Nikki Jefford's Blog, page 14

Sign-up for the Fated 5 COVER REVEAL: July 17

Sign-Up for the Fated 5 Cover Reveal: July 17th

Sometimes love has other plans.



The Fated 5 have come together to bring you a collection of five steamy new adult urban fantasies about sacrifice, second chances, destiny and love against all odds. With full length titles from new adult and urban fantasy bestsellers Stacey Marie Brown, Heather Hildenbrand, Alyssa Rose Ivy, Rachael Wade, and Nikki Jefford.



Cover: Najla Qamber Designs



Releases: August 5, 2014

Paperback Giveaway

A lot is happening in Aurora Land!



- Book 3 is now live at all major online retailers (links below).

- Paperbacks will be available by the week of June 23rd. In the meantime, enter to win 1 of 3 copies at Goodreads here. (US)

- Book one is temporarily free (keep scrolling, links below).

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Goodreads

Bad Blood Teaser Texts:

 

Dante: Where are you?
Aurora: Classified.
Dante: How about a hint?
Aurora: Can’t....
Dante: You’re killing me, Sky.
Aurora: I’m the one at boot camp.
Dante: Try celibacy.
Aurora: Striking out with all the ladies?
Dante: Waiting for you.
Aurora: You think that’s going to help you score or something?
Dante: I’m counting on it.

 

Book one temporarily FREE.

(See links below.)

 

 

Thanks to her rare blood type, Aurora's forced to hunt vampires in Alaska with her cute, but obnoxious partner Dante. Then there's Fane, the dark prince of temptation, himself , and last person she wants to lose her heart to. All she ever wanted was to get off the iceberg she calls home, but she owes her life to the agency. Basically she's a glorified chew toy with poisoned blood that sends vampires into temporary paralysis right before she has to finish the job--by hand. Now Aurora's only friends are groupies of the undead and the only boy she can think about may very well be a vampire.

AURORA SKY: VAMPIRE HUNTER is the first in a YA Mature/New Adult paranormal fantasy series.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Nook | Kobo | iTunes | Smashwords | Goodreads

 

Stay cool and never surrender!

 

 

If you are a fan of the series, make sure to sign-up for my newsletter. Book 4, Hunting Season, is badass and will have another killer cover from Phatpuppy Art. You won't want to miss out on what's coming up!

Bad Blood (Aurora Sky #3) First Look

To Kill a Vampire

The music hit me like a scream in the face.

I could probably thank the solidarity and order of boot camp for the sudden culture shock I experienced walking into a loud room packed with teenage and twenty-something civilians.

It seemed like ages ago that I’d been around boys my own age.

Couples grinded against each other in the living room. Just about everyone held a drink of some sort in a bottle or plastic red cup. No one greeted or noticed me. No one except a jock in a football jersey leaning against the banister, sipping beer and checking out my bare legs.

“Hey, babe. My name’s Cody.”

I took two careful steps toward him.

“Have you seen Jeremy?”

There was no time for small talk, and I certainly didn’t have time to go on a scavenger hunt of Find the Vampire.

“Over there by the keg,” the guy said, sticking his chin out.

Following the direction of his eyes, I spotted Jeremy, a perfect match from the photos, standing with an arm hanging over a girl in white denim and a spaghetti strap tank top.

With steady steps, I walked over without stumbling. Looming deadlines could do that.

“Chug! Chug! Chug!” Jeremy’s group chanted at a guy in a prison-orange polo guzzling beer from a bong held over his head.

Maybe I’d skip the parties when I started college at the University of Alaska Anchorage. This really wasn’t my scene.

“Hello, Jeremy,” I called out flirtatiously.

One of the boys issued a catcall.

“Uh-oh, Jeremy,” another said, looking me up and down. “Who’s this?”

Jeremy smirked, obviously getting an ego boost out of the attention.

He removed his arm from the girl. She glared venom at me, but didn’t say a word. She looked cute, but her tight jeans and strappy sandals were no match for my mini skirt and stilettos. She ought to be thanking me for stepping in and saving her skinny hide.

“Can I talk to you upstairs?” I asked.

Jeremy folded his arms across his chest. When he looked at me, it wasn’t as a boy ogling a girl, but a predator eying his prey.

He didn’t like games. Well, neither did I.

“What makes you think I’m interested in talking?” he asked.

“What makes you think I’m interested in listening?” I returned in a saucy voice.

That earned Jeremy a slap on the shoulder, but while the guys around us chuckled, Jeremy assessed me with narrow eyes. He glanced at the girl who’d been under his arm seconds ago. She’d stuck around despite my interruption.

Maybe he didn’t like a woman with lip.

Panic gripped my heart. For the first time since entering the house, my legs threatened to wobble.

Jeremy smiled slowly. “I’ll be right back. You,” he said, addressing my breasts, “come with me.”

Was it that hard to get a vamp to escort a half-naked, willing victim to a private room? Jeremy certainly took his sweet time leading me across the living room.

He didn’t bother walking beside or anywhere near me, nor did he look back. If I weren’t about to kill him, I might have experienced a moment of outrage.

“Yo, Jer. How’s it going?” a guy with a shaved head called out as we passed.

“Billy boy! What’s up?”

Seriously? Tick, tock. Got a schedule to follow.

The guys fist-bumped and proceeded to make chitchat, ignoring my presence behind them completely.

The back of Jeremy’s neck called out from two feet away. I was tempted to strangle him on the spot.

Reaching forward, I gave his ass a nice firm pat, instead. It was a risk, one that grabbed Jeremy’s attention. He turned and grinned at me, finally beginning to look excited.

Jeremy placed an open palmed hand on his friend’s shoulder and said, “Good seeing you, man. Enjoy the party.” To me he said, “Let’s go.”

Jeremy returned greetings three more times on the way to the staircase, but he didn’t make any more stops. Walking over carpet in stilettos was about as reassuring as sand. The banister would have been helpful, but my nearest hand gripped the phone cord meant for Jeremy’s neck. I didn’t want to bring attention to the thing by switching it from one palm to the other, so I sucked it up and made it up the stairs, to the landing on the second floor without face-planting.

Jeremy led me down a hallway. We passed a closed door that barely blocked the sound of squeaking springs, screams, and a headboard banging against a wall. House party meets underage bar meets brothel. Charming.

At the end of the hall, Jeremy opened a door and motioned me inside.

Unlike the stairs and hallway, the room had a hardwood floor. Maybe “Jer” didn’t fancy getting blood on his carpet. My oh-so-charming host closed and locked the door behind me. The space was roomy—though not lacking in furniture—including a full-sized oval mirror framed in wood and attached to a moveable stand.

It was hard to keep a straight face when a vampire owned the biggest free-standing mirror I’d ever seen. My lips twitched as I fought back the smile.

I caught my expression in the mirror and sobered up. I had to get down to business, and I had to do it now.

Thick black curtains covered the windows. A sick sense of déjà vu came over me. The last time I worked alone was when Dante left me with Ivo and Patrick during my first mission in Fairbanks. I’d gone off to Ivo’s bedroom, and I’d killed him, but not before he tossed me around and bruised me up.

I could pass on the pre-kill beating. Jeremy needed to suck my blood so I could end his life without a struggle.

Speaking of the undead devil… I turned in time to catch Jeremy’s sleazy smile. Guess he wasn’t immune to my feminine charms after all.

“Who told you about me?”

He could only mean one thing by that. He’d made the correct assumption that I knew what he was.

“A friend,” I answered.

Jeremy smirked. Apparently that was good enough for him.

“I’ll suck you if you suck me.” He looked down at his crotch.

My nose wrinkled. God, I missed Marcus’ parties.

I inched toward him and bent my head to one side. “You first.”

Jeremy made no movement toward me. I tried not to tap my stiletto heel on the hard floor.

“My house. My rules. Get on your knees.”

Giving up all pretense of flirting, I full-on glared at the jerk. Guess things were going to have to get rough. But first, the stilettos had to go. I kicked them off. Not only did it give me better footing, but the action distracted Jeremy. He smiled slightly. Maybe he thought I was getting more comfortable before kneeling on the floor.

In his undead dreams.

 

 Early Release

 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

 

Published and Releasing Soon

 

Apple iTunes | Google Play | Kobo | Paperback

 

 

Aurora Returns

I want to thank everyone for their interest in the Aurora Sky series, especially the readers who have been waiting since July of last year for volume three. Thanks for your patience! If you're new to the series, check it out here.

Uprooting our lives last month to move from a small island to the mainland of Washington State set back my writing and release schedule, but I'm still in the ballpark of May...sliding slightly into June. ;)



I can't wait to share everything that's been going on in Aurora Land since we last left her outside the palace in the battle to the death.



Bad Blood begins with Aurora's final test before boot camp graduation after which she is allowed to return home and begin her first semester of college. But trouble awaits. ;-)



Don't miss the BAD BLOOD release announcement. Sign-up for an email alert to stay in the Aurora Sky loop.



Here's how it's going down:





April 4 - 20               Bad Blood goes to Copyeditor #1



April 20 - 24             Make changes



April 25 - May 12    Bad Blood goes to Copyeditor #2



May 12 & 13            Make final changes



May 14 -28               Bad Blood goes to final proofreader



May 31 - June 1       Formate for mobi and ePub



June 2                       Publish at Amazon, B&N, Apple, and Kobo



Oddity Reviews just did an interview with me asking how many books will be in the Aurora Sky series, whether certain characters will reappear, and which members of the cast I relate to most. If you like, check it out here.



And if you didn't see it already, my best post of last year was an interview of Aurora Sky cover model Gabriella. I love this young woman...to death! Gabbie bared her soul. Check out the Q&A here.

Bad Blood (Aurora Sky 3) January 9th Cover Reveal Sign-Up

 

 

Are you a book blogger? There's still time to sign up for the BAD BLOOD, Aurora Sky, Vol. 3, cover reveal at Xpresso Book Tours. Or come back and check it out on January 9th.

 

***

 

Aurora returns from boot camp to a new assignment, an unwelcome roommate, and the increasingly amorous attentions of a certain vampire hunter.



College is starting, and so is Aurora’s undercover work at a network of swanky parties known as “Tastings” for high rolling vampires who like their blood laced with fine wine. But Aurora’s not the only one on the prowl. An underground investigation is under way to find out who killed one of Anchorage’s most prominent vampires… and Aurora is a prime suspect.



STAKEOUT (Aurora Sky 2.5) Cover Reveal

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

 

Don't miss release day. Sign-up for an e-mail alert (if you haven't already). Releasing around January 14, 2014.

 

***

 

Noel Harper got a second chance at life when the government recruited her as an undercover vampire informant. Since the day they brought her back from the good-as-dead, she has wanted to prove herself worthy.

When a member of her investigative unit is murdered, Noel is paired up with a vampire hunter named Dante to spy on a suspect in Fairbanks. The problem? They're not the only ones on stakeout. Taking down murderous vampires is one thing. Dealing with the past is another. But this time, Noel isn't letting fear win. She's calling in help from the other side and discovers a shocking secret along the way.

(STAKEOUT is an Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter novella told from Noel Harper’s POV. Approximately 54,000 words.)

 

***

 

 

Are you a book blogger? There's still time to sign up for the BAD BLOOD, Aurora Sky, Vol. 3, cover reveal HERE. Or come back and check it out on January 9th.

 

Add it at Goodreads.



Vancouver BC Book Signing - October 26th

When: 12-4 PM * Saturday, October 26th (Singing)  

Where: Sheraton Wall Centre 

Entry Fee: $5 - goes to Amanda Todd Legacy Foundation fighting against cyber bullying

Purchase your ticket HERE! 

Hosts: Flirty & Dirty Book Blog

 

 

I was instantly touched by the story of Amanda Todd, a beautiful teenage girl who was bullied mercilessly. She bravely tells her story in this YouTube video published last September. Amanda committed suicide a year ago leaving behind a message of heartbreak and hope for a world free of harassment.



I bought several Amanda Todd "Stay Strong" snowflake wristbands (benefiting the foundation) that I've put into goodie packs. This is giveaway 2 of 3. Congratulations to Sheena-kay who won the first giveaway!

Win a Stay Strong / Aurora Sky Goodie Pack

In the goodie pack:

Amanda Todd Stay Strong lime green wristband

Striped Alaska socks

Northern Lights Alaska bookmark

Aurora Sky "Do Not Disturb" door hanger

Polar Bear Smooch chocolate covered peppermint



Enter HERE. :D

Spellbound Fans - Grab the New Button

Facebook Party Tonight at 8 PM EDT

Win one of the following ebooks during the live Piñata tonight. Party starts at 8 p.m. EDT. There will also be swag. Must be present to win. I'm thinking we'll be a small group, but that just means more chances to win! ;) Join the Facebook Party Event!

Thank you to these fabulous authors for contributing to the goody bag!

Spellbound Trivia



Win instantly! Be the first to answer correctly and win a "Reading is Sexy" sticker and signed Entangled bookmark. (One sticker/swag set per person.)

Greatest Love Songs Competition





Get ready to link to your favorite love song on YouTube. One winner will receive a bottle of Love Spell fragrance mist from Victoria's Secret. It's a flirty, floral irresistible blend of cherry blossom and peach. (US only, it's a liquid thing.)

Drawing for an Enchantment Paperback



I'll let you know the details during the party. (US only please, unless you want to cover shipping, around $17 to Europe. For the international folks there will be ebooks and swag. Don't feel left out!) Shipped in a pretty floral padded envelope. ;) Enchantment is now available in paperback at CreateSpace and will be appearing on Amazon, B&N, and Book Depository in the next week.

Bonus Day! Bonus Prize!



Couldn't resist. Tomorrow, Katie from BlookGirl joins us with more review writing tips and one last bonus giveaway for the first Spellbound Journal - available soon! So come back tomorrow for one last hurrah! (I'll even make it international.)

Thanks for checking out the release event on the blog. Hope to see you tonight! ;)





Did you enter?

MON - One ebook of choice from Najla Qamber's portfolio 

TUES - Book Lovers Journal or $10 Gift Card

WED - $10 Gift Card

If you purchased Enchantment - $25 Amazon Gift Card

Last Year She Read 383 Books! Q&A with Gizmo's Reviews

Last year she read 383 books! No, I did not mistype. That is more than a book a day.



Addiction? Obsession? Passion? Let’s find out. Please welcome Shelley from Gizmo’s Reviews.

Hi Nikki! It's a pleasure to be here! Thanks so much for having me!



The immediate question that comes to mind is how do you find TIME to read this many books? (Please tell me some of them are short stories or at least novellas.) And, secondly, how do you manage to write all the reviews that go with them?



The honest answer to this question is that I've been out of work for a few years and have nothing better to do with my time than read and write. Perhaps, if I was working full time again, I would be reading a great deal less. Or, if my writing WIP really made sense to me and I tried to get it published, things may have worked out differently. My enjoyment of reading found a new kick start when I stopped working.



More than 90 percent of the books I read were full length novels. Yes, that pretty much means I was reading a book a day, sometimes more. There are, of course, some novellas thrown in there for good measure but not that many.



As for the reviews, I am a wee bit behind at the moment after learning about a family members health concern and trying to mentally deal with it which was a struggle. I take copious notes while reading so that I can go back and remember key points and characters as I am reading a novel. This is something I recommend to everyone unless you have perfect memories or write reviews immediately upon finishing your book!

 You read 383 books last year and just as many in 2011 (if I’m not mistaken), any plans to “slow” down in 2013?



You are definitely correct. I read more than 400 books in 2011 which was also my first year of blogging. As for 2013, it all depends on my families health, real life in general, and whether or not I finally get burned out from reading so much.



As of right now, I still have over 70 books scheduled to be read between now and July. If you haven't already guessed, I have an obsession with requesting books from Netgalley & Edelweiss as well as my local library.



What compels you to read a book or more per day? Does it ever feel like a chore – like Book Reading Boot Camp or homework?



I would say that it's from the lack of any real motivation to do anything else, the fact that I've lived alone for years, and the fact that on a normal night, there is absolutely nothing on the TV for me to watch. Also, having a Kindle makes things easier for me to take my reading to the beach, or on the road, or when I have different appointments to attend to. I don't feel as though reading is a chore; at least not yet. Keeping up on the Household itself is the chore!

Biggest pet peeves? (Love triangles, cliff hangers, etc.)



Excellent Question! My biggest pet peeves are: weak and ineffectual heroines who have to rely on a male character to help save them time and time again; Heroines who are "changed" over the course of a series from human into something else because that is "expected" by readers of PNR, and UF series.



I don't mind characters finding out early in a series or book that they are different from everyone else around them. I don't mind that they are "changed" after being attacked and have no choice but to figure out how to live in their new skin. I can handle that. I'm most likely in the minority with this particular fact but I'm okay with that.



Love triangles irk me when they are done poorly or because that's what everyone else is doing these days. If it's done with respect to the characters involved, then I don't complain as much.



Cliffhangers are what they are. Even though I may dislike them, I can see their uses in keeping readers entangled in the story line which then carries over into the next book. I will still complain, moan, and groan, but that is my right as a reader.



Favorite place to read? Favorite reading beverage? 



My favorite place to read is in my recliner usually with my cat sitting alongside me keeping me company.



Favorite beverage(s) are Pepsi, Sweet Tea, and Lemonade. I live in the south people, I love Sweet Tea!



Percentage of ebooks you read vs. paperback?



I would say that as of right now, the percentage of E-Books is much higher than paperbooks/hardbacks. The reason for that is quite simple; the library has come into the 21st century, more publishers are providing E-ARCs than hard copies; and I'm absolutely addicted to my Kindle!

What early influences (Family? Friends? Life? Particular books?) ignited your love of reading?



I would have to say former co-workers who shared their books with me and I them. Book sales where you can get a bag of books for a really cheap price! Life in that I learned about different social outlets where books were being discussed and traded. My mother was a romance novel reader when I was growing up. The rest of us would laugh at her. Now, we all pretty much read different genres and trade books back and forth. It's not unusual for my father to send me a box of books, and I return the favor when I have enough to fill a box. My sister has picked up on reading as well and is a huge fan of vampires (romance) and Dean Koontz. As for particular books, I would say that when I started discovering different authors and their series my interest in reading really grew into an obsession. I found myself making lists of authors, their series and slowly but surely trying to catch up to current releases. To say that I follow A LOT of authors would be a fair assessment.

How many books out of say 300 (or what percent) do you purchase yourself vs. review copies?



Looking back at the books I read, I probably purchased maybe 10-15 percent of the books I read. I received the rest from either my library (big source!) who has really come into the 21st century, publishers who send me books on a monthly basis, Amazon.com because of my Kindle, NetGalley, and Edelweiss.



What are your best sources for review copies? 



Without hesitation or reservation, NetGalley and Edelweiss make up 80 percent of all review copies that I receive. 20 percent are from authors and direct from publishers.



Your review policy is open to self-published authors. What type of books do you love best? Can you name a few of your favorite indie reads to give us an idea of your reading tastes?



I enjoy reading Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Dysopian, Steampunk, and Mysteries. I'm open to reading contemporary, and historical as well. Tim O'Rourke is an independent author whose books go over extremely well with me. I have tremendous respect for indie authors and try to accomodate as many as possible into my schedule when I'm not backed against the wall with release day reviews etc.



Do you have any other obsessions we should know about? ;)



This is going to sound boring, but, I would say my cat is one of my obsessions. He keeps me busy, entertains me on a daily basis, and knows exactly when I'm in the mood, as it were. My other obsession includes watching NCIS, Arrow, and Supernatural.



I'd like to thank Shelley for guesting here today. I don't know about you guys, but I'm Blown Away by the amount of reading she does! (Maybe it's time to up my Goodreads goal. LOL.)


Make sure to enter to win a $10 gift card towards buying books.

http://www.nikkijefford.com/2013/04/f...