Noree Cosper's Blog, page 12
November 12, 2014
Peter Dawes Blogger Book Fair Guest with #Giveaway
Day Four of the Blogger Book Fair! Here is one of my favorite authors Peter Dawes:
Rebirth of the Seer (The Vampire Flynn #2)Supernatural/Paranormal | Adult
Flynn’s quest for redemption continues in the second installment of The Vampire Flynn.
Condemned by the Supernatural Order and sentenced by their High Council to die, he and his watcher Monica must avoid capture while deciphering a riddle left by Lydia Davies. The mission takes them from Philadelphia to the Windy City of Chicago, with a master seer named Julian nipping at their heels. There, they are joined by wary allies and a cunning vampire who is bent upon exposing the full hypocrisy of the Order.
The hunter becomes the hunted. The villain transforms into a champion. But even as Peter begins to emerge from the crimson shroud of his alter ego as a newly-gifted seer, he finds himself placed on a game board he would have sooner avoided. A destiny trails him, but so does the realization that he has become a country without affiliation, about to be presented with an offer too enticing for him to simply refuse. And while the Order’s band of gifted humans might be misguided, are they beyond redemption themselves?
What remains to be seen is who might be right – the ones who remember the murderous assassin, or the few who believe in the heart of a hero nobody asked for.
Where would your wager lie?
Buy Links:Only $.99!Amazon | Other Formats
My Review:
Mr. Dawes has done it again.
The continuation of Eyes of the Seer was well worth the wait. The last book delved deep into the mind of a sociopathic killer, and we watched his struggle and rise from his murdering ways. This book is more story focused. We still get to see Peter's struggle but we also got to see more of the antagonists, from narrow minded sorcerers to bloodthirsty vampires.
This story explores other characters as well. You learn more about Monica here (Love Monica!) and meet a few new players. Mr. Dawes style is still very elegant.
Once again, This is my kind of vampire book. If you haven't read it yet, pick up this
Author Bio:
USA Today Bestselling Author. Writer of the Vampire Flynn Series and Deathspell books, published by the micro-press Crimson Melodies. While primarily a novelist, he has also contributed to the story cycle Red Phone Box, and the short story anthology, Nocturnal Embers. Always working on something new, Peter leaves it up to the reader to decide if it's by sunlight or candlelight.
Connect:
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Official BBF Giveaways
$50 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $30 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $20 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway
Rebirth of the Seer (The Vampire Flynn #2)Supernatural/Paranormal | Adult
Flynn’s quest for redemption continues in the second installment of The Vampire Flynn.
Condemned by the Supernatural Order and sentenced by their High Council to die, he and his watcher Monica must avoid capture while deciphering a riddle left by Lydia Davies. The mission takes them from Philadelphia to the Windy City of Chicago, with a master seer named Julian nipping at their heels. There, they are joined by wary allies and a cunning vampire who is bent upon exposing the full hypocrisy of the Order.
The hunter becomes the hunted. The villain transforms into a champion. But even as Peter begins to emerge from the crimson shroud of his alter ego as a newly-gifted seer, he finds himself placed on a game board he would have sooner avoided. A destiny trails him, but so does the realization that he has become a country without affiliation, about to be presented with an offer too enticing for him to simply refuse. And while the Order’s band of gifted humans might be misguided, are they beyond redemption themselves?
What remains to be seen is who might be right – the ones who remember the murderous assassin, or the few who believe in the heart of a hero nobody asked for.
Where would your wager lie?
Buy Links:Only $.99!Amazon | Other Formats
My Review:
Mr. Dawes has done it again.
The continuation of Eyes of the Seer was well worth the wait. The last book delved deep into the mind of a sociopathic killer, and we watched his struggle and rise from his murdering ways. This book is more story focused. We still get to see Peter's struggle but we also got to see more of the antagonists, from narrow minded sorcerers to bloodthirsty vampires.
This story explores other characters as well. You learn more about Monica here (Love Monica!) and meet a few new players. Mr. Dawes style is still very elegant.
Once again, This is my kind of vampire book. If you haven't read it yet, pick up this
Author Bio:
USA Today Bestselling Author. Writer of the Vampire Flynn Series and Deathspell books, published by the micro-press Crimson Melodies. While primarily a novelist, he has also contributed to the story cycle Red Phone Box, and the short story anthology, Nocturnal Embers. Always working on something new, Peter leaves it up to the reader to decide if it's by sunlight or candlelight.
Connect:
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Official BBF Giveaways
$50 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $30 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $20 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 11, 2014
Garrett Robinson Blogger Book Fair Guest with #Giveaway
Welcome to day three of the Blogger Book Fair! Today I am pleased to have Garret Robinson.
NightbladeFantasy | New Adudlt
Everyone begins their life dreaming of the great person they could become, only to have those hopes battered and broken by the world around them. The world tells them they’re not special. Family convinces them to abandon their goals for the safe route, the sure route.
Loren has been born to cruel parents and raised in an obscure village. She’s long resigned herself to an unremarkable life under the sway of a father who beats her and a mother who sees her only as means to a dowry. Loren’s dreams have almost burnt out—until fate rekindles their spark into a flame that will consume the world.
SOMETIMES ALL WE NEED IS A PUSH.
When Loren meets the fugitive wizard Xain, she dares to hope again. Escaping her village, she finds the nine kingdoms more complicated and dangerous than she could have imagined. But at long last, she’s ready to face the challenge or die in the attempt.
Loren has reclaimed her dreams—this time for good. Armed with only her wit and her courage, she will do anything to become the woman she’s always wanted to be: Nightblade, the most renowned thief in all the land.
Buy Links:Only $.99!Amazon | Other Formats
Nightblade Special Offer
From November 10th through November 14th, you can pick up Nightblade, the first book of the Nightblade Volumes, for only $0.99 on Kindle! What's more — if you finish and review Nightblade, I'll send you a FREE ebook copy of Mystic, the second book in the series! Just fill out the form at http://garrettbrobinson.com/free-mystic.
99 cents and a review — two books. It doesn't get much better than that.
Nightblade Excerpt
Loren imagined she could feel her father’s eyes on her back as she ran. Her steps came faster and faster still, but soon Xain began to tire and flag behind her. She had to slow her pace to match him, and every step seemed an irredeemable loss.
“You must hurry,” she said. “He will find us.”
Xain did not bother with an answer. He could move no faster, and they both knew it. After a time his ankle caught upon a protruding root and he stumbled, and in that moment her father struck.
He leapt from the shadows between two thick oaks. His hand lashed out, cracking against Loren’s cheek. She fell to the ground with a cry and struggled up before he could pin her down. But he did not come for her. When she rose she saw him atop Xain instead, wrapping an arm around the thinner man’s throat. Xain’s face turned red and edged toward purple. He fought to bring a hand around, scrabbling for her father’s face, but her father caught the hand and twisted it, prompting a screech of agony.
Hearing that cry of pain, Loren’s mind turned to ice. Never had her father hurt another in her presence—except when he fought her mother, and Loren only wanted each to hurt the other as much as possible. But now her father threatened to crush the life from her one chance, the only man who Loren had ever truly thought could save her from the life of pain and obscurity she feared.
Icy rage turned white-hot, and Loren drew the dagger. She leapt at her father with the blade held high. But her father saw her coming and released Xain, scrabbling to his knees and away from her wild swing.
He rose and roared like a bear brought to bay. The sound dampened Loren’s sudden burst of fury, and she hesitated a moment. That moment was enough, and like a snake her father lunged. One hand gripped her wrist to hold the dagger helpless. His other hand curled into a fist that he drove into her face.
Stars erupted at the edge of her vision, and Loren doubled over. Her father squeezed her wrist until the dagger dropped to the grass, then let her follow it. She gasped at the pain in her eye, blinking as she fought to clear her vision.
“Spawn of soiled seed,” said her father. “You have been a plague and a pox upon me since the day you first clawed air into your lungs.”
He kicked her. The hard leather of his boots felt like a tree trunk. She screamed, trying to roll away, but he only kicked her in the back.
She could not see. She could not think. Where was she? Who was this man, and why did he want to hurt her so? Why did some part of her mind scream that he should love her, pick her up and cradle her in his arms and promise to take the pain away? Instead he only gave her more.
Her eyes fell on Xain, who crouched several yards away. The wizard’s lips moved, and his eyes began to glow. He held a hand curled at his side, and Loren saw the flash of fire within it.
“No!” she cried. “Don’t kill him!”
Xain froze. His lips stopped moving, and the fire wisped out in his palm.
The shout drew her father’s gaze. His ugly, beady eyes fell on the wizard, and his lips split in a grimace, revealing spots of blood.
He leapt catlike upon Xain and bore the wizard to the ground. This time he wrapped his hands around Xain’s throat, digging his fingers in deep. Xain’s eyes bugged forth as though they would burst from their sockets. He gasped a phrase, and blue lightning sprang into being, but it vanished before he could unleash it.
Loren’s heart broke. Xain would not have been here if not for her. He might have died on the way to Cabrus, and he might not. But she had brought him to this place and then brought her father’s wrath, and now Xain would die for it.
She could not allow it. She saw the dagger lying near her fingers, and thought of her childish dreams. Nightblade could not allow it.
She fought to her knees. Her bow still hung on her back, and by some grace of the gods its string was whole. Her fingers felt like wood, but she forced them around the bow’s haft and pulled it free. Shakily she brought an arrow to string and half-drew, then took two stumbling steps forward. This time her father had eyes for nothing but Xain.
Loren kicked as hard as she could, and something in her father’s face broke under her boot heel.
He fell away, rolling over and over to put distance between them as he screamed in rage. In a blink he regained his feet, but there he paused. Loren’s arrow rested at full draw, aiming straight for his heart.
Slowly, her father’s hamfist hands came up on either side of his head. For every inch they climbed, the fury in his eyes redoubled.
“No more,” said Loren. It came out as a whisper. “No more will you torment me. I am leaving, father, and I mean never to return.”
“You mean to defy me?” said her father. “You will do your duty as a daughter or—”
She pulled just a little harder on the bow, gaining another inch of draw. Her father’s voice fell to silence.
“You have never done your duty as a father,” she said. “I feel I owe you nothing.”
“You owe me everything,” he said. “I could have killed you in the cradle. I could have killed you when I woke up today, and moved my bowel on your corpse. I made you, and now I see I made you worthless.”
“Then when I leave you shall suffer no great loss,” she said.
She felt that his words should have stung, but she was beyond them. They were only a stronger flavor of the same things he had said all her life. And in this moment, now that another fate beckoned her, she stood under his sway no longer.
Xain had finally regained his breath, and he came to stand at her side. He muttered, and as his eyes glowed white a ball of lightning hovered in his grasp.
“You think you can escape me?” her father said, changing tack. “I learned these lands years before I spilled you between your mother’s legs. Nowhere in Selvan can you hide from me. Ready yourself for sleepless nights by a bright fire. For if you close your eyes in sleep, if for even a moment you let yourself sit in darkness—”
Loren loosed the shaft. It sank into her father’s thigh. He collapsed to the ground without a scream, but with a gut-deep grunt of pain.
“Chase us now,” said Loren.
She turned and walked away from him, stopping for only a moment to retrieve the dagger and replace it in its sheath. She did not turn to see if Xain followed her, but after a moment she heard footfalls behind her.
Her father’s hateful screams followed them for a long while.Interesting Information about Nightblade
The Nightblade Volumes are a WEEKLY serial — I publish a new 10,000 word episode every Friday at 12:00pm PST. Every eight episodes compose one book, which is published as a complete work in ebook and paperback.
Nightblade is the first book in the series. The second book is Mystic. Those who like Nightblade, and want to keep reading, can go review it on Amazon. If they fill out the form at http://garrettbrobinson.com/free-mystic, I'll send them an ebook copy of Mystic for FREE.
Readers can also subscribe to the series. For ebook enthusiasts, this is THE CHEAPEST way to read! Pay $2.99 a month, and I'll send you an episode every week — TWO WEEKS before it's published to Amazon! It's cheaper than buying the episodes individually, and it's even cheaper than buying the volumes!
You can check that out at http://garrettbrobinson.com/nb-sub
*****
Nightblade is a very special story to me. It comes to me so easily because I feel like I've only recently emerged from my own personal journey into adulthood. Though the setting, the place, and the person are different, this is MY story.
I love that the coming of age story is so universal, that you can put it in any setting and any genre and it still works. It doesn't matter that Harry went to Hogwarts and cast spells (although that was cool). What mattered was that he suffered through what we ALL suffer through — that terrible, wonderful time between childhood and adulthood, when you don't really know what's going on and you're trying to figure it all out.
Loren, the main character of Nightblade, is going through the same thing. Loren has dreams. BIG dreams, dreams she's never given up on no matter what. Her parents have beaten her and told her she's worthless. The world has tried to convince her that her goals are hopeless. But the spark won't die.
I think we've all been there at one point. Haven't you? Some people give up. Who can blame them? It's a cruel world. It's certainly easier to give up, to go with the flow. I legitimately cannot fault someone who chooses to do that.
To be perfectly honest, it's not worth it to keep fighting. You will suffer so much. You will go through so much pain and lose so much that is dear to you. Only the mad even attempt it, because only a tiny portion of them will ever succeed. The rest will die broken and alone in the corners and back alleys of the world.
And yet, we do love the stories about the ones who win.
InterviewWhen did you start writing?I began writing as a teenager, scribbling fan fiction from my favorite science fiction and fantasy stories. But it took my mother's passing at the age of 25 to convince me that if I didn't try, honest to God, to make it as an artist, then it would never happen.
I published my first book in December of 2012, and since then I've put out more than a million words in fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, comedy and horror.
I don't plan on stopping.
What inspires your writing?I think the most exciting phrase a writer can ever utter is, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if...?"
Ideas are all around us. Sometimes they come from things we wish we saw in the world more often. Sometimes they're just things that are really, really cool. A girl who sees thoughts when she makes skin contact. A guy who becomes a zombie, but can still think. Kids who become wizards in another world when they sleep. A girl who wants to make it in the big time — but in a fantasy setting.
No idea is a bad story idea. Find out what's important to you, and construct a story around that.
What is the best part about being a writer?Anyone who's published a book knows what a rush it is to hear from your readers. The best writers write from inspiration. They write the sort of story that THEY would want to read. There's nothing more gratifying than hearing, from a complete stranger no less, that they were personally touched by your book.
Even better is are those who you deeply, truly affect. The best feeling in the world is to hear that a reader can relate to what my character is going through, and that in some small way I helped them through a difficult time. You can't beat that.
Author Bio:
Garrett Robinson was born in Los Angeles, California. Throughout his childhood and into adulthood, he was encouraged to learn by his parents, who not only ensured he had access to thousands of books whenever he wanted, but who traveled with him around the world and helped him do so once he was out in the world on his own. Throughout high school, Garrett excelled in creative writing, churning out millions of words and far surpassing all of his classmates.
After school, Garrett discovered a love of, and has had a budding career in the independent film industry. In today's digital age, however, he has discoverd that new creative models are necessary to succeed. To that end, he has begun turning all of his film ideas into self-published books, in hopes of drumming up support and readership for the stories he has created.
Connect:
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Official BBF Giveaways $50 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $30 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $20 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway
NightbladeFantasy | New Adudlt
Everyone begins their life dreaming of the great person they could become, only to have those hopes battered and broken by the world around them. The world tells them they’re not special. Family convinces them to abandon their goals for the safe route, the sure route.
Loren has been born to cruel parents and raised in an obscure village. She’s long resigned herself to an unremarkable life under the sway of a father who beats her and a mother who sees her only as means to a dowry. Loren’s dreams have almost burnt out—until fate rekindles their spark into a flame that will consume the world.
SOMETIMES ALL WE NEED IS A PUSH.
When Loren meets the fugitive wizard Xain, she dares to hope again. Escaping her village, she finds the nine kingdoms more complicated and dangerous than she could have imagined. But at long last, she’s ready to face the challenge or die in the attempt.
Loren has reclaimed her dreams—this time for good. Armed with only her wit and her courage, she will do anything to become the woman she’s always wanted to be: Nightblade, the most renowned thief in all the land.
Buy Links:Only $.99!Amazon | Other Formats
Nightblade Special Offer
From November 10th through November 14th, you can pick up Nightblade, the first book of the Nightblade Volumes, for only $0.99 on Kindle! What's more — if you finish and review Nightblade, I'll send you a FREE ebook copy of Mystic, the second book in the series! Just fill out the form at http://garrettbrobinson.com/free-mystic.
99 cents and a review — two books. It doesn't get much better than that.
Nightblade Excerpt
Loren imagined she could feel her father’s eyes on her back as she ran. Her steps came faster and faster still, but soon Xain began to tire and flag behind her. She had to slow her pace to match him, and every step seemed an irredeemable loss.
“You must hurry,” she said. “He will find us.”
Xain did not bother with an answer. He could move no faster, and they both knew it. After a time his ankle caught upon a protruding root and he stumbled, and in that moment her father struck.
He leapt from the shadows between two thick oaks. His hand lashed out, cracking against Loren’s cheek. She fell to the ground with a cry and struggled up before he could pin her down. But he did not come for her. When she rose she saw him atop Xain instead, wrapping an arm around the thinner man’s throat. Xain’s face turned red and edged toward purple. He fought to bring a hand around, scrabbling for her father’s face, but her father caught the hand and twisted it, prompting a screech of agony.
Hearing that cry of pain, Loren’s mind turned to ice. Never had her father hurt another in her presence—except when he fought her mother, and Loren only wanted each to hurt the other as much as possible. But now her father threatened to crush the life from her one chance, the only man who Loren had ever truly thought could save her from the life of pain and obscurity she feared.
Icy rage turned white-hot, and Loren drew the dagger. She leapt at her father with the blade held high. But her father saw her coming and released Xain, scrabbling to his knees and away from her wild swing.
He rose and roared like a bear brought to bay. The sound dampened Loren’s sudden burst of fury, and she hesitated a moment. That moment was enough, and like a snake her father lunged. One hand gripped her wrist to hold the dagger helpless. His other hand curled into a fist that he drove into her face.
Stars erupted at the edge of her vision, and Loren doubled over. Her father squeezed her wrist until the dagger dropped to the grass, then let her follow it. She gasped at the pain in her eye, blinking as she fought to clear her vision.
“Spawn of soiled seed,” said her father. “You have been a plague and a pox upon me since the day you first clawed air into your lungs.”
He kicked her. The hard leather of his boots felt like a tree trunk. She screamed, trying to roll away, but he only kicked her in the back.
She could not see. She could not think. Where was she? Who was this man, and why did he want to hurt her so? Why did some part of her mind scream that he should love her, pick her up and cradle her in his arms and promise to take the pain away? Instead he only gave her more.
Her eyes fell on Xain, who crouched several yards away. The wizard’s lips moved, and his eyes began to glow. He held a hand curled at his side, and Loren saw the flash of fire within it.
“No!” she cried. “Don’t kill him!”
Xain froze. His lips stopped moving, and the fire wisped out in his palm.
The shout drew her father’s gaze. His ugly, beady eyes fell on the wizard, and his lips split in a grimace, revealing spots of blood.
He leapt catlike upon Xain and bore the wizard to the ground. This time he wrapped his hands around Xain’s throat, digging his fingers in deep. Xain’s eyes bugged forth as though they would burst from their sockets. He gasped a phrase, and blue lightning sprang into being, but it vanished before he could unleash it.
Loren’s heart broke. Xain would not have been here if not for her. He might have died on the way to Cabrus, and he might not. But she had brought him to this place and then brought her father’s wrath, and now Xain would die for it.
She could not allow it. She saw the dagger lying near her fingers, and thought of her childish dreams. Nightblade could not allow it.
She fought to her knees. Her bow still hung on her back, and by some grace of the gods its string was whole. Her fingers felt like wood, but she forced them around the bow’s haft and pulled it free. Shakily she brought an arrow to string and half-drew, then took two stumbling steps forward. This time her father had eyes for nothing but Xain.
Loren kicked as hard as she could, and something in her father’s face broke under her boot heel.
He fell away, rolling over and over to put distance between them as he screamed in rage. In a blink he regained his feet, but there he paused. Loren’s arrow rested at full draw, aiming straight for his heart.
Slowly, her father’s hamfist hands came up on either side of his head. For every inch they climbed, the fury in his eyes redoubled.
“No more,” said Loren. It came out as a whisper. “No more will you torment me. I am leaving, father, and I mean never to return.”
“You mean to defy me?” said her father. “You will do your duty as a daughter or—”
She pulled just a little harder on the bow, gaining another inch of draw. Her father’s voice fell to silence.
“You have never done your duty as a father,” she said. “I feel I owe you nothing.”
“You owe me everything,” he said. “I could have killed you in the cradle. I could have killed you when I woke up today, and moved my bowel on your corpse. I made you, and now I see I made you worthless.”
“Then when I leave you shall suffer no great loss,” she said.
She felt that his words should have stung, but she was beyond them. They were only a stronger flavor of the same things he had said all her life. And in this moment, now that another fate beckoned her, she stood under his sway no longer.
Xain had finally regained his breath, and he came to stand at her side. He muttered, and as his eyes glowed white a ball of lightning hovered in his grasp.
“You think you can escape me?” her father said, changing tack. “I learned these lands years before I spilled you between your mother’s legs. Nowhere in Selvan can you hide from me. Ready yourself for sleepless nights by a bright fire. For if you close your eyes in sleep, if for even a moment you let yourself sit in darkness—”
Loren loosed the shaft. It sank into her father’s thigh. He collapsed to the ground without a scream, but with a gut-deep grunt of pain.
“Chase us now,” said Loren.
She turned and walked away from him, stopping for only a moment to retrieve the dagger and replace it in its sheath. She did not turn to see if Xain followed her, but after a moment she heard footfalls behind her.
Her father’s hateful screams followed them for a long while.Interesting Information about Nightblade
The Nightblade Volumes are a WEEKLY serial — I publish a new 10,000 word episode every Friday at 12:00pm PST. Every eight episodes compose one book, which is published as a complete work in ebook and paperback.
Nightblade is the first book in the series. The second book is Mystic. Those who like Nightblade, and want to keep reading, can go review it on Amazon. If they fill out the form at http://garrettbrobinson.com/free-mystic, I'll send them an ebook copy of Mystic for FREE.
Readers can also subscribe to the series. For ebook enthusiasts, this is THE CHEAPEST way to read! Pay $2.99 a month, and I'll send you an episode every week — TWO WEEKS before it's published to Amazon! It's cheaper than buying the episodes individually, and it's even cheaper than buying the volumes!
You can check that out at http://garrettbrobinson.com/nb-sub
*****
Nightblade is a very special story to me. It comes to me so easily because I feel like I've only recently emerged from my own personal journey into adulthood. Though the setting, the place, and the person are different, this is MY story.
I love that the coming of age story is so universal, that you can put it in any setting and any genre and it still works. It doesn't matter that Harry went to Hogwarts and cast spells (although that was cool). What mattered was that he suffered through what we ALL suffer through — that terrible, wonderful time between childhood and adulthood, when you don't really know what's going on and you're trying to figure it all out.
Loren, the main character of Nightblade, is going through the same thing. Loren has dreams. BIG dreams, dreams she's never given up on no matter what. Her parents have beaten her and told her she's worthless. The world has tried to convince her that her goals are hopeless. But the spark won't die.
I think we've all been there at one point. Haven't you? Some people give up. Who can blame them? It's a cruel world. It's certainly easier to give up, to go with the flow. I legitimately cannot fault someone who chooses to do that.
To be perfectly honest, it's not worth it to keep fighting. You will suffer so much. You will go through so much pain and lose so much that is dear to you. Only the mad even attempt it, because only a tiny portion of them will ever succeed. The rest will die broken and alone in the corners and back alleys of the world.
And yet, we do love the stories about the ones who win.
InterviewWhen did you start writing?I began writing as a teenager, scribbling fan fiction from my favorite science fiction and fantasy stories. But it took my mother's passing at the age of 25 to convince me that if I didn't try, honest to God, to make it as an artist, then it would never happen.
I published my first book in December of 2012, and since then I've put out more than a million words in fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, comedy and horror.
I don't plan on stopping.
What inspires your writing?I think the most exciting phrase a writer can ever utter is, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if...?"
Ideas are all around us. Sometimes they come from things we wish we saw in the world more often. Sometimes they're just things that are really, really cool. A girl who sees thoughts when she makes skin contact. A guy who becomes a zombie, but can still think. Kids who become wizards in another world when they sleep. A girl who wants to make it in the big time — but in a fantasy setting.
No idea is a bad story idea. Find out what's important to you, and construct a story around that.
What is the best part about being a writer?Anyone who's published a book knows what a rush it is to hear from your readers. The best writers write from inspiration. They write the sort of story that THEY would want to read. There's nothing more gratifying than hearing, from a complete stranger no less, that they were personally touched by your book.
Even better is are those who you deeply, truly affect. The best feeling in the world is to hear that a reader can relate to what my character is going through, and that in some small way I helped them through a difficult time. You can't beat that.
Author Bio:
Garrett Robinson was born in Los Angeles, California. Throughout his childhood and into adulthood, he was encouraged to learn by his parents, who not only ensured he had access to thousands of books whenever he wanted, but who traveled with him around the world and helped him do so once he was out in the world on his own. Throughout high school, Garrett excelled in creative writing, churning out millions of words and far surpassing all of his classmates.
After school, Garrett discovered a love of, and has had a budding career in the independent film industry. In today's digital age, however, he has discoverd that new creative models are necessary to succeed. To that end, he has begun turning all of his film ideas into self-published books, in hopes of drumming up support and readership for the stories he has created.
Connect:
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Official BBF Giveaways $50 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $30 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $20 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 10, 2014
Anya Breton Blogger Book Fair Guest with #Giveaway
Welcome to the second day of the blogger book fair. Be sure to check out the official website for other awesome evens happening. Today I have Anya Breton as my guest.
The Only Sorceress (Sorceress Series #1)Supernatural/Paranormal | Adult
Self-proclaimed sorceress Kora Walsh knows exactly how to use her shiny new MBA. She’ll open a new age shop in a colony of the country’s most powerful witches. But the town rife with bigots doesn’t want her or her sleek shop tainting their perfect community.
Kora would leave if she had any choice in the matter. She’s trained from childhood for her true task—infiltrating coven leadership as her mother’s mole. Failure to do her familial duty is not an option, not when her childhood nemesis is assured her failed soul for an eternity of torture.
And thanks to the colony’s loudest supporter, the beautiful Desmond Marino, failure is a very real danger.
Buy Links:Amazon | Other Formats
Author Bio:
I was born in New England into a family of weirdoes. Being an only child, I quickly learned to amuse myself with quirky pastimes. It was only inevitable that I’d turn to reading and writing. After writing fanciful (and sickeningly sweet) love stories, I branched out into erotic romance, paranormal romance, young adult, and urban fantasy. I currently reside in the American Midwest with my cats and a good man!
Connect:Website | Twitter | Facebook
Official BBF Giveaways
$50 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $30 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $20 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway
The Only Sorceress (Sorceress Series #1)Supernatural/Paranormal | Adult
Self-proclaimed sorceress Kora Walsh knows exactly how to use her shiny new MBA. She’ll open a new age shop in a colony of the country’s most powerful witches. But the town rife with bigots doesn’t want her or her sleek shop tainting their perfect community.
Kora would leave if she had any choice in the matter. She’s trained from childhood for her true task—infiltrating coven leadership as her mother’s mole. Failure to do her familial duty is not an option, not when her childhood nemesis is assured her failed soul for an eternity of torture.
And thanks to the colony’s loudest supporter, the beautiful Desmond Marino, failure is a very real danger.
Buy Links:Amazon | Other Formats
Author Bio:
I was born in New England into a family of weirdoes. Being an only child, I quickly learned to amuse myself with quirky pastimes. It was only inevitable that I’d turn to reading and writing. After writing fanciful (and sickeningly sweet) love stories, I branched out into erotic romance, paranormal romance, young adult, and urban fantasy. I currently reside in the American Midwest with my cats and a good man!
Connect:Website | Twitter | Facebook
Official BBF Giveaways
$50 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $30 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $20 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 9, 2014
Alesha Escobar Blogger Book Fair Guest with #Giveaway
Welcome to the first day of the Blogger Book Fair! There are many great prizes and events going on across the interwebs. Be sure to check the schedule out at their website. And enter for prizes at the end of this blog! My first guest is Alesha Escobar.
The Tower’s Alchemist (The Gray Tower Trilogy, #1)Supernatural/Paranormal | Adult
Wizard Vs. Nazi Warlock Vampires.
It's a very different World War II.
The Nazis have unleashed occult forces throughout Europe and the Allies are forced to recruit and employ wizards to counter their attacks.
Among them is the battle weary spy, Isabella George, a Gray Tower dropout trained in Alchemy. Longing for retirement and a life of peace, she accepts one final job--extract a deadly warlock from Nazi occupied France and prevent him from unleashing an alchemical weapon that will devour the continent.
But France is crawling with the Cruenti, vampiric warlocks who feed off other wizards. When things don't go according to plan, one Cruenti sets his deadly eyes on her.
Betrayal is everywhere. Even some of her closest allies cannot be fully trusted. Worse still, she finds, she can't even trust herself. She becomes a woman torn between her charismatic spy lover who offers her what she desires most, and one of her closest confidants, whose soft seductive eyes hold deadly secrets about her past, and the Gray Tower itself.
Plans within plans. Plots versus counter plots. Heists gone wrong, sword-wielding Catholic priests, and the greatest manipulation of history that has ever been seen, is just a taste of what Isabella George is in for, in her final mission.
Buy Links: FREE!Amazon | Other Formats
Dark Rift (The Gray Tower Trilogy, #2)Supernatural/Paranomal | Adult
Savior.
Monster.
A Time Wizard who will be the damnation of many...
The world already suffers a bitter taste of hell on earth, in a World War II where Nazi warlock vampires battle with Gray Tower wizards in the streets of Europe and in the shadows.
The Gray Tower, in its quest to stabilize a world that hangs on a delicate balance, has issued an order: Kill the Drifter.
Isabella George, an alchemist trained by the Tower, knows the identity of the Drifter and refuses to go through with it, because it hits too close to home. Instead of executing the Drifter, she protects the Time Wizard at all costs and ensures that the power to control Time never falls into the wrong hands. She sets out to lift the severe decree of the Gray Tower, and prove to the Master Wizards that the Drifter is the only way to win the war.
As Isabella unmasks traitors and embraces unlikely allies, her greatest danger may lie in her own heart--from the brutal desire for revenge, to the crushing guilt she carries...and the dangerous passion she tries to deny when she’s with one man in particular.
As she attempts to sort things out both in her heart and head--and not mix up the two, a figure from her past comes along and makes an enticing offer to solve all her problems. The only payment required is her soul.
Buy Links:Only $.99!Amazon | Other Formats
Circadian Circle (The Gray Tower Trilogy, #3)Supernatural/Paranormal | Adult
Isabella.
Octavian.
Ammon.
The Akashic Record...
Nazi warlock vampires, a rampaging Black Dragon, Vatican wizards, demonic corruption, and a Time Wizard gone mad. In this gripping, action-packed conclusion to The Gray Tower Trilogy, things go to hell in a hand basket -- and the world will never be the same.
Buy Links:Only $.99!Amazon | Other Formats
Author Bio:
Who am I? I'm a lover of good stories, of biting sarcasm and chocolate. I write fantasy and urban fantasy, with a dash of romance and humor mixed in.
"The Tower's Alchemist" is my debut novel, followed by "Dark Rift." The final book of the trilogy, "Circadian Circle," is available now. All three are being re-released by Creative Alchemy, Inc.
I also have a wicked fun short story in the New Myths anthology published by HDWP Books.
Please connect with me via Twitter, Facebook, and my website (www.aleshaescobar.com) to receive updates and access to special offers.
Connect:Website | Twitter | Facebook
Official BBF Giveaways $50 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $30 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $20 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway
The Tower’s Alchemist (The Gray Tower Trilogy, #1)Supernatural/Paranormal | Adult
Wizard Vs. Nazi Warlock Vampires.
It's a very different World War II.
The Nazis have unleashed occult forces throughout Europe and the Allies are forced to recruit and employ wizards to counter their attacks.
Among them is the battle weary spy, Isabella George, a Gray Tower dropout trained in Alchemy. Longing for retirement and a life of peace, she accepts one final job--extract a deadly warlock from Nazi occupied France and prevent him from unleashing an alchemical weapon that will devour the continent.
But France is crawling with the Cruenti, vampiric warlocks who feed off other wizards. When things don't go according to plan, one Cruenti sets his deadly eyes on her.
Betrayal is everywhere. Even some of her closest allies cannot be fully trusted. Worse still, she finds, she can't even trust herself. She becomes a woman torn between her charismatic spy lover who offers her what she desires most, and one of her closest confidants, whose soft seductive eyes hold deadly secrets about her past, and the Gray Tower itself.
Plans within plans. Plots versus counter plots. Heists gone wrong, sword-wielding Catholic priests, and the greatest manipulation of history that has ever been seen, is just a taste of what Isabella George is in for, in her final mission.
Buy Links: FREE!Amazon | Other Formats
Dark Rift (The Gray Tower Trilogy, #2)Supernatural/Paranomal | Adult
Savior.
Monster.
A Time Wizard who will be the damnation of many...
The world already suffers a bitter taste of hell on earth, in a World War II where Nazi warlock vampires battle with Gray Tower wizards in the streets of Europe and in the shadows.
The Gray Tower, in its quest to stabilize a world that hangs on a delicate balance, has issued an order: Kill the Drifter.
Isabella George, an alchemist trained by the Tower, knows the identity of the Drifter and refuses to go through with it, because it hits too close to home. Instead of executing the Drifter, she protects the Time Wizard at all costs and ensures that the power to control Time never falls into the wrong hands. She sets out to lift the severe decree of the Gray Tower, and prove to the Master Wizards that the Drifter is the only way to win the war.
As Isabella unmasks traitors and embraces unlikely allies, her greatest danger may lie in her own heart--from the brutal desire for revenge, to the crushing guilt she carries...and the dangerous passion she tries to deny when she’s with one man in particular.
As she attempts to sort things out both in her heart and head--and not mix up the two, a figure from her past comes along and makes an enticing offer to solve all her problems. The only payment required is her soul.
Buy Links:Only $.99!Amazon | Other Formats
Circadian Circle (The Gray Tower Trilogy, #3)Supernatural/Paranormal | Adult
Isabella.
Octavian.
Ammon.
The Akashic Record...
Nazi warlock vampires, a rampaging Black Dragon, Vatican wizards, demonic corruption, and a Time Wizard gone mad. In this gripping, action-packed conclusion to The Gray Tower Trilogy, things go to hell in a hand basket -- and the world will never be the same.
Buy Links:Only $.99!Amazon | Other Formats
Author Bio:
Who am I? I'm a lover of good stories, of biting sarcasm and chocolate. I write fantasy and urban fantasy, with a dash of romance and humor mixed in.
"The Tower's Alchemist" is my debut novel, followed by "Dark Rift." The final book of the trilogy, "Circadian Circle," is available now. All three are being re-released by Creative Alchemy, Inc.
I also have a wicked fun short story in the New Myths anthology published by HDWP Books.
Please connect with me via Twitter, Facebook, and my website (www.aleshaescobar.com) to receive updates and access to special offers.
Connect:Website | Twitter | Facebook
Official BBF Giveaways $50 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $30 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway $20 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 6, 2014
Wicked Glory Blog Tour: A #Book Playlist to Remember
Welcome Delshiree Gladden as she talks about the playlist that inspired her new release: Wicked Glory!
I was so glad Noree asked me to share a playlist for Wicked Glory, because after visiting local schools and telling them some of my favorite bands and songs only to get blank looks on at least half of them, clearly, teens today need some better music to listen to. So, here we go!
1. Mumford and Sons: This is one probably most people have at least heard of. They’ve gotten more popular in mainstream over the last few years, but they aren’t new. I love their folk music sound because it’s so much more authentic than so many other bands today. They put everything they have into their music and cover tough themes without ever bogging down their listeners. “Little Lion Man” and “White Blank Page” are two of my favorites from them, but all of their songs are amazing. They even covered the theme song for Disney’s Robin Hood (the cartoon) and it was awesome!
2. The Oh Hellos: This is another one that’s kind of folksy and upbeat, but if you listen to the lyrics, they’re much deeper than you realize at first. I love the poetic quality of their lyrics too. Everything doesn’t have to rhyme and sound cliché to be poetic. “Hello My Old Heart” is one of mine and my kids’ favorites.
3. Angus and Julia Stone: These two have such unique voices, it’s the first thing that pulls you in, but like the others, the lyrics have a lot of depth to them. Their sound is something you don’t hear from other duos, too. “And the Boys” is one of my favorites of theirs.
4. The Airborne Toxic Event: Honestly, I don’t know why more people haven’t heard of them. Their freshman album was amazing, and so was their follow-up album. It’s hard to choose a favorite from them, because they’re all so good, but I definitely like “Sometime Around Midnight” and “All At Once.”
5. Of Monsters and Men: Not only are the song titles always interesting, they also have a great unique sound that will catch your attention right away, and keep it with their voices and lyrics. “Dirty Paws” is a great one.
6. Florence + The Machine: This band isn’t so unfamiliar, but some of her most entertaining songs are ones I never hear on the radio. With a title like “Kiss With a Fist,” don’t you want to pop over to iTunes and listen to it? I love their tempo and lyrics and the creativity they put into their songs.
7. Fistful of Mercy: Ben Harper is the lead singer of this band, and he is amazing all on his own, but I really love his work with the new band as well. His voice is so memorable, and even though it doesn’t always sound like you might expect, it sticks with you. “As I Call You Down,” is a great one from their first album.
8. Vampire Weekend: I think this group is fairly well known, though I don’t get to hear them on the radio much where I live. Their fun tempos, clever lyrics, and interesting topics get me every time. I love that they have a song called, “Oxford Comma!”
9. Passenger: I love that their newer song, “Let Her Go,” made a huge splash, but everyone needs to check out their other albums, too. “Night Vision Binoculars,” is still one of my favs from them!
10. Maroon 5: I know they are anything but unknown, but I have to add them to the list because I LOVE their music and Adam Levine is simply awesome, even when signing “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” in a Frank Sinatra voice.
Thank you so much for letting me share some of my favorite bands and songs! Hopefully the next time I talk about some of these bands, people will know who I’m talking about.
You can get your copy of Wicked Glory and the rest of the series here: Wicked Hunger is FREE on most platforms.
Kindle/Amazon: Wicked Hunger, Wicked Power, Wicked Glory
B&N: Wicked Hunger, Wicked Power, Wicked Glory
Smashwords: Wicked Hunger, Wicked Power, Wicked Glory
iTunes: Wicked Hunger, Wicked Power, Wicked Glory
Kobo: Wicked Hunger, Wicked Power, Wicked Glory
About the Author
DelSheree Gladden was one of those shy, quiet kids who spent more time reading than talking. Literally. She didn't speak a single word for the first three months of preschool, but she had already taught herself to read. Her fascination with reading led to many hours spent in the library and bookstores, and eventually to writing. She wrote her first novel when she was sixteen years old, but spent ten years rewriting and perfecting it before having it published.Native to New Mexico, DelSheree and her husband spent several years in Colorado for college and work before moving back home to be near family again. Their two children love having their cousins close by. When not writing, you can find DelSheree reading, painting, sewing and trying not to get bitten by small children in her work as a dental hygienist. DelSheree has several bestselling young adult series, including "Invisible" which was part of the USA Today Bestselling box set, "Pandora." The Date Shark Series is her first contemporary romance series.
Connect with DelSheree Online
Website :
Blog : Pintrest : Google+ : Youtube/Vlog : Radio Show : Facebook : Twitter @DelSheree:
November 2, 2014
Hot Calender Reads: November
It's 2014 and we're celebrating with an awesome fantasy themed calendar. This calendar is for the background on your computer and you can get this month's image below.
Each month will feature a different book or series, so if you want to challenge yourself, try reading each book or series that is featured before each month is over. The series for November is the Evolutionary War series by Thomas Winship. He will be giving away a set of Vaempires eBooks. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below!
Click here to download the full size image. Then set as your background!
New Release!Roadside Assistance (Short Story)
For Hannah, a long trip home seems a small price to pay for a little peace ... until her journey takes a turn for the worse. Now, injured and alone, she must test the limits of her courage, endurance, and love.
Amazon
Vaempires: Revolution (The Evolutionary War-Book 1)
It is the morning of Princess Cassandra's sixteenth birthday. Everyone's attention is focused on the heir to the vampire throne. World leaders, the rich and famous, and VIPs from every corner of the globe have gathered in the nation's capital to celebrate the momentous event.
Cassandra's boyfriend, Daniel, is late for the party. He's still outside the city when all hell breaks loose. What he believes is an act of terrorism proves to be a full-fledged revolution. Væmpires--former vampires who mutated into warm-blooded creatures with an insatiable hunger for cold blood--have launched coordinated attacks across the globe, with three goals: the eradication of humanity, the enslavement of vampires, and the ascension of væmpires as the dominant species on the planet.
The vampire and human leaders are killed. Cassandra is missing. Daniel is the acting king. Desperate to find the princess, Daniel and his friends fight their way across the besieged city. With the hopes of the free world resting on the shoulders of four vampire teenagers, væmpires unleash their secret weapons: a new breed of væmpire that is far deadlier than any ever seen before.
What can four teens do against an enemy that can shape-shift, fly, and walk through walls?
Amazon| Other Formats
Vaempires: White Christmas (The Evolutionary War-Book 0)
It's almost Christmas. With the global holiday days away, the people of the world should be turning their attention toward celebrating peace and goodwill, but tension between humans, vampires, and væmpires is at an all-time high. Desperate for solutions, King Brant schedules a secret summit deep in North America's Northern Forest. Along with Queen Anne, Princess Cassandra, Daniel's family, and the human president and First Lady, the vampire leader seeks to reaffirm the ties between humans and vampires, while brainstorming ways to respond to the growing hostility among væmpires.
Meanwhile, Daniel and Cassie's relationship is at an all-time low. The princess is still reeling from her breakup with Vielyn, and Daniel doesn't know what he should or shouldn't do to help. Little does he know that the summit will be flooded with surprises--guests, allegations, accusations, proposals, and even Christmas Eve revelations--but not all of the surprises will be pleasant.
Amazon| Other Formats
Vaempires: Zombie Rising (The Evolutionary War-Book 2)
The tale of the Evolutionary War resumes in Væmpires: Zombie Rising.
Væmpires have taken control of twelve major cities. Their leader, Vielyn, seeks the atomic weapons that will bring the rest of the world to its knees.
Vampire forces are reeling. As Linq and Ray race to the royal estate to rendezvous with Cassandra and Daniel, the princess is captured and Daniel falls.
With the fate of world shifting to their teenage shoulders, Linq and Ray must deal with tremendous losses while battling a most unexpected—and undeadly—new foe.
Amazon | Other Formats
Vaempires (The Evolutionary War-Book 3)
Coming Soon!2015
Author Bio:
Thomas Winship lives in New York. He currently serves as MBA Director for a private liberal arts college in southern New York, where he also teaches courses in English Composition, Communications, and Business. Prior to this, he spent fifteen years working for a global pharmaceutical company, specializing in organizational development, talent management, and training.
Tom writes in his spare time. His first novel, Temporary Insanity, was a 2008 finalist in a national contest but failed to garner industry attention. Væmpires: Revolution, his second novel (first in the Væmpires series) and Væmpires: White Christmas were published in 2011. His latest work, Væmpires: Zombie Rising, was published in late 2012.
He is an avid collector of books, comic books, music, and movies. His interests are diverse: on any given day, Tom is likely to be found watching a horror movie, attending a hard rock concert, or enjoying a Broadway show.
He is currently working on the next installment of the "Væmpires" series.
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Each month will feature a different book or series, so if you want to challenge yourself, try reading each book or series that is featured before each month is over. The series for November is the Evolutionary War series by Thomas Winship. He will be giving away a set of Vaempires eBooks. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below!
Click here to download the full size image. Then set as your background!New Release!Roadside Assistance (Short Story)
For Hannah, a long trip home seems a small price to pay for a little peace ... until her journey takes a turn for the worse. Now, injured and alone, she must test the limits of her courage, endurance, and love.
Amazon
Vaempires: Revolution (The Evolutionary War-Book 1)
It is the morning of Princess Cassandra's sixteenth birthday. Everyone's attention is focused on the heir to the vampire throne. World leaders, the rich and famous, and VIPs from every corner of the globe have gathered in the nation's capital to celebrate the momentous event.
Cassandra's boyfriend, Daniel, is late for the party. He's still outside the city when all hell breaks loose. What he believes is an act of terrorism proves to be a full-fledged revolution. Væmpires--former vampires who mutated into warm-blooded creatures with an insatiable hunger for cold blood--have launched coordinated attacks across the globe, with three goals: the eradication of humanity, the enslavement of vampires, and the ascension of væmpires as the dominant species on the planet.
The vampire and human leaders are killed. Cassandra is missing. Daniel is the acting king. Desperate to find the princess, Daniel and his friends fight their way across the besieged city. With the hopes of the free world resting on the shoulders of four vampire teenagers, væmpires unleash their secret weapons: a new breed of væmpire that is far deadlier than any ever seen before.
What can four teens do against an enemy that can shape-shift, fly, and walk through walls?
Amazon| Other Formats
Vaempires: White Christmas (The Evolutionary War-Book 0)
It's almost Christmas. With the global holiday days away, the people of the world should be turning their attention toward celebrating peace and goodwill, but tension between humans, vampires, and væmpires is at an all-time high. Desperate for solutions, King Brant schedules a secret summit deep in North America's Northern Forest. Along with Queen Anne, Princess Cassandra, Daniel's family, and the human president and First Lady, the vampire leader seeks to reaffirm the ties between humans and vampires, while brainstorming ways to respond to the growing hostility among væmpires.
Meanwhile, Daniel and Cassie's relationship is at an all-time low. The princess is still reeling from her breakup with Vielyn, and Daniel doesn't know what he should or shouldn't do to help. Little does he know that the summit will be flooded with surprises--guests, allegations, accusations, proposals, and even Christmas Eve revelations--but not all of the surprises will be pleasant.
Amazon| Other Formats
Vaempires: Zombie Rising (The Evolutionary War-Book 2)
The tale of the Evolutionary War resumes in Væmpires: Zombie Rising.
Væmpires have taken control of twelve major cities. Their leader, Vielyn, seeks the atomic weapons that will bring the rest of the world to its knees.
Vampire forces are reeling. As Linq and Ray race to the royal estate to rendezvous with Cassandra and Daniel, the princess is captured and Daniel falls.
With the fate of world shifting to their teenage shoulders, Linq and Ray must deal with tremendous losses while battling a most unexpected—and undeadly—new foe.
Amazon | Other Formats
Vaempires (The Evolutionary War-Book 3)
Coming Soon!2015
Author Bio:
Thomas Winship lives in New York. He currently serves as MBA Director for a private liberal arts college in southern New York, where he also teaches courses in English Composition, Communications, and Business. Prior to this, he spent fifteen years working for a global pharmaceutical company, specializing in organizational development, talent management, and training.
Tom writes in his spare time. His first novel, Temporary Insanity, was a 2008 finalist in a national contest but failed to garner industry attention. Væmpires: Revolution, his second novel (first in the Væmpires series) and Væmpires: White Christmas were published in 2011. His latest work, Væmpires: Zombie Rising, was published in late 2012.
He is an avid collector of books, comic books, music, and movies. His interests are diverse: on any given day, Tom is likely to be found watching a horror movie, attending a hard rock concert, or enjoying a Broadway show.
He is currently working on the next installment of the "Væmpires" series.
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 13, 2014
New #YA Release! Wicked Glory by Delsheree Gladden
NEW RELEASE!!!Wicked Glory is now available for purchase on Kindle, iBooks, Smashwords, and most other major ebook platforms.
Not familiar with the series?
Here's the 30 seconds recap...
Wicked HungerBorn with an insatiable hunger for pain and suffering, Vanessa and Zander Roth struggle to hide the truth of who they really are. Keeping their secrets becomes even harder when Ivy Guerra arrives and stirs their hunger into a frenzy. Will their need to feed on other’s agony turn them into villains, or can they somehow find a way to become the heroes of their own dark story?
Wicked PowerEven after Vanessa and Zander Roth barely survive the Eroi’s attempt to expose them for what they are, they aren’t safe. Sitting balanced on the edge of impending death and unthinkable power, they must turn to the Godlings for help. Their help requires payment, but neither of them knows the true cost. Will David’s training create villains,as they fear, or can they discover their true purpose?
Wicked GloryForced with holding up their end of an impossible bargain, Van and Zander must choose between playing it safe and risking everything. Freedom seems impossible, but can they hold onto who they are long enough to survive?Ready to go grab your copies? Wicked Hunger (FREE on many platforms): Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords
Wicked Power: Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords
Wicked Glory: Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords
And yes, there will be a book 4 ;)
October 9, 2014
2014 Hot Calender Reads: October
It's 2014 and we're celebrating with an awesome fantasy themed calendar. This calendar is for the background on your computer and you can get this month's image below.
Each month will feature a different book or series, so if you want to challenge yourself, try reading each book or series that is featured before each month is over. The series for October is the Flawed series by Becca J. Campbell. She will be giving away three prizes to three winners. The first in an eBook ARC of Outsider, the second is winner’s choice of an eBook from Becca’s published works, and the third is a bookmark from UpCycledChicByBecca(Becca’s Etsy store). The winner of the bookmark must be a US resident. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below!
Click here to download the full size image. Then set as your background!
Empath (Flawed Book 1)
Supernatural empathy isn’t a gift, it’s a curse. Anywhere she goes, Jade’s emotions are replaced by those of the people around her.
Jade grew up in a suburb of Colorado Springs, protected from other people by her parents. Now she faces college—and the world—with nothing to shield her from unwanted feelings.
When Cam, a classmate with a major crush on her, unintentionally hijacks her emotions, Jade struggles to keep from being carried away in feelings of attraction. When Ethan, a psychopath with a thirst for fear, fixates on her, the emotional impact could be lethal.
Caught in a deadly trap, Jade must untangle the emotions and find a way to use her empathic curse to overcome this killer or be overcome by him.
Amazon | Other Formats
Outsider (Flawed Book 2)
After a psychopath tried to kill his friends, Josh Schuyler figured 'normal' was far off. The real problem: Josh's friends have all acquired supernatural abilities, while he's still the same average guy.
Josh has always believed he was destined for greatness, but he's been out of college for two years without a clue of his purpose. After watching his friends and siblings develop superhuman traits, he wonders if he might be meant for something grand, too. Can Josh even hope for an extraordinary event in his own future? And how long must he wait for this transformation - if there is one?
When Alex met the Schuylers, she was grateful for new friends to whisk her away from her lonely life in California and give her an escape from her divorced, bickering parents and aimless future. But Josh won't drop his defenses, and Alex isn't sure she wants to trade her old life for this new, uncertain one.
Nicodemus has an amazing ability he's been milking for years to get whatever or whomever he wants. Things are going great until a young woman - Alex - inadvertently busts his latest swindle. Nic is furious when he discovers his power has been disabled, and he vows to find her in order to wreak his vengeance. She will be punished. All he needs is a little help from his friend, Ethan Black.
Josh has been waiting for his big break, or for the chance to be a hero, or just the opportunity to stand out in his own, extraordinary way.
Will Josh discover his purpose in time to stop Nic?
To Be Released Fall 2014Add to Goodreads
Pulled (A Flawed Short Story)
Eight-year-old Juniper has been labeled many things—troubled kid, orphan, runaway—but none of her foster families have known what she really is: a girl with a unique and brutally inconvenient ability to teleport.
Her spontaneous jumps are not only beyond her control, they get her into trouble. When Juniper disappears, no one believes her wild stories, so she's stopped trying to convince them.
One day when Juniper gets pulled away, finding her way back is harder than ever. Stranded on the side of a deserted highway, she must rely on her own instincts to determine who is a creepy stranger and who she can trust.
Resourcefulness may get her home, but is getting home enough when you don't have parents that love you?
Juniper knows something most people don’t: there are others like her with unexplained abilities. Until now, she’s exercised stranger-danger caution, but maybe these people can offer what she needs.
Will Juniper find a family she can share her secrets with?
Approximately 7000 words.Amazon | Other Formats
Author Bio:
An avid lover of stories that tiptoe the line between fantasy and reality (even when they plunge off one side or the other), Becca J. Campbell looks for new angles on bridging the gap between the two. She holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity.
Becca’s journey into writing began as many of her other creative endeavors do – by daring herself to try something new. The question “what if I wrote a novel?” and some hastily scribbled notes on a church handout were the inspirations that jump-started her first book. Since then, she has written half a dozen additional novels and several shorter works.
As the wife of a musician and mother of three young boys, Becca’s life is never dull. Whether it is writing, painting or knitting, she enjoys making stuff that wasn’t there before.
She also runs an Etsy shop at UpCycledChicByBecca where you can order custom painted or knitted items and more.
Website | Facebook | Twitter
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Each month will feature a different book or series, so if you want to challenge yourself, try reading each book or series that is featured before each month is over. The series for October is the Flawed series by Becca J. Campbell. She will be giving away three prizes to three winners. The first in an eBook ARC of Outsider, the second is winner’s choice of an eBook from Becca’s published works, and the third is a bookmark from UpCycledChicByBecca(Becca’s Etsy store). The winner of the bookmark must be a US resident. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below!
Click here to download the full size image. Then set as your background!Empath (Flawed Book 1)
Supernatural empathy isn’t a gift, it’s a curse. Anywhere she goes, Jade’s emotions are replaced by those of the people around her.
Jade grew up in a suburb of Colorado Springs, protected from other people by her parents. Now she faces college—and the world—with nothing to shield her from unwanted feelings.
When Cam, a classmate with a major crush on her, unintentionally hijacks her emotions, Jade struggles to keep from being carried away in feelings of attraction. When Ethan, a psychopath with a thirst for fear, fixates on her, the emotional impact could be lethal.
Caught in a deadly trap, Jade must untangle the emotions and find a way to use her empathic curse to overcome this killer or be overcome by him.
Amazon | Other Formats
Outsider (Flawed Book 2)
After a psychopath tried to kill his friends, Josh Schuyler figured 'normal' was far off. The real problem: Josh's friends have all acquired supernatural abilities, while he's still the same average guy.
Josh has always believed he was destined for greatness, but he's been out of college for two years without a clue of his purpose. After watching his friends and siblings develop superhuman traits, he wonders if he might be meant for something grand, too. Can Josh even hope for an extraordinary event in his own future? And how long must he wait for this transformation - if there is one?
When Alex met the Schuylers, she was grateful for new friends to whisk her away from her lonely life in California and give her an escape from her divorced, bickering parents and aimless future. But Josh won't drop his defenses, and Alex isn't sure she wants to trade her old life for this new, uncertain one.
Nicodemus has an amazing ability he's been milking for years to get whatever or whomever he wants. Things are going great until a young woman - Alex - inadvertently busts his latest swindle. Nic is furious when he discovers his power has been disabled, and he vows to find her in order to wreak his vengeance. She will be punished. All he needs is a little help from his friend, Ethan Black.
Josh has been waiting for his big break, or for the chance to be a hero, or just the opportunity to stand out in his own, extraordinary way.
Will Josh discover his purpose in time to stop Nic?
To Be Released Fall 2014Add to Goodreads
Pulled (A Flawed Short Story)
Eight-year-old Juniper has been labeled many things—troubled kid, orphan, runaway—but none of her foster families have known what she really is: a girl with a unique and brutally inconvenient ability to teleport.
Her spontaneous jumps are not only beyond her control, they get her into trouble. When Juniper disappears, no one believes her wild stories, so she's stopped trying to convince them.
One day when Juniper gets pulled away, finding her way back is harder than ever. Stranded on the side of a deserted highway, she must rely on her own instincts to determine who is a creepy stranger and who she can trust.
Resourcefulness may get her home, but is getting home enough when you don't have parents that love you?
Juniper knows something most people don’t: there are others like her with unexplained abilities. Until now, she’s exercised stranger-danger caution, but maybe these people can offer what she needs.
Will Juniper find a family she can share her secrets with?
Approximately 7000 words.Amazon | Other Formats
Author Bio:
An avid lover of stories that tiptoe the line between fantasy and reality (even when they plunge off one side or the other), Becca J. Campbell looks for new angles on bridging the gap between the two. She holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity.
Becca’s journey into writing began as many of her other creative endeavors do – by daring herself to try something new. The question “what if I wrote a novel?” and some hastily scribbled notes on a church handout were the inspirations that jump-started her first book. Since then, she has written half a dozen additional novels and several shorter works.
As the wife of a musician and mother of three young boys, Becca’s life is never dull. Whether it is writing, painting or knitting, she enjoys making stuff that wasn’t there before.
She also runs an Etsy shop at UpCycledChicByBecca where you can order custom painted or knitted items and more.
Website | Facebook | Twitter
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September 26, 2014
#CoverReveal The Oath by Apryl Baker
The Oath Book 2 of The Coven Series By Apryl Baker Release Date: 10/07/2014 Summary from Goodreads: She killed herself. Everyone asked why, but when I got my hands on my sister's diary, I understood exactly why. I stared at the girl in the mirror as I removed my nose ring. Gone was the black hair, replaced by golden blonde locks that made my sapphire blue eyes shine and my California sun-kissed skin glow. The Goth chic clothes had been put away and I wore a pink tank top and a pair of khaki colored Capri’s. Stylish sandals completed the outfit. I wanted to barf. The snotty little would-be witches would pay for what they'd done. By the end of the week, they’d all be praying to whatever god they worshiped to hide them from the hell coming for them. May the Fates have mercy upon them, because they would pay the same price they’d demanded of her. Their lives. Add to your Goodreads to be read list now! Available for pre-order now! Amazon US | Amazon UK | Apple | Kobo Read book 1of The Coven Series, The Promise! .jpg)
Summary from Goodreads: Armed with kick-ass shoes, can CJ stop a maniacal coven leader, save the town, and still get Mr. Melt In Your Mouth Gorgeous while surviving the darkness coming for her? The smoke from the fire burned her eyes, its heat caressed her skin and the taste of fear choked her. She was going to burn just as her ancestor did all those centuries ago in New Salem Village. How could she have been so wrong about everything? Cassie Jayne Bishop grew up the only non-believer in town of Coven. When a stranger comes to the sleepy town of New Salem, everything she thought was true unraveled around her. Ethan made her question everything, even her sister’s death. Clues start to pile up and Cassie is determined to find out if the Coven was the real reason her sister died. What she uncovers terrifies her to the very depths of her soul.... Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Apple | Kobo | B&N 
About the Author So who am I? Well, I'm the crazy girl with an imagination that never shuts up. I LOVE scary movies. My friends laugh at me when I scare myself watching them and tell me to stop watching them, but who doesn't love to get scared? I grew up in a small town nestled in the southern mountains of West Virginia where I spent days roaming around in the woods, climbing trees, and causing general mayhem. Nights I would stay up reading Nancy Drew by flashlight under the covers until my parents yelled at me to go to sleep. Growing up in a small town, I learned a lot of values and morals, I also learned parents have spies everywhere and there's always someone to tell your mama on you. So when you get grounded, what is there left to do? Read! My Aunt Jo gave me my first real romance novel. It was a romance titled "Lord Margrave's Deception." I remember it fondly. But I also learned I had a deep and abiding love of mysteries and anything paranormal. As I grew up, I started to write just that and would entertain my friends with stories featuring them as main characters. Now, I live Huntersville, NC where I entertain my family and watch the cats get teased by the birds and laugh myself silly when they swoop down and then dive back up just out of reach. The cats start yelling something fierce...lol. I love books, I love writing books, and I love entertaining people with my silly stories. You can reach me at any of these places: Facebook | Twitter | Wattpad | LinkedIn | Google+ PS: DO NOT GET IN MY WAY IF THERE IS A SALE ON AT TARGET - my home away from home!
September 24, 2014
#CoverReveal Next of Kin by Aray Brown
I'm pleased to introduce Aray Brown with her debut novel:
Designed by All Authors Cover Design
Guest Post:The original cover just came to me when I was knee deep in the story. I wanted it to be more gruesome looking (a thick trail of black blood, leading up to woman’s corpse and the K carved in her) lol but I’m not knocking this cover at all. Less is more.
The story however, was originally a script I was working on before I even started converting it. I remember thinking “this should be a book” That was back when I was a little confused on which path I should take (screenwriting or novel writing), I just went with my gut and haven’t regretted since.
Blurb:
Medina Price always wanted to be a cop, just like her successors, until she gets thrown into a corrupt life at an early age due to witnessing her mother being slaughtered at the hands of a hired gunman. Now that she's been seduced by darkness, she vows to get revenge, but she gets more than she bargained for. What will Medina do? At this juncture in her life Medina realizes that... Everyone is capable of something.
Excerpt:
“You don’t wanna play this game.”
“Ah, how we soon forget.”
“Don’t do this.”
“Never pegged you for the begging type.”
“Not me. You.”
“Watch her.”
He made a huge mistake trusting him. Made a bigger one double crossing me.
Who’s to say he won’t kill you? Or I won’t? He was a wealthy man but he wouldn’t be alive to spend it. He wasn’t a gangster but he knew enough not to carry around dead weight. He didn’t need him anymore and couldn’t trust him. He made his bed and he had to rot in it. If you’re not a friend you’re an enemy. It’s as simple as that. It didn’t take a genius to see that we lived by the same rules. The same code. He was brought up in Youngstown. So did someone else, which brought me back to the source. Alex. They didn’t just meet by chance. There’s a reason for everything. Cause and effect. Have we met someplace before? I traveled back in my mind, trying desperately to remember. Trying to piece it all together. Slowly it came rushing back to me, in bits and pieces. We HAD met before. 2 years before the murder. Alex introduced us to him. Zoe shook his hand, greeted him with an audacious smile. He was very friendly. I looked through him. Didn’t think much of him at the time. He was his colleague. He needed someone he could trust. But why did he pay him off? He didn’t seem like a man who had a squeaky clean reputation. What did he have on him?
“He taped him and threatened to go public with it.” He confessed.
“We don’t have much time.” He blurted out, rushed to remove the tape from the legs. Then made his way to my arms. I noticed the handle of his gun dangling from his pants. BANG! The bullet merely grazed my skin while he crumpled to the ground in a dead faint.
“Leaving so soon?”
My arms were almost free. I studied the men who were in front of me. King and Alex. Each one equipped with a revolver, aiming at my head.
“Hi honey. You’ve grown into a beautiful woman. You still have your mother’s eyes.”
“And my father’s cunning.”
“Let’s finish this.” He growled, cocking his gun.
“Gladly.” Alex uttered, shot him in the head. I broke free. He turned around and put the smoking gun on me.
“Trust me, you won’t feel a thing.”
He placed his fingers on the trigger. I reached for the gun behind my back. This was how things were settled out in the west. I knew it would come to this.
Shots were fired. I saw the bullet holes on his shirt, pulsating to his chest. His heart was next. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. He died right there. I’ve always know he had something to do with it. That he was apart of it. He didn’t have a motive. He did it because he could get away with it. He was a monster. But I believe he had an ounce of decency left in him. Instead of being like my mother, I ended up being the monster he created.
I looked at King. He was injured but still alive. I had to put an end to this. I raised my gun, pulled the trigger but someone got to me first. It was Ava. I felt the bullet penetrate my insides as I stumbled to the floor. I scrambled to get the pistol back in my clutches. She tossed it.
“Goodbye.” She said with a sardonic smile, tucking a hair behind her ear.
I kicked her before it went off. The gun spewed out of her hand. I pummeled her to the ground, popped three bullets in her. One in the chest. One in the head. And one in the heart. I had one bullet left. And I knew just who to use it on. His name was on it. His blood was calling out to me. I could almost smell it. He was screaming before I was through with him.
I retrieved my trusty knife and carved her like a turkey. This probably would be my last so I took my time. Made damn sure they would remember me. This wouldn’t bring them back but I was hoping it would bring me peace. Some kind of relief. There were a few things I believed in. Revenge just happened to be one of them. It was at the top of my list. It was my religion, my sanity. It became my scared realm. Our special place.
Next of Kin, a 126 page novella, will released on October 21.
Add to Goodreads!
Author Bio:Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Aray Brown emerged as a bright eyed scribe at an early age, which began her journey to self discovery.
Her short stories consisted of characters such as She-ra and He-man. Later on she decided to delve into something more real and personal.
She always had a passion for storytelling even though she couldn’t express it verbally.
After dabbling in other areas, she found her true calling and vowed to share her gift with the rest of the world.
Just like every other kid he grew up on Stephen King and Alfred Hithcock, she became obsessed with horror. Most importantly gore.
While she has different genres in mind for her next up and coming projects, her love of gruesome tales will always be eternal.
Author Links: http://facebook.com/ArayBrownfloacistms, http://www.twitter.com/araybrown, http://www.goodreads.com/AraySBrown , http://araybrown.blogspot.com, http://amazon.com/author/araybrown,https://plus.google.com/+AraySBrownAuthor, http://linkedin.com/in/arayb
Designed by All Authors Cover DesignGuest Post:The original cover just came to me when I was knee deep in the story. I wanted it to be more gruesome looking (a thick trail of black blood, leading up to woman’s corpse and the K carved in her) lol but I’m not knocking this cover at all. Less is more.
The story however, was originally a script I was working on before I even started converting it. I remember thinking “this should be a book” That was back when I was a little confused on which path I should take (screenwriting or novel writing), I just went with my gut and haven’t regretted since.
Blurb:
Medina Price always wanted to be a cop, just like her successors, until she gets thrown into a corrupt life at an early age due to witnessing her mother being slaughtered at the hands of a hired gunman. Now that she's been seduced by darkness, she vows to get revenge, but she gets more than she bargained for. What will Medina do? At this juncture in her life Medina realizes that... Everyone is capable of something.
Excerpt:
“You don’t wanna play this game.”
“Ah, how we soon forget.”
“Don’t do this.”
“Never pegged you for the begging type.”
“Not me. You.”
“Watch her.”
He made a huge mistake trusting him. Made a bigger one double crossing me.
Who’s to say he won’t kill you? Or I won’t? He was a wealthy man but he wouldn’t be alive to spend it. He wasn’t a gangster but he knew enough not to carry around dead weight. He didn’t need him anymore and couldn’t trust him. He made his bed and he had to rot in it. If you’re not a friend you’re an enemy. It’s as simple as that. It didn’t take a genius to see that we lived by the same rules. The same code. He was brought up in Youngstown. So did someone else, which brought me back to the source. Alex. They didn’t just meet by chance. There’s a reason for everything. Cause and effect. Have we met someplace before? I traveled back in my mind, trying desperately to remember. Trying to piece it all together. Slowly it came rushing back to me, in bits and pieces. We HAD met before. 2 years before the murder. Alex introduced us to him. Zoe shook his hand, greeted him with an audacious smile. He was very friendly. I looked through him. Didn’t think much of him at the time. He was his colleague. He needed someone he could trust. But why did he pay him off? He didn’t seem like a man who had a squeaky clean reputation. What did he have on him?
“He taped him and threatened to go public with it.” He confessed.
“We don’t have much time.” He blurted out, rushed to remove the tape from the legs. Then made his way to my arms. I noticed the handle of his gun dangling from his pants. BANG! The bullet merely grazed my skin while he crumpled to the ground in a dead faint.
“Leaving so soon?”
My arms were almost free. I studied the men who were in front of me. King and Alex. Each one equipped with a revolver, aiming at my head.
“Hi honey. You’ve grown into a beautiful woman. You still have your mother’s eyes.”
“And my father’s cunning.”
“Let’s finish this.” He growled, cocking his gun.
“Gladly.” Alex uttered, shot him in the head. I broke free. He turned around and put the smoking gun on me.
“Trust me, you won’t feel a thing.”
He placed his fingers on the trigger. I reached for the gun behind my back. This was how things were settled out in the west. I knew it would come to this.
Shots were fired. I saw the bullet holes on his shirt, pulsating to his chest. His heart was next. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. He died right there. I’ve always know he had something to do with it. That he was apart of it. He didn’t have a motive. He did it because he could get away with it. He was a monster. But I believe he had an ounce of decency left in him. Instead of being like my mother, I ended up being the monster he created.
I looked at King. He was injured but still alive. I had to put an end to this. I raised my gun, pulled the trigger but someone got to me first. It was Ava. I felt the bullet penetrate my insides as I stumbled to the floor. I scrambled to get the pistol back in my clutches. She tossed it.
“Goodbye.” She said with a sardonic smile, tucking a hair behind her ear.
I kicked her before it went off. The gun spewed out of her hand. I pummeled her to the ground, popped three bullets in her. One in the chest. One in the head. And one in the heart. I had one bullet left. And I knew just who to use it on. His name was on it. His blood was calling out to me. I could almost smell it. He was screaming before I was through with him.
I retrieved my trusty knife and carved her like a turkey. This probably would be my last so I took my time. Made damn sure they would remember me. This wouldn’t bring them back but I was hoping it would bring me peace. Some kind of relief. There were a few things I believed in. Revenge just happened to be one of them. It was at the top of my list. It was my religion, my sanity. It became my scared realm. Our special place.
Next of Kin, a 126 page novella, will released on October 21.
Add to Goodreads!
Author Bio:Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Aray Brown emerged as a bright eyed scribe at an early age, which began her journey to self discovery.
Her short stories consisted of characters such as She-ra and He-man. Later on she decided to delve into something more real and personal.
She always had a passion for storytelling even though she couldn’t express it verbally.
After dabbling in other areas, she found her true calling and vowed to share her gift with the rest of the world.
Just like every other kid he grew up on Stephen King and Alfred Hithcock, she became obsessed with horror. Most importantly gore.
While she has different genres in mind for her next up and coming projects, her love of gruesome tales will always be eternal.
Author Links: http://facebook.com/ArayBrownfloacistms, http://www.twitter.com/araybrown, http://www.goodreads.com/AraySBrown , http://araybrown.blogspot.com, http://amazon.com/author/araybrown,https://plus.google.com/+AraySBrownAuthor, http://linkedin.com/in/arayb
