​Book Excerpt: Icy Stone Steps:
 
A full moon had risen in the cobalt sky casting a bluish glow over the icy, snow-swept mountainside, illuminating the entire hamlet. Icicles dangled from the steep, high pitched roofs of cottages nestling here and there, jumbled together at odd angles wherever the mountainside allowed. Jagged, ice covered stone steps, cut into the mountainside, curved up and around the icicle laden cottages until finally reaching a summit—a high, flat plateau. And it was on that plateau—high overhead and overshadowing the village—that a Citadel, a snow-covered stone fortress—overwhelming with its massive and imposing presence—rose up out of the mountain as though etched and carved from the rock itself.
They stood exhaling puffs of frosty mist; entranced by the ethereal beauty of their snow laden destination and shocked by the terrible price they must pay to get there. Finally realizing the price for warmth and comfort for the night so they would have an audience with the Oracle tomorrow was a midnight climb up jagged icy stone steps tonight. It was foreboding and frigid; it was ethereal and sublime.
         “We can do this,” Eleanor whispered. She slipped over and laid one arm on Ivan’s shoulder and the other on Tilly’s. Addison silently reached down grabbing Brody’s hand—and he let her do it. Claire moved over to stand beside Levi who had taken Esmé back into his own arms. He smiled a grim smile, and then he turned, planting his foot on the first jagged, icy stone step as each of the cousins formed a silent line behind him, breathing in the cold, frosty air, and preparing to follow.

About the Book

Title: The Peacock Door
Author: Wanda Kay Knight
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
In a magical tale of adventure, eight cousins sneak through forbidden treehouse doors, only to find themselves separated from each other and lost in strange worlds. In their quests to return home, they must unravel mysteries, escape snares and villains, find one another, and search for the elusive Oracle. The Peacock Door is a rich story of camaraderie, loyalty, love, and determination with a bit whimsy sprinkled throughout.


Author Bio

Wanda Kay Knight lives in the Pacific Northwest, teaches literature, strives really hard to keep up with her adventurous/competitive family, makes things out of yarn (mainly unique hats), enjoys collecting pretty rocks, and writes a lot.


Links

Website: www.thepeacockdoor.com
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Email address:    [email protected]
My personal email:  [email protected]

Prizes include:

• 9 $20 Amazon gift cards
• 18 autographed pre-released copies of Book 2

Title: Until Ray Book 1
Author: Cheryl Robinson
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Two people in the same city but worlds apart.
Until Ray is an unconventional love story of how two young people transitioning into adulthood find each other and develop a bond that will be tested through three decades.
HE IS LOST…
Ray lives in northwest Detroit in a four-family flat with his mother. When he’s not at home, Ray’s either at the mall selling women’s shoes or in the club. In both places, he’s focused on one thing—picking up women. Dissatisfied, dysfunctional, and leagues behind his peers, Ray’s ready for a change but isn’t sure how to make it happen.
THEN SHE ARRIVES…
At twenty-four, Sarita has an MBA, is a CPA, and works in upper-level management at GM. But all that success comes at a cost: she’s lonely and craves the one thing she’s never had—attention from men. Until now. Dr. Graham Emerson wants to marry Sarita, and her parents expect her to, but Sarita isn’t convinced he’s the one for her. On a blind date, she meets Ray Saint and is immediately drawn in by his good looks and sense of humor. But his reputation for being a ladies’ man raises several red flags. Ray swears he’s changed. Is giving up a sure thing for a maybe worth the risk?
Set in the mid-eighties, Until Ray explores life and love through the lenses of colorism, classism, and family dysfunction.

Author Bio

Cheryl Robinson was born in Detroit, Michigan, the youngest in a family of five. She grew up in Palmer Woods, a residential historic district that is now one of the settings in her forthcoming novel, Until Ray. For the past fifteen years, she has been busy writing contemporary women’s fiction. For  Penguin/NAL, Cheryl wrote six novels: If It Ain’t One Thing, It’s Like That, Sweet Georgia Brown, In Love with a Younger Man, When I Get Where I’m Going, and Remember Me. Cheryl is now an independent author and the owner of Rose Colored Books. With her company, she has published The One, Like Mom, and the forthcoming Until Ray Trilogy.
Cheryl currently resides in Florida.
To learn more about Cheryl and the Until Ray trilogy, please visit www.untilraytrilogy.com




Links

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Book Snippet

Gabriel casually walked over to the pantry which was just a little closet to the right of the kitchen across from the large table. He opened the door and began examining the pantry itself. You see, the pantry was tiny. It was the size of a little broom closet and everything else in this treehouse was of much larger magnitude. It just didn't fit. If you had a table and eight chairs you had multiple people meeting or eating here and this pantry would only hold enough food for a few people, not to mention wouldn’t store anything of substance. Standing eye level in the pantry, his eyes became fixed on an old lantern sitting on the middle of the shelf, surrounded by canned food. Why in the world would an old lantern, just like the two they had found in the cave, be sitting in the middle of a pantry inside of a treehouse? And, surrounded by food, nonetheless. It was completely out of place.
Gabriel grabbed the lantern and picked it up. As he did, the pantry floor began to move and he quickly jumped back into the kitchen and looked down. To his disbelief, the floor had opened revealing a dark staircase. Gabriel looked up and saw Magdalena and Hubert staring at the floor in amazement alongside him.
“No, no, no. I'm not doing this! If we go down those steps and that trap floor decides to shut, we are stuck, stuck, stuck and no one will ever find us!” screamed Hubert.
Magdalena stood there contemplating. Hubert had a good point. Curiosity was killing the cat quickly, but, he really had a good point. If they became trapped underneath the pantry floor, no one would ever find them and they would die there. She was all about adventure, but that was pushing it a little she thought, even for her.
She walked over to Gabriel, pulled another match out of her pocket, lit the lantern Gabriel was still holding in his hand from the pantry, and said, “Hubert, you stand watch and keep this lantern with you. Do not let this floor close on us. Gabriel, let’s go check this out!”
Gabriel looked at Hubert and said, “Don't let us down! If that floor closes you better run through that cave and get help. Don't be scared, just do it!”
Hubert didn't know what was worse, going down those stairs or the thought of running back through that sacrificial carved cave by himself. The next time Gabriel or Magdalena knocked on his front door asking if he wanted to go on an adventure exploring for the day, his answer would be a big fat NO!
​

About the Book

Title: Magdalena Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail
Author: M. Gail Grant
Genre: YA Fantasy
The enchanted secret of Lily Brooke was safe and sound, until Magdalena and her thirteen-year-old friends accidentally unleashed the revengeful demons of the past. How were they supposed to know that a friendly expedition in the woods on a stress-free Saturday morning would lead to the most intense and scary moments of their lives? So many mysterious happenings have occurred ever since they found that crooked trail leading to the sacrificial cave, and hidden monstrosity of a treehouse. With the chanting voices and shrill noises that only Magdalena could hear, the friends decide there is something sinister living amongst them. Time is of the essence to save Lily Brooke and their childhood club, the Mystical Alliance of Lily Brooke, knows it is up to them to capture the demons hiding in their community and set the town free. Witches, wizards, and some black magic may just be what it takes for Magdalena and her best friends to save the day.

Author Bio

Melinda Gail resides in Canton, Georgia with her three daughters, husband of over twenty years, and two adorable fur babies.  Surrounded by the north Georgia mountains, the scenery provides for inspirational settings for her novels. Being raised in the south, she brings a little southern flair and tradition to her characters, all the while remembering the adventurous nature of middle grades to young adult age children. With a passion for the extraordinary and imagination, Melinda hopes you enter a world of fantasy as you see life through the eyes of the characters.
Writing has always been her underlying passion in life. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, and a minor in Sociology, she felt understanding and studying human behavior on the individual and collective level, would apply to anything and everything chosen to do in life. Identified as being a strong writer for her age at the time, she attended a summer literary writer’s camp around age twelve. She flourished and loved every moment of the experience and it has stayed with her throughout adulthood.
The desire to write has always been an integral part of who Melinda is, and about eight months ago she decided it was time. Having always been an avid reader of topics from intense young adult fantasy and thrillers, to light hearted summer romances, she chose juvenile to young adult ages for her book. In middle school summers, she would stay up to the wee hours of the morning reading because she just couldn’t put the book down. This basic idea, not being able to put a book down, is the principal she built on while writing Magdalen Gottschalk: The Crooked Trail. It has moments of ease, moments of intensity, moments of humor, striving to offer some of her own personality in her writings. There is a time for sweetness, a time for seriousness, and always a time for kindness and life lessons. Her style isn’t made up. It is simply who she is, on paper.




Links

For author signed paperback and hardcover editions:   http://www.MelindaGailBooks.com
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​The Runaway Tracks
 
Part 3 – A Smooth Ride
 
The train was almost full, and the platform outside was starting to thin out. Looking at his watch, Pete proclaimed it was just about time to depart. His new friend sitting across from him, nervous but ever so determined, would not be backing out now; if anything, she was in for the ride regardless.
 
“Your ticket will be validated soon. And when you’re caught up here, the porter will direct you to where you should be instead.”
 
She just looked at him. Sure enough, at that moment she heard the voice of the grim reaper himself. He was calling for tickets not too far away, and he was approaching their section.
 
Thinking about hiding, she frantically looked around for somewhere to disappear, as that seemed to be her specialty. The only place was behind the bar, but that was not going to be wellwell -managed, and if caught there, she feared an even worse punishment.
 
“Pete,” the conductor said with a comfortable level of familiarity, “Are you making this trip again? What is this? The fifth time now for you? They should get you a punch card.”
 
“If they gave me a punch card, you’d be going out of business, my friend.”
 
As she sat there watching this incredible scene unfold, it would appeared apparent that these two knew each other.
 
“And who’s this with you? Is that your niece you’ve told me about?”
 
Seeing an opportunity, she held out her hand.
 
“Hello, yes. Pleased to meet you, I thought it was about time I went on this trip, too.”
 
“Ah, yes indeed. Well, it’s nice to meet you, Selena.”
 
She just smiled and then sat back in her seat. Pete and the conductor exchanged a few more words, and then he was gone. Pete, sitting back in his seat now also, looked at “Selena,” and chuckled.
“How did you know he hadn’t seen a picture of my niece already?”
 
“Well if that were the case, why did he ask if it was me? We must look somewhat alike if he had seen a picture.”
 
“Well -played, ‘“Selena.’” He hasn’t seen a photo, but I have talked about her coming on this trip a lot. And you probably noticed he didn’t even check our tickets.”
 
“I did notice. I also saw that I could have saved myself a chunk of change and gotten on for free,.” sShe gruffed at this, and Pete just laughed.
 

About the Book

Title: Seven Threads
Author: Jason Atkinson
Genre: Short Story Collection
Seven Threads is a book of 7 short stories full of twists and turns. A girl on the run, a man accused of murder, a homeless man who finds his way, and much more. While each story is unique, they all offer the same human compassion that is sometimes lacking in today’s world. The reader is sure to find each story a page turner full of emotions, and left wanting more!


Author Bio

Jason Atkinson is a 32 year old, married man with one adorable toddler. With Seven Threads being his third book, he certainly enjoys writing and also spending time getting to know new people.


Links

www.alifeofheart.com
​Mascot Books

Book Snippet

Logan smirked and stood to tower over her. “I think you welcomed my advances very much. I would prove it if you ask.”

Eleanor glared at him and took a step back. “That is unnecessary. I already know I did not appreciate the first example.” Besides, even if she had enjoyed it, it would be inadvisable for her to allow another kiss to transpire. His smirk remained glued to his handsome face, and she said, “Oh, stop it. You think much too highly of yourself.”

He chuckled in response and took a step closer. Eleanor, naturally, took another step back until he reached out and pulled her to him in a rough embrace. Incensed, Eleanor asked, “Who do you think you are? There is never an acceptable time for you to behave so impudently toward me!”

His arm imprisoned her as he smiled down on her. “Isn’t there? Would it have been preferable to fall into the ravine?”

She swung her head around to find they stood mere steps from the rushing waters. She gulped and turned to face him. Obviously, it was best to stay away from the ravine, but she would not concede his point. “Yes. It would have been much more desirable.”
 

About the Book

Title: To Dodge a Duke
Author: Naomi Boom
Genre: Historical Romance / Regency
When a duke gets a chance to pursue a lady as someone else, he would be a fool not to take it.
Logan Eastworth, the Tenth Duke of Waking, returns to England to find a woman to marry. When Miss Eleanor Ashford assumes he holds the title of baronet, he does not correct her error. Instead, he plays on her misconception and arranges a house party where he can make her fall for him and not his title.
Miss Ashford desires a marriage of convenience to an earl or higher. Not to some low-life baronet with an estate in the far reaches of England. She has no time for love, even if the green-eyed baronet with a charming smile tries to convince her otherwise.
Miss Ashford has a choice to make. To wed a duke or the baronet setting her heart aflame. Her choice might not be as simple as she believes.

Author Bio

Naomi Boom is an author who never expected to love writing. Her inspiration struck when she searched for the perfect historical romance novel to read. Nothing sounded appealing, so she decided to write her own. That one novel has morphed into a series, and hopefully many, many more.
She resides in her home state of South Dakota with her husband and toddler. Her dream is to someday find an acreage where she can raise chickens, and continue her writing.


Links

Website
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