"Witches Protection Program" by Michael Okon

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY

Witches Protection Program

by Michael Okon

Witches Protection Program by Michael Okon is currently on tour with Silver Dagger Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

For more books by this author, please check out my blog post on Monsterland and my blog post on Monsterland Reanimated.

Description

Wes Rockville, a disgraced law-enforcement agent, gets one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a 232-year-old secret government organization.

The Witches Protection Program.

His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar cosmetics company’s diabolical plan to use witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in witches … and believe in himself.

Filled with adventure and suspense, Michael Okon creates a rousing, tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern-day New York City.

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Excerpt

“Follow me, kid.” She led him down a gray hallway with mulberry-colored carpet, more plush than anything he’d ever seen in a governmental office. The place had to be a city block wide, with corridors branching off to other conduits. Here and there, a doorway opened. Wes saw that many were filled with groups of people sitting at polished conference tables. Some rooms were dark, with shades drawn, the light of a presentation on screens peeking through the slats of the blinds. Staff walked through the hallways, nodding to each other. Some were in pairs. All had a badge hanging on a chain or attached to a pocket. He squinted, but he couldn’t make out the impression on the shield. Forget about attempting to read it. He shrugged; while it looked official, it was unfamiliar. For a person who grew up with an entire family in law enforcement, he found it odd that he’d never seen it before.

“What is this place?” he asked.

“This is where the magic happens,” she told him cryptically.

She opened the door, whispering, “Prepare to be amazed.” Then, with a giant pop of her gum, she disappeared.

“Where…” Wes turned, looking for the woman, but couldn’t see her anywhere. “Where is…”

“Oh, she’s gone. Come in already,” a male voice ordered impatiently.

Wes spun to the speaker, his eyes settling on a small man seated at a glass desk. He was in a neat gray suit but wore a black turtleneck, which made him look like some odd, eccentric leftover from the beatnik generation. He was older than Wes’s father, Wes guessed somewhere north of sixty, with the thickening middle of a sedentary life, a tanned complexion, and silver hair. His chubby face sported a neatly trimmed goatee. Wes wondered where his beret might be. The man studied Wes with interested black eyes that glowed with merriment.

“What kind of department is this?”

“Mr. Wesley Paul Rockville. Son of Harris and Melinda, brother to Lauren and Andrew. Tough act to follow. Runt of the litter?”

Wes bristled, wondering where this pint-size dude got off calling him a runt. At six foot three, he was hardly considered small. “I fail to see what this has got to do with my reassignment,” he said icily.

The older man ignored him. “The young gun who had his free will sucked right out of him.”

“No one took my free will!” Wes shouted, his face hot.

“I think Miss Genevieve Fox did a pretty nice number on you.”

“What are you talking about?”

Alastair cocked his head, a smile playing on his lips.

“I don’t think this is funny, um…Alastair. I’m getting out of here.” Wes had had enough. He was pissed and hungry.

“Sit down, Agent Rockville. It’s time you learned about your new assignment.”

Praise for the Book

“This well-written urban fantasy was a big surprise; one that has me hoping for further adventures. Witches Protection Program is most highly recommended.” ~ Jack Magnus, Readers' Favorite

“Witches Protection Program is an action-packed story sure to delight teen fans of adventure and fantasy novels.” ~ BlueInk Review

“Michael Okon has brewed up a wonderful bubbling concoction with his easy-to-read style--the recipe: action, a lesson in consumerism, a little brewing romance, some steampunk weaponry, a plot twist and (in Okon style) elements of rich witch history. It could easily be likened to Men in Black meets The Witches of Eastwick, with a small moment of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” ~ The Children's Book Review

“Witches Protection Program is a great summer choice, ideal for beach or poolside reading, and with elements of romance, action, crime, and fantasy, there's a little something for everyone to enjoy.” ~ Foreword Reviews

“... mixes predictable elements - corporate intrigue, sexy witches, cat familiars, car chases, family secrets, and steampunk weaponry - into an enjoyable story.” ~ Publisher's Weekly

About the Author

Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English and later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.

Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card or one of five signed copies of Witches Protection Program by Michael Okon.

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"Mostly Innocent" by J. M. Jinks

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY

Mostly Innocent
(The Powers That Be Book 1)

by J. M. Jinks

Mostly Innocent by J. M. Jinks is currently on tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

Description

Meet Layla James, your typical smart and snarky chick - except for the whole succubus thing. After nearly a millennium on Earth, Layla’s settled down in a boring life in Palm Springs, until a smoking-hot hunter comes to arrest her for murder. But Layla knows the rules - she'd never kill someone and incite the wrath of The Powers That Be.

Elijah Daines is a hunter, maintaining the balance of good and evil in the mortal realm, his power stronger than any hunter she’s ever encountered. Plus, he’s a seriously sexy distraction. Too bad he’s accused her of a crime she didn't commit.

As the killer continues a murder spree that not only frames Layla but threatens to expose the existence of supernatural creatures to humans, Layla and Elijah team up to investigate. Hopefully, they can fight off their escalating attraction for each other long enough to exonerate her and stop the murder madness.

Excerpt

He edged nearer the counter. I, or maybe my succubus, decided on a whim I would not be intimidated by his power. I wasn’t sure where my sudden courage came from. He had to have sensed my succubus signature. We weren’t a violent race when we controlled our urges. I’m Queen of Control over here. I’m sure he knows I won’t hurt him. Right?

But why is he here? Something must be wrong.

With every step he took closer, I had a better look at him. His dark hair was in slight disarray and his crystal blue eyes scoured my face. He towered over me in every sense of the word. My stomach dipped.

He and Jolene should go back-to-back so I can get an accurate measure of his height.

I shook away my thoughts of him. Given his disapproving glare, he came here on a mission. Greek god or not, he was still a hunter, and I—

I was a product of evil, aka something he hunts.

“Succubus,” he growled. One little word filled with eons of unabashed hatred. It vibrated through me. All hopes of him wanting a new bathroom paint color vanished. No, this visit wouldn’t be pleasant, not at all.

Perhaps I could seduce him. Hell, he could do me right on the floor of aisle nine next to the light fixtures, if it kept him from killing me. I bit my lip. Hunters weren’t typically susceptible to succubi charms. A failed attempt of Aphrodisia could earn me more problems.

I released a breath. Some buried-deep, natural instinct rolled through me again, and I decided to stand my ground. I stood straighter and barked back, “Hunter.”

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Praise for the Book

“I WANT to see more from this author. I want her to succeed. I want to see how she grows in her writing. Overall, excellently done.” ~ Abstracts B.

“Loved this book and Layla! The storyline is fun and flirty and I really enjoyed the characters and watching them develop. I really hope there is another one to follow up because I already miss reading this book and Layla!” ~ tiffany katuls

“This is great debut novel! The writing is fun and flirty with lots the perfect amount of fantasy and sexiness without losing plot. It’s in depth enough to provide great character building but leaves you waiting for the next novel in the series. Highly recommend!” ~ Kelly K.

“Entertaining, quick read. This book is fast-paced and pulls you in from the first chapter. Nice balance of action and adventure mixed with romance. It does end kind of on a cliffhanger, so hoping for book 2!” ~ Amazon Customer

About the Author

J. M. Jinks was born and raised in Southern California. She lives with her husband, two dogs, and two cats in her hometown. J. M. has a Bachelor’s in French and a Master’s of Education. She is a teacher by day and a writer by night. J. M. and her husband welcomed a baby boy in May 2018. She has always had a love of reading that progressed into writing. Mostly Innocent is her first published manuscript. J. M. loves to connect with her readers.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon/B&N gift card.

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PNR, Urban Fantasy, and Dystopian Giveaway

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY

PNR, Urban Fantasy, and Dystopian Giveaway

Welcome to the PNR, Urban Fantasy, and Dystopian Giveaway! This book blitz is brought to you by Xpresso Book Tours.

Description

This giveaway is brought to you by 22 fabulous Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and Dystopian authors! In this giveaway, EVERYONE who enters will win 22 FREE – EXCLUSIVE – ebooks by the sponsoring authors (to be delivered at the conclusion of the giveaway), and one GRAND PRIZE winner will also receive a $1000 Amazon gift card! The Winner will be announced on 1 April at the Facebook Event. The winner will also receive an email directly.

There will ALSO be other prizes and giveaways happening at that event between now and our Grand Prize announcement! So make sure you mark yourself as attending so you don’t miss those great opportunities to win more prizes and snag more freebies!

You can check out the sponsoring books here and read an excerpt from one of the featured books below.

Excerpt from Discern (Mosaic Chronicles Book 1) by Andrea Pearson

Nicole put her things down, not wanting anything to be in her hands when she picked up the disgusting book. She reached for it, but hesitated. Already, she could sense warmth coming from the leather cover, and she wasn’t even touching it. Its magical pulses were different from the other items—they seemed to drip off the book like sweat.

Nicole hesitated, but wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t as if something bad would happen, right? She took a deep breath and placed her hands on the book. It shivered under her touch and she cringed, pulling back. The sensation of warm leather made her flesh crawl, and she rubbed her hands and arms on her jeans, trying to get the feeling to go away.

Come on, Nicole. Don’t wimp out.

Without letting herself think about it, she picked up the book and lifted the cover.

A wind rushed over her, blowing her hair back, roaring in her ears. She caught a brief whiff of tobacco smoke before the surge of air reversed and sucked the breath out of her lungs, making her gasp.

The floor under her quaked. The book vibrated. The leather on the cover moved, muscles beneath it flexing. Nicole tried to drop the book, but couldn’t. She was unable to control her hands or fingers. They clenched so tightly, they ached. A shadow covered the pages of the book, preventing her from reading.

What was going on? She gasped again, trying to breathe against the strong wind. She felt someone touch her shoulder, but she couldn’t move. Her fingers still clung to the book. The shadow on the pages shifted, roiled, and turned toward her, the brief outline of a face visible. It watched her for several moments.

Nicole . . .

The voice was soft, deep. A strange yearning inside her made her want to read the book, to understand. To join the owner of the voice, though she didn’t know where or what he was.

The wind slowed to a gentle and familiar caress across her cheek. Familiar?

Then suddenly, it all stopped. The book fell from her hands and slammed itself shut. She backed away, her arms, legs—everything—shaking.

“What happened?” Professor Coolidge asked next to her, making her jump.

“I—I don’t know.” Nicole tried to smooth her hair, but her hands shook too much. She tucked them under her arms. “It said my name . . . and there was a shadow. In-inside it.”

Coolidge lifted the leather book. His mouth popped open in surprise. “You’ve activated a force within it—something alive.” He looked at her, fear and worry on his face. “How did you do that?”

Nicole shook her head. “I don’t know,” she repeated.

Professor Coolidge put the book back on the table. “I’m not sure what to say, other than the book is much more powerful than it used to be.” He peered at her, scrutinizing her. “And I’d love to know why it called to you, why you woke it up, when so many others have not.”

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Giveaway

Enter the giveaway here for a chance to win a $1000 Amazon gift card.

Big Box of Paperbacks Giveaway

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY

Big Box of Paperbacks Giveaway

Welcome to the #PNR and #UF Big Box of Paperbacks Giveaway! This book blitz is brought to you by Xpresso Book Tours.

Description

Who’s ready for a giveaway you can get your hands on? A bunch of authors got together to bring you this Big Box of Paperbacks Giveaway! One lucky winner is going to win SIXTY-TWO (62) Paperback Books!

How’s that for an epic Book-Lover’s Prize?! If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, Dystopian Fiction, or Paranormal/SciFi Romance, you’re going to want to get in on this! The best part is that even if you don’t win, you’ll be subscribed to the sponsoring authors newsletters for a chance to grab some freebies, snag some special offers, and enter more giveaways!

Read an excerpt from one of the featured books below.

Excerpt from Fireseed One by USA Today bestselling author Catherine Stine.

We anchor at SnowAngel Island, trek toward the center of town, and pile into L’Ongitude. It used to be a whale-blubber processing plant. Now it’s a club full of striking, well-heeled young people gyrating to Nu-Arctic beats. We flash the fake IDs that Audun lent us. Good light show. Snowflake and icicle shapes in silvery colors whirl across the walls and across peoples’ bodies. Swallowing a lump of envy, I glance at the couples, lucky enough to already be in college, and soon be unfolding the fronds of their dream careers.

As I watch them, I get this awful vision of the world, in, say, in four years. A world where we never found those agar seed disks and the food bank dried up. It’s a world where these healthy, lively party-hounds are haggard and hungry, and no longer dancing. Where they’re on their bony hands and knees in their backyards, scratching for mushrooms and sinewy worms. I grab anxiously at a pile of pink-and-yellow agar-pastries that a L’Ongitude waitress is carrying, and stuff one in.

Shaking off the vision as I chew, I glance over at Marisa. She’s arching her brows at a girl’s skimpy garb. The girl ignores Marisa but her dance partner gives Marisa an appreciative once-over. Even though Marisa’s hair is hastily pinned up with strands that blew out from the wind, she stands out because of her unusual Land-style suit—long pants hugging her legs. Most girls on SnowAngel dress in short frocks with hike shorts.

Little does this guy ogling Marisa know I hold her captive with an invisible fish-tracker; that without it she’d escape in a hot minute. The irony makes me cringe. I don’t need to fish with virtual line to snag a girl, and she’s certainly not my girlfriend. Marisa’s keeping step with me, and after that first bold stare at the dancers, she bows her head when someone looks her way. Anxiety practically sweats off her. Why does she hate crowds?

“Look, jerk, I’m not your prize whale,” she hisses. “You want to see that video of your dad? The only way is if you take the stupid fish line off me.”

“I can’t do that.”

It’s a standoff while we glare at each other, me wondering why I don’t just jab her with my fish knife for all the damage she’s inflicted, her probably wondering how she can off me and get the rest of those disks. But there’s Fireseed, and the mystery video. I need Marisa to find out what these are.

Her face breaks into a sudden, shocking grin as she holds out a handful of peanuts. “I got us a snack.”

A watery tension in my chest eddies into my legs morphing them into heavy, wet plaster. Surreptitiously, I throw my share of the nuts on the floor. For all I know, she laced them with poison.

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Giveaway

Enter the giveaway here for a chance to win 62 paperback books valued at $744.

GenreCRAVE Mega Giveaway

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY

GenreCRAVE Mega Giveaway

Welcome to the GenreCRAVE Mega Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and Dystopian Reader Appreciation Giveaway! This book blitz is brought to you by Xpresso Book Tours.

Description

We’re so glad you stopped by! In this giveaway, EVERYONE who enters will win TWENTY FREE – EXCLUSIVE – ebooks by the sponsoring authors (to be delivered at the conclusion of the giveaway), and one GRAND PRIZE winner will also receive a $1000 Amazon Gift Card! The Winner will be announced 1 February at the Facebook event. The winner will also receive an email directly.

There will also be other prizes and giveaways happening at that event between now and the Grand Prize announcement! So make sure you mark yourself as attending so you don’t miss those great opportunities to win more prizes and snag more freebies!

You can view all twenty books from the sponsors here and read an excerpt from one of the featured books below.

Excerpt from Lost Wolf by Stacy Claflin

Beads of sweat broke out along my hairline. I wiped them away, tightened my ponytail, and ran faster along the dirt trail, jumping over exposed roots and ducking under low-hanging branches. Pine trees, firs, and alders turned my path into more of an obstacle course than a trail.

A twig snapped behind me.

I glanced back, but didn’t see anything. Probably just a raccoon.

My sneaker hit a root and my arms flew in front of me. I landed on my hands and knees, and slid down an incline. Rocks and branches dug into my skin until I crashed into a huckleberry bush.

I stood and dusted myself off. Blood dripped from my legs. I pulled twigs, dirt, and small rocks from the cuts.

“Nice work, Victoria,” I muttered to myself.

Sasha had said I shouldn’t have gone into the forest for my first jog. But having just moved to the beautiful Olympic Peninsula, I wasn’t about to join a club when I had the great outdoors. Birds chirped all around and a stream bubbled nearby. It was like the woods were telling me I’d made the right choice.

Another snap.

“Who’s there?” I sounded a lot braver than I felt. My heart thundered against my ribcage and I whipped my head around. My roommates had said the woods were safe, but I was also trusting people who had been strangers only a couple days earlier.

Why had I gone into the woods alone? Wasn’t that how half of all horror movies started?

I thought of Sasha running on a treadmill, flirting with cute college guys. Maybe she was the smart one.

Footsteps.

“Hello?” I called.

Nothing. The birds had even stopped singing.

“Is anyone there?”

The footsteps came closer.

My pulse drummed in my ears. I fought to breathe normally.

A small gray and black wolf stepped out from behind the tree. He made eye contact with me.

I didn’t move a muscle, holding its gaze.

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Giveaway

Enter the giveaway here for a chance to win a $1000 Amazon gift card.