A.K. Morgen's Blog, page 9
February 11, 2016
Cover Reveal: Nighthawks by Jeremy Flagg #fantasy
▬▬ COVER REVEAL ▬▬
NIGHTHAWKS
by Jeremy FlaggChildren of Nostradamus, Book 1 Releasing March 1st from Limitless Publishing! Cover Designer: Deranged Doctor Design
▬▬ SYNOPSIS ▬▬Twenty-six-year-old painter Conthan Cowan takes art to a shocking frontier…
His debut exhibit features the transformation of his high school friend, Sarah, as she went from a shy, soft-spoken girl to a Child of Nostradamus—an individual gifted with extraordinary abilities. Living in a society where the Children of Nostradamus are captured by the government, Conthan’s exhibit draws attention from officials and protesters alike.
A government psychic may be dead, but that doesn’t stop her from manipulating the future…
The deceased White House aide is only remembered for her failed assassination attempt on the president decades before Conthan was born. Foreseeing her own death, she scribed letters to bring together specific Children of Nostradamus on a mission that will change the world.
On the night of the gallery exhibition, Conthan receives one of those letters…
Whispers from the past direct him to visit Sarah, the subject of his paintings, who like many Children of Nostradamus, is being detained in a government research facility. It’s there he finds himself aligned with a rogue group of Children on a mission to prevent a dark future.
As a dark future unfolds, there's only one hope to stop the destruction of the world...The Children of Nostradamus.
▬▬ JEREMY FLAGG ▬▬
I’m high school graphic design and marketing teacher, at a large suburban high school in Massachusetts. Working as a high school educator and observing the outlandish world of adolescence was the inspiration for my first young adult novel, “Suburban Zombie High.”
My inspiration for writing stems from being a youth who struggled with reading in school. While I found school assigned novels incredibly difficult to digest, I devoured comics and later fantasy novels. Their influences can be seen in the tall tales I spin.
I took the long route to becoming a writer. For a brief time, I majored in Creative Writing but exchanged one passion for another as I switched to Art and Design. My passion for reading about superheroes, fantastical worlds, and panic-stricken situations would become the foundation of my writing career.
I participated in my firstNaNoWriMo in 2006 and continue to write an entire novel every November. Now I am the NaNoWriMo Municipal Liaison to the Massachusetts Metrowest Region. I also belong to a weekly writing group, the Metrowest Writers.
Limitless Publishing: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/jeremy-flagg/Twitter: https://twitter.com/writeremyflaggFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/writeremyflaggWebsite: http://remyflagg.com/
▬▬ SYNOPSIS ▬▬Twenty-six-year-old painter Conthan Cowan takes art to a shocking frontier…
His debut exhibit features the transformation of his high school friend, Sarah, as she went from a shy, soft-spoken girl to a Child of Nostradamus—an individual gifted with extraordinary abilities. Living in a society where the Children of Nostradamus are captured by the government, Conthan’s exhibit draws attention from officials and protesters alike.
A government psychic may be dead, but that doesn’t stop her from manipulating the future…
The deceased White House aide is only remembered for her failed assassination attempt on the president decades before Conthan was born. Foreseeing her own death, she scribed letters to bring together specific Children of Nostradamus on a mission that will change the world.
On the night of the gallery exhibition, Conthan receives one of those letters…
Whispers from the past direct him to visit Sarah, the subject of his paintings, who like many Children of Nostradamus, is being detained in a government research facility. It’s there he finds himself aligned with a rogue group of Children on a mission to prevent a dark future.
As a dark future unfolds, there's only one hope to stop the destruction of the world...The Children of Nostradamus.
▬▬ JEREMY FLAGG ▬▬
I’m high school graphic design and marketing teacher, at a large suburban high school in Massachusetts. Working as a high school educator and observing the outlandish world of adolescence was the inspiration for my first young adult novel, “Suburban Zombie High.”My inspiration for writing stems from being a youth who struggled with reading in school. While I found school assigned novels incredibly difficult to digest, I devoured comics and later fantasy novels. Their influences can be seen in the tall tales I spin.
I took the long route to becoming a writer. For a brief time, I majored in Creative Writing but exchanged one passion for another as I switched to Art and Design. My passion for reading about superheroes, fantastical worlds, and panic-stricken situations would become the foundation of my writing career.
I participated in my firstNaNoWriMo in 2006 and continue to write an entire novel every November. Now I am the NaNoWriMo Municipal Liaison to the Massachusetts Metrowest Region. I also belong to a weekly writing group, the Metrowest Writers.
Limitless Publishing: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/jeremy-flagg/Twitter: https://twitter.com/writeremyflaggFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/writeremyflaggWebsite: http://remyflagg.com/
February 10, 2016
New Release: Copper Lilies by Bradon Nave #romance #medical
“A beautifully written reminder that draws attention to a chronic disease that still needs to be fought on the front lines as stigma/judgment remain.” - Amy Nelson, MPH, CHES
COPPER LILIES by Bradon Nave is NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE!
|| COPPER LILIES by Bradon Nave ||In 1986, twenty-three-year-old country girl Nora Brown decides it’s time for a change…
Complacent and bored with her life in rural Oklahoma, Nora leaves her bigoted father and all she’s ever known to pursue a new life in San Francisco. At the height of the AIDS epidemic, Nora, a registered nurse, believes she can be an asset to the community. Bunking in a tiny apartment with a longtime friend, Nora secures a job within a large hospital and begins volunteer work for an organization that cares for those afflicted with the disease.
She is soon faced with the horrors of AIDS—a reality she wasn’t quite prepared for…
Just as the courageous group of caregivers and volunteers have their emotional strength depleted to the point of no return, the group rallies together and pushes forward, remembering their mission—if they aren’t there for these people, who will be?
Nora wasn’t expecting to find him here, to “fall in love among the ashes…”
Along her journey, she meets a diverse community of lionhearted survivors. And then there’s Donald, another volunteer who fights alongside those with dwindling hope. Nora and Donald grow closer as the war on HIV rages around them.
They watch their friends waste to nothing, yet no answers are being offered. The only comfort is the solace they find in each other. After months of hardships, another crippling loss shakes the foundation of Nora’s faith.
Their struggle is not only about HIV/AIDS—but about how the nation responds, and the humanistic choice to be unsung heroes.
== PURCHASE ==
KINDLE UNLIMITED: http://amzn.to/1T1oq7X
PAPERBACK: http://amzn.to/1XeuWsL
= MEET BRADON NAVE =
Bradon Nave was born and raised in rural Oklahoma. He attended a small country school during junior high and high school, and graduated with only three people in his class. After graduate school, he decided to devote his spare time to his passion of writing.Bradon currently lives in Piedmont, Oklahoma, with his wife and two young children.
When he’s not writing, he loves running, being with friends and family, and being outdoors.
Limitless Publishing | Facebook | Twitter | Google + | Website
COPPER LILIES by Bradon Nave is NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE!
|| COPPER LILIES by Bradon Nave ||In 1986, twenty-three-year-old country girl Nora Brown decides it’s time for a change…Complacent and bored with her life in rural Oklahoma, Nora leaves her bigoted father and all she’s ever known to pursue a new life in San Francisco. At the height of the AIDS epidemic, Nora, a registered nurse, believes she can be an asset to the community. Bunking in a tiny apartment with a longtime friend, Nora secures a job within a large hospital and begins volunteer work for an organization that cares for those afflicted with the disease.
She is soon faced with the horrors of AIDS—a reality she wasn’t quite prepared for…
Just as the courageous group of caregivers and volunteers have their emotional strength depleted to the point of no return, the group rallies together and pushes forward, remembering their mission—if they aren’t there for these people, who will be?
Nora wasn’t expecting to find him here, to “fall in love among the ashes…”
Along her journey, she meets a diverse community of lionhearted survivors. And then there’s Donald, another volunteer who fights alongside those with dwindling hope. Nora and Donald grow closer as the war on HIV rages around them.
They watch their friends waste to nothing, yet no answers are being offered. The only comfort is the solace they find in each other. After months of hardships, another crippling loss shakes the foundation of Nora’s faith.
Their struggle is not only about HIV/AIDS—but about how the nation responds, and the humanistic choice to be unsung heroes.
== PURCHASE ==
KINDLE UNLIMITED: http://amzn.to/1T1oq7X
PAPERBACK: http://amzn.to/1XeuWsL
= MEET BRADON NAVE =
Bradon Nave was born and raised in rural Oklahoma. He attended a small country school during junior high and high school, and graduated with only three people in his class. After graduate school, he decided to devote his spare time to his passion of writing.Bradon currently lives in Piedmont, Oklahoma, with his wife and two young children. When he’s not writing, he loves running, being with friends and family, and being outdoors.
Limitless Publishing | Facebook | Twitter | Google + | Website
February 8, 2016
Cover Reveal: Lines We Forget by J.E. Warren #newadult #romance
°°° COVER REVEAL °°°LINES WE FORGET by J.E. Warren Cover Designer: J.E. WarrenGenre: New Adult Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: March 8, 2016°° SYNOPSIS °°Love almost never comes easy, especially to those who arenât prepared for itâ¦
Twenty-four-year-old musician and part-time busker Charlie Stone has always played the classics.
Itâs just another day of playing the same old songs from his well-worn repertoire when he notices herâAnna Garrett, a beauty with cold-bitten, rosy cheeks, and a coffee cup clutched in her hands.
Five songs later, and sheâs still standing there. He vows to steal her attention, and her heart, the only way he knows howâthrough the power of music.
In the heart of Londonâs cold, rain-soaked streets, chance encounters are far and few between, but a warm melody can bring people togetherâ¦
New day. Same old disappointments. Mark didnât show up to their second date, and twenty-two-year-old Anna Garrett believes her luck at finding love has stalled before itâs even started.
But when she sees a handsome busker, playing his heart out to a captivating classic, everything changes. Memories come flooding back. And as she listens, Anna soon realises that she must take matters of love and luck into her own hands.
When opposites attract, sparks flyâ¦
After a series of wonderful, unconventional dates, feisty Anna and hopeless romantic Charlie soon declare their love for each other. But their newfound romance is rocked to its core by a New Yearâs Eve party gone awry that threatens to throw them off course.
But love was never meant to be easyâ¦
With a reinforced bond that seems too strong to break, both continue to fall deeper in love. But when Anna loses her job, and distance comes between them, the real work begins.
Will their love be a one-hit wonder, or a timeless classic?
°° J.E. WARREN °°J.E.Warren currently resides in a somewhat sleepy seaside town, and is a British Romance/YA writer who has a long standing love for milky tea, travel, shaggy haired 90âs band Hanson, and small dogs.
Always observing, she enjoys writing and bringing to life realistic and relatable characters, especially strong, sharp and savvy females who arenât afraid to speak their mind.
Music has always played a big part in her life â from noisy rock to reggae, folk to pop punk and everything in else between. And is a constant source of inspiration when writing, especially when plotting new ways to steal readerâs hearts, or make them swoon (usually with the help of guitar playing heartthrobs.)
When sheâs not writing, J.E likes to curate perfect play lists â of which she has many, and catch up on her favourite shows (again too many), though you can be certain to find Buffy The Vampire Slayer on heavy rotation.
Website: http://www.misswarrenwrites.co.uk/Twitter: https://twitter.com/jpysofinewritesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/misswarrenwrites
February 4, 2016
New Release: Chameleon Soul by Mia Hoddell #romance #newadult
Title: Chameleon SoulSeries: Chequered Flag #1Author: Mia HoddellGenre: NA Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: February 2, 2016 Publisher: Limitless Publishing
After one fateful night, Raine Wilkins’ life has never been the same…Two years into a relationship with Formula 1 driver Teo Coates, Raine walks out of his life without offering an explanation. To shield him from horrifying events that are best kept secret, Raine breaks her own heart and the heart of the man she loves. And left with no choice, Teo is forced to abandon Raine to finish his race season.However, Teo always wins, and losing Raine’s heart has only made him more determined to reclaim it…Now, a year later, he’s back, and she’s his only goal. But Raine is no longer the same girl he left behind; she’s broken by the past and struggling to cope with each day. Unbearable memories have her nights plagued with fear, while her days are spent deliberately hiding away to avoid triggering full-blown panic attacks. Therefore, when Teo returns as England’s favourite driver, and demands answers, all of Raine’s careful planning is destroyed.She is thrown into the one place she never wants to be—the spotlight.Her newfound fame as Teo’s public girlfriend raises old dangers, and exposes her to a group who will stop at nothing to tear them apart. If Raine and Teo are to be together, they must confront their past. However, only Raine knows the truth behind what happened during that sinister night, and revealing her secrets may cause Teo to leave for good.
“Raine, wait!” Footsteps thundered behind me, forcing me to run faster as my vision began tunnelling. Bouncing off the walls as I rounded corners, I attempted to trace my steps back to the exit through the labyrinth of hallways. I could hear the footsteps growing louder, as if Nadine was right on my heels, but I couldn’t look without losing my rhythm. Abruptly, I was jerked to a stop by a hand on my wrist. I spun at the touch, flinging my back against the wall with a scream. My movements were too fast to take anything in. “What the f*** are you doing here?” The voice that snarled the words was not Nadine’s. Even full of malice I could never forget his tone. Despite that, my brain was no longer thinking logically. I raised my hands instinctively to shield my face, the line between reality and my memories blurring. The brightly lit corridor was too tight and darkness encroached from every corner. I was back in the alley. The rough bricks bit into my spine as I cowered into the building praying I could make myself invisible. “No, not again,” I whimpered, my hands shaking. “Please, not again.” In my mind they were coming at me, closing the distance. No matter how tiny I made myself they could still see me. “Don’t hurt me. Let me go!” White-hot panic rose in my chest, consuming me and fuelling the memory. Everything felt so similar, I wasn’t even seeing what was really in front of me.
#1 Amazon bestselling author Mia Hoddell lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends most of her time writing or reading, loves anything romantic, and has an overactive imagination that keeps her up until the early hours of the morning. Mia has written over ten titles including her Seasons of Change series, the Chequered Flag series, the Elemental Killers series, and her standalone novels False Finder, Not Enough, and Bet On Me.
Her favourite genres are contemporary romance or romantic suspense, and with an ever growing list of ideas she is trying to keep up with the speed at which her imagination generates them. She also designs book covers on her website M Designs.
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February 2, 2016
Blurb Reveal: Stricken by A.K. Morgen #newadult #fantasy #teasertuesday
Happy Tuesday, loves!
It's been a rough couple of weeks here, so I thought I'd share a little happy. The official blurb for Stricken is finished! You can check it out below. :) You can also add Stricken to your TBR list on Goodreads!
Stricken is slated to release on March 8, 2016 from Limitless Publishing!
It took only four months to bring the angels to their knees…
With a virus ravaging the fallen angels on earth, mankind’s symbol of love and hope is at risk of extinction.
Centuries ago, a group of angelic warriors known as The Fallen risked everything to save themselves and carve a future for their kind. Hope slips away as The Fallen and their kin are cut down by an ancient menace, La Morte Nera—and no one saw it coming.
Only one immortal can save them, and only one mortal can stand in his way…
When Nephilim warrior Killian St. James sets out on a quest to find a cure, he and his blade-brothers discover nineteen-year-old Aubrey Carter—a human with a past as dark as it is mysterious—cowering in an abandoned house in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee.
The corrupted races are chasing her, and Killian is determined to find out why…
But neither he nor Aubrey are prepared for their attraction to one another, or for the frightening truths lurking in the shadows. The painful childhood memories Aubrey has buried hold precious answers. Answers that threaten to tear Killian's world apart.
With her life hanging in the balance, Killian must choose between the future of The Fallen, and the human girl he's pledged to protect.
Demons are rising, and this time they plan to win the war for dominion once and for all.
Killian stepped forward, forcing her to tilt her head back to look up at him. He still seemed so big to her. He still overwhelmed her. But he didn’t frighten her anymore.
“You look tired.” She fought the urge to lift her hand to touch his gorgeous face.
“I am,” he said, the corner of his lips turning up in a half smile.
“Oh.”
He stared down at her, his half smile slipping. A dizzying parade of emotions swirled through his eyes. She couldn’t read them all, but she understood enough. He felt as torn as she did.
“Will I remember you three years from now?” she whispered, her heart aching with the fear that she would forget him as she had so much else…and with fear that she would remember him. That she would survive this nightmare and he would haunt her for the rest of her days like so much else did.
“Do you want to remember me?” He took another step in her direction.
“I don’t know.” She frowned, confused. “You make me feel like maybe the world isn’t so bad. Like maybe I’m safe with you. I don’t think I want to forget that.”
Killian tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek gently in one big hand. “You are safe with me. I won’t let anyone hurt you, Aubrey.”
She stared at him for a long, silent moment. He’d promised before that he wouldn’t hurt her, but even then an unspoken fear had stood between them like a wall. A little voice whispered that if she got too close, he would hurt her as badly as the things in her past hurt. That voice had stopped whispering when he’d kissed her today, and wasn’t that odd?
“You hurt me today.”
He bowed his head, letting his hand fall away from her face. “I’m sorry.”
Her heart ached a little at the agonized way he said it. As if it shamed him to know he’d hurt her. As if, maybe, he cared more than he should too.
It's been a rough couple of weeks here, so I thought I'd share a little happy. The official blurb for Stricken is finished! You can check it out below. :) You can also add Stricken to your TBR list on Goodreads!
Stricken is slated to release on March 8, 2016 from Limitless Publishing!
It took only four months to bring the angels to their knees…With a virus ravaging the fallen angels on earth, mankind’s symbol of love and hope is at risk of extinction.
Centuries ago, a group of angelic warriors known as The Fallen risked everything to save themselves and carve a future for their kind. Hope slips away as The Fallen and their kin are cut down by an ancient menace, La Morte Nera—and no one saw it coming.
Only one immortal can save them, and only one mortal can stand in his way…
When Nephilim warrior Killian St. James sets out on a quest to find a cure, he and his blade-brothers discover nineteen-year-old Aubrey Carter—a human with a past as dark as it is mysterious—cowering in an abandoned house in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee.
The corrupted races are chasing her, and Killian is determined to find out why…
But neither he nor Aubrey are prepared for their attraction to one another, or for the frightening truths lurking in the shadows. The painful childhood memories Aubrey has buried hold precious answers. Answers that threaten to tear Killian's world apart.
With her life hanging in the balance, Killian must choose between the future of The Fallen, and the human girl he's pledged to protect.
Demons are rising, and this time they plan to win the war for dominion once and for all.
Killian stepped forward, forcing her to tilt her head back to look up at him. He still seemed so big to her. He still overwhelmed her. But he didn’t frighten her anymore.“You look tired.” She fought the urge to lift her hand to touch his gorgeous face.
“I am,” he said, the corner of his lips turning up in a half smile.
“Oh.”
He stared down at her, his half smile slipping. A dizzying parade of emotions swirled through his eyes. She couldn’t read them all, but she understood enough. He felt as torn as she did.
“Will I remember you three years from now?” she whispered, her heart aching with the fear that she would forget him as she had so much else…and with fear that she would remember him. That she would survive this nightmare and he would haunt her for the rest of her days like so much else did.
“Do you want to remember me?” He took another step in her direction.
“I don’t know.” She frowned, confused. “You make me feel like maybe the world isn’t so bad. Like maybe I’m safe with you. I don’t think I want to forget that.”
Killian tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek gently in one big hand. “You are safe with me. I won’t let anyone hurt you, Aubrey.”
She stared at him for a long, silent moment. He’d promised before that he wouldn’t hurt her, but even then an unspoken fear had stood between them like a wall. A little voice whispered that if she got too close, he would hurt her as badly as the things in her past hurt. That voice had stopped whispering when he’d kissed her today, and wasn’t that odd?
“You hurt me today.”
He bowed his head, letting his hand fall away from her face. “I’m sorry.”
Her heart ached a little at the agonized way he said it. As if it shamed him to know he’d hurt her. As if, maybe, he cared more than he should too.
January 28, 2016
New Release: Sweet on You by Marianne Rice #romance
Sweet on You by Marianne RiceSeries: The Wilde Sisters #1Release Date: January 26, 2016Publisher: Limitless Publishing|| SYNOPSIS || An extravagant cake design brings small town baker Trent Kipson to fame…After gaining social media exposure of his culinary art, Trent’s cake design goes viral. Soon he’s contacted by the Cooking Network to host a new show in California. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime for the owner of a modest shop in Portland, Maine, and the financial freedom the network offers could be the answer to all of his monetary problems.
Fitness instructor Rayne Wilde wants the life every small-town girl dreams of…
Rayne wishes for a future full of romance and the pitter-patter of little feet. She wants it all, including a white picket fence and a dog named Spot—which is exactly why she refuses to sleep with Trent, the sexy man who attends her Zumba classes. After a series of dead-end relationships, this time she really is in love. Trent is special, and the fear of letting him slip through her fingers keeps her advances at bay.
Life is waiting—all it takes is a leap of faith...
As their friendship grows and skeletons creep out of their closets, their relationship is put to the test. Stakes get higher, and the spark between them burns hotter than ever before.
Can they handle the heat when life-changing secrets are exposed, or will the fear of being burned send them on two different paths?
||| PURCHASE |||Available on Kindle Unlimited!Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1WnPCxTAmazon UK: http://amzn.to/1WnR6bA
|| ABOUT THE AUTHOR ||
Marianne Rice writes contemporary romances set in small New England towns. Her heroes are big and strong, yet value family and humor, while her heroines are smart, sexy, sometimes a little bit sassy, and are often battling a strong internal conflict. Together, they deal with real life issues and always, always, find everlasting love. When she’s not writing, Marianne spends her time buying shoes, eating chocolate, chauffeuring her herd of children to their varying sporting events, and when there’s time, cuddling with her husband, a drink in one hand, a romance book in the other.
Limitless Publishing: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/marianne-rice/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarianneRiceautTwitter: https://twitter.com/mariannericeautWebsite: http://www.mariannerice.com/
January 27, 2016
Blog Tour: Without You by Lindsay Detwiler (@lindsaydetwiler) #romance
Title: Without YouAuthor: Lindsay DetwilerGenre: Contemporary RomancePublished: December 1, 2015 Publisher: Limitless Publishing
On the surface, Jenna Landsen has it all…
She’s smart, beautiful, confident, and married to Camden Landsen, who happens to be drop dead sexy and just as successful. But after five long years, all the success in the world hasn’t brought the romantic spark back into her marriage. Jenna fears it never will.
When life gives you lemons, open a bakery and name it Vi’s…
Violet Streiff made the exact mistake her mother warned against—she fell in love with Liam Coffman, a charming finance major. When he left her heartbroken to further his career, Violet drowned her sorrows by opening a bakery, and now relies on Bob, her eighteen-pound cat, for warmth at night instead of a sexy man.
To find love, sometimes you first have to discover yourself…
When Jenna’s job offers an extended trip to New York, she packs her bags and takes a two-month vacation from life. The chance of her marriage surviving looks grim, until the surprise of a lifetime throws a wrench in her plans to stay in the Big Apple for good.
You can bend the rules—but sooner or later they’ll break…
When Violet meets a gloomy but totally drool-worthy guy named Camden in her shop, she’s sure her luck has changed. There’s no denying the chemistry, but he’s married, and that’s a major problem. Violet isn’t a homewrecker. Still, staying away from Camden proves nearly impossible. That is, until his wife comes home.
Two women.Two men.Double the chance to find love in the most
unexpected places—or double the chance for disaster.
Chapter FourViolet“Earth to Vi, Vi, are you in there? Did you hear me? I said he’s here,” Margaret pleads, pulling on the arm I’ve been leaning on behind the register. The slowness of our day and low coffee sales led me into daydreaming world. Margaret pulls me out with her tugging.“What?” I sleepily reply, tucking a loose curl behind my ear. “Who?” I scan the room. Just then, he strolls through the door. Oh, hell no. Not on a Monday.“I tried to warn you,” Margaret hisses, heading back to the storeroom to get some more scones. Great. As if today isn’t dreary enough.“Hi, welcome to Vi’s,” I exuberantly cheer, faking my enthusiasm.“Vi, Violet, Vi-o-let, how are ya? Happy Monday,” he explodes, the senseless chatter rolling off his tongue as he pats the sweat off his balding forehead.“What do you recommend today, sweetie?”For starters, I recommend you stuff your nasty, flirtatious pet names, I think between gritted teeth. Instead I say, “Oh, I don’t know, how about a triple chocolate muffin?”“Sounds great, muffin. So…are you busy tonight?”Yep, and every night for the rest of my life.“Um, oh, yeah, Chuck, sorry. Crazy busy tonight.”Doing nothing. Watching Family Feud reruns and eating cookie dough. And watching my plants grow. Even though I don’t have any plants.“Oh, that’s too bad, Vi. But you know, you can’t turn me down forever. Good ol’ Chuck can’t wait to take that sweet bottom of yours out on another date. It’s gonna be great and you know it. But I’m patient. I can wait.” He winks at me so robotically I would laugh if I didn’t know he was serious.I smile through my disgust, trying to quell the vomit rising in my throat. “Four ninety-eight,” I offer methodically. He hands me a five.“Keep the change.” He winks again as I pass him his paper sack. He brushes my fingers purposefully, sending a shiver down my spine. Not a good shiver in any sense of the word. And with that, my weekly Chuck encounter is over. Thank God I can check it off the list. Root canal or Chuck—I’d choose root canal. Five times.“Is he gone?” Margaret ventures out of hiding.“For now,” I reply, grimacing at the icky feeling left over from Chuck’s brief yet highly distressing presence.“If I were you, I’d kill your mother over him.”“Oh, I’ve thought about it,” I admitAnd I truly mean it.When you’re twenty-six and heartbroken, people tend to pity you. When you’ve been alone for a year and have no hopeful prospects in sight, people want to take action to help you. So my mom decided last month to act on this fear. One night, she called and informed me she set me up on a blind date.“Violet, come on—it’ll be great. You can’t mope around those books and coffee beans forever. You’re turning into a crazy cat lady already,” she replied to my immediate no.“Owning a single cat does not make one a crazy cat lady, Mom.”“Oh, you know what I mean.”“No, I don’t,” I replied matter-of-factly.“Vi, it’s not healthy. You need to get back out there. So, do this. For me, please? Think of it this way, at least you’ll get a free dinner.” When did Mom become such a proponent of love? When did she decide men were, in fact, worth it after all? And when did it become such a priority to find me one?Nonetheless, the offer of free dinner helped make it easier to give in. So I agreed to go on a blind date to the Pasta Palace with a friend of one of my mom’s cousin’s friend’s older brothers. Yeah, sounds promising, I know.Three milliseconds into the date, I tugged on my turquoise dress anxiously, tapping my ballet flats together hoping, like Dorothy, I could magically be transported home. Or to the local dump. Or to hell.Anywhere but a date with sweaty, bald, creepy Chuck.As soon as I could scarf down my chicken parmesan and make a decently sound excuse to leave early—my black cat Bob had a cough, and I better get home to check on him—I made a faster getaway than a bank robber and vowed two things. One, I would kill or at least strangle my mother. Two, I would never, ever, ever go on another blind date. Ever.I stuck to promise two on my list. Promise one on my list was becoming more likely because Chuck found out I owned Vi’s. He decided to start visiting my coffee shop.Every week.Despite my obvious hints I wasn’t into him. Yeah, the guy was persistent.“Well, Vi, maybe you’re being too hard on him,” my mom argued when I called her after the first impromptu visit.“Really, Mom? Have you seen him? He’s at least twice my age and he must use at least two sticks of deodorant a day. I mean, really.”“Well, Vi, maybe you’re being too picky. You’re not getting any younger, you know.”“Wow, Mom. Thanks a million. While I greatly ‘appreciate’ your kind efforts to pair me up before I become an old spinster, I think I draw the line at, I don’t know, excessive sweat and gross innuendos. Thanks but no thanks,” I retorted, sarcasm oozing out of my words.I was met with a humph and an end of discussion. My mother hates admitting I’m right.So, now I am left with two unfortunate facts in my life.Mondays are creepy Chuck day, and even my mother thinks I’m getting desperate in the man department.Oh, life is grand.
I am a high school English teacher, an author, and a fan of anything pink. I am truly the English teacher cliché; I love cats, reading, Shakespeare, and Poe. I currently live in my hometown with my husband Chad; our cats Arya, Amelia, Alice, Bob, and Marjorie; and our Mastiff Henry.As the author of two novels, Voice of Innocence and Without You, I have many inspirations in my life as a writer. My parents instilled in me a value for education and reading from the time I could talk. One of my earliest memories is sitting with my parents as they taught me to sound out words. My husband has also inspired me to pursue my dream of writing. I met Chad in an art class when we were only twelve. He has shown me that love is real, is enduring, and is our most important ally in this sometimes harsh world. He has supported me through this entire process, believing in my writing even before I believed in it myself.
My hope is that by becoming a published author, I can inspire some of my students and other aspiring writers to pursue their own passions. I want them to see that any dream can be attained, and publishing a novel isn't out of the realm of possibility.
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January 26, 2016
New Release: Sit, Stay, Love by J.J. Howard #ya
Sit, Stay, Love by J.J. Howard
Published January 26, 2016
Published by Scholastic
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25786942-sit-stay-love
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sit-stay-love-jj-howard/1122205253
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sit-Stay-Love-Wish-Novel/dp/0545861578
IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780545861571
ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sit-stay-love/id1012129233?mt=11
Cecilia Murray has been wishing for a dog for as long as she can remember. But when a cute little pug is brought in to Orphan Paws, the shelter where she volunteers, she knows Potato is the dog she’s been waiting for.
There’s just one problem—Eric Chung (class president, captain of the basketball team, and all around Mr. Perfect) has already adopted Potato. And what’s worse, he plans to turn her precious little tater into a show dog. Cecilia vows to rescue the little guy from a life of sparkly collars and snobby judges. First, she has to “help” Eric train Potato. The trouble is, the more time she spends with Eric, the harder it is to remember her mission. For Cecilia, it’s puppy love for sure…but maybe Potato’s not the only one who’s stolen her heart.
About the Author:
If you’re looking for J. J. Howard, you’ll probably find her in Central Florida, but she wishes you’d find her in New York City. NYC, along with books, TV, music, coffee, and her mini-dachshund Willow are on top of her list of favorite things.
By day she teaches English and Humanities at a small private high school, and by night she writes, edits, or Netflixes. Howard’s debut YA, That Time I Joined the Circus, tells the story of Lexi, who accidentally joins the circus (and falls in love) while searching for her missing mother. Her second YA, Tracers, follows Cam, a NYC bike messenger who meets a beautiful stranger named Nikki who pulls him into the world of parkour. Her debut MG, Sit, Stay, Love is coming from Scholastic on January 26, 2016.
Website: http://jjhowardbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JJHowardBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jjhowardbooks
The Giveaway:
Two signed copies (to two winners) along with bookmarks and pug stickers. It will be open to US and Canada
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January 23, 2016
Son of a Pitch Entry Instructions #sonofapitch #writing
Are you ready for the details for Son of a Pitch? It’s less that a month until the first round, so it’s time for me to give you the break down. But before I begin, for your information, here are the agents and the list of publishers involved. You will also find short blurbs on all of them by checking Katie Hamstead's blog archives. I have posted about one each Wednesday.Now, on with the show!
Formatting:
Title: (Name of Manuscript)
Age and Genre: (YA/NA/Adult then Genre)
Word Count: (to the nearest thousand)
Query:
Insert query here. No bio please.
First 250 Words:
I don’t care if this is from a prologue or chapter one. That’s up to you.
Week 1 starts Feb 15, 2016:
A chance to refine your query and first 250 words. Post this on your blog then post a link in the comments of a post I will put up on my blog the week of Feb 15. Please leave feedback on a minimum of three other queries and first 250.
Week 2 starts Feb 22, 2016:
This week, published authors will give you feedback. The Son of a Pitch team, who are all published, will post your emailed in queries and 250 words on their blogs. Please use the formatting above and email to:
sonofapitchcomp@yahoo.com.au
Incorrectly formatted emails will be kicked off the island. The team will vote for their favorites to go onto the final round. They will cast five votes each, anywhere they want, and the top 20 will go onto the next round. Feel free to coax judges your direction however you want! But please, only you and the judges can comment on your entry, or the comments can get confusing for tallying votes at the end. Votes will close on Thursday 11:59 p.m. MST. To stalk the hosts/voting authors, click Here.
The first fifty entries will go into this round. So get your clickers ready to email at precisely 10 a.m. MST on Friday Feb 19th.
But don’t be discouraged! You will get good feedback to help you even if you don’t make the top twenty. So please go and query elsewhere afterward, and let us know your success story so it can be shared on the blog.
Week 3 starts Feb 29, 2016:
We have a fantastic line up of editors, publishers, and agents. They’ll swing by the final contestants to try to bribe you into subbing to them. The final Twenty will post right here on this blog, where agents/editors will come and make requests for you. If you make the top twenty, you will be emailed on Friday 26th, and all updated entries sent to the email address by Saturday 27th 11:59 p.m. MST. If you don’t make the deadline, the next highest voted entry will be emailed, and will have 24 hrs to get the entry into the inbox.Feel free to email any requests made whenever you feel like it, but note that the agents/editors are allowed to give feedback on your entry. Also, make sure to include that your query to them is from the comp by putting Son of a Pitch Request in the title.
Twitter Pitch: Mar 7, 2016:
And finally, we’ll have a free-for-all twitter pitching opp under the hashtag #sonofapitch
Rules: Makes sure to include #sonofapitch and your genre/age category with the tweet. You can tweet any number of manuscripts, but only once every hour each.
These instructions are cross-posted from Katie Teller at her blog.
January 22, 2016
Cover Reveal: Target on Our Backs by @JMDarhower #romance #suspense
COVER REVEAL
Target on Our Backs(Monster in His Eyes #3)USA Today Bestselling AuthorJ.M. DarhowerGenre: Romantic SuspenseRelease Date: February 23, 2016 BLURB
The best way to keep your word is never to give it.
Not long ago, in a chapel in Vegas, I swore to love Karissa for the rest of my days. But nobody's promised an infinite number of tomorrows. Nobody's promised forever. Sometimes, all we have left is today.
Carpe DiemSeize the day.
It should've been over, we should've been happy, but people are making it hard for me to live in peace. I've got so much blood on my hands they'll never be clean, and somebody out there seems to want me to pay for it. Happily Ever After always comes at a cost, one any real man would be willing to pay. But that doesn't mean I'm just going to roll over and accept these consequences.
Because when it comes to the woman I love? The life I've fought for?
Nobody is safe.
