~ For the Love of Words, Laughter, Inspiration (and the odd sexy split infinitive.)
Category Archives: The Mercy Series
A Collection of all the posts I’ve written about my Fantasy Series
It’s the year 2446, and the first three Horsemen of Revelation’s Apocalypse have ridden.
Pestilence, War and Famine have changed the world into a dictatorship ruled with an iron fist. Commoners have few rights, and liberty is a distant memory.
Before the final Horseman is released, the Archangel of Mercy – Tzadkiel – makes a bold plea, asking for permission to find even one human who remembers the meaning of mercy and compassion. He is given 100 years, until Death will sweep across the land.
Taking human form and coming to Earth, he finds a place ruled by greed, hatred and fear. With time running out and Death growing impatient, can Tzadkiel find what he’s looking for… and how much will he need to sacrifice?
Hey Friends!
If you’re intrigued by my new books, The Mercy Series, but love the good ol’ fashion feeling of holding a book and not a device, I’ve good news! Misericorde and Clandestine are now available in paperback (Misericorde is also available in HARDCOVER!)
What’s more, if you’d love a signed copy it’s fairly easy to do. Drop me a message and we can work out the details.
Until then…heres a snippet, just to intrigue you even more….
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His gaze repeatedly stole to take her in. She wasn’t doing anything in particular that attracted his attention, but the way the light played through the waves of her chestnut-red hair and the manner in which her clothing fell across the curves of her body were incomprehensibly mesmerizing. There was something about her that made his senses spin and caused his body to respond in ways he’d never experienced before. It was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. He needed to understand it. More importantly, he needed to learn how to recognize the signs before the unpredictable emotions and sensations blindsided him, which unfailingly resulted in distinctly awkward behavior that attracted her attention. He didn’t want these deviations from his usual behavior to cause her distress and he certainly didn’t enjoy the consternation such deviations caused him.
A hoarse, resonant chuckle echoed tauntingly in his mind. “You should have studied humanity more closely before assuming their form.”
It was the same voice he always heard, though now, instead of arguing with him, it seemed to mock him. It was the final Horseman, Death, who waited behind a framework of energy that would not allow him to pass into the realm of men. He was caged until Tzadkiel released him or until the full 100 years that had been appointed was completed, but time was growing short. He was inescapably impatient.
“I know.” He spoke the words under his breath so Lourdes would not hear him, but he knew Death heard him. He could tell by the derisive laughter that followed and he parried with a similarly derisive retort. “You know less than I.”
“I need only know what is in their hearts and that I can see as plainly as you can.”
Tzadkiel nodded slowly. “I know.”
“You do not seem to know enough.” Death’s voice was so loud inside his mind that Tzadkiel turned to look at Lourdes, certain she must also hear him, but of course she didn’t. She stood looking up at the sun, her thoughts consumed. The radiant afternoon light streamed over her, and his gaze lingered on her rose-hued cheeks and lips. He’d seen human women for centuries. Why she seemed so different was a conundrum he simply could not unravel…or deny.
“I see what is in your heart as well.”
The thought had not occurred to him. Now that he was in human form his nature was revealed to those who had the gift of Vision just as surely as any other human’s nature was and he was unsure if he was comfortable knowing that his innermost desires could be assessed by one such as Death. He responded unhelpfully, speaking in a low tone between gritted teeth.
“What of it?”
The resonant laugher filled his ears once more. “Think like a man, Archangel.”
It’s the year 2446, and the final horseman of apocalypse – Death – is preparing to ride.
The Archangel of Mercy, Tzadkiel, has come to Earth and found the last merciful person among the callous human throng. Together, Tzadkiel and Lourdes escape to the French countryside, but are relentlessly tracked by a sadistic officer determined to control the Archangel and claim Lourdes for himself.
Forced to make choices neither ever anticipated, they discover more than simply how to survive. Yet while love blossoms, Death grows impatient. Unable to ride until released by the Archangel, he unleashes a calamity that will push them to their very limits. To succeed they will need more than hope and love.
They will need a place of mercy.
Clandestin (Book Two of the Mercy Series) available TODAY!
“Congratulations to Cynthia Morgan, this is the most engaging book I have read in years!”
Truly Honored by Misericorde’s newest #5Star #Book #Review
DJR
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 May 2020
An intelligent, beautifully crafted tale of light in humanity’s darkness.
Morgan writes with a passion that ignites the reader to follow her characters wherever they may lead. Every page burns with inextinguishable hope in the face of torture and despair. Misericord’s search for mercy is fast paced and sometimes painful to read. However, in this dark tale violence is never gratuitous every act drives the plot on transporting the reader through this post apocalyptic tale, pinned to the pages and gasping for the next installment.
Congratulations to Cynthia Morgan, this is the most engaging book I have read in years!
With Every Pre-order, You will be entered to win One of the following:
FREE PAPERBACK BOOK (Readers Choice of my available catalog)
FREE Digital Copy of YOUR CHOICE Misericorde Book ONE (Available now) or Book Three (Sanctuaire) Upon Release!
FREE Mercy Series Stainless Steal Water Bottle
FREE Mercy Series Monthly Planner
FREE Digital copy of the Dark Fey Trilogy!
FREE Digital copies of ALL the books below!.
How much will an Archangel Sacrifice to find One person?
It’s the year 2446, and the final horseman of apocalypse – Death – is preparing to ride.
The Archangel of Mercy, Tzadkiel, has come to Earth and found the last merciful person among the callous human throng. Together, Tzadkiel and Lourdes escape to the French countryside, but are relentlessly tracked by a sadistic officer determined to control the Archangel and claim Lourdes for himself.
Forced to make choices neither ever anticipated, they discover more than simply how to survive. Yet while love blossoms, Death grows impatient. Unable to ride until released by the Archangel, he unleashes a calamity that will push them to their very limits. To succeed they will need more than hope and love.
5-Star Customer Review: “It’s spiritual and human. It’s violent and tender. It’s desperate and deeply hopeful. I can’t wait to see where she takes us from here.“
(And Additional Books are still being added!)
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Drawing parameters: In order to be entered into the drawing, you need to provide proof of your pre-order by pasting the Amazon Order # in the comments field. Drawing will be held on Release Day May 26, 2020. Winners will be notified originally through a response to your comment. Additional information such as email address and/or mailing address may be requested.
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It’s the year 2446, and the first three Horsemen of Revelation’s Apocalypse have ridden.
Pestilence, War and Famine have changed the world into a dictatorship ruled with an iron fist. Commoners have few rights, and liberty is a distant memory.
But before the final Horseman is released, the Archangel of Mercy – Tzadkiel – makes a bold plea, asking for permission to find even one human who remembers the meaning of mercy and compassion. He is given 100 years, until Death will sweep across the land.
And so, he must ride. Taking human form and coming to Earth, he finds a place ruled by greed, hatred and fear. With time running out and Death growing impatient, can Tzadkiel find what he’s looking for… and how much will he need to sacrifice?.
WITH EVERY PREORDER, YOU GET A CHANCE TO WIN ALL THESE BOOKS!
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Award winning Amazon Bestseller – River Bones – Sara Mason Mysteries Book 1 – A psychopath in the Sacramento, California valley has eluded capture for decades. The body count grows. Sara Mason acts as a decoy for the Sheriff and falls into the clutches of a madman.
-By Mary Deal
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Young Soren is the apprentice of legendary warrior, Raven Lennox. At the age of sixteen, Soren is expected to fight in the eternal war against the Brotherhood of Shadow – but he seems to be more interested in mischief than battle. When one of Soren’s adventures goes off course, he accidentally unleashes a deadly threat. As an age-old prophecy comes to pass, Soren must take a perilous journey deep into enemy territory. But does he have what it takes to save the realm, or will the Brotherhood destroy everything he loves?
-By D.M. Cain
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Jasper is no ordinary parrot. He lives in the rainforest, which secrets he’s eager to explore. Jasper loves his home and his family, and he’s also in charge of his younger brother Willie – a responsibility Jasper takes very seriously. When he meets Charlie – a spider monkey with a penchant for food and a laid back attitude – he realizes he’s in for an adventure he never thought possible. Even if this means getting into danger and worrying his mother to no end. Exploring the boundaries of the forest, Jasper understands that there is more to the world around him. Who are the strange new creatures that have come there? With Willie and Charlie by his side, he will soon find out.
-By Sharon C. Williams
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Sarah Collins needs an escape. Mourning her brother’s death and the impending breakup of her marriage, she returns to her childhood home in South Carolina, where her family operated an inn.
Sarah hasn’t been back to Sea Scope for twenty years; not since she and her brother Glen discovered a body by the nearby lighthouse.
After Sarah returns to the inn, she faces long-buried memories, text messages and strange clues.
When past and present collide, Sarah must face truths about her family, and what happened that summer day by the lighthouse. But will she survive to tell the tale?
-By Debbie De Louise
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When Jacob is a child, a mysterious girl comforts him at the funeral of the family he accidentally killed. Years later, grieving for his lost wife and son, Jacob is at Heavensgate. He believes that the dead should stay dead, but sees things other people don’t see.
Even worse, Jacob is besieged by his alter ego: the foul-mouthed, sex-crazed and dangerous Jake; a personality with a twisted sense of fun and no conscience. Jacob battles for his sanity and soul, surrounded by supernatural enemies and allies, as he struggles to free the Keeper of the Forbidden Book and ignore the menacing pink Cadillac that drives by his lakeside lodge every night.
Wherever Jacob goes, people die, and the cops are moving in when a terrifying and seductive presence arrives on the frozen lake. Now, Jacob will discover that even hope has a dark side.
-By Leo Kane
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Growing up on the streets of Storms End, Larina knows the only way to survive is to take matters into her own hands.
Skulking about the seedy alleyways and taverns of a once great city that has fallen from grace, survival has become a game of steal and lie, or die.
Larina uses her ill-begotten abilities to help the vulnerable, less fortunate souls abandoned by life. An act that fills her with a sense of purpose and pride.
That all changes when the man with the black warhammer comes to town. Now the Storms End Lightning Bolt must decide whether those she has fought so hard to protect will be better off if she ends up dead….
– by Richard H. Stephens
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SMAFU-SoulMates is a bittersweet, real-life, romantic story of growing apart, growing up, and growing (or not) into the person you always dreamed you could be. This “prequel” to the acclaimed and much-loved, SMAFU – Situation Married, All F’d Up, can be read as a standalone novel. The characters’ ages, stages, and concerns may be different, but Cherisse is Cherisse and will simply never change, Darling. When she takes you on as one of her pet projects, your life will never be the same. Jake, a journalist, and Jen, a bestselling YA author, were once the perfect couple, or so Jake thought, until Jen decided she’d had enough. Twenty. Years. Later. Marriages built solely on youthful dreams, may not turn out the way we hope. The beliefs we built as children may not hold up as we age, mature and begin to find our own identities: Can you ever really go back home? This is a story of growing up, realizing what we want out of relationships, and most importantly… what we want out of life. Can divergent paths reunite down the road? Can we re-discover what once set our souls on fire? Can Jake ever learn how to dance? Will Jen EVER get a decent cup of coffee? But most importantly of all: Will the worldly and shockingly randy ninety-year-old Cherisse develop a blend of tea strong enough to wake Jake up and make him see the light? Fans of Graeme Simsion (Rosie Project and Best of Adam Sharp), Nick Hornby “Juliet, Naked,” Jonathan Tropper (Book of Joe, How to Talk to a Widower), Nick Spalding’s “Love” series, and Robert Bryndza’s Coco Pinchard books . . . will feel right at home here.
– by E.M.Bosso
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Layla Little was hurt and damaged by her previous relationship. Years later, while vacationing in tropical Puerto Rico with her new boyfriend, Layla unexpectedly encounters her former, jealous boyfriend, Leon. The encounter brings back memories of heartache and unresolved longing. Leon desperately wants her back, even though he knows that she is with another man. Making things even more complicated for Layla is the persistence of an old high school sweetheart, Roland, who is also vying for her love and affection. Faced with these diverse prospects and also tragic life circumstances, what will Layla do – and who will she choose? Even she doesn’t know.
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-by Daniel Maldonado
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Blue Diamonds by Kevin Hollingsworth –
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Exiled by his power-hungry brothers, Prince Tarkyn encounters the woodfolk: a secretive group of telepaths living deep in the woodlands.
When bounty hunters attack, Tarquin narrowly escapes with the aid of the forest-dwellers, and discovers a secret about their source of magic. Embracing his new identity, allegiances are formed as the woodfolk hail Tarquin as the Guardian Of The Forest.
But can he find a way to protect this mysterious realm, and seize his true destiny?
By Jennifer Ealey
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Being a descendant of a goddess has its advantages. Especially when evil is looking to take over the realms. On her eighteenth birthday, Alexis Reynolds became a protector, but not once since then has her guardian allowed her to leave the earthly realm. Her days are filled with boring schoolwork, a nasty bully, and saving menacing jackalopes that have wandered into her world. But that all changes when her guardian summons her and her sister to Earthchild Academy and tasks them with an assignment, that if they fail, could have devastating consequences to all the realms. The portals to the other worlds are closing. An evil goddess is behind it, and she’s taken two protectors as hostages. After a whirlwind of information and brief training of her new powers, Lex stands in the Underworld wondering what the hell she just signed up for. What could two eighteen-year-old girls possibly do that the gods cannot? And why the hell was she so excited? Then he walks up, tall, dark, mysterious, and an asshole. He’s the son of Hades, and the brother of the goddess Lex is there to stop. How is she supposed to complete an impossible assignment, keep her sister safe, and fight off the monsters lurking in the shadows? Her life just went from boring to dangerous, and all she can think is… Be careful what you wish for.
By Nicole Merchant
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What happens when a man refuses to release the memory of the girl he loved and lost? The unlikely star-crossed union between two souls caught in a mortal world. When Damien met Keira, things would no longer be normal again. Keira sees things in different ways, speaks to the dead, and opens his mind to a unique way of seeing the world around him. Growing up, change is a constant fact, but for the boy trapped inside, he still remembers the warm summer nights, the sweet allure of jasmine on the air, and the fair haired girl next door. As Damien inherits Keira’s childhood home, he returns to the place he’s never forgotten, and the girl he can’t leave behind. Will the memory of Keira remain buried, or will he find that the girl who captured the stars is right where he left her so many years before? Fans of My Girl and Ghost will fall in love with this magical tale of friendship and belief.
-By K.L. Laettner
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Long ago, magick filled the land of Dramolux. But one sorceress delved too deep into dark sorcery and tainted the creatures inhabiting the land. In an effort to save all creatures, a noble sentinel locked the dark powers away. For generations, the dark ones were controlled, passed down to those who ruled the sentinel kingdom. All is peaceful until the newest sentinel queen is murdered and all the magick is released back into the world. It is now up to her daughter, Princess Aymeri–who has no knowledge of what she truly is–to recapture it. But another dark sorceress is on the rise. She wants to lay claim to the magick and wield it herself, in an effort to take all of Dramolux under her control. The odds are against Aymeri and the magick the sorceress wants is evil. Aymeri must prepare to battle or die fighting for the survival of her people.
_By Aimee Shaye
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After a heart attack, lawyer Tony Stanford finds himself not in this world, but on a heavenly golf course.
Not ready to believe he is dead, his wife, best friends and the doctors work against time to prove to the hospital board he’s not really gone.
Even with its religious themes, Three Days In Heaven is a story a person of any faith can enjoy. Open-heart surgery, dying, and meeting up with God all seem like serious topics, but the book deals with them in a lighthearted and believable way.
-By Mark Waters
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Have you always sworn you see someone out of the corner of your eye and then they are gone? Swear you are being watched by something not everyone can see? You are not alone. Start that very journey for one right here, Jonah Rowe is looking for meaning for his life. He finally gets his wish, as sudden visions and a spectral visitor warn him of danger. Overnight, Jonah transforms from an overworked accountant to the centerpiece of an otherworldly battle. Soon, Jonah has to accept that everything he knows about life and death is completely wrong. But can he rise to the occasion and harness the power of the mysterious 11th Percent?
-By T.H. Morris
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Quest of the Dreamwalker, by Stacy Bennett. Cara’s father crippled her soul to steal her magic, but the key to what she lost still waits for her in her dreams. A chance encounter with the mercenary her father intends to kill opens her eyes to her father’s evil and she flees hoping to find a way to heal her soul. But death follows her every step from the frozen tundra through the Tanglewood to the mountain city of Iolair. Cara must discover her stolen birthright before her father sacrifices her to an even darker power.
-By Stacy Bennet
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Kensie and Agent Jaymes Ryker journey deeper into the future to find answers to the conspiracy unfolding around them. Meanwhile, Kensie’s ex Morgan and her Elite family are hot on their trail. Can Kensie protect her parents and sister? Can Jaymes save his timeline from the coming war? And how does Jaymes’s brother Jackson factor into all of this? The drama unfolds at a breathtaking pace in the first part of the Odyssey trilogy, spilling out of the short story in Atlantic Island Universe.
-By A J Kurtz and Fredric Shernoff
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Number 2 Listopia Romance With Strong Contemporary Females, Number 3 Listopia Western and Native American Romance
Red, Brenda Levere has been on her own for a very long time. PR, Paul Revere Jones comes from a big family, part Alaska Native and part white. When Red moves into his apartment complex, PR begins the hunt of a lifetime. He wants the prickly woman. Red throws a big glitch in his plans by getting involved with another man. PR continues his friendly interaction with Red as he bides his time. Reardon dumps Red and PR happily deepens their friendship. But Red is shy having been burned before. It is one tough hunt. Can he get her to the altar or will Red keep him at arms length as a friend with benefits?
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-By Cherime Macfarlane
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Territorial Arizona, 1878. After riding from Phoenix to Yuma in the hopes of joining a company of Arizona Rangers, Ross Hendershot is attacked and wounded by a gunman. He soon finds himself in the middle of a power struggle, surrounded by a multitude of characters with agendas of their own. The sheriff of the town is eager to help him and take care of his attacker. The owner of Palace Hotel, Saloon and Fancy House also befriends him.
First novel in the Hendershot Series, A Tall Man Rides is a compelling story of adventure and danger in the 19th century Wild West.
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-By H. Berkeley Rourke
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At the age of twelve, Roxanne Fosch had a perfectly normal life. By the time she was twenty-two, she was being hunted. After being trapped for years in the clutches of the Paranormal Scientists Society, Roxanne escapes and sets on a dangerous quest for the truth. Hunted by scientists keen to exploit her extraordinary abilities, and dangerous factions whose plans she cannot fathom, Roxanne discovers a shocking secret about her past. But is everything she’s ever known a lie?
-By Jina Bazzar
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An innocent woman fearing for her life.
Six mismatched lawmen trying to prevent crime.
The beginning of an unusual family…or an end for them all?
After his wife and children were murdered, all that Kris Jensen wanted was to die and join them. Saved by a sacrificed friendship, he travels from one Territory town to another with a tin star on his black duster, restless, intervening when needed and then quickly moving on…until the town of Mimosa asks him to stay as their Marshal. And he says yes, though he doesn’t know why.
Maybe it’s the five misfits who stood by his side when he needed them most, risked their lives to help him save an innocent man from a lynching. Maybe it’s the pretty widow with the eyes like a dove. Maybe he’s starting to care.
And maybe they’re all going to die, for the cattle baron William Cahill isn’t going to forgive Judge Evan Davis for sentencing Cahill’s nephew Carlton to hang. Judge Davis is going to suffer, and so is his widowed daughter-in-law, Holly. The six misfit lawmen? He doesn’t care for the law. He does what he wants. And he wants them all dead.
The new western series filled with friendship and romance starts with The Hanging – if Kris and his friends – his new family – can survive the inevitable shootout. But can they, or are they going to die like his old family did?
-By Linda Thackery
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Garley, a young boy, is constantly bullied by the arrogant students at Braghton College. But then a light at the end of the tunnel appears—or so he thinks—when he finds a gold medallion that teleports him to Kansnubra Island. The island is located in the Bermuda Triangle, and is the secret home of dragons, wizards, warriors, and adventures—a place where magic meets advanced technology.
However, Garley’s journey to return to his normal life will be long and hard, and the portal in the woods that could be his ticket home may not be reachable at all. The uncertainty will be great, but the adventures and friendships will be even greater.
“You are stuck, Garley,” said Aldrich, in his scratchy voice, looking at him with pity in his eyes. “There is no way off the island. In order to leave, we would need the portal. It is deep in the woods.”
“It’s in the woods? Then let’s go there!” Garley said. He would do anything to see his family again.
“Don’t be foolish! There are monstrous creatures in the woods. Besides, it is huge, and we do not know the exact location of the portal.”
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Soulmates. I believe in them. I was lucky enough to have two of them at one point. The only problem. My soulmates happened to be twin brothers. Caiden was the light to Jackson’s dark. And after all that I had been through, the light was what I thought I needed. When I chose Caiden, I lost Jackson. Feeling like half a person after Jackson left, I barely survived when tragedy struck, and I lost Caiden too. It took me years to admit to myself that I had chosen wrong from the beginning. I’m ready to admit it to Jackson…only problem, he hates me. I’m ready to fight for my happily ever after. But there’s a reason they call him the Heartbreak Prince
– By C. R. Jane
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With his life now divided between myth and reality, Garrick Elliott struggles to learn what it truly means to be human. As a fledgling lycanthrope, Garrick battles his own dark thoughts and the encroaching threat of hunters, as well as the ever-growing willpower of the beast within. Despite those around him accepting what they are, Garrick desperately clings to a hope of one day returning to his life as a normal teenager. His obsession with ridding himself of the wolf may just be the drive he needs to find a cure—or the fatal error which puts him and his pack in danger. As he vies for control of his own mind, Garrick questions if fighting his affliction is worth the sacrifices he must make, or if he is destined to live the rest of his life Cursed.
With Every Pre-order, You will be entered to win One of the following:
FREE PAPERBACK BOOK (Readers Choice of my available catalog)
FREE Digital Copy of YOUR CHOICE Misericorde Book ONE (Available now) or Book Three (Sanctuaire) Upon Release!
FREE Mercy Series Stainless Steal Water Bottle
FREE Mercy Series Monthly Planner
FREE Digital copy of the Dark Fey Trilogy!
FREE Digital copies of ALL the books below!.
How much will an Archangel Sacrifice to find One person?
It’s the year 2446, and the final horseman of apocalypse – Death – is preparing to ride.
The Archangel of Mercy, Tzadkiel, has come to Earth and found the last merciful person among the callous human throng. Together, Tzadkiel and Lourdes escape to the French countryside, but are relentlessly tracked by a sadistic officer determined to control the Archangel and claim Lourdes for himself.
Forced to make choices neither ever anticipated, they discover more than simply how to survive. Yet while love blossoms, Death grows impatient. Unable to ride until released by the Archangel, he unleashes a calamity that will push them to their very limits. To succeed they will need more than hope and love.
5-Star Customer Review: “It’s spiritual and human. It’s violent and tender. It’s desperate and deeply hopeful. I can’t wait to see where she takes us from here.“
(And Additional Books are still being added!)
.
Drawing parameters: In order to be entered into the drawing, you need to provide proof of your pre-order by pasting the Amazon Order # in the comments field. Drawing will be held on Release Day May 26, 2020. Winners will be notified originally through a response to your comment. Additional information such as email address and/or mailing address may be requested.
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It’s the year 2446, and the first three Horsemen of Revelation’s Apocalypse have ridden.
Pestilence, War and Famine have changed the world into a dictatorship ruled with an iron fist. Commoners have few rights, and liberty is a distant memory.
But before the final Horseman is released, the Archangel of Mercy – Tzadkiel – makes a bold plea, asking for permission to find even one human who remembers the meaning of mercy and compassion. He is given 100 years, until Death will sweep across the land.
And so, he must ride. Taking human form and coming to Earth, he finds a place ruled by greed, hatred and fear. With time running out and Death growing impatient, can Tzadkiel find what he’s looking for… and how much will he need to sacrifice?.
WITH EVERY PREORDER, YOU GET A CHANCE TO WIN ALL THESE BOOKS!
.
.
Award winning Amazon Bestseller – River Bones – Sara Mason Mysteries Book 1 – A psychopath in the Sacramento, California valley has eluded capture for decades. The body count grows. Sara Mason acts as a decoy for the Sheriff and falls into the clutches of a madman.
-By Mary Deal
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Young Soren is the apprentice of legendary warrior, Raven Lennox. At the age of sixteen, Soren is expected to fight in the eternal war against the Brotherhood of Shadow – but he seems to be more interested in mischief than battle. When one of Soren’s adventures goes off course, he accidentally unleashes a deadly threat. As an age-old prophecy comes to pass, Soren must take a perilous journey deep into enemy territory. But does he have what it takes to save the realm, or will the Brotherhood destroy everything he loves?
-By D.M. Cain
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Jasper is no ordinary parrot. He lives in the rainforest, which secrets he’s eager to explore. Jasper loves his home and his family, and he’s also in charge of his younger brother Willie – a responsibility Jasper takes very seriously. When he meets Charlie – a spider monkey with a penchant for food and a laid back attitude – he realizes he’s in for an adventure he never thought possible. Even if this means getting into danger and worrying his mother to no end. Exploring the boundaries of the forest, Jasper understands that there is more to the world around him. Who are the strange new creatures that have come there? With Willie and Charlie by his side, he will soon find out.
-By Sharon C. Williams
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Sarah Collins needs an escape. Mourning her brother’s death and the impending breakup of her marriage, she returns to her childhood home in South Carolina, where her family operated an inn.
Sarah hasn’t been back to Sea Scope for twenty years; not since she and her brother Glen discovered a body by the nearby lighthouse.
After Sarah returns to the inn, she faces long-buried memories, text messages and strange clues.
When past and present collide, Sarah must face truths about her family, and what happened that summer day by the lighthouse. But will she survive to tell the tale?
-By Debbie De Louise
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When Jacob is a child, a mysterious girl comforts him at the funeral of the family he accidentally killed. Years later, grieving for his lost wife and son, Jacob is at Heavensgate. He believes that the dead should stay dead, but sees things other people don’t see.
Even worse, Jacob is besieged by his alter ego: the foul-mouthed, sex-crazed and dangerous Jake; a personality with a twisted sense of fun and no conscience. Jacob battles for his sanity and soul, surrounded by supernatural enemies and allies, as he struggles to free the Keeper of the Forbidden Book and ignore the menacing pink Cadillac that drives by his lakeside lodge every night.
Wherever Jacob goes, people die, and the cops are moving in when a terrifying and seductive presence arrives on the frozen lake. Now, Jacob will discover that even hope has a dark side.
-By Leo Kane
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Growing up on the streets of Storms End, Larina knows the only way to survive is to take matters into her own hands.
Skulking about the seedy alleyways and taverns of a once great city that has fallen from grace, survival has become a game of steal and lie, or die.
Larina uses her ill-begotten abilities to help the vulnerable, less fortunate souls abandoned by life. An act that fills her with a sense of purpose and pride.
That all changes when the man with the black warhammer comes to town. Now the Storms End Lightning Bolt must decide whether those she has fought so hard to protect will be better off if she ends up dead….
– by Richard H. Stephens
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SMAFU-SoulMates is a bittersweet, real-life, romantic story of growing apart, growing up, and growing (or not) into the person you always dreamed you could be. This “prequel” to the acclaimed and much-loved, SMAFU – Situation Married, All F’d Up, can be read as a standalone novel. The characters’ ages, stages, and concerns may be different, but Cherisse is Cherisse and will simply never change, Darling. When she takes you on as one of her pet projects, your life will never be the same. Jake, a journalist, and Jen, a bestselling YA author, were once the perfect couple, or so Jake thought, until Jen decided she’d had enough. Twenty. Years. Later. Marriages built solely on youthful dreams, may not turn out the way we hope. The beliefs we built as children may not hold up as we age, mature and begin to find our own identities: Can you ever really go back home? This is a story of growing up, realizing what we want out of relationships, and most importantly… what we want out of life. Can divergent paths reunite down the road? Can we re-discover what once set our souls on fire? Can Jake ever learn how to dance? Will Jen EVER get a decent cup of coffee? But most importantly of all: Will the worldly and shockingly randy ninety-year-old Cherisse develop a blend of tea strong enough to wake Jake up and make him see the light? Fans of Graeme Simsion (Rosie Project and Best of Adam Sharp), Nick Hornby “Juliet, Naked,” Jonathan Tropper (Book of Joe, How to Talk to a Widower), Nick Spalding’s “Love” series, and Robert Bryndza’s Coco Pinchard books . . . will feel right at home here.
– by E.M.Bosso
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Layla Little was hurt and damaged by her previous relationship. Years later, while vacationing in tropical Puerto Rico with her new boyfriend, Layla unexpectedly encounters her former, jealous boyfriend, Leon. The encounter brings back memories of heartache and unresolved longing. Leon desperately wants her back, even though he knows that she is with another man. Making things even more complicated for Layla is the persistence of an old high school sweetheart, Roland, who is also vying for her love and affection. Faced with these diverse prospects and also tragic life circumstances, what will Layla do – and who will she choose? Even she doesn’t know.
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-by Daniel Maldonado
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Blue Diamonds by Kevin Hollingsworth –
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Exiled by his power-hungry brothers, Prince Tarkyn encounters the woodfolk: a secretive group of telepaths living deep in the woodlands.
When bounty hunters attack, Tarquin narrowly escapes with the aid of the forest-dwellers, and discovers a secret about their source of magic. Embracing his new identity, allegiances are formed as the woodfolk hail Tarquin as the Guardian Of The Forest.
But can he find a way to protect this mysterious realm, and seize his true destiny?
By Jennifer Ealey
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Being a descendant of a goddess has its advantages. Especially when evil is looking to take over the realms. On her eighteenth birthday, Alexis Reynolds became a protector, but not once since then has her guardian allowed her to leave the earthly realm. Her days are filled with boring schoolwork, a nasty bully, and saving menacing jackalopes that have wandered into her world. But that all changes when her guardian summons her and her sister to Earthchild Academy and tasks them with an assignment, that if they fail, could have devastating consequences to all the realms. The portals to the other worlds are closing. An evil goddess is behind it, and she’s taken two protectors as hostages. After a whirlwind of information and brief training of her new powers, Lex stands in the Underworld wondering what the hell she just signed up for. What could two eighteen-year-old girls possibly do that the gods cannot? And why the hell was she so excited? Then he walks up, tall, dark, mysterious, and an asshole. He’s the son of Hades, and the brother of the goddess Lex is there to stop. How is she supposed to complete an impossible assignment, keep her sister safe, and fight off the monsters lurking in the shadows? Her life just went from boring to dangerous, and all she can think is… Be careful what you wish for.
By Nicole Merchant
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What happens when a man refuses to release the memory of the girl he loved and lost? The unlikely star-crossed union between two souls caught in a mortal world. When Damien met Keira, things would no longer be normal again. Keira sees things in different ways, speaks to the dead, and opens his mind to a unique way of seeing the world around him. Growing up, change is a constant fact, but for the boy trapped inside, he still remembers the warm summer nights, the sweet allure of jasmine on the air, and the fair haired girl next door. As Damien inherits Keira’s childhood home, he returns to the place he’s never forgotten, and the girl he can’t leave behind. Will the memory of Keira remain buried, or will he find that the girl who captured the stars is right where he left her so many years before? Fans of My Girl and Ghost will fall in love with this magical tale of friendship and belief.
-By K.L. Laettner
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Long ago, magick filled the land of Dramolux. But one sorceress delved too deep into dark sorcery and tainted the creatures inhabiting the land. In an effort to save all creatures, a noble sentinel locked the dark powers away. For generations, the dark ones were controlled, passed down to those who ruled the sentinel kingdom. All is peaceful until the newest sentinel queen is murdered and all the magick is released back into the world. It is now up to her daughter, Princess Aymeri–who has no knowledge of what she truly is–to recapture it. But another dark sorceress is on the rise. She wants to lay claim to the magick and wield it herself, in an effort to take all of Dramolux under her control. The odds are against Aymeri and the magick the sorceress wants is evil. Aymeri must prepare to battle or die fighting for the survival of her people.
_By Aimee Shaye
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After a heart attack, lawyer Tony Stanford finds himself not in this world, but on a heavenly golf course.
Not ready to believe he is dead, his wife, best friends and the doctors work against time to prove to the hospital board he’s not really gone.
Even with its religious themes, Three Days In Heaven is a story a person of any faith can enjoy. Open-heart surgery, dying, and meeting up with God all seem like serious topics, but the book deals with them in a lighthearted and believable way.
-By Mark Waters
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Have you always sworn you see someone out of the corner of your eye and then they are gone? Swear you are being watched by something not everyone can see? You are not alone. Start that very journey for one right here, Jonah Rowe is looking for meaning for his life. He finally gets his wish, as sudden visions and a spectral visitor warn him of danger. Overnight, Jonah transforms from an overworked accountant to the centerpiece of an otherworldly battle. Soon, Jonah has to accept that everything he knows about life and death is completely wrong. But can he rise to the occasion and harness the power of the mysterious 11th Percent?
-By T.H. Morris
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Quest of the Dreamwalker, by Stacy Bennett. Cara’s father crippled her soul to steal her magic, but the key to what she lost still waits for her in her dreams. A chance encounter with the mercenary her father intends to kill opens her eyes to her father’s evil and she flees hoping to find a way to heal her soul. But death follows her every step from the frozen tundra through the Tanglewood to the mountain city of Iolair. Cara must discover her stolen birthright before her father sacrifices her to an even darker power.
-By Stacy Bennet
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Kensie and Agent Jaymes Ryker journey deeper into the future to find answers to the conspiracy unfolding around them. Meanwhile, Kensie’s ex Morgan and her Elite family are hot on their trail. Can Kensie protect her parents and sister? Can Jaymes save his timeline from the coming war? And how does Jaymes’s brother Jackson factor into all of this? The drama unfolds at a breathtaking pace in the first part of the Odyssey trilogy, spilling out of the short story in Atlantic Island Universe.
-By A J Kurtz and Fredric Shernoff
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Number 2 Listopia Romance With Strong Contemporary Females, Number 3 Listopia Western and Native American Romance
Red, Brenda Levere has been on her own for a very long time. PR, Paul Revere Jones comes from a big family, part Alaska Native and part white. When Red moves into his apartment complex, PR begins the hunt of a lifetime. He wants the prickly woman. Red throws a big glitch in his plans by getting involved with another man. PR continues his friendly interaction with Red as he bides his time. Reardon dumps Red and PR happily deepens their friendship. But Red is shy having been burned before. It is one tough hunt. Can he get her to the altar or will Red keep him at arms length as a friend with benefits?
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-By Cherime Macfarlane
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Territorial Arizona, 1878. After riding from Phoenix to Yuma in the hopes of joining a company of Arizona Rangers, Ross Hendershot is attacked and wounded by a gunman. He soon finds himself in the middle of a power struggle, surrounded by a multitude of characters with agendas of their own. The sheriff of the town is eager to help him and take care of his attacker. The owner of Palace Hotel, Saloon and Fancy House also befriends him.
First novel in the Hendershot Series, A Tall Man Rides is a compelling story of adventure and danger in the 19th century Wild West.
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-By H. Berkeley Rourke
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At the age of twelve, Roxanne Fosch had a perfectly normal life. By the time she was twenty-two, she was being hunted. After being trapped for years in the clutches of the Paranormal Scientists Society, Roxanne escapes and sets on a dangerous quest for the truth. Hunted by scientists keen to exploit her extraordinary abilities, and dangerous factions whose plans she cannot fathom, Roxanne discovers a shocking secret about her past. But is everything she’s ever known a lie?
-By Jina Bazzar
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An innocent woman fearing for her life.
Six mismatched lawmen trying to prevent crime.
The beginning of an unusual family…or an end for them all?
After his wife and children were murdered, all that Kris Jensen wanted was to die and join them. Saved by a sacrificed friendship, he travels from one Territory town to another with a tin star on his black duster, restless, intervening when needed and then quickly moving on…until the town of Mimosa asks him to stay as their Marshal. And he says yes, though he doesn’t know why.
Maybe it’s the five misfits who stood by his side when he needed them most, risked their lives to help him save an innocent man from a lynching. Maybe it’s the pretty widow with the eyes like a dove. Maybe he’s starting to care.
And maybe they’re all going to die, for the cattle baron William Cahill isn’t going to forgive Judge Evan Davis for sentencing Cahill’s nephew Carlton to hang. Judge Davis is going to suffer, and so is his widowed daughter-in-law, Holly. The six misfit lawmen? He doesn’t care for the law. He does what he wants. And he wants them all dead.
The new western series filled with friendship and romance starts with The Hanging – if Kris and his friends – his new family – can survive the inevitable shootout. But can they, or are they going to die like his old family did?
-By Linda Thackery
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Garley, a young boy, is constantly bullied by the arrogant students at Braghton College. But then a light at the end of the tunnel appears—or so he thinks—when he finds a gold medallion that teleports him to Kansnubra Island. The island is located in the Bermuda Triangle, and is the secret home of dragons, wizards, warriors, and adventures—a place where magic meets advanced technology.
However, Garley’s journey to return to his normal life will be long and hard, and the portal in the woods that could be his ticket home may not be reachable at all. The uncertainty will be great, but the adventures and friendships will be even greater.
“You are stuck, Garley,” said Aldrich, in his scratchy voice, looking at him with pity in his eyes. “There is no way off the island. In order to leave, we would need the portal. It is deep in the woods.”
“It’s in the woods? Then let’s go there!” Garley said. He would do anything to see his family again.
“Don’t be foolish! There are monstrous creatures in the woods. Besides, it is huge, and we do not know the exact location of the portal.”
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Soulmates. I believe in them. I was lucky enough to have two of them at one point. The only problem. My soulmates happened to be twin brothers. Caiden was the light to Jackson’s dark. And after all that I had been through, the light was what I thought I needed. When I chose Caiden, I lost Jackson. Feeling like half a person after Jackson left, I barely survived when tragedy struck, and I lost Caiden too. It took me years to admit to myself that I had chosen wrong from the beginning. I’m ready to admit it to Jackson…only problem, he hates me. I’m ready to fight for my happily ever after. But there’s a reason they call him the Heartbreak Prince
– By C. R. Jane
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With his life now divided between myth and reality, Garrick Elliott struggles to learn what it truly means to be human. As a fledgling lycanthrope, Garrick battles his own dark thoughts and the encroaching threat of hunters, as well as the ever-growing willpower of the beast within. Despite those around him accepting what they are, Garrick desperately clings to a hope of one day returning to his life as a normal teenager. His obsession with ridding himself of the wolf may just be the drive he needs to find a cure—or the fatal error which puts him and his pack in danger. As he vies for control of his own mind, Garrick questions if fighting his affliction is worth the sacrifices he must make, or if he is destined to live the rest of his life Cursed.
How much will an Archangel Sacrifice to find One person?
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The countdown to the release of Clandestine (Mercy Series Book Two) Starts Today! To celebrate, I am offering a number of FREEBIES!!!! That’s right, friends, FREE Stuff just for YOU! 🙂 Read on and find out more……
It’s the year 2446, and the final horseman of apocalypse – Death – is preparing to ride.
The Archangel of Mercy, Tzadkiel, has come to Earth and found the last merciful person among the callous human throng. Together, Tzadkiel and Lourdes escape to the French countryside, but are relentlessly tracked by a sadistic officer determined to control the Archangel and claim Lourdes for himself.
Forced to make choices neither ever anticipated, they discover more than simply how to survive. Yet while love blossoms, Death grows impatient. Unable to ride until released by the Archangel, he unleashes a calamity that will push them to their very limits. To succeed they will need more than hope and love.
5-Star Customer Review: “It’s spiritual and human. It’s violent and tender. It’s desperate and deeply hopeful. I can’t wait to see where she takes us from here.“
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It’s the year 2446, and the first three Horsemen of Revelation’s Apocalypse have ridden.
Pestilence, War and Famine have changed the world into a dictatorship ruled with an iron fist. Commoners have few rights, and liberty is a distant memory.
But before the final Horseman is released, the Archangel of Mercy – Tzadkiel – makes a bold plea, asking for permission to find even one human who remembers the meaning of mercy and compassion. He is given 100 years, until Death will sweep across the land.
And so, he must ride. Taking human form and coming to Earth, he finds a place ruled by greed, hatred and fear. With time running out and Death growing impatient, can Tzadkiel find what he’s looking for… and how much will he need to sacrifice?.
Drawing parameters: In order to be entered into the drawing, you need to provide proof of your pre-order by pasting the Amazon Order # in the comments field. Drawing will be held on Release Day May 26, 2020. Winners will be notified originally through a response to your comment. Additional information such as email address and/or mailing address may be requested.
Overjoyed to learn Misericorde has been given a 5Star Review and critique by ReadersFavorite. (Readers’ Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins)
“Author Cynthia A. Morgan has crafted a lavish and detailed read which audiences are sure to devour from cover to cover thanks to its quick pacing and highly engaging plot. I particularly adored Tzadkiel as a central character, whose determined belief that humanity may have hope yet is a central theme that endears him and his quest to us. There is a great atmosphere in the writing and lexical choices made by the author, painting the pseudo-medieval world with a bleak and desolate brush. This makes the juxtaposition of hope all the more important and prominent when the search reaches its potential conclusion. I found the plot structure to be well-timed and with plenty of ups and downs to keep the story interesting. Overall, I would certainly recommend Misericorde for fantasy fans everywhere.”
Delighted to share Misericorde’s 3rd #5star #Book #review.
KS the Dreamer
5.0 out of 5 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Horror, degradation, and helplessness (I read on KU)
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 May 2020
Pestilence, War, and Famine have ridden, changing the world forever. Times of equal rights and respect had been long forgotten. Those of wealth rule, their servants little more than property, easily swapped when one becomes too damaged to perform their duties. Tzadkiel seeks to prove there is still hope, that one person in the godforsaken world still knows compassion. Should he fail to find one within 100 years the final horseman will ride. With just a few years left desperation envelopes him. He finds himself imprisoned, tortured for sadistic pleasure and gains. He could stop it all with a word, end his torment, end the pain that has become his existence, but to do so would be to admit he has failed. So he endures, hoping to somehow find the one person who can be redemption in a place filled with darkness and despair.
Cynthia A Morgan’s Misericorde is the first book in the Mercy series. For anyone who likes a read on the darker side, this will certainly be a good fit. Filled with despair, hopelessness, and an acceptance of how little one is worth, it is bound to tug on a few heartstrings as Lourdes situation becomes ever more desperate as she strives to protect those she cares for. Day after day she hears the tormented screams. Brutality and the worst of humanity are brought into picture-perfect clarity through Morgan’s descriptive writing while daring to offer a glimmer of hope, a suggestion of a fleeting and small light almost lost within the darkness. Horror, degradation, and helplessness pit against the very essence of all that is good, threatening to snub out its presence forever. You will want to read on, to see what fate awaits both prisoners, one a prisoner of life, and the other a prisoner in the Tower.
I am currently looking for a few interested readers who would be willing to share a review of Misericorde, in return for a free digital copy. If interested, please comment below. And to tempt you I’ve included a small teaser…
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Insidious laughter echoed from the darkness clawing at him like a ferocious monster. He felt the sensation of spinning, yet knew he was lying on the cold stone floor of his cell. Strangely, his body no longer burned with pain so intense it threatened to tear his reason from him. Instead, he felt nothing at all. Weightless and spinning, he tumbled into the abyss that yawned greedily before him.
“He is lost.” It was the same deep, resonant voice he always heard, but now it spoke from somewhere above him.
“He is not!” Another voice rebuked the first, its tone more determined, but equally far away. He recognized this voice as well and struggled to answer, but he could make no sound.
“He allowed them to vanquish him.” The first continued, sounding both angry and accusatory.
“He cannot be vanquished.” Again, the second rebuked the first. Then a third voice leeched into the darkness, its words a rasping, guttural hiss
“He is human. He is weak and worthless.”
Angry cries filled the darkness in response to the serpentine voice, but it continued more loudly. “Your plan was faulty and has failed!” This claim was echoed by peals of rancorous laughter that faded into utter silence.
The silence was long and deep.
The blackness around him was heavy and thick.
“Don’t let him die.” A small, unobtrusive voice permeated the impenetrable blackness. It, too, was a voice he recognized, but it was overpowered by ruthless shouts of obscenities and derisive howls so vulgar he felt ill to hear them.
Vile demons!
He would not allow them to take him.
He was neither human, weak, nor worthless!
Concentrating with intensity he had not summoned in many eons, he reached up through the darkness. It opposed his effort, pulling at him insistently, but he didn’t surrender to it. Straining against its oppressive pull with all the force his essence could summon, he looked upward and saw a shimmer of light. He grasped for it, clawing his way upward through the thick, slurking darkness that clung to him. His determination was greater than its malevolent pull. Exerting himself to his limits and then beyond them, he growled vehemently with effort, reaching for the light, clambering upwards against the energy of a thousand demons dragging him down. He writhed up from the clutching blackness as every ounce of strength he possessed poured out of him like blood.
It’s the year 2446, and the first three Horsemen of Revelation’s Apocalypse have ridden.
Pestilence, War and Famine have changed the world into a dictatorship ruled with an iron fist. Commoners have few rights, and liberty is a distant memory.
Before the final Horseman is released, the Archangel of Mercy – Tzadkiel – makes a bold plea, asking for permission to find even one human who remembers the meaning of mercy and compassion. He is given 100 years, until Death will sweep across the land.
Taking human form and coming to Earth, he finds a place ruled by greed, hatred and fear. With time running out and Death growing impatient, can Tzadkiel find what he’s looking for… and how much will he need to sacrifice?
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~Morgan~
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Artwork found on Imgur. Credit Gratefully Acknowledged to the Original Artist.
Thank You~
I’d like to share my new release with you. I was calling this Angel of Mercy until about 2-3 months ago when this name was suggested instead..
Misericorde (This means Mercy in French)
Book One of The Mercy Series
It is the year 2446. The first three Horsemen of Revelation’s Apocalypse have ridden. The first Horsemen, Pestilence, War and Famine, have shifted world-wide cultures and governments from technologically advanced civilizations to dictatorships that are ruled with an iron-fist. Social structures have returned to what they were during the Middle Ages and commoners have very few rights.Liberty is a distant memory.
Before the final Horseman, Death, is released to ride, the Archangel of Mercy makes a bold plea. Tzadkiel cannot believe that mankind has forgotten what it means to be merciful. He asks to be allowed to search for even just one human who remembers. 100 years are granted, but at the end of that time the Archangel will be required to release the final Horseman. Releasing Death will conflict with everything the Archangel represents and be the hardest thing he has ever done, but he must agree.The Horseman must ride.
Tzadkiel takes human form and comes to earth. He finds that humanity is ruled by greed, hatred and fear.Compassion and kindness are considered a detriment, but he does not give up hope. After 96 years his long search leads him to New France where he encounters Levesque, a cynical military captain who hates the world he lives in.He blames God and any who serve Him for the calamities the world has suffered. When Levesque learns who Tzadkiel is, he takes revenge by imprisoning him and subjecting him to torture that would kill a human.
Tzadkiel, however, is not fully human. His life-force comes from the energy of the sun and can regenerate his body in hours. It is not entirely a blessing. After suffering Levesque’s torture for nearly a year, a young servant named Lourdes finds him. Through an act of selfless mercy she reveals her true nature and Tzadkiel knows she is the one he seeks, but somehow they must escape Levesque and the ruthless dictatorship he serves.
Time is running out.He has waited nearly 100 years, but the Horseman Death is growing impatient. He wants to ride. Tzadkiel has located the priceless treasure he sacrificed so much to find, but now he must find some way of protecting her from the calamity the Final Horseman has unleashed.
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How do you feel your writing style differs from your previous work? What considerations should readers have while reading?
While Dark Fey was very much a Young Adult Fantasy, The Mercy Series has taken a slightly darker turn, landing somewhere between a PG-13 and an R-rating. I veered away from the poetic writing style I used in Dark Fey, making this series more conversational in its tone with darker, moderately graphic content. It tells the story of a harsh new reality that exists on Earth with characters that are equally harsh.
What inspired you to go in this direction as an author?
I began this tale with the intent of writing a multi-dimensional story.I hoped to share the story through the perspectives of several characters, rather than just one, and to provide the backstory not so much through expository prefaces or chapters, but as the plot progressed.I sought to challenge myself to create something dark that could still be tender and emotive, with which readers could connect on many levels.
Does this book have a hidden message?
It isn’t really all that well hidden. The story speaks about the courage to be kind in the face of cruelty.To be compassionate without motive.To show thankfulness through kindness and appreciate blessings through generosity.
What was Angel of Mercy, but is now Misericorde, has passed its final revision/edit. Complete at 174K I have broken it into two books.
I would love for it to go through another round of Beta Readers. Looking for 2-3 interested readers who are willing to read both segments and answer a few questions about it.
Timetable: 1 month
If interested, please let me know.
Thank you ❣
Its a Post Apocalyptic Fantasy Romance. It tells the story of life after the first 3 Horsemen, Pestilence, War and Famine, have ridden. In the 4th Era after the Great Cataclysm, (roughly 400 years in the future) the final horseman, Death, is waiting on the Archangel of Mercy to release him. Tzadkiel has been sent to earth in human form to find one human who still understands Mercy. He has been given 100 years, after which Death must be released. With only 4 years remaining, he finds her; a servant named Lourdes, but they must escape the harsh dictatorship of the Eminent Protectorate and find a place of sanctuary before the appointed hundred years are spent and Death is freed from the abyss.
The new year always brings uncertainty and excitement for me. Uncertainty because there are now 300+ days ahead that are unknowns. Anything could happen. … and usually does. Excitement, because those unknowns could be amazing, wonderful Blessings that will inspire and delight. Almost always, it’s a little of both.
So far this year, I’ve moved from a small 750 square foot condo to an 1800+ townhouse…. pretty nice! …. but I’ve also lost a dear friend to cancer…. not so nice. This is life… balance… the universe keeping things in order. Whatever you may choose to call it.
During the past year I’ve been busy writing my WIP. You’ve heard me talk about it already.
ANGEL OF MERCY is a post apocalyptic, fantasy, romance. It tells the story of life after the first three Horsemen of Revelations have ridden. In the 4th era after the Great Cataclysm (roughly 400 years in the future) the final Horseman, Death, is waiting on the Archangel of Mercy to release him. The Archangel, Tzadkiel, has been sent to earth in human form to find one person who still understands mercy. He had been given 100 years, after which Death must be released. With only four years remaining, Tzadkiel finds a young servant named Lourdes, who exemplifies mercy, but they must escape the harsh ruling dictatorship where she serves and find a place of sanctuary before the appointed one hundred years are spent and Death is freed from the abyss to ride.
It’s finished. It’s been tested by a few choice BETA readers and now I’ve just sent my cover and query letter for Angel of Mercy off to be critiqued before I start sending our official queries.!
Balance. Equity. Harmony. That’s what life is all about….oh… and HOPE !!! In this case, my hopes and dreams for representation by an amazing agent and publisher.
I wanted to share a few snippets about a character in my new series The Mercy Series that is not necessarily a character and yet, is. The Sword of an Archangel, which answers to the name of Jshunamir (Pronounced Zshoonawmeer)
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The road to Marçais was 360 miles. With an attachment of 30 soldiers, 10 auxiliary personnel, two dozen pack horses and a train of 15 supply wagons, including the one turned into an open-air-prison, Lévesque knew the journey would take at least a week.
He did not, however, anticipate the difficulty they would face transporting the Archangel’s sword.
It appeared normal enough to the undiscerning eye; a long-sword forged with exceptional skill, but not unusual. Upon closer inspection, however, one could see its black leather scabbard, although older than any could comprehend, appeared ageless and bore no mark of any kind upon its luxuriant surface. The blade was etched with runes and indecipherable writing that shimmered with a silvery light all their own, and the edge was sharper than any steel could ever be honed. Even more incredible was its incomprehensible weight. When Lévesque attempted to pick it up from the beach where it had fallen, he discovered it could barely be moved. Two men together, then three, then four tried to raise the sword from the sand and drag it away, all unsuccessfully. They struggled with it for some time, ultimately devising a makeshift sling for it using an old tarp, which they managed to slide beneath it before harnessing the sling to two draft horses to pull.
On day two of their journey, one of the horses collapsed out of exhaustion. He was replaced by two pack horses, their goods being redistributed among the remaining animals, but on day three the other draft horse needed to be spelled. The unfathomable burden the sword created required routine cycling of the horses and slowed their return to Marçais considerably. ….
“We had a devil of a time getting him here.”
“Why? Was he resistive?” Shaking his head, Lévesque gestured to the magnificent sword lying atop a small stone dais they had draped with deep black velvet at one side of the chamber.
“Moving him was not the problem; it was his sword that gave us the most trouble.” The EPP Guard stopped to examine the weapon with greater interest.
“A sword?” Lévesque nodded.
“Not just any sword. The weapon of an Archangel.” He waited, allowing the young man to gaze at it for several moments before continuing. “It required three draft horses, spelled every six hours in a continual rotation to haul it here and the strength of thirty men on a winch cable to get it to where it is now.” Such a declaration was nearly beyond imagining and the guard’s forehead wrinkled with skepticism as he turned his doubtful gaze back to the captain.
“A sword?” He repeated incredulously, to which question Lévesque smiled magnanimously.
“Please, by all means, see for yourself. I invite you to take it in hand.” The youthful officer glanced across at Philippe who was busying himself with the practical matters of preparing their captive for another session, checking the tension of the manacles confining him and placing a leather harness across his head to hold him down.
Unable to accept such an outrageous claim, the EPP Guard stepped closer and grasped the hilt of the sword firmly. Try as he might, however, he could not move it. Not a fraction of an inch. It was a mountain resting atop velvet without as much as a bend in the delicate fabric.
“Astonishing. Yet, he can wield this weapon without effort?” Lévesque nodded….
Never in all the years of his immortal life had he ever felt such irrepressible rage. It was not in his nature to feel hatred or violence, but he was not himself. He was immortal energy bound within a human body. Growling fiercely, he pushed himself up from the floor, ignoring the intense pain that shattered through him as his wounds reopened. Sauvage had already turned away and was pulling Lourdes against his body, smothering her with a lustful kiss as he tugged the bodice of her dress open viciously.
“Leave her.” Straining to suppress the violent shuddering that wracked his weakened body, Tzadkiel stood facing them and repeated himself with a more imposing tone. He was ignored, but he had not defeated legions of Hell’s demons to lie on the floor helplessly and watch so vile a human indulge his wicked lusts. Stretching out his hand, he spoke the word that had been poised on his lips for months.
“Jshunamir.” His voice was barely a whisper, but at the sound the sword, which had rested atop the pedestal created for it for nearly a year, stirred. Holding out his hand, Tzadkiel waited, never doubting the result of his word. The sword rose, spun as if seeking him; then moved with speed that could scarcely be tracked, slowing the instant before it touched his hand. Looking down at the weapon, Tzadkiel closed his hand around the hilt and clanked the tip loudly against the floor.
The unexpected sound drew Sauvage’s attention at last. Twisting to find the source of the noise, his eyes grew wide when he saw the Archangel standing with his sword in his hand, facing him with a bold, unwavering stance even as blood streamed across his torn, bruised, naked body. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he held Lourdes by a fistful of hair and shook his head.
“Think you can take me in your condition?” His impudence was only exceeded by his lack of insight. Tzadkiel glared at him, speaking with intractable aggression.
“This sword answers every command I give it. If you do not release her, I shall ask it to bury itself in your spine.”
My current WIP Angel of Mercy just passed 100K words today! I’m really excited because none of my previous 3 books even came close to that many. No diss to Dark Fey, I love my trilogy, though I do often wish I could go back and add more to the story, but right now I’m focused entirely on Angel. What is this new story about? I’m so glad you asked….
Its a Post Apocalyptic Fantasy Romance. It tells the story of life after the first 3 Horsemen, Pestilence, War and Famine, have ridden. In the 4th Era after the Great Cataclysm, (roughly 400 years in the future) the final horseman, Death, is caged and waiting on the Archangel of Mercy to release him. Tzadkiel has been sent to earth in human form to find one human who still understands Mercy. He has been given 100 years, after which Death must be released. With only 4 years remaining, he finds her; a servant named Lourdes, but they must escape the harsh dictatorship of the Eminent Protectorate and find a place of sanctuary before the appointed hundred years are spent and Death is freed from the abyss.
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Intrigued? Me too! So in honor of this momentous occasion I’m sharing a short teaser too!
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Her moan drew him out of the dark well of agony he had become so accustomed to and he opened his eyes to look around uncertainly. He thought he had heard speaking, but could not combat the heavy darkness pulling him downward; yet this soft sound drew him back. Surely it had not been a manifestation of his mind. Had it? Was this sound some indication that his mind was attempting to disengage from his tortured body? Was it like the screams he had heard only moments ago, just a figment of his imagination? Had it been only moments ago or had he slipped into unconsciousness and they had actually been nothing but a dream? Or perhaps days ago?
His thoughts were a tangle of pain and confusion that made him doubt himself, but then another soft noise beside the table captured his full attention. Was it crying? Was it an animal that had found its way into the chamber or had the young servant returned? His thoughts spun for a moment as he considered. Was this even the same day as when he had seen her? He had no point of reference; his memory was a disjointed haze of anguish, torment, and severing isolation that fragmented his thought into pools of jagged darkness. They spun slowly, reaching for him, drawing him inward and the quiet calm at its center was irresistible.
He closed his eyes again.
Silence deep and soothing.
Stillness.
“You do not need to suffer this.” A deep, resonant voice filled the obscurity surrounding him. It encircled his essence like spiraling water, pulling him up from the pit into which he had fallen. He was himself again, vibrant and strong, the spiritual embodiment of mercy in its purest form. Turning slowly, he searched the blackness for the one who spoke.
“I know.” His voice echoed as well.
“They only hurt you because you allow it.” Again, the deep voice echoed into the gloom. He nodded distractedly, the sensation of the absence of pain euphoric.
“I know.” The diffuse light surrounding him shifted from golden-white to murky red.
“I wait.” He suddenly understood. It was the one behind him, waiting to be released, waiting for him to be satisfied that there were no longer any living souls of mercy left among the lost throng of humanity, but he wasn’t convinced this was true. Not yet. He repeated himself more assertively.
“I know.”
“Time grows short.” He understood this as well. He had been given 100 years. If a single soul could not be found in so vast a stretch of time, then it would be accepted that none remained and the final Horseman, Death, would be released. He had waited all this time, but was obviously growing impatient. Squaring his shoulders, Tzadkiel pierced the darkness with his deep violet gaze and spoke formidably.
“100 years has been appointed and I shall not be rushed.” Slowly the murky-red haze diminished back into darkness as a low growl acknowledged the final Horseman’s acceptance that he would continue to wait.
As a result of the recent poll I took on WP, as well as Facebook, I was finally able to dress my main character from Angel of Mercy.
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The uniform Lévesque had given him was that of a regimental officer made of black leather that did not immediately impress, particularly when folded up lying upon a blood-stained table. The black leather pants were snug, trimmed with gold embroidery and dressed by a triplet of golden buttons embossed with the Eminent Protectorate’s seal on either side of this trim just below the hip. The snug-fitting coat was also embroidered with golden trim, set off smartly by a double row of similar golden buttons that ran along the outside length of the coat and collar. Individual straps of black leather closed the coat by crossing the front of it from one button to the other, while epaulettes, which also bore the EP seal and looping golden fringes, were set off by two golden cords ornamentally draping the neckline.
Black leather boots with lacings and a wide leather belt completed the ensemble and after putting everything on, he walked with a purposeful stride to the small dais upon which Jshunamir was displayed. Taking up his own baldric of soft gray leather, the only thing that remained from what he had been wearing on the day he encountered Lévesque, he cinched it loosely round his hips and picked up his sword. Unstained and untarnished, though it had not been cleaned, it glittered as beautifully as it did on the day it was forged; it’s inlaid runes glimmering with a silvery light all their own. Sheathing it, he turned back toward the table, noticing Lourdes at last who stood watching him with an unguarded stare.
Smiling subtly, he met her gaze, the deep lavender of his eyes searching hers, but she closed her and looked down at the bundle she carried, clearly unable to express herself. Crossing the floor with an unhurried stride, he looked down at himself and then back to her with an openly curious expression.
“Does it suit me? I think it’s a bit,” he paused, seeking the correct word, but she finished his sentence for him, her tone openly approving.
“Magnificent.”
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Tzadkiel is the Archangel of Mercy, sent to earth in the 4th era after the first of the Four Horsemen have ridden. He is looking for one human among those who remain who still understands Mercy. He’s been looking for nearly 100 years, but he’s finally found her…a young servant named Lourdes.
