Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 64

Review: The Undead: Playing for Keeps

From Goodreads: When an undead woman with serious de-comp issues stalks sixteen-year-old Lyla Grimm, her hope of rescuing her rock-bottom reputation takes a back seat. Especially once Lyla’s new talent of resurrecting the dead draws the attention of Eric, a Grim Reaper with a guitar and a chip on his shoulder.
While Lyla navigates the gossip-ridden halls, Eric works to gain her trust and discover why Death’s clients aren’t staying down. If she passes on her gift, his death-messenger destiny might be altered. But the closer he gets to Lyla, the less sure he is of his plan. The dead are way easier to deal with than the living.

Gossip explodes, the Grimm family implodes, and desperation sets in. Death wants the gift and a soul. Lyla and Eric face hard choices with hidden consequences. Sometimes life’s choices aren’t really choices at all.



My Thoughts:***Note: I was the Acquiring Editor for this book***

Sixteen year old Lyla, is the daughter of the town mortician, and the family has been morticians for generations. When their cosmetologist quits and leaves her resignation painted in lipstick on a body, Lyla rushes in to fix it before all the guests arrive and see it.
But that night, the body vanishes. Everyone thinks it's stolen, and since Lyla is already a social outcast, the mockery at school intensifies.
She has one friend, Cassie, who stands up for her. She is also close to her older brother, Ben, who she sees as her protector. He, in contrast to her, is a cool, popular, lead singer of a band.
Then, the body reappears... reanimated!
A new band member soon appears in her brother's group. Eric seems disinterested in Lyla at first, but when she finds herself confronted with the walking body again, he saves her, and a friendship starts. Lyla even starts to develop feels for this mysterious new band member.
Talk about a great read! This is a fabulous YA read about a girl struggling with self-identity with everyone tearing her down, and things only getting worse as she discovers new things about herself and Eric. But she struggles on, despite the people she cares most about turning against her.
It's rather gripping, and the descriptions of the walking corpses are creepy and gross. I found myself wanting to keep reading, despite needing to sleep and live.

Blog Tour: King of the Mutants by Samantha Verant

At the age of sixteen – a junior in high school – I begged and pleaded with my parents to let me audition for The Chicago Academy for Performing and Visual Arts. And tired of dealing with the whining of their drama queen (me) day in and day out, the parental units finally caved in. So I prepared an aria (I'd been taking classical lessons -opera- for two years) and then decided, what the heck, I might as well give the theater program a shot too.

Long story short, I got in.

But it wasn't for my acting. See, instead of a monologue I performed a scene between two characters. By myself. Yeah, if you ever want to look like a total wackadoo schizo try something from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Maybe something between Big Daddy and Maggie?

Good thing I could sing.

FAME! I'm gonna live forever!

It was at The Academy (what the cool kids call it) where I learned how to get into a character's head, to give them a story, and bring them to life, understanding what drives and motivates them.
I approach my writing the same way. Hey, I may not be the best actress in the world, but it's my hope this training helped me to create believable characters and true to life dialogue. I put myself in the character’s shoes, take on a role, and envision the environment like a stage designer. I put myself in the characters’ heads, asking myself questions like: how would I feel? What would I do in this situation? What am I seeing? Doing? I laugh, cry, and scream, right along with them! I hope that doesn’t make me sound like a schizophrenic! Of course, I’ve never been a sideshow attraction at a circus, nor a twelve-year-old boy, but this process works for me. Maybe it will work for you.

Title: King of the MutantsPublication date: October 21, 2014Publisher: Tantrum Books/Month9Books, LLC.Author: Samantha Verant

Can one boy stop a nefarious plot to turn kids into super-mutants?
Maverick Mercury enjoys his life as the sideshow attraction known as “Gator Boy” at Grumbling’s Traveling Circus and Sideshow.
His freakish mutations are the result of some billionaire geneticist’s experiments gone awry.  But life as a mutant is about to get worse, as Maverick uncovers a plot to kidnap kids, turns them into super-mutants, and sells their powers to the highest bidder.
Now, Maverick is on a mission to find the mad scientist who may have created him and destroy his sinister plans!
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ABOUT SAMANTHA VERANT :
Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously expensive Bengal cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Book Site | Twitter |  Facebook  |  Goodreads


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Her Perfect Game (Hot & Nerdy #2) by Shannyn Schroeder Blog Tour

Her Perfect Game (Hot & Nerdy #2)
by Shannyn Schroeder Release Date: 10/27/14
Kensington Books
112 pages
Her Perfect Game  – Shannyn Schroeder Excerpt
The elevator dinged on the fourth floor, and Jonah ushered her out and down the hall. Their steps shushed against the carpet, and Charlie wanted to talk, say something, but she didn’t know what.  At her room, she slid the key card in, and as she pushed the door open, she tugged Jonah inside.            “What are you doing, Charlie?”            She wrapped her arms around his neck and breathed in his scent. “I don’t want to be alone.”            Charlie held her breath, waiting for him to push her away, but he didn’t. His arms came around her and stroked her back. Memories flooded her brain. Jonah holding her, touching her, kissing her senseless. She’d give almost anything to have that again, even if it was only for a night. To feel grounded again.            She turned her head slightly and brushed her lips against his warm neck, and his hands paused on her back. She pressed on, though, kissing his jaw and loving the rough feel of the stubble.            “Charlie.”            “Just kiss me, Jonah.”            She didn’t look into his eyes, afraid to know what she’d find, but she knew he wanted to kiss her. If for no other reason, out of sheer curiosity. She kept her eyes closed as she tilted her head.            His lips met hers with tenderness at first. Then they became more insistent, and she softened against him, inviting his tongue into her mouth. His hand reached up and cradled the back of her head, and she wanted more. This heady feeling wouldn’t last the night, but Jonah could give her more.            She tugged at his T-shirt, searching for his warm skin. When her fingers met his flesh, he jerked back. “Charlie.”            But she didn’t stop.            He grabbed her hands. “Charlie.” Then he waited for her to meet his eyes. “We’re not doing this.”            She swallowed hard. His steel gray eyes sparked with lust. She didn’t misread the signs. He wanted her. “Why not? Got a girlfriend?”            “No girlfriend. You’re well passed halfway to drunk. I don’t want you to do something you’re going to regret in the morning.” He grabbed her shoulders and turned her toward the bed. “Get some sleep and we’ll talk tomorrow.”            “What if I don’t want to talk tomorrow?”            He sighed. “Then I guess we won’t.”            She crawled on top of the covers. “Will you stay and talk for a while if I promise not to molest you?”            He glanced to the other side of the room. “Sure.” He scooted the armchair a little closer to the bed.            “There’s room here.” She patted the bed beside her.            He simply shook his head.            “Who is it that you don’t trust—me or you? I already gave my word.”            He laughed and stretched his legs out in front of him. The light from the hall cast him in shadows. Between his dark hair and black T-shirt and jeans, he blended into the dark.            She tucked her hands under her head as she lay on her side to watch him talk. “Tell me about the people you work with.”            Jonah accommodated her again and spoke in quiet tones until she became sleepy and struggled to keep her eyes open. He stood, leaned over, and kissed her head.            “Hey, Best?”            “Yeah?”            “I’d never regret you.”            Another heavy sigh came from him, but she didn’t know how to interpret it. Then she heard the door close with a quiet thunk.
 Summary from Goodreads: Spring break is supposed to be a week of fun in the sun for three childhood friends about to graduate from college. But one of them is ready to get her game on somewhere else…

Charlie Castle is an expert archer and a fierce warrior—in her favorite video game, anyway. But college life was a program she couldn't quite master. To land a cybertech job without a degree, she's entering a "hackfest" over spring break—where she also hopes to meet the sweet gamer who's been flirting with her online. Instead, she runs into the hot guy who walked away years ago, and can't fight the desire that comes rushing back.

Jonah Best has never gotten over Charlie, whose kisses were always as deliciously creative as her coding. But now that they're face to face again, he doesn't know how to admit that her online admirer is really him—or how to convince her that he's offering her a job for her incredible skills, not her sex appeal. Can Jonah cut through their communication glitches and persuade Charlie that the next level up for them should be forever?
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Buy Links:Amazon│B&N│Kobo Books
Books in this series:Her Best Shot│Her Winning Formula
About the Author Shannyn is a former English teacher, who now works as a part-time editor while raising her three kids.
Even though she wrote from high school through college (mostly poetry), she’d never considered a career as an author. Writing fell by the wayside as she focused her energy on creating lesson plans and new and fabulous ways to torment her teen students. One group in particular dubbed her “The Torture Master,” a title she carried into motherhood.After the birth of baby number two, Shannyn resigned from teaching and fell in love with reading romance novels. She read so many books so quickly that her husband teased, “If you’re going to read so many damn books, why don’t you just write one?”
So she did.
Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

Cover Reveal: Coming For You by J.A. Huss (Dirty Dark and Deadly #3)

Publication date: November 19th 2014
Synopsis:JAMES
Who am I?
What am I doing?
Why am I doing it?
Questions are as dangerous in my world as secrets are valuable.
Answers, however, never come easy.

HARPER
Who am I?
what am I doing?
Why am I doing it?
I’ve never asked myself a single question about my life. Not even once. I follow orders. I keep my head down. I do as I’m told. But now the choices are everywhere.

SASHA
I don’t ask questions and I don’t need answers.
I know exactly what I’m doing.
Last Christmas Eve, my life fell apart.
This summer, I’m about to get even.


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23281775-coming-for-you

AUTHOR BIO:
J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.
Author Links:http://jahuss.com/https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJAHusshttps://twitter.com/JAHusswww.goodreads.com/author/show/6446815.J_A_Huss


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Cover Reveal: Reason and Romance by Jenn Young

Reason and Romanceby Jenn YoungRelease Date: 12/09/14
Book Summary:Being stuck in the godforsaken desert is Adrian Blake’s worst nightmare come true. Senior year is all about making fun memories. It’s not about starting over at a new school and navigating a new Brady Bunch family. It’s really not about living with a sexy, arrogant would-be stepbrother who knows how to push her buttons.
Alex Montgomery is the very definition of a player. The only thing he commits to is a one night stand. He’s exactly the kind of guy she hates­. When she sleeps with him, it’s the biggest mistake of her life. Now she can’t stop thinking about him. Not at school. Not at home.
Sometimes the best mistakes are the ones that you make over and over again…


About the AuthorJenn Young writes primarily Young Adult and New Adult. She used to write contemporary teen drama and romance under the pen name Myrika at Fictionpress. She also used to write under the pen name Moreta. Jenn is an unabashed lover of romance, soap operas, and paranormal/supernatural stories.

When Jenn's not working at her day job, she drinks too much coffee and buys too many books. She loves to hear from readers. Contact her via her website, jennyoung.com, or follow her on Twitter at myrikami. She can be found on Facebook too. 
Author Links:      

Book Blitz Organized by:

Love's Last Call by Beth Matthews Blog Tour: Characterization

My characters tend to be sarcastic, smart-alecks. This is because I am myself a sarcastic smart-aleck. However, when I write my characters this way too it's because I'm trying to serve a larger purpose for the story; I'm trying to show how well they work together. I'm trying to show that they light up when they're together, that they spark off each other. I'm trying to show, in other words, that they belong together.
There's nothing quite so sexy as someone who gets your sense of humor but who can also make great jokes back at you! Like so:
"So, why is the bar called 'Jezebel's'?" he asked."Well, she is the patron saint of false prophets and fallen women." She passed a hand over her body to emphasize her revealing clothing, like a lovely assistant on a game show gesturing to all the Fabulous Prizes."You're a fallen woman, then?" he said."Oh, yeah, loooong time ago. I've fallen and I can't get up."
When writing romance, everything is a tool to sell the romance to the readers. Showing that people have compatible senses of humor is a great way to show they'd be a great couple. Really, when was the last time you sparked with someone in real life who didn't share your sense of humor?
In the book, the hero and heroine develop a game where they tell bad pick up lines to try to get the other person to laugh. (Probably agreeing on what constitutes a bad pick up line is another indicator of compatibility, huh? ;P) My personal philosophy is if you can find someone who makes you laugh you're doing pretty good in the relationship game. And I try to put that into my writing too.
And, hopefully, watching my hero and heroine have fun together is fun for the reader too. :)

Love’s Last Call by Beth Matthews
(Ladies of Jezebel’s #1)
Publication date: October 20th 2014
Synopsis:
Lucy York is an aspiring mechanical engineer working as a shot girl serving watered-down drinks to drunken frat boys at Jezebel’s Bar & Lounge. The job isn’t so bad—it pays her bills, and she’s managed to make a surrogate family for herself at the bar. But now, at 24, she’s ready to spread her wings and fly north to attend UC Berkeley and, maybe, distance herself a little from the all-consuming social scene at Jezebel’s.
Then her boss hires a new bouncer, Norm, a literature dork who seems like everything a bouncer shouldn’t be: tall, gangly, sweet (and, you know, named Norman). But as she gets to know him, ol’ Norm turns out to be everything Lucy never knew she wanted and the best friend she’s ever had. He’s not a bad bouncer either.
One obstacle to their happily ever after: the owner has a strict no-dating rule for employees. If anyone at Jezebel’s finds out she’s dating a bouncer, Lucy will lose her job, her surrogate family, and the money she needs to go to Berkeley.
But, if she loses Norm, is she losing her best chance at happiness?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22755545-love-s-last-call?ac=1Purchase:Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Loves-Last-Call-Ladies-Jezebels-ebook/dp/B00N3PM7CI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1409243882&sr=8-4&keywords=beth+matthewsB&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loves-last-call-beth-matthews/1120553358?ean=2940150522961

----
AUTHOR BIOBeth Matthews is a California girl, born and raised. She’s a total geek, a movie buff, and a mediocre swing dancer. She lives in sunny SoCal with her boyfriend and two of the neediest housecats on the planet.
Author links:http://bethmatthewsbooks.com/https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8342297.Beth_Matthewshttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Beth-Matthews/244314945645273https://twitter.com/IAmBethMatthews


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Tracy Tam – Santa Command by Krystalyn Drown Blog Tour

Every character has their weaknesses. Without them, there would be no story. Weakness leads to
mistakes. It drives the action forward. With Tracy Tam, her weakness is her unwavering belief in science. 
She can't accept magic even when it's literally saving her life. If you want to name it with a negative 
trait, it would be stubbornness. She has to learn to let go of it if she hopes to get out of the mess she's 
created. 
What I love about Tracy is that her weakness is also her greatest strength. It's what leads her to her 
quest, and ultimately what saves the day. But she has to learn and grow. She has to amend her beliefs 
while still clinging to them.
I enjoyed writing her character and seeing how much she could change while still staying true to her 
core beliefs. It was an interesting journey for both me and Tracy.




ABOUT TRACY TAM: SANTA COMMAND:
Title: TRACY TAM: SANTA COMMANDPublication date: October 22, 2014Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.Author: Krystalyn Drown
Tracy doesn’t believe that Santa can deliver all of those presents in one night with out a little help from science. A flying sleigh can only be powered by jet engines, and Santa’s magical abilities can only be the result of altered DNA. In order to test her theories, she sneaks onto Santa’s sleigh and ends up at Santa Command, the place where a team of humans monitors Santa’s big night. When Tracy attempts to hack into their computers, she accidentally introduces a virus to their system. As a result, three states get knocked out of sync with the rest of the world. Before the night is over, Tracy has to fix time and help Santa finish his deliveries. And she has to do it all with Santa’s magic, which she doesn’t believe exists.
Goodreads
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ABOUT KRYSTALYN DROWN:  
Krystalyn spent thirteen years working at Walt Disney World in a variety of roles: entertainer, talent coordinator, and character captain. Her degree in theatre as well as many, many hours spent in a dance studio, helped with her job there. Her various other day jobs have included working in zoology at Sea World, as an elementary teacher, and currently as a support technician for a website. In the evenings, she does mad writing challenges with her sister, who is also an author. Krystalyn lives near Orlando, Florida with her husband, son, a were cat, and a Yorkie with a Napoleon complex.
Connect with the Author:   Website  | Twitter |  Facebook  |  Goodreads a Rafflecopter giveaway

Heirs of War, Crown of Flames Blog Tour: Interview with the Amazing Mara Valderran

ABOUT HEIRS OF WAR:The NA fantasy series Heirs of War has taken Wattpad by storm with over one million reads, and the second installment has arrived. Catch up on Heirs of War (#1) for just 99 cents now!

Heirs of War #1:
When seventeen year-old Zelene finds herself thrust into a world of magic and prophecy, she discovers fighting destiny might not be the toughest battle she has to face. Now she must join with three other girls, complete strangers linked only by blood relation, to fight a war they know nothing of and rescue the twin sister she's never met.
Amazon  Amazon UK  Barnes & Noble  iTunes  Kobo  GooglePlay Add it to Goodreads

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR MARA VALDERRAN
Katie Hamstead: Tell us a little about you.
Mara Valderran: Well, as you might have guessed from the title, I'm an author. I write young adult and new adult speculative fiction. I'm a huge fangirl and self-proclaimed geek. I'm possibly more excited about the return of Arrow and the premiere of Flash than I am about my own book release and book signing, which tells you just how much of a fangirl I am. =D I'm a big fan of Doctor Who and all things Joss Whedon (well, with the exception of Roseanne. I didn't like that show.). 
Well, I guess I'm a huge fangirl too, because I was way too excited about Arrow and Flash too!

Katie: You currently have The Heirs of War (book #1) available. Tell us a little about it and how you came up with the concept.
Mara: Heirs of War is centered on five girls born into the most powerful bloodlines in all the worlds. They were sent away for their own protection at a young age and have now been brought back to their world, which they know nothing about. Together, they are supposed to unite the worlds and end the sort of cold war that has been going on between the rebel Cahirans and the ruling body, the Duillaine. But they run into all sorts of problems along the way, like Ariana, the prophesized fifth, getting captured and her twin sister Zelene basically saying "Screw you and your politics, I'm going to rescue my sister." I think the biggest problem they have to face is figuring out where they land in this war that they've been thrown into. Are the Cahirans really wrong for wanting things to change? And can they even trust the Duillaine? What happens when you are thrown into a war and possibly landed on the wrong side?
The idea came to me because I wanted to write about these five strong, young women and the powerful connection they have to each other. I wanted it to mirror the relationship I have with my sister and my cousins. It goes beyond having a familial connection--throughout the course of my life it has felt like they are pieces of the same puzzle I'm trying to work out. The same can be said for Rhaya, Isauria, Terrena, Zelene, and Ariana. All five girls bring something to the table that goes beyond blood relation and the magical element they each represent. They influence each other, empower each other, and are connected in a way they've never felt before. That's where they get their strength--not their magic, but from being together. They are still working on that now, but I'm really looking forward to writing it when they finally do unite. That's when the real fun is going to start. =D

Katie: Your next book, Altar of Reality is signed for release soon. When will that be and what can you tell us about it?
Mara: Altar of Reality is a young adult dystopian set for release January 31st from Curiosity Quills Press. I'm so excited to be part of the CQ family. Really, I can't see how any publishing house could be better, and I'm glad Altar of Reality has a home with them. 
This is the first book in the Shifted Realities series. When sixteen year-old Madeline has her first grand mal seizure, she awakens in a world torn apart by World War III. Her enemies wear the faces of loved ones, and she finds allies in unlikely places. As she flips between realities, her connection to the war-torn world grows stronger and she’s thrust into the growing rebellion against the Lord Commander. Now she finds herself torn between two versions of the same boy, and the lines between her realities begin to blur as she struggles to save her lives in both worlds.

Katie: What types of books do you read?
Mara: I read mostly speculative fiction--fantasy and sci-fi. It has been a really long time since I've read anything that didn't have fantastical elements to it like a contemporary. I read a lot of indie books since that's the network I tend to travel in, so I'm really far behind on the really main stream books like Divergent and Game of Thrones. My friends give me a lot of crap for not being up to date on Game of Thrones since I write fantasy. But I have read the first book! And now watch the series. Haha!

Katie: Do you have any advice for novice writers?
Mara: Keep writing and always be open to developing your craft. When you get feedback, really listen to what the other person is saying with the attitude of what you can learn from instead of the attitude of being told what you did wrong. It is so easy to wear our hearts on our sleeves and get hurt when people are telling us how we can improve, but we should really be thanking them. Writing is a skill, and like any skill, there's always room for growth. You'll be a better writer in the end, even if it does sting a little at first.

Katie: Tell us about your writing habits.
Mara: I tend to listen to music when I write. Sometimes that's how storylines are born for me--from imagining it when I'm listening to a certain song. I don't like getting interrupted when I am working, so I tend to not write in public a whole lot and mostly write behind closed doors. Sometimes there is coffee involved, but most likely it is water.

Katie: If you were one of the characters in your book/s which one would you be and why?
Mara: Oh, wow. Probably none of them since I know what happens to them. Haha! My friends and family already say that Zelene is just like me when I was her age, even though I relate more to Isauria. I think I would probably choose Adelphi from the Heirs of War series because she's such a strong and elegant woman. I picture Gina Torres for her, and I think she's absolutely gorgeous, which is also a plus. =D From Altar of Reality, I'd say Ana. You'll have to read it to find out why, though. ;) No spoilers!

Katie: If you could live and write anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Mara: NEW YORK. Seriously. I know it sounds cliche, but I went there recently and absolutely fell in love with it. If I sell a million books, you'll be able to find me there. Probably somewhere in Westchester though. I like the idea of being close to a big city but not in it.

Katie: If you had one wish (something personal) what would it be?
Mara: To live in New York? I guess. I don't really know. I don't spend much time wishing, as lame as that sounds. I just take things one day at a time.
ABOUT THE HEIRS OF WAR SERIESThe NA fantasy series Heirs of War has taken Wattpad by storm with over one million reads, and the second installment has arrived. Catch up on Heirs of War (#1) for just 99 cents now!

Heirs of War #1:
When seventeen year-old Zelene finds herself thrust into a world of magic and prophecy, she discovers fighting destiny might not be the toughest battle she has to face. Now she must join with three other girls, complete strangers linked only by blood relation, to fight a war they know nothing of and rescue the twin sister she's never met.
Amazon  Amazon UK  Barnes & Noble  iTunes  Kobo  GooglePlay Add it to Goodreads

The adventure continues with Heirs of War, Crown of Flames...
Heirs of War, Crown of Flames
Heirs of War #2
Mara Valderran
Cover Art by Gretchen Byers

Weeks have passed since Ariana and Alec escaped from Kellen's dungeon, but danger isn't far behind them. The guilt of his past weighs heavily on Alec’s shoulders, and his secrets only push Ariana further away. As they travel through unknown lands and encounter multiple threats, their biggest challenge might be trusting one another.

The world appears to be going on regardless of the risks Ariana faces. The Duillaine insist that they are doing everything they can to find Ariana, but their actions betray that claim. Despite the danger and the war closing in around them, all of Anscombe seems to be more interested in the upcoming Imbolc festival and Terrena’s betrothal than rescuing Ariana.

Well…not everyone.

Tired of waiting for the Duillaine to help her twin, Zelene starts plotting on her own and finds a surprising ally in Rhaya, even as the Cynewards prepare to make a move of their own. But Zelene’s plans go awry when she finds herself with a new ability, a mysterious new friend, and more enemies within the walls of Anscombe than she thought.

Amazon  Amazon UK  Barnes & Noble  iTunes  Kobo  Add it to Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mara Valderran is an author of young adult and new adult books, but she's more than just a madwoman with a writing box. She is an avid reader and fan of all things sci-fi and fantasy. She loves roller skating and movies, though typically not together. She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and demanding cat. She hopes to one day meet Daniel Jackson from SG1, or at least the actor who played him. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, playing video games, or counting down the days until DragonCon.
Find Mara Online: Website & Blog  Twitter  Facebook  Google+  Goodreads  Wattpad  Amazon Author
Sign up for Mara's newsletter so you don't miss news on new releases and fun contests!


Want to follow this blog tour? Check out the calendar below!Monday 10/13Krystal WadeMargo Bond CollinsHere is What I Read Book BlogVicki TraskJessa RussoLorraine HarveyPriya KanapartiNerd Girl OfficialTerry's Book AddictionAli DeanShooting Star Book ReviewsTuesday 10/14Wednesday 10/15Thursday 10/16Ali Dean (Review)Jan Farnworth (Review)James Wymore (Guest Post)Terry's Book Addiction (Review)Jamie Ayres (Promo)Friday 10/17Saturday 10/19Monday 10/20Emma Adams (Interview)Laveda Kasch (Excerpt #1)Eliza Tilton (Excerpt #2)Elsie Elmore (Interview)Jessa Russo (Excerpt #3)Cait Spivey (Guest Post)Shooting Star Book Reviews (Excerpt #4)Here is What I Read (Interview)Tuesday 10/21Wednesday 10/22Thursday 10/23Michael Panush (Review)Book Lover Blog (Review)Ayden Morgen (Guest Post)Friday 10/24Monday 10/27Tuesday 10/28K. L. Schwengel (Guest Post)Katie Teller (Interview)Priya Kanaparti (Guest Post)Charity Bradford (Excerpt #5)Sharon Bayliss (Review)Vicki Trask (Review)Sarah Anderson (Interview)
a Rafflecopter giveawayThe adventure continues with Heirs of War, Crown of Flames...
Heirs of War, Crown of Flames
Heirs of War #2
Mara Valderran
Cover Art by Gretchen Byers

Weeks have passed since Ariana and Alec escaped from Kellen's dungeon, but danger isn't far behind them. The guilt of his past weighs heavily on Alec’s shoulders, and his secrets only push Ariana further away. As they travel through unknown lands and encounter multiple threats, their biggest challenge might be trusting one another.

The world appears to be going on regardless of the risks Ariana faces. The Duillaine insist that they are doing everything they can to find Ariana, but their actions betray that claim. Despite the danger and the war closing in around them, all of Anscombe seems to be more interested in the upcoming Imbolc festival and Terrena’s betrothal than rescuing Ariana.

Well…not everyone.

Tired of waiting for the Duillaine to help her twin, Zelene starts plotting on her own and finds a surprising ally in Rhaya, even as the Cynewards prepare to make a move of their own. But Zelene’s plans go awry when she finds herself with a new ability, a mysterious new friend, and more enemies within the walls of Anscombe than she thought.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 
Mara Valderran is an author of young adult and new adult books, but she's more than just a madwoman with a writing box. She is an avid reader and fan of all things sci-fi and fantasy. She loves roller skating and movies, though typically not together. She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and demanding cat. She hopes to one day meet Daniel Jackson from SG1, or at least the actor who played him. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, playing video games, or counting down the days until DragonCon.

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Fall Into Fantasy Week #10

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 10: Strings by G. Miki Hayden


Robert, an ordinary boy, finds himself in a newly chaotic world. Buildings move when and where they please, and time jumps around according to no known laws of physics. For Robert, getting to his regular school in the morning is next to impossible. As for getting home...

But then, Holden—a boy he and his friend, Nila, meet in a cave—offers them a string. No, not twine, but a string of the kind that forms the universe. Teeny and tiny, and invisible to the naked eye, this string will take Robert and Mila to their homes and way, way beyond...

Accompanied by a memorable cast of characters, Robert and his friends follow the string on a journey across time, space, and dimensions to discover the answer to a mystery: Who has caused the world to fall apart?

Buy it from: Amazon  Barnes & NobleOr add it on Goodreads


EXCERPT: 

Holden stood up, suddenly excited. “Yes, strings, Robert, strings. String theory says we live in a universe of multiple dimensions. Something is happening to the strings that form our everyday world, and now the universes are bleeding over into one another—merging. I have to figure out how to stop it, to separate the worlds again.”
“And we have to figure out how to get home,” Nila cried out. “What a mess everything is.”
The smoke from the small fire had made Robert’s eyes tear.
ABOUT G. MIKI HAYDEN

The author, G. Miki Hayden, strongly believes in alternate universes and has written about them in her adult novels Pacific Empire (which won a New York Times rave) and New Pacific.
“Nothing in time-space is fixed,” Miki says, a distant look in her eyes. 
Miki won an Edgar for an historical crime story and has a couple of writing books in print. 
At the moment, she generally lives with millions of other people in New York City in a three-dimensional, temporal world but is exploring other realms.
Find G. Miki Hayden online: http://gmikihayden.tumblr.com/

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Don't forget to join us at the Facebook party here! If you are interested in joining up as a blogger, you can always sign up here. We are happy to welcome more bloggers into the fold as the promotion continues. If you are an author or blogger and want to sign up to help with the party, please fill out this form.a Rafflecopter giveaway

CQ Ghost Story Hop #myghoststory

This Halloween, Curiosity Quills authors are spreading the spookiness by sharing their own personal paranormal experiences. Get haunted with these bone-chilling blogs, or post your own! #myghoststory.
So, I don't really have any spooky stories, but my Granddad served in the British Navy right after WWII and he had some doozies. So I've taken one of his and made it into a short story for you. When you're done here, use the links to see what other CQ authors have. Enjoy!

“This ship sunk five U-boats!” Petty Officer Thomas said as the men pushed and shoved down the narrow passageway. “Five! She’s a real beaut!”“I don’t care as long as I don’t have to sleep above you,” the large, robust Seaman Smith said. “I’ve smelled ya during training.”The small group of men laughed.“Ah, you can eat my sh—”“Watch it, Thomas,” Petty officer Welsh snapped, shoving him through the door. “We’ve got Bennett with us and he’s a good Christian boy.”The youngest of the group shrugged and lifted his crucifix he kept hung with his tags.They shuffled into the tight room where they pushed and shoved their packs into the small closets. Then, they wrestled over which hammock belonged to who.“Enough!”They all shot to attention as the Captain stepped through the door. He straightened his whites, and looked them over in their navy blues. “You are men representing King and country and you behave like… colonials.”“Sorry, Cap’n,” they responded in unison.“Hurry up and get up on deck.”He stepped out, and they hurried to finish.“Uh sh—” Smith glanced at Bennett. “I mean bugger it all. How did I end up above Thomas?”“There’s one left above me.” Bennett motioned to the unclaimed Hammock.“You are a good Christian, Bennett.”The five men hurried onto the deck where they rushed to prepare the ship for launch.“So what exactly are we doing out at sea?” Welsh asked.“Not much. Checking the coast is secure then docking at Liverpool,” Bennett answered.“Where we can find some dames.” Smith laughed merrily. “When I’m off duty I’ll spend every moment at the pub.”“We know,” the other four said in unison.“You’re going to cause trouble,” Bennett muttered.“Coming from the married boy,” Smith said waving his ring-free hands in Bennett’s face.“My wife is a good woman.”A bell rang, and all the men rushed to get into formation.The formalities for the launch were performed, and as the men saluted the Union Jack, the ship set off out of the mouth of the Thames. In a great triumphant spirit, the sailors sang, “God save our Gracious King,” as the ship reached the English Channel.They were dismissed, and the five men hurried to go about their business. They finished their tasks, and took their shift to eat. As they sat in the crammed mess room, a group of officers sat beside them.“We’ve got some green boys here,” one of the Lieutenants said.“You were green once,” Welsh muttered.The sneers on the three men’s faces fell. “You were green once, sir.”“Yes sir.”The Lieutenant glared at him. “Which pit of despair have you boys been assigned to?”“Our what?”“Your quarters.”“One-oh-six,” Thomas piped up.The men all shushed him.But the Lieutenant leaned back, turning white. “If that’s the case then we don’t need to teach you a lesson about manners.”They moved to stand, but Thomas said, “What’s that supposed to mean?”Smith grabbed him around the shoulders and pinned him against the table. “Shut your trap ya git!”The Lieutenant leaned in. “The petty officer has a good question. Let him go.”Smith obeyed.The Lieutenant nodded. “Very well. As you know this is a ship which performed great and heroic deeds during the war, but it wasn’t without losses.” He motioned to the kitchen. “Ask Cook. He was here the night this girl almost sunk from a U-boat attack. That was the night all the men that lived in your quarters died.”“Aw he’s just tryin’ to scare us,” Welsh said. “Let’s go so we can get some sleep.”The five men shoved the last of their food in their mouths and hurried to their quarters. They changed out of their uniforms in silence, until Russell, the one who rarely spoke, said, “Do you think those men really died?”Smith scoffed. “No. They’re being smart-arses that’s all. That’s what officers do to enlisted men. Don’t worry about it.”They all climbed into their hammocks and turned the light out. The darkness and slight rocking of the ship quickly lulled them to sleep.Thomas woke them all with his screaming. Welsh fell on the floor as he struggled to climb out of his hammock and Smith cussed up a storm. “Shut up you blinking idiot!”“There’s… I…”Welsh turned the light on. “What?”“There was…”The door flew open and the Captain glared at them. “Why is he screaming like a school girl?”They all looked to Thomas.He pointed at the empty hammock above him. “There was someone in it!”The Captain rolled his eyes. “Have you been talking to some of the officers?”Two nodded, two shook their heads while Thomas turned white. “No! There really was someone there! I thought it was Smith being a dick, so I went to punch him, but I hit nothing. NOTHING. Just a loose hammock.”The Captain pointed at him. “Enough. I’m tired of these pranks. If I hear another sound from this room I’ll have you scrubbing the decks.”“Do they even do that anymore?” Smith mumbled.The Captain turned on him. “You will if I say so.”“Yes Cap’n,” they all said with a salute.He spun and shut the door with a bang.They all turned to Thomas.“Thomas,” Smith said with a growl. “You keep your pie hole shut. IF you think you can scare us with a little ghost story you’re wrong.”“Fellas, I’m not lying!” Thomas rushed to the door. “I can’t stay in here.”Welsh grabbed him. “Do you want to get us all stuck on swabbing the deck? Get back to bed.”He shook his head, all color draining from his face. “No.”Russell groaned and climbed into Thomas’ hammock. “Go to sleep in mine.”Thomas stood quivering. “I don’t want to stay in here.”“You gutless wonder!” Smith grabbed him and shoved him toward Russell’s hammock. “Go to bed!”Thomas looked to Bennett. “Bless this place.”“I’m not a priest,” he responded, stroking his crucifix. “I’ll say a prayer.”“Yes, yes, say a prayer.” He rushed over and grasped his pocket bible. “Can I sleep with this?”“Go ahead.”Thomas clasped it to his chest and climbed up into the hammock.Welsh flicked out the light.“Smith!” Crash. “Smith!”“What?” Smith shot up in his hammock as Welsh flicked the light on.Russell stood in the middle of the room, his hand outstretched. “He was standing right beside you! Looking at you!”“Who?”Russell pulled his hand back, turning white. He swore and spun to Thomas. “We can’t stay in here.”“Whoa, stop.” Welsh raised his hand. “Are you saying you saw something?”“Yes. It was just a shadow, but it was a man.”They all fell silent.“Are you sure you weren’t just dreaming?” Welsh asked.Russell spun to him. “I’m sleeping in the passageway.”“I’ll join you.” Thomas jumped off the hammock and the pair rushed out of the room.Bennett, Smith and Welsh stared at each other.“I say we stay awake,” Smith suggested. “Turn out the light, lay all quiet like, and see what happens. If nothing happens after about thirty minutes, we drag their sorry arses back in here.”Welsh nodded. “I think they were dreaming. That lieutenant probably planted the idea in Thomas’ mind, then when he dreamt it, he passed the thought on to Russell.”“I agree.” Smith looked to Bennett. “What do you think?”Bennett glanced between them. “I think there are things in this world we do not understand. I believe in the afterlife, and so naturally, spirits. But I don’t want to believe they are here with us, but there’s only one way to know for sure. We stay awake. If we all see them, then we know without a shadow of a doubt.”Welsh took a deep breath. “Then it’s agreed. We stay awake. I’ll turn off the light, and we wait.”Bennett and Smith nodded, shuffling back down, before Welsh turned off the light.They each lay still, and very quiet. Ten minutes, fifteen passed.“Are you still awake?” Smith whispered.“Yes,” they both replied.Another five minutes passed. Their eyes had adjusted to the darkness and they could each see the outlines of the white canvass hammocks.Then, the spare hammock shifted and filled. Smith drew a sharp breath, but none of them moved. Then, as Welsh stared at the empty hammock above him, a body filled it up. He froze, unable to move or even make a sound.Then the shadow appeared. A tall, broad shouldered man stood over Smith.Smith screamed.The three of them all found their voices, and in a flash, pushed and shoved out into the passageway, screaming, swearing. They slammed the hatch behind them.They tripped over Russell and Thomas and the five of them ended up in a tangled pile.“We saw them!” Welsh cried.The Captain appeared, his face red with rage. “What’s going on?”“Ghosts!” all five of them yelled.He glared at them. “Get up on deck and start swabbing.”“Gladly.”“Right away.”“Yes sir.”“Love to.”“Of course.”The rushed away, the lack of sleep the last of their concerns. As they collected the cleaning supplies, they simply felt grateful to be away from that room.In the morning, they sat for breakfast, all with heavy eyes, and wearied bodies. No one else was around, so the cook came and sat with them. “You boys look exhausted.”They all groaned.“We’ve haven’t been at sea for twenty-four hours.”Welsh lifted his head. “We were told you’d know what room one-oh-six means.”Cook turned pale. “You were assigned one-oh-six?”They all lifted their heads to gaze at him.“Yes,” Bennett replied. “What happened?”Cook rubbed his hands together, shuffling uncomfortably on his chair. “They were buddies of mine. All six of ‘em, but people have only ever seen four at once. I figure the other two passed on, but I bet I know which four stayed.”The five men stared at him, their weariness gone.“What happened?” Thomas repeated.“It was a U-boat attack,” Cook said, shaking his head. “They’d just gone to bed when we were hit. We were damaged, and they were trapped in that room when it flooded.”A tense silence prevailed over the group.“They drowned in their beds?” Thomas whispered.“If they were lucky enough to not notice,” Cook said. “But men heard them banging, trying to get out. It was probably a terrible death.”“Which ones do you think stayed?” Smith asked.Cook leaned back, lifting his hand, raising one finger at a time as he said, “Keith, Hamilton, Lawrence and Davis.”“Why them?” Bennett asked.Cook touched his index finger. “Keith never wanted to join the navy, his dad made him, he wasn’t even sixteen. Poor kid would hide if we saw any action. Hamilton didn’t want to die and would get drunk every time we ported so he could numb the fear, Lawrence was the protector of them all and always stayed to make sure no one got left behind, and Davis, ooh Davis, he was a piece of work. He dreamed of slitting Nazi throats. He’d hang around just to try and get revenge on the buggers that killed him.”The five exchanged terrified looks.“We’re not going back in there,” Thomas said.They all agreed.So, when time came for them to retire, they set up in the passageway for the night.The Captain appeared, and stared down at them, scowling. “Why aren’t you in your beds?”“This is where we’re sleeping,” Smith answered, pulling a blanket over himself.“You’re in the way!” The Captain snatched his blanket away. “Get in your beds immediately.”They all shuffled down, ignoring him.“This is insubordination. You will be disciplined.”They all shrugged and closed their eyes.“This is ridiculous. There’s no ghosts in there and I’ll prove it.” He stepped in, banging the hatch closed behind him and locking it.They stared at each other, and Bennett hummed a hymn as they dozed off.Screaming tore them from their sleep. A loud clang made them all jump, a moment before the hatch flew open. The Captain stumbled out, landing in Thomas’ lap. He looked around at the men, before scrambling to his feet and screaming down the passageway.“I guess he believes us now,” Welsh said.They all looked into the dark room, then Smith slammed the hatch shut.The next morning they were assigned new quarters. But their captain wasn’t on duty.When they went in for lunch, Bennett motioned for them to lean in. “I found the Captain. He’s locked up because he’s ranting about ghosts attacking him and trying to drown him.”The four men shivered.When they arrived at Liverpool, the Captain was taken for psychiatric treatment, and the men, well, one of them became my grandfather.


Links to other stories:Michael CristianoJ.E. Anckorn
Samantha Dunaway Bryant