Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Random Christmas Novellas Part 1



The Candy Man by Amy Lane
Summary:
Adam Macias has been thrown a few curve balls in his life, but losing his VA grant because his car broke down and he missed a class was the one that struck him out. One relative away from homelessness, he's taking the bus to Sacramento, where his cousin has offered a house-sitting job and a new start. He has one goal, and that's to get his life back on track. Friends, pets, lovers? Need not apply.

Finn Stewart takes one look at Adam as he's applying to Candy Heaven and decides he's much too fascinating to leave alone. Finn is bright and shiny—and has never been hurt. Adam is wary of his attention from the very beginning—Finn is dangerous to every sort of peace Adam is forging, and Adam may just be too damaged to let him in at all.

But Finn is tenacious, and Adam's new boss, Darrin, doesn't take bullshit for an answer. Adam is going to have to ask himself which is harder—letting Finn in or living without him? With the holidays approaching it seems like an easy question, but Adam knows from experience that life is seldom simple, and the world seldom cooperates with hope, faith, or                                                                               the plans of cats and men.


This is such a fun story!  At the heart of the story you have a man who has not had the happiest past, to put it mildly, but upon walking into a candy shop answering a help wanted sign, everything changes.  Despite Adam's heartbreaking history, the owner of Candy Heaven and his employees, bring this story so much uplift and fun.  Then of course you throw in the bright and peppy Finn, who has "fun" practically tattooed on his forehead, and you have a very interesting pair for a perfect holiday read.

Rating: 


The Dickins with Love by Josh Lanyon
Summary:
A quirky holiday romance about Faith, Hope, and…er…glow-in-the-dark condoms!

Three years ago, a scandal cost antiquarian “book hunter” James Winter everything that mattered to him: his job, his lover and his self-respect. But now the rich and unscrupulous Mr. Stephanopoulos has a proposition. A previously unpublished Christmas book by Charles Dickens has turned up in the hands of an English chemistry professor by the name of Sedgwick Crisparkle. Mr. S. wants that book at any price, and he needs James to get it for him. There’s just one catch. James can’t tell the nutty professor who the buyer is.

Actually, two catches. The nutty Professor Crisparkle turns out to be totally gorgeous—and on the prowl. Faster than you can say, “Old Saint Nick,” James is mixing business with pleasure…and in real danger of forgetting that this is just a holiday romance.

Just as they’re well on the way to having their peppermint sticks and eating them too, Sedgwick discovers the truth. James has been a very bad boy. And any chance Santa will bring him what he wants most is disappearing quicker than the Jolly Old Elf’s sleigh.


James is trying to scrape by and keep his foot in the door of an occupation he loves when he's asked to verify the authenticity of a supposed lost Dickens Christmas story.  Enter Sedgwick, the owner of said story and there are immediate fireworks, both bad and good, but fireworks nontheless.   Despite the kind of man the potential buyer that James is working for, James is a decent guy with a bunch of bad luck or bad timing in the past.  Watching Sedgewick and James banter their way through "negotiations" is a perfect Christmas treat.

Rating: 


Baby, It's Cold Inside by Brigham Vaughn
Summary:
A trip to visit his boyfriend Nate’s parents during the holidays leaves Emerson a nervous wreck. Bad weather and an unfortunate mix-up leads to an awkward first introduction, and as things deteriorate from there, Emerson begins to doubt if their relationship will survive the stressful weekend. Can Emerson get their relationship back on track and impress the Collins family in time to have a Merry Christmas?


Humor, love, the holidays!  It's the whole package.  Emerson is so filled with anxiety that you just want to hug him till the holiday is over.

Rating: 


I Spy Something Christmas by Josh Lanyon
Summary:
Nothing says Christmas like a bullet with your name on it. Mark is used to death and danger. Stephen will never be okay with violence -- or Mark's attitude toward it.

Like the holidays weren't tough enough on a romance.


This is a perfect addition to the I Spy series and it's a holiday setting.  What more is there to say other than it's perfect Josh Lanyon and I have yet to read anything of his that I don't like.  The only downside maybe would be that it's just never long enough because I never want to let go of the characters.

Rating: 

Author Bios:
Amy Lane
Amy Lane dodges an EDJ, mothers four children, and writes the occasional book. She, her brood, and her beloved mate, Mack, live in a crumbling mortgage in Citrus Heights, California, which is riddled with spiders, cats, and more than its share of fancy and weirdness. Feel free to visit her at www.greenshill.com or www.writerslane.blogspot.com, where she will ride the buzz of receiving your e-mail until her head swells and she can no longer leave the house.

Josh Lanyon
A distinct voice in gay fiction, multi-award-winning author JOSH LANYON has been writing gay mystery, adventure and romance for over a decade. In addition to numerous short stories, novellas, and novels, Josh is the author of the critically acclaimed Adrien English series, including The Hell You Say, winner of the 2006 USABookNews awards for GLBT Fiction. Josh is an Eppie Award winner and a three-time Lambda Literary Award finalist.

Brigham Vaughn
Brigham Vaughn has always been a voracious reader with her own stories to tell.  After many years of abandoned plots, something finally clicked.  Now she's eating, sleeping, and breathing writing and is excited to have finally figured out what she wants to be when she grows up.  In the little time that isn't spent writing or reading, she loves cooking, yoga, photography, and remodeling her ninety-year old home.  Brigham lives in Michigan with her four cats and an amazing husband who has always been her biggest champion.


Amy Lane
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Candy Man
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The Dickens with Love
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Baby, It's Cold Inside
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Cover Reveal: Yes, Master by NJ Cole

Title:  Yes, Master
Author:  NJ Cole
Expected Release Date:  January 16, 2015
Genre:  Erotica, BDSM
Summary:
Mary Jennings hit rock bottom. A stripper and brand new mother in New York City, she’s offered a reprieve by her sister to move to Reno for a fresh start. Deciding to go for it, her life takes a drastic turn when she offers to help out a friend.

After a car accident leaves Colton bed ridden, a surprising offer of assistance turns into so much more. Driven by his need to dominate, sparks fly in the most unexpected way.

A natural submissive and a professional Dominant—what happens when they spend every waking minute together? Will she be able to resist? Or will she give in to the urge and submit to him completely? Find out in this page turning sequel to Yes, Mistress.


Author Bio:
NJ Cole is a midwestern girl with a kinky side. She works by day and writes by night, all while being a mother to her wonderful boys and serving her Sir. Unlike many of today’s authors, she chooses to write in first person, allowing the readers to experience life through the eyes of the unique characters that live in her head. Her love of those characters and respect for their stories come through loud and clear in her writing. Reaching Amazon’s top 100 list in Erotica with Midnight Caller and Landslide, NJ Cole promises to entertain and excite the reader with her newest tales of love, romance, and as always, hot, steamy sex.


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Owned by BL Wilde & Jo Matthews

Title: Owned
Authors: BL Wilde & Jo Matthews
Release Date: December 5, 2014
Genre: Romance, Erotica, Crime
Cover Design: Jo Matthews
Summary:
Ryan Lawson has almost everything he wants. A Capo to the Valenti Family Mafia, the world is at his fingertips and the ladies all drop their panties at his signature smirk. All but one, anyway, and she happens to be the only one he wants.
On the run from a horrible past, Trixie finds herself accepting a job as an exotic dancer in a club run by the mafia. Left without a choice, she begins to date the Boss’ son while lusting after someone else.
Everything changes when Ryan is offered a chance to win a weekend with the woman he desires. All he has to do is roll the dice. The rest is up to fate.
What will happen when their worlds collide? Will a mutual attraction turn into something more? Or will the dangers they face be enough to keep them apart for good?



What a great introduction to this new series collaboration by BL Wilde and Jo Matthews!  And the introduction to both Ryan and Trixie are definitely eye catchers.  Now, some might not like the idea of Ryan winning the weekend with Trixie but frankly, I found it exciting and perfect for the world they live in.  I wouldn't have minded knowing a bit more of Trixie's past but when you're dealing with a series like this, I feel all bets are off about past revelations because there is always time to reveal when it will have the most impact on the story and the surrounding characters.  As for Ryan, he may be a bit foul mouthed but they are living in the mob world, this isn't a Disney atmosphere they find themselves in.  On a personal note, I grew up on a farm and heard way worse from all around me so it wasn't an issue for me but it might be for some.  Both these ladies have been on my authors-to-watch list for a while now but if they hadn't, Owned would definitely cement their place.

Rating: 



     I took my place right by the pole, and even though the room was nearly pitch black, I could feel several people watching me. When the music started and the lights came on over the stage, I placed one hand on the pole and circled it, making eye contact with as many of the men in the front as I could. I made it all the way around and then bucked my hips into the cold metal, sliding up and down a few times before spinning around it again. 
     I had a few tricks in my arsenal, but I wanted to save those for a little later on in the song. Still gripping the pole, I walked halfway around so my back was to the crowd. There were loud catcalls and wolf whistles when I started shaking my hips to the beat of the music. They got even louder as I hooked my left leg around the pole and spun in quick circles until my ass was on the ground and the pole was between my legs. Using my hands as leverage, I planted my feet and lifted my hips, thrusting against the shiny object seductively.
     Men from the tables in the back of the room rose from their seats and were closing in on the stage area. Figuring it was now or never, I got to my feet and shimmied around again. Facing away from the audience, I placed my hands high on the pole and jumped up, straddling it and squeezing my thighs together to hold me in place. Arching my back, I released my hands and used my stomach muscles to support me as I flashed some cleavage at the patrons. After a few seconds of holding the position and nearly falling out of my top, I straightened up and slid my way down the pole, shaking my ass and earning more whistles.
     When I spun around, my eyes met with Ryan’s for a brief moment. I couldn’t help but smirk at him and toss my hair over my shoulder as I continued to dance. Was it possible that god-like creature wanted me? The mere thought of it turned me on more than anything ever had.
     I made a full circle on the pole when I saw him waving a hundred dollar bill around, trying to get me to come over. Feeling overly confident and wanting to fuck with him a bit, I sauntered over and shimmied my hips just inches from his face. His eyes were locked on my covered pussy, and I could have sworn I saw him lick his lips. An image of him between my legs flashed through my mind, and I felt myself getting damp with arousal. Shaking my head slightly to clear it, I continued with my dance.
     Every time Ryan reached up with the money, I backed away so he couldn’t touch me. He wasn’t supposed to touch me anyway. At least…I didn’t think he was. None of the customers were ever allowed to touch the dancers according to what I’d been told. Carlo had said that Ryan ran the club, though, so I wondered if that meant he was an exception and could do what he wanted. That thought both thrilled and terrified me.
     Still, I shook my head with a smirk on my face and sunk down to my hands and knees. His eyes were focused on my tits, which were nearly bursting out of my bikini top as I began to make my way toward him, so without him even noticing, I pulled the money from his hand with my teeth.
     “Thanks,” I winked as I rose to my feet and headed back to the pole to finish the song. I could feel his eyes boring into me until the lights went out and I collected my tips.


Author Bios:
B.L. Wilde
B.L. Wilde is a British author obsessed with many things, including heated love stories and sexy men. Fully supported by her husband, she can often be found at her desk working on her next project, or looking at eye candy online for research purposes.  She is a sucker for happy endings, but will always make her characters work for it.

If you enjoy romance, suspense and erotica, let your imagination run 'Wilde'.


Jo Matthews
Jo Matthews is an Arizona native, where she lives with her son. A stay-at-home mom since 2007, she only recently discovered her love and passion for the written word. When she’s not writing, she’s usually knee deep in editing—an aspect she thoroughly enjoys. As an editor, she has propelled quite a few authors into the published world, and with her skills, has landed several stories on Amazon’s Top Sellers lists.


BL Wilde
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Icy Pretty Love by LA Rose

Title: ICY PRETTY LOVE
Genre: NA Romance
Author: L.A. Rose
Release Date: November 15th, 2014

Summary:
Glass-doll beauty. A shy, proper smile. Georgette Montgomery is the perfect billionaire’s fiancé.

Or she would be, if she existed.

A dark past. A smile that hides everything. At nineteen, Rae Grove escapes her disaster life by pretending to be other people—specifically, whoever the man paying her that night wants her to be.

Until she’s offered enough money for a one-way ticket to a better life. All she has to do is fly to Paris and pretend to be the fiancé of young business tycoon Cohen Ashworth for one month. Within an hour of meeting Cohen, Rae knows three things about him:

1. He hates everyone and everything.

2. He has abundant wit and a knife-sharp tongue.

3. He uses 2 to make everyone aware of 1.

Before long, Rae’s determined to crack open his unbreakable shell. Cohen’s determined to stay unbroken.

But no one escapes unscathed when two opposite worlds collide.


“So you want me to change.” His jaw is taut.

“You need to change, or you’re not going to get what you want,” I say. He needs to hear it. “And you’re going to be miserable your whole life—”

“I don’t know how to change!” he says loudly.

I stop, half-expecting the divider separating us from the driver to roll down, but it doesn’t. We’re still alone in the backseat. I should be afraid, should be recoiling the way
I do whenever a man raises his voice to me. But when I reach for the fear, I don’t find it. All I find is…pity?

“I know what I am. What I’m like.” His voice cracks, just slightly, but he masters it. “If I
could be different, I would. Do you understand that? I’m not like you. I can’t slip on someone else’s persona like changing my clothes.”

That stupid twinge of pity turns into a full-fledged needle. I’m very familiar with that shadow in his voice, because it’s been in my heart for years. Self-loathing. At least I can escape myself by being other people. He doesn’t even have that luxury.

Stop it, Rae. Don’t you dare feel sorry for him. He has everything you’ve ever wanted, remember?

“That’s bullshit,” I say bluntly. “You can change. Anyone can change.”

“Show me.”

“What?”

He turns his full gaze directly on me, and I lose myself for a brief second in those ice eyes. “Show me how to be someone else. You do it so easily. You’re getting paid enough, I might as well get some use out of you.”

“You mean like…give you niceness lessons?”

He grimaces. “I’d rather we didn’t call it that.”

“Well…” I hesitate.

“Please,” he says emotionlessly. And if I had to bet on it, I’d say it was damn near the first time that word had passed through those perfect lips.


Author Bio:
L.A. Rose recently made it out of college alive and with an English degree. She's a habitual beach bum, a cuteness aficionado, and a not-quite-recovered romance addict. She's a big believer in laughter as medicine and steaminess as...more medicine. You can never have enough medicine. Icy Pretty Love is her third New Adult standalone.


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The Friessens: A New Beginning by Lorhainne Eckhart

Title: The Friessens: A New Beginning
Author: Lorhainne Eckhart 
Series: The Friessens: A New Beginning #1-4 
Genres: Adult, Romance

Summary:
In THE DEADLINE, Andy Friessen has packed up everything and moved his family two states away, to Montana, to protect his wife, Laura, his newborn babies, and his stepson, Gabriel, from the threats of his mother. What Andy doesn’t know is that they’ll soon face a new threat, one he never saw coming.

Gabriel is sick, and a trip to the doctor confirms Laura and Andy’s worst nightmare: Without a lifesaving transplant, their son won’t survive.

What Andy doesn’t count on, as he tracks down the young man who fathered Gabriel, as well as Laura’s estranged parents, is that a whole host of problems are about to be unleashed.

THE FRIESSENS: A NEW BEGINNING:
The Deadline (Andy & Laura)
The Price to Love (Neil & Candy)
A Different Kind of Love (Brad & Emily)
A Vow of Love, A Friessen Family Christmas

**The stories in this series are romances filled with sexual tension, rough language, passion, the ideals of family, love and loyalty and The Friessen men in these stories are strong sexy alpha males. And are not your typical happily ever after.


The Deadline:
     “What the hell is this?”
     He’d bought the place unseen. The Montana realtor had sent photos of the exterior and interior, and maybe Andy should have asked when they had been taken, but he’d been in a hurry to get Laura and the kids as far away from his family as he could. He parked in front of the house and spotted the red and white realty sign leaning against the front step.
     “Andy, this doesn’t look like the pictures the realtor sent,” Laura said. “Are you sure this is the right place?”
     One of the babies started fussing, and Ladystar nickered from the trailer.
     “Andy, are we here?” Gabriel called out from the backseat, rubbing his eyes.
     “Yeah, just stay there, bud,” Andy said as he opened his door. Laura was reaching over to unbuckle Jeremy from his car seat, his tiny hands flailing. “He hungry?”
      Laura appeared so tired as she nodded. “I think so. Wet, too.” She patted his bottom and rested him on the seat. “Andy, can you reach the diaper bag on the floor in the back?” She had already unfastened his sleeper as Andy lifted the blue bag, shut the back door and set the bag on his seat.
     “Just stay in here until I check things out,” he said.
     Laura glanced up with a weary smile. “Okay.”
     He shut the door and stepped around the truck, taking in the mess. Ladystar nickered again. “Okay, girl,” he murmured, unlatching the horse trailer and leading his horse out before tying her to the side and bringing out a flake of hay for her. “Better find you some water, too,” he said, pulling out his bucket. Around the side of the house, he found a barn with a missing door, another gated pasture, and a round ring. As he stepped closer, he noticed the round pen appeared intact, with no missing posts and all the rails up. It was probably a safe bet for tonight, at least for Ladystar, until he got a better look around.
     He found a water tap at the back of the house and turned it on, but rusty water poured out. “Crap!” he muttered, waiting for it to run clear before he filled the bucket. When he took it back to the trailer where Ladystar was tied and eating, Laura opened the door of the truck and called out, “Andy, Gabriel has to go to the bathroom, and so do I. Can we go inside?”
     Andy took in what was supposed to have been a ten-year-old sprawling rancher, with a wraparound deck where they could spend evenings and mornings looking out over their spread. Instead, it resembled the kind of house his cousin Jed would have picked up for a good price to gut and renovate—not something Andy was interested in doing.
     “All right,” Andy said. He opened the back door and lifted Gabriel, who was already unbuckled and waiting. “Stay here, Gabriel. Hey, Laura, Chelsea is still sleeping.” Andy lifted his very quiet daughter from the car.
     Laura slid down, carrying Jeremy, who was fussing again. She had on just a beige sweater. “Ooh, it’s cold,” she said. She reached in the truck for her tan jacket and pulled it out, holding it out to Andy so he could help her as she juggled the baby.
     Laura started up the steps, and Gabriel and Andy followed. At the sound of a vehicle coming down the road, they both turned to see a newer pickup truck flying over the ruts and then pulling in just behind the horse trailer. A woman with a round face, bright smile, and dark hair tied back in a ponytail stepped out, wearing a sheepskin coat and blue jeans.
     Laura shrieked behind Andy. He turned just as the screen door Laura had pulled fell over and crashed to the front deck. Chelsea, who had been sleeping, whimpered and then started howling along with her brother.


Author Bio:
USA Today bestselling author Lorhainne Eckhart’s books have been described as Longmire meets old school Dallas and she recently received the 2013 Readers’ Favorite Award for Romantic Suspense for her title Lost and Found. With over 30 titles under her belt, she is frequently a top 100 bestselling author in multiple genres such as Romance, Westerns and Mystery/Suspense, including such series as The Outsider, Walk the Right Road, The Wilde Brothers, The Saved and her most recent addition The Friessens: A New Beginning.

Lorhainne lives on sunny Salt Spring Island with her family where she is working on her next novel. 


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Angeli by Amy Vansant

Title: Angeli – The Pirate, the Angel & the Irishman
Author: Amy Vansant 
Publication date: June 19th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

Summary:
Once a legendary pirate, Anne Bonny is a Sentinel, a soldier for mankind’s mysterious guardians, the Angeli. Anne will live 1000 years, but in return, she must hunt & neutralize Perfidia, corrupted Angeli who drain human energy to survive. Together with her fellow Sentinel, Con, and Arch Angeli Michael, Anne must face an added threat; a new breed of Perfidia possessed of untold power.

Monsters are only half Anne’s troubles; her stormy love life would make Blackbeard pack up ship and move to Kansas. After losing his corporeal body in battle, Anne’s former lover, Con Carey, visits her by possessing the bodies of humans, often with embarrassing results. In the meantime, Anne’s complicated romance with the aloof Arch Angeli Michael has intensified, but is their love spawned by the magnetic attraction of their powers? Or something deeper?

Can this unusual love triangle work together to protect the world from the cosmic horrors sworn to destroy it?


Chapter One
Sea Isle City, New Jersey. Present Day.
     Anne Bonny sat at the outdoor café in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, staring dreamily at the mimosa tree arching above her table. The tree’s fuzzy pink flowers gave her the impression of a Dr. Seuss creation, as if Horton himself had decorated it for a summer holiday.
     Anne could hear the rhythmic crashing of the surf, the soothing whoosh a soundtrack to the peaceful setting. Around the restaurant’s wrought iron table, tiny sparrows hopped across the backyard eating area, snatching up every spare crumb like little feathered vacuum cleaners. A block away, a seagull cackled its wild, agitated laugh.
     With only a young couple in love cooing to each other nearby, Anne tried to enjoy her hard-earned tranquility. She had decided to take a few days from her apartment in New York City and explore the Jersey, Delaware and Maryland shores. She doodled on a folded map as she pondered her route: Should she pause in Cape May? Or should she take the ferry to Delaware? The last bit of French toast gone from her plate, Anne found herself already wondering where she should stop for lunch.
     The female half of the cooing couple stood, scraping her metal chair across the stone pavers. Anne glanced over and watched the girl in the form-fitting tank dress twitch her way into the main building. Anne made brief eye contact with the young man still at the table, flashed him a polite “whoops, we made eye-contact” smile, and then returned to her thoughts.
     Anne had just reached for an overlooked crumble of bacon on her plate, when her attention snapped to the sparrows. They flew away in unison, and Anne’s sharp gaze swept the area to find the cause of their unrest.
     “Great little arse,” said a man’s voice in an Irish accent.
     Anne sat bolt upright and turned her eyes upon the male half of the couple with whom she shared the patio.
     The sandy-haired lovebird, still sitting where his girl had left him, met Anne’s curious gaze with a wicked grin. He abruptly stood and dragged his chair over to Anne’s table with a teeth-rattling screech of metal on stone.
     The boy released an overly dramatic sigh of satisfaction, plopped back down into the chair now positioned beside Anne, and beckoned the waitress as she exited the café and stepped onto the patio.
     “Could I get four whiskeys here?” he asked, dangling his finger over the table and swirling it as if mixing a drink.
     The waitress head cocked to the side with surprise. “Uh, sure, I guess…what kind?”
     The man looked at Anne, his face beaming like a child’s on Christmas morning.
     “Something Irish and as expensive as possible,” he said as he put his right elbow on the table and rested his head in that hand, his gaze never leaving Anne.  “Straight.”
     “You can put it on her tab. Or mine. Doesn’t matter really,” he said.
Anne looked at the waitress. “His tab,” she said. The waitress offered them an awkward smile and left to fetch the whiskey.
     “Ooh, Annie, you’re still a little evil,” said the young man. “You’re going to stick this lad with my tab.”
     Anne’s new table guest sat grinning, thin and pale as an untoasted wafer, but with the fiery eyes of a rebellious imp eager to be unleashed. She’d known the minute she heard the accent that the boy’s body had been appropriated by a friend of hers, Con Carey, who had lost his own corporeal body some years ago. Like a horror movie ghost, Con had a habit of borrowing other people’s bodies in order to communicate with her. Unlike a ghost, the only thing horrifying about Con was his otherworldly ability to consume whiskey.
     “Hello, Con,” Anne said. “Did you ask that poor boy if you could borrow his body?”
     “Hello, Annie, my love,” Con replied. “Absolutely not. They almost always say no.”
     Anne noted how Con’s eyes lit up when she acknowledged him and recalled how thrilled he’d been the first time he’d found a way to use another person’s body. He’d pumped his fists and run around the room screaming with joy until he crashed over a sofa, having momentarily lost control of his borrowed legs.
     “How are you? Did you miss me?” he asked.
     Before she could answer, Con leapt to his feet and did a few jumping jacks. Wrapped in the young man’s bony frame, he boxed an invisible opponent for a few moments, and then clapped himself on either shoulder, pleased with his performance.
     “Featherweight,” he said, flopping back into his chair.
     “Featherbrain,” drawled Anne. She paused as the waitress returned to set four whiskeys on the table. Unsure of the appropriate way to dole out four Irish whiskeys between two people so early in the morning, the girl lumped them in the middle of the table.
     Con took the first shot and swallowed it down before the waitress could fully release the last glass from her grasp.
     “Slow down,” said Anne. “She could have lost a finger.”
     “Uhhhhmmmm…” Con groaned, ignoring Anne in his ecstasy as he shot back the whiskey.
     Anne watched with amusement as Con licked his lips, tilted back his head and closed his eyes. As a disembodied spirit, not having lips or a throat had cut into his quality drinking time. Anne snatched the second whiskey from the table before Con could grab it, shot it back, and slapped it back into his empty paw.
     Con jerked his hand from the empty glass as if it had burned his fingertips. His jaw clenched. He pushed away Anne’s empty shot glass and deliberately clamped his fingers upon the next full shot. He trained his eyes on Anne’s, daring her to make a move for it.
     He raised the third shot to his mouth.
     With lightning-fast reflexes, Anne snatched the glass from Con’s paw. She put the glass against her lips, threatening to drink it.
     “Harpy!” Con roared, slamming his fist to the table. The glasses jumped and clattered on the wrought iron.
     Anne froze, allowing Con to hang, and then slowly handed the glass back, a smug grin on her face. Visibly relieved, Con downed the shot.
     “Surely, Annie, you know better than to break my heart like that,” said Con, wiping his mouth. “You might have spilled it.”
     Anne grinned, unable as always to be annoyed with Con for very long. She was happy to see him again, even if he inhabited the body of yet another innocent passerby. He hadn’t made one of his appearances in months. Still, she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do when the blonde girl came back from the ladies’ room expecting to find her boyfriend patiently waiting for her and not chatting up a busty strawberry blonde at the next table. She hadn’t been in a cat fight in ages.
     “I really wish you would time these visits a little better,” she said. “His girlfriend will be back here any second.”
     “I’ll be quick.”
     Anne nodded and took some small solace in the fact that Con had waited until the girl had left the table and that he had chosen a boy to borrow. During a past impromptu visit, Con had possessed the body of a young woman and proceeded to give Anne a sloppy kiss in front of a crowd that included the woman’s grandmother. Anne felt lucky the waitress wasn’t currently sitting in her lap.
     Anne nodded to the empty whiskey glasses.  “You know what they say; Drinky, Drinky, Little Dinky,” she held up her pinky and waggled it for effect.
     Con stopped in mock horror, the last shot nearly to his lips. He put the glass down, pulled out the waistband of his plaid shorts and looked inside. With a shrug, he snapped them shut.
     “Sorry, Luv, but it looks as though I might as well drink.”
     Anne sighed. “So why are you here, Con?”
     “I’ve come to give you a warning,” said Con. “Your pal is on the move.”
     “My pal?”
     “Michael.”
     Con turned his head to feign spitting on the floor in disgust as he said Michael’s name.
     “There’s trouble. I haven’t been able to gather all the details yet, but something is afoot.”
     "Is that where you’ve been the last few months? Spying on Michael?” asked Anne.
     Con raised one of the empty shot glasses, smelled it, and tried to reach his tongue to the bottom to sop up any last drops.
     “I said: have you been spying on Michael,” repeated Anne, taking the glass out of his hand and putting it back on the table. Con scowled and pursed his lips with disappointment.
     “Among other things.”
     Anne played it cool, as if Con’s news meant nothing to her, but her chest felt tight.  She opened and closed her fist several times before Con placed his hand on hers to soothe her jitters. She turned back to him and smiled, realizing what a poor actress she had been.
     “You’ll be fine, you always are,” he said in a gentle tone. “I just wanted to let you know to prepare yourself.”
     Without warning, Con leaned over and put his hand on the back of Anne’s head, pulling her face to his. He ravished her with a kiss, and Anne thought how strange it was that the kiss felt like Con and not like the stranger whose lips actually pressed against her own.
     The smell of whiskey helped.
     Anne felt herself giving in to the kiss. It was at that moment that Con left his host and she found herself lip-locked with a very confused young man.
     “What are you doing?!” came a screech from across the patio.
     Anne’s eyes popped open wide, her lips still pressed against the young man’s. His girlfriend had returned, and now stood, mouth agape, pointing at Anne.
     The boy pulled back from Anne’s kiss, holding his arms wide, as if declaring himself safe.
     “Wha…?” The boy stood up and put his fingers on the table to steady himself as the full effect of three whiskies and a recent possession took its toll on his 135 pounds of human flesh.
     “Whoa,” he said.
     The boy glanced down at Anne and then back at his girlfriend, hoping someone or something could explain his disorientation. He looked back at Anne’s memorable cleavage and tried to squelch the involuntary grin creeping to his lips.  He burped, putting his hand to his mouth in surprise when he tasted whiskey.
     “I said what are you doing?” said the girl, her tone still a glass-breaking screech.
     Anne stood.
     “He agreed to test our new line of lipsticks,” she said, gathering her things and beginning to move towards the restaurant’s backdoor. “In order to get you a free sampler kit from us, which I’ll go get from the car now.”
     The girl glowered with anger and confusion, torn between free makeup and an implausible explanation for what she had just witnessed. She took a step toward her equally confused boyfriend, tossing her locks with pique.
     “Why do you smell like booze?”
     “Whiskey flavored lipstick!” Anne called back, attempting to throw the boy a bone. “Irish Rose.”
     Anne paid her tab at the register and headed out.
     On the street, Anne made her way back to her car and considered what Con had said. Anytime Con noticed Michael acting suspiciously, bad things followed.
     Michael was an Angelus, a race of extraordinary creatures whose sole duty was to watch over the welfare of humans. Anne was a Sentinel. She worked for the Angeli as a sort of bounty hunter, helping to track and kill Perfidia, Angeli who preyed on humans instead of protecting them. Anytime Michael called her, she knew a battle lay ahead, and while she had once relished these challenges, since a Perfidian had nearly killed her fellow Sentinel, Con, she’d felt death had become her constant companion.
     In addition, Michael and Anne were involved in a complicated romance that only added stress to every exchange between them.
     If what Con said was true, Anne was in danger once more. She wished she could fly away from the whole mess, but today, disappearing would be especially difficult.
     Her car was missing.
     The parking spot she’d been so happy to find had a new tenant and her Jaguar was nowhere to be seen.
     “Blast,” Anne swore as she scanned the area.
     Across the street, between two beach duplexes, she spotted her car parked on the next block.
     Anne scowled. There was no way she could have parked one block over from the restaurant. Perhaps Con had moved the car as a joke before he visited her at the café. That would be like him. Or, perhaps she was going senile. She was slightly over 300 years old. A long life was one of the perks of being a Sentinel, assuming you could stay alive with Perfidia constantly trying to kill you.
     Anne cut between the beach houses towards her vehicle, ducking and slipping through a small fence to enter a secluded backyard. Before she could stand upright, the figure of a man appeared directly in front of her.
     Anne lacked even a moment to react.
     The man raised a small pistol, and shot her directly between the eyes.




Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m the author of “Angeli – The Pirate, the Angel & the Irishman” – a contemporary fantasy/mystery/adventure/romance and the editor/co-author of the “Moms are Nuts” humor anthology. Years ago I also published “The Surfer’s Guide to Florida” – a wave finding guide to the sunshine state. I also have 3 or 4 novels stuffed in drawers around here somewhere…
I’m a Labradoodle mommy and never turn down a cocktail. Or three.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Angeli – The Pirate, the Angel & the Irishman” is a super-fun urban fantasy/adventure with a good dose of humor and romance. It’s a little Sookie Stackhouse, a little Buffy the Vampire Slayer… but no vampires. Bottom line is it is a fun read. And hopefully infectious, though not in a skin rash sort of way.
I had always been a writer, I was the East Coast Editor of Surfer Magazine for years and a freelancer, but I started to do web design for added income. Then the web took off and I put writing aside for years. About four years ago I had a dream that was the nugget for Angeli, and suddenly realized I hadn’t been doing what I love for over a decade! I started working on Angeli and started my humor blog (http://www.AmyVansant.com) to help me get back into the swing of writing again.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Only that I prefer to do it very early in the morning, like 3 or 4 am, when my husband and dog are asleep and I don’t have to fear distractions. My husband and I both work from home and it’s like having a permanently 2 year old wandering around. Gordon, the Labradoodle, is much more mature.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The authors I love the most are much more serious than I am – Vonnegut, Douglas Coupland – much more literary. They inspire me simply because I love them and I want to write as beautifully as they do and touch people the way they do, even if my approach is lighter. Also, I think I probably started Angeli after reading the first two books of the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) series. They were light and fun and I thought “This is just like how I write! Hey… how come I don’t write anymore…”
Then I guess my mind started writing via my dream world before the rest of me caught up.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a chick-lit humor novel called “Slightly Stalky,” which is the semi-fictional tale of how I stalked and bagged my husband (Spoler alert: I got him). I put so much humor into Angeli and my blog is pure humor, so I thought I’d just write a straight-forward romantic comedy next. Angeli has been well received, so I’m hoping to wrap up “Slightly Stalky” in time for Christmas and start working on the next Angeli book.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve put an embarrassing large number of hours into building my Twitter following, so that helps get the word out. My next best is begging… a lot of begging for reviews. Begging friends, web design clients, people on GoodReads, people on the street… I try to send 1-3 requests for reviews out a day.
Speaking of which, would you like to write me a review on Amazon? Let me get you the link here… just a sec…
In all seriousness though, I’ll gladly give a free Kindle download to… say… 50 of your readers willing to do reviews? I only ask that they A. not hate books with some fantasy/supernatural elements/romance and B. are very very kind people who would never dream of breaking my heart.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing! You’ll never sell what you haven’t written. That’s the only knowable. Get a good proofreader. One that will not only check your grammar and spelling but who will tell you if your chapters are really in a bad order or your plot has more holes than a gopher field. Nobody is going to give reviews to a book riddled with mistakes. I used Nicole at http://www.ncdediting.com/ – she was AMAZING. Also, if your self publishing get a good cover! It makes a difference. I used Donna Murillo: http://dhm-designs.com/ She was also amazing with which to work. I REALLY lucked out finding both of these women.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That much of success is perception. You can’t forget the marketing. You could write the best book in the world, but if you or your editor/publisher isn’t out there flogging it, the odds of it selling are very slim. There is a ton of competition and you have to do everything you can. You have to get the reviews. People don’t even take your book seriously on Amazon until you have over 50 reviews. And getting reviews is BRUTAL.
Did I mention I’d love some reviews?

What are you reading now?
Stiff by Mary Roach. Love it. I love fascinating non-fiction. I wish had the patience to research and write it myself. I also just finished two short books by Nick Tory – Johnny 12 Steps and Johnny Vegas. Very funny, quirky little gems.

What’s next for you as a writer?
The goal is to keep selling books and hopefully someday quit the day job. I suppose you’ve never heard that before, huh? I also want to try and write a book every 6 months… but between marketing of the books I already have and work, that might be a tad optimistic.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oh yikes. Oddly, the first thing that came to mind was an old book called “The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy.” I think they publish updated versions now. They basically have everything you should know to be a well rounded person in them. That would kill some serious time.
Probably Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle too.
Maybe my own books so I could really agonize over corrections I’d like to make….
And then I would insist that I’d be allowed to take all these books with me on a satellite phone, which I would then use to call for help!

Author Bio:
Amy has been writing and finding other creative ways to make no money since high school.
She is the author of the urban fantasy series "Angeli - The Pirate, the Angel & the Irishman," romantic comedy "Slightly Stalky" (Jan 2015) and the editor and one of the 26 authors of the humor anthology "Moms are Nuts," which has been on Amazon's best-sellers lists since its publication in April 2014.

Amy the former East Coast Editor of SURFER Magazine and freelance writer. Long ago she wrote "The Surfer's Guide to Florida," which is currently out of print because the urge to drive up and down the coast interviewing surfers has long since left her.

Amy is a nerd and Labradoodle mommy.


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