Carina Press

Note: This book and I have a bit of a history. I first saw it years ago, when I was putting together an anthology of dragon novellas. At that time, I really loved the voice and the writing, but felt the book was too short and needed to be bulked up. So I sent it back to the author with some notes and a request for fleshing out the story and a resubmission. I didn’t see it again for over two years, the author having put it away for a bit. Then, this fall, the author submitted it to me at the now defunct Quartet Press. She’d done exactly what I asked in my original revisions letter, and the book was now longer and even stronger. She doesn’t know, but I would have acquired it then, but I didn’t get the chance. I was glad to see it come through the Carina Press submissions inbox, and I would have happily been the acquiring editor but, it turns out, I didn’t need to be. Another editor saw the exact same things in it that I did.

L. Shannon, the author, came into existence in 2004. Shannon’s always been a reader and lover of books, but never considered writing until one night when she ran out of books to read… She began writing that very night as the first line of defense in a battle against insomnia. Her writing has steadily grown into a full-out war against reality. Her friends kindly say reality never stood a chance. The L. Shannon novels have expanded to fill an entire world with paranormal wonders including Valàfrn werewolves, Tascryn demons, blood-sucking vampires, sexy selkies and many, many more. Be careful if you choose to enter Shannon’s hunk-filled world. You may never wish to leave…
Born and raised in the hills of Western Pennsylvania, Shannon still calls the family farm home.  In the time Shannon doesn’t spend writing, she’s kept busy by bothering her super supportive husband, showing dogs, gardening and watching over her Butterfly Koi ponds. You can learn more about her writing and her life at www.lshannon.net or stay in touch through http://twitter.com/L_Shannon

Amethyst Bound by L. Shannon

Toni is in the high risk recovery business. Because of her unique camouflaging ability, she steals what others say is unstealable. The current theft proves suspiciously easy until the item in question comes to life. The stone amulet draws her into an ancient prophecy and binds her soul to the spirit of a dragon named Amethyst.

As if having an amulet stuck to her chest and a dragon in her head weren’t enough, she soon finds herself on the run from a nasty group of vampire henchmen intent on taking her back to their master. More than her freedom is at stake. The one behind the attacks intends to force Amethyst to fulfill the prophecy and become one of the nine dragons destined to end the world.

Toni’s dark past drove her to total independence but in this battle will she alone be enough? As she battles to hold on to herself and accept Amethyst as part of her life, she learns how to trust others.  She still has a chance to come out on top with the help of a sexy archeologist named Wilson who just happens to specialize in dragons. He won’t leave her alone. But is it love or his lifelong obsession that keeps him at her side?

Toni is in the high risk recovery business. Because of her unique camouflaging ability, she steals what others say is unstealable. The current theft proves suspiciously easy until the item in question comes to life. The stone amulet draws her into an ancient prophecy and binds her soul to the spirit of a dragon named Amethyst.

As if having an amulet stuck to her chest and a dragon in her head weren’t enough, she soon finds herself on the run from a nasty group of vampire henchmen intent on taking her back to their master. More than her freedom is at stake. The one behind the attacks intends to force Amethyst to fulfill the prophecy and become one of the nine dragons destined to end the world.

Toni’s dark past drove her to total independence but in this battle will she alone be enough? As she battles to hold on to herself and accept Amethyst as part of her life, she learns how to trust others.  She still has a chance to come out on top with the help of a sexy archeologist named Wilson who just happens to specialize in dragons. He won’t leave her alone. But is it love or his lifelong obsession that keeps him at her side?

Coming from Carina Press in 2010

Toni Anderson was born and raised in the UK, and now lives in the harsh, but beautiful Canadian prairies.
Formerly a marine and fish biologist, she (unfortunately) lives about as far from the ocean as physically possible. In an effort to recapture her love affair with the sea, she writes dark, contemporary, Romantic Suspense stories set in the beautiful, ancient, cobbled streets of Scotland, where she lived for many years. Crumbling sea walls and windswept beaches provide the backdrop for tangled romance and treacherous murder.
When she’s not writing, or traveling the world, she’s out walking, cycling and generally looking for plot ideas about how to kill people without the law catching up with her. Nothing like murder to get the brain working and nothing like true love to nourish the soul.

Visit Toni at her blog and Facebook. Or follow her on Twitter.

Out of Tears by Toni Anderson

Detective Inspector Nick Archer has a dark past and hides a terrible secret.  He’s spent the last decade putting Britain’s most notorious criminals behind bars, but hasn’t forgot the vow he made to the wife he lost to infidelity and murder.

American marine biology profession Dr. Susie Cooper has just started her dream job and wants to settle down.  Unfortunately, she’s attracted to men like Nick Archer, whose idea of commitment is staying the whole night.

For the first time in decades Nick’s actually falling for someone, the only problem is he’s using Susie to get closer to the man he believes murdered his first wife.  Another student is murdered outside the marine lab and Nick thinks he’s got a chance to nail his wife’s killer.

Betrayal and madness put Susie in danger and a tangled web closes around her until she finds herself fighting for her life.  Nick has to put aside preconceived ideas and prejudice if he is to figure out exactly who is threatening to destroy the woman he loves.

Coming in 2010 from Carina Press

Author of over thirty popular books and novellas in paranormal, historical, and contemporary romance, Cindy Spencer Pape is an avid reader of romance, fantasy, mystery, and even more romance. According to The Romance Studio, her plots are “full of twist and turns that keep the reader poised at the edge of their seat.” Joyfully Reviewed said, her “colorful characters and plot building surprises kept me spellbound,” and Romantic Times Magazine says her “characters are appealing, and passionate sex leads to a satisfying romance.”

Cindy firmly believes in happily-ever-after. Married for more than twenty years to her own, sometimes-kilted hero, she lives in southern Michigan with him and two teenage sons, along with an ever-changing menagerie of pets. Cindy has been, among other things, a banker, a teacher, and an elected politician, but mostly an environmental educator, though now she is lucky enough to write full-time. Her degrees in zoology and animal behavior almost help her comprehend the three male humans who share her household. For more about Cindy and her books, you can find her on her website, www.cindyspencerpape.com or her blog, www.cindyspencerpape.blogspot.com

Motor City Fae by Cindy Spencer Pape
Coming from Carina Press in 2010. Read an unedited excerpt below!

(more…)

The story goes like this – A few years ago, Lauren Dane decided to quit her job and stay home with her brand new second child. As a result, she had lots of conversations in a sing-song voice but no real outlet for adult thoughts and words. While on bed-rest with her pregnancy with the tiny monster, Lauren had plenty of down time so her husband brought home a second hand laptop and she decided to “give that writing thing a serious go.”

Lauren had no idea how fabulously wonderful it would feel to actually make a go of her writing and she’s thankful every day people actually want to read what she writes! She’s well aware of her good fortune and loves every moment of it, even when she has to edit and put Barbie’s dresses back on over and over again. She still hasn’t managed to figure out how to shut out the sound of the Backyardigans so she can write a love scene, though.

Visit Lauren at her website or follow her on Twitter.

Goddess with a Blade by Lauren Dane

Armed with a blessed blade and blood from a goddess, Rowan Summerwaite’s got a divine mission. Embodying a Vampire’s worst nightmare is a big job, but someone’s got to do it. Her employer, The Hunter Corporation, has assigned her to hold the Vampire population in Las Vegas to the letter of law laid out in their treaty.

Rowan is no ordinary Hunter, she was raised as a foster-daughter to the First, the oldest known Vampire and the leader of their kind. The Vampires fear and loathe her and she finds it rather helpful and amusing to use that to keep them in line.

Sadly, they’re not always in line and she has to be the one to put them back into place. Freshly returned from nearly a year of dealing with the fall-out of her execution of the prior Scion in Las Vegas (all cleared now, honest!), Rowan is given evidence of a Vampire not only breaking the treaty by killing humans, but the killings bear the distinct marks of a serial killer.

But there’s a new Scion in Las Vegas and Clive Stewart presents a bigger threat to Rowan than she’d imagined. And one more delicious and forbidden than she can resist…

Coming in 2010 from Carina Press!

You can visit Ann at her website.

Untitled Contemporary Romance by Ann Bruce

When Manhattan magnate Dean Maxwell sees Parker Quinn at a charity auction – and rescues her from her annoying ex –he is instantly attracted the magazine editor. The attraction is mutual – until Parker hears his name and does a complete one-eighty.

Never one to give up easily, Dean sets out to seduce Parker, taking her to fancy dinners and a trip to a luxurious Caribbean island. Parker can’t resist his charms for long and begins to see a different side of Dean. But despite their passion, Parker still harbors serious doubts about his intentions. And she has a very good reason for thinking Dean is nothing more than a cad….

Coming in 2010 from Carina Press.