Fall into Romance with paranormal thriller Half

Welcome to the next stop on the Fall into Romance Blog Hop! Sponsored by Romance Blog Hops Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoy a taste of romance from my paranormal thriller, Half. Would you like to win an ebook copy? Just leave a comment and one lucky winner will be chosen and announced on the 23rd of September. Don't forget to enter the Fall into Romance Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $75 Amazon gift card. Now pour a cuppa and relax as you get aquatinted with Valeska and Alex of Half.

About Half

Guarding CEO Alex Blazen during a charity gala was an easy job for Valeska Gorstef...until all hell breaks loose... Literally. Forced to face her own darkness, Valeska may lose her only chance to live a human life. Two sides of her soul will be at war. Which half will win?

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EXCERPT

Valeska stood within the darkness of the room and felt it breathe. The dark was a living creature part of

what she was. Her darkness, her vampire, and she hated it. A bit of dust and the stain was all that was left of her father. Once she had thought killing him would free her to live a normal life, but that was just a pretty lie.

After all this time, she still had to exist in the twilight between two worlds. Trapped. She was lost in the past when she heard footsteps and smelled Alex’s cologne before he reached the room. Good. He’ll see the darkness and run. It would be that easy to stop this before I want any more than I can have.

Alex didn’t run. Instead, he walked over, embracing her and kissing her blood covered mouth. All he cared about was showing her it didn’t matter. That he loved her human or not. Plying her lips with his tongue, he gently pushed into her mouth and met sharp fangs.

She tasted fresh blood and pushed him away roughly. “Alex stop! I haven’t fed enough.”

He gazed at her and the concern she saw there was more than she could bear. “I couldn’t. I couldn’t take an unwilling victim, not even a four legged one.”

He looked beneath the splatters of blood to the pain her eyes held. What horrors she must have endured to survive over six hundred years of life.

She wanted to push him farther away. “Don’t you see me? This is Valeska Gorstef. Alex, I can’t change what I am. I can smell the sweet copper scent of blood in your mouth. I can hear your heart pumping more through your veins and I want it. I want to taste you in ways that have nothing to do with passion.”

The video flashed in his mind. “I see the beautiful woman who walked into my office three days ago. I see the dark desire in your eyes. Blood isn’t all you want.”

She shook her head. “Alex, you don’t know what you’re asking.” Valeska felt her control starting to slip.

“No, I don’t.” Alex unbuttoned her shirt, peeled the blood soaked fabric from her shoulders. He pulled off his own shirt and tossed it in the pile. She was dizzy from bloodlust and need. Need to give in, need to love him.

She stood stiff as he embraced her and kissing, caressing first one lip then the other. He was more careful exploring the warmth of her mouth. He licked her fangs tasting the sweet copper in her mouth.

Weakening with the scent of his body so close, she kissed him back him feeling his warm clean skin. They fell to the floor, she rolled over him. “We can’t do this. I have to feed.”

He grabbed her face as he kissed her again. “Then feed.”

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The Briton and the Dane: Second Edition gets Audible

Historical fiction author MarryAnn Bernal's epic tale The Briton and the Dane is now available in audio-book.

About The Briton and the Dane

King Alfred the Great has thwarted the Viking threat against his kingdom of Wessex. Signing a treaty with the formidable Danish King Guthrum, he succeeds in pushing the heathen army back to the rolling fens of East Anglia.

An uneasy peace holds sway: The King establishes a standing army under Lord Richard, who takes command of the citadel at Wareham.

Richard and his army are accompanied by his daughter, Gwyneth, an impetuous and reckless young woman - at once striking, intellectually gifted, but dangerously vain and imprudent.

While Richard broods on the Viking threat, Gwyneth falls in love with an enemy prince - only to discover that she has been betrothed to a Saxon warrior twice her age.

Refusing to countenance her grim fate, she flees the fortress, but is soon kidnapped by a Viking warrior and taken to the camp of King Guthrum while Saxon search parties scour the land.

In captivity, a hostage to fortune, and the focus of political intrigue, Gwyneth is submerged in a world of expediency, betrayal, and black treachery. Slowly, she realizes the truth is suspect, nothing is what it appears and her reality cannot be trusted.


And all the time, against this background, she desires nothing more than to be reunited with her dashing Danish prince.

Where to get The Britton and the Dane audio-book
Audible
iTunes

About Author MaryAnn Bernal
Mary Ann Bernal, author of The Briton and the Dane novels, is an avid history buff whose area of interest

focuses on Ninth Century Anglo-Saxon Britain during the Viking Age. While pursuing a degree in business administration, she managed to fit creative writing classes and workshops into her busy schedule to learn the craft, but it would take decades before her “Erik the Viking” novel was ultimately published.

Mary Ann is also a passionate supporter of the United States military, having been involved with letter writing campaigns and other support programs since Operation Desert Storm. She has appeared on The Morning Blend television show hosted by KMTV, the CBS television affiliate in Omaha, and was interviewed by the Omaha World-Herald for her volunteer work. She has also been a featured author on Triangle Variety Radio, The Phil Naessens Show, and The Writers Showcase, and has been interviewed extensively by American and European bloggers.

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Those Off Kilter Days

It’s been a while since I’ve checked in. I feel like I’ve been off planet part of the time. There has been so much activity going on in my house and life that my poor blog has been suffering from neglect.

My writing has been the same a bit. Usually I write every day, but lately it has been sporadic and short bursts. I feel very off kilter when I don’t write at least a few paragraphs in a day. I feel like I’ve forgotten something very important all day long. 

Though some of the distractions have been super exciting things that could lead to rising up another rung or two on the ladder of success. I was honored to give a workshop at the Fall Conference for Florida Authors and Publishers Association. What a fantastic experience that was!

I was inspired and thrilled to meet wonderful authors and publishers from all over the state. If you aren’t a

How to energize your platform
with technology workshop at FAPA's
Fall Conference

member of FAPA I do encourage it. They are a fantastic group of people who strive to help authors and publishers succeed. It was a hugely positive experience that I hope to have again next year!

My next big distraction was the primary elections. I’m not a very political person and I keep my views to myself. (most of the time *wink*) I do pride myself on being an election poll worker. I am Clerk of Precinct 3500, Marion County, FL. This is my 20^th Year as clerk there. I absolutely love working elections.

Yes, it can be stressful and tedious when things go wrong or very few voters show up at the polls. The day is a long one about 16hrs long for a clerk, but, it is also very rewarding to know I’ve been a small part of history being made.

Now, though those distractions are past and it’s time to buckle down and set some goals that will get my muse back on track and stories moving again.

Goals for the week of 9/7 thru 9/13

1) Write at least 1000 words daily

2) Get 2 articles finished for Orlando Destinations

3) Get one part 1 of special project completed.

4) Go someplace that will inspire the muse.

5) Post one more blog for this week at least.

I think that should get the muse moving and back in kilter… I hope! When big distractions loom or events take place that knock everything off kilter, it can be difficult to set it right again. Getting back into a grove can feel very disjointed until that smooth rhythm can be found again.

Now it’s your turn to set some goals and follow where your muse leads you this week. How do you battle those off kilter times that spring up?