Monday, March 9, 2020

Want more of Sean? I give you... Chapter 1.

Back for more? I'm happy you dropped in, because Sean's story continues. Hopefully you read Becoming Charlie - Part One and Two, and met the perfect-for-each-other couple, Charlie and Sean. If you did, then you know how their story turns out. BUT, what you don't know is everything Sean did to get there. Well, I'm going to let him share it with you. If you're itching for more, read on. If you didn't read my last blog post, scroll down and read the prologue first. It's a must!

Chapter 1
Spring 2002 - Almost Seven Years Later
Sean
"It's just one date, man," Peter Riggins, one of the only people on this earth I considered a true friend, said as I glared out the passenger window of his piece of crap car. "Please, Reese?"
I could feel his pleading eyes on me as he put the car in park at the curb in front of Katie's house, and I knew I wouldn't be able to get out of it this time without causing a scene and possibly ruining our friendship over it.
It wasn't entirely his fault. Pete didn't remember why I had no interest in dating anyone. He'd think I was crazy if I told him, so I usually just said no, and left it at that, when his girlfriend suggested I go on a double date with them and one of her friends or her sister.
Katie's sister was intolerable, the absolute opposite of anybody I would be interested in if I ever considered dating. And I wasn't—even considering it. It didn't matter to me who it was. I wasn't interested. Never would be again.
Yet, here we were. I sighed heavily then groaned as Katie and her twin sister closed the front door and happily ran toward Pete's car. Pete had tricked me into going to eat and watch a movie with him and Katie. He just accidentally on purpose forgot to tell me Kaley would be coming too. He'd be lucky if I didn't kick his ass for this.
I thought about faking an illness and telling him to take me home, but I knew this wouldn't stop unless I put a stop to it myself.
Just before the girls reached the car, I turned my head and pegged Pete with a death glare. His brown eyes widened a little. "This isn't a date. If she can't pay for her own meal, movie ticket and popcorn, you're buying them. Immediately after the movie is over, you will take me home. I won't apologize for anything that happens tonight." With my jaw clenched, I spoke quietly, but threateningly, through my teeth. "You feel me?"
His shoulders slumped in relief, then he plastered on a phony smile for Katie when she opened my door. "Hey, baby—"
"You can sit in the back," I said, interrupting Pete.
Katie rolled her eyes, but was smart enough not to fight with me about it. I didn't want to be rude to anyone, but they were leaving me no other choice. No meant no. There was only one way left to explain the definition of that word. They'd figure it out soon enough. I wasn't happy, and I refused to pretend to be.
"Hey, Reese," Katie said as she scooted across the backseat and sat behind me, leaving Kaley the seat behind Pete. The passenger side backdoor latch was broken, so the girls had to go around to the other side to get in. Like I said before… piece of crap car.
"Hey," I muttered, and then reached over and turned the radio up until it distorted. I didn't even like the song that was playing, but listening to the worst song in the world was better than carrying on a conversation with Kaley. My younger sister was deaf. I had never envied her before, but tonight I would have given just about anything to have been the sibling to end up with that disability.
Out of my peripheral, I saw Pete shake his head. I ignored him as he put the car in drive and pulled back onto the road.
Pete turned the radio down when we got to a stop sign. "Where are we eating?"
"Doesn't matter to me," Katie said.
I cracked a smile, because I knew what was coming next.
"I don't care either," Kaley said.
Pete huffed. "Chinese? Fast food? Mexican? Italian? Just pick somewhere, Katie. Please."
"I don't care," Katie said.
"What sounds good to you, Reese?" Kaley said. "I heard you were an amazing cook. Maybe you could tell us some place great to eat."
I lost my smile, instantly infuriated that Katie told her that. I didn't want Kaley knowing anything about me, especially that I knew how to cook. Next, she would ask if she could come over so I could make her something. "I don't care where we eat," I finally said, but it wasn't the truth. I did care. I wanted to eat at my house… alone.
"You're not helping," Pete growled.
I let out a low chuckle. "I never intended to help you."
Pete placed his elbow on the door and leaned his head on his hand, causing his dark auburn hair to stick up on the left side. "I guess we'll just drive around the Loop all night until someone picks something."
That was not acceptable. The only thing worse than having to eat and watch a movie with Katie's sister was being forced to stay in a car with her all night. I already felt claustrophobic. Somebody would get their feelings hurt or their butt kicked if I didn't get out of this car soon. "Go to Sombreros," I said.
"Finally!" Pete said. "Thank you."
"If nobody picks a movie, you can just take me home after we eat," I said, hoping there would be an argument about what we were going to see.
"Oh, we're going to see A Walk to Remember," Katie said. "I heard it's sooo good. Kaley has a huge crush on Shane West. She thinks he looks just like Reese."
"Katie!" Kaley whisper-shouted, but it didn't sound to me like Kaley was really all that mad that Katie busted her out about her obsession over me. It wasn't as if I didn't know. The girl was annoyingly obvious about it at school. I avoided her at all costs.
When the girls started giggling, I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against the headrest. It was going to be a long night.
Once we arrived at the restaurant, I got out of the car and went inside, not bothering to wait on the others.
"How many?" the host said.
I smiled, wondering if I had enough time to ask the woman to come to my table five minutes after she sat us and tell me that I had a phone call. I could tell Pete it was my mom, and that she needed me to come home now. That wouldn't work though. Mom didn't know which restaurant we were eating at. "Four… at a table, not a booth, please."
As she counted out silverware and menus for the four of us, a weird vibe swept through me, as if maybe someone was staring at me or something. I clenched my fingers, trying to stave off the tingling that alerted me that my disorder was about to make an appearance if I didn't find something to focus on. I turned around to see that Pete, Katie and Kaley were just walking through the door, so it couldn't be any of them giving me that feeling. I brushed it off as I looked back at the host then followed her to our table.
"I wish she'd sat us at a booth," Kaley complained as she chose the chair to my left. "These chairs are so uncomfortable."
I looked at Kaley without smiling as Pete sat in the chair to my right and Katie took the one directly in front of me. "I told her to sit us at a table. I don't like anyone sitting right beside me while I eat."
I glanced up when a waiter walked up to our table. "Welcome to Sombreros. My name is Juan, and I'll be your server tonight."
"Hey," I said with a smile. "I'd like the punch and a small cheese dip, and I'll be on a ticket by myself. Gracias." Ignoring the hurt look in Kaley's eyes, the daggers shooting out of Katie's and the just-let-me-get-out-of-here-in-one-piece expression on Pete's mug, I grinned as I opened the menu and brought it up in front of my face, even though I already knew what I was going to order.
As the others ordered drinks and Pete ordered a large cheese dip for the three of them then informed Juan he was picking up the ticket for the two girls and himself, the feeling came back, the one where my fingers tingled and I could feel eyes on me. I just couldn't shake it.
When I laid the menu on the corner of the table, Pete was still studying his options and Kaley was talking to Katie about a girl that was in her Chemistry class. I tuned out what I could, but it was difficult to ignore the negativity spewing from Kaley's glossy, pink lips.
Not wanting to be any part of her gossip train, I took a moment to scan the people around us.
I'd only managed to scout out about half the room when Juan came back with our drinks and appetizers. Once we'd placed our food orders and Juan left, I resumed people watching.
Katie and Kaley were still chattering away, and I had no interest in talking to Pete. I was still angry with him for putting me in this situation. I knew it was all Katie's fault and that she had probably put their relationship on the line if he didn't get me to go on at least one date with her sister. I honestly didn't care if she broke up with him or hated me before the night was over. Pete was better off without someone who gave him ultimatums. And I didn't care to tell him that in front of her—or her sister—if it came down to that.
I had every intention of making sure this never happened again.
The breath caught in my throat and goose bumps broke over the skin of my arms when my eyes locked on a familiar face across the room.
The pretty red-haired woman wasn't looking at me. I wasn't sure she'd looked at me at all, since there wasn't even an ounce of worry etched in her expression. I was almost certain Victoria Mason would have appeared nervous had she seen me, and not only because she had patched me up in the emergency room twice over the last month. The odd feeling I'd had upon arriving at the restaurant and the whole time we'd been here had absolutely nothing to do with this woman. It had everything to do with the teenage girl sitting across the booth table from her.
Charlie Mason. It had been years since I'd even allowed myself to think her name. It hurt just as much as I thought it would.
Quickly, I put my head down and looked at my lap, concentrating on keeping my breathing normal, the buzzing to a small roar and the demons at bay. It wasn't safe to keep looking at her. I wasn't sure what would happen if she looked up and caught me staring at her. I hadn't seen her eyes in almost seven years. What would happen if she got any closer to me? Our table was in between their booth and the restroom. She would have to walk by me to get to it if she needed to go in there.
I'd known they were back from Germany. Somehow I'd sensed it even before my mom broke the news to me before the school year started last fall. I'd almost made it the whole school year without running into her. The school was big and there were a lot of kids, but the thing that helped me avoid her the most was my disorder.
I noticed it two weeks after school started. My fingers began to tingle when I was in the library. I'd looked up and saw her for the first time since I was eleven. I hadn't been able to breathe. She'd been focused on putting away returned books and hadn't even seen me, but that didn't matter. I'd seen her. And that was all it took for me to realize the school library was no place for me to be. Ever.
Now, every time my fingers tingle, I look for the quickest route to retreat. I don't know why I didn't think to look around the restaurant before the host sat us. Maybe it was because it had been over four months since I'd last seen Charlie.
"—year left, Reese?" Kaley said, and I raised my head a little, but didn't quite meet her gaze. I couldn't. I knew what my eyes looked like. There was a red haze over my eyesight, and that always meant that my pupils had dilated.
"What?" I muttered, trying my best to act normal. It was only a matter of time before they discovered something was wrong. I could already feel the sweat beading on my brow and temple. I had to get out of here.
"I said," Kaley said with annoyance in her tone. "Can you believe we only have six weeks left of our junior year?"
"Uh…" I tried, but couldn't think of anything to say. I couldn't even remember what Kaley had asked me only five seconds ago.
This wasn't good. I had to go. I had to go. I had to go.
"Reese," Pete said. "You okay, man?"
My head whipped to the left when Charlie moved. She was a little blurry now, but every feature of her was branded in my memory like a bad nightmare. My heart began to pound against my rib cage when she stood up. She took one step in my direction and I was on my feet in an instant, spilling the basket of chips and knocking my punch over in the process.
"Reese!" Katie shouted. "What on earth is wrong with you?"
"I have to go!" I shouted as I back-stepped toward the restaurant lobby.
"Reese!" Pete shouted, but I couldn't stay and explain. My house was only five miles from here. Maybe my demons wouldn't need to fight if I sprinted home.
Before I turned and ran for the door, I caught the horrified look on Victoria's face. I knew mine was just as fearful. Our gazes moved to Charlie just as she passed my friends' table.
She never even looked up.
"I'm sorry," I said to Pete, and then I turned and bolted for the door.

Becoming Sean - Prologue (START HERE)

Hey friends! I can't begin to tell you how much I've missed you. I know it has been a long time, but hopefully my head is back in the game. We writers have writer's block a lot, but--for me--it usually only lasts a few weeks, a couple of months tops. It's a scary feeling when the voices STOP talking. Now it seems that they all want to talk at once, so I guess whoever wins the fight will get my attention the most. Right now it's Sean. And believe me, he has more than just a few bumps and bruises from beating his way to the top. He has a story to tell. It's an important one, so listen up, kids.

Becoming Sean - Part One
Prologue
Summer 1995 - Almost Seven Years Earlier
Sean
I sat on the cold tile floor of the small hospital waiting room with my knees pulled up to my chin and my arms tightly hugging my shins. My mom wouldn't stop crying, so I couldn't stop the buzzing. At least that's what I called it. My whole body felt like it was buzzing or vibrating. It's what it felt like when I was about to lose control.
At eleven years old, I didn't know much about doctor-talk, or even how to pronounce what the shrink my dad made me talk to called my disorder. I just knew not everyone was like me. Not everybody felt the buzzing and did things that would get them into trouble when they couldn't control it. All I knew was I was angry all the time… and scared. I was scared to death.
"Sean," Dad said in a quiet voice as he held my crying mom. "Why don't you sit in the chair, Son? It's—"
"No," I said for the third time. "I'm fine."
"How much longer, Daddy? When can we go see Sissy?" my little sister said for at least the millionth time. My dad sighed. I wouldn't be able to hear it again without yelling at her. It wasn't her fault that she couldn't understand why we were here. Nobody had explained anything to her. Of course, nobody had explained anything to me, either. I just knew whatever it was, it wasn't good or Mom wouldn't be crying like that.
"Jesus, why haven't we heard anything yet?" Dad said.
"Stacie, come sit by me." I straightened my legs out then reached over and gently pulled her down beside me. I wasn't sure if I did it to shut her up or to use her as a distraction for my benefit.
Stacie was fourteen months younger than me, but was still quite a bit smaller. She was born deaf in one ear, and only had partial hearing in the other, so we all learned sign language when the doctors told us she would be completely deaf by age twelve.
I signed to her, "Only a little while longer."
I searched through my duffle bag and found the sucker coach gave each of the players on the baseball team for doing a great job during practice, and then held it out to her.
Just as Stacie took the sucker, the only door in the room opened and a sobbing woman, with dark red hair and black streaks on her face ran in. Mom stood and they hugged each other tightly as they cried. I blinked in confusion, and then the buzzing grew bigger and louder when I realized the woman was Charlie's mom.
Why was Charlie's mom here?
"Jeff," Dad said, and my head whipped around as my breaths became shallower. I watched with wide eyes as Dad shook hands with Charlie's dad. Her daddy seemed almost as upset as her mom, but why? And why wasn't Charlie with them?
I pushed Stacie out of the way and quickly got to my feet. "Where's Charlie?" I said to her daddy. "She's supposed to be with you by now. Chan and Sara were supposed to take her home right after school."
By the sad look her dad gave me, I knew I wouldn't like what his answer would be. Instead of replying to me, he looked back at Dad, and said, "Have the doctors talked to you yet, Cameron?"
Dad shook his head.
Jeff glanced down at me and Stacie, and then back to my dad with a hopeless expression on his pale, tired-looking face. "Maybe we should talk outside."
All of a sudden, I felt as if I might throw up. The buzzing was getting worse. I didn't have a good feeling about this at all. Where was Charlie? Why wouldn't her daddy tell me where she was? All I knew was they weren't leaving this room without me. "Dad, I wanna go."
Dad held his hand out, stopping me when I took a step toward the door. "Stay in here with Stacie and your mom, Sean. I'm going to go check on Sara, and then I'll be right back, okay?"
"No!" I shoved him, and then backed away and glared up at him. "I need to go. I can't stay in this room another minute or I'm going to lose it. You have to let me go with you. Please!"
Dad looked at Jeff then back to me and gave a single nod. He put a hand on my back and we walked out of the room that had been my prison for the past forty-five miserable minutes.
Just as we arrived at a long counter, an older man in a white coat walked out of an elevator and headed straight for us.
"Mr. Reese?" the doctor said.
Dad put his hand on my shoulder and nodded. "Yes. Is my daughter going to be all right?"
Sorrow filled the older man's eyes as he gestured with a hand for us to return to the waiting room. I didn't want to go back in there. Nothing good would happen if I went back in that room. Where was Charlie?
Dad choked back a sob and wiped at his face with one hand as he took my hand with the other. I had never seen him look so broken before. What had happened? I didn't understand.
As the doctor talked to my family and Charlie's family, the buzzing grew fierce in my ears. I missed words, sentences, whole paragraphs as the man explained what happened, only catching things like 'vehicle accident', 'still in surgery', 'Charlie', 'Chandler', 'pray' and 'injuries too extensive'. My head shot up and my vision blurred when the doctor said, "I'm sorry. We did everything we could. Sara didn't make it. She is… she is dead."
Sara didn't make it. She is dead. Sara didn't make it. She is dead.
I needed Charlie.

Monday, December 4, 2017

New YA Release!!!


I hope I didn't lose you at YA, because Charlie's story is anything but ordinary. First, I'm going to tell you my plan, and then I'll let you have a sneak peek into Charlie's world. Today is release day, and the reviews from the ARCs I sent out are rolling in, so if you don't believe me, go check them out for yourself.

The Plan:
Charlie will have two books as a teenager, and so will Sean. Same story, different POVs.
Becoming Charlie - Part One
Becoming Charlie - Part Two
Becoming Sean - Part One
Becoming Sean - Part Two
Here's the prologue. If you decide to purchase the book and love it, please return and leave an honest review. And tell your friends. Word of mouth is the best advertisement.
Prologue
Mental pain is a real thing.
In most cases, when mental pain is triggered, the brain sends signals to the heart, causing it to contract so fiercely that it pulls the tendons and nerves—the heartstrings—that support the most important muscle in the human body. Sometimes these tendons snap, causing an intense, physical reaction. Most of the time, this type of pain stays in the chest area, settling in around the heart, making the individual who is experiencing it hyperventilate or feel extreme discomfort. Instances that might cause this to happen are getting your heart broken, losing a friend, loved one or pet, witnessing or hearing about something horrible or even reading a good ugly-cry book.
There is another type of mental pain that is so much worse. The type of mental pain I'm referring to is so severe and traumatic that, almost immediately after the mind registers what happened, it starts to shut down as a defense, and in some cases blacks out and causes the person to forget what took place, a condition also known as amnesia. Numbness and/or bouts of anger usually occur when this happens. Some triggers for this type of mental pain are losing a child, accidentally killing someone, being a victim of rape or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), to name just a few.
I suffer from the second one. Or maybe I should say that I used to suffer from the second one. The day Sean Reese walked into my life was the day I started to heal and live again. My name is Charlie Mason. If you have a little while, I'd like to tell you my story.

BUY THE BOOK HERE:

US 
The Becoming series will be available at Amazon. If you'd like a paperback or the audiobook, those can be purchased , too.


Thursday, June 22, 2017

Begin the epic Urban Fantasy Romance series that everyone is raving about! The first TWO books are on us!

FIRST 2 BOOKS FREE June 22nd - 24th!!!



If I could give it more than 5 stars I would." ~ Iris Prose


See for yourself. They can't all be wrong.

Accepting the Moon - Prequel:  4.9 average rating from 121 reviews. FREE!

Amazon US     Amazon UK     Amazon CA

Midnight Moonrising - Book 1:  4.8 average rating from 112 reviews. FREE!

Andromeda's Reign - Book 2:  4.9 average rating from 52 reviews. $3.99!

Amazon US     Amazon UK     Amazon CA

Mena Hoke wants the Master Vampire of Montgomery, Alabama, but the Alpha Wolf inside her craves the homicide detective working the case of the man she murdered.




Friday, May 15, 2015

Prophet of the Badlands by Matthew Cox Blog Tour!

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Prophet of the Badlands , The Awakened (#1)
by Matthew S. Cox
Publisher: Curiosity Quills
Genres: Adult, Cyberpunk, Science Fiction, Post-Dystopian
Release date: April 26, 2015
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For most twelve year olds, being kidnapped is terrifying. For Althea, it’s just Tuesday. Her power to heal the wounded and cleanse the sick makes her a hunted commodity in the Badlands, a place devoid of technology where the strong write the law in blood. For as long as she can remember, they always come, they always take her, and she lets them. Passed around in an endless series of abductions, she obeys without question―mending those who killed to own her. After three whole months in the same village, the affection of a young warrior makes her feel almost like a member of the tribe rather than a captive. Her brief joy shatters when raiders seize her yet again; for the first time in six years, being stolen hurts. A reluctant escape sends her wandering, and she realizes her gift is a prize that causes as much death as it prevents. Her attempt to return to the tribe leaves her lost and alone, hounded at every turn. When a family who sees her not as the Prophet―but as a little girl―takes her in, she finds the courage to use her power to protect those she loves. A strange man from a world beyond her imagining tests her newfound resolve, seeking to use her power to further his own agenda. Tired of being property, her freedom boils down to one question: Can Althea balance the sanctity with which she holds all life against the miserable truth that some people deserve to die?
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Follow the Virtual Tour Here

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Excerpt from Prophet of the Badlands

Prophet-of-the-Badlands-author-bio [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="256"]Author-Matthew-Cox Author Matthew S. Cox[/caption] Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. Hobbies and Interests: Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it. He is also fond of cats. Prophets-of-the-Badlands-divider Prophet-of-the-Badlands-social-media

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Tour hosted by...
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Follow the Virtual Tour Here

Prophets-of-the-Badlands-divider Prophet-of-the-Badlands-author-bio [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="256"]Author-Matthew-Cox Author Matthew S. Cox[/caption] Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. Hobbies and Interests: Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it. He is also fond of cats. Prophets-of-the-Badlands-divider Prophet-of-the-Badlands-social-media

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Tour hosted by...
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Wednesday, May 6, 2015

THE EMANCIPATION OF LOVE cover reveal by MARY E. PALMERIN

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Title: THE EMANCIATION OF LOVE (Monster, #2)
Author: Mary E. Palmerin
Genre: Dark Erotic Romance
Release Date: June 26, 2015
Photographer, Shauna Kruse
Cover Designer, Kelsey Keeton
goodreads  
Blurb
I am a monster. A sexual deviant.A gorger for pain. I am Worthless William Welch. But I am hers… Ten years since Welch has seen Gwendolyn he finds himself in Portland, the same city they were supposed to live together; just two bloody lovers against the ghastly ways of the world. But that isn’t how their story would pan out and Welch troubles himself everyday with memoirs of the only one that will have his heart. His sweet, sweet girl. Fiery Gwendolyn is gone and he is alone with nothing to occupy him except memories. As he tries to grasp onto the recollections while simultaneously forgetting the pain he was bathed in for so long, he searches for a woman that will give him the agony he so desperately craves. You know what they say… be careful what you wish for. As Welch pushes an unlikely woman to the brink, he is surprised at her eagerness as she gives him what he longs for. Punishment, pain, and pleasure. He becomes enveloped by the demons of his past, the torment of his current, and the ghost in his mind that he refuses to part from. Reverted back to the dysfunctional little boy who obeys, Welch finds himself in a disastrous cycle while the edge of goodness is within reach. Will it be too late for him to find love before he breaks himself down to a point of no return? **Graphic content warning including sexual degradation, emotional abuse, adult situations, and unconventional sexual practices that are intended for mature audiences only. Not suitable for readers under the age of eighteen. Reader discretion is highly advised.***   welch 80    
Gwendolyn vs. the Band of Barren Hearts (Monster, #1)
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Monsters. They don’t hide in your nightmares. They steal you away from the good life and prevent you from living your dreams. That’s where 17-year-old Gwendolyn Fitzpatrick found herself; surrounded by wicked fiends after everything she thought she had was gone in the blink of an eye. She was shuffled away with one bag of memories miles away to a pair of foster parents that hardly had her best interests at hand. Forced to obey and listen to her caregiver’s commands, Gwendolyn buries her old self and focuses on the pain to become one of them. A monster herself to seek vengeance. While yearning for her teeming point to come, Gwendolyn starts to connect with another 17-year-old foster boy living with her who calls himself Welch. Just when Gwendolyn starts to feel faith splice its way through the venom of pain, the connection she has with Welch is put in jeopardy as the harshness gets worse with each passing day. Will the two tattered spirits make it out alive?  
About the Author
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Mary E. Palmerin is 27 years old and resides in Indiana. She is married, has two small boys and usually has her nose in a good book when she isn't writing. She has been writing since she was a young girl, scribbling fairy tales down on notebook paper, creating poetry through her teen years, and many shorts in between, all of which she has kept. Mary enjoys telling tales that are both raw and real, seeing it as a gift to be able to evoke various emotions from her readers.
She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, anything outdoors, relaxing by the pool with a good piece of literature, red wine, coffee, tattoos, and HEA!
 
Giveaway!
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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

NEW RELEASE!!! Eternal Illusion - Book 3

Thanks for stopping in!

The highly anticipated return of everyone's favorite island is FINALLY available for print and eBook!

 

Are your bags packed? You can get your ticket back to the island for only $2.99 and stay as long as you like! This sale price will only last a limited time! Don't miss out!


 

Want a taste?

 
Chapter 1
Lost in thought, Abe ran a loving hand over Ariana's swelling belly, then grinned when she stirred from sleep and blinked lazily up at him. Wrapping his mind around that – not only had she been his wife for over three months, but was also carrying his child – was too much of a dream come true, one he never wanted to wake up from.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Cambridge. It's fifteen after one."
Nuzzling closer to him, Ariana yawned and let her eyes drift shut. "Five more minutes."
He snickered against her hair and then kissed her forehead. "Take all the time you need, baby, but I have a feeling Becky and Janie will—"
Quick and persistent tapping on the chamber door cut off his words and had him rolling his eyes in irritation.
"—knock on the door soon," he finished through a clenched jaw, his mood swiftly turning sour at the lack of private time the island's residents allowed him to have with his wife. "I can kill them, you know. Nobody will find their bodies. I swear it. Did I ever tell you that I'm a shark whisperer?"
Ariana giggled as she pushed against his body, and when he tried to grab her, she threw a pillow in his face and scrambled out of bed.
He fell back to his own pillow, defeated. "We are going on vacation. No cell phones. No knocks on the door—unless it's room service—and, best of all, no distractions."
Laughing as she opened the door, Ariana greeted her friends with a hug and took the coffee Janie held out with a sigh and a gracious smile. "I love both of you so much."
Abe huffed as he glared at them. "You just saw them yesterday. And you don't need that caffeine; it's bad for the baby."
Ariana took a long sip and winced as the heat bit her tongue. "The only thing that's bad for the baby is my blood pressure going up when his or her father fusses over me too much."
Abe blanched, and started to throw back the comforter to go to her, but thought better of it once he caught sight of Becky and Janie looking at him. Unlike Ariana, he hadn't dressed after making love the night before.
He exhaled in relief as he studied the growing smirk on his wife's face. She was the only one who could, quite literally, drop him to his knees with only a few words. He kept waiting for the spell she had him under to wear off, but with each day that passed, he had only grown more mesmerized by her charm.
Abe raised an eyebrow. "Come here, devil woman."
"Abe," Becky said, laughing. "There's no time—er… take all the time you need, Your Highness," she said quickly, when his mouth flattened into a thin line and his teal eyes locked on her, daring her to say one… more… word.
He would burn that damn clinic to the ground before he would allow anyone to take even one more minute with her away from him. She already worked too many hours as it was. It had started out being only five, but then had swiftly moved up to six, then seven. He had drawn a line at eight, but, more times than not, Ariana stayed at the clinic up to ten hours, even against his wishes and constant phone calls.
He tore his piercing eyes away from Becky and they softened as he met Ariana's smile.
She set the cup down and crawled up on the mattress and into his awaiting arms. She stared into his eyes as her fingers brushed back the hair hanging over his ears, reminding him it was time for a trim. That would take all of fifteen minutes, so what would he do with the other four-hundred-sixty-five minutes she would be out of his sight?
He had some ass-chewing to do, that's what, and he was going to do that first.
"I'll be back before you know it, Abe," she said sweetly, almost convincingly, but he knew better; she'd been telling him that every day since she’d started working, and it had never, ever been true.
Even though he knew arguing would get him absolutely nowhere, he still pleaded his case. "Stay here," he whispered. "Take the day off. I could use a little healing myself." He grinned devilishly.
The only answer he got was a small smile and a long kiss. Abe wrapped his arms around her and pulled her across his body, rolling with her until she was lying on her back and he was looking down at her beautiful face.
He knew she wouldn't concede to his wishes today, but that wouldn't stop him from trying. He had faith that one day she would.
"Sunset, Ariana. Please. I have something I want to show you."
She laughed. "I just bet you do."
He tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear and softly kissed her lips. Lingering a breath away, he spoke so only she could hear. "It's sort of important and special. It's been in the works for several years, but it's almost complete now. I didn't want to mention it until Roger said you could see it. He sent me a text last night, but you were too exhausted after work, so I didn't say anything. I don't think I can keep from telling you what it is until your next day off, so please don't overwork yourself today, and try to get out of there by eight." He paused for a moment. "And eat light for supper; I'm taking you out afterward."
Ariana's eyes narrowed to thin slits, but there was amusement in them that she couldn't hide behind her fake anger. "You know how much I hate surprises."
Abe knew she could have searched his thoughts in one instant, so he quickly rifled through his memory for the lyrics of Mary Had A Little Lamb, just in case. Mindreading was one witchy trait that could be both a blessing and a curse, but thankfully Ariana tried not to use it too often. For that, he was grateful. It was bad enough that he couldn’t keep his hands off his wife for more than five minutes. Keeping his thoughts off her would be downright impossible.
He kissed her quick and moved away, so she could get up and ready for work. The quicker she left, the quicker he could let out his aggression on someone who couldn't paralyze his vocal chords. "You'll like this one. I promise it won't embarrass you."
"Can we come?" Janie asked, the petite girl nearly jumping up and down at hearing about something new and exciting on the island.
Abe chuckled. "Yeah, you can come. Bring someone, if you like," he said, knowing that Janie had been spending quite a bit of time lately with Ryan from maintenance, and would more than likely want to bring him along. It was killing Lance to see her with the guy, but since he had been the one who let her go, there wasn't a whole hell of a lot he could do about it but mope.
"Who else is going?" Becky asked with a sneer.
Abe shrugged nonchalantly, but he knew she was inquiring whether Will, his brother, was going to be there, and possibly be with Katrista, the girl who had flown to the island on the back of a minion from Hell under the orders of Apollyon, the demon who damn near took Ariana away from him in more than one way.
Just thinking about that night made him want to wrap Ariana in the tight cocoon of his arms and never let her out of his sight, but that had been almost three months ago, and they hadn't seen or heard from the guy since his descent back into Hell. Gloria, their personal guardian angel, was checking in on a regular basis, but she hadn't sensed any evil hanging around the island, either. It was still a struggle to relax, but Abe knew how Ariana hated to be smothered, so he forced his worry from his features, for her.
"I'm not sure, Becky, but if you think I'm going to tell my brother he can't go just because you'll be there, then you don't know me very well." He ignored the hurt look in her eyes and slapped Ariana's butt when she crawled over him to get out of bed. He chuckled when she yelped.
After hearing the shower come on, he looked back to the two girls standing in the middle of his bedroom. "Would the two of you mind leaving? I'm about to go shower with my wife, and Ariana threw my boxers across the room last night."
He smiled as the two girls immediately avoided eye contact, their faces turning a bright shade of pink in embarrassment at being in the same room with their naked king.
"Go on. Ariana will call you when she's ready to leave. I can't promise you'll be on time for work, so you may want to leave without her." He stopped and huffed when they only stood there with sullen expressions. "What? She isn't yours; she's mine. Go!"
Tripping over their feet, both girls turned and ran for the door.
With a smile on his face, Abe threw back the cover and jogged to the bathroom. He could only see the top of Ariana's wet head, leaned back into the steamy shower spray, eyes closed as she basked in the warmth of the water. He tiptoed around the tiled wall that separated the shower from the rest of the bathroom, and had her in his arms before she even opened her eyes.
Ariana smiled as he touched his lips to hers, and Abe noticed that he couldn't fit his body flush to hers any longer, not with his young growing so rapidly within her womb.
He ran one hand over the soft skin of her belly and pulled her mouth to his with his other by the nape of her neck. A low moan escaped her mouth and he drank in the ecstasy like a wino who had just found a forgotten bottle of eighty-year-old wine in the cellar.
She gasped for air when he released her mouth to devour her neck and that little spot below her ear she loved for him to kiss.
"Abe," she panted. "I'm going to be late for work."
An approving growl rumbled from his chest as her hands slid down to his hips. "Damn right, you are. I told Becky and Janie to go on without you, that you would be there when you damn well got there."
She laughed against his mouth when he claimed ownership once again. "You are such a king."
Lowering his head to explore more of what she had to offer him, he looked from one tempting mound to the other, and finally decided to take the left rosy nub between his lips and softly massage the other with his hand. Decisions, decisions. It was a tough job being a man in love. He often thought he needed at least one extra mouth. Wondering vaguely whether Ariana might be able to witch it on his body, somewhere, he focused on the task in hand.
Ariana's lips parted, and he smiled when a rush of pleasurable sounds echoed off the walls of the bathroom.
With his other hand free, he ran his long fingers over the cheek of her ass, down the back of her thigh and pulled her right knee up to his hip. He wasn't worried about her getting off balance and falling. He had her. He had all of her.
His head jerked up and he crushed his mouth on hers just as he slid through the soft folds of her sex and into his most favorite place to be.
His jaw clamped shut and his hand shot out to brace them against the shower wall when her muscles tightened around his erection.
"Yeeees!" The cry escaped her throat and her nails clawed the skin on his back, but he pumped into her, keeping a steady rhythm and watching her expression as the orgasm threatened to rip through her body. "Abe…" she said, winded, and grabbed his biceps, squeezing the thick muscles and making him grin, "I—I need…"
"I know, baby. Just let it go." He jerked his hand from the wall, pulling her other leg up, and just like a pro, she hooked her ankles at the small of his back and took all of him. His knees damn near buckled.
Aiming to get his own release by the time Ariana's climax was over, Abe growled and quickened his strides. Her body quaked all around him. He was almost there. He was there.
"Take my vein," Ariana whispered.
Pulling a bit back from the rush, he blinked the water out of his eyes and looked down at her in confusion. Sure enough, her head was tilted to the side and her wet hair was moved away, baring her neck and that throbbing vein to him. He jerked his head away, trying to ignore the instant bloodlust and the anger that was quickly boiling up inside him.
"No," he said shortly.
"Abe, please. You need it. I want you to."
He stopped moving inside her and set her feet on the wet tile. Grabbing a towel from the hook on the wall, he threw it around his waist, tying it extra tight, so just maybe it would cut off the circulation in his erection and deflate the damn thing.
"Abe! Where are you going?"
"Not now, Ariana." He threw open the bathroom door and walked into the bedroom, and wasn't a bit surprised to hear she had followed.
"What did I do? I don't understand why you're acting this way. Talk to me, damn you!" she shouted when he only stood at his closet and shoved hanger after hanger to the right. Hell, he wasn't even sure what he was looking for.
He stopped and let his arm fall, but didn't turn around. "You know how I feel about using you as a meeker while you're pregnant. We've had this discussion before, Ariana. Hell, we've even fought about it a few times, but you don't seem to understand or maybe you just don't care; I don't know—"
"You think that I don't care about my child?" she said, and Abe turned around, the muscles in his jaw doing the same workout they did every time their conversation led to him feeding from her. "How can you even say that?" she snapped. "If I felt, in any way, that you taking the amount of blood from me that you need would hurt the baby, I wouldn't ask you to do it." She pointed to her chest, and fury burned throughout Abe's bones. "I know it won't hurt the baby—"
"But I don't!" he roared, causing her to flinch. He shook his head and reached into the closet, grabbing a random shirt and a pair of jeans. When he looked back at her, he was a little calmer, but not much. "I don't know what is good or what is bad for the baby, Ariana, but I can't imagine taking anything from you that the baby needs could ever be a good thing. I won't do it."
He ripped the towel away, and to his delight, either the terrycloth or his pissy mood had done the job, because Mr. Happy wasn't so happy anymore. Without wasting time going to the dresser for boxers, he just shoved one leg at a time in the jeans then buttoned and zipped the fly. After throwing the shirt over his head and pushing his arms through the armholes, Abe finally made his way to the dresser to grab socks.
"Abe," Ariana whispered, but he didn't look at her. He couldn't look at her when he was this mad, especially when it was her that he was mad at. "Abe, look at me. I have to go to work, and I don't want to leave you upset." He still didn't say anything.
Abe put his socks on and located his boots by the bar. Tying the sons of bitches wasn't going to happen with his hands shaking so badly, so he just shoved his feet in, grabbed his keys from the bar and headed for the door.
"Abe! Where are you going? The sun is out!"
"Go to work, Ariana. I'll see you later."
He jerked open the door, then slammed it shut behind him.

Interested? What? You haven't read Eternal Island or Eternal Immortality yet? No worries! I've got you covered! 


 

 Eternal Island:

 
 

Eternal Immortality:

 

Eternal Illusion:

 
 
Like angels, demons, vampires, werewolves, suspense, urban fantasy and romance? Check out K. S. Haigwood's other books.

 

Like thrillers, suspense, romance and satire? Check out Ella Medler's other books.
 
 
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