Lori L. Clark's Blog, page 158

Romance Author & Reader Event

Romance Author & Reader Event ItineraryEdinburgh Scotland UK
July 4-6, 2014
REGISTRATIONRegistration for the event from 230-730 Friday night July 4-you will be checking ID's and handing out instructions plus registration packets.  Registration will start at 3:00 but we will review everything with the first shift at 2:30.  There will be at least 2-3 SmutSisters during each shift.  Registration is for attendees only as the authors will have already been given their info. 
Saturday registration at the signing from 9AM-12 Noon-then registration will be closed.
SIGNINGSigning-line organizers, ticket disbursement (for the more popular authors), front entrance, author assistants -this will entail taking payments, taking pictures, organizing the line for an author.  Each author will have at least one assistant assigned if we have enough volunteers.  Some authors did not request an assistant however this assistant will stand in front of the table keeping the flow going to expedite each attendee.  If you are selected to be an author assistant or if one has requested you then you will help them set up their swag and books along with helping put it away.  
Friday and Saturday parties:Volunteers in shifts at the entrance up until 9 PM.
Please let us know if your blog would like to provide a door prize for the Friday night Welcome Party.
All volunteers will receive a thank you giftAll volunteers will be given early entrance to the signing from 10-11. If the author already has an assistant and a consistent presence is not required then you will just be responsible for checking in with the author or watching their line.  
Link to ticketshttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/romance-author-reader-event-edinburgh-tickets-8505874299
FACEBOOK MAIN PAGEhttps://www.facebook.com/romanceauthorandreaderevents
FACEBOOK ATTENDEE PAGEhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/519362281482399/
BLOGhttp://www.rarevents.org/
TWITTERhttps://twitter.com/rarevents
Friday July 4 Attendee registration at Ghillie Dhu2:30-7:30 PM2 Rutland St.  Edinburgh EH1 2AD  UK+44 131 222 9930 point of contact Eleanorhttp://www.ghillie-dhu.co.uk/gallery*There will also be a registration booth Saturday morning before the signing.
Welcome Party 7:00PM-11:00PMDJ  & Karaoke Door prizes-provided by bloggers, authors, and publishersCash/CC barGhillie Dhuhttp://www.ghillie-dhu.co.uk/gallery
Saturday July 5, 2014 Signing at the historic Edinburgh Corn Exchange
10 New Market Rd Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh EH14 1RJ UK+44 131 477 3500Author set up 9:00AM, pre signing 10:00 AM, doors open 11:00 AMDoors close 4:00PM71 authors so farhttp://www.edinburghcornexchange.com/private-events
After Party Cabaret Voltaire
7PM-11PM then open to the publicCash/CC bar available36 Blair St Edinburgh, City of EdinburghEH1 1QR, UK+44 131 247 4704 http://www.thecabaretvoltaire.com/club

Book Blitz & Giveaway: RecruitZ

RecruitZ by Karice Bolton
(Afterworld #1)
Publication date: December 27th 2013
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic

Synopsis:
Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for nearly three months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.

Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.






AUTHOR BIO:Karice Bolton lives in the Pacific Northwest and is a writer of Young Adult and New Adult books. She loves to read anything and everything. She also enjoys baking, skiing, and spending time with her wonderful husband and two English bulldogs.

Books currently available:
*Beyond Love Series: Beyond Control (Book 1) Beyond Doubt (Book 2) Beyond Reason (Book 3) – Feb. 28th
*Afterworld Series: RecruitZ (Book 1)
*The Witch Avenue Series: Lonely Souls (Book 1), Altered Souls (Book 2), Released Souls (Book 3) Shattered Souls (Book 4)
*The Watchers Trilogy: Awakening (Book 1), Legions (Book 2), Cataclysm (Book 3), Taken Novella (Watchers Prequel)
*The Camp

Karice would love if you stopped by her blog or FB page to find out the latest news on giveaways and upcoming releases, or you can just send her an email. She loves hearing from her readers and responds as soon as she can.
Author Links:http://www.karicebolton.com/https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5240334.Karice_Boltonhttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Karice-Bolton/218230041566833https://twitter.com/karicebolton
Blitz-wide giveaway
-$10 Amazon Gift Card + a zombie kit (incl. an I heart Zombies tee and some other zombie things).

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Guest Post: Liz Crowe

De-Categorizing My Books
By Liz Crowe

I realize that in today’s publishing world, it’s a little counter-productive to claim “my books have no category.” Readers tend to seek out the known—they want to read books “more like” this or that book, typically along specific taste lines, be they romance, mystery, police procedural, legal suspense, sci fi/fantasy/paranormal, horror.

I guess that I’m a bit of an anomaly as a reader and I would call myself among the “voracious” when it comes to that particular past time.

I avoid genre specific books and sections in the bookstore or library. I gravitate towards mainstream fiction, but have been known to enjoy Stephen King, Neil Gaimon, and Chris Moore among some others who, but for their super stardom, would definitely be slotted into categories that are chock full of other options, sort of like “romance.”

I am not a huge fan of any fiction that is predictable, or fantastical in a way that feels unrealistic. I like to read about characters acting in ways that make me think, or feel strongly about them—even negatively. Because it really is the sign of a skillful author when you have visceral feelings about their characters, when they linger in your mind and imagination long after the book has been shut at The End.

But that brings us back to the dilemma. Readers seeking the usual within their genres don’t really value books that seem to veer off in the “wrong” direction (if their characters don’t act in ways that they expect, or the plot takes a turn that is not part of the formula they are seeking when they reach for a book, no matter what that formula may be). I have had some difficulty as my early books were classified (with good reason) as “erotic contemporary romance,” but many of the books I subsequently got published did not deliver on the “romance” formula expectation.

I am not in any way bad mouthing this formula. I understand why people like it and why they flock to purchase books that feature it. It’s an escape. However, I am a reader too. I write what I would like to read. And I don’t like to read books that tell the same story over again, and lead me to an ending that I predicted. It’s a matter of personal taste NOT “good” or “bad” just my preference. So I wrote some books that, while on the face of it seem like they’d be romance novels, are better categorized as “real life, character-driven fiction for adults” (i.e. they include some explicit sex and other mature situations, but are in no way books about people having sex). Many traditional romance readers have been unhappy with me (and have been pretty vocal about it) but luckily many more readers have discovered that sometimes deviating from the formula, if it is done well, can make for a very enjoyable, equally emotional read.

Sex is part of the normal human condition. I describe the act when I feel it furthers the story, which is not every single time my characters do it. I describe them eating, drinking, conversing, working, driving to work or school or having arguments too. These things are also part of what people do. Like having sex. Romance by definition is “character driven.” It’s 99.9% about the people, not the plot. My books are character driven without a doubt (at least up until this point). But I tend to let them act a bit more like real humans, people you know, love, like or hate. But I keep the bedroom door open, if you get me, about 60% of the time. I also have books about men in love, and having sex. And have been told by many including a few book judges, that Essence of Time (book 4 of the Stewart Realty series, about Sara’s brother Blake and his lover Rob) is one of the best ones of the series.

I don’t consider myself a ground-breaker. There are plenty of books out there (most with big publishers and deep pocketed ad campaigns behind them) that have sex built into their storylines but that are not just about sex. But I do like to think in the coming months, as I develop a novel that could be called a “thriller” and one that could be a “mystery” I can inject the character-driven element that I enjoy reading into the structure of these books so that even more readers will discover a Liz Crowe book is a great read, no matter your preferred genre.

Thanks for having me on your blog today!
I hope everyone will give my books a shot, starting with the newly release, print anthology of the first 3 books of the Stewart Realty series. Join the “Jack ‘n Sara” bandwagon! But fair warning: leave all expectations at the door and just enjoy the ride!



Stewart Realty Anthology: The Jack and Sara Trilogy
Official Synopsis

Stewart Realty: Life in the House Lane

Love is an easy word to use, a hard one to demonstrate, and sometimes impossible to trust.

The Stewart Realty series is a sweeping epic, encompassing many years in the lives of two people who know how to love with their bodies, how to please and get pleasure, to control and be controlled. When it comes to the deeper meaning of the one word they both need, backgrounds and personalities get in the way. While their physical connection sizzles they somehow manage to continuously disappoint one another on an emotional level.

Jack Gordon has it all—money, success, a string of women—but also a deep longing for something more. When he thinks he finds it with Sara Jane Thornton, his world is never the same again. Sara releases a side of himself he considered buried out of frustration and unhappiness. Sara soon learns that she must trust him implicitly, something she cannot do, no matter how many times she tries...and he fails.

With a rich cast of secondary characters, including a young man who presents a near-perfect foil to Jack's intensity, and who falls hard for Sara, The Stewart Realty series is a saga with an emphasis on contemporary life with a healthy dose of realistic eroticism. A tale of modern, busy, driven people seeking the ever-elusive and highly coveted combination—a friend, lover and trusted companion who will be there for the long haul.

Start at the beginning, with the Jack and Sara Trilogy, now for the first time ever in a print anthology. The Stewart Realty series is a best seller in family saga and urban fiction categories. See for yourself what the buzz is all about.


Also, don’t forget that Good Faith, the final book in the series, will be on sale through March 15th. 

Release Blitz: Angels in Leather

Title: Angles in Leather (Rebels On Bikes #1)Author: Bella JewelRelease Date: February 13, 2014Genre: MC Romance

Synopsis
A girl on the run.Her father gave her one task before he died. To deliver a package.
Now she has the baddest biker in the state after her.

He wants what she's got.

Secrets in both the past and the present threaten to destroy what she is working so hard for.

He threatens to ruin her heart.

Two worlds will collide to make something explosive.

Excerpt“Fight me, don’t you stop,” Axel breathes into my ear. “I won’t hurt you, Cricket,” he murmurs, running his finger down the side of my face. “But I need you to fight.”
So, that’s what I do.
I start by squirming, trying to twist my body around. He presses his body against mine, and reaches up, tangling his fingers into the fence. He thrusts his hips, ramming both out bodies harder into the wire. I groan, and throw my head back, hitting him in the face. He snarls, and takes my hands, quickly uncuffing me before pulling them harshly behind my back and jerking my body back into his.
I hear the cuffs drop onto the ground.
I guess he’s letting me play this fairly.
“Stop that,” he rasps into my ear. “I’ll make it hurt if you do that again.”
“Maybe I want it to hurt,” I hiss, fisting my hands together and shoving them backwards into his stomach.
He stumbles off me with a grunt, and I spin around, ducking to the left and attempting to run. I don’t get two steps before Axel lashes out, taking my ankle and pulling me so hard I go down into the dirt. My face just misses being smashed into it by mere centimeters. Axel flattens his body over mine, and takes my head in his hands, jerking my head back by my hair and breathing down on me. “You’re being a bad girl,” he husks, running a finger down the side of my face.
“You’re not letting me play fair,” I whisper. “I was cuffed before, it wasn’t a fair chase.”
I feel his weight lift off me, and he jerks me up, pulling me into a standing position.
“Run, then. I’ll give you five seconds, and if I catch you again, Meadow, I’m going to f**k you,” he murmurs, then his eyes grow lusty. “Hard.”
I turn without answering, and I run into the trees at the back of the lot. I hear Axel counting loudly, and my body shivers. I am sweating now, and my breathing is hard and ragged, but the chase is so worth that. I hear Axel take off after me, and I squeal with delight as I weave through the trees. It’s dark, but I can see enough because of the lights surrounding the club house.
“The minute I get hold of you,” Axel yells. “I’m goin’ to rip your panties down and put my d**k so deep inside you, you’re goin’ to scream.”
I shiver, and swallow. I make my way to the fence line again, and I press myself against it for a second, letting my eyes scan the trees.
“Then I’m goin’ to kiss you so hard your lips will bleed.”
Oh my.
I take off, using the fence line as a guide to get back to the other end of the lot. I can hear Axel to my left, and I know he’s gaining on me, but if I run, it’ll make a lot of noise and he’ll figure out where I am.
“Come out come out wherever you are,” he sings. “You know I’ll make you come so much your legs will give way.”
I feel a smile on my face as I keep moving along the fence, keeping my body plastered against it. I can feel my own arousal dampening my panties, and now I’m eager for him to get his hands on me. I want to know what he’s got to give.
“You can run, Cricket, but you can’t hide.”
Buy the BookAmazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
About the Author
Bella Jewel is an Aussie girl through and through. She spent her life in Western Australia, growing up in many different areas of the state. She now currently lives in Perth with her husband, children and mass amounts of pets. She's crazy, fun, outgoing and friendly. Writing is her passion, she started at the young age of 18 but finally got the courage up to publish, and her first novel Hell's Knights was released in August 2013.

Facebook | Website | Goodreads


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Book Blitz: A Chance at Love

A Chance at Love - PROMO BlitzBy Karolyn JamesDate Published: 2/13/2014Contemporary Romance
A simple phone call can change your life... just ask successful businessman Sullivan Chasen.  When the caller shares the news that Sullivan's father is dying, Sullivan laughs and hangs up.  He isn't being heartless, he just knows that it can't be true - because his father already passed away... ten years ago.


Like a bad dream, the calls keep coming and DNA results turn Sullivan's world upside down.  There is only one way, and very little time, to figure out the truth.  He packs his bags for the small town of Ferry Creek, North Carolina.


Once Sullivan arrives, he must confront a past he never knew existed, including a half-brother who lives above their family diner.  The longer he spends away from his wealthy lifestyle and successful business, the more he falls in love with the small town, its community... and waitress, Jess Winthorne.


Can Sullivan Chasen go back to his normal life after learning about his past or will he discover the missing piece of his heart in Ferry Creek?
Author Karolyn James Links


Website | Facebook | Mailing List 


Buy Link

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This Blitz is brought to to you by Reading Addiction Book Tours

Amazon Top 10 New Adult Books: February 16, 2014

Amazon Top 10 New Adult Books: February 16, 2014. These are the top 10 bestselling New Adult books as listed on Amazon.com at the time of posting! (Single titles only - No box sets.)

1. Faking It by Elisa Lorello

2. Rising Star: (Starlight Series #2) by JS Taylor

3. The Resolution of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen (Pre-order)

4. Twist Me by Anna Zaires

5. Ordinary World by Elisa Lorello

6. LAYERS (Stark #1) by Sigal Ehrlich

7. Sweet Home by Tillie Cole

8. Beautiful Disaster: A Novel by Jamie McGuire

9. Destined for Love (Love in Bloom: The Braden Book #2) by Melissa Foster

10. Inner Core: (Stark, #2) by Sigal Ehrlich

Book Review: Unconditional

Unconditional (Always #1) by Cherie M. Hudson: She has a future she can’t escape. He refuses to let her face it alone.

Twenty-one. The age when adult life begins. In my case, it’s the age I learned my future sucked, big time, and there was nothing I could do about it. Every minute of every day I face the fact my life is only going to get worse. Why? Because I have early-onset Parkinson’s Disease. I’m not going to let it get me down, but I also can’t let anyone close. That’s not fair to them, or to me. Trust me. So that means my heart and my soul, is off-limits.

But then I traveled to Australia on a college scholarship program and life royally screwed me over. Again.

Raphael Jones is an arrogant Australian celebrity, the hottest guy on campus and a pain in my ass. Worst of all, he makes me ache for a life I’ll never be able to have. Especially when he takes me in his arms and does wicked things to my body.

How do I have a hope of surviving ten weeks in Australia when it’s not just the paparazzi who have me in their sights, but Raph as well? Because Raphael Jones is a man who always gets what he wants. And no matter what I say or do, he refuses to accept what I so painfully know: a life and future with me is no life at all.
: I really truly loved that this book talked about the serious topic of Parkinson's disease. I have read a lot of books that try and talk about serious things but tend to glaze of the importance or seriousness of what they are telling a story about. I enjoyed the way the author showed how life would be like with PD without boring you. There were also some pretty hot scenes in the book. The one thing that I strongly disliked about the book was how the leading lady changed her mind about being with Raph and then saying I'm not going to put him through this over and over again. It was just a little old by the end of the book. All in all it is a good book.

Book Review: Ravage Me

Ravage Me (Ravage MC #1) by Ryan Michele: After spending the last two years stuck behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit, Harlow ‘Princess’ Gavelson’s time inside has finally come to an end, and she’s ready for revenge. Unfortunately, being the daughter to the Vice President of the Ravage Motorcycle Club cuts into her plans, as orders must be followed. Trying to settle back into this life is proving difficult when the tables are turned and the woman who framed her is out for blood. Lucky for Princess, growing up in a MC has taught her how to hold her own.

After spending years in hell overseas, Donavon ‘Cruz’ came home to lose the very thing he went into hell for, sending him to the darkest moments of his life. Joining Ravage two years ago was his safe haven, and he protects his family at all costs.

When a dark-haired bombshell struts into the club’s shop, he’s caught off guard but immediately knows she’s the one he’d do anything for. Tough as nails, and taking no crap from anyone, he’s captivated by a woman who could handle this life. Trying to meet the needs of the MC business and follow his heart proves to be difficult when the two collide, and lives are at stake.

Can these two find a way to be together, or will the needs of Ravage cost them everything, including their lives?

*Contains mature content including, sex and violence. Mature audiences only.*
TeriLyn's thoughts: Ravage Me is a good MC book. It starts of with Harlow "Princess" our heroine in jail. She's the daughter of the VP from the Ravage MC. Her whole life she's grown up with a MC family and has become as hard as nails as her lifestyle. During the two years Harlow was in jail, Cruz became a patched member of the club. 

Upon returning home, Cruz and Harlow meet in a big way. Harlow manages to completely stun both Cruz and the reader. She's a product of her environment and makes no qualms about it. I loved her. She's made a pact with herself that she'd never be with a brother but the instant physical connection with Cruz has completely unnerved Princess. 

Cruz claims her almost immediately. They are a great match and the story surrounded them is interesting with a few plot twists and turns that made for a really good story. All the secondary characters and other members of the MC are great as well. The changes that Harlow goes through her blossoming relationship with Cruz are great and she still maintains the bad ass part of herself. He loves her more for it. This is a good story. It sets up for a great sequel between Harlow's brother, GT, and her friend, Casey. I can't wait to see what their deal is with each other; we got glimpses of it here. I'm also interested to see where Cruz and Harlow go from the ending of Ravage Me.

Book Review: Risk of Falling

Risk of Falling by T. Taylor: Sloan Matthews has spent the last four years since she was forced to separate from her semblance of a family attempting to build a quiet life for herself. She hides her past and swears off love to protect her heart from the pain inflicted as a child. Trying to find her way, she moves to a tiny ski village called Mount Tremblant where she works and spends every day embracing her passion of snowboarding. Life is good and drama free with her best friends by her side. When she falls into Jake Brooks life, she finds herself fighting an undeniable attraction.

Jake Brooks is the sexy tattoo clad newest member of the Foley snowboarding team. He lives life fast and hard just like he snowboards. Jake has a reputation for bouncing from woman to woman and has no intentions of slowing down. He is a good person at heart, protective and honorable, but he won't let anyone know that. That is until Sloan literally trips into his life.

When a traumatic event nearly shatters Sloan to pieces, Jake is there to rescue her and pick up the pieces. Together they try to push out of their comfort zones and are forced to discover if the risks are worth falling in love.
TeriLyn's thoughts: **ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**

I read this in one sitting on a lazy Saturday morning and it was the perfect book for a laid back start the day. Risk of Falling is light, fun, and super sweet. The heroine, Sloan, is a relatable and interesting character. Jake, the hero, is fun loving, laid back, and cool. The two of them meet after Sloan has admired him from afar thanks to his snowboarding career. The form a fast friendship and bring out the best in each other. Sloan is afraid of getting too emotionally invested because of a painful past. Their story goes on from there. There's some great banter between the two of them. There are some really vulnerable moments between these two that leave rooting for them to make it. Their journey to each other is mostly easy and fun and seemed especially natural for the two of them and where they are in their lives. I liked the snowboarding aspect of this story. They bond firstly over their love for the sport. Sloan becomes really important to Jake because of this. The two of them share something very unique. Risk of Falling is well written and slows easily. It's not a cliffhanger but the ending left some unanswered questions that intriguingly set up book two. I'm excited to read about Sloan and Jake's story.

Book Review: The Hall Speaks

The Hall Speaks #fallsemester by Chloe Leigh Corin: An unthinkable tragedy happened at work, just a few witnesses left behind to tell the story. Only, it’s against job policy to talk about it, but the truth won’t stay silent for long.

At Virginia Beach University a Resident Assistant (RA) is breaking the rules. They've created a private blog spilling secrets -- from the unlikely lovers, staff hook-ups, psychotic breaks, the hall drug ring, to the loner student that worried everyone with his strange behavior. All of it leads up to the horrific day that made national news. The only thing missing is the blogger's identity. Well, sort of, because the blogger is one of the nine RAs in the story. Despite this major policy violation, they don’t want to lose their job or worse, get expelled. They love RA life.

*The Hall Speaks is the first novel based on Residence Life culture. It’s filled with all the things that happen behind closed doors of a freshmen hall. And it’s performed by a cast of characters inspired by real RAs and student affairs professional.*
: I am still at a bit of a loss for words after finishing this book. This book is very well written. I have read many books out there that try to tackle so many topics in one book and I have never read one until now that could actually pull it off. I never roomed in a dorm and never really thought about all of the things that go on in one but after reading this book I am sure it is only a portion of what actually happens. I know there is fact mixed with fiction in this book but the whole book felt completely real and made me wonder what college this happened at. I'm sure though that it happens at every college in some form or another. The ending definitely caught me off guard in a good way. I'm definitely looking forward to finding out the rest of the story in the spring semester.