99¢ Sale! Sometimes magic can change everything... Magic of the Loch by Karen Michelle Nutt

99¢ Sale! (Reg. $5.99). MAGIC OF THE LOCH.

About the Book:  

Michaela Grant travels to Scotland for a holiday, knowing this vacation is her last. A medical condition threatens her life and any chance of a future--until she meets Alan MacLachlin, a man forced to exist between two worlds.

Alan is the legendary Loch Ness Monster. Once every fifty years he returns to human form in search of his soul mate, the one woman who can break his curse. He believes he has found forever with Michaela, but to claim it he must figure out how to save her life.

Michaela and Alan vow to take what time has to offer, but another threat looms. A sinister shape shifter with a vendetta against Alan is making Loch Ness his personal hunting ground. Now he's threatening Michaela. Alan must discover who the shifter is and stop him before it's too late.

Amazon USA: http://tinyurl.com/y9qyesnq

Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/y9se4oxg

The Wild Rose Press: http://tinyurl.com/y8onw3bq

iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/y7tpamcm

Nook: http://tinyurl.com/aagtqzu

A Medieval Female Exorcist - Dark Maiden by Lindsay Townsend

Yolande, the heroine of my latest medieval historical romance novel, 'Dark Maiden' is an exorcist. Her father, who was born in Ethiopia (a country with very ancient Christian roots) was an exorcist. Her mother was born in York.

As is now being discovered, there were people of African descent living and working in Britain, especially in cities and ports like York. Archaeology discovered a Romano-British grave in York where a woman of black African and mixed race heritage had been buried in a rich tomb with grave goods. Archaeology also uncovered a tomb of a man of north African descent buried at a medieval friary in Suffolk, England, close to the port of Ipswich. According to bone specialists he had a bad back! The thirteenth century statue of Saint Maurice in Magdeburg cathedral in Germany clearly shows him as African.

Half-African, half-English, Yolande is the dark maiden of the title, a spiritual wanderer and warrior, helping those tormented by the restless dead and assisting the restless dead themselves to find final peace. She lives and works in England during the time of the Black Death.

Statue of St. Maurice at Magdeburg

I chose this time period quite carefully. Women during the Middle Ages could not be priests but during the period of the Black Death, when thousands died, including hundreds of priests, the church allowed women to take confessions from dying people. In early 1349 the bishop of Bath and Wells wrote to his priests to encourage all men to confess, before they were taken by the pestilence. He added that if they had no priest they should follow the teaching of the Apostles and confess to each other 'or, if no man is present, even to a woman'.  (From translation in Philip Zeigler, The Black Death, page 125).

Medieval people also believed that in a crisis anyone, priest or lay person, could perform an exorcism because every Christian has the power to command demons and drive them away in the name of Christ.  I took these ideas and developed them, allowing my Yolande to become an exorcist.

In 'Dark Maiden' I have Yolande and Geraint  (a travelling player who becomes her friend, help-mate, lover and finally husband) face several encounters with both restless spirits and also demons. My ideas have always been shaped by the real beliefs of the time. So in 'Dark Maiden' there are evil spirits, restless ghosts called revenants, an incubus and vampires - all paranormal creatures with a medieval slant.

I'll talk about these in other blog articles.

More details of 'Dark Maiden' here.
Can be pre-ordered from Ellora's Cave here.
Can be pre-ordered from Amazon US here and Amazon UK here.
Can be pre-ordered from Barnes and Noble here

Ellora's Cave (forthcoming, June 13 2013)

Read Chapter One


Lindsay Townsend 

Review by David Russell: Sonya Watson - 'The Tide Breaker'

This is a highly complex mythological tale centred on the personal growth and traumas of Abrianna. It is undefined in time, apart from a brief flash of someone being spirited into 2010; in terms of locality, there is a brief reference to New York State. The action takes place against a background of inter-species conflict. The named species have their mythological bases. Homo Sapiens is in conflict with the Wendigoes (Cannibalistic spirits in Algonquin (Native American) mythology, the Nephilim (a race of giants in Canaan, described in the Book of Job ' the product of sampling forbidden fruit), and 'original fictional' tribes such as Primes, Strangelings and Elementals. One reference to Cwm Annwyn, the spectral hound of the Welsh otherworld - helping to make the piece truly global! I think a 'reader-friendly' guide to these groupings would be most helpful, as would be a roster of the characters, with synopses of their identities and functions.

These groups are in perpetual, interlocking conflict - ethnic cleansing massacres are ceaseless. The conflict assumes truly grotesque proportions. Not only do the warring factions kill each other, they plunder and transplant each other's vital organs - including mutated DNA, and suck each other's life-blood. Indeed, the story opens with the extraction of Abrianna's dead mother's heart (shades of speculations about Shelley's funeral!) The characters have magical, mythical resilience in withstanding and recovering from these lacerations. There are some mutations, and some return to life from death. One criticism I would make of the book is that so many 'surgical operations' get a bit repetitive - but then tastes differ.

Abrianna has her human and her superhuman aspects. She has some potential to be a 'weapon' capable of a decisive effect on the struggle between the species. As a human being, she is deeply divided, between lust and love, between callousness and sensitivity. She is enmeshed in a kinship web riddled with jealousy. Her suitors include Michael and Graham (a cloned Wendigo).

In spite of a repressive network of kinship and suitors, she "had developed into her own person, and now she wanted to explore the endless possibilities of being a strong, independent girl."

Abrianna's search for love is put into elemental, genetic perspective: "The soul was broken into two halves and scattered like seeds across the earth. Once they reached maturity they searched for their missing half, and if found, happiness was sure to follow." But later in the book, this assertion is, if not contradicted, severely qualified. "The merging of two souls was very rarely accomplished by those in search of it, and though they never yearned for such a bond, they attained it. As a complex person, she was acutely aware of the various levels of lust and love. Her first love was for Michael; she had a lesser love for Jonathan, and 'manufactured feelings' for Graham.

Her better nature is overwhelmed by a combination of what was genetically imposed on her, and her won desire for power: "Evil caught the eye of morality and like a restless spirit would never rest until it was stained with the blood of the innocent". In the end Abrianna is 'found guilty': "The universe had marked Abrianna for death since she tipped the balance scales in favour of chaos."

I am torn between desire for the destruction of a monster and bereavement of her warm, human qualities.

Buy at Amazon UK , Smashwords .

Enchantment at Halloween

Halloween, All Saint's Eve, October... a time of endings and beginnings, a time of enchantment. The authors of the British Romance Fiction blog have come together to celebrate this moment with their own stories of magic - magic of the paranormal and the everyday.

Take a look - some titles are FREE!

 Hywela Lyn. 'Dancing With Fate': Enter a world of enchantment and magic when a Greek muse meets a man with a destiny, and two legends become entwined for all eternity.








Barbara Elsborg shares her Trueblood series - a family of pure blood vampires link the five standalone stories.

 The Consolation Prize Chloe wins four days at a spa but arrives to find the other guests who have unusual eating habits don't come out in daylight, and who is that naked guy chained in the basement?

 Falling For You Every month when the moon is full, Jo has an uncontrollable urge to jump every man she sees but she runs from tempation only to find herself as dinner when she falls into a hole and lands on a vampire. http://www.loose-id.com/falling-for-you.html

 Lightning in a Bottle Erin's fun, exciting and a bright flash of light in Felix's life, but there's a snag, she won't stop biting his neck. http://www.loose-id.com/lightning-in-a-bottle.html

 The Misfits Holly is a hopeless faerie whose uncooperative wings land her in the arms of a vampire and a werewolf but instead of running away, she doesn't want to leave.

  Fight To Remember A vampire trapped in a rocky grave, a girl who for the past eleven years can't remember who she is when she wakes and a werepuma bound to a demon and forced to fight in her deadly club - the world of three collides but for three to live, one of them must die.

www.barbaraelsborg.com
www.barbaraelsborg.blogspot.com

 Linda Banche 'Pumpkinnapper' - Pumpkin thieves, a youthful love rekindled, and a jealous goose. Oh my! Theme: Enchantment of a second chance at love, or Autumn, or Magic Holiday Romance.

Buy link: Amazon.com








Lee Rowan:

All Souls, a story in the Royal Navy anthology Sail Away.

On the night when the veil between this world and the next is thin, a malevolent enemy returns to destroy Will Marshall, the man who vanquished him years before. Only David Archer can see or fight him, but what weapon is any use against a ghost?

Laurey Buckland: A Girl's Guide to Fairy Tales

Four friends unwittingly chase the happily ever afters they believe are confined to the world of fairy tale fiction - but will they every start living the once upon a times they hoped for?

Jane Lovering  Vampire State of Mind, Vampires - they're real, they're really here, and they're really really keen on filing.

 Jenny Twist. Bedtime Shadows:  A Victorian Dolls' House When Violet sees the dolls' house in the antique shop she has to have it. But the Delacorte House is no ordinary dolls' house. Is it enchanted?

This anthology contains two ghost stories, one were-cougar and one vampire. Something for everybody!

 Away With the Fairies. (Magic) When Lucy walks through the wall only her sister knows she's gone to Fairyland

 Spellbound 2011 (Halloween) Uncle Vernon There’s something very peculiar about Uncle Vernon. Nobody knows what he does in the cellar at Halloween. But he’s quite harmless, really. Isn’t he?

 Take One At Bedtime (Paranormal) A girl who can kill just by thinking of it, a vampire, an old lady who wreaks dreadful vengeance, and a variety of ghosts. What's not to like?

 Warm Christmas Wishes (Magic) Jamey and the Alien Jamey only wants one thing for Christmas.He wants his Daddy to come home. But first he has to kill the alien. Will Santa Claus use his magic to help?

 Winter Wonders. (Paranormal) Mantequero Ignacio is the perfect holiday romance. Not only is he handsome and sexy but he makes you lose weight. A lot of weight!
  
Follow me on:

My Website: https://sites.google.com/site/jennytwistauthor/
Amazon: amazon.com/author/jennytwist

 Charlie Cochrane: The Shade on a Fine Day  Eight for dinner at the Canon's table means the potential arrival of a ghost.

 Music in the Midst of Desolation Tag line: Old soldiers never die – they get whisked straight back to earth to take part in angelic “manoeuvres”, but why does their mission have to involve the men they left behind?

Lindsay Townsend: The Snow Bride. She is Beauty but is he the Beast? Medieval romance, enchantment and magic in a winter, snowy landscape.

A Christmas Sleeping Beauty. Can the prince wake beauty in time for Christmas or will she sleep forever?

A Knight's Enchantment. A beautiful alchemist and a valiant knight join forces to free their loved ones - and find an explosive passion...

Lucy Felthouse: Weekend at Wilderhope Manor: Is a lesbian paranormal erotic story, set at Halloween.

This book is FREE on Amazon from the 27^th – 31^st October.

The Cottage in the Woods: Is a paranormal lesbian shapeshifter story. 

Susie White and the Right Hand Man: Is a paranormal/fairy tale love story. 

Love Through Time: Is an erotic paranormal romance containing ghosts. 

Bite with Height: Is a lesbian vampire erotic romance, set in Paris. 

Rosemary Gemmell.

Dangerous Deceit:

'In the midst of danger and intrigue, Lydia Hetherington begins to fall in love with enigmatic Lord Marcus Sheldon during an enchanted evening at Vauxhall Gardens in 1813.’

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Champagne Books: 

Miriam Newman. 'Deidre, an ancient tale of Ireland.'

FREE paranormal short story. A classic Irish tale of love, magic, betrayal and revenge.

Elizabeth Lamb: Tall, Dark and Kilted (Contemporary Romance, Forthcoming October 29th)

KB Walker. 'Once Removed'.  A silent cry for help...  

Copies of “Once Removed” are available in paperback or e-formats.

You can also follow Kimm’s work at http://nutsandcrisps.wordpress.com

Tara Fox Hall

Promise Me

and
Broken Promise

My paranormal romance series includes all manner of paranormal beings, from vampires, witches, demons, werecougars, werefoxes, and the first book takes place in the fall, complete with a Hallow's party on Halloween.

Lash
and
Shadow Man  (forthcoming)

My paranormal action adventure series revolving around the weresnake Lash in the 1920s and 1930s also includes vampires, witches, demons, and many werecreatures.

Fear charity anthology

Short stories involving horror, fear, and paranormal entities, like the murderously protective grandparents in my short work, Granma's House.

Midnight Thirsts 2

Tales of vampires running the gamut, such as my romantic Night Music about vampire human love and Partners, about the bond of friendship between a vampire and a werecougar.

Just Shadows

Short stories of supernatural, paranormal justice, such as the title story, The Hunt, Night Cry, and others.

The Chalet

Madeline discovers the true secret of the old mansion called The Chalet; a seductive spirit whose undying love has waited decades to claim her for its own.

Wild at Heart Vol II

Short YA stories involving animals, such as Heart's Solace, the love story of a tortured werecougar, and a Russian girl's fight to save him from his enemies.

A Quick Bite of Flesh

Tales of zombies of scifi and paranormal creation, both funny and bloodcurdling.

Jane Richardson. Edinburgh Fog. Greg was crazy ever to let Julia go. Will she give him another chance or leave again—this time forever?

Kelley Heckart

Cat's Curse, Beltaine's Song and Winter's Requiem all belong to the Dark Goddess Trilogy and share the same tagline: A Greek vampire, Celtic kings, vengeful goddesses, an ancient faery curse…

Buy link: http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.html

Of Water and Dragons                                                       

Of Water and Dragons weaves together the Roman history, Celtic lore and magic of ancient Britain to create an unforgettable story of love and sacrifice.

Buy link: http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.html

Ravenwolf

Blending Celtic lore, history and magic, Ravenwolf takes the reader on a journey to an ancient land filled with spiteful goddesses who threaten to tear Ambiorix and Nemu apart.

Buy link: http://kelleyheckart.com/Ravenwolf.html

White Rose of Avalon                                 

Morgaine, Queen of the Faeries, will do anything to save Avalon, but is she willing to sacrifice Lancelot, the only man capable of filling her heart with love?

Buy link: http://kelleyheckart.com/white_rose_of_avalon.html




Happy Halloween! Happy Reading!