Friday Finds: Stories By Cassandra Curtis

I love to read short stories and novellas and I know I'm not alone. Many of the .99¢ ebooks I pick up are shorts.  Several of my own books fall into that length and are only .99¢.

So today on Friday Finds, I'm highlighting my own free or under a dollar stories.

SHIMMER by Cassandra Curtis
ISBN: 9781452378664 | short story 7.8K


Can't beat FREE, and my short story Shimmer is exactly that, FREE.

Stuck at her sister's tropical wedding without a date, Dixie Ames decides to kick up sand at the reception and finds more than she bargained for, spotting a strange shimmering orb over the water. Rey knows better than to appear in front of humans, but something about Dixie attracts him like no other. Can a human and a Shimryn find love? He knows only the tides will tell.

Shimmer is a cross-over book, meaning that it bridges or crosses two different series and two different romance subgenre. It connects my Shifting Tides Series which is paranormal romance, with my Tales of The Shimryn Series which is SFR. It also ends on a bit of a cliff hanger. 

Readers will be happy to know that a sequel is coming—in fact—Sparkle: A Tale Of The Shimryn, is book one in my new Tales Of The Shimryn Series. The Tales of The Shimryn Series is SFR set partially on Earth and partially on the Shimryn home world. The hero and heroine of Sparkle are none other than Dixie and Rey! 
BUY AT SMASHWORDS



THE GHOST OF GOODACRE HALL
by Cassandra Curtis

ISBN: 9781452357003 | short story 6K


Matthew Lambert tried to run from his past, but when he decides to renovate an old house, he is forced to resurrect more than ghosts. 

Intrigued by the paranormal, Cadence Martin always loved Goodacre Hall. When she gets an invitation to attend the Victorian house's grand opening, she decides to see if the new owners are aware they just inherited the resident ghost, her great-aunt Miriam.


Goodacre Ghost (as I refer to it) was a flash fiction piece that expanded into a short story and was influenced by my love of the old movie and TV show The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Except in my story, the ghost is a lonely woman and the hero is a chef opening a bed and breakfast in the house where he used to hide as a boy. Miriam isn't the love interest, instead she plays matchmaker for her great great niece, Cadence.

While I have no intention of expanding on this story or making it into a series, I do plan to write another stand alone ghost story someday soon. BUY AT SMASHWORDS

THE DEAL BREAKER
By Cassandra Curtis

ISBN: 9781452374024 | short story 12K

Eccentric recluse Athena Thanos owns Archimedes Island, a tropical paradise she can never leave. Cursed by the Goddess Hera, the moon and tides control her prison. Corporate player Ryan Palmer is sent to negotiate a huge deal. But Ryan doesn’t know the hand he’s been dealt by fate or that he is the key to breaking the curse. Will he agree to Athena's demands once he understands the risks?

I always wanted to create a story wrapped in Greek Mythology that incorporated a monster of some kind, but never expected the twists and turns the story would take, dragging me along for the ride. THE DEAL BREAKER is more in keeping with an EYES WIDE SHUT feeling, so don't expect your typical happily ever after.  BUY AT SMASHWORDS
 

MUMMY DEAREST
by Cassandra Curtis

ISBN: 9781452391540 | short story 4.4K

Gwen Patterson expected an adventure when she signed up to work an archeological dig in Egypt, but she didn't expect to uncover a sinister plot involving a mummy and a mysterious golden scarab. Cursed to sleep for thousands of years, Kemnebi is awakened by Gwen's accidental blood sacrifice. Now freed, he must regain his power and defeat an old foe, or risk losing Gwen forever.

I've always had a fascination for everything ancient Egypt, going as far to tell my mother about the personal and daily habits of wealthy Egyptians pre-Cleopatra. At the time I was five, so you can imagine my mum's amazement when she verified my facts were correct. And yes, this was long before the entity named Google existed. LOL. I still love old mummy movies and books. I don't have plans to expand this story or write a sequel, but you never know. I said the same thing about Shimmer, and here I am rewriting and doing edits on Sparkle. LOL  BUY AT SMASHWORDS

STROKE IT
by Cassandra Curtis

ISBN: 9781452313771 | short story 3.5K

Exhausted after a coast to coast book tour, Laris needs serious R and R. The luxury resort along the Baja coast provides their guests with everything they could desire, including their own personal masseur. Former special ops agent Alejandro Maranta loves his job as an on-call masseur for the resort hotel. Using his unique gift for easing tension, he gives Laris a massage she'll never forget. 

Written initially as part of a October Paranormal Party challenge at the old Midnight Moon Cafe, Stroke It was one of the more fun experiments of mine. Take a guy who is buff, dangerous, and gorgeous and give him a 180 career shift. Now say the guy isn't all that human, has a few experimental genes in his pool, and you get an ex super soldier with something extra. I'm often told this is one of my hottest erotic romances, just be prepared for a wild twist. :D
BUY AT SMASHWORDS 

NAUGHTY LITTLE SECRETS
by Cassandra Curtis
(Book one in The Naughty South Series)
ISBN: 9781465850577 | novella 23.5K

Aspiring author Stacie Purcell writes her sexy fantasies in a ‘story binder’, but when she misplaces it, she risks exposure of all her naughty little secrets. Tyler Murchison finds her messenger bag in his repair shop and discovers the secrets inside. He offers Stacie a chance to experience all the incredible delights she writes about. But can a single night of wild sex lead to something more? 

A friend of mine suggested I write another contemporary story, so after a weekend of brainstorming, I decided to get back to basics, and that meant the romance had to come first. Which in turn triggered memories of first loves. What if your first crush was your only love? What if he left town and years passed, then he returned? And you discovered the crush never ended? I had a reader write and tell me that this was indeed the case for her, and she'd been happily married to her own 'Tyler' for over thirty years! Now that is staying power! 

The second book in my Naughty South Series is entitled Naughty By Nature and tells the story of what happens to that teasing little subplot in the first book, between Pam Purcell and Tim Riley. Also expect a cameo appearance by Big Rory.  I'm shooting for a summer 2013 release on the sequel, but lots of stuff going on so don't quote me on it.
BUY AT SMASHWORDS   BUY AT AMAZON
BUY AT BARNES AND NOBLE

And of course, my latest addition to my own little .99¢ ebook club...Compulsion!

COMPULSION
by Cassandra Curtis

ISBN: 9781301335596 | extended short story 17.5k

Lindsay Dannon has a dirty little secret. While she hides behind her plain and proper image at work, a wanton woman with a rich fantasy life lurks beneath the surface. The thrill of sex in public places, and the risk of exposure, is a compulsive itch she knows only one man can scratch—her boss, Jack Randolph.

The company’s “no tolerance” policy on interoffice dating is the only thing stopping her. Good thing Jack created the rules, because he’s determined to make all of Lindsay’s sexual fantasies come true…

Compulsion is a stand alone story, and although I played with the idea of spinning off a sequel, I didn't feel there was much more to tell. It is what it is, a tale of a woman who wants a man so bad, she can't concentrate, and fills her world with sexual fantasies of them together, only to find that her fantasies pale when compared to the real thing.  BUY AT SMASHWORDS     BUY AT AMAZON
BUY AT BARNES AND NOBLE
 

Underwater Pyramids and The Shimryn Connection

From what I understand, sometime last year two underwater "glass-like" pyramids were found in the Bermuda Triangle and identified with sonar, over 2,000 meters deep, resting on the ocean floor. This is according to a Dr. Verlag Meyer, who is supposedly an oceanographer. The pyramid is also said to be smooth and partially translucent.

Which makes the skeptic observer in me ask why such an amazing find is getting little air time on TV or from credible news sources? You'd think a true archeological find like this would be on every mainstream media outlet. Then again, the Bermuda Triangle cannot compare to the social significance of Kardashian mania or Honey Boo Boo [insert sarcasm]. Even so, you'd think it would get more than a very minor mention on MSNBC's weird news segment.

Also, with both American and French scientists supposedly conducting surveys of the Bermuda Triangle's seabed, you'd think there would be at least a few French news outlets covering the story, given that one of the greatest explorers our world has known, was Jacques Cousteau. But the story didn't surface, except on internet.

My German is about as non-existent as my Spanish, so I did some digging and Verlag is the German word for publisher, but the only legitimate reference I could find to Verlag Meyer is a German publisher of sports-related books and training manuals. The closest I could find to anything Bermuda Triangle related (both involve water, lol) on their website was a book entitled, How To Be A Surfer. http://www.m-m-sports.com/shop/en/how-to-be-a-surfer-4916.html.

Yeah, something tells me this whole glass pyramids of the Bermuda Triangle may all be fiction. See, I know a little about fiction, since I write it. Without tangible facts that can be checked and cross-checked, then verified, the "pyramid" crumbles faster than a sugar cookie hit with a hammer.

[Watch National Geographic's Bermuda Triangle documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALF-4ubvhzQ]

All we really know is something about the area has caused ships and planes to disappear, instrumentation panels to go bonkers, and freak storms to pop up with little warning. Whether these incidences are due to unusual but perfectly natural phenomena or something more akin to science fiction, is something you have to decide for yourselves.

Which of course, didn't stop me from adding my own fictional spin to the Bermuda Triangle. The back story for both my Shifting Tides series and my upcoming Tales of The Shimryn series is centered at the centuries old mystery. In Shifting Tides, merfolk and other aquatic shapeshifters go undetected by humans for the most part, living their lives both underwater and on land. Their ability to shapeshift is based on myth and magic, but also rooted in their DNA.

The Tales of The Shimryn series blends both mythology and science fiction, giving readers a plausible (fictional) explanation for the disturbances in the Bermuda Triangle, as well as the Devil's Triangle. The Shimryn are explorers and scientists who long ago set up an outpost on Earth, but lost contact with the colony several millennia ago. That colony was, of course, Atlantis. The mystery of what happened to Atlantis had captured their peoples imagination as well. It was decided by the Shimryn Stellari (science council)  that a second Shimryn team would be sent to investigate, but they too, disappeared. Between wars and politics, it was quite some time before a third team was sent, and what that team discovered was a world unlike any they'd known, over 3/4ths of the planet covered with liquid. Using the Shimryn understanding of intelligence, the only sentient beings they discovered lived under this strange substance called water, so they created their new outpost very near the site where the original had been. And yes, it was on the ocean floor of the Bermuda Triangle.

Since the Tales Of The Shimryn is a crossover series with Shifting Tides, readers can expect to see a mermaid or two swim their way into a couple of the stories, but there will be more emphasis on SFR than PNR. Book one in the series is Sparkle, which continues the prequel short story, Shimmer.

Memorial Day

glitter-graphics.com

Those who have fought to protect us may be gone, 

but they are not forgotten. 

Ya'll have a good Memorial Day with family and friends. ((hugs))

Friday Finds: The Serendipity of Karma (13 Shades of Red) by S.A. Price

If you enjoy New Adult romances with a little edge, you'll love The Serendipity of Karma by S.A. Price.

CJM is the biggest music event in NYC, and Will it! Records has a showcase of their insanely awesome talent, headlined by Thirteen Shades of Red. Saffron, excited and proud of the band she manages, hits a road block with the festival and showcase—Her ex, the man that ripped out her heart and stomped on it—will be playing the showcase as a hopeful to get signed to Will it! Records.

Seeing Sonny Jace again isn’t high on her need to do list, and she knows that it will open a whole heap load of problems for her, especially because she is well over him, and enamored of Rhys, the rock star that stole her heart. But confronting her past means so many things, and will open new doors for her, the band and the relationship she has with Rhys. If they can make it through the showcase without incident.

This is a 12k word story, set AFTER the events of GIVING UP THE GHOST. For those that wondered about Saffron’s old relationship, and who want to see how Saff and Rhys and the band are fairing now.

BUY AT AMAZON

About the author:

Bi-continental, Stella and Audra break all misconceptions about siblings. Writing as a team they have produced well over eighteen novels as well as several novellas and short stories. And nary an argument has come from it.

On their off time from writing, Audra is a makeup artist and Stella is a graphic artist and web designer, as well as the director for the Authors After Dark convention. They both love animals and have several including several snakes and a peacock.

Audra lives in Scotland with her husband and children, while Stella Lives in South Carolina with her dogs Moo and Poe and her husband.

Visit their website at:
http://www.stellaandaudra.com/

Lunch with Rump Dimples

Yesterday I decided to indulge both of my cravings and dropped by Panera Bread for lunch and a cookie. Right now they have that deal where if you buy a sandwich or soup and sandwich, you get a cookie for only .99 cents extra. Since they're usually $1.99 or more for a single cookie, I always try to take advantage of the bargain, well, if my sugar is within low to normal range. It was on the cusp of high normal, but I did it anyway. So spank me. It was very yummy. I also enjoyed the broccoli and cheese soup, which satisfied my inner cheese freak.

After lunch, I went to the first of two doctor appointments and got some good news and some so-so news. The good news is they probably won't do any surgery on my nose after all. The so-so/bad news is it's because the nerve damage sustained in my fall (broke my nose in three spots) cannot be repaired with surgery. The nose amazingly realigned rather close without ever being set, and even though my septum is now deviated, it's not a bad enough deviation for surgery according to my nose specialist. The nerve damage may lessen in time, but some residual damage will always be there. So I guess stabbing pinpricks of pain in my forehead and numbness in my nose and cheeks are now the new norm. Lovely.

The nasty scars won't be getting plastic surgery courtesy of the nose surgery now, since I guess doc thinks I don't need the nose surgery. ::le sigh::  Bride of Frankenstein lives it would seem, and she is me. Oh well. At least it's not like I was ever drop dead gorgeous. lol

The funky smells I've been sniffing are a result of the damage to the nose and nerves as well, and will likely go away in time. So looks like I just didn't give it long enough. However, if I'm still sniffing fresh laundry but smelling wet dog or worse after giving it another eight months, I'm gonna be soo pissed. My other appointment was basically about the migraines and again, I'll have to give it more time. I have a hard head, but I managed to knock it into next year when I fell, so it's going to take more time to heal.  ::sigh::

After I got home, I checked emails and had one from a reader who said how she liked the way I use made up phrases and words in my stories. She especially liked my use of rump dimples and swarmytude. lol

Alas, I cannot claim rump dimples as my own. I borrowed the term from a friend who used it and I nearly choked on my coffee when she said it. The other word was something I made up, yes, but I doubt I was the first woman to meet a sleazy dude and think, "Omg, this guy is total swarmytude."

Moving along, I am keeping busy editing and doing rewrites of scenes in two upcoming ebooks, Naughty By Nature, book two in my Naughty South series (sequel to Naughty Little Secrets) and Sparkle: A Tale Of The Shimryn (sequel to my short story Shimmer).

Also, I plan to re-release several of my backlist books with new covers and expanded story material this year, so watch for more news about these ebooks, here on my blog.

And finally, my website is getting a makeover, so if some of the links don't work anymore, never fear, it's just growing pains and everything will be fixed soon as we can get it all up and running.

Hope your day is going well and your weekend plans are hawt. ;-)

Winner of My Compulsion Book Launch Contest is...

::Drumroll Please::

Gail S.

Congratulations, Gail. 

Please contact me at
cass @ cassandra curtis [dot] com (no spaces) 

with your snail mail information for mailing out your prizes.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the blog, read my excerpt, entered the contest, and helped me celebrate the release of my latest ebook.

I strive to make my prize winners happy, however, as with all my contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize. Prizes must be claimed within 30 days of contest winning announcement. If not claimed within 30 days, the prize will either be added to another contest, or a second chance drawing at my discretion. Not responsible for lost/stolen mail. 

Compulsion Book Launch Party!

Release day is finally here!

Compulsion
by Cassandra Curtis

ISBN: 9781301335596

Lindsay Dannon has a dirty little secret. While she hides behind her plain and proper image at work, a wanton woman with a rich fantasy life lurks beneath the surface. The thrill of sex in public places, and the risk of exposure, is a compulsive itch she knows only one man can scratch—her boss, Jack Randolph.

The company’s “no tolerance” policy on interoffice dating is the only thing stopping her. Good thing Jack created the rules, because he’s determined to make all of Lindsay’s sexual fantasies come true…

Warning: Wanton woman, sexy CEO, hot bondage in a glass elevator, and plenty of room on the conference table. ;)


Excerpt from Compulsion by Cassandra Curtis

*Warning: Not office safe, reader discretion is advised. For mature (18+) audiences only!*

December 23rd, the holiday office party...

Lindsay Dannon knew trouble. It followed her like a bloodhound, scenting the air at any hint of romance, even a day dreamy type of affair that only existed in her mind.

She admired the object of her desire from across the crowded room. The man was too handsome for her peace of mind. No—don’t look at him. You’ll only make yourself crazy. Lindsay slid her last drink ticket at the man behind the cash bar, hoping another glass of liquid courage would ease the tight knot in her stomach.

Life was full of regrets. Did she really want this moment to become a missed chance she’d look back on when she was fifty? Lindsay downed the alcohol in one long, burning swallow. Tears watered her eyes as she coughed. Served her right for ordering whiskey neat instead of eggnog. She tucked a length of her pale blond hair behind her ear. Now or never, Linds. You can do this.

She watched as Jack Randolph, surrounded by his executive team, excused himself, a drink in one hand, cell phone to his ear as he exited the party. Heat blossomed in her midsection and spread throughout her body courtesy of both Jacks. Now that she’d finally worked up her nerve to approach the man of her dreams, he’d left.

Lindsay followed him down the hallway, telling herself she wasn’t a stalker. So she was a little fixated on the boss. It didn’t mean she planned to follow him home and camp out under his window. At least not tonight, she thought with a smile.

Dead end. Now what? Where did he go? Maybe it was best she hadn’t found him. How would she explain her ill-conceived actions? Lindsay supposed she could blame it on the over-the-counter cold meds she’d taken that morning, then the two drinks at the party.  But that didn’t explain this odd compulsion she had to touch Jack Randolph. That started the first day they met.

Distant male voices grew louder and as they came closer, Lindsay recognized Edward Edmonds, the company’s Vice President of Human Resources, talking with another man she didn’t know. She ducked into one of the small conference rooms, peering from behind the partially closed door, and watched as they continued down the hallway. Now there goes a man I have no desire to touch.

Edmonds had been the one to hire her, saying how the company liked stealing good employees from their competition. She’d pasted on a smile, inwardly cringing at his over the top swarmytude. She knew she wasn’t being fair. He’d always been professional and polite to her, but the man gave off a weird vibe, setting her creep-o-meter radar on alert. At least now he was out of sight and hadn’t seen her.

“That was close,” Lindsay muttered under her breath.

“Ms. Dannon.”

Lindsay jumped, startled by the deep male voice behind her. Her body turned sideways into a wall of muscled perfection, while her elbow’s trajectory aimed straight for the hand still holding a whisky on the rocks. Time slowed as she observed Jack’s half-full glass upend on his pale yellow sweater. Noooooo!

Panicked and mortified, she swiped at the brown stain marring the cashmere, making matters worse. The blotch now resembled a Rorschach test. “I’ll pay for the dry cleaning. I’m so sorry, Mr. Randolph.”

“It’s okay, Ms. Dannon. Don’t worry about it.”

Her fingertips brushed against the wet sweater and by accident, rubbed a stiff male nipple. She knew she should stop immediately, but some demon imp prodded her to keep caressing the tight point. He took her hand in his and pulled it away from the sweater and her tempting target.

“Trust me it’ll be fine,” he paused as he stared down at her. “My assistant Tegan said he brought you to work this morning.”

“Yes, my car’s in the shop.”

“He just called and asked if I would be willing to take you home after the party... unless you’ve made other arrangements?”

“No! I mean, no, I would appreciate the ride.” Stop staring at his chest!

“Good. Be ready to leave in ten minutes. Now, if you’ll excuse me...”

Lindsay took a deep, calming breath as he walked back to the party. Seriously, did she just flick her boss’ nipple? OMG! What was wrong with her? She’d wanted to pull the sweater over his head and lave the male nub with her tongue. She groaned at the mental image.

The man was founder and CEO of Randolph Systems, a guy known for being ruthless, arrogant, and tough. Not a touchy-feely type. Yet he’d offered to help an employee home. The man had hidden depths, and more than anything, she wanted to be the one to explore them.

After freshening up in the women’s restroom, she returned to the party room and retrieved her coat. She spotted Jack putting on his driving gloves. He caught her glance, nodded to her, and then guided her through the lobby to the small parking lot opposite the front entrance.

The blustery winter wind howled, while the snow already on the ground swirled in the air. Lindsay pulled the coat’s hood over her head and shivered. After a year of living in Colorado, she still wasn’t used to the freezing cold or the crazy snowfall. The black leather trench coat Jack wore seemed too thin to protect against the elements. At least he’d wrapped a scarf around his neck.

Snowflakes stuck to his black hair like tiny stars glistening under the overhead parking lights. She had a mad impulse to brush the snow away and kiss the fine silver at each temple. Her heart skipped at the tender notion. He stood with the passenger door open, waiting for her. An old-fashioned gesture, but one she liked. Jack Randolph might be rough around the edges, but he had manners.

The drive to her apartment was silent, but she could sense the sexual tension and knew it couldn’t be all one-sided.

“Thank you for the ride home,” she whispered, leaning toward him, debating if she should act cool, or give in and let him know how much she wanted him.

Between the alcohol fogging her brain and her hormones reminding her she hadn’t been with anyone in over two years, Lindsay decided now was her best chance to make one of her fantasies a reality. Right there. So she took the chance and caressed his cheek, planting a passionate kiss on his lips. Nudging until she gained entrance, her tongue slid beneath his as he finally kissed her back.

Lindsay stroked the muscled thigh of his leg through the fabric of his dress slacks. Inching her hand closer to the prize until her fingers traced the contour of his hard, long cock, she tugged at the straining zipper. It was heaven and hell. Heaven because she’d tasted his lips and it was everything she’d imagined, and hell because after two minutes of bliss and heat, he pushed her away.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me. It won’t happen again. I promise,” Jack apologized, appearing almost as embarrassed as she was that moment. Why, oh why had she taken the chance? She should have known better. A man like Jack Randolph wouldn’t be interested in her.

The small hurt at his words made her chest ache. I was what came over you. I want you and you sure seemed to want me! Lindsay wished she could say the words.

“I think it would be best if we just forgot this ever happened.” Jack gripped the steering wheel, his expression wooden. He might forget this night, but she never would.

There are two parties going on simultaneously and you'll want to check them both out!


I'm at www.smutketeers.com celebrating with R.G. Alexander and Eden Bradley, playing Truth or Dare and giving away 2 copies of Naughty Little Secrets, book one in my Naughty South series. My Smutketeers contest ends midnight, Friday, May 17, 2013.

Plus — if you mention my book release (and provide the links where readers can go to my book to read more or purchase) on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media, and come back here to leave a comment on my blog (let me know where you mentioned my new book, Compulsion), you'll be entered in a prize drawing (the more places you mention my book, the more entries you'll receive).

One lucky winner will be drawn at random from all entries here at When Midnight Comes, and will receive the following prizes:

A $10 GIFT CARD for PANERA BREAD
A $15 GIFT CARD for AMAZON.COM
A GOODIE BAG (magnet, pen, nail file)

Contest ends midnight Monday, May 20, 2013 and winner will be announced Tuesday, May 21, 2013.

Note to my fans in SL—Tonight  Story Hour reader Becca Draele will be in Second Life, reading excerpts from my newest erotic romance Compulsion, 7pm SLT (Pacific time), 10pm (Eastern). Click the link below to teleport to the event. Remember to bring your headphones because storytelling is in voice.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Romany/222/161/21

BUY COMPULSION ON SMASHWORDS
BUY COMPULSION ON AMAZON
BUY COMPULSION ON B&N (coming soon)

Must be 18+ to enter. No purchase necessary. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law. I strive to make my prize winners happy, however, as with all my contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize. Prizes must be claimed within 30 days of contest winning announcement. If not claimed within 30 days, the prize will either be added to another contest, or a second chance drawing at my discretion. Not responsible for lost/stolen mail. 

Waiting Not So Patiently For An Upcoming Book

Are there any books in a series that you've been waiting forever to read? Cue *SQUEE fan girl* moment here, as I share some exciting info about a couple of series books  and sequels I've been waiting forever to read. Okay it only seems like forever because I have mad love for the authors and their writing.

First up is the fifth book in Elizabeth Bear's Promethean series, One-Eyed Jack and The Suicide King. The release date is November 6, 2013, been waiting on this and happy 2013 is finally here. Only six months left to go, wooyah!

Published by Prime Books, One-Eyed Jack and The Suicide King can also be read as a stand alone book.

Don't ya'll just love that cover? So cool!

About the book:

The One-Eyed Jack and the Suicide King personifies the city of Las Vegas - its history, mystery, mystical power, and heart! When the Suicide King vanishes - possibly killed - in the middle of a magic-rights turf war started by the avatars of Los Angeles, a notorious fictional assassin, and the mutilated ghost of Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel - his partner, the One-Eyed Jack, must seek the aid of a bizarre band of legendary and undead allies: the ghosts of Doc Holliday and John Henry the steel-driving man; the echoes of several imaginary super spies, decades displaced in time; and a vampire named Tribute, who bears a striking resemblance to a certain long-lost icon of popular music.

Other books in this series include:

Blood and Iron (June 2006, ROC)
Whiskey and Water (July 2007, ROC)
The Stratford Man: Volume I: Ink and Steel (July 2008, ROC); Volume II: Hell and Earth (August 2008, ROC)


Another book on my Please Can I Have Another list is author Kristen Painter's next book in her acclaimed House of Comarré series, Last Blood.  Also the fifth book in her series.

#5 – LAST BLOOD
Gothic Urban Fantasy
Release date: July 2013

 About the book:
Retribution is a gift…

In the final showdown between the forces of dark and light, Mal and Chrysabelle face not only Tatiana, but the ancient evil that now controls her: the Castus Sanguis. Chrysabelle gathers her friends and family around her, forming a plan to bring an end to the chaos surrounding them. But the Castus is the most powerful being they’ve ever come up against. Defeating such evil will require a great sacrifice from someone on the side of light.

One of them will change sides. One of them will die. No one will survive unscathed. Can Chrysabelle save those she cares about or will that love get her killed? What price is she willing to pay to draw last blood?

Other books in this series include:

Blood Rights (October 2011/Orbit)
Flesh And Blood (November 2011/Orbit)
Bad Blood (December 2011/Orbit)
Out For Blood (October 2012/Orbit)

I do have some good news for anxious HOC fans, Kristen's novella prequel will be out tomorrow, May 15th!  Sweet! Check it out:

Set in the world of the House of Comarré, Kristen Painter gives us a new novella about the price of freedom.

Maris’s life as a comarré has come down to three options: escape her patron and spend the rest of her days looking over her shoulder, fight him for her freedom with the understanding it could mean her death or undergo dangerous experimentation to transform her blood into something even more powerful.

Before she can make a decision, she discovers the vampire who’s been charged with sunproofing her blood isn’t so fond of her patron either. In fact, Dominic is unlike any vampire she’s ever met, but is she desperate enough to put her trust in another noble? Her heart says yes…

BUY NOW: Amazon | B & N

Mother's Day

Wishing all the mom's out there a fun day with their families, whether it's having breakfast in bed, or going out to a movie, or simply relaxing on the sofa and reading a good book. It's your day, so enjoy it.

To all the kids out there, most of us only get one mum in a lifetime, so cherish her well and make sure she knows how much you love her. Give her a hug and tell her how much she means to you. Yeah, it sounds sappy as heck, but one day you'll thank me for the reminder.

In love and light,
Cass

Friday Finds: eBooks For Under A Dollar - Shifter Made by Jennifer Ashley

I'm amazed at how many great ebooks are out there for only .99¢ so I decided to feature one every Friday. Whether it's a sizzling erotic romance novella, a romantic comedy, or a mystery, you'll get to discover new authors and reignite your passion for reading.


Today's Friday Find is:
                                     Shifter Made by Jennifer Ashley

Alanna, sister to a Fae prince, is sent on a thankless mission--to return to medieval Ireland and coerce a Shifter to craft an incredible sword. Niall O’Connell, master sword maker of the old Kingdom of Ciarraí, hates Fae, resenting the time when Shifters were little better than Fae slaves. But Alanna's heartbreaking story and her beauty are difficult to resist. Together, she and Niall forge a sword that changes Shifter history, at the same time forging an unbreakable bond between themselves.

This novella is prequel to the Shifters Unbound series, a standalone story that tells how the Sword of the Guardian came to be.

This is a 10,000 word novella. It also appears in print in the Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Running Press, 2010).

Available at the following e-book retailers:

Barnes & Noble NOOK

Amazon.com KINDLE

Spring Fling Derbyliciousness Winner is...

The winner of my Spring Fling Derbyliciousness contest is... *drumrollplease*

Jennifer Leeland!

Congrats, Jennifer! 

Please contact me with your snail mail so I can ship your prizes asap.