Blog Tour: Making Life Matter by Shane Stanford -

Hey guys! Today I'll be hosting a stop on this tour for the book Making Life Matter! Join Shane Stanford, author of the Christian nonfiction, Making Life Matter: Embracing the Joy in the Everyday, as he virtually tours the blogosphere May 1 – 25 2012 on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book! So yep, enjoy!

Making Life Matter by Shane Stanford

In a world of fast-paced schedules and priorities, conversations about what makes for a life well lived are a rarity and a luxury. But what if the daily pace of life held in itself the way to make choices more significant? What if the daily to-do lists gave a glimpse into how people might change their future? What if the daily grind, as arduous as it might seem, held the key to a life full of meaning and potential? What if everyday, simple steps, instead of some complex list of seemingly unattainable principles, showed how to make life matter?
Making Life Matter answers these questions and shows that the steps for making life matter are found in rather ordinary decisions, attitudes, and patterns found in normal routines. This book is about our story and our journey, and what we do and feel along the way.

Buy it from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christian Book

Shane Stanford

Shane Stanford is a pastor, author and teacher. He is the Senior Pastor of Christ UMC in Memphis, TN, one of United Methodism’s largest and most influential congregations.
Shane is a former church planter as well as the Director/Host of the United Methodist Hour, a radio and television ministry airing in 30 million homes nationwide.
Shane is the author of eleven books including A Positive Life (Zondervan), The CURE for the Chronic Life (Abingdon), and Mosaic (Abingdon).
Shane has also written several articles published in such journals/magazines as Giving, CNNOnline, Alive, and The Circuit Rider.
Shane has appeared on numerous media programs including ABC’s Good Morning America and Fox & Friends.
Shane travels extensively sharing his story as an HIV positive hemophiliac and pastor. He has presented at such venues as the Saddleback Global AIDS Summit and the National Civil Rights Museum.
He is married to Dr. Pokey Stanford (a Professor of Education) and they are the parents of three daughters, ages 14, 11, and 7.
His latest book is Making Life Matter: Embracing the Joy in the Everyday.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Official Tour Page

So yep, that's about it for today! Go here to check out the other tour stops! You'll find loads of awesome stuff on the other tour sites too! :D

Promo: Accidentally Yours Series by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Mimi Jean Pamfiloff's ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED TO...A VAMPIRE, Book 2 in her popular "Accidentally Yours Series", recently hit #34 on the NYTimes Best Seller List (Fiction eBooks)!! "VAMPIRE" has also earned a well-deserved spot on both the Amazon and USA Today Top/Best Seller lists! To celebrate, Mimi Jean is giving away an eBook copy of not only ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED TO...A VAMPIRE, but ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE WITH...A GOD, Book 1 in the "Accidentally Yours Series", as well, to 20--yes, you read that right, 20--lucky winners!

Accidentally in Love With...a God?
(Book 1, Accidentally Yours)
Contemporary Paranormal Romance by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

"4.5 out of 5 Stars for Accidentally in Love With...a God? (Amazon)!"

Blurb:
Twenty-two-year-old Emma Keane has a secret friend. He’s powerful, mysterious, and devastatingly handsome. In her dreams, anyway.

In real life, he’s an enigma. Maybe just a teensie jealous. Definitely overbearing. He’s also a voice only she can hear.

So who or what is he? He won’t say. But if she wants to be free, to be normal, Emma will have to trek to the jungles once ruled by the Mayans and find the forgotten ruin holding the answers.

However, the ruthless deity she’s about to unknowingly unleash on the modern world might not be so easily extracted from her life. Bottom line, he’s got enemies, and now, so does she.

Excerpt:
With his golden face beaming, the man smiled as he stroked my sopping wet hair and cradled me against his warm, smooth chest. “I love this dream,” I said with a breathy voice, then stretched my arms above my head, gazing happily into the most striking set of luminescent, turquoise green eyes I’d ever seen.

To boot, they belonged to a breathtaking, masculine face, a face one would expect to see on the cover of a magazine named something like, I’m Way Too Hot to Be Your Man, or In Your Dreams, Honey.

Oh, yeah. Without a doubt, I’d topped myself this time. Sculpted cheekbones, thick dark lashes, chiseled jaw, and lips so full they simply had to be meant for kissing or eating something really juicy. He was way hotter than the specimen of perfection from my last dream, and bonus, he didn’t have that scary vibe. I reached up and ran my fingertip along the ridge of his hard-lined warrior nose.

“Emma, what in the name of the gods’ creation are you doing?” he scorned. “We really don’t have time for your immature little fantasies. We’re in the middle of a crisis. Do you not remember?”

I blinked and slowly moved my eyes from side to side.

Jungle? I was in the jungle. And my clothes were wet. Come to think of it, for a dream, I didn’t feel so hot. My lungs burned, my body felt like it’d been chewed up, and my head was throbbing. So, aside from the perfect man with long, damp, wavy black hair holding me in his arms, none of this felt like a dream. It felt…

“Holy Mother!” I pushed myself away and rolled into the dirt, pointing in disbelief. “Wha—you—you—?”

“Aaah. So eloquent as always, my sweet. It is astounding; you actually have a college degree, yet cannot find better words.” He pushed himself up off the ground.

As he rose, my heart stopped, started, then went into overdrive. His legs and spine straightened into a towering mass of unforgiving muscles. With shoulders like a lumberjack and thick, powerful thighs, I didn’t know if I wanted to run away or climb him like a tree. He was utterly enormous. Jolly Green Giant enormous. Except, obviously, not green. More golden brown. He was a gorgeous, towering mass of golden brown perfection.

No. Definitely not a cave-dwelling, wart-infested troll. Great. Just great. Now I knew I wasn’t crazy—Guy was definitely real—but now I also knew I was way over my head. He was gorgeous.

I stood in awe, my mouth gaping as my eyes attempted to register every rope of muscle, every capacious curve packed with power. Christ, he had to be at least seven feet tall.

“Six nine, actually,” he said, guessing my thoughts.

“This can’t be possible,” I whispered, my eyes continuing to dart up and down the length of his body, stopping right on dark trail of hair that started just below his navel and continued down, down, down to his enormous beast of a—“Oh! You’re naked.” I turned sharply, but only to stop myself from reaching out to touch it; no man could be that…that…endowed. Wow. “This can’t be happening.” I covered my face.

“Emma,” he moved behind me, placing his powerful hands on my shoulders. A jolt shivered its way through my body.

I was wrong about the vibe. Way wrong. This man, or whatever he was, radiated hazard. He should come equipped with a set of blinking lights or flares. He was…“Bad. Very, very, bad,” I mumbled, pinching the bridge of my nose.

And pathetically, after everything that had happened, all I could think about was this naked, hard-bodied, glorious “man” who’d just permanently seared his image inside the storage compartments of my female DNA. All men from this day forward would have to survive a mental side-by-side comparison against him. They’d all lose.

Available for ONLY $0.99 at:
Amazon | B&N | Smashwords


Accidentally Married to...a Vampire?
(Book 2, Accidentally Yours)
Contemporary Paranormal Romance by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

"4.5 out of 5 Stars for Accidentally Married to...a Vampire? (Amazon)!"

Blurb:
“If you love her, set her free. If she comes back, she’s yours. If she doesn’t...Christ! Stubborn woman! Hunt her down, and bring her the hell back; she’s still yours according to vampire law.”--Niccolo DiConti, General of the Vampire Queen’s Army.

The Determined Vampire:
Niccolo DiConti has faithfully served as leader of Her Majesty’s army for over a millennium, but he’d rather sunbathe in the Sahara than spend another grueling day under his demented queen’s command. However, no one has ever left her side and lived to tell. So when a powerful goddess prophesizes he will meet his salvation—a human woman he must turn into a vampire with her consent—he eagerly rises to the challenge. After all, how hard could it be to seduce a human female into taking the immortal plunge? Harder than he thinks. Because his mate won’t be born for another three centuries, and when he wakes up in the goddess’ tomb, not only is his life a mess, but his destined female isn’t about to settle for a coldhearted vampire. Can he win her over before it’s too late? Not if his enemies have anything to do with it.

An Unwilling Bride:
On the night Helena Strauss meets the fierce, devastatingly handsome vampire who saves her life in the jungles of Mexico, she knows her world will be forever changed. Because an attraction this mind blowing only comes along once in a lifetime—or existence. And when he claims she is his one true mate, destined to be his for all eternity, it’s a fairytale come true. So what if her knight in shining armor is a vampire? Nobody’s perfect. But discovering the powerful, overbearing immortal doesn’t “do love”? Deal breaker. Helena will flee and set out to accomplish the impossible…sever the otherworldly bond between them. And it turns out, Helena is just the leverage Niccolo’s enemies need to break the mighty warrior and wipe out his people.

Excerpt:
What the hell is this place?

Then Helena’s eyes focused on something else she couldn’t quite grasp. In the middle of the room, lying across a stone altar, was a naked man with dark symbols tattooed down the length of one arm. But he was not just any man. He was a male so perfect that words would catfight each other just for the honor of describing him. He was a god. A bona fide deity. He had to be. Because a normal man wouldn’t give her the urge to fall to her knees and worship at his feet. Or drool.

The torchlight licked his sculpted cheekbones, angular jaw, and full, sensual lips. Every capacious curve and ripple of hard muscle looked to be packed with raw power, and his size left no doubt that he’d been built in another time. A time when giant warriors roamed the earth, looking to rescue lame tourists wandering the Mexican jungle at night.

In my dreams. Wait...this is a dream! It has to be.

“Move closer my sweet, delicious woman.” The deep voice radiated from every direction, filling the room.

Helena’s blood pressure crashed to the floor. She gasped as the weight of her body slammed back against the cold chamber wall to keep from falling.

“Hel-hello? Can you hear me?” Fists clenched, Helena waited for a response, her eyes continuing to soak him in. Every inch of him.

Was he real? No, he must be a statue. Too perfect. His full lips were built to nuzzle a woman’s neck. Specifically, her neck. And that hair—thick, long waves of black satin—was the kind a woman could grab fistfuls of while being driven insane by those lips.

Then there were the diamond-cut grooves of his abs, his perfectly shaped navel, the fine dark hair adorning his lower belly that trailed down to his awe-inspiring man-gear. The size and thickness, even in its slumbering state, was something women dreamed of and scores of artists throughout history attempted to immortalize in marble. He was every woman’s fantasy, she thought. And by every woman, she meant hers…’Cause I’m not gonna share.

“Kiss me, Helena,” the seductive voice rumbled.

Had the man said her name? No. Clearly, his lips hadn’t moved. The margarita amoebas were attacking her brain and she was losing her mind.

“Kiss me, woman. I command you,” the voice echoed, this time compelling her to obey.

Helena’s survival instincts gave her a hard kick, jarring her back into the horrific reality of the situation. But as she tried to regain control of her body, her tongue slipped from her mouth and wet her lips.

Traitorous tongue. Backstabbing lips. What the hell are you doing? Her body inched closer.

“Sì, that is it, my love. I can smell your blood.”

Blood? What the...? Every nerve in her body fired on all cylinders, but she couldn’t run even if her hair had been on fire. It seemed the harder she fought, the stronger the force controlling her became.

“Brush it against my lips, my love. I want to taste you when you kiss me.”

Without realizing it, her hand stretched down to coat her fingertips with the thick, nearly dried blood from her knee. Trembling, she smeared it over his lips.

“Now, kiss me, my love. Awaken me, my bride.”

“No! No! Let me go!” Helena struggled, but her body’s betrayal persisted. Her head dipped, and her lips rested on his sensuous mouth. In that instant, the compelling force dissipated and her entire body lit up into one glorious pyre of life.

Had she been asleep the last twenty-four years? Because she could swear she’d just taken her first breath. Ever.

Holy hell, what was that?

The torches flickered, and the wind kicked up around her.

The altar was empty.

She crumbled to the cold, dusty floor. A pair of strong hands gripped her shoulders from behind.

“Oh, Christ. You...you’re behind me, aren’t you?” she whispered.

The deep dark voice replied, “Sì, my love. Stand, and let me see my mate.”

Helena slowly rose to face the naked god behind her.

Available for ONLY $0.99 at:
Amazon | B&N | Smashwords
One hundred percent (100%) of all proceeds derived from the sale of Accidentally Married to a...Vampire from Amazon and B&N on Sunday, May 6, will be donated to The Breast Cancer Foundation.



COMING IN SEPT 2012!
Sun God Seeks... Surrogate?
(Book 3, Accidentally Yours)
Contemporary Paranormal Romance by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Blurb:
Twenty-four-year-old Penelope finds herself in all sorts of hot water, vaporous and otherwise, after agreeing to become a surrogate mother for an eccentric, wealthy, and devastatingly handsome man who isn’t exactly a man.


About the Author:
Before taking up a permanent residence in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mimi spent time living near NYC (became a shopaholic), in Mexico City (developed a taste for very spicy food), and Arizona (now hates jumping chollas, but pines for sherbet sunsets). Her love of pre-Hispanic culture, big cities, and romance inspires her to write when she’s not busy with kids, work, and life…or getting sucked into a juicy novel.

She hopes that someday, leather pants for men will make a big comeback and that her writing might make you laugh when you need it most.

Website: http://www.mimijean.net
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/mimi-jean-pamfiloff/id498303364?mt=11
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MimiJeanRomance
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mimi-Jean/218935048190356
Email: mimi@mimijean.net

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Blog Tour: Mech-Man by L.J. Garland - Excerpt

Hey guys! Welcome to today's blog tour. It's kinda late, I'm so sorry, I was extremely busy today! Out almost for the entire day. Was about to sleep when I suddenly recalled this! Yep so Mech-Man is a really different read. At least for me. I mean, its not always that I find a storyline like that! Falling for a machine? Is it possible? That's what the blurb suggests, at least. I was supposed to review it, but school commitments have made me unable to do so - yet. I promise I will, in the near future I hope! My hols are coming up so if I'm not too busy preparing for exams, I'll certainly review it, the book looks great!

Mech-Man by L.J. Garland

Raven is on a suicide mission. Jex is a biomech on a mission to save humanity. They discover their mutual passion to destroy the enemy isn’t their only desire.
A war against the Darch has raged for years, and humanity is on the verge of extinction. Scientists have created biomechs to supplement as warriors, but it’s just a temporary fix on what appears an insurmountable problem. One desperate scientist injects JXS241, a biomech warrior, with what he hopes is the solution for mankind’s survival. But the biomech is captured by the enemy.
Raven Nirvanni survives on the fringes of a shattered culture. While on a self-imposed suicide mission to annihilate an enemy destroyer, she encounters the imprisoned biomech. Deciding the fate of humanity far outweighs the destruction of a single ship, she recues him and decides to ensure he reaches his destination.
With the enemy anticipating their every move, Raven is completely taken aback when she realizes she’s falling for JXS241. But can she really love a machine? And if so, can he reciprocate?

LJ Garland

L.J. Garland is a husband-wife writing team who has thrived within their own romance for over 20 years. One of their favorite things to do is get into a hot bubble bath and brainstorm story ideas. Amid their long list of hobbies and interests, two activities stand above the rest. They are both licensed helicopter pilots with hundreds of hours of flight time, and they practice with a variety of weaponry from long bows to high-powered combat rifles. This, along with years of military experience, gives their books a heightened sense of reality. They enjoy their life together in a house filled with love, laughter, and adventure along with their three cats, whistling guinea pig, and three boisterous sons—who conspire to ensure there’s never a dull moment. They love hearing from readers who’ve enjoyed their stories at mail@lj-garland.com.

Website | Blog | Mail

Time for a short excerpt!

The needle slid between the third and fourth vertebrae in his neck. A flash of heat shot through him. More pressure was exerted to penetrate the synthetic cartilage of his neurospine. Accessing his internal response center, he raised the pain threshold, but not so high he couldn’t monitor the procedure. Immobile, he waited for it to be finished.

“Done.” The doctor stepped back. “JXS241, system check?”

“No change,” he said, and reset his pain threshold. “As you said, Doctor Mechins. Just a pinch.”

“Good.” The doctor made a note on his techpad. “There are three biomechs just outside the lab, waiting to escort you and the information I implanted into your neurospine to the planet Altaiga.”

“Give me a ship, doctor. I’ll get myself to Altaiga.” Taking three biomechs away from the war to act as escort was a waste of resources.

“The information you carry is critical to the war effort.” Dr. Mechins tapped the techpad. “You’ll take the escort.”

JXS241 rose from his chair. The decision was illogical, but sometimes humans determined situations based on feelings rather than sound military strategy. He yanked a black shirt over his head and shrugged into his military-issue jacket.

The science lab shook, equipment toppled, and assorted paraphernalia crashed to the floor. Alarms barked to life, an alert that the base was under attack. Dr. Mechins’ reserved manner morphed to terror. His gaze rolled toward the ceiling.

“They’ve discovered us.” He grabbed JXS241’s arm, dragged him to the lab door. “You’ve got to get out of here. Take the other biomechs, commandeer a ship, and get to Altaiga. The fate of humanity may very well depend on you.”

JXS241 stepped through the doorway. Three heavily armed escorts awaited him. One shoved a pulse rifle into his hands. He grasped the familiar weapon, glanced at it, and toggled the setting to kill.  

“Wait.” The doctor clutched his shoulder. “You may notice some changes—”

The lab exploded. Hot twisted metal and glass missiled through the air, spiking everything in its path. A rush of heat shoved Dr. Mechins against JXS241, and they tumbled into the outer hallway.

Hands grabbed the biomech, lifted him to his feet, and propelled him away from the lab. On the floor lay the doctor, ripped metal and shards of glass jutting from his back, blood pooling beneath him.

“Medic required at lab, level seven,” the tallest biomech said into his com-band. His gaze shifted from the doctor to JXS241. “In line, soldier. Primary objective is to obtain a ship and fly out.”

JXS241 moved behind the other biomechs, and they hastened to the hangar where pilots scrambled to their fighters.

Scattered throughout the bay, sparks of light appeared and stretched into beings. Six-and-a-half to seven-foot men and women materialized. Graced with flaxen hair, and beatific smiles, immense gossamer wings protruded from their backs. With a serene facade they surveyed the hangar.

The enemy had arrived.

So yep, that's about it for today! Hope you enjoyed it! It looks real different doesn't it? :)

Blog Tour: Merlyn's Raven by Rose Vanden Eynden - Excerpt + Guest Post

Hey guys! Welcome to today's blog tour for Merlyn's Raven! The cover looks gorgeous, don't you think? Alright, I know this is late, but I was sick today so I didn't have the energy to do anything:(

Merlyn's Raven by Rose Vanden Eynden

Falling in love is the ultimate magic. For Gwendydd, a young woman in 5th century Wales, it seems an unobtainable fantasy. She dreads the day her chieftain grandfather will marry her off to increase his allies among the warring tribes of Britain. When she meets the mysterious and handsome druid apprentice Myrddin, Gwendydd realizes just how difficult falling in love can be. The ire of her disapproving grandfather is not her only obstacle. Myrddin’s clairvoyant visions of a king who will unify the battling tribes and bring peace to the land become a dangerous obsession that threatens to obliterate their union. Can Gwendydd support her beloved, the man destined to become the world’s most powerful enchanter, King Arthur’s legendary Merlyn? Or will her devotion destroy her and everything she holds dear?

Buy it from Amazon | Soulmate Publishing | Barnes & Noble

Rose Vanden Eynden

Rose Vanden Eynden has always believed in magic, which probably explains how she is able to be a writer as well as a wife, mother, medium, massage therapist, minister, and instructor. She resides in a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, twin teenaged sons, and a dachshund named after Rudyard Kipling. In her spare (!) time, she enjoys performing in live theatre, watching films, reading, and walking in the woods. An avid believer in a balanced life, she meditates and eats chocolate daily.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Time for a short excerpt!

The scream hung in the air like the waxing moon outside my window. I touched my face, expecting to feel the wound there, my skin cut somehow as Myrddin’s had been in the dream. My trembling fingers came away clean. My heart raced as my mind recovered, but I tore from my bedchamber nonetheless, darting through the shadowed hallways of Grandfather’s household, avoiding the guards that stood, dozing, at the ends of corridors. I knew I’d be beaten if I was caught, but nothing was as important as getting to Myrddin.
I reached the familiar door and slipped inside. He lay on his simple pallet beneath the window casement, but his eyes were open in the moonlight. They sparkled like dew on the grass, as did the sweat that dampened his hairline. His hand lay against his cheek, searching for the phantom wound.
“What is it?” I breathed, my heart still pounding as if it had never pumped before. “I had a nightmare about you.”
He sat up, his body shaking, and I pulled the blanket up over his shoulders as tremors wracked him. He gripped the cover with one hand and took mine in his other. It was not a fit, I knew, but an icy chill stole over me. “I had a vision.”
“It was you, was it not?” I forced the words out, even though they pained me to say them. “Trapped? Tortured?”
He nodded. I could bear it no longer, and flung myself into him, burying my face in his chest. He hesitated, but then his arms came around me, and I nearly gasped from relief, from knowing he was with me, warm and alive and safe.
“What does it mean?” I moaned.
“It is the future we see.”
I tilted my chin up to look at him, and he stared down into my face, one brow arched as if puzzling over a new plant he’d found while scavenging. “How is it that we see it together, raven? How is it that we are connected?”
“I love you.” The words, so sacred and yet sounding so simple, tumbled out. I did not care. Here in the dark, where there was no one else, the rest of the world seemed frozen, unimportant, and far, far away. Blaise, sleeping in the next room, was forgotten. I did not think of my grandfather and his plot to find me a husband, or of his threats to kill any man that stood in the way of that.
Only this moment between us mattered. Myrddin had to know that I thought of nothing but him, sought naught but his presence, heard only his voice with the pounding of my heart. It was bold and brash and dangerous, it was everything I wanted to be, my own true self, and I knew he understood that.
“I know,” he whispered. “And you should not.”
He tried to pull his hand away, yet I clung to it, my voice hardening. “Why do you say that? You are everything to me.”
“You speak of love, Gwendydd, and yet you have told me countless times how you long not for a husband, but for freedom.”
“You are my freedom. Do you not see? You, who have taught me healing and storytelling and magick. . .so many things. You are right—I did not know what I longed for until I met you, and then I understood.” I lifted my hand, daring to touch his cheek, and he allowed it. “This must be love, for it to seep so deeply into me, into my very soul.”
Softness settled into his gaze as he stared at me. “You are a poet, raven.” He teased, I knew, to turn the subject, but I would not be abashed.
“It frightened me, Myrddin. The dream. I cannot bear to be without you, or to have you hurt.”
“And yet there is no way to stop it, if it is my fate.” He gathered me against him and pushed us both up to our feet, shaking the blanket from his shoulders. He guided me toward the door but did not pull away, and I savored his closeness. “Come. You must go back to your chambers. If Brychan finds you here, or if someone sees us and informs him, he will kill us both.”
We shuffled in silence along the corridors, slipping past the sleepy guards undetected. When we came to my quarters, Myrddin placed his hands on my shoulders and looked at me sternly, as Betrys sometimes did when she preached her gospel of Jesus.
“Blaise has told me, Gwendydd, that unrest stirs in the land. The Cymry chieftains like your grandsire cannot quell it, and it will come to call here very soon. But these changes, all of them, no matter what they are, must unfold as they are meant to. We may never understand all that happens, but that is our challenge in life. And that includes whatever this vision may portend for me.”
I matched his seriousness with my own. “Whatever happens, we are meant to be together. I understand that much.”
His hand moved underneath my loosened hair, cupping the back of my head like a pillow, and his expression of wonder made me dizzy. “It is foolish and reckless, raven, but yes. I think I understand it as well.”
He left me standing there in a pool of moonlight, my mind spinning as the stars overhead, replaying his words over and over again to seal them permanently in my memory.

And now, let's welcome Rose to the blog to give us a really sweet guest post. Trust me, its amazingly sweet, I almost cried after reading it. I guess its just everything I want to have in the future!

The Magic of Romance

I fell in love when I was sixteen. I remember the exact moment when I realized it. One long summer night, my boyfriend and I drove to the stadium of the high school in the town where he grew up, and we ended up on our backs in a nearby field, gazing up at the stars in between kisses. We had only been dating a little over a month, but when I looked into his eyes that night, I knew: this was the person I wanted in my life every moment of every day. He made me feel valued and important and special, and he treated me with respect. He was funny and handsome and responsible, and I couldn’t imagine going back to a time where I lived without him. I knew this was love, but I was scared to tell him. I wanted to; I opened my mouth several times to do so, but I swallowed the words every time. Weren’t we too young for this intense feeling? Was I really experiencing something so grand?

That’s when the magic happened.

He looked me straight in the eye and whispered, “I love you.” Those three soft, beautiful words confirmed for me what I already knew to be true. At that moment, when I doubted my feelings, the Universe confirmed for me the magic of our connection by having him voice the same love I felt.

When I wrote my new novel, Merlyn’s Raven, I remembered those moments of intense young love and used them to tell the story. My heroine, Gwendydd, falls head-over-heels for Myrddin, the handsome druid’s apprentice who is forbidden to her. She must risk her household, her reputation, and eventually her life to win his heart, but these are sacrifices she makes willingly, giving herself over fully to the rapturous magic that true love weaves. In Merlyn’s Raven, love is timeless, mysterious, and dangerous, just like the dark age and land in which it’s set. I hope you’ll all come along for the adventure and share in Gwendydd’s and Myrddin’s story.

And my story? Well, that boyfriend and I married about five years later. We have twin sons of whom we’re very proud, and we’ll celebrate 27 years together this summer. And yes, it’s still magical.

So yep, that's about it for today! Its a bit late, I apologise! Alright, back to bed!

Blog Tour: Eulogy's Secret by Grace Elliot - Guest Post + Excerpt

Hey guys!

This is so late, let me start off with a sincere apology to the author. It really did slip my mind, I am really sorry. I'm also sorry to all the people who came here yesterday looking for the post and not seeing anything. It was really irresponsible of me.

So yep, without further ado, let's get started! Eulogy's Secret is a story of greed prejudice and a stolen identity. When I looked at the blurb, it just called out to me to read the book. And no, I haven't read the book yet. Yes, its due to school. :( I'm going to be reading it real soon though, so do look out for my review!

Eulogy's Secret by Grace Elliot

In the four weeks since her guardians’ death, Eulogy Foster has lost everything. Penniless and alone she seeks the help of her estranged brother, Lord Lucien Devlin. But Devlin throws Eulogy onto the streets and the mercy of a passing stranger, Jack Huntley. As Eulogy seeks the truth behind her birth, she is drawn into the world of art and artists, where her morals are challenged and all is deception.
Jack Huntley: bitter, cynical and betrayed in love. He believes women are devious, scheming, untrustworthy creatures - and when he rescues a naïve Miss from being raped, his life is about to change forever. As his attraction to Eulogy grows, caught in a deadlock with both denying their true feelings, events take a sinister turn as someone seeks to silence Eulogy….forever.

Buy it from Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Kobo | All Romance Ebooks | iTunes | Amazon UK

Grace Elliot

Grace Elliot leads a double life as a veterinarian by day and author of historical romance by night. Grace works in a companion animal practice near London and is housekeeping staff to five moggies, two teenage sons and a guinea pig. Grace started writing as an antidote to modern life and believes intelligent people have the greatest need to read romance!

Blog | Website

Time for a short excerpt!

Bright, moss-green eyes blinked back at her, as Eulogy realized he [Huntley] was waiting for her permission to stay. Her heart skipped and wondering if she’d misjudged him, cautiously, she nodded.
As the housekeeper fussed with the fire, Eulogy fought the discomfort Huntley stirred in her. His voice resonated deep in her body, and when he smiled she wanted to stare, to drink in that strong face, so masculine with its angles and planes, and yet somehow vulnerable. His presence filled her with unnamable sensations as she fixed her gaze firmly on the teapot.
They made an awkward party with Huntley gruff as a bear and Eulogy skittish as a colt. It didn’t help that she couldn’t make up her mind what to think. One moment he seemed high handed and arrogant, and the next a kind word to Mrs. Featherstone and her heart melted. Then there was the way his large hand folded round the teacup, that something so big could be so gentle did strange things to her insides.
Gilbert jumped onto his lap.
“No, Gibbe, get down this instant.” Eulogy leapt to her feet, trying to shoo the cat from a comfortable perch on Huntley’s long thighs and his immaculate buckskin breeches. But Huntley just smiled, ignoring the cat’s sooty feet, and started stroking the stripy ginger coat causing Gilbert to erupt into purrs.
“He really should get down. He’ll ruin your breeches.”
“It’s quite all right. Really.”
As if to emphasize the point, Gilbert bunted against Huntley’s hand as he found the sweet spot below the tom-cat’s ear.
“Oh. He obviously likes you.”
Eulogy sank back, nonplussed by this man who was overbearing, arrogant, domineering and yet strikingly handsome and utterly charming when he wished. That Huntley tolerated the old tom cat was unmistakably attractive and set Eulogy wondering if his bluster was just that…an act. His hooded eyes lifted to meet her gaze, and a moment of understanding passed between them that shook Eulogy to the core.

And now, let's welcome Grace to the blog!

My Secret Reading Habit.

Hello, and a big thank you to Victoria, for hosting me. On this 'Secrets' tour, I'm revealing some of the secrets in my life and since Victoria's blog is about reading, it seemed right to share my (once) secret reading habit.
Do you admit to reading romance?
If you asked several years ago, my answer would have been: No.
Years ago when I was a romance virgin (when it came to books!) if I played the word-association game, 'romance novels' would have conjured up my gran's old oak sideboard, containing large print Mills and Boon smelling of lavender water. And when, years later, I picked up my first romance (Gaelen Foley's "Prince Charming") and was wowed by it, I thought I must be old before my time.
After whetting my appetite I went on to fall in love with romance for so many reasons and it became my little secret. You see, I felt (quite wrongly) that romance was not what a professional woman with a husband and family should be reading. My previous exposure had been my Gran's books from the mobile library and I assumed no one of my generation read romance…but boy was I wrong!
Let's just say that when I hit on historical romance I discovered papery heaven. I love the escapism of historical romance, in fact I love it so much I was inspired to write my own stories. Now I am a published author and I've found so many friends have also owned up to their secret reading habit that I needn’t have been bashful in the first place!
Perfectly normal people who don’t smell of lavender water and hold down responsible jobs read romance. So go on, cut yourself some slack…read a romance today!

So yep, that's about it for today! Once again, I do apologise for the late post, it completely slipped my mind!

Blog Tour: Second Chance by Debbie Gould - Author Interview + Excerpt

Hey guys! Welcome to today's tour! It's for Second Chance by Debbie Gould! Now, romance is amazing don't you think? But to be given a second chance at love after losing your first love, is equally amazing. Second chances are great and that's what this book is about. So jump on in, read the blurb, the excerpt, the author interview and fall in love! Then buy the book! :D Now, I haven't read the book yet, but I'm going to. Really soon I promise, I just have to finish up my schoolwork:( Look out for my review!

Second Chance by Debbie Gould

Lieutenant Colin Beckett, US Air Force special ops, lost his wife in childbirth while off on a mission. Two years later, he’s still trying to come to grips with the guilt that tortures him. And to complicate matters, he finds himself undeniably attracted to his wife's sister, Emily. Struggling with his desire, he tells himself he doesn’t deserve a second chance with such an amazing woman.
Emily wants Colin in her life and her bed. Enlisting the help of Colin's teammate's and Madame Eve's 1 Night Stand dating service, she plans to prove to Colin he can have everything he lost once again.
Will their one night lead to the happy ending she longs for or the loneliness he thinks he deserves?

Debbie Gould

Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, at the age of two Debbie and her mother moved to New Jersey, spending many happy years on her grandparents' horse farm. You'll sometimes find this setting as a backdrop in her work.
As a teenager, she and her mother found a new home in Vermont, where she currently resides. With a daughter in the Air Force, one son in college and the other working for the family business, Debbie now shuffles her time between a husband and full time job as a nurse, and writing.
About seven years ago, while looking at over three hundred treasured books lining her shelves, she realized there was a multitude of stories of her own clamoring for release. Since then, she's seriously persevered in keeping the keyboard in constant motion.
With two novels, Mountain's Echo and Infidelity, and two novellas, November Rain and Second Chance now published, Debbie is now also working with a partner, L.J. Garland. Together the two have written Sins of the Mind and are hard at work on many more manuscripts.
Debbie has been a member of KOD, FTHRW, ELEMENTS and RWA Online.


Website | Blog

Time for a short excerpt!

Colin took a step back and cringed. “Aw, shit, Bobby. What’ve you done?”

Bobby punched Zeke in the shoulder and shook his head. “Nothing bad. Actually, it’s so simple you’re gonna kick your ass for not thinking of it first, Ghost.”

He doubted it. More than likely he would kick Bobby’s ass. The man worked overtime to hook him up, like he was a damn charity case. If he wanted to get laid, he could go find his own. Unfortunately, the only woman that spurred his senses in the last year had been Emily. He wanted her so bad he caught himself thinking about her during the day and woke up sweat-soaked and hard at night from dreaming about her.

Shit! Maybe he did need to get laid. “I repeat, what have you done?”

Zeke jumped up. “See, there’s this woman named Madame Eve––”

Colin threw his hands up. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! This is low even for you. I don’t need a freaking prostitute. Damn, Bobby. What the hell are you thinking?”

Bobby laughed. “Not that kind of madame. She runs an elite dating service and sets up one-night stands for consenting adults. It’s a no-strings-attached kind of thing. Just two like-minded adults looking for a night of pleasure. That’s it. You both go in with your eyes open and leave the next more feeling a lot less stressed.”

Colin crossed his arms over his chest and lifted a brow, “And how does she go about finding these people and matching them up?”
“Don’t worry I’ve checked it all out. You go on her website, fill out the application. Then she matches you up with someone who meets your needs. She names the date and place and the rest is on you. It’s all legit.”

“You sound like an infomercial.” Colin shook his head. “This is fucking crazy, ya know. I have no trouble finding my own women.”
“Never said you did, Lieutenant,” Zeke said. “But this way you don’t have to troll the bars, hoping to find a woman who wants to get her rocks off exactly like you. We know that’s not your scene, but this way everyone gets what they want and walks away happy.”

Bobby glared at Zeke. “Where the hell do you come from anyway?” He returned his gaze to Colin. “More like a night of mutual pleasure.”

“I have my own ways of relieving stress.”

Bobby snorted. “Uh, yeah. I’m not talking about whacking off in the shower, dude.”

Colin rubbed his hands over his face. Good God, had he really been reduced to this? "Fine."

And now, let's welcome Debbie to the blog to talk with us a little!

Hi Debbie, it’s lovely to have you on the blog today!

Thank you so much for having me.

For starters, why not you tell us a little about yourself? Perhaps something not many people know?

Well, I was born in Texas, grew up in New Jersey until fourteen, then moved to Vermont. Been here since. I’m an only child, my mom was a single parent, and I had an absolute blast growing up. She was putting herself through school to be a Physicians Assistant, so we didn’t have much money, but she had tons of friends and they were all great!

What made you want to become a writer? More specifically, why did you choose to write romantic suspense?

I love suspense combined with romance. I’ve been reading it for years. There’s nothing like a fight for your life combined with meeting or realizing the love of your life along the way, lol.

What gave you the inspiration for the plot of Second Chance?

 My daughter is in the Air Force and has been on multiple deployments in the past 7 years. Being home less than a year before being sent back to Iraq or Afghanistan, and having to leave her now 7 year old with me. It has taken its toll over the years. In Second Chance, the hero’s wife died in childbirth while he was on a mission. The toll it took on him was devastating. I had one reader not so happy with how he dealt with it, but then again, I’ll bet that reader has never been in his shoes. Unless you are living the life our soldiers do, there is no way you can begin to understand the ramifications their jobs have on them. I just wanted to bring a tiny piece of that to life.

Are your characters based off real people, or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

They are a mixture of people I know and my imagination. I do know someone a lot like the hero in this story. As for the heroine, I made up someone I thought he needed and deserved in his life.

Could you tell us a bit about your book and why it is a must-read?

LOL, I think I just did above. My little military rant, but it’s true. This one particular reader was really angry by the way Colin handled the death of his wife while he was gone. He blamed himself and his guilt was eating him alive. He let his sister-in-law take over the care of his newborn daughter and emotionally distanced himself. One, because he felt he’d let his wife down in the most colossal way and figured if his daughter didn’t get attached to him he could never let her down (I never claimed his reasons would make sense to anyone but himself, lol.) And two, he just could face another potential loss of someone he loved. Men react so much differently than women do. Then you add the fact that he sees death every day in his job and misses out on so much of his home life, this was his reaction, right or wrong.

He does come around, and in a big way, with the help of some friends and Madame Eve. It was a very emotional book to write.

What do you love most about the writing process?

The brainstorming and then how it all comes together at the end.

And of course, do you have a particular favorite character? I know an author will love most if not all of the characters he/she creates, but I’m sure there must be a favorite of yours! So who is it, and why?

 It was the first hero I wrote, Jake in Mountain’s Echo. My daughter had been through a really nasty break up and I was fed up with the jerks she kept finding, lol. So I wrote a story about the man she SHOULD have been with, lol.

Will you tell us a little about your plans for the future?

My writing partner, L.J. Garland and I are writing another 1NS that features Colin’s best friend, Bobbie. We have a Romantic Suspense, Sins of the Mind, coming out the end of April that is the first in a series and just finished a paranormal romance that will also be a series.

And of course, are there any other books that are in the works? (Ideas thought out, perhaps even a rough draft?)

LOL see above. Tons of stories in the works!

And now, just some little random questions!

Favorite colour? Blue

Favorite place? The beach

Favorite book? Lone Survivor

Favorite thing? Romance J

What you do when you’re free: Read, write and spend time with my kids.

Favorite day? Saturday.

Hmm, I think that should be about it for today! It was a pleasure to have you on the blog! Wishing you all the best in your career! :D

Thank you again for hosting me. It was a pleasure!

So yep, that's about it for today! Thanks guys!

Blog Tour: Dustman by SM Blooding - Guest Post + Review

Dustman by SM Blooding

Dustmen are useless.

Meg has two kids, one of which is hell bent to land himself in jail. She’s about to lose her house, her home, her ability to support her children. Her aunt tells her to publish the story of her childhood friend, her dustman, her Luk.

Dreamland is empty.

He’s watching his world shrink, his friends blinking out of existence. Children no longer call for him. He’s watched his fellow dustmen disappear while their lands are eaten by a ferocious void.

There is no cure.

He’s next.

Buy it from Amazon Paperback | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

SM Blooding

SM Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie, their new addition, Mr. Bird, who’s a real bird. She likes to hike the beautiful Rocky Mountains, and is learning to play the piano and guitar. Currently, she’s trying to MURDER them both. Friends call her Frankie.

She’s dated vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, weapons smugglers and US Government assassins. Yes. She has stories.

She’s also an investigator with a local paranormal investigation group, Colorado Paranormal Rescue!

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Time for a short excerpt! Ahh, after reading it, I can't wait to read the book!

He looked at her, his eyes flaring, icy blue lights shooting from his eyes. “How is it you’re here?”

     She took a step back. “What do you mean?”

     “You exist. How?”

     She frowned at him, her nose flaring. “I was born.”

     He took one step toward her, his mouth set in determination. “So was I a long time ago.”

      “Things happened, Luk. I had to grow up. I couldn’t—” She looked at the refrigerator case in frustration. “I couldn’t pretend anymore.”

     “Am I pretend?” he growled, taking a step toward her.

     She looked up and blinked. She was surrounded by the warmth of his body as he crowded her space.

     His eyes, consuming and raw, sucked her breath away.

     “I don’t know,” she whispered.

     Like the unborn wrath of a tiger unleashed, he grabbed her waist and head, crushing her against him. His teeth ravished her lips, demanding them to open. His hands dug into her hair, pulling it loose in unruly waves.

     She couldn’t breathe. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to. This man, this solid and real man, made her feel something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

     Craved.

     Needed.

     Devoured.

     She opened her mouth to him, pushing herself onto the balls of her feet to deepen the kiss. She ran her tongue along his, gasping as his teeth gripped it, raking it.

     She molded her body into his.

     He growled, pulling his lips from hers. His head against hers, he pushed her toward the glass door of the refrigerator case, pushing her back and up.

     She cried out, her eyes opening in surprise. “Luk,” she said breathlessly, caressing his face with soft, needy hands. “My Luk.”

     He growled again, deeper, claiming her, the intensity of his gaze, telling her without words she was his.

     She looked into his eyes and met his lips halfway.

     With a hungry, forceful sigh, he melted into her body.

     They both felt the heat of the kiss, so different than the first. This was primal. This was about claiming. This was about territory.

     This was about power.

     They closed their eyes, letting the emotions rack their bodies as they rocked against each other. The heat built inside them, their bodies touching.

     Her head came up as she sucked in air at the same moment the milk jugs in the case behind them exploded with a loud, multi-shot pop.

     They looked at each other, the spell broken but the result still apparent. Turning, she looked in surprise and amazement at the milk-painted case.

     His face was bright red.

And now, let's welcome SM Blooding to the blog to bring us away from this world, just for a little while:)

Come With Me to Dreamland!

Take my hand. Step right up. That’s it. Yes, under the umbrella. Just like so. Yes. *grin* Are you comfortable? Legs, arms, head all tucked in? *wild gleam* Good. Let’s go!

Grabbing your shoulders and tucking you into you into me, we’re off, rushing out of the window, high into the sky. The stars shine bright above us. There’s Jupiter and over there is Mars. There’s lovely Venus hanging out by the half moon. Far, far below us is your home. The wind rushes through your hair, tugging at my trench coat and nearly tosses my hat over your town. We climb higher and higher, getting lost in the stars.

And then we’re falling. Whoop! My stomach bottoms out as the wind catches our breath, but instead of a sleepy city, we find ourselves barreling down on a sea of green. Night slips into day. Cool becomes warm and you’re bathed in shimmering Dreamland sunlight.

A tree clips your arm, reminding you to keep all your limbs tucked in. We’re zooming through the pine trees of Forever Forest. Animals are scurrying out of our way as they scamper along the branches. A unicorn neighs below us, and hooves thunder. There. *laughing* There’s the gassy unicorn, his horn shining bright, his long mane and tail flopping around him as he runs to keep up with us, chasing us with laughter.

Barking touches our ears. That would be Dog. I veer his way, but the trees are too thick and I’m starting to really beat you up with the branches. I pull up and the unicorn disappears into the foliage. The barking heads off in a different direction.

Only to be replaced by a bone rattling roar.

I can’t see the expression on your face, but I’m grinning from ear to ear as we skate over the tree tops. Whooh. Whooh. Whoosh. Tick-tick. Whooh.

Ohhhhh. He’s close!

I put on an extra burst of speed and pull up.

A large blue-scaled body zips underneath of us, his wings larger than a tall tree, his body bigger than a house. His huge head twists, staring at us with one large eye, his eyebrow ridge rising as his beak gapes open. He banks right and we bank to ride with him, surfing the same current. With a dragon laugh, he bucks the air and heads down, his flicking tail nearly taking us out. That crazy dragon!

We coast the current, dipping over the dive that takes us out of Forever Forest, into the meadow, over Dreamer’s Hill, past the creek. Grandmother Willow waves, her head bobbing with the wind of our passing as we head into PaintBucket Forest. The trees below us are covered with leaves of every color imaginable. And just on the other side is the ocean.

We skid to a halt on the sandy beach. I close my umbrella, a huge grin on my face, and bow. “Welcome to Dreamland, dreamer.”

So yep, that's about it for today! Go here to check out the other tour stops! You'll find loads of awesome stuff on the other tour sites too! :D

Blog Tour: Seeking a Scribe by Marsha A. Moore - Guest Post + Excerpt + Giveaway

Hey guys! Welcome to today's blog tour! Sorry it couldn't come up earlier, my internet was down:( So yep, Seeking a Scribe is a fantasy romance and is the first in the Enchanted Bookstore Legend! It certainly looks great, don't you think? There will also be a tour-wide giveaway at the end so do look out for it! ;D

Seeking a Scribe by Marsha A. Moore

Lyra McCauley is a writer and loves fantasy novels, but until she opens a selection from bookstore owner Cullen Drake, she has no idea he’s a wizard character who lives a double life inside that volume…or the story’s magic will compel her from the edge of depression to adventure, danger, and love.
His gift to Lyra, the Book of Dragonspeir, was actually her copy, misplaced years ago. Lost in her pain following divorce and death, she fails to recognize him as her childhood playmate from the fantasyland. Friendship builds anew. Attraction sparks. But Lyra doubts whether a wizard is capable of love. She’s torn—should she protect her fragile heart or risk new love?
Opening the book’s cover, she confronts a quest: save Dragonspeir from destruction by the Black Dragon before he utilizes power of August’s red moon to expand his strength and overthrow the opposing Imperial Dragon. Lyra accepts the challenge, fearing Cullen will perish if evil wins. Along with magical animal guides, Cullen helps her through many perils, but ultimately Lyra must use her own power…and time is running out.

Buy it from Amazon (at only 99 cents!)

Marsha A. Moore

Marsha A. Moore is a writer of fantasy romance. The magic of art and nature spark life into her writing. Her creativity also spills into watercolor painting and drawing. After a move from Toledo to Tampa in 2008, she’s happily transforming into a Floridian, in love with the outdoors. Crazy about cycling, she usually passes the 1,000 mile mark yearly. She is learning kayaking and already addicted. She’s been a yoga enthusiast for over a decade and that spiritual quest helps her explore the mystical side of fantasy. She never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at new stories with toes wiggling in the sand. Every day at the beach is magical!

Website | Google+ | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Fantasy Faction

Time for a short excerpt!

The smell of anise greeted Lyra as she opened the door to Drake’s bookstore. It took her back to happy childhood memories. Licorice-shoe-string-rewards for following her parents’ requests to stay on the dock while they secured the family’s pleasure boat to its trailer. The aroma brought a fleeting remembrance of times long gone, a treasure now that her folks had recently passed. At ease with the familiar scent, she settled into browsing through rows of antique bookcases.

The shop owner stuck his head around a set of shelves. “Do you like tea?”

“Yes, I do.” Before she could finish speaking, he disappeared. “Is that the wonderful smell?” she called out.

Kitchenware clinked in the back room. Receiving no answer, Lyra followed the noises, scanning collections as she walked. This bookshop appeared established, but surely she would have remembered it from her last visit to the Lake Huron village five years ago. Books were her passion, especially fantasy. She paused in front of that section and studied its titles.

The owner appeared, holding a pewter tray with a teapot, two cups, sugar jar, spoons, and napkins, which he laid on the corner of an old library table. She watched him carefully pour the tea and hand her a cup. He was about her age, mid thirties or a bit older, and handsome. His medium brown hair, peppered with gray at the temples, grazed his shoulders in wavy layers, and his beard was trimmed into a neat goatee. He wore long shorts, a knit golf shirt, and sandals—typical casual attire for this island resort community.

She set down her bag from the drugstore and accepted his offer with a smile. “Thanks. My name’s Lyra.” She blew across the hot surface of the tea to cool it and then inhaled the anise-scented steam. She closed her eyes to fully enjoy the memory. “Ah!”

“Afternoons of boating and licorice with your parents? Right?” he asked.

Her mouth dropped open. How did he know that?

He slurped from his cup. “Go ahead, take a sip. My folks gave me the same reward for taking my kid sister along on bicycle rides.”

Forgetting all about the tea, she asked, “How do you know my childhood memory?”

“Taste it.” His lips curled into a sly grin as he took another gulp.

She cautiously took a tiny sip, just enough to wet her lips and the tip of her tongue.  The flavor flooded her mouth, and her mind swam with wonderful memories. The taste transformed into that of gigantic popcorn balls the sheriff’s wife down the street made for Halloween trick-or-treaters, accompanied by images of Lyra’s costume—a red, fringed gypsy skirt borrowed from Mom. Next came a pumpkin flavor and vision of holding a cold piece of “punky-pie” in her five-year-old hand. Another swallow returned her experience back to anise. “What is this? How did you know?”

“Let me introduce myself.” His grin spread into a smile as his eyes met hers. He took a step closer. “I’m Cullen, Cullen Drake, and I know many things. What I don’t know is what sort of books you like to read.”

His keen interest caused heat to rise in her cheeks. “Well, actually I have several favorites, all fantasy and magical realism. You have a number of authors I like in this section.” She turned to refer to the shelves behind her, but found non-fiction hunting guides instead. “This case held classic fantasy a moment ago!”

Cullen put down his cup. “It moved. It’s over here, and I have just what you want.” He slid an old-fashioned library ladder along its track, set the locking device, and climbed straight up to the top shelf.

Lyra followed, walking between four comfortable leather club chairs grouped on a Persian rug. A portrait of a young girl and a man wearing a cloak caught her attention. Something seemed familiar in the child’s smile.

The noise of books sliding on shelves distracted her. She moved to the base of his ladder and glanced up. The ceiling of embossed tin panels decorated with Victorian teardrop chandeliers and paper Chinese dragons made a unique combination, to be sure.

But Lyra was more curious about the strange happenings in the store and its owner.  He was certainly odd, although not the bookish, geeky sort who usually ran bookshops she frequented. He had an athletic frame and strong legs.

“Can’t find it!” he exclaimed and quickly descended. His brow furrowed, he dusted off his hands on his shorts. “I’ve got to find that volume for you. If you don’t mind me saying, there’s a sadness about you. The book will make you happier than you’ve been since those days of licorice shoe strings.”

“After magical tea and shifting bookcases, I almost believe you.” She laughed to cover her concerns. Even four months after it was final, she worried that the loneliness she felt after her divorce blazed like a beacon on her forehead. But, Cullen knew so much—it startled her…actually, intrigued her. Her ex didn’t ever see inside her, didn’t want to. This man read her as though he knew her. Did he? He seemed so familiar.

“Once I find that book, I promise, you’ll be pleased.” He stroked his goatee. “Hmm. Where did I last see it?” The twinkle in his gray-blue eyes captivated Lyra. “Will you be here for the week? I can look for it and call you later.”

“I’m staying the rest of the summer with my elderly Aunt Jean. She owns a lovely cottage at the end of Walnut overlooking Lake Huron. I thought I’d keep her company and give her time away from her nurse during my teaching break. While I’m here, I plan to write my novel.”

“Great! You’re a writer? What do you teach?”

“Yes, and I teach American Literature at Southern University in Florida. Seems like you already would’ve known that since you jumped into my childhood memories,” she stammered, attempting some humor. Taking a long draught of the tea, her mind filled with memories of her pet dachshund wiggling next to her, displacing a row of dolls. Another part of her past he knew—impossible! Her forehead beaded with sweat.

“No, only thoughts associated with a lot of emotion, like the happiness of snuggling with your dog.”

“How?” she exclaimed, shaking her head. “I don’t understand.” Her mind swam, trying to grasp what happened. She desperately needed some fresh air. With trembling hands she set the cup down.

“I realize it must seem odd, but the book I’m looking for will help explain.” He leaned closer with a smile that somehow reassured her. “This is Saturday. If you can come by next Wednesday morning, I think I should have it for you by then…if you’d like.” He paused and looked into her eyes, waiting for a reply.

“Yes…I’m curious.” In spite of the confusion, she found herself agreeing. “Wednesday will work.”

“Fine. Let me take down your number in case I can’t find it.” He walked to the counter and located a notepad and pen. She dictated her number and full name, which he repeated, “Lyra McCauley, a lovely Celtic name for a pretty lady.”

“I think I need to go now. Thanks for the tea.” With shaking fingers, she collected her shopping bag and headed toward the door.

He escorted her out and offered his hand to shake, the corners of his goatee lifting into an inviting grin. “Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”

Lyra smiled and looked into his eyes, trying to discern his unusual clairvoyant gift. “You too.” The initial touch, of his palm against hers, sent electrical shivers along her arm. She jerked, yet didn’t let go, fascinated by the strong emotions flashing through her mind—attraction, excitement, and acceptance. After an awkwardly long pause, she dropped his hand, half-stumbled over the threshold into the sunshine, and took a long, deep breath.

She ambled to an outdoor café a couple blocks farther down Tenth Street, while her mind buzzed with questions. How did he know those things about her? She dropped onto a seat at an empty table, shaded by an umbrella. He was fascinating and frightening at the same time…and familiar. Her divorce and loss of her parents left her lonely. He intrigued her.

 “May I get you something to drink while you look over the menu?” The waitress interrupted with a bright young voice, a college student working a summer job.

Startled back to reality, Lyra murmured, “Just water, please.” Alone in a crowd of lunch goers, her thoughts returned to the bookstore and many unanswered questions.

The waitress placed a glass of water in front of her.

She almost hated to drink and remove the sweet aftertaste of anise from her tongue.

And now, let's welcome Marsha to the blog!

Four Chinese Animals/Elements of Creation—Four Guardians of the Enchanted Bookstore Legends

My series, Enchanted Bookstore Legends, has two worlds, reality and a parallel fantasy world called Dragonspeir. The organization of magical power and leadership in that land is based upon the balanced system of the four Chinese elements of creation: earth, fire, water, air. Chinese mythology ties those elements to sacred animals that foretell future events. The unicorn is supposed to spring from the center of the earth as the phoenix represents fire, the tortoise water, and the dragon air.

For my legends, I selected those four animals as the four Guardians who collectively govern the Alliance. That is the realm of Dragonspeir which is good and fair, opposing the Dark Realm led by the Black Dragon. My heroine, Lyra McCauley, confronts a quest: save Dragonspeir from destruction by the Black Dragon before he utilizes power of August’s red moon to expand his strength and overthrow the opposing Imperial Dragon. Lyra accepts the challenge. She fears that the wizard she loves, Cullen Drake, will perish if evil wins since his immortality is dependent upon Alliance magic.

The unicorn represents the earth element. From times of the Ming dynasty, the unicorn was specially praised its ability to discriminate between good and evil. It would gore only the wicked with its single horn. Emperor Shun, the first law-giver, employed a minister who had such a beast in his court to do just that. My Guardian Unicorn is very powerful and a tough character, a sort of bad-ass, but fair to a fault. He judges whether Lyra is ready to begin her quest.

The phoenix, a legendary bird with brilliant colors, lived more than one life. It consumed itself by fire periodically, and a new young phoenix sprang from the ashes. In Chinese mythology, the phoenix symbolizes fire. Within its spirit, the Feng Hwang bird contains the balance of the solar Yang and the lunar Yin powers. The phoenix is called the Empress because it represents qualities of beauty and peace. I titled my Phoenix Guardian as the Lady of Peace, appearing only during happy times. She presides over the Meadow of Peace, a quiet collection of villages in the Alliance territory.

The third animal, the tortoise or turtle, represents water and was thought to be a model of the world. Its upper shell curved like the vault of the heavens, its lower shell flat like the Chinese envisioned the Earth at that time. They read the future in the pattern on the tortoise’s shell. The animal is perceived as a symbol of longevity and wisdom. My Tortoise Guardian is in charge of keeping the history of Dragonspeir for the Alliance. He commands a vast library of records and magical documents. Lyra and the higher magical depend on his resources to fight evil.

The dragon, the fourth prophetic animal, was a divine creature that signified wisdom and represented air. For centuries, it was the imperial emblem. The emperor’s throne was called the Dragon Throne and his face was called the Dragon Face. It was said that when an emperor died, he ascended to heaven riding on the back of a dragon. The celestial dragon, T’ien Lung, is sometimes represented as holding up the sky. For these reasons, in the Enchanted Bookstore Legends, I gave my Imperial Dragon the title of Head Guardian. He serves as a wise leader, coordinating the actions of the other three Guardians. In charge of the air element, he is expert in the magic craft of mystic astronomy, reading and gaining power from the stars by using an array of unusual instruments.

Additionally, astrological signs are grouped in a similar manner, according to their dominant elements of earth, fire, water, and air. In my books, residents of Dragonspeir who inherit magical tendencies must learn to utilize their dominant element in order to control and develop their abilities. Lyra, like all Scribes, is born under a fire sign and must learn to communicate with the main star of the Aries constellation—her birthmate star—in order to utilize her vast powers. This is awkward and she must work hard to master the techniques.

These four animals and the elements they represent were believed by the Chinese to make up all of creation. The realm of the fantasy world in the Enchanted Bookstore Legends that is good and fair embraces this balance. From this foundation, I utilized many more ties to Chinese mythology. Read more about those in Seeking a Scribe: Enchanted Bookstore Legend One.

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