Cindy C. Bennett's Blog, page 48

Winner!

I want to congratulate Cythia for winning a copy of Dissidence by Jamie Canosa from the Kick Butt Character Giveaway!

Enchanted Fairytales Now Available

Enchanted Fairytales is now available. It's a compilations of my fairytale retellings, some of which you may have already read. Below you can read what each of the fairytales are about and where it's available as both and eBook and paperback. As always, you can purchase each fairytale retelling individually as well.

 Want to win a copy of Enchanted Fairytales? Cu's Blog Tours kindly spotlighted the book for me. She's running a contest to give away an ecopy of the book. You can enter here.


Enchanted Fairytales is a retelling of five different fairytales from the imagination of Cindy C Bennett.
Beautiful Beast: Though she knows it's cruel, Calli agrees to accompany her friends to Monster House where it is rumored the beast howls at the moon each sunset. Alex believes Calli has bribed her way into his home in order to get a look at the beast of Monster House, and is determined to hate her. He isn't prepared as she batters down the hard walls of his soul with her kindness and humor.

Red and the Wolf: Three years ago, Rafe Wolfe left their tiny mountain burg of Piera, leaving Ruby Hood behind to mend her shattered heart. Now, Rafe has come home to compete with his brother Lowell for Ruby's heart. But Rafe and Lowell have intimate knowledge of the wolf attacks that threaten their home. Can Ruby live with the same knowledge, or will it forever destroy her?
Snow White: Left her at the mercy of her stepmother Katarina, Snow White is sent into the forest to be killed. Escaping, she stumbles upon an enchanted village created by Katarina to entrap Prince Philip after he spurned her. Philip believes Snow White is the one spoken of who can break the curse that holds Fableton. Snow's only hope of winning freedom for herself and Fableton is to defeat the evil and powerful Katarina.
The Unmasking of Cinderella: Amella Augustus has lived under her stepmother's cruel reign since her father's death. Then she meets the mysterious, enigmatic Dayla. A day later she runs into Char - literally. Just when Amella begins to believe she's found her happily ever after, Iona pounces in and takes Amella away from Char, Dayla, and dreams of happiness. Now Amella must take charge of her own destiny, and make a decision that can either give her the peace she’s longed for . . . or return her to the misery she’s lived in for so long.
The White Swan: Benno von Rothbart, a powereful sorcerer, is jealous of Odette's love for Victor. Victor and Odette are unaware of Benno's powers and manipulations to come between them and win Odette for himself. When Benno uses his powers to transform Odette into a swan, she finds herself in a fight for her freedom and for Victor in this retelling of the classic Swan Lake fairytale. Available now at:     Purchase individual titles here

Fool for Books Giveaway Hop

Fool for Books Giveaway Hop
April 1st to 7th
No better way to spend April Fools Day!  
Join me in a giveaway hop!I am giving away a digital copy of one of my eBooks! Geek Girl Heart on a Chain Immortal Mine Rapunzel Untangled Enchanted Fairytales In the Begining Watched

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Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all of my wonderful, fantabulous followers. I hope you're able to be with your family today and have a great Easter! May the Easter Bunny leave you lots of chocolate.

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway HopMarch 29th to April 5thHosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Read Now Sleep LaterHappy Easter everyone!I am giving one lucky winner a $10.00 amazon giftcard.Good Luck!

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Blue Hearts of Mars Book Blast

Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas


Retta Heikkinen knows the unspoken rule of society: love between androids and humans is forbidden. A simple enough edict until Hemingway Koskinen spends an evening charming her with his intense gaze, bewitching smile, and sparkling conversation that hints at so much more than the usual obsessions of high school boys. Rules were meant to be cast aside, especially when love beckons.

If only it were as simple as being in love.

Trouble is brewing, not just for Hemingway--for all androids. Secrets have been kept, lies propagated, and Retta soon discovers that a frightening future awaits thousands of androids if she doesn’t do something to stop it. Worse yet, she will lose the one love she’s ever endangered herself for: Hemingway.


Grab a FREE copy on Amazon - March 27th & 28th  
Praise

"Nothing like I've read before. A true original story! Everything is so well described. Now if they could make a follow up book and movie, that would be great!" ~Mrs. Z (Amazon)

"I was addicted to this book from the beginning. Life on Mars was very real and not at all a sci fi world I didn't understand . . . I found myself rooting for Retta and Hemingway from the very beginning. Easy reading, couldn't put it down and had it read in a weekend. Waiting for a sequel!" ~TNielsen (Amazon)

"The ending of this book is exceptional. While it was different from what I imagined, the way the author brought in a shocking revelation was amazing. I probably reread the last chapter 3 times letting it sink in and the meaning behind it. It was truly beautiful . . . I would love to see more of Retta and Hemingway!" ~Kat Meyer, (Goodreads)

"I love how the author populated Mars . . . so descriptive and comprehensive . . . I could clearly picture everything as if I was seeing the movie &/or was along for the ride. . . . Retta, the main character, is strong, opinionated, and a great champion for her cause." ~Megan (Amazon)

"I had been in the worst reading slump ever and came across this on Goodreads and thought I'd give it a try. Well, I was pleasantly surprised on how funny and exciting and mysterious it was . . . Mei, Retta's bff, had me laughing out loud quite a bit as well as Retta herself. I'd definitely hang out with those two." ~Deanneluvbooks (Goodreads)



Blue Hearts of Mars has made it to the quarterfinals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

Readers are invited to download the excerpts (here) and rate and comment on the entries. So please, if you want to contribute, download and rate Blue Hearts! Your support is incredibly appreciated!


Or purchase the full version of the book here:  Amazon




Author Nicole Grotepas

Nicole wrote her first fantasy novel in 7th grade on her mother's old Brother typewriter. It was never finished but it strongly resembled a Dragonlance plot and she's forever wondered what happened to the manuscript and Tonathan--the handsome elven protagonist. After living in Nashville where she worked as an editor, she returned to the Utah desert where she was raised. Nicole now lives near the Wasatch mountains with her husband. She writes and raises her son and three cats full time.



Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Tour Schedule




Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/14/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. 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 enter for you. 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. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Fight or Flight Blog Tour

Blurb:Be smart.
Keep your head down.
And look out for number one.

These are the rules Jay has lived by for the past two years. The rules of surviving life on the streets. But when Em comes bursting into his life, in all of her disastrous glory, the rules go right out the window.

Survive.
Flee what’s been left behind 
And never look back.

Em’s plan was simple. Though, it was easier said than done. The city streets are dangerous and unforgiving to a new arrival. Especially, a seventeen year old girl who’s never known anything but life in the suburbs. Sometimes, however, what’s lurking behind those white picket fences can be more frightening than any dark alley.

Both of them made the same decision when life got overwhelming—to run from their demons. Brought together by fate or circumstance, Em and Jay find the kind of love neither of them ever expected. But when those demons come back to haunt them and their love is on the line, which instincts will they choose to follow this time . . .  Fight or Flight? *Warning: This story includes mature language and themes, and is intended for mature audiences.*
My Review of Fight or Flight by Jamie Canosa:  I’m a fan of Jamie Canosa, so when I heard she’d written a new book, I pretty much squealed like a little girl. Fight or Flight by the brilliant Canosa was a revelation. Who would've thought a romance between a pair of homeless teens would be so great? 

Jay happens to be at the train station the day runaway Em steps into the city. When he watches her make rookie mistakes, his protective instinct kicks in and he takes her under his wing. He doesn’t plan to keep her around, but as he gets to know her and her story, he begins to see her in a different light.

Jay was very realistically written as a young man who’s been living on the streets and hasn’t allowed himself to grow close to others around him. He definitely understands the “each man for himself” motto. I loved that Em changed that for him.

Em was completely lost in the big city as any teen girl who’s been sheltered her whole life would be. Every time she tries to “help” she ends up causing Jay further grief. She’s definitely different from Canosa’s usual heroine, but while she might not have been as outwardly tough as I’ve come to expect from Canosa, she has a quiet strength that grows as her story goes on.

Canosa's skillful writing had me wanting to reach into the pages and pull Em and Jay out to protect them and give them a blanket or sandwich or even just a hug. Touching and heartwarming, I found myself unable to put the book down, and when I did I couldn't stop thinking about Em and Jay. You won't want to miss this romantic adventure!
I had the pleasure of interviewing Jamie Canosa. Here you go:
CCB: How did you come up with the idea of writing a love story starring homeless teens?

JC: To understand this, first there are a couple of things you have to understand about me. First of all, I’m a lucky girl. I know this and I like to remind myself of the fact as often as possible. Second is, I’m always cold. Like ALWAYS. From about October to May I feel like a solid block of ice every year.
So, one night I crawl into bed and burrow under the blankets trying to get warm and all I can think is how lucky I am to have those blankets, and heat, and a roof over my head, and how much worse it must be for people who don’t have any of that. My brain being my brain and knowing that it was late and I needed to get some sleep, would not let go of that thought. I started thinking about these teens who were cold and alone with nowhere to go. The bridge scene was the first scene I wrote for Fight or Flightand I wrote it right there in bed under my blankets that night. The rest just sort of filled itself in after that when I started asking questions like why they were there and what other hardships they would face.
CCB: How do you write: outline or seat of your pants, and why?
JC: If you couldn’t guess from my last answer, I’m a seat of your pants kind of writer. I write whatever comes into my head, wherever it comes. Even in bed. In fact, a LOT of my ideas come while I’m in bed trying to sleep. My brain is just awesome like that. I very rarely use an outline. I generally start with an idea and write from beginning to end, fitting in those random scenes I think up here and there. My books tend to look like organized chaos—an elaborate jigsaw puzzle—until it all sort of comes together.
CCB: Why did you choose to self-publish over going with traditional publishing?
JC: Self-publishing allows me a lot of freedom. Everything from cover art to final revisions/edits are my choice. This allows the book to be entirely mine.
CCB: When you are writing, where are you, and what do you have with you?
JC: I generally write in my living room. My workspace consists of a futon and a tray table. I’m hardcore like that. Besides having my cell and my nook always within arm’s length, I usually have at least one child—usually more—climbing on me like a human jungle gym. Oh, and the dog. She’s never far away, either.
CCB: State a random fact about yourself that could surprise your readers.
JC: I have an irrational and somewhat intense fear of the phone. No joke. I’m so not kidding about this. There are very, very few people I will talk to on the phone. And, if I absolutely must make a call for some reason, I have to hide away in a room with no one around and I come ridiculously close to having a panic attack every time. My cell really exists as a mobile internet device and for texting purposes. I don’t even have a house phone. And, anyone who knows me knows not to bother to call. I probably won’t answer and I almost never check my messages. Even calling my voicemail stresses me out.
CCB: What are you working on now?
JC: I currently have three projects in the works. The third installment of my paranormal romance novella mini-series, Heart and Soul, is coming out next month. The sequel to my YA dystopian novel, Dissidence, is scheduled for release in June. And, I’m working on a spin-off novel to Fight or Flight that follows Al back home, which I hope to release sometime this summer.
CCB: Just for fun: What are your pet peeves?
JC: People talking to me when I’m trying to read. Hate that! I mean, I’m in another world right this second where very serious things are going down and you do not exist, so please leave me the heck alone.
That, and when the hubs feels the need to shout at the TV like it can actually hear him. Seriously  Author Bio: Jamie Canosa is a full time author of YA literature, which she absolutely loves. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she can usually be found with her nose in a book. She currently resides in Upstate NY with her husband, and their three crazy kids . . . plus the dog, the bird, and the rabbit.
Her debut novel, Dissidence, was published in 2012 along with several novellas, including the first in her Heart and Soul series, ‘Temptation’.

Author Links:Blog-http://jamiecanosa.blogspot.com/FB- https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJamieCanosa?ref=hlGoodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6150972.Jamie_Canosa

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Rocking Book Blogger: Tiffany!

I want to say thanks to Tiffany of Tiffany Loves Books. She's been extremely kind to me and my books, allowing me to take up space on her blog with a guest post, book reviews, and giveaways. She's even hosting me for an interview sometime soon. Below are some of the recent posts with links.

Geek Girl
Tiffany reviewed Geek Girl and is hosting a giveaway which you can enter by clicking here. To read her full review, click here. Here's some of what she had to say about Geek Girl :

"Trevor, Jen’s love interest is amazing. He is… wow. One of those guys you would clone if you could and bring home to meet your parents. He is an all around amazing guy. Well Jen didn’t account for him being such a great guy and finds herself drawn to him. The romance is beautiful and their relationship is absolutely heart warming."


 Rapunzel Untangled
Tiffany also reviewed Rapunzel Untangled as part of my blog tour. You can read the full review here. Here's a refresher of just a little of what she had to say about Rapunzel Untangled :

"Rapunzel Untangled takes the original fairytale, flips it on it’s head and does something magical while not losing sight of the classic. I tend to be a pretty emotional reader but was shocked at how much I loved this novel. Seriously, you should see my notes while reading. I love, I love, I love…"


 Beautiful Beast

Beautiful Beast is another of my stories Tiffany reviewed. This is a short story in my Enchanted Fairytales series. You can read Tiffany's full review here. Below is an excerpt of her Beautiful Beast  review:


"So here’s my take on Beautiful Beast: it is a short story that somehow manages not to feel like one. It has great character development and the storyline is also well set up and well developed. The characters felt real and I in particularly really liked Calli. She was strong and stubborn yet sweet, funny and humble. Alex is haunted by his past and his story is sad and turns out to be pretty heartwarming. The romance between these two was quite beautiful as was their friendship."


You can read my guest post on Tiffany's blog: Traditional vs. Self-Publishing where I discuss my experiences with both types of publication.

Tiffany also did an author spotlight on me, which you can read here.

Fairy Tale Giveaway Hop

 


Fairy Tale Giveaway HopHosted byI Am A Reader, Not A WriterThe Book Rat &A Backwards StoryMarch 26th to April 2nd

For the Fairy Tale Giveaway Hop I will be giving away an eCopy of Enchanted Fairytales by ME! Available for purchase March 31st.
Good Luck!





Enchanted Fairytales is a retelling of five different fairytales from the imagination of Cindy C Bennett.
Beautiful Beast: Though she knows it's cruel, Calli agrees to accompany her friends to Monster House where it is rumored the beast howls at the moon each sunset. Alex believes Calli has bribed her way into his home in order to get a look at the beast of Monster House, and is determined to hate her. He isn't prepared as she batters down the hard walls of his soul with her kindness and humor.

Red and the Wolf: Three years ago, Rafe Wolfe left their tiny mountain burg of Piera, leaving Ruby Hood behind to mend her shattered heart. Now, Rafe has come home to compete with his brother Lowell for Ruby's heart. But Rafe and Lowell have intimate knowledge of the wolf attacks that threaten their home. Can Ruby live with the same knowledge, or will it forever destroy her?
Snow White: Left her at the mercy of her stepmother Katarina, Snow White is sent into the forest to be killed. Escaping, she stumbles upon an enchanted village created by Katarina to entrap Prince Philip after he spurned her. Philip believes Snow White is the one spoken of who can break the curse that holds Fableton. Snow's only hope of winning freedom for herself and Fableton is to defeat the evil and powerful Katarina.
The Unmasking of Cinderella: Amella Augustus has lived under her stepmother's cruel reign since her father's death. Then she meets the mysterious, enigmatic Dayla. A day later she runs into Char - literally. Just when Amella begins to believe she's found her happily ever after, Iona pounces in and takes Amella away from Char, Dayla, and dreams of happiness. Now Amella must take charge of her own destiny, and make a decision that can either give her the peace she’s longed for . . . or return her to the misery she’s lived in for so long.




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Kick-Butt Giveaway!

  
Who doesn't love a Kick-Butt character? I certainly do. My favorite recent kick-butt character is Kaleigh from Jamie Canosa's Dissidence. Kaleigh lives in a world where toughness is discouraged, and it's all about complying with what you're told to do without complaint. Kaleigh just isn't that kind of girl. Because she can't manage to keep her argumentative sarcasm to herself, she ends up in a "work camp" which is the nice way of saying forced slavery. Accidentally she starts a revolution, and soon finds herself leading a rather large group of dissident's whose greatest desire is to take down the system. All in a day's work for a kick-butt chick like Kaleigh.

Want to read about this kick-butt teen yourself? Join the giveaway below and if you win, you'll get an ebook copy of Dissidence by Jamie Canosa.

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