Taryn Browning's Blog, page 7

October 10, 2011

Dark Seeker & Remembrance Book Signing Weekend

This weekend I had the pleasure of signing my debut novel, Dark Seeker, at Around the Block Books, with my friend and agent-mate at Book Cents Literary Agency, Michelle Madow, signing her debut novel Remembrance. We had a fabulous weekend signing our books, meeting readers & writers, and eating great food at a popular restaurant in town (twice -- that's how good this restaurant is). Anita Clenney, our friend and agent-mate, and best-selling author of Awaken the Highland Warrior, also joined us for dinner last night. Overall, this was an amazing weekend!!

I included pictures. Enjoy & don't forget to pick up your own copy of these great books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!! :)

Dark Seeker & Dark Beauty Amazon  
RemembranceAmazon

Awaken The Highland WarriorAmazon





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Published on October 10, 2011 08:45

September 29, 2011

The Fantastic Bloggers Hosting Dark Seeker for Release Week 10/3 - 10/7

I wanted to send a SHOUTOUT to the fabulous bloggers who will be hosting the Dark Seeker release next week.
Huge thanks to...
Melina, Reading Vacation Brent, Naughty Book KittiesAlex, Electrifying ReviewsJennie, My Cute BookshelfCatherine Keaton, Abnormally Paranormal ReviewsTiffany, For Those About to Read...Trista, Spine Crackers
Make sure to stop by their blogs...they have great posts and are all-around awesome people. Also, look for Dark Seeker interviews, giveaways and more, starting 10/3/11. Who would you cast for the movie? -- find out who I picked (and my new crush) on Reading Vacation!! :)

Thanks & best,Taryn :))
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Published on September 29, 2011 12:34

September 15, 2011

Dark Seeker Book Trailer

Here is the Dark Seeker Book Trailer. Dark Seeker will be released Oct 4th. Please check it out on Goodreads and enter the giveaway. Thanks ;)






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Published on September 15, 2011 14:19

September 12, 2011

Dark Seeker Cover Reveal

Want more of Isabelle and Abram? After Dark Beauty, there is Dark Seeker, the novel Dark Beauty is based on. Check out the sequel, Dark Seeker, available soon. Look for it on Goodreads!



Cheers!Taryn ;)
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Published on September 12, 2011 18:26

September 6, 2011

DARK BEAUTY & DARK SEEKER Excerpt & SIGNED GIVEAWAY

Excerpt GIVEAWAY!!! You could win a signed copy of Dark Beauty and Dark Seeker by filling out the form below. Since Dark Seeker is being released 10/11, I thought I'd include it in the giveaway. If you've already entered you are automatically in the running to win both books. You don't have to enter again. Giveaway ends 10/31/11, so make sure to enter and win 2 Signed Books (Dark Beauty & Dark Seeker). Good luck ;)

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the Dark Beauty excerpt...


Dark Beauty Description:
For fifteen-year-old Seeker, Isabelle Crowe, ridding the Houston streets of the undead is an inherited duty, passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. During her first night without her mentor, she encounters Abram, a more experienced Seeker from Chicago looking to avenge his cousin's death. Isabelle quickly learns she must work with Abram to protect her city. With one Seeker already dead, Isabelle's love of the hunt becomes a fight to survive.
Dark Beauty Excerpt:
 
"Why are you here?" Isabelle said.      "Mmm, now, you're a Seeker I'd like to sink my teeth into." Emanuel appraised her, cocking his head to the side. "I could find lots of fun stuff for us to do together." He took small steps toward the exit.      Vomit rose into Isabelle's throat. She swallowed, doing her best not to take his words too seriously. He was a disgusting half-breed. Anything that came out of his mouth was either a lie or very twisted.     "You're delusional if you think you're getting out of here alive." Isabelle wedged the knife behind her back and somersaulted across the room, landing only feet from Emanuel. He threw a punch. She blocked it and administered a kick to his temple. He stumbled back, clearly disoriented. She shoved her knee into his groin. When he doubled over, she came down on him with an elbow. She chuckled, not knowing where she'd come up with that move. This was more like the WWF than martial arts. Pinned to the ground and writhing under her hold, Isabelle removed her dagger from her back and plunged it into his skull. Emanuel stared at her in horror, apparently shocked that the pretty young thing of his twisted fantasy had taken him out. 




Dark Seeker Description:
For 17-year-old Seeker, Janie Grey, ridding the Baltimore streets of the undead is an inherited duty passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. Seeker Training Lesson #1: Never trust the undead. After her father's tragic death, Janie creates her own life lesson: Love isn't worth the risk. Both lessons are easy to follow until she encounters the flawed Kai Sterdam. At first, she believes he is the hybrid she is trained to hunt. But, when he has human traits, she determines she doesn't know what he is. As Janie's intrigue over who Kai is pushes her deeper into his mysterious past, she discovers a shocking truth that is even more harrowing than the evil they are up against. It's a secret Kai wants to keep hidden, especially from Janie.


Want more of Dark Beauty now? Find it on Amazon, B&N and Smashwords for only 99 cents. Order it on Createspace for $2.99.

Add Dark Beauty to your Goodreads account here.

Dark Seeker will be available 10/11. Watch the book trailer here. Add Dark Seeker to your Goodreads account here.

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Cheers ;)
Taryn




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Published on September 06, 2011 13:57

DARK BEAUTY Excerpt & GIVEAWAY

Excerpt GIVEAWAY!!! You could win a signed copy of Dark Beauty by filling out the form below. Good luck!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the excerpt from Dark Beauty ...


Description:
For fifteen-year-old Seeker, Isabelle Crowe, ridding the Houston streets of the undead is an inherited duty, passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. During her first night without her mentor, she encounters Abram, a more experienced Seeker from Chicago looking to avenge his cousin's death. Isabelle quickly learns she must work with Abram to protect her city. With one Seeker already dead, Isabelle's love of the hunt becomes a fight to survive.

Excerpt:
 

"Why are you here?" Isabelle said.      "Mmm, now, you're a Seeker I'd like to sink my teeth into." Emanuel appraised her, cocking his head to the side. "I could find lots of fun stuff for us to do together." He took small steps toward the exit.      Vomit rose into Isabelle's throat. She swallowed, doing her best not to take his words too seriously. He was a disgusting half-breed. Anything that came out of his mouth was either a lie or very twisted.     "You're delusional if you think you're getting out of here alive." Isabelle wedged the knife behind her back and somersaulted across the room, landing only feet from Emanuel. He threw a punch. She blocked it and administered a kick to his temple. He stumbled back, clearly disoriented. She shoved her knee into his groin. When he doubled over, she came down on him with an elbow. She chuckled, not knowing where she'd come up with that move. This was more like the WWF than martial arts. Pinned to the ground and writhing under her hold, Isabelle removed her dagger from her back and plunged it into his skull. Emanuel stared at her in horror, apparently shocked that the pretty young thing of his twisted fantasy had taken him out.

Want more of Dark Beauty NOW? Find it on Amazon, B&N and Smashwords for only 99 cents. Order it on Createspace for $2.99.

Add Dark Beauty to your Goodreads account here.


Loading...

Cheers ;)
Taryn




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Published on September 06, 2011 13:57

September 1, 2011

WOMENforWOMEN.org Donation for Every Dark Beauty Copy Sold

Hey everyone ~ this post is about giving back...

Another passion of mine, other than reading and writing, is women's rights. For this reason, last year I became a sponsor for a woman in a war-torn country, and continued my sponsorship this year for a woman in the Congo. The sponsorship program supports woman survivors of war and conflicts as they progress through a one-year program that helps them rebuild their lives. 
Over the next year, my "sister" will join a circle of 25 women who will become her support network as they go through an intensive and life-changing training. She will learn about women's rights, allowing her to take greater control over decisions that govern her life and that of her children, learn technical and business skills that will allow her to sustain income, receive direct cash assistance and emotional support, and when she graduates she will be given access to jobs or tools to start a business.

For every copy of Dark Beauty sold on Amazon, B&N, Smashwords and Createspace, I will donate 5 cents (15% of Amazon sales profit) to WOMENforWOMEN.org. Please help me support women who don't have the rights we pride ourselves on as American citizens and other citizens of the world. Help me make another woman's life better by providing her with the education all women deserve. Thank you so much for your support.

If you are interested in donating, becoming a sponsor, or learning more about this organization, visit WOMENforWOMEN.org for more information. 
Find out more on my website www.tarynbrowning.com under "News."

Thanks & best,
Taryn
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Published on September 01, 2011 12:22

August 22, 2011

YA - A Universal Genre

It's no secret that I'm no longer a young adult. Now in my early 30's, I've surpassed those years by at least a decade. BUT I DON'T CARE!!! I love reading and writing YA, and I'm proud of it!
A friend of mine is writing an article about why people of all ages love YA and has asked me to give my two cents. On this subject she may get way more than two cents. I'm very passionate about the YA characters in my books, and the books I read. So let's get to it. Some of the many reasons "I" LOVE YA...YA can cross many genres within one book (for example - sci-fi, dystopian, mystery & romance are all intertwined within Across the Universe by Beth Revis).
No matter how old you are, you were once a young adult and can relate to the issues/feelings the characters are going through because you've been there or know someone else who's been there.
I really enjoy the writing style. It's easy to immerse yourself within the world the author is creating. Yes, the same goes for adult fiction, but I find that YA has its own unique voice. One that I happen to prefer reading, most of the time. There are exceptions like J.R. Ward (I love her Black Dagger Brotherhood adult series). Again, these are the reasons I read YA, not to say other genres aren't wonderful - I think they are.
Haha, yes, I have to admit that many of the YA characters are swoon-worthy (kind of like those classic 80's movies - Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Say Anything, that we all love). My faves happen to be Jace, Dimitri, Four, etc...
I could probably go on forever. How about you? What do you think makes YA a universal genre for all ages? You never know, your comment could end up in the article, so be sure to respond :)

Cheers!Taryn
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Published on August 22, 2011 09:03

August 17, 2011

Which Buffy the Vampire Slayer Character Are You Most Like?

Since my Dark Beauty short story and prequel to Dark Seeker, is based off my love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I thought it would be fun to take this quiz I found online. Then, I just had to share it with you (because I know you've wondered which character you were most like). Yes, I was hoping for Buffy, because she is just awesome and knows how to kick some a**. In my next life, I will come back spinning into roundhouse kicks and taking names (and seriously, I'm not a violent person). Anyway, Isabelle, Abram (Seekers and main characters in Dark Beauty) and I decided to take this quiz. Here are our results...
Taryn -- Rupert Giles (haha, seriously - this test is totally wrong)Isabelle -- Buffy Summers (okay, maybe this test is kinda accurate)Abram -- Buffy Summers (not shocking since he is also a Seeker, but Isabelle and Abram's personalities are also quite different)
Now it's your turn. Please leave a comment telling me which character you are most like. Was it who you expected?
http://quizfarm.com/quizzes/new/corporatecunt/which-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-character-are-you-most-like/
Cheers,Taryn :)




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Published on August 17, 2011 10:11

July 31, 2011

On My Kindle

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, so readers can share what books they've gotten in the past week. Since I just bought a Kindle, I thought I'd share what I downloaded this week.
It is amazing to have so many books at my fingertips on my Kindle, but also quite dangerous -- with one click of a button, they just appear. This is an exciting week. Check them out...

 
Wolfsbane by Andrea CremerI have been dying to read Wolfsbane since I finished Nightshade. Although I am proudly team Shay, I'm really excited to see what happens with Calla, Shay and Ren.

 
Awaken the Highland Warrior by Anita ClenneyThis book is the first in a series and has been #1 on Amazon for Fantasy and Time Travel. It is written by my friend and agent-mate. I started it the other night and couldn't put it down. If you are looking for a great read, check it out. Anita has earned phenomenal reviews for her debut series.


Remembrance by Michelle MadowThis book is dear to my heart because it is written by my friend, critique partner and agent-mate. Remembrance is beautifully written and the story is just as gorgeous as the cover. I highly recommend it.


Dark Beauty by Taryn BrowningYes, I downloaded my own short story -- I had to see what it looked like on my Kindle. I would love it if you checked it out. It's available on Amazon, Smashwords & Barnes and Noble! Thanks :)
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Published on July 31, 2011 11:19