I am sharing this for my awesome author friend Natalie Gibson, who had her book completely re-vamped by my beloved book designers Blue Harvest Creative! I’ve read this book and LOVED it! Learn more about this awesome thriller below.

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The Carrier Trilogy is a gaslight-era paranormal horror series. In these psychological thrillers, friend and foe are not always what they seem. They are told through the eyes and words of Lady Ramillia Winmoore, daughter of the late Earl of Brooksberry. She finds herself immersed in a society of cruel immortals that will stop at nothing to claim her and to use her for their own personal gain. In this dark urban fantasy, paranormal powers are bred and collected, but she is determined to protect herself and her children—no matter what the consequences may be. These books are dark and gritty in a way that only the late 1800s London can be.

And now,  book one of  the Carrier Trilogy, Hateful Burden, has been edited and designed by Blue Harvest Creative.  It sports a brand new cover and interior design for print along with a matching eBook.

Available NOW on Amazon and soon to be available on Barnes & Noble

Click HERE to purchase the eBook

Click HERE to purchase the paperback

Book Blurb:

Lady Ramillia Winmoore, daughter of the Earl of Brooksberry, has suffered from gaps in her memory her entire life. But this darkness is a blessing. Whenever she feels threatened, it takes over and protects her from feeling pain or even the slightest bit of discomfort. That is until the day she awakens strapped to an examining table at the West Freeman Asylum for Lunatics.

Imprisoned for the gruesome murder of her parents, Ramillia learns she has lost ten months to the darkness. Forced to endure years of torturous treatments in a grimy, hidden cell, salvation arrives in the form of a benefactor named Sir Julian Lawrence. Betrothed to her through an arranged marriage, he helps her gain freedom.

But appearances are deceiving and soon Ramillia learns the cost she must pay. The horrors she encounters in his household are far worse than the asylum when he inducts her into a society of blood-thirsty, cruel immortals. Soon she is forced to join them and accept their way of life.

Now Ramillia must break free of a prison she cannot see, kill an enemy that cannot die, and find a daughter that she cannot remember—all with the help of an ally she does not know. Who is Sally and can she be trusted? Is this mysterious and frightening woman trying to save her or is she planning on saving Ramillia for herself?

Be Sure To Enter The “Evil Has No Face But It Could Have Yours Contest!

Check Out The Other Prizes You Can Win!

• First Prize—a signed print copy of Hateful Burden and your choice of one eBook copy (Kindle format only) of any of Natalie Gibson’s other titles
• Second Prize—an eBook copy of Hateful Burden (your choice of Kindle or ePub format)
• Third Prize—a signed 11 x 17 Hateful Burden poster designed and donated by Blue Harvest Creative (Five available!)

Contest Rules And Disclaimers:

• Please note Natalie Gibson writes for adults. You must be 18 or older to enter this contest
• We reserve the right to reject any photos of a questionable nature

To enter the contest, visit Natalie Gibson’s website by clicking HERE

Join in on all the evil fun during our Facebook event on May 3, 2013!

Connect With Natalie:

Facebook fan page

Facebook friend page

Twitter

I’m sharing this for my lovely friend Laura Howard! I downloaded my copy of The Forgotten Ones, you should too!  

Allison O’Malley’s plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison’s mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn’t trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother’s sanity.

About Laura Howard

Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.

But what I’ve also learned throughout this incredible year is that it’s okay to not get it right the first time. It’s okay to not sell as well as other authors, or to not make it through to the next round in that book contest. It’s also okay to not be a bestseller right off the bat. Most people aren’t. All you can do is have confidence in yourself, continuously expand your knowledge and perfect your skills, and, most importantly, find joy in the journey. Life is too beautiful to waste on being stressed out or worried. So instead, take a moment to breathe and allow yourself time to enjoy what you love. If you love to write, then write. Don’t waste more time than necessary advertising, marketing, promoting your work if that’s not what you love to do. There will always be time for that later. The best thing you can do for your peace of mind now is to do what you truly want and love to do.

Lately, I’ve taken up an obsession with healthy eating. It was probably inspired by my good friend making the healthy living choice and she lost a ton of weight and feels fantastic. I wanted to feel fantastic too. And while perusing healthy eating sites and learning the ins and outs of what veggies are best and what cool recipes there are out there, I found so many inspirational blogs and websites as well. As a result, I found something that was seriously lacking in my life:  inspiration, acceptance, humility. You see, I’d been in this running, running, running mode for so long that I’d long ago forgotten how to step away and simply breathe. Even when on vacation, my mind was constantly on my books and on marketing and on what I should post to Facebook and whether or not I’d gotten any new reviews on my books…it was wearing me out and spreading me too thin. I’m learning now that the reason I wasn’t sleeping well and the reason my mood was always crabby was that I, in a lot of ways, was stuck in a rut. Sure, I was making progress with my books (completed my latest one thanks to NaNoWriMo last November, which was awesome!) but I was neglecting the other things in my life so much so that they were left to shrivel in my dust. My health, my job, my marriage, my friends…all started to take second place to my books. I knew it wasn’t right, and yet I couldn’t stop myself. I had formed these habits that were much too hard to break. Being online from dawn till dusk checking emails, writing blog posts, drawing up advertisements, wasting time surfing Facebook (as if that’s ever productive!), etc. I was consumed by it. I have a habit of throwing all I have at a project when I am truly dedicated to it, and that’s exactly what I did. While that’s fine sometimes, in this case it wasn’t. Because it was a never ending project. When you publish a book, you always want to write the next one and then publish it, and then on to the next one, and the next one. It never stops. So I had to learn how to reign myself back and accept that being online sixteen, seventeen hours a day was not making me more money, it was not helping me sell more books, and it definitely wasn’t making me happy.

So I pulled back. I’m still online for part of the day taking care of things, but I have learned that this race I was running to make it to the top of the Indie writing world was a race I was running in circles. The thing is, I’ll get there when I get there, and taking the fun out of the process is the worst thing I could do. I offer this same advice to other authors out there, and to everyone, really. Whatever it is that you do in life, make sure that you take the time to stop, breathe, enjoy the moment, and count your blessings. All too often we are reminded of just how short life can be, and yet so rarely do we take a moment to appreciate that fact. I challenge all of you to take charge of your life and do what you enjoy, be with those you love, and cherish every second you have. You will find that taking a break from the computer for awhile and going for a walk outside will lift your spirits in ways you probably forgot existed. Or find a new hobby to get into, like me with cooking healthy recipes, and spend some time enjoying it. Or, do something that a lot of writers should really spend more time doing these days…write! Trust me, you will see your outlook on life begin to improve with every day that you take time to do the things that make you happy.

My husband showed me this fantastic video when we first got together, and I’ve never forgotten it. In fact, it’s one of his favorite videos ever, and he constantly shows it to people because it is honestly one of the most inspiring things you will ever see. It’s called Everybody’s Free To Wear Sunscreen and the video was made by my favorite director, Baz Luhrmann. Here it is, I hope you find it as inspiring as I did!

“People with many interests live, not only longest, but happiest.” -George Matthew Allen

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Well, the #BeNotorious Book Blog tour has come to an end and the celebratory confetti needs to be swept up, but that doesn’t mean the party is completely over! I wanted to do a quick little post to share some of my favorite fun facts, quotes, inspiration, and overall feelings about Rise of the Notorious and the Vasser Legacy series.

WHEN EMPIRES FALL is still FREE on Amazon (April 24)! Click here to download it!

You see, The Vasser Legacy got its start way back in November of 2011…I had just completed the last of my Dryad Quartet series and was hankering to try something different. Instead of continuing with fantasy as I had done before, I chose to take a step into unknown territory and try my hand at contemporary drama with a healthy dose of mystery and romance thrown in. Essentially, an adult novel with adult topics and themes that make the Dryad Quartet seem quite tame. But I have grown as a person and as an author since I first began writing, and the Vasser Legacy was to be my first stab at a new brand.

Turns out, it’s a LOT of fun to write a more adult book! While I enjoyed the fantasy, I definitely have found my home in contemporary fiction, drama, and romance.

So you all are pretty familiar with the Vasser Legacy by now (hopefully I haven’t bored you too much, yet!), but there are a few things you might not know. Inside details, perhaps *rubs hands together deviously*. Well, I’m here to share them with you at last!

Fun Facts about The Vasser Legacy…

• The four main siblings in The Vasser Legacy are named after renowned American Presidents:  Grant, Lincoln, Madison, and Kennedy
• The song that inspired the books is Raoul and the Kings of Spain by Tears for Fears, and I even named one of the most crucial characters after the song
• Cyrus Vasser, the patriarch of the Vasser family and ruthless killer, has been compared many times to J.R. of the infamous television show, Dallas. Having just recently started watching Dallas, I can definitely see the comparison! Both are ruthless and more than a little ornery
• Madison Vasser, heir of Cyrus and ambitious sister to Grant and Linc, has been compared to Dagny Taggart of Ayn Rand’s epic novel Atlas Shrugged. This was a MAJOR honor for me, having read and loved Ayn Rand’s work.
• Every time I wrote a scene with Grant Vasser, I pictured Colin Firth as Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones’ Diary. It helped me get in tune with the kind of awkwardness and seriousness I wanted him to portray.
• If I could have the actor of my choice play Linc Vasser, it would be Bradley Cooper. I don’t have hard core choices for the others, but Bradley is a MUST for Linc.
• Originally, Lynette was going to be a blonde, bookish woman with a quiet, toned down personality. Her name originally was going to be Claire Gray, though I later decided I wanted to reserve that name for a future book. She morphed pretty quickly once I realized that Linc would never be impressed by a woman like that. So she became a southern debutante, red-headed ballet dancer with a loyalty to family almost as strong as Linc’s!
• When I set out to construct the Vasser family tree, I relied on this concept of “the seventh son of the seventh son” as my guide…legend has it that the man who is a “seventh son of a seventh son” is gifted or special in some way. I looked at it differently…I wanted the seventh son of the seventh son (Win Vasser) to be the one that “broke the chain” (referencing the Tears for Fears song), the one who brought the family to ruin.
• At first, I was planning on having Quinn be of both English (father) and Italian (mother) descent, but it became more fun for her to be a full-blooded Sicilian with a big, loud, crazy family a la My Big Fat Greek Wedding
• Wyatt’s past with Madison was never supposed to be such a crucial part of the story…in fact, I had drafted out a mild reason for why he left her, and it didn’t involve any kind of scandal. It wasn’t until I was writing the first book that I realized Wyatt deserved to play a bigger role, and his dark secrets would be the perfect story device to use for added mystery and drama!
• In the beginning, I was planning on having Linc be the only Vasser heir. Madison and Grant were going to be cousins, related but not the main characters. Linc was going to be the “son of the seventh son of the seventh son” and he was going to be the heir who struggled to bring the company back to what it once was before his father destroyed it. Obviously, this took a much different turn later once I began brainstorming more for the story, but Linc still remained the ideas guy who wants to transform the company.
• The original working title of When Empires Fall was:  When We Were Kings.  I didn’t come up with the WEF title until I literally wrote the last scene of the book. I wrote those three words in a sentence, and it struck me as the perfect title. Funny how that works, huh?

Some of my favorite quotes from Rise of the Notorious…

• “Damnit, woman, this is the Army!” -Paul Morgan
  
• “Well if the Brady Bunch over here had had better control of their daddy, maybe he wouldn’t have blabbed to the press.” -Cy Vasser
• “You can either accept the truth of our situation or you can bury your heads in the sand. I honestly don’t give a damn. Either way, I am going to salvage our reputation and protect the family and the company, with or without your help. You can choose to stand against me, but consider that betrayal carefully before you act on it. I will not forget.” -Madison Vasser
• “A girl in love is always happy.” -Quinn Taylor
• “I’m in a mood, Wally.” -Linc Vasser
• “When you look at me that way, I feel like you’re looking right into me…” -Quinn Taylor
• “That’s the curse of Vegas, sweetheart. Beginner’s luck makes a gambler of us all.” -Wyatt Bailey
• “We go way back, cousin, but that doesn’t change anything. If I’m going to be forced to follow you, then you can bet I won’t go easily.” -Duke Vasser
• “A knight defends his queen.” -Raoul Garcia
• “Lesser men pale in the shadow of greatness. If she doesn’t squash you like the bugs you are, then you can bet I will.” -Wyatt Bailey
• “Why do you assume that I’m the one who’s going to say something brash? Everyone knows you’re the loud mouth of the family.” -Linc Vasser
• “You feel no emotion; you’re cold to the bone. You are a self-serving narcissist who will hurt anyone and do anything to get to the top. Grandpa was the same way, and both of you get a kick out of destroying everyone else’s happiness. Like dad’s…you just had to get rid of him, didn’t you?” -Kennedy Vasser

I also wanted to share a “playlist” of sorts, of songs that I would use in the Vasser Legacy soundtrack if one were to ever be made. These are songs that inspired the characters, the scenes, the romances…every aspect of the books. Enjoy!

CREDITS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS!

First off, I owe a huge round of gratitude and praise to my amazing book designers, Blue Harvest Creative! They are the most amazing people I have ever had the pleasure of doing business with, and I am a more successful author thanks to them! So kudos and a raised glass to my good friends, BHC, who never let me down and always help me strive for perfection!

Secondly, gracious thanks goes to my lovely author friend Emerald Barnes and her crew over at Worldwind Book Tours, who helped round out this tour with some amazing book blogs! I can’t thank you, Emerald, or your fellow bloggers, enough for helping out!

Third, many thanks to my fellow authors who helped host me on this blog tour…you guys are so amazing!! You guys rock and you have made this tour a complete success! I appreciate your support more than I can ever say!

Lastly, thank you to everyone else who joined me for this big month long event and to those of you who showed your support for my dream! I have been nothing but smiles thanks to all of you!

This has been a wildly successful tour, but I am very excited to wrap it up and get back to working on my next book…I promise it will be…haunting…hehe.

Be Notorious my friends! Thank you!

-Katie

RELEASE DAY! + FREE eBook – #BeNotorious Blog Tour Day Seven

Today’s the day! Now available exclusively on Amazon, get the explosive and much anticipated sequel to my award winning family drama novel When Empires Fall, aptly named Rise of the Notorious! All month I have been touring various blogs AND doing a massive giveaway, which you can still enter! Read below for more details. Also, for today and tomorrow only, get When Empires Fall for FREE on Amazon!

What is The Vasser Legacy?

The Vasser Legacy is a series that focuses on the rise, fall and resurrection of the prestigious Vasser Hotel family. It’s a story filled with deception, passion, murder, and ambition set in glorious Manhattan in New York City.

What is Rise of the Notorious about?

When their empire fell, darkness descended upon the Vasser Hotel family and shrouded them in chaos. It was a darkness layered in violent sins and staggering deception, made only more potent by a haunting truth. Murder, it seemed, was a burden they couldn’t escape.

With a scandal plaguing the family’s reputation, the Vasser heirs must rise to the occasion and utilize a killer’s advice to turn bad publicity into good, and tradition into innovation.

If only it was that easy.

In an elaborate game of hidden motives and sinister agendas, more dirty truths from the past will resurface, truths that could bring about victory or bloodshed. But how will the Vasser siblings react when the real threat to their family not only has power and control on the mind, but assassination as well? What will they do when it becomes clear that someone out there wants them destroyed, no matter the price?

The Vassers may have fallen from grace, but now they will rise as notorious.

Get When Empires Fall, first of the Vasser Legacy, for FREE in eBook format on Amazon! April 23-24 only.

Last Day to Enter the Giveaway!

Not only can you enter to win signed print copies of the complete Vasser Legacy series, you can also win great books from my fellow authors as well as some awesome author swag! Check out the prizes below!

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Rise of the Notorious

By International Bestselling Author

Katie Jennings

Available Now!

Click HERE to Enter the Giveaway!

Also, get an extra entry for each blog you comment on during the tour!

Good luck!

Thank you to all of the amazing blogs who helped out with this tour, and thank you for stopping by and visiting with me today!

Be Notorious, my friends!

Sneak Peek: The Past Defines Chapter One – #BeNotorious Blog Tour Day Six

Welcome to Day Six of the #BeNotorious Blog Tour! We are revving up to the release of the highly anticipated sequel of my family drama When Empires Fall, aptly named Rise of the Notorious!

Follow along on this notorious blog tour from April 2^nd till release day on April 23^rd, and be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win some AMAZING prizes!

Today’s stop is a sneak peek at Chapter One of Rise of the Notorious. A true blast from the past, learn just one of the many dark and dirty secrets of the Vasser family in this tempting excerpt! Enjoy!

The other blogs featuring this stop today are:

Voracious Reader

Richard Weatherly

Annamaria Bazzi

Worlds Away Book Blog

The Book Connection

Tamara’s One Stop Indie Shop

**Be sure to stop by each blog and post a comment as a part of the Giveaway!**

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CHAPTER ONE

United States Army

Criminal Investigation Division

Quantico, Virginia

October 2, 1944

While the world destroyed itself with war thousands of miles away, Paul Morgan sat back comfortably in his desk chair and smiled. He had, thanks to his well-connected father, avoided the overseas conflict. It wasn’t that he couldn’t handle the violence of war or that he was anything less than a true patriot, he just felt his unique skill set was better suited on the home front. And with war crimes on the rise, how could anyone say that he was anything less than necessary?

His job was a simple one. He was a military man who brought other military men to justice.

One thing he knew without a shadow of a doubt was that war was hell. But regardless of this fact, America still expected her men of arms to maintain civility. It was his job to take the cases that were forwarded on from the commanders overseas and see to it that the soldiers who committed war crimes be dealt with accordingly.

It was a job his training as a New York City police officer had primed him for before he had enlisted in the Army to help fight the war. Only, after boot camp, his father had insisted on his removal from the general ranks and his placement in the CID as a warrant officer. It wasn’t the position he had been looking for, but now that he was here he couldn’t be happier.

While the friends he had made in basic training died bloody deaths upon foreign soil, he rested comfortably in Quantico, ready to investigate them if they made a mistake. Sure, it gave him some sleepless nights, but it would be foolish of him to regret his good fortune.

Not that he didn’t have other regrets, of course. In fact, it was becoming much too difficult to not regret one, nagging little thing in particular.

It was the inconvenient string that had come attached to the woman he had decided to marry three years earlier. Not that he had known at the time that this string would be a burden; he had married her in part for this important string.

His wife was affluent…very affluent. Her great uncle had created an American empire, one that had grown into a flourishing, world-renowned business. One that shined like a beacon on the hill for all to admire and envy, eager to feel even some small part of its glory.

It was an empire that was not only monumental, but magnificent and respected.

It was an empire of hotels. The Vasser Hotels.

When he had married her, she had carried the prestigious name Vasser. Now, it appeared that name was going to haunt him until the day he died.

The phone call had come unexpectedly days earlier, an unwarranted intrusion of the quiet peace of his work environment. It had shattered his resolve, weakened his confidence, and shaken him to the core. How could they ask this of him? How dare they even assume he would play a willing role in the cover up of something so undeniably heinous?

Yet they had demanded it. Who was he to deny the whims of a force he had no hope of defeating?

His earlier smile faded as sweat began to bead on his forehead. He wiped it away nervously with the handkerchief from the breast pocket of his suit jacket, his nearly colorless blue eyes darting to the door of his office. Any minute now that wench would walk in, primed for their scheduled appointment. What he wouldn’t give to throttle her for what she was making him do.

What she was giving him no choice but to do.

Lazy afternoon sunlight poured in from the window at his back and highlighted the auburn of his neatly combed hair. It pierced through the half open blinds so that slats of light shone golden on the white wall across from him. Decorating the wall were his awards, achievements, and family photographs. He turned his eyes away from the photograph of his Major General father, feeling sick to his stomach.

If he got caught then it was all over. Everything. He was a doomed man if this ever, ever came back to him. He just had to pray with everything he had that the Vassers had the situation on their end under control. If that man ever killed again…Paul shuddered to even think of it.

Blood was going to be on his hands now. Blood of men he had never met, distant relatives of the wife he should have never married. Damn the Vasser name for carrying its prestige and allure. Damn them all for forcing his hand on this godforsaken cover up!

A sharp, brisk knock on his office door had his heart stalling in his chest. Struggling for words, he attempted to clear the sudden lump in his throat and remove the fear from his expression. He’d be damned if the Vasser woman knew he feared her…

“Come in.” Paul watched as the door slid open and the woman entered, all long, slender legs and vivid red silk. Her golden hair was perfectly styled to curl around her softly angular face, her expression coldly detached and ruthless. It was like the devil himself had just ascended from Hell disguised as an angel, ready to collect his due.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Morgan. So nice to finally meet you,” Stella Vasser purred, her lips curving into a cat-like grin as she shut the door at her back and faced him, her dark coat draped over her arm. “I appreciate you agreeing to see me to discuss the matter at hand. My family will be eager to learn what the status is on the investigation.”

“Don’t play coy with me,” Paul growled, slamming his fist down upon his metal desk in a wave of sudden fury. “I know why you’re really here.”

Stella’s grin remained, but her expression notably hardened. Her eyes of rich cobalt examined him as a spider would a fly trapped in its web. Oh, and what a web she had weaved. Until she had this particular little fly snared and secure, her husband and her family faced terrible consequences for what had been done. For what Cyrus had done…

“I know you do. However all pretenses must be carefully maintained.” She sauntered forward on sharp heels and took a seat gracefully in one of the armchairs facing his desk. Folding her hands primly in her lap over her coat and purse, she eyed him once more. “My husband anxiously awaits his flight back from France.”

“He should have died there,” Paul spat viciously, his earlier fear subsiding as his anger over the whole situation boiled over and claimed him.

Stella’s stunning red lips curled into an angry snarl. “How dare you say such a vile thing?”

“How dare he commit such vile acts?” Paul cried out, the urge to jump to his feet and leave her and the whole mess behind exploding through him.

“His reasons are none of your concern,” she replied through gritted teeth, eyes flashing dangerously. “I don’t expect you to understand.”

Paul forced himself to be calm, sucking in deep breaths through his nose in an attempt to quell the uneasiness and anger coursing through his veins. The nerve of these people…

“So what exactly would you like me to do?” he asked finally, avoiding her eyes. Such cold eyes…he had never met the husband, but he must be a crazy bastard to marry a woman like this. It irked him that despite everything else about her, he couldn’t deny that she was one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever laid eyes upon.

And when she smiled at him with all that ruthless power in her eyes, it made him feel a foot tall.

“I want you to bury it.”

He laughed, a dark, forced cackle that was borderline hysterical. “You think it’s just that easy?”

“Of course it is. You’re in charge, are you not?”

“Damnit, woman, this is the Army!” He threw his hands up into the air, exasperated as he glared at her again. “Incidents of this magnitude do not just get brushed aside!”

“Sure they do.” Stella stared him down with all of the conviction she could muster. She had to hold strong, had to protect her husband. She was his only shot. “This is war, Mr. Morgan. Men die. Record the deaths as casualties of war and we will be done with this.”

“And what of the evidence, Mrs. Vasser? It is already a matter of record, as are the witness statements and the commander’s report.” Paul reached for a manila folder at his side, thrusting it across the desk. It landed before her and she eyed it with amusement.

“It is your word that determines the fate of my husband, not the evidence nor the witness statements. If you choose not to pursue this investigation, then it will be filed away, never to be looked upon again. That is all I ask of you.”

“And what happens when it is discovered that I covered up one of the most heinous war crimes committed against fellow American soldiers in the history of the Army?” he asked, the heat in his voice mixing with a bitterness he couldn’t shake. “Will my wife’s family somehow protect me when it’s my head on the chopping block?”

“We take care of our own,” Stella replied easily, her head tilting to the side as she smirked at him. “At least those who serve our purpose.”

A cold chill settled in his gut at her words, sending a shiver down his spine. He didn’t need to ask what was done with those, even inside the family, who did not serve their purpose. There were three dead bodies being shipped back from France who would be a testament to that violent truth.

“Then consider it done.” He settled back against his chair, numb now to the fear, to the anger. There was nothing he could do; he couldn’t refuse her request. If the Vasser family fell under the weight of this horror, his wife and consequently he would fall with them. It was a connection he despised, and yet could not ignore.

He, by all association, was a part of the Vasser family. As a limb of the empire, roped by a foolish little string attached by marriage, he had now become an unwitting player in the elaborate cover up staged by Cyrus Vasser and his cunning wife, Stella. It was one that she had assured him the rest of the family was completely unaware of, which only made the truth that much easier to keep hidden. He wondered briefly how Cyrus Vasser’s parents would react if they ever learned that he had murdered his own brothers in cold blood, all so that he could assume control over the family empire. He had to pray that day would never come, for all their sakes.

Stella rose to her feet, extending her hand to his. “Thank you, Mr. Morgan. I will inform my in-laws that the deaths have been ruled an accidental consequence of war. You have mine and my husband’s sincerest appreciation. We will not forget this.”

He stared at her hand blankly for a moment before accepting it and rising from his seat.

“Have a safe trip back to New York, Mrs. Vasser,” he said dully, watching as she turned and swept from the room, the scent of her sultry perfume lingering in the air. He shuddered once as he sank back into his chair.

He was right when he realized this moment would haunt him for the rest of his life. Only what he didn’t know at the time was that it would even further haunt, and even attempt to destroy, the life of his unborn son.

If he had known that then, perhaps he would have crashed and burned with the truth instead of covering for it. It would have been the noble thing to do.

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Rise of the Notorious

By International Bestselling Author

Katie Jennings

Coming April 23, 2013

Click HERE to Enter the Giveaway!

Don’t forget, you get an extra entry for each blog you comment on during the tour!

Giveaway runs from April 2nd until April 24th. The winners will be announced here on this blog and will be contacted via email.

Good luck!

Sneak Peek: A Notorious Prologue – #BeNotorious Blog Tour Day Five

Welcome to Day Five of the #BeNotorious Blog Tour! We are revving up to the release of the highly anticipated sequel of my family drama When Empires Fall, aptly named Rise of the Notorious!

Follow along on this notorious blog tour from April 2^nd till release day on April 23^rd, and be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win some AMAZING prizes!

Today’s stop is a sneak peek at the prologue of Rise of the Notorious. Set in the “City of Sin,” this enticing snippet is sure to whet your appetite! Enjoy!

The other blogs featuring this stop today are:

A.D. Trosper

Dariel Raye

M.E. Franco

Moosubi Reviews

Willing To See Less

**Be sure to stop by each blog and post a comment as a part of the Giveaway!**

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PROLOGUE

Las Vegas, Nevada

July 1, 2004

They say that only clever creatures can survive the desert heat. After all, the desert is nothing more than a sweltering wasteland that has claimed more victims than it has given life, which makes it more of a graveyard than a flourishing habitat. But, regardless of this fact, at some point in time man had either been foolish enough, or maybe greedy enough, to build a playground in the middle of Hell.

Then they’d had the audacity to call it a fertile plain.  Las Vegas.

What a glorious contradiction.

Madison Vasser despised the desert with all of her being. She was a creature made for colder climates, for snow drifts and icy streets. Her ivory skin welcomed a cool winter chill, and scornfully burned under the red-hot desert sun. But, like many others, she had learned to adapt to her new home, for the reward for staying was much too great to relinquish.

She was nineteen, she was ambitious, and she was in love.

Her smile was instinctive and more than a little wicked as she sauntered through her family’s lavish casino, her golden dress fitted to her curves and cropped short above her knees. Men in the casino faltered and stared as she passed, stunned by her radiance, moved by the passion so clear in her expression. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and was taking it without reservation. There was no asking, no begging. No, there was only ambition and victory. And she was the master of both.

She’d come to Vegas a year before to serve her family’s empire. Now, as she walked through the casino, she had to marvel at her grandfather’s brilliance to build in the godforsaken desert in the first place. Despite appearances, it really was a powerful city. The money that traded hands there was layered thick with hopeful sweat and anxious tears, but, damnit, the people loved it. They flocked to it, never having fully sated themselves with the escapist thrill of bright lights and lost inhibitions.

The hotel itself thrived, rising like a glittering beacon of refuge out of the dusty sand and drier-than-hell rock. It towered over its neighbors, both larger and taller than anything else within several hundred miles. Cyrus had insisted upon it, had purposely designed it so the sapphire and gold “V” shone boldly and brilliantly from atop the glass walled building for all to see. No one entering Las Vegas would have any doubt who was the top dog in town or who ruled the landscape like a king rules an empire.

The Vasser name was as powerful as it was timeless. And, as her grandfather was apt to say, it was the tower of strength.

She made her way out of the bustling casino and passed by the hotel’s premiere French restaurant, Soleil, thinking she’d grab a bottle of wine for later. After all, it was somewhat of an anniversary. It had been exactly one year since she had arrived in Las Vegas.

Oh, and how things had changed since then.

She may have hated the desert, but there was no denying that it had given her an incredible gift, one she would have gone to Hell and back for had she known of its existence. Well, his existence, really.

Wyatt Bailey, the man who’d come from nowhere and shamelessly set fire to her heart.

He’d been virtually nothing when she had found him, just a blackjack dealer working for her uncle with a mysterious past, no car, and a crappy apartment. Despite his shortcomings, she had taken him under her wing and given him everything.

Within a couple of months, she’d gotten him promoted to Pit Boss, moved his meager belongings into her suite at the hotel, and bought him a brand new Mercedes SLR and new designer clothes. Most importantly, she had given him her heart, and in return, he had changed her entire world.

She had never loved any man the way she loved Wyatt, with a fiery passion and a crushing need that consumed her every waking moment until she couldn’t stand it unless she was at his side. He was intense and fiercely obsessed with her, emotions she knew only too well as she possessed them herself. They were such similar creatures, which was why it had been so easy to fall in love with him. It had taken barely more than a touch and they were mesmerized by each other, which was exactly how she had always hoped love would be.

Smiling again, she swept through the service entrance and into the restaurant’s kitchen, her amber eyes catching sight of Raoul, one of the cooks at the hotel. He was busy whipping up eggs in a large, stainless steel bowl at a furious speed, his dark hair falling into his eyes as he worked.

She and Raoul had become fast friends the moment she had begun working for her Uncle Duke because, like herself, she recognized in him an ambitious and restless spirit. He craved status, power, and the finer things in life as much as she did. Once she had her way, she would see to it that they both got what they wanted in this life. Success.

“Darling, I hope that quiche is not for Grant and Erin.” Madison smiled as she came up beside him, one hand sliding over his shoulder companionably. “You know she’s lactose intolerant.”

Raoul stopped whisking and glared down at her, his mouth set in a firm line. “Sí, but your brother likes it, no? I will make something else for his woman.”

She leaned in to kiss his cheek, coaxing a small smile out of him as she did so. “I can always count on you.”

“It’s nothing.” He brushed her off, reaching for the bowl again to pour the egg into a shallow glass dish layered with pastry dough. “You should go prepare for your brother, cariño.”

She glanced down at the slim gold watch on her left wrist, pursing her lips. “I have a few hours till they fly in. Enough time to have a glass of wine and take a hot bath.”

He chuckled and shook his head, sprinkling cheese over the quiche. “There is a nice Moscato in the fridge.”

“Fantastic idea.” Madison swept over to the kitchen’s large wine fridge, opening the glass door and reaching for the Moscato. She checked the date on it and smiled. “Excellent. Wyatt enjoys a good white.”

Raoul said nothing as she shut the door and wandered back to him, bottle in hand. “I’ll be down in a couple of hours to help you finish with dinner.”

“Hasta siempre,” he murmured without looking at her, his eyes focused instead on the quiche as he finished preparing it.

She paused, her eyes softening as she watched him. It was only when he was feeling emotional that he used that phrase of endearment with her. Just what was bothering him now, she didn’t know. But whatever the reason, she would be there for him when he needed her, just as he was always there for her. Loyalty was everything.

“Until forever, darling.” She squeezed his shoulder briefly before leaving the kitchen, her mind shifting focus from her friend and instead to her lover, who was waiting for her upstairs.

Since she had begun working at the hotel she had lived in one of the suites. Because the arrangement wasn’t meant to be permanent, she figured it was best to be close to the action of the hotel instead of living elsewhere in the city. Besides, it didn’t get any more luxurious than a suite at the Vasser Hotel.

Wine in hand, she made her way toward the hotel’s elevators, her head held high and a smooth confidence to her step. The world was hers for the taking. And boy, did she intend to take. Only what she deserved, of course, but she was going to make her grandfather proud. After all, he had entrusted her with his most lucrative secrets, trained her to be everything he needed her to be. If it wasn’t for him, she would be nothing.

She would never, ever let herself forget that.

The elevator she boarded rose slowly toward the upper floors and she gazed at herself in the mirrored gold doors as she waited. Her long, dark brown hair was meticulously straight, its length falling to nearly her mid-back. Eyes of vibrant amber beneath heavy lids stared back at her, sultry and intense. She was proud of the heritage evident in her appearance, proud that she so greatly resembled the man who she respected above all else.  It was all a part of who she was, and who she was becoming.

She was a Vasser, and she would go to the grave defending her family and the empire that was her birthright.

When the elevator came to a stop and the doors slid smoothly open, Madison sauntered out and strolled down the long hallway, her heeled footsteps muffled by the ornate gold and sapphire carpet. She reached into the small handbag she carried and pulled out her key card just as she came up to the door of her suite.

She slid the card neatly into the slot and pushed the door open, her smile still in place as she entered the room.

“I brought some wine up, darling.  I figured we could have some fun before Grant flies in.”

She paused, taken aback as she noticed the empty living area and the neatly cleaned bedroom beyond. Frowning, she stalked through the bedroom and into the adjoining bathroom, expecting him to be there.

When she found it empty, her heart began to race in her chest as frustration and anger surged through her. Where the hell was he?

She tore back into the bedroom, heading straight for the dresser and ripping out the drawers.  When she noticed his clothes were missing, her breathing became shallow and forced, her chest constricting painfully.

No, it couldn’t be. He wouldn’t do this.

She stormed back into the living room, her hand clenching violently around the wine bottle, her vision hazing with red. That was when she spotted the note, written on the hotel’s white and gold stationary, sitting atop the coffee table. Beside it lay the key to the Mercedes she had given him.

Her handbag fell to the floor as she grabbed the note and hastily read the words, gripping it so tightly that she nearly tore it to shreds.

It read simply:  I’m sorry, sweetheart.

“You godforsaken bastard,” she snarled, her hand shaking as she crumbled the note into her fist. In a fit of glorious rage, she hurled the wine bottle against the wall, her heart panging at the resounding crash as glass and wine spilled hideously onto the floor.

As the realization that he had left her exploded through her system, she did the only thing that would satisfy the blood lust coursing through her at that very moment. She tore the room to pieces, cursing his name over and over until her throat was dry and her eyes were bright with tears. The fury she unleashed ripped through the suite like a tsunami; its wake leaving chairs upturned, tables pushed over, vases shattered and draperies ripped from windows. Anything she could grab she did, and as she ruined her pretty possessions she vowed to hunt him down and make him pay.

“Stop it, cariño.”

Raoul’s voice shot out at her from the doorway, causing her to falter for the briefest of moments, her chest heaving. In her hands she held a priceless Baroque statue, the weapon she intended to use to shatter the equally priceless antique mirror over the desk to pieces.

She looked up to meet his dark eyes, and in that instant felt her knees crumble beneath her.

Within seconds he was with her, gathering her close, pressing her face into his chest.

“Don’t you dare waste tears on him,” he grunted, glaring around at the destruction she had made, an odd, prideful gleam in his eyes. He knew that, while she may be cool-headed most of the time, she was a vindictive devil capable of catastrophe when provoked. “He is not worth it.”

As hard as she tried, her fury could only carry her so far. Her emotions were boiling up to overtake her, cloaking her in misery and abject humiliation. Because that’s exactly what this was. Wyatt Bailey had used her, led her to believe he loved her, and then left. For as long as she lived, she’d damn him to the darkest depths of Hell for scorning her.

“How dare he leave me,” she spat, despising the crack in her voice as the words sank in and enveloped her in despair. When she spoke again, it was more of a whisper and she hated herself for feeling this awful weakness. “How dare he?”

Clutching at Raoul’s white dress shirt, she gave in to her emotions and let them drain her dry, her tears painful and horrific.

Never again. Never again would she trust a man with her heart only to have him trample on it this way. She thought of the night only three weeks earlier when she and Wyatt had impulsively gone to a chapel downtown and tied the knot, completely in secret. No one in her family had any idea. Now, it appeared, they never would.

Raoul simply held her, seeking to comfort even as a satisfied smile curved over his lips.

Finalmente. At last. Wyatt Bailey was gone.

* * *

Rise of the Notorious

By International Bestselling Author

Katie Jennings

Coming April 23, 2013

 * * *

Click HERE to Enter the Giveaway!

Don’t forget, you get an extra entry for each blog you comment on during the tour!

Giveaway runs from April 2nd until April 24th. The winners will be announced here on this blog and will be contacted via email.

Good luck!

Wedding Toast:  True love never dies. It stays with us always, and it is what makes life worth living. Cherish it always! Congratulations!

Interview With Madison Vasser – #BeNotorious Blog Tour Day Four

Welcome to Day Four of the #BeNotorious Blog Tour! We are revving up to the release of the highly anticipated sequel of my family drama When Empires Fall, aptly named Rise of the Notorious!

Follow along on this notorious blog tour from April 2^nd till release day on April 23^rd, and be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win some AMAZING prizes!

Today’s stop is an exclusive interview with the beautiful and cunning Madison of the Vasser Hotel family. She may be in charge of the family now, but she knows it comes with a heavy price. Enjoy!

The other blogs featuring this stop today are:

BestChickLit

Ashley Fontainne

Thomas Amo

SSteinwriting

**Be sure to stop by each blog and post a comment as a part of the Giveaway!**

* * *

Interviewer:  Welcome, Ms. Vasser. It is a sincere honor to have you here today. May I just say that I’m a little bit intimidated. Your reputation precedes you.

Madison:  Don’t be. And you can call me Madison. No need to be so formal.

Interview:  Great…*clears throat* First off, Madison, how does it feel to be in the limelight?

Madison:  Normal. It’s something I’ve dealt with all my life. Though lately it has been intensified.

Interviewer:  Because of the scandal?

Madison:  Because of unfortunate events.

Interviewer:  Right…were you close to your grandfather, Cyrus?

Madison:  He was my anchor, and I his floating vessel. He was the single most important person in my life.

Interviewer:  Are you troubled by what he did? Did it surprise you?

Madison:  Very little troubles or surprises me. He taught me to live my life one step ahead. He had his reasons for doing what he did, and now he has entrusted me to pick up the pieces.

Interviewer:  Are your brothers upset that he chose you as his replacement as head of the company? Has it hurt your relationship with them?

Madison:  Grant and Linc understand. Even if they didn’t, it wouldn’t matter. I’m doing what needs to be done, and nothing and no one can stand in my way.

Interviewer:  What is your plan? How are you going to rise above the scandal?

Madison:  My grandfather left me very specific instructions on what to do. I intend to follow them.

Interviewer:  Do any of them involve killing someone? *laughs* Okay, bad joke.

Madison:  You’d be surprised what I’m willing to do to achieve my goals. And if someone hurts my family, they’ll have to answer to me.

Interviewer:  Wow, okay. What about your father? He hurt your family with this scandal. Now he’s dead. What do you have to say about that?

Madison:  My father’s death is a tragedy.

Interviewer:  Anything else?

Madison:  He was a drunk and a drug addict. He died the way he lived. What more can be said?

Interviewer:  Was it suicide?

Madison:  I’ll let the police determine that.

Interviewer:  Tell me about Wyatt Bailey. Word is he’s a gambling man. You’ve known him for many years, haven’t you?

Madison:  We met in Las Vegas at the Vasser Hotel and Casino eight years ago. Up until recently I hadn’t seen him in almost as many years.

Interviewer:  What is his role in all of this? Aside from being your lover.

Madison:  Ex-lover. Wyatt knew my father and came to the city to help him. As with most things Wyatt cares about, it ended in ruin.

Interviewer:  Are you saying you don’t love him anymore? Can myself and all the hopeful men in New York breathe a sigh of relief that you’re not taken?

Madison:  I’ve spent more years hating Wyatt Bailey than I did loving him.

Interviewer:  I’ll take that as a yes to that breath of relief, then. Okay, what about the rest of your family…your uncle, your mother, your cousins. How do they feel about the steps you’re taking to save your company?

Madison:  Uncle Marshall was understandably upset at having been passed over by my grandfather, but he has faith in me. I can only hope his ego doesn’t cloud his judgment. And my mother…well, she’s just as she has always been. Opportunistic.

Interviewer:  And your cousins?

Madison:  They will fall in line. They don’t have a choice.

Interviewer:  You have a younger sister, Kennedy. How is she handling everything that has happened to your family?

Madison:  I doubt Kennedy has paid much attention. If it involves me, she prefers to keep her distance.

Interviewer:  You two don’t get along?

Madison:  She hates me.

Interviewer:  Oh. Well, thanks for being so honest.

Madison:  My pleasure.

Interviewer:  One last question…you’ve been compared to the legendary heroine Dagny Taggart of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. What do you make of that?

Madison:  I appreciate the comparison, but it’s not in my nature to compare myself to anyone.

Interviewer:  Well, you’ve certainly made an impression on all of America. I can’t wait to see what you do next.

Madison:  Neither can I.

* * *

Rise of the Notorious

By International Bestselling Author

Katie Jennings

Coming April 23, 2013

 * * *

Click HERE to Enter the Giveaway!

Don’t forget, you get an extra entry for each blog you comment on during the tour!

Giveaway runs from April 2nd until April 24th. The winners will be announced here on this blog and will be contacted via email.

Good luck!