Alison DeLuca's Blog, page 3

Okay, so this year's Eat Your Heart Out 2 rea...

 

 Okay, so this year's Eat Your Heart Out 2 reader extravaganza event will centre on the theme twisted romance . As a result of this†readers have the opportunity to pick up a whole pile of eBooks at the discounted price†of 99 cents! Eat Your Heart Out 2: Twisted Romance is being held as a Facebook event and you can join up by clicking here . The event is being held all day on Friday the 13th of February 2015 and there are plenty of games, prizes, interviews, competitions and fun to be had during the event. The full list of participants and their twisted romance novels are:
Love at the End of All Things by A. Carina BarryUnremembered Things by Rachel TsoumbakosBloodlust (A Barbarian Love Story) by Nicole ZoltackWhen in Maui by Colleen NyeHunted Heart by Alison DeLucaHeart Search 3: Betrayal by Carlie M. A. CullenThe Maiden's Courage by Mary Lynne GibbsThat's seven eBooks for under seven dollars -but wait, there's more! Make sure you check out the grand prize giveaway which has started already! The prize pool includes a $40 Amazon gift card and a whole pile of free eBooks from some of the Eat Your Heart Out 2 participating authors. You can enter right away and the grand prize will be drawn at the close of the Eat your Heart Out event. Clicking on the Rafflecopter image below will take you straight to the giveaway entry page:
   
 Can't WAIT to see you and all your friends at the event on Friday the 13th!

Cue the Finale of Heart Search - #CoverReveal

Blurb for Heart Search: BetrayalOne bite started it all . . .Joshua, Remy, and the twins are settled in their new life. However, life doesn’t always run smoothly. An argument between Becky and her twin causes unforeseen circumstances, an admission by Samir almost costs him his life, and the traitor provides critical information to Liam. But who is it?As Jakki’s visions begin to focus on the turncoat’s activities, a member of the coven disappears, and others find themselves endangered.And when Liam’s coven attacks, who will endure?Fate continues to toy with mortals and immortals alike, and as more hearts descend into darkness, can they overcome the dangers they face and survive?>>>—<<<Carlie M.A. Cullen, Author Carlie M A Cullen was born in London. She grew up in Hertfordshire where she first discovered her love of books and writing.She has always written in some form or another, but started to write novels in 2011. Her first book was published by Myrddin Publishing in 2012. She writes in the Fantasy/Paranormal Romance genres for New Adult and Adult.Carlie is also a principal editor for Eagle Eye Editors.Carlie also holds the reins of a writing group called Writebulb. They have published four anthologies so far, two for adults and two for children, all of which raise money for a local hospice.Carlie currently lives in Essex, UK with her daughter>>>—<<<You can find Carlie’s books at:Heart Search, book one: Lost: http://smarturl.it/HeartSearch-LostHeart Search, book two: Found: http://smarturl.it/HeartSearch-Found>>>—<<<You can connect with Carlie via these social links:Website: http://carliemacullen.comTwitter: @carlie2011cFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/CarlieMACullenLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=240655941&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profileAmazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B009MWVL5AAbout.me: http://about.me/CarlieCullenWattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/CarlieCullenGoodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6550466.Carlie_M_A_Cullen

Triumph is Fine (Horror Bites Challenge #15)

(The following story is a flash fiction from Horror Bites. Since the prompt is horror, my story contains disturbing images and themes. Proceed with caution. I don't just write about elegant governesses in a steampunk world.)
Image courtesy of Stephen Paul Watson
Triumph is Fine

Triumph stares into the window, if you could call it a window without glass or curtains. Amanda sits in the room beyond – if a huge concrete square is a room – prepping her works. She doesn’t know Triumph is there, watching her.The stuff came from his shift at the pharmaceutical lab: the secret new drug Triumph’s boss is so excited about. Amanda lifts the needle to the light, presses the plunger, and slides the tip into her vein.His own skin prickles at the thought of what she feels.Amanda is really there, Triumph is sure of it. She’s the one injecting the junk, not him – although a worried little voice inside whispers there is a glassine envelope in the penny pocket of his jeans, hidden under the hem of the t-shirt he stole at a blues festival. No one knows about the envelope except for the nervous whispering voice. Triumph would like it to shut up now, thank you very much.Amanda removes the hypo, exhales, and lies back on the greasy floor. Dark blonde braids slither away from her skull. She is there, she is real, she is not a dream.Those are the things he tells himself.Above him the sun pulsates like the valve inside a giant’s heart. He didn’t shoot up, Triumph says to the worried voice. He ate a bologna sandwich earlier. The ladder he’s standing on is secure, and he has enough strength to descend whenever he wants to. He’s got a job, the girl he’s looking at is real, and the envelope is full because he didn’t use. It’s going back to the lab on Monday. Even if he fell off the ladder the angle of descent wouldn’t kill him. His neck wouldn’t hit the unfinished cement wall. No paralysis, no brains sprayed like scrambled eggs over the gray soil below.It’s fine. He’s doing fine.Triumph is fine.

Unremembered Things - Book Launch and #Giveaway

Unremembered Things by Rachel Tsoumbakos
Unremembered Things†(Wood Nymph Chronicles #1) by Rachel Tsoumbakos Age category: New†Adult Release Date: February 10, 2015 Genre: Paranormal†RomanceBlurb

One woman, two worlds and nothing but UNREMEMBERED THINGS separating them. Indiana Shamira has a dark secret that could shatter her version of reality and get her killed in the process.

Now if only she could remember what it is.

When Indiana wakes with no memory of her past life and a vampire called Sam hanging from the rafters in her cellar, she knows things are about to get nasty. Not only does Sam know all about her previous life, but he seems intent on seducing her as well. Of course her boyfriend, Kurt, has different ideas - like making her open the portal to hell!

And then there is the nagging suspicion that Indiana is not entirely human, now she can see ghostly images from the Otherworld. Or could it be from the life she can no longer remember? They include the flickering effigy of Kurt and a redwood forest that conjures up deeply repressed magic. 

Not only will Indiana have to risk everything to keep the door to another dimension closed, she will have to decide whether she is ready to lose her heart to someone who has more secrets than herself. Set in the lush Australian bush, UNREMEMBERED THINGS is a fusion of fantasy, paranormal and forbidden romance.

Add to GoodReadsPurchase (Pre-order)AMAZONExcerpt

"It is time." Her voice purred like a kitten, but Indiana suspected she was really a feral animal on the inside. 

"For what?" Her voice was raspy, hesitant and unsure if she really wanted to know the answer. Somewhere, deep inside, she suspected she already knew. 

"Just remember I'm doing this for us," Sam whispered into her ear. "So we can be together forever."... 

Giveaway

PRIZE (international):
1 x eCopy of Unremembered Things1 x eCopy of Metanoia1 x eCopy of The Ring of Lost Souls1 x $10 Amazon gift card About the Author Rachel Tsoumbakos is a stay home mother of two. Her main passions are writing, reading and organic gardening. Rachel lives with her husband, two kids, three cats and eight chickens in the hills surrounding Melbourne, Australia. While she has had several articles published through mainstream magazines, she has also written extensively for True Blood Net and the now defunct Suite 101. When she is not tending to her organic veggie garden, she is working on her cardio as she trains for the zombie apocalypse.
Author LinksWEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | GOOGLE + |PINTEREST

#CoverReveal for Darkness Rising 5 by Ross Kitson

Besides being a great guy, Ross Kitson is a serious talent on many fronts. His writing is incredible, and he also creates detailed maps that take my breath away. (I'll freely admit here I'm a Map Ho.)
You can see both in his Darkness Rising series, a must-read for any epic fantasy fan. I love the books because they have real characters, heart-pounding action, and constant surprises that keep me turning the pages to read more.
Here is the cover for the latest installment, Darkness Rising (Book 5: Broken):

PS - The cover was created by Ceri Clark, who has been on hand to do each book for Ross. She's always amazing, and I think she outdid herself here with Broken.
And here is the blurb for Broken: 'Beneath the veneer, beneath the beauty, there is always the coldness of stone.’ 

Tragedy has torn apart Emelia and her companions, a terrible betrayal instigated by the Darkmaster, Vildor. A devastated Jem struggles to control the fearful power of the crystals, becoming distant from his closest friends. Hunor and Orla are tested by a secret from the past, a revelation that will change everything between them. In the Dead City, Emelia begins a search for her past, a journey that will plunge her deeper into the darkness of Vildor and his twisted schemes.

Desperate to seek aid in their battle against Vildor, the companions travel north to Belgo, capital of North Artoria. But everything is not what it seems in the palace, and danger lurks in every shadow, whether cast by friend or foe. 

Separated and alone, can Emelia, Jem and Hunor hope to prevail? Or will the evils of the present and 
the past overcome them at last?

Darkness Rising 5 – Broken is the fifth in the epic fantasy series that reviewers are calling ‘epic and 
spellbinding.’ It is a must read for fantasy fans the world over. 

The Lady of the Lake

Photo sourceShe’s down there somewhere, among the broken Nehi bottles and water lilies. Trout saw her walk into the lake years ago when he was fishing off the dock, and by ‘fishing’ he means holding the rod Aunt Jancey handed him so she could fetch more Iron City beer.Trout remembers the weight of the graphite handle in his hands. As he wound the reel, the girl from the next cabin walked out from the reeds on the other side of the lake. Gwen. Trout kissed her once when no one was looking. Long black curls blew over Gwen’s shoulders as she stepped forward until the water closed over her head, and he screamed until his voice cracked.Now he dives, slicing through the slough of quillwort and mare’s-tail. If he stays under long enough where it is dark and silent, maybe this time he will find her.
***
The story above is a flash fiction for VisDare82. Click the link and go give Angela some love.

Cover Reveal for Hunted Heart

Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.I met a friend online who gave me a prompt for Hunted Heart. Her idea was to have a strong heroine as the Hunter from Snow White who is given the job of killing the prince. Heartbreak, magic mirrors, and poisoned apples all wound themselves into the plot, and fifty thousand words later I had an adult take on the fairytale.
My publishing group, Myrddin Publishing, does a charity publication each year in December. This year my Myrddin effort is Hunted Heart and all royalties will be donated. It’s available for pre-order on Amazon, and you can add it to your reading lists on Goodreads.
When Tali is hired to cut out the heart of Prince Kas, the huntress can’t refuse. Tali realizes there is no escape from the dark magic of the queen’s mirror, even though her own feelings for the prince are far too complex to understand.
As they try to run from their shared destiny, Tali and Kas have to rely on their wits and each other as hunter becomes prey and hearts are won and lost.
A genderbent Snow White for adults (18+ only.) All royalties go to Save the Children.
My illustrator did a lovely job with the book. Here is Lisa Daly’s cover for Hunted Heart:

About the author: Alison DeLuca is the author of several fantasy and steampunk novels. Currently she lives in New Jersey with her husband and daughter, where she wrestles words and laundry.
You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Goodreads.

Merry Wishes #Cover #Reveal

Merry Wishes  - By Karen Pokras   
Genre – RomanceSub Genre – Sweet RomanceIntended Audience – adultType ‑ Novella

About Merry Wishes
An ugly divorce behind her, Carly Cater is looking forward to a truly Merry Christmas. With interest for her art from a high-powered fashion designer and a new romance with her handsome contractor, Jason Hardy, her life is finally heading in the right direction. That is, until her ex-husband suddenly returns to interfere, and mysterious texts draw Jason away. Is this another holiday disaster in the making, or will an offer to create a mural for the brain-injury patients at Greenbriar Manor bring her the Christmas joy she’d been seeking?

About Karen Pokras
Karen Pokras writes adult contemporary and middle grade fiction under the names Karen Pokras and Karen Pokras Toz. Her books have won several awards including two Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, the Grand Prize in the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, as well as placing first for two Global E-Book Awards for Pre-Teen Literature. For children, her books include the Nate Rocks series, Millicent Marie is Not My Name, and Pie and Other Brilliant Ideas. For adult readers, Karen’s books include Chasing Invisible, and her newly released, Whispered Wishes series. A native of Connecticut, Karen now lives outside of Philadelphia with her family.
AND HERE IS THE COVER:

Isn't it gorgeous?
Connect with Karen Online:
Website     Facebook     Twitter     Goodreads

Anabel Divided #Giveaway and excerpt

Find Anabel Divided here on Amazon
Thank you so much to Alison for hosting me today on your blog! Here’s an excerpt from the beginning of ANABEL DIVIDED:Amanda Romine Lynch
Amanda Romine Lynch is a writer, editor, and blogger who grew up in Florida knowing she belonged somewhere else. She now lives in the DC Metro Area with her husband and three amazing little boys. She is the Eco-Friendly/Green Living Contributor over at the Prime Parents’ Club and strives to live earth friendly in a world of disposable diapers. When not writing about Anabel and Jared or chasing around a curly-haired boy, she cheers for the Gators (in all kinds of weather) and occasionally remembers to sleep.
You can find Amanda on her website, Twitter, and Facebook.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Importance of a Good Beta-Reader

From wiki commons, labeled for reuseThis week I'm sorting through feedback I got from three wonderful beta-readers. Betas are people who take my self-edited manuscript, read it, and respond with detailed notes about the current manuscript. I use a worksheet provided by my dear friend and fellow author Connie Jasperson, and it works wonders in eliciting honest opinions about my current work-in-progress.

Because that's what I need at this point: complete honesty. Glowing reviews are lovely, but in this creator's journey I desperately need signs and guideposts to help me to the next level as I develop this tangled mess that will, once day, be a somewhat polished book.

Luckily, I have those amazing betas to help. None of them held back in offering opinions, and it's an incredible thing to get inside their heads a bit while they detail what bored or turned them off as they read. All three are very intelligent, and they were quick to point out a huge section that has to be completely re-researched and rewritten.

Naturally, it would be great if the feedback was "Amazing! Ready to go to the publisher!" And of course, each time I open a beta's feedback form I'm secretly hoping for that. Instead, I always get a series of little reality checks to show me where I somehow lost my mind while I wrote. Characters 'appear' in rooms without explanation. Entire plot points make no sense. It's impossible to tell who's speaking in a scene. One character's ethnicity isn't described well enough. 
from flickr.com, labelled for reuse
It's as though I got the chance to go inside those readers' brains and look through their eyeholes, like a mad scientist. And what an amazing view it is! The feedback suggests entirely new journeys for my main character, for the antagonist, and I can't wait to get started.

I have an extremely tough job ahead of me, but it's going to be fascinating - like untangling a huge knot while simultaneously fighting a hydra and taming a pack of wolves. I really can't wait to get started.

As I do, I just want to say a huge thank you to my wonderful betas. You make writing my books possible. Cheers!
The beast SHALL be tamed. (wikipedia, labeled for reuse)