Blog | Kary Rader

Guest Post by Katie O’Sullivan — So You Think You Know About Mermaids

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Kary Rader

So You Think You Know About Mermaids…

Thanks for letting me visit your blog today, Kary! I’m so excited about my new novel, Son of a Mermaid, which was released this week from Crescent Moon Press!

I’m also very excited about our Big Twitter Party next Tuesday (5/21) that you and I are hosting along with Lynn Rush, Lindsey Loucks and Maer Wilson! Should be an awesome evening of Twitter Madness! Look for us with the hashtag #MAGICKED!

So. You might ask, “Why mermaids?” With all the current YA-hysteria over vampires and zombies and angels and demons… why mermaids? And while you are asking this, most of you are picturing the Disney version of Ariel in your mind. Sweet, innocent, cartoon-ishly benign. Go ahead, admit it. She is the most famous mermaid of our times, after all.

But mermaids haven’t always been so one-dimensional.

Throughout history, there have been tales of mermaids. Anywhere you have seafaring people, you have mermaid legends. This is true all the way back to the Stone Age. Seriously. There are cave paintings of mermaids. And not the pretty, helpful kind of mermaid.

Over the centuries, mermaids have been associated with shipwrecks, drownings, storms and floods. Think of the Sirens of Greek mythology, luring sailors to their deaths on the rocky shores.

In a popular Greek legend, the sister of Alexander the Great is turned into a mermaid. She lives in the Aegean Sea and when she encounters a ship she asks its sailors only one question: “Is King Alexander alive?” The proper answer is yes, saying “He lives and reigns and conquers the world.” Placated, the mermaid calms the waters and wishes the ship farewell. Any other answer spurs her into a rage where she summons a storm, dooming the ship and its sailors.

There are also tales of beautiful mermaids falling in love with humans and choosing to live on shore with their tails transformed into human legs. The most enduring of these tales is Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid, written in 1836. And even in that story, there is a sea witch, and the mermaid’s older sisters try to get the girl to kill the prince when he chooses to marry another. (The original story was a little more Grimm than Disney.)

Christopher Columbus famously reported sighting mermaids in the Caribbean, saying they weren’t as beautiful as legend proclaimed. Johnny Depp befriended Caribbean mermaids as Jack Sparrow, in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides. Remember how scary those mermaids could look? And even in the Peter Pan movies and books, the mermaids aren’t always benign – they can be jealous, petty, selfish and downright mean.

We accept that there are all sorts of vampires in literature – from the sparkly kind to the more grim, evil versions. Why is it we think all mermaids should be sugary sweet?

My kids and I have always told stories about the mermaids that live off our shores, in Nantucket Sound and beyond. When my daughter was young, she and her friends would role-play as mermaids in the swimming pool, and there would always be drama and bad guys. Just as people come in all shades of good and evil, so should merfolk. It makes life under the sea that much more intriguing!

What about you? Do you still picture Ariel when you think of mermaids? What’s your favorite mermaid legend?

Leave a comment below and be sure to enter the official Rafflecopter giveaway. You could win an ecopy of Son of a Mermaid, or one of the other cool prizes!

Thank you, Kary, for inviting me onto your blog today to discuss mermaid lore and celebrate my new novel making its own splash in the world!

Book Blurb:

Shea MacNamara’s life just got complicated.

After a freak tornado devastates his Oklahoma farm, the fifteen-year-old orphan moves to Cape Cod to live with a grandmother he’s never met. Struggling to make sense of his new surroundings, he meets a girl along the shore who changes his life forever.

Kae belongs to an undersea world hidden from drylanders. The daughter of royal servants, she knows the planned marriage of her Princess to the foreign King should put an end to the war between the clans. Two things stand in the way of lasting peace: an ambitious Regent and rumors of a half-human child who will save the oceans.

Sparks fly when she meets Shea, but could the cute drylander really be the Son of a Mermaid?

About the Author:

Katie O’Sullivan lives with her family and big dogs next to the ocean on Cape Cod, drinking way too much coffee and inventing new excuses not to dust. She writes YA and romantic suspense novels, and works as an editor making other people’s words sparkle. For the last four years, she’s been the Editor of CapeWomenOnline.com magazine and writes a column entitled “The Write Way.”

She hopes her debut YA novel, SON OF A MERMAID, will make a big splash this summer, engaging young readers with a Cape Cod tale of a boy who discovers both his roots and his destiny far below the waters of Nantucket Sound.

Find Katie online:

Follow her Blog – http://katieosullivan.blogspot.com

Like her on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKatieOSullivan

Find her on Twitter – https://twitter.com/OkatieO

Check out her website at http://www.katie-osullivan.com

Add Son of a Mermaid on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17184560-son-of-a-mermaid

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Blitz: When Love Prospers by Melanie Macek

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Kary Rader

We are celebrating Melanie Macek’s release day for When Love Prospers with lots of fun. Welcome Melanie!

Synopsis:

The timing of the job at Larsen Financial is perfect for Helen Randall. Coming off of a several failed relationships, she desperately needs not only the boost to her bank account but also to her self-esteem. When her immediate supervisor leaves for a two week vacation, Helen will be forced to work with Trevor. When her personal life intrudes on her professional one, Trevor becomes an unexpected ally. It becomes difficult to keep from thinking about her boss in a less than professional manner.

Trevor Mcintosh is good at his job. When the CEO of Larsen Financial offered him the opportunity to start up and run the San Francisco branch office, he jumped at the chance. After six months in the city, he’s getting tired of the constant round of parties, women and meetings. When he’s forced to work one on one with Helen, he finds that the woman he barely acknowledged in the past poses a serious threat to his sanity. He’s ready to give up his late nights out in exchange for evenings in with one woman. Can he convince her they would be better as a team outside of work too?

Author’s Bio & Picture: Melanie has been writing in some form or another as long as she can remember. From songs to plays (a bad one) to poetry (not her forte) to romance, the urge to write has always been there. She read her first romance book at the age of 13 and hasn’t looked back. A voracious reader, Melanie has been making an effort to expand her reading horizons, thanks to forced college papers. Other genres have captured her imagination, but Romance will always hold her heart.

A native Californian desert rat, Melanie has lived over half of her life on the Texas Gulf Coast. Braving mosquitoes, humidity, and the occasional voluntary hurricane evacuation, she and her husband and their two 4-legged children – who have their own page on the blog – spend time with family, friends, and planning their next travel adventure. She writes in most of her spare time and always makes sure to take a pen and paper with her just about everywhere she goes.

You can find her at:

Author Links:

Amazon author page. http://www.amazon.com/Melanie-Macek/e/B00B44HEPA/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1365541352&sr=8-1

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6899613.Melanie_Macek

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/melaniemacek/

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/MelMacekauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelDFMac

Blog: http://featherpenstartandreams.wordpress.com/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/melanie-macek

Daryl Devore and Capri’s Fate

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Kary Rader

Welcome, Daryl! Tell us about your new release.

Waving. Hello everyone. I’m excited to be here.

In my newly released erotic contemporary fantasy, Capri’s Fate, Capri meets the son of a Fate. Actually the seven hundred and sixteenth child of Lachesis. Who are the Fates? Lachesis, Atropos and Clotho.

Lachesis – was Fate number 2. She determines the length of a person’s life thread.

Atropos – the third Fate. She ends the life of a human mortal by cutting their thread with her scissors.

Clotho – she might be Fate #1, but for my story, she’s in very minor character

Lachesis is Thall’s mother. He can take corporeal form (become human) because his mother mated with a human.

In their true form, think of the Fates as a splash of colour. When the mood strikes, they can shift into a human shape, but they are like a ghost and cannot touch or feel anything. But Thall can become physically solid and with that ability, he also develops feelings, like love and lust. And it is Capri he is lusting after.

She has been under his domain since she was 18. He cannot help her unless she invokes the Fates. And once she does, the fun begins.

This is a snippet with a sad Thall missing the one he loves.

Sitting beneath the Tree of Life, I tossed a pebble into the brook. The aquamarine water rippled as the rings expanded. I held out my hand and the tiny brown rock returned and settled on my palm. I tossed it back into the stream.

“This is what my son does all day? Toss the same stone over and over again.” A swirl of warmth wrapped around me then floated nearby. “I sense you are troubled, Thall. Does someone under your domain cause your grief?”

“I cause my own grief. I wish to feel, not just sense.” I held out my hand, waiting for the pebble to return. “And don’t tell me I’m a child of the Fates and above the prosaic need of touch. I am quite aware I am a child of you, Lachesis; she who determines the length of life.” I caught the pebble and flung it back into the water. “I find myself in a quandary.”

Lachesis reached under the Tree of Life and pulled out a withered root. “What worries my son so?”

“Not a what. A who. Capri.”

Lachesis shimmered. “This root I hold is hers.”

I spread my mist along the root, trying to shield it from whatever was causing it such pain. “Her life string cannot be this short.”

“No. It was much longer but she suffers a broken heart. The pain makes her life-force look like this as she grieves for a lost lover.”

“Lover? She has had no one in her life for many years. Not since she pushed that low-life, two-timing leech of a husband out of her house.”

Buy Links – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/309990

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-capri039sfate-1172391-140.html

http://www.amazon.com/Capris-Fate-ebook/dp/B00CJ1I6Y0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1366992997&sr=1-1&keywords=new+dawning+bookfair

Bio – Daryl Devore lives in an in old farmhouse in Ontario Canada, with her husband, two cats, a large salt water aquarium full of fish and some ghosts. Her daughter is grown and has flown the nest. Daryl loves to take long walks up her quiet country road, or snow shoe across the back acres and in the summer, kayak along the St. Lawrence River. She has touched a moon rock, been deep in the ocean in a submarine and used the ladies room in a royal palace. Life’s an adventure and Daryl’s having fun living it.

Where to find me – Blog – http://myeroticnotions.blogspot.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/daryl.devore

Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Daryl-Devore/280168402052520

Twitter – http://twitter.com/daryldevore

Google+ – Daryl Devore

Amazon Author Page – http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004TJ1354

Taste Book Birthday and Giveaway

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Kary Rader

Happy Birthday, Taste!!!

We are celebrating the One Year Anniversary of Taste with lots of fun and prizes. My friend and fellow author, Kate Evangelista is giving away:

1st Prize — $30 Amazon Gift Card

2nd Prize — $20 Amazon Gift Card

3rd Prize — $10 Amazon Gift Card

Taste Blurb:

At Barinkoff Academy, there’s only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Author Bio:

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn’t going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master’s courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels.

Author Website: www.kateevangelista.com

Twitter: @KateEvangelista

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kate-Evangelista/165693410143202

Find Taste on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13484226-taste

Crescent Moon Press page for Taste: http://crescentmoonpress.com/books/Taste.html

Purchase Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Taste-ebook/dp/B007Z1AC78

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taste-kate-evangelista/1110599907?ean=9781937254551

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Taste/book-Q8M5pIKoJkKLo_FgBJ_BOQ/page1.html?s=vUVZkfrXZUeDOQXRE7MhuA&r=4

The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Taste-Kate-Evangelista/9781937254551

Connect back to this link for details on how to enter and WIN!

Guest Post by Mary Banos

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Kary Rader

Please join me in welcoming a fellow author and high school mate, Mary Banos.

Mary, it is a pleasure to have you here. I won’t date us by saying when we went to high school together, but Mary and I graduated from the High School of Performing and Visual Arts at Booker T. Washington in Dallas, Texas. She recently published her first non-fiction book titled, Uplifting One Life at a Time. I am excited to share your encouraging message!

Thank you for having me here, Kary.

“Each of us has times of needing encouragement in our lives. We also can each find opportunities daily to encourage others around us. It can be easy to get lost in our day to day lives, neglecting ourselves when we could be finding ways to help ourselves, and missing opportunities of helping other people.

I first suggest that you take an inner look at yourself, your goals in life, how you feel about reaching those goals, and to recognize ways which you can encourage yourself in obtaining each of your goals. Think about the decisions which you make during day to day activities. Are they choices that are healthy for you emotionally and mentally? Are you uplifting yourself? And are you finding ways to obtain the goals which you desire?

Next think about the people who you encounter day to day: family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, and others. Who could you reach out to each day? A compliment to be given? A word of encouragement?

Each of us can make a difference in lives, our own as well as those around us. We can make a true difference.”

My bio:

Mary has worked in financial aid in higher education for over 16 years, assisting students with the financial means to achieve their goal of a college education. Mary was fortunate to overcome a troubled childhood, plagued with times of depression, resulting in random thoughts of committing suicide. In her adulthood, Mary overcame the pain that was her past. This past developed within her the life long passion of helping and encouraging others. Mary is working on a Masters of Science degree in Family Studies. Her goal is to be an author and motivational public speaker ,while her collective passion is to encourage others, help others overcome obstacles, and to reach their goals and dreams.

Link for the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Uplifting-One-Life-Time-Encouragement/dp/0615773303/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364594022&sr=8-1&keywords=mary+banos

Mary’s website:

www.encouraginglife.com

My publishers are still working on my website. Once complete, we will have chat rooms and discussion forums. It will be a social network, with the goal of creating a “community of encouragement.” I want it to be a place where people can come to talk and encourage each other.

Book excerpt:

“George Barnard Shaw stated, “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating you.”(12) Within you is the ability to be the person who you desire to be and to have the life which you deeply desire. When your past is one that would lead in a direction other than your desired future, then it is completely in your hands and control. You can shift the path that your past would dictate for you.

If your life started in a direction that would hinder your success and happiness, then it is up to you to change the road that you are on. For some, counseling is needed. For others, it makes a difference to have people around you who give you encouragement and support. Regardless of whether or not you need help from others, you will most definitely need to become able to encourage yourself.”

Interview and Giveaway with Geoffrey from Time Enough to Love, Betrothal by Jenna Jaxon

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Kary Rader

I have a special treat for you all today! One of my all-time favorite KISA (Knight in Shining Armor) is here for an interview. Sigh Thank goodness it’s just him and not his author or, god forbid, his betrothed. Now he can focus only on me! and you.

Please welcome Sir Geoffrey Longford.

(Sir Geoffrey enters. He is a big man, about 6 ft 4” tall, with dark brown hair and sapphire blue eyes. There is a tightness about his mouth, as if he is impatient with these proceedings, but there is also a glint of amusement in his eyes. He wears atight-fitting parti-colored cotehardie and chauses, blue and burgundy)

My heart is fluttering around the website somewhere. Wow! Ummm…Who are you? Give your full name and title/race. Do you have special abilities?

*he bows* I am Sir Geoffrey Longford, a courtier in the service of His Majesty King Edward III. I am currently waiting to sail to Spain with the king’s daughter, Princess Joanna, as second in command of the voyage.

As a knight I have worked hard to hone my skills with the weapons of my trade—the sword and the lance. *he smiles* I have won tournaments both in England and in France. And I have seen real battle in the service of the king.

I bet you are handy with your sword, my lord. **blushes furiously** What were your conflicts and obstacles in your story?

*He sighs* They were many. I was betrothed to a woman I had never met, who was in love with my best friend. Each time I tried to woo her for myself, some barrier to our happiness was thrust before us. At one point I despaired of ever winning her regard, and resolved to end the betrothal.

What did you think of Lady Alyse de Courcy when you first met?

I hesitate to admit it, but she bewitched me from the moment we met. Her beauty, her wit, her spirit all combined to make me believe myself the most fortunate of men.

I love how you talk about her. It makes me sigh! So tell me about you–What is your greatest strength? Greatest weakness? How have they influenced you and your relationships to date?

I deem my skills at strategy my greatest strength. It has served me well both on and off the battlefield. My resourcefulness also has stood me in good stead, especially where Lady Alyse is concerned.

My greatest weakness, sadly, is my jealous nature where my betrothed is concerned. Until I met her, I could have denied any such emotion resided in my body. But those wretched flames have consumed me from almost the moment we met. And through it, I have hurt others grievously.

For those who love with passion, jealousy can be a burden. In your story, what moment was the most memorable, the most meaningful to you? Why?

*laughs softly* That would be telling, Mistress Kary. Lady Jenna would fain allow me to reveal the most memorable moment. I can impart, however, that one memorable point was when I first stole a kiss from my lady. *His eyes deepen to darkest blue* She possesses a small beauty mark, just there. *he brushes a fingertip over a spot above the right corner of Kary’s mouth* ‘Twas too tempting to resist that morning.

**GULP**And finally, is there anything you would like to share?

My deepest regards to you, Mistress Kary, for inviting me to share some of our story with you. *he raises her hand to his lips* ‘Twill be my pleasure to meet with you again, gentle lady, should the need arise. *with another courtly bow and a wicked grin, he turns on his heel and disappears through the door*

You are welcome anytime, Sir! Anytime. Day or night!!! (I probably shouldn’t yell that too loudly. My husband night hear me.)

Blurb for Betrothal:

Lady Alyse de Courcy has fallen in love with Lord Braeton, a nobleman in King Edward III’s court and a man to whom she has barely spoken. Fate, however, has decreed her betrothal to his best friend, Sir Geoffrey Longford—a handsome and imposing knight, yet hardly the man she wants to wed.

When Sir Geoffrey is bound in betrothal by his father, he could not have expected the beautiful stranger to win his heart the moment they meet. Nevertheless, the fascinating Lady Alyse has done exactly that, and his feelings for her only grow as he learns more of her gentle yet spirited nature. But Alyse’s infatuation with his friend casts doubt on whether she can ever return his regard and their wedding day is fast approaching…

Will he have time enough to win her love?

Excerpt for Betrothal:

“What do you require of me, Majesty?” Her mouth so dry she could taste sand, Alyse fought to speak in a normal tone. With a sigh of relief, she dropped into a deep curtsy, hiding her face in the folds of her skirt. If only she could remain bowed thus before His Majesty for the remainder of the evening.

King Edward laughed. “Obedience, Lady Alyse, as I require of all my subjects. As your father requires of his daughter.”

Her heart thumped wildly in her breast. That could mean but one thing.

“Rise, my lady.”

She did so on unsteady feet. “I am ready, as always, Your Majesty, to obey my father as I would you.”

Holy Mary, let it be Lord Braeton.

King Edward lifted an eyebrow toward Alyse. “A very pretty answer, my lady. And are you ready to accept your father’s decree for your betrothal? His messenger has today reached me with the contract, as I am to stand in his stead in this matter.”

Alyse took a deep breath and hoped her voice did not tremble. “Yea, Majesty, I will obey my father.”

King Edward nodded and leaned over to whisper something to Queen Phillipa, who sat beside him, heavy with their twelfth child.

Mere seconds before she learned her fate. She could scarce affect an indifferent pose before the court when inside every inch of her quivered with anticipation of the name. His name, pray God, on the king’s lips.

Thomas.

In her mind, she heard the word.

The king straightened, glanced at her then at the man by her side.

“What say you then, Sir Geoffrey? Does the lady not speak fair? I vow she will make you a proper wife and a dutiful one as well.”

Alyse turned, until that moment unaware that Geoffrey Longford stood beside her. Chills coursed down her body as the king’s words echoed in her mind. The sensation of falling backward assailed her, as though she rushed away from the tall man at her side even as his figure loomed larger and larger in her sight.

Not Lord Braeton.

Her numbed brain repeated the phrase, trying to comprehend that instead he would be her husband. Geoffrey Longford.

God have mercy on me, for by the look of him, this man will not.

Fearful, she cringed as her gaze climbed higher, over his chest, over his chin, finally resting on the dark blue eyes turned toward her.

Geoffrey returned her appraisal, his gaze sweeping her figure as a smile crept over his face. “Your Majesty.” He spoke to the king but his attention remained fixed on Alyse. “When my father told me of the betrothal contract before I left his home, I resolved to play the dutiful son. Now, however, I find I do not wish to act that role after all.” His eyes held hers as he paused.

Dear God, does he mean to renounce me here before the entire court?

Alyse stared at the man beside her, willing herself to remain upright, despite the waves of ice and fire alternating through her body.

“Now I find I would rather play the ardent lover.”

An amused murmur ran through the Hall at his words. Sir Geoffrey grinned, his eyes sparkling with humor and something more. Despite the uneven light, Alyse saw an unfathomable promise in their dark depths. She took a shaky breath and looked away.

Author Bio:

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance. Her historical romance, Only Scandal Will Do, the first in a series of five interconnecting novels, was released in July 2012. Her contemporary works include Hog Wild, Almost Perfect, and 7 Days of Seduction. She is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America as well as a member of Chesapeake Romance Writers. Her medieval romance, Time Enough to Love, is being published this summer as a series of three novellas. The first book, Betrothal, released on April 19th.

Jenna has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets. When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director. She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage.

She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Betrothal-Time-Enough-Love-ebook/dp/B00CF6UZFW/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1366769710&sr=1-2&keywords=betrothal

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/307838

Medusa Birthday Bash with Excerpt and Giveaways

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Kary Rader

Happy Birthday, Medusa A Love Story!!!

We are celebrating the One Year Anniversary of Medusa with lots of fun and prizes. My friend and fellow author, Sasha Summers is giving away:

Autographed copy of “Medusa, A Love Story (Loves of Olympus Series, Bk #1)”
Autographed copy of “For the Love of Hades (Loves of Olympus Series, Bk #2)”
Thea (owl) Necklace
“Medusa” car charm
Series Swag

Action Excerpt:

The water shifted, carrying Poseidon quickly to the sand before Ariston. “I will fight you, then, Ariston of Rhodes.”

Ariston nodded, clenching his hands.

“But this fight cannot give you what you seek. Tell me, do you rage against me for using your wife? Or because she hides from you, even knowing you search for her?” Poseidon paused, watching his face closely.

“She is dead…”

“So say the Gorgons. Mayhap she wants nothing of you now.”

Ariston’s arm whipped forward, meeting the cold flesh of Poseidon’s stomach with uninhibited fury. He savored the warm burn of his knuckles, sending his other fist into his Poseidon’s side with a roar.

He drew his arm back and released his fist, crazed with bloodlust. He struck Poseidon’s haughty chin squarely, a gratifying smack filling the air.

Poseidon reacted then, throwing his elbow into Ariston’s chest and robbing him of breath.

Ariston threw his fist forward, hitting the God in the neck and swiping his leg. Poseidon fell onto the sand, lying at his feet.

He offered his hand to Poseidon. “I am not so easily satisfied.”

Poseidon stared at his hand, then stood.

Ariston stooped and rammed into Poseidon, his shoulder smashing into Poseidon’s stomach and lifting him before letting him fall to the sand again.

Poseidon stood once more, his his face no longer distant and haughty.

Ariston laughed. “Come at me then.”

And he did, forcing Ariston back against one of the large boulders that dotted the beach. His hands closed about Ariston’s throat, his intent obvious. Still Ariston managed to break free, knocking the God off guard by kneeing him forcefully in the groin.

Poseidon crumpled on the beach, kneeling as he fought to regain his breath.

Ariston stood over him, wanting this over.

“Is my suffering akin to yours? When you learned…that I had her. Were you crippled so?” Poseidon’s words were muttered in choking breaths.

“Your suffering cannot be compared to mine,” Ariston assured him. “I would put an end to it for you.”

Poseidon rose quickly, Ariston’s sword clasped in his hand. “No, Ariston, I think not.” He lifted the blade, pressing it against Ariston’s neck.

Ariston smiled again, lifting his chin and exposing his neck. Was it wrong that he wanted this?

Poseidon’s brow rose. “You doubt my intent? You have no fear of death?”

“None.” He meant it. “Kill me.” End my pain.

Poseidon’s face twisted. “You seek death?”

“It is better than what waits for me now.” He cursed himself, cursed his words and the desperation that filled them.

“For a woman? All for a woman?” Poseidon tossed the sword aside. “You are no man to let a woman rule you so. No woman alive is worth…”

“But she is not alive. She is dead!” Ariston’s words ripped from him with such anguish that even he was surprised.

Poseidon shook his head wearily. “If you are so eager for death, let me help you on your way. Your lady wife lives, hiding amongst the caves off Crete.”

Ariston froze, stunned by Poseidon’s statement, but Poseidon only watched him.

“You lie,” he raged, moving to strike Poseidon again, but the God grabbed his fist.

“I have nothing to gain, Ariston of Rhodes. I am done with…this. I would help you on your way, if this is truly what you want?”

It’s said love can change a person. Medusa wasn’t always a monster…

Medusa is ruled by duty, to her Titan father and the Goddess Athena. She’s no room for the tenderness her warrior guard, Ariston, stirs. When Olympus frees her from service, her heart leads her into the arms of the guard she loves… and curses her as the creature with serpent locks.

Ariston goes to war with a full heart… and dreadful foreboding. He learns too late of the danger Medusa faces, alone, and a Persian blade sends him into the Underworld. But death, curses, nor the wrath of the Gods will keep him from returning to her.

Poseidon will use Greece’s war to get what he wants: Medusa. He does not care that she belongs to another. He does not care that she will be damned. He is a God, an Olympian, and she will be his.

Buy Links:

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / All Romance ebooks / Goodreads

Sasha is part gypsy. Born June 9, 1974, stories have always played an important role in her life. Her passions have always been storytelling, Hollywood, history, and travel. It’s no surprise that her books include a little of each. Her first play, ‘Greek Gods and Goddesses’ was written for her Girl Scout troupe. She’s been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she’s doing so. Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding and supportive.

Author Links:

Website/Blog: http://sashasummers.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sashawrites

FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sasha-Summers-Author/213036208773108?fref=ts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5759214.Sasha_Summers

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sashasummers/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SashaWrites

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And the Winners are…

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Kary Rader

The winners of the Release Day Blitz, The Just Romance Me Earth Day Blog Hop And Tax Relief Blog Hop are…

Nathalie Thörnqvist, Leanne Gagnon, and Jenna Jaxon.

And the winners of the Goodreads Giveaway are…

Danielle Schneider, Florence Teramoto, and Tiffany Jones.

Thank you, ladies and congratulations! I hope you enjoy your prizes!

Queen of Jastain, Book One in The Reign of Light Series

is available now on AMAZON and All Romance ebooks!

The Light brought her to him, but does he have the faith to make her his queen?

For twenty years, Avant plotted revenge against the dark king, but when a mysterious woman suddenly appears, everything changes. Although his prophetic Gift reveals she’s the Seed of Light chosen to restore the Crown, his overwhelming attraction to the women threatens his long-held plan for revenge and two decades of fidelity.

Abby Randall is inexplicably transported from Dallas to the medieval land of Jastain. There she meets Avant, who claims she’s the foretold champion of his people. While the hot guy has her hormones pumping, his crazy talk of defeating an evil king leaves questions to his sanity. Through his supernatural Gift, Avant transplants his memories into her, but neither are prepared for how their hearts intertwine.

Together they embark on their quest, but when Abby and Avant come face to face with destiny, will they sacrifice what matters most to provide a happily-ever-after for the people of Jastain?

Planting Seeds of Greatness

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Kary Rader

Welcome to the Just Romance Me Earth Day Blog Hop!

I’m still swimming in joy from the events of this week. My first novel, Queen of Jastain released Monday and I’ve been dancing ever since. If you like Epic Fantasy I hope you’ll pick it up on AMAZON.

I’m giving away two prizes today — A crocheted hat and a sword charm necklace. The necklace is honor of my recently published story and is a miniture replica of Avant’s sword. The crocheted hat…well that’s something different, right?

When I think about the Earth, I wonder what in the world little ole me can do to help.

What do you do? What can you give?

Many years ago at a Zig Ziglar motivational seminar, a group of us were asked to write our own obituaries to be read in front of the whole conference. The object of the exercise was to get us thinking about the mark our lives would make and how we wanted to change the world around us.

I remember sitting there with a blank page not really knowing what to write. Everyone at the table around me was scribbling something and I was just sitting there. Staring. My palms began to sweat and my heart began to pound. My throat constricted and my eyes enviously flitted from one person to the next. All my peers, my friends, would have something to say, and I would look like an utter dork. Anger built in my chest that these “motivational” people would put me in such an embarrassing situation. I even considered walking out. That’s how stressed I was.

Then one of the leaders came and sat by me. She smiled and said, “You have to let you imagination go. Don’t think of limitations. What would you do if anything were possible?”

Let my imagination go? Now that was something I could do and I wrote the most outlandish, unattainable obituary I could think of. Donald Trump would be envious. Even Oprah couldn’t compare. It flowed and was well phrased, because even back then, when I didn’t know what my gift was, it was still working in me.

In my obituary, Fictional Me established dozens of charities which had completely abolished world hunger and illiteracy.

Our small group leader, a lady by the name of Lauren Clark, gathered our pages and read them aloud. When she came to mine, she stopped and gasped, “Kary. This is amazing! This is amazing.”

She read the obituary with a genuine reverence and everyone turned to look at me. I was thinking, oh great, I’ve done it now. But they had wonder in their eyes. People I’d known for years congratulated me on the obituary and Oohed and Ahhed over how amazing it was.

I left the seminar that day wondering what in the heck had happened. Those people had actually believed I could accomplish something so outrageous. Lauren Clark, a woman I respected and admired like few others, thought I could do what I wrote. She came up to me years later and told me she remembered that obituary and it still inspired her.

To this day I’m amazed that she could have so much confidence in me and I’m inspired by her belief, because she made me realize that dreams without limitations are powerful and possible. Maybe I won’t accomplish all the things in that obituary. Maybe I will, but if I don’t, it won’t be because it isn’t possible. Anything is possible if you believe.

Incidentally, Lauren’s own obituary was about being a missionary that traveled the world helping those lost and in need. Today, you can find pictures of her travels and the work she’s doing one her website: Lauren Clark Ministries

For a chance to win leave a comment and tell me — What are your dreams without limitations? If you had to write your own obituary today what would you want it to say?

Comment by 11:59:59 PM Eastern time on April 22, 2013 for your chance to win. One (1) winner will be selected randomly using a Random.org. Winner will be contacted by the blog owner bywithin 10 days of contest end. Only one entry per ISP address. The contest is open to US and Canadian residents only. Not valid for overseas. No purchase necessary to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Void where prohibited..

Tax Day Relief and My Brand New Release

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Kary Rader

Today is Tax Day. But take off your frowny face and put on a BIG Smile!

There’s a reason to CELEBRATE!!! It’s the release of my debut novel!

Queen of Jastain Book One in The Reign of Light Series

The Epic Fantasy Romance is available now on AMAZON!

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Queen-of-Jastain-ebook/dp/B00CC3HKTC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1366021073&sr=1-1

The Light brought her to him, but does he have the faith to make her his queen?

Together they embark on their quest, but when Abby and Avant come face to face with destiny, will they sacrifice what matters most to provide a happily-ever-after for the people of Jastain?

We are hopping, skipping, and jumping all over the place. At every turn there are goodies and prizes.

Today for the Tax Day Blog Hop I’m giving away a Sword Charm Necklace. Leave a comment on this blog for a chance to winand scroll below to follow along this hop.

For my Book Birthday, I’m giving away a Gift Card and a Charm Bracelet. Head to any of the following places and leave a comment for your chance to win.

Candy Coated book Blog

Addicted To Romance

(un)Conventional Bookviews

Rambling Reads

Bookish Babbles

ZCrazyAngel’s Esape

Readaholics Anonymous

Read Me (LisatJung)

Love2Read Always

Insert Cleaver Quip Here

Lyre’s Musings

Live Read and Breathe

Sizzle and Swoon

Viviana, Enchantress of Books

I am also at the following blogs celebrating:

You can meet the characters from Queen of Jastain with Jennifer today HERE.

And I’m doing Author Interviews HERE with the lovely Maer Wilson and HERE with the talented Louann Carroll.

Thank you for celebrating with me. I hope Uncle Sam wasn’t too hard on you. Click any of the following links for the Tax Day Relief Hop.