Cover Reveal: The Stars are Falling by Michelle Birbeck

Cover Reveal

for

The Stars are Falling

by

Michelle Birbeck

Release Date: July 3, 2014

Published by The Writers Coffee Shop

Summary:

Jenny is content trying to survive university and sneaking glances at her housemate, Dale, in between hours spent watching the night sky. When the first meteor streaks through the night, landing close enough to shake the house, however, everything changes.

What’s left in the crater isn’t a lump of rock from outer space, but something that looks like a man. Soon after, the killing begins. Anyone who gets in their way is disintegrated with an all-consuming light so hot nothing remains.

Hundreds more descend from the heavens, bleaching the night sky, shaking the ground. They want to eliminate all threats to Earth, starting with the biggest one: the human race.

Jenny and Dale know a way to do both: save Earth and stop the human race from being wiped out. They just have to stay alive long enough to convince the falling stars to spare the human race.

 

Excerpt: “Some of the stars are special,” my mother said, and she leaned in close. “Some of the stars aren’t distant worlds in the sky filled with different lands and places we’ve never been. Some of them are there for a reason.” Her voice dipped down into a whisper, as though she was sharing some great secret that only we were allowed to know. I leaned up to listen closer. “Those stars are our protectors. They shine down on us as they watch the world below, looking like the ones we know, but hiding what they are. When they light up the night, they’re smiling on us, happy with how things are. They love nothing more than to see everyone happy and taking care of each other. But sometimes, when the world is sad, the stars stop shining.” Back up to the ceiling she stared, sitting up so straight it was like she was rising to be with them. I wriggled out of the blankets when she didn’t continue. Up onto her lap I clambered, settling in her arms and gazing up at my night sky. Her arms were warm when they wound around my waist, holding me close. “What happens when they stop shining?” I asked, desperate to hear the rest of the story. “When they stop shining, they fall,” she said. “If the stars are sad, they come to Earth. They fall and fall, so very far, and they come here to fix things. It hasn’t happened in a very long time, but when they come, they fix what’s gone wrong. And then, when the world is happy again, they rise, rocketing up into the sky, back to their place in the stars, where they watch and smile on us once more.” Excited by thoughts of meeting the stars, I asked, “How do they fix things?” My mother smiled again and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. She ushered me off her knee and back under the blankets before she continued. “The same way anyone fixes a problem. By finding out what’s wrong and making it go away.” With a deep breath, she finished the story and turned her gaze back to me. Tucking in the blankets around me, she wished me sweet dreams and told me to go to sleep. When she reached the door and turned back to me, a last goodnight on her lips, I asked, “Mummy, will I ever see the stars fall?” Her smile disappeared, turning into a deep frown, and when she spoke, a desperate edge tinted each word. “I hope not.”  

Author Bio:

Michelle has been reading and writing her whole life. Her earliest memory of books was when she was five and decided to try and teach her fish how to read, by putting her Beatrix Potter books in the fish tank with them. Since then her love of books has grown, and now she is writing her own and looking forward to seeing them on her shelves, though they won’t be going anywhere near the fish tank.

Connect with Michelle Birbeck on:

 

Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Website and Goodreads

 

Other novels by Michelle Birbeck:

The Last Keeper

 

Last Chance

Review By Heather - Dark Luminance by E.M. McDowell

Quantum energy. Unlimited power. Humanity’s salvation

The Frameway Project promises all of this and more, and Mackland Luther is guiding the project to its final culmination. On the eve of what promises to be their biggest breakthrough, Mackland and his friends, Billy and Sean, prepare the test that will provide the almost limitless power needed to take the human race into the future. 

Initial success and excitement quickly turn to horror as the Frame goes out of control, ripping Mackland and his friends from their world and depositing them in a world that is completely different yet strangely familiar. Along with Lily, a hard-charging security guard that was caught by the Frame along with them; and Grizzly, a rough yet gentle survivalist they meet in this new world, Mack and his friends must figure out some way to understand and undo whatever brought them here if they ever want to return to their own world. 

But first they must survive an increasingly dangerous world full of undead drug addicts, giant mutants, and a relentless telepathic madman who will do anything to get his hands on the Frame for his own purposes.

Genre:

One Sentence Description: How do you survive in a world that is not your own?

Available here: Amazon, B&N

E.M. McDowell

Born and raised in Northwest Indiana, E.M. McDowell first started writing in high school, consisting primarily of sappy poems aimed at impressing girls. A four year stint in the Marine Corps pushed literary endeavors to the background, where they remained for the next twenty-odd years, until they were uncovered by a mild mid-life crisis. 

In the intervening years, he has worked in various technology jobs, and is currently the technology manager for a small county government. 

Married for twenty-two years to his best friend, and blessed with two wonderful daughters, he works to balance his writing while living in a house full of women.

Site: http://erinmcdowell.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoremm

Twitter: https://twitter.com/E_M_McDowell

Heather's Review

First off, I am a huge fan of science fiction and horror stories. so for those who aren’t, may find this story a bit much.   I, however, found it to be very interesting with intriguing characters.  

The early chapters contained quite a lot of technical jargon as the author describes the character’s Frameway Project that transports the small group to an alternate universe.  This could have been lessened for my personal taste.  When reading science fiction I tend to take the science factor almost as a leap of faith.  It made those chapters slower to get through for me but I was glad that I stuck with it because once the science lesson was over it took off like a shot.

The characters blend together well as they try to repair their project that will hopefully take them back home, the adventures and dangerous foes they encounter make for fun reading.  I am not in general a huge zombie fan but the Psidead, as they are called in this alternate world, are intriguingly well written that I really didn’t mind them.

If you are a science fiction fan but like me don’t need excess science information, I urge you to stick with it through the early chapters because once the author gets you past the whats, whys, and hows you find yourself on a wild adventure ride.  I look forward to what the author will bring us next.

3 1/2 Honey Pots

Desire by B.L.Wilde Review Tour and Author Interview with Oliver Kirkham

Title – Desire
Series – The Seductors Series
Author – B.L. Wilde
Genre – Erotica Romance
Publication Date – 6th December 2013
Length (Pages/# Words) – 62K
Publisher – Author
Cover Artist – Jo Matthews

Jade has worked as a Seductor in a secret organization for five years now. Her main job? To earn the trust of her targets and secure the object or information her company was hired to steal—by any means necessary. She’s damn good at it, too.

With five years left on her contract, she is handed an assignment that turns her world upside down.

Oliver Kirkham is the attractive, young CEO of Kirkham Industries, a weapons manufacturing company, and is currently in possession of some very important blueprints—blueprints that could change the way war, as we know it, works. He’s extremely focused and doesn’t have time to date, at least until he comes to the rescue of a shy but very alluring Jade Gibbs.

What happens when one night of passion turns into more? Will Jade allow her feelings for Oliver to get in the way of her mission? Or will she do what she was hired to do and secure the steal?

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Mmm…I was having the most wonderful dream—one that seemed so real. I could feel myself squirming in my sleep from the vividness of soft lips making their way down my ribs. It wasn’t until I felt my legs being moved apart that I realized where I was. Oh, my! Oliver was clearly a man of his word.
I opened my eyes the moment I felt his fingers slip into my yearning body.
“Morning, Jade,” he smirked as he hovered over me.
“You weren’t joking last night about picking up where we left off in the morning, were you?” I giggled. He answered me with a soft kiss, which I returned as he set a slow pace with his fingers.
I’d never really been one for morning sex, because well…truthfully, it wasn’t very often that I stayed the entire night. I had to admit, though, that I was looking forward to a few more mornings like this with Oliver.
“I never joke about this.” Oliver’s voice a few moments later was like a trigger that set my orgasm into motion. Before I knew what happening, I was falling hard and fast. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of watching you come undone, Jade,” he smiled once I’d regained myself. As my eyes wandered down his exquisite body, I noticed that he’d already put a condom on.
“We’ve only known each other for two days. I can’t believe how well you know my body already.”
“I’ve never felt this connection with anyone before.” Oliver shifted above me and we both groaned as his length pushed against my heated center. “It’s going to be hard for me to leave you today. I’m already used to having you around.”
“I hope we can meet again soon,” I panted, feeling Oliver slowly push deep inside me.
“As soon as I’m free, I’ll fly out to you. It will be easier for me to come to you first, ” he strained. It only took a second to let go, and when I did, I became a slave to his touches.
“You’re eating breakfast?” he questioned over the table a few hours later. I could now happily admit that I loved morning sex! It was clearly the best way to start any day.
“Well, it is the most important meal of the day,” I grinned, taking a bite of my toast. “Not to mention, I think I need the energy after my early morning wake-up call.”
“I’m impressed,” Oliver chuckled, continuing to read his newspaper.
“Are you nervous about your meeting this morning?” I asked, pouring myself some more coffee.
“No. I’m used to these kinds of meetings.” He didn’t even look up from the article in front of him as he spoke.
“Have you met many world leaders in the past?”
“I’ve met most of them, actually.” His tone was a little arrogant as he looked up to smirk at me. Oh, Oliver… You have no idea, but I already know every little detail about you.
“You’ve met most of them?” I gawked with my mouth hanging open. Yeah, I had the act down to a fine art. “Jesus, Oliver, if these are the people you socialize with, what the hell are you doing with me?”
“It’s my job, Jade. I don’t choose to socialize with them. Trust me, I’d much rather spend the rest of the day with you.” He had a gleam in his eyes as he spoke, and I only needed one guess as to what was crossing his mind at that moment. I decided to play with him a bit.
“Is everything about sex with you?” I asked innocently, running my hands through my hair and tilting my head slightly to expose more of my neck to him. I was wearing one of his shirts, and only a few buttons were buttoned.
“What do you mean by that?” By his tone, I thought I might have offended him.
“I was just wondering if that’s what this is.” I started fidgeting with my napkin, intently focused on the task instead of on Oliver. Innocent girls avoided eye contact when it was a conversation that mattered to them, and I needed to know how far I’d gotten with him this weekend. I only had six months to secure the blueprints, and that wasn’t very long if I didn’t get to see him every week.
“Jade, I really have no idea. All I know is that I am deeply attracted to you. Isn’t that enough for now?” I looked up into his burning, dark eyes. Christ, a woman could drown in pure desire from those scorching orbs.
“I’m sorry. I’ll stop with the heavy,” I conceded, looking at my watch. “What time are you leaving?”
“In about ten minutes.” He sighed deeply, raking his eyes over me. “I don’t even have time to take you again.”
I choked a little on my coffee, nearly spitting it across the table. “Wasn’t the five times earlier enough?” Oh, this guy had stamina; I had to give him that. Oliver would be like my dream man if I actually had the option to date. Why did he have to be my target? Why couldn’t I have met him after my contract ended?
“No,” he smoldered, getting up from his chair. He cannot be serious!
“You’re meeting the Prime Minister, remember?” I pointed out as he pulled me out of my chair and to my feet. “I’m pretty sure he’s not the kind of guy who likes tardiness.”
“I’ll be counting each day until I can see you again,” Oliver said with a sigh as he ran his nose down my neck. I couldn’t help but arch up toward him as his hand gripped my ass firmly. “Oh, the things I’m going to do to you when that happens, Jade. Maybe it’s a good thing we’ll be apart for a few weeks.”
“You mean there’s more?”
I groaned as his left hand moved to palm my breasts over his shirt.
“I haven’t even started with you yet, Beautiful,” he murmured huskily before his lips crashed against mine.
I was breathless when we finally broke apart. “You’ll call me as soon as you arrive home, won’t you?” I pleaded, running my hands over the back collar of his shirt.
“Yes,” Oliver smiled, caressing my face softly. “Okay, now I really need to leave.” He seemed honestly troubled by that, as if he didn’t want to go. Wow, I never thought it would be this easy. Then again, I did still have the task of finding out which property stored his secure hard drive. That wasn’t going to be easy.
“Enjoy your meeting,” I grinned, “and tell the Prime Minister I said ‘Hi.’” Oliver chuckled as he kissed me softly, his hands lingering on my face before he pulled away.
“I’m really glad I met you, Jade Gibbs. I will see you very soon.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” I blushed, watching his eyes roam over me one last time before he turned to leave.
“You’re welcome to get ready here. Just let reception know once you’ve checked out,” he called over his shoulder, picking up his briefcase. His luggage had already been taken down earlier when the breakfast cart had been delivered.
“Okay, thank you,” I replied, smiling weakly.
“I’ll call you every day if you want me to.” Oliver appeared to be stalling, and I was pretty sure I knew why. Jade, you have well and truly hooked him.
“Only if you have the time,” I answered, playing with my hands.
“I’ll make the time.” His voice was firm as he took one last look at me and then finally left.
Wow, this mission was going effortlessly so far.

Character Interview with Oliver Kirkham

(Interviewer B.L.Wilde )

This interview took part after the end of Desire…

B.L. Wilde: Thank you for finding the time to allow me to interview you, Mr. Kirkham.

Oliver: You’re more than welcome. Please call me Oliver. (Gives me that dreamy charming smile.) These questions aren’t going to get too personal, are they?

B.L. Wilde: Why would you worry about that?

Oliver: You know everything about me, Miss Wilde. We don’t want to give away too much to our readers, do we?

B.L. Wilde: Let me worry about that, Oliver.

You’ve been a little sidetracked in your work lately, would you care to explain why?

Oliver: Not really. (He’s sulking with his arms crossed.)

B.L. Wilde: Are you really refusing to answer my question?

Oliver: You know what I’ve been through these last few months! (Crap, Jade is right. Oliver is hot when he’s angry.) How would you feel after having your heart ripped out like that? It’s hard to focus on anything other than her. I’m worried, hurt, and so fucking angry! How am I supposed to control all those feelings at the same time? I can’t even function most of the time! I’m completely lost!

B.L. Wilde: (For once, I’m speechless)

Oliver: I can’t get her out of my head, either. Every night I lie awake, wondering where she is, what she’s doing. Is she okay? Is she even thinking about me? How can someone get under your skin so much? (There is a long pause. Oliver is deep in thought. I try not to perv at him, but he’s so sexy.)

Can we change the direction of this interview please?

B.L.Wilde: Is talking about her making you uncomfortable?

Oliver: Yes, Miss Wilde, it is.

B.L. Wilde: If we’re going by first names you can call me Bee.

Oliver: Bee? (He looks confused) As in a bumble bee?

B.L. Wilde: No, as in the first letter to my name, smart ass.

Oliver: Okay, Bee, what’s your next question?

B.L. Wilde: Who would you say is your hero?  

Oliver: That’s easy—my father.

B.L.Wilde: Really?

Oliver: What? Did you think I’d say Batman, Thor, or Ironman? (He chuckles to himself)

B.L.Wilde: I love Thor…

Oliver: Back to the interview, Bee. (Oops, know I’m getting sidetracked by Thor.) I’ve idolized my father ever since I was a kid. When he was away, I used to sit at his desk, pretending to be him. I’m not so different than back then now that I think about it. I’m still playing at running his empire.

B.L. Wilde: Do you worry you won’t match up to him?

Oliver: Everyday. My father always knew what was right for our business. He had years to learn the trade from his father. I, sadly, wasn’t so lucky. I was handed the reins at the young age of twenty-two. I had to grow up quick.

B.L. Wilde: And did you?

Oliver: Yes, I’m wise beyond my years now. I’ve come a long way, and I have my uncle Richard to thank for that.

B.L.Wilde: You’re close to your uncle, then?

Oliver: We don’t always see eye to eye, but I value his opinions. Most of the arguments we’ve been having lately have to do with my personal life.  He thinks I need to move on and get back into the dating game.

B.L. Wilde: Really? Would you say you’re a ladies man?

Oliver: That was a quick change of direction. I like sex—does that make me a ladies man? (He winks at me. I’m feeling a little overheated.)

B.L. Wilde: Yeah, I think it does. You’d have the pick of anyone. You’re a woman’s dream man—you’re rich, sexy, funny, and I’ve heard you’re amazing in bed.

Oliver: Are you flirting with me, Bee? (He’s teasing me, and looks sexy doing it.) I used to be a ladies man. Now, I’m not so sure.

B.L. Wilde: Is it hard to trust a woman, being in your position?

Oliver: Yes, money can attract the wrong kind of women, but my father taught me how to look out for those years ago.

B.L. Wilde: How did he do that?

Oliver: He told me to trust my instincts. I’d know when I found ‘the one.’ I’d see that she wanted me for me, and he was right. I knew it the first night I met her. It was different from any connection I’d ever had. I’d give anything to get it back, even if it was just for one more night. I sound pathetic, don’t I?

B.L.Wilde: No, you sound like a man with a broken heart.

Oliver: Can you help me find her?

B.L.Wilde: You can’t ask me that.

Oliver: Please?

B.L.Wilde: We need to end the interview here.

Oliver: Does that mean you’ll help? (He sounds so hopeful. Man, it’s heartbreaking)

B.L.Wilde: I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t make any promises. (Oliver nods, looking down at the floor)

*Interview ends*

AUTHOR BIO
B.L. Wilde is a British author obsessed with many things, including heated love stories. Fully supported by her husband, she can often be found at her desk working on her next project.

Her journey into the world of erotica began when she started writing online stories over three years ago, and she hasn’t looked back since.

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PRIZES
1 signed paperback of Desire (US Only)
3 ebook copies of Desire (International)

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