Archive for the Category »spotlights «
Paperback: 299 pages
Published: February 28th 2013 by Dragonfairy Press
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
For P.J. Stone, being a “Seer” who has never seen anything is less than fun. And P.J. isn’t known for her patience.
To make matters worse, she must choose a suitable mate to continue the Seer bloodline. Duty always comes before her heart…at least that’s what her parents taught her. When she finds herself wanting someone who is considered off-limits, P.J. is forced to question everything she believes.
As if navigating her love life isn’t complicated enough, P.J. finally receives a vision—of a threat to her world that only she can perceive. But no one will believe a fledgling Seer’s warnings. With nowhere else to turn, she may decide to trust a stranger with her life, her world, and maybe even her heart.
Paperback
Expected publication: May 24th 2013 by Dragonfairy Press
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance.
P.J. Stone is a Seer who saw too little, too late.
In the past, her biggest worries were boys and school—but war has a way of changing things. Now, the alien Riders are trying to overrun the world. As the last of their kind, P.J. and her friends must find a way to save humanity before there’s nothing left to save.
After choosing a mate, P.J. hoped she’d have time to enjoy her love life. But with everything changing so quickly and major secrets revealed, who knows what the future will bring?
About D.T.Dyllin:
Cynical-Optimist. Chocolate-holic. Sarcasm Addict. Paranormal Believer. Romance Junkie. Self Imposed Insomniac. Animal Lover. Writer.
Title: Severed Ties
Author: Angie Skelhorn
Genre: Paranormal/YA
Publisher: Damnation Books
Release Date: Dec 1 2012
Edition/Formats Available In: E~Book & Print
Synopsis:
By the use of divination and magic, some ties can never be severed.
In the beginning, by the light of the Full Moon, Frankie connects with Candice’s energy through dream time and witnesses her involvement in a terrifying act of violence. After receiving information from Sandra that their childhood friend is missing, they pack their bags and head to the inner city to find her.
Frankie, afraid for her own safety, has a chance encounter with a local named Calvin who is plugged into what’s happening. Using his workable ideas—as well as Frankie and Sandra consulting tarot, ordinary playing cards, astrology, and spell-casting—they set forth to free Candice from the dangerous situation she is in.
Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Damnation Books | Goodreads
Author Information:
My name is Angie Skelhorn and I live in Canada. My interest include tarot, and other forms of divination, astrology, spirituality, mythology and harness racing. I gear my writing toward Witchcraft and Spiritualism. I’ve been published in Circle Sanctuary Magazine and online at Witchvox, WitchesandPagans.com and GlobalGoddess.org.
I authored No Reins and Till Death and Beyond – Publisher, Club Lighthouse Publishing. My newest release is Severed Ties – Publisher, Damnation Books- book launch December 1, 2012.
Author Links:
Book Goodies | Blog | Cold Coffee Press | Facebook Author Page | Goodreads | Readers Favorites | Witchskel WordPress | Website
Excerpt:
Sandra leaned against the door frame, reached into her low-rider jeans’ back pocket and produced an envelope. She passed the folded paper to her. Frankie stared at the picture, reading the words: Child Find, Missing; young female seventeen, eyes hazel, brown hair, height 5’7”, weight 120.
“How could you keep this from me?” she asked, tightening her grip on the envelope.
“I didn’t. Yesterday, my mom received her Visa bill. She gave me the envelope when she saw Candice’s picture. I phoned her parents. They are in the middle of a divorce. Her mom said when they first split, she began to stay out late. Then one day she just never came home.”
“We have to find her. The police haven’t been able to,” Frankie said, waving the envelope.
“We will do what we must do to track her. Did you bring your cards?”
“Yes.”
“Come with me,” she said, grabbing her hand. She dragged her into the dish room stopping to retrieve her Tarot deck from the pocket of her jean jacket.
Title: Eternal Nights
Author: V.S. Nelson
Series: Sekhmet’s Guardians Series Book 2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 2013
Formats: Paperback/Large Print Paperback/E~Books
Synopsis:
Central Theme
To save the small infant’s life, Chenoa, her grandmother, did the unthinkable. She merged her life force with a tiny wolf cub then gave the cub to Jennifer, her other grand daughter to take care of. Too bad, Chenoa died before she was able to undo the spell or tell anyone what she had done. For twenty years Jessica watched the world pass her by through the eyes of another creature. Most of the time, the things humans did didn’t concern her, unless of course they told her to get off the couch or sleep on the floor. Thank the heavens above for Jennifer, who still doesn’t know who she truly is, or she’d still be eating raw meat.
Jessica was content and happy for the most part until she laid eyes on Raphael who came to pick her up from the wolf rescue center a few weeks ago. Since then, her primary focus has been to stay by his side and find away to undo her grandmother’s powerful magic.
In the meantime, Jessica has developed her natural Selkie abilities and has started communicating with Raphael. At night while he sleeps she enters his dreams under the pretense of what she should be – a human woman who has two arms to hold him and stands on two legs, not four.
Convinced he is going mad; Raphael privately searches for the angel who haunts his dreams. With an ivory face as soft as velvet, radiating both pure innocence and sexual seduction at the same time, what else could she be if not an angel? His search is interrupted when the Guardians discover the Legions latest endeavors; they’re kidnapping unprotected women and lifemates across the world. A call goes out and the Guardians once again implement their recruitment policy. The war is escalating.
Raphael takes Nowaki, Jennifer’s wolf with him to interview prospective candidates. Board with interviews he decides to take Nowaki on a run in the forest. Taking a break from running they stop by a near by stream. He doesn’t hear the gunshot but feels the blast as it hits his chest and falls to his knees.
Nowaki takes off after the assailant and gets her revenge but not until after the attacker mortally wounds her. Jessica takes over Nowaki’s body and pulls herself back to Raphael convinced they will die together. Lying on top of him to keep from getting cold, she has in reality, saved his life. The blood from her wounds drips down into his open mouth.
Jennifer along with Gabe, Thomas, Michael and Roger arrive on the scene. Michael tells Jennifer,” he’s sorry but Nowaki won’t make it back to the helicopter, much less the compound.” Jen, who was visited by Chenoa the night before now knows about Jessica and Nowaki but has yet to say anything to anyone. She shares her secret with Michael who immediately steps in and attempts to save the wolf. They all make it back to the where surgery is performed on both Raphael and Nowaki. Jennifer shares her grandmother’s secrets with Alice, her best friend, and Gabe.
When Raphael wakes he demands to go back to the forest. His Angel saved his life and no one will believe him. Gabriel finally tells him the truth, Jessica, his angel, and Nowaki are one in the same. The only problem is how to separate the two?
Chenoa shared a bit more with Jennifer… They must return to the cabin where Jessica was born in California and Jennifer must complete the ritual. Only problem is, she doesn’t know how. She waits for her grandmother to show her what to do.
(Secondary stories)
(1) While they wait for Chenoa to reappear the Guardians rescue several women from the Legion and bring them to the estate where Michael can care for them.
(2) Ronan, Jennifer and Jessica’s, Selkie father has an adverse reaction to the scene and everyone witnesses Selkies are not always the gentle creatures they appear to be.
(3) Michael believes they brought an air born virus into the compound with the women. All of the men are ordered to take up residency in the barracks since they are the only ones showing signs of infection. A female physician is brought in to care for the women. She soon discovers one of the women is not what she appears to be. Although human in appearance, Tshering Snow’s blood is feline in nature and she is in heat.
(4) Gabriel distraught without Jennifer decides to make something for Raphael and him to eat, only to destroy Jennifer’s new kitchen in the process.
(5) Ronan and Jessica continue on with their romantic relationship.
(6) Legion soldier Alan Roberts turns coat and returns Guardian soldier Peter Armstrong and his love interest, ballet dancer, Alison to the Guardians. He waits to hear the Guardian’s decision—will he be put to death or not?
(7) Lance is captivated by the lovely Tshering Snow.
A small group consisting of Jennifer, Alice, Gabriel, Raphael, Michael and Nowaki head to the Sierras to find the location where Jessica was born. The group sits around the campfire drinking their morning coffee when Nowaki is attacked by a cougar. Jennifer has no choice but to do the ritual without any preparation. She falls to the ground and passes out once the ritual is completed. Nowaki and Jessica are both bleeding out from wounds received by the cougar. Rather than take Jessica back to the motor home, Raphael asks her for his forgiveness and bites into his own wrists and forces his blood down Jessica’s throat in an attempt to save her. He is successful but is worried about the repercussions—will it bind them forever? The group spends an additional week in the mountains where Jessica learns how to walk, eat and be human. It’s soon discovered that Jessica is mute although she has no problem communicating with anyone; she merely utilizes her natural Selkie ability.
Upon returning to the Illinois, Jessica and Raphael are finally lifemated but not before they must overcome another language barrier.
Author Bio:
V.S. Nelson has always enjoyed reading stories with strong relationships and happy endings so it’s not surprising she found herself writing across the romance genre. Even her commercial fiction, Sins of a Man, the memoirs of a Mafia Hit man, is layered with romantic elements.
Landing in Arizona, after an exciting teaching career, which took her to the Middle East for several years, she lives in Arizona where she spend most of my time making love to her computer while writing, editing or researching, seven to ten hours a day. The days she’s not writing, you will find her with my critique partners at Starbucks, attending or presenting a workshop or at a RWA meeting.
Being a Native American woman and a Scorpio, she’s always had a fondness for history, mythology, the occult, and the unexplained events which have occurred on this world we call home. It was no wonder she found herself writing a paranormal series.
She enjoys hearing from readers, fans and people with similar interests. They are more than welcome to contact her through her website http://www.authorvsnelson.com
Author Links:
Facebook Sekhmet’s Guardians Page
Excerpt:
Chapter Three
Carl reached into his chest pocket and pulled out two folded 8 x 11 sheets of paper, unfolded them and placed them on the table in front of Gabriel.
“Here’s the weird part. The letters are identical. The only difference in them is the name.”
Reaching down and picking up one of the letters, Gabriel began to read it out loud.
Dear Carl,
I have decided I am not ready for a relationship. I am moving away, so please do not try to find me. I hope you have a good life. Good bye.
Sincerely, Jane
Gabriel picks up the second paper and looks at it.
Dear Mike,
I have decided I am not ready for a relationship. I am moving away, so please do not try to find me. I hope you have a good life. Good bye.
Sincerely, Mary
Gabriel held the two letters side by side so everyone in the room could see them. If they had been hand typed
he would have swore they were written on the same typewriter—even the spacing was the same.
So what are the odds two different women in two different cities would write the exact same Dear John letter to their boyfriends? Zip. Nadda.
“Lance, send out an inquiry to everyone; civilians included. See if anyone else has recently received an unexpected Dear John.”
Publication Date: December 2, 2012
A domina’s only purpose in life was to birth vampire children for the Quiet King. Any human woman with the domina gene spent their lives in the castle under strict rules and the guards’ watchful eyes. Brie has been a domina for two years. After witnessing the slaughter of babies, she plans to escape and seeks help from Samuel, a vampire known for aiding many out of slavery.
However, Samuel has only one policy. He won’t help dominas escape the king. The penalty is too high and their blood triggers powers in him that he doesn’t want released. So Brie is forced to lie about being a domina and Samuel is lured in by her blood. Something emerges within them that they can’t deny, overwhelming their every cell and igniting an all-consuming hunger that neither can flee.
Buy Links:
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Secret Cravings
Publication Date: February 6, 2013
Brie and Samuel travel to the human town of Freemont and learn that Brie is being hunted. Brie is more than a domina. But what is she? And why is she being hunted as if she is the solution to a puzzle that the Quiet King has never been able to solve?
Samuel and Brie are forced to align with another, one that holds many answers and incites even more questions. Their journey drags them back to Capitol City and among the night life where sex and secrets mingle together within the light of the two moons. All this time Brie thought she’d escaped and gotten away free from vampires. But can she run away anymore or was she captured the whole time?
Buy Links:
Amazon
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Secret Cravings
April 2013
Blood paints the Quiet King’s castle. People flee the city. War will come. The only question is where and who will be on each side?
Brie, Samuel, and Ian return for the final installment of the Vampire King trilogy where all mysterious are solved and further secrets revealed.
Author:
Kenya Wright always knew she would be famous since the ripe old age of six when she sang the Michael Jackson thriller song in her bathroom mirror. She has tried her hand at many things from enlisting in the Navy for six years as a Persian-Farsi linguist to being a nude model at an art university.
However, writing has been the only constant love in her life. Will she succeed? Of course.
For she has been coined The Urban Fantasy Queen, the Super Iconic Writer of this Age, The Lyrical Genius of Our Generation. Granted, these are all terms coined by her, within the private walls of her bathroom as she still sings the Michael Jackson thriller song.
Kenya Wright currently resides in Miami with her three amazing, overactive children, a supportive, gorgeous husband, and three cool black cats that refuse to stop sleeping on Kenya’s head at night.
Series: The Forgotten (Book 1)
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Feb 28 2013
Edition/Formats Available In: E~book & Print
Synopsis:
Kaira, still reeling from the loss of her younger sister in a tragic boating accident, lives in the dark world of exotic dancing for survival. When one man enters her life, her world is turned upside down and inside out, where reality and fantasy seem to intertwine.
Kaira feels the eyes of a striking man watching her every move on stage. Zane is a scarred man with many secrets, one of which is the knowledge of who and what Kaira really is and the danger she will face.
While Zane fights a subconscious battle about what to tell her and whether he cares enough to get involved, another has noticed her as well. An Ithacan, sent to destroy her for what she is and take her powers to the God that has commanded all Forgotten be exterminated. The God intends to absorb her powers and rule absolutely.
Before Kaira realizes what is coming for her, she finds herself tumbling into a world where a scarred man that she is inexplicably attracted to will become her only hope. A hideous creature, one such as she’s never seen, is hunting her and trying his best to destroy everything and everyone she knows to get what he wants for his Master, and only Zane knows why.
While Kaira thinks it coincidence that Zane shows up at the club the girls like to frequent after work, Zane uses the planned interception to explore the pull that he feels towards Kaira, when he has cared for no one but himself for so many years. After finally meeting, Zane notices that the Ithacan has also followed and as their eyes meet, they both know that the battle for her soul will come; who will win is less important as the insistence Zane feels to tell Kaira who and what she is before she ends up like her sister.
Links:
Samantha Ketteman has resided in southern Illinois for 7 years, (though still claims to be an Alabama girl), with her husband and three crazy demon children. She started reading novels at a very young age and decided two years ago to write for herself. She is working on The Forgotten series, as well as two others. She is a caffiene addict, insomniac, and general basketcase most of the time. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking of writing, much to the chagrin of her husband who has to listen to her paranormal ramblings.
Social Media Links:
Amazon Author Page
Blog
Facebook Author Page
Facebook
G+
Goodreads
Twitter
Excerpt:
Kaira smiled, gave Ronnie a little hug, and hurried in the back door of the club, down the hall, and into the dancers’ dressing room. Great, I get to follow Honey, she thought. Honey had never liked Kaira, was downright mean and hateful to her. Not a great way to start off the night. When she had to follow Honey, she worked hard not to get too many tips, even going as far as pretending not to see the money waving at her from the end of the stage. If she made too much in tips, it would further enrage Honey and she would have to hear the woman’s tirade about how she was offering special services after hours in order to gain more tips during her show. Everyone knew that Jonathon, the owner of Diamond Darlins, would never allow such activities, but it never stopped Honey from insinuating it before.
Kaira sighed, placing her knock-off designer bag on the top of her assigned vanity and sank into the overstuffed but still comfortable zebra patterned seat. Just another night, you can do this, she thought. This was one of the best clubs she had ever worked in, and she had always had to deal with women like Honey in every club. The difference was, in those clubs, the rules weren’t nearly as strict and the customers weren’t nearly as monitored either. What kind of name is Honey anyway, she thought. There was always some version of the name Honey, or something similar that women seemed to automatically associate with exotic dancing. Couldn’t they come up with something original, she mused?
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Published by: Inferno Publishing Company
Publication Date: October 2012
Number of Pages: 421
Note: Excessive Strong Language & Graphic Violence
Detective Connie Giannelli’s life has been torn apart several times. First when her mother died and then years later when she found out her Uncle Dominic was in the mob. Her life is about to be shredded again, and this time it could destroy her.
Connie’s love of family and her badge are both threatened when an undercover drug bust leaves two cops dead and the drugs missing. Internal Affairs is looking for any excuse to take her badge, but she’s not worried about them finding the missing drugs—her secrets could prove to be far worse.
Now Connie’s racing against the clock to figure out who killed her partners and took the drugs—dirty cops or Uncle Dominic’s friends. And she has to do it before IA pins the whole damn thing on her.
BLOOD FLOWS SOUTH: BOOK I
La famiglia è tutto
Family is everything
Dominic Mangini
Chapter 1
A Present for Maria
Brooklyn, New York—Winter 1982
Zeppe Mangini paced the busy sidewalk while nursing a cappuccino. He felt it was a sure sign that the world was falling apart when people sold cappuccino in paper cups, but he sipped the drink to draw warmth and to make himself appear busy. Every few steps he glanced across the street to the apartment at 1255. Tommy Nunzio had lived there since he was a kid. Tonight he would die there.
Zeppe finished his cappuccino, waited for a break in traffic, then half-walked, half-jogged across the street. The horn from a souped-up Camaro blared as he reached the sidewalk. He tugged on his cap, covering a full head of coal-black hair, then nodded to his brother, Dominic, standing by the front steps.
“Dom, you sure there’s no other way to do this?”
“This is the cleanest. He’ll buzz you in.”
Zeppe paused, scrunched his face up a little. “Yeah, but that ain’t right. I’m—”
“Do it.”
Zeppe hit the buzzer, fidgeting as he waited for Tommy to answer. The last time his finger hit this button it was to ask Tommy out for a beer. Now…
“Who is it?”
“Tommy, it’s Zep. Open up.”
They walked into the building and climbed the stairs to the third floor. Zeppe cringed with each groan of the old wood, bringing back images of him and Tommy as little kids, and Mrs. Nunzio hollering at them, warning them about playing on steps. Zeppe took a few seconds to catch his breath, and to calm the rotten feeling he had in his gut, but he couldn’t chase away the image of Mrs. Nunzio. As he reached the top of the third floor, he half expected to be greeted by the sweet aroma of garlic coming from her kitchen.
His face scrunched again, a nervous tic he had since he was kid. “Dom, can’t we buy him a little time?”
“Not on this one,” Dominic said, and stood to the side.
Zeppe knocked on the door, hands shaking more than his stomach ached. After a few seconds the door opened. Dominic moved fast, pushing Zeppe aside while he shoved his gun into Tommy’s stomach. “Keep your voice down.”
Tommy backed up, hands in the air. “What’s going on? What—” His look shifted from Dominic to Zeppe, then back again. He froze, his eyes growing large. “Zeppe, what’s this about?”
Zeppe closed the door with the heel of his foot, never taking his eyes from Tommy.
“You shouldn’t have crossed Vito.”
“That’s enough,” Dominic said.
Tommy cocked his head toward Zeppe, lifting his eyes in a pleading gesture. “Zep, can you help me out?” His voice cracked when he asked.
Dominic raised the gun to Tommy’s head and pulled the trigger. Twice. The small caliber bullets bounced around inside his skull, dropping him to the floor. There was little pain. Even less blood.
Dominic knelt beside him, checked his neck and pulse. The two in the head had done the trick.
“Let’s go,” Zeppe said, but as he reached for the doorknob a noise from the bedroom alerted him. “You hear that?”
Zeppe and Dominic stopped. Listened. A fan hummed in the bathroom and the ever-present noise of the fridge came from the kitchen, but something different from the bedroom. “Turn off the lights,” Dominic said, then crept toward the back room, gun drawn. “I’ll go in low. Hit the light once I’m in.”
Dominic crouched, pushed open the bedroom door and crept forward, his gun leading the way.
Zeppe waited for him to get in, then hit the light. “Mother of God! A goddamn baby.”
Dominic glanced about the room, barely big enough to hold the crib, a rocker, and a small chest of drawers. The baby fussed, tiny hands covering its eyes. Dominic picked the baby up, pried open the diaper, then lay the baby on his shoulder. “It’s a girl. Can’t be more than a few months old.”
Zeppe still had his gun out. “I’ll check the rest of the place.”
He returned in a few minutes, gun tucked into his pants. “Place is clean,” he said. “So what do we do?”
“Call Vito, but use the phone booth. I’ll wait here.”
Zeppe thought about the baby all the way down the stairs. Vito would be pissed; they should have known beforehand. He exited the building, crossed the street and called Vito.
“Hello.”
“Yeah, it’s me. We got a problem.”
“What kind of problem?”
A long pause, then, “We delivered the message, but we found something unexpected.”
“Don’t make me guess.”
“A baby.”
“How did we not know about a baby?”
“I don’t know. I never heard of no baby, but sure as shit it’s his. Got pictures everywhere, baby clothes, baby food in the fridge and cabinets. A room fixed up.”
Zeppe waited through more silence.
“Leave it.”
“Leave it? Christ’s sake, boss. It could die.”
“Leave it.”
“Okay, you got it,” Zeppe said, and put the phone back on the receiver. Ain’t no way Dominic is leaving that baby.
Head hung low, Zeppe walked back across the street, up the steps, and into the apartment where Dominic waited with the girl. “Vito said leave it.”
Dominic was a small man, but intensity always surrounded him, an aura of danger that even Zeppe wasn’t immune to. He had seen men far bigger than his brother back down after meeting his glare.
“I’m not leaving her,” Dominic said, and he held the girl a little tighter. “Do you know Tommy’s wife? Where is she?”
“I don’t know, Dom. I heard she left him a few months ago, but I didn’t know about the baby. I swear. I wouldn’t have done this if I knew.” Shouldn’t have done it anyway. Goddamnit.
“Did Tommy have family? Brothers or sisters?”
“His brother died last year. Remember?” Zeppe paused. “There might be relatives, but none I know of.” There wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of Dominic leaving that baby alone, or with child services. Regardless, Zeppe felt he had to try. “Child services would—”
“I wouldn’t leave a dog with them.”
“Dom, I know how you feel, but—”
“Take her with us.”
“Are you nuts?”
“We shouldn’t be in this situation, Zeppe. It was your job to check this out.” Dominic shook his head then handed the girl to Zeppe. “It’s cold outside. Make sure she’s warm.”
“Okay,” Zeppe said, “whatever you want.” He took the baby from Dominic, and held her close.
“I’ll wipe everything clean.” Dominic looked around, checked where they’d been, then went to the bedroom and got extra clothes, a blanket, diapers, bottles. When he returned, he handed everything to Zeppe, cracked the door and looked down the hall. “Wrap her tight. I don’t want that baby catching cold.”
Zeppe wrapped the blanket around her, making sure to cover her head. “What the hell are we going to do with a baby?” He said it to himself, but Dominic answered.
“Taking her to Maria.”
Zeppe’s head was shaking as soon as Dominic finished. “Dom, you’re my older brother, but you’re as nuts as Maria.”
Dominic turned to face Zeppe. “If you ever say that about Maria again, I’ll kill you.”
They walked to the car in silence. Zeppe handed the baby to Dominic then got behind the wheel to drive. “Where to?”
“First the warehouse, then to Maria’s.”
#
Dominic stared at the baby as Zeppe drove, letting his finger trace along her forehead. “She’s quiet for one so young,” he said, no trace of the vehemence that tainted his voice earlier.
“Yeah, I guess she likes you.”
“And look at those eyes. Such big brown eyes.”
“Beautiful,” Zeppe said, but he never took his eyes from the road.
When the little girl smiled, Dominic smiled with her, but soon afterward turned somber. He thought of the fate Maria suffered because of him. If anyone should have had children it was her, but she refused to marry Dominic because of what he was, and she refused to marry anyone else. He saw the pain when she sat at the playground and watched the children play. Pain she didn’t deserve. Perhaps this was God’s answer to his prayers.
There would be birth certificate issues and people to pay off…but that could be arranged. The bigger problem was getting Maria to accept the baby and then making sure no one ever told the truth. That was the difficult one. Truth had a way of creeping through cracks and oozing to the top, no matter how deep it was buried. He knew he could trust Zeppe, and he could trust Maria…but something in his gut ate at him. This would take careful planning.
Zeppe pulled up to a warehouse. Dominic got rid of the gun and changed clothes. Half an hour later he turned down the street to Maria’s house.
“Turn the corner and park on the street after hers,” Dominic said. “We’ll walk.”
“Dom, it’s cold, and that baby—”
“The baby will be fine in the blanket. I’d rather not be seen on Maria’s street.”
After Zeppe parked, Dominic checked to make sure no one was watching then signaled Zeppe to bring the baby. They walked around the corner and up to Maria’s house.
A few knocks brought Maria to the door, surprise registering on her face when she saw them. “What are you doing here?” Her voice not much above a whisper.
Maria was the same as always—as plain as her tawny hair and as quiet as a church at night. “Came to see my beautiful friend,” Dominic said, and removed his cap.
She brushed her fingers through the sides of her hair. “Beautiful? I’m already graying.”
Dominic hugged her and kissed her forehead. “I love that gray,” he said, then nodded to Zeppe, who handed the baby to Maria.
She went wide-eyed. “Whose baby is this?” She held the girl against her and peeled the blanket back one layer at a time. “She’s so small. Where’s the mother?”
Dominic brushed the baby’s red cheeks with his finger, and nudged her head with his nose, sniffing in her scent. For the second time tonight a smile lit his face. “Babies are so innocent. You can even smell it on them.”
Maria walked through the house, humming a tune while she rocked the baby in her arms. “You didn’t answer me, Dominic. Who does she belong to? Some woman friend of yours?”
“I’m surprised at you for saying such a thing, Maria.” Westminster chimes were signaling the half-hour. Dominic waited for them to stop; they were Maria’s favorite. “We found her on the street corner. She was in a stroller, freezing.”
Maria looked at him, perhaps trying to judge the truth. “I’m sorry, Dominic, it’s just…I thought…” She shook her head and continued walking. “Who would do that to a baby?” She kissed the girl’s head several times. “Poor baby,” she said, then turned to Dominic. “What can we do with her? Did you call those…services people?”
“You know I would never do that; besides, you always wanted a child. Now God has sent you one.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t keep her.” Maria made the statement, blessed herself when she said it, but a plea rode on her words.
“You must keep her. God has given you a gift. Someone who didn’t care abandoned her, now someone who does care will raise her.”
Maria stared at Dominic for a long time, then she hugged the baby as tears formed in her eyes. “There is no way I can keep her, but I will watch her for a while.” She walked with her for a few moments, then said, “In the meantime, I’ll call her Concetta.”
Dominic nodded, a smile on his face. Maria would never let go of that baby. “Concetta Gianelli. A good name.”
“I told you, Dominic, I can’t keep her. What would the neighbors say? They will—”
Zeppe shook his head. “Tell them a relative died. Trust me, they won’t say anything.” He leaned over and kissed Maria on the cheek, then kissed the baby. “I promise you.”
Dominic looked at Maria, then Zeppe. “If Maria keeps Concetta, no one is to know where she came from. Understand? No one.”
“Don’t worry,” Zeppe said. “Just the three of us.”
Maria nodded, clutching the girl as if someone might take her. “Yes, just the three of us.”
Zeppe turned and headed for the door. “I’ll wait outside.”
“Good night, Giuseppe.”
“Yeah, good night, Maria.”
As the door closed behind Zeppe, and Maria walked to the kitchen, Dominic made the sign of the cross, asking God for forgiveness. It was one thing to kill a man—but to take his baby and claim it as a gift from God might be pushing things too far. That was the kind of thing that could haunt a person in both lives. And what will Maria do if she finds out the truth? Even worse, what will this little girl do if she finds out?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Giacomo Giammatteo lives in Texas, where he and his wife run an animal sanctuary and take care of 41 loving rescues. By day, he works as a headhunter in the medical device industry, and at night, he writes.
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Check out our 5* review for Murder Takes Time, the book that made us fall in love with Giacomo’s work!!
Today we are honoured to be joined in the Spotlight by Lisa Collicutt. She joins us to spotlight The Devil’s Flower .
Here is a excerpt from the spotlight…
“Killing isn’t exactly on Rosalie Lockwood’s list of things to do when she runs away from home. But despite her search for peace; guns and motorcycles become her latest fashion accessories as Divine interference leads her to Steele, co-leader of the Fallen Paladins motorcycle club.
Leathered and tattooed, Steele’s presence scares off most people he comes in contact with—but not Rosalie. She’s immediately drawn into the dangers of his biker world—and into his heart.”
To read more about Lisa and her work please click HERE
It is my pleasure to be part of the Partner In Crime Tour for Back From The Dead by Peter Leonard today. He joins us for a spotlight with excerpt.
Here is an excerpt from the spotlight on Back From The Dead:
“Harry pulled in the driveway, parked and went in the side door. He expected to see Colette in the kitchen, starting dinner. She was going to make sauerbraten, potato dumplings and red cabbage, an authentic German meal. He’d been thinking about it all day and he was hungry. Colette was a terrific cook, and that was another benefit of living with her. He threw his keys on the counter, hit the message button on the answering machine. Another one from Galina.
“Harry, you going to call me one of these days?”
To find out more about Back From The Dead and much more please click HERE
Thank you to Partner In Crime Tours and Peter Leonard for joining us today!
Today we are honoured to be joined in the Spotlight by Jack Scott. He joins us to spotlight Perking the Pansies, Jack and Liam move to Turkey .
Here is a excerpt from the spotlight…
“Jack Scott was born on a British army base in Canterbury, England, in 1960 and spent part of his childhood in Malaysia as a ‘forces brat.’ At the age of eighteen and determined to dodge further education, Jack became a shop boy on Chelsea’s trendy King’s Road: ‘Days on the tills and nights on the tiles’ were the best probation for a young gay man about town. After two carefree years, Jack swapped sales for security and got a proper job with a pension attached. By his late forties, passionately dissatisfied with suburban life and middle management, he and his Civil Partner, Liam, abandoned the sanctuary of liberal London for an uncertain future in Turkey.”
To read more about Jack and his work please click HERE
Today we are honoured to be part of the Blog Tour for Holiday Jinx by Abbey MacInnis for a Spotlight. Abbey joins us to spotlight her latest release along with an excerpt from Holiday Jinx.
Here is a excerpt from the spotlight…
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…unless you’re single and lonely.
Jinx–one of Santa’s elves–is in trouble with the Big Guy. She’s been charged with bringing holiday happiness to Christopher Ragan, CEO of Wondrous Toys. It’s a big job especially when he’s more attached to the bottom of a bottle than helping his fellow man.
She’s got enough trouble without spilling the secrets of the North Pole, but then along comes Natalie Burnes, a newbie CEO of Enchanted Toys and in trouble of a hostile takeover from Christopher’s company. The woman literally crashes Christopher’s vacation plans in a tucked away Michigan cabin—and the sparks start flying.
As if Jinx’s job of matchmaking the toy makers isn’t hard enough, she’s got to stay one step ahead of the North Pole patrol and keep out of sight of the humans. No way is she gonna screw up and lose her magic again. If the humans can’t find happiness and love by Christmas, Jinx forfeits her chance of seeing her true love too. What’s an elf to do?”
To read more about Abbey and his latest releases please click HERE
Sorry we don't have any Blog Hop's planned at the moment
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