Ariella Moon's Blog, page 29

The Test of Time Cover Reveal

My guest host today is author Nicole Zoltack. Welcome Nicole!
Hi, everyone! This is Nicole Zoltack. I've written a bunch of romances, a lot in the speculative realm, and finally wrote a time travel romance: THE TEST OF TIME. And I adore the cover. It's beautiful. Wanna see it? Sure you do!


I could not be happier with it. What do you think of it?
BLURB: Katia jumps at the chance to go to England with her best friend after Rose ditches her deadbeat boyfriend. While walking through the market, she spies a large mansion and recognizes the guy out front as her high school friend Tony. Just as they start to reconnect, Katia passes through times and lands in the arms of Lord Landon, who looks like Tony but certainly doesn’t act like him.Soon, Katia learns that this 1815 is different from the one in history books. Trapped in a parallel world, Katia struggles to not fall for Landon but his charm proves too much for her. Just when she is about to confess her love for him, Katia travels through time yet again.The course of love never did run smooth and if Katia can’t figure out and master the test of time, she’ll never see or friends again, or worse, never be reunited with Landon.
So I'm sure you're dying to know the release date and luckily it's not that far away! THE TEST OF TIME releases September 9th! Be sure to grab it on the 9th! :D
Add it on Goodreads! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23125044-the-test-of-time


BIO: Nicole Zoltack loves to write in many genres, especially romance, whether fantasy, paranormal, or regency. When she’s not writing about knights, superheroes, or zombies, she loves to spend time with her loving husband and three energetic young boys. She enjoys riding horses (pretending they’re unicorns, of course!) and going to the PA Renaissance Faire, dressed in garb. She’ll also read anything she can get her hands on. Her current favorite TV show is The Walking Dead. To learn more about Nicole and her writing, visit  http://NicoleZoltack.blogspot.com .

Countdown: Spell For Sophia, Book #4, The Teen Wytche Saga

Great News!Spell For Sophia, Book #4, The Teen Wytche SagaWill debut in November 2014Spell For Sophia is a Young Adult, sweet paranormal romance. The teens protecting the ever morphing spell book return, and this time they'll have to deal with a teen ghost, a murderous villain, and voodoo spells. Two of the teens will time travel to one of the most haunted cities in the United States.
The editing process has begun, and I'm thrilled to team once more with my editor, Nia Shay. My publisher, Astraea Press, has promised Amanda Matthews will design the cover. Here are Amanda's covers for the first three books:
 
Did you know you can borrow the e-book version of the Teen Wytche Saga books from the library?Just follow the links below to Overdrive, the online library. (Most Astraea Press books can be found there, too.)https://www.overdrive.com/media/789233/spell-checkhttps://www.overdrive.com/media/1380061/spell-struckhttps://www.overdrive.com/media/1514942/spell-fire
@astraeapress, @overdrivelibs And be sure to scroll down through my older posts until you find the giveaway.There's still a little time left to enter to win a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card!Happy reading!~Ariella

A New Contemporary Romance from Mya O'Malley

The Summer Spotlight on Reading concludes with At First Sight by Mya O'Malley.                   Do you believe in love at first sight?
    Blurb            Modern love can be a headache.  Just ask Annie Morgan, who, recently divorced, finds herself in the middle of the proverbial online dating jungle.  Making a deal with her best friend, Annie agrees to go out on exactly five online dates out of seventy-six potential suitors.             Shane Nicholls was jaded, he had his heart broken and never got over the hurt. Now, convinced that all women are trouble, he avoids drama at any cost.  Funny thing is, drama seems to find Shane around every corner.            Can Annie, a romantic at heart, find love online or will she find love at first sight the old-fashioned way, by awkward, chance meetings with Shane Nicholls? Through a number of obstacles and heartache, Annie and Shane find that love at first sight really does exist if you truly believe.
                                             At First Sight https://www.youtube.com/
Excerpt
Johnny’s was packed. Standing on line to place her order, Annie took in her surroundings. Just as the owner, Johnny, was coming over to take her order, something caught Annie’s eye. The guy near the window, he seemed familiar somehow. Where had she seen him before? He was eating dinner with a pretty brunette. He lifted his head to look at Annie as their eyes locked. On no! It was the guy from the mall, the one she bumped into. She quickly spun around, knocking right into the waitress who was carrying a tray of soft drinks.
Soda soaked her shirt and dripped onto the floor. The waitress was clearly annoyed and appeared like she would have loved to tell Annie off. Instead she rolled her eyes and ran to get a towel. If Annie thought she was embarrassed before, it was nothing compared to how she felt now. Every eye in the place was on her, including the guy from the mall. Helpless to do anything else, she grabbed some napkins and bent down to sop up some of the mess.“It seems you have a knack for causing a scene everywhere you go.” It was his voice. The voice that filled her head with inappropriate thoughts, with longing. What was she thinking? Did she dare look up? His gaze was a magnet, forcing her to meet his eyes.His eyes were a warmer brown than she had remembered, drawing her in.“I...uh...”“I’m joking. Here, let me help you with that.” He grabbed the napkins from her hand. The heat between them jolted her back. She moved quickly, surprised he could evoke such a reaction from her. Nobody had ever made her feel so exposed before. What was going on here? Annie felt foolish.“I’m Shane. Shane Nicholls.” He extended his hand to her. They must have appeared to be quite the sight, bending over to clean up the mess while shaking hands.“Annie.” Annie remembered her new rules of safety in the dating world. One of them was she would not reveal her last name or any other personal information until she was sure the guy wasn’t a stalker or anything.“Annie. It suits you, I like it.” Annie had almost forgot about the woman waiting for Shane at the table near the window. She glanced over and took in a tight-lipped woman. It hit Annie that this woman was not the same stunning woman from the mall. Hmm, she had met his type before. This guy had “player” written all over him. She quickly brushed herself off and excused herself.“Hey, Annie. Wait.” He reached for her hand. Annie forgot all about placing her order and made a beeline for the door. She didn’t look back. Well, Annie figured, it looked like it would be Chinese food tonight.Buy Links

*AMAZON- http://www.amazon.com/*Barnes and Noble- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/*Kobo.com-  http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/at-first-sight-17*Smashwords- http://www.smashwords.com/* Trailer-   At First Sight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZRae8EcCkoitunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/at-first-sight/id906502664?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo=4

About Mya O'Malley


Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters.  The family also consists of two boxers; Destiny and Dolce and a  ragdoll cat named Colby.  Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy.   She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students. 
            Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child.   Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on.  She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters.   Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica.   Mya is currently working on her fifth novel.   
Connect With MyaWebsite:  www.myaomalley.com
Facebook:  facebook.com/myaomalley
Twitter:  Mya O’Malley@MyaOmalley
Blog- myaomalley.blogspot.com
Pinterest- Mya O’Malley
Email- www.myaobooks@gmail.com
Tags- #contemporary romance,#new release

What to do While Waiting For the Call

Worry feeds fear. She’ll hate college and drop out. (She didn’t. She graduated 7th in her class.) Worry energy supports a negative outcome. My book will be rejected because (fill in the blank). Instead or agonizing, take positive action.
5 Actions to Take While Waiting For the Call
1.     Think TransmediaBrainstorm new forms your book might take utilizing fresh content, such as a graphic novel, a video, or an interactive game. 2.     Plot Your Publicity CampaignWhether you are traditionally published, self-published, or published with a small press, you’ll need to promote your book. For small press authors in particular, this is a good time to create memes, investigate blog tours, brainstorm blog ideas and twitter campaigns, and polish your bio and blurb. Aidan From Spell Struck
returns in Book 4 of the Teen Wytche Saga
3.     Update or Start a Series BibleYou may think you’ll remember the hair and eye color of every character, but trust me, you’ll forget. Since the Teen Wytche Saga is a Young Adult series, my entries for each character include:Age: Hair: Eyes: Clothing:Backpack:Pets:Bedroom:Secret crush: Family:Activities: Symbols: Character traits:Misc.: School issues:
Be sure to note returning characters.4.     Feed the Social Media BeastAt minimum, you should have a professional-looking website. Build from there. Discover which social media you prefer. Yes, it is hard to find time to write your next novel when you are busy tweeting, blogging, creating boards, posting pictures, etc. But in the period between signing a contract and writing your next book, beef up your online presence.5.     Write the next BookWriters are pressured to write faster and faster these days. Don’t wait too long before you write, research, or outline your next book.
Positive actions taken now lower your anxiety level in the short-term. More importantly, they’ll lessen the pressure later when your manuscript has been accepted, and the crunch toward publication begins.Coming Soon:
August 17: Enter to win a $25.00 Amazon Gift CardAugust 18: Meet My Character Blog Introducing Sophia from Book 4 in the Teen Wytche Saga.

Meet My Character Blog Tour

My thanks to Sherry Ewing, for including me on this fun blog tour. Sherry recently released her first novel, If My Heart Could See You, which immediately soared to the top of Amazon’s bestseller chart for medieval romances. Meet Sherry:
Sherry Ewing is a self-published author who writes historical and paranormal romance novels to awaken the soul one heart at a time. Her debut historical romance, If My Heart Could See You, hit Amazon’s top ten bestseller list only two days after the paperback release. Always wanting to write a novel but busy raising her children, she finally took the plunge in 2008 and wrote her first Regency. She is a national and local member of Romance Writers of America since 2012 and is currently editing her to be released soon second novel, For All of Ever. When Sherry is not busy writing, she can be found in the San Francisco area at her day job as an Information Technology Specialist.
Website: http://www.sherryewing.comAmazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Sherry-Ewing/e/B00LP3CVXK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sherryewingauthorTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/sherry_ewing

Now lets meet Sophia Maria Perez-Hidalgo, one of the three main characters in my upcoming fourth book in the Teen Wytche Saga, Spell For Sophia. 1) What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or a historic person?Sophia Maria Perez-Hidalgo is a fictional character. She was inspired in part by a girl I remember from my Middle School. The girl always intrigued me because she had a visible skin graft and was being raised by a family member other than her parents. I always wondered what circumstances had shaped her life.
Equally inspiring was this photo I found on Pinterest of Jasmine Villegas. 
2) When and where is the story set?The story toggles between the contemporary fictional small town of Lamorinda, the main setting for my previous three books, and Louisiana’s bayous and famed city, New Orleans. There is a time travel twist, a first for the Teen Wytche Saga!
3) What should we know about him/her?We know from Spell Fire, Book 3 in the series, that Sophia is a foster teen who disappeared from Lamorinda three years ago. The new novel alternates between Sophia’s point of view, and the viewpoint of her best friend at the time of her disappearance, Ainslie Avalon-Bennett. We’ll discover why Sophia partly (and mistakenly) blames herself for her misfortune, and why she gravitates toward the one guy who makes her feel strong, special, and safe. 
4) What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?Sophia’s life as the brightest kid in class derails when she searches the Internet for her biological parents. Contacting them turns out to be the biggest and most dangerous mistake of her life. In order to recreate a safe and happy life for herself, she’ll need to beat back her emotional demons, escape her bio-parents, thwart a villain, and apply her acquired magical knowledge to pass the supernatural tests that await her.
5) What is the personal goal of the character?Sophia’s driving goal is to be safe and to protect the people she cares about. Her parents' criminal past endangers not only herself, but the best friend she left behind and the boy she loves. To protect them, she must find the strength to cut the psychic cords connecting her to her malevolent parents. 
6) Is there a working title for this novel, and can we read more about it?I’m trying to decide between SPELL FOR SOPHIA and another title. I think SPELL FOR SOPHIA will be the winner.
7) When can we expect the book to be published?I’ll post updates on this blog and other social media as soon asI know! I've just sent the manuscript to my publisher, Astraea Press.Next stop on the Tour: August 25 Now here are five wonderful writers you’ll enjoy getting to know. They will be posting their Meet My Character posts on August 25. Thank you ladies for joining me on this tour.Joyce DiPastena
Bio: Joyce DiPastena dreamed of green medieval forests while growing up in the dusty copper mining town of Kearny, Arizona. She filled her medieval hunger by reading the books of Thomas B. Costain (where she fell in love with King Henry II of England), and later by attending the University of Arizona where she graduated with a degree in history, specializing in the Middle Ages. The university was also where she completed her first full-length novel…set, of course, in medieval England. Later, her fascination with Henry II led her to expand her research horizons to the far reaches of his “Angevin Empire” in France, which became the setting of her first published novel, Loyalty’s Web (a 2007 Whitney Award Finalist). Joyce is a multi-published, multi-award winning author who specializes in sweet medieval romances heavily spiced with mystery and adventure. She lives with her two cats, Clio and Glinka Rimsky-Korsokov, in Mesa, Arizona.
Her newest title, Loving Lucianna, will be available in October 2014.
Website: http://www.joyce-dipastena.comBlog: http://jdp-news.blogspot.comAmazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Joyce-DiPastena/e/B002BM9RZE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1407177142&sr=8-1 Zelda Benjamin My stories are clean romances. They are sweet but sensual and full of the passion and emotions we all experience.When not writing, I’m working as a pediatric ER nurse, gardening with the dog, or eating chocolate (not necessarily in that order).
Zelda's newest title is Chocolate and Sensibility.website www.zeldabenjamin.com Blog www.lovebychocolate.blogspot.com
Amazon link http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Couture-Love-Zelda-Benjamin-
ebook/dp/B00H0L1HAO/ref=la_B001JS8IPG_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407185458&sr=1-1


Donna K. Weaver Author of the Safe Harbors series and Second Chances 101, Book 5 in the Ripple Effect series. A wife, mother, grandmother, Harry Potter geek, Army veteran, and karate black belt.

http://donnakweaver.com
This is the link to my amazon author page which lists all my books:
http://www.amazon.com/Donna-K.-Weaver/e/B00DXF7480


Ginger Hanson
Award-winning author, Ginger Hanson won her first writing contest with a short story about her puppy when she was 12 years old. Encouraged by winning a pen set, she decided to become a writer.
Since that fateful decision, she’s written everything from novels to aviation handbooks. While her historical romances tend to be sensual and action-packed, her sweet romances feature the lives and loves of everyday people living  in the imaginary town of Tassanoxie, Alabama. 
The home of second chances at love, this  small-town setting was an easy choice because Ginger lives in southeast Alabama with her husband and various rescued pets. 
Website: http://www.gingerhanson.comAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LKUQOQSFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/gingerhansonauthorAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LKUQOQS

Jodi Bowersox is a recent transplant to Colorado Springs after spending most of her life in Nebraska and Kansas. She lives with her husband, Kevin, and three cats.Under the pen name of J. B. Stockings, Jodi has two children's picture books. A Tale of Two Kitties was written and illustrated by Jodi as a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The Stubborn Princess, was illustrated by Jodi's son, Tracy, who has CF. He receives the profits from this book.Jodi has also written four romance novels to date, and is working on the fifth, a sequel to Rocky Mountain Angels.Jodi is also a watercolor artist specializing in pet portraits.www.jodibowersox.comBlog link: http://www.jodibowersox.com/blog-upon-my-word.htmlBuy links: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_7?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=by%20jodi%20bowersox&sprefix=by+jodi%2Cstripbooks%2C290&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Aby%20jodi%20bowersox
For a signed copy, www.jodibowersox.com

Win a Free Amazon Gift Card: The Teen Wytche Saga Blog Tour

Welcome to the Teen Wytche Saga 
Blog Tour and Giveaway. One lucky Giveaway Entrant will win a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card
The Teen Wytche Saga by Ariella MoonThink magic will solve your problems?Bring you love? Cure you? Protect you?
 Help you find someone who is lost?Think again.Magic tests friendships. It hisses, chirps, stinks up the room, backfires, and explodes. Magic forces you to make tough decisions. Shatter limitations.
Discover your true self. When you use magic, expect results in the ultimate triple-un—unpredictable, uncontrollable, and so undeniable.
And you thought navigating high school was tough. Purchase on Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also Participating in the Teen Wytche Saga Book Tour:August 18th
I Am A Reader – Spotlight
Our-Wolves-Den – Review
Kelly P’s Blog – Spotlight
Maureen’s Musings – Spotlight
Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews – Spotlight
Julie Antonovich Reece – Spotlight
Cherry Mischievous – SpotlightAugust 19th
The Avid Book Collector – Spotlight
Musings of Immortals – Spotlight
A Book Lover’s Retreat – Spotlight
Why Not? Because I Said So! – Spotlight
Dalene’s Book Reviews – ReviewAugust 20th
Literally Jen – Review
Making it Happen – Review
The World of ContestPatti – Spotlight
Fandom Monthly Magazine – Spotlight
Angelia Almos – Spotlight
Becky’s Barmy Book Blog – SpotlightAugust 21st
Bonnie Gets A Say – Spotlight
LOVE. WITHOUT YOU – Spotlight
Realm of the Sapphired Dragon – Review
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – Spotlight
Books, Books, The Magical Fruit – Spotlight
FLY HIGH! – SpotlightAugust 22nd
The Reading Room: Cozy, Romance, Mysteries And More With Reviews – Review
Enter Here Canada – Spotlight
BookHounds ya – Spotlight
Mythical Books – SpotlightAugust 25th
Hide the Matches – Spotlight
Rogue Reviews – Spotlight
From the Bootheel Cotton Patch – Spotlight
Jenn’s Book Blast – Spotlight
MAD Hoydenish – SpotlightAugust 26th
From the Shadows – Spotlight
Paige W. Pendleton – Spotlight
Sweeping Me – Spotlight
Addicted Readers – Spotlight
The GreatReads! – SpotlightAugust 27th
Books Are Sanity!!! – Review
Katie’s Clean Book Collection – Spotlight
Cassandra M’s Place – Spotlight
Mary’s Cup of Tea – Spotlight
the LastWord – Spotlight

Country Music and Southern Romance from Debut Author Debra Holt

Southern Romance is in the Spotlight on Reading with Debra Holt's Under Texas Blue Skies
Do you like a little country in your romance? Then you'll enjoy Debra Holt's debut release from Astraea Press.
Under Texas Blue Skies
 Book BlurbJ.D. Sterling, country music’s sexy superstar, has come home again.  He has achieved his wildest dreams and did what he set out to do when he shook the dirt of the small Texas town from his boot heels a dozen years before. Now, he’s returned for the final piece of the puzzle to completing his life….the girl who holds his heart.  Mandy.Amanda Lawson has grown up.  From sheer heartbreak to struggling to survive to becoming a shrewd businesswoman, she has taught herself to never look back.  She survived once before the wild, green-eyed cowboy with only a guitar to his name and a pocketful of dreams.  He took her heart and so much more when he left her behind with his hollow vows.Mandy was his muse…J.D. was her dream.  Despite tragedy, can they find their way home to each other again? 
 Excerpt….
 J.D. Sterling’s heartbeats were thumping loud as a bass drum at the sight of the red sedan as it pulled into the circular driveway, stopping just behind the other realtor’s Hummer. He had purposely seated himself in a corner of the wide porch, away from the glare of the noonday sun, where climbing vines and shade would enable him to be concealed from the woman’s line of sight. He didn’t want her to know he was there, at least not right away. J.D. needed to see her first, to get his feet under him. At least, that’s the excuse he'd given himself. For someone who always planted his feet solidly in the middle of any situation, this was one time the spotlight was not what he sought. His pulses were racing as he saw the driver’s door swing open, and two slender ankles encased in gray high heels became visible as they touched the ground.The woman stood up, one hand pushed her sunglasses further up on the bridge of her nose, and then she closed the car door behind her. She slung the straps of her leather bag over her shoulder and moved around the hood of the car, her heels making soft crunching sounds on the pea gravel along the drive. In the early afternoon stillness of the ranch, those sounds seemed to be amplified.The eyes in the shadows drank in the features of the woman as she moved toward the house. Nowhere in sight was the country girl he had last seen. The vision that approached was confident in her stride, her head up and shoulders resolute. The girl he used to know was just short of being painfully shy and always hesitant to stand out of any crowd. Sunglasses concealed her eyes from view so he couldn’t see if they were still the amazingly vivid blue he remembered and had even immortalized in song once. They had filled his dreams on many a night and gotten him through some really hard times. It was those eyes he would see when he closed his own as he sang across the bright lights into the dark recesses of some huge arena, packed with screaming fans and loud music. He would sing to the girl in his dreams… the one he had left behind but never left out of his heart.“Hello, Mandy,” he spoke softly from the shadows.Amanda’s head swung in its direction. Her eyes sought to focus on the tall figure that stepped from darkness into light. She went to take a quick breath but found she couldn’t. In fact, for some reason, the light was receding, and the darkness was swallowing them all up.
Author Bio…
     Born and raised in the Lone Star state of Texas, Debra grew up among horses, cowboys, wide open spaces, and real Texas Rangers.  Pride in her state and ancestry knows no bounds and it is these heroes and heroines she loves to write about the most.  She also draws upon a variety of life experiences including working with abused children, caring for baby animals at a major zoo, and owning a wedding planning business (ah, romance!).      Debra’s real pride and joys, however, are her son, an aspiring film actor, and a daughter with aspirations to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (more story ideas!)  When she isn’t busy writing about tall Texans and feisty heroines, she can be found cheering on her Texas Tech Red Raiders, or heading off on another cruise adventure.  She read her first romance...Janet Dailey's Fiesta San Antonio, over thirty years ago and became hooked on the genre. Writing contemporary western romances,  is both her passion and dream come true, and she hopes her books will bring smiles...and sighs... to all who believe in happily-ever-after’s. 
     The Seymour Agency represents Debra and she is soon to have two contemporary romances published by Spencer Hill/Tulip Romance and Astraea Press. Debra invites you to visit her website at www.debraholtbooks.com.  She loves to hear from other aspiring authors or readers via email at debraholtbooks@gmail.com. Follow her on twitter @debraholtbooks and like her author page on facebook.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/UBdP9B                                       Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1pJomHU                                       Smashwords:  http://bit.ly/Xl4MuW

Depression and Suicide: No Do Overs with Death

Robin William’s death by suicide this week raised national awareness of clinical Robin Williams in 2011
Source: wikipediadepression, addiction, and suicide. Many of us were surprised to learn that more people die each year from suicide than homicide. “The homicide rate in America is about 6 per 100,000; for suicides it’s about 10.8.” (Benjamin Radford, “Is Suicide a More Present Danger Than Homicide?” http://news.discovery.com/human/psychology/suicide-a-more-present-threat-than-murder-130823.htm)
National Suicide Prevention Lifelinehttp://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
No matter what problems you are dealing with, we want to help you find a reason to keep living. By calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255) you’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, anytime 24/7.
I wasn’t thinking about faceless statistics when I wrote Spell Struck, a story about a teen trying to prevent her sister from committing suicide. Instead, I was remembering two teens I know who tried to commit suicide, and an adult who became suicidal. My protagonist’s fear and worry stemmed from my personal experience. I know what it is like to be on suicide watch, to be afraid to leave a person alone. The fear imprisons you. And because the father of a childhood friend had committed suicide, for me the possible outcome was all too real.
There are no Do Overs with death.
Although many years have passed, I still remember the desperate race against time that marked my first experience with a suicidal loved one. At the time, the parents of one my daughter’s preschool classmates were family therapists. I asked them, “How do you convince someone to get treatment when they believe their situation is hopeless?”
They told me, “Tell the person there is always hope. Hopelessness isn’t reality; it’s the disease talking.”
Their approach worked. The adult I was worried about finally sought treatment. The person's suicidal thoughts and severe depression abated. The battle continues, two decades later. Untreated depression doesn’t get better on its own or go away anymore than untreated cancer or diabetes, or other serious illnesses.
What became of the two teens? Luckily, both survived their suicide attempts. One of them is leading a happy, healthy life. The other still struggles.
If you have suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If you are worried someone you know may be suicidal, learn about the warning signs at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
And remember. There is always hope.
© 2014 Ariella Moonhttp://www.AriellaMoon.com

Rachel Jones Talks about Ballet and To Dance One More Day

Contemporary Romance author Rachel Jones is in the Spotlight today with To Dance One More Day, her new release from Astraea Press.
Welcome Rachel! Thank you for allowing me to interview you.

1. Your hero is a trauma surgeon. In what ways did your experiences as a registered nurse influence how you depicted Alan?
 I took traits from different doctors I've worked with over the years and Alan was created.
2. Were you ever a ballerina?
 Only in my dreams. My love affair with ballet began when my daughter started ballet lessons at age three.
3.  What was the most surprising thing you discovered while writing this book?
I am amazed at how I can be following a particular plot path and then find myself writing something totally unexpected, most times making the storyline better.
4.  When did you first know you were a writer?
I knew I had a flair for putting thoughts on paper when I was a music teacher over three decades ago. But the process of taking something I have created in my mind and intentionally sharing it with others didn't     happen until my late fifties, about two years ago.
5.  What books have influenced your life?
The Bible has been the blueprint for and the comfort of my life. When I was a child, I loved the Boxcar Children series. The stories fueled my imagination, along with my sisters and friends when we spent our summer playing outside. During my early teen years, I loved reading about Cherry Ames and her nursing adventures. Look at me now - I've been a RN for twenty-three years. Gone With the Wind and Anna Karenina opened the world of historical fiction to me. I think my love of historical romances was a by-product of reading those novels. It has become a personal challenge to one day create my own historical romance, a reason to keep on going as I turn sixty this year.To Dance One More Day

At age thirty-two, Jillian Russell has endured a life time of heartache. Alone in the world, she has also suffered the loss of her dance career. Redirecting her life, she opens the North Carolina Ballet Company. Intent on making it the go-to company for serious performers, she shuts down her personal life while she struggles to build her company into the success she envisions.As far back as he can remember, trauma surgeon, Alan Armstrong has had a penchant for fixing things. Since his father’s death, the ambition to open a community clinic in a rural area on the eastern coast has directed his actions. Hopeful to prevent future deaths due to lack of medical care, he has made the clinic his top priority.
When Alan’s life intersects with Jillian’s, the connection they both feel is undeniable. As a new board member to her ballet company, Alan is eager to help solve the financial damage of lost federal funding. But he doesn’t stop there. He wants to help her build new relationships to chase the loneliness from her life. As they grow closer, secrets from their pasts cause them to be pulled apart. Will they be able to overcome their pasts to have a future together?
Excerpt     Jillian turned around and as she moved toward him, she tripped over a shoe left behind by someone. She lost her balance and with amazing timing, Alan broke her fall as he caught her by the shoulders. The heat from his hands spread through her body.     Pulling her upright, his hands lingered as he asked, “Are you okay? Your head almost collided with the edge of the bench and it wouldn’t have been pretty.”     Her breath caught in her chest. “Well, I guess my secret is out.” She giggled to hide her embarrassment. “I’m a klutz, except of course, when I’m dancing.”     “So, Ms. Klutz, are you sure you’re all right?” He guided her to sit on the bench. “You didn’t twist your ankle?”     His eyes pierced through her. She was not used to being so closely scrutinized and she felt she was losing control of the situation. One more flash of those dimples and she might cave.     “No, my ankle is fine. I’m good. So you said there was something you wanted to mention.” He must think I’m a klutz, first the water on his pants and now tripping over my feet. Looking up, she saw his eyes remained fixed on her.     “Are you sure you can’t skip rehearsal and go to dinner with me?” He removed his hands from her shoulders and reclaimed his seat.     “Somehow I think it would send the wrong message about professional obligations if I decided to cut rehearsal tonight.”     His head bobbed slowly up and down. He sighed. “Well, we can’t have that. So if you won’t lower your professional standards and go to dinner, I was wondering if you’d allow me to escort you to David and Ann’s wedding on Saturday.”     The question took her by surprise, but what a wonderful surprise! She sat without moving, her stillness rendering a statuesque appearance. The silence continued.     “It’s not a hard question. Just give a yes or no.”     Butterflies circled in her stomach. Her heart rate galloped and a seed of panic threatened to shut down her voice. On the one hand she wanted to go with him. On the other, she knew she shouldn’t.     Alan snapped his fingers in her direction. “Jillian — hello? Where’d you go?”      She focused her eyes on his handsome face. “Um, I’m sorry. My mind ran off on a little tangent about what dress I would wear. I’d love to go to the wedding with you.” She flashed a big smile and wondered how she could do such a horrible thing to him.
Buy links for To Dance One More Day: Amazon Barnes and Noble Smashwords Kobo
BioIn 1977 Rachel earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and taught music for ten years. After the birth of her second child, she returned to school and in 1991 earned her Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing and passed the state boards for registered nurses. She has been a labor & delivery and antepartum nurse since that time.
Anticipating her retirement from healthcare, Rachel decided to write her first novel at age fifty-seven. For years she had experienced scenes of heroes and heroines rambling about in her thoughts and spilling into her dreams. So it was a no-brainer that she should attempt to capture these thoughts on paper.
Rachel resides in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia with her husband of thirty-seven years. She has three adult children, who help spoil their Labrador retriever. She is a member of Georgia Romance Writers, Southeastern Writers Association and is a PRO member of Romance Writers of America.
Find Rachel Jones at:www.FaceBook.com/RachelJonesAuthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8336834.Rachel_Jones
https://twitter.com/rellenj1

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Route 66 and Fresh Beginnings

Thank you Ariella for having me on your blog today.
My new book “Fresh Beginnings”, which was released this week, has a very special meaning to me. My husband and I took our two girls to the US last year. We rented a motorhome and travelled through five states in a bit over three weeks. We had the most amazing time, exploring this beautiful country, meeting wonderful people, learning about the US culture, and having a little chuckle at some “differences”.“Fresh Beginnings”, which is the third in the Beginnings series, takes Jared to the US where he meets Ivy, an American “hitchhiker”. I’d describe the story as “our diary” with a romance written around it.I hope the readers will love it as much as I do.
FRESH BEGINNINGS By Iris Blobel

Blurb: The small town of Hobart in Tasmania has witnessed many beginnings in recent years. At yet one more beginning, the wedding of a friend, Jared Fraser decides it’s time for some fresh beginnings to come his way… And he sets out for a holiday to the US to travel along the Route 66 in a motorhome.Ivy Bennett thought leaving her boyfriend would be the hard part. It doesn’t take long to figure out how wrong she was. As she struggles with making a new start in her life, the last person she expects to lead her to happiness is a laid-back Australian on holiday. Then the arrival of family friend Mia Levesque and her boyfriend, Josh, turns Jared’s holidays upside-down when he’s forced to play arbitrator between the two teenagers.

Author: Iris Blobel was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London as well as Canada where she actually had met her future husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper has only recently emerged, but now her laptop is a constant companion. Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her beautiful two daughters as well as her dog. Next to her job at a private school she also presents a German Program at the local Community Radio.

Buy Links: http://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Beginnings-3-Iris-Blobel-ebook/dp/B00MF5C25O

Where to Find Me: My Blog: www.iris-b.blogspot.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/irisblobelGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4067254.Iris_BlobelTwitter: @_iris_bPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/iblobel/Google+:  https://plus.google.com/107759085454255573026/posts
 [image error] Excerpt:
"G'day!" He stared at her and for some reason something tugged at his heart. Not that he wanted that. He had no room for women, let alone American ones. They all were on earth to make life complicated. Mark was constantly running around for Sophie or Hope, even though Mark's wife was one in a million and little Hope was simply adorable, especially when she was asleep."Ya know it's dangerous to hitch a ride," he finally said when she was still quiet.She stared at him for a moment, but then replied with the typical American twang in her voice. "I know you said something, but I have no idea what."He chuckled. "It is dangerous to hitchhike," he repeated with exaggerated pronunciation.The woman stepped a bit closer to the window. "Are you from Austria?"He laughed aloud."Australia, I meant," she added, seemingly embarrassed by the mistake."I am indeed." He watched her looking ahead towards the horizon. "So you wanna hitch a ride?"Jared had a feeling she didn't want to, but her current situation didn't give her many choices. There they were in the middle of nowhere, with the next place a fair few miles away."Name's Jared," he said and then he opened the door and walked around the motorhome. Leaning against the vehicle, he looked at her. She was pretty. Thin, but pretty. When her brown eyes met his, he experienced another one of those heart tugs and wasn't impressed at all. He tried to look right past her. It wasn't happening though. They were like magnets."Jared," he repeated and held out his hand.Her look went right past him into the distance, and he assumed she was fighting with herself, part of her wanting to get off the road, the other part being worried."Anybody else travelling with you?" she asked quietly.He shook his head. "Nope."She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and, after a brief moment, reached for his hand. "Nice meeting you."Acknowledging that she wasn't much into sharing details like her name, he opened the door for her. "Where are ya headin'?" he asked.A smile started in her eyes and played with the corner of her lips. He felt himself smiling back. There was an appreciation in her smile."Could you drop me off at the next stop?" she asked hesitantly."Most certainly, but where are ya headin?"She shrugged. "Kingman?""Is that on this road?"Nodding, she said. "Yes, it is. It should be less than a hundred miles along this highway.""Then hop in."She turned to get into the motorhome, and he took in her small stature and the narrow shoulders which seemed even smaller in her tight, red T-shirt. Jared noticed her cargoes were just hanging onto her hips. A nice steak wouldn't go astray on these hips. Suddenly she stopped and moved to look at him. "Thank you," she whispered."No worries mate."Jared held her gaze and wasn't sure what to say or do. She simply stood in front of him like frozen."My name is Ivy," she said after a long moment."Hedera. An evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plant in the family Araliaceae."With a frown, she stared at him. "I really didn't understand that one."He laughed. "Sorry, mate. I got carried away. I'm a landscaper. Ivy is a climbing plant." Scratching the back of his head, he added, slightly self-conscious, "And, of course, a beautiful name."There was a small laugh as she stepped into the motorhome. He went around and slid behind the wheel before driving back onto the road. There was a long silence, and Jared wasn't really sure what to do or say. Usually, he was good with silence. Actually, he loved it. But at that moment, the silence made him uncomfortable."So, what brings ya out into the middle of the sticks?"When there was no reply, he turned and looked at her. There was a big frown on her face, and he sighed."I thought you all speak English as well?""We do," she said with a slight giggle. "But I'm not so sure about you Australians."With a grin he replied, "Now, don't be cheeky, Ivy.""Don't bite the hand that feeds you, my mom always said." She laughed. "No way would I make fun of you.""So, you're expectin' a meal as well?"There was a moment of silence again, and he glanced over. The smile was gone and panic was written all over her face."I… I didn't—"Quickly he reached out for her hand. "I'm pulling your leg." And when she didn't reply again, he muttered, "This thing with you Americans not understanding English is turning into a problem. I was kiddin'." "Pulling your leg?" She shook her head. "Never heard of it."
A bark of laughter filled the small space. "Anyway. Talkin' about food. There's a small place ahead. Want some lunch?"