Carlie Cullen’s Heartsearch Blog Tour – Book One: Lost

Posted on October 31, 2012 by CeriC

It is my great pleasure to be part of Carlie Cullen’s blog tour. The first part of a paranormal romance trilogy, this debut novel will blow you away.

Giveaways to celebrate the launch will run from 8-31 October. It’s still not too late to enter! For further details, please visit http://carliemacullen.com

Excerpt of Heart Search

“Dayna, on the first charge, how do you plead?”

Dayna hesitated. She was tempted to plead ‘not guilty’, but it was obvious they knew everything so what was the point? She raised her eyes and looked directly at Sophia.

“Guilty,” she replied quietly but firmly, no remorse in her voice. Sophia made a note on a small pad lying in her lap. She looked at Dayna once again and soberly asked, “On the second charge, how do you plead?”

Dayna paused much longer. She hadn’t meant to create another vampire – it had been a complete accident so why should she plead ‘guilty’ to this charge?

“Not guilty,” she responded loudly.

Again, Sophia wrote it down, this time a frown marred her beautiful face. Plainly she was not happy at Dayna’s ‘not guilty’ response, and she wasn’t the only one. Emile, acting as prosecutor, took charge of the next part of the proceedings.

“Dayna, you have pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charge of illegally creating an immortal, despite the evidence against you. Will you please explain your reasoning?”

Dayna looked Emile straight in the eyes, a little of her customary arrogance unwittingly resurfacing.

“I am not an expert when it comes to the law, but I believe the charge hints at some premeditation on my part. This is not the case. I can honestly say it was a complete accident, a lapse of concentration. I didn’t mean to do it. Was I careless – absolutely, but am I guilty – no, I don’t believe I am.” Whilst her diction was formal, Dayna’s tone was not as respectful as it should have been and as a result, did nothing to help her case. Emile, not impressed by her attitude, scowled at her. He wasn’t the only one – every one of the Commissioners faces was thunderous.

“Be that as it may, do you at least acknowledge your actions have endangered your coven, and all immortals?” The timbre of Emile’s voice changed to one of absolute authority.

“Not really,” Dayna replied flippantly, “I don’t see how it could endanger anyone but me and I can take care of myself.”

About the Author

Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing. She has been an administrator and marketer all her working life and is also a professional teacher of Ballroom and Latin American dancing.

Carlie has always written in some form or another, but Heart Search: Lost is her first novel. This is being launched 8^th October 2012 through Myrddin Publishing Group and work has started on book two: Heart Search: Found. She writes mainly in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for YA, New Adult and Adult.

Carlie is also a professional editor.

Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. Their first anthology was published September 2012.

Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter.

Alison DeLuca’s Crown Phoenix Series Blog Tour – The Lamplighter’s Special

Posted on October 27, 2012 by CeriC

This is the third and final stop on our blog tour of Alison DeLuca’s fabulous Crown Phoenix Series. There are three books in the series, all available on Kindle and Nook.

The Lamplighter’s Special

The Manor where Squire Bisselthwaite lived was in the center of Grimstead Compound. The thirteen farms that made up the rest of the Compound fanned out from the large, old house. Most of the fields touched the edge of the Manor grounds at their narrowest points, although all the farms were separated from the Bisselthwaite property by a dark, crumbling wall.

As Lizzie and her family rode through the huge, rusted iron gates set into the stones, she glanced up at the rooftops of the Manor. Her hat slipped down her neck, and she clapped one hand to hold it on as she squinted up at the dark front of the house.

There was a rather grand entrance, but of course the carriage took the family to the back of the house to the kitchen gardens. As the cart jostled over the pebbly drive, Ninna murmured in Lizzie’s ear, “Did you see that?” She pointed up to one of the windows on the third or fourth floor.

“What?” Lizzie squinted again. It was all a gray blur to her.

“Oh, nothing. Just thought I saw a face in one of the windows upstairs.”

Books in the Crown Phoenix series:

The Night Watchman Express
Devil’s Kitchen
The Lamplighter’s Special

Abput Alison DeLuca

Alison DeLuca is the author of several steampunk and urban fantasy books. She was born in Arizona and has also lived in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Mexico, Ireland, and Spain.

Currently she wrestles words and laundry in New Jersey.

You can find Alison here:

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/alison.deluca.author

OR http://on.fb.me/TNWEfb

Twitter – http://twitter.com/ – !/AlisonDeLuca

Google + http://bit.ly/ADGoogle

Author Central: http://amzn.to/ADeLucaAuthorCentral

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/alisondeluca/

Alison DeLuca’s Crown Phoenix Series Blog Tour – Devil’s Kitchen

Posted on October 26, 2012 by CeriC

This is the second stop on our blog tour of Alison DeLuca’s fabulous Crown Phoenix Series. There are three books in the series, all available on Kindle and Nook.

Devil’s Kitchen

The Headmistress entered the cell and looked down at her. It seemed as though the woman never stood in full light. From that angle, her light eyes gleamed like ice in the center of two black puddles.

“Stand up when I address you,” she said after a long moment.

Miriam stood and looked up at the woman. “Why am I here?” she asked. “When can I go home?”

There was a pause, and the Headmistress responded, “You will not talk to me unless I ask you a direct question.”

Miriam felt a rush of anger. Once, at a dinner party that her father had given, she had been allowed to squirt some soda water from a large siphon into a glass and taste it. Some had gone up her nose in her haste to drink the unexpected treat, and the prickling, stinging sensation in her nostrils was just like the fury that she felt now.

“You will work for the factory here,” the Headmistress said. “Mrs. Siddons will show you your duties tomorrow. You will start at the very bottom of the task list and, if you do as you are bid, you might possibly work your way up to a better position. Do you understand?”

Miriam gritted her teeth. She’d be damned before she gave this woman the satisfaction of an answer.

Books in the Crown Phoenix series:

The Night Watchman Express
Devil’s Kitchen
The Lamplighter’s Special

Abput Alison DeLuca

Alison DeLuca is the author of several steampunk and urban fantasy books. She was born in Arizona and has also lived in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Mexico, Ireland, and Spain.

Currently she wrestles words and laundry in New Jersey.

You can find Alison here:

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/alison.deluca.author

OR http://on.fb.me/TNWEfb

Twitter – http://twitter.com/ – !/AlisonDeLuca

Google + http://bit.ly/ADGoogle

Author Central: http://amzn.to/ADeLucaAuthorCentral

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/alisondeluca/

Alison DeLuca’s Crown Phoenix Series Blog Tour – The Night Watchman Express

Posted on October 19, 2012 by CeriC

Alison DeLuca’s fabulous Crown Phoenix Series books have now launched with a bang. If you haven’t heard about them yet, where have you been? There are three books in the series, all available on Kindle and Nook.

Set in a Steampunk world , they are an original and riveting read. To get your appetite running I will be posting an excerpt for one book over the next few days.

The Night Watchman Express:

“Oh, come on,” he said, pushing past the heavy desk and large chair to where she stood. “What have you got there, behind your back? I won’t tell on you; I just want to see what you’ve got.” Miriam twisted away from him, but Simon managed to get an arm around her and grab the paper.

“Ha ha!” he said, releasing her and holding the paper above his head. “Success!” He put a hand out and grabbed her arm. “No, hold on, don’t leave; I just want to see…”

His voice died out as he stared at the letter. For an instant, he was frozen in disbelief. Then he looked up at her, mouth hanging open. “What on earth?”

“Well, don’t think that I had anything to do with it!” Miriam cried out.

“Yes, but-”

At that moment, they heard Theodosia’s voice at the front door, demanding that a servant come to take her parcels. Simon held the paper out to Miriam, and she thrust it back it him as if it were a live snake. He looked around the study and pushed it under the corner of the blotter. They retreated from the desk, escaped from the room and, as if with mute accord, ran for the back door as quickly as they could.

Outside, Simon took a deep breath and blew it out. He laughed a bit, feeling a certain exultation at avoiding his mother.

Miriam, leaning against the house and feeling her own heart thud in her chest, laughed as well. The next moment she opened her eyes and realized where she was. She was standing there with Simon, alone.

“Um, just realized. I must be off. ’Bye,” she announced hastily.

Simon frowned and reached out a hand to grab her arm again, but she slipped away and disappeared back into the house. He dropped his hand and started after her.

Neil came up behind him and grabbed his collar. “Hey, you abandoned me! Where’ve you been?” he demanded. “Did you find the string we needed?”

“What?” Simon turned to him and blinked.

“What’s the matter with you? You look like you just saw Old Harry himself. Where’s that string, idiot?”

Simon appeared to recall where he was. “String, right. String.” He squared his shoulders and marched away. Neil was left behind, scratching his head.

Abput Alison DeLuca

Alison DeLuca is the author of several steampunk and urban fantasy books. She was born in Arizona and has also lived in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Mexico, Ireland, and Spain.

Currently she wrestles words and laundry in New Jersey.

You can find Alison here:

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/alison.deluca.author

OR http://on.fb.me/TNWEfb

Twitter – http://twitter.com/ – !/AlisonDeLuca

Google + http://bit.ly/ADGoogle

Author Central: http://amzn.to/ADeLucaAuthorCentral

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/alisondeluca/