Welcome to the New Year Book Extravaganza!
We’re featuring 15 authors, all with book giveaways AND you’ll have a chance to enter at each stop for the $100 Grand prize Giveaway!
Meet featured authors and learn more about them and their books on the dates below. You may also enter their giveaways at any time on the kick-off post! Scroll down for glimpses of the books!
The Nympth’s Labyrinth
A
world shrouded in mystery and intrigue, the Sisterhood of Epione must not be
exposed.Shape-shifting nymph, Ariadne Papadakis, is tasked with keeping the truth of
the group’s existence and their ancient mysteries far out of reach of the
American archeologist, Beau Morris and his troublemaking son, Kaden. When
forgotten and forbidden passions are awakened, Ariadne is forced make a
choice—fall in line and continue to be overrun and pushed down by the
sisterhood, or follow her heart and put Beau and Kaden’s lives in danger.Can she have the man she loves or will the pressure and secrets of her past
keep her from her heart’s desire?
world shrouded in mystery and intrigue, the Sisterhood of Epione must not be
exposed.Shape-shifting nymph, Ariadne Papadakis, is tasked with keeping the truth of
the group’s existence and their ancient mysteries far out of reach of the
American archeologist, Beau Morris and his troublemaking son, Kaden. When
forgotten and forbidden passions are awakened, Ariadne is forced make a
choice—fall in line and continue to be overrun and pushed down by the
sisterhood, or follow her heart and put Beau and Kaden’s lives in danger.Can she have the man she loves or will the pressure and secrets of her past
keep her from her heart’s desire?
Their quest to find each other across a treacherous wilderness will test the
limits of courage and endurance, guided only by their dreams–and by the belief
in the true love they share.
Chapter One Present Day
Shoveling dirt in a dark, forbidding hole was
the last place Ariadne Papadakis wanted to be. She used the trowel in her hand
as a weapon to scrape the clay away. A drop of sweat trickled down the ancient
black tattooed snake on her arm, past her elbow, over the serpent’s weaving
body, and stopped at the base of her wrist as if it was afraid to enter her
palm where the head of the snake was poised for attack.
the last place Ariadne Papadakis wanted to be. She used the trowel in her hand
as a weapon to scrape the clay away. A drop of sweat trickled down the ancient
black tattooed snake on her arm, past her elbow, over the serpent’s weaving
body, and stopped at the base of her wrist as if it was afraid to enter her
palm where the head of the snake was poised for attack.
The city of Gournai sat at the base of a Cretan
hill, a blister of light in the callous night. Ariadne could remember when the
town had been nothing but a few villas and a market, perfectly rural—a great
location for a secret. Now it bustled with modern life and somewhere within the
public maze, sat an archeologist who wanted to expose the Labyrinth she and her
sisterhood of nymphs had kept hidden for so long.
hill, a blister of light in the callous night. Ariadne could remember when the
town had been nothing but a few villas and a market, perfectly rural—a great
location for a secret. Now it bustled with modern life and somewhere within the
public maze, sat an archeologist who wanted to expose the Labyrinth she and her
sisterhood of nymphs had kept hidden for so long.
How had Beau Morris found their secret…a secret
that had been hidden for thousands of years? She couldn’t know for sure, but
now she had been ordered to deal with the consequences of his action.
that had been hidden for thousands of years? She couldn’t know for sure, but
now she had been ordered to deal with the consequences of his action.
Earlier that day, while Ariadne had been working
at the museum in Heraklion, a braying couple from Alabama had been amongst the
handful of visitors. They had laughed at the bare breasts of the statue of
Epione, the snake goddess. They had snickered and made jokes of the serpents
that graced her arms and her ample breasts. They never paused to consider what
the woman had once meant to so many and still meant to Ariadne’s sisters and
all nymphs. They had just laughed and gawked at the oddity before them. Stupid
Americans.
at the museum in Heraklion, a braying couple from Alabama had been amongst the
handful of visitors. They had laughed at the bare breasts of the statue of
Epione, the snake goddess. They had snickered and made jokes of the serpents
that graced her arms and her ample breasts. They never paused to consider what
the woman had once meant to so many and still meant to Ariadne’s sisters and
all nymphs. They had just laughed and gawked at the oddity before them. Stupid
Americans.
Did no one revere what is sacred anymore? Had
culture changed that much?
culture changed that much?
Ariadne pushed the thoughts from her mind. There
were some things about the modern world that she just didn’t understand, and
Dr. Morris’ ardent desire to destroy the nymph culture by exposing the secrets
of the Labyrinth was at the top of her list.
were some things about the modern world that she just didn’t understand, and
Dr. Morris’ ardent desire to destroy the nymph culture by exposing the secrets
of the Labyrinth was at the top of her list.
Couldn’t he just leave some things alone?
If he found the Labyrinth, the artifacts would
sit in the museum, and like the statue of Epione, be pointed at and mocked—or
they would be misused. The sacred Labyrinth needed to stay exactly as it was,
hidden from science, from prying eyes, mocking laughs, and greedy hands.
sit in the museum, and like the statue of Epione, be pointed at and mocked—or
they would be misused. The sacred Labyrinth needed to stay exactly as it was,
hidden from science, from prying eyes, mocking laughs, and greedy hands.
She jabbed the trowel into the hard earth.
The trowel-marked square walls around her seemed
to move in a little closer as Ariadne worked. She swallowed back her fear as
she looked up at the night sky. When she was done, she could get out of this
place and never come back.
to move in a little closer as Ariadne worked. She swallowed back her fear as
she looked up at the night sky. When she was done, she could get out of this
place and never come back.
Her gaze fell to the exposed light gray column
at her right. For a moment she stared at the moonlit carved stone, it reminded
her of the thousands of years that had passed since she had been born. Each
year brought a new challenge, a new set of problems. She ran her finger against
the arid dirt and brought her fingers to her nose to smell the burnt sage, the
citric aroma of oranges, and a hint of olive.
at her right. For a moment she stared at the moonlit carved stone, it reminded
her of the thousands of years that had passed since she had been born. Each
year brought a new challenge, a new set of problems. She ran her finger against
the arid dirt and brought her fingers to her nose to smell the burnt sage, the
citric aroma of oranges, and a hint of olive.
To have an archaeologist sticking his nose where
it didn’t belong was an invasion tantamount to war. Subterfuge was the game and
nymphs had thousands of years of practice.
it didn’t belong was an invasion tantamount to war. Subterfuge was the game and
nymphs had thousands of years of practice.
Danica
Winters is a best-selling author who is known for writing award-winning books
that grip readers with their ability to drive emotion through suspense and
often a touch of magic. When she’s not working, she can be found in the wilds
of Montana testing her patience while she tries to understand the allure of
various crafts (quilting, pottery and painting are not her thing). She always
believes the cup is neither half-full nor half-empty, but it better be filled
with wine.
Also enter for a chance to win the grand prize!
Giveaways last through 1/14/2012
**Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Participating Blogs
Jan 7th – Black Lion Tours Blog
Jan 7th – MK McClintock Blog
Jan 8th – Melissa’s Midnight Musings
Jan 8th – I am a Reader, Not a Writer
Jan 8th – My Escape
Jan 8th – Journey with Books
Jan 9th – A Writer’s Life
Jan 9th – Deal Sharing Aunt
Jan 9th – My Syreniti
Jan 9th – Open the Page
Jan 10th – My Devotional Thoughts
Jan 10th – Romance Meets Life
Jan 11th – Oh Chrys!
Jan 11th – The Bunny’s Review
Jan 12th – Books, Books, the Magical Fruit
Jan 12th – Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf
Jan 13th – Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer
Jan 14th – Kimberly Lewis Novels
Jan 14th - MK McClintock Blog
Danica Winters
Congratulations on the new book! I have put it on my reading wish list. Happy New Year!
sounds like a good book
Hi, Danica,
I am writing to let you know that I have nominated your blog for a Liebster Award. To find out more and to share the hoopla and answer some quirky questions, check out my latest post. thanks! http://ftheeiwasateenagequaker.wordpress.com/