Thursday, November 27, 2014

Super Book Blast & Giveaway for The Acedemy: Thief by C.L. Stone

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Welcome to my stop on the Super Book Blast, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for The Academy: Thief by C.L. Stone.  Please leave a comment or question for C.L. to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway, for a $25 Amazon/B&N GC, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You must comment to enter the giveaway.  You can also visit the rest of the stops on the tour by clicking on the banner above, the more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning. 


The Academy: Thief
By C.L. Stone
The Scarab Beetle, Book 1

Publisher:  Arcato Publishing
Release Date: February 24, 2014
Genre: New Adult
Length: 490 Pages
ISBN:  978-1496017222
ASIN:  B00INCJGWK

Add to Goodreads

Buy Links:  Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Google |iTunes | ARe


About the book:  

Kayli Winchester is a dirt-poor girl living out of a hotel, forced to be the parent for a drunken father and teenage brother who she’s desperate to keep in school. The only way she scrapes by is to utilize her one skill: pickpocketing. But even though she’s a thief she has a moral code: no kids or old ladies, only targets who can defend themselves. Not that they see her coming…

Thinking she’s been working under the radar, Kayli has no idea The Academy has been watching and taking notice. Now a team that needs her skill has offered her a way out of her predicament and it’s her last chance: work with them, or face jail time. Kayli resists at first, but slowly the boys reveal they can be trusted. With Marc, the straight man, Raven, the bad-boy Russian, Corey and Brandon the twins as different as night and day, and Axel their stoic leader, there’s a lot Kayli can learn from these Academy guys about living on the edge of the law. If only she can stay on the good side instead of the bad.

Especially when the job they offer her is more than any of them bargained for. After it’s done, the hunters have become the hunted and their target is now after Kayli. The Academy boys do their best to keep her hidden, but a thief like Kayli will never sit still for long.

Meet an all-new Academy team in Thief, the beginning of the Scarab Beetle series.




Excerpt


“I don’t know what you want me to do,” I said, but my voice was nearly gone, thick with the fear that he was way too close and seemed to think he knew what I wanted. I didn’t want him to know he was right. I don’t know why. My pride was too strong. I’d been this way for so long, I didn’t know how to give in. I didn’t know how to trust.

He opened his mouth, like he wanted to say something else but stopped, and his eyes drifted down to my mouth and held. My breath caught in my throat.

Before I could think to even push him off, his mouth claimed me. He kissed me hard enough that my head pressed back into the wall. His hands slid back to cup around my jaw to keep me from pulling away. His lips pressed down, mouth parted.

I kissed him back. I don’t know what came over me, but I wanted to feel those promises. I wanted to believe, for the moment, that maybe I could just let go, like he said, and trust that I could be accepted for who I was. Was I just like him? Could I be like that? Could I find a place just for me among these guys and waltz in and be with them? I opened my mouth, inviting him in, just a little.

Like opening the gates, his mouth claimed me again. In every possible place I could think to hide, he found me. My mind blanked out. I didn’t have room for anything else other than him and his kiss that told me everything would be all right. His kiss sank into me over and over again. Lips pressed against mine, tugging at my skin, at heart strings, at my core.

When he finally released my mouth so I could breathe, his lips trailed over my face, across my eyes and my brows.

“Why did it have to be you?” He breathed out as he whispered against my face. “I was hunting a thief, and I found a beautiful wreck.” 

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

C. L. Stone once lived in Charleston, SC, and currently lives among Cajuns. She writes about cute boys and uncomfortable situations, usually mixed together. You can email her at clstone@arcatopublishing.com Sign up for email updates, get exclusive info on upcoming release dates, get notified when freebies are offered, and sometimes sneak peeks! Subscribe: http://eepurl.com/zuIDj 

https://twitter.com/CLStoneX




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Marissa Dobson Holiday Book Sale - Get Them While You Can!

Sale 
 Theirs to Treasure (Beyond Monogamy Book 1), Hope's Toy Chest (Cedar Grove Medical Book 1), and Storm Queen (Stormkin Book 1) are all only $0.99 from November 27th until December 1st at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and All Romance Ebooks. 

 At my website I'm also doing a sale for print books. You can buy the complete Alaskan Tigers series, all eight books, for only $50 + shipping. Normally priced at $80. Also print books are buy two get one 50% off.

Theirs to Treasure
Thiers to Treasure 

Love knows no bounds…

Paris Nelson’s family has been at the forefront of legalizing polyandry and polygamy so they would no longer have to hide. Now that new laws are in place, the family’s company—Beyond Monogamy—can finally come out of the shadows and help anyone who wants to live this lifestyle without worrying that the long hand of the law will reach for them.

Aiden Dalton, Kain Fitzgerald, and Cody Knight expected a challenge when it came to convincing the Nelson family they were serious enough to settle down with one wife. Each of them carries baggage from the past that makes it harder to show how serious they are. When they realize the woman for them is also their matchmaker, they must convince her to accept them.

But are they ready for the commitment?

 Despite her stubbornness, the three men aren’t about to give up on their woman. No matter the battles they have to face, Aiden, Kain, and Cody are sworn to prove it to her—one way or another.


Hope's Toy Chest
Hopes-Toy-Chest2

At thirty-one, Kingsley Mathews has been named the head of the pediatric oncology department at one of the best children’s hospitals in the country—Ceder Grove Children’s Hospital. His life is dedicated to his patients—until one Christmas when he learns there’s more than his work.

Chelsea Waters lost her daughter two years ago on Christmas Day to a rare form of childhood cancer. Her career was over, then her marriage. Now all she has left is Hope’s Toy Chest. The toy drive she started in the memory of her daughter has become her everything. When she ends up flat on her back in a pile of snow, she begins to wonder if there’s room in her heart for anything more.

Could the doctor who worked so feverishly to save her daughter bring the meaning of Christmas back into her heart?

 
Storm Queen
 Storm Queen New Cover

One vibrant hope…

Bar owner Kayla Benson never thought of herself as extraordinary until the battle between Stormkins and Sunkins blew her comfortable life apart. Dropped headfirst into the wild complications of court politics and dangerous insurrection, Kayla is drawn to three seductive and powerful men. Will she be able to stand on her own and rule Storm Hollow or will her mixed heritage be her demise?

Two determined warriors… Nightmare and Dreamer searched all their lives for the Queen who would restore the Stormkins to their rightful glory. Never did they suspect a common bar owner would be the answer to their prayers. Now they’ve found her, they will do whatever it takes to keep her safe and in their arms.

His last chance… Darkness only knows one life—the path of the assassin—but Kayla provides him with promise for the future, a desperate hope for a better existence. He never could have imagined the place he would find it was in her bed.

Three powerful men and one vibrant woman must find passion and redemption to survive. Kayla must shed her expectations and become Queen of Storm Hollow, claim her men, and change the world…no pressure.



About the Author

Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, Marissa Dobson now resides about an hour from Washington, D.C. She’s a lady who likes to keep busy, and is always busy doing something. With two different college degrees, she believes you are never done learning. Being the first daughter to an avid reader, this gave her the advantage of learning to read at a young age. Since learning to read she has always had her nose in a book. It wasn’t until she was a teenager that she started writing down the stories she came up with.

Marissa is blessed with a wonderful supportive husband, Thomas. He’s her other half and allows her to stay home and pursue her writing. He puts up with all her quirks and listens to her brainstorm in the middle of the night. Her writing buddies Max (a cocker spaniel) and Dawne (a beagle mix) are always around to listen to her bounce ideas off them. They might not be able to answer, but they’re helpful in their own ways. She love to hear from readers so send her an email at marissa@marissadobson.com or visit her online at http://www.marissadobson.com.

Holiday Sale for Life In A Rut Love Not Included and Life Next Door by J.D. Hollyfield

HOLIDAY SALE!!

#‎99c = ‪#‎99pennies Have you been waiting to try out the Love Not Included Series? Here's your chance!



Having it all isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. 

When Sarah Sullivan’s perfect life blows up in front of her, she finds herself crawling back to the one place she never saw herself returning: Home. At thirty-one, Sarah had it all. Perfect job, perfect boyfriend, perfect life. When all that is taken away from her, she is left heartbroken and angry and desperate enough to let her life swallow her whole…for a while. 

Fending off love and the pursuit of happiness completely, Sarah vows to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. She creates a list of goals for herself—starting with a much needed shower—and constructs a plan to dig herself out of her rut. What she doesn’t plan for is meeting the arrogant new employee her parents have hired to work on an addition to their home. 

Enter Jack Calloway, the handsome, charming, lickable foreman with an insatiable effect on Sarah’s girly parts. Jack accepts the job, but gets more than he bargained for. Unable to ignore his racing hormones—and calm his temper—over the obnoxious woman who clouds his judgment, Jack pulls her in and steals her heart until she finally surrenders. But is he up for the challenge of picking up the pieces of Sarah’s broken heart? Can he carry her out of her rut?


And if you can't get enough...



There is only one thing in life that professional pastry Chef Priscilla Westcott values more than baking and wine, and that’s honesty. A quality she soon learns that her marriage lacks when her husband runs off with their next door neighbor. Divorced and alone, Priscilla is determined to make changes in her life. She decides to approach her new goals like one of her beloved recipes. Surely with a little time, a dash of patience, and measured planning she can whip herself—and her life—back into shape. 

However, when a new—and utterly delicious—neighbor takes up residence in the house that ruined her marriage, Priscilla fears that her careful world will fold faster than a deflated soufflĂ©. Trent Walker knows what he wants and his sweet, sassy neighbor is at the top of the list. He’s certain that the chemistry between them would be explosive, but Priscilla fears that an affair with him, however hot, could be a recipe for disaster.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway for The Heartbeat Journal by Ellen Cummins

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Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Book Tour, presented by Shades of Rose Media, for The Heartbeat Journal by Ellen Cummins.  Please leave a comment or question for Ellen to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter the tour wide giveaway, for an ecopy of Ellen’s book, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You can also follow the rest of Ellen’s tour by clicking on the banner above.  The more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning.

The Heartbeat Journal
By Ellen Cummins

Publisher:  Beachwalk Press, Inc.
Release Date: November 17, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
Length:  253 KB
ISBN: 9781940744476
ASIN:  B00PM5HS0I

Add to GoodReads

Buy Links:  Kindle * Nook * Kobo * ARe * BeachwalkPress

About the book:  

When fate slams two suffering souls together, can love help heal them?

Everly Afton, a romance novelist, is haunted by the memory and spirit of her brother Evan, whose suicide she blames on her father. Her broken home leaves her craving a healthy love. At twenty-seven she thought she'd be married with a family, but her boyfriend Jake's cheating ways has her rethinking her future.

After they break up, she visits the garden center for some flower therapy and is approached by Ben Colt, who strikes up a conversation about the hummingbird that fluttered in front of her face, and speaks of myths and angels. Everything about him is delicious, from his scent to his muscular body to his expressive brown eyes.

When Everly discovers she's being stalked, she's surprised when Ben is the detective assigned to her case. He's determined to see to her safety. But he has a painful secret of his own—a powerful revelation that leaves him vulnerable and her willing to soothe him in any way possible.

Everly's journal, a link to all things spiritual, helps to bring her universe together with his, and they collide in a storm of danger, passion, and truths that could change a person's life forever.

Content Warning: contains sensual sex scenes and some violence







Everly's head felt light. She followed the street to her hotel, wishing she'd worn her flip-flops, because each click of her heels alerted her to the fact that she might fall and break a leg, or it might out her to strange men that could be following her. She smiled, remembering her pledge to stop worrying about such things and held her bag of leftovers to her chest. Its warmth could still be felt through the foil.

She saw her hotel just a block away. Almost there. The garden in front of it, full of green things and flowers, looked just a little looming in the misty darkness. Too many hidden places. She quickened her pace as she approached it.

Something moved near a tree inside the garden. Maybe it was just a shadow.

Her legs, wobbly now, took on a life of their own and the stride of a lady in heels had left six paces behind her. The shadow moved with a quickness, and she dumped her leftovers and bolted up the stairs, pulling herself by the rails and hurdling two steps at a time. Footsteps followed her. She scrambled through her wallet to find her card-key and nearly dropped it. Her key wasn't there.

"No, no, no!" She panicked. The clanging of her heart in her throat almost made her wretch. The heavy bread, butter, and wine sloshed around in her stomach like a boat lost in a storm.

"Your key, my lady." A deep voice came from behind her and something plastic brushed over her cheek, sending a rash of shivers through her. She slumped against the door.

He had her inside the door in two beats. Handfuls of her hair dropped to the floor as he threw her onto the bed, climbed on top of her, and slammed his hand over her mouth.

"Did you think I was done with you, Miss Afton?" It was the same man who had attacked her before, but he looked more disheveled than ever—his hair was longer and his beard had taken over his face. "If you even try to scream I will slit your throat from ear to ear. Your breath won't even have time to reach that supple little mouth." He clicked open a switchblade and ran its tip over her quivering lips.

A swift urge to knee him swept over her, but then her life flashed before her eyes. Her bunny, her mom, Corrine. The life she'd made for herself writing about love and war and how love would survive it all. Her brother would want her to fight for her life, but if that meant dying then how could she? She squeezed her eyes shut and pictured his face and prayed.

Get me outta this one, twerp. I really need you.

A flurry of noises exploded around her. Splintering wood, the rush of the wind, and the man's body being torn away from her while his knife chinked a chunk of wood out of the floor—and the sound of air leaving his throat.



Ellen Cummins, a writer of fantasy fiction and paranormal romance, has been obsessed with anything that makes her heart flutter. From vampires and monsters to regular humans, she loves to write about extraordinary beings that bring a level of something good, even though the odds are stacked against. Shortly after contracting three paranormal stories, she began to dip her toe in the "sexy" pool and soon found herself taking a full-on swim, writing her spiciest love story yet.

Born and raised in central California, she spent her summers climbing trees and chasing adventures, be it a rock concert, a hike through desert trails, or taking in the latest thriller. Having her breath snatched away by an unexpected twist has always been her favorite thing and that's what prompted her to start writing her own stories.

She wears many hats as a manicurist, retail sales associate, wife, mother of three beautiful children, and just recently was involved in her county's first collaborative novel Ashes in a Teardrop. Her obsession to have her stories see the light of day has been a driving force—and to see the faces of her characters on a book cover is a dream come true.

Author Links:    Site   Facebook   Twitter 




Ellen Cummins is giving away a copy of the
Heartbeat Journal to one lucky winner.

For a chance to win please fill out the rafflecopter below.



Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Nominate Battle Cry by Melissa Snark to Kindle Scout & Giveaway

Hello! My name is Melissa Snark, and I'm a fantasy and romance author. If I could have a moment of your time, I'd like to ask for your help as a reader. Please consider nominating my Norse folklore fantasy novel Battle Cry on Kindle Scout.


Amazon's new publishing program is called Kindle Scout, an innovative platform that provides readers with a sneak peek at unreleased books as well as the opportunity to have a say in what gets chosen. The timing of Scout was amazing. The announcement came just as I neared completion of my novel. The terms being offered are attractive. As a publisher, Amazon has as much clout as one of the traditional publishers. This simply seemed like too good of an opportunity to pass on, so I submitted Battle Cry for consideration.



Per the FAQ: How does Kindle Scout benefit readers?
Kindle Scout readers get to preview new, never-before-published books and influence which ones are made available to millions of readers on Amazon. In addition, any time a reader's nomination gets published, they will receive a free copy.


I appreciate your support!  To nominate Battle Cry, you only need to be logged into your Amazon account. You can head over to the Kindle Scout website and view Battle Cry's profile page. If you like what you see, please consider voting for Battle Cry.  Thank you so much!




BATTLE CRY
Book #2 in the Loki's Wolves series
Melissa Snark
Genre: Norse folklore fantasy
Number of pages: 375 approx.
Word Count: 95,000

Cover Artist: Farah Evers


Tags: #Fantasy #Amreading #Kindle @MelissaSnark

Promo Tweet: One man dares defy Fate. Please nominate BATTLE CRY on #KindleScout. #Fantasy #Norse #amreading @MelissaSnark

Logline: One man dares defy Fate.

Survival demands sacrifices; healing requires forgiveness. 

Men revere him; monsters fear him. Jake Barrett, the notorious Hunter King, values loyalty to family and followers above all else. When the daughter of his closest ally murders Daniel, his oldest son, it sets off a chain reaction of violence and destruction that claims the lives of both wolves and hunters. Determined to avenge his son, Jake seeks the truth at any cost.

After losing her lover and then her mate, Victoria Storm simply wants to get on with building a new life in Sierra Pines, California. A vengeful Jake Barrett and his organization aren't going to make that easy, especially with the unwelcome attraction between her and the Hunter King's second son. Perils beyond the mortal coil plague Victoria.

When the Norse Fates predict Victoria will destroy the world, her duties as a priestess of Freya come into conflict with her responsibilities as a Valkyrie of Odin. When they tell her she will do it to save her unborn child, she's not so sure they are wrong.

Sawyer Barrett has been trying to kill Victoria for so long, he doesn't know whether he loves her or hates her. Desperate to end the war, he's willing to take chances with everything–except his heart. The hunter harbors a deadly secret he can't reveal without risking the ceasefire and his life.

At Sawyer's urging, Victoria agrees to peace talks with Jake. All the while, an ancient vampire plots the destruction of wolves and hunters alike. If the embittered rivalry between hunters and wolves doesn't end—and fast—there is no hope for Victoria's pack... or for their world.


Attribution: Norns weaving destiny, by Arthur Rackham (1912).  Public domain.



Excerpt (PG)


There stands an ash called Yggdrasil,
A mighty tree showered in hail.
Thence come the dews that fall in the vales.
It stands evergreen 'bove Urd's Well.
From there come women, very wise,
Three from the lake that stands 'neath the pole.
One is called UrĂ°r, another VerĂ°andi,
Skuld the third; they carve into the tree,
Each child's life and destiny.
          ~Völuspá or "The Insight of the Seeress", Poetic Edda

Urd's Well at the roots of the World Tree

The white wolf ran along the trunk of the great ash tree. Her claws dug into the silvery bark while she descended the trunk toward the bottom of the Nine Worlds. Thick gnarled roots radiated from the tree's immense base and then grew thinner. Just beyond, the dark waters of the Well of Urd formed a vast lake spread outward into eternity.

There, destiny awaited: her future and her unborn child's.

Upon reaching the sandy soil, Victoria shifted from her wolf to her human form and walked naked to join the Norns gathered about the shallow shore. The Norns, the Sisters Wyrd, personified Fate.

One a maiden, one mature, the last a crone: VerĂ°andi, Skuld, and UrĂ°r.

At the lakeshore of the Well, the three sisters filled crude wooden bowls with water that nurtured the tree. The youngest sister, the beautiful maiden VerĂ°andi who personified the Present, smiled in greeting. "You visit us again, Victoria Storm."

"As you predicted I would." Victoria spoke with deference. She sought guidance from the Norns and needed to curry their favor.

Skuld, an imposing woman in her middle years and the Future incarnation, labored in ominous silence beside her older sister, UrĂ°r, a gnarled old woman and the Past aspect of Fate.

Without a word, wizened UrĂ°r thrust the bowl she gripped in her bony fingers into Victoria's hands. The vessel, hewn from weathered gray wood, had shallow sides and a broad, flat bottom. Securing a firm hold, Victoria stepped into the lake and grimaced when the frigid cold bit into her flesh. She placed the lip of the bowl to the water and then filled the container to the brim.

Old UrĂ°r said, "The man you loved has died."

Victoria winced. "Yes."

VerĂ°andi's tone softened. "His soul is tormented."

Victoria's foot snagged on a stone, and she stumbled. Water sloshed over the brim and doused her hands. She lost half the contents of the container before she recovered her balance. Her throat worked in a convulsive swallow. "No, you're mistaken. I was there when he died. I saw Daniel's soul cross over."

"I am not mistaken," VerĂ°andi said with genuine sorrow. The youngest Norn stepped away.

Mouth open, Victoria rushed after her, determined to demand the Present Fate provide her with a satisfactory explanation, but the old woman got in her way.

UrĂ°r's lips pulled thin over cracked and yellowed teeth, an expression more grimace than grin. "Your mate has also died, as have so many others. You leave a trail of death in your wake."

"Also true." Grinding her teeth, Victoria followed the Norns to the base of the tree. She walked slowly, placing each step with precision, taking care not to spill another drop.

The three sisters each took a turn watering the roots of the tree. VerĂ°andi acted first, followed by the silent Skuld, and finally UrĂ°r. The eldest persisted in taunting Victoria. "Your love and your mate were not the same man."

Scowling, Victoria bent and poured water on a root until her bowl was empty.

"The past is the past. There is nothing I can do to alter it," she said with determined pragmatism. "I've come to see you because I am pregnant."

Youthful VerĂ°andi clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "You doubt yourself. You drown in sorrow and anger."

Ancient UrĂ°r cackled.

"True enough." Victoria bobbed her head once. Her temper roiled beneath ironclad self-control. She had no patience for delays, no use for games. She wanted answers.

Shade enshrouded Skuld, and her voice manifested upon the air, thick and oppressive, closing in from all sides. "Your daughter will not grow to adulthood in Midgard."

Victoria's heart slammed against her breastbone. Her breath expelled in a horrified gust. The bowl dropped from her hands and flew to protect her abdomen. "What do you mean?"

"Your daughter will be taken from you on the eve of her third birthday," Skuld said. "The one you trust most, a member of your own pack, will give the child over to your greatest enemy."

A growl trembled in Victoria's throat, and her entire body shook under the dual assault of fear and rage. The suggestion of betrayal from within her own pack filled her with disbelief to the core of her being. It was unthinkable. Gritting her teeth, she sought a solution, refusing to dwell on it. "How am I to prevent this?"

"We speak of what will come to pass," VerĂ°andi said in a sympathetic tone.

"Your predictions are not carved in stone," Victoria said. Arguing with Fate was a foolish endeavor, but she refused to accept their prophecy.

The old woman, UrĂ°r, smiled with a frightening gleam in her eyes.  "Predictions, carved into the trunk of the World Tree, carved into the spiritual fabric of the world."

Stubborn determination settled over Victoria like armor. Her mother had taught her there was no absolute fate, just as there was no absolute free will. Life consisted of a wide range of possibilities between the two extremes. She refused to allow her daughter to die at three years of age. 

She would move worlds, alter fate, slay gods.

Whatever it took.

"Do you wish to save your child?" Skuld asked.

Victoria answered without thought. "Yes. I'll do anything. Tell me. Please."

"The final days are upon us," VerĂ°andi said.

Skuld took over speaking. "To save your daughter, you will side with Loki against the Aesir. You will use your enchanted dagger to cut the binding of the great wolf Fenrir. You will be responsible for freeing the beast that kills Odin."

Victoria's stomach turned. Her head shook in automatic denial. "When the gods imprisoned Fenrir, my people pledged fealty to the Aesir. We have served them loyally ever since. Even when we were driven from the homeland, almost a millennium ago, we remained faithful. I will never cut Fenrir's bonds. To do so would end the world we live in and doom us all."

Skuld's gaze held steady. "You will."

Victoria snarled her denial. "No. I will never become the servant of the Trickster or willingly take part in bringing about Odin's death."

Skuld turned her head and pinned Victoria with one black eye that rolled in its socket like a liquid marble. "To save your daughter, you will."


The God of the Hunt by Melissa Snark


Although Odin is known by many names around the world, this chief among Norse gods who could appear as wind came to be known as the god of the hunt. Not only was he a fierce and wise battle god who would collect the souls of the dead from the field of battle, but these souls would later form the host that rode behind him during the hunt. Galloping through the skies on his eight-legged horse Sleipnir, Odin’s hunt was a truly fearsome sight to behold.

Odin’s Hunt was also known as Asgardreia, the Raging Host, the Wild Ride and the Wild Hunt. In his role as leader and god of the hunt, Odin was known as the Wild Huntsman. The appearance of the Wild Huntsman and his host in the sky was generally accompanied by a strong storm conditions, including fierce wind, crashing thunder and bright bursts of lightning.

While Odin’s exact prey is seldom mentioned, though some believe it to be a young woman who may or may not have committed a crime, the appearance of the Wild Huntsman is believed to be a presage to hardship and turmoil. Even when the hunt is a symbol of changing weather in the region, war and unrest were typically sure to follow.

When Odin’s ghostly host appeared on the ground, misfortune and death could befall those who witnessed their passing. In fact, anyone who witnessed Odin on the hunt and attempted to mock it or stop it could have their soul swept away to become a permanent part of the hunting party as punishment. Something as simple as building a home on an old road once used by Odin during a previous hunt could result in the misfortune of a fire burning down the home during the hunt’s next trip through the area.

In order to avoid the ill-omen of seeing the hunting party, people stayed inside with locked doors as much as possible during the Yule season, as that was when dead souls were most likely to return as part of Odin’s host. The people who did venture outside were warned that feeling a wind that didn’t move the trees, followed by the barking of dogs would precede the appearance of the Wild Huntsman and the souls he’d claimed swooping down from the sky with fire and fury.


Not all who encountered Odin’s Hunt were doomed to die or spend eternity as part of the Raging Host. Instead, those who offered their assistance with the hunt in earnest were allowed to live, often with a reward. Some would receive silver and gold for their service to the Norse god. Others would receive a cursed leg of a slain animal that they could only get rid of by seeking the help of a magician or priest. For those wise enough to ask Odin’s huntsmen for something they could not provide – like salt – they could usually force the hunting party to take back the cursed object without having to turn to anyone else for help.





Fast Facts About Melissa Snark: 

  • Melissa Snark is published with The Wild Rose Press & as an Indie author with five unique titles: A CAT'S TALE, THE MATING GAME, LEARNING TO FLY, THE CHILD THIEF, and HUNGER MOON.
  • Her Loki's Wolves series includes THE CHILD THIEF, HUNGER MOON and BATTLE CRY.
  • She lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband, three children and a glaring of cats.
  • She is a professional cat herder and unrepentant satirist who blogs about books and writing on The Snarkology.


Connect with Melissa Snark:
Email: melissasnark at gmail.com
Twitter: @MelissaSnark


Battle Cry Kindle Scout Giveaway


  • Nordic Lights Jewels of the Moon Pendant Amulet Talisman for Psychic Ability by Maelstrom Odssonn 
  • (3) Signed Paperbacks of HUNGER MOON
  • (2) $10 Gift Cards to Amazon





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