Autumn Countdown Blitze Day 7: Love is Death by L.P. Masters

Born and raised in the rainy streets of the Seattle Area, L.P. Masters spent her fair share of time staring out rain-streaked windows and writing books. Masters has always had extremely vivid dreams, which often spark inspiration for her novels. In 1999, after one such dream, Masters began her first writing project. She has participated in National Novel Writer's Month every November since 2010. Writing isn't the only thing she can do with a pen in her hand, she also enjoys sketching and drawing—with varying degrees of success. Masters now lives in the slightly-less-dreary city of Spokane Washington with her husband, four wonderful daughters, and two crazy dogs.

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Gina’s plan for her afterlife is simple: survive as long as possible. The afterlife is a ghost-kill-ghost kind of place. When she meets newly-dead Alec, she can’t help her desire to protect him. Before she knows it, she finds herself falling for him, despite the little voice in her head telling her it’s a bad idea.

Alec’s goals don’t mesh well with Gina’s plans. Determined to save his living sister from a murderer, he’s willing to disobey the laws of a well-established cult in the afterlife. If the cult finds out, they’ll kill him. Again. He’s hesitant to accept Gina’s help and threaten her afterlife, but he’s guaranteed to fail without her. Together they embark on a perilous mission, but the most dangerous aspect of all is the threat of falling in love. Because in the afterlife... love is death.

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Snippet:

It took us a few hours to walk to the winery. Alec favored his leg quite a bit, which slowed us down, plus, I was avoiding the city proper. We met a few ghosts along the way, but it was glaringly obvious that the population in Penticton was much smaller than in Seattle. Anyone who was unwilling to Convert was sent to the afterdeath. Our paleskin disguises seemed to be working, though. The ghosts who passed us simply nodded or offered a muttered blessing.

It was almost dawn when we neared the winery where Hisao said the sword would be, so we moved off the road. I didn't want someone asking questions, wondering why we were there. There were Lide churches set up in practically every old building and barn in the country, but Markus Logan owned the winery. He had some big, important job in the Lide Cult. I didn't care what it was, but it meant he was rich. Several guards patrolled around the winery to keep unwanted company away.

I glanced over at Alec and frowned. I didn't want to do this. The concern wasn't really for myself. I worried about Alec. He'd never been in a real sword fight before. Now we were running into a winery that belonged to some religious freak.

"Hey," I said, "Why don't you stay out here?"

Alec chuckled and shook his head. "I was just about to say the same thing to you."

What an awful situation we were in. We'd fallen for each other. There was no denying that after the long ride up to Canada. Now we were more than likely going to get killed. We could stay out. We could save the ghost of Riley's dad like Alec wanted to do and then head home. Get out of this awful country.

No. Alec would never let his sister die.

"All right," I said. "We go in together then."

Alec nodded. I held my tongue. I wanted to say, We die together too. Whatever. No one wants to die alone.

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Autumn Countdown Blitz Day 6: Unmasking the Duke - The Rogue Hearts Series by Donna Hatch

Donna Hatch is the author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” and a winner of writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. 

A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she discovered her writing passion at the tender age of 8 and has been listening to those voices ever since. She has become a sought-after workshop presenter, and also juggles freelance editing, multiple volunteer positions, and most of all, her six children (seven, counting her husband).

 A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.

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The last thing Hannah Palmer wants to do is flirt with men in a crowded ballroom, but when her sister, the Countess of Tarrington, throws a Masquerade Ball, Hannah can’t say no to the invitation. 

Taking comfort behind her disguise, she dances with a charming masked gentleman, matching him wit for wit. When the glorious evening culminates in a kiss, and the two remove their masks, Hannah is horrified to discover the man she’s been flirting with all night is her most despised neighbor, the Duke of Suttenberg. 

No matter how charming the duke was at the ball, and how wonderful the kiss, he is the last man she could ever love.

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Snippet:

Hannah turned. Cole and the duke approached, both walking as if they owned the world. Tongue-tied, Hannah nodded. The duke passed a brief glance over Hannah.

Cole made a loose gesture. “You remember my wife’s sister, Hannah Palmer, of course.”

The duke blinked. “Yes, of course. Good afternoon.” He might as well have said, “No, I’m sure we’ve never met”; it would have been truthful.

In a single graceful motion, he swept off his hat, revealing midnight hair and that distinctive patch of blond on the left side that apparently marked members of his family for generations. He appeared to be proud of the unusual birthmark judging by the way he parted his hair in the middle of it. Briefly, he dipped his chin in a ducal version of a bow when greeting someone of low consequence.

Seething at his arrogance, Hannah sank into a very proper curtsy. In an act of uncommon boldness, fueled by ire, she offered a mischievous smile. “Delighted to see you again, Your Grace. I’m happy you’ve recovered from the strawberry incident.” There. She’d made her point without revealing any hint of annoyance that he’d failed to remember her, and she’d even spoken without stammering.

His gray-green eyes opened wider, and his head jerked back ever so slightly in carefully controlled surprise. Was that a touch of blush on his finely chiseled cheekbones? Surely not.  The Paragon would do anything so boyish as blush.

“Strawberries. Yes. I’m careful not to give them the upper hand.” His smooth baritone voice contained exactly the right amount of humor and arrogant savoir faire.

She might have been charmed by the almost chagrined smile now curving his beautifully formed lips if she weren’t chewing on his admission that he refused to allow anyone, or anything, to best him. Not to mention that he still gave no hint of remembering her despite them meeting four times—yes, she counted.

Saucily she tossed her head. “I wish you success in your endeavors to submit all strawberries to your whim.”

The duke’s gaze flicked over her face, still showing no sign of recognition, but every sign of unconcern, although he did seem to study her more closely. “Yes, well, a pleasure to see you . . . again.” He turned away from her dismissively.

Hannah marched to the parlor. That duke! Insufferable, rude, arrogant . . . perfect people at the top of the social pyramid never seemed to have any tolerance for mere humans, nor would they do anything as lowering as willingly engage them in a true conversation.

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Autumn Countdown Blitz Day 5: The Scarecrow- Master of Malic book one by Cas Peace

Cas lives in the lovely county of Hampshire, southern UK, where she was born. On leaving school she trained for two years before qualifying as horse-riding instructor. During this time she also learned to carriage-drive. She spent thirteen years in the British Civil Service before moving to Rome, Italy, where she and her husband, Dave, lived for three years. They enjoy returning whenever they can. Cas supports many animal charities and owns two rescue dogs. She has a large collection of cacti and loves gardening. She is also a folk singer/songwriter and is currently writing and recording nine folk-style songs to accompany each of her fantasy books. You can listen to and download all the songs from her website: www.caspeace.com 

See the video of her performing live at the King’s Envoy book launch here: http://www.caspeace.com/cas-peace/the-wheel-will-turn

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Pure evil rises once again in Albia…

Three years have passed since Baron Reen’s trial. A terrible accident on the island of his exile has transformed him into a nightmarish scarecrow creature with dark, mysterious powers. Staging his own suicide, Reen breaks free of his prison and, with the help of the former queen Sofira, embarks on a ruthless quest for vengeance against his worst enemy, the woman responsible for the overthrow of his schemes and his own ruination: Brynne Sullyan.

Sullyan is tasked with investigating Reen’s suicide. The missing body and a series of disasters in Port Loxton—a vicious murder, a brutal ambush, and a devastating fire—raise suspicions in her mind. She probes deeper, determined to uncover the truth, unsuspecting of the evil that’s about to be unleashed…

This book is on special offer for this week on Amazon!!! Check out the discounted price below!

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Snippet:

He spoke soothingly. “I didn’t say I condoned it, daughter, and you know I never wanted to see you separated from Eadan and Seline. It’s just that . . . Sofira, are you absolutely convinced Hezra is sane?”

Sofira froze. She stared at her father, a biting retort on her lips. But then she realized he was only trying to protect her, clumsy though he was. She relaxed her spine and smiled.

“Oh, Father, of course I’m sure. Do you think I wouldn’t know if something had affected his mind? It’s a clever ruse, a ploy he’s devised to make them relax their vigilance. Didn’t you read his letters? Didn’t you feel the sincerity in his words, his deep desire to restore all I’ve lost? And don’t forget, my restoration will also benefit you. You’ll be more than recompensed for your trouble and the support you continue to give us. We’ll not forget you or Bordenn when I am once again Albia’s High Queen.”

Lerric doubted that. He had seen the light of fanaticism in the scarecrow’s eyes, the driving desire to control, the fervid lust for revenge at any cost. Reen might be willing to accept the title of consort for now, but Lerric would not bet much on him being happy with a supporting role for long, not once the reins of power were in his hands. Sofira was clearly already under his spell. He had cunningly charmed her from within his prison, writing her words of contrition, loyalty, and love. In her beleaguered state of angry, lonely sorrow, brought on by the conditions Elias had imposed on her, she had been easy prey.

Lerric shivered. Why should that word—prey—cause his heart to constrict? Why did it conjure images of ragged carrion birds feasting on a corpse?

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Autumn Countdown Blitz Day 4: The Hashtag Hunt by Kristina Seek

Kristina Seek's debut novel, The Hashtag Hunt, was published in 2018. She is a graduate of Queens College in Charlotte and a member of Romance Writers of America. In March of 2019, she quit her day job to focus on a career in writing.

Kristina lives in North Carolina with her husband and son. She cherishes time with her friends and family, loves traveling to new destinations, and plans to cross many other items off her bucket list. 

Visit www.KristinaSeek.com and sign up for her mailing list to receive updates and exclusive offers!

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The only reason Lauren entered the Hashtag Hunt was for the $10,000 grand prize. She needed seed money for her startup, and it sounded easy enough: twelve hours to text twelve photos to someone called the Wizard. 

For hashtag number five, Lauren needs a #HottieInTheWild, and with the help of her best friend, Ivy, she finds the perfect subject. 

The only reason Brenner entered Barkley’s Pub was to have beers with Scott, an Army brother back in town. The reunion is interrupted when a woman is caught crouched in a dark corner, taking pictures of Brenner. 

Lauren explains, and though embarrassed, she accepts Scott and Brenner’s offer to help with hashtag number six.While hunting for hashtags, Lauren finds adventure and romance with her #Hottie, but she must stay focused to beat the clock and win the cash.

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Snippet:

Scott opened Ivy’s door and leaned into the backseat of the cab. “Lauren, I know it’s not a shortcut if it takes twice as long to get there, but I’m going to need one more minute.”

“Take your time.” In the rearview mirror, Brenner saw Lauren smile as she turned her head to look out her window. “Make it count.”

Brenner and Lauren pretended they didn’t hear their friends’ first kiss or Scott’s words after it was over. “I don’t know where you came from, but now you’re here… God, Ivy. It’s like when stars are born after gravity and pressure squeeze atoms until they break apart, and suddenly there’s enough light and heat to sustain life.”

“I don’t follow, but you had me after ‘when stars are born.’”

“Look up at the stars for a second.”

Brenner knew Scott was talking to Ivy, but it didn’t stop him from looking at the night sky. He didn’t check to see, but he imagined Lauren was also gazing up out her window.

“Fast Astronomy 101 lesson: darkness can get so dense and deep it changes everything. Atoms. People. Families. Countries. With enough pressure, the only place energy can go is outward and upward.”

The truck was quiet for a moment before Ivy spoke. “I understand darkness and pressure changing things. But then where does the light come from?”

“Interstellar clouds. Watch this, guys.”

Brenner turned to watch Scott through Ivy’s door. A quick peek in his rearview mirror revealed Lauren had also turned to look. Scott pointed with his index finger and moved it in a full oval shape. “Let’s say the cloud starts off this big. It swirls around because of gravity.” Scott moved his finger, and the oval got smaller with each trip toward his shirt. “Gravity makes the cloud close in on itself as it turns.” The oval he was making became so small, only the tip of his finger twirled in a tight circle. “When it’s compact and dense enough, a nuclear reaction occurs.” Scott curled his finger into his palm and made a fist. “The reaction produces heat and light, and a star is born.” He popped his fist open and spread his fingers wide. “Basically like a furnace.”

Scott opened his door and sat in the passenger seat. When he fastened his seat belt, he looked at Brenner. “Wyatt said to follow this road until we reach the pond. There’ll be a fork in the road, and we go left.”

Brenner gave Scott the side-eye as he started the engine and put the truck in gear.

“What?” Scott shifted in his seat to face Brenner. “I am wooing my special lady friend. And it’s a solid metaphor if I do say so myself.” Scott twisted further to look at Ivy. “You liked it, right, Sweets?”

“Loved it. Nobody’s ever compared me to a nuclear reaction before.”

“Shameful.” Scott winked at Ivy. “And there’s more where that came from.”

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Autumn Countdown Blitz Day 3: An Agent For Jessica b Julia Ridgmont

Julia Ridgmont grew up in the American West, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she knows how to ride a horse. What it does mean, however, is that she loves to weave the country’s rich history into riveting tales full of romance and intrigue.

When she’s not writing, Julia enjoys cooking, sewing costumes for her children, spending time with her husband, and watching her children perform in sports or plays—or, if she’s really bored or stuck on a plot twist, cleaning the house. She also writes contemporary inspirational romance under her real name, Laura L. Walker.

Follow Julia as she unveils heroes whose strength and courage are only surpassed by their tenderness, and heroines who hide their lonely hearts with a cover of steel. It will take overcoming insurmountable odds and an iron will for them to find a love that lasts forever. Luckily, they have Julia to help them along.

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To guard his heart or protect two little girls . . . Is he willing to risk it all?

1871

Pinkerton detective Chas Bryant's last job for the agency is supposed to be easy—deliver a cache of stolen items back to Mount Vernon after recovering them from profiteers. Soon, however, Chas discovers that nothing in this case is simple. When he’s called upon to search for a little girl gone missing after her parents are murdered, there’s only one woman who can help him . . . but he’ll need to make her his wife in order to complete the investigation.

Jessica Flanders is only trying to rescue her younger sister from a fate bleaker than death. How can the powers that be possibly think that separating them from each other is a good idea? Jessica made a dying promise to her parents. Now she needs Chas’s help to get her sister back, but when they dig deeper into the matter, they discover another little girl with an even greater need for being rescued.

Soon it becomes clear that someone else is searching for the missing girl, too. Can they keep her safe until the case is solved and the murderers are caught? If so, Chas and Jessica will need to forge a bond that is stronger than the evil forces surrounding them, and in the process, a love that will never be lost.

Read each of the Pinkerton Matchmaker stories in any order. These agents give the phrase "married to your work" a whole new meaning!

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Snippet:

“Do you know which direction Agent Bryant went from Mount Vernon?”

Chas breathed a sigh of relief when the woman told Creedy, “Why, I don’t rightly know. I think he was planning on heading back to Denver where he’s stationed.”

“And the Packards who stole the items . . . do you know what happened to them?”

“I believe Agent Bryant told Ms. Cunningham they were being transferred to a jail close to here, sir.”

“Very good. Thank you.”

The waitress brought Chas and Jessica’s food soon after. It was clear to him the previous conversation was finished. Still, Chas’s appetite was gone. He pushed his plate to the side.

Jessica pointed her spoon at him. “By not eating, you’re drawing attention to yourself.”

That brought him out of his stupor. He repositioned his plate and shoveled a large bite in his mouth, berating himself. This entire case—or was it his beautiful new wife?—was addling his brain.

He shook his head. The damage was already done. Why had he let his caution slide just because he was simply delivering a collection of recovered items to their rightful owner? He had only ever disclosed his real name in special circumstances, when absolutely necessary, such as in the situation two nights ago with the Packards. “That’s a lesson for you,” he said around a mouthful of eggs. They tasted like sawdust. “Never, ever use your real name when you’re on a case.”

“I just did.”

He stopped chewing and stared.

She shrugged. “In the barn, I told Mr. O’Neill my real name—at least my real name before I was married. You said there would be an advantage in doing so.”

With difficulty, Chas swallowed. What a mess he’d made of things! Hopefully, it wouldn’t cost them this investigation. Or their lives. Or the lives of two precious little girls.

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