Lynelle Clark's Blog, page 134

Enter to win one of Laura Frantz's books

 Enter to win one of Laura Frantz's books (winner's choice)!! Giveaway is open Internationally!Follow the link for your chance to win a copyChristian Bookshelf Reviews

Also on the post you will find an Interview with the Author of this SeriesThe Ballantyne Legacy


Christian Bookshelf Reviews

#cblspromotions Present Finding Esta (The Supes Series #1) by Shah Wharton. Review and Giveaway

Finding Esta (The Supes Series #1)by Shah WhartonNew Adult Paranormal/Urban Fantasy RomanceWordsinSync Publishing (Indie)Released on December 16, 2012Heat Level: SweetWord Count: 120,000
Buy LinksAmazon US / Amazon (UK): 
BlurbAn unusual young woman and fledgling journalist, Luna has various restrictive oddities, all of which prevent any kind of physical intimacy. Abusive parents take pleasure in Luna’s misery and isolation, yet Luna strives to make them proud, to finally earn their elusive love – something she craves almost as much as the painless touch of a lover.
When she learns of a tragic story involving the kidnap of baby Esta, she jumps at the chance to investigate, dragging her Shadows along for the ride within the murky depths of her mind.
Meanwhile, a dark stranger visits Luna’s dreams and stalks her reality. In lieu of the real thing, their intimate moments excite rather than terrify. Nestled within his presence, she begins to sense an urgent message of danger – a message she struggles to interpret, until they finally meet….
Her investigations lead Luna to a vibrant seaside town, hiding copycat aliens and an underworld of Supernaturals. Here, she comes face-to-face with her own, terrifying identity. Confronted with life-changing decisions and the harshest of truths, Luna questions her sanity, searching for logic, feeling deceived by both.
Is Luna trapped in a newfound supernatural world, or within her own delusions? And will anyone care enough to save her?
 

Book Trailer Link/Embed Code:Link: http://youtu.be/tfUUr2NjvSk



About the Author In November of 2010, Shah found herself in Dubai, having moved from the UK for her husband’s new job. With no job or friends of her own, she had a lot of time on her hands and decided to take the advice of online friends she’d met through webook.com, and build her own blog. WordsinSync was born and was the catalyst in meeting fellow authors and bookworms galore. She moved on from writing poetry (two published) and short stories (one published) onto using her imagination to write novels. She has learned a lot on her adventure into stories and storytelling, mostly from the awesome advice of her online peer-group.
Her great loves are her patient husband and their German Shepherd, Bobby. Her passions are writing, reading, blogging, movies, photography, music, theatre, travel, and fine dining. Her qualifications include BSc (Hons) psychology, counselling, hypnotherapy and mentoring.
Genres of choice include anything dark with fangs and/or that will make her squirm, or jump, or scream out an expletive.  She is an avid Kindle abuser and adores the indie writing community, and being part of the e-publishing revolution and supports all authors on her bookish/author blog – Shah Wharton’s WordsinSync.
Connect with Shah Wharton: General Blog: / Amazon Author Page (US): / Amazon Author Page (UK): / Goodreads Page: /  Face Book Page / Twitter: / Google+ 


My 4 Star review
An interesting well written plot with as many twist and turns that it was sometimes hard to stay on track. This was by far a very exhausting book to read. No time to relax and just enjoy as evil, lies and truths are discovered from page to page. Never ending and I wondered how the poor woman could still stay sane through out all the never ending changes in her life. Luna Dukes already suffering from abuse as a child under her parents hands, just wants to be touched and loved by them, accepted. Allergic for the most basic of things like touch, sun and food. But at the end the worst betrayal came from them. Their sickening parental skills drowning out all the other cruel and evil things done to her.Plagued by dreams of fires and stalking strangers. Always searching for her taking her on a path to search for Esta. When she finally met with the loitering stranger Drew, her guardian angel she felt at peace for the first time. But this was no ordinary angel. This was a..... well I can not reveal to much of the book. It is best to enter the competition or buy the book at the end. But be prepared it will not relax you when reading. It will leave you exhausted, pondering at the evil of people and their devices. To make things even more bizarre was the ever present Shadow's Flo and Ada followed by Stephen. Who literally lived in her head, supporting her, giving her advice. Warning her of impending danger. With a ever present hunger she did not understand yet vomiting when eating normal food. When she finally became the person she was suppose to be she only craved BLOOD. Transforming her from a wilting woman always hovering in the shadows to a strong, powerful person. With a real father and mother unknown to her but yet parting unnatural genes to her that made her a Freak in the worst sense. Always developing to even greater freakness.I must admit I never saw that coming from just reading the blurb but yet it was almost fitting in the plot and who she was as a person. Keeping the story entertaining in it build up to the end.The story leaves you with a cliffhanger that says there is more to come for the woman with a unknown past and even a greater unknown future. Clinging to hope as her only companion in a world that did not make sense.  




A Rafflecopter giveaway

2-Year Blogoversary Celebration: Day Three ~ Mary Connealy!!

Giveaway

Ruthy MacNeil is swept away when her wagon train attempts a difficult river crossing. She isn't all that upset at being separated from the obnoxious family who raised her. All they've ever done is work her to the bone. She prayed for a chance to get away, and then came the raging flood. Alive but disoriented, she's rescued by Luke Stone...so unfortunately, there are more chances to die in her immediate future.

Luke is heading home to reclaim the ranch stolen from his family. But the men who killed his father are working hard to ensure Luke doesn't make it alive. He has no choice but to keep moving. Still, he can't just abandon Ruthy, so she'll have to come along.

His friends--a ragtag group of former Civil War soldiers--take an interest in the pretty gal. Luke thinks that's rather rude--he's the one who found her. For the first time in a long time, Luke is tempted to turn from his destructive path and be swept away by love.

Interview

Mary Connealy is giving away a copy of her new book, Swept Away! Open Internationally!

Enter via theRafflecopter. Follow the link to read more and enter .

#sage'sblogtours Present The Second Daughter By J. Jeffrey. Interview and review of this remarkable book.

The Second DaughterBy J. Jeffreywww.theseconddaughter.com
Amazonlink:

Synopsis            You try turning out all right after you overhear your mother wishing you hadn’t been born.            It had started out well. Umbrellas tangled. A storybook romance followed. A wonderful wedding. A beautiful, sweet first daughter. They were complete, a family, happy.            And then they went and had another daughter.            Her charming and witty father Theodore starts disappearing, then worse, starts coming back. Her once allegedly sweet older sister Regina angrily resents her, and the sisters are at constant war. Her mother Helen is so busy what-iffing about the life she might have had that she overlooks the life she is actually having. Everyone blames Debra for pretty much everything as the family slowly, then quickly, then one day explosively disintegrates. Along the way there are secrets and lies, heartbreaks and betrayals, plus the dramatic unexpected death of a central character at a pivotal moment. The now young woman finds herself living awkwardly alone with her embittered mother when the phone rings—and her mother’s secret past suddenly crashes back into the present.            Their life may be about to change forever; or rather, perhaps, revert back to what it should have been all along.            But not exactly because of that phone call, as it turns out.            Because of the remarkable second daughter. For what Debra Gale has is unyielding determination. What she has is an irrepressible capacity to love.              And now at last what she has is a chance.            The complex dynamics of a changing family. Mother, daughters, sisters, and the father who both divides and unifies them. That dramatic unexpected death, plus more than the ordinary amount of banana cream pie. Welcome to The Second Daughter: a funny but poignant, unusual but beautiful love story.
===============
Biography for J. Jeffrey
J. Jeffrey stands about six foot three and likes poetry. He has been known to climb the occasional mountain and tame the occasional lion. He sings opera as an amateur but is trained as a masseur, and he is extremely partial to his wife’s green tea perfume. He drinks too much coffee, and gets lost a lot. Two words: Florence, Italy. Pastry for breakfast, over the crossword puzzle, preferably after noon. Soup for lunch, preferably late afternoon, over another puzzle (the first having been solved). His favorite drink (after coffee) is red wine. He knows a word or two but will not play scrabble. Regrettably, he believes he might be happy if only you would think him as funny as he thinks he is. But most importantly, he is not to be trusted. He writes biographies full of lies, or are they novels full of truths? Such a fine line.
Interview Questions for J. Jeffrey, The Second Daughter

1. Where did the idea come from for the book?
The Second Daughtergrew out of an image I had one day when I was yelling at my kids: that later on I might regret how much I yelled at them (even when they most definitely deserve it, I might add!). All the pressures of parenting young children can easily turn you into somebody you don’t really want to be, and I suddenly imagined realizing, only years later, what I might be losing by giving in to those pressures. But while it grew out of that image it’s also about a lot more. The Second Daughter is also about the complex dynamics of a growing but disintegrating family, where the disintegration is fueled both by a mismatch between the parents and a mismatch between their two daughters. I happen to know quite a number of families with mismatched spouses (I’m sure we all do!) and a surprising number of women who did not get along with their sisters (at least while growing up). But finally it’s also about the sense of humor one can have about growing up through such a situation. That just comes out of my own general worldview: the world is filled with darkness but at the same time, at least when it’s appreciated through a certain point of view, it can be pretty funny. A kind of dark humor, I guess; or maybe a light seriousness.
2. What genre(s) does your book fall under? 
Contemporary fiction, literary fiction, women’s fiction.
3. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Theodore Gale (the father): Oliver Platt, but with a full beardHelen Gale (the mother): Audrey Hepburn. (You didn’t specify if they had to be             living actors!)Regina Gale (older sister): Maggie GyllenhaalDebra Gale (the “second daughter”): Natalie Portman
4. What is the one-sentence (or so) synopsis of your book?
A few choices here!
            (a) You try turning out all right after you overhear your mother wishing you hadn’t been born.
            (b) What Debra Gale has is unyielding determination. What she has is an irrepressible capacity to love.              And now at last what she has is a chance.
            (c) A funny but poignant, unusual but beautiful love story.
            (d) The complex dynamics of a changing family. Mother, daughters, sisters, and the father who both divides and unifies them. A dramatic unexpected death, plus a fair amount of banana cream pie. Welcome to The Second Daughter: a funny but poignant, unusual but beautiful love story.

5. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Self-published.
6. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I first spent several months interviewing a number of people about their mismatched parents and a number of women about their complicated relationships with their sisters. But once I sat down to write, the very first draft came quickly -- maybe three months or so. Of course that draft was extremely rough, and was only the first of several more very extensive revisions.
7. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Some that come to mind include Jonathan Tropper’s This is Where I Leave You and Sam Lipsyte’s The Ask, or Home Land. These are similar to The Second Daughter in terms of tone, style, and humor. Lorrie Moore’s stories (Birds of America) come to mind too, since The Second Daughter aims to achieve her nearly perfect balance of humor with emotional depth. Other comparisons come from movies: The Second Daughter is sort of like The Royal Tenenbaums meeting The Squid and the Whale meeting Hannah and (one of) Her Sisters … One reviewer of the novel on Amazon said The Second Daughter was like Jane Austen having written Revolutionary Road instead of Richard Yates; another reviewer compared its characters to those of Jonathan Franzen’s (The Corrections) and Dickens. And I swear I didn’t pay either of those reviewers!
8. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
The most important thing, I think, is its balance of humor and depth, of humor and poignancy. One Amazon reviewer said the novel had him “laughing through the pain but weeping with the joy,” which has it about right, or at least that’s what I was aiming for. The Second Daughter also turns out, in the end, to be a rather unusual love story, or rather two different love stories—though just which love stories they are is something of a surprise. And finally there’s a bit of a mystery element too, concerning precisely who is telling the story. So you’ve got humor, depth, love, and mystery -- all in one nice, inexpensive volume!


My 4 Star Review

Since this is a tongue in the cheek novel with an in depth look to the Gale family allow me the time to prepare you before hand to get comfortable because you will be there for awhile.

Preparation for reading this book
Several good cups of coffee or tea or if you prefer your favorite bottle of wine. Nestling into your favorite chair without any interruptions and all depending on the weather make sure you are cuddled, snuggled and pampered with candy or chocolates well in reach to grab and pop into your mouth without looking up.

At times I thought the book had just too many detailed episodes of the Gale family life. Drawing you into their everyday life with some humor, a frown, sadness and the occasional love spurs. A family engrossed in their own ways that you get the feeling that the rest of the world did not exist beside Riverbend. 
And the world did progress as the author subtle will let you into the timeline with quirky drops of what is happening outside so that you do indeed realize that life did move on as the story progressed seemingly unnoticed by the characters. But yet as the story unfolds, continues and mature you understand the in depth look of this normal but yet dysfunctional family all thrown together on a rainy day when two people brushed against each other at a payphone booth. Met later on for coffee and got married. Having children, received a house, went on vacations, got animals frequently, went through the every day pains of growing up. Have affairs, not committed. Living in an illusional world of grandeur always reaching for the promised land but yet through wrong choices missed it.
We meet up with Helen and Theodore Gale who met each other. Each character already set in their own thinking not willing to compromise. Helen the perfect elegant gal that could put a gourmet supper before Theodore who simply loved to eat. Doing everything for her as she likes. Pampering and loving her. But the continues stares and snide remarks that was also inherited by Regina and Debra allowed the love to disappear altogether. Until nothing was left of this once loved and adored family.
Theodore a professor and writer in training loved everything about Helen. Allowing her to be herself but yet also placing the brakes on her due to his own lack of commitments. Looking for excuses, being absent in the most important moments of their lives. But most of all love to eat and spend money that he did not earn. 
The definite turn of their oh so perfect life was with the arrival of the second daughter Debra. A very emotional child that craved attention but yet never received it because of various reasons illustrated throughout the book. Always second in thought, always at the tail end off things being disregarded by mother and sister and later on by the father as well. 
Debra although not perceived as the center of this family's life was the center of the whole story. Standing out as a woman who cared deeply and loved deeply. Every animal that was brought home during her growing up years she cared for with absolute devotion but manipulate events allowed that the poor things always ended up dead or lost. We see this same character when she cared for Helen right up to the end. Never leaving her, setting her own life on hold to care for the one person that was not capable of loving her from the day she was born. You see how she mature through the trails she had to endure stepping up as the adult at the tender age of twenty one. To be blessed with a man who see past all the tears and worries a heart of gold. Who loves her unconditionally. 
Regina although the favorite child left home the moment the opportunity came to never return. Her cold stares and snuff remarks building a wall between the two sisters. Theodore the absent non committed father who would find love in different places always seeking for the next big thing. Then there was Eddie Love larger then life but at the end with feet of clay. Melvin who loved Helen from the day they met, pouring out his affections on her. Bennie the neglected father of Theodore who loved his girls always walking the extra mile to help them. Extremely emotional with a loving heart. The characters complimenting the main characters into a believable and entertaining well written story of love as relationships develop continuously.  
The choices of actors portraying the roles is well chosen and once I can agree with.

DON'T BE ANXIOUS TO BE REJECTED by C. Hope Clark

I received my weekly newsletter today from Funds for Writers written and compiled by C.Hope Clark and this piece captured my attention and I thought off sharing it today.
This is so profound for me as an author. A lesson learned.
To learn more and subscribe to her news letter you can follow the link.


DON'T BE ANXIOUS TO BE REJECTED
I get these whims to cook up something remarkably different.
Like a pot roast that adds cola, or a Christmas cookie with
real lavender flowers in the icing. I even tried spaghetti
cooked in a Bundt pan, with the sauce afterwards filling the
hole and drizzled all over the top. It looked weird and tasted
okay, but the jokes about it continued from my sister for years.Truth is, I'm a darn good cook now. My sister hasn't tasted much
of my cooking in a decade or two, but my family and neighbors
have come to appreciate what my kitchen produces, especially
since much of it comes fresh from a garden, the chicken coop,
and years of trial and error.One thing I have learned, however, is that I don't want to try
out a new recipe for a special event (or test it on my sister).
I could be remembered for the potential fiasco instead of my
prowess.The same goes for releasing your writing to the cold, cruel
world. In our excitement to become published and start that
clip portfolio of our accomplishments, we forget what can
happen if the release crashes and burns. I baked that spaghetti
dish probably thirty years ago, but my sister reminded me of
it just last week. I also self-published a plain, basic little
book in 2001 that I wish I never had. In spite of my attempts
to forget those mistakes, they continue to pop up from time
to time.All too often we are remembered for our mistakes instead of our
accomplishments. It's a nasty reality, but oh so true.A friend in one of my writing groups just sent her last chapter
through the group for critique. It took her months to submit, receive
feedback, and edit. I watched her work just blossom over that time
period as she found her footing and her voice. After the last chapter,
I asked her if she was ready to send it through the group again.The disappointment rang clear even through the email. She'd hoped
to let a couple of beta readers go through the book then start
contacting agents. I suggested she think twice about that choice.
In sending the book back through for critique again, not only
would the other writers look at it with a harsher eye in seeking
more advanced ways to improve the work, but she would in the
process grow phenomenally in her talent. Instead of analyzing
basic storytelling, she and others could now study more intricacies
of dialogue, voice, flow and syntax.She was anxious to get published, and my response was this:
Don't be anxious to be rejected.She told me that sentence stopped her in her tracks. In querying
too soon, she was indeed rushing into rejection. She was running
into making a bad first impression on people she greatly needed
to impress. She was trying a new recipe in front of very important
people, hoping they would like it . . . instead of practicing and
rewriting long enough to know the recipe is a good one.
Hope


http://www.fundsforwriters.com/fundsf...

#cblspromotions presents Chrysalis My Review and Giveaway

Chrysalis (Chrysalis Series #1)by Michel PrinceYA Paranormal Multicultural RomancePublished by Rebel Ink PressReleased on April 17, 2012Heat Level: SweetLength: 437 pages
Available at:Amazon / B&N / All Romance eBooks / BookStrand.com - 
Blurb:In the annals of dysfunctional families, the Chisholm’s are working their way to the top. Drug abuse, an unwed mother with multiple fathers, and the questionable cash flow for the 'pretty one'. All this from a seemingly normal, two parent middle class family. But were the choices truly made of their free will?
Bad choices are a Chisholm family trait, one that confounds the youngest child, Ellie, who's trying to separate herself by making smart decisions. And falling for Oscar Jeffreys, the hottest guy at school, would be number one on the list of Chisholm family disasters. Yet the crazy part is it’s not a one sided attraction. Somehow Ellie has caught Oscar Jeffreys’ eye. Sure she could see the barriers between them. Race, age, popularity. They were at opposite ends of the spectrum. But a demon set to destroy her family? She can't see that.
Oscar provides security and acceptance Ellie never imagined she deserved. As the passion of first love grows, Ellie honestly believes she has a chance to beat the odds and live a happy, normal life. Then her world collapses around her. With the help of a guardian angel, Ellie learns of a world that has unknowingly surrounded her for years. And she'll have to find strength buried deep inside to save not only her future, but flush out and stop the demon in her midst.
And Ellie will have to learn that sometimes the hardest lesson about growing up is accepting that you're worth more.
Reviews:“I am very happy that this book does have a sequel out, and I would more than happily recommend this book to anyone.”--Tiffany K
“It was so good that I read it from start to finish in almost one sitting.”--YA Book Addict
Book Trailer:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8tHhUyv53M

Available at:Amazon - / B&N / All RomanceeBooks / BookStrand.com - 

Blurb:When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.--Corinthians 13:11
There comes a time in everyone’s life when they must put aside their childish ways. In the past year, Ellie Chisholm has fallen into the security of her relationship with Oscar Jeffreys, emerging with a stronger sense of herself. But now Ellie's mother has started inserting herself into Ellie’s life, treating her as if she were a child even though Ellie has begun to make very adult decisions for her future. Having finally consummated her relationship with Oscar, Ellie learns the powers inside of her stretch further than vaporizing demons.
Maria, the demon bent on revenge, has been reigned in by God but that doesn’t stop her from disrupting and threatening those around Ellie and Oscar. Ellie becomes off balance as Maria switches strategy and attempts to destroy Ellie from the outside. Now the gauntlet has been thrown down. Ellie must help her family achieve positive change and finally break the tie between her mother and Gaap or risk losing everyone she loves.
Can Ellie maintain her sanity while walking the last steps as a child?
Book Trailer:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o1bv2lUjNM

About the Author: Michel Prince is an author who graduated with a bachelor degree in History and Political Science. Her novel Chrysalis is the first in a "cross-over" series following the demon plagued Ellie Chisholm. Michel writes young adult and adult paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance.
With characters yelling "It's my turn damn it!!!" She tries to explain to them that alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they will have wait their turn. She knows eventually they find their way out of her head and to her fingertips and she looks forward to sharing them with you.
When Michel can suppress the voices in her head she can be found at a scouting event or cheering for her son in a variety of sports. She would like to thank her family for always being in her corner and especially her husband for supporting her every dream and never letting her give up.
Michel is a member of RWA Pro and lives in the Midwest with her husband, son, and cat.


Connect with Michel Prince: http://www.facebook.com/MichelPrinceBookshttps://twitter.com/MichelPrince1http://www.michelprincebooks.com/index.htmlhttp://www.manicreaders.com/MichelPrince/
My 4 Star Review Of Chrysalis Book #1 in the Chrysalis Series

I have stated a few times that I am not big on YA novels but with the few that I did read so far since I have started with my blog I was impressed, the authors really showing me a different side and I enjoyed the books immensely.

Since it is a paranormal story I was hoping for some interesting read from page 1 but as the story progress and I learn more about the characters Ellie and Oscar there was nothing paranormal about the young people meeting and starting to date. Maybe too serious than I would like from such an young girl but seeing this is the trend in many YA novels I would leave it at that.
Both characters had their own interests excelling in their sports, supporting each other and the budding romance intensified with each page. Still I wondered where were the paranormal in the story when finally around page 126 it sprung out on you. With no real build up to know where it came from. It was just boom and the angel was there in the form of her best friend Kelly telling her to be aware of the evil illusions and deceptions from a demon called Gaap, that wants to destroy her happiness. (In my language Gaap means sleapy, or yawning) The demon even lacked some punch with a name like that.
In this story the fact that their love conquered the evil did win the story over into a good read. But I could not help but to feel wanting off some important information to clue me in. The saving angels in my opinion were absent in the saving department leaving the two young people to defend themselves against lies and attacks from the demonic presences.
I loved the character that portrayed Oscar's father, Mr Jefferson a firefighter with a Masters degree the only wise adult in this book. Helping and steering them to be wise towards each other. And I was happy to read that Oscar chastised Ellie on her lack of respect towards her mother. In my book just a big no no.
This is definitely a book for sixteen year readers and older since the love scenes is more then I expected in a Young Adult book. The seriousness of the growing love while still struggling to know who she was as a person clued you in off the immaturity of this young girl. Not ready for such an serious relationship portrait by the author.
Oscar's character coming close to handle such an love dealing with his past and setting his record straight. The protector and provider of Ellie's most basic needs. A fine young man no doubt.
Overall a good read.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Release Blitz: Identity Crisis by Grace Marshall

I am pleased to announce the new release of author Grace Marshall's book, the second in the series The Executive Decisions Trilogy 


Identity Crisis by Grace Marshall

Blurb:

Reclusive romance novelist Tess Delaney is the alter ego of Garrett Thorne, bad-boy brother of business tycoon Ellison Thorne. When Tess is nominated for the Golden Kiss Award, Garrett recruits PR specialist, Kendra Davis, to keep his secret and be Tess for the awards despite their mutual animosity. But when Tess is stalked by a rabid fan, an identity crisis is eclipsed by a battle for survival, and Tess Delaney, the woman who doesn’t exist, just might understand Kendra and Garrett’s hearts even better than they do.

Available from:Xcite Books / Amazon UK / Amazon 
Other links will be added here as they become available: http://gracemarshallromance.co.uk/books/identity-crisis/


*****
Excerpt:
Garrett felt like a naughty teenager as they sneaked out the back door, through the gate of the privacy fence and down the alley. He wore a shapeless track suit with the black hoodie pulled up over his head and a scruffy pair of Converse sneakers that weren’t exactly meant for dancing. And Kendra, well she hardly looked ratty, in his opinion. She wore low rider jeans, and where they weren’t hugging her body like a second skin, they were full of threadbare, flesh revealing holes. The black sweat top she wore was cut short enough to show a tantalizing flash of her navel and hips bones when she moved just right. It slid off one shoulder to reveal the thin lacy strap of a red bra. She wore all of her russet locks tucked up under a leather beret. Her fashion statement was topped off with black ankle boots. She looked very, very dangerous. And hot. Of course she didn’t need to dress the part for either, he thought. He was already certain on both counts.
‘You live a little closer to The Boiling Point than Dee does.’ She took his hand and nodded to where the alley T’ed with the street, and then gave way to the park on the other side. ‘She never goes there, of course. Well she did once, but that was just for Harris, then he hated it.’ She giggled. ‘God I wish I could have been there for that.’
‘Am I going to hate it?’ he asked.
She shook her head. ‘Probably not. You’re much more of a bad boy than Harris is, or is that all an act?’
The long line of shiny chrome Harleys out front of the squat cinder block building gave Garrett the first clue that this was not Dancing with the Stars. Kendra waved them away absently. ‘The Boiling Point’s not really a biker bar, but it’s kind of the warm-up act, I suppose you could say. Lots of bikers start off here before they head on to their usual haunts. Makes for an exciting mix. Later in the night there are almost no bikers. But there are always lots of interesting people.’
Any other time, Garrett would have been up for meeting interesting people, but tonight he couldn’t imagine anyone interesting him more than the woman on his arm. He paid the fee at the door and a surly man the size of small house with fire-engine hair and a scruffy beard stamped their hands with a red ink TBP.
Inside a live band had just begun to play to a full, but not yet crowded house. ‘The place gets raided from time to time,’ Kendra said. ‘I don’t know what all goes on. I just come here because it’s interesting.’
‘A good raid and us carted off to the police station will really give the press something to talk about,’ Garrett observed.
‘Don’t worry,’ she yelled to be heard above the band’s bass-heavy version of Highway to Hell. ‘They just got raided last week. They’ll be good to go for a while now. We can relax and enjoy ourselves.’ She pulled him onto the dance floor. ‘Best dance while there’s room. In a few hours it’ll be a real tit squeeze.’
Kendra Davis was just as stunning dark and dangerous as she was golden and romantic, as she was naked in his kitchen, and she definitely knew how to move on the dance floor. But it made Garrett more than a little nervous that he wasn’t the only one who seemed to be noticing the way the woman could shake her booty. He thought about asking her to try not to draw to much attention to herself, but he wasn’t even sure it was possible for Kendra Davis not to draw attention.
The place smelled of leather and beer, and sweat. Already there was a thick haze of pheromones invisible to the eye, but everyone there breathed them it, gave them off and reveled in the dark anticipation of what the night might bring. The look in Kendra’s eyes was bright and wicked, like she would do anything, try anything, like all the boundaries were suddenly negotiable.
And fuck, as amazing as she was like that, as much as he wanted to lose himself in the place, in the experience, there was no way he could keep from thinking about who might be watching her in that crowd, about who might be waiting for just the perfect opportunity.
As though she were reading his mind, she pulled him to her with a hand curled around his neck and spoke against his ear. ‘Oh would you relax, Garrett. Do you really think this is the kind of hang-out Tess Delaney would frequent?’
Then she slid both arms around his neck and let him pull her into a deep, hungry kiss. When it ended with an aggressive flick of his tongue, she offered a throaty giggle. ‘Marking territory, are we?’ Before he had a chance to respond, she returned the favor, plunging her tongue in deep, and tightening a fist in his hair to pull him closer.
He moved a hand to the small of her back and gave her the full frontal rub-up, enough to be sure she knew she’d gotten his cock’s attention. ‘You see where this is leading if you keep that up?’
She pulled away and gave his crotch some breathing room as the music settled into a heavy metal beat that filled the dance floor with lots of heavily booted bikers and their spandex and leather women. Garrett was surprised to find more than a few men in pressed jeans and designer polo shirts bellied up to the bar in the mix that looked like it was probably mostly low-brow. He wasn’t the only man who looked like he’d just come from a work out at the corner gym and Kendra’s shredded jeans seemed to be the fashion statement of more than a few women among a smattering of Goth and grunge and plain old red-neck jeans and tee-shirts with baseball caps.
With each song the band played, the dance floor became fuller and fuller. The strobe light flashed and the disco ball bathed the floor in sparkles as people rocked and strutted and sweated, and it became more and more difficult to tell who was dancing with whom. Garrett was about to grab Kendra by the hand and reel her back in so they could stay connected when a biker in a ZZ Top tee-shirt that smelled like an ashtray and looked like it might have been painted across his bulging pecs managed to slide in between them, turn his back on Garrett, and focus his full attention on Kendra. And suddenly all Garrett could see was his broad back.
‘Kendra,’ he called, but his voice was drowned out in the roar of Def Leppard. And that might have been okay if the man hadn’t been so fucking big. Kendra was certainly entitled to dance with whomever she liked. But he couldn’t see her. He fucking couldn’t see her! Not even her feet between the man’s shuffling boots. ‘Kendra!’ He called again. Louder this time. That at least got the man’s attention, but when he turned to see what Garrett wanted, and he could see beyond the biker’s bulk, Kendra was not there! The woman the man was dancing with had cropped blonde hair and a leather bustier several sizes too small.
‘Kendra!’ Garrett called out, louder this time, shoving his way past the biker, who pulled the blonde to him protectively. Frantically Garrett scanned the burgeoning crowd on the dance floor, scanned the women with hats. There were cowboy hats, police hats, even a few stocking caps, but there were just too many people, too many lights, too much noise. In his mind he could only think of Razor Sharp’s horrid email and Kendra’s response to it. Why the hell hadn't he forced the issue? Why the hell hadn't he made her tell him why she was so upset, made her tell him about the stalker Dee had mentioned. And fuck! Why had he let her talk him into bringing her here?
*****
About the Author
Grace Marshall lives in South England with her husband and the growing gang of hooligan birds who frequent their feeders. When Grace isn't busy writing something sexy and romantic, she’s busy digging in her ever-expanding veg garden or walking across the British countryside. She finds inspiration outdoors in nature, and most of her best story ideas come to her while she’s walking or gardening.Grace is the author of the fast paced, quirky Executive Decisions Trilogy   published by Xcite Romance. The first and second novels in the trilogy are out now.
Grace Marshall’s alter-ego, K D Grace, writes critically acclaimed, best-selling erotic romance. Whether it’s sexy romance or romantic sex, between The Graces, there’s a story for you.


Find Grace here:Facebook Page: / Twitter: 
            

Double Helix: Perfection Unleashed by Jade Kerrion. Interview and Review

Interview Questions:1.       Where did the idea come from for the book?Genetic manipulation and bio engineering is the least discussed scientific revolution that is taking place today. Scientists are creating clones of animals, hybrid creatures that have never existed before, enhancing animal genes (including glow-in-the-dark puppies) and bionic robots. My novel propels readers into the “next step” and into a world that has been transformed by the Genetic Revolution, a world where clones, in-vitros, and mutants exist. It explores the societal implications when the definition of “humanity” comes under assault.2.       What genre does your book fall under?Technically, it fits under science fiction. However, the story takes place in a fairly contemporary setting, and people who enjoy urban fantasy or action/adventures are likely to enjoy Perfection Unleashed too.3.       Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?Oh, I love this question!Galahad is the perfect human being who was raised in a laboratory for twenty five years. He becomes the catalyst of social turmoil in a world uneasily populated by humans, in vitros, clones, and mutants. His escape is especially devastating for Danyael Sabre, the alpha empath who survived a traumatic childhood and struggled to make something of his life, only to learn that his genetic code was used as Galahad’s physical template.To play both Galahad and Danyael, we need an actor who can depict both Galahad’s wide-eyed innocence as well as Danyael’s world-weariness. Physical beauty is a prerequisite, of course. My pick for Galahad and Danyael is Orlando Bloom.Zara Itani is a sensual Lebanese-Venezuelan assassin with very few scruples and a compassionate streak that she works very hard to conceal beneath exquisitely cultivated indifference. She’s a joy to watch in hand-to-hand combat, and you really don’t want her to pull a gun or dagger on you.In Perfect Weapon, I wrote of Zara, “On a normal day, Zara could wreak more havoc with love than most people could with hate.” Yes, that’s her–trouble incarnate. No one else would have freed the perfect human being from his laboratory prison on little more than a whim. She is the daughter you would not wish on yourself, your best friends, and most especially not on your worst enemies.More important than physical beauty (although Zara is beautiful) is attitude. My pick for Zara is Kate Beckinsale.Mu Xin is the clone of Fu Hao, a 1,200 BC Chinese queen, military warlord, and high priestess. Her desert tomb was unearthed by archaeologists in 1976 and Xin was cloned from the remnants of Fu Hao’s DNA. Xin is among the first of the historic clones, and is considered a national treasure. She works for the US government as an analyst in the National Security Agency, but moonlights on the side as a hacker extraordinaire. She is brilliant but low-key, and appears content to play the role of Zara’s reliable sidekick.Still, Xin’s genes were derived from a powerful and charismatic woman who rose from the lowly role of a concubine to become a queen, military warlord, and high priestess. What lurks behind Xin’s unflappable calm, and when will the real Xin show up to claim her genetic birthright?The one absolute requirement for Mu Xin is that she’s Chinese (for obvious reasons.) Beyond that, I wanted an actress who looks like she could have been a superwoman from ancient China. My pick for Xin is Zhang Ziyi.Miriya Templeton is an alpha telepath and an enforcer with the Mutant Affairs Council, the preeminent mutant rights organization in the US. In contrast to her petite stature, she is confident to the point of arrogance. She learns quickly that no amount of arrogance or confidence will get her through the kind of chaos Galahad’s escape unleashes upon society.The biggest issue I have with casting an actress for Miriya is that I wrote her as a petite person. Do you know any petite, short actresses? No, me neither. No worries. I’m good at compromise. My pick for Miriya is Dakota Fanning.And finally, Lucien Winter is a wealthy philanthropist who saved Danyael, the alpha empath, from the ruins of his childhood. Danyael has since come into his own strength, but habits are hard to break. Lucien’s unshakeable friendship still anchors Danyael’s emotional stability.For Lucien, I wanted an actor who could look like he was born not just with the silver spoon, but with the whole place setting in his mouth. My pick for Lucien Winter is Armie Hammer.4.       What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?Perfection meets his imperfect origins and all hell breaks loose.5.       Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?I did send my manuscript to a few agents, but in the end, I decided against going down that route. It’s important for me to retain creative control over my series. I recruited beta readers, and hired an exceptional editor and cover artist. Writing is occasionally a solitary path, but publishing is very much a team effort.6.       How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?It took about three months to get to a solid first draft. That included a major overhaul of the ending after a beta reader (who is also an author) told me frankly that the ending sucked. After I sulked over it for half a day, I realized she was right and ripped out 40,000 words and rewrote the ending.7.       What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?The Double Helix series is most frequently compared to X-Men, in part because it deals with genetic manipulation and mutants. It’s also occasionally compared to the Heroes and Alpha TV series.8.       Who or What inspired you to write this book?I hold my husband wholly responsible. For years prior, I’d been writing fan fiction and had built quite a large fan base. Fan fiction, as I’m sure you know, isn’t publishable for copyright reasons. My husband, who remains my biggest fan, finally pushed me into writing my “own” story. I took the plunge with NaNoWriMo 2010, and haven’t looked back since.9.       What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?Well, Perfection Unleashed has won up several awards, including a Royal Palm Literary Award and a Next Generation Indie Award. Reviewers have enjoyed its in-depth character development, its page-turning action, and the originality of its vision. For the duration of my blog tour (through March 1st), Perfection Unleashed is on sale for $0.99, so now would be a good time to check out the book that launched the Double Helix series. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
 Author Bio:
Jade Kerrion unites cutting-edge science and bioethics with fast-paced action in her award-winning Double Helix series. Perfection Unleashed and its sequels, Perfect Betrayal and Perfect Weapon , have been described as “a breakout piece of science fiction” and drawn rave reviews for their originality and vision. Her latest novel, When the Silence Ends , is a Young Adult spinoff the Double Helix series.


About The Double Helix series: 
His genetic code sourced from the best that humanity offers, Galahad embodies the pinnacle of perfection. When Zara Itani, a mercenary whose abrasive arrogance exceeds her beauty, frees him from his laboratory prison, she offers him the chance to claim everything that had ever been denied him, beginning with his humanity.
Perfection cannot be unleashed without repercussions, and Galahad’s freedom shatters Danyael Sabre’s life.
An alpha empath, Danyael is rare and coveted, even among the alpha mutants who dominate the Genetic Revolution. He wields the power to heal or kill with a touch, but craves only privacy and solitude—both impossible dreams for the man who was used as Galahad’s physical template.
Galahad and Danyael, two men, one face. One man seeks to embrace destiny, and the other to escape it.


The award-winning Double Helix series, consisting of Perfection Unleashed , Perfect Betrayal , and Perfect Weapon , will challenge your notions of perfection and humanity, and lead you in a celebration of courage and compassion. Science fiction, urban fantasy, and action-adventure readers will enjoy this thrilling roller-coaster ride as it twists and turns through a world transformed by the Genetic Revolution.
Social media and buy links:
Connect with Jade Kerrion: Blog / Facebook / TwitterPerfection Unleashed:Amazon/ Apple iTunes / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords Perfect Betrayal: Amazon/ Apple iTunes / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords Perfect Weapon: Amazon / Apple iTunes / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords When the Silence Ends: Amazon
~*~*~
BACKUP LINKS (if, for some reason, the links above do not transfer through a simple cut and paste)
Social Media LinksBlog: http://www.jadekerrion.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/JadeKerrionTwitter: https://twitter.com/JadeKerrion
Perfection UnleashedAmazon: http://amzn.to/VVbZgeApple iTunes: http://bit.ly/XyYiGtBarnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/Vrmz0QSmashwords: http://bit.ly/UTUt8m
Perfect BetrayalAmazon: http://amzn.to/UCSXZpApple iTunes: http://bit.ly/UcfbEtBarnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/V60wWZSmashwords: http://bit.ly/UCTrPk
Perfect WeaponAmazon: http://amzn.to/SRBkt7Apple iTunes: http://bit.ly/U8avyABarnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/UQyYqESmashwords: http://bit.ly/12zCvhu
When the Silence EndsAmazon: http://amzn.to/Ux267h


My Review of the First BookPerfection Unleashed
5 Stars

The best Sci- Fi I have read for the year thus far. Its interesting and intriguing story twisted with the ever changing line keeping you well entertained and guessing till the very end.
The cliff hanger at the end, did not leave you breathless wondering, but it did give you the sense of more to come. Wanting to read the next book in the Double Helix series, Perfect Betrayal.
The story unfolds as you learn about Galahad, the perfect human being. Breathless in beauty. Perfect human. But when his template enters, Danyael Sabre then the story line gets a whole lot of meaning. The mutant alpha empath the center of the book. So wrapped in his struggle to survive, to live for another day that I really felt sorry for him on so many levels. His keen sense of protecting those he love, his failures just to stand up again and do what is necessary to save the day. Compassion and empathy drained him to the point of exhaustion to be betrayed by the most brutal villain I have ever seen. Shielding emotions, using them as weapons. The most basic things that makes us human or not. Interesting plot to this good read.
I could strangle Roland Rakehell with my bare hands. But I will stop there and not disclose to much of the story that I enjoyed. And can recommend to all Sci-Fi readers. You will not be dissapointed.
We are introduced to Lucien his best friend and Xin, an computer whiz. Zara a warrior scared of nothing but really at times hard to like. But it enhanced the story line greatly, giving it much depth. Miriya that was truly understanding the layers of Danyael's character. Helping and supporting him in silence.
The abominations that killed and destroyed everything in its path and at the end surprised you with their care.
Each person developed with their own unique qualities enhancing the plot as it unfolds into the sinister world of DNA enhancements, creating new human beings as it goes along.
I can see why the author choose the actors on my question and I have to agree they would be a perfect fit.
Thank you for a great read.

Reasons for Hatred Book Tour and Review

Title: Reason for HatredAuthor: J.E, ThomasPages: 137Published: Outskirts PressGenre: Christian
Based on True Events

About The Book
This a story based on true events. It’s about two best friends who were separated during their childhood. The spotlight then zooms in on Hadassah; during their adult reunion, she divulges the painful moments of the sexual abuse, murder and death that occurred in her life during her adolescence. It is a story about an ordinary person faced with extraordinary trauma and how she came to forgive and learned to embrace wholeness.


About The Author
Bio Hadassah Thomas Martin is a high-spirited woman of faith who was born in Los Angeles and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.  She trained with Precept Ministries and became a certified trainer in “How to study the Bible”. She is also an active member of the Fellowship of International Christian Word Of Faith Ministries (FICWFM).  She is the founder of “Keep It Real Ministries” which is a non-profit organization whose mission is to conduct local bible studies which teach people how to continuously live in the reality of God’s Word; regardless of their experience.
Being an “at risk youth” herself, Hadassah has overcome insurmountable obstacles. She is a bright light to women who have suffered abuse and a vital assistant in producing overcomers.
She has a passion for people and teaches youth, men and woman how to fight to win!
As a true worshipper and Intercessor, she boldly believes that NOTHING is too hard for God!
In spite of the multiple challenges we face, she believes the greatness which is inside us all, can be extracted, developed and targeted to reach its designed purpose.
Her Focus: to express qualities that bring inspiration to others. Her motto is “We Always Triumph!”
Her inspiring influence, and her down to earth, “Keep It Real” style are certain to leave an indelible impression.

  Order your copy
Paperback: / E-Book:/ Barnesand Noble:
Link to purchase book on her website:http://www.hadassahinspires.com/Reasons-For-Hatred.html

Contact: 
Email Address: hadassah@hadassahinspires.com
Author Website www.hadassahinspires.com


My  5 Star Review
This lady really need a medal, Hadassah Martin walked the road of self destruction when she hated a man so much that she was contemplating his death. But God works. Never stops to lift us from our death grip, darkened road to bring us into His marvelous Light. He is always faithful to help us, guiding us with patience and understanding, amplifying His precious gift in our lives. 

An amazing tale unfolds as two friends met on a cruise ship after Thirty Two years of separation  recapturing the life of Hadassah in a remarkable and gripping recollection of her teenage years and the man who impacted her life and that of her mother in a destructive whirl of manipulation, deceit, lies, rape, prostitution, drugs and abuse. A man that held them in the palm of his hands destroying their very nature. 
Fast paced and well written you are drawn into her life and the wrong choices she made but at the end how God came and by His Saving Grace saved her from herself.  
A recommended read to those who struggles with the very issue of unforgiveness in their own lives, being renewed by the mind as the word washed over you and cleanse you.

Impossible Compassion Tour and Review

Title: Impossible Compassion Author: Edward MannixPages: 189
Available at:Amazon Kindle / Paper Bag

Synopsis
How do we end suffering in our own life and on the planet? How do we bring about seemingly impossible outcomes such as miraculously healing our self from a fatal disease, saving the environment or ending violence and war?
In his second book, Edward Mannix takes on our assumptions about what is possible and impossible for us as individuals and as a species, and he provides us with a new paradigm and new tools that enable us to achieve that which was previously unachievable.
The new paradigm he presents includes two key concepts the author calls metaphysical causation and interlocking karma. 
Metaphysical causation at first sounds a lot like the Law of Attraction but ends up being quite a bit different. According to the author it is not our thoughts that create our reality, but rather it is our karma or karmic imprints that are projected onto the movie screen of our life by the powerful projector of our soul. By moving the discussion away from the potency of our thoughts to something more difficult to observe - our karmic imprints - the book reveals to us important hidden aspects of the creative mechanism of life, and offers us the opportunity to intervene in this causal process in a new and powerful way. For those readers who have tried the Law of Attraction and found it sometimes effective and other times ineffective, it is likely that the information presented in this text will illuminate why those techniques often fall down. 
Impossible Compassion provides a missing link of sorts, helping us identify and change our karmic imprints through the use of simple tools and processes that fall under the heading of what the author calls directed compassion. By utilizing our own compassion to alter the karmic imprints on the film of our soul - which the book teaches us how to do in specific detail - we can literally re-write the script of our life, leading to rapid and potentially miraculous changes in our external world.
And, while according to metaphysical causation we each sit at the center of and in some way create our own universe, we are also all connected to one another and part of each others' created universes. In his discussion of what he calls interlocking karma, the author illuminates this critical paradox that is so often misunderstood or entirely missed by students and teachers of modern spirituality. In so doing, he gives us further insight into the process of reality unfolding, and it is with an understanding of interlocking karma that we can see how giving our self compassion can influence the physical health of a loved one or help bring about major changes in our collective reality, e.g., ending violence and war. 



Author Bio:
Edward Mannix has been on a conscious path of personal and spiritual development for over twenty years. He has practiced Vipassana meditation in a monastery in Burma, travelled to Nepal to receive teachings and empowerments from Tibetan Rinpoches, and worked with hidden masters from a number of traditions and geographies, spanning Asia, Europe and the United States. Throughout his journey, Edward has consistently focused on a form of practical spirituality – integrating his spiritual pursuits into ordinary life, not leaving worldly endeavors behind, but instead using them as a vehicle to go deeper into awakening. While on his conscious path and prior to becoming an author, he worked in the private sector as a management consultant and social entrepreneur. He holds an M.B.A. from Columbia University where he studied Sustainability and Social Enterprise, an M.A. from The School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, and a B.A. in Psychology and Economics from Indiana University. Drawing upon unique insight and an unusually diverse set of life experiences, Edward brings fresh perspective to ancient wisdom, and is emerging as an important new voice in the arenas of philosophy, spiritual development and personal transformation. 
Links:
www.edwardmannix.comhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Edward-Mannix-Truth-Compassion/394533197250509?fref=tshttps://twitter.com/EdwardMannix

Link to Reinventing Truth


My 5 Star Review
A Self Help Guide to bring restoration and healing in your life. Useful and helpful in many levels of our journey and experiences. Its practical explanation assisting you to go about directing compassion in your life and those you encounter with. Finding it useful and well delivered.
Words and actions creates our world around us starting from the moment we are born and even before as our parents actions directly contribute into us their own fears, abilities etc.
Our words and actions causes ripple effects in other people that connects with us on a daily basis. Leaving their footprints in us. Those footprints causes everlasting results in our lives and the after effects creates positive or negative results.
Applying compassion to ourselves and those we come in contact with not only helps us to help them but shields us from any harming after effects.
Developing your compassionate heart creates a force of goodness and healing that extend further than our own world, touching our environment, the people we come in contact with. Our way of life, community and businesses.
Many Christians do not understand this concept of being the Grace of God in a other wise devoid and dark world we are living in. As the author points out in this book effectively

"You and your own compassion are the vehicle of Grace"
Apostle Paul stated it this way in Ephesians 3:1 and 2 (Amp) that says the same as the author

For this reason [[a]because I preached that you are thus built up together], I, Paul, [am] the prisoner of Jesus the Christ[b]for the sake and on behalf of you Gentiles—Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace (His unmerited favor) that was entrusted to me [to dispense to you] for your benefit,

When you have received Grace, God's unmerited favor in your life as Paul did you can understand the true meaning of the Word Grace and effectively give it to those who connects with you on a daily basis.

Compassion do not correct world view but is a source for their experience of reality. Applying the truth you have learned to the people and environment around you. In that we can be the image of Christ to a thirsty and dying world.
The two part self guide book help you to look deeper, seek the answers to your doubts and fears and find the truth that sets you free. Not to repeat the same mistakes, but learn from them and become stronger in your ability to live life. And truly be a compassionate human being.

A great book I can recommend to those who seek better understanding and enlightening their world in a pure unadulterated way.