Sep 13 2017

Book Hooks – An incubus in love

Renee Maxwell lands her dream job as assistant to archaeologist Damon Cubins in wondrous Turkey. However, she starts seeing strange things after finding a unique crystal. For one, hot Damon now looks like the sexy demi-god and underwear model of her dreams. Her feminist ideals are challenged with each bit of banter and seductive look he gives her, but she’s not falling for his charm.

Time is of the essence for incubus, Damon Cubins, who must find a one-of-a-kind crystal or turn into a full-fledged demon. He has neither the time nor desire for love, but his new assistant tests his resolve. When he discovers she’s got the crystal he needs to save himself, he must make a decision to either romance it from her or walk away. But can he?

Excerpt:

She huffed and snatched up her towel. Thankfully, it reached just below her butt, leaving her long legs exposed for his admiration.

Then she batted her eyelashes at him. “I would never give you the satisfaction.”

“Of which?” He beamed. “Drowning or bathing?”

“Both.” She inserted the corner of towel between her breasts, locking the rest of it around her, and then grabbed her canteen. “Uh, thank you for saving me.” She shivered, and he doubted it was merely from the dunk in the water. “Please don’t tell the others; it’s embarrassing.”

After his nod, she breathed out a sigh. She looked as if she anticipated that he would haul her back into the water for a lesson.

Her movements reminded him of abused animals. He speculated most people, who couldn’t swim but grew up around water, would try to learn unless they experienced drowning or trauma in the past. Could that have happened to her? There was more to this situation than her usual stubbornness. Vulnerability even.

As she leaned over to finish filling her canteen, her ample bosom peeked out. His lust twisted at the thought of the sounds she would make when he kissed her nipples until they pebbled.

Suddenly, she jerked up, spilling some of the water. “Did you get a good enough view?”

He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Without waiting for his reply, she stormed away. Damon flopped backward, letting his body float. His mind drifted to images of making love to Renee in the river. After he helped her over her phobia, somehow. Hmm, he could kiss her down there while she treaded water.

Nah, she’d never go for it. This is a business trip. No time for sleeping with the staff, no matter how sexy they are when arguing with him.

Claimed Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_H5oGFEDJM

Amazon: http://a.co/bnle3b2

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/claimed-andrea-r-cooper/1123864120

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iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/claimed/id1118712163

Andrea R. Cooper writes fantasy, paranormal, historical and romantic suspense.

Her favorite childhood memories revolved around creating vibrant characters for her friends, and then acting out their adventures. Inside her fantasy worlds of darkened forests, dragon-filled glades, and iced islands, nothing was banned. From the ethereal Elvin to the most maligned Vampires, all were welcome in her fictional realities, a stark contrast to her home, where the magical and mythical was forbidden.

www.andreaRcooper.com

Ya & Claimed Collage1

Six of the Best #Vikings #6BestHop

Bram smirked, but climbed down the side of the ship and into the rowboat. The first mate, one who always glared at him with a bleeding gummed snarl, and scurvy, snatch the oar. Without waiting for Bram to settle into the boat, the man pushed off with the oars. Bram fell against the back of the boat with a grunt.

“I paid your Captain handsomely to see me safely to shore.”

“Aye.” The man rowed, but his scowl did not lessen. Cliffs rose up on one side of the ocean and waves churned against the rocks.

Near the beach, the man quit rowing and yanked out a knife.

Bram didn’t move. “You go against your Captain’s orders t—”

“You made it to shore. That’s all we’s promised.” He spat at Bram’s boots. “No one said anything about you living afterwards.” When he dove forward, Bram ducked to the side and snatched the sailor’s arm, pinning it to his side. When the sailor slung with his free arm, Bram increased the pressure until the man was on his knees.

“Cease, or I will break your arm.” If it wasn’t for his pledge to Morga, he’d have snapped the man’s arm already. Once his contract was signed with the Laird, then he’d be free to fight in Ireland—or at least against other Vikings and rival Irishmen. The man continued to struggle, “Or perhaps a leg as well? What will your Captain say if you return without your weapon and injured? Will he be merciful and allow you to recover or throw you to the sharks?”

“Heathen scum!” He twisted his body to escape Bram’s grip.

As he did, Bram snapped the man’s wrist backward and the first mate let out a howl before the blade came closer to Bram’s chest.

“Now, hand me the knife.” When the man glared at him, he increased pressure on the bent wrist. “Or this heathen might do worse so that not even the sharks would want you.”

The first mate gulped and released his hold of the knife.

Bram broke his hold and snatched the blade out of the air before it hit the water. “Tell your Captain, I will not forget his hospitality nor will any of my eight brothers.”

The man paled. “What brings you to our island? To rape our women and pillage our churches?”

“No.” Bram rose and tucked the small blade into his boot. “To find my bride.”

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Andrea R. Cooper writes fantasy, paranormal, historical and romantic suspense.

Sep 5 2015

My Sexy Saturday – Historical romance #MSS108

Welcome to My Sexy Saturday!

Today, I’m sharing a snippet from my historical romance novella, The Proxy

“Lady Caroline,” the proxy said. “Call me Nicholas.”

She shrugged her shoulders wasn’t that what the priest had called him during their vows? Her headache pounded against her skull. What did it matter his name? He was a servant…a stand-in for her feeble husband.

“You’ll like the baron, I think. Might not be pleasing to the eye but he is a kind man and has always treated his servants fairly.”

“He does not beat them?” Caroline had hope that at least, he may not beat her. If he was kind to his servants, then how much more so to his wife and mother of his children?

“No, he has never struck any of us. Even those that might have deserved it. His enemies, though, he fought in many battles, but lost the taste of bloodshed along with his youth.”

“Tell me more about him.” Caroline moved her wedding gown and crossed her legs as she sat on the bed. Give her some glimmer of hope that her marriage was not as bad as she feared.

“First,” Nicholas closed the door, “the guests will expect a piece of your wedding dress for luck.”

To “hop” to the next blog, visit: http://www.mysexysaturday.blogspot.com/

Andrea R. Cooper writes fantasy, paranormal, historical and romantic suspense.

Jun 16 2015

The Curse of the White Screen – Jami Gray

Guest post by Jami Gray

The Curse of the White Screen

If you’re a writer, chances are you’ve faced the horrifying reality of a blank screen. Generally, this terror strikes when you’ve finally completed the roller coaster ride of your last work in progress. You’re flushed with the sweet knowledge that you managed to get your characters, their world and a magnificent plot etched into electronic stone. Some writers may decide to take a small breather, a day, a week, a month, before attempting the next great journey. Others (who are much braver than I am) give themselves a whopping hour before setting fingers to keyboard. Regardless of when you start, everyone encounters the same picture—a white screen where words tremble on the edge of existence.

Since I can’t speak for all of us out there (and we are legion!) we’ll say the views stated below are solely mine.

Follow me back three books. After mending the rips and tears from my writing partners on my second Urban Fantasy, SHADOW’S SOUL, I sent it on to my editor so she could dissect it and throw it back. The apparition of my third book, SHADOW’S MOON, loomed ahead like a large writer-eating slug.

Strapped to my office chair with chains of headphone cords and superglue dusting my fingertips, the urge to run was greatly dampened as I prepared to face my nemesis—a white screen. The decision had been made that SHADOW’S MOON would follow Xander, a secondary character, so as to give our main character couple a break. As the screen mocked me, my brain whirled. Plots and subplots flew around in a maelstrom. Faced with the fact that Xander, the heroine of my third book, was actually a fairly well adjusted, not too tormented being, I panicked. I don’t do well-adjusted characters. Dark and edgy are the two biggest components of character creation for me. Granted Xander can kick butt with the best of them, but she comes from a loving family, she’s confident in herself and her abilities, she’s unique and she just happens to be involved with a not-so-well-adjusted alpha male.

Slowly, bit-by-bit I started to carve out the plot, but it was like pulling teeth—without painkillers. I got halfway through, and felt like I just completed a 5K run in flip-flops. I sent out an SOS text to my partners in word slinging.

“Do I have to do it from her POV?” I whine.

Their responses are instantaneous: “Don’t be wimpy!” “Suck it up!” “YES!” and so on.

Resigned to my fate, I set Siri aside and continued on. Years and years later, I have a plot. HOORAY! Now to come up with the opening scene.

NOOOOO!!!

I reached into my emergency stash of chocolate and caffeine. I harbor a futile hope that this edible combination will save me from the bleak fate waiting on the other side of the screen.

I spent days lost in my head running through various scenarios. It got so bad I ended up walking around my house muttering constantly, hair sticking every which way, and wearing clothes that show why stripes and plaid should never go together. It’s horrible and my husband seriously considered contacting the local psych ward for help.

Finally, I dragged my weary, abused mind back to the computer. Six hours later, all I had to show for my efforts were seven measly pages. Tears of relief played havoc with my vision as I powered down the computer. That night I’m thrilled I’ve gotten something down, and even managed to go to sleep.

Then morning came, and with it, the realization that the scene would not work—not for the opening, and probably not in this book. My creativity threatened to implode. Now my inner critic pipes up. Maybe two books are all you have. You’re all written out. My creative well was empty.

I contemplated new hobbies such as…maybe….cooking, the kind that doesn’t involve a microwave, or rock collecting…a wisp of something drifted through my mind. It teased the edges of my consciousness with subtle pokes and prods, finally it snapped me out of my self indulgent whine-fest. That teasing temptation whispered, “What if…”, and suddenly I was tripping across the floors (it’s a super talent) and stumbling to my desk. Fingers raced across the keyboard and the most wonderful sight ever….WORDS started to spread across the white screen.

With six books under my belt, I have complete confidence I will face the challenge of the white screen again, rather soon actually. Any writer will warn you, this situation will pop up with frightening frequency…in the beginning of the story, in the middle of the story, at the end of the story. No matter how many times you manage to beat it back, it will endure, but so will you, because that’s what writers do. We endure and push through all those walls and blank screens so we can share the magic of our worlds and introduce readers to our wickedly cool peeps.

Pick up SHADOW’S EDGE for FREE for a limited time and dive into the shadows of the Kyn…

THE KYN KRONICLES (Urban Fantasy series w/Black Opal Books)

WRAPPED IN SHADOWS, Kyn Kronicles .5

(Things That Go Bump For The Holidays Anthology)

The magic of the holidays can be hell…

Celebrations abound during the holidays, but this Christmas an engagement celebration goes horrifically wrong. What appears to be a simple murder/suicide hides a vicious surprise. The type of gift Raine and Gavin, elite member of the Kyn, didn’t want humans to unwrap, because revealing the monsters in the shadows isn’t the way to spread holiday cheer.

SHADOW’S EDGE, Kyn Kronicles #1

Everyone fears what hunts in the shadows—especially the monsters…

When the supernatural lurks in the shadows of the mundane, hunting monsters requires unique skills, like those of Raine McCord. A series of deaths threatens to reveal the Kyn community and forces her to partner with the sexy Gavin Durand.

As the trail leads to the foundation haunting Raine’s childhood, she and Gavin must unravel lies and betrayals to discover not only each other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical community.

SHADOW’S SOUL, Kyn Kronicles #2

Some nightmares are born of love…

A simple assignment turns into a nightmare when Raine McCord follows Cheveyo to the Southwest on a consulting gig. When the most feared beings of the Kyn kidnaps Cheveyo and leaves Raine for dead, her ability to heal her mind and spirit hinges on the one man who can touch her soul, Gavin Durand.

Unraveling the Southwest Kyn’s web of secrets and hidden vendettas will either bring them together or tear them apart forever.

SHADOW’S MOON, Kyn Kronicles #3

Even wild hearts can be broken…

Tracker, Xander Cade, confronts an enraged Shifter in a crowded human nightclub, fraying the thin secrecy shielding the supernatural community from public scrutiny. Danger stalks the pack and she must protect her alpha and mate, Warrick Vidis, even if he doesn’t want it.

If they don’t find a way to trust each other and accept their rare bond they risk losing everything-their pack, their friends and each other.

SHADOW’S CURSE, Kyn Kronicles #4

Death and chaos can devastate even the best-laid plans…

After tragedy strikes the Northwest Kyn, leaving the houses in chaos and the Wraiths hungry for blood, the fallout threatens Natasha Bertoi’s carefully laid plans. When the Council sends Darius Abazi, the one man guaranteed to skew the odds, she faces her toughest opponent yet.

As death stalks the Northwest Kyn, can Natasha trust Darius, a man well versed in subterfuge, to uncover the truth before treachery destroys them all?

Coming Fall 2015:

A collection of Kyn shorts, including WRAPPED IN SHADOWS

BIO:

Jami Gray is the award winning, multi-published author of the Urban Fantasy series, The Kyn Kronicles, and the Paranormal Romantic Suspense series, PSY-IV Teams. She can be soothed with coffee and chocolate. Surrounded by Star Wars obsessed males and two female labs moonlighting as the Fur Minxes, she escapes by playing with the voices in her head.

You can find Jami at:

Black Opal Books: www.BlackOpalBooks.com

Muse It Up Publishing: http://museituppublishing.com

Website: www.JamiGray.com

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