Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 56
December 25, 2014
Lifer by Beck Nicholas Blog Tour @chapterxchapter @BeckNicholas @month9books


Asher is a Lifer, a slave aboard the spaceship Pelican. A member of the lowest rung of society, she must serve the ship’s Officials and Astronauts as punishment for her grandparents’ crimes back on Earth. The one thing that made life bearable was her illicit relationship with Samuai, a Fishie boy, but he died alongside her brother in a freak training accident.
Still grieving for the loss of her loved ones, Asher is summoned to the upper levels to wait on Lady, the head Official’s wife and Samuai’s mother. It is the perfect opportunity to gather intel for the Lifer’s brewing rebellion. There’s just one problem—the last girl who went to the upper levels never came back.
On the other side of the universe, an alien attack has left Earth in shambles and a group called The Company has taken control. Blank wakes up in a pond completely naked and with no memory, not even his real name. So when a hot girl named Megs invites him to a black-market gaming warehouse where winning means information, he doesn’t think twice about playing. But sometimes the past is better left buried.
As Asher and Blank’s worlds collide, the truth comes out—everyone has been lied to. Bourne Identity meets Under the Never Sky in this intergalactic tale of love and deception from debut novelist Beck Nicholas.
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Thanks for having me here to talk about the world of Lifer.The first and most important part of creating the Lifer world was creating the characters and telling their story. Yes it takes place in a world changed from this one but I didn’t want to spend time creating details for the sake of details. I wanted to tell these characters’ stories.There are two distinct settings for Lifer because of the two entwined stories. One takes place on a post-apocalyptic earth and the other on a generation starship.
For the earth setting I needed a place to transform by the Upheaval (a catastrophic even that happened well before Lifer begins). While I didn’t want to name the city I needed a base to keep it consistent in my head. I researched the land and climate and flora and fauna and then wrecked them and tried to work out what might happen. I knew there was new technology following the Upheaval and a new order created by those left behind. I spent considerable time working out who would have power and what they might do with it and why. The development of the Q weapon came from my own research at university on selectively breaking a particular chemical/molecular bond.
In order to create the spaceship where Asher is serving her sentence I read a lot about generational ships. Without giving anything away, there were a couple of unique factors I needed to take into account when designing the ship and I didn’t want to get too technical (because this isn’t my area of expertise).There were many pages of sketches to determine the layout and be able to follow the characters as they moved throughout the ship. I’m a terrible drawer so these will never see the light of day but they helped me see the inside of the ship.I had to consider how the two classes of people would interact and what could be in place to stop the servants from rebelling – or at least to foil their attempts. These made for flow on effects in the way the characters from the different classes acted and their own traditions/expectations.

Thank you for having me.
I always wanted to write. I’ve worked as a lab assistant, a pizza delivery driver and a high school teacher but I always pursued my first dream of creating stories. Now, I live with my family near Adelaide, halfway between the city and the sea, and am lucky to spend my days (and nights) writing young adult fiction.
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Published on December 25, 2014 23:05
December 22, 2014
My Favorite Books of 2014
I've read quite a few books this year, so I've picked my top five to share here with you. It wasn't easy, as there's a few I loved that I didn't include on this list. But anyway, these are books I hope you all get a chance to read, especially since most of them have sequels or the first in a series.
5.
Destruction by Sharon BaylissMy Review
4.
How to Date a Nerd by Cassie MaeMy Review
3.
The Artful by Wilbert StantonMy Review
2.
How to Date Dead Guys by Ann M. NoserMy Review
1.
Kick by John L. MonkMy Review
There you have it! It's been a fun and eventful year, and I'm looking forward to even more reading and writing opportunities next year.
5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

There you have it! It's been a fun and eventful year, and I'm looking forward to even more reading and writing opportunities next year.
Published on December 22, 2014 23:05
December 20, 2014
Life A.D.: MIA by Michelle E. Reed Blog Tour

Thank you for hosting me during the M.I.A.: Missing in Atman blog tour!
The idea for my Atman Cityseries came to me first as the station itself, and second with Dez and her final living moments. It was around these two things that I began to build the afterlife world that is Atman.
From the moment the idea of the station came to me, the image of it was vivid in my mind. I knew this would be the crossroads of the afterlife, where unprepared souls would find themselves “flagged,” and unable to move on.
When Dez came to me, I knew the story would be YA, and centered around her journey. I had to get her to the station, so the details of the train began to take shape. What would she see? Who would she meet? Would she have the train to herself, or would there be other passengers?
When she arrived at Atman Station, I began to focus on the physical landscape, and the layout of buildings and grounds that would be needed to run this kind of existence. What kind of staff would there be? What services would be needed for those unable to move on?
I populated the world with those who would help Dez and many who would challenge her. I knew she wasn’t going to take this well—from the very idea of an afterlife, to the regimented existence she would be thrust into—and it started immediately upon arrival.
I am very much a details girl, and I think part of what makes a great story is expanding on what is true. If you have real-life facts woven into the world you create, it makes the fantasy elements more believable. I researched world death statistics (a bit gruesome, I know) in order to work out how big a world this was going to be. How many people die every day? How large a staff would be needed to handle the station’s traffic? How big would the dorms and support buildings be? I was able to make a good guess (by the world’s rules) as to how many underage souls are flagged on a daily basis, and how many adults.
I came up with the daily schedule and level system to reinforce the regimented nature of Atman. Naturally, consequences for violations followed suit.
I knew I would need to segregate the underage from the adult transitional souls, which is when the city came to me. A beautiful, sprawling, off-limits metropolis; a temptation far too great.
I like to let worlds develop organically, and tend to do a lot of brainstorming to find any inconsistencies. Dez is a girl who questions everything, which I think helped make the world’s rules stronger.
I can’t wait to share the expanded world with readers in book two: M.I.A.: Missing in Atman!
Thanks again for having me!

Title: Life AD 2: M.I.A.: Missing in AtmanPublication date: December 16, 2014Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.Author: Michelle E. Reed
Dez is finally hitting her afterlife stride. She hasn’t missed a meeting or session in forty-two days, and she’s put the adventures and danger of her first days at Atman behind her. Life after death is becoming tolerable, yet nothing is quite what she’d hoped. Confusion over her feelings for Charlie, residual resentment over losing Hannah, and a continuous stream of unwanted assignments leave Dez restless and argumentative.
In a missed encounter with Crosby, her prying gaze lands upon a single entry in the datebook on his unoccupied desk. These few, hastily scribbled words reveal an enormous secret he’s keeping from her. Possessed by a painful sense of betrayal, she once again sneaks off to Atman City, determined to find answers to an unresolved piece of her life.
It begins as all their adventures do, but as light falls into darkness, a stop in an unfamiliar neighborhood sets forth a chaotic series of events. Dez will have to fight for her very existence, and will face painful, irreparable loss in an afterlife teeming with demons wielding ancient powers.
In M.I.A.: Missing in Atman, the second book in the Atman City series, Michelle E. Reed continues the story of Dez Donnelly, pushing her to her limits and surprising readers at every twist and turn of the vast world that is Atman.
Death was only the beginning.
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Published on December 20, 2014 23:05
December 18, 2014
The Shadow of Loss by Josefina Gutierrez


Summary from Goodreads:Evelyn Gonzalez keeps losing people, which is always hard, but has she lost something much more? Has she lost her soul? Evelyn has a nervous breakdown and is institutionalized, after months of sorrow and pain she is thrust back into the world. The world of teenage angst and Calculus.
Can she trust people again? Especially after hurtful assumptions and judgments made her miss her junior year of high school. Evelyn is just trying to heal what she lost and graduate from high school.
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Excerpt:I leave my spot and slip through the halls to art, but I stop in my tracks when I notice Amber is standing by the corner to class. Great. I'm sure she's looking to torment me one more time before the day is over. Goodie. I put my head down and walk to class, like I would rather look at my boots than what’s in front of me.Amber trips me, “Watch it freak,” she spurts out and I fall hard on the ground skinning my wrist. Everyone in the hall is pointing and laughing while I gather up my books. I stand up keeping my head down and try to walk around her, but she runs up beside me, “Brody is too good for someone like you. You really should, like leave him alone. Especially since you don't look as good as me,” she snaps her fingers and her two friends block my way.“Answer her beaner,” her friends nudge my shoulder.“I wasn't aware she asked a question,” I deadpanned.“Are you like going to leave him alone or not?!” Amber slaps my books onto the floor.

Josefina Gutierrez is a Young Adult eBook author and a forever student currently working towards a Masters in Bicultural-Bilingual Studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Josefina writes Young Adult Multicultural, Sci-fi, and Fantasy literature in her free time when she’s not embarking on adventures with her son and gnomes Fitzgerald and Bartholomew.
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Published on December 18, 2014 23:05
Cover Reveal: Breaking Series


Warning: strong language, domestic violence, sex scene
Word Count: 110,000
Release date: August/2013
Cover: Najla Qamber Designs
Horses, mansions, tea parties, and lies are twenty-year-old Hannah Taylor’s life. To others, her family and her relationship with Eric is perfect. But she knows the truth. She lives it.
After a fire takes her grandma’s life and kills her horse, Hannah’s immaculate life spirals out of control. Her father disapproves of her decision to run her grandma’s ranch instead of focusing solely on learning the family business; Animal Control brings her Argus, a mistreated horse that she can’t turn away even though she’s not ready for another horse; and her boyfriend, Eric Bennett, a world famous polo player, becomes possessive and authoritarian. Despite her best efforts to disguise it, Hannah grows wary of him.
Then, Leonardo Fernandes struts onto the polo scene. A cocky rookie with a messy life of his own, he’s drawn to Hannah and isn’t afraid of showing it, even when Eric makes it clear she is his and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way. Hannah suffers for Eric’s jealousy. The abuse only gets worse when Leo steals the title of best polo player in the world from Eric.
But the title isn’t enough for Leo. He wants Hannah too, and she can’t deny her attraction to him either. Somehow, she must find a way to break free from abusive Eric before he breaks every bone in her body.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17730510-breaking-free
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-the-Reins-ebook/dp/B00EH5UC3E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1376430818&sr=1-1B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breaking-free-juliana-haygert/1120851990?
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Warning: strong language, bullying, sex scenes
Word Count: 95,000
Release date: June/2014
Cover: Najla Qamber Designs
All Beatriz “Bia” Fernandes wants is to prove herself—to her family and friends—though it’s hard to prove anything with an overbearing father and three famous polo-playing older brothers. After her acceptance into college results in a heated family argument, the Brazilian girl leaves everything behind to find her own American dream.
College life away from home is perfect until the people she believes to be her friends turn on her. With lies and rumors threatening to suffocate her, Bia turns to her only freedom. Riding. But one thing gets in the way of her escape. Garrett Blackwell and his bad cowboy attitude. Working at the ranch is his obligation, bugging Bia is his newfound hobby. His thick skin and easy grin don't hide what Bia already knows—this misunderstood and lonely cowboy fights his own demons. Brushing horses’ coats and mucking out stalls shouldn't be this sexy, and it isn’t long before he becomes a part of her distraction.
However, escaping won’t solve her problems, and it’s up to Bia to break down the fences around her and prove her strength—not to her family and friends, but to herself … and for Garrett. Because standing on her own doesn't have to mean standing alone.
** Companion novel of Breaking Free. Can be read out of order.**
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20482754-breaking-away
Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KXEP22EB&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breaking-away-juliana-haygert/1120852102?ean=2940149360185&isbn=2940149360185
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Warning: strong language, sex scene, mentions of rape and domestic violence
Word Count: tbd
Release date: June/2015
Cover: Najla Qamber Designs
From the outside, Hilary Taylor has it all—beauty, money, a caring family, good friends—but inside she’s struggling, full of fears. Events from the past forever changed her, and though years of therapy have helped, she still has a long way to go…. No matter how much progress she’s made, Hil isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to trust men again. Especially one who sees her as nothing more than a pretty face. But Hil knows it's time to face her fears, and the best way to do that is to start small.
To Guilherme Fernandes life is about three things: polo, parties and pretty girls—only one of which he takes seriously. Gui is too focused on his polo career to waste time on relationships, however he can’t help but be intrigued by the beautiful yet troubled Hil. So when she decides she'd like to learn more about horses, Gui is happy to find himself in the right place at the right time. But what was supposed to be a one time thing, soon turns into a weekly date.
As Gui helps her discover a new found love for horses, Hil’s guard begins to crumble. The more support Gui offers, the more she wants to accept...and the more the lines of friendship blur. Despite knowing better, Hil can’t help it as Gui slowly breaks through the walls she’s built. Now she has to decide if she’ll stop him there, or if she’ll finally let her fear go and allow Gui to reach for her heart.
** Companion novel of Breaking Free and Breaking Away . Can be read out of order.**
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23549341-breaking-through
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Published on December 18, 2014 23:00
December 17, 2014
The Letting by Cathrine Goldstein Blog Tour

An interview with Cathrine Goldstein, author of THE LETTING, published by The Wild Rose Press, release date, December 15, 2014, and the main character of THE LETTING, Veronica “Ronnie” Billings.
First up, Veronica.
Or do you prefer Ronnie? I do prefer Ronnie—as long as you’re a friend. It’s warmer, I think. But there are…people in my life who call me only Veronica, and it’s better that way.
You must be referring to Principal Leader Farnsworth? Yes. But if it’s okay with you, I’d prefer not to talk about him.
Of course. So, where are you from? I was born in the city, but I’ve lived at camp for seven years now.
What’s camp like? We live in small cabins in the deep woods. I work with another Leader, Gretchen, my best friend, and together we prep young girls for the Lettings.
What are the Lettings I’ve heard so much about? The time the young girls in our care are brought in for their mandatory blood donations.
Tell us a bit about The Letting. It’s the story of my journey and my realization about… well, about a lot of things…but most importantly, my discovery that I’ve been working unknowingly for the wrong cause for many years. I also discover love… and, surprising to both of us, I fall in love with my enemy.
You fall in love with your enemy? Oh, yes. Of course I never knew he was my enemy. But I was his.
What did you think the first time you saw him? He was the leader of the dangerous band of rebels who had kidnapped me and tortured me. He was different from the two men who physically hurt me—Gunnar and Buzzcut. I could tell Phoenix was kind, his eyes had intelligence and compassion in them, but I also knew I stood for everything he hated.
Anything else? To be completely honest, I was struck by how incredibly handsome he was. Dark tousled hair, a slight scruff on his chin which grew in black as night, and eyes…well I described them as “…his eyes are the color of a moment. That fleeting moment when the summer sky is so perfectly blue you know everything must be right in the world.”
What was your next thought? I want to be with him. I want to stand for whatever he stands for. I want to go wherever he goes.

Summary from Goodreads:What if the Devil doesn’t know he’s the Devil?
This is the question Veronica “Ronnie” Billings poses to Phoenix, her sworn enemy, the leader of the Peaceful Revolution, and the one she loves.
Kidnapped by Phoenix’s rebels, Ronnie learns how wrong she has been. She had no idea that her patriotism was wasted on a corrupt government. Ronnie was proud to be a Leader; taking hundreds of harvested girls to the Letting facility. After all, she was saving them from future Couplings and bringing them to the safety of the New World. Or so she thought…
Confused, Ronnie realizes the only way to discover the truth is to trust her heart. Together, Phoenix and Ronnie devise a plan to stop their corrupt government and preempt the dangerous rebel coup which is approaching. But when their plan goes awry, will Ronnie be strong enough to save Phoenix, her country, and herself?
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Given my love for cities and all that is gritty, my new obsession with trees really has me stumped. (Sorry.) Maybe it's because trees are the inspiration behind my new YA/NA novel, theLETTING.
Whatever the reason for my new infatuation, some things remain constant -- like my love for: coffee (although sadly, it's now decaf); yoga; Luna bars (I am petitioning for them to bring back Chocolate Raspberry!); running in my neighborhood; Hemingway; Bukowski... and, above all, my husband and my girls.
I am the author of the bestselling novel, Sleeping With Mortals: The Story of a New York Mistress, and I'm also a playwright. I have my B.A. in English and my M.A. in Theatre.
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Published on December 17, 2014 23:05
December 16, 2014
Cover Reveal: Greta and the Goblin King (Mylena Chronicles #1) by Chloe Jacobs

Summary from Goodreads:
While trying to save her brother from a witch’s fire four years ago, Greta was thrown in herself, falling through a portal to Mylena, a dangerous world where humans are the enemy and every ogre, ghoul, and goblin has a dark side that comes out with the eclipse.
To survive, Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter—and she’s good at what she does. So good, she’s caught the attention of Mylena’s young goblin king, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her will to escape.
But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. An ancient evil knows she’s the key to opening the portal, and with the next eclipse mere days away, every bloodthirsty creature in the realm is after her—including Isaac. If Greta fails, she and the lost boys of Mylena will die. If she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back...


Summary from Goodreads:
The sequel to the Hansel & Gretel retelling Greta and the Goblin King ups the stakes of danger and romance. As conflict surges across Mylena, the tough Greta struggles to save those she loves.
Against all odds, Greta and the Goblin King miraculously survived the battle against the evil Agramon. Greta should be happy to be alive and ready to claim her place in Mylena by Isaac's side. Yet nothing is the way she thought it would be. The battle against Agramon left a dark magick inside Greta that will eventually kill her. Isaac hasn't been the same since he almost went Lost. And there are whispers of a rebellion brewing throughout Mylena...
Determined to save Mylena from a bitter civil war, they travel to the mysterious Glass Kingdom to form an uneasy alliance with the deadly Faerie race. But when an unexpected disaster tears Greta and Isaac apart, she must make the journey on her own. Along the way, she discovers a conspiracy stretching back to events she never thought she would have to revisit, betrayal from allies whose loyalty she never questioned, and an enemy vying to control all of Mylena.
Follow Greta into unexpected romance, explosive secrets, and shocking betrayals that will leave her and all of Mylena forever changed in the stunning second installment of The Mylena Chronicles.


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Published on December 16, 2014 23:00
December 15, 2014
Cover Reveal: Loving Avery (Bearville County Novella #1) by Me :-)

Title: Loving Avery (Bearville County Novella #1)Author: Katie HamsteadGenre: New Adult Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: January 20, 2015Artist: Jada D'Lee Designs
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Blurb:
The Bearville County Novella series follows on from Papina.
The Clark and Davis kids are grown up!
Follow Rhett, the Clark's second son, who has loved Avery, the Davis' only daughter, for as long as he can remember. But after her string of high school boyfriends, and Rhett getting beat up at prom, Rhett decides going to college is the best way to start over and forget Avery Davis.
Except Avery finally realizes she can't live without him. But is it too late?
Get the novel, Papina, that starts the series: Amazon

Born and raised in Australia, Katie's early years of day dreaming in the "bush", and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.
After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.
She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing.
Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as an Acquisitions Editor to help support her family. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.
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Published on December 15, 2014 23:05
Cover Reveal: Defenseless (Diamond Girls #3) by Elisa Dane

Summary from Goodreads: High school senior, Claire Reilly’s world revolves around All-Star cheerleading. The Diamond Girls, are gearing up for a major competition, which, if they win will allow them to compete at Worlds for the first time. But the unimaginable happens, and both Claire and her team are rocked by a devastating loss. Determined to get to Worlds any way she can, Claire finds help from the last person she imagined would give it—up and coming UFC fighter and notorious bad boy, Ryker Vaughn.
Fouled out of the octagon by a dirty opponent and a vicious kick to the head, Ryker loses control when he learns he may never fight again. Angry over the loss of his mother, an unsupportive family, and the world in general, he gives up, gives in, and unleashes his rage—destroying part of his cousin’s cheer gym in the process. Things go from bad to worse when Ryker is given an ultimatum: help the Diamond Girls compete for a bid to Worlds, or go to jail.
Overwhelmed with anger, sadness, and grief, the unlikely pair learn that what you see is not always what you get, and that the most difficult losses sometimes open the door to a frightening, yet amazing new future.

Companion books in this series:
(covers linked to Goodreads)


About the Author
I'm a lover of books (YA & Adult romance), chocolate, reality television, and am a proud mother to three All Star cheerleaders. Woot!I write Contemporary YA romance with cheerleaders. Yep. I write what I know, and it's my hope that my stories will not only take you on a romantic journey that will warm your heart, but that you'll find a new respect and interest in the sport of Cheerleading you may not have had before.
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Published on December 15, 2014 23:00
December 14, 2014
Fall Into Fantasy Final Week!

Welcome to the Fall Into Fantasy Tour, where we are keeping your mind off any end-of-summer blues and welcoming the cooler weather by introducing you to some incredible fantasy reads to curl up with and giving you plenty of chances to win awesome prizes!
Week 17: Meratis Trilogy
Book One: Evensong
By Krista Walsh

When the villain he’s been struggling to write reveals himself, unleashing waves of terror and chaos, Jeff must use more than his imagination to save the characters he created—and the woman he loves.
Trapped within a world of his own creation, he must step outside the bounds of his narrative to help his characters defeat an evil no one anticipated, even if he must sacrifice his greatest gift. In the end, he has to ask: are novels really fiction, or windows into other worlds?
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Published on December 14, 2014 23:01