INTERVIEW WITH JOYANA PETERS (The Girl From Saint Petersburg)

 

The Girl From Saint Petersburg

An Industrial Historical Fiction Series

Book One

Joyana Peters

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Amaryllis Press

Date of Publication: July 25th, 2022

ISBN: 978-1736937327

ASIN: B0B64DHZFJ

Number of pages: 122 pages

Word Count: 25,482 words

Cover Artist: Domini Dragoone

Tagline: Sacrifice, Starvation and Survival. What will she do to stay alive?

Book Description: 

Russia, 1905: Thirteen-year-old Ruth dreams of growing up to marry the boy next door and living peacefully ever after. But when he and her father are forced to flee to America after the Bloody Sunday Massacre, Ruth and the other female members of the family are left behind amid the violence and chaos of revolutionary Russia. Overcoming violence and hunger with a strength she never knew she possessed, Ruth resolves to do what it takes to keep her mother and sister alive—whether it be work, beg or steal.

Then she lands herself in a predicament that threatens to put her own neck in a noose. This time she may not be able to keep them all safe, at least not without sacrificing their love for her and all that makes life worth living.

In this prequel to the award-winning novel, The Girl in the Triangle, author, Joyana Peters, portrays a tight-knit family fighting to endure at a precarious and crucial time in Jewish history. Join the countless readers who can’t get enough of Ruth and her story.

What Readers and Critics are Saying:

★★★★★ "That is what historical fiction does for a reader, a slice of history wrapped up in a compelling story that teaches and makes us reflect on the words and our own lives in the stream of time." - Historical Fiction Press Awards

★★★★★ "An immigration story at the finest level, revealing the depths of tragedy many went through leaving a country of unspeakable suffering." - D.K. Marley

Amazon      Books2Read     Apple     BN

Download a sneak peek excerpt at Bookfunnel

About the Author:

Joyana Peters is the Indie author of the best-selling novel, The Girl in the Triangle. The Girl in the Triangle won the SCBWI's YA Spark Honor Award, the IBPA’s Ben Franklin Award for Historical Fiction, the Book Excellence Award for Multicultural Fiction and was a Top Five Finalist for Shelf Unbound’s Indie Best Book of the Year.

Joyana got her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of New Orleans in 2014. She has taught literature and composition on both the secondary and university levels. She also writes non-fiction and has been published in digital and print publications nationwide.

Joyana currently lives in Northern Virginia where she takes in the sights of DC with her two kids, husband, and goofy Yellow Lab, Gatsby.

You can follow her adventures at: 

https://joyanapeters.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JoyanaPetersAuthor 

https://www.instagram.com/joyanapetersauthor/   

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/joyana-peters 

https://www.amazon.com/Joyana-Peters/e/B095PF36XS  

Join Newsletter for a Free eBook https://bit.ly/3PAgOeC

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21516102.Joyana_Peters

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INTERVIEW WITH KRISTINA STREVA (THE INKED)

 

Kristina

So lucky to have author Kristina Streva with us here today. Welcome !Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book, Kristina.

KS: My novel follows three sisters, Yuri, Britt, and Tanis. They were born with long black tentacles instead of beautiful mermaid tails and because of their deformity, they are banned from entering Atlantis. They share a similar backstory and deep sisterly bond because their mother passed away.  However, they all have unique personalities. 

Yuri is the eldest and was left in charge to care for her two younger sisters. She is deeply protective as she had to take on a mothering role at a very young age. Britt is the middle sister and the troublemaker of the group. She didn’t take her mother’s passing very well and found ways to lash out for attention. Then there is Tanis, who is the youngest and a bit silly and naïve. She is the peacekeeper of the group and is often caught between Yuri and Britt’s bickering. 

No spoilers, but Britt gets them in a bit of trouble…

SC: Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?

KS: Yes, several actually! I’m a huge believer in the paranormal and I think we are closest to the spirit realm when we are children. 

SC: We think so too. Please, go on...

KS: When I was in high school, I had an old television in my room that would turn on by itself in the middle of the night to static. It reminded me of the movie Poltergeist! Things only got increasingly weirder from that point. At the time my mother was waking me up for school and would open the door to my bedroom to awaken me. One day, I see the door open and a shadow standing by the entrance. I immediately assumed it was my mother and began my morning routine. However, when I looked at the clock, I noticed it was only three in the morning. So, I went to ask my mother why she woke me up, but she was fast asleep. I am still not sure what woke me that morning.  I believe it to be a shadow person. 

In another instance, I was sitting on a chair in my bedroom, tying my shoes so that I could head to the gym. A lava lamp that was resting on the back of my dresser came flying up and almost hit me on the head. It fell next to my feet and startled me. I don’t think the ghost in my house was friendly like Casper. 

Once I went away to college my hauntings seemed to stop completely. My mother no longer owns that place, but I hope whoever lives there can make peace with the spirits in my bedroom. 

SC: That must have been scary, thanks for sharing. What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?

KS: I’m working on the second book in The Inked series! It’s been hard to fit everything in with my busy schedule. I’m still trying to market my first book while balancing work and taking some classes on the side too! 

I’m very excited to continue this tale and I hope those who read The Inked become invested in my characters and look forward to the second book! 

SC: We can't wait! Let's take a look at this novel now.

The Inked 

The Inked Series

Book One

Kristina Streva 

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy 

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Date of Publication: 2022

ISBN: 978-1-5092-4381-5

Number of pages: 306

Word Count: 75,290

Cover Artist: Diana Carlile 

Tagline: She’d been love struck… poisoned by his venomous charm. 

Book Description:

Yuri and her sisters, Britt and Tanis, were born with eight long tentacles instead of beautifully jeweled and sequined fishtails. Banned from Atlantis because of their deformity, they live hidden away and are forbidden from entering Merfolk territory. 

Britt unknowingly crosses over the ocean's divide and leads her sisters into a sea of trouble. A flesh-hungry beast is hunting them while something much more foreboding is hunting the beast-Kaleb and Neo, the Princes of Atlantis, who are competing for the throne. Whoever kills the beast first becomes the rightful heir, but fate holds other plans. 

Can the three sisters survive a torrent of danger, desire, and deceit?

Amazon     BN     BAM     Wal-Mart

Excerpt:

Kaleb, the son of King Oasis, sat on his red and gold chariot. Large black seahorses adorned with golden paint pulled it forward as his army followed behind, saddled on their seahorse steeds. With each command from the King’s son, they drummed their fists on their armor made from reinforced turtle shells, all stunningly painted and garnished in sequins and gold.

A few days ago, King Oasis had proudly declared that there would be a competition between him and his twin brother, Neo. A beast had been terrorizing Atlantis, and whoever brought him the head of this creature would take the throne and the enormous bounty that came with it.

“Forward! We can’t afford to lose the trail of this beast!” Kaleb shouted as he lifted a long golden horn to his lips and blew.

His army moved forward in unison. He trailed behind them in his chariot, gripping his long-pronged golden trident in one hand and horn in the other. Kaleb was on the hunt, much like the monster who had hunted the occupants of Atlantis. Just last week, two more children had gone missing, and now that his troop had moved forward, he could search the area for survivors.

His eyes carefully scanned side to side, above, and then finally to the bottom of the seabed. To his left, he spotted a damaged boat flipped upside down with a large, jagged hole in one side. He tightened his grip on the trident, swimming down toward the dilapidated rowboat. Silver strands of hair stuck out of the damage in the boat’s side, looking like kelp waving in the current.

“Hello?” His body crept forward hesitantly as he cleared his throat. “By order of the King Oasis, reveal yourself!” Kaleb’s voice bellowed through the water.

The rowboat stirred as the head of a young girl tentatively made its way out of the hole. Her pale body followed, embellished in a purple laced corset that ended where her long black tentacles protruded.

Kaleb’s mouth dropped open. Now, Yuri swayed before him. His wide eyes traced her body up and down.

What…what is this girl doing here? Oh!

“Do you mean to harm me?” Yuri asked, cutting through the silence, her tone sharp as a blade.

Kaleb’s mouth curved into an amused smile. She’s bold. He had not seen her kind very often—they stayed hidden. This was new to him.

It was for a fair reason they hid away since his people hated hers, after all. Despised them with great passion. He ran his hands through his light-brown hair and then down to his chiseled jawline.

What if my father had found her? He shook his head, refocusing mossy green eyes on Yuri as he studied her.

Her hair was beautiful, and much like that of the mermaids he had grown up with, it was long and flowed behind her in the water as she moved. Yuri’s eyes met his, and he held her gaze, staring at the stunning icy-blue that looked back at him. He traced her pale complexion from her face down to her skinny arms, now held bent and stiff against her hips.

“Do you not know who I am?” He wore a cocky smile that hollowed into dimples at his cheeks.

Yuri’s brows furrowed. Her sharp glare stabbed at his ego, causing his dimpled smirk to retreat from his face like a wounded soldier. “Honestly, I don’t care who you are. Answer the question.

Are your intentions to harm me?” Her eyes darted to his pronged trident.

Kaleb’s grip loosened on his weapon as he stooped toward the seabed, his eyes remaining focused on Yuri’s icy-blue scowl. He opened his palms, letting the trident roll out of his hands and onto the sandy seafloor.

Inching back, he straightened his arms, outstretching his hands high over his head. “No, I don’t wish to harm you. Do you wish to harm me?” He wiggled the fingers of his empty hands.

Yuri crossed her arms over her puffed-out chest.

“That entirely depends on you,” she sneered. Her nostrils flared.

The once-retreated smirk returned to Kaleb’s face. How could such a small and petite girl have so much attitude? This girl is feisty! As his heavy trident sank deeper into the ocean floor, he lowered his hands and tapped awkwardly at his sides. His armor clung to his broad, muscular chest as he gestured in a proper bow. I might as well introduce myself properly.

“I’m Kaleb. My father is King Oasis of Atlantis. My troops and I came out here to hunt the beast that terrorizes these waters.” Kaleb paused for a response that didn’t come. He waited.

His stomach knotted at Yuri’s silence. It twisted like the ends of a fishing net. Her deep-blue eyes stared off to the rowboat in which she had emerged. “And you are…”

About the Author: 

Kristina Streva grew up in Rockland County, New York. As a chronic daydreamer, she took up writing as a hobby and soon realized the magic in creating fantastical worlds. She loves museums, thrifting, movies, art, crafting, reading, and all things creative.

https://www.tiktok.com/@author.kstreva

https://www.instagram.com/author.kstreva/ 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22510176.Kristina_Streva 

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GHOSTS AND LEGENDS OF GENESEE AND LAPEER COUNTIES (Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani)

 

Ghosts and Legends of Genesee and Lapeer Counties 

Haunted America Series 

Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani 

Release Date: August 29, 2022 

Book Description: 

Ghost stories and urban legends lurk throughout Genesee and Lapeer counties. 

A Clio man's spirit is thought to still reside in the junkyard office where he was murdered. For almost two centuries, the Flushing area has been fascinated by tales of the wealthy Brent family whose land is connected to numerous tales of murder, mystery, and ghosts. 

In Lapeer County, the Bruce Mansion's unnerving façade hints at the specters inside, and the land and buildings once belonging to the Lapeer State Home are plagued by haunting cries and ghostly activity. 

Join the authors of Haunted Flint, Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani, as they take you on a tour of Genesee and Lapeer counties’ most haunted locations. 

Amazon      Arcadia Publishing      Walmart     BN     ThriftBooks   

 

Excerpt - Intro:

Spooky stories and terrifying tales lurk in dark rural corners and on historic main streets throughout Genesee and Lapeer counties. Hospitals, cemeteries, and historic homes have numerous ghosts attached to them.

The secrets of the dead can be buried in history, but we like to dig into the archives and coax the stories back to life, if only for a fleeting moment with words on the page. 

Several chapters in this book feature locations where history, true crime, and the paranormal intersect. These sinister tales of murder have led to locations full of paranormal activity. A Clio man’s spirit is thought to still reside in the junkyard office where he was murdered. The incident was billed as the internet’s first murder case and made nationwide headlines as the Instant Message Murder.  

For almost two centuries the Flushing area has been fascinated by tales of the wealthy Brent family whose land is connected to numerous tales of murder, mystery, and ghosts. The land may also have ties to the brutal 1928 murder of 5 year old Dorothy Schneider. 

The Lapeer State Home has ties to unethical medical practices, eugenics, and murder. The land and remaining buildings that once belonged to the home are considered to be extremely haunted. 

We dive into the history and uncover the dark truths that have lead to such haunting tales. We hope you enjoy this tour of Genesee and Lapeer counties’ most haunted locations.

Roxanne Rhoads is an author, book publicist, mixed media crafter, and lover of all things spooky. Her books include Haunted Flint and Pumpkins and Party Themes: 50 DIY Designs to Bring Your Halloween Extravaganza to Life. She is the owner of Bewitching Book Tours, a virtual book tour and social media marketing company and she operates a Halloween blog- A Bewitching Guide to Halloween. She sells handcrafted jewelry, art, and home decor through her Etsy store The Bewitching Cauldron. When not reading or writing, Roxanne loves to craft, plan Halloween adventures, and search for unique vintage finds.

https://www.patreon.com/RoxanneRhoads 

https://www.tiktok.com/@roxannerhoads76 

https://www.abewitchingguidetohalloween.com/ 

https://www.bewitchingbooktours.com/

https://twitter.com/RoxanneRhoads

https://www.instagram.com/roxannerhoads/

https://www.facebook.com/ABewitchingGuidetoHalloween/

 

Joe Schipani is an integral part of Flint’s art community, with ties to local artists, galleries, bookstores, and the Flint Cultural Center.

As the executive director of Flint Public Art Project, he has curated an outdoor mural gallery in the City of Flint, with over 200 murals from artist all around the world. He also serves as the one of Flint’s Historic District Commissioners and loves learning about the history of old buildings. In 2019 he co-authored Haunted Flint with Roxanne Rhoads.

https://www.haunted-flint.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HauntedFlint

https://www.facebook.com/flintproject

https://www.instagram.com/schipanijoe/

INTERVIEW WITH VIOLETTE L. MEIER (ORACLES)

 

Supernatural Central Short and Quick Interview with Violette L. Meier

SC: We have author Violette L. Meier chatting with us today. Welcome, Violette. Tell us a little bit about your main character of this book.

VLM: The main character of my book Oracles is a one hundred- and one-year old spiritually intuitive woman named Lily (affectionately called Ma Lily by her family). She is a woman who has enjoyed her life immensely, but with old age, she is getting tired and is ready to move on to the next realm. Ma Lily is a wise, free spirited, humorous, openminded, open-hearted griot who has experienced the unbelievable.  The centenarian has witnessed everything from manic lovers to mermaids to heartbreak to hoodoo to groundbreaking success to ghosts. She has seen all aspects of life -the earthly and the ethereal.  

SC: We should all live so long and so lively. Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?

VLM: I absolutely do! I have seen a few things in my life that has solidified my belief that the world is a lot more complex than it seems.

My first paranormal experience happened when I was eight years old in my great grandmother’s house. She had these huge heating vents in her floors. I used to love to stand over them and let the warm air blow my nightgown up (Marylin Monroe style…lol). 

One morning, I was standing over a heater in the hallway and looked into the living room and I saw a small boy standing before me smiling.  He had Asian features with dark golden skin and thick curly dark hair. He was wearing a yarmulke and an intricately trimmed tunic with matching pants. 

Growing up in a black neighborhood in the city of Atlanta, I had never seen anyone who looked like him before. I was befuddled. 

We stared at each other, the smile not leaving his face. I was not afraid, just curious and maybe a bit confused about what I was seeing. I closed and opened my eyes. He was still there.  I leaned backwards so I could not see into the living room then looked back into the living room. He still stood smiling, unmoving, then he was gone. To this day, I can still see his smiling face clearly in my mind.

SC: Thanks for sharing that with us. What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?

VLM:Since my newest novel Oracles was just released in June, I am taking a short writing break to focus on other projects like maybe doing an audiobook, a screenplay, or learning more about herbalism. 

I do not have any new titles that I am working on at the moment, but I am brainstorming a couple of books and considering finishing one of many incomplete books I have collecting dust in my computer. Whatever I decided, I know that I will have a new title ready to read next year.

SC: Let's take a look at your novel now. Thanks for stopping by.

Oracles

Violette L. Meier

Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Horror

Publisher: Viori Publishing, LLC

Date of Publication: June 5, 2022

ISBN-10: ‎0991343298

ISBN-13:  978-0991343294

ASIN: B0B38VQJSX

Number of pages: 234

Cover Artist: Violette L. Meier

Tagline: A spiritually intuitive woman shares her life story with her family on her 101st birthday as a strange shadowy entity makes its presence known.

Book Description:

It’s Ma Lily’s 101st birthday and her family is helping her celebrate as she tries fruitlessly to ignore a shadowy entity lurking nearby. Her family sits at her feet drinking in the story of an extraordinary woman recounting her extraordinary life.

Oracles is jam-packed with paranormal thrills, miracles and magic, and a rich family history filled with love and life lessons.

VioletteMeier.com      Amazon

Excerpt:

It’s February 12th and I’ve made my one hundred and first circle around the sun. I was hoping, when I opened my eyes this morning, to be in the bosom of Abraham or to be trying to possess the body of a newborn baby, or at least be sunbathing in a flowery field in another dimension; but I’m still here on earth celebrating another birthday. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful. I am able-bodied and in my right mind. I can still dance when I hear a song that takes me back to times when the winding of my hips could hypnotize any onlooker into a helpless trance. Now the winding of my hips sounds like a twentieth-century watch being wound. My lined face is but a shadow of the woman I used to be. The mirror lies; showing me crow’s feet and laugh lines as deep as canyons; muddy eyes and a turkey neck. When I close my eyes, I see taut skin, gypsy eyes, voluptuous lips, and a neck like a swan’s. I am still that woman inside.

My health is good. Well, most of the time anyway. My blood pressure gets a bit high when I eat too many potato chips or take a week off from walking. My knee gets a little stiff at times and occasionally low energy levels force my bedtime to start with the evening news.

I could do the average old lady thing and offer a list of my ailments, but I won’t because for the most part, I’m healthy and happy.  I’m surrounded by my family, who loves me. I live in a cozy home that I share with my eldest granddaughter, Saige, and her family. Saige and her husband Kevin have been good to me.  Life is pleasant.

Sadness creeps upon me from time to time because my heart still yearns for my husband. It has been ten years since Josiah transitioned. According to him, he’s probably in a new body trying to learn the lessons he missed his last lifetime. I never believed much in reincarnation, but he did, and I am sure that he lives on somewhere in the world. Josiah had a knack for being right or so he claimed. My luck, he’s right about reincarnation and I’ll have to come back to this godforsaken planet. Not that I do not love living, but I have been on this earth a long time and I am ready to be gathered to my people. The ancestors are calling me. Their beckoning plays in my ears like a song stuck on repeat, fluttering in the distance but growing louder each day. I can hear them calling my name; a melodic whisper that never stops humming day or night.

“Ma Lily!” my ten-year-old great grandchild yells from the other side of the door.

Violet is a loud one. Her voiceis deep and full sounding like a chorus harmonizing every note. It would be perfect for the voice of God in a movie.

“Ma Lily, can I come in?” she asks as she taps the door like her finger is vibrating. I see the shadow of her toes dancing underneath the door.

I tell her to come in and Violet pushes open the door like she is trying to test her strength; causing it to fly open like a tornado is spinning in the hallway. Every time I see her, which is every single day, I laugh inside. She brings me delight in the richest form. Violet looks the most like me out of all my great grandchildren, light brown with freckles. A cloud of thick black hair sits on the top of her head like a beach ball which is held in place by a giant purple ribbon tied into a perfect bow with its ends framing the sides of her face. She has the most intoxicating smile on this side of the world. She is radical, nonconforming, fearless and ostentatious like a ten-year-old should be.  

“Whatchadoin’?” Violet asks plopping down in my rocking chair as I push myself up into a sitting position. I pull the covers off my legs and toss my legs off the side of the bed. I look down at my ashy feet as my toenails scrape the floor. My toenails look like talons. One day, I will take the time to clip them. Maybe I was turning into a wild thing like a creature in one of Violet’s story books. I voice activate the lamp and instruct Violet to open the curtains by pushing a button on the nightstand.
Sunlight changes the entire energy of the room. It instantly renews every cell in my body. Suddenly, a new birthday didn’t seem so annoying.

“Just waking up,” I answer looking at the digital holographic clock hovering over my nightstand. It was 7:59 a.m. “Why are you up so early?” I ask her as she rocks back and forth swinging her legs like she is on a playground swing. The chair groans like an old man. “It’s Wednesday. Why aren’t you in school?”

“Because it’s your birthday!” Violet exclaims. “Mama says that turning one hundred and one is a big deal. Aunt Cleo once told me that one hundred and one was the angel number for happiness and prosperity. Do you believe that?”

“Could be. Anything is possible,” I reply with a yawn.

“She also said that today we’re gonna party like it’s 1999!” Violet says scratching her head confused about what that meant. That song is nearly a century old. I am surprised her mother knew the lyrics, but then again, Prince is and will always be my favorite musical artist of all time. My children grew up on his music and when my grandchildren and great grandchildren visit me, they too became familiar with his ear-piercing falsetto and his sacrosanct sexuality. I love everything about that little musical mastermind. If I had any musical ability, Prince is who I would channel. For a moment, I consider placing my music microchip into my ear and playing Prince’s greatest hits, but I’m sure Violet will not let me listen in peace. Per her request, I would have to blast it loud through the ceiling speakers and frankly, it is way too early in the morning for that kind of noise. Way too early for any type.

“What does your mama have planned?” I ask, a little anxious about Saige’s plans.

Saige always went over and beyond what was humanly necessary to do. She is a perfectionist in the worst way and habitually slunk away from gratification like it was the plague. Watching her frown and fret over every single detail was torture. Saige could make a person feel guilty about having a birthday because of all the trouble that celebrating it would cause her. I’m glad I won’t be around to see her plans for my funeral.

When I turned one hundred, she made a movie about my life consisting of old videos and photographs. It was a nice sentiment until she rented out a local theater to show it and invited everyone in town. I had to wait in line for thirty minutes to see my own movie and she stressed herself out over cold popcorn and incorrect digital tickets until she fainted and had to be fanned back to consciousness.

“I can’t tell you,” Violet says as she hops off the rocking chair onto my bed.

The bounce nearly catapults me across the room. I grip the mattress to balance myself and exhale.

“Can I do your hair?” she asksas she twists my silver dreadlocks into loops and pin them to the top of my head. I lift myself so she can pullthe ones free that I am sitting on, and I sit back on the bed.

“Looks like you’re already doing it,” I retort while yawning. I sit as still as I can as my great granddaughter styles my hair. My dreadlocks are floor length. It amazes me how she effortlessly gathers my big blue-gray ropes of hair and turns them into flower petals. She pulls the last bobby pin from her pocket and places it in my hair.

“Done!” she exclaims and bolts back over to the rocking chair.

I stand up and walk over to the cherry wood vanity that sits in the corner of my room, pull the emerald cushioned seat out and sit down. I look in the mirror and smile. Violet does exquisite hair just like her grandmother, my daughter, Chloe.

“Thank you, baby,” I reply as I put on a thin coat of pink lip gloss and give myself an air kiss in the mirror. I swear the lip gloss and hairstyle takes twenty years off my face. I don’t look a day over eighty.

“You’re welcome Ma Lily,” Violet replies as she rocks like a mad woman in the chair.

“Bring me my owls,” I instruct while admiring my hair in the mirror.

Violet hops off the chair and crosses the room and opens the top drawer of my jewelry armoire. She pulls out two sterling silver necklaces, both with large owls hanging from them, and a matching pair of earrings. After she hands them to me, I put on both necklaces, one owl hanging lower than the other and put on the dangling earrings.

I look at myself once again in the mirror and smile, extremely pleased with Violet’s handy work. I feel beautiful.

A shadow moves on the opposite side of the room, its dark reflection appearing like a man made of smoke. My chest constricts as I gasp aloud. I spin around.  Nothing is there.

The room falls silent. The screeching rocker squeals no more. Violet sits in the rocking chair as if time has stopped; her small face flushes red and her back is as stiff as a board.

“You okay baby?” I ask her as a shiny tear makes its way down her cheek.

“Did you see it?” she whimpers.

“I saw it,” I confess. I want to deny it, but it is no use. Violet and I both were born with a veil; born with two crowns on our heads like the ancestors used to say. It was one of the things that helped us forge such an intimate relationship. Her mother cannot see, but her grandmother Chloe can and so can Violet’s older brother Uriah.

“It’s coming to get you Ma Lily. I saw it,” Violet whines. “I don’t want you to go.”

I stand up and walk over to my great grandchild. I instruct her to stand up so I can sit down. My knee is hurting a little. Rain must be coming. Violet sits on my good knee. She feels heavier than she did yesterday.

“There is a season for everything under heaven,” I reply. “A time to laugh and a time to cry. A time to live and a time to die.”

About the Author: 

Violette Meier is a happily married mother, writer, folk artist, poet, and native of Atlanta, Georgia, who earned her B.A. in English at Clark Atlanta University and a MDiv at the Interdenominational Theological Center. She is also a certified herbalist, a life coach, and an educator. 

The great-granddaughter of a dream interpreter, Violette is a lover of all things supernatural and loves to write paranormal, fantasy, and horror. She is always working on something new.

Her books include: Out of Night, Angel Crush, Son of the Rock, Archfiend, Ruah the Immortal, Oracles, Tales of a Numinous Nature, Hags, Haints and Hoodoo, Loving and Living Life One Day at aTime, Violette Ardor: A Volume of Poetry, This Sickness We Call Love: Poems of Love, Lust, and Lamentation, and two children's books. 

To learn more about Violette and her eerie antics, visit her online:

https://VioletteMeier.com

https://twitter.com/VioletteMeier

https://www.facebook.com/VioletteLMeier

https://instagram.com/VioletteL.Meier

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NOT WELL BEHAVED WOMEN: A STEAMY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY

 

Not Well Behaved Women: A Steamy Romance Anthology

ASIN‏: ‎B0B3NDZFTM

Publisher: ‎Swoon Worthy 

Publication Date: ‎August 16, 2022

Genre: Romance, Romance Anthology, Charity Anthology

Book Description:

She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to take it.

NOT WELL BEHAVED WOMEN is a romance anthology with stories ranging from steamy to downright scorching! 

Deliciously dark, heart-pounding romantic suspense, swoon-worthy sports romance, unpredictable alpha shifters, mysteriously dark vampire lovers, or ghost encounters. Whatever you’re in the mood to read, you’ll find your next steamy romance in this collection. 

This collection contains previously published books bundled together for the first time to support reproductive rights. It’s only available for a LIMITED TIME, so grab it before it’s gone! We’re not affiliated with or endorsed by the Center for Reproductive Rights. We’re simply authors who want to help.

Pre-Order for just .99

Price changes to 3.99 on Release Day August 16

Amazon      Books2Read     Kobo 

Apple     BN

A.C. James

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

A.C. James writes paranormal romance books for adults and erotica, including Eternal Ever After (rebranded as Eternal Lover), which was featured in the bestselling Spice Box anthology. Her Ever Dark Immortals series, which begins with Eternal Lover, has been described as “brimming with sensuality” and “romantic and sizzling hot.” The Isle of Horse Shifters series starts with Ride: Awakening, and is “lighthearted” that is a “joy ride from beginning to end.”

Ann Gimpel

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Ann Gimpel is a USA Today bestselling author. A lifelong aficionado of the unusual, she began writing speculative fiction many years ago. Her short fiction has appeared in many webzines and anthologies. Her books run the gamut from urban fantasy to paranormal romance. Once upon a time, she nurtured clients. Now she nurtures dark, gritty fantasy stories that push hard against reality.

Bianca Sommerland

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Bianca Sommerland, author of the award winning Dartmouth Cobras series, was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. After hitting the USA TODAY Bestsellers list, and being invited to teach several classes on writing in the sports and BDSM genre, they retreated to their writing cave and can still be found there, doing what they've always done. Which is writing whatever the characters tell them to.

When not reading neurotically or writing as though the fate of the world rests on their keyboard, they are either watching hockey or teaching their children the beauty of a classic, steel pony while reminiscing about their days in Auto Body Mechanics. Their dream is to one day own enough land to park a few junkers on so they can work on restorations in their spare time. They also wants a pony. And while we’re sharing their wishlist, owning a tank is somewhere around number 5. Not that they would use it unless there’s a zombie apocalypse, but they do like to be prepared.

Their time is balanced with utmost care between ‘normal’ family life, and being lured into the fictional realm where their characters reside. For the most part, they succeed.

Blair Babylon

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

"I'm passionate about books and literature. The best books are intense, enthralling stories that readers can get lost in for days. Books delve into what it means to be human and connect us to each other. Books allow us to live all our possible lives. Books open us to loving each other and the world more. I write intense, deeply imagined romance novels for serious readers because the world needs more love." ~~Blair Babylon

Blair Babylon is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author who used to publish literary fiction. Because professional reviews of her other fiction usually included the caveat that there was too much deviant sex and too much interesting plot, she decided to abandon all literary pretensions, let her freak flag fly, and write hot, sexy, suspenseful romance.

Raine Miller writing as Brit DeMille

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Brit DeMille is the alter ego of New York Times Bestselling Author, Raine Miller, having an absolute blast writing books quite different from what she writes as Raine.

Stories about sexy billionaires (millionaires make the cut too) who fall in instalove with young women who may or may not be virgins, and then go on to make adorable babies together are her favorite themes. In addition to the billionaires, hot hockey players are at the top of her list of favorite heroes, along with royals and ex-military bodyguards.

You can find more of her stories online at www.rainemiller.com/brit-demille.

Candice Gilmer

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

It took getting grounded for Candice Gilmer to realize her imagination was much more interesting than the real world. She started writing out imaginative stories in high school, and published her first book in 2008. Since then, she's published 30+ books, hit the New York Times and USA Today lists, and written about everything from small-town salons to sexy aliens on other worlds. And her imagination isn't done yet.

Carrie Lomax

Carrie Lomax is the bestselling author of historical and contemporary romance. She also writes angsty new adult fantasy romance under the pen name Joline Pearce. Growing up rural Wisconsin, she spent a lot of time roaming the woods and fantasizing about new places. Adventures took her to Oregon, Michigan, and after a stint teaching in France, she moved to New York City, where she stayed for the next 15 years. There she acquired a pair of graduate degrees, a husband and a career as a librarian. An avid runner, reader, and cyclist, she lives in Maryland with two budding readers and her real-life romantic hero.

Cathryn Fox

NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Cathryn Fox is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with having books on the best sellers list at both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Beginning her writing career with Ellora’s Cave, she also has titles with Avon Red—Harper Collins, NAL—Penguin Group, Spice Brief—Harlequin, and recently signing with Samhain Publishing. Her romance storylines have reached compelling imagination with genres in contemporary, futuristic, paranormal, and more.

Demelza Carlton

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish.She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.

Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world. 

The Ocean's Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed her suspense thriller Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn't leave her alone.

Elizabeth SaFleur

Elizabeth SaFleur writes award-winning, luscious romance from sexy romcom to steamy contemporary on a wildlife-filled "farmette" she shares with her husband and one very spoiled Westie. When not immersed in books she can be found hiking or drinking good Virginia wine—not necessarily in that order. Find out more: www.ElizabethSaFleur.com

Lauren Hawkeye writings as Jessa Kates

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

New York Times bestselling author Lauren Hawkeye never imagined that she’d wind up telling stories for a living... though she’s the only one who is surprised. She lives in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada with her husband, two young sons, pit bull and two idiot cats.

Monique DuBois

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Monique DuBois loves creating hot stories about strong women and sexy men that will keep you up late at night...in more ways than one.

Kate Richards

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Richards divides her time between Los Angeles and the High Sierras. She would gladly spend all her days in the mountains, but she’d miss the beach…and her very supportive husband’s commute would be three hundred miles. Wherever she is, she loves to explore all different kinds of relationships in her stories. She doesn’t believe one-size-fits-all, and whether her characters live BDSM, ménage, GLBT, spanking, or any other kind of lifestyle, it’s the love, the joy in one another, that counts.

Kate Rudolph

Kate Rudolph is an USA Today Bestselling author of paranormal and sci-fi romance who lives in Indiana. She loves writing about kick butt heroines and the steamy heroes who love them. She's been devouring romance novels since she was too young to be reading them and had to hide her books so no one would take them away. She couldn't imagine a better job in this world than writing romances and sharing them with her fellow readers.

Kris Jayne

Kris Jayne is a devoted writer, reader, and traveler. She spends her days blissfully sweating out the writing process in the Dallas area with her dogs, Otis the Shih Tzu, Rocco the Terrier, and Red the Foxy Mutt.

Her passion for writing is only matched by her passion for the adventures of travel. In 2008, she let a friend talk her into sleeping outside for the first time in her life when she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

P.S. If you’re buying her a gift, she has a penchant for single-malt Scotch and scarves.

Reina Torres

Reina loves to write the Romance that she reads. Heat to Sweet. Contemporary to Historical. Paranormal to ... um Normal. Military, First Responders, & More. Always with an HEA because we all deserve it.

Tami Lund

Romcom. Mafia. Suspense. Shifters. Vampires. Demigods. Demons. Dragons. Witches. And more. Tami Lund writes it all. With wine.

Zoey Indiana

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Zoey started creating her first fictional planet where amazing creatures roamed at age ten; determined to prove love could be found in the stars. She listens to eclectic music, practices Krav Maga, and takes on home improvement projects for fun.