Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 96

Funny Vid: An Oldie, but a Goodie!

So it's been a few years since this one was viral, but I remember quoting and ROFL over it for several months. Yay for flashbacks. EnjoyCandy Mountain, Charlie!


And check out my Wattpad serial An Exchange . New chapters are posted every Wednesday and Saturday. Please, leave your feedback :-)

Novel Map Reveal: Immagica by K. A. Last

Expected Date of Publication: January 2014Map Illustration: Lawrence MannCover Illustration: Lawrence MannCover Designer: KILA Designs Goodreads

Book blurb:ImmagicaWhere anything is possible.Enter at your own risk.
The night before her fifteenth birthday, Rosaline Clayton uncovers a deep family secret. She receives an amulet from her deranged father, and he tells her she must find the book in order to save him. Rosaline is used to her dad not making any sense, so she dismisses their conversation as another of his crazy rants.
When Rosaline’s brother, Elliot, drags her to their Nana’s attic to explore, they find the old leather-bound book tucked away in a chest. It sucks them into its pages, transporting them to a magical world. Along the way Rosaline and Elliot are separated, and the only thing she wants is to find her brother and go home.
The creatures of Immagica have other ideas. Afteryears of war their land lies in ruin. Using the amulet’s power, they want Rosaline to defeat the dragon and restore Immagicato its former glory. But Rosaline is bound to Immagicain ways she doesn’t understand, and when she discovers the truth about her family, she must follow her heart to save them all.


Excerpt:A breeze whipped my hair over my face. I batted it away as I turned in every direction, searching for my little brother.
“Elliot,” I called across the wasteland. “Elliot!” I screamed.
Nothing.
The book blew open and the pages fluttered in the breeze. I scurried over to snatch it up, not wanting to let it out of my sight. This place scared me. Losing Elliot scared me, and I was unsure what to do. If the book could spit me out into a desolate wasteland, it may also be able to take me home. I slipped my fingernail under the edge of the amulet and tried to prise it off the cover, but it wouldn’t budge. The emerald pulsed in a steady rhythm. After a few minutes I gave up and tucked the book into the back of my jeans.
If I decided to walk anywhere, it was going to be tough with no shoes, but I was glad I’d fallen asleep in my clothes the night before. Imagine if I’d ended up in this god-forsaken place in my nightie! Elliot was probably roaming around somewhere in his PJs. The thought made me laugh, but then sadness engulfed me. Elliot. My heart broke thinking about him. I’d lost my little brother. Where was I supposed to start looking for him? Already I missed the way his dark hair flopped across his forehead. The way he’d look at me so seriously with his grey eyes. And how he had a talent for making me smile when it was the last thing I wanted to do.
I stared at my feet and wished I had my favourite pair of Converse to slip on. I sighed and started to walk. Rocks dug into my skin, making me wince with every step. After a few minutes the pain subsided and the walking got easier. I thought I’d lost the feeling in my feet, but when I looked down again I was wearing a pair of black Converse All Stars.
My mouth dropped open and I stopped. “How…?”
It was still just me in the middle of nowhere. The shoes felt real enough, but I gave my toes a little wriggle to make sure it wasn’t an illusion. I even blinked a couple of times to test my eyes were working properly. Yep, the shoes were definitely real, and I was a little more freaked than I’d been when I first arrived.
I continued walking. Where I was walking to was a mystery. How could I know where I was going, if I didn’t even know where I was in the first place? I wished Elliot was with me. Or that I had someone to talk to; someone who could tell me where I was.
“Where am I?” I asked the breeze.
“You know, talking to yourself is the first sign of craziness,” a girl said from behind me.
I spun around to face the most unusual girl I’d ever seen. She held a bronze spear in her right hand. It was fancy like a sceptre, with a decorative head that housed a big emerald. What was it with all the emeralds? Maybe I was in Oz. The eye-shaped stone stared at me and I shuddered. Above all the fanciness was a silver point that could probably slice me in half in one-second flat.
Frantically, I looked around for something to use to defend myself if I needed to. My only option was to brain her with a rock—ifI needed to.
“I wasn’t talking to myself,” I said. I totally was talking to myself. “I just wanted someone to talk to.”
The girl laughed. “You should be careful what you wish for in a place like this.”She looked a little older than me, with pale blue eyes, high cheekbones, and an olive complexion. Silver streaked her long, black hair, and it had several small braids through it.“And where is this exactly?”
The girl simply stared at me, her mouth all pouty, as if I should know the answer. I wasn’t sure if she would hurt me or take me to meet her equally weird looking friends. She wore a pair of ripped denim shorts, and a strange cream top that looked handmade with lacing up each side and an uneven neckline. Shin-high, chunky hiking boots encased her long legs, and she had a small leather satchel flung across her body. The spear totally completed the outfit.
“Not quite like Dorothy is it,” she finally said, grinning. “She was greeted by munchkins, but you got me instead.”
“You’ve read The Wizard of Oz?”
“Of course.” The girl laughed. “And Alice in Wonderland, The Neverending Story, and Narnia. All the greats.”
Somehow, I found it hard to believe. Where the hell was the library?
“Who are you?” I asked, putting my hands on my hips. I could play smart, too, but I hoped I appeared more confident than I felt.
“So many questions. Which one do I answer first? I hope you know who you are.”
“Never mind,” I said, turning away. She’d done her best to annoy me, and I’d only known her for twenty seconds.
“Don’t take it personally.” The girl fell into step beside me. “You’re not the only one that’s ended up here when they first arrived. Not everyone can expect to land in the thick of things.”
“What are you talking about?” I stopped to face her.
“I’m Brynn.” She stuck out her hand. I hesitated but eventually took it. She pumped my arm up and down a few times before letting go. “So, where’s the book?”
“How do you know about the book?” I frowned.
“You usually can’t get here without the book.”
“Where’s here?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“No, not really. Why do you want the book?” I asked.
“I don’t want the book.”
“Then why did you ask about the book?”
“You’ll need the book,” Brynn said. “The book is very important.”
I sighed. “Of course it is.” I pulled it from the waistband of my jeans, but I didn’t hand it over.
“You don’t trust me, do you?” Brynn asked.
“If you were me, would you trust you?”
“I’m very trustworthy.” She smiled and raised her eyebrows.
“But how do I know that!”
She shrugged. “You don’t.”
“Okay, this place is just weird,” I said.
Arguing with the strange girl was wasting time. I needed to find Elliot. Brynn was the only person, besides me, in this terrible place, so what option did I have? I’d have to ask for help.
“I’ve lost my little brother,” I blurted out. “He was with me, I felt him beside me when … and then he wasn’t there, and I was here, and I hate this place!”
The emerald in the amulet pulsed.
Brynn looked at me as if she couldn’t care less about Elliot. Why would she? She didn’t know him. But I cared. And I was damn well going to make her care!
“You’ll need to get the amulet off the cover if you want to find him,” she said. “Push the emerald.”
Sure, why not. Nothing else in my life made sense anymore. I did as she’d said and pushed it with my thumb. Something clicked and the golden glow shone under the amulet. It popped off the cover and the book healed itself, returning to normal. I ran my fingers over the embossed image on the cover before unravelling the chain and hanging the amulet around my neck. It gave me an odd feeling of security, like I could do anything, or go anywhere.
“Hey! Where are you going,” I called to Brynn. She’d walked off while I was doing weird stuff.
“You can come if you like.” She stopped and waited for me to catch up. “You’re a Clayton. What’s your first name?”
“Rosaline,” I replied. “How do you know my last name?”
“The amulet has been in your family for generations. Your ancestors had a hand in creating this place.”
“My family made this horrid wasteland? What on earth for?”
“You mean you haven’t been told?”
“Told what?” I asked. “No one tells me anything.”
“You don’t know anything about magic?”

“Are you related to my dad? Because he’s all kinds of weird as well,” I said.

AUTHOR BIOK. A. Last was born in Subiaco, Western Australia, and moved to Sydney with her parents and older brother when she was eight. Artistic and creative by nature, she studied Graphic Design and graduated with an Advanced Diploma. After marrying her high school sweetheart, she concentrated on her career before settling into family life. Blessed with a vivid imagination, she began writing to let off creative steam, and fell in love with it. She now resides in a peaceful leafy suburb north of Sydney with her husband, their two children, and a rabbit named Twitch.
Links:http://www.kalastbooks.com.au/https://www.facebook.com/KALastBookshttps://twitter.com/KALastBookshttp://www.amazon.com/K.-A.-Last/e/B00B2IK8OM
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6895878.K_A_Last

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Blog Tour: The Billionaire Banker by Georgia La Carre

The Billionaire Banker
by Georgia Le Carre
The Billionaire Banker   #1
Publication: November 1st, 2013
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance | Erotic Romance


Until she came ... all that he wanted ... he owned.

When Lana Bloom learns the devastating news that her mother is dying, she is faced with a terrible dilemma. The one thing that can save her is the one thing she does not have. For young and innocent Lana, the unthinkable becomes her only choice.

But when she walks through the door of that exclusive restaurant she has no idea of the seismic shift her life is about to take, for the highest bidder will not be the rich man she has accompanied. Fate drops her at the feet of the deeply mysterious and dazzlingly gorgeous American banker, Blake Law Barrington. Throbbing with raw masculinity and arrogance, this is a man who owns all that he pursues.

And now he wants her.

Available on:

Meet Blake Law Barrington!

What Blake thought and experienced when he saw Lana being mauled by the despicable Rupert Lothian ...
I should have known then.Who was I kidding? Just sex? With her? That would never be enough.This girl was the siren, the temptress that my father had warned me about. The one that had been specially chosen to bring me to my knees. But at that moment I was the proverbial moth flying helplessly towards the flame. I guess, I just wanted her light, more than I wanted anything else... The brute had her pinned against a wall, his big body completely hiding her from my view. Must have only been minutes, but it was like a lifetime watching that broad back and thick neck. I had to fight the instinct to go over. Break them up. But I am a strategist, a man who knows when to pounce, how to exploit an opportunity. Not yet. Soon. Lose a battle to win the war.A woman came and wrapped herself around me. She laid her perfectly manicured red fingernails on the lapels of my jacket and smiled slyly. I glanced down at her and shuddered. I hate it when women I don’t fancy throw themselves at me. At that precise moment Lothian moved his thick body away and I saw Lana. Flattened against the wall, her face white, mascara streaking down her face, and her lips already beginning to swell.Our eyes met.Fuck me, I looked into her shocked, defenceless eyes, and I did not feel lust! I did not want to take and use and discard as I had done with all the others. The only thing I registered in my body was the unfamiliar need to protect. Not myself but her. That same sensation I had experience once a long time ago as a young boy, when I had come across an injured baby bird that had fallen out of its nest. I had scooped it in my cupped hands and warmed it inside my jacket. After it died that evening I never again experienced that sensation. Until now.Stunned by my own reaction I watched as she ran out of the room on those ridiculously high shoes of hers. And the dirty looks she got. You should have seen them. You’d have thought she stank of their bullshit. I despised my kind then.In the corridor I saw her lurch unsteadily towards the powder room.After a few minutes I made my excuses and went to wait for her in the corridor. What the fuck was I doing? But the rational, thinking Blake had gone numb. And another part, a secret part of me that I never let out, that I refused to even acknowledge, had come out and taken over. I crossed my arms and lounged against the wall.When she came out, I almost did not recognise her. Underneath the layer of badly applied make-up she had the face of a schoolgirl. Hell, she better not be under-aged. That would be all my plans down the toilet. I straightened and waited for her to come up to me. She was no longer crying. Her head was held high and those indescribably turquoise eyes were proud and flashing, and she would have walked right past me too, if I had not raised a detaining finger.

An additional sneak peek inside The Billionaire Banker ...
Rupert directs his astonished, vicious eyes at Lana’s. ‘You offered yourself to him too?’ His eyes move derisively, hatefully over her.Lana cringes with shame.‘Does he know how much you charge?’‘Do you doubt I will be able to afford her?’ Blake asks coldly.Rupert shrivels the way a leech that has had salt thrown on it does. ‘This is why you invited me here, isn’t it?’‘Yes.’‘What a joke!’ he taunts, but his jibe lacks any real bite. ‘The great Barrington can’t find his own whore. He has to steal mine.’‘I didn’t steal her,’ Blake notes reasonably. ‘I just offered to pay more.’Rupert’s eyes bulge, bug-like. ‘She’s just a cheap bloody tart. I’ve just finger-fucked her out there,’ he lies maliciously, jerking his dandruff-laden head in the direction of the door.Lana feels Blake’s hand tighten around her waist. ‘Consider it an unearned freebie, then,’ he says quietly, but there is warning in the calm words. A warning that is not lost on Rupert. The air becomes tight with tension. Lana looks from one man to the other. It is like watching two lions fighting for supremacy. But her body knows which lion she wants to win this fight.Rupert shrugs. He knows he’d be a fool to go against a Barrington. He has much to lose. ‘If you think I’m going to fight over her you’re mistaken. Have her.’He turns on his heel and leaves.Blake lets go of Lana. She realizes she is trembling. She leans against the desk, hating herself, but unable to stop—nothing is more important than the money—she asks, ‘Did you…did you mean it about the money?’

What reviewers are saying about The Billionaire Banker

"The author kept me on the edge of my seat and I could not wait to find out more! Le Carre is a master storyteller that will leave you in awe of her writing!" — Desere, CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE REVIEWS

From the very first page to the last page you can't stop reading and you want to read more. It's fast paced and very well written. — Ginny McMath, Goodreads Reviewer

"The first person present tense style of writing is interesting. Hard to do well, but seems to work here. The Billionaire Banker is a very good book, lots of sex, painful journeys, lots of soul-searching." — MANIC READERS

"I enjoyed the book and thought that even though the story has been told before, this one had some very original ideas!" — Bec, BEC'S BOOK BLOG

"Here is romance, steamy sexual scenes and a strong and compelling plot." — Mary Scrap, Goodreads Reviewer

"I recommend this book to all romance readers." - Shirley Buchanan, ROMANCE BOOK HAVEN

"I have not read anything from this author and this was a very pleasant captivating read. I had a hard time putting the book down." — Shannon, COCKTAILS & BOOKS


Georgia La Carre

Her Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | GoodreadsGeorgia La Carre lives in England, in an old 19th century romantic cottage surrounded by a magical garden filled with fruit and walnut trees. When she is not feeding words into her laptop, she is either curled up in bed with a box of chocolates and a good read, or lost in a long walk in the woods. Especially on moonlit nights. And often with the man of her dreams.• $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card {INT} • Grand Prize — One (1) American Eagle Silver Coin, $30.00 Amazon gift card, Mini Pair of Lara Bloom's shoes, and an autographed copy of The Billionaire Banker a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveawayEvent organized by
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Meet The Billionaire Banker event organized by Grapevine Book Tours.

Blog Tour: Dark One's Mistress by Aldrea Alien

Blurb:For centuries, the people have lived under the protection of their so-called Dark Lord. Now, with news of his death reaching the quiet village of Everdark, rumour whispers that his son, Lucias, is hunting for a mistress to beget him an heir. Clara doesn't put much stock in village gossip, until she finds herself forcibly taken to the Lord's fortress. Escape is not easy. She has no way out and, against a man with magic, little chance of fighting back. But the Lords are still men and the death of Lucias' father is proof that they die just the same. And yet, if Lucias dies heirless, his army will be free to terrorise the land. Such is the goal of Lenora of Ne'ermore, an old enemy and ex-prisoner of the kingdom. She is sending a man to slaughter Lucias and, to ensure there's no chance of an heir, his mistress must die as well. Caught between regaining her freedom or losing it for the good of the kingdom, Clara struggles to decide her path before certain death breaches the gates.
Buy links:Astraea Press | Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | OmniLit/All Romance
Excerpt:A hoof scraped the ground behind her, the sound akin to the sharpening of a knife.Clara froze, her heart thudding. Taking a deep breath, she stared at the empty road stretching ahead. She could even make out the doorway to home. Mind your own business, she reminded herself. She took a shaky step forward, steadfastly refusing to look behind her."You there!"Unable to resist the cry, she whirled about to face them. The carriage, its black panels naught but a darker patch within the shadows, stood on the other side of the junction. One of the horses stamped a shaggy foreleg, the other bobbed its head as if in reply. How she hated the beasts. Unlike the dogs and cats she was more familiar with, horses always seemed to have a superior glint in their eyes, as if they were secretly laughing at everyone.The driver gently pulled on the reins, stilling the creatures. He leant forward in his seat. Piggish eyes, dark like little coals, peered down at her. His lips twisted into a sneer. "She'll do."Clara didn't fancy waiting to find out why she'd do and what for. Dumping her burden, she ran down the street, racing for the shadowed doorway leading to safety.The clatter of hooves followed her. Black horseflesh ran alongside her, then fast pulled ahead to let the carriage trundle even with her.
She glanced at the shut doors and grimy windows of houses flanking her other side, madly searching for a closer haven. Sudden movement on the edge of her vision drew her attention back to her pursuers. She caught only the briefest flash of a horse sliding to a halt right in her path before crashing into the beast, forcing the air from her lungs.
Author Bio:Born and raised in New Zealand, Aldrea Alien lives on a small farm with her family, including a menagerie of animals. Since discovering a love of writing at the age of twelve, she hasn't found an ounce of peace from the characters plaguing her mind.Blog: http://thardrandia.blogspot.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aldrea-Alien/262519090516776Twitter: https://twitter.com/@AldreaAlienGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7328363.Aldrea_Alien
Giveaway:
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Release: Rumor Has It by Elisabeth Grace

Synopsis:  All publicity is good publicity, right? Unless you’re recent college grad Ellie Wagner and an embarrassing video of you and your boyfriend goes viral. Every man in your life abandons you, but who knew a one-minute clip of your latest doomed relationship would brand you a slut, prevent you from getting your perfect job, and force you to keep doing the one thing you swore you’d never do again…live with your mother.

But staying with mom and her latest boy-toy (is this husband number four or five?) until your life turns around might not be all bad. Especially when you fall – literally – at the feet of a sexy, green-eyed stranger who offers you freedom and a life of luxury on a gold-rimmed platter.

There’s only one little problem – the man of your dreams is none other than Mason Nash, the latest hip-hop star busting up the music charts. Fame and fortune are his calling cards and he’s vying to steal the show on a new reality TV series that will catapult him into mainstream stardom. Hello spotlight.

The man behind the famous persona is perfect for Ellie in every way, but can she overcome the ugly pitfalls that come with Mason's celebrity status? Or will she be forced to choose between the man she loves and the independent life she longs for? After all, fame and fortune aren’t always what they seem and not all publicity is good publicity…
SMASHWORDS  AMAZON  B&N  KOBO(Paperback copies)AMAZON
Author bio: I have a soft spot for romance novels with happily ever afters and a hot spot for alpha males! I currently live outside Toronto, Canada with my hubby and two small children. Life is busy, but never too busy for a good story and to share my love of reading and writing with others.
FACEBOOK      TWITTER        


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Podcast by Andrew Buckley (@abuckley23)

All week, Andrew Buckley is posting "Tales Out Loud" to prepare us for the release of his latest novel Stiltskin. Here is the link for today, and check out Monday's and Tuesday's while you are at it. Enjoy!

http://www.planetkibi.com/1/post/2013/12/fairy-tales-out-loud-part-3-the-tragic-tale-of-the-messy-wizard.html

Blog Tour: The Seacrest by Aaron Paul Lazar

Synopsis:They say it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
Finn McGraw disagrees.
He was just seventeen when he had a torrid summer affair with the girl who stole his heart—and then inexplicably turned on him. Finn may have moved on with his life, but he’s never forgotten her.
Now, ten years later, he’s got more than his lost love to worry about. A horrific accident turns his life upside down, resurrecting the ghosts of his long-dead family and taking the lives of the few people he has left.
Finn always believed his estranged brother was responsible for the fire that killed their family—but an unexpected inheritance with a mystery attached throws everything he knows into doubt.
And on top of that, the beguiling daughter of his wealthy employer has secrets of her own. But the closer he gets, the harder she pushes him away.
The Seacrest is a story of intrigue and betrayal, of secrets and second chances—and above all, of a love that never dies.
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Goodreads


Author bio: Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. An award-winning, bestselling Kindle author of three addictive mystery series, writing books, and a new love story, Aaron enjoys the Genesee Valley countryside in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his website at http://www.lazarbooks.comand watch for his upcoming Twilight Times Books releases, SANCTUARY (2014) and VIRTUOSO (2014).
   LINKS   (Website: http://www.lazarbooks.comBlog: http://www.aaronlazar.blogspot.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aplazar2Twitter: http://twitter.com/aplazarGoogle+: https://plus.google.com/106903480874581085678/posts Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/629566.Aaron_Paul_Lazar

Release Day: Sleeper by S.M Johnson

Blurb: A new heart should mean new life, not a living nightmare.

Mishca Richardson’s life is at an all-time high after her heart transplant. With new boyfriend, Ryder, the two of them have the perfect summer romance. Even the nightmares that have been plaguing her sleep since her operation can’t dull the high she’s on.

Things start to unravel as Mishca develops superhuman abilities. She does her best to hide them so as not to end up a science experiment in a lab. But she can’t ignore the instant attraction she experiences when she meets her university professor, Colin Reed.

Torn between the blossoming love and the obsession, Mishca must decide if she wants Ryder or Colin. But the organization responsible for her changes and her connection to Colin, is moving to secure Mishca for himself so that she can be the weapon he always intended her to be. If Mishca can’t resist her programming she’ll have a lot more to worry about than romance.

Goodreads
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Excerpt:
SOMEONE WILL DIE SO I can live. I’ve come to terms with that. It used to turn mystomach, how my donor might die, but now I’m used to it. It’ll most likely be a car accident or adrunken fall from a height, especially at this time of year, with all the end-of-school parties. Butnot from illness or any other “natural” causes. A violent, painful death will be my savior. That’show I will get my new heart.I open my eyes and stare upwards, hoping the white, fluffy clouds that splotch againstthe blue sky will distract me from the images of people dying that flow through my head. I guessI’m not as used to the idea of getting someone else’s heart as I thought. The harsh Australian sunbrings beads of sweat to my brow and a squint to my eyes. I swing my legs around and hoistmyself upright on the stadium bleacher, looking out over the sports field. I readjust the singletstrap that had slipped off my shoulder and try to think happier thoughts. At least I won’t beresponsible for the person who dies so I can get a new heart.Yeah, happier thoughts.I let out a sigh. This is not how I expected to be spending my schoolies week, with mydad as he puts hopeful rugby league players through their paces. My friends are all doing thetraditional, Aussie, end-of-high-school celebration with a weeklong party, but instead of Airlie orthe Gold Coast, they’re all in Bali, where I should be. It’s the big party to start our summerholidays before we find out which university we’ve been accepted into. When Mum and Dadfound out I was at the top of the transplant list, they vetoed my November plans in casesomeone croaks this week. So all my friends left, minus me. I know it’s because Mum and Dadcare. They’ve proved time and time again that you don’t need blood ties to be great parents, oroverprotective ones.“All right, boys. That wraps it up for today,” Dad calls out to the pack of sweaty guys.“Hit the showers, and I’ll see you all tomorrow.”I do my best not to stare as the group heads towards me. Half of them are shirtless, theirmuscles glistening after the training session. Okay, so I’m staring. A cute, red-haired guy catchesme looking and winks. So, I reward him with a smile. A guy from school, who obviously chose apotential sporting career over a party week, nudges Cutie Ginger and then shakes his head. Ihold back a huff. I thought with the end of an era, I could have a fresh start, but my reputationlooks like it will haunt me beyond high school. Mishca the untouchable.Dad lingers behind, deep in discussions with the managers and trainers, no doubtdiscussing the fates of the young men desperate to break into rugby league at a national level.They were all trying so hard to get Coach Tom Richardson’s attention. If only I had that manyguys chasing after me. I wipe the sweat that’s formed at the edge of my almost afro, before ittrickles down my brow. Yuck. Finally, Dad makes his way towards me, leaving his entouragebehind.“So, any contenders in your latest batch of victims?” I ask, picking up my discarded copyof West Side Story. I’d been rereading my university audition piece, torturing myself on how Icould have performed it better. I wish I had tried out for plays at school, but I was a closet actor,only performing in drama class for fear that somehow my weak disposition would get in the way.But next year will be different. A new heart and new hope.“There may be some. Tomorrow will be the clincher,” Dad replies, humouring me. Heknows I’m not that interested in his latest player acquisitions. He puts his hand on my shoulder.“I’ve got to grab some paperwork from the office before we go.”“Sure thing,” I say to his back as he retreats up the tunnel under the stadium. I trudgebehind him, my book clutched in my hand.With each step the tips of my curls brush lightly against my bare shoulders. It tickles andI regret agreeing with Mum to grow my hair out. I shove my hands into the pockets of my denimshorts and focus on the cool shade I’ll get once I’m inside.My nose wrinkles the moment I step in the door. The whole place smells like dude, andnot in a good way, but in the male equivalent of a stinky, wet dog way. I walk down the corridorand lean against the cool cement wall outside Dad’s office.My heart transplant operation is like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, only there’sno countdown to watch. Evil thoughts invade my mind again, only now about my parents.
Would they still have wanted to adopt me if they’d known I had a congenial heart disease, or insimpler terms, a hole in my heart?
Review Snippets:
“SLEEPER is a fast-paced adventure filled with mystery, romance, action, and humor. Mishca and Ryder rank up there with my favorite heroines and heroes ever! S.M. Johnston is an author to watch out for.” ~Wendy Higgins, author of Sweet Evil, Sweet Peril, and Sweet Reckoning.

About the Author:

Sharon is a writer from Mackay in Queensland, Australia who has short stories published in anthologies and was also runner-up in the Australian Literary Review's Young Adult short story contest with KARMA. By day she is a public relations executive and by night she writes weird fiction and soulful contemporaries while her husband, two sons and cat are fast asleep.
Social Media Links:

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Cyber Monday Blow Out Sale

http://curiosityquills.com/cyber-monday-blowout/
Curiosity Quills is having a huge sale for Cyber Monday! Jump in on the 99c deals for titles such as my own Kiya books...
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For all the titles available, click here and open the "Features Titles". Get them while you can! There's tons of great options to pick from!

Review: Daughter of Camelot by Glynis Cooney

From Goodreads: Filled with terrific suspense and budding romance, Daughter of Camelot is a fast paced adventure set against the turmoil at the end of the Arthurian era.

Raised in the shadow of a fort dedicated to training Knights of the Round Table, Deirdre thirsts for adventure. 

Instead, at 14, she is sent to court to learn the etiquette and talents of a young woman. 

Court life, however, is more fraught with danger than she expected, and Deirdre finds herself entangled in a deadly conspiracy that stretches deep into the very heart of Camelot. 

All Deirdre thought she knew and believed in—loyalty, love, bravery—is challenged when she embarks on a quest to defy Fate and save the King.


Note: This is a Netgalley. I received this free for an honest review.

So, the cover on this is pretty boring, but the story isn't. It starts off slowly. The main character, Deirdre, is very young, sheltered and naive. As a result, she comes across a little bratty to begin with. But, as she faces the real world and struggles with what it means to be a lady in a world ripping apart at the seams, she is forced to grow up very quickly. In the end, she has grown and developed enormously.
Her sister, Nia, has good intentions for her, but while she tries to protect Deirdre, she ends up doing more harm than good by not telling her things she should know.
Deirdre makes friends with another young lady, Sioned, who becomes her traveling companion. Sioned is the perfect friend for Deirdre as she wants to look out for her, but she's open to teaching her a guiding her. I think without Sioned, Deirdre would have failed and probably would have ended up dead. Sioned's gentle hand and spirit make her incredibly strong.
Deirdre's twin, Rhys you don't see all that much of, but he is important not only because of the love she holds for him, but because she wants to prove herself as capable as he is.
My favorite characters are by far Dewey and Ronan. Both are brave and, although unconventional, they are the truest knights in the story.
All in all, a good read for anyone who enjoys Arthurian tales. It follows the legend, but gives it a new angle, from a "normal" person's perspective. As I said, it starts off a little slow, but once it's rolling, it snowballs. I'd be happy to follow on with the rest of this series.