Love Knows No Bounds Autism Speaks Anthology

April is Autism awareness month.


It is also now a month I'll remember as my youngest son was recently diagnosed with Aspergers (and ADHD).


His high functioning Aspergers isn't Autism but it is an ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and I now have a deeper connection to and understanding of Autism as I research and learn everything I can about Aspergers and the sensory issues my son  has so I can work to make his life better through understanding.


I haven't been reading much fiction lately (hence the lack of reviews) because my stack of books all relate to Aspergers, sensory sensitivity, and gluten free diets (apparently there's a connection between gluten and a lot of disorders so it's worth trying if it can make my son healthier and happier).


However today (April 28) a new fiction anthology is being released by Entangled Publishing- Love Knows No Bounds and 100% net profits from the sales go to Autism Speaks and I know I'll be purchasing a copy.

The stories will be available individually and in the anthology. I believe you can download them individually as ebooks and the anthology will be available as an ebook and in print (don't quote me on this I'm not 100% sure). All I know is that I want a print copy added to my bookshelf.


Today the three authors of the anthology will be sharing a little bit of info about their stories.


Thanks to Boone, Nina and Brooke for being part of this charity anthology for Autism.

Autism is a condition that affects so many families, and consequently, I’m really excited to be part of the Entangled Publishing’s charity anthology, Love Knows No Bounds.

The novellas are all love stories and mine, Remember Me, is a paranormal romance. It’s a redemption story and tells of the love between an angel and the woman who will love him for eternity.

Long ago, Cade betrayed his own people to give his human wife eternal life. In doing so lost her, and was turned into a demon of the Abyss. Now Cade has a second chance to regain her love, if only he can make her remember…

And here’s the blurb for Remember Me:

Unable to bear the thought of losing his mortal wife, Caden Wolfe steals the Elixir of Life and offers her eternity. But the theft is discovered, his wife is slain, and Caden is stripped of his angel’s wings and cast down into the Abyss.

Having drunk of the Elixir of Life, Phoebe Little’s soul is tied to the earth in a perpetual cycle of death and rebirth. Unaware that she has lived countless lives, Phoebe is haunted by the loss of a love she has no memory of.

Caden has spent a thousand years searching for his wife. Now he has found her, and only Phoebe’s love can redeem them both. But Phoebe fell in love with an angel, and Caden is now a demon of the Abyss. Can she see past what he has become, remember the love they once shared, and have a second chance at forever?

And a little excerpt from Remember Me to whet your appetites:

Cade kissed her mouth, her cheek, her eyes…small biting kisses, as though he wanted to devour her.

“Eleni…”

He whispered the name through the kisses. Phoebe went instantly still as the word broke through the fog of desire engulfing her, dousing her in a deluge of icy cold. Her hands moved to his shoulders, and she pushed him away. For a moment, his grip tightened, then he loosened his hold lowered her so she stood on her own feet again. Pulling free of him, she took a shaky step forward, then another. She came up against the desk and put out a hand to the cool steel to steady herself, trying to clear her brain of the haze of lust and desire.

Eleni.

The name from her dream. And now, as her brain slowly began to function again, she remembered where she had heard it before. Cade had spoken it in the compound in Afghanistan, just before the world had exploded.

She glanced at him. He was watching her, his expression wary, though his dark eyes still glowed with residual desire. Regret nudged at her mind, but she forced it down. She needed to understand what was happening here. “Who’s Eleni?”

He didn’t answer the question. Instead, he crossed the room and poured them both a whisky, placing the glasses on the coffee table before sinking onto the sofa.

“Sit down,” he said.

She gritted her teeth. “I don’t want to sit down. I want to know who Eleni is.”

“Sit down, and I’ll tell you.” When she didn’t move he continued, a faint thread of impatience lacing his voice. “Sit down, Phoebe. I won’t touch you again…unless you want me to.”

I’m so thrilled to be part of Entangled Publishing’s project to raise money for Autism Speaks.

My novella, Tweet, was inspired by a real life event. As my husband drove around looking for a restaurant, I pulled out my iPad to search for the address. After finding it, I popped onto Twitter and began surfing. I don’t know how, but I stumbled upon Satan’s Twitter account. Seriously, the profile said, By clicking follow you agree to bind your soul to Satan. Or something like that in 140 characters or less.

My husband and I laughed and I said, “Wouldn’t it be funny if that was true?”

I froze with one of those wide-eyed expressions a writer gets when a great idea pops into their head. From that moment Tweet was born. Though there are more Satan and social networking stories in my near future, I had to offer this one up when Liz P. when she put out a call for the Autism Project. 

100% of profits go to Autism Speaks, an organization that helps families by providing resources and information. It’s amazing to me how many people are touched by autism and I’m so happy to give Tweet to this great venture.

Tweet Blurb:

When one time ultra-shy girl, Faye Albert, decides to live a little, she inadvertently binds her soul to Satan by following the Dark Prince on Twitter.

Now she needs to break the contract or face eternal damnation. With time running out and her desperation growing, Faye enlists the help of Christopher White, a gorgeous photographer from work and her secret crush.

To sweeten the deal Satan’s minion tempts her every step, offering her things she’s only dreamed of. Will Faye be able to say no to a lifetime of earthly treasures and possibly lose the only man she’s ever loved or will her leap of faith finally deliver exactly what her heart has yearned for?

The third author in the Love No Bounds anthology, is Brooke Moss.

Her connection to Autism is deeply personal. 

When asked " In a single sentence, what will sales of the anthology for the supported cause mean to you?"

This was her response:    

"Frankly, every single sale of this book is a personal donation made towards my son, Sam’s, success and well being; and there is nothing that a reader can do that will touch my heart more than building a world for Sam that is more accepting and understanding." 

 Bittersweet Blurb: 

Anna Kirkpatrick isn't looking for love. Being a single mom to Bowan, her eight-year-old autistic son, takes up all of her time...leaving no room for romance. Willing to do anything to help her son come out of his shell, Anna agrees to take Bowan to cooking classes with a world class chef. 

Motorcycle-riding pastry chef Leo Mancini isn't exactly searching for "the one", either. After losing every penny he had, his business, and his girlfriend, he's moved to northern Idaho to sulk, restart his career, and pay his sister back for a loan that no amount of money could ever really suffice. 

When Anna and Leo discover that Bowan's fondness for the kitchen extends beyond his peculiar cookbook collection, Leo quickly becomes the one person who can break through his barriers. 

But will Leo and Anna's attraction lead to more than just a weekly cooking lesson?

Your Behind the Scenes Look at Dreamland! Guest Blog with S.M. Blooding

Hey, this is Frankie and I’ll be taking you behind the scenes of Dreamland, the place where dreams really do come true!

I guess the first place to start is Dreamers Hill. Whether you see it or not, your dustman will take you here first. Luk’s a bit of a show off and he likes to take his kids on a magic fairy dust ride, but that doesn’t negate the fact that you first have to come here. Dreamer’s Hill is like the elevator. Each dustman has their own level. They’re a bit like bears and wolves, very territorial. It’s pretty rare to see another dustman in someone else’s realm, but there you go.

Let’s go ahead and see a couple of levels so you get a better grasp. Everyone’s seen Luk’s Dreamland – well, if you haven’t, just visit my site and you will. LOL! But just one level below is Ren’s. He’s a clockwork dustman and a total nut, and as you can see his favorite color is red. Red sun, gold gears, reddish grass. *grins* Look over there beyond the gear trees and the swooping grass. Do see that old willow? That’s Grandmother Willow. She’s on every level. Some say it’s her roots that keep everyone all strung together. She’s very smart and if you need advice on anything, she’s the one to go to!

Oh, you know what? Let’s go ahead and get off here ‘cause I want to take you on a riverboat ride. Yeah, come on. Beware of that grass, though. It will try and take your legs off. I honestly don’t know how Ren keeps his dreamers safe, but it’s so neat!! Do you hear that whirring? He’s a gadgeteer and just loves making new things! It’s neat! But that’s not what I wanted to show you. This is what I wanted to show you. Boat, please! This is Dreamer’s Creek. This runs through every level as well, except for the Nightmare Realm. But that’s just a strange place anyway. Oh, here we go. Yup, just hop on. It’s okay. It’s supposed to wobble a bit. Just sit tight. There you go.

Dreamer’s Creek is a odd little entity. I’m pretty sure there’s some kind of time warp wormhole quantum physics at play here. LOL! Once you’re in the creek, you get to the edge real fast.

And here we are. All around us is black void. We don’t know if it’s space or if this is just a void of…
nothing. All I really know is that all of Dreamland resides in here, wherever that is. Look behind you. Isn’t it amazing? All those levels of Dreamland. All those dustmen. All those colors!

Now, I have no idea if we’re heading up or down. Honestly, don’t have a clue, but Dreamers—Sweetie, it’s okay. Just hold on. We’re going to be fine. Dreamer’s Creek dumps into the Lake of Dreams. I would recommend you don’t go in there. People who go in the water don’t generally come back out again.
Unless you’re a nightmare. *narrows eyes and acknowledging nod* I know. Weird.

Whew! Here we are. Dreamer’s Lake. The rocks are like crystal. Shout. No, really. Just give a shout! Yeah. LOL!

Listen to it just echo back! It’s amazing! And this water. How far do you think you can see? I know, right? It looks like you can all the levels of Dreamland through that lake.

What you don’t see are all the people who make this possible, the dreammakers, the mechanics, the cleaners, the protectors, dreamwalkers, watchmen, craftsmen and the like. For all that this place is amazing, it’s a bit high maintenance.

Well, this ends our behind the scenes look. I’d like to take you to the Nightmare Realm, but we need a nightmare as a guide and they don’t come when you call. LOL!

I hope you enjoyed! For a more in-depth tour of at least one of the realms (Luk’s, go figure) please read The Dustman.

And later this year, The Nightmare. Enjoy! Have a lovely day!

The Dustman

A Dreamland Story

SM Blooding

Available: April 3, 2012
Format: E-book

Blurb:

Dustmen are useless.

Meg has two kids, one of which is hell bent to land himself in jail. She’s about to lose her house, her home, her ability to support her children. Her aunt tells her to publish the story of her childhood friend, her dustman, her Luk.

Dreamland is empty.

He’s watching his world shrink, his friends blinking out of existence. Children no longer call for him. He’s watched his fellow dustmen disappear while their lands are eaten by a ferocious void.

There is no cure.

He’s next.

About the Author:

SM Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie, their new addition, Mr. Bird, who’s a real bird. She likes to hike the beautiful Rocky Mountains, and is learning to play the piano and guitar. Currently, she’s trying to MURDER them both. Friends call her Frankie.

She’s dated vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, weapons smugglers and US Government assassins. Yes. She has stories.

She’s also an investigator with a local paranormal investigation group, Colorado Paranormal Rescue!


Find out more about her at:

Twitter

Facebook             

Website/blog

Merlyn's Raven Excerpt

EXCERPT:

The scream hung in the air like the waxing moon outside my window. I touched my face, expecting to feel the wound there, my skin cut somehow as Myrddin’s had been in the dream. My trembling fingers came away clean. My heart raced as my mind recovered, but I tore from my bedchamber nonetheless, darting through the shadowed hallways of Grandfather’s household, avoiding the guards that stood, dozing, at the ends of corridors. I knew I’d be beaten if I was caught, but nothing was as important as getting to Myrddin.

I reached the familiar door and slipped inside. He lay on his simple pallet beneath the window casement, but his eyes were open in the moonlight. They sparkled like dew on the grass, as did the sweat that dampened his hairline. His hand lay against his cheek, searching for the phantom wound.

“What is it?” I breathed, my heart still pounding as if it had never pumped before. “I had a nightmare about you.”

He sat up, his body shaking, and I pulled the blanket up over his shoulders as tremors wracked him. He gripped the cover with one hand and took mine in his other. It was not a fit, I knew, but an icy chill stole over me. “I had a vision.”

“It was you, was it not?” I forced the words out, even though they pained me to say them. “Trapped? Tortured?”

He nodded. I could bear it no longer, and flung myself into him, burying my face in his chest. He hesitated, but then his arms came around me, and I nearly gasped from relief, from knowing he was with me, warm and alive and safe.

“What does it mean?” I moaned.

“It is the future we see.”

I tilted my chin up to look at him, and he stared down into my face, one brow arched as if puzzling over a new plant he’d found while scavenging. “How is it that we see it together, raven? How is it that we are connected?”

“I love you.” The words, so sacred and yet sounding so simple, tumbled out. I did not care. Here in the dark, where there was no one else, the rest of the world seemed frozen, unimportant, and far, far away. Blaise, sleeping in the next room, was forgotten. I did not think of my grandfather and his plot to find me a husband, or of his threats to kill any man that stood in the way of that.

Only this moment between us mattered. Myrddin had to know that I thought of nothing but him, sought naught but his presence, heard only his voice with the pounding of my heart. It was bold and brash and dangerous, it was everything I wanted to be, my own true self, and I knew he understood that.

“I know,” he whispered. “And you should not.”

He tried to pull his hand away, yet I clung to it, my voice hardening. “Why do you say that? You are everything to me.”

“You speak of love, Gwendydd, and yet you have told me countless times how you long not for a husband, but for freedom.”

“You are my freedom. Do you not see? You, who have taught me healing and storytelling and magick. . .so many things. You are right—I did not know what I longed for until I met you, and then I understood.” I lifted my hand, daring to touch his cheek, and he allowed it. “This must be love, for it to seep so deeply into me, into my very soul.”

Softness settled into his gaze as he stared at me. “You are a poet, raven.” He teased, I knew, to turn the subject, but I would not be abashed.

“It frightened me, Myrddin. The dream. I cannot bear to be without you, or to have you hurt.”

“And yet there is no way to stop it, if it is my fate.” He gathered me against him and pushed us both up to our feet, shaking the blanket from his shoulders. He guided me toward the door but did not pull away, and I savored his closeness. “Come. You must go back to your chambers. If Brychan finds you here, or if someone sees us and informs him, he will kill us both.”

We shuffled in silence along the corridors, slipping past the sleepy guards undetected. When we came to my quarters, Myrddin placed his hands on my shoulders and looked at me sternly, as Betrys sometimes did when she preached her gospel of Jesus.

“Blaise has told me, Gwendydd, that unrest stirs in the land. The Cymry chieftains like your grandsire cannot quell it, and it will come to call here very soon. But these changes, all of them, no matter what they are, must unfold as they are meant to. We may never understand all that happens, but that is our challenge in life. And that includes whatever this vision may portend for me.”

I matched his seriousness with my own. “Whatever happens, we are meant to be together. I understand that much.”

His hand moved underneath my loosened hair, cupping the back of my head like a pillow, and his expression of wonder made me dizzy. “It is foolish and reckless, raven, but yes. I think I understand it as well.”

He left me standing there in a pool of moonlight, my mind spinning as the stars overhead, replaying his words over and over again to seal them permanently in my memory.

 April 23 Tour Intro /Excerpt

Fang-tastic Books 

www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com 

April 24 Promo 

Roxanne’s Realm 

www.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com 

April 25 Guest Blog 

The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom 

www.creativelygreen.blogspot.com 

April 27 Guest blog 

 ~**All the days of (Book Blog)**~

May 3 Promo and interview 

JeanzBookReadNReview 

 http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.com/ 

May 5 Guest Blog and review 

Always a Booklover 

 http://alwaysabooklover.blogspot.com

May 7 Guest Post 

Paranormal Romantic Suspense 

http://sjclarke.com/blog-2/ 

May 6th Promo

http://aobibliosphere.blogspot.com/ 

May 8th  Review 

http://aobibliosphere.blogspot.com/ 

May 8 Guest Blog 

SalaciousReads 

www.salaciousreads.com 

May 8 Guest Blog 

Fiction Fascination 

http://fictionfascination.blogspot.com/ 

May 14 Guest Blog and review 

Lissette E. Manning 

http://www.simplistik.org/lissetteemanning 

May 16 Promo 

Reader Girls 

www.readergirlsblog.com 

May 17 Promo and review 

The Jeep Diva 

http://www.thejeepdiva.com/ 

May 17 Guest blog and review 

Urban Girl Reader – 

http://www.urbangirlreader.com 

May 19 Guest Blog (review later) 

Read2Review 

http://read2review.com 

May 20 Guest blog and review 

Butterfly-o-Meter Books 

May 20 review and interview 

Kindling the Fire 

kindlecatchingfire.blogspot.com 

June 15 Interview (SQAI) 

Night Owl Book Lover’s Magazine

Merlyn’s Raven

By Rose Vanden Eynden

Soul Mate Publishing

Short Blurb

For a young woman, falling in love is the ultimate magic. But what if the object of her affection is Merlyn, destined to be King Arthur’s legendary advisor? Can Gwendydd work her own magic to capture the heart of the world’s most powerful enchanter, or will her desire destroy her and the people she loves most?

Back Cover Blurb

Falling in love is the ultimate magic. For Gwendydd, a young woman in 5th century Wales, it seems an unobtainable fantasy. She dreads the day her chieftain grandfather will marry her off to increase his allies among the warring tribes of Britain. When she meets the mysterious and handsome druid apprentice Myrddin, Gwendydd realizes just how difficult falling in love can be. The ire of her disapproving grandfather is not her only obstacle. Myrddin’s clairvoyant visions of a king who will unify the battling tribes and bring peace to the land become a dangerous obsession that threatens to obliterate their union. Can Gwendydd support her beloved, the man destined to become the world’s most powerful enchanter, King Arthur’s legendary Merlyn? Or will her devotion destroy her and everything she holds dear?

About the Author:

Rose Vanden Eynden has always believed in magic, which probably explains how she is able to be a writer as well as a wife, mother, medium, massage therapist, minister, and instructor. She resides in a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, twin teenaged sons, and a dachshund named after Rudyard Kipling. In her spare (!) time, she enjoys performing in live theatre, watching films, reading, and walking in the woods. An avid believer in a balanced life, she meditates and eats chocolate daily.

Light Journey Enterprises
www.vandeneynden.biz

Read Rose's blog, STANDING BETWEEN THE WORLDS www.vandeneynden.biz/blog

Rose's books, available at all major bookstores:

SO YOU WANT TO BE A MEDIUM? A DOWN TO EARTH GUIDE

METATRON: INVOKING THE ANGEL OF GOD'S PRESENCE

ASK A MEDIUM: ANSWERS TO YOUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SPIRIT WORLD

Do you Twitter? Follow Rose: http://twitter.com/RoseofAvalon

Rose on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RoseVandenEyndenOfficial

Spotlight on Bandit Creek Books Devil Unknown by Steena Holmes

Bewitching Book Tours schedules promotion and review requests for Bandit Creek Books
You can see a complete list of Bandit Creek Books here: http://banditcreekbooks.com/books/

If you would like to schedule an interview with one of the authors or receive a pdf of one of the books for review please contact me at RoxanneRhoads@bewitchingbooktours.com 


Please include your blog name and url, the title of the book you would like to review, and/or name of the author you would like to interview and a couple of suggested dates you have available.

This week's spotlighted title is Devil Unknown by Steena Holmes





Devil Unknown
By Steena Holmes
Genre: Supernatural Suspense
A Bandit Creek Thriller

Blurb:

“Each generation, evil takes form and steals the soul of the most devout.”

A long forgotten myth holds the key to the evil descending upon Bandit Creek. When the town turns to their beloved former pastor for answers, little do they realize he may be the evil they fear.

Nathan Hanlin is at a crossroads. His soul is in jeopardy, and he doesn’t know it. Yet. He thought leaving the church would be easy, but when demonic crows start talking and demons reveal a secret about his past -- he realizes turning his back on God might have been a mistake. A ripped page from a journal holds the key to discovering why the supernatural are appearing in Bandit Creek but it’s too late. The myth is real and the only person who knows the answer is missing. Can Nathan save the woman he loves...or is he the reason her life is in danger?





About the Author:

Two words can describe Steena. Chocolate and passion. Passion for life. For love. For adventure. For chocolate.

Weaving stories with passion for life flows through all of Steena’s stories – whether they be erotic romance under her pen name Anya Winter, in her women’s fiction or in her thrillers.


Join her in discovering the passion for life.


Twitter @SteenaHolmes


Website: www.steenaholmes.com


Bandit Creek Books: www.banditcreekbooks.com

Excerpt

He stood motionless in the cold, sparse room. Perfect for his plans.

The rat droppings were fresh. His intended guest would have more company than first thought. The stench of mold, urine and sulfur filled the air. The aroma aroused him.

He rubbed his hands together as he viewed the room. The scorched cement blocks were a nice addition. The fingers of long ago flames licked the walls and left burn patterns snaking towards the ceiling. The little cracks in the floor crisscrossed each other until the kaleidoscope of weeds peeping through the cracks decorated the floor. Ants and other insects scurried away from his boots as he walked around the room.

Chains anchored in the walls promised torturous delight. Exactly what his guest deserved. Saliva pooled and dripped from his lips as he imagined the hell he was about to create for her.

It was all for her.

Innocent. Humble.

A gift. For him.

Chapter 1

Rotting carcasses littered the path to home.

Nathan Hanlin entered the twilight zone as he drove along the curving mountain road towards home. The remnants of ominous music played in his mind. If he didn’t know better, from the dark swelling clouds filling his rearview mirrors to the dust swirls up ahead, Nathan would think he’d entered his own private hell.

Sentries of large black crows faced him on either side of the highway.

His worst nightmares come true.

For the past week his dreams were filled with the disgusting birds circling over a car wreck. Nathan shuddered at the memory. He’d heard that crows were once used as messengers from the spirits, but if they were trying to tell him something, he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear it.

He rolled his shoulders, trying to ease a kink that had set in more than an hour ago. The highway from the city to Bandit Creek stretched on forever. Ahead was the pass but at the rate he was going, it would be night before he reached it.

Swerving to miss another dead animal, Nathan’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. The crows’ beady eyes followed him as he drove past. It was unreal how they perched there, their black wings tucked tight against their slick bodies.

Only their eyes moved, as if tracking him.

He could have sworn they were looking directly at him. Not his vehicle. Him. As if they knew him.

The archway to the Pass approached in the distance. Nathan pushed his foot until the speedometer inched higher.  Thirty feet ahead a barricade of large black crows were positioned beneath the large metal sign with the aged black letters - Crow Mountain Pass. 

Swirling clouds of dust sheathed the birds’ movements, creating an illusion of a huge black dust storm. Hundreds of eyes stared at him.

You need us.

Nathan jerked his foot off the pedal. What the…?

He must be more tired than he thought. Not a good thing to be on this road. He’d conducted too many funerals from late night driving accidents on this windy road.

His vehicle inched its way along, coming to a full stop right before the crows as their deafening caws filled the air. The side windows and windshield cracked as the multitude of crows flew at him, their screams filling the air. Nathan ducked his head to his steering wheel, hands over his ears. The glass shook from the impact. Nathan was sure his windows would break. He didn’t understand what was happening. His skin rippled from the onslaught of the invisible beaks poking at his skin. Fingers of dread tunneled through his brain. Nathan cried out in anguish, begging God for help.

Raising his head, he jammed his foot on the gas and accelerated until he drove past the swirling cascade. Gasping, Nathan struggled to regulate his breathing, failing with each inhale. Once he made it beneath the archway, he glanced in his rearview mirror. Nothing.

No crows, no swirling dust, nothing. The chaos had vanished.

He hit the brake, his toes cramping from the quick movement. He leaned forward and rested his arms on the steering wheel.  Scratch marks ran along the hood.

Nicked, dented and littered with stray feathers, his truck looked like it had been dragged into hell. Nathan reached for the door handle then stopped. His arms collapsed and chafed against the leather edge of the wheel before they fell onto his legs. His body shook as if an earthquake erupted beneath his feet and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Pools of sweat poured down his face as they mingled with his tears.

What just happened?

Excerpt Choices and $50 Amazon GC Giveaway

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