Starving For Love

Please help me welcome my guest Nicole Zoltack. Nicole and I are both authors at Astraea Press. If you haven't checked AP out, I can highly recommend them. Nicole, what are your ten favorite books of all time?

1. Les Miserables. I know, I know. It's a massive book. I'll admit to skimming part. Good ole Victor Hugo needed a better or stricter editor. But the story is incredible, the characters so complex. After reading it for high school, I bought the soundtrack and memorized the songs long before I ever saw the show live. And now that it's coming back, I'm hoping to see it again!

2. Anne of Green Gables. I loved Anne. I used to want to be her. We would have been bosom friends, no doubt about that!

3. Harry Potter - Love the series. And the movies. JK Rowling can write!

4. The Hobbit and LOTR - JRR Tolkien got me started on my love of fantasy. Him and...

5. The Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis. For the longest time, I only read and reread The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I just couldn't get into the other books. It wasn't until I was older that I read the entire series. So good. I didn't know what I was missing.

6. Tiffany the Walking Disaster - You probably haven't heard of this one. It's a chapter book and the first book that I read over and over and over and over. My first favorite book of all time. For a long while, every story I wrote had a Tiffany in it.

7. Landry Park - A mixture of high class society in a dystopia. My kind of story!

8. Outlander - I haven't read all of the books in the series but these books are so good. They have a mixture of everything - time travel, history, action, adventure, romance... Jamie. Need I say more?

9. The Princess Bride - Excellent movie. Equally excellent book. Different in their own ways but both perfect.

10. Don't Die, My Love - Lurlene Mcdaniel slays me with her moving stories about kids fighting illnesses and cancer. This one in particular stood out to me. I cry each time I read it.

There you go. My top ten books! Did any of my top ten make it into yours? Let me know and you'll be entered to win some signed swag!

Blurb: 
 Sirena never thought a trip to the surface would change her life forever until she meets Kristian. The sea might hold her body, but Kristian now holds her heart. Their love can never be, however, for she is a mermaid and he a human.

Rushing to steal some time with him, Sirena swims as if sharks are after her only to find Kristian's lifeless body in the sea. Heartbroken, she turns to a sea dragon witch. With the promise to bring Kristian back to life at the mere cost of Sirena's memories of him, the sea witch works her magic. Only, Sirena isn't specific enough with her request, and her love returns as a zombie who threatens the mortal world.

Longing to fill the emptiness inside, Sirena swims to the surface and discovers a distraught child crying about a monster eating his family. Appalled at the notion, she promises to slay the monster, not knowing she is seeking to destroy the man she loves.  

Bio: 
Nicole Zoltack loves to write in many genres, especially romance, whether fantasy, paranormal, or regency. When she’s not writing about knights, superheroes, or zombies, she loves to spend time with her loving husband and three energetic young boys. She enjoys riding horses (pretending they’re unicorns, of course!) and going to the PA Renaissance Faire, dressed in garb. She’ll also read anything she can get her hands on. Her current favorite TV show is The Walking Dead. To learn more about Nicole and her writing, visit http://NicoleZoltack.blogspot.com.


Nicole, we have Anne of Green Gables in common. I think every girl wanted to be Anne's bosom friend.

The Blood That Cries In The Ground

If you came for Beyond the Book, scroll on down, but why not enjoy this post first?

BLURB:

Italy. A tough master of novices, Father Dante encounters the bold young priest Antonio who challenges his identity and accuses him of being the Saint Nicholas. But despite the Father faking his death, a determined Antonio discovers a rather alive Dante arrayed in kilt and armor.

In return for Antonio’s silence—and to protect the town from attracting all manner of darkness—Dante agrees to tell his life story. Without explanation, Dante orders Antonio to meet him at night in the abandoned Cathedral, the site of a former battle that the Church has kept secret for a generation.

Until today.

The Criskindl. Ice Steeds. The Unborn. Saint.

From the Dark Ages’ when Poet-Sorcerers ruled kings, to the Holy Land when a new civilization was rising, to Revolutionary France where love is lost and gained, Father Dante pursues the one responsible for both his master and his mother’s deaths: Black Peter, his brother.

EXCERPT

I stood up and snarled. "All this for a romp?"

Catherine walloped a blurring slap across my face. Though lights danced in my periphery, I fiddled with my jaw to click it back into place.

"My flesh is pure, Nicholas. Is yours?"

She spun on her heel and wheeled towards the night-dark palace. Wrath trailed her like her billowing fur, an anger punctuated by images that flashed into my mind. One vision showed Catherine as a girl: enraptured, she listened to stories of a man of powerful purpose; another had her beat an armored opponent twice her age in straight-sword combat, but her thoughts always wandered to a future where some day she would find me.

A wind billowed my vestment. "Befana gave me a wife? Why?"

Once the darkness had consumed my Catherine, a dread poisoned my heart. I ran after her, and the second I took my first stride, I partially understood why Befana had sent her. I was alone.

"Catherine!"

A giddiness filled me, only for a terrible fear to steal into my soul. What had I done?

"Catherine please?"

I headed for the balcony and midway up the stone steps, she paused in a half turn, her lips parted just so. I took a deep savoring breath.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Gregory Bellarmine is the author of the bestselling Monthly Roman Breviary. He lives a happy though sometimes sleepless life in the UK with his wife, two children and rather cheeky Parson Russell Terrier.

www.FatherDante.com.

Email: frgregory@latinmass.org.uk

Gregory’s blog is http://www.fatherdante.com

@VRevGB

 Book Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF_LaW215X4

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18660010-the-blood-that-cries-in-the-ground

Amazon USA: http://amzn.com/1907436472

Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00G24AQRA

“The Blood That Cries in the Ground will grab the reader by the throat with a death grip from which it is impossible to break free.” -Reviewed by Bil Howard for Readers' Favorite

Link to the full review: http://readersfavorite.com/book-review/13394

Gregory is giving away a $10 Amazon gift certificate to one lucky commenter so follow his tour and use this link to enter the contest: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e43488/You can find his schedule at 
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/02/virtual-book-blast-tour-blood-that.html

Beyond the Book: Asking For a Date

Her Kind of Man is a publisher's best seller at http://www.lachesispublishing.com It's on sale at the publisher's website for only .99. In this excerpt my hero asks my heroine out for the first date.

Darn it all, he couldn't leave her like this. Leaving his place in line, he jogged to catch up with her. "Kara wait." She stopped and leaned on the cart handle, the light he'd seen in her that day in the library completely done. Brandon needed his butt kicked for what he'd done to her.

He took a deep breath. "I...I was wondering if you aren't doing anything on Saturday night if you'd have dinner with me."

Ross braced himself when Kara hesitated. He half expected her to laugh in his face and tell him to get lost. Well, he'd never again humiliate himself for Kara Cochrane. Enough was enough.

But it didn't end the way Ross thought it would.

So, readers, how do you think it ended? What about you? Tell us about how you were asked on that first date.

Blurb:
 Is it possible she’s finally found her kind of man?
 
Ross Williams has been in love with Kara Cochrane since they were kids, so when Kara’s fiancé Brandon Miles cheats on her and calls off their wedding—Ross steps in to rescue the damsel in distress.

A heartbroken Kara just wants to get on with her life and hunky Ross provides her with a definite distraction—that is until she starts falling for him. Big time.

But a devastating family secret threatens to destroy everything that Kara holds dear—including her relationship with Ross.

Her Kind of Man was designated A True Gem by Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews.

Candlelight Reads: A Spring in Your Step Bloghop

If you came for Snippet Sunday, scroll on down, but why not enjoy this post first? There are some super great authors participating in the blog hop, and all of them are offering some nice prizes.

Find more blog hoppers here.

What says spring to you more than anything else? For me, it's when my azaleas bloom. I watch the buds as they grow bigger and bigger, and then one morning I wake up and there they are in all of their glory. My mother loved azaleas too which is probably where I learned to appreciate them. I've decided to take cuttings from her azaleas and root them so I can have beauty from plants that she planted with her own hands.

Here's a short excerpt from The Sentence where my hero talks about azaleas. Leave a comment and I'll enter you into a drawing for a copy of my latest novel Blue 52.

Clint parked his car in its old place behind the club. He remembered how much he had dreaded to leave six months ago.

Today, he looked at the place with new eyes and
didn't really like it much.

The back of the building looked plain compared to Cynthia’s
yard, but, of course, Bud didn’t have room for an azalea garden. He
had to have the space for parking. Clint sat there for five minutes
before he could bring himself to get out.

Night was fast approaching. The neon lights in the window
encouraged club patrons to come in and have a beer. At one time
he’d have loved to do just that. Now…now he wasn’t the same
man. The thought of all of that made him sick. The bar didn’t look
like home anymore. Home was a garage apartment with hardwood
floors and red accents. Home was a family who fed you vegetable
soup, dragged you to church, fussed over you, and helped you find
the gift that would last for all eternity.

The Sentence is available at Amazon and most other online retain outlets.

Snippet Sunday

Her Kind of Man is a publisher's best seller at http://www.lachesispublishing.com, and is on sale at the publisher's site for .99.

In this excerpt, my hero Ross refuses to let Kara's former fiance-the one who cheated on her with her sister-talk trash about her. Brandon, the fiance speaks first.

EXCERPT
"I guess you don't need me to watch out for you," he sneered. "If you planned on getting up close and personal with him you shouldn't have worn so much perfume. You scent's all over him. What did you give him in exchange for a fancy dinner?"

Ross hit him, and Brandon's head snapped back as he fell against the porch railing. "Watch your tongue, Miles."

Brandon wiped a dribble of blood from his mouth on his shirt sleeve. "You sure can pick them, Kara."

"Obviously," Ross retorted. "She picked you, didn't she?"

Blurb
Is it possible she’s finally found her kind of man?

Ross Williams has been in love with Kara Cochrane since they were kids, so when Kara’s fiancé Brandon Miles cheats on her and calls off their wedding—Ross steps in to rescue the damsel in distress.

A heartbroken Kara just wants to get on with her life and hunky Ross provides her with a definite distraction—that is until she starts falling for him. Big time.
But a devastating family secret threatens to destroy everything that Kara holds dear—including her relationship with Ross.

Saturday Sample

Her Kind of Man is a bestseller at http://www.lachesispublishing.com And, it's only .99 at the publisher's website. The book was designated a True Gem by Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews. First a blurb, then an excerpt.

Blurb:
Is it possible she’s finally found her kind of man?
Ross Williams has been in love with Kara Cochrane since they were kids, so when Kara’s fiancé Brandon Miles cheats on her and calls off their wedding—Ross steps in to rescue the damsel in distress.

A heartbroken Kara just wants to get on with her life and hunky Ross provides her with a definite distraction—that is until she starts falling for him. Big time.
But a devastating family secret threatens to destroy everything that Kara holds dear—including her relationship with Ross.

Excerpt:

Rational thought deserted Kara as she submitted to his kiss. Ross Williams who couldn't put two words together in her presence was kissing her with such passion and abandonment that it drove all thoughts of Kelly and Brandon's betrayal from her mind.

Ross raised his head long enough to murmur, "Forget the past. It's over and done with."

Kara nodded. How could she think about the past when Ross was kissing her like there was no tomorrow? Chills raced up and down her spine.

Cold Day in Hell

COLD DAY IN HELL

by Jerrie Alexander

 

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

 

BLURB:

 

 

Ex-Army Ranger Tyrell Castillo's first mission for Lost and Found, Inc. goes awry when his contact is kidnapped, and he's left scrambling for weapons and explosives. He'll have to blow up a drug cartel's compound, rescue the woman, and keep her safe while they cross the sweltering hot Colombian jungle.

 

Driven by the need for revenge, Ana Maria Vega Cisneros doesn't want to be rescued. She wants revenge. She'll risk her life to ensure the drug lord who killed her family suffers the same fate.

 

The cartel leaves a trail of blood on their hunt for Ty and Ana. When Ty receives the order to kill the drug lord with extreme prejudice, he and Ana will face the enemy head on. Can Ty protect the woman who's hell bent on vengeance? The woman he's grown to love?

 

 

EXCERPT:

 

Ty retrieved his knife, dragged the heavy body away from the door, and quickly moved to the figure next to the metal headboard.

 

Ana Cisneros stood close to the window. Craning her neck to see outside, she was unaware he'd entered the room. With no time for introduction, he reached around and clamped his hand over her mouth.

 

As expected, he'd startled her. She fought, slinging her body back and forth like a wet dog. She kicked at him, so he whirled her around and jerked her body snug against his.

 

"Quit struggling. I'm here to help you," he whispered, trying to sound reassuring. No doubt, with the flames outside casting an eerie glow, he looked like an alien. A man wearing night-vision goggles, geared up with a pistol on his hip and another in a holster strapped to his thigh, and a rifle over his shoulder would scare most anybody. Not to mention the machete sheathed on his back and the SOG knife in his hand. "Do you understand?"

 

He took the slight movement of her head as a yes and relaxed the pressure off her lips. His reward? She bit his finger and pummeled his ribs with her free fist.

 

What the hell? The lamb had attacked the lion.

 

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

A student of  creative writing in her youth, Jerrie set aside her passion when life presented her with a John Wayne husband, and two wonderful children.  A career in logistics offered her the opportunity to travel to many beautiful locations in America, and she revisits them in her romantic suspense novels. 

 

But the characters went with her, talked to her, and insisted she share their dark, sexy stories with others.  She writes alpha males and kick-ass women who weave their way through death and fear to emerge stronger because of, and on occasion in spite of, their love for each other.  She likes to torture people, make them suffer, and if they’re strong enough, they live happily ever after.

 

The author of THE GREEN-EYED DOLL, THE LAST EXECUTION, SOMONE TO WATCH OVER ME, and HELL OR HIGH WATER, book 1 in the Lost and Found, Inc. Jerrie lives in Texas, loves sunshine, children’s laughter, sugar (human and granulated), and researching for her heroes and heroines.

 

Buy links:

http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Hell-Lost-Found-Inc-ebook/dp/B00FJ3JVW6/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1392325756&sr=8-1&keywords=cold+day+in+hell+jerrie+alexander

 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cold-day-in-hell-jerrie-alexander/1117032032?ean=9781492811527

 

Social media links:

http://www.jerriealexander.com - website

http://www.jerriealexander.com/category/blog/

http://www.twitter.com/jerriealexander

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jerrie-Alexander /121521571355959?ref=hl

http://www.goodreads.com/jerriealexander

http://pinterest.com/jerriealexander/

Jerrie is giving away a $50 Amazon/B&N gift certifacation to one lucky reader. You may enter the drawing for this card by going to http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e43487  You can find her tour schedule at  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/02/mbb-cold-day-in-hell-by-jerrie-alexander.html