Releasing today: The Allegories of the Tarot Anthology!

Get the Allegories of the Tarot Anthology in on Amazon and Smashwords. Add the Allegories of the Tarot Anthology to your Goodreads to-read shelf!

Swing by the Allegories of the Tarot Facebook page and enter the release-day giveaway of a custom Tarot box--complete with Tarot deck!

Who hasn't been fascinated by the mysterious Tarot, writer and reader alike? For centuries, fortune-telling by the Tarot has caught many an imagination, but nothing like what will be presented here. 22 cards... each an individual splinter of the human psyche. 22 writers... honing each splinter into a story of triumph and decay, arrogance and humility. Stories of the brightest lights and the darkest corners of the weirdest minds. 22 cross-genre worlds. 22 portals into the Universal. Only one way to get there. Come with us. Cross the portals. The Universal awaits.

About the book

Once upon a time, there was an editor with a fascination for the Tarot. She was struck one day by a crazy idea. "Hey," she said. "What if twenty-two writers each wrote a story about the twenty-two cards of the Major Arcana of the Tarot and were fashioned into an anthology?" The idea would not leave her alone. And thus, the Allegories of the Tarot was born. Crowdfunded by a campaign on Indiegogo with the help and support of an amazing group of writers, twenty-two stories were crafted around the mysteries of the Tarot. The group includes a Pushcart Prize nominee, a Pulp Ark nominee, a former Bigfoot researcher, a journalist, an award-winning YA author, and a Rhysling Award winner. Professional writers, new talent, and a range of genres boggling the mind: Horror, Speculative Fiction, Bizarro Fiction, Erotica, Mystery, Humor, Paranormal, Epic Fantasy, Literary, Romance, and Historical Fantasy. What has emerged is an outstanding collection of fiction, unique and mysterious. Stories that will make you cry, make you laugh, and make you think. Stories that make you feel the touch of the Universe. Dare to step through the portal to shadowy realms and emotional journeys.

Early readers have fallen in love with the Allegories of the Tarot

"Allegories of the Tarot Anthology is a magical book. Magic that will keep you turning the pages. There are muses, demons, psychics, evil,and more! I shivered, I laughed and I even cried. Magic, I tell you. Magic." -Julie Affleck "Reviewing an anthology is slightly more difficult than discussing a book or comic because the tone varies from author to author. However, Allegories somehow flowed together as a well-matched whole. The project ended up feeling like several beads strung together to form a beautiful necklace that were more amazing for being paired together." -Jodi Scaife "All twenty-two stories in this volume are, in a word, superb. I found myself scouring the Internet as I read it; every story made me want to go find more work by its author. The ultimate compliment I can give Allegories is to say that when I finished it, I thought how I envy those who haven’t read it yet." -Lisa Millraney

Get the book!

Allegories of the Tarot is available in e-book and paperback format on Amazon, and in multiple e-book formats on Smashwords. Don't forget to add Allegories of the Tarot to your to-read shelf on Goodreads. Connect with the Allegories of the Tarot Anthology on its website, Facebook, and Twitter. Erin

Posts You May Have Missed

Winter's Heat by Cristin Harber (@CristinHarber & @GoddessFish)

Today, I welcome Cristin Harber to Beyond My Writing Space, with the action packed Winter's Heat. 

I really really enjoyed Winter's Heat. There chemistry, intrigue, and a lot of action. Its perfect escapism for a cold autumn night. Colby Winter's is action man with soft squishing centre and Mia Kensington is psychologist with a hard core as Colby finds out when he attempts to rescue her from her abductors. 

I don't want to give too much away with this one because its one I'd definitely recommend. But as they crawled under each others skin, I found myself chuckling, later rooting for both of them in different ways, and smiling when they reached the end. 

Buy Winters Heat at Amazon

The Deets

After putting her life on the line to protect classified intelligence, military psychologist Mia Kensington is on a cross-country road trip from hell with an intrusive save-the-day hero. Uninterested in his white knight act, she’d rather take her chances without the ruggedly handsome, cold-blooded operative who boasts an alpha complex and too many guns.

Colby Winters, an elite member of The Titan Group, has a single objective on his black ops mission: recover a document important to national security. It was supposed to be an easy in-and-out operation. But now, by any means necessary becomes a survival mantra when he faces off with a stunning woman he can’t leave behind.

When Titan’s safe houses are compromised, Colby stashes Mia at his home, exposing his secret—he’s the adoptive father of an orphaned baby girl. Too soon, danger arrives and Mia lands in the hands of a sadistic cartel king with a taste for torture. As hours bleed into fear-drenched days, Colby races across the globe and through a firestorm of bullets to save the woman he can’t live without.

Inside the cover of Winter's Heat

Gunfire surrounded her. Coming for them, shooting away from them. They fired. He fired back. The burnt gunpowder floated behind him, blazing into her nose and eyes. Still, she pushed, moving as he moved, tracing his cross-hatched steps, ducking when he ducked. A shadow behind the man.

She heard a thump. He growled and missed a step but didn’t stop moving. Brilliant red blood sprayed onto her. He didn’t slow. Her legs burned keeping the pace.

They rounded the corner, and he pressed her against the stucco wall. His blood stained her. It painted the wall and covered his hands. Vehicles came their way. Armed men poured from a hole in the perimeter fence like ants from an anthill. Fireballs from the jungle hit the vehicles. Violent explosions sent deadly fireworks into the sky. Rubber and diesel burned hot. Black smoke billowed around the armed men running toward them.

The heat, humidity, and smoke would have slowed a lesser man. So would a gunshot wound. He scanned the vast lawn.

“We have to make it past that hole in the fence. There’s a vehicle waiting for us. We’ve got a sniper in the trees, and two more men on the ground. When you see someone dressed like me, you run like hell toward him. Got it?”

“You’re hurt.” She wanted to run her hands across his skin and stop the bleeding.

He ignored her. “Say it, Mia. Can you do this?”

“I can.” She gave him a strong nod, exacerbating her headache. She didn’t care. Colby was here, and she’d do whatever he needed her to do.

“You got this. Let’s go.”

He gave her a small push in the right direction. Bullets sounded around her. Men ran toward them, guns pointed their way. The shots hit the grass, spitting up dirt, and slapping her face. She tasted blood and grit, and felt the filth in her mouth, which caked her lips and teeth.

White-hot pain rocketed through her. A dizzying flash made her stumble. He grabbed her upright.

“Flesh wound. Keep going,” he shouted above the noise. His teeth were gritted together. He huddled beside her, pulling her. “There’s Jared. Run!”

Another thump. He was hit again, as he shielded her from the rain of artillery. One by one, men advanced toward them and were dropped by a sniper. But as one went down, another appeared.

She heard another bullet hit. Winters dropped to his knee, pulled Mia under him, and cursed violent threats. His sweat and blood coated her. She felt it through the layers of clothing and vests. He scooped her with one arm and crawled behind a statue.

“How bad are you hurt, Colby?”

“Doesn’t matter.” His labored breaths worsened with each passing moment.

“How bad, damn it?”

Winters stopped laboring and laughed. “You’re unreal, you know that?”

Mia glared at him.

“Bad. But I think Kevlar got most of it. Everything heals. I’m not worried. Jared’s twenty yards ahead, picking them off. We have to go for it right now. Or we don’t have a chance. You got it, babe?”

“I can do this.”

“I know you can. Run, baby, run.” He took off at a limped sprint, acting as a barrier from the fire again.

His leg went out from under him. The whiz of bullets went to slow motion, the sound ceased. Mia dropped on bent knees, watching him on the ground.

“Run, goddamn it,” he shouted. His veins popped out of his neck as he fired into the distance.

The world came back, loud and furious. Her legs moved, even though her mind was numb. Jared appeared out of nowhere. He jumped from his perch and snared her with an arm, dragging her into the vehicle.

“Wait. Colby.”

Jared threw the vehicle into gear and spun tires as he tore down the makeshift road. Branches and jungle leaves scratched at the windshield.

Mia launched at Jared, hitting his shoulder.

“Colby’s hurt.” Tears and terror filled her throat. The very depths of her soul ached. Her screech turned to a pleading whisper. “Please. Help him.”

“They were right on your tail. They’ve got him by now.”

Dread ricocheted through her head. All the pain and loss pressed onto her. Suffocating despair ripped her apart. Tears streamed down. Rapid breaths came fast. Too fast. She tried to cut them off but failed. All went black.

The Giveaway

Cristin will be awarding a $25 GC to Victoria’s Secret, and gifted e-copies of the five titles in the series (starting w/ Winters Heat. Three novels and two novellas) to one randomly drawn commenter during this tour AND the Virtual Super Book Blast tour.

The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found below. Follow the tour!

Who is Cristin Harber?

Romantic Suspense Author: Higher Stakes. Hotter Action.

MOM. WIFE. AUTHOR.

Lover of all things sexy and happily ever after.

I live outside Washington, DC with my family: my husband (who doesn’t mind my collection of book boyfriends), an independent toddler, and an English bulldog named Britta who loves to be a conversation piece. Oh, we have a baby on the way—arriving about the same time as WINTERS HEAT debuts!

I love southern food, listen to country music, am always too hot or too cold, and spend hours reading and writing. I cheer on my University of Louisville Cardinals-GO CARDS! When I’m not pregnant (or nursing), I like a little bourbon or sweet wine. Pregnant or not, I love a lot of chocolate.

I can’t save the world, so instead, I write about those that do. There’s a special place in my heart for those who keep us safe. My Titan series debuts this fall with five titles available in 2013: WINTERS HEAT, GARRISON’S CREED, WESTIN’S CHASE, CHASED, and GAMBLED.

signup for series info 

 Connect with Cristin at 

GOODREADS: 

WEBSITE: 

FACEBOOK: 

TWITTER: 

Erin

Winter's Heat on Tour

October 14: Jenna Allen
October 15: Sarah Grimm, Author
October 16: Chris Redding Author
October 17: Wake Up Your Wild Side
October 18: Wicked Readings by Tawania
October 21: A Writer's Life
October 22: Sexy Adventures, Passionate Tales
October 23: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
October 24: Renee Entess's Blog
October 25: Beyond My Writing Space
October 28: You Gotta Read Reviews
October 29: In Shadows
October 30: Nana Prah's Blog
October 31: The Pen & Muse Book Reviews
November 1: Indy Book Fairy
November 4: Sandra's Blog
November 5: Susana's Morning Room 
November 6: Snarky Mom Reads...
November 7: Rachel Brimble Romance
November 8: The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat
November 11: JM Stewart
November 12: Fantasy Powered by LoveK
November 13: Booklover Sue
November 14: Room With Books
November 15: Worlds of Possibilities
November 18: Welcome to My World of Dreams 
November 19: Book2Buzz
November 20: It's Raining Books 
November 21: Romance Addict Book Blog
November 22: Adrienne deWolfe
November 25: Musings and Ramblings
November 26: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
November 27: Straight from the Library
November 28: Literary Nook
November 29: Long and Short Reviews
December 2: Queen of the Night Reviews
December 3: Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess
December 4: Tory Richards
December 4 SECOND STOP: Sun Mountain Reviews
December 5: Dalene's Book Reviews
December 6: The Simple Things in Life

Billionaire Banker by Georgia Le Carre

                    

The Deets...

When Lana Bloom learns the devastating news that her mother is dying, she is faced with a terrible dilemma.  The one thing that can save her is the one thing she does not have.  For young and innocent Lana, the unthinkable becomes her only choice.

But when she walks through the door of that exclusive restaurant she has no idea of the seismic shift her life is about to take, for the highest bidder will not be the rich man she has accompanied.  Fate drops her at the feet of the deeply mysterious and dazzlingly gorgeous American banker, Blake Law Barrington.  Throbbing with raw masculinity and arrogance, this is a man who owns all that he pursues.

And now he wants her.

Lana cannot deny she is both intrigued and intoxicated by the world Blake inhabits and the smouldering passion he stirs in her body, but she is also fearful for this man is addictive, and right now she is very vulnerable.  She knows she should focus only on the arrangement, but how can she…when he has opened a door that cannot be closed?

Inside the Cover of The Billionaire Banker

‘Have you read Fifty Shades Of Grey?’

Lana looks into Rupert’s mean, pale eyes. ‘No, but isn’t it about a sick man who abuses his lover?’

‘Perhaps it is not a sickness, but a matter of taste.’

‘Is that what you want from me?’

‘In a manner of speaking. What I really like is taking a woman by force. A dangerous activity likely to end me behind bars, so I am willing to settle for consensual rape. You will meet me in parks and alleyways, or I will pick you up in my car from a street corner and you will pretend to resist while I overpower you and rape you. There will be a bit of pain and sometimes it will involve a little bleeding, but I will never mark your face or leave any permanent scars. And when I am finished I will leave you in the gutter to make your own way back. Would that be acceptable to you?’

Shocked to her core, Lana hears her own voice as if from far away say, ‘How many times would you expect this…service from me?’

‘Let’s say five times?’

She feels as if she is a stick-figured bird precariously perched on a thin wire. Rupert’s face is frozen into a cold mask. A businessman to the end. Ten thousand must be the going price. The champagne has made her feel quite light-headed. He is waiting for something from her. He has already figured that her body is her last option. Can she really agree to let someone rape her? Unable to speak she nods.

‘Perhaps I should let you lick the brim to taste the poison,’ he murmurs, and moves closer to her. Instinctively, she takes a step back on her tall shoes, and if not for the solid wall against her back, would have fallen. With the trailing fronds of a palm tree and his big body hiding her from the party his hand comes up to pinch her right nipple. So hard she gasps in shock and pain. He takes that opportunity to crash down on her open mouth, bumps his teeth against her lips, and pokes a pointy, muscular tongue into her mouth. His tongue tastes coppery and bitter. 

Copious amounts of saliva pour into her mouth making her want to gag. The oysters she has not eaten but watched him eat flash into her mind. His tongue feels slimy and dirty. She wants to brush her teeth, rinse, spit, and rinse again with the extra-strong mouthwash that her father used to have in the bathroom cabinet. She truly needs to go somewhere and be sick, but pinned tightly by his strong ox-like body to the wall she finds herself totally unable to move. She feels his hand force itself between her thighs and slide up quickly. His rough, sausages-like fingers are already grasping the rim of her knickers and pushing the material aside. And there is not a single thing she can do about it. Tears gather at the backs of her eyes and begin to roll down her face. 

Suddenly he removes his mouth and looks down at her. Her face is white with horror and she is gasping for breath. He brings up a hand and touches her face. Her distress seems to please him. Her suffering is his pleasure. She is playing the part perfectly. If she had enjoyed it, it would have spoilt it for him.

‘For most part the symptoms of excitement and fear are so similar most men cannot tell the difference. I can,’ he whispers close to her ear, his thick fingers moving into the folds of her flesh. ‘I am going to finger-fuck you amongst all these high and mighty people and none of them will ever know.’

She is filled with loathing for him. Her brain scrambles for escape. Desperately, she pushes the palms of her hands against his chest. The nausea threatens at her throat. She must be sick ‘I need the toilet,’ she gasps. 

He hesitates for a second and then he smiles. It is the smile of a man who is too pleased with himself. ‘It’s not very posh to say toilet. This lot call it the loo. Go on, then,’ he says, and steps aside. 

The first thing her shocked, ashamed eyes meet is Blake. There is a blonde in a long red dress wrapped around him, but he is staring at Lana with an expression that she cannot fathom.

Buy At

http://www.amazon.com/The-Billionaire-Banker-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00FX9X6FY

Who is Georgia Le Carre? 

Georgia Le Carre lives in England, in an old 19th century romantic cottage surrounded by a magical garden filled with fruit and walnut trees. 

When she is not feeding words into her laptop, she is either curled up in bed with a box of chocolates and a good read, or lost in a long walk in the woods. Especially on moonlit nights.  And often with the man of her dreams.

Connect with Georgia at

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgia.lecarre

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeorgiaLeCarre

Weak a the Knees by Jo Kessel (@jo_kessel) and @GoddessFish #GF_WeakAtKnees

 Weak at the Knees

 Jo Kessel

Today I welcome Jo Kessel to Beyond My Writing Space,  Weak at the Knees is Jo’s debut novel in the new adult, contemporary romance genre – a story about love, loss and relationships, set between London and the heart of the French Alps.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway below for a chance to get your hands on a $50 Giftcard

The Deets

“We got so busy living life that we forgot to live our dreams.”

Danni Lewis has been playing it safe fortwenty-six years, but her sheltered existence is making her feel old ahead of time. When a sudden death plunges her into a spiral of grief, she throws caution to the wind and runs away to France in search of a new beginning.

The moment ski instructor Olivier du Pape enters her shattered world she falls hard, in more ways than one.

Their mutual desire is as powerful and seductive as the mountains around them. His dark gypsy looks and piercing blue eyes are irresistible.

Only she must resist, because he has a wife – and she’d made a pact to never get involved with a married man.

But how do you choose between keeping your word and being true to your soul?

Inside the cover of Weak at the Knees 

I tilt my head into his hand as he strokes my left cheek. He brings his lips in to meet mine and our eyes close. We seal our adulterous pact with a slow, slightly trembling, pressing kiss. When we pull away we smile, then hug standing, bodies tight and swaying, squeezing the breath out of each other.

He prods me playfully, steering me in the direction of my bedroom. When we get there he stands really close, running his hands up and down my arms, then holding my waist and consuming me with his gaze as he pushes me down onto the bed so that I land with him lying on top of me. I love the way his long black eyelashes curl at the ends, flickering. The way his nostrils flare ever so slightly when he inhales. The way his black mop flops forward, giving him a boyish look. We start kissing deeper and more urgently, gliding hands over each others’ bodies, one by one discarding each item of clothing, tossing them carelessly in the air, until we’re lying there completely naked, his flesh on mine. My body is one big tingle. No sooner than his hands gently glide over one part of my frame, my left breast, my right breast, my stomach, in between my legs, than the whole rest of me aches to be touched and not left out. His body is perfect, in its natural, lithe, muscular toning and in the texture of his skin, smooth and soft. His body is perfect in the way it fits on top of mine, meets mine and complements mine. I love feeling him, touching him, watching his eyes close dreamily when I stroke his back or kiss his neck. We take our time, everything in slow motion, taking pleasure in the contours of each others’ bodies. 

US buy link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E4VC70W

UK buy link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E4VC70W

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Who is Jo Kessel? 

When Jo was ten years old she wrote a short story about losing a loved one. Her mother and big sister were so moved by the tale that it made them cry. Having reduced them to tears she vowed that the next time she wrote a story it would make them smile instead. Happily she succeeded and with this success grew an addiction for wanting to reach out and touch people with words. Jo lives in London with her husband and three children where she works as a TV and print journalist. She tells life stories and can often be found travelling the globe researching the next big holiday hotspots for readers to enjoy. Since becoming a mother anything even remotely sad makes her cry. She’s a sucker for a good romance and tear-jerker movies are the worst. She’s that woman in the cinema, struggling to muffle audible wails as everyone else turns round to stare.

P.S Jo’s pretty certain one of her daughters has inherited this gene.          

Jo loves to hear from her readers and they can connect with her on:

Her website: www.jokessel.com

Twitter: @jo_kessel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kesseljo

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173167.Jo_Kessel


Erin

Posts You May Have Missed

Unexpectedly You by Lily Santana (@lilyoftheword) A @GoddessFish Promotion

 Unexpectedly You

by Lily Santana

I have great pleasure in welcoming Lily Santana to Beyond My Writing Space today, Unexpectedly You is Lily's first novel and after a long tiring weekend at work this was just the thing I needed to help me unwind and forget about rest of the world. I think its fab!

Lily is giving you the chance to win a lovely gift basket full of seaside goodies right here at this stop on her tour. And anyone who comments below will also be entered into the drawer for a $25.00 giftcard... see below for more details. 

The Deets...

To save his flailing real estate development project Mitch McKenna knows what he must do: persuade his nemesis and neighbor Emma LeFleur to go to bat for him and convince the town that he’s a sweetheart. Easy as pie, unless you consider he’s threatened to bulldoze her home with her in it.

Inside the Cover of Unexpectedly You...

Emma had just put away the last of the dishes when she heard a knock on the front door. David. Why can’t you just leave it be?

She trudged down the dark hallway, Bogie closely following at her heels. Sighing, she yanked open the door. “David—” Her words ground to a halt as she met a pair of intense blue eyes. 

“Sorry to disappoint,” Mitch said. 

“What do you want?” Her breath hitched in her throat. 

His gaze settled on her lips. “What did Bruin want to discuss with you?” 

“None of your business,” she snapped. She was sick of men trying to garner things out of her tonight. If she wanted to share something, she’d do it on her own.

His jaw clenched. “He didn’t stay long.” 

“So? What’s your point?” He rubbed his stubbled chin. “He couldn’t have had a chance to get out of the dugout.” 

Heat crept up her neck at his insinuation. “You actually think I would do something inappropriate with David for your sake? You really are a jerk.”
 

He waited a beat. “How far did you let him go for my sake?” 

She rolled her eyes. “Go to hell!” She attempted to slam the door, but he wedged his boot in the way. 

“I’ve been in hell for the last half hour,” he growled. In one smooth move, he slipped inside and shut the door behind him. 

Emma drew in a short breath. Like prey, the fight-or-flight instinct took over and she backed up the stairs one step at a time.

My thoughts on Unexpectedly You...

Smart, compassionate Emma LeFleur comes head to head with Mitch McKenna over everything. But mainly, the luxury condos he wants to build over the street, thus taking away her dog park and her beach view. There have already been many changes in Emma's life following the death of her husband, eighteen months ago. Including starting her business, and now her daughter is about to fly the nest and go off to college. 

Mitch McKenna is about to lose everything and a whole lot more if he loses the investor for his latest project, which is already months behind schedule thanks to Emma. She has made the progress as slow as possible by dragging him through as much red tape as possible. 

So when Emma needs to accept the offer Mitch made months ago he decides there's no one better to clear the red tape blocking construction progress than the very woman who caused it. But the sparks continue to fly and they succumb to the inevitable force that is the heat radiating between them.

I really enjoyed Unexpectedly You. Emma and Mitch have the kind of chemistry that drawers you in. I found myself laughing out loud at various places. Santana handles the grieving widow moving on storyline with the elegance and grace it deserves and without throwing it in your face every time Emma and Mitch's relationship takes one step closer to more than 'frenemies'. 

I also enjoyed the opening and closing scenes with Emma's daughter. It made me chuckle because I have nieces and nephews that age and yes they do talk like that. 

If you enjoy a good romance that sweeps you away then Unexpectedly You is a fabulous way to spend Sunday afternoon.

Full disclosure: I received a review copy of Unexpectedly You and this has not affected my opinion.

The giveaway ...

Lily will be awarding a gift basket with beach related stuff - salt water taffy, sand dollars, Carina Press discount coupon postcard, etc. (US Only) and one randomly commenter during the tour will win a $25.00 gift card to Amazon.

So leave your thoughts below. 

Who is Lily Santana...?

Lily Santana is an author of contemporary romance. Her first book, Unexpectedly You will be released August 26, 2013 with Carina Press.

Lily is a native of the Philippines but stewed for twenty-five years in the melting pot of New York City to which she credits her respectable ability to curse in multiple foreign languages. Fortunately, she also discovered the NYC Library where she spent countless hours daydreaming of one day becoming an author.

Like many of her readers, she began reading romance as a tween when she stumbled fortuitously upon her mother's stash of Harlequins and Mills & Boon. She loves sexy alpha heroes with a sense of humor and a little bit o’ grit.

Today Lily lives in the rainy Pacific Northwest with her two adorable puppies. When she's not writing, Lily spends her time splashing into puddles, shucking oysters, and learning to eat ice cream in the rain.

Learn more at www.lilysantana.com or email her at lily@lilysantana.com  Follow her on Twitter @lilyoftheword

Erin

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