Paranormal Love Wednesday

Hey all! I'm participating in Paranormal Love Wednesday for the first time, and I thought it'd be a great time to share an exclusive excerpt from Ember's Secret. I didn't want to go too far into the book (even though there's a scene I LOOOOVE that I want to post lol). The excerpt still needs to make sense, I suppose.

Ember only wants two things out of life: to be reunited with her sisters, and to see people come back to her café. Catering to people she never sees again, she experiences a loneliness that can’t be filled. As one of the last Whakamanu—a descendant of the Maori bird-god Tane—she has to hold on to the secrets of her tribe. Family first.

Gourmet TV personality Austin Garten, host of the popular show Back Road Eats, needs more in his life than Breadbasket America grilling. He’s tired of the safe routes, the easy and dependable foods that the Network loves to display. When his RV breaks down in Wyoming, and he learns about Kai, a Maori restaurant outside of Casper, his interest is piqued. Once he meets the proprietor, he realizes he’s wants more than just her food. He wants her.

Ember isn’t too sure. The Solstice, the Maori New Year, is fast approaching, and with the heat in her kitchen ratcheting up, she knows she can’t keep her secret for much longer. But will Austin be able to accept her? Or will her secret drive them apart?

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EXCERPT
Cutting the criollo bread, Ember hummed the song she'd heard drifting from the basement. Papa hadn't left his workshop all night; before she left, she'd found him there, bottle in hand, and covered him with a blanket. She also made sure to leave a couple of aspirin and a glass of water by his chair. Fearing what she'd find when she returned, she hoped Austin would humor her by staying for a while.

She hadn't been lying when she said it took her half the night to figure out a menu. Too many possibilities to choose from led to too many debates with herself. She wanted to impress him. And maybe she needed some validation, too.

She placed the slices of criollo on the grill and started prepping the watercress. Fragrances danced all around her, swirling in the air and bringing her comfort. As she moved around the kitchen gathering ingredients for the Hollandaise, she wondered what would have happened if Mama hadn't died. Would they have stayed in New Zealand and tried to rebuild, or would they have left anyway? The hunters certainly wouldn't have left them alone—it'd been hard enough for her to find any of Mama's feathers to bring with them. Leaving had been the right decision, but would returning be so bad? Now that the entire Whakamanu tribe had been decimated, save for them, surely their old village would be safe? The hunters wouldn't think to return for them.

Before dressing the plates, she took a quick taste of the Hollandaise. Perfect. Maybe she should've made herself something. Eh, later.

The guys straightened when she returned. “Order up.”

As she set Austin's plate in front of him, she glimpsed the notepad next to his arm. “I like to take notes,” he said.

That made sense. “Must be hard to remember everything you eat on a trip.”

“Some things. Not everything.”

Face heating, she took a seat. Thank the gods they wouldn't be able to see her blush with her dark skin.

“So tell me about this. We've got….” He lifted the poached egg. “Lamb, homemade Hollandaise, a watercress garnish.”

“And homemade criollo bread. Grilled. Makes it kind of like a giant crostini.”

Taking notes, he nodded. “This from one of your mom's recipes?”

“Nope. All me.” Nerves threatened to overtake her. If he didn't take a bite soon, she'd scream. When he finally cut into it and took the first bite, she almost imploded with relief, and as he wolfed down the dish, he made these sounds that she wanted to hear in a more private setting. “Good?”

“Foodgamsic.” He chuckled. “I mean, yeah. It‟s…yeah.”

She shook her head. Five minutes. Five minutes alone with him…. “Would you like to see the kitchen?”

“Lead the way.”

If Papa knew what she was doing, he'd be pissed, but right now, she didn't care. He never came to the restaurant, and he certainly never wanted to learn about this aspect of her life. Austin did. Though she barely knew him, she would gladly share all of herself with him. She'd already shared her soul.


Let me know what you think!

New Cover Alert: Pippa Jay + GIVEAWAY!

Ms. Pippa has been a busy woman over these last few months! I, personally, am stoked because that means I get more of her books to read, and this one sounds AWESOME.



Blurb:

Twelve months ago, Hal’s world crashed and burned, taking the love of his life with it. He’s waited all year for that one special night when the souls of the departed come home, hoping his candle will summon back one in particular to heal his broken heart. But the forbidden knowledge he’s learned could call something far worse, and put more than his own soul at risk...

And now, without further ado, here's the TITLE and COVER for Pippa Jay's newest paranormal romance release!

Coming 8th October, Hallow’s Eve will be available in all digital formats from Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, All Romance eBooks, and most digital online retailers.

Excerpt:

The thud and chink of beer bottles and glasses on the bar announced Dan’s return.

“So?”

Hal shook his head. “Not tonight.”

“Oh, c’mon, man. Just one beer.”

Hal dropped his gaze to the glass he was still drying with a vehemence it didn’t deserve, avoiding his friend’s pleading stare. “Thanks, but I’m not in the mood.”

Dan made an exasperated sound. “Look, I know it’s nearly a year—”

Pain lanced into his chest. “Stop.” He looked up.

A frown creasing his tanned face, Dan glared back, but he shut up.

Hal sucked in a breath. He didn’t want to fight with Dan over this. The guy had stopped Hal’s life completely falling apart after last Halloween. “I know what you’re trying to do,” he murmured, and relief flickered in Dan’s brown eyes. “But I’m not ready to let it go.”

“I’m not saying you should, man. But how about getting back into some social interaction? You can’t spend the rest of your life as a recluse.”

“I won’t.” Hal smiled. Dan had no idea.

“Then come out for a beer.”

“Another time.”

“Tomorrow then. I know you’ve got the Halloween shift off.”

Hal put down the glass he’d abused. “I’m busy.”

“Oh, yeah? Doing what? Trick or treating?” Dan scoffed. “What is it with you and Halloween? You never struck me as religious enough to find it offensive, but you don’t go out and have any fun either. So how come you always take the night off?”

Hal looked around the bar at all the tawdry holiday decorations, and debated how to answer. Maybe Dan thought he was a closet Christian or something. The truth would shock the hell out of him. Especially with what Hal had planned this year. “My...family don’t see it as something to joke about.”

“Oh. Strict Catholic or something?”

“Something like that.” Hal smiled at the thought of his parents taking Holy Communion. But let Dan interpret it any way he liked.

About the author:

After spending twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals and Minerals laboratory, Pippa Jay is now a stay-at-home mum who writes scifi and the supernatural. Somewhere along the way a touch of romance crept into her work and refused to leave. In between torturing her plethora of characters, she spends the odd free moment playing guitar very badly, punishing herself with freestyle street dance, and studying the Dark Side of the Force. Although happily settled in the historical town of Colchester in the UK with her husband of 21 years and three little monsters, she continues to roam the rest of the Universe in her head.

Pippa Jay is a dedicated member of the Science Fiction Romance Brigade, blogging at Spacefreighters Lounge, Adventures in Scifi, and Romancing the Genres. Her works include a YA science fiction novel—Gethyon—published through BURST (Champagne Books), a scifi romance novella—Tethered—published by Breathless Press, a YA paranormal romance—Restless In Peaceville—published by Lycaon Press, three self-published short stories (Terms & Conditions Apply, The Bones of the Sea, and Reboot), and she’s one of eight authors included in a science fiction romance anthology—Tales from the SFR Brigade. She’s also a double SFR Galaxy Award winner, been a finalist in the Heart of Denver RWA Aspen Gold Contest (3rd place), and the GCC RWA Silken Sands Star Awards (2nd place).

You can stalk her at her website, or at her blog, but without doubt her favorite place to hang around and chat is on Twitter as @pippajaygreen.

You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and Wattpad

Giveaway:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Character Interview: Luke & Annabelle from Restless in Peaceville

Character interview with Luke & Annabelle

Glad to have you guys! Even if…well…you know.

Luke: "Even if, what? That we're dead?"
Annabelle: "Luke." She puts a hand on his shoulder.
Luke: (mutters) "Well, she started it..."
Annabelle: "Y'all have to excuse him. Being dead made him extra grumpy."

So. What’s it like being something you never believed existed?

Luke: "How do you think it feels? It sucks."
Again, Annabelle touches him, and he smiles at her. "Okay, so it doesn't totally suck. It has its advantages. But it's weird." He sighs. "It's kinda hard to accept. There's some cool things about it, but mostly it's a pain in the ass."
Annabelle: "Pain's one thing it ain't. It's like your whole body went to sleep, but you don't get the pins and needles ever again."
Luke: "Y'can't believe it. Like being stuck in a nightmare, 'cept you ain't ever gonna wake up."

You guys have to deal with a lot of craziness in death. Vampires, a visit to a Voodoo priestess, that demon with the tablet and the attitude…. What’s the craziest thing you had to deal with in life?
Luke: (snorts) "Nothin' compares to being dead and still moving."
Annabelle: "Yeah, y'can't really call anything in life crazy after that."

If you had your un-life to do over again, what would you change?
Luke: "I wouldn't have fought with Annabelle, or gone to my parents house. That was dumb."
Annabelle: "And I wouldn't have pushed you in the river, Luke. That was unfair."
Luke: "No, I deserved it. I said things I shouldn't have."
Annabelle: (resting her head on his shoulder) "But you made up for it."

Any words for your author?
Luke: "Yeah, leave us alone!"

What’s next for the two of you?
Both of them smile as they look at each other.
Luke: "Well, I can't say for sure. We're not supposed to--"
Annabelle: "Shh! Y'know we can't tell."
Luke: "Well, like Annabelle says, we can't tell you that. Guess you'll have to watch this space..."

Welcome to Peaceville, population 2067 and rising...from the grave...

Luke Chester has had enough. He’s the school geek, the girls laugh at him, he’s lost his dead-end job at the pizza place, and in the midst of the world’s messiest divorce his parents don’t even know he exists. An overdose of his mom’s tranquilizers and a stomach full of whiskey should solve all his problems...

But they don’t. Instead, Luke finds himself booted out of the afterlife for not dying a natural death, with nowhere to go but back to his recently vacated corpse and reality. How the hell is he going to pass for one of the living without someone trying to blow his brains out for being one of the undead?

And it just gets worse. He’s got to fight his own desperate craving to consume the living, evade the weird supernatural hunter who’s having a field day with the new undeads rising, and there’s this creepy black shadow following him around. Add to that the distraction of female fellow undead Annabelle burning to avenge her own murder, and clearly there’s no rest for the wicked. Jeez, all he wanted to do was R.I.P

Available at:

Amazon