Laura McCarthy Benson's Blog, page 12

Reviews

I am so behind in posting my reviews and for that I am very sorry. Things have been chaotic in my house and will be even more so in the coming weeks as we gear up for our move across the country. Please know that I'm doing everything I can to post reviews in a timely manner.



Also, I wanted to post that books and sales that I think you'll be interested in:












Debut novel from Laura is $2.99 on Amazon. Go here to purchase.









Another debut novel that I absolutely adored! Kate informed me that from May 17-19th, this ebook will be on sale for $0.99!!!! Go here on those days to purchase it. So worth it!

Allegiant Cover, Veronica Roth

This morning, Ryan Seacrest and Veronica Roth revealed the cover of the one of the most anticipated books this year. Not since MOCKINGJAY has a book had so much buzz.



I love this series and can't wait to get my hands on a copy (on 10/22)












I'm looking to see how this can possibly end. I want more Tris, Four (Tobias) and the gang. And what does O'Hare have to do with the end??? hmmm....

Just some blatherings

I'm moving to Arizona.



I can't believe I'm moving to Arizona!



I'm excited to be moving to Arizona.



I'm terrified to be moving to Arizona.



I'm writing a book.



I can't believe I'm writing a book!



Said book sucks



I've very critical of myself.



I hate being very critical of myself.



I love donuts.



I adore Blue October.



I'm an extrovert with introverted tendencies.



I can be an idiot at times.



I have two daughters that are amazing.



I turned 45 this year and I hate it.



I still feel 17.



Except when my back hurts then I feel 80.



I have curly hair and blue eyes.



I have a dog that is a cross between a bassett hound and beagle, aka, bagel. She's adorable.



Not a country music fan, but I love Patsy Cline.



I'm still writing a book.



I love the story line and characters in book.



I write the best books in my head.



Of course they are not NY Times or USA Today Bestselling books because they are in my head.



I'm a literary snob.



I'm happy reading erotica or British Literature.



I've met so many different authors in my lifetime, I think my favorite was Nick Hornby. Because I insulted him.



And caught him off guard.



I made the audience laugh.



He invited me out for drinks.



That is as far as I go with this story.



I'm a natural blonde who colors her hair darker.



My hubby travels a lot. I hate it.



and I love it.



Red Wine is my vice.



I can polish a bottle in no time.



I should write drunk sometime. See how that works.



Worked for Hemingway.



I did not compare myself to Hemingway.



I read VC Andrews when she was still alive.



My favorite book as a kid was The Secret Circle (Not the LJ Smith one)



My favorite series as a kid was the Little House books.



I'm moving to Arizona.



I'm scared.

Cover Reveal: Fierce, Ginger Voight

I read the GROUPIE series as part of a blog tour for MOGUL. I absolutely adored that series and I'm so excited that Ginger is continuing on with Jordi's story. I loved how she incorporated a storyline that she can continue with and we'll still see Vanni. Ginger is a kick-ass writer and her books are amazing. She writes from the heart. Her characters are flawed, they're not perfect. They're not size 0's. 



I absolutely ADORE this cover and I love the colors. Please, when this book comes out please put it on your to read list. Also, read the GROUPIE trilogy too. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.



Book Title: Fierce (Book #1 in a Spinoff of The Groupie Trilogy – can be read as a standalone)




Author: Ginger Voight




Expected Release date: June 4, 2013




Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17454333-fierce

____________________________________________________________________________




Book Summary:



In the first book in a spin-off series to her best-selling and highly rated 'GROUPIE' trilogy, author Ginger Voight introduces us to a new character named Jordi Hemphill.





All her life, Jordi Hemphill was told that she needed to change to fit in and be accepted. She talked too much, laughed too loud, and most definitely, indisputably and inexcusably weighed too much. In fact, she wore her size-20+ clothes without so much as an apology. She didn’t care to fit in. She didn’t want to be beautiful. Instead, she wanted to wear her hair in funky colors, she itched for tattoos and piercings, and dreamed of a life much bigger than working at the local Burger Palace for minimum wage. She had been born with the voice of a superstar, and something inside her told her it was OK to dream big, even if she had to do it in secret.





On her eighteenth birthday, she takes every last cent she has and buys a one-way ticket for Los Angeles. She is sure her talent will get her noticed by those more open-minded to see it. Then and only then will she show all the naysayers in her hometown that she was a somebody no matter what they say.




Unfortunately Los Angeles wasn't any more welcoming. Jordi didn't fit into their pop machine no matter how well she sang. Other pop princess had the "full package," whereas Jordi still needed to change if she wanted her dreams to come true. It took a plus-size TV producer to take a chance on her, casting her for a reality talent show called "Fierce," which put attitude and talent far above the traditional pop star image.





Thanks to Giovanni Carnevale, the lead singer of "Dreaming in Blue" and “Fierce’s” rock star judge, Jordi gets a chance to fight for her place on a national stage.





But will America embrace this alternative diva? Or will they too expect her to conform in order to be accepted... to be loved? Despite the acceptance of new friends and supporters, old ghosts continue to haunt Jordi on her new journey. It will take handsome fellow contestant, Jace Riga, to finally help expose and exorcise the demons that drive her self-destruction.





"Fierce" continues the story introduced in the Ginger Voight novel, "Mogul," where Jordi joins a hodge-podge of other contestants to battle for the championship that dares every single hopeful to live large, to be FIERCE.





Ginger Voight, the author of the best-selling "Groupie" series, brings fame once again to the forefront with her new adult series, beginning with the novel, "Fierce." The characters you grew to love in the "Groupie" trilogy and "Love Plus One" are back to help the incomparable Jordi Hemphill carve a place for her as a pop princess despite the odds in this coming-of-age Rubenesque romance.








About Ginger: 


Ginger Voight is prolific author, freelance writer and optioned screenwriter. Her fiction is diverse, with novels like the edgy, coming-of-age drama DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS, and the fun family adventure for kids of all ages, COMIC SQUAD.


Having grown up reading different authors like Danielle Steel and Stephen King, Ginger has always been drawn more to story than to genre. This shows up in her various stories. Titles such as MY IMMORTAL and TASTE OF BLOOD are a delicious, heady mix of horror, suspense, and romance.


Genre romance, however, has held a special place in her heart, ever since she read her first Harlequin novel when she was only eleven. As a result, Ginger is making a name for herself writing romances of her own, starring women who look more like the average American woman rather than those traditionally represented in the size-biased American media. Her Rubenesque romances were created especially for those heroines with fuller figures, who can still get the man of their dreams if only they believe they can. Such titles include UNDER TEXAS SKIES, LOVE PLUS ONE, GROUPIE and PICTURE POSTCARDS.


Ginger was included in the best-selling book by Smith Magazine NOT QUITE WHAT I WAS PLANNING, featuring her six-word memoir.


Website | Blog| Facebook | Amazon | Twitter


__________________________________________________________




Teaser #1




By seven o’clock that following Monday morning, I was back on the studio lot, racing from one building to another in order to make my appointment with Imogene. One did not show up late for an appointment with Imogene. I had already made that mistake once and she bypassed me completely for the next contestant who had “found it important enough to show up on time.” I was five minutes early this particular Monday. Instead of cracking that stony face with a smile, Imogene simply glanced at her watch and glanced over the tops of her glasses to look me over. With a muffled “harrumph,” she told me, “Get on with it. I haven’t got all day.”




My hands were shaking as I lifted the sheet music to the stand in front of me. I had finally decided on the song I wanted to sing, a Celine Dion tune that was sure to show off my range and give me something a little more current than an obscure tune from a musical.




She stood in front of me, arms folded in front of her, glaring over the tops of her glasses as I sang the first couple of bars. Her countenance was as severe as her cropped silver hair, and her pursed lips and narrowed eyes gave nothing away in how she thought I was doing. My voice lost a bit of steam as I made it to the chorus, and actually cracked when I went for my upper register. She held up her hand with an exasperated sigh.




“I’m sorry,” I mumbled.




“Don’t apologize to me,” she said. “Apologize to the music.” She stalked over to the table which served as her desk. It was overrun with sheet music, which she flipped through to find what she was looking for. She finally found the one she was looking for, came over to me and thrust it into my hands. “Here. Sing this.”

I glanced down. It was another Celine song, but an upbeat number I had never performed before. “Why?” I asked. When I looked up at her, she had an arched eyebrow that indicated she did not like to be questioned about her choices.




She indulged me an answer anyway. “Because your other choice bored me. It’ll bore the audience.”




“But I don’t know this song,” I offered helplessly.




“Then learn it,” she said. She folded her arms, leaned back against the edge of the table, and waited.




I cleared my throat as I read through the music. When I opened my mouth, I had zero self-confidence I could pull it off. The more I struggled, the more awkward it got. Finally, with another exhale of exasperation, she stomped over to me. She took up the next verse with a powerful voice that demanded I look at her as she sang, but the minute my eyes came off the page she was pointing her finger back down to it. She wanted me to follow the notes as she demonstrated how it was supposed to be done.




Even without a backup band, her voice boomed through the empty auditorium that had been constructed on the soundstage. When she finished, I could think of nothing to say.




“This is an entertainment competition, not a high school pageant. You will not win by playing it safe. You need to take risks and step outside your comfort zone. You need to own what you can do on this stage. This song can do that for you. Or it can break you. Your choice.” She walked back over to the table and screamed out, “Next!” to dismiss me and invite the next victim into her little lair.




I passed Shelby as I made my way down the steps. She gave me a sympathetic smile as she squeezed my arm. Rather than watch her time at the gallows, I escaped and made my way to the food truck outside. Pepper and Lavender sat together at one of the tables nearby, and beckoned me to join them. They already knew from the look on my face where I had been and what had happened.




“Imogene strikes again,” Lavender smiled, her full lips painted a pale purple color indicative of her stage name. She wore fabulous wigs in varying shades of purple as well, and today she wore a grape-colored bob to match her 60s mod-style plastic dress.




I nodded as I sat. “Tell me I’m not the only one she hates.”




Pepper laughed. “She doesn’t hate you, baby. She’s a hardass, but it’s to make you better.”




“I suck right now,” I responded as I put the sheet music on the table. “She’s given me this song to sing.”




Lavender smiled wide as she picked up the sheet music. “This is a classic. I used to do this for my drag shows. It’s a lot of fun.”




Pepper nodded. “It’s a cover of an old tune. It’s a big sound. You can definitely pull that off, easy.”




I still wasn’t convinced, so after I ate the two of them dragged me to an empty sound stage to show me how it was done. Like Imogene, their voices were big enough to carry the song. Together they filled the empty space with a huge wall of sound. Once they hit the chorus, I finally joined in. They spent the next hour teaching me the song until I no longer needed the sheet music.




More than that, Lavender used her considerable performance skills to show me how to deliver the song. She tried to teach me some dance moves, but I felt like a clumsy idiot as I tried to imitate what she pulled off so flawlessly. She was patient as a saint, as was Pepper, as we fell into an impromptu group choreography I was glad no one else could see.




At least, I thought no one else could see it. When we finished, we were rewarded to hear applause from one lone spectator hidden in the darkened shadows of the empty sound stage.






It was Jace, who had a big smile plastered on his face as he approached. “Bravo! Encore! Encore!” I blushed at least five shades of red while my two companions bowed for our appreciative audience of one. “If that is a group number, it’s brilliant.”




“That’s all Jordi,” Pepper said. “Imogene picked it for her to perform on the premiere.”




“I haven’t decided yet,” I said as I gathered my stuff.




“She’s feeling a little insecure,” Lavender told him quietly with a wink and a nudge of her elbow. She glanced over at Pepper, nodding toward the door so they could leave us alone.




Apparently Jace had some convincing to do.




“So what’s the problem with the song?” he wanted to know.




I shook my head. “I don’t think I can pull that off. I was definitely a weak link in that trio. They not only know the song, they know how to sing it. I feel like a big fat idiot.”




“Hey,” he said firmly as he looked me in the eye. “Don’t talk about yourself like that.” The tone in his voice left no room for argument, so I said nothing. “Sing it for me,” he instructed softly.




I cleared my throat and glanced down at the sheet music, having completely forgotten every single word of a song I had just sung over and over for the last hour and a half. I started to sing, following the notes on the page, and Jace indulged me for about a verse before he finally took the paper from my hands.




“Sing it to me,” he corrected. He took a couple of steps back and gave me a stage. I looked into those deep, green eyes and took a deep breath before I launched into a song that talked about loving someone deeper than a river and higher than a mountain. I sang this to a virtual stranger, memorizing every line in his handsome face as I went through verse after voice of everlasting devotion. By the time I got to the chorus, my huge voice made it all the way to the rafters and back. I got stuck a little on the second verse, so he joined in.




Butterflies tap-danced in my tummy as he sold the song very convincingly through his body language and the look in his eyes. When we hit the chorus, he linked his hand in mine with a smile that I couldn’t help but mirror. He pulled me through a couple of dance moves as we brought it home, our voices echoing in the empty space. He spun me around and I twirled around him, allowing myself to fall completely in character of the song. We were laughing as we finished and he pulled me into a hug. “You are so not a weak link, Jordi,” he said into my hair.




He pulled back a little, but still held me in his embrace. His arms were linked around my waist, pressing me into his strong chest. Long moments passed between us as we did nothing more than look into each other’s eyes. I honestly didn’t know what to say. Nervously I bit my lip, which drew his gaze in that direction. I felt every single nerve ending go up in flames. What it took Eddie physical intimacy to achieve, Jace had managed with just an absently placed glance.




I cleared my throat as I pulled away. “I guess I should head over to see Jorge,” I said.




He nodded as he stepped back. “Yeah, I have an appointment with Imogene.”




I had to smile. “Good luck.”



He laughed. His eyes were thoughtful as he studied me for a moment, then he turned to leave. Before he got to the door, he turned back. “Wanna grab some lunch later?”




A flood of warmth washed over me as I looked into his hopeful eyes. I didn’t know what I saw there, or what I wanted to see there, but the way it made me feel was head and shoulders above the high I got from anything else, even food. Just being in his company made me feel better about me. I felt accepted… wanted… for the first time ever.




Lunch was the least of my concerns as I nodded with a smile.






LINK TO THE GIVEAWAY for the $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK TOUR: Nobody's Damsel, E.M. Tippets

Nobody’s Damsel






While
on this blog, reading through posts, I saw the “Stay Strong Boston”
post, of course, which lifted my spirits. It’s been such a rollercoaster
week for the United States. As I watch from overseas, it’s just
stunning how many murders, attempted murders, and explosions have
occurred. I’m always grateful for the real life, everyday heroes on the
front lines of these situations, and that’s why I write books about
them. The book I’m on tour for right now is Nobody’s Damsel,
which is narrated by Chloe Winters, a forensic scientist who works for
the Albuquerque Police Department. She was also the victim of a homicide
attempt when she was eleven years old, and survived it very much
against the odds. The plot follows a case of a ten year old girl’s
abduction.




Chloe,
to me, represents reality. What is hard and fast, sure and undeniable,
measurable and quantifiable. She’s all about control, diligence, and
documentation. It’s her job to discover what happened at a crime scene,
and be able to back up her determination with cold, hard facts.




Her
husband, incidentally, is a Hollywood A-lister, so famous that he can’t
cross the street without attracting a crowd. While it might seem like
someone like Chloe would be intimidated by someone like her husband,
Jason, that has never been the case. She’s not one to get star struck,
and acting, if you really think about it, is a pretty strange job.
That’s what she thinks, at least.




Jason
is of the same mind, and that’s a constant source of discontent for
him. He finds it hard to endure all the screaming fans and media
scrutiny for his time on the big screen, running around shirtless with
silly props and improbable fight scenarios. He thinks there’s something
wrong with a world that will show up in droves to a movie premier, but
switch the channel when there’s breaking news of a homicide or
kidnapping. Every day he watches a real life hero at work, and wonders
what the purpose is of his existence.




To
me, Jason represents dreams and imagination. His life is all about what
could be and what might be, and for what it’s worth, I don’t agree with
his assessment of his profession. People dismiss dreams and imagination
too easily, but where would we be without them? Stuck in reality
24/7/365, and don’t get me wrong. I like reality. I’d like to think I
have a very healthy relationship with it, but it isn’t somewhere I can
live full time. I’d argue that it isn’t somewhere anyone could live full
time, which is why we spend the obscene amounts of money that we do as a
society on entertainment. It isn’t frivolous or wasteful, it’s
essential.




I originally wrote about Chloe and Jason in Someone Else’s Fairytale,
which follows their courtship, but once that book was done, I couldn’t
let them go. They’ve just got too much else to say, so I wrote Nobody’s Damsel, and will keep writing books about them for as long as people want to read them (and likely longer). In Nobody’s Damsel,
we meet the demons from Chloe’s past, and she must decide if she can
endure them day in and day out for the rest of her career. “Nobody’s
Damsel” might imply a strong woman who needs a rescue, but consider what
it would actually be like to be nobody’s damsel, to know that no one
can save you if you fall.








EXCERPT from NOBODY'S DAMSEL



My
mother paused for dramatic effect, then said, “I’ve read over twenty
articles that say Jason’s back together with Vicki Hanson.”




I
could just picture my mother on the couch of her run down little
apartment in Fargo, North Dakota, with some tabloid or other in her lap.
She was probably in her bathrobe with little foam dividers between her
freshly manicured toes, her blond hair piled on top of her head in its
usual French twist. “What do you mean back?” I said.




“That’s who he was dating when he met you.”




To
my knowledge, Jason hadn’t been dating anyone when we met. That was why
he’d pursued me. Vicki had been his costar on his hit Disney show back
when he was a teenager, so they were probably good friends, but I’d
never met her, which just went to show how much I still didn’t know
about my husband. She was also his costar in this upcoming film shoot.




“I just saw Jason, Mom. He’s not with anyone else.”




“Saw on Skype?”




“No. He’s here for the evening. Back at Jen’s house.”




“Where are you, then?”






“I’ve got a crime scene to investigate.”




“And he’s okay with that? He flies out to see you-”




“Mom, he’s the one who insisted I go. He’s very supportive of my career.”




“That’s a warning sign.”




“What, being supportive?”




“Wanting you at work, out of the way, busy with other concerns. That gives him more breathing room to do what he wants.”




“Then why would he fly all the way back to Albuquerque for the night?”




“To keep up appearances with his family.”




“Exactly how much thought have you given this, Mom?”




“I can’t help it. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”




“Yeah, well telling me my marriage is falling apart-”




“Would you prefer not to know?”






Author Bio:









E.M.
Tippetts grew up in New Mexico and now lives in London, where she
raises two boisterous toddlers, designs jewelry, and writes novels. A
former attorney, she used to specialize in real estate and estate
planning, specifically literary estate planning. She currently has five
novels out, Time & Eternity, Paint Me True, Someone Else's Fairytale, Castles on the Sand, and Nobody's Damsel (Fairytale 2).
















Connect with E.M.

www.emtippetts.com

twitter.com/emtippetts

www.facebook.com/emtippetts

www.goodreads.com/author/show/1470927.Emily_Mah_Tippetts

www.amazon.com/E.M.-Tippetts/e/B001JP3ZRK/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_7?qid=1363303467&sr=8-7




Buy the Book!




Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Nobodys-Damsel-Someone-Fairytale-ebook/dp/B00AWYHX22/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1366669814&sr=8-1




Barnes and Noble: 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nobodys-damsel-em-tippetts/1114069654?ean=9781481147637




Kobo:

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Nobodys-Damsel/book-RA97XdXRV0iimGgEI5zQAg/page1.html?s=pb2YYCnRV0aYXHiq7xC6ow&r=1




April 29 – The YA Bookshelf – Review & Excerpt




April 30 – For the Love of Film and Novels – Review & Excerpt




May 1 – Well Shut the Front Door – Guest Post & Q&A




May 2 – Laura’s Review Bookshelf – Review, Guest Post & Excerpt




May 3 – The Book Bag – Review & Excerpt




May 3 – Well Shut the Front Door – Review & Excerpt




May 7 – The Book Fetish Blog – Review




May 8 – A Blue Million Books – Guest Post, Q&A & Excerpt




May 10 – Storm Goddess Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt




May 13 – Change the Word – Review & Excerpt




May 14 – Change the Word – Q&A




May 15 – Samantha March – Q&A & Excerpt




May 17 – Michelle’s Book Nook – Review




May 20 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post & Excerpt 




**Everyone
who leaves a comment on E.M.’s tour page will be entered to win a $20
Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Nobody's Damsel before May 20 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.**

An Essay

Okay, I'm not an essayist. In fact, I suck at it. Why I blog always amazes me because I never feel like I have anything to say. But right now, I feel like I have a lot to say. Some good, some not so good.



As everyone here knows, I love to read. Reading is like a lifeline to me. I can dive into a book and be taken away from my life and the world around me for a few hours. I can shut the brain off and concentrate on the story in front of me. With all the news going on lately (Boston, Texas, North Korea, Syria, Bird Flu, etc), who wouldn't want to dive into a world where that is not going on. It's not even touched upon!



I've quietly slipped away from the paranormal/urban fantasy genre and have become enthralled with the mature young adult-new adult market that is out there now. I understand why it's becoming as big as it is. Young Adult books really started taking off during '06-'07, you figure those kids are entering college, in college or graduating and becoming adult citizens in a big bad world.



Because the publishers weren't willing to take a gamble on those types of books a few years ago, a handful of writers decided that self-publishing was the way to go. For the most part, it was a successful endeavor. Books like Beautiful Disaster, Breathe (Abbi Glines), Slammed, Taking Chances. They found a niche and it worked well for them. They became extremely successful and little by little people started hearing about them and they started selling books like crazy. I read an interview with Cora Carmack who said she was amazed how much money she started bringing in for her book Losing It.  



If they could do it, well why can't I do it, became the mantra. So from 2011 to 2013, we've been inundated with self-published books. Authors who push their books on unsuspecting bloggers, reviewers and facebookers. All of a sudden, my inbox is flooded with review requests to read this book or that series. At first I was like, "What is going on?", but as I became more ingrained in the self-pubbed market I started seeing trends. Obviously vampires, werewolves, faeries and zombies are trending down while contemporary romance with a lot of sex is trending upwards.



Self-publishing always got a bad rap. Unedited crap, writers who couldn't sell their books to agents and/or publishers, etc. But there are some really, and I mean, really good self-pubbed and Indie-pubbed books out there. There are authors who pay a lot of money to get their books professionally edited, formatted and hire an experienced cover artist. I'm talking thousands of dollars. If you're going to self-publish, attention to detail should be your most important goal.



Another aspect to the self-pubbed/Indie-pubbed world is that the books are priced to sell and sell quickly. You can find some for $0.99, $1.99 up to $9.99. Whereas traditional pubbed books are trending higher in prices. JK Rowling's adult book released by Little, Brown last year was priced (e-book) at $19.99. Quite high for an e-book if you ask me. But it's Rowling, so I'll give this one a pass.



But as we come to the halfway point in 2013, I'm finding the quality of self-pubbed books going downhill. The ones who took the time to write, edit, revise and line-edit, have been picked up by publishing houses. What a better way to query, write a NY Times bestseller, USA Today best seller, make a ton of cash and become quite a name in the publishing world. It's no longer sending out queries to agents and hoping they'll read the first 20 pages of your novel. Hit the publish button on Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, Kobo, iBooks, etc...



We also have authors pushing books out at such a pace that it makes your head spin. You can't push a baby out every three months, you shouldn't push a book out either. Lots of authors (obviously women) have compared writing to childbirth. A painful experience, but once you've done it, you feel so much better. Some authors are publishing just to get something out there and not taking the time to look over the work they're trying to sell. The buying public is eating it up. They see a new book by a favorite author and they just have to have it. So one-click has become a verb in the publishing world. But when will the consumer realize that spending money on books that aren't well edited or written or formatted shouldn't be the norm? Even if I'm spending $2.99 on a book, it's three dollars I can spend on something else.



It seems to me that some self-pubbed authors are listening to their fans and trying to keep them happy and satisfied, but to what extent? Of course, when I read a book and it's part of a well-thought out series, I can't wait for the next book. But I do wait. I might tease an author to write faster (which is impossible), but it's only my way of letting them know, I'm here, I'm waiting and write the best damn story you can.



Don't become a slave to your public to keep them happy and jeopardize your standing as a serious author. Don't waste your time producing junk. Take your time to put your heart and soul into the story you are creating, molding and eventually giving birth to. I think it's human nature to want to satisfy everyone.



Reviews. Ah, just the word probably causes all authors, writers and the like to break out into a sweat, hives and want to slam back Jack Daniels by the cask! Reviews are for readers. Not for authors. Yes, authors want to see what the general public is saying about their work. Did they like it, hate it, indifferent? Some authors get into verbal sparring matches with people who gave a less than stellar review. Hey if someone was beating up your child, you'd do what you can to fix the problem. You want to protect it. You've worked hard on it. It's your baby. Turn the other cheek, your baby (book) can take care of itself. No everyone is going to like your book for one reason or another. Deal and move on.



So ends my essay. I'm quite long-winded today! Just somethings I've been seeing lately. All of this is my opinion. I haven't checked any facts, figures or researched any numbers. This is all me.



Now onto the books that I DO recommend that are self-pubbed/Indie Pubbed. These are in no particular. Just in order of my remembering them!



The Low Notes, Kate Roth*

Thoughtless Series, S.C. Stephens**

Avoiding Commitment Series, Kyla Linde

The Moreno Brothers Series, Elizabeth Reyes

Give Me Love, Kate McCarthy

Slammed Series, Colleen Hoover**

The Dark Light Series, S.L. Jennings

The Opportunist Series, Tarryn Fisher

Forever My Girl, Heidi McLaughlin

Ten Tiny Breaths, K.A. Tucker**

The Edge of Never, J.A. Redmerski**

Sempre, J.M Darhower

Love Left Behind, S.H. Kolee

Sheet Music, Ann Lister

Unlovable, Sherry Gammon

Captive in the Dark Series, C.J. Roberts

The Might Storm Series, Samantha Towle**

Love to Love Her, Renae Kelleigh

Strings, Kendall Ryan

The Fighters Block, Hadley Quinn

Rock and Roll Never Forgets, Barbara S. Stewart

Collide Series, Gail McHugh

Fighting for Flight, Jamie Salisbury

Connected, Kim Karr

Gabriel's Inferno Series, Sylvain Reynaud.**



Enjoy!



* Indie Pubbed

** Publishing Contract

Blog Tour: My Everything, Heidi McLaughlin

When I read Forever my Girl, I didn't like Nick Ashford. Probably because I wasn't supposed to like him. Reading his story broke my heart. You don't realize how in love with Josie and her son he is until you read My Everything. When Nick takes off for Africa, you think he's being selfish, but he's not. He's heartbroken and just a broken man.



However, when a comely volunteer shows up, Nick is instinctively drawn to her. Aubrey just might be the one to help Nick get over Josie once and for all, but it's not an easy relationship. Nick still needs to head back to Beaumont and fix things with Noah (Josie and Liam's son).



Nick's relationship with Noah was always strong; he was his baseball coach, football coach and his dad for the years that Liam was not around. I found the two of them endearing and sweet.



Heidi does a great job of making me like a character that I had all but written off in the first book. I get more and more impressed with Heidi's writing and know that great things that are in store for her.




Below are the buy links for which version you need to buy and the rafflecopter for a $25 gift card of the winners choice!



My Everything - Amazon 




My Everything - Barnes & Noble




Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/heidijovt




Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/heidimclaughlinauthor




Blog: http://heidimclaughlinauthor.blogspot.com/




Website: http://heidimclaughlin.com


Rafflecopter code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm a Boston Girl and My Heart is Heavy This Week.

Stay Strong

Boston!

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Upside of Letting Go, Nacole Stayton

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Title: The Upside of Letting Go






Author:  Nacole Stayton





Genre: New Adult





Publish Date:  April 20, 2013





Event organized by: Literati Literature Lovers




Book Description:

Haley Martin decides the only way to let go of her lingering nightmares is to literally move on. Taking a leap of faith she finds herself enrolling at a campus hundreds of miles away from home.




She leaves any thoughts of dating again in Jersey, that is until fate crosses her path with a blue-eyed stud named Kyler King. He is notoriously known for being emotionally unattainable, but his façade is only to hide the burdens he bares every day.



As Kyler and Haley’s physical attraction becomes deeper, the secrets of the past threaten to surface. When Haley’s past collides with the present, will her secrets prove too big of an obstacle hindering their happily ever after, or will letting go be the key that locks their bond forever?






Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17189305-the-upside-of-letting-go





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About the Author





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Nacole Stayton was born and raised Christian “Nacole” Stayton. She is twenty-three years young and currently resides in the Bluegrass state, Kentucky. She spends her days working at the local hospital and nights writing vigorously on her current novel. She has a passion for helping others and wears her University of Kentucky gear proudly. While her husband loves all things outdoors Nacole enjoys the finer things in life like getting pedicures while reading on her Kindle Fire. Her hair color changes with the seasons and she has a weakness for tattoos and iced coffee.




Author Links:  FACEBOOK | BLOG | TWITTER

Blog Tour and Giveaway, Date Me (The Keatyn Chronicles, Bk 3), Jillian Dodd

Excerpt #2




After dinner, he parks his car down by the field house and leads me out onto the big green commons ground, where we played football and he kissed me in the grass.

My heels are sinking into the damp grass and I'm worrying about ruining the suede when he says, “This is where I first laid eyes on you."

“No, it’s not. We met at dinner, when you said Riley was a cheap imitation of the real thing.”

He scrunches up his nose. Kisses me. "You tease me about the worse kiss ever, but you're lucky I even talked to you. You were so mean.”

I laugh. “You were a jerk and, besides, I apologized.”

“Still, this is where I first saw you. When you stole the soccer ball from me.”

I remember that day so vividly. Like it was a scene out of a movie. I felt free and fearless. I could’ve never done something like that at my old school.

I glance over at the goal. The spot where I first saw Aiden.

I can still feel that instant connection.

But I’ve learned that instant connections aren’t enough. Sparks aren’t enough.

My mom always says that life is about the choices you make. And I know that I’ve made the right choice. The smart decision.

Because I’m here with Dawson.

“You didn’t have a shirt on that day. I thought you were gorgeous."

"I thought you were crazy." He laughs and grabs a piece of my hair, twirling it lightly on his finger. "Crazy, but hot. So, Keatie, will you be my girlfriend?" His big brown eyes glitter in the moonlight.

Our relationship has been all backwards. Bad first impressions. Bad manners. Bad kisses. Sex way too soon. My supposed rebound could have gone horribly wrong in so many ways.

But it hasn't. It's been better than I could have scripted.

"I'd love to be your girlfriend, Dawson."

He undoes the necklace. I turn around and lift my hair up, while he clasps the key to his heart around my neck.

Of course, once he has it clasped he attacks my neck with his mouth.











Title:  Date Me (The Keatyn Chronicles, #3)





Author:  Jillian Dodd





Release date:  Tuesday, April 9, 2013





Genre: Romance





Age Group:  Young Adult/New Adult





Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16173484-date-me






Book Description:





I’m not scripting my life anymore.

I’m living it.

I’m done with the God of all Hotties.

I’m going to give my heart to the boy who I think deserves it.

The boy whose kisses are hotter than molten lava.

The boy who offered me the key to his heart.

The boy who asked me to Homecoming in a big, sexy way.




There are so many things to look forward to.

Parties at the Cave. Homecoming festivities. Drama Tryouts. Shopping trips to NY.

But things aren’t always as perfect as they seem.

I find out that my best friend has been keeping a secret from me.

Not that I can blame him. 

I have secrets too.

But, for now, I’m going to pretend I’m just a normal girl.

I’m going to pretend he’s not still out there.

I’m going to pretend he’s not getting desperate.

I’m going to pretend I’ll never see him again.

But, I will.

And this time, I might not get away.





Date Me for Barnes & Noble



Date Me for Amazon



a Rafflecopter giveaway



OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!






About the Author



















































Jillian Dodd grew up on a farm in Nebraska, where she developed a love for Midwestern boys and Nebraska football. She has drank from a keg in a cornfield, attended the University of Nebraska, got to pass her candle, and did have a boy ask her to marry him in a bar. She met her own prince in college, and they have two amazing children, a Maltese named Sugar Bear, and two Labrador puppies named Camber Lacy and Cali Lucy.





She is the author of the That Boy Trilogy and The Keatyn Chronicles Series.









Jillian Dodd | Facebook | Twitter

Author social media links:



website:  www.jilliandodd.net



facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/JillianDodd1



twitter:  https://twitter.com/JillianDodd