Karen Swart's Blog, page 61
June 18, 2014
Book Blast & Giveaway:Cruel Capers on the Caribbean by @KassandraLamb
BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – Cruel Capers on the Caribbean SERIES – A Kate on Vacation Mystery AUTHOR – Kassandra Lamb GENRE – Mystery, cozy PUBLICATION DATE – June 15th LENGTH (Pages/# Words) - approx. 30,000 words (novella) PUBLISHER – Misterio Press LLC COVER ARTIST – Book Cover Corner
BOOK SYNOPSIS Trouble seems to find Kate Huntington, even on a Caribbean cruise. She and her friend, Liz, befriend socialite Cora Beall, who is having relationship problems. When Cora is found dead, her cabin locked from the inside, the ship’s captain assumes it’s a suicide. Kate is skeptical. Her private detective husband begs her to let it go, but the evidence points more and more toward murder. And she can’t stop thinking about Cora’s teenage daughter who is back in the States with her stepfather. Which is worse, thinking your mother committed suicide or being raised by her killer? Or is Cora’s seemingly-innocent, screenwriter boyfriend the real murderer? And the toughest question of all... how did Cora’s killer get out of a locked room? This is the second of the Kate on Vacation novellas, a parallel series to the Kate Huntington mysteries.
AMAZON KINDLE US – AMAZON KINDLE CA – AMAZON KINDLE UK – BARNES & NOBLES NOOK – GOODREADS
Kate went back to the task of opening their own cabin door. She took two steps into the room, then rushed forward. A small sliding glass door was sitting partway open. A slight breeze rustled the semi-sheer curtains that had been pulled to the side. Beyond the door, a tiny balcony overlooked the sparkling waters of Tampa Bay. Dropping her carry-on bag on the floor, she stood open-mouthed, taking in the view. “Oh, this is so much better than those lousy little portholes.” Skip wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Nothin’s too good for my gal. This has been too long in comin’.” The cruise, originally Kate’s idea, had gotten sidetracked by one of Skip’s private investigation cases. After a big bonus from another case, he’d insisted it was time for their long-postponed getaway. Kate turned in his arms. He hooked an errant, dark curl behind her ear. “You know, your eyes are the same exact color as that gorgeous tropical sky out there.” But he wasn’t looking at the sky. He was smiling down into her face. Gold flecks danced in his own hazel eyes as he cupped her cheeks in his hands. He lowered his lips to hers. She closed her eyes and relaxed against him, anticipating the warm tingle of his kiss. “Ahem. So sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to invite y’all to a little git-together.” They jumped, then turned to find a willowy, blonde beauty standing in the still-open doorway. “Where are my manners?” she said in a thick Southern accent as she held out her hand. “I’m Cora Beall.” Skip recovered first. He stepped over and shook the woman’s hand. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Corabelle.” The woman let out a peal of laughter. “No, no. My last name is Beall. Don’t know what my mama was thinkin’ when she chose Cora for my Christian name.” “Skip Canfield. This is my wife, Kate.” “Pleased to meet y’all. I’m in cabin 1030, down the way a bit. Figured I’d invite all my new neighbors to a little bon voyage party. Some of our friends are comin’ onboard in a few minutes to see us off.” Kate found her voice. “How did you get your friends past security?” Since 9/11, cruise ships had tightened security significantly. Only passengers with pre-paid tickets were allowed to board. She had thought onboard bon voyage parties were a thing of the past. The woman chuckled. “Connections, sugar. Plus…” She rubbed fingers and thumb together in the sign for money. After a pregnant pause, she said, “Y’all don’t know who I am, do ya?” They shook their heads. Another peal of laughter. “How totally refreshin’! Y’all come on over in a bit, please do.” She turned and left the cabin, pulling the door closed behind her. Skip raised his eyebrows at his wife. “I’d been debating between a tour of the ship or trying out that nice king-sized bed over there.” He tilted his head toward the bed in question. Kate laughed. “Both ship and bed will be available for the next week. That lady’s peaked my curiosity.”
Writing and psychology have always vied for first place on Kassandra Lamb’s Greatest Passions list. In her youth, she had to decide between writing and paying the bills. Partial to electricity and food, she studied psychology. Now retired from a career as a psychotherapist and college professor, she spends most of her time in an alternate universe with her protagonist and alter ego, Kate Huntington. The magical portal to this universe (i.e., her computer) is located in Florida, where Kassandra’s husband and dog catch occasional glimpses of her.
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GIVEAWAY PRIZES Two Winners – $10 Amazon gift card and free e-book copy of any Kate Huntington book–winner’s choice Two Winners – free e-book copy of any Kate Huntington book–winner’s choice a Rafflecopter giveaway 
June 16, 2014
Book Blast & Interview: Sandstorm Heart by @LiviaOlteano
Sandstorm Heart
Space Files R
Book 2
Liv Olteano
Genre: M/M Space Opera Erotic Romance / Erotica BDSM elements
Length: novella - approx 30k words
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Released: September 18th 2013
Book Description:
Ron Vid is a Celian soldier with some personal demons.
Hoping for respite, he deserts his squad and leaves his planet. Working as a mercenary on Asai, planet of sand and wind, he has a reprieve, until the Haffa named Zaoh joins the mercenaries. Celians and Haffas have a history of strife, but when Ron and Zaoh are paired on a mission, their chemistry crackles.
After they fight together for survival, it’s clear Zaoh wants Ron. Zaoh can be a fierce and dominant lover, but Ron’s secrets, and his fear that the Haffa might uncover them, could keep Zaoh from getting his man.
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Purchase at: Dreamspinner Press Amazon BN ARe
From Chapter 1:
My mind was made up—Ami was a complete bastard. It had nothing to do with our history and everything to do with right now.
Sitting there with the rest of his top picks wasn’t my idea of a good dinner. And yet there we were in all our glory. No way could I eat. Food refused to pass beyond my lips. Burning purple eyes had my ears buzzing. I felt him watching me across the table. Zaoh’s presence overwhelmed me even without looking at him.
The azure devil in front of me grinned and licked his lips. “Don’t like your dinner, gorgeous?”
“It’s fine,” I grumped.
Long fingers aimed a fork at me, his motions eerily graceful. “Fine? I don’t give my champions ‘fine.’ I give you stupendous. Maybe it’s the company you don’t like?”
I choked on water, sputtering like a fool. “You trying to kill me, Blue?”
He chuckled, mismatched eyes turning warm at the nickname.
Beside me, the famous space thief and troublemaker extraordinaire, Camelia D, snorted. That was, by large, her basic response to life. “Something’s ruining your mojo, admit it,” she muttered.
“My mojo is fine.”
“Like the food, fine?” she asked, batting long eyelashes.
Oh, they were such a riot. They begged to be put out of their misery. I contemplated the thought for a couple of moments, but taking out my fellow mercs wasn’t much of a smart move. Ami’s protection made our band of misfits into an operating unit. Without his connections, I suspected all of us would likely meet swift and unsavory repercussions. Our previous lives weren’t exactly badge-of-honor material. I didn’t have to like him, though, not right then. Ever the perceptive empathic bastard, he blew me a kiss. I tossed a bread roll at him.
Smacking it away with ease, he put on the serious face. “I’ve got a mission, kids. Bet that’ll cheer you up, Ron. Won’t it?”
It most certainly did. I spread my lips into a smile, my mood getting better as quick as a lightning bolt. A mission was exactly what I needed, a break from Asai and its turbulent sandstorms. A breather from the mojo-breaking elements on it. It had to be a one-gun mission, though. Being stuck with Camy in the tight space of a ship was a mixed blessing. I refused to contemplate the merry band getting any bigger. Going out with Zaoh wasn’t even an option—I’d made that perfectly clear to Blue the moment the Haffa came in. So far, my opinion had been taken into consideration, thank the stars.
Ami pushed his plate away and took a few sips of wine. He gave each one of us a cursory look and smiled. “Major cargo escort. Don’t get excited, Camy, it needs finesse. No explosives or any of that shit. I’ve had it with your dramatic exits. For a renowned thief, you sure do make a blasting mess of a merc.”
Her lips pursed. “Kiss my ass, pretty boy. Those fucktards shot at me. What was I going to do, smile my way out of there? Maybe let them ruin my ship, like someone here did? Either I blew them up or they’d blow my ass into stardust.”
“Lovely visual, baby. But you’re grounded. Too big a mess and too recent to go out yet. I’m still talking those idiots down from you blowing their mother ship to smithereens. Though in your defense, anyone stupid enough to get their main blown by one unruly merc deserves what’s coming to them.”
Camy’s fiery green eyes squinted and she threw a hand-wipe at him. “Unruly my ass.”
He grinned. “Especially that. We’ll get to the bottom of it together, though, no fear. Besides, if you’re so full of pent-up energy, we both know I can always use a boost. You’re grounded. The boys get to go out and play.”
I did my best to show no disappointment. Escorting cargo was as much of a mission as washing my mouth. But it meant I could be away for a while and that was good news. I had to take it. “I’ll go, Blue.”
He inspected me for a moment then nodded. “Fine, gorgeous. All yours.”
“Great. What am I escorting and where?”
“Private commission. What I do know is you have to get it through Zax zone.”
Zax zone sounded promising. Those bastards didn’t know how to do anything but fight. Maybe I’d get some collateral action, the real kind. Truth be told, I was itching for some real excitement. We all were, most likely. Ami bitched about it to high heavens, but then again, he had been the one to handpick each of us as his guns.
I nodded, fingers rapping against the table. “When am I leaving?”
“As soon as you’re ready. You’re meeting your contact on Kalvaria. And be sure to keep your trigger-happy finger in check. I don’t have a current accord with that station. If you get caught, you’re on your own.”
The rap of my fingers turned louder. “I’m not a kid, Blue.”
“Of course not, gorgeous. But I’m not gonna lose any of my top guns just because you’re bored when nothing blows up.”
I grinned. “Well, if blowing is what’s on your mind—”
He smacked my hand.
Ridiculous. I wasn’t trigger-happy or explosions-addicted—that was Camy’s field. Probably going in all smooth to steal stuff frustrated her raging-bitch side. Now that she could blow up things, she went to town with it every chance she could possibly summon. I wasn’t that dramatic. Well, there had been that one incident…. Completely unintentional. It wasn’t my fault the bastards felt compelled to shoot me down. I was just trying to escape with their cargo. I took a pod to escape. It had been a close call—an even closer call when Ami found out his favorite ship got blasted into oblivion. I thought he’d chew my ass out that time, but he got over it by the time I pushed him down on his bed. Blue was forgiving like that. It made working for him especially fun for a while there. Besides, regardless of who went out, it was mission complete and really good profits for him. He just loved to nag and bitch.
I was bored. That was why I’d asked to go. When the body wasn’t busy, the mind took revenge. We were creatures of action, Zaoh and I. Kator had been at war for centuries. Fighting was the only thing we really knew. Both Celians and Haffas, though different in oh-so-many ways, were the same in one regard—we were brought up with the fight in our hearts, thrumming through our veins. No home-base pets, not really. And while the Celian part was more civilized, Haffas were truly wild creatures—impossibly strong and brutally determined. I’d seen a Haffa of Zaoh’s size take down up to five of our Celian soldiers with ease. I’d seen Zaoh himself take down close to a dozen. He hadn’t been public enemy number one on our side of Kator for nothing.
When I didn’t have a mission, I missed being part of the troops back home. But every time I got close to Kator, those damned images blasted through my mind… probably a good thing I was declared a deserter, to be executed on the spot if caught within Celian territory limits. Pathetically, the only flavor of home was Zaoh—part of the reason I’d left it to begin with. But he didn’t know that. And it was in my best interest to keep things that way.
Besides, I wasn’t a soldier anymore. I was a merc now, part of Ami’s top guns. The Amaari was legend even on Kator. His negotiator abilities were second to none. If you wanted something, you got him to get it for you. Ahlen Zari was the second-best choice; the bastard had no finesse, though. Ami was a smooth operator. His guns were always drawn but never blazing. And now I was part of that arsenal, just like the Haffa, because of whom I’d given up my previous life. Just like the vivacious Camy D, a tall and lean creature who came with one of our new ships. As in, she dashed out of it in the hangar and tried to off us all. And loot the place. Ami was so touched, he took her in on the spot. She was a magnificent thief, capable of stealing the sugar from your cup of tea if you didn’t keep a close enough watch. Sadly, she turned out to love blowing things up too. Ami’s reputation as smooth operator was slowly dwindling away. We were turning from smooth operators into guns blazing, but still top dogs. That was what really mattered after all—being top dogs.
Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was a kid, yep. Before that, I used to dream about becoming one of the cats from my house – seriously, these guys have a sweet life, lol!
When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?
I guess it was when something I’d written was first accepted for publication by the publisher I so loved. I mean, I used to read their novels and loved them to bits, the fact I managed to get a “yes” from them was beyond amazing. That’s when I officially thought of myself as a writer as opposed to a writer wanna-be, I guess.
How long did it take to get your first book published?
My first two titles are novellas, around the 30k mark. I wrote the first one in maybe about a month or so, sent it in, and it was accepted in about 6 weeks. It got published a few months later, so overall the process took about 8 or 9 months I think. It was the first work I’d started writing with the intention of submitting it to a publisher J
Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?
I also do freelance online graphic work and freelance translator (English / my language). I love working on different fronts that keep my creative juices flowing :D
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?
Well, my latest is a Paranormal Romantic Suspense that’s coming out this end of summer/beginning of fall, actually. It’s called Tooth For A Fang and it’s about a couple of lycan detectives who investigate a string of murders.
Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?
My publisher is Dreamspinner Press for my M/M romance works. I also write other stuff under a slightly different pen name, and yes, I have self-pubbed as well under that other pen name J
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
Realistically, it takes me a few months. Sometimes it can be more, sometimes less, depends on how well I “feel” the characters throughout the story.
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
After writing two M/M Space Opera Erotic Romance / Erotica novellas, and one M/M Paranormal Romantic Suspense – A Tooth For A Fang, I’m working on a sequel to the Suspense and enjoying it to bits. Right now, I’m contemplating a Fantasy Romance series as well.
For the near future, expect A Tooth For A Fang to come out August/September :D
What genre would you place your books into?
All kinds of speculative romance, really.
What made you decide to write that genre of book?
I’m an incurable romantic and I love writing speculative fiction, love the worlds I can build and have fun with J
Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?
I love them all, I really do.
How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
My first novella came out April 2013, so I’ve been writing for a year, or say two if you count the work pre-publisher-approval on that novella.
I think every writer whose work I’ve ever read and loved inspired me.
Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
I do tend to have a routine, yes. I write on my laptop, not my desktop, and listen to music probably 90% of the time.
Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
I can’t say I’ve had thousands so far, so yes, I have been reading them all. I think it’s important to see how professional readers react to my works, and I take their feedback seriously, try to improve my craft as much as I can. You can never be too good a writer, right? J
Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
Depends. Sometimes I come up with the title halfway through the first draft, some times right at the end there. I don’t think I’ve ever done the title first, though.
How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?
Character names just pop into my head along with their whole personality, it’s like a package deal that I get to explore more and more. Places either come to me the same way, or I take some name I liked the sound of and tweak it into something that fits :D
Are character names and place names decided after their creation? Or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?
Simultaneously, I think, because the name and the main features of the character and place come to me at the same time. Weird, I know.
Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
When I get the first flashes of inspiration about a new character, I write down what comes to mind. Then explore then a little more, write some short stories maybe to get a feel for their voice and so on.
Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")
Not really, no. I don’t intend to weave any in, at least, lol.
Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?
For my collecting needs, ebooks – take up no space at all, can have lots of them without issue. When it comes to my stuff though, I wanna have one physical copy of titles.
What is your favorite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?
My absolute favorite is The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde. I’ve read it multiple times, definitely.
Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer?
Some do, others don’t. I think the best case scenarios are when people who work on the movie really got the book, you know? Got the characters, the nuances, the subtleties. That’s when awesome works of art flourish and respect the book, but are also their own kind of art.
Your favorite food is?
Lemon icecream.
Your favorite singer/group is?
Pffft, changes every week!!
Your favorite color is?
Close ties between brown, blue and purple. I know, I know….
Your favorite Author is?
Really tough to say, I love a lot of them. The really cool thing is lots of them publish with Dreamspinner Press too, so I actually got to chat with them and so on. Surreal, I’m telling you :D And I’m loving every minute of it!
Liv Olteano is a voracious reader, music lover, and coffee addict extraordinaire. And occasional geek. Okay, more than occasional.
She believes stories are the best kind of magic there is. And life would be horrible without magic. Her hobbies include losing herself in the minds and souls of characters, giving up countless nights of sleep to get to know said characters, and trying to introduce them to the world. Sometimes they appreciate her efforts. The process would probably go quicker if they’d bring her a cup of coffee now and then when stopping by. Characters—what can you do, right?
Liv has a penchant for quirky stories and is a reverent lover of diversity. She can be found loitering around the Internet at odd hours and being generally awkward and goofy at all times.
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Book Blitz, Giveaway, Interview & More: V-Card by @fantasybyalicia
Presented by:
![vcardbanner[4]](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jdhWjF91Zik/U5GWApEUD2I/AAAAAAAAbPA/QB61CEvs5a0/s1600-h/vcardbanner%25255B4%25255D%25255B3%25255D.gif)
Title: V-Card
Series: Sharing Spaces # 1
Author: Alicia Michaels
Audience: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy
Formats: E-book & Paperback
Publisher: Anchor Group Publishing
Cover by: Najla Qamber
Editor: Melissa Ringsted
Pages: 133 pages
ISBN : 978-0692203323
ASIN: B00JPQ5RBW
Jennifer Nolan has been unlucky when it comes to love; even more unfortunate when it comes to sex. In fact, the twenty year-old college junior is about to enter her senior year still carrying her v-card. All she wants is to be with that special someone without it resulting in a trip to the emergency room, runaway office supplies, or being scarred for life by someone’s weird fetishes. With several botched attempts under her belt, she begins to fear she’ll end up a lonely spinster or a crazy cat lady. With only 60 days until her 21st birthday, Jennifer is determined to lose her virginity once and for all. Little does she know that her mission will lead her down a path toward love. She never expects that her mission will lead her to a discovery of what true womanhood is, and where true and lasting love begins.
Amazon / Goodreads / Barnes and Noble / Smashwords / Itunes
“It sucks when your pretend date ditches you for a real one.” I looked up to find Dain in front of me, blocking Christian and Amber from my view. He was so tall I had to crane my neck up to look at him. I didn’t mind; the view was spectacular. I shrugged. “Yeah, but what are you gonna do?” I said, my tongue finally coming unglued from the roof of my mouth. He smiled and my insides quivered. “It’s okay, we’re roommates. I’ll just do gross things to him while he sleeps.”
He laughed again and I smiled in response. “You could do that. Or,” he leaned in, so close I could smell his cologne, “you could get even.”
My mouth fell open. I was a fish again, gasping for air and flopping around for something witty to say. Instead, he got, “Get even?”
He nodded. “Yeah. You know, find some wildly attractive guy to be your new date and piss him off.”
“That’s a good idea,” I said. “Know any wildly attractive guys?”
“If you’ll settle for extremely witty and tall, then there’s always me,” he said. Him. On a biscuit. Or covered in chocolate. Or running shirtless, drenched with sweat. Or … I swallowed past the lump in my throat.
“I guess you’ll do,” I said with a shrug.
“Good. Why don’t you tell me about Jenn?”
“Um, okay.” He placed his hand at the small of my back, turning me toward the little dock jutting out over the water. A sleek speedboat bobbed on the surface. I concentrated on trying not to trip as we stepped out onto the dock. “Well, I’m a Nursing student. I’m in my junior year and I want to be a Pediatric nurse after I graduate.”
“Pediatrics, huh? You must like kids or something.”
I nodded. “Everybody likes kids.”
“So you must want to have them someday.”
“Doesn’t everybody?” He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe someday. I’m more focused on my career right now than anything else.”
“What do you do?” “Well, I just graduated with a business degree last year,” he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I just started an entry level position at my dad’s company.”
“Wow,” I said, eyebrows raised. “Color me impressed.”
He laughed. “Not that impressive. It’s grunt work in the mail room, but you have to start somewhere. My dad started there and now he’s CEO. I could have gotten a job higher up, but I wanted to take my lumps like everybody else. Couldn’t have everybody whispering behind my back that Daddy did it for me.”
I wasn’t lying about being impressed. A guy who could have gotten any job he wanted through his dad, choosing to work his way up from the bottom. This guy became more intriguing by the second.
“That’s ambitious,” I stated. “More so than Nursing.”
“Hey,” he said, his hand coming out of his pocket to touch my bare shoulder. That touch caused my blood to sing in my veins. Electricity arced across my skin. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a nurse. It’s a hard, noble job. Besides, someone has to hold the little brats down while they get their shots.”
“You are so not funny,” I replied, but I was laughing all the same.
“No, but you are,” he said. “Look at you all mad at me. It’s cute.”
I could feel my face getting hot. Cute? I’d take it. For him, I’d wear cute like a badge of honor. This was going well. I was flirting without making too big a fool of myself. Dain was smiling, and not a fake, forced smile either. He kept touching me—my arm, my shoulder. Things were going perfectly. Until I took a step backward and went plummeting off the side of the dock.
Link: http://youtu.be/kM05Yv51-dk
Beautiful by Carly Rae JepsenLucky by Jason Mraz & Colby Calait
Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars
The Other Side by Jason DeRulo
Domiono by Jessie J
Teenage Dream by Katy Perry
Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran
Trouble Sleeping by Corrine Bailey Rae
Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
My mom tells me I used to want to be a ballerina AND work at McDonalds. Talk about setting the bar high! Ha! I have always wanted to be a writer, even when I thought I would pursue nursing as a career. I was writing books and poetry even while I was studying other things.
When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?
When I wrote my first book at the age of 12.
How long did it take to get your first book published?
A couple years, mainly because I tried for a full year to get my first book picked up by an agent. These days the publishing industry is one of the hardest to get into and none of the doors would open for me. After that year, I was ready to give up. Then I discovered self and Indie publishing and haven’t looked back since!
Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?
Before I started writing, I was a stay at home mother. I still keep that job, of course, and try to balance it with working from home as a writer.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?
V-Card is about a 20 year old girl trying to lose her virginity. Love happens. Oh, and someone sits on a stapler.
Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?
I’m what you’d call a hybrid author. I self-publish books under the name Elise Marion (Adult Romance) and I work with publishers for my YA and NA books under the Alicia Michaels name.
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
That depends on a few factors: length of the book, if there’s research required, what’s going on in my life at the time. Typically a novel takes me 1-3 months, add an extra month if there’s a ton of research involved. A novella only takes me a few weeks.
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
V-Card was my first foray into the world of NA Contemporary Romance. It was light and fun, which is a huge change for me. My books tend to be more angsty and dramatic. I think you can expect to see more of my fun side as I write more book in this series. I love letting my hair down and just writing a heartwarming little story.
What genre would you place your books into?
I am all over the map on that one. I write Young Adult and New Adult, Contemporary and Paranormal, Fantasy and Science Fiction.
What made you decide to write that genre of book?
Honestly, the story just came to me one day. It was so simple compared to my other books which all feature a fantasy or futuristic setting. This was about the characters, who became like real people in my mind. It was a joy to write them.
Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?
From V-Card my favorite people to write were Luke and Chloe. Luke because he’s just such a dreamboat. He’s that boy that all the girls love, but he’s so sensitive beneath the surface. Chloe, because she’s just plain fun. She’s a fashionista with a big mouth and I loved letting her say whatever she wanted. She’s kind of stuck up, but it was fun to explore her softer side.
How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
As I said, I wrote my first book at 12 and I really think it was just my love of books that pushed me. I loved reading stories, but I had stories of my own to tell too. It was a compulsion, one that I couldn’t ignore.
Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
I wish I could have a set routine, but my kids are too young for that. Two of them stay home with me so I do a lot of writing when I have two seconds to read, or late at night after everyone goes to sleep. I like my Beats by Dre headphones because they are noise cancelling and I do like music. I tend to pick music that fits the tone of what I’m working on at the time. It puts me in the mood.
Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
I do! I know authors who don’t and I don’t know how they have the willpower to stay away. I write because I want people to read, and that means I want to know what they think! I love reading reviews, and even the bad ones help me to grow (when they’re constructive)
Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
That doesn’t happen the same way everytime. For V-Card the name came first then the idea. Sometimes I’ll be halfway through a book before it has a title.
How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?
Sometimes I just snatch names out of the air and sometimes I look at that popular baby names list for ideas. As far as places, if it’s a fantasy book I’m working on, I try playing with other languages (Greek mostly) and seeing what cool words I can use.
Are character names and place names decided after their creation? Or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?
I usually know who the person is before I name them. Names are important to me so I pick names that fit who the character is.
Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
Most of the time, I know who my characters are at the start. Of course, as time passes they evolve and I let them. People change and evolve and I want my work to feel organic.
Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")
Most of my stories are about young women finding themselves and becoming stronger. As a YA/NA author I feel like I have a responsibility to empower young women. I like to write strong young girls who don’t need guys to save them (of course a cute guy is just a bonus)
Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?
It’s all about the words for me, so I don’t discriminate. I read it all and love it all equally!
What is your favorite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?
The Color Purple by Alice Walker. It’s an American classic and I have read it so many times I could probably recite it word for word!
Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer?
I think they can under the right direction. I think the Hunger Games are some of the best book to movie transfers out there. I think they’ve done a great job making Suzanne Collins’ ideas come alive.
Your favorite food is?
Anything with cheese on it.
Your favorite singer/group is?
Beyoncé
Your favorite color is?
Purple
Your favorite Author is?
Wow, that’s a tough one. I can’t choose just one. I go through phases where certain authors are my favorite for a time. Right now it’s George RR Martin.
1 X $25 Gift Card to eBook store of winner's choice (grand prize) 2 X Signed paperbacks of V-Card - USA Only 10 X Swag packs: autographed v-card postcard and magnet - International a Rafflecopter giveaway
Ever since she first read books like Chronicles of Narnia or Goosebumps, Alicia has been a lover of mind-bending fiction. Wherever imagination takes her, she is more than happy to call that place her home. With seven Fantasy and Science Fiction titles under her belt, Alicia strives to write multicultural characters and stories that touch the heart. V-Card is her first Contemporary Romance.The mother of three and wife to an Army sergeant, she loves chocolate, coffee, and of course good books. When not writing, you can usually find her with her nose in a book, shopping for shoes and fabulous jewelry, or spending time with her loving family.
Website / Vcard / Blog / Facebook / Facebook V-Card / Twitter / Amazon / Pinterest / Instagram
Tour Schedule - One Week Blog Tour for V-Card by Alicia Michaels from June 15 to 21, 2014. June 15 Book Hostage - Spotlight with Excerpt http://bookhostage.wordpress.com/ Books, Authors, Blogs - Spotlight with Excerpt http://therightbook4u.blogspot.com The Page Princess - Review, Dream Cast, & Book Soundtrack http://www.thepageprincess.com Midwest Book Lover - Review, Character Bio's & Playlist http://midwestbookloversclub.blogspot.com/ Bound 2 Escape - Spotlight with Excerpt http://www.bound2escape.com 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! - Spotlight with Excerpt http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com June 16 A One-click Addict's Book Blog – Spotlight with Excerpt http://aone-clickaddictsbookblog.blogspot.com/ Mean Girls Luv Books - Spotlight with Excerpt & Review http://meangirlsluvbooks.blogspot.com Eclipse Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt, Character Interview, Playlist, Book Soundtrack, Character Bio’s & Dream Cast www.eclipsereviews.weebly.com Portals to new Worlds - Spotlight with Excerpt, Author Interview, Playlist, Book Soundtrack, Character Bio’s & Dream Cast http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com Darkest Cravings - Spotlight with Excerpt, Top Ten, Playlist, Book Soundtrack, Character Bio’s & Dream Cast www.darkestcravings.weebly.com June 17 iHeartBooks by MiLo18 - Spotlight with Excerpt https://iHeartBooksbyMiLo18.blogspot.com The Book Whore-der's Delights - Spotlight with Excerpt & Review http://whoredersdelights.blogspot.com/?zx=5197a22fb0ee5ed1 Pretty Girls Read Books - Spotlight with Excerpt http://opinionatedperson.wordpress.com Our New Generation for Reading - Spotlight with Excerpt http://jessica13bridgers.blogspot.com/?zx=81a8b2a187cff8ef Read That - Review http://www.sookie72.wordpress.com Raven Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt & Top Ten http://ravenreviewer.tumblr.com June 18 Pretty Little Pages - Review, Dream Cast, Character Bio's http://prettylittlepages.blogspot.com Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt & Review http://devilishlydeliciousbookreviews.wordpress.com/ Deal Sharing Aunt - Spotlight with Excerpt, Author Interview &Top Ten http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com Storm Chase Novels - Spotlight with Excerpt http://stormchasenovels.blogspot.com/ June 19 Cajun Book Lover - Spotlight with Excerpt http://www.cajunbooklover.blogspot.com Trips Down Imagination Road - Review http://a-reader-lives-a-thousand-lives.blogspot.co.uk Broadway Girl Book Reviews - Review http://broadwaygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com MHZ Book Reviews and Giveaways - Spotlight with Excerpt & Character Bio's http://mhzbookreviewsandgiveaways.blogspot.com/ Catholic Kittie's Litter Box - Spotlight with Excerpt & Dream Cast http://CatholicKittie.blogspot.com June 20 Clarissa Wild's Blog - Spotlight with Excerpt & Playlist http://clarissawild.blogspot.com/ Gthebookdiva.Com - Review www.gthebookdiva.com Naughty And Smutty Book Blog - Spotlight with Excerpt & Review https://www.facebook.com/pages/Naughty-Smutty-Book-Blog/686664438030326?ref=ts&fref=ts 2 Girls & A Book - Spotlight with Excerpt, Review, Character Interview, Dream Cast & Character Bio's http://2girlsandabook.wordpress.com/ June 21 Hooked on Books - Spotlight with Excerpt & Review http://hookedonbooksforever.blogspot.com/ The Phantom Paragrapher - Review www.thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com Crystal's Many Reviewers - Review http://crystalsmanyreviewers.com For the Love of Books by Jaime - Spotlight with Excerpt, Review & Guest Post http://www.fortheloveofbooksbyjaime.blogspot.com Red Cheeks Reads - Review & Playlist http://www.redcheeksreads.com
June 15, 2014
Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Mastered Box Set
MASTERED BLURBS AND TAGLINES
Three Secrets by New York Times and USA Today bestseller Opal Carew
Sharing secrets has never been so exhilarating...
Nicole and Abel met in Paris and fell in love, but Nicole believes her secret lifestyle will drive Abel away. After the vacation ends, she decides to take a chance and share her secret, but little does she know he has a secret of his own.
His Secret by International and UK Sunday Times bestseller Portia Da Costa
Quiet storm…
Ben Chambers is the perfect handsome boyfriend. Sarah adores him, yet despite their delicious lovemaking and the fun they share, she senses he has a secret. But then, during a luxury weekend away, one casual pat to her bottom transforms everything, revealing Ben’s thrilling hidden dominance, and a world of decadent pleasure and deeper love.
Remastered by Multi-Award-Winner Madelynne Ellis
A bad experience with a former girlfriend caused Spook Mortensen to repress his sexual urges, but when sound engineer Allegra Hutton is called upon to remaster Black Halo's first album, there's only so much attitude and stubborn refusal to listen to the bands' wishes he can take before he's forced to break his self-imposed vow and take her in hand.
Working Out by USA Today bestseller Marie Harte
When lust turns to love, who’s really on top?
An ex-Marine with a kink for dominance, Mac is Maggie’s boss. But Maggie doesn’t seem to realize he’s in charge…until he shows her that Sir is more than a title. It’s a lifestyle that could suit them both. That’s if Maggie sticks around long enough to wear his collar.
The Scientific Method by bestseller Joey Hill
Mastering her body was easy. Mastering her heart and soul will be an erotic science…
In the vampire-servant relationship, the vampire holds all the power. Being Lord Brian’s research assistant as well as his servant, Debra accepts that, but she craves her Master’s heart. When Brian notices his servant’s unhappiness, he uses methods they both understand to prove just what belonging to him fully means.
Juicy by bestseller T.J. Michaels
Twilight Teahouse ~ Choose something decadent from our menu…
Solie Shaw is a brilliant self-made woman. After managing a corporation by day, at night, all she wants is to not be in charge. The last man she’d gifted her heart to had smashed it to smithereens and then did the mambo on top of the pieces. Now, along comes the chance to get exactly what she needs. All Solie has to do…is choose.
No Limits by USA Today bestseller Kate Pearce
All bets are off when there are no limits…
Dr. Julia Reed deals with life or death situations at a California ER. When British businessman Alex Logan offers her a sexual bargain, she gets to share her darkest fantasies; he gets the power to carry them out. But who is the real winner in this high stakes game, and is Alex even playing fair?
Ink Reunited by USA Today bestseller Carrie Ann Ryan
Only two men can give Sassy the happily ever after she craves.
Rafe, Ian and Sassy loved each other…until it all blew apart. Now both men are back for the woman they love. It will take more than apologies for these three to overcome their history. But once they take that step, the streets of New Orleans will never be the same.
Unfettered: An Overwatch Story by Sasha White
You never forget your first love
Mechanic Ronnie Lang is tired of being "one of the guys". Chasing the fantasy of finding a dominant male to help her explore her sexuality she applies to Overwatch, a private BDSM club where her eyes are opened to a world that’s more than she ever imagined, and the man she’s never forgotten.
Bondage on 34th Street by Emily Ryan-Davis & Jennifer Leeland
In knots over love
After years of searching, Tasha Sears finally finds the Master of her heart …on his knees in front of intimidatingly sexy bondage enthusiast Noah Dreyfuss. As sparks flare between the three, Noah’s ropes will either bind them together or pull them apart.
COMING JULY 21 - PREORDER NOW:
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id887927200
Cover Reveal: Never Fall For A Warlock by @MarilynVix
COVER REVEAL DATE: June 16th
AUTHOR NAME: Marilyn Vix
BOOK TITLE: Never Fall For A Warlock (Beware of Warlock Series #2)
Never Fall For A Warlock (Beware of Warlock Series #2)
Catherine has taken a chance on love. Another warlock has turned up in her life. Can she handle the new Aussie, Jeff? Or is there something better around the corner? Confused between her husband cheating and a new flavor of warlock, Catherine runs out to find other options in the town famous for luck, Las Vegas. She runs straight into an exotic dancer named Liam. Irish, gorgeous, and James Bond flavored, he might be the answer to her no warlock plan. But Liam might be the forbidden fruit that could lead Catherine down a dangerous path. Will she run back to Jeff before it’s too late?
Warning: This paranormal romance novelette contains some heated intimate scenes that are for ages 18 and older. Length: 16,000 words.
AUTHOR CONTACT LINK:
Website: http://www.marilynvix.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.vix
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarilynVix
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7340842.Marilyn_Vix
Newsletter URL (not the HTML CODE): http://eepurl.com/MWT2L
Book Blast: Lotus Petals by @Brantwijn
Presented by:
Title: Lotus Petals
Author : Brantwijn Serrah
Genre: Paranormal/Historical/Erotic Romance
Audience: Adult
Formats: E-book & Paperback
Publisher: Breathless Press
Cover By: Victoria Miller
Editor: Jayne Wolf
Pages: 235 pages
Date of Publishing: Jan 17, 2014
Aijyn, human slave to a ruthless vampire Lord, would never dare do anything to incur his wrath. Then, she fell in love... with his bride. 
Breathless Press / Goodreads / Amazon / ARE / Bookstrand
Three vampires rested in the room occupied by the captain of the daimyo’s hunting party—all three of them awoke instantly when the little human oiran threw back the screen, shouting at them in furious Japanese. Without waiting for them to move, she strode boldly across the little space to come eye-to-eye with the captain himself as he struggled to come to his feet. At first they were so stunned by the mortal’s appearance none of the three knew what to do: Kazuo, the captain, finally registered her shrill accusations. "You would poison the daimyo’s honored guest?" she shouted at him. "You would drug her with octopus venom and then humiliate her?"
Coming to his senses—they were slower in the daytime, vampires—Kazuo brought his hands down on her shoulders and lifted her off her feet. The sudden movement reminded her she had stepped into a tiger’s den—she stiffened in his grasp and sucked in a fearful breath.
"Since when does the human come into my rooms uninvited?" he snarled. Fear shook her—she fully expected he would hurt her, and rightfully so—but she did not give off.
"Rhiannon Donovan has drunk the venom of the blue-ring octopus," she said, her voice quavering but still strong. "Your huntsmen use it to paralyze and kill—one of them drugged the human she hunted, and she swallowed it with his blood!"
"You dare charge my men with such a disgraceful act? And for a gaijin slut?"
"What’s going on here?"
Kazuo looked up; his two servants followed his glance. In the doorway stood Nagisa, tall and elegant, wrapped in the gauzy silk of her azure sleeper’s yukata—she, too, must have been roused by the sound of Aijyn’s screams. Her cold eyes regarded each of them carefully.
"Aijyn," she said, the curiosity in her tone edged with danger. "What do you mean by disturbing the captain during his daytime rest?"
Kazuo shot a dangerous and warning glare at the human oiran, but Aijyn ignored it, desperate with fear.
"Nagisa-sama, the Councilwoman’s noble emissary was betrayed last night during the hunt," she said quickly; she’d never imagined one day it might be Nagisa, of all people, to save her from the fangs of an angry vampire.
"Rhiannon drank the blood of a human poisoned with octopus venom, and now she lies in her rooms injured and sick. They took her hair, Nagisa-sama! They’ve shorn her like a...like a rag boy!"
Nagisa’s poisonous eyes narrowed, her lips pressing into a thin line like the blade of a knife.
"Kazuo," she said, the word like a stone dropping into an empty well. "Put Aijyn down."
Kazuo stared, incredulous, at the graceful tayu. When he did not immediately comply, Nagisa strode into the room and grabbed him by the throat.
"Why, Kazuo-san," she growled sweetly. "I had no idea you had already become so bored with immortality. Seventy-three years, if I recall, and already you wish for our master to release your soulless carcass into oblivion."
Amazingly, Kazuo slowly backed down, quietly letting Aijyn go while his eyes remained furiously on Nagisa. His servants watched with silent awe as Nagisa continued, never breaking her hold on the captain’s neck.
"Aijyn-chan, you are surely aware you will suffer greatly, should this accusation prove false," the tayu said.
"I am quite sure of it, Nagisa-sama," Aijyn replied, bowing low. "I have heard the captain and his hunting party speak of the blow-darts they use to sting their human prey with the toxin. Kazuo-san has said the poison stings kin-born vampires as well; I am quite sure Rhiannon has swallowed it, and what reduced her to helplessness while her clothes were torn and her hair cut off."
"Please return to the rooms of our guest. Attend to her carefully—be sure these men did not force themselves on her body, as well. I will deal with Kazuo, and send word to the daimyo of this dishonorable conduct."
Aijyn felt cold all through her, and a dizzy giddiness swept through her mind. She had not even considered what she did—storming into one of the vampire’s nests!—and now she felt weak in the stomach. How had she even survived it?
Nagisa’s words echoed in her head: make sure the men had not forced themselves on Rhiannon’s body. How could she not have considered it or checked for signs of it, to see if Rhiannon had also been raped by these monsters?
"Aijyn-chan," Nagisa said again. Shaken from her daze, she nodded. Then she slipped quickly out of the room and found herself running, again, for Rhiannon.
Sometime in early 2009, Brantwijn Serrah ran across an erotic novel in her local Barnes and Noble, and fell in love with the gorgeous geisha pictured on the cover. Sad to say, the book didn't live up to expectations. After one too many iterations of the phrase "his most honorable penis", Brantwijn decided to write her own story instead. The idea for Lotus Petals, the tale of a geisha seduced into the world of vampires, was born. When she isn't visiting the worlds of immortals, demons, dragons and goblins, Brantwijn fills her time with artistic endeavors: sketching, painting, customizing My Little Ponies and sewing plushies for friends. She can't handle coffee unless there's enough cream and sugar to make it a milkshake, but try and sweeten her tea and she will never forgive you. She moonlights as a futon for four lazy cats, loves tabletop role-play games, and can spend hours watching Futurama, Claymore or Buffy the Vampire Slayer while she writes or draws.
In addition to Lotus Petals, Brantwijn has had several stories published in anthologies by Breathless Press, including the 2013 Crimson Anthology and 2014 Ravaged Anthology. She's also had a short story published in the Cleiss Press Big Book of Orgasm, and hopes to have several more tales to tell as time goes on. She has author pages on GoodReads and Amazon and loves to see reader comments on her work. Her short stories occasionally pop up at Foreplay and Fangs, her blog at http://brantwijn.blogspot.com.
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Three Day Blast Schedule - Three Day Book Blast for Lotus Petals by Brantwijn Serrah from June 16 to June 18 June 16 Coffee Books & Art - http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/ Angee's After Thoughts -http://www.angeesafterthoughts.com Eclipse Reviews - http://www.eclipsereviews.weebly.com Portals to new Worlds - http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com Darkest Cravings - http://www.darkestcravings.weebly.com Fiction Dreams - http://www.fictiondreams.com Kande's Book Blog - http://kandesbookblog.blogspot.com/ June 17 Book Nook Nuts - http://booknooknuts.blogspot.com/ Books, Brownies and Barkers - http://booksnbrownies.com Babu's Bookshelf - http://babusbookshelf.blogspot.com Sweet Treat Reading Reviews - http://strreviews.blogspot.com/ Book Nook Nuts - http://booknooknuts.blogspot.com/ Becca Anne's Book Reviews - http://beccaannesbookreviews.blogspot.com Indy Book Fairy - http://paranormalbookfairy.blogspot.com/ Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom - http://bookyramblingsofaneuroticmom.blogspot.co.uk/ Our New Generation for Reading - http://jessica13bridgers.blogspot.com/ June 18 Our New Generation for Reading - http://jessica13bridgers.blogspot.com/?zx=bb8dffbd718d0330 Sassy Southern Book Blog - http://sassysouthernbookblog.blogspot.com/ Bound 2 Escape - http://www.bound2escape.com Sweets Books - http://sweetsbooks.wordpress.com The Avid Reader - http://the-avidreader.blogspot.com Bound 2 Escape - http://www.bound2escape.com Book Talk Reviews - http://www.michelle808205.blogspot.com/
Cover Reveal: Keeper of the Innocents by @KrissyGirl122
Presented by:
Title: Keeper of the Innocents Series: Keeper Witches, #2
Author: Kristy Centeno
Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Formats: E-book and Paperback
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Cover by: Robin at Wicked by Design
Demi Redding has used her powers to vanquish demons for years, but when one shows up next door she will be forced to set both her experience and instincts aside to battle a war that has nothing to do with magic, and everything to do with matters of the heart.
As a Keeper of the Innocents, Demi’s load as a guardian reduces with only one charge to take on at a time. However, when her new foe proves to be a force she can neither see nor find, she has no choice but to doubt the so-called good intentions of the stranger one door down.
Rhyzel Connor is not your average neighbor by any means. The red specks of color in his green eyes alone sets him apart and his demonic heritage makes him an easy target. Because of who he is he can’t afford a mistake that will result in his demise, but the fact that he knows way too much about Demi quickly raises the suspicion veil over him.
There is a mission he must complete, and secrets he must fight hard to keep, but the biggest hardship he must face will be forfeiting his life in order to save Demi’s.
Goodreads
As a child, she used to lose herself in an imaginary world by the means of a good book. Now that she’s all grown up, Kristy gets to create her own fictional realms and make them come to life in ways that most readers might not expect.
She’s always had a passion for writing but never had the opportunity do so until now. After trying out numerous options, she realized that writing was what she loved the most so when she found herself with some free time on her hands, she decided to pursue her passion. As it turned out, her very active imagination helped her achieve her goals of creating believable plots with some ordinary, and some not so ordinary characters that helped the stories move along in one way or another.
As she keeps moving along in achieving her dreams of becoming a published author, she divides her time in between her five children and her very understanding husband.
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3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! - http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com Angee's After Thoughts - http://www.angeesafterthoughts.com Babu's Bookshelf - http://babusbookshelf.blogspot.com Becca Anne's Book Reviews - http://beccaannesbookreviews.blogspot.com Book Butterfly in Dreamland - http://purpleshadowhunter.blogspot.com/ Book Nook Nuts - http://booknooknuts.blogspot.com/ Book Talk Reviews - http://www.michelle808205.blogspot.com/ Books, Brownies and Barkers - http://booksnbrownies.com Bookworm for Kids - http://www.bookwormforkids.blogspot.com Booky Ramblings of a Neurotic Mom - http://bookyramblingsofaneuroticmom.blogspot.co.uk/ Bound 2 Escape - http://www.bound2escape.com Coffee Books & Art - http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/ Dalene's Book Reviews - http://dalenesbookreviews.blogspot.com Diane's Book Blog - http://dianes-book.blogspot.com Eclipse Reviews - http://www.eclipsereviews.weebly.com Fiction Dreams - http://www.fictiondreams.com Fike's Book Blog - http://www.fikesbookblog.com For The Love of Books - http://ftlobblog.blogspot.com/ iHeart Books by MiLo18 - https://iHeartBooksbyMiLo18.blogspot.com Indy Book Fairy - http://paranormalbookfairy.blogspot.com/ JeanzBookReadNReview - http://jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.co.uk/ Kande's Book Blog - http://kandesbookblog.blogspot.com/ Once Upon a YA Book - http://onceuponayabook.blogspot.com Our New Generation for Reading - http://jessica13bridgers.blogspot.com/?zx=9163e81df512d0eb Portals to new Worlds - http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com Sweets Books - http://sweetsbooks.wordpress.com The Avid Reader - http://the-avidreader.blogspot.com The Phantom Paragrapher - http://www.thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com
Cover Reveal: Eating Sarah by Jaret Martens @FadingDream97
Presented by:
Title: Eating Sarah Author: Jaret Martens
Audience: YA
Genre: Thriller
Formats: E-book
Publisher: Immortal Ink Publishing
Cover by: Rebecca Hamilton
Editor: Rebecca Hamilton and Louise Caiola
Expected Date of Publishing: Mid-2014
Ever since Sarah was young, all she could dream about was participating in The Hunt — a monthly event in which her people sneak into the nearby cities and villages to gather food. And in Sarah’s world, the food they feast on most is human flesh. In the deep forests of the Rocky Mountains, Sarah lives in a community of man-eaters. With Fall ending and hunger running rampant, Sarah and her cannibalistic community are forced to change the rules of their Hunt. And with these changes come new risks. When her first Hunt ends in catastrophe, and one of her only friends is lost, Sarah is sentenced to work in the slaughter shack.
Among the dead and dying, Sarah is introduced to Troy: a man she knows she will be forced to kill. As her life crumbles around her, her feelings for Troy grow, along with the knowledge that, if anyone discovers her secret, she will find herself in his place.
With nowhere to turn, and Troy’s time running out, Sarah becomes set on leaving. But, in accordance with their laws, to leave would be to dishonor the family name and, in turn, cause their deaths. As suspicions of mutiny within the colony rise, everyone is watched and every move Sarah makes could be her last.
And then there are the bodies–the ones that are unmistakably their own, complete with missing limbs and markings that oddly look like bite marks.
Boundaries are pushed, allegiances broken, and the very question of what it means to be human is called into play.
Goodreads / Immortal Ink Publishing
Instead of looking intimidated, he looked amused. “It’s your parents, isn’t it?” The question took me off guard, and I drew back slightly.
The smile grew wider, twisting into something vile and grotesque. “They made you come here, didn’t they?”
“How did you . . . ”
“I heard the way you and Steve talked about them out there. What kind of parents would make their own daughter work in such a horrible place? My, my, my . . . ”
My eyebrows fell. “This isn’t about them. This is about Darren and Amy, the two people who are probably dead right now because you won’t give me an answer.”
“My parents never really cared much for me either. I can still see their smug—no, disappointed—faces. Then again, they never would have made me come to a place like this. You must have really done something to tick yours off.”
“I didn’t do anything. It’s not my fault Darren and Amy were hurt! My dad’s part of the reason I even had to participate in the stupid . . . ” I stopped as the captive’s face seemed to grow even more twisted.
“Oh, don’t stop now. This is the best bit conversation I’ve had in weeks.”
I reached my free hand up to my cut. “I can’t believe I almost fell for that, you turning me against my mother and father. You’re good.”
He shook his head, the ropes at his wrists pulling back with every movement. “No, you’re just easy.”
Jaret was raised in the unremarkable town of Hepburn, Saskatchewan where he spent most of his time doing things of little to no consequence. Because of the boredom that encompassed his life, he sought excitement elsewhere. While most of his adventures ended in as timid a matter as they’d begun, writing proved to be the only thing worth doing twice.Eventually, he managed to escape the confines of his minuscule town and arrived in the small city of Saskatoon. It is here that Jaret managed to finish his first novel and has since been hard at work on various other projects. Jaret is drawn to big concepts and bigger characters with a penchant for inflicting pain on all of them. Most days, you can find Jaret stressing over his lack of solid life direction, all the while drinking coffee and watching reruns of TV shows that almost nobody remembers. If you ever see him, feel free to talk to him about the ending of Lost which, he assures you, did not mean that they were dead the whole time.
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
![clip_image004[1]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1402938697i/10015754.png)
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June 13, 2014
Book Blast & Giveaway: Beasthood by @AZGREEN786
BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – Beasthood SERIES – The Hidden Blood Series, #1 AUTHOR – A.Z. Green GENRE – Paranormal romance/ dark fantasy/ new adult PUBLICATION DATE – 17th Feb 2014 LENTH (Pages/# Words) – 390 pages PUBLISHER – KDP Amazon COVER ARTIST – A.Z. Green (the author)
BOOK BLURB / SYNOPSIS – The bloody, raw meat was tantalizing her; calling to her. She hated it and yearned for it all at once. Stop, she ordered. What are you doing?! So hungryyyyy, snarled a primal voice deep within her. Don’t you dare! she screamed back. But the primal hunger ignored her pleas and took over her body, forcing her rational voice deep within the crevices of her mind. What would you do if you discovered you weren't human? That you turned into a bloodthirsty monster against your will? What if your instincts, emotions and desires were torn between your own and the dark, dangerous animal lurking inside of you? If it could make you yearn for someone you shouldn't, make you say and act in ways you wouldn't and overwhelm your whole existence? If everything you'd ever known about your life was a lie? In a world where a deeply hidden community is swathed in mystery, deadly secrets, betrayal and murder, Jaz Barker struggles to fight against the dangerous Beast within her and the emotions and desires it thrusts her way. When tensions ride high and people she cares about are put in danger, she will have to decide how much of her newly awakened animal-side she's willing to let in. And if it is worth the risk... BUY & TBR LINKS AMAZON KINDLE US / AMAZON KINDLE UK / GOODREADS / SHELFARI
EXCERPT “For the fourth round, the judges have decided that the two opponents must face each other in their Beast form, starting now!” The crowd drowned out his rumbling voice and went manic. Jaz stared in disgusted awe as Kain's body contorted and twisted and crunched until he turned into a Beast. His roars and howls were spine-chilling, sending shivers through every inch of her. But she realized her reaction wasn't because of him. Something was wrong with Nik. “Why isn't he Changing?” Alf barked. “Why the fuck isn't he Changing?!” Jaz gaped at Nik who was standing completely still. Kain's spine cracked and dark brown hair began pushing through his skin, covering his Changing body. His jaw crunched as it lengthened. “He can't Change,” she uttered in a low voice, mostly to herself. The air in her lungs suddenly felt like a ball coated in spikes. “He can't bloody Change! He must be too weak!” She clamped her hands to her mouth just as Kain lunged straight for Nik. Before she knew what she was doing, she jumped forward, tripping over the thigh-high barrier. She felt Alf's hand whip past her, missing a grip on her arm before she saw the sand floor of the arena below her, rushing towards her. She held out her hands just in time to try to soften the fall before she slammed into the ground; the wind was knocked out of her and she grunted. Half the crowd turned in her direction, some pointing at her, the other half who hadn't yet seen her still had their eyes glued to the cage. She cocked her head up, saw the Beast's teeth about to shred Nik's shielding arm to pieces, when her view was blocked by someone's back as they pounded towards the cage. One by one, five more Weres jumped down from behind her, dodging her as they raced towards the metal dome. She stared in bewilderment as two more sprang out from the barrier containing the pulsing crowd on the other side. The increase of Weres on the arena floor caused an uproar in the crowd and Judges Stand. Jaz saw the two cage guards knocked out on the floor just before she felt an arm around her, yanking her to her feet. She wheeled round to face the cold, beautiful eyes of her enemy. “Fraya!” she barked, teeth bared. Njord's note had confirmed the feeling in her gut that the cold-hearted bitch standing in front of her had killed Lora and her unborn child. Jaz wanted to squeeze the life out of her and enjoy watching it. But the guilt-stricken look in Fraya's eyes stopped her. “Need a hand?” Fraya offered. Jaz studied her suspiciously but urgency kicked her into action. She pushed her emotions aside, ignoring Fraya as she bolted across the sand floor, sprinting over and around Weres fighting and throwing punches at each other. She couldn't tell who was with her or against her. She didn't care. She just needed to see if Nik was alive. Beast Kain was roaming around the cage, pacing back and forth. Nik was in the middle still standing and Jaz exhaled with relief. Alf was pushing others back from the cage. The wispy-haired judge was screeching into his microphone, calling for order. It was then that the balls of fire shot out of nowhere. Jaz screamed as one hurled in her direction. Those in front of her path ducked, and she dived to the side just in time. Then there was another from a different direction, coming from her left this time. She ran forward. Then came another, and another all being shot from guns fixed into the stone barrier just below the crowd. Jaz spotted square holes that had been opened for the guns to fire through, before she had to dive again. The heat of the balls turned the arena into Hell itself. She ran towards the cage but was stopped in her path as more fireballs in quicker succession exploded out into the arena. The fireballs bounced off the wall of glass protecting the crowd. Jaz had no idea when or how the glass wall had appeared. As she ducked down on the ground she noticed the balls of fire seemed to purposely miss the cage, aiming only at those who'd disrupted the fight. Some of the people dispersed as quickly as they could. But others weren't so lucky. Jaz cried out when a man next to her, not much older than she was, was hit in the chest by a fireball. He fell back screaming like a banshee. She jumped away, falling onto her butt as she gawked at him. His clothes were melted to his torso and the skin was burnt off like candle wax. He held his burnt flesh, and it was then Jaz saw the enormous hole in his body; his intestines, stomach and liver burnt away; his spine was visible, charcoal black and smoking. She sagged over her bent knees, clutching her stomach as the unbearable stench made her retch. He was gasping as his hands scrambled around his stomach, as if trying to hold himself together. More skin slid away like red-hot melted cheese from his touch. And then he held up his burnt hands screaming because he'd rubbed away the flesh and muscle from them, leaving nothing but charred bone. Then he gurgled as he choked on his own blood, unable to breathe. Jaz sprang to her feet, holding her hand to her mouth. Her eyes widened to saucers when she saw the fireball hurtling towards her. Before she was a human barbecue, someone knocked her down from behind and the fireball flew past her, hitting the wall. She swung round to find Fraya again. She should have shoved Fraya into the path of a fireball but the horror of what she'd seen stupefied her. She peered down at the dying man and saw he was no longer moving. The foul stench and smoke in the air made her cough and her eyes burn. “Go!” Fraya bellowed, shoving her up. Jaz jumped to her feet, avoiding the charred bodies, dodging the one-on-one combats still going on despite the raging fireballs shooting out. She wanted to scream at them to get out of there, but she needed them to be distracted because she knew at least half of them would try and stop her. Fraya was the first to try as she yelled at Jaz to come back, before Jaz pulled open the enormous bolt on the door of the cage and jumped in.
AUTHOR BIO: A.Z.Green was born in 1989 and raised in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. She met the love of her life aged 16 and moved to London, finally settling down near Brighton. She has written various novels and short stories in her lifetime but has only recently decided to publish. She writes a wide range of genres such as dark fantasy, romance, thriller, historical fiction, dystopian, horror and paranormal. Her books tend to fit better into the New Adult genre as they usually have a more mature theme. Beasthood is her first published novel. Besides writing she also loves designing blogs, websites, covers for others' books as well as her own and various graphics. She has four blogs/websites and counting. Pinterest and Tumblr keep her busy, as does reading, drawing, painting and watching films. That's if she gets time to do any of these things with a three-year-old jumping around. When asked in an interview, 'What books have inspired you to write?' she replied, 'I write books I wish existed, not because I'm inspired by a book that already exists.' AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS: AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE / WEBSITE / BLOG / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / GOOGLE+ / PINTEREST / TUMBLR / GOODREADS
GIVEAWAY PRIZES 10 ebooks - Beasthood a Rafflecopter giveaway
June 12, 2014
Cover Reveal: BOUND BY BLOOD by Scott Springer @sb_springer
BOUND BY BLOOD
by Scott Springer
An inspirational romantic suspense novel coming September 23 from Anaiah Press!
About the book:
Julia has accepted the Lord and is busy returning her life to order. She is not ready for love, especially when the new site foreman at work stirs up forgotten feelings. She knows a playboy when she sees one, but to Rick Mercado the attraction between them is surprisingly real. Other girls no longer interest him, and if she wants to play hard to get that's fine with him. Let the games begin!
What he doesn't realize is that her dangerous secret is not a game.
Julia's brother has returned from the street, strung out and in trouble with rival gangs. Loyalty to her brother draws Julia deeper into a world of drug deals and thugs. Rick doesn't understand why Julia won't simply go to the cops, especially once the bullets start flying. As Julia slips further into a world of violence, Rick realizes how easily his heart can be broken. His brain says to run, but his heart isn't listening. It may already be too late.
BOUND BY BLOOD. Love and suspense, heartfelt moments and guns a blazing.
What a killer combination!
And now for the cover...
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About the Author:
Scott Springer spent his youth playing pretend and dreaming of being a writer. As an adult he worked as a carpenter before becoming a software developer. Having produced much, his two children remain his proudest accomplishment. His wife led him to the Lord, and he’s glad that she did.
