Reena Jacobs's Blog, page 9

Chain Reaction Blog Tour + Giveaway

Just reading the blurb on this one makes me want to see it on the big screen. It gives me chills all over.

Title: Chain Reaction

Series: Phenom League, Book 1

Author: T. C. Archer

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Silver Publishing

Ebook

Words: 65,000

Book Description:

Former Chicago Detective Jordan Pierce put his life on hold in order to protect America’s secret weapon against the Nazis, The Manhattan Project. But he can’t protect himself as his humanity is eaten away by a mysterious disease that destroys him, while at the same time makes him more powerful than any man he’s ever known. Jordan finds out how much the disease has devoured his soul when he falls in love with the woman who might destroy America and tear apart his last shred of humanity.

Available at Amazon | ARe | Bookstrand | B&N |

Excerpt

A moment later, I halted in front of the closed door where Dr Nichols waited. The name painted on the glass read: Dr Enrico Roma, the alias of the great scientist and Nobel Prize laureate Enrico Fermi. The alias didn’t fool anybody but the ignorant. Light shone through the milky glass window. I blew out a breath. The last thing I wanted to do was interrogate a hysterical woman.

I opened the door and stopped dead at the sight of a shapely blonde leaning against Fermi’s mahogany desk. I stared as realization sunk in that the Veronica Lake look-alike standing there was the same egghead pictured in her personnel file. The glasses she’d worn were absent and, despite the red-rimmed eyes and drawn expression, the single overhead light warmed the creamy complexion that had looked bland and colorless in the photo.

Thick blond hair slid across her face in a broad wave and flowed down slim shoulders. Suddenly, I understood the reasoning behind the functional bun in the picture. Despite the legs that mesmerized a man all the way down to the high heel straps, the tweed skirt and blazer she wore emphatically stated the bombshell figure was off limits. But the moment a man laid eyes on her luxurious hair all bets were off. My breath caught with bloodlust as I drew in her scent from across the room.

Gray-blue eyes stared from behind the drape of blond hair. Her gaze flicked to my waistband and I realized she’d glimpsed the colt holstered beneath my suit jacket.

“You wear your gun like a gangster,” she said.

I startled. Her voice, low and sultry, held a shaky note, but I knew the remark was payment for my staring.

“This incident requires I carry a weapon.” My drill sergeant used to berate any reference to the word gun. “Your gun is between your legs, son. Your pistol or rifle is called a weapon.”

She continued to stare and guilt stabbed at me. She’d discovered a colleague who’d been brutally murdered, and I stood in the doorway gawking at her. I swallowed, feeling like a school kid.

“Dr Nichols, I’m Agent Pierce, head of nightshift security.” Her fingers tightened around a lace handkerchief gripped in her right palm. I didn’t want to step closer, but had to. Her pheromones were making my blood, or what was left of it, crave an infusion from her veins. “What happened?”

Her gaze dropped to the hankie and she began working the fabric with both hands. “I was working late and needed Leon to come to the lab. I couldn’t get the Geiger counter to calibrate. I knocked. When no one answered, I opened the door and…” Her eyes swung up to meet mine. “So much blood.” Her gaze remained locked with my eyes as if demanding a response.

“I’m sorry,” I offered. “I thought you were assigned to dayshift.”

She swiped at the corners of her eyes with the handkerchief. “I switched shifts yesterday so Leon and I could calibrate the new equipment.”

I nodded. The scientists worked a twelve hours on, twelve off schedule seven days a week. We were in a race against Nazi scientists while men died in Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific. “Did you notice anything unusual tonight?” I asked.

“Nothing.”

“Hear anything strange on the way to Dr Heinrick’s office, pass anyone in the hall?”

She shook her head. “Maybe he’s still here.” Something in the way she stared at—through—me, searching for answers and fearing what she might find, threatened to tip me off balance. “The murderer is gone,” I replied in a level voice.

“How do you know?”

“A hunch,” I said, and meant it.

“Why kill Heinrick?” she said. “Why not Compton or Fermi? But Heinrick…” Her voice trailed off.

“Are you saying Heinrick didn’t know anything worth killing for?”

“I suppose we all know something worth killing for. Each scientist on this project is top in his or her field. But the project will go on without Heinrick. If we lost Oppenheimer, or Fermi, the project would be delayed, if not brought to a standstill.”

“Did you enter Heinrick’s office?” “No, I took one look and ran.”

The response, given without hesitation, or guile, made me wonder if this woman ran from anything.

“This was the first office I came to,” she said.

Her story made sense, and my instincts said she was telling the truth. I had learned to trust my sixth sense, especially the last eight months. This ability was another one of those things I couldn’t explain, like being conscious of the way her pheromones where working on me double-time.

“Are you staying in the dorm?” I asked. She nodded.

“I’ll have someone escort you there.”

Desire to go with her shot to the surface with the heat of a volcano. I pictured white skin, full breasts, and blond hair between perfect thighs. I forced my breathing to remain even, and the swelling in my shorts abated. I’d never experienced such sudden, intense lust. If I escorted her back to her room I would drink her blood—and God only knew what I would do to her afterward. My pulse jumped with the thought of her warm blood flowing past my tongue down my throat… and her tight walls closing around me as I entered her.

“I have to complete my measurements before the day shift,” she said. I jarred from the erotic thought. “There’s not enough equipment to go around,” she added.

I nodded. “Of course.”

Clipped footsteps sounded almost noiselessly on the linoleum floor of the hallway and I recognized McHenry’s walk two seconds before Dr Nichols’s eyes shifted over my shoulder.

“Pierce.”

I glanced back to see him standing in the open doorway. ”The general wants to talk to you.”

A measure of sanity reasserted itself. I had to get away from her, now. “Could you escort Dr Nichols back to the lab?”

His expression lightened. “No problem.” He stepped aside and motioned toward the door with an open hand. “Dr Nichols.”

She cast me a farewell glance and headed toward the door. I tried tearing my eyes from the gentle sway of hips as she walked past, but couldn’t, and felt the heat swell to the surface again. I had to find one of the small rodents whose blood I drank to keep my thirst for human blood at bay, or go back to Heinrick and hope the congealed blood in his decaying body would make me forget the craving. Rising desire twisted my insides and I feared even Heinrick’s dead blood wouldn’t work against the warm, pulsing blood of Dr Nichols.

About the Author

T. C. Archer is comprised of award winning authors Evan Trevane and Shawn M. Casey. They live in the Northeast.

Evan puts his Ph.D. to good use by writing about alternate realities, and Shawn channels the mythology and philosophy she studied during her wasted youth into writing about exotic places and times.

Evan and Shawn write romantic sci-fi, paranormal romance and romantic suspense.

Find the Author Online

Website | Facebook | Twitter: T.C. Archer@TCArcher | Blog | Goodreads

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Follow the Tour

July 17th- The Jeep Diva (Book Review/Giveaway)

July 18th- The Bunnys Review (Book Review/Author Interview)

July 19th- Full Moon Bites (Giveaway/Promo Post)

July 20th- Heart Of A Wolf (Book Review/Author Interview)

July 21st- The Avid Reader (Author Interview/Giveaway)

July 22nd- A Dream Within A Dream (Giveaway/Promo Post)

July 23rd- Proserpine Craving Books (Author Interview/Giveaway)

July 24th- Redheads Review It Better (Author Interview/Book Review)

July 25th- A Diary Of A Book Addict (Book Review/Giveaway)

July 26th- Tricia Kristufek (Book Review/Giveaway)

July 27th- This Is From My Heart (Author Interview/Promo Post)

July 28th- Ramblings of an Amateur Writer (Giveaway/Promo Post)

July 29th- A Page Away (Giveaway/Promo Post)

July 30th- Off the Page (Author Interview/Promo Post)

July 31st- Simply Infatuated (Author Interview/Giveaway)

Chasing Shadows – Making Amends (13)

Welcome to installment #13 of the Chasing Shadows – Making Amends series. For more information or to read the previous scene, head to this page.

Chapter 6
Scene 2

The sound of the male’s footsteps pounded behind Kecil. He was right. She shouldn’t be alone in the forest, away from the protection of her clan. It mattered little Gemuk was anything but safe; she trusted the stranger even less.

She put all she had into escaping capture, but her short legs were no match for the stranger’s long strides, and he devoured the distance in no time. Too late she realized her tiger form would have provided more speed. Her last thoughts before strong arms wrapped around her waist were Great Spirit, protect me.

Her feet lifted from the ground. Kicking whatever part of his body her heels met, she refused to let him take her without a fight.

Was this what her mother had felt? Undefined terror? Kecil’s eyes smarted with tears of hopelessness as she dug her claws into his forearm.

He grunted and dropped her. Kecil scrambled to get away, but the leaves slipped under her feet and kept her from standing. It didn’t matter. He was on her in an instant, flattening her to the ground. She screamed.

“Stop fighting!” His palm covered her mouth.

She chomped down, and he snatched his hand away.

“The Great Spirit take you,” he said. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

She tried to push off but all she managed to do was grind her cheek into the dirt.

“Be still,” he breathed into her ear.

“Noooo!” Her refusal was pointless. With his body weighing her down, she couldn’t move if she wanted.

“Ah!” he yelled and lifted off, but still managed to sit on her back. His new position allowed her room to breathe, but she still couldn’t pull free with her legs pinned under his bulk.

Teman screeched as he sailed past and landed on the ground with enough momentum to spin in a full circle. He found his bearings and scurried forward, his hair standing on end.

“I said I won’t hurt you.” Her captor rose and pulled her with him. Before Kecil could put up a fight, he folded her arms to her chest, immobilizing her. “Call your binturong off. I won’t stand by as it attacks me… and I don’t play with food.”

Her heart jumped to her throat. “Teman, stop!”

Though her binturong friend let out a snarl, he didn’t come closer.

“I’m going to set you down, and you’re not going to run,” the stranger said. “I don’t want to hurt you or your friend, but I’ll do what I have to do.”

Kecil swallowed the lump growing in her throat and held back tears which threatened to fall.

His lips grazed her cheek. “Understand?”

Please don’t hurt me, she thought, all the while willing Teman to run.

Her captor gave a little squeeze. “Understand!”

“Yes! Yes!” She nodded so hard her brain thudded in her skull.

“Good.” His hold on her loosened.

Kecil slid down his front until her feet met solid ground. She willed herself not to run as she walked toward her friend. One foot in front of the other, each step a jerky movement. When she reached Teman, the muscles in her legs failed, and she dropped to her knees.

The binturong closed the distance and hopped into her arms.

“It’ll be okay,” she said as she held him close, smoothed down his fur.

“Where’s your clan?”

Kecil jumped at the stranger’s sharp tone. What made her think she could bring her mother’s killer to justice? She couldn’t even protect herself from this threat.

“Your clan,” he said.

Though he walked with silence, she could feel his approach bearing down on her. She fell to the side and faced him. Teman leapt from her grasp and hissed.

“Please.” Kecil wrapped her arms around her friend’s neck. “My clan is north. I just want to continue my journey.”

A curious expression flickered across his face. “About 200 kilofeet?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“I cannot return you to your village.” His arms crossed in front of him, the muscles flexing and revealing his tension.

“There’s a clan south of here. That is where I go.”

The stranger relaxed a little. “I can take you there…”

Despite his hesitation, Kecil was overcome with emotions she had no words for. No one, other than her father, had ever offered her aid. “You will?”

“As long as the penanggalan lurks, I can’t let you wander the rainforest alone.” He held out a hand. “I also cannot take you now.”

The little hope kindling within her died. “I don’t understand.”

“While the penanggalan threat exists, no wehr-tigress is safe. You’ll have to stay close to me until I destroy it.” He beckoned with his fingers. “Now come.”

“No.” She lifted her chin, steeled herself against his gaze.

He frowned, and his eyes, the yellow-orange of a parrots plantain, bore into her. “A lone female is not safe.”

I’ve never been safe. “I have no time to tarry.” My mother’s killer may already be gone.

The stranger smiled even as his eyes hardened. “You will come of your own volition, or I will bring you by force.”

Kecil’s entire being prickled. She stared at him for a long time, trying to discern his motivation. What did it matter to him where she went? Other than to make her miserable, no one had cared in the past.

She wanted nothing more to make a run for it, send Teman into the trees, but she had no doubt in her mind the stranger would follow through with his words. Already he’d bested her twice. Still, neither time had he’d done her harm. Every touch had been calculated to contain her and nothing more.

The stranger took a step toward her, and Teman tensed in her arms.

“I’ll go with you!” she said, not for herself, but for the safety of her friend. In time, she would find a way to escape.

The stranger studied her, the look on his face indiscernible. “I will take you south after I eliminate the demon.”

Tall, lean muscled—he was the epitome of a wehr-tiger in his prime. Kecil could almost believe destroying a penanggalan would be nothing more than an inconvenience to him.

Halo of the Damned Blog Tour

Have you been following the Halo of the Damned Blog Tour? Whatever your answer, you’ve come to the right place. Today we have Author Dina Rae to share with us about conspiracies and more!

Book Title: Halo of the Damned

Author: Dina Rae

Series: Book 1

Genre: Dark, Horror, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense, Thriller

Publisher: Eternal Press

Paperback/Ebook

Pages: 291

Words: 89,000

“A chain of advertising agencies, a new breed of humans, and a fallen angel to worship…

Andel Talistokov is known for his slick advertising agencies across the globe. He is a fallen angel that uses advertising as a weapon for Satan’s work. His growing power emboldens him to break several of Hell’s Commandments. Furious with his arrogance, Satan commands him to return to Hell after finding his own replacement. Yezidism, an ancient angel worshiping religion, quietly expands throughout the West. Armaros appears as a guest of honor during their ceremonies. He mates with young women to produce nephilim, a mixed race of humans and angels. They are alone and unprepared for their supernatural power. Joanna Easterhouse, a recovering drug addict, steps out of prison shortly after her mother’s fatal accident. She and her sister, Kim, unravel their mother’s secretive past. Intrigued, they learn their bloodline is part of a celestial legacy. Both worlds collide. Halo of the Damned is a horrifying tale that weaves research together with suspenseful twists and turns.”

Available at Barnes & Nobles || The Book Depository || Amazon || Eternal Press

Reena Jacobs: After reading the blurb of Halo of the Damned, I was beyond intrigued. How did you come up with the idea?

Dina Rae: I always found the Biblical story about Satan’s fall fascinating. I also found various advertising campaigns equally fascinating. The two components seemed to go together. Back in the early ’90s when Saddam Hussein was killing the Kurds I read an article about a tiny sect that worshiped the devil. Upon further research, there really was one, the Yezidis. Had to write about it.

RJ: I know you’re into conspiracy theories. Halo of the Damned sounds a lot like a religious conspiracy. And know what? I totally buy into it. I’ve been trying to convince my husband for years that various agencies were the tools of the devil! Share with us your favorite conspiracy theory.

DR: New World Order! As you probably know, it’s a theory that an inner circle of the elite are positioning the world for a global takeover. People argue all the time about how “they” are going to do it. With the economic collapse of our country and Europe, all of the blunders our politicians have made, decisions about bail outs and wars, etc., one cannot help but wonder…

RJ: The New World Order and Illuminati! My husband is all over that one. For his safety, I won’t mention which world leaders he thinks are part of it. Give us a brief description of a story you have hidden in your skeleton closet? And will it ever see the light of day?

DR: I am querying publishers and agents for my third novel, Bad Juju. It’s about an old Voodoo bokor who mentors two teens in the dark arts. Again, lots of research on Voodoo-truly a fascinating religion. I am also in the middle of a sequel to Halo of the Damned.

RJ: Now you’ve got me curious about the cover that’ll land on Bad Juju. Who is your favorite author and why?

DR: Hard question, so many. I guess I got to go with consistency over brilliance. Stephen King has had several moments of brilliance and is always good. I know that I will always enjoy one of his novels. I also love Dan Brown, Preston & Childs, Joel Rosenburg, Brad Thor, Nelson DeMille, Tom Harris, and Kitty Kelly.

RJ: Do you have any advice for other writers?

DR: I’m very new myself. Not really filled with advice, but I will say that reading is a must. I always loved to read, but now, I look at how the author transitions, switches scenes, POV, sets up characters and back stories, etc. My mind records the parts that I like and also the parts that I don’t like (and try not to fall into the same trap).

RJ: I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes it seems I learn more from reading the works of other authors than I do from critiques! Anything special you’d like to say to readers?

DR: Buy my book! You’ll love it!

RJ: Hearing you loud and clear. haha What are you working on now?

DR: The sequel to Halo of the Damned. I’m halfway through.

Thanks for having me!

Now for an Excerpt

Andel Talistokov watched Marcus, his assistant (among other titles) scrub his office cleaner than an ICU room. He carried Catalina’s fresh head into the custom-made panic room he had built before occupying the building.

The room was twenty feet below the basement, and he and Marcus were the only ones who knew about it. Inside the room were a toilet, table, and kitchenette equipped with basic appliances.

The refrigerator acted as a personal trophy case, displaying an array of severed heads from previous victims. He enjoyed looking at them. There were currently three other heads in the freezer. Andel bagged them up to make room for Catalina’s head.

He didn’t want her face to compete with his other victims. She was special. She was his daughter.

About the Author

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.

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, Brad Thor, Jim Marrs, Alex Jones, C.C. Finlay, and Preston & Childs.

Find Dina Rae Online!

Website: www.dinarae.co

Blog: www.dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com

Twitter: @HalooftheDamned

Follow the Rest of the Tour!

July 9th- Redheads Review It Better (Book Review/Giveaway)

July 10th- Proserpine Craving Book Blog (Author Interview/Giveaway)

July 11th- Nilsa’s Book Blog (Book Review/Author Interview)

July 12th- The Jeep Diva (Book Excerpt/Giveaway)

July 13th- Erotic Romance With a Bite…Leigh Savage (Author Interview/Giveaway)

July 14th- Heart Of A Wolf (Book Review/Guest Post)

July 15th- Fangs For The Fantasy (Book Review/Author Interview)

July 16th- Abbey Ann’s Bookland (Guest Post/Book Excerpt)

July 17th- A Diary Of A Book Addict (Book Review/Book Play List)

July 18th- Tricia Kristufek (Book Excerpt/Promo Post)

July 19th- Book Review Club (Guest Post/Giveaway)

July 20th- Keeping Up With The Rheinlander’s (Book Play List Post/Book Review)

July 21st- Ramblings of an Amateur Writer (Author Interview/Promo Post)

July 22nd- What’s Hot? (Book Review/Giveaway)

Blog Tour: A Hero For Holly

A little birdie told me Kristy K. James has released a new book. A Hero for Holly. Many congrats!!! She’s has graced our presence a few times. And today she’s taking over Ramblings of an Amateur Writer. Please welcome her.

A Hero For Holly by  Kristy K. James (clean romance) Digital format only

Single mom, Holly McGinty, has no life.  No personal life, that is.  After her husband left her pregnant, with a four-year old son, there was never much time for her.  Between raising two boys and saving her restaurant from bankruptcy, she’s been too busy taking care of everyone and everything to give much thought to her own needs.   In fact, the highlight of her week is swooning over her oldest son’s sexy scout leader.

Sam Jensen never believed in love at first sight…until the first time he saw Holly.  But even though he gets along great with kids, and is successful as both an architect and investor, figuring out relationships with women has never come easy to him.  Now it seems as though his luck has changed.  As long as one little tiny secret remains a secret.

Look for A Hero for Holly July 30, 2012. Add it on Goodreads.

Hi, Reena! It’s so nice of you to help me announce the release of my newest book, A Hero For Holly. I wasn’t sure what to write about this time, so I decided to go with something near and dear to my heart. Hope that’s okay.

I’m not sure what part of the country you live in, but too many states are experiencing record-breaking heat, and suffering droughts. In Michigan we’ve seen one hundred+ degrees a few times already, and upper nineties so regularly I have to keep checking the zip code on my mail to make sure I haven’t been transported to Texas or Arizona during my sleep.

So far I’ve spent most of the past twelve weeks going from my air conditioned house, to my air conditioned van, to air conditioned places of business….and dreading the upcoming family reunion, which has been moved from an air conditioned hall to…a park. Parks aren’t air conditioned, at least not with air that’s actually cold.

No, it’s never been a secret that I’m not a summer lover, or that I prefer the more comfortable temps of autumn above all other seasons. Still, there’s no way to avoid the months between May and October, so I’ve had to come up with some creative ways to make it more bearable.

My reading list changes in the summer. If there’s a book on my shelves that is set in the winter, I’m reading it. Same with my movie choices. White Christmas, The Day After Tomorrow, which is on my soon-to-be-watched list…as soon as the kids find it again (there are far, far too many DVD’s in my house). Then there’s YouTube. Did you know you can watch countless videos of snowstorms? I love it!

Music choices change, too. It used to be fun to embarrass my kids by driving around, windows open, and Christmas music blaring from the speakers…you really do get some strange looks from pedestrians. But now my daughter is totally cool with it. That or she thinks that by pretending she’s okay with it, I’ll stop. She’s wrong. Cause mostly I didn’t do it to embarrass anyone.

I do it to change my mindset. I do it to get my focus off what I don’t like (80+ degrees), and put it on what I do like (snow and windchills). If I can lose myself in the moment, I’m not thinking about the next trip to the grocery store. Of course I’m not out in the sweltering heat for long, but those few minutes it takes to get to the van, and for the van to cool off, seems like an eternity sometimes.

From breathing exercises during labor, to singing every song you can remember…in your head…during an MRI (voice of experience here), to daydreaming about sexy celebs we have a crush on during boring classes, people seem to be very good at distracting themselves from situations they find unpleasant.

How do you handle circumstances you’d rather not have to deal with? If you’re experiencing this endless heatwave, what are you doing to make it easier to handle?

Thanks so much for stopping by Reena’s today. And, Reena…thanks again!

About the Author

All it took was the encouragement of a student teacher in a ninth grade writing class and Kristy K. James was off and running. She has been writing for more years than she’ll ever admit to, and loves every aspect of it. From creating characters who are so real that they sometimes take over the writing when they don’t like where she’s taking a story, to adding as many twists and mysteries to her plots as she can get away with.She is the author of Reluctant Guardian, A Fine Mess, and The Stranger in my Head.Kristy currently lives in Michigan with her family, too many pets and the occasional spider. She spends her time living in her make-believe worlds, cooking and baking up a storm, and doing her best to learn to say ‘no’ when stray animals wander into her large country yard.

Reading is one of her favorite pastimes, as is traveling around the state, especially to coastal beaches to enjoy the sound of the waves crashing on the shore and gulls screeching overhead.

Tour Schedule:

July

18th Rekaya @ Are There French Fries in Heaven

19th Ruth @ My Devotional Thoughts

20th Phaedra @ Identity Discovery

Reena @ Reena Jacobs

21st  Ann @ Ann’s Reading Corner

22nd Andrea @ Andi’s Book Reviews

23rd Stormi @ Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my!

24th Julie @ A Tale of Many Book Reviews (guest post only)

The Finding Blog Tour + Giveaway

Today we have Timothy Cavinder sharing a bit with us his book, The Finding. Welcome, welcome.

The city of River’s Edge has been quarantined due to a rodent borne rabies outbreak. But it quickly becomes clear to the citizens that the infection it is something much, much worse than rabies…

The townsfolk are attacked and fed upon by packs of the living dead. Labeling the infected residents “bees” for their tendency to travel in swarms, Gavin and Benny attempt to survive the chaos in River’s Edge while making their way north in search of sanctuary. No one knows what waits outside the quarantined zone, but Gavin and Benny know that to survive, they must escape.

Available at The Book Depository || Amazon

Reena Jacobs: Two books under your belt and one on the way. Tell us about your most recent publication.

Timothy Cavinder: The Finding – There are a lot of emotional damaged people in The Finding. People who have been seriously let down by others throughout their lives. In the course of the book they are looking for someone or something to fill that great void. What they end up finding isn’t what they expect. I enjoyed writing it because life is like that, moving through all the disappointment hoping and looking for something or someone to make us feel complete, but what we end up finding isn’t always what we expect.

RJ: Life often does seem like a quest to find someone… or something. Web designer? Lots of fun! Did you design your cover? And if so, how were you able to apply your skills as a web designer to the task?

TC: I didn’t design the cover but I hope do that for a future book.

RJ: The color scheme is beautiful, by the way. Dark but still hopeful. I stopped by your blog and see you’re reading The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman. With your life being so busy, I imagine some of his techniques have been beneficial. Which ones have you been able to apply?

TC: It is a great book with lots of ideas beneficial not just to the business world but life itself. One is his idea of MIT: Most Important Task. He writes that we shouldn’t treat everything on our to do list as equally important. In the morning make a list on a 3X5 card of two or three tasks that will make the most difference, keeping this separate from our normal to do list, work on these MIT’s first thing in the morning. Set a time frame say I’m going to accomplish my MIT’s today by 10:00 a.m. Treat this MIT list as something that HAS to get done, no interruptions, e-mails and phone calls can wait. It works well and what a great way to deal with the rest of the day knowing you knocked out your MIT’s already.

RJ: Sounds like a smart plan. I know how easy it is to get wrapped up in the not important/not urgent tasks… or even procrastinating until the important/not urgent tasks become important/urgent tasks. The MIT list seems like a good way to get the important tasks completed without becoming overwhelmed. How much of you/your life do you put into your stories?

TC: There’s always a good deal of it in the stories. I have drawn personality traits from people I have known or from family members even.

RJ: All the world’s a stage, right? What’s the hardest part of the writing process?

TC: Finding the time and some place quiet. My children are young and I am always interrupted by such things as a broken crayon or somebody isn’t taking turns. As such, I try to work in the morning which means telling myself I don’t need that hour of sleep. The other part that is difficult is I am not real patience with myself. If I have an idea I want to express I want it on paper and perfect right now. But life and writing isn’t like that.

RJ: How about the easiest?

TC: When ideas pop into my head while I’m doing something else. I think Okay I can use that.

RJ: Hopefully you’re not like me and forget by the time you get it on paper. With hindsight being 20/20, is there anything you would have changed with your publishing journey?

TC: I tend to want to rush things. Not there there is a lot I would change but I have to remind myself to make sure I know what I need to know, that the writing is really the best it can be, before moving on to the next step. I’m really happy to be where I am in my writing and publishing this is an exciting time for people who love words, be it writers or readers.

RJ: Definitely. Do you have any advice for other writers?

TC: Close your eyes, think of someone you don’t know, imagine their facial features, their personality, what they do for a living, what they think about often, where they live, what they want from their life. Dwell on that for a minute or two and know that someone just like this is probably out there somewhere right now.

RJ: Anything special you’d like to say to readers?

TC: If you read The Finding and post a review on Amazon I’ll find a way to get you a doughnut and a cup of coffee.

RJ: Now you’re talking! What are you working on now?

TC: Dream Dots is a mystery in which the clues come through dreams. The main character has to connect the dots(clues) to solve the mystery. He believes he is being lead to discover something extremely valuable only to be surprised that it is something else, something he never imagined. And a love story breaks out too. I hope to have this out in 2013.

RJ: Many thanks for stopping by.

About the Author

I graduated from Indiana University with degrees in English and History. I have worked in factories, warehouses, as a news reporter and as a chef. My latest endeavor is that of a work at home father, designing and developing websites, writing fiction, and raising two children all the while attempting to hang onto my sanity. The Finding is my third work of fiction.

Find Timothy Cavinder online!
Website    http://www.cavinder.com/
Blog   http://wwwtimothycavinder.blogspot.com/
Good reads   http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13491255-the-finding

Giveaway Time!

One lucky winner will receive a print copy of The Finding by Timothy Cavinder (US-Only). To enter, simply leave a comment.

Follow the Tour!






07/15/12  Prayga, Reviewing Shelf, Review

07/16/12  Amy, Amy’s Book World, Review Give Away

07/17/12  Crystal, Reading Between the Wines, Guest Post

07/18/12  Mary Ann Loesch, All Things Writing, Bio/Synopsis/Excerpt Give Away

07/19/12  Reena, Ramblings of an Amatuer Writer, Interview Give Away

07/20/12  Nikki, Storm Goddess Book Reivews & More, Interview Give Away

07/21/12  Jessica, Wickedly Bookish, Review Give Away

07/23/12  Cristi, Cristi’s Reviews Review

07/24/12  Melissa, Adventures of a Frugal Mom Review Give Away

07/25/12  Suzie, The Bunny’s Review Interview Give Away

07/26/12  Susan, My Cozie Corner Bio/Synopsis/Excerpt Give Away

07/28/12  Stephanie, Miraculous, Review

Beneath the Surface Blog Tour + Giveaway

I love Blog Blitz! It’s like a dash to the finish. And I’m totally lovin’ this cover.

She’s fighting to stay independent–he’s determined to protect her no matter what…

Brooke Richards survived the earthquake that took her parents and most of her leg, but she needs time to regroup. A trip to Florida for a state-of-the-art prosthesis and to visit her best friend Linda seems ideal. But the trip turns traumatic when Brooke witnesses Linda’s boat disintegrating in a fiery explosion.

Police Officer Garrett Ciavello believes the blast was intentionally set to hide something Linda found on a dive. When Brooke offers her expertise in underwater archeology, Garrett accepts her help with the investigation. But since his fiancée’s death years ago, Garrett has become overprotective, and as they are drawn to each other, Garrett realizes he will risk anything to keep Brooke safe.

Brooke is fiercely independent. Garrett is fiercely protective. Will they heal each other’s wounds and find a killer…before it’s too late?

Available at Barnes & Nobles || Amazon

Excerpt!

For the first time since the accident, Brooke forgot about her leg. Forgot about all she’d lost and focused on the way Garrett made her feel.

She knew she needed to stop him. She should find a way to resist the temptation to be with him. But for a few minutes, she could enjoy the taste of him, the feel of him, couldn’t she?

He dropped his hands to her waist and softened the kiss before trailing a line of kisses down her neck. A weak cry slipped from her mouth. “Garrett,” she whispered.

She should stop this now before it got any more intense.

He lifted her chin and forced her to meet his brown eyes, smoky with desire. Heat spiraled to her middle and she caught a whiff of his sawdust scent.

“I…I can walk you back to your own room before I head to mine.” His voice broke as he whispered.

She swallowed hard. She couldn’t do this right now with him. Too many obstacles stood in their way. But as she looked in his somber eyes, she realized none of those complications were bigger than her need for Garrett.

“Let’s go to your room,” she said, her voice shaking. She moved her hands inside his shirt and ran them over his tight abs and chest. Heat soared through her body at the feel of him. “Together…”

About the Author

Joya Fields has had over 100 stories and articles published in local and national magazines and her debut novel, BENEATH THE SURFACE, a romantic suspense, released in January, 2012. LOVE DELIVERED, a contemporary romance, is also now available.

Over the years, Joya has taught arts and crafts, worked in public relations, owned a daycare center, helped her children raise prize-winning 4-H livestock, competed in three marathons, and even spent a year as a Baltimore Colts cheerleader. Joya loves spending time with her high school sweetheart/husband of over twenty years, two very supportive children, and a pug who follows her everywhere. www.joyafields.com

Find Joya on Twitter: @joyafields

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Joya-Fields/e/B...

Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

Giveaway Time!

This is a Half-year Birthday Celebration for Beneath the Surface.

Joya Fields is giving away an ecopy of the book, along with Beneath the Surface Romance Trading Cards and a signed bookmark to one commenter at each blog (10)

TO ENTER: Leave a comment along with your email.

Additionally, a grand prize drawing of a Beneath the Surface tote bag filled with goodies for one commenter, drawn randomly, who comments on all 10 blogs that day: $25 Amazon gift card, autographed copy of Beneath the Surface, Beneath the Surface apron, notepad and pen, Romance Trading Cards, and autographed bookmark.

Don’t Miss the Other Stops!





Smitten with Reading

Reviewing Shelf 

My Cozie Corner  Books, Books, and More Books

  The Story of A Girl…

Understanding Shae’s Story

Purple Penguin Reviews

 ¡Miraculous!

A Date with A Book

 Love to Read Romance   T B R

Lissette E. Manning

  Words I Write Crazy

 Ramblings of an Amateur Writer

Novel Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I was pretty excited when Insurgent by Veronica Roth came out. Divergent reminded me of Hunger Games in so many ways (see review here), and I could hardly wait for the sequel. When this book came in the mail, my daughter and I debated who would read it first. Since I was in the middle of a book, she got it. At last my turn came. I hopped in, full of eager anticipation. So the blurb!

One choice can transform you–or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves–and herself–while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable–and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

“New York Times” bestselling author Veronica Roth’s much-anticipated second book of the dystopian “Divergent” series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Available at Barnes & Nobles || The Book Depository

Hmmm…. I guess I’m a bit shocked. I am beyond astonished I didn’t like it nearly as much as Divergent.

I’m really not sure what happened to this book. It’s like the manuscript came back from beta readers with LOTS of suggested changes. Then the changes were made, but no one read through it to make sure everything made sense in the end.

For example, [View Spoiler][Hide]

***Tris is about to be executed via injection. She gets injected with a purple substance and fades… loses all feeling in her body (paralyzed). Peter rolls her away on a stretcher then when he’s out of sight of Jeanine, he picks up Tris and runs with her to Tobias. Apparently, she wasn’t injected with death. I get that. But when she asks how she survives the injection, Peter explains that he switched the death syringe with a syringe filled with a water/purple food coloring solution. Okay… when does purple colored water paralyze?***

Anyway, the entire book is filled with plot holes and inconsistencies. The Erudite are supposed to be geniuses, or at least logical, but they spend more time asking questions everyone knows the answer to than applying their logic to important tasks… like not letting people with questionable loyalties guard Tris.

Character analysis. I was so not fond of Tris this time around. She was so intent on killing herself, I’m not sure why she didn’t run back to the Dauntless compound and throw herself into the pit. It certainly would have been more effective than risking her life, so others felt obligated to save her and risk getting killed themselves.

Even my beloved Caleb fell through. There was a point I was so proud of him. I thought, now here’s a hero. Resourceful, dedicated, and level headed. Then I found that Caleb was just a simulation in Tris’s head. Talk about your major bummers. He turned out to be the biggest liar of all. And Tris continued to fawn over him until the end. I would have kicked his butt to the curb and never looked back. “To the left, to the left. Everything in the box to the left.”

The ending. I hit it and found it terribly anticlimactic. I think it was meant to be a cliffhanger… end in a way to make me eagerly anticipate the next in the series. But when I hit the big reveal, it was more with a shrug and an “oh.”

This book had so much potential to be good. Unfortunately, it dragged and most of the real story didn’t start until the last 100 pages.

So how did I come up with this rating. Despite my many complaints while reading Insurgent, I clung to a three star rating. I kept telling myself, this had to be at least three stars. After all, Divergent was pretty decent. Every time I hit one of those plot inconsistencies, which were many, many, my rating plunged to 2 stars. Then I’d read on and convince myself Insurgent would pull out of the slump… we had to make it to three stars. Then another plot hole would hit a page later.

I truly wanted to give this 3 stars, but this book was so poorly executed, it seemed dishonest to give it anything more than 2 stars. When I looked through other books which have earned 2 stars from me, this one didn’t even rank that high. I’m totally bummed and feel awful this book wasn’t better. I wish there was a way to take this book off the market and put it through a developmental editor before rereleasing it. Cut the filler, fix the plot screw ups, and make Tris more like the survival Tris in Divergent. This might inch its way to a 1.5-star read, but I hesitate to even go that far.

As it is, I don’t see myself purchasing the next book in this series. I feel like something went horribly wrong, and the people the author should have been able to trust to tell her the truth fell through. I read Divergent and know the author can do better. I’m just not willing to bet my money (or time) on more of the same I got from Insurgent.

I am Candor, hear my truth!

Mid-Month Commentator Giveaway Winner & News

I’ve decided to phase out the Mid-Month Commentator Giveaway, but before I do that, we have one last winner.

So the prize?

A book of your choice! (kind of)

The book must be by an author featured during the giveaway period.
You must have commented on the post which features the author.

And the winner is!
Mary Preston

You have your choice of any book from an author featured between June 16 – July 15. An email will be sent shortly.

In other news

I’ve been thinking of other features for this blog. I really enjoy promoting other authors, but I’m struggling to find the best way to do so. The blog tours are fun, but lack of time prevents me from reading all the books and promoting effectively. So what I’m thinking is joining some meme posts. That way I can share my current reads with folks.

So share with me. What’s your favorite meme?

Novella Review: Lorenzo il Magnifico by Tristram La Roche

Okay. It’s been forever since I read this book. I meant to review it way back in March. Unfortunately, that was around the time I had Kindle trouble. I really should do a review on my loves and hates about the Kindle. But I digress. We’re here for Lorenzo il Magnifico by Tristram La Roche:

When Luke visits Florence he hopes it will be the start of a new chapter in his life. A chance meeting with a tall, handsome waiter and that chapter starts far sooner than he could ever have imagined. 

Lorenzo is everything Luke has been looking for. Hot, sexy and uninhibited, he pushes buttons 

Luke never knew existed. But Luke lives in England, Lorenzo in Florence, and the time soon comes for them to part… Can this holiday fling become more than just sex? Can it, in fact, turn into a magnificent romance?

Available at Barnes & Nobles || Smashwords || Amazon

For the longest time… okay, for the last couple of years, I’ve wanted to read a romance written by a male. Lorenzo il Magnifico gave me that opportunity. It’s one of those books which hit me on a psychological level.

It was interesting to find the main character in the book had a lot of the same insecurities I have going into new relationships. Luke offered a sort of rawness he shared with the reader, and it made him a character I could relate to… understand and appreciate.

One of the things I loved about Lorenzo il Magnifico is the vulnerability a lot of women miss when writing from the male perspective shows up in this book. Society says men are supposed to be butch and stoic. I’ve been married (add some dating years in) long enough to know the stoic shell hides a lot. It was nice getting into Luke’s mind and see he was just… well, human, rather than the unemotional brute I see so often in romances.

So we had a bit of gay love happening. What did you expect from a gay romance? It actually reminded me a lot of Queer as Folk. When Luke wanted sex, he simply went to the place were the guys were and got it on. He didn’t have to play games or pretend he was not into.

And it made me wonder, what would life be like if women didn’t have to play the chaste games… if women weren’t called sluts for seeking sex when they wanted. After all most people enjoy sex (men and women alike). Yet women have to put up the appearances that they’re not that interested in order for society to view their behaviors as acceptable. I have to say… for straight guys so eager to get it on, they’re really screwing themselves over with the name calling.

Despite the stigma still surrounding being gay, it seems very liberating to do away with the sex games heterosexual couples play and just do. I liked that about Lorenzo il Magnifico.

So I must apologize to my blog readers for not being able to go into more details about Lorenzo il Magnifico, since my notes are rather spotty after the Kindle incident. I will say, I enjoyed this book very much. 4/5 star read.

Book Blogger Confessions

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers “confess” and vent about topics that are unique to us. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.

Just keep it respectful – no bashing authors or other bloggers! If you want to participate just grab our button and include it in your post with a link to either Tiger’s All Consuming Media or For What It’s Worth. We will be providing a linky at the end of our posts so people can “hop” to see all the participants answers.

July16th: What do we owe publishers and authors? If we accept ARC’s do we “owe” anything to them or just an honest review to our followers? As book bloggers are we obligated to do more than just review books? Post covers – participate in book tours – host guest posts – promote authors?

So I’ve been following Karen at For What It’s Worth. I read her post last time about Blogger Controversy, and I decided I want to get in on this… make my own confession. Now or never, right?

So to the question. What do bloggers owe publishers and authors? The immediate answer which pops into my head is NOTHING. Bloggers don’t owe publishers or authors a damn thing. And really? Why should bloggers owe anything?

Bloggers take time out of their busy schedules for no pay and spread the word about books. It almost sounds to me like bloggers are the one doing the service… not authors and publishers. Given that… one might ask, “Do publishers and authors owe bloggers anything?”

If the question was just What do bloggers owe publishers and authors? I’d stop right there. However, the Book Blogger Confession question continues with If we accept ARC’s do we “owe” anything to them or just an honest review to our followers? Hmm… We’re stepping into new territories now.

I’d say that depends on if the ARC was given in exchange for a review or not. Sometimes bloggers just win ARCs no strings attached. However, if an ARC is given in exchange for a review, it’s another story. This is why I think it’s so important for bloggers to have review policies. Yes, authors and publishers want honest reviews. However, authors and publishers also don’t want their books to be smeared… to look online and see an awful 1-star rating. YIKES!!!

It’s nice when a blogger has a review policy which states, “I only review books I like (3 stars are above)” or “I review every book I read whether I like it or not” or even “If I don’t like a book, I’ll review it, but I’ll try to highlight the good points.” I have to admit, one of my favorite reviews is from a blogger who didn’t find one of my books her cup of tea.

Back to the question. If we accept ARC’s do we “owe” anything to them or just an honest review to our followers? Beyond the review policy (which is more of a suggestions — strong suggestion), I’d have to say if a blogger accepts an ARC for review, the blogger should at least try out the book. They don’t necessarily have to read the entire book, but a blogger shouldn’t accept an ARC she/he doesn’t intend or doesn’t have time to read. Bloggers owe authors/publishers at least that much. Other than that, bloggers should be honest to their followers.

More questions? As book bloggers are we obligated to do more than just review books? No. I’ll even go on to say, bloggers don’t even owe publishers/authors reviews. I doubt authors/publishers even want bloggers to leave an unsavory review of one of their books. But as I mentioned above, a review policy is important and only accepting books one has a real intent on reviewing. Don’t just toss the ARC on the ever growing review pile. That’s just not right.

Post covers – participate in book tours – host guest posts – promote authors? Again, no. The blogger has no obligation. Blogging isn’t a paid job with authors and publishers as bosses. For most bloggers, it’s a hobby done in free time with no compensation other than books. And trust me, spending hours upon hours reading a book then reviewing that same book is worth a lot more pay than $0.99-$20.

HOWEVER!!!!! A blogger who does agree to participate in a book tour or promotion should opt out of leaving an unsavory review during the tour. If a blogger doesn’t like the book, that’s fine. He/She can still participate in the blog tour. Tastes are subjective. A book a blogger may not like may be adored by readers.

But doing a review as part of the tour then crapping on the book is just plain tacky and EXTREMELY UNETHICAL. I’ve seen it happen (had it happen to me) and still don’t know why a blogger would be so mean. Save the unsavory reviews until AFTER the tour is over, if you as a blogger feel obligated to review the book. Or if promoting a book you don’t like goes against your policy, then PLEASE drop out of the tour. Don’t surprise the publisher/author with ugliness.

So… my opinion. For the most part, bloggers owe authors/publishers nothing. Pick and choose the books you want to review and/or promote. Be honest in your reviews… your followers depend on you. However, bloggers should still be courteous. Don’t sabotage authors and publishers you agree to promote. Don’t hoard books you don’t intend to read or lack the time to read. And if all possible, develop and post a review policy.