Tuesday, March 12, 2019

BOOK BLITZ for "Right Girl, Wrong Timing (Offsides, #3)" by Natalie Decker

Right Girl, Wrong Timing
(Offsides, #3)
by Natalie Decker
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: March 12th, 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Adaline Frost’s life officially sucks. Now that her BFF has found her true love, Addy is constantly stuck being the third wheel. On top of that, she hasn’t started her junior project yet, so her advisor pairs her up with what could only be described as the “Reject Breakfast Club.” Instead of the weirdo and the troublemaker, Addy is forced to work with two stoners, a popular girl, and her crush, Austin Reed, the jock who broke her heart. 
Austin Reed is sick of being labeled “dumb jock.” If he doesn’t get an A on this project, he can kiss his future goodbye. Austin thought he’d gotten lucky being partners with the very nerdy Adaline Frost, but boy was he wrong. Addy jumps down his throat about his being late and calls him names like “manwhore” on the daily. She has no idea Austin works before and after school in order to help his mom with the bills. Yeah, he’s made mistakes and has had lots of girlfriends, but he doesn’t need Adaline Frost to remind him of it every time he sees her. 
Can Austin and Addy ever be a thing? 
Right Girl Wrong Timing is book 3 in the Offsides series by Natalie Decker.

Excerpt:

It’s like my body is on GPS vibe, and I sense her before I see her. Adaline enters the commons, and Brock is talking about something, but I’m no longer listening to him. “Hey, Brock, scoot your ass down one,” I say.
He lifts his head and gawks around. “Grab another chair, and pull it up for her,” he says.
Slick move. I’ll take it. “You still gotta move down. I want her close, man, not really you in my lap.”
            He laughs as he slides his chair down, making room for me to pull another chair for Adaline in its place. I steal one from the table next to me. I hope to hell she’s coming over here, otherwise I’ll feel stupid.
            She reaches the table and mumbles. “Got a minute before everyone else arrives?”
            I pat the empty chair next to me. “Sure.”
            “I don’t think I should sit there.”
            I frown. “Ads, please take the seat.”
            She rolls her eyes. “All right. Only if you stop pouting.”
            Brock barks out a laugh as she plops down next to me. I grip the edge of her chair and pull her close to me. Our legs touch, and her eyes widen. “That’s better. You were too far away, and you know how crappy my attention is.”
            She looks as if she’s half tempted to slap me. I wouldn’t blame her. “You’re impossible. You know that?” Irritation laces her words. “I was thinking since we must work together, we should get one thing straight. This will not be a repeat of our history project.”
            Wow. She’s really scorned. I mean, I got she was mad at me but damn. She knows how to kick a dude while he’s down. “How many times do I have to apologize to you?” I whisper.
            “I’ll catch you later, man,” Brock says, and he leaves.
            I wait until he’s gone before I clasp Adaline’s chin and direct her attention to me. Her eyes narrow. “Don’t. Can we forget about it and just move on?”
            I lean toward Adaline. Her breath hitches slightly. I dip my mouth close to Adaline’s ear and whisper, “We’re not done discussing this. Far from it.”

Author Bio:
Natalie Decker is the author of RIVAL LOVE series and the Scandalous Boys series. She loves oceans, sunsets, sand between her toes, and carefree days. Her imagination is always going, which some find odd. But she believes in seeing the world in a different light at all times. Her first passion for writing started at age twelve when she had to write a poem for English class. However, seventh grade wasn't her favorite time and books were her source of comfort. She took all college prep classes in High school, and attended the University of Akron. Although she studied Mathematics she never lost her passion for writing or her comfort in books. She's a mean cook in the kitchen, loves her family and friends and her awesome dog infinity times infinity. If she's not writing, reading, traveling, hanging out with her family and friends, then she's off having an adventure. Because Natalie believes in a saying: Your life is your own journey, so make it amazing! 
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Monday, March 11, 2019

BOOK REVIEW & BLITZ for "The Witch's Tower (Twisted Ever After, #1)" by Tamara Grantham

The Witch’s Tower 
(Twisted Ever After, #1)
by Tamara Grantham

Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: March 11th, 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Gothel is a witch. Punished for the actions of her mother, her choice is simple: either she stands guard over Princess Rapunzel — or she dies. But just because a choice is easy doesn’t mean it’s pleasant. Protecting Rapunzel means watching as the princess lays trapped in a tower, bedridden by hair that is so long and heavy it’s slowly driving her insane. Gothel’s life has become one of imprisonment and solitude as well — until a prince and his handsome squire appear at the tower. 
Only one object can cut Rapunzel’s hair and end the curse: a pair of magical shears. But the shears are guarded by the most terrifying witches in the land, who also happen to be Gothel’s aunts. As Gothel and the prince’s squire, Raj Talmund, work to form a plan, she finds herself more and more drawn to the mysterious young man from the Outerlands. Unfortunately, his destiny is far more dangerous than she wants to admit: to save a princess, he must kill the witch who’s been forced to guard her. 
THE WITCH’S TOWER is the first in an inspired new series of fairy-tale retellings from award-winning fantasy author Tamara Grantham.
99¢ on release week only!

~ BOOK REVIEW for The Witch's Tower ~

****(4) out of 5 Stars!

This is a very different take on the traditional Rapunzel story.  Instead of being the "bad guy" (or girl, as it were), Gothel is actually the hero of this tale.  She sets out - first with the aid of the prince's squire, and later a rather odd assortment of characters - on a quest in hopes of retreiving the golden shears from her aunts, ending the curse, and setting Rapunzel - as well as herself! - free.  Of course, things are never as simple as they should be, and there are a lot of twists and turns to their tale, a lot of hardships to be overcome.  But the original pair do eventually make it back to Rapunzel's tower, where their destiny awaits them.  

I quite enjoyed this unusual version of the fairy tale.  The characters were all quite interesting, from Gothel and Raj, to Rapunzel and the prince, to their traveling companions and various other characters that they come across, even Jester the cat.  (Although I wish he'd had a larger role!)  Many of the personalities seem like they have much larger stories to tell, and since this is the first in a series, I'm hopeful that we get to see more of many of them in future volumes.  

There were a few items that either didn't exactly jive with other aspects of the narrative or that weren't given the attention they seemed to warrant.  And much of the dialogue was stilted and felt rather unnatural.  But the story itself was quite fun, and the characters delightful.  It definitely kept me engaged and wondering what was going to happen next.  I'm looking forward to additional tales from this world.  

Excerpt:

Moonlight illuminated the tower as Raj and I crossed into the meadow. The handcart’s wheels squeaked as I pulled it to a stop at the base of the tower. Raj had been true to his word and purchased all the supplies we needed for winter. I couldn’t complain—I was grateful he’d done it. I only hoped he didn’t expect a miracle in return.
Now I had the chore of transporting everything into the tower. Luckily, I’d brought my largest knapsack. As I loaded vessels of lentils, bags of flour, and a few jars of syrup into my bag, Raj stood over me.
“You’re bringing all that up there?” he asked.
“It’s better than leaving it down here.”
“You really live up there all the time?”
“Yes, I only ever come out to gather edibles, or when we’re desperate for supplies.”
“But how do you get water?”
“We have a well inside the tower. Can you help me?” I tossed him an empty burlap sack. If he was so insistent on being here, he might as well help me.
“It seems like a lonely existence.”
I eyed him. Lonely? What did he know of loneliness? I didn’t feel like admitting to this stranger how desperately lonely the past five years had been, how I lay awake at night wishing I had someone to talk to, feeling as if the silence would drive me to insanity. No, he didn’t need to know any of that.
“It’s not that bad. Rapunzel isn’t one for talking, but we have a cat. His name is Jester. He keeps me company most of the time.”
“A cat?”
“Yes. He’s mostly feral. But he’s friendly enough, and he comes and goes as he pleases. He’s even learned to climb the vines to get in and out of the tower. He’s quite clever.” I adjusted the pack’s straps on my shoulders. “Now, let’s get up there before Rapunzel…” I stopped myself. “Let’s get up there.”
With the pack strapped to my back, I turned to the tower. Wind rushed past, battering my hair against my cheeks, as I prepared to speak the spell.
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!” My words carried on the wind, echoing through the forest.
I waited, nervousness making my hands grow clammy as I held to the pack’s straps, but why did I feel so uneasy? Was it because Raj was with me?

I turned to him. He stood with haunting dark eyes as he watched a coil of ropy, matted hair drop from the tower’s only window high above us. I stepped to the length of hair and grabbed it, holding my breath against the scent of unwashed scalp. I never got used to that smell.
“Should I follow you?” Raj asked.
“Yes. But let me enter first.” Gripping the hair tightly, I started the climb. I made my way toward the window at the top of the tower. Halfway up, my muscles burned, and I focused on breathing to make it the rest of the way. This part was always the hardest, and the sack of supplies weighing me down wasn’t helping. Why did Varlocke have to put his daughter into such an impossibly tall tower?
When I reached the window, I grabbed the ledge. The worn stones felt smooth under my palms as I climbed over, then landed inside. As I straightened, I pulled off the pack and left it on the floor, then focused on the room. Moonlight illuminated the bare stones walls, the well sitting at the room’s center, the wooden chairs, roughly-hewn tables, huge bookcases cluttered with dusty spell journals and vials, and the bed where Rapunzel lay.
I stepped over the matted coils of hair. Pieces of rat and bird bones lay trapped in the knotted strands, seeming to glow white against the dark hair. The sound of gnawing stopped me.
She wasn’t.
“Rapunzel,” I said quietly. “What are you doing?”
The gnawing continued. I approached her on quiet feet, afraid of what I might find. Behind me, Raj scrambled inside the room.
Please don’t let it be the prince.
When I reached her side, her pale, skeleton-white skin glowed in the moonlight. She held a rat.
I exhaled, grateful it was only a rodent and not something—someone—else. A crust of bread and a handful of wild beets sat on the bedside table, but they were untouched.
Raj’s footsteps echoed, and I turned to face him. His tall, lean frame looked so out of place. Only the high sorcerer ever visited, and to have an Outlander squire inside my home unnerved me.
“Is she eating something?” he asked. “What is that?”
“Sorry. It’s the cat’s fault. He catches them and leaves them on her lap. He thinks he’s giving her a prize or something. Rapunzel does that with them sometimes—with the rats—eats them, I mean.” I stumbled over my words, feeling immeasurably mortified that Raj had to see it. But it could’ve been worse.
I approached her. She looked up, as if only seeing me now, and she hissed. With her red-rimmed eyes, it looked as if she hadn’t been sleeping, and her collarbones seemed to be protruding more than I remembered. Her white gown hung off her meatless frame, but at least it was the clean one I’d left for her. She’d managed to change clothes—at least there was that.
“Where is the prince?” Raj asked.
“I don’t know.” I scanned the room. With the large piles of hair covering the floor, he could’ve been hidden, but we should’ve seen some clue he was here—his feet or a hand poking out. Something. “You’re certain he came up here?”
“Yes, positive.”
I studied the tower more thoroughly but didn’t see anything that resembled the prince. Odd. Where was he?
“Rapunzel,” I said, turning to her, “we’re looking for a prince. Have you seen him?”
She shook her head, clutching the rat, her fingers digging into the carcass.
“Please,” Raj said. “I need to find him. His father is the king. He’ll be very sad if he loses his only son. Can’t you tell us where he is?”
Rapunzel focused on the man, but she remained silent. Outside, the sky lightened. Pink streaked through the gray as dawn approached. As the sun rose, sunlight streamed into the room, giving light to the dark places. Something thudded inside the well, and Raj followed me as I maneuvered around the coiled hair toward the raised ring of stones surrounding the deep drop that went straight through the bottom of the tower.
“Is there something in the well?” Raj asked.
“Someone probably.”
I pried open the lid. Sitting atop the wide-mouthed bucket was the prince, who stared up at us with a vacant expression. Hair coiled around him as blue bands of magic wrapped his wrists and ankles. I grabbed his tunic with both hands and attempted to lug him out. He was heavier than he looked.
“How’d he get in there?” Raj asked.
“Rapunzel. She tried to throw him down, I assume.”
“She can do that?”
“With her hair, yes. She’s clever when she’s motivated.”
“He was looking at me!” Rapunzel yelled. Well, at least she was finally speaking.



Author Bio:
Tamara Grantham is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books and novellas, including the Olive Kennedy: Fairy World MD series and the Shine novellas. Dreamthief, the first book of her Fairy World MD series, won first place for fantasy in INDIEFAB’S Book of the Year Awards, a RONE award for best New Adult Romance of 2016, and is a #1 bestseller on Amazon with over 200 five-star reviews.

Tamara holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Lamar University. She has been a featured speaker at multiple writing conferences, and she has been a panelist at Comic Con Wizard World speaking on the topic of female leads. For her first published project, she collaborated with New York-Times bestselling author, William Bernhardt, in writing the Shine series.

Born and raised in Texas, Tamara now lives with her husband and five children in Wichita, Kansas. She rarely has any free time, but when the stars align and she gets a moment to relax, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, taking nature walks--which fuel her inspiration for creating fantastical worlds--and watching every Star Wars or Star Trek movie ever made. You can find her online at www.TamaraGrantham.com. 
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Monday, March 4, 2019

BOOK REVIEW for "Omegas (Vanguards, #1)" by Annie Nicholas


Omegas
(Vanguards, #1)
by Annie Nicholas

SUMMARY:


Only a vampire is strong enough to teach werewolves how to fight.

After a turbulent childhood, Sugar strives for a peaceful life. That goal is difficult when her neighbors turn furry and howl at the moon. They are not the regular chest pounding, make your blood curl kind of werewolves though. She’d have moved. More like the geeks of the underworld, and Chicago’s premier wolf pack has issued them a life or death challenge. Their only option for survival? Hire a vampire warrior for combat training.

Life is bound to grow more complicated now that a hot vampire lives next door.

(THIS IS A RE-RELEASE.)

REVIEW:

***(3) out of 5 stars!

I enjoyed this book, but I felt like it could have been a whole lot more. I liked the concept of paranormals living among real humans, the omegas banding together to form their own little support group, the idea of the underdog coming into his own and besting the jerk alpha. However, the characters felt a bit hollow to me, like they could have been fleshed out quite a bit more. The relationship between Sugar adn Daedalus in particular could have used a lot more attention. Overall, it was a fun read, but I just didn't feel that it lived up to its potential. I am hopeful that perhaps future volumes in the series will flesh things out a bit more.


I received a free eBook copy of this title from the author, 

and have willingly provided an honest review.



Author Bio


Annie Nicholas writes paranormal romance with a twist. She has courted vampires, hunted with shifters, and slain a dragon's ego all with the might of her pen. Riding the wind of her imagination, she travels beyond the restraints of reality and shares them with anyone wanting to read her stories. Mother, daughter, and wife are some of the other hats she wears while hiking through the hills and dales of her adopted state of Vermont. 

Sunday, March 3, 2019

BLITZ for "Protect Me (A Broken Heroes Novel, #2)" by J.L. Beck & Cassandra Hallman


Protect Me 
(Broken Heroes, #2)
J.L. Beck & 
Cassandra Hallman 
Publication date: March 1st, 2019
Genres: Adult, Romance, Thriller
She needed protection from my family…

I needed protection from her heart… 
She was my ex-best friends little sister. Shy, gorgeous as hell and did I mention completely off limits. 
Well that is until she lands on my doorstep begging me for protection from my brother. She has no idea the kind of world she’s walked into, or that I’m no better of a man then the one searching for her. 
But when she offers me her v-card the last thing she has in exchange for protection I cant deny such a tempting offer. 
She’s everything I want, and nothing I can have. 
When my brother finds out she’s under my protection, that I’ve been hiding her under his nose this whole time he gives me an ultimatum… 
Marry her, or kill her…and since there’s no way in hell I’m going to let him kill her I decide to make her mine..forever. 
**This is book two in the series but it can be read as a complete standalone. It contains NO-CLIFFHANGERS, NO CHEATING, and has a HEA. It is a dark mafia/crime romance and contains subject matter not suitable for all readers.**
EXCERPT:
I feel him pull away slowly, his lips feather light against mine until he’s completely gone. And like a flower misses the sun’s warmth at night, I miss Damon’s lips against mine. His warmth seeps into me, showing me a side of him I’d been certain didn’t exist. My brown eyes bleed into his sleepy, coffee-colored ones. His gaze never wavers from mine, and I watch as something swims in his eyes—an unreadable emotion. Deep down, I know I’ll be okay. I don’t know how I know this or why, but I can feel it in Damon’s gaze—like a protective blanket coating my body.
The moment ends, and with little effort, Damon pulls me to his chest. I rest my head against his warm skin. The sound of his heart beating fills my ears, its steady rhythm calming me. As his hands glide down my arms, goosebumps cover my skin.
After today, I was certain I’d never let him touch me again, but now I’m not so sure.
His hold on me tightens, instinctually, as if he wants to make sure I don’t go anywhere. Shock twists deep inside me as he brings his other hand to my head, burying his thick fingers into my brown mane. When he starts playing with the natural curls at the ends of each strand, I nearly moan.
His touch relaxes me, soothes me. I don’t want this moment between us to end.
“Don’t be scared. You have no reason to be scared of me.” He licks his lips before smiling at me. “I’m a bastard, a killer, and the worst man to be in your presence, but I’ll do whatever I can to protect you,” he whispers before his hand stills in my hair, cradling my head against his body.


Author Bio:
J.L. Beck is a USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, she has written over fifty different romance novels. She started her journey of writing back in 2014 and hasn't slowed down a second since then.
She's captivated by real romance, and loves reading about strong "ALPHA" males, as well as sassy heroines that know or may not know what they want. She is best known for delivering a happily ever after but has ended things on a cliffhanger a time or two.
When she's not typing away at her next book you can find her being a mom to her two adorable kiddos and wife to her high school sweetheart.
She's obsessed with Starbucks, social media, and is definitely more of a dog person than cat.
Born and raised in Germany, Cassandra moved to the United States when she was eighteen. She's now a stay-at-home-mom to three boys and happily married. She always had a love for reading, that love slowly transpired into writing. She put fingers to keyboard and started writing about the dark side of romance. She is known for her intriguing stories and complex characters. 

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Saturday, March 2, 2019

FREE BOOKS: "Museum Adventures" #1 & 2 by Mikey Brooks

Books #1 & 2 
in the Museum Adventures series
by Mikey Brooks 
are currently FREE on Amazon Kindle
thru March 5th, 2019!


The Maya Mystery (Museum Adventures, #1)

by Mikey Brooks


Nick and Katie didn’t sign up to go on an adventure. They didn’t ask to be nearly killed by a jaguar, or hunt for ingredients under a volcano. They most certainly did not ask to be sacrificed by some crazy high priest at the top of a Mayan temple. But that is just what they got when they volunteered to help pack up boxes in the basement of their grandfather’s museum …well sort of. 

Grandpa had warned them not to go into the Special Collections room. He had said the room was too dangerous. Nick and Katie probably should have listened. Behind that forbidden door they found a time machine—a time machine cleverly disguised as a stone obelisk. As soon as they touched it, they are whisked back to the time of ancient Maya. 

Now Nick and Katie need to solve the mystery of how to get home or they just might be stuck in a time without electronics and indoor plumbing forever!


Nick and Katie found a time machine 
in the basement of their grandfather’s museum. 
Before they even know where they’ve traveled, 
Nick and Katie are chased through a castle, 
arrested for stealing, and thrown in a dungeon. 
Surrounded by darkness and filthy peasants, 
they hear talk of a name they thought 
was only found in storybooks…Robin Hood. 
Will Nick and Katie find a way back home, 
or will they remain prisoners to the infamous 
Sheriff of Nottingham?

Books #1 & 2 are FREE
to celebrate the release of:

A Greeting So Grimm (Museum Adventures, #3) 

by Mikey Brooks



The Museum Adventures continue in this exciting new volume 
that takes place in 1798 Germany. 
On a quest through time to save their grandfather’s museum, 
Nick and Katie find themselves in the dark forest 
where they encounter wolves, a witch in a cottage, 
and two brothers who love a good story.

Friday, March 1, 2019

FREE BOOK: "Modern Fairy Tale: Twelve Books of Breathtaking Romance" from 12 bestselling Authors!


★ ★ ★ HOT FREEBIE ALERT ★ ★ ★

Swoonworthy.
Romantic. Smoking Hot.

Find your happily ever after in this limited-time boxed set from TWELVE bestselling authors. Modern day Cinderellas, handsome royalty, and business empires run from glass skyscrapers!

Download your copy today!
Amazon:

AppleBooks:

Amazon Worldwide:

Nook:

Kobo:

Google Play:


MODERN FAIRY TALE is a limited-time boxed set as a gift to our readers and to introduce you to new series to love. Download your copy and tell a bookish friend about it while it’s available!


TWELVE BOOKS INCLUDED:
Unconditional by Lexi Blake
American Queen by Sierra Simone
Cheeky Royal by Nana Malone
Kissing Jenna By Kristen Proby
The Prince by Jillian Dodd
The Player by Denise Grover Swank
Hold You Against Me by Skye Warren
Slow Burn by JH Croix
Merciless by Willow Winters
To See You by Rachel Blaufeld
Pennies by Pepper Winters
Just Desserts by Marquita Valentine

BOOK BLITZ for "The Haunting of Elmwood Manor (a Pekin Dewlap Mystery)" by Pamela McCord

The Haunting of Elmwood Manor 
(a Pekin Dewlap Mystery)
by Pamela McCord
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: March 1st, 2019
Genres: Middle-Grade, Mystery
Pekin Dewlap hasn’t seen a ghost since she was twelve. But she’d do anything to get them back. Starting a ghostbusting business with her two best friends, Amber and Scout, seems like the perfect way to accomplish her goal. Of course, playing with ghosts isn’t high on their wish list, so Pekin has to do some arm-twisting to get them on board. 
Once committed, Pekin and her friends find themselves in deep, trying to solve the disappearance of fourteen-year-old Miranda Talbert. Miranda went missing in 1918, and her spirit has wandered the halls of Elmwood Manor for the last hundred years. 
In the midst of finding Miranda, discovering her budding feelings for Scout, and consoling a terrified Amber, Pekin is met by an angry ghost set on thwarting her plans. Will the Ghosties be able to help Miranda, or will Pekin’s business die before she solves the mystery?

Excerpt:

THE IDEA WAS SCARY. Exciting. Overwhelming.
She wanted to tell her best friends, Amber and Scout, about her new ghost-hunting business. Amber being Amber, she would freak out and say no way before Pekin could explain all the reasons it was a good idea.
Pekin had decided to do all the legwork before telling Amber and Scout about her big plan. Get her ducks in a row, be ready to answer any question or objection they threw at her. The next day, she would convince her friends how exciting this adventure would be.
Despite her anxiety, Pekin slept fairly well and was awake half an hour before her 7:30 a.m. alarm. She rolled onto her back and opened her eyes, nervous at the prospect of coming clean with her friends. With extra time before needing to get ready for school, Pekin propped up on her pillows and looked around her room, going over her plans.
Her bedroom reflected her personality, more practical than all fan girlie over the latest boy band. She kept it clean, her bed made every morning. Clothes were never tossed on the floor. She wasn’t into the rumpled look. A full-length mirror was tacked to the closet door for examining her outfits, since changing her clothes multiple times before deciding on the perfect look was her norm.
Two posters graced the walls, both copies of the ones hanging in Agent Mulder’s office in The X-Files, one reading “I Want to Believe” and the other proclaiming “The Truth is Out There.” A white bookcase reflected her obsession with the paranormal, as it was stocked with tales of haunted houses and ghostly visitations. Ghosts weren’t the only thing Pekin loved. Her bookshelves also contained a healthy dose of Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books. Sure, they were popular when her mom was a kid, but they were still full of great ideas for teenage sleuths and fueled her daydreams of solving mysteries.
Her gaze fell on a photo of the three friends she’d stuck in the mirror of her dresser. She loved this picture. It was taken six months ago, and showed Pekin, bookish and nerdy, and Amber, looking short next to Pekin and Scout, her beautiful auburn hair wisping around her face. Then there was Scout. Tall, good looking in a Bill Gates sort of way, glasses, studious. And the reason Pekin loved the picture.
Pekin had known Scout since second grade (he was in third grade at the time, an older man), and this year he’d blossomed (if you could say that about a guy), shooting up three inches, getting contact lenses, losing the braces. Her heart plunked the first time she saw him after summer break was over and he’d come back from spending two months in Europe with his family. But he couldn’t know about that, and she made sure not to let on that she liked him, not even to Amber, who would no doubt let it slip to Scout. Pekin would be so embarrassed if he knew.
Twirling a strand of blonde hair around a finger, she pondered how to approach Scout and Amber. Pekin wanted to be a ghostbuster. She wanted excitement, and imagined herself and Scout searching for ghosts in haunted houses. Amber would be there, too, of course, but Amber didn’t figure in Pekin’s daydreams the same way Scout did.
Still dressed in pajamas, Pekin wandered into her walk-in closet and inspected her options. Jeans, of course, but what top? She selected a white T-shirt with a big orange Cheshire Cat grinning on the front. She loved the way her hazel eyes popped when she wore it. Running her fingers through her hair, she turned sideways so she could admire the way it fell around her shoulders and down her back, then headed for the bathroom to brush her teeth and shower.
During her shower, Pekin considered her outfit, the one she’d picked for the day. Scout once said that the Cheshire Cat was his favorite Alice in Wonderland character. She hoped he’d notice her shirt and admire it the way she wanted.
As if. The three of them had been friends for ever. They’d grown up together. Scout probably thought of her as a sister. Just because she now saw him in a new light didn’t mean he felt the same about her.
Amber had already started attracting attention from boys. Pekin was a bit jealous, but not about the other boys. She only wished Scout would notice her in that way.
Pekin stepped out of the shower and used a wide-toothed comb for the damp tangles of her hair, confiding in Grandma Virginia that this business was a perfect fit for her. She’d been obsessed with all things ghost for as long as she could remember. She couldn’t count the number of times she, Amber, and Scout had sat in her family room watching scary movies or TV shows.
Pekin was nervous about meeting Amber and Scout for lunch. She’d been nervous pretty much all the time since she’d taken steps toward making her big idea a reality. As her planning had taken shape, she’d found it hard not to give off any clues that something was different with her.
The time had come to fess up.


Author Bio:
Pam was born in Arkansas several decades ago. She’s not sure if that makes her a Southern Girl or if moving to Southern California when she was five revokes her Southern Girl card. She started writing later in life when she was challenged by a friend to create a book out of his story idea. Reaching the first 5,000 words was a milestone, but with time and hard work she managed to finish an entire book, much to her surprise. Since then, she’s written several novels, in several genres. Romance, middle grade and paranormal comprise most of her work. Pam has spent over 40 years working as a legal secretary at a law firm in Orange County, California. Aside from writing, she follows the stock market, buying, selling and trading stocks and options. In contrast to that, she loves trips to Las Vegas where she can spend many happy hours at the Pai Gow tables. She shares a condo with her very own My Cat From Hell TV star, Allie, who manages to exude just enough affection to make her scary feral ways tolerable. 
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