Sutton Shields's Blog, page 7

Review of Waterfall by Amber Garr & Giveaway

Love, Love, Love
*As spoiler-free as possible*
Waterfall was just what I needed after reading Waterproof. By the end of Waterproof, I absolutely NEEDED more of Vee, Zach, and their world. Waterfall gave me just that by introducing me to the very moment the water shortage forced our beloved characters into the woods, on the run. Please note that though Waterfall is a short story prequel, it is equally as emotional, exciting, endearing, and heart-stopping as Waterproof.
Characters : This prequel focuses on Vee, Zach, and their parents as they escape their neighborhood and head to a safe place…or so they think. I loved getting to know their parents and hope very much to learn more about them.
World & Story : Waterfallis like the on-ramp to a seriously busy highway with crazy drivers and speeding tractor trailers. This is the beginning of a ride that will only get much more dangerous.
Overall : A tremendous introduction to a series that has me completely engaged. I really, really hope to read more short stories highlighting Vee and Zach’s days with their parents as they fight to maintain their freedom.
Rating (yeah, I’m holiday-obsessed, so I rate by snowmen. I’m also a giant dork): 
5 Magical Snowmen

Buy at Amazon/ Barnes and Noble/ Smashwords


  Connect With Amber:
Her Website
On Facebook On Twitter

 Don't forget to enter the giveaway for your chance to win an e-copy of BOTH Waterfall & Waterproof! 
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Review of Waterproof by Amber Garr & Giveaway

Completely Obsessed.
*As spoiler-free as possible*
My heart was racing from the very first page. Read the first line and POW—you are smack in the middle of a struggle for survival. Waterproof introduces you to a world without water. I honestly never imagined how utterly horrifying such a world could be, but this book will make you think long after you’ve finished reading.
Characters : The characters are WONDERFUL! The reader will spend time inside the minds of both Vee and Zach—and you will dearly love them both. Vee is nothing short of awesome—she’s the type of BFF you want in your corner. What I loved most about Vee is that she can be both supremely tough and vulnerable to her heart at the same time—it’s beautiful that she hasn’t allowed the world to harden her heart and ability to love. Some of this might have to do with Zach…and, oh, do I love him! He’s the perfect package of a BFF and boyfriend. The way Zach cares for Vee…swoon! He’s willing to put everything on the line to save her. Riley is another character I’m totally digging, though I do have some reservations based on his connections and his growing feelings for a certain character whose heart already belongs to one of my favorite characters. I could seriously go on and on and on about how much I love the characters in this waterless world!
World & Story : Brilliant, terrifying, eye-opening. Amber has imagined such a realistic world that I’m literally ‘there’ when reading. Her story/world has made me really stop and think about water usage and our future.
Overall : This is dystopian storytelling at its absolute best. Amber has created a realistically terrifying world that will keep you on the edge of your seat with characters that you worry about, root for, and cry over. Honestly, I’m in complete love with every single element of Vee and Zach’s story as they fight to stay together, alive, and free. I highly, highly recommend Waterproof to all readers.
Rating (yeah, I’m holiday-obsessed, so I rate by snowmen. I’m also a giant dork):  5 Magical Snowmen 


Buy at Amazon/ Barnes and Noble/ Smashwords


  Connect With Amber:
Her Website
On Facebook On Twitter

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for your chance to win an e-copy of BOTH Waterfall & Waterproof! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Appreciation Month & Giveaway!

Welcome to Author Appreciation Month! One thing I love most is celebrating and supporting fellow authors in any way I possibly can. So, I'm going to try and make this a regular recurring event throughout the year. During any Author Appreciation Month, you will meet a handful of wonderful authors, be introduced to their books, read my review(s) of their novel(s), greet the characters, and, of course, have the chance to win goodies in giveaways! 

For September, I am elated to spotlight Amber Garr, Susan Fodor, Sarah Dalton, and Katie Hayoz. They are not only tremendous authors, but they are truly wonderful people that I feel incredibly blessed to know and work with. 

So, to start Author Appreciation Month, how 'bout we take a look at the prizes?!






One Winner Will Receive the Following Prizes : 

*Signed Paperback of Silver Tides by Susan Fodor
*E-copy of Waterfall by Amber Garr
*E-copy of Waterproof by Amber Garr
*E-copy of Untethered by Katie Hayoz
*E-copy of Mary Hades by Sarah Dalton
*Signed Paperback of Finned by Sutton Shields
*The Merworld Water Wars bracelet 


Terms & Conditions of the Giveaway (also stated on the Rafflecopter Giveaway Terms & Conditions section):

*U.S. & International residents 18 years of age and older
*Not suitable for children. Please keep out of the reach of children.
*Shipping from me within the United States will be Priority Mail, Insured, with Delivery Confirmation and tracking will be provided to the winner via e-mail; International Shipping will either be via First Class International or Priority Mail International.
*Authors are not responsible/liable for prizes lost in the mail
*Mailing times may vary.
*Delivery times may vary.
*Open to Residents of the US and Internationally. Winner will be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. I will contact participating authors regarding your prize(s). The authors, in most cases, are shipping or e-mailing their items to you directly. I will make every effort to assist you in obtaining your prize. If there is an issue, please notify the author within 30 days for assistance.
*The products offered for the giveaway are free of charge, no purchase necessary. Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.  

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Roundup: Shells, Writing, & Unleashing My Crazy

Um, under a rock…or the bed…or in a cave. Okay, not really, but I might as well have been. This summer has been kind of a rough one; I think, in part, this summer’s ups and downs have made me a little extra shell-bound lately. Lots of worry, tears, and fears. My mom means the world to me, so seeing her not doing so great sends me even deeper into that darn shell.


Of course, it’s no secret that my social media skills need a lot of work. For whatever dumb reason, I’m seriously social media-shy. It’s stupid, I know. But every single time I started to write a blog/FB post, I'd just clam up and think, ‘Okay, this is going to sound stupid and pointless. Literally no one will be interested in my babble.’ I realize how foolish that sounds, believe me, I do…I really do. Reckon I just didn’t want to further highlight my inner idiot, not that it needs any help—it does a fantastic job of rocking the stupid all on its own.


Anywhoo, I’m trying to crawl outside the shell I tend to retreat into, which means…expect babble. Apologies in advance. :/



Anthologies .


I’ve had the great privilege to work with several groups of tremendous authors, and all I can say is…get ready for boatloads of AWESOME! And for anyone who has read my Merworld Water Wars series...you’re in for some extra crazy fun in a couple of these anthologies. 

I’ll have special posts detailing these phenomenal books in the very near future. For now, here’s a brief introduction to three upcoming anthologies:


Celestial . In Celestial, readers will see how the presence of a comet influences life, love, relationships, and beyond. For my contribution, Comet Cotillion, I thought it might be cool to give you a glimpse into Marina’s life before arriving in Saxet Shores. You’ll visit Madame Helena’s institution while Marina, Trey, Polly, and Meikle were patients there. Expect wackiness, some rather unfortunate ball gowns, Polly’s bizarre suitors, a glimpse into the strength of Meikle and her bag…and hopefully lots of fun.


Somewhere South of Normal . Here, readers will vacation on an unknown island…where leaving may not be an option. When you visit False Key, you can expect sun, sand, surf…sex…danger…mystery…and pretty much anything and everything you can and can’t imagine. ;) As for my stories (Oversplash & Overbite-Me), well, let’s just say there’s a freaking hot, naughty, Aussie sorta-angel awaiting you. And, yes, he’s working his sexy…oh, Dear God, is he working it. ;)


Candy Cane Kisses . OH HOLY RUDOLPH! I’m going to be part of a Christmas romance anthology! I'm trying to decide whether to write a sexy or sweet story. Hmm. Naughty or Nice. Just can't decide, but I'm totally ready to put on my elf hat!


Author Appreciation Month .


Oh, oh, oh, I’m SO excited to hold my first ever Author Appreciation Month. I will feature four spectacular authors who I feel so blessed to know. Each week will spotlight a different author—we’re talking reviews, character interviews, author interviews, and…a big ‘ole GIVEAWAY! Stay tuned for the next post detailing everything! 



Character voices, that is! And, oh, man, have the characters been talking! I'll have tons more details to come, but basically, there's a little of everything: NA/Adult Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, and, of course...




Book four/Wave four of The Merworld Water Wars ! It's  underway! However, there’s an issue—books four and five really should be one book. But, Dear God, it would be absolutely massive! So, I’ve decided to write books four and five back-to-back. The idea is to publish book four when I’m about halfway done with book 5. It may be a longer wait between Rifted and book four, but the wait between four and five will be much shorter.  I just don’t think it would be fair to make anyone who's reading this series wait ages for the final book. I dunno. I just want to do what's right for readers and my characters. Maybe I'm over-thinking. Wouldn't be the first time. lol :/


And finally… If you’ve read my books or any of my blog posts, you know I’m a little wacky. Wacky, crazy, goofy, dorky, or gorky, as Mom says—call it what you want, but whatever it is, it tends to be my comfort zone.


Starting Saturday, I will elevate the weird to a whole other level as LSU takes the field for their first game of the season. I’m a sports fanatic. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m a total girly-girl, but trust me when I say I can scream the stripes off a referee better than half the guys I know. If you’d like to come see the circus, drop by my Twitter page during an LSU game. I’ve been told it’s an unfiltered sideshow. Yeah. Like I said, just point and laugh. I won’t mind.

Box set: Oceans Deep! 12 Full-length YA Novels!

★✩★ Sunday, June 8, was #WorldOceansDay! ★✩★
To celebrate, ten bestselling young adult authors have created a collection of romantic "sea reads" called #OceansDeep. This boxed set has 12 full-length young adult novels (2,500 pages!) that celebrate the sun and sea! They're full of mermaids and surfers, lifeguards and dolphins, sand and waves. These books span a variety of genres including science fiction, fantasy, contemporary and mythology, but they all have one thing in common: they leave readers more in love with the ocean than they were before. 


 
Lani Wendt Young - Telesa Elle Strauss - SeaweedKristen Day - Forsaken Karen Amanda Hooper - Tangled Tides Amber Garr - Promises & Betrayal Cheri Lasota - Artemis Rising Heather Allen - Just Breathe Nikki Godwin - Chasing Forever Down Leigh Talbert Moore - Dragonfly & Undertow Amy Evans - Clicks

Cover by Starla HuchtonFormatting by Emily Mah Tippett
It's an entire summer's worth of beach reads for $3.99 and all profits will go to TheOceanProject to further the mission of environmental education and ocean conservation. The theme of this years event is together we have the power to protect the ocean. The Oceans Deep collection does that one word, one page, one story at a time. Because while facts may change people's minds, fiction can change their hearts.  

Buy Links: Amazon / bn.com / iBooks / Kobo


Enter the GIVEAWAY!

Enter the rafflecopter to win more books and other prizes too, and please help spread the word about Oceans Deep.

Meet Sarah Dalton's MARY HADES!!!

 



Not many seventeen year old girls have a best friend who’s a ghost, but then Mary Hades isn’t your average teenager.
                                                           
Scarred physically and mentally from a fire, her parents decide a holiday to an idyllic village in North Yorkshire will help her recover. Nestled in the middle of five moors, Mary expects to have a boring week stuck in a caravan with her parents. Little does she know, evil lurks in the campsite…


Seth Lockwood—a local fairground worker with a dark secret—might be the key to uncovering the murky history that has blighted Nettleby. But Mary is drawn to him in a way that has her questioning her judgement.


Helped by her dead

The first in a series of dark YA novels, Mary Hades follows on from the bestselling Kindle Single My Daylight Monsters. A spine-tingling tale with romance, readers will be shocked and entertained in equal measure. 
 Note from me: This sounds like it's going to be a FANTASTIC series! Can't wait to get my hands on this one!  
Pick up a copy of Mary Hades (LOVE the name) today at any of these wonderful retailers:

Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Smashwords
Google Play
OmniLit




Connect with Sarah: 



Twitter

Facebook

Blog 
                                                 
Goodreads

Cover Reveal: RIFTED, Wave 3 in The Merworld Water Wars series!

It's finally here! The cover reveal for Wave 3!!! I've been SO anxious to share it with you!!! Okay, here we go! I hope you like it as much as I do! <3 Notice Marina has her glowing gel shield power activated and ready to throw!




Someone wicked walks among them.


Heartbreak usually requires time to heal. For Marina Valentine, however, time has other plans: like sticking her with a shiny, stubborn accessory, sending her on a surprising date with someone other than Troy Tombolo, and introducing her lips to kisses that could save or destroy everything and everyone.


Marina and the rest of the Mer-Nor gang must find a way to push through the grief caused by The Dealer, for their next mission will take them on a dangerous, scandal-filled journey that may very well be the most significant to date: hunt down the evidence they need to prove once and for all that the tyrannical King Zale breached the water pact.


But with the shocking identity of The Dealer and overwhelming guilt weighing heavily on her, Marina struggles with frightening emotional urges and begins to question whether she is truly strong enough to succeed as the all-important Siren Savior.


Marina is in more danger than ever before—even inside the familiar study with her trusted friends—because unbeknownst to her, someone has been lurking about, waiting for the chance to undo everything the Mer-Nor gang has achieved…and with the Siren Savior’s doubt growing, that person’s chance has finally arrived.

Coming May 27th, 2014.

Author Spotlight: Amber Garr's Cover Reveal for WATERFALL!

I'm SO happy to reveal the cover of author Amber Garr's new book WATERFALL (which, btw, I'm literally drooling to read). Isn't the cover GORGEOUS?! Amber is such a sweetheart--I just adore her! <3

So, let's honor World Water Day with Amber Garr! 

*****************************************************


Happy World Water Day! And happy cover reveal day for The Water Crisis Chronicles Book 0.5. As a part of today's celebration for raising awareness about water and energy consumption, I thought I'd celebrate with a cover and website reveal!First, here's the cover and blurb for WATERFALL...

Waterfall (Book 0.5)

The water is gone. The wars have begun.Clean water is a luxury most can no longer afford. Climate change, industrial sabotage, and greed have turned country against country as each one tries to provide for its citizens. Terrorist groups target desalinization plants and frustrated governments hunt those who work against them. Rationing, sequestering, and patrolling have become routine at a time when there are too many people and not enough resources.While the world around them disintegrates into chaos, Zach and Vivienne hope that their life in a government-run complex will retain some semblance of normalcy. But when attacks on their water supplies bring war to their sheltered community, they must accept their new fate. Stay and fight or flee and endure—it’s a difficult decision with lasting consequences.Will they choose what’s safe? Or will they choose to survive?

***Coming April 22, 2014***

And now you can learn more about Zach and Vee's world, the government, the timeline, and what you can do help bring clean drinking water to the millions who don't have it (more about that coming later).
www.thewatercrisischronicles.com
 You can also read about how the series began with WATERPROOF sporting its new cover makeover as well!

Waterproof (Book 1) Dying of thirst is the new reality.

Five years after the last drop of clean water disappeared, global societies collapsed and nuclear war shattered all hope of recovery. In a place now only a skeleton of its former self, survivors fight to avoid capture by the government. Forced to work in factories that produce the only drinking water available, those who go in, never come out.

Zach and Vivienne have lived as deserters since they were teenagers. Fighting amongst their own and scrounging for the necessities of life, they’ve learned to rely on each other in every way. Yet when tragedy strikes and the true objectives of the government facility are revealed, their world is ripped apart.

A fate once thought to hold their demise may be the sole answer to their survival. Who can they trust? Who can they believe?
In this life, it pays to be waterproof.
Watch the TrailerBuy at Amazon/ Barnes and Noble/ SmashwordsCover by Creative Book Designs and Amber Garr
Find Amber at:Her WebsiteOn FacebookOn Twitter


 

Book 3 updates, Satanic Sinuses, & an Epic Migraine

First off--and I know this is waaaaay late--I hope EVERYONE had a wonderful holiday season, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and/or Happy Kwanza! I miss the holidays.
Big hugs and many thanks to all who entered the 12 Authors of Christmas Giveaway! The winner was drawn, notified, and was super excited. I hope y’all had fun with all of our author spotlights and discovered new books to devour on our bookshelf posts.
So, it’s been a while, huh? Where the heck have I been?! Well, I’ll tell you…
Some of you may remember I was down and out in November with sinusitis. Okay, I know what you’re thinking: Uh, a sinus infection? Dude, that’s lame. I would totally think the same thing…if I hadn’t gone through one myself.
This sinus infection was of the evil variety. We’re talking stuffy nose (lame), scratchy throat (lame), sinus pressure so terrible that it radiated nearly unbearable, shake-until-you-feel-faint PAIN straight down into my jaw and teeth (definitely not lame), and facial swelling to the point that I couldn’t move my mouth into a smile on one side of my face (now we’re talking Halloween-scary, folks). This thing was no freaking joke.
After going to the doc and getting some meds, it finally started responding…and so did my system when it decided to sprout hives in allergic reaction fashion. Yeah. So much cuteness, let me tell you. *Note the sarcasm*
Fast forward past New Year’s Eve and it’s hello sinuses. They’re ba-ack, though, thankfully, not to the extreme evil they achieved in November. This time they simply knocked me sideways with sinus pressure and a migraine I couldn’t kick. Lovely. My eyes haven’t been able to tolerate a computer screen for quite some time now…
…until…
…my mom came to the rescue. God, I love her! She found a little personal humidifier for me, which was something the doc recommended, but, um, I’m really bad about changing filters and all that nonsense. Well, this personal one is filter-free! Just fill with water, plug it in, and you’re done! Genius. Isn’t it cute?! 


After about a couple months with this little workhorse and I’m already noticing significantly less pressure in my face and no nagging headache, which means I can look at a computer screen again!!! Hurray! 
Annnnnnnnnnnd then my sinusitis came back. Yeah. BUT it wasn't as bad, and I swear it's because of the little humidifier. Well, after taking the new meds, I seem to be back on track...for now...until the next round of acute sinusitis attacks. And let me tell y'all: there is nothing 'cute' about acute sinusitis. 
What about Book 3?!
Here’s what we have :
*The most gorgeous cover on the planet which is currently getting all dolled up with typography. *Hook *Blurb
Um, you didn’t mention the actual book.
That’s because I can officially say…IT’S DONE! Dude, it has taken me forever because I haven’t been able to be on the computer much. So, I turned to handwriting. Of course, the migraine kinda destroyed any sort of eyeball-usage. So, I employed a recorder—I used one before Christmas when things were too chaotic to sit at a computer for any length of time and found it really helpful.
The problem? I’ve learned a few things while transcribing from said recorder: I hate my voice. I sound stoned, even though I’m not; my attempt at an Australian accent is completely hideous; and I’m an even bigger idiot than I thought I was, so…yeah...good times.
Bottom line: I’m working my rear off on this book. I feel AWFUL for the delay. Stupid evil sinuses. Seriously. They’re evil monsters from the depths of the devil’s toilet.
A cover reveal and release date is just around the corner! I promise! <3

My Writing Process Blog Tour!

First and foremost, I’d like to send big hugs to author Katie Hayoz for inviting me to participate in this blog tour. 
When you get a chance, please drop by and say hello to the wonderfully kind Katie.
* Drop by her Blog  * Like her Facebook page  * Follow her on Twitter * Become a fan on Goodreads* And check out her Amazon Page to pick up Untethered. 


Next up, I’m going to try and answer the following questions concerning my writing process—fair warning, this could get weird.
What am I working on?
Right now, I’m putting the finishing touches on the third book in my urban fantasy, fairy tale series, The Merworld Water Wars. I always hate coming to the end of one of these books because I adore these characters. They really are my pen-to-paper children.
At the same time, my pathetic heart has been delivering a plethora of slightly twisted love stories to my brain. So, I’m outlining a series of romance novels I hope will bring smiles…and possibly help me to once again believe that true love really is out there…maybe even for me.
How does my work differ from others in its genre?
Oh, Lordy, I've never given it much thought, apart from just generally believing that every author's work represents their unique voice. 
I guess my work is kinda crazy—there’s wacky dialogue, bizarre personality traits, etc. Of course this may reflect upon the way my brain is wired…but we’ll just leave that sure-to-be humiliating chat for another day.
I also love to infuse humor wherever possible, even in potentially life-threatening situations. That may sound a bit twisted, but there it is... Basically, I just write how I hear my characters and embrace the brand of humor I inherited from my mom and dad, however goofy it may be. 
Why do I write what I do?
I reject reality. No, really, I do.
And…at the end of the day, it’s all about the characters. The characters are everything to me; without them, the story would mean absolutely nothing. THEY are the story, in essence. Though I write because I absolutely love it, the stories/genres come from the characters living within my imagination, willing me to tell their tale. That was sappy. I tend to bring the sap sometimes.
How does your writing process work?
Well, I rarely plan anything to start. When the characters start coming to life inside my head, I begin writing. From there, I will ‘see’ where the story is meant to go, so I’ll hurry and write everything down before it escapes out my ears. This has happened at 4 a.m. It’s why I keep a notebook in my bed…and possibly why I’m still rocking the single tag.
Sometimes, I find listening to music, cleaning, and pacing helps with roadblocks or awaken previously unknown characters/stories inside my noggin. Just recently, I found myself whimpering until I broke through a difficult chapter. It wasn’t one of my best moments, but it worked. 
I have three wonderful authors I'd love for you all to meet: 
Amber Garr is one of the friendliest people I've had the pleasure of meeting. <3 I'm really looking forward to reading about her writing process! Look for it next Monday, February 24th.


Connect with Amber:  
* Follow her on Twitter * Like her Facebook page* Become a fan on Goodreads* Visit her Amazon Page & pick up her novels* Check out her blog 
 

Bio: Amber spends her days as a scientist and nights writing about other worlds. Born in Pennsylvania, she lives in Maryland with her husband and their furry kids. Her childhood imaginary friend was a witch, Halloween is sacred, and she is certain that she has a supernatural sense of smell. Amber is a multiple Royal Palm Literary Award winner, author of Waterproof, The Syrenka Series, The Leila Marx Novels, and the upcoming Death Warden Series. When not obsessing over the unknown, she can be found dancing, reading, or enjoying a good movie. 

Meet up & coming author, Krysta Haney! She's a total sweetheart and, let me tell you, she's going to bring some epic reads for us to devour. Remember her name & bookmark her page, y'all! Get ready to read all about her writing process next Monday, February 24th. 


Connect with Krysta:  
* Follow her on Twitter * Like her Facebook page* Check out her blog


Bio:  I am a mother of two (sometimes) wonderful children. My son is 5 and my daughter is 3 so they keep me pretty busy. I am married to a wonderful man who supports me in any and everything I do or want to do. He IS my best friend, I tell him everything. My life is focused around my family and friends but when I get the occasional time to myself, I have a range of things to bide my time. I like drawing, but I haven't had the time for it in some time. I have designed two of my three tattoos (only because the third one is just letters, but I did write those out) and I plan on designing at least one more of the small handful I want. I'm not really a girly girl although I do have moments. I like doing my nails and getting them done (especially since my mom decided to be a nail tech, lol) so I buy nail polish all the time. The last couple years I have been getting involved with photography and would eventually love to have my own studio, but for now my busy times are late Spring until end of fall (Octoberish). When I'm not dealing with photography I have been trying to get back into writing. It was something that I used to do since about first grade but some college choices led me to pull it back some. It was something that I thought I would be doing for the rest of my life. Publications of books in my mid 20's of the works I had in mind and the ones I had yet to come up with. But that didn't happen. I'm finally finding my inspiration and way back to it. And I am loving every minute when I do have the time.


Though my last author couldn't participate, I thought it only right for you to meet her--she's another sweetie (and, yeah, she admires Viggo as much as I do). ;) Please meet Dina Keratsis! 

Connect with Dina: 

* Follow her on Twitter * Like her Facebook page* Become a fan on Goodreads* Visit her Amazon Page & pick up her novels* Check out her blog 


Bio: Dina Keratsis is an award-winning author of fantasy and romance fiction in which all roads lead to illumination and magic is found in the mundane. A New England girl, she has a penchant for punk rock, Scottish tea rooms and a mad crush on Sirius Black. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two children.