Tawdra Kandle's Blog, page 64

MAY THERE ALWAYS BE BOOKS Blog Hop

 

Welcome to MAY THERE ALWAYS BE BOOKS Blog Hop! Be sure to hop around to all the stops and enter ALL the fun book-themed giveaways.

We’re giving away a $10 Amazon gift card. . .so enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This hop is hosted by Literary Addicts and is from May 20 at 12:00am – May 31 @11:59pm EST.

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A Day in the Life of Andrea Heltsley

The first NEW ADULT SLEEPOVER WEEKEND will be held in beautiful Savannah, Georgia December 6-8, 2013. I can’t wait to be there, part of the fun and sharing my New Adult books!

To get us really excited about this weekend, the fabulous Dawn Pendleton has been posting A DAY IN THE LIFE interviews on her website, and I’m happy to share this one with you all. . .get to know Andrea Heltsley!

(Stay tuned for more fascinating NA authors. . .)

Author Bio:

Andrea Heltsley is a transplant from St. Louis to Tennessee who decided writing was

more fun than science. She writes new adult books and has a very active imagination. Andrea is always thinking of new ideas and penning them for her

next book. She has a passion for the new adult industry and plans to continue

writing in the genre.

Books by Andrea:


***Dissolve releases May 31st***
Andrea’s Links:



http://andreaheltsley.blogspot.com
https://www. twitter.com/andreaheltsley
http://www. facebook.com/andreaheltsley
http://pinterest.com/aheltsley/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5766043.Andrea_Heltsley




Andrea’s Books on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Andrea-Heltsley/e/B007RFLR4E/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1368795418&sr=8-1

Cover Reveal: A RARE VINTAGE by Delancey Stewart

I’m so excited to share this sneak peek and cover reveal with you! Delancey Stewart is kicking off a new series: WINE COUNTRY ROMANCE. Today we’re revealing the cover and giving you just enough of a sip to make you want more.

 

A Rare Vintage, book one in the Wine Country Romance Series by Delancey Stewart

 

Publication date: May 31, 2013

 

Isabella DaSilva, a fiery grad student from Cornell’s wine program is eager to leave her past behind her and forge a future in the vineyards of the West as an apprentice at Chateau Sauvage, a winery seeking to produce wine like no other California wineries had so far — Rhone varietals.

She arrives at Chateau Sauvage to find that wine might not be her only interest. The winemaker, Jonathan Sauvage, is tall, dark, and handsome, and clearly in need of help. Together, they work to make a pioneering wine in an effort to keep the struggling winery afloat. Each struggles with their demons — hers in the form of a painful and mysterious past; his created by memories of what once might have been. In the process, they find that the pain of their shattered pasts fit together perfectly, making their union as perfect as the wine it produces.

A Rare Vintage features an intense and commanding hero who isn’t afraid to ask for help, and a woman who knows that while she might technically be the apprentice, she has plenty to teach Jonathan Sauvage.

This book is the first in the Wine Country Romance series.

 

About Delancey Stewart:

Delancey Stewart is the author of Through a Dusty Window: New York City Stories 1910-2001 and A Rare Vintage, the first in her Wine Country Romance Series. A Rare Vintage releases on May 31st.

She is also working on the Girlfriends of Gotham Series for Swoon Romance. The first book, Men and Martinis, will be released in fall 2013.

Stewart has lived on both coasts, in big cities and small towns. She’s been a pharmaceutical rep, a personal trainer and a direct sales representative for a French wine importer. Beyond all that, she has always been a writer in some way shape or form.

A military spouse and the mother of two small boys, her current job titles include pirate captain, monster hunter, Lego assembler and story reader. She tackles all these efforts at her current home in Southern Maryland.

Blog:

https://delanceystewart.wordpress.com/

 

FB:

https://www.facebook.com/delancey.stewart

 

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/DelanceyStewart

 

Goodreads:

https://twitter.com/DelanceyStewart

 

And now for the cover!

 

Excerpt:

 

After dinner, as the sun slid, orange and red, toward the fence line, Theo said, “Jon, I love that you’re here.” He leaned forward in his chair, fixing his friend with a penetrating look. “But why are you really here?”

Annette kicked her husband and hissed, “Rude!” But she said it with a smile on her face.

Jonathan stared into his beer bottle. “I just feel like I’ve started down a path in the wrong direction. I needed to get away and think a bit before I make any more mistakes.”

“Well, that’s not cryptic at all,” Annette said. She leaned back in her chair and began her her attorney cross-exam. “Jon, what’s going on?”

Jonathan looked into the understanding faces of his best friends and felt his guard slide down. He took a deep breath and told them everything that had happened in the days since his father had died.

“I didn’t know you were on the edge financially, man. I wish you’d said something to us,” Theo said.

“I couldn’t ask you guys for that kind of help,” Jonathan said.

“But you asked a stranger?” Theo said.

“I know… but it wasn’t really like that,” Jon said. “I don’t know how to explain. For one thing, I didn’t ever really ask. From the minute Isabella arrived, it was like she already had a stake. In the winery, the vines…in everything.”

“In everything,” Annette repeated, an eyebrow raised. She leaned forward and took Jonathan’s hand. “Jon, how do you feel about this woman?”

“It’s probably obvious, isn’t it?” Jonathan admitted, a sheepish grin on his face. “I’m crazy about her. Literally. Crazy.”

“I think that’s great!” Annette said, leaning back.

“’Bout time,” Theo said.

“But it’s been days,” Jonathan said. “Not weeks, not months. I barely know her, and she’s all I can think about. I feel like I’d jump off the face of the world for her, and I have no idea why I feel this way.”

“So you ran away?” Theo said.

“Basically,” Jonathan nodded. “I just felt like I needed to get a grip on myself, like I was just spiraling down this abyss…”

“A good abyss?” Annette asked.

“If there is such a thing,” Jonathan said quietly.

“Jon, you’re falling in love with her, that’s all,” Annette said.

“That’s all?” Theo said. “That’s not a small thing, woman.”

“Of course not,” Annette agreed. “But it’s not something to run away from, either.”

“Love,” Jonathan said quietly. “I barely know her. I know nothing about her past, where she comes from.”

“I fell in love with Annette the second I saw her,” Theo said.

“No, that was just lust,” Annette smiled. “You fell in love with me when you found out I could beat you at basketball.”

 

LITERARY ADDICTS Weekly Wednesday Meme: Love Triangles

 

 

Love triangles! Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they seem to be part of so many books, from classic lit to chick fiction–even horror books!

The first one that came to mind when I thought about today’s topic was the classic Gone With The Wind. My daughter just finished reading that book, so it’s still pretty fresh in my mind. Scarlett/Rhett/Ashley. . .now that was a love triangle. Scarlett thought she loved Ashley–but did she really??–Ashley thought he might love Scarlett but married Melanie and was faithful to her because of his honor. . .and Rhett loved Scarlett. Of course, Scarlett realized she did love Rhett. . .but was it too late? Talk about angst.

Then there’s a more recent one: Dorian/Gwen/Aiden in the Gwen Sparks series by Stephanie Nelson. I have to admit, I kind of liked Aiden in the first book, but when Dorian came on the scene, I was all about him, to the point that I have demanded Stephanie have some terrible fate befall Aiden. She doesn’t seem to want to accommodate me, but really.  .  .it only makes sense.

My daughter tells me that one of her favorites is from Delirium, where the triangle is made up of Lena/Alex/Julian. She likes Lena with Alex. I guess it’s in the blood!

Do you like love triangles in your books? Or do they stress you? Speak up!

And go to Literary Addicts to see what everyone else has to say.

ALL FOR HOPE by Olivia Hardin Available NOW!

All of Hope

To protect her heart, he left her behind.

To protect her life, he’ll leave the life he’s made behind.

Sometimes the safest distance between two hearts is no distance at all…

Kidnapping a baby wasn’t something Hope ever dreamed she would do. But she’s been burned by the legal system before, so when the court places her friend’s child into the custody of an abuser, she takes matters into her own hands. She steals the baby and fakes her death, hoping to make a clean getaway. She planned every detail, except one.

Her high school sweetheart and best friend, who left her years before, sees her at a gas station. Hope thinks all is lost, until he offers to help them.

Brennan had always been the love of Hope’s life, but he never wanted to be. She knows she cannot depend on him for long. However, as each day passes, it becomes painfully obvious that she is in way over her head. She goes with him, intending to keep him always an arm’s length away to protect her heart. But being on the run together sparks the old flames that once burned between Brennan and Hope.

Families, friends, and lovers must band together to save an innocent baby and a daring woman or both of their lives will be destroyed. Together, they’ll do it All for Hope…

Purchase on Amazon

About the Author – Olivia Hardin realized early on how strange she was to have complete movie-like character dreams as a child. Eventually she began putting those vivid dreams to paper and was rarely without her spiral notebooks full of those mental ramblings. Her forgotten vision of becoming an author was realized when she connected with a group of amazingly talented and fabulous writers who gave her lots of direction and encouragement. With a little extra push from family and friends, she hunkered down to get lost in the words. She’s also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and is sometimes accused of being artistic, though she’s generally too much of a perfectionist to appreciate her own work. A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband and their puppy Bonnie.

Connect with her Online – Blog * Goodreads * Twitter* Facebook * Literary Addicts

A Day in the Life of JC Emery

The first NEW ADULT SLEEPOVER WEEKEND will be held in beautiful Savannah, Georgia December 6-8, 2013. I can’t wait to be there, part of the fun and sharing my New Adult books!

To get us really excited about this weekend, the fabulous Dawn Pendleton has been posting A DAY IN THE LIFE interviews on her website, and I’m happy to share this one with you all. . .get to know JC Emery!

(Stay tuned for more fascinating NA authors. . .)

 

As a child, JC was fascinated by things that went bump in the night. As they say, some things never change. Now, as an adult, she divides her time between the sexy law men, mythical creatures, and kick-ass heroines that live inside her head and pursuing her bachelor’s degree in English. As it is for most writers, finding balance is a challenge. JC is a San Francisco Bay Area native, but has also called both Texas and Louisiana home. These days she rocks her flip flops year round in Northern California and can’t imagine a climate more beautiful.

 

With the support and encouragement of her parents and sister, JC set out to figure out what she wanted to do when she grew up. Most days, the jury is still out; however the thing that stuck with her no matter what she pursued was her love of the written word.

 

JC writes adult, new adult, and young adult fiction. She dabbles in many different genres including science fiction, horror, chick lit, and murder mysteries, yet she is most enthralled by supernatural stories– and everything has at least a splash of romance.

 

http://jcemery.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6902956.JC_Emery

https://www.facebook.com/jcemeryauthor

 

Literary Addicts Weekly Wednesday Meme: Werewolves or Vampires?

 

Werewolves versus vampires. . .the age old dilemma. Which would you choose?

This wasn’t a hard one for me. It’s vamps all the way. Not the sparkly angsty ones–I like my bloodsuckers with a little bit of the naughty in them. Think Spike, Angel–not when he’s conflicted, but when he’s ruthless–oh, and my all time favorite, Lestat, the best badboy vamp ever written.

Werewolves don’t do it for me. I’ve never been a huge dog fan; I love MY dog (he’s cute, fluffy and adorable, what’s not to love?), but the idea of being turned on by someone who can change into a slobbery, furry, smelly canine is not my cup of tea.

The only werewolf books I enjoy are Stephanie Nelson’s Taming the Wolf series. . .probably because the heroine is also a strong wolf. (P.S.: Stephanie’s follow up, Embracing the Wolf, is coming soon. . .)

So in that eternal struggle, at least in my book. . .vampires pull it out every time.

What do you think? And be able to back your argument, if you please. . .

And be sure to check out all the other points of view, too! Go here and follow the meme.

 

THE KING SERIES: Read Them All!

The adventure begins with FEARLESS: Tasmyn Vaughn didn’t expect much when her dad’s job moved them to a small town in Florida; it was just another new school. But there is more to King than meets the eye, and soon Tasmyn’s ability to hear others’ thoughts is the least of her worries. Entangled in a web of first love, quirky and secretive townsfolk, magic and blood rituals, she discovers the town’s secrets aren’t just bizarre, they’re deadly. . .

. . .continues with BREATHLESS: Tasmyn Vaughn is not having the senior year she expected. Her boyfriend Michael leaves for college, she’s being stalked by a suspicious preacher, pursued by the hot new boy at school and blackmailed by her chemistry teacher–who just might be a witch. Tas needs all of her many talents–and a little help from unexpected sources–just to keep her head above water. . .literally. 

. . .and then get RESTLESS: When she agrees to allow Ms. Lacusta to help develop her powers, Tasmyn has no idea how deep and dark the journey will become. Trapped between fascination and fear, she moves farther away from friends and family, even her boyfriend Michael. Leading a double life forces Tas into decisions that will threaten her sanity and her future… and the very lives of those she loves.

…and find a love that’s ENDLESS: After the tumult of her high school senior year, all is right in Tasmyn Vaughan’s world. She’s attending college with her boyfriend, and she’s learning to control her powers. Everything is finally perfect, until it isn’t.

When her new part-time job leads to more than she bargained for, Tasmyn is thrown into a deadly fight against forces of evil that she didn’t even know existed. Mastering her extraordinary gifts—along with the strength of an endless love—may be the only weapon that can guarantee her a happily ever after.

Tawdra Thompson Kandle lives in central Florida with her husband, children, cats and dog. She loves homeschooling, cooking, traveling and reading, not necessarily in that order. And yes, she has purple hair.

Follow Tawdra here:  FACEBOOK       TWITTER       PINTEREST

. . .and be sure to subscribe to her updates for more exciting reading!

THE DIVINE TEMPEST Giveaway and Excerpt

A Scholar’s Journey: The Divine Tempest

A Scholar’s Journey: The Divine Tempest is a no-holds-barred fantasy brawl. It begins when the God of Justice and Retribution opens The Abyss and unleashes a vengeful demon upon the mortal realm of Therra.

Now it is up to scholar Penndarius Greyson and his tormented protector, martial artist Soren Luna Mortalitas, to stop a crisis that would send shockwaves through the very fabric of creation. In addition, Penndarius is waging an internal battle with a disembodied presence attempting to possess his mind. The two heroes must avoid death or capture, but there is a catch: They have only one day to solve a riddle older than history before a dark host of unstoppable demons is released into the world.

The Divine Tempest includes warring factions, betrayal and redemption, and of course, Herrick Erickson-Brigl’s trademark: epic fight scenes. This is the lean, hard-hitting first installment in a series that follows Penndarius’s growth as the avatar of the God of Creation and Soren’s reclamation of his lethal family’s humanity.

Purchase A Scholar’s Journey: The Divine Tempest on Amazon.

About Herrick C. Erickson-Brigl

Herrick Erickson-Brigl has been reading fantasy since he first learned to read and writing it nearly as long. While in college, Herrick’s passion for writing culminated in his first novel, entitled *A Scholar’s Journey: The Divine Tempest*. He is currently completing his second book in that series.

Follow the Author:

Website | Twitter

Kickstarter Campaign

Herrick is also kickstarting the editing for his second book “A War of Lies”

*Book Two, A War of Lies:* Three nations stand divided by a devil’s trick that will spark a war between the elder gods and their daemonic children. Penndarius and his fierce protectors travel to the fertile land of Utopia to delve deeper into Therra’s hidden past. Will the answers they find be what they are seeking, or will they reveal something much more sinister?

View Herrick’s Kickstarter Page here!

 

Enjoy this excerpt of the book:

The city was built

near the side of a white mountain almost level with the clouds at its peak. A

cave-like tunnel wound through the mountain to the top and ended in a ledge

that protruded tenaciously into the brutal winds.

A woman was

standing on the ledge, dressed from head to toe in the finest silvery silk. Her

pristine clothes shone like platinum in any kind of light. Even flecks of dirt from

the stone floor of the cave could not stain the fine fabric.

She was blessed

with long platinum hair that complemented her clothes elegantly, and they

fluttered together, streaming in the damp wind. Her face was angular and

strikingly beautiful, with delicate cheekbones and a chiseled nose, flawed only

by the sharp lines of anguish that clouded her countenance.

She stared out into

the distance as if watching a sight beyond reality, and it caused her face to

tighten even further in pain. The wind sent a warning with howling urgency, and

she wiped her hair from her eyes to clear her vision.

Something was

amiss. There was a wrongness in the air. The sixth sense in her mind knew what

it was long before it was fully evident. A familiar thought wracked her heart

with sharp pangs of unease, an ominous forbearance that preceded a vision.

Before her, the

clouds roiled and beat together in a heated battle that was moving inexorably

closer. The great bellies of the clouds were ever fuller and darker, precursors

of the rain to come. They huddled together and then broke apart. They collided

and clashed with one another to set forth their wet gift upon the land.

From within the

clouds, shapes began to appear, augurs of the future, given to the woman as

preludes to events to come. The clouds moved and shifted, and an image appeared

from the chaotic masses. It was a denser column, shaped roughly into the form

of an oval. At first it was no more than a stark sliver amongst its gray

brethren, but as the storm moved closer it was beginning to become more

prominent and showed itself fully as the storm formation covered the city.

The sliver widened

and became taller and larger than the cloud in which it had originated. It was

pushing every competitor out of the way with a force that was immeasurable.

From within that mass something new was stirred, moving and shifting outward,

and as the oval widened, new shapes were birthed from the curves of cloud.

A doorway formed,

and from within it emerged unspeakable horrors. Grasping claws and gnawing

teeth reached toward the woman on the ledge, threatening to consume both her

and the city nearby. Then, surpassing the hunger of the lesser creatures within

the doorway, another more powerful presence began to emerge.

At first it was

just a feeling in the pit of the woman’s chest, but slowly it became something

far more terrifying. Her breath quickened even more, and she forced herself to

remain standing under the pressure of its aura.

Huge, smoldering,

sapphire-hued eyes appeared and resolved within the doorway of what must be

their owner’s cage. Great indigo claws grabbed the threshold and pried it even

wider. Slowly it thrust its presence from within its prison into the open. As

it did, its eyes glowed brighter and sparked with luminescent lightning, and a

dangerous maw opened below them. Long, dagger-like teeth glinted harshly in the

pale light of the storm, malicious things that threatened to tear at the fiber

of her soul.

Slowly that great

fanged mouth opened wider and wider till it was larger than the city and the

mountain. Ready to descend upon the land, it encompassed the sky as far as the

eye could see. Long, jagged lines of otherworldly cobalt lightning arced

through its teeth and eyes and then struck the ground.

The woman could

feel that there was an undeniable simplicity to its wants and needs. It wanted

only to take and consume, break and destroy everything.

Then, as the great

evil was about to fall on the land and take its very essence, the clouds broke

into rain, and the vision dispersed.

The author is giving away a Kindle, a $20 Amazon GC, and an ebook. Fill out the form below a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

What on earth is a virtual book tour?

 

If you follow my posts here with any regularity, you’ve been part of a virtual book tour!

When you see a post about a book that includes a review, a guest post from the author or an excerpt of the book, that is probably a stop on a virtual tour.

Once upon a time, when an author wrote a book, she would go from town to town to promote said book at book stores, libraries and book clubs. It was the staple of a book contract back in the day when a small number of books were published by a few large presses.

But today, things have changed. Books are published at a much larger rate, and neither traditionally  nor independently published writers are sent on those kind of tours very often. Only the big names rate that sort of promotion.

Instead, we use virtual book tours, where the author can promote her book to a large number of people worldwide. . .all without leaving home or even getting out of her pajamas.

Life is good.

I co-own Promotional Book Tours, which is a company that sets up and runs these tours. Here’s how they work.

An author comes to us and requests a tour. We offer several different options, from smaller, shorter tours to our larger, six-week versions.

Once the tour is booked, we offer it to our very select group of bloggers, people with whom we work on a regular basis. They can sign up to host a stop on the tour or to simply participate in a promotional blast, which usually is the first day of any tour.

A tour stop can be an excerpt of the book, a guest post written by the author, an interview with the author or a review of the book by the blogger or her designated reviewer. At PBT, most of our tours include two stops per day for the length of the tour.

Most tours also include giveaways, with prizes that can range from book swag to Amazon Kindles. The giveaways appeal to readers and to bloggers; it brings traffic to the tour and allows the bloggers to grow their own following. It also increases the writer’s visibility in social media.

At PBT, we also promote each tour stop heavily on our Facebook and Twitter feeds. With some tours, we offer video interviews as well.

Working at PBT is pretty cool. I have access to amazing books, work with the best bloggers in the cyber world and meet the finest authors and readers.

If you’re an author looking for a way to increase your presence in social media, raise the visibility of your book(s) and establish a strong base of book reviews, a cyber tour is an excellent idea.

If you’re a blogger, hosting tour stops will give you both content and traffic.

If you’re a reader, following these blogs and tour companies like PBT will give you a head’s up on the best books around and allow to get to know the authors.

For more information, click the PBT link above or visit our Facebook page.