Monday, March 15, 2021

Book Tour & Giveaway ~ Shadows of Atlantis by Mara Powers

 



Awakening
Shadows of Atlantis Book 1
by Mara Powers
Genre: Fantasy Romance


Prepare to be seduced by the dark legacy of Atlantis.

Check out the runaway classic that's taking the world by storm! A mystical masterpiece filled with romance, passion, darkness and deceit. If you are an acolyte of the magical teachings, this is a MUST READ.

Critically acclaimed series Shadows of Atlantis is a rising star in the world of fantasy romance.

"Mindblowing!"
"A masterwork!"
"Pure genius."
"This book is a work of art!"

Brigitte is an emissary of nature chosen to renew the treaty between Atlantis and the ancient bloodline of Lemuria. Her sacred betrothal would renew the elemental function of the Crystal Grid that powers the ten kingdoms of Atlantis. But her people are attacked by a storm of shadows, and now she is running for her life.

Upon her arrival in the ruling city, she meets D’Vinid, a dejected musician who lives the quintessential Atlantean lifestyle of revelry, escapism and apathy. Under the eclipse of a holy festival, they are swept into an attraction they cannot resist. Their union may protect humanity from its worst enemy - the shadows of Atlantis. But there is one problem, this man is not her betrothed.

Brigitte discovers the Grid is corrupted by psychic parasites that feed off human suffering, an epidemic called “the madness”. The rituals required to charge the Grid with psychic emanations have been poorly attended, and this has caused the Grid to malfunction. But as nature always strives toward balance, the crystals have activated a genetic upgrade among the people. The youth have begun to express supernatural powers. Could it be that D’Vinid and Brigitte are meant to be leaders among the awakened? And if so, why is it impossible for them to be together?

A mysterious tale of romance, seduction and betrayal that reaches just enough into the modern mind to ask - will we learn the lessons of Atlantis?


"Had me turning the pages obsessively from the very beginning." -Readers Favorite 5-Star Review.

"I have a real interest in mythology after studying it in college. I had high hopes for the first in Mara Powers's fantasy saga and I was not disappointed." Bookish Picks 5-Star Review

"Mysterious, alluring and so engaging, it draws you in from the very first chapter and takes you on a fast-paced journey of discovery and danger, right up to its unpredictable conclusion." 
Kickass Reads 5-Star Review

"Mara does a beautiful job of tying fact and fiction together in such a way as to convince the reader she has solved the mystery of Atlantis.” Amazon Review

"Fantasy, mythology, philosophy, romance, tragedy, humor, horror, adventure, thrill... this book lacks nothing.” -Goodreads Review

"The sublime beauty and mystery make this book so incredibly engrossing that the reader will be captivated and impressed by the author's intuitive and solid understanding of ancient Atlantis." Amazon Review

**On Sale for only .99cents 3/25 – 3/28!!**



Leaving the Dreamvale would mean Brigitte would gradually forget growing up on the rocky shores of the mystical islands. She stood in her favorite place high above the dreamclan village watching the ocean dance with the cliffs. It would be her last chance to behold the glory of sunset before boarding the galleon bobbing in the cove below.
Evenings were always a masterpiece of color, the best time to behold the splendor of nature’s art. Clouds of rainbow prisms had the look of creatures billowing in the sky. But in the distance, a wall of storm opened like the jaws of a predator, drifting ever closer to the peaceful, green island.
“Brigitte.” A male voice echoed through her contemplation. She felt a pang of disappointment. Leaving would mean the beginning of a journey she had feared all her life. With one last lingering view of the panorama, she held her breath, reached out her arms and leapt from the cliff. As a mass of dancing particles, she bounced down the ragged rocks toward the village, one with the wind. Taking her time would be rude, so she kept moving until she filled the inside of her room.
Her brother Lukias was a dreamseer, finely tuned to the invisible. As usual, his hair was a shock of chaos that pointed in every direction. The amber of his eyes sparkled with gold flecks as he stood over her body with arms crossed. He looked right at her dream form. “The council has called us,” he said with a hint of impatience.
Brigitte sank back into her body and opened her eyes.
“I warned you not to dreamwalk too much.” He turned his back as she reached for her travel clothes. “You could separate from your body and forget how to return. Especially here in the Dreamvale.”
“It hardly matters anymore.” She watched the sun’s rays shoot dusty light through holes in the walls. She thought about the pattern it made every day at this time, the royal symbol of Atlantis. “In Atlantis we will be bound to our bodies.”
Lukias reached out a caring hand and patted her shoulder. “There will be ways to dreamwalk in the realms of matter. It will just be more… challenging.”
She smirked, knowing he always loved a challenge. He could always find humor even in the grimmest of circumstances. They exchanged a few moments of unfolding memories until, with the final boot in place, she stamped her feet and started for the door. “You coming?”
Together they walked to the center of the village where the council was gathered in a semi-circle facing a woman. She wore the leather of seafarers, her face shaded by a wide-brimmed hat. With one hip thrust to the side, her demeanor was unruffled with a twist of amusement.
Their father Denikon raised his booming voice for all to hear. “Captain Ofira Pazit of the Dreamship Vex Voyager, I give you my daughter Brigitte, emissary to Atlantis. She is the first true Moirae born into our dreamclan for seven generations.”
The captain wrinkled her chin. “Impressive. Embodied Watchers are rare, even among dreamclans.” Her chameleon eyes shifted in the fading light. “If you are ready, I think it wise that we set sail before that shadow storm arrives, don’t you?” Her eyes slid toward the horizon. “This storm has struck more than one dreamclan. All of them were to send emissaries for the renewal of the Telluric Treaty. None of them have been heard from.” She turned back to the council. “Are you certain you want to risk staying? It would be a tight fit, but we can evacuate the rest of you.”
Brigitte glanced at the grim face of her tutor Indrius. The mysterious Atlantean woman had always been a curiosity to the clan. Though she had spent many years among them, she was never one of them. She was riddled with tragedy from a past she never spoke of, a past born in Atlantis.
Denikon answered, “Those who remain have chosen to face the shadows.” His voice was steadfast though regret lingered in his eyes. He exchanged a nod with Indrius. “I am sending Lukias, my son and heir, to accompany his sister. If we fall, he will be the future of our clan. But trust me, we will not go down without a fight.”
The council had argued for many moon cycles, trying to decide the fate of their people. It was important for Brigitte to escape. Her path was evident. The first ships had already departed, taking women and children to places of refuge. The rest stayed, devising a strategy. Though they were hopeful, they worked with the solemnity of people who faced their demise.
She squinted at Lukias as he and Indrius said their goodbyes. Theirs was always a close relationship. But everyone liked Lukias. Her time spent with Indrius was always strained at best. She offered him a gift. The sun flashed off a crystal dangling from a silver chain. Brigitte could feel the telluric consciousness radiating from the multi-faceted quartz. It pulsed with a longing that made her fidget.
After a whispered message to Lukias, the white-haired woman turned to look at Brigitte. Her green eyes were gray with emotion. She brushed Brigitte’s cheek with her fingertips. “You know your task,” she began. “Remember your Watcher powers. It has become exceedingly difficult to travel between realms on this planet. I fear this shadow storm will make it even more difficult. Atlantis is suffering from a disease. It will try and take you, too. Do not be attached to your human wishes and emotions. For humans, attachment can turn to weakness and suffering. This only serves to feed the shadows. Your path will not be easy.”
“I will do what it takes to find a cause and a cure for Atlantis. I will be mindful of your warnings.”
“Therein lies the trick. As you descend deeper into the Meridian Realm, you will forget my warnings. Take steps to hold them in your heart.” She lingered in Brigitte’s eyes for a few awkward moments. “I have prepared you as best I could, my child. I regret how I’ve treated you.” She faced Brigitte and held her shoulders. “Know that I loved you like my own daughter. My treatment toward you was an attempt to prepare you for the task you face. Atlantis will not be kind to you.”
“I understand, Indrius. You had no choice.” Brigitte wanted to cry. But her tears had long since dried up. 




Symbiosis
Shadows of Atlantis Book 2


The spellbinding saga of Atlantis continues in Mara Powers' 2nd book.

The memory of Brigitte’s upbringing in the Dreamclans slowly fades away as she succumbs to the lavish lifestyle of her new home. Caught in the grip of The Madness epidemic, she descends into an elixir-fueled haze. It’s the only way to silence the judgmental voices in her head. Outside the gilded walls, a looming storm encircles the city, trapping its inhabitants as they remain blind to the treachery within.

Meanwhile, D’Vinid is reluctantly caught up in the unstoppable currents of fate. A harrowing encounter with the murderous Shadowmancers launches him on a perilous journey, while Symbiosis with his new soul-crystal reveals clues to the corruption of the Crystal Grid. All paths lead back into the forbidden arms of Brigitte. Is their union a beacon of hope? Or will it unleash the Shadows of Atlantis?

In this eagerly anticipated sequel to Shadows of Atlantis: Awakening, Symbiosis follows the horrifying psychological descent of a falling civilization. Utopia is dying - but how can they stop what they can’t even see?







Mara Powers is a rebel of the written word who has tackled the monumental task of recreating Atlantis. When she was 16 in Fort Collins, Colorado, she began visiting the library in search of things she couldn't learn in school. Her goal was to re-define her religion. She studied theology voraciously until she discovered the concept of reincarnation though Hinduism. It was the answer to a lifelong existential crisis that had plagued her for many sleepless nights. The study of reincarnation led her to the channel Edgar Cayce. In his many books, she found his past life readings of lifetimes spent in Atlantis. This was the beginning of a lifelong quest to unravel the secrets of this mystery. She has spent upwards of 30 years exploring the labyrinth of ancient civilizations. Her decision to turn it all into a high concept, visionary fantasy series stems from her study of the esoteric depiction of Atlantis. With the other half of her research rooted in the secular, it was the best way to illustrate both aspects of this fascinating legend. Her work is the legacy of the legend.



Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$15 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner
Signed Copy of Awakening – 3 winners
Signed Copy of Symbiosis – 3 winners
  
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Book Tour & Giveaway ~ With Blood and Bone & With Bone and Iron

 



With Blood and Ash
The Curse of Blood Magic Volume 1
An Eerie River Dark Fantasy Series 


What if the curse of magic could destroy the world?

With Blood and Ash is the first of two volumes taking us on this journey of deadly magic, non-stop action, and adventures into new and exciting worlds.

Delve into this anthology featuring seven gripping tales of dark magic. Experience love and loss, death and wizardry as worlds are rent asunder.

Evil is rising, and hope is almost lost. Will anyone be able to stop it?

David Green - "Master and Apprentice": He was supposed to be her father-figure and teacher, but instead he broke the world. Now he wants her back, and is willing to pay any cost.

Joel R. Hunt - "Fire and Wisdom": When sent to investigate a series of disturbances in the outer territories, the elite wizard Lorus, along with his fire elemental familiar Red, discovers a secret that will test his skills, his loyalty and his understanding of what it is to be human.

T.M. Brown - "The Hounds of Everspire": Raimund Plesner is a Sentinel, a warrior trained to hunt down and kill those demonstrating arcane proficiencies. He soon finds himself caught up in a broader conspiracy which not only threatens his entire Order, but the very foundations of the Empire itself. His only hope is to face the events of his past and strike back hard against the Coven before it’s too late.

Michael D. Nadeau -"The Child of Fire": Set in the real world, a young girl discovers a hidden realm called Lyria. It exists parallel to our own universe, and a destructive force is waiting to destroy us all.

Wynne F. Winters - "The Spring in the Desert": There is a world of drought and destruction, where magic is currency and water is life. What dark mysteries await you there?

Crystal Lynn Hilbert - "What We Were Made": For years a vengeful woman slumbered, and now she awaits the offspring of her enemies to return to the forest so she can enact her revenge.

Rose Strickman - "The Monster of Carroch": Children have always disappeared around Carroch Peak, but when Callum McRathray's son vanishes then it's time for the wild magician to face the monster who dwells deep within the mountain.

With Blood and Ash is the first of two volumes in The Curse of Blood Magic collection. This anthology can be read by itself, or alongside the second volume “With Bone and Iron”.

**Only .99 cents!!**



Rose Strickman
The Monster of Carroch

“Alastair? Alastair!” Callum’s voice echoed off the cave walls, fading away, transfiguring into something like deep laughter, a malicious cackle, before dying in the dark heart of the mountain.
Callum drew his knife; blade at the ready and torch in hand, he pressed deeper into the darkness.
Twice he slipped and nearly fell, only just recovering himself. A roar began to build, the sound of torrential waters pounding around him. Callum grimaced, feet already soaked from the cave’s stream, but kept going. His senses, sharpened by the darkness and stillness of the cavern, told him that there was another human presence here, and not far away. His heart hammered, loud enough it seemed, to echo against the stone.
The passageway squeezed tightly around him, narrowing until he was wriggling more than walking. He was crawling through the cracks until, with one final struggle, he pushed through the passageway, buttons scraping off as he stumbled into a wide, open chamber.
The cave stretched away, far beyond the reach of his torch. The waterfall’s sound was deafening here, thundering into deep water. Callum stepped forward, feet splashing, and saw the waterfall at last.
What had sounded like a huge cataract was only a foot high. The water foamed over a shallow shelf of stone, the cave’s acoustics making it sound like a vast fall, but Callum had no eyes for the waterfall. For there, curled up on a stone island in the middle of the pool, lay Alastair.
The boy lay asleep or unconscious, dark curls tumbling down, face thin and strained even while unconscious. He stirred, murmuring, and Callum nearly collapsed in relief. “Alastair,” he called, but the boy didn’t stir.
Callum started forward, wading into the pool only to freeze as dim forms emerged from the depths. They curled around him, fish-like and serpentine. The elementals of Water bared their fangs at him, scales flashing in their own weird, eldritch light. On the stone island, Earth elementals gathered around the boy, teeth sharp and wet as they snarled at Callum.
He retreated, splashing back out of the pool onto the narrow shore. For a moment he regarded the scene: shallow waterfall, sleeping boy, vicious elementals. Then he let out a barking, humorless laugh.



With Bone and Iron
The Curse of Blood Magic Volume 2
An Eerie River Dark Fantasy Series 


What if the curse of magic could destroy the world?

With Bone and Iron is the second volume in the Curse of Blood Magic collection. Join us on this journey of deadly magic, non-stop action, and adventures to new and exciting worlds.

Delve into this anthology featuring seven gripping tales of dark magic. Experience love and loss, death and wizardry as worlds are rent asunder.

Evil is rising, and hope is almost lost. Will anyone be able to stop it?

McKenzie Richardson: With Stunted Wings
Sam Fletcher: Morgan's Story
Austin Shirey: The Hound of Oakenhall
Rachael Boucker: Dith the fire witch: A Night Order story
C S Kirk: Black Lake Tower
Jonathon Mast: Dowser in a Dead Town
Lauraine S Blake: Fury: A Tale of the Wilder Light

“The Hound of Oakenhall” - When a masterless knight takes a contract to kill an invincible beast, he is thrust into a mystery where nothing—even the monster—is what it seems...
Morgan Bane, the heir of Bane’s Academy of akashic magic, has found more love in Tatu’s crime syndicate than his own family. Mostly consisting of an oppressed goblin race, the Syndicate is skeptical of a boy with so much privilege. To prove his loyalty, Morgan must sever the hand of Graft Agoseris, the most bloodthirsty enforcer on the island and, more importantly, the father of his first love. Death in all families is inevitable, and Morgan must make the final choice between them.

"With Stunted Wings", follows a pair of unconventional twins, fairies each born with only one full wing as they navigate a world designed around flight. Blending their elemental powers with potions, resurrection spells, and soul magic, they explore just how far one will go to get what they've always desired.

"Dith the fire witch: A Night Order story" In this preindustrial world, humans have been pushed to the brink of extinction. Only witches and rogues have the skill to take on the demon hordes. Edith, Dith to some, has been blood gifted the rare magic of fire. Whether the hunt leads her into the depths of a drowner lake or skin-wearer infested woods, she'll walk away with demon heads. But the demons are once again rallying armies, and Dith can't take them all on by herself.



Black Lake Tower
Cameron Scott Kirk

Rain came down in sheets, driven sideways by the night wind. It created dancing, spasmodic water devils on the surface of the oily, opaque lake, and it pattered down upon the burden boards and center thwart of the small rowboat. Two hooded figures sat therein: one at the oars, the other huddled at the stern, both bearing the brunt of the storm that lashed Black Lake
Black Lake by name, Black Lake by nature.
In the middle of the water an obscene crag jutted, though this was no natural rock formation: here rose the thrice-cursed, sorcerous tower of Ashmith the Vile, known as Oberon the Dead-Dancer among those in the southern climes.
The two aboard the boat called him by a different name, for they hailed from the east. To them the old man in the jagged tower held the title Owl-Spoil, the Necromancer.
Tonight they would kill Owl-Spoil and take the Amulet of Ulfur.
Alvena stopped rowing and peered into the darkness scratched by glinting rainfall, elven eyes scanning the flecked lake.
Lia moved forward to join her at the oars, whispering, “What do you see?”
Alvena pointed. “Water golem. Get down.”
There, at the edge of sight, the water golem stood. It was impossibly balanced on the surface of the lake, its massive frame seemingly made of glass, the pelting rain giving shape to the behemoth’s presence.
“It's almost invisible,” hissed Lia.
“That’s why we cross in the rain. All the old man’s traps and watchdogs will avail him naught. Be silent now; the current takes us past.”
The two elven females crouched low as the rowboat drifted around the periphery of the unmoving water golem, the creature’s square head tilted downwards as it stared soundlessly into the water.


**Only .99 cents!!**


Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$25 Amazon

Book Tour & Giveaway ~ Dead in a Dumpster by B. L. Blair



Leah Norwood Mysteries, Book #1

Cozy Mystery

Date Published: September 23, 2014


When Leah Norwood finds the body of Isabel Meeks in the dumpster behind her store, she can’t believe the police consider her a suspect. Sure, she didn’t like Isabel, but then again, neither did anyone else. Isabel had a condescending attitude and a bad reputation. As manager of the antique store, Patina, she had made a lot of enemies.

There is Patina’s assistant manager, the handsome and charming Trent. Isabel was blackmailing him. There is Patina’s owner, the aloof and influential Anthony Thorpe. Isabel was smuggling drugs through his store. And there is the entire drug dealing Cantono family. Isabel had lost a box containing heroin from one of their shipments. That is just to name a few and didn’t even include the stranger who was seen arguing with Isabel just hours before her death.

The police have too many suspects and too many soft alibis. Leah needs to prove to the sexy new chief of police that she had nothing to do with Isabel’s death.

Leah loves a good mystery. Can she find the killer before the police arrest her for murder?


Excerpts 


It was a quarter to eight before I was finally ready to leave. I went to the bathroom, gathered up the trash, and headed out the door. The sleet was still falling, and I could feel the ice pellets hitting my head. I hurried over to the dumpster setting the trash down by the bin. I pulled back the large lid and propped it against the brick wall. As I reached down for the trash, I saw something out of the corner of my eye.

I looked into the dumpster and saw Isabel Meeks staring back at me. It took my brain a few moments to determine she wasn’t actually looking at me but sitting perfectly still, eyes wide open, a surprised look on her face, and a huge bloodstain on her chest. I had never seen a dead body outside of a funeral so I did what any rational, mature human being would do. I screamed. I then turned and ran as fast as I could back to the store. I fumbled with the lock a moment but finally managed to get the door open. I even disabled the alarm before stumbling to my chair. I sat there shaking and staring at the door trying to process the scene. An image of Isabel flashed into my head, and I bolted from my chair and to the bathroom where I promptly lost my lunch.

Still a little shaky and somewhat nauseated, I rinsed out my mouth and walked back to the chair. I don’t know why it took me so long, but it finally occurred to me that I probably needed to tell someone. So for the second time that day, I reached for my phone to call the police.

About the Author

B. L. Blair writes mystery/romance stories. Like most authors, she has been writing most of her life and has dozens of books started. She just needs the time to finish them.

She is the author of the Leah Norwood Mysteries and the Lost and Found Pets Mystery Novellas. She loves reading books, writing books, and traveling wherever and as often as time and money allows. She is currently working on her latest book set in Texas, where she lives with her family.

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