Cliff Hanger Saturday Just Like the Matinees of Old

Cliff Hanger:

Excerpt for LIVING THE LEGACY by Genie Gabriel

Collin was actually glad to be on traffic patrol for a change, though his thoughts constantly tried to sort through what action he should take to be closer to home and Beth.

So it took a couple seconds longer than normal to realize traffic wasn't moving when the light turned from red to green, and the reason was a hunched-over woman wandering in the crosswalk. Collin flipped on his top light bar to keep traffic stopped.  Was she hurt or mentally confused?

A few horns tooted as Collin notified dispatch of his location and stepped out of the car. As he approached the woman, he recognized her as Sally Harris, who had shown up on several earlier calls and wanted bloodthirsty details of the incidents. The woman didn't seem stable then. Perhaps her mental condition had worsened. 

Collin updated dispatch and moved forward to help the woman . 

"Get out of the street , old lady!"

As motorists grew more impatient and more vocal, the woman looked around in confusion. Her gaze finally settled on Collin with a desperate hope. "I knew you would help me."

"Let's get you some place safe. " Collin slipped his hand under the woman's elbow and steered her toward his cruiser. He couldn't leave her wandering around . 

"Hey, you can't arrest an old lady!"

From the corner of his eye, Collin caught a hurried movement on the sidewalk. 

The glint of silver in the sunlight.

His survival instincts kicked in a split second late as he curled his body protectively around the old woman. The force of the burning pain at the side of his head pushed them the rest of the way to the ground. 

Friday's Featured Title: LIVING THE LEGACY

Blurb

An early childhood of dodging fists and anger has left sniper Collin O'Shea always vigilant for danger. So he is totally unprepared for how quickly the innocent sweetness of Beth Boulanger claims his heart. Their whirlwind marriage is shaken when the harsh reality of Collin's job collides with Beth's sheltered upbringing. Will they survive the unknown dangers that stalk them and threaten their unborn child?

Excerpt

Living the Legacy by Genie Gabriel

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 3

Buy at:  www.roguephoenixpress.com 

Collin watched the glow in Beth's eyes as she talked to members of the orchestra. The delicate lavender color of her formal gown and the diamond clips in the upswept curls of her hair enhanced her physical beauty. However, it was the love of music sparkling in her conversation that really captured Collin's attention.


Why had she neglected music? he wondered. Surely she could carve out time for something she so clearly loved in addition to running a restaurant.


Well, he would make sure their time together included the orchestra she enjoyed so much. And he did intend to spend time with Beth, Collin realized. Though this was their first actual date, it seemed he had known her forever.



Inwardly, Collin took a step back. Such fanciful thoughts for a man whose life was devoted to a job requiring deadly focus and split second decision-making. 



The vibration of the cell phone in his pocket clearly reminded Collin of that job. Caller ID showed this interruption was a serious one.

He excused himself and went to the lobby to take the call. His team leader offered few details but to report ASAP.



Collin returned to the table and apologized to Beth. "Something's come up and I need to go."

He paused and frowned, irritated a call-out was pulling him away from the most pleasant evening he had enjoyed in recent memory. "I'm so sorry."



The sparkle in Beth's eyes turned to worry. "Is everything alright?"



If everything was alright, the SWAT team wouldn't be activated. But Collin couldn't say that. He couldn't destroy Beth's innocent concern. "One of the drawbacks of my job is being on call 24/7."



"Oh." Beth rose to her feet.



The scent of her flowery shampoo filled Collin's senses and sizzled through his body. She stood close enough he would only have to take a step forward to fold her in his arms. To protect her from the angry and distraught and plainly malevolent people he met every day on his job.



"Do you mind driving my truck back to Halo after I stop at the station? I won't have time to make the trip."



Doubtful hesitation crinkled across Beth's face. "If you don't mind."



"I mind leaving you without a proper escort home."

Collin drove quickly to the station and pulled into a parking spot. Then he cupped Beth's face between his hands and kissed her gently. As the seconds ticked away, his cell phone vibrated again.

He had to leave. He allowed one more moment of regret, then said goodnight, and strode inside to confront whatever emergency was once again claiming his life.



Irritation swirled through Collin as he entered the station. Beth was the first woman who had captured his attention for a very long time, and he had to cut short their date for a call-out. This had better be good.



A mass of organized chaos greeted Collin.



"About time you showed up, O'Shea." His team leader frowned. "We've got a town blowing up. We're sending all the manpower we can spare."



"What town?" Collin shrugged into his camouflage jacket.



"Halo."



Collin froze as a crystal clear image of Beth lodged in his mind. She was driving straight into a disaster.

Angels Thursday Check In

Source: bluepueblo.tumblr.com via Chris on Pinterest

Okay so I love Paris!

Time to pay the piper! How did you do?

This is the Rogue's Angels weekly check-in. Every Thursday we encourage the Angels and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

How well are you doing?

Had problems this week? That's ok. Just sit down this coming week and write. Whatever you do, don't let difficulties from the week before get in your way this week.

Every word is one word closer to the finished product.

Had a great week? Keep it up, the momentum is on your side.

I'm working on a great week. I finally got back into my WIP, Catching Meara. I have finished the second RD of the second chapter and I am reading through Chapter 3 and hope to continue this momentum next week.

How are you'all doing?

Please Welcome Michael A. Rothman author of Heirs of Prophecy

Welcome to the angels blog, Michael. Your book looks great.

Michael will be awarding a $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon GC to the host with the most comments.

Heirs of Prophecy

by Michael A. Rothman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

The Riverton family had been enjoying a simple summer vacation when, through a fluke of nature, they found themselves in a strange new land.

The Riverton brothers quickly realize that in this world, they have gained unusual powers. Powers that their parents fear will attract the attention of Azazel himself – the merciless wizard who brutally controls this world.

The two brothers soon learn that an ancient prophecy has finally been initiated by their arrival in Trimoria. As the heirs of this prophecy, they are destined to lead the armies of men, dwarves, elves, and even a misfit ogre against the prophesied demon horde.

Only one thing stands in their way.

The evil wizard who has learned of their presence, and has sent assassins to wipe them from existence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Interview

1. What or who inspired you to start writing?

a. My children inspired my writing. My first novel stems directly from a bed time tale I would tell my children that over time evolved and got more elaborate. So instead of making things up on-the-fly, I decided to write the outline for what ended up being HEIRS OF PROPHECY, TOOLS OF PROPHECY, and a yet-to-be-named book to follow.

2. What elements are necessary components for this genre.

a. At some level Fantasy requires a touch of suspension of disbelief. Whether its due to magic, or other things that are otherwise fantastic, you as a reader need to be able to think, “What if something like that could really happen?”  However, as a responsible author, you must not make things too unrealistic or you leave the reader with a sense that they are reading complete lunacy. If anytime a character “needs” something and by the snap of his fingers that something appears, you leave some of the challenges and emotional rollercoasters that are necessary out of what makes an enjoyable story.

3. How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

a. See answer to #1

4. What expertise did you bring to your writing?

a. I have for a long time been a writer of graduate level material for the technical world. So at the very least, I was capable of stringing a sentence together, but the thing that might not have been clear was whether or not I was able to sustain a reader’s attention through my creative writing and story telling. I am lucky enough to have a few friends who are NYT bestselling authors who after a draft of my first novel were able to give me some critique which pointed out some things that helped me improve my first novel. I’ll admit that I have gained some confidence in my writing and now feel that I might just be able to keep that audience entertained while trying to keep them on the “edge of their seats” through some portions of my novels. 

5. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

a. I certainly have a variety of books in plan. I had three novels in my original plan, and ‘lo and behold – my plans changed. It is now three novels in the main Prophecies series and a prequel novel as well which I am working on right now.

6. If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?

a. I somewhat modeled the character Jared Riverton against me. His attitude, parenting style, and somewhat no-nonsense approach to things certainly leaked into that character’s personality.

7. Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?

a. I have a few select people I use to critique my work beyond my publisher’s editor. Certainly my kids and wife get some of the first crack at the storylines and material. I take feedback under advisement. Sometimes I let it seep in and make changes as appropriate, or sometimes I let things stand as-is. I suppose too much feedback sometimes can cause a cacophony of noise that isn’t helpful, so I tend to limit the number of beta readers that I pay careful attention to. 

8. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

a. I’ll admit that some of my professional writing friends encouraged my submissions. Although the publishing world is brutal, and I leave my thoughts on the whole process somewhat ambivalent I do want to say one thing on that topic (even though you didn’t ask). There is a rather significant difference between the common traditionally published work and the common self-published work. I have been rather open-minded on such things, and have tried to read some of the random self-published items that I saw which seemed to be something like what I would like reading and have been wholly disappointed in the quality of self-published books. If there were one word of advice I would give to those folks is this: Get yourself a decent editor folks. I find it wholly unacceptable when books are released that are full of grammatical issues, etc. It is highly distracting from what might otherwise be a good storyline, and many people will drop a book mid-way when encountering such things. If you’re going to do it on your own steam – do it right.

9. Do you outline your books or just start writing?

a. I am definitely an outliner.

10. How do you maintain your creativity?

a. The ability to create a story at some level I believe is a gift. This isn’t to say that I feel I am better or worse than any particular person, but I find that given enough thought, I am able to come up with some very good storylines that are sometimes inspired by Lord knows what. I’ve found the difference between a contrived storyline and one that flows naturally is the level of creativity and planning a person has, and for me – that flows somewhat naturally. I have no other real explanation.

11. Who is your favorite character in the book. Can you tell us why?

a. I don’t really have a favorite. Many of my characters have their plusses and minuses that are planned purposefully. Although I’ll admit to being partial to the bad guys, not enough novels focus on them. I’ll admit to my first novel likely giving lots of hints about the bad stuff to come, but only until the end do you get some ideas of how some things are never quite what they seem. In the second novel (and the prequel I am working on now) I purposefully focus a bit more on some of the bad guy roles. Let’s face it – some folks do root for the bad guys at times.  ;-)

Thanks the Angels

EXCERPT

From the Prologue

“Attend the throne room immediately!”

Heeding Lord Azazel’s call, Munson led the charge up the winding staircase to the top floor. There, he found his master awaiting them in a cold, barren room centered by an imposing throne carved of black stone. Torchlight danced in ominous patterns off the throne’s polished surface. The sound of Munson’s fellow soldiers pouring into the room echoed off the dank walls encircling them.

Munson took his place beside the room’s sole exit, bracing himself to endure more of the horrors that had become so commonplace of late. By now he had seen more of these interrogations than he cared to count. So he knew that this one, like all the others, would end in bloodshed. His gut tightened as he caught sight of today’s victim. The man crouched at the feet of his lord was a man named Farley, a man who had been Munson’s best friend since childhood.

“Please spare me, Lord Azazel!” Farley bellowed. Quivering, the prisoner reached out to trace his fingers over the hem of the wizard’s red robe.

Munson swallowed hard, praying that his master couldn’t sense from this distance the terrible pity he felt.

“I…I…,” Farley stammered. “I will never make such a mistake again.”With baleful eyes, Azazel studied the man groveling at his feet. He stood then to his full height, his robe billowing as he circled the prisoner. His otherwise handsome face parted into a menacing, almost hungry grin. “You will never make such a mistake again?” The wizard glanced at the soldiers all around him as if waiting for laughter. When it didn’t come, his face contorted into fury. “How many times have I heard that over the centuries?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

I am an Army brat and the first person in my family to be born in the United States. This heavily influenced my youth by instilling a love of reading and a burning curiosity about the world and all of the things within it. As an adult, my love of travel allowed me to explore many unimaginable locations. I participated in many adventures and documented them in what will be a series of books, the first of which you have just read.
Some might put these books in the Fantasy genre, and I never had issues with this label. After all, the adventures were, without any doubt in my mind, fantastic. I simply quibble with the label of “Fiction” that some might put on these tales. These tales should be viewed as historical records, more along the lines of a documentary.
I’ve learned one thing over the years. Magic is real. Keep exploring, and you too will find your magic.


Michael’s Website:  http://michaelarothman.com/
Michael on Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5778499.Michael_A_Rothman
Follow Michael on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/MichaelARothman
Michael on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/MichaelARothman

Michael will be awarding a $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon GC to the host with the most comments. So don't forget to comment.

EVERYDAY MIRACLES: (GLITCHY) AUTOMATIC WINDOWS

Posted by: Amber Angel

I confess I'm slow to become a fan of electronic bells and whistles. However, I've previously posted about heated seats, which I now love. 

Now I'm going to talk about automatic windows. I'm not a hundred percent sold on these, but I have an interesting "miracle" related to the ones on my vehicle.

When my kids were young--ahem, a few years ago--I didn't want automatic windows because I was afraid they would get their fingers or, heaven forbid, their heads stuck in them. Or, more likely, the body parts of their sibling.

However, one of the bells and whistles that came with my current vehicle is automatic windows. They are an improved version, since the driver can lock all the windows so they can't be operated by a passenger, and the driver can also operate all the windows. This is nice when my doggies are riding with me and need a bit of fresh air or when I want to stop the grandkids from playing up-and-down, up-and-down with the windows.

A few weeks ago, my front windows developed a glitch. I pushed the button to close them and they closed…momentarily, then slid back down. I closed them again, and back down they went. 

Since I am a Reiki master, I thought this energy short was amusing. (Reiki is a way to channel energy, so I experiment with my own energy with sometimes interesting results. Hmm…can talk about that in other posts.)

Anyway, the windows did their up and down trick for several weeks. In the meantime, I experimented with ways to keep them up and found if I held the button up until I heard a quiet "click," they didn't slide back down. I did that for about a week and discovered the energy short was "corrected." Now, I don't even need to hold the button up until I hear the click. 

But I do, as a reminder to not to get frustrated by everyday irritations, but to keep experimenting with ways to work around them until they are no longer an issue. 

Do you have any little irritations in your life that could benefit from some patient experimenting? 

Want to see what else is happening in my world? Visit my Web site <www.GenieGabriel.com>.

Pearls

The Pearl is the third of Junes birthstones which include the moonstone and alexandrite.

Source: flickr.com via Ann on Pinterest

A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes of pearls (baroque pearls) occur. The finest quality natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty for many centuries, and because of this, the word pearl has become a metaphor for something very rare, fine, admirable, and valuable.

The most valuable pearls occur spontaneously in the wild, but they are extremely rare. These wild pearls are referred to as natural pearls. Cultured or farmed pearls from pearl oysters and freshwater mussels make up the majority of those that are currently sold. Imitation pearls are also widely sold in inexpensive jewelry, but the quality of their iridescence is usually very poor, and often, artificial pearls are easily distinguished from genuine pearls. Pearls have been harvested and cultivated primarily for use in jewelry, but in the past they were also stitched onto lavish clothing. Pearls have also been crushed and used in cosmetics, medicines, and in paint formulations.

Whether wild or cultured, gem quality pearls are almost always nacreous and iridescent, as is the interior of the shell that produces them. However, almost all species of shelled mollusks are capable of producing pearls (formally referred to as "calcareous concretions" by some sources) of lesser shine or less spherical shape. Although these may also be legitimately referred to as "pearls" by gemological labs and also under U.S. Federal Trade Commission rules,^[1] and are formed in the same way, most of them have no value, except as curiosities

I could not find very much on pearls. But picking them out while they are still in the oyster is quite fun. You can find these stores in Hawaii and Universal Studios in Florida. I'm told the ugliest oysters have the best pearls.

Qualities of Pearls

I'm Back!

Hello all,

Sable Angel here. It's been two LONG months since I've had the use of both of my arms and I can't begin to tell you what a wonderful feeling being dexterous can be.

I will NEVER again take for granted the use of my left hand. Try going to the bathroom with only one hand--not easy. The worst is giving yourself a wedgie and not be able to undo it!
I withdrew for the last few months and went about the task of healing. According to my doctors and physical therapist, I'm healing very quickly. At six weeks, I've 70% use of my left arm [broken on the upper humerus-not funny at all].

All this started as a need to learn to ride a motorcycle.  My husband, Wingman, has RA that is getting increasingly worse with the passage of time. I'm not ready to give up riding on a motorcycle whether it be front or back and saw the need to learn to drive. Our Harley is a bit bigger than I can handle at this point, approximately 1300 pounds, and while I'm a very 'fluffy' Angel, fluffy doesn't equate strength.

So I went to the local motorcycle riding class endorsed by the Department of Transportation in our state and failed miserably. Too much fear stopped me from succeeding. At first, I withdrew and allowed my fear to control the situation. Then I got mad... really mad. I'm not ancient, but I'll never see 40 again, and I'm tired of my fear ruling my life.

I began a campaign to find a small motorcycle on which to practice so I could take the class again and get my motorcycle endorsement. All of our riding friends had 'just sold' a small bike perfect for my need except for one. He had a little bit bigger bike he wasn't using and needed some work done on his house, so we bartered and I got a Honda 600.

Fast forward a couple weeks. I was feeling adventurous and wanted to go farther than the local parking lot. Wingman and I took a road I learned later was infamous for attacking motorcycles. I was doing well within the speed limit when the front wheel hit gravel. Any rider will tell you, gravel is not your friend. The bike went right and I went left. Funny the things you think when you know you're going to be hurt. My first thought was, "Oh, no... road rash."

One black eye, cut above the left brow, broken left humerus and two legs black and blue from the knee down were the result.  The motorcycle cost $38.00 to fix; me--$6000. I've since been back on the bike and won't allow this motorcycle to beat me.

As you can well guess, I have a new nickname-Crash. I've opted to call my bike Bruiser. I think we now understand each other very well and will get along from this point forward. Which brings me back to my title--I'm back!

Sable Angel

Cliff Hanger Saturday Just Like the Matinees of Old

Review:

Dragons Among the Eagles

Dragons Among Us opened a door to the possibility of secret societies, creatures of legend and a whole world unseen by the human population.  The Dragons story continues when Cyre and Aleda return to Portland from the Dragon Council in China.  For Aleda, returning to life as usual is not an option.  With all of the turns and twists she has recently experienced “normal” is out the window.  Her newly discovered dragon senses and the ever present reporters’ curiosity will keep her on the move discovering just how close to home the Shifter troubles really are.  As she realizes how hard it is to keep her secret life separate from the human world she will have to depend on old friends to help her mesh the two worlds safely.   Dragons Among the Eagles is an excellent sequel that will hold your attention until the very end and leave you craving more.  Well done Ms. Kraemer for delivering yet another awesome book!

Worthy of a 5 Angel Eyes rating

L. Nickels

Cliff Hanger:

Excerpt for Dragons Among the Eagles by C.L. Kraemer

She rubbed her palms against her eyes and blew out a weary breath. The one bright spot of her email inbox had been Cyre’s answer. Aleda picked up a pen and put a star on Friday, Sunday and Monday of her calendar. Her stomach flipped and she couldn’t help but smile. It would be absolute heaven to fly wingtip to wingtip with him. Snuggling in front of his big screen TV watching movies until they fell asleep--could life get any better?

She doubted it. Meanwhile, she felt as though her eyes were bleeding. She’d been sitting in front of her computer sifting through the letters from a different set of far-fetched enthusiasts than the usual Bigfoot sighters. The frightening part was the similarity to her initial meeting with Cyre described in some of the letters. They were certain they’d seen the dragon pictured in the shots on the inner page of the paper.

Aleda stood up and stretched her hands over her head, twisting from side to side and bending to alleviate the kinks. Cyre needed to see these letters. His innocence could get him killed if he wasn’t more cautious.

Shaking her hands to get the blood flowing, Aleda decided to go for a walk. The day had dawned with misty skies but being in the house this long was making her feel claustrophobic. Fresh air and a brisk walk would clear her mind.

Her life was just beginning. She was going to live to be seven hundred fifty years old. Was a master’s degree really necessary? In the next seven hundred twenty-five years was the advanced degree going to make a difference in her lifestyle choices? Most of this argument was moot. Her inheritance included the home where she lived and enough money to survive. But could she keep her things and not be suspect?

Aleda began to jog along the riverfront with the overload of questions invading her mind. Soon she was listening to the rhythmic slap, slap, slap of her shoes against the pavement leading up the west hills toward home. All thoughts of what she needed to do, wanted to do were lost in the joy of misty rain rushing against her face, wind playing with her long, dark hair and the rush of running.

Aleda reached the top of the hills and slowed to a walk, letting her breathing even out and pulling in deep breaths of crisp, clean air. Her life had changed, that was certain, but she could handle it. After all, her history certainly hadn’t been fairy tale. The trauma of her childhood, a mother who abandoned her when she was barely three and an aunt, who tried to beat the wicked out of her, hadn’t succeeded in breaking her down. Why should simple lifebumps such as learning she was a dragon/human shapeshifter who was going to live to be seven hundred fifty years old beat her?

Aleda dragged herself up the steps and unlocked the front door. The light on her phone was blinking furiously.

“No way am I checking that.”

The thought of a hot shower enticed her and articles of clothing dropped to the floor with each footfall along the hallway. Donning dry clothing, Aleda moved to the couch to flip through the news channels.

A television helicopter was circling the scene of an accident. Several police cars were visible and an ambulance was arriving. The newscaster was warning folks to avoid the area as there would probably be delays. Suddenly, the picture went black and the sound vanished.

Aleda blinked. What the…?

“Sorry folks, we’re having some technical difficulties. We’ll keep you updated as we get the information. On a different note…”

That was strange.

Her phone rang and she groaned. Before she looked at her caller ID, Aleda knew who was on the other end of the line. If she didn’t answer, he would call and leave messages all night.

“Hello, Warren.”

“Aleda. Tell me you’ve been watching the news.”

“Yes, Warren. I’ve been watching the news.”

“Good, then I won’t have to bring you up to speed on the accident on I-205. Get over there as fast as you can.”

“Why, Warren? The news just warned everyone to stay away. The traffic will be horrific. Besides, we don’t do everyday fender-benders. What’s so special about this?”

There was a hesitation on the line and Aleda’s stomach plummeted to her toes.

“You know I listen to a police scanner all the time.”

“Uh-humm.”

“The scanner was going wild before they shut it down. There were three different agencies on the frequency and each one made the same shocked statement about this accident.”

“Get to the point, Warren.”

“Aleda, I want you to get over there and find out the truth. Go now and get back to me tonight. This is the story that could put our paper on top.”

“WARREN!”

“What?”

“What is so important you want me to cover an accident?”

“The police reported the deceased driver of the vehicle was…”

Aleda heard him swallow, pull in a deep breath and continue.

“…half human and half dragon.”

Friday's Featured Titled: Dragons Among the Eagles

Blurb

Aleda Sable faces the toughest decision of her life—to stay in dragon form, live as a two-legged or put one foot in the human world and one talon in the dragon world.

An urgent call from her newspaper editor sends Aleda to report on an accident whose driver appears to be a dragon. Authorities have the scene locked down and aren't allowing access to anyone. Television broadcasts flash pictures of scaly legs hanging from a crashed car. However, the bodies disappear into thin air. When the stations try follow-up reports, all they find are state highway workers busily tearing up the roads.

In determining the truth of the shifter disappearances, Aleda finds the truth of her own dilemma.

Excerpt

Dragons Among the Eagles by C. L. Kraemer

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at:  www.roguephoenixpress.com 

Rain thwacked against Aleda's leathery black appendages. Her arms ached; heck, every muscle in her body ached. This flying thing was going to take more practice. The continual downpour of the spring night slithered past her shielded turquoise eyes, bathing her scales in cool refreshment. As much as she would like to have frolicked in the showers, she was more interested in landing in one spot, curling up and sleeping for the next four days. If only…

Cyre winged up to her side.

"You go in first and I'll follow. I want to wash off the grit of the trip."

Aleda pulled back her lips in a semblance of a smile.

"No problem," she shouted over the wind drafts.

When Cyre's sister, Brittany, had first suggested Aleda attend the dragon council in China, she'd been ecstatic. Her recent discovery of her true identity--half human, half dragon--had put her beliefs to the test. She imagined being around those like her would make her transition simpler. Cyre and Brittany, full-blooded Celtic dragons, had helped as best they could by explaining rules of dragon protocol and pointing out the good guys from the bad guys at the council meetings. By the end of the week, Aleda's fairy tale illusion had fallen abruptly on sharp rocks. Politics and power were as rampant in the dragon-shapeshifter community as in the human community.

Brittany was going to spend a night or two in Cyre's den before continuing her journey back to Scotland. Then Aleda and Cyre would be faced with the decisions they'd both been putting off since their first meeting.

She felt the solid rock beneath her talons and breathed a sigh of relief. The council meeting had been exhilarating, educational and overwhelming all at once. It was nice, really nice, to be back in the Northwest of the United States. Aleda stood, getting her land legs then shook the extra moisture from her body. Placing her talon on the button in the rock wall, she pushed and the door of the cave slid open. Watching the heavy glass trundle into the backside of Mt. St. Helens still gave her chill bumps. So much about the twenty-first century dragon world made her shake her head. How could they survive with all the advancements humans had accomplished? Knowing the answer still didn't stop her from asking the question.

The few minutes she'd stood contemplating questions already asked had given the cavern a chance to air out. While her sense of smell wasn't as acute for some things, sulfur being one of those, she still hadn't been able to adjust completely to the acrid aroma Cyre tolerated in his cave.

As she dragged her tired feet over the threshold, Cyre backwinged his way on the landing. Aleda turned just in time to catch the wicked twinkle in his eyes.

He sprayed water over the landing, his laughter bubbling over the surrounding rocks like thunder.

"Cyre! I just dried off! Jiminy!"

Aleda wrinkled her brow and glared at the young gray-green dragon. His mirthful smirk did nothing to help her anger.

"Hey, you two. Get in here and dry off. I did some hunting before you got here and there's dinner in the great room. I've had mine and to be quite frank, I'm exhausted. I'm going to sleep."

Brittany tromped back to the great room and found a warm spot near the back wall.

Cyre and Aleda located the carcasses of the deer where Brittany had dropped the bodies. Each took one and moved off to eat, alone, before settling in for the night. Minutes after devouring their meals, the trio of dragons were fast asleep, the decisions of the previous week set aside for the normality of life.

 Review

Dragons Among the Eagles is an excellent sequel that will hold your attention until the very end and leave you craving more.  Well done Ms. Kraemer for delivering yet another awesome book!

Worthy of a 5 Angel Eyes rating

L. Nickels for Rogue's Angels

Woot! Woot! It's Thursday Check In Time

Source: google.com via Chris on Pinterest

Love this photo. 

Time to pay the piper! How did you do?

This is the Rogue's Angels weekly check-in. Every Thursday we encourage the Angels and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

How well are you doing?

Had problems this week? That's ok. Just sit down this coming week and write. Whatever you do, don't let difficulties from the week before get in your way this week.

Every word is one word closer to the finished product.

Had a great week? Keep it up, the momentum is on your side.

Well, I've been stuck on my WIP -- now known as Catching Meara. Everything I was writitng didn't move the story forward. Well, I shouldn't say EVERYTHING. However, I'm talking about chapter 2. I sat down this afternoon with the old fashioned pen and notebook. I started a new outline of the entire book, trying to weave the serial killer into the story. I think I might have come up with an idea.

Once again, how did your week progress?

EVERYDAY MIRACLES: SINGING IN A DIFFERENT VOICE

Ever notice how people can sound completely different when they sing?

I was recently doing research on the rock band, Journey. Their current vocalist is a former homeless teenager from the Philippines. I listened to an interview with him and he has a noticeable accent. However, when he sings Journey hits like "Don't Stop Believin'," you get the classic Journey sound. Here's a CBS News Sunday Morning interview <http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1378774/arnel_pineda_cbs_news_sunday_morning_interview/> that mixes an interview with the band and old Journey clips featuring vocalist Steve Perry (in the earlier days) and their new frontman Arnel Pineda. If you watch the entire interview, be prepared for a touching story. 

Another voice that surprised me is that of Jim Nabors, who played Gomer Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show and the same character in a spinoff, Gomer Pyle, USMC. Here's an episode if you want to listen to him talk. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9adsI3E-Dk&feature=relmfu>. And here's one of him singing <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5KeGccP9Jk>.

Susan Boyle is another wonderful surprise <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk&feature=endscreen&NR=1>. I still get tears in my eyes when I listen to her debut on "Britain's Got Talent." Amazing!

I'm sure you can come up with others, and enjoy the miracle of singing!

Please Welcome Robert Lowe author of Project Moses

Project Moses

By

Robert Lowe

BLURB:  

“A thriller with an ideal fusion of wile and wit.”- Kirkus Reviews

Project Moses is a high-tech bioterrorism thriller in the Grisham mode that has been well received on Good Reads, Library Thing and Kindle (4.8 stars based on 18 reviews as of April 4).  It has romance, suspense and humor.

Enzo Lee, 37, a burned out reporter, has forsaken investigative reporting on the East Coast to churn out feature fluff in San Francisco. He likes his North Beach apartment, steps away from his Chinatown roots. Running, tai chi, great food, women who are attracted to his exotic looks. Life is good.

Then, Lee is ordered to cover the unexplained deaths of a local judge and prosecutor. Intrigued by the connection, and the judge’s attractive niece, Sarah Armstrong, Lee begins to uncover a bioterrorism scandal whose perpetrators - including government officials and Silicon Valley titans - will kill to conceal.

When Lee and Sarah become targets, the question becomes whether the pair can evade their hunters and piece together the story before their time runs out. Project Moses is set in San Francisco, New York and Silicon Valley.

 Interview

1.    What or who inspired you to start writing?

I was a newspaper reporter for 12 years out of college so that career choice showed my interest in writing and, of course, those years helped my writing.  Having written for a living in that format gave me confidence that I could write a book.  Also, I worked in newsrooms where there was always someone working on a book and some were very successful.  So, it seemed more doable that it would for someone without that background. 

2.    What elements are necessary components for this genre.

There are the things that I strive to have:  a) Compelling narrative which means both not boring and with energy or pacing to keep the story and the reader moving.  b) A tight plot with enough at stake to make it interesting but credible and without loose ends. c) Believable characters that people will react to in the way intended – particularly find your heroes likeable and believe it when romance occurs. d) New information about a profession, industry or science as an added “content bonus.”    

3.    What expertise did you bring to your writing?

My 12 years as a reporter and having writing be part of how I made my living was a big element.  My specialty was investigative reporting so understanding how to unearth facts helped both in terms of what Enzo Lee, the main character would do, but also in terms of thinking about how a plot might be revealed and come unraveled. 

Also, much of the story revolves around journalism and law.  I went to law school after journalism so that background was helpful as well.

4.    What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

I have been around a lot of women in my life and am probably more comfortable around a female-dominated environment than a lot of men. I had 3 sisters and no brothers and although I’m close to my father, he was very busy when I was growing up and not a big part of my day-to-day life. I remember having a lot of aunties around.  I have two daughters.  My wife had 5 sisters, no brothers.  Of my nieces and nephews, I have 3 nephews and probably 15 nieces (lost count).  When I look back at the characters in Project Moses I can see that the female ones generally are better.  Aside from Enzo, they are the memorable ones. So, I think this comfort level and whatever it implies has a lot to do with it.

5.    As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

I am working on my second novel, another mystery/thriller using the same main character and some of the secondary characters – all women as it turns out - that appear in Project Moses.

6.    If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?

7.    Can you give us a sneak peak into this book?

In Project Moses the main character is Enzo Lee who is a reporter at a newspaper in San Francisco. Late 30s, and Chinese-Italian-Scottish, Lee has been a successful investigative reporter but has remade himself into a feature writer of fun, fluffy stories. Then, his editor makes him cover a couple of murders and Lee is drawn into a big conspiracy involving rogue government agents and a big corporation that is misusing genetic engineering technology in a worldwide plot.  Along the way, he meets and is thrown together with the niece of a murder victim, a young lawyer whom it turns out is also a target.  The story is really about how they try to piece together the conspiracy and expose the scandal while the bad actors are trying to silence them.  

8. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

I had some paid time off between jobs and decided to use it writing a book.  I showed the pages to my wife as I wrote and she was very encouraging and urged me to finish and publish the work.  She was a journalist for many years and reads widely and voluminously so I trusted her judgment.

1                     9. What is the best and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)

Don’t plan on getting rich doing it.  And, find someone whose judgment and candor you trust who will give you feedback. 

10. Do you outline your books or just start writing?

I have an idea of where I think the main plot/crime will go and other pieces in mind – characters that might crop up, relationships that will develop, etc. – they I sit down and start writing and see what happens.  I do find that I have threads emerging almost on their own and then have to work to tie them back into the story.  Also, the characters do seem to develop almost on their own.  It’s like I’m sitting across from someone and the revelation hits, “Oh.  She must feel this way about whatever (love, possessions, children, etc.)”

11. Who is your favorite character in the book. Can you tell us why?

I’ll have to say Enzo Lee because I identify with him the most. He is an investigative reporter as I was and shares some, although certainly not all, of my background.  This was deliberate since I thought it would be easier to just think how I would react to something and that would get me close to Enzo’s thinking.  But, I also take him through the toughest emotional swings including some tragedy in Project Moses so I feel for the guy as well.  
  

REVIEW SOUND BYTES

KIRKUS REVIEW:

PROJECT MOSES

A journalist and a lawyer stumble upon secret experiments and a government conspiracy in Lowe’s debut mystery novel.

Reporter Enzo Lee is keeping a low journalistic profile in San Francisco by specializing in light newspaper features. After he reluctantly tackles a story of a judge found dead in her office, avoiding front-page news becomes the least of Lee’s worries. The judge’s death is associated with a prosecutor—killed by a hit-and-run—another attorney and the judge’s niece, Sarah Armstrong, who’s nearly a victim herself. As more people are murdered, Lee and Sarah learn of a company, AgriGenics, that genetically enhances fruits and vegetables—but the company’s ties to biological weapons put the snooping couple in its scope. Lowe's taut thriller is fronted by a likable protagonist who retains his sense of humor even under a constant threat of death. Lee easily generates sympathy, especially since he doesn’t particularly enjoy his unbearable circumstances—he was content averting controversy with his newspaper features. Both he and Sarah are resourceful characters, and their mutual attraction and ensuing relationship is believable. In the same regard, the two convincingly manage the intrigue: Sarah connects the murders through her prior involvement and Lee, the former hard-hitting reporter, utilizes sources and information as a means to take the offense. The story’s long-reaching conspiracy is elaborate but never overwhelming, so readers can appreciate the stockpiling of secrets, elusive characters and murders committed to preserve those secrets. One of the supporting players, a female detective named Bobbie Connors, who proves an asset to Lee, threatened to steal the spotlight completely if she’d been allowed a more substantial part in the story.

A thriller with an ideal fusion of wile and wit.

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Robert B. Lowe is a Pulitzer-prize winning author whose fiction is based in San Francisco, his adopted home.

His past experiences – a 12-year career in investigative journalism and a Harvard Law School degree – enable him to write gripping mystery thrillers in both the legal and journalistic fields. Lowe draws his inspiration from John Grisham, Dick Francis and Lee Childs and adds his own San Francisco twist. Readers will enjoy his references to the city’s landmarks such as Chinatown, North Beach and Pacific Heights  and the Bay area’s foodie culture.

When Lowe isn’t writing he enjoys a day at the golf course and spending time with his wife and daughters.

Robert will be giving away a $10 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter at the close of the tour as well as to the host with the most comments, not counting the hosts or his own.

Don't forget to leave a comment!

LINKS:

http://www.robertblowe.com/

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RobertBLowe

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5621745.Robert_B_Lowe

https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorRobBLowe