Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 219
December 15, 2014
Strong Female Characters by Tracy Banghart, STORM FALL

Here’s a list of my favorite strong female characters. They’re not necessarily the “typical” go-to’s, but I think that if you like reading about strong women, you’ll enjoy these books!
My 10 Favorite Books with Strong Female Main Characters
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Sunshine by Robin McKinley
On Fortune’s Wheel by Cynthia Voigt
The Cahill Witch Chronicles by Jessica Spotswood
Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Fire in the Mist by Holly Lisle
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

Book & Author Details:Storm Fall by Tracy Banghart
(Rebel Wing #2)
Published by: Alloy Entertainment
Publication date: December 16th 2014
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Synopsis:In the action-packed sequel to Rebel Wing, Aris battles for life and love . . . and not everyone will survive.
Aris Haan gave up everything to join the Atalantan Military: her family, her boyfriend, even her identity. In the end, though, it didn’t matter that she was a war hero. When the all-male Military discovered that she was actually a woman, she was sent home and erased from history.
Now she has a chance to go back to the battlefield—as herself. But as hard as it was to be a soldier in disguise, it’s even more difficult now. The men in her unit undermine her at every turn. The Safaran army has spies everywhere, perhaps even on Aris’s stationpoint. And she’s falling for her mysterious superior officer, Milek. But their relationship is forbidden, just stolen moments between training sessions and missions. There’s no room for love in war.
Then Aris discovers that Safara’s leaders have set their sights on her, Atalanta’s hero. And she must find them before they find her . .
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23556036-storm-fall
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Fall-Rebe...?
REBEL WING Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LXCMU8O

Author links:http://www.tracybanghart.com/https://www.facebook.com/tracytheauthorhttps://twitter.com/tracythewriterhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/239569.Tracy_Banghart
GIVEAWAYBlitz-wide giveaway (INTL)$25 Amazon GC,1 set of Kindle copies of Rebel Wing and Storm Fall, A prize pack of Alloy Entertainment paperbacks, including: You (Caroline Kepnes), How to Love (Katie Cotugno), The 100 (Kass Morgan), and Let’s Get Lost (Adi Alsaid)
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Published on December 15, 2014 03:00
December 12, 2014
#Excerpt: DREAM SLAYER Series by Jill Cooper

“What’s written all over my face now?”Tristan gave Natalie a loving smirk, his hands tugging on the waist of her jeans until she was pressed up against her. “Only love and devotion.” They held hands as they walked up her street and rounded her backyard toward her bedroom window.Tristan leaned against the tree that guarded her bedroom window, at least that was the story they made up when they were kids. He pulled her close, resting his hands on her hips. “Maybe he’s just upset about something else, and it has nothing to do with your suspicions about Evelyn.”“My illness?”“Vampires we can kill. We can see them. This…” Tristan pulled her hair back and stared through her forehead like he could see what was plaguing her brain, “…we can’t fight it. Don’t even know what it is. I know how it makes me feel.”Natalie bit her lip. “There’s not much I can say except right now, I feel okay.”Tristan snorted. “For right now. But we don’t know how long that’s going to last. Or why it’s even happening.”Her worry increased when he talked like that, and when she saw the fear on his face. “We can’t worry about every little thing. I know it’s hard, but right now, we’re together. I feel good.” She ran her hand up his arm. “You feel good too,” she whispered and blushed just a little.Tristan’s face broke out into joy. “Wow, my little flirt! Someone giving you lessons?”“I’ve been watching soap operas at the hospital,” Natalie beamed. “I think next, you’re supposed to kiss me.” Natalie bit her lip, nervousness bubbling inside as they shared a kiss. It lingered and her eyes closed. She clutched onto him, and in those moments, she felt like everything would be okay.Tristan seemed to feel the same way from the way he nuzzled her neck, holding her close. Natalie leaned on him, and her body released the tension she didn’t realize she was holding. To get to be close to him, alone, even for a few minutes, was like reaching an oasis.Tristan chuckled and gave her soft kisses. It made her feel hot, even against the gentle summer breeze.“You know my favorite thing about this tree?” Natalie waited for him to shake his head. “It makes me think of you. All those times you used it to visit me at night, or I used it to sneak out to see you. Remember when we were kids and we’d use it to go to the carnival late at night?”Tristan chuckled. “And we thought the circus clowns were possessed.”Natalie beamed, her smile going from cheek to cheek. “It always made me think of you, but until a few months ago, I didn’t get why. Now I do.” She finally said it, and the nerves bubbled up in her. She swallowed them back, but still her face flushed.Tristan’s eyes were loving and kind. He caressed her neck and a moment later, they were kissing. Sweet and simple turned hot and heavy. Natalie clutched his arms with her fingers, and her glasses steamed up from the heat of his breath. His hands searched over her legs and then across her butt.Natalie pulled away, resting her head against his chest. She was overwhelmed, afraid of the intensity, but it didn’t change how she felt about him.“You really are a sweet girl. How’d I ever get so lucky to meet you?”Natalie shrugged. “It’s a small town.”“It was rhetorical.”She scowled. “Oh, well it still sounded like it had a question mark on the end.”Tristan kissed her. “I really should go in now, but it doesn’t mean I actually want to leave,” Natalie said. “I’ll see you tomorrow, somehow.” Thinking about all her mother’s rules made her stomach tight with nerves. “Besides, I can see your house from here.”Tristan gazed over her shoulder through the yard and past several houses. “I’ll look out my window when I get to my room, if you’ll do the same.”Natalie grinned. “Promise?” She bit her lip, feeling bashful.“Oh yeah.” Tristan tightened his grip around her waist and kissed her nose. “You did good work out there tonight, Nat. I’m proud of you.”She smiled wide, her heart filling with glee. “It was nothing. It was only a few this time. I could practically do that in my sleep!”“That’s my tough girl.” Tristan kissed the side of her head. “Night, princess.”Her heart skipped. She watched him walk away while waving, thinking she might never stop smiling. Once he was gone, her back gate closed, Natalie climbed up her tree. Back before the paladin knew she was a superhero, climbing trees was out of the question, but now Natalie found her hidden strength and easily pulled herself up. Her bedroom window was still open, with the lights off. As quietly as possible, she scooted her legs in first and pulled herself through.Natalie held her breath as she spun and closed the window. As she did so, the bedroom lights came on. She gasped, turned around and saw her mother sitting on her perfectly made bed, tears in her eyes, while her father stood over by the door. This is it, Natalie thought. The things she did were going to destroy all the progress they’d made that night.

As a paladin champion, it is Natalie’s job to deal with the undead with quick judgment or else run the risk of major casualties. But when evidence surfaces that some demonires don’t want to feed off humans, Natalie is faced with a moral dilemma that goes against her closest ally and the moral code of the position she holds. With human foes and demonire allies, Natalie Johnson is about to make a decision she might never be able to take back. Meanwhile a deep-seated anger threatens to destroy the principles she holds most dear. In the tradition of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Shadow contains mature themes balanced with humor and quirky situations.
Buy on AmazonReading Order:
The Dream Slayer (perma- free) - http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Slayer-Jill-Cooper-ebook/dp/B007ZRYPV6
Demon Royale - http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Royale-Dream-Slayer-Book-ebook/dp/B009NIE3J4
The Uninvited: Novella - http://www.amazon.com/Uninvited-Paranormal-Novella-Dream-Slayer-ebook/dp/B00BIUSMOM
Dawning Apocalypse - http://www.amazon.com/Dawning-Apocolypse-Dream-Slayer-Book-ebook/dp/B00IA6ZKO2
Frozen Reverie - http://www.amazon.com/Frozen-Reverie-Dream-Slayer-Book-ebook/dp/B00NDA0GZI
Sacrifice: Novella - http://www.amazon.com/Sacrifice-Dream-Slayer-Novella-Book-ebook/dp/B00ND9FH44
Necromancer's Kiss: Novella - http://www.amazon.com/Necromancers-Kiss-Dream-Slayer-Novella-ebook/dp/B00ND9FJGU
Shadow - http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Dream-Slayer-Book-ebook/dp/B00OYULQTG
Resolve: Coming SoonFury Finale: Coming Soon
About the Author:

But instead, I'll say I don't want to write like everyone else. I don't want to craft stories you've read a thousand times before. I want my novels to be a cinematic experience, blending themes, genres, and situations unlike any you've ever read.
I want to break the rules. I want you to break out in a cold sweat as you read my books out of fear, love, and excitement. I want my books to be an experience. When you finish, I want you to feel something. Good or bad.
If you do, then I'll have succeeded. If not, I'll keep trying. Website | Twitter | Facebook
Follow The Tour Jill is giving away a fabulous Fiction With Bite Tote Bag and Signed Paperback of Resolve (Book 6 in the DS Series)
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Published on December 12, 2014 05:00
December 11, 2014
10 Things You Didn't Know About Tellulah Darling, MY EX FROM HELL

1) I am too lazy to learn songs properly, choosing instead to just fit whatever word seems closest to the phonetic sound I hear. This means that nothing I sing makes any logical sense. However, they are all wildly creative. Every once in a while I actually figure out what the words are supposed to be and realize how much sense the song now makes. What's funny is that there are certain songs I'm suck in a perpetual loop with. I learn what they are, promptly forget and go back to my nonsense, and then have that deja vu moment when I understand them again. Maybe I was dropped on my head as a child. 2) I love to travel but hate flying. As a result, I spent much of my life gripping the arms of my airplane seat while whispering "please don't fall" for hours on end. Happily, my doctor informed me a couple years ago (while staring at me like I was an idiot upon hearing how I coped) that since my way didn't work, I might want to try drugs. Miracles of modern science, indeed!3) Speaking of travel–the first time I went to Italy, I was 15 yrs old. We were in Heathrow waiting for our flight to Rome and I'd fallen asleep stretched out across the chairs at the departure area. I woke up to the sight of the Italian National Football (Soccer) team seated around me. Even at that tender age, I was partial to that particular flavour of man candy. So I shot up and might have tried to shove my little brother under a seat in an attempt to look like a worldly solo traveller. Yeah, right. I wish you all a similar wake up call with *insert group of hot men of your choice*.4) I was a professional screenwriter for 12 years. Crazy things happen in writers' rooms. On one of my favourite shows to work on, the showrunner and I plotted out the entire season arc's battle using Smurfs. This was for a kids' show. We'd renamed them with our characters' names and did their voices and everything. On another, not a kids' show, there was an actual meeting to discuss the star's wife's Playboy photos. There can be this intimidating mystique around film and television. Don't believe any of it.5) I forget that my husband is one of my followers on Twitter. This leads to a lot of head shaking when I've been a bit too vigorous discussing hot guys - fictional or otherwise and steamy reads. I try to push the excuse that it's simply ways of interacting with social media friends and readers. I think I’ve gotten away with it but I’m not sure because I am no longer able to make eye contact with him. 6) I hold a Masters' Degree in Film Theory. Yes, you read that right. In watching movies. Okay, and criticizing them. Possibly the most useless degree known to mankind. Not only that, I did my Master's thesis on Gender and Spectatorship in the animation of Chuck Jones. Which means that I watched Bugs Bunny Cartoons for two years. My family despaired. They used to lie and say I was studying journalism. I share this with you so that if your family gives you any grief about your area of study, you can use me as an example of how it could be so much worse. You're welcome.7) I think that the right shade of lipstick and a great head of hair can be a woman's finest accessory. Who's with me here?8) I think the world needs more choreography. I have a constant soundtrack in my head and like to tap dance my way through the day. Which in my head comes off like a brilliant Gene Kelly-esque routine. I take no responsibility for how it looks in reality. Obviously, you all just need to see things in my special way.9) I love my Kindle because it allows me to read my steamy romances to my heart's content without the constant judging I get from haters who obviously are down on love. I've found that if I nod my head sagely whilst reading, people think I'm engrossed in some deep literary classic and perhaps feel bad for not reading such a weighty tome themselves. I feel no guilt for this. I've had too many years of snotty reactions to all the genre reading I've done.10) Since I write romantic comedies, I'll share a couple of my favs with you. Book: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie. This is the smexiest book around. (Ha - autocorrect wanted it to be the smelliest book around.) Film: When Harry Met Sally and The Princess Bride. Don't make me choose. It could get ugly.

Book & Author Details:My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling
(The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #1)
Publication date: April 1st 2013
Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult
Synopsis:Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following:
a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.)
b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame.
Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy teen yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world.
Literally.
This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed.
Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her.
Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe …
… and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.
My Ex From Hell is a YA romantic comedy, Greek mythology smackdown. Love meets comedy with a whole lot of sass in book one of this teen fantasy romance series. Compared to Kai and Sophie, Romeo and Juliet had it easy.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15749326-my-ex-from-hell?ac=1
Purchase - only 0.99c on Kobo, iTunes, and Amazon:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hell-Blooming-Goddess-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B00BQ1AF20/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417792160&sr=8-1&keywords=My+Ex+From+Hell
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-ex-from-hell-tellulah-darling/1114850809?ean=9780988054035
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/my-ex-from-hell-the-blooming-goddess-trilogy-book-one
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/my-ex-from-hell-blooming-goddess/id590464594?mt=11

Tellulah Darling is a firm believer that some of the best stories happen when love meets comedy. Which is why she has so much fun writing YA romantic comedy books. Her books span contemporary, teen fantasy romance, and YA Greek mythology, and range from stand alones to series. For Tellulah, teen romance is the most passionate, intense, and awkward there is – a comedy goldmine. Plus smart, mouthy, teen girls rock.
Author links:http://tellulahdarling.com/https://www.facebook.com/TellulahDarlinghttps://twitter.com/tellulahdarlinghttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6429243.Tellulah_Darling
GIVEAWAYBlitz-wide giveaway (INT)$25 Amazon gift card
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Published on December 11, 2014 05:00
December 10, 2014
Interview with Katherine Hayton

If you were a shifter, what animal would you like to be?Oh, I wanna be a baby sloth. Have you seen them in their You-tube videos? Even when they’re having their mange dealt with they are super-cute. I want to spend my days learning to hang out of trees and move slowly. Apparently it comes with the penalty that I’d occasionally mistake my own arm for a tree trunk, grab it, and then fall out of the tree when I tried to move my other limbs, but I think it would be worth it. Do sloths see the world as being upside-down, or do you think their brains adjust so they see everything the same way up as we do? Only one way to find out. Find a were-sloth and look biteable.
Favorite season? Why?Winter is my favourite season. It starts off all dark and cold, there’s the possibility of the most magical weather such as snow and frosts, we have a lot of cold mornings and beautiful sunny days in Christchurch so as long as you bundle up tight the weather still looks good. Then you progress past the longest day and you have the opportunity to notice that the mornings aren’t as dim when you head off to work, and the evenings don’t get dark as quickly. Then the daffodils will push up from the ground and announce that no matter how cold you are now there’s imminent promise of warmer weather to come. By the end of August all the trees will be starting to blossom and the daffodils will be in full bloom and the ducklings will start to appear. Forget spring – end of winter is when it’s all happening. Death and rebirth all in one season.
Best movie ever made? Being John Malkovich. And why? Malkovich. Malkovich. Malkovich, malkovich, malkovich, malkovich, malkovich. And that bit about the 13th and a half floor was genius. And making Cameron Diaz look frumpy. How’d they manage that? And dropping out of the Malkovich dimension onto the New Jersey turnpike. You can’t write that stuff. Well, you may be able to if your name’s Charlie Kaufman, but I can’t write that stuff.

Book Synopsis:As the victim support officer assigned to her case, Christine Emmett puts aside her own problems as she tries to guide Rena through the maelstrom of her daughter’s disappearance.
A task made harder by an ex-husband desperate for control; a paedophile on early-release in the community; and a psychic who knows more than seems possible.
And intertwined throughout, the stories of six women; six daughters lost.

It would be wonderful, thrilling, and risky. I was only able to take three books out each week, and only one of those could get a free pass on fees. If I picked the wrong one I would be stuck with it for a whole week. Not only stuck with it, but I’d have to read a bad book cover to cover because otherwise I’d have to do something else, and that was not really what I was after. I did go outside, and played outside, and watched TV like any normal kid, but that was just stuff you filled in time with until you could read again.
Throughout my childhood there was never anything I wanted to do but become a writer – it seemed the only natural progression to my life. Then I crawled inside a bottle for fourteen years, and when I popped back out I was working in an office job in a travel agency, my mother was dead, and I was clueless as to how I was meant to get my life back on track.
About the time I started to seriously study the craft of writing, something that used to come naturally to me but had grown incredibly hard through lack of use, I also had a change in career path into insurance (not as big a change as it might seem as it was really from one office job to another with a brighter future and better career path.) I started to challenge myself in my professional life, and my personal life, so instead of focussing in on writing I instead tried out a range of different hobbies, followed up on fleeting interests, tried to learn to play the saxophone which my partner was glad was a short-lived affair, and generally did all of the things I should’ve spent my teens and twenties doing but hadn’t.
But of course I always circled back to writing. Reading and writing. My passion remains the same but instead of skimming widely across any and all genres I’ve narrowed down and done a deep-dive into crime fiction which has been my favourite for over a decade now.
I love the fact that I’ve been reading the same genre of fiction for more than ten years now, and still find new and interesting things with every book that I pick up. Now I’m trying to bring something new and unique to me to the genre. And soon I might finally get back on track to being the person that I always wanted to be. Amazon Links: Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/katherinehaytonKindle: http://amzn.com/B00LNUMCZ2Paperback: http://amzn.com/0473279932
Twitter:https://twitter.com/kathay1973 Blogger:http://kathay1973.blogspot.co.nz/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katherine-Hayton/1481785105415848
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8390059.Katherine_Hayton
Website:http://kathay1973.com
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/10/virtual-book-tour-found-near-water-by.html
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Published on December 10, 2014 01:00
Interview with Katherin Hayton

If you were a shifter, what animal would you like to be?Oh, I wanna be a baby sloth. Have you seen them in their You-tube videos? Even when they’re having their mange dealt with they are super-cute. I want to spend my days learning to hang out of trees and move slowly. Apparently it comes with the penalty that I’d occasionally mistake my own arm for a tree trunk, grab it, and then fall out of the tree when I tried to move my other limbs, but I think it would be worth it. Do sloths see the world as being upside-down, or do you think their brains adjust so they see everything the same way up as we do? Only one way to find out. Find a were-sloth and look biteable.
Favorite season? Why?Winter is my favourite season. It starts off all dark and cold, there’s the possibility of the most magical weather such as snow and frosts, we have a lot of cold mornings and beautiful sunny days in Christchurch so as long as you bundle up tight the weather still looks good. Then you progress past the longest day and you have the opportunity to notice that the mornings aren’t as dim when you head off to work, and the evenings don’t get dark as quickly. Then the daffodils will push up from the ground and announce that no matter how cold you are now there’s imminent promise of warmer weather to come. By the end of August all the trees will be starting to blossom and the daffodils will be in full bloom and the ducklings will start to appear. Forget spring – end of winter is when it’s all happening. Death and rebirth all in one season.
Best movie ever made? Being John Malkovich. And why? Malkovich. Malkovich. Malkovich, malkovich, malkovich, malkovich, malkovich. And that bit about the 13th and a half floor was genius. And making Cameron Diaz look frumpy. How’d they manage that? And dropping out of the Malkovich dimension onto the New Jersey turnpike. You can’t write that stuff. Well, you may be able to if your name’s Charlie Kaufman, but I can’t write that stuff.

Book Synopsis:As the victim support officer assigned to her case, Christine Emmett puts aside her own problems as she tries to guide Rena through the maelstrom of her daughter’s disappearance.
A task made harder by an ex-husband desperate for control; a paedophile on early-release in the community; and a psychic who knows more than seems possible.
And intertwined throughout, the stories of six women; six daughters lost.

It would be wonderful, thrilling, and risky. I was only able to take three books out each week, and only one of those could get a free pass on fees. If I picked the wrong one I would be stuck with it for a whole week. Not only stuck with it, but I’d have to read a bad book cover to cover because otherwise I’d have to do something else, and that was not really what I was after. I did go outside, and played outside, and watched TV like any normal kid, but that was just stuff you filled in time with until you could read again.
Throughout my childhood there was never anything I wanted to do but become a writer – it seemed the only natural progression to my life. Then I crawled inside a bottle for fourteen years, and when I popped back out I was working in an office job in a travel agency, my mother was dead, and I was clueless as to how I was meant to get my life back on track.
About the time I started to seriously study the craft of writing, something that used to come naturally to me but had grown incredibly hard through lack of use, I also had a change in career path into insurance (not as big a change as it might seem as it was really from one office job to another with a brighter future and better career path.) I started to challenge myself in my professional life, and my personal life, so instead of focussing in on writing I instead tried out a range of different hobbies, followed up on fleeting interests, tried to learn to play the saxophone which my partner was glad was a short-lived affair, and generally did all of the things I should’ve spent my teens and twenties doing but hadn’t.
But of course I always circled back to writing. Reading and writing. My passion remains the same but instead of skimming widely across any and all genres I’ve narrowed down and done a deep-dive into crime fiction which has been my favourite for over a decade now.
I love the fact that I’ve been reading the same genre of fiction for more than ten years now, and still find new and interesting things with every book that I pick up. Now I’m trying to bring something new and unique to me to the genre. And soon I might finally get back on track to being the person that I always wanted to be. Amazon Links: Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/katherinehaytonKindle: http://amzn.com/B00LNUMCZ2Paperback: http://amzn.com/0473279932
Twitter:https://twitter.com/kathay1973 Blogger:http://kathay1973.blogspot.co.nz/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katherine-Hayton/1481785105415848
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8390059.Katherine_Hayton
Website:http://kathay1973.com
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/10/virtual-book-tour-found-near-water-by.html
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Published on December 10, 2014 01:00
December 9, 2014
My Most Memorable Negative Reviews by B.R. Kingsolver, ASHLEY'S DREAM

Thankfully, I haven’t had too many really negative reviews. My novels have either been well-received, or I assume the reader was so disgusted that they couldn’t bear to think of the book long enough to post something negative.
So, how do I handle a negative review? Cry a bit, drink several shots of vodka, and take a long hot bath. Then wander around in a depressive fog for months, unable to write or even get out of bed in the morning.
Not.
Everyone gets bad reviews. If you look at Amazon or Goodreads, you’ll see bestselling books with a thousand five-star reviews and twenty one-star reviews. It happens. Reading is such an exercise in personal attraction. Almost every Nobel Prize winner has some negative reviews.
But there are some one-star reviews that I remember fondly because they made me laugh.
This review on my first novel, The Succubus Gift, stands out. “Read it as it was written by a favorite author, but did not like it at all and will be cautious about future works by an author who previously had written some of my favorite reads.”As I said, this was my first novel. The reviewer obviously thought that the book was written by my famous cousin. I guess if my name was Smith, this would happen far more often.The other one that I will always treasure was also about The Succubus Gift. The reviewer said that the succubus main character not being monogamous bothered her, and gave it three stars. Then she edited the review the following day and gave it two stars. Her reason was that the book was “too mature” for a 22-year-old character. A couple of days later, she reduced it to a one-star rating. She said the ideas in the book made her so uncomfortable that she couldn’t get the book out of her head.I think that any author would be proud of actually making a reader think.***

Publication date: January 2015
Genres: New Adult, Romance
Synopsis:Ashley isn’t looking for love. She has a dream to travel the world, and getting tied down by a man doesn’t fit into her plans. Relationships always get so complicated, and men always lie. It’s better just to have some fun and no one gets hurt. When she graduates college and the job offers don’t come rolling in, her life continues as usual: working as the manager of a college town bar and hanging out with her friends. Then a tragic event pushes her to take a chance on romance.
But things are not always as they seem, and Ashley’s white knight has secrets. Her friends try to tell her something isn’t right, but her common sense is smothered by his kisses and soft endearments.When the job offer she has always wanted arrives, will she follow her heart and choose love, or follow her life-long dream?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23556381-ashley-s-dream
Purchase:Will be found here come release time (date TBA - Will be in January): http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Ashley%27s+Dream+kingsolver&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AAshley%27s+Dream+kingsolver

As to my other interests, I love the outdoors, especially the Rocky Mountains. I’ve skied since high school, with one broken leg and one torn ACL to show for it. I’ve hiked and camped all my life. I love to travel, though I haven’t done enough of it. I’ve seen a lot of Russia and Mexico, not enough of England. Amsterdam is amazing, and the Romanian Alps are breathtaking. Lake Tahoe is a favorite, and someday I’d like to see Banff.
Author links:http://brkingsolver.com/https://www.facebook.com/brkingsolverhttps://twitter.com/brkingsolverhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5823296.B_R_Kingsolver


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Published on December 09, 2014 05:00
December 8, 2014
2 New #Holiday #Romance Releases: KRYSTAL'S CHRISTMAS and SUNNY'S CHRISTMAS by USA Today Best-Selling author, Regina Duke

Krystal is hoping for the gift that will free her to love Zachary, the man of her dreams. While she waits, she does her best to make others’ dreams come true and wonders if her old flame, Zach, will return her love after all these years in this delightful tale from USA Today Bestselling Author Regina Duke. Krystal’s Christmas is a special holiday installment in the Colorado Billionaires series.
Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QCLM4ZU

Sunny lost faith in men when her prom date, Brady, abandoned her on the dance floor and never came back. Eight years later, can a chance encounter turn him into her Christmas miracle? Find out in this delightful tale from USA Today Bestselling Author Regina Duke. Sunny’s Christmas is a special holiday installment in the Colorado Billionaires series.
Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QCN0OHI/ref=twoen-20
Author bio:
USA Today Bestselling author Regina Duke lives in Northern Nevada with her canine companions, and she's hard at work creating a new sweet romance for you to enjoy![image error]
Published on December 08, 2014 05:00
December 5, 2014
Interview with C. Lee McKenzie, DOUBLE NEGATIVE

If applicable tell us about a time when a best friend betrayed you. How old were you? Did you ever make up? How did you handle it? I guess I'm lucky. I've never had a friend betray me. Well, unless I count the time one of them started dating my ex-steady right after the break up. But I guess I didn't care enough about the guy to get upset. It was more that their dating made for some awkward moments at dances or parties.
If you never had a betrayal or fight, what is something your best friend did for you, that probably no other person would ever do.I remember that my outdoorsy friend gave me a kitten after my cat was hit by a car. I thought that was very sweet. No one else did that for me.
What did you love most about you teenage best friend? Her homemade fudge! Really. She and her mom made this awesome fudge, so I was sure to show up whenever I knew they were stirring chocolate and sugar and nuts together. And I loved my friend’s generosity. She gave me as much fudge as my stomach could hold.
What drove you most crazy about your teenage best friend?She had gorgeous hair, the kind models have in magazines. Mine, not so much. I never saw her without perfect long, waves swept back from her face. I took to wearing baseball caps a lot that year.
What did you learn from your best teen friend?Relationships take work. She was the one who did a lot of planning and calling for me to do things. She was even the one who contacted me later, long after we were out of high school. If she hadn't, we might not have reconnected.

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Lee McKenzie<br />Published by: Evernight Teen<br />Publication date: July 25th 2014<br />Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><b>Synopsis:</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">“My life was going, going, gone, and I hadn’t been laid yet. I couldn’t go into the slammer before that happened.” Hutch McQueen.<br /><br />Sixteen-year-old Hutchinson McQueen is trapped between an abusive mother and an absentee father. Shackled by poor vision and poor reading skills, he squeaks through classes with his talent for eavesdropping and memorizing what he hears. After another suspension from school and suffering through one of his mother’s violent attacks, he escapes to a friend’s house that turns out to be a meth lab. The lab is raided and Hutch lands in juvenile detention. When the court sentences him to six months in a new juvenile program, he meets a teacher with Alzheimer’s who will change his life and hers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Goodreads: </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... style="color: blue;">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Purchase:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Amazon: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Double-Negative... style="color: blue;">http://www.amazon.com/Double-Negative... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">B&N: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/doubl... style="color: blue;">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/doubl... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AUTHOR BIO</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ilNFniIokoY..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ilNFniIokoY..." /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In my other life--the one before I began writing for teens and younger readers--I was a teacher and administrator at California State University, San Jose. My field of Linguistics and Inter-cultural Communication has carried me to a lot of places in the world to explore different cultures and languages. I can say, “Where’s the toilet?” and “I’m lost!” in at least five languages and two dialects. Go ahead. Pat me on the back.<br /><br />My idea of a perfect day is one or all of the following: starting a new novel, finishing writing a blockbuster novel, hiking on a misty morning trail in the Santa Cruz Mountains, saying Namaste after a great yoga practice, sipping a cappuccino topped at a bustling café, reading in front of a fire with snow outside, swimming in an ocean someplace.<br /><br />I've just set out my perfect life. Day after day after day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Author links:</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://cleemckenziebooks.com/"&g... style="color: blue;">http://cleemckenziebooks.com/</spa... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://twitter.com/Cleemckenzie"... style="color: blue;">https://twitter.com/Cleemckenzie</... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... style="color: blue;">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cleemckenzie... style="color: blue;">https://www.facebook.com/cleemckenzie... class="MsoNormal"><br /></div> <div class="Body"><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8Nn88Z1xRo..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D8Nn88Z1xRo..." height="147" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eiidv4HEoYw..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eiidv4HEoYw..." height="81" width="320" /></a></div><br /><img src="http://twoendsofthepen.blogspot.com//..." height="1" width="1" alt=""/>
Published on December 05, 2014 05:00
December 4, 2014
THE RULES OF BALLET by Grier Cooper, WISH
The Rules of Ballet: A Manifesto

Humans are naturally lazy and dancers have to work hard to overcome this tendency.Take a moment to look at the average person's posture and you'll see the truth in this statement. Most of us shuffle through life in the default setting: with our shoulders hunched over and our heads down.
There is always room for improvement. If you think you are a good enough dancer, you’re wrong!Ballet is all about reaching perfection–your own version of perfection. There is always something to fine-tune or something new to learn.
There will always be someone who is a better dancer than you.This is a difficult reality to face but sooner or later this is true for all dancers, whether it's due to skill or age. My first ballet teacher used to tell us to never get comfortable or cocky because there would always be better dancers out there. You have to stay sharp and constantly push yourself if you want to reach the top. The good news is hard work and persistence pay off. Work to the best of your abilities and you will forge forward.
It takes hard work and discipline to get ahead.It also takes ironclad willpower, indestructible courage and ridiculous levels of confidence. But hey, no one ever said it was going to be easy. If it were, everyone would be doing it.
If you can’t take constructive criticism, you are in the wrong place.By the time you reach the professional level of ballet, you are not only able to handle criticism, you live for it. Ballet dancers eat up “corrections” like most kids chow on candy because they know if someone takes time to make a comment, they think you're worth it.
If you are too tall, too fat or too lazy, pick a different career.As stated before, this is not a career for anyone not prepared to work their butts off. Although the physical ideal in ballet is slowly changing it's still a much tougher road if your body type doesn't match what ballet companies are looking for.
The love of dance brought you here and it will carry you through your career.Every dancer you see on stage today started with love of ballet in their heart and the dream to become part of the magic onstage. That love is what keeps dancers going day after day, sometimes working through pain in various forms. But ask any dancer if they love what they do and you'll get the same answer: Yesssssss!
Ballet is equal parts dedication, inspiration, and perspiration.It's definitely not for the faint of heart, either... or for anyone who minds getting sweaty.
The human body is a dancer’s most important tool and our biggest challenge (see Rule #1).As mentioned above, the human body is naturally lazy. Dancers have to fight hard to overcome this tendency. Since top fitness is part of the job description, most ballet dancers spend every waking minute keeping their tools in prime shape, either taking classes, doing supplemental training like Pilates, stretching or going for a massage (although this last activity is far less likely).
Ballet involves sacrifice (of certain dangerous activities…including and most especially boys).If you do the math you'll immediately see why this is true. If x, the dancer, spends almost every waking moment in a ballet studio that leaves y hours left to do anything else. In this case y=0. But all kidding aside, there are certain activities most dancers don't do because of the risk of injury or because they will develop the wrong muscles: skiing, horseback riding, and circus arts, just to name a few.
Whether you are a ballet dancer or not, you probably have your own manifesto for life. May it guide you well. Even if you don't resonate with Miss Roberta's manifesto, do take her advice and wear deodorant.

Book & Author Details:Wish by Grier Cooper
(Indigo Dreams #1)
Publication date: December 2nd 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Synopsis:For Indigo Stevens, ballet classes at Miss Roberta’s ballet studio offer the stability and structure that are missing from her crazy home life. At almost 16, she hopes this is the year she will be accepted into the New York School of Ballet. First she must prove she’s ready, and that means ignoring Jesse Sanders – the cute boy with dimples who is definitely at the top of Miss Roberta’s List of Forbidden Things for Dancers.
But Jesse is the least of Indigo’s concerns. When she discovers her mom is an alcoholic, it simultaneously explains everything and heaps more worry on Indigo’s shoulders. As her mom’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, Indigo fights to maintain balance, protect her younger brothers from abuse, and keep her mother from going over the edge. When the violence at home escalates, Indigo realizes she can no longer dance around the issue. At the risk of losing everything, she must take matters into her own hands before it’s too late.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23353196-wish?ac=1
Purchase: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Wish-Indigo-Dreams-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00ODETMP8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417189300&sr=1-1&keywords=9780990773511B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wish-grier-cooper/1120552221?ean=2940046226096
AUTHOR BIO:

Her work has been praised as “poignant and honest” with “emotional hooks that penetrate deeply.” She writes and blogs about dance in the San Francisco Bay Area and has interviewed and photographed a diverse collection dancers and performers including Clive Owen, Nicole Kidman, Glen Allen Sims and Jessica Sutta. She is the author of Build a Ballerina Body and The Daily Book of Photography.
Author links:http://www.griercooper.com/https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3418801.Grier_Cooperhttps://www.facebook.com/grier.cooperhttps://twitter.com/griercooper

Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)A dance film collection (Mao's Last Dancer, Save The Last Dance, Center Stage)15$ iTunes gift cardeBook copy of Wish
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Published on December 04, 2014 05:00
#Excerpt: THE EYES OF VENGEANCE by Teri Riggs

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Someone is methodically killing past members of The Consortium, a defunct group of ruthless businessmen who made their fortunes buying and selling prime Las Vegas real estate during the era that saw the beginnings of the mega casino and luxury hotels. Homicide Detective, Kennedy O’Brien, and her temporary partner, Reno Homicide Detective Hunt, race to stop a deranged predator who claims a new victim every forty-eight hours. The killer drugs his victims, slashes their wrists, and leaves a playing card with the body. As the clock continues to tick, the search for clues seems easy—too easy Kennedy suspects.
While chasing the killer, Kennedy must also try to control hotheaded Detective Hunt, who is hell-bent on finding out who killed the first victim—his best friend’s father. At the same time, she has to deal with a jealous Nick Campenelli, whom she may or may not be in a relationship with. Nick is unhappy with Kennedy spending so much time in close contact with the very smitten, Detective Hunt. Tossed into the mix are her retired cop grandfather, her self-appointed personal domestic slave, Elvis, and a boss who is demanding answers.
Is it any wonder that Kennedy doesn’t do relationships?
Enjoy an excerpt:
Kennedy, still half asleep, drew her gun, but wasn’t fast enough to take aim. A large, firm hand clamped over her wrist. “I wouldn’t do that, Detective O’Brien. Keep your hands still and drop the gun. You don’t need the weapon.”
Kennedy slowly released her Sig Sauer and laid her hands flat on her desk. She glanced around the detective’s bull pen. Nothing but empty desks.
“What now, ass-wipe? You think you can pull this crap in the middle of a goddamn police department?”
“I don’t see a lot of cops coming to your rescue. Do you?”
Kennedy sat up straight, stretched, and looked around. The place was deserted—really deserted. “Shit.”
“Been sleeping a while, have you? You’ve got some drool on the side of your face. I think there’s a paper clip stuck to your chin.” He plucked off the paper clip and held out his hanky. “Here.”
She slapped his hand away. “That’s none of your fucking business.”
“You have quite a potty mouth, don’t you, Detective?”
Kennedy gave a low growl. “Go to hell!”
“She’s friendly, too.”
“Who the hell are you and what the fuck-all are you doing here?”
He let go of her hand and gave her the Sig back. “Detective Lieutenant Kyle Hunt, Reno PD, at your service.” He cocked an eyebrow and took a bow.
“Oh.”
About the Author:

Now she spends her days turning her ideas into books. She lives in Marietta, GA with her husband.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Teri-Riggs/e/B00F2KYWHK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Teri-Riggs/329379907142621Twitter: @TeriRiggs
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/terilriggs
a Rafflecopter giveaway[image error]
Published on December 04, 2014 01:00