Meradeth Houston's Blog, page 27

Promo Post: THE WEDDING SWITCH by Sharon Kleve

AUTHOR: Sharon KleveGENRE: Contemporary romance


Abby Blackwell runs a successful wedding planning business. She’s delighted when Derrick, her boyfriend of only a few short months proposes. Abby immediately accepts and dreams of the perfect wedding at the Rose Chalet. But, when Derrick with no explanation, pressures her to get married as soon as possible, she has to wonder why and drags her feet. 
Derrick Coltrane’s future rests on portraying a settled, respectable and married man. All he needs is a wife—now—and Abby fits the bill. She’s successful, smart, gorgeous, and would make the perfect corporate wife. He just needs to convince her to tie-the-knot by the end of the month to close the most important deal of his career. 
Hunter Price knows he’s made the biggest mistake of his life. Derrick, a friend from school, hires him to pretend he’s getting married, in an attempt to trick Abby into planning her own whirlwind wedding. Abby is selfless, sweet, tastes like sunshine, and belongs to someone else—and he just kissed her. 
Two grooms-to-be—one bride-to-be and one bridesmaid. Which couple will walk down the aisle to happily ever after?


My knees throbbed as I knelt on the cold tile of my bathroom floor. I should’ve folded up the bathroom mat or even grabbed a pillow for cushioning. But the discomfort in my knees was nothing compared to the shock of losing my engagement ring. During my after work frenzy of taking a shower, detangling my long hair, and zipping around my mouth with an electric toothbrush, my engagement ring slipped off the edge of the sink and was now somewhere deep in the drain’s belly. 
After the initial shock wore off, I sprinted to my computer, did a quick search, and then printed out step-by-step instructions from www.DoItYourself.com. The instructions were clear and concise. Surely, I could retrieve a ring.
One after another, I removed the collection of rarely-used items I’d tucked away under the sink. Nighttime cold medicine, an unopened pack of cotton swabs, fifteen bottles of assorted nail polish, three different kinds of shampoo and conditioner, and white fluffy cotton balls everywhere. It looked like they’d had a pillow fight under my bathroom counter.


Amazon– US
Explore the Kindle Worlds Store for stories inspired by books, TV shows, and comics.Click here for more information about Kindle Worlds.

Sharon Kleve was born and raised in Washington and currently lives on the Olympic Peninsula with her husband.
Sharon is a multi-published author of paranormal and contemporary romance. She loves romance. She loves reading romance, living romance, and especially loves writing about romance. She gets no greater feeling than watching her characters come alive in each other's arms. Most of all, she loves giving her characters the happily ever after they deserve—with a few bumps and bruises along the way.
One of her favorite things to do is pick-up a new book and sinking into the story, immersing herself in the emotions between the characters. She hopes to inspire her readers the same way her favorite authors inspired her.
When not writing, she can usually be found either curled up in her recliner with her cat and a good book, or in the kitchen baking sourdough bread or bagels.
       
     
   
INFORMATION ABOUT LUCY KEVIN & THE BOOKS INSPIRED "THE WEDDING SWITCH"
The Wedding Gift (Four Weddings and Fiasco Series, Book 1) 
Lucy Kevin is the "sweet" pen-name of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Bella Andre (who writes the #1 bestselling series about The Sullivans). Lucy Kevin books are fun, flirty and romantic--without the steamy scenes. 
BOOK DESCRIPTION: After Julie Delgado’s restaurant closes, she temporarily takes over the catering position at the Rose Chalet, a full-service San Francisco wedding venue. She plans to dazzle the bride and groom so the Chalet’s owner will keep her around, but fate has other plans for her when the bride’s brother shows up for the first food tasting. 
Andrew Kyle is not only the Cuisine Channel’s Edgy Eats host and chef, but his recent review of Julie’s restaurant was the final nail in its coffin. Once he meets Julie at the Rose Chalet, he’s certain she’s playing it safe. And he wants nothing more than to be the one to break her guarded passions loose. 
But despite the undeniable sparks between Julie and Andrew–and the fact that he seems to believe in her when no one else does–can she afford to be taking risks with her cooking, with her career…or with her heart? 
THE WEDDING GIFT is the first fun, sweet, and emotional contemporary romance in the Walker Island series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Lucy Kevin. 
The "Four Weddings and a Fiasco" Series 
• Book 1: The Wedding Gift 
• Book 2: The Wedding Dance 
• Book 3: The Wedding Song 
• Book 4: The Wedding Dress 
• Book 5: The Wedding Kiss
Bio:
When Lucy Kevin released her first novel - SEATTLE GIRL - it became an instant digital bestseller. Her next two fun contemporary romance releases - SPARKS FLY and FALLING FAST - also appeared on many bestseller lists, climbing as high as #2. All of the books in her FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FIASCO series have debuted in the Top 10. Her books have been read by half a million people on their e-readers and the Washington Post has called her "One of the top digital writers in America." She is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller under another pseudonym.
If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, knitting, or laughing with her husband and two children.
Please visit Lucy through her website or on Twitter. MoB Promosmagicofbookspromo@gmail.com

Cover Reveal: THE INFECTED by Michelle K. Pickett

I mentioned that it's a big week for many of my author friends, right? Because I have another awesome cover for today! Check this out:

Publication Date: October 12thPublisher: Hayes PublicationsPreorder at Smashwords 
Blurb:
From the author of the award winning Unspeakable, and the best-selling PODs, comes the highly anticipated sequel to PODs. A world where death stalks the unsuspecting, and this time even the PODs might not save them.
A virus nearly wiped out humankind...
Months have passed since a human infection has been reported. Survivors of the deadly pandemic have finally started to build a life in a world left devastated by plague.
Ironically, for nineteen-year-old Eva, life made more sense when she battled the deadly Infected than it does in the serenity of her new home in Rosewood. Separated from fiancé and former POD-mate, David, after an impossible ultimatum, Eva finds her life a little lonely and a lot confusing.
But as troubled as Eva’s life is, it's about to take a turn for the worse as untold dangers watch and wait for the right moment to attack…
The virus refuses to die quietly.

Cover Reveal: THE RIFT by S.D. Wasley

It seems that it's promo week around here--so many people I know are showcasing awesome new covers and books, so I'm jumping in to show some off as well :) Hope you enjoy!

The Rift by S.D. Wasley
“I longed for normality. Even our own, off-the-wall brand of normality.”
She’s finally got things together. Mimi’s dating a hot guy and has a place in the school’s Gifted Program with her awesome friends. Yes, she still attracts the dead. But there’s only one ghost these days, and he doesn’t seem to have an awful lot to say.
Just when Mimi’s life is looking pretty good for the first time in years, the unthinkable happens ... one of the seven gifted teens is torn from their close-knit group. The unity of their circle shattered, things begin to go terribly wrong. It’s ruining their focus—and with the threat of the Astarion cult growing stronger each day, the gifted seven need all the focus they can muster.
In The Seventh, Mimi found her place in a circle of seven extraordinary teenagers. In The Rift, she must face what happens when the circle of seven is broken.
Release: November 2015Add on GoodreadsEmail Sign-up
So, how was your weekend? Has fall started where you are? Things here are definitely shaping up for fall, see:

After Reading: THE DREAM THIEVES by Maggie Stiefvater

If you could steal things from dreams, what would you take?

Ronan Lynch has secrets. Some he keeps from others. Some he keeps from himself.

One secret: Ronan can bring things out of his dreams.

And sometimes he's not the only one who wants those things.

Ronan is one of the raven boys—a group of friends, practically brothers, searching for a dead king named Glendower, who they think is hidden somewhere in the hills by their elite private school, Aglionby Academy. The path to Glendower has long lived as an undercurrent beneath town. But now, like Ronan's secrets, it is beginning to rise to the surface—changing everything in its wake. (Goodreads)I'm fairly certain that Maggie Stiefvater could write a phone book (wait, do those even still exist? Maybe a dictionary then) and I'd still read it and find it interesting. She just has a way with words that snags my mind and soul. The Raven Cycle books are no exception, and while the first part of this books lagged a bit, I still couldn't put it down. I loved the boys, their lives, and how easily they leap off the pages and feel so incredibly real. Even when they're dreaming up things and making them physically manifest (which, yeah, cool concept, right?). It was a fascinating to see more into what makes Ronan tick, and see deeper into the relationship between Blue and her family as well as with Gansey. Basically, I deeply loved this book and am looking forward to the next as soon as I can get my hands on it!
Have you had a chance to check out this series?

Waiting on Wednesday

Thanks to Breaking the Spine for this awesome weekly theme that talks about books that we're eagerly anticipating :)

(Does anyone else remember this commercial? It was incredibly annoying, but rather catchy. And if you are too young to remember Mervyns, well, sorry :)

I have a bunch of books I'm looking forward to:
A year ago, eighteen year-old Milayna fought Azazel, Hell’s angel, for her soul. She thought she’d seen the last of him, but he's back, and he's brought his friends with him. The Four Brothers want Milayna’s life, and they have wicked powers to use to take it.

While Milayna struggles against the Four Brothers, she also has to fight Azazel for her younger brother's soul. Ben is at a crucial point in his life—a time when he is weakest to Azazel and his powers. Milayna has to shield her brother from Azazel until Ben reaches the age of accountability and enters a period of safety from Azazel and his soul-sucking demons.As if having four demon brothers out to end her life and Hell's angel out to steal her brother's soul wasn't enough, Milayna is still reeling from the disappearance of Chay. Can she find him in time to save their relationship? Or will the constant struggle with Hell and all its evil send her seeking comfort in the arms of Xavier? (Goodreads)

AND


Layla’s world tumbles out of control when she discovers the truth of her parentage and realizes the Prophecy—the one she upended her entire life to defend—is incomplete. When her new friends share the entire Prophecy, the revelations contained within it alter her destiny and challenge everything she and Wil believe in. Now, she must confront the Outlander queen to save the Ethereal kingdom while grappling with this new reality.

Tortured and imprisoned, Nash accepts his fate and offers the First Ones the one thing he has left to give: his life. In a desperate attempt to save the people he loves most, he surrenders himself to the Outlander queen and a destiny darker than he could have ever dreamed possible.

Wil, tormented by the consequences of his choices, realizes he may never be able to uphold his end of the Prophecy. His mistake casts a deep, foreboding shadow over his kingdom and those he loves, while its ripples threaten to shatter both the Prophecy and everything he and his family have sworn to protect.

In this epic conclusion, lives are lost, kingdoms clash, friendships are tested, and love and fate collide.  (Goodreads)

Both of these are books by dear writing buddies, and incredibly talent authors. I can't wait to read them!

Repost Love: Top 10 Time Travel Movies

Today, I'm a bit under the weather, so I've decided to post a couple of short things here from my recent Travelers blog tour. There's a small amount of overlap, but not too much :) (At least, I hope!) Anyhow, this was originally posted on the fabulous Heather Van Fleet's blog, so swing by and say hello to her if you're feeling it!
***I wasn’t quite sure what to do a Top 10 post on, but Travelers is about time travel, and there are a few time-travel movies name-checked in the book, so I figured a post on my favorite time-travel movies would work. Here’s my list:

1. The Back to the Future trilogy (I’m just going to lump these together because, while the first one is the best, I still loved the others)

2. Groundhog Day (this is kind of time travel, right?)

3. Primer (even if it freaked me out)

4. Donnie Darko

5. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (for the sheer corniness of it)

6. Looper

7. About Time (oh this one was so sweet! Go see it soon!)

8. The Time Traveler’s Wife (though the book was better)

9. 12 Monkeys

10. Safety Not Guarantied (not totally time travel either, but in a way it is)

There are so many more! And there are a ton of awesome books out there that I love, too. There are so many ways to think about time travel, to think about its ins and outs, that sometime it can really tie you in a knot! Still, I love the concept and how a movie or book can really explore the subject!

What’s your favorite time-travel movie or book?

Wednesday Funnies (because it's hump day)

Okay, so, honestly, I'm still not finding any motivation to say anything today. It happens ;) But I do have some fun images for today, to tickle your funny bone!

This guy is my hero. And I think about doing this far too often. Maybe after tenure...




I love her!

Monday Mishmash

I'm drawing a total blank on what to write about today, so we're going for something simple :)

I haven't had the energy or interest in opening a WIP file in several weeks. I know this is because of school starting and a variety of other reasons, but dang, the thought of delving into another book is just too exhausting to deal with. Anyone else get that way?Fall is here. The leaves are already turning. Please insert loud sigh here :) I do love pumpkin flavoring, but the impending snow is less than welcome.Chipotle opened in Missoula. Finally! This place will eventually feel like civilization!This past weekend I had the pleasure of joining in on a panel on world building with several other authors at the Montana Book Festival. We had a bunch of teens and adults around and basically created a fabulous book universe and plot. Lots of fun, lots of laughs! The festival was spectacular all the way around, really, and I loved going to the sessions! A few of the teens from the panel, along with authors Janet Fox, Kent Davis, and Jess E. Owen!

After Reading: WITCHES OF EAST END by Melissa de la Cruz

The three Beauchamp women--Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid--live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret--they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.
For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them. (Goodreads)

It's not very often that I come across a film or show before a book, but I found the Lifetime seasons of Witches of East End and only later found out that they were based on novels. This excited me to no end! I really quite enjoyed the show (it reminded me of the Charmed I loved when I was younger), and since I generally love the books more, I was eager to see how it worked out. Well, this was a bit of an odd case: I honestly liked the show better. In some odd way, it made more sense to me. Now, I have no idea if this is because I came to the book after the show or not, but some elements of the book felt rushed, poorly explained, and not tied together well. Namely, the ending. But, I still enjoyed the book, even if I spent most of it comparing it to the show and analyzing why they made the changes they did :) It is an interesting series, and while I never much enjoyed the Blue Blood books De La Cruz is known for, this was an interesting romp on the adult side of the reading world with the same general paranormal themes I enjoy.

Has anyone read this one? Or seen the show? Which did you prefer?

Last Day of the TRAVELERS Blog Tour!

For everyone State-side, I hope you're enjoying the long weekend! I'm going to be busy with visiting a bunch of different spots around the web. If you have a moment, come say hello?

http://www.wordsreadandwritten.com/--Interview

http://mrsbbooks2011.blogspot.co.uk--Guest Post

http://thehonestbookclub.blogspot.co.uk/--Review

http://sylmion.blogspot.com--Guest Post

http://stephie5741.blogspot.com--Guest Post

http://jessicahaight.blogspot.com/--Review
Thank you a MILLION times over to everyone who has pitched in to help me out with this release. It's been amazing!

And if you're looking for a bit of reading to gear you up for this school year, check out my Flash Fiction :)