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Check out these bundle for some great books. Many are on sale and/or in Kindle Unlimited! Click on the banner to see all those bookly wonders.       
Shawna Barnett has a new LGBTQ+ pirate fantasy book out (ff bi/ace): Windfall. And there's a giveaway! Captain Liana Foley knows a thing or two about fights. She fights the King’s Navy. She fights to balance power in oppressive Vioria. She fights for respect as a female, bisexual, pirate captain. But she’s losing her biggest fight: to escape her secret past as a lost Princess. With a mysterious letter and a stranger threatening to expose her, Liana is blackmailed into attending a royal ball and protecting her counterpart, sheltered Princess Rhian. The pretenses are suspicious enough, but Liana takes the risk in hopes to finally unveil the magic plot that killed her parents and forced her into hiding. When Liana encounters Rhian’s own lightning-wielding powers, the ball erupts in violence. The sheltered princess falls into the care of Liana—and her band of pirates. On the run, the only safe haven for the Windfall crew to hide is the most-dangerous place of all: under the thumb of Liana’s narcissistic, abusive brother-in-law. In order to protect her crew, her family, and naïve Rhian, Liana must demand sacrifices from herself and the people she loves. Her choices will make powerful enemies; good thing Liana Foley knows a thing or two about fighting those. Giveaway Shawna is giving away a $20 Barnes & Noble gift card with this tour: Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47194/? Excerpt
Chapter 1 To Go on the Account 6th of Lengnath, 1715 The Capital of Caerwyn A shadow crept around a stone archway, unseen by a passing pair of guards on patrol. The woman who cast it pulled down her hood and peered about. Her thick, unkempt black hair fell over her shoulders. A long cloak covered her curves, but she had flung it back to rest a hand on her hip, revealing a sword in its sheath. Her fingers, ruddy and coarse with use, pinched her bottom lip. She strained her ears to hear over the soft slaps of water in the harbor, the creaking of the ships’ hulls as they swayed, and the occasional caw of laughter from the nearby row of pubs. Just as she began to wring her hands under the cloak, another duo approached. They weren’t dressed in soldiers’ uniforms, but sailors’ garb. She took a step forward and allowed her silhouette to be revealed. “There you are. What took you so long?” “I’m sorry, Captain,” her quartermaster, Ameen Almasi, said, stopping at her side and turning on his heel to face his companion. “Our young friend was... distracted.” The youth in question tucked his chin and smiled guiltily at his captain. “Damn it, Squiddy,” she scolded. “Learn to keep up.” Her expression softened to amusement as he scowled. His real name was Sava, but she’d settled on calling him “Squiddy.” Not much would be able to change her mind. Ameen chuckled, deep and quiet. Sava looked much like a young Ameen—slight, lanky, and youthfully energetic. Ameen towered over him. He held his posture, straight and sure, lean with muscle gained by nautical labor. The boy still had some way to go before he would be able to carry himself so confidently. Tonight, he would have a chance to prove himself. She beckoned them to follow her. The Capital of Caerwyn rose before them in layers, on a crest overlooking the sea. The docks formed its base, spanning out south, east, and west like the fingers of an outstretched hand. The rest of the city stacked upon the palm; rows upon rows of buildings, each one smaller than the width of the one below it. The Royal Palace stood at the zenith of this view, like a crooked mountain range, sporting banners of blue and silver. The ocean-side of the palace stretched out like the hand's thumb, wide and thick. “Liana,” Ameen breathed her name rather than her title. His voice plucked her from the high towers of the palace and steadily anchored her back to the alley behind the harbormaster’s office. She looked about the alley to make sure they hadn’t been noticed creeping about. “This is it?” Sava’s voice cracked. “Yes. Do you remember what you have to do?” He nodded. Even in the dark, she could see him shake. Placing a firm hold on his arm, she looked into his face. His eyebrow twitched. Liana breathed in deeply, nodding to invite him to mimic her. “You can do this.” “I’m ready,” he said as he twisted a lockpick between his fingers. The building had suffered some damage since the last storm season and was under renovation, therefore it had an outer shell of scaffolding that looked sturdy enough to climb. Ameen knelt to give Sava a lift, and he was off, scaling the walls as easily as strolling the streets. They watched as he reached the third story, settled himself on a beam, and picked open the window. He scrambled through it and disappeared. Liana saw Ameen lift his hand to his chest, where a Circle of the Divine hung on a chain under his linen shirt. “He’ll be alright,” she assured him. His eyes grazed over her face, then downward. “You weren’t supposed to bring that.” She followed his line of sight to the cutlass at her side. “It’s for protection, if we’re caught.” “If we are caught, we agreed you would distract them while Sava and I get away. Soldiers won't harm an unarmed Caerwyn woman.” He looked straight back at her expectantly with an extended hand, wagging his fingers. After a meaningful silence, she begrudgingly loosened her belt. He was right, after all. It was the reason she was wearing her Mass dress. “Insubordination is what I call that, Almasi,” she spat. Her tone could cut as deeply as the blade she handed over. But Ameen knew her well enough not to be offended. He grinned, obviously pleased with himself. His amber eyes lit up as he caught her looking for a moment too long. Liana began to pace, her shoulder purposefully knocking against his side as a final jab. She didn’t need to look back to know he was still smiling. The lighthearted energy between them evaporated as they heard a whistling call in the distance—a warning. Sava’s head emerged from the window. Liana waved for him to come down. In return, he made an exaggerated shrugging gesture and went back in. “That stupid little—” She rushed to the base of the scaffold and gathered her skirts. “Lift me up, I’m going to get him.” “You’re in a dress.” “And whose brilliant idea was that?!” Deep voices and the light of a lantern cut through the darkness. Despite the cool breeze, she began to sweat. She could hear the patrolmen at the front of the building now. They must have taken a shorter route than usual. An object landed at Liana's feet with a flutter and thud. She snatched up the book and flipped it open. The ledger was unreadable in the pale moonlight, but she knew it was exactly what they had come for. “Blimey, Squiddy! You’ve done it.” "Who’s back there?" came a gruff voice from the front, cutting their victory short. The sound of the ledger's landing had alerted the patrol. Liana whirled around and shoved the ledger into Ameen's hands. She unfastened her cloak and threw that at him as well. "Wait for him but go as quickly as you can." He tucked it under his arm with her sword. "Be careful, Captain." As she lifted her skirts and sprinted off, Sava was already halfway to the ground. But, by the Divine, this dress! She hadn’t gone to Mass in years and had outgrown the gown. Ameen had insisted on this particular one—the rest she owned were plain, albeit comfortable. She’d been a fool to think she could have climbed after Sava. Between the binding bodice around her torso and carrying the weight of the layers of the skirt, she was out of breath within seconds. Still, it made her distress all the more convincing as she collided into the chest of the soldier before her. The man grunted in surprise and took a step back to steady himself. She clung to his dark blue long-skirted coat. His jaw unhinged. “It's a woman!” his friend declared. “Thank the Divine you're here!” she gasped out. “Th-these men had me cornered and robbed me!” She gave a doe-eyed shrug, feigning helplessness. The soldier settled his hands on her shoulders. It made her feel uncomfortably small. The other one, a fair young man, threw himself in the direction she had come. “It's alright, ye’re safe now,” the soldier who stayed with her said, beginning to stroke her upper back. He had a slight Northern accent, and his features were darker than the other soldier. She arched away. The fair soldier returned at a slower pace this time. “Whoever attacked you, miss, they've gone now. Likely pirates who've come to port for the season.” “Thank you.” She spoke as demurely as her pride would allow. “I’ll be on my way, now.” “Shall we escort you home—?” “No!” She realized too late she had interrupted him. “No... Thank you.” Author Bio
Shawna Barnett is a mother, life-long advocate and author of swashbuckling tales. After receiving a BA in Politics from UC Santa Cruz, Shawna worked in victim advocacy and behavioral health. Born in San Diego, California, her experiences have taken her all over the United States. After settling in Tennessee with her daughter, Shawna seeks to speak out through writing and contribute to a world where everyone is safe and respectfully represented. Author Website: https://www.shawnabarnett.com/ Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/sbarnettauthor Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/SBarnettAuthor Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sbarnettauthor/ Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20653893.Shawna_Barnett Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shawna-Barnett/e/B09235XR1H 
 This week my teaser is from Scintilla! It's also on sale for $2.99 (ebook) and $9.99 (paperback). Brandon hadn’t realized until this moment exactly how much faith and trust he’d have to put in Raul. This man would literally hold Brandon’s sanity and safety in his hands. If this was a mistake, it was too late to back out now. Yet, it wasn’t. Brandon felt safe with Raul. The room was sparsely furnished. There was a desk, with an office chair on wheels beside it and a computer tower and monitor sitting on top. Bisset pointed to the chair and panic spiked through Brandon. He wasn’t sure he could maintain his act while sitting in a chair that moved so easily. “Not that chair. He needs a regular chair. No wheels, no spinning,” Raul said. Bisset tilted his head at the chair. “That’s all we have.” Raul shrugged. “C’mon, Brandon, we’ll set up our own operation. We don’t need these morons.” He used a hand on Brandon’s shoulder to turn him away from the chair. “Wait.” Bisset turned to face Bob and nodded. “Get him what he needs.”  
Queer Sci Fi's annual flash fiction anthology is finally here - and this year the theme is Ink. There's a giveaway too! INK (NOUN) Five definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell: 1) A colored fluid used for writing 2) The action of signing a deal 3) A black liquid ejected by squid 4) Publicity in the written media 5) A slang word for tattoos Ink features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi. Giveaway QSF is giving away an Amazon gift card with this tour: Direct Link: https://kingsumo.com/g/gp47qq/win-a-25-amazon-gift-card Excerpts
“Vervain had watched, one by one, as her childhood friends blossomed with red, the words of their soulmates inked into their skins. The stories of their lives together, from the day they met to the day they would die, unfolding each day. Her sister Iris, an aspiring bard, had woken one morning after meeting a girl in the village, the words poet meets potion-makershining bright and scarlet. Vervain’s friend Raven had dashed across the marketplace the day two separate lines had sprung forth on their skin—two loves, three souls entwined in the ink of their hearts.” —Lauren Triola, The Unmarked “I love our sentient AI high school, EduTron 6000 (kids call her “Edie”). She plays soothing classical music in study hall and always listens when you have a bad day. But she’s a stickler for rules, and hates graffiti, which put a major damper on my epic prom-posal plan.” —Brenna Harvey, EduTron 6000 + Principal Vertner 4Ever “I get out of the shower and it's there. Dripping down the mirror--splip--and forming a rivulet of color across the tile floor. Thinner than paint, more vibrant than water. Sometimes it's iridescent, but today it's just...bright. A stream of colorful consciousness leading me across the bathroom, down the hall, out of...wait. I go to my bedroom and hastily put on whatever I can reach. Yesterday's bra, the jeans from the floor, finger comb my short hair, a random t-shirt—purple. The same color the ink is today. Does that mean something?” —Geneva Vand, The Colors of Fate “Marianne paced the length of the small hall that connected the living room, and the door to the outside, to the bedroom, and the door to the inside. Temporary steps, tracing a path towards a temporary solution to a permanent problem. Beyond the crack of the door, she saw her wife sleeping soundly in the cool of the late night. Temporary wife, temporary bedroom.” —Brooke K. Bell, Temporary/Permanent “The round stone room that they lock the poet in contains nothing but a writing desk. The desk, of course, is fully stocked. Piles of creamy paper, elegantly carved sable-fur brushes, a pyramid of neatly-stacked inksticks, and an inkstone, its well full of perfectly still water. Sunlight streams down from a single window, high overhead and barred. Too high to reach even when she stands on the desk, its thin legs wobbling beneath her.” —Jamie Lackey, Inksticks and Paper Swans “Rna’la arrived at Intergalactic Date-A-Thon and signed in using zir own gelatinous fluid (no scratchy ballpoint for zem, thanks!) The human woman collecting signatures blushed pinkly. Rna’la’s hearts throbbed in zir throat. Probably not attending. Ze passed several individuals in the hallway. Some bowed, some ignored zem. Not everyone recognized the current ruler of Th’ul.” —M.X Kelly, To Have and to Hold and to Hold and to Hold Authors
 This week's snippet comes from For the Long Run.  Out of the car, they crossed the short distance to the front steps and walked up together. Eric’s hand landed solidly on Jay’s shoulder, and it felt good, right. Unlocking his door, Jay let it swing open and motioned inside. “Mi casa es su casa.” Eric ran his hand down Jay’s arm. He used his thumb to gently stroke Jay’s knuckles as he took the key ring from him. “You have a copy of the keys to my house.” “Yours, and mine, are both owned by the resort.” “Hmm. Doesn’t seem fair, you get keys to mine, but I don’t get keys to yours. We’ll have to fix that tomorrow.” Jay’s heart skipped a few beats, and his stomach flipped. “You really believe what you said about bad date-movie plots and second chances?” Even as he spoke, he reminded himself not to get his hopes up. ~|~ ~|~ ~|~ There are plenty more snippets to read at the Rainbow Snippets Facebook Group. You can get For the Long Run in ebook for $2.99. It is also available in Kindle unlimited and paperback.
The Blackwood Pack saga continues…
This is part of an on-going series by Amazon Bestselling Author, Mary Rundle, and catching up on previous titles is advised. Readers of the past books will enjoy meeting old friends once more as the pack does what it does best ̶ caring for one another and helping shifters everywhere. David spent most of his life as a prisoner, beaten countless times as he was taught by the Sisters of the Four Gods. After learning the truth about what they had planned for him, he escaped and eventually landed in Scotland where he was rescued by kind shifter who gave him a job and a bed. His feeling of safety ended abruptly when he was discovered by the ones he fled. Zane, the Blackwood Pack’s genius computer programmer, joined his brothers and friends in Scotland on his very first vacation. It had been a long and hard road for him since parents and younger siblings were massacred, but his life was finally coming together Not expecting anything more than fun and sightseeing, he was stunned to find his Fated Mate there. Before they can claim each other, they find themselves in a terrifying game of cat-and-mouse, trying to elude brutal pursuers who want to capture David and kill Zane. As they fight to stay one step ahead of them, Zane sets out to win David’s heart and restore his confidence and also becomes his protector and lover. Learning about each other’s abilities and gifts—and about the gods’ plans for David’s formidable new role in the shifter world—they form a unique bond with undying trust and a deep love that will bind them forever together as one. Narrow escapes, kidnappings, battles, rescues and the revelation of unique gifts from the gods will keep you turning page after page as Mary Rundle weaves another thrilling tale of love and adventure. 
Excerpt:
During dinner, Logan kept an eye on Zane and David, wondering what was so special about the newest member of the Blackwood Pack that Jackson would ask for a picture of him. He hadn’t told his brother about what happened when Zane and David shook hands, but he’d get to that when he called him later, back in the privacy of his hotel suite. “David, are you coming back to the hotel with us tonight?” asked Theo. Zane spoke up, “We haven’t decided what we’re doing, Theo.” “Where are you from?” asked Norm, then adding quickly, “Not that it matters but I was just wondering.” “No problem,” David said, “I’m from a region in Italy called Tuscany.” “I know all about it,” Kieran said, “It was one of the areas my Shaman made me study. I always wanted to go there to see the Church of the Four Gods. From the pictures my Shaman showed me, it’s magnificent, but he told me I couldn’t really appreciate it unless I stood exactly in the center of it, looked up and turned around in a circle and then I’d understand why so many paranormals chose to follow that religion. Have you ever been there?” Unsure if Kieran was trying to expose him, David felt the urge to vanish again and it was only Zane’s hand holding his that kept him there giving him a sense of calmness. “Yes, I have,” he answered, “but I never did that. What happens when you do the circle thing?” Shrugging his shoulders, Kieran said, “I don’t know. My Shaman never told me that, only that I would find understanding, but that doesn’t matter to me, I just want to see the architecture…Oh macushla, did you ever go there?” “No, but I agree with you—it’s a stunning piece of workmanship,” answered Logan, “and it’s one of the finest examples of Ancient High Gothic Celestial architecture left on earth.” “It’s a church for paranormals? I never heard of it. Can humans go there too?” asked Theo. “Only if they’re mated to a paranormal,” Kieran said. “You mean a shifter can have a human for a mate? Pooh bear, did you know that?” Theo asked. “No, I don’t remember learning that in school,” Norman answered. “My Shaman,” continued Kieran, “told me it was more common a long time ago, but after humans started to hunt shifters—and when shifters began to go underground, so to speak—the gods decreed it should stop. They also forbade any shifter from disclosing the existence of another.” Dakota then joined in. “Slate told me the original owners of this pub were a wolf shifter and a human and that’s what saved it when the war against the Scottish wolf shifters occurred.” “Very true,” Ian’s mother, Lili, joined in. “Your parents would bring you here, Ian, whenever they had to visit Edinburgh. Do you remember?” “So that’s why I had a déjà vu moment downstairs,” Ian chuckled. “I was chalking it up to my pregnancy hormones.” Smiling, Lili’s husband, Samuel, said, “Remember dear, we would come here every year for our anniversary.” Lili ducked her head, giggling, as she remembered what they did afterwards, and said, “Of course I do…and I also recall how beautiful the nights were.” Seeing Ian blush at his mother’s comment, Colton smirked at the thought his mate wasn’t comfortable about his parents reminiscing about their sex life, so he steered the conversation back to the original topic. “If I understand you, Kieran, the Church of the Four Gods is also a religion?” asked Colton. “Uh-huh. My Shaman told me about it but I wasn’t too impressed at the time because my belief in our gods and the Fates was very strong, but seeing the Church of the Four Gods was always something I wanted to do. Hey, macushla, I have a great idea!” “Oh, no, here we go again!” groaned Theo. “What do you mean?” Zane asked. “Anytime, Ki says he has a great idea, beware,” answered Norman. “P-u-u-leeze, that is so not true,” Kieran said. “I was thinking Logan and I could stop there on our way to Mykonos.” “Why are you going to Greece?” asked David. “Oh. My. God. David, you and Zane must come with us since you are newly mated also.” “What about Slate and me?” asked Dakota. “We’re newly mated too.” “Absolutely!” cried Kieran. “The more the merrier I’ve always said.” “Ki, why Greece?” Zane asked. “It has the very best gay parties with lots of music and dancing, and fabulous theme parties where we can make our own costumes. And then, there are also pool parties with lots and lots of hot sexy men that are about 99% naked.” “What are they wearing if they are 99% naked?” asked Theo. “Speedos!” exclaimed Kieran. “Teeny, tiny swim suits that highlight everyone’s assets, if you crotch my drift!” he said, giggling at his play on words. Theo’s eyes widened then, turning to Norman, he said, “Pooh bear, I want to go there too. Can we, please?” Norman smirked, he knew exactly why his honeybunch wanted to go. “Sure, if Ki agrees.” “Oui!” Kieran answered, clapping at the thought of the fun everyone would have. “Babe, before you buy tickets, I’ll have to check in with Jackson about the work he wants done,” Logan said. “Oh, I know, macushla,” Kieran said, “I’m just making plans.” Groaning, Logan murmured, “That’s what concerns me.” Then he lifted his mate onto his lap, nuzzling Kieran’s neck and giving him soft kisses and gentle nips until he got to the mating scar, which he licked. “Macushla!” Kieran exclaimed, shivering in excitement. “Oh, my gods, that’s what rim…” Watching Logan place his hand over Kieran’s mouth confused David because, as far as he could tell, Kieran wasn’t doing anything other than talking. Bile rose in him—the sight of physical restraint brought back bad memories of his time with the High Priestess. If the Alpha allows this, I don’t want to be in the Blackwood Pack. Calling forth his ability again, David disappeared, taking Zane with him. 
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Mary is giving away a mug and an Amazon Gift Card with this tour:
Meet Mary Rundle
The first book I ever wrote was Dire Warning in 2017 and, much to my delight, it became an Amazon Best-Seller. Readers loved it and I was on my way to chronicling the Blackwood Pack, seven brothers who are gay wolf shifters in search of their fated mates—stories about love at first sight with twists and turns, angst and humor, romance and adventure and, of course, happy endings.
As my books began to be translated into other languages, I also became an Amazon International Best-Selling author and then achieved the honor of becoming an Amazon All Star due to their popularity. My tenth book, Darkness Master has just been published and audible versions of the entire series are in progress. I love the M/M paranormal genre because it gives my imagination a lot of territory in which to roam. My mind can really run wild and come up with some amazing stuff when it doesn’t have to stay inside the box. My readers tell me they feel like they’re members of the pack as the stories unfold…as if they’re right there in the middle of the action. Others tell me it’s like watching a fast-paced movie. My writing style pulls no punches…readers love it and are always clamoring for the next book. Stories come to me as if channeled by my characters, all of whom I love (except for a few villains). They are eager to recount their lives, loves and adventures and are not inhibited when it comes to revealing steamy, sexy details. I currently live in the Northeast and love the beautiful change of seasons, my husband, and our quirky calico cat, though not necessarily in that order. I’m always happy to hear from my readers and can be reached through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, email, or my website. Author Website: www.maryrundle.com Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/maryrundle69 Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/maryrundleauthor/ Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryRundle69 Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryrundle69 Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14246427.Mary_Rundle Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/mary-rundle/ Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Rundle/e/B0763CDQQ6 
 A sapphic, historical paranormal romance set in 1920s England The Fog of War: If time-travel were real… Thank you so much to Elizabeth for having me here today to talk about my new release, The Fog of War! The book is the first of a new trilogy in my Border Magic Universe. It’s a sapphic, historical, paranormal, romantic mystery set in rural England in 1920. I’m doing a bit of a blog-tour talking about the characters, settings and the history behind it and Elizabeth’s place is one of the stops. You’ll be able to find the other posts listed on my website as they come out this week. In my paranormal universe, time-travel is a thing. I started the series by wanting to contrast the experiences of a man born in the 1980s with someone born in the 1880s and time-travel was the coolest way to do that. So it’s become a part of the lexicon, although not every book contains it. So…today my question is. Where would you go if time-travel were possible? To me this is one of those impossible-to-answer questions. I’m a bit of a coward really and I don’t like change. I think I’ll like new situations and then I end up having an anxiety attack when I become immersed in them. So realistically, I don’t think I’d want to go anywhere at all permanently. I like having vaccinations and antibiotics and my own bed that smells right and enough fresh fruit to eat whenever I want to eat it. Oh, and clean water. But…if I knew I could get back to all those things whenever I wanted with no penalties? And not get stabbed by accident or hung as a witch? I still don’t know, because there are so many different times and places to choose from. It’s not the big, sweeping events in history that interest me, really. It’s how the ordinary people lived. What did the sempstress who did the embroidery on all those wonderful eighteenth century waistcoats and dresses have for her supper? The man who made my Great Grandfather’s wire-rimmed spectacles, still in a box on my mother’s dressing table…did he have a family in a little house in London? Or did he live alone in a room in a boarding house? Was it really that big-a deal to the Briton-in-the-street when the last of the Roman legions left the province in 418AD, or did they just shrug and get on with planting their grain and tending their sheep? There are so many fantastic time-travel books out there that explore this kind of thing. One of my favourites is the St Mary’s series by Jodi Taylor. A university history department dedicated to finding out what really happened in history? Yes please! If you haven’t come across it I give it a hard recommend, they’re funny books and as an ex-history/archaeology student they resonated very heavily with me. They explore the ‘what happens if you change stuff’ paradox quite neatly and travelling isn’t as easy as just zipping through a stone circle to a different time with no penalties at all. I also really liked a book I read years ago that I cannot remember the name or author of, which is horribly annoying of me…but perhaps you can help me. Some sort of experiment causing a huge electrical surge pulls a Roman solider through time to the present. By chance, he meets a professor of Latin who is able to speak to him and helps him. The twist is that he is from Judea in about 30AD. And the professor knows that the chap is in danger, because of his potential knowledge about the origins of Christianity, so they go on the lam. One faction want to talk to him to find out what was really going on and how widespread talk of Jesus was. And one faction want to silence him because they think that facts will interfere with faith. Unfortunately I lost the book in one of my chaotic house moves—so if you have the title or author on the tip of your tongue I’d be really grateful of a tipoff! Anyway…that’s my bit on time-travel! What are your thoughts? And here’s my bit on The Fog of War, which may…or may not…have time-travel in it!  The Fog of WarPublisher: JMS Books LLC Editor: Lourenza Adlem Release date: 14 Aug 2014 Word Count: 50,000 words Genre: Sapphic, found-family, historical, paranormal romantic mystery set in 1920s England. Content Warning: Mention of domestic violence. The quiet village of Bradfield should offer Dr Sylvia Marks the refuge she seeks when she returns home from her time in a field hospital in France in 1918. However, she is still haunted by the disappearance of her ambulance-driver lover two years previously ,and settling down as a village doctor is more difficult than she realised it would be after the excitement of front-line medicine. Then curious events at a local farm, mysterious lights and a hallucinating patient’s strange illness make her revisit her assessment of Anna’s death on the battlefield. Lucille Hall-Bridges is at a loose end now her nursing work is finished. She felt useful as a nurse and now she really doesn’t know what to do with her life. She hopes going to stay with her friend Sylvia for a while will help her find a way forward. And if that involves staying at Bradfield with Sylvia…then that’s fine with her. Will the arrival of Lucy at Bradfield be the catalyst that allows both women to lay their wartime stresses to rest? Can Sylvia move on from her love affair with Anna and find happiness with Lucy, or is she still too entwined in the unresolved endings of the past? The first in the Bradfield trilogy, set in the Border Magic universe. Buy : Buy from Publisher : Add on Goodreads : Find on author-website Excerpt:It was a beautiful late August day when Sylvia motored down to Taunton to collect Lucy from the railway station. The sun shone through the trees as she followed the lane down the hill from the village and the sky above was a beautiful summer blue. She had left the all-weather hood of the Austin down and wore a scarf and gloves against the wind, topping her trouser outfit off with her new hat, which she pinned firmly to the neat coil of her long hair. Walter had watched her fussing with her appearance in the hall mirror, stuffing his pipe. “Are you sweet on her?” he asked, somewhat acerbically. “It’ll be cold with the hood down,” she said, crushingly. “Yes, yes, so it will be.” He turned his attention back to his tobacco, face straight. “Be careful on the bends.” “I will,” she said. “She’s a beast to drive, smooth on the straights and handles well on the corners, but I’ve no desire to end up in the ditch.” She’d bought the big Austin coupe late last winter when she’d got fed up riding her motorcycle out to some of the more remote houses she was called to in the dreadful weather. It was huge, far bigger than she needed really, although the back seat was useful to transport a patient if she had to. She still preferred her ‘cycle, but it wasn’t exactly suitable as a doctor’s vehicle. Not very staid at all. The Austin wasn’t very staid either, in that it was huge and expensive; but one of the benefits of a private income was that she could afford it; and so why not be comfortable? She pondered all this and more on the drive down to Taunton, mind floating along with no real purpose. She loved to drive and for some reason it calmed her thoughts and allowed them to drift. It would be lovely to see Lucy again. As Walt had said, she was a sweet little thing. Although Sylvia didn’t want to revisit the grim minutiae of some of the worst times at Royaumont, it would be lovely to reminisce about some of their happier moments of camaraderie. It had been four years of extreme stress and grim terror lightened with moments of laughter and fun. Working with a team of competent women all pulling together for one purpose had been extraordinary. She’d never experienced anything like it before and she doubted she would again. She was delighted some of the staff had set up a regular newsletter so they could all stay connected. And so what if Lucy was sweet on her. Sylvia wasn’t interested in that kind of complication anymore. She didn’t want to cause gossip in the village for a start…although she supposed people wouldn’t make any assumptions about two women living together these days after so many men hadn’t come home from France. But anyway, even if it wouldn’t cause gossip, she didn’t think about Lucy like that. And she doubted Lucy thought about Sylvia like that, despite Walter’s teasing. He was stirring the pot a little to see what bubbled up, that was all. Those musings took her to the station. The train was on time and was just pulling in as she got out of the car. She walked out onto the platform as the smoke was clearing and through the clouds, she made out Lucy. She was beside the guard’s van, directing the guard and porters to what seemed like an unnecessarily large pile of luggage. Despite the clement August weather, she was wearing an extremely smart velvet coat with a fur collar over a beautiful travelling suit that hung to mid calf, topped with an extraordinary confection of a hat. She looked competent and sophisticated and exceptionally beautiful. Not at all the slightly scapegrace young person of 1916 who had persuaded the hospital powers-that-be she was a suitable candidate for France, although she’d been only twenty-one and inexperienced as a nurse. Well. Gosh. Buy : Buy from Publisher : Add on Goodreads : Find on author-website All About A.L. Lester Writer of queer, paranormal, historical, romantic suspense, mostly. Lives in the South West of England with Mr AL, two children, a badly behaved dachshund, a terrifying cat, some hens and the duckettes. Likes gardening but doesn't really have time or energy. Not musical. Doesn't much like telly. Non-binary. Chronically disabled. Has tedious fits.
Facebook Group : Twitter : Newsletter : Website : Link-tree for everywhere else Click on the banner to be taken to the collection. Many are in Kindle Unlimited, specially priced or even free!   A big collection of historical romance from these great authors: A.L. Lester, Anna Kensing, Anne Barwell, Charlene Newcomb, Charlie Cochrane, E.J. Russell, Eli Easton, Elizabeth Noble, JP Kenwood, Kaje Harper, Lillian Francis, Mel Gough, Rebecca Cohen, V.L. Locey   Two romances. Two stories. Two timelines. Two mysteries solved. My teaser this week is from A Barlow Lens. Get the ebook for $2.99 and the paperback for $6.99!  When Kevin moved around to the driver’s side, Wyatt lunged across the seat, shoved Val’s door open, and pushed him out. Then he twisted around and kicked his door open, hoping it was timed right and that he moved fast and hard enough. The harsh grunt and thud from Kevin told him his move was right on the mark. Wyatt tumbled out of the car, landing on all fours. He would only have a few seconds before Kevin recovered. He heard Val scrambling to his feet, boots crunching on the gravel. “What the hell are you doing!” Wyatt wasn’t exactly sure if Val was yelling at him or Kevin. He didn’t take the time to figure it out either. He got his feet underneath him and charged. Kevin had dropped the tire iron, but it wasn’t so far out of reach that a short roll to the side and he’d have it again. If he got ahold of that damn thing again, Wyatt was in real trouble. Kevin twisted onto his stomach and kicked his legs at the same time, extending one arm, fingers brushing the tire iron but not grasping it. Wyatt darted in and landed two fast, quick punches to the back of Kevin’s head and neck. He didn’t care if the blows rendered Kevin unconscious or killed him. Kevin shouted and threw himself onto his back, abandoning the tire iron. He reached under his jacket. Wyatt tried to kick his hand and cause Kevin to drop the weapon he now had. The move didn’t work. “Shit,” Wyatt hissed as a flash of light from Kevin’s hands preceded a lightning bolt rampaging through him, and he dropped like a stone to the ground. My snippet this week is from Scintilla.  Brandon hadn’t realized until this moment exactly how much faith and trust he’d have to put in Raul. This man would literally hold Brandon’s sanity and safety in his hands. If this was a mistake, it was too late to back out now. Yet, it wasn’t. Brandon felt safe with Raul. The room was sparsely furnished. There was a desk, with an office chair on wheels beside it and a computer tower and monitor sitting on top. Bisset pointed to the chair and panic spiked through Brandon. He wasn’t sure he could maintain his act while sitting in a chair that moved so easily. “Not that chair. He needs a regular chair. No wheels, no spinning,” Raul said. Bisset tilted his head at the chair. “That’s all we have.” Raul shrugged. “C’mon, Brandon, we’ll set up our own operation. We don’t need these morons.” He used a hand on Brandon’s shoulder to turn him away from the chair. “Wait.” Bisset turned to face Bob and nodded. “Get him what he needs.”  There are many more snippets to read on the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group.
This week Scintilla is $2.99 for the ebook and $9.99 for the paperback and is available in Kindle Unlimited. |
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