Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 68

The Actuator Borderlands Anthology Blog Tour

If you read The Actuator: Fractured Earth by James Wymore and Aiden James (and you should!), then you might have wondered how the rest of the world reacted to The Actuation--the event that changed the world into different parts based on the imaginations of the Machine Monks. Sixteen different authors have come together to answer that question in the Borderlands Anthology, available from Curiosity Quills Press on September 11th.

You can add The Actuator 1.5: Borderlands Anthology to your Goodreads list or purchase your copy from Amazon and Barnes & Noble September 11th. Want to be part of the tour or to review? Sign up here!


I was asked to read and review the anthology, but it's hard to review a collection of totally different stories. So, I'm going to write a short peice about each -
Remembering Emily - Great opening story. Sweet ending.



Stolen Orchid - Well written, but I'm not into cyber punk




The Blackbird's Tale - A bit longer than the first two. This one delves into the Actuator story, while also giving a classic 30's/mobster crime tale. Enjoyed.




The Dream Journal of Oren Smith Wessely - Again, not really my genre, but well written.

The Austination - This is the one I was most excited to read. It didn't disappoint with it's mash up of Pride and Prejudice and a werewolf.
As you can see, I'm not done yet! I've never read an anthology before. Anyway, here are the details for you.



When the Actuator breaks the earth into a patchwork of altered realities, the remaining Machine Monks begin looking for the Keys to put it back. In the meantime, everyone in the world has been transformed without knowing why. This collection tells about some of the people struggling to deal with the change.

In “Remembering Emily,” Sara Wolf brings us a tale describing the horror of a world split by the Actuator. Daniel’s girlfriend, Emily, is in danger in some faraway place. Worse, she might forget Daniel before he can reach her. Fighting against the Actuator’s attempts to enforce a new reality to block him, he must find a way to rescue Emily before it’s too late.

About Sara: Sara Wolf is a third-year honors student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, pursing a degree in English. Besides creative writing, Sara also enjoys event planning, and is actively involved in student government at her university, alongside being a Writing Tutor. Sara plans to continue writing, and to work in the book editing and publishing industry after graduation.

Matthew Cox explores Cyberpunked China in "Stolen Orchid,” where a man finds his wife has become a ghost due to the Actuator's powerful reach. His only hope of saving her is to cross the border with a mobster bearing down, facing precarious fate in an unfamiliar realm.

About Matthew: Born in a little town known as South Amboy, New Jersey, in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.
http://www.matthewcoxbooks.com/ In “The Blackbird’s Tale,” Dan Willis relates the plight of a Machine Monk named David, who works his way through obstacles to reach Chicago. Why? To find an Actuator Key—one that takes the form of a small bird statue.

About Dan: Dan wrote his first work of fiction at the tender age of ten and has been creating fantastic tales ever since. He’s used his talents working in the board game and video game industries, as well as advertising, and web design. Recently he wrote for the long-running DragonLance Series and under their Young Adult brand, DragonLance: The New Adventures. Currently, he working on a Steampunk Civil War series entitled Dragons of the Confederacy with NYT best-selling author, Tracy Hickman. Dan lives in Utah with his wife and four children.http://www.dansrealm.com/
Nathan Yocum explores the plight of Oren Smith Wessely as a man with no past, trapped in the twisted, kaleidoscopic realm of steampunk Arizona in “Dream Journal.” Dark dreams haunt Oren’s nights…but what happens when those dreams suddenly come to life? Certainly nothing good.

About Nathan: Nathan L. Yocum is an author, teacher, and entrepreneur living on the Big Island of Hawai’i. His novels, The Zona, Automatic Woman, and The Strong Brain are all available through Curiosity Quills. Nathan has short stories featured in CQ Primetime, CQ After Dark, Lamplight: Dark Fiction Quarterly, and Writers on the Wrong Side of the Road.

Mara Valderran’s “The Austenation” is a tale where Pride and Prejudice meets werewolves in the English countryside of the Victorian era. Dealing with the strict social mores of the day, along with lycanthropic consequences, the story’s young heroine is forced to do what was often unthinkable in that era: take matters into her own hands.

About Mara: 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.www.maravalderran.com
In “Escape,” Patrick Burdine explores the fate of a group of teenagers caught in a town without mothers, and where all the fathers have turned into faceless, soul-sucking monsters. When one girl’s eighteenth birthday marks the end of her existence, can they penetrate the steel-walled town’s borders before it’s too late?

About Patrick: Patrick Burdine is an author and screenwriter residing in Los Angeles, California with his wife and three daughters. He's the author of several short stories including a Shell Case Short winner, The Bone Carver and most recently released the chilling novella, The Monitor. Patrick also writes for film and is the screenwriter of the indie-horror movie Slaughterhouse Phi: Death Sisters. He enjoys spending time visiting the worlds of Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, JK Rowling, Dan Abnett, Jim Butcher, Larry Correia, HP Lovecraft, John Carpenter, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, JRR Tolkien, Guillermo del Toro, Robert Rodriguez, and pretty much any other author, director, or screenwriter with a great story that he can sink his teeth into. (note: Patrick is not a vampire . . . most of the time.)http://www.patrickburdine.com/
“The Ritual” is the tale brought to us by Whitney Trang, where the Actuator brings imagined horrors of a haunted house in Japan to life. A young woman’s quest means facing a ghost bent on sacrificing her sister in a ritual to save himself and his family.

About Whitney: Whitney Trang is a twenty-two-year-old aspiring author and recently graduated with a degree in English and Communication from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her favorite books include James and the Giant Peach, The Baby-sitters’ Club, and Harry Potter. Mrs. Mahaffey, Whitney’s second grade teacher, helped her complete her first story. Every decision that Whitney has made from that point on was in order to accomplish her dream of being an author. Her family and friends also gave their support of her dreams and for that, she cannot thank them enough. “The Ritual” is the first short story that Whitney has had published, and she would like to thank Aiden James, James Wymore, and everyone at Curiosity Quills Press for this wonderful opportunity.

“The Gatekeepers of Change” is James Pratt’s short chronicle about a man dressed in black, and who rises to importance after the Great Actuation. Suddenly aware of the great powers and wider universe now available to him, the man enacts his plans.

About James: James Pratt mostly writes in the weird horror genre with dashes of fantasy, sci-fi, and action/adventure. And monsters. Lots of monsters. His stories have appeared in a number of anthologies including Canopic Jars: Tales of Mummies and Mummification from Great Old Ones Publishing, “Dark Hall Press Cosmic Horror Anthology”, “Dark Fairy Tales Revisited” from Horrified Press, and “How the West Was Weird: Vol. 3 from Pulpworks Press. . James also has three short story collections available on Amazon: the Lovecraft-themed Cthelvis and Others, the monster-centric Horrible Stories for Terrible People Vol. 1—Monsters, and Horrible Stories for Terrible People Vol. 2—Obscura, whose inhabitants include ghosts, kaiju monsters, the Grim Reaper, the Devil, and the Lord Almighty. James is currently working on two more short story collections, one fantasy and the other apocalypse-themed, and a Weird Western novel set firmly in the Lovecraft universe.
“The Ringer” is Craig Nybo’s tale about a detective in New Orleans facing zombies and other undead monsters as he assists a client in taking on her crime lord husband. The huge fee adds plenty of incentive…if he can live long enough to spend it.

About Craig: Craig Nybo lives with his beautiful wife and kids in Kaysville, UT. He works as a creative director for mediaRif.com, a digital agency. Craig writes novels, short fiction, and screenplays. As a musician, he has released several records with friends under the band names, Rustmonster and The Big Sky Country Boys. Craig also records solo work. He has released two records under his own name, Zombie Sing-a-long, and a sequel album, Zombie Sing-a-long: Whistler and the Children (Part 1). As a filmmaker, Craig has written and directed many short films. He also writes and directs many commercials and industrial videos as part of his profession. Aside from writing, Craig enjoys playing in the Rocky Mountains, rock climbing, and canyoneering.http://craignybo.com/
A Soviet soldier guarding Chernobyl from people too foolish to stay away from the radiation forms the basis of Jason Purdy’s “Anna and Lena.” When the soldier abandons his post, he soon discovers that he is the last living person in the area. Poisoned and growing weaker by the moment, he must find someplace safe across the border before he perishes.

About Jason: Jason Purdy is twenty-three years old and from Northern Ireland. He loves reading, listening to music, film, quality telly, going to the gym, and playing video games. A recent university graduate, he plans to continue his career in the media industries, and to continue writing and studying, when he finds time around his video game addiction. His debut novel, Cigarette, was released in April 2013, and he has featured in several short story anthologies. Jason is also a screenwriter and has several scripts that have been picked up by local filmmakers. He is also an on again off again filmmaker with his own kit. His ultimate goal is to be able to make a living off writing, because to him, a day job where you don’t have to walk any farther than your desk sounds like it would suit him down to the ground. Of course, the whole doing what you love aspect of it would be nice too.https://www.facebook.com/JasonPurdyAuthor
Jenny Persson brings us the story of a teen suddenly thrust into Viking Sweden in “Once upon a Frozen North.” The teen finds her modern way of thinking brings only misery. But the girl is cunning. Soon after her ritual into womanhood, she looks to the steampunk airships just across the border as a means for her escape.

About Jenny: Jenny Persson has previously published two collections of poetry. Her short stories are mostly science fiction, but she writes contemporary YA, fantasy, and romance as well. Growing up she read every book in the fairly small sci-fi/fantasy shelf at her local library, particularly enjoying the works of Ursula LeGuin and other female authors. The magic of books is something she’s passionate about and tries to pass on to every young person she comes across. Indoctrination has to start early! When not writing or reading, she bakes delicious cakes and pastries, and she’s been known to read cookbooks with the same passion she gives her collection of Jane Austen novels. She currently lives in a small town in Sweden with her husband and three children.
Jay Wilburn takes us along the harrowing journey of drug addicted Travis, as he traverses the Actuator-ravaged American South in “Halfway.” The journey becomes an opportunity to reconnect with the people lost to him by addiction…. But in the end, will he find the lasting peace he seeks?

About Jay: Jay Wilburn lives with his wife and two sons in the coastal swamps of South Carolina. He left teaching after sixteen years to care for the health needs of his younger son and to pursue full-time writing. His novels include Loose Ends with Hazardous Press and Time Eaters with Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing. He has a piece in Best Horror of the Year Volume 5. Follow his many dark thoughts at JayWilburn.com and @AmongTheZombies on Twitter.http://jaywilburn.com/
The author Juhi’s “The Search for Punarnav” takes us far away to India, where a man seeks to become a healer. To do so, he faces the daunting task of eluding the many dangerous Hindu mythological creatures brought to life by the Actuator.

Juhi is a story addict. She loves to travel through Time, Space, and Imagination, meeting people and finding delight in their worlds and trinkets. She does not remember when or how the addiction started, but it was very early in her life. Her mother recalls how she had to trick little two-year-old Juhi to eat her meals by stopping at strategic points in her Panchatantra Tales till she swallowed the food in her mouth. A little older than that (a lot!), Juhi now creates her own worlds with people and their trinkets in them, and loves to color them with words and illustrations.
Jason A. Anderson brings us “15 Seconds of Fame.” Unlike the title’s standard definition, this tale takes place in Steampunk London. A detective risks life and limb to save a child from her mob boss father. Not an easy task, especially when it means finding a way to also save the child’s mother from violent retaliation.

About Jason: Jason Anderson was raised in Southern California before moving to Utah to attend high school. While a teenager, he conceived and began writing his teen adventure series, The Starriders Saga. The first two books in the series, “Dragon Fire” and “Rebels Without a Clue” are currently available. Never one to let grass grow under his feet, he continued exploring different story concepts and struck upon what has become the SoulChaser Universe. “SoulChaser: Earthbound” and “Jean Archer: The Diamond and the Rough” are both available from that series. Besides being a father and writer, his passions include theater production, fast cars, off-roading, rock 'n' roll, and he is a Harley-Davidson enthusiast.
In “Forever Young,” Wilbert Stanton explores the fate of an old man who finds himself young again, after paying his life’s savings to gain admission into an exclusive realm. However, when he meets a new love, he soon learns the real cost of immortality, and whether or not he is willing to pay for it.

About Wilbert: Wilbert Stanton was born and raised in New York City. From an early age, Wilbert decided he would either write books or take over the world; everything else was just a precursor to his end game. Along the way, he has studied Psychology, English, and Computer Science. He's held jobs in a wide range of fields and met people from all walks of life. Wilbert is constantly learning and growing as a person, in order to solidify his dreams. In the end world domination was a bit tedious, so he decided to focus on writing books. You can find Wilbert on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorwilbertstanton
Last, but not least, we have James Wymore’s tale, “Cult of the Actuation.” A Machine Monk, captured just east of the base, calls for help. Dragon Star comes to the rescue… but is soon distracted by a religious cult surrounding the mouth of a cave near one of the Actuator’s borders. Ultimately, the cult leader decides that the Machine Monk and Dragon Star pose a threat, and orders their execution. A dicey situation at best.

About James: On a lifelong search for fantastic worlds hiding just out of sight, James Wymore writes to explore. With four books out, he continues to push the boundaries of genre and imagination with The Actuator series. This is his first time editing a short story anthology, but it won’t be his last. Find all his work at http://jameswymore.wordpress.com

The Curse Merchant Blog Tour: The Magic in The Curse Merchant by J.P. Sloan

The Magic in The Curse MerchantEvery reader of urban fantasy is ready for magic. On some level, you're going to find something "Other" in urban fantasy. That's what the genre's all about… magic, paranormal beings, ageless horror, or even the odd unicorn all found in a world otherwise recognizable as our own. And every UF property has its own unique "system," as it should. So, what's so unique about the magic in the Dark Choir series? First, I really tried to play it close to the vest when it comes to overt paranormal activity. Most of the magical effects you'll find in The Curse Merchant can be dismissed as coincidence or astoundingly bad luck. But that's the point… in a world that looks just like our own, the only way the supernatural stays contained is to play it cool. Real cool.Dorian Lake, the central character and narrator of The Curse Merchant, describes himself as a student of the hermetic arts… which is to say that his magical training stems from the body of esoteric studies from the lodges and secret orders of the Old World. His is a learned craft, not something that is intrinsic or genetic. In his world, anyone with access to secret knowledge, and the staggering volume of time required, could learn to do what he does. It requires lots of reading, primarily of the banned texts of alchemists and occultists from centuries past, and often in dead languages. Dorian chooses to power his magic through his client's karma. He sees this as a Cosmic check-valve, preventing him from dipping too deep into the pool of consequences. His clients receive a "down payment" of sorts from their karma. If they don't have it coming, they won't get it.His commerce is in two products: hexes and charms. Charms in this series can be described as beneficial effects of limited duration. These may include "glammers," which are charms that affect your physical appearance. Or they could steer your behavior or thinking, such as a confidence or memory charm. Hexes are a completely different animal, though. A hex is an engineered consequence… a Cosmic if/then completely and arbitrarily determined by the practitioner. Hexes always have an out clause, and as Dorian ties the energy source of his hexes to the karma of both the client and the target, the hex will never outstrip what each party deserves.Which is important, because in the Dark Choir universe there is a line to cross… a point where the magic violates the boundaries of the hidden laws. Such magic is called Netherwork, and it's bad news. The power source of all Netherwork is what Dorian's mentor calls "The Dark Choir"… timeless beings of darkness that prey upon human souls. Dorian avoids Netherwork at all costs. He saw how his mentor, a world-class Netherworker, ended. What's more, Netherwork is technically forbidden within the purview of the Presidium, a cabal of New World practitioners founded during the establishment of the United States. This shadow organization follows the Deistic tradition of the Founding Fathers, disallowing any magical intervention into the fate of the nation. They are known for black-bagging and disappearing anyone they feel presents a threat to the hermetic integrity of the United States.Thus we find Dorian operating just within the confines of both Cosmic and political boundaries. And he'll be happy to remain there…
…unless something goes horribly wrong.
Date of Re-Release­­:September 15th, 2014
Cover Artist: ConzpiracyDigital Arts
Goodreads
Description:
Dorian Lake spent years cornering the Baltimore hex-crafting market, using his skills at the hermetic arts to exact karmic justice for those whom the system has failed. He keeps his magic clean and free of soul-corrupting Netherwork, thus avoiding both the karmic blow-back of his practice and the notice of the Presidium, a powerful cabal of practitioners that polices the esoteric arts in America. However, when an unscrupulous Netherworker interferes with both his business and his personal life, Dorian's disarming charisma and hermetic savvy may not be enough to keep his soul out of jeopardy.
His rival, a soul monger named Neil Osterhaus, wouldn't be such a problem were it not for Carmen, Dorian's captivating ex-lover. After two years' absence Carmen arrives at Dorian’s doorstep with a problem: she sold her soul to Osterhaus, and has only two weeks to buy it back. Hoping to win back Carmen's affections, Dorian must find a replacement soul without tainting his own. As Dorian descends into the shadows of Baltimore’s underworld, he must decide how low he is willing to stoop in order to save Carmen from eternal damnation... with the Presidium watching, waiting for him to cross the line.
About The Author: I am a storyteller, eager to transport the reader to strange yet familiar worlds. My writing is dark, fantastical, at times stretching the limits of the human experience, and other times hinting at the monsters lurking under your bed. I write science fiction, urban fantasy, horror, and several shades in between.I am a husband and a father, living in the “wine country” of central Maryland. I’m surrounded by grapevines and cows. During the day I commute to Baltimore, and somehow manage to escape each afternoon with only minor scrapes and bruises. I am also a homebrewer and a certified beer judge. My avocations dovetail nicely!Find J.P. Sloan Online:Website | Facebook | Twitter| Goodreads

Blog Tour: Unrequited by @emilyashaffer @swoonromance

Unrequitedby Emily ShafferRelease Date: 09/23/14Swoon Romance
Summary from Goodreads:In the town of Belle Ridge there are doctors, lawyers and teachers... but there is only one vampire. Will Leighton has become an expert in making a life for himself amongst the unsuspecting small-town inhabitants, as the high school history teacher. He has spent hundreds of years crafting an identity and routine that make him feel almost human, but he is always missing that important final element, love.

Ashton Wallace is beautiful, smart, and angry. She was forced into an eternal existence, and now her family has moved her away from everything and everyone she knows. In Belle Ridge she is supposed to finish high school and start her life again, but how do you make plans for the next several centuries?

Will has never met another of his kind, and is immediately intrigued by Ashton. He longs to show her that the perceived vampire lifestyle, so popular in storybooks, is far from reality...but will she let him be a friend and guide in this new existence? Can Ashton accept Will into her life, or will she be led astray by a dark stranger with whom she shares an unknown connection?
Add to Goodreads
Buy Links:Amazon│

“Did they catch him? I don't remember his name, but I know what he looked like. I can tell the police.” Ashton wanted to make sure that guy, whoever he was, paid for what he had done.Her parents exchanged troubled looks with one another.
“What's wrong? Is he saying it's my fault?” She looked from her mother to her father.
“He was found dead,” her father said with a grim face. Ashton couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Just then, two police officers came into the room. She told them everything about the party, the drink, being pulled into the woods, and about the second man.
“A second man was there?” the officer asked.“Yes, I couldn’t see him clearly, it was so dark and I was feeling so confused, but there was definitely a second man. He pulled the attacker off of me, and I could hear them struggling, and someone screamed. Then, he came to me and told me everything would be all right. That's the last thing I remember.” Ashton was exhausted. The previous night felt like some horrible dream.
The officers turned toward the door, like they were about to leave. Just as they were crossing into the hall, one of the officers turned and came back into the room.
“Miss, about the second man, is he the one who did this to you?” The officer motioned toward Ashton's neck. She lifted her hand and felt a large, thick bandage on her throat. When she pressed it, she winced in pain.
“I don't remember. I don't remember at all.” She felt a wave of panic. She had been injured in a gruesome manner, but she didn’t have any recollection of how it had happened. Even more unsettling was a strange sensation traveling through her body. Ashton realized something within her was different, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
The officers left, and Ashton asked her mother for a mirror. Reluctantly, Elaine Wallace retrieved the one in her purse, and handed it to her daughter.
Ashton opened the mirror and looked at herself. Remarkably, the horror of the night before didn’t seem to have left a mark on her face. Actually, she looked somewhat refreshed. She moved her hand to the bandage and began to remove it. When it fell away, she held the mirror up again and saw what the officers had asked her about.
On her neck were two large holes.

About the AuthorWhether writing stories to entertain her younger siblings, or typing up an essay for a class, Emily Shaffer has been a writer for as long as she can remember.  Her stories may have changed from talking cartoon frogs to angsty young adults, but her goal to write a compelling story remains the same.  When not writing, she lives in Nashville and enjoys all the music, food, and excitement that city has to offer.  Her first novel, the well-received chick-lit title That Time of the Month was self-published on Amazon in 2012.  Her latest novel, as the others before, are fueled by diet soda and pie.
Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: DeadGirl by B.C. Johnson

Curiosity Quills is excited to reveal the cover for urban-fantasy, paranormal-romance DeadGirl , by B.C. Johnson, which is scheduled for release November 6, 2014. The fantastic cover was designed by Andy Garcia.
   About DeadGirl: 

Dead is such a strong word …   Lucy Day, 15 years old, is murdered on her very first date. Not one to take that kind of thing lying down, she awakens a day later with a seemingly human body and more than a little confusion. Lucy tries to return to her normal life, but the afterlife keeps getting in the way. Zack, her crush-maybe-boyfriend, isn’t exactly excited that she ditched him on their first date.   Oh, and Abraham, Lucy’s personal Grim Reaper, begins hunting her, dead-set on righting the error that dropped her back into the spongy flesh of a living girl. Lucy must put her mangled life back together, escape re-death, and learn to control her burgeoning powers while staying one step ahead of Abraham.   But when she learns the devastating price of coming back from the dead, Lucy is forced to make the hardest decision of her re-life — can she really sacrifice her loved ones to stay out of the grave?

 Add DeadGirl to your Goodreads 'to-be-read' list.
  About by B.C. Johnson:
 Born in Southern California, B.C. Johnson has been writing since he realized it was one of the few socially acceptable ways to tell people a bunch of stuff you just made up off the top of your head. He attended Savanna High School in Anaheim, and an undisclosed amount of college before deciding that weird odd jobs were a far greater career path.   This lead him to such exciting professions as: aluminum recovery machinist, lighting designer, construction demo, sound mixer, receptionist, theater stage hand, wedding security, high school custodian, museum events manager, webmaster, IT guy, copywriter, and one memorable night as the bouncer at a nightclub. He is trying very hard to add “vampire hunter” and “spaceship captain” to that list.   He currently lives in Garden Grove with his supernal wife Gina, his half-corgi, half-muppet dog Luna, and his new half-grayhound, half-living-tornado-of-destruction Kaylee. He also spends time with his two brothers, his parents, and his close friends, whose primary pursuit are usually healthy debates about movie minutiea. When he’s not working or writing, he’s been to known to pursue all conceivable geeky avenues of interest including but not limited to video games, the sort of TV shows/movies Benedict Cumberbatch might star in, graphic novels, podcasts, funny gifs, the whole thing.   He’s also been known to apply his special brand of hyperbole and mania to pop-culture humor essays for various websites that can be found on his homepage, bc-johnson.com. B.C. also has a high school noir short story called “The Lancer” available on Kindle.   Deadgirl is his first novel.

  Find by B.C. Johnson Online: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour: Holly Hearts Hollywood by @kenleyconrad @swoonromance

Holly Hearts Hollywoodby Kenley ConradRelease Date: 09/23/14
Swoon Romance
Summary from Goodreads:Seventeen-year-old Holly Hart wants to be a star. She moves to Los Angeles from the small town of Cedar Junction, only to hear she’s too fat and ugly to be a famous singer.

But when Shell Shocked Records looks past Holly’s plus-size and less-than-graceful-personality to offer her a recording contract, Holly cannot believe her good fortune. On closer inspection, however, the record execs want Holly to do all the singing, and a thinner and more beautiful girl, Lacey, would lip-sync and get all the credit. Holly goes for it because after all, she wanted to sing.

Contractually bound to secrecy, Holly is more than happy to sit backstage while Lacey shimmies in the limelight and basks in the fame. Before she knows it, Holly is friends with Serena, the pop-star daughter of a music-mogul, flirting with an intern, and developing a strange half-friendship with Lacey.

When Grayson Frost, the biggest country star in America, and coincidentally, a former school bully begins dating Lacey, Holly hopes that he won’t recognize or torment her.

Through a series of embarrassing and weird events, Holly gets to know Grayson and learns that he is much nicer and more mature than he was four years ago. Holly is horrified when she starts falling for him. When Grayson admits he fell for Lacey's voice, what is a girl to do when she can’t legally tell the truth at the moment when the truth matters the most?
Add to Goodreads
Buy Links:Amazon│Kobo Books
About the AuthorI'm the author of the upcoming YA series Holly Hearts Hollywood, coming September 2014 by Swoon Romance. I'm a twenty-something cat lady who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. When I'm not working my office day job or writing books, you can find me either singing and dancing or binge-watching TV shows on Netflix.
Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: PRIDE by Rosie Somers

PRIDE by Rosie SomersSurge, Anaiah Press
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Gabriella Pierce is used to taking care of herself, but she’s about to become responsible for a whole lot more. When she gets a visit from three men claiming to be defenders of fantastical rings imbued with the powers of THE CARDINAL SINS, her life is changed irrevocably.
Gabby is the steward of PRIDE
To make matters worse, she’s falling hard for fellow steward, Grant Barnett, and he hates her guts. Now Gabby has to learn to protect Pride without letting her feelings for Grant get in the way.
Release Date: September 9, 2014
Book Links:Add it on Goodreads! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22365515-prideAnaiah Press: http://www.anaiahpress.com



Author Bio:
Rosie Somers is a YA author who lives in Florida, soaking up the year round sunshine. She can often be found in her favourite spot on her favourite beach, nose-deep in a good book.
Website: http://www.RosieSomers.blogspot.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/ProsyRosieFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProsyRosie

Enter the Giveaway!  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Beautiful Curse by @jen_mcconnel @swoonromance

Beautiful Curseby Jen McConnel Release Date: December 2014Swoon Romance
Summary from Goodreads:
Sixteen-year-old Mya Jones is cursed.

She is, hands down, the most beautiful creature on earth. But beauty can wound, and Mya finds herself reviled and shunned by her peers. If there is even a chance that she could start over, Mya longs to take it, no matter the risks.

So when the strange Mr. Merk offers her a new life away from home, Mya is hesitant but hopeful. Only she didn't count on the mysterious Ross, or her feelings for him.

BEAUTIFUL CURSE is a contemporary retelling of the myth of Psyche and Cupid.



About the AuthorJen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. Since then, her words have appeared in a variety of magazines and journals, including Sagewoman, PanGaia, and The Storyteller (where she won the people’s choice 3rd place award for her poem, “Luna”).
She is also a former reviewer for Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA), and proud member of SCBWI, NCWN, and SCWW.

A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. A graduate of Western Michigan University, she also holds a MS in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches college writing composition and yoga.
Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.
Author Links:      

Cover Reveal Organized by:

Stone of Thieves Blog Tour: Guest Post by @dianejreed

Um so I really like the sound and look of these books. I will read and review at some point, but for now, take a look!Gypsies, Tramps & ThievesBy Diane J. Reed
There's a romance to the road. One of my favorite novels as a teen & to this day is On the Road by Jack Kerouac, where Sal Paradise & Dean Moriarty criss-cross through America, embracing adventure & experiencing the exultant & sometimes healing effects of the "heroic present"—a state of soul that bonafide gypsies know all too well. The heroic present is a quality of life spent cherishing the here & now—the sacredness & beauty of this very moment—for despite our many well-laid plans, it's all we can ever truly possess. This "wanderer's" worldview has always resonated with me, and in fact, is echoed profoundly in my magical new adult romances in the Robbin' Hearts Series, where I write about this simple truth: "There's a little magic & outlaw in all of us—especially when it comes to finding true love…"
And quite honestly, I believe it's true.
I think in the back of our minds, each of us knows that we're walking upon this earth for only a short while. We're sojourners, lucky to take in the astounding beauty & grace of this life, so often amazed that we get to experience it at all. We carry the rucksacks of our hopes & dreams over our shoulders, never knowing what day we will die or whether those cherished dreams will come true. All we know is that right now, it's so wondrous—and even magical—that sometimes we have to pause & inhale a deep breath to take it all in.We're thieves, whether we want to admit it or not—even those of us who work nine-to-five jobs & pay our fair share of taxes. We steal every awe-inspiring moment we can, knowing we only get so many of them. It's what gives meaning to our short stay on this planet—the fact that we can gaze at the clouds, feel the earth beneath our feet, tousle a beautiful child's hair & register his or her smile. Somewhere, in the mystical annals of the cosmos, these moments are stored in that same energy that brings more warm winds & glorious sunsets, more ice-laden winters of such crystalline beauty that it breaks our hearts into a million pieces & leaves us craving for more.And yeah, I realize that perhaps my heart is more restless than most, because like so many of us whose ancestors immigrated to the United States, I come from a long line of wanderers. My husband likes to jest that "The Reeds never died where they were born." It's a fact—for a centuries, the Reeds were always pressing forward & exploring, searching for new places to taste this life & live out loud. Country to country, coast to coast is how we liked it—no borders or boundaries to hem us in. Is that why one of my first jobs as an adult was riding a mustang horse from Mexico to Canada and back, spending my nights in a gypsy wagon? Or I lived in a tiny attic for many years to work with the homeless & mentally ill in San Francisco? I decorated it with bohemian scarves & a colorful chandelier, loving the way the light struck the flea-market crystals to send vibrant hues swirling like a kaleidoscope through my nook. At night I gazed at the stars from my attic window & was convinced that I owned the whole world.
And I did. Because if I could appreciate it & tuck it into my heart, in a way, the world truly was mine. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant all those years ago when he said "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." We can't actually possess anything; we can only appreciate it for a while. For this reason, the homeless individuals I case managed on the street weren't simply my "wards"—they were my friends. I understood them & they understood me in a unique way that no one else does. We often sat together & marveled at the crazy mixed-up beauty of the world, sharing a smoke & chatting about these myriad enchantments that are so fleeting, yet make our hearts feel whole if we take time to notice them. I remember every conversation—every word—we exchanged, because the harshness & fierce transitoriness of their lives had etched their souls as fine as diamonds. They had a poetic & hypersensitivity to beauty & joy, because tomorrow was never guaranteed. It was a worldview I could relate to, quite frankly, because I was nearly as poor as they were, yet doggedly determined not to let that steal the beauty of life from me.
So blame it on my gypsy soul. But even though I'm more comfortable with my living situation now, I'll never forget the wisdom of the many gypsies, tramps & thieves I've known on my journey. Life is as fleeting as the warm light of a candle. They know this & so do I. If I could offer any encouragement to you today, it's to dare to wander & fall in love with life. Dare to really feel it—all of the good, the bad, and the in between. And like my characters in the Robbin' Hearts Series, dare to celebrate life whenever you can with song, dance & wonderful stories that remind you of just how big your soul has really grown. Because no matter what kind of house we have or dreams we pursue, there's a little magic & outlaw in all of us…
Stone of Thieves (Robbin' Hearts Series #2)by Diane J. Reed Release Date: 05/08/14238 pages
Summary from Goodreads:The Stone of Thieves . . . for centuries its magnetic draw has twisted the hearts of ambitious men and women with the promise of power, passion, and intrigue until it fell into the hands of unlikely thieves Robin and her boyfriend Creek. But can they steal their destiny away from the curse that pursues this magnificent ruby heart? 

As the stone begins to spread its sorcery, Robin races to find her long-lost mother in Italy in the hopes of discovering the truth about her unique gypsy heritage and the ruby heart that is rumored to steal souls. Yet when the desire for this stone by powerful members of her family threatens their very lives, Creek decides to take matters into his own hands to protect Robin, his greatest treasure of all . . .

Stone of Thieves is a sensual, stand-alone new adult novel and the sequel to Robin in the Hood in the Robbin’ Hearts Series. Due to mature themes, readership is advised for ages 17+.
Add to Goodreads
Buy Links:Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Book One:Robin in the Hood (Robbin' Hearts Series #1)by Diane J. Reed Release Date: 10/01/12300 pages
Summary from Goodreads:“Is it any wonder I became a bank robber?” But she never dreamed she’d fall in love…
Wealthy high school student Robin McArthur thinks she has it all figured out when it comes to bilking her wealthy dad for guilt money as a substitute for his genuine affection. Until one day he suffers a stroke, and she learns the brutal truth:They’re broke.Her stepmom has skipped the country.And everyone from bankers to bookies has lined up in her dad's hospital room to collect on the millions he's racked up in debt.
Panicked and desperate, Robin figures she has two choices. Either surrender to the pestering caseworker and live in a skanky foster home, or take a chance and sneak her dad out of the hospital to make a run for it. Little does she know that stealing a car and hitting the road means that before the day is through, she will rob her first bank.
Now an outlaw, Robin finds a backwoods trailer park to hide her dad from authorities. There, she encounters Creek, a local bad boy who also commits crimes to provide for their motley neighbors. Realizing she could use Creek’s help, Robin proposes an ingenious plan—they should team up to rob banks together. But when their partnership leads to a romance that turns Robin’s world upside down, she soon begins to discover that people are more precious than pocketbooks, and real love means opening your heart to the kinds of treasures money can’t buy…
Add to Goodreads
Buy Links:Amazon│Barnes & Noble
About the AuthorDiane J. Reed has a Ph.D. in English and a lifelong passion for books—both popular, forgotten & literary—as long as they touch her soul & make her want to tuck them under her pillow at night to remember them in her dreams. She writes novels that are infused with enchantment, where characters dare to break through boundaries and believe in true love. She also has a soft spot for artisans & outlaws of the heart, those who burn brightly to live each day as a gift—because it is! She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to visit Diane J. Reed's website at www.banditsranch.com or message her here to share the whispers of your spirit. 
Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook
YA Bound Tours
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shadows Fall Away Blog Tour: Characterization by Kit Forbes

Most of my stories begin with me wondering What would ABC person do in an XYZ situation? Shadows Fall Away actually began as an adult romantic suspense but it never went beyond a handful of chapters.
The basic premise stuck with me of a modern person stuck in 1888 London and knowing how the crimes historically played out. I’m not sure when the idea hit me, but deciding to make Mark the rebellious son of a police detective instead of an adult detective himself, it finally started coming together.
Or rather, the questions started pouring into my head that helped flesh out the new Mark. The first question was how did a seventeen-year old juvenile delinquent end up in London? The answer was fairly easy—juvenile court and a judge who decided to give Mark “one last chance” to get his act together before he turned eighteen and was in the hands of the adult legal system. That last chance involved Mark’s parents sending him to spend the summer with his mother’s Aunt Agatha a retired history professor who had a grand summer long roadtrip on her agenda.
To make it a bit more believable for Mark to have a chance to fit into his weird new surroundings, I made his mom be a nurse who’d turned her hobby of writing historical mysteries into a career. And with Mark being grounded more often than not, he couldn’t help but absorb at least a little of the research she loved talking about.
And of course the phrase “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing” really comes into play when Mark decides his ticket home is to solve the mystery of Jack the Ripper. With no lingering mystery, his aunt wouldn’t have been able to drag him to London for her Ripperologists’ conference.
It was a straightforward and simple plan.
In theory….
Publication Date: September 23, 2014Goodreads 
Mark Stewart is one incident away from becoming a juvenile delinquent, and his parents have had enough. They ship Mark off to London England to stay with his eccentric aunt Agatha who is obsessed with all things Jack the Ripper. After a strange twist of luck, Mark is struck by lightning, and he wakes to find himself in 1888 Victorian London.
His interest in a string of murders Scotland Yard has yet to solve make him a likely suspect. After all, why would a young boy like Mark know so much about the murders? Could he be the ripper they’ve been searching for? Convinced the only way to get back home is to solve the murders, Mark dives headfirst into uncovering the truth.
Mark’s only distraction comes in the form of the beautiful Genie Trembly, a girl who is totally out of his league and who may have already caught the attention of the infamous ripper. To save her, he’ll endanger both their lives, and risk being trapped in the past forever.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD
ABOUT KIT FORBES:
 Kit Forbes has been a lover of books, history, and all things paranormal for as long as she can remember. She lives in Western Pennsylvania with her youngest daughter and an assortment of cats who give new meaning to the world bizarre.

Author Links:  Website  | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads                                                                                                                                  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: One Wish Away by @kelleylynn1 @bloomsburykids

One Wish Awayby Kelley LynnRelease Date: 11/11/14Bloomsbury Spark
Book Summary:Be careful what you wish for…
Lyra has always been ahead of the curve. Top of her class in school, a budding astronomer, and with a best friend like Darren she barely has time to miss the mother who abandoned her family years ago. She's too busy planning to follow in her father's footsteps, and to become the youngest astronomer at Space Exploration and Discovery.
When a star goes missing Lyra is determined to get to the bottom of it only to discover her braniac dad is the mastermind of a top-secret government experiment. They promise to build a perfect world, one galaxy at a time, but with every tweak of the present, a bit more of the future starts to crumble.
Lyra has to go undercover to reveal the truth and let humanity decide if the consequences are worth more than wishing on a star.


About the Author
Eventually the day came when the voices in Kelley Lynn’s head were more insistent then her engineering professor’s. So instead of turning to her Thermodynamics book, Kelley brought up a blank page on her computer screen and wrote. Somewhere along the way she became a Young Adult author.
Kelley was born and raised a Midwestern girl. She’s not afraid to sweat and fills her free time with softball, soccer and volleyball. (Though you probably don’t want her on your volleyball team.) She occasionally makes guest appearances as a female vocalist for area bands. Music plays a large role in her writing process as well as the characters and plot lines within her stories.

You can find Kelley hanging out at her blog, titled in her name, as well as the group blog she shares with her fellow critique partners, Falling for Fiction. Kelley is a member of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators.
Author Links:      

Cover Reveal Organized by: