Jill Hughey http://www.jillhughey.com Mon, 18 Jul 2016 14:16:35 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.32 The Demon Mistress on First Sight Saturday http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/11/the-demon-mistress-on-first-sight.html http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/11/the-demon-mistress-on-first-sight.html#comments Sat, 30 Nov 2013 13:00:00 +0000 http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/11/the-demon-mistress-on-first-sight-saturday.html Each Saturday I welcome a guest author to share a first meeting excerpt. This week I am happy to have Jordan K. Rose with her paranormal romance The Demon Mistress. Jordan’s fun fact is that every hero she’s ever written has at least one trait she’s taken from her husband. I like that!

This excerpt isn’t exactly a first meeting, but it is the first time we readers are lucky enough to meet Chryssie and Stefan.

EXCERPT

~Eva Prim Writes~
A Blog of Vampire Thoughts.
October 24th
Friendship­
I consider you all my friends, well, not all of you. Not you, Studmufflicker69. You are definitely not my friend. In fact, you’re banned from this blog. Do not ever comment again. Yesterday’s comment about bondage was completely inappropriate. No one wants to hear about your deviant sex life.
Everyone else, you are all my friends. I don’t know where you are or what you look like, but over the past three weeks I feel like we’ve come to know each other. And I like you. Especially you, PenPro58. You’ve been very kind and have truly made my blogging experience a pleasure. Without friends, life can be so lonely. You’ve all made me feel loved.
Good friends are so hard to find. Thank you all.
“Chryssie?”
Ooh! Time to go. I await your comments. Eva.
“Chryssie, darling, what are you doing?”
I close my laptop and shove it into the drawer just as the door opens and Stefan steps in, looking utterly dashing.
“Blogging.” I pause to enjoy the sight of him as he walks toward me. The muscles in broad shoulders fill out his suit jacket quite nicely. “Why are you dressed like that?” I drag his desktop back into place, returning the keyboard to its rightful spot.
He pulls me up from the chair and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “I’ll never understand what you find so entertaining about those foolish conversations.”
“It’s just fun to talk with people who…” I glance toward the computer.
“They don’t know who you are. They’re not your real friends, my flower.” His fingers skim along my chin.
“I know. But I like them anyway.” I sit on the desk as he takes the seat I just vacated. “What’s with the suit?”
“You don’t like it? I thought for sure you’d like this suit,” he answers, clicking away at the keyboard.
“It’s nice.” It’s very nice. Navy blue, cashmere blend with a crisp white shirt accented by gold cuff links and a periwinkle blue silk tie. The ensemble plays up his deep ebony eyes. His long black hair is tied back at the nape of his neck, and his face is shaved, baby-smooth, revealing the cleft centered in his perfectly chiseled chin.
“It’s unusual for you to dress so formally when you’re simply going to the office.” I run my hand down his ponytail allowing the thick hair to slide through my fingers, fanning his cologne into the air. 
He smells heavenly. Eternity cologne, my favorite, blends with his scent, a manly, woodsy, sort of campfire-ish aroma with a sweet tang. It makes my mouth water.
“I have a meeting that requires more formal attire.”
The V Mail System opens on the screen. The nightly news flash features a very angry looking Cletus Shiftbottom snarling as he’s dragged away in chains.
“They finally caught him. I knew it wouldn’t take long,” I say.
“That is a picture from three days ago. He’s escaped again,” Stefan comments as he navigates to his personal vmail.
“They should have known he’d escape. Why didn’t they just kill him when they caught him?”
As he stares at the picture on the screen his left nostril twitches, and I know he’s thinking about his honor. “I will deal with Cletus myself.”
I purse my lips. A good master is honor-bound, which is just a nice way of saying, you made it, you deal with it. I’ve seen Stefan deal with the whole honor-bound issue a lot. It’s never pretty.
“Well, let me know if you want some help. I’ll be happy to stake him myself after what he’s done. You know he’s making you look like an idiot, right? Everyone is talking about how he’s gone bonkers, terrorizing other vampires, scaring humans, even giving shit to the wolves.” A chip in the nail polish on my pinky finger stands out in stark contrast to sparkly dark pink paint. “Damn it. I just painted these.”
“I am well aware of what’s being discussed and why, darling. I do not need you to remind me.” His tone is less than grateful.
“You don’t have to get snippy.”
“Cletus overpowered the four guards assigned him. He’s much more powerful than anyone realized.” He opens a message titled Blue Moon.
“Like I said, let me know if I can—”
“No. You can’t help.” He clicks on the attachment in the email, and the financials for one of his subsidiary companies opens. As he stares at the information in front of him his cheek pulses.
My shoulders sag. “It’s always the same answer.” I glance at the screen. “Is there supposed to be so much red?”
He inhales sharply as he clicks the keys on his computer. “No.” The pages scroll down moving like a slot machine reel. He nods and closes the application.  
“I will be very late tonight, possibly not returning until just about dawn.” He stands and kisses my forehead. “I would appreciate you staying home.”
“That’s fine. I have some…” I smile. “Some reading to catch up on.”
His gaze wanders over me, a heated brush of his presence.
I feel my cheeks flush.
His left eyebrow rises. “What are you reading?”
I squeeze his hands and avoid his eyes. “Oh, a little something.”
I turn away to lead him toward the door.
“Chryssie, what book?” He’s right behind me, close enough that it’s not his presence I feel, but his body molded to mine. His arms clamp around my waist and he pulls me back against him. “What book?”
“Nothing to worry about.” I try to wiggle loose, but he only holds me tighter.
“You haven’t been down in my personal library again, have you?” He breathes the words against my hair, and my legs go all rubbery.
I giggle, sliding my hand between his lips and my ear. “Stop that. You told me not to read any of those books, so I’m not.”

END OF EXCERPT

You can find The Demon Mistress on Amazon at  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FK90QE6 

Find Jordan on her website at www.jordankrose.com. 
Follow her tweets on https://twitter.com/#!/jordankrose 
Follow her Pinterest boards at: http://pinterest.com/jordankrose/boards/
Join Eva Prim’s Snack of the Week Club at http://bit.ly/1ajL4jT


Jordan and I both welcome any questions or comments! Come back every Saturday for a fresh new excerpt from a visiting author.

]]> http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/11/the-demon-mistress-on-first-sight.html/feed 2 Troy’s Fox on First Sight Saturday http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/10/troys-fox-on-first-sight-saturday.html http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/10/troys-fox-on-first-sight-saturday.html#comments Sat, 26 Oct 2013 11:00:00 +0000 http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/10/troys-fox-on-first-sight-saturday.html I spent last Saturday with the lively Jane Wakely at a local Celebrate The Book event, and today she is visiting on First Sight Saturday with her new release, Troy’s Fox, a paranormal/shifter romance. We’ve all had one of those awkward first meetings but I’m glad I’ve never had anything quite this embarrassing happen to me in front of a guy.

Set-up:
Even though she’s a waitress, quiet and shy Autumn tries her best to stay out of everyone’s way. After an embarrassing incident at one of her tables, she runs in the kitchen to hide. When she returns to the dining room, she sees Troy for the first time!
Excerpt:
Determined to stop hiding like a baby, Autumn dried her eyes and walked back into the dining room. Though it seemed like she’d been gone forever, only a few minutes passed and a quick glance at her tables let her know everyone was fine.
There was a man seated at the counter reading a newspaper and she walked over to see if he needed help.
“Hi, what can I get you?”
Brown eyes she’d never seen before met hers and he smiled wide. The man sat up straight from his slouched position over the paper and Autumn noticed his size almost matched the mammoth, but not quite. His wide chest and shoulders were muscular without being too bulky and she could see the definition in his arms through his snug t-shirt.
His hair was the same distinct red as hers, but it was cut short on the sides and the longer top looked windblown. For some reason, he didn’t make her nervous like other men did, and she didn’t look away or hide from his intense stare.
“Hello, Vixen.”
His voice met her ears and seemed to race straight to her core. Goosebumps covered her arms and her cheeks heated at the thoughts racing through her mind. She’d been on her own for four years and she stopped thinking about boys long before that.
Love wasn’t real and lust wasn’t worth it.
Her thoughts made her anxious and Autumn backed away from the counter and collided with the new girl holding a bucket of dirty dishes. The fall to the floor didn’t hurt, but she was covered in leftover food waste and drinks along with dirty napkins and silverware from the bused tables. She could feel the redhead’s eyes on her, but she didn’t dare look at him. The thought of seeing him laugh at her like everyone else made her queasy.
Autumn kept her gaze on the floor and carefully got to her knees and stood.
Find TROY’S FOX:
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1fFa9vn  
All Romance Ebooks: http://bit.ly/1hYOCe3  
About Jane:
Jane has been creating stories of love and romance for as long as she can remember. She’s a sucker for a happy ending and thinks the best thing about any movie or book is when the characters find someone to love.
Jane’s stories reflect her interest in all romance genres, and all levels of spice, but paranormal romance is her true passion. She loves creating worlds around sexy shifters and vamps—even if the shifter is a smelly skunk!
Jane writes sensual romance that will warm your heart, and a happy ever after is guaranteed!
Find Jane:
 Jane and I welcome any comments or questions, and I hope you will stop by every Saturday for a fresh new first meeting excerpt!

]]> http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/10/troys-fox-on-first-sight-saturday.html/feed 5 Sloane Wolf on First Sight Saturday http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/08/sloane-wolf-on-first-sight-saturday.html http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/08/sloane-wolf-on-first-sight-saturday.html#comments Sat, 24 Aug 2013 11:00:00 +0000 http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/08/sloane-wolf-on-first-sight-saturday.html This week my guest to share a first meeting excerpt is Margay Leah Justice sharing her paranormal romance Sloane Wolf.
SETUP OF SCENE:

Shiloh Beck grew up in a facility for gifted people only known as the Institute; she hasn’t been beyond its walls for several years and so is rather socially awkward. Then one day, out of the blue, her mentor, Jon Haines, takes her out in the middle of the night to go perform a task with him. That task brings her to Destiny Falls and her first order of business is to go into a little country store to get supplies for a hiking trip and attain a guide for the trip. Micah Sloane and his brother Cam were out in the yard when she arrived and slip in the back door of the store to spy on her, where they are joined by their younger brother, Grayson. Of course, when she mentions her need of a guide, they step up to the plate.

EXCERPT:

           “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
            Shiloh fidgeted with a miniature dream catcher on a rack beside the register. Here it was; the reason for her coming in here – the real reason. She had to find the right words; she couldn’t screw this up. Jon would be so mad if she messed this up. What did he tell her? What was she supposed to say?
            “Uh, yeah,” she hedged as her mind went blank. Time to improvise. “My friendand I – we were interested in hiking out here, but we, uh…”
            “Need a guide” Raven provided.
            “Yeah.” Shiloh smiled in relief when Raven found the words she couldn’t. What was wrong with her? It was hiking – he’d promised. So why did it feel like she was doing something wrong? Shut it off, Shiloh, she cautioned herself as her special senses kicked in. Just shut it down now. “Do you have any? Guides, I mean.”
            “Can I take her?” Ava asked, bouncing in place at the prospect.
            “No!” four voices answered at once as three men emerged from an aisle to Shiloh’s left, their voices blending in protest with Raven‘s.
            All coherent thoughts fled Shiloh’s mind when she glanced in the direction of the other voices – and her gaze collided with that of a man who was the perfect male counterpart to Raven. The main difference between them was his extra height – he had at least a foot on her – and the raw masculinity that rippled off him like a heat wave.            
            Did any man have the right to be so attractive? And why did he look at her like she was the main course at a gourmet restaurant – and he hadn’t eaten in days? The thought set her back a pace, literally. She bumped into a wooden barrel filled with super balls. As she reached out to grasp it, whether to balance it or herself she wasn’t certain, her gaze followed her action, snapping the strange link between them. Well, maybe not snapping, she mentally rectified. She continued to feel his magnetic pull, this time through her heart. So more like an interruption. Who was he? And why did he have this effect on her?
            Was it exclusive to her or did he have this effect on the others? A glance at their faces provided the answer. They were all staring at her. All of them. Each with varying degrees of expectancy on their faces. But of what?
            Good lord, what had she walked into?
            She returned her gaze to him, even as she tried to mentally shake away her awareness of him. And failed. It was a living thing, writhing in an exotic dance between them, twisting about their bodies to link them with an invisible cord. It even had a heartbeat – or was it hers, its rhythm heightened by her elevated awareness?
            Oh, lord, she felt sick. She clutched her stomach as if to press the sensation back into the deepest pits of her stomach. Not now, she thought, this can’t happen now. This is the worst time ever for those senses to kick in. The absolute worst time. She didn’t want to feel – his awareness. No. She wouldn’t. Period. Oh, no…
            “Well, speak of the devil!” Raven said. A little too brightly, Shiloh thought, as if attempting to ease some tension. “These are my brothers. Micah in front, Cam to the right, and Grayson on the left, but everyone calls him Gray. Nobody knows the terrain around here like they do. You couldn’t ask for a better set of guides.”
            Focusing her gaze on Raven – get it together, Shy, she cautioned herself – Shiloh asked, “Will I need all three?” Damn, was that wispy voice hers? Might as well shout to the world, I’m in lust with you!
            She flinched, startled, when he answered the question before his sister could. “We travel in packs here,” he said in a voice as musical as his sister’s. But where hers was akin to a low soprano, his was more like a baritone. Deep, but not overly so – enough to beat an answering rhythm in her soul like a drum. “It’s always better to travel in numbers out there. If anything happens, there’s more of us to help.”
            “Oh.” She nodded her acquiescence. How could she argue, after all? She’d never gone hiking, so she didn’t know the rules. In fact, she still didn’t know what she was doing out here. She came because Jon insisted. He had yet to tell her why. She pushed away the sour sensation the thought boiled in her stomach. Jon had been acting real strange for the past four months. This was one more example of his erratic behavior. Leaving in the middle of the night, not telling anyone where they were going, not allowing her to call anyone once they were out on the road. Yeah, real strange.
            “Okay with you?” he – Micah – asked, piercing her with a look that reached too deep into her soul.
            No, not again. I won’t allow you to invade my senses that way. Shiloh let her eyes flutter shut for a moment. Just take a deep breath and relax. There, that’s it. Composed, she opened her eyes and forced a smile onto uncooperative lips. “Ah, yeah. Sure. That makes sense.”
            “Not much of a hiker, are you?” Raven asked in a sympathetic tone, drawing Shiloh’s attention away from her brother.
            “First time, actually.”
Reaching across the counter to give Shiloh’s hand a pat, Raven said, “Well, don’t you worry. My brothers’ll take good care of you. If they don’t, they’ll have to deal with me, and nobody wants that.”
            With her first genuine smile since he entered the room, Shiloh murmured, “Thank you, for everything.”
            “Not a problem. I packed everything for you in the backpack as I rang it up, so you don’t have to worry about it.” Even as she spoke, Raven lifted the camping backpack over the counter, surprise flickering over her face when Micah took it from her before Shiloh could. She recovered quickly, saying, “Okay, have fun. And if you don’t, you come back and tell me and I’ll take care of these bozos for you.”
            Before Shiloh could do much more than smile, Micah held his hand out to her. To shake. Good Lord, did she have to touch him? You can do this, Shiloh. She surreptitiously wiped her hand on her shirt before offering it to him. She had to rethink that assertion when the touch of his palm against hers near brought her to her knees. And although she recovered quickly, her folly didn’t escape his notice; it was there, in the flicker of somethingin his eyes and in the extra pressure he applied to her hand despite the little blue spark that flared between them when their skin first touched. He knows.
            “My sister didn’t finish the introductions,” Micah said, still clasping her hand. “You are?”
            “Shiloh. Beck.”
            With an odd half-smile – what was he thinking, she wondered – he released her hand after giving it a quick squeeze. “Well, then, Shiloh Beck. Shall we go?” Gesturing toward the parking lot, he said, “Your friend looks a little anxious.”
END OF EXCERPT

Buy Links:

MuseItUpPublishing: http://goo.gl/CaHXy
Amazon.com: http://goo.gl/6o3KR
Links:

Thank you so much for visiting today!

]]> http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/08/sloane-wolf-on-first-sight-saturday.html/feed 2 Awakening the Fire on First Sight Saturday http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/06/awakening-fire-on-first-sight-saturday.html http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/06/awakening-fire-on-first-sight-saturday.html#comments Sat, 22 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000 http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/06/awakening-the-fire-on-first-sight-saturday.html Each week on First Sight Saturday I welcome an author to share an excerpt of a first meeting. Today Ally Shields will share her urban fantasy/romantic paranormal Awakening the Fire (Guardian Witch Book One).
Here is Ally’s setup of her scene: Twenty-three year old Ari Calin is a fire witch and a Guardian, a supernatural cop. She has just used her witch fire to save a human teen couple from a werewolf attack in a wooded park late one evening.

EXCERPT

     Ari retrieved her knife from the forest floor. The woods were quiet again. An ominous prickle persisted at the back of her neck, keeping her rooted to the clearing. She scanned the trees, opening her mind to the smells and energy in the wind.
     A sharp round of applause shattered the silence.
     A shadowy figure stepped from the shelter of the trees. The stranger stopped, silhouetted against the light of the moon. “Very nice, if a little overdone. I do not think he will return soon.”
     A rich, masculine voice, softly accented, rolled over her. Ari’s pulse leaped. Her witch blood surged in response to the unmistakable vampiric energy, and she snapped into defensive mode.
     The vampire stayed in the moonlight. An easy target for witch fire, Ari thought. Maybe he wasn’t hostile. More likely, he didn’t think she was any kind of threat. Either way, her advantage. She’d been underestimated before.
     “You need not be concerned,” he said. “I intend no mischief.”
     The distinctive cadence of Italy in his words trailed a feathery caress along her skin. The sound wrapped itself around her in lazy curls. A quiver swept up her arms, and she shivered. Ari quickly blocked the intrusion. She needed to keep her wits about her.
     “No magical probing,” she snapped. “Your tricks don’t work on me. I’m stronger than that.” Yet even as she spoke, she felt the pull, smooth as silk and slightly wicked. Her blood hummed in response, as if her magic recognized his.
     And liked it.
     He chuckled. Audacious. Bold. Sexy? Ugh, contrary to popular fiction, seduction wasn’t something Ari associated with vampires. Federal civil rights laws, new treaties, and citizen status didn’t make them any less dangerous. They were predators—useful in the military, but not exactly her idea of boyfriend material.
     “I heard there was a new guardian, but not that she was a fire witch.” The vampire moved closer, his feet skimming soundlessly over the layers of fallen leaves and pine needles. When he came to a halt, the moonlight illuminated his face, revealing dark eyes and strong, lean features. A lock of black hair had fallen across his forehead. He was dressed casually in black jeans and a crew neck T-shirt. “Our meeting is fortunate. Always good to know the local authorities.” He cocked his head. “You are not what I expected.”
     Not again. Ari was sick of comparisons to her mentor. “Sorry to disappoint. Who are you? What do you want?”
      “Did I say I was disappointed? On the contrary.” His gaze swept the length of her. “You are much younger, prettier, than your predecessor. But then Yana served a hundred years or more. Disappointed? Not in the least. I find you and your talents…most interesting.”
     “Is that meant to be a compliment? Never mind. I don’t care.” Ari raised her chin and looked him straight in the eyes. “If you think I’m a pushover because I’m young, you can think again. I’m good at what I do. I’ve trained my entire life.”
     His eyes narrowed at her bold stare. She thought she’d made her point, until he laughed. Ari bit her lower lip. Had she been too quick on the uptake? Again. Or was she reacting to vampiric magic? She nudged up the strength of her magical defenses.
     “Your entire life,” he murmured. “As long as that. Impressive.”
   Ari snorted but didn’t take the bait this time. She waited to see what he’d do next. Unfortunately, he had the same idea, and they stood staring at each other.
     The vampire acted unbothered by the silence. He stood at ease, his body relaxed but waiting. The breeze ruffled the unruly, black hair that curled over his ears. He looked thirty or less in human years. Yet, despite his present efforts to hide it, she felt an underlying hint of power that said he was older. Much older. Awareness of him filled all the available space.
     Whoever he was—she hadn’t forgotten he didn’t answer the question—his continued watchfulness made Ari uneasy. She moved her hand closer to her dagger. Although blood hunting was strictly forbidden, with a penalty of immediate execution, she didn’t trust any vampire to play by the rules.
     His lips curved under her scrutiny, a hint of amusement reaching his dark eyes. Humor? That surprised her. As their humanity fell away, vampires usually took on a distinctive look: cold, predatory, reptilian. Except for the newborns, and this guy didn’t feel that newly minted.
     In a rare flash of vanity, she wondered what he thought of her. The long, dark blonde hair wasn’t very witchy. And her five-five frame was more boyish than curvy. But the long-lashed green eyes? All witch, and her best asset. Great-Gran’s eyes. Her mother’s eyes. Ari jerked herself back from this weird train of thought. What was the matter with her? This wasn’t a hot-looking date.
     Whatever was going on behind the vampire’s hooded eyes, he kept it to himself. He made no overt aggressive moves, simply stood there. Wasn’t that typical predator behavior? Lure the unwary into a sense of safety? Well, he could forget it. Wrong prey, bloodsucker.
     She took the initiative. “I know what you are, but I’ll ask again, who are you? What are you doing here?”
      He moved then, gliding forward. She was startled when he bowed with all the grace of an old world aristocrat. It didn’t quite fit the jeans and T-shirt. “Andreas De Luca, at your service, madam witch. And you are…?”
     “Arianna Calin. Guardian for Olde Town.” She hesitated, then stuck out her hand. She really didn’t want him touching her, but getting along with both the human and magic communities was part of the job.
     He accepted the gesture, grasping her hand in long, cool fingers. Ari felt a spark of energy, but its relative neutrality told her how good he was at controlling his magic.
     “Arianna.” With his eyes never leaving her face, he repeated the word, his voice rolling it around. “Not exactly a Romani name.”
   “No, should it be?” Her gut clenched at his unexpected remark. How much did this vampire know about the Calin family of witches? About her?
     As if she’d spoken aloud, he said, “Your great-grandmother was the witch Talaitha. The last great fire witch in this region.” His smile said he knew he’d surprised her. “Talaitha is a Romani name.”
     How did he know that? What right did he have to use her name so freely? 
     Andreas De Luca examined the hand he continued to hold. His fingers were inches away from Ari’s silver bracelet. Although he didn’t make direct contact with the trinket, he didn’t act bothered by the sight or presence of the charms, most of which were considered dangerous or at least harmful to vampires. The miniature silver cross, the vial of holy water, the protection stones. Ari lifted a brow.  
    “These slim fingers have inherited Talaitha’s gift for fire,” he said, using her great-grandmother’s name again, as if he knew it bothered her. “A rare and coveted talent.” His smile broadened, bringing charm to his attractive face, and he lifted Ari’s fingers to his lips in a brief kiss. Before she had a chance to react to this unexpected gallantry, he turned her hand over and nipped the palm with wickedly sharp teeth.
     “Ouch!” She snatched it back, leaped away, and glared at him. Her witch senses flared with a rush of hot energy that ran to her fingertips. Ari clenched them into fists.
      His rich laughter rang out. The real thing, no magic this time. Grinning, he threw up his hands as if to ward off retaliation.  
  “It’s not funny,” she snapped, getting herself under control. Unclenching her fingers, she stared at the small drop of blood that welled from the broken skin. Her brain warred between anger and a strong desire to get the hell out of there.
END OF EXCERPT
Find Awakening the Fire (Guardian Witch Book One) at these trusted vendors.
Amazon worldwide: viewBook.at/B0099ZDHO8

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/RPrJ45

If you’d like to follow Ally Shields, here are a few places to find her!

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/allyshields

Witch meets vampire! Fire and fangs are flying. Thank you, Ally, for visiting with us today!

]]> http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/06/awakening-fire-on-first-sight-saturday.html/feed 1 Historical Titles on Book Lover’s Buffet! http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/05/historical-titles-on-book-lovers-buffet.html http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/05/historical-titles-on-book-lovers-buffet.html#comments Fri, 03 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000 http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/05/historical-titles-on-book-lovers-buffet.html I’m so excited that Redeemed is part of the BOOK LOVER’S BUFFET, featuring 175 books all priced at $0.99 from many online vendors, including some wonderful historical romances you can find here. I’m providing a brief overview of each in the list below. Check them out! I’m sure you’ll see some delicious reads you can’t resist. And why should you when they are all 99 cents and calorie-free!??

Rogue’s Hostage by Linda McLaughlin. His hostage. Her destiny. In the midst of a war that threatens the fabric of her life, Mara Finds herself torn between love and loyalty.
An Improper Situation by Sydney Jane Baily
From dusty Colorado to civilized Boston, Charlotte and Reed encounter sinister forces and scorned women. With passions ablaze yet often at odds, they find themselves in a very Improper Situation. 

Wear Black by Eilis Flynn and Heather Hiestand
Death did not end his service to the British Empire. Death is only the beginning…Wear Black 

Regency Romance: To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield – Book #1 Wicked Wagers Trilogy
Spirited heroine, rakish duke, and three wagers that will change their lives…

Tame a Wild Wind by Cynthia Woolf
He’s looking for work not love. She’s looking for a ranch foreman not the love of a lifetime.

To Wed The Earl – Regency Novella
Miss Miranda Price detests her neighbor Edward Havens, the rakish Earl of Edgerton – but when he catches her breaking into his library at midnight, secrets are revealed that will change the course of their lives… forever.

The Escort  by Gina Robinson True love runs deep.


Storm on the Horizon: Kit thinks he’s helping Tatiana to hide her powerful magic from Georgian society, but he’s about to find out her secret’s much bigger than he ever imagined.

An Exotic Heir: Warning–dangerous to your heart: love and revenge in Regency Calcutta.

Ventre a Terre
Rosamund Hilliard, singing for her supper at the grand houses of England, must flee her suitors when her scheming is discovered. 

And, last but not least, Redeemed by Jill Hughey. Can a quiet widow help a damaged, secretive man find redemption?

I hope you’ll visit the BOOK LOVER’S BUFFET where you can find a wide assortment of romances for just 99 cents, plus enter to win prizes!
]]> http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/05/historical-titles-on-book-lovers-buffet.html/feed 0 Chalice Blood: Hidden on First Sight Saturday http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/04/chalice-blood-hidden-on-first-sight.html http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/04/chalice-blood-hidden-on-first-sight.html#comments Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000 http://www.jillhughey.com/2013/04/chalice-blood-hidden-on-first-sight-saturday.html First Sight Saturday is a feature I host every week to showcase the first meeting between two characters.

Today I welcome E.R. Davis with her paranormal romance/gothic urban fantasy serial novel Chalice Blood: Hidden. (To clarify, a serial novel is a story that is told in parts. Hidden is part 1 of 5 of the novel called Chalice Blood.) To all those descriptors, I will add that the product description includes the word “steamy,” but the excerpt is completely PG. Take it away, E.R!

SETUP OF SCENE: Twelve years ago, fifteen-year-old Dessa Collier met the vampire who would change her life forever.

EXCERPT

“I have a feeling.” Dessa lowered her head and focused on putting one bare foot in front of the other. Shiny black polish tipped her toes. She and Waiva continued in silence until they reached the gnarled, walking-stick stump of a long-dead tree. The stump marked a mile to the Collier farmhouse.
“Race you!” Waiva took off in a sprint.
Dessa didn’t follow. Instead, she looked over her shoulder. The bottom dropped from her stomach, and her muscles went slack. A dense, squirming mass of shadow obscured her view of the road. Someone else’s memory rippled between her ears, filled her head, and gave the black cloud a name. Hungry.
She couldn’t make her legs move. The blob came upon her quickly, so fast she didn’t have time to scream before fingers of darkness shoved into her mouth. Midnight bands wrapped around her biceps and dragged her to the ground. Dessa lashed out, punching the air. An inhuman cry reached her ears just before the dark filled those openings. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t shriek when the first bite tore at her forearm.
Burning pricks of pain dotted her exposed skin and sapped her strength. Weightless phantoms took the shape of greedy, clawed hands. Heavy bodies crushed her chest. They savaged her, teeth tearing and ripping. Hungry.
After an eternity of pain, a man’s voice cut through the sounds of feeding.
“Get them off her,” he commanded. “Destroy the new ones here and don’t take any back.”
“Better death than a cell,” another man replied.
The instructions didn’t make sense and they weren’t for her, but Dessa tried to focus anyway. Running footsteps and quiet curses filtered through the noise of strange, hissing pops. The scent of blood clogged her air passages and made her gag. Blood. Hers. Oh, that was bad.
Awareness of her arms and legs, her burning skin, returned. Dessa started to shake. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to roll onto her side, but she couldn’t move. Paralyzed.
Large, strong hands cupped the back of her head and lifted it from the ground. The authoritative voice came again. “Can you hear me?”
Masculine scents of leather and tea tree oil penetrated the reek of blood. She wasn’t completely paralyzed. She could move her head and she did, turning her face, pressing her nose and mouth to his forearm. She breathed through the odor of blood. Gradually, sensations beyond pain and fear filtered through her brain. Waiva’s voice. Vampires.
She shuddered and opened her eyes to stare at the man above her. Broad shoulders blocked the darkening violet sky. He was layers of brown against the bruised backdrop. Coffee skin, walnut hair twisted in thick dreadlocks, amber eyes.
Long fingers pushed purple tangles of hair from her face. He tilted her head at an uncomfortable angle, pressed his fingertips beneath her jaw, and muttered a foul word.
Dessa’s eyelids drooped heavily. He wasn’t supposed to use that word around her. She was too young, and she was female. Clearly he wasn’t from the South.
“You’re here to kill me,” she whispered. However many times she’d thought the words, she’d never spoken them aloud.
“Yes. I am.” He tilted her head, golden gaze intent on her face. “Do you know why?”
“My mother knew why.” She swallowed and closed her eyes. “How are you going to do it? With your fangs?”
“No fangs, baby. Never fangs.” He slid his arms beneath her shoulders and knees and lifted her off the ground. She should have resisted his hold. The notion of good sense lurked in the back of her head, struggling to penetrate the fog that divided her rational brain from her feeling brain. Feeling rose to the top and floated like sea foam.
She felt safe. Sure, he was going to kill her, but death was going to happen eventually anyway. She didn’t have the energy to delay it by struggling. Flopping limp in his arms required no effort at all.

END OF EXCERPT

Intriguing. I don’t think this not-from-the-south stranger will be able to kill Dessa when he is supposed to. Below is the blurb for the Chalice Blood: Hidden and direct links to sites where you can buy it!

**Steamy 18+** Paranormal Romance Serial Novel | 16,000 Words | Part 1 of 5
There’s only one substance on earth that can create a new vampire–the blood of a Chalice, a rare individual with magic in her veins. Atlanta’s human-vampire Civility Laws demand that if a Chalice is found, she must be destroyed. 
Heiress to a family tradition of ward-working, house painter Dessa Collier has spent the past twelve years pretending vampires don’t exist. When a friend-enemy walks back into Dessa’s life after a decade-long absence, everything Dessa has been hiding from comes crashing down on top of her.
Don’t miss the rest of this exciting, darkly erotic paranormal tale. BITTEN (Part  2) will be available April 30 2013. To find out as soon as BITTEN releases, “Like” the author on Facebook at tinyurl.com/erdavis or sign up for her newsletter at tinyurl.com/css6292.




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