E.M. Tippetts's Blog, page 7

{Blogger Book Fair}Side Effects, by Jennifer M. Barry: Q&A's of the Author and Main Character

High school can be Hell on Earth, something Isaac Matthews knows all too well. How’s a guy supposed to deal with Anxiety Disorder, adolescent hormones, and college and career choices all at once?

On top of all that, he meets Grace—the beautiful, outgoing new girl who shakes his very foundation and grounds him at the same time.

What he does is try the medication that’s supposed to make him better, knowing there’s a chance he could just get worse.

Warning: Side Effects may include increased heart rate, dry mouth, interrupted speech, elevated body temperature, and dizziness or lightheadedness upon seeing her smile.

Interview with Isaac Matthews, the main character
Describe yourself in one sentence.

God, how could one sentence describe anxiety disorder? Or is it fair at all to let the disorder define me? How about: Isaac Matthews is determined.

What is the one thing you want and what are you willing to do to get it?

Sometimes I want to be normal—to have the life other kids take for granted. To get through the night without bad dreams. To talk to Grace without stuttering or passing out. But then I realize my anxiety doesn’t make me weak. I’m so much stronger because of what I go through every day. So, really, I just want Grace. Is that wrong?

Who stands in your way?

Myself. But I’m working on that.

Who would you most like to recruit to your cause?

Believe it or not, the most unusual and unexpected people stand beside me when I don’t think I deserve it. I don’t have many friends, but the ones I do have are pretty cool.

Describe the world you live in.

Mostly in my head, which is usually a scary place. Outside my head, things couldn’t be more picture-perfect. Small-town Tennessee, small school, mean kids, nice kids. Normal stuff—the things you live every day.

What event from your past has shaped you the most?

Probably my first anxiety attack. Of course it happened at school, so I’ve had to live that down every day of my life since. But then, things also changed the day she started school at Harriman.

What is your greatest fear?

Can I say everything? No? Then probably the possibility that I’ll always be afraid. That my anxiety will keep me from going to college, following my dreams…talking to Grace.

What are your plans for your current endeavor?

Medicine helps, but I really just have to learn to control my mind. To remind myself when my chest hurts and my pulse races that I’m not dying. I’m safe. I’m loved. But mostly that I’m not dying. I know with some help, I can get there.

Interview with the Author
What’s your latest book about?

The next release, which should be any day now, is the first in a series about some special teens. Chase, the privileged heir, moves to Nashville and begins experiencing psychic phenomena. His visions show him how the Queen Bee dies in the pool, and the next day, his worst fear is confirmed. New and scary, the abilities aren’t his alone. He discovers two other students well outside his social circles who also had hints of what would happen to the popular student. As they work together, far from prying eyes and judgmental ears, Chase discovers as much about himself as he does the murder.

What genre do you prefer to write and why?

I’ve always loved writing for young adults and teens. When I was younger, nothing could pry a book from my hands. I remember the joy and excitement of bookstores and library visits with such sweetness, and I hope to inspire that same connection in other young readers someday.

That’s not to say I don’t enjoy writing for adults, though. I’ve got some of those in the works, too.

How did you get started as a writer?

Ha! I wrote my first “book” when I was twelve. I think my mom did me a favor and threw away the notebook. If only she knew what embarrassing gems that thing held. I still dabbled off and on throughout high school and college, but most of my passion was directed toward a stage career in opera. After a car accident and broken leg ended that dream, I returned to writing as a creative outlet.

How many books do you have out?

At the moment, The Kingdom and Side Effects are the only releases. The Oracles of St. Ambrose: Going Under is due out any day now…maybe next week.

What’s the next project you plan to release?

My next project will be the second book in The Kingdom series, The Morning Star. The book picks up just after the first ended, and Lily, our heroine, is in New York, making a go of it at Juilliard without her love. I think it’s a little darker than the first, with some more action and some more insight into Lily.

Name a favorite book hero and why you chose him/her.

Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all-time favorites. I had trouble choosing between her and Anne Shirley, and pretty much for the same reasons. These girls were forward thinkers, determined to see the best in the world while struggling not to fall into the same expectations of the past. They had open hearts and minds, loved with their whole hearts, helped friends and strangers in need, and stood strong in the face of fear. Their creators were, one must believe, strong women, too.

Name a favorite book villain and why you chose him/her.

Oh, I can’t tell you the villain because that would give it away, but the most fun I’ve had reading recently has been my hours spent with Kate SeRine’s Transplanted Tales series. It’s still relatively new, so not many already know the villain. I can’t do that to Kate—give away the secret. I can say, go read it. If you have ever in your life enjoyed fairy tales, you’ll get a kick out these books.

About the Author
Jennifer M. Barry knows she’s in trouble when people use her whole name, so just Jen is fine. In addition to writing and editing, she loves to drink coffee, consume entirely too much Cherry Garcia, laugh at herself on her blog, and watch live music. Jen lives in Nashville with her husband, Liam. They just bought their first house and are freaking out about taxes, redecorating, return on investment, and a million other grown-up things. Life is officially weird.

Follow Jen on Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, or her website. She also runs a blog with fellow author and friend, Melissa Fox. Discover new books, read guest posts by favorite authors, or get some marketing advice from real professionals at Fight for Your Write.

{Blogger Book Fair}Sugar Coated, by Shannen Crane Camp: A Q&A with the Main Character

An unhealthy addiction to sugar cubes, a deep-seated fear of water, and universal luxury—these are the simple things that make up 18-year-old Brynn's Utopian existence. Why, then, is her perfect life also plagued with unanswered questions?

Like every other resident of the planet Halcyon, Brynn's home provides everything she needs, money is unheard of, and life is perfect. But unlike the rest of Seaside's residents, Brynn has questions. Why can't people leave the city? Why does the ocean fill everyone with terror? Who are the Workers? Not only is Brynn curious where others are compliant, but she suffers from chronic nightmares of an angelic woman torturing her for information she doesn’t possess. But these are more than just figments of her imagination; they're memories of things that never happened.

When Brynn meets Jonah, a brilliant, library-dwelling boy who shares her questions and her curiosity, they formulate a plan to find answers. Somewhere, the perfect veneer of Halcyon's instant gratification hides a city that only Brynn knows about—a city she and Jonah are determined to find. But will finding the city give them answers, or simply uncover the horrific truth behind the perfection?

Interview with Brynn, main character of Sugar Coated
1. Describe yourself in one sentence.

Where others are complacent, I’m curious.

2. What is the one thing you want and what are you willing to do to get it?

I want the truth, and I’m willing to do anything to obtain it.

3. Who stands in your way?

A woman named Eris, who I thought only existed in my nightmares, until I realized, she might not be as fictional as I’d hoped.

4. Who would you most like to recruit to your cause?

My best friend Ty is always supportive, but I can tell he doesn’t believe my crazy theories about the city we live in. If I could get him on my side, I think we’d be able to find the truth.

5. Describe the world you live in.

Everything is perfect, if you think never progressing in life is perfect. No one works, everything is given to you, and they restrict when and how we can leave the city for our ‘safety’, though I have my doubts about their motivation.

6. What event from your past has shaped you the most?

When I was nine, I took a train trip with my parents. The train stopped at a city that no one seems to believe in. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to get back to it.

7. What is your greatest fear?

Never finding answers to my questions.

8. What are your plans for your current endeavor?

I plan to find the city I learned about as a child. I think if I can find the city, I’ll find the answers I need, and learn more about the woman who haunts my nightmares.



Other Books by this Author



About Shannen Crane Camp
Shannen Crane Camp was born and raised in Southern California, where she developed a love of reading, writing, and anything having to do with film. After high school, she moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, where she received a degree in Media Arts and found herself a husband in fellow California native Josh Camp. The two now live in either California or Utah... they still can't decide. Shannen loves to hear from readers, so feel free to contact her at Shannencbooks@hotmail.com.

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{Blogger Book Fair}Featured: Daughter of Helaman by Misty Moncur

Sometimes, the fiercest battles in life are not fought on the battlefield.

Keturah was not content to stay home while her brothers marched out to battle against the Lamanites. She fought her way into the army, but now she's in Judea building embattlements and fighting boredom. The other soldiers resent her, her brothers are becoming strangers, and Zeke's jealousy is getting worse.

Working to gain the trust of the men in her unit, she completes every order with determination. A spy mission into Antiparah. A secret assassination at Cumeni. A guard detail to Zarahemla. From burying the dead to whiling away hours on guard duty, Keturah will do whatever it takes to protect her religion, her freedom, her peace, and her family. But in a camp of two thousand boys, the most important thing she has to protect is her heart.

Fight FREE during the Book Blogger Fair. Check them out! And follow Misty's blog for the cover reveal of Fight For You coming up next month!



Misty Moncur wanted to be Indiana Jones when she grew up. Instead, she became an author and has her adventures at home. In her jammies. With her imagination. And pens that she keeps running dry.

Misty lives in a marsh near a very salty lake in Utah with her husband and children, where they sit around of an evening and read their Kindles. Well, she does anyway.

Connect with Misty at the links below.

Visit Misty's blog
Like The Stripling Warrior Series
Connect with Misty on Goodreads
Add Daughter of Helaman to your To Read list
Follow Misty on Twitter
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Continue the Stripling Warrior series on Wattpad!

{Blogger Book Fair}Meet Mindy Killgrove, Author of Meet Me at Fountain Park

Hello and thank you to everyone for reading my Guest Blog today. I’d like to extend a special thank you to E.M. for allowing me to post on her blog. My name is Mindy Killgrove and I’m a contemporary fiction, romance, and humor novelist. I have a great time popping from one genre to the next, but most of the time, I focus on creating fiction that my readers find realistic. On my own blog, I enjoy writing top eight lists. (Eight is my lucky number.) For today, I’d like to share with you:

The Top Eight Things I Love About Summertime
8. Ice cream—I understand that July is national ice cream month, and I know that it deserves a whole month of celebration. Whether it’s snowing, or the sun is blazing hot, I’ll always be happy to pick up a soft serve cone or enjoy a pint of Ben and Jerry’s.

7. Going to the movies—I always enjoy heading out to the cinema, but the best thing about catching a summer movie is that the options abound. I can see a film in a nice, air-conditioned stadium or I can watch a flick outside at the drive-in or during a town-sponsored family movie night.

6. Exercise—The best part about exercising during the summertime is the extra calorie burn. Not only can you run outside and eliminate your normal number of calories, but you can sweat off about ten more. It’s perfect.

5. Getting a tan—I try to get a little sun exposure every day. After applying sunscreen, I love to go for walks around the neighborhood or play outside at the park with my kids. Vitamin D is good for everyone—in moderation.

4. Watching TV—I remember when watching television during the summertime was taboo, but nowadays I just can’t miss two of my favorite series: “True Blood” and “The Newsroom”.

3. Attending Festivals—People tend to be happier when they are mingling with friends and family. Festivals usually bring people together and make everyone smile a little bit brighter. A lot of the festivals that my family and I have attended this summer have included the large inflatable toys for kids to use. The sumo wrestlers are my favorite.

2. Blogging- Because I’m a school teacher, I have an odd schedule. I don’t always have a ton of time during the school year to spend blogging and keeping up with my webpage. But, during the summertime, I’m able to relax and enjoy my writing. I’m also able to surf through so much more from others as well. It’s great to reconnect!

1. Reading-I love sitting on my back porch and reading a book. This can be done in the sunshine or the shade, but either way, I enjoy kicking back and devouring a new novel. My own novels are what I would describe as the perfect books to throw in your beach bag and take down by the water. Whether you’re downloading the ebook or taking the paperback along with you, Meet Me at the Pond and Meet Me at Fountain Park are pure fun. They’ll help you relax and enjoy your vacation.

I created the Missy Lawrence Trilogy a few years ago. Currently, Meet Me at the Pond and Meet Me at Fountain Park are available in paperback and ebook editions. The third and final book in the series Meet Me at Rock Creek will be published before the end of the year. If you’ve ever been in love, or if you’re still searching for the right one, let Missy Lawrence and her gang of girlfriends entertain you (and commiserate, perhaps).

Mindy Killgrove Links and Giveaway

Buy Meet Me at Fountain Park

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{Blogger Book Fair}Interview with Marie Landry, Author of Waiting for the Storm

Charlotte O’Dell knows this summer is going to suck. Her beloved mother just died, her sister hates her, and her dad has completely checked out. Fulfilling her mother’s final wish, the family heads to Angel Island for the summer to stay in a beach house her mother once loved.

After a year of being shut away taking care of her mother, Charlotte is numb and practically afraid of her own shadow; she hopes going to the island will give her the time and space she needs to begin healing, and an opportunity to bring her family back together. When she meets her mysterious neighbor, Ezra, it doesn’t take long for Charlotte to confess the issues she’s developed. Ezra begins giving Charlotte assignments to get over her fears, and although she accepts his tasks, all she really wants is to be with him. When she’s with Ezra, she’s able to forget the hollow ache in her heart and the fact that her family is falling apart. But Ezra has secrets…

Can Charlotte pull what’s left of her family together, mend her broken heart, and allow herself to fall for Ezra? Or is it all just a storm waiting to happen?

[image error]
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Quickie Author Q & A

What's something readers might not know about you?I'm really into graphic design. When I first became part of the online community, I joined PSP and tagging groups and started dabbling in design. It was something I quickly came to love. I eventually ran a few of my own groups where I did designs and skins for MSN, Yuku, and Aimoo groups, then when I started blogging I did my own designs and graphics. When it came time to do the cover for my debut novel, Blue Sky Days, I decided I wanted full control, so I designed it myself. I had such a great response from readers and bloggers, I knew I wanted to design all my own book covers, and I've also done covers for a couple author friends. 
What are you working on now? I've just recently started my fourth novel. I did a project for NaNoWriMo last November that I wasn't happy with and didn't finish (but hope to eventually), and then I moved on to write a Christmas novella, which will be out this November. After that, I started a couple other projects but nothing was really speaking to me until my current work in progress. I don't want to say much about it, but it's contemporary new adult, and I'm pleased with what I've done so far. I'm hoping to finish writing it this summer and publish it by late fall.
In your opinion, what's the best thing about blogging? Definitely the community. Book bloggers and authors who blog are so warm and generous and just really, really lovely. I've made some amazing friends through blogging, and I know that when I need something - whether it's help with a cover reveal or promotion, a pep talk, advice, or I just want to have a totally random and silly conversation - I can depend on this community. It's the best feeling.

Excerpt from Waiting for the Storm

“Oh, Charlotte, there you are.” Dad walked into the kitchen and looked at me as if he hadn’t seen me in ages. “That boy who’s working on the porch…what is his name, and why can’t I remember it?”
“Ezra,” I prompted.
“Ezra!” Dad said, snapping his fingers. “Ezra asked me to tell you he had to leave early today to check on a project he’s doing for someone else. Said he’ll see you soon, though. He seems like a nice boy.”
“Yeah, he does,” I agreed. The old Dad—as in pre-Zombie Dad—would have prodded me for information about whether I liked Ezra. He would have jabbed me lightly in the ribs and teased me until I told him everything he wanted to know. I waited a minute, hoping he might ask, but he didn’t.
“He’s a fast worker, too,” he commented instead. “I thought it would take ages to get that porch down, but he’s almost done.” I just nodded, unsure how to respond. After a few seconds, he said, “Anyway, I was going to head into town, check things out. I thought you and Ella might like to come along, but she just left. You up for it?”
“Absolutely,” I said without hesitation. I thought for sure it would be days before I’d get a chance to go anywhere, and I was eager to see what else the island had to offer.
“Great.” Dad gave me a small smile and stepped closer, running his hand down my long braid and tugging lightly on the end. “I know this isn’t easy,” he said quietly. “I know you and Mom were close…and I know I’ve been…” He waved a hand around, as if hoping to grasp the right words from thin air. Finally he shrugged helplessly, searching my face for understanding.
“I know, Dad.” My throat was so thick I could only whisper the words.
He leaned his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. I closed mine too, and felt tears slip down my cheeks.
“I’m so angry, Charlotte,” he whispered. “So angry at her for leaving us.”
I jerked back and looked at him in shock. His eyes were wide, and he looked like he desperately wished he could take back his words. The guilt in his expression made the hollow ache around my heart return. He started to back toward the door, but I grabbed his wrist, stopping him.
“I’m mad too.” My voice was a barely audible whisper now, and I prayed that wherever Mom was she hadn’t heard me. I hadn’t let myself acknowledge that particular emotion because it felt like I was betraying Mom. She hadn’t asked to get sick, and she sure as hell hadn’t asked to die, but it didn’t stop the anger.
I had made up my mind it was one thing I would never share with another living soul. My sadness, my pain, my inability to understand how life could be so unfair sometimes—that was one thing—but the anger was something I was ashamed of.
Until now. Until I realized I wasn’t alone. 
Dad just stared at me. He looked like he wanted to believe me, but he wasn’t quite sure if I was just saying the words or if they were true.
“I’ve been angry for so long,” he told me, his voice quiet as if he were confessing his sins and hoping to be absolved. “It’s not fair. She was so…so young and beautiful and vibrant, with such an amazing life ahead. But it was ripped away from her. She was ripped away from us. I know it happens all the time, but it’s just so wrong.”
“I know.” I was still holding his wrist, and I could feel his pulse fluttering under his skin like a trapped butterfly. “I know.”
“But…” He shrugged and wiped at his red eyes. “That’s life. Being angry doesn’t bring her back. It doesn’t change a damn thing, does it?”
I shook my head. Without a word, he pulled his arm from my grasp, turned, and walked toward the sliding doors in the living room. “I’ll be waiting in the car,” he called. “Take your time.”

[image error] Marie Landry is the author of BLUE SKY DAYS (contemporary YA—January 2012), THE GAME CHANGER (chick lit—November 2012), and WAITING FOR THE STORM (contemporary YA—April 2013). Marie has always been a daydreamer; since early childhood, she's had a passion for words and a desire to create imaginary worlds, so it only seemed natural for her to become a writer. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, wandering around with a camera in her hand, or having grand adventures with her nephews and niece. 
For more on Marie and her books, please visit sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca


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{Blogger Book Fair}An Interview with Delancey Stewart, Author of A Rare Vintage

In what part of the country do you live? From what part do you originate?

I currently live in the mid-Atlantic - Southern Maryland. There's a big Naval base here, and my husband is in the military. I grew up in Fresno, California.

Do you have siblings? Where do you fall in the pecking order and do you think it’s influenced your life?

I have one older brother. He's about 18 months my senior, though for most of my life people assumed he was younger for some reason. (I guess I'm just SO mature.) I was definitely used to being the baby for a long time...I'm not sure that being the youngest has had any real lasting impact, however.

How did you meet your best friend?

I have a few... but the friend I've been close with the longest - since like 7th grade - was just a girl I knew at school. We were more acquaintances than friends until high school when we began to find that we a had a lot in common. We stayed close through college, though we were at different schools, and soon realized that we were leading completely parallel lives. We would be in relationships at the same time -- with frighteningly similar men...we'd break up at the same time... it was frankly weird. She was the maid of honor in my wedding, and we've kept in close contact since!

When did you begin writing?

I don't even know the answer to that. In the womb, maybe?

What has surprised you most about the process of being published?</^pb>

The closeness of the writing communities I've found, and the willingness of authors to help each other out. I guess that's not really a publishing thing...

Is writing your “day job”? If not, what else do you do?

It depends on what you mean... I'm a tech writer in my "day job"... so yeah, writing is my day job. But I'm not a full-time author. Yet.

What Jelly Belly flavor is your favorite?

Very Cherry.

If you sat down at a bar at this moment, what would you order to drink?

Ketel One martini, dirty, with three olives.

What was the last book you finished?

Reading? Speak Easy by Melanie Harlow.Writing? Men and Martinis (the first book the Girlfriends of Gotham series, publishing with Swoon Romance this fall)

What has been your favorite writing project to work on?

Probably Men and Martinis... It's slightly autobiographical - mostly in terms of the setting. The story takes place in Manhattan in the late 90s... which is just when I happened to live there. So there's a bit of reminiscing going on as I write those books.

Are there any characters – yours or another author’s – that have stayed in your head after you’ve finished their book?

I definitely hear my M&M characters in my every day life. They're a group of close girlfriends and they all have really distinct voices and very strong opinions, so they are constantly weighing in on things! As far as other author's books...I couldn't forget the little girl in Markus Zusak's The Book Thief.

What performance would you drop everything to see if it came to your town? (Band, artist, opera, ballet, whatever…)

The Rolling Stones

Give us a couple of your favorite lines from your WIP…

The WIP is called Redemption Red. It's the second book in the Wine Country Romance series.

She sat back on his thighs, breaking off the kiss, and unbuttoned the crisp white shirt she wore for work.

Tyson’s eyes focused on her fingers, his face flushed and his breathing heavy and uneven.

She fumbled with the bottom button, and ended up pulling the shirt up over her head instead of slipping it off in the sexy way she’d imagined herself doing. And it got hung up on her chin. She had forgotten to unbutton the cuffs, and now was essentially trapped inside her shirt, pulling uselessly with her arms as it hung over her head. She stopped struggling to hear Tyson chuckling.

“Seriously?” she asked him. “You’re laughing at me?”

“No,” he said quickly, his voice still full of desire. “I’m laughing with you.”

“Maybe you’ve noticed that I’m not actually laughing.”

“You would be if you could see yourself right now.”

“Think maybe you could lend me a hand?”

“Oh, I’m planning to,” he said.

She felt his warm hands sliding up her back toward the clasp of her bra.“Tyson!”

“Just kidding,” he said, his voice low and deep. “Let me help you.”

His fingers found their way to the button that had her head caught, finally allowing the shirt to slip off her shoulders, caught only on her wrists. He pushed away the fabric until he could free her hands, and pushed the shirt off until it lay in a heap on the floor.

“Well, that didn’t go quite the way I’d imagined,” she told him. Had she completely killed the mood? She sat on his lap still, wearing only her basic flesh-toned bra. She hadn’t really planned the evening for a romantic interlude.

Tyson grinned at her then. It was the most relaxed look she’d ever seen from him. His eyes lightened and glowed, and his face took on a boyish look. “That was awesome,” he said, still chuckling.

“Shut up.” She was laughing too, though she was still embarrassed by her failed strip-tease attempt. “I’d like to see you try to be sexy with all this pressure.”

“Oh yeah?” The grin was still there, and Audrey’s heart was melting. The Tyson she’d met before was gorgeous and ridiculously sexy in a hot and tormented way. This Tyson, this guy with the carefree smile who was unabashedly laughing with her — this was a guy she could see spending some real time with. He was adorable and sexy all at once.

About Delancey Stewart
Delancey Stewart has lived on both coasts, in big cities and small towns. She's been a pharmaceutical rep, a personal trainer and a wine seller. Despite lots of other interests, she has always been a writer.A military spouse and the mother of two small boys, her current job titles include pirate captain, monster hunter, Lego assembler and story reader. She tackles all these efforts from her current home in Southern Maryland.Delancey Stewart is the author of Through a Dusty Window: New York City Stories 1910-2001 and A Rare Vintage, the first in her Wine Country Romance Series. Men and Martinis (Swoon Romance) is the first book in the Girlfriends of Gotham series, and publishes in Fall 2013.

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{Blogger Book Fair}Emma Calin's Three Way Seduction: Escape to Love

Hi, Emily, Thanks for hosting my on the second day of the Blogger Book Fair (BBF)!

My name is Emma Calin, I am a British writer of steamy romances and gritty short stories and novellas. I am lucky to have two homes, one in southern England and the other in France. I enjoy blogging about my life in the two locations – it's really fascinating to be able to observe life from two perspectives.


I have recently launched a collection of my individual stories as a 'boxed set' called 'THE LOVE IN A HOPELESS PLACE COLLECTION'.

It came out on the 18th July and is available on Amazon Worldwide in e-book format for Kindle, iPad, Android, iPhone, Mac, PC etc.

My new collection consists of five stand-alone titles which are all available on Amazon as separate entities as well. They are realist 'true life' tales from the less advantaged sectors of society – often based on my own experiences or folk I have met. Although not romances as such, they follow a common human theme – the quest for love and respect in a harsh world. Social realism for the 21st century.

Today I am featuring one of the stories: 'ESCAPE TO LOVE' on Emily's blog. I would like to offer you a snippet from 'ESCAPE TO LOVE' , in the form of a '3-Way Seduction' – by sharing a character, a location and a sentence from the end of a scene.

Book Title: Escape To Love (#3 in the Love in a Hopeless Place Collection)
Genre: Suspense/Romance

Blurb: Even in the barren wasteland of urban decay new green life is possible. In Nature and in Love, that which can be, somehow finds a crack, a corner or ledge and grasps its chance of life.

A woman on the run from domestic violence with no one but her vulnerable autistic teenage child as a companion, lives in isolation and fear. While her hand to mouth scenarios are played out in the shadow of a threatening suspense, a story of crime and love unfolds around her. She cannot risk her child. Her own longings for love and romance have to take a poor second place. When the fallout from a prison break, a hero rescue and a murder mystery crash through her door and into her need and loneliness, it is no longer a crime story. It is a question of when Love in itself is a crime and how far a woman will go in its name and for those she loves.

A powerful novelette that explores survival in adversity, love in peril and the bond between a mother and her special-needs daughter.

Emma's 'Three Way Seduction' - A Character – A Location – An end of scene sentence: 
Character: He must have been about 6’4”, a foot taller than her. His broad shoulders almost filled the doorway as he stepped out of the shadows. She let him pass. He smelled of man-sweat, mud and wet clothes.

Location: Maria knew for herself the fear of sirens. Now a helicopter hovered over woods at the edge of the estate. On the air of deepening dusk, she caught the sound of dogs. Outside in the strange darkness there was trouble. She shuddered, feeling even more alone and glanced at the clock. Lucy had not come home from school.

End of scene sentence: If he touched her now she would let go completely.

Were you seduced?

Here's a link to my book trailer for Escape To Love: http://youtu.be/eUxzzHaN8fA

To celebrate the launch and the Blogger Book Fair, the Collection, which includes ESCAPE TO LOVE, is available for the bargain price of 99c/77p each for the duration of the fair (The Collection will be going back up to $4.99 from the 1st of August).

If that's not enough to tempt you, I have also made one of the stand-alone titles – 'ANGELA' from the collection, FREE – go on, download it you know you want to!

Thanks for having me Emily, regular readers of this blog can visit Emily's post on my blog here: http://www.emmacalin.blogspot.com


Author Links
More books by Emma CalinBlog | Website | Facebook Author Page | Facebook Book Page | Pinterest | GoodreadsTwitter:@Emma Calin



For my next stop on the Blogger Book Fair, see below, there will be more excerpts from my books.


22nd July 
Caitlyn Nicholas
Jamie Campbell
23rd July 
Penelope Reece
24th July 
Leslie R. Wright 
25th July 
Aria Glazki
Barbara Billig
26th July 
Don Wooldridge

{Blogger Book Fair}The Nuclear Catastrophe, a fiction novel by Barbara Griffin Billig and Bett Pohnka

THE NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE, a fiction novel of survival (3rd edition)

A new FICTION NOVEL for EVERYONE – written for your entertainment & to raise nuclear awareness.

THE NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE is set in Southern California and deals with characters caught in a disaster that they thought could NEVER happen. Ben, head of Whitewater Nuclear Power Plant & his pregnant wife Sara live in San Mirado, near the ocean. One fateful day the unexpected happens.....Ben and Sara, the plant workers, the people living in San Mirado and those in adjacent cities all have to make decisions as to what to do, where to go. Their choices have both good and bad consequences.

This fictional story brings home the reality of what would or could happen. History has shown us time after time that......what can go wrong....will go wrong. What would YOU do? Your answers may be different after reading this novel. Read how these characters faced difficult choices - and decide what you would have done - or will do.

This book is available at Amazon.com as an ebook (Kindle version) or in paperback. Kindle books can be downloaded to The Kindle or to a PC or Tablet, Notebook, or Smartphone. Visit Amazon.com to download a free Kindle app that allows this book to be read on a PC, Tablet, Notebook, or Smartphone.

This fiction novel is meant to entertain and to educate. Very little has been written on this subject that is not a deep non-fiction book. And now that we have experienced the nuclear disasters of Fukushima and Chernobyl we know how dangerous these power plants can be. As of 2011 there were 442 nuclear power plants operating or under construction in the world. The United States has 104. Whether it is a terrorist dirty bomb or a nuclear melt down - we should know what is happening and be prepared. I hope you will take the time to read this fictional story. 50% of the proceeds from the sale of the E book in 2013 are being donated to a charity to support the forgotten victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

What some of the readers have said:

"I enjoyed this book because it could happen. I think anyone living in a state with a nuclear reactor exists should read this."

"A frightening tale of survival. You never really think about the events that take place after you have been stripped of normal day to day resources. No police, hospitals, you are your own 911 and now have to protect yourself against the world."

"A worthy read! This is a book whose vivid, thought-provoking images have stayed with me even months after reading it! It helped me to better understand the potential repercussions of a nuclear disaster."



Barbara Griffin Billig Thanks You For Your Interest!
Web Page:http://mysite.verizon.net/resrrmof/Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/BarbaraBilligTheNuclearCatastrophe Follow on twitter: @Barbarabillig Available for Kindle:http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WDRWXY On Pinterest:/http://pinterest.com/barbarabillig/nuclear-catastrophes/ Read an excerpt now:http://bit.ly/pY8HxX Available also as THE DISQUIET SURVIVORS of The Nuclear Catastrophe in Paperback

{Blogger Book Fair}An Interview with Meg Mims, Author of Double Crossing and Double or Nothing

Meg Mims is an award-winning author of western historical mysteries. Double Crossing won the 2012 Spur Award for Best First Novel and was named a finalist in the 2012 USA Book News Awards. Meg published the sequel, Double or Nothing, in March of 2013. She is also one-half of the writing team D.E. Ireland with a new cozy mystery series coming out from St. Martin’s Press in 2014.

What’s your favorite food and drink? Truly, it’s cookies. I would trade anything for cookies and a mug of Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice tea or a Caribou Mint (dark chocolate, please!) Mochoa. Panera’s shortbread, to be precise, drizzled with chocolate, or the chocolate/vanilla cookie from the Mexican bakery in Silver Springs, MD. I don’t mean to be fussy, but hey. Priorities.

Tell us about your Double Series.

 I wrote Double Crossing as a twist on True Grit and Murder on the Orient Express. I was ecstatic when it won the Western Writers of America Spur Award in 2012 for Best First Novel. I mean, really?? That’s equivalent to an Edgar for mystery, to a Rita for romance, to a Bram Stoker for horror! So the pressure was on to make Double or Nothing, the sequel, just as entertaining yet different and a wrap-up to the heroine/hero relationship between Lily Granville and Ace Diamond begun in Double Crossing. With the flavor of California mining and dynamite history thrown in, plus a sumptuous banquet based on an actual event in November of 1869 to honor the CPRR bigwigs. Oh yeah. Had to put all the food and decoration details woven in that scene.
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What’s next for your career?

I’m teaming up with a writing partner as D.E. Ireland for a cozy mystery series featuring Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins. We had a blast writing the first book, Wouldn’t It Be Deadly, which will debut next year from St. Martin’s Press. And we’re planning on having even more fun writing the second book in the series! My agent is shopping a Lighthouse Mystery series that I wrote as my thesis during my MA in the prestigious Writing Popular Fiction program at Seton Hill University. I also write contemporary Christmas romance novellas. Santa Paws was about my rescue dog, Benjy, and I'm currently writing Santa Claws about my cat. I hope to put Santa Paws and Santa Claws out in ebook and print this coming November.

For now - I'm talking about my Double Series -- Double Crossing is a twist of True Grit on a train, and Double or Nothing is the sequel.
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What's Double Crossing about?

A murder arranged as a suicide ... a missing deed ... and a bereft daughter whose sheltered world is shattered. August, 1869: Lily Granville is stunned by her father's murder. Only one other person knows about a valuable California gold mine deed -- both are now missing. Lily heads west on the newly opened transcontinental railroad, determined to track the killer. She soon realizes she is no longer the hunter but the prey. As things progress from bad to worse, Lily is uncertain who to trust--the China-bound missionary who wants to marry her, or the wandering Texan who offers to protect her ... for a price. Will Lily survive the journey and unexpected betrayal?

Here's an EXCERPT from Double Crossing… 
Evanston, Illinois: 1869

I burst into the house. Keeping the flimsy telegram envelope, I dumped half a dozen packages into the maid’s waiting arms. “Where’s Father? I need to speak to him.”

“He’s in the library, Miss Lily. With Mr. Todaro.”

Oh, bother. I didn’t have time to deal with Emil Todaro, my father’s lawyer. He was the last person I wanted to see—but that couldn’t be helped. Thanking Etta, I raced down the hall.

Father turned from his roll-top desk, spectacles perched on his thin nose and hands full of rustling papers. Todaro rose from an armchair with a courteous bow. His silver waistcoat buttons strained over his belly and his balding head shone in the sunlight.

I forced myself to nod in his direction and then planted a quick kiss on Father’s leathery cheek. The familiar scents of pipe tobacco and bay rum soothed my nervous energy.

“I didn’t expect you back so early, Lily. What is it?”

With an uneasy glance at Todaro, I slipped him the envelope. “The telegraph messenger boy caught me on my way home.” My voice dropped. “It’s from Uncle Harrison.”

Father poked up his wire rims while he pored over the brief message. His shoulders slumped. “I’ll speak plainly, Lily, because Mr. Todaro and I were discussing this earlier. My brother sent word that George Hearst intends to claim the Early Bird mine in a Sacramento court. Harrison believes his business partner never filed the deed. He needs to prove our ownership.”

“Hearst holds an interest in the Comstock Lode, Colonel.” Todaro had perked up, his long knobby fingers forming a steeple. The lawyer resembled an amphibian, along with his deep croak of a voice. “His lawyers are just as ambitious and ruthless in court.”

Father peered over his spectacles. “Yes, but I have the original deed. I didn’t plan to visit California until next month, so we’ll have to move up our trip.”

“Oh!” I clasped my hands, a thrill racing through me. “I’m dying to visit all the shops out there, especially in San Francisco. When do we leave?”

“We? I meant myself and Mr. Todaro.”

I stared at the lawyer, who didn’t conceal a sly smirk. “You cannot leave me behind, Father. I promised to visit Uncle Harrison, and what if I decide to go to China?”

“Lily, I refuse to discuss the matter. This trip is anything but a lark.”

“It’s a grueling two thousand miles on the railroad, Miss Granville. Conditions out west are far too dangerous for a young lady,” Todaro said. “Even with an escort.”

“The new transcontinental line has been operating all summer. Plenty of women have traveled to California. I’ve read the newspaper reports.”

“I’m afraid the Union and Central Pacific cars are not as luxurious as the reports say. You have no idea. The way stations are abominable, for one thing.”

I flashed a smile at him. “I’m ready for adventure. That’s why I’ve considered joining the missionary team with Mr. Mason.”

Father scowled. “You are not leaving Evanston until I give my approval.”

“You mean until you dissuade me from ‘such a ridiculous notion.’”

“Need I remind you of the fourth commandment, Lily?”

“No, Father. We’ll discuss this later.” My face flushed hot.

Annoyed by being reprimanded in front of Todaro, I ignored the rest of the conversation. I’d always wanted to see the open prairie and perhaps a buffalo herd chased by Indians, the majestic Rocky Mountains and California. California, with its mining camps, lush green meadows and warm sunshine, the cities of Sacramento and San Francisco that had to be as exhilarating as downtown Chicago. I’d pored over the grainy pen-and-ink drawings in the Chicago Times. Uncle Harrison, who’d gone west several years ago to make a fortune and succeeded, for the most part, would welcome me with open arms.

I plopped down on an armchair and fingered the ridges of the brass floor lamp beside me. Somehow I needed to persuade Father to allow me to tag along on this trip.

BUY LINKS: Re-release coming soon at Amazon, B&N and Smashwords! Now available as a Hardcover Large Print edition and as an Audiobook

[image error] What's Double or Nothing about?
Lily Granville finds herself in more trouble when her guardian announces her engagement to a hand-picked suitor. But she is in love with Ace Diamond, the Texan renegade who saved her life on the journey to California -- a man her uncle is determined to keep away at all cost.
Ace is just as determined to prove himself worthy of Lily's hand -- but is framed for murder after a dynamite explosion. Will Lily be able to save him from the hangman's noose?
BUY LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Smashwords – coming as a HC Large Print in December!

{Blogger Book Fair}Mountain Charm, by Sydney Logan

“True love and sweet whispers, till death do us part; Send someone to love my Appalachian heart.”

At the age of thirteen, Angelina Clark followed in the footsteps of her ancestors by casting an Appalachian love spell, which promised she would blossom into a beautiful and gifted woman who would find her true love. A young Angelina had been thrilled to participate in the sacred ritual, but through the years, her father’s untimely death and her mother’s failing health have shaken Angelina’s magical faith to its core. As her twenty-first birthday approaches, she refuses to practice her supernatural gifts and no longer believes in the love charm.

That is, until Dylan Thomas arrives on her front porch.

Dylan, a Nashville writer, travels to the mountain town of Maple Ridge to unearth the family’s supernatural secrets. While her clairvoyant mother is convinced that Dylan is her daughter’s soul mate, Angelina refuses to see the nosy reporter as anything more than a nuisance.

Despite their constant bickering, sparks fly.

Dylan admits he feels strangely drawn to Angelina and is in no hurry to leave Maple Ridge or publish his magazine article. Fearful that his emotions are being influenced by the spell, a stubborn Angelina struggles to fight her own budding attraction to the reporter.

The two inevitably grow closer just as her mother’s health begins to deteriorate, and Angelina is faced with the possibility of selling the family’s music shop to pay the mounting medical expenses. Desperate to help the woman he loves, Dylan explores his own family tree and finds support from an unlikely source. Can he finally prove his love is real—spell or no spell?

A story filled with love, friendship, family, and just a hint of Appalachian magic, Mountain Charm will leave you spellbound.

Excerpt

“It’s your birthday?” Dylan asked. “Yes, and it was blissfully uneventful until you showed up.” “Beautiful and infuriating,” Dylan muttered. “Look, Angelina, I was just given this assignment yesterday. I don’t have a clue about Appalachian magic tricks or devilworshipping or whatever it is you do up in these mountains, but I have a story to write. Just let me interview you and your mom, and I’ll be back on the interstate before you can say abracadabra.” Instead of pointing out just how ignorant he sounded, Angelina decided what he truly needed was a strong dose of fear. “Actually, I do have something you need to see. A family heirloom. Wait here?” Excited for any useful information, Dylan’s eyes lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. Once again, those good manners kicked in, and Dylan opened the door for her. Angelina raced inside the house. She hadn’t touched it in years, but she still remembered where her father kept the key to the case. She grabbed what she needed and quickly made her way back out to the porch, letting the screen door slam behind her. Dylan jumped out of his chair. “What the hell?” Angelina lifted the rifle and pointed it straight at him. He didn’t need to know the safety was on—or that the chamber was empty. “This is a Remington, passed down from my father and his father, also known as an Appalachian magic wand. Just watch. It’s going to make you disappear.” Angelina thought it was almost comical, hearing him curse and watching him leap off the porch. All the commotion caused her dog to chase after him, which only made Dylan sprint faster until he reached the sanctuary of his vehicle. “Are you insane?” Dylan yelled. “I tend to get a little crazy when someone trespasses on my property. Leave my family alone and don’t come back!” He slammed the door and had to do some fancy maneuvering to get around her car, but within seconds, the only sounds Angelina could hear were Dylan’s squealing tires, her dog’s noisy bark, and her mother’s hearty laughter.Buy from:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
The Writers Coffee Shop
Author's Website

About Sydney Logan
Sydney Logan is an Amazon bestselling author and holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. With the 2012 release of her first novel, Lessons Learned, she made the transition from bookworm to author. Her second novel, Mountain Charm, was released in July 2013. She is also the author of two short stories: “Mistletoe Magic,” available exclusively on Amazon Kindle, and “Stupid Cupid,” which is featured in the Romantic Interludes compilation.

Sydney has a very unhealthy obsession with music, and her iPod is filled with everything from Johnny Cash to Eminem. When she isn't reading or writing, she enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her front porch at her home in East Tennessee with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.

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