BOTW - WEEK 54 {Wattpad}

Wrongfully His

Author: G_xoxo

Genre: Fantasy / Romance

Wattpad Book Blurb:
Mated to a Beta, marked by his Alpha.

When Jamie decides to go out to a club for the first time she never imagined how the night would turn out. Instead of getting drunk, dancing with strangers and possibly hooking up with a human, she finds her mate. Carter is charming, gorgeous, and down right perfect, or so he seems. But what neither Jamie nor Carter realize is that they won't be getting a happy ending, and they can thank Carter's Alpha Nate for that.

Nate's waited over a year to get revenge on his Beta, and once he sees Jamie he figures out just how to get that payback he's so desperately wanted. The Alpha does the unthinkable and claims Jamie as his own. Though Nate's plan backfires when she doesn't accept to be his Luna regardless of being marked by him. Jamie and her wolf will find themselves completely torn between their chosen mate and their forced mate.

What is Jamie to do when her heart wants one thing and her wolf wants another?

Click here to read the book.

The Unborn Mist
Author: JuveriaB
Genre: Paranormal / Horror

Wattpad Book Blurb:
Elis believed in love, friendship and happy family. But never in her entire life did she believe an otherworldly spirit would severe those bonds. The ropes loosened inch by inch, when she gave up on her second child and an evil life greeted her with the glow of its teeth-clattering smile.

The person she had cast-off returned to gnaw on Elis’s spirit and tame her with the love they wished. Summoned by one person she believed and broken by the only person she trusted Elis watched her walls crumble along with the framed picture of the life she desired to live. Her dreams tarnished with the fear that engulfed her soul and the evil seemed to win over the good.

Click here to read the book.

Night Cookies
Author: e_girl7
Genre: Romance / Short Story

Wattpad Book Blurb:
in the darkness, there was no difference in them. no separation. and all their time came in the form of chocolate chip cookies. once gone, always gone. just like the cookies.
but in all their nights, they are going to experience more than they ever could in brightness. that's the power of riley and lucas's l-o-v-e-s-o-n-g.

{lowercase intended}

Click here to read the book.

Shut Up And Drive
Author: DiceFab
Genre: Adventure / Romance

Wattpad Book Blurb:
"I'm a criminal do I care nope I steal car part's and fix them but the best part of my job I drive them. I been arrested for steeling cars and other stuff but I could give a crap"

Flame Crúz well she's a speeder she drives for attention, but as well to make money who wouldn't want to be that, right? Flame has no idea what she's getting herself into after she meets a guy name Vance Mac.

Click here to read the book.

Crazy Sexy Cool: Big Bad Mafia Boy Series 1

Author: Athena_Heart

Genre: Romance

Wattpad Book Blurb:

As the car headed towards them at full speed, he pulled out his gun much to her horror. Why and how did the man she was to wed in a couple of weeks, possess a gun? He took aim and fired, the bullet piercing the driver’s forehead, smack in the centre. One single perfect shot and the man was dead. “What’s going on, Dean?” She asked him and he replied, “Business. You’ve nothing to worry about. You are safe with me.”  Deadly secrets and heart – breaking lies. Without a doubt, the goody two – shoes heiress, knew he was keeping deceitful skeletons in the closet. When he fired a bullet through a man’s forehead with perfect precision, Elena Cruz was certain that the reckless bad boy had grown into someone far worse than the boy she had once known.

Sexy and arrogant, the grandson of a powerful Mafia family, Dean Bishop wanted nothing else but her, even if she was a snooty spoilt princess. Having taken over her family’s business with a sealed contract which included a marriage between the two, Dean knew he had Elena exactly where he wanted her. When the attack was made on them both, Dean knew there was a mole amongst his Crew of soldiers and Elena would easily be a target. But she was safe because she was by his side and he would protect her.   In a sudden turn of events, Elena found the courage within her to make a run for it, to be free of Dean once and for all. Filled with blind fury, he pursued, determined to find her at all costs. The problem was, the traitor in their midst was also after her. Would Dean and Elena ever realise that they belong together, before the traitor gets to one of them as death lingers dangerously near?

Click here to read the book.

Sale Blast & Giveaway - Shadow Fire by Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Shadow Fire

Favorite Quotes

The villagers will be awaiting my return, skulking in the shadows, desperate to catch a glimpse of the walking dead girl. ~Ashlyn

After all, love conquers nothing but fools. ~Delistaire

Perhaps you shouldn’t have chased the poor pirate all over the ship shooting light daggers at him. ~Zane

How would you like a tour of this grand vessel, my angelic beauty? I’ll show you my favorite trysting spots. ~Taranis

Praise for shadow Fire

"Shadow Fire has something for everyone: suspense, love, action, adventure…all woven together perfectly making this debut novel a winner." ~ BTS Book Reviews

"I thought the writing was strong; it had me turning the pages quickly to see what would happen next. The characters were engaging and the dialogue well-written." Lisa Temple ~ Author of Illuminating Gracie

"Oh, I truly loved this one! Shadow Fire, by Kimber Leigh Wheaton, is a snappy, sassy, sweet, all-that-kind-of-awesome-and-then-some YA read. I couldn't put it down." Sasha Hibbs ~ Author of Black Amaranth

"It is a beautiful love story surrounded by mystery, adventure, and magic." Christy ~ Amazon Reviewer

“I have to say that this is one of the best books I've read this year… From a breathtaking cover to a Must Read story. This is one book you won't put down!” ~ Crossroad Reviews

Shadow Fire

Light Chronicles Book 1

by Kimber Leigh Wheaton

YA Fantasy Romance

Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power.

All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire – adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?

Each installment of the Light Chronicles is a standalone story.

Promotional Sale Offer:

$0.99 May 25 - May 30

Buy Links:

Amazon

About the Author

Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance and is a member of Romance Writers of America.

She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs and four cats. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Her house is filled with dragons, though she does lament that they are the porcelain, non-flying variety.

Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!)

Her debut novel, Shadow Fire, is the first book in the Light Chronicles series. Watch for book two, Stolen Moon, a standalone sequel, coming August 2014. Also watch for Tortured Souls, a YA paranormal romance, coming July 14, 2014.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Twitter ¦ Goodreads ¦ Facebook ¦ Once Upon a YA Book ¦ Pinterest

***Giveaway***

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Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway - The Only Boy by Jordan Locke

Blog Tour Schedule

The Only Boy

by Jordan Locke

Synopsis:

Mary is stuck in Section One, living with three hundred women in a crumbling hospital. She wonders what life was like two centuries ago, before the Cleansing wiped out all the men. But the rules—the Matriarch's senseless rules—prevent her from exploring the vacant city to find out.

Taylor's got a dangerous secret: he's a boy. His compound's been destroyed, and he's been relocated to Section One. Living under the Matriarch means giving up possessions, eating canned food and avoiding all physical contact. Baggy clothes hide his flat chest and skinny legs, but if anyone discovers what lies beneath, he'll be exiled. Maybe even executed.

Mary's never seen a boy—the Matriarch cut the pictures of men from the textbooks—and she doesn't suspect Taylor's secret. If she knew, she might understand the need to stop the girls from teasing him. If she knew, she might realize why she breaks the rules, just to be near him. Then again, she might be frightened to death of him.

Taylor should go. The Matriarch is watching his every move. But running means leaving Mary—and braving the land beyond the compound's boundaries.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Praise for The Only Boy

“It’s not a dystopia that does a good job—it’s a great book that happens to be a dystopia.” Rachel Miller, Editor

“This book is one of the best of its genre I have read, it kept me gripped to its satisfying end.” Janet Love, Amazon UK Reviewer

“If you like a different take on the dystopian genre then I would highly recommend this unique and amazing book.” Tamara Bass, The Avid Book Collector

Excerpt: From Taylor’s Point of View

I place the biology textbook on a stainless-steel table, flip through the yellowing pages and stop on a cross-section of a woman. Her organs are carefully illustrated—heart, lungs, uterus. The next page is missing. Not ripped out. Cut, as if sliced with a surgeon’s scalpel.

The library at home has the complete book. I’ve seen the missing page—the anatomy of man. An extinct creature, as far as anyone knows.

A voice from behind says, “What are you reading?”

My shoulders tense when I turn to see Mary. None of the girls at home looked like her—dark eyes, perfectly straight nose and full, round lips. Her hair brushes my cheek as she leans over. She shouldn’t be so close. I ease the book shut and try to look calm.

“We studied biology last year,” she says. “Did your teacher go over it?”

In Section Seven, we self-studied, but she doesn’t need to know that. “No.” I carry the book to the shelf.

She follows. “You should read the part on genetics. It’s really interesting.”

I slip the book between a car manual and a medical dictionary. “I’ve read the whole thing.”

“But you said you hadn’t studied it yet.”

To avoid her gaze, I stare out the window at the abandoned skyscrapers and trash-covered barriers. “Don’t you have class or something?”

“We’re on lunch break.”

I growl. “Go eat.” My voice is too husky, too deep.

“I was tryin’ to be nice.” She turns to walk away.

I grab her wrist to stop her. Her skin is warm and smooth.

“What are you doing?” She wrenches her arm free. “You’re gonna end up in the pit.”

I step away, and she hurries toward the door, shoulders back and chin high. The loose-fitting hospital gown can’t hide the curve of her figure.

I want to touch her again.

About the Author

Jordan Locke lives in Connecticut with his wife, two lively daughters and a well-behaved whippet. A graphic designer by trade, his creativity spilled over into the literary world. After years of writing, reading and learning the craft, his fifth novel, The Only Boy, brought him offers of representation from two well-known agents. Now, after the dog is fed and the kids are in bed, you will find him tapping away at the keyboard.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Twitter ¦ Goodreads

***GIVEAWAY***

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 6/8/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Book Blitz & Giveaway - Messenger by Laury Falter

Messenger

by Laury Falter

Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Date Published: May 8, 2014

Synopsis:

Maggie does not know she is a Messenger. She has never met her eternal lover. She has never survived a Fallen One. All this changes when a Messenger awakens in the Hall of Records only to die moments later, never to return.

As Maggie sets out to determine why the Messengers are suddenly beginning to die, she crosses paths with the infuriatingly appealing Eran and their story begins.

In this riveting account of Maggie's first life on earth with Eran, the star-crossed lover's romance transpires amidst treacherous enemies, their friends' resistance, and their own opposing wills. With the odds against her, can Maggie survive long enough to admit the feelings she has so carefully denied?

Messenger is the first prequel to the bestselling Guardian Trilogy - the breathtaking romantic saga about a love that has lasted centuries between a Messenger and her Guardian.

Buy Links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Excerpt from Messenger

He strode to me and crouched at my hip. His shirt was already off and the nearness of his well-built chest made it a challenge to stop myself from glancing at it. To my astonishment, he seemed not to notice my internal plight, not even the tremble that shook me when he tenderly took my chin and turned it toward him.

"You're healing nicely," he observed, concentrating on my forehead.

"Mm-hmm." It was all I could muster.

This was the closest we had ever been. His lips were no more than a few inches from me and drew my attention.

"I don't think you'll even scar."

When I didn't answer, I felt a shift in his presence and my eyes darted up to find him staring back with his striking blue-green eyes.

We froze in place.

Only our chests rose and fell, and they did it more rapidly the longer we stared at each other.

As his eyes lowered to my lips, his fingers tightened gently around my chin.

The flare of his nostrils and the intensity of his stare mesmerized me, made me want him closer. And it told me that he was struggling too and was in profound debate over what we were doing. No ward should be this close to their guardian, even if the ward didn't recognize them as one. It was taboo, unheard of, an abject insult to the role the guardian had been given. Yet, here he was, looking at me, at my lips, tensing at the sight of them.

And he wasn't alone in the struggle. For the first time, I forgot my urge to throw him off balance, my need to establish my independence. I was the one quickly losing my poise and forgetting who was dominant. The charm I fought so hard to deny, the very one that drew all others to him, took hold of me. And I gave into it out of my own free will.

About the Author

Laury Falter is a bestselling author of young adult romantic suspense and urban fantasy. She is also an animal rights activist, a sailor, a one-handed golf putterer, and a Colorado River conqueror.

She has three series out: the Guardian Trilogy, the Residue Series, and the Apocalypse Chronicles.

Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter

***GIVEAWAY***

First three books of the bestselling Guardian Trilogy up for grabs.

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Book Blitz Organised by:

BOTW - List #54 {Wattpad}

BOTW WEEK 54:

Book Spotlight & Giveaway - Unfinished Business & Unbreakable Bonds by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

Unfinished Business: An Angela Panther Novel

by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

Genre: Paranormal / Chick-Lit

Publisher: Booktrope Publishing

Book Description:

Stay at home mom Angela Panther is living the good life. Happily married with two kids, a house in the suburbs and, a fantabulous best friend, she's got it all. But hours after Angela's mother dies, her ghost pops in for a visit, leaving the door to the other side wide open.  Suddenly Angela's life is jam-packed with ghosts - ghosts that need her help. Now Angela must find a way to balance the needs of the living along with the unfinished business of the dead, all while keeping her mother's ghost in line.

Hilarious and bittersweet, Unfinished Business tackles the emotional ups and downs of the relationships between mothers and daughters and the desperate desire for that one last chance to tell someone we've lost how we feel.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Unbreakable Bonds An Angela Panther Novel

by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

Genre: Paranormal / Chick-Lit

Publisher: Booktrope Publishing

Book Description:

A Mother's Work is Never Done...

Carolyn Aspenson's (Unfinished Business) latest picks up the story of Angela Panther's dealings with her dead mom, Fran and the duo's dynamic is as delightful as ever!

Angela had her psychic gift under control until a traumatic loss shut it down. And now that Angela's daughter is in too deep with a boy and her best friend Mel's husband is cheating, she needs her mom more than ever.

Fran knows that when you're a mom, there's no such thing as till death do us part and she won't rest in peace while there's strife in her daughter's life. Using her nifty celestial superpowers, she's soon back in the game and helping out, regardless of her daughter's defunct gift.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Excerpt from Unfinished Business

Chapter One

An hour later, the four of us sat with coffee in hand, at Starbucks. Coffee made everything seem better, if only a little. Before we left the funeral home, Paul asked Comb-over to let us know when Ma’s body was cremated. I preferred not to know, but everyone handles death differently and Paul needed what he needed so I didn’t argue. Admittedly, backing away from an argument with Paul was a new thing for me. Ma’s death had really messed with my brain.

     We were discussing the arrangements of her burial when I got the call. Comb-over told me they’d started, and as I nodded to Jake and my brothers, a heavy sadness filled the air.

      I disconnected from the call and stayed on task. “Okay. When should we go to Chicago?” 

    “That’s a good question,” John, the over thinker of us siblings, said. “I’ll call the cemetery later today and find out if we can bury Mom with Grandma and Grandpa. If they won’t let us, we’ll have to figure out what else to do. I was thinking maybe we could each take a portion of her remains and do something with our kids to honor her.” 

     Oh, no. No, no, no. That was not going to happen. I promised Ma I’d do this for her and I’ll be damned if I didn’t do it right. Especially since she was haunting me. There was no way I would to spend the rest of my waking days with the ghost of my mother pissed off because we didn’t honor her final wish. No way. 

     “It’s okay,” I blurted out before Paul agreed with John. “Ma was worried about the same thing, so we called the cemetery a few weeks ago and found out that it’s fine.” I took a quick breath and hoped God wouldn’t strike me dead for lying. 

     “They told me that as long as we’re not getting a stone, the plots are ours to do with as we please. Except for digging up our grandparents, that is.” I checked the sky, but still no lightning. Phew. 

     My brothers nodded. “Okay.” 

    Dodged that bullet. What’s wrong with a few little lies? This was what Ma wanted and eventually I’d tell them the truth, once she was buried and we were on our way home. Or maybe next year. What’s the saying? Ask for forgiveness, not permission. That’s what I’d do, eventually. 

    I offered to make the memorial arrangements even though we all knew they’d have asked me to do it anyway. 

    I filled them in on my call to our cousin. “I already called Roxanne, who said she’d make the rounds of calls, and since the funeral home here said they would put the obituary in the Chicago papers, that’s covered. Does the weekend after next work? That gives us all time to plan accordingly.”

    “I don’t see a problem with that, but I’ll have to check with Elizabeth and see what her schedule is,” John said. 

    Jake nodded in agreement with his eyes still glued to the screen of his iPhone. 

   Paul nodded too. “Let’s go through all of our pictures of Mom. I can make a video with music, and we can show it at her memorial.” 

   We all agreed that was a great idea and made plans to confirm the date over email by tonight. My brothers left Jake and me there to share our addiction to the warm, smooth taste of coffee. We got refills before we headed home, too. 

    The rest of the day I was on autopilot and truth be told I couldn’t remember much of it. One minute Jake and I were getting coffee and the next it was after ten p.m. I kissed Jake goodnight and went upstairs and checked on the kids, who were already blissfully sound asleep. 

    “It’s done,” I texted Mel after I settled under the covers. 

    “I’m sorry,” she texted back. “Do you need anything?”

    “No, I’m okay. Going to bed. I’m tired.”

    “K. I’m here if you need me. (HUGS).”

About the Author

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is the Amazon and Barnes & Noble best selling author of Unfinished Business; An Angela Panther Novel, Unbreakable Bonds; An Angela Panther Novel, the novella Santa's Gift, a Cumming Christmas Novella and The Quick Start Weight Loss Program.

An avid fitness buff, Carolyn writes a monthly health and fitness column for Northside Woman Magazine as well as regular weekly news articles for various Atlanta area media outlets including the Forsyth Herald, the Milton Herald, the Revue and News, and the Johns Creek Herald. Her works have also been published in Countyline Magazine and various Internet publications.

A native of Indiana, for over eighteen years Carolyn called the northwest Chicago suburbs home. She now resides in the Atlanta area with her husband, three kids, two dogs and cat.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter ¦ Email ¦ Goodreads

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3 fabulous ebooks by Indie Authors up for grabs.

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Book Blitz & Giveaway - Mary Hades by Sarah Dalton

Mary Hades (Mary Hades #1)

by Sarah Dalton

Publication date: June 2014

Genres: Horror, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Not many seventeen year old girls have a best friend who’s a ghost, but then Mary Hades isn’t your average teenager.

Scarred physically and mentally from a fire, her parents decide a holiday to an idyllic village in North Yorkshire will help her recover. Nestled in the middle of five moors, Mary expects to have a boring week stuck in a caravan with her parents. Little does she know, evil lurks in the campsite…

Seth Lockwood—a local fairground worker with a dark secret—might be the key to uncovering the murky history that has blighted Nettleby. But Mary is drawn to him in a way that has her questioning her judgement.

Helped by her dead best friend and a quirky gay Goth couple, Mary must stop the unusual deaths occurring in Nettleby. But can she prevent her heart from being broken?

The first in a series of dark YA novels, Mary Hades follows on from the bestselling Kindle Single My Daylight Monsters. A spine-tingling tale with romance, readers will be shocked and entertained in equal measure.

Buy Links:

Amazon ¦ B&N ¦ Kobo ¦ Smashwords

Guest Post - Five Ways Mary Hades is Different to Other YA Series

I'm pretty excited about this project. I find Mary the easiest character to write because she is such a free spirit. However, there's a part of me that's nervous about this series. I've mixed things up. Mary Hades doesn't follow a formula. 

Here are five things you can expect, and five examples that are a little different to most YA books.

1. It’s not a trilogy:

At the moment, the series is open ended, which means I’m planning to keep it going for as long as I enjoy writing it. To me, this is almost like a long-running television series, where each book will focus on a specific challenge. I will be bringing in long-arc storylines at some point, but the first few books are almost standalones.

2. Each novel is a snapshot:

Like the novella that started it all—My Daylight Monsters—each novel, and each story, is a snapshot into Mary’s life. That means that not all the books will link on from each other. The first book has a resolution and no cliff-hanger, but it sets up the rest of the series, because it shows Mary what she wants to achieve with her life. This is going to continue throughout the series. Think of them as brief instalments into her very interesting life. Characters will come and go. Not all of the novels will be set in the same place. There is a lot of scope for the series. It could go on as Mary goes to University, or a spin off with different characters could occur. There are no set rules here. Think of it as an urban fantasy series, but more contemporary.

3. The novels are short:

The main reason I write Mary Hades at a shorter length is because the tone is very deep first person POV present tense. The books are meant to be all-encompassing. I want the reader to be drawn into Mary’s world, and that is an intense ride. These sorts of novels are almost always short. Think of the wonderful How I live Now, or the engrossing Never Let Me Go—they are both short novels and that suits them very well. The first instalment of Mary Hades will be about 280 pages. On the plus side, shorter novels means I can write the instalments quicker, so you won’t have to wait long for the next book. And, as the books are shorter, I’ve decided to charge less for them, so you won’t be paying more for a shorter novel. However, quality almost always beats quantity. ;)

4. This is dark fiction:

When I started writing My Daylight Monsters, I was very influenced by Gothic literature. That’s a very broad brush. I always loved Victorian Gothics, like Dracula and The Picture of Dorian Grey. These novels always have a supernatural element and always have some sort of dark, looming presence. In My Daylight Monsters, that presence is the hospital, and the deepest fears we harbour there. In Mary Hades, that looming presence is the Yorkshire moors—of course, inspired by Wuthering Heights. Other influences could include Daphne Du Maurier. I had a few scenes from Jamaica Inn playing in my mind as I wrote this book. Mary Hades is much more grown up than my other novels. In the past, my books like The Blemished and White Hart have been more suited to younger YA. Mary Hades is best for older teens and adults.

5.Horror AND Romance?

Yup, you better believe it. In the midst of fighting a really scary ghost, Mary manages a holiday romance. Hey, call me a romantic, but I think a girl needs to take some time off from her ghost hunting once in a while.

In all seriousness, I want the books to be scary AND uplifting. There’s a definite contemporary feel to the writing, and hopefully that ties in with the romance.

Excerpt from Mary Hades

The whiskey, and Seth’s company, has elicited whatever happy hormones needed to help me slip into a state of relaxation. I lean back in my seat and tilt my head to the sky. On any other night I hate to look up at the stars. I hate to be reminded that we’re in this huge universe that we don’t understand, and we’re a speck of insignificance on a great big piece of rock circling around a ginormous lump of fire. Tonight, I could get lost in space. I could stare up at the moon all night.

      “Shooting star?” Seth asks.

      “No, an aeroplane,” I reply.

      “Somewhere you want to go?” he asks.

      I turn my eyes back to him. We hold gaze. “No.”

      No smiles. No impish grin. Instead—his eyes on mine. His eyes coming closer, until I feel as though his eyelashes might graze my cheek. His lips near mine. The scent of musk, whiskey and smoke. Sweet. Sweet scent. Him.

      Jolt.

     Groan.

     The wheel stops. We break apart and laugh.

     “Looks like Damo’s giving us a little sightseeing time,” Seth says. He pushes his fingers into his lush hair. There’s a ring on his right hand. The silver of it catches one of the flashing lights, so that it turns green, and then yellow. “You haven’t told me why you’re here? You local?”

     “I’m on holiday,” I say.

     He raises an eyebrow. “And you came to Nettleby?”

     What I don’t tell him is that I’m with my parents. That would be even more embarrassing.

     “Are you local?” I ask.

     “Yeah,” he says with a sigh.

     “Maybe you could show me around?” Mary, what on Earth are you doing?

     He grins. “Sure.

     He moves a little closer and wraps his arm around my shoulder, pausing not once but twice, as though almost changing his mind. There’s a slight flush of pink on his cheeks. It could be nerves, or it could be the whiskey. Lacey would be proud of me. For the first time ever, I’m on a normal date with a great guy, and it’s going well. There aren’t any Things, or ghosts, or people with psychiatric issues. There is me and Seth—alone.

     Warm, fuzzy feelings spread through my arms as I lean into him. We stay silent for a while, watching the lights from the campsite. Beyond the fairground I know there’s a forest, but it’s now a black fade in the night. The fairground is dark, with the occasional torch light and one or two flood lights to help the men as they lock up for the night.

     “Damo’s taking his time,” Seth says. His eyes narrow with concern.

     “Something the matter?” I ask. We do seem to have been still for a while.

     “I dunno,” Seth says. He turns in his seat so that he’s leaning over the ledge, and pulls his arm out from under me. Cupping his hands around his mouth he yells, “Damo! Hey, Damo. What’s going on, mate? You gonna get this thing started or what?”

     A chill runs through me. Am I such bad company? Does he want to get rid of me? To get this date over and done with?

     “Sorry,” he says, turning back to me. “I get a little nervous with these rides. When you know how they work, you know how much can go wrong.”

     “Oh, okay.” I think back to his safety conscious worrying over the safety bar. Wow, a carnie who cares about welfare, that’s a first.

     I glance at my watch. 11:30pm, time flies. I should try to get home before midnight so that the ‘rents don’t have simultaneous coronaries. When I realise that this is going to end soon, heavy weights pull at my stomach. I like being with Seth.

     The wheel lurches forward with a groan.

     “There, it’s—” My blood runs cold. The Ferris wheel jerks forward, no longer running smoothly like it did on the way up, but worse than that, worse than the possible failure of the ride, I see a dark shadow, and then I see it.

     “No,” I mutter without meaning to.

     “What’s wrong?” Seth says.

     I shake my head. This can’t be happening now, not on the first date that has made me feel normal.

     It crawls up the ride.

     Bony fingers cling to the metal framework.

     An x-ray of bones shine through its skin. I lean forward and grip the safety bar with my fingers, gripping so hard that the whites of my knuckles protrude through my skin, like the bones of the Thing climbing up to me.

     “What do you want?” I whisper.

     “What did you say?” Seth asks.

     “Nothing,” I reply.

     “Are you all right? You look a little pale? It’s the ride, isn’t it? Don’t worry, it gets a bit stiff sometimes, when it’s been inactive for a few minutes. Did I frighten you with what I said? Honestly, it’s fine. Damo knows how to—”

     Screeeeeech.

     The ride stops so abruptly that I’m thrust forward against the safety bar. My head snaps forward, painfully. One of the bears slips from my grasp and hurtles down towards the black ground below.

     “Shit.” Seth grabs hold of my shoulders and pulls me back against the seat. “That’s never happened before. Are you all right?”

     The Thing is gone. It has passed on the warning, showing me its hideous face. Now I have to wait for whatever horrible event is about to happen.

     Are we going to die?

     The Ferris wheel bench rocks back and forth, suspended halfway down the 80 foot full height of the wheel, as boasted on the sign by the ticket booth. Seth holds me tight, his anxious face turned down towards the control booth below.

     “Damo?” he shouts. “Damo, what’s happening down there, pal?”

There’s the scrape of a door opening and a small voice calls up. “Summats up, mate. The controls have gone funny. I keep trying to get you down, but then it… it’s like it has a life of its bloody own.”

Seth rubs his chin. The wheel lurches forward again, this time making me cry out and grip onto Seth’s arm tighter.

     “I’ve got you,” he murmurs. “It’s gonna be all right.”

     I shake my head. No it isn’t. When the Things show up, it’s because someone is going to get hurt. It’s not usually me, it’s someone else. Death follows me.

     “This is my fault,” I whisper.

     “What?” he says.

     “Bad things happen… you… you should get away from me.”

     Our seat rocks forward, forcing us both up against the safety bar. “This isn’t your fault—”

     The bench drops an inch to the left, but my heart drops to my knees. We slide together, hitting the edge. In a moment of utter panic I realise that the chain has come loose at the top. There’s a good chance it will break altogether and we’ll fall…

About the Author

Sarah grew up in the middle of nowhere in the countryside of Derbyshire and as a result has an over-active imagination. She has been an avid reader for most of her life, taking inspiration from the stories she read as a child, and the novels she devoured as an adult.

Sarah mainly writes speculative fiction for a Young Adult audience and has had pieces of short fiction published in the Medulla Literary Review, PANK magazine and the British Fantasy Society publication Dark Horizons. Her short story 'Vampires Wear Chanel' is featured in the Wyvern Publication Fangtales available here:

Sarah's debut novel The Blemished is a fast paced young adult dystopia set in a fractured Britain. It follows the events of Mina Hart, a young Blemished girl who has a dangerous secret, as she tries to escape the dreaded Operation and get out of Area 14.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Twitter ¦ Facebook ¦ Goodreads

***GIVEAWAY***

There are two giveaways running for this blitz.

First Prize:

-Ultimate Swag Bag-

-Signed paperback of any of Sarah's books

-3x eBooks of winner's choice

Open internationally.

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Second Prize:

One ebook copy (ePub, Mobi or PDF) of Mary Hades up for grabs.

Ends June 11th (Midnight GMT).

Prize will be sent out after June 19th.

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