Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 26

Blog Tour: In the After by Elisa Dane

In the After by Elisa DanePublication Date:  February 2, 2016Publisher:  Swoon Romance

Sadie Reynolds is a liar with secrets. At school, she’s part of the popular crowd known as AE, despite being broken inside. She hides it well. She has to. The slightest bit of imperfection will land her in the same shoes as her Geeky neighbor named Ian.
Ian and his only friend are the object of Sadie’s friends’ ridicule, ire, and entertainment. The AE rule the school with intimidation and retribution against anyone who would dare question their supremacy.
Sadie steers clear of most of it, terrified someone will find out her secret. She isn’t the least bit perfect. In fact, she suffers from PTSD stemming from the murder of her mother right before her eyes when she was a child. She can barely cope from day-to-day, hiding her truth and trying to fit in. But she knows it’s only a matter of time.
Hayden is a “Waverly,” a kid with the misfortune of living in the small farming town of Waverly that borders the very affluent Lexington Parrish. The AE doesn’t mix with “Waverlies.” Ever.
Desperate to get away from her oppressive friends, Sadie crashes into Hayden at a bonfire and the attraction that sparks between them is nothing short of electric. But Hayden’s an outsider and when things heat up, Sadie will be forced to choose between her friends and her new boyfriend.
Only Queen Bee Britt isn’t having it. She will not allow Sadie to cross her. Sadie can either do what Britt wants her to do or she will reveal Sadie for the PTSD freak that she is.
Sadie does some soul searching about who she is and who she wants to be. She can’t live her life like this. Not any more. One fateful night will help her see how much things have to change.
She’s determined to no longer allow the AE to rule her life. She will be strong, stand up for Ian and love who she wants in Hayden. Determined and invigorated, Sadie goes to school feeling hopeful for the first time in forever.
But, the unthinkable happens.
Shooters attack dozens of students before the two eventually take their own lives, leaving the school a decimated shadow of what it once was.
Suddenly who lives where, wears what or loves whom seems like the least of Lexington Parish’s problems as everyone and everything changes forever in the after.

IN THE AFTER by Elisa Dane is a hard-hitting and heart-warming story of tragedy, love, loss and redemption. It is recommended for readers 14+.
Excerpt: “I’m going to kick Dane in the nut sack. It looks like a serial killer came at your face with a hacksaw.”I watched the students milling up and down the school’s main hallway toward their first period classes feeling as though I were encased in some sort of bubble. Britt’s words cut deeper than the rose bush that marred my face, but I didn’t let it show. I’d never give her the satisfaction of knowing she’d hurt me in any way. So, I did what I always did—I readjusted my invisible armor, reminded myself I’d put on my Big Girl panties that morning, and donned a fake smile. “Please … The stupid jerk scared me to death! If anyone’s busting his nuts, it’s gonna be me.”Jenna closed her locker with a giggle and scooted in alongside me while we waited for Britt to finish primping. Decked out in Victoria’s Secret bling sweats, with her hair pulled into a stylish side braid, Britt looked both comfortable and cute, which irritated the crap out of me. I’d worn a similar pair of sweats to school three weeks before and was told I looked like a frumpy hobo. Clearly Britt was the only person at Atwood who was allowed to rock hobo chic.She smoothed on a fresh layer of gloss and eyeballed us from the mirror hanging inside her locker door. “Party at my house this Friday. Both you bitches better be there,” She rolled her lips together, spreading her newly applied gloss, then shut her locker door. Brow raised and lip quirked into a devious smile, she hugged her folder between her arm and her body and faced me full on. “About Dane … I know he wants to take things to the next level with you, so maybe we should leave his balls intact.”My eyebrows shot up into my hairline. “Next level?” My gaze darted to Jenna, who was straining to keep a blank face, then back to Britt. “I didn’t realize we’d reached any kind of level.” I didn’t bother to mention the fact Dane made my skin crawl, or that I’d rather suck face with a pile driver than experience any sort of “level” with him. My single status was safe where he was concerned.Britt rolled her eyes and blew out a frustrated breath. “Jesus, Sadie. It’s like you were born without a brain, or something.” She stepped forward and crossed her other arm over her chest, her body language revealing her growing irritation with me. “Dane likes you. Like, really likes you. You’ve been single long enough, and he’s a good match for you. Besides, it’s a couples party.”The bell rang out overhead, effectively saving me from saying something that would surely get me in trouble. If Britt liked Dane so much, why the hell didn’t she date him? I wasn’t interested, and I didn’t need a plus one. The only person I was interested in was unavailable to me except for a one-night stand per AE rules. I didn’t hook up like that, so I was ass-out when it came to finding someone to pair up with.Unease wormed its way through my gut as I thought about Jenna’s date for the party. She’d dated Jason Weathers on and off for the past two years, and though they were more off than on, she always took him back regardless of the crappy way he treated her. A manwhore to the core, Jason was a key member of the Atwood Elite and Jenna was expected to play his other half and project a happy, perfect couple vibe. Those two were anything but and I worried what dealing with his bullshit would do to her precarious mental state. I needed my best friend healthy as well as happy.We parted ways, the hall that had been bustling with students just moments before thinning out as kids hauled butt to their first period classes.The library was quiet and empty, and I took a moment to bask in its comforting ambience before storing my things behind the front desk. Mrs. King’s familiar chicken-scratch handwriting scrawled across a sheet of notepaper placed on the desk in front of my chair.Taking another conference call this morning. Please shelve the books on the cart, then go through the returns.I sucked in a shallow breath, blowing the air back out slowly as I rounded the desk. The metal cart was overloaded with books, which meant I’d spend a better part of the hour placing them back in their homes. Eager to get the menial task over with, I pushed the squeaky cart into the stacks, wishing I could get lost among the books and just spend my day reading. I never felt as relaxed as I did when my nose was in a book, and I desperately needed the escape after Britt’s party announcement.Encyclopedia in hand, I rounded the corner into the reference section, the familiar tingling I always felt when Hayden was near suddenly inching across my skin like a hot flush. I peered down the aisle, frowning when I saw it was empty. He wasn’t behind me either, much to my dismay. Had I imagined his presence? I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have Hayden on the brain. I’d thought about him almost constantly since our brief conversation at the diner. Jenna and I had gone back to Moe’s every day for the rest of the week, but aside from a few sidelong glances and a handful of beautiful smiles, we hadn’t spoken again. I was dying to get up close and personal with him. To talk with him about things other than Ian, and Britt, and all of the high school BS we dealt with on a daily basis.I plucked another book off the cart, this one a biography of Marilyn Monroe, and headed toward the rear of the stacks. I was just about to place the book in its resting place when a large hand reached over my shoulder and snagged the book out of my hand.My skin tingled, my pulse hummed, and my knees felt as though they might give out at any moment. I didn’t bother hiding my grin. Hayden was behind me.“Did you know Joe DiMaggio delivered half a dozen roses to her crypt every week for twenty years?”His warm breath tickled my ear, and sent my blood boiling beneath my skin. I turned around, nice and slow, and glanced up at him through my lashes with a shy smile. “Is that so?” I took a step back and leaned against the tall shelves, thankful for their unwavering support. His crisp, clean scent, and Bad Boy aura were sending my poor body into a full on snit. If I didn’t get hold of myself I was likely to end up a boneless sack of flesh marring the library floor. My palms began to sweat and my chest felt like it had a billion hummingbirds flapping their wings inside of it. I quirked a brow. “So, you’re an expert on Marilyn Monroe, then?”Hayden leaned forward, his intoxicating scent captivating every molecule in my being as he deftly slid the biography back onto the shelf behind my head. His body hovered just centimeters from mine, the low-level buzz I felt whenever he was near sparking like a downed wire—hot and dangerous. He dropped his head, his lips a hairsbreadth from my ear. “I’m a fan of baseball, and she was married to Joe DiMaggio.My breathing felt stunted, the air my lungs had so thanklessly taken for granted just moments ago, sparse and non-existent. Something told me, some inner voice deep within me, that oxygen wasn’t necessary when Hayden was around. Just being near him was enough to sustain me.He gently brushed my hair away from my face, his eyes darkening when he took in the angry scratch on my cheek. Taking care not to touch the still-painful wound, he slid a calloused finger across the skin beneath the cut and shook his head with a frown. “I heard about your execution this morning.” His finger and thumb lingered on my chin for a moment before he dropped his hand. “That’s twice now you’ve damaged your pretty skin because of Dane Whittier.” The muscles in his jaw rippled, his flirtatious demeanor quickly shifting to something dark and dangerous.We’d had so little time together, I couldn’t bear the thought of wasting whatever time we had now talking about Dane. I needed to change the subject, and quick.“Is your class in the library for research again?” My question was stupid, but hopefully it would do the trick.Hayden shook his head, the budding anger I’d seen in his eyes washing away with the movement. He treated me to a heart-stopping grin, but said nothing as I gazed up at him, with a renewed feeling of breathlessness.“Then, what are you doing here?” There was no power to my voice. It had flown away and joined the hummingbirds swarming inside my chest. Please. Please say you’re here for me. Feel what I feel. Tell me this attraction isn’t one-sided.Hayden inched closer, lifted his left hand, and gently ran the back of it down the length of my arm, eliciting a tremor and a horde of goose-flesh that danced across my skin. His touch was magic. Just like his smile. And his beautiful cerulean eyes.He cocked his head to the side, his eyes filled with warmth, his smile confident. “You came back to the diner after we talked last week.”I bit my bottom lip, the action doing little to diminish the ridiculously huge grin crossing my mouth. I huffed out a soft laugh. “That I did.”His calloused finger slid back up the length of my arm, trailing up the same path it had just descended, and I silently bartered with God, offering up my firstborn child and all the money in my father’s bank account if He’d make it so Hayden would never stop touching me.He leaned forward again, his warm, minty breath swirling inside my head and chest like a powerful drug I couldn’t get enough of. “I liked seeing you outside of school every day.” His magic fingers found my hair, the gentle tug he gave the red strand as he played with the softly curled end making me want to purr like a kitten. He carefully placed the curl back with the rest of my hair and fixed his gaze onto mine once again. “Think we can arrange for that to keep happening?”I nodded once, unable to speak. Unable to do anything but melt beneath his mesmerizing stare. High. I was literally high off his presence. Having an out-of-body experience. My heart and mind floating on a cloud somewhere, my feeble body and Hayden’s close proximity the only things tethering me to the earth.He felt it. The connection. The pull. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to cry. I wanted to press my lips to his and lose myself in what would surely be the most pleasurable experience I’d ever had. If a simple touch from him could undo me like this, then a kiss would surely kill me.I couldn’t think of a better way to die.“Sadie?” Mrs. King’s one-word question floated through the stacks, her normally pleasant voice a sour buzz-kill. I wasn’t ready for my time with Hayden to be over yet.“Just finishing up, Mrs. King!” I glanced down the long aisle of books, then back up at Hayden, unable to hide the disappointment in my eyes. “I, uh … better get back to work.”He swiped his thumb across his mouth before jamming his hands into his pockets. He stared down at me through his lashes, the combination of his expectant smile and the hopefulness in his eyes a heady drug I needed more of. “See you at Moe’s later?”I breathed out a weak “yes” at which point he chuckled, popped me on the nose with his pointer finger, then spun on his heels and strode away.I had no memory of the last fifteen minutes of first period. My head, my every thought was on the dangerous hottie from the wrong side of the tracks. One thing was certain: the rest of the books never got put away.
Link to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28471919-in-the-after 
Purchase Links: Amazon
Author's Favorite scene and why
Hi Katie! Thank you so much for having me on your blog today! You thought your readers might be interested in knowing what my favorite scene is in my latest release, In The After, so let’s get to it!
Sadie Reynolds is not what she seems. Her friends at Atwood High see her as a pretty, outgoing member of their elite group of friends. Little do they know, it’s all a sham, and Sadie is secretly terrified her friends are going to find out what a messed up head case she really is. Her mom was brutally murdered several years before in front of her and she’s been suffering from PTSD ever since. If her perfect friends found out she was afraid of the dark, of small spaces, and that she secretly hated everything about them, her life would turn hellish in the blink of an eye. If they knew she harbored feelings for Hayden Pope, the hot Waverly boy from the wrong side of the tracks, she’d be an outcast, a pariah.
The cards are stacked against Sadie on a number of levels, so when she chooses to open up to Hayden in chapter six and reveal what happened to her mother and her struggles with PTSD, it’s a real turning point for her character, making the scene one of my favorites in the book. Sadie takes a huge leap of faith when she opens up to Hayden. Not only does she make the choice to finally open her heart again and let him in, she also provides Hayden with ammunition he could use against her with the AE if he chose to. For several years, Sadie had only had herself and her father to rely on. In sharing with Hayden, she learns how to trust and become vulnerable again, which in turn, propels her relationship with him forward and deepens their bond. The scene shows a lot of growth on Sadie’s part and I think it’s crucial to the story.

Elisa Dane loves books, chocolate, reality television, her family, and All Star Cheerleading. Not necessarily in that order! She writes contemporary YA romance with cheerleaders. Yep. She writes what she knows, and it’s her hope that her stories will not only take you on a romantic journey that will warm your heart, but that you’ll find a new respect for the sport of All Star Cheerleading you may not have had before. She’s represented by Brittany Booker of the Booker/Albert Agency, and has published a NA paranormal series under her real name, Lisa Sanchez.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Tumblr | Goodreads


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Review: Asleep by Krystal Wade

From Goodreads:

"To cure fear, you must use fear." 

Rose Briar claims no responsibility for the act that led to her imprisonment in an asylum. She wants to escape, until terrifying nightmares make her question her sanity and reach out to her doctor. He’s understanding and caring in ways her parents never have been, but as her walls tumble down and Rose admits fault, a fellow patient warns her to stop the medications. Phillip believes the doctor is evil and they’ll never make it out of the facility alive. Trusting him might be just the thing to save her. Or it might prove the asylum is exactly where she needs to be. 




My Thoughts:
How can I wrap my head around what I want to say about this book. The twists and turns definitely had me wondering throughout the entire book. I'm afraid if I say too much, I'll give out spoilers unintentionally.
Rose isn't exactly what I'd describe as likable, but considering the situation, I don't think likability is important to the story. She's made some bad choices, and ended up at the wrong end of the stick. Throughout the book she undergoes a great deal of growth, which gave me the desire to root for her.
Phillip is great, right from the beginning. He figures everything out and works his hardest to help Rose through. Despite their awful circumstances, he slots in as the perfect hero in her plight.
Although this is technically a "fairy tale" retelling, there isn't much of the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty involved, so don't expect that at all. It's very raw, and there are parts that are truly sad. It's a psychological story, as you watch the people around Rose mess with her head. But she fights back, refusing to believe the lies.
I saw several things coming, but not the conclusion, Again, no spoilers!
I'd consider it a clean read, in the sense that there's no sex or explicit violence. It does leave you wondering, what is going on? though, as almost archaic treatments are implemented.

***Thank you to Blaze Pub for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review***

COVER REVEAL: MURDER & OBSESSION by Yolanda Renee

Flames burn between a hardboiled cop and a gifted artist, but soon extinguish as another man’s obsession ignites into an inferno of desire, driving him to destroy the object of his madness. To be Released March 2016 As wedding bells echo like the ring of toasting champagne glasses in the ice carved mountains of Anchorage Alaska, detective Steven Quaid rehabs his grandfather’s cabin into a honeymoon cottage for his new bride. When he returns from a hunting trip, Steven’s faced with five police officers, who “Want to talk.” Plagued by two unsolved murders, the Department is searching for answers. The conversation comes to a deafening halt as the team finds a bloody crime scene in the bridal suite. "Where's her body?" is a question Steven cannot fathom.  Steven’s jaw clenches and his heart races. Images of Sarah streak through his mind. The silence breaks as an explosion of accusations vibrate through every fiber of his being. Steven bolts… Although running is never the smart thing to do, Steven’s not thinking clearly and his escape into the wilderness of the Brooks Range proves almost fatal. This Steven Quaid mystery is both personal and heartbreaking. *****    Yolanda Renee At one time Alaska called to me and I answered. I learned to sleep under the midnight sun, survive in below zero temperatures, and hike the Mountain Ranges. I've traveled from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, and the memories are some of my most valued. The wonders, mysteries, and incredible beauty that is Alaska has never left me and thus now influence my writing. Despite my adventurous spirit, I achieved my educational goals, married, and I have two wonderful sons. Writing is now my focus, my newest adventure! You can find Yolanda at: Blog: Defending the Pen Facebook Twitter  Pinterest   Amazon New Covers: Murder, Madness & Love After a gritty detective becomes involved with a beautiful widow suspected of murder, rumor and obsession obstruct his quest for justice. Memories of Murder World damnation is a psychotic man’s goal, but two obstacles stand in his way, greed and a dedicated detective. 

Blog Tour: The Girl’s Guide to the Apocalypse by Daphne Lamb

The Girl’s Guide to the Apocalypse by Daphne Lamb
Published by: Booktrope Publishing
Publication date: August 11th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic
Synopsis:Welcome to the Apocalypse. Your forecast includes acid rain, roving gangs and misplaced priorities, in this comedic take on the end of the world as we know it, from debut author Daphne Lamb. As a self-entitled, self-involved, and ill equipped millennial, Verdell probably wouldn’t have ranked very high on the list of those most likely to survive the end of the world, but here she is anyway. Add in travelling with her work addicted boss, her boyfriend who she has “meh” feelings for, and a handful of others who had no businesses surviving as long as they have, and things aren’t exactly going as planned. But despite threats of cannibalism, infected water supplies, and possibly even mutants, Verdell is willing to put in as little effort as she can get away with to survive.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26148254-the-girl-s-guide-to-the-apocalypse?ac=1
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1513701185B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-girls-guide-to-the-apocalypse-daphne-lamb/1122532764?ean=9781513701189&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10:1
Playlist!
1.      “Village Green Preservation Society” - The Kinks
2.      “Knights of Cydonia” - Muse
3.      “We Come Running” - Youngblood Hawke

4.      “Pretty Persuasion” - R.E.M.
5.      “Don’t Believe in Love” - Dido
6.      “Honest Feedback” - Saint Motel
7.      “So Many Bridges” - FFS
8.      “Time for Me to Fly” - REO Speedwagon
9.      “Super Bad” - James Brown
10.    “El Salvador” - Jamie T

11.    “Every Breaking Wave”- U2
AUTHOR BIO:Daphne Lamb was raised in the wilds of Colorado and now resides in a very different wilderness known as Los Angeles. She is a comedian and award winning writer who has worked in television, film and video games. In her spare time, she enjoys collecting comic books, discussing awesomely bad movies and thinks about what it would be like to own a cat.

She loves connecting to fans and readers, so feel free to connect!
Author links:https://twitter.com/daphne_lambhttp://www.daphnelambwriter.com/https://www.facebook.com/daphnelambbooks/

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Blog Tour: Omen Operation by Taylor Brooke

Omen Operation
by Taylor Brooke
Release Date: January 26th 2016
Limitless Publishing

Summary:

After an epidemic spreads through the country, Brooklyn Harper’s high school years come to an abrupt end.
Implanted in a rural camp, Brooklyn and her friends are cut off from their families and the outside world. Each day is filled with combat training to assure their safety against the crazed, belligerent, and deadly— those infected with a mysterious virus.
If the world couldn’t get any crazier, a letter ups the insanity...
After being assured day after day that the world outside their little camp had been compromised, Brooklyn’s cabin-mate, Dawson Winters, finds a letter that turns everything they’d known upside down. There is a world outside the trees that surrounds their camp, and the virus they all feared seems non-existent.
Determined to see it herself, Brooklyn plots with others to attempt an escape...
On the outside, Brooklyn finds the world is as normal as ever. But when they are attacked in the city, they dispose of their attackers far more efficiently than any normal human.. Is there more to Brooklyn and her friends then just being highly trained?

As their exploration continues, the group is faced with impossible feats. Betrayal, love, death, and a powerful sense of camaraderie  lead Brooklyn and her friends to fight for their life, their freedom, and most of all, each other.
Add to Goodreads
Buy Links: Amazon


About the Author
Taylor Brooke is the author of the upcoming sci-fi adventure trilogy The Isolation Series. She started out as a freelance makeup artist, and quickly discovered her love of elves, zombies, mermaids, kaiju, and monsters of all kinds. After receiving eight professional certifications in special effects makeup, working on countless projects, and fleshing out a multitude of fantastical creatures, she turned her imagination back to her one true love- books. Taylor has had a knack for writing since she was a little girl, and received recognition for her skills throughout grade school and junior college. When she’s not nestled in a blanket typing away on her laptop, she can be found haunting the local bookstore with a cup of steaming hot tea in her hands, scanning the shelves for new reads, or hiking one of the many mountains that surround her home in Oregon.
Author Links:Website│Goodreads│Twitter 

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Review: Isla's Inheritance by Cassandra Page

From Goodreads:
Isla was content to let her father keep his secrets, but now she can’t stand the touch of iron and her dreams are developing a life of their own.

Seventeen-year-old Isla Blackman only agrees to participate in a Halloween séance because Dominic, an old crush, wants to. She is sure nothing will happen when they try to contact her mother’s spirit. But the séance receives a chilling reply.

SHE IS NOT DEAD.

Isla doesn’t want to upset her father by prying into the family history he never discusses. When the mysterious and unearthly Jack offers to help her discover the truth, Isla must master her new abilities to protect her loved ones from enemies she never knew existed.

My Thoughts:
So, this book was good. I definitely didn't hate it, but it just didn't grab me like I wanted. It's an easy, light read, set in the beautiful capital of Australia; Canberra. There were just things that felt off to me. Like their fashion was all very... late nineties. I'm thinking it should be maybe mentioned as a Modern History book. Also, HSC exams are usually almost done by Nov, and the 12th graders have already graduated so aren't expected to attend classes. I know this because my birthday is Nov 1 and I'd completed all but one of my exams by then.
Those factors aside, the book stayed a good course. A little slow paced, but the end built up nicely. Isla was likable, but I didn't feel any real connection between her and the love interest.
All up, this is a clean read, light, fun, and an easy introduction for teens into urban fantasy.

Blog Tour: The Glass Ceiling by Julie LaVoie

The Glass Ceiling
by Julie LaVoie
Release Date: December 11th 2015
Frost Books Group

Summary from Goodreads:

Pickaxes, grime, and watery oatmeal are all sixteen-year-old Heart has ever known. Growing up in the tunnels, the only breaks in her muscle-aching monotony are the numerous nights spent cramped in a metal box. Stupid runaway mouth. But when strange visions and a hidden map hint there’s more to life than she’s been led to believe — boys being one of them — only one thing weighs on her mind. Escape.

Yet freedom is a tease. Heart merely trades her small prison for a larger one — a transparent dome controlled by the Guardian, an aging leader bent on creating a genetically perfect race. Heart's birthmark on her shoulder? An abomination that carries a lifetime sentence of slavery for females.

Refusing to let a glass ceiling deter her, Heart searches for a way out of the dome. But unraveling the Guardian's secrets is a risky endeavor. Human skulls atop crude sticks serve as a warning: treason is punishable by death. When her new friends are captured, and escape is just an arm’s reach away, Heart must decide. Take the freedom she so desperately wants or save her friends’ lives?Add to Goodreads
Buy Links:Amazon│Barnes and Noble
Book Trailer: 
Excerpt:
Just as Heart touched the doorknob, muffled voices sounded from the other side. Crap. She looked around her. The closest object was a trash can. She lowered herself behind it, wrinkling her nose at the putrid smell of dirty diapers. The door swung open and the Matriarch stepped out. A messy braid laid over one shoulder.
“We need to locate her. Check the bathroom. Check the tunnels. She couldn’t have gotten far.”
The woman stomped past the trash can without noticing Heart. In one bright flash, all the fluorescents came on. Chills spread through Heart like black oil. They were going to find her.
The dorm mother put one of the older girls in charge and rushed toward the east tunnels. Heart stayed in her kneeling position, frozen to her spot. Think, Heart, think. Going inside her dorm was out of the question. Her only choice was to go west. Her heart sank. The west tunnels were in the opposite direction of the Box. She couldn’t leave 176 behind.
Before she could change her mind, she abandoned her hiding spot and sprinted toward the common area. Luckily, everyone was already in the tunnels and she made it through without being detected.
She neared the Box and moaned. She’d forgotten about the padlock. How was she going to get 176 out? She banged her fist against the thick metal. “176, you in there?”
There was no response. Of course, 176 couldn’t talk. She placed her ear against the door, listening for movement. Three thumps came from within.
“The door is locked and I can’t open it.” Heart banged once more. “I have to go, but I’ll come back for you, okay?” She hesitated. Promises alone wouldn’t help 176 survive the Box. “Just concentrate on the sliver of light. Pretend it’s an angel, wrapping you with her wings. Protecting you. That’s what I do.”
A ball formed in Heart’s throat. “Stay strong. I know you can do it.”
A thump sounded. Heart sniffled and wiped at her nose. There was nothing more she could say.
With a final glance over her shoulder, she rushed toward the west tunnels, staying close to the walls. She made a note of the small alcoves she passed. If needed, she could easily squeeze into one.
Every couple of minutes, she stopped and listened for voices. Yells and the beating of feet into dirt bounced off the cavern walls. She couldn’t tell if they were ten feet away or a hundred. Adrenaline forced Heart forward and she quickened her pace. If the Matriarch caught her, losing her tongue would be the best scenario she could hope for.
The walls grew narrower and the path more treacherous. She’d never been this far into the tunnels. Looming rock formations snagged at her hair. What if she’d picked the wrong turn? What if it was a dead end?
She turned a corner and her stomach flipped. A wrought iron gate marked the exit, a six inch thick steel bar holding it in place. Beyond the gate, a pinkish purple glow filled the tunnel. Freedom? Heart grasped the cold metal bar. C’mon, c’mon, c’mon!She tugged until her veins threatened to pop out of her forehead.
It didn’t budge. She whipped her head back and forth, searching for something hard. She grabbed a rock and slammed it into the bar. A pinging sound echoed off the walls. She didn’t care that the commotion would attract attention. There was no other escape. No bright arrows pointing the way. Nothing left to do but hit that bar with every bit of strength she could muster.
The footfalls came quicker now. A whistle blew. Heart hit the bar faster. Harder. The sounds were closing in. Every hair on her head could sense her pursuers. And yet she continued. Bang. Bang. Bang.
The bar moved slightly and tears of hope stung her eyes. Please!
Her body jolted as someone grasped her arm. The rock, and her only chance of escape, slipped from her fingertips.



About the Author
Julie lives in historic Saratoga Springs, NY with the man of her dreams and their boys. Being surrounded by males, she overcompensates by owning everything pink. From her clothing, to purses, to even her pots and pans. She just can’t get enough pink.

She enjoys taking long road trips with her family to the beach and to amusement parks. She has one cat that she showers with kissy-baby talk, but who only returns a non-amused glance every once in a while. It’s her third cat to act this way, so she’s wondering if perhaps she should get a dog next time.

From a young age, Julie’s vivid imagination constantly invented story lines. But it wasn’t until she began working in a career that required zero creativity, that her need to write poured out like a dam bursting. And she’s been writing ever since.
Author Links:Website│Goodreads│Twitter
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Blog Tour: Lightning Kissed by Lila Felix

Lightning Kissed by Lila Felix
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: January 4th 2016
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis:Colby Evans can leap from one country to the next in a heartbeat. She can see every sunset in every time zone in the same day. She can travel across the world in a flash. She defies gravity and physics with every breath she takes. She’s tested her abilities and found them limitless.She is the lightning. She is Lucent. And nothing can stop her.
Except him.
Theodore Ramsey isn’t supposed to be able to flash like Colby. The power of travel is passed on from mother to daughter in their people. Except once in every hundred generations.
Theo is the one.
He can flash like Colby. And it makes him a target to their enemies and to himself. His abilities change everything he knows about life and throws his future into an uncertain tangent. In fact, the only thing certain in his life is the love he feels for Colby.
Their love defies time and space and has been the only constant thing in their lives since childhood. But even their infallible love will be stretched to its limits.
She will risk her life to protect him. But he will risk everything to protect them all.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25750003-lightning-kissed?ac=1
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Kissed-Lucent-Book-1-ebook/dp/B017QAEQSSB&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lightning-kissed-lila-felix/1122163366?ean=2940151977845iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/lightning-kissed/id1008487798?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Author's favorite scene: Hours later we were deep in research. My mind was filled to the brim with new information and histories I’d never dreamed of. We were getting all the answers we came for and more.No, wait. That wasn’t happening at all. We were still having tea and listening to chanting.For three hours. Even Collin was hanging himself with an invisible noose. He’d also stabbed himself with an invisible knife and slit his throat several times with his finger. He was trying to get me in trouble.I’d crossed and re-crossed my legs four hundred times. I’d snorted the first time Collin made a face of boredom, directed at me. Here I’d thought the Viking was all formal and prim, like Theo. Turns out he was a little bit fun—a little bit. The last time my tailbone hurt this bad, it was from a sealing ceremony. Sealings, or Lucent weddings, took three hours—which was exactly two hours and forty minutes longer than I wanted anything to last. The monks were still chanting. It was a beautiful sound, even I had to admit. Their voices rose and fell with such spirit and conviction. The curious monk—curious to me—was missing from the festivities and I wondered why. He was last in line and now was missing from the fun part—and I used the term fun loosely.
And Why:
This scene with Colby in the monk’s temple is my favorite for a lot of reasons. The first reason is because Theo’s manners are remarkable. I mean, seriously, the guy is James Dean mixed with David Gandy, wrapped up in the manners and respect of Tom Middleston. And there they are, sitting in complete silence, which he is perfectly comfortable with—next to Colby, who is absolutely beside herself.She’s not cool and calm and collected like Theo—in fact, she’s the polar opposite. She’s ants in her pants like she’s got a bad case of chigger bites nervous. She doesn’t sit still—ever. Hell, the girl doesn’t even stay in the same country for more than a few days at a time. And here she is, having to sit through this chanting and tea drinking—like a nun with a duct-taped mouth. It’s hilarious to me.And the not talking—the girl can talk her way out of her own grave.It was so funny to me in my head. I felt like I was in her body, squirming and wiggling along with her. And she can’t stand it.
Plus Collin is purposefully trying to get her to crack, which makes the whole scene that much more delightful.



AUTHOR BIO:Lila Felix is full of antics and stories. She refused to go to Kindergarten after the teacher made her take a nap on the first day of school. She staged her first protest in middle school. She almost flunked out of her first semester at Pepperdine University because she was enthralled with their library and frequently was locked in. Now her  husband and three children have to put up with her rebel nature in Louisiana where her days are filled with cypress trees, crawfish, and of course her books and writing. She writes about the ordinary people who fall extraordinarily in wild, true love. 
Author links:http://www.lilafelix.com/https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLilaFelix/https://twitter.com/AuthorLilaFelix
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6519682.Lila_Felix

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Son of a Pitch Entry Information

Are you ready for the details for Son of a Pitch? It's less that a month until the first round, so it's time for me to give you the break down. But before I begin, for your information, here are the agents and the list of publishers involved. You will also find short blurbs on all of them by checking my archives. I have posted about one each Wednesday.
Now, on with the show.
Formatting:Title: (Name of Manuscript)Age and Genre: (MG/YA/NA/Adult then Genre)Word Count: (to the nearest thousand)
Query:Insert query here. No bio please.
First 250 Words:i don't care if this is from a prologue or chapter one. That's up to you.
Week 1 starts Feb 15, 2016: A chance to refine your query and first 250 words. Post this on your blog then post a link in the comments of a post I will put up on my blog the week of Feb 15. Please leave feedback on a minimum of three other queries and first 250.
Week 2 starts Feb 22, 2016:
This week, published authors will give you feedback? The Son of a Pitch team, who are all published, will post your emailed in queries and 250 words on their blogs. Please use the formatting above and email to:
sonofapitchcomp@yahoo.com.au
Incorrectly formatted emails will be kicked off the island. The team will vote for their favorites to go onto the final round. They will cast five votes each, anywhere they want, and the top 20 will go onto the next round. Feel free to coax judges your direction however you want! But please, only you and the judges can comment on your entry, or the comments can get confusing for tallying votes at the end. Votes will close on Thursday 11:59 p.m. MST. To stalk the hosts/voting authors, click Here.
The first fifty entries will go into this round. So get your clickers ready to email at precisely 10 a.m. MST
But don't be discouraged! You will get good feedback to help you even if you don't make the top twenty. So please go and query elsewhere afterward, and let us know your success story so it can be shared on the blog.
Week 3 starts Feb 29, 2016: We have a fantastic line up of editors, publishers, and agents. They'll swing by the final contestants to try to bribe you into subbing to them. The final Twenty will post right here on this blog, where agents/editors will come and make requests for you. If you make the top twenty, you will be emailed on Friday 26th, and all updated entries sent to the email address by Saturday 27th 11:59 p.m. MST. If you don't make the deadline, the next highest voted entry will be emailed, and will have 24 hrs to get the entry into the inbox.
Feel free to email any requests made whenever you feel like it, but note that the agents/editors are allowed to give feedback on your entry. Also, make sure to include that your query to them is from the comp by putting Son of a Pitch Request in the title.
Twitter Pitch: Mar 7, 2016: And finally, we'll have a free-for-all twitter pitching opp under the hashtag #sonofapitchRules: Makes sure to include #sonofapitch and your genre/age category with the tweet. You can tweet any number of manuscripts, but only once every hour each.It will open all day, but since I'm in Arizona, I won't be monitoring the earlier stages since that's like 5 in the morning here.
So, have fun, inklings. This is a party!

Son of a Pitch Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing

Tirgearr Publishing is a small independently-owned publishing company of commercial adult genre fiction. We offer full-circle services, working with authors on a one-on-one basis through editing and cover design states to ensure each book we publish is of the highest quality. Using our expertise from nearly twenty years in the publishing business, we work side-by-side with our authors to develop effective marketing plans and promotional programs, advising on career choices and forward career planning, and assist in setting up the author's overall image.

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