New Release - The Battle of the Brains by Michelle Graves

The Battle of the Brains

The Misadventures of Maggie Moore #2
Publication Date: April 29, 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Humor

Maggie Moore is leaving small-town south Georgia behind to embrace adulthood on her own in big-city Atlanta.

Finding inspiration in the unique people she’s met covering obscure sporting events, Maggie decides it’s time to fill her life with adventure – just as soon as she figures out how to cut ties with good ol’ Murphy, and his pesky laws, once and for all.

Naturally, the universe has different plans.

Before she even sets out to cover her next big story, Maggie is bombarded with old wounds and new insecurities, forcing her to choose between the reality in front of her and the promise of a dream just out of reach.

Channeling the hard-fought lessons of her Dad, Maggie struggles against the seemingly insurmountable force that is her troublesome partner, learning the hard way that things are never as easy as you think they’ll be.

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This Book Contains: 1- Novella, 1-Short Story, and 1-Full-length novel!

Maggie Moore has been put on notice: Find a new place to live and a life for that matter.

Spurred on by her mom’s ultimatum, Maggie sets out to fulfill her dream of Life & Style Stardom, a la Martha Stewart. After a colossal failure on her first assignment, which has nothing to do with crafting or curtains by the by, she finds herself fighting to save her career.

Far from home, and struggling with the aftermath of a family death, Maggie’s already hard fought lifelong battle with Murphy, and his pride-stealing Laws, kicks into high gear. Her enigmatic world-renowned photo journalist currently sporting a chip-the-size-of-Mount-Rainier on his shoulder might have something to do with it.

Determined to succeed despite numerous bumps along the way, Maggie throws herself – quite literally – into the heart of her assignments as she travels across the country, unlocking the oddities of various obscure sporting events and surviving the World’s Most Difficult Partnership along the way.

Purchase: Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

About Michelle Graves

Michelle Graves is a self-proclaimed nomad, moving every two to three years with her husband the Army man, her beautiful daughter, and a fat tailless cat named Torri. When she is not writing away trying to purge her mind of yapping characters she can be found entertaining her daughter, attempting to craft (whilst trying not to injure herself with the glue gun), baking yummy treats, or reading. She admits to having a restless spirit and forces her family to go out on adventures whenever possible. They lovingly play along.

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Nrew Release - At the edge of the orchad by Tracy Chevalier

Greetings

I am thrilled to tell you I have a new novel out this month: At the Edge of the Orchard. For me a title is either obvious from the start, or it’s a great struggle to find it. I went through dozens before settling on this one, but now I can’t understand why I didn’t think of it immediately.
Picture yourself as a nine-year-old boy, standing at the edge of an orchard in northwest Ohio. Black Swamp, to be precise. 1830s. Hard, hard life: there is mud, there are mosquitoes, and swamp fever, and it’s hard to get things to grow. Your mother is drunk, again. Your parents are fighting—I mean, really fighting—over apples, of all things. It taints everything, even your father’s carefully tended orchard full of trees bought from a man nicknamed Johnny Appleseed. A few are specially grafted and produce golden pippins: sweet apples with a pineapple finish. You love that taste. You will always love it.

You could stay in this awful swamp, with the simmering violence that is about to boil over. Or you could go. Go West. There are trees there so tall you can’t see their tops. You don’t know that yet, but you will.

What do you do at the edge of the orchard? Your choice will follow you all your life.

On Sale March 15

At the Edge of the Orchard is published in the US and UK.

I was born in October 1962 and grew up in Washington, DC, moving to England after graduating with a BA in English from Oberlin College (Ohio). For several years I worked as a reference book editor, while writing short stories in my spare time. In 1993 I quit to do an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia (Norwich, England). Afterwards I juggled freelance editing with writing until eventually I was able to write full-time.

I live in London with my English husband and son. I’ve written 8 novels and edited 2 short story collections. My second novel, Girl with a Pearl Earring, sold 5 million copies worldwide and was made into a film starring Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. Apart from writing, I’ve curated three shows in art galleries/museums.

Facts That Don’t Fit a Standard Biography:

• I’ve lived in the United Kingdom for over 30 years, but I still have an American accent.
• I have not worked in an office since 1993.
• I write novels longhand, typing what I’ve written into the computer at the end of each day.
• I prefer blue ink, and use disposable fountain pens. (Fancy ones don’t work for me.)
• I have a desk in my study but usually I write on the living room sofa.
• I’m left-handed.
• Every year I go to an all-night Oscars party in London.
• My favorite everyday fruit are apples; favorite occasional fruit are raspberries.
• I make quilts, slowly.
• If I were to do college/university all over again, I would study art history.
• I avoid wearing earrings and a necklace together. Less is more with jewelry.
• I read books mostly by women. It’s not deliberate.

NEW RELEASE: The Duality Bridge - the LAUNCH PARTY

LAUNCH PARTY! Ok, I got some sleep, now I'm ready to party! If you haven't been to one of my parties before, this is what you can expect: fun, crazy, discussions about robots and philosophy; ALL KINDS of giveaways, and bonus stuff I'll sneek in along the way. The party is on Facebook, but you can enter the GRAND GIVEAWAY (Kindle Fire HD) from anywhere.   Let's go! FIRST grab the book NOW AVAILABLE   The Legacy Human (Singularity #1) ON SALE $0.99 limited time SECOND enter the Grand Giveaway 6" Kindle Fire HD with SKQ library of YA SF ENTER HERE ends 9.3 THIRD join the launch party TODAY ONLY - Wednesday 8.19 - ALL DAY JOIN HERE WHAT TO LOOK FOR AT THE LAUNCH PARTY TODAY ONLY GIVEAWAYS Mindjack Trilogy in paperback Singularity books in paperback (click to go straight to the post to enter) DISCUSSIONS erudite discussions about immortality, robots, AI, consciousness, and creativity MORNING 9-11am EST Where Does Creativity Come From? The Robots Are Coming... For Your Job EVENING 3-5pm EST Not Your Mother’s Artificial Intelligence – AI IN THE MOVIES Would you upload your brain to the cloud? AMA- Ask Me Anything - for writers or readers (click link to go straight to the discussion) See you soon! Sue

NEW RELEASE Red Nights by Shari J. Ryan

I’m Felicity Stone, a twenty-five-year-old with my whole life ahead of me. Well, until recently.

I didn’t do it. Why would they think I did? Why would I want my twin brother dead? Why is everyone looking at me like I’m a criminal?

Well, everyone except him… Hayes Peyton, the charmingly beautiful stranger I met in the park at midnight—a totally legitimate place to meet the man of my dreams. Plus, he knows I’m innocent.

Believing him is easy. So very easy. Maybe too easy?

But when you hear things like: ‘All good is laced with some bad, and everything you think is the truth—is nothing more than a blatant lie,’ it makes you question reality.

In Shari J. Ryan’s latest Romantic Suspense, Red Nights, you wonder how dark your world can get before all you see is red.

"Great night for a walk." I can hardly hear him over the rain, but his words don't quite matter. I've been waiting to kiss him since the moment I saw him sitting in a booth at the restaurant tonight. 

First kisses are always nerve-wracking and full of surprise, but second kisses are full of anticipation thanks to what I already know, what I've already had a taste of. "I really like you," he says, loud enough to drown out the heavy rainfall. 

I can't invite him in…is that why he's stalling? I point upstairs. "Aspen, my friend I'm crashing with, would ask you a million questions if you came up. I—"

"Oh, no. No. I wasn't waiting for an invitation. I have a ‘seven date’ rule anyway." I can see him fighting the urge to smile, but he’s losing that battle.

"’Seven date’ rule?" I laugh. 

"Yeah, it’s dumb.” He runs a palm down the side of his face. “Because I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to make it that long." He leans in, stealing a quick kiss. But I feel cheated. I want more. 

"How do you know we'll last seven dates?" I ask.

"Good point. I probably won't be able to put up with you for that long." I know he's teasing. But ugh. Damn him and that smile. 

I throw my arms around his neck and crash my lips into his. His body tightens, maybe from surprise, but it takes less than a second for him to relax. He strips me of my control, pushing me up against the brick wall, his body heavy against mine. Even with the rain sloshing between us, his hands find my cheeks. His tongue sweeps across my lips. 

I’ve changed my mind. 

I'll bring him upstairs. 

I don't give a shit what Aspen does. I want him. I need him to keep making me forget. 

"Come up," I say in almost nothing but a breathless whisper. 

He bites down on his bottom lip, appears to think about my offer, then shakes his head in this seductive slow motion, making this moment painfully enjoyable. "Not tonight," he says, placing a small kiss on the tip of my nose. His hand is clutched around my waist and everything within me hurts and aches for him. "Good-night, Blondie-locks." He turns and leaves in the rain, and I watch him go.

It has been a good night. A very good night, actually. 

And it all ends when I get upstairs…

Shari J. Ryan is an Amazon Top 100 Bestselling author, a Barnes & Noble Top 10 Bestselling author, and an iBookstore #1 Bestselling author. She hails from Central Massachusetts where she lives with her husband and two lively little boys. Shari has always had an active imagination and enjoys losing herself in the fictional worlds she creates. When Shari isn’t writing, she can usually be found cleaning toys up off the floor.

To learn more, visit her at, www.sharijryan.com.

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Predestined Hearts by Kelly Elliott and Kristin Mayer Release Launch!

Love has existed since the beginning of time. For Ashlin

Thomas, love was an illusion that she desperately wanted to make a reality.

Returning home to Savannah, after her aunt’s death, Ashlin must deal with the harsh realities life has dealt her.

As Ashlin begins sorting through her aunt’s personal

effects, she stumbles upon a journal. Not just any journal, but the words of her great great great grandmother, Sophia.

Two love stories intertwine with each other as Ashlin reads the beautiful words, written over a hundred years ago.

The intense connection Ashlin feels with Sophia begins to allow her to find herself. Never thinking love was possible for her, Ashlin now sees it is within her grasp.

But, life is never perfect. Life is never fair.

When faced with the decision that could change Ashlin’s future … will she sacrifice one love for another, or will her predestined heart lead her home?

Amazon     iBooks    Barnes & Noble   Kobo

A light rap on the counter brought my attention to the man in front of me. He had dark-brown hair that was tousled about in disarray. His warm brown eyes melted through me. The five o’clock shadow from the stubble on his face showcased his strong jaw line. He was sinfully gorgeous and I could feel my insides turn all gooey from the sight of him in front of me. My mouth was dry as he looked at me expectantly. In that moment, it was as if something within me altered and changed. I couldn’t explain it.

Get it together, shlin.

“I’m sorry. It’s been a long day. Can you repeat what you said?”

My voice came out fairly normal, which I was proud of, versus the crazy energy I felt pulsating within me.

He gave a gentle look; it wasn’t cocky or knowing, but only

sweet. “Is there anything I can get you?”

Smiling back, I responded, “I’ll have the beef stew and a water.”

“Good choice. Coming right up.” He rapped his knuckles on

the counter as he walked off to the left.

I wasn’t paying attention to how his white shirt was rolled up to his elbows. Nope. And I wasn’t paying attention to how his khaki pants hugged him in all the right places. Nope. And I for sure wasn’t staring at him as if he would be sex on a stick. Nope.

Seriously get it together, Ashlin. My life has turned inside out and the last thing I need to be
thinking about is sex.

The man turned back toward me and I looked up at the television screen that was above, hoping I wasn’t caught ogling the bartender. I need a life, seriously. Time passed and before I knew it, a steaming bowl of beef stew with a little plate of bread was set in front of me.

It smelled delicious. “Thank you.”

The bartender smiled. I glanced back to my stew as I ate.

He responded, “You’re welcome.”

Taking a bite, it was one of the most delicious stews I had

ever tasted. I moaned in appreciation.

“It’s that good, eh?”

I licked my lips and felt heat creep up on my face. Not

realizing I had closed my eyes, I tentatively opened them and glanced at the bartender, who was looking at me more intensely than before. “Oh, I did not mean to do that out loud.” Picking up my napkin, I dabbed the corner of my mouth. “Give my complements to the chef. It’s incredible. I’d love to get the recipe.”

He leaned on the counter. “I’ll let the chef know. I know him pretty well, and I’d say if he could get that type of reaction out of every beautiful woman who ate the stew, he’d serve it all the time versus only on special occasions.”

The bartender moved a little closer to me and I smiled at his playful face while wanting to reach out and trace that devastatingly handsome jaw line. Conspiringly, he whispered, “I’ve heard that the recipe is a family secret. You’d have to marry the chef in order to get it.”

I giggled as he winked at me. “Okay, if I get that desperate

to have it, I’ll know to bring a ring and my bended knee.”

He chuckled and stood. “So, what brings you to Savannah?”

“Is this where I lay all my troubles on the line for the bartender to listen and give advice?” I teased with him as I cocked my head.

He shrugged as he mixed a drink. The bar was otherwise

vacated except one person at the end who nursed a beer. “I happen to listen and give advice for free on Wednesday’s.”

My smile was wide. There was something magnetic about this

man and I didn’t want our conversation to end. “Well, it’s a good thing it’s Wednesday.”

“Yes, it is.”

Gazing around the room, I searched for Daniel. My father and mother were busy talking to Mr. and Mrs. Stowe along with two other couples, whom I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing. A young gentleman had been talking my ear off and I was in desperate need of fresh air.

Turning to him, I asked, “Will you please excuse me? I am in need of some fresh air.”

“Shall I join you?” he asked.

I quickly shook my head. “No. No, that will not be necessary. I have a slight headache and need some time alone.”

Nodding his head, he smiled and took a step back, giving me a quick bow. Returning the polite gesture, I began toward the kitchen. One look over my shoulder showed my mother watching me intently. I’m sure she was distressed at the idea of me wandering off and being late to sit down for dinner.

Somehow managing to find my way to the back gardens, I smiled and inhaled a deep breath. All I smelled were azaleas. I walked along the cobblestone pathway that intertwined among Magnolia trees and some of the most amazing flowers I’d ever seen. My mother would be green with envy were she to lay her eyes upon this colorful garden.

“It goes on forever,” I whispered.

“One can easily get lost back here.”

I stopped the moment I heard his voice. Closing my eyes, I placed my gloved hands on my stomach to calm the butterflies. Inhaling a deep breath through my nose, I slowly blew it out as I turned to face him.

Daniel. His eyes widened and he licked his lips. I raised the corner of my mouth and bowed slightly. Daniel walked up to me and smiled, causing my knees to shake. For a moment, it felt as if the earth was moving and I fought to stand upright.

He took a step closer to me as his eyes moved about my face. When they landed on my lips, I instinctively licked them. His eyes were ablaze with fire. I took a step back as he took another step forward. My breathing increased as I felt something I’d never felt before.

Desire.

Want.

Need.

Kelly Elliott is married to a wonderful Texas cowboy who has a knack for making her laugh almost daily and supports her crazy ideas and dreams for some unknown reason...he claims it's because he loves her! She’s also a mom to an amazing daughter who is constantly asking for something to eat while her fingers move like mad on her cell phone sending out what is sure to be another very important text message. In her spare time she loves to sit in her small corner overlooking the Texas hill country and write.

One of her favorite things to do is go for hikes around her property with Gus....her chocolate lab and the other man in her life, and Rose, her golden retriever. When Kelly is not outside helping the hubby haul brush, move rocks or whatever fun chore he has in store for her that day, you’ll find her inside reading, writing or watching HGTV.

FACEBOOK    TWITTER   WEBSITE    GOODREADS   AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Kristin Mayer is a wife, a proud mother, and a full-time Analyst and Import Manager. Since an early age, she has always enjoyed reading and writing. While visiting her father one weekend, he suggested that she should take up writing again. With family and a career, she didn’t give it a lot of thought, until a story entered her mind and wouldn’t leave. It just kept forming and developing over a couple of months.

At the beginning of 2013, she decided to sit down and write it all down, but she kept it to herself. One sentence developed into two, and before she knew it, she had the makings of a novel.

Kristin tries to live life to the fullest during every moment. She loves to travel and meet new people. She holds a degree in International Business and uses it daily in her job. Kristin now adds “author” on her list of jobs, and feels very blessed and thankful.

FACEBOOK   WEBSITE  GOODREADS

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.The Contradiction of Solitude is now LIVE!!!! And on sale for $.99 for a LIMITED TIME!

 

You may notice me but you will never know me.

I prefer it that way.

I am the daughter of a monster.

Born from blood and lies.

Dead before I have truly lived.

But Elian tells me that I’m different.

He tells me that I’m beautiful.

That I’m an enigma wrapped in irresistibly complicated skin.

Elian says that he loves me.

These words terrify me.

I can’t trust love.

Or hope.

Or truth.

Because I fear the beast inside.

It threatens to drown Elian and his sweet, unconditional love.

It’s a beast that will destroy everything.

Elian pulled at a loose string at the hem of his T-shirt. He dressed like he hadn’t done laundry in a while. His jeans were stained and his shirt faded and threadbare. His brown work boots were scuffed, the laces untied and trailing in the dirt. He reminded me of a little boy scared and running.

“I’m surprised you’re here,” he commented, shifting my focus from his shoes to his face.

“Why is that?”

“You just don’t seem like a live music kind of girl.” He laughed nervously, as though wishing he could take back his observation.

“You’re right. This isn’t normally my scene at all,” I admitted, leaning into him just slightly.

Elian snapped his fingers together. “I knew it!” As though he had just made a monumental discovery. These were tiny, inconsequential pieces that I gave away without effort. Safe. Painless.

“So why are you here?” he asked, pushing his hair off his forehead. I stared at him for a moment, taking in all the parts of him. His green eyes, the first thing that I really noticed about him. His dark hair that fell in a haphazard disarray across his forehead.

The scars, thin and shiny, crisscrossing along the length of his neck. They were brutal and violent. And when Elian was nervous he rubbed his fingers over the slightly raised skin as though trying to wipe them away. I wondered about the scars. I wondered about his false smile.

I wondered about Elian Beyer and his many, many secrets.

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1H8WNlT

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Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1wc4Rl0

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1NrxwI7

TRAILER:

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary and Paranorma romance including The Find You in the Dark and Bad Rep series as well as the upcoming stand alone romance, Reclaiming the Sand, and a dark new adult series for Gallery Books.

A. Meredith spent ten years as a counselor for at risk teens and children. First working at a Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault program and then later a program for children with severe emotional and mental health issues. Her former clients and their stories continue to influence every aspect of her writing.

When not writing (or being tortured with all manner of beauty products at the hand of her very imaginative and extremely girly daughter), she is eating chocolate, watching reality television that could rot your brain and reading a smutty novel or two.

A. Meredith is represented by Michelle Johnson with the Inklings Literary Agency.

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100 GC Giveaway! Conceit by Alana Albertso

Conceit
by Alana Albertson Publication Date: December 7, 2014 Genres: Action / Adventure, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense, Thriller

Synopsis

I don’t recognize the damaged woman in the mirror staring back at me—platinum blond hair, blood-red lips and nails, curves laced up in the finest lingerie. I have transformed into a bombshell to exonerate my brother, former United States Navy SEAL Joaquín Cruz. He’s been languishing in a jail cell for the past six months, convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, his honorable career as a SEAL ruined, his spirit crushed.
I’ve gone undercover as a stripper to entertain the men of SEAL Team Seven—I’ve given up my acting career, my dreams, my home, everything to free Joaquín and learn the truth.

But I didn’t count on having to conceal my identity from my ex-boyfriend, Navy SEAL Grant Carrion. Instead, the man I lost my virginity to is caught up in an endless web of sins and temptations, unable to cope with his demons.

As I strip down to my thong and dance for Grant, I know that every humiliating moment will be worth my sacrifice—if only I can give my brother back his life. And just maybe, find a way back to Grant’s heart.

About Alana Albertson

Alana Albertson is the former President of both Romance Writers of Americas’s Young Adult and Chick Lit chapters and the founder of Academe Advantage, a college admissions & test preparation company. Alana Albertson holds a Masters of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University. A recovering professional ballroom dancer, Alana currently writes contemporary romance and young adult fiction. She lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, two young sons, and four dogs. When she’s not spending her time needlepointing, dancing, or saving dogs from high kill shelters through Pugs N Roses, the rescue she founded, she can be found watching episodes of House Hunters, Homeland, or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

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Come, the Dark has been Released + a chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card! #amreading #PNR #Kindle

Thanks for stopping by to view this quick announcement on Rebecca Hamilton's latest release, COME, THE DARK, book 2 in the Forever Girl series.

Although this book is the second in the series, it is a complete standalone following a completely new set of characters. And you can grab your copy today for only $0.99!

Still apprehensive about reading the second book in a series? Well, you can grab the prequel, HER SWEETEST DOWNFALL, off kindle--Always Free--and on January 9th, THE FOREVER GIRL will be free also, for the first time ever! Worried you might forget the date? Join the mailing list using the option on the Rafflecopter below and you'll receive a reminder on January 9th to download your free copy anytime between January 9th and 13th!

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COME, THE DARK

by USA Today Bestselling Author, Rebecca Hamilton

Rose desperately wants to escape the abuse of the father who impregnated her and the dark spirits that haunt her life. Being thrust from Georgia 1961 into the era of Salem’s infamous witch trials isn’t what she had in mind, and now her daughter is left hopelessly out of reach.

The only way to return to her daughter is by facing certain death to banish the dark spirits that plague Salem. If she doesn’t eliminate these dark spirits in time, they will destroy civilization and trap her in this strange new place, ages away from her daughter.

Even if she can complete the task in time to return home to save her daughter, there’s still one problem: she’s falling in love with a man who can’t return with her. Achieving her goals will force her to choose between the only man who has never betrayed her and a daughter she can’t quite remember but will never forget.

A heart-wrenching tale of a mother’s love for her daughter, this romantic paranormal fantasy underlines the depravity of both historical and modern society while capturing the essence of sacrifice and devotion.

TRIGGER WARNING: This book deals with the sensitive subject of sexual abuse.

Buy Now for $0.99

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THE FOREVER GIRL

by USA Today Bestselling Author, Rebecca Hamilton

NOW OPTIONED FOR FILM!

At twenty-two, practicing Wiccan Sophia Parsons is scratching out a living waiting tables in her Rocky Mountain hometown, a pariah after a string of unsolved murders with only one thing in common: her.

Sophia can imagine lots of ways to improve her life, but she'd settle for just getting rid of the buzzing noise in her head. When the spell she casts goes wrong, the static turns into voices. Her personal demons get company, and the newcomers are dangerous.

One of them is a man named Charles, who Sophia falls for despite her better judgment. He has connections that might help her unveil the mystery surrounding her ancestor's hanging, but she gets more than she bargains for when she finally decides to trust him.

The Forever Girl is a full-length Paranormal Fantasy novel that will appeal to lovers of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, witches, vampires, ghosts, paranormal mystery, and paranormal horror.

View Now on Amazon

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About the Author

Rebecca Hamilton is a USA Today Bestselling Paranormal Fantasy author who also dabbles in Horror and Literary Fiction. She lives in Florida with her husband and four kids. She enjoys dancing with her kids to television show theme songs and would love the beach if it weren’t for the sand. Having a child diagnosed with autism has inspired her to illuminate the world through the eyes of characters who see things differently. She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA and has been published internationally, in three languages. You can follow her on twitter @InkMuse

What is a Forever Girl?

Thanks for stopping by!