Thursday, May 31, 2012
Blood Jewel: Excerpt
I sat with my legs outstretched, leaning back on my palms
and Chansey mimicked my position. She reached for her dress and scooted it up
her thighs until she was satisfied with the amount of sun exposure on her legs.
She enjoyed being in the sun and I wondered if she had given any thought as to
how she would miss it if she became a vampire.
I didn’t want to think about it, so I shoved the thought
aside and asked, “Are Gia and Lairah being overbearing about the wedding
plans?”
“They have some intense ideas about our wedding,” she
laughed. “I think I might want to elope.”
Now, she was talking my language. “You don’t have to
convince me. I’ll take you to Vegas and make you my wife right now if it’s what
you want.”
She quickly said, “Nope. I’m not ready to give up my dream
of marrying you at the top of the open arm staircases.”
I wondered how I could be so lucky. How had I found enough
favor with the gods to be given such a beautiful gift as Chansey?
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I didn’t even ask you if
that was what you wanted.”
“I’ve already told you that I thought it was perfect,” I
reminded her.
She appeared puzzled. “I don’t recall you telling me that.”
“We didn’t exactly discuss it. When we were at Rachel and
Christian’s wedding reception, you told me how you pictured your wedding. We
didn’t get far into the conversation because that jackass, Evan Finley,
interrupted us.”
“Yes, that I remember well. I’m
sorry his stupid insults stand out more in my mind than our conversation,” she
apologized.
Just thinking about that jackass had my blood boiling, so I
thought it was a great idea to steer the direction of the conversation back
toward the wedding. “Have you thought about a date for our wedding?”
She smiled and her eyes lit up. “Yes, I’ve given it a lot of
thought and I have a date in mind. How do you feel about a November wedding?”
No way! That was too long to wait. “I’d be fine with it if
this was the end of October. I know four months isn’t forever, but it sure
feels an eternity to me right now.”
“It’s not an eternity and four months barely gives me enough
time to plan a small wedding. We haven't even told Granna and Granddaddy about
our engagement yet. Have you forgotten that?”
I definitely had not forgotten that detail. “No, it hasn’t
slipped my mind.”
She laughed and asked, “Are you worried about telling them?”
“I am a little nervous about it. I’ve never asked to marry
someone before,” I admitted.
She leaned over and bumped her shoulder against mine. “Well,
that’s good to know, but we’re telling them we’re getting married, not asking
permission.”
“I know we don’t have to have their permission. That’s not
what I need. It’s their blessing I want. I may be three times as old as Grady,
but I still want to be respectful,” I said.
She looked at me and rested her chin against her shoulder as
she laughed. “That is so bizarre to me.”
It didn’t sound like a compliment. “Does my age bother you?”
“No, I don’t think of you as your actual age. You just seem
like a 26 year-old to me.” She sat up and leaned closer to brush her lips
across mine. “A very robust 26 year-old.”
Her kiss and proximity stirred her Agape scent, leaving me
with an intense urgency to be closer to her. I reached for her, pulling her
against my chest a little too quickly. I heard her gasp and then I saw the
smile across her face, proving the sudden catch in her breath resulted from
delight instead of fear.
She deepened our kiss as she rolled to her back, pulling me
on top of her to rest between her bent knees. This was our first private moment
since we arrived at the compound and it caused me to be overly enthusiastic. I
knew I shouldn’t, but I placed my hand behind one of her knees and pulled her
leg to wrap around my waist as I pressed my body into hers. A sigh escaped her
lips and she pulled her other leg up around my waist. The thoughts of what I
wanted to do to her returned me to my senses and she recognized the look she
had become so well acquainted with when things between us had gone a little too
far.
She groaned because she knew what was coming next and locked
her legs around my waist. “Don’t you dare stop because you can not keep doing
this to me. It’s totally unfair!”
I reached for her legs to coax them off of me. “Move the
wedding up and I’ll be more than glad to become totally fair. In fact, I’m
quite anxious to be totally fair.”
A thoughtful look came across her face and she said,
“October. It’s the earliest I can pull it off even with help from Gia and
Lairah.”
I tugged on her bottom lip with my teeth. “That’s still
three months away,” I complained.
A pouty look came over her face and the little vixen I loved
tried to use her power of persuasion on me just like Sebastian said she would.
“I know a way to make the next three months pass much faster.”
“You’re name shouldn’t be Chansey. It should be Risky
because you are playing with a fire you highly underestimate,” I assured her.
She dramatically huffed. “Promises, promises. I’m not sure
I’ll ever find out if I underestimate you or not.”
Since I easily talked her into moving the date a month earlier,
I thought I might push my luck a little further. “Looks like you won’t discover
the truth for months, unless you want to move the date closer.” I took my hand
and placed it on her thigh, moving it slowly under her dress as I said, “Come
on, let’s do it.” I allowed my words linger as I gazed into her eyes and then I
added, “In August.”
When I began to laugh, she forcibly slapped my hand away
from under her dress to show her unhappiness with my joke. “I can wait if you
can. Maybe even until the end of December. I’ve heard Christmas weddings are
beautiful.”
It was clear I had pushed my luck too far with her when she
showed me how she could beat me at my own game, so I conceded. “I’ll take the
October wedding.”
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Wicked Wednesdays: Circle
A CIRCLE FOR CATHARSIS
Introduction:
One
of my near and dear once spent an hour in a therapist’s office kicking an
innocent throw pillow around the room and screaming out rage at his abusive
father. At the end of the hour, he had a broken foot -- and the first
beginnings of a healed mind.
But
we have learned that magic works through symbols. Calling an object by your
abuser’s name and then abusing that object is sympathetic magic used for the
purpose of cursing. To throw a curse is to project one’s worst feelings out
into the world of form, and to invoke upon oneself the inevitable karmic
feedback.
It
is not our way to blast the crops and sour the milk. Wiccan tradition and plain
common sense both tell us to avoid the practice of baneful magic. But, as
usual, it’s not quite as easy as just saying no.
Rape
and child abuse, loved ones killed by muggers or drunk drivers, emotional
manipulation and betrayal, economic exploitation and dishonest office politics
- people hurt and victimize other people in many different ways every day. We
are not immune.
At
some point in our lives, probably every single one of us will feel violated by
some other human being. Often our feelings will be based in fact. Whether they
are or not, however, we need and deserve a safe way to discharge them.
Symbolic
baneful actions are also cathartic actions. They drain and clear our poisonous
feelings and allow our own emotional healing to begin. If we deny ourselves
this outlet, what happens to the grief and pain and rage?
If
projection is bad for us, introjection is even worse. Unreleased bad feelings
are a major source of stress. In a very real sense, stress cripples and kills.
Ulcers, strokes, heart attacks and more are all heavily stress-related. A
simple refusal to engage in baneful magic could easily amount to punishing a
victim by adding serious illness to the original harm.
I
am part of the All. “An it harm none” is about me too. Release of my feelings
is my right.
At
first it seems like an insoluble paradox. But the same understanding of magic
that forbids projection of our bad feelings can open a safe channel for those
feelings. Here’s one possible form:
Preparation:
1) Understanding
Think
about the Alcoholics Anonymous prayer. “Grant me the serenity to accept the things
I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can change, and the wisdom
to know the difference.” People of any religion can recognize the wisdom in
those words. This ritual is intended to ease emotional pressure. I believe that
is a step towards granting all three of those things to us.
If
your hurt is ongoing, you must take steps to stop it – leave the abusive
relationship, begin searching for a new job, begin organizing politically to
stop your oppression. What good this Circle does you will be temporary at best
if you are not acting on both the magical and material planes to change the
things you can change.
But
some of our pain comes from old, old injuries. And some of our feelings are not
based on fact at all. The source of those hurts cannot be changed, but the pain
can be. This particular working is to release any bad feelings, not to judge
them.
Don’t
worry about justice. You may be mistaken about who has hurt you, but nobody
will be hurt by what we do here. All energy will be contained within the
Circle. The object of this working is healing, not justice. You deserve this
healing simply because you hurt, and even if you are mistaken.
Prevention
and healing are human tasks; to do them is to change the things we can change.
Justice - the evening of karmic balances - is the business of the Gods, and may
take place across a span of many lifetimes. Karmic balance is a thing we cannot
change.
2) Set Up
You have some decisions to make. The first one is
whether you will work alone or ask one or more trusted friends to witness and
facilitate your working. Some of us can only let our feelings go in strict
privacy. For others, the presence of people who will make sure we don’t hurt
our homes or ourselves removes a source of inhibition. And sometimes simply
being heard is part of the release process.
Next, exactly what kind of symbolic action will
release your feelings? Will kicking a throw pillow suffice, or do you need to
actually make a poppet? Or just screaming may be enough. If you want to work
with a physical symbol, prepare it in advance, and be sure not to use anything
you will want to keep after the rite or ever use again.
Figure
out whether you can either cast a Circle to include your bathroom, or leave a
cast Circle for a period of time. This will depend on your particular training.
If possible, have a warm scented tub waiting for you. If not, a basin of warm
scented water and a washcloth within easy reach just outside of your Circle
will suffice. Also, a ritual meal should be prepared and waiting outside of
Circle, and this should include something green and growing - I favor sprouts -
and something sweet.
Procedure:
1) Waning moon
is a good time for this Circle, and the Dark of the Moon is even better. Cast
the Circle and invoke the Watchers in your usual manner. Call on the Crone, on
She who weeds and prunes and disposes of the obstructive and unnecessary.
2) Just inside
the Circle, like the membrane in an eggshell, cast a grounding shield. One
possible image for this shield would be a black absorptive chain link fence,
supported at regular intervals by fence posts that are lightning rods. Whatever
happens within this space will be contained and grounded.
3) Make clear to
yourself what wound you seek to drain. Say it out loud, even if you are alone.
Recall what happened to you in detail and let the feelings grow strong.
4) Now, let go
of your feelings. Do whatever will help you release what is in you. Beat on a
pillow or rip up a doll. Scream till you cry. Don’t stop till you are emptied.
Then fling the thing you used as a symbol out of your Circle.
5) When you are
sure you are all done, all drained, contract the shield into a tight ball in
the center of the Circle. As it contracts, it will gather all the negative
energy from the Circle. Ground it. Affirm that you are sending this energy to
the fire at the heart of the Earth - to Jarnsaxe or to Pele - to be purified in
that blast furnace and cycled to wherever strong energy is needed. Know that
what you now let go is gone. Affirm this out loud.
6) Wash or bathe
in a ritual manner, feeling the last traces of your bad feelings dissolve away.
If others are present, allow them to wash and serve you.
7) Rest a few
minutes. Feel the peace of emptiness.
8) Then invoke
the Maiden’s energy for new beginnings. Have your ritual feast, and otherwise
indulge your senses. Gentle and joyful music would be effective, and you may
want to switch to sweeter smelling incense. This is a time to dream dreams and
plan plans. You have removed an energy drain from your life, now you will be
able to...?
9) Thank and
dismiss whatever Beings you have called on, throughout the whole ritual. Close
your Circle as usual. Do not do any other kinds of working or worship within
this particular Circle.
Follow Through:
The
final part of any effective magical working is “acting in accordance” on the
material plane. By doing this, we give the magic a channel through which to
manifest. For this working, there are three forms of follow through, and all
are important.
1) Remember that
painful feelings are partly habitual. Acting in accordance with magic to banish
such feelings requires you to stop feeding the habit. Don’t talk about the pain
with anybody until at least the second full moon after the working. This gives
the habit a chance to fade out. As much as you can, eliminate the topic from
your internal dialogue as well. When you notice yourself dwelling on the old
pain, gently and firmly change the subject.
Thinking
about action to change your life in the here and now is perfectly OK. The
problem is reiteration of old feelings of frustration and helplessness that
actually impede change.
2) If the
hurtful situation is current and ongoing, continue with any steps you were
taking to change the things you can change. In fact, you will probably find you
have more energy than you did before to devote to your projects.
3) Be sure to
use some of your newly freed emotional energy to reward yourself. Take time for
friendship, love, and pleasure. The object of the exercise is to clear space
for the enjoyment of life, so start right now.
Judy
Harrow
HPs,
Proteus Coven
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
#DaemonInvasion Tour 2012
Over the last couple of weeks, you’ve heard us talking about the upcoming #daemoninvasion and we’re so excited to finally share with you what is going on.
Really excited.
The beautiful and uber cool models, Pepe Toth and Sztella Tziotziosz, who grace the Lux covers, will be joining us in the United States! You heard right. They are flying here, from Hungary to spend a few days as Daemon and Katy! While they are here, they will be working with Vania, from VLC Productions (the team behind Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments, Melissa de La Cruz, Kimberly Derting, Moira Young, Kami Garcia and Margret Stohl, Hillary Duff, Lauren Destefano, and many, many more authors’ book trailers), to film book trailers for the Lux Series.
During the filming in Atlanta, they will be accompanying Entangled, VLC, and me on tour! What does that mean? You get to meet them. In the flesh. They will be participating in the signings and events. At those signings, we’ll be giving away signed (by Pepe and Sztella and, not as exciting, by me) posters, photos, and other swag. There will also be meet and greet events you can join in on.
At each signing, there will be advanced copies of Onyx given away!
And to top things off (as if this isn’t enough, but we don’t do anything small), there’s something very, very exciting in the works! It involves advanced copies of Opal, water, and a little destination known as the Bahamas.
I am not kidding.
This will be epic.
Aare you excited? I am! This tour is going to be so, so much fun, and I’m so thrilled that Pepe and Sztella are a part of it. We owe them a huge thank you and a giant welcome making the 16 hour flight to meet the readers of the Lux Series. You!
Daemon Invasion Signing and Event Schedule
June 8th
FoxTale Book Shoppe
Woodstock, GA
3:00pm
FoxTale Book Shoppe
Woodstock, GA
3:00pm
June 10th
Barnes and Noble
St Johns Town Center
Jacksonville, FL
3:00pm
Barnes and Noble
St Johns Town Center
Jacksonville, FL
3:00pm
June 13th
Barnes and Noble
Waterford Lakes Town Center
Orlando, FL
3:00pm
Barnes and Noble
Waterford Lakes Town Center
Orlando, FL
3:00pm
June 14th
Barnes and Noble
The Palladium at City Place
West Palm Beach, FL
4:00pm
There are several #daemoninvasion street teamers out there and if you want to join a team to win exclusive prizes, search down the #daemoninvasion hashtag to join one of the teams!
Barnes and Noble
The Palladium at City Place
West Palm Beach, FL
4:00pm
There are several #daemoninvasion street teamers out there and if you want to join a team to win exclusive prizes, search down the #daemoninvasion hashtag to join one of the teams!
Tuesday Patch Day
So with June 1 just a few days away I thought I would give the opportunity to win a free link for our Free Book Fridays.
This link will be mandatory to enter the giveaway so you know you will get followers. (best would be twitter or Facebook links)
So all you have to do is follow me!
So follow and comment on what you did and as always don't forget your email!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Monday Note
Check the Monday Note Widget on the right side to order these books!
Finished: (dates are the date each review will post)
As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?
Harrowing and beautifully written, Elizabeth Wein creates a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other. Code Name Verity is an outstanding novel that will stick with you long after the last page.
Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistable good looks and charm on ususpecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.
The quaint little beach town of Winston, California, may be full of wholesome townsfolk, picturesque beaches, and laid back charm, but Clare Knight is about to uncover something underneath its thriving demeanor. Someone is hiding something, and it's as gruesome as the townsfolk, and their stately homes, are stunning. Amanda Stavros, fellow classmate and resident of Winston, is gone and there's no sign of her ever coming back. Everyone says she was taken and murdered, but where's the evidence? Why isn't there a single ounce of proof? And why is everyone okay with this, except for Clare?
Luckily—or as it's been turning out, unluckily—Clare possesses a gift, an ability to see visions from the clothes she works with. And since her clothes come solely from the townsfolk, Clare has become privy to some startling and disturbing memories of these townspeople. Will she uncover who killed Amanda Stavros? Or is she just moving herself up in line to be the next victim of Winston?
Orphaned at the age of six, Jane Williams has grown up in a series of foster homes, learning to survive in the shadows of life. Through hard work and determination, she manages to win a scholarship to the exclusive Birch Grove Academy. There, for the first time, Jane finds herself accepted by a group of friends. She even starts tutoring the headmistress’s gorgeous son, Lucien. Things seem too good to be true.
They are.
The more she learns about Birch Grove’s recent past, the more Jane comes to suspect that there is something sinister going on. Why did the wife of a popular teacher kill herself? What happened to the former scholarship student, whose place Jane took? Why does Lucien’s brother, Jack, seem to dislike her so much?
As Jane begins to piece together the answers to the puzzle, she must find out why she was brought to Birch Grove—and what she would risk to stay there….
June 19th |
Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.
When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.
When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.
As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?
Harrowing and beautifully written, Elizabeth Wein creates a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other. Code Name Verity is an outstanding novel that will stick with you long after the last page.
June 20th |
June 26th |
Luckily—or as it's been turning out, unluckily—Clare possesses a gift, an ability to see visions from the clothes she works with. And since her clothes come solely from the townsfolk, Clare has become privy to some startling and disturbing memories of these townspeople. Will she uncover who killed Amanda Stavros? Or is she just moving herself up in line to be the next victim of Winston?
July 3rd |
They are.
The more she learns about Birch Grove’s recent past, the more Jane comes to suspect that there is something sinister going on. Why did the wife of a popular teacher kill herself? What happened to the former scholarship student, whose place Jane took? Why does Lucien’s brother, Jack, seem to dislike her so much?
As Jane begins to piece together the answers to the puzzle, she must find out why she was brought to Birch Grove—and what she would risk to stay there….
July 6th |
In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.
When Zoe starts to malfunction (or "glitch"), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.
As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they're caught and deactivated, or worse.
In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.
These books will be posted in the Monday Update on the side bar. So you can preorder or order those books via Amazon.com
Started:
Hereafter and Arise
TBR:
To many to list lol
These books will be posted in the Monday Update on the side bar. So you can preorder or order those books via Amazon.com
Started:
Hereafter and Arise
TBR:
To many to list lol
Friday, May 25, 2012
Sign up now
Starting June 1st!
1 book per link will be given away every friday!
Every Friday we along with a few other sites we will hold a Free Book Giveaway.
All you have to do to win is follow.
Ebooks will be in ALL formats so don't worry.
If you win we will make sure you get a format you can use.
We will also be giving away free print books.
Print books will be new and used
I will also be adding ARC's which are Advanced Reading Copies.
So you will get the book before anyone else.
THANK THE SPONSORES!
I would like to take this time to let you know that this ongoing giveaway if sponsored by The Hollows. Which is a two site group. The first site deals with reviews and is called the Hollow Readers. Where if you love to read books and want to review but don't want to deal with a website then this would be the perfect place for you. Or if you have a website you can still join our group as we are listed with Netgalley. So that will get you more titles!
The other site is our wonderful tour site Hollow Tours. It is getting a new look, content, and prices! So again this is a wonderful way to get your info out there. With tour stops both personal and from authors you can get more followers and all you have to do is read a book.
So please thank The Hollows for their time and money as they Sponsor Free Book Fridays!
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Join US!
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If you would like to run it for 1 year please double the cost.
All books giveaway are included.
All books giveaway are included.
We are going to have a limited number of links available so get your spot now!
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Are you an author? Well we have a deal for you! If you donate 3 print books and 3 ebooks gifted via Amazon/Nook we will give you 1 link for free for 1 year.
(Book/Donation must be work $3.00 or more)
Authors
Are you an author? Well we have a deal for you! If you donate 3 print books and 3 ebooks gifted via Amazon/Nook we will give you 1 link for free for 1 year.
If you want to donate or if you are an author please contact me at Jessica@crossroadreviews.com Subject: Free Book Fridays.