Kelly Hashway's Blog, page 95

Cover Reveal: A Missing Peace by Beth Fred

I'm so excited to share the cover of Beth Fred's upcoming book, A Missing Peace. I've read this so I can tell you it's good. And look at this beautiful cover!


A turbulent, emotionally charged YA novel that breaks down barriers and challenges the status quo...Angry, seventeen-year-old Iraqi war refugee Mirriam Yohanna hates her new life in Killeen, Texas, where the main attraction is a military base, populated with spoiled army brats like Caleb Miller.Caleb has much to be angry about too, including Mirriam who turns him down flat in front of everyone. Eager for retribution, Caleb agrees to a dare that will see him take Mirriam to the prom and regain his pride. But their relationship soon moves beyond high school antics. Mirriam and Caleb are bound together by more than location, and as they are forced to work closely together on a school assignment, they start to uncover an explosive story that has the potential to ruin lives — and both of their futures. One single truth changes everything and strengthens their bond.When Mirriam's family discovers their relationship, they decide it's time to arrange her marriage to a proper Iraqi man. Caleb must convince Mirriam that he is in it for forever — or risk losing her for good.

Meet Beth Fred! That's me! I'm a full time keeper of the ELF and part time writer/blogger/writing instructor. I'm represented by Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyons Literary Agency. I like my tea hot, my romance sweet, and my guys chivalrous. Real men hold open doors, refer to you as ma'am, make promises they keep, and aren't afraid to profess their undying love. It's not breakfast if there aren't carbs(at least, not in the South). Fajitas, carnitas, and churros are just few of my favorite things. Bet you can't guess where I'm from ;) Wanna know more about me? You can find that here:Blog:  bethfred.comTwitter: @bethfred08FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/bethfred08

And Beth has a giveaway for you too! http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bcc80e4/What do you think?

Monday Mishmash 7/22/13

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:
Monroe County Book Expo  I'll be at the Eastern Monroe County Library on Saturday from 10-3 signing all my books, PBs and Touch of Death. I'll also be reading my newest PB, Melinda's Museum Magic, at 2pm.Cell Phone Issues  My cell phone isn't even a year old and it's being uncooperative. Grr. Some of my texts go through and others don't. No pattern at all so I'm totally confused by it.Summer of Editing  I've pretty much given up on trying to write new material this summer. I have too many edits for both myself and clients. I guess the fall will bring time for drafting.1000 Followers!  My blog reached 1000 followers! Yay! To celebrate, I'll be doing a multiple book giveaway soon. Stay tuned! And thank you to all who follow. Behind Closed Doors Cover Reveal  Friday was the cover reveal for Ashelyn Drake's upcoming New Adult romance, Behind Closed Doors. Julia Monroe is through wishing she had an older guy like her best friend Noelle does. It’s time for her to act on her desires. So when she sees sexy, twenty-three-year-old Darren McEntire eating dinner alone at the pub, she decides to make her move. The attraction between them is undeniable, and even through Julia isn’t looking for a one-night stand, she winds up back at Darren’s place the same night she meets him. Only being with him makes her realize what she’s been missing dating other guys. All she wants is Darren.

But Julia allows Darren to think she’s his age and a grad student at the nearby college. She knows she has to confess the truth, but she’s afraid to shatter what they have. Not knowing what to do, she starts the semester only to discover that her new teaching assistant is none other than Darren. With the lies out in the open and campus policy against them, Julia and Darren know the relationship should be over before it even begins. But the chemistry between them is too strong to deny.

Can they find a way to be together or are they doomed to only see each other behind closed doors?
Add it on Goodreads.
That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

King of Bad by Kai Strand

Today I have Kai Strand talking about her new book King of Bad and her favorite scenes. Take it away, Kai!

Jeff Mean would rather set fires than follow rules or observe curfew. He wears his bad boy image like a favorite old hoodie; that is until he learns he has superpowers and is recruited by Super Villain Academy – where you learn to be good at being bad. In a school where one kid can evaporate all the water from your body and the girl you hang around with can perform psychic sex in your head, bad takes on a whole new meaning. Jeff wonders if he’s bad enough for SVA.
He may never find out. Classmates vilify him when he develops good manners. Then he’s kidnapped by those closest to him and left to wonder who is good and who is bad. His rescue is the climactic episode that balances good and evil in the super world. The catalyst – the girl he’s crushing on. A girlfriend and balancing the Supers is good, right? Or is it…bad?

Buy it: Publisher, Amazon, Barnes and Noble. Add it on Goodreads.


You know the science room scene? Where Edward and Bella meet and Edward is all stand-offish because Bella’s blood smells so good, but Bella doesn’t know it and thinks he’s just being a jerk? Yeah, I love that scene.
No matter how many books are in a series there is always only one scene where the main character meets their love interest (unless the m.c. gets around, of course – but that’s a different kind of story). Often that initial discovery scene becomes one of my favorites. In my new novel, King of Bad, the first time Jeff sees Oceanus, he’s so overcome by what he is learning, she doesn’t make any sort of impression. The second time he sees her she douses him with water and cops an attitude. So in this case it is crush at second sight.
By the way, “S.V.” stands for super villain.
(excerpt from King of Bad)
“Source, who is she?” Source followed Jeff’s line of vision. “Oh, that’s Oceanus. Don’t even think it, kid. She’s already found a match.” “What do you mean?” “See the guy next to her?” “The skinny red head?” Jeff hoped. “No, the other one.” “Oh, the Adonis?” Jeff’s heart fell. He’d no hope to thwart the god-like S.V. seated next to Oceanus. “Not far off. People call him Set. The God of chaos, storm, wind. He’s a great guy.” Sarcasm wrapped around Source’s words. “Descended from a long line of S.V.’s Known he’s an S.V. his whole life so came to the school ready to rule from what I hear. Real nasty character, even for an S.V. You don’t want to piss him off.” “Oh, I won’t piss him off. I don’t go looking for trouble.” Jeff considered his life before the academy and realized that looking for trouble was the only thing he used to do. He amended his statement, saying, “Much.”
What type of scene tends to be your favorite in a book?

Breaking Glass Blog Tour: Excerpts Put to Music

Please welcome Lisa Amowitz, author of Breaking Glass, who is here to talk about her playlist for the book and share some excerpts.
Music is a big influencer for me. Maybe even more than visual cues. Or maybe the combination of both. I’m not exactly sure. But, good music seems to focus me better than almost anything else. In my case it’s really true that music soothes the savage beast!
I have rather eclectic taste –I’ve been told that I like bands no one else has ever heard of. So prepare yourself for Lisa’s indie music playlist and the off the beaten path The following songs in one way or another inspired Breaking Glass though don’t necessarily correspond to the text.
The Decemberists: Engine Driverhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG1FlsgLQQY
Gary Jules: Mad Worldhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa-ae6_okmg

The Decemberists: The Hazards of Lovehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAMhbTONHR0&list=PL53B5376C171597FF
The Decemberists: Annan Waterhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thaMWccDbu0&list=PL53B5376C171597FF

Now for the excerpt to song matchups!
This is basically the theme song for the book. If it ever became a movie, this would be the song playing over the credits.
Guggenheim Grotto: Lost Forever and…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7JifXSPjyY

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: Homehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzPPAw5tnqsFor the past year, Susannah’s been inexplicably texting me with YouTube links to her haunting stop-action animations. I watch her body drift across the screen draped with filmy gauze, her dark bronze hair and golden skin amid floating leaves, graveyards, ballet dancers, Indian goddesses, and scattered words in Hebrew and English, most of which make no sense. But other than telling me the link is private and to keep it our little secret, Susannah never mentions them when I see her. Neither do I.Yet if I could dive into my iPhone and swim beside her, an exotic fish in her private world, I would do it and never look back.And Ryan would kill me. Best friends don’t want to do their best friend’s girlfriend. I think that’s written somewhere. So is not cheating on your girlfriend. And so is not ratting him out.I glance behind me. Ryan is intertwined with Claudia Herman, the community college girl who plays Maria. Claudia’s hot. And she’s slept with our whole track team. I think of Susannah, mercifully out of town on a college visit. My phone vibrates. Susannah again. This time it’s an actual text.I clench my jaw and look away from Ryan and his latest fling, sworn to silence by the Guy Code of Honor.Jeremy! guess what. i’m here! got n earlier flightI peer out into night, then glance at Ryan again. Shit.
Jeff Buckley: Hallelujahhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIw0ewEsNHs
Since eighth grade, when I discovered that liquor dulls my terrors, I have been a master thief and spy. Not even Ryan knows.Just a sip to calm my shaky nerves. One tiny sip to beat back the rising waters that threaten to drown me. I can do it. I pride myself on my steely self-control and my ability to remain stone-cold sober, even when the track team holds a victory keg party. They call me Jeremy the Teetotaler, Jeremy the History Nerd, who never partakes. I snap open the glove compartment. The innocuous silver bottle is shoved behind the owner’s manual, gas receipts, and a collection of PowerBar wrappers. I raise it to my lips and gulp once, twice, three times, the cold liquid igniting as it hits my throat. It takes two, three more gulps to slow my heart to normal speed. The bottle is nearly empty. I cap it and return it to the compartment, warmth flowing to my cold fingers. I’d need to drink three times as much as that to lose focus.Swerving through the deserted black roads, slick with rain over the ice, I follow my usual running circuit. This is familiar turf. Practically my backyard.Yes. I can do this. Susannah knows my route, so I hope she’s come this way and parked, knowing I’d find her. She wants me to find her. To comfort her. I’ll tell her everything. How I’m sorry for lying to her. For letting Ryan hurt her. And maybe, at last, she’ll accept that it’s not Ryan she wants, but me. But there’s no sign of her.After driving and searching fruitlessly, my mind churning with outcomes, the now-driving rain blurring my windshield, I can’t stand it anymore. My heart is racing. Just one last sip to fortify myself is all I need. When I round the next hairpin curve, my headlights flash on Ryan’s car parked behind Susannah’s, both engines running. I squint through the rain and mist and spot them behind the guardrail, illuminated in the headlamps’ cone of light. There’s no shoulder on this side of the road, so I pull over when I can, about twenty yards past them.When I finally get out of the car, I can hear her shouts over the racket the rain makes. My head is buzzing, but my thoughts are clear.In fact, they’ve never been clearer, as the roots that entangle me fall away.The damp air smells like freedom. Susannah screams, and pounds at Ryan’s chest with her fists. He shoves her hard and she falls backward. I don’t see her get up again. Raucous arguments are nothing new between Susannah and Ryan, but I’ve never seen him hit her before.There’s a steep decline into the woods where they’ve chosen to have their argument, and I worry Susannah could have gotten hurt. Ryan disappears now, too. What the hell are they doing?I begin to run at full tilt. I still have some distance to cover, but that’s no problem for me, even with the Absolut pumping heat through my veins. But my boot heel catches on a wet leaf and slides out from under me. I’m flying, but I land softly. I should have worn my running shoes, I think crazily, then scramble to my feet.There are blinding lights. The squeal of brakes. Breaking glass. I don’t make it to the other side.

Lana Del Rey: Dark Paradisehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvqzPDEvLOw
“She tripped, or you pushed her?” I try to sit forward, but pain lances through my leg as if a team of chainsaw-brandishing dwarves have crash-landed on it. I fall back shakily onto the pillows.“Take it easy, Jer.”I search my mind for details, but the night is hazy, a mix tape of rain, vodka, and bright lights. And then Susannah’s face is in front of me -- glistening lips, autumn leaf eyes, tears sparkling on their rims. The urge overtakes me, like it always does when there are things I can’t face—the urge to run. But I’m pinned to the bed like a butterfly specimen. “Where is she now, Ryan? My dad says she never got home last night.” “Jeez, Jeremy, how should I know? I did follow her. It’s pretty rough going on those rocks. It hasn’t changed since we used to fish there. And the weather last night was hideous. The ground was slippery. I lost my footing and wrenched my ankle. I couldn’t keep up. I just lost her.”“So, she vanished into thin air. And a high school track star like you couldn’t keep up with her. You expect me to believe that?”“C’mon, Jeremy, what’s up with you? It wasn’t like I didn’t try to follow her. She was hysterical and I was worried because she cut her head when she fell. But I could barely walk with my ankle, you know, and I lost track of her. I figured she probably doubled back to where her car was and took off. I got back to the road just as they were loading you into the ambulance. You can check the police report. They asked me if I’d seen what happened, but I didn’t find out it was you in there until later.”“You left a bleeding girl stumbling around in the woods and you didn’t wonder why her car was still there,” I say in a monotone. “And your ankle looks okay today,” I add.The nurse comes in, adjusts my drip bag, then leaves. Ryan leans forward, his voice soft. Reasonable. “She wasn’t that hurt. Just a scratch. Shit, Jeremy. You know Susannah. She pulls these stunts all the time. She used to run away all the time.”“Right. I saw you hit her, Ryan.” Ryan turns a bit green. “C’mon, Jer. It was just a little shove. If you saw us, then you know she was slamming me with her fists first. I wasn’t going to do anything with Claudia Herman. Suze is just—oversensitive. You know how she gets.”I’m getting fuzzy. It must be the drugs they keep pumping into me. The words kick out like a knee to the groin. I’m shouting now, my voice hoarse, my mouth flooded with a sour taste. “You mean how she gets when you fuck around behind her back?” I want to suck the words back in. In all our years as The Lone Ranger and Tonto, I’ve never violated the sidekick rules. Even when I had to bite my tongue so hard it bled.Outside my room, I hear voices speak rapidly in urgent tones, too low to understand but loud enough to recognize. It’s Patrick Morgan, Esquire, talking to Dad. I’d know his booming voice anywhere. Ryan’s uber-influential father is probably here to make sure the Morgan interests are safeguarded—as in, Ryan’s name is kept clean. He had to have heard my outburst and now Dad is most likely supplicating himself and pleading to the Almighty for forgiveness on my behalf.Clouds of cotton breeze over me, my eyes closing. The drugs are claiming me again. I almost forget Ryan is still here, beside me.“That’s not what we fought about, Jer,” he says softly. Behind my closed lids, I still see only Susannah’s face. “Then where the hell is she, Ryan?”

Death Cab for Cutie: Bixby Canyon Bridgehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4St1fiq2F8I
I flick on the TV and turn to the local news. The media feeding frenzy over Susannah’s disappearance has reached a fever pitch. Trudy Durban’s pleas have hit a chord. She is convincing, a grief-stricken mother, begging for word of her daughter. Even the town which had rejected her thaws to her pleas. But there’s no sign of her. Thirteen days and counting since Susannah disappeared. Since my leg began its battle for survival.Kabbalah
Mumford and Sons: Thistle and Weedshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbloXQeuNCc
I shiver and think of the velvet pouch, buried at the bottom of my gym bag. What other, darker roads had Susannah’s quest led her down?During my hospital stay, someone from Durban Realtors kept calling my cell and hanging up. Probably Mrs. Durban or Marisa, wanting to know what was in the package Susannah left me. I wonder if Marisa ever told Trudy Durban about the package in the first place. I imagine she would have torn it open, even if it was addressed to me.I shudder. I can’t face Mrs. Durban. Then I’d have to admit I was there that night. That I failed to help Susannah because I’m a drunk.Time is rapidly taking on a new shape. Instead of the smooth lake of history, a place I can wade into and do the backstroke, it’s a whirling funnel that tapers to a single point, impaling me on the memory of the night Susannah disappeared. Suddenly, I can’t get away from the surge of  memories that press against my skull, threatening to crack it wide open. I fight the useless urge to run. Birds with clipped wings can’t fly.

Jake Bugg: Brokenhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQMq5dO8Vb4
My father glances at me with a wounded gaze that rarely fixes on mine. He says little beyond slight words of encouragement when I manage to hop around the room on my crutches. My balance is good for a beginner, the physical therapist tells me, but it’s harder than I would have thought. I am lopsided. Asymmetrical.The desk nurse informs us that we have a visitor who won’t take no for an answer. It’s Patrick Morgan. I tell Dad I don’t want to see him, or Ryan, or anyone else for that matter, but Dad insists. Patrick Morgan is not a person you deny. He owns Riverton, as well as the building in which Dad’s small law office is housed, my father reminds me. As if he needs to.I’d always thought my dad and Patrick Morgan were friends from way back, the pre-cursor to Ryan and me. These days, I’m not sure. Dad seems skittish. Under his mild words, I catch the implied message. My destroyed physical condition is not a free pass. I’d better patch things up with Ryan for the good of our family’s future economic health.In the moments before Mr. Morgan arrives at my room, Dad turns to me, face grave and splotchy.

Eddy Vedder: Societyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy6iwP9Ux3A
The first time I’d ever laid eyes on the mysterious Mrs. Durban was at the Morgans’ annual Christmas extravaganza, three years ago. I’m not sure what I expected, but the pale-as-milk white woman who stalked into the Morgans’ stadium-sized house sure wasn’t it. I’d always imagined Susannah’s mother as a dusky bronze beauty, an older version of her. I knew Susannah was mixed race, but I’d always imagined her father as the white half, a wayward Jewish guy who’d left her single mom to raise her alone, not the other way around.Miraculously, Susannah and Ryan had not actually hooked up at that point. There had just been the daily ritual of heavy flirting, batting eyelashes, and posturing I’d endured from behind my carefully constructed mask of I-don’t-give-a-crap. I could still keep my lame fantasy alive—that it was me Susannah really wanted. At least in art class, she was still mine—a completely different person from the airheaded, hair-flinging girl she became around Ryan. In class we talked politics, history, ethics, aesthetics, and spirituality while she made twisted masterpieces from string, wire, papier-mâché, and whatever else was lying around. Then she turned to paper and ink, creating her own universe of bizarre whimsy, totally at odds with the smiling face she presented to the world.

I hope you enjoy the music—if any of you have read Breaking Glass, feel free to match songs to the text!
Thanks for having me Kelly!

Vanquished by Katie Clark & Take Me Now by Faith Sullivan

I couldn't be more excited to share the cover of Vanquished by Katie Clark because Katie is one of my CPs and I've blurbed her book. It's great guys, so you'll definitely want to get your hands on this one.

Here it is!

"How do you find freedom when all hope is lost?"
When Hana’s mom is diagnosed with the mutation, she is denied the medication that might save her life.  Fischer, a medic at the hospital, implies there are people who can help—except Hana’s not sure she can trust him; Fischer is involved in a religious group, and religion has been outlawed for the last hundred years.  Hana embarks on a dangerous journey, seeking the answers Fischer insists are available. When the truth is uncovered does Hana stick to what she knows?  Or does she join the rebellion, taking a stand against an untrustworthy society?
Here's what I had to say after reading Vanquished:
An emotional and unique take on a world of haves vs. have-nots that will pull you in from the very first page. ~Kelly Hashway, author of Touch of Death

It's coming out through Watershed Books, an imprint of Pelican Book Group in 2014!
What do you think?

And yesterday was the release of Take Me Now by Faith Sullivan!

Title: Take Me Now (Take Me Now, #1)
Author: Faith Sullivan
Expected release date: July 16, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Ebook available at: Kindle | Nook ($2.99) 





Book Description:

How do you survive the internship from hell?

Don't fall in love.

Ivy thought being a reporter-in-training at the Independent Gazette would be her dream summer job. Little did she know, interviewing Eric, a landscaper with a heart of gold, would derail her plans. It turns out Ivy's boss, Lauren, has been eying his chiseled physique for quite some time.

But at twenty-four, Eric already has a tragic past, one that he is still reeling from. Even though his ordeal turned him into some sort of local celebrity, it's been a while since he's shared his bed with anyone. When he comes to Ivy's rescue out of the blue, it's not long before the two of them start seeing each other behind Lauren's back. When they get caught, Ivy's journey toward a college degree is jeopardized and her relationship with Eric is severely put to the test.

Career versus love? In the end, a shocking turn of events provides Ivy with a revelation she never saw coming.

Excerpt:

If only I were open to the possibility of romance, but I’m not. There’s no way I can be. There are circumstances that can’t be wished away or ignored. My heart’s not ready—not yet. And while this absolutely gorgeous girl has wandered into my life, I’m not going to act on it. It’s too soon.

I stride into my shop, gently placing her on the counter. Her feet are bleeding and she looks like she could use a drink of water. She’s covered in dust from the road but she looks adorable sitting there. I don’t know what it’s like to be in a scenario like this with a girl. I’m used to things being straightforward and laid out before me. This looks like something I could get easily lost in if I’m not careful.

We still haven’t said a word to each other, and I hate to break the silence but it can’t be avoided. “Rest here a minute. I’ll be right back.”

Her hand lingers on my upper arm, her thumb massaging by bicep. I exhale heavily, trying desperately to clear my head. Her touch is stirring things inside me I haven’t experienced in quite some time. Emotions I never thought I’d feel again. “Thank you,” she whispers, her eyes never leaving mine.

“No problem,” I try to say as casually as possible. She’s looking at me like I’m her knight in shining armor and I don’t want her to get the wrong idea. I can’t go down that road again. I just can’t. My soul still isn’t fully healed from the last time. I can’t trust myself in these kinds of situations. I need to back away as gracefully as I can.

Other New Adult contemporary romances by Faith Sullivan! 
Click covers to purchase.
     


Author Links: Blog | Amazon | Twitter | Goodreads


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday Mishmash 7/15/13

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:
Kindle Fire and Book Giveaway  I'm part of the team of authors and bloggers joining forces to give away a Kindle Fire and some great books. If you want to enter, check out Brandi's blog.New Blog Schedule This Fall  Last week I realized that my blog is booking up with author promotions. I've been getting lots of requests for author spotlights, and while I'm happy to promote others, I miss my writing posts. So in the fall, I'll be designating Fridays to promotion and Wednesday to posts about writing. I think it will be a good balance.My Pool  After waiting an insane amount of time for our pool to be delivered (over a month!) it's finally up and just in time for this week's heat wave. Price Reduction  My latest picture book, Melinda's Museum Magic is now only $8.42 on Amazon! I hope you'll check it out.Harvesters Trailer Reveal  I'm participating in the trailer reveal for Harvesters:
When she finds her boyfriend shackled to a white metal table Ashley feared for the worse.

On a small trip of dropping off a package for Jason’s father, the young couple never thought they would be running for their lives. Running away from supposedly friends whom in turned to be a family of harvesters. 

Human harvesters and they are looking for something specific. And Ashley just might be the perfect match for that something.



That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

I Need a Time Machine

No, I don't want to travel to the future or to the distant past. I want to freeze time so I can get all my work done.

As most of you know, I'm a writer, an editor, a mom, and a wife. Add summer break in there and I'm swamped. My daughter and husband are home, and for some reason they are demanding my attention more than usual. Now I love being with my family, but they aren't the only ones demanding my time. I have a book releasing in August, so I'm working on my blog tour. I'm also doing edits on four of my books coming out in 2014. And I'm editing for my clients.

So yeah, I need to freeze time. That or I need to find a way to give up sleep entirely. Now you may be thinking that I should just schedule my time and extend some deadlines, but then I'd feel guilty. I've never missed a deadline and I don't want to start now.

How do you deal with having too many things to do and not enough time to do them?

Cover Reveal: Take Me Now by Faith Sullivan

I'm so excited to take part in the cover reveal for Faith Sullivan's newest book. I'm a huge fan of Faith's and can't wait to get my hands on this one.

Take Me Now (Take Me Now #1)by Faith SullivanRelease Date: 07/16/2013
Summary from Goodreads: How do you survive the internship from hell?
Don't fall in love.
Ivy thought being a reporter-in-training at the Independent Gazette would be her dream summer job. Little did she know, interviewing Eric, a landscaper with a heart of gold, would derail her plans. It turns out Ivy's boss, Lauren, has been eying his chiseled physique for quite some time.
But at twenty-four, Eric already has a tragic past, one that he is still reeling from. Even though his ordeal turned him into some sort of local celebrity, it's been a while since he's shared his bed with anyone. When he comes to Ivy's rescue out of the blue, it's not long before the two of them start seeing each other behind Lauren's back. When they get caught, Ivy's journey toward a college degree is jeopardized and her relationship with Eric is severely put to the test.
Career versus love? In the end, a shocking turn of events provides Ivy with a revelation she never saw coming.
Get to know Erik and Ivy!
***Author Links***      
What do you think?

Monday Mishmash 7/8/13

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

The Monster Within Cover  I got to see the cover of my upcoming YA paranormal The Monster Within coming out in April 2014 through Spencer Hill Press, and it's gorgeous! Lisa Amowitz is the cover designer, and she's amazing. I can't wait to share it with you.Stalked by Death ARC Giveaway  I'm giving away two copies of Stalked by Death. One is on Brandi Kosiner's blog where a bunch of authors and bloggers got together to giveaway a Kindle Fire and copies of our books. Enter here. The second copy is for a Goodreads giveaway that you can enter here.Writing  I'm in between client edits so I'm drafting a new book. Woo hoo! I tend to go through months where I have a ton of edits and can't write anything new, so getting to draft again feels really good.My New Niece  My niece, Violet, was born one week ago, and I got to see her last Thursday. She's gorgeous and looks so much like my daughter did at that age.Free Monthly Newsletter  My free monthly newsletter goes out at 5pm EST today. If you aren't signed up and would like to receive one, you can sign up here.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Breaking Glass by Lisa Amowitz (Review)

Summary:
On the night seventeen-year-old Jeremy Glass winds up in the hospital with a broken leg and a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit, his secret crush, Susannah, disappears. When he begins receiving messages from her from beyond the grave, he's not sure whether they're real or if he's losing his grip on reality. Clue by clue, he gets closer to unraveling the mystery, and soon realizes he must discover the truth or become the next victim himself.

My thoughts:
I'm not sure why but I didn't realize this was a ghost story. I thought Jeremy's friend left him messages to decipher after she died, but there really is a ghost! I was excited by this because we all know I love paranormal. But before I get to the ghost, let me say that Amowitz does such a great job with Jeremy's character. We really see him break in this book when his female best friend goes missing after a fight with her boyfriend. Susannah happens to be the girl Jeremy's secretly been in love with for years but never confessed his feelings to because she was dating his best friend, so you can imagine how torn up he is after she disappears, especially since he thinks his best friend, Ryan, is the one who killed her.

Susannah leaves a package for Jeremy, which is delivered by a girl who goes to school with them and also works for several families in town to earn money. Her most recent job is to help Jeremy keep up with his classes, which he's missing because the night Susannah disappeared, Jeremy was in a car accident and lost his leg. His recovery was done really well. I felt his pain and frustration. And it only intensifies when he ends up bringing Susannah's ghost back to help him discover how and why she disappeared.

There are twists and turns everywhere. No one and nothing is what it seems, which I loved. This is a great mystery that really delves into the human mind.

Just for fun: Would you follow a trail left for you by a ghost?