Phantom Lover

Phantom Lover by Tamaria Soana

Morning and thanks for having me on your site today!

I’m here to tell you about my newest release Phantom Lover. The idea for Phantom Lover came to me one day last year while I was driving and Sweet Dreams by Beyoncé came on. I couldn’t get the idea out of a phantom lover of sorts out of my end, so I began to hash out the story.

~*~*~

Can true love transcend life and death?

Olivia Shaw-Clayton’s life revolves around her job ever since her husband was killed eight months ago in Iraq. She slaves away at her desk in hopes of numbing the pain of her loss and the guilt of longing to fall asleep once again to be joined by her phantom lover.

 

Phantom Lover is erotic short story with a paranormal twist!

Read an Except:

Olivia was out waiting for her friends at Vipers after work, when in walked the most gorgeous man that she’d ever seen wearing an Army uniform. He was tall and built like a god. She watched as he took off his coat and placed it over his shoulder.  She licked her lips at the sight of him in a t-shirt.  His huge arms were covered in tattoos. She knew she was staring, but couldn’t tear her eyes off of him. Finally, she turned away and took a sip of her almost empty drink. When she looked up again, she found the most amazing hazel eyes gazing at her. She thought her heart was going to stop right there. He smiled and began to walk toward her.

“Hello, my name is Aaron Clayton and I was wondering if you’d do me the honor of having a drink with me?”  He extended his hand.

Olivia bit her lower lip and took his hand in hers. He smelled just as good as he looked. It was a mix of amber, musk, and spice.

“Hi,” she finally sputtered out as he brought the top of her hand toward his mouth. She cleared her throat. “My name is Olivia.”

“Nice to meet you, Olivia.” His smoldering eyes never left hers as he placed a gentle kiss on top of her hand.

Her heart fluttered and a warm jolt rushed through her body. A feeling she’d never had before. All her senses seemed at that moment to be on fire. All she could think, smell or breathe was this stranger that stood in front of her. She cleared her throat again, in hopes of snapping herself out of the trance she was in. “I’m meeting my friends, but I’m early, so a drink sounds great.”

He smiled. My friends are in the back playing pool, but they can wait.” He winked. “What are you drinking?”

“Gin and tonic, please.”

He leaned toward her. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered in her ear.

A shiver went down her spine and her stomach fluttered as she watched him walk toward the bar. By God his ass is fine! Her mind swirled with all the things she would like to do to that body. Get a grip. Olivia. You just met him and you already want to jump his bones. Olivia looked around the bar and noticed that most of the girls’ eyes were on Aaron. Jealousy spiked through her veins but at the same time she felt a little smug that he'd walked up to her. Now all she needed to do was figure out how to get to know him better. If she had her way she would be underneath him by the end of the night.

“Here you go,” he said as he handed her a drink. “So, Olivia, tell me about yourself?”

She quickly glanced around at all the other females glaring at her and a large smirk crossed her lips. Ladies, eat your heart out! He’s talking to me. She quickly focused her attention on the god in front her, smiling at her with the sexiest dimples she’d ever seen, and she melted.

Buy Links:    Crimson Frost Books   Amazon

Watch the Book Trailer: 

Youtube

A Little About Me:

Tamaria Soana is middle aged, but just feels her life has begun. She writes sexy contemporary romance stories that always end with a ‘happily ever after’. Growing up she loved to read and make up new places in her head to escape to. In her late teens she began writing short stories and poetry; it wasn’t until her late thirties before she began to spin a full story.

She’s married and a stay-at-home-mom of two beautiful young girls, they reside in Western New York. Cuddling up with a good book under an electric throw is her way to escape the cold Buffalo nights. Besides writing, she co-owns Shades of Rose Marketing and hosts a talk show on Talkshoe called Live with Tamaria ~ Giving authors a voice.

Where You Can Find Me:

    Site     Facebook Author Page     Twitter

Giveaway Time:

I’m giving away a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card. Just fill out the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

                                                                                         Rafflecopter Link

Celebrating Australia Day

Beachwalk Press goes down under!

Join fellow Australian authors Imogene Nix, Jess Buffett, Larisa Anderson, Hazel Gower, and Susan Child as they celebrate Australian Day. From January 24^th-26^th, their books will be on sale at the

Beachwalk Press website for 99 cents!

On Sunday, January 26^th, they’ll be chatting in the Beachwalk Press Readers Group on Facebook.

Be sure to stop by and get to know the ladies down under a little better.

Below, Imogene Nix gives her view on Australia Day.

Australia is such an interesting country. We are one of the world’s most urban settled countries, yet we have such an affinity to our farming heritage.  The immortal words of Andrew Barton (Banjo) Patterson:

And the bush hath friends to meet him, and their kindly voices greet him

In the murmur of the breezes and the river on its bars,

And he sees the vision splendid of the sunlit plains extended,

And at night the wond'rous glory of the everlasting stars.

Yet Patterson, a solicitor (Lawyer) was actually an urbanite from Sydney (though originally born on a property in New South Wales.) The works of Paterson are etched into the psyche of many an Aussie… They include The Man From Snowy River (ever seen the movie? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_from_Snowy_River_(1982_film) ) and Waltzing Matilda.  If you haven’t ever heard/read/seen these, I recommend you do!

But back to my original post. Where most countries have a “single definition” of what they are, we don’t. Being such a diverse country, in fact over a hundred years ago, we were struggling with out identity, just as we do today. But what is an Australian?

Some would say it’s a “Ringer” (cowboy) from the Outback… Others will tell you it’s the blond haired blue-eyed surfer dude from Bondi.  I guess, because most of my married life has been in regional and remote Queensland I tend to gravitate towards the first.  I live right alongside some great Australians – they epitomise (for me) what being an Aussie is all about – a person who becomes stronger through adversity and finds workable solutions to problems because parts and items aren’t available. Let me give just one example.

The young guy my oldest daughter travels to work with every day  is an excellent example. He was a Queensland Hero during the floods 3 years ago. He works for the local council and when our water resources were down to 3 hours left, he organized a crew, walked along the railway tracks to various farms and collected agricultural pipes He then rigged a tractor to pump water from the river… which was then primary treated. Sure, we were on water restrictions and had to boil water… you know what? There was still a supply! (At the time he was a first year engineering student.)

We are a land of inventors – mainly because of geographic isolation. The Royal Flying Doctor Service is a brilliant example. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Doctors

To learn more about Aussies and their ways of dealing with life in a harsh land, just check these inventions! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Australian_inventions

So when I celebrate Australia Day, I’m celebrating not just cultural diversity, but also the long and illustrious history of people who have lived in and made their home in some of the harshest places on the planet. What’s more, we’ve thrived and found new and innovative ways to do so.

To me, that’s what being an Aussie is all about!

Happy Australia Day!

Imogene

Blurb:

A Bar In Paris

Ever considered a naughty weekend?  A “Hook-Up” with no strings?

What does a woman do when she’s turning thirty? She takes a sexy weekend trip to Paris looking for commitment-free sex. Or, that’s what Davina Chalmers does, anyway.

Enter Johnathon a tall charming Englishman. How can she possibly resist his charm and that dimple?

But what starts out as a lark quickly becomes so much more. But how does one weekend become a lifetime? And how does a lie of omission bring everything into jeopardy?

Excerpt:

The waiter smiled and I sighed. “Time to go.” As I started to rise, gripping my bag in my hand, the bell above the door rang and I watched with interest as the sexiest man I’d ever seen entered. The cool blonde on his arm was scowling and he pried his fingers from her arm then walked away. For a moment, she wobbled on her stilettos before she sneered in her super chic French way only they can pull off and stalked out the door. It slammed so hard the panes of glass shuddered.The man scowled, but to be honest, it didn’t hurt at all. He was tall and well built. Blond hair with gray eyes.My mind screamed that this man that could probably satisfy my needs. He didn’t appear even slightly inebriated and he was obviously single now, if that little carry-on was to go by. Perhaps this was my chance? I smoothed down my black dress, making sure my cleavage was just peeking out, then I sucked in a deep, deep breath and stood, hoping to catch his eyes.

I watched the man stalk to the bar and order in perfect English-accented French. “Une bière, s’il vous plait.”

My toes curled at his voice and the waiter hurried to do his bidding. Mr. Sexy’s voice was cultured and deep. I like voices, particularly men’s voices. They can make me go gooey at the knees, and this one warmed my insides to the consistency of thick, warm honey. And I knew he was the one I wanted to be with all night long.

The server handed over a bottle of beer and a glass, but Mr. Sexy looked at the bottle, grimaced, and then took a long pull.

The other men at the bar started talking in low voices, putting aside newspapers. They paid their money and left.

I didn’t want to think it was because of the dangerous aura surrounding the man. It was, after all, three in the morning. No, there had to be something else. But I was sure it wasn’t the time to ask these questions.

The small bar was quiet now as I was waiting alone with the mystery man. The waiter disappeared to the back. Obviously, with only two patrons left, he could do other things. I sucked in my confidence, folded it around me like a coat, and approached the man.

“Hi. Mind if I join you?”

He grinned and gestured to the seat beside him. I slipped onto the small stool, perched uncertainly. Then I wiggled my bum a little, thrust out my chest, and gave him my very best come-on smile.

“Looking for a hook up, are you?” His voice caused a curl of heat to gather deep inside me.

I nodded slowly. Better to be honest from the start, I thought. I didn’t have time to say a word. The next thing I knew, he had me thrust against the bar, his lips on mine and his tongue halfway down my throat. But man, what a tongue it was.

He played me like a violin until he lifted his head, casting a wicked smile in my direction. “Your hotel or mine?”

“Umm, yours.” Right now, I felt the rosy glow of arousal roaring through me. Sexy and quick to catch on. Yep, I was sure this guy was a winner.

“You’re not from around here, are you?”

I shook my head. “No.”

Trailer

www.youtube.com/v/5bTT5c040j8

Buy Links:

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/A-Bar-Paris-Imogene-Nix-ebook/dp/B00GPQ2EJS

Siren Bookstrand http://www.bookstrand.com/a-bar-in-paris

Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/a-bar-in-paris

Angus & Robertson http://www.angusrobertson.com.au/ebook/a-bar-in-paris/46330892/

All Romance EBooks https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-abarinparis-1351193-149.html

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-bar-in-paris-imogene-nix/1117441293?ean=2940148749103

Beachwalk Press http://beachwalkpress.com/a-bar-in-paris/    

Bio:

Imogene is a mother of two, compulsive reader and bookstore owner. She lives in regional Queensland, Australia with her husband, two daughters, dog, cat and chooks. She has a particular fondness for vampires, star ship captains and things that go bump in the night (especially vampire types!)

Imogene has tried many varied roles in her working life including kindergarten assistance, teacher and childcare director, but rates owning a bookstore and writing her own novels as a highlight.

In her mother and wife alter ego, she has travelled widely and lived in some very unique places including Far Western Queensland, Cape York and even Tasmania. She loves to travel and rates China and Hong Kong among her favourite destinations.

She blames Star Trek Voyager, Firefly and the works of Alexander Kent for her interest in naval and space fleet interests.

You can find Imogene on Facebook www.facebook.com/ImogeneNix Twitter www.twitter.com/ImogeneNix and her website www.imogenenix.com

Holidays with the Beachwalk Babes Hop Winners!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by during the Holidays with the Beachwalk Babes Hop!

The winners for the two $5 gift cards are: Amy Bowens and Jessica Hale!

Holidays with the Beachwalk Babes Blog Hop

Holidays with the Beachwalk Babes Hop

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. I love the scents, the lights, the lawn ornaments of Santa and his reindeer...houses so bright it's possible to see them from space. Speaking of obnoxiously lit roof tops, one of my family's holiday traditions is watching hilarious Christmas movies. Our top two favorites are National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Christmas Story. For us, popping an abundance of popcorn, making a double recipe of hot chocolate, and curling up on the sofa to watch a movie together is a great way to escape all the running around, wrapping, decorating, and cooking that can sometimes overwhelm the season.

I also like to take some time out to read but because my December schedule always seems to be jammed packed, I love having an anthology of short stories to choose from while winding down and tucked in bed. Just so happens, my very first published work ever, Katrina's Christmas, was included in Holiday Kisses, a Beachwalk Press holiday anthology. And oh yes...it's FREE!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

I'll be giving away two $5.00 Amazon gift cards on December 8th.

Leave a comment with your email on this blog to enter.

Below is the FREE link and blurbs to eleven fabulous stories.

Holiday Kisses FREE at Beachwalk Press

Positively Holly by Pepper Anthony
When Holly and Evan run into each other at the Toy Palace the week before Christmas, the last thing on their minds is rekindling their failed love affair. After all, Holly is one of those wide-eyed optimists, and Evan is a man who deals in practicalities. Things would never work out between them. But two cups of coffee, a pair of shopping bags, and a touch of sexy Christmas magic just might help them find their common ground.

Hometown Miracles by Patricia Bates
The holidays hold little interest for Leanne Wilson, a single mother who receives devastating news mere days before heading home. Once she arrives, she runs into the one man who holds her heart. But she can’t reach out to him now…after all, this may be her very last Christmas. Jay Locke has loved Leanne for years. When she left town, he forced himself to move on, but now she's back with a darling little girl and a Christmas wish he just can't say no to.

Believe in Me by Aimée Duffy
Leona Sharp and Ryan Lee have been friends forever, it seems. Although there's an attraction between them, they've never acted on it. On New Year's Eve, Leona finally allows herself to give into the temptation, but she vows that it will only be for one night and as soon as the clock strikes midnight they will put it in the past and go on as if it never happened. Ryan, however, has other plans…

His Holiday Lifesaver by Hazel Gower
Brad isn't looking forward to Christmas dinner with his family as they are always trying to set him up with women. This year he has a plan involving Hailey, a female tourist he rescued at the beach, posing as his girlfriend for the next couple of weeks. The only problem with the plan is he didn't expect to fall in love with her.

Drawn To You by Tara Mills
If a picture's worth a thousand words, what does that make a series of sketches? Drawn to the same beach over and over again to secretly sketch this quiet, contemplative man, Rachel is about to find out.

Reunion by Ashlynn Monroe
Years ago, Shayla left her small hometown to pursue her dream. When she did, her family turned their back on her. Leaving also meant she had to forget about the boy she loved. When her mother dies, Shayla realizes that while some things change, other things are doomed to remain the same. She returns home, but doesn't feel very welcome until the boy who haunts her memories steps into her present. Luc is no longer the farm boy she'd fallen for—he's grown up, and quite nicely too. Can Shayla rekindle what she lost with the man she never stopped loving?

Winter Break by Kaylie Newell
Harper Smith is a horrible skier. She can't stand it, almost as much as she can't stand her irritatingly sexy ex-boyfriend, who also happens to be a member of the ski patrol. So when she finds herself in a life-or-death situation on a cold, dark mountain, she has mixed feelings when Justin Noble shows up to rescue her. Part of her would rather freeze to death than accept his help. The other part can't help but warm up at the sight of his messy, sun-bleached hair and cocky grin. Without her consent, Harper's heart tips dangerously close to falling for him again. But will this time be any different?

Mistletoe & Holly by Tamaria Soana
Zoey is going through the normal Christmas Eve ritual with her three-year-old twins. The only difference is that her husband Preston isn't there to share it with them. He's been deployed overseas and won't be home for the holidays. After Zoey tucks the kids in for the night, she places the gifts under the tree, snuggles on the sofa to watch It's a Wonderful Life, and falls asleep. She's startled awake by a loud noise. Is she dreaming, or is her Christmas wish standing under the mistletoe?

Katrina's Christmas by Sidda Lee Tate
Christmas has always been just another day to Katrina Bryant. She works hard and expects her employees to do the same. When her sexy assistant, Grant Ward, quits on Christmas Eve she becomes worried she will never see him again, and she wonders why that bothers her so much. To her surprise, he arrives at her home hours later and whisks her away for a Christmas she will never forget.

Merry Christmas, Mrs. Todd by Elise Whyles
Recently widowed, Mary Todd isn't looking forward to spending Christmas alone. She's determined to keep a low profile during the madness—that is, until she meets her sexy neighbor, Walter. He seems intent on helping her get into the holiday spirit, and she just might let him.

The Gift Beneath the Tree by Lacey Wolfe
Tara won't be spending Christmas with her family this year, but she's not entirely alone. Her roommate, Brad, who's currently single, is also at home with her. Tara goes to bed Christmas Eve with hopes Santa might bring her what she most desires. After hearing a loud crash, she goes to investigate, and underneath the tree, she finds the present she's been dying to unwrap.

Content Warning: some stories contain explicit sex

Blind Sight by Nicole Storey

Blind Sight (The Celadon Circle)

Excerpt:

Blood and screaming; screaming and blood. The horrors of the image before her assault Jordan’s senses, overwhelming them to the point where she must scream herself. It wouldn’t matter if she did -- the young girl fighting for her life wouldn’t hear her.  Neither would the monster dismantling her body piece by agonizing piece.

She’d fought valiantly. The girl – she couldn’t be more than sixteen – obviously wasn’t the type to roll over and die. The monster liked that. Fear made her flesh sweeter. Her hair is plastered to her head with sweat. Her breathing labored, coming in short gasps. Tears cut tracks through the grime and muck on her face. Jordan figured she’d been on the run for at least an hour or more.

Her time is coming to an end, though. The blood loss is too great – she’s weak. Jeans, which were once faded blue, are a saturated burgundy now. She had lost what was left of her shirt a while back. Strips of skin flap loosely above and below her bra strap. She’s barely able to stumble through the trees. The monster allows her to get as far as fifty feet away before it pounces again, using powerful claws to rake what’s left of the flesh from her back. Its long, black tongue snakes out, lapping up her blood. Its putrid body shivers in ecstasy under the bloated moon.

The girl barely whimpers this time, but sound carries in the silent woods. The monster stops feeding long enough to place a gnarled, heavy foot on her back, snapping it like dry timber.   There will be no more running for either of them this night.

Enormous wings unfurl from the creature’s body, webbed and veined -- not unlike those of a bat. Fully spanned, they reach at least twelve feet across. Jordan knows she must get a closer look. With the thought, her body moves, drifting on the currents of the gentle breeze created by the pines and oaks. Soon, too soon, she is floating right above it. 

As if it can hear or sense something is near, the thing raises its massive head, sniffing the air. Its face resembles a gibbon, but the mouth is wider – distorted and stretched to hold rows of wicked-sharp teeth. Yellow eyes capture the moonlight, reflecting it like any other animal, only more brightly. Its body is covered in gray feathers or scales coated in a slimy substance. The smell is unbelievable – a mixture of skunk, feces, and ammonia that make her eyes water. Jordan’s seen enough.

Before she moves away, she takes one last look at the girl lying broken on the ground before her.  She is bruised and shattered, her blonde hair streaked red with blood. Was she beautiful before? Maybe she was a cheerleader for her school’s football team. She could have been a straight -- A student on her way to a full scholarship to Vassar. It didn’t matter. She was someone’s daughter, perhaps a big sister…someone’s friend. Jordan wishes she could comfort her, stroke her brow or squeeze her hand – something to let her know she isn’t dying alone. However, it is against the rules. The most she can do is make sure her death is not in vain.

As she moves away from the nightmare, the creature lets loose a scream, raising goose bumps along her arms. AhOOOoool! Probably a victory yell for a successful hunt, Jordan thinks to herself, wishing she could sink a silver knife in its gullet. She feels herself begin to fade from this time and place, a sensation of being guided somewhere else. Go ahead and celebrate, you bastard. That poor girl will be your last meal.

Buy Links:

The first book, The Chosen One, can be found at Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Sony, and Smashwords in e-book and paperback.

Sony: http://bit.ly/11eOO0o

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/17LiB9i

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/147LGYL

Kobo: http://bit.ly/ZlI9UM

Amazon: http://amzn.to/10QEKLq

The second book, Eve of the Beginning, can be found at Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Sony, and Smashwords in e-book and paperback.

Sony: http://bit.ly/18GMoNE

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/11wvPxu

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/147M6y8

Kobo: http://bit.ly/12Xj4i7

Amazon: http://amzn.to/ZlIua0

The third book, The Search for Siren, can be found at Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Sony, and Smashwords in e-book and paperback.

Sony: http://bit.ly/10IgJJU

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/17f2cck

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/147MufX

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1aPMamh

Amazon: http://amzn.to/ZCP6Dh

My first book in The Celadon Circle series, Blind Sight, can be found at Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Sony, and Smashwords in e-book and (soon) paperback.

Sony: 

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/18qQm0n

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1bt29LQ

Kobo: http://bit.ly/12zygRS

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/12LMHFS

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/12PBrUy

About the Author:

Nicole Storey lives in Georgia with her wonderful husband, two prodigious kids, and a plethora of pets. When she isn’t traveling to magical realms with potty-mouthed pixies or fighting demons, she conspires with angels and keeps humanity safe from evil. She also enjoys reading, writing on her blogs, gardening, cooking, and anything associated with Halloween. Nicole is an author of juvenile fantasy and YA paranormal books and is published with Inknbeans Press. Her books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Sony, and Smashwords in e-book and paperback.

Contact Nicole:

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/vdebQE

Blog: http://bit.ly/Muj3Me

Publisher: http://bit.ly/LIQnPV

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/KThYif

Official Website: http://bit.ly/15oJb2y

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1593otp

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1593v8d

LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/136P45X