Cover and Blurb Reveal – Portals: A #Fantasy Anthology @Roanepublishing

Today I have the (less and less) rare opportunity to share in a cover reveal for a cover I actually created. This one is for Roane Publishing’s upcoming fantasy anthology, PORTALS, which releases June 5, 2014. In addition to having the priviledge of sharing the cool cover with you all, I also have the descriptions (blurbs) for all the stories to be featured in the anthology.

So, without further ado…

PORTALS
A Fantasy Anthology

Publisher: Roane Publishing

Release Date: June 5, 2014

Keywords: Anthology, Short Stories, Fantasy, Picture Prompt

Description: No matter what world you call home, and what your station in life, there are just some paths that weren’t meant to be tread.

Story Blurbs:

Maronda’s Quest by Christy Thomas

Blurb: The Grand Wizard has decreed Maronda enter the Portal of Life to embark upon a quest of great importance, but despite her Ma’s claims it is a blessing, premonitions of danger persist.
Lenox works to prove his worth to wed her, his true love, but it appears a wizard plots to remove him from Maronda’s life forever. To secure their future together, Lenox decides to accompany her on the quest, even if forbidden. He must ultimately choose between using his dragon fighting skills which could lead to his death, or give Maronda her greatest desire.
In the end, it’s Maronda who must learn to live with the consequences of his decision.

Mexmur, the Huntress by Anna Simpson

Blurb: Long ago a dragonkeeper betrayed his charges. To bring back magic, to set things right, Mexmur is sent through the portal.
Can she succeed armed with only a poem, talon and blade?

Entrance of Lost Souls by Echo Shea

Blurb: A guardian to the entrances between worlds, Gladys has been called to bring a little girl back from Fairyland. Passing through the Entrance of Lost Souls is no fun, neither is hunting down a deranged banshee, but what is a guardian to do?
And, is the banshee really kidnapping the girl…or saving her from something else?

Where Once were Hearts by Havva Murat

Blurb: After losing both his parents, his entire fortune and his childhood sweetheart, Master Bartholomew Battlesby sets out into the wilds of Northern England to make the acquaintance of his only surviving relation, the landed recluse, Mr. Horatio Grimsby who has an eerie penchant for both tinkering and clockwork. But, on finding his relation dead, with a gaping hole in his chest, and the beautiful, but scornful, Miss Evangeline Witherop ruling in his place, Bartholomew learns there is more than one way to lose your heart.
Can Bartholomew reignite the spirit of love and mercy within Miss Witherop, or will he suffer the same fate as his poor, heartless cousin?

Ordinary World by Laurie Treacy

Blurb: Imagine a new neighbor moves next door, a creepy guy who gives fifteen year-old Amy Silva the willies? Amy wonders what the stone archway in the backyard is for. Her life becomes even more stressful when her family reveals they’re witches. Could Amy’s new neighbor have anything to do with a local girl’s disappearance or be a threat to her magical loved ones?

The Lunatic Queen by Michael Siciliano

Blurb: The land of Mershinka has been thrown into perpetual night. Their King is dead and a moon witch, known as The Night Queen, rules from the royal palace in Grosnov. An endless fog shrouds the land, killing crops and starving the populace. Cold-eyed enforcers put down rebellions while volksa, twisted wolf-creatures, roam the mists looking for prey. Many have given up hope and wait for the inevitable end. All seems lost.
Two teenagers, Pavel and Tamara, devise a plan to kill Vazya the Night Queen when the moons Kainsk and Seresnya are down, end the stifling enchantment, and bring the sun back to their dying land. But, they need a watch to tell time, a compass to guide them through the mists, weapons to fight off Vazya’s minions, and all the courage they can muster.

Add to Goodreads

 

 

For the Love of Murphy Blog Tour – Top Two Quirky Romances #BlogTour #Giveaway #Romance

Welcome readers and blog followers 🙂 Always nice to have you come by my little corner of the web.

As part of the For the Love of Murphy Blog Tour, I’ve decided I’d talk a little bit about the theme of the anthology — Murphy’s Law — by finding out what the authors top two quirky romance movies are.

Since I am one of the authors, I’ll wait to share mine with the others 😛

Here’s what they had to say…

Top Two Quirky Romance Movies:

Michelle Ziegler:
I love the Ugly Truth and The Holiday. I think they’ve got quirk. Too bad my nights are filled with a whole lot of Disney instead of my favs.

London Saint James:
Number two would be an older movie called, Say Anything with John Cusack and Ione Skye. Best quote of the movie was: “I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen.” It was funny, sweet, sad, touching… everything I like in a quirky romance.
And my number one quirky romance movie is: 50 First Dates with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. The heroine, Lucy wakes up thinking every day is October 13th from the year before and the hero, Henry tries to get Lucy to remember him. Even though this movie had a lot of crazy, funny scenes, it also had some real touching moments that made the movie both quirky and memorable.

Rebecca Hart:
My favorite quirky romance movie was Groundhog Day. I absolutely adore Bill Murray, and I probably watched that movie almost as many times as they repeated Groundhog day in the movie. I’m a sucker for a good romantic comedy.

My second favorite has to be 50 First Dates. Not only is Adam Sandler adorably sweet, I am a huge fan of Drew Barrymore. The plot was inventive, and the romantic elements were sweet enough to make you cry. Laugh and cry in the same movie…a winner in my book.

Lisa A. Adams:
Quirky romance? Um… Juno would probably be the first. It’s so incredibly different and fun. Then, I’d have to say The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. That dance scene in the woods with Sandra and Betty White, yeah I almost fell out my chair.

Annabelle Blume:
My top two quirky romance movies are This Is 40, because it’s such an amazingly honest portrayal of that middle part of marriage, and Fools Rush In, because the jokes are funny and the romance is still adorable seventeen years later.

What about you readers out there?  Do you have a favorite quirky romance we haven’t mentioned? What are some of your favs? Would love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment — sharing is caring *wink*

For the Love of Murphy
Publisher:  Roane Publishing
Release Date:  March 17, 2014
Key Words:  Adult, Romance, Sweet, Contemporary, Anthology

No Wrong Turns by Lisa A. Adams

Jessica Brannah is escaping from her last heartbreak with a loaded car and a new address. But, when Murphy’s Law finds her stranded in a back country town, she realizes there’s no outrunning love.

Falling For You by Michelle Ziegler

Darci’s ready to move on. Too bad the dating pool stinks.  Until, a ghost from her past resurfaces—the man she missed out on in college.

Andrew was the one man she’d always loved, but neither of them ever made a move.  But, old feelings aren’t the only thing resurfacing of late.  Darci’s ex comes crawling back at the most inappropriate time, and with all the testosterone flying, she might not end up with either man.

Coffee and Cufflinks by Annabelle Blume

Fresh out of a failed relationship and exhausted by a constant barrage of fiascos at work, Olivia Johnson doesn’t see the man of her dreams standing right in front of her. She tells herself the morning coffee meet-ups with Daren are nothing but coincidence, but even she can’t deny his unequivocal attractiveness. When a night entertaining clients takes a turn for the worst, and Daren shows up where she least expects him, failure starts to look more like fate.

A Slippery Slope by Rebecca Hart

Anne Montgomery is psyched for her girl’s only weekend, despite her friends’ choice of vacation locale—the snowy slopes of Harris Peak Ski Resort—where someone as notoriously accident prone as she has no business being. When Murphy’s Law finally catches up with her, Anne is forced to consider there may be times when it pays to be unlucky.

The Shamrock Incident by London Saint James

Florist, Marissa Carmichael isn’t usually a klutz, but she’s in a hurry and having a bad day. In her haste, she loses her balance and tumbles from the back room of her shop, arms flailing. Her less than graceful entrance halted by a headfirst crash into a display case chock full of silk flowers.

Trey Cleary didn’t think his day could get any worse, until he finds. himself picking the side view mirror of his BMW up from the ground. On a mission to do something about it, he locates the flower shop matching the name on the back of the van that mangled his ‘baby’. But, his car is forgotten when a beautiful woman bursts into the room like an out of control whirling dervish, and takes one mother of a wipeout into the shop’s counter. Coming to her aid brings out the hero in him like no one he’s ever encountered, and leaves him with a need to know more.

For Marissa and Trey, this just might be the one time it pays to be unlucky.

Group Giveaway:  $10 Amazon Gift Card & paperback copy of For the Love of Murphy 

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