tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55277420833130346292024-02-07T23:52:02.025-05:00Eden by NightFor girls who love a little paranormal with their romance...Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-86650646742153539152018-06-19T00:41:00.002-04:002018-06-19T00:41:54.867-04:00Why I Never Have Writer's Block + Starbucks GC Giveaway!!<h2>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Why I Never Have “Writer’s Block”</span></i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. I step away from the computer. </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yes, it’s great to have daily, weekly, or even monthly word count goals, but let’s face it. The creative process doesn’t always work like that. Sometimes, a story unfolds at its very own pace. New scenes and details—maybe even the perfect wording for a single sentence—all come in due time. Don’t rush it. I certainly don’t mind waiting on perfection. And I find that it’s when I step away from the computer that the best ideas come to mind. So, I always have sticky notes and scraps of paper, or I just stop everything to put a note into my iPhone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. I travel. </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Seeing new things, places, and people, while experiencing new cultures—especially ones outside of the States—for me it’s like lighting a fire under my imagination! You’ll never run out of places to write about. You will meet new characters. You will visit the perfect coffee shop to insert into a scene. Smells, sights, sounds—pay attention to everything around you and make those surroundings reborn on the page. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. I listen to music without lyrics. </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The part about no lyrics is important here. Apparently, someone spent a lot of money to figure out that music, especially the instrumental stuff, helps the brain focus. So, if you’re trying to sort out some particular plot point or scene—whether it’s an epic battle or the long-awaited, steamy hook up—log into YouTube or Pandora and turn the volume up! Lindsay Sterling, Audiomachine, Hans Zimmer, and The Glitch Mob are some of my favorites. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. I read books outside of my niche. </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I know the usual advice is that if you write romance, read a lot of romance. Or if you write paranormal, read paranormal, and so on. I guess the idea is to see what other successful authors are doing to enchant readers or to find out what’s expected in your specific niche. That’s all very good, great advice. But there’s also reward in reading novels that are from a completely different genre. I write paranormal/fantasy romance, but I love reading historical fiction by Elizabeth Chadwick and romantic comedies by Jennifer Crusie. I’ve been known to pick up a Lee Child novel as well. If you’ve read any of my stories, the fusion is probably obvious. There might be a regal character scattered here and there. Comedic scenes are always sprinkled throughout. And I’m no stranger to action and adventure! I guess what I’m saying is, don’t be afraid to blend the genre lines. It can be a lot of fun!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. I do research. </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Depending on what tale you’re weaving, in depth research might be an absolute necessity. People like to say, “Write what you know.” I say, write whatever the heck your muse wants. I’ve never been to Mongolia, or the Golden City, or to the top of frosty and notorious K2, but I’ve certainly written stories where my characters traveled to those places. I spent many, many hours delving into the different histories, cultures, and even the climates just to make each scene believable. It’s possible. You’re only limited by your imagination. And imagination, dear reader, has absolutely no limits. </span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!! Because who doesn't love Starbucks??</span></i></b></div>
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-27080147417744716152018-02-16T00:03:00.001-05:002018-02-16T00:03:49.855-05:00Adventure. Magic. Romance. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <b>Adventure. Magic. Romance. </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The sequel to<i> Love, Alchemy</i> is finally here! Join Ethan and Davey as they are forced to risk everything in order to defeat a deadly new foe. </b></span></h4>
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<b>Cover by Najla Qamber Designs</b></div>
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<i>The Alchemy Initiative—a doomed scientist’s failed attempt to harvest human souls from the afterlife and bind them to complex machines—has been reinitiated. But it doesn’t take long to discover why the program responsible for making Ethan Remington the ultimate weapon was shut down when the spirit of the highly unstable and murderous Agent Drekker goes rogue, embarking on a sinister rampage in an attempt to claim the ultimate prize. That prize is Ethan—everything that Ethan has and everyone who he loves. No one is safe, especially young Hogan who has begun to display some frightening and incredible abilities. To stop this insatiable evil, Ethan may have to forfeit his humanity…and even his soul. </i></div>
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<b>Coming to digital shelves on April 1, 2018</b></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Immortal-Alchemy-Book-2-ebook/dp/B079M2RCCR/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1518757032&sr=8-9&keywords=eden+ashley" target="_blank">Pre-Order is available now!</a></b></div>
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-64848513357091889902017-10-18T19:04:00.000-04:002017-10-21T11:11:40.047-04:00CleverDust.<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Out of my love for writing, obsession with storytelling, and zeal for other indies to succeed, I will soon be offering my services as a creative consultant. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>~</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No matter what stage you are in with writing your novel, I will be there to help. Together, we can figure out the plot, structure, dialogue, overall concept, general polishing, etc... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even if you are writing your first book and simply don't know where to start, I'm your girl!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>To be clear, this is not an editing or proofreading service. </b>Of course, while reviewing your work, I will certainly correct a few things and offer tips to improve sentence/paragraph structure (because I just can't help myself), but consider that a bonus. I am not an editor. I'm just really good at fixing stories--like a story whisperer. And I can help yours too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Contact me at <i><b>edenashleyromance@outlook.com</b></i> for more details.</span></div>
Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-77592200195579474322017-09-22T18:51:00.003-04:002017-10-04T01:42:02.835-04:00Godmonster Is Here!<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">New Steamy Urban Fantasy/Romance </span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's been a while since I posted anything, so needless to say, I have several updates for you guys. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First of all, a new release will be hitting the digital shelves soon! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover by <a href="http://www.najlaqamberdesigns.com/" target="_blank">Najla Qamber Designs</a><br />
<b>Genre: Steamy Urban Fantasy/Romance</b><br />
Release Date: October 15, 2017</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Godmonster</i></span> begins the story of Maxima Masters, a paranormal marshal with some rather complex issues, and Harrison Priesti, the superhuman soldier who loves her in spite of them.</div>
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<i><b>Max Masters was born into a post-Incident world. Years ago, a beast decimated the population of the Americas and the resulting carnage was enough to weaken the very barriers separating Earth from other, far more dangerous worlds—and the monsters that roam within them. As a paranormal marshal struggling with her own less-than-human identity, Max is responsible for hunting down the most dangerous of supernatural creatures, working side-by-side with government operatives who specialize in keeping the human population safe. One of those operatives happens to be a six-foot-five, bullheaded but charming ex-boyfriend who won’t accept no for an answer—especially when it comes to Max.</b></i></div>
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<i><b>After an abnormal energy spike indicates that a being of exponential power has migrated through a barrier, people across Max’s territory suddenly began dying or disappearing. But when a particularly gruesome murder hits too close to home, Max is forced into the fight of her life.</b></i></div>
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<i><b>**Contains Mature Content**</b></i></div>
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Readers of the<i> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Siren-4-Book-Series/dp/B01BHV08T8/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1506120668&sr=1-6" target="_blank">Dark Siren</a></i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Siren-4-Book-Series/dp/B01BHV08T8/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1506120668&sr=1-6" target="_blank"> series</a> may remember that epic ending of <i>Primed Son </i>where Rhane completely loses his shit and gives in to the Banewolf's most primal desires. Well, though I wouldn't call <i>Godmonster </i>a sequel, this book directly deals with the consequences of Rhane's bloodthirsty rampage...a familiar face actually shows up within the very first chapter. </div>
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But if you haven't read the <i>Dark Siren</i> series, no worries! There's enough backstory and history for anyone to jump in and start reading <i>Godmonster</i>. </div>
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Though <i>Godmonster </i>is a stand alone novel, there will be other books in the series, dealing with the same characters and similar themes, continuing their stories. But future books will not have to be read in any specific order. </div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075VJ9H9C" target="_blank">Click here to Pre-Order <i>Godmonster </i></a>!</div>
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Okay and as for the other big news...</h2>
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The sequel to <i>Love, Alchemy</i> is officially being penned. I'm only on chapter two, but the whole thing is outlined and I think it's going to be a great story. I'm super excited about this one. All of the questions left at the end of <i>Love, Alchemy</i> will be answered. So get excited with me! Davey and Ethan are coming back! Expect an early 2018 release. </div>
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Until next time...Happy Reading!!</div>
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~E</div>
Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-54318917749139243082017-05-19T18:34:00.000-04:002017-05-24T18:38:13.264-04:00New Cover. New Sequel. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay, so you guys have read, commented, and reviewed. And I have listened! Not only did <i>Love, Alchemy</i> get a face lift--done by the wonderfully talented <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NajlaQamberDesigns/" target="_blank">Najla Qamber Designs</a>--but Daveigh and Ethan's incredible story will continue on for at least three hundred more pages. That's right...a sequel is in the works!<br />
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The novel is still in the planning phases. I want the continuation of Daveigh and Ethan's next adventure to be as original and captivating as their first. The danger must be equally real, and their love as scintillating as before. Lol so I need time! But I promise you, it will happen.<br />
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If you haven't already done so, check out <i>Love, Alchemy</i>. It's truly a genre-bending romance that all sorts of readers will enjoy. However, due to content, <i>Love, Alchemy</i> is recommended for mature readers only.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XcsfO0D9tKlpvKqK0D7sNI7nBKeq1jQuGQ4baO7MjHHTW5mWsg79BL93TW4TR5SYzQAWE8xHHpUTPjz6yuPW1RCnz8pZeLH8kmrXNLxoY0cHdsC3rRJPmZlBqEr9wf4yB38JZwxoOtW_/s1600/LA.FBCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="steamy paranormal romance, alpha male romance, cop romance, police officer romance" border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XcsfO0D9tKlpvKqK0D7sNI7nBKeq1jQuGQ4baO7MjHHTW5mWsg79BL93TW4TR5SYzQAWE8xHHpUTPjz6yuPW1RCnz8pZeLH8kmrXNLxoY0cHdsC3rRJPmZlBqEr9wf4yB38JZwxoOtW_/s640/LA.FBCover.jpg" title="steamy romance, steamy new adult romance, love alchemy, eden ashley" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Daveigh Little is preparing for college, planning to leave behind the tiny hick town she’s spent her entire life in once and for all. But plagued by troubles at home and school, Daveigh makes a series of bad choices that land her in hot water with a local kingpin. Suddenly, people around her are dying and Daveigh finds herself on the run.</i><br />
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<i>And then there’s Ethan. Fresh out of the academy, Ethan Remington represents the authority Daveigh has come to despise, but she is inexplicably drawn to the handsome rookie of few words. From the first moment she laid eyes on him, Daveigh knew Ethan was different. She just didn’t realize how different. Reasons of his own have led Ethan into the tangled strands of danger within the town of Harpey…but those reasons aren’t nearly as mysterious as Ethan’s origins or the irresistible passion between them. </i><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Alchemy-Eden-Ashley-ebook/dp/B01ENMA95G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495232945&sr=8-1&keywords=love+alchemy" target="_blank"><i>Love, Alchemy</i> is exclusively available on Amazon. </a>Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-37651124686101824362016-06-08T18:55:00.000-04:002016-06-08T18:55:30.283-04:00Love, Alchemy<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tEpv6RmzB9NNFFXW0XFnzuxdmC9135cC-LhXHejJf_jB3k6FWkJpysTxfu1cfq5-7z9JWWTb0_UiLfkjh0a16uy2vlPocoRVSo_s2Lq-XOh6SWRnLCftLiq6mN1gavveFxjU4fGJgqHq/s1600/Love%252C+Alchemy+Facebook+banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tEpv6RmzB9NNFFXW0XFnzuxdmC9135cC-LhXHejJf_jB3k6FWkJpysTxfu1cfq5-7z9JWWTb0_UiLfkjh0a16uy2vlPocoRVSo_s2Lq-XOh6SWRnLCftLiq6mN1gavveFxjU4fGJgqHq/s400/Love%252C+Alchemy+Facebook+banner.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Coming July 1, a New Adult Romance will be hitting Amazon's digital shelves! This stand alone novel is sexy, dangerous, and contains a paranormal element you may have never seen before. </b><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ENMA95G" target="_blank"><img alt="Alchemy, resurrection, reincarnation, new adult romance, eden ashley, soul" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEvF-3IDUvIFGNZqh3SyU0VAhON89mZ8shbvc074DKv6dhKHj8VRLf8uwtUYRPL4LywgsY75Wvr24cXKQXQdAN9k1m0-KPFRKLCZgVZ3FO1a7Y7LoiRDtmZpOvHLn4d6MJCdd7vW5BYmT/s400/Love%252C+Alchemy.jpg" title="Alchemy, resurrection, reincarnation, new adult romance, eden ashley, soul" width="266" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Daveigh Little is preparing for college, planning to leave behind the tiny hick town she’s spent her entire life in once and for all. But plagued by a trouble at home and school, Daveigh makes a series of bad choices that land her in hot water with a local kingpin. Suddenly, people around her are dying and Daveigh finds herself on the run.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>And then there’s Ethan. Fresh out of the academy, Ethan Remington represents the authority Daveigh has come to despise, but she is inexplicably drawn to the handsome rookie of few words. From the first moment she laid eyes on him, Daveigh knew Ethan was different. She just didn’t realize how different. Reasons of his own have led Ethan into the tangle strands of danger with the town of Harpey…but those reasons aren’t nearly as mysterious as Ethan’s origins or the irresistible passion between them. </i></b></div>
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Okay, ready for a sneak peek?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTx_sKupnHceZm6rIZ_vqQQJKbbB8dzUj4gp176Qs0f6spSWF3Gj-Gbfyr6Z6M6fZbD-_2vdQjz1E4hug0D2l7IDXN1c69Xm9IhEzh5owV2PAqTBunVCqVXIqG-aumBgBn1_4K7uLCh5he/s1600/2016-556-Teaser-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTx_sKupnHceZm6rIZ_vqQQJKbbB8dzUj4gp176Qs0f6spSWF3Gj-Gbfyr6Z6M6fZbD-_2vdQjz1E4hug0D2l7IDXN1c69Xm9IhEzh5owV2PAqTBunVCqVXIqG-aumBgBn1_4K7uLCh5he/s400/2016-556-Teaser-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUumtd-CiSM40HJz0TzpaQECYpWN8u_2H8eHVH2IKcLfQVTc17KrIacbr1vzT3qs70W4v8U4ofn27gVNRStVEXWKjutFY4qYyxdYulE_kTY0ZNVJytZ0YKTbN3jdYga_hgF6swLX2yoWs/s1600/2016-556-Teaser-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUumtd-CiSM40HJz0TzpaQECYpWN8u_2H8eHVH2IKcLfQVTc17KrIacbr1vzT3qs70W4v8U4ofn27gVNRStVEXWKjutFY4qYyxdYulE_kTY0ZNVJytZ0YKTbN3jdYga_hgF6swLX2yoWs/s400/2016-556-Teaser-05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Starting June 13th, Xpresso Tours will be hosting a Book Blitz for <i>Love, Alchemy</i>'s upcoming release, and the Grand Prize will be a Kindle Fire!! (The color should be the winner's choice...hopefully). So come back and visit me here or on Facebook for your chance to win. Good Luck!<br />
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Don't wait! <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ENMA95G" target="_blank">Pre-order <i>Love, Alchemy</i></a> today. I think you'll love it ;)</div>
<br />Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-17143334446440884742015-11-27T12:50:00.000-05:002015-12-30T20:04:32.830-05:00Quadrilogy Is Such a Strange Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eden-Ashley/e/B00DSTTZHY/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1" target="_blank"><img alt="mythology, werewolves and shapeshifters, free kindle books, cheap kindle books, kindle deals" border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMPQb7M6lMqQZgE_B_s21v8rUHc0fK9uxk8h9rz3g6sCkJDPbReSNS1DZ6UnyWgk7JsqIZudn6IlI6qGnFE0yGjYhQi4ggRxcum1ycvLfQyF0iZLWIDeL5BrxI8EHwKtl67sDdD1OnHdc/s400/Series+Facebook+banner.png" title="mythology, werewolves and shapeshifters, free kindle books, cheap kindle books, kindle deals" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have always loved Black Friday. Traditionally, my sister and I would start at midnight with all the other crazies, staying out through the night and well into the next morning--sometimes afternoon--to visit store after store. What's probably the weirdest thing about it is, we weren't there for the shopping. We were there to people watch. To get a cup of Starbucks and see hundreds of people loaded down with shopping bags. To witness minor skirmishes over electronics and poor customer service. To ogle cute cops stuck with graveyard shifts to monitor the madness. It really is exhilarating. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I guess it's appropriate then that the final book of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eden-Ashley/e/B00DSTTZHY/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1" target="_blank"><i>Dark Siren</i> quadrilogy</a> has a Black Friday release date. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018L7FDMI" target="_blank"><img alt="primed son, quadrilogy, series romance, kindle deals, cheap kindle books, mythology, werewolves and shapeshifters" border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-7IBl8tUFX5iffO3i2ybzqbqwhP2oSq00zpAnHf-8ay9xZfYtq1kGD29er0EjBrB-SD99DX9I3YWqZHLeSi8-3aLVrLhy_PDHl2qKhzD7XKPWa7-87DikyAd-Zz4hssl0TuI3gkMmz9b/s400/Primed+Son+Facebook+banner.png" title="primed son, quadrilogy, series romance, kindle deals, cheap kindle books, werewolves and shapeshifters, mythology" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Primed Son</i> marks the poignant conclusion to Rhane and Kalista's story. Go to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018L7FDMI" target="_blank">Amazon </a>and get your copy today, while the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018L7FDMI" target="_blank">promotional price</a> lasts. I hope you love it. And as always, thanks for reading!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018L7FDMI" target="_blank"><img alt="quadrilogy, series romance, cheap kindle books, kindle deals, werewolves and shapeshifters, mythology" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWwUJ9ISD8hOhuqjHbaL9jUA8_Pvrzo5YSZjNrGQT7HkidovRPvncQpZNv1RNfryicfuzrM4cInlmBpqcEmKcroM6frRdh5FIxckOxrVHYsj4zBTXO2PObunHQEUDNpRciWthmHOMO6lB/s320/newprimedart.jpg" title="quadrilogy, series romance, cheap kindle books, kindle deals, werewolves and shapeshifters, mythology" width="204" /></a></div>
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<i>Kali’s maturity into the warrior she once was could not have come at a better time. Still haunted by his gruesome punishment in Golden Mountain, Rhane is slowly coming undone as the pressure mounts to save this world and preserve the lives of those closest to him. But given a miraculous chance to fix mistakes from the past, Rhane and Kali soon realize that the undertaking may be beyond the reach of even their combined powers. </i><br />
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<i>The battle lines have been drawn as evil marches toward their doorstep. But who fights for which side has never been more unclear. And time is running out to separate friend from foe. </i><br />
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<i>Torn between saving their family and saving the world, Rhane and Kali are faced with impossible choices…and devastating consequences. Because sometimes, a little evil is necessary to protect what is loved most…and sometimes, even that may not be enough.</i><br />
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<br />Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-69262738565513175792015-06-24T18:42:00.001-04:002015-11-28T13:37:16.188-05:00PRIMED SON<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">It's finally here!</span></b></div>
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<img alt="Nathalia Suellen, dragon, fantasy dragon, Dark Siren, cheap kindle books, amazon books, kindle, ebooks, southern charms, love, ebooks, supernatural, paranormal romance, series romance, werewolf, shapeshifter" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pgphCwsj-21KfrFe17_a2bq-vplGsOBNGFUrQEvo-gy94_PYevW7eBoznUD1bOzNbfu-Laos-c4vywwuiqtlhqbYEWLu3KuYVxXjl3GaWO4Ls8B2kwXKPDJljRmMlJHZkxjgwkY2t7mz/s640/newprimedart.jpg" title="Nathalia Suellen, fantasy dragon, Dark Siren, cheap kindle books, amazon books, free, kindle, southern charms, love, ebooks, series romance, supernatural, paranormal romance, werewolf, shapeshifter, siren, mermaid" width="408" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018L7FDMI" target="_blank">PRIMED SON</a></div>
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(Dark Siren #4)</div>
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Cover Art: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nathaliasuellenofficial?fref=ts" target="_blank">Nathalia Suellen</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018L7FDMI" target="_blank">Coming November 2015!</a></div>
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Add it to your Goodreads below.</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24946854-primed-son" style="border: none; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Primed Son (Dark Siren #4)" src="https://www.goodreads.com/images/atmb_add_book-70x25.png" /></a></div>
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-1523173568053074142015-03-14T01:31:00.000-04:002015-03-14T01:31:36.253-04:00The End is Near. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9mMXIWh7HH_3gdqlrrC7VFJA0qW6AJRBzrIa1nhlCoVH9YQalqvWWepmWBxdZyUaZtVL9pcD_fYE3kj1SkES8i9CGDUUMzFOHUcbnYGlLNHR-BD0RryY2AcJXWQsQxLJzt4ezskvDgfw/s1600/Coming+Soon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9mMXIWh7HH_3gdqlrrC7VFJA0qW6AJRBzrIa1nhlCoVH9YQalqvWWepmWBxdZyUaZtVL9pcD_fYE3kj1SkES8i9CGDUUMzFOHUcbnYGlLNHR-BD0RryY2AcJXWQsQxLJzt4ezskvDgfw/s1600/Coming+Soon.png" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, we're halfway through March and I'm about 25% done with the fourth and final installment of Rhane and Kalista's exciting journey together! I submitted those finished pages to the most brutally honest critic I know and got some preliminary feedback. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Primed Son</i> pretty much picks up where <i>Blood Chained </i>left off. Not even an hour of time has passed, so the characters don't get to take a breath and neither will readers. Even as Kali and Rhane's enemies have fallen, others rise to take their place, bringing even greater threats to the Warekin's doorstep. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Revelations from Book 3 begin to hit home, impacting Rhane and the others in ways they can't be ready for. The twins are reeling. York is coping in the only way he knows how. And right now it is unclear if Bailen will ever find his place among them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, I said earlier that <i>Blood Chained </i>would be the most emotional book of the series. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...Now I must say that statement may no longer be true. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kali and Rhane are finally getting a chance at having the family they lost so long ago, but to succeed they will have to fight harder than ever.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I <i>cannot </i>wait to bring you this final installment of Kali and Rhane's story. So, stay tuned! <i>Primed Son </i>will have a fall 2015 release. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">~E</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh and wait until you see the cover!! It's gorgeous.</span><br />
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-33373764561172747152014-12-16T01:15:00.000-05:002015-10-30T19:05:18.903-04:00Banewolf Blog Tour!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGvPQi00IteF2K4r1vc2-zXxuHY9hQpmJAtugYzoE342ND0UKXlFi9xHcn_aWi1d2AncZKWsXtx0zdkLV71Jkk9JsOlFdUzBNn1Xf77iA4Xc6GbWSty0i-AgjBYm-HQQS4z2_Bx7oYHBv/s1600/Banewolf+Banner+540+x+200+(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="amazon books, cheap kindle books, free kindle books, kindle, ebooks, love, southern charms, supernatural, series romance, paranormal romance" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGvPQi00IteF2K4r1vc2-zXxuHY9hQpmJAtugYzoE342ND0UKXlFi9xHcn_aWi1d2AncZKWsXtx0zdkLV71Jkk9JsOlFdUzBNn1Xf77iA4Xc6GbWSty0i-AgjBYm-HQQS4z2_Bx7oYHBv/s1600/Banewolf+Banner+540+x+200+(1).png" title="cheap kindle books, free kindle books, kindle, ebooks, love, southern charms, amazon books, werewolf, shapeshifter, supernatural, paranormal romance" /></a></div>
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This month Bewitching Book Tours is hosting a month long tour for <i>Banewolf</i>, starting December 22nd and running through January 19th. There will be <b>eight </b>prizes up for grabs this time, four ebook editions of Banewolf and four $10 Amazon Gift Cards. So, the odds are in your favor!<br />The tour schedule is listed below. Drop by each blog for your chance to win! ...and to check out my books of course :)</h4>
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Urban Fantasy Investigations</div>
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<a href="http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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December 23 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Diane’s Book Blog </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://dianes-book.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">http://dianes-book.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
December 24 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Imagine a World</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspot.com</a></div>
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December 26 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Roxanne’s Realm</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.roxannerhoads.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">www.roxannerhoads.com</a></div>
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<br />
<a name='more'></a>December 29 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
3 Partners in Shopping</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
December 30 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Stuffed Shelves </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.stuffedshelves.org/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">www.stuffedshelves.org</a></div>
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<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
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<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
December 31 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Lisa’s World of Books</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.lisasworldofbooks.net/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">www.lisasworldofbooks.net</a></div>
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<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 1 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.creativelygreen.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">www.creativelygreen.blogspot.com</a></div>
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<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 2 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Fang-tastic Books</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 5 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Deal Sharing Aunt</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com</a></div>
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<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 6 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.pratr.wordpress.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">www.pratr.wordpress.com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 7 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Mommabears Book Blog</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.mommabearsbookblog.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">http://www.mommabearsbookblog.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 8 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Counter Culture Critic</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.guyvestal.com/home/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">http://www.guyvestal.com/home/</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 9 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Crazy Four Books</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://crazyfourbooks.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">http://crazyfourbooks.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 12 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
happy tails and tales</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://happytailsandtales.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">http://happytailsandtales.blogspot.com/</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 14 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Eclipse Reviews</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">www.totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<span style="font-size: 15.4545450210571px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">(There will be a character interview featured on this blog. Don't miss it!)</span></div>
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<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 15 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Author Karen Swart</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://www.authorkarenswart.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">www.authorkarenswart.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 16 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Penny For Them...</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://pennyforthemuk.com/Tour" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">http://pennyforthemuk.com/Tour</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<br style="line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
January 19 </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
Share My Destiny</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">
<a href="http://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com/" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">http://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com</a></div>
Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-27452205424986682072014-11-16T17:22:00.001-05:002015-01-31T12:22:48.730-05:00Werewolves, Shifters, and Alphas<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Were, the Wolf,
the Shifter, and the Alpha<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hyper-masculine. Hairy. Muscular. Violent. Self-loathing. Tendency
toward grunting instead of speaking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sound familiar?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s the typical alpha male of paranormal romance. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYQoAoqWXA425XSD2jiN8XlmEy3v3FlGlzfraYKAQyw2Th8urecMazvMbA6HV4eOyOoB4Fyc_3ggsEBVFSSbL81BJB7uwPIs_bC15eL11XS1MB4YahB3_k2G1OBKR0t5EwWGss-j2GSeu/s1600/werewolf-3d-render-cinema-4d-artwork-1920x1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="werewolf, full moon, beast, mythology, werewolf mythology, werewolf origins" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYQoAoqWXA425XSD2jiN8XlmEy3v3FlGlzfraYKAQyw2Th8urecMazvMbA6HV4eOyOoB4Fyc_3ggsEBVFSSbL81BJB7uwPIs_bC15eL11XS1MB4YahB3_k2G1OBKR0t5EwWGss-j2GSeu/s1600/werewolf-3d-render-cinema-4d-artwork-1920x1200.jpg" height="200" title="werewolf, full moon, beast, werewolf mythology, Gilgamesh " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">magic4walls.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Fun Fact: Lycanthropy, a term that modernly refers to a human’s ability
to take the appearance of a wolf, was actually used to describe a mental
illness that made a person believe they were a werewolf. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Some Early Origins
of the Werewolf<o:p></o:p></span></u></b><br />
<b><u><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></u></b><br />
<a name='more'></a><b><u><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“The Epic of Gilgamesh”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This myth originates from ancient cuneiform literature and features Ishtar,
a Sumero-Babylonian goddess who was known to be a bit cruel to her suitors.
Before becoming infatuated with Gilgamesh, Ishtar had transformed one of her
past mates—a shepherd—into a wolf, making the man an enemy to everyone and
everything he loved…especially his dogs!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“The Metamorphoses”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In this tale, a traveler visits King Lycaon’s home. Suspecting the
visitor is actually an immortal, Lycaon serves human meat to his guest.
Unfortunately for Lycaon, the traveler is actually the Greek god Zeus. Jupiter
immediately recognizes the meat as human flesh and transforms the king into a
wolf as punishment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to the philosopher, Plato, there was an actual ceremony
practiced at Mount Lycaeus that involved human sacrifice and men taking the
form of wolves. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FOJamvd1pC_yxBUb3aFaNnQ2pX8DtLW0XPQHH0nYnAWvfS9l1So4qO2ftAhLunyUp2XVopNXfS1Kgse17bNychO33EDE2PqSSCzLFc7yS1Ad5QjmjzMX9NLietTDlbCfx1pdgIRt_mY_/s1600/tooth-and-claw-werewolf-496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lykos, lycanthropy, werewolves, skinwalker" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FOJamvd1pC_yxBUb3aFaNnQ2pX8DtLW0XPQHH0nYnAWvfS9l1So4qO2ftAhLunyUp2XVopNXfS1Kgse17bNychO33EDE2PqSSCzLFc7yS1Ad5QjmjzMX9NLietTDlbCfx1pdgIRt_mY_/s1600/tooth-and-claw-werewolf-496.jpg" height="195" title="werewolf, skin walker, native american werewolves, Gilgamesh, King Lycaon " width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Fun Fact: Lycaon and Lycanthropy both originate from the Greek word,
lykos, which means wolf. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Native American
Lore<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Native American tales, the werewolf becomes a shapeshifter or “skinwalker.”
The skinwalker is a witch who can take an animal’s shape by wearing its skin,
usually that of a wolf, coyote, fox, owl, or crow. The skinwalker is evil and
powerful—imbued with all the powers of the animal whose form it has taken—but appears
as a slightly deformed version of the animal it imitates. And in human form,
the skinwalker possesses eyes that shine unnaturally with an animal-like glow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Creepy, right?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZSfy8BXiQOutNKYK0O_DTdOXX81m5YpGaIVvlj3j5o3ZaV5jlSCvLKTbQ5AZFJR63S8nrWbPq8RG9s_lCOLMZwo-I4gCs3sgEN7zIe7zUY_WdPvmaXUBY2zn2SXkV8BzQIf68Qlykf3I/s1600/werewolf_by_ntieykodesigns-d38g37j.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="werewolf, cryptozoology, alpha, werewolf paranormal romance, shapeshifter romance, werewolf origins, skinwalkers" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZSfy8BXiQOutNKYK0O_DTdOXX81m5YpGaIVvlj3j5o3ZaV5jlSCvLKTbQ5AZFJR63S8nrWbPq8RG9s_lCOLMZwo-I4gCs3sgEN7zIe7zUY_WdPvmaXUBY2zn2SXkV8BzQIf68Qlykf3I/s1600/werewolf_by_ntieykodesigns-d38g37j.png" height="213" title="skinwalkers, shapeshifters, werewolf romance, cryptozoology" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">werewolf by ntieykodesigns</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Alpha<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let’s start with the definition of alpha. Knee into paranormal
literature, sometimes I forget the word alpha relates to things other than the
gorgeous pack leader. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Alpha also happens to be the first letter of the Greek alphabet; the
first and brightest star in a constellation; the dominant human or animal in a
particular group; the dorky robot from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
universe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And this is where this article takes a more subjective turn. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6HxB-HJgsEl5_XfGEPeNxFvgHG8GprshnuwIiMGX9H84Lbs4h84TKuY6-SnnwdxJqBpFOk_CRox8g7SQa2KR__o7jlYIolCrK4XKZ0RUSHLQFH6aiqOru2fg0DT1doq4m90Lvlv1-LwC/s1600/alpha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="sexy, werewolf, alpha, shirtless, mythology, urban legend" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6HxB-HJgsEl5_XfGEPeNxFvgHG8GprshnuwIiMGX9H84Lbs4h84TKuY6-SnnwdxJqBpFOk_CRox8g7SQa2KR__o7jlYIolCrK4XKZ0RUSHLQFH6aiqOru2fg0DT1doq4m90Lvlv1-LwC/s1600/alpha.jpg" height="240" title="Joe Manganiello, True Blood, alpha, werewolf " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Manganiello, True Blood</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In modern tales of paranormal romance, the alpha male is pretty much a
staple. A hot body is essential. Usually he’s good-looking, tortured, carries
physical and mental battle scars, powerful, and you probably don’t want to piss
him off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ve read a lot of werewolf novels, but the one that stands out most in
my mind is a novel by Wayne Smith. With <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/542284.Thor" target="_blank">Thor</a></i>,
this guy wrote a werewolf story in a way I’d never read before—from the point
of view of a German Shepherd Dog. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHNp3G0a0_NKY4_jCIOfedI7zw2RR46XBZ_bq4_JwR5DPD6IXwljlmQmQWHHsMOZRpc1q222F4brAkSZJJp3svyhk-4XgvwPXyp_Y3uyAhWxbgjiC3BF8QmBMFolmtVy4Rh3WdPo-UD2fK/s1600/14351943-adorable-german-shepherd-puppy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="maneater, full moon, urban legend" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHNp3G0a0_NKY4_jCIOfedI7zw2RR46XBZ_bq4_JwR5DPD6IXwljlmQmQWHHsMOZRpc1q222F4brAkSZJJp3svyhk-4XgvwPXyp_Y3uyAhWxbgjiC3BF8QmBMFolmtVy4Rh3WdPo-UD2fK/s1600/14351943-adorable-german-shepherd-puppy.jpg" height="320" title="werewolf, werewolves, werewolf mythology, mythology, full moon" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a-freaking-dorable!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It sounds bizarre, I know, but it was a great
read. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So if you don’t mind a werewolf novel without steamy sex scenes, check
out Thor. And of course, if you haven’t already, you should definitely read <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Siren-Eden-Ashley-ebook/dp/B00DSPPOX2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416175266&sr=8-1&keywords=dark+siren" target="_blank">Dark Siren</a></i>, and find out what happens
when the wolf loves a siren…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h4 style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
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<span style="font-family: Nyala; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Excerpt from Dark Siren</span></div>
<i><div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Beginning…</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The sound of her screams reached him as
he neared the dorm. Pausing at the threshold, the man stepped inside. Death and
the wind were at his back. Dozens of hollow-eyed students turned to observe his
presence. Fear had twisted their youthful faces into horrific masks. A few of
them wept. Others clung together as another scream echoed into the night. The
man flinched. Then he steeled himself against all emotion. His kind was
supposed to feel nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He made his way through the crowd, students
eagerly shuffling aside to let him pass. It was as if somehow they sensed in
him the power to end her suffering. When a young man dressed only in boxers and
a lettered shirt stepped forward from a cluster of solemn dorm mates, the man
stopped. He recognized the boy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“You are William. You are the one who
called.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Yes, sir,” the young man said while
nodding. His eyes were wide and frightened as he pointed ahead to a closed door
painted prison grey. “She’s in there, sir.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The man looked at the door, and then
back at the boy. “Is she alone?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">William’s shoulders slumped with
embarrassment. “I tried to stay with her but…” his voice trailed, dropping to a
hoarse whisper. “She looks bad, sir. She wouldn’t stop screaming for me to get
out. I got scared. I’m sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“It’s alright, son. You have done well.”
The man laid a hand on the boy’s shoulder with an encouraging smile that
reflected none of the sadness he felt. “She’s going to be okay.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But her cries were becoming more
tormented by the second. He quickly continued down the hall to the grey door.
Behind it, he found her all alone. Her thin, pale body was curled on a beaten
sofa in the center of the room. She was drenched in sweat. Dark hair plastered
against her face, framing a beautiful canvas contorted with anguish. He placed
a hand gently on her forehead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Her eyes fluttered open. “Daddy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’m here, sweetheart. Everything is
fine now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sobbing in relief even as another surge
of agony ransacked her strength, she gritted her teeth. “It hurts.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Squeezing her hand, he spoke in a voice
thick with regret. “I know. I’m sorry. Letting you come here was a mistake.
I’ve waited too long.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She was lost in the pain and didn’t seem
to hear him. “I see horrible things. I did horrible things. There was so much
blood.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It hurt him terribly to see her in such
distress. No matter what the others said, this girl had truly been his
daughter. But right now, his love for her could not matter. He had a job to do.
There were things he needed to know. There were questions he had to ask. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“What do you see?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“<i>Bodies</i>,
hundreds of bodies littering the ground…” The words broke off as she rolled
with another wave of misery. “They’re burned…old and young, women and
children.” She sobbed again. “I think I burned them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’m going to give you something to stop
the pain. It will help you sleep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Please hurry, Daddy. Make it stop.” Her
body shuddered. “I can’t take any more of this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She lifted her head, giving him a good
look at her face. Surging veins had crept like black spiders from the corners
of her eyes, transforming the surrounding skin into dark pools. She was
deteriorating rapidly. If the process wasn’t slowed, the human form would soon
be lost. </span></div>
He kicked himself for making such a foolish mistake, for letting
emotion get in the way of duty. It could have jeopardized everything. He
hurried into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later carrying a red mug
filled with steaming liquid. “Can you sit up?” She nodded and struggled
upright. She took the mug. “Drink all of it,” he said and helped steady her
hands.<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The liquid smelled awful. But after the
first sip, her violent trembles began to subside. She downed the rest without
hesitation, draining the mug until the last drop was gone. The grey tint that
had taken over receded as the color of her skin returned to normal. The girl
peered at her hands. They no longer shook. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">An uncertain smile spread across her
face. “It’s over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He shook his head. “No. We must start
over,” he said sadly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I don’t understand.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He stood from the couch and held out a
hand. “Come with me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“What?” She yawned sleepily. Everything
about her was like a normal teenager again. “Dad, I can’t. I have finals
tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Come with me,” he repeated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She took his hand and let the empty mug
fall to the couch. He led her out into the hall where everyone waited
anxiously, some visibly grateful to see the young woman leave. Averting her
gaze to the floor, she avoided their eyes. “Everyone’s staring,” she muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“They were worried about you.” He
reached back and drew the girl forward to his side, planting a kiss atop her
hair. As they reached the front door, he saw her try to stifle another yawn.
Even the crisp night air couldn’t shake the veil of drowsiness that would lower
over her mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Dad, I’m really tired.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“You can sleep on the way.” He smiled
again. To him, the reassurance felt forced and painful because on the inside,
his heart was breaking. He hoped his daughter wouldn’t know it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wrapping her arms about him, she hugged
him tightly and buried her head into his shirt like she had when she was
little. On this night, he couldn’t hug her back. Afraid that if he did, he
wouldn’t be able to let go. What he had to do was cruel. He wished he didn’t
have to. To have so much power and still be powerless was a wretched existence.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">#<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It was daylight when she awoke. The car
wasn’t moving and the girl was alone inside. She recognized nothing of the
surroundings, had no idea how far her father had driven. It wasn’t unusual for
him to whisk her away on a spur-of-the-moment weekend getaway to the beach. Her
father’s spontaneity was one of the things she loved most about him. But this
wasn’t the beach. And the girl was positive she’d mentioned to him that she had
a final to take—she glanced at her watch—in three hours. Sighing, she opened
the door and slid out of the car. The sound of a child’s laughter came drifting
through the trees. Joined with it was another voice she easily recognized. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With growing curiosity, she started up
the hill. Her feet sank into the moist carpet of undergrowth as she walked
beneath trees of brightly changing foliage. Fallen heralds of orange, red, and
yellow hues blanketed the ground. Not far away, on the other side of a patch of
dense forest, the girl found her father. Oddly enough, he was entertaining a
small child. The two of them sat in an amply filled sand box, busily
constructing a castle with the aid of a small bucket and plastic shovel. The
little girl’s hair was like her own, as black and shiny as a raven’s feathers.
She was four years old at most. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Looking up, her father saw her. No
emotion crossed his face. “Hello.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She stopped a few yards short. “Hi.”
After the mostly uphill hike, her reply was somewhat breathless. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Hi,” the child greeted her happily.
Deep brown eyes and a winning smile made her truly a rare beauty, even at such
a young age.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The young woman turned to her father,
her entire face a question. She waited for some sort of explanation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His golden hair ruffled in the breeze as
he nodded toward the child. “I found her for you.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She shook her head. “I don’t understand.
Where are we?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Please come and sit,” he said quietly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hesitant at first, her feet didn’t move
until the little girl echoed the man’s words, “Please come and sit with us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She accepted the invitation and sat in
the sandbox. Her legs automatically folded to mirror the child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Did you dream last night?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“No.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Good. I’d hoped the tea would help.” He
took her hand. His grasp was both tender and desperate. “I promise you, this
will be the last time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“What’s going on?” Although she trusted
her father with her very life, his behavior worried her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As they conversed, the little girl had
never paused at play. “And this is the tower for the princess,” she announced
proudly, while molding a lopsided chunk of sand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Her father gazed down at the child
fondly. “Why does the princess need a tower? Shouldn’t princesses be allowed to
be free?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The child paused thoughtfully. Then she
shook her head, sending a mass of radiant curls bouncing in the morning sun.
“No. The prince can’t find her unless she’s in a tower.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He smiled and turned to his daughter
again. “Yes…it is time for the prince to find her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He took the child’s hand and pressed it
into his daughter’s. The young woman stared in bewilderment as a warm glow
filled her inside and out. Then, as if someone had flicked a switch, everything
went dark. She slumped forward. The man caught her lifeless body, easing it
down gently onto the sand. Then he leaned over and kissed the child’s forehead
softly. “I will always be close.” Not moving, the child sat wide-eyed, staring
blankly at nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hoisting the body of the young woman
into his arms, he quietly strode away with tears streaming down his face. The
trees hid him from view as the little girl blinked twice and resumed building
the tower in the sandbox.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d0425123609/" id="rc-d0425123609" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-75549240326430295902014-11-04T09:18:00.000-05:002015-10-30T18:59:15.829-04:00Series Blast!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKcYxFUDgztGZVjb9hVYE7n6MkSBahvV709RBkkhJlQhYHALiINLJWpqUC56-wBlkLv8oUR7NhUQVyy2F7RQsiPgOCoxushbWcb15g__3Ogg5RWD1GdFnUpgzc2EKbI-J0YI1eVgw0JGk/s1600/TOUR+BUTTON_EdenAshley_DARKSIREN_SeriesBlast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="free kindle books, cheap kindle books, supernatural, mermaid, paranormal romance series" border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKcYxFUDgztGZVjb9hVYE7n6MkSBahvV709RBkkhJlQhYHALiINLJWpqUC56-wBlkLv8oUR7NhUQVyy2F7RQsiPgOCoxushbWcb15g__3Ogg5RWD1GdFnUpgzc2EKbI-J0YI1eVgw0JGk/s1600/TOUR+BUTTON_EdenAshley_DARKSIREN_SeriesBlast.jpg" title="free kindle books, supernatural, cheap kindle books, mermaid, werewolf, paranormal romance" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h3>
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Up for grabs is a $15 Amazon Gift card and an ebook of Blood Chained. </div>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Runner-up will receive a $5 Amazon Gift card. Good luck!</h3>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">SCHEDULE - Eden Ashley's DARK SIRENS Series Blast 11/04 - 11/16<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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11/04 Book Monster Reviews <a href="http://bookmonsterreviews.com/">http://bookmonsterreviews.com</a></div>
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11/05 Read More Romance <a href="http://readmoreromance.us/">http://ReadMoreRomance.us</a></div>
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11/07 Romance Junkies <a href="http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog">http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog</a></div>
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11/08 I Smell Sheep <a href="http://www.ismellsheep.com/">http://www.ismellsheep.com/</a></div>
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11/08 Diane’s Book Blog <a href="http://dianes-book.blogspot.com/">http://dianes-book.blogspot.com</a></div>
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11/09 Once Upon a YA Book <a href="http://onceuponayabook.blogspot.com/">http://onceuponayabook.blogspot.com</a></div>
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11/10 Romancing the Dark Side <a href="http://romancingthedarkside.com/">http://romancingthedarkside.com</a></div>
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11/11 Vampires, Werewolves, & Fairies, Oh My</div>
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11/11 Toot's Book Reviews <a href="http://tootsbookreviews.blogspot.com/">http://tootsbookreviews.blogspot.com</a></div>
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11/12 Nicky Peacock Author <a href="http://nickypeacockauthor.wordpress.com/">http://nickypeacockauthor.wordpress.com</a></div>
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11/13 Book Liaison <a href="http://www.bookliaison.net/">http://www.bookliaison.net</a></div>
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11/15 Aly's Miscellany <a href="http://alysmiscellany.blogspot.com/">http://alysmiscellany.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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11/16 Musings In Fiction Alley <a href="http://musingsinficitonalley.blogspot.com/">http://musingsinficitonalley.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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11/16 Fang Freakin' Tastic Reviews <a href="http://fangfreakintasticreviews.com/">http://fangfreakintasticreviews.com</a></div>
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-15929484568144855452014-10-31T16:50:00.000-04:002015-10-30T19:12:44.953-04:00Blood Chained<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9B6_XA6rQnNxsptnXHslDHy4ybcOrHYFvRWXJiDTg5id4PQlbR1JuiN6Wbq5nPvV40ZueJR8wr_J9QsAZOMTQp9giNMRPxEEyU_DWphMmE52qyyEqWwCQpWskVDCMcYCaedvEAWTjWHnA/s1600/bloodchained.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nathalia Suellen, Eden Ashley, amazon books, kindle, southern charms, love, ebooks, cheap kindle books, supernatural, paranormal romance, series romance, shapeshifter, werewolf, siren, mermaid" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9B6_XA6rQnNxsptnXHslDHy4ybcOrHYFvRWXJiDTg5id4PQlbR1JuiN6Wbq5nPvV40ZueJR8wr_J9QsAZOMTQp9giNMRPxEEyU_DWphMmE52qyyEqWwCQpWskVDCMcYCaedvEAWTjWHnA/s1600/bloodchained.jpg" title="Nathalia Suellen, Eden Ashley, amazon books, cheap kindle books, kindle, southern charms, love, ebooks, shapeshifter, werewolf, siren, mermaid, paranormal romance, series romance" width="266" /></a></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sometimes a little evil is necessary to keep what you love most.</span></b></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After centuries on the run, Rhane can avoid justice no longer. Primes have called him home and now he must finally answer for the sins of his past. But the situation in Rhane’s homeland is far worse than anyone could have imagined, and the judgment Rhane faces is a brutal one. Even relying on the strength of the immortal Banewolf, the man he has become may not survive. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kali and the other kin work tirelessly to secure Rhane’s freedom, but many obstacles stand in their way. Wesley offers a solution that hinges upon resuming a dangerous search for the Siren’s Heart. Trusting him, she and the kin set out once again to find the elusive artifact, believing Rhane and Warren’s freedom can be bartered in exchange for the statue. But other creatures are searching for the Heart. And with greater resources and a head start, their enemies may reach it first.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Blood Chained (#3 in the Dark Siren series)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Release Date: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P872TGS" target="_blank">November 18th (Available now for pre-order!)</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cover Art: <a href="http://www.nathaliasuellen.com/" target="_blank">Nathalia Suellen</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Add it to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23352899-blood-chained" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Want to read Blood Chained for free? See my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EdenAshleyAuthor" target="_blank">Facebook </a>page for more details. </span></div>
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-36929276256316434982014-08-12T20:18:00.002-04:002014-08-18T00:23:54.530-04:00Free the ShortOh my, where has the time gone?<br />
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Today the paranormal dystopian short story, Thinner than Blood, is completely free on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F27HXBU" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.<br />
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When writing this one, I really puzzled the question, how far will this character go for family? Hence the title. Hence the story.<br />
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Oh. And its got those werewolves I've yet to blog about.<b> :/</b><br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<img alt="werewolves, shape shifter, evolution, genetics" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQxe-kaKt7Pil9Y7TmXECLcx00s2wLBLjFqSaPnp3aIxOPsHMZeUfaqyqazRyOxTxyklgnnt8OoesqevpF1RHdS6ZMRtZxrDF3Wjqv8Y6LFlrCjJYGyCshzAfV87Vh_90hzcEbEB35qyB/s1600/premade+exclusive+book+cover+128+ebook.jpg" height="320" title="werewolves, shapeshifters, werewolf, full moon" width="213" /></div>
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<i>To see a true werewolf is a rare thing these days. When humans discovered that werewolf blood and organs could be the cure-all for every disease under the sun, they were hunted to near extinction. A few are left--only the strongest of alphas.</i><br />
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<i>Their descendants remain. Mixed bloods like me. Many of us have been taken captive, experimented on, kept in cages as we are drained of our blood. Those who remain free are leaderless. Without packs.</i><br />
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<i>And in this world, a lone wolf is a dead wolf.</i><br />
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<i>I am human enough to live among humans. As long as I keep my head down and don’t venture out in darkness.</i><br />
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<i>One night, I lose my cool. It was stupid really. She was just a pretty girl. An easy score. I should’ve known better.</i><br />
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<i>My secret is discovered.</i><br />
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<i>And I am taken.</i><br />
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At the end of the month, I'll be running another promo where all three of my books will be either free or discounted. So stay tuned and tell a friend!Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-22008518532012091232013-12-18T21:30:00.003-05:002013-12-18T21:31:29.371-05:00Ain't No REst for thE WickEd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know it's been far too long since I've posted here! So, here's a little drop in just to update readers on recent happenings and to assure you guys that this blog hasn't totally fallen to the wayside. </span><br />
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For the past two months, I was tirelessly working to meet the promised publication deadline for <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18365317-banewolf" target="_blank">Banewolf </a></i>and to deliver a professional product that would satisfy readers of the <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Siren-Eden-Ashley-ebook/dp/B00DSPPOX2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387172995&sr=8-1&keywords=dark+siren" target="_blank">Dark Siren</a></i> series. I made it...by the skin of my teeth. </span><br />
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Banewolf continues Rhane and Kali's journey to redemption and discovery. New secrets are revealed. New enemies are made. New allies are forged...and a few old secrets emerge to threaten everything Rhane believes in. I'm excited to report that Banewolf is now available on Amazon!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
I'll get Banewolf up on other retailers as quickly as reader demand calls for it. In the mean time, my current work in progress, Book 3, aka <i>Blood Chained</i>, is dominating my nights and early mornings. I'm about a third of the way finished writing it, occasionally getting distracted with researching cover art. Blood Chained is an emotional one. It will probably be the most emotional book of the series. Rhane and Kali are facing greater challenges, bigger losses, and must rely on their love for each other even more if they are to survive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
I have another blog post that'll be up soon...I'm thinking werewolves. Their origins and blood lust would make an interesting topic, as well as a nice tie in to various characters we all know and love. I'm sure I'll be able to find some great pics/art to post within the article. I just have to carve out enough time to write it!</span><br />
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Recently finished reads: Traditionally published, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17402605-the-alchemyst?from_search=true" target="_blank"><i>The Alchemyst</i> </a>by Michael Scott and an indie title by Davonna Juroe, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16092387-scarlette?from_search=true" target="_blank">Scarlette</a></i>. Both are worth a look. </span><br />
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Until next time!</span>Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-84300234523420652052013-09-10T23:29:00.002-04:002013-11-23T14:05:30.656-05:00Preview Thinner than Blood<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 24.0pt; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-pagination: widow-orphan lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
world I’m growing up in is very different from yours. This world has broken my
family apart. No longer can we live as packs. We must blend in with humans to
avoid being hunted. Even then, sometimes the mercs will find us…like tonight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">While the existence of what humans have
named werewolves was discovered a long time ago, it was only in the last decade
or so that some human egghead realized the blood of a werewolf could be a
cure-all for the human race. Cancer, AIDS, heart disease, bird flu, swine
flu…hell, even STDs. Get a transfusion of our blood or receive a transplant of
our harvested organs and you’ll never have to worry about being sick for the
rest of your life. Nope, not even a cold. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Unfortunately, it took some bad
reactions for the eggheads to appreciate that the blood and tissues of a
werewolf tend to be very incompatible with human bodies. A lot of people died
before some well-meaning mixed breed like myself volunteered to help the
humans. His actions damned us all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Through him, the value of the Second Gen
was discerned. A Second Gen is the offspring of a half-breed and a human. We’re
not as strong as First Gens—the half human offspring of werewolves—and we can’t
transform. That little handicap makes us easier to capture and confine than
First Gens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It’s our human blood that makes us
special. It’s why we’re hunted. The DNA of a werewolf is too potent to be
introduced into the human body, but if nature dilutes the blood with human DNA,
then you’ve got a ready-made, transport-viable vaccination for every illness
the devil has ever thrown at this world. Not only is my mixed blood more
compatible, so are my organs—liver, heart, lungs, kidneys. It’s scientific
gold. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The government created legal farms where
a few First Gens and thousands of Second Gens are stored, suspended in
semi-conscious states with their blood continuously pumped from their bodies.
Little pieces of their insides are harvested in intervals allowing regeneration
without loss of life. Gotta protect the product. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But money has a funny way of corrupting
things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Now Second Gens are black market gold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">So you can see why I’ve had to grow up
faster, smarter, and tougher than most. There’s no time for me to act like a
kid and yet, somehow, I’m expected to be one. I guess that’s the whole blending
in part. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I do good most days, but sometimes I
don’t. That’s because of my temper. I’m a bit of a hothead. Gram says I’ve got
too much of my mom in me. It makes my chest tighten to think of her. She is a
mixed blood. Or <i>was</i>. I don’t know.
She was taken some time ago. Probably to a government farm somewhere. Probably.
A big chunk of me hopes she’s still alive. Then there’s this other little piece
that hates the thought of her suffering like that. Gram says we’re going to get
her back. And Gram has never lied to me. So I believe him. One day, I’ll see my
mom again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Back to my temper. It’s the reason I’m
currently lying on the pavement, rain pouring in my eyes and mouth, bleeding
from my head and a few other places. You’d be wrong to think I lost a fight. I
can hold my own against several men and maybe a few mercs. Gram has made sure
of that. But when it comes to being blindsided by a two ton pickup…well, I
didn’t stand a chance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Before I got laid out like a blind
opossum, I was sitting in a bar having a drink with my uncle. Yeah, it’s a
school night, and I really shouldn’t be out after dark anyway. It’s easier to
discover my secret then. But Gram is out of town, and my uncle is ill-equipped
to provide structure or rules for a teenager. When I’d said I wanted to go out,
he didn’t bat an eye. He just shrugged on his jacket and climbed in the truck. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I have a fake I.D, but I don’t actually
need it. My uncle looks bat shit crazy. When he buys me a drink, there are few
bartenders with the balls not to comply. The reason he looks bat shit crazy is
because he is bat shit crazy. The guy has no moral compass, no conscience. No
sense of equal justice. Eye for an eye, soul for a soul? No. He’s never heard
of any of that. Say, if the girl at your favorite fast food joint short changes
him five bucks and then gives him attitude. He’d set her on fire and finish
eating his sandwich without batting an eye. It’s not his fault. He was stolen
as a baby and raised by a group who altered his DNA, messed with head, and in
the end, produced the pretty screwed up by-product who is my uncle. Well, he’s
not really my uncle. His dad practically raised my mom and then took me in when
my mom was taken. I guess that makes us close enough to family. And family
makes blood. That being said, there are only five people in this world my uncle
cares about—his mother, his kid brothers, Gram, and me. Somehow I slipped in
under his wing. I’d say my uncle felt sorry for me, but I’m not sure he
actually feels. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">My uncle is under firm orders from
Gram—his alpha and father—not to engage, not attack, not to kill. My uncle
strictly obeys those orders. He has for as long as I’ve known him. But luckily,
tonight, he made an exception. If he hadn’t, I’m sure I’d be dead or stuck on a
farm somewhere being bled like a pig. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Things are cool at first. We’re two
normal guys, having normal drinks and not-so-normal conversation (the uncle’s
people skills are non-existent.) It’s the beginning of the end when a really
cute blonde winks at me from across the room. Okay. She’s smoking hot.
Impossible for a horny teenager to resist. She and I spend half the night
flirting from a distance. Finally, I stand up, give a nod to my uncle, and
cross the room. Man, she’s even prettier up close. Her legs go on for miles.
Her ass is barely covered by this little shred of fabric she’s trying to pass
off as a skirt. I have to drag my eyes away from watching the swell of her
breasts or risk falling into her cleavage. Forcing my gaze to stick to her
face, I see she’s definitely older than me. But of the two of us, only I know
that. I can pass for college age. Good genetics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Talking to the blonde is easy. She’s
drunk. I’m feeling a good buzz. One more drink and I think she’ll be ready to
take me back to her place. My hand is on her thigh, stroking soft skin. She parts her legs to encourage me, sidling
closer so my hand shifts higher and is almost touching her panties. My body
responds. I want her so bad. I try to imagine what she looks like underneath
the white tank top and black skirt. I don’t have to work very hard. She hasn’t
left much to the imagination. I’m watching her mouth, wondering what it tastes
like, thinking of moving in to take those full crimson lips into mine—when a
really large hand clamps down on my shoulder. I tense, instantly ready for a
fight. Though, if I’d had my head in the game and not on getting her panties,
the guy wouldn’t have ever gotten so close to me in the first place. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I don’t know if he’s her brother or her
boyfriend, but he sure looks pissed. His hair is buzzed short. Military
fatigues, a black t-shirt, and heavy boots complete his get-up. I’m not
intimidated. The dude is clearly a poser. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I shrug the hand off my shoulder easily,
twisting around and leaning slightly back to look him square in the eye. “Good
evening,” I drawl lazily, knowing it will most likely make him madder. I don’t
care about Captain Douche’s feelings, really. He’d trampled three of my last
nerves just by touching me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Get up,” Captain Douche orders. The
smell of alcohol pours off his breath. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I don’t move. “Is there a problem?” My
hand is still on the hot girl’s leg. I think her name might be Amber. I’m not
so good with names. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ve got a serious problem with you
touching my girl.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Amber smiles at the buzz cut’s declaration
of ownership. I guess some girls just need to feel wanted. I clutch her leg a
bit tighter. I want her. “Come on, baby. Cool your boots,” Amber says. “We’re
just talkin’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Captain Douche does not, however, cool
his boots. A huge vein bulges in the middle of his forehead. He’s about to
explode. And the intimate position of my hand ain’t helping. He grabs Amber’s
arm. “Let’s go, Becky. You’re done talking to him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Oops. I guess her name isn’t Amber. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Becky</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">
half stands, is half dragged to her feet. She’s pouting, but not like she means
it. I can tell she’s really enjoying all the attention. It’s the perfect stage
for me to bow out. But I’m hot and throbbing and she’s about to leave with
Captain Douche, so I know I’m not getting any—at least not tonight. That pisses
me off. My training tells me to back off, but I can’t. I can’t back down. I’d
like to blame it on the strong territorial instincts that come with having wolf
blood course through my veins. Wild wolves battle all the time over good
hunting grounds. But that’s not it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Before I know it, I’ve stood up from my
chair. Buzz cut hears the wooden legs scrape against the floor. He stops,
turning back to look at me. I meet his stare. A challenge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He drops Becky’s arm and walks over.
Jabbing a finger into my chest, he utters a growl. “You should find something
else to look at before I rearrange your face.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I allow my cockiest grin to ease out. “I
think she likes the way I look at her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He shoves me. Hard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I step back, giving up ground to give
him confidence. I want the fight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Two more guys stand, materializing from
the shadows. Obviously, they’re with Captain Douche. If I tangle with him, I’ll
be at odds with them too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">My uncle is still at the bar. His gaze
is cool, intent. I shake my head almost imperceptibly. <i>I’ve got this.</i> He nods. Settles into the bar stool. Anyone who
didn’t know him couldn’t tell he’d ever reacted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Later, I would wonder if he saw the
fourth guy leaving the bar. I sure as hell didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/355625" target="_blank">Download the ebook for free on Smashwords!</a></span></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.18181800842285px;"><b><i>Free download is also available in the Apple Store, <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/thinner-than-blood" target="_blank">Kobo</a>, and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thinner-than-blood-eden-ashley/1116947031?ean=2940045272834" target="_blank">Barnes&Noble</a>.</i></b></span></span></div>
Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-66798908525946349062013-08-28T12:37:00.000-04:002015-10-30T19:03:53.502-04:00Banewolf (Dark Siren #2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Things (editing, cover art, and more editing) came together even better than I could have hoped! Expect <i><b>Banewolf</b></i> , the sequel to <a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013_06_01_archive.html" target="_blank"><i>Dark</i> <i>Siren</i></a>, this fall!</div>
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<b><i>Banewolf </i></b>(Dark Siren #2)</div>
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Publication Date: November 21, 2013</div>
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Genre: Paranormal Romance</div>
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Design by <a href="http://www.ladysymphonia.com/">Nathalia Suellen</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>New enemies are made. </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>New allies must be forged.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kali is beginning to regain her memories. In doing so, she discovers old secrets and betrayals that threaten to unravel her present and shake the foundation for Rhane’s belief in her innocence. While her maturing abilities present unique challenges, a bigger problem arises when Kali learns her ex-boyfriend has made a misguided deal with the enemy in order to win her back—a decision that may ultimately cost him his humanity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Keeping Kali safe has become a full time job for Rhane. And struggling to gain control of the immortal Banewolf isn’t making that task any easier. The power to eliminate the growing threat against Kali lies at Rhane’s fingertips, but using it means risking his friends to the insatiable blood lust of a monster. So Rhane is forced to forge a shaky alliance with creatures he has sworn to destroy. Despite these new allies, the danger pressing on their borders intensifies, culminating in a heartbreaking and shocking finale.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The strength of the bond between young and ancient lovers will be tested…and if Kali and Rhane are to survive, they must find a way to be unbreakable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Banewolf-Dark-Siren-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00GTT3RDI/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1385233886&sr=8-10&keywords=eden+ashley" target="_blank"><i>Available now on Amazon</i>!</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013_06_01_archive.html" target="_blank">Dark Siren</a></i> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(see how it all begins)</span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/08/thinner-than-blood.html" target="_blank">Thinner than Blood</a> </i><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(available now for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, and Apple devices. oh. And it's <b>free!</b>)</i>Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-88279966281341537302013-08-24T15:13:00.000-04:002013-11-23T14:09:27.782-05:00Thinner than Blood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5v8ruXPFynOLf6ncf56e1upAjnAf6k2d8XStSKLVzPVQNLehyZggMNrzXX9KKGbTErAkGe3ElCmNiPde4aUf14VfjRsYvy7UvbRjNhYiP4A0KVq00znuqMxrAXBsRmZdZTCgYa7Qyv3rf/s1600/premade+exclusive+book+cover+128+ebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5v8ruXPFynOLf6ncf56e1upAjnAf6k2d8XStSKLVzPVQNLehyZggMNrzXX9KKGbTErAkGe3ElCmNiPde4aUf14VfjRsYvy7UvbRjNhYiP4A0KVq00znuqMxrAXBsRmZdZTCgYa7Qyv3rf/s640/premade+exclusive+book+cover+128+ebook.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Thinner than Blood</i></b>: A dystopian novelette</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Publication date: September 2013</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cover Design by Laura Gordon</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>“He…looks like a god. Battle worn and weary. But still beautiful. Still dangerous.” </i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To see a true werewolf is a rare thing these days. When humans discovered that werewolf blood and organs could be the cure-all for every disease under the sun, they were hunted to near extinction. A few are left, but only the strongest of alphas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Their descendants remain. Mixed bloods like me. Many of us have been taken captive, experimented on, kept in cages as we are drained of our blood. Those who remain free are leaderless. Without packs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And in this world, a lone wolf is a dead wolf. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am human enough to live among humans. As long as I keep my head down and don’t venture out in darkness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One night, I lose my cool. It was stupid really. She was just a pretty girl. An easy score. I should’ve known better. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But my secret is discovered.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I am taken.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Free Download at <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/355625" target="_blank">Smashwords</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thinner-than-blood-eden-ashley/1116947031?ean=2940045272834" target="_blank">Barnes&Noble</a>, Apple iBook, and <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/thinner-than-blood" target="_blank">Kobo</a>.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Add it Goodreads!</b></span></div>
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-62939028098161962262013-08-05T08:46:00.003-04:002013-08-05T08:46:40.239-04:00Indie Author Land: A Great Resource for Self-Published Authors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">About a month ago, I discovered this lovely website called <a href="http://www.indieauthorland.com/">Indie Author Land</a>. The home page held dozens of books, some with eye-grabbing and professional looking covers. Quite a few demanded my attention, so I began exploring. And discovered these weren't just book listings. They were interviews with the actual authors, a chance for each of them to discuss so much more than the pitch! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So of course my next thought was, how can I do this?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not only did I learn I could be interviewed, but that it was completely free! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My interview is <a href="http://www.indieauthorland.com/archives/4381">here</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Indie Author Land is a great resource for self-published authors. Not only is it free publicity, but David Njoku, the interviewer, has constructed a set of questions that allows professional gushing about all the points you most want to discus on your novel. It's more than just the pitch. It's what's motivates you, the characters, even why you named the book what you did. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.indieauthorland.com/"><img alt="indie author land, self publishing" border="0" src="http://www.indieauthorland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/header_2.jpg" title="Indie author land, self publishing" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Did I mention that it's free?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Check it out. </span><br />
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-91218728771842949612013-07-30T17:42:00.000-04:002013-08-05T08:54:03.810-04:00Classical Greats vs Prolific Moderns; How Does Your First Measure Up?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I
roamed the aisles of adult fiction at the library and then at Barnes and Noble,
randomly selecting titles of classical and modern writers whose
success has made them household names. I did give attention to publication
dates in order to have a decent representation of novels throughout the decades.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With
the emergence of genre fiction, maybe writing has become more commercialized.
Or perhaps the shift is due to the fact that writers are forced to pull in
agents and editors (as well as potential readers) with a first sentence that
cuts directly to the point. No more time for elaborate sentences and elegant
words that can paint all sorts of meaning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Look
at the dates. Read the first lines. Compare how your first line measures up.
See if you notice the shift. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Gisha, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 200%;">Classical Greats vs Prolific
Moderns</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Gisha, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 200%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eHP5IbsDzq98_kyaOiL_8V97WTW21RUxqX18rvx1CA4XST0Lt-4H10pZkMygBB8mnSUXM-FhFKpaBlGpq2TJmB0gFgkdaNOW-Snnqxfi5Km1NGiwFQIk_iIQjHKkAfH08mknIei_WdLK/s1600/IMG_20130721_231914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eHP5IbsDzq98_kyaOiL_8V97WTW21RUxqX18rvx1CA4XST0Lt-4H10pZkMygBB8mnSUXM-FhFKpaBlGpq2TJmB0gFgkdaNOW-Snnqxfi5Km1NGiwFQIk_iIQjHKkAfH08mknIei_WdLK/s320/IMG_20130721_231914.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Gisha, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Gisha, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Gisha, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">1818: “Sir
Walter Elliot, of Kellynch-Hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own
amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage; there he found occupation
for an idle hour, and consolation in a distressed one; there his faculties were
roused into admiration and respect, by contemplating the limited remnant of the
earliest patents; there any unwelcome sensations, arising from domestic
affairs, changed naturally into pity and contempt, as he turned over the almost
endless creations of the last century—and there, if every other leaf were
powerless, he could read his own history with an interest which never
failed—this was the page at which the favourite volume always opened: ‘Elliot
of Kellynch-Hall.”—Jane Austen, </span><i style="font-family: Gisha, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Persuasion</i><span style="font-family: Gisha, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1826:
“It was a feature peculiar to the colonial wars of North America, that the
toils and dangers of the wilderness were to be encountered before the adverse
hosts could meet.”—James F. Cooper, <i>The
Last of the Mohicans</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1851:
“Call me Ishmael.”—Herman Melville, <i>Moby
Dick</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1859:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the edge of
wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the
epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of
Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had
everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to
Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far
like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its
being received, for good or evil, in the superlative degree of comparison
only.”—Charles Dickens, <i>A Tale of Two
Cities</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1873-1877:
“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”—Leo
Tolstoy, <i>Anna Karenina</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1897:
“3 May. Bistritz.—Left Munich at 8:35 p.m., on 1<sup>st</sup> May, arriving at
the Vienna early next morning; should have arrived at 6:46, but train was an
hour late.”—Bram Stoker, <i>Dracula</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1925:
“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that
I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since.”—F. Scott Fitzgerald, <i>The Great Gatsby</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1929:
“In the late summer of that year we lived in a house in a village that looked
across the river and the plain to the mountains.” --Ernest Hemingway, <i>A Farewell to Arms</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1939:
“To the red country and part of the gray country of Oklahoma, the last rains
came gently, and they did not cut the scarred earth.”—John Steinbeck, <i>The Grapes of Wrath</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1959:
“Everyone now knows how to find the meaning of life within himself.”—Kurt
Vonnegut, <i>The Sirens of Titan</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1961:
“The final dying sounds of their dress rehearsal left the Laurel Players with
nothing to do but stand there, silent and helpless, blinking out over the
footlights of an empty auditorium.”—Richard Yates, <i>Revolutionary Road</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1976: ““I
see…” said the vampire thoughtfully, and slowly he walked across the room
towards the window.”—Anne Rice, <i>Interview
with the Vampire</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1977: “”I’ve
watched through his eyes, I’ve listened through his ears, and I tell you he’s
the one. Or at least as close as we’re going to get.””—Orson Scott Card, <i>Ender’s Game.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1979:
“The band of carolers huddled at the corner, stamping their feet and swinging
their arms, their young voices penetrating the cold night air between the harsh
sounds of automobile horns and police whistles and the metallic strains of
Christmas music blaring from storefront speakers.”—Robert Ludlum, <i>The Matarese Circle</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1984: “Captain
First Rank Marko Ramius of the Soviet Navy was dressed for the Arctic
conditions normal to the Northern Fleet base at Polyarnyy.”—Tom Clancy, <i>The Hunt for Red October</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1990: “The
tropical rain fell in drenching sheets, hammering the corrugated roof of the
clinic building, roaring down the metal gutters, splashing on the ground in a
torrent.”—Michael Crichton, <i>Jurassic Park</i>.
(Prologue)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1994:
“”Cat, wake up! We have a heart!””—Sandra Brown, <i>Charade</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1996: “”We
should start back,” Gared urged as the woods began to grow dark around them.””—George
R.R. Martin, <i>A Game of Thrones</i>. (Prologue)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">1997:
“I was arrested in Enoc’s diner.”—Lee Child, <i>The Killing Floor</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1998: “James
Lassiter was forty years old, a well-built, ruggedly handsome man in the prime
of his life, in the best of health.”—Nora Roberts, <i>The Reef</i>. (Prologue)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2000: “Bartholomew
Lampion was blinded at the age of three, when surgeons reluctantly removed his
eyes to save him from fast-spreading cancer, but although eyeless, Barty
regained his sight when he was thirteen.”—Dean Koontz, <i>From the Corner of his Eye</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2001: “I’d
been waiting for the vampire for years when he walked into the bar.”—Charlaine Harris,
<i>Dead Until Dark</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2001: “Sundown
had bloodied the horizon over the uneven rooftops of South Boston.”—James Patterson,
<i>Cradle and All</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2003: “Renowned
curator Jacques Sauniere staggered through the vaulted archway of the museum’s Grand Gallery.”—Dan Brown, <i>The Davinci Code</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2004: “When
I was little, the great mystery to me wasn’t <i>how</i> babies were made, but why.”—Jodi Picoult, <i>My Sister’s Keeper</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2004: “Please,
Tavi,” wheedled the girl in the predawn darkness outside the Steadholt’s
kitchen.”—Jim Butcher, <i>Furies of Calderon</i>.
(Prologue)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2007: “She
did not dare turn up any of the lamps for fear that some passerby would notice
the light and remember it later when the police came around asking questions.”—Amanda
Quick, <i>The River Knows</i>. (Prologue)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2011: “I
scowl with frustration at myself in the mirror.”—E.L. James, Fifty Shades of
Grey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2012: “Barry
Fairbrother did not want to go out to dinner.”—J.K. Rowling, A Casual Vacancy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2013:
“Squeak.”—John Sanford, <i>Silken Prey</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
following I think are worth a mention. Maybe not household names, but their
novels have gained critical acclaim and were bestsellers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2006:
“I wish Giovanni would kiss me.”—Elizabeth Gilbert, <i>Eat Pray Love</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">2009:
“It started as an accident.”—Janice Y.K. Lee, <i>The Piano Teacher</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2011: “In
my earliest memory, my grandfather is bald as a stone and he takes me to see
the tigers.”—Tea Obreht, <i>The Tiger’s Wife</i>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2012: “When
I think of my wife, I always think of her head.”—Gillian Flynn, <i>Gone Girl.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">So
what do you think? How do modern writers compare with the classical greats? How
does your first line measure up? Post the first line of your novel in the
comments section below. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Gisha","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Other recent posts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 200%;"><a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/07/creepy-cryptids-from-folklore-and.html">Water Spirits, Succubi, Creepy and Cryptid... </a></span><br />
<a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/07/read-chapter-one.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Read Chapter One</span></a><br />
<a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/07/gunness-gozenthe-femme-fatale-and-femme.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Femme Fatale and the Femme Badass</span></a><br />
<br /></div>
Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-49310994475553370062013-07-23T18:34:00.000-04:002016-01-25T19:30:39.785-05:00Water Spirits, Succubi, Creepy and Cryptid in Folklore and Mythology<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">In
this post, the creatures will progress from cute to creepy to just plain freaky.
So if you’re squeamish, don’t scroll to the last images!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When
writing the novel, <i><a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/p/novels.html">Dark Siren</a></i>, (follow the link for a free preview below) </span><span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.363636016845703px;">I dreamed up the main character’s supernatural characteristics as I went along, </span><span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">incorporating her unique abilities into the story. After I’d finished the novel, laziness prevented me from making up some weird
name for this new creature I’d invented. SO, I did oodles of research, comparing her to other supernatural entities to see what she most resembled. In
the end, I settled on the siren. But really, the main character, Kalista,
possesses traits resembling sirens, succubi, mermaids, and the phoenix.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A
previous post, <i><a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/06/mermaids-mythology-and-mysterious-siren.html">Mermaids, Mythology, and the Mysterious Siren</a></i>, discussed the folklore of mermaids and sirens. </span><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">This
article will discuss a few other cryptids: water spirits, succubi,
and the </span><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">tremendously d</span><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">isturbing manananggal.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: Gisha, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Water
Spirit</b></div>
<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5Xj-qLfasRsZJ7vZISjXQhgSXGElejm14oK63WEAjjpNDpqPEJ23hyphenhyphen2nG4dVMDpgXoY58HUJ_LmF8h2_2kUy-VD4ZlHJShgAFynBtTvO0vmu8LbhBBoOYtYT3DIfXyASLDBIHuq5vU7z/s1600/canankkdotdeviantartdotcom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="siren, mermaid, water spirit" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5Xj-qLfasRsZJ7vZISjXQhgSXGElejm14oK63WEAjjpNDpqPEJ23hyphenhyphen2nG4dVMDpgXoY58HUJ_LmF8h2_2kUy-VD4ZlHJShgAFynBtTvO0vmu8LbhBBoOYtYT3DIfXyASLDBIHuq5vU7z/s320/canankkdotdeviantartdotcom.jpg" title="siren, mermaid, water spirit" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">canankk.deviantart.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">In
German folklore, waters spirits are known as Nix or Nyx. Capable of
shapeshifting, these creatures usually appear in human form.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Male
nix also assume the shape of fish, snakes, and human males. When disguised as
men, the water spirit can be recognized by a slit in their ear. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Female water spirits (nixie) are beautiful women who possess the tail of fish. These river mermaids are
also capable of shapeshifting. But even in human form, an ever present
wet hem in their clothing identifies them as belonging to the supernatural
realm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: Gisha, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Succubus</b></div>
<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><b></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVPceXzLHPnhAi4fYr7A7x308j9fXERdvAM0q1Ux3zL9BMjpymnJu5y0-MNj4F8lq30Nlk05_tXCFO7lazVZlHeky-6Ra7n_d0vJlqB4V7_CB0VhdMKveqwh7Yp6ikn9gybIqSi6q808W/s1600/Dorian_Cleavenger_%2528The_Succubus%2529_Wallpaper_7pfva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="succubus, demon, cryptid" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVPceXzLHPnhAi4fYr7A7x308j9fXERdvAM0q1Ux3zL9BMjpymnJu5y0-MNj4F8lq30Nlk05_tXCFO7lazVZlHeky-6Ra7n_d0vJlqB4V7_CB0VhdMKveqwh7Yp6ikn9gybIqSi6q808W/s320/Dorian_Cleavenger_%2528The_Succubus%2529_Wallpaper_7pfva.jpg" title="succubus, demon, cryptid " width="320" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><b>
</b><o:p></o:p></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
succubus is found in Arubian, Indian, and African folklore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">These
female entities appear in dreams, taking human form in order to seduce men. </span><span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">While
modern succubi are very attractive, in the past, they were frightening and
demonic. </span><span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: Gisha, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Manananggal</b></div>
<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfkGgb3yAEwDA93omxdLzLknXiPtZFIm5IARzu0np1pGuzB6V4RD-B8Csx04xnhc35_C1jv0sXMNjOIm8r6_VyugG9uw5O3OiSPi2V6md59apIX4We4IeaffVbLlUAmbvnVzxSLxykyBt/s1600/ASWANG_by_geniuspen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="aswang, Philippine mythology, manananggal" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfkGgb3yAEwDA93omxdLzLknXiPtZFIm5IARzu0np1pGuzB6V4RD-B8Csx04xnhc35_C1jv0sXMNjOIm8r6_VyugG9uw5O3OiSPi2V6md59apIX4We4IeaffVbLlUAmbvnVzxSLxykyBt/s320/ASWANG_by_geniuspen.jpg" title="aswang, Philippine mythology, manananggal " width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by: geniuspen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
manananggal is a creature from Philippine mythology that is often compared to
the western vampire. Usually female, this cryptid detaches its torso from its
lower body during a full moon, taking flight on batwings in search of victims. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1x0qWXGBKFzWZNPa6YtenfOQogUgTDiBc4Vv9ylyQC3tHo0O67N3n1DTlw-wNPOSkW0e4TIWHo2eTdubE86-m0Vb6btomHYKoLB3sG57hBmTbW4MsSb6-1eDgbX2EIyUmXPs76gDlYot/s1600/aswang_mananangal_by_chopart2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="aswang, Philippine folklore, bat woman" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1x0qWXGBKFzWZNPa6YtenfOQogUgTDiBc4Vv9ylyQC3tHo0O67N3n1DTlw-wNPOSkW0e4TIWHo2eTdubE86-m0Vb6btomHYKoLB3sG57hBmTbW4MsSb6-1eDgbX2EIyUmXPs76gDlYot/s320/aswang_mananangal_by_chopart2012.jpg" title="aswang, Philippine mythology, folklore" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">by: chopart2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A
manananggal typically feeds on pregnant women, drinking the blood of an unborn
child with an elongated tongue capable of sucking blood from a distance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Freaky right? If you know something even creepier, I'd love to hear about it! Post the name of your scary cryptid in the comments below. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span><a href="https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B00DSPPOX2&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_11RPwb1Z20PAT" target="_blank">Preview <i>Dark Siren</i></a></div>
Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-47185779080384750072013-07-15T20:08:00.001-04:002013-07-16T00:39:57.535-04:00Read Chapter One<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 16.0pt;">Chapter 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">In the small town of
Ridge Creek, South Carolina, a typical fall day often boasted temperatures
reaching the upper sixties. With cloudless skies, endless sunshine brought
those numbers even higher. Today was different. A cold front had blown in from
the north. There were a few townspeople that resented it, but most welcomed the
change. At least for high school girls, it made for a rare opportunity to show
off their stylish overcoats and knee-high boots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Seventeen-year-old
Kalista was less concerned about fashion and more worried about not killing the
boy who currently had his tongue stuck in her ear. The trendy jacket she had
worn to school that morning lay in the grass, tossed aside only moments before.
But Kali was oblivious to the chill. If anything, the icy air made a nice
contrast to Trevor Walker’s warm embrace. Each time his fingertips grazed her
bare skin, she shivered. If Trevor got his way, a lot more of her clothing
would join the jacket in the dirt.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">He
nuzzled Kali’s neck, pulling her closer. Her body gave in to him willingly,
while her mind channeled all its energy into rigid concentration. That
concentration slipped a fraction when Trevor lifted her onto his lap. “You have
good upper body strength.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">She
took a second to acknowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">He
mumbled something unintelligible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“What?”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Trevor
paused mid-kiss. “I said you have a <i>great</i>
body.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Thanks,”
she replied with little enthusiasm. It wasn’t the most original compliment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Kali
had remained flat and straight until her second year of high school. But in the
summer that followed, she had eaten an hourglass. Ample curves appeared out of
nowhere to fill out Kali’s athletic figure, exponentially complementing her
already olive-skinned, dark beauty. A well-above average height lent her the
illusion of maturity, and people constantly mistook Kali for a college student.
More than one old geezer even tried picking her up. Teenage girls envied her,
but most of the time Kali felt like a freak. Her secret urges only added to that
feeling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">As
a sophomore, the hunger got worse. Kali’s feedings gradually increased in
frequency and intensity. But the population of teenage boys available for
mealtime remained the same. So the newfound sex appeal had benefits. It made
boys want her. She needed them. Everyone was happy. Well…everyone except for
Callan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">One
of Trevor’s hands moved higher beneath her shirt and edged toward the band of
Kali’s bra. His gaze was questioning, as if to ask, is that alright? Kali
smiled. “That’s just what I needed.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Closing
her eyes as he leaned in to kiss her again, she thought of Trevor. She pictured
the person that he was and what he must look like on the inside. She found the
spark that made him, that <i>was</i> him,
and concentrated until it became bigger and brighter. Then she called to it
softly, drinking at its edges. The feeling that had plagued Kali for days began
to subside as her hunger slowly dulled. His spark remained bright. He was
strong. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Trevor
pulled away with an expression that was a little confused. “Kali?” He sounded dazed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">She
looked at him through lowered lashes, bringing her lips to his in a heated
kiss. Then her mouth left his lips and trailed down to his neck. She slid his
collar aside and kissed his shoulder, nibbled at it slightly. That did the
trick. Trevor was suitably distracted. And Kali dared to drink deeper. As she
was beginning to feel satisfied, Kali was interrupted by the high pitched
screaming of Trevor’s girlfriend, Stacy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Trevor?!
Ohmigod! Trevor!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">All
it took was a second. Kali lost focus, and the flow that was being carefully
drawn away, spiked. His spark dimmed alarmingly. She broke away but wasn’t fast
enough. Trevor slumped over to the ground and didn’t move. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Crapola,”
Kali muttered. She threw a resentful glare at the brunette.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Stacy
was screaming again. “Ohmigod, you tramp! You total slut! What did you do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Hurriedly,
Kali bent down alongside him. He was still breathing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Get
away!” Stacy yelled. “Get away from my boyfriend.” She rushed over and shoved
Kali backward. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">It
was a struggle, but Kali remained calm and kept her voice level. “He’s okay.
He’ll be fine. Give him a sec.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">With
perfect timing, Trevor sat up, rubbing his head. His face was blank. Then it
turned brilliant red as he took in the two young ladies facing off. “Hi,
Stacy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“<i>Hi</i>?” the girl repeated. “Is that what
you have to say to me?” Helping him up from the ground, she steadied him before
shoving angrily at his chest. “Why her? Anyone but <i>her</i>, you pig.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">On
that note, Kali walked away while the two of them were busy arguing. She
overheard Trevor begin an explanation ripped straight out of a cheater’s
handbook of lame excuses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“It’s
not what it looked like.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Then
tell me what it was--because it <i>looked</i>
<i>like</i> you were making out with Kalista
Metts under the bleachers!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Swinging
her long legs over the fence, Kali landed easily on the other side. A purple
messenger bag sat leaning against the chain links exactly as she had left it.
She grabbed it up and jogged across the field, taking the rear entrance to the
gym in a hurry. The clock over the basketball court displayed a time that meant
the period would be ending soon. Kali was grateful for it. Once Stacy finished
with her two-timing boyfriend, the girl would certainly seek out the evil
seductress who had lured Trevor astray. But the bell sounded and Kali was
saved. She quietly slipped out of the gym just as the happy couple reentered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">In
less than an hour, the backlash hit. It was lunchtime. As usual, Kali sat alone
at one of the blue, circular tables until her boyfriend, Callan, joined her. He
was one of the tallest boys in the school and a star athlete, great at anything
that involved hitting or carrying a ball. With perfect blond hair and flawless
skin, Callan was also one of the best looking guys around. Needless to say, he
was very popular. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">He
and Kali shared a volatile, on again-off again relationship. When he pushed her
buttons, she retaliated by taking a steel bat to his. But for some reason the
guy had stuck. Kali figured him to be some kind of glutton for punishment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Cal
walked over to their table. His gorgeous blue eyes were stormy. Kali focused on
her lunch as he neared. He took the seat beside her, slamming his lunch tray
down before he sat. Kali didn’t flinch or look up. If he wanted her attention,
acting like a Neanderthal wasn’t going to win it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“I
just heard the craziest thing…” he trailed off, no doubt noticing the
painstaking detail with which she was eating a stale slice of cheese pizza.
“Babe, will you look at me?” When Kali did, he continued, “Stacy broke up with
Trevor.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">She
took another bite of lukewarm pizza. “How is that news?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Those
two have been going out since grade school. She’s crazy about him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Oh.
Maybe it was time for a change then,” she said flippantly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Cal
worked his jaw. He was pretty sexy when he was angry. “The word is that Trevor
was caught red-handed, spit-swapping with another girl beneath the bleachers. A
girl who looked a lot like you. Can you explain that to me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Kali
wasn’t a slut. And she didn’t necessarily enjoy stepping out on her boyfriend.
But she couldn’t draw energy from Cal again. She couldn’t revisit that
darkness…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">So
realistically, it was either kiss other boys or experience the agonizing pain
of starvation that came with not feeding. But Kali couldn’t possibly tell him
that. She shrugged, feigning indifference. “What’s there to explain?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Cal
pounded his fist on the table, causing several students nearby to jump. His
temper was nothing to kid around with. Once he had slammed a teammate’s face
into a locker because the guy made the mistake of making a joke about Cal’s
family life. Nearly two years ago, at the age of sixteen, Cal emancipated
himself from an abusive home. The same tenacity that ensured his survival often
collided with Kali’s bull-headedness. “Tell me why my girlfriend is letting
some other guy feel her up <i>again</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">She
hesitated, her eyes studying Cal. He was leaving soon anyway. <i>Rip the bandage off</i>. Kali took a deep
breath. “Maybe you should go find your girlfriend and ask her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">He
didn’t even blink. “Maybe you should grow up and decide what you want.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">The
remark instantly pissed her off. Kali hated it when Cal talked down to her like
she was child. He knew that but did it constantly anyway. Stabbing her fork
into the pizza, Kali narrowed her eyes. “I don’t know what I want. But I do
know what I don’t want—you or this crap right now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“You
don’t mean that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Kali
stood up, banging her chair back. The whole cafeteria went silent. With a dark
glare, she turned away from Cal and started to leave the room. He caught her
arm. The cold look in his eye stopped her from jerking away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Pulling
Kali outside, Cal closed the door behind them. Then he put his face directly
into hers. “I’ll get over this. You know it. But this slutty trash you keep
slinging around school isn’t making you any friends.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Cal
was right on so many levels. And it was selfish to keep him around, to keep
hurting him just for the sake of feeling like a normal girl that had a normal
boyfriend. <i>End it now</i>. She moved her
face even closer to his, showing no sign of backing down. “You’re going to
college in a few months. This will mean nothing to you when a twenty-one year
old sorority Barbie is sitting on your knee helping you chug a beer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Is
that what this is about? Jeez, Kal. Just because I’m going away to school
doesn’t mean it has to be over between us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Callan,
we barely make this relationship work as it is. How on earth do you expect us
to make it long distance? We’ll be over next summer, so why wait until then?
It’s not honest.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“That’s
ridiculous. You cheated on me because you think we’re going to break up five
months from now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“I
didn’t cheat on you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Throwing
both hands up, his eyes flew wide with bewilderment. “What would you call it
then, a casual exchange of DNA?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">She
explained it as simply as she could. “He had something I needed.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">“Why,
Kali? Why can’t I be what you need?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">She
bit back the first reply. <i>Something about
you is too dark, and feeding from you makes me want to hurt people.</i> The
next one wasn’t good either. <i>Your spark
can’t satisfy me, Cal. The last time I took from you, I slapped my science
teacher and almost got expelled</i>. At a loss for a response, Kali said
nothing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 2pt 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Her
silence had always driven him nuts. Looking as if he were at his wits end, Cal
did what he usually did whenever they had a fight. He walked away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-91228309154541550722013-07-08T19:58:00.000-04:002016-01-25T19:31:45.420-05:00Gunness, Gozen…the Femme Fatale and the Femme Badass<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In
honor of the release of my new novel, <i><a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/p/novels.html">Dark Siren</a></i>, I’m featuring a
post about some really dangerous ladies. I wish I could say dangerous and sexy,
but only 2 out of 4 on the list qualify as the latter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The <i>Real</i> Femme Fatale</span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsmesNcQ_LoHM5pD3LAc0709VA6fU6fdgCyQ8bfrZPeOS9GRUFazC3jTY4d2B3LsD-t5-9r8z5GsLfRrTxI-_nPIi18Pt8pwEUWW6kKwtZ6M8eyNsmDj1zAnsJvmv1MgdBJziurYDLzXK/s1600/belle+gunness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="female serial killers, belle gunness" border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsmesNcQ_LoHM5pD3LAc0709VA6fU6fdgCyQ8bfrZPeOS9GRUFazC3jTY4d2B3LsD-t5-9r8z5GsLfRrTxI-_nPIi18Pt8pwEUWW6kKwtZ6M8eyNsmDj1zAnsJvmv1MgdBJziurYDLzXK/s320/belle+gunness.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></b>
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<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Belle Gunness <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This
femme fatale was born in 1858. Her first husband died of convulsions in 1900.
The second died two years later when a coffee grinder fell on his head. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Belle
collected life insurance from both deaths. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Following
the second husband’s death, Belle began advertising in the newspaper for a new
husband. Many suitors answered her call, coming to Belle’s farmhouse alone and
bringing their small cash fortunes. For many of those men, it would be their
final first dates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In
1908, Belle’s farmhouse burned down. In the ashes were found the bodies of her
children, her niece (who had grown suspicious of Belle’s activities) and the
bodies of at least 13 men. Some estimate that Belle buried over 40 men on her
farm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The <i>Fictional</i> Femme Fatale</span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyAZphHq5b8jWPM86UgSAxOcda4AHJVVNf0nmAas-H2uLBJXX1LUtrKPySU-Aw-EZGChsaZ3tsYneCdivK5UBI_6xeWTVpYDisgTzL3DG_GXRUS9WlWKE3JwPw1WXp9z62VuAcQDMzRy2/s1600/Misery+annie+wilkes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="female serial killers in fiction, Annie Wilkes in Misery" border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyAZphHq5b8jWPM86UgSAxOcda4AHJVVNf0nmAas-H2uLBJXX1LUtrKPySU-Aw-EZGChsaZ3tsYneCdivK5UBI_6xeWTVpYDisgTzL3DG_GXRUS9WlWKE3JwPw1WXp9z62VuAcQDMzRy2/s320/Misery+annie+wilkes.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></b>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Annie Wilkes</span></b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">
created by Stephen King<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Also
known as, “the Dragon Lady”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">First,
I gotta admit. I’m guilty of watching the 1990 movie starring Kathy Bates and
James Caan, rather than reading the novel, Misery, by Stephen King. But no
worries! It’s only been six years since college. I’m still capable of finding
cliff notes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Annie
Wilkes was quite the nut job, a psychopath and a serial killer. Her victims
included infants, her father, childhood neighbors, a college roommate, and a
hitchhiker. In total, at least 70 people died at her hand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Lonely
and obsessed, Annie was stalking her favorite author, Paul Sheldon, when he has
a car accident in a blizzard. She nursed Paul back to health, meanwhile getting
him addicted to painkillers. She also employed methods of torture on her
captive, using needles, soapy water, and physical maiming to punish the poor
guy for bad behavior. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The <i>Real</i> Badass</span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">yuhime.deviantart.com</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">clovery.deviantart.com</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></b>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tomoe Gozen<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Back
in twelfth century Japan, training to be a samurai was a boy thing. But there
were certain upper class Japanese women who learned the way of the samurai,
picking up some pretty badass martial skills in the process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Mostly,
these women of the samurai class were expected to use their training to defend
themselves and their dwellings whenever their homes were overrun by enemies.
And then these samurai women were expected to fight to the death and die with
honor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But,
some women were so skilled of fighters; they didn’t wait for the war to reach
their doorsteps. These badasses went to war with the men. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tomoe
Gozen was one of those women.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"…Tomoe
was especially beautiful, with white skin, long hair, and charming features.
She was also a remarkably strong archer, and as a swordswoman she was a warrior
worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot. She
handled unbroken horses with superb skill; she rode unscathed down perilous
descents. Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sent her out as his first
captain, equipped with strong armor, an oversized sword, and a might bow; and
she preformed more deeds of valor than any of his other warriors." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">(Tale
of the Heike, McCullough, pg. 291) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The <i>Fictional</i> Badass</span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmN_sDBbf2CYxvIqZGct_nRt7u0tez4mnCbbGjhqeIh2IdUUCXdFlDwJKwEW8FvBzwLKlvebmSyRELNv5tOI6wj7o9M5fPJB23pEmvcO5GxRagVGEAtqdSkjJ5sfedtMBdEJx5IKz-TOy/s1600/amazonian+badasss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="wonder woman, DC women, female badass" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmN_sDBbf2CYxvIqZGct_nRt7u0tez4mnCbbGjhqeIh2IdUUCXdFlDwJKwEW8FvBzwLKlvebmSyRELNv5tOI6wj7o9M5fPJB23pEmvcO5GxRagVGEAtqdSkjJ5sfedtMBdEJx5IKz-TOy/s320/amazonian+badasss.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">
<o:p></o:p></span></b>
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<b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Wonder Woman</span></b><span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">
created by William Marston<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Wonder
Woman was introduced to the world in 1941, and since then, has become arguably
the most famous heroine of all time. Yep. She’s right up there with Batman and
Superman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Her
true name is Princess Diana of Themyscira, from the immortal Amazons of Greek
mythology. And there’s the connection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I
included this fictional badass because of her pedigree in Greek mythology. It
ties in really well with the origins of one of the main characters, Kalista
Mett/Darkesong, in my new novel, <i>Dark
Siren</i>. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DSPPOX2">(Which is now available onAmazon for 99 pennies. Go get your copy now. Well, finish reading this first.Then go get your copy!)</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Wonder
Woman was bestowed many of her super powers from Greek gods and goddesses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
Lasso of Truth was a gift from Olympia. Absolutely unbreakable, it burns with
the fires of Hestia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Her
indestructible bracelets, another gift from Olympia, were made from Zeus’s shield,
Aegis of Athena.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">T</span><span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">he
superhuman strength was given to WW by Demeter (goddess of the Earth), making
her as strong as the earth itself, and nearly as strong as Superman.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Both
flight and superhuman speed were granted to WW by Hermes (god of the
Messengers).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Her
animal rapport and enhanced senses were both granted to WW by Artemis (goddess
of the Hunt).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Hopefully,
I’ve filled your head with some useless trivia or random conversation tidbits.
OR, the next time nerds are talking in your vicinity, you’ll have something kinda cool to
add!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "gisha" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Recent Posts:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/07/creepy-cryptids-from-folklore-and.html">Water Spirits, Succubi, Creepy and Cryptid in Folklore and Mythology</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/07/read-chapter-one.html">Read Chapter One</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/06/mermaids-mythology-and-mysterious-siren.html">Mermaids, Mythology, and the Mysterious Siren</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B00DSPPOX2&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_11RPwb1Z20PAT" target="_blank">Free Preview of <i>Dark Siren</i></a></span></div>
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-56132749893695922802013-06-25T18:51:00.001-04:002015-10-30T19:01:38.382-04:00Dark SirenAt long last, my new novel, <i>Dark Siren</i>, has its cover!<br />
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<b><i>Dark Siren </i></b>by Eden Ashley</div>
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Publication Date: <i>July 9, 2013</i></div>
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Genre: Paranormal Romance</div>
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Design by Victoria Faye of <a href="http://www.victoriafaye.com/work/portfolio/">Whit&Ware Design</a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">To survive, their bond must be unbreakable.</span></i> </div>
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When the mysterious and passionate Rhane rescues Kali from
an attacker in the theater parking lot, they form an immediate, smoldering
connection. But Kali doesn't remember Rhane or anything from their past. As far
as Kali knows, she's just a seventeen-year-old kid coping with an insatiable
hunger for the “spark” or energy of others, feeding on classmates to survive. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A unique artifact—one that may hold the key to returning
Kali’s memories—is uncovered by the archaeology firm where she works part-time,
sending Kali and Rhane on a dangerous journey that leads them to the Forbidden
City, into the unforgiving Gobi, and into the ruins of Rhane’s ancient
homeland. As they fight for survival, Kali begins to discover who she really is
and the true power she possesses. </div>
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But Rhane still harbors a secret that could
destroy Kali…unless old enemies kill her first.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18130885-dark-siren"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgvST9pQz_-yKHANZSeaEyCq4CwtNsRVkt-BUjI5YPi5TOXrSm6hTYCfY5E-BfCr0N_6G4RdM4CqEqtufYPeXCQWrEWRXn9lO-m9Z2qG0D9_YgvHqL6yRRr52IySbRcL5ZFH3ZPjidVRr/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Siren-ebook/dp/B00DSPPOX2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1373068607&sr=1-1&keywords=dark+siren">Dark Siren is now Available on Amazon</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Recent Posts: </b></span></div>
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<a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/07/creepy-cryptids-from-folklore-and.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Water Spirits, Succubi, Creepy and Cryptid in Folklore and Mythology</b></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/07/read-chapter-one.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Read Chapter One</b></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/07/gunness-gozenthe-femme-fatale-and-femme.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Gunness, Gozen…the Femme Fatale and the Femme Badass</b></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://edenbynite.blogspot.com/2013/06/mermaids-mythology-and-mysterious-siren.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Mermaids, Mythology, and the Mysterious Siren</b></span></a></div>
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Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5527742083313034629.post-87835881419812052142013-06-21T13:20:00.001-04:002013-07-09T21:30:55.357-04:00Feature and Follow Friday! <div>
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<a href="http://www.alisoncanread.com/2013/06/feature-and-follow-friday-154.html">#FF</a></div>
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Hi! Welcome to my first Feature and Follow post!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Molengo;">Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly meme/feature hosted by </span><a href="http://www.alisoncanread.com/" style="color: #801c17; font-family: Molengo; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Alison Can Read</a><span style="font-family: Molengo;"> & </span><a href="http://parajunkee.com/" style="color: #801c17; font-family: Molengo; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Parajunkee</a><span style="font-family: Molengo;">.</span></div>
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<b style="color: black; font-family: Molengo; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">This week's question is:</b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Activity: Favorite Literary Quote</i></span></h3>
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<a name='more'></a>I don't know if I have an absolute fav, but one that stands out is from one of my favorite books of all time, <i>Atlas Shrugged</i>, a literary masterpiece, in my humble opinion. </div>
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<span style="background-color: #ffe7aa; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 30.015625px;">“Your mind is your only judge of truth–and if others dissent from your verdict, reality is the court of final appeal.”--John Galt</span></div>
Eden Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412380939273270564noreply@blogger.com6