Finding You by Lydia Albano

Finding You
Lydia Albano
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: September 19th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Taken from home and family, all they have is each other.
Isla is kidnapped from a train platform in broad daylight, and thrust into a nightmare when she is sold to a sadistic aristocrat. Locked in a dungeon with a dozen other girls, Isla’s only comfort is a locket and the memory of the boy she loves. But as days pass and more girls disappear, she realizes that help is not coming… If they’re going to survive, they’ll have to escape on their own.
Swoon Reads is proud to present Lydia Albano’s debut novel, a powerful story of a teen girl finding strength and hope in even the worst circumstances.

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What is it about the Young Adult genre that appeals to you so much?
I could say “everything” and not be exaggerating. When you’re a teenager, there’s something to reading about people your age learn who they are, learn to be strong, learn to love, that shapes your own mind and makes you feel invincible. I know for a fact that books like The Goose Girl, Inkheart, and The Hunger Games changed my life. I was a reserved, awkward (I’m still awkward) teen living in the boonies of New Hampshire when I got swallowed up by the world of YA Lit. My brother, sister, and I nearly came to blows over who got to read Inkspell and then Inkdeath first from the library (I won because I’d started the series first of all of us, for the record). I remember trading Mockingjay back and forth with my sister, chapter-by-chapter because we were supposed to be doing school work but neither of us could bear to put the book down. I’m probably preaching to the choir though. We can all attest that books have such an incredible ability to shape us into the people we’ll become, and so that YA room in the library is where I really fell in love with stories.
So I guess YA was just the obvious direction my writing would take me. Even when I was first starting to write “books” (they were so small and so cute and so pathetic) as a twelve- or thirteen-year-old, my heroines were always somewhere around sixteen. I think I knew already that sixteen was an age where something could happen- where you could grab a hold of your circumstances and decide to change them. And now I think, as I’m a few years past my teens, it’s become increasingly evident to me that young adults need stories of hope and resilience. They need to see themselves on covers, they need to meet characters with their struggles, they need to know they’re not alone, not too broken, not inadequate.
I’m twenty-four years old and there’s nothing I like to read better than YA; I dare anyone to find a more encouraging, accepting, and honest genre out there.
If every teenager read a book that told them dragons can be slain, princesses can save themselves, families can be made whole, marching for a cause can make a difference, everyone has a voice that merits hearing- imagine what a strong and empowered and accepting generation could be built. Stories do that in a way that textbooks can’t, and to get to be a part of that, to add my words to the library shelves, has been something I only dreamed about for so long.
Thanks so much for letting me ramble about something I love so much. And thank you to anyone who reads Finding You for letting me be a part of that world for you.

Author Bio:
Lydia Albano is a (self-proclaimed) Bunburyist living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she promotes Oxford commas, spends her money on musical theater, and demands the Myers-Briggs letters of everyone she meets. Her debut novel, Finding You, will be released in September, 2017, with SwoonReads/Macmillan.

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Breaking Roman by Alexis James

Breaking Roman
Alexis James
(The Moran Family #3)
Publication date: June 27th 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

They call me Romeo.
I love romancing women, and I’m good at it.
Too bad it is all a ruse.
Roman, the youngest of the three Moran brothers, is the only one who has ever believed in true love. Too bad his one special person barely acknowledges his existence.
Sabrina Morris spends her days running the HR Department of The Moran Group, and her nights corralling her teenage daughter. She doesn’t have time for love. She’s heard the stories, but Roman is not at all what she expects him to be. His gentle nature catches her completely off-guard. She doesn’t expect to be attracted to him, and she certainly doesn’t expect him to be equally drawn to her. But can she see past his Romeo façade and allow the warm, loving man into her life?

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Can you tell us a little about your latest book? 
“Breaking Roman” is the 3rd in The Moran Family series about 5 siblings.
Roman, the youngest of the three brothers, is a sweet, kind man who is nicknamed “Romeo” because he’s always on the hunt for his next great love. What no one realizes is that behind that façade of who they perceive him to be, he’s really just a man with a big crush on someone who never even looks twice at him. He fell hard for Sabrina when she began working at his company a few years back, and even though he’s attempted to get to know her, she is completely disinterested.
Sabrina Morris is a busy single mom who spends her days running the HR Department and her nights corralling her teenage daughter. She’s heard all about the “Romeo” of the Moran Family, a man she finds as intimidating as she does attractive. His gentle nature catches her off-guard and the kindness he shows to her and her daughter makes her realize there’s much more to him than the man she perceives him be.

What inspired you to write it?
The original idea for the series began with Cruz’s book. At the time, I had no idea I’d write novels on each of his siblings. The inspiration for Cruz’s story came from a news report I heard one night. A man had fallen asleep at the wheel and the occupants of the car were killed. I found myself wondering (repeatedly, I might add) how someone could live with themselves having done something like that, and how crippling the guilt must be. I knew I wanted Cruz to come from a large family, but as the story developed so too did each of his siblings and their distinct personalities. For Roman, I wanted him to be the sweet brother (Cruz and Marco are both arrogant Alphas). I wanted him to have a big heart and not be afraid of love, as his brothers had been. The “Romeo” persona was something that just developed as part of the writing process.

How did you come up with the idea for the cover?
That was my designer, Kari Ayasha. When we first talked about the series, I had only a few requirements. I didn’t want full faces on the covers (I prefer the reader to form their own “picture” of the characters), and I wanted each one in the series to “fit” with the rest. Because of his job, I wanted Roman’s cover to display a man with thick, ripped muscles. She’s done a beautiful job of bringing my “family” to life.

If it was made into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters?
For Roman, I have no idea. I have a few pictures of models that I used for inspiration, but no one definitive. For Sabrina, I could totally see Naomi Watts playing her. She’s a sleek, beautiful blonde, who projects resilience and innocence.

Is it part of a series or is it a stand-alone novel?
A 5-part series. This is book 3. Each book can be read as a stand-alone though.

Where is the novel set and why did you choose to set it there?
It is set in Miami, Florida. I chose that location because I wanted the story to have a tropical, balmy, exotic feel. I’ve never been to Miami, so it was a lot of fun researching the area and watching live feeds of the beach.

What is it about this genre that appeals to you so much?
I’ve always been a reader of romance, so it was only natural I’d write about it. I adore a good love story! I love the triumph-over-tragedy and characters who have to work hard to make their relationship work.

What made you want to become an author?
I’ve always liked the idea of writing (since taking a high school creative writing class), and in my early 30’s I sat down with a spiral notebook and penned my first novel. I had 2 small children at the time and writing gave me something to call my own. Actually publishing my work and calling myself an author didn’t happen without a nudge from my husband (about a decade after I’d written that first story). He encouraged me to give self-publishing a try, and I’ve never looked back since.

How do you come up with character names?
I love that part of the process! I search baby name sites for character names. Sometimes, I’ll hear a name on TV that I like, but usually I search until something jumps out at me. For the Moran family, it was important to the history of the book that each character have Spanish-sounding names (their mother is from Spain). I spent a lot of time on those names, researching their meanings, and making sure all 5 worked well together.

Do you struggle to come up with book titles? Do they come before, during or after you've written your book?
Sometimes I struggle with titles. For the first 3 books of this series, the titles came during the writing process. For the final 2 of the series, I was still struggling with them long after I’d finished writing the manuscript. I have a book that I’ll release sometime next year that I still don’t have a definitive title for. Each book has its own different challenges and struggles, that’s for sure.

Name one of your all-time favourite books?
Just one??? This is painful. I’m an obsessive reader (always have been). I suppose I’ll say the “Little House” books from my childhood, because they really fostered my love of reading. Recently though, one of my favorites (I’ve read it twice and plan on reading it again soon) is “Split”, by JB Salsbury.

Who, or what, inspires you?
My family inspires me….to live my dream, to keep doing what I’m doing, and to never give up. Writing inspiration comes from a variety of places…questions about a particular subject that I find myself asking, certain songs or types of music I might be listening to, other writers and the stories they craft. Sometimes the inspiration can be something as simple as a hike out with my husband, which did inspire an entire novel I plan to release next year.

Where is your favourite place to write?
In bed. My husband gave me this adorable pink/white lap desk that I use when I write there. It’s a nice quiet space (comfortable too).

What is your favourite movie that was based on a book?
This is tough. I really enjoyed “Me Before You”. I loved Emilia Clarke’s portrayal of Lu.

Name two of your favourite authors.
Colleen Hoover and JB Salsbury.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
When I was 16, I was in a beauty pageant.

Who would play you in the movie about your life?
LOL! Talk about boring!!! Who would want to see a movie about me?! Melissa McCarthy, I suppose. She’d give my story a lot of humor…and make it worth watching!

Tell us an interesting fact about where you live. I’m a short distance away from the ocean (less than 30 minutes).

What are your (writing) plans for the future?
I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing; publishing a few books each year and growing my relationship with readers. I have 3 books scheduled for release next year and 3 for the following year as well, with much more to come.

Tell us one thing that's on your bucket list.
I want to see Italy. My husband and I are hoping to take a trip there in a few years to celebrate our 30th anniversary.

Favourite myth / fairytale?
I don’t have one.

Who/What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I wanted to be a marine biologist, but once I realized how much schooling was required for that job, I reconsidered. I also had high-hopes of being a singer.

Author Bio:
Alexis James lives on the beautiful Central California coast. When she’s not spending time with her hubby of almost 30 years or her amazing kids, you can find her tapping away on the computer. She loves reading, spending time with family, reading, camping, reading….and writing too! She enjoys a good date night, an inexpensive glass of wine, and any story that can make her smile and/or cry.
Alexis’s first novel, “Losing Faith”, was released in September 2014. Her second novel, “Loving Emma”, is a standalone, though it does feature some characters from “Losing Faith”.
She invites you to visit her author pages on Facebook and Goodreads, and her website: alexisjamesauthor.com. You can also follow her on Twitter (@alexisjames27) or you can email her at: alexisjamesauthor@gmail.com.

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Pregnant Future by Joy Nwosu Lo-Bamijoko

Pregnant Future
(No One Knows What Tomorrow Will Bring)
A True-Life Memoir
I started my journey in this book, not knowing where it will take me or how I will get there, hence the title of the book. I suppose, life is like that! They say that if you dream hard enough your dream will come through. My dream did come through, I forgot to add smooth going, in my dream. We cannot control our dreams! I always saw myself traveling a lot. That has happened to me. While in Rome, I made sure I visited as many European countries as I could. One of those travels was full of ups and downs. I let Justina paint that story.
I am unlike many writers when I write. I throw everything out there, nonstop, and when I run out of steam, and have nothing else to say, I stop. I let the story rest, sometimes for weeks or even months, and then, when I come back to it, I edit by cutting and pasting, and moving scenes around.
This story went through the same process. It went through even more. The saving grace for the story was that I knew when it was not ready. I also knew when it was ready. The point here is that we should let our stories talk to us. If when it does, we are satisfied with what we hear, the story will satisfy our readers. If not, we go back and work on it. I have learned not to be in a hurry with releasing a story. Once when I did, I had to recall and rewrite that story. That is more expensive that waiting for the story to be well done.

Joy has written and published extensively on national and international scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers.
Her first short story I Come from Utopia was published in African Voices, Spring/Summer, 2007, pg. 18. Since then, she has published numerous others in RAVE SOUP FOR THE WRITER'S SOUL Anthology, Bks 1-3.
Mirror of Our Lives: Voices of Four Igbo Women was published in 2011, and was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Contest in 2012. She has also two books published in the Italian language.
The Legend of the Walking Dead: Igbo Mythologies, is a journey into the mysteries of life and death of the Igbos of Nigeria was published in 2014
In Pregnant Future, her new Novel, Justina is the story of every young woman who found herself alone in the world to fend for herself. It is the story of the pitfalls that await such a woman. It is the story of survival

Author of:
Legend of The Walking Dead: Igbo Mythologies
Mirror of Our Lives: Voices of Four Igbo Women
Pregnant Future

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Something I Need by Lena Lowe

Something I Need
Lena Lowe
(xoxo Nashville, #1)
Publication date: September 14th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Jonte Williamson has a dream: become Nashville’s next big star. Finding herself unexpectedly homeless hot off the plane wasn’t part of her grand plan.
Cash Bellini is a simple man: he loves his twin sister, Dolly, hates country music, and stays far away from anything more complicated than that.
When Jonte stumbles into Cash’s bar, helping out the homeless country music wannabe is the last thing on his agenda. Pity someone forgot to send the memo to his too-big heart and meddling twin. Throw in a pair of baby blue cowboy boots, a pool table and a splash of tequila, and these two are set to ignite in a hot sexy mess! Will either of their hearts survive the tug-o-war between what they want and what they need?

Something I Need will be on sale for 99c for the rest of September!!

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Excerpt

It took Cash’s brain a good twenty seconds to reconcile the fact that the woman walking towards him right now was his sister’s apparent new best friend, Jonte.
Holy. Shit.
There was no denying she was already a gorgeous girl, so natural and vivacious. But as she made her way up to the bar now, he knew he was in a shit ton of trouble, just like Tanner had warned yesterday.
The most obvious difference was definitely her hair. The bleach-blonde, just-stepped-off-the-beach look she had been rocking had morphed into something that was simultaneously sexy and sophisticated; a much darker shade, a shiny mahogany, and the waves had been replaced by well-defined curls. Gone were the flip-flops and tank top, and in was a black and white polka-dot dress and – were they blue suede cowboy boots? Cash did a double take and shook his head in disbelief. Only she could sashay in here wearing a pair of baby-blue colored boots!
“Nice boots.” He leaned against the bar as she slid onto a stool.
“Thanks.” Her smile was all cute and coy, and she flushed a pretty shade of pink.
“Dolly take you to that vintage country place she loves so much?”
“Yep.”
“I like your hair. It suits you.”
Yeah, he liked her hair much more than he should. He’d always preferred brunettes. And checking her out now, he couldn’t figure out why she’d bothered with the blonde hair. He busied himself by pouring her a pint so that he would have an excuse to look away.
“Thanks. Dolly suggested I go back to my roots.” Jonte tousled her curls.
Cash sat the pint down on a coaster in front of her. “So you’re naturally darker?”
She nodded and took a sip of her beer. “Thanks for this, by the way.” Jonte lightly tapped her fingers across the bar top. “Things got a little out of hand yesterday. You know, the whole apartment hunting theatrics. I was tired and frazzled, and realize you were just trying to help.”
“Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t exactly my finest hour either.”
“That’s nice of you to say. So, yesterday you said I could help out around here until I find something more permanent. Was that a genuine offer?”
Of course it had been a genuine offer. He really did want to help her. He just wished he could help her without actually having to be near her, especially this post-Dolly makeover version of her. New hair, clothes, and makeup – what else had Dolly done? He quashed his curiosity – well, tried to.
“Sure,” he replied, with what he hoped was a casual I-wasn’t-just-thinking-about-you-naked shrug.
“Don’t sound so enthusiastic. I’m not that bad to work with.”
“No, it’s fine, really. I could use an extra pair of hands to help out over the weekends.”
“Are you sure? You’re not just saying that to be nice?”
Christ. He needed to get away from her. There were a million thoughts racing through his mind right now and none of them were nice.

About the author

Lena lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and three daughters. She completed a MA in Writing in 2013 and has been working on a New Adult series based in Nashville. The first book in the series, Something I Need, was a 2014 RWA Contemporary Romance Stiletto finalist in the New Adult category.
In early 2015, Lena and her family spent 5 weeks road tripping across the US. It was an amazing once in a lifetime family holiday and research for her debut series all rolled into one!
Lena is an avid reader, especially in the New Adult genre. She is a mad Colleen Hoover, Samantha Young and KA Tucker fan, and is more than a little bit in love with Becca and Krista Richie’s Addicted series, Jay Crownover’s Marked Men series and Kylie Scott’s Stage Dive series.

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Song of Princes by Janell Rhiannon

Song of Princes
Janell Rhiannon
(Homeric Chronicles, #1)
Publication date: June 22nd 2016
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical

Sing Muse. Sing of the shining citadel of Troy rising from the hot sands of Asia. Sing of the Greek palaces ascending from their rocky hilltops. Sing of one woman’s dream heralding the madness of men and the murder of innocents. From bull dancing rings and wild meadows, the Forgotten Prince must choose between love and a golden crown. From seclusion and safety, the Golden Warrior must choose between his honor and his life. From behind the Great Wall, the Golden Prince must choose between his family and his city. And from a rugged realm on the far side of Greece, the Warrior King must choose between his son’s life and certain exile. Here shepherds and princes, warriors and kings, and seers and lovers seek to conquer their passions, outwit destiny or surrender to it.
PARIS, the FORGOTTEN PRINCE.
ACHILLES, the GOLDEN WARRIOR.
HEKTOR, the GOLDEN PRINCE.
ODYSSEUS, the WARRIOR KING.
Where did their legends begin before their lives converged at Troy in one of the most famous battles of all time? The HOMERIC CHRONICLES tells the stories of Paris, Achilles, Hektor, and Odysseus in one chronological tale, beginning before the ILIAD and ending long after the ODYSSEY. Blending both history and myth, the Homeric Chronicles will satisfy your love of Greek mythology, while paying homage to the original storyteller, Homer.
SONGS OF PRINCES begins with the birth of Paris and Achilles, and introduces us to a young Hektor and Odysseus. The journey of the princes begins…
Janell Rhiannon has a Master’s degree in history. It was during her years studying Alexander the Great that she came to love the Greek and Roman myths. She loves warfare and romance. Visit her Amazon Author Page or visit her at www.janellrhiannon.com
Fall in love with Greek mythology for the first time or all over again.
…READ THEM ALL…
#songofprinces
#riseofprinces
#returnofkings
#homericchronicles

Author Interview

Can you tell us a little about your latest book. Song of Princes is the first book in a planned trilogy called The Homeric Chronicles based on the Iliad and Odyssey. It is a chronological retelling of the Trojan War, but it’s so much more than that at the same time. I’ve tried to balance the masculine heroes that everyone knows, like Paris, Hektor, Achilles and Odysseus with their counterparts, the feminine heroines...Oenone, Helen, Penelope, Clytemnestra, and Leda. What makes my book series different from all the rest is that I’m telling this story as a single tale by following the mythological family’s legacies stretching back long before the war, and ending long after. The tricky part has been fusing the ancient history and archaeology into the myth. We have so much more evidence that the war of myth was most likely a real war that it had to match what we now know about the ancient Mediterranean to make it believable.

What inspired you to write it?
I notice that there is a very wide gap between the fantasy mythology for men and women, and I wanted to close that gap. R.R. Martin’s work appeals to both, he didn’t write just for one gender or the other...he told a powerful tale. I thought that women were getting jipped by the assumption that they wouldn’t like as much blood and glory as they would romance/sex and betrayal. So, I’m not focusing on just one female character, like Helen or Penelope, and trying to tell their entire life making them into women who would appeal to “modern women” mirroring modern feminist characteristics or upholding modern feminist values.

Is it part of a series?
Yes, the Homeric Chronicles. Song of Princes is book one. Rise of Princes is in progress and Return of Kings is the final installment.

If your latest book was made into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters?
I recently came across the IG sensation: Brock O’hurn. He is ACHILLES. The height, the size, the golden awesomeness...when this series makes it to HBO or STARz (not a movie, I want cable), I’d want Brock to be Achilles. Buzzfeed
I’d love this to be an HBO or STARz series :) 

What made you want to become an author?
This is a long and winding road of an answer, but here goes. When I was in elementary school, I wrote my first play about the American flag and Betsy Ross. My class performed it. So, I suppose writing started there, sort of under the radar, but it was my first honest attempt at storytelling. I drifted away from that by middle and high school, settling into the usual angsty teen poems about love and heartbreak. I was, however, an avid reader. And I mean I read everything. Fantasy, historical fiction and historical romance in that order. Somehow, that led me to majoring in history in college, ending up with a Masters in the subject of ancient history. I wrote so many research essays, I forgot about writing for fun. Afterall, historians are disguised storytellers...fast forward through my 20s and 30s and (YIKES!!) 40s...a lifetime later, I finally put pen to paper with the purpose of writing something other than a research document, or lesson plans. Time was now pushing me to wake up to what I wanted to do, how I wanted to spend the last chunk of my life (taking for granted that I’ll live to be 100!!!) I thought YA was for me, for a variety of reasons. But, there was this voice inside that wanted to write something not for young eyes. My pull toward fantasy and mythology led me to begin planning a series about dragons, which is still in the world building phase. [I admire R.R. Martin for his world crafting. It’s hard to do that.] I found that over the years, I was always digging deeper into existing myths and legends as a way to understand human nature. That really stuck with me. So,it was natural that my historical studies led me to the current book series, The Homeric Chronicles. So, how did I know writing was my passion? I’m not sure I knew it all at once, but more as a way to be a storyteller.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
This question is making me think! I really love when a book cover has raised gold on it.
I really love the covers of the Air Awakens Series by Elise Kova.

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
As a reader, I am currently enthralled with R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones for the significant fact that he has an unparalleled ability to manage so many intricate plot driven storylines, yet maintain a singula feel to the story as a whole. His descriptive prose and character development is exceptional as well.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Quiet mornings with coffee.

Where is your favourite place to write?
My office with all the paper piles and soundtracks. It’s funny that as I’m sitting here answering your questions, I have no music at all. Just a writing engine :)

What is your favourite movie that was based on a book?
Who doesn’t love the Nicholas Sparks novels to film? I think I loved The Longest Ride the most, for the ending. And most recently, Me Before You. That Emile Clarke was the star was like frosting on the cake.

Who is your favourite author (s) and why?
Right now, R.R. Martin. If I could be a mini-R.R. Martin, I’d be so stoked.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
Okay, I’m just going to have fun with this one. I want a sit down dinner party with Jon Snow, Dani Targaryen, Ned Stark, Tyrion Lannister and Varys and Bran. I have so many questions!!!

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
In case you haven’t guessed already, I am an avid Game of Thrones watcher. I just started the novels, and I’m into book 2 right now. My best girlfriend and her family and I have Game of Thrones Sunday dinners. We potluck it, cook stuff based on a GOT theme. In fact, I’d say we’re all pretty nerdy about it.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
It’s literally in this huge valley at the base of the Sierra Nevadas. On clear days, you can see the hugeness of the mountain range. It’s pretty amazing.

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About the author

Janell always had her nose in a book, reading by flashlight when it was "lights out" time. Her love of reading turned to a curiosity about writing. She now writes in all the spare moments she can squeeze out of a day. She also writes fiction and fantasy with some romantic spice for good measure. Janell adores Mythology and Fantasy. Anything magical and mystical. And dragons. And gargoyles. Her guiding motto: "I tell stories, not genres."
She currently lives in CA.

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Beyond Your Touch by Pat Esden

Beyond Your Touch
Pat Esden
(The Dark Heart #2)
Published by: Kensington
Publication date: August 30th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

She wants more than he can promise.
His desires could lead to betrayal.
But without each other, neither can survive the dangers ahead.
Annie Freemont knows this isn’t the right time to get involved with a man like Chase. After years of distrust, she’s finally drawing close to her estranged family, and he’s an employee on their estate in Maine. Though she never intended to stay on the estate for long, her father’s illness and the mysteries surrounding her family made leaving impossible. And now with the newfound hope of rescuing her long-missing mother, Annie’s determined to be involved with the family’s plans one way or another.
If only she could keep her mind off Chase and focus on the impending rescue. But there’s something about the enigmatic Chase that she can’t resist. And she’s not the only woman. Annie fears a seductive stranger who is key to safely freeing her mother is also obsessed with him. As plans transform into action and time for a treacherous journey into a strange world draws near, every move Annie makes will test the one bond she’s trusted with her secrets, her desires—and her heart.

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Sequel to

Excerpt

Chapter 1
Bury the truth in robes of marble and ivy,
In halls of learned books and tomes ripe with false beliefs.
But it still breathes, still whispers and waits.
--Excerpt from Devils and Djinn
By Samuel Freemont

His neck tasted like strawberry jelly. Well, actually like jelly and powdered sugar--which was no surprise since we’d spent the last hour wreaking havoc on his freshly washed sheets, first by having a jelly doughnut fight, and then by making love in said newly created mess. Chase was no slouch when it came to lovemaking, far from it. But the doughnut fight had made me laugh until I cried. In all honesty, I’m not sure which I enjoyed more, the fight or the sex--or seeing him laugh, his mind and body off-duty for a change, just there in the moment with me.
Chase rolled me onto my back and straddled me, his forehead resting against mine, his soft blue aura soaking my skin with warmth. We kissed again, gently this time, lips moving in a slow, delicious waltz. I broke away and wiggled a bit lower, trailing kisses down his neck and licking a lingering dab of jelly off his collarbone. He flinched when the tip of my tongue brushed the scarred skin just below his left shoulder, a fist-size mark created so many years ago by Malphic’s branding iron.
It was hard to even begin to think about how different Chase’s childhood and mine had been: me traveling and dealing antiques with my dad, blissfully unaware that the stories he told me about magic and his family were real--and Chase kidnapped from his human mother, taken to the djinn realm, branded and enslaved by his genie father, and raised to be a Death Warrior until my family rescued him five years ago. It was crazy. Almost unbelievably so, but it was the truth. The phone on the floor beside his bed jangled, and our private world evaporated as Chase climbed over me and sat on the edge of the bed to read the text.
“Damn. I was supposed to go see your grandfather this morning.” He was up, grabbing his briefs and jeans, his aura fading with each step.
In less than a dozen strides, he was across his attic bedroom and into the tiny half bath. It wasn’t like Chase’s and my growing relationship was a secret, something banned because I was a Freemont and he worked for my family. But finding any semblance of privacy had proven impossible with both of us living on my family’s estate of Moonhill. It had been a month since I’d first come here with Dad and things had started to sizzle with Chase. Still, we’d only managed to spend the whole night together a couple of times. Mostly we stole our alone time when and where we could, like this morning.

About the author

PAT ESDEN would love to say she spent her childhood in intellectual pursuits. The truth is she was fonder of exploring abandoned houses and old cemeteries. When not out on her own adventures, she can be found in her northern Vermont home writing stories about brave, smart women and the men who capture their hearts. An antique-dealing florist by trade, she’s also a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and the League of Vermont Writers. Her short stories have appeared in a number of publications, including Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, the Mythopoeic Society’s Mythic Circle literary magazine, and George H. Scither’s anthology Cat Tales.

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Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall

Been Here All Along
Sandy Hall
Publication date: August 30th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Gideon always has a plan. His plans include running for class president, becoming head of the yearbook committee, and having his choice of colleges. They do NOT include falling head over heels for his best friend and next door neighbor, Kyle. It’s a distraction. It’s pointless, as Kyle is already dating the gorgeous and popular head cheerleader, Ruby. And Gideon doesn’t know what to do.
Kyle finally feels like he has a handle on life. He has a wonderful girlfriend, a best friend willing to debate the finer points of Lord of the Rings, and social acceptance as captain of the basketball team. Then, both Ruby and Gideon start acting really weird, just as his spot on the team is threatened, and Kyle can’t quite figure out what he did wrong…

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Interview

Hi Sandy! What inspired you to write your latest book?
It was actually inspired by my editor Holly. We were discussing what my third book should be about and I asked her, honestly, what was on her manuscript wish list. She had the most fantastic answer.
She explained that there was this fan made video of “You Belong with Me” by Taylor Swift featuring two boys and that what she really wanted was a book inspired by it. We all scampered into an office to watch the video and I was SOLD. This was exactly the kind of story I wanted to tell. It strayed a lot from the song/video but it was a really great jumping off point.

Is it part of a series?
No.

If your latest book was made into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters?
I imagine Gideon as a young Ben Savage, like Boy Meets World Ben Savage. And Ruby is America Ferrera from Real Women Have Curves. Kyle is tough. He sort of morphs between a young Chord Overstreet and this kid I went to high school with. I think the moral here is that I’m not familiar enough with today’s young Hollywood actors to cast this movie. We’d have to travel back in time.

What made you want to become an author?
I’ve always liked the ~idea~ of being an author but it always seemed liked something other people do. I remember reading books in high school and thinking “Man, this would be so much fun to write.” But then in college I actually failed writing freshmen year so I figured it was off the table for me. I got my MLIS and a children’s library and then a teen librarian. It became more and more apparent to me that I really wanted to try my hand at writing. I wrote a LOT of fanfiction, but eventually I came up with an idea for a YA novel.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
I feel like this is something that changes a lot. But I’m most recently taken with the paperback cover of THE START OF YOU AND ME by Emery Lord. I just really love the pastels on there.

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
Back when I was just getting used to the idea that I wanted to write a book, I read ELEANOR AND PARK by Rainbow Rowell. When I finished it, I put it down and thought “Wow, I want to write books that make people feel the way this one made me feel.” I just really loved the writing and the feel of the story.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Just about anything! I find inspiration in the weirdest places sometimes. I always tell people that my car is my muse though because it’s where I often have my true eureka moments.

Where is your favourite place to write?
Pretty much any and all libraries. I have an office at home but nine times out of ten, I want to go write in a library to avoid distractions.

What is your favourite movie that was based on a book?
I am a HUGE fan of the Winona Ryder version of LITTLE WOMEN. I just love it. I could watch it over and over again. And I do.

Who is your favourite author (s) and why?
Rainbow Rowell hands down. I’ve loved every single one of her books and I’m always thirsty for more.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
Let’s go with childhood favorites because they are really the authors that shaped as a reader, a writer, and a librarian. Cynthia Voigt, Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, and Ellen Conford.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I am terrified of birds.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
I live in an area of New Jersey with lots of Revolutionary War connections and with the popularity of Hamilton and my own obsession with it, it’s like I’m seeing all of these monuments for the first time.

I’m a teen librarian from New Jersey where I was born and raised. I have a BA in Communication and a Master of Library and Information Science from Rutgers University. When I’m not writing, or teen librarian-ing, I enjoy reading, slot machines, marathoning TV shows, and long scrolls through Tumblr. A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT is my first novel.

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Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda Bond

Girl in the Shadows
Gwenda Bond
(Girl on a Wire #2)
Published by: Skyscape
Publication date: July 5th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Eighteen-year-old Moira Mitchell grew up in the shadows of Vegas’s stage lights while her father’s career as a magician soared. More than anything, Moira wants to be a magician too, but her father is dead set against her pursuing magic.
When an invitation to join the Cirque American mistakenly falls into Moira’s possession, she takes action. Instead of giving the highly coveted invitation to its intended recipient, Raleigh, her father’s handsome and worldly former apprentice, Moira takes off to join the Cirque. If she can perform alongside its world-famous acts, she knows she’ll be able to convince her dad that magic is her future.
But when Moira arrives, things take on an intensity she can’t control as her stage magic suddenly feels like…real magic. To further distract her, Raleigh shows up none too pleased at Moira’s presence, all while the Cirque’s cocky and intriguing knife thrower, Dez, seems to have it out for her. As tensions mount and Moira’s abilities come into question, she must decide what’s real and what’s an illusion. If she doesn’t sort it out in time, she may forever remain a girl in the shadows.

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Hi Gwenda! Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
Of course! Girl in the Shadows is about Moira Mitchell, the 18-year-old daughter of a famous Las Vegas magician, who wants desperately to be the first female magician as well known as Houdini or David Copperfield or her dad. But when her dad forbids her from pursuing magic as a career, she decides to run away to the Cirque American--where things get quickly complicated by the discovery she can do real magic and it has something to do with her mysterious absent mother. There’s stage magic, a knife-throwing love interest, lots of the characters from book one about the Cirque, and a centuries-old secret society, for starters.

What inspired you to write it?
I’ve always loved the circus and I’ve always loved magic. So when I began to think about doing a second book set at the Cirque American, focusing on a young female magician seemed like a great fit.

How did you come up with the idea for the cover?
I had nothing to do with it, other than to be ecstatically happy! The cover was done by M. S. Corley and I think we can all agree it’s completely fabulous. The thing I love most is how all these elements of the book are hidden with it (the Ferris wheel!).

If it was made into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters?
Oh, gosh, I’m terrible at fake casting, because I never know anyone’s names.

Is it part of a series or is it a stand-alone novel?
It’s both! It’s set in the world of the Cirque American and has some overlapping characters with Girl on a Wire (and Girl Over Paris, a comic book miniseries that also starts in July)...but it’s a companion focusing on a new main character and can be read independently.

Where is the novel set and why did you choose to set it there?
It’s set at the Cirque American, over the course of its summer season, so the cast travels around the country. I have always loved circuses and so I designed my dream one.

What is it about this genre that appeals to you so much?
I love mystery and fantasy and magic and magical realism and so it all gets mixed into the YA stew of the Cirque world. YA is a very exciting place to work.

What made you want to become an author?
I’ve always loved stories--experiencing them and telling them.

How do you come up with character names?
Trial and error.

Do you struggle to come up with book titles? Do they come before, during or after you've written your book?
It just depends on the book. I’m also married to a writer, and we actually just co-wrote a middle grade together that comes out next year and so I made him come up with the series title (the Supernormal Sleuthing Service). In fact, about half my titles come from him. And I actually had brainstorming help from twitter and facebook and my editor on this one, but ultimately it came out of the prologue.

Name one of your all-time favourite books?
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.

Who, or what, inspires you?
So many people, so much art, so much of the world.

Where is your favourite place to write?
Anyplace when the words are flowing. :-)

What is your favourite movie that was based on a book?
Hmmm. Maybe Cold Comfort Farm or The Maltese Falcon?

Name two of your favourite authors.
Holly Black and Leigh Bardugo.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I took up aerial silks last year. And if that’s not random enough...I floss daily.

Who would play you in the movie about your life?
I’d love a young Claudette Colbert in an alternate universe.

Tell us an interesting fact about where you live.
I live in Lexington, Kentucky, which has several amazing bookstores.

What are your (writing) plans for the future?
I’m working on a YA book I’m not allowed to talk about yet at the moment, and the first in the Supernormal Sleuthing Service books will be out sometime next year.

Tell us one thing that's on your bucket list.
Fly in a hot air balloon over someplace exotic.

Favourite myth / fairytale?
This is going to sound strange, but I love the story of Medea. I always feel like there’s more to it.

Who/What did you want to be when you were a kid?
A writer. But I really wanted to be related to an astronaut.
Thanks for the interview!

My pleasure Gwenda! Fabulous to have you here on Fiction Dreams today :D

Gwenda Bond is the author of the young adult novels Lois Lane: Fallout and Girl on a Wire, among others. Lois Lane: Double Down and Girl in the Shadows, a companion novel to Girl on a Wire set in the Cirque American, are next up in 2016. She’s also hard at work on some secret projects you don’t know about yet.
Her nonfiction writing has appeared in Publishers Weekly, Locus Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and many other publications. She has an MFA in writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in a hundred-year-old house in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband, author Christopher Rowe. There are rumors she escaped from a screwball comedy, and she might have a journalism degree because of her childhood love of Lois Lane. Visit her online at www.gwendabond.com or @gwenda on Twitter.

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The Patience Trilogy by Beth Fehlbaum

Courage in Patience
Beth Fehlbaum
(The Patience Trilogy #1)
Publication date: March 29th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Courage to endure.
Courage to survive.
Courage to overcome.
Tenacious 14-year-old Ashley Asher claws her way back to normalcy after enduring six years of an unimaginable Hell. Uprooted from her negligent and selfish mother, Ashley finds solace in the safety of her father’s home. Building a relationship with her stepmother, she’s finally able to open up and confront the past that haunts her.
With the help of her stepmom, therapist, and a group of troubled adolescents, Ashley battles her demons, struggling to find the normal teenage life she’s always wanted. Can Ashley find the strength and courage to overcome the horrors of her past while fighting for the future she so deserves?

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The complete trilogy:

Courage in Patience Excerpt # 1

I watched for darkness around the door. I mean, I guess I watched for it. I couldn’t even be sure I was facing the door.

I’m saying this wrong.

I watched for light. Light means it’s morning, I made it through another night and I could open the door, crawl into the cool air and—Shit! Seemed like something sharp—who knows what? —always jabbed my outer thigh. I yelped—clapped my hand over my mouth. If he hears me, I’ll lose the only safe place I have.

What time is it? God, how hot is it in here? I was inside a stuffy black space normally reserved for storing clothes, tornado sheltering, and kids playing hide-and-seek, but that’s for normal people—God, the sweat stings my eyes! I swiped it away and shifted slightly, tried to keep my legs from going to sleep again.

My back ached and my body begged to stretch out. I’d check once more for light—nope, still dark—and feel for open places where the lower rack of clothes might be gaping. Okay. . . slowly, slowly. . .stre-e-e-e-t-c-c-c-h-h-h one leg to the side, now the ot-t-t-h-h-h-e-e- e-r-r-r. . . I’ll. . . just. . . close my eyes. . .for a few minutes.

***

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP- BEEP-BEEP-BEEP! THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-

THUMP!

Mom’s voice: “Ashley, get out of bed!”

More fist-rapping on my bedroom door: THUMP-THUMP- THUMP!

“Don’t make me come in there!”

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP!

“I’ll be back in two minutes, and your feet better be on the floor!”

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP—

Wha--? Oh, shit! She can’t find me here!

I pulled myself over the intentional mess covering my closet floor, turned the doorknob-so-carefully-and-silently, inched the door open, checked that I am in fact alone, threw myself forward onto the carpet, and breathed in great gasps of cool air. I yanked the alarm clock by its cord and slapped at the Off button until the BEEP- BEEP-ing stopped.

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP!

Mom hollered through the door: “Ashley, are your feet on the floor?”

I lifted my head and thought, My whole body’s on the floor, but I answered simply, “Yeah.” I grimaced at my sweat-soaked pajamas and allowed my head to fall back to the carpet. I felt gross, needed a quick shower, and every inch of me hurt.

I crawled to the side of my bed, pulled myself to my feet, and stomped to the bathroom to wake my tingling legs.

I closed the door, pulled out the drawers on opposite sides of the cabinet, jelly-rolled a couple of king-sized bath towels, and shoved them between the drawer and door on either side of the counter dividing my room and the guest bedroom. Now nobody can open the doors.

I came up with that trick a couple of years ago when I was desperate to shower in private. It started when someone began punching a hole in the guest room’s bathroom door. I say someone because no one believed me when I said it had to be someone else, because it wasn’t me.

In addition to writing Young Adult Contemporary Fiction, Beth Fehlbaum is a high school English-Language Arts teacher who frequently draws on her experience as an educator to write her books. She has a B.A. in English, Minor in Secondary Education, and an M.Ed. in Reading.
Beth is a featured author on the 2015-2016 Spirit of Texas Reading List- High School for the Kirkus Starred Reviewed Big Fat Disaster (Merit Press/F+W Media, March 2014) and The Patience Trilogy: Courage (1), Hope (2), and Truth (3) (Steady On Books, April 2016).
Beth is a member of the RAINN (Rape , Abuse, Incest National Network) Speakers’ Bureau. She has a following in the young adult literature world and also among survivors of sexual abuse because of her work with victims’ advocacy groups.
She has been the keynote speaker at the National Crime Victims’ Week Commemoration Ceremony at the Hall of State in Dallas, Texas and a presenter for Greater Texas Community Partners, where she addressed a group of social workers and foster children on the subject of “Hope.”
Beth is in-demand as a panelist, having presented/appeared at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference, the American Library Association’s annual conference, YALSA, and N.C.T.E./ALAN, and she is a member of The Author’s Guild.
She is a survivor of a traumatic childhood, like Ashley in The Patience Trilogy, and the day-to-day manager of an eating disorder much like Colby’s in Big Fat Disaster. These life experiences give her a unique perspective, and she writes her characters’ stories in a way meant to inspire hope.
Beth lives with her family in the woods of East Texas.

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Show Me, Sir by Sonni De Soto

Show Me, Sir by Sonni De Soto
Published by: Sinful Press
Publication date: April 30th 2016
Genres: Erotica, Romance

Max Wells is a ball-busting, ass-kicking testament to female empowerment, who’s yet to meet the person who can push her down.
Until she meets a man she only knows as Sir.
Shamelessly deviant, Hayato, knows exactly what Max thinks of Dominants like him. So ready to dismiss his lifestyle, she’s the type to assume she knows everything about it and him after one cursory glance from the outside in. But, looking at Max—at her intelligence and passion—he can see more in her than the misconceptions she’s deliberately blinding herself with.
And, determined, he plans to show her more.
Max finds herself fascinated by this man who insists on challenging her every belief as he leads her into his world of dark desires. Matching his clash of wit, will, and seduction, Max begins to question all she knows about what it means to be empowered.
Used to being unquestionably on top, Hayato is intrigued by Max’s formidable delight in playing games and striking deals that shifts his usual power dynamics as they negotiate roles and rewrite rules.
But, just as their game heats up, it gets used against them. Seeking to punish them with their play, someone threatens to drag their private lives out into the public spotlight.
With high stakes and bitter scandal looming over their heads, Max and her Sir will have to work together to show that what the world thinks they are does not define who they are.
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Excerpt
Not knowing quite what to say next, she turned back to the mirrored room. Unknown to the couple within the room, a crowd of people—a mad mix of men and women—gathered to watch. Feeling a part of them despite the distance, Max watched too as her friend hid her flushed face against Peter’s shoulder. He ran his hand up and down the smooth, saison-shaded skin of her thighs. Her friend’s legs quivered beneath his touch when, with each pass, his hand drifted higher and higher. Max’s breath caught with anticipation when his hand coasted along the smooth expanse of Kat’s flesh beneath her skirt.
Then, without warning, Peter flipped her skirt up high.
The crowd gathered closer to the window. Even Max felt herself lean further off the rail.
Panty-less, Kat’s firm, round behind was exposed as Peter tucked the hem of her skirt into the waistband, holding the pleated fabric in place. Max and Kat gasped at the same time when Peter’s hand brushed across barely visible red marks crisscrossing along the revealed skin.
Max should have been horrified—really tried to be—at the evidence of Peter’s abuse. But, instead, she found herself panting softly, her breaths hot and heavy through parted lips, her eyes drawn to Kat’s lustful reaction to his touch. She shivered when her friend arched into Peter’s sweet, adoring, almost worshipful caress. As if that simple touch alone was an untold privilege and pleasure for them both.
Max wondered if she’d ever been touched like that before. Had John or Nick or Rob ever adored or worshiped her body like that? Would she have even allowed it—allowed a man to glorify and sexualize her body like that—if they had?
She frowned.
Was that the answer? Was that the appeal? To be touched and loved like that, did a woman have to give up her principles? And was it worth it to lose herself just to gain this?
“Bend,” she distantly heard Peter tell Kat. “Lean into me.” His voice was a gravelly rasp in her ear. “So they can see you properly.”
With a shudder, Kat did, allowing the barest hint of her naked sex to peek out between her thighs.
“That’s enough.” Peter stilled Kat’s motions, holding her in place with an arm wrapped firmly around her waist. “Just enough for them to see how wet you are,” he said against Kat’s neck. Then his arm slid down around her ass and dipped between those taut cheeks to touch her slick labia. “How hot that pretty pussy gets for me.”
Again, the crowd tittered while they watched, studying Kat and Peter like art connoisseurs at a gallery show.

Sonni de Soto is an Asian kinkster of color, who loves and lives the lifestyle when she can. Her work involves The Taming School and Show Me, Sir, as well as stories in Between the Shores: Erotica With Consent and The First Annual Geeky Kink Anthology. Like any good nerd, she loves learning new and interesting things about science, art, culture, and, of course, sex and love. She’s always thrilled to hear from readers; you can get in touch with Sonni de Soto at her Blog

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Hatred Day by T.S. Pettibone

Hatred Day by T.S. Pettibone
(Hatred Day, #1)
Publication date: January 29th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

In the year 2052, it’s not love but hate that unites the world. Humanity is unified against the Inborns, an extraterrestrial species with godlike intelligence and abilities whose arrival on earth caused an environmental and biological crisis.
Enslaved and despised even by her own Inbornkind, 18-year-old Snofrid reawakens to the world after having her memories stolen and is certain of only one thing: she will do anything to ensure her freedom. But her resolution is soon tested when the son of a high-ranking human official is murdered and her home city becomes the center of the interspecies war, one that might see the Inborns purged. Desperate to find a way out of the city for herself and her family, Snofrid risks making a deal with the manipulative Inborn Commander, Hadrian, and his brutal cadre of soldiers. Her task is simple: take part in a historic hunt that will bring wealth and fame to all who survive. Unfortunately, Snofrid’s role is one in which survival is rarely seen—the bait.
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EXCERPT
In the beginning of Hatred Day, our protagonist, Snofrid, discovers that she has lost her memories. The below excerpt is the first memory she gets back.

A Girl and Her Ghost
Age 4
The Empyrean City

I lived alone in a room without windows. It had one door that only opened on the last day of the month. There were giant chests of toys in the room. I kept my dolls in a wooden trunk with flower carvings, and my thirty books, I stacked in neat rows along the walls. All of my dresses were stored in a wardrobe beside my bed; if I left one on the floor, it was hung by the morning. Each time I woke, a tray of meat, fruits and vegetables, and a pitcher of water was on the table. Someone took care of me; I didn’t know who, but I think the person liked when I was neat. I named the person Ghost. I wanted to make Ghost happy, so I always made sure my toys, books and clothes were put away before I went to sleep. I used to stay awake, hiding my face with my covers, waiting to see Ghost when it came in, but nothing ever happened. Once I stayed awake for hours, and by the twenty-ninth hour, the food still hadn’t come. I stopped trying to see Ghost after that.
But I talked to Ghost every day.
I told it about the things I read; I sang for it; I told it stories; I told it when I was sad, or afraid, or when I felt lonely; and I asked it questions, even though it never answered back. Almost every time I did these things, the floor creaked on the other side of the wall, so I knew Ghost was listening. This usually made me happy, but sometimes it made me sad. I wanted Ghost to let me see it and play with me in the room.
I didn’t know where the room was. I’d stopped wondering a long time ago. I hadn’t seen sunlight, or beasts, or plants, or the stars; I only knew about these things from pictures in my books. My favorite pictures were ones of the sky, and of giant towers with windows, and of beasts with bright feathers and furry tails.
I had no idea what I looked like. I’d never seen my own face, only a blurry reflection in my food tray. I knew my eyes were large and that I was very small. I hoped I was pretty like the highborn women I read about.
The two tall, masked men who walked me to the library each month to choose thirty new books were the only people I’d seen. One of them was skinny and so white he looked sick. He wore a black robe and always tugged on the sleeves until strings fell on the floor. The other one was as big as a warrior. I’d learned by heart the House insignia on his breastplate—a cold blue wyvern head with seven silver horns above five golden keys. Around it were silver cypress leaves and golden anemone flowers; if I looked closely, I could see the soft outline of a solar eclipse behind the wyvern’s head. I liked the swishes his blue robe made as he moved; the clicking sounds his spurs made when he walked; the way the light made his silver pauldron shine; and even the slow way he breathed.
When the man in the black robe would lift me up to reach the books, he’d say in his raspy voice, “Don’t only choose science books. Some of the history books might have sweets behind them.” The man in the blue robe never let me stand close to him. I didn’t think he liked me. His silver eyes looked sad, sometimes mad, through his mask eyepieces. Every time I stared at him, he squeezed something in his pocket. It must’ve been sharp, because afterward his pocket would have blood on it.
Then one day I left the room forever.
I’d been drawing a picture of a beast for Ghost when the door opened. I was so afraid, I dropped my pencil. The man with the silver eyes picked me up and carried me down a passage for a long time. He didn’t talk to me or look at me, only held me in one arm, and kept the other one behind his back. I tried tickling his chin, but he didn’t smile. He had a big black Mohawk on his head and I touched it to see if it was sharp. It was poky and soft. When he didn’t talk to me, I told him about my friend Ghost. He stayed quiet. I fell asleep on his shoulder.
When I woke up, he was setting me down before a metal transport. I’d seen a picture of one in a book and knew the guns on the side were dangerous. The door in the transport opened and I moved back when a young man with short black hair came out, smiling at me. He was handsome like the highborns in the books I read, but his brown eyes were slanted funny, and he didn’t wear armor. He crouched in front of me, and said, “I’ve waited to meet you a long time, Snofrid. My name is Ryuki Yagami and I’m going to take you to a new home.”
I was afraid and hid behind the silver-eyed man’s leg. No one had ever spoken to me before—except for the raspy-voiced man behind the wall, who taught me about Inborn etiquette, and how to read and speak English. I didn’t want to go to a new home. I liked my room. I liked my books and my flower chest, and I didn’t want to leave Ghost. The silver-eyed man picked me up and put me inside the transport. Then, for the very first time, he talked to me, and said, “Daringly dared, half of it won, Snofrid.”
I didn’t know what these words meant. I wanted to ask him, but he’d already put his back to me was talking to Ryuki in a language I didn’t understand.
There was a little boy with golden brown eyes sitting in the back seat eating dried leaves. It was the first time I’d seen a person as small as me before. I wanted him to like me, but I was too afraid to sit close to him, so after I greeted him, I sat behind him. He stared over his seat with wide eyes, and said, “Stone me! You look just like my aunt Lorna.” His voice was loud, and I didn’t know how to answer, so I just nodded. The boy talked a lot more after that and I listened. He told me his name was Desya, and that we were going to live in a place called Hollowstone City, and that Ryuki was a good dad, and that we’d never have to be afraid with him, even though we were shamed. I didn’t know what he was talking about really, but after a while, I started saying things back.
We drove through the passage for a long, long time. When I first saw the sunlight, it happened so fast that I screamed. It was the brightest light I’d ever seen. It was brighter than all my candles and lamps, and it burned my eyes. Desya gave me a pair of black goggles. As soon as I put them on, I was able to see the mountains, the trees, and the flowers. I thought of Ghost right away and was sad I couldn’t tell it how happy I was. 

T.S. Pettibone are the authors of The Hatred Day Series. Expected publication for book two, Verdict Day, is 2017.
T.S. Pettibone is the pen name of identical twins, Brittany and Nicole Pettibone. They were born in California, grew up in Kansas, and these days, live and write in California. On the rare occasion that they break from writing, they enjoy taking their dog on night walks, reading books by long deceased authors, drinking too much coffee and tea, traveling the world, making friends out of strangers and trying new things.
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