Pages

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Release Day Blitz! The Reapers by Ali Winters

Title: The Reapers
Author: Ali Winters 
Genre: YA Fantasy
Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours


Blurb:
The balance of life and death must be kept at all costs. Having been a reaper as long as she can remember, Nivian knows that what she does is essential in maintaining balance. After being assigned to a rushed mark she finds that there is more to this human than any other she has encountered. Kain had been living an ordinary life without a second thought until he meets Nivian who turns his world upside down. He is thrust into a world of hunters and reapers. The keepers of life and death have been feuding for centuries over a reason no one can even remember. With Kain having been marked for reaping, and Nivian being hunted, they forge a friendship and together must find the truth in order to keep balance in check. Wrong choices could destroy everything. As they journey they discover hidden histories, powers, and lies and truths that have been spun since the beginning of time. The consequence of failure, unimaginable.


Ali grew up in the Pacific North West. She attended Oregon State University for photography. After many adventures she moved to Colorado and earning second degree, she found and met and married her husband.  Ali currently lives in windy Wyoming with her husband and two dogs, Nika and Tedward. When not writing Ali is either photographing, knitting, reading, dancing or staying inside where it’s warm with a hot cup of coffee. She dreams of traveling the world someday soon.

Author Links:
You can email Ali at 
authoraliwinters@yahoo.com
Or you can also find her on these social platforms.
Facebook    Twitter Tumblr Pre-Order Link: Amazon
Nivian jumped over the edge of the bridge, landing with a soft tap on the surface of the water. She reached down, pulled the soul of the driver up by the collar of his shirt, and stood him up next to her on top of the water. She took the drivers hand palm up in hers, waving her other hand over his. She pinched the air and pulled, lifting up and exposing his life string, his wide eyes were hypnotized by the glowing string. She grabbed the scythe strapped to her back and swung. With a slow deliberate movement she sliced the human’s thread. The light formed a ball and hovered as she pulled out the small pocket watch. The life light floated down to the watch and sunk into it, disappearing. With a snap, she closed the watch and returned it to her pocket.
“You really shouldn’t drink and drive; you could have seriously hurt someone,” she said giving him an apathetic look. He gaped at her, mouth opening and closing like a fish. “Yes, you really are dead.” She confirmed as she started to turn away.
“Are you … the devil?” he managed to sputter.
“No, of course not. I am just the natural order of things,” she said, briefly looking back at him. “Wait here; your spirit counselor will be here soon for you to guide you to your afterlife. I have other jobs tonight,” She turned, walking away as she pulled her hood back up over her head and vanished.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Blog Tour! Morgan by Liz DeJesus



Please tell us about yourself using 3 verbs, 1 quirk and a pop culture addiction

Create, read, and cares. I am very messy. I’m obsessed with Once Upon a Time (and basically anything fairy tale related). 

Top 3 Pet Peeves

People that chew with their mouth open.
People that don’t read
People that bump into you and don’t say ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘Excuse me’.

Top 5 Favorite Things

Books.
iPad
iPhone
Nook Glow Light
My collection of Ever After High Dolls. (The secret is out! I collect dolls.)

What are your thoughts on book covers- in your opinion do they make or break a book?

People always say don’t judge a book by its cover but it’s the one thing that author’s need to be very careful with. The cover can make or break your book. You need something that represents your series. A mistake that some authors make when it comes to their covers is that they try to put TOO MUCH on the cover. I’ve seen covers where there is a mountain, a cottage, a photoshopped moon, with the couple embracing on another corner and then add the title and the author’s name to the mix and it’s a giant mishmash.

My advice is to look at royalty free image websites like www.fotolia.com and find ONE image that stands out. One image that represents what your book is about and ask your publisher to consider it for the cover of your book. Your publisher is usually willing to work with authors.

Tell us more about how Morgan came to be

I posted on my blog (many years ago) that I was thinking about writing a novel. It would be a love story between a werewolf and a vampire. And a stranger left me a comment saying that I would never be able to write a horror novel. BIG MISTAKE. I took that as a challenge and I ended up writing a short story about Morgan (you can read it in the Epilogue of the novel). I figured that Morgan was an interesting character and I could use her in a novel. So after doing a bit of research on werewolves, vampires and a terrifying woman named Elizabeth Bathory (one of the first female serial killers in the world that lived in the 16th century) I ended up with enough material to write Morgan. 

Do you have any advice for anyone that would like to be an author?

Read everything you can get your hands on. Learn how to write a proper query letter and synopsis. There are a lot of great how-to-write books at the local library and bookstores. I would also check out Writers Digest & The Writer magazines, there are a lot of great articles in there.


This or That-

*Paranormal or Dystopian?

Paranormal

*Winchesters or Salvatores?

Winchesters

*Morning or Night?

Morning

*Vanilla or Chocolate?

Chocolate

*Summer or Winter?


Summer

Liz DeJesus was born on the tiny island of Puerto Rico.  She is a novelist and a poet. She has been writing for as long as she was capable of holding a pen. She is the author of the novel Nina (Blu Phi'er Publishing, October 2007), The Jackets (Arte Publico Press, March 2011) First Frost (Re-realeased through Indie Gypsy Summer 2015), Glass Frost (Re-released through Indie Gypsy Summer 2015), Shattered Frost (Indie Gypsy, Summer 2015) and Morgan (Indie Gypsy, July 2014). Her work has also appeared in Night Gypsy: Journey Into Darkness (Indie Gypsy, October 2012), Twice Upon a Time (Bearded Scribe Press, Winter 2015) and Someone Wicked (Smart Rhino Publications, Winter 2013).
Liz is currently working on a new novel and a comic book series titled Zombie Ever After (Emerald Star Comics, Fall 2014).


Title- Morgan
By- Liz DeJesus
Genre- Horror/Erotica/LGBT
Publication Date- June 2014

Blurb-
In an instant, Detective Morgan Carbone's life changes from day to night. Sociopath, serial killer and charmer, David McAllister won't reveal where the bodies of several young women are located but Morgan is determined to get answers. She gets more than she bargained for when during an interrogation he attacks her by sinking his teeth into her hand. Though the wound heals quickly and perfectly, it leaves her with an insatiable bloodlust as she has now turned into a werewolf like her serial killer nemesis. With her world no longer as she knew it, she is propelled into a dramatic, action-packed journey that includes being forced to leave the country to kill an ancient vampiress. However, when Morgan sees her intended target, she finds that not only does the woman remind her of her one true love whom she lost years before, but she is falling for her as hard as she did with her former lover. Now Morgan must decide whether to complete her mission or risk her own life by giving in to her heart's desire.

Book Blast! Smother by Lindy Zart


Smother
By- Lindy Zart
Genre- Romantic Suspense

You won't like me.
I am not the nice girl.
I am not your friend.
I don't care about you, but most of all, I don't care about me.
Go ahead, hate me.
We all have secrets.
I have them as well—dark, terrible secrets.
The only time I can breathe is when I forget.
I need to be numb. You don't want to know how.
But as long as I can breathe, the past cannot smother me.




   


Friday, May 29, 2015

Blog Tour! Unattainable by Victoria Escobar


In a book tour we all talk about the book, sometimes it is nice to turn things around and say: Here is our author isn't she great? So here in my backwards post we take a closer look at the woman who is Victoria Escobar!


Born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but with the ability to claim eight states as home; Victoria Escobar writes fiction from her current home in New York. She writes whatever comes to mind and because of such has a variety of genres written including Young Adult, New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, and Contemporary Fiction.

In spare time if not with family, and friends Victoria enjoys curling up with a book from a favorite author with music playing. If not reading or writing she spends time drawing, sketching, crocheting, or some other random art project. She enjoys staying busy, but most of all enjoys staying creative.



Title- Unattainable
By- Victoria Escobar
Genre- New Adult Contemporary
Publication Date- April 14th, 2015 

Blurb-
Being the best comes with consequences.

She was the best thief Interpol ever tracked. When a job went wrong she had to make a deal with them to retain her freedom. Given the choice  between being locked in a cell, or complete a simple favor the answer should be obvious. But will that favor prove to be too big, even for the best?

He had been the best once. The right hand man of one of the most powerful women in the city, everyone respected and feared him. Then after a costly mistake he was left with an unpayable debt. He went from being the right hand to the collared dog. When he was tasked with creating ties that could subsequently wipe his debt, will he get out of the frying pan and into the fire? Or will freedom remain unattainable?



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Membership Drive Blast! Y.A. Blast


Y.A. Blast is a free email newsletter featuring--you guessed it--all Y.A. books, all the time.  Just sign up here, and we'll start sending you the latest, greatest Young Adult book recommendations (and some oldies but goodies).  Why would we do such a thing?  We have hearts of gold.  We might also be insanely obsessed with Y.A. books, and love to share that enthusiasm with the reading world.  Don't have time to scrounge through pages upon pages of eBook listings, looking for that perfect next read?  Let us do the legwork for you.  Of course, we'll try to find good deals.  But first and foremost, we'll be looking for that next great book we'd want to read too!


Monday, May 25, 2015

Blog Tour! A Thin Slice Of Heaven by p.m. terrell


Sometimes, while finding an author you truly like, you want to know more. You have read the book, seen all about it, time for a little more about the person who wrote it. p. m. terell is without a doubt one of my favorite authors and for reasons beyond her books. I share her love of all things Ireland, want to always know more about it. I had a friend go to Ireland years ago and the pictures she took are just some of the most breathtaking pictures I have ever seen. But..on to the author spotlight!


Please tell us about yourself using 3 verbs, 1 quirk and a pop culture addiction

Verbs: hard-working, spiritual, altruistic

One quirk: I don’t like surprises. I like to plan things well in advance and last minute curve balls throw me for a loop.

Pop culture addiction: BBC’s The Musketeers television series; I confess to being infatuated by Amaris as played by Santiago Cabrera

Top 5 Favorite Things

Romance
Animals
A spring day
First day of vacation
Ireland

This or That?

*US or Ireland? Ireland, hands down

*Coffee or Tea ? frap

*Wine or Beer ? wine

 *Favorite Rainy Day Activities

1.    Is this a family-friendly website? My number one might be best left to the imagination.
2.    Spent with a glass of wine and a great book;
3.    Curled up in front of a romantic movie;
4.    Cooking homemade pasta and sauce;
5.    Returning to Number One above.


p.m.terrell is the pen name for Patricia McClelland Terrell, the award-winning, internationally acclaimed author of more than twenty books in four genres: contemporary suspense, historical suspense, computer how-to and non-fiction.

Prior to writing full-time, she founded two computer companies in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. Among her clients were the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Secret Service, U.S. Information Agency, and Department of Defense. Her specialties were in white collar computer crimes and computer intelligence.

A full-time author since 2002, Black Swamp Mysteries was her first series, inspired by the success of Exit 22, released in 2008. Vicki’s Key was a top five finalist in the 2012 International Book Awards and 2012 USA Book Awards nominee, and The Pendulum Files was a national finalist for the Best Cover of the Year in 2014.

Her second series, Ryan O’Clery Suspense, is also award-winning. The Tempest Murders (Book 1) was one of four finalists in the 2013 International Book Awards, cross-genre category. The White Devil of Dublin (Book 2) was released one year later.

Her historical suspense, River Passage, was a 2010 Best Fiction and Drama Winner. It was determined to be so historically accurate that a copy of the book resides at the Nashville Government Metropolitan Archives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Songbirds are Free is her bestselling book to date; it is inspired by the true story of Mary Neely, who was captured in 1780 by Shawnee warriors near Fort Nashborough (now Nashville, TN).
She is also the co-founder of The Book ‘Em Foundation, an organization committed to raising public awareness of the correlation between high crime rates and high illiteracy rates. She is the organizer and chairperson of Book ‘Em North Carolina, an annual event held in the real town of Lumberton, North Carolina, to raise funds to increase literacy and reduce crime. For more information on this event and the literacy campaigns funded by it, visit www.bookemnc.org.

She sits on the boards of the Friends of the Robeson County Public Library and the Robeson County Arts Council. She has also served on the boards of Crime Stoppers and Crime Solvers and became the first female president of the Chesterfield County-Colonial Heights Crime Solvers in Virginia.


So, there you have it, a small glimpse into the person who wrote this awesome book, and many more. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!


Title- A Thin Slice of Heaven
By- p.m. terrell
Genre-Ghost Story/ Romantic Suspense
Publication Date- May 1st, 2015 

Blurb-
She had arranged to meet her husband in Northern Ireland for a second honeymoon, but when Charleigh arrives at the remote castle, she receives a message that he won’t be coming—and that he’s leaving her for another woman. Stranded for the weekend by a snowstorm that has blocked all access to the castle, she finds herself three thousand miles from home in a country she knows nothing about.

She is soon joined by Sean Bracken, the great-grandson of Laird Bracken, the original owner of the castle, and she finds herself falling quickly and madly in love with him. There’s just one problem: he’s dead.


As the castle begins to come alive with secrets from centuries past, she finds herself trapped between parallel worlds. Caught up in a mass haunting, she can no longer recognize the line between the living and the dead. Now she’s discovering that her appearance there wasn’t by accident—and is more sinister than she ever suspected.






a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal! Crossover by Mireille Chester


Crossover
 The Chosen One # 1
By- Mireille Chester
Genre- Fantasy/ Paranormal/ Romance
Expected Publication Date- June 8th, 2015
Published By-  Booktrope Publishing

Twenty-three-year-old Hayden Carlson never led an exciting life, but that was how she preferred it. She never expected that an innocent trail ride in the woods would change her life forever.
Suddenly, Hayden is pulled into a world she never knew existed and discovers a future awaits her there she isn’t prepared to accept...until she meets the mysterious Jasper. Drawn to his quiet, conflicted spirit and entranced by his blue eyes, Hayden finds herself experiencing feelings she has never felt before and wondering where all this might lead.

Hayden’s presence in Quelondain creates tension. Amidst constant danger, she finds true love and through it all determines where she will take her stand in the conflict her arrival ignites between good and evil.

If you love fantasy, action, and romance, Crossover-Book One in a debut Fantasy Romance trilogy by Mireille Chester—is for you.

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Book Reviews Blast! A Celtic Tapestry



The wheel of the year turns, bringing the joy of spring, the warmth of summer, the richness of autumn, and the merriment of winter. But eight Celtic festivals link these seasons together, bringing with them romance, lust, danger, and even magic. From a city under threat from night-time creatures at Ostara, to a selkie caught by the light of the Lughnasadh moon, to a writer caught in the flames of a fiery goddess at Imbolc.
Six authors have come together to give their own twist on these festivals, weaving each story with a blend of myth, magic, and contemporary telling…to create A Celtic Tapestry.

   



Thursday, May 21, 2015

Blog Tour! Blue Honor by K. Williams


Blue Honor
By- K. Williams
Expected Publication Date- April 27th, 2015
Published By- Booktrope Publishing

Blue Honor tracks four tightly twining families during the American Civil War. Each member is asked to sacrifice more than their share to see friends and loved ones through the terrible times. The only certainty they have is that nothing will be the same.
Emily Conrad is the bookish daughter of a wealthy dairy family from Vermont. Her indulgent father has educated her and bred ideas that aren’t acceptable to her more urbane mother, who thinks Emily needs to settle down with her longtime friend and town philanderer Evan Howell. The outbreak of war frees Emily from these expectations for a time, but a stranger soon arrives after the guns begin to blaze, threatening her plans more than societal conventions ever could.   
 Devoted to the young woman who healed her wounds, Henrietta has become part of the Conrad family, hoping that she may one day see her husband and son again. As a runaway slave, she’s been lucky enough to find this slice of peace in Vermont, but the return of Evan Howell and the man he brings with him portends great change that might see her locked back in irons, if not executed for what she’s done.

 Evan isn’t as bad as his reputation has made him out to be. He knows his chum Emily will make the best doctor Vermont has ever seen, and he knows he’s not the man to marry her. With a little manipulation, he convinces his commanding officer, Lieutenant Joseph Maynard, to take leave with him and see the beauty of the north. He just doesn’t let on it’s not hillsides and streams he’s setting the man up for.
 Joseph has both power and privilege as the son of a Baltimore lawyer, but neither can guarantee him the things he wants in life. His commission in the army is likely to lead to death, a sacrifice he was willing to make to end slavery in the States—that was until he saw Emily Conrad. Torn between duty and desire, Joseph struggles to stay standing for that which he once held strong convictions. War weary, they all march on to duty…