Winner

And the winner of the sweepstakes competition is....*drumroll*...Natalee G!!!

Congratulations, you have been emailed about your prize :)
http://thelockdown.co.uk

The Perfect Score

THE PERFECT SCORE
by Beth Albright

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Ginny Bloom Hunnicutt is crawling back home to Cottonwood Cove Alabama-- her promising CNN news-reporting career in shambles when an on-air flub cost her the job and cost CNN a lawsuit. Putting ego aside, she takes a position at the Chatterbox – the local weekly newspaper run by her mother, the town gossip. What’s a southern belle to do in a crisis but run home to her mama?

But when a mysterious hot high school football coach rolls into town, Ginny’s luck begins to change. Seems he has more secrets than a shady politician and Ginny’s determined to dig up the truth, and write the story that will get her career back on track. Everyone knows in a small, southern town, nothing stays private.

But the more she delves into his past, the more she begins to fall for the former college football star.

The coach’s star player has some secrets of his own and when Ginny uncovers it all, she must decide if she should reveal everything or follow her heart and protect the people she has grown to care for.

Author Beth Albright weaves a saucy southern tale filled with intrigue, romance and laugh out-loud comedy. From the bright lights of Friday night football to the darkened bedroom of unexpected lovers, it’s a richly layered story with more twists and turns—and mud, than an Alabama back road.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:

“I’ll have another,” I said as I ordered my second dirty martini. The Sand Box was a dingy little bar near the pier in Cottonwood Cove, Alabama.

Covered in fishing ropes and other remnants of the life on the lake, the place was a dive for the small-towns folk who lived here, and for the kids who were lake rats during the summer. But summer had ended weeks ago, the kids back at school, and we were well into September now. Late that night, the place was nearly empty.

I sat there nursing my drink, drowning myself in what I had come to believe was the most embarrassing moment of my career. The dim lights swung in old metal fixtures from the ceiling of the Sand Box. A jukebox playing Hank Williams Jr. stood missing some of its colored lights in the corner. A few old wooden tables were scattered around with a couple of red vinyl booths shoved in the corner near the pool table and dartboard.

I had come home, tail tucked neatly between my legs, to lick my wounds. My name is Virginia Bruce Hunnicutt. I go by Ginny. My sisters and I all have my mom’s maiden name as our middle name. I kept it as my last name for my TV job. Ginny Bruce, reporting. I was a reporter for CNN in Atlanta. Was being the key word here. I had been fired two weeks prior because one of my sources was a fake. I swear I checked the credentials but the story turned out to be full of inaccuracies and CNN is now in a lawsuit. I may never work in the media again. And CNN was my dream job.

My name is now as muddy as the Alabama red dirt, which is exactly where I ran home to: Cottonwood Cove, Alabama. It’s the safest place to be. And even though I had become quite the big city girl, the one I had always dreamed of being, somehow, the safety of being home in Cottonwood Cove had its perks. Like being in this dive bar in the middle of the week late at night, with only one other soul in here besides me. Oh, God—and he was making his way over to me just as I was finishing my second round.

“What’s your poison?” he asked in his deep sexy baritone. He was beautiful. Rugged and sculpted with dark wavy hair and gorgeous lips; he was about six foot three and deliciously well built. His dark blue eyes undressed me as he moved closer to me—or maybe that was just me thinking I’d be more comfortable with my clothes off with this gorgeous man. He was dressed in a navy Polo button-down and perfect fitting blue jeans. His large muscular thighs and broad defined shoulders were evident even under his clothes. One dimple accentuated the right side his cute, boyish face. He smiled at me like he was fixin’ to eat me up, and oh, I was feeling like dessert as he slid in next to me at the bar. He looked like an athlete. Or a god. Come to think of it, in Alabama, those are one in the same. Regardless, he was heaven to look at, or maybe I was seeing him through double martini glasses. Probably the latter since I only weighed about 125 pounds and I knew better than to have more than two drinks. Ever.

“I’m having dirty martinis,” I answered. “You?”

“I’ll have the same,” he said to the bartender.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Beth Albright is the author of the award-winning, best-selling series The Sassy Belles. After knowing Beth for just a few short seconds you are sure to learn she is from Alabama. No, its not the lilt of magnolia you can still catch in her voice, or even the way she lovingly describes her undying love for her famous alma mater's football champions. She will tell you she loves Tuscaloosa, even after living quite literally all over the country. Though Beth has had a remarkable career, from New York City to Hollywood, and all points in between, she has never forgotten where she came from...and what she loves. That's why when it came time to write, Beth had no choice but to write about Tuscaloosa and The University of Alabama, and all the quirky people she still calls family, though some do not actually share her bloodline!

Beth Albright has always been a storyteller. After spending nearly 15 years in talk radio, as a talk show host, playing the part of a principal character on the soap opera, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, owning her own acting school and children’s theater, and raising a son who was a nationally ranked figure skater, Beth has decided to return to her roots; storytelling. When she was in the sixth grade, her teacher gave her the floor every Friday to tell her stories. See, Beth was a talker, a future talk show host in the making, and she was telling stories so much that her teacher couldn’t teach. The teacher told 12 year old Beth if she would begin writing her stories down, she would be allowed time to share those stories with the class.

And she’s been writing, AND talking ever since. Beth has interviewed Bob Hope, Oprah Winfrey, Betty White, Wolfgang Puck and George Burns live from the Chinese Theatre, as well as numerous other celebrities, and authors. Then Beth became a principal character on Days of Our Lives. But through all of the excitement of talk shows and soap operas, Beth loved telling stories to her audience the most. With a degree in Journalism from her beloved University of Alabama, She always remains true to her roots, born and raised in Tuscaloosa, “My grandfather was the play by play announcer for the Crimson Tide in the 50s!” Beth will proudly tell you. She is a down homespun girl, although she currently lives in San Francisco with her TV producer husband and her brilliant son. But her heart is always in Alabama.

http://www.thesassybelles.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBethAlbright

https://www.facebook.com/TheSassyBelles

https://twitter.com/BeththeBelle

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6583748.Beth_Albright

http://tulepublishing.com/product/the-perfect-score/

http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Score-Southern-Born-ebook/dp/B00KIBLG7M/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400963516&sr=1-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/beth-albright

Unseasonal War

Unseasonal War
by David Englund

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Clark Jackson’s travels, for the first time, put him in touch with an intriguing species remarkably human-like. He becomes instantly fascinated with the Fronents and envious of their advanced technology. Striving to befriend them and learn more, his uncontrolled enthusiasm forsakes the use of appropriate caution and suspicion. Could their cold reception be a byproduct of their war with a vile species in this corner of the universe, or something else?

The magnificent splendor of an unexplored galaxy, new species to encounter and the adrenalin rush of space battle feed Clark’s awestruck hunger for exploration and adventure. Unfortunately, the more he learns the more he questions; including the wisdom of his entangled involvement in their war.

Meanwhile, back home in Des Moines, Iowa, Clark attempts to maintain an inconspicuous lifestyle to avoid attracting the attention of a certain relentless federal agency. His girlfriend’s own secret, however, could unravel it all.

**Even though the book is the second book in the series, it IS standalone

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

The entire bridge quaked with greater and greater intensity. Standing upright became increasingly difficult with each passing moment, even with the help of safety bars. A ship of this size was not meant to traverse a planet’s atmosphere.

“There she is!” A cadet pointed at a screen.

The enemy ship itself still wasn’t visible. However, flames burst up out of nowhere, surrounding a small blank area on the screen. Something was definitely breaking the atmosphere of the planet.

“Now! Pull out. Full speed ahead.”

The shaking quickly diminished. Two seconds later, the bridge was perfectly level and moving forward smoothly again.

“Now! Target those flames. Fire aft lasers. All engines stop.”

Clark concentrated on the view screens. Lasers connected twice as two explosions erupted amidst the flames. Crew members cheered. Captain Trind quickly put a stop to the celebration as he continued to stare at the screens and rattle off commands. The enemy vessel followed suit and broke out of the atmosphere back into orbit. It came out firing. Lasers once again impacted the ship in several locations.

“Fire! Keep firing! Target the smoke! We can see exactly where she is now. Hit her!”

The camera view displayed her approach. The smoking ship passed directly overhead, both ships trading fire, both taking hits. Clark could feel the deck tremble every time they were assaulted.

“All ahead one-half. Follow that smoke trail. Fire forward lasers.”

The entire ship jumped three feet as an explosion emanated from below decks, causing those standing to lose their footing. A few seconds passed. Several crew members shook their heads and struggled to stand. It took a few more seconds to regain composure. Clark felt the ship slow down.

“Sir . . . the engine room . . . the engine room is gone. Completely.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

David Englund is a storyteller (science fiction author) and teaches economics at North Dakota State University. His first two titles, Upsetting the Tides and UNSEASONAL WAR are available on Amazon. Camouflaged Encounters is due out in late 2014 and the fourth and fifth books are in progress.

http://amazon.com/dp/B00F4MHDWM

http://davidjenglund.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/david.englund.104

Don't forget to comment on this blog post to be in with the chance if winning a copy of the book!*

Interview with Dyal Bailey - The Author of The Artsian: An Artistic Assassin Thriller

1. Can you tell me about yourself and your book?

I'm an avid reader of every genre, but especially thrillers and I really enjoy the writing process.

My book is a thriller and it's truly a fun ride. The Artisan is a humorous diversion with lots if action and suspense. And it's a very fast read -- with characters I promise you'll remember forever.

Especially the villains!

2. What was the inspiration for your book?

My inspiration was a dream I had as well as a personal fascination with genetic engineering.

3. How would you describe your writing style in three words?

Fluid. Fast. Funny.

4. What makes The Artsian stand out from other books in the same genre?

What makes The Artisan stand out is the characters. All the characters, even the minor ones are all quirky and vivid. And Gunter ... Well, Gunter you will remember forever.

5. Who would you like to play your main characters in the film?

Wow. I've had readers suggest the actor that plays Thor, Chris Hemsworth for Gunter. But my oldest daughter says no. She says who ever plays Gunter must have legs and a buttocks like a male ballet dancer.

6. Do you base your characters on yourself or anyone you know?

My characters come out fully formed and I never know from where. Although after a bit I realized that Gunter was a caricature if my father.

7. What's next for you?

I'm in the middle of book two in the Artistic Assassin Series, and I have several other books in the series already outlined.

8. Where can people find out more about you?

My website is: dyalbailey.com
and I have a very detailed author page on amazon.com

The Surgeons Apprentice

The Surgeon’s Apprentice

by Richard Longfellow

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Alex is a ditzy but adorable final-year medical student, whose sex life seems doomed to fantasies about Hollywood hunks and abuse and misuse of the mirror in his bedroom. Then along comes blond and blue-eyed Will, all sinewy muscles, a gorgeous face and a top orthopaedic surgeon to boot, but equally hopeless when it comes to love. Their first encounter in his clinic is almost ruined by an embarrassing incident with a pair of disposable briefs, but mutual attraction prevails and brings them together.

When ghosts from Will's past threaten their future together and all looks lost, Alex devises a plan to save Will’s reputation.

But will love be enough to save the day and win Alex the man of his dreams? Or will he be doomed to eating his favorite apple crumble all alone-–with lashings of crème anglaise, of course.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

Empty chairs, no one at home apart from a grumpy-looking receptionist. “I’m a medical student. I’m looking for Mr Jackson’s clinic. I’m afraid I’m late,” he said in a sweaty, breathless, hyper/hypoglycaemic, verbal diarrhoeal explosion. She turned from her dirty, crumb-spattered NHS keyboard at a speed barely compatible with life and pointed a bony finger that could have belonged to ET. He looked in the direction of her home constellation and saw a consulting room door. One door of many, impossible to tell them apart, just like stars. Except this door said ‘Mr Jackson, Consultant Surgeon’. But the sign was at an angle with ‘Mr’ drooping about an inch lower than ‘Surgeon’, which was disconcerting. It was as if a mister was a lower life form than a surgeon – which is true, of course – but then, surgeons also insist on calling themselves ‘Mr’ rather than ‘Dr’, which was even more confusing given that doctors are universally known to be supreme beings, just below the Daleks. And that meant surgeons were on a par with Daleks, which was just plain ridiculous.

Alex reached up to adjust the sign (the least he could do, he thought, given his tardiness) but it was attached with something blue and sticky which had picked up its fair share of staph aureus-strewn fingerprints over the years. He heard a “Tut” from behind. He looked around and saw the receptionist shaking her head very, very slowly, as if wanting to make a point without her wretched cranium falling off her scrawny neck. “Sorry,” he said, leaving the drooping sign, adjusting his tie and generally checking that he was ready to cross the threshold to the delights/horrors that lay in the room ahead.

Alex knocked timidly on the door. Not a super-confident ‘da-da-de-dah’ but a pathetic ‘de-de’ that’s barely worth putting down on paper. He felt his right testicle rubbing itchily against his thigh. He didn’t have time to perform a rearrangement as a deep and commanding “Come in!” emanated from the inner sanctum. He opened the door and his first sight was of three female students on the left, sitting demurely on blue plastic chairs, pens poised in their hands like wands above steaming cauldrons. Directly opposite the door, and a scant six feet away, was Mr Jackson, sitting on the edge of his desk. The door remained open behind him and he felt a shiver of air on his left testicle and his thighs go all a-wobble.

Oh. My. God. He’s drop dead gorgeous. Imagine Brad Pitt and Hugh Jackman rolled into one. No, not rolling together (although that would be AMAZING) but genetically merged into a superbeing, a wankfest, a man beyond all men…well, you get the drift. But there’s more: blue eyes you could drown in, blond hair falling effortlessly to wide shoulders, a trim, muscular torso and long, long legs. It’s amazing what a good suit does for a man. And then there was the crotch…

The evaluation took milliseconds but he wanted it to be a lifetime.

“Mr Stevens, I presume?” inquired the demigod, addressing the mere mortal. “How nice of you to give us the pleasure of your company. Perhaps you stopped off somewhere for an extended lunch?”

Alex couldn’t be certain that his jaw actually dropped, but it certainly felt as if his mouth was searching for his voice on the floor. He felt as if Mr Jackson’s x-ray vision was dissecting him into his ever-so-slightly queenie parts and an end-of-bed diagnosis was imminent. That crumble was SUCH a mistake. “We seem to be away with the fairies, Mr Stevens,” Mr J added sarcastically.

But nota bene the Pluralis Majestatis. And the mention of fairies.

The trio of oh-too-perfect Hermiones, perched on their plastic chairs, giggled. It might have been a trick of the light but Alex was sure there was a hint of a smile in the corner of the demigod’s mouth. And those wonderful, sexy, luscious, subtly pouting, kissable lips…

Fimble, fumble, mimble, mumble. A strangulated stutter emerged: “S-s-sorry, M-M-Mr J-J-Jackson. I went to the wrong clinic. I’m v-v-very s-s-sorry.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Richard Longfellow resides in London, Great Britain and works as a doctor. He’s tall, dark and handsome, and currently unattached. When he’s not tending to his patients, he enjoys stroking his two cats, movies with happy endings and opening the very best champagne, although not necessarily in that order. His favourite male movie stars include Brad Pitt and Hugh Jackman. ‘The Surgeon’s Apprentice’ is his first novella of quintessentially British, gay erotica.

http://www.richardlongfellow.com/

https://twitter.com/RickLongbow

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008178612072

*A $25 prize will be given to someone who comments on THE SURGEONS APPRENTICE blog tour - so post your comments below to be entered!*

Mind Games (Sale on in May!!!)

 Mind Games

by Christine Amsden

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Beware your heart and soul…

Evan broke Cassie’s heart two months ago, and she still doesn’t know why. She throws herself into family, friends and her new job at the sheriff’s department, but nothing helps. The only thing that finally allows her heal and move on is the love of a new man, mind mage Matthew Blair. Cassie finds him…irresistible.

Matthew may also be the only one who can help keep the non-magical residents of Eagle Rock from going crazy over the murder of a beloved pastor’s wife. It looks like a sorcerer is to blame, but while Cassie tries to figure out who, others take matters into their own hands. With tensions running so hot, a single spark might set Eagle Rock ablaze.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

“Can you read minds?” The question bypassed my brain and went straight to my mouth. You don't ask sorcerers about their powers. It just isn't done. When I realized what I'd said, I clapped a hand over my mouth and started to apologize.

Before I could, he held up a staying hand. He nodded, once, very slightly.

“You can?” The admission stunned me, since I doubted anyone outside his family would know. Though I supposed if he thought I might use the knowledge against him, he could always erase it later. But it didn't explain why he had told me in the first place.

“I thought being honest with you might help us become friends,” Matthew said.

In this case, I didn't think the truth would help him much. How could I be friends with someone who could read my every thought?

Matthew's face fell. “I understand. It's why I don't tell many people. But it's not like it's something I can help.”

I hadn't meant to hurt him. As a rule, I hated hurting people. Wincing, I wondered what I could do to make him feel better, especially when he could read the truth in my mind – that I really didn't think we could be friends. Words, I could control. Thoughts were something else entirely.

“Can't you block it out?” I asked, finally.

He shook his head. “I think of it as hearing thoughts rather than reading minds. When you say you can read minds, it leaves the impression that you can close your eyes and stop seeing the thoughts. For me it's is a lot more like trying not to hear a loud noise, especially when someone broadcasts her thoughts as loudly as you do.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.

In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.

Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.

Cassie Scot ParaNormal Detective (Cassie Scot #1) Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cassie-Scot-ParaNormal-Christine-Amsden/dp/1606192752/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368971523&sr=8-1&keywords=Cassie+Scot

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cassie-scot-christine-amsden/1115049717?ean=9781606192757

Audible (audiobook): http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/Cassie-Scot-Audiobook/B00FA89FZ8/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1379697202&sr=1-1

Secrets and Lies (Cassie Scot #2) Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FX4C0YM/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00FX4C0YM&linkCode=as2&tag=chrisamsde-20

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/secrets-and-lies-christine-amsden/1117158667?ean=2940148499534

Audible (Audiobook): http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/Secrets-and-Lies-Audiobook/B00HFDO8BC/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1395684489&sr=1-1

Mind Games (Cassie Scot #3) Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JLRNZ3C

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mind-games-christine-amsden/1119167384

Social Media Links:

Web site: http://christineamsden.com/wordpress/

Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/christineamsden

Blog: http://christineamsden.com/wordpress/?page_id=200

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Amsden-Author-Page/127673027288664?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristineAmsden

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/117845642477854934607/posts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1030664.Christine_Amsden

Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective ($0.99 in May)

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

First Chapter: http://christineamsden.com/wordpress/?page_id=1712

Buy Links for Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cassie-Scot-ParaNormal-Christine-Amsden/dp/1606192752/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368971523&sr=8-1&keywords=Cassie+Scot

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cassie-scot-christine-amsden/1115049717?ean=9781606192757

Audible (audiobook): http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-Thrillers/Cassie-Scot-Audiobook/B00FA89FZ8/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1379697202&sr=1-1

Don't forget to enter the competition: Enter to win a $100 Amazon GC – A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Happy #ZOMBIEAWARENESSMONTH

Happy #ZOMBIEAWARENESSMONTH

http://thelockdown.co.uk

Win the chance to be #famous!

https://www.facebook.com/SamieSandsLockdown/app_237202476309340

Want to become famous?

http://conta.cc/1iNRf7N

Use the link to enter the sweepstakes - you could have a character named after you in the sequel to Lockdown!

Magnolia Bay Series

Bet The House by Erika Marks

Willamena Dunn is having a lousy week. Not only is her baby sister about to marry into the family of Dunn-Right Preservation’s biggest professional rival, but the historic bungalow of her dreams has just been bought by the most infuriating (not to mention exceedingly handsome and notoriously wicked) man to ever hammer a nail in Magnolia Bay, Knox Loveless. 


But when Knox offers her a wager she can’t refuse, a bet with the coveted bungalow as its prize, Willa is sure her bad luck might finally be turning around—until Knox surprises her with a passionate kiss, and suddenly all bets are off.

Could this be just another one of Knox Loveless’ games, or will two rivals finally surrender to a long-simmering attraction and declare a truce once and for all?

Sweet Home Carolina by Kim Boykin

Darcy Vance has sunk every cent she has into making Mimosa House the best bed and breakfast in Magnolia Bay. But the key to her success lies in the hands of the Historic Preservation Society run by the Bloom bitches who are embarrassed about their father’s connection to the storied house and they have no intention of validating it with a spot on the society’s registry.

After losing his PGA card, Trent Mauldin has come home to Magnolia Bay to lick his wounds and has no plans to stay. Until he falls for Darcy. Things heat up between the two until Trent’s good intentions to help Darcy go sideways. While Darcy works to save her house, Trent fights to win her back and keep her in Magnolia Bay for good.

Excerpt:

Sweet Home Carolina
Kim Boykin
©Copyright 2014

The ancient clock that came with the house chimed the hour. As I shinnied down the ladder, I ran through the to-do list in my head—shower at ten, hair appointment at eleven, then back to the grind of turning Mimosa House into a stellar bed-and-breakfast. My brain counted the bongs as they reverberated off of the walls of my new lease on life that came with a seven-figure mortgage. Nine. Ten. Eleven. “Eleven? Shit.”

I stepped into my good flip-flops by the front door, the ones with hardly any paint on them, grabbed my purse and keys, and sprinted toward the Jeep.

“Yankee.” The hiss came from my lovely neighbor, Mr. Hunsucker, who was somewhere between five and a hundred and five years old and wasn’t at all happy I was opening a B&B. He was watering the prize roses he’d accused me of pilfering on more than one occasion. Okay, so when I thought no one was looking, I’d pulled a spent blossom off, just to smell it, which made me a flower thief and a Yankee.

“Good morning, Mr. Hunsucker,” I called and then ducked into the Jeep before the spray drenched my windshield. Missed me.

Looking up at him in my rearview mirror, he only held up his middle finger a few seconds this time. A new record. Yep, I was definitely growing on him.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kim Boykin is a women's fiction author with a sassy Southern streak. She is the author of The Wisdom of Hair, Steal Me, Cowboy, and Palmetto Moon (Summer 2014.) While her heart is always in South Carolina, she lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, 3 dogs, and 126 rose bushes.

http://kimboykin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/authorkimboykin

https://twitter.com/AuthorKimBoykin

http://tulepublishing.com/product-category/kim-boykin/

Erika Marks is a women's fiction writer and the author of LITTLE GALE GUMBO, THE MERMAID COLLECTOR, THE GUEST HOUSE and IT COMES IN WAVES (July, 2014). On the long and winding road to becoming published, she worked many different jobs, including carpenter, cake decorator, art director, and illustrator. But if pressed, she might say it was her brief tenure with a match-making service in Los Angeles after college that set her on the path to writing love stories (not that there isn't romance in frosting or power tools!) A native New Englander, she now makes her home in Charlotte, NC, with her husband, a native New Orleanian who has taught her to make a wicked gumbo, and their two little mermaids.

http://www.erikamarksauthor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ErikaMarksAuthor

https://twitter.com/erikamarksauthr

http://tulepublishing.com/product-category/erika-marks/

Don't forget to enter the Magnolia Bay Competition: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e434134/

Zombie Girlz Contest

Calling all Authors!

Any authors interested in contributing to an anthology, please email jaclyn.samie@mail.com for details! :)

Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart by Hilary Neiman is being described by reviewers as “An interesting and eye-opening autobiographical journey.”  It’s about mistakes, consequences and starting over – a story that you need to read before making your mind up about it.

“Early one morning in 2011, Hilary Neiman was hard at work in the offices of her own successful adoption and surrogacy practice, when three agents of the FBI entered without warning, read her Miranda rights, and informed her, “This is your Come to Jesus day.” How does one go from being raised in a loving, ethical family and earning an advanced education, including in the law, to being accused in the headlines of joining a baby-selling, human trafficking ring? Eventually, Hilary would plead guilty, but not to baby-selling. She would forfeit her license to practice law, and spend five months in the Atwood Minimum Security Camp in Lexington, Kentucky. Things Fall Apart is the story of a young woman with nothing but the promise of a fulfilled life ahead of her, whose childhood dream turned into a nightmare.”

1. Why did you decide to write Things Fall Apart?

I hope my book and story serves a cautionary tale for people in understanding that every single action could influence the rest of their lives. I also hope that readers take away the fact that all of us face challenges- some are small, others are big, and even some(like the one that I faced) are gigantic. But, whether we have them today, tomorrow, or down the road, there is no getting around that we’ll all have them. Some of these challenges are due to the imperfections and unpredictable life events; others are the result of our own bad judgment. But, we can all get through these struggles and our past does not have to dictate our future. 

2. How long did it take you to write?

It took me about a year to write the book. 

3. What do you hope to achieve with your work?

I hope that by opening up about my bad decisions and the things that I wish I would have done differently, it will help others. And, by helping others, I have meaning and purpose in my own life. 

4. Who is your inspiration?

My family. 

5. Why the name of your book?

In my life, things certainly fell apart. But, the reverse of that is also true. Bad things fall apart too. And, I think anyone going through a crisis or traumatic situation must keep that in mind. No matter what someone goes through, we can always transform that experience. 

6. What type of work do you do now?

I work as a mentor, helping others find balance in their lives and overcome struggle. 

Hilary’s mentoring programme is there to help people out of difficult situations covering topics from ‘Trust: Ignoring the Red Flags’ to ‘Fitness and Diet During Crisis’. Please check out more about the book and mentoring programme at http://www.hilaryneimannetwork.com.

I just created a QuickQuiz - The terrifying world of the Lockdown zombies!

I just created a QuickQuiz - The terrifying world of the Lockdown zombies!: Play this QuickQuiz now and test your knowledge!

John Higgins

1. Could you tell me a little bit about yourself and your book series?

I am a former statewide prosecutor in the State of New Jersey. I had a full career performing a wide variety of tasks from interacting with the public, writing policy positions, laws staffing and being a member of various committees as well as actually prosecuting a wide variety of cases from a serial killer nurse all the way down to simple assault cases, although the majority were complex and very high profile cases.

The Archangel Jarahmael and the War to Conquer Heaven is the first trilogy in the series and deals with the creation of the Beings of Light and the Universe and entwined within is a love story between the fourth born Archangel, Jarahmael and the first human a female named Lillith. Their story winds throughout the trilogy so there is a Human element to the books. There are nine species of Angels dispersed among the Seven levels of Heaven, pre-humans called Simians, pyramids, Adam and Eve. I fill in the gaps that are hinted at but missing in the Book of Genesis using fiction, but I make sure the story still remains logical and consistent within it.

This will be on on-going series and I have the fourth book in the hands of my publisher, Ring of Fire Books, that will start a second trilogy, The Archangel Jarahmael and the War to Conquer Hell.

2. Where does the inspiration for your writing come from?

I have always been creative and have an inner drive to create things out of nothing or alter existing things in a way that gives them new purpose. In the past I produced and created television commercials using celebrities to combat teenage substance abuse in the 1980’s, produced an anti-bias crime play in the 1990’s, and now retired from government, I started writing novels.

I was always intrigued by these Beings of Light having had my own personal experience seeing these creatures as a toddler shortly before my father was killed in a car accident. I wanted to learn more about them. I believe they were the first creations of the Almighty but there are missing gaps about how they began and why they rebelled and tried to replace the Almighty in the Heavens. I was not able to find their story written anywhere only allusions to it even though the story felt hardwired into my inner mind. Of course there is John Milton who wrote Paradise Lost, but that is unreadable today. So I began to do extensive research on what others have written and used my inner guidance to write ertheir story and continue to write about them as their story is the original story of Good and Evil. During the course of this experience, even up to the present day there are a lot of coincidences that provide me information that I use in my writing.

3. Who would you pick to play the characters in your books on the big screen?

That is a tough question as there are fourteen Archangels, and various secondary characters form the other species of Angels – Seraphim, Thrones, Cherubim, Virtues, Dominions, Principalities, Potentates and Guardians. And then with Luciferael and his other close Archangels who call themselves his Auxilium, those actors would have to have a full range and a great deal of nuance to portray them from their pureness in the beginning to their slow devolve into the Rebel Angels. If I was casting the roles I would prefer new and fresh faces, talents that would not be already associated with previous roles. Remember these are the greatest of the Almighty’s creatures with doses of energy far greater than the creatures of mud known as Humans.

4. Can you describe your writing style in three words for someone who has never read your books?

Creative, visual and I have been told engaging.

5. Do you prefer writing the hero or the villain characters?

I prefer the hero character as that range of emotion most closely tracks my own. Not to say that the villainous aren’t fun, but my life’s work prior to this was prosecuting those personalities and putting that type of person in prison to protect society.

6. Who is your favourite author and whats your favourite book?

I don’t know that I can even get close to naming one author or one book as my favourite as many things I have read took me to places I wanted to go at the moment. I began at ten with Ian Fleming and his James Bond, with a wicked stepfather 007 became a role model for me as crazy as that may sound. JRR Tolkien and his Middle Earth was a great place to hide as a teenager, but I also read Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Hemingway, all sorts of histories and writings from great men like Lincoln. In my twenties, Stephen King was a thrill and in my thirties Anne Rice’s Vampire world was amazing. I also have this tendency to read anything I can get my hands on when a subject interests me, I am sure I could qualify as an expert in court in a variety of subjects just from my reading alone.

7. What are you currently working on or what do you have planned for the future?

Right now I am writing a young adult novel that may become its own series that deals with local lore concerning a creature called the New Jersey Devil. Not far from my house, an 1864 train station by the way that I converted, there is a cave system within a bed of house sized boulders on the side of a mountain called Devil’s Half-Acre. How cool is that?

By the time I am done with this new project, Book 4 should be out and then I will switch back to Jarahmael. But I also have a number of crime novels in my mind as well, I just wanted a break from dealing with a lot of that real life tragedy.

8. Where can people find out more about you?

I can be found at www.john-j-higgins.com, email at jjhigginsesq@gmail.com , Twitter @JohnJHigginsEsq, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/john.higgins.737 and https://www.facebook.com/TheArchangelJarahmaelTheWarToConquerHeavenTrilogy and Amazon all over the world --this is the US version http://amzn.com/e/B00AU76AOI. My books are also available at Barnes and Noble or can be ordered at your local bookstore through Kobo.