Mystery

An interesting year.

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I’m trying something new this year. For the first time ever I’ve planned a series of four books, well 1 novella and 3 novels, and won’t release any of them until all four are completed. The series name is Without Mercy. The books are:
Unbowed, novella prequel
Unseen, book 1
Unchosen, book 2
Untamed, book 3
Each book follows the romance of one couple as an entire community tries to solve the mystery of the murder of the powerful matriarch.
This is the first murder mystery I’ve written. It’s the first time I’ve pushed myself to complete a series in so quickly. I’m not one of those fast writers who can turn a book out every 1-2 months.
I had to book a slot with a brand new editor months in advance.
It’s the first time I’ve worked with cover artist Dani Rene at Raven Designs.
So many firsts! I’m definitely out of my comfort zone.

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The Blue Lion by Tessa Carr

Today brings us a mystery, The Blue Lion. A double mystery in fact. A much-loved author is dipping into the suspense genre. She has taken the new pen name Tessa Carr so that the many fans of her historical romances won’t be disappointed if they pick up this first book in the  new series expecting more tales of the old west, only to find this book is solidly set in modern times.
Want to know who she is? Keep reading.

Danger comes in all colors.

Blurb: Meg Hart has been waiting for months for her ten-year high school reunion. Everything should be fun. After all, the smashing seven, the group of cheerleaders she went to school with, should be there, along with her best friend Nikki. And her dominant husband Matt will be at her side as well. So why is it that she feels such unease every time she thinks of going? And afterward, when things began to happen, are the memories that pop up in her dreams after the reunion significant?
Dr. Matt Hart adores his wife Meg, in her submissiveness and beauty, and has since the first time he saw her as a patient. Their marriage has been wonderful, and he’s determined to protect her despite her poor vision. When the first girl of the smashing seven is found murdered and the others begin to disappear one by one, will he be able to protect Meg from the evil that’s happening around them? And what’s the significance of the Blue Lion in front of the old Victorian House on Country Club Lane?

Publisher's Note: The Blue Lion is a contemporary romantic mystery contains a theme of power exchange along with some graphic scenes. For an audience age 18 and over.

Buy link: Amazon

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Excerpt

A feeling of unease crawled up Matt's spine. He wasn't exactly sure where it came from, but the thought of Meg going into the old house left an ominous cloud over his head. He frowned, looking down at her. He'd prefer she stay away from it.
She noticed. "Matt? What is it?"
He made an effort at a smile. "I honestly don't know, princess. But I prefer you not go near the house. Or the funeral home." He shook his head. "I have a lot on my mind, that's all." He lifted her chin "I'm taking off the rest of the day. Scott's seeing my patients. Where to for lunch?"
She grinned. "You never take off work. What's gotten into you?"
He wound a hand through her long hair and brought her face upward, kissing her soundly.
"You have. Either you pick a place to eat, or I'll begin ordering you to strip, beginning now. It's been too long."
"It's been less than twenty-four hours," she tossed back.
"My point exactly," he said, raising a brow.
The challenging glance she raised to his with those big blue eyes was nearly his undoing.
Her inviting lips curved into a slow, tantalizing smile. "I'm not hungry."
His brows rose further. "All right, then," he commanded. "Panties off.”

More about Tessa Carr

Tessa Carr has been writing since she was a child and entertaining her friends with stories about them. In the back of her mind, however, always lurked stories about romance filled with mystery, and adventure. Being a Navy brat and moving frequently to new places and meeting new people brought on new stories that hovered in her mind.
The excitement of it never went away. Even today, those stories still hover. She loves writing historical fiction and has published many books in this genre with Blushing Books Publications, under the name of Pippa Greathouse.

Recently new story lines have captured her imagination and she dove into this new genre of erotic contemporary mystery, suspense-thrillers that often involve the Highway Patrol, FBI and police and Sheriff’s Departments.

Connect with Tessa Carr

On twitter: https://twitter.com/TessaAuthor

Website: https://tessacarr.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tessacarrauth/

 

His Innocent Bride by Kryssie Fortune

Kryssie Fortune’s Regency romance, His Innocent Bride, continues to delight readers. One reviewer calls it “A wonderful combination of danger, suspense and red hot sex.” Want to know more? Read on…
Blurb: Going about her mundane life in a small fishing village, Alethea never dreamed she would end up with a man like the Earl of Deanswood, yet when she caught the handsome gentleman's eye he wasted no time in making her his wife. Unbeknownst to Alethea, however, her conniving mother has convinced Deanswood that she has no interest in the marital bed. Devastated by his seeming disinterest, Alethea searches for someone to instruct her in the ways of enticing a man.
When a friend informs Deanswood of Alethea's plans, he decides to train his new bride himself. Soon enough, Alethea finds herself naked, blindfolded, and helplessly bound as she is thoroughly spanked and then brought to one blushing, quivering climax after another. But when Alethea's life is threatened by her mother's vicious scheming, can Deanswood protect his innocent bride?
DisclaimerHis Innocent Bride is a stand-alone novel which shares the Regency-era setting of Wickedly Used. It includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don't buy this book.

Buy link: Amazon – Free on Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt

The way he ran his hand up and down her spine made her thighs turn weak, but she’d promised to obey him. Unfair as that seemed, she would do as he asked. He’d already told her to strip, so rising to her feet, she let the blanket fall to the floor and untied the belt of her borrowed dressing gown. The silk slid from her shoulders and slithered down her arms. It pooled on the floor at her feet.
She covered her nipples with her right arm and used her left hand to shield her pussy.
He sucked in a breath. Voice stern, he commanded, “Arms at your sides. That’s it. God, woman, you’re temptation personified. I’ve pictured you naked since I brought you off that first time, but I never imagined you as beautiful as this. Turn around, let me see every inch of you.”
All her life, her mother had insisted vanity was a sin. When her husband called her beautiful, Alethea’s smile shone brighter than the summer sun. As she pirouetted before him, her nipples hardened, and damp heat flooded her pussy. In a perfect world, she’d study his bare chest and delicious-tasting cock too, but she was too shy to ask.
Holding her gaze, he beckoned her closer. “Come here, chick. Because you’ve accepted that I’m in charge in our marriage, I’ll forgo the punishment spanking you deserve. Instead, I’ll spank you for our mutual pleasure. Put yourself in danger again, and I’ll blister your beautiful bottom with my belt. Do you understand?”
She nodded and took a nervous step toward him. How any spanking could be for pleasure was beyond her, but she’d trust her husband and obey his commands. Another two steps and she stood with her knees at right angles to his lap.
A nervous glance showed her his cock had grown to humongous proportions. When she’d worn her blindfold, she’d never seen his arousal. Now it fascinated and delighted her.
When he pulled her over his knee, his cock dug into her hip. Positioned like this, she felt like a naughty child. She tensed when he stroked her bare bottom.
Deanswood patted it gently. “Relax, or this will hurt more than it should.”
Those were easy words for him to say, but hung over his lap with her bottom in the air, she felt vulnerable and scared. Taking a deep breath, she untensed the muscles in her bottom.
He brought his hand down in a sharp smack that made her yelp. Heat exploded through her, warming her bottom. Another two blows followed in quick succession, one on each cheek. The way he spread the pain made her wail. Tears misted her eyes, but she clasped his ankles and tried to stay still. Another slap, harder than before, made her sob in earnest. Her bottom blazed. Pain crescendoed through her like thunderbolts that jarred her bones.
Her mind fogged and her vision blurred. She forgot the terrors of her day. Forgot where she was. She couldn’t even remember her name. Her world narrowed until only she and Deanswood existed. His next two strikes made her howl.

More about Kryssie Fortune.

Kryssie reads everything and anything, from literary fiction to sizzling romance. Her earliest memory is going to the library with her mother. She can’t have been more than two at the time. Reading, especially when a book’s hot and explicit, is more than a guilty pleasure. It’s an obsession.
Kryssie loves to visit historic sites, from Hadrian’s wall to Regency Bath. The first book she fell in love with was Georgette Heyer’s The Unknown Ajax. After that, she devoured every regency book she could. After a while, they went out of fashion, but part of Kryssie’s psyche lives in in in Regency London. She longs to dance quadrilles and flirt behind fans. Of course, Kryssie’s heroines do far more than flirt.
Kryssie lives in Bridlington on the Yorkshire coast –about thirty miles from Whitby, where Bram Stoker wrote Dracula. She enjoys gardening, travel, and socializing with her author friends. You’d be surprised how many erotic romance authors live in the North of England.

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Connect with Kryssie Fortune
Website: http://kryssiefortune.wixsite.com/kryssie
Blog: http://kryssiefortune.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KryssieFortune
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KryssieFortune
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1OGFnjc
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2kxqabJ
Amazon Author Page  http://amzn.to/2hA0ZVO


Question and answers with Kryssie Fortune.

What does your main character do that is so special?
My heroine, Lady Alethea grew up in a remote fishing village on the Kent coast. A strict religious sect holds sway there. They disapprove of everything - singing, dancing, laughing. Even smiling is a sin. Alethea dreams of a happy future not one sent peddling fish. When James, Earl of Deanswood drives his yellow phaeton into the village, he reminds of the Greek God Apollo driving his flaming chariot across the sky. Not that she can admit to knowing Greek Myths in her village. She gives her heart in an instant, but although Deanswood marries her within a week, he doesn’t do the same.
What is your hero like?
James, Earl of Deanswood never expected to inherit the title. His father and older brother died the same day the battle of Waterloo started. Deanswood enlisted as a boy soldier and although he attained the rank of major, he sold out when he learned of his father’s death. Although it’s never officially stated in the book, he suffers from PTSD.
Describe your writing process and the way you brainstorm story ideas.
Brainstorm? It’s more like batter them to death with a hammer. I start with a random scene in my head and work out how people got there. Sometimes that one scene doesn’t even make it into the story. Once I’ve got the first draft finished, I edit, and edit, and edit. The first readthrough is to check the plot works. The next three are to polish the words. After that, I print it out and read it again. Words look different on paper. Next, I read it out loud. Then, and only then, do I let my husband read it. Not that he’s a romance fan, but I’m dyslexic. He sees things I don’t.
After all that, my editor still makes changes.

Camille's Second Chance by Alyssa Bailey

The stunningly prolific Alyssa Bailey has another new book out. Camille’s Second Chance is book 2 in the Clearwater Ranch Series.

Blurb:

“We’re going to the ranch. This Daddy is taking care of all his little ones.”
Before she was twenty-one, Camille Hendrix had been lied to, cheated on, assaulted twice, forced into a loveless marriage, divorced, and left to fend for herself with one baby and another on the way. She had also been loved by a man she left without a word of explanation and missed every day of her life. Now, with a nursing degree and two preschoolers she was determined to return to her hometown and make a life, if possible, with the only man she ever loved. But was it too much to ask? Someone in town thought so.
Sawyer Knight was the most sought-after playboy in three counties and probably more. Everyone knew the woman he loved had suddenly left town without a word. Since then, Sawyer could be seen most weekends at the Whet Whistle, kicking up dust, getting toasted, and going home with a different woman. No woman was permanent in his life and Sawyer made that known loud and clear, until Cami came back to town. She was divorced, a mother, and life weary but when he laid eyes on her in his brother’s house, she was still the most beautiful, feisty woman he’d ever seen. Maybe more than ever because her strength of character shone through the battle scars and his heart immediately yearned for her. If he claimed her this time, he wouldn’t let her go without a fight. It seemed the first opponent had already entered the ring.
This is book two in the Clearwater Ranch series but can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Publisher’s Note: Camille’s Second Chance is intended for adults only. It contains elements of mystery, suspense, sensual scenes and power exchange. If any of these offend you, please do not buy it.

Buy link: Amazon

Excerpt

Untangling his hands from her hair, he pulled her towards his lips as she kissed his torso on her way back up to his face.
“My turn, now,” he whispered in a strangled harsh voice.
“Not fair, you stole some of my time.”
“Never said I was fair. It’s Daddy’s turn. Now climb on like a good girl.”
“I still get to ride?” she asked eagerly as she positioned herself just right to mount him. “What kind are you?”
“What kind?”
“What kind of horse?”
His deep chuckle made her tummy flip. “You’re riding the cowboy, baby. They are so much more inventive.”
He brought her down onto his cock, fully seating her over him. Claiming her, showing her he not only took care of his woman, but he also took her. He held her in one position while he pumped her for a while and then allowed her to ride him. As she began to tingle from the friction of the pounding of her clit on every meeting of their pelvises, he demanded something he’d never said to her before.
“Touch yourself, Camille. Bring yourself off.”
“What? I can’t do that. It’s embarrassing.”
“Can you argue with Daddy?”
“No, but I can argue with my boyfriend.”
“Fiancé,” he growled. “But when we’re in here, you don’t talk back. Daddy rules this room, not his little girl.”
“Fuck that.”
“I’m trying to,” he said as he slowed his movements. He released her hips and brought her down, chest to chest. The next thing she felt and heard was an explosion on her butt, then another one. Over and over she felt the sharp slaps on her butt as he continued to pump slowly.
“Please, it hurts.”
“Would you like another chance to do as I said?”
Camille didn’t know how she’d touch herself in front of him but somehow, she would. She nodded. “Yes. I can try.”
He nodded and helped her sit up straight on his staff then watched as she tentatively inched towards her clit. Two thigh slaps made her inch faster. Don’t think about it, just do it. She touched herself and it felt forbidden. That gave it more power and she was soon rubbing and circling her fleshy nerve center as he pumped faster.
“God, that is so damn sexy, woman.”

More about Alyssa Bailey

Alyssa Bailey is a USA Today and International best-selling author. She loves writing realistic romance for the naughty in all of us. Power exchange adventures between strong, intelligent, sassy women who aren’t afraid to make a stand and men confident enough to give his woman space, but Alpha enough to keep her safe despite her choices is a common theme.
Family and community is important to Alyssa and it’s one reason she loves series. She is expanding her horizons and comfort zone with every new book; that’s exciting. Sometimes, suspense and mystery stirs the plot, other times, it’s crazy day to day angst and danger. Whatever goes on before, there’s always a happily ever after ending. 

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Night-Silences by Pippa Greathouse

Pippa Greathouse has a new book out! Night-Silences (book 2 in the Pike’s Bluff series) has readers praising it as being fast-paced, different, and fresh and great mystery!

One thing was certain; a small-town girl had no business being here.

Blurb:

Big Crime in a Small Town…
Abandoned in an airport thousands of miles from home with no way to get back, Emmy Reece finds herself dependent on an officer from the Highway Patrol to get her there. Stubborn, sassy, and determined to do it alone, he gives her little choice; she can accept a ride with him and get home safely, or she can sit in the airport all night with him and wait until someone comes to get her.
Jackson Collins has been called on for a transfer to Pike’s Bluff to do some investigating. Human trafficking is taking place there, and girls are disappearing from the local hospital. He doesn’t expect that this young lady will be involved. Incredibly drawn to her, he realizes he’s fallen deeply for her before he even gets her home. Love at first sight, just like his own parents?
Is she at risk? Or is she involved in the scheme? What do the FBI and the HP want with her? Will their worlds collide, or will they come apart?

Disclaimer: Night-Silences, an action packed romance, contains some graphic scenes, spanking, and themes of power exchange. If these offend you, please do not read it.

Buy link: Amazon

Excerpt:

He shook his head and took them, moving inside the kitchen to set them down. When he turned back, she had stopped just inside the doorway. He crooked a finger at her. "Come here."
Her eyes, already large, grew wider as she slowly approached. He reached for her, holding her around the waist with one arm. With the other, he planted a hard swat on her bottom. She shrieked.
"That," he said firmly, "is for leaving the house without telling me. And this," he brought his hand down again," is for doing it the second time. After what happened yesterday in Denver and then in St. Louis, I would have thought you'd know better than to take off without letting me know." He released her, and she took a step backward, rubbing her bottom.
"Ow," she said in a small voice.
Looking at the bags he'd set on the counter, he reached for her. Putting his hands on her waist, he set her up on the kitchen island.
"Look, Emmy, I do appreciate you going and bringing back something to eat. But when I awakened and you were missing, I swear, it took ten years off my life. Can you understand that?"
She nodded. "I'm sorry."
His hands moved to her sides as he leaned forward, shaking his head. "Just don't do it again. All right? I'm utterly serious."
The expression on her face changed suddenly as she tilted her head at him. "Really?"
His own countenance grew wary and his eyes narrowed. "What does that look on your face mean?"
She wiggled forward on the counter and kissed his cheek. "It's nice to have someone worry about me."
His brows knit closer. He took hold of her waist and set her back down so her feet touched the floor, feeling as if he'd lost control of the situation. But she was rifling through the bags now and handed him a package of something, still warm, and a cup of coffee.
When he took it, she gave him a huge smile. Her dimples were showing again.
"Good morning," she said brightly.
"Good morning. Emmy, you do realize—"
"Yes, sir. I do. I won't do it again. There's a bar stool on the other side of the island, if you want to sit down. And there's a potato patty in the bag for you."
He shook his head and moved to sit down. Setting out the other stool next to him, he pointed to it. "Sit."
She shoved her food over in front of the other spot. "I didn't have any eggs, and everyone should have a good breakfast, so I thought..." She frowned at his expression. "Want me to take them back?"
He shook his head. "No, Emmy. I just want to make sure I made an impression on you, that's all. Because if you take off like that again, I'll put you over my knee and spank you."
She blinked up at him, pausing just out of his reach. "But—you said you weren't taking me to raise—I don't understand why I should have to ask permission to leave my own house and run errands."
"I also said I wasn't going to abandon you, if you remember correctly. Your safety is important, and I don't want you taking unnecessary chances with it. Do you understand me?"
Her expression was incredulous.
"Emmy?"
"No," she said softly. "I don't." She tilted her head. "Last night, when we were talking about Mark, you asked if he'd ever hit me. But you just did."
"What I just did was to give you a swat on the bottom, to get your attention so you'd listen to me. I was hoping it would let you know that I expect you to stay safe. Do you think it was mean?"
She lowered her gaze, thinking. "No, I suppose not."
"Did you think it was unwarranted? Suppose you'd gone off alone and someone had gotten hold of you and taken you?"
Her shoulders sagged, and he lifted her chin so her eyes met his.
"What I just did was for the purpose of keeping you safe. Because damn it, like it or not, I do care an awful lot about what happens to you. Abuse, Emmy, is hitting someone just for the sole purpose of hurting them and for no other reason. Usually, when a person abuses someone, they'll pick on someone smaller and less capable of defending themselves. An abuser does it because it makes them feel power over someone else, not because they cherish them and want to protect them.”
Light dawned in her blue eyes. "Ooh. I see. But you can't possibly cherish me, Jackson. I haven't known you long enough."
He took her wrist and reeled her in closer, sitting her up on the bar stool. "Don't be so sure. Now, eat."

Pippa Greathouse in her own words

An assignment by my elegant and sweet fifth grade teacher was what started it all. The assignment? To write a short story and read it aloud to the class.
Enter a story about a group of fifth grade kids camping in the woods who were attacked by a Grizzly; add body parts everywhere and kids being mauled to death one by one, and pile on top one horrified teacher (Poor Mrs. J!). The kids thought it was cool, however, and I was hooked.
Writing continued throughout Junior and Senior High, in the form of space stories, then spy stories, and by the time I reached high school, had turned into romances! Every year when spring fever hit, I would take my notebook outside at lunchtime, and soak up the sun, and write. Then I would take it home and type it up on onionskin paper, on an old Underwood typewriter (Yes, I know I'm old!)
One day a few years ago while cleaning, I came upon a tote containing a wad of onionskin paper, rolled up. I was delighted to find a story that I had written when I was about eighteen, and thought, "Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I sat down and re-wrote this? And submitted it?”
My favorite Heroine? One with intelligence, integrity, courage, and firm determination. I love to have the heroine and hero ‘make a difference’ in the surroundings and lives of others in the story.

And needless to say, my favorite hero is an "Alpha male" who loves his woman to distraction, but is smart (yes, in my opinion, smart is extremely sexy!) stern, and willing to be as strict as necessary to protect her from danger, even danger from herself.

Connect with Pippa Greathouse

Email: pippagreathouse@gmail.com

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Pippa-Greathouse/e/B01MY1AWFG/

Website: www.pippagreathouse.com

Facebook Author page: www.facebook.com/pippagreathouse

Twitter: @PippaG6

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/pippa-greathouse

More exciting titles from Pippa Greathouse:

Pike’s Bluff series

Double-Takes (book 1)

The Strasburg Chronicles (5 Book Series)

Angelica’s Rescuer: Book one

Merrie’s Hero: Book two

Cinderella’s Lawman: Book three

The Return of Lucy Grace: Book four

Macie’s War: Book five

Standalone Time Travel Romance

Time for Change

Strasburg, the New Generation

Judging Cicely

Katie’s Maverick

The Warrior in Me - Anita Philmar

Anita Philmar is back today with her sexy new romance, The Warrior in Me.

Blurb:

Special Security Agent Sebastian Berlin is eager to track down his partner's killer. Instead, he’s assigned the job of baby-sitting a scientist. His boss thinks she's the key to an Ancient Warrior Prophecy. Science never interested Sebastian, but the know-it-all female standing at the end of his Alaskan dock could persuade him to do a little experimenting. That is, if he can keep his Neanderthal Warrior genes from taking control.

DNA specialist Lily Sinclair is in need of a vacation, or so her over-protective ex-husband tells her. Arriving in chilly Alaska instead of sunny Cancun, she's tired and cranky and so not in the mood for her bodyguard's he-man tactics. Still, there's something about the sexy eye-candy that makes her want to lick him all over even as she's demanding to go home.

Then Lily's ex is poisoned, and Sebastian is certain the two murders are connected and she could be next. She knows he's hiding something, but with the worldwide release of Neanderthal DNA project only days away, she has no choice but to trust him to protect her. But can she trust him with her heart?

Buy links:

AmazonWild Rose PressKoboAll Romance

Excerpt:

Seconds before his mouth covered hers, she whispered, “Sebastian, I don’t—” The rest of the sentence died under the quick spear of his tongue, seeking entrance into the hot moist haven of her mouth.

The fight he expected didn’t fully materialize. She gasped in shock, and her body stiffened. Then she lifted her hands to his shoulders, leaving the few inches between them vacant.

Tightening his grip, he drew the soft cushion of her breasts invitingly against his chest. All too quickly, he moved past the point of a simple kiss and fed on her unique flavor. He’d gone too long without the seductive touch of a woman. Today, she’d tempted him with the fire of her anger and the gentle concern for him at the loss of his friend. Holding himself in check, he’d resisted until she’d revealed her passion for her research. Now, he couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for her any longer. He ate at her lips, nipping and sucking until they opened wider.

Lily moaned, and he captured the sound, swallowing it as he flicked his tongue against the roof of her mouth. She welcomed him by drawing him deeper. He thrust in and out, over and over mimicking the ancient rhythm of sex.

Determined to sample every inch of the hot, moist cavity, he drank in the rich, sweet nectar. As stimulating as wine, he became drunk on her and tangled his tongue around hers. Time lost meaning. He forgot everything except her hands in his hair, her body plastered against his, the relentless need to consume her.

Somewhere in his subconscious, something reminded him that women didn’t progress from “Hello, it nice to meet you” to “Do you want to go to bed with me” this quickly. On the other hand, maybe, the light tingling of his scalp as she curled her fingers in his hair helped jog his memory. He had to take things a little slower if he wanted to win the girl.

 

Getting to know Anita Philmar:

Anita Philmar likes to create stories that push the limit. A writer by day and a dreamer by night she wants her readers to see the world in a new way.

Influenced by old movies, she likes to develop places where anything can happen and where special moments come to life in a great read.

Naughty or Nice? – Read her books and decide.

Connect with Anita Philmar on Social Media:

Website:  http://www.anitaphilmar.com/

Email: anitaphilmar@yahoo.com

Blog: http://www.anitaphilmar.blogspot.com/

FB: www.facebook.com/anita.philmar

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1329767.Anita_Philmar

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitaphilmar

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Anita-Philmar/e/B002BMBE8C

http://bit.ly/TheWarriorInMe