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New Releases by Astraea Press




Set To Love by Jennifer Rae Gravely
$2.99
Contemporary, Inspirational, Sports
 
The championship is her dearest desire, not love. Recently appointed girls’ volleyball coach at Keowee High School, Randi Sly spends the night with rival coach Blake Steele after getting sick from drinking too much wine. Rumors swirl as the two battle for the State crown.
 
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Aftersight by Brian Mercer
$2.99
Coming of Age, Horror

Becky Reynalds is a girl with otherworldly powers she doesn’t want. Having survived a car accident in which all her friends are killed, Becky has been “gifted” with the ability to hear spirits, a gift that brings with it the power to divine other people’s feelings and innermost secrets, whether she wants those secrets or not. Recruited to Waltham Academy for Psychic Sensitives in Northwest England, Becky meets three hauntingly familiar girls with unique psychic talents, only to discover that their meeting is no accident.

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Three Tiers for Win by Kathy Bosman
$2.99
Contemporary, Sports, Romance
Three Tiers for Win is a story of adventure, romance, and family passion that unfolds with the backdrop of the 2012 London Olympics. Elaine said she would never date an athlete as they’re too driven. That’s until she meets kind, yet intensely focused and ambitious South African Olympic swimmer, Winston Harper. He stands for everything she’d chosen not to go for. Win also has a bad family history which keeps him from opening his heart to her. When intense attraction and affection breaks through some of their barriers, family secrets and conflicts pull them apart again. Only Elaine’s support and Win’s brokenness can draw them back together, but will that be strong enough to wipe away the past?
 
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This Week's Book Choice: Brenda Maxfield "Someday You'll Laugh"



Someday You'll Laugh
 
Someday You'll Laugh
by Brenda Maxfield
 
 
 
Blurb:

Stunned when her boyfriend announces they should be free to see others when he leaves for college, Brenda pastes a smile on her face and walks away. Far away. Only to find herself irresistibly drawn into the arms of another guy.

Brenda’s previous boyfriend finds out, claims he made a huge mistake, and wants her back. She will receive a marriage proposal, but from which one?

Later, on her wedding day, Brenda awakens knowing something is wrong. Will she make it through the ceremony?
 
 
Author:
passion is writing! What could be more delicious than inventing new characters and seeing where they take you?
I'm a teacher so I spend most of my waking hours with young people. I love chatting with them and hearing their views on love and life. My students are magical, and I am honored to be part of their lives.
I've lived in Honduras, Grand Cayman, and Costa Rica. Presently, I live in Indiana with my husband, Paul. We have two grown children and a precious grandbaby, special delivery from Africa.
When not teaching, I love to hole up in our lake cabin and write -- often with a batch of popcorn nearby. (Oh, and did I mention dark chocolate?)
I enjoy getting to know my readers, so feel free to write me at: contact@brendamaxfield.com . Visit me to learn about all my books and some good, clean teen reads: http://www.brendamaxfield.com/ Happy Reading!

 
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Juliet Madison's release of STARSTRUCK IN SEATTLE

HAPPY RELEASE DAY! Starstruck in Seattle (plus bumper giveaway)
 
Juliet Madison is celebrating the release of her third book with Escape Publishing, STARSTRUCK IN SEATTLE, a contemporary romance novella with a touch of magic (romagic).
Aspiring actress Anna Hilford might only have a small role in a leading television drama, but she longs to be dreamboat Karl Drake’s leading lady. Sick of being loveless and overlooked, Anna seeks the help of intuitive love coach, Lulu, from LuluTheLoveAngel.com to give her the courage and determination to follow her destiny. But fate has different ideas, Lulu has undisclosed power, and Anna is about to realise that life happens while you’re busy making plans...
 Juliet tells us a little about how this book came to be...
“I got the idea for this story when Sleepless in Seattle was on TV. I thought, instead of a call-in-radio show where people ask for advice, what if there was a website that specialised in helping people anonymously with their love dilemmas? So I thought up the idea for a Love Coach, but as I like to do in many of my stories, I decided to give it a slight magical twist, and gave the character of Lulu some other-worldly powers that help her to give destiny a shove in the right direction. But, as Lulu discovers, doing destiny’s work can be a pain in the wings, and may be more challenging than she thought. ”
 
~ BUY NOW: >> STARSTRUCK IN SEATTLE is available worldwide and you can buy it from all ebook retailers, including:
 
~ You can also add it to Goodreads here, and visit Juliet online at her website, blog, facebook, and twitter.
 
~ GIVEAWAY>> Juliet is giving away four prize packs of ebooks from Escape Publishing until 10th October (20 ebooks in total). See the prizes on offer and enter here:
 
-
Here’s what you could win. Enter one or all of them!
#1 Fun, Fast, & Fabulous novella pack:
Christmas Wishes, New year’s Kisses, and Valentine’s Dates by Rhian Cahill; I Dream of Johnny by Juliet Madison; The Virginity Mission by Cate Ellink; and Bonjour Cherie by Robin Thomas.
Enter here:
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
#2 Escape from Reality pack:

Fast Forward by Juliet Madison; Red Moon by M.A. Grant; Fish Out of Water by Ros Baxter; King Hall by Scarlett Dawn.

Enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

#3 Out and About pack:

Matilda’s Freedom by Téa Cooper; Getting Wild by Sarah Barrie; Swift Runs The Heart by Mary Brock Jones; Riding on Air by Maggie Gilbert; Dark Oil by Nora James.

Enter here:
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway



#4 Emotional Rollercoaster pack:

Forget Me Not by Nina Blake; Bound By Her Ring by Nicole Flockton; Her Man from Shilo by Robyn Richards; Finding Home by Lauren McKellar; Under The Hood by Juanita Kees.

Enter here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway



Good luck, and happy reading!

Tuesday Tales - DIRTY



¸.•*♫♪¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪¸¸.•*¨*•♫    It's time for Tuesday  Tales    •*¨*•♫♪¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

Oliver is a Baseball player in Melbourne, Tyra is from Perth and has just moved to the Victorian Capital. Their first meeting wasn't as pleasant as Oliver has been used to with females.

Remember - it's a WIP, ie not edited. Please excuse any errors you'll find.

So this week's Tuesday Tales prompt is DIRTY.
  
Enjoy - and feel free to leave a comment. And don't forget to click the link below to go back to the main Tuesday Tale site for more stories by very talented authors.
  

 

 


A few days later Oliver stood next to his coach in the gym, about to start with the weights.

“What’s with your niece, coach?”

He noticed Erik’s stare on him. “None of your business.” Short, and straight to the point.

Oliver chuckled.

“It’s really not that funny,” Erik said.

The smile disappeared on Oliver's face. “I have noticed. That’s why I asked.”

With one eyebrow raised, his coach warned him. “She’s off limits. I told you before.”

Oliver nodded. “I know. So she told me.”

That got him another icy glare.

“Look coach. I ran into her the other day. Twice. Both times she was tense and jumpy. I’m not a dirty player, you know that. I won’t go near her, just give me an idea what's wrong with her.”

Erik blew out a long breath. “Nothing’s wrong with her. She’s moved to Melbourne to move on. She lost her husband a year ago during a robbery gone wrong. It’s been a rough road for her since then. I don’t need you to play with her emotions by taking her to bed and drop her when you’ll have had enough of her. Understood?”

That took Oliver by surprise. Over the previous few days he had imagined a few things about Tyra. All sorts of reasons had come to mind for her attitude. Heck, he’d even had a brief conversation with Tyson’s girl, Katie, who said, she might just be one of the few women who was able to resist his charm. He laughed at that impossible idea, but had actually considered it.

But losing her husband?

Tyra was a widow?

Why had that not come to mind? And why was it that she pushed him away. He was a player, but he didn’t have one nasty streak in him.

“Understood?”

The coach’s question hauled him back from his thoughts. He nodded.

“How about a little dinner?”

“Out of the question.”

Oliver raked a hand through his hair. “She might enjoy a little company. It’ll do her good to settle here in Melbourne. I’m sure Katie and Tyson would love to come along.”

Erik stepped closer. “She can make her own decisions,” he said through a clenched jaw. “But if you only hurt Tyra one tiny little bit, you’re off the team. Am I making myself clear? One.Little.Bit!”

“Crystal clear!”

She was off limits all right.

 

 

 
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Click her to read more Tuesday Tales



~~
 

"New Beginnings" - The first book in the 'Beginnings' trilogy


 
 
 New Beginnings
by Iris Blobel

Please share the good news by "by simply clicking here"
 
Tagline:
To believe in new beginnings is to trust in tomorrow


Blurb:
Twenty-two-year-old Sophie Levesque has been guardian to eight-year-old sister Mia since their mother’s death a few years ago. Luck comes their way when they inherit a small house in Hobart. Problem is, though, they don’t know or have even heard of Clara Bellinger, the testator, and Sophie is afraid it’s all been a mistake.
As Mia settles well into her new school and life in general, Sophie is not only occupied by her search of what connected her to Clara, but also her new studies and the two men, who suddenly have become part of her daily life - Mark O’Connor, the lawyer representing Clara’s estate, and Zach, the hunk from across the road.
 
Links:
 
Other online bookstores still to come.
 
 
 
Excerpt:
Chapter One


Sophie stared at the attorney, waiting for some answers. She and her sister, Mia, had been quietly sitting in Mr. O’Connor’s office for more than half an hour, and had learnt about the details of their inheritance.

"Who?"

"Clara Catherine Bellinger."

"Who is she?" Mia asked.

Startled by the subtle sound of the clock chiming across the road, Sophie’s gaze turned to the window, where she saw the post office building across the road. It looked impressive and old. Surely, an old place like this would have its own ghosts — after all, Hobart was renowned for its lively spirits.

Her younger sister’s gentle touch on her arm reminded her she hadn’t answered the question, yet. "I wouldn’t have a clue." Sophie shrugged and focused her attention back on Mr. O’Connor. Although hearing his words, she still found it hard to comprehend. Here she was in this old office, furnished with heavy antique oak furniture, the curtains in a pretty shade of aubergine, and the carpet beneath her shoes thick and warm in a matching shade.

"I believe she was a distant relative of yours. I’m afraid I don’t have any further details," he replied.

Sophie arched an eyebrow in disbelief. Was he serious? What kind of lawyer was he? Sure, Tasmania was at the very end of Australia, but wouldn’t they have the same education? With a slight shrug of her shoulder, she asked, "Why not?"

He stared at her. "Pardon me?"

Sitting up straight, she repeated, "Why not? Why aren’t there any further details?"

He looked uneasy, but she didn’t care. She needed to know. Sophie had received a call from the lawyer a week earlier, and he’d told her about an

inheritance. He’d given her details on where to pick up tickets to Hobart. Some legality, he had said. She needed to come in and sign documents for the transfer of ownership.

"Ms. Bellinger was one of the partner’s clients. I was only given the details shortly after the client’s death."

Sophie drew in her lips. Her eyes darted over to the window as she took a few deep breaths, inwardly calming herself. Nothing had ever been easy in her life. "Why isn’t the partner here?"

He took a deep breath. "Retired."
As she pondered on that for a moment, she began to think about what life could be like with this inheritance. Different. Better. Another sigh escaped as she returned her gaze to the man behind the desk. "You can’t just leave your assets to just anybody, can you?"


"Miss Lever—"

"Levesque," she helped him.

Their eyes met.

"Are you refusing the bequest?" he asked hesitantly, and she clearly noticed how one of his eyebrows arched upward.

Staring blankly with her mouth open, she could feel the panic running through her veins with every thump of her erratic heartbeat. An uncomfortable silence fell over them for a moment. Then she quickly said, "No. No, of course not. We’re accepting." She turned to look at her younger sister. "We’re actually looking forward to seeing it."

And with one swift movement, he stood and went to a little cupboard near the window and retrieved a bunch of keys. "Would you like me to take you there?"

Still feeling that rush within her, Sophie took Mia’s hand and inclined her head in answer. "Is it far?" Her voice sounded tired. Even to herself. It had been a long day already. She stood and thinking how tired she was, Sophie placed her arm around Mia, who was probably exhausted.

"No, not at all. Five to ten minute drive, I’d say."
"I still don’t understand. Why us?" Sophie asked quietly, meeting his gaze and, for the first time, actually taking in his icy-blue eyes. He was very attractive. Too attractive for a boring lawyer. His face was tanned by wind and sun, and there always seemed to be a hint of a smile on his face. His blond curling hair was cut short. Her gaze fixed back on his mouth. Blushing, she quickly looked away.


The attorney turned to them. He scratched the back of his head. "Ma’am, what I know is that both of you are in the will. What I know is that I was supposed to fly you down here to officially read you the will. What I know is that I’m supposed to hand over the keys to you, and to let you know that your expenses are covered for the next twenty-four months. I did not know Ms. Bellinger, as one of the retired partners wrote up the will. I do not know who she was or in which way she was connected to you. I assumed she was a distant relative."

Sophie took her sister’s hand as she thought about his last comment. Distant relative? Her mother would have at least mentioned her once. She sighed and tried to understand, not the circumstances that had brought her there, but the fact that the attorney just didn’t know. "Oh well, let’s go then."

He pinched his nose with his thumb and index finger and took a deep breath. "Okay. Look, Miss Lever—"

"Levesque," Sophie helped him again. This time somewhat more firmly.

Running his thumb over his eyebrow, he stepped closer, but not so close as to be intimidating. "I’m sorry. It’s been one extraordinary week," he said with his voice just above a whisper. "Once I get back I’ll check with the partners here to see whether anybody knows more about it."
One extraordinary week? His remark irked her. In fact it was downright annoying. Holding Mia even closer to her side, she lifted her finger and pointed at him. "No offence, Mr. O’Connor, but it has been quite a week for us as well, and I was prepared to answer all your questions. I have one simple question, and you don’t know. Wouldn’t there be something in the file?" Sophie was a kind person.


Kindness was her middle name, but she wouldn’t have got that far in life if she hadn’t watched some of those nasty actresses on television and copied them. And the stare. Sophie met his surprised frown dead-on.

He frowned and seemed taken aback by her words. "No offence taken." And then he let out a deep breath. "You’re right. I apologise. As I said, I’ll find out details and let you know."

"Thank you, Mr. O’Connor," she replied as she blew out a breath.

"What about our stuff?" Mia whispered to Sophie.

Sophie moved her head to look down at her sister, but before she had a chance to say anything, he beat her to it. "What stuff?" he asked as he opened the door.

"Considering what we inherited here, we brought all our things," Sophie explained without looking at him.

The attorney stopped in his tracks. "All, as in all your clothes?"

Sophie’s eyes met his. She emitted a small sigh, but tried to keep her composure. It was something she had learnt over the last few years. Standing straight, she corrected him. "All, as in all our belongings."

They stepped outside the building and followed Mr. O’Connor with their suitcases. Two teenage boys walked past them, eager to get the attention of some girls across the road. Aware of the attention, the girls covered their mouths with their hands and broke into giggles. Sophie’s stomach churned. So many things she had missed out on in life. But it was going to be better from now on, she reminded herself, and straightened up as she followed Mr. O’Connor.




This Week's Book Choice: Wendy Knight "Feudlings in Flames"


 
Feudlings in Flames by Wendy Knight
Feudlings in Flames
by Wendy Knight



Blurb:
Ari thought being in love with her prophesied nemesis sucked. But being responsible for her best friend's kidnapping? It sucks worse.

Ari and Shane thought they’d beaten Fate and ended the three-hundred year war plaguing their people. They thought love had won. But they were so, so wrong.

Instead of graduating high school like the normals, they’re in a battle to save Charity – Shane’s cousin, Ari's best friend, and the seer who might hold the key to ending the war for good. To do that, they’re forced to accept help from a boy they aren’t even sure they can trust. He’s powerful and knows spells even Ari’s never heard of, but he’s also secretive and has a past he’s determined to keep hidden . Add to that the fact that he has his sights set on Ari, and Shane would rather do without his help.

Ari has bigger problems than mysterious boys and their strange powers. The powerful Edren Family is hunting her brother, and she can't very well save him or Charity while they’re constantly being attacked by her own people. To stop the raids, she has to take the fight to them. But if she starts hunting the family that raised her, what kind of monster will she be?

Fate still waits for the death of one by the hand of the other.


Author:

Wendy Knight was born and raised in Utah by a wonderful family who spoiled her rotten because she was the baby. Now she spends her time driving her husband crazy with her many eccentricities (no water after five, terror when faced with a live phone call, etcetera, etcetera). She also enjoys chasing her three adorable kids, playing tennis, watching football, reading, and hiking. Camping is also big: her family is slowly working toward a goal of seeing all the National Parks in the U.S.
You can usually find her with at least one Pepsi nearby, wearing ridiculously high heels for whatever the occasion may be. And if everything works out just right, she will also be writing
 
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Snippet Sunday 15/09/13 - New Beginnings

 
Welcome to Snippet Sunday !
 
I received wonderful and kind comments last week for my first "Snippet" and thank everyone for stopping by!
My Snippet Sunday today is as well from my latest release
 "New Beginnings"
 
 
 
Blurb:
Twenty-two-year-old Sophie Levesque has been guardian to eight-year-old sister Mia since their mother’s death a few years ago. Luck comes their way when they inherit a small house in Hobart. Problem is, though, they don’t know or have even heard of Clara Bellinger, the testator, and Sophie is afraid it’s all been a mistake.
As Mia settles well into her new school and life in general, Sophie is not only occupied by her search of what connected her to Clara, but also her new studies and the two men, who suddenly have become part of her daily life - Mark O’Connor, the lawyer representing Clara’s estate, and Zach, the hunk from across the road.
 
 

Sophie stared at the house. With tears stinging behind her eyelids, she slowly turned around and helped Mia out of the car. The little girl looked fragile in the unfamiliar environment, even though she wasn’t anywhere near fragile. Very clever for her age,  Mia had seen and gone through a lot, but handled most situations with trust and belief. Sophie wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not. Her younger sister undoubtedly had her mother’s looks, with the long, straight blond hair, her bright grey-green eyes, and pale skin. But deep down inside, there was a survivor instinct as well. Something, she wondered, her mother might have lacked. “Is this our new home, Sophie?” her sister asked quietly. Hesitantly she nodded. “Yes, sweetie, I hope so.”
 



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