Blog Tour: Sing for the dead by PJ Schnyder

Author: P.J. Schnyder

Title: Sing for the Dead

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Carina Press

Publication date: November 4th 2013

Kayden, a lone were-leopard allied with the London werewolf pack to keep the zombie infestation in check, is used to working solo—until he discovers a beautiful fae woman surrounded by the aftermath of battle. He’s immediately drawn to Sorcha, but quickly discovers she’s much more than a pretty face.

Half Bean Sidhe and half berserker, Sorcha trained over centuries to become the perfect warrior. She agrees to work with local weres to investigate a new type of zombie capable of coordinated attacks—and is partnered with Kayden. He’s strong, darkly handsome and completely unafraid of her. And his kiss fills her with insatiable desire instead of bloodlust.

As Kayden and Sorcha work together, their attraction grows and their deepest scars are bared to each other. But with the force behind the deadly new zombies poised to overwhelm the city, Sorcha can only pray that the next time her bloodlust strikes, Kayden isn’t among the fallen…

PJ’s Afternoon Tea in London

The London Undead series is set in a post-apocalyptic London. Just this past summer, I visited London on a research trip and had the opportunity to go to the Athenaeum Hotel for afternoon tea. (http://www.athenaeumhotel.com/)

It was wonderful.
Afternoon tea generally features a lovely selection of finger sandwiches, followed or accompanied by scones and crumpets, and finished with a selection of sweets. I’ve gone to quite a few tea places here in the US. This was my first afternoon tea in London.

The Athenaeum introduced me to a completely new level of enjoyable finger sandwiches that tantalized my taste buds and satisfied my enjoyment of savory with a touch of sweet: Smoked Scottish Salmon on Wholemeal Bread, Honey Roast Ham with Red Onion Marmalade on Onion Bread, Cucumber & Cream Cheese on Pesto Bread, Free Range Egg & Cress on Vegetable Bread. *happy sigh*

I also had the opportunity to try proper crumpets for the very first time. I don’t know what I thought they’d be like, possibly a sort of crumbly biscuit? But no, they were soft, almost pancake-like with lots of air pockets so that once split, had plenty of nooks and crannies for clotted cream and fresh preserves (like an English muffin only pancake-like.) Also, the scones? So incredibly good. Not a single dry or crumbly scone to be seen. These were heaven. Especially with clotted cream and preserves.

And finally the desserts. OMG the desserts. Lemon curd tartlets were so good, I had to have seconds. And there were strawberry and custard tartlets and chocolate dipped strawberries. There were cakes and pies, mousses and puddings. There was no way I could try them all, but oh, I enjoyed trying the desserts I did.
All of this accompanied by a lovely selection of fragrant teas. I also had a fragrant rose infused pink champagne at the beginning of tea...because, why not?
Though my mind was imagining post-apocalyptic darkness and zombies walking through the gardens, my taste buds revelled in the fun of the afternoon. So don’t be surprised if my characters do find a moment to enjoy a cup of tea. When things could end at any moment, enjoying simple things like food is so very important.

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Born and raised in the North East, PJ Schnyder spent her childhood pretending to study for the SATs by reading every fantasy and sci-fi novel she could borrow from the local and school libraries. She scored fairly high in the verbal portion.

She was introduced to the wonderful world of romance a decade later by her best friend at an anime convention in Seattle.

She now lives somewhere temperate watching the seasons go by with her two dogs and super stealthy ninja kitty, writing her stories and gaming.
Play find the PJ around the Internetz:

//Website // Twitter @pjschnyder //Facebook //  YouTube //

All Hallows eve indies blog tour with Helen Boswell

It is so much fun to be part of this tour! I love to support indie authors because they need it.

On this stop you can look forward to meet the lovely author Helen boswell  and read and excerpt from her book Mythology: The Wicked. There will also be an awesome giveaway last in this post, I hope you will enjoy this as much as I will. Happy reading!

MYTHOLOGY: THE WICKED (Mythology #2)

A demon with a pure heart, Micah Condie lives his life by a code of ethics, but breaking that code may be the only way for him to survive. A supernatural entity in her own right, Hope Gentry would do anything in her power to protect her loved ones, but she may be the one who puts them in peril.
When the Demon Impiorum challenges the laws that keep guardians and demons in balance, ancient enforcers of justice intervene. Micah, Hope, and their mentor Jonathan become entangled in a conspiracy that will test even the deepest love and trust.
Someone will commit an act of betrayal. Someone will forever abandon a loved one.
Someone will enter THE WICKED.

Purchase links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

EXCERPT

I close the door as softly as possible, whispering, “Hey, we need to keep our voices d–”

But Micah’s not by the window anymore, and he grabs me in a hug. I twist around to face him, noticing that his clothes already feel dry if not a little steamy. But those thoughts drop to the floor along with the towel as he pulls me even closer. 

His skin is so warm. 

His lips press against mine and are even warmer. 

He smells like summer, like the warm air right after it rains. I stand on my toes and slide my arms up and around his neck. One of his hands laces through my hair, and the other presses against the small of my back. His mouth opens, the heat from his kiss transferring to me and melting away my stress from the night. 

A tiny part of me wonders why he came back tonight, if something else happened, or if he didn’t want to be alone because of what happened to Jack. But it’s getting harder to think rationally with Micah kissing me like this.

I push him toward the other side of my room, wrestling off his jacket on the way. He laughs a little against my lips and pulls me back until I land on top of him on my bed. 

The fall breaks our kiss, and I grin at him and use the moment to my full advantage, sliding my hands up and under his shirt. He helps me get it off the rest of the way. 

The sound of it hitting the floor seems louder than it should.

Micah’s breath is hot against my ear. “What are you doing to me?” he whispers. 

I open my mouth to answer, but a sigh comes out instead as his tongue traces along my earlobe. The heat of him coaxes my own fire to life, and a shiver coasts down the length of my body and lands right in my core. One of his hands slides from my back to my hip and pulls me close so I’m pressed hard against him.  

I tear myself away from his kiss and breathe. His eyes are the darkest shade of blue and full of want that mirrors my own.

He rolls me over so I’m under him, shifts down and kisses my neck, and I hear his voice in my head. Love you so much.

I whisper back, “I love you, too.”

He stops and raises his head to look at me, confusion in his expression. Had he not intended for me to hear that?

“It’s true. I do love you.” I reach up and run a hand through his hair. 

“I know,” he says, smiling a little, and he lowers his head again. I shiver as his lips make a path of kisses down my neck. His fingertips leave goosebumps in their wake as they inch lower. He undoes a button of my pajama top with maddening slowness, and I hold my breath, the anticipation fluttering in my chest like a horde of butterflies struggling to break free.

But the logical part of my brain fires up and reminds me that I don’t know what we’re doing, and that this could be a very dangerous thing. Out of all of the people in the world, Micah is the last one who’d ever hurt me. Still, it wouldn’t kill me to say something.

I put my hand over his to still it, the gesture going against everything that my body wants. “We can’t,” I whisper. “Not unless ...”

I finish the thought in my head: not unless we know how well my guardian soul is protected from his deimos. Because I might still be in danger from him if we ever get that close.

He takes my hand and kisses it. “I know. I wasn’t going to do anything,” he murmurs. “I was just doing … what we were doing.”

He smiles at me, right before he puts one of my fingertips into his mouth and sucks on it. All of the air leaves my body at once, kills my voice before I can call him a liar. I close my eyes and focus on that singular sensation until the yearning radiates from my finger to every part of me. He dips his head and grabs the next button on my top with his teeth. I barely draw in another breath before he makes it escape again as a sigh. 

Until, not unless. We can’t do this until we know how well I’m protected from him. Because there will be a way for us to be together, somehow. Soon. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Originally from upstate New York, Helen Boswell spent several years of her early adult life tromping around in the city of Buffalo with frequent trips to Toronto, Canada. These two cities in particular serve as inspirational settings for her urban fantasies, and while Helen has since moved to live in the southwestern United States, she will have fond memories of urban life and high-heeled sneakers for all eternity.
Helen earned her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University at Buffalo and dedicates her time to teaching biology and other fun things to college students, spending time with her wonderful family, and eating chocolate while writing.
The YA urban fantasy MYTHOLOGY is her first novel and the first one in the Mythology Series.
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway

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{Guest post by Sherry Soule} Why I decided to give away my books for free

Why I Decided to Give my Books Away for Free

by author Sherry Soule

September is such a lovely month. It is part Indian summer and heralds the coming of fall, which is one of my favorite seasons. I love how the brisk air brushes my skin with the unmistakable nip of autumn. I love how the world outside is dripping in golden colors, the trees ablaze with shades of red and gold, and crisp orange leaves carpet the ground. It is also my birthday month. And to celebrate my b-day with all of you, I’d like to giveaway a present to my loyal fans. That’s right—I’m giving away gifts!

To promote BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN and SHATTERED SILENCE (with more romantic escapades and additional bonus material!) and to give fans of the Spellbound series a chance to read the newly revised versions without having to buy a new copy, I have decided to offer it as a free download from Amazon for a limited time. 

Since I have the most awesome readers on the planet, I will offer the first two Spellbound novels—now in one volume, “Spellbound Volume 1: Special Edition” from Amazon FREE between September 24th through the 26th for 3 days only.

LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Spellbound-Volume-1-ebook/dp/B00EXXDTH6/ref=sr_1_4_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379018869&sr=1-4

I will post reminders about this and my other book promos on my Facebook page and my Twitter: @WriterSherry so be sure that you follow me at both of these social media sites, and don’t forget to check out the Official Spellbound Site.

Please mark your calendars and download your copy of “Spellbound, Volume 1” this month and you’ll get to read the newly revised edition(s) free. 

If you do not own a Kindle, I will be doing another giveaway soon from my blog, so do not despair! 

Happy reading! 

Sherry 

P.S. Please help me to promote this awesome eBook promo by posting it on your FB page, your blog, or by sending out a tweet with a link back to this post. ;-D

About the books

BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN 

When Shiloh Trudell takes a summer job at Craven Manor, she discovers a ghost with an agenda. But that’s where she meets the new town hottie, Trent Donovan, and immediately becomes enchanted by his charms. 

Finally, Shiloh’s met someone who is supercute and totally into her, but Trent is immersed in the cunning deception that surrounds the mysterious Craven Manor. So much so that he may lose sight of what is truly important to him. Yet neither one of them can deny the passionate connection growing between them. 

And with cryptic messages from a wraith, Shiloh will begin to understand the significance of the strange mark branded on her wrist and decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to protect the other teenagers in town.

Unfortunately, for Shiloh, not all ghosts want help crossing over. Some want vengeance.

SHATTERED SILENCE

Shiloh wishes she were an ordinary girl. But for as long as she can remember, she has seen otherworldly creatures that prey on the innocent, including her classmates. 

With the clock ticking and the body count rising, Shiloh resolves to learn more about the deadly curse inhabiting the town of Fallen Oaks, as well as the ominous shadows that seem to follow just a few steps behind local hottie, Trent Donovan. And she knows Trent’s hiding something, but he’s not the only one with a dark secret.

Someone in Fallen Oaks has put out a supernatural hit list on the teenagers in town, and now it’s up to Shiloh to face her worst fears, and then fight like hell…

Author Spotlight: Karolyn James

Today we are spotlighting author Karolyn James in celebration of her new bookrelease.

Her new book Buried Notes was released today and is the fourth one in "The Brothers of Rock" series. Enjoy!

Jess is caught off guard when a sexy stranger buys her a cup of coffee and asks her to sit with him. He's mysterious, nice, and even though he says the right things at the right time, Jess can sense that there's something hidden about him.
*
As Johnnie sits across from the beautiful woman, he can't believe she doesn't recognize him. Everyone does. It comes with the territory when you're the lead singer of one of the hottest bands in the world, Chasing Cross. With one more show to go before taking a small break in touring, it feels like luck is on Johnnie's side. That is, if he can find a way to tell Jess who he is, without scaring her off.
*
After her best friend begs her to come to a concert, Jess finds herself standing in the middle of a crowd. The lights are off, music begins, and the crowd erupts in cheers. She doesn't know much about the band, but that's all about to change. When the lights come on, Jess can't believe her eyes. The lead singer of the band is the man from the café.
*
Plucked from the crowd during the show, Jess makes her way backstage. The encore may have ended on stage, but the real show is just about to begin. Johnnie's passion quickly turns to romance but the more time he and Jess spend together, the more things get complicated. Johnnie has a big decision to make about himself and the band, testing his loyalty and love for the music, and when Jess's dreams start to come true, she starts to realize that true love exists, but it's not always an easy path to take.

Rockstars expect women to show up at their hotel room, but when a woman shows up with an infant and tells Davey he is the father, his world is turned upside down. 

*
Anna is a teacher and part-time waitress, desperate to make enough to pay off debts left to her by an ex-boyfriend who made her life a living hell. When her boss schedules her for an extra shift, he tells her it's her job to take care of a special guest... lead guitarist of Chasing Cross, Davey. The second Anna meets eyes with Davey, she feels something she's wanted for a long time. But with someone famous? That's impossible. Besides, Davey is there with a date.

*
When Davey returns to the restaurant, sans date, he asks to see Anna. She doesn't understand what he would want with her. He is a man with a big heart, kind eyes, and the true power that only a real rockstar could have. Then Anna learns the truth of Davey's life, from his haunted past to his rocky present. Still, she longs to be part of his future. But when Anna's own past turns potentially deadly, life and love suddenly collide in a way that could hurt everyone and leave someone dead.

When Danny boards the private jet for his father's funeral, he knows he isn't just going back home to settle the estate.

*
He is going to back to find her... the girl who loved him, the girl who understood his family problems, and the girl he left behind to chase his dream of becoming a rockstar.
*
Liv Cryers is stuck in Bakersville. Literally. She came back hoping to find peace inside her empty heart, but now she's forced to care for her ailing father who doesn't remember her most days. She's tired of being forgotten. The sounds of her past seem so far away...
*
When rockstars come to town, crazy things can happen...

Finally exposing a secret to his band after years of hiding, Chasing Cross bassist, Chris, confesses that some years ago, during a wild night, he ended up marrying someone. It was supposed to be a no-big-deal kind of thing, with a stipulation... if one of them fell in love or wanted to get married to someone else, they would divorce.
*
Chris has been served divorce papers, and it should be easy to just sign them, but he can't. His heart won't allow it.
*
Becky loses her mother to breast cancer and realizes that life sometimes really is too short. She finds the ring she received from a sexy rockstar the night she secretly married him. The memory should have been fun, but after being pushed into a corner to stay married while that rockstar's band took off, Becky can't do it anymore.
*
She sends divorce papers and waits... and waits... and weeks after sending the papers, she wonders what's taking so long...
*
In a journey that forces Chris to step back in time to find his future, he knows he needs to find Becky - his wife. He isn't sure what he'll find, but he knows he wants the truth.
*
Was it love back then? Or just a crazy night with a rockstar?

//Amazon// Barnes & Noble//


Karolyn James has been published over 100 times, reached bestseller lists on Amazon, and writes in both romance and erotic romance. Her two newest series are the romance hit, Brothers of Rock, and the erotic romance series, Rock Her Curves.

Twitter: @KarolynWrites
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KarolynJamesAuthor
Blog: www.KarolynJames.wordpress.com
Mailing List: tinyurl.com/KJSignup

Author Spotlight: Past, Future, Research, and Imagination: Historical vs Science Fiction

Past, Future, Research, and Imagination: Historical vs Science Fiction

by Anne E. Johnson

The signature on my emails and the profile on my Twitter account say I write “Historical and Science Fiction.” To some, these may seem like opposite genres. Historical fiction is about places and times that actually existed. Even characters and events might be drawn from factual research. Science fiction, on the other hand, is about futuristic worlds that can only be imagined. Right?

Not always, as it happens. Historical fiction can require a great deal of imagination, and lean more heavily toward fiction than history. On the other hand, science fiction can require a great amount of research, and I don’t mean just about science. And, while I’ve never tried it, it’s even possible to combine historical with science fiction (as the steampunk sub-genre often does).

Some historical fiction is so thorough in its use of fact, that author really is turning true history into fiction. A good example of this is Debra Brenegan’s novel Shame the Devil. Brenegan did scholarly research that could have led to a nonfiction biography of early feminist writer Fanny Fern. Instead, Brenegan wrote a “novel,” but it’s really a way of bringing the biography to life as fiction. She imagined the exact words spoken by the characters, but nearly every scene is based on research.
Alternatively, for my historical novel A Kiss at Vespers (due out July 19), I did basic research about Britain and Ireland in the early Eleventh Century, finding out things like what the Vikings were up to, which towns were central to trading, and how Irish monasteries were constructed. But all the details are invented. There was no St. Luran’s monastery on the east coast of Ireland at that time, and if there had been, I doubt they would have let a woman stay there, even after she’d been shipwrecked! I decided to let the needs of my story outweigh the force of the historical documents.

Research for science fiction can be just as intense. An excellent recent example is Debris Dreams by David Colby. That’s a near-future story about a teenaged girl living near the moon, and having to defend it by fighting in space. Colby did meticulous research about the physics of that scenario, in order to give a realistic picture of what life would be like if you’d never been to Earth but could see it. Many science fiction (and fantasy) authors also do thorough research about military organizations and the history of warfare and weaponry.

In complete contrast are the books of my Webrid Chronicles, Green Light Delivery and Blue Diamond Delivery. Everything in them is made up: the species, the environment, the physics. Factual research would have done me little good. However, just like in writing historical fiction, the science fiction author has to be consistent. Only, instead of checking everything against research, she checks against the details of her own made-up worlds. It’s important to keep copious lists!

* * * You can learn more about Anne E. Johnson at her website. Purchase Green Light Delviery and Blue Diamond Delivery at Candlemark & Gleam, on Amazon, or on Barnes & Noble. Purchase A Kiss at Vespers at MuseItUp publishing.

{Author Spotlight} "When I'm not writing" by Shannon Dermott

We wanted to know what Shannon do when she is not writing so we asked her to write a guest post about it! 

When I'm not writing by Shannon Dermott

When I’m not writing I can be found with my family, shopping or reading. And oh, how I love to read. But I don’t often have the time to.

When I do have a chance to read, I’m reading books by some of my favorite authors.

One of them is Nancy Straight. Both of her “new adult” series Destiny and Touched are two of my favorite. Her stories are innovative and unique. I love the way she weaves romance and action to keep your heart pumping. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil anything but I will say that they are really worth picking up.

Another favorite author of mine is Charlotte Abel.  She has an edgy young adult series called Channie named after the main character. This series is funny and sexy but still YA.  She also has a “new adult” series that begins with the novel, River’s Recruit. Another world rich series that is so imaginative and interesting, I read through the night.

One more series that I’m dying to read is the final book would be the Significance series by Shelly Crane. The book is Independence.  Oh my goodness, this series is so good. Sweet but on the edge of your seat kind of good. The final book has been released, but I haven’t yet had the time to read it. However, I have it on good authority that it is really good. It tops my list as the next book I will read.

After the holidays and I finish Angel of Mercy, I will be picking up a book.

Everyone dreams of that first kiss. Of that magic moment when your lips finally meet those of that special person you’ve waited your whole life for. A little awkward, a little scary, a little hot and every bit amazing. We speculate that the whole world will shake and time will just stop. No one, however, ever imagines that kiss to bring Death himself knocking. Sixteen year old Mercy Moore's life just got more complicated. The kiss that originally could have meant she would finally have a boyfriend now was the kiss that could have very nearly ended his life. A small detail her mother conveniently never told her will take her life for an abrupt u-turn. Dating, no love, was now completely and utterly impossible. And the boy well, that boy would never be the same.But life, however cruel, goes on. Far too soon for her taste, Mercy finds herself at a senior party with the elite students of her school and her best friend. And of all things, playing a stupid game that could very well mean the death of someone in that small room. If it were not for her best friend, the hottest guys in school, and a small need to fit in, she may have been able to escape the disaster that was to come. Her worst nightmare, her personal curse, her very  life, only gets dangerously worse.

More information about Shannon Dermott:

Shannon's webpage
Shannon on Twitter - - @Shannondermott
Shannon on facebook
Shannon on Goodreads
Shannon's blog

{Author spotlight} On completing a series by Michelle Madow

This week We have a really interesting guest post by the lovely Michelle Madow! 

Guest Post: On Completing a Series

Hi! I’m Michelle Madow, the author of the Transcend Time Saga. The series starts with my debut novel, Remembrance, which was published on July 25, 2011, and continues with the short bridge story Vengeance, which was published on December 8, 2011. The final novel in the series, Timeless, came out on November 20, 2012. This is my first finished series, and writing and publishing it has been such a wonderful journey.

Writing the final book in a series was definitely harder than writing the first book. Since it was the concluding book, I had to amp up the adventure and the stakes for the main characters. Remembrance all took place in Pembrooke, New Hampshire, the small town where Lizzie, Drew, and Chelsea live and go to school. They dealt with challenges in their relationships, especially with the added magical element of reincarnation. In Timeless, there is more magic in the story, since I introduced witchcraft and time travel. I needed the proper balance between the fantasy elements and the contemporary elements to make the book believable to the reader. Of course, one must always suspend disbelief while reading about fantastical elements such as witchcraft and time travel, but I do believe that I achieved the balance I was aiming for. 

Another important aspect of completing a series is to ensure that there are no loose ends. I hate when I’ve devoted myself to reading a series, and then it’s the end, and it’s “left up to the reader’s interpretation.” I get so annoyed at that! I didn’t invest myself into characters and a story only to not know how it all ends! I promise you that there is a concrete end to Timeless, so you will not be left hanging at the end of the series. 

Writing the Transcend Time Saga has been an incredible experience. It’s amazing to share this story with the world, and while it’s sad to say goodbye to these characters who I’ve invested myself into for the past few years, I’m also looking forward to moving on to new projects in the future. 

Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the Transcend Time Saga!

TIMELESS, the third and final part of the Transcend Time Saga by Michelle Madow, released on November 20, 2012. The Transcend Time Saga is about a high school student named Lizzie who has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England, but doesn’t realize it until she meets her soul mate from the past and he triggers her memories to gradually return. The series began with REMEMBRANCE (published July 25, 2011), and continued with the short story VENGEANCE (published December 8, 2011). The series has sold a significant number of copies so far, and has received much praise from reviewers.

Quotes from Reviewers about TIMELESS

"The combination of time travel, magic, and love makes Timeless an unforgettable page turner!"-For Those About to Read

"Timeless had great twists, particularly towards the end. For something inspired by a Taylor Swift song, Michelle has come up with a great series!"-Addiction to Words Reviews

"Just when I think I know what to expect, Michelle throws me a curveball! It was spectacular. And marvelous. And a little bit daring, which is what makes Timeless stand out so much!"

-Sparkles and Lightning

Purchase links:
REMEBRANCE: Amazon | B&N | book depository | ibookstore | kobo
VENGENCE:       Amazon | B&N | book depository | ibookstore | kobo
TIMELESS:         Amazon | B&N | book depository | ibookstore | kobo

For more info about Michelle Madow and her books go to;

Twitter:  @michellemadow

Blog of Michelle Madow

Official website

Facebook personal

Facebook fanpage

Goodreads

Author spotlight: Excerpt from Word and deed by Susannah Noel

Welcome to the last week of this month´s Author spotlight with Susannah Noel. 

Susannah wanted to share with you an excerpt from her latest book word and deed.

Excerpt from Word and Deed book 2 in the wordless chronicles

Riana Cole had infiltrated a Union stronghold before, but she’d forgotten how nerve-wracking it could be.

It had been almost three months since she’d done anything so risky.

Her heart raced as she entered through the double glass doors into the spacious lobby of the Exhibition—as sleek and sanitized as all Union buildings with the requisite decorative waterfall cascading down one wall.

Connor walked in front of her, looking masculine, attractive, and rather un-Connor-like in the charcoal gray uniform of a Union guard and not wearing his glasses.

Without hesitation, he strode toward the welcome desk and barked out that he’d been ordered to escort a Reader to the Book Room.

He made sure to sound less than enthusiastic about his task.

Riana stood quietly behind him, relieved when the bored attendant behind the desk glanced at the ID Connor flashed and gestured toward the metal detectors all visitors had to walk through.

The official name of the museum was the National Exhibition of Union History, but everyone just called it the Exhibition. It housed art and artifacts from the past, all selected and presented in a way to support Union values rather than to encourage appreciation of the objects in their own right.

The Exhibition was almost always empty, and Union officials weren’t displeased with that fact.

There were two armed guards near the metal detector—a normal display of power for any Union building.

Riana kept her eyes down, trying to remember how she would have acted in this situation when she’d actually been a Reader.

Just three months ago. She’d lived a different life.

“What’s your business?” one of the guards asked Connor as they approached.

“Escorting her,” Connor replied gruffly, giving Riana a disparaging look. “She’s a Reader and needs to look at an old book. Sent by the supervisor.”

The guard was not particularly interested in a mission so irrelevant. He waved them through the metal detector without further questioning.

Connor stepped back to let Riana go through first. When she hesitated, he put his hand on her back to guide her in.

It wasn’t a gentle nudge – it was closer to a shove. Even though she knew Connor was playing a part, she didn’t have to fake a scowl of annoyance over her shoulder.

The second guard snickered as they walked through the security station and into the Great Hall of the Exhibition.

Connor slanted her an apologetic look as they entered the huge airy room, which was lined with gleaming glass cases of artifacts and supported by stainless steel beams.

The hall was silent as the grave.

Since there was no one around, Riana risked a tiny smile which was answered by Connor’s blue eyes.

Both of them knew where the Book Room was located, so they made their way to the public elevator and ascended to the fourth and highest level of the building.

They walked through an empty hallway to the back corner of the floor where the Book Room—more like a Book Closet—was located.

Books, of course, would not get pride of place in today’s Union. They were only kept here at all as archaic reminders of a past they’d long since left behind. If they’d pressed the large red button on the wall, a disembodied voice would provide a slanted history of books, emphasizing how much trouble they had led to in times gone by.

They didn’t press the button.

Instead, Connor quietly shut the door so no random passerby could see what they were doing.

After finding no security camera in the room, they both started scanning the shelves to locate the particular book they’d come here to read.

“What a waste,” Riana murmured, running her hand over the spine of a beautiful leather-bound collection of early post-Cataclysmic poetry. “All these amazing books that no one bothers to even look at anymore.”

“Try not to think about it.” Connor smiled at her, causing lines around his eyes to crinkle. He was wearing contact lenses, since Union guards didn’t wear glasses. He obviously didn’t like them, since he kept blinking a lot more than normal.

Riana wasn’t sure she liked them either. He didn’t really look like her old friend of so many years.

“Do you know what the book looks like? What size and binding?” he asked.

“It was slim and leather bound. Maybe a dark red or brown. I can’t remember it very well.”

She and Connor had been working on their translation project for the last three months. They’d made some significant progress in translating the coded version of the Old Language found in the mysterious book so many people had risked so much for. But they still weren’t very far along.

Yesterday, they'd had a lucky break, finding that the book’s first section appeared to quote briefly from a philosophical text they knew was available in full in the traditional Old Language they both could read.

Riana’s grandfather, Marshall Cole, had owned a copy. About half of his library had ended up in the Exhibition when the Union had confiscated his belongings at his death.

If they could look at that book and get a copy of the quoted passage written in the Old Language, then the comparison would greatly help their translation of the coded language.

Riana felt familiar shivers of excitement at the presence of all these books, some of which used to be her grandfather’s. The feeling was old-fashioned and sentimental in a culture like theirs in which reading was obsolete—replaced by voice recordings, images, and symbols—and in which excess emotion was frowned upon.

Riana didn’t care what the rest of the world did. She loved books, and she’d loved her grandfather.

 “Here it is,” Connor said after searching for about five minutes. He pulled a tall, thin volume off the top shelf. She walked over and peered at the pages as he flipped them.

It took them a few minutes to find the page with the quotation they needed and then another few minutes as Connor meticulously copied out the words.

Soon, however, he replaced the book on its shelf, and Riana felt a surge of excitement. Their mission hadn’t been particularly dangerous—certainly not as dangerous as many of the Front’s normal activities. But there had been some risk involved, and now they had nearly accomplished it.

“Oh look,” she said suddenly, catching a glimpse of a familiar book on a lower shelf. “This one was my grandfather’s too. I loved this book.”

She leaned over and pulled out the vinyl-bound storybook, scanning through the illustrated pages of the simple fables. “He used to read the stories to us at bedtime. My favorite was about a frog who lived under a lily pad.”

Connor smiled—warm, almost tender—and for a moment they shared a moment of perfect understanding and appreciation.

Then he said, “We need to go.”

“Right.” She replaced the book and fell in step with him as they left the Book Room.

They didn’t speak as they descended on the elevator, and they’d almost reached the lobby when they both jerked to a stop at the sudden blaring of an alarm.

She should have known this trip was going too smoothly.

They’d been caught.

Author Spotlight: Guest post by Susannah Noel

As part of Author in the spotlight our featured Author is doing a guest post for all our readers today! Enjoy!

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As a reader, I can never decide which kind of hero I like best. 

Sometimes, I prefer the traditional alpha hero—powerful, handsome, always in control, with a weakness only for the heroine. But then I’ll read a great book with a different sort of hero, and I’ll change my mind and decide the best heroes are those slightly outside the norm, maybe a little geeky, not always master of the room, but still strong in all the ways it counts. 

Writing Word and Breath was a great opportunity to explore both kinds of heroes and compare how they think and act with the same woman. 

Mikel is my traditional alpha-male. As a Soul-Breather, he’s naturally the most powerful person in any room he walks into, and he has all of the typical characteristics of an alpha-hero, including the way he gradually softens as he falls in love. 

Connor is also a hero of the series—but definitely not a typical alpha. He’s a book-nerd, slightly clumsy and unassuming. He has also been in love with Riana for years without ever pursuing his feelings. 

I’ve had some readers tell me they prefer Connor and others tell me they prefer Mikel. I’m always fascinated by which hero will end up more popular. 

Here’s a short excerpt from the first time the two characters meet. 

*** 

Mikel didn’t like Connor at all. 

He wasn’t disposed to like bookish sort of men anyway, and there was something about Connor’s quiet, self-deprecating manner—and the way everyone else still looked at him like he were someone to respect and admire—that bugged him. 

His real aversion might have more to do with what he sensed between Connor and Riana. 

Riana and Mikel had come together to the basement of a grungy drugstore where they were holding the illicit meeting. Everyone else was already present when they walked in. 

Tava he’d already met and respected. Kelvin had been one of the armed men in his apartment the previous afternoon—a competent man if not a particularly articulate one. Donn and Posen were unknown quantities, both men holding low-level positions for the Union in offices they might need to access to find Jannie Cole. 

But Connor he’d disliked immediately. As soon as he’d seen the look Riana and Connor exchanged. 

It wasn’t a romantic look or a passionate one. It wasn’t even a particularly happy one. But it revealed a history between them, a bond that went farther back than he’d expected. A knowledge and trust that was so ingrained as to be unconscious. 

She knew Connor and trusted him in a way she’d never trusted Mikel. 

And Mikel was evidently petty enough to resent Connor for that. 

It was a surprising part of his nature he’d never suspected before. He wished he’d responded in another way. 

But there it was. 

He didn’t like Connor. 

And Connor was obviously in charge here.

Guest author: Susannah Noel
Part of our Spotlight feature
Blog:
 http://susannah-noel.com/ 
Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/Word-Breath-Wordless-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B008UM8XRM
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15813110-word-and-breath
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/SusannahNoelAuthor
Twitter:
  https://twitter.com/SusannahNoel1

Author Spotlight: Guestpost by Susannah Noel

10 Reasons to Read Word and Breath

1. Word and Breath is a book for book lovers—all about the power that books possess for us and what happens when books are denied. 

2. Soul-Breathers are a new paranormal creature with some very fun and fascinating powers.

3. One of the heroes is on the geeky side but still manages to be adorable. 

4. The bad guy—or at least one of the bad guys—isn’t really so bad after all. You might even end up liking him. 

5. The main character isn’t perfect. She’s like a normal person—starting off a little weak and scared but ending up growing as the story continues. 

6. The story is told from multiple perspectives, so you can get into the minds of four different characters and really get to know them. 

7. The setting is an urban, dystopian world, so it combines characteristics of both dystopian books and urban fantasy books. 

8. There’s a kind of love-triangle, for people who like them, but hopefully it’s not an annoying one. The central relationship conflict for the heroine is being torn between one man who shares her ideals and another who’s claimed her emotions, and that conflict will end up determining her fate, not just her romantic choice. 

9. There’s quite a bit of action, with the main characters nearly always in danger of their lives. But it’s not one action scene after another. There’s a lot of character development and romance too! 

10. All of the characters are—consciously or unconsciously—searching for something that matters in a world that tells them nothing really matters. I think a lot of us can relate to that search. 

Riana has learned how to stay out of trouble. She spends her days studying written texts in the government’s Office of Readers, and she spends her nights taking care of her sick sister. She always—always—follows the rules. Despite her low profile, she has mysteriously become a target. Someone has kidnapped her sister. Someone else is trying to kill her. And someone has sent a Soul-Breather to beguile her out of her secrets.

Her help comes from the mythic leader of an underground rebel movement. A man who used to be her friend. A man who has silently loved her for years. He disappeared from her life without a word, and now he expects her to trust him again.

Then there’s the Soul-Breather, a man who can taste her spirit with only a touch. He makes her feel things she’s never experienced before, but she doesn’t know if the feelings are real. Hired to deceive and betray her, he offers to help her instead.

Without both men, she can’t rescue her sister. And she can’t discover the world-changing knowledge—buried in her memory—that has made her a target in the first place.

Guest author: Susannah Noel
Part of our Spotlight feature
Blog:
 http://susannah-noel.com/ 
Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/Word-Breath-Wordless-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B008UM8XRM
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15813110-word-and-breath
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/SusannahNoelAuthor
Twitter:
  https://twitter.com/SusannahNoel1