Awesome Authors at CMP! January Black---Niiiiccceee...

What a cool cover. I haven't read the blurb yet, but this speaks to me of graveyards, or maybe a secret garden, or perhaps a gateway into another dimension.

Whatever the case may be, Wendy has one nice cover for her new novel, January Black.

Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He’s been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost…or call the king’s bluff.

Must be a gateway into a castle!

Biography

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

January Black is due out January 15th, but visit her blog to keep up-to-date. I have to say this novel sounds wonderful for YA readers and adults alike.

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Whoo Hoo and here's another great book by to fabulous authors, Daryn Cross and L.J. DeLeon

It's Magic
by Daryn Cross & L.J. DeLeon
Purchase e-Book
Purchase Print
Genre: Fantasy
ISBN: 978-0-9818484-6-4
Length: Novel
Publication Date: December 2010
Cover art by Ash Arceneaux
Listen to the playlist!

True love can't possibly exist between a man who believes women capable of stabbing a shiv through his heart while making love and a woman who is convinced men think with only one head. But eccentric and mysterious matchmaker Maxwell Magic swears it can, and he's just the man to provide the stimulus to make it happen.

Kasey Bell, feminist writer, and Guy McLane, radio's famous chauvinistic psychiatrist, are his targets. Despite Maxwell's carefully executed plans, the road to true love is strewn with mishaps, mirth, and money-hungry nighttime talk show hosts.

Will Kasey and Guy risk their reputations by exposing secrets buried beneath layers of shame and self-doubt for a desperately needed big money pay-off? Or, will they claim what has evaded them their entire lives-a love that lasts forever?

Excerpt Copyright © 2010 Daryn Cross & L.J. Deleon
All rights reserved — a Crescent Moon Press publication

As Kasey followed the stagehand, Guy grimaced. Damn. Why'd she have to have sea-green eyes and be a natural, sun-streaked blonde? He was a sucker for natural blondes, she appeared to be one. Unlike his ex, Helen, he suspected Kasey Bell's blonde hair wasn't found just on her head.

His gaze took in her tight ass and long legs. God, what legs. Some men were turned-on by big breasts. Others by asses. Not him. He was a leg man through and through.

And Kasey had the best set he'd seen in years.

Her dress clung in all the right places and was designed to make a man forget his own name. Not that it had a chance with him.

Guy studied her the way a connoisseur would a fine wine. Vintage seventy-three. He took another long, slow perusal and shook his head. He was wrong. The body on this Cabernet Sauvignon came from a perfect year. More likely a seventy-eight or if he were lucky, a classic seventy-five.

He grinned as she smoothed the sides of her dress while continuing to cross the stage on her perfectly toned legs.

Definitely still corked. She hadn't had a chance to breathe, yet. He inhaled sharply. There was no mistaking a good mellow grape when he saw one. And when squeezed just right, the grape was memorable. One to be savored, never gulped.

No question about it, Ms. Kasey Bell was premium sipping quality. First, he'd give her time to breathe. Then he'd taste her, a little at a time, a gentle swirl over the tongue, a teasing of the taste buds.

As he continued to examine her, Guy swallowed hard. From the way her dress moved and the lack of lines, she wore a thong and thigh-high hose. Her derriere was the perfect size for his hands to cup each cheek as he pulled her flush against him. He could feel her long legs wrapping around him. And then there were her delicate ankles.

They were so slim his fingers could circle them.

The whole package was enough to bring a grown man to his knees. Especially one like him who'd been alone for last three years. God, help him. Because if he didn't, Guy knew there was no way he'd maintain his cool while seated next to her on stage.

"Dr. McLane?"

Guy snapped to attention. Standing before him were two lanky young men. "Yes."

"I'm Josh Bell. This is my younger brother Jacob."

Guy thrust out his hand and greeted each boy. "I understand you want to take some photos."

"Yes, sir," Josh answered.

"You're our hero."

Jacob frowned at Josh's sharp jab to his ribs and Guy laughed. "What does your mother think of that?" He grinned as the two boys looked at each other, shrugged, then turned back to him.

"She hates it," they said together.

"Dr. McLane, you've got two minutes."

"Thanks, Al." He turned to the boys. "We'd better get those photos taken."

Guy started to move, then grimaced, again. Damn. He hadn't reacted to a female this rapidly since adolescence. Back then, much to his embarrassment, all it'd taken was a slight breeze to get a reaction out of him. And at thirty-eight, the last thing he wanted was to look like a coat rack in some kids' photos. "Both of you stand here," he said, positioning the boys in front of him.

As Al Mack took more than a dozen photos, Guy wondered what it was about Kasey Bell that rang his chimes. They'd never met, yet he'd swear he'd seen her before.

Ah, well, he'd remember eventually. He never forgot a pair of legs, especially ones as spectacular as Kasey's.

A perfect read for the weekend if you're not feeling well. If you are, go out and kick some butt. Climb a mountain, snow ski, or maybe just take a walk in the chill morning air when the cold nips your nose and your dogs (real dogs/'not your feet) strain to be free.

(((hugs)))

Louann

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