Suzanne Schultz Pick's Blog: bookblogarama, page 7
October 4, 2019
Book Tour for Everything Girl by Emily Mayer
Welcome to my stop on the Everything Girl blog tour!
Everything Girl
by Emily Mayer
Genre: Adult Romance
Release date: May 11th 2019
Summary:
Evelyn Mercer has always had a plan. She lives and breathes the plan. The plan and coffee.
Go to law school. Check.
Make Law Review. Check.
Get competitive internship. Check.
Land dream job. Double Check.
That dream job? Yeah, it’s a nightmare, and Evelyn is miserable with a capital M. When she reaches her misery threshold, Evelyn does the unthinkable and deviates from her plan.
Her unexpected new job takes her to Pinehaven Ranch in the middle of nowhere Montana where Evelyn is faced with her biggest obstacle yet. No coffee shops within a 30-mile radius and her new boss’ brother, former rodeo champion Jack Danvers. The three words that best describe Jack are stink, stank, stunning. He is perfection and he inexplicably seems to hate her on sight. But if there is one thing life has taught her, it’s that she still has a lot to learn and Montana is full of surprises.
Buy it on
Excerpt
“A thought struck me suddenly, like a bolt of lightning appearing without warning. I wanted that. All my planning, all my dreaming—it had been about accomplishing something. It had been about building a career for myself that I could be proud of, one that checked off everything on my list. There was no room for anything or anyone else. It was hollow and empty and really sad, and it made me feel all of those things. This—being in the car with friends; Margot singing in the front seat, Gabe laughing every time she messed up the words; even being tucked close to Jack—this made me feel something so good. This was worth something.”
About the Author
Emily Mayer is a best-selling author and a book lover with a capital L. When she isn’t writing, you can usually find her in the kitchen burning dinner with a book in her hand or tucked away in one of her favorite reading spots promising “just five more minutes.” In addition to books, Emily is addicted to coffee, dogs, and cat videos. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and dog, both of whom are very good boys.
Author Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Emily-Mayer-Author-445779269301148/
Website: http://www.emilymayerbooks.com/
October 1, 2019
Book Blitz for Fire Dancer by Catherine Jones Payne
Fire Dancer
by Catherine Jones Payne
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: October 1st 2019
Fathom Ink Press
Summary:
So You Thinks You Can Dance meets Storm Siren
Fire is a dangerous magic.
Sixteen-year-old Kyla is preparing for the test of her life: a high-stakes dance competition to win the role of principal dancer in the fire festival’s elite troupe. When she’s not sneaking off into the woods to practice forbidden magic, that is. Among her people, only the men are entrusted with the mysteries of magecraft. But Kyla’s been learning in secret for ten years, and she’s never backed down from a challenge.
As danger ignites, Kyla must maintain a tight control on her magic. For more than her ambition is in peril. She must stay a step ahead of her enemies—a backstabbing dancer, a repressive council, and a crazed arsonist. If she can’t withstand the inferno, the people she loves most will die.
Fire Dancer is the heart-pounding first novel in a trilogy of YA elemental fantasy books. If you like fierce girl power, slow-burn romance, and harrowing danger, you’ll love Catherine Jones Payne’s fire world.
Plunge into a page-turning adventure perfect for fans of A.L. Knorr, Mary Weber, and Cassandra Clare.
Purchase links:
Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TTJV85P
Paperback (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1946693146/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire-dancer-catherine-jones-payne/1133842796
Excerpt
“Excuse
me.” I pushed through the mass of bodies until I came face-to-face with him.
Phoenixflies fluttered in my stomach.
“You
were perfect,” Nolan said.
My
heart beat faster. “You saw it?”
“Every
moment.”
I
tucked my hair behind my ear. “Could you tell who I was?”
“Of
course I recognized you,” he said. “You were the best dancer there.”
I
laughed and tugged his arm to lead him away from the stage. “Now I know you’re
lying. Breanna’s our best dancer, and Shayla might be better than me.”
“I
didn’t notice that,” he said. “I just noticed you.”
My
cheeks were surely bright red. I took his hand. “Come on,” I said. “Let’s look
at everything.”
It
was always a risk, walking around the festival with Nolan, but with all the
Fintan focused on making the festival grand, no one had ever noticed me walking
with an outsider. Or if they noticed, they didn’t say anything. We’d done it on
many occasions since we’d first met as children at this very festival.
But
I still kept an eye out for my mama. I didn’t want to explain Nolan to her
yet—not until I’d figured out how to get his family readmitted to the clan.
Mama
worried all the time.
Papa
knew that Nolan and I were very good friends—I didn’t keep much from Papa. But
he didn’t know about my dream to bring Nolan’s family back into the clan. Some
hopes were too fragile to speak aloud.
Nolan
and I cut through the crowd to the edge of the festival, past the smell of
roasting meat, past the booths selling trinkets and potions made from ash, and
past a storyweaver enrapturing the crowd with the help of fiery strands that
flowed from his fingers. Someday, I vowed, I would practice that level of
magecraft.
A
vision unfurled in my mind, of Nolan and I taking our mage tests together, of
entertaining the festival attendees with magecraft side by side. Then I rolled
my eyes at my own thoughts. The council would never let me do magecraft in the
festival—but they couldn’t stop me from learning in secret. And I wouldn’t
stop. I was too drawn to the magic. The elemental fire serenaded me, begging me
to plumb its depths.
When
we reached a quiet spot, far from most of the festivalgoers, we sat together at
one of the long tables, right next to a glass jar full of
fireflies. The insects faded in and out, glowing one moment and invisible the
next in the dark.
Ten
yards away, a mage suspended a ball of flame in the air to the delight of a
thronging crowd of children. He moved the position of his hands, and the ball
elongated and took shape, becoming a fiery dragonbeast.
The
Fintan told stories about two kinds of dragons. The first, the dragonbeasts,
which had the cunning of a person and the personality of a cat, were great
lizards that flew and breathed fire. They hadn’t been seen in a thousand years,
some stories said. The elders said there had never been any such beast. But I
didn’t believe them.
The
second kind of dragon were warriors, who wielded the fire with incredible
power, bonded to it in a truer, deeper way than our most talented mages could
ever hope to be. The dragon-warriors had vanished from the earth around the
same time the dragonbeasts did. If the
stories were to be believed.
I
chuckled. No point mourning something I’d never see.
The
children squealed, and I took Nolan’s hand.
“What’s
your favorite part of all this?” I asked.
“The
food.”
I
rolled my eyes. “Be serious.”
“I
thought that should be obvious. Seeing you dance.”
“Besides
that,” I said. “You’d come to the festival even if you didn’t know me, wouldn’t
you?”
“Of
course.”
“Why?”
He
ran a hand through his sandy hair. “It feels like home, I guess. I mean, don’t
get me wrong, my papa’s always made a good life for us. Home is with him and my
sister and my brothers, as well as the people my papa takes under his wing. There’s
usually a few of those at any one time. But it’d be nice to have a community,
you know? Something like this where we’re all working together for a greater
purpose. I mean, I guess my papa . . .” He fell silent.
I
elbowed him. “What?”
He
shook his head. “Nothing. Sorry. Just thinking. I . . . I guess I just love
seeing all the beauty. Everything that the Fintan have built. Even though I
wasn’t raised here, it’s where I come from. I want to belong here.”
“I
want that for you too.”
He
put his arm around me, and I leaned my head against his shoulder. “I know you
do, Kyla. It just can’t be. The council won’t allow it. I know that. Deep down,
I think you do too.”
In
the distance, the first of the sky lanterns rose up from the earth to kiss the sky.
Though Fintan fire blazed in every color imaginable, we used only golden-white,
blue, and purple flame in the lanterns.
It
always took my breath away.
More
lanterns rose into the air, the thin paper globes held aloft by the heat of the
flame. They glimmered as if a thousand stars had come down to greet us and were
now returning to the heavens.
“This is my favorite part,” Nolan
whispered. “Besides seeing you dance.”
“Mine
too.” We sat there, in the silence of that perfect moment, for a long time. I
thanked the eternal flame that such bliss existed in the world.
When
the lanterns burned through their fuel and fell dark, sinking from the sky in
soft, silent waves, I focused my gaze on the glassed-in fireflies. “You know
I’m not an optimist by nature, Nolan. It’s not that I have blind faith that
everything will work out. It’s just . . .”
That I won’t give up until
it’s done.
“That
what?” he asked.
“That
. . . I’m determined to see it through. And you know I don’t give up on
anything I put my mind to.”
“Kyla,
don’t—”
“Kyla
Brannan, what are you doing?” screeched a voice behind me.
I
tensed. Mama.
Blazes.
About the Author
Goodreads:
Twitter:
Facebook:
Instagram:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
September 11, 2019
Book Tour for In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety The Cecily Taylor Series #2) by Krysten Lindsay Hager
In Over Head Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety (The Cecily Taylor Series #2)
by Krysten Lindsay Hager
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: September 3rd 2019
Clean Reads Publishing
Summary:
Cecily feels like she has it all: great best friends, the beginnings of a career as a model/actress, and she’s dating her favorite singer, Andrew Holiday. Then Cecily’s best friend Lila begins to ditch her every time Lila’s boyfriend calls. Cecily feels lost, but she and Andrew begin connecting more and she’s never been in a relationship where she felt so understood. Andrew even begins to confide in her about his anxiety. Soon Cecily experiences her own anxiety on a magazine photo shoot, but she manages to impress the magazine staff. Just when it seems like all her dreams are coming true, everything comes crashing down when a photo of Andrew with another girl appears online. He swears nothing happened, but Cecily is crushed. She feels like she’s lost two of the people closest to her. Was her perfect relationship real or was she in over her head?
Can
Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series #1) on Goodreads
Summary:
Cecily has always had a huge crush on singer Andrew Holiday and she wants to be an actress, so she tags along when her friend auditions for his new video. However, the director isn’t looking for an actress, but rather the girl next door—and so is Andrew. Cecily gets a part in the video and all of Andrew’s attention on the set. Her friend begins to see red and Cecily’s boyfriend is seeing green—as in major jealousy. A misunderstanding leaves Cecily and her boyfriend on the outs and Andrew hopes to pick up the pieces as he’s looking for someone more stable in his life than the models he’s dated. Soon Cecily begins to realize Andrew understands her more than her small-town boyfriend—but can her perfect love match really be her favorite rock star?
About the Author
Krysten Lindsay Hager is an obsessive reader and has never met a
bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and humor essayist, and
writes for teens, tweens, and adults. She is also the author of the Landry’s
True Colors Series (True Colors, Best Friends…Forever?, and the soon to
be released, Landry in Like) and her work has been featured in USA Today
and named as Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Teen & Young Adult Values and
Virtues Fiction and Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Children’s Books on Values.
She’s originally from Michigan and has lived in South Dakota, Portugal, and
southwestern Ohio. She received her master’s degree from the University of
Michigan-Flint.
Author Links: Website | Goodreads
| Twitter | Facebook
Blog Tour Organized By:
Book Tour and Author Interview for The Veiled Threat (The Veiled Duchess Series #1) by Sophia Menesini
Check out my stop on The Veiled Threat blog tour!
The Veiled Threat
by Sophia Menesini
Genre: NA Fantasy/LGBT
Release date: July 2019
Summary:
Captain Shea Lara is the current leader of The Veiled Duchess. The most feared pirate ship in all of Neried. And now, after completing her former mentor’s final score, she’s retiring. Everything seems to be coming to an end… Until a mysterious stranger drags her back into the fold with an offer for a score she can’t refuse. All she has to do is kidnap the crowned princess of the northern Queendom, Princess Joana of Arethusa. The prize is just within reach. But sparks fly as the two women collide. And an obscured threat that could upturn Shea’s entire world storms on the horizon. She’ll face it alone unless she can allow herself the support she needs from old and new allies alike. Something’s coming and Shea is at the center of it.
Purchase Links:
Author’s website: https://www.sophiamenesini.com/books
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Veiled-Threat-Duchess/dp/1733075704/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Veiled+Threat&qid=1566965312&s=gateway&sr=8-1
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-veiled-threat-sophia-menesini/1132291307?ean=2940163119370
Excerpt:
Shea turns her face away from that one, holding back the wince. Who cares what she thinks. Shea shouldn’t. It’s not like they know each other that well. But Shea’s been watching. Caen wasn’t wrong. And the more she’s watched her the more she feels like Lady Anavella at the ball and she can’t be that.
She’s not the love interest, this isn’t a story. This is a job. She runs her hand along the bars and turns back to Aster who looks as if he’d like to melt into the wooden boxes he’s leaning against.
“I guess that makes you the damsel in distress,” Shea mutters.
“Is that how you see me?” Joana coos tauntingly with a smug expression.
Shea snorts and smiles sweetly in return, “I would have said a profit, but a damsel is fine too.”
Author Interview
Tell us about your writing process. Do you aim for a daily word count, page count, or a couple of scenes each day?
For as much of a planner I am when it comes to my writing process I am very inconsistent. I can write five chapters one day and then write two words the next because I became distracted by something. When I was writing the first draft manuscript of The Veiled Threat, I wrote almost every day because I felt like I needed to get it out of my head. It was my first book and every time I sat down to write another chapter it was like seeing the new episode of my favorite television show, I was just as excited to read it for the first time. So it always depends on how my headspace is sometimes it can be ten chapters a day or barely one but somehow it all comes together and gets done. I think the most important thing is don’t worry about getting something down every day, worry about getting it done. Finish your story and hey I’m in college so some of my best work is trying to finish a page count by Sunday and not writing all week.
What gave you the inspiration for your book (and the series)?
When I came up with the idea of The Veiled Threat, I was a 20-year-old English Major in community college. I had just gotten engaged, and I was struggling. I hated my major, and yet I loved to write more than anything. I had professors who would tell me they disliked my writing style or that if I didn’t change my voice, I’d never be published. So I left. I dropped all of my classes with no idea what to do next. I got a call from my best friend one night, to go to this weekly Dungeon and Dragon event, and she didn’t want to go alone. I dragged my feet the whole way there. When we were all seated, I was handed a character sheet and was asked to create anyone I wanted. And so, I did. Instead of playing, I found myself writing sheets and sheets about a young elven captain, a pirate ship renowned throughout a magical world full of gods, monsters, and people of varying shape and size. Somehow I created an entire 9 book outline and now have three trilogies to the series with the hope to publish one book a year.
What sort of research did you do for this book?
So probably not enough, to be honest, insert laughing face emoji. I, of course, did a ton of research on pirate ships, types of ships, ship terminology, pirate hierarchies, culture, and then used about half of what I learned combined with my imagination. Nereid as a country is definitely a mishmash of time periods, greek myth combined into ocean cultures with eighteenth-century pirates. The things that were cultural or had basis I made sure were as accurate as possible but for other things like Elven culture, their language, their magic, there wasn’t much I could look up to help create. I needed and had to rely on things I liked and what I would want to read. But through doing the research I found that I really loved history and I was really good at remembering it so since writing The Veiled Threat I’ve come back to school and am majoring in History.
Are you a pantser or a plotter? A bit of both?
Completely a bit of both, I don’t think there’s an author out there that’s just one or the other. I mean I have worked with other writers who love to plan every detail and yet once they’re on the page a character will speak to them and do something completely unexpected. I am both completely. I have two whiteboards in my office, my storyboards and I have chapter maps on one and the other is for thoughts that happen in the middle of writing and when I’m walking by to get my tea or coming back from lunch. These people that writers create speak to you throughout the entire story, they evolve as we do and just as the saying goes with life and best made plans, writing is the same you can never expect where your muse will take you.
Do you prefer a certain type of music to listen to when you’re writing, or are you better with silence?
It definitely depends. Usually, I listen to instrumental but there can be scenes that need a stronger voice. When I wrote the scene between Jo and Shea in Shea’s old bedroom after their conversation and unearthing truths about each other when that moment shatters I had to listen to Sober by Demi Lovato on repeat for some reason. I couldn’t tell you why, but something about it just fit. And its the same with other scenes. As far as most often music I listen to while writing its always either instrumental or usually a musical of some kind. I’m a huge musical theater nerd. For a lot of Shea’s monologues about Jo, I’d listen to Aladdin singing about Jasmine. It helps create the mood I think for the author and it helps translate the tone you want onto the page.
What book(s) are you reading now?
So I am reading two things at the moment, one is nonfiction. It’s called Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie, its about legendary and real princesses from history. It’s been a great read so far, even though I’m a huge Disney fiend and the author is not, historical monarchies are fascinating to me and obviously played a huge role in my series so its partially for fun and research. The second is called Graceling by Kristin Cashore, I’ve just started it after rereading one of my favorite series The Goddess Test. So far I love it! The characters are great and her writing is very enjoyable.
Just for fun — what TV shows or movies have you really enjoyed (or disliked?) recently?
Recently? Hmm, I’m a huge Outlander fan so I’m waiting very patiently (semi-patiently) for the next season. My husband and I love the show The 100, we just finished the most recent season’s finale and it was incredible. I’ve read the books and Clarke is one of my favorite female characters ever written, a total badass. As far as movies go, I saw Rocketman and fell in love all over again with Taron Egerton. He’s an amazing actor and his voice is stunning! And we’re just not gonna talk about Endgame cause I’m a team ironman girl and I just can’t. And then for old time sakes, my hubby and I watched Pan, which I hear everyone hated, and it’s funny because we loved it. Maybe its a fantasy fan thing but I just thought the story was fun and an original take and the effects were bloody cool. Not to mention Garrett Hedlund’s Hook is basically my main character Shea so… I apologize for writing so many but I think that covers it!
About the Author
The Storyteller with Salt Water in Her Veins
Sophia Menesini lives in Martinez, CA with her husband, and their two small Chihuahuas, Ziggy and Zeppelin. The Veiled Threat is her first novel. Sophia is an avid tea connoisseur and lover of Scotland with an unconventional memory for obscure Disney and Broadway song lyrics.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.sophiamenesini.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MenesiniSophia
Tumblr: https://theveiledduchessseries.tumblr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theveiledthreatnovel/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theveiledthreatnovel/?hl=en
GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
September 4, 2019
Book Tour and Guest Post for Stuck with You by Christina Mandelski
Link to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47566283-stuck-with-you
Purchase Links:
| Amazon
Australia | Amazon
UK | Amazon
Canada |
|
|
Link to Tour
Schedule:
Tour Schedule: Stuck with You by Christina Mandelski
Giveaway Details:
One (1)
winner will win a signed copy of all 3 books in the First Kiss Hypothesis
series by Christina Mandelski
Link to Giveaway:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c08c9e8e772/?
Stuck with You by Christina Mandelski
Publication Date: September 2, 2019
Publisher: Entangled Teen Crush
When Caleb Gray heads to the Texas coast to mentally prepare
for a future he isn’t sure he wants, the last person he expects to see is Catie
Dixon. Yeah, their mothers have been planning their wedding since they were
born, but he and Catie are most definitely not friends. He can’t see her as
anything but the annoying kid who followed him everywhere. Except, it’s really
bothering him that everyone is staring at her in that bikini…
Catie got over her crush on Caleb ages ago. So why can’t she
see past his ripped body or how unsettled he seems? She’s got her own problems,
though. Her future has been set for years and now she’s dreaming of pulling the
plug. A week at their families’ beach house is just what she needs to pull
herself together, and she has no intention of letting Caleb back into her
heart…which would be a whole lot easier if he’d put on a shirt.
But a forced week of togetherness full of beach parties, waterslide mishaps, bonfires, and roller coasters sparks more than an understanding. What do you do when the person standing in the way of your future is the one person you grew up hating…but now don’t?
Guest
Post
Dear Reader (a note to
your readers)
Dear Reader,
Thanks for stopping by! If you’re like me, you love a good love story
and I think that’s what I’ve created in my latest YA novel, Stuck With You.
Caleb and Catie were raised together. Their family co-owns a business as well
as a beach house and their parents still joke about them getting married
someday. Unfortunately, they could care less about each other and they don’t
think the joke is funny.
With Caleb graduating from high school and Catie starting her senior
year, they both have many changes ahead and neither of them are ready. To that
end, Caleb goes to the beach house for a week of rest and relaxation. What he
doesn’t realize is that Catie is already there, unbeknownst to her parents,
with a few friends, to hang out, maybe meet some guys and chill.
Of course, there’s nothing chilly about what happens next. Despite their
best efforts to avoid each other, their orbits can’t help but collide, and
those collisions produce some heat!
I loved writing this book, set on the Gulf coast of Texas (and near my
real life home of Houston). I loved hanging out with Catie and Caleb as they
alternately fight then give in to their attraction and as they figure
out their futures—together and apart. I hope you enjoy their story!
Thanks for having me on the blog!
About the author
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Christina
Mandelski was born in South Florida, where her love of reading was cultivated
in a house full of books. Stories like The Little House series, The Lion, The
Witch and the Wardrobe, Island of the Blue Dolphins and The Secret Garden,
filled her imagination and fueled her dreams to be a writer. That dream came
true when her first young adult novel, THE SWEETEST THING, was published in
2011, and she’s beyond thrilled about her upcoming series for Entangled Crush.
Chris lives in Houston with one handsome husband, two beautiful daughters, and
two freakshow cats. She has a fondness for the beach, her family and friends,
and she still loves to read (especially curled up with a good cup of coffee!)
She also enjoys shopping, traveling and eating, especially cake. Always cake. When
she’s not doing these things, you can find her holed in a cozy spot with her
laptop, writing. Visit her at www.christinamandelski.com.
August 20, 2019
Book Blitz for Sentenced to Shakespeare by Iris Dorbian
Sentenced to Shakespeare
by Iris Dorbian
Genre: YA Contemporary
Release Date: July 19th 2019
Summary:
“Sentenced to Shakespeare” is a contemporary young adult novel set in suburban New Jersey. The story revolves around Leah, a smart and sensitive 15-year-old girl who is pushed too far by a bully and snaps. Arrested for assault and battery, Leah is sentenced to an unusual form of rehabilitation—she must take and complete a Shakespeare workshop or else risk incarceration. Ostracized by her classmates, abandoned by her only friend, Leah finds comfort and solidarity with the other juvenile offenders in this same program, with one offering her something she’s never experienced before—love.
Purchase links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1620061503/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
Publisher: https://www.sunburypressstore.com/Sentenced-to-Shakespeare-9781620061503.htm
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sentenced-to-shakespeare-iris-dorbian/1132899530?ean=9781620061503&st=PLA&sid=BNB_ADL+Core+Good+Books+-+Desktop+Low&sourceId=PLAGoNA&dpid=tdtve346c&2sid=Google_c&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv8nqBRDGARIsAHfR9wC5pFLBG2ODtvy8xg-1xR3_DxSXCaxiERs_2TyZWSifsCiLe93kf2QaAm1nEALw_wcB
Excerpt from “Sentenced to Shakespeare”
Then, there were the prank phone calls: the stupid breathing, the hang-ups, and the taunting texts, each a deeper stab in the heart.
“Hey, hottie! How many boyfriends do you have?”
“Don’t you vomit when you look at yourself in a mirror?”
“You really are a joke. I’d kill myself if I were you.”
It got to a point where Leah couldn’t cry anymore. Either her tear ducts were worn out from crying so much or she was numb. And, even if she did cry, that would only make Dede and her followers ridicule her even more.
Sometimes, if the weather was permitting, Leah would hide near the local VFW hall rather than go to school, which was within walking distance to her house. It was safe to play truant there as usually, no one was around on the weekdays. Within the bowels of a staircase that’d slope into the subterranean entrance of the building, she’d seek refuge. Her legs splayed out on the concrete, Leah would huddle in the corner, staring at her watch, waiting for each minute to pass into the oblivion of another minute until she knew her parents were out of the house and on their way to work. Then she’d return to the safety of her home, away from Dede and the harassment. Free and happy.
About the Author
Iris Dorbian is a business journalist/blogger who has covered a wide range of sectors that include small business, media, private equity/venture capital and theater/the arts. Among the outlets she’s written for are Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Buyouts, Venture Capital Journal, Investopedia, DMNews, Playbill, Backstage, Theatermania, Media Industry Newsletter, PRNews and Stage Directions (where she served as editor-in-chief for eight years). She is the author of “Great Producers: Visionaries of the American Theater,” published by Allworth Press/Skyhorse Publishing in August 2008. Her personal essays and short stories have been published in Blue Lyra Review, B O D Y, Embodied Effigies, Diverse Voices Quarterly, Gothesque Magazine and Jewish Literary Journal. A New Jersey native, Iris has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.
Author Links:
Linkedin Site: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/iris-dorbian/1/759/358
Twitter site: https://twitter.com/IrisDorbian
Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/iris.dorbian
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irisdorbian/
Muckrack.com: http://www.muckrack.com/irisdorbian
GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Release Week Blitz for WaterColor Wishes by Melissa Chambers
The wait is over! Book four in the Love Along Hwy 30A series, WaterColor Wishes , is finally here!
Marigold Appleton was made for the laid-back beach life of picturesque WaterColor, Florida. Unfortunately, her bank account was not. She’s about to lose her gift shop due to her hidden location. When the town which rarely allows hotels announces they are designating a plot of land for one, Marigold convinces her father to bid on the land and build one of his boutique hotels on it so she can move her shop into it. But also bidding on the same plot of land is property developer and insanely hunky Dane Knight. She’s got to keep her guard up, because his interest in her may be only to get her to drop her bid for the land. She just wishes he wasn’t the first guy in years to make her knees buckle.
For weeks, Dane has been trying to get the girl he met at the bonfire out of his brain. As she crystalizes in front of him at the bar of the WaterColor clubhouse, he knows his daydreams of her didn’t stack up to the real thing. But he just got out of a poisonous relationship. His ex has a bad habit of dropping her kids off without notice, and he’s too big of a sucker for them to say no. A relationship with Marigold is out of the question. But after he gives in to his weakness for her for the first time, he knows he’s never going to be able to get her out of his heart.
WaterColor Wishes is book four in the Love Along Highway 30A series, which features beautiful beach communities, a circle of unique and amazing friends, and romances that will have you cheering on the couples and fanning yourself from the heat. All books are standalone and can be enjoyed in or out of order.
Available at Amazon for $.99 this week only!
Free on Kindle Unlimited
Also available in the series now!
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After her ex runs up her credit card, clears her bank account, and gets her fired, Seanna escapes to Seaside, Florida where the men are hot as the Gulf Coast sun…one in particular. But while paying the price, literally, for the last man she trusted with her heart, she’s not interested in any sort of beach romance, or so she keeps reminding herself.
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Maya has never had a one-night-stand. But something about being on vacation, and the hunk of a guy in front of her, has her considering giving it a try. Bo lives at the beach, and he’s sick of one-week relationships with tourists that lead nowhere. But the smart and irresistible Maya has him reconsidering. Now if he could just get her to stay.
When Shayla needs a safe place to stay to hide from her dangerous ex, Chase is just fine to offer up his guest house. But with his best friend, who happens to be her brother, breathing down his neck and warning Shayla against him, Chase knows he needs to keep his distance. If only she wasn’t the most intriguing woman he’d ever known.
Add to your Goodreads
Available at Amazon
Free on Kindle Unlimited
GIVEAWAY TIME!
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To celebrate the release of WaterColor Wishes, Melissa is giving away a $20 Amazon.com gift card!
To enter, sign up for her newsletter HERE. If you are already signed up, you’re all set.
For an extra entry, follow her on Facebook or Instagram (or both for two extra entries!).
(Winner will be determined and contacted on 8/27/19. Click here for a list of sweepstakes rules.)
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Melissa Chambers writes contemporary novels for young, new, and actual adults. A Nashville native, she spends her days working in the music industry and her nights tapping away at her keyboard. While she’s slightly obsessed with alt rock, she leaves the guitar playing to her husband and kid. She never misses a chance to play a tennis match, listen to an audiobook, or eat a bowl of ice cream. (Rocky road, please!) She has served as president for the Music City Romance Writers and is the author of The Summer Before Forever, Falling for Forever, and Courting Carlyn (Entangled Teen).
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August 6, 2019
Cover Reveal for WaterColor Wishes by Melissa Chambers
WaterColor Wishes
Love Along Hwy 30A Book Four
Releasing August 20th, 2019
A note from the author:
I want to LIVE in the covers of the Love Along Hwy 30A series! The aspect of this picture that drew me in was the intimacy of this couple. And with the brightness of the picture, I sort of feel like they are looking toward their future. WaterColor Wishes is a fun love story as hopeful as its cover portrays!
Marigold Appleton was made for the laid-back beach life of picturesque WaterColor, Florida. Unfortunately, her bank account was not. She’s about to lose her gift shop due to her hidden location. When the town which rarely allows hotels announces they are designating a plot of land for one, Marigold convinces her father to bid on the land and build one of his boutique hotels on it so she can move her shop into it. But also bidding on the same plot of land is property developer and insanely hunky Dane Knight. She’s got to keep her guard up, because his interest in her may be only to get her to drop her bid for the land. She just wishes he wasn’t the first guy in years to make her knees buckle.
For weeks, Dane has been trying to get the girl he met at the bonfire out of his brain. As she crystalizes in front of him at the bar of the WaterColor clubhouse, he knows his daydreams of her didn’t stack up to the real thing. But he just got out of a poisonous relationship. His ex has a bad habit of dropping her kids off without notice, and he’s too big of a sucker for them to say no. A relationship with Marigold is out of the question. But after he gives in to his weakness for her for the first time, he knows he’s never going to be able to get her out of his heart.
WaterColor Wishes is book four in the Love Along Highway 30A series, which features beautiful beach communities, a circle of unique and amazing friends, and romances that will have you cheering on the couples and fanning yourself from the heat. All books are standalone and can be enjoyed in or out of order.
Add to your Goodreads
Available for preorder at Amazon for $.99 through release week only!
ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE SERIES NOW:
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After her ex runs up her credit card, clears her bank account, and gets her fired, Seanna escapes to Seaside, Florida where the men are hot as the Gulf Coast sun…one in particular. But while paying the price, literally, for the last man she trusted with her heart, she’s not interested in any sort of beach romance, or so she keeps reminding herself.
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Maya has never had a one-night-stand. But something about being on vacation, and the hunk of a guy in front of her, has her considering giving it a try. Bo lives at the beach, and he’s sick of one-week relationships with tourists that lead nowhere. But the smart and irresistible Maya has him reconsidering. Now if he could just get her to stay.
When Shayla needs a safe place to stay to hide from her dangerous ex, Chase is just fine to offer up his guest house. But with his best friend, who happens to be her brother, breathing down his neck and warning Shayla against him, Chase knows he needs to keep his distance. If only she wasn’t the most intriguing woman he’d ever known.
Add to your Goodreads
All titles Available at Amazon
and Free on Kindle Unlimited
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Melissa Chambers writes contemporary novels for young, new, and actual adults. A Nashville native, she spends her days working in the music industry and her nights tapping away at her keyboard. While she’s slightly obsessed with alt rock, she leaves the guitar playing to her husband and kid. She never misses a chance to play a tennis match, listen to an audiobook, or eat a bowl of ice cream. (Rocky road, please!) She has served as president for the Music City Romance Writers and is the author of The Summer Before Forever, Falling for Forever, and Courting Carlyn (Entangled Teen).
Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Author Interview for Finding Me by Kelly Gunderman
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Link to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43530716-finding-me
Tour Schedule:
http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/tour-schedule-finding-me-by-kelly-gunderman/
Purchase Link
Giveaway Info:
One (1) winner will get a Swoon Romance ebook title from a previous publication year of their choosing.
Link to Giveaway:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c08c9e8e767/?
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Find Me by Kelly Gunderman
Publication Date: July 30, 2019
Publisher: Swoon Romance
Can you ever truly love someone who robbed you of everything?
Sixteen-year-old Claire Williams spends most of her days feeling angry and alone. After a car accident took her mother and Claire’s ability to walk, life in a wheelchair is the new normal.
When she’s sent to live with her grandmother, away from school and friends, Claire has a chance for a fresh start. Just when Claire thinks she can handle things, she runs into Todd – the son of the man who caused the car accident.
At first, Claire wants nothing to do with him, but the more time they spend together, the more she hates to admit her feelings. She’s slowly falling in love with Todd.
Now, Claire’s father wants to move and take Claire with him. But she can’t go. Not now when everything is falling into place, and she’s just now finding herself. Claire’s defiant. She won’t leave Greenwood, her new friends, her grandmother, or Todd.
Can Claire find the strength to let her dad go on with his life while leaving her behind to live hers, or will she allow the guilt and shame of surviving the accident pull her back under?
Author Interview
Tell us about your writing process. Do you aim for a daily word count, page count, or a couple of scenes each day?
When it comes to my writing process, it kind of varies from day to day! Sometimes I try to write at least one or two chapters a day, or 2,000 words. Other days I’m happy if I find the time to write 500 words. I have two daughters who are home with me all the time, so it can be difficult to find a designated time to get writing done. If I’m in the middle of a chapter, though, I refuse to leave it hanging and come back to it later; I don’t want to lose any of the inspiration that I’ve come up with for the part I’m writing, so I will at least complete the rough draft before doing anything else! One thing I always make sure to do, though, is write something every day, even if it’s just a basic chapter outline or character overview. It allows me to stay close with the characters and the plot, so I remain familiar with their personalities.
What gave you the inspiration for your book (and the series)?
I’ve always wanted to write. Growing up, my mom was an avid reader, and she brought me up to be one, as well. While I always wanted to write, I never really was able to come up with any good ideas for stories, nor did I know which genre I wanted to write for.
After running my book blog, Here’s to Happy Endings, for a few years, I decided that I was ready to start a book. I brainstormed, and decided that I wanted to write a young adult novel about a character with a disability who was able to overcome what life had thrown at her and learn how to forgive and be happy. I also love books with family drama, so I had to incorporate that into Finding Me, as well!
As far as the series goes, I’m still considering how I should tackle the rest of it. Do I want to write another story about Claire, facing more obstacles and potentially getting better? There is a lot of unexplored territory with the relationship between her and Todd; not to mention Claire’s father and that side of her family, as well. I also have pondered writing a story from Claire’s best friend, April’s, point of view, including why she pulled away from Claire. I feel like I have a lot of options available!
What sort of research did you do for this book?
When I wrote Finding Me, I wanted to be sure that I was able to create an accurate depiction of Claire’s disability, so I did a lot of research involving that, including the possibility that someday, there may be a chance that Claire actually could make at least a partial recovery, allowing her to walk again.
I also had to do some research on prison sentencing (for Todd’s father), and ways to make accommodations for those who have disabilities, such as Claire’s. I really did in-depth research, looking into sites such as the American’s with Disabilities Act website, to really come up with a solid plan for Claire’s character and environment.
Are you a pantser or a plotter? A bit of both?
I have to say, a bit of both! Sometimes I like to just wing it – for instance, when I wrote Finding Me, I kind of just went with it. I didn’t have any real plotting or plans for the book, no outlines. I just wrote what I thought should happen next. I liked writing that way, and I thought it was a great way to let my creativity flow.
Other manuscripts that I have written (three, actually!), though, I have done a lot of plotting and perfecting before even beginning the story. I wanted to know exactly what was going to happen and when, and how I should arrange events so that I could get the perfect ending that I had in mind. Honestly, both ways work well, although I’m partial to just seeing what happens more than I am to plotting – I like things being open and having the ability to create the story as it comes to mind.
Do you prefer a certain type of music to listen to when you’re writing, or are you better with silence?
It depends on what I’m working on! When I was working on Finding Me, I listened to a lot of Taylor Swift (my daughter is obsessed with her). I did like the quiet time, too, but that was mostly for editing. When I wrote my second manuscript, I listened to a lot of Silverstein – mostly the album Dead Reflection, because it was a lot darker than Finding Me. For uplifting work, I love listening to uplifting music.
What book(s) are you reading now?
I just finished The Girl in Red by Christina Henry, and I found it to be one of the best books that I have read in a very long time. I’m currently reading In at the Deep End by Kate Davies, and while it’s not a young adult novel (which is what I typically read), it’s quite funny, and sometimes I like to read something that can really make me laugh out loud. My TBR list is absolutely enormous, and I have a difficult time keeping up with it!
Just for fun — what TV shows or movies have you really enjoyed (or disliked?) recently?
I binge watched the entirety of Stranger Things 3 on Netflix with my husband on July 4th, and I practically cried when it was over. I absolutely adored it! I also just finished watching the third (and final – so sad) season of Marvel’s Jessica Jones last night, and loved that, as well. As far as movies, I saw Spiderman: Far From Home with my husband in theaters the other day, and I was so impressed! I love anything Marvel related (if you can’t tell!).
About the Author
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Kelly Gunderman was born a child of the late eighties in small-town Pennsylvania. A bibliophile in her own right, she is hoping to one day surpass the number of pages she has turned with those she has written of her own accord.
Having recently completed her Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Development, Kelly suddenly found herself with a bit more free time than usual, and began her immediately successful foray into blogging and Freelance Writing, which subsequently led to her renewed desire to finally put her ideas and imaginings “on paper.”
Focusing primarily on the Young Adult genre, Kelly has recently finished and her first novel, Finding Me, which is set to be published in early 2019 by Swoon Romance.
She currently resides in her original home town with her husband, their two daughters, and a few cats that constantly challenge the sanity of all with their ill-advised attempts at what can only be assumed to be world domination.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads
Blog Tour for Paradox Hunt (Torch World #3) by Dee Garretson
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Link to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43170372-paradox-hunt
Purchase Links:
Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks
Link to Tour Schedule:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43170372-paradox-hunt
Giveaway Details:
A Starbucks Gift Card
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Link to Giveaway:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c08c9e8e769/?
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Paradox Hunt (Torch World #3)
by Dee Garretson
Publication Date: August 6, 2019
Publisher: Month9Books
The galaxy is on the brink of chaos. Earth has grown repressive over the centuries, touting democratic principles while ruling with an iron fist.
Sixteen-year-old Quinn Neen has discovered the truth behind the façade of Earth’s stronghold on the galaxy, and he’s determined not to become part of the elite who allow the horrors to continue.
Centuries earlier, Earth secretly annihilated an empire on the distant planet of Fosaan. Unbeknownst to most, some of the ruling family survived. Ansun, a descendant of Fosaan’s last emperor, wants to destroy Earth’s hold on the galaxy and bring his planet back to formidable power. But Ansun intends to rule with the same ruthlessness of past Fosaanian leaders, something Earth will not allow. So to enhance his small military force, Ansun’s stolen some of Earth’s most valuable tech, powerful robots with a breakthrough version of artificial intelligence. If he gets the chance to use it, he should be able to render Earth’s military useless.
Quinn is firmly caught in the middle of the conflict when he befriends Ansun’s niece Mira. Under different circumstances, Quinn and Mira might have become a real couple, if they’d only had time together to get to know each other. But now, Mira’s allegiance to the Fosaanian people must come first.
About the Author
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Dee Garretson writes for many different age groups, including chapter books, middle grade, young adult and adult fiction. She lives in Ohio with her family, and in true writer tradition, has cat companions who oversee her daily word count. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel, watch old movies, and attempt various kinds of drawing, jewelry-making, and other artistic pursuits.
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