Who’s looking for a Christmas book sale???? I have one just for you.
It’s the Christmas book sale of the year!
$.99 each for four books. Love shifters? Love Christmas? Love elves and Santa? Then these books are for you! They have it all and are great reads for readers of all ages.
sparkle bokeh of Christmas tree, Template mock up for display of your product for Christmas background, vintage toning
At the North Pole’s own Christmas Village, it’s Christmas every day and dragons pull Santa’s sleigh. So, what happens as the elves start to venture out of their Christmas wonderland? Anything can happen! Includes ice dragon, polar bear, and wolf shifters, and more elves than you can shake a candy cane at! Their antics will keep you laughing as they learn some perfect Christmas lessons…and find romance along the way.
It’s been a while since I posted a travel post, and this is the perfect time to throw out another awesome destination! It’s finally December, my favorite month of the year. Christmas, lights, holiday music, garland, ornaments, hot chocolate, giving, and cheer. It’s my favorite. That means it’s perfect to introduce the perfect Christmas store!
Bronners is the Christmas Wonderland that each of us needs in our lives. The store, located in Frankenmuth, Michigan, is over 2 acres big with almost any Christmas item you can think of. The ornament section is beyond unbelievable. If you can think it, they have it. Inside is nothing but Christmas, from their products to the decorations lining the walls near the ceiling. There is no way, if you love Christmas, that you can leave that store emptyhanded. Trust me.
Growing up, my family always went down with my dad’s parents at least once a year. I say down because it was about 2 hours south of where I grew up. These were trips that I’ll always remember. We’d go shopping and then go out for lunch at the Bavarian Inn or Zenders. They have awesome chicken. We also found that going mid-summer was the best time for us as the store was far less crowded than it was nearer to Christmas.
Even the grounds are decorated and lit up at night for people to drive their cars around to see it all. I haven’t been able to see this since I was in middle or high school, but it’s on my to-do list again. If you’re in the area after dark, you should check this out.
For more information, please check out the site below. Also, you can sign up for their catalogue (which of course I’ve done). And PS they’re doing Facebook live visits with Santa, so check out the website for more details on this!
This week we’re talking crochet. To be more specific, let’s talk crocheted book cozies. For anyone who may not know what a book cozy is, it’s a sleeve that keeps your book safe. You slide it in and voila, safe, especially when traveling. I’ve seen some crocheted and sewn with material.
Almost a year ago, I wanted to start crocheting more again, and to make something others might like or want, so I decided to create a book cozy. Now, I’m positive there are patterns out there and they’re wonderful, but I decided to use my creativity even more and created my own pattern.
I have two sizes, one for a 6×9 book and a 5.5×8. Each one also has a fun decoration on the top. At the beginning, it was only flowers as I became familiar with the pattern. Now, I have more yarn color choices and want to create better themes and also branch out in color. I made a cozy out of pinker yarn and then added some leaves to the front. Soon I plan to attempt a sunflower.
So far, I’ve kept the pattern to myself, but perhaps some day I’ll write it up better and put it on this site for people to find. The next goal is to attempt to make up another pattern for something fun and to create another style of book cozy. I can’t help but want to make more, and they don’t take long.
If you’re interested in a custom cozy or one that I have already created, please reach out to me via my contact page. They’re $10 plus shipping. Every book lover needs a cozy!
In the past, Mondays have been reserved for books and indie authors. I’m currently working to revamp the blog a little, so Monday is now switching to a Music & Books day. Why the change? Well, I was just sitting here at my desk staring at my TV playing Pandora and the song playing reminded me of one of my books. In fact, I think it was one of my books theme songs, so I thought it’d be fun to have a day to talk music and books. Either one or together.
Music plays a large role in many authors lives. Some can’t write with music on, some have to have music but with no words, and others can listen to anything. I’m in the last group, but I tend to listen to the current work’s “playlist”. Whatever songs put me instantly into the mood for that book or who make me feel what I need to for the book (this year’s Christmas book didn’t have any Christmas songs in the playlist.
With this being said, I’ll go through the different books and their playlists, but also talk music in general. I like to listen to a broad range of music (with a few exceptions). What do you like to listen to?
Today’s snippet is from my book Whispered Summons in the Halloween anthology Something In The Shadows published by Midnight Tide Publishing. It releases Oct 28th and I can’t wait for you to read this story!!! I just love Cass, and maybe one day I’ll turn this novella into a full length novel.
“Iz, I made a mistake last night, but I didn’t know it.” I took a deep breath and squeezed her hands, her grip on me almost painful. “Last night, after you went to bed, I was reading through a book on demons, and I happened to murmur a spell. I didn’t think anything of it because they’re usually complex spells. Well, apparently this is one of the easiest spells, so all you have to do is recite it.”
“Meeps, what happened?”
I was avoiding the truth for as long as possible, but it was only upsetting Izzy further. Taking my hands back, I wiped my face and heaved a heavy sigh. This was it.
Meeting Izzy’s terrified face, I confessed my sin. “Last night I summoned a demon.”
Her mouth popped open. Even young Izzy knew better than to do that. It was dark magic and forbidden by our coven.
“I didn’t plan on it,” I urged, wanting my baby sister to understand what was happening. “It was a mistake. How was I supposed to know?”
“Is he going to kill us?” Izzy squeaked, her body starting to tremble with the news.
I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so. He’s not that kind of demon.”
Eyes widening further, Izzy gasped softly. “There’s more than one type of demon?”
“Apparently so, which is exactly what I was looking at last night,” I muttered. “All the spells were so incredibly complex. I just happened to pick the one that wasn’t complex to whisper.”
“What are you going to do?”
I deflated as a fist banged against the door in a solid knock that made us both squeak, and I grabbed Izzy, keeping myself between the door and her.
Oh my gosh I love Karen Tomlinson’s books and I can’t wait to read this series! It’s going to be epic!! This one is on my TBR pile because, well, shifters! And I love Karen. She’s one of the sweetest people ever. I’m sure it’s going to be just as great of a read as her other books, so I’m ecstatic!!
Redemption must be earned…or you lose your soul forever.
Does fate like to give you the finger?
I thought killing my parents would be enough for her but no, now she has plans for my new family—and me.
All I want is to live my life quietly. You know? Find my place in this crazy world. But as a wolf shifter, I must either become an agent at the Supernatural Bureau of Investigation, or try and fit into human society. Yeah, that’s not for me, neither is the SBI. Especially when Connor, the alpha my wolf has claimed as her mate, is their top operative.
Connor is the boy I grew up with, except now he is a tough, arrogant and gorgeous man, one who kisses me, rocks my entire world, and then leaves me hanging, not only that, but he disappears—completely.
The SBI say he’s dead.
I say powerful alpha wolf-shifters like him don’t die easily.
Turns out his disappearance is just the beginning.
Fate made it clear that life is fragile, but she also taught me that once you die there is another life. Or at least there is for me…
I will discover what happened to Connor. And no matter how many times I die, vengeance will always be mine.
Here’s a snippet from the last book in the string of The Diner snippets that I have to spotlight (ironically it’s first in the set). This snippet is from M.S. Murray’s book, A Hold On The Stake. Less than a week left until release!
A sharp pain radiates up my entire left side. I scrunch my face up and pant through the agony until it’s bearable again.
“I think you might have a broken rib.”
“No shit I might have a broken rib. I think you pulverised my entire rib cage when you tackled me like Frank Farmer.”
“Who?” His brow furrows.
“The Bodyguard? Whitney Houston?” He stares at me blankly. “Nevermind. Help me up.” With a loud sigh, he moves towards me. In a blink, I’m upright and slightly hunched as I begin to feel every bruise, cut and possibly broken bone. I’m pretty sure my wrist is fractured on the same side as my ribs.
Today’s craft is a new addiction for me. A few weeks ago, I was messaging a friend about crocheting, and she said she was crocheting pumpkins, and they looked so cute when she sent the picture of what they were to look like. Thankfully, the picture had the website listed, so I headed over there and searched for the pattern. I couldn’t wait to start making myself some cute pumpkins!
Just a few days after that conversation, my grandpa died on a Saturday morning. It wasn’t a surprise. We’d been waiting for it as he grew worse and worse. However, all of the waiting, sadness, and stress that goes along with it wore me out emotionally making writing nearly impossible. There just wasn’t anything left to give. But I still needed something to keep my mind busy and my creative side fresh.
So, I started to crochet. The first project was a few snowflake ornaments, and I was going to move on to another project altogether (no crocheting) when I remembered this pumpkin pattern. That was it. I was going to start making my pumpkins.
I picked out my yarn, a darker, multi-colored yarn that I was sure had enough yardage left in the skein to complete the project. Well, it did, but barely, and it made an awfully short, yet wide, pumpkin, and I find it just darling! That was Saturday’s project.
Sunday found me making yet another pumpkin because it was so much fun to create the first! This time I chose a full skein with bright fall colors rather than the dark ones. Instead of a brown stem, I gave it a dark green one. My family loved them when I texted them all pictures and my youngest sister and Mom both said they wanted one just like the light one. I instantly began the pumpkin for my sister and told Mom that she could have the light one I’d finished since there wasn’t enough yarn for another. The next day after work, I finished my younger sister’s pumpkin. It’s the one with the brown stem.
One of the reasons I love crocheting so much is that it allows me to be creative when my mind can’t handle anything else, like creating worlds. It’s great for when I’m tired, yet let’s me build something with my hands, and it’s a different avenue for my creativity to show itself.
I learned how to crochet about eleven years ago. Me and my sisters were learning together from a friend and I was terrible! Just the worst. I could’ve given up right then, and some days I wonder why I didn’t, but I not only persevered but I far surpassed my sisters in the ability to crochet, and as far as I’m aware, I’m the only one who still crochets.
Moral of the story: if at first you don’t succeed, keep practicing and you will. I practiced for hours and hours. I’ve made more mistakes than I can count. Yet, I’ve learned something new with each project, which makes each project a new adventure.
It’s another book that I haven’t read! I think that’s going to be the trend, but that’s okay! It’s exciting to learn of new books. This one looks like it’ll be an interesting read.
Mitrick Black is no hero. The vampire and gun-for-hire is old enough to know better than to take a bad contract for the wrong side. Except he did. Brutally injured, he has a single chance to survive: become a double agent for the werewolf who spared his life. But reclaiming his position at his evil employer’s side forces Mitrick to do something truly desperate: taking a human blood-servant—one whose fierce spirit makes him want to protect her at any cost.
Laine O’Callaghan is determined to reclaim her family’s heirlooms before the world sends her into an early grave with the rest of the O’Callaghans. But after chasing the thief to New Orleans, the Irishwoman’s entire tour bus is captured by vampires. Monsters are real, and they have her at their mercy. Except something tells her that the vampire who claims her is just as trapped, and she can’t deny the fire that consumes her at his every touch. Mitrick is everything she should hate, yet she finds the man beneath the fangs to be so much more than a bloodthirsty predator.
In the magic tunnels beneath New Orleans, unexpected love is their greatest strength—and their greatest weakness. When Laine’s quest for answers lands them both in the crosshairs, can they survive a curse in the dark?
Today’s snippet comes from K.J. Lavalee’s book Revealing The Truth inside the shared world box set, The Diner. Just a few more weeks until release so pre-order your copy now! You don’t want to miss this box set if you love all things paranormal, fantasy, and romance!
Maverick
I bolt up in bed. Panic fills me. Not from me, but she’s panicked. Something isn’t right. But she’s also resigned.
The emotion subsides and I relax. She probably had a bad dream and is worrying about her life now, and then thinking of her uncle, mother and father.
I get up and start putting my shit back into my duffle when a sharp pain pierces my gut. Not mine, Ella’s.
I must have made a pained noise, because Gellevel is at my side in an instant. “What is it?”
“Ella. She’s hurting.” I groan. “It’s like, torture.” I don’t have anything else to compare it to. I was tortured before. This is like that. Like being stabbed in the gut repeatedly to see what you can withstand.
“Did you see where she was?”
“No,” I say through gritted teeth. “When I… spoke to her… she didn’t want… me to find her.” I take a deep breath. “She wants to keep me safe.”
My brother growls. “You’re the warrior. You don’t need protection.”
The pain stops, I can feel her relief for a brief moment, then white light shoots through me.
Gellevel drops to the floor, and rolls away. Afraid the light is going to hurt him. It very well might have.
Several minutes pass when the light finally fades. I pat my body making sure I’m okay. That’s not my magic, and elves magic is green. Not white. That’s Ella’s.
“I think the block has been removed.”
Gel grunts. “You think? I can’t imagine the destruction she can wreak if that much power came through you. You’re her mate, and you lit up like a fucking bonfire.”
“She is a Bennet witch,” I say, as if it’s obvious.
“So I saw. Guess she’ll be needing to learn how to control that magic.”
Breathing as if I just ran a marathon, I flip him off. “Obviously. She hasn’t had her magic since she was a little girl. She isn’t going to be able to control it without extensive training.”
Even as I say the words, pride fills me. My mate, she’ll be a formidable foe. And she’s mine.
“What do we do now?”
“We continue searching. But this time, we look online. Someone had to have reported that surge of light. We can narrow it down that way,” I tell him. I dig my laptop out of my duffle, and load it up. I will find you, Ella. And I will help protect you, whether you like it or not.   Â
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Heather Karn 