December 2017 – Page 9 – Sincerely Karen Jo

Hello loves and welcome to my stop for the Poppies for Christmas Blog Tour hosted by Chapter by Chapter. Today, I have a special note to share with you from the lovely author, Stacy Renée Keywell. Don’t forget to stay until the end to read an excerpt and join an awesome giveaway!

A Note to My Wonderful Readers

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for being brave and choosing to read Poppies for Christmas. I know it is hard to encounter such an emotional rollercoaster, but this sweet romance pays off in big ways. For love without labels is a courageous movement. To see past our exteriors is scary, but rewarding. So much of what we hide makes us unique, special, wonderful, and I see that in you. I understand the struggles to find oneself, to find love, and to find acceptance.

That is why, dear reader, I am here for you. I am by your side, ready to be brave, and true, ready to accept you, and be your greatest cheerleader. Be inspired to follow your dreams. Never let the world underestimate your potential. This holiday, love with all of your heart. Celebrate with all of your might. Show the world the greatest “you” you can be, for you are worth it!

Dear reader, take time to relax, pour yourself a mug of hot cocoa, sit on the couch with a cozy blanket, and indulge in a story that is very close to my heart.

Dear reader, have a remarkable holiday. Spend it with close family and friends. Take time for yourself, and enjoy this enchanting winter season.

XOXO

A tres bientot,

Stacy Renee Keywell

poppies

PUBLISHED BY Soul Mate Publishing, LLC November 16, 2016

GENRE(S): YOUNG ADULT, ROMANCE, CONTEMPORARY, WOMAN’S FICTION

PAGES: KINDLE EDITION 265

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SYNOPSIS

A celebration of love without labels. It’s easy to be brave with you by my side!

Popular DJ Dexx finds himself positively smitten by the precociously pristine Poppy Paris. Too bad she’s already taken by an older boy, Declan Davies, a beautiful model with a thriving career, and a perfect family. By a dreamful stroke of chance, Dexx finds himself invited to spend Christmas at the Davies home by a gorgeous girl, granting him the opportunity to pursue the precious Poppy. But in his quest to win her over, he unlocks a world of imperfection and insecurity, where people are picked on for their disabilities, speech, appearance, and eccentricities. For Poppy and her friends, love trumps labels, and everyone deserves a brave friend to stand by their side. What gifts will Dexx discover this Christmas? Will he ultimately find true love, or will he discover something even greater?

You are invited to read a powerful story about living with autism, but not letting it define you, about being bullied, but carrying on with determination and grit, and about having dreams, but not giving up in the face of adversity. Come celebrate something beautiful with Poppies for Christmas.

EXCERPT

“Dexx!” Denver ran across the floor to greet me. “You clean up nice.” She playfully punched me in the arm.

She looked even more stunning than before, as if that was possible for anyone outside the Davies family. She had changed into a black, silky blouse, and some tight, sequined black leggings. A simple diamond necklace replaced the pearls. Her freshly flat-ironed hair glistened, and hung long down her dainty back.

“Hey, beautiful,” I greeted her, throwing a bit of swagger her way, as my confidence slowly crept back in once the food charged up my system.

Denver jumped, a delicate finch, excited by my compliment.

“Follow me. We’re going to hang out in the family room, eat some appetizers before dinner, and the rest of the festivities.” Her eyes sparkled as she spoke. “Tonight it’s totes casual, just the few of us doing a little decorating, eating a bunch of goodies,” her voice sang out every word.

“Sounds fantastic.”

Denver gripped my hand. I let her guide me across the smooth floor. Dropping my fingers, she ran ahead to the entryway of the family room. I walked in and stood under the mistletoe. I took another bite of sausage when… I saw…her!

I inhaled deep. A flake from the pastry got caught in my throat. I let out a harsh cough. My eyes watered. The crust popped out, and dangled from my lip. Through my tears, I cast my eyes on my lovely muse, the magnificent Poppy.

Using my arm, I wiped the gooey dough off my lip, and brushed off the crumbs. How could I have forgotten about Poppy? With all of the excitement geared around Denver, my mind lapsed. It drifted away from my Poppy. But, as fast as a roller coaster screeches to a halt, my neck whiplashed. My brain bounced back to my main mission at the first sight of her.

Poppy wore a cream sweater accented with a red bow covered in red flowers. Her pouty lips matched the red ribbon. Her thick hair was tied back in a red band, and cascaded down her shoulder.

An extremely handsome boy gripped both of her small hands in his. He caressed her knuckles with his thumbs. As his head turned, his features dazzled. He looked like he had sprung off a polished poster. An unreal creature from a print ad which came to life in the middle of the room, an anomaly in an otherwise ordinary world. I recognized Declan right away. Flawless skin, dark hair, and a smolder that would knock most girls dead.

My heart thumped loudly in my ears. Denver grabbed some snacks. She exchanged words with her brother, but I didn’t understand anything they said. The blood pumped through my body, banging around with too much cacophony. Denver garbled something in my ear and laughed.

“What?” I asked.

Noise echoed around the room. I was still too shocked by Poppy’s presence to move or make sense of her words.

Poppy beamed at Declan. She patted his hand affectingly, and rose off a nearby chair. She moved toward me. My body stiffened. The world moved in slow motion. She crept closer and closer. She got a few steps away from me. Her smile melted into a pinched frown. Her eyes narrowed. She didn’t look as happy to see me as I was to see her. She finally reached me under the mistletoe, and whispered in my ear.

“What are you doing here?” She sounded pissed off, opposite of her normally chipper disposition.

“Why, I was invited, just like you,” I responded sweetly, ignoring her obvious annoyance with me.

“Are you following me or something? I don’t get it. Why did you come here for Christmas?”

“I thought it might be a nice surprise. So, are you surprised, Poppy? Are you surprised to see me?” I asked eagerly.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author Stacy Renée Keywell lives a life of fabulous clichés. She enjoys asking rhetorical questions, and speaking redundantly. Stacy works hard at telling bad jokes, dancing oddly yet awesomely, and making up amazing new words in hopes that they will one day find their way into the dictionary. She strives to love without labels. She vows to bravely stand by the sides of those who need her, especially her two daughters. Stacy, her husband, and her children live in Michigan in a quaint house in the woods.

Follow and Connect with Stacy Renée Keywell

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

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Thanks for stopping by! Don’t forget to leave your comments down below.

Sincerely Karen Jo

Blaze
Sierra Cross
(Spelldrift: Coven of Fire, #4)
Publication date: December 13th 2017
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

The demon is still out there.

Tenebris—the monster who killed my parents, violated my mind, and destroyed my coven sister Callie—has gone into deep hiding. I won’t rest until I find him and personally take him down.

Luckily the vampires have a bead on him, and they want me along for the demon-hunting ride. But with his brand new skinsuit and the magic amulet he stole from a witch, Tenebris is more powerful than ever. I’m not dumb enough to go up against my mortal enemy without the Coven of Fire at my side. The vampires, however, flat-out refuse to let my “non-traditional” coven in on the job. It seems that no one in the magicborn community respects us, no matter how many lives we save or how many sacrifices we make.

Callie was one sacrifice too many.

So screw the vampires. Forget working within a system that won’t accept us. Matt, Asher, Liv, and I may be misfits, but we’re a coven. And our coven is not complete without Callie. Somehow, we’ve got to track her down and find a way to save her. Then, we’re going to avenge our loved ones and take down Tenebris once and for all…but we’ll do it as a coven. As a family. One witch for all and all for one, no magicborn left behind.

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Every day of the blitz, Enigmatic Books is giving away FIVE free e-copies of the Spelldrift Coven of Fire Books 1-3 bundle on their Facebook page. Enter HERE!

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For a limited time you can grab RISE, the first book in the Coven of Fire series, for just 99 cents!

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EXCERPT:

“I’m sorry, Director,” I said. “Something’s come up. I’m afraid I can’t get on that plane.”

Bonaventura spun and sucked in a breath in that almost soundless way only a vampire could. He’d already thought I was a flaky amateur, now he probably thought I was a nutcase. Even Matt and Asher were looking at me like I’d lost my mind. I could really see how it might look that way.

Didn’t matter. Callie was my coven sister, and she needed us to save her. Family first.

“So am I to understand,” Bonaventura’s voice dripped with condescension, “that after begging me to help with the amulet, insisting you be present when Tenebris is killed, you’re now refusing to accompany me?”

“Believe me, if it weren’t absolutely necessary, I wouldn’t do this.” My magic was begging to come to my fingertips. But starting a brawl with a vampire seemed like one of those “poor life choices” they’d warned me about in middle school.

Bonaventura composed himself with a smooth exhalation, then turned to Liv. “I suppose you’ll have to do.” Another finger-snap. “Let’s go.”

“It’s a coven matter that has come up,” Liv said. “None of us can go.”

“We’ll send you the deactivation spell,” I said, not caring in the least that I was giving up the only leverage we had with the Director.

If Bonaventura could’ve killed me with a look, I’d be bleeding out right now. I’d seen what he’d done to Wes, his own son. I got the feeling he was picturing doing worse to me. “Not an option, Ms. Hill.” The terminal dropped ten degrees in an instant. “One of you two witches will board the plane. Or I will release you from your pitiful existence.”

Strange what a difference a little blood could make. More than scaring me, those words hurt. I’d disappointed him. I took a deep breath and shrugged off his compulsion. Vampire mind tricks aside, I owed no loyalty to Bonaventura. And as badly as I wanted to take Tenebris down, I needed to do this more. “If you want to try,” I said, “have at it.”

Matt, Liv, and Asher had already flanked me, ready to fight at my side even if they didn’t fully understand. Bonaventura’s crew did the same for him. The Director narrowed his eyes, looking at each of us in turn. I couldn’t decipher the calculations he was making behind those ice blue eyes. “Know this, witch—and this goes for your whole coven—when our paths cross again it will not be a friendly encounter.”

My heart was racing. Did I really want to make the director of the Council Suprema my enemy? But what choice did I have? We had to follow up on that phone call. We had to find my coven sister. “If that’s how you want to play it.” I hoped there’d be a way to make things right with Bonaventura later.

The Director turned on his heel and all the other vampires followed suit. I watched as they disappeared through the gate door.

“Alix, luv.” Asher turned to me, his voice sweet as saccharine. “Be so kind as to tell me why I just voluntarily incurred the wrath of the one of most powerful vampires in the northern hemisphere?”

Author Bio:

Spells and skyscrapers. Warriors and warlocks. Coven secrets and forbidden romances. Sierra Cross lives for urban fantasy, for modern magic and the bold supernatural beings who stalk our contemporary world. Her Spelldrift universe stars kickass witches and their heroic guardians, as well as vampires, shifters, mages, Fidei, and the dark demonic forces that threaten them all.

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