Who Is Mistral Dawn?

Mistral Dawn is a thirty-something gal who has lived on both coasts of the US but somehow never in the middle. She currently resides in the Southeast US with her kitty cats (please spay or neuter! :-)) where she works as a hospital drudge and attends graduate school. Taken By The Huntsman is her first effort at writing fiction and if it is well received she has ideas for several more novels and short-stories in this series. Please feel free to visit her on FaceBook or drop her a line at mistralkdawn@gmail.com

Saturday, April 30, 2016

#Spring Into #Reading $180 #Cash #Grand #Prize #Giveaway!! :-)


Hey Everyone!! :-)

Guess what!! I have another exciting giveaway to tell you about!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 100 prizes, and the grand prize is $180 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)



Friday, April 29, 2016

#SitDownShutUp


Hey Everyone!! :-)

My friend Kate is back again today with some more of her thoughts about life, the universe, and everything. ;-)  Enjoy! :-)

Kate:
When my boss screamed “Kate, he's running!” I didn't realize precisely who it was but I was out the front door of the building before I even remembered to ask. It didn't take me any time at all to spot him and I understood why I was the one chasing him instead of one of the other staff. He was big. And angry. He also was not terribly fast, which was a good thing because I wasn't going to be winning sprints anytime soon. He slid to a stop and looked back when I called his name but there was nothing on his face that told me he understood who I was. He ducked behind the wall of a building and I could immediately tell that he'd bit himself hard enough to draw blood as it dripped down the wall where his fists were plowing into the siding with enough force to turn my stomach.

I yelled his name repeatedly until he looked at me and then I talked. I talked and talked, I don't remember about what and I don't think it mattered. He screamed, a high pitched wail of rage and confusion before he started to cry. His six foot two frame shook with sobs, his hands bruised, the bite no longer bleeding but still visible on his calloused hands. He had stripped off most of his clothes during the ordeal and I did the only thing I could. I took off my jacket and approached him, wrapped it around him and moved him inside to a dark, quiet room. I grabbed a cup of hot coffee and wrapped him in a blanket as he dozed off in the chair.

My boss, of course, was mad. Why had I given him the blanket? Wasn't I just encouraging this behavior? We should immediately sit down and talk to him about consequences for this outburst (read: punishment for having a meltdown). I finally turned on her after about ten minutes or listening to her harass me and with barely controlled fury exclaimed:

“When he melts, do you suppose he knows what he is doing? Do you think he planned that? Perhaps he decided to bite himself so hard he bled because he didn't like your job task? There is a time and a place to have a discussion about consequences and, frankly, this isn't it. So back the fuck off!”

Her face went pale and I could tell in that moment she wanted to fire me or hit me but, in the end, she did nothing. She was a bully and she knew it and I knew it. She was in a lot of ways a good person and she desperately wanted to do the right thing by the people I worked with and she dearly loved them but she was unable, even for a moment, to make something NOT about herself.

This is a common problem and one that many, many people who would not consider themselves self-centered suffer from. There is a time and a place for things, there are moments when it is appropriate to voice your opinion and many more moments when it is not. You do not kick someone who is already broken, you do not berate someone who has already lost everything there is to lose, and you do not turn funerals, weddings, holidays or birthdays into a personal war zone just so that you can “have your say.” There is a time when humanity demands nothing more of us than to just shut up. Learning when those moments are is part of being a functional, caring, genuine adult. Not everything is about you and that's okay, help keep it that way by not being an ass.


Thursday, April 28, 2016

#APC #Spotlight: K-Trina Meador's On #Top Of The #Rainbow!



Hey Everyone!! :-)

Today I'm spotlighting K-Trina Meador!  K-Trina is a wonderfully supportive member of the Author Professional Co-op group on Facebook and a terrifically talented author! She writes books both for children and adults, and you can find more about her work here:


On Top Of The Rainbow is one of her children's stories and those of you with a special rugrat in your life might want to check it out. :-)  Here's a little bit about it:

Five year old Gabe runs away from home. While in the forest he meets Lep and Elita and climbs a rainbow. On top of the rainbow, he must make the decision to cross over to a land of delight or go back to his family that he loves.
Come and visit with Gabe, Lep and Elita as they discover the importance of family love.


If that sounds like a story your child (or inner child ;-) ) might enjoy, you can find it for Kindle, Audible, and in hardcopy here:



Happy reading everyone! :-)


Wednesday, April 27, 2016

5 #Stars For #Rainbow #Dreams! :-)



Hey Everyone!!!

Check out this awesome review for Rainbow Dreams on the Dark Thoughts book blog!!


If that's not enough to convince you to check it out, maybe this trailer will do the trick! ;-)




Want your very own copy? ;-)  You can purchase Rainbow Dreams at any of these merchant sites:


Thank you all for stopping by today, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the latest in Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

The #Romance #Reviews' #Readers' #Choice #Awards - #Summer2016!


Hey Everyone!!!

There's just a few more days left in this contest, but there's still a chance to vote! Thank you all who have already voted, I really appreciate your support! :-)  If you haven't voted yet, there's still time!  Captivated By The Winter King and Intrigue In the Summer Court have both made it to the finals of the Romance Reviews' Readers' Choice Awards - Summer 2016, and with your help they might both win in their categories!  If you haven't done so already, please consider clicking on the links below and casting your vote. ;-)

Again, this is completely free and will only take a minute.  All I need you to do is click on each of the links and then click on the "Vote" button at the top of the pages.  That's it!




Thank you all again SO MUCH!  And please stop by again tomorrow for the newest edition of Mistral Dawn's Musings. :-)


The Romance Review


Monday, April 25, 2016

#Animal #Rescuer's #Guide To #Staying ( #Relatively ) #Sane! #Free! :-)



Hey Everyone!! :-)

Remember all those posts about animal rescue and animal advice?  Well, I've collected them all together and published them as a small book.  If you'd like, you can download the book for free from Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, Kobo, and iTunes.



Thanks for stopping in today, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)


Sunday, April 24, 2016

#Fantasy #Worlds #eMag #May2016!!



Hey Everyone!!

Guess what?  A new issue of the Fantasy Worlds eMag is out, and yours truly is featured in it!  I've shared an article with them, which you may have already read, about the difference between cyberpunk and steampunk, but I've also shared something with them which you haven't read!

There is now a new installment of the Spellbound Hearts series and for the moment it's available exclusively in the May 2016 issue of Fantasy Worlds eMag!  What's the best part?  It's free!  So please check out A Walk In The Woods and all the other fantastic content in the magazine below!




Want a clue of what to expect? I'll leave something at the bottom of this post that might give you a hint. ;-)  Happy reading!!




Saturday, April 23, 2016

#Spring Into #Reading $180 #Cash #Grand #Prize #Giveaway!! :-)


Hey Everyone!! :-)

Guess what!! I have another exciting giveaway to tell you about!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 100 prizes, and the grand prize is $180 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)



Friday, April 22, 2016

#APC #Spotlight: #Cigerets, #Guns, & #Beer by Phillip Stephens!



Hey Everyone!!

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed me sending some tweets for a hashtag game, on occasion.  That hashtag game is run by Phillip Stephens ( @stephens_pt ), who is a very active and supportive member of the Authors Professional Co-op Facebook group.  Phillip has written several books, but the title of one of them, Cigerets, Guns, & Beer, caught my eye and I wanted to share it with you.


Blurb:
Dodd breaks up a convenience store robbery when his car breaks down in Sweet Water Falls, Texas. What’s the thanks he gets? The sheriff won’t let him leave, the car lot can’t find the parts and everybody wants him for something—sales pitch, church membership, and even stud pony.

But most of all, it seems a family named Dodd were shot down robbing the bank in 1949 and the half million they stole remains missing. Everyone thinks Dodd returned to dig up the loot and no one intends to let him leave until he finds it—along with (or so the legends go) a long lost flying saucer.


Sound interesting?  Good! Get your copy here:



Thanks so much for stopping by today, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)




Thursday, April 21, 2016

#Fantasy #Worlds #eMag #Details!


Hey Everyone!! :-)

I know you've probably seen my posts for the individual issues of the new Fantasy Worlds eMag (two so far!).  It's an awesome free magazine to read, full of stories, reviews, features, sneak peeks, and other fantastic entertainment.  But I also wanted to let those of you who might be interested in getting your own work featured in it how to do that.

First, the eMag website has all the details, so that's where to go if you'd like to learn more.  The website is here:


But here's a quick overview of what they offer:

Advertising.............................$12-$50 depending on what kind of ad you'd like

Book Cover Design....................$45 for ready made covers/$95 for custom work

Banner or Promo Design..............$25

Proofreading...........................$50-$100 depending on manuscript length

Formatting.............................$45-$60 depending on manuscript length


As you see, their prices are quite reasonable, and their quality is second to none.  If you'd like more information, head over to their website and fill out the form on their Author Services page.  They'll get right back to you. :-)

If you're not an author, or you just don't need any of those services, their magazine is still worth checking out just for its own sake.  Like I said, it's pretty fabulous.  You can find the latest issue here:



Happy reading everyone! :-)




Wednesday, April 20, 2016

#NewRelease #Annoucement: #Atlantis #After #Midnite by Lisa Kulow!


Hey Everyone!!

Check out the fabulous Lisa Kulow's debut novel Atlantis After Midnite!!  Lisa has been wonderfully supportive of the indie author community, and now she has taken the plunge and put her own work out there.  So let's all give her the same support she has shown us and grab a copy of her book today! :-)

Atlantis After Midnite

The world is being torn apart for the people of Atlantis. Although this isn't the tale your use to hearing. The royal family including Crown Prince Kyrian are unable to comprehend the destruction that is happening all around them. In the midst of a plague. A lovely young Lady named Yew'll who is immune to the plague is brought before King Urian, and Prince Kyrian.
Upon seeing her the Prince was immediately enraptured by her beauty. He asks his father to let him have Yew'll as his personal servant. Sparks fly between the Prince and Yew'll. As catastrophe around them worsens, they end up deliciously enraptured with each other.
King Urian is making final preparations for his people safety and his family.
Prince Urian is to come to him in a secret room in the palace before Midnite.
With the most important thing to him.
As the Gods fury rains down on them, the people of Atlantis move about with purpose.
Prince Kyrian and Yew'll among them.
Strange things are happening, And the room makes strange surreal.
What could have happened? This is not your average tale of Atlantis.
Perhaps, The Royal Family are more than they seem? Did Atlantis really disappear forever? Or maybe there was another place to go..




Want to get to know Lisa better?  Check out her blog here:
















Tuesday, April 19, 2016

#NewRelease #Announcement: #Rainbow #Dreams!!!!



Hey Everyone!!! :-)

Guess what? It's finally here!!  Rainbow Dreams is now out!  What's it about?  I'm glad you asked!  Here's the blurb:

Have you ever had a terrible secret you didn't want anyone to know? Petri does and it may get her killed. Life is hard on Upworld, especially for the residents of Under City, and it's even harder for those who don't fit in. Petri has alway been different and now those differences may cost her life. Her one hope is to leave the only home she's ever known while evading the mob that's calling for her blood. But Petri has never been outside of her sector of Under City, never mind off the planet. And the laws of Upworld forbid people like her from leaving. Will Petri overcome the odds and make good her escape? Maybe...with a little help from her friends.

Sound interesting?  You can download it in seconds from the following merchants:








Now allow me to take a moment to draw attention to that amazing cover. The wonderful and talented Julie Nicholls created it, and I think she did a fantastic job of capturing Petri's likeness.  If you'd like to see more of her incredible work, check out her website here:



Okay, okay, I know, enough stalling.  If you're as excited as I am about this story, I know you're all ready for a peek:

Rainbow Dreams Chapter One

Lightning bolts of fire and ice shot up and down Petri's spine as she moved over the human man on the bed. Her short, slender body bowed with the sensations that washed over her. His lust was like a fountain of cold water on a hot day, and she was parched. It had been too long; she needed this. Desperately.

Looking down at him as she slid her body onto his straining cock, she smiled. This client had wanted to be blindfolded; he said he enjoyed the mystery. There was more mystery in Petri than most humans would know what to do with, so that was fine with her. With him blindfolded, she didn't need to be careful to keep her own eyes shut. This was going to be a good feed, and there was no way she could have kept her eyes from glowing.

The man moaned in pleasure. Being fed upon felt as good for humans as feeding did for Petri. None of her clients knew she sipped from their energy, their life force, when she fucked them. All they knew was that she was one hell of a talented dolly. A win-win for all involved.

This client was a regular; Petri had shown him many times how good it could be with her. Some of her regulars came to crave her, almost like the dream dust that was sold in the club below. They were guaranteed repeat business, and she always made sure to show them a good time. After all, that was her job.

The energy of the man's lust filled Petri as she glided up and down on top of him. She shivered. It was renewing, rejuvenating. She couldn't get enough. A few grains of dust remained on his upper lip as evidence of his earlier indulgence in some of the chemical delights that were available at Abracadabra.

It was clear her client was high long before Petri started feeding. Before she blindfolded him, she had noted the man's dilated pupils and the flush of pleasure on his face. She had no doubt the management of Abracadabra would go to great lengths to make sure he received the maximum enjoyment possible during his visit. There was a reason it was the hottest nightclub in this part of Under City.

The club specialized in hedonism in all its forms. Drugs of every description, games, gambling, and other, darker pleasures could be found within its walls. House dollies, little more than sex slaves, waited to fulfill the customers' every desire. Freelance dollies, like Petri, rented space to ply their trade as well. The house allowed it because the dollies offered the club's clientele more variety and were motivated to attract business. Once a patron had satisfied their lust, they often wandered downstairs in search of other entertainments.

Leaning down, Petri pressed her cat-like mouth to her client's lips in a sizzling kiss. Their tongues tangled as he responded, and she undulated her hips against his, faster and faster. The drugs he had consumed tainted his energy, giving Petri a pleasant buzz. She never took dust herself since it interfered with her ability to control her power, but she enjoyed the effect when one of her johns indulged. As their sex intensified, Petri drank deeper, swallowing down the man's whimpers and sighs of ecstasy as she swallowed his desire.

Lost in the haze of feeding for the first time in days, Petri didn't realize it at first when the man suddenly went still underneath her. His penis remained stiff and eager inside her, and she continued to ride it, draining his energy. It was only when the cold, clamminess of his skin penetrated the pleasurable trance she often sank into when feeding that she realized that she had gone too far. Her heart skipped a beat.

Swinging her leg over him, she clambered off his body and knelt beside him on the bed. She grabbed his shoulder, shaking him, but there was no response. He was as still and cold as death.

Petri's breath froze in her chest as she tried to suppress her rising panic. She slapped him, hard, across his face, trying to provoke a response. There was nothing. Leaning down, she put her ear against his chest, listening for something, anything. Any sign that a spark of life remained in the man. She wasn't sure, but she thought she might have heard a faint fluttering within.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and put her hands on his chest, fingers splayed. She had never done this before, but her instincts said it might work. The process of drawing energy from others had come automatically when she reached physical maturity. It was as natural as breathing to her. But reversing the flow of energy… That was something else altogether. She forced herself to focus; all she could do was try.

Reaching down into the well of energy within her, Petri tried to snag a wisp of it. It was like trying to catch fog. Gritting her teeth, she concentrated and managed to grab a small piece of the mist and tease it up, out of herself and back into the man. It flowed at a slow trickle, but it did flow. The man took a deep breath and Petri slumped in relief.

Before she could stop him, or even turn away, the man reached up and snatched the blindfold from his face. When he saw her glowing eyes, he shrieked, "Mgeni!"

Petri swore. She knew she didn't have much time. Sitting up, she sucker-punched her client hard in his stomach. The man folded over, clutching his gut, just like she knew he would. As her former client coughed and wheezed, Petri scrambled into her tight, red mini-dress and stiletto pumps and clambered out the window. She couldn't risk trying to make it through the crowded club below; she needed to be gone before the man recovered enough to sound the alarm.

As she scurried down the fire escape, Petri cursed herself. She should have known she needed to be more careful. After having gone without feeding for several days, she shouldn't have broken her fast in such a public place. At least he wasn't dead. That was the one thing that might save her. If she had killed an Upworld client in Under City, the houses would have banded together and hunted her no matter where she went.

The funny thing about Under City was it could be a wild, crazy place, but only within certain parameters. In some ways, it was as restrictive as the world above. Upworld citizens were fair game for cons, beatings, muggings, pick-pocketing, and many other crimes. As long as the citizens left Under City breathing, the houses would look the other way. After all, most people from Upworld came to Under City for the thrill of danger, so, in many ways, the underworlders were just giving them what they paid for.

But too many deaths were bad for business and that the houses would not allow. The only reason an Upworld citizen could be killed in Under City with the blessing of the houses was if the citizen killed an underworlder without paying for it first. Life was cheap in Under City, but it wasn't free. And no one left Under City without paying their bill. No one.

Even though the man was alive, Petri's life was still in danger. She had survived thus far in Under City because everyone thought she was a Human/Paka hybrid. Half-breeds weren't especially loved, even among the generally open-minded underworlders, but they were tolerated. Arcanum, on the other hand, were universally despised, and the glowing eyes and energy draining power were unmistakable. Petri was now a marked woman, and it wouldn't be long before half the underworlders in the Southern sector were howling for her blood. She needed to get away.

The problem was where could she go? Each sector of Under City was isolated from the other sectors, and the only way to get from one sector to another was to travel through Upworld. And the only way underworlders were allowed into Upworld was if they had a pass. Even if she did manage to get to another sector, that would only be a temporary reprieve. Word would travel and her appearance was too distinctive for her to be able to disappear into a crowd of strangers.

No, the only possible way for her to survive was for her to find passage off-world. Petri grimaced. She might as well wish for the planetary presidency.

The moment she reached the ground, Petri looked both ways down the alleyway she was in. Everything seemed normal. The bass from club Abracadabra throbbed through the street, lending the night a syncopated heartbeat. The fast food dollies who worked the crowd outside the club seemed to be doing a brisk business. The groans and gasps of pleasure from their johns blended with the music.

Other than the regular street activity, nothing was happening. Maybe the hottest club in the sector wasn't the worst place this could have happened. At least, she was central. It wouldn't be hard to get anywhere in the sector from here; if she could only decide where it was she should go.

Hiding and lying low were out of the question. There were too many people in Under City who would be thrilled to earn a couple of easy creds by informing on her. Which also made going home impossible; that was the first place they would look for her. The distant rumble of a subway broke through her temporary paralysis and got Petri moving.

But she didn't run. Running in Under City was never a good idea. Running meant trouble and attracted attention. Predators chased those who ran, and Under City was full of predators.

Neon signs glittered in the night, advertising the wares to be found in the many businesses in this central part of Southern sector. Outlines of naked men and women, frothing drinks and steaming food, new hairstyles, and more had been recreated out of glowing lights and buzzing bulbs. Abracadabra wasn't the only purveyor of pleasures in the area; there were others, though each was smaller and had a narrower focus than the popular club. Brothels, restaurants, bars, dust dens, casinos, gaming establishments, salons, and chop shops abounded. This part of Under City existed to cater to the whims of the rich, and there was nothing subtle about the offerings that were available to those with money.

Shops of all kinds welcomed customers from Upworld with open arms. Clothing, children's toys, vehicles, sex aids, personal electronics, game programs, jewelry, and domicile furnishings could be purchased right next to each other at any time of the day or night. "Come In!" flashed their advertisements. "Good Deals!" "Low Prices!" "Rare Merchandise!" A constant siren song of the consumerism that ruled the underworld.

There were also businesses with darker, less obvious entryways. The snuff industry was alive and well in Under City. Upworld citizens who had the creds could indulge their most twisted and violent fantasies, and there were snuff houses that specialized in providing those services. Fights, snuff porn, torture, cannibalism—it was all available for the asking. And no matter if a citizen wanted to watch, participate, or direct, their most hidden desires could be satisfied by the snuff houses. Customers were only limited by their bank accounts, and the grinders waited to clean up the mess afterwards.

Petri ignored all the enticements and offerings and tried to keep her mind away from where she might end up if she failed in her escape attempt. A short, brisk walk brought her to the transit station just as a train pulled up to the stop. It wasn't a perfect solution, it wasn't even a good solution, but at least it was a stopgap that might give her the time she needed to formulate a plan. Being a moving target was better than being a stationary one.

She hopped on the train and found an empty car. As she dropped into a seat at the back of the car, she sighed. It had started out as such a good night.


Looks like Petri's night has taken a bad turn, huh?  Want to find out what happens next?  Head to your favorite online merchant and download your copy now! ;-)  Thank you all for stopping by today and for checking out my first sci-fi novel!!  Happy reading! :-)








Monday, April 18, 2016

#April2016 #IndieBooksBeSeen #Indie #Author #Books #BookReview!



Hey Everyone!!! :-)

Happy Monday!!  I hope you all have a wonderful week!  To start you out right, here's my monthly indie book review! :-)


Dark Lycan by Barbara Chioffi:

In spite of Tara's early loss, she's a rather sheltered, innocent young woman. Partly as a result of her inexperience, she makes the decision to trust a man she shouldn't trust and that decision ends badly for her. Her rescuer, Jared, has to try to help her overcome the trauma of her abduction and accept some secrets about herself that her family has been keeping.

This is not the first of Ms. Chioffi's stories I've read. As much as I love each story, I'm always amazed that the next one surpasses the last and Dark Lycan is no exception! Five stars, and I can't wait to read the next installment in her Mystic Hearts series. :-)



Shocking Finds by Tracey Clark:

As a young woman, Marin is trying to figure out how where she'll fit into the world as an adult. Complicating her situation is the fact that she has some rather unusual talents and the fact that her aunt seems determined to maintain control over her life. On impulse, she defies her aunt, who ends up in a coma as a result. Now on her own for the first time in her life, Marin is learning things about herself and her aunt which astonish her.

I enjoyed this story, but I found the beginning a bit slow. I would have liked to know more about the characters and the world they lived in sooner, so that I could start forming the emotional connection to them that I need in order to care about what happens to them. This is the first book in the series, so I'll be interested to see how Ms. Clark develops the story in future books.


Home Is The Sailor by Jolie Mason:

Ari and Caden had a teenage romance, but he was heir to a planet and she was from the wrong side of the tracks. They were fated to part. Now, twelve long years later, they've both grown up and are very different people from who they were. They've both walked through fire and come out the other side stronger and harder. They both have secrets. When circumstances throw them together once again, the question of whether they can overcome the tragic events of the past and rekindle their love for each other is raised. Both of them are afraid of being hurt again, but their hearts yearn for each other. Can they trust each other again? Or will past hurts prove too much for them to conquer? You'll have to read to find out!!

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Ari and Caden are both the walking wounded, but they have both found ways to cope with their trauma and rise above it. Still, it's a delicate balance and it takes a leap of faith for them to open themselves up and let the love they've always held for each other free. Their story is a sweet romance that's chock full of steamy encounters. This is only book one of the series, and I'm really looking forward to reading the next book to see where Ms. Mason takes her story.




Sunday, April 17, 2016

#ComingSoon from AC Greenlee: #Blood #Fantasy!!

                         
     

Author Bio

Book Blurb

Book Excerpt

Contact Author


Biography:

Author A.C. Greenlee is an award-winning creator of Paranormal Romance, High Fantasy and adventure novels. In 2012, Greenlee's debut novel, Guardian of the Hellmouth, was released via Lillium Publishing House LLC and quickly became a fan favorite. With short stories and novellas like Her General Knows Best, Put the Gun Down and The Chase published under the same house, she most recently dedicates her time to the completion of her manuscript, Genesis and its sequel Awaken. An avid gamer, you will most frequently find her farming experience in an online multiplayer game, or progressing up the military ranks in competitive first-person shooters-hen she's not writing of course. With a B.F.A in Creative Writing and a recently completed M.F.A of the same degree path, A.C. is extremely enthusiastic about embarking on the epic quest of university level graphic design and hopes she has enough poultices to see her through.

  
Book Blurb:


Beautiful Aliens Inhabit the Earth…

After mass immigration from a world destroyed by war, Alien's from Planet Rift find themselves assimilating into societies across the globe in the year 2057. Tall, ethereal and relatively peaceful, they are a welcomed sight after human born catastrophes that left most major human cities leveled by nuclear fallout. Though the Riftkin are just what the Earthlings need to show the rest of the universe that they’re civilized and capable of something more than hate, their blood-drinking ways quickly become a problem. 

A Doctor Who Can Keep Us Safe?

Dr. Ava Khan, a dusky-skinned, world-renowned Psychiatrist from Dubai, creates a program meant to wean the Aliens off plasma through psychology. But for every new rule and law she helps put into place, the Riftkin fall further into poverty. Driven into action by starvation and deportation, underground blood dens and terrorist organizations spring up like weeds. Only, little do they know, the old Order of planet Rift has sent the doctor a secret protector in the form of Adrihel, famed military fighter and celestial being. He takes the name Dimitri Freysson and enters her program freely, not expecting a brown-eyed temptress with curves he’d die to get his hands on. 

Doctor Ava Khan: Kidnapped by Terrorists!

In an attempt at world domination, a terrorist group takes Ava and Dimitri hostage. While she continues to deny the passion she feels at his touch, Dr. Khan will have to face the sins of her actions and will be held accountable for each life she inadvertently took. In a whirlwind of lies, discoveries and unrequited love, it’s only a matter of time before the world she helped build comes crumbling down on top of her. And in an amazing twist of fate, when her protector is given the chance to take vengeance for his people by ending her life, a bond she never knew she had is shattered right before her very eyes.

Excerpt:

She was always there. Watching him. Judging him. Sizing him up with those large, dark eyes, cautious and fearful behind her thickly rimmed glasses. Her hair, darker than sin, escaped her ponytail to curl stubbornly around her tanned face, bringing out the golden hues in her delightfully dusky skin. She was a goddess. Radiant. Beautiful beyond belief, even behind her deceptively unkempt facade. In spite of the heavy, almost masculine, clothing she wore to hide the bounty of her curves, just one look at her told him how extraordinarily sensual and passionate she was. How badly she needed him to touch her, to bring that passion to life with his hands, lips and tongue. It made him hard just thinking about it. Dr. Ava Khan was a dark-skinned temptress, and the more she ignored their shared attraction, the more he wanted her.
          The doctor cleared her throat, fidgeting nervously with her ink pen as she directed her gaze away from his.
          "Mr. Freysson–?”
          "Dimitri," he cut her off. "I've told you to call me Dimitri, doctor."
          "And I've told you that it isn't right, Mr. Freysson. You're my patient. This meeting isn't one of leisure. Now, if we could return to the topic at hand. How have your group sessions gone? Are you seeing any progress?" she asked. Dimitri rolled his neck, risking a glance at the two armed guards stationed outside her doors. They were all talk, but the shiny M16 rifles hanging off their shoulders made them more trouble than they were worth. He couldn't help but scoff. Sure, mortals could put deadly weapons in the hands of untrained buffoons but his people were the savages.
          “Better than I could have hoped for. You would have been proud of me. I managed to not bite anyone for an entire thirty-five seconds."
          “A–And then?" she asked nervously. Dimitri chuckled.
          "I was only joking, Doctor Khan. I've managed to keep my urges under control for at least a month now. But I have to warn you, it's getting increasingly harder to do so." He watched her scribble something on her clipboard before looking back up at him.
          "Harder in what way?"
          "I don't know, in the way of I'm not used to eating Earthling food and even now your blood sings to me, begging me to indulge." You would have thought he'd struck the woman the way she pulled away from him. Ava sat up straight in her seat, her clipboard hitting her desk loud enough to draw the attention of the guards. They peeked over their shoulders to make sure he wasn't attacking her before returning to their own business. "Don't look at me that way, Doctor. I'm not some demon waiting in the dark to hurt you. I just want to live my life the way I am meant to."
          "Mr. Freysson, blood drinking isn't normal in this world. When your species first arrived on Earth seeking asylum, there wasn't a single country around the world unwilling to grant it to you. But the moment we found out about your...unique pallet–”
          "Things changed. Suddenly we weren't welcome."
          "No, you were still welcome. There were just rules and regulations that were enacted to keep everyone safe."
          "And have you ever had anyone nibbling on your neck, Doctor Khan?"
          "Excuse me?" she asked, taken aback.
          "Have you donated plasma to one of my kind? The Riftkin are gentle. We're not savage beasts devouring any and all in our path. Not to mention, I've been told that our bite can be quite pleasurable. Why do you think your humans take to back alleys, begging to feed us? It's like a drug, Doctor. It's intoxicating."
          "That may be true, but it can also be harmful to the human involved, not to mention very unsanitary. Saliva carries bacteria and, at the risk of sounding crass, there haven't been enough studies done on whether or not certain antibodies from your world are lethal to human beings," she started and he sat back in his seat, rolling his eyes. He'd heard this speech before. What if, what if? What if she actually gave him a chance instead of lumping him in with everyone else? He wasn't just some random Alien who wanted to bed her, he wanted to love her. Was that too much to ask? "What if you slip up and take too much? Anemia can be very dangerous–are you even listening to me?"
          "Honestly, no. I'm not listening to you because I've heard it all before," he said, sitting forward to look her in the eye. "I've heard the stories. I've read the history of your world. All the pain, suffering and war. All the dissension and death solely because your own kind looked or spoke differently. It took nuclear war, the annihilation of entire races, the melting of the polar ice caps to finally unify your species. And now you seek to do the same thing to my people?" he asked. He tried his best to mask the pain in his voice, but it bled through with every word he spoke. "Do you think the majority of us wish to be here? Being told what we can and can't do, having to comply with silly regulations in order to keep living here? We can't go back to our world, Doctor Khan. There is no going back to a world so war-torn, so tainted by the stench of death and poverty that it is no longer inhabitable. But to come here and have to change our entire way of living? To take names that erase our culture just so your kind can pronounce them? It's cruel." Ava just watched him speak, unable to fight down her own emotions as they assailed her. Her training as a psychiatrist taught her to remain calm and collected. But he was right. What they were doing to his people was wrong. It was inhuman. Even though they didn't agree with their methods, with their culture, it wasn't right for them to tell them they were wrong. But what could she do about it? She was just a doctor, one of many tasked with "rewiring" the Riftkin in compliance with government orders around the world. She would have liked to believe that it wasn’t her call, that none of this really had anything to do with her. But it did. Because originally, the program had been her idea. And she’d been rewarded for it greatly. From the Nobel Peace Prize to countless award-winning medical papers written on her innovative idea, the world had been ecstatic to have something in place that would finally allow everyone to live relatively in harmony. Except for the fact that it was flawed. It was broken and people everywhere suffered because of it.
          "I don't know what to say. I can't simply change things even when I think they are wrong."
          "And I wouldn't ask you to. This isn't your world, Doctor. We're both inhabitants just doing what we can to survive," he said, his tone defeated. Ava folded her hands before her. She had to admit, she was seeing the man in a new light. When she'd first met Dimitri Freysson he was angry and violent. He lashed out at anyone who got too close and threatened to take the heads off of those smart enough to stay away. Except for her. In the end, that's why he was assigned as her patient, she was the only person he could stand to be around for more than a few moments at a time. He'd opened up to her, told her stories about his world, secrets that he'd sworn to never divulge. About stargazing on asteroids and unearthing moon rocks that were rarer than diamonds. She'd always imagined some sublime planet far from her own, inhabited by creatures as stunning as he was who drank blood from bejeweled, crystal goblets. She could never bring herself to see Planet Rift for what it really was. A black hole who's people were dying by the thousands every single day. Dimitri, like others of his kind, was the epitome of male beauty. Blonde-haired and blue-eyed; they were right to give him a Norse name when he first arrived on Earth because, to her, he could have been a descendant of Thor himself. He was tall and muscular, broad at the shoulders with a tapered waist that made all of his clothing fit him in a way that always had her wondering what he kept hidden underneath. She knew it wasn't right to fantasize about her patients, but how could she resist when the man sitting before her looked like royalty and went out of his way to make her feel beautiful? She often wondered what he saw in her, why he seemed so intent on pursuing her. What could she offer someone like him?


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Saturday, April 16, 2016

#Spring Into #Reading $180 #Cash #Grand #Prize #Giveaway!! :-)


Hey Everyone!! :-)

Guess what!! I have another exciting giveaway to tell you about!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 100 prizes, and the grand prize is $180 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)



Friday, April 15, 2016

#SpringFling #Fantasy #Romance #AmazonGiveaway!!



Hey Everyone!!! :-)

I've decided to extend my Amazon Giveaway of Captivated By The Winter King, so you still have a chance to enter!  It's totally free, no purchase necessary.  The link to enter is here:


Need some more convincing?  How about this:

"Hold still," he said. Lying down next to her, he leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. Trailing his kisses down her neck and chest, he took first one nipple and then the other between his lips. Alternating back and forth, he suckled them until they stood up in stiff peaks. Summoning the bottle of stimulating lubricant to his hand, he dribbled the liquid over her swollen buds, making her gasp and writhe on the bed.

Capping the bottle and setting it aside, he continued his journey southward and swirled his tongue around her navel. When he reached the top of the tuft of hair that protected her most intimate places, he sat up and looked at her.

Groaning, Kate met her lover's eyes. She wanted to ask why he had stopped but remembered just in time that she wasn't supposed to speak unless he asked her a question. Biting her lips, she maintained her silence.

Smiling to see that his Anamchara had remembered the rules of their game, Ankou said, "I want you to close your eyes and keep them closed unless I tell you to open them. Do you understand?"

Nodding, Kate said, "Yes, Master," and relaxed into the bed, closing her eyes.



Just think, you could win your very own copy and find out what happens next for free!! ;-)  Already have your copy?  Well, tell your friends! After all, you wouldn't want them to miss out on some sexy Fae, would you? 

Thank you all for stopping in today.  Happy Friday and I hope you're all having an awesome day!! :-)


Thursday, April 14, 2016

#Spotlight: #Before You #Leap by Les Lynam!!


Hey Everyone!! :-)

Today, I'd like to introduce you to Les Lynam's Before You Leap!

Blurb:
Two teens from two centuries apart, one the direct descendant of the other. Einstein's Theory didn't cover THIS relativity.
Sean Kelly considered himself an average 16-year-old, living in an average neighborhood in a small University town. Nothing too exciting ever happened in Grover's Corners, Missouri; some might even label it boring. His ordinary life was disrupted when a distant relative dropped by at the beginning of his Junior year in high-school. A distant relative from the 23rd Century.
Two 16-year-olds in a time machine. What could possibly go wrong?


Sound interesting?  Well, the best part is it's free!  Yep, that's right, free, but only for a couple days.  So, hurry up and grab your copy now!!



I got mine! ;-)


Wednesday, April 13, 2016

#Rainbow #Dreams #CoverReveal & #Preorder!!!



Hey Everyone!!! :-)

Guess what? It's finally here!!  Rainbow Dreams is now available for preorder from the following merchants:








What's it about?  I'm glad you asked!  Here's the blurb:

Have you ever had a terrible secret you didn't want anyone to know? Petri does and it may get her killed. Life is hard on Upworld, especially for the residents of Under City, and it's even harder for those who don't fit in. Petri has alway been different and now those differences may cost her life. Her one hope is to leave the only home she's ever known while evading the mob that's calling for her blood. But Petri has never been outside of her sector of Under City, never mind off the planet. And the laws of Upworld forbid people like her from leaving. Will Petri overcome the odds and make good her escape? Maybe...with a little help from her friends.
Sound interesting?  Good!  And get a load of that cover!!!  It's courtesy of the FANTABULOUS Julie Nicholls!!  If you'd like to see more of her incredible work, check out her website here:



I also want to let you all know about an Amazon Giveaway I'm running for Captivated By The Winter King.  It's free to enter!  Rainbow Dreams won't be released until April 19th, so in the meantime you can get your sexy romance fix with some dreamy Fae! ;-)



Okay, okay, I know, enough stalling.  If you're as excited as I am about this story, I know you're all ready for a peek:

Rainbow Dreams Chapter One Excerpt

Lightning bolts of fire and ice shot up and down Petri's spine as she moved over the human man on the bed. Her short, slender body bowed with the sensations that washed over her. His lust was like a fountain of cold water on a hot day, and she was parched. It had been too long; she needed this. Desperately.

Looking down at him as she slid her body onto his straining cock, she smiled. This client had wanted to be blindfolded; he said he enjoyed the mystery. There was more mystery in Petri than most humans would know what to do with, so that was fine with her. With him blindfolded, she didn't need to be careful to keep her own eyes shut. This was going to be a good feed, and there was no way she could have kept her eyes from glowing.

The man moaned in pleasure. Being fed upon felt as good for humans as feeding did for Petri. None of her clients knew she sipped from their energy, their life force, when she fucked them. All they knew was that she was one hell of a talented dolly. A win-win for all involved.

This client was a regular; Petri had shown him many times how good it could be with her. Some of her regulars came to crave her, almost like the dream dust that was sold in the club below. They were guaranteed repeat business, and she always made sure to show them a good time. After all, that was her job.

The energy of the man's lust filled Petri as she glided up and down on top of him. She shivered. It was renewing, rejuvenating. She couldn't get enough. A few grains of dust remained on his upper lip as evidence of his earlier indulgence in some of the chemical delights that were available at Abracadabra.

It was clear her client was high long before Petri started feeding. Before she blindfolded him, she had noted the man's dilated pupils and the flush of pleasure on his face. She had no doubt the management of Abracadabra would go to great lengths to make sure he received the maximum enjoyment possible during his visit. There was a reason it was the hottest nightclub in this part of Under City.

The club specialized in hedonism in all its forms. Drugs of every description, games, gambling, and other, darker pleasures could be found within its walls. House dollies, little more than sex slaves, waited to fulfill the customers' every desire. Freelance dollies, like Petri, rented space to ply their trade as well. The house allowed it because the dollies offered the club's clientele more variety and were motivated to attract business. Once a patron had satisfied their lust, they often wandered downstairs in search of other entertainments.

Leaning down, Petri pressed her cat-like mouth to her client's lips in a sizzling kiss. Their tongues tangled as he responded, and she undulated her hips against his, faster and faster. The drugs he had consumed tainted his energy, giving Petri a pleasant buzz. She never took dust herself since it interfered with her ability to control her power, but she enjoyed the effect when one of her johns indulged. As their sex intensified, Petri drank deeper, swallowing down the man's whimpers and sighs of ecstasy as she swallowed his desire.

Lost in the haze of feeding for the first time in days, Petri didn't realize it at first when the man suddenly went still underneath her. His penis remained stiff and eager inside her, and she continued to ride it, draining his energy. It was only when the cold, clamminess of his skin penetrated the pleasurable trance she often sank into when feeding that she realized that she had gone too far. Her heart skipped a beat.

Swinging her leg over him, she clambered off his body and knelt beside him on the bed. She grabbed his shoulder, shaking him, but there was no response. He was as still and cold as death.

Petri's breath froze in her chest as she tried to suppress her rising panic. She slapped him, hard, across his face, trying to provoke a response. There was nothing. Leaning down, she put her ear against his chest, listening for something, anything. Any sign that a spark of life remained in the man. She wasn't sure, but she thought she might have heard a faint fluttering within.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and put her hands on his chest, fingers splayed. She had never done this before, but her instincts said it might work. The process of drawing energy from others had come automatically when she reached physical maturity. It was as natural as breathing to her. But reversing the flow of energy… That was something else altogether. She forced herself to focus; all she could do was try.

Reaching down into the well of energy within her, Petri tried to snag a wisp of it. It was like trying to catch fog. Gritting her teeth, she concentrated and managed to grab a small piece of the mist and tease it up, out of herself and back into the man. It flowed at a slow trickle, but it did flow. The man took a deep breath and Petri slumped in relief.

Before she could stop him, or even turn away, the man reached up and snatched the blindfold from his face. When he saw her glowing eyes, he shrieked, "Mgeni!"

Petri swore. She knew she didn't have much time. Sitting up, she sucker-punched her client hard in his stomach. The man folded over, clutching his gut, just like she knew he would. As her former client coughed and wheezed, Petri scrambled into her tight, red mini-dress and stiletto pumps and clambered out the window. She couldn't risk trying to make it through the crowded club below; she needed to be gone before the man recovered enough to sound the alarm.



Whoo! I guess she's in some trouble!  Want to find out what happens next?  Reserve your copy today so you'll get it without delay on the 19th! ;-)  Thank you all for stopping by today and for your interest in my first foray into the sci-fi genre!!  Have an awesome rest of the week!


Tuesday, April 12, 2016

The #Romance #Reviews' #Readers' #Choice #Awards - #Summer2016!


Hey Everyone!!!

Yes, I'm back begging for votes again. ;-)  Thank you all for all your continuing support.  As you know, Captivated By The Winter King and Intrigue In the Summer Court have both made it to the finals of the Romance Reviews' Readers' Choice Awards - Summer 2016, and I still need your help!  If you haven't done so already, please consider clicking on the links below and voting for my books.

Again, this is completely free and will only take a minute.  All I need you to do is click on each of the links and then click on the "Vote" button at the top of the pages.  That's it!




Thank you all again SO MUCH!  And please stop by again tomorrow, I'll have a really exciting announcement for you! :-)


The Romance Review