Blurb Blitz Tour and Giveaway - Wish by Grier Cooper

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

For Indigo Stevens, ballet classes at Miss Roberta’s ballet studio offer the stability and structure that are missing from her crazy home life. At almost 16, she hopes this is the year she will be accepted into the New York School of Ballet. First she must prove she’s ready, and that means ignoring Jesse Sanders – the cute boy with dimples who is definitely at the top of Miss Roberta’s List of Forbidden Things for Dancers.

But Jesse is the least of Indigo’s concerns. When she discovers her mom is an alcoholic, it simultaneously explains everything and heaps more worry on Indigo’s shoulders. As her mom’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, Indigo fights to maintain balance, protect her younger brothers from abuse, and keep her mother from going over the edge. When the violence at home escalates, Indigo realizes she can no longer dance around the issue. At the risk of losing everything, she must take matters into her own hands before it’s too late.

I hold the barre lightly with my left hand and begin moving when the music starts. It’s the same music I’ve heard in every ballet class I’ve taken for the past ten years. We always start with pliés.

My knees bend in time to the music: demi plié, demi plié, grand plié. My body moves through the positions while my mind replays the scene in the car. The image of my mother’s uvula is stuck in my brain.

“Indigo, where is your focus this morning?” Miss Roberta’s voice pulls me back into the present moment. I glance in front of me at Marlene’s feet and realize I’m in the wrong position. I shake my head to clear it. Go away, Mom. This is the one place where I get away from you – even if it’s only for an hour and a half.

Compared to the rest of my life, ballet classes are refreshingly orderly and predictable. Barre exercises always follow the same routine. Do everything that works the right leg, then turn and repeat everything with the left.

We move through the barre exercises. Every beat of the music dictates what comes next. The rhythm makes demands and the body answers with precision. Already my muscles are beginning to feel warm and stretchy.

“Monique, your leg does not end at your ankle. Point those toes! Jeanine, you’re sagging. Stand up straight!” Miss Roberta’s voice carries through the room. Today she’s all in pinks with a floral chiffon headscarf. She’s the classic tiny dancer: dark-haired with pert features. Her eyes flicker across the class, constantly appraising technique and posture. Even though she’s tiny, she commands the room. If she sees imperfections or lack of good effort, she will call you out.

About the Author

Grier Cooper (also known as the writer in a dancer's body) is a California based writer, photographer, and dancer. She received her professional training from the School of American Ballet and performed worldwide with the San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Today she lives in a seaside hamlet with her husband, daughter and Coco Chanel (a black standard poodle). She draws on over thirty years of experience as a dancer, teacher and performer to create stories and art to inspire others.

AUTHOR LINKS:
Website: http://www.griercooper.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/griercooper
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/griercooper
Instagram: http://instagram.com/griercooper/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/griercooper
BUY THE BOOK LINKS:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Wish-Indigo-Dreams-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00ODETMP8/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wish-grier-cooper/1120552221? ean=2940046226096
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/wish-indigo-dreams-series-1/id928726780?mt=11
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Grier_Cooper_Wish_Indigo_Dreams_Series_1? id=arTEBAAAQBAJ&hl=en
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/483854
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/wish-indigo-dreams-series-1

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Sleeping in the Mourge by Jennifer Tressen - Blurb Blitz and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Enter to win $25 Bath and Body Works gift certificate. The Rafflecopter is at the end of the post; click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Paige Thorton, a sweet overachieving high school senior only has one month to come up with ten thousand dollars to pay for college, but her family mortuary has no business. Desperate to escape her little town and go to her dream school, she decides to take matters into her own hands and drum up some clients.

Soon "accidents" begin happening to local residents.

However when her boyfriend, Brock Harrington, the rookie hotshot cop begins to investigate, things get hairy. Will Paige be able to pull it off in time or will she be doomed to forever sleep in the morgue?

“So I heard you got a corpse the other day,” Brock said as he drove his large pick-up. “Old man? He’ll likely be one of the last, huh?”

Paige twiddled her fingers and tried to figure out how to answer the question. “Yeah, some old man. Not sure how he died....he just sort of...”

Keep your cool.

She held her breath and looked at Brock.

“Old people just die. Happens all the time.” He chuckled. “Just not around here much anymore.”

“Yeah, he just died,” Paige said.

That was easy. No need for explanation. He just died. Why didn’t I think of that? It’s not like I killed him or anything. I just...helped him. Yeah, I helped him. There’s nothing wrong with helping people, right?

“Any more ideas on how to make the cash?”

Paige shook her head, “Your dad’s giving me a scholarship.”

“Oh is he?”

“Well, the town is. And it’s not official, so don’t quote me or anything; but he said he would. Three thousand dollars.”

Still not enough.

“That’s a good start.”

Paige nodded, still lost in her own thoughts. She was trying to avoid letting the guilt of what she had helped the kind old man do get to her.

“I really wish I could pay for school for you--”

“Brock, don’t.”

“But my rookie salary is barely enough to cover the bills and put a couple bucks away for you know, ‘someday.’”

“Brock...” She couldn’t help but smile. His sincerity was sweet. He would do anything for her and she knew that. But she didn’t want him to. She wanted to do this on her own, the best she could that is.

Jennifer Tressen is a wife, mother and writer. A former actor, she spent nearly ten years in the entertainment industry appearing in commercials, print ads and television shows. It was her love of storytelling that pushed her to the other side of the camera and sent her to film school at Chapman University. Although she entered as a Cinematography major, Jennifer graduated with a degree in Screenwriting after a single required screenwriting class forever changed her path. She found a passion for writing she had forgotten in her childhood. Everything she learned about screenwriting and especially storytelling she attributes to her mentor, the late Blake Snyder.

After several years of writing and editing for producers and other screenwriters her curiosity led her into writing novels. As a huge fan of Young Adult and New Adult literature this is where her pen tends to lead her. However, she does have plans to release a few middle grade fiction and adult novels in the future. Jennifer attributes her love of reading and writing to her mother who always reminded her of the power of literacy. Besides telling her and her siblings that they could do anything they wanted if they knew how to read and write, she said, “You can go anywhere in a book. You can be anyone.”

Links:
http://jennifertressen.net/blog/
https://twitter.com/JenniferTressen
https://www.facebook.com/jennifertressenauthor
http://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Morgue-Jennifer-Tressen-ebook/dp/B00D69LFTM/ref=sr_1_1?
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sleeping-in-the-morgue-jennifer-tressen/1117116981

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Ocean of Dust by Graeme Ing - Blurb Blitz and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Graeme will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host. Please click the banner to visit other stops on the tour and increase your chances of winning!

Fourteen-year old Lissa is snatched from her home and finds herself a slave on a trading ship traveling on a waterless ocean of nothing but gray dust. A feisty, curious and intelligent girl, her desire to explore the ship earns her the hatred of the cruel first officer, Farq.

Fascinated by the ocean of dust, Lissa becomes embroiled in its mysteries, sensing things that the crew cannot, while cryptic whispers in her head are leading her toward a destiny linked to the dust itself. Only one man aboard can help her make sense of her new talent, but can she trust him? All is not as it seems, and she must unravel the clues before it’s too late.

When a sinister plot casts her adrift on the barren ocean, her best friend is left in the hands of the treacherous crew. Everything hinges upon her courage, quick wits, and her ability to master her new talent.

... she spotted a brown conical shape lodged on a fallen stump between a pair of trees. Dozens of bugs with red striped abdomens swarmed above it - War-blits. She couldn’t keep up the pace for much longer, and her lungs felt ready to burst. Her hastily formed plan might be her only chance to escape the feline snapping at her heels. She sucked in air and urged her aching body forward. Up close, the bugs were as large as her thumb, with wicked, black stingers on their rear-ends.

Now she was caught between a swarm of spiteful bugs and an animal about to bite her in half. It was now or never. Screaming for courage, she launched herself at the War-blit mound, praying her timing was right. She clenched every muscle, waiting for the stings to stab all over her body. The furious buzzing engulfed her as she flew through the air and over the mound.

Her shoulders hit the ground on the other side, and she tumbled over and over, smashing into a tree. Something stabbed her leg. Agony ripped through her body. Then a sharp pain on her right arm. She flailed her limbs in all directions trying to keep the bugs from her face.

The feline had landed atop the stump and crushed the mound. The air turned black as a cloud of War-blits sprayed from a hole in the stump, buzzing angrily and covering the creature like a cloak.

Graeme is a writer of speculative fiction. He probably won't fall into existing pigeonholes, but hang around and you'll get to read tales of fantasy, science-fiction, paranormal, cyberpunk, steampunk and who knows what.

Born in England, Graeme now lives in San Diego, California. His career as a software engineer and development manager spans 30 years, including the development of a dozen computer games for consoles, home computers and online. Graeme is also an avid armchair mountaineer, astronomer, mapmaker, pilot and general geek. He and his wife, Tamara, share their house with six crazy cats.

Website: http://www.graemeing.com/
Blog: http://www.graemeing.com/blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GraemeIngAuthor
Twitter: @GraemeIng https://twitter.com/GraemeIng
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/106761802400693987858/about
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6571955.Graeme_Ing
Buy Links
Amazon (Kindle/paperback/audiobook): http://www.amazon.com/Ocean-of-Dust-ebook/dp/B00A1FYJX8
Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Ocean-of-Dust-Audiobook/B00K0SBSCQ

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Love, God, and Tattoes by Aleshia Robinson - Blurb Blitz and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Aleshia will be awarding a print copy of the Love, God & Tattoos Bundle (US and Canada only) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Then, click on the tour banner to see the other places you can enter!

Love, God & Tattoos is a series of young adult novels written by American author Aleshia Robinson. The story chronicles the spiritual journey of 21 year old Alcatraz, a troubled tattoo artist, and her struggle to have a positive relationship with God and herself.

ALCATRAZ THE LOST PEARL

Fifteen year old Alcatraz is being chased. Born and raised in a loving family, she suddenly finds herself fending for her life on the streets of Los Angeles. Consumed with anger, hurt and confusion, Alcatraz turns to the spiritual realm to find life’s answers. While experimenting with pagan spells, Buddhist chants, and yoga sutras, she continually encounters a spirit who claims He is God. The Truth she learns from this spiritual quest introduces her to the unexpected world of divine healing, acceptance and unconditional love.

ALCATRAZ THE RIGHTEOUS PEARL After two years of spiritual searching, Alcatraz has finally decided who the One true God is for her life. But trouble soon follows. Being rejected by her new found religious organization because of her appearance and discharged from the tattoo shop for her beliefs, Alcatraz is forced to enter the Hollywood adult entertainment life with her best friend Kuriko. The nightmares she experiences living on the dubious streets of Los Angeles causes her to struggle to keep her faith.

KURIKO THE DAMAGED PEARL Alcatraz has desperately wanted to learn more about the mysterious past of her street-smart Japanese best friend, Kuriko. Now her wish has come true, but not in the way she expected. Kuriko handed Alcatraz a black bamboo box before the tragic accident. Inside, Alcatraz finds the diary of a nineteen-year-old girl's struggle with sex trafficking, powerful men, abuse, betrayal, and surprisingly, a burning desire to know God. After two years of living with the secretive, over- protective high-dollar prostitute, Alcatraz learns the dark truth of Kuriko's inhumane journey. Now she wishes the past could have been buried with her best friend.

Excerpt

ALCATRAZ THE LOST PEARL- BOOK 1 IN LOVE, GOD & TATTOOS SERIES

Unfulfillment, boredom and anxiety overcame me every time I wasn’t tattooing someone. While I was in creative mode I was fine but as soon as I stopped it was like life wasn’t worth living anymore. My mood could change instantly. I masked my pain very well with alcohol. If it wasn’t pomegranate margaritas from The Geisha Room then I drank hard liquor at the Roxy or wherever we were that night. On the outside girls envied me for my mad abilities, but on the inside I cried myself to sleep at night like a little, insecure baby. No matter how hard I tried to party and tattoo my way out of my problems, I couldn’t let go of the pain of my parent’s death, my rape and being plucked from Valeo Academy into this Hollywood life on my own. All of those seeds were ever present in the soil of my heart waiting to be tended to. I didn’’t know how to process the pain except to pretend like it wasn’t there. Alcohol allowed me to flee from my problems gracefully and to fit in with people who made me feel loved, accepted and worthwhile.

About the Author

 

Aleshia Robinson was born in Chicago, Illinois and enjoys writing edgy inspirational fiction, traveling, decoupaging, empowering women in the sex trade and providing clean water for mankind.

WEBSITE: www.lovegodandtattoos.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/authenticityink
TWITTER: @lovegodtattoos
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Aleshia-Robinson/e/B0054E39PU/ref=la_B0054E39PU_af APPLE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/aleshia-robinson/id444790036?mt=11

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/aleshia-robinson
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=aleshia+robinson

Against the Darkness by A.M. Griffin - Blurb Blitz and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

The author will be awarding a t-shirt, a wire bookmark, and a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner via the rafflecopter at the end of this post.  Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Seventeen year old Sinta Allen has one objective, to get from Tallahassee, Florida to her mother in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Seems simple enough right? Wrong. Hostile aliens have invaded Earth—and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that we’re losing the fight. While the aliens bring devastation and destruction and take people away to God knows where in their spaceships, Sinta, along with some of her classmates must rely on their survival instincts, a little luck and each other if they want to survive the venture across the country. The last thing she needs is for Wade, her school friend and Jason, her rescuer, to distract her along the way.

Enjoy an excerpt:

He snaps his fingers, bringing my attention back to his face.

He mouths something that I can’t make out. I shake my head.

He creeps closer. I notice a few other things about him. Like the gun that he’s holding in one hand and some kind of knife in the other.

My eyes widen in understanding.

He’s here to save us.

I peer to my right and left. No one else is paying attention to him. I turn back to him.

“Where are they?” he mouths again.

I nod toward the cabin where Ms. Burgess is screaming.

“How many?” he mouths.

“Three,” I mouth back to him.

He nods and goes back into the woods.

No, I want to yell. Come back, don’t leave us here.

I’m about to do just that when he returns with another man, this one older, but similar looking. They creep closer to us, their eyes scanning everything around them. As they come closer I see the rifles strapped across their backs, the guns in shoulder holsters, the knives strapped around their legs and pistols in their hands. I want to cry.

If anybody can save us from the Tanners it’s them.

The tickle of a tear is on my cheek. I use a shoulder to wipe it away.

I don’t say a word as the younger one crouches behind me and uses his knife to cut through the ropes that bind my wrists. The other man goes behind MJ to do the same. I see him whispering something to MJ and MJ nodding in response. Once my hands are free, he moves down to my ankles and begins to saw away at the ropes there.

He glances up to me, his eyes focused squarely on mine. I have a hard time looking away and I think that’s his intention. “What’s your name?”

Instead of my name a cry escapes my lips.

“It’s going to be okay,” he says, still sawing away at the ropes. He takes a quick peek to his right, where the other man is working to free MJ’s feet. “My name is Jason, but all my fraternity brothers call me JC.” He attempts a smile. “You can call me JC.”

“I…I’m not your frat brother,” I say, in a stutter, as confusion clouds my mind. “I’m a girl.”

Why did I point that out?

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

“Huh?” I’m as confused as ever.

With my feet free, he crawls quickly up to my side.

“Are you still with me? You look like you’re about to freak out and bolt.”

I nod. Yes I’m okay and yes, I’m going to run.

“Stay with me sweetheart,” he says, in a rush. “I’m going to give you this knife and you’re going to free the other girls. After they’re free, I want you to take them where you first saw me, okay? Behind those trees are some backpacks, you wait there for us. Do you hear me?”

Yes.

“Answer me. Do you understand what I want you to do?”

“But what if you don’t make it. They can kill you,” I whisper. I can’t cover up the fear that is smothering me.

The smile he gives me this time is genuine, not at all forced, and all I notice are the deep dimples in his cheeks. “We got this.”

And for some reason I believe him. “Okay.”

A. M. Griffin is a wife who rarely cooks, mother of three, dog owner (and sometimes dog owned), a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She’s a hard worker whose two favorite outlets are reading and writing. She enjoys reading everything from mystery novels to historical romances and of course fantasy romance. She is a believer in the unbelievable, open to all possibilities from mermaids in our oceans and seas, angels in the skies and intelligent life forms in distant galaxies.

Now available from Ellora’s Cave:

https://www.ellorascave.com/index.php/authors/index/author/slug/a.m.-griffin/

You can find out what else I’m working on by visiting my website:

http://www.amgriffinbooks.com/

Like my FaceBook page for exclusive news and free books and swag giveaways!

http://www.facebook.com/amgriffinbooks

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Two Degrees from Zero by M.J. Stewart - Blurb Blitz Tour and Giveaway

M.J. Stewart is visiting with us today as part of her Blurb Blitz Tour for her new book, Two Degrees from Zero.

The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Click the tour banner above for the tour dates.

Thirteen-year-old Derek’s cool snowboard adventure does a dangerous rewind, because his Burton Hero board holds the key to an unsolved crime.

Two Degrees From Zero is a story that opens up the world of snowboarding and surviving hazardous winter conditions in Keystone, Colorado.

Derek, his mom, and teen friend Janae (The Clan) are invited on a snowboarding vacation by his mom’s new romance Thomas. A blizzard hits during a sleigh ride and dinner at an isolated yurt miles from Keystone. The Clan accepts an offer from two arrogant snowmobilers for a way home. But to The Clan's dismay instead of going home, they are abandoned in a creepy backwoods cabin.

Derek and Janae sneak out of the old cabin and make a dangerous trek across a white wilderness to find help while the snowmobilers are on the loose. Just as the teens find temporary shelter in an old car, another blizzard rages all night, leaving them hopelessly stranded. And their adventure has only begun.

Derek and Janae must escape the frozen ravages of the blizzard. Derek’s determination to save The Clan while outwitting the thieves is unstoppable. And the thieves are just as determined to find Derek’s snowboard because of the valuable information hidden on the board.

Enjoy an Excerpt:
 

Derek whispered, “And how are we gonna leave? Maybe Mom and Thomas will know what to do. Let’s be real quiet until they get here.”

“Hope they get here quick.” Janae said in a shaky voice. “Does he have a gun?”

“Don’t see one.” Derek hugged Janae; her body trembled with emotion. “Bummer how this trip is going downhill.”

“Seriously downhill,” Janae said. “Is he dead?”

“Duh…dead people don’t snore. But maybe we should see if he’s okay.”

“You go,” Janae said.

Derek flinched as the man inhaled. “Wait, his chest moved.”

“Are you sure?” Janae asked, but kept her distance.

“Is blood running down his forehead?” Derek asked.

“I see red.”

“Let’s get a better look. Maybe he’s just sleeping.” Derek took one step in the man’s direction and stopped.

“Why are you stopping? You’re supposed to be the strong, brave one.” Janae jumped behind Derek and tried to shove him closer to the man. But Derek stood firm. “You’re scared as I am,” Janae said.

“Not either,” Derek said and turned his face to her. “See my face, I’m not scared.”

“Why are you chewing your lip?”

About the Author

 

M.J. Stewart is a Colorado author and lives in Colorado Springs. Her love for the outdoors has provided many exciting adventures and include downhill skiing, biking, hiking, camping, and nature photography.

I'm on facebook at: martha.lancaster@facebook.com

I'm on twitter at: @hike4ski

Amazon.com buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Two-Degrees-Zero-Snowboarding-Adventure

Lycaon Press -- Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway

Today, we're spotlighting Lycaon Press who is celebrating the release of two paranormal young adult stories with a virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions.  The publisher is awarding a $20 Lycaon Press GC to one lucky commenter during the tour, so don't forget to comment here -- you could use it to buy one of these amazing books!

Resolved: The Shalean Moon, Book 6 by J. Lilley

When Shaleans fight Shaleans nothing is simple. With the help of true friends can good overcome evil?

To save Shalea, so much depends on so few people, that nothing is certain. It's not even clear just which side some of them support, and the Sept is getting weaker.

Brios and his friends must save their world, but time is running out. To make things worse, the identities of some people might just result in no resolution at all.

Can everything become clear and good triumph over evil before the next Shalean Moon, or is Shalea as they know it over?

Tony started to talk about Marok again.

"All we can hope is that Marok continues to recover, and that he knows more about what's going on. I'm not happy or comfortable with anything at the moment."

Rach still thought there was a lot more to worry about than Marok's recovery; her dad wasn't the only one uncomfortable, but she didn't say so. It wasn't like her dad to be so negative, and it worried her. Not just that, Aibhlinn worried her as well. It had been during those long scary hours they'd spent together that she'd begun to get to know the other girl, and found she liked her. She suspected her aloofness was in all probability due to the situation she'd found herself in. What she hadn't found out was what Aibhlinn's involvement was with the Shalean-turned-Rogue, Struan Scott. In Rach's opinion that was crucial to help her understand what had taken place and might occur in the future.

"Well, I still wish I knew what was going on," she said again. Gah, I'm beginning to sound like a stuck record. She was tired but restless, and needed to find a way to solve her problems. She had an idea. "Dad, shall we go for a bike ride? It's not dark yet, and I've got to get some of these jitters out of me. I feel like a volcano about to erupt and it's not nice. I'd shift if I was with Brios or Leira, but as I'm not, well, could we cycle somewhere?"

"I'll hazard a guess you've an idea where that somewhere would be?" her dad asked her. "The Pardes'?"

Rach laughed. "Actually I hadn't thought of that, but if we did go there, maybe I could shift and run a bit, just along one of the tracks. You could watch, you know, keep an eye on me."

She waited and looked at her dad's face as he thought about her request. In general, his face was very expressive. However, this time, she decided, he was not about to let her see anything he thought.

"And maybe we could come back past Ali's," she went on. "And maybe her mum can tell us what's happening, and then maybe..."

"And then maybe," her dad said, "you'll draw breath, and I can say hold on, okay. Why does everything have to start with 'and'? Okay, let's do it. We've got about an hour I'd guess, before it gets too dark to ride with safety. Or." He paused. "I could drive you and you can run for longer?"

She liked the sound of that. "Really? You don't mind?"

Tony shook his head. "It makes sense. I'll jog while you shift and stretch your leopard. I reckon if anyone sees the car, they'll think it'd be natural for you to go and...er, water Shala's flowers for her, or well, something," he finished. He didn't sound too convinced. "I guess. While they're away."

Rach laughed. "Have you seen Shala and flowers? She tends flowers about as well as she cooks. Badly. Leira says that's why they have shrubs, and her dad looks after them. No, I'm going to check on the gerbils."

Now her dad looked bewildered. "She doesn't have gerbils, does she?"

Rach sighed. "Nah, but hell, what else can I think off of the top of my head? Rabbits, hamsters, or god-knows-what. From now on, if anyone asks, Leira's got a pet, even though she doesn't know it. So if we have to, we'll bluff it."

Tony laughed. "Gerbils it is. Okay, lets go."

He picked up his car keys and phone and followed her out of the house. He locked the door and checked he'd done so. Rach grinned. He would never change.

"Paranoid, are we?"

He shrugged. "Well, yeah, do you blame me?"

She shook her head. "Nope, not at all."

Elemental: The Rare Sisterhood, Book 1 by Alyce Lewis

Born of magic and created as a weapon, eighteen-year-old quadruplets Anila, Terra, Aydan, and Yara use their elemental powers to battle evil.

The world of Rare Root is about to be forever plunged into darkness, overtaken by a shadowy force, and the last hope for peace comes in the form of eighteen-year-old quadruplets Anila, Terra, Aydan, and Yara. Born of magic and created as a weapon, the Sprites must use their elemental powers to hunt down and vanquish the evil. When the sisters realize their powers are not yet strong enough, they seek out allies. Aided by an Elf prince and a Fairy queen, they face perilous obstacles, traitorous enemies, and prepare for the most epic battle of their lives.

But there's no training manual for love, and when Anila starts to fall for the prince, it forces a rift between the sisters. In order to destroy the threat and restore Rare Root, the four Sprites will need to rally together as one.

Because in a world of darkness, unity is elemental.

Mother Fairy ran her hand along the ledge of her cottage's stone windowsill, tracing the grooves with wrinkled fingers. The smooth stone was cool under her warm, rough skin. It was comforting, yet...it made her tremble. Or maybe it was what was beyond the window.

She opened the azure-colored shutters and a piece of white hair escaped its neat bun and trailed down to her stomach. She tucked it back and slid open the glass of the closed windowpane. A muggy wind rushed over her, and she grimaced. The faint smell of smoke swept over her face and into her nostrils, causing Mother Fairy to wrinkle her nose and cough. Bah, it's at it again, she grumbled to herself. Foul, cursed blight.

She squinted her tired brown eyes and looked out at the skies. It was only midafternoon, yet the skies were darkening, and a sizeable shadow was cast over the ground. Looming clouds rolled in overhead, and she fixed her stare on the piece of brilliant blue that was fighting against the dark. The blue faltered and strengthened as it sparred with its opponent. She wanted so badly for it to win. She wanted the darkness to go away.

A flash of movement on the ground caught her attention, and she ducked her head to the side, out of view. The Rot hovered in the distance. It had its black tendrils around some unseen prey, lifting its victim into the air until the feet dangled there, limp, like two noodles. The body went still, and the Rot slithered into the woods, dragging the unconscious form behind it.

Made of misty shadows and reeking of death, the Rot was the darkness that plagued Rare Root.

The haze swirled over Mother Fairy's cottage, as thick as ink. She shivered and looked away from the spot where the Rot had just been hunting. Clutching at the sudden ache in her chest, she rushed to close the window and shutters. She stopped short when screams of agony carried across the wind and into her ears.

Without thinking, the old Fairy brought a hand to her open mouth and held her breath, straining with her declining senses to pick up more sounds. A few seconds later, faint at first, but then louder as they drifted in the breeze, were the pitiful cries of townsfolk begging for mercy. The cries were coming from the direction of Pineglade. If innocent folk were suffering, she could only surmise the Rot was somehow responsible.

Mother Fairy snapped the shutters closed and crumpled down onto her reading bench. She clamped her thin hands over her ears to block out the horrible wails and screams of the fairies in the neighboring town. "No," she whispered, and then started rocking sideways. "Not Pineglade."

She wanted her mind to go numb, but instead found it racing, and her thoughts drifted to her beloved world...and how it was changing.

Two alignments, as different as day and night, coexisted in Rare Root. They were Light and Dark, or the Light Ones and the Dark Ones. The Light Ones valued honesty, kindness, generosity, respect, and selflessness, while the Dark Ones were selfish, unscrupulous beings driven by hatred and greed.

Multiple realms divided the world of Rare Root, each of them occupied by either Light or Dark. As such, a power struggle had existed since the beginning of time. The Rot materialized, seemingly out of thin air, and started building a Dark army. Now, the balance of power was shifting.

Mother Fairy thought about the gallant and honorable Light leaders. They were doing their best to keep the Rot away, but Mother Fairy understood their abilities had limits. Little by little, Rare Root was growing dim. It wasn't just the blue in the sky that fought to shine. It was the pure radiance of the Light Ones whose spirits were fettered, too afraid to hope anymore for the terror to end. Unless something drastic occurred, all the goodness that was Rare Root was fast approaching its end.

Salty tears streamed down the Fairy's cheeks. A strangled sob caught in her throat, and her chest heaved up and down. She stopped rocking and uncovered her ears, making fists with her hands. There was a hard glint in her eyes as she shouted into the silence of her living room, "Not Pineglade! Not anywhere else!"

She raised herself up from the reading bench just as the air around her became warm and shifted into a howling wind. It whipped fast around her tiny frame, and its strength matched the searing heat of rage in her chest. Her withered face, as worn as the great, majestic maple that stood in the middle of her modest home, contorted into an unrecognizable shape in the gusting gale. When Mother Fairy spoke next, it was not in her usual gentle, steady voice, but a near-primal roar.

She held her arms out in the wind and said, "Too long has the Rot threatened our lands and peace of mind. No longer will I let my fellow beings suffer in fear. I make my stand now to ensure this world survives for the pure-hearted creatures that live here. I will leave a gift, a legacy that all the beings of Rare Root, good or evil, will never forget."

As soon as Mother Fairy finished speaking, the wind vanished. To conjure magic through emotions or thought was an ability few possessed naturally. Most magic users in Rare Root were spell casters, and it was typical that incantations or objects aided their spells. It was unusual for Mother Fairy to lose her temper, but when she did, her emotions careened through her body and a whirlwind sometimes erupted.

Now, the evidence of her rage was gone. She put her hands on her knees and doubled over at the waist, desperate to catch her breath. Yet with each exhalation, her energy faded. Tears coursed down her creased cheeks, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. Deep down in her core, Mother Fairy knew that it was time.