magnet for destructive forces and possibly mankind’s last hope for salvation. An exploration of love and betrayal with the high-octane pace of a military thriller, Destiny Nexus stretches a man’s moral fiber to the breaking point and changes him forever. This action-packed sequel continues the epic space opera saga introduced in Rogue Genesis. Book Link: Amazon  Author Information Ceri London (pen name) is an author of science fiction / fantasy who has just published the second volume in her Shimmer In The Dark series. She is a member of ASMSG, a league of international writers. Back on Earth, life is very normal. Ceri lives in the UK, is married, a mother of two girls, and a piano tutor following a fifteen year career in IT within the international financial industry. She holds a BSc Honors degree in Chemistry & Computer Science, but acknowledges that in no way provides her any authority with regards to the science in her fiction writing, relying on research and drawing on the experience of others far more qualified. Looking forward, Ceri is committed to completing her Shimmer In The Dark series and developing a range of related short stories and spin off novels. Author Links: Amazon Author Page Smashwords Author Page Website Facebook Page Goodreads Google+ Author Email: cerlondon@yahoo.com 
Destiny Nexus is the sequel to Rogue Genesis. Rogue Genesis is the first book in Ceri London’s Shimmer In The Dark series and can be read as a standalone novel. “I've loved developing the characters from Rogue Genesis and have introduced a few more as Niall discovers his heritage and unravels the threat of an alien predator hunting him across the cosmos. I'm now looking forward to developing a cast of new alien characters in Galacticus Elecion, the third book in the series.” Ceri London. Rogue Genesis Blurb/Synopsis: One man. Two worlds separated by a universe. Space-time warped by black holes. In the passing of seconds on Earth, Major Niall Kearey has witnessed the birth and death of generations on Astereal. His mind shortcuts light years to visit a fantastical world of floating sky cities populated by telepaths. Astereal is in decline, the dueling forces of black holes threaten extinction. Ancient prophecy predicts their interstellar visitor brings salvation. As Niall faces the staggering truth – that his alien dream world is real – he and his family are targeted by secret societies, scheming politicians, and the US military. Time is running out as Astereal races towards annihilation and temporal alignment with Earth. Power brokers vie for control of his capabilities. Niall must act, balancing the needs of Earth, his family, and the alien civilization he has come to know and love. The fate of two worlds rests on Niall Kearey’s shoulders.  Healing Waters, Book Three in the Chronicles of Lily Carmichael trilogy picks up with sixteen-year-old, genetically enhanced Lily Carmichael and friends in the midst of a daring escape from Las Vegas. In this final installment, Lily faces her ultimate challenge. After a failed rescue attempt, and with no home to return to, Lily and Will reunite to join with her uncle and his Network of rebels, taking on Vice President Malevich and his army of agents, drones, and Guardians. With Malevich enslaving the city-dwellers who depend on the New Government for their survival—he’s made it clear he will eliminate anyone who stands in his way. Staying one step ahead of the Industry, Lily, Will, and their friends undertake a harrowing journey from the desert southwest to the new Capitol in Chicago, where they’ll face a fight to the death. But Lily’s greatest gift—her driving instinct to heal and protect—may also be her greatest enemy. As Lily’s abilities grow, can she do what it takes to save humanity, while taking down the madman bent on destroying it? BUY LINKS: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PCZYXH4 Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Healing-Waters-Chronicles-Carmichael-trilogy-ebook/dp/B00PCZYXH4/ Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23549216-healing-waters Read a chapter on Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/story/26392326-healing-waters-book-3-chronicles-of-lily  Try book two in the trilogy for FREE through January 19! WESTERN DESERT, Book Two in The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael trilogy, takes off where WANING MOON ends. Genetically enhanced sixteen-year-old Lily Carmichael, and seventeen-year-old Will Callahan embark on a journey across a sun-ravaged and decimated US in the year 2057, bound for the Western Desert on a dangerous rescue mission. The survivors they meet along the way put Lily’s healing abilities to the test and challenge Will’s resolve to find his missing father—no matter the cost. But even with the burden of life and death on their shoulders, and the Industry hot on their trail, the greatest challenge they face is trusting their hearts to each other. http://www.amazon.com/Western-Desert-Chronicles-Carmichael-ebook/dp/B00DJUHZS8/  About the Author: PJ Sharon is the award winning author of contemporary young adult novels, including PIECES of LOVE, HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES, ON THIN ICE, and SAVAGE CINDERELLA, winner of the 2013 HOLT Medallion Award and the 2013 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award. She has also completed The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael, a YA Dystopian trilogy. WANING MOON, Book One in the trilogy, was a finalist in the 2013 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and was a HOLT Medallion Award of Merit recipient. Book Two, Western Desert was a finalist in the 2014 Write Touch Readers Contest and placed third in the 2014 Winter Rose Contest. HEALING WATERS, Book Three in the trilogy, released in December, 2014. Writing young adult fiction since 2007 and following her destiny to write romantic and hopeful stories for teens, PJ is a member of Romance Writers of America, CTRWA, and YARWA. She is mother to two grown sons and lives with her husband in the Berkshire Hills of Western MA. Contact the Author: E-mail: pjsharon64@gmail.com Website: http://www.pjsharon.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pjsharon Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pjsharonbooks Tumblr: http://pjsharonbooks.tumblr.com/ Amazon’s Author Central page: https://www.amazon.com/author/pjsharon Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5238865.P_J_Sharon Google +: https://plus.google.com/+PJSharon/posts Pinterest @ http://www.pinterest.com/pjsharon/ Linked-In: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/pj-sharon/35/182/815 Also by the Author: NOVELS Contemporary Young Adult: Pieces of Love, Heaven is for Heroes, On Thin Ice, Savage Cinderella. Dystopian Young Adult: Chronicles of Lily Carmichael trilogy
SHORTS Soul Redemption-15k Short story prequel to WANING MOON Sami’s Christmas Wish List-30k novella (Girls of Thompson Lake Box Set) BOX SETS Girls of Thompson Lake-HIFH, OTI, POL, and a novella (SCWL) Book Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/pjsharon64 Give yourself a treat this weekend. Read a book!
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