BLURB:
Some things just can’t be erased.

Simon’s visions of a little girl are the only memories he has. Like an imprint on his heart, the visions cling. Who is she? Who is he for that matter? Tracked and hunted across the world, and in possession of a device that sets him apart from time and space, danger follows him at each turn.

He never meant to drag Tess into his drama. But with one slow, seductive dance in a candlelit night­club, that’s exactly what he’s done.

Tesla’s own heritage is a mystery in itself. Born of wealth into a corporation with no paper trail, she’s called back to take the helm. But what’s the nature of the business she’s supposed to lead? And how does it connect her to Simon?
 

Excerpt One:

Simon leaned with his back against the door. The metal was searing hot through his layers of clothing, but he barely reacted to the burn. He understood the feeling that flooded through his being, the sense that the young woman from the nightclub was just on the other side of the frame. It was false, of course. Once the device opened the slice it automatically detached and became inactive. When the door closed she was a world away.

What am I thinking? He firmly banged his head against the solid door, tacky with hot paint. When he’d told her he made a promise, he couldn’t have been more serious – and more disturbed by his reaction to the encounter in the night club than he cared to admit to himself.

What could he possibly have to offer such a beautiful young woman after a dance like the one they shared? God, he didn’t even know who he was. The only thing he could even be sure about was that he was in danger, all the time.

He had to learn the truth about his past and why he knew the things he did without remembering them. Until then, the only thing he could be is a shadow on the edge of society. Everyone was safer that way.

He replayed the way she felt in his arms, how she stood on her toes to kiss his chin with her irresistible lips. She felt familiar to him in a way he hadn’t experienced for what seemed like a lifetime. It didn’t matter, though. He couldn’t let it matter. She was halfway across the world now, and all the better for it.

…besides, he had work to do.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kimberly Adkins is an author and artist who spends her spare time working on worm hole theories so she can go back in time and enter Star Gate’s ‘Get in the Gate’ sweepstakes as many times as it takes to win.

Says Kimberly of romance, “Fate lines up to reward the faithful who believe that love holds a power beyond our understanding and dreams have a chance to come true.”

Website: www.kimberlyadkins.com

Twitter: twitter.com/authorkimberlya

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimberly-Adkins/194607480611778

Resolutions

By

Teri Riggs

BLURB:  
DEA agent Eve Taylor has had her fill of alpha males. When Resolutions’ operative and former lover, Dillon “Mac” McKenna, threatened her hard-earned independence, she ran. On a mission to gather evidence against a Colombian drug-lord, Eve discovers the drug-lord is helping terrorists plan an attack on American soil. Before she can escape with the vital information, she’s captured and comes face to face with her mortality…

As a teen, Mac watched his family fall apart after his mother died doing dangerous U.N. work. The possibility of losing Eve to a mission ignited an overwhelming need to protect her. When he forced her to choose him or her job, she walked away. Two years later, it seems all his nightmares have come true and he’s tasked with rescuing her from a Colombian prison. Mac has never stopped loving Eve, but does he dare risk his heart when he’s so terrified of losing…

On the run, Mac and Eve must learn to trust each other again in order to stay alive.

Excerpt One
 
Occasional bursts of gunfire echoed in the distance as the distorted voices of Mendoza’s men moved closer. The damned monkey started chattering again. She flipped onto her back and forced her breathing and heart rate to slow. The night’s stars faded into the orange-red sky of morning sunrise and a welcomed calm washed over her. For the first time in her life, Eve wished she was still back home in Duncan Falls, Iowa with her four overprotective brothers. The Alpha Four, she called them. They’d be royally pissed if she didn’t somehow get out of this mess.

   Her mind turned to thoughts of Mac, the only man she’d ever loved. Maybe he’d been right after all. Maybe she wasn’t cut out for this line of work. Maybe she did need him. So many maybes.

   Eve closed her eyes and the maybes and darkness took her.

 I: Why are you running away from a relationship with Mac? 

E: I’m running from Mac’s distorted idea of commitment. He expects me to be the ‘little woman’ who lets him control my life and smothers me with protection. I prefer to pull on my big girl panties, play by my own rules, and make decisions for myself.  With Mac, it’s his way, or the highway. Fortunately for me, I have one hell of a fast car.     

 I: Have you ever thought of being in a relationship with a non-alpha type of man?   

E: Yes. The problem is I find any other type man to be boring. As frustrating as Mac is at times, there’s never a dull moment when he’s around. I like when a man knows what he wants and goes for it. I don’t like when he thinks he knows what’s best for me. I guess I want it all.


 I: What do you mean when you say your independence is hard-earned?

E: My parents died when I was young, leaving my older brothers to raise me. I called them the Alpha Four. They were over the top controlling. I know they were just doing what they thought was best for me, but jeez, did one of them always have to be looking over my shoulder? The boys in my high school were afraid to date me. No guy wanted to take a girl out whose brothers were going to give him the third degree before, during, and after a date. And yes, the Alpha Four had a strange way of showing up wherever my date took me. Talk about a sad dating life!

 I: What drew you to the dangerous work of a DEA Agent?

E: I think after growing up with the Alpha Four, I was ready to take on the world as soon as I could get away from them. My choice of college was solely driven by how many miles I could put between Duncan Falls, Iowa and the campus. I wanted to prove just how tough I really was. Working for the DEA is about as tough as it gets!

I: What job will you do when you can no longer be the best in your current job?

E: You’re assuming I won’t always be the best?

  I: Sorry, my bad!

   E: No problem.

  I: Have you ever worked as part of a team?

E: Yes. When I was promoted to field agent I went in as part of the International Drug Enforcement Agency—IDEA. About a year later, I was assigned my own team.

I: You’re proud of your birth place, Duncan Falls, Iowa.  Why?

E: Duncan Falls is a small town and very close knit. After my parents died, the town’s people were almost as protective of me as the Alpha Four. Poor little Eve. Lost her parents at such a young age. At times, between my brothers and the town, I felt smothered, like I couldn’t take a breath without being watched.  On the flip side, I found it a bit comforting to know I could always count on the town to have my back. Okay, I’ll admit it, I’m glad my brothers were there for me, too. Just don’t ever tell them I said that!

I: Tell me 3 positive things about you ex-lover, Mac.

  E: 1.) Mac is by far, the hottest man I’ve ever known. My toes curl just thinking about   him.

     2.) The man is a god in bed!

     3.) Did I mention Mac is HOT?

Ocean of Dust

by Graeme Ing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

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

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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
Listen to an excerpt
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/iwi78ykedqn8qsn/WctYNqwnm7

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

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

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

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

Forgetting Fallenwood
by Leslie D. Soule

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:
What happens when Ash accidentally makes her way through another portal, this time into the Other Realm, and forgets she ever went to Fallenwood? More importantly, how much of one's identity is made up of memories? Fallenwood 2 is the continuing journey of heroine Ash Kensington. Struggling with a deep sense of grief, sorrow, and overall confusion, Ash tries to work her way through to a deeper, underlying meaning. This search leads her back to Fallenwood, where the mystery unravels itself as she realizes that a very sinister force may be underlying everything…


~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt :

Ashley woke in a cold sweat. She remembered nothing of her time spent in the magical realm known as Fallenwood. Without the remembrance of her journey in Fallenwood, Ashley awoke as her former self, without the benefit of the lessons learned during her journey. That journey never existed, and her memory bank filled itself with everything she’d known before she left. Ashley began living a normal life, as though Fallenwood didn’t exist at all. Now, visions slipped away into nothingness and she believed she’d only had a series of incredibly vivid dreams and nothing more.

Yet the heart keeps a remembrance of its own, and without Prince Edward, a cold loneliness sank to the core of Ashley’s heart. Her mind couldn’t define the source of her heartache, so she blindly sought its cure.

Meet Leslie Soule
Tell us about yourself:

Well, I’m a Sacramento-based author who’s never really considered herself a “city girl”. I much prefer the woods and areas like Crescent City, where my dad’s side of the family’s from. That’s one of the reasons why I like to write fantasy so much – the woods offer a setting that is traditionally fantasy-based. I love doing art – painting, drawing, ceramics, putting together assemblages, etc. I also love the martial arts and have trained in a few different styles. I’m an introvert, so I tend to keep to myself and my books and tea and cozy things and whatnot.


What was your first book?

The first book I wrote was a book called Fallenwood, that was released as an ebook. It’s the beginning of my Fallenwood Chronicles, and surprisingly enough, I originally conceived it as a stand-alone, with no sequels of any kind to follow, but as so often happens to writers, the characters sometimes take over and take the story to unexpected places. We writers have no choice but to try and follow as best we can, clutching our pens and notebooks.


Describe your first break.

I started writing when I was very young and continued on through my teens and young adulthood, submitting pieces to every venue I could get an address to, and to no avail. I’d even started keeping a notebook where I’d tape all of my many many rejection letters. Then one day, I got a letter from a small literary magazine called The Armchair Aesthete, saying they’d accepted a poem of mine called “The Second Dante”. I feel like that was really my first break, and made me feel like I could make it as an author and have my work accepted.

What is your favorite genre to read? To write?

My favorite genre to read is fantasy, but followed closely by steampunk. I love that steampunk combines two favorites of mine – Victorian literature and science fiction. It’s like peanut butter and jelly – how did we ever live without steampunk?

As for writing, I’ve always had a love for fantasy and the hope that it represents – that there is magic and salvation in the “greenwood”.


What makes a protagonist interesting?

I think what makes a protagonist interesting is seeing how they grow as a character, and how their struggles change them. Also, Faulkner once famously wrote that “the only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself” and I definitely agree. It’s interesting to see a protagonist at those agonizing moments when they are conflicted and have to make a choice.


What is the best thing about being a writer?

I feel like the best thing about being a writer is the sense of freedom you achieve with it – that you can say anything you want to, even if it’s politically incorrect or it’s not something that’s typically discussed. Freedom of expression is what being a writer is all about. I feel like writers have always challenged the social norms, and that’s a good thing.


What is the worst thing?

The worst thing is that writing can be very difficult, and taxing, emotionally and mentally – and once you’ve put a lot of effort into something, it may not even be well-received by your audience.


Pantser or plotter?

I try to plot as much as possible, generally, and at least to have the ending worked out before I really get into a story.

What do you see the direction of your future writing taking? What can we expect next? Give us a little taste.

Well, the original Fallenwood is going to be re-released at some point, and I’m working with a critiquing partner on book three of the quadrilogy. Book 3 is called Betrayer. I also have a sci-fi novel I’m working on editing, about human-animal hybrids, called Hybrid Space.

Just for fun

Cat or dog person?

You know, I have this crazy, adorable dog named Ginger, but I’ve always thought of myself as more of a cat person. Ginger hates cats though, so I can’t have those. L

Favorite food?

Sushi! I LOVE LOVE LOVE sushi!!!

Favorite book?

The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Favorite movie?

The Last Dragon – it’s a martial arts classic.

Favorite vacation destination (you just have to want to go there)

I’d love to go to Ireland – home of my ancestors.

FORGETTING FALLENWOOD MINI REVIEW 5/5


Forgetting Fallenwood blew me away in several ways. Let me first explain that I am a book reviewer on purpose, as job as opposed to a random review here and there. By this time, I’ve read almost 6,000 books over the span of thirty years.

I enjoyed the quiet elegance and interwoven construction of the plot. The concept of forgetting who you once were was intriguing. It hints at alternative universes and reincarnation. What if you were once magical? Not Disney Princess magic, but misty morning Fae magic? There would have to be a powerful reason why you’d forget.

Reading Forgetting Fallenwood was such an unadulterated pleasure. The contrast between her old life and new life was striking. The creation of suspense, doubt, and anticipation created a heady combination that kept me turning pages. I appreciate a writer who considers the placement of each word, the construction of each setting, and the hidden motives of each character. Bravo, Ms. Soule, you have achieved much with Forgetting Fallenwood. I can’t wait to read the entire series.

CIRCLE OF DISHONOR
by Carla Swafford

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

John “Ice” Takahashi’s final job for The Circle has an unexpected hitch in it; he’s fallen for an innocent civilian and his enemies know it. With his mission in a shambles, he’ll do anything to protect her, including kill. So how can a man without honor prove he’s worthy of her love?

Lena Matthews feels like she’s playing with fire by dating the mysterious Master J. He’s exotic, dangerous, and exactly what she needs in her boring life. With the bad guys bearing down on them, she discovers a whole new world of sensuality that binds her heart to his forever.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Excerpt 

John Takahashi, also called Ice in the more deadly corners of the world, watched from the shadows as the woman slid into her Nissan Altima. He wanted to be certain she safely reached her car. 

His hands tightened on the steering wheel.

A burly fellow strolled by Lena’s car and continued to the next lane without glancing her way. John’s hold eased up. If the man had attempted to attack her, bloody fat limbs would be scattered across the parking lot within seconds. He’d never allow anyone to harm her. Hell, if the man only spoke to her, John was unsure of his reaction. He’d never felt this way before. Possessiveness wasn’t his
usual response. He only knew she belonged to him.

From the first moment he saw her five weeks ago, intently watching him from the coffee shop, he’d decided to meet her. Her contradicting shyness and boldness amused him. The two times he’d allowed her to see him watching her, she’d looked away, blushing. He liked that. From the way she walked and held herself, he suspected she was a woman used to taking orders from a man. After being with so many women with that certain need, he had a sixth sense about such matters.

His contacts reported that her husband had died three years earlier. She wasn’t a flirt and hadn’t dated during that period. She dressed stylishly but modestly. Her hours were spent working in her house and in the flower beds surrounding her home. Occasionally, she had lunch with friends and attended charity functions, but nothing more.

Of course, their time in the coffee shop had been a test. If she’d been too timid or too bold, their time together would have ended without a dinner invitation. He wanted a woman willing to take commands but strong enough to demand what she needed in return.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Carla Swafford is a lithe twenty-nine year old with long auburn hair and sparkling dark eyes who loves dancing with her gypsy friends. Geez! Can you tell I love writing fiction? Now for the real stuff: I'm married to my high school sweetheart and live in Alabama. I swear my stories are more exciting.

 

www.carlaswafford.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CarlaSwaffordAuthor

Twitter - https://twitter.com/carlaswafford

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/profile/carlaswafford

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Carla-Swafford/e/B005MLXJPA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1402014953&sr=1-2-ent

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/carla-swafford?store=allproducts&keyword=carla+swafford

Kobo - http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=carla+swafford

iBooks - https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/carla-swafford/id461032072?mt=11

Last of the Red Hot Cowboys

by Tina Leonard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

A sexy cowgirl gives a rugged Texas loner the ride of his life in USA Today bestselling author Tina Leonard’s seductive new series.

Ava Buchanan dreams of a career on the rodeo circuit. Winning a spot on a one-of-a-kind team would be her ticket to the life she’s always wanted. Ava won’t let anyone stand in her way—not even a stubborn cowboy whose slow-molasses smile and red-hot swagger set her senses aflame . . . and whose talents as a trainer could make her a star. Rodeo might be a man’s game, but Ava knows the right woman’s touch can tame the wildest heart.

Trace Carter believes his mayor’s plan to raise the town’s profile has disaster written all over it, and he won’t allow the Hell’s Outlaws Training Center to be dragged into the fiasco. Yet watching Ava’s delectable body on horseback proves too much of a temptation, and his fantasies stray to her riding skills outside the arena. Soon Trace is fighting like hell to rein in his unbridled desire for the petite brunette before it becomes a passion hotter than the Texas sun.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT 

“It doesn’t matter,” Trace said, glancing over at Ava.  “Don’t let the Horsemen guilt you.  They’re working an angle, and it’s always a crooked one.”

"That makes no sense.”  Ava gave him a look of disgust, which he intercepted with good humor.  He was just happy to have her in his truck.  Frankly, she’d come with him more easily than he’d thought she would.  Especially after he’d overheard Fallon ask her out.

That alone had caused Trace to shift his gears.  He hadn’t really planned on dragging Ava off.  The plan had been to talk rationally to her, help her put her horse in the barn.  Hell, he hadn’t had a plan.

Until he’d heard Fallon make his boneheaded offer—and split-second, Trace had known that just couldn’t stand.

“It makes sense to me.  You don’t want to hang out with them, Ava.  Trust me.”

“I don’t know if I trust you at all.  You seem shadier than they do.”
    
He shook his head.  “Just some friendly advice.  You don’t know the pitfalls of Hell.  Friends help each other out.”

“Do they?”

He felt her glare and grinned.  Such a sweet, sexy body, so much sass.  “Last I checked, yes.”

“You need to sell your idea to Judy.  Not me.”

“You let me handle Judy.”

“Fine.”  She waved her hand dismissively.

“You don’t really like me much, do you?”

Ava looked at him, her dark-green eyes gazing at him curiously.  “You’re arrogant and short-tempered.  You didn’t want to give us a shot in the first place, and this is the second time you’ve put me in your truck to twist my arm.  Did I miss what I’m supposed to like?”
     
“Now that you put it like that, I realize I haven’t given you much to be impressed with at all.  Let me fix this snag.”

“Go right ahead.”

He turned his truck toward his barns to put her horse away.  “If I train you, you’ll be a helluva rider.”

"I’m a helluva rider now.”

“Yeah, but when I get done with you, you’ll be a badass helluva rider.”

“Why?  Why are you suddenly so motivated?”

He laughed, parked the truck.  “Maybe I hate to see a nice girl getting taken advantage of by the Horsemen.”

“I’m not being taken advantage of.”
     
"I meant Judy.”  He grinned, enjoying himself.
    
“It doesn’t matter.  You’re not that kind of guy.”

“Unselfish?  Sure I am.”  He went around to open her door.

She slid out of the truck.  “Considerate.  You’re not considerate enough to try to help us out.  Your ego may be involved because you’re competitive.  But not considerate or unselfish.”

He grabbed her hand, turned her to face him.  She’d been sassing him with those pink lips for a few days now, and a man could only take so much.

He kissed her, long and slow and sweet, taking his time since she didn’t protest.  She felt better than he remembered, even in his wildest fantasies, which he’d had plenty of concerning her.  He was dying to move his hands to her waist, circle it, palm her sexy fanny.  Told himself it was too fast, and too fast never got a man anywhere.

Her lips moved under his, returning his kiss, surprising him.  Had she just moved a fraction closer?  She seemed to melt against him, surrendering, and Trace’s world spun at all the magical wonder suddenly opening to him.

Somewhere a truck door slammed.  Ava gasped, moved away from him.  Stared at him, blinking, then silently went to unload her horse.

He followed, helping her unlock the trailer.  She unloaded Mack, walking him to the barn.

“Go away,” she told Trace.

That was it?  He’d given her a kiss to melt the hardest heart, and she was telling him to drop dead?  “Hey,” he said, “don’t freak out.”

“Do I look freaked out?”  She walked her horse inside the barn, checked that Mack had fresh, cool water and plenty of fresh hay.  “This is the face of annoyed.”

That wasn’t a woman’s typical response to his kissing.  “I’m sorry.  I jumped the gun.”

“You jumped more than the gun, buster.”  She put her horse into a stall, checked the hay, filled the water, brushed past him.

He followed her as she sashayed toward her own beat-up blue truck she’d driven from Virginia.  “Ava.”

“What?”  She moved a mountain of paper and horse stuff from the front seat to the back."

“Can you forget that happened?”

“Easily.”  She got in her truck, switched the engine on, rolled down the window.  “I already have.”

He jumped back as she peeled away, shredding his gravel drive.  Trace grinned.

She might try to forget, but that kiss was going to last him a while.

It had to.  He wasn’t touching the lady again—she was going to have to make the next move.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Tina Leonard has sold over 2.6 million copies of her titles. She has made the USA Today Bestseller, Waldenbooks, Bookscan, and Ingrambook lists, and has written and contracted seventy-one books and special projects. Her work has been published by Harlequin, Samhain Publishing, Robinson Scarlet, and most recently Random House Loveswept contracted for a single title trilogy project, Hell’s Outlaws. Leonard was chosen to be among the first authors published for Robinson’s Scarlet line, writing four single title novels for that imprint. Not long after, she sold on proposal to Harlequin American, where she has since written several popular series, most notably the Cowboys By The Dozen, Morgan Men, and Callahan Cowboys series. Her newest single title project, HOTTER THAN TEXAS, was published in March 2013. Leonard is known for her fun sense of humor, endearing communities, snappy dialogue, and memorable characters.

Join Tina at www.tinaleonard.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tinaleonardbooks

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Tina_Leonard

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Red-Hot-Cowboys-Loveswept-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B00HKXQTDM/ref=la_B001HD1ESQ_1_64?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390140573&sr=1-64

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-of-the-red-hot-cowboys-tina-leonard/1117903478?ean=9780345549303

The Fox's Mask (Kitsune Trilogy #1)

by Anna Frost

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:

Demon hunter Akakiba keeps many secrets from his human companion. The fact he's a werefox isn't the worst one.

In feudal Japan, magic is dying. As a demon hunter, Akakiba finds this problematic. The evil he's been trained to destroy is disappearing and, along with it, the shape-shifting abilities of the clan he left behind. With his only companion, a determined young human named Yuki, Akakiba traverses the country slaying demons and performing odd jobs.

But when an army of demon-possessed humans masses to exterminate his clan, Akakiba must put aside old feuds and protect his family–-all while hiding an important secret from Yuki. Will they find a way to defeat the demon possessed before it's too late? With magic dwindling, will it matter either way?
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt One:
Rumor said that shinobi carried out their work in the dead of night, wearing black to disappear in the shadows, entering castles unseen and committing murder unheard.

Rumor, Sanae found out, was wrong.

When she noticed the intruder, it was merely late evening and the colors of sunset hadn’t yet drained from the sky. A gentle wind was tugging strands of hair out of the red ribbon at the nape of her neck, and the air was thick with the scent of spring and renewed life. It was a sudden noise, a thud that did not belong, that first alerted her.

She knelt outside the clan head’s suite on the porch that opened on the gardens. She wasn’t wearing practical clothing like a real guard, but rather a bright-blue furisode with ample sleeves and a beautiful flower pattern. She wore no sword, but a knife was camouflaged in the colorful sash about her waist. Her function was to raise the alarm in case of danger. Fighting was for the adults, those who had undergone the coming-of-age ceremony and thus earned the right to bear a sword. She would soon be one of them, but not yet.

Sanae watched from the corner of her eyes as the intruder became visible among the flowering plum trees. The sound that had alerted her must have been his landing after he’d jumped the wall, an impressive feat indeed. Twice as impressive considering this wall was the second of the clan house, created specifically to protect the clan head and his entourage. The first wall was taller and better guarded. How had this intruder gained access?

Attacks on the Fox clan were so rare that it was considered an honor to witness one. For one to happen while she was standing guard for the first time was amazing luck, and her excitement was far stronger than her fear.

The intruder was dressed in a plain manner that would not attract attention in the clan house, but he could not disguise that which betrayed him: his human aura. The only humans who lived in the clan house were women who did not bear swords. None but a shinobi, an assassin, would be so bold as to try this.

Under normal circumstances, Sanae’s duty would have been to raise the alarm and watch as the intruder fled, discovered too soon to act. But there was no need to let the shinobi know he had been discovered; there was a fox in the garden.

Sanae stared at the fox until she had its attention, then deliberately flicked her gaze toward the intruder. The fox slunk away to enter through a door out of the shinobi’s sight. She forced herself to remain calm, to pretend she hadn’t noticed a thing. After all, she was but a young girl watching the flowers in bloom.

Her heartbeat quickened as the intruder approached, discreetly sizing her up. Would he attack, or would he seek another entrance to the rooms she guarded? There was no doubt he was after the clan head: assassins always were.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Anna Frost is a Canadian girl who spends winters writing and dreaming of summer. An overdose of Japanese culture and media has led her to write fantasy inspired by Japanese mythology. In a shocking break with literary tradition, Anna does not live with cats. Instead she lives with chinchillas, which can be just as demanding and evil as cats.

Author links:

www.annafrost.ca

https://twitter.com/Frostanity

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6452110.Anna_Frost

Buy links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Foxs-Mask-ebook/dp/B009SZNN5W

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/247839

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-foxs-mask-anna-frost/1113580803

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/ebook/the-fox-s-mask-1