Nicole Zoltack's Blog, page 27
September 20, 2012
Cover Reveal - Elana Johnson's Abandon
I am so excited to be a part of Elana Johnson's cover reveal! Isn't it a beautiful cover? Can't wait to read Abandon! It's Possession #3 from Elana and Simon Pulse and the expected release is June 2013.
AToMR Tours
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16032249-abandon
Book description:
seduced by power,
broken by control,
and consumed by love...
Vi has made her choice between Jag and Zenn, and the Resistance may have suffered for it. But with the Thinkers as strong as ever, the rebels still have a job to do. Vi knows better than anyone that there's more at stake than a few broken hearts.
But there is a traitor among them...and the choices he makes could lead to the total destruction of everything Vi has fought for.
Vi, Jag, and Zenn must set their problems aside for the Resistance to have any hope of ending the Thinkers' reign. Their success means everything...and their failure means death.
ALSO:
Elana is running a Pinterest contest for the cover. She wants to get 500 pins (or repins) over the next two days. If we can get that many, she'll pick someone who pinned the cover to win a $50 Amazon gift card.
It's so easy to do this. All you have to do is click this PIN IT button and select one of your boards to pin the cover to. Elana has done everything else!
Don't have a Pinterest board yet? Put it on your Tumblr page. Your Facebook page. Your twitter stream. Elana will count those too! Just be sure to tag her (@ElanaJ on twitter, Possession by Elana Johnson on Facebook).
AToMR Tours
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16032249-abandon
Book description:
seduced by power,
broken by control,
and consumed by love...
Vi has made her choice between Jag and Zenn, and the Resistance may have suffered for it. But with the Thinkers as strong as ever, the rebels still have a job to do. Vi knows better than anyone that there's more at stake than a few broken hearts.
But there is a traitor among them...and the choices he makes could lead to the total destruction of everything Vi has fought for.
Vi, Jag, and Zenn must set their problems aside for the Resistance to have any hope of ending the Thinkers' reign. Their success means everything...and their failure means death.
ALSO:
Elana is running a Pinterest contest for the cover. She wants to get 500 pins (or repins) over the next two days. If we can get that many, she'll pick someone who pinned the cover to win a $50 Amazon gift card.
It's so easy to do this. All you have to do is click this PIN IT button and select one of your boards to pin the cover to. Elana has done everything else!
Don't have a Pinterest board yet? Put it on your Tumblr page. Your Facebook page. Your twitter stream. Elana will count those too! Just be sure to tag her (@ElanaJ on twitter, Possession by Elana Johnson on Facebook).
September 13, 2012
Interview with Justine Dell, Author of Recaptured Dreams with G*veaways
Everyone, please welcome the wicked awesome Justine Dell! We have a great interview for you today.
Hiya, Justine! We're all dying to know your latest news so spill.
My second book, All
American Girl, was accepted by Ominific and will be published in January
2013!
That's awesome! Congrats! When did you first consider yourself a writer?
You know, it’s funny because I still don’t. I didn’t set out
to become a writer. I wrote because it was something I just liked to do. I
didn’t do it with the goal of being published…that just happens to be a
wonderful perk. Even if I didn’t get one more story published, I would still
write because it’s what I love. It’s a hobby. It’s an obsession. J
Well, you are definitely a writer in my book! (Sorry, bad pun, I know.) Anyhow, what inspired you to write Recaptured Dreams?
This particular book came about in a strange way. Harlequin
had a contest like three years ago for one of their series lines. I thought I
would give entering a try. A co-worker and I were brainstorming and we came up
with the idea on the fly one day. Candice (that is her name) actually came up
with the character Xavier and his
profession, so that credit goes all to her. I simply wrote the story around
this idea of man she created. A
straight, hot, male fashion designer? Heck yeah!
Now that sounds like fun! Do you have a specific writing style?
Panster. All. The. Way. I’d stop writing if I had to plot.
Seriously. Since writing is my passion (and my escape from normal life…lol),
plotting would make it un-fun.
Un-fun is never cool. And I'm a panster too. Pansters Unite!
Ah-hem. Sorry. Got a little carried away there. If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
That would be one, Mrs. Sarah Fine. I found her on Nathan
Bransford’s forums about three years ago and she’s been my best long-distance
friend and writing buddy since. She’s also brilliant and taught me SO much.
Without her, I’m CERTAIN I wouldn’t be where I am today. Every writer needs a
writer buddy.
Of, definitely. Writer buddies are the best. No one else can understand a writer like a writer buddy. So what are your current projects?
I’m in the processing of finishing up a contemporary romance
called Until Next Time. A story about
Piper, a Funeral Director, who’s afraid of loving because she’s afraid of
death. And a man, Macy Quinn Oliver, who will make her see that love and death
are both beautiful.
Oh, that sounds inspiring! How long does it take you to write a book?
That depends on the book. My first book (which will never
see print..lol) took three months. Recaptured Dreams was written in thirty
days. And my most recent project has taken six. So really it depends how much
spare time I have. The more spare time, the faster the book gets done! Of
course, none of these time frames include the dreaded act of editing. Eeek!
I'm the same way. Sometimes I can write a story in a month, sometimes I need a lot longer. And editing always takes me so much longer than writing. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I need total silence.
And no interruptions. Otherwise, I can’t think. Or concentrate. Or focus. I
need everything I have to be focused on the pages in front of me. The family
has yet to learn this rule. J
I can't listen to music when I write so I know where you're coming from. Now for some less serious questions. What would you do if you didn't have to work?
Write. Then write some more. Oh, and live like a hermit. The
only exception to total isolation would be my need for the internet. I could
live without pretty much everything
else. (After my daughter goes off to college, of course!)
Of course! What did you want to be when you were ten years old?
A vet. That’s strange, right? But then I realized that I
loved animals too much to see them hurt. So I wanted to be an ichthyologist and
work on the ocean learning about sharks or seals or something! And, uh, that
didn’t work out either. J
LOL I wanted to be a vet for about a minute. I have really bad allergies. Could never last as a vet!
If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Tina Fey. Hands down. That woman
would get the craziness of my life and the humor. She’d be brilliant as me.
Oh, great choice!
If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
Ordinary to Extraordinary.
*giggle* Assuming one day I have the right to be called extraordinary. *grins*
Justine, you crack me up! That's an awesome title!
Recaptured Dreams Blurb:
Ten years, the
Atlantic Ocean, and several rungs in society have kept Xavier Cain from having
Sophia Montel. Now twenty-seven, he’s spent his entire adult life building a
fashion empire that could finally prove his worth to her family. When fate
reunites him with Sophia at London’s premiere fashion show, one problem lodges
in Xavier’s path: Sophia doesn’t remember him.
The only obstacle that has kept Sophia from Xavier is a horrific car crash that
erased her memory at seventeen. She’s spent the last ten years fighting to
reclaim a sliver of her past that her mother refuses to help her remember. When
Sophia meets Xavier at the London show, however, all her fantasies come to life
in one night of passion. Discovering he is the missing link, she is determined
to find all the pieces to their love story and her memory.
Xavier wants forever. Sophia wants her memory. If they take this chance,
they’ll have to start over. How far are they willing to go get what they want?
And when the past catches up to them, can they handle the truths it has hidden?
Author Bio:
Justine lives in the Midwest, happily catering to her family,
which consists of a horse-obsessed teenage daughter and four crazy dogs. She’s
never moved from her hometown, but hopes to grow old in a much warmer climate.
During the day she works a normal job with college students who
try their best to keep her young. They’ve done a good job thus far. At night, said teenage daughter and her horse
require mounds of love and attention. The weekends belong solely to her and her
writing. That’s when she morphs into a sticky bug, unable to leave the confines
of her computer chair.
She started writing three years ago after seeing a movie that set
off a chain reaction she couldn’t have stopped if she’d wanted. It’s not a
hobby for her; it’s an obsession. One she loves and one she loves to share.
Contact Justine by email: dell.justine@gmail.com
Recaptured Dreams on Goodreads.
Recaptured Dreams on Facebook.
Friend me on Facebook
Check out her Blog.
Find her on Twitter.
Find Recaptured Dreams on Goodreads Profile
And don't forget to check out Omnific Publishing. Romance ... without the rules.
Justine's favorite line from the book:
Xavier had thought he was in paradise before. He’d been wrong. Sophia was more than paradise. She was the very reason he breathed.
Awesome, awesome line. Can definitely see why it's Justine's favorite!
Giveaway time!
One of you can win a copy of Justine's ebook. Justine will pick a winner at the end of the day using a random number generator. Be sure to enter!
Also Justine will be giving away TWO Recaptured Dreams bookmarks!
And another also, Justine's publisher is giving away two paperback copies of the book through a Goodreads Giveaway: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/31551-recaptured-dreams
And finally, Justine is hosting a huge giveaway on her blog during the entire month of September. Details here: http://justine-dell.blogspot.com/
Hiya, Justine! We're all dying to know your latest news so spill.
My second book, All
American Girl, was accepted by Ominific and will be published in January
2013!
That's awesome! Congrats! When did you first consider yourself a writer?
You know, it’s funny because I still don’t. I didn’t set out
to become a writer. I wrote because it was something I just liked to do. I
didn’t do it with the goal of being published…that just happens to be a
wonderful perk. Even if I didn’t get one more story published, I would still
write because it’s what I love. It’s a hobby. It’s an obsession. J
Well, you are definitely a writer in my book! (Sorry, bad pun, I know.) Anyhow, what inspired you to write Recaptured Dreams?
This particular book came about in a strange way. Harlequin
had a contest like three years ago for one of their series lines. I thought I
would give entering a try. A co-worker and I were brainstorming and we came up
with the idea on the fly one day. Candice (that is her name) actually came up
with the character Xavier and his
profession, so that credit goes all to her. I simply wrote the story around
this idea of man she created. A
straight, hot, male fashion designer? Heck yeah!
Now that sounds like fun! Do you have a specific writing style?
Panster. All. The. Way. I’d stop writing if I had to plot.
Seriously. Since writing is my passion (and my escape from normal life…lol),
plotting would make it un-fun.
Un-fun is never cool. And I'm a panster too. Pansters Unite!
Ah-hem. Sorry. Got a little carried away there. If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
That would be one, Mrs. Sarah Fine. I found her on Nathan
Bransford’s forums about three years ago and she’s been my best long-distance
friend and writing buddy since. She’s also brilliant and taught me SO much.
Without her, I’m CERTAIN I wouldn’t be where I am today. Every writer needs a
writer buddy.
Of, definitely. Writer buddies are the best. No one else can understand a writer like a writer buddy. So what are your current projects?
I’m in the processing of finishing up a contemporary romance
called Until Next Time. A story about
Piper, a Funeral Director, who’s afraid of loving because she’s afraid of
death. And a man, Macy Quinn Oliver, who will make her see that love and death
are both beautiful.
Oh, that sounds inspiring! How long does it take you to write a book?
That depends on the book. My first book (which will never
see print..lol) took three months. Recaptured Dreams was written in thirty
days. And my most recent project has taken six. So really it depends how much
spare time I have. The more spare time, the faster the book gets done! Of
course, none of these time frames include the dreaded act of editing. Eeek!
I'm the same way. Sometimes I can write a story in a month, sometimes I need a lot longer. And editing always takes me so much longer than writing. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I need total silence.
And no interruptions. Otherwise, I can’t think. Or concentrate. Or focus. I
need everything I have to be focused on the pages in front of me. The family
has yet to learn this rule. J
I can't listen to music when I write so I know where you're coming from. Now for some less serious questions. What would you do if you didn't have to work?
Write. Then write some more. Oh, and live like a hermit. The
only exception to total isolation would be my need for the internet. I could
live without pretty much everything
else. (After my daughter goes off to college, of course!)
Of course! What did you want to be when you were ten years old?
A vet. That’s strange, right? But then I realized that I
loved animals too much to see them hurt. So I wanted to be an ichthyologist and
work on the ocean learning about sharks or seals or something! And, uh, that
didn’t work out either. J
LOL I wanted to be a vet for about a minute. I have really bad allergies. Could never last as a vet!
If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Tina Fey. Hands down. That woman
would get the craziness of my life and the humor. She’d be brilliant as me.
Oh, great choice!
If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
Ordinary to Extraordinary.
*giggle* Assuming one day I have the right to be called extraordinary. *grins*
Justine, you crack me up! That's an awesome title!
Recaptured Dreams Blurb:
Ten years, the
Atlantic Ocean, and several rungs in society have kept Xavier Cain from having
Sophia Montel. Now twenty-seven, he’s spent his entire adult life building a
fashion empire that could finally prove his worth to her family. When fate
reunites him with Sophia at London’s premiere fashion show, one problem lodges
in Xavier’s path: Sophia doesn’t remember him.
The only obstacle that has kept Sophia from Xavier is a horrific car crash that
erased her memory at seventeen. She’s spent the last ten years fighting to
reclaim a sliver of her past that her mother refuses to help her remember. When
Sophia meets Xavier at the London show, however, all her fantasies come to life
in one night of passion. Discovering he is the missing link, she is determined
to find all the pieces to their love story and her memory.
Xavier wants forever. Sophia wants her memory. If they take this chance,
they’ll have to start over. How far are they willing to go get what they want?
And when the past catches up to them, can they handle the truths it has hidden?
Author Bio:
Justine lives in the Midwest, happily catering to her family,
which consists of a horse-obsessed teenage daughter and four crazy dogs. She’s
never moved from her hometown, but hopes to grow old in a much warmer climate.
During the day she works a normal job with college students who
try their best to keep her young. They’ve done a good job thus far. At night, said teenage daughter and her horse
require mounds of love and attention. The weekends belong solely to her and her
writing. That’s when she morphs into a sticky bug, unable to leave the confines
of her computer chair.
She started writing three years ago after seeing a movie that set
off a chain reaction she couldn’t have stopped if she’d wanted. It’s not a
hobby for her; it’s an obsession. One she loves and one she loves to share.
Contact Justine by email: dell.justine@gmail.com
Recaptured Dreams on Goodreads.
Recaptured Dreams on Facebook.
Friend me on Facebook
Check out her Blog.
Find her on Twitter.
Find Recaptured Dreams on Goodreads Profile
And don't forget to check out Omnific Publishing. Romance ... without the rules.
Justine's favorite line from the book:
Xavier had thought he was in paradise before. He’d been wrong. Sophia was more than paradise. She was the very reason he breathed.
Awesome, awesome line. Can definitely see why it's Justine's favorite!
Giveaway time!
One of you can win a copy of Justine's ebook. Justine will pick a winner at the end of the day using a random number generator. Be sure to enter!Also Justine will be giving away TWO Recaptured Dreams bookmarks!
And another also, Justine's publisher is giving away two paperback copies of the book through a Goodreads Giveaway: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/31551-recaptured-dreams
And finally, Justine is hosting a huge giveaway on her blog during the entire month of September. Details here: http://justine-dell.blogspot.com/
September 10, 2012
Sheri Larsen's Bigger than a Shopping Mall G*veaway
Sheri Larsen is awesome. It comes as now surprise that she's now agented or that she's celebrating with an fantastic giveaway!
Sheri, why don't you tell my lovely readers about your news?
Today, I invite you to celebrate with me!! I've signed with Literary Agent Paula Munier of Talcott Notch Literary! And because our literary community is so freaking fabulous and generous, I'm having a Bigger-Than-A-Shopping-Mall GIVEAWAY!! The giveaway consists of:
two separate Rafflecopters with multiple giveaways
and one grand prize Rafflecopter giveaway - to enter for the grand prize, you must enter either giveaway #1, #2, or both.
There's only one mandatory entry. Everything else is up to you!! I know Rafflecopters can be a pain, but it was the only way to organize such a huge giveaway. The giveaway is open until September 27th. WINNERS will be announced on September 28th. (Entrants may win more than one prize!)
Thank you so much for entering, spreading the word, and celebrating with me!!
List of Rocking Participants: Lenny Lee, Colene Murphy, LM Preston, Darby Karchut, Joanne Brothwell, Patti Larsen, Christine Fonseca, Catherine Stine, Jessica Bell, Kelly Hashway, Leigh Moore, Christine Danek, Alex Cavanaugh, Katie Mills, Matthew MacNish, Beverly McClure, Marcy Hatch, Jennifer Million, Nicole Zoltack,Christina Lee, Kris Yankee, JL Spelbring, Sharon Mayhew, Candice Granger, Dianne Salerni, Lisa & Laura Roecker, Elana Johnson, Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi, Susan Kaye Quinn, Lydia Kang, Julie Musil, Natalie Agurrie, Talli Roland, Medeia Sharif, Kelly Polark, Angela Brown, Sarah Fine, Stina Lindenblatt, Lynda Young,Susan Fields, PK Hrezo, Shannon O'Donnell, Shelli Johannes-Wells, Theresa Brown Milstein.
Links to Rafflecopters:
Giveaway #1:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway #2:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Grand Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sheri, why don't you tell my lovely readers about your news?
Today, I invite you to celebrate with me!! I've signed with Literary Agent Paula Munier of Talcott Notch Literary! And because our literary community is so freaking fabulous and generous, I'm having a Bigger-Than-A-Shopping-Mall GIVEAWAY!! The giveaway consists of:
two separate Rafflecopters with multiple giveaways
and one grand prize Rafflecopter giveaway - to enter for the grand prize, you must enter either giveaway #1, #2, or both.
There's only one mandatory entry. Everything else is up to you!! I know Rafflecopters can be a pain, but it was the only way to organize such a huge giveaway. The giveaway is open until September 27th. WINNERS will be announced on September 28th. (Entrants may win more than one prize!)
Thank you so much for entering, spreading the word, and celebrating with me!!
List of Rocking Participants: Lenny Lee, Colene Murphy, LM Preston, Darby Karchut, Joanne Brothwell, Patti Larsen, Christine Fonseca, Catherine Stine, Jessica Bell, Kelly Hashway, Leigh Moore, Christine Danek, Alex Cavanaugh, Katie Mills, Matthew MacNish, Beverly McClure, Marcy Hatch, Jennifer Million, Nicole Zoltack,Christina Lee, Kris Yankee, JL Spelbring, Sharon Mayhew, Candice Granger, Dianne Salerni, Lisa & Laura Roecker, Elana Johnson, Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi, Susan Kaye Quinn, Lydia Kang, Julie Musil, Natalie Agurrie, Talli Roland, Medeia Sharif, Kelly Polark, Angela Brown, Sarah Fine, Stina Lindenblatt, Lynda Young,Susan Fields, PK Hrezo, Shannon O'Donnell, Shelli Johannes-Wells, Theresa Brown Milstein.
Links to Rafflecopters:
Giveaway #1:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway #2:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Grand Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
September 4, 2012
God Loves You Chester Blue Book Blast with G*veaway
God Loves You. - Chester Blue by Suzanne Anderson
What if when you most needed help, a blue bear appeared with a note from God? One night, Miss Millie of Blossom, Ohio turns her face to the stars and asks God for help. The next day, a package arrives on her doorstep containing a blue teddy bear and a special note. Over the course of a year, this remarkable blue bear travels across the country, showing up just when he’s needed most. During his journey, Chester Blue helps a young girl trying to impress her big sisters; saves a sailor caught in a terrible storm; reunites two constantly fighting brothers; helps a cowboy become a rodeo clown; and aids a father and daughter in bonding after divorce. If you ever needed a message from God, it's here...
Meet Author Suzanne Anderson
I was born in Fort Lauderdale, attended the University of Michigan on an athletic scholarship for swimming and then worked on Wall Street. I left the bright lights of the big city fifteen years ago and traveled the world. I now live in the mountains of Colorado, where I pursue my dream of writing novels.
LINKS:
Website: http://www.suzanneanderson.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzanne-Anderson-Author-Page/201662786512944
Twitter: https://twitter.com/seakiev
http://bookblastpromotions.blogspot.com/
Giveaway Details:
$50 Amazon Gift Card
Ends 9/11/12
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
September 3, 2012
Gearing up to get an Agent Blogfest - Introduction post
Gearing up to get an agent blogfest is a wonderful blogfest for authors. Learn more details and sign up here!
Ok, I'm supposed to write a bio. Let's see... I turned 28 yesterday. Had a great birthday with my family--my awesome hubby and three wonderful boys. I'm an author, obviously, and an editor. My life revolves around my family and my writing.
Q&A
-Where do you write?
Usually at home, either early in the morning or late at night. On some Sundays, hubby will watch the boys so after church, I'll go to B&N and write there for a few hours.
-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?
The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi
-Favorite time to write?
Whenever there aren't any distractions! :P
-Drink of choice while writing?
Water. That's what I drink 99% of the time.
-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?
If I needed complete silence, I would never be able to write! I can block out most background sounds. I love music but I get too distracted by it (I start singing along) so I can't listen to music and write.
-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?
My EIC mentioned how she was talking to an author about superhero romances and the wheels just started to churn.
-What's your most valuable writing tip?
Just sit down and write. The words will come. Sometimes we focus too much on finding the perfect word or phrases. Just get the first draft down and then tweak. You can't perfect what isn't first written.
August 27, 2012
Blood Fugue, Moonsongs Book 1 by E.J. Wesley Cover Reveal Party
Author E.J. Wesley is throwing a blog party to celebrate the release of his new book cover and wants you to join in the fun. Jump over to his blog to learn about how you can win some awesome prizes, including $50 toward a cover of your own and advance reader copies of Blood Fugue.
Cover work by Sketcher Girl, LLC - http://sketchergirlstudios.com/
What's the Story About?
Jenny Schmidt is a young woman with old heartaches. A small town Texas girl with big city attitude, she just doesn’t fit in. Not that she has ever tried. She wears loneliness like a comfy sweatshirt. By the age of twenty-one, she was the last living member of her immediate family. Or so she thought…
Suddenly, instead of burying her history with the dead, Jenny is forced to confront the past. Armed only with an ancient family journal, her rifle, and an Apache tomahawk, she must save her grandfather’s life and embrace her dangerous heritage. Or be devoured by it.
BLOOD FUGUE by E.J. Wesley, is the first of the MOONSONGS books, a series of paranormal-action novelettes. At fewer than 13k words, BLOOD FUGUE is the perfect snack for adventurous readers who aren’t afraid of stories with bite. Available wherever fine eBooks are sold September 2012.
Join the Party!
The Open Vein, E.J.'s blog - http://the-open-vein-ejwesley.blogspot.com/
E.J. Wesley on the Twitter - https://twitter.com/EJWesley
Cover work by Sketcher Girl, LLC - http://sketchergirlstudios.com/
What's the Story About?
Some folks treated the past like an old friend. The memories warmed them with fondness for what was, and hope for what was to come. Not me. When I thought of long ago, my insides curdled, and I was left feeling sour and wasted.”
Jenny Schmidt is a young woman with old heartaches. A small town Texas girl with big city attitude, she just doesn’t fit in. Not that she has ever tried. She wears loneliness like a comfy sweatshirt. By the age of twenty-one, she was the last living member of her immediate family. Or so she thought…
“We found my ‘grandfather’ sitting at his dining room table. An entire scorched pot of coffee dangled from his shaky hand. His skin was the ashen gray shade of thunderclouds, not the rich mocha from the photo I’d seen. There were dark blue circles under each swollen red eye. A halo of white hair skirted his bald head, a crown of tangles and mats. Corpses had more life in them.”
Suddenly, instead of burying her history with the dead, Jenny is forced to confront the past. Armed only with an ancient family journal, her rifle, and an Apache tomahawk, she must save her grandfather’s life and embrace her dangerous heritage. Or be devoured by it.
BLOOD FUGUE by E.J. Wesley, is the first of the MOONSONGS books, a series of paranormal-action novelettes. At fewer than 13k words, BLOOD FUGUE is the perfect snack for adventurous readers who aren’t afraid of stories with bite. Available wherever fine eBooks are sold September 2012.
Join the Party!
The Open Vein, E.J.'s blog - http://the-open-vein-ejwesley.blogspot.com/
E.J. Wesley on the Twitter - https://twitter.com/EJWesley
August 20, 2012
Cover Reveal - CONJURE by Lea Nolan with g*veaway
Be careful what you search for…
Emma
Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina
Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best
friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin
brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a
bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the
adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an
ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating
Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth
birthday.
When
a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat;
and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn
hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are
lost forever.
CONJURE on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13425130-conjure
Lea's website: http://www.leanolan.com/
Lea on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lea_Nolan
a Rafflecopter giveaway
August 13, 2012
Author Interview with Faye Robertson, Author of Bloodlust
Please welcome Faye Robertson to the blog!
Let's start the interview. Faye, when did you first consider yourself a writer?
I
decided I wanted to be a writer when I was fifteen. I’ve always told people
that I’m a writer in my spare time, and I tell unpublished, struggling writers
that now. If you writer—you’re a writer. An author is different. I became an
author when I had my first book published at the beginning of last year.
I agree wholeheartedly! Most, if not all, authors are also readers. What books have most influenced your life most?
Oh,
there are so many. I read a lot of historical romances when I was younger, and
I loved Kathleen Woodiwiss’s A Rose in
Winter. I fell in love with the hero, and I’m sure every single hero I’ve
written since then has been based on him. I also loved Sharon Penman’s historical novel Falls the Shadow about Simon de
Montfort. I fell in love with him too. It’s important to have a hero the reader
can fall for, I think. That’s what I aim for when I write, anyway.
I think all female readers want to fall in love with the hero, I know I do! What book are you reading now?
I’m
reading K A Mitchell’s Collision Course
for a new reading group. It’s my first ever M/M romance. Sheesh. It’s hot. Oh, and
I’ve just finished the Fifty Shades trilogy, which I adored. I know there’s a
lot of criticism about it, and I’m not sure it quite deserves all the publicity
it’s getting, but I thought it was wonderful, full of passion and emotion.
Everyone's talking about Fifty Shades. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really
strikes you about their work?
I
have a lot of “must-buys”, not all romance. I love Nicci French’s psychological
thrillers because they’re in the first person and her writing always captivates
me. I love Sharon Penman’s historicals because she really draws you into the
period and she’s great at characterization. For light romance, I like authors
like Leslie Kelly and Sarah Mayberry because they’re sexy and funny. I’ve recently fallen for Shannon Stacey, who writes
warm, funny romances. Oh, and I love Nora Roberts for her sheer writing
ability. But who doesn’t?
I don't know! lol What was the hardest part of writing Bloodlust?
With
most books, I get halfway through and think it’s rubbish and end up going off
and writing something else. Then I come back, re-read it, think “actually
that’s not too bad” and go on to finish it. I certainly did that with this one.
The mid point slump is the hardest part.
Ah, yes, the murky middle. Time for some fun questions! What paranormal creature would you be and why?
Ooh.
Vampires have most fun, I think. I like the whole sucking thing. Although I
think being a shifter would also be great fun. Knowing my luck I’d shift into a
rabbit or something, though.
If you could be a superhero, what would you want your
superpowers to be?
The
power to be able to do all the housecleaning and laundry in an hour, please.
If you could compare yourself with any animal, which
would it be and why?
I
like to think I’m a lioness, and that’s what I aim for—to be brave and honest
and stand up for my friends and family. In reality, I’m probably more some sort
of lemming. I’m always getting myself into ridiculous situations and I’m amazed
I haven’t committed career suicide yet by saying something I shouldn’t have in
public!
Thanks
for having me here :-)
Faye
x
Thank you for stopping by! Now, a little about Bloodlust:
It had to be nuns.
Some vampires had a thing for B+. Some preferred redheads. Others preferred blondes.
For Jasper, it had to be nuns--and he's been regretting that since the day he bit Amabel de Woodville, almost two centuries ago.
She'd done something to him. Something that restored his conscience, pointed his moral compass straight north, and ended his career of seducing virgin nuns and killing as he pleased. But even worse--she'd gotten under his skin, and he hasn't forgotten the green-eyed witch who'd been immune to his charms.
When Amabel ends up in his office, still as young as the day they'd met and seeking a charity sponsor, Jasper has the chance he's ached for: to show her the pleasure that's haunted her dreams for decades. He's taken the virginity of a hundred nuns...but a vampire nun? That's new.
And Jasper has always enjoyed a challenge.
Buy link: Amazon
Let's start the interview. Faye, when did you first consider yourself a writer?
I
decided I wanted to be a writer when I was fifteen. I’ve always told people
that I’m a writer in my spare time, and I tell unpublished, struggling writers
that now. If you writer—you’re a writer. An author is different. I became an
author when I had my first book published at the beginning of last year.
I agree wholeheartedly! Most, if not all, authors are also readers. What books have most influenced your life most?
Oh,
there are so many. I read a lot of historical romances when I was younger, and
I loved Kathleen Woodiwiss’s A Rose in
Winter. I fell in love with the hero, and I’m sure every single hero I’ve
written since then has been based on him. I also loved Sharon Penman’s historical novel Falls the Shadow about Simon de
Montfort. I fell in love with him too. It’s important to have a hero the reader
can fall for, I think. That’s what I aim for when I write, anyway.
I think all female readers want to fall in love with the hero, I know I do! What book are you reading now?
I’m
reading K A Mitchell’s Collision Course
for a new reading group. It’s my first ever M/M romance. Sheesh. It’s hot. Oh, and
I’ve just finished the Fifty Shades trilogy, which I adored. I know there’s a
lot of criticism about it, and I’m not sure it quite deserves all the publicity
it’s getting, but I thought it was wonderful, full of passion and emotion.
Everyone's talking about Fifty Shades. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really
strikes you about their work?
I
have a lot of “must-buys”, not all romance. I love Nicci French’s psychological
thrillers because they’re in the first person and her writing always captivates
me. I love Sharon Penman’s historicals because she really draws you into the
period and she’s great at characterization. For light romance, I like authors
like Leslie Kelly and Sarah Mayberry because they’re sexy and funny. I’ve recently fallen for Shannon Stacey, who writes
warm, funny romances. Oh, and I love Nora Roberts for her sheer writing
ability. But who doesn’t?
I don't know! lol What was the hardest part of writing Bloodlust?
With
most books, I get halfway through and think it’s rubbish and end up going off
and writing something else. Then I come back, re-read it, think “actually
that’s not too bad” and go on to finish it. I certainly did that with this one.
The mid point slump is the hardest part.
Ah, yes, the murky middle. Time for some fun questions! What paranormal creature would you be and why?
Ooh.
Vampires have most fun, I think. I like the whole sucking thing. Although I
think being a shifter would also be great fun. Knowing my luck I’d shift into a
rabbit or something, though.
If you could be a superhero, what would you want your
superpowers to be?
The
power to be able to do all the housecleaning and laundry in an hour, please.
If you could compare yourself with any animal, which
would it be and why?
I
like to think I’m a lioness, and that’s what I aim for—to be brave and honest
and stand up for my friends and family. In reality, I’m probably more some sort
of lemming. I’m always getting myself into ridiculous situations and I’m amazed
I haven’t committed career suicide yet by saying something I shouldn’t have in
public!
Thanks
for having me here :-)
Faye
x
Thank you for stopping by! Now, a little about Bloodlust:
It had to be nuns.Some vampires had a thing for B+. Some preferred redheads. Others preferred blondes.
For Jasper, it had to be nuns--and he's been regretting that since the day he bit Amabel de Woodville, almost two centuries ago.
She'd done something to him. Something that restored his conscience, pointed his moral compass straight north, and ended his career of seducing virgin nuns and killing as he pleased. But even worse--she'd gotten under his skin, and he hasn't forgotten the green-eyed witch who'd been immune to his charms.
When Amabel ends up in his office, still as young as the day they'd met and seeking a charity sponsor, Jasper has the chance he's ached for: to show her the pleasure that's haunted her dreams for decades. He's taken the virginity of a hundred nuns...but a vampire nun? That's new.
And Jasper has always enjoyed a challenge.
Buy link: Amazon
August 10, 2012
Interview with Becca Puglisi, co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus
I have another interview for you all today with Becca
Puglisi!
BeccaPuglisi is one half of The Bookshelf Muse blogging duo, and
co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character
Expression. Listing the body language, visceral reactions and
thoughts associated with 75 different emotions, this brainstorming
guide is a valuable tool for showing, not telling, emotion. The Emotion
Thesaurus is available for purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Smashwords,
and the PDF can be purchased directly from her blog.
Onto
the interview! Becca, what book are you reading now?
Oh,
you caught me between books, which hardly ever happens. But I just finished
reading ABOVE, by Leah Bobet, and it. was. awesome! It had the most intricate,
ornate voice, and the story was absolutely unique. Loved it.
That
book sounds so good! I've been meaning to read it. Who is your favorite
author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Seriously,
Nicole? Just ONE author? Can’t do it. Let’s see...definitely Stephen King, for
his fearlessness and his ability to tap into reader emotion. And Rowling is
right up there, too. Her vision is so amazing--anyone who can even loosely map
out a 7-part series from the get-go and remain true to it all the way through
definitely has mad skillz.
LOL
I couldn't list just one either. Who doesn't like King and Rowling? If you had to choose, which writer would
you consider a mentor?
One
of the first books I ever re-read was THE BLUE SWORD, by Robin McKinley. In
ninth grade, I checked it out from the library, read it twice in a row, then
bought it so I could read it literally to pieces. And now, twenty-something
years later, I’m still re-reading and devouring her books. Her world building
is so...tactile. When I finish one of her books, I’m nostalgic for the setting
as much as I am for the characters. And the stories themselves are always
complex. She’s a master storyteller who has stood the test of time. I’d love to
learn whatever I could from her.
I
love Robin McKinley! Time for some fun questions. What did you want to be when
you were 10 years old?
A
veterinarian. I thought it would be all puppies and kittens, and maybe horses
and cows, but didn’t realize it would start off with mostly chemistry and
biology and quite probably end with an aneurism. It took me less than one
college semester to realize veterinary medicine was not my calling.
I
wanted to be a vet for all of two days. My allergies wouldn't let me even if I
had wanted to. What paranormal creature would you be and why?
I
think it would be fun to be an imp. In real life, I like the idea of playing practical jokes, but since
the retribution is usually bigger and far worse than anything I could dole out,
I’m usually too much of a wuss to commit. As an imp, though, I’d be invisible
and no one could see me. And no one would try and outdo an imp, so I could
pretty much get away with anything.
Now that'sa great choice! And readers, you want to get a copy of The
Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression if you don’t already
have one. I do and I love it. It's such a wonderful resource. Because Becca and Angela are awesome, they're giving away a PDF version of The Emotion Thesaurus! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment saying what emotion you would look up first in your copy. Good luck!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Becca!
August 9, 2012
Interview with Dina Rae, Author of The Last Degree
Everyone, allow me to introduce Dina Rae.
Dina Rae is a new author here to stay.
As a former teacher, she brings an academic element to her work. Her two novels, Halo of the Damned and The
Last Degree, weave research and suspense throughout the plots. Her short story, Be Paranoid Be Prepared, is
a prequel of sorts to The Last Degree, focusing on the James Martin
character. Dina also freelances for
various entertainment blogs.
Dina
lives with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs outside of Chicago. She is a Christian, an avid tennis player,
movie buff, and self-proclaimed expert on several conspiracy theories. When she is not writing, she is reading
novels from her favorite authors Dan Brown, Anne Rice, Stephen King, Brad Thor,
George R.R. Martin, and Preston & Childs.
Website | Blog |
And now, onto the interview! What inspired you to write The Last Degree?
I was a teacher and
then got laid off. I used my extra time
to pursue my dreams of writing a novel.
That's great. Whenever you can turn a negative into a positive, that's always a good thing. Do you have a specific writing style?
So far, I like to
write in 3rd person, lmtd. POV with verbs in the past tense. I also like to have 3-5 subplots that
eventually merge towards the end.
How did you come up with the title?
The Last Degree in the
Scottish Freemasonry is the 33rd degree.
My novel is about this inner circle along with other secret societies
who plan for New World Order.
Oh, that's interesting! Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to
grasp?
The book is fiction but based on
mainstream conspiracy theories that have been discussed for decades. I hope readers will be entertained, learn
something new, and somewhat reflect on a possible upcoming Apocalypse.
Nice. Since most authors are also readers, what books have most influenced your life most?
So many books, hard to choose, but Stephen
King’s The Stand and Jerry Jenkins’/Tim LaHaye’s Left Behind Series always
comes to mind.
Oh, good ones. What book are you reading now?
I am reading four books right
now-Angelology in my car on CD, The White Queen on my ipod, Soul Sisters on my
computer, and The 12th Imam on my Nook, all are very enjoyable.
Are there any new authors who have grasped your interest?
I
read 50 Shades of Gray and was disappointed.
James is a wonderful story teller, but I’m just not interested in that
kind of story. Thought the ending was
perfect-she dumped the weirdo and moved on, but I guess there are two more
books. I loved Justin Cronin’s The
Passage, but was too long.
I haven't read either of those. What are your current projects?
I am writing a sequel to my
other novel, Halo of the Damned. It’s
about a fallen angel who forms his own religion and tries to sever all ties
with Hell.
I love sequels. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your
writing?
Everything is challenging-the
manuscript, getting published, promoting the book-it doesn’t end. I find the biz fascinating and am learning
something new each day.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really
strikes you about their work?
Very tough question-so many, but Dan Brown is one
of my favorites. I love how he weaves
research into the story and how he gets me to go onto Google and check some of
his plot lines.
I actually haven't read anything by him yet either. I have so many books to read! How long does it take you to write a book?
Three to six
months.
Wow! What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I like
to write each chapter longhand, then again longhand in a different journal, and
then type it into the computer. Four
handwritten pages will magically turn into 8 typed by the third draft.
Now that's impressive! Time for some fun questions. What paranormal
creature would you be and why?
I would love to be witch and fly on a broom.
LOL! What makes you laugh?
Myself, my family, and almost anyone
who is really trying to be funny.
Aw. My family makes me laugh all the time too, sometimes even when they aren't trying to be funny! If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for
anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what would you
want.
Wow! Sounds like an episode of Ancient Aliens-one
of my favorite shows! I would want to be
a judge so that justice would be fair and not in the alien race’s favor.
Oh, good one! If you could be any character in fiction, who would you be?
Danarys
of Game of Thrones-She’s gorgeous, fierce, immune to fire, and a leader.
Nice. If you had six months with no obligations or financial
constraints, what would you do with the time?
Travel the world.
You'd let me go with you, right? :) If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would
it be, and why?
Jesus Christ and I hope that someday He invites me to eat with
Him.
Great choice! If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do
with the money?
Easy Breezy. I would
build myself a dream-bunker in the Rocky Mountains.
Thanks so much for dropping by!
Thanks so much for having me as your guest!
TheLast Degree is a fictionalized account of how Freemasons and other secret
societies set up the world for takeover. Ancient writings foretell a ‘Shining
One’ who emerges as the world’s prophet. A murder of a Most Worshipful mason
resembles a secret oath. A cop gets too close to solving the crime. Paranoid
preppers go underground, preparing for war.
Headlines
such as the Norway massacre,
meltdown of the European Union, unscrupulous media, animal die-offs, Middle
Eastern unrest, and U.S.
shrinking power make the plot relevant to present day. This book is an ode to
Christians, Birthers, 2012ers, Truthers, preppers, and/or other conspiracy
junkies who enjoy Dan Brown, Jesse Ventura, Brad Meltzer, Alex Jones, Jerry
Jenkins and Tim LaHaye.
Purchase for only $1.99:
Amazon
The Last Degree will be FREE Sept. 27th – 28th!
Excerpt:
Dwight took off his crown, signifying he was no
longer playing King Solomon.
“Sacrifice is expected for ones that you
love. Do you love me?” Dwight
shouted. “Then bow down before me and
offer praise!”
Everyone knelt and laid their head down to the
floor, chanting 'Most Worshipful,
Most Worshipful' several times before Dwight
commanded them to get up.
In a manic energetic state, Dwight vociferated,
“Et vitam impendere vero!” All repeated,
with the three new pledges joining in.
Minutes later, he began to calm down.
“To sacrifice life for truth - that is what we must always do! You must trust me as your Most Worshipful and
sacrifice at my command! Are you
prepared to do this?” All three pledges
nodded.
Dwight pulled the content baby out of Arthur's
arms and threw it high into the air. As
the baby began to descend, Dwight took his sword and hacked through its neck,
decapitating it before it hit the floor.
Only the three pledges shrieked in horror. He sinisterly smiled as he picked up the head
and body, revealing it was only a doll.
“Don't believe with your eyes, but believe with
your knowledge. We are his chosen and
will soon be exalted.”
The three men looked down at their hands and
tried not to scream. They were covered
in blood.
“Sacrifice, my brothers, sacrifice. I will teach you well. You are all Chiefs of the Tabernacle! Let us go and celebrate!” Dwight gleamed.
Check out The Last Degree Prequel as well—Be
Paranoid Be Prepared!
