Release Day: Timeless Beginnings by Amber Daulton

Timeless Beginnings

Publisher: Books to Go Now

Release Date: July 29th, 2016 

Genre: Time Travel Romance 

Word Count: 30k 

Heat Level: 3 Flames 

Blurb 

Leonora Harris fled her newly-wedded husband’s home in Georgian England, 1725, and took shelter in a cave during a rainstorm. She woke up in a cold, barren land and a handsome stranger with a mechanical carriage offered her shelter. 

Undercover American operative Rodger Ramsey never expected to find a runaway bride in the magnificent Salar de Uyuni. Assigned to Bolivia to investigate Communist activities, he just wrapped up his two-year mission in 1963 and followed his heart to the salt flats one last time.

Sparks flew and attraction sizzled. The lost, stubborn woman kicked his protective instincts into overdrive. Rodger took her home with him, determined to help her before he returned to the States, and Leonora flourished under his guidance. Their hearts intertwined. He wanted her, needed her, but could he truly love a woman who believed she jumped two hundred years in time? 

Will they find a way to stay together, despite the obstacles between them, or will Leonora survive in this strange new world alone? 

(Author’s Note - This is a prequel to Timeless Honor, a time travel romance with Rodger and Leonora’s granddaughter, but can be read as a standalone.)

Background Image courtesy of phaendin at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Excerpt 

“I’ll do or say whatever you wish, illegal or not.” Leonora steeled her spine as the words tore up her throat. “I thought you trusted me. What can I do to earn it?” 

Rodger ate up the distance between them with three long strides and shackled her wrist in his large hand like a manacle. She stumbled toward him. Tension permeated the air around him in waves of red-hot heat. 

“Have you heard of the CIA, Leonora? The Central Intelligence Agency?” 

“No, I have no idea what that is.” 

“What can you tell me about the communist activities and alliances in this country?” 

“Nothing. I don’t know. What kind of questions are these? What are you talking about?” 

His head tilted to one side and his lips thinned. Rodger stared at her with a long, hard gaze even as she squirmed, the steel in her spine gone. Stress lined his face and the tendon in his neck throbbed against his skin like a tic. Minutes passed, or maybe just seconds, and air whizzed out through his nostrils. The anger in his face seemed to drain and he somehow looked older. 

“How can this be? You told me the truth about everything.” He stepped back and stroked his fingers up her arm. “Though you squirmed under my gaze, you did so after you answered me and only because I intimidated you. You didn’t once respond with a typical facial or verbal nuance to indicate you lied. I feel the truth of your words in my gut and in my soul.”

“I haven’t once lied to you.” 

“I just—I don’t understand. This is so unbelievable. I wish you could provide me with some kind of undeniable proof you’re from the past.” 

“As do I, Rodger.” 

“If we do this, you’ll stay with me until I decide otherwise. I’ll protect you. I’ll kiss you and touch you. You should know that right away. I respect you, Leonora, but I’m not a strong enough man to deny my desire for you indefinitely. I won’t bear my frustration and keep my distance anymore. Do you understand what I mean? I need to lay with you, again and again, with no regrets. Do you accept those terms?” 

Rich honey poured into his every word, every syllable, and wrapped around her like a sweet promise. Blood thundered in Leonora’s ears and her lungs expanded with air to the point they might burst. The longing in his eyes scorched her. 

Caught like a fly in a spider’s web, she nodded, her voice gone. 

“Tell me, dearest. I need to hear the words.” 

“Yes. Yes, I accept.” 

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30638898-timeless-beginnings

About the Author

Writing is the fruit to happiness.

Amber Daulton lives her life by that one belief even though she normally isn’t so Zen.

As a fan of contemporary, paranormal and historical romance novels alike, she can’t get enough of feisty heroines and alpha heroes. Her mind is a wonderland of adventure, laughter and awesome ways of kicking a guy when he’s down. She probably wouldn’t be too sane without her computer and notebooks. After all, what’s a girl to do when people jabber away in her head and it’s hard to shut them up? Write! Nothing else works.

Stalk Me 

Blogsite – http://amberdaultonauthor.blogspot.com/

Facebook Author Page – www.facebook.com/amber.daulton.author

Twitter – https://twitter.com/AmberDaulton1

Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/amberdaulton5/

Goodreads – www.goodreads.com/author/show/6624921.Amber_Daulton

Amazon Author Page – http://amzn.to/14JoZff

LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/pub/amber-daulton/87/538/368 

Google Plus – plus.google.com/u/0/110099048961325762869/about/p/pub

Books to Go Now – http://bookstogonow.com/tb-author/amber-daulton/

Book Review: Murder and Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Mayhem-Pimple-Junction-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00NE1H8FW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1469314837&sr=1-1&keywords=Amy+Metz

When Tess Tremaine starts a new life in the colorful town of Goose Pimple Junction, curiosity leads her to look into a seventy-five-year-old murder. Suddenly she’s learning the foreign language of southern speak, resisting her attraction to local celebrity Jackson Wright, and dealing with more mayhem than she can handle. 

A bank robbery, murder, and family tragedy from the 1930s are pieces of the mystery that Tess attempts to solve. As she gets close to the truth, she encounters danger, mystery, a lot of southern charm, and a new temptation for which she’s not sure she’s ready.  

Amy Metz

Five Stars  5.0 out oFive 5 star

 Murder She Wrote, Southern Style

July 21, 2016

Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

Amy Metz has created a colorful little town, Goose Pimple

Junction, gave it authentic, dimensional, lovable characters, and an

old unsolved murder from 1937. A newcomer to town, Tess mixes 

all these ingredients to make a great cozy mystery with romance, 

suspense, humor, and plenty of suspects. Highly recommended.

I Need Christmas is FREE Today!

Dear Gentle Readers,

I Need Christmas is FREE today at http://tinyurl.com/name .

After a depressing year of sadness, loneliness, and self-doubt, successful civil engineer and former All-American basketball star Elizabeth (Betsy) Curry returns home to Oakville, Ohio, for the Christmas holidays a depressed and broken women. Reeling from her bitter divorce from the handsome, charming, but morally decrepate Tommy DeMalio, her college sweetheart and first big love, who left her after two years of what she thought was a good marriage for a stripper he met at an office bachelor party for her co-worker, Betsy feels lost and empty. Not exactly anticipating the happy holiday with her family and their multitude of joyful Christmas customs and long-time storybook-like traditions, she knows she needs them in order to heal. 
Once comfortable at home and feeling somewhat better about herself, Tommy shows up and claims he wants a reconciliation, throwing her back into the self-destructive cycle of doubt, hostility, and suspision she is trying so hard to escape. 
She discovers her father has set her up with his protégé at work, the tall, handsome, athletic red-haired Patrick, who, try as hard as she can, she can’t find a single thing she doesn’t like about him. 
So, what’s the problem? Betsy feels it’s too soon for her to love again. How can she love anyone again when she doesn’t like herself or what she’s become since the break-up. Also, she fears she will hurt the sweet, gentle Patrick. 
Will the love, joy, and goodwill of the holiday season coupled with the many long-time holiday customs and Curry family traditions help Betsy to find herself again? Will she be strong enough to lift herself out of her self-induced prison so that she can take another chance on love ? 

Interview with Author Suzi Albracht

Suzi Albracht

Near Annapolis, MD

Good morning, Suzi, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the Place for Art and Authors. Can you tell us what you've written? 

At the moment, I have 3 books published – The Devil’s Lieutenant, Death Most Wicked and Scorn Kills. They are all part of The Devil’s Due Collection. I am currently working on the 4^th book in the collection – Confessions of a Soul Collector.

What is your favorite genre to write? 

I write Horror Crime Fiction and love every aspect of it. I got addicted to horror in the womb and never even think about getting clean. My style is in the view of Stephen King, no slashers or Friday the 13^th for me. My books are about everyday people, they could be you or your friends, and the temptations they run into. I think the horror is more real if you feel it could happen. My book Scorn Kills, is slightly different. It’s almost a thrown back to the Twilight Zone television shows. A little snarky at times, but it keeps the reader turning the pages. The other two books are more dark and frightening over all, add in the human factor and the fear factor raises the roof.

Favorite food. 

I grew up mostly in the Midwest so beef is my go-to food. But since I’ve lived in Maryland for the last 20 years, I gotten a new addiction – hard shelled blue crabs steamed with Old Bay, cracked open and the meat dipped in butter. Yummy in my tummy.

Tea or coffee? 

Neither, I am a Pepsi chick. I love the smell of coffee but hate the taste. So I drink Pepsi with lots and lots of ice, all year round. I even have a special cup that keeps it way colder than most. Nirvana.

Pizza or ice cream? 

Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia, please.

I love that one, too. In fact, there's some in the freezer right now. Hmm...not for long. Wine or beer? 

Neither, I seldom drink but if I do, Pina Coladas or Kaulua and Cream is my pleasure. But truthfully, my Pepsi keeps me happy so I don’t do alcohol much.

Where would you like to visit? 

I love the United States and have seen a lot of it but I haven’t made it to Yellowstone National Park or the balloon races in New Mexico. My favorite spots to revisit are Sedona, Az; Key West, FL; Nags Head, NC; Vegas, NV – but not the gambling mecca, there are lots of other interesting places around Vegas.

Oh, don't miss the Hot Air Balloon races in Albuquerque. They are fabulous. It's something about the box currents.  Favorite musical artist.  Do you listen to music when you write?  What?

I’m not a musical person. I do like listening to music in the car but honestly, while I write I have the tv on in the background, mostly the ID channel. I listen to crime investigations while I write. Every now and then, something will make me look but mostly it just goes into my brain bank for future reference. I love to find what makes some people tick and I’d rather see it on the ID channel than be friends with some of those individuals.

What makes you laugh? 

Irony. I like those laughs that come when you least expect them. I do love comedy clubs but I never go to comedy movies.

Favorite work of art or sculpture. 

I don’t have a favorite but I do like Monet.

How old were you when you started writing? 

Six, I think. I read early, taught myself. I had a rough life so my little stories were escapism and no one ever saw those stories. Don’t laugh but sometimes I ate them to be sure. I was six, remember? Kids that age don’t think about the consequences of eating paper. Then in grade school, I began to be put in excelled English classes and would show my work at school to certain teachers. I got encouragement from those teachers that I didn’t get at home. The irony is that even though my mother did not appreciate my writing skills, in some ways, she gave me a nudge toward writing horror. She loved scary movies and read a lot of the True Detective magazines. That meant I got exposure to both. I used to steal her magazines from the trash and read them in my closet. So I think my love of horror was developed in the womb. The first men I fell in love with were William Faulkner and Stephen King, because of their stories. Love from a distance, of course. Never met them.  William Faulkner was not a horror writer but he taught me to appreciate descriptive words and scenes.

Describe your perfect evening. 

Having dinner on the water in southern Maryland, crabs with Old Bay and butter (see above, I told you I was addicted). Then watching something like Ray Donovan, Master Chef, The Voice, or my new TV addiction, Animal Kingdom with Ellen Barkin. All with the love of my life, Tim. This would be after an afternoon of football or Nascar. I’m easy that way.

Where do you get your inspiration? 

Everywhere. I find little nuggets in everything. But mostly I let my characters talk to me. The best inspiration is when they are whispering to each other and I listen in. I have to admit that sometimes they shock me so I have to tell myself and they are not real so it is okay.

What do you do when you get a writer's block? 

I never get writer’s block. Well never, unless you count these questionnaires. For some reason, I freeze at certain questions. The stupid ones, like – what’s your name. For some reason, I feel that I am letting the reader down because I don’t have some snappy retort. Silly girl, right? I don’t mind baring my soul on the pages of my novels but somehow, telling people I am a Pepsi addict is cringe-worthy to me.

Who is your favorite author? 

Of course, I have to say myself. I mean, I’d have to love my own writing since I spend so much time doing it and then tweaking it to the best, right? But if I have to give a different answer, then I have to say Stephen King. I love everything he writes. I also like that he doesn’t lower himself to write slasher books. He has a great deal of influence over my writing style.

Best book you ever read. 

Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. It was the first book that made me think I could write one as well.

Last book you read. 

I’d rather not say. I’ve been reading a lot of Indie books lately and some of them need help. I do have some Indie authors that I enjoy reading their novels but it’s been awhile since I read a really good one.       

What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer? 

I was a technical writer for 23 years. I can’t imagine doing anything else. But I think that if I had to be anything, I’d love to be a prosecutor and put the scum of the earth where they belong. Ooooh, I went dark. I told your horror was my thing.

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why? 

I can’t really answer this question. The answer is too personal and private.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why? 

The real answer to this is personal but I will give you my second choice. I would like to have a conversation with Tim Tebow. He seems to have a really good head on his shoulders and I love his dedication to his faith without being preachy or overbearing. And I’d love to hear about his football stint in the professional league and I’d love just to be in his circle of life.

What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer? 

Believe in yourself and your writing. Always tell the truth of your story whether it be beautiful or ugly. Never fully trust your fellow writers. Most of them want the best for you but there are some who will try to sabotage you. If someone tells you that they think your book has a problem or you should change something, first take a step back and take an honest look at it. If they are right, cool, do something about it. If not, be gracious and ignore the advice. And if many people are telling you something like your dialog needs serious work, take the hint. When you have set backs, and they happen to everyone, just remember to always, always believe in yourself.

Do you have some links for us to follow you?

Links:

·      My Amazon Author Page: Author.to/SuziAlbracht

·      My website: www.SuziAlbracht.com

·      My Wicked Awesome Designs website: http://www.wickedlyawesomedesigns.com/

·      My Youtube: http://ow.ly/TOztv

·      Individual book trailers:

·      Death Most Wicked: getBook.at/DMW

·      Scorn Kills: getBook.at/SK

·      The Devil’s Lieutenant: getBook.at/TDL

Additional Information I would like to share:

·      I am a highly creative animal. I created all my own covers, my book trailers, my social media cards, and my websites. And now I am offering my services to fellow authors. Mostly, I create stunning social media photo cards for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. I’ve noticed that many authors use the wrong sizes for the various social media and sometimes they use photos that don’t really call attention to their books. Not only do I use the correct sizes, I create cards that express emotions and lure the reader in. I’ve done the cards for children’s books, memoir’s, and thrillers. Readers can view my website for my horror crime thrillers (www.SuziAlbracht.com) or Wickedly Awesome Designs (www.wickedlyawesomedesigns.com/) to see my work. I am open to all genres except erotica. And I do not wish to create any cards for issues such as politics, religion, or cards that are designed to be hurtful toward others. 

·      As I mentioned earlier, I am writing my fourth book in The Devil’s Due Collection. It’s very exciting and opens doors for the fifth book and possibly more. I also have a couple of other books I have in the works in the thriller and horror genres. 

Please come back when your fourth book comes out and share your cover with us!

The Fabulous Artwork of Dutch Artist Suzan Drummen

The Fabulous Artwork of Dutch Artist Suzan Drummen

This gorgeous circular artwork is like giant floor jewelry.  I have never seen anything like the work of Dutch artist Suzan Drummen.

Suzan Drummen is a visual arts teacher in the Netherlands.  Some have called her work psychedelic.  The beads, stones, mirrors, etc. are placed loosely on the floor, making them ethereal and very vulnerable to destruction. 

 Side-view of Suzan's work look like giant sundaes with cherries on the top.  The must be viewed from above to get the full effect.

Directly from the Website by:www.moniquewijbrands.nl

From this website you can view many multidisciplinary works in the media of painting, photography, installation and public art. The works are a playful investigation of space, illusion, optical effects and other visual phenomena as part of a broad exploration of visual perception and the limits of beauty. There is an ongoing inquiry into the limits of seduction and repulsion.
The installations for example, are made from crystal, chrome-plated metal, precious stones, mirrors and optical glass. From a distance they appear clear and orderly, yet upon closer inspection, the eyes become disoriented by the many details and visual stimuli. That moment, of being able to take it all in or not, is explored, time and time again. The visual perception is challenged, requisitioned and intensified.

This website features a selection of the work, in chronological order, with the most recent work at the top. 

Thanks to: family, friends, fellow artists, exhibition curators, art advisors, clients, commissioners, architects and those involved in the production and realisation of the works. 

t

Suzan Drummen

1990 – Present (23 years) Amsterdam

"As an artist I make multidisciplinary works in the media of painting, photography,installation, and public art.  The works are a playful investigation of the space, illusion, optical effects, and other phenomena as a part of a broad exploration of visual perception and the limits of beauty.  There is an ongoing inquiry into the limits of seduction and repulsion.

The installations for example, are made from crystal, chrome-plated metal, precious stones, mirrors and optical glass. From a distance they appear clear and orderly, yet upon closer inspection, the eyes become disoriented by the many details and visual stimuli. That moment, of being able to take it all in or not is explored, time and time again. The visual perception is challenged, requisitioned and intensified.

Developing my own visual work is the main thing I do, but many other activities such as teaching, being member of art committees and initiate new art projects are so interwoven that I can hardly make a distinction between my activities. It is a great a stream of actions, meetings and findings that fertilize each other immensely."

The fabulous Dutch Artist Suzan Drummen uses a very special canvas for her work.  She uses the floor!  She uses crystals, chromed metals, precious stones, mirrors, and faceted optical lens to make large scale murals using complex circular patterns, reminding me of Tibetian sand painting... and the circular written language of Gallifrey.di