Monday, July 31, 2017

Book Tour: Elemental Trials


Errant Spark
Elemental Trials Book 1
by Ronelle Antoinette
Genre: Fantasy Romance

They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but In Egalion’s Imperial court, you can't tell one from the other...especially when they change at the flip of a coin. Behind the luxury and splendor lies a realm of treachery where cloak-and-dagger political maneuvering threatens to destroy the peace of two thousand years. 


Twenty-five-year-old Battlemage Jex Xander has a mouth that frequently gets him into trouble, while in contrast, Enari Namelum speaks not at all. When Jex becomes the target of a faceless curse-slinger, Enari, the girl he has protected since the day they met, must now protect him. A string of ritual human sacrifices coupled with Jex’s growing inability to keep his feelings (and hands) to himself only serve to complicate matters. Amidst the mounting chaos, passion and romance should be the last thing on their minds, but life and the Goddess seem to have other ideas.

In a world as enticing as it is perilous, love, danger, and magic will collide, leaving lives irrevocably changed. The events of a single summer stand to change the course of more than just the kingdom of Egalion and the ones dismissed as pawns may yet prove to b the most important players.

Errant Spark is the hush before the storm, the last deep breath before the plunge. The flint has been struck and it’s possible the whole world might go up in flames…because love in the Imperial court is as dangerous a thing as backroom politics and jealousy can be as much a driving force as silver and gold.

***
Fantasy? Action? Romance? Yes! This romantic fantasy novel by Ronelle Antoinette is a broad, epic, sweeping fantasy with more twists and turns and ups and downs than a wild roller-coaster! The first installment of the Elemental Trials series is one of those books that really is so much more than what the blurb can convey. Described as “surprisingly complex and visionary” by one reviewer, Errant Spark will leave you mesmerized from the first page to the last. 

Hailed by Amazing Stories Magazine’s Ricky L Brown as “a simple story about interesting characters with just enough romance and magic to make it work.” Errant Spark is as complex as George RR Martin, with a world that is well-suited for conniving and cavorting. Rest assured, there is plenty of sex and violence, but not as raw and stabby as the aforementioned works. It’s more like a big kid’s version of a fairy tale.

Recommended for:
Mature teens and up
Fans of epic fantasy and romance
Those looking for characters they want to eat…or take home and enjoy
Readers who can appreciate a gorgeous tapestry of magic, myth, and mayhem
Connoisseurs of fine love stories that compliment the plot and that ‘slow burn’
Lovers of surprises, twists-and-turns, and well-placed, necessary supernatural elements
Anyone looking for sex, magic, love, fantasy, and a story that will sweep you away
Those who don’t mind staying up all night so they can turn that final page

Update: As of 11/21/16, a series glossary has been included at the end of this novel (in ebook and print form only).






Flash Point
Elemental Trials Book 2

Scandal will shake foundations.



A night of careless passion leaves Battlemage Jex Xander and Adept Enari Alycon in a precarious position. Long-time lovers they might be, but the Imperial ambassador and the daughter of Egalion’s High Mage have rather public roles in the court—whether they wish it or not—and scandal couldn’t come at a worse time. 

Treachery will tip balances.

When a hostile kingdom reluctantly agrees to parley, the fate of two-thousand years of peace is on the line. In the midst of negotiations, Enari becomes the target of one of the Greater Maelstrom. She and Jex must race against time to save her life and that of her unborn child. What happens when an earth-shattering secret, a demon bent on destruction, and a kingdom teetering on the brink of war collide is anyone’s guess.

Choices will have consequences.

The decisions of a few will determine the fate of many, and who or what will remain standing in the end is still uncertain. Hearts and lives are on the cusp of irrevocable change…and not necessarily for the better.

And secrets? Those will change everything.




Ronelle Antoinette lives in western Colorado with her husband, two cats, and one dog-who-believes-he's-a-person. While she is a mother of none, she’s an auntie to what should qualify as a small army. She is an admitted caffeine addict, chocoholic, and hopeless romantic who has carried on a passionate affair with the genre of fantasy since she was old enough to read 'chapter books'. 

Ronelle dabbled in creative writing for many years before making it a career. (She even considered it as a major in college, though she ended up getting a Bachelor's degree in Counseling Psychology.) She published her first novel, Errant Spark, in July of 2016.




Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts and a giveaway!

Book Tour: Serenade


Serenade
Nightmusic Trilogy Book 1
by Heather McKenzie
Genre: YA Romance, Thriller, Suspense

Kidnapped and held hostage in the Rockies, a teenage heiress falls for her abductor while her corrupt father and devoted bodyguard fight to get her back. The discovery of true love and dark family secrets turns deadly in this epic coming of age adventure.

Kaya Lowen dreams of living like a normal eighteen-year old, but being heiress to a billion-dollar company has put her life in constant danger. Fiercely guarded by her powerful and corrupt father, she develops close bonds with those who protect her, especially Oliver – a bodyguard who has proven his devotion to her time and again. He wins her heart - until a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger has her questioning everything she believes in. Haunted by true love and reeling from a guilty conscience, Kaya's world unravels when she's kidnapped. Held captive in a rugged wilderness fraught with raging storms, mystical caves and deadly predators, Kaya's father scours the forest and her bodyguard fights to get her back. But, the discovery of a dark family secret makes Kaya wonder if staying in the arms of her blue-eyed abductor—a captivating stranger with dark secrets of his own – is a safer place to be. At least, that's what her heart is telling her, her head is saying run...

An epic adventure centered on a smoldering love-triangle, Serenade sings a timeless tale of courage, self-discovery, and life-or-death love that will leave you breathless.




Heather McKenzie is the Canadian author of Serenade, book one of The Nightmusic Trilogy. Also a professional singer/songwriter with five albums to date, she has been telling stories through music for years and pulls from her extraordinary experiences as a musician to fuel her passion for creating Young Adult fiction. A rocker at heart, a mom of three, an aspiring painter and a lover of animals, she is kept grounded by her husband at their home in Edmonton.


Listen to a sample of Heather's songs HERE!
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

Book Blitz: Not His Werewolf



Not his Werewolf
Annie Nicholas
(Not This Series, #2)
Publication date: July 24th 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

After being disowned and labelled human because she can’t shift, Betty Newman rescues unwanted dogs to fulfill her need for pack. Being rejected by her birth pack was enough pain for a lifetime and she’ll do anything to avoid subjecting herself to their prejudices.
Things change when Ken Birch wakes in her kennel still in wolf form and declares she’s his soul mate. His presence wakes her feral heart and makes her long for a life she can’t have. Old wounds are opened and she refuses to listen to instinct.
But only a shifter can be a soul mate and now her life is in danger by New Port’s pack. Either Betty learns to shift or she dies. Problem is the only one willing to help is Ken, the last person she wants.

Author Bio:
Annie Nicholas writes paranormal romance with a twist. She has courted vampires, hunted with shifters, and slain a dragon's ego all with the might of her pen. Riding the wind of her imagination, she travels beyond the restraints of reality and shares them with anyone wanting to read her stories. Mother, daughter, and wife are some of the other hats she wears while hiking through the hills and dales of her adopted state of Vermont.
Annie writes for Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, and Lyrical Press.

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Book Blitz: Wheeler



Wheeler 
Sara Butler Zalesky
Publication date: July 4th 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance, Sports, Suspense


Fate whispers to the warrior, ‘You cannot withstand the storm.’
The warrior whispers back, ‘I am the storm.’

Loren Mackenzie has spent much of her life honing her body to meet the physical challenges of being a professional cyclist in the women’s European peloton. She has also refined the control of her mind, using the power of her emotions in competition to become one of the elite cyclists in the world. After an accident at the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, Loren must rise to the challenge of leading her team as the Women’s World Tour races across Europe, culminating with the opportunity to compete at the World Championships in Richmond, Virgina.
When a chance meeting develops into a whirlwind romance, what appears to be the perfect relationship threatens to unravel Loren’s tightly wound life. The microscope of tabloid media attention dredges up fears that her past will be unearthed; tragic secrets she has kept buried, even from those closest to her.
Can Loren face the trauma of her past and vanquish the demons within, or will betrayal and obsession ultimately defeat her?
EXCERPT:
Loren rose from her chair and began to gather up the cups and plates they had used as Graham watched her through half-closed eyes. She leaned into the table with a grin.
“Are ya gettin’ sleepy?”
He put his hands on her hips to pull her close. “No, are you?”
She licked her lips. “I have to admit, I was enjoying what we were doing before we were interrupted.” Loren raised a brow at him. Graham’s mouth twitched, and he took out his mobile to shuffle through his music. As the first notes of the song began, he stood and extended his hand to her.
“Dance with me?” He drew Loren to him, his eyes never leaving hers as they moved in rhythm with the music. “Hereafter, in a better world than this,” he murmured, “I shall desire more love and knowledge of you.”
Their breath mixed as his lips hovered over hers. He kissed her gently at first, then with increased fervor as his hands glided over the curves of her body. Her positive response urged him into further exploration. It was several minutes before he realized he had laid her back on the table with one of her legs curled over his hip. Graham reluctantly ended their kiss.
“I’m sorry. I-I got a little carried away there,” he said, his breathing unsteady.
Loren kissed him. “We both got a little carried away.”
He helped her return to her feet but couldn’t bring himself to let go. He brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek and kissed her again. Her touch, her smell, the way she felt in his arms; he’d never been so completely at ease with anyone. He pressed his forehead lightly into hers.
“Who are you?”
She backed out of his embrace and offered him her hand. “Loren Mackenzie, pro cyclist. Nice to meet you.”
Graham laughed and shook her hand. “I am so glad I turned around!”
Her chuckle dissolved as she tucked her lower lip in her teeth. “I’d better get you back to your car before we do something we might regret.”
He took a deep breath and licked his lips. “You’re right.” He squinted at her. “How would you, you said you don’t have a car?”
“I have a motorcycle.”
“Oh, I don’t think so, darling.” He released her from his arms.
“Come on.” Loren motioned for him to follow and headed to a shed hidden behind the willow tree. When she opened the doors, the glossy black BMW F800R sport bike glowed in the overhead florescent light.
He scoffed as he placed his hand on the headlamp. “The two of us won’t fit on that.”
“Not that one. This one.” She took the canvas off the matte black Harley-Davidson Night Rod motorcycle. “Anthony’s Harley is bigger than mine.”
Graham’s mouth dropped open. “Wow. That’s…that’s a Harley?” He frowned. “But still…”
She tossed a helmet at him. “Come on. Help me get it out of the stand.” She grabbed the handlebars, and they both gave the bike a push to roll it out of the shed and Loren set the kickstand. “Anthony keeps it in good shape, but it still needs to be ridden every so often,” she said, putting on her helmet. “He converted his garage into a gym, that’s why it’s here.”
“Ah,” he said, holding open the larger gate next to the shed for her as she pushed the Harley down the gravel path to the street. Graham followed her only to stop short at the sight of her on the machine.
“Come on. I’m a professional,” she chuckled and patted the seat behind her. He was grumbling as he donned the helmet, then mounted the seat behind her. His knees were under her arms with his feet on the pegs, and she giggled as she leaned back against him like an easy chair.
“Yes, yes, it’s hilarious,” he muttered, making her laugh harder.
Loren pushed the ignition and the engine rumbled to life beneath them. After knocking the stand with her heel, she eased out the clutch while rolling the throttle to move off down the street. Graham had been holding her waist loosely at first, but as the Harley took off, the burst of speed had him tighten his arms. He could feel her laughing in his embrace.
Loren came to a brief stop at London Road then took a left turn to rumble down the street. Another left turn and they were soon at the car park where she came to a stop next to his car and set the stand again. She was grinning as she took off her helmet as Graham awkwardly dismounted.
“Fun, huh?”
“I reckon I would have preferred to walk,” he complained as he handed her the helmet where she hooked it to the buckle behind her then swung her leg over the bike. She was smiling as she approached.
“Oh, that’s a pity,” she said, sliding her hands around his waist. “I rather liked having your arms around me.”
“You have but to ask, my Lady.” He gathered her in his arms to nuzzle her neck. “I must admit, I would have been quite put out if I had to wait another week to see you.”
“Me, too.”
“Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night ‘til it be morrow.” His voice was a low rumble as he leaned in to kiss her, but stopped. “Well, not actually tomorrow, as you’ll be off to Colchester.”
“Oh, do shut up and kiss me,” Loren laughed.
“Gladly,” Graham murmured and staked his claim to her lips.

Author Bio:
Sara was born in the wee hours of a November night in New York City. When her family moved to a small borough in northwestern New Jersey, she had little choice but to move as well. Self-sufficiency is a tough thing for a toddler.
The dichotomy of being the middle child of three, but the only girl, was difficult, as typically no one really pays attention to a middle child. Mostly, Sara spent her time creating fanciful stories in her head when she should have been focused on other things, an issue that continues to this day.
Most of these stories have never been shared, let alone completed. This all changed in the spring of 2015, when Sara was encouraged by a friend to expand upon a short story she had accidentally emailed to him. The result is 'Wheeler’, a romantic, women's fiction/sport novel, which combines the author's romantic inclinations and her passion for cycling.
Sara currently resides in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA, with her loving husband and their son. She is a paralegal for a boutique law firm in Chester County, Pa, an avid road cyclist and indoor cycling instructor at a national chain.
Follow the author’s blog at sarabutlerzalesky.wordpress.com or on Twitter @sarazalesky. She does a little dance every time someone ‘follows’ her on Twitter. Really.
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Book Blitz: Hard Rock Deceit



Hard Rock Deceit
Athena Wright
Publication date: July 25th 2017
Genres: New Adult, Romance


He’s a brilliant artist. A rock star god.
He challenges me. Excites me.
He makes me quiver. Makes me swoon.
He makes me feel things I’ve never dreamed of.
But we’re both dedicated to our art. We’ll do whatever it takes to succeed.
When I find out just how far he’ll go, it threatens to tear our world apart.
EXCERPT:
August placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. The heat of his palm burned into my bare skin. I shivered.
That reassuring touch turned into a caress, trailing along my collarbone. I swallowed hard. His gaze was fixated, as if mesmerized, as callused fingertips ran a trail up my throat, along my jaw. He cupped the back of my head, sifting through the dark strands.
August leaned forward. My heart jumped in my chest. Soft lips brushed my ear.
“What are you feeling right now?”
His voice was low and husky, inflaming every inch of me.
“I don’t know,” I stammered.
The hitch of my breath, the trembling of my fingers, the flush of my cheeks, told a different story.
I felt his lips curve into a teasing smile.
“Liar.”

Author Bio:
Athena Wright is a USA Today Bestselling author of New Adult Romance. She has a fondness for rock stars and the girls who tame their wild hearts. Athena loves to write characters who are not always what they seem.
Want a free taste of Athena's writing? You can receive two exclusive Newsletter-Only side stories for free. Just subscribe and tell Athena where to send them. You'll also be notified of new book releases. http://athenawright.com/sign-up/
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Cover Reveal: Moonburner



Moonburner
Claire Luana
(Moonburner, #1)
Published by: Soul Fire Press
Publication date: June 14th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Kai is a Moonburner—a female sorceress reviled by her people and normally killed at birth. Except Kai’s parents saved her by disguising her as boy—a ruse they’ve kept up for almost seventeen years. But when her village is attacked, Kai’s secret is revealed and she’s sentenced to death.
Thankfully, the gods aren’t done with Kai. Despite the odds stacked against her, she escapes her fate, undertaking a harrowing journey to a land where Moonburners are revered and trained as warriors.
But her new home has dangers of its own—the ancient war against the male Sunburners has led the Moonburners down a dark path that could destroy all magic. And Kai, armed only with a secret from her past and a handsome but dangerous ally, may be the only one who can prevent the destruction of her people…

Author Bio:
Claire Luana grew up reading everything she could get her hands on and writing every chance she could. Eventually, adulthood won out, and she turned her writing talents to more scholarly pursuits, going to work as a commercial litigation attorney at a mid-sized law firm. While continuing to practice law, Claire decided to return to her roots and try her hand once again at creative writing. She has written and published the Moonburner Cycle and is currently working on a new trilogy about magical food. She lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband and two dogs. In her (little) remaining spare time, she loves to hike, travel, binge-watch CW shows, and of course, fall into a good book.

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Book Blitz: Hunger Moon



Hunger Moon
Alexandra Sokoloff
(The Huntress/FBI Thrillers #5)
Publication date: October 24th 2017
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Revenge has no limits.
Special Agent Matthew Roarke has abandoned his rogue search for serial killer Cara Lindstrom. He’s returned to the FBI to head a task force with one mission: to rid society of its worst predators. But as the skeletal symbols of Santa Muerte, “Lady Death,” mysteriously appear at universities nationwide, threatening death to rapists, Roarke’s team is pressured to investigate. When a frat boy goes missing in Santa Barbara, Roarke realizes a bloodbath is coming—desperate teenagers are about to mete out personal, cold-blooded justice.
Hiding from the law, avenging angel Cara Lindstrom is on her own ruthless quest. She plans to stay as far away from Roarke as possible—until an old enemy comes after both her and the FBI, forcing her back into Roarke’s orbit. This time, the huntress has become the hunted . . .
Pre-order today!
PLUS: Books 1-4 are on SALE for $1.99 each for a limited time only!
Previous books in the Huntress/FBI Thrillers Series:
EXCERPT:
A bleak sky, streaked with white, stretches over the desolate South Rim of the canyon. There will be snow tonight.
The grinding of a pickup truck grates through the silence.
A four-door Tundra. Tonneau cover over the bed. Two men dressed in camouflage inside. Fast-food and jerky wrappers litter the wells at their feet. In the back seat, a cooler packed full of beer.
And three rifles, three-inch twelve-gauge magnums, strapped to the padded back-seat gun rest.
Hunters, driving the rim.
The front-seat passenger sets his sights on something moving ahead of them, leans forward greedily. “There we go, there we go.”
The driver follows his gaze, fixes on what he is tracking. Not a deer, but a young girl, shining black hair underneath the hood of her parka. Schoolgirl’s backpack on her shoulder.
On the men’s faces, something crude and capering.
“That’s some tasty-looking pussy.”
“Oh, yeah, that’ll do.”
“Let’s go.”
“Get her.”
The driver swerves the truck over to the side of the road, squealing brakes.
The girl hears the sound, stiffens, is starting to run before she even completes the glance back.
The truck skids to a stop in the snow. The doors fly open; the men are out of the car, grabbing for their rifles.
The girl runs for the rocks, but her pursuers are bigger, faster. Two of them, grown men, against a teenage girl.
They move forward into the strong wind, a military-style formation, heavy boots crunching in the sandy snow.
They pause at the rock outcropping, looking out over the boulders. The girl seems to have disappeared. Then a scrabble on the rocks betrays her. Hearing it, the men grin at each other.
The driver rounds the rock first, his mouth watering. He is already hard in anticipation . . .
The tire iron bashes him across the face, breaking his jaw. He staggers back, howling inarticulate pain.
The girl kicks him viciously in the knee, crumpling him, then swivels as the second hunter rounds the edge of the rock. She slams the tire iron against the side of his head.
Now both men are collapsed on the ground, moaning and cursing.
She steps forward, no longer feigning that youthful, hesitant gait.
She lifts her arm and uses the tire iron on their skulls. Two, three, four blows, and there is no more moaning. Thick crimson drops spatter the snow. Her breath is harsh. Her face is ice.
There is only the wind, swallowing the sound of her breathing.
Cara stands at the edge of the canyon, looking out at the spires of Spider Rock, the vast open gorge.
Below her is an icy crevasse. The canyon has any number of them, deep splits in the rock wall where whole sheets of the cliff have broken away. Behind her is the hunters’ pickup truck.
Their bodies lie at her feet.
She drags one, then the other, to shove them over the cliff’s edge, stepping back to watch each body hurtle down into the crevasse, tumbling into oblivion.
The snowfall tonight will cover all trace of them. Later, birds and animals will pick the bones clean.
Another offering to the canyon, and the gods and ghosts that haunt it.

Author Bio:
"Some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre." - The New York Times
ALEXANDRA SOKOLOFF is the Thriller Award-winning and Bram Stoker, Anthony, and Black Quill Award-nominated author of the Amazon bestselling Huntress/FBI series (HUNTRESS MOON, BLOOD MOON, COLD MOON, BITTER MOON, HUNGER MOON - now in active development as a TV series), and the supernatural HAUNTED thrillers (THE HARROWING, THE PRICE, THE UNSEEN, BOOK OF SHADOWS, THE SHIFTERS, THE SPACE BETWEEN). The New York Times Book Review called her a "daughter of Mary Shelley," and her books "Some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre."
As a screenwriter she has sold original horror and thriller scripts and adapted novels for numerous Hollywood studios. She has also written three non-fiction workbooks: SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS, STEALING HOLLYWOOD, and WRITING LOVE, based on her internationally acclaimed workshops and blog (www.ScreenwritingTricks.com), and has served on the Board of Directors of the WGA West and the Board of the Mystery Writers of America.
Alex is a California native and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, where she majored in theater and minored in everything Berkeley has a reputation for. In her spare time (!) she performs with The Slice Girls and Heather Graham's all-author Slush Pile Players, and dances like a fiend. She is also very active on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. But not an addict. Seriously, it's under control.
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Cover Reveal: Princess of the Night



Princesses of the Night 
Teresa Fuentez & Tich Brewster
(Royal Blood, #1)
Publication date: September 22nd 2017
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal

Tanya is a hardworking college student but her whole world is turned upside down when she meets a mysterious man on Halloween. All that she thought was fiction is now her reality. A night life filled with fangs and blood—and an evil vampire that wants her dead.
She and her friends are the chosen ones, destined long ago, to save this world from destruction. That’s not easy when your enemy is your sire’s son.

Author Bio:
Tich:
Tich is an Oklahoma resident and the mother of five. Her passion for reading started at an early age when her Aunt Vicky gave her the novel Heidi for Christmas. She didn’t start writing until middle school, after being inspired by her best friend’s short stories. “Genny’s stories weren’t just great but they inspired me to put my pen and paper to good use.”
Teresa:
Born and raised in Oklahoma. I have a passion for writing, reading, basically anything book related.
I completed my first novel in 2010, Princesses of the Night, which happens to be the first in a series titled Royal Blood.
My novels fall under the genre Paranormal/Fantasy/NA

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Release Blitz: LaClaire




Title: LaClaire Touch
An After Hours Novel
Author: Dori Lavelle
Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 31, 2017

Blurb

When a man pays for my body, I shut off my emotions, close my eyes, and force myself to push through. No thinking. No feeling. No breaking apart.


Soon the debts will be paid. Soon I'll scrub their cologne and sweat from my skin and walk away from this business for good, pretending it never happened.

For now, my body is not my own. For now, I belong to any man who can afford me.

But when Derrick LaClaire asks for a night with me, I turn him away, even when he offers to pay triple what I earn per hour. I need his cash, but if I let him touch me, I know I'll break every single one of my rules. And he'll discover who I really am.

LaClaire Touch is a steamy full-length, standalone novel with a happy ending.

**WARNING: Due to sexual situations and adult content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. **



Purchase Links
AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU 
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Also Available


AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited


Author Bio

Dori Lavelle, is a mother, wife, and a sucker for happy-ever-afters and mint chocolate. 


Growing up, Dori read a lot, and when she wasn't happy with a particular ending, she wrote a different one, just for herself. Before long, she was writing stories when she should have been doing homework. The time has come for her to share the stories she cooks up in her head.


Author Links