Killing Elvis

All you Elvis fans, don't take this the wrong way, but I have to kill him. Call him a sacrifice if you like but for the good of my writing mojo...

Elvis must die.

Or at least he needs to get his awesome ass songs off the itunes playlist for my writing. You see, I started writing after changing my prefered music from oldies and country to alternative rock/metal. Pretty drastic perhaps, but it was a time when I needed change and it worked for me. Well 2010 has been a bit more laid back and in turn I added a bunch of songs to my favorite playlist, "Writing Music". Some of the new additions include Elvis' Heartbreak Hotel, Burning Love, All Shook Up, Are You Lonesome Tonight, Love Me Tender, Don't Be Cruel. Yeah, goodies. I actually love to sing (badly) along with Elvis. But apparently I can't write to his songs.

It's not just Elvis who will get the ax. Also on the cut list are:
Air Supply (wtf? Hubby must have snuck this one in.)
Beatles (*cries*)
Big and Rich (well hell, it's about saving horses and riding cowboys. What's not to love?)
Blackhawk (who is this again?)
Blake Sheldon (huh?)
Bon Jovi (sigh over my lost youth)
Bryan Adams (how did he even sneak in?)
Celine Dion (seriously losing street cred, aren't I?)
Dixie Chicks (OMG Kill me now. Me and Earl both.)
and Elvis

Over 40 songs cut just through "E". I'm finding it actually painful to gut my song list like this but with a little luck it will revive the hunger in my writing. I need to remember what it felt like to die with each word and bleed the last drop onto each page. So I've moved (not deleted cause I'm just not that strong) these and about 80 more to a new playlist called "Not for writing". LOL

Sorry Elvis. Like so many of my characters, you just had to die. But fear not, because my world includes reincarnation.

Shannon
www.lshannon.net

Six Sentence Sunday: The Longest Journey

This Sunday my six are from my WIP, Eagle Clan 3: The Longest Journey.

In his dream they were not helpless, they were strong and powerful and free. He wasn’t alone. He was with another. A black dragon raced beside him. They soared together across the star brightened night sky. The joy and exhilaration burned away old fears leaving nothing but the caress of the night over glistening wings.


Curious? Here's the blurb:
It all began at Black Dawn, that terrible day when so many loved ones from the Eagle Clan died, but centuries pass and time does much to heal bodies and souls. Cradh and Adhar were only children then, but for al their lives they have known they were destined to be mates. But Cradh’s body and magic was broken in the attack and ever since they have been forced to be no more than friends. But time can heal hearts too, and their chance for love has come at long last…

Want to know a little more about A Snowball's Chance? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/EagleClan.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
http://lshannon.net

Six Sentence Sunday: Destiny

This Sunday my six are from Eagle Clan 2: Destiny now available at Cobblestone Press.

Just then, blue spotlights came on and skipped around before focusing center stage where the curtain cracked open slightly. Soft, deliberately fuzzy music floated over them. A long, perfectly formed leg slid from between the curtains then was followed by the attached and equally perfect body, which moved like silk, flowing gently as if carried by the smooth notes. Kita envied the dancer’s grace and beauty that inspired every man to focus on her motion. Two other women joined her on stage and they, too, were beautiful, but Destiny was the perfect one that they all wished could be theirs.

And she was the one that this demon would fight for.


Curious? Here's the blurb:
Rath and Dàn travel to Niagara Falls searching for the truth about Dàn’s father. They find a playboy, sex demon, with all the answers but he expects them to jump through hoops to get them. Before they get the chance, Dàn is attacked by a secretive enemy and Rath is falling in love with a woman who needs him to protect her child from a terrorizing pedophile. There is still a chance it will work out, with the “help” of a troublesome Gypsy girl, a rogue werewolf and a would-be werewolf hunter…

Want to know a little more about A Snowball's Chance? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/EagleClan.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
http://lshannon.net

Six Sentence Sunday: Father of the Wolf

This Sunday my six are from Eagle Clan 1: Father of the Wolf now available at Cobblestone Press.

Hope hadn’t taken her eyes from the animal. It looked like a large wolf. Very large. The poor thing deserved better than this. As she watched Steve approach it, Hope saw what he couldn’t. Two pale, glowing eyes, blinking open.


Curious? Here's the blurb:
Between a wolf and his woman awaits the love they have both been searching for but to reach it they must overcome doubt, fear and betrayal. After several hundred years of isolation Athair and his clan of Valafrn rejoin the American world in search of mates. As a veterinarian, Hope doubts her sanity when she discovers that the wolf who is hit by a car is actually the man of her dreams.

Want to know a little more about A Snowball's Chance? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/EagleClan.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
http://lshannon.net

Six Sentence Sunday: Another Chance (ADULT)

This Sunday my six are some fireworks from Another Chance now available at Changeling Press.

His flames burst higher, with them in the center of all that heat.

Arching upward, Josh bellowed and came with a rush.

He claimed his mouth, swallowing down the pleasure, consuming, being consumed. His own orgasm roared in his ears, stole his breath and left him shattered and weak, collapsed over Josh’s lax body.

The insistent elbow to his rib roused him moments later. “Chance… tell me you aren’t capable of nuclear reaction. You aren’t, are you?”


Curious? Here's the blurb:
It’s stupid to want to spend Christmas with a Demon, right? Even if he is your lover. Trouble is, Josh is an incurable romantic -- at least when it comes to this particular Demon. All Josh wants for Christmas is another chance…

Want to know a little more about A Snowball's Chance? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/Chances.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
http://lshannon.net

First Kiss Friday: Hotter than Hell

This week's First Kiss Friday is from Hotter than Hell.

Cupping his firm jaw and staring into the endless depths of his emerald eyes, she contemplated her options. She could either bemoan her loss of consciousness, or she could embrace this wonderful dream. The decision was easy. All her life she’d played it safe and missed out on adventure. This one time she could have the best of both. This adventure was about as safe as could be considering she’d eventually wake up and go back to her life. Maybe she’d even remember the dream and be able to hold onto the memory when life in Demon got too boring.

Not to mention that nagging sense of something was yelling to jump in and live a little.

Yep, decision made—she’d enjoy the moment. Lani slid her fingers up around his neck, pulling him down and planting a kiss on him. She licked over his lips until they softened and parted. She’d be bold and take a kiss like none she ever had before… or she would have if she knew how. Fortunately, the second she hesitated, her mystery hero licked right into the pause, teasing her tongue into a proper tangle, devouring her down while still leaving her some control. In other words, he was a darn good kisser. When they finally drew back, she was left panting with desire deeper than she’d felt in years. Maybe more than she’d felt ever.

And he had yet to answer a single question. In the aftermath of the kiss, she didn’t care much about his answers, was having some trouble even remembering her questions. “I never knew I had such a good imagination...” She kissed him again, licking over the crease of his lips and diving back in when those lips parted for her.

With her arms around his neck and her mouth locked firmly to his, she easily lost track of how far he carried her. Not that it really mattered here in dreamland. Finally they came to a halt, and she came up for air. He’d stopped in front of a plain door, which opened without him touching it.


Hotter than Hell
A Hellish Love Story novella by L. Shannon
Paranormal Romance (demons!)
Now Available: Liquid Silver Books

Blurb
As the librarian for a small town of Demon, Arizona, Lani Monroe has a certain sedate image to maintain. But her calm life takes a hot turn when she falls through a portal to hell and lands in the lap of the oh-so-sexy Prince of Pestilence. Meryk has no idea how the human ended up in his arms or why she seems to think she’s asleep, but he’s more than willing to prove he can be the demon of her dreams.


Now available at Liquid Silver Books!



L. Shannon for Dark Paranormal Romance
http://lshannon.net ~ http://lshannon.blogspot.com
Romance - stalking outside the bounds of reality

Six Sentence Sunday: A Second Chance

This Sunday my six are from A Second Chance now available at Changeling Press.

The human in Chance’s arms writhed in pleasure. The man’s deliciously perfect ass pressed back against his raging arousal, sliding his cock up between his lover’s cheeks. “Take me, Chance. Take me like you did in the snow.” Not just any human… Josh’s words gasped out on panted breath, begging for what Chance so desperately needed.


Curious? Here's the blurb:
Chance can’t get Josh out of his mind. It’s time for the demon to do something to exorcise the human from his nightly erotic dreams. The first step is to find Josh and take his fill of everything the human has to offer…

Want to know a little more about Chance? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/Chances.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
http://lshannon.net

First Kiss Friday: Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover

This week's First Kiss Friday is from Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover.

Sunshine outlined a huge man, combining dark shadow and blinding light. Her heart thundered once before she was heaved off her feet, pinned to the wall and confronted by black wraparound sunglasses that reflected her own terrified face.

She clawed at the thick arms and kicked against the huge body. But the man’s weight crushed her to the wall.

The pressure changed, loosened. The man’s honey brown skin came back into focus.

“Oh, fuck.” The voice was familiar, from a past she’d left behind. He slammed the door and threw the wraparounds across the room with a vicious snarl of fury.

She met the man’s cold, pale gaze. Dear God, how did he find me? “Zeven?”

Her former lover fell on her once more, claiming her mouth, demanding the response that was too damn easy to give. She kissed him back, matching his passion, pouring her stress and emotion into the wild contact that she’d craved for so long.

Then Zeven ripped away from her lips. “What the fuck did you see?”

That brought Harley back to the moment, back to the stupidity which giving in to animal attraction would be. “Shit. I need to get out of here.” She struggled, jerking in his grasp. Zeven showing up took her terrifying day straight into FUBAR range. Now it wasn’t just the ones behind the threatening note. She had to escape Zeven and his homicidal family, too.


Zeven Ways to Kill Your Lover
A Division Eight novella by L. Shannon
Paranormal Romance (werewolves!)
Now Available: Amber Quill Press

Blurb
Zeven had a simple plan. Get the contract, kill the mark and protect werewolves from being exposed to the humans and hunted to extinction. But when the mark turns out to be the woman who stole and then broke his heart, everything changes. With Harley back in his sights, Zeven has a whole new plan—keep her from running, keep her alive and convince her to accept werewolves and be his mate.

To Harley, nothing about Zeven or his life is simple. And the possibility of a future for them together seems impossible, especially since the local clan of werewolves wants her dead and Zeven is all that stands between her and her escape from the Las Vegas territory. The stubborn homicidal shifter is determined to be heard out even if it costs them both everything.

But if there is a chance for them, Zeven and Harley will have to take on the whole rabid clan and settle a lot of history between them. But will he be able to forgive her for abandoning him ten years before? Or will she run again, unable to face the killer he’s become?


Now available at Amber Quill Press!
http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/ZevenWays.html


L. Shannon for Dark Paranormal Romance
http://lshannon.net ~ http://lshannon.blogspot.com
Romance - stalking outside the bounds of reality

Salome at Sunrise by Inez Kelley

Author: Inez Kelley
Website: http://inezkelley.com/
Title: Salome at Sunrise
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Heat level: steamy sensual
Release Date: June 21
Stand alone sequel to MYLA BY MOONLIGHT, 2nd in planned trilogy

I don't have an official back cover copy yet, so I am just posting mine.

It's not nice to piss off Mother Nature…

Called to bring peace to Bryton's tortured soul, Salome is a spell, a windsinger with the power to harness the air. Commanding nature is far easier than handling her new charge. She offers him harmony while longing to sing a different tune, one of love and devotion. She can soothe him with song or touch but she can't be human.

Bryton Haruk is the King's Might and His Law. Forced to watch his wife die by his enemy's hand, he turns his back on his destiny in grief and guilt. He has vowed to avenge her death and join her on the Otherside. No beautiful peacemaker is going to change his course …even if he is tempted to forget his pain in her arms.

A band of murderers plot to overthrow the kingdom and claim the land for themselves. The only thing standing in their way is one bitter man and the whispering wind.

~~~~~~~
EXCERPT

He had no clue where he was going but followed the call of the wind. Grasses, tree roots and brambles grabbed at his boots but his feet never slowed. Fear did not touch him. Concern for his path never crossed his mind. Only the song mattered, the mournful lilting of wordless melody.

Prairie gave way to forest. The forest grew thicker then thinned to sparseness. The gusts dried his eyes and he blinked. A taste of honey burst onto his tongue when he licked his lips, the sweetness blending with the bitter drink. Without thought, he opened his mouth to draw more of the flavor inside.

"I am called for you. I come to soothe the ache inside. I come to give you peace."

Bright in the satin sky, the moon shone full with a throng of stars twinkling like torches. Bryton scanned the heavens but could see nothing but light and dark. An outcrop jutted over a vale. The funneled wind pushed at him until he stood at the precipice, the forest tops silvered below him. Icy-green leaves frosted by moonlight didn't move, though his tunic snapped like a sail.

"I am called for you."

"Who are you?" he yelled into the night. "Who sent you?"

"I am called to heal your wounds."

His ragged breath battling the gale, he fisted his hands."Show yourself to me then."

The wind calmed but his pulse pounded with a vicious thud. His bones quivered, not from chill but anger. He only knew one person with the power to call a magic spirit—his beloved pain-in-the-ass queen. A dark spot grew larger in the moon's circle. It flapped powerful wings once and then glided to descent. A fragile second before the owl landed beside him, a swirl of lilac shimmered along the golden brown feathers. A woman stepped off the air and stood before him.

Moonglow dazzled on long hair the shades of the owl's feathers. A thin gold braid secured it low on her nape, but full waves fought the hold. Wide gray eyes scrutinized him and a tiny smile bowed her pink lips.Her chin was a touch too pointed to be beautiful but it elongated the graceful column of her throat, and his gaze slid down to her one bared shoulder. The delicate exposed curve glistened like cream. Myla's chiton had been a draped length of ruby red silk affixed at both shoulders. This woman's chiton shone like blazing fire, sunrise against an ebony sky.

With her hands clasped lightly before her, she bowed her head. "I am Salome. I am called for you, Bryton Haruk."

"I don't need a guardian," he snapped.

"I am not a guardian."

"Then what are you?"

"I am a peacemaker."

Snorting, he shook his head. "Yeah, well, you're shit out of luck then, because I don't want peace. I want bloodshed and a lot of it.

--
Best wishes,
~Inez

Six Sentence Sunday: A Snowball's Chance

This Sunday my six are from A Snowball's Chance now available at Changeling Press.

Josh backed up away from the small air hole, which had begun to shed dustings and small chunks of snow. Then what was falling wasn’t snow at all, but water, dripping to the cave floor.

“Hey!” What the hell was this guy thinking? Any second the five plus feet of snow would collapse and crush him and possibly his rescuer too.

But it wasn’t snow or water that came down. It was red and gold light.

Josh held up one hand to block the glare even while he squinted to see the man standing at the center of the glow. “I’m being saved by an angel?”

Curious? Here's the blurb:
Nearly frozen to death, Josh’s only hope is the demon sent to claim his soul. But Chance's “Get Out of Hell Free” cards don’t come easy. To earn his, Josh will have to satisfy a fire demon’s insatiable lust.

Want to know a little more about A Snowball's Chance? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/Chances.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
http://lshannon.net

First Kiss Friday: Amethyst Bound

I'm trying something new here on the blog. Every Friday that I can, will be dedicated to first kiss excerpts. I'll be posting them here with book info and links when possible. Hope you enjoy!

Kicking off the first First Kiss Friday is from Amethyst Bound.

“So you were laughing at Amethyst?” He sounded doubtful.

“Yeah. She said I can bite you if I like.” I raised his hand to my mouth and bit down on his thumb, letting my tongue slide over the pad and circle around twice before freeing it.

He let out a sexy little moan, which I leaned forward to capture on his lips.

Kissing Davis was an experience in luxury. At first he did little more than react, but then he got into the action, and when he did…whoa, he did it right. His mouth moved slow and easy over mine. The contact might have felt casual if not for the way his tongue tickled me open and then plunged in to explore.

By increments he drew back, holding my advance at bay with firm hands on my upper arms. I didn’t want to stop touching. I didn’t want to stop kissing. I wanted him naked and writhing under me. I wanted him thrusting and hard, deep inside me. And I sure as hell didn’t want to hear whatever he was saying.

“…this a good idea?”

“A good idea?” I doubted it, but my brain had shut off a while back. Bringing it back online took a little work.

“I just want to be sure it’s you with me and not Amethyst.” His gray eyes were so serious. “Some mythologies claim dragons are instinctively sexual creatures. I want you, but I need to know that you want this as much as I do.”

I struggled to get a grip on my libido. Maybe he was right. This wasn’t very in character for me. Not the sex part. I was okay with that. But the out of control and giving in to my baser side was not me. Here we were about to have sex while the bad guys were probably hunting us down, and I couldn’t even work up a worry for anything more than how to get Davis out of his pants.


Amethyst Bound

An Amethyst novella by L. Shannon

Romantic Urban Fantasy (Dragons!)
Release: June 7, 2010 - Carina Press

Blurb

Toni Giovanni is a thief although prefers to call it the high-risk recovery business. Her current job feels suspiciously easy until a mysterious artifact draws her into an ancient prophecy and binds her soul to a spirited dragon named Amethyst.

But Toni isn’t quite ready to be taken over by a dragon, even if Amethyst’s appetite for sexy archaeologist Dr. Ben Davis mirrors Toni’s own. And she’s got a big problem on her hands: turns out the prophecy predicts that dragons will end the world and there are many more dragons out there.

Now available at Carina Press!
http://carinapress.com

L. Shannon for Dark Paranormal Romance
http://lshannon.net ~ http://lshannon.blogspot.com
Romance - stalking outside the bounds of reality

Complex Equations by Summer Alan

Complex Equations, the sequel to Isosceles Triangle, was released today at Cobblestone Press!

I’m very excited about this story. When I wrote Isosceles Triangle three years ago (has it been that long?), I always pictured a sequel to answer the question: whatever happened to those clones??

Well, the world is more complicated, and the clones are everywhere! Useful, sexy and indispensable, you can have one created just for you, tailored specifically to your needs. But Ally doesn’t want a clone–she wants a flesh and blood human man to love her. Or does she?

And what is the IC corporation up to anyway? Their clones are used in industry, the military…they’re everywhere. Strong, intelligent…it’s almost like they could take over.

To read an excerpt to this sexy scifi, go here!

Summer Alan

http://summeralan.wordpress.com

Alien Revealed by Lilly Cain

Title: ALIEN REVEALED
Author: Lilly Cain
Genre: Sci-fi Erotic Romance
Release Date: June 14

BLURB:
Inarrii agent Alinna Gaerrii was tasked with observing the Starforce base on Earth. Crash landing her observation pod onto the base was not part of her mission briefing. Neither was making m'ittar—mind contact—with Major David Brown, the human who discovered her amongst the wreckage.

David thinks she's a psychologist sent to evaluate his Special Forces team, and Alinna goes along with his misconception, seizing the opportunity to observe humans up close. But their daily contact has unexpected side effects, and Alinna soon invades David's dreams. Through their intimate mental connection she allows him to express his forbidden physical desires.

Alinna delights in the sensory exploration and grows excited by the prospect of a treaty with the humans and a potential life mate in David. But an attack from an unknown ship sends the base into chaos, and Alinna may be forced to reveal her lie, erasing all hope of a successful treaty, and driving David away forever…

EXCERPT:

David set the doctor back on her bed where she belonged. The fact that he would rather have kept her in his arms was not lost to him. Awake now, with those emerald eyes looking so deeply into his, he had the sudden revelation that the next two weeks might be far harder than he had suspected. Not only would he have to survive yet another round of psychological testing, but along with the stress of awaiting the upcoming mission he would have to keep every moment of his time with the doctor under control. He would love to taste those luscious lips, test the softness of her skin against his. But she was the one calling the shots in his life. One slip, one moment of questionable behavior around her, and his career would be at an end.

Besides, a question remained at the back of his mind.

"Do you remember anything about the time of the crash? Or immediately
after?"

She looked away from him and caught the edge of her medical gown between her fingers, running them along its hem.

He narrowed his eyes at her. She did know something. He could see it in her demeanor, the way she held her shoulders. That in itself was strange. A psychtech at the level she must be to have received a posting on the Starforce base should be well aware of body language, both how to read it and control it.

Perhaps the shock of the crash had her off balance.

"Not really. I remember hearing the pilot call out, and the emergency
signal. Then nothing until I awoke here, met you."

There was something in her inflection when she said "you." "You recognize my name?"

"Yes."

"You've been assigned to my team as psychtech to provide the final psych tests and give the green light on the mission."

"Green light…right."

Something just wasn't right. She hesitated before she made each statement. Granted, she could still be somewhat disoriented from the crash and from the pain medication. "You are Dr. Janet MacPherson, correct?"

She sat up straighter, looked him dead in the eye. "Yes, but call me Alinna—all my friends do." She smiled and the expression blew him away. With her grin came a sexiness that even her fabulous eyes hadn't hinted at. That smile matched her wild tattoos in a way that made parts of him sit up and take notice.

Six Sentence Sunday: Dead Men's Nails

This Sunday my six are from a WIP Dead Men's Nails.

Much as I wanted to be sure Jason was okay, I didn’t feel safe enough to turn my back on the strange gray guy. Hand back in my purse, I gripped the gun inside. Would it have any effect on whatever this guy was? Did it matter since the guy didn’t seem to be attacking me?

Before I could draw it out into sight and threaten any answers out of the stranger, a flash of movement to my right had me spinning that way.

The denim-clad body hit me with a growl. A blade flashed toward me.

Curious? Here's the blurb:
So what do you get when a girl chased by assassins meets the essence of death? Well, you would think she'd be bright enough to run, but no, not this time. Faith nic Wolfe already has her hands full when Nail drops into her life, giving her a Dead Men's Nail as well as the oh-so-fun ability to see how her friends will all die. So how, while struggling with finals and family politics, will she save their lives? Not to mention, what will her parents say, if she brings Mr. Essence-of-Death to the next family gathering?

Want to know a little more about A Snowball's Chance? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/dmn.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
http://lshannon.net

Amethyst Bound - Available at Carina Press!

Amethyst Bound

An Amethyst novella by L. Shannon

Romantic Urban Fantasy (Dragons!)
Release: June 7, 2010 - Carina Press

Blurb

Toni Giovanni is a thief although prefers to call it the high-risk recovery business. Her current job feels suspiciously easy until a mysterious artifact draws her into an ancient prophecy and binds her soul to a spirited dragon named Amethyst.

But Toni isn’t quite ready to be taken over by a dragon, even if Amethyst’s appetite for sexy archaeologist Dr. Ben Davis mirrors Toni’s own. And she’s got a big problem on her hands: turns out the prophecy predicts that dragons will end the world and there are many more dragons out there.

EXCERPT

Chapter One

Be the wall. Be the stone. Be invisible. I chanted the mantra silently as the temple guards strolled past. Frank, a heavyset older man, was no more than three feet away, yet he wouldn’t see me. I called it blending, but whatever the skill was or however I came to have it, the ability to become nearly invisible had saved my ass hundreds of times. More important, it allowed me to be a damn good thief, maybe the best in the world.

The skill and the reputation I’d earned with it had brought me here, to hiding in a small hole carved into a wall of dirt that had swallowed this long-buried temple. After more than eight hours I was stiff and tired and dreaming of a Big Mac. Despite my nonviolent nature, I’d seriously consider killing for those all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese… Even the thought of that juicy burger had me drooling, and since I couldn’t reach my chin without drawing attention to my hiding spot, dreaming of burgers proved to be a bit of a problem.

On days like this, I almost regretted my personal rules. Number one on my list of codes to follow was If I accept a job, do anything it takes to get it done. I was well known for my tenacity. Once I sank my teeth into a job, I owned it. The trick was making good choices about which offers were worthy of my interest. Fortunately, this particular job was more than a little worthy.

Two million…

Okay, two million American bucks for a simple recovery was a very worthy reason—worthy enough to be suspicious.

Weaver, the mysterious guy who’d hired me, had the money to throw away and so here I was, trapped for another hour. The final stage of the recovery would take place after the temple emptied for the evening. Soon. Very soon, I could snag the goods and hit the road.

Only one archaeologist remained. Davis, AKA Dr. Benjamin Davis, seemed to be packing up, and my recon had shown that the overly studious man sometimes had to be dragged out by his colleagues. He’d provided me with much-needed entertainment during the last few hours of stillness.

Davis was scrumptious in a super-geek sort of way, and he didn’t have even a single clue why all the lady rock docs hovered at his elbows. His wavy brown hair tickled his shoulders, and his tanned complexion set off his gray eyes so nicely. Not to mention the man had an ass that just didn’t quit.

Davis raised his arms over his head as if to stretch the aches from abused back muscles. His broad shoulders tightened the T-shirt and left me drooling for a whole different kind of meat. How long had it been since I’d taken time off for some carnal enjoyment? Davis’s long, lean body would make for a wonderful playground. I could rub those sore muscles until they relaxed completely. And then—

He spun in my direction.

I froze. Had he caught me watching? I’d been ogling him all day. I held my breath as his gaze skittered over my hiding place. I was no more than ten feet from him. Would he see me?

No, no one ever saw me.

And why was that thought disappointing? For the first time in a long time, I wanted to be seen.

I’d been hiding since childhood—first from the abusive bastard who’d been my father and then stealing just to survive on the streets. All I’d ever wanted was to be invisible. But the look in Davis’s eyes drew me like a magnet. Despite my past and all its hard lessons, I wanted Davis to see me, see the real me.

I mentally snorted in self-disgust. No one saw the real me. Was I the runaway or the master thief? Was I the elegant woman in red or the one cracking the safe? Or was I none of those? After all the lies and pretending, did I even have a real side?

I locked up my wayward thoughts and threw away the key. Shit, this was the problem with a stakeout like this. It gave me too damn much time to think.

The good doctor hadn’t seen me, and he wouldn’t until I wanted him to. Much as I might enjoy watching him, this job, like most, played out on a one-way street. I wasn’t about to blow my cover just so he might ogle me back. Teeth buried in the job, I’d take what was targeted and get out. I’d done it hundreds of times, never been caught or seen and rarely left any sign I’d been there at all, except for the missing items on the few occasions when I couldn’t leave a replica.

Davis turned back to a small container he’d been packing The man was covered in fine dust from his long day of work, but he carefully cleaned each of his tools and placed them into his immaculate case. His large hands were fascinating, mesmerizing.

Each smooth movement was ritualistic. It was a familiar ceremony, one I’d watched him perform just the night before.

I understood and respected his need to protect and care for personal, professional tools. I did the same with my weapons and liberation accessories. The similarity made us seem closer, more alike than moments before.

He settled the case inside a canvas bag, gathered up his hat and strolled out of the room, switching off the primary lights as he left.

Just a little bit longer…

I waited another twenty minutes before dropping from my protective crevice. Frank and his partner would be through in another half hour. Security was pretty lax, and this time it would cost them. Moving quickly through the excavation site, I searched for the artifacts I’d been sent for. Several priceless objects were scattered about the room, but what I’d come for was one of the lesser-known prizes. Only one of the archaeologists had paid it any attention. Davis, of course. It was just another interest we had in common.

The hours of observation paid off and I claimed the small box within minutes.

The wood of the six-inch-square box was ancient but still strong and beautifully carved with intricate symbols, glyphs of some ancient writing. But it was still a box, and the true treasure would be found within its sealed frame. I carried the treasure back to my hole and took out my lock pick set. Hopefully it would be of some use in opening the box. Only after confirming what it held could I make my escape.

First I studied the lock and the hinges. They gave away no clues as to the best technique to open it. Then I had to hide while the guards passed.

Once I was alone again, I slipped the first pick into the tiny opening in the front, feeling for whatever mechanism kept the box closed. A soft click, which I was fairly certain I hadn’t caused, reached my ears. The artifact opened, revealing several beautiful jeweled pendants, as I’d hoped. Each was designed to frame a unique, delicate dragon in different jeweled tones. I counted them and began to close the lid once more.

The amethyst dragon pendant caught my gaze and held me transfixed.

It was magnificent. An oval of black encircled a dragon inlaid with purple stone. I picked up the pendant, breaking every personal code I held dear, and caressed the smooth, cool gem. Without a single coherent thought, I dropped the fine chain over my head, letting the warm stone of the pendant settle between my breasts.

As dreams went, this one was a doozie. I was flying over the land but not in some common airplane. No, I was flying like a bird. The wind carried me, gentle as an infant’s cradle and as wild as the storm-tossed sea. My arms were stretched wide and they kept me aloft with great sweeps. No, not arms…wings. I had wings. I looked to my right and saw a long glittering wing in a familiar amethyst shade.

I should remember that color from somewhere other than my shiny scales. I should, but I couldn’t grasp the slippery memory.

So I flew on, letting the ground rush beneath my glistening body like water in a riverbed. And like that river, I seemed be to be following an invisible trail to some unknown source. I looked down and saw my shadow cutting over the land. My long, serpentine outline promised desolation to all those below. Then there were other shadows. More of the giants flew beside me, all seeking the source.

The source…

And there he stood. Not a place, but a man, and even as I watched, he transformed into a great silver beast and swept up into the sky, breathing fire down upon the land. He set the pace, and we others followed.

We flew and left nothing but devastation in our wake.

I awoke tucked inside my hidden crevice, swallowing a gasp. Shit! Night had fallen away and the workers were back in the temple. I was safely hidden in my little hole, but how long would I stay that way once they discovered the missing artifacts?

How had I fallen asleep? I was never so reckless. Never. I felt the weight of the pendant and slowly clasped the offending jewel. I needed to get it and the box into the small bag I had strapped at my waist. And then I needed to get my ass out of Dodge, or Tiahuanaco, where this oldest temple had been discovered.

The pendant was warm to the touch, as if it had soaked up my body heat, and after hours of being tucked securely between my breasts it wasn’t much of a surprise. But what was a surprise was how it seemed to be glued to my skin. No matter how I pried at it, the pendant remained stuck to me.

Damn. Now what? I slid my fingers around the edges in the hope I could pull it free, and all I found was a perfect oval seal, holding it tight.

But there had been no glue. Surely I would have felt it before, and I hadn’t. All I’d felt was the cool amethyst and the texture of the dragon. That must have been what inspired the strange dream.

What else besides glue could bind the thing to my skin?

My mind whispered one word. Magic.

There was no such thing. The only supernatural occurrence I’d ever seen was my own ability to get in and out of tight places without being caught. And as far as I knew, blending wasn’t magic. I didn’t know what it was or how it worked, but not by magic.

Still, the pendant clung to me in a way I didn’t understand. Maybe it was some ancient booby trap set by the people who’d made the pendants? One archaeologist had said this temple might be more than ten thousand years old, but he’d been hushed quickly by the others. Not that I cared where the damn thing came from or even how it became stuck. All that mattered to me was getting the pendant unstuck. I had to get it free before I could finish the recovery job. I wasn’t about to take back one of the artifacts attached to my body. If this employer was like most, he would have no qualms about cutting it from my flesh, and I wasn’t about to let that happen.

Prying at the pendant did nothing.

I needed help.

My gaze darted to where Davis entered the temple. Now, that was a temptation. He would surely know more about the artifact than any of the other eggheads, but how could I get him to help me without getting caught by the guards?

Take him.

It was the only option. From what I’d seen, he wasn’t going to let me walk out with the pendant no matter where it was stuck. No, he was too goody-goody to help a thief. Dr. Davis would have to be captured and given no choice. I wasn’t big into violence or personal crime but was capable when the job called for it. An ancient pendant attached to my body? Yep, this job was screaming for full-on response.

END EXCERPT

Now available at Carina Press!
http://carinapress.com

L. Shannon for Dark Paranormal Romance
http://lshannon.net ~ http://lshannon.blogspot.com
Romance - stalking outside the bounds of reality

Motor City Fae by Cindy Spencer Pape

Can't wait to read this one! And it comes out tomorrow!
Shannon

Motor City Fae
Book I of Urban Arcana
By Cindy Spencer Pape
Coming June 2010 from Carina Press
www.carinapress.com

Blurb:
Detroit artist Meagan Kelly has had a strong sixth sense all her life, but that doesn’t mean the gorgeous stranger’s crazy story—that she’s a half-elf, half human heiress—is true. But Meagan can’t deny the evidence of her own eyes—he’s Fae. A tall, blond, handsome, pointy-eared elf—and a man she just can’t get enough of.

Ric Thornhill’s assignment just got a lot more complicated. The more time he spends with Meagan, the harder it is to see her as a political tool to prevent an all-out war between humans and Fae.

Now Meagan’s in a race to master her newly released powers in time to prevent the conflict, convince a jealous Queen not to strip Ric of his powers, and find out if she can build a life that straddles two worlds.

Six Sentence Sunday: Amethyst Bound

This Sunday my six are from Amethyst Bound which releases with Carina Press on June 7, 2010. That's tomorrow! WOOT!

Halfway out of the temple, Davis stumbled as we passed the bodies of the two usual guards.

“Grieve later. Run now…” I dragged him toward the exit.

We ran on and reached the exit even as the shouts of the men followed us out. By now Davis seemed to understand that they were definitely bad guys and their bullets would kill him. He kept up and didn’t once let go of my hand. For some bizarre reason, his large hand wrapped around mine made the run-for-our-lives race easier to handle.

Or at least it did until the bastards shot me in the ass.

Curious? Here's the blurb:
All Toni wanted was to steal the artifacts, get paid and then spend some time relaxing on a beach somewhere. She wasn't planning on being bound to the spirit of a dragon, or becoming part of the prophecy predicting the end of the world...

Want to know a little more about Amethyst Bound? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/AMETHYST.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
http://www.blogger.com/www.lshannon.net

Preorder Amethyst Bound Today!

Check it out! Amethyst Bound is now available for preorder through Amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003NX7BS0/

And its a matter of hours now until my new book and several other wonderful ones will be officially released as part of the Carina Press launch!

Find more information about Amethyst Bound and read the whole first chapter HERE.

Shannon
*happy dancing*

Motor City Fae by Cindy Spencer Pape

First of all, I’d like to thank L. for having me here. This marks the first official stop on my blog tour to promote Motor City Fae coming June 7 from the brand new Carina Press! I am so delighted to be part of the launch of this exciting new publisher, and I can’t wait to share Motor City Fae with the world.

So a little bit about me: I live in southern Michigan, not too far from Detroit, the setting for MCF. I’m celebrating my 25^th wedding anniversary this summer, so I honestly do believe in romantic Happy-Ever-Afters. I have two almost-grown sons, two oversized lap dogs, and a rescue iguana. My academic background is in biology and animal behavior, but right now I’m lucky enough to write full time.

While some readers may be more familiar with my erotic romances for other publishers, MCF is a more mainstream paranormal romance—hot but not kinky.  It’s book one in the new Urban Arcana series from Carina Press, and you can watch for book two, Motor City Witch, coming October 4. This series is something special

to me, one I’ve been saving for just the right publisher, and I can’t tell you how happy I am that it’s found a home with Carina Press.

Here’s some basic info about the book, and a short except (PG rated) Enjoy!

Motor City Fae

Book I of Urban Arcana

By Cindy Spencer Pape

Coming June 2010 from Carina Press

www.carinapress.com

Pre-order at Amazon for your Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Motor-City-Fae-ebook/dp/B003NX7BWG/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1275064602&sr=1-18

Blurb:

Detroit artist Meagan Kelly has had a strong sixth sense all her life, but that doesn’t mean the gorgeous stranger’s crazy story—that she’s a half-elf, half human heiress—is true. But Meagan can’t deny the evidence of her own eyes—he’s Fae. A tall, blond, handsome, pointy-eared elf—and a man she just can’t get enough of.

Ric Thornhill’s assignment just got a lot more complicated. The more time he spends with Meagan, the harder it is to see her as a political tool to prevent an all-out war between humans and Fae.

Now Meagan’s in a race to master her newly released powers in time to prevent the conflict, convince a jealous Queen not to strip Ric of his powers, and find out if she can build a life that straddles two worlds.

Excerpt:

Suburban Detroit was a truly odd place.

Ric Thornhill’s vintage Jaguar convertible roared down Woodward Avenue, a wide car-clogged boulevard lined with all manner of businesses from elegant boutiques to seedy liquor stores. To his right loomed an enormous stone church that could have been in medieval Europe. On the left was a strip mall with a Chinese restaurant, a nail salon and a paycheck advance center.

Find Emery of Rose’s long-lost daughter before the next Seelie Council meeting, or live out a miserable human lifespan as a powerless mortal. That was the geas that his boss, the elven queen, had cast on Ric. In other words, find the girl or die. His death sentence would simply take forty or fifty years to be carried out. The geas was a result of telling Her Majesty off the last time she’d sent him on a fool’s errand. One would think he’d have learned by now to keep his mouth shut. The sad part was that on this job, he’d have done his best anyway. The fate of both realms could hang in the balance if he didn’t.

In over eight centuries of existence, he’d been in plenty of sticky situations, but none as bad as this. He’d started the search in New York, where Emery had died. No luck there. He’d also tried Windsor, Ontario, the hometown of Emery’s human wife. Nothing. Two other agents of the queen had mysteriously disappeared or been killed and now Ric was the only one left. And he was here in Detroit on nothing more than a hunch held by one of Emery’s cousins. Aidan Greene believed his missing relative was somewhere nearby. Now Ric only had five days remaining and he’d gotten nowhere but here, which wasn’t good.

The place was dismal and depressing—hot, gray and muggy on this August afternoon and the five-o’clock Friday traffic royally sucked. Ric had spent the last week checking out every new-age shop, so-called psychic and alternative club in the area—every place he could think of that a half-Fae would be drawn to. If his mediocre scrying skills hadn’t led him to the right place this time, he was probably toast. He was supposed to be at a certain corner in Royal Oak at a certain time. Yeah, he had lots of info to go on.

He accelerated through a yellow light, cranked up the volume on his stereo and settled his black Ray-Ban sunglasses on his nose despite the overcast day. What the hell, might as well go down in style.

* * * * *

If you enjoyed the excerpt, by all means watch for more. I’ll be visiting blogs all month! Also, I’m running a contest. All you have to do is pop over to my website, go to the “contact Cindy” page, and tell me which blog you saw me on and answer the question of the day. At the end of June, I’ll be giving away a $20.00 gift card to your choice of Borders, B&N, or Amazon. You can enter once for each blog stop.

Today’s question: Name the hero of Motor City Fae.

Now here’s where you can find me on the web. Check out L.’s post on my blog today, and Happy Reading!

Website: http://www.cindyspencerpape.com

Blog: http://cindyspencerpape.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CindySPape

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000270304390

knock-knock

Knock Knock
Who's there
Dragon !
Dragon who ?
Dragon your feet again ! 


Amethyst Bound
Carina Press 
June 7, 2010

Six Sentence Sunday: Amethyst Bound

This Sunday my six are from Amethyst Bound which releases with Carina Press on June 7, 2010.

Time to choose between truth and lies.

Usually the easy answer was to lie, but I couldn’t think of a single fib that would convince Davis to translate the glyphs. So I did the unexpected. I told the truth. “I need your help to get this unattached from my skin.” I yanked down the neck of my tank top and flashed him.

Curious? Here's the blurb:
All Toni wanted was to steal the artifacts, get paid and then spend some time relaxing on a beach somewhere. She wasn't planning on being bound to the spirit of a dragon, or becoming part of the prophecy predicting the end of the world...

Want to know a little more about Amethyst Bound? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/AMETHYST.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
www.lshannon.net

dragon humor

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons 

for you are crunchy and good with ketchup

Amethyst Bound
Carina Press 
June 7, 2010

Six Sentence Sunday: Amethyst Bound

This Sunday my six are from Amethyst Bound which releases with Carina Press on June 7, 2010.

I slid my fingers around the edges (of the pendant) in the hope I could pull it free, and all I found was a perfect oval seal, holding it tight.

But there had been no glue. Surely I would have felt it before, and I hadn’t. All I’d felt was the cool amethyst and the texture of the dragon. That must have been what inspired the strange dream.

What else besides glue could bind the thing to my skin?

My mind whispered one word. Magic.

Curious? Here's the blurb:
All Toni wanted was to steal the artifacts, get paid and then spend some time relaxing on a beach somewhere. She wasn't planning on being bound to the spirit of a dragon, or becoming part of the prophecy predicting the end of the world...

Want to know a little more about Amethyst Bound? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/AMETHYST.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
http://www.blogger.com/www.lshannon.net

Six Sentence Sunday: Amethyst Bound

This Sunday my six are from Amethyst Bound which releases with Carina Press on June 7, 2010.

Be the wall. Be the stone. Be invisible. I chanted the mantra silently as the temple guards strolled past. Frank, a heavyset older man, was no more than three feet away, yet he wouldn’t see me. I called it blending, but whatever the skill was or however I came to have it, the ability to become nearly invisible had saved my ass hundreds of times.

Curious? Here's the blurb:
All Toni wanted was to steal the artifacts, get paid and then spend some time relaxing on a beach somewhere. She wasn't planning on being bound to the spirit of a dragon, or becoming part of the prophecy predicting the end of the world...

Want to know a little more about Amethyst Bound? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/AMETHYST.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
www.lshannon.net

Six Sentence Sunday: Walking with Synn

This Sunday my six are from Anom'tan 1: Walking with Synn

With one hand, she carefully drew back the blankets to reveal thick, tangled, brown hair. When he didn’t object to being uncovered, she pulled the blanket back further.

His face...he was so pale. The man’s white skin glistened. It was almost bluish, with pale smudges of tan. He looked fragile and ill, but behind that terrifying exterior was a stark beauty so breathtaking she thought for a moment he must be an angel.

Curious? Here's the blurb:
Sometimes mortal souls must be guided when the sun is high. A special class of Tascryn demons called Anom'tan, (soul walkers) are paired to offer the strength walking under the sun requires. When Sayvor and his brother are attacked, both their lives will depend on his ability to remember the ones who stole his brother. But without his brother, Sayvor’s strength is failing and his only hope is within the arms of a willing lover to help him recover the memories his team needs to save them both. Dr. Sasha Washington never expected therapy to be this much pleasure.

Want to know a little more about Walking with Synn? You can find more at: http://www.lshannon.net/Anomtan.html

Check out other sixes at http://www.sixsunday.blogspot.com/

Shannon
www.lshannon.net

I'm blogging at Carina!

Check it out! I'm blogging at Carina today. Stop over and comment for a chance to win in the Countdown to Carina giveaway!

www.CarinaPress.com And Click on the link for the blog. :)

Shannon
www.lshannon.net

Six Sentence Sunday

Dee Carney (word warrior awesome) suggested I check out Six Sentence Sunday  and so I did and found a nifty little blogging inspiration.  This idea is to offer up six sentences from a story. How cool is that? Enought o get a taste without being so much as to slow anyone down. Love it!

So here's my 6, taken from A Lover's Touch.

I blinked my eyes open, meeting the bright blue eyes of a stranger whose face was only inches from my own. “How?” I asked in wonder. How was he holding me without messing with my magic vibes? I let my fingers brush lightly over the back of his hand and gasped as the deep ever-present hum changed to a purr of pleasure.

“Shh…” The purr quieted at his command.

Well that was fun, wasn't it? Go check out the 6 other authors have to offer and come back here next Sunday to see what else is happening.

Shannon
www.lshannon.net

Carina Coundown Post - 40 'til launch

Woot! Carina Press is launching on June 7, 2010. I'm one of many very wonderful authors you'll find among the first month's releases. Check it out for yourself at http://www.carinapress.com/.

Yep, I am excited!!

Here on my blog I plan to post every day (or at least most days) for the next 40. Some will be short little countdown notes. Others will be longer, spotlighting excerpts from my release, Amethyst Bound or the fabulous stories by the other Carina authors.

Shannon
http://www.lshannon.net/

New book woot! A Lover's Touch

Check it out, I have a new story available! Just a short story but it had been sitting around and doing nothing for a while now. You can find A Lover's Touch at Amazon. Run on over there and check it out.

New Editor Hoo-rah!

With as many books as I have published it is safe to say I've had more than a couple editors. Every new contract brings with it the niggle of worry about the new editor that will follow. That's right, some of my publishing houses bounce authors between editors depending on who has time available. It's a bit of a crap shoot. You might get an awesome professional, the over-zealous new employee, one too busy or preoccupied to focus on your manuscript baby, or even one too cynic to work with well.

Yeah publishing is a big bad world sometimes.

And other times it is like hitting the lotto. In the last couple days, I received my first round of edits on Amethyst Bound which will be coming soon with Carina Press. This time I can honestly say I feel like a winner.

Opening the file was done with bated breath, but just moments later I was letting it out on a relieved sigh. Thank you Deb N for all your work. You rock! Hoo-RAH!

Shannon

Snow, snow and more snow...

It was a wonderful white Christmas here in PA. Had a great time playing in the snow and watching the fantasy like white world fall all around me.

*happy sigh*

I LOVE snow. I mean really love it. There is something pure and beautiful beyond words about fresh snow covering my hillside in white. Or maybe it just covers up the flaws in a real life. (cynical side showing)

Tonight as I walked home from the parents, I was amazed by the number of tracks already running through the fresh -only hours old- snow. Deer, turkey, dog, cat, rabbit and a few I couldn't identify. Lots of deer tonight. Looks like the herd spent some time hanging out in my yard. I may have even heard them running off as I came through. I've been thinking about sneaking back out to see if they came back.

But I haven't because of the other side of winter.

It's cold out there. And I do not like the cold. *shiver* I'll be very happy when the warm weather returns. Might miss the snow, but not enough to complain. *grin*.

On another note. This week HBO was offering season one of Trueblood on demand for free. The moment I saw it was available I suggested all innocent like that my mom should watch the series premier to see if she liked it. She agreed all mom-like and took her current book with her to settle in on the sofa. Clearly she was being social and supportive to her paranormal romance writing daughter. I nodded. Yep, could live with that. She'd made cookies. It's all good.

So she watches episode one... no more than five minutes in and her book is pitched to the side and she is groaning and eeping and laughing at Jason Stackhouse for being so dumb.

Yep she was hooked.

I'd seen the season already but thought what the heck. I could putter through some editing on the netbook while it was on. (riiight, lol) So it goes like this...

"So mom, want to watch episode 2 now?"

"Okay, but just one more. Can't stay up too late." (it's only about 8 pm)

"All right."

::play episode 2::

"Oh okay. That was pretty good. Just one more."

::play episode 3::

"It's getting late." She yawns. "Go ahead and start one more. I'll get some coffee."

Now by this point I'm laughing my ass off. She's obviously way into Trueblood, hooked well and good for sure. But she's still playing it cool. So I'm playing it cool. And keep hitting play for her. This goes on until almost three in the morning. It was a hoot! By then she was admitting to enjoying it and setting up to have another marathon to finish the season the next night.

So I say, Thank you HBO! You've won over a new fan for Trueblood!

Enough of my rambling. Hope you all are finding something in the world to enjoy, be it the snow or a good show on the telly.

Shannon

Happy New Year!

I just got home from a nice quiet new years with hubby. He's so sweet. It was a private thing, just the two of us. Very nice. *smile*

Hope everyone else out there took a moment to feel blessed for making it through another year. Such things are often too easily taken for granted. I know I'm guilty of missing the moments in favor of the bigger-better-brighter future. Here in the quiet (if you consider singing birds, playing dogs and more than a little loud music...quiet) I've been having some deep thoughts. Some about the past year and all that has happened and some about the year to come which I hope will be just as filled with wonder.

Sometimes I forget, but I am blessed. I have family and friends around me. I have health and freedom to chase my dreams. I have much. I am blessed.

That doesn't stop me from looking forward and planning to conquer the coming year. With my list of "resolutions" in hand I will take my blessed life and remaining vigilant in keeping all that I hold dear and if possible making 2010 even better for my family and friends, and yes for me too.

And in the meantime, here's an old wives tale to brighten your chances. This one comes from my mom. She claims if you shake your empty purse at the blue moon and call out "fill it up, fill it up, fill it up" you'll be brought wealth. And these days who couldn't use a little more wealth. (brb) (back) Well I shook my purse. Did you? *grin*

Happy New Years to you! May karma be on your side and you dreams within your reach!

Shannon