Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 101

Cover Reveal - The Devil's Flower by Lisa Collicutt

On November 19, 2013 - everywhere online books are sold - The Devil's Flower The Eternal Beings: Book One   In a town called Nowhere, Angels and Demons battle for salvation. Who will win? And what will be the cost?   Killing isn’t exactly on Rosalie Lockwood’s list of things to do when she runs away from home. But despite her search for peace; guns and motorcycles become her latest fashion accessories as Divine interference leads her to Steele, co-leader of the Fallen Paladins motorcycle club.Leathered and tattooed, Steele’s presence scares off most people he comes in contact with—but not Rosalie. She’s immediately drawn into the dangers of his biker world—and into his heart.But Steele guards a secret that if Rosalie knew, could shatter their new love—along with destroy the human race. And the truth comes at a price.Will Rosalie risks her soul to prove her loyalty to Steele?
The Dark and Light Realms collide as Rosalie chooses between life, death, and the ever-after to become that which she is fated to destroy.



Coming November 19, 2013 Lisa's links:FacebookTwitterlisacollicutt.comGoodreads

Because I Love Beautiful Things

Here's a piece performed by the Piano Guys for you enjoyment. Have a beautiful day!

Cover Reveal: Down and Out by Kelley R. Martin

The New Adult Contemporary by Kelley R. MartinExpected release is November 26, 2013
  “Tattooed package of sin.” That’s how Savannah Ryan would describe Declan Whitmore, the deliciously tatted and pierced fighter who holds the top spot in Veritas, Boston’s newest underground fighting organization. Declan is relentless when he sets his sights on someone, both in and out of the ring, and Savannah’s witty comebacks and tight little body have just landed her on his radar. There are a couple of teensy problems, though. Declan just happens to be Savannah’s new boss, which normally wouldn’t have stopped her from sleeping with him, but this recently reformed bad girl is trying to go straight after heading down a dangerous path. It’s too bad that Savannah’s new road to salvation doesn’t include pit stops for hard muscles, a beautiful face, and the prettiest damn pair of green eyes she’s ever seen. Declan’s used to getting any girl he wants, but turning over a new leaf means too much to Savannah. She’s not going to make this easy for him. Her jaded exterior has kept people out and held her secrets in for as long as she can remember, and that’s exactly how she wants it to stay. But as Declan gets glimpses of the real girl inside, vulnerable and afraid, he makes it his mission to tear down those walls and free her. What if this tattooed package of sin is all the salvation she needs?

   
About the Author Kelley lives in the great state of Texas, but she swears it's not all country music and cowboy boots... Okay, some of it is, but not all of it. She's got an amazing husband, who continues to inspire her every day. Even after twelve years and two of the cutest little girls you could possibly imagine.
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Release: MYTHOLOGY: THE WICKED

MYTHOLOGY: THE WICKED (Mythology #2)

A demon with a pure heart, Micah Condie lives his life by a code of ethics, but breaking that code may be the only way for him to survive. A supernatural entity in her own right, Hope Gentry would do anything in her power to protect her loved ones, but she may be the one who puts them in peril.
When the Demon Impiorum challenges the laws that keep guardians and demons in balance, ancient enforcers of justice intervene. Micah, Hope, and their mentor Jonathan become entangled in a conspiracy that will test even the deepest love and trust.
Someone will commit an act of betrayal. Someone will forever abandon a loved one.
Someone will enter THE WICKED.


EXCERPT 
Her grey eyes soften with understanding. “I’m fine. Really.” I touch her face, running my thumb across her cheekbone.  “I might need some convincing,” I say in a low voice.A small smile plays on her face, and she slides her hands up my chest, around my neck. Relief fills me and makes me feel lighter. Relief that Hope is all right, that any doubts she might have had about me are gone. Her eyes don’t leave mine, her lips part slightly, and my heart starts to race. We move toward each other at the same time, my arms drawing her even closer at the moment we kiss. I take in her breath as my own, her mouth melding with mine in total perfection. I run my hands down to the small of her back, and she knots her fingers in my hair and curves into me. The feel of her body against mine stirs up an entirely different sort of hunger. Nothing matters except for her.Nothing.
A small sound escapes from her throat, and my need ignites like flames in the darkness.
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GRAB BOOK ONE FOR JUST 99 PENNIES!!! MYTHOLOGY (Mythology #1)
Book Description
Hope Gentry doesn’t believe in Fate. Born with an unusual power to see the dark memories of those around her, Hope just wants to be a normal teenager. But on the first day of her senior year of high school, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to a transfer student named Micah Condie. At first glance, Micah seems like a boy that most girls would dream about. But when Hope's powers allow her to discover Micah's darkest secret, she quickly becomes entangled in the lives of mythical entities she never dreamed existed. Was this her destiny all along? And will her powers help her survive the evil of the Demon Impiorum? Mythology isn’t just for English class anymore.
Amazon.com   |   Barnes and Noble   |   iTunes Store   |   KoboBooks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Originally from upstate New York, Helen Boswell spent several years of her early adult life tromping around in the city of Buffalo with frequent trips to Toronto, Canada. These two cities in particular serve as inspirational settings for her urban fantasies, and while Helen has since moved to live in the southwestern United States, she will have fond memories of urban life and high-heeled sneakers for all eternity.Helen earned her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University at Buffalo and dedicates her time to teaching biology and other fun things to college students, spending time with her wonderful family, and eating chocolate while writing.The YA urban fantasy MYTHOLOGY is her first novel and the first one in the Mythology Series.Find out more about Helen at http://www.helenboswell.com.


Want to become a character in Book Three or win other cool prizes? ENTER THE INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY!!!


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A Year Ago...

A year and four days ago I signed a contract. A contract that said my novel would be published. My dreams were coming true! So, I thought I'd look back at the past year and reflect on what I've accomplished to remind myself how incredibly bless my life is!
On Oct 5, 2012 I sent a signed contract to Curiosity Quills Press for the first book in my Kiya trilogy, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh. Since then, they contracted all three books. This has proved to be the best thing for me. I've learned so much along this road, and met so many wonderful and supportive people.
In November, I turned 26 and my daughter turned 2. Every day I'm grateful for her and the joy (and often insanity) she brings to my life. This year we've worked through potty training, tantrums, a strong personality shining through, and a lot of sass.
In March, my husband and I celebrated four years of marriage. I don't know how he does it, but he makes me laugh every day. He's shown me what real love is. But times have been tough with him at school. We've both had to work part time, and the combined income barely gets us by. The royalties from my book have really helped us out more than I can tell. Although far thousands of dollars, it's enough to cover things we were neglecting.
The day Kiya released, an email landed in my inbox offering me a contract for Branded. I never expected Branded to get signed, but I entered it in a comp to win a Amazon gift card and BAM. I'm nervous and excited about this one.
I wrote Deceptive Cadence, a 2 book series that even now lingers with me. I believe it's my best story yet, and I'm hoping for it to be my next published work.
I'm currently querying, after extensive rewrites, Dancing in the Athenian Rain. And here's a picture which is so perfect for it!

My life is far from perfect. But I try to find the best things I can in what I do have. I'm published, I have three more books lined up for release, and hopefully many more to come. I am a mother of a beautiful girl and happily married.
This year has been incredible, emotional, and life changing. Here's to another year of life!

photo credit: Suus Wansink via photopin cc

Being the Better Person

photo credit: Viewminder via photopin cc
I want to love the books I read. When I was younger, in high school and such, I raided the library and picked books out because I wanted to read them. The shelves weren't organized into five star or one star books, and didn't have a huge list pasted on the wall with everyone's opinions on the books I scoured through. The books grabbed my attention on their own merit. The stories pulled me in with their plots, characters, scenes, and morals. I loved a book because I wanted to love it.
When I had to read for a class, I blocked out what my peers said about it, because most of the time they complained. I learned to do this in 8th grade we were asked to read a book. I ultimately loved it, but everyone around me complained constantly. I found when I said, "but I liked it because of this" suddenly, everyone else agreed and saw the good in it.
Since becoming a published author, I've found my reading experience altered. I notice show vs tell, stiff dialogue, bulky writing, passive voice and a myriad of other simple mistakes which before I embarked on this journey I never would have even cared about, but more especially, noticed. But I still want to love the books I read.
This is where Being the Better Person arises. As a writer, I know how crushing a negative review feels. Because of this, combined with what I learned in high school, I won't leave a negative review out there for anyone to see. I don't want to alter someone's reading experience for them, and before I start reading, I won't read other reviews. Why? With my reading already altered from being a writer, I don't need other people's negativity highlighting faults before I even step into it. Like in high school, one person can change what other people see in a book.
Reading should bring us joy. Reading should be something we do to make us happy, to uplift and enrich us. I hope I never forget that, especially as I write.

Cover Reveal: The Dividing Line by Victoria H. Smith

The Dividing Line(The Space Between #2)The next title in The Space Between series by Victoria H. Smith will be releasing February 14, 2014Cover designed by Okay CreationsNew Adult Contemporary
Drake left Chicago with little more than the clothes on his back to be with his girlfriend Lacey. Though he has no regrets, he sometimes wonders if his time spent in Paris has put his life on hold. He’s overworked and underpaid at his dead-end job, and his employer sees him as expendable. His bright light at the end of the day is Lacey, but he finds himself slowly falling into the shadow of her newly-acquired fame. The city of love has found their new starlet in Lacey, but Drake is simply the man by her side. With all good things there comes a price. Lacey has been living the dream. She arrived in Paris with nothing but heartache and loss. Now, she’s the rising star of the city’s newest opera and dating the man of her dreams. When her performance contract is extended, she must decide if her new life of glitz and glam is what’s best for a future with the man she loves—or if it’s just what’s best for her. Paris brought Drake and Lacey together. But when their hopes for the future begin taking them in different directions, they must a find common ground or risk a line dividing them that may prove to be insurmountable. The Dividing Line is the sequel to the new adult multicultural romance The Space Between.


  

 


  About the Author Victoria H. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She puts it to good use writing romance all day. She resides in the Midwest with her Macbook on her lap and a cornfield to her right. She often draws inspiration for her stories from her own life experiences, and the twenty-something characters she writes give her an earful about it. In her free time, she enjoys extreme couponing, blogging, reading, and sending off a few tweets on Twitter when she can. She writes new adult fiction romance in the sub-genres of science fiction, urban fantasy, and contemporary, but really, anywhere her pen takes her she goes. 

  Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads   
A new love and a new life.

Blog Tour: Evade (Ever book 2) by Jessa Russo

It is my great privileged to have Jessa here today for her blog tour for book 2 of her Ever Trilogy; Evade. Just for some background, Jessa is one of my heroes! She is the person who gave me the chance to kick off my own writing career when she offered me my contract with CQ. She also works hard with the PitchMas', her own novels, and is a Super Mum!

So with no further ado, here's Jessa!

An unashamed super fan of all things paranormal romance, Jessa Russo reads, writes and breathes paranormal YA, rarely straying from her comfort zone. When not writing or reading--or raising the coolest kid ever--Jessa enjoys making memories with her amazingly supportive family and friends, while secretly planning her next trip to New Orleans. She will always call Southern California home, where she lives with her husband and daughter, and a Great Dane who thinks he's the same size as his cranky sister, the Chihuahua.

EVADE's Links:Blog Tour Schedule | Goodreads [BUY LINKS COMING SOON]
EVER's Links: Amazon | GoodReads | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Media Kit
Jessa's Links:Website | Twitter | Facebook (Friend) | Facebook (Follow/Like)

Release Day: Veiled Shadows by Morgan Wylie

It is RELEASE DAY for Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two)!!

Genre: YA FantasyPublisher: Red Cabin PublishingRelease date: Oct 1, 2013
Blurb:Shadows linger where light is obstructed, and truth is veiled.
Evil is an untreated disease in the once beautiful realm of Alandria.
Kaeleigh is faced with a revelation that she must reconcile. She will decide if discovering the truth is worth the unknown consequences to both herself and her friends.
Daegan, the Ferrishyn warrior, is conflicted by more than his loyalties, and is confronted with emotions he doesn’t know how to deal with. A choice must be made. A choice… that may cost him more than he ever wanted to give.
The Droch-Shúil—enforcers and servants of the ancient darkness—continue to cast their shadow over Alandria seeking those who can be turned to their side.
The magic of The Orchids is growing, but not everyone will survive what is to come.
Veiled Shadows is the second installment in The Age of Alandria series: the story of the Sol-lumieth’s quest for freedom of self and the power to battle the evil of the Droch-Shúil.



Buy links:  Amazon   Barnes and Noble     Kobo     Smashwords    
Add to Goodreads!!



Morgan Wylie, originally from the Pacific Northwest, now resides near Nashville, TN with her husband and daughter. She and her husband work everyday at their individual and combined creative pursuits while she learns to balance being “Mama”, wife, and mediator to the many voices and muses constantly chattering in her head.
You can find her and news on her books at the following:
MorganWylie.netMorganWylieBooks on Facebook@MWylieBooks on TwitterInfo@MorganWylie.net EmailGoodreads and Amazon(Author Bio)

Silent Orchids (The Age of Alandria: Book One): A dying realm.
The ancient evil of the Droch-Shúil has been unleashed.
The Orchids have been silenced… but for how long?
Daegan, elite of the Ferrishyn warrior tribe of Faeries, is charged with a mission to find the Sol-lumieth, a mysterious new power that could change the fate of all in the realm of Alandria. But he is conflicted by his purpose, and he cannot trust the motives of those he serves. He has too many questions and they must be answered.
Kaeleigh, a girl abandoned as a small child just outside Missoula, Montana, is now 18. She is trying to discover who she is and where she belongs. In her heart, she feels she has family out there… somewhere. Desperate to unravel the mysteries of her past, she embarks on a journey that will forever change her along with her two best friends, Finn and Chel—who have secrets of their own.Amazon   Barnes&Noble   Smashwords   Kobo   iTunes   




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Cover Reveal: Kiya: Mother of a King

Today I have a cover reveal for my own novel. The second book in the Kiya trilogy, Kiya: Mother of a King is due for release through Curiosity Quills on October 25th.

So.... Here it is!


Nefertiti has forced Naomi to flee Amarna with Malachi and the three children. But even under the protection of Naomi’s family in Thebes, Nefertiti still hunts her and Tut. Nefertiti sends assassins to kill them, and while Naomi fights to protect the children, Malachi fights to keep her safe.With three children in tow, one of which isn’t her own, she is labeled the harlot outcast wife of the pharaoh and is shunned. She isn’t safe among her own people, and flees from being stoned to death. Although her family protects her, she must find a way to survive.
While Naomi struggles to keep herself and Tut alive, old adversaries return as Smenkhkare takes advantage of Akhenaten’s ailing health. Naomi must rely on Horemheb’s promise to protect Tut’s birthright, but her feelings for Malachi could cause more problems with Horemheb than she expects.
Add it on Goodreads, and make sure you read Book 1 first or you might get a little lost. 
The pre-release tour is currently running, and you can find the schedule HERE 
There is also a giveaway where you could win a signed copy of both Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh and Kiya: Mother of a King.a Rafflecopter giveaway