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Thursday, November 2, 2017

Book Tour for The Blue Unicorn's Journey to Osm by Sybrina Durant




The Blue Unicorn's Journey to Osm
By Sybrina Durant
 


About the Book:


“The metal horned unicorns are doomed!” That’s what Lauda Lead Horn wailed when she first saw the tribe’s new savior. OK, so his horn was not metal. . .and he did not have a magic power. . .and he was really a puny little runt. But doomed? Were things really that bad? 

Well, things were pretty bad in the land of MarBryn. Magh, an evil sorcerer utilized unicorn horns and hooves to create his magical potions and spells. Those he used, to increase his power and to conquer everyone in his path. All of the unicorns from the Tribe of the Metal Horn were now gone . . . except for twelve survivors. 

Before the blue unicorn was born, Numen told Alumna, the aluminum-horned oracle, that he had a plan to bring the tribe back home to Unimaise. His prophecy was, “Only the blue unicorn can join with the Moon-Star. Until then, no new unicorns will be born.” Blue was the last unicorn born. Twenty years later, his horn was still covered with a plain blue colored hide. There was not a glint of metal to be seen on it or his hooves. And he still didn’t have any magic. But he was no longer scrawny and he had his wits. Though no one else in the tribe thought he had a chance, Blue felt ready to make Magh pay for his evil deeds. And he went off to do it alone. That was Blue’s first mistake. If the entire tribe was not standing horn-tip to horn-tip at the proper time and the exact place to help usher the Moon-Star Spirit into Blue’s horn, he would die. Then, the rest of the tribe would really be doomed. 

Readers will follow along two journey paths in this book. Blue is joined in his travels by his mentor Gaiso, the Stag and his friend, Girasol the Firebird as they try to find their way across a danger-filled MarBryn to Muzika Woods. The rest of Blue’s tribe is forced to follow another route due to Nix Nickle Horn’s unfortunate incident with a Manticore. Nix, the great unicorn defender must safely lead the way for Ghel, the Golden-Horned unicorn; Silubhra Silver Horn; Cornum the Brass-Horned unicorn; Steel Horned Style; Cuprum the Copper-Horned unicorn; Tin-Horned Tinam; Dr. Zinko; Iown the Iron-Horned unicorn and the others in an action packed adventure to their destination in Muzika Woods. Both journey paths converge there in the Nebulium Circle.




 

About the Author:


I'm Sybrina. . .. . .Just one of millions of wannabe author/singer/songwriters out there but I hope, after reading or hearing my books and songs, you'll think my contributions to the world have as much value as any other famous artist out there today.

Fame is all in being in the right place at the right time but at least with the internet and venues like this, all of us have opportunities to share our creativity with the world. I'm so happy that I am able to share my works with you. That is awesome!

The books I’ve written span a wide range between illustrated picture books, coloring books and YA novels to technical and how-to books. If you’re so inclined you can read a little bit about the inspiration for each one below.
My latest effort is “The Blue Unicorn’s Journey To Osm. It is a book I started writing 30 something years ago and never finished. At the time, it was meant to be an epic fantasy along the lines of novels written by Tolkien, Piers Anthony, Ursula K. Le Guin and other amazing fantasy writers. I’ve pulled out my notes, dusted off the outline and began rewriting and expanding upon the 50 pages I had began. This story is now available as an Illustrated Book for teens and older readers in full color and in black and white, too. The black and white version is a "Read and Color" book. Read a chapter, then color the following pages. How fun is that? There is also a picture book for pre-schoolers called Unicorns From Unimaise - The Magical Metal-Horn Trobe. A longer version of the chapter book will soon be available as an Illustrated Novel with a companion glossary called, The Marbryn Compendium. All of the fantastic fantasy illustrations are by Dasguptarts. There is also a companion coloring/character description book, edited by Calyie Martin. It will introduce potential readers to the myriad of characters, places and things in the story.




Review

This is a very well written fantasy book written for children ages 12-18. The story starts strong moving right to the journey that will be happening. There are quite a few moral lessons along the way but I have to admit that the main story line is a tad dark if you have a sensitive child, but if you like to have a way to broach difficult things in a more manageable setting then this is the book for you. The illustrations are awesome and very colorful which draws attention. Overall this is a good youth chapter book that I really enjoyed so I give it 4/5 stars.


Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley


Fate of Flames (Effigies, #1)

Book one in the Effigies series. Welcome to a world where phantoms are bad things that destroy entire cities and a group of four girls chosen by fate to have the power to defeat them whether they want to or not. Maia thought the girls were awesome until she inherits the powers of the newest one to die (apparently this is a common occurrence). What follows is some crazy stuff as the events that start happening make them have to work as a group in order to figure out what is really happening. With no one to trust things get real dicey and after a few surprise twists there is a doozy of a finale. I admit that I was really enjoying the world building and the concept of the arcing story line is quite addicting. I found it well written and am looking forward to the next installment of the story. I really enjoyed it so I give it 4/5 stars.

Blog Tour and Giveaway for The Wolfmoon Series by Nikki Broadwell


Moonstone
Wolfmoon Book 1
By Nikki Broadwell
Genre: Fantasy Romance

Is magic gone from the world? Was it ever here? Read Moonstone and you might just believe in magic again! Fans of Juliet Marillier's 'Daughter of the Forest' series will find themselves right at home.


Finna is pregnant and proud of herself for being strong enough to kick out the father of her child. But when her absent mother shows up and tells her that her baby needs to be blessed by the moon goddess to keep her safe, Finna's newfound confidence disappears. The Otherworld her mother describes sounds tantalizing. And by the time Finna discovers the truth it is too late. Her only hope is to make it out alive.



Willow
Wolfmoon Book 2

Maeve’s dreams are waking her in the middle of the night. And consulting a psychic does little to help. But when a shipment of paintings arrives in the gallery where she works her mind really begins to unravel. What she sees in one of those paintings has to be an hallucination. How could she be seeing herself running with wolves in the background of a landscape simply hanging on the wall? Little does she know what lies ahead. 

Raven
Wolfmoon Book 3

A cold and callous tyrant has taken over Otherworld leaving death and destruction in his wake. The only hope is a prophecy written centuries before. But the woman named hasn’t a clue. How can a green girl from the States come to grips with a destiny she didn’t even know existed? 


Maeve is oblivious of all of it as she travels to Scotland. All she can think about is her boyfriend, Harold who she left behind. But what lies ahead includes him too, and will take both Maeve and Harold into a dangerous world they could never have imagined.

Faery
Wolfmoon Book 4

Maeve and Harold are about to be tested. Between the birth of their baby girl and Maeve’s obsession with the faery known as the ‘love talker’ lie many twisted paths. When the elven queen becomes part of the equation it takes more than love to reweave what’s been unraveled. A Fae civil war brings Harold’s alter ego, King Kenneth MacAlpin, to the fore, possibly ruining Maeve and Harold’s relationship forever. Danger abounds, bringing with it hard decisions and possibly death.



I graduated with a BA in art and English from Sonoma State University in California. I've been an avid reader since I first learned how and a writer from my early teenage years on. I've had several art related businesses, including greeting cards and more recently a silk painting business. When I began to write in earnest I put aside the art, concentrating only on the writing.


I've traveled a lot over the years, finding inspiration wherever I go. Scotland holds a special place in my heart, hence the setting for "The Moonstone". I had to make a 4th trip there to do research as I was putting the book together!



Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!


Book Blitz and Giveaway for Straight to Hell by Jane Hinchey


Straight to Hell
Jane Hinchey
Publication date: October 31st 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Everything you think you know is about to change.
My name is Lucifer. You can call me Lucy – I’m also known as the Devil and Satan, though why my idiot brothers came up with those nick names is beyond me. I’m a Guardian Angel and I run Hell. Yup, I’m the CEO.
Hell is easy. Hell runs like a well-oiled machine. Punishment befitting your sins is carried out and once your sentence is done, voilà, you get to go to Heaven. Simple. Easy.
Until suddenly there’s a blip on the radar. A breach. Some numb nuts on earth is trying to open a portal to another dimension. A very bad, very terrifying, very deadly dimension. So instead of my simple life in Hell, I end up earth side, where nothing is as it seems, looking for the soul stealing monster, avoiding the grumpy angel sent from Heaven and finding out my brothers Michael and Gabriel are twats. That last part’s not true – I’ve known they were twats all along.
With an unexpected fondness for my new human friends as a distraction, and my demonic presence stirring up a shit show of epic proportions, all I want to do is go back to my peaceful life in Hell. But someone has to save the world. It may as well be me.
—
EXCERPT:
“Ummm. Lucy?” Ashliel stepped in beside me, electronic clipboard in hand.
“Yes, Ash?” I knew she had a long list of requests, meetings, messages. As CEO of Hell, my days were busy. I’d built my torturous dimension to great heights over the last few hundred millennia. In the last two hundred years alone, attendance of lost souls entering Hell has risen over two hundred percent, and that number looked to be on the rise.
“There’s a man who wants his punishment of having a buzzard constantly pecking his eyes out to be lessened, a man whose memories have been wiped and he wants to know who he was, and a woman who wants to warn her sister on Earth about the afterlife.” She spoke fast, knowing my time was limited.
“Buzzard man, no can do. This isn’t a negotiation. His punishment was set when he entered Hell. He knows this. Deny future requests. Memory man…good point, how can he atone for his sins if he can’t remember them? See to it that his sinful memories are returned. Only his sins, mind you. And no to the woman who wants to warn her sister—they get plenty of warnings. It’s not like this place is a secret.”
Ashliel’s fingers flew across her clipboard. By the time we reached my offices, she was done. Before stepping out of the glass box I looked down, into the fiery pit where the most heinous of sinners resided. It was eerily beautiful from this vantage point. Sighing, I turned my back on the bubbling pit of fire and exited the elevator, stepping into the opulence of Hell HQ.
I greatly admired the skyscrapers on Earth and had modeled Hell HQ on them. Over two hundred floors, soaring high into the red and orange sky, built from gleaming black marble. My offices took up ten floors alone; the very top floor was my penthouse. Yes, I lived in luxury, but I damn well earned it. Running Hell was hard work, never a moment’s peace. And now this. A breach. It niggled me. Security was tight. It couldn’t have come from the pit; I was just there. Had it come from one of the cell blocks housed on the other side of Hell HQ?
I crossed to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked out on the cells. Row upon row of fifty- story skyscrapers, all housing sinners. They spanned as far as the eye could see, each one providing different levels of punishment. Wingless Demons patrolled the streets, their black skin and red eyes clearly identifying them. Their winged counterparts took to the skies, massive wings spanning over twenty feet, soaring around and around the buildings. Who could escape this? That is if the breach had even come from Hell in the first place. Earth was my brothers’ responsibility. They were charged with watching over the humans. I was annoyed I was being dragged into it, yet I liked the humans. I didn’t want to see them destroyed by some other dimension creature. Not if I could stop it.
A ding on Ashliel’s clipboard caught my attention. I arched a dark brow at her.
“You have a delivery.”
“Probably from my brothers.” I sighed. Had they heard the news and were already poking fun?
“They might have sent something nice,” Ashliel suggested, ever hopeful.
“Knowing my brothers, I doubt it.”
Stepping through the glass doors into my office, I spy a huge gift-wrapped parcel on my sleek black desk. Here we go.
“Thank you, Ashliel. That will be all.” I waited for Ash to leave the room, then approached my desk cautiously. What were they up to? Gabriel and Michael were archangels like me, but when Father chose me over them to head up the Hell Division, to say the boys were a little prickly was an understatement. We hadn’t spoken in over a hundred years. Why now? Today? Were they connected to the breach? Did they instigate it? I wouldn’t put it past them. They’d do anything to see me fail.
Hoping I was wrong, and that maybe, just maybe, the box on my desk was an olive branch, I tore open the wrapping and cautiously opened the lid. Inside was a single piece of paper. On it was written the name, “Emily Barlow.” Who the hell was Emily Barlow? Was she a lost soul? I reached to pull the paper from the box, but the whole thing went up in flames. Great.
With a wave of my hand I put out the flames and cleaned the debris from my desk before crossing to the giant screen across the room, one so big that I had to stand in front of it, or if I preferred, recline on the leather couch a few feet away. I could split the screen into hundreds of smaller screens and monitor Earth and Hell at the same time if I so chose. This time I raised my hand and halved the screen, keeping an eye on my own dimension on the left, and scanning through files searching for Emily Barlow on the right. There were several humans with that name and I flicked through until one caught my eye.
There. Emily Barlow. Human. Alive. Her dossier flashed across the screen, a mini movie of her life so far. She was young, a teenager, seventeen and a high school student, blonde hair, blue eyes, pretty. She was a bossy little thing, liked to be involved in community events and social activities at school. She wanted a career in Public Relations or the Media. As I watched, the screen glitched, froze, then resumed. Emily was in a graveyard. Something was there with her. Something dark. I leaned forward, watching intently as Emily was clasped in a tight embrace, held for a matter of seconds, then let go. Glowing red eyes looked up, directly at me. Then it was gone, leaving Emily’s body on the ground drained of life.
The screen flickered, a brief moment of static, before settling again. This time I no longer saw Emily, but a man. He was sitting at a table, one hand resting on the table, palm up, and in the center of his palm a deep azure blue rock. He sent the message. Did he mean to send it to me I wonder? His eyes sprang open and he flopped back in his seat as if exhausted. I looked into his eyes, magnified the screen so it focused on his face. A very handsome face: strong jaw covered in a light beard, full lips that held my attention for slightly too long. I wondered what they looked like when he smiled.
Then I wondered…why am I wondering about his lips? Okay, seriously, he’s a human, I scolded myself. But it had been a long time since I’d…you know. Had any fun in that department. Maybe a dalliance with a human would take my mind off the stresses of running Hell. As much as I loved my job, I’d yet to have a vacation. I shifted my attention from his kissable lips to his eyes. A combination of hazel and gold, they were striking with their dark lashes. And the way he was looking directly into the screen, it was as if he were looking right at me.
Decision made.

Author Bio:
Aussie Author Jane Hinchey writes sexy, snarky, badass, paranormal romances and urban fantasy novels.
Living in the City of Churches (aka Adelaide, South Australia) with her man, two cats, and turtle, she spends her days writing fantastical stories full of dark sexy vampires, hot shifters, sexy aliens, jaw dropping demons, sinful angels, and magical witches – and while they can be snarky and swear a lot, they mean well and you’ll grow to love them. Honestly.
When she’s not in her writing cave she’s usually playing the Sims, Civilizations or something similar, binge watching Netflix or upping the ante in the crazy cat lady stakes. She loves to hear from her readers, so swing on by her website at www.janehinchey.com and say hi.

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Book Blitz and GIveaway for Love, Secrets and Absolution by K.L. Loveley


Love, Secrets and Absolution
K.L. Loveley
Publication date: November 1st 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary
People in the village gossip and say that Grace’s long-awaited son Alfie is “different”. He is a lonely boy with secrets, lies and obsessive thoughts.
How far can a mother’s unconditional love go? Will she ultimately sacrifice her life for his?
Set in Nottinghamshire, England – this gripping psychological drama follows the lives of Grace and her son Alfie, who transforms from a naïve boy to a University student spiralling out of control. A coming-of-age story with a difference.
A family falling apart: deceit, betrayal, teenage angst, love and addiction.
Will anybody find absolution?
—
EXCERPT:
As the snowflakes fell, Grace shivered and instinctively stroked her bulging baby bump. Last night’s heavy snowfall was unusual for March and had taken everyone by surprise, including Grace who was ill prepared for the long walk to the doctor’s surgery. Underneath her unbuttoned teal blue Dannimac coat, she wore a hand-knitted cardigan and a velour maternity dress. Her swollen feet were uncomfortable in the brown moccasin boots she had squeezed them into. She sighed out loud. It’s going to be a cold and miserable trek to the baby clinic, she thought.
As soon as Grace stepped into the doctor’s surgery, the warm air hit her and she instantly became relaxed. She notified the receptionist of her presence and sat down on a brown utilitarian chair. As she gazed around the small waiting room she acknowledged the other mums-to-be, all of whom were younger than her. ‘Ayup, Grace, not long now eh, till your baby’s due,’ said a red-haired girl wearing a bright orange maternity dress. Just then, Grace experienced a sharp kick from her baby, she smiled and lovingly stroked her baby bump.
‘Shouldn’t be too long now,’ she replied.
The matronly midwife measured her baby bump to calculate the fundal height, and advised that according to her calculations the due date was today! However, after completing a multitude of other examinations, the midwife declared with some trepidation that Grace wouldn’t be giving birth just yet. ‘Your baby is a stubborn one and definitely nowhere near ready to come. Ain’t got its head engaged yet.’ the midwife chortled. Grace became frustrated, what did the midwife mean by “head not engaged”?
As Grace set off home and waded through the snowy village, she kept thinking of this strange terminology. She was so engrossed in her thoughts, that she lost concentration and tripped on a broken paving slab hidden beneath the snow. She fell onto the wet, cold, ground in an uncompromising position. With her coat spread out across the glistening snow, and her olive green maxi dress sprawled around her, she looked just like a huge beached whale.
Fortunately, one of her husband’s work colleagues’ drove by on his way to the afternoon shift down the mine. Laurence stopped the car and assisted Grace to her feet, ‘Please don’t mention this to Paul, I don’t want him worrying,’ pleaded Grace. However, her words must have fallen on deaf or mischievous ears, for within the hour, her husband arrived home with an anxious look on his face.
‘The whole colliery knows about your tumble, Grace. Laurence put it on the Tannoy system for me to go home as soon as possible, to look after you,’ he said whilst composing himself. ‘I felt sick with worry on hearing the message. All of my mates ushered me off the coal face with as much speed as one would expect in a colliery emergency and they send their regards. You should have seen the gaffers face, it was a sight to behold!’ He stated. ‘Not to worry,’ he said, ‘my shift was coming to an end anyway.’
Paul had rushed home still covered in black coal dust, his eyes rimmed with thick black lines, which almost looked like skilfully applied kohl eyeliner. He looked rather attractive she thought, almost exotic looking, deep, and interesting with the sooty lashes framing his soft brown eyes. ‘No time for a shower I’m afraid, not when my first child might have a rude awakening from his comfort zone and make an imminent arrival.’


Author Bio:
K.L Loveley is a former nurse, who has seen, heard, and dealt with a wide range of medical, social and family dramas. She has used her nursing experience, along with her excellent people-watching skills to create fascinating characters and intriguing scenarios within her books. She writes contemporary fiction, psychological dramas, and poetry.
Her debut novel Alice was published in February 2017, and the story tackles alcoholism head-on and presents the reader with an empathetic account of a spiraling addiction and the resulting pattern of hopelessness that many fall into.
K.L Loveley’s second novel Love, Secrets, and Absolution: An emotional and gripping psychological, family drama’ is a coming of age story with a difference. Deceit, betrayal, love, and addiction, this story is about a family falling apart in the midst of teenage angst and torn loyalties.
If you enjoy reading authors like Jodi Picoult and Diane Chamberlain, you will enjoy K.L Loveley!
K.L Loveley lives in Nottinghamshire, England and loves socializing with friends and family. She is an avid reader and enjoys a variety of genres including psychological, thrillers and historical fiction. Her favorite authors include John le Carré, K.L Slater, Marian Keyes and Philippa Gregory.

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Book Blitz and Giveaway for Mick & Michelle by Nina Rossing


Mick & Michelle
Nina Rossing
Published by: Harmony Ink Press
Publication date: October 31st 2017
Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
Fifteen-year-old Mick Mullins has a great life: his parents are sweet, his sister is tolerable, and his friendships are solid. But as summer descends on Queens, he prepares to turn his carefree existence upside down by disclosing a secret he has kept long enough. It’s time to work up the courage to reveal that he is not a boy, but a girl—and that her name is Michelle. Having always been the perfect, good boy, Michelle is terrified that the complicated truth will disappoint, hurt, or push away the people closest to her. She can’t continue hiding for much longer, though, because her body is turning into that of a man’s, and she is desperate to stop the development—desperate enough to consider self-medicating with hormones.
Most of all, Michelle fears that Grandpa, who is in a nursing home after a near fatal stroke, won’t survive the shock if he finds out that his favorite grandchild, and the only boy, is a girl. If she kills her beloved Grandpa by leaving Mick behind, she isn’t sure embracing her real identity will be worth the loss.
—
EXCERPT:
As we walk down the street next to each other, it strikes me that the nagging feeling I’ve been having lately is also down to him, because I look too much like my father. I’m the same height as him but skinnier. I adjust my walk so I don’t mirror his familiar swagger. I wish I didn’t have his hair, down to the identical whorl slightly to the right at the back of our heads. His hair is darker than mine, so dark auburn it looks black when wet, but thin and limp, always flyaway, so no good for keeping long. Buzz cut material, and that looks fine enough on him. My hair is quite short by convenience only. I would have liked to have my mother’s hair, which is thick and robust, a haystack in the mornings, and she uses a straightening iron to control it. If I tried that iron on my hair, I think it’d just melt away and disappear.
“How does summer feel so far?” Dad says and waves at Mrs. McAtee, who used to babysit him when he was little. I don’t think Dad has fond memories of her, because she never babysat me or Ash. No one outside the family was ever allowed to babysit us. “Any plans?” he adds after I fail to reply in the three seconds it takes him to grow impatient.
“Deliver papers and go busking,” I say. I was supposed to wait tables at Pepito’s Italian, but they went bust two weeks ago. I haven’t found anything else. The paper route job stopped last week, because I foolishly resigned when I got the gig with Pepito’s. As for busking… well, that’s more of a wild idea than a realistic plan.
“Busking? You only know three songs.”
“Five songs, and people move around, so they won’t catch on to my limited repertoire. Besides, I can always learn a couple more songs.”
“And what will you do if I, or your ma, come and catch you soliciting funds?”
“I can outrun you easily, Dad. The both of you. Rookie Ryan too.”
“Yeah, yeah. Smart-mouth. We have an alternative plan for you this summer. Busking is not a part of it. Tell you over dinner.”
“What? Why not right away? Are you finally paying for Wizarding Summer School now that I’ve grown out of it?”
“Wait and see.”


Author Bio:
Nina Rossing lives in Norway, where the winters are long and the summers short. Despite the brilliant nature surrounding her, she spends more time in front of her computer, or with a book in her hands, than in the great outdoors (though you may find her out on her mountain bike if the weather is good). She works as a high school teacher, which in her opinion is probably the best job in the world.

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Book Blitz and Giveaway for Winter's Siren by Krystal Jane Ruin


Winter’s Siren
Krystal Jane Ruin
Publication date: November 1st 2017
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
For the last five years, Fawn has been the star soprano of a secluded opera house, forced to sing for her kidnapper.
His daughter, Devi, waits patiently in the shadows, hiding a face so horrible that no one who’s seen it will look at it again.
As Fawn plots her escape, whispers spread through the shaded corridors of dark sorcery, warning her that she must flee by the next opening night.
But when Fawn draws close to the exit, it’s Devi who’s standing in her way, leading Fawn to suspect that Devi has something to gain if she fails.
(a dark reimagining of Swan Lake)
—
EXCERPT:
Frosty air nips at my nose. I stand almost knee deep in fresh fallen snow, letting the diffused sunlight hit my face. There is no sound. Peace settles over me. In this moment, I truly feel like I’m in the middle of nowhere.
Something cold and wet explodes on the back of my neck. For a moment, I fear the worst. A boil. Pus. My father’s description of my mother’s face plays out in my mind.
But then I hear Andrew laughing behind me. I touch the rough skin on my neck and bring a shaky and damp glove to my face. Snow. It’s just snow.
It’s the middle of the day, and my face is uncovered. To make everything worse, it’s bright outside. Freezing and overcast, but bright.
My hands fly to my face automatically.
“Are you going to let me get away with that?” Andrew laughs again.
I twist around and peek at him through my fingers.
He stands before me, his arms spread wide. A thick coat covers his arms, and in his gloved hands, he holds another snowball. “You have two seconds to stop me!”
I flip my hood over my head and drop down to gather snow in my hands.
Another snowball bursts against my head. The wetness plasters my hair to my face. I hurl my deformed ball in his direction. It misses him completely.
Another wad of snow lands on my neck while I gather a larger, rounder ball of snow. “Cheating!” I throw my handful at him. It lands weakly by his knees.
“Here, let me help you.” He climbs towards me and gathers a nice, solid ball in his fist. He hands this to me, and then stands back and spreads his arms wide again. “Try again.”
I throw it square at his nose.
“Ow!” He covers his face and cries out dramatically. “It’s in my eyes!”
“Stop it! Are you serious?” I navigate closer to him, and he falls back into the snow. I run to his side and hear laughter bubbling out from behind his hands. “Jerk!” I shovel snow over his body, and he laughs all the while.
Then he goes still. I stop.
“Andrew?” I lean in close. “Andrew?”
He lunges out of his shallow grave and tackles me to the ground.
A panicked scream leaves my body as he lands on top of me, heavy and warm. Then a strange sound comes out of my mouth. Something that’s never come out of it before. Laughter.
His braid hangs down, inches from my sunken cheek. Suddenly aware of how close his head is to mine, the laughter dies in my throat, and I slap my gloves to my cheeks.
“You have such beautiful eyes,” he says.
My breath is trapped in my chest. It hurts. I don’t know how much he can see of my face—my hood is pulled low and my hair and hands cover everything else—but I fear it’s too much.
“Andrew . . .”

Author Bio:
Krystal is the author of supernatural and paranormal fiction, living in the Tennessee Valley with a collection of swords and daggers. When she's not hoarding stuffed pandas, hourglasses, and Hello Kitty replicas, she can be found in YouTube hole or blogging about books, writing, and random things at KrystalSquared.net.

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