Clarissa Johal: August 2015

Monday, August 31, 2015

Spotlight - The Sky Drifter by Paris Singer #newrelease #Booktrope #scifi



Title: The Sky Drifter
Author: Paris Singer
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Booktrope
Release Date: August 8th

Blurb:


Wandering in the vastness of space, is the Sky Drifter; an academy reserved for the best students in the known universe. Seven is just such a student;gifted in strategy and Sphere, he lives happily on-board with his friends Iris and Pi; taking on his rival, visiting planets for exploration and competition. Everything is the way he likes it, until he sees a mysterious girl in a red coat, who will reveal to him a secret that will bring everything he thought he knew crashing down around him.







About The Author:

Paris Singer was born in Brussels, Belgium. He has lived in the U.K. and in various places in Spain, where he currently resides.

At university, he studied English law and Spanish law. He didn't like it. He then studied translation and didn't like it, either. Currently, he is an English teacher in the south of Spain.

He has far too many interests, he's told. A few are basketball, tennis, swimming, playing his old guitar, learning Japanese, painting, reading, cooking...(See? Too many).

Not a day goes by, however, where he doesn't write something, be it under a palm tree or on a bench at a bus stop somewhere.



_______________________________


Wednesday, August 26, 2015

National Dog Day


#NationalDogDay
The cat is not impressed

Paranormal Wednesday - #amwriting #paranormal #gothichorror

This past month, I've been taking a break from blogging. With my last two book releases so close to one another (VOICES on May 19th and THE ISLAND on August 5th), I've been working hard at promoting them! 
But, it's time to get back to what I love most--writing. I started POPPY at the beginning of this year, and plan to be finished by December 2015. It's coming along nicely. 
Here's a taste of POPPY, my next paranormal-gothic horror.


A red-headed, pink-loving mortician who speaks to the dead.
A socially awkward funeral director.

Poppy and Dante from Struck are back.

Something is lingering around Skyview Funeral Home--and it's stealing souls of the departed. With Dante in tow, Poppy is determined to put a stop to it. Will she be able to protect those who are trying to cross over? Or will her soul be next?

National Dog Day


#amwriting #paranormal #gothichorror
But when the dog wants a walk, he gets it 
#NationalDogDay


Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Blog Tour Spotlight - Tantalizing Tidbits: 21 Short Stories to Make You Sigh, Shiver or Blush (Multiple Authors) #shortstories #multiplegenre


Tantalizing Tidbits
Ceci Giltenan, Tarah Scott, Sue-Ellen Welfonder, Victoria Barbour, Natasha Blackthorne, Ria Cantrell, Stephanie Joyce Cole, Kimberly K. Comeau, Kathryn Lynn Davis, Ted Grosch, Brenda Margriet, Mary McCall, Kate Robbins, John Robin, HD Smith, KyAnn Waters, and Victoria Zak

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary, Literary, Fantasy, Time Travel, Historical, Women’s Fiction, Highland Romance, Humor, Erotica

Publisher: Cridhe Works LLC
Date of Publication:  July 17, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-9909513-2-2
ASIN: B011YLKTWM
Number of pages: 411
Word Count: 163,205
Cover Artist: Zak James Design

Book Description:

A collection of short stories written by bestselling authors, representing an eclectic mix of styles and genres. In a word, this book is a smorgasbord; an opportunity to try a bit of everything.

In the spirit of the smorgasbord, the collection is presented as a menu and authors have shared recipes which accompany each story—some fitting, some funny, some simply old favorites.

Ranging from ultra-short but spine tingling, to meatier tales that are nearly novellas there is a little something for every appetite including comedy, tragedy, fantasy, werewolves, at least one ghost, life, death, and of course love.

Dig in. We hope you find at least one tidbit you enjoy.

Available at Amazon

Appetizers

Savory fare for smaller appetites - short stories from a wide range of styles and genres.

The Motorcycle
by Tarah Scott
Paranormal fiction
3074 words

No man can ever fully master memory. But maybe, just maybe, he can learn to live with it. Even be glad for it. Even if that means reaching across space, time...and the grave.

Ida and the Nor’easter
Contemporary fiction
8014 words

Is there such a thing as a curse? With a storm looming on the horizon, 98-year-old Ida Walsh fears a repeat of the terrible events of her childhood. Will her indomitable wit and resilience be enough to save the day?

Gardens
Literary fiction
4225 words

Anne begins to question the rigid limitations of her new marriage as she spies on a mysterious neighbor.

One Who Waits
Epic Fantasy
6538 words
Contains moderate violence

Al'a will die at his father's hands, unless he can master a forbidden magic.
Al'a Solaris, born into the Sun Priesthood, only wanted to prove his worth to his father when he delved into forbidden magic. Now, he must die at his father's hands, to restore honor to his bloodline. But the blade his father wields is also his final hope -- if only Al’a can discover its secret and master the fire within.

The Hole
Literary fiction

Just exactly why is Bernie digging that hole?

The Spirit Bottle
Literary fiction

A bushman's duty is his legacy for the tribe.

The Summons
Paranormal romance
5477 words

Contains mildly explicit sexual scenes

A magical journey where love knows no boundaries, the Summons combines romantic and ethereal love in a mystical setting.


Main Courses

Hearty fare to satisfy larger literary appetites.

The Seventh Sister
Paranormal romance
12,439 words

A story of love, legend, and magic
Down-on-her-luck American artist Maggie Gleason returns to Ireland, hoping to put old hurts behind her. Instead, revisiting the fishing village that enchanted her twelve years before only reopens wounds – until the unexpected appearance of roguish pub owner Conall Flanagan proves that the Ancient Isle is a magical place where anything can happen and true love always stands the test of time.

Falling in Time
by Sue-Ellen Welfonder
Time travel romance
11,090 words

When love calls across the ages…

Aspiring writer Lindy Lovejoy knows all about happy endings. But when she travels to Scotland to research Celtic myth and lore, she never expected a chance to live her own storybook romance, until a stop at mystical Smoo Cave whisks her back in time and into the arms of Rogan MacGraith, a Highland hero who’d burn up the pages of the steamiest Scottish romance novel.

Clouds Across the Moon
Historical Women’s Fiction
17,151 words

In the 19th century Scottish Highlands, young Morna struggles with new motherhood, her child’s illness, and her inability to compete with her husband's idealized vision of her. Will she have faith in the magic of her dreams, and thus find the strength to save her child’s life--and her own--as she begins to recognize the truth and depth of the woman she really is?”

The Lady’s Portrait
Contemporary Romance
17,332 words

Contains mild to moderate sexually explicit scenes

When Gillian Beaton meets the captivating Ciaran MacLeod, she’s immediately attracted, but is she ready to trust again? Have her demons followed her to Scotland and can new love grow out of old heartbreak?

His Harlot
Historical Erotic Romance
23,018 words

*Contains extremely explicit sexual scenes that some readers may find offensive*

Late one night, in the midst of a summer’s hot spell, Thomas spies Rosalind in the woods, clad only in her shift, dancing in the moonlight. It’s really more than a man celibate for three years can bear. Thomas is in danger of falling into a sin so powerful it threatens to challenge everything he thinks he knows about himself and life…

Sneak Peek at Highland Legacy: King Arthur Strikes Back
Medieval Highland Romance
12,494 words

Michael wed Christina when he was nine and she was three, then promptly went about his life and tried to forget about her. Now the pair must unite to thwart the Beast, return the Power of God that was stolen by their ancestors, and save the world in an epic battle between the forces of good and evil.
*Please note, this is NOT a short story, it is an extended preview of Mary’s next novel, book III in her Sisters by Choice series due for release soon. It is a taste of things to come and while it does not end on a cliff-hanger, it is not a complete story.*


Desserts

Looking for something lighter or perhaps a happy ending? The stories in this section won’t disappoint you. They are shorter and mostly romantic, or funny, or both.

Onyx
Paranormal fiction
7099 words

Contains mild violence and a frustrating lack of S’mores

For those that like it short and sweet

Madison Monroe thinks she has everything in life figured out, until one ill-fated camping trip has her running for her life through the woods being chased by two wolves—both eager to claim her.

The Life She Had Before
Contemporary Romance
5429 words

A woman is torn between bitter revenge and the sweetness of a second chance.

Hi. My Name is Harold
Humor
3778 words

Is there light at the bottom of an empty peanut butter jar?

For Harold, giving up peanuts for medical reasons means the end of life's greatest pleasure…until his wife introduces him to all-natural peanut butter. But his addictive personality isn't satisfied with an occasional indulgence.

The Jewel of Grim Fortress
Paranormal historical romance
7105 words

Eradicating wayward supernaturals has its consequences.
The hereafter may be closer than Carson Kincaid thinks when he is charged to discover what ails Laird Maclean’s mind. Can Kincaid conquer his inner demons while battling the armies of evil?
Paisley Shaw, a powerful druid, has endured her share of hardened times starting the moment Laird Maclean stormed into her life. Now, she must find a way to stop him from taking her powers before it’s too late.

Beautiful Storm,
Erotic romance
7073 words
                                                                                                
*Contains extremely explicit sexual scenes that some readers may find offensive*

Adrian Beck lost everything, including his passion for designing beautiful buildings, after 9/11.
Isabelle Clemet, of Clemet Hotels, is ready to rebuild after Katrina. She wants the Adrian.
Can an erotic late-night encounter on a secluded beach help a lonely architect rediscover his lost passion?

When a Rose Blooms,
Historical romance
4353 words

On the anniversary eve of his wife's death, Nathaniel kneels at her grave asking questions he fears were answered the night she died. Despite cold solitude, desire flares when he learns the woman who now haunts his dreams awaits him in the great hall. By morning’s light, she will meet him on the battlefield he has built around himself, and force him to choose between the living and the dead

Sorry for Your Trouble
Vignette
1913 words

Ceci shares poignant but sometimes funny memories of the first funeral she attended in Ireland.

The Personal Ad
Contemporary sweet romance
4211 words

Always the best friend and never the leading lady, will Nina find love when she answers a quirky, sweet personal ad?






Monday, August 24, 2015

Guest Author & Blog Tour - The Maurin Kincaide Series by Rachel Rawlings #paranormal #urbanfantasy


Please welcome guest author, Rachel Rawlings

Thanks for having me on the blog today! I’m excited to be here. I went back and forth on what to talk about and finally decided to WIP it! I’m really excited about my current work in progress. It’s new characters in a new world, set in practically in my own back yard Baltimore City. I thought this would be a great opportunity to introduce people to Jax and see what they think of her. But don’t tell first heroine Maurin Kincaide because as tough as I think I am if she sends her crew after me I’m in trouble!

I swapped out the plain black shirt I'd worn to volunteer at the shelter for a cut off white tee with a spray painted red anarchy symbol on it. One of my favorites, the shirt was short enough to show a little stomach and cut low enough to flash just the right amount of cleavage. My tips improved significantly whenever I wore it. This proved to be no exception.

The place was packed to capacity. Wall to wall people, everyone drinking and having a good time. Completely clueless to the demons roaming the streets, just waiting to torment them and snack on their souls. I envied their ignorance. I wished like hell I didn't know the things I did.

One of the regulars shouted his order for two shots of Fireball over the pounding music and roar of the crowd. I mindlessly filled the glasses and slid them across the bar top, surprised when one made its way back to me. The guy raised his shot glass, waiting for me to lift mine. I clinked my glass against his and slammed the liquor, savoring the cinnamon taste and slow burn. We both slammed the shot glasses upside down on the bar and he disappeared back into the crowd.

I'd made it a rule not to drink more than two shots a night. Something I had to remind myself of more than once during my shift. Thoughts of demons continued to creep into my mind the rest of the night, souring my mood. Thankfully none of the customers noticed or my tips would have suffered.

I made it through my shift. Exhausted and ready to crash I grabbed my stuff from the employee lockers in the backroom. I also grabbed a bottle of Kettle One and dropped some cash on my manager's desk. With a nod he added the money to the drawer he was counting down and I headed home.

I made it a block before the first demon crawled out of an alleyway on my right. The smell of sulfur hit me and I knew it was a lesser demon. The stronger demons smelled of burnt wick, like when you snuff out a candle. I figured that out a couple years ago. Useful information. It helped to know when to fight and when to run. I'd been running more than I'd used to but I could easily send this one back to hell.

I started to speak the words I'd used a dozen or so times to banish demons when I realized there was more than one. I shivered from the intense chill running down my spine. Outnumbered I decided to haul ass. Better to tuck tail and run, and live to fight another day than be ripped to shreds by a pack of lesser demons. I picked up the pace, practically race walking. Until I ran into Lazarus.

By far the most powerful demon I'd come across, Lazarus smelled like ashes, like everything laid waste to the fires of hell. Being able to smell them was just one more perk of my deal with the devil. The ability to sense them grew stronger every day. I took it as a reminder that I was one day closer to joining their ranks and paying my debt to the Lord of the Damned.

He pressed forward, pushing me back toward the alley. "I owe you one, you little bitch." Lazarus struck, back handing me across the mouth before I could back away.

I stumbled back from the blow, running the back of my hand across my mouth to wipe away the blood from my split lip. I'd made a mistake. Again - at least I was consistent. I'd gotten too comfortable with the absence of the demon and let my guard down. I hadn't even been looking for demons when I walked out of the bar. I smelled them before I felt them and that meant I'd let them get too close.

Lazarus came at me again. His hand clamped around my throat, blocking my air flow. I clawed at his fingers, tried to pry them from my neck as little black dots danced along the corners of my vision. I never should have hit him. Content to mentally torment me and haunt my everything step, this was the first time he'd ever touched me and I'd brought it on myself. I knew if I died I'd go to hell. There'd been no calls from the heavenly host, no angelic herald visiting me to say all was forgiven. If Lazarus killed me, it was a one way ticket to eternity in the fiery pits. My survival instincts kicked in to high gear. I wasn't ready to die and I certainly wasn't ready to give myself up to the devil.

I reached into my bag, fumbling around until I got a hold of the neck of the vodka bottle. I yanked it out and cracked it over the head of the demon. The bottle bounced off his head without any of the satisfying shattering glass I'd come to expect from the movies but he did drop me. After gulping in air, I smashed the bottle against the wall and slashed out with the jagged neck. I missed, taking a sharp jab to the ribs in the process. Doubled over, but still holding the broken glass, I tried for another strike, managing to slice Lazarus's thigh. He hissed from the pain but didn't back down. He had me by the neck again, slamming me into the brick wall of the building behind me. Close to blacking out, the bottle neck slipped from my grip.

He pawed my body with his free hand, squeezing hard on my left breast before settling between my thighs. I tried to knee him in the groin, hoping it had the same effect on demons as it did on men but he blocked it. He pulled his hand out from my crotch and punched me in the stomach before clamping it down with his other hand around my throat. If I could have breathed, it would have been a sigh of relief. Lazarus was back to simply trying to kill me. I'd rather be murdered than raped by a demon. Resolved to my fate, I stopped fighting and prepared to meet the Devil.

The sound of footsteps and someone shouting reached my ears as I slid down the wall. Lazarus took off, disappearing at the end of the alleyway. The lesser demons scattered like wharf rats down by the peer. I sat there on the damp ground, surrounded by trash bags and over flowing dumpsters, trying to catch my breath. The person who'd been yelling reached the alley, their footsteps slowed as they realized my attacker fled the scene. Grateful the guy passed by at the same time Lazarus was kicking my ass, I looked up to thank my rescuer.

He extended a hand to help me up off the ground, waiting patiently when I stared at him with my mouth agape. He wiggled his fingers, trying to encourage me to take his hand but I smacked it away. I've never believed in coincidence before and I wasn't about to start. Dane didn't just happen by, he'd been looking for me.

"I'm going to file for a restraining order if you keep this up." I pushed off the cement and stumbled to my feet.

Dane reached out to help me after I swayed a couple times but I shook my head. 

"You want me to take you to the emergency room? Get those ribs looked at?" Dane glanced at the arm I'd wrapped around my midsection. "You can fill out a police report while you're there."

"I'm fine. No hospitals, no police." Because when you tell people demons are attacking you they didn't put out an APB for the assailant, they locked you up.

***


The Morrigna
The Maurin Kincaide Series
Book One
Rachel Rawlings

Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy
ASIN: B003V4B6CI
Number of pages: 326
Cover Artist: Joseph Eastwood

Book Description:

I'm Maurin Kincaide, a psychometric, and until a few days ago I was working for Salem's Preternatural Task Force as an interrogator. I cracked more cold cases and got more confessions than anyone else in the department. Of course that was before I traded in my badge for an ancient Celtic sword. Now, I'm the Special Liaison for the Council, the governing body of the Others, and I take my orders from witches, werewolves and vampires.

I didn't just make a career change though. I'm not the same person I was before. I'm stronger, I can heal from wounds that would kill a normal person. I'm developing latent psychic skills at a breakneck speed. Oh yeah, and it would seem that a Pagan goddess has taken permanent residence in my body and mind. Crazy thing is, I'm starting to feel normal, like this is who I'm supposed to be.

Of course, there are those who don't agree. Morrigan and her sisters for example. Actually, I'm pretty sure they'd like nothing more than to see me dead. And if I can't stop them and the demons they've raised, they just might get their wish.

Free  at:    
Amazon    Audible    BN


Witch Hunt
The Maurin Kincaide Series
Book Two
Rachel Rawlings

Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy
ASIN: B009YLODRW
Number of pages: 316
Cover Artist: Joseph Eastwood

Book Description:

Maurin Kincaide is back in this action packed follow up novel to The Morrigna. No longer a member of Salem's Preternatural Task Force Maurin is the new liaison for The Council, governing body of Others. During what should have been a routine meeting with her former Captain, Maurin is brought in on a murder investigation.

Three dead witches, three cryptic clues, no sign of the killers and the Salem coven is losing allies within the Council. If Maurin and her unlikely partner Captain Matthison can't stop the killers, the Witch City might be without its namesake.

Available at: 
Amazon    BN   Audible


Wolfsbane
The Maurin Kincaide Series
Book Three
Rachel Rawlings

Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy
ASIN: B00DAIILMS
Number of pages: 78 Novella
Cover Artist: Joseph Eastwood

Book Description:

Given the choice between her sister's wedding and witnessing the challenge for Alpha of the Salem pack, Maurin knows exactly where she'd rather be. Smack dead center in a pack of snarling werewolves wearing eau de filet mignon.

Until Francesca takes off the morning of her wedding. Being her sister's keeper will not excuse her from her job as the Council Liaison. Torn between obligations to a family she's avoided for almost a decade and the Council of Others, Maurin has less than twenty-four hours to set things right.

Available at:  
Amazon   BN   Audible 


Blood Bath
The Maurin Kincaide Series
Book Four
Rachel Rawlings

Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy
ASIN: B00IJ16Z56
Number of pages: 202
Cover Artist: Joseph Eastwood

Book Description:

Bodies are piling up and all signs point in one direction. Rogue vampire. Except things aren't always what they seem, especially in a murder investigation.

With her current relationship on the rocks, her father playing match-maker and her neighbor tossing his hat in the ring, the body count isn't the only thing on the rise. Maurin is neck deep in magic, mayhem and murder.

Can she catch the killer before the killer catches her? One things for certain, when hunting vampires there will be blood.

Available at: 
Amazon   BN   Audible 


Mistletoe Meltdown
The Maurin Kincaide Series
Short Story Book 4.5
Rachel Rawlings

Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy
ASIN: B00RLUQ2GI
Number of pages: 28

Book Description:

What do you do when you're out voted on hosting a holiday party, complete with gift exchange and all the trimmings?

Tie on the apron and deck those halls.

Self proclaimed Scrooge, Maurin Kincaide accepts the challenge and tackles the yuletide with all the determination she would a Council task.

But not everyone is brimming with holiday cheer. A blood coven threatens to bring the holiday festivities to an end.

Can Maurin stop the dark magic before the clock strikes twelve, signaling the solstice?

Available at:    
Amazon   BN   Audible


Ill Fated
The Maurin Kincaide Series
Book Five
Rachel Rawlings

Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy
ASIN: B00TI20TZC
Number of pages: 270
Cover Artist: Joseph Eastwood

Book Description:

Some things are destined to end in death. After the first attempt on her life Maurin wasn’t scared. Hell, she was almost flattered. But someone put a price on her head and things are getting complicated. Trouble is brewing in the fae courts and it’s spilling over into Salem. The UnSeelie Dark Guard have answered the call for her head on a platter and people closest to her are disappearing.

Can Maurin master court politics and find her missing men before someone claims the bounty on her head?

Available at: 
 Amazon  BN  Audible


About the Author:

Rachel Rawlings was born and raised in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. Her family, originally from Rhode Island, spent summers in New England sparking her fascination with Salem, MA. She has been writing fictional stories and poems since middle school, but it wasn't until 2009 that she found the inspiration to create her heroine Maurin Kincaide and complete her first full length novel, The Morrigna.

When she isn't writing, Rachel can often be found with her nose buried in a good book. An avid reader of Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Horror and Steampunk herself, Rachel founded Hallowread- an interactive convention for both authors and fans of those genres.

More information on Hallowread, its schedule of events and participating authors can be found at HallowRead Blogspot  and Hallowread Facebook.

She still lives in Maryland with her husband and three children.