Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 214

#Review: WHAT A DEVILISH DUKE DESIRES by Vicky Dreiling

4.5 of 5 stars
Lucy Longmore's family has fallen on hard times and she is forced to work to support herself and her grandmother. Lucy will do whatever it takes to keep a roof over their head. When Harry Norcliffe helps Lucy escape from a would-be bandit, he's intrigued by the strong-willed young woman. Will Lucy's pride stand in the way of Harry's offer to help? 

I loved the banter between Lucy and Harry. It was delightful to see such a strong and independent heroine. It was rare for young ladies of the time to be anything but what the men in their lives told them to be. Lucy was fierce in her love for her grandmother, her friends and her independence. Harry was such a likeable rake. Their story kept me turning the pages although I did figure out the ending long before the end of the book. My only complaint was that the thread of Lucy's friends was totally absent at the conclusion. I would have loved to seen a sentence or two about what happened to Mary and Evelyn. Aside from that, the book was thoroughly engaging and enjoyable. Fans of regency romances should definitely pick this one up. You won't be disappointed.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Amazon Pre-order link - Available February 24, 2015
http://www.amazon.com/What-Devilish-Desires-Sinful-Scoundrels-ebook/dp/B00KVK30R4/ref=twoen-20



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Interview with Mathew Heinecke, WILLAKAVILLE

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
Willakaville is a brand new kind of children's book. It contains several engaging short stories that use comedy, science fiction and  adventure to convey important life lessons. The stories revolve around a fictional small town called Willakaville. Young children in the town experience all kinds of predicaments ranging from censorship, zombies, viruses, magic gone astray to aliens. Readers will learn valuable lessons on problem solving, ownership, self-esteem, creativity and manners.

Willakaville (Amazing Adventures of Astronomical Awesomeness) is my first book. I loved writing and illustrating so much that I am already working on the second book of the series.
What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?
I go to pay the bills, and I did not have much disposable income to spend on a publisher or editor. Plus, I always have been a do-it-yourself kind of guy.
What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?
I do enjoy listening to music. I will listen to different kinds depending on what I am writing about. For example, if I am writing a fast paced scene, I will listen to fast music like NIN or Metallica.
Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you? 
I usually come up with ideas throughout the day and jot them down and write as it comes to me. If I get stuck or can’t find an idea, I will create a small outline.What have you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?

I have learned a lot. Self-publishing was easier than I expected. However, it can be frustrating when you notice a mistake and have to keep re-uploading manuscripts. I also have learned how marketing a big part of publishing a book. Lastly, I realized you need to take the time to edit, re-edit and re-re-edit.
Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?
Yes – Willakaville is sold on Nook, Kobo, Lulu and Scribd
What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?
Willakaville is on Goodreads, Facebook (facebook.com\willakaville), Twitter (@trybykart), and Blogger (willakaville.blogspot.com)
Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?
Extremely. I can’t believe how many avenues there are for marketing. Since I am on a low budget, I have had to sift through hundreds of websites and send countless emails asking for reviews. I think I have exhausted most of the free resources for now. I am now looking forward to getting back into my writing.
Besides writing, do you have any other passions?
Too many. I love to play sports. I have been playing a little bit of tennis and I like to get out and play golf when I can. I also love to create artwork, I work on t-shirt and logo designs as well and acrylic painting and marker illustrations. I enjoy watching a good sci-fi movie or TV show as well. And of course, being with my wife and children, traveling and socializing with.
What’s next for you?
Many more Willakaville adventures are on the way. I have tons of ideas and plan on adding much more illustrations. The next in the series will be subtitled ‘Baffling Ballads of Boisterous Braveness’. I hope to have it ready sometime in April/May.
Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Willakaville-Amazing-Adventures-Astronomical-Awesomeness-ebook/dp/B00SQ2IKJM [image error]

Interview with Daniel Diehl, NOTHING LEFT SACRED

Your latest novel, ‘Nothing Left Sacred’, is an historical novel, but would you describe it as a romance, an adventure story, or what?I would describe ‘Nothing Left Sacred’ as a political thriller; an epic tale of greed, betrayal, corruption, social upheaval and, finally, civil war.  ‘Nothing left Sacred’ takes the reader on a panic-filled journey driven by dark political paranoia similar to the roller coaster turmoil found in Umberto Ecco's 'The Name of the Rose'.  If you love history, social conflict on an epic scale and a tightly woven mystery then ‘Nothing Left Sacred’ is definitely for you.
That sounds impressive.  Can you give us a short synopsis of the storyline for ‘Nothing Left Sacred’?Sure. As almost any history buff knows, England’s King Henry VIII was outraged when Pope Clement VII refused to grant him a divorce from his wife of 18 years, Katherine of Aragon. The main storyline in ‘Nothing Left Sacred’ deals with the result of Henry’s fury over the pope’s refusal to comply with what Henry felt was a simple request.  The outcome of the fat king’s rage was a decade-long war against both the church and his own people which led to the destruction of England’s entire thousand year-old religious structure and claimed the lives of 150,000 English men and women.
It all sounds pretty thrilling but maybe a little heavy.  Is there anything to take us away from all the violence and nightmarish political maneuvering?In my answer to the last question I mentioned the main story line, there are also two sub-plots, both of which deal with love affairs.  Like the events portrayed in rest of the story, these love affairs standWhat made you chose this particular incident to write about?Henry VIII is one of the best known monarchs in history and unquestionably the most famous king in the English speaking world.  And while there have been dozens of books and movies dealing with his life and reign almost all of them have concentrated on his six disastrous marriages.  While divorces and beheadings might be fun stuff, Henry’s love life has nothing to do with the importance of his reign.  The thing that makes Henry important to history is his war with the Catholic Church and the brutally enforced conversion of the English people to the new church which Henry invented to suit his own whims.  Henry’s creation of the Church of England was, to put it bluntly, the theft of church property and money on a scale unmatched in human history.
How, exactly, do you define a historical novel?Historical novels come in a number of different sizes and shappes.  The vast majority of them deal with a purely fictionalized series of events – usually either a love story or an adventure story – which takes place at some particular time in the past.  How accurate the depiction of that past is varies tremendously with the author and the particular story they are telling.  A lot of what are loosely termed ‘period romances’ (referred to in the trade as either bodice rippers or chic-lits) are usually long on fancy costumes and swooning women but pretty slim on historical fact.  Others follow closely with some particular historical incident – like the American Civil War or the Napoleonic Wars – and weave a completely fictionalized storyline into it.  Unlike both of these examples, ‘Nothing Left Sacred’ is more like 90 percent history and about 10 percent fiction.  All of the main incidents actually took place and all but a very few incidental characters were real people.  In fact, I prefer to think of ‘Nothing Left Sacred’ as fictionalized history, rather than historical fiction.  When the historical record is as rich as this one, creating fictional stories is completely unnecessary.
How accurate is the historical aspect of your story?As I said, all of the main incidents described in the story actually took place and wherever the historical record provides specific dates for these incidents I have adhered to those, as well.  I have no way to tell exactly, but I think that somewhere around twenty percent of the conversations in the book are actually adapted from historical chronicles, letters and personal diaries - the words in the book are not always spoken by the person who originally wrote them, but I have remained as true to the original texts as possible.  One particular example is a line from a love letter that Henry VII is writing to Anne Boleyn.  This particular line is real; I found it when I was researching the original copies of Henry’s letters in the British Library.  To me, things like this help bring the story – and the lives of people who lived five hundred years ago – dramatically to life.
Can you tell us a little bit about your literary background and how it brought you to write ‘Nothing Left Sacred’?‘Nothing Left Sacred’ is my twenty-fourth book.  My first twenty books – co-written with Mark Donnelly – were all historically based nonfiction.  Prior to ‘Nothing Left Sacred’ I have also written three novels and they are also grounded in historical events.  I have to admit that my Merlin Chronicles series is a complete fantasy, but the character of Merlin and his back story follow closely to both the Arthurian legends and the story of the real-life, historical Merlin.  And, yes, Merlin was real and while he certainly wasn’t a wizard he was believed to have had the power to see into the future.
What drew you to the characters in this story?We have a tendency to see people in the past as being somehow different than we are; vague shadowy characters dressed in fancy clothes who are almost cartoons – entirely good or entirely evil.  I think Hollywood has to take a lot of the blame for this distortion of history: according to Hollywood the vast majority of pirates are fun guys; kings are either old and wise or conniving tyrants, cowboys were all honest, straight-shooting guys and so on.  Having been a working historian for almost half a century I promise you this childishly simplified view of the past is a load of crap.  People are the same now as they have always been; part good and part bad, weak and strong, loving and vain and generous and greedy.  And while almost all of us are some combination of these qualities, the characters in ‘Nothing Left Sacred’ seemed to me to be somehow larger than life; those with good qualities struck me as astoundingly brave and moral people and those who were bad were shockingly weak, greedy, cruel and manipulative.  I’m not going to give away any of the storyline by telling you who was naughty and who was nice, but suffice it to say that King Henry was definitely not one of the good guys.
Do you see any kind of historical parallel between the events in your story and the present day?When Edward Gibbon published his famous ‘Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’ in 1776 he saw it as being both an accurate account of the final years of classical Rome and also a parallel to the British Empire of his own time.  Similarly I see ‘Nothing Left Sacred’ as a fully realized, stand-alone story about Henry VIII’s war with the Roman Catholic Church and at the same time a cautionary tale about the dangers of intertwining politics and religion; a situation which has become far too common in modern America.*** Book Blurb:Nothing Left Sacred takes the reader on a twisting, panic-filled journey through the secretive corridors of power surrounding Henry VIII and the glittering Tudor court. This taught political thriller carries us from the grandeur of the royal palaces to the seldom-glimpsed resistance network that rose in opposition to Henry's radical religious reforms which would create the Church of England.

When the mounting panic created by the King’s emotional instability combines with the twisted machinations of a corrupt justice system, they collide head-on with the leaders of England’s fantastically wealthy, yet tragically naïve, monastic community. The struggle between these opposing forces creates an atmosphere of claustrophobia and dark political paranoia not found in an historical novel since Umberto Ecco's 'The Name of the Rose'.

Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Left-Sacred-Daniel-Diehl-ebook/dp/B00OJONHOY 


AUTHOR INFORMATION & LINKS Daniel Diehl has been an author, writer and investigative historian for thirty-five years. For nearly twenty years Diehl has been involved in writing for publication and documentary television production. Mr. Diehl’s work has won awards from the Houston (Texas) Film Festival, the National Trust for Historic Preservation (US) and the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Arts Foundation. Working alone and as a part of the multi-award winning team of Daniel Diehl and Mark Donnelly, Diehl has produced work in two main categories; trade publication and television documentary scripts. His canon of work includes twenty non-fiction books (which have been translated into ten foreign languages), one previous work of fiction and scripts for more than one hundred and seventy hours of documentary television primarily for A&E Network, The History Channel, History International, Biography Channel and Discovery Network.
WEBSITE: http://indaindex.com/daniel-diehl/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.diehl.31 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DanielDiehlBOOK    [image error]

New #Romance Release: END NOTE by Sonya Loveday

Book & Author Details:End Note by Sonya Loveday
(The Six Series #2)
Publication date: December 16th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult
Synopsis:Being stranded in L.A. wasn’t the best start to Jared Jackson’s music career. In fact, it should have been the forewarning that things were not what he thought they’d be. Especially when he’s collected from the airport by the band manager’s sharp-tongued niece. The draw for Jared is immediate. In his heart, he knows Skylar Murphy is the girl for him. Proving it to her, however, is a whole other story.
As new friendships are forged with his bandmates, Jared learns that the guys are planning to start their own band, effectively severing their band manager’s control. With his future in peril, Jared’s dream spirals in a tailspin as secrets and lies sweep him into a dangerous life.
One he wasn’t prepared for… and one he can no longer escape from.Will Jared rise above the destruction or will his new circumstances be his undoing?Find out in the next installment of The Six Series, End Note, a new-adult romance.Are you ready to get sixed?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23876046-end-note


Purchase: Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00QJ2TWV6B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/end-note-mrs-sonya-loveday/1120936815?ean=9781505355239
AUTHOR BIOSonya Loveday, first and foremost is a reader, an avid one. It is of that love that brought her to the realization that this was the answer to the nagging persistent feeling that 'there's got to be something more'. The dream came alive in 2009 when she purchased her laptop and began the tedious step of becoming a published author. 
When she's not reading, she's writing. When she's not writing, she's reading. And when she's not doing either of those things she's sleeping, shuttling her children back and forth to school, letting the dogs and cats in and out of the house for the umpteenth time in the last hour and dreaming of a clean house.

You can find Sonya Loveday on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Wordpress on the links below:
http://www.facebook.com/sonyalovedayauthor?ref=hl
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11660396-sonya-lovedayhttps://twitter.com/SonyaLoveday-       @SonyaLoveday
www.sonyaloveday@wordpress.com

 


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#Excerpt: CLARA'S SONG by Kitty Margo

Excerpt:Chapter OneCharleston, SCAugust, 1861
By midnight at Hibernian Hall Clara had danced six dances. Joseph Gibbs had tripped on the hem of her skirt, bless his heart, and ended up on his knees as if seeking divine intervention for just one night of social grace. Leland Montague had simply atrocious breath; evidently he had an unseen rotting tooth, making her continuously look the other way for a breath of fresh air. Walter Wragg didn’t speak a word during the entire dance, blushing profusely when she so much as looked him directly in the eye. Albert Tradd held her entirely too close, causing her father to intervene and have a few choice words with the young dandy on the balcony. Ashby Calhoun, her last dance partner, had bragged incessantly of his family’s wealth, his travels abroad, and what a great catch he would be for any of Charleston’s Southern belles.
Her coming out ball certainly was not turning out as planned.
Clara shuddered at the mere thought of being trapped in a loveless marriage with the offerings thus far. Spinsterhood had never looked more tempting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:Clara was born with a veil, and the ability to see into the future. This much she knows. What she doesn’t know is what other gifts will be revealed when she turns eighteen in a few months. While her grandmother has been diligent in her efforts to prepare her for the inevitable changes to come, Clara can focus on precious little besides the devilishly handsome man she met at her coming out ball. Secure in the knowledge that she has a bright future ahead of her, the future Clara discovers is one that she could never have conjured in her wildest dreams.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:Kitty Margo was a former hairstylist, human resource assistant and phlebotomist before venturing into the ranks of the self employed with a commercial cleaning company. This allowed her the free time to pursue writing. She has seven books available now and is close to finishing her eighth.
She is a Twilight fanatic who frequently dreams of being bitten by Edward Cullen. Hey, he's a vampire so the 30 year age difference doesn't matter!
Visit her at www.kittymargo.com or on her Facebook page. Emails can be sent to kittymargo@hotmail.com.Website   www.kittymargo.comFacebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kitty-Margo/605060432867441?ref=bookmarks Twitter https://twitter.com/kittymargo @kittymargo
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2015/01/book-blast-claras-song-by-kitty-margo.html


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 


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COURTLIGHT and CROWN Series by Terah Edun

Book & Author Details:Courtlight and Crown Service by Terah Edun
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Descriptions:
The Courtlight Series
When peasant girl Ciardis is chosen for a position at court, she travels across the empire to begin a new life. To survive, she’ll need to master intrigue, befriend a crown prince, and learn to control magical abilities she never knew existed.
The Crown Service Series
As an unstoppable war breaks out between the mages of the Algardis Empire, young Sara Fairchild enlists in the empress’s army to find out exactly what everyone’s trying to hide. But there are secrets on both sides of the battle that will make her question everything…

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/series/90699-courtlight
https://www.goodreads.com/series/123676-crown-service
Purchase: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Terah-Edun/e/B00A45ZH0Y/ref=twoen-20B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/terah-edun?store=allproducts&keyword=terah+eduniTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/terah-edun/id634533819?mt=11Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/Search?query=Terah%20Edun&fcsearchfield=Author
Excerpt:            He nodded while leaning over on his knees and panting heavily. “Man, killing people is exhausting.”            She lifted an eyebrow but didn’t bother mentioning he hadn’t actually killed anyone.            “Good work with those men and with our traitorous sun mage over there,” said Sara. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”He flushed with praise and she turned to march over to a pinned Nissa with a smile.            The woman was stuck to the tree with an arrow through her shoulder, but she didn’t flinch or beg for mercy. In fact, she lifted her chin proudly and met her captor head-on.            “Hurts, doesn’t it?” Sara said mockingly.            Nissa looked at her with fury in her eyes.
AUTHOR BIOTerah Edun's next YA Fantasy novel, BLADES OF MAGIC - Crown Service Book #1 (set in the Algardis Universe), was released on March 31, 2014. Book Five of Courtlight, SWORN TO DEFIANCE, was released in April 2014.
Her favorite writers include Mercedes Lackey, Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore, Robin Hobb and Maria Snyder.

Check out Terah's author website (teedun.com) for more information about her books, find her online @TEdunWrites and subscribe to her newsletter (bit.ly/SubscribetoTerahsNewsletter) to be notified of upcoming releases.
Author links: http://teedun.com/https://twitter.com/tedunwriteshttps://www.facebook.com/TerahEdunAuthorhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6517970.Terah_Edun
GIVEAWAY Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL) Kindle Fire HD 6PLUS every person who enters will get a FREE copy of BLADES OF MAGIC and SWORN TO RAISE audiobooks from Audible.com
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Book Tour Blast & #Excerpt: SILK by Chris Karlsen

BLURB:
What would you do to stay young: Lie, Manipulate..kill?
London-Fall, 1888
The city is in a panic as Jack the Ripper continues his murderous spree. While the Whitechapel police struggle to find him, Detective Inspector Rudyard Bloodstone and his partner are working feverishly to find their own serial killer. The British Museum's beautiful gardens have become a killing ground for young women strangled as they stroll through.
Their investigation has them brushing up against Viscount Everhard, a powerful member of the House of Lords, and a friend to Queen Victoria. When the circumstantial evidence  points to him as a suspect, Rudyard must deal with the political blowback, and knows if they are going to go after the viscount, they'd better be right and have proof.
As the body count grows and the public clamor for the detectives to do more, inter-department rivalries complicate the already difficult case.
Silk on the skin—luxurious, luscious..lethal.
Buy link:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Silk-Bloodstone-Book-Chris-Karlsen-ebook/dp/B00QSTM578/ref=twoen-20


Excerpt:
Events of the day and the potential satisfaction of giving Napier a bloody nose dwindled. Questions about the murder crept back into Ruddy's thoughts. Morris joined him at his table in the rear of the pub with a Guinness, the popular beer of choice in hand. “You’ve got the look of a man whose thoughts are a long distance from London.”
“No, sadly my thoughts are fixed here in the city. I’m trying to figure out a clue. Ellis’s roommate said she’d sometimes meet with a well-dressed man, a man of means the victim indicated. They’d meet up at the fountain by the British Museum.”
“Don’t know the spot but then the museum isn’t my cup of tea.”
“Not the point. I’m saying it’s odd. What member of the upper class chooses to stroll through a public garden other than Hyde or Regents, where they can see and be seen by one of their own?”
“I agree the wealthy prefer the parks filled with others of their kind but it doesn’t mean a man can’t enjoy someplace different.”
“We interviewed the guard again. The one that discovered the body walks that half of the building. He told us the majority of their male patrons are natty dressers, but he never saw a man like that loitering by the fountain.”
“My guess is: the man is married and can’t afford to run the risk of being seen by a friend of his wife’s. Or, he might live or work in the area and the spot is convenient.”
“Or, he’s a murderer who’s noticed the victim walking through the park on a regular basis, saw it as an opportunity and cozied up to her.”
Ruddy took another swallow of his ale, mentally debating the merit of each theory. “I don’t think he lives in the area. If so, he’d have cut through the park more and been seen by the guards. Not sure about the married man having a tryst idea."
To Ruddy's way of thinking, if the man was married and looking for a tumble, he’d have met her someplace other than the gardens and at a better hour.
Instinct drew him back to his original sense of the culprit and crime. “I feel like this was a crime of opportunity. I’ve thought it all along and can’t shake the sense.”
“If he was just seeking a victim, then why haven’t you had more murders like this?” Morris asked.
Ruddy downed the rest of his beer and put his tankard on the edge of the table where June would refill it. “Everyone has to start somewhere. She might be number one.”
 ***
AUTHOR Bio and Links:I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.
My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa.
I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream. I write two different series. My paranormal romance series is called, Knights in Time. My romantic thriller series is, Dangerous Waters.
I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, four rescue dogs and a rescue horse. 
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4822048.Chris_KarlsenTwitter:  https://twitter.com/authorckarlsenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/chriskarlsenwriterWebsite: http://chriskarlsen.com/Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Chris-Karlsen/e/B005HYTQQIBN Author Page: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/chris-karlsenBook Video: www.youtube.com/embed/pZ6oRpQK0c0

Chris will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host.
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better the chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/12/blurb-blitz-silk-by-chris-karlsen.html

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 



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#Free QUEST FOR NOBILITY and CRYSTAL FACADE #fantasy

Are you an Amazon PRIME member or signed up for KINDLE UNLIMITED? You can now read the Rule of Otharia books for FREE!
QUEST FOR NOBILITY4.4 rating over 19 reviews
"...this fantasy tale is highly imaginative and quite engaging..."

."..science fiction/adventure novel has a lot going for it: believable lead characters, a classic coming-of-age narrative, and an interesting mixture of both high-tech science fiction and fantasy elements..." 

"...The end is fantastic when all the threads that run through the tale are uncovered..."

The parents of royal Otharian twins Darius and Dyla have been murdered; their cousin is stealing their throne, and they are falsely accused of murder. Their only choice is to flee to the forbidden and quarantined planet Earth, but it could turn out to be a one-way trip.

To return home, they must find an ancient crystal, that once belonged to Merlin, to power the return portal. When the twins stumble upon the location of the crystal, the local crime boss sends out his assassin to retrieve it. Can Darius and Dyla use their PSI powers to open the portal home and reclaim their throne before the assassin catches up to them?
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Nobility-Book-Rule-Otharia-ebook/dp/B003CC1KI4/ref=twoen-20

THE CRYSTAL FAÇADE4.1 rating over 10 reviews
"...The authors did a great job with the power hungry plot and the unique and charming characters. The writing is clear and easy to follow. This book will be well received by many fantasy lovers..."
"The Crystal Façade is a distinctive and exciting journey into the fantasy genre and I can only hope that there are many more great trips to Otharia!"  
"A fast-paced and exciting book… It was highly engrossing and, in a rare change of pace, even better than the first book."
Royal Otharian twins Darius and Dyla Telkur have a big problem: they know too much about a secret sect of their countrymen living on the forbidden planet Earth. On a previous trip to Earth, they traced the sect's lineage back to the time of Merlin, but a run-in with a local crime boss forced them back to Otharia before they could unravel the mystery.
Now Dyla is dreaming again. Her dreams of the London crime boss portend an imminent threat to her family and she has no choice but to secretly return to Earth to find out what they mean. What the twins don't realize is they're walking into a conspiracy involving a centuries old interplanetary smuggling operation. Will they be able to capitalize on their superior PSI powers to get the answers they need before they fall victim to a telekinetic assassin that has hunted them across the galaxy?Amazon link:http://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Facade-Book-Rule-Otharia-ebook/dp/B003CC1KK2/ref=twoen-20
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Guest Post by Summer Lane, STATE OF ALLIANCE

To write State of Alliance, it was very important that I get some serious firsthand experience of the location that I was writing about. The book begins in Sacramento, eventually taking Cassidy to the coastline. I lived in Sacramento for nine years, so I definitelyI traveled to Monterey in November of 2014 to scope out the area. I visited Fisherman’s Wharf, overlooked the Presidio of Monterey, walked through the halls of the Carmel Mission, strolled down the sidewalks at Cannery Row and dipped my hands into the cold water of the Pacific Ocean in Pacific Grove. I kept track of road names and avenues. I recorded temperatures and studied the bay. Most importantly, I researched the Naval Postgraduate School, where a large portion of Cassidy’s story takes place.
As a writer, I can honestly say that getting out of the office and actually researching a subject or location is one of the most refreshing and inspiring experiences. It gives you a sense of realism that you can translate into your writing. I highly recommend it, and I loved every minute of researching for State of Alliance! 


Book & Author Details:  State of Alliance by Summer Lane
(Collapse Series #5)
Publication date: January 30th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic
Synopsis:There is no such thing as safe. For Commander Cassidy Hart, staying alive is only one of her day-to-day problems. As a newly minted Senator of the State of California, she must travel to Monterey Bay with the hope of bringing an agreement between the militia forces and the Pacific Northwest Alliance as the United States desperately battles against the shadow invasion forces of Omega.
But Monterey is not what it seems. The threat of another Omega attack looms on the horizon, and Commander Chris Young – the love of Cassidy’s life – is not the only important person in Cassidy’s life who is keeping secrets. Assassinations, betrayal and startling revelations lie ahead.
The war is now. Fight or die.
Choose your side.
The fifth installment in the international bestselling Collapse Series, a YA/NA post-apocalyptic romantic adventure.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23575118-state-of-alliance?ac=1
Purchase: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/State-Alliance-Collapse-Summer-Lane/dp/1506118739/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422368204&sr=8-1&keywords=State+of+Alliance

AUTHOR BIOSummer Lane is the author of the international bestselling Collapse Series and Zero Trilogy. She owns WB Publishing and Writing Belle, an online magazine dedicated to the Art of Storytelling. Summer is also an accomplished creative writing teacher and professional journalist. She lives in the Central Valley of California where she creates her stories and shares them with the world.
Author links:http://www.summerlaneauthor.com/http://writingbelle.comhttps://twitter.com/SummerEllenLanehttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Summer-Lane-International-Bestselling-Author/178664608947815https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5823376.Summer_Lane

GIVEAWAYBlitz-wide giveaway (INTL)13 eBooks:The Soul Thief, Majanka Verstraete Trigger, Jill Meengs Dead Girl Walking, by Ruth SilverSpirit Warrior, by DEL Connor Fractured Dream, by KM RandallThe Green Dagger, by Kelly Hess Jacob, King of Portalia, by Casey CubbA Reaper Made by Liz Long The Road by G. Michael Hopf The Death, by John W. Vance Last Woman by Jacqueline Druga Realm of the Unknown by James McPike Element Wielder, by Cesar Gonzalez 1 paperback of The Lost and the Wicked by Cesar Gonzalez1 signed copy of Day Zero by Summer Lane$10 Amazon Gift Card 
a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

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New #Thriller Release: TRAVEL AGENT by Sean Sweeney

Blurb:
TRAVEL AGENT: A THRILLER, the sixth full-length Jaclyn Johnson adventure, has hit eTailers everywhere.... and the CIA's blonde bombshell has her hands full yet again.

Jaclyn, British secret agent Tom Messingham, and Tasha are vacationing in Australia, but little does Jaclyn know that she is being set up to take the fall for an assassination in Sydney. The trio, together with an old friend, must find out who's behind it before the true terrorist's ultimate gambit comes to fruition--all while Jaclyn learns that not everything is all right in Washington, D.C.

Buy links:
 US Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Agent-Thriller-k-Snapshot-ebook/dp/B00SS0CSVI/

UK Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Travel-Agent-Thriller-k-Snapshot-ebook/dp/B00SS0CSVI/

Australia Kindle: http://www.amazon.com.au/Travel-Agent-Thriller-k-Snapshot-ebook/dp/B00SS0CSVI/

Canada Kindle: http://www.amazon.ca/Travel-Agent-Thriller-k-Snapshot-ebook/dp/B00SS0CSVI/
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/travel-agent-sean-sweeney/1121116721?ean=2940149951376&itm=1&usri=2940149951376
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/travel-agent-a-thriller

Author bio:
Sean Sweeney’s love of reading began in 1988, when he was handed J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic The Hobbit, and was given a needed reading boost with John Grisham novels and the Star Wars Expanded Universe in the 1990s. His passion for writing began in 1993, as a sophomore in high school, when he began writing sports for his local newspaper. Born and raised in North Central Massachusetts in 1977, Sweeney has written for several newspapers and radio stations. Since then, Sean has written eighteen novels along with a handful of novellas and short stories.

When he is not writing, he enjoys playing golf, reading, watching movies, enjoying the Boston Red Sox, New England Revolution, Arsenal F.C., New England Patriots, and the Gold Coast F.C.

Sean lives in Bolton, Massachusetts with his wife Jennifer and their horses–Alex and Jesse–as well as their five cats–Ziggy Puff, Diva, Squeaky, Spooky, and Roxie.[image error]