Karen Swart's Blog, page 71
April 23, 2014
Book Blast & Giveaway: Layers Off by Lacey Silks
Event Organized by ❤MaE Book Tours❤
Synopsis
She’s gone through hell and back.
He’s kept a secret that could send her there again.
And they’re trying to find their way to each other.
Rescued by the man she loves, Kendra Knight struggles to recover from a month-long captivity. Memories of her imprisonment as a sex slave haunt her as she battles withdrawal from drug addiction and tries to put a dreadful past behind her. With the help of her new friends, Allie and Laura, Kendra begins to question who she is, as well as Julian Cross’s true intentions for her future.
Julian Cross, owner of a top investigations firm, has kept a secret since the day he met Kendra. He watched her grow from a teen to a woman and fall in love with his brother Tristan, only to be broken into pieces in the end. Now, he vows to stand by her until she’s well, so he can finally tell her the truth about her past.
Will the truth finally set her free... or back to prison?
Note: This book is the first part of a Trilogy that is designed to be read in order. It is recommended that the prequel to the series Dazzled by Silver be read before this book as well. Warning: This title contains erotic situations, and graphic language. Intended for adult audience 18+.
Genre Erotica Romance
Expected Publication Date March 31 2014
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Excerpt
He drew my hand to his mouth and kissed it. I closed my eyes and let his breath be the guide as his lips touched one finger after another, then slid along my arm. I dropped my jacket to the ground. Before I knew it I was enveloped in his arms, savoring the warmth of his body, mixed with the freezing rain, sticking to him as if the water were permanent glue. But the weather was the last thing on my mind at this moment. That touch I’d craved for so long was finally on my skin. Julian’s mouth rested a bit longer on my bare shoulder before grazing up the side of my neck. His thumbs caressed my collar bones as his hands lifted up to cup my face, and that’s when I opened my eyes to look into his beautiful hazel eyes, now shiny and dilated. And it all seemed like a dream. I’d always believed dreams for girls like me never came true – but mine just had, because I was in the arms of a man whom I’d loved for years. I’d always assumed I wouldn’t deserve that man who meant everything to me, who would protect me and cherish me the way Julian had. I’d always thought Julian would be the one who got away.
And within moments I was up in his arms. My legs wrapped around his hips and my hands grasped tightly around his neck. Julian’s palms supported my bottom as he carried me back to the chalet, never breaking our gazes, never ceasing to connect with as much of my skin as he could. Once inside, he lowered me in the foyer, and one by one released the buttons on my shirt. I yanked his soaked t-shirt out of his pants and pulled it over his head.
“No drinking tonight,” he whispered, trailing kisses along my shoulder and my neck.
I knew exactly what he meant, and added with a free giggle I hadn’t heard come out of my mouth for months, “And no weed.”
He cupped my face and traced his finger along my lip. “Promise me you’ll tell me if you’re uncomfortable.”
“I promise.” My chest heaved with anticipation. Could this really be happening, or was I still dreaming? No, nothing this good and real could be a dream, because I’d never want to wake up.
And for the first time in years, he seized my mouth with a crushing kiss. The taste of his perfect lips sailed through me like a freed bird lifted by the wind. The soft skin was warm and tender, fitting against my mouth like it was made for me. My shoulders and arms drooped to my sides. My head spun as we stood there in the hallway, half-undressed and wet, savoring every second of our connection, barely moving and so lost in each other I was afraid I was imagining it. Gravity no longer mattered. I felt the laws of the universe break at my feet; Julian was the one keeping me tied to this world.
The pop of my jeans sent joyful shivers through my entire body. We pulled away, watching each other with intent as the clothes were slowly stripped off. I stepped out of my soaking shoes and he removed his. As we moved across the foyer toward the staircase, we left a meandering path of clothing in the hall. I stood there in my soaked panties and bra, shivering. Julian’s boxers clung to his growing curve. The way he devoured me from the bottom up with his gaze felt like he had set my skin on fire. The swell of my breasts moved higher with every inhale.
Julian sucked a quick breath in. Stepping closer, he drew his finger along my panty elastic, from one hip bone to the other, and my lungs locked up, reveling in the trail of heat left by his touch. Dizzy, I closed my eyes, feeling that warmth spread through me. I may as well have jumped into a radioactive pool, the way heat weaved through my body, turning my over-iced skin into a searing surface.
And without hesitation, he lowered his mouth to mine. A whimper slid from the back of my throat as I let him manipulate my lips with his, learning their curve and texture all over again. His arms supported my hands. I held onto his biceps at first, waiting to see whether Julian was really ready to have me, but as his tongue dipped inside my mouth, I lost any remaining doubts. I opened wider, my hands sliding up to his neck, and drew him in closer and harder, pressing his face to mine until I could feel his teeth against my gums. Seconds later we each couldn’t get enough of the other. His insistent tongue hardened as his mouth sucked every breath I owned, forcing me to pull away for a second just to inhale. I couldn’t catch enough air. Julian watched my face as I gave into his body. It compelled me to lean back against the staircase. He supported me as I sat on one of the steps and spread my legs apart, allowing him to hover over me.
__________________________________________________________________
About the Author
Lacey is an Author of Erotic Romance. Her stories come from her life, dreams and fantasies. She’s a happily married wife with two kids. Lacey likes to make her readers blush and experience the story as if they were the characters. Drawing on the reader’s most sensitive emotions through realistic stories satisfies her more than… …ok not really, but you get the point;) She likes a pinkish shade on a woman’s cheeks, men with large feet and sexy lingerie-especially when it’s torn off the body. Her favorite piece of clothing is a ‘birthday suit’.
Connect with Lacey Silks!
April 22, 2014
Book Blast: Symphony of Light and Winter by @ReneaMason1
Symphony of Light and Winter
Symphony of Light
Book One
Renea Mason
Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance
ISBN: 978-1-940223-10-0
Release Date: 06/21/2013
Word Count: 88,375
Page Count: 389
Blurb
One woman. Seven men. All bound by one man’s undying devotion.
Fundraiser Linden Hill has a knack for reading people. She always knows which conversations will put a prospect at ease, which drink will loosen a patron’s lips—or his wallet, and how cleavage will make a donor sweeten the deal. She’s even foreseen her dateless weekends four hundred and sixty-four times in a row.
But ten years after watching life drain from her former mentor’s and first love’s eyes, her skills for divining the predictable are lost. When Cyril returns, he’s still gorgeous, but this time he’s beyond human, far less dead, and pissed. His lack of memory drives him to desperate acts, and his turbulent re-acquaintance with Linden pulls her into his war with a creature hell-bent on his destruction. His group of six supernatural men share a tantalizing secret, but despite the hunger, it’s love that leads her to sacrifice everything to save him…
3rd Place – Best Paranormal Romance
Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewers Choice
2nd Place – Best New Paranormal Series
Paranormal Cravings Battle of the Books
Reviews
“Renea Mason’s book has everything you could want—a unique world, a panty dropping alpha male, a gripping plot and seamless writing that would never let on this was her first novel.”- lbookbliss.com
“If you love Alexandra Ivy, Lara Adrian, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lynsay Sands, Laura Wright, and all those other amazing paranormal authors that I absolutely love with all my heart…then you will LOVE Renea Mason and her brand new “Symphony of Light” Series.” - BookReadsandReviews.com
“Linden is a feisty woman who is not afraid to stand up to Cyril, in spite of not knowing exactly what he is capable of. The book is keeps your interest throughout. I recommend this book and hope that the next in the series comes out soon.” -Paranormalromanceguild.com
My amusement was interrupted by the absolute last thing I needed. Cyril. As if being in a room with a bunch of men who wanted me but didn’t know why and hated me for it wasn’t bad enough. In his black custom suit, he radiated power. He pulled at his cuff links as he stopped to survey the room.
Instead of trying to make my escape, I seized an opportunity to antagonize him. I was really starting to enjoy tormenting him.
“Good morning, Grim, it is nice of you to join us.”
“Grim. Ha! She called him Grim.” Rhys clapped his hands as he laughed.
Cyril didn’t acknowledge me or Rhys’s comment. He stood there for a very long time and looked around the room at each man. Nobody met his gaze but me. Cyril’s fists clenched at his side, jaw tight, and face furious.
“I warned all of you,” he addressed the room. He didn’t growl but rather wrapped his words with a subtle menace.
“Leave them alone. You know this is entirely your fault. If you would just think things through, you’d stop fucking everything up. I do have to say, of all your fuckups, this one is certainly the most impressive and entertaining from my perspective.” I winked at Overton, who managed to glare at me even with his head practically bowed. Why were they so fucking subservient to him?
The next thing I knew, I was yanked from my seat and hoisted onto the counter. Cyril grabbed my ass and pulled me to the edge, forced my legs open, and stepped between them. He wrapped his arms around me and placed his head against mine. It wasn’t his voice I heard but rather his mind. It felt like when I talked to myself but somehow I knew it was him. Strange, he had tone and inflection while communicating.
“You need to stop showing off in front of my men. Yes, I fucked up, but do you really want them to give in to their urges? Do you think you can fend them off? I could toss you to them and see how far you get. Is that what you want? Maybe I should let them have their way with you and pull up a chair to watch. I want you to think about something before you start to defy me. I’m the only one who can keep you safe. So it’s best you stop being a smart-ass for five seconds and listen to me. I’m going to do something that will piss you off. I’m warning you now it’s for your own good. You need to go along with it, no matter how angry you are at me. Don’t fight me. I’ll try to fix this but until then, I need to take a few precautions.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond. If I thought something, could he hear me? Was this two-way communication? I tried to push him away.
He tightened his grip and his voice was in my head again.
“Stop it! Let me remind you that I have a special connection with these men. Not only can I read their thoughts but I can’t block them. I don’t have to try to receive them. I know exactly what each person in this room, besides you of course, is thinking right now.”
So that’s what Overton meant when he said Cyril had ways of finding out.
“The thoughts that assaulted me when I entered this room would make a porn star blush; every one of their little fantasies featured you.”
I giggled.
The voice growled. “Don’t laugh. I won’t pretend I’m not jealous and angry. I am. But if you knew the things they were thinking you’d better understand why I need to do what I’m about to do. Do you see Dominic over there? Let’s just say his tastes run a little dark. Ever spend considerable time naked with your hands bound behind your back and a ball gag in your mouth? He’s picturing you that way, this very instant.”
I stiffened. That didn’t at all appeal to me.
“Thor seems to think that you’d enjoy all of us taking you at the same time.”
And he seemed so quiet and sweet.
“Sinclair wants to shove his cock down your throat until you choke, all the while telling you how it’s your entire fault. Rhys is thinking of how you would look sprawled out on the hood of his new sports car, and Overton...”
“NO!” I yelled.
It seemed like a violation of privacy with Overton. Unlike the others, I considered him a friend. I respected him too much.
“See, like it or not, I’m going to tell you what he’s thinking since it pisses me off the most. He thinks I’m going to fuck you right here on this counter, to lay my claim. Once he gets past the fantasies of watching me fuck you, which he finds exceptionally arousing...”
There was a momentary pause to the voice and when he started again, he was angry.
“He then knocks on your bedroom door after you run crying from the room. You invite him in and he holds you in his arms while you cry about how I violated and humiliated you. He wants to comfort you. He wants to be your savior. He wants to save you from me. But he knows he can’t.”
I felt the moment he left my head, because a sudden wave of dizziness came over me.
With no more words, he tilted his head and placed his lips against mine. I fought the rigidity that tried to seize my body. I knew it was best to give in. I wouldn’t fight him, but I knew every time he got close, I ran the risk of losing myself. I was still way too angry to just give up.
His lips danced with mine as he nestled himself between my open thighs.
Was Overton right? How far would he take it? If it did go too far, would I be able to stop him? He was such a fucking weakness for me I honestly didn’t think I would.
He was gentle and softly stroked my back as his tongue made love to my mouth. With one hand he cupped my ass and pulled me flush against him, and with the other he reached up, cupped my breast, and squeezed hard. His kiss grew frantic and I became caught up in the sensation, forgot where I was, and that I had an audience. He pushed me hard against his erection as he rubbed himself rhythmically against my core. “You are mine. You belong to me. Now say it! Let them all know who you belong to.”
Was he kidding? I hesitated.
He ran his fangs up the side of my neck in warning. He whispered in my ear, “Say it. You need to say it. Let them hear it come from your lips.” His hand drifted from my breast to the hem of my nightgown and pulled up one side so it rested in the crease where my leg met my hip.
Somehow the part of me that knew he was right surfaced, and the stubborn part of me took a momentary vacation. If I was his, they wouldn’t dare defy him. It would keep me safe.
His fingers toyed with the edge of my panties before tugging the fabric to the side to allow him to stroke my moist skin. He positioned himself at the juncture between my legs, allowing my naked flesh to gather friction from his cloth-covered cock.
“Yes, Cyril, I’m yours.”
With that, he struck. His fangs pierced my neck. The second of pain from his bite passed and the pleasure grew, igniting my veins with liquid desire. One arm tightened around me, pulling me harder against his cock. The other held my head while he sucked harder. Each pull he took was linked to the sensitive place between my legs. He ground his hips into mine and I moaned. The first wave of climax hit, tensing muscles and pushing my breath out in a rush. This was new. He could do this just by biting me?
I shook in his arms as he drank. Tremor after tremor seized me as he took his fill. I was so caught up in the sensation I only vaguely noticed the moans and growls that escaped from behind his teeth. With one final pull, and a thrust of his hips, he finished with a crushing embrace as he removed his teeth from my neck.
“Mine!” he roared. He enveloped me in his arms and held me close. He dipped his head to lick closed the small punctures on my throat.
I threw my head back. My breathing slowed as the cloud that had invaded my head receded.
Son of a bitch! I just came in front of everyone while sitting on the kitchen counter!
was afraid to open my eyes but when I did, he stared back.
He nuzzled my cheek. “I’m sorry. I only want to protect you. If you’re mine, no one will dare touch you. I needed to lay my claim but I didn’t want to take anything you hadn’t already offered. Since you’ve replenished me before I thought this might be more acceptable.”
I was angrier with myself than him.
He caressed my arms and back. When I mustered enough courage to look around, we were the only people in the kitchen, with the exception of Overton, who stood in the doorway holding the keys to my car.
Cyril softly lifted my chin so that my eyes would meet his. “Again, I’m sorry. I know I end up saying that far too often. But I need you to know, hearing those words from your lips...ah, hell. I can’t even explain it. Perhaps someday, you’ll utter them in truth.”
He placed his forehead against mine, took a deep breath. “Fuck. Maybe Overton is right. Maybe someone should save you from me.”
Renea Mason writes steamy romances to help even out the estrogen to testosterone imbalance caused by living in a house full of men.
When she isn’t putting pen to paper crafting sensual stories filled with supernatural lovers, she spends time with her beyond-supportive husband, two wonderful sons and three loving but needy cats.
Her debut novel, Symphony of Light and Winter, finished second for Best New Paranormal Series of 2013 in Paranormal Cravings’ Battle of the Books and received a third place award for Best New Paranormal Romance of 2013 in The Paranormal Romance Guild’s Reviewers Choice Awards.
Renea is a member of Romance Writers of America, The Paranormal Romance Guild and The Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal subchapter of the Romance Writers of America.
She is also a founding member of Coffee Talk Writers and the Coffee Talk website–a site designed to support established writers and foster new talent.
http://www.Facebook.com/ReneaMasonAuthor
http://www.Facebook.com/symphonyoflightandwinter
http://www.Pinterest.com/ReneaMason
http://www.goodreads.com/ReneaMason
April 21, 2014
Book Blast, Guest Post & Giveaway: Complication by K.A. Salidas
Complication
Chronicles of the Uprising
Part 2
K.A. Salidas
Release Date: April 14, 2014
Book Description:
Narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Magistrate, Mira travels west, toward the coast. With three weakened human fugitives accompanying her, she searches for the mythical land of Sanctuary.
After encountering a pack of wolf shifters, headed by the charismatic—and brazen—Stryker, Mira learns that Sanctuary is real after all. Caldera Grove: home of the Otherkin. Hidden in the mouth of a dormant volcano, it has protected its residents from humans since the early days following the great cataclysm. For Mira— a vampire— Caldera Grove is a land of peace; an escape from the relentless persecution of the humans who once enslaved her, and an end to the daily struggle and bloodshed of being a gladiator.
For the humans accompanying her, Caldera Grove means death. Humans, greedy and untrustworthy creatures, are destroyed before they can penetrate its borders.
To plead her case for entry into Caldera, Mira must abandon her companions, albeit temporarily, and follow Stryker into the heart of the city. What she finds within Caldera Grove presents her with an unenviable decision between her own desires for freedom and peace, or honor and the human companions who risked it all for her.
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A lone naked man appeared from behind some large boulders and walked unabashedly toward her.
She might have been a warrior and no stranger to the sight of a naked man, but to have it so proudly displayed in front of her was hard to ignore. A smile crept across her face against her best intentions to hold it back. Hello, Wolfman!
The man, this wolf, was more than a treat to the eyes. Sun-bleached waves of golden hair framed a wide chiseled face. A light dusting of that same golden hair spread across his jaw and cheeks, giving him a wild and rugged look that Mira couldn’t help but find utterly appealing. As handsome as his face was, it was only the tip of the iceberg. Even in the moonlit glow, it was obvious that his body was just as sun-kissed as his hair. He was pure toned muscle and firmness that was obviously not the result of hours in the training gym. He lacked the bulk and hard lines that came from intense training; instead, his was all natural, long and lean. A physique that screamed freedom. Mira could imagine long hours spent running through the forests, not to escape but just to enjoy the wind through his hair and the thrill of the hunt.
“If you’re done drooling, would you mind telling me what you are doing out here” – the man sniffed at the air and immediately zeroed in on the vehicle Mira was standing in front of – “with three humans.”
“Drooling?” Arrogance was not a trait Mira enjoyed, but she couldn’t honestly admit that she hadn’t been appreciating his naked form. “No,” she lied. “Just shocked. I didn’t expect… well… Never mind. My name is Mira. I’m a…”
“I know what you are. I want to know why you’re here.” There was no good nature in his tone, and his body language said he was ready for a fight. Tight fists and twitchy muscles were never a good sign. Mira had had enough of fighting with her own kind in the last thirty-odd years; she’d rather not have to take on a wolf now. Her hopes of peace and sanctuary were already beginning to wane.
Opting for the diplomatic approach, Mira held her hands out to show she was unarmed. She took a deep calming breath and spoke slow and clear. “We seek Sanctuary. These humans are my companions. They helped me to escape from New Haven City, behind the Iron Gate. It’s possible we’re still being pursued, and we beg your mercy to allow us inside.”
His narrowed eyes flitted from Mira to the others cowering behind her. “Show yourselves,” he demanded. “Throw down any weapons and show me your hands.”
Lucian, Curtis, and Sarah stepped out from behind Mira’s shadow but did not walk forward. As ordered, they all held up their hands in surrender.
“We come in peace,” Mira said, still holding her tone low and calm. “These are my…” she was at a loss as to how to describe them. She knew the word she should say, but somehow found it hard to push past her lips. “They’ve taken care of me. Helped me to escape at great personal expense to themselves. They will be killed if they return to their city.”
“They will be dinner if they enter Sanctuary.” A smile broke the scowl across the wolfman’s face, but it was not friendly. He snapped his jaw and mock-lunged at Lucian. “My kind would eat them alive.”
Meet Mira
The great cataclysm wiped almost all life from the face of planet Earth, but tiny pockets of survivors crawled from the ashes, with only one thought: survival, at any cost.
But not all survivors were human.
In the dark, militant society that rose in the aftermath, vampires, once thought to be mythical, have been assimilated and enslaved. Used for blood sport their lives are allowed to continue only for the entertainment of the masses. Reviled as savages, they are destined to serve out their immortal lives in the arena, as gladiators.
And there is no greater gladiator than Mira: undefeated, uncompromising...and seemingly unbreakable. Short, dark hair, and a wit as sharp as the sword she chooses as her weapon, this vampire is not one to be trifled with. And knowing it, she regularly test her limits with both her own vampire kind and the humans who “claim” to own her.
After thirty years in an underground prison, only let out of her cell to fight and kill her own kind in the public arena for the amusement of the humans… you might say she’s got a few issues to overcome. But, though she’s been mistreated for the entirety of her life as a vampire, she never let her misfortune dampen her spirit. Honing her skills in the arena, she’s one hell of a fighter, and can endure pains that would put lesser vampires on their knees. Rather than break her spirit, she’s used her torment to fortify it.
In Dissension she found more than just physical strength. Forging a bond with a special human, Lucian, and Elite, her sworn enemy, Mira helped to sow the seeds of war and escaped the bonds of her captivity.
Now, in Complication, Mira’s bond with her human companion is tested yet again. Strength is not enough to overcome the odds this time, and Mira will have to learn the true meaning of honor if she hopes to finally find peace.
Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, I can get the munchkin off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons. I can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, I still find time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). I can do all of this and still have time to write my novels.
Sorry… I can’t even write that with a straight face.
Lies all lies.
Here’s the reality. I’m a sleep-deprived, overworked, mom who just doesn’t know the meaning of the word balance. I try so hard to do it all, (be super mom, wife, & author) and at the end of the day I fall face forward into the couch.
Yes, you read that right, I tend to sleep on the couch. It’s a point of frustration for my hubby and a thing of comedy for my daughter. Imagine waking up to your little child yelling, “Mom slept on the couch again!!!”
Because being supermom (or trying to) means a lot of time devoted to family, writing is often done when said family is peacefully snoozing away. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen asleep with my laptop, on the couch. It just happens. Then, bright and early at 7am either my hubby (on his way to work) or my daughter (getting ready for school) wakes me up.
Writing is my passion. It’s a part of me. More than just a hobby, it’s a compulsion. I have to do it. If I don’t do at least one writing related thing each day I get cranky.
Hopefully, my passion can be your entertainment!
https://www.facebook.com/katiesalidas
http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Salidas/e/B003APXXWO
New Release!! His Final Bounty by @AJ_Wiliams
BOOK TITLE: His Final Bounty
SERIES: Bounty for Hire, #4
AUTHOR NAME: AJ Wiliams
BOOK GENRE: Contemporary Suspense Romance
PUBLISHER: AJ Williams
PUBLICATION DATE: 3/24/14
AVAILABLE FORMATS: epub, pdf, mobi
Eva Rosenberg hacks a secret file of Jefferson's and discovers the man who shattered her heart and her world has one giant secret.
Jefferson Anders’ current bounty hunting status has allowed him to hide in the shadows, never forcing him to face the secrets of his past. Having spent five years hiding the truth, he never dreamed the secrets of his past would catch up to him. Secrets which cost him both the love of his life and connection to his family. Now, he must face the mistakes of his past.
With a confrontation looming with Eva and a possible death threat, they must work as a team to find forgiveness and defeat the enemy that waits in the shadows.
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-final-bounty-aj-wiliams/1118956354?ean=2940149395361
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hisfinalbounty-1459230-149.html
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/421479
HIS FINAL BOUNTY Facebook Release Day Party
Monday, April 21st - 6:00pm - 8:00pm EST
Come join author A.J. Wiliams to celebrate the release of HIS FINAL BOUNTY. There will be Guest Authors, Trivia Games, a Q&A with AJ and LOTS of prizes to giveaway!
Click the link below and "Join" the fun:
https://www.facebook.com/events/222825694594497/
AJ grew up in a small southern town in Missouri. It was there that she discovered her love of writing. Having the ability to create a story from nothing into something held her spellbound. She holds a bachelors degree, and will on occasion find it useful. Currently, AJ lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with her husband, their two small children and two dogs.
AJ loves learning about new things, playing games with her family, and listening to music. She loves romantic movies as well as science fiction. If truth be told, she loves fantasy and science fiction movies just a little bit more.
At given time she can be found reading to her kids, instilling in them the importance of a good story. Yet do not worry—she is also found by her kids and husband at the computer at any given time typing away.
Media Links-
Website: http://www.ajwiliams.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AjWiliams
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJ_Wiliams
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AJWiliams
Newsletter: http://www.ajwiliams.com/contact.html
April 20, 2014
Book Blast & Giveaway: Wilde Riders by Savannah Young
Presented by:
Title: Wilde Riders
Author: Savannah Young
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Audience: Adults
Formats: eBook and Paperback
Publisher: Short on Time Books
Cover By: Tony Bryson
Editor: Shirley Pearson
Pages: 190
ISBN-10: 978-1495442971
ISBN-13: 1495442977
ASIN: B00IDWDWJ8
Expected Publishing Date: February 23, 2014
FOUR WILDE BROTHERS…ONE WILDE COUNTRY BAND
WILDE RIDERS is the first novel in a spicy new contemporary romance series about four sexy brothers, their small-town bar and their local country band. WILDE RIDERS can be read as a STAND ALONE NOVEL or as part of the SERIES.
Cooper Wilde spent his entire adolescence counting the days until he could escape rural northwest New Jersey. Now at 26, he can’t believe he’s coming back. But his late father’s bar, Haymakers, is in financial trouble and his older brother, Jake, has asked for Cooper’s help.
Riley Smith, 25, is fresh out of her Ivy League MBA program and wants to make an impression on her employer, H & C Bank. Her first solo assignment is a fraud investigation on a business loan they made to Haymakers.
Even though Old Town is less than 90 minutes from New York City, Riley feels like she’s stepped into another world in this remote, one-bar town. Riley can’t wait to do her business and get back to the city as quickly as her sports car will take her…until she meets Cooper Wilde. He’s not like the other guys in this rural town and Riley feels inexplicably attracted to him.
Goodreads /Amazon / Smashwords / Barnes and Noble
Excerpt-
The drive into New Jersey is exhausting. My only saving grace is that most of the traffic is going into the city instead of out of the city like I am. You’ve got to love those bridge and tunnel guys. I wouldn’t date one but I have a little bit of respect for them. The commute into Manhattan turns a nine hour work day into an eleven hour one, if you’re lucky. I can feel my stomach start to knot as I get further away from the city and further away from civilization. Pretty soon I’ll be in the sticks surrounded by woods and farmland. I can almost smell the manure that will no doubt take days to completely rid from my nasal passages. I pray that I don’t run into any animals, especially cows, which are huge, smelly and completely freak me out. The only live animals I ever care to see have to fit comfortably in a handbag, like a Chihuahua or Teacup Poodle, for example.
I have an appointment with a man named Jake Wilde. He asked me to come early, before the place opens at noon, so he could give me his full attention. I try to imagine what someone named Jake Wilde would look like and all I can come up with is an old gunslinger like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven.
As I pull into Old Town the place looks exactly like I thought it would. The buildings in the town square are old and I image the place hasn’t changed much in the last hundred years or so.
Haymakers is just past the town square, down the hill from the deli, next to the gas station. Those were the exact directions I was given, in those words. I take that to mean the town only has one gas station and one deli.
When I pull into the parking lot, there’s only one other vehicle sitting there. It’s an old beat-up Dodge Ram. Nothing like fitting the country bumpkin stereotype like a glove. I have a brief moment of panic and wonder if it’s safe to park my BMW in the dirt lot. Then I remind myself where I am. Who is going to mess with it in the middle of the day? A stray deer from the woods out back? The only thing I probably have to worry about is it getting dusty.
I take in a deep breath. I have to be thankful there’s no manure smell yet. The quicker you do this, I remind myself, the quicker you can get back to the lovely asphalt jungle you call home.
I’m hit with a gust of wind as soon as I get out of my car. How is it possible that Old Town is even windier than lower Manhattan? I didn’t think I’d ever find a place windier than Wall Street. Even the Windy City didn’t seem this windy when I had business in Chicago.
When I enter the bar, I try to smooth down my thick hair, which I know is probably a complete mess from the gust. I’m surprised by the homey feel of the place. How could someone like me possibly feel at home in a country bar? Even if I was wearing jeans and cowboy boots, if I even owned jeans and cowboy boots, I wouldn’t fit in at a place like this.
I hear someone clear his throat and I turn to see a guy about my age, mid-twenties, standing next to me. I can’t help my surprise when I see he’s wearing khakis and a polo shirt, like he just stepped off of a golf course. He looks as out of place in this country bar as I feel.
“Are you Jake Wilde?” I ask.
The guy gives me the faintest hint of a smile but it’s almost as if it pains him to give that much. His deep brown eyes look even more distressed and I can’t help but wonder what’s behind those sad eyes.
He rakes his fingers through his thick dark hair. “A little windy out, isn’t it?”
My hand automatically goes to my hair and I try to casually flatten it down again. I imagine I must look like I just stepped out of a wind tunnel.
“Your hair looks fine,” the guy tries to assure me. But he’s got that hint of a smile on his face again and it makes me wonder if he’s lying just to make me feel better.
“I’m Cooper Wilde,” the guy says as he offers a hand.
I don’t know why I suddenly feel nervous about shaking it. It’s a business meeting. That’s what people do. But the way this guy is looking at me gives me the feeling that he might be interested in more than just business.
But I’m not, I remind myself. Not only because I’ve all but sworn off men, I’m here to do a job. I’ve been working for H & C Bank for two years and this is my first solo assignment as a lead investigator. If I continue to do well, I’ll be well on my way to becoming a Vice President before I turn thirty. I don’t need a man to throw me off my career trajectory. And definitely not some guy in a country bar in rural New Jersey.
I take his hand and give it a quick shake but I can’t bring my-self to look into his smoldering eyes again. “I’m Riley Smith.”
“I figured that,” Cooper says.
“Why is that?”
That hint of a smile has returned to his face again. “We don’t often get women in business suits in the bar.”
I’m not sure why I’m suddenly overcome with the urge to get a real smile out of Cooper Wilde. I don’t know even know the guy but it somehow seems important. I get the feeling he hasn’t really smiled in a while and it’s long overdue.
Not that I’ve had much occasion for real smiles myself lately.
“My brother will be here in a minute or two. He’s just printing a few documents from the computer. Purchase orders and receipts.”
I nod and look around the place. From the outside, I thought it was going to be a dive but the place actually has character. I can tell the wooden bar is old, and it looks hand carved, as do the barstools. There’s a large stage area that looks new. That’s one of the expenses I was charged with investigating. I try to image what the place looks like filled with patrons watching a local band play on a Friday night.
“Ms. Smith?” I hear a deeper male voice say.
I look up to see another guy approaching. He also looks around my age, mid-twenties, but he looks more like what I’d expect inside a country bar. He’s wearing a white button down shirt with jeans and cowboy boots. His hair is lighter than Cooper’s and his face is rounder, more boyish, but there’s definitely a family resemblance between these two guys. They’re both about the same height, around six feet, with athletic builds, like they play sports.
“I’m Jake Wilde,” the lighter haired guy says.
I try not to laugh as I look at Jake. He’s young, attractive and nothing like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven. So much for my speculation about his name.
I notice Jake has papers in his hands. “Maybe we should have a seat at one of the tables.” He motions to a table closest to us.
“Would you like something to drink?” he asks. Jake has one thing that Cooper doesn’t. An absolutely killer smile. It’s the kind of smile that can probably get any girl into bed in a matter of minutes. Well, any girl except me. I no longer fall for guys with smiles like that. It hurts too much the next morning when they say they’ll call you, and give you that smile, and you know they’re lying and you’ll never hear from them again.
“I’ll take some water,” I reply.
Jake actually winks at me before he turns to head towards the bar. The guy knows how to charm people I’ll give him credit for that.
I notice Cooper now has the papers in his hand. Without saying anything, he sits down and I follow.
“I think this is everything you’ll need as far as the fraud investigation is concerned. We’ve got purchase orders for all of the improvements as well as receipts for the completed work. You’re sitting at one of the new tables right now. And you can see the new stage from here. I’d be happy to take you up to the new roof, if you’d like to see it.”
Cooper pushes the stack of papers toward me. I quickly thumb through them. I’ll make a few phone calls when I get back into the city to verify everything and cover my butt. At first glance, though, everything looks clean. It doesn’t seem like a case of fraud, more likely poor bookkeeping.
“The loan hasn’t been paid in months,” I say even though that’s not really my department. I’m here only for the fraud investigation. They’ll be dealing with someone else regarding the default on the loan.
“I know,” Cooper says, and I can see more darkness over-shadow his already dark eyes. “I’m going to try and fix that.”
Jake comes back with three bottles of water. “Bottle okay or would you like a glass?” he asks.
“Bottle is fine,” I say.
Jake sets the bottles down on the table and takes the seat right next to me. I’m a little taken aback by how much space he commands. And not just because of his size. It’s his energy—his being—that’s so large.
“So what did I miss?” Jake asks.
Cooper eyes his brother and I can see there’s a little bit of animosity between them. Or at least there is on Cooper’s part. Jake seems kind of oblivious to it.
Cooper rubs his temple and says, “I was just telling Miss Smith that we’re willing to cooperate with her investigation in any way we can. I’ve given her all of the documents she’ll need.”
“Great,” Jake says. He gives me another one of his charming smiles then looks at me like he’s undressing me with his eyes.
I reflexively pull my suit jacket tighter even though I’m revealing nothing. I’m wearing a conservative button-down banker’s suit but I still feel like Jake can see through it somehow.
“I’ll look at the papers more closely when I get back to the city. I assume these are copies I can take with me?”
“Of course,” Cooper replies. The guy is all business. It’s in sharp contrast to his brother who seems more like a non-stop-party kind of guy.
“Did you decide if you want to see the roof?” Cooper asks.
When Jake laughs, Cooper glares at him.
“What?” Jake says. “If that’s supposed to be a pick up line, you’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“It’s not a pick-up line,” Cooper says through clenched teeth.
Still grinning, Jake asks, “You’re really going to show her the roof?”
“It’s not necessary,” I state. The last place I want to be is in the middle of these two guys’ drama. There’s obviously a lot more going on than just showing me the roof.
Jake leans close to me and I catch a whiff of his cologne. It’s a spicy and masculine. “Why don’t you let me show you the new stage we had built?”
I can feel the heat radiating from his muscular body and I’m quickly reminded by my body’s reaction that I haven’t had sex in over six months.
I gulp. “That’s not necessary.”
I can feel several beads of sweat roll down my forehead. I’m getting hot, and it’s not because of the temperature of the room has changed. It’s Jake’s closeness to me.
I jump from my chair. “I have everything I need.” I feel like waving the papers in front of my face like a fan but I refrain. I just need to get out of the bar and away from Jake. Then I’ll be fine.
That’s what I tell myself anyway.
Cooper rises from the table and gives me an odd look. I wish I could figure out what it would take to make the guy smile but I can’t stay next to Jake a minute longer. He’s like catnip and I’m the cat. I need to escape and get some fresh air.
“Thank you both for your cooperation,” I say.
“You’ll let us know if you need anything else?” Cooper asks.
“I will. It was a pleasure meeting you.” I put out my hand for Cooper to shake.
This time, when he touches me, I make a point of looking into his eyes. They seem to have gotten even darker and deeper in just the last few minutes and that makes me even more curious about him.
Business, I remind myself. You’re here for business and then it’s back to the city.
“It was nice meeting you, too,” Cooper says and once again, he only gives me the hint of a smile.
When Jake clears his throat, it breaks the moment between me and Cooper. I’m embarrassed that I lost control. I’m supposed to be a professional.
I noticed Jake has his hand out and I realize he wants me to shake it. The last thing I want is to do is touch Jake. I don’t want to get caught up in his charismatic web like a fly.
I give him a ridiculous wave instead and I feel like an idiot when he frowns.
“I’d better get going,” I say as I turn and make my way toward the door.
When I look back at the two brothers, they’re both staring at me. I don’t know why that makes me so nervous. I don’t plan on ever seeing either one of them again.
When I’m finally outside, I take in a deep breath of what I think will be fresh air and instead, I’m assaulted by the small of cow manure.
Great. Just great.
I hop into my car and turn the air conditioning up as high as it will go. I take in another deep breath and try to get the stench of cow dung out of my nasal passages. I can’t believe I’m shaking. I’m not sure if it’s because of Cooper or Jake. Maybe it’s a little of both. But I’m definitely rattled.
I just need to get out of Old Town and get back to the city, I tell myself. Then things will get back to normal.
As I put the car into reverse and begin to pull out of my parking space, I keep thinking: I just need to get out of here and get back to the city.
When I step on the accelerator to go forward, I drive right into an old Chevy pick-up truck that’s headed straight for me.
Wilde Riders Playlist
Wilde Riders is a story about four brothers and their
alternative country band. This romance novel is unique in that it includes the
lyrics of an original song by singer/songwriter Dan Patrick Fulton. The song, “Summer”
is the first song the Wilde Riders play when they are reunited.
Here’s a link to the song:
Summer
Others songs by Dan Patrick Fulton that inspired this book
include:
Count on Me
The Spark
1x $20 Amazon Gift Card
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Romance novelist Savannah Young grew up in rural northwest New Jersey in a place very similar to the fictional Old Town, which is featured in her books. When she's not at her computer creating spicy stories, Savannah is traveling to exotic locales or spending time with her husband and their bloodhounds. 
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Rustys Reading
New Release!! Running in the Dark by @kris10inger
Presented by:
Title: Running in the Dark: Bessina & Trace Author: Inger Iversen
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Audience: New & Young Adult
Formats: E-Book & Paperback
Publisher: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly
Cover By: Eden Crane Design
Editor: Red Adept Publishing
Pages: 235 pages
Publishing Date: 19 April 2014
Trace’s job has always revolved around death. Trace is a Watcher, a position created assist to the undead to their final resting place without alerting humans of the vampire race. Whether his job is to witness the death of a fellow vampire or deal it, Trace has learned that being a Grim Reaper isn’t what he thought it would be. After years of killing, he’s ready for a new job, a new life, or to just disappear. When Bessina becomes his new target after she witnesses the death of fellow vampires Sam and Hope, Trace is ready to eliminate her—until a strange course of events turns the tables and has Trace protecting Bessina from his boss and running for his life.
Goodreads / Amazon
Trace could see countless emotions play across the girl’s heart-shaped face, but the one that immobilized him was the instant attraction he’d seen in her alarmed gaze. Though she tried to hide it with indifference, for some reason it had Trace rethinking his next move.
“Ready?” he asked, holding his hand out to her, effectively breaking the spell he’d held over her.
She held her shirt close to her chest and shook her head. “Look—”
Trace smiled as she tried to loosen the effects of the pain medicine.
“I’m not going anywhere with you, and as soon as Officer Flores comes back, I’m going to explain to her that you are some loon from the streets that’s trying to get me to join some Kool-Aid drinking cult and have her arrest your crazy butt.” She pointed her finger at him and opened her mouth to speak again.
Before she could, Trace moved. He had had every intention of taking the girl and doing the job that he’d been trained to do, but as soon as he looked into her cinnamon gaze, he closed the space between them and pulled her tightly into his arms. Her small, warm frame trembled.
“Shh… I am not going to hurt you.” He’d never said that to a person before, but to her, it felt so damned true. He hoped it was simply meant to calm her until his head was back on the job and he would actually be able to carry out his orders.
Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears as her spine stiffened and she glared up at him. “Yes, you are. That’s why you came.” Her lips trembled with fear.
Trace placed one open palm on her back and the other on her hip, locking her in place. “And why do you say that?” Shit, he was asking for trouble the longer her held her warm body.
He made the mistake of looking down into her odd cinnamon gaze. She was young, but he could tell that she’d been through some hard things and come out on top. He wondered what price she’d paid in order to escape what life had thrown at her.
Trace realized how unfair her situation was. The sadness in her eyes, the way she held herself, and the spunk that she had thrown at him earlier made him smile inwardly. She was a woman that deserved a second chance.
“Because you know what I saw,” Bessina admitted, finally realizing that there was no escaping him without help.
The resignation in her eyes angered Trace. He leaned in, and to his surprise, she didn’t pull away. “Hmm… I recall you telling me that you saw nothing.”
He was making a mistake. He never left loose ends. Never.
As the girl’s body melted into his embrace, Trace couldn’t help but lean closer to her scent. He gently placed his lips to her neck. Her soft gasp pulled him back into reality. He could never have her, and if he wanted to keep her safe, he’d have to get far away from her.
Link: http://animoto.com/play/xyDxyW500GnBCbI3TtExMA
Inger Iversen lives in Virginia Beach with her tree-hugging boyfriend Joshua and her overweight lap cat Max. When not reading or writing she spends her time watching reruns of True Blood or killing zombies in Call Of Duty.
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Author Interview with Candy Crum, author of The Eternal Gift
Today on the blog we have author Candy Crum with us. Candy is the author of one of today’s book blasts The Eternal Gift. We would like to thank Candy for stopping by and sharing with us.
About Candy:
Candy Crum lives in Indiana and is the Author of “The Eternal Series” and other short stories. She published her first novel, The Eternal Gift, in May of 2011 and has been publishing ever since. Candy is an avid lover of the paranormal genre, stemming from years of reading the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice when she was a teenager. Later, she developed a deep love of the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead and the House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, furthering her love of the genre and pushing her to really push to finish and publish her novel.
Since then, Candy has released three other books in The Eternal Series and will release another later in 2014. Now, Candy is trying her hand at more contemporary pieces of work, like that of Lean on Me and other books she will release in 2014.
Some of Candy’s interests include the usual reading and writing, music (of most types), movies (action and comedy or any combination of the two), cartoons (she loves to say that her children watch cartoons because she does), and drawing. She loves talking with her fans and loves reading the reviews that her fans are kind enough to leave for her. Always feel free to find Candy on Facebook and send her a message!
Media Links-
Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
My first passion was nursing – which comes through in The Eternal Series. I absolutely love it and it’s something that I plan to get back into one day. I want to finish my degree. I don’t plan to stop writing. I just want that degree and to have the option to do both!
When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?
I’ve considered myself a writer for a while. I used to write shorts all the time as a kid (I was obsessed with horror). But I suppose I never really considered it serious until I hit chapter ten in The Eternal Gift – the first in The Eternal Series. I have a very, very nasty habit of starting things I won’t finish. So when I started that book, I prepared myself. I figured I’d quit, but I set myself up to succeed. I desperately wanted to finish it. Once I got to chapter ten and I actually started to speed up – that’s when I realized I had crossed over from having a hobby to actually being a writer. Because I was blowing through it and completing my goal!
How long did it take to get your first book published?
I began writing The Eternal Gift April 9, 2009 and I finished it September 2009. It wasn’t published until May 18th, 2011. It went through rewrites and edits and rewrites again. The entire book went from a YA about a seventeen year old girl to a NA about a twenty-one year old girl. It definitely went through some extensive changes, but it was worth it. I’m so happy with it all.
Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?
I have a pretty boring job of selling furniture. Nothing too extensive. I used to be a CNA and I would be doing that again in a heartbeat if I could. I absolutely adore nursing – even the gross parts like blood and bodily functions. It doesn’t bother me. Because I love to care for people. I love knowing that when I’m on duty a person is getting great care. I do my best to make sure that my people feel like they are my only patient – even if I have ten times that many. My job now is far less stress, I’m rarely on my feet, I rarely get thrown up on, and my back (which is the reason why I was forced out of being a CNA - injury) never hurts and I never limp from the injury in my back flaring up. So I really enjoy my job, but it doesn’t satisfy that need that I have to learn something new every day.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?
The Eternal Gift: Action-packed, romantic, sexy. A book you won’t be able to stop turning pages in or stop reading to sleep.
Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?
I self-publish. I absolutely love the freedoms that come along with it! Though I certainly wouldn’t turn down the idea of a traditional publisher if one approached me.
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
I once wrote a book in ten days. I wrote anywhere between 1,500 and 10,000 words per day. It was incredible. It takes anywhere between a couple weeks to a few months. It just depends on the complexity of the project and also how focused my mind is. I have ADD so it’s kind of tough to focus a lot of days.
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
Both! I recently wrote a YA book on teen pregnancy (Lean on Me) and it was a big hit. I am SO grateful for that. And I loved writing it. So I definitely think I’ll be doing more YA books, just not sure when. I also love NA contemporary. So I’ll be doing those as well. But my passion is paranormal! Whenever I write a contemporary, and something bad happens, my initial reaction is always, “Give her your blood!” or “just use telekinesis against him!” Then I remember, “Oh… Right… Uh, can’t do that this time.” Then I spend two days trying to figure out what the character would do in a real world situation! So I love paranormal and fantasy and the way it knocks down traditional walls and allows us to build worlds so great that they are absolutely endless and the rules are almost non-existant.
What genre would you place your books into?
NA Paranormal Romance for The Eternal Series. Those that read The Eternal Gift will probably argue that since the character is very naïve and there is limited sexual situations. However, when the series starts, Kailah is a virgin and focused completely on her nursing degree. She doesn’t care about men. The books grow as Kailah grows. As Kailah goes through every hardship and life altering/life threatening situation, she grows and becomes much more mature. She’s able to think about men and the need that her body goes through for “adult” contact. So as she matures, so do the books. When you get into the second book and further – that’s when you see a dramatic change. But I definitely consider the series NA Paranormal Romance.
What made you decide to write that genre of book?
Anne Rice is my hero. I love her and after reading the Vampire Chronicles – I vowed that I would one day write one. YEARS later, after beginning to read the genre again (but from other authors), my love for reading/writing/and all things paranormal was renewed and I made good on that promise. I needed to write paranormal. It’s just in my blood. I LOVE vampires.
Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?
Kailah is my favorite because she’s me. Really, TEG is an autobiography wrapped up in an extremely exaggerated situation inside an extremely exaggerated world. I used my childhood/family/family history/and personal emotions to fuel the book and I used it as my fictional world diary. So Kailah is clearly near and dear to my heart. As for the characters that I made from scratch, Khanae, the Vampire Queen, is my absolute favorite. She is everything I want to be as a person – and she’s a vampire!
How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
I have been writing since I was in elementary school. We used to do writing projects for school all the time and I would always take mine way past what the assignment asked for. It killed me not to!
Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
Ugh. Worst. Habit. Ever. Yes, I do. I adore reading all of the wonderful things that fans have to say. I LOVE it. I’ve been lucky that on Amazon my books have had 100% four and five star reviews. My fans are incredible and I love them. Goodreads, however, is a much broader scope of people. It’s easier to leave ratings because you don’t have to post reviews. And it seems people are much more capable of saying mean things there than on Amazon. So I try not to read the reviews on Goodreads unless they are 3/4/5 star reviews. I love reading about how a reader didn’t like my book “because” – when it’s constructive. If they found a typo, or they love the genre but I could have made it more believable by doing this or that… Those things are helpful! But a lot of those bad reviews (for any author/book – not just my own) are simple. “It was terrible. I couldn’t believe I wasted my money on this. Don’t buy it!” Things like that do not help an author. It only hurts them. So yes, they are hard to read and I have tried to get away from reading those.
Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
Title comes almost dead last. I can’t even think of a title as I write. I have such a hard time with them! Blurbs are the WORST though!
Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?
I absolutely love paper/hardbacks. Either one. I love eBooks because of their convenience. But if I had the money I would own paper and eBook versions of all the books I have that I enjoyed and my absolute favorites I would have hardback copies of as well that would sit on a shelf like trophies. Yes, books are like trophies to me!
Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favorite/worst book to movie transfer?
I think if movie makers allowed the authors to write the scripts things would go GREAT. Instead, we have things like True Blood happening. Great show! But when you compare it to the books? Terrible! It’s nothing even remotely the same after Season 3.
The BEST transfer I’ve ever seen (in the case where I both read the book myself and saw the movie) was Interview with the Vampire (written by Anne Rice. Movie stars Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunst). The script was beautifully written and was taken mostly straight from the book it seems. The scenes were almost exactly how I pictured them while reading as well. Now, I’m sure there are those that would argue with me on this. But I LOVED this movie adaptation.
The worst one I’ve ever seen was ALSO an Anne Rice book. Queen of the Damned. Even Anne Rice hates this movie and even gets upset when it’s mentioned. The MOVIE was actually great. I really loved it. It’s a bit cheesy, yes. But I thought it was pretty good for a vampire flick. But – I read the book. They changed the name of Lestat’s maker (Marius in the movie/Magnus in the book), they changed how Akasha (the queen) died, they changed about two dozen other things as well. And I just did not like at all how Stuart Townsend played Lestat – though he was amazing later on as an immortal in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This was certainly a long-winded answer – but this is a topic I like.
Your favorite food is?
Pizza. LOVE pizza!
Your favorite singer/group is?
Disturbed (as evident by a lot of mentions of them in my books).
Your favorite color is?
Purple
Your favorite Author is?
Anne Rice!
If you would like to find out more about this amazing author, check out the book blast below.
Book Blitz & Giveaway: The Eternal Gift by Candy Crum
Presented by:
Title: The Eternal Gift
Series: The Eternal Series Vol. 1
Author: Candy Crum
Genre: NA Paranormal Romance
Audience: 17+
Formats: Kindle/Paperback
Publisher: Candy Crum
Cover By: Megan Parker with EmCat Designs
Editor: Nathan Squiers with Literary Dark Editing
Pages: 224
ISBN-10: 061546050X
ISBN-13: 978-0615460505
ASIN: B00522J7HS
Published Date: April 11, 2014
A young girl (Kailah) discovers that she is from a lost and forgotten powerful Immortal blood line after she meets a strange new physician at work. She begins to have visions and see spirits and has trouble controlling bad things from happening when she is angry. Along the way she discovers the terrible truth about who she is and the incredible power that is locked away deep inside her. Her Immortal ancestors want to use her to destroy the vampire race. Vampires want to use her power to destroy her Immortal ancestors. But hiding in the shadows are those who have been watching her since she was born. They want to help Kailah discover who she is and help her learn to use her abilities. They simply want for her to make the right decision before it's too late. Unfortunately for them time is not on their side and the Rogue Vampires have plans for Kailah no one could have imagined. 
Amazon / Paperback / Goodreads
CHAPTER ONE (first half) The night was cool and thick as it sheathed me in total darkness. The satin shorts and camisole that I’d gone to bed in were now damp from the moisture hanging heavily in the air. Holding my hands in front of my body, I blindly wandered around in blackness as I tried to find some kind of clue that would give me a better picture. My bare feet told me that I was standing on soft ground, the tall grass tickling my calves as I moved. It was possible that I was in a large pasture, though the clean, crisp scent of the air let me know that no large animals were near. Thunder cracked in the distance and the ominous, coal-black clouds had even chased the moon and stars into hiding, not even the faintest glow giving away their location. It took a moment, but my mind was finally beginning to recognize this place. This was a dream world, one that I’d seen before. With every passing night, with every passing dream, I was able to travel further and further into this illusion as I tried to discover its meaning. I’d had recurring dreams before, but there was something different, disturbing about this one that seemed to speak to me. There was something that I was supposed to learn here and I needed to find it.
The wind began to pick up and I looked to the north, the same direction that I looked to every night. Lightning cascaded across the sky, illuminating the massive, empty pasture in which I stood. The momentary flash brought something to my attention that I’d never seen in the dream before. Two figures stood off in the distance, several yards between them, facing off. Even with great distance between us, I could feel the tension rolling off of them. That must be the dark, heavy feeling in the air that I’d felt: anger, hatred.
Thunder rolled again as the lightning danced across the sky. Using the display to light my path, I ran toward the figures ahead of me. As I approached, a bolt of raw, electric energy reached down from the sky and ignited the immediate area in flames. The swift turn of events stopped me short, nearly throwing me to the ground. The flames spread into a perfect circle as it surrounded both figures, blocking any further approach by me. Sharp chills cut through me from head to toe as I realized that one of them was fully controlling the blaze.
Now that I was closer, I could tell that the figures were women. One woman, maybe an inch or two over five feet tall, stood around fifty feet away, and to my right. Her long, jet-black hair reached just below her hips and whipped around in the increasing wind. As I studied her, I began to see a deep-red, transparent cloud, like an aura surrounding her. She was strong, very strong, and I could feel her overwhelming power from here.
Looking to my left, her opponent was roughly the same height; only her hair was frosty white and hung to her knees. This woman was much different. She was surrounded by an aura cloud as well, though hers was dark blue. Something about her called to me and it took everything I had not to trudge barefooted through the flames to reach her.
Rain began to fall and quickly soaked everything around us, though it was still unable to extinguish the fire. Movement brought me to attention as the white haired woman lifted her arms. The earth began to quake beneath me as it broke free all around her. She looked like a dancer as she maneuvered her body, forcing the element into submission under her power. The packed earth sailed through the air towards the dark haired woman, but she was quick to react.
In a flash, she completely disappeared from my sight, managing to dodge the attack. My eyes moved quickly as I focused to find her. My body locked up as my vision was suddenly clouded with the mysterious dark haired woman as she appeared before me, seemingly out of nowhere. Her dark, emerald green eyes and dilated coal-black pupils stared into mine, glinting in the firelight. Her raven hair seemed alive as it brushed my skin and sent tingles running through my body. Her flawless, olive-toned skin nearly glowed as she stood there, concern in her expression.
“Kailah.” As her soft, sweet voice spoke my name, I inhaled sharply. Though her mouth barely moved as she spoke my name, her perfect, white teeth showed just enough for me to make out four tiny, yet still elongated, razor sharp fangs. My heart fluttered rapidly as I wondered if this woman was the creature that she appeared to be, and if so, how did she know me and what did she want with me?
“Y-yes?” I stammered.
“This is not a dream, Kailah. It’s a warning.” She leaned in closer. “Run,” she whispered.
“Wait, what?” I asked, chills once again stabbing me like thousands of needles running from the roots of my hair to the bare, wet soles of my feet.
“Run!”
As soon as I turned to run, the dark thunder cracked overhead and the lightning began touching the ground all around me, trying to hold me where I stood. I heard a loud growl sound out from behind me, but decided not to look back. The earth began to shake again and my bare feet slid on the wet grass, the soft ground cushioning me as I fell hard on my right hip.
“Hello Kailah.” The new voice sent a shiver down my spine as I looked into the icy blue eyes of the white-haired woman.
Though her hair would have suggested otherwise, she looked no older than me: around twenty. Her skin was also olive toned and absolutely flawless, just like the other woman. Though, normally, one would look to the light as salvation and the darkness as hell, I didn’t think that was the case in this situation. Her crystalline blue eyes had death in them and I found myself backing away from her, toward the raven-haired beauty.
She laughed and the sound enveloped me like frigid water. “Kailah, you would choose the Vampire over your own grandmother?”
Before I could digest the words that she had unleashed on me, her attention shifted and the blue aura cloud surrounding her exploded into a barrier. Instinctively, my eyes closed and I threw my hand out as a large throwing knife bounced off the cloudy shield and headed for me.
“It is you!” she said with wonder.
My eyes snapped open and surrounding my hand was the same blue energy that surrounded the white-haired woman, only mine had a throwing knife buried in it. I couldn’t stop the scream that bubbled up out of my throat as the energy dissipated and the knife fell in my lap. What the hell was going on?
Her attention shifted again and with soft, graceful movements, a lightning bolt responded as it split from the sky and reached for her outstretched hand. She caught the energy easily before throwing it at her opponent. Another loud growl sounded out only a moment before something slammed hard into the barrier. That something, I realized, was the woman she had referred to as the Vampire.
Dark red energy swelled around the supposed Vampire as she pushed against the barrier of the opposing woman. “Kailah! She can find you in your dreams! Go, now!” As soon as the order left the raven-haired beauty’s lips, energy exploded from her body as the white-haired woman was thrown several feet away. “This dream is a figment of your own mind but, make no mistake, this is a premonition. You are the key to ending this war and if she finds you, it will doom all humans to a fate worse than death. Leave this realm now and prepare your mind. Your life is about to change.”
1 x $5 Amazon GC 1 x Signed Paperback (USA Only) 1 x E-Book of Eternal Gift by Candy Crum a Rafflecopter giveaway 
Candy Crum lives in Indiana and is the Author of “The Eternal Series” and other short stories. She published her first novel, The Eternal Gift, in May of 2011 and has been publishing ever since. Candy is an avid lover of the paranormal genre, stemming from years of reading the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice when she was a teenager. Later, she developed a deep love of the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead and the House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, furthering her love of the genre and pushing her to really push to finish and publish her novel. Since then, Candy has released three other books in The Eternal Series and will release another later in 2014. Now, Candy is trying her hand at more contemporary pieces of work, like that of Lean on Me and other books she will release in 2014.
Some of Candy’s interests include the usual reading and writing, music (of most types), movies (action and comedy or any combination of the two), cartoons (she loves to say that her children watch cartoons because she does), and drawing. She loves talking with her fans and loves reading the reviews that her fans are kind enough to leave for her. Always feel free to find Candy on Facebook and send her a message!
Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
Tour Schedule - Two Week Blog Tour for The Eternal Gift - The Eternal Gift Series Vol 1 by Candy Crum April 14 to 27, 2014 April 14 Books Live Forever - Spotlight with Excerpt www.booksliveforever.com April 15 Tammy's Tea Time - Review http://tammysteatime.blogspot.com That Bites-Book Talk Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt http://www.michelle808205.blogspot.com/ April 16 Book Hostage - Spotlight with Excerpt http://bookhostage.wordpress.com/ Pretty Little Pages - Review & Author Interview http://prettylittlepages.blogspot.com April 17 Darkest Cravings - Spotlight with Excerpt & Top Ten http://darkestcravings.blogspot.com A.K.A The Book Harlots Review - Spotlight with Excerpt http://www.facebook.com/akathebookharlotsreview April 18 Eclipse Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt & Author Interview http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com April 19 Our New Generation for Reading - Spotlight with Excerpt http://jessica13bridgers.blogspot.com/?zx=5ffc9f761ece34c6 April 20 Karen Swart - Author Interview & Spotlight with Excerpt http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com The Phantom Paragrapher - Spotlight with Excerpt www.thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com April 21 MHZ Book Reviews and Giveaways - Spotlight with Excerpt http://mhzbookreviewsandgiveaways.blogspot.com/ April 22 Clarissa Wild's Blog - Spotlight with Excerpt http://clarissawild.blogspot.com April 23 Book Butterfly in Dreamland - Spotlight with Excerpt http://purpleshadowhunter.blogspot.com Sweet Treat Reading Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt http://strreviews.blogspot.com/ April 24 Crazy Beautiful Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt http://www.crazybeautifulreviews.blogspot.com Coffee Books & Art - Spotlight with Excerpt http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/ April 25 Kim's Book Blog - Spotlight with Excerpt http://mom5taz.wordpress.com April 26 Book Nook Nuts - Spotlight with Excerpt http://booknooknuts.blogspot.com/ April 27 Blushing Divas Book Reviews - Review http://www.blushingdivasbookreviews.com Making your book sparkle.
April 19, 2014
Book Blitz, Giveaway and more: War Kids by HJ Lawson
Presented by:
Welcome to the first ever Kickstarter Blog Tour – so what is Kickstarter?
1. Kickstarter is a new way to fund creative projects.
We’re a home for everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. Kickstarter is full of projects, big and small, that are brought to life through the direct support of people like you. Since our launch in 2009, 5.9 million people have pledged $1 billion, funding 58,000 creative projects. Thousands of creative projects are raising funds on Kickstarter right now.
2. Each project is independently created.
The filmmakers, musicians, artists, and designers you see on Kickstarter have complete control over and responsibility for their projects. Kickstarter is a platform and a resource; we’re not involved in the development of the projects themselves. Anyone can launch a project on Kickstarter as long as it meets our guidelines.
3. Together, creators and backers make projects happen.
Project creators set a funding goal and deadline. If people like a project, they can pledge money to make it happen. Funding on Kickstarter is all-or-nothing — projects must reach their funding goals to receive any money. All-or-nothing funding might seem scary, but it’s amazingly effective in creating momentum and rallying people around an idea. To date, an impressive 44% of projects have reached their funding goals.
4. Creators keep 100% ownership of their work.
Backers are supporting projects to help them come to life, not to profit financially. Instead, project creators offer rewards to thank backers for their support. Backers of an effort to make a book or film, for example, often get a copy of the finished work. A bigger pledge to a film project might get you into the premiere — or a private screening for you and your friends. One artist raised funds to create a wall installation, then gave pieces of it to her backers when the exhibit ended.
5. Creative works were funded this way for centuries.
Mozart, Beethoven, Whitman, Twain, and other artists funded works in similar ways — not just with help from large patrons, but by soliciting money from smaller patrons, often called subscribers. In return for their support, these subscribers might have received an early copy or special edition of the work. Kickstarter is an extension of this model, turbocharged by the web.
6. Backing a project is more than just giving someone money.
It’s supporting their dream to create something that they want to see exist in the world. People rally around their friends’ projects, fans support people they admire, and others simply come to Kickstarter to be inspired by new ideas. Some projects take longer than anticipated, but creators who are transparent about issues and delays usually find their backers to be understanding.
7. Our mission is to help bring creative projects to life.
We’re an independent company of 78 people based in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. We spend our time making Kickstarter a little bit better every day, answering questions from backers and creators, and finding new projects to share. If a project is successfully funded, we apply a 5% fee to the funds collected.
We believe that creative projects make for a better world, and we’re thrilled to help support new ones. Building a community of backers around an idea is an amazing way to make something new.
for more details visit: https://www.kickstarter.com/hello
Alright, now for the amazing book that have enlisted with Kickstarter.
Title: WAR KIDS
Author: HJLawson
Genre: Contemporary
Audience: Young Adult
When fourteen-year-old Jada wakes up in a hospital, the last thing she thinks is that her life has completely changed forever. But when the very real civil war forces her to flee from every open space, she must use the firearm skills her father taught her to reunite with him and protect herself. Armed with a single gun and a key to an unknown locker, Jada crosses Syria on a journey with a group of children called the Fearless Freedom Fighters. With the leader, Zak, they mount a plan to rescue their fathers while they try to cope with the merciless murders of their families. As Jada and Zak lead the group together, love blossoms, but with soldiers hot on their tail, they need to stay vigilant in the face of war.
WAR KIDS - deals with the very real crisis of the ongoing Syrian Civil War through the eyes of young children as they try to stay strong despite the overwhelming presence of death. The novel provides a number of perspectives from young characters as they deal with the deaths of their families, the destruction of their villages and their ongoing need to survive.
JADA Chapter 1 Wake Up. Run. “Wake up. Run.”
Jada wake up! I scream to myself.
Taking a breath in to prepare myself for what I was about to see, millions of tiny molecules fly up my nostrils, tickling the inside as they move. I can taste the particles. What is this familiar taste? It reminds me of when I was playing, with chalk outside on the street and licking my finger by mistake. It took all the moisture from my mouth and left an unpleasant taste in return. Where am I?
A cold shiver runs over my body. Why do I feel like I’m covered in dust? Why was chalk dust in the air? What’s happened? My father never trained me for this, are they going to kidnap me the same as they did with my father?
My terrified eyes are unwilling to see what awaits me. With a blink of my eyes, like the flash of a lightning bolt a scene of unthinkable horror in front of me.
Chaos unfolds in front of my eyes; there is a blurred image of a boy younger than me stands trembling at the end of my bed, with a bewilderment look on his face covered in dust with tears streaking down his face. I can see his dazzling white teeth as he screams...
Why can I not hear him? Oh, my god what has happened to the poor child he looks petrified. Where is his Mother? Where is mine? The only sounds I can hear are my pounding heart. Do not know if this is a horrible nightmare or not?
Frantically looking around for Mother, she not here, why am I here alone? Mother I need your help, I’m lying on a hospital bed, how could she leave me here?
With a sheet of grey dust over my body, it is just settling on my face. It feels like when my mother and I would play dress up, she would add blush to my cheeks. I wish I could go back to happier times, to before the war, the time when I could be just a child those times have gone.
Questions begin to fly through my waking brain, why I am in the hospital? Who brought me here? Where is my Mother? Is she alive? God I’m frightened to death, but at least I'm alive.
Scanning the hospital, the grey walls like a snowy day in the city, yet they crumble in front of my eyes. A blaring light fights against the protective cover of the few blind slats on the window that survived the attack. Where is the light coming from it’s the middle of the night? Is my mind playing tricks on me?
I long for the smell of harsh cleaning solvents that fill your nostrils when you go to the doctors instead of the death I can smell around me.
Shifting uneasily on the bed, the plastic material squeaking against my sticky, sweaty skin, no I have to stay quiet and not draw attention to me.
I look to the bed next to me. The ceiling light has fallen down onto the bed, and sparks are flying out of the ceiling. I see the same dusty grey layer over the bed as mine, but this dust is turning blood red. I glance to the top of the bed where an elderly man is slumped. As the light sparks, I can see him more clearly. Large overgrown eyebrows on his small wrinkled face, blood, was seeping through his clothes. He is dying in front of me.
He is staring at me; I stare back; we're both frozen in shock. Not daring to speak, his dark eyes hold my gaze. His thin, straight lips start to slowly part. Fear floods across my body. Please don’t make a sound, I beg with my eyes and shake my head.
The old man’s eyebrows rise up, and he silently opens his mouth and mimes “RUN". Panic fills my body the hairs on the back my neck begins to prickle to the rhythm of my terrified heart. Someone help me, anyone I cannot do this. My body becomes rigid frozen in fear.
I have to move! get out of here before they get me, my body coming back to me I'm ready to take my fear on brushing the debris and dust from my face and body, and slowly shift myself to the edge of the bed, my legs are numb with a tingling feeling in my toes. My body is weak, but I have to stay strong.
As I look down on the floor beside me, where my feet are about to hit the ground, I see a body. The dust-covered body lies motionlessly; it is the caring lady doctor, the one who was looking after me – Faith. I can see glimpses of her golden strands of hair through the dust.
She isn't moving. Is she alive? Not Faith! I remember hear soft caring voice as I faded in and out of consciousness, and the blurred image of her face peering over me, telling me everything would be okay and that she would protect me like a beautiful angel and now her lifeless body lays on the hospital floor. Tears pour down my face.
The silence shatters screams fill the air. I rush to cover my ears, the screams are unbearable. My mind is being drowned with gut reaction screams of pain filling the room; there are just too many of them I want to run, away from their pain I can't help them, but I can't leave them to suffer. This is not a dream; this is really life nightmare.
Light beams hit my face, drawing my attentions away from the screams. Swiftly, I turn my head and see the door open. As my eyes adjust to the blazing truck lights, I begin see the shadows in the doorway. I can't stay I have no choice.
Shadows have become apparent, standing silently by the door. Soldiers are standing in the doorway, a sea of blue helmets with sage and brown camouflage, with black jackets to projecting their heartless bodies, faces covered by gas masks. Why do they have masks on, what are they going to do to us? There is a deep sound from them breathing into the masks. Their belts bulge with water bottles. I'm so thirsty just one tiny drop of water and the taste of chalk would be out of my mouth.
Big black boots stand among the debris, sturdy, confident. Each holds a large gun hand over the long barrel, the other over the trigger, ready for the attack. My heart skips a beat at the sight of them; there are too many of them even if I had my gun, I wouldn’t be able to kill them all, but I would be able to kill enough to hold them of so I can make a clear run for it. My father was teaching me how to use a gun before they he was kidnapped that were over a year ago, when I was thirteen. All I wanted to do was stay in bed and cry, but Mother dragged me out forcing me to continue, I would lash out at her why could she not just leave me to grieve for my father. I’m a perfect shoot now.
“Run child, run!” the elderly man screams to me, the color has completely drained from his face. Leaping off the bed, with my hands balled into fists, forgetting the Faith is lying on the hospital floor. "Ouch" She lets out a scream of pain as I land on her. Clumsily falling to the floor beside her but she is alive. She is alive. As I lie next to her, I stare into each her tear filled eyes, the sound of footsteps get closer.
"Faith I'm so sorry, what's happening?" I frantic ask Faith, Oh no they are going to take me; I’m helpless without my gun. I don’t have much time.
“Run!” she screams. “RUN!”
Springing up from the ground the bewildered child is in front of me, without thinking I take his arm; I’m not leaving him with them! The young boys screaming stops; I think from the shock of me grabbing him. The soldiers are coming; they are bloody coming!
“Come on we have to run,” I scream at him, God I’m screaming at this terrified children, he looks like he’s been dragged through mud, he’s filthy.
Nooo…… the solider has the boy’s arm and his pulling him away from me. “Ouch” the boy yells out in pain, oh no we are hurting him, he’s being used as a human rope.
“Get off him!” It feels like a golf ball is in my mouth; I stutter as I squeal, the boys eyes look like they are going to pop out in pain! “Leave him alone you are hurting him!” I scream.
The solider is too strong no please, please let go; I cannot hold on to him. The solider continues to pull at the boy. With one fast swoop, the boy is out of my hand, and the solider picks him up in his arms.
The boy begins to scream, thrashing is arms and legs in a violent rage he looks possessed.
“Leave him alone you are hurting him!”
“Kid we are here to help, I mean you no harm.” The solider informs me as he marches out of the hospital taking the boy. Here to help?! Does he think I’m crazy? The room begins to spin, my mind cannot handle this, oh God, they are moving forward, they soldiers are coming from me now!
Turning away from the soldiers and start to run, not looking back at the boy I left behind, Jada you have no choice, but to leave him, they are too strong for you there is nothing you could do. Remember what Mother told you, you cannot protect everyone; karma will punish the evil demons. I tell myself; I'm right, but it doesn’t make me feel any better, the poor people what will the soldiers do to them, Oh God Faith is alive, what will they do to her? I heard they have been kidnapping westerns and requesting money from their government.
I have to keep moving it’s the only going to get out of here alive. Bodies are laid out on the floor; tiny bodies wrapped in blankets covered with grey dust. What the hell is going on! These are children; there are so many bodies, what did they do to deserve this? Why would anyone kill them? Trying not to disturb the bodies as I move; linger on every step. I don’t want to cause the bodies any more pain; they have already been through enough.
www.youtube.com/embed/T4gyqkvOvN4
Help contribute to this wonderful book and bring it to life by pledging - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/warkids/war-kids-a-syrian-story
1, Avicii – Wake me up. Chapter 5 Follow my beating heart, back home Jada escaped from the hospital were the soldiers were chasing her; entering in black abyss of night, only memories to guide her back home. 2, Time is on my side – The Rolling Stones. Chapter 4 Evil cowards. Solider Heen Dara, sings the first lines in his head, as he enters the bathroom. Where Zak, and Jacob are hiding from the sound of gun shots. 3, Mad World - Gary Jules Chapter 4 Evil cowards. Zak, leaves the bathroom to find his classmates, died in the hallway. He prays his brother is alive. 4, Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars Chapter 11 Black as Liquorice. Jada returns hope to find her mother, and brother lying on the path in front of their family home. No one saved them. 5, Eminem - The Monster ft. Rihanna Chapter 13 Goodbye Jada. After leaving her praying over her mother and brother all that is left are the demons in her head pleading for revenge. 6, Plan B – Prayin. Chapter 17 Beware: you do not know what you have woken. Jada can sense a dark shadow standing at the foot of her bed; he is peering down on her like a piece of meat, but he selected the wrong girl to prey on. Kill or be killed! The wander is die; Jada is riddled with guilt, praying to Lord to repent her sins, but she had no choice he was going to rape her. 7, Chase and Status – Alive Chapter 17 Beware: you do not know what you have woken. Her Father was teaching her how to use a gun before he was kidnapped. Jada is ready and squeezed the trigger. The bullet flew out with lighting speed. She felt alive. 8, Delilah - Love You So Chapter 21 God bless my beautiful daughter. Jada’s shadow appears on the horizon as she enters soulless city, where the orphaned children are hiding. 9, Example – Kids again Chapter 35 First taste of happiness. Zak wakes Jada up, to have firing range practice, and fun in the freedom in the field behind the church as everyone is sleeping. There young love beings to blossom. 10, Johnny Cash Hurt Chapter 44 Lambs to the slaughter. Jada leads the group of orphans’ into a trap, she is betrayed by someone she cares for, and resulting in the death of someone she loved.
My play list Snow Patrol - called Out in The Dark Florence and The Machine - Shake it Out Coldplay - Princess of china ft Rihanna Rihanna - Stay Ft OneRepublic - Counting Stars Imagine Dragons - Radioactive Kings of Leon - Beauitful War The Killers - When you were young The Fray - How to save a life The Script - Breakeven
1x $20 Amazon Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway 
Hayley Lawson is the author of War Kids. She has written a young adult contemporary novel set in Syria; a story about the Syrian Civil war though the eyes of children. She was born in Lancaster, England. Growing up in a single parent household with five other siblings; was hard, and also character building.
Diagnosed with dyslexic at an early age, she always believed if you work hard you can do anything you want. If she didn’t know how to do something she would research until she did.
As a young child she found a passion for drawing, and continued this into adulthood, graduating from the University of Central Lancashire, England with a BA(Hons) in fashion design.
At aged twenty seven, Hayley and her husband packed up their belongings for a lifelong dream to move to California. Her America dream was complete with the birth of her daughter. Her passing for traveling, continued after the birth of her daughter traveling around America with the family, and the best travelled dog.
A new job positioned opened up New York, and the family decide to relocate to Long Island, NY, which is where she currently resides.
On August 21 she was moved by the images of the Syrian conflict, and embarked on a unlikely journey of writing her first novel.
She is currently working on the War Kids sequel, an adult’s comedy and a children’s book with her daughter.
Facebook / Twitter /Website 
Tour Schedule- Kickstarter Blog Tour with War Kids and HJ Lawson - April 1 to 30 April 1 The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl - Spotlight with Excerpt http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/ April 3 Paranormal Book Club ( PBC) - Spotlight with Excerpt http://www.paranormal-bookclub.com April 5 Bajgajka Loves Books And Giveaways - Book Soundtrack http://bajgajka.blogspot.com April 6 Darkmotive's Books and More - Spotlight with Excerpt http://darkmotivesbooksandmore.blogspot.com/
April 8 Sweet Treat Reading Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt, Character Bio's http://strreviews.blogspot.com/ April 10 Platypire Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt http://www.Platypire.com April 13 For The Love of Books - Spotlight with Excerpt, Dream Cast, Playlist, Book Soundtrack www.ftlobblog.blogspot.com April 15 TTC Books and more - Spotlight with Excerpt www.ttcbooksandmore.com April 17 Kim's Book Blog - Spotlight with Excerpt http://mom5taz.wordpress.com April 19 Karen Swart - Spotlight with Dream Cast http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com April 22 Book Hostage - Spotlight with Excerpt
http://bookhostage.wordpress.com/ April 25 Eclipse Reviews - Spotlight with Excerpt, Author Interview and Character Bio’s http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com April 29 Cajun Book Lover - Spotlight with Excerpt http://www.cajunbooklover.blogspot.com Making your book sparkle.
April 18, 2014
Author Interview with Julia Debski, author of The Hazel Tree
Today on the blog we have author Julia Debski fro an interview. Julia is the author of The Hazel Tree, today’s book blast. We would like to thank Julia for stopping by and sharing with us.
About the Julia:
Julia Debski was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1996. Her family moved around a lot during her childhood before finally settling down in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It wasn't until the 8th grade that she found her passion for writing. It was thanks to a particularly inspiring English teacher and a story that needed to be told. So she began to write, and she never stopped.
Four years later she found herself with nearly a dozen started novels and short stories. As junior in high school she was introduced to Greg Wilkey, a self-published independent author of four novels. He soon became a mentor to her as she worked to write and self-publish her own novel. After two years of hard work, and a nearly a year of mentorship The Hazel Tree was published in October 2013.
Website: http://juliadebski.weebly.com
Blog: http://spotofinkandstory.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliadebski (@juliadebski)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjuliadebski
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7351439.Julia_Debski
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/julponey/
http://www.pinterest.com/julponey/the-hazel-tree/
Did you always wanted to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
Before I wanted to be a writer, I wanted to be a horse trainer and barn manager. I was and still am crazy about horses, but it isn’t something I want to make a career out of now. Instead, I want to be a novelist. (Practical careers have never been something I’ve been good at choosing.)
When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?
I first considered myself a writer in the 8th grade, when I began writing my first novel. Before then, I never really took it seriously.
Do you do another job except for writing and can you tell us more about it?
I work at Starbucks just over 30 hours a week. I’ve been working there since February, after basically pestering the manager on a weekly basis for months. It is actually the same Starbucks where I wrote and edited most of The Hazel Tree. It is an incredibly difficult and tiring job, but I really do love it. The people I work with are great, and it is a fun sort of chaos.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?
The Hazel Tree: it’s the elements of darkness and the struggle for freedom taken from the original fable and ancient mythology - it’s badass.
Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?
I am self-published, though I hope one day to be traditionally published.
How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
It took me about a year and a half to write The Hazel Tree. I had the idea in November 2011, began writing it in December and finished in October 2013, but I took a “vacation” for about 3 months in the middle there. Oh! And I also wrote an additional chapter and added it to the novel this past February, which took about two weeks.
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
I’m working on a collection of short stories focusing on the different types of extraordinary relationships between humans in ordinary situations, and how it correlates to their environment. I didn’t start writing them with that concept in mind, but that seems to be the reoccurring theme with them! I also just started writing my new novel Along Shiloh. I’ll have more details in a few months, but in the meantime you can check out the Pinterest board for it here. (http://www.pinterest.com/julponey/along-shiloh-novel/)
In the future, I would like to try writing horror. I’ve read Steven King and some other lesser known authors who were very ‘hardcore’ horror - and I don’t think I could write that. My favorite is Jen Archer Wood’s Point Pleasant. It’s about the Mothman. (Note: don’t look it up at nighttime.) I loved her style of writing which was suspenseful and scary, but not too much. I’d like to write like her.
What genre would you place your books into?
At the moment- Fantasy/Supernatural, Young Adult, Suspense, and Romance.
What made you decide to write that genre of book?
I have always had a hard time writing realistic fiction as I find it very boring (personally)
Do you have a favorite character from your books? And why are they your favorite?
Despite the main characters of Ivy and Matthias, I think Naples is one of my favorite. He is so insane and sadistic, with a wicked sense of humor. Maybe it is just because I am in his head and know how life that I sympathize with him, in a way. He’s just such a fun character to write!
How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
I’ve been writing on and off during my entire life, usually just to record my stories of make believe. It was never anything serious until
Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
I do most of my writing at Starbucks now because my creativity thrives best around the sound of people and music mixed together. I also occasionally write at restaurants and dinner parties. (I once wrote in a pub for an hour. It was so much fun.) When I first sit down, it takes on average fifteen minutes of having to force myself before I get into a rhythm. I spend at least an hour writing, with usually a Passion Iced Tea or a hot Awake tea. I’m most productive when I write with Greg Wilkey, usually clocking about two thousand words in a couple hours. When writing by myself, I write about half of that.
Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
I try to, yes. If it looks like something particularly hateful without any constructive criticism, I try and stay away from it though as I don’t like such senseless negativity. (And there have been a few!)
Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
I began writing it under the title Cinderella Wolf, simply because it was a simple sum-up of two aspects of the book. (Not super creative, anyway.) The Hazel Tree came later, about the time I started to rewrite it, in January 2013.
Which format of book do you prefer, eBook, hardback, or paperback?
I really love both paperbacks and hardbacks. Hardbacks feel more solid and I love holding it when I read, but they are often times bigger and harder to travel with, not to mention more expensive. I love either one, especially when the covers have texture to them, like silk and smooth and matte at the same time.
Your favorite food is?
New York cheesecake with blackberry & raspberry sauce poured delicately on top! Yummy. Or just good ol’ plain milk chocolate.
If you would like to find out more about this amazing author, check out the book blat below.
