Paige Cuccaro's Blog
January 30, 2016
Goodbyes are always hard
Orginally posted on December 2014.
Saying goodbye to fictional friends is a special kind of sweet pain. With this finial book in my Hellsbane series, , finally out in the world, it’s time to say goodbye to some very dear friends.
Normally when I finish a book I do a little happy dance, maybe have a glass of wine, and breathe a long satisfied sigh of relief. My mind shifts to the next story, new characters to discover and stories to unravel. It’s always a little sad letting go, but my imagination won’t let me dwell on the past.
But releasing brought a special kind of sweet sorrow to my heart. Over the last three years writing the story of Emma Jane Hellsbane and her doomed love Eli, I’ve grown used to having them and the rest of the Scooby crew around. They evolved from fictional characters to dearly loved family members. They’ve been there, keeping me company, entertaining me and driving me a little nuts at times for years. They saw me through my empting nest, bitter winters, and even my husband’s deployment. They talked to me, and pulled me along on their adventures, tugging at my heart with their forbidden love. Saying goodbye to Emma and Eli is like saying goodbye to trusted friends.
Emma Jane was born out of a nagging curiosity. I’ve always been fascinated by the biblical stories about angels taking human wives and producing these giant children. I thought how cool it would be if they were still doing it, but over the eons had figured out a way to make their children seem just as normal as any human. Then these children, these nephilim, would be living among us, not even realizing themselves the true supernatural power they possessed. The entire Hellsbane series grew out of that premise. Depending on your beliefs it could all be very possible…and I love that!
The curiosity is still with me, even after telling Emma Jane’s tale. Just recently more attention is being paid to the real life skeletal remains of giants they’re unearthing, and uncovering in the case of Smithsonian Institution, all over the world. Could these be ancestors of Emma Jane and the other nephilim like her? Did they die out? Were they killed in the great flood? Or did they evolve to protect themselves, become less fearsome and more human? The questions are endless.
thequeen
Now the Smithsonian Institution is being accused of deliberately hiding their collection of remains. Physical proof these impressive beings really did walk the earth. Why? Is it because they fear their existence might substantiate this passage:
The Bible in Genisis 6:4
“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old men of renown.�
We may never know the truth, but nothing can stop our imaginations and news clippings like this are a writer’s food and fuel. But all good things must end.
This is the first series I’ve written and I don’t think I was prepared for how much a part of me the characters would become. Of course there’s more to Emma and Eli’s story. In this last book everything flips and a page is turned that can’t ever be turned back. Despite how desperate things have become for characters, they move forward, accepting what’s become of their lives—each of them starting new chapters. Maybe one day I’ll peek in on them again, see what new things Emma has discovered about herself. But for now, it’s farewell, my dear ones. I will miss you.
To my readers, I hope the Hellsbane stories have given you some laughs, a few tears and even a longing sigh now and then. And my most heartfelt wish is that this final book leaves you with a smile in your heart and spark to light your imagination.
HELLSBANE HEREAFTER
Taking sides could be deadly�
The war between good and evil is on, and nephilim Emma Jane is caught in the middle. Both sides want her working for them. And both sides know how to make her suffer if they don’t like her choice. Now someone has raised the stakes and is using innocent humans as pawns in the ultimate fight for humanity�
Emma Jane isn’t sure which side is responsible. What she used to believe about right and wrong, good and evil—even what she used to believe about herself—is changing. Because whether she likes it or not, the final reckoning comes down to Emma Jane Hellsbane. And she’ll have to choose between humanity…and the man she was never supposed to love.
Raise a little HELL this Year!
Saying goodbye to fictional friends is a special kind of sweet pain. With this finial book in my Hellsbane series, , finally out in the world, it’s time to say goodbye to some very dear friends.
Normally when I finish a book I do a little happy dance, maybe have a glass of wine, and breathe a long satisfied sigh of relief. My mind shifts to the next story, new characters to discover and stories to unravel. It’s always a little sad letting go, but my imagination won’t let me dwell on the past.
But releasing brought a special kind of sweet sorrow to my heart. Over the last three years writing the story of Emma Jane Hellsbane and her doomed love Eli, I’ve grown used to having them and the rest of the Scooby crew around. They evolved from fictional characters to dearly loved family members. They’ve been there, keeping me company, entertaining me and driving me a little nuts at times for years. They saw me through my empting nest, bitter winters, and even my husband’s deployment. They talked to me, and pulled me along on their adventures, tugging at my heart with their forbidden love. Saying goodbye to Emma and Eli is like saying goodbye to trusted friends.
Emma Jane was born out of a nagging curiosity. I’ve always been fascinated by the biblical stories about angels taking human wives and producing these giant children. I thought how cool it would be if they were still doing it, but over the eons had figured out a way to make their children seem just as normal as any human. Then these children, these nephilim, would be living among us, not even realizing themselves the true supernatural power they possessed. The entire Hellsbane series grew out of that premise. Depending on your beliefs it could all be very possible…and I love that!
The curiosity is still with me, even after telling Emma Jane’s tale. Just recently more attention is being paid to the real life skeletal remains of giants they’re unearthing, and uncovering in the case of Smithsonian Institution, all over the world. Could these be ancestors of Emma Jane and the other nephilim like her? Did they die out? Were they killed in the great flood? Or did they evolve to protect themselves, become less fearsome and more human? The questions are endless.
thequeen
Now the Smithsonian Institution is being accused of deliberately hiding their collection of remains. Physical proof these impressive beings really did walk the earth. Why? Is it because they fear their existence might substantiate this passage:
The Bible in Genisis 6:4
“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old men of renown.�
We may never know the truth, but nothing can stop our imaginations and news clippings like this are a writer’s food and fuel. But all good things must end.
This is the first series I’ve written and I don’t think I was prepared for how much a part of me the characters would become. Of course there’s more to Emma and Eli’s story. In this last book everything flips and a page is turned that can’t ever be turned back. Despite how desperate things have become for characters, they move forward, accepting what’s become of their lives—each of them starting new chapters. Maybe one day I’ll peek in on them again, see what new things Emma has discovered about herself. But for now, it’s farewell, my dear ones. I will miss you.
To my readers, I hope the Hellsbane stories have given you some laughs, a few tears and even a longing sigh now and then. And my most heartfelt wish is that this final book leaves you with a smile in your heart and spark to light your imagination.
HELLSBANE HEREAFTER
Taking sides could be deadly�
The war between good and evil is on, and nephilim Emma Jane is caught in the middle. Both sides want her working for them. And both sides know how to make her suffer if they don’t like her choice. Now someone has raised the stakes and is using innocent humans as pawns in the ultimate fight for humanity�
Emma Jane isn’t sure which side is responsible. What she used to believe about right and wrong, good and evil—even what she used to believe about herself—is changing. Because whether she likes it or not, the final reckoning comes down to Emma Jane Hellsbane. And she’ll have to choose between humanity…and the man she was never supposed to love.
Raise a little HELL this Year!
March 12, 2015
HELLSBANE is #FREE
Enter my GIVEAWAY!
My Hellsbane series got an awesome cover makeover. To celebrate (and get the word out) Entangled is GIVING AWAY the first book in the series!! You know what that means?
HELLSBANEFREENOW!
HellsbaneBook 1ISBN-978-1620612330Twenty-three-year-old Emma Jane Hellsbane just found out she’s not human, at least, not only human. She’s half angel, too, and now Heaven’s got a job for her: round up all the Fallen angels and their red-skinned, horned devil-demon minions and boot their butts back into the abyss. Only problem? The demons and their Fallen masters fight back…and they don’t fight fair.
Luckily for Emma, she can put a stop to the constant threat of having her head hacked off if she figures out which Fallen angel is her father—and then kill him before he kills her. Of course, in the meantime, she’ll have to avoid accidentally seducing her angelic mentor, help an old friend conquer his own Fallen sperm donor, and basically save the world from a cataclysmic divine smack down.
No one said being Heaven’s bounty hunter would be easy. But with a name like Hellsbane, Emma Jane was born for the job.
What READERS are saying....
5 / 5 - "A truly unique and quite intriguing story. I enjoyed it immensely." - Reviewer: � Reviewer Top Pick ,I highly recommend this book not only for the fabulous Urban Fantasy story, but also to enjoy a very talented author weaving magic with her words.~ Reviewer:5 Roses - "Buffy the Vampire Slayer's counterpart minus the vampires!"~ Reviewer:Hellsbane is a thrilling read with just enough fast-paced action and excitement to leave you hanging onto the edge of your seat!Reviewer: Emma Jane's character is awesome, I can't wait to read more in the next book of this incredible series.I recommend this most awesome book to all and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!!!Reviewer: Reviewer Top Pick , Loved, Loved this book!!! ... I cannot wait to see what happens next.~ Reviewer: Night Owl Reviews Missyb0103
Read an Excerpt!
“Perhaps you’ve mistaken my statement for a request,� he said. “It wasn’t.�
“Ah. So it’s like that, is it?�
He snaked an arm around my waist, jerked me to him so our bodies were flush against each other. I gasped, my hands going to his chest on reflex.
“Yes,� he said. “It’s like that.�
A soft wind shifted through my hair, and the world around us blurred as if in motion. But our feet hadn’t moved. The overlook, the cars, the townhouses, the sky, everything raced past us.
Then it was gone. Darkness engulfed us, with only the distant stars twinkling in the vast emptiness. My hands leached around Eli’s neck, brought us cheek to cheek.
“You’re safe in my arms, Emma Jane. Always,� he said, his lips brushing my ear. A shudder traveled straight down to my center with the sweet sound of his words. The man had an orgasmic voice. What a waste.
His embrace loosened, and I leaned back enough to see his face. A soft glow lightened the shadows from behind me, just enough to cast a silvery glow over his expression. Time and space suddenly rushed in on me, and my brain spun like I’d been twirling around on my toes for an hour.
I let go of him with one hand, pressing it to my forehead to stop the spin and to keep my brain from coming out of my ears. “What was that?�
“Your mind is struggling to match speed with your body. May I help?�
I’d told him once never to use his power to give me false rapture, but it was like asking a fish not to swim. I nodded and he rested his hand over mine, the warmth of his skin heating through me. The nauseating twirling stopped.
“I hoped moving slower would help lessen the shock, but it seems the effect allowed your vision too much time to try and compensate,� he said.
“We moved at angelic speed?� I asked, guessing.
“No. I am able to travel at the speed of thought. We moved an increment slower.�
“Um, thanks.� I tried to see over his shoulder, to get my bearings, but I couldn’t push up on my toes. I moved the muscles, and nothing happened. I looked at my feet—there was nothing beneath us. No floor, no ground, no...anything, just more blackness and millions and millions of distant twinkly lights.
An icy bolt of panic shot up my spine and I clutched at Eli. My gut twisted and a scream caught in the back of my throat. Eli hugged me tight.
“Where are we?�
“Look behind you,� he said.
It took a few seconds of internal argument, but eventually my courage rallied, and I glanced over my shoulder. “Is that...�
“Earth,� he said.
Sheer awe loosened my grip. I shifted my feet to his—I had to stand on something—and turned, holding his hands to my hips to anchor me, my back to his chest.
The world looked exactly the way it does in all the pictures...but so much more. More beautiful, more breathtaking than any picture could capture.
There was a storm swirling over one of the oceans, and night was quickly approaching for half the world. A thick line of darkness crept over land and water as the planet spun. On the other side, brilliant light ate away the darkness at exactly the same pace.
“This can’t be real. How?� I asked, my brain fighting reason and everything I knew about space and time and reality.
His hands slipped over my belly, his embrace enveloping me. “In the arms of an angel, Emma Jane, all things are possible.�
My eyes closed, and I leaned back into his chest. I tried not to enjoy the feel of him around me, but the heat of his body, the comforting strength of his muscles, and the sweet, summery scent of his skin decimated my willpower.
“Behold what your birthright has brought you, Emma Jane,� he said. “No mortal human could claim as much.�
I opened my eyes and felt that rush of awe all over again at the view. “It’s amazing, Eli. Thank you.�
“This is only the beginning. You have been chosen to battle creatures far more powerful than mere mortals. You are not like other humans; you cannot be. Your task requires much of you, and for it, much has been given. Time and space unravel for you to traverse with the same intrinsic understanding as those you hunt. The world is quite literally at your feet.�
Before I could take a breath, I found myself staring out over a large valley and an ocean beyond. Gone was the great global marble spinning in the endless black of space. Suddenly, I was blinking at a waking cityscape miles below with large water inlets and busy harbors. There was blue sky above me and green land below. We were back on Earth.
Hard, unrelenting wind whipped my hair, making it hard to see. But I could make out the white sand-lined shores and the short mountain ranges that blocked sections of the city from the ocean.
“Where are we?� I yelled, but my voice was lost on the roaring wind.
Eli tucked me under his arm, and silence descended over us like he’d closed a door. My hair floated back against my head and I could stand on my own. I shoved at the strands over my face and tried to clue in my brain. “Brazil.� Eli pointed at the city. “Rio de Janeiro.�
“It’s beautiful.� My gaze followed the landscape below to the base of the mountain, then to the long winding staircase tracing up the side until they disappeared far below the edge of the outcropping we stood on. It’d been nearly six a.m. in Pittsburgh by the time Eli and I left Earth, which made it nearly seven a.m. in Rio, and the city was already bustling.
What are we standing on? I fisted my hand around Eli’s jacket and leaned over for a better look. “No way. Christ the Redeemer? Seriously?� We were on his arm and I looked to the left at the huge, white, carved face of Jesus.
“Remarkable, isn’t it?� Eli said. “And yet it pales in comparison to the miracle that is you and those like you.�
He smiled wide, so pleased with himself, and I could almost forgive him for not warning me one wrong step could send me tumbling over a hundred feet to the very, very hard landing below.
And now, for a LIMITED TIME, it's totally FREE!!
Before you leave, don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY for a chance to win $50 Amazon GC and the COMPLETE HELLSBANE eBook SERIES!!
My Hellsbane series got an awesome cover makeover. To celebrate (and get the word out) Entangled is GIVING AWAY the first book in the series!! You know what that means?
HELLSBANEFREENOW!
HellsbaneBook 1ISBN-978-1620612330Twenty-three-year-old Emma Jane Hellsbane just found out she’s not human, at least, not only human. She’s half angel, too, and now Heaven’s got a job for her: round up all the Fallen angels and their red-skinned, horned devil-demon minions and boot their butts back into the abyss. Only problem? The demons and their Fallen masters fight back…and they don’t fight fair.
Luckily for Emma, she can put a stop to the constant threat of having her head hacked off if she figures out which Fallen angel is her father—and then kill him before he kills her. Of course, in the meantime, she’ll have to avoid accidentally seducing her angelic mentor, help an old friend conquer his own Fallen sperm donor, and basically save the world from a cataclysmic divine smack down.
No one said being Heaven’s bounty hunter would be easy. But with a name like Hellsbane, Emma Jane was born for the job.
What READERS are saying....
5 / 5 - "A truly unique and quite intriguing story. I enjoyed it immensely." - Reviewer: � Reviewer Top Pick ,I highly recommend this book not only for the fabulous Urban Fantasy story, but also to enjoy a very talented author weaving magic with her words.~ Reviewer:5 Roses - "Buffy the Vampire Slayer's counterpart minus the vampires!"~ Reviewer:Hellsbane is a thrilling read with just enough fast-paced action and excitement to leave you hanging onto the edge of your seat!Reviewer: Emma Jane's character is awesome, I can't wait to read more in the next book of this incredible series.I recommend this most awesome book to all and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!!!Reviewer: Reviewer Top Pick , Loved, Loved this book!!! ... I cannot wait to see what happens next.~ Reviewer: Night Owl Reviews Missyb0103
Read an Excerpt!
“Perhaps you’ve mistaken my statement for a request,� he said. “It wasn’t.�
“Ah. So it’s like that, is it?�
He snaked an arm around my waist, jerked me to him so our bodies were flush against each other. I gasped, my hands going to his chest on reflex.
“Yes,� he said. “It’s like that.�
A soft wind shifted through my hair, and the world around us blurred as if in motion. But our feet hadn’t moved. The overlook, the cars, the townhouses, the sky, everything raced past us.
Then it was gone. Darkness engulfed us, with only the distant stars twinkling in the vast emptiness. My hands leached around Eli’s neck, brought us cheek to cheek.
“You’re safe in my arms, Emma Jane. Always,� he said, his lips brushing my ear. A shudder traveled straight down to my center with the sweet sound of his words. The man had an orgasmic voice. What a waste.
His embrace loosened, and I leaned back enough to see his face. A soft glow lightened the shadows from behind me, just enough to cast a silvery glow over his expression. Time and space suddenly rushed in on me, and my brain spun like I’d been twirling around on my toes for an hour.
I let go of him with one hand, pressing it to my forehead to stop the spin and to keep my brain from coming out of my ears. “What was that?�
“Your mind is struggling to match speed with your body. May I help?�
I’d told him once never to use his power to give me false rapture, but it was like asking a fish not to swim. I nodded and he rested his hand over mine, the warmth of his skin heating through me. The nauseating twirling stopped.
“I hoped moving slower would help lessen the shock, but it seems the effect allowed your vision too much time to try and compensate,� he said.
“We moved at angelic speed?� I asked, guessing.
“No. I am able to travel at the speed of thought. We moved an increment slower.�
“Um, thanks.� I tried to see over his shoulder, to get my bearings, but I couldn’t push up on my toes. I moved the muscles, and nothing happened. I looked at my feet—there was nothing beneath us. No floor, no ground, no...anything, just more blackness and millions and millions of distant twinkly lights.
An icy bolt of panic shot up my spine and I clutched at Eli. My gut twisted and a scream caught in the back of my throat. Eli hugged me tight.
“Where are we?�
“Look behind you,� he said.
It took a few seconds of internal argument, but eventually my courage rallied, and I glanced over my shoulder. “Is that...�
“Earth,� he said.
Sheer awe loosened my grip. I shifted my feet to his—I had to stand on something—and turned, holding his hands to my hips to anchor me, my back to his chest.
The world looked exactly the way it does in all the pictures...but so much more. More beautiful, more breathtaking than any picture could capture.
There was a storm swirling over one of the oceans, and night was quickly approaching for half the world. A thick line of darkness crept over land and water as the planet spun. On the other side, brilliant light ate away the darkness at exactly the same pace.
“This can’t be real. How?� I asked, my brain fighting reason and everything I knew about space and time and reality.
His hands slipped over my belly, his embrace enveloping me. “In the arms of an angel, Emma Jane, all things are possible.�
My eyes closed, and I leaned back into his chest. I tried not to enjoy the feel of him around me, but the heat of his body, the comforting strength of his muscles, and the sweet, summery scent of his skin decimated my willpower.
“Behold what your birthright has brought you, Emma Jane,� he said. “No mortal human could claim as much.�
I opened my eyes and felt that rush of awe all over again at the view. “It’s amazing, Eli. Thank you.�
“This is only the beginning. You have been chosen to battle creatures far more powerful than mere mortals. You are not like other humans; you cannot be. Your task requires much of you, and for it, much has been given. Time and space unravel for you to traverse with the same intrinsic understanding as those you hunt. The world is quite literally at your feet.�
Before I could take a breath, I found myself staring out over a large valley and an ocean beyond. Gone was the great global marble spinning in the endless black of space. Suddenly, I was blinking at a waking cityscape miles below with large water inlets and busy harbors. There was blue sky above me and green land below. We were back on Earth.
Hard, unrelenting wind whipped my hair, making it hard to see. But I could make out the white sand-lined shores and the short mountain ranges that blocked sections of the city from the ocean.
“Where are we?� I yelled, but my voice was lost on the roaring wind.
Eli tucked me under his arm, and silence descended over us like he’d closed a door. My hair floated back against my head and I could stand on my own. I shoved at the strands over my face and tried to clue in my brain. “Brazil.� Eli pointed at the city. “Rio de Janeiro.�
“It’s beautiful.� My gaze followed the landscape below to the base of the mountain, then to the long winding staircase tracing up the side until they disappeared far below the edge of the outcropping we stood on. It’d been nearly six a.m. in Pittsburgh by the time Eli and I left Earth, which made it nearly seven a.m. in Rio, and the city was already bustling.
What are we standing on? I fisted my hand around Eli’s jacket and leaned over for a better look. “No way. Christ the Redeemer? Seriously?� We were on his arm and I looked to the left at the huge, white, carved face of Jesus.
“Remarkable, isn’t it?� Eli said. “And yet it pales in comparison to the miracle that is you and those like you.�
He smiled wide, so pleased with himself, and I could almost forgive him for not warning me one wrong step could send me tumbling over a hundred feet to the very, very hard landing below.
And now, for a LIMITED TIME, it's totally FREE!!
Before you leave, don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY for a chance to win $50 Amazon GC and the COMPLETE HELLSBANE eBook SERIES!!
March 3, 2015
Who's writer's desk is this?
Enter my !
Authors are my ROCK STARS!
One of my quirky little interests is seeing the writing spaces of my favorite authors. I realized I wasn't alone in my quirkiness when I started posting my collection on my website. Writing Caves.
It got me wondering. Does a writing space say something about the writer who works there? Can you tell, just by looking, what kind, genre, writer uses the space? Let's find out.
Just for fun, I'm going to post a few writer's spaces from my website and you tell me which author it belongs to.
A)(B
C)(D
E)(F
G)(H
Here are the possibilities: 1. Bob Mayer, 2. Paige Cuccaro, 3.Carly Phillips, 4. Eloisa James, 5.Natalie Damschroder, 6.Simone Elkeles, 7.Sherrilyn Kenyon 8.Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Ready for the answers?Highlight the lines below to see the answers.A= Carly PhillipsB=Eloisa JamesC=Natalie DamschroderD=Paige Cuccaro (ME!!)E=Bob MayerF= Sherrilyn KenyonG=Simone ElkelesH=Susan Elizabeth Phillips
How many did you get right? Any of them surprise you?
My favorite things are all the knickknacks we all collect and have close at hand. And I LOVE imagining these talented people creating the magical worlds and characters we've all grown to adore.
Who's writer's desk would YOU most like to see? Check out my and see if they've already shared.If not, let me know and I'll see if I can talk them into snapping a photo for us!
And don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY for a chance at$50 Amazon gift card &The complete HELLSBANE series!!
Authors are my ROCK STARS!
One of my quirky little interests is seeing the writing spaces of my favorite authors. I realized I wasn't alone in my quirkiness when I started posting my collection on my website. Writing Caves.
It got me wondering. Does a writing space say something about the writer who works there? Can you tell, just by looking, what kind, genre, writer uses the space? Let's find out.
Just for fun, I'm going to post a few writer's spaces from my website and you tell me which author it belongs to.
A)(B
C)(D
E)(F
G)(H
Here are the possibilities: 1. Bob Mayer, 2. Paige Cuccaro, 3.Carly Phillips, 4. Eloisa James, 5.Natalie Damschroder, 6.Simone Elkeles, 7.Sherrilyn Kenyon 8.Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Ready for the answers?Highlight the lines below to see the answers.A= Carly PhillipsB=Eloisa JamesC=Natalie DamschroderD=Paige Cuccaro (ME!!)E=Bob MayerF= Sherrilyn KenyonG=Simone ElkelesH=Susan Elizabeth Phillips
How many did you get right? Any of them surprise you?
My favorite things are all the knickknacks we all collect and have close at hand. And I LOVE imagining these talented people creating the magical worlds and characters we've all grown to adore.
Who's writer's desk would YOU most like to see? Check out my and see if they've already shared.If not, let me know and I'll see if I can talk them into snapping a photo for us!
And don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY for a chance at$50 Amazon gift card &The complete HELLSBANE series!!
March 1, 2015
GIVEAWAY!
HELLSBANE was chosen for an Enchanted Entangled Cover Make Over!
I am beyond thrilled with the new covers!! They're soooooo pretty!! I can't take it! I need to let off some energy, so I'm throwin' a giveaway.
First prize is a $50 Amazon Gift Card, & THE COMPLETE HELLSBANE eBook SERIES!!
Second prize is a Box O'Love, & THE COMPLETE HELLSBANE eBook SERIES!!(Picture frame, love coupons for HER, tea light heart holders, pink mug, Love Craft (print book) divine, cast & decode your way to love), LOVE decorative wood block, and 6 soft bendable pink roses.)
Third prize is, THE COMPLETE HELLSBANE eBook SERIES!!
Winners will be announced 3/23/15
Good Luck!!
Please consider liking on Facebook!
I am beyond thrilled with the new covers!! They're soooooo pretty!! I can't take it! I need to let off some energy, so I'm throwin' a giveaway.
First prize is a $50 Amazon Gift Card, & THE COMPLETE HELLSBANE eBook SERIES!!
Second prize is a Box O'Love, & THE COMPLETE HELLSBANE eBook SERIES!!(Picture frame, love coupons for HER, tea light heart holders, pink mug, Love Craft (print book) divine, cast & decode your way to love), LOVE decorative wood block, and 6 soft bendable pink roses.)
Third prize is, THE COMPLETE HELLSBANE eBook SERIES!!
Winners will be announced 3/23/15
Good Luck!!
Please consider liking on Facebook!
February 12, 2015
NEW Cover ~ Amazing Story!
From Here to Eternity
Love never dies…but apparently Rachel has.
At least anyone who read her obituary in the morning paper would certainly believe it. But Rachel quickly realizes the premature announcement of her death is the least of her worries. She has no recollection of the past few weeks. She can’t even remember what her husband, Nate, looks like. Something’s wrong. Something’s very, very, wrong.
Dr. Nate Burns, renowned inventor of CYANAs, Cybernetic Anthropoid Automatons, vessels that look exactly like humans, loves his work and the possibility of one day successfully uploading a person’s memories, personality traits, everything that makes a person who they are, into the CYANAs. But Nate loves his wife more. There’s nothing he ɴdzܱ’t do for her. Even if it’s the one thing she never wanted. But has he gone too far? How far would any man go for love??
Now only $0.99!
I am in cover HEAVEN!!! I have so much cover goodness coming my way I can hardly sit still. FOUR of my resent books are getting a makeover. From Here To Eternity is up first.
As awesome as the first cover was, there was something missing. From Here To Eternity is a Sci-Fi Romance about a woman who wakes up one day to realize, despite all outward evidence her life has utterly changed. Against her most deepest held beliefs she’s become the one thing she never wanted and there’s no going backIt’s about a man who, faced with his worst fear come true, was forced to make a choice between respecting his wife’s wishes or protecting a discovery that, in the wrong hands, could be the most devastating weapon ever made. It’s about that kind of once in a life time love that transcends the limitations of human life and makes us redefine what makes us who we are.
I'm often asked, what was the inspiration for your book?
I’ve always been a big Isaac Asimov fan. I Robot is one of my favorite sci-fi movies and his robot series ROCK! I love how his robots always seem to strive to be more human and it got me thinking how the opposite is kind of true of humans. Not that we strive to be robots, but year by year, as medicine advances and prosthetics become more sophisticated, more robotic, I wonder where will it stop? What parts of a human body ɴdzܱ’t we trade out for a longer lasting, stronger, robotic version? I wondered what it would be like if we got to the point where we could design a robotic replacement for an entire body, even down to transferring a person’s thoughts, memories—everything that shaped them into the person they are—into a robot’s brain. Would we still call them human? From Here to Eternity sort of took off from there.
Ready for a taste?
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© 2013 Paige CuccaroPart I
“I’m dead,� I said to my husband’s voice mail. I knew he ɴdzܱ’t answer. He never picked up at the lab—too lost in his research. But this was too bizarre to wait until he came home.
“Funny. I expected Heaven to be whiter…and cleaner,� I said, scanning the mountain of dishes filling our kitchen sink. Gawd, Nate must’ve used every dish in the house. It took real skill to get the pile that high without any slipping off onto the floor. He hadn’t even bothered to scrape the leftover food off half of them. “Geez, Nate, you could wash a dish now and then.�
An uncomfortable twinge squirmed through my stomach, like a worm munching a rotted apple. There was something wrong with this picture. What is it?
“Anyway,� I said pointedly, shifting my thoughts away from the strange stirring of intuition and back to the reason I’d called. I refocused my gaze on the Global Web screen, reflected on the inside lens of my Connect Wear glasses. The multifunctional eyewear showed our local newspaper’s web-port. “My name’s in today’s obituary section. Right there after Scarlet Baker and before Frank Cockren.�
The port’s background music chimed through my head, the glasses transmitting notes directly to the electric synapses of my brain. A simple thought stopped the sound. I leaned my butt against the kitchen counter, folding my arms across my belly. “Probably someone with a similar name or something. They just got the info mixed with mine. It’s kind of creepy, though. And you know it’s going to screw with my credit—�
An incoming call vibrated my glasses, interrupting my message. The caller ID flashed the name,Lord of Geeks, over the top of the newspaper’s page on my right lens. “Oh. You’re calling me. End outgoing call,� I said to Nate’s voice mail. The words call ended flashed for a moment under the caller ID then vanished. My eyes focused on the ID of the incoming call.
“Answer, Lord of Geeks,� I said, and the ID changed to open call.
“Hey. I was just calling you.�
“Rach?� a man asked, his voice strained—worried.
“Who is this?� It wasn’t Nate. For security reasons they weren’t allowed to use the video option from the lab, so I couldn’t see who it was.
“It’s me, hon,� the man said. “It’s Nate. What happened? How did you� Never mind…are you okay?�
A sense of wrongness snaked through my veins like cold poison, freezing me to the bone. “I was calling my husband. Dr. Nathaniel Burns.�
“I know,� he said. “I couldn’t pick up before it went to voice mail. It’s me, Rachel.�
“No.� Nate and I had known each other since his family moved in next door to mine when we were kids. I had been in fourth grade; him in ninth. We’d gotten married when I was still in college, eight years ago now. I’d heard his voice almost every day for sixteen years, and yet I suddenly realized…I couldn’t remember what it sounded like. I couldn’t be sure it wasn’t him I was talking to.Why? A stab of panic lanced through me. “End call.�
Less than twenty seconds later the soft vibration of an incoming call shook my glasses and theLord of Geeks ID glowed in the upper right corner of my vision. “Answer Lord of Geeks. Hello?�
“Listen to me, Rachel. Please don’t end call.� I still didn’t recognize the voice but this time he kept his tone soft, like he knew exactly how to quiet the frantic pounding of my heart. “Something must’ve gone wrong. But I can fix it, I promise. You have to trust me. I’m on my way� I mean…Nate is on his way home. He wants you to stay in the house. Rest. Don’t call anyone and don’t answer the phone. And Rach…I love—�
“End call,� I said. That couldn’t have been my husband. I’d know his voice if I heard it, even if I couldn’t bring the sound of it to my mind at the moment. There was nothing familiar in the one I’d heard. Nothing.
What was going on? Why would someone pretend to be Nate? Instinct sank like lead in my stomach, making my skin clammy, telling me nothing was as it should be.
I stood there, concentrating on the in and out of my breaths, for so long that the lenses of my glasses had gone clear, my Global Web session timing out. I pulled the glasses off and set them on the counter. My gaze flicked to the sink.
Dishes piled nearly a foot high from the countertop, both stainless steel basins full. How had he used so many dishes in one morning? I stepped closer, picking through the pile. I wasn’t sure why, but there was something else bothering me about those dishes—I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
The stink of rotted food wafted up from the pile each time I moved a plate, digging my way to the bottom. Gnats buzzed off a mold-crusted mac and cheese plate, and a small puddle of curdled milk spilled from a used cereal bowl. I swallowed down a surge of bile at the back of my throat.
There were balled-up paper napkins and box ends from Hungry-Man dinners mixed in with the pile, plus at least six Chinese take-out containers tossed on the counter beside the sink.
This wasn’t one day’s worth of dishes.
The fact settled into my brain like a backward puzzle piece—right and wrong at the same time. But it wasn’t until I spotted Nate’s coffee mug that the true wrongness needling me from the inside out finally pierced the surface of my mind.
“Where’s my mug?� If this pile had been days in the making—setting aside the impossibility of that for the moment—where was my contribution? Coffee was my go-juice, like gas to a car. I drank enough of the stuff that my coffee mug was the first thing I picked up in the morning and the last thing I set in the sink at night. It was always there waiting for a quick rinse and reuse the next morning. So where was it?
The newspaper’s obituary page flashed through my mind again. Rachel Burns, age 28—deceased. I blinked away the fresh memory, ignoring whatever message my subconscious was trying to wave like a red flag in front of me, and reached to open the cabinet door next to the sink.
There were hardly any clean dishes left inside; a souvenir plate I’d made as a kid, my favorite cereal bowl—because it was deeper than the ones in the set we’d gotten for our wedding—and…my coffee mug. Like a shrine of some precious treasures, the dishes I used every day were the only ones not included in the pile.
What did that mean? The question twisted in my gut and I couldn’t focus. It wasn’t possible. This mess hadn’t been here yesterday. I remembered yesterday. Didn’t I?
I went back to the center island where I’d left my Connect Glasses. I put them on, signing on to the web again, searching for…something, anything that would explain what was happening. And then I saw the date—February 13, 2062. “No. It’s January.�
I spun around and checked the order screen on the fridge. It was wrong, too. It had to be. Why were all the calendars screwed up?
“The house system,� I said, the sound of my own voice the only real thing in a rising sea of uncertainty. I was drowning fast.
The house computer system had to have the right date or there’d be alarms going off and cops pounding at our door. I went into the foyer, past the long polished oak table where I always dropped my purse and car keys. In the back of my mind, like a passing cloud across the sun, I noticed my keys weren’t there and someone had moved my purse to the floor, under the table at the far end near the coat tree.
I ignored it and zeroed in on the panel next to the front door. The house system controlled everything: security, temperature, solar panels, the biomedical internal tech monitoring—everything. It even monitored the smaller systems like the coffee maker. It had to have the correct date and time or nothing would work right. I leaned close so my voice would be clear. “Proteus.�
Nothing happened.
“Proteus,� I said again, staring at the shiny black screen. The complicated system had a voice-recognition program and would only activate by command from registered users. It should’ve blinked to life at the sound of my voice. But it didn’t. Why ɴdzܱ’t it know me?
I couldn’t handle another mystery. Frustrated, I tapped the screen and finally the flat monitor flickered on. The date and time lit above the white box, cursor blinking, waiting for password input. I didn’t bother. I had my answer—February 13, 2062.
“Two weeks.� I was missing two weeks of memory. I looked down, saw my hands were shaking. I hardly noticed, my mind was reeling for explanations.
This was a joke. Had to be. Someone was going to a lot of trouble for a laugh, but who? Why? The crunch of car tires on our gravel drive stole my thoughts.
Nate was finally home. He would know what was happening. He’d explain everything, fix it. After eight years of marriage, our bond was stronger than anyone’s idea of a good joke. He’d understand how this was freaking me out, would put a stop to it. If I told him it wasn’t funny, he’d side with me no matter who was behind it.
I went to the door—reached for the knob. My hand stopped with my fingertips barely brushing the shiny brass handle. I couldn’t move closer. I couldn’t wrap my fingers around it. It wasn’t that I hesitated or was unsure what I wanted to do. No. I couldn’t physically make myself grab the doorknob.
“Take the damn handle,� I said, like hearing it aloud might make a difference. But my body ɴdzܱ’t move. My hand just hung there, like a hook on the end of a cane.
When I heard Nate shuffle up on the other side and saw the knob turn, I let the order to move slip from my mind. I stepped back until he’d swung the door open and�
The blood drained from my body. “Who are you?�
Tiny specks of snow melted on the shoulders of the man’s overcoat. His damp salt-and-pepper hair was neatly combed back from his forehead only to cluster in an odd snarl at the crown of his head. Behind the reddish-brass frame of his Connect Wear glasses I could see a scar across his right brow that disappeared in a worried crease above warm honey brown eyes as he gave me a quick once-over and stepped inside. “What do you mean�?�
I lunged for one of the long umbrellas in the metal stand under the house monitor and waved the silvery point in his direction. “Back off, buddy.�
A mix of emotions flickered across his face—surprise, understanding, placation. He held up his hands in surrender, but then took another careful step forward, his voice calm. “Rach, it’s me.�
I couldn’t remember having ever seen this man before. My voice trembled, fear tightening my throat. “I don’t know you.�
“You do.�
“No.� I brandished the umbrella, frustration, fear, and dread adding to a growing storm in my head. Where the hell was Nate? “Who…who are you? Just tell me.�
“It’s okay, honey,� he said in that same soothing, patient way, as though nothing were more important than easing my fear. “I’m Nate. Your husband.�
The statement plopped thick and heavy into a cold well of emptiness inside me. I didn’t know this man, but in that same instant, I realized I didn’t know Nate, either. I couldn’t remember what my husband—my best friend—looked like. I couldn’t remember anything beyond his name and what he meant to me.
The loss stabbed my heart and made it hard to breathe, the umbrella suddenly too heavy in my hands. The man reacted almost instantly, reading me as though he knew my thoughts—knew me.
“Something must’ve gone wrong,� he said, hands still up, edging closer. “It’s okay, Rach. I can figure it out. I can fix it.�
“Fix it?� Seriously? “What do you think I am? You can’t just fix me.� My arms shook, struggling to keep the umbrella raised between us.
“Okay. Okay,� he said as though rethinking his approach. “You’re right. But you have to be reasonable, honey. I need you to think. I can help you. You have to trust me.�
“Stop saying that. I don’t know you and you don’t know me,� I said, hating the squeak of panic in my voice.
“Of course I know you. And I can prove it.� He glanced away for a second, thinking, then back to me, brows high. “I know you’re allergic to peanuts and you hate pepperoni pizza.�
I shrugged, lowering the umbrella point a few inches. “Anyone who’s taken my order could know that.�
“Right.� His lips pressed into a flat line. I could see him thinking. Then his expression lifted, his brows going high, stretching the scar and making him kind of adorable, the way he was trying so hard. “Okay…I know you sleep on the right side of the bed. And you snore—even though you think you don’t. Sometimes you snore loud enough that you wake yourself up. And I know that ants freak you out more than spiders…but you don’t like them, either.�
I shrugged. “The bed thing was a fifty-fifty chance and if I don’t think I snore, you saying I do isn’t really proof of anything. And who doesn’t hate ants and spiders?�
He propped his hands on his hips and exhaled through his nose, mouth tight. There was something about his expression, about his frustration that seemed familiar…but like a tendril of smoke, I couldn’t grab hold of the memory. Still, it was sweet in a slightly weird way, how desperately he wanted to prove he knew me. Okay, if I was being honest, the man was stone cold sexy, the way his jaw tightened when he was deep in thought, pulling air through his nose, a day’s beard shadowing his chin. My stomach fluttered, and I looked away.
“Okay,� he said, twisting to finally close the front door. I flinched at the loud slam, but I didn’t protest. “How about this? You like for me to play with your hair when you can’t fall asleep—which I secretly love. But I keep that to myself otherwise I’d never get brownie points for doing it. Biting your neck is more of a turn-on for you than my nibbling your ear—although you like that, too. And you’re self-conscious about those three moles on your cheek, but like I’ve told you a million times, I think they’re sexy as hell.�
Things low inside me heated with the erotically intimate turn of his examples. My mind instantly picturing this hunky man, with those soft-looking lips and bedroom eyes, doing each of the things he described. I loved my husband, but this guy was hot. And God, I loved the way his voice got deeper with each example, like just saying it turned him on.
What if he was telling the truth? What if he wasn’t just reciting information but describing memories—memories of us, of me, his wife—that I didn’t have?
What Readers are saying...5 Stars~ "Wow. This is an excellent sci-fi short. Even though it is a short story it feels a lot longer." By A Voracious Reader (Amazon Review)
5 Stars~ "Highly recommended for a quick reading" By Douglas C. Meeks "Book Reviews @ Large" (Amazon Review)
"For a short novella this packed quite a punch! Several surprises and some lovely romance is what you get when you read From Here to Eternity." By Ellepaul "Dani Chapman (Amazon Review)
If you love science-fiction, romance, or both-- you're going to love this story!Just in time for Valentine's Day!
And now it's only $0.99!!
Love never dies…but apparently Rachel has.
At least anyone who read her obituary in the morning paper would certainly believe it. But Rachel quickly realizes the premature announcement of her death is the least of her worries. She has no recollection of the past few weeks. She can’t even remember what her husband, Nate, looks like. Something’s wrong. Something’s very, very, wrong.
Dr. Nate Burns, renowned inventor of CYANAs, Cybernetic Anthropoid Automatons, vessels that look exactly like humans, loves his work and the possibility of one day successfully uploading a person’s memories, personality traits, everything that makes a person who they are, into the CYANAs. But Nate loves his wife more. There’s nothing he ɴdzܱ’t do for her. Even if it’s the one thing she never wanted. But has he gone too far? How far would any man go for love??
Now only $0.99!
I am in cover HEAVEN!!! I have so much cover goodness coming my way I can hardly sit still. FOUR of my resent books are getting a makeover. From Here To Eternity is up first.
As awesome as the first cover was, there was something missing. From Here To Eternity is a Sci-Fi Romance about a woman who wakes up one day to realize, despite all outward evidence her life has utterly changed. Against her most deepest held beliefs she’s become the one thing she never wanted and there’s no going backIt’s about a man who, faced with his worst fear come true, was forced to make a choice between respecting his wife’s wishes or protecting a discovery that, in the wrong hands, could be the most devastating weapon ever made. It’s about that kind of once in a life time love that transcends the limitations of human life and makes us redefine what makes us who we are.
I'm often asked, what was the inspiration for your book?
I’ve always been a big Isaac Asimov fan. I Robot is one of my favorite sci-fi movies and his robot series ROCK! I love how his robots always seem to strive to be more human and it got me thinking how the opposite is kind of true of humans. Not that we strive to be robots, but year by year, as medicine advances and prosthetics become more sophisticated, more robotic, I wonder where will it stop? What parts of a human body ɴdzܱ’t we trade out for a longer lasting, stronger, robotic version? I wondered what it would be like if we got to the point where we could design a robotic replacement for an entire body, even down to transferring a person’s thoughts, memories—everything that shaped them into the person they are—into a robot’s brain. Would we still call them human? From Here to Eternity sort of took off from there.
Ready for a taste?
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© 2013 Paige CuccaroPart I
“I’m dead,� I said to my husband’s voice mail. I knew he ɴdzܱ’t answer. He never picked up at the lab—too lost in his research. But this was too bizarre to wait until he came home.
“Funny. I expected Heaven to be whiter…and cleaner,� I said, scanning the mountain of dishes filling our kitchen sink. Gawd, Nate must’ve used every dish in the house. It took real skill to get the pile that high without any slipping off onto the floor. He hadn’t even bothered to scrape the leftover food off half of them. “Geez, Nate, you could wash a dish now and then.�
An uncomfortable twinge squirmed through my stomach, like a worm munching a rotted apple. There was something wrong with this picture. What is it?
“Anyway,� I said pointedly, shifting my thoughts away from the strange stirring of intuition and back to the reason I’d called. I refocused my gaze on the Global Web screen, reflected on the inside lens of my Connect Wear glasses. The multifunctional eyewear showed our local newspaper’s web-port. “My name’s in today’s obituary section. Right there after Scarlet Baker and before Frank Cockren.�
The port’s background music chimed through my head, the glasses transmitting notes directly to the electric synapses of my brain. A simple thought stopped the sound. I leaned my butt against the kitchen counter, folding my arms across my belly. “Probably someone with a similar name or something. They just got the info mixed with mine. It’s kind of creepy, though. And you know it’s going to screw with my credit—�
An incoming call vibrated my glasses, interrupting my message. The caller ID flashed the name,Lord of Geeks, over the top of the newspaper’s page on my right lens. “Oh. You’re calling me. End outgoing call,� I said to Nate’s voice mail. The words call ended flashed for a moment under the caller ID then vanished. My eyes focused on the ID of the incoming call.
“Answer, Lord of Geeks,� I said, and the ID changed to open call.
“Hey. I was just calling you.�
“Rach?� a man asked, his voice strained—worried.
“Who is this?� It wasn’t Nate. For security reasons they weren’t allowed to use the video option from the lab, so I couldn’t see who it was.
“It’s me, hon,� the man said. “It’s Nate. What happened? How did you� Never mind…are you okay?�
A sense of wrongness snaked through my veins like cold poison, freezing me to the bone. “I was calling my husband. Dr. Nathaniel Burns.�
“I know,� he said. “I couldn’t pick up before it went to voice mail. It’s me, Rachel.�
“No.� Nate and I had known each other since his family moved in next door to mine when we were kids. I had been in fourth grade; him in ninth. We’d gotten married when I was still in college, eight years ago now. I’d heard his voice almost every day for sixteen years, and yet I suddenly realized…I couldn’t remember what it sounded like. I couldn’t be sure it wasn’t him I was talking to.Why? A stab of panic lanced through me. “End call.�
Less than twenty seconds later the soft vibration of an incoming call shook my glasses and theLord of Geeks ID glowed in the upper right corner of my vision. “Answer Lord of Geeks. Hello?�
“Listen to me, Rachel. Please don’t end call.� I still didn’t recognize the voice but this time he kept his tone soft, like he knew exactly how to quiet the frantic pounding of my heart. “Something must’ve gone wrong. But I can fix it, I promise. You have to trust me. I’m on my way� I mean…Nate is on his way home. He wants you to stay in the house. Rest. Don’t call anyone and don’t answer the phone. And Rach…I love—�
“End call,� I said. That couldn’t have been my husband. I’d know his voice if I heard it, even if I couldn’t bring the sound of it to my mind at the moment. There was nothing familiar in the one I’d heard. Nothing.
What was going on? Why would someone pretend to be Nate? Instinct sank like lead in my stomach, making my skin clammy, telling me nothing was as it should be.
I stood there, concentrating on the in and out of my breaths, for so long that the lenses of my glasses had gone clear, my Global Web session timing out. I pulled the glasses off and set them on the counter. My gaze flicked to the sink.
Dishes piled nearly a foot high from the countertop, both stainless steel basins full. How had he used so many dishes in one morning? I stepped closer, picking through the pile. I wasn’t sure why, but there was something else bothering me about those dishes—I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
The stink of rotted food wafted up from the pile each time I moved a plate, digging my way to the bottom. Gnats buzzed off a mold-crusted mac and cheese plate, and a small puddle of curdled milk spilled from a used cereal bowl. I swallowed down a surge of bile at the back of my throat.
There were balled-up paper napkins and box ends from Hungry-Man dinners mixed in with the pile, plus at least six Chinese take-out containers tossed on the counter beside the sink.
This wasn’t one day’s worth of dishes.
The fact settled into my brain like a backward puzzle piece—right and wrong at the same time. But it wasn’t until I spotted Nate’s coffee mug that the true wrongness needling me from the inside out finally pierced the surface of my mind.
“Where’s my mug?� If this pile had been days in the making—setting aside the impossibility of that for the moment—where was my contribution? Coffee was my go-juice, like gas to a car. I drank enough of the stuff that my coffee mug was the first thing I picked up in the morning and the last thing I set in the sink at night. It was always there waiting for a quick rinse and reuse the next morning. So where was it?
The newspaper’s obituary page flashed through my mind again. Rachel Burns, age 28—deceased. I blinked away the fresh memory, ignoring whatever message my subconscious was trying to wave like a red flag in front of me, and reached to open the cabinet door next to the sink.
There were hardly any clean dishes left inside; a souvenir plate I’d made as a kid, my favorite cereal bowl—because it was deeper than the ones in the set we’d gotten for our wedding—and…my coffee mug. Like a shrine of some precious treasures, the dishes I used every day were the only ones not included in the pile.
What did that mean? The question twisted in my gut and I couldn’t focus. It wasn’t possible. This mess hadn’t been here yesterday. I remembered yesterday. Didn’t I?
I went back to the center island where I’d left my Connect Glasses. I put them on, signing on to the web again, searching for…something, anything that would explain what was happening. And then I saw the date—February 13, 2062. “No. It’s January.�
I spun around and checked the order screen on the fridge. It was wrong, too. It had to be. Why were all the calendars screwed up?
“The house system,� I said, the sound of my own voice the only real thing in a rising sea of uncertainty. I was drowning fast.
The house computer system had to have the right date or there’d be alarms going off and cops pounding at our door. I went into the foyer, past the long polished oak table where I always dropped my purse and car keys. In the back of my mind, like a passing cloud across the sun, I noticed my keys weren’t there and someone had moved my purse to the floor, under the table at the far end near the coat tree.
I ignored it and zeroed in on the panel next to the front door. The house system controlled everything: security, temperature, solar panels, the biomedical internal tech monitoring—everything. It even monitored the smaller systems like the coffee maker. It had to have the correct date and time or nothing would work right. I leaned close so my voice would be clear. “Proteus.�
Nothing happened.
“Proteus,� I said again, staring at the shiny black screen. The complicated system had a voice-recognition program and would only activate by command from registered users. It should’ve blinked to life at the sound of my voice. But it didn’t. Why ɴdzܱ’t it know me?
I couldn’t handle another mystery. Frustrated, I tapped the screen and finally the flat monitor flickered on. The date and time lit above the white box, cursor blinking, waiting for password input. I didn’t bother. I had my answer—February 13, 2062.
“Two weeks.� I was missing two weeks of memory. I looked down, saw my hands were shaking. I hardly noticed, my mind was reeling for explanations.
This was a joke. Had to be. Someone was going to a lot of trouble for a laugh, but who? Why? The crunch of car tires on our gravel drive stole my thoughts.
Nate was finally home. He would know what was happening. He’d explain everything, fix it. After eight years of marriage, our bond was stronger than anyone’s idea of a good joke. He’d understand how this was freaking me out, would put a stop to it. If I told him it wasn’t funny, he’d side with me no matter who was behind it.
I went to the door—reached for the knob. My hand stopped with my fingertips barely brushing the shiny brass handle. I couldn’t move closer. I couldn’t wrap my fingers around it. It wasn’t that I hesitated or was unsure what I wanted to do. No. I couldn’t physically make myself grab the doorknob.
“Take the damn handle,� I said, like hearing it aloud might make a difference. But my body ɴdzܱ’t move. My hand just hung there, like a hook on the end of a cane.
When I heard Nate shuffle up on the other side and saw the knob turn, I let the order to move slip from my mind. I stepped back until he’d swung the door open and�
The blood drained from my body. “Who are you?�
Tiny specks of snow melted on the shoulders of the man’s overcoat. His damp salt-and-pepper hair was neatly combed back from his forehead only to cluster in an odd snarl at the crown of his head. Behind the reddish-brass frame of his Connect Wear glasses I could see a scar across his right brow that disappeared in a worried crease above warm honey brown eyes as he gave me a quick once-over and stepped inside. “What do you mean�?�
I lunged for one of the long umbrellas in the metal stand under the house monitor and waved the silvery point in his direction. “Back off, buddy.�
A mix of emotions flickered across his face—surprise, understanding, placation. He held up his hands in surrender, but then took another careful step forward, his voice calm. “Rach, it’s me.�
I couldn’t remember having ever seen this man before. My voice trembled, fear tightening my throat. “I don’t know you.�
“You do.�
“No.� I brandished the umbrella, frustration, fear, and dread adding to a growing storm in my head. Where the hell was Nate? “Who…who are you? Just tell me.�
“It’s okay, honey,� he said in that same soothing, patient way, as though nothing were more important than easing my fear. “I’m Nate. Your husband.�
The statement plopped thick and heavy into a cold well of emptiness inside me. I didn’t know this man, but in that same instant, I realized I didn’t know Nate, either. I couldn’t remember what my husband—my best friend—looked like. I couldn’t remember anything beyond his name and what he meant to me.
The loss stabbed my heart and made it hard to breathe, the umbrella suddenly too heavy in my hands. The man reacted almost instantly, reading me as though he knew my thoughts—knew me.
“Something must’ve gone wrong,� he said, hands still up, edging closer. “It’s okay, Rach. I can figure it out. I can fix it.�
“Fix it?� Seriously? “What do you think I am? You can’t just fix me.� My arms shook, struggling to keep the umbrella raised between us.
“Okay. Okay,� he said as though rethinking his approach. “You’re right. But you have to be reasonable, honey. I need you to think. I can help you. You have to trust me.�
“Stop saying that. I don’t know you and you don’t know me,� I said, hating the squeak of panic in my voice.
“Of course I know you. And I can prove it.� He glanced away for a second, thinking, then back to me, brows high. “I know you’re allergic to peanuts and you hate pepperoni pizza.�
I shrugged, lowering the umbrella point a few inches. “Anyone who’s taken my order could know that.�
“Right.� His lips pressed into a flat line. I could see him thinking. Then his expression lifted, his brows going high, stretching the scar and making him kind of adorable, the way he was trying so hard. “Okay…I know you sleep on the right side of the bed. And you snore—even though you think you don’t. Sometimes you snore loud enough that you wake yourself up. And I know that ants freak you out more than spiders…but you don’t like them, either.�
I shrugged. “The bed thing was a fifty-fifty chance and if I don’t think I snore, you saying I do isn’t really proof of anything. And who doesn’t hate ants and spiders?�
He propped his hands on his hips and exhaled through his nose, mouth tight. There was something about his expression, about his frustration that seemed familiar…but like a tendril of smoke, I couldn’t grab hold of the memory. Still, it was sweet in a slightly weird way, how desperately he wanted to prove he knew me. Okay, if I was being honest, the man was stone cold sexy, the way his jaw tightened when he was deep in thought, pulling air through his nose, a day’s beard shadowing his chin. My stomach fluttered, and I looked away.
“Okay,� he said, twisting to finally close the front door. I flinched at the loud slam, but I didn’t protest. “How about this? You like for me to play with your hair when you can’t fall asleep—which I secretly love. But I keep that to myself otherwise I’d never get brownie points for doing it. Biting your neck is more of a turn-on for you than my nibbling your ear—although you like that, too. And you’re self-conscious about those three moles on your cheek, but like I’ve told you a million times, I think they’re sexy as hell.�
Things low inside me heated with the erotically intimate turn of his examples. My mind instantly picturing this hunky man, with those soft-looking lips and bedroom eyes, doing each of the things he described. I loved my husband, but this guy was hot. And God, I loved the way his voice got deeper with each example, like just saying it turned him on.
What if he was telling the truth? What if he wasn’t just reciting information but describing memories—memories of us, of me, his wife—that I didn’t have?
What Readers are saying...5 Stars~ "Wow. This is an excellent sci-fi short. Even though it is a short story it feels a lot longer." By A Voracious Reader (Amazon Review)
5 Stars~ "Highly recommended for a quick reading" By Douglas C. Meeks "Book Reviews @ Large" (Amazon Review)
"For a short novella this packed quite a punch! Several surprises and some lovely romance is what you get when you read From Here to Eternity." By Ellepaul "Dani Chapman (Amazon Review)
If you love science-fiction, romance, or both-- you're going to love this story!Just in time for Valentine's Day!
And now it's only $0.99!!
January 9, 2015
Are you a Nephilim?
Want to find out your odds of ending up like Emma Jane Hellsbane, roped into being Heaven's bounty hunter? Take this easy quiz and find out!
When you're done, don't forget to check out HELLSBANE HEREAFTER, the final chapter in my HELLSBANE series!
Or grab the COMPLETE series!
Now...let's see if you've got any angelic DNA swimming around inside you.Don't forget to leave a comment. Let me know if we should be worried about you, or call you when things get weird.
When you're done, don't forget to check out HELLSBANE HEREAFTER, the final chapter in my HELLSBANE series!
Or grab the COMPLETE series!
Now...let's see if you've got any angelic DNA swimming around inside you.Don't forget to leave a comment. Let me know if we should be worried about you, or call you when things get weird.
December 30, 2014
Raise a little HELL in 2015!
Ring in the New Year right. Now you can get the complete HELLSBANE series!
The final book is out, is on SALE now for a limited time for only99¢Downloadand the rest of the Hellsbane series before the sale ends!
Taking sides could be deadly...The war between good and evil is on, and nephilim Emma Jane is caught in the middle. Both sides want her working for them. And both sides know how to make her suffer if they don't like her choice. Now someone has raised the stakes and is using innocent humans as pawns in the ultimate fight for humanity...Emma Jane isn’t sure which side is responsible. What she used to believe about right and wrong, good and evil—even what she used to believe about herself—is changing. Because whether she likes it or not, the final reckoning comes down to Emma Jane Hellsbane. And she'll have to choose between humanity...and the man she was never supposed to love.
"What if, in the end, I never really had a choice? What if, because of my father, I was born to go bad?"FREE EXCERPT!
“Michael said—”“Michael will say whatever he must.� He cut me short. “His work is paramount. He is guided by divine decree. But, Emma Jane, the truth is his mistress and he can twist and turn her to fit his needs.”“I know.� Good God, I knew better than most that angels take great liberty with the truth. “But he’s not lying about this, or twisting things. I can…I can feel it. You can go home again if you want it.”“I can’t. At least not by Michael’s hand alone.”“Eli, just listen to me—”“It’s not up to Michael.� His broad shoulders rose and fell with a deep sigh, and he began again. “Michael is powerful, perhaps the most powerful of all seraphim. But he is only a seraph. My absolution is not his to give. Only our Father can welcome me home again. No one else.”“And Michael has your Father’s ear,� I said.Eli’s lips pressed into a flat line, and he shook his head, looking away. “It’s a fool’s hope.”“But it’s possible. All you have to do is ask for forgiveness…and, y’know, stop sinning.� My face warmed.He raised a brow. “Is that right? And by sinning you mean lying with you?”I nodded, swallowing the sudden thickness in my throat. Just the thought of being with him, the way his tone warmed, the look in his eyes, made my body stir. Not good if we were going to stick to that no-sinning thing.“And you’re all right with this? You no longer want to share my bed?� He stepped closer.I shrugged, pretending it was no big deal. But what came out sounded more like desperate denial. “I mean, well…y’know…”He stepped closer, his hands going to my hips, and my breath caught, my heart jumping in my chest. “Eli…”“What if I don’t want to stop?� His voice washed over me, a soft, soothing caress. “What if there’s nothing more I want than to have you in my bed, to feel your body next to mine?”“You’re only saying that because you don’t believe you can go back.� I couldn’t stop the stupid quaver in my voice. My mouth was so dry it was hard to swallow.His arms slipped around me, big hands splaying at the small of my back, pulling me to him. He leaned down, whispering against my ear. “I say that because I want you in my bed. I want to feel your body next to mine. I want to feel my body inside of yours.”I exhaled a shaky breath, and everything inside me melted. “That’s not fair.”“No. It’s not.� His breath warmed against my neck, his lips pressing softly again and again, trailing kisses down to my collarbone. Each touch was like gasoline on a fire, and heat flamed through me, my mind spinning.I knew I should pull away, make him stop. I couldn’t. I sighed, resigned to the inevitable.
~*~
DownloadHELLSBANE HEREAFTERand the rest of the Hellsbane series before the sale ends!
February 6, 2014
What's happenin' hot stuff?
Not a lot here on the frozen tundras of Ohio. But I realized that I hadn't posted anything on this blog thingy since October and it was buggin' me. So...I figured I'd post an update.
Okay, first, HELLSBANE series. Book 3 HELLSBANE HEREAFTER will be coming soon. I swear it! It's all written and ready and sitting somewhere in the mountain of work on my editor's desk. I haven't gotten a cover (but I'm guessing it will have the chick with the "eyebrows" on it in some way.) As soon as I get it and the PTB give me the thumbs up. I'll share it. YAY!!
Next...
I'm working on a new project that I'm SUPER excited about. I don't want to give a lot away because...
Okay, because I'm paranoid and superstitious and generally troubled in many, many,...many ways. BUT...I don't mind giving hints. So....
This next project will be a Paranormal (naturally)
Wow. Yeah, but it's still a Romance...
Right... Except not quite so Main Stream Media.
That's more like it. But my new book has nothing to do with vampires. It's more along the lines of...
Exactly! With more...
AND
And of course LOTS of....
And....
And a little...
And through it all there'll be...
So there you have it. That's my current project that will be making its way to a bookshelf near you soon!
Excited?
I am!
In the mean time check out these latest paranormal romances from my publisher to help get you in the mood...
Haunt Meby Heather Long
Love At Stake
By Victoria Davies
Beg Me To SlayBy Lisa Kessler
And don't forget to stop by Entangled Publishing Facebook to join in their birthday bash!Starting February 24th,Join Entangled authors and team members as we gather to celebrate our 3rd birthday! It'll be a week of games, gossip, fun, and celebration!
November 3, 2013
All Entangled Eve hop WINNER!
Once again, a HUGE thank you to everyone who stopped by and shared their spooky Halloween stories. Some of them were seriously creepy. (If you missed them, check out the comments on the hop page .) It was such fun.
I hope everyone had a tasty fun holiday, but like all good things the All Entangled Eve, A Halloween Hop has come to an end and it's time to draw the winner of two adorable Halloween bears and a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
Drum roll please....
AND THE WINNER IS.....
Jeanette J
Thanks again to everyone who stopped by and shared their story.
I hope everyone had a tasty fun holiday, but like all good things the All Entangled Eve, A Halloween Hop has come to an end and it's time to draw the winner of two adorable Halloween bears and a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
Drum roll please....
AND THE WINNER IS.....
Jeanette J
Thanks again to everyone who stopped by and shared their story.
October 30, 2013
Lucky 13 Blog Hop WINNER!!
A HUGE thank you to everyone who stopped by and shared their Halloween treat obsessions. It was such fun reading about some of your favorite memories of the spooky holiday.
But like all good things the Lucky 13 Blog Hop has come to an end and it's time to draw the winner of two adorable Halloween bears and a print copy of HELLSBANE.
So without further ado (weird word, fyi) the winner is...
Tammy Ramey
Didn't win? :-( Cheer up! You still have one more day to enterfor a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and another pair of those adorable Halloween bears!
But like all good things the Lucky 13 Blog Hop has come to an end and it's time to draw the winner of two adorable Halloween bears and a print copy of HELLSBANE.
So without further ado (weird word, fyi) the winner is...
Tammy Ramey
Didn't win? :-( Cheer up! You still have one more day to enterfor a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and another pair of those adorable Halloween bears!
