Free Gift! A Season to Remember - Sands of Time by Noelle Clark

A Season to Remember

A Christmas anthology from four Australian authors

Eva Scott, Susanne Bellamy, Elizabeth Ellen Carter, and Noelle Clark

Free download - click HERE

Four short stories on the Christmas theme, spanning time, places. Uplifting, funny, thought-provoking, heart-warming, ‘A Season to Remember’ will make your heart sing.

‘Sands of Time’ by Noelle Clark

Blurb:

Kitty faces her first Christmas without the love of her life. She looks back with fondness on the memories of Christmases past and, with the love and support of her grandson Joe, finds inner strength to face the future with anticipation. Kitty realises that, as she gets older, time passes so quickly. Although sad and happy memories flood through her on this special Christmas day, she chooses to embrace every moment of life.

Excerpt 

“Merry Christmas.” He reached into a small canvas tote and pulled out a small, square box wrapped in Christmas paper and tied with red and green ribbon.

She took his face in her hands and kissed him tenderly.

He pulled away, his face as eager as a child’s. “Here, open it.”

She ripped off the ribbon and tore at the paper. Inside was a dark red velvet box. She flipped open the lid, revealing two gold earrings set with dark blue sapphires. Love swelled inside her, almost making her swoon. Unshed tears stung the backs of her eyes.

“They’re beautiful!” Her words were barely audible. She kissed him again, deeply, lovingly. When they broke their embrace, Billy rose and walked over to his wooden dinghy, untied the plastic mistletoe, and returned, attaching it to a stumpy mangrove bush next to where they were lying on their towels.

He lay down next to her again. She still remembered how his eyes looked that day—deep, dark pools exuding love. He bent his head and kissed her. “I love you so much, Kathryn. I adore you.”

Their embrace, fuelled by their love, fanned the flames of passion. There, on the sandy crescent of beach on Kingfisher Island, with no witnesses save some gulls and a few waterbirds, they consummated their love for the first time, pledging their devotion—and their lives—to each other.

Meet the author:

Noelle Clark is an Australian author of contemporary romance and commercial historical

fiction novels. Her books weave romance, intrigue, and adventure into colourful, exotic, and interesting locations around the world. Widely travelled, Noelle uses real life experience of places, culture, and people as a backdrop to her stories, giving the reader an authentic taste of the location. Her novels feature strong, mature heroines and heroes, who—often without knowing it—are ready for new beginnings.

She lives close to the sea and shares her home with two cats and two dogs. She has two grown up children, and five very small grandchildren. When Noelle's not writing and travelling, she plays guitar, tends her vegetable garden, enjoys the company of family and friends, and—of course—reading.

Noelle is a member of Queensland Writers Centre; YON Beyond Writing Group; Romance Writers of Australia; and Australian Romance Readers Association, and is currently published by Etopia Press and Secret Cravings Publishing.

Website:  www.noelleclark.net

Rachael Orman - Addict

New release from US Times Bestselling Author -

Rachael Orman

Title: Addict (Cravings Series #1)

Author: Rachael Orman

Genre: Erotic Romance/BDSM

Publication Date: December 22, 2014

Tour Host: Dreams Come True Promotions

My name is Alix and I am addicted to sex.
Had been for years. I thought I learned how to live a normal life, but that’s the thing about addiction, it creeps back up when you least expect it. There is no one there for me, no one I can turn to for help. Until I’m given a chance to explore a side of myself I’d always kept locked away. I was lost…until him. I can’t tell you who he is, or why he does the things he’s done. All I can say is I hope one day I behave well enough to take off the blindfold and see the man who controls my addiction. My Master.

My name is John and I am addicted to control.
I tried to deny the dominate side of my personality. I didn’t want to admit how much I enjoyed the power, how much I enjoyed causing pain. That is until the woman I’d been secretly been stalking waltzed into a BDSM club right in front of me. All bets are off. She will be mine.

Together our addictions feed off each other, fueling the fire that burns within. Until suddenly the fire is too hot to handle, burning everything in its path. The pain and scars we’d both come into our fragile relationship with are split wide open, exposing more than either of us can handle, possibly leaving nothing behind to salvage from the ashes.

**Warning: Intended for audiences 18+ due to explicit sex & vulgar language, mention of rape/abuse** 

Available December 22!

Stay at home mother of two with a passion for reading almost as much as writing. She is often found curled up with her Kindle reading while her children cuddle up on either side 'reading' books of their own. Married for almost ten years to the most wonderful husband and father, she couldn't ask for more out of life. Except maybe to live somewhere not quite as hot as the desert she currently lives in. 

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More books by Rachael Orman:

A Christmas Bundle from D.L. Richardson - Curious

Curious (3 novels in 1)

D L Richardson

Three full length novels in one supernatural collection.

Genre: YA paranormal 

In THE BIRD WITH THE BROKEN WING, a guardian angel finds herself trapped in Purgatory with a young soldier she was assigned to watch over. She knows the terrible secret that's keeping him trapped in limbo, but can't understand why she's stuck with him.

In FEEDBACK, three teenagers receive the organs of deceased CIA agent and take on the task of completing the mission the spy died midway through, that of deactivating bacteria bombs threatening millions of lives.

In LITTLE RED GEM, bad advice from a ghost, magic courtesy of an unsuspecting half-sister, and a televised music talent show see this teen make more of a mess in death than she ever made in life.

That's over 500 pages of action, drama, adventure, teen issues, and romance in one unputdownable book.

Links to buy

E BOOK

Amazon US

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O7GQRLY

(Please note this ebook is enrolled in KDP Select and is only available at this time on Amazon)

PRINT BOOK

Create Space

https://www.createspace.com/5087293  

Author bio

Music first captured the creative interest of D L Richardson. She got her first acoustic guitar at age ten, and in high school she sang with the school band. When she left school she helped form her own rock band where she sang lead vocals, played bass guitar, and wrote all the lyrics.

At age 26 she realized she wanted to write novels for the rest of her life, or die trying, so she sold her equipment, quit pursuing a music career and began writing instead. She now have six books published and is working on an urban fantasy series a second short story collection.

She lives in Australia on the NSW South Coast with her husband and dog. When she’s not writing or reading she can be found practicing her piano, playing the guitar or walking the dog.

She is currently writing a serialised four book apocalyptic novel and working on a second volume of short stories.

Author contacts

Email: dlrichardsonbooks@bigpond.com 
Blog:  dlrichardsonwrites.blogspot.com

Website: www.dlrichardson.com  
Facebook:  facebook.com/dlrichardsonbooks 

Twitter:  twitter.com/#!/DLRichardson1  

It's the Christmas Hamster Hamper!!

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the hoose

Not a creature was stirring, except hamsters with tongues all a-loose 

They whined and they argued, they’d cooked their own goose 

But the biggest question was, had they been naughty or noice?

Today I am celebrating the fun, friendship, and frivolity that our little friends, the Hamsters from Shey's Blog, deserve. Today, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you ---

THE CHRISTMAS HAMSTER HAMPER 

Let's meet them all:

Mitsy

Ratsy

The Dood

Fez

Ginger

Dougal

Vinnie

McHoots

Bobsleigh

Tink

Hamstah Dickens

The Sheystah

Yes, the little pack of hamsters who have kept Shehanne Moore, and us, company all year are suffering from a very debilitating illness – Christmas Countdown Regret.

You see, everyone knows that for Santa to bring you presents at Christmas, you have to lead an exemplary life, a year of being kind, helpful, friendly, hard working. The big test comes a month or so before Christmas, as soon as all the supermarkets and department stores drag out the tinsel and trees.

And that test is:

Have you been a good hamster all year?
Have you been naughty or nice?

Okay, most of us lie through our teeth, and no doubt some of the hamsters will do that too, but a couple of the more…sensitive…hamsters will answer truthfully, and will wake up on Christmas morning with nothing under the tree for them.

So, in an effort to help Shehanne’s furry little friends step up a little and ensure that they get a gift under the tree from Santa, I’m going to teach them some rules.(We all know how much Shehanne loves rules.)

Rule 1: Thou shalt not whinge, whine, or carry on when Shey constantly overlooks you in favour of some fancy US Best Seller author, or some tramp who writes naughty books.

Rule 2: Thou shalt not interrupt when Shey is speaking. The consequences of you continuing to do this are awful. Heck, you’ve seen what happened to Mr Shey! He’s lost all his hair from being told to shut up all the time. A bald hamster will be a very cold hamster in the freezing Dundonian winter.

Rule 3: Thou shalt learn to bring Shehanne her slippers without her even asking; fill her wine glass before it’s empty; and help her in her new garden. Reason is, a happy Shey makes for a happy day.

Rule 4: Never, never, NEVER, interrupt Shehanne when she is on a deadline, or has edits to do. This will make her angry, and she will withhold certain important…favours…such as feeding you, changing your water bowl, and letting you visit her blog posts.

Time for some Christmas Carols.

Hint: sing this to the tune of the First Noel.

The first little Hamstah, appeared in Shey’s post

And to certain poor authors, they were the ultimate hosts.

Always cheerful and glad, and happy all the while

They brightened our days with their innocent guile.

Hamsters, hamsters, hamsters, hamsters

Move over Shey, and give room to hamsters.

Here's a cute little guy to sing for you:

And now, to follow the Hamsters go and visit Shehanne Moore's BLOG. Click here.

A Season to Remember - A Touch of Christmas by Susanne Bellamy

A Season to Remember

A Christmas anthology from four Australian authors

Eva Scott, Susanne Bellamy, Elizabeth Ellen Carter, and Noelle Clark

Free download - click HERE

Four short stories on the Christmas theme, spanning time, places. Uplifting, funny, thought-provoking, heart-warming, ‘A Season to Remember’ will make your heart sing.

‘A Touch of Christmas’ by Susanne Bellamy

Blurb:

As Starship Bluefire settles into orbit around Earth, Captain Andra Veluthian anticipates meeting her favourite human, Colonel Nick Madigan. Have his efforts to save the planet succeeded? And if so, will she lose any chance to be with him?

Knowing Andra’s fascination with all things Terran, Nick has planned a surprise for her. After all, it is Christmas, the season of giving. But when Earth’s leader and the Gravlarian captain spend time planet side, the temperature soars.

Excerpt 1

Starship Bluefire – Log entry #1878 Orbit established around Planet Earth. Local time: 0715 - 22 December 2525 AD

“Reverse thruster off. Docking complete, Captain.”

Captain Andra Veluthian ordered her viewing screen to retract, rolled her shoulders then rested her head against the padded headrest of her Conforma-chair and looked at the view. Framed by a huge window on the bridge, planet Earth appeared close and surprisingly whiter than on her last stopover two years earlier. Through breaks in the dense cloud cover she could even discern the long coastline of what Earth dwellers used to call South America and, just appearing on the western edge across an expanse of ocean, was the island continent they called Australia. Home of the wombat, wallaroo and one handsome colonel.

Colonel Nicholas Madigan, political leader and guiding hand in Earth’s struggle against extinction.

Last visit, the fair-haired colonel had set more than a few hearts pounding among her crew. Including hers.

Excerpt 2

Beyond a set of double doors, a large, round, backlit table occupied the centre of the conference room. Patterned with galaxies and distant star systems, it was a thing of beauty in an otherwise utilitarian space. As a symbol, it was priceless. Gravlarian attitudes were rather like the Arthurian legends he’d read about. As in the fabled court of Camelot, their round table accorded all attendees the same right to speak as equals.

Light refreshments were served as a preliminary to the serious business ahead of them and his delegation intermingled with the Gravlarians. Diplomacy demanded he chatted with members of her staff but when they assembled at the round meeting table, Nick made sure he was beside Andra. She stopped beside two vacant seats. Was the starship captain’s inclination the same as his?

At the touch of his hands, a seat automatically unclamped from the table. He held it, knowing the gesture would not be lost on her. Her tawny eyes widened and their colour deepened, rivalling a desert sunset. Basking in the glow, he almost forgot the reason for their meeting today, the report cached in his wrist-corder.

Clearing his throat, he keyed in his guest access code on the reader embedded in the table, followed by his palm print. “I’m ready.”  

Download for free with this link

Meet Susanne Bellamy

Susanne is an Australian author of contemporary and suspense romances set in exciting and often exotic locations. Her heroes have to be pretty special to live up to the real life one she married. He saved her life then married her. They live on the edge of bush land on a mountain in beautiful sunny Queensland, Australia with two children and their dog.

Paris will always be one of her top spots, and she fell in love with Scotland when they visited the west coast (nothing to do with fine single malts!), and recently had her first real trip to Italy--tick off one Bucket List item!  She has enjoyed New Year in Kathmandu and trekked in the Annapurnas, sailed in Ha Long Bay on a junk, and stayed on a floating hotel beside a tethered elephant in Thailand. The Peak in Hong Kong and Mt Faber cable car ride in Singapore are favourite spots. Susanne loves travelling to new places and exploring the culture and history, and meeting new people. These experiences are gradually being incorporated into her stories.

Her as yet unrealised dream is a trip into Earth’s orbit.

Susanne is a member of RWA and enjoys mentoring new authors. She is published with Escape Publishing, and will be a 2015 release author with Entangled Publishing.

Website:  http://www.susannebellamy.com/

A Season to Remember - All That Glitters by Eva Scott

A Season to Remember

A Christmas anthology from four Australian authors

Eva Scott, Susanne Bellamy, Elizabeth Ellen Carter, and Noelle Clark

Free download - click HERE

Four short stories on the Christmas theme, spanning time, places. Uplifting, funny, thought-provoking, heart-warming, ‘A Season to Remember’ will make your heart sing.

All That Glitters by Eva Scott

Blurb:

Molly is a modern day Cinderella, second best to her half-sister Aimee and never measuring up to her step-mother’s expectations. Now Aimee has the chance to marry an elderly millionaire and Molly is expected to keep the man’s grandson, Connor Rathmore, from sabotaging the event. Handsome, charismatic and very, very sexy - how is she going to keep him from sabotaging her heart?

Excerpt: All That Glitters

“Well, are you ready?” She sounded rude but it was all she could manage to say. On the way over to pick him up she’d been too preoccupied to consider him at all. Instead she replayed the conversation she’d had with her stepmother. After receiving a reprimand for arriving late, Maria had grilled her over Connor Rathmore and found her answers less than satisfactory. Then the lecture started on her appearance. Where were the shoes? She’d kicked off those horrible expensive shoes at the airport and hadn’t given them another thought. An unforgivable act in her stepmother’s eyes. It was impressed upon her that she must try harder and remember her sister’s happiness. Of course. Molly loved her half-sister, Aimee, despite the fact the girl was spoilt rotten. Underneath all the embellishments she really did have a good heart. It wasn’t Aimee’s fault she’d been raised to be a life-sized doll.

She appraised the man before her. She steeled herself not to react to him. When he’d opened the hotel room door, more primal male than any man she had ever encountered, something unexpected happened to her. Bam! Right to the heart. Very inconvenient and impossible, the idea could not be entertained. Not for a millisecond. The consequences would be devastating.

“Good evening to you too.” He bestowed what she assumed was his best killer smile. “Shall we go?”

He stepped through the door, so close the heat radiating off his body hit her like a furnace. Her natural reserve began to melt. The scent of him was so… masculine and her knees wobbled as she caught her breath. Moving away wasn’t an option, even if she tried.

He smiled as if aware of the effect he had on her. Without looking back he strode towards the elevator and pushed the button. They stood in silence side by side while they waited. The animal magnetism between them shimmered, increasing with every passing second.

Molly’s senses scrambled. She stumbled into the lift. This situation would need careful handling. The man beside her must not guess his presence caused a meltdown. Her attraction to him created a complication she did not need. Just one week. Please help me make it through this one week. If her stepmother suspected an attraction between Molly and Connor, all hell would break loose. 

Download for free with this link

About Eva Scott:

Eva Scott writes contemporary romance set in her homeland of Australia and historical fiction

set in the Ancient World. Her books offer passion and adventure in some of the most beautiful and intriguing places in the world. Her heroes and heroines are strong, sassy and ready to rise to their challenges, and learn a little bit about themselves along the way.

Having lived overseas for several years, Eva returned to study Anthropology before heading off to live in Papua New Guinea for a year. There she met the love of her life, author G.W. Gibson, who was stationed there with the Australian Defence Force. The rest is history, romantic history.

She now lives on the Redcliffe peninsula with her husband, small son and an assortment of animals. When Eva is not writing she enjoys mentoring first-time authors, cooking up a story, practising yoga and getting out on the bay on her stand-up paddle board.

Eva is a member of Romance Writers of Australia; North Lakes Writers Group; Queensland Writers Centre and Australian Romance Readers Association. She is published by Musa Publishing and Harlequin Escape.

Website:  http://www.evascottromance.com/

A Season to Remember - Three Ships by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

A Season to Remember

A Christmas anthology from four Australian authors

Eva Scott, Susanne Bellamy, Elizabeth Ellen Carter, and Noelle Clark

Free download - click HERE

Four short stories on the Christmas theme, spanning time, places. Uplifting, funny, thought-provoking, heart-warming, ‘A Season to Remember’ will make your heart sing.

‘Three Ships’ by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

Blurb:

An adventure romance set in the early 19th century on the Devon Coast. Laura Winter lives on St Joseph’s Rock, a tidal island that is home to a lighthouse that protects Ashton-on-Sea. On a late November day a violent storm brings not only the handsome Lieutenant Michael Renten but also a clutch of pirates bent on wreaking mischief.

Excerpt:

Laura’s father watched her shoulder the long coil of rope.

“I’m not happy, dear girl. I should be the one going down there, not you.”

She gave a pointed look at his injured foot. The way down to the beach was not sheer but it was no gentle slope either and the footing would be treacherous. “Well, needs must,” she replied firmly. “I’ll be back quickly.”

His response was a grimace. He secured the trailing end of the coiled rope to Acorn’s saddle.

“Watch your step, Laura,” he admonished.

Trailing the rope out as she went, Laura picked her way with caredown the side of the hill where the low-growing grass was slick. She grew up here and knew the cliffs well enough to treat them with respect. The saltiness from exploding waves filled her nostrils. She could even taste it on the back of her throat.

The beach filled and emptied as the waves churned in.

She scrambled over one rock, then around another to reach the man. The hem of her skirt darkened in the splashing water.

Still a few feet away, she called out.

“Sailor! Sailor, ahoy!”

The man remained still.

Laura looked back up the thirty feet to where her father peered back, concerned. He called to her but his words were ripped away by the wind.

Her only choice was to approach the man.

The sailor’s shirt was torn and shredded, the sodden fabric dark and clinging to the contours of his back. His black hair whipped in the wind like the damp grass around the chickens.

She touched his cheek. His skin was cold.

It might already be too late!

Laura drew a deep breath and grasped his shoulders.

“Come on sailor, time to wake up,” she said hopefully, shaking him.

The man obliged her with a groan; Laura matched it with a sigh of relief.

“Help is here,” she said.

The man raised himself to his elbows and looked blearily at her. It was hard to determine his age. He seemed much younger than her father but older than Dickie Wells.

“Where are you hurt? Your back? Your legs?”

The man sat up gingerly, shaking his head at each question.

“We’re going to haul you out,” she said.

The man looked her up and down and flashed her a quick smile, his pale blue eyes twinkling with sudden merriment.

“My guardian angel…” he rasped, interrupted by a hacking cough. “Where is the rest of your heavenly choir?”

A Season to Remember - download for free here:

About Elizabeth Ellen Carter

A future with words was always on the books for Elizabeth Ellen Carter who started writing her own stories when she ran out of Nancy Drew mysteries to read at the age of ten. Using her mother’s Olivetti typewriter with all italic keys, she spent endless school holidays making up her own (italicised) stories and then using the Dewey Decimal System to arrange and categorise her bookshelf.

Somewhere around the age of 13, she determined to become a journalist and at 17 was awarded a newspaper cadetship. She covered news, council, education and health but had the most fun as an entertainment and features reporter covering film, TV and music.

Best of all, she met her husband at the newspaper and, together, they started a small award-winning media, marketing and advertising agency. Today, she works as marketing manager for an international organic skin care company.

In 2012, Elizabeth also returned to the keyboard to write stories (and found laptops are so much better than manual typewriters).

Her debut novel, Moonstone Obsession, was shortlisted for the 2013 Romance Writers of Australia’s Emerald Awards for unpublished manuscripts.

Elizabeth is a member of the Romance Writers of Australia, the Australian Romance Readers Association and the Gold Coast Writers Association. She is currently published by Etopia Press.

Website:  http://eecarter.com/