Friday, July 31, 2015

BOOK REVIEW: "Tiva Boon: Royal Guardian" by Jenn Nixon



The kingdom of Abennelp has enjoyed an age of peace. Tiva Boon, a loyal and ambitious Royal Guardian is determined to carry on tradition and become an elite protector to the throne. It is all she has ever wanted. Possessing abilities and strength beyond her age, Tiva dedicates her youth and risks her life in the service of her king to prove she is worthy. With her goal achieved and her destiny in motion, a mysterious off-world threat emerges and shatters everything Tiva holds dear. 
Exiled from her home and running for her life, Tiva seeks asylum with the Union, a universal security force, and attempts to put the past behind her. Finding herself alone among various space faring races, Tiva integrates herself into the strange society using her skills as a protector and befriends several aliens she meets along the way, ones who will change her life forever. 
When a message from those loyal to her king reaches her months after she feels safe in her new life, Tiva’s destiny and the fate of her people collide.

I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

When it comes to a lot of serious sci-fi/fantasy, I have one major issue with them: the names. I have a hard time with pronunciation and, when it comes to YA books, I know a lot of teens might not like it either. So the first thing I noticed upon opening Tiva Boon was that, despite the names being odd, they weren't hard to read or say. It seems like a small thing, but for me it isn't.
The characters are surprisingly normal despite their being in a sci-fi setting, and even a little medieval (another thing I loved). Sometimes the "science" part did fall away a bit and the fantasy really took over, which might upset sci-fi fans, I didn't mind. I preferred it when Ms. Nixon went deeper into fantasy, making me see unrealistic things in a very realistic way.
This isn't just sci-fi or fantasy, either. There is Tiva, a girl coming into her own as a Guardian. A lot of teens are going to find a kindred spirit in her, and they are going to root for her and hang on everything that she says and does; feel for everything that happens to her.
While the science might be lacking, the heart and the imagination are not. This was a wonderful YA book that some adults will enjoy, too.

5/5--beautifully written fantasy!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Peter Bailey



1. When/why did you decide to become a writer?

Ah. A nice simple question to start with because I can be very precise about both the When and the Why. The 'when' was 19 March 2011, 21:00. And the ‘why’ is still online at Tripadvisor (yes, the same place people go to leave reviews saying that the hotel was perfect except the staff refused to do anything about the weather) Way back in 2011 we went to Las Vegas (AKA Lost Wages) and since we don't gamble it's the perfect place to go (everything is really cheap, right until that moment when you say 'I'll just have one go at this machine.) Now normally I won't have bothered with a review, but this time things didn't quite go according to plan, and I thought it might amuse others to read of our misfortunes The review is still on line http://goo.gl/glrjOZ, have a look, it might amuse you, because it certainly amused lots of other people. The whole thing attracted over a hundred replies. That’s a hundred people who ‘did read what I wrote’ and enjoyed it. This was deeply confusing and almost seemed to fly in the face of everything that had happened so far. That was my first taste of public acclaim, and it's the most seductive drug ever.

2. What authors inspired you when you were younger? What books do you enjoy reading today?

If I may first clarify the word 'inspired', because according the internet (which we all know is never wrong) one meaning of the word is to be " imbued with the spirit to do something" and at the time I read the below authors I had no more idea of doing what they had done that I would have of climbing the north face of the Eiger in a swim suit But on with the list First and foremost is of course Stephen King, and the 'of course' is because he has done more to shape modern horror than any other writer and has become one of the most popular writers in the world. There are probably inuit Eskimos who know the plot of The Shining (spoiler, the hotel does it) No one else does small town paranoia with such clarity and detail. Other writers in the section? Mick Farren (hands up if you remember him) Terry Pratchett, Charles Stross (but oddly enough only the laundry series), Adam Hall ... I could be here all week, But on to the second part of the question "enjoy reading today". And the answer to that is everything and anything. My reading has been described as eclectic and also "you read this stuff?" The most recent thing I've read is Skullcrack City by Jeremy Robert Johnson, a novel so amazing that I reached the end and started again at page one (buy this at the same time as my book and double your fun) Waiting to be read is the latest Laundry novel, and also the latest Stephen King. Busy, busy, busy.

3. What was the inspiration behind your novel Walk In The Flesh?

The idea was the1966 film Arabesque and a scene where the The Bad Guy ™ is trying to kill our heroes with a crane and wrecking ball. It's not much of a spoiler to say that they got away, but I wondered what would have happened if they had not. In fact rather than running away from the wrecking ball they threw themselves under it. That classes as a 100% none survivable situation, and yet the rest of the film needed them. And reconciling one with the other was the seed for Walk In The Flesh But that was just the idea, the clothes that I dressed that idea in (the nanotechnology, Neil’s back story) were an accumulation of everything I had read till that date. Specifically J.G. Ballard’s psychological landscapes, Michael Crichton’s technological detail and of course Stephen King’s depth of character (or at least I hope so).

4. Why did you decide to mix suspense fiction with sci-fi?

Short answer, I didn't! Because 'decide' implies free will and there was never a moment when I planned the 'feel' of the book. As H.P.Lovecraft said, sometimes it feels less like writing, and more like dictation from some deeper part of the mind. I had a mental picture of the whole book, all* I had to do was write it down (* this is of course a new and completely understated way of using this word).

5. If you could be made into a cyborg, would you do it?

Yes, 100% yes. I've reached that advanced age where doctors’ appointments have become more frequent than nights out and people offer me seats on public transport. At this point the idea of an ageless unwearying machine has certain attractions. The question then becomes - would that cyborg still be me? How much of our humanity is linked to the weak bodies we wear, and how much empathy would there be for the ones left unchanged? Would the separation just create the psychotic killer of Walk In The Flesh?

6. Were any of the characters personalities or emotions taken from real life?

Only in the most general sense that perhaps some of them were an amalgam of everyone I've ever met. The idea of ever meeting Neil fills me with horror - and I created him! One review described the book as the creepiest thing they'd read, and I can fully understand that viewpoint. Neil is basically a puppet, to the people that created him, but also to himself.

7. What other genres would you like to try your hand at?

Crime*, I've a half completed novel that I've put to one side for another day and a psychological* thriller all mapped out and ready to be transferred to paper (Still contains significant horror).

8. Will we ever see any of these characters again?

Possibly. When I finished Walk I thought that was that, and it while it might be that - but it's not the end. There is one character we met only briefly who could return, but there is also the wider implications of the technology used. Somewhere in the back of my mind (my unconscious is much better than I at putting plots together) I'm building a plot that covers both of those possibilities.

9. Why terrorists? What made you decide to use them as the background for Neil's purpose?

The terrorists started out life as generic bad guys, but then I started to consider the world that they came from, but also the changes they would make to that world. This gave me large parts of the plot and also the most important thing in any book – motivation. Putting a book together is a bit like testing mice in a maze (only with less small furry rodents.) Because in both cases you need something to make the players move. For the mice its cheese, but people require more subtle things to goad them on.

10. Would you like to see Walk In The Flesh as a film? If yes, who do you want to see play your characters?

I’d like to say Jason Statham as Neil, just because Jason is very good in action scenes – but also because he looks ‘gritty’ and real (=less Hollywood). But the real answer would have to be that Neil should look bland and unmemorable because Neil is everyone, each time we meet him he wears another body just as easily as we would put on a jacket. Ariana on the other hand is an ordinary person who becomes part of something extraordinary and gets to find out what sort of person she really is. I wanted her to be a strong woman, but not Ripley (Aliens) strong. I never saw her kicking ass – but rising to the occasion. Or in short, perhaps Daisy Ridley or India Eisley.

11. Where do you see yourself and your career in the next ten years?

I hope much further through writing all the books I have outlined and ready to become flesh (well ones and zeros anyway).

12. What would you be doing if you weren't writing?

I … I don't know! That's really hard to think about because I'm always writing, and if not physically pressing keys then I'm thinking what those keystrokes should say. I've written in hospital, on long haul flights. Somebody once said (and I'm damned if I can remember who!) that inspiration is like drops of rain, and if not drained away by getting them on the page then you drown. I really cannot think of a life without writing. What would I think about, what would I do with my time! The very idea fills me with horror.

13. Can you tell KSR what you're working on next?

I’m 50% of the way through writing The Kings Of This World. An alien invasion with a big difference and a killer ending (well I think so– but then I may be biased!) This should be complete and submitted to publishers by the end of the year.

14. What authors, dead or alive, would you like to collaborate with?

I think it would have to be H.P.Lovecraft, because other authors have good ideas. Some of them create complete worlds. But only Howard Phillips had the vision to see our world as an all-you-can-eat buffet surrounded by hungry diners. That takes a whole new level of creativity.

15. Thank you for participating in the interview. Can you please leave the readers with three things that may surprise them about you?

I love industrial music (S.I.T.D, VNV Nation, apoptygma berserk etc) In July 2013 I broke my arm & shoulder so effectively that the hospital had never seen that level of damage before I’ve never read a romance novel (and I’m trying to keep it that way).



Find Mr. Bailey online via:

Facebook

COVER REVEAL: "Letting Go" by Holly Renee




Title: Letting Go
Series: The Garage Series #1
Author: Holly Renee
Genre: Contemporary Romance
 Release Date: August 31, 2015



Blurb

When Kat was forced to leave the only home she had ever known due to her brother's secrets, she wasn't prepared for what was waiting for her in Tennessee or the choices it would force her to make.

Kat instantly knew she didn't like Blake Reagan. He was cocky, stubborn, and infuriating. What Kat didn't understand was why she couldn't stop thinking about him or the way he made her feel.

The last thing Blake expected was for Kat Archer to storm into his world and turn it upside down. He thought he had her pegged from the beginning, but she destroyed everything he thought he knew. Blake was willing to fight to push his way into Kat's heart, but she put up a wall at every turn as she clung to her past.

If she stayed, she'd risk the only family she had left. If she left, she'd lose Blake and every piece of her heart that he'd managed to steal.








Pre-order Links

AMAZON US / UK







Author Bio

Bookaholic, firm believer in grand gestures, and obsessed with happily ever afters.

Holly Renee is from the small town of Maryville, TN where she was born and raised. She currently lives with her husband and fur baby, Luna. (Yes. She was named after Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter.)

Holly Renee is the author of her debut novel Letting Go.

During the day, Holly spends her time as a nurse, but once her shift ends, she falls deep into her passion of reading and writing.






Author Links

COVER REVEAL: "Onslow Boys" by C.J. Duggan




Title: Onslow Boys Boxed Set
Series: Summer #1.5, 2.5, 3.5
Author: C.J. Duggan
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Cover Design: Keary Taylor at Indie Designs
 Release Date: September 1, 2015



Blurb

For the first time in one collection

The ONSLOW BOYS Boxed Set

This SUMMER fall in love with an ONSLOW BOY

INCLUDES EXCLUSIVE FOREVER SUMMER TEASER CHAPTERS

 
STAN

Stan Remington is the go-to man; what he doesn’t know about Onslow means one of two things: it doesn’t exist or it hasn’t happened yet.

The wild and annoying doctor’s daughter spends her summer family holidays at Remington’s Caravan Park, and normally she’s not Stan’s problem. But then she sabotages his planned weekend escape. Now Stan finds himself not only caretaking the caravan park on his own, but also responsible for Bel.

Just the two of them. Under the one roof. For one long, long weekend.
 
MAX

Melanie Sheehan didn’t set out to be a liar, but her last lie landed her in big trouble. Now Mel must suffer a harsh consequence – she’s not allowed out of her father’s sight.

Max, the new head barman at the Onslow Hotel, is the one boy Mel has been crushing on since forever. At a time when Mel plans to go on the straight and narrow, she is about to tell the biggest lie of all. Will Max be able to handle the fiery farm girl or should he be considered the last boy in Onslow to trust?
 
RINGER

Ringo ‘Ringer’ James has a no-strings-attached policy.

Love them, leave them, and remain the eternal bachelor.

After a summer in which every one of his mates has succumbed to settling down, or so it seemed, Ringer is on the lookout for a quick exit. Having had enough of the stomach-turning love fest witnessed over the past three months, Ringer jumps at the opportunity to help out his mate, Max, by heading to Max’s dad’s property for a working holiday.

It’s just what he’s looking for. A remote, dusty homestead in Ballan, with only hard work, a cold beer and a comfy bed to worry about – no women.

Until Miranda Henry.

The privately educated daughter of his boss has returned home from overseas and things are about to get very complicated, very fast.

Warning: sexual references, and occasional coarse language.




Pre-order Link







Available Now


AMAZON US / UK / AU




Author Bio


C.J Duggan is a number one internationally bestselling Australian author of seven independent titles of her popular New Adult Summer series. In addition to her chart-topping indie novels, C.J is set to publish two titles with Hachette, Australia with her brand-new Paradise Series in 2015 (Paradise City and Paradise Road).

C.J lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia. When she isn't writing books about swoony boys and 90s pop culture you will find her renovating her hundred-year-old Victorian homestead or annoying her local travel agent for a quote to escape the chaos.

The 'Summer Series'
The Boys of Summer (December 2012)
Stan (October 2014)
An Endless Summer (July 2013)
Max (February 2015)
That One Summer (December 2013)
Ringer (March 2014)
Forever Summer (December 2015)

The 'Paradise Series'
Paradise City (April 28th, 2015)
Paradise Road (August 28th, 2015)




Author Links

Giveaway

SALE BLITZ: "Gloria's Secret: The Trilogy" by Nelle L'Amour




Title: Gloria's Secret: The Trilogy
Series: Gloria's Secret #1-3
Author: Nelle L'Amour
Genre: Erotic Romance
 Release Date: April 19, 2015



Blurb

The New York Times bestselling series from the author of THAT MAN! Over 700 pages of steamy romance!

Gloria Long is the beautiful, self-made CEO of Gloria's Secret, the world's largest retailer of lingerie. While her global emporium is famed for selling erotic fantasies, Gloria's emotional scars inhibit her own sexual desires. Her powerful defenses melt when she meets Jaime Zander, the devastatingly gorgeous advertising guru, who is determined to win not only her account but also her heart by awakening her sexuality—in the boardroom and the bedroom.

A man who has never heard the word "no," Jaime takes his creativity to the limit to make Gloria fall apart and fall for him. But major obstacles stand in the way—Gloria's Secret's ruthless Chairman, who covets Gloria and is out to destroy Jaime, as well as his manipulative sexpot daughter, who wants both Gloria's job and her hot, new love. Complicating matters further, Gloria harbors a dark, horrific secret, that when exposed, will shatter both her empire and her life. Will she be able to have it all or will the walls come tumbling down?






Links to Buy

AMAZON US / UK
NOOK US / UK
iBOOKS US / UK






Excerpt

I jolted. Under the table, I felt something slide under my dress and snake up my thigh-high silk stocking past my garters to my middle. Holy fuck! It was his bare foot, and it was running circles over my mound.

“Ah, Gloria, your pussy feels so hot and wet beneath those lace panties of yours.” He paused. “They are powder blue, right?” he asked with a roguish grin.

“Yes,” I gasped. His foot was now rubbing hard against my clit. I was getting more feverish by the second as he pushed me toward the edge. My fingers clutched the corners of the white-linen covered table.

“I think you should stop,” I said between clenched teeth.

“There’s a difference between I think and I want. Do you want me to stop?”

“Yes,” I said breathily.

“Your mouth says ‘yes,’ but your pussy screams ‘no.’”

Oh, God! This man got me. He continued massaging, adding vertical strokes up and down my soaking wet cleft. The pleasure and pressure were so intense I thought I would yelp. I dug my fingernails into the table and chewed my lip, trying hard not to scream. Jesus, how would I look if I broke loose?

Jaime shot me a cocky, confident smile. I wanted to rip it off his face with my teeth.

“Gloria, you want to lose control. Do it!” he commanded as he jabbed his big toe into my pussy.

I exploded. Ripples of ecstasy swept through me. It took all my willpower not to scream out. “Oh, God!” I moaned under my breath.

His satisfied eyes bore into me. “Now, it’s time to move onto the steamy artichoke, another natural aphrodisiac.”

Barely recovered from my mind-blowing orgasm, I eyed the thistle-leafed delicacy sitting in the middle of the table and jolted again. Beneath the table, a hand clutched my calf. Fuck! My turn to play footsy? My already rapid heartbeat accelerated as he maneuvered off my silver sandal and placed my foot on the mound between his legs. His steamy delicacy. The warmth of his swell beneath my sole intensified the throbbing between my inner thighs.

He began rubbing my foot up and down his arousal. I could feel it harden and swell beneath my arch. He hissed. There was nothing I could do with him holding my foot prisoner but wait anxiously for him to come.

And then the movements below ceased. My foot rested on his erection. The sole of my foot was burning.

His glimmering eyes burned a hole in mine. “I’m not going to force you make me come. That would be too much for me here. Too embarrassing. I just want to remind you what you do to me, my beautiful angel.”

Oh my God. He called me “angel.” His beautiful angel. My heart was melting like the candle on the table. How could one man, one word, do this to me?

Still holding my foot on his length, he peeled off an outer leaf of the large artichoke with his spare hand and dipped the tender edge into the side of melted butter. He raised the leaf, dripping with butter, to my lips. My breath hitched.

“Suck!” he ordered.

I clenched my teeth around the soft buttery artichoke meat and sucked it off the leaf. He discarded the remains onto his plate. With his index finger, he gently wiped off the little bit of butter that had fallen onto my lower lip. He inserted his butter-coated finger into his mouth and moaned.

“Now, you feed me a buttery leaf.”

I peeled off a large outer leaf and repeated his action.

“Mmmm. Perfection,” purred Jaime, rolling his tongue over his lush upper lip.

We continued this back and forth consumption of the artichoke until we were down to the heart.

“The heart is the very best part,” he proclaimed, his eyes now hooded.

I simply nodded, my foot still resting upon his hard, hot cock. I was in a trance. My head was spinning, and my blood was looping through my body like a rollercoaster. Hold on, Gloria

“Did you know that a woman’s heart is her real G-spot? You hit that and everything comes apart.”

Trembling, I watched as he stabbed his fork into the fuzzy artichoke center.

“Gloria, I want to win your account. Your cunt. And your heart.”

My breath caught in my throat. I couldn’t say a word even if I knew what to say.

“And I’m going to win each. One by one, starting with your account.”

I impulsively withdrew my foot from his erection. Business. It was time to talk business. That’s what this dinner was all about. I reinforced myself with a deep breath.

“Mr. Zander, if you are planning on doing business with me—that is, if you indeed have the good fortune of winning the Gloria’s Secret account—then I suggest we keep our relationship purely professional.”

He burst into laughter, totally unnerving me once again.

“Come on, Gloria. Can you can seriously sit here and say you don’t want me?”

I was speechless. Flushed and speechless.

“Doesn’t the thought of your pussy submitting to me anywhere make you wet with want?”

Steeling myself, I said, “Go to hell, you arrogant egotistical asshole.”

He laughed even harder and then looked straight into my eyes.

“Gloria, I’ve wanted you from the moment I set on eyes on you.”

“I’m not your type.”
He snorted. “You’re right. I usually prefer brunettes and like my women to be petite and totally submissive. But that’s why you intrigue me, Ms. Long. I never have to pursue woman; they pursue me. You’re a challenge. On the outside, you wear armor; underneath you wear lace. Your outerwear says don’t touch; your underwear says touch me everywhere. You may be a powerful woman, but the challenge is to unleash the power inside you.








Author Bio


Nelle L'Amour is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling Author who lives in Los Angeles with her Prince Charming-ish husband, twin teenage princesses, and a bevy of royal pain-in-the-butt pets. A former executive in the entertainment and toy industries with a prestigious Humanitus Award to her credit, she gave up playing with Barbies a long time ago but still enjoys playing with toys with her husband. While she writes in her PJs, she loves to get dressed up and pretend she's Hollywood royalty. She writes juicy stories with characters that will make you both laugh and cry and stay in your heart forever.

In addition to the Gloria’s Secret Trilogy, she is the author of the bestselling THAT MAN series, the Seduced by the Park Avenue Billionaire boxed set, and the highly rated Amazon bestseller, Undying Love. Unforgettable, her latest series, will be published in Fall 2015.

Nelle loves to hear from her readers. Connect to her at:


Author Links

RELEASE BOOST: "The Truth of Tristan Lyons" by L.B. Dunbar




Title: The Truth of Tristan Lyons
Series: Legendary Rock Stars #4
Author: L.B. Dunbar
Genre: Rock Star Romance
 Release Date: July 27, 2015



Blurb

Heartbreaker.

I understand why I have the nickname. Hey, what can I say? I like women. All women. It doesn’t matter what shape, size, or color. I’m even into sharing. I’ve done it all, seen it all, but I’m at an all-time low. Who wouldn’t be? My best friend is missing. My uncle’s an asshole. I don’t know who I am without The Nights. We are a band of brothers, soldiering through the world with our music. Only, our faithful leader is gone, and everyone else in the band is falling for the oldest trap: love. Love is a lie. It is painful. It is hurtful.

I need a break. I want to be alone. I'm not prepared to share the exclusive home on the Island. I'm not prepared for her. I don’t know who she is or why she's here. She tells me to call her Ireland. I tell her my first name only. Originally, I don’t want to believe she doesn’t recognize me. Bass guitarist for The Nights, come on? After a while we both play the game. Secrets are another form of lies, aren't they?

Our fantasy will crash to reality too soon. Secrets catch up to you. The truth has to be told. It confirms what I already know: love is a lie.

Until her.







Links to Buy

AMAZON US / UK







Also Available


AMAZON US / UK



AMAZON US / UK
B&N / KOBO



AMAZON US / UK








Excerpt

The Truth of Tristan Lyons excerpt © L.B. Dunbar

I wanted to know who she was. Scratch that, I didn’t care who she was. I wanted to know how she got in the house. Damn these fangirls, sometimes.  They knew no shame. 
“Hey,” I said grabbing her upper arm. “How did you get in here?”
She seemed caught unaware of my approach and screamed loudly, pushing at my chest hard enough, the sheer surprise forced me to let go of her.
With her hand on her chest and her breasts rising and falling in great agitation, I was able to see her big blue eyes and the sprinkle of freckles across her nose. Her chin length blonde hair fell forward as she bent to clasp her knees and catch her breath.
Standing up almost as quickly as she bent over, she spoke to me through delicious looking pink lips.
“Who the fuck are you?” she growled.
“Who the fuck, are you?” I returned.
“I’m…”
“You know what, never mind. You need to go,” I said, cutting her off and reaching for her upper arm again. “I don’t know how you got in here, where you came from, or how you found me, but you need to go.”
I began to tug her toward the front entry, her feet sliding in her flip-flops across the tile flooring. She pulled back, and the force made her skid on an angle across the slippery surface as I dragged her. She continued to glare at me quizzically, leaning away from me.
“I don’t know what you are talking about?”
“Did you follow me, is that it? See me in the airport?”
“What?”
“Okay, I love you too, now you need to go. Okay?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know who I am?”
“I don’t.”
I stopped, still holding firmly to her arm. Something in her voice sounded like she was being serious.
“I’m Tristan.”
She blinked, confusion clearly on her face. I was thoughtful for a moment. It was the innocence in her blue eyes, and the fact she looked like she might cry. Something wasn’t right with this scenario.
“Trist – an,” I said slowly, as if she had some type of hearing impairment.
“Who?”
I narrowed my eyes at her.
“What kind of music do you listen to?”
“Country,” she answered so quickly, she didn’t even blink an eye or stop for thought. On top of that, she said it in such a way that showed she was thoroughly confused, and almost disgusted with me, for even asking such a ridiculous question. She wrinkled her nose.
“Look, I know the owner, and you shouldn’t be here.”
“I know the owner,” I repeated, “and you shouldn’t be here.”
“I’m not leaving,” she said, pulling at her own arm again and sticking out a hand to press against my chest as leverage. I had tugged my shirt off at some point while I was passed out, and her warm hand felt good on my air-conditioned cool skin. Her hand was tiny, I noticed. All of her was thin.
“I’m supposed to be here. Alone,” I emphasized again.
She didn’t respond, so I added, “I think I’ll just call the owner myself, to see where the mix up is.”
“No,” she blurted, stopping in her physical struggle against me. Her eyes opened even wider, if that was possible, and her face was suddenly full of something I couldn’t read. Her blue eyes brightened in a frightening sort of way. Was that fear? Good, she should be afraid.
“Please. I swear. I’m allowed to be here. You don’t need to call Isa.” 
She had me. I didn’t really know who Isa was, and the girl sounded confident enough that I let her call my bluff.
“If there is a mistake, and you were scheduled to stay as well, I won’t complain. As a matter of fact, I won’t even be in your way. You won’t even know I’m here. I plan to keep to myself.”  Her eyes were glassy, and again I worried she was about to cry.
I released her arm and she pulled it back quickly. She fisted the hand of that arm, holding it against her chest. She began rubbing her upper arm with the opposite hand. I noticed again that she was thin, as were her breasts. I didn’t care for small chested girls. I didn’t care for her.
“Well, I’m Tristan, whom you claim to not know, and you are?”
“I’m…Ireland.”
“Ireland what?”
“Just…Ireland.”
I shook my head.
“So this is how we’re going to play it? Fine, my Irish Isle. What are you doing in the Caymans?”
She looked at me for a moment, then leaned toward me and sniffed. She held the disgusted expression on her face and wrinkled her nose as she pulled back.
“Probably the same thing as you.”
“Drinking myself into oblivion?” I laughed, crossing my arms over my bare chest defensively.
“Hiding,” she replied.







Author Bio


L.B. Dunbar loves to read to the point it might be classified as an addiction. The past few years especially she has relished the many fabulous YA authors, the new genre of New Adult, traditional romances, and historical romances. A romantic at heart, she’s been accused of having an overactive imagination, as if that was a bad thing. Author of the Sensations Collection, Sound Advice, Taste Test, Fragrance Free, Touch Screen, and Sight Words, she is also author of the Legendary Rock Star series, beginning with The Legend of Arturo King. She grew up in Michigan, but has lived in Chicago for longer, calling it home with her husband and four children.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I’d like to say I was always a writer. I’d also like to say that I wrote every day of my life since a child. That I took the teaching advice I give my former students because writing every day improves your writing. I’d like to say I have my ten-thousand hours that makes me a proficient writer. But I can’t say any of those things. I did dream of writing the “Great American Novel” until one day a friend said: Why does it have to be great? Why can’t it just be good and tell a story?

As a teenager, I wrote your typical love-angst poetry that did occasionally win me an award and honor me with addressing my senior high school class at our Baccalaureate Mass. I didn’t keep a journal because I was too afraid my mom would find it in the mattress where I kept my copy of Judy Blume’s Forever that I wasn’t allowed to read as a twelve year old.

I can say that books have been my life. I’m a reader. I loved to read the day I discovered “The Three Bears” as a first grader, and ever since then, the written word has been my friend. Books were an escape for me. An adventure to the unknown. A love affair I’d never know. I could be lost for hours in a book.

So why writing now? I had a story to tell. It haunted me from the moment I decided if I just wrote it down it would go away. But it didn’t. Three years after writing the first draft, a sign (yes, I believe in them) told me to fix up that draft and work the process to have it published. That’s what I did. But one story let to another, and another, and another. Then a new idea came into my head and a new storyline was created.

I was accused (that’s the correct word) of having an overactive imagination as a child, as if that was a bad thing. I’ve also been accused of having the personality of a Jack Russell terrier, full of energy, unable to relax, and always one step ahead. What can I say other than I have stories to tell and I think you’ll like them. If you don’t, that’s okay. We all have our book boyfriends. We all have our favorites. Whatever you do, though, take time for yourself and read a book.
 

L.B. Dunbar






Author Links