HATHOR LEGACY: BURN by Deborah A Bailey Giveaway & Excerpt

I'm back! This is my last post about my new science fiction romance, Hathor Legacy: Burn, book two in the Hathor Legacy series. I've had fun sharing excerpts and posts with you. Hope you've enjoyed them too!

At the end of the party, one randomly chosen commenter will win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and a ebook version of the book (either .mobi or .pdf). 


In this excerpt, Nadira is in a medical evacuation center or “medi-evac.” She was caught in an ambush of a security team and used her PSI abilities to fight her way out. Now she has to rest in order to regain her strength. She’s had a few shocks up to this point (with more to come) and Jonathan is concerned that she’s taking on too much without giving herself a chance to recover.


Nadira tried to sit up, but her arms ached so much they couldn't support her. Instead they wobbled and she was forced to drop back down against the pillows.

"Relax. You're not going anywhere." Jonathan propped himself up on his elbow and pulled the covers back over her.

She looked up into his grey eyes. What she saw there wasn't what she was expecting. But it wasn't just concern for her that had etched the dark circles under them, there was something else.

"You look tired," she said, as she ran the tip of her finger along his face, following the line of his squared jaw. Stubble pricked and tickled her skin, encouraging her to continue her exploration. After reading Varyn and being attacked in the warehouse, she'd shut down her awareness, just so she could block out her emotions. If she allowed herself to feel something now, she'd have to feel it all, and she wasn't sure she was ready for that.

Jon captured her hand and pressed it to his lips. "I didn't know how to find you. A security officer told me about the warehouse fire. When I got there, they told me to check the medi-evac. I heard you calling me."

Had she? She couldn't remember now. In fact a lot of the attack was hazy, without clear definition, like waking up and trying to remember a dream. "I couldn't save them. I tried and I couldn't." Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision and making her feel ashamed.

Emotions were to be controlled at all times. That's how Zina had trained her, and that's what she had always fallen back on. But now, it wasn't working.

"Let it go," Jonathan said. "It's all right."

"No." She shifted and turned her back to him. "Stop. Just go. Come back in the morning." She wasn't ready yet. If she let it out now, she'd never be able to stop.


About the book

Book Two of the Hathor Legacy Series

On the planet, Hathor, an old threat re-emerges that may destroy the fragile alliance between the Guardians and Novacorp.  When Nadira is called to investigate a rash of fires throughout the city, she discovers the Deshtu, another group with PSI powers who have been purposely kept in the shadows.

Working to uncover the source of the fires, Nadira learns the brutal truth about the origin of the Guardians. The Guardian Elders have plans to make Nadira more powerful, and she may be forced to sever her psychic connection to Jonathan Keel.

When an unexpected ally gives Jonathan information about the Deshtu that connects them to the fires, he becomes a convenient scapegoat for the opposing factions. Nadira puts her life on the line to solve the crime, while the Elders make their move to remove Jonathan from her life forever.

As time runs out, the Guardians prepare for a clash with Novacorp that could plunge the planet into chaos, and a final betrayal forces Nadira to risk everything to save herself and Hathor.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LW95G7K

As a little girl when Deborah A Bailey was watching Star Trek and Twilight Zone, she was writing and drawing her own superheroine comics. When she grew up, she continued to write and followed her love of technology into a career as a computer programmer and developer. But writing was never far away from her heart, so over the years she wrote and published stories set on other worlds and in Earth's future.

Ultimately she fulfilled a lifelong dream and completed her first novel in the Hathor Legacy universe, Hathor Legacy: Outcast. Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and her work has been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun. She's also the author of a short story collection, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales.

Website: http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDeborahB

HATHOR LEGACY: BURN by Deborah A Bailey Giveaway & Writing Romantic Scenes

Hi there! I'm back with another post about my new science fiction romance, Hathor Legacy: Burn, book two in the Hathor Legacy series.

At the end of the party, one randomly chosen commenter will win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and a ebook version of the book (either .mobi or .pdf). 


Writing Romantic Scenes

For the most part when I wrote short speculative fiction stories, I didn’t include love scenes. Romance and flirting, yes. But that was as far as it went.

But when I wrote my novel, Hathor Legacy: Outcast, I found myself in a bit of a dilemma. It’s a romance, isn’t it? So I knew at some point, the heroine/hero would have to get together romantically.

Since I’d just started getting to know the characters, Jonathan and Nadira, I didn’t feel comfortable having them move too quickly. But by book two, they're in an established relationship, so I let their love scenes flow naturally.

Whether the hook up comes sooner or later, it should never feel forced. Once I decided how explicit I wanted to get, it got easier. Instead of doing endless “insert tab a into slot b” descriptions, I looked for descriptive words that could set the mood without my having to actually describe the blow-by-blow. And in the interests of keeping it "PG," I won't go into more detail in this post! :)

One of the love scenes, where they've reunited after a separation, happens on a beach. During that scene I used words like "roar," "crashing," "fueling" and "explosion" to make a strong impression. They drive up the tension and the reader has a reaction to them, even if they’re not fully aware of it.

All writers know that words are extremely powerful. They paint images and stir up emotions. Do I like reading love scenes? Sure. But sometimes writing them is challenging. I want to show what’s happening, while at the same time I want to stay within what I think is appropriate for that story.

There are readers who skip those scenes. Others can’t get enough. So I don’t think a writer can anticipate if a reader will be glad the characters hooked up, or when they’ll be turned off. All I can do is stay true to what I feel works at that point. The characters will let me know when they’re ready, and that will make the scene much easier to write.


About the book

Book Two of the Hathor Legacy Series

On the planet, Hathor, an old threat re-emerges that may destroy the fragile alliance between the Guardians and Novacorp.  When Nadira is called to investigate a rash of fires throughout the city, she discovers the Deshtu, another group with PSI powers who have been purposely kept in the shadows.

Working to uncover the source of the fires, Nadira learns the brutal truth about the origin of the Guardians. The Guardian Elders have plans to make Nadira more powerful, and she may be forced to sever her psychic connection to Jonathan Keel.

When an unexpected ally gives Jonathan information about the Deshtu that connects them to the fires, he becomes a convenient scapegoat for the opposing factions. Nadira puts her life on the line to solve the crime, while the Elders make their move to remove Jonathan from her life forever.

As time runs out, the Guardians prepare for a clash with Novacorp that could plunge the planet into chaos, and a final betrayal forces Nadira to risk everything to save herself and Hathor.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LW95G7K

As a little girl when Deborah A Bailey was watching Star Trek and Twilight Zone, she was writing and drawing her own superheroine comics. When she grew up, she continued to write and followed her love of technology into a career as a computer programmer and developer. But writing was never far away from her heart, so over the years she wrote and published stories set on other worlds and in Earth's future.

Ultimately she fulfilled a lifelong dream and completed her first novel in the Hathor Legacy universe, Hathor Legacy: Outcast. Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and her work has been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun. She's also the author of a short story collection, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales.

Website: http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDeborahB

SECOND SKIN by Jesse Pearle - Giveaway and Character Spotlight on Pilar Flores

Book Description

Sam Blanco is a young tattoo artist trying to get out of L.A. by earning money selling his talent to a prominent local gang. His life is thrown into chaos after giving a very special tattoo to the the gang leader’s beautiful girlfriend. Sam winds up torn between the desire for the girlfriend’s attention and craving the friendship of the gang leader he’s come to see as a brother. Who will ultimately pay the price for love?

At the end of the party one randomly chosen commenter will receive a $10 Amazon gift card and a free copy of the ebook (pdf, epub, or mobi).

Pilar Flores Character Spotlight

Pilar Flores, the daughter of a drug lord, has been shaped by her father's business her entire life. She lost her mother at age six and shortly afterward began accompanying her father everywhere during his various business interactions, most of which weren't always in the most savory locations. She's been immersed in his world for more than a decade when the story begins, and believes she can hold her own among the men who work for her father. Except now that she's more mature, her father seems increasingly more protective of her to the point that she feels stifled.

When Leo Reyes shows up in their living room, bleeding from a gunshot wound inflicted by his own brother, her entire world is turned on its head. She falls hard for Leo, and encourages the reluctant young man to take his brother's place as her father's right hand.

She never regrets the decision to push Leo to do what she believes he was meant to do, but the repercussions leave her longing for attention from both the most important men in her life, her father and Leo, who are so preoccupied with their work that she is left feeling taken for granted for her own part in the business.

In an ill-advised attempt to entice her lover, she commissions a tattoo from Sam, the new tattoo artist for Leo's gang, and a man she believes is safe enough to accomplish what she wants.

She couldn't have been more wrong.

Pilar's Inspiration

Pilar's visual inspiration is Sofia Vergara, but her character inspiration is the character Alex from the original Red Shoe Diaries. She loves the man she's with to an almost painful degree, but through unfortunate circumstances she becomes obsessed with another man and makes a terrible mistake that she will probably regret for the rest of her life.

Buy the book on Amazon

HATHOR LEGACY: BURN by Deborah A Bailey Giveaway & Mythology

Here's post three about my new science fiction romance, Hathor Legacy: Burn, book two in the Hathor Legacy series.

At the end of the party, one randomly chosen commenter will win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and a ebook version of the book (either .mobi or .pdf). 


Mythology in the Series

The planet, Hathor was discovered (or will be!) in the year 2234.

The name of the planet is a perfect fit for the theme of the story. Hathor is an Egyptian goddess who symbolizes joy, love and motherhood. In my books, mothers play a key role in shaping the events. Both Jonathan Keel and Nadira’s mothers rebelled against the established order.

Their rebellion ultimately led to Jonathan and Nadira getting together and falling in love, and that relationship will help shake things up in a culture that is controlled by Novacorp, the corporation that runs things on the planet.

Hathor is also known as the “cow goddess,” and her symbol is a sun disk sitting between the horns of a cow. Novacorp’s U-shaped corporate logo is based on that symbol.

Since Hathor is also known as “Mistress of the West,” I had Jonathan’s mother be from that part of the planet. Hathor is the patron goddess of miners–and mining is at the core of the Novacorp economy. Nadira’s mother is named after Minona, a West African deity who protects women and the home. And in the books, her mother takes action to protect Nadira from the forces that want to use her for their own purposes.

Hathor’s mythology is similar to the goddess Isis, and over time a lot of their characteristics were merged. But Isis has her own story, and it inspired me to name the twin moons of Hathor, Isis and Osiris. This relates to the myth of Isis searching for her husband Osiris after his brother Set killed him to assume the throne. There’s a lot more to Isis’ story that I won’t go into here, but I used the imagery to symbolize the journey that Nadira and Jon take when they’re searching for Jon’s father who’s presumed dead.

Jonathan Keel is from the planet Astarte, which is about three days away by space cruiser. Astarte is a goddess who's also known as Ishtar. Known to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, she was also associated with Aphrodite and Isis. Since she's the goddess of love, it's fitting that when Jon arrives on Hathor, he and Nadira are in a romantic relationship at the end of book one.

One of the moons of Astarte is Demeter (where Jon's father is CEO of the mine). In Greek mythology, Demeter went into mourning when her daughter Persephone was taken away by Hades. This is a reference back to Nadira being taken away from her mother so that she could be made into a Guardian.

There are so many mythological stories from across the world. They're an endless source of inspiration for writers and for readers!


About the book

Book Two of the Hathor Legacy Series

On the planet, Hathor, an old threat re-emerges that may destroy the fragile alliance between the Guardians and Novacorp.  When Nadira is called to investigate a rash of fires throughout the city, she discovers the Deshtu, another group with PSI powers who have been purposely kept in the shadows.

Working to uncover the source of the fires, Nadira learns the brutal truth about the origin of the Guardians. The Guardian Elders have plans to make Nadira more powerful, and she may be forced to sever her psychic connection to Jonathan Keel.

When an unexpected ally gives Jonathan information about the Deshtu that connects them to the fires, he becomes a convenient scapegoat for the opposing factions. Nadira puts her life on the line to solve the crime, while the Elders make their move to remove Jonathan from her life forever.

As time runs out, the Guardians prepare for a clash with Novacorp that could plunge the planet into chaos, and a final betrayal forces Nadira to risk everything to save herself and Hathor.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LW95G7K

As a little girl when Deborah A Bailey was watching Star Trek and Twilight Zone, she was writing and drawing her own superheroine comics. When she grew up, she continued to write and followed her love of technology into a career as a computer programmer and developer. But writing was never far away from her heart, so over the years she wrote and published stories set on other worlds and in Earth's future.

Ultimately she fulfilled a lifelong dream and completed her first novel in the Hathor Legacy universe, Hathor Legacy: Outcast. Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and her work has been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun. She's also the author of a short story collection, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales.

Website: http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDeborahB

SECOND SKIN by Jesse Pearle - Giveaway and Character Spotlight on Leo Reyes

Book Description

Sam Blanco is a young tattoo artist trying to get out of L.A. by earning money selling his talent to a prominent local gang. His life is thrown into chaos after giving a very special tattoo to the the gang leader’s beautiful girlfriend. Sam winds up torn between the desire for the girlfriend’s attention and craving the friendship of the gang leader he’s come to see as a brother. Who will ultimately pay the price for love?

At the end of the party one randomly chosen commenter will receive a $10 Amazon gift card and a free copy of the ebook (pdf, epub, or mobi).

Leo Reyes Character Spotlight

Leo Reyes has always played second fiddle to his older brother, Manny. Leo was the darker, quiet brother. He worked silently by his brother's side, during Manny's rise through the ranks of the LA street gang they belonged to, and eventually led. At the time, the gang was called "Valla Blanca" or White Fence, and was one of the oldest running gangs in the history of the city, but still under the control of a much more powerful force, the drug lord Arturo Flores.

Leo witnessed his brother's despair when his lover, the beautiful Toni Valentine, left him to pursue her dreams of becoming a tattoo artist in San Diego. Manny's subsequent descent into recklessly ambitious behavior should have tipped Leo to the impending betrayal, but it wasn't until the pair were face-to-face, guns drawn, that Leo realized how far gone his brother was in his ill-planned effort to undermine Arturo.

In the aftermath of Leo's fatal confrontation with his brother, he comes to know the love of his life, Pilar Flores. He's seen her from afar for most of his life, but she barely remembers him, and she is far too perfect a young woman for a killer like him to ever be worthy of. Her father is his boss, and he has his brother's memory to live up to, as well as Manny's betrayal to atone for.

Leo quickly learns that he would have been a better, more loyal lieutenant to Arturo Flores than his brother ever was. He just hopes that by accepting the job it will mean he can be even closer to the woman he loves.

Leo also has a particular love of tattoos, something that his best friend, Toni Valentine, encourages. He's seen Arturo's collection of fine artwork and fancies himself a collector of fine art as well, but the artwork he prefers is more personal. He seeks out the most talented tattoo artists and acquires their work on his own skin. He eventually befriends the young tattooist who has started tattooing his gang, and sees the young man as a surrogate brother. Sam reminds him of Manny, at least before his brother went off the deep end. They forge a close friendship. The closest Leo has had since his brother died.

Leo's Inspiration

Leo is a bit of a tragic lover. I wanted him to be conflicted about his love for the young woman, Pilar, who helps nurse him through his ordeal. She nurses him through both the tragic loss of his brother (by his own hand) and the injury he sustained as a result - the gunshot wound inflicted by his brother.

Part of Leo's inspiration comes from Jin Kwon's character in Lost. He fell in love with the daughter of a powerful man and in the process of trying to prove himself to her lover's father, he almost inadvertently destroys their relationship.

Buy the book on Amazon

HATHOR LEGACY: BURN by Deborah A Bailey Giveaway & Hathor Legacy Worldbuilding

Hi again! Here's post two about my new science fiction romance, Hathor Legacy: Burn, book two in the Hathor Legacy series.

At the end of the party, one randomly chosen commenter will win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and a ebook version of the book (either .mobi or .pdf). 


Hathor Legacy Worldbuilding – The Guardians

Believe it or not I came up with the idea for the Guardians from watching a PBS documentary on U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Well, there were a few twists and turns between the idea and the execution. After they went into the details of how FDR was infected by the virus that causes polio, I wondered what would happen if that disease was as prevalent in the US today?

From that thought, I got an idea about a virus that would fundamentally change the person who became infected. But instead of having the virus unleashed on Earth, I chose a settlement on another planet. A person who survived the infection would be left with PSI powers. Though not just the ability to read minds or predict the future, they’d also be capable of moving objects and sending out energy blasts.

In book two of the Hathor Legacy series, Hathor Legacy: Burn, I reveal the origin of the Guardians. They’re descendants of settlers who were infected by a virus unleashed after the planet was terraformed and prepared for human habitation.

Instead of being superheroes using their extraordinary powers to save the day, they’re corporate employees doing a job for Novacorp Intergalactic, Inc. Though the Guardians are also separated from the other humans on Hathor, they have their own culture and hierarchies within that culture.

They don’t get to choose their professions and they’re discouraged from having relationships with people outside of their group. Not only that, but once an individual develops abilities and becomes a Guardian, they’re forced to leave their family and give up their family name. Everything is done to strip them of who they were before so they can start a new life with a new identity.

Nadira (the heroine) has to fight convention when she decides to continue her relationship with Jonathan Keel (the hero).  Some Guardians do push back in spite of the pressure to conform. As with any group, there will be outliers, but with the Guardians, if too many of them push back, it could destroy them and completely rip apart the fabric that holds the society together.

Novacorp needs them to hold on to their control, and yet the Guardians are strong enough to overpower them. At the heart of the story, conflict and tension exists between two groups that need each other for survival, yet don’t trust each other. And ultimately this conflict directly impacts the relationship between Nadira and Jonathan.

That’s how I got from FDR to the Guardians. Certainly not what I expected when I sat down to watch that program!


About the book

Book Two of the Hathor Legacy Series

On the planet, Hathor, an old threat re-emerges that may destroy the fragile alliance between the Guardians and Novacorp.  When Nadira is called to investigate a rash of fires throughout the city, she discovers the Deshtu, another group with PSI powers who have been purposely kept in the shadows.

Working to uncover the source of the fires, Nadira learns the brutal truth about the origin of the Guardians. The Guardian Elders have plans to make Nadira more powerful, and she may be forced to sever her psychic connection to Jonathan Keel.

When an unexpected ally gives Jonathan information about the Deshtu that connects them to the fires, he becomes a convenient scapegoat for the opposing factions. Nadira puts her life on the line to solve the crime, while the Elders make their move to remove Jonathan from her life forever.

As time runs out, the Guardians prepare for a clash with Novacorp that could plunge the planet into chaos, and a final betrayal forces Nadira to risk everything to save herself and Hathor.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LW95G7K

As a little girl when Deborah A Bailey was watching Star Trek and Twilight Zone, she was writing and drawing her own superheroine comics. When she grew up, she continued to write and followed her love of technology into a career as a computer programmer and developer. But writing was never far away from her heart, so over the years she wrote and published stories set on other worlds and in Earth's future.

Ultimately she fulfilled a lifelong dream and completed her first novel in the Hathor Legacy universe, Hathor Legacy: Outcast. Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and her work has been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun. She's also the author of a short story collection, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales.

Website: http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDeborahB

SECOND SKIN by Jesse Pearle - Giveaway and Character Spotlight on Sam Blanco

Book Description

Sam Blanco is a young tattoo artist trying to get out of L.A. by earning money selling his talent to a prominent local gang. His life is thrown into chaos after giving a very special tattoo to the the gang leader’s beautiful girlfriend. Sam winds up torn between the desire for the girlfriend’s attention and craving the friendship of the gang leader he’s come to see as a brother. Who will ultimately pay the price for love?

At the end of the party one randomly chosen commenter will receive a $10 Amazon gift card and a free copy of the ebook (pdf, epub, or mobi).

Sam Blanco Character Spotlight

Sam is the quintessential big brother, a role that defines his life, particularly after he and his younger sister, Celine, are left to fend for themselves in their dangerous Central Los Angeles neighborhood. He takes advantage of his artistic skill and connections with the local gang, Los Leones, to earn enough money selling tattoos to hopefully move himself and his sister to a safer locale, away from their abusive father.

Sam dreams of one day opening his own shop and becoming a famous tattoo artist like his idol, the beautiful Toni Valentine. However, through a series of bad decisions, he ends up in an impossible situation that only has two ways out: leave town or die at the hands of a driven and vengeful drug lord.

The young tattooist is artistically brilliant, possesses an uncannily accurate memory, and manages to float through his high school years without making much effort thanks to his innate talents. His weaknesses are the stars in his eyes and his gradually evolving penchant for getting wrapped up with beautiful women who he probably shouldn't get involved with. During the course of the book, he learns some very valuable, yet dangerous lessons that propel him into the second book in the series.

Sam's Inspiration

Sam's character first came into being while I was writing another story and needed a side character to fill the role of a rough and world-weary tattoo artist approaching his 50s. The character sprang to life so vividly in my mind at the time that I just had to know what his life story was, so I began writing it, beginning with the character as a teenager.

This is that story, which begins with a fifteen-year-old Sam, a young aspiring artist with big dreams, but almost insurmountable hurdles to overcome to reach those dreams. Above all, he wishes to shed his past and the legacy of his father's name he carries with him every day. Sam's life quest is to find a way to don a new skin and leave his old one behind.

That older man I first imagined as Sam in his later years emerged as a fully realized character who has already been through significant trials and come out the other side. Here's a brief excerpt from my notes on Sam as he begins to evolve into that man after the end of Second Skin, (these may or may not show up in the actual books):

One thing I never counted on during the entire stint with the Marines was how much it would change me. I was pretty sure I knew who I was when I joined. When I shipped out I was hellbent on not letting the military dictate who I could or couldn't be. I still kept those pieces of me, but it was like they'd been shattered and reincorporated into some strange mosaic. I recognized the person I'd become, but I wasn't sure anyone else I knew outside the military would have known me. Then that image was shattered again, and again, the pieces fitting together differently each time. 

Just when I thought all the re-making had hardened me beyond the point of breaking, the war started, and I learned how one hard blow could simply turn me to dust. The person who emerged from that barely resembled the man I'd been.

Sam was partly inspired by the character of John McClane from the Die Hard movies (just imagine him as an eighteen-year old about to join the military), and partly by a video game character Zaeed Massani, from the popular video RPG, Mass Effect.

Buy the book on Amazon

HATHOR LEGACY: BURN by Deborah A Bailey Giveaway & Excerpt

Hi there! I'm excited to share a few excerpts and posts about my new science fiction romance, Hathor Legacy: Burn, book two in the Hathor Legacy series.

At the end of the party, one randomly chosen commenter will win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card and a ebook version of the book (either .mobi or .pdf). 


In this excerpt, (the heroine) Nadira is leaving a gathering where she was called into a private meeting with the members of the Guardian Elders. During a conversation with Mikal, an old childhood friend of hers, she discovers his true feelings about the Elders and about her.

“Whatever the Elders think they can accomplish, it won’t work. But I mustn’t criticize Elder Dakar even if I feel his actions are questionable,” Mikal said.

“Are you going to tell me what you mean by that?” Nadira asked.

Mikal looked off in the distance. “Your transport is coming.”

“You’re not going to answer me?”

“I’m his assistant. It’s not my place say anything against the Elder,” Mikal said.”But I know he’ll do everything in his power to force you to comply with him.”

“None of them can force me. That would be a violation.”

The transport trundled up the street and pulled over to the curb. The door swung back with a hiss.

“They’re desperate and afraid of what Novacorp may do to us, Nadira. And desperate people can do violent things.” He reached out and ran his hand along her cheek.

His touch was like fire against her skin, searing her with his open desire. Startled she jumped back and stumbled. “Mikal, don’t. I have to go.” Brushing past him, she climbed into the vehicle and moved to the opposite side of the seat. Sitting there huddled in the corner, she felt vulnerable, like cornered prey.

“I’m sorry if I was too forward, Nadira,” he said, leaning into the cabin. “My emotions overpowered me.”

About the book

Book Two of the Hathor Legacy Series

On the planet, Hathor, an old threat re-emerges that may destroy the fragile alliance between the Guardians and Novacorp.  When Nadira is called to investigate a rash of fires throughout the city, she discovers the Deshtu, another group with PSI powers who have been purposely kept in the shadows.

Working to uncover the source of the fires, Nadira learns the brutal truth about the origin of the Guardians. The Guardian Elders have plans to make Nadira more powerful, and she may be forced to sever her psychic connection to Jonathan Keel.

When an unexpected ally gives Jonathan information about the Deshtu that connects them to the fires, he becomes a convenient scapegoat for the opposing factions. Nadira puts her life on the line to solve the crime, while the Elders make their move to remove Jonathan from her life forever.

As time runs out, the Guardians prepare for a clash with Novacorp that could plunge the planet into chaos, and a final betrayal forces Nadira to risk everything to save herself and Hathor.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LW95G7K

As a little girl when Deborah A Bailey was watching Star Trek and Twilight Zone, she was writing and drawing her own superheroine comics. When she grew up, she continued to write and followed her love of technology into a career as a computer programmer and developer. But writing was never far away from her heart, so over the years she wrote and published stories set on other worlds and in Earth's future.

Ultimately she fulfilled a lifelong dream and completed her first novel in the Hathor Legacy universe, Hathor Legacy: Outcast. Her short stories have won awards from the Philadelphia Writers' Conference and her work has been published in US1 Magazine and the Sun. She's also the author of a short story collection, Electric Dreams: Seven Futuristic Tales.

Website: http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorDeborahB

Corporate Merger Excerpt #3 and Giveaway (ADULT CONTENT)

Please enjoy this adult excerpt from Corporate Merger. Don't forget to comment to win a copy of book one in the series, Advertising for Love.

“You have a nice place.” Derrick’s eyes scanned Amy’s apartment.

“Don’t lie.” She closed the door behind him and let her purse fall to the floor as she watched his powerful form stride into her cramped living room. “It’s a dump, but it’s close to work and cheap.” He had kissed her for the first time in the cab ride over. One small, sweet kiss. Amy was ready for more. “Can I get you a drink?”

He turned to face her. “No, thank you.” She couldn’t stop herself from giving him the once-over. Now that he was in her well-lit apartment, she indulged her eyes and took in every sexy detail. Tall. Brown skin. Hazel eyes. Perfect smile. Broad chest. Black shirt. Dark-blue jeans. What do you have going on inside of those jeans? And can I have it? Derrick chuckled, snapping Amy out of her dirty thoughts and her eyes back up to meet his.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, the familiar heat rising to her face.

“Hey, no need to apologize.” He walked toward her slowly. “I like the way you look at me.” Reaching down, he took her hand and placed it on his shirt, coaxing her fingers toward the buttons. “Do you want to see more?”

Oh hell yes. Amy nodded and watched as her hands unbuttoned his shirt. What am I doing? I can’t believe I’m doing this! Wow. This is great.

Inch by inch, his shirt fell away to reveal contours of muscle covered with smooth, flawless skin. Amy had the urge to lick him, to run her tongue over his solid chest, but she fought against it and instead slid her fingers over his pecs and down his abs.

Derrick laughed softly and moved away. “Sorry, I’m a little ticklish.”

“Oh.” Amy removed her hands from his midsection.

“No.” He grabbed them again, placing them on his belt this time. “Don’t stop.”

What? He wants me to— She looked up at him to make sure. He raised one eyebrow, which encouraged her to keep going.

Amy tugged on his belt and quickly loosened it, moving it out of the way to undo the button. The zipper slid down easily, revealing his maroon boxer-briefs. She could see the outline of his dick straining hard against the fabric and gingerly traced it with her finger. Derrick gasped.

Oh fuck yeah. This is going to be fun.

With both hands, she grabbed the sides of his jeans and yanked them to the floor. Once they were out of the way, she plunged into his underwear. Derrick groaned as she ran one hand up and down the length of his dick and used the other hand to cup his balls.

He then grabbed her and pulled her to him, covering her mouth with deep kisses. As his tongue consumed hers, he hitched up her dress and slid his hand down her panties. When his finger brushed against her slick clit, Amy’s legs almost collapsed.

“Bedroom. Let’s go to the bedroom,” she whispered into his mouth.

In her tiny apartment, they didn’t have far to go, and seconds later Amy found herself lying down on her bed, in a race with Derrick to see who could take her dress off first. “The zipper’s in the back. The zipper’s in the back.” She struggled to reach it. “Shit.”

“I got it. I got it.” Derrick fumbled around for the small piece of metal. “Wait. Turn over.”

Amy rolled onto her stomach, and Derrick was able to undo her zipper. She sighed as the dress fell away. Amy rolled back over, shimmied out of it and kicked it to the floor. She had lost her shoes at some point during their mad dash, so she didn’t have to worry about them, and in two seconds she had unhooked her bra, taken off her panties, and thrown them both across the room.

Derrick laughed as he discarded his own clothes before pouncing on top of her. She squealed as his lean, muscular body covered hers, and then inhaled sharply as he kissed his way eagerly down her neck, alternating between using his lips, teeth and tongue.

His dick.

“Wait wait wait.”

He stopped and looked up at her. “What?”

“I want to see it.”

That sexy smile slowly made an appearance, and he rolled over to his side. Damn. She dragged her fingers up his dick from base to tip, and it jumped slightly in response to her touch. Perfect.

*********************

Elisabeth Roseland spends her days dreaming up ways to throw sexy heroes and strong heroines together. Her characters explore the wonderful, agonizing, joyful, heartbreaking and complicated human experiences that are sex and love. She also hopes to inspire readers to grab the nearest consenting adult and do something fun. She lives in Chicago with her very own Happily Ever After.

Check out her website: www.elisabethroseland.com

Connect on Twitter: @E_Roseland

Find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EbonyNights

Pre-order links:  Samhain Website  | Amazon  | Barnes and Noble |

Making the First Move Blog Tour July 22 - August 4, 2013

GIVEAWAY

• $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card
• Digital copy of Making the First Move by Reese Ryan
• Digital copy of The Winning Season by Alison Packard
• Digital copy of Knowing the Score by Kat Latham
• Digital copy of Personal Assets by Kelsey Browning
• Digital copy of Derby Girl by Tamara Morgan

TOUR DATES

Monday, July 22

Release Day Party

• All Things Girl
• A Thought Grows
• Shaken But Not Stirred
• Rhet Effects
• [Add your blog here by completing the form here.]

Tuesday, July 23

Brain Candy

Wednesday, July 24

Romance University

Thursday, July 25

The Whole Shebang

Friday, July 26

Musings with Author Nancy Lee Badger

Saturday, July 27

All Romance Ebooks Cafe

Sunday, July 28

The Book Nympho

Monday, July 29

Sherry's Fiction Writing Blog

Tuesday, July 30

Sasha Summers

Wednesday, July 31

Night Owl Reviews

Thursday, August 1

Read Your Writes

Friday, August 2

Let's Get Romantical

Saturday, August 3

OPEN

Sunday, August 4

Tiffany Talks Books

Interested in hosting the Making the First Move Blog Tour on July 22 - August 4th? Complete the form here.

Corporate Merger Excerpt #2 and Giveaway

Enjoy the following excerpt from Corporate Merger, and don't forget to comment to win a copy of book one in the series, Advertising for Love.

“Okay, on the count of three. One.” Annette lifted her shot glass, and everyone else did the same. “Two.” She licked the salt off her hand. “Three!”

Amy grimaced as the tequila burned its way down her throat, and she quickly chased it with the sour lime in an attempt to put the fire out. “Ack.” She shook her head forcefully and slammed her glass down on the table, knocking over several empty ones as she did so. “Whoops!”

“Careful!” Jill yelled. It wasn’t loud enough in the club that yelling was necessary, and in fact, their private table provided refuge from the pounding techno music, but Jill yelled nonetheless. “You almost spilled that all over my new dress!”

“They’re empty. All eight hundred of them.” Amy waved her hand over the top of the table. “Empty.”

“Oh, right.” Jill laughed, surveying the evidence of their celebration.

“Hey.” Amy looked around at the reveling partygoers, the dance floor partly tilting on its axis, thanks to all of the tequila. “Where’d Denise go?”

“She went to get your present.” Pia’s eyes flashed with glee, cranked up a notch by too many shots.

“Well, finally.” Amy sat up and craned her neck. “I’ve been waiting all night. How big is it?”

“About six feet.” Annette snorted, and Jill and Pia cackled.

“What? What the hell are you talking about? Come on and tell me. What did you get me?”

“Ooo, here she comes!” Pia stood up.

Amy turned to follow Pia’s gaze. She saw Denise approaching the table empty-handed. “What? Where is it? Denise!” She raised her voice. “I thought you said you were going to get my present.”

“I did.” Denise grinned broadly and gestured behind her. “Amy, this is Derrick. Derrick, this is Amy, the birthday girl.”

Standing next to her was one of the most gorgeous men Amy had ever seen. He was tall, with a lean build and broad shoulders. The top buttons of his black shirt were undone, revealing a few inches of brown skin. His dark hair was cut close, and when he smiled and extended his hand, Amy found herself sucked into his hazel eyes.

“Hi, Amy. It’s nice to meet you.” His smooth, rich voice came pouring out of his full lips, which then 

parted in a perfect smile.

Amy knew her mouth was open. She could feel the club’s alcohol-soaked air swirling around, drying out her tongue, but she couldn’t close it. Nor could she control her limbs to shake his hand. All she could do was stand there, staring at him. This man. So similar in many ways to Eric that they could be cousins. Brothers, even. This man. This…present?

“Who—”

Denise shooed Jill out of her seat and ushered Derrick forward. “Girl, get up, make some room. Amy, close your mouth. You’ll catch flies that way. This is Derrick.” She swept her hand grandly over him from head to toe. “Your present.”

“I-I don’t…”

“We got you a man for your birthday!” Pia exploded. “We got you an Eric look-alike for your birthday!”

“Ta-da!” Annette gestured toward him. “Surprise!”

“And his name is Derrick! Can you believe that? That is so close to Eric. So close!” Pia almost fell out of her seat giving Amy this information.

Now next to her, Derrick wrapped his arms around her and gave her a gentle squeeze. Amy could smell his cologne—fresh and clean. He pulled back slightly and kissed her softly on the cheek.

“Happy birthday,” he whispered.

Amy finally managed to close her mouth and swallowed hard to reactivate her tongue. She looked around at all of her friends who were staring at her with looks of anticipation and glee. Amy slowly shook her head. “I don’t under—”

“So, here’s the deal.” Denise reached forward and picked up her half-consumed martini. “Derrick is 

an escort. We have purchased his—ahem—services for you for your birthday. So enjoy.” She winked and took a sip from her glass.

“Escort?” Amy looked at Derrick, whose handsome face was so very close to hers. Those eyes. 

“Services? What does that mean? Services?”

“It means…” Derrick snaked his arm around the back of her chair and leaned into her, “…I’m your date for the evening, and I’m here to make sure you have a good time.” His leg was pressed against hers, warm and solid. She began to feel a tingling between her legs, and it wasn’t from too much tequila.

“A good time?” she asked.

“Yes.” A smirk touched the corner of his mouth. “A very good time.”

The similarities were striking, but Derrick had replaced Eric’s corporate politeness with sheer, raw sensuality.

“Oh. My. God.” With Derrick’s thigh burning hot against her own and her friends all staring at her with eager looks on their faces, the reality of what her present really was began to sink in. “You hired an escort for me for my birthday.” She took in the expectant looks all around her. “You hired an escort for my birthday?”

“Happy birthday, chica. Enjoy him.” Jill sat back and crossed her legs, revealing a few more inches of skin. “I know I would.”

“Where in the world did you find him? Oh, I’m sorry…” Amy met Derrick’s hazel eyes momentarily, “…I don’t mean to talk about you like you aren’t here.”

Derrick chuckled, and the low, sensual sound traveled down her body, causing her to grow wet. Amy shifted to make herself more comfortable, and in response, Derrick slowly began rubbing her back.

“It’s no problem. I’m sure this comes as a surprise.” His touch felt good, and Amy couldn’t stop herself from leaning back into him.

“It was Denise’s idea,” Annette said.

Denise nodded. “I know about this escort service that specializes in black men, and seeing how you have a little thing for Eric but can’t seem to sound like an intelligent person around him, I thought what you could really use was a little company with a man who shares many of Eric’s attributes.” She gestured around the table. “Convincing them to go in with me on your present was easy.”

“We thought it was a great idea.” Pia seemed relieved she no longer had to keep the secret.

Amy grinned. “Oh wow. Uh, this is a little weird since no one has ever bought me a man for my birthday before. Because really, who buys people as birthday presents? But wow, this is so great. Thank you.” She looked at Derrick again. She wanted to stroke his chiseled jaw with her hand and kiss his full lips. Whether this was fueled by sexual desire, tequila or the generosity of her friends, Amy didn’t know, but as the end of her thirtieth birthday approached, she really didn’t care.

*********************

Elisabeth Roseland spends her days dreaming up ways to throw sexy heroes and strong heroines together. Her characters explore the wonderful, agonizing, joyful, heartbreaking and complicated human experiences that are sex and love. She also hopes to inspire readers to grab the nearest consenting adult and do something fun. She lives in Chicago with her very own Happily Ever After.

Check out her website: www.elisabethroseland.com

Connect on Twitter: @E_Roseland

Find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EbonyNights

Pre-order links:  Samhain Website  | Amazon  | Barnes and Noble |